Eric Benson Scholarship

ERIC BENSON SCHOLARSHIP
Eric Benson’s passion was journalism – in all its forms. By the time he graduated from Alameda Senior High School in 1991, he had served four years on the Paragon newspaper as reporter, sports editor and editor-in-chief. He won local and state awards for his writing, served his Scout Troop nationally and internationally as a scribe and was an Eagle Scout. In high school he lettered in golf and baseball. Eric started piano lessons in first grade and continued to play through his illness. His favorite was classical music except for “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Eric’s goal was always to be a journalist and he received a journalism scholarship to Indiana University. It was not to be. He became ill with a rare cancer, Ewing’s Sarcoma, his senior year and died three years later. This scholarship was established by his teachers, parents, and friends in his memory. CSMA took over administering this scholarship in 2009-10.

The Eric Benson Scholarship opportunity is offered to any Colorado high school senior whose school has at least one membership in the Colorado Student Media Association.

It is a one-time award of $2,000.
In addition, this scholarship carries need-based criteria as well as journalism experiences.
The scholarship must be claimed within two years of graduating from high school or it is forfeited.
You can review the judging criteria before applying.
The application deadline is April 15.

Eligibility: Any Colorado high school senior who has worked on a Colorado Student Media Association (CSMA) member student medium for at least two years and is planning to attend a junior college, college or university is eligible to apply. Applicants must demonstrate a financial need and intellectual capacity.

All applications must be submitted online, using either a website or ISSUU.com to share portfolios. The online application form is available here. Applicants MAY choose to submit the same online portfolio used to apply for the Dorothy Greer Scholarship, but this is not required. NOTE: The Benson scholarship winner may NOT have already earned either the Greer Scholarship or the Greer runner-up award.

Past winners (CSMA partnership with this scholarship began in 2010)
2023 Grace Olson, Arapahoe HS / Check out her portfolio here
2022 Kim Mayorga, Eagle Valley HS / Check out her portfolio here
2021 Camila Fowler, Mountain Vista HS / Check out her portfolio here
2020 Annika Sisac, Grand Junction HS / Check out her portfolio here
2019 Avery Doan, Eagle Valley HS / Check out her portfolio here
2018 Natalie Marner, Eagle Valley HS / Check out her portfolio here
2017 Samantha Wexler, Monarch HS / Check out her portfolio here
2016 Forrest Czarnecki, Conifer HS / Check out his portfolio of work here
2015   Larissa Babiak, George Washington HS / Check out our post on all our scholarship winners here
2014 Rebeccah Sheppard, Englewood HS
2013 Tayler Searcy, Englewood HS
2012   Nikki Sherrill, Windsor HS
2011 Jordan Fricke, Englewood HS
2010   Heidi Gruber, Hotchkiss HS