For Release – May 23, 2020
Arkansas Press Women announced the recipient of its annual Maudine Sanders Education Fund Scholarship today, continuing a tradition of supporting the next generation of communicators.
Katie Beth Nichols of Fayetteville will receive a $1,000 scholarship to continue her studies at the University of Arkansas’ School of Journalism and Strategic Media.
Nichols, a rising senior from Springfield, Mo., has worked as a photographer at The Arkansas Traveler. In addition to the student newspaper, Nichols was part of a team of students in the university’s Lemke Digital Media Lab that investigated student debt as a data journalism project. She presented on the project at a National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting conference and previously interned for the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press in Washington, D.C. Nichols expects to graduate in 2021 and is interested in media law.
Members of Arkansas Press Women who evaluated scholarship applications chose Nichols in part because of her impressive resume as well as her data and investigative journalism skills.
“Nichols has shown how she has put critical thinking skills to use in translating data into revealing a story important to so many students. She provides a great example of how multi-faceted the communications world is and the different types of creative people needed to inform the public and protect the future of the First Amendment,” said Kristin Netterstrom Higgins, president of Arkansas Press Women.
APW awards a one-time scholarship annually to a college student pursuing a career in journalism or communications at an Arkansas college or university. Funding for this scholarship comes from APW’s Maudine Sanders Education Fund. Sanders started her journalism career as a bookkeeper for the Springdale Morning News. She later worked as an obit writer and wrote up the important details of local weddings.
In 1955, Sanders became part owner of the Springdale Publishing Company. She retired from the business in 1973 when she and her husband sold the business to Donrey Media. Sanders was a long-time member of Arkansas Press Women, and previously served as APW’s president in 1971. She passed away in 2011.
About Arkansas Press Women
Established in 1949, APW is an association of professional communicators in journalism, public information, business, education and government that support members through professional development, recognition and networking. APW is an affiliate of the National Federation of Press Women. Follow us online at Facebook.com/ArkansasPressWomen or at www.arkpresswomen.wordpress.com
Media Contact:
Scholarship Chair: Ginny Monk at gnnymnk@gmail.com
APW President: Kristin Netterstrom Higgins at arkpresswomen@yahoo.com