Internships & Scholarships
Since 1990, AWSM has placed more 200 female college students interested in sports media careers (sports writing, broadcast production, social media and media relations) in paid summer internships. Each winner receives a $1,000 scholarship, complimentary registration and lodging at AWSM’s annual conference and a complimentary one-year membership to the organization.
The application period for 2024 will open in the fall. Contact the AWSM internship/scholarship team or the AWSM board if you have any questions about the program.
ESPN will return as a host employer for the 2023 internship/scholarship class. The Raleigh News & Observer also returns for the first time since 2009. We welcome first time host employers The Charlotte Observer and Perfect Game USA to our internship lineup. Scholars who were not placed in internships due to economic challenges at various media outlets are receiving one-on-one guidance from AWSM mentors and additional professional development support.
Alexis Black is a versatile multimedia sports journalist who graduated from North Carolina A&T in May. She has been a Rhoden Fellow at ESPN's Andscape and an intern with the Maryland Jewels. She served as president of the North Carolina A&T APSE student chapter and was active with many other student organizations. Alexis is receiving the Mary Garber / APSE Scholarship.
Vishakha Deshpande played competitive basketball in India before earning her master's degree in journalism from Boston University in May. She has worked as an NBA Radio intern at Sirius XM, sports editor of the Boston University News Service and reporter for WBTU News. Vishakha is receiving the Betty Brennan Scholarship.
Sarah Effress is poised to enter her senior year at Northwestern. She has served as staff writer, managing editor and editor-in-chief of SB Nation's Inside NU. She also did color and play-by-play commentary for WNUR Sports and was a CBS News Los Angeles Sports Central production intern. She is a member of this year's SJI class. Sarah is interning at the Charlotte Observer and receiving the Celeste Williams Memorial Scholarship.
Madison Hricik earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from James Madison University in May. She previously was a writer and editor for The Breeze, the JMU student newspaper, and a freelancer for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She was a 2022 summer intern at the Buffalo News. Madison is interning at the Raleigh News & Observer and is receiving the Betty Jolly Scholarship.
Marissa Kraus is poised to enter her senior year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She previously earned the Omaha World-Herald's Sports Fellowship, working with World-Herald editors to contribute to coverage of Nebraska football and other Big Ten Sports. She also was a summer intern at the Denver Post, a member of the 2022 SJI class and has worked for the Nebraska student newspaper as both a reporter and a photographer. Marissa is receiving the Jim Brennan Scholarship.
Emma Sacco graduated from Susquehanna University with a bachelor's degree in communication in May. She served as the AWSM chapter vice president and was a member of the school's varsity cheerleading squad. She previously interned at the Susquehanna sports information director's office and was a producer for the River Hawk Sports Network. Emma is interning at Perfect Game and is receiving the Joyce-Jenks Family Scholarship.
Chiselwa Sandala is poised to graduate from the University of Missouri in December. She served as a digital content producer for 5th Down and an editorial intern at SLAM Magazine. She was a social media producer for KOMU's Friday Night Fever broadcast covering Missouri high school football games and was a sports marketing intern for Mizzou Athletics. Chiselwa is receiving the AWSM Founders Scholarship.
Gabriella Sartori graduated from Brown University with a degree in English in May. She is a versatile journalist who completed an internship at WBZ-TV/CBS News Boston. She also has worked as a senior staff writer at the Brown Daily Herald and was a contributing writer for La Tonique Media. Gabriella was a member of the Brown women’s lacrosse team. She is interning with ESPN and is receiving the Leah Siegel Memorial Scholarship.
AWSM thanks our generous donors for their continued support and the Sports Journalism Institute for their ongoing partnership. This program would not be possible without their backing. The application period opens each fall.
