CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Three West Virginia college students are learning the West Virginia Press Association Foundation’s mission of improving the quality and future of West Virginia newspapers and the communities they serve in West Virginia is more than just rhetoric.
This week, the WV Press Foundation awarded three students with paid summer internships, along with scholarships for 2019-20 school year. Each student will receive a $3,000 internship and a $1,000 scholarship. The students – all West Virginia residents attending college in-state – will work this summer at their community newspaper before returning to class in the fall.
“These are bright, hard-working young people who understand the importance of journalism to our state’s future – and want to do their parts to make ‘almost heaven’ even better,” commented Foundation President J. Michael Myer. “It’s gratifying for those of us in West Virginia newspapers to recognize young leaders like them are the future of our profession and of our state.”
The 2019 students include:
Douglas J. Harding of Huntington: He is the son of Charles and Sheila Harding of Sissonville and a student at Marshall. Harding will do his internship with the Herald-Dispatch of Huntington, a daily newspaper. His coverage of the Huntington area will be featured by H-D Media and shared with newspapers across West Virginia.
Lucas Scerbo of Moorefield: He is the son of Helen Smith of Hineston, Louisiana, and a student at Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College. Scerbo will do this internship with the Moorefield Examiner, a weekly newspaper. His coverage of Hardy County will be featured by the Moorefield Examiner and shared with newspapers across West Virginia.
Alexandra Bunn of South Charleston: She is the daughter of Linda Bunn and a student at West Virginia University. Bunn will do her internship at the WV Press Association office, covering the state Capitol, the Legislature’s special session and interim meetings, and other statewide issues. Her coverage will be shared with all newspapers across the state.
The WVPA Foundation is the charitable arm of the West Virginia Press Association. It works to improve the current and future quality of newspapers and their employees. The Foundation also is the major sponsor of the annual WVPA Convention, the premier educational event each year for state newspapers and journalists. The convention is set for Aug. 2-3 at Lakeview Resort in Morgantown.
The Foundation’s trustees include President J. Michael Myer, of The Intelligencer and News-Register in Wheeling; Ed Given, Braxton Citizens’ New and Braxton Democrat; Andy Kniceley, NCWV Media and The Exponent Telegram; Jim Buzzerd, The Morgan Messenger; and Frank Wood, retired, CNHI Newspapers and The Beckley Register-Herald.
The Foundation’s mission is to champion and improve the quality and future of West Virginia newspaper enterprises and the communities they serve in West Virginia. It creates and provides more timely training opportunities for leaders and employees of newspapers of all sizes, in all departments to help West Virginia papers excel.