NAHJ celebrates the 2024 Student Project, Internships and Scholarships recipients

We are thrilled to announce our 2024 Student Project team as well as this year’s internship and scholarship recipients. These programs represent NAHJ’s ongoing commitment to fostering diversity in journalism and empowering the next generation of Hispanic journalists. These initiatives highlight NAHJ’s mission to increase diversity in newsrooms and improve the quality of news coverage of Latino communities. We congratulate all the recipients and look forward to seeing their continued success in the journalism industry.

About NAHJ Internships
Our internship program provides invaluable hands-on experience at top media organizations. This year’s recipients will have the opportunity to work with leading industry professionals, gaining insights and skills that will shape their future careers.

About NAHJ Scholarship Program
Each year, NAHJ helps students pursuing careers in journalism through scholarship support. NAHJ has awarded nearly $2 million in scholarship dollars, since the program began. We are proud to award scholarships to deserving individuals who show exceptional promise and dedication to the field of journalism. 

About the NAHJ Student Project
Many journalists, leaders and educators got their start through the NAHJ Student Project. NAHJ was the first diverse journalism organization to create a convention newsroom training opportunity for students. College students will work on improving their skills in a newsroom setting during the national convention. Under the guidance of professional mentors, students will write, report, shoot and edit video, shoot photos and cover events on social media to help prepare them to compete in a challenging media market. NAHJ students will produce stories on the national convention and on the Latinx community for the Latino Reporter Digital, the website dedicated to the Student Project. NAHJ covers the students’ travel, convention registration, hotel and meals for the convention.

For more information about NAHJ and its programs, visit our website at nahj.org/next-generation/.

NAHJ has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to aspiring journalists since its founding, including $34,000 through our Next Generation Initiatives in 2023. Help us continue to provide resources that help Latino journalists advance their journalism careers by donating to our 40th Anniversary Fundraising Campaign. Donate here

2024 NAHJ Student Project Team

Jacob Amaro
Rutgers University — Newark
Major: Journalism/Latinx Studies

Jaeel Beato
Emerson College
Major: Journalism

Elizabeth Dieguez
San Diego State University
Major: Journalism, minor in Creative Editing and Publishing

Andrés Iván Jové Rodríguez
Universidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo
Major: Comunicación Tele-Radial con énfasis en Noticias, y Producción y Dirección

Shawntay Lewis
Wayne State University
Major: Broadcast Journalism and Spanish Language & Literature

Lauren Lifke
University of New Mexico
Major: Journalism/Statistics

Juan Pablo Lopez
Georgetown University
Major: Journalism

Kiara Maldonado
Universidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo
Major: Comunicación Tele-Radial enfásis en Noticias

Briana Mendez-Padilla
California State University Long Beach
Major: Journalism and English Education

Margarita (Sofia) Mireles-Gonzalez
Michigan State University
Major: Communication, Concentration in Intercultural Communication

Kathleen Ortiz
Rice University
Major: Social Policy Analysis, Sociology/Spanish

Rachell Sanchez-Smith
University of Arkansas
Major: Journalism/Political Science

2024 Internship Recipients

Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Major: Bilingual Journalism
Expected Graduation Date: May 2024

Erick Trevino
University of Southern California Annenberg – School for Communication & Journalism
Major: Specialized Journalism

Assignment: Pedro Gomez Foundation/Arizona Republic

Anthony Yero
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communications
Major: Sports Journalism

Assignment: ESPN NEXT Production

2024 Scholarship Recipients

Alexandra Mora Medina – Ana Real Scholarship recipient
University of Arizona
Major: Bilingual Journalism

Micah Sandy – Ana Real Scholarship recipient
Northwestern University
Major: Political Journalism

Lyand Quintero Santana – Ada Lourdes Vigo Afro-Latino Scholarship recipient
Universidad Interamericana en Bayamón
Major: Communication

Ariangelis Rivera – Ada Lourdes Vigo Afro-Latino Scholarship recipient
Universidad Interamericana en Bayamón
Major: Communication

Leila Medina – Cecilia Alvear Scholarship recipient
Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
Major: Bilingua Specialization

Mariana Navarrete Villegas – Jonathan Camuy Scholarship recipient
Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism
Major: Bilingual Journalism

Tadeo Ruiz Sandoval – Maria Elena Salinas Scholarship Recipient
University of Missouri – Columbia
Major: Journalism

Yarithza Liceaga López – Maria Elena Salinas Scholarship Recipient
Universidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo
Major: Journalism

Juan Pablo Lopez – NAHJ White House Correspondents’ Association Scholarship recipient
Georgetown University
Major: Political Journalism

2024 Ruben Salazar Financial & Conference Trip Recipients

Davianna Arias
Univerdidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo
Major: News Production

Jaeel Beato
Emerson College
Major: Broadcast Journalism

Adriana DoPadre
Arizona State University
Major: Mass Communication

Zulema Herrera
University of Arizona
Major: Bilingual Journalism

Larissa Lucas
University of Arkansas
Major: Advertising and Public Relations/Journalism and Strategic Media

Itzel Luna
Stanford University
Major: Sociology with Data Science/Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity

Francisco Joel Molina
California State University Fullerton
Major: Journalism

Emilio Reyes
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Major: Journalism/Spanish

Fabianna Rincon
American University
Major: Journalism

Avril Silva
George Washington University
Major: Journalism and Mass Communications/International Affairs

Anthony Yero
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communications
Major: Sports Journalism

Michael Yero
Arizona State University – Walter Cronkite School of Journalism & Mass Communications
Major: Sports Journalism

Andrea Vasquez
New Mexico State University
Major: Journalism and Media Studies

Gian Marco Velásquez
University of Southern California
Major: Journalism, Minor in Entertainment Industry

Oriana Torre
University of Florida
Major: Journalism

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