NAHJ Welcomes the 2026 Class of Student Project Participants, Scholars and Interns

NAHJ is proud to introduce its 2026 Student Project team along with this year’s internship and scholarship recipients. Together, they represent the next generation of Latino journalists and the future of our industry.

This year, we received more than 90 impressive applications from across the country, and we’re proud to award over $40,000 in scholarships and internship support. These students stayed up late perfecting their clips, wrote and rewrote their applications and dared to imagine themselves in newsrooms that have not always had people who look like them.

This year’s talent pool was one of the most competitive. From coast to coast, students applied from universities large and small, community colleges, from border towns and major cities, each bringing their own story and their own vision of what journalism should be. Those recognized rose to the top of that impressive pool. We could not be prouder to welcome them into the NAHJ family.

The Student Project is one of the most meaningful experiences that NAHJ offers its student members. Selected participants will work alongside experienced mentor journalists during the conference, covering both the event itself and the Latino community at the heart of it. It is not a simulation. It is real reporting, real deadlines and real stories that matter, guided by professionals who have been in their shoes.

Every year, these students remind me why this work matters,” said Yaneth Guillen-Diaz, NAHJ Executive Director. “They bring extraordinary talent, determination, and a strong commitment to telling stories that too often go unheard. At NAHJ, we do more than open doors; we support them as they build careers, find their voices, and help shape the future of journalism. Investing in these students means investing in stronger journalism, more inclusive newsrooms, and communities that deserve to see themselves reflected in our stories

NAHJ’s student programs exist because representation in newsrooms does not happen by accident. It takes deliberate investment, sustained mentorship and an organization willing to put resources behind its values.

Through the Student Project, scholarships and internships, NAHJ is building a pipeline of journalists who look like, sound like and understand the communities that they will one day cover. That talent pipeline is not just good for Latino journalists. It is good for journalism.

“This is the work,” said Dunia Elvir, NAHJ President. “Today isn’t just about celebrating these students, it’s about making sure they have the support, opportunities, and community they need to stay in this industry, grow, and leave ‘su huella’ their own unique imprint on it.”

We congratulate this year’s recipients and are excited to see what they will achieve next.