We are thrilled to introduce the 2025 Student Project team along with this year’s NAHJ internship and scholarship recipients — an extraordinary group of emerging journalists representing the very best of what’s to come in the industry.
This year, we received more than 70 impressive applications from across the country, and we’re proud to award over $25,000 in scholarships and internship support. From Puerto Rico to California, our recipients reflect the rich diversity of the Latino community and bring with them bold ideas, passion and a commitment to impactful storytelling.
“These students are nothing short of phenomenal,” said Yaneth Guillen-Diaz, NAHJ Executive Director. “They’ve stood out among a competitive pool of applicants and are already showing signs of the changemakers they’re destined to become. NAHJ is honored to invest in their growth and to be part of their journey.”
NAHJ’s programs are rooted in our mission to increase Latino representation in newsrooms and elevate the quality of news coverage of Latino communities. Through the Student Project, internships, and scholarships, we are actively building a pipeline of talented journalists who reflect the communities they serve.
“We don’t just talk about creating opportunities — we deliver on that promise,” added Dunia Elvir, NAHJ President. “These initiatives are our way of giving back, opening doors, and showing young journalists they belong in this industry.”
We congratulate all of this year’s recipients and look forward to seeing how they will shape the future of journalism.
About NAHJ Internships NAHJ partners with leading news and media organizations to offer students and early career journalists invaluable hands-on experience. Our internships provide the opportunity to work alongside top newsroom leaders and industry professionals, helping you build the skills and connections needed to succeed in the field.
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 annual NAHJ Conference & Expo. 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 conference 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 here.
2025 NAHJ Student Project Team
Alana M. Rosario Sánchez Universidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo Major: Comunicación Tele Radial, Minor in News Production
Araceli Ramirez Columbia College Chicago Major: Creative Writing
Ashley Camila Neyra University of Maryland – College Park Major: Journalism, Minor in Spanish
Gian Marco Velasquez University of Southern California Major: Journalism, Minor in Legal Studies
Luisiana Ortiz Syracuse University Major: Journalism & Data Analytics
Morelys Urbano Morgan State University Major: Multimedia Journalism, Minor in Latin American & Carribbean Studies
Oriana Carolina Torre Da Silva University of Florida Major: Journalism, Minor of Latin American Studies
Paul C. Fisher Newberry College Major: Communications-Journalism, Minor in Political Science
Micah Sandy Northwestern University Major: Journalism and Political Science, Minor in Classical Studies
Susan Alejandra Barnett University of Arizona Major: Bilingual Journalism
Viviana Garcia California State University Fullerton Major: Communications Journalism, Minor in Spanish
Wesley J. Pérez Vidal Universidad del Sagrado Corazón Major: Interdisciplinary Communication, Minor in Psychology and Journalism
2025 Scholarship Recipients
Amanda DeJesus – NAHJ María Elena Salinas Scholarship New York University Major: Multimedia Journalism
Andrea Michelle Fonseca – NAHJ Cecilia Alvear Scholarship Florida International University Major: Journalism
Avril Diana Silva – NAHJ Lori Montenegro Scholarship + NAHJ-NYU Scholarship George Washington University Major: Journalism and Mass Communications, Minor in International Affairs
Nathan Jacob Gonzalez – NAHJ White House Correspondents’ Association Scholarship University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Major: Journalism, Minor in Legal Studies
Oscar Flores Pavon – NAHJ María Elena Salinas Scholarship Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY Major: Bilingual Journalism, Minor in Broadcast Journalism
2025 Ruben Salazar Scholarship Recipients
Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez Northwestern University Major: Journalism and Latino/a Studies, Minor in Political Science
Ana Maria Bentancourt Ovalle Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY Major: Broadcast Journalism
Estefania Arellano-Bermudez Henry Ford College Major: TBD
Aurora Cecilia Martínez Molina Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY Major: Journalism
Erika Yadira Konig University of Memphis Major: Journalism
Isabela Fleischmann do Amaral New York University Major: Business and Economic Reporting
Juan Carlos Ramirez Delgadillo University of North Texas Major: Journalism -Digital and Print Concentration, Minor in Spanish
Kiara Liz Maldonado Acevedo Universidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo Major: Comunicación Tele-Radial, Minor in Producción de noticias
Mariana Sofía Caro Quintana Emerson College Major: Journalism, Minor in Pre-Law
Mariana Almendra Quezada Marquez University of Illinois Urbana Campaign Major: Journalism, Minor in Creative Writing & Critical Film Production
Marina Isabel Meretz University of Florida Major: Journalism, Minor in Women’s Studies
Maryanne Casas-Perez California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt Major: Journalism
Nicholas Heber Cruz Florida Atlantic University Major: Communication Studies, Minor in Leadership Studies
Vivian Hernandez Mejia University of Arkansas Major: Journalism
Yarithza Liceaga López Universidad de Puerto Rico en Arecibo Major: News Production, Minor in Production and Direction
2025 Internship Recipients
Roman Constantine Aguilar San Diego State University Major: Journalism, Minor in Communications
Assignment: The Arizona Republic/The Pedro Gomez Foundation
Nicol Valeri León Arge Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY Major: Bilingual Journalism, Minor in Data Journalism
Assignment: The Arizona Republic/The Pedro Gomez Foundation
Santiago Rodriguez Arana García Louisiana State University Major: Mass Communication (Journalism), Minor in Communication Studies