The Society of Professional Journalists Colorado Professional Chapter is announcing recipients of our 2026 scholarships to support the journalists of tomorrow.

“We had 33 applicants this year and awarded $16,000 in scholarships, both high-water marks in recent memory,” says Doug Bell, chair of the SPJ Colorado Pro Chapter Scholarship Committee. “Despite the challenges faced by our industry, many students remain committed to a career in journalism, and helping them however we can is an important mission of SPJ Colorado Pro.”

The scholarship recipients will be introduced on April 25 at SPJ Colorado Pro’s Top of the Rockies Awards Reception. Click here for information on the event and to RSVP.

The chapter offers two categories of scholarships: The Helen Verba Award, for print and digital journalism, and the Sheldon Peterson Award, for broadcast journalism. Learn more about Helen Verba and Sheldon Peterson below.

The scholarships are open to high school seniors and college and university students attending any accredited U.S. college or university. To be considered, applicants must plan on entering a career in journalism and be from or living in Colorado.

Click here to learn more about SPJ Colorado Pro’s mission and how to join us.

This year’s scholarship recipients:

• Veronica Bianco, Colorado College, $2,000, Verba.  
• Sydney McGarr, Colorado College, $2,000, Verba. 
• Aries Touart, University of Northern Colorado, $1,500, Peterson.
• Grace Shelden, Longmont High School, $1,500, Verba. 
• Kyle Nguyen, Denver East High School, $1,500, Peterson. 
• Bella Houck, Colorado College, $1,500, Peterson.  
• Anna Olson, University of Iowa, $1,000, Verba.  
• Grace Olson, University of Iowa, $1,000, Verba.  
• Karma Robins, $1,000, Colorado State University, Peterson.  
• Kylie Hoffman, $1,000, Colorado Mesa University, Peterson. 
• Avabelle LaForce, $1,000, Colorado State University, Verba.  
• Luke Purvis, $500, Colorado State University, Verba.  
• Robert Sides, $500, Colorado State University, Peterson. 

About the scholarships’ namesakes:

Helen Verba was a devoted member of Sigma Delta Chi (now known as the Society of Professional Journalists) throughout her life. She worked at The Denver Post from 1951 until her retirement in 1978. She joined The Post in its radio/TV department, worked on the society desk and became club editor in 1971. Before joining The Post staff, Verba worked for a Denver advertising agency and wrote and produced radio shows for the information department at the University of Colorado.

Sheldon Peterson was an assistant general manager/public affairs director of KMGH-TV (Channel 7) in Denver. Peterson moved to Denver in 1938 to become a reporter for The Denver Post. He left Denver briefly to work in Chicago, but returned in 1947 to become news director at KLZ radio. In 1970, he joined what is now KMGH. Peterson was the Denver Press Club’s Communicator of the Year in 1986. He was a member of Sigma Delta Chi and the Society of Professional Journalists.

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