MAINE — The Maine Press Association is awarding $5,000 in scholarships to five journalism students this month.

Recipients of 2020 scholarships are Hailey Bryant, of Gorham, a senior at the University of Maine and part-time employee of the Bangor Daily News; Olivia Shipsey, of Old Town, a senior at the University of Maine and editor-in-chief of the Maine Campus; Leela Stockley, of Orono, a junior at the University of Maine and contributor to the Maine Campus; Elizabeth Theriault, of Orono, a senior at the University of Maine and opinion section editor for the Maine Campus; and Amelia Bodge, of Sanford, a junior at the University of Southern Maine and contributor to USM's Free Press.

Bryant was a recipient in 2019 as well. The other 2019 recipient, Nina Mahaleris, now works for a Maine Press Association member newspaper, The Penobscot Times.

“We wish all of the recipients luck as they complete their studies and pursue careers in Maine journalism,” said J.W. Oliver, president of the Maine Press Association Board of Directors, in a news release. “It gives us special pride this year to award scholarships to several students who have connections to our member newspapers, as employees, interns, and even a newspaper carrier.”

“These students will start their careers at a challenging time for the industry, both from an economic standpoint and as newspapers come under attack daily from politicians who would like nothing more than to see us become extinct,” Oliver said. “We hope these scholarships encourage them as much as their passion for journalism encourages us for the future of our industry.”

The Maine Press Association awards at least one scholarship every year to a junior or senior with financial need who plans to pursue a career in journalism, but the $5,000 amount and the five recipients greatly exceed figures from recent years, according to MPA.

The scholarships are possible through the generosity of bidders at the Maine Press Association's annual scholarship auction and the donors who provide the auction items.

To inquire about the 2021 scholarship, contact scholarship committee Chair Sindhu Manjesh at sindhu.manjesh@maine.edu.

Established in 1864, the Maine Press Association works to protect the freedom of the press and the public's right to know, and to promote and foster high ethical standards in journalism.