Colorado Press Women awarded three scholarships in 2008 —

Donnae Wahl
to Donnae Wahl, a student at the University of Northern Colorado; Taylor Stonehouse, a new graduate of Mesa State College; and Zeljka Borovic from the University of Dubrovnik in Croatia.
Donnae is a senior political science major, with a minor in women’s studies and media studies. Currently she is a reporter for the UNC student newspaper, The Mirror, and formerly served as its arts and entertainment editor.
She came to UNC from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling where she majored in general studies and served on the newspaper staff for the college monthly, Plainsmen Pathways.
Upon graduation from UNC in May 2009, she intends to work for the Peace Corps. She is a staunch believer in service to country and believes “the Peace Corps is the best way for me to serve my country by promoting peace,” she wrote in her scholarship essay.
After the Peace Corps, she wants to attend graduate school; her goal is to attend Columbia University and enroll in its joint JD/MS program to attain both her law degree and master’s in new media journalism. Her ultimate goal is to start her own online news Web site and work as a civil rights attorney specializing in media law. She explained: “It is my belief that a free press is essential for the preservation of our great democracy, the pursuit of peace and the education of the citizens, and I intend on having a career and life that honors this deeply held belief.”

Taylor Stonehouse
Taylor, originally from Cody, Wyo., recently earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communication with an emphasis in public relations from Mesa State College. She intends to pursue a master’s in journalism and technical communication from Colorado State University.
While at Mesa State Taylor was editor in chief for the college newspaper, the Criterion. The staff won the Associated Collegiate Press Pacemaker Award for the first time in the Criterion‘s existence, and she represented the college in accepting the award in Washington, D.C.
Taylor also completed internships with the Mesa County Valley School District 51 and the Grand Junction Symphony. She plans to complete another internship with School District 51, assisting the public relations director in promotional pieces and other communication efforts with the community. She also will assist the diversity and advocacy manager in creating and implementing a program to help students become successful.

Zeljka Borovic
Croatian photojournalism student Zeljka Borovic will be in Greeley as the host of the University of Northern Colorado to study U.S. journalism this summer. To help with Zeljka’s costs, CPW donated a $900 scholarship.
CPW membership co-chair Lee Anne Peck met Zeljka last year when Lee Anne was a Fulbright scholar at the University of Dubrovnik in Croatia. Zeljka will graduate from the university in June 2008 and will arrive in Colorado in late June to attend UNC’s second summer session as a “short-term scholar” at UNC.
She also will observe and research U.S. community journalism as a photojournalism intern at the Greeley Tribune. She will be here through Aug. 15, living with Lee Anne’s sister and brother-in-law, who are Greeley residents. CPW members plan to host a summer social in mid-July to meet Zeljka and the other scholarship recipients.