AUSTIN, Texas (FOX 44) – A Waco student is among several Texas students who received a scholarship after showing outstanding potential in journalism.

The Headliners Foundation of Texas announced on Tuesday the recipients of more than $86,800 in scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year. One of them was Matt Kyle, a journalism student at Baylor University, who received the Sam Wood Scholarship.

The awards went to 19 undergraduate and one graduate student at schools throughout the state. In addition to strong academic records and writing ability, applicants were expected to have demonstrated their interest in journalism by working on student media or as interns for professional media outlets. The scholarships range from $3,000 to $6,000 each.

The Foundation introduced two new scholarships in 2022 – The Ellen and Mark Morrison Scholarship and the George A. McElroy Scholarship. The new, fully-endowed Ellen and Mark Morrison Scholarship is made possible by a generous grant from longtime Foundation supporters and Headliners Club members Ellen and Mark Morrison. Mr. Morrison served as the Foundation’s Board Chair from 2013-2019.

The new George A. McElroy Scholarship is named for an award-winning Texas journalist who broke barriers during his 58-year career as an African-American man in a predominantly white industry. Mr. McElroy, whose daughter Kathleen O. McElroy serves on the Foundation Board, would have celebrated his 100th birthday this year. Fundraising to fully endow this scholarship is ongoing.

Many of the Foundation’s scholarships are named in remembrance of the contributions of early benefactors, including a number of its Founders – Jimmy Banks, Barry Bishop, Dolly and Paul Bolton, George Christian, John “Brick” Elliott, Wilbur Evans, Jack E. Keever, George Moore, Joe Roddy, Darrell Royal and Sam Wood.

The recipients are:

Sarah and Ernest Butler Scholarship
Jacqueline Knox, Boerne, TX – The University of Texas at Austin

George Christian Scholarship
Adeline Costello, Austin, TX – The University of Texas at Austin

Stuart Long Memorial Scholarship for Aspiring Journalists

Sarah Hernandez, San Marcos, TX – Texas State University

Hope Unger, Austin, TX – The University of Texas at Austin

Verne Lundquist Scholarship
Drake Toll, Vilonia, AR – Baylor University

George A. McElroy Scholarship
Aysia Lane, Plano, TX – Southern Methodist University

Ellen and Mark Morrison Scholarship

Megan Tran, Houston, TX – The University of Texas at Austin

Darrell K. Royal Scholarship

Nathaniel Smith, Porter, TX – Baylor University

Jimmy Banks Scholarship and Jack Keever Scholarship
Fiza Kuzhiyil, Austin, TX – The University of Texas at Austin

Barry Bishop Scholarship
Madelyn Weirich, San Marcos, TX – Texas State University

Dolly and Paul Bolton Scholarship
Haeven Gibbons, Georgetown, TX – Texas Christian University

John “Brick” Elliott Scholarship

Brian Yancelson, San Antonio, TX – Trinity University

Sam Wood Scholarship

Matt Kyle, Waco, TX – Baylor University

Wilbur Evans Scholarship
Leila Saidane, Richardson, TX – The University of Texas at Austin

George Moore Scholarship
Peyton Sims, Texarkana, TX – The University of Texas at Austin

Founders Scholarship
George Schroeder, Fort Worth, TX – Baylor University

Founders Scholarship
Soksan Teng, Plano, TX – Southern Methodist University

Bess Whitehead Scott Scribes Scholarship
Jacqueline Kingston, Amarillo, TX – West Texas A&M University

For more information about the scholars, including biographies and photos, you can visit the scholarship winners’ page at https://www.headlinersfoundation.org/20222023-recipients.