2012 Scholarship Competition information will be posted by the end of January
SAVE THE DATE!!
The 40th Annual Last Row Party is Friday, May 25, 2012
More information will be posted in February
2011 Keating finalists and winners receive $5,500
The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation awarded $5,500 in prizes the weekend of Nov. 11-12, 2011, to Indiana college students studying journalism. The prizes included cash awards for the top three winners of the 25th Annual Thomas R. Keating Feature Writing Contest, which is sponsored by the press club.
The 2011 Keating competition featured 10 finalists representing Indiana’s best college journalism students.
Lauren Sedam of Indiana University won first place and $2,500 prize money for her feature story.
Finishing in second and earning $1,250 was Michael Auslen, and Danielle Paquette won third place and $750. Both Auslen and Paquette are Indiana University students. Each Keating finalist also received $100 for being a top 10 finisher.
Winners received their awards and cash prizes at the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation’s dinner Nov. 12 at the Skyline Club in downtown Indianapolis.
Indianapolis Star columnist Erika D. Smith was the guest speaker.
The 2011 Keating finalists – chosen from 35 entrants – were Claire Aronson, Michael Auslen, Elizabeth “Biz” Carson, Margaret Ely, Lindsey Erdody, Sean Morrison, Danielle Paquette, Lauren Sedam and MaryJane Slaby all from Indiana University and Lindsey Gelwicks from Ball State University.
The writing contest is named in honor of Tom Keating, a popular former Indianapolis Star columnist and Lilly Endowment executive who died in 1985 at the age of 45.
To date, the Foundation has given deserving Indiana college students more than $210,000 to help them further their educations. No other journalism organization in the state provides more financial support for aspiring journalists than the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation.
The Indiana State Museum and Eiteljorg Museum were the sites for the Keating program’s 2011 Writing Challenge. Keating finalists were dropped off at the museums at 11 a.m. Saturday morning and given four hours to develop and write a feature story. The Indianapolis Star provided space in its newsroom for the finalists to craft their stories.
Each Keating finalist also received a copy of the reprinted book Indiana Faces and Other Places, a collection of Keating’s work for The Star from 1966-1982.
Since its inception in 1986, the Keating program has donated more than $110,000 to Indiana college and university students. The IPCF also funds other scholarships in support of Indiana students pursuing writing-related studies. In addition to the Keating Competition each November, the IPCF hosts The Last Row Party on Carb Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a major fundraiser.
Want more information? Read about last year's Keating winner here.
Scholarship Competition Moves to Spring 2012
The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation scholarships will be moved to the spring. Watch for information after the first of the year about these programs, which are undergoing some changes.
Indianapolis Press Club Foundation
Thanks for visiting the Indianapolis Press Club Foundation website. We hope you'll poke around a little to learn about our programs, scholarships and events and consider making a contribution to help us support journalism education and scholars.
We are a nonprofit, independent organization dedicated to the study of journalism at Indiana colleges. Each year, we give away thousands of dollars in scholarships to talented students who have shown they are dedicated to the profession.
To learn more about the foundation's make up, please see our About us and News sections. You can also follow us on Facebook.
You can also connect here to our exciting Keating Featuring Writing Competition and learn about our scholarships.
Finally, don't miss our largest annual fundraiser -- the Last Row Party -- a celebration of the three drivers who start in the back row of the Indianapolis 500 race. The party is held on the Friday night before the Indy 500 and attracts open-wheel racing enthusiasts from across the country.
