James Alan Cox Student Photojournalism Scholarships

Scholarship Sponsored by James Alan Cox Foundation

Award Types and Eligibility

The program awards scholarships and equipment to high school, college, and graduate students with a focus on photojournalism. College and graduate awards primarily recognize video work, while high school awards recognize still photography. Scholarship funds and equipment are paid or delivered to the recipient's school. Exact award counts and categories are listed below.

Description: Multiple awards will be distributed across three categories: college/technical (video and still), graduate (video), and high school (still photography equipment).

Eligibility: College and technical school students may apply for specified scholarships; one graduate-level scholarship is reserved for graduate students; high school applicants are eligible only for still-photography camera awards.

Award Value: Scholarship awards are $2,500 each; five digital SLR cameras are awarded to selected high school students.

• College/technical students: scholarships (video and still categories).
• Graduate students: one video scholarship at the graduate level.
• High school students: camera awards for still photography only.
• Awards are payable or delivered to the recipient’s school.

Focus: Photojournalism

The competition emphasizes photojournalism — visual work that tells a clear, timely story rather than art photography. Judges look for objective reporting, narrative clarity, and images or videos that communicate events or issues. Photographs may be submitted as single images or as a series, provided they remain rooted in journalistic intent. Review previous years' recipients to view examples of winning work.

Description: Entries should prioritize storytelling, context, and journalistic standards over purely aesthetic or conceptual photography.

• Primary emphasis on storytelling and journalistic objectivity.
• Still work may be a single image or a related series.
• Previous recipients provide useful examples of winning entries.

Suggested Subject Matter

Suggested topics include community and school events, local news, public safety responses, human-interest moments, and the continuing effects of the pandemic. Submissions should capture timely, factual scenes that convey a narrative—graduations, emergency responses, scientific work, or acts of kindness are appropriate examples. Avoid submitting images that are purely decorative or staged for aesthetic effect without journalistic value. Choose stories that allow clear visual reporting and emotional or informational impact.

Examples: Graduation ceremonies, military inductions, police responses, sporting events, community outreach, scientific experiments, or human-interest rescues and acts of kindness.

• Focus on events and moments that tell a newsworthy or human-interest story.
• Include both breaking-news and planned-event subject matter when relevant.
• Avoid decorative or purely artistic subjects that lack journalistic context.

Submission Guidance

Applicants must submit materials that support their journalistic work, such as an essay, academic transcript, and letters of reference. High school applicants should submit only still photographs; college and graduate applicants should submit video work when applying for video awards. Keep entries timely, objective, and narratively clear, and avoid non-journalistic subjects like glamour shots, floral still lifes, or pet portraits that do not tell a news-oriented story. Follow application instructions closely and include required supporting documents to ensure consideration.

Requirements: Typical application components include an essay, transcript, letters of reference, and the photographic or video work itself; follow the program's submission guidelines for formats and limits.

• Include essay, transcript, and reference letters as requested.
• High school: still photos only. College/graduate: video entries for video awards.
• Do not submit purely decorative or glamour-style images.
• Ensure each entry tells a clear, objective story and meets format guidelines.