Background

The award honors Patricia Leah Bassett Chitwood (July 28, 1956 – September 26, 2021), who served for over 30 years at the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. She held a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Auburn University. At the Ledger, Pat became the first female business editor, the features editor, a leader in the Beyond 2000 civic journalism project, the chair of the Newspapers in Education program, the circulation director, and a member of the editorial board.

Pat shared her love for people and the written word with others in St. Luke United Methodist Church’s Seekers Sunday School Class and Thursday Women's Bible Study, Kiwanis Club, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Council for Child Abuse Prevention, Carson McCullers Center for Writers & Musicians, and as chair of the Muscogee County Library Book Sale.

Pat was rare as both a keen intellect and a people person -- legendary for arranging surprise parties, creating "Top 10" lists, quoting fragments of poetry, and finding the magic in a "24-hour phenomenon." Pat left behind more than family, friends, colleagues, and a host of articles, editorials, and graduate papers. She left behind a legacy of the power of our words and deeds to shape our tomorrows.

Overview

The Pat Chitwood Women Leaders in Journalism Scholarship:

• Is intended to help support the post-secondary undergraduate education of women who aspire towards positional leadership in a profession related to the field of journalism, as defined by the American Press Institute:

Journalism is the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information. It is also the product of these activities. (americanpressinstitute.org)

• Will select one recipient in 2024.
• Will be paid to the two- or four-year accredited U.S. college or university of the student's choice.
• Can be used to cover the cost of tuition, fees, housing, and books.
  • Note: For most students, a scholarship grant used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, and essential equipment is usually not taxable. Scholarship funds used for room and board, stipends, and other purposes may be taxable. Scholarship recipients should consult a tax professional with questions about the tax implications of their scholarship grant.
• Will pay a one-time scholarship award of approximately $3,000 to be split between the fall and spring semesters. The annual award amount for the scholarship is determined by the endowed spending policy of the Community Foundation.

Eligibility & Application Process

To be eligible for the Pat Chitwood Women Leaders in Journalism Scholarship, an applicant must:

• Be a graduating high school senior or have graduated within the last ten years.
• Have a cumulative weighted high school GPA of 3.0 and above.
• Plan to enter college as a first-year undergraduate student in the fall of 2024.
• Hold primary residence in one of the 13 counties in the Community Foundation’s service area:
  • Georgia: Chattahoochee, Harris, Marion, Meriwether, Muscogee, Quitman, Stewart, Talbot, Taylor, Troup, Webster
  • Alabama: Lee; Russell
• Be U.S. citizens at the time of their application.
• Not be immediate family members of any employee or board member of the Community Foundation of the Chattahoochee Valley, Inc.
• Complete and submit as instructed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid Form (FAFSA) and submit in their application a copy of Page 1 ONLY of the resulting FAFSA Submission Summary. Financial information will be held in strictest confidence.
• Complete a personal interview with the Chitwood Scholarship Committee, if requested.

Criteria

The committee will consider female applicants who:

• Aspire towards positions of leadership in professions related to the field of journalism. Applicants should demonstrate their interest in the profession through service to their school, community, and/or job.
• Demonstrate financial need.
• Demonstrate academic achievement.
• Demonstrate an understanding of journalism’s role in helping people better understand their world and shape the future.
• Demonstrate courage and perseverance.
• Demonstrate leadership through service to their school, community, religious organization, and/or job.

Timeline

*NOTE: CFCV is aware of delays associated with the revised FAFSA form and as such, reserves the right to adjust the timeline below. Application deadlines will be updated on the scholarship application portal (link below).

• Completed Application Due: Friday, March 15, 2024, 5 p.m. EST
• Notification of Finalist Status: May 2024