HAMPTON, Va. — In an inspiring initiative aimed at nurturing the next generation of environmental advocates, Hampton University’s Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications has partnered with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to offer a significant scholarship and yearlong mentorship program.
This collaboration seeks to empower a talented student and address the pressing need for voices dedicated to raising awareness about critical environmental issues.
Dozens of students and faculty gathered to celebrate the announcement of a $10,000 scholarship awarded to one deserving student. The scholarship aims to cultivate skills in students interested in environmental journalism- an increasingly vital field as global environmental challenges continue to escalate.
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Charles Sumpter, Senior Director of People and Culture at WWF, spoke passionately about the initiative. He highlighted the importance of equipping the coming generation with the necessary tools to advocate for the planet.
“We're trying to put together the next generation of conservationists,” he stated, underscoring the urgent need for more environmental storytellers in newsrooms where coverage of such issues is dwindling."
“The effects of climate change and other important environmental issues that World Wildlife Fund works on really needs to have stories being told,” said Jessica Leung, WWF’s Director of People and Culture, emphasizing the critical need for storytelling in the face of climate change and other environmental crises.
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The highlight of the occasion was the announcement of second-year journalism student HoneyRose Smith as the scholarship recipient. Dean Julia Wilson proudly stated that this opportunity would undoubtedly change Smith's life and career trajectory.
“We want to make sure that our students have those opportunities. And the opportunity that the World Wildlife Fund is giving to HoneyRose, we believe, will set her on a great path towards career success and worldwide competition,” Wilson expressed.
HoneyRose's winning essay shed light on Ghana's troubling role as a dumping ground for unwanted clothing from around the world.
"This waste is messing with their ecosystems and their economies. I don't think that it's a problem that we should be imparting on to them,” she said. “It's stories like that that I think are important to spread because often we think if it's not directly impacting us, that it's not happening. But I think it's still important to know what's going on so we can make change.”
