Travel grants available for national SPJ conference

The Connecticut Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists will again offer travel grants to the SPJ national conference.

Professional members of the CTSPJ chapter are eligible for reimbursements, with proof of receipt, of up to $1,100 toward conference expenses. Student members of SPJ in Connecticut are eligible for $500.

The Excellence in Journalism Conference will run from Sept. 7 – 9 in Anaheim, Calif. It’s hosted by SPJ, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association.

To apply, submit an essay of 500 words or less about why you want to attend the conference, and how you have been, or would like to become, involved in CTSPJ events. That could include anything from helping with judging swaps, supporting programming, or volunteering to select scholarship winners.

Send the short essay, along with your SPJ member number, to Cindy Simoneau, a past president of the CTSPJ board, at simoneauc1@southernct.edu.

Simoneau will prepare all entries for a blind review by the CTSPJ board.

One professional member and one student member will be selected. The winners must be members in good standing of CTSPJ. New members are welcome to apply.

To confirm your membership status, contact national Membership Coordinator Chrystal Parvin at cparvin@spj.org or 317-927-8000 ext. 213.

The deadline to apply for the grants is noon on Wednesday July 19.

For questions about the grants, contact Simoneau at the email provided. For more information about the conference itself, go to ExcellenceInJournalism.org.