Scholarships

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2024 LAST ROW PARTY SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Deadline News — Ruth Cronin, Indiana University

Feature Writing — Mina Denny, Indiana University

John Bansch Sports Writing — Matt Press, Indiana University

Read their winning entries below.

Among the scholarships the IPCF hands out are:

The following scholarships are sponsored by IMS

Last Row Party Scholarship Award

Each year, the Indianapolis Press Club foundation hands out three Last Row Party Scholarship awards for deadline news, features and sports writing. The awards – $1,031, $1032 and $1,033 – mirror the checks handed out to the last row drivers in the Indianapolis 500. The drivers receive checks for 31, 32 and 33 cents and are honored at our Last Row Party at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We are grateful to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for sponsoring these scholarships.

Congratulations 2024 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations 2021 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 57 entries for these scholarship awards, which are sponsored by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each winner receives a $1,000 scholarship check and award certificate at our Last Row Party on May 23.

Cronin

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Ruth Cronin, Indiana University

​Read Cronin’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

Denny

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Mina Denny, Indiana University

Read Denny’s stories:

STORY #1

Press

John Bansch Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Matt Press, Indiana University

Read Press’ stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

Congratulations 2023 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations 2021 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 19 entries for these scholarship awards, which are sponsored by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each winner receives a $1,000 scholarship check and award certificate at our Last Row Party on May 25.

Green

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Jakyra Green, Goshen College

​Read Green’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

Basile

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Tory Basile, Indiana University

Read Basile’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

Press

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Matt Press, Indiana University

Read Press’ stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

Congratulations 2022 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations 2021 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 26 entries for these scholarship awards, which are sponsored by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each winner received a $1,000 scholarship check and award certificate at our Last Row Party on May 26.

Richer

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Sierra Ross Richer, Goshen College

​Read Richer’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

McCormick

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Grace McCormick, Ball State University

Read McCormick’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

Piatt

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Matt Cohen, Indiana University

Read Cohen’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

Congratulations 2021 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations 2021 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 32 entries for this competition. The winners will receive their checks by mail since we had to cancel the 2021 at Last Row Party for safety reasons.

Miller (top) Wooten (bottom)

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNERS: Mackenzie Miller, Goshen College & Taylor Wooten, Franklin College

​Read Miller’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

​Read Wooten’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: None

Molloy

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Mary Claire Molloy, Indiana University

Read Molloy’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: None

Piatt

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Zach Piatt, Ball State Univesity

Read Piatt’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Samantha Hartman, Butler University

Congratulations 2020 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations 2020 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 61 entries for these scholarship awards, which are sponsored by Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each winner received a $1,000 scholarship check in the mail since we had to cancel the event because of the pandemic.

Irish

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Erica Irish, Franklin College

​Read Irish’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Annabel Aguiar – Indiana University

Aguiar

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Annabel Aguiar, Indiana University

Read Aguiar’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Mary Bernard, University of Notre Dame

Piatt

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Zach Piatt, Ball State Univesity

Read Piatt’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Jared Rigdon, Indiana University

Congratulations 2019 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations 2019 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 42 entries for these scholarship awards, which are sponsored by Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each winner received a $1,000 scholarship check and award certificate at our Last Row Party on May 23, 2019.

Boufford

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Hannah Boufford, Indiana University

​Read Boufford’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Maddy McTigue – DePauw University

Irish

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Erica Irish, Franklin College

Read Irish’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Peter Talbot, Indiana University

Ringdon

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Jared Ringdon, Indiana Univesity

Read Ringdon’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Zach Piatt, Ball State University

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Congratulations 2018 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Congratulations 2018 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 49 entries for these scholarship awards, which are sponsored by Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each winner received a $1,000 scholarship check and award certificate at our Last Row Party on May 24, 2018.

Telford, Richey, Guskey
(L-R)

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Taylor Telford, Indiana University

Read Telford’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Adrianna Pitrelli, Franklin College

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Zoie Richey, Franklin College

Read Richey’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Katie Grieze, Ball State University

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Jordan Guskey, Indiana Univesity

Read Guskey’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Sarah Bahr, IUPUI

2017 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

2017 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The Indianapolis Press Club Foundation received 60 entries for these scholarship awards, which are sponsored by Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This year, we had two winners in the feature-writing category. Each winner received a scholarship check of $1,000 and certificate at our Last Row Party on May 25, 2017.

Allie Kirkman

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Allie Kirkman, Ball State University

Read Kirkman’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Taylor Telford (Indiana University), Adrianna Pitrelli (Franklin College)

Alan Hovorka

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Alan Hovorka, Ball State University

Read Hovorka’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

WINNER: Sarah Gardner, Indiana University

Read Gardner’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Liz Meuser (Indiana University), Sarah Bahr (IUPUI)

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Renee Griffin, University of Notre Dame

Read Griffin’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2

FINALIST: Elizabeth Wyman (Ball State University), Michael Williams (IUPUI)

2016 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

2016 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

The press club foundation received 70 entries for these three scholarship awards — the highest number of entries since these scholarships began in 2014.

Alexandra Kincaid, right, receives her Last Row Party Scholarship Feature Writing Award from Foundation Executive Director Jenny Labalme

Feature Writing

Feature Writing

WINNER: Alexandra Kincaid, Ball State University

Read Kincaid’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2
STORY #3

Deadline News

Deadline News

WINNER: Megan Jula, Indiana University

Read Jula’s stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2
STORY #3

Sports Reporting

Sports Reporting

WINNER: Brody Miller, Indiana University

Read Miller’s Stories:

STORY #1
STORY #2
STORY #3

2015 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

2015 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

DEADLINE NEWS WRITING – Jacob Rund, Franklin College

FEATURE WRITING – Samantha Schmidt, Indiana University

SPORTS WRITING – Evan Hoopfer, Indiana University

2014 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

2014 Last Row Party Scholarship Award Winners

Andrew Mishler, Jessica Contrera & Chelsea Barras
(Left-Right)

ANDREW MISHLER – Sports Writing (Ball State University).

JESSICA CONTRERA – News and Feature Writing (Indiana University).

CHELSEA BARRAS – IMS 2014 Summer Intern (Indiana University).

In partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Foundation awarded cash prizes on May 22, 2014 for news, features and sports writing. The awards — $1,031, $1,032 and $1,033 — mirror the checks the last row drivers receive for 31, 32 and 33 cents.