New York, NY (PRWEB) October 29, 2014
Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF) and the National Cable & Telecommunications Association (NCTA) today announced the winners of their joint scholarship: Amelia Giller from the University of Southern California, and Saman Malik from Columbia University.
The original scholarship was planned to be awarded to only one individual. However, after reviewing numerous high-caliber applications, the organizations felt compelled to expand the scholarship to include two students.
“We found a high degree of creativity, industry acumen and relevant content in the applications we received,” said AWMF Chair Kay Olin. “We are honored to be a part of the professional journeys of Saman and Amelia. These scholarships will help them continue their education at their respective universities, give them a platform to create meaningful pieces for their portfolios, and shed additional light on media issues.”
The stipulations for the scholarships were that the winners would produce a concept for a digital piece, essay or other creative concept addressing one of three key areas: 1) the significance in today’s society of digital literacy and 21st century skills; 2) a forecast of trends in new and digital media as they may affect users and providers of services, or 3) cable industry public policy viewpoints.
Giller’s piece will be a digital animation focused on forecasting trends in new and digital media. The animation focuses on a bustling city (much like Los Angeles) five years from now. The story follows a cast of female characters whose lives are all intertwined through technology.
Malik is creating a digital multimedia story exploring the landscape of digital literacy in the United States. The short documentary-essay hybrid optimized for web and digital delivery will be accompanied by a series of 3-5 micro-videos breaking down basic concepts of digital literacy and introducing new methods being employed by educational institutions, media organizations and industry leaders to encourage skills development.
Giller and Malik’s finished products, pending editorial review, will be featured in NCTA and AWMF media distribution channels, and the students will have the right to use and retain the deliverable material in their own portfolios and for any purposes they see fit.
“It’s critical to our industry to provide career opportunity and advancement to women,” said David Pierce, Vice President, Public Affairs, NCTA, and Executive Director of the Cable Impacts Foundation. “These scholarships will benefit the further media education of two stellar women students with a passionate interest in communications issues. We look forward to the insights and learnings generated by their work.”
AWMF and NCTA awarded the two $3,500 scholarships at the Women with Solutions: STEM Leadership in Media event today at the Yale Club in New York City. Other highlights of the event included an awards breakfast honoring 13 women whose leadership on-camera or in the executive suite has increased awareness of, and access to, science, technology, engineering, and math, especially to girls and young women; and, a student program featuring a panel session and roundtable networking.
About the Alliance for Women in Media (AWM): The Alliance for Women in Media advances the influence and impact of women in all forms of media. AWM is a diverse community – whether type of media, job or global location – that facilitates industry‐wide collaboration, education, and innovation. Established in 1961 as American Women in Radio & Television (AWRT), AWM is the longest‐established professional association dedicated to advancing women in media and entertainment. AWM harnesses the promise, passion and power of women in all forms of media to empower career development, engage in thought leadership, and drive positive change for our industry and societal progress.
About the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation: The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (formerly known as The Foundation of American Women in Radio & Television) supports and promotes educational programs, charitable activities, public service campaigns and scholarships to benefit the public, the electronic media and allied fields. The Alliance for Women in Media Foundation has created partnerships and joint‐initiatives with the National Middle School Association, the Emma Bowen Foundation, the American Red Cross and other organizations that are philosophically aligned with the mission of the Foundation. The Foundation also supports Empowering America®, an initiative which pays tribute to many of America’s most pioneering and inspiring women. Through this program, the Foundation provides Empowering America® educational collateral to needy urban middle schools around the country. The Foundation also produces nationally acclaimed recognition programs, including the Gracie Awards®, a live gala that honors exemplary programming created for, by, and about women.
About NCTA: NCTA is the principal trade association for the U.S. cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation's largest broadband provider of high‐speed Internet access, serving more than 51 million customers, after investing $210 billion to build two‐way interactive networks with fiber optic technology. Cable companies also provide state‐of‐the‐art digital telephone service to more than 27 million American consumers.
