Awards and Calls

AEJMC Equity & Diversity Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS JANUARY 15, 2027 — APRIL 15, 2027

The AEJMC Equity & Diversity Award recognizes journalism and mass communication academic units that are working toward, and have attained measurable success, in increasing equity and diversity among their faculty, staff and students. The unit must display progress and innovation in racial, gender, and ethnic equality and diversity during the previous three years.

AEJMC Equity & Diversity Award

AEJMC First Amendment Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS DECEMBER 1, 2026 — FEBRUARY 15, 2027

Created in 2006, the AEJMC First Amendment Award recognizes individuals or organizations who demonstrate a strong commitment to freedom of the press and who practice or support courageous journalism. Note: AEJMC members are not eligible to receive this award.

AEJMC First Amendment Award

Krieghbaum Mid-Career Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS DECEMBER 1, 2026 — MARCH 15, 2027

The Krieghbaum Mid-Career Award honors AEJMC members who have shown outstanding achievement and effort in all three AEJMC areas: teaching, research and public service. The late Hillier Krieghbaum, former New York University professor emeritus and 1972 AEJMC president, created and funded the award in 1980. Nominees must also be AEJMC members in good standing at the time of the nomination and during the preceding two years.

Krieghbaum Mid-Career Award

Dorothy Bowles Award for Outstanding Public Service

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS DECEMBER 1, 2026 — MARCH 1, 2027

The Dorothy Bowles Award for Outstanding Public Service recognizes an AEJMC member who has a sustained and significant public-service record that has helped build bridges between academics and professionals in mass communications, either nationally or locally, and been actively engaged within the association.

Dorothy Bowles Award for Outstanding Public Service

Eleanor Blum Distinguished Service to Research Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS OCTOBER 1, 2026 — DECEMBER 15, 2026

The Blum Research Award was created to recognize people who have devoted substantial parts of their careers to promoting research in mass communication. It is named in honor of its first recipient, the late Eleanor Blum, a long time communications librarian at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.

Eleanor Blum Distinguished Service to Research Award

AEJMC-Knudson Latin America Prize

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS OCTOBER 1, 2026 — JANUARY 15, 2027

This is an annual award given to a book or project concerning Latin America or coverage of issues in Latin America. Submitted works must make an original contribution to improve knowledge about Latin America to U.S. students, journalists or the public. This award was endowed by the late Jerry Knudson, an emeritus professor at Temple University. Knudson was a long-time AEJMC member whose research and publications focused on Latin America.

AEJMC-Knudson Latin America Prize

Nafziger-White-Salwen Dissertation Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 — OCTOBER 15, 2026

The award recognizes excellence in Ph.D. dissertation research that demonstrates potentially significant impact and importance in the field of journalism and communication research and includes a monetary prize. The award is named for Ralph O. Nafziger and David Manning White, authors of Introduction to Mass Communication Research, and Michael Salwen, co-author of An Integrated Approach to Communication Theory and Research.

Nafziger-White-Salwen Dissertation Award

Paul J. Deutschmann Award for Excellence in Research

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS OCTOBER 1, 2026 — DECEMBER 15, 2026

The Paul J. Deutschmann Award for Excellence in Research recognizes a body of significant research over the course of an individual's career. The award is named in honor of Paul J. Deutschmann, who developed the College of Communication Arts at Michigan State University. It serves as the AEJMC Research Award, recognizing the top scholars in the association who have made a major impact on the research of the field during their career. The Deutschmann Award is based on demonstrable influence on the field and is therefore not necessarily awarded every year.

Paul J. Deutschmann Award for Excellence in Research

Tankard Book Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS OCTOBER 1, 2026 — JANUARY 15, 2027

This award recognizes the most outstanding book in the field of journalism and communication. It also honors authors whose work embodies excellence in research, writing and creativity. First presented in 2007, the award is named in honor of Dr. James Tankard, Jr., posthumous recipient of AEJMC's 2006 Eleanor Blum Distinguished Service to Research Award, former editor of Journalism Monographs and a longtime University of Texas at Austin journalism professor.

Tankard Book Award

AEJMC Award for Excellence in Teaching

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 — NOVEMBER 1, 2026
An AEJMC Standing Committee on Teaching Award

This new award, sponsored by the AEJMC Standing Committee on Teaching, recognizes excellence in teaching in mass communication, journalism, communication, and related fields. The award honors a commitment to teaching that has been transformative and impactful for students, programs, and/or institutions. A cash award of $1,000 and a plaque are included.

AEJMC Award for Excellence in Teaching

Best Practices in Teaching Competition

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS DECEMBER 1, 2026 — FEBRUARY 15, 2027
An AEJMC Standing Committee on Teaching Competition

This competition recognizes innovative class-tested assignments, projects, or activities from faculty who teach in journalism & mass communication disciplines represented by AEJMC. SCT welcomes submissions from faculty of all ranks who teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and graduate student instructors. You do not need to be an AEJMC member to submit to this competition.

Best Practices in Teaching Competition

Baskett Mosse Award for Faculty Development

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS NOVEMBER 15, 2026 — MARCH 1, 2027
An AEJMC and ACEJMC Award

Created by AEJMC and ACEJMC in honor of the late Baskett Mosse, executive secretary of the Accrediting Committee for 26 years, the Baskett Mosse Award for Faculty Development recognizes an outstanding young or midcareer faculty member in journalism or mass communication. (Not awarded annually.)

Baskett Mosse Award for Faculty Development

Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Outstanding Early-Career Woman Scholar Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS DECEMBER 1, 2026 — APRIL 15, 2027
A Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at Florida International University and AEJMC Commission on the Status of Women Award

Sponsored by the Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Center for the Advancement of Women in Communication at Florida International University and the AEJMC Commission on the Status of Women, this award honors early-career women faculty researchers and encourage them as they pursue their research agendas and potential for future scholarship in the academy. (This award is administered by AEJMC.)

Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Outstanding Early-Career Woman Scholar Award

Lionel C. Barrow Jr. Award for Distinguished Achievement in Diversity Research and Education

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS JANUARY 15, 2027 — MAY 1, 2027
An AEJMC Minorities and Communication Division and AEJMC Commission on the Status of Minorities Award

The award recognizes outstanding individual accomplishment and leadership in diversity efforts for underrepresented groups by race and ethnicity, in journalism and mass communication.

Lionel C. Barrow Jr. Award for Distinguished Achievement in Diversity Research and Education

The Gene Burd Award for Research in Urban Journalism Studies

ACCEPTING PROPOSALS OCTOBER 1, 2026 — NOVEMBER 15, 2026
An Urban Communication Foundation and AEJMC Award

The purpose of this annual grant is to stimulate research that explains, enlightens, inspires, and improves the practice of journalism and communication in order to advance our understanding of journalism in urban environments. It may be awarded to faculty, graduate students, or a team of both.

The Gene Burd Award for Research in Urban Journalism Studies

The Gene Burd Urban Journalism Award

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FEBRUARY 15, 2027 — APRIL 30, 2027
An Urban Communication Foundation and AEJMC Award

This This $5,000 award recognizes high-quality urban reporting or critical analysis relevant to city problems, programs, policies, and public priorities in urban life and culture. The award is for a journalist with a distinguished record of work in urban journalism.

The Gene Burd Urban Journalism Award

The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards Journalism & Mass Communication Administrator of the Year

NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS JULY 1, 2026 — OCTOBER 15, 2026
A Scripps Howard Fund and AEJMC Award

Full-time administrator of a journalism, mass communication or communication program who, over a period of years, has consistently demonstrated an environment of leadership excellence by ongoing contributions to the improvement of learning and teaching. Open to accredited and non-accredited schools. Deadline: Submissions must be received electronically by 5 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 15, 2026. 

The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards Journalism & Mass Communication Administrator of the Year

The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards Journalism & Mass Communication Teacher of the Year

NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS JULY 1, 2026 — OCTOBER 15, 2026
A Scripps Howard Fund and AEJMC Award

This call is open to full-time faculty members or teaching journalism who, over a period of years, has consistently demonstrated an environment of excellence by ongoing contributions to the improvement of student learning. Open to nominees who teach students how to gather, assess, create, and present news, information and commentary via print and electronic media. Nominees may be from accredited or non-accredited schools, but must consistently teach primarily journalism courses. Deadline: Submissions must be received electronically by 5 p.m. Eastern on Oct. 15, 2026.

The Scripps Howard Journalism Awards Journalism & Mass Communication Teacher of the Year

The Research Grant to Support Innovative News Audience & News Engagement Studies

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS DECEMBER 1, 2026 — MAY 1, 2027
An AEJMC and News Engagement Day Award

The Research Grant to Support Innovative News Audience & News Engagement Studies encourages the exploration of the news audience and news engagement in new ways to answer never before asked theoretical and real-world questions relevant to today's times and the future. The winning proposal receives $3,000. This research grant replaces the News Audience Research Paper Award.

The Research Grant to Support Innovative News Audience & News Engagement Studies

Empowering Early Career Women in Communication Education Fellowship Program 

ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS DECEMBER 15, 2026 — FEBRUARY 15, 2027
An AEJMC and Lillian Lodge Kopenhaver Program

The fellowship supports participants in preparing for tenure, navigating burnout and career stagnation, and enhancing skills and confidence in three core areas: Teaching Pedagogy, Research and Scholarly Productivity, and Professional Freedom & Responsibility (PF&R) Service Contributions. Applicants must be current members of AEJMC.

AEJMC Early Career Women in Communication Education Fellowship Program

Institute for Diverse Leadership in Journalism and Communication (IDL Program)

ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FEBRUARY 15, 2027 — APRIL 15, 2027

The purpose of the Institute for Diverse Leadership in Journalism and Communication is to increase diversity in administrative and other senior-level positions in journalism and communication education. The Institute’s objective is to identify, recruit, mentor, and train future leaders and administrators. The Institute is co-sponsored by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) and the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication (ASJMC).

IDL Applications

AEJMC Emerging Scholar Grants

NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS JULY 1, 2026 — OCTOBER 1, 2026

The AEJMC Emerging Scholars Program award research and teaching grants to emerging scholars to fund research or teaching proposals to encourage innovative and timely projects in journalism and mass communication. Applicants must be current AEJMC faculty members. Deadline for submitting proposals is Oct. 1, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

AEJMC Emerging Scholar Grants

AEJMC Senior Scholar Grants

NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS JULY 1, 2026 — OCTOBER 1, 2026

The AEJMC Senior Scholars Program awards grants to senior (typically tenured) scholars to fund innovative and timely research projects in journalism and mass communication. Applicants must be AEJMC members. Deadline for submitting proposals is Oct. 1, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

AEJMC Senior Scholar Grants

Peter Lang Scholarsourcing Book Series – Call for Proposals

NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS JULY 1, 2026 — NOVEMBER 15, 2026

AEJMC members are now invited to submit abbreviated book proposals for the 2026-27 round of Scholarsourcing—a joint book publishing venture between AEJMC and Peter Lang Publishing, now in its twelfth year. Based on the concept of crowdsourcing, Scholarsourcing reimagines the way scholarly books are proposed, peer‐reviewed, and approved for contract. Deadline to submit a proposal is November 15, 2026.

Peter Lang Scholarsourcing Book Series – Call for Proposals

AEJMC DIG Awards

AEJMC Divisions and Interest Groups (DIGs) offer the opportunity to apply for calls and nominate for awards. Each DIG features information about their open calls on their websites. Membership requirements for application or nomination may vary with each group. Many winners are presented during the AEJMC Annual Conference during various sessions. Visit our "Groups" page to connect to DIG websites to learn more.

Visit DIG Websites