White House Historical Association Awards Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship

Jan 23, 2018 Washington, D.C. —

The White House Historical Association in partnership with Iowa State University's Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication and the White House Correspondents’ Association, have awarded Mary Khan with the Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship in Print Journalism. Khan will receive $5,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. this spring.

Khan will attend the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Dinner as a guest of the White House Correspondents’ Association and will be included among the scholarship winners honored at the event. She will also attend the Association’s exclusive luncheon with current and veteran White House correspondents.

The Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship in Print Journalism at the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication was established in 2006 at Sidey’s alma mater, Iowa State University, by the White House Historical Association. The award supports aspiring print journalists at the Greenlee School who exhibit extraordinary understanding of the responsibilities of covering the chief executive and the core principle of social responsibility that resides with the print journalist.

Khan, a Parkersburg, Iowa native, will graduate in 2018 with a degree in Journalism and International studies, with a focus on the Middle East and the Arabic language. Passionate about issues of diversity and culture, Khan has taught English in Amman, Jordan and hopes to teach in Bangladesh after graduation. She has an interest in conflict and international news reporting.

Khan has held roles as a reporting intern and operations assistant for Iowa Public Radio and as a production assistant for Iowa Public Television. She is currently developing a podcast series titled, “The U,” with a student-run radio station. The series will tell the stories of individuals who have confronted issues of physical, spiritual, and mental well-being and give listeners related resources to utilize in the community.

Khan’s winning essay titled, “Make Journalism Great Again,” discusses how Sidey’s Iowa roots shaped his success as a White House reporter and how he stands in contrast to modern-day political reporting.

“We are delighted to award Mary Khan with the 2018 Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship," said Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association. “It is wonderful to see such a bright and talented student receive this scholarship, and we are proud to partner with Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication in honor of the late Hugh Sidey.”

"This is such an amazing opportunity offered by the school," Khan said. "I am honored to receive this prestigious award and excited to see journalism in action this spring in Washington." “We are proud to partner with the Association on this wonderful scholarship opportunity,” said Margaret Talev, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association. “We are excited to host this young journalist at the 2018 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this spring.”

Last year’s winner visited Washington and attended a White House press briefing, toured media outlets such as POLITICO, The Washington Post, McClatchy News Service, and was an audience member live on set at NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

Learn more about the Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship here.

Read this year's winning essay.

For all media inquiries, contact press@whha.org.