White House Historical Association Awards Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship to Iowa State Journalism Student

Mar 03, 2020 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 Olivia Benjamin with the Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship in Print Journalism. Benjamin will receive $5,000 and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. this spring.

Benjamin will attend the 2020 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 Sidney’s alma mater, Iowa State University, by way of 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.

Olivia Benjamin is from Sloan, Iowa, and is a junior majoring in Public Relations at Iowa State University. Her dream job is to work in crisis communications in politics. At ISU, she is involved with Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) and First Amendment Days Committee. She is the communications assistant for the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication, interned in marketing and social media for Kohl’s Professional Kicking Camps, and was also a communications intern for the College of Engineering.

"I am honored to have received the Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship. I am excited to travel to Washington D.C. to experience things in the heart of politics, since I have never been before,” said Olivia Benjamin. “As a political communicator, I am honored to be continuing the prestigious legacy of Hugh S. Sidey."

“We are delighted to award Olivia Benjamin with the 2020 Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship," said Stewart D. McLaurin, President of the White House Historical Association. “The scholarship offers a unique opportunity for students to make connections in Washington and we are proud to partner with Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication in honor of the late Hugh Sidey.”

“We are proud to partner with the Association on this wonderful scholarship opportunity,” said Jonathan Karl, President of the White House Correspondents’ Association. “We are excited to host Olivia at the 2020 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner this spring.”

Previous winners have visited Washington, attended a White House press briefing, and toured media outlets such as POLITICO, The Washington Post, and McClatchy News Service.

Learn more about the Hugh S. Sidey Scholarship here.

Read this year's winning essay.

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