The Daily Californian recently awarded scholarships to staff and senior staff for the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters. Recipients were selected based on a holistic review by the newspaper’s editor in chief, the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee chair and the managing editor of race and equity. 

We were able to award 18 scholarships this semester. The recipients for the Daily Cal fall 2023 to spring 2024 scholarships are Nishat Sheikh, Jude Nieves, Isabella Shin, Roberto Ocampo, Kelcie Lee, Sol Jauregui, Lucy Mumford, Hannah Kaminker, Rachel Xie, Philip Luongo III, Long Hei Ma, Emilia Valle, Bobby Hotton, Daniel Gamboa, Emily Miedema, Erica Jean, Lucía Umeki-Martínez, and Monica Cortes. The newspaper departments represented by these individuals include night, blog, news, design, multimedia, sports, photo, arts and entertainment, the Weekender, sales and business development. 

While department editors and upper management at the paper receive stipends, due to budgetary constraints, we unfortunately cannot guarantee pay for all members of staff at the paper. These stipends are therefore designated to tangibly recognize the work and commitment of staff, as well as make the Daily Cal more accessible to UC Berkeley students. 

Here are some words from recipients about what the Daily Cal paper means to them. 

Lucía Umeki-Martínez

“Journalism and how media is presented directly influence everything in our world and communities. It’s important to me that I do my part to ensure that diverse and honest stories are being told, and I’m grateful the Daily Cal allows me to do that.”

Philip Luongo II

“As a first year student here at UC Berkeley, I am grateful that the Daily Californian has provided me with an amazing community of like-minded people and a unique space to pursue my interest in journalism and telling true stories.”

Roberto Ocampo

“To me, the Daily Californian represents a physical manifestation of the work and creativity of brilliant minds. To be part of something which has provided others with an avenue to express themselves for more than 150 years is a true privilege.”

Jude Nieves 

“My activity in The Daily Californian grants me a MASSIVE sense of purpose — after all, I’m contributing to a newspaper which serves the entirety of Berkeley! It feels great to be a part of this team, and I’m happy to indulge in my love for writing and journalism while also helping the Daily Cal every week. I’m happy to do this as a copy editor, DEI liaison and hopefully more as time goes on!”

Kelcie Lee

“The Daily Cal has allowed me to learn so much about both campus and the city, while also allowing me to create friendships and write articles that both inform and affect the greater community.”

Isabella Shin

“To me, the Daily Cal is about contributing something meaningful to the Berkeley community. It’s the bridge between students and the ways in which we are all connected, highlighting the stories that define our collective experience while ensuring that every voice is heard.”

Rachel Xie 

“To me, the Daily Cal is a safe and inclusive platform where people can freely express themselves and share their diverse experiences and stories for the Berkeley community.”

Bobby Hotton

“I believe the Daily Cal is a wonderful independent platform that affords students of UC Berkeley the opportunity to reach a broad and varied audience around the Bay Area and beyond. Journalism, to me, is the practice of conveying crucial information to the public in an easily digestible manner. What may be considered crucial depends on the character of the journalist. I appreciate the Daily Cal for allowing me to produce what I consider crucial, uplifting and healing content focused on celebrating the commonalities within our diverse community.”

Emily Miedema

“My work at the Daily Cal as a Multimedia Producer and Deputy Multimedia Editor has been incredibly rewarding as it has allowed me to grow as both a storyteller and a leader by granting me the opportunity to create and oversee video stories and podcasts which highlight important issues within our community.”

Erica Jean

“Throughout my entire college career, the Daily Cal has provided me with the space to tell the stories I wanted to tell, opening opportunities I could never have dreamed of. I will be forever grateful!”

Monica Cortes

“Daily Cal is not just a creative outlet for me, but an opportunity to leave an impact on the campus and surrounding community.”