Guy P. Gannett Journalism Scholarship

Businessman and entrepreneur Guy P. Gannett launched his newspaper career in 1921 with the purchase of two newspapers he merged into the Portland Press Herald. By 1998 when the family sold Guy Gannett Communications, its media reach spanned several states with three daily newspapers in Maine and seven television stations.

Gannett's granddaughter Maddy Corson was in eighth grade when he added her name to the newspaper trust, ensuring her role as a future steward. Corson and her uncle John Gannett established the Guy P. Gannett Scholarship Fund in 2000 to pay tuition and expenses for Maine students who dream of careers in journalism. Funds for the namesake scholarship came from the Guy Gannett Foundation, which Corson’s grandparents established.

Since its launching, the initial $3 million scholarship fund – MaineCF’s largest – has helped educate nearly 150 students with over $3.2 million in support. Corson’s goal: Every Gannett scholar should graduate without debt.

The 20th anniversary of the Gannett Scholarship Fund in 2020 prompted a retrospective look at the fund and interviews with four former Gannett scholars.

Purpose and Criteria

The Gannett Scholarship Fund provides renewable support for students majoring in journalism or a field reasonably related, including all forms of print, broadcast or electronic media. Recipients must be graduates of Maine high schools or home-schooled in a Maine community during their last year of secondary education.

Students will be chosen based on demonstrated interest in journalism, financial need, and academic achievement. The Guy P. Gannett Scholarship recognizes students who will become journalists. Their dedication to this profession is evident in their choice of coursework and extracurricular activities.

Recipients are encouraged to apply for renewal consideration throughout their post-secondary and graduate education. As Gannett scholars progress through school, the selection committee expects to see a significant increase in demonstrated intent to pursue a career in journalism.

Gannett scholarships have varied in size from $1,000 to $60,000 depending on a student’s need, academic achievement, level of education, and involvement in journalism.