Donaldson Scholarship


The Joan Donaldson Newsworld Scholarship is awarded annually by CBC News Network to aspiring journalists in honour of Newsworld's former head, Joan Donaldson. As many as eight recipients are chosen from journalism programs from across Canada. It is considered one of the highest awards in Canadian student journalism. Many recipients continue to work for CBC Newsworld as reporters or behind the scenes.
There has been controversy that the selection process places too much emphasis on gender and racial diversity, which is a common criticism of CBC in general. This was brought to a head in 2005 when senior management voiced their concerns internally over that year's group, calling it a "failure" and saying that it was not adequately representative of Canadian society. That year seven out of the eight recipients were female and no visible minorities were represented. This resulted in a greater attention to diversity in the 2006 selection, with that year's group being thought of as ideally balanced.

Donaldson Scholars

2013

  • Julia Whalen
  • Trinh Theresa Do, CBC Reporter in Ottawa
  • Lindsay Sample, Associate Producer with Marketplace
  • Kate McKenna, CBC Reporter in Iqaluit
  • Lucas Powers
  • Asha Siad
  • Asher Greenberg
  • Roxanna Woloshyn
  • Idil Mussa
  • James Schofield

2012

  • Alina Perrault
  • Brigitte Noël, CBC Reporter in Fredericton
  • Calvin To, reporter, CTV Toronto
  • Christy Climenhaga, CBC Saskatchewan meteorologist and anchor
  • David Thurton, CBC Reporter in Halifax
  • Emily Brass, CBC Reporter in Montreal
  • Julia Sisler
  • Lisa Laventure, associate producer with The National
  • Matthew Black, CBC Reporter/Producer in Vancouver

2011

  • Adam Avrashi
  • Najat Abdalhadi
  • Giselle Dookhie
  • Sol Israel
  • Alana Bergstrom
  • Lily Boisson
  • Fabiola Carletti
  • Sachin Seth

2010

  • Josh Bloch
  • Alexandra Hunnings
  • Karen Jouhal
  • Kevin Sauvé
  • Vanmala Subramaniam
  • Meg Wilcox
  • Karin Yeske

2009

  • Stephanie VanKampen
  • Tashauna Reid
  • Saphia Khamabalia
  • Redmond Shannon
  • Krysia Collyer
  • Anna Fong
  • Chris Glover

2008

  • Danielle Mario
  • Michael Bobbie
  • Jeff Semple
  • Beza Seife
  • Kenyon Wallace
  • Angela Gilbert
  • Ashifa Kassam

2007

  • Kennedy Jawoko
  • Neala Barton
  • Lucas Chambers
  • Steve Bruce
  • Abby Schneider
  • Genevieve Tomney
  • Manusha Janakiram

2006

2005

  • Sarah Everts
  • Hilary Walker
  • Roger Samson
  • Caroline Locher
  • Catherine Cullen
  • Willow Smith
  • Jennifer Anderson
  • Bethany Lindsay

2004

  • Deana Sumanac
  • Sarah Quadri
  • Lyla Miller, radio reporter for CBC News in Sudbury, ON
  • Kathleen Renne
  • Samira Hussain
  • William Mbaho
  • Paul McGrath, producer for The Hour
  • Silas Polkinghorne

2003

  • Derron Bodell
  • Angela Chang, newsreader CBC Radio Fredericton
  • Jeremy Keehn, senior editor at The Walrus
  • Raelyne Linton currently studying nursing
  • Nicola Luksic
  • Rick Matthews, producer for The Hour
  • Zulekha Nathoo, working in Zambia
  • Corey Snook

2002

2001

2000

1999

  • James MacDonald
  • Daniel Kitts, producer with TVO's
  • Signe Katz
  • Farha Akhtar
  • Michelle Hugli
  • Ian Clayton
  • Angela Naus
  • Robert Sawatzky