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Mary Evans

In memory · 2025

Mary Evans

Mary Evans — our talented colleague, friend, and a co-founder of the Journalism Lab — passed away suddenly in June 2025. Mary's reporting talents are known to all in the Miami Valley, with much of her important work highlighting the challenges facing Returned Citizens — including the Re Entry Stories radio series she produced for WYSO.

At the Journalism Lab, she worked tirelessly to share her skills with young people, regularly appearing in schools and colleges around Dayton and beyond. She also served as a site coordinator for Wilmington College's prison education program.

In her honor, the Journalism Lab has established the Mary Evans Scholarship Fund, supporting journalism on the issues she devoted her career to. Learn how to apply below.

In Mary's honor

The Mary Evans Scholarship Fund

$2,000

A 2026 stipend awarded to a journalist working on a story about Returning Citizens. Applications due August 1, 2026.

Mary Evans was a talented radio journalist and storyteller in Dayton, Ohio. Before passing away in June 2025, she produced powerful and thought-provoking journalism such as ReEntry Stories for WYSO, a regional NPR affiliate, and was a co-founder of the Journalism Lab.

In honor of Mary's life and work, the Journalism Lab is proud to announce the 2026 Mary Evans Scholarship Fund, a $2,000 stipend awarded to a journalist working on a story on the topic of Returning Citizens.

Requirements

  • This award is open to full- and part-time journalists working in and for publications and media based inside the United States.
  • Applicants must produce a letter (PDF of an email is acceptable) from the commissioning editor of a media organization stating their commitment to publishing the proposed story. Applicants must share an email address and phone number for said commissioning editor in their application.
  • The story may be produced in written, audio or video form. A combination of written, audio and video is permitted.
  • The story must be focused on the topic of Returned Citizens and be relevant to the geographic area of the United States. For suggestions, please see Mary's ReEntry Stories series.
  • The story must be the work of the author and the author alone.
  • The use of artificial intelligence to assist with writing or in any other ways will result in the application being voided. All applications will be screened for AI input.
  • Stories for publication solely on blogging platforms such as Substack, Spotify, YouTube or other similar self-publishing platforms will not be considered.
  • The Journalism Lab does not offer assistance with immigration or other visa requirements. If you are not permitted to work in the United States, you will not be eligible for this award.

How to apply

The deadline for applications is August 1, 2026. At that time, Journalism Lab staff and board members will review all entries and contact the awardee via email by August 6 with notice of their award. Only the award winner will be notified of the result.

Please send your application — including a one-page resume, a concise 400-word story outline, links to any previously published work, and the commissioning editor's letter — to stephen@thejournalismlab.org. Your email should include the headline: Mary Evans Scholarship Fund 2026 Application.

Apply by email