The Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas presented two Dr. John R. Bittner Scholarships at its annual student workshop on Feb. 25, 2023.
The 2023 recipients are Re’Onna Vines of North Carolina A&T State University, and Mia Douglas of Benedict College, Columbia SC. (Learn more about each winner below.)
Each year, RTDNAC awards a $2000 scholarship each to a North Carolina and a South Carolina college student majoring in a field connected to the news industry.
The RTDNAC Scholarships have been named for the late Dr. John R. Bittner, RTDNAC’s first executive manager and a member of the faculty at in the journalism school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Funding for the scholarships has been provided by Capitol Broadcasting Company/WRAL, Hearst Television Inc./WYFF4 and the RTDNAC Board of Directors.
North Carolina Recipient
Re’Onna Vines is a junior pursuing a degree in Journalism & Mass Communications at North Carolina A&T State University. She is using the skills she’s learning in the classroom to become involved in her university community and beyond.
Re’Onna is president of a campus organization she founded called “Humans First.” This organization strives to fill in the gap between the NC A&T student body and the University Police Department. She organizes panel discussions to include students, alumni and police officers to keep the lines of communication open.
She took the lead in a voter education program and a voter registration drive on campus. In addition, she served as a Civic Fellow since her freshman year in the Office of Leadership & Civic Engagement. This office organizes campus events to inspire leadership and civic engagement.
These activities have developed her interviewing and reporting skills while
maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Re’Onna still finds time to manage a clothing line of her own designs.
South Carolina Recipient
Mia Douglas is majoring in Mass Communications with a minor in Political Science at Benedict College in Columbia, SC.
Outside of the classroom, her experience includes a summer as a Fellow at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service Institute.
She spent the fall 2022 semester as an intern at WIS News in Columbia. She assisted with writing and producing news blocks for the 7:00 newscast.
Her community service work involved her in the College’s food pantry to assist students who needed a helping hand. She is a representative in the Student Government Association.
Academically, she is a member of the Honors College, Dean’s List and President’s List.