The Illinois Press Foundation awarded $500 scholarships to three students in the Public Affairs Reporting program at the University of Illinois, Springfield. The presentation was made during the IPF’s Past President’s luncheon.

The PAR is a master’s degree program that offers hands-on experience in the Illinois Statehouse. Veteran journalist Charlie Wheeler, who is on the IPF board, oversees the program.

“One of the most important things that newspapers do is report accurately, fairly and thoroughly about government,” said Jerry Reppert, president of the IPF. “By helping to facilitate the continuing education of these PAR students, the IPF is furthering its commitment to the advancement of journalism education.”

Don Craven, interim executive director of the Illinois Press Association, said, “The recipients of these scholarships are entering a noble and often thankless field in an era of change for newspapers. This is one way that the industry can reward and promote highly skilled and highly effective journalists. We look forward to great things from these young professionals.”

The recipients of the IPF scholarships are John Guidroz of Lake Charles, La., Matthew Hopf of Palos Heights and Timothy Magaw of Akron, Ohio.

Guidroz is a 2005 graduate of McNeese State University, where he was a member of the Honors College Program. He then went to work as a broadcast reporter and, in 2006, was named Small Market Radio Reporter of the Year by the Louisiana Associated Press.

In 2007, he became a general assignment reporter for the daily American Press in Lake Charles, La., where his city editor, Hector San Miguel, said “he is by far one of the best reporters we have had on this staff in years.”

Wheeler noted that Guidroz is the most experienced reporter in the PAR program and is a solid student as well.

Hopf is a graduate of Eastern Illinois University at Charleston and worked for the school newspaper as well as The Tuscola Review. He interned at The Reporter in Palos Heights and the SouthtownStar in Tinley Park. He first began writing for the school newspaper at Moraine Valley Community College.

Nora Maberry, his editor in Tuscola, said Hopf “hit the ground running and never looked back.”

Wheeler said he is one of the strongest students in the PAR and one of four carrying an “A.”

Magaw, a Kent State Honors College graduate, is full of surprises. In his scholarship application, he wrote that he wants to be the kind of reporter who surprises readers, editors and other reporters with his insightful questions and ability to “chase a story and write it on deadline.” He interned at AARP The Magazine and The Columbus, Ohio, Dispatch.

His professors at Kent State praised his leadership in producing “the best paper in many, many years” at the university.

Wheeler noted that he “is clearly the program’s top academic performer this fall.”