Student Travel Award Winners

Newsdate: Mon, 25 Apr 2011 - 10:31 am
Location: SAN DIEGO, California

This year, three more lucky and talented students will be traveling to the 2011 AHP Hoofprints in the Sand Seminar in San Diego, California, on June 16-18 as AHP Travel Award Winners. The AHP Student Award Contest provides up to three $750 travel awards to attend the AHP annual seminar. The students will have an opportunity to meet leading equine publishing professionals and discuss career possibilities during the three days of educational sessions and related activities.

American Horse Publications is pleased to announce the three Student Travel Award winners for 2011.

Megan Brincks is a junior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications majoring in News-Editorial and History.

Megan began riding horses about 11 years ago and fell instantly in love. While she dreamed of owning a pasture full of horses, her career goal was to become a writer.

At the beginning of her college career, a professor encouraged her to apply for an internship at an equine publication. Until then, Megan had not considered combining her two passions, horses and writing. Her first internship at the Hooved Animal Humane Society led to her second at the American Paint Horse Association. Both internships taught her many publishing skills, provided an opportunity to write for equine publications, and helped to form her goals for life after college.

After graduation, Megan wants to secure a position reporting and photographing for an equine publication.

Megan is the daughter of Gerald and Debra Brincks, of Lidderdale, Iowa.

Stephanie Smolek is a sophomore at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she majors in Agricultural Journalism and Animal Science with an equine option.

Stephanie was lucky because her parents agreed that every little girl should have a pony. She has been around horses her entire life and began showing and training horses in junior high school. She wanted to work in the equine industry, but knew it was hard to make a living as a horse trainer, so she researched other options and became interested in equine communications.
She applied to her local newspaper as a 20-year-old and under staff and wrote an article every two weeks for three years while continuing to work with horses at a therapeutic riding facility.

When she started college, she began freelancing for the newspaper and other publications such as Saddle Up Nebraska, The Nebraska Farm Bureau News and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Sower.

She loves to write, but also enjoys photography and social media. Her goal is to work for an equine publication or equine association where she hopes to include various communication mediums in her career.

Stephanie is the daughter of Larry and April Smolek of Meadow Grove, Nebraska.

Elizabeth Walsh is a sophomore at Columbia University where she majors in English.

Elizabeth began taking western horseback riding lessons as a five-year-old and was hooked. Riding western was a rarity among her friends who were English riders, but she didn’t care. She was a cowgirl.

At 11, she got her first horse and at 13, she began to barrel race competitively. Her love of barrel racing led her to Barrel Horse News in June 2010, when she became a Youth Correspondent. She has had an opportunity to pitch ideas for her bimonthly column, interview well-known barrel racers, cover events for both the print edition and BHN’s blog, and to work under a professional editor who has taught her about the industry.

Through a career in equine publishing, she hopes to be able to continue to reach out to and inform other horse lovers about their favorite animal. In particular, Elizabeth would be interested in working as an editor helping to shape an issue from start to finish.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Ramona and William Walsh, West Milford, New Jersey.

High school seniors and undergraduate college students pursuing a career in equine publishing were eligible to compete for the 2011 AHP travel awards. Applicants were scored on the following criteria: academics, relevant experience, skills/abilities, presentation of materials, and career goals/assertiveness. All Student Award applicants receive a complimentary student membership and complimentary seminar registration for the 2011 seminar in San Diego. Applicants who applied in 2011 and meet eligibility are encouraged to re-apply for the 2012 Student Award.

The three travel award winners will be interviewed at the San Diego seminar and one student will be selected as the 2011 AHP Student Award winner. The Student Award winner will win a cash award of $1,000 plus an all-expense paid trip hosted by Publishers Press to one of their Two-Day Customer Education Seminars in Louisville, Kentucky, to have a unique experience to learn the printing process. The 2011 Student Award winner will be announced on Friday, June 17, 2011 at the Student Award Party held during the AHP Seminar in San Diego.

The Student Award program, started in 1993, was initiated to promote awareness to students of the career opportunities available in equine publishing. “This program has been a win-win for both the students and the association,” says AHP Executive Director Chris Brune. “Not only does it offer students a chance to learn about a career they may be passionate about, but it also has given equine publishing a long list of talented young people who are an asset to our industry and our association.”

About the Author

Flossie Sellers

Author picture

As an animal lover since childhood, Flossie was delighted when Mark, the CEO and developer of EquiMed asked her to join his team of contributors.

She enrolled in My Horse University at Michigan State and completed a number of courses in everything related to horse health, nutrition, diseases and conditions, medications, hoof and dental care, barn safety, and first aid.

Staying up-to-date on the latest developments in horse care and equine health is now a habit, and she enjoys sharing a wealth of information with horse owners everywhere.

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