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New Professional Reporter Grant

Nominations are now closed.

 

The New Professional Reporter Grant is funded by the National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF) and is awarded annually to promising working court reporters or captioners their first year out of school. The grant helps support start-up expenses such as purchasing software and earning credentials.

 

 

Number of grants: Four (two first place and two second place)
Grant award: $4,000 each (first-place winners) | $2,000 each (second-place winners)

 

 

Eligibility criteria

  • The applicant must be a current NCRA member.
  • The applicant must have graduated from a court reporting program.
  • The applicant must have graduated with a grade point average of at least 3.5 overall, based on a 4.0 standard or equivalent as verified by his/her transcript.
  • The applicant must submit a copy of his/her official transcript with this application.
  • The applicant must be in his/her first year out of school as verified by an official transcript.
  • The applicant must submit a letter of recommendation from his/her employer or contracting agency attesting to the applicant's professional demeanor, attitude, and motivation.
  • The applicant must be working in any of the three career paths: Judicial (official/freelance), CART, or captioning.
  • The applicant must include an essay (400-600 words) on the topic: What impact has the stenographic court reporting/captioning profession had on your life. Why are you passionate about your future as a court reporter?

NOTE:  Only one nomination will be accepted per employer or agency.

 

 

 

 

Past recipients

2023 
Winner -  Reanna Buzza, Pittsburgh, PA
2022 
First place -  Bethany Morse
Second place -  Claire Stein
2021 
First place -  Sawyer Cox
Second place -  Jennifer Gale
2020 
First place -  Erin Johnson ,Carthage IL
Second place -  Laura Tello, Alvin, TX
2019 - Meredith Seymour, Madison, WI
2018 - Sindee Baum, Magna, North Massapequa, NY 
2017 - Valerie Melkus, Clark & Associates, Charleston, SC 
2016 - Cathy Carpenter, First Choice Reporting & Video, Orlando, FL
2015 - Rachelle Cahoon, Tucker and Associates, Boise, ID
2014 - Shannon Bevin, Admiral Reporting and Video Services, Bayside, NY
2013 - Heather King, Tom Crites & Associates International, Inc., Savannah, GA
2012 - Anna Lashley, Tallapoosa County Courthouse, Dadeville, AL
2011 - Lauren Ann Balogh, A. Williams Roberts, Jr. & Assoc., Charleston, SC
2010 - Sharon Rausch, U.S. Legal Support, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, FL
2009 - Linda Visser, Falcon Reporting, Orlando, FL
2008 - Jennifer Mann, Ace Reporters, Philadelphia, PA
2007 - Erin Brockman, Polk County Courthouse, Des Moines, IA
2006 - Kristina Pedersen, Bluegrass Reporting Agency, LLC, Paducah KY
2005 - Laura Tharp, Siedel & Sasse, Valparaiso, IN

 

 

Contact

For questions or additional information about this program and other NCRF programs, please email ncrfoundation@ncra.org.

 

 

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