Local court reporting student earns CASE scholarship
Melissa Vega from Postville, Iowa, awarded a $500 CASE scholarship
RESTON, Va., Aug. 3, 2021— The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA), the country’s leading organization representing stenographic court reporters, captioners, and legal videographers, has announced that Melissa Vega from Postville, Iowa, a student at Anoka Technical College in Anoka, Minn., has been awarded a $500 scholarship by the Association’s Council on Approved Student Education (CASE).
The other CASE scholarships are awarded in the amounts of $1,000, $750, and $250, $500, $750.
Vega, who is writing at 180 words per minute, expects to graduate by the end of 2021, and plans to work as an official court reporter in Iowa.
“I first learned of this profession while I was working as a jailer and searching for a new career. Many jobs for this position always came up in my searches and after doing lots of research, I was sold,” Vega said
“This scholarship allows me to stay focused on working to reach 225 words per minute and not be stressed and worried about the financial strain. I am very grateful to NCRA and NCRF for this generous award. It means a lot to have this kind of support as a student. This gives me fuel and motivation when practicing gets tough,” she added.
Winners are chosen based on a weighted combination of speed, GPA, recommendations, and a written essay. This year’s essay question asked: If you were asked to provide advice on the following three topics to current students learning to write steno, what advice would you offer?
- Overcoming testing anxiety
- Dealing with frustration encountered while building skills
- Learning the best ways to practice
To be eligible to apply for an NCRA CASE student scholarship, students must meet the following criteria:
- Attend an NCRA-approved court reporting program
- Hold student membership in NCRA
- Have attained an exemplary academic record
- Have passed one skills test writing 140-180 words per minute at the time of submission
Document requirements
Candidates must also submit the following documents with their application:
- Speed verification form
- Three recommendation forms
- A copy of the student’s most recent transcript
- An essay
Notification that applications are being accepted for the CASE student scholarships is sent each February to all NCRA-approved court reporting programs. For more information on the CASE Student Scholarship, please contact the Education Department at schools@ncra.org.
The court reporting and captioning professions offer viable career choices that do not require a four-year college degree and yet offer good salaries, flexible schedules, and interesting venues. There is currently an increasing demand for more reporters and captioners to meet the growing number of employment opportunities available nationwide and abroad. Court reporters and captioners rely on the latest in technology to use stenographic machines to capture the spoken word and translate it into written text in real time. These professionals work both in and out of the courtroom recording legal cases and depositions, providing live captioning of events, and assisting members of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities with gaining access to information, entertainment, educational opportunities, and more.
To arrange an interview with a working court reporter or captioner, or to learn more about the lucrative and flexible court reporting or captioning professions and the many job opportunities currently available, contact pr@ncra.org.
The National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) has been internationally recognized for promoting excellence among those who capture and convert the spoken word to text for more than 100 years. NCRA is committed to supporting its more than 14,000 members in achieving the highest level of professional expertise with educational opportunities and industry-recognized court reporting, educator, and videographer certification programs. NCRA impacts legislative issues and the global marketplace through its actively involved membership.
Forbes has named court reporting as one of the best career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the court reporting field is expected to grow by 7 percent through the year 2028, faster than the projected employment growth across all occupations. According to 247/WallSt.com, the court reporting profession ranks sixth out of 25 careers with the lowest unemployment rate, just 0.7 percent. Career information about the court reporting profession—one of the leading career options that do not require a traditional four-year degree—can be found at NCRA DiscoverSteno.org.
As a charitable organization, the Foundation relies almost solely on tax-deductible donations, the majority of which come from NCRA members and associated businesses. To donate, or for information on NCRF’s programs, visit NCRA/Foundation.org, or call 800/272-6272, ext. 126.