Home / The Profession / Scholarships and Grants / New Professionals Grant

New Professionals Grant

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

Nominations are now closed.

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 final academic transcript with this application.
  • The applicant must be in his/her first year out of school as verified by an official final academic 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

Awards List 2025
First place: Delaney Cutch, Fayetteville, NC; Iris Thaller, Mattoon, IL
Second place: Tiffany DelFierro, Nyack, NY; Brittany Jones – Oxford, PA

 

2024
Winners: Katie DeLong, Milwaukee, Wis.; Lydia G. Madlem, Charleston, Ill.; Karli Pikala, Minneapolis, Minn.; Averie Pritchard, Jeannette, Pa.

 

2023
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.

 

 

View all scholarships and grants