Jeffrey R. Caponigro, a 1979 graduate of CMU, established Caponigro Public Relations Inc. in 1995 after serving as President and CEO at another Detroit-area public relations firm. He has built Caponigro Public Relations into one of the most respected public relations firms in the United States, and he is recognized as one of the nation’s top public relations professionals and crisis-management experts. Mr. Caponigro is the author of "The Crisis Counselor", one of the most popular business books on the subject of crisis management. In 2001, he was the only public relations professional from the Midwest inducted into the Public Relations Society of America’s College of Fellows.

While attending Central Michigan University, he was a reporter and columnist for three Michigan newspapers. He received Central Michigan University’s first-ever Young Alumni Award in 1991 in honor of his achievements in business, and he was one of only 100 CMU graduates to receive a Centennial Award in honor of the University’s 100-year anniversary.

The Goals of the Caponigro Public Relations Inc. Endowed Scholarship are:

• To promote excellence in Journalism or Integrative Public Relations,
• To provide an educational experience to a CMU student with financial need who wishes to pursue a career in public relations.

Scholarship candidates must be seniors in high school with a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.0 or higher and must demonstrate financial need as determined by CMU's Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid. To apply, candidates must submit all of the following to the Scholarship Selection Committee:

• A completed Caponigro Public Relations Inc. Endowed Scholarship application typed or printed - (Not available at this time)
• A cover letter expressing the desire to earn the scholarship,
• At least one letter of recommendation from a journalism teacher, a teacher in media studies, or an employer working in the media,
• An essay (no more than two pages) on the topic, “Why I am interested in becoming a journalist or public relations professional”,
• A sample of work. This could include a clipping from a student newspaper or other publication, or a tape of radio or television work,
• A completed application for admission to CMU - available at www.cmich.edu/applications,
• An official copy of high school transcripts.

To maintain this renewable, four year scholarship the recipient must:

• Maintain a cumulative 3.0 or higher GPA,
• Have a signed major in and maintain a degree track in Journalism or Integrative Public Relations.

The scholarship recipient will be eligible to apply for a paid internship at Caponigro Public Relations Inc.

For more information about this scholarship, contact: