The Washington Media Scholars Foundation (WMSF) proudly announced the winners of its 17th annual Media Scholars Case Competition at a prestigious awards luncheon held on June 11th. The event, attended by media executives, university faculty, student finalists, alumni, WMSF staff, and volunteers, celebrated the exceptional talents of participating students and the Foundation’s longstanding commitment to developing the next generation of media and communications leaders.
The 2026 Media Plan Case Competition winners are Tess Meggison from Drake University and Campbell Valline from Iowa State University, taking home top prizes of $5,000 each. The second-place team, Michelle Ifediba and Juliette Diaz Rackohn from the University of California, Berkeley, received scholarships of $3,000 each. The annual Mia Guion Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Kimi Johnson from Iowa State University. The Excellence in Leadership award was presented to Brad Mont of Media Ad Ventures, Inc. The award was also presented to Katz Media Group in recognition of the organization’s outstanding contributions to the media industry and to WMSF.
This year’s case competition challenged students to work with Responsibility.org on a timely, real-world brief: Campus Reset: Driving Alcohol 101+ Adoption Across South Carolina’s Public Higher Education System. Students developed comprehensive media plans with a $300,000 budget, grappling not just with reach and impressions, but with how media can shape behavior and responsibility in communities across America.
Throughout the week, finalists engaged in learning sessions, networking events, and real-world experiences led by industry leaders, visiting premier media agencies and political consulting firms across Washington, D.C.
“Seventeen years ago, this was just a belief that students who got the right opportunity would do extraordinary things with it,” said Robin D. Roberts, Founder and President of the Washington Media Scholars Foundation. “Everything you see today is proof of that. And what’s ahead, the next 250 years of American media, that belongs to the students in our programs.”
The multi-round Media Plan Case Competition requires students to prepare comprehensive media plans and present them to panels of industry expert judges. Since 2009, WMSF has supported more than 1,000 students from nearly 300 colleges and universities nationwide, awarding over $180,000 in scholarships each year.
“The caliber of students that come through WMSF is something you don’t often see at this stage of a career,” said Mike Jones of Gray Media. “These aren’t students anymore, really. They’re colleagues.”
These scholarships are made possible through the generous support of sponsors including Gray Media, Katz Media Group, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and GMMB. WMSF sponsors do more than provide funding; they show up year after year investing in the future of their own industry and in the people who will lead it.
WMSF’s Media Fellows Scholarship program further extends the Foundation’s reach, providing needs-based financial support, mentorship, and career development resources to academically promising students with an interest in media, communications, public policy, and related fields. Many Media Fellows go on to earn competitive internships and full-time roles with leading media outlets, making a meaningful impact in their communities and industries.
The Washington Media Scholars Foundation is dedicated to supporting the academic and professional aspirations of students interested in media, communications and public policy. Through scholarships, immersive experiences, and industry engagement, WMSF empowers students to become influential leaders in their fields.