Cousland scholarship winner announced

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New Mexico In Depth would like to congratulate the winner of this year’s Harold Cousland Fund For Young Journalists Scholarship, Gabe Gallegos of Las Cruces.

Gallegos recently graduated from Las Cruces High School and plans to attend the University of New Mexico in the fall. The annual scholarship, which is $1,046.68 this year, is awarded to a graduating senior from Doña Ana or Luna counties who is enrolling in college and has an interest in journalism.

NMID contributed $460 to this year’s Cousland scholarship.

“We’re happy NMID could come to the aid of this ambitious young man whose passion for journalism seems to flow from an inquisitiveness about the world and a desire to help the vulnerable. Both reflect the best of the journalistic tradition,” said NMID’s executive director, Trip Jennings.

The scholarship is managed by the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, which also serves as New Mexico In Depth’s fiscal sponsor. NMID cannot accept anonymous contributions, but from time to time receives anonymous donations with no information on how to return them. In those cases, we have directed the money to the Cousland scholarship.

Gallegos, who has been doing reporting since middle school, plans to study broadcast journalism at UNM and minor in political science. He wrote in his scholarship essay that he is passionate about telling stories that cause people to reflect or act.

“I truly believe journalism has the incredible power of being a voice for the voiceless,” Gallegos wrote.

After college, he plans to work in journalism or do public relations for an organization such as the homeless veterans’ shelter in El Paso.

The Cousland scholarship is named after the former editor of the Las Cruces Sun-News, who died at age 58 on Sept. 21, 2011. Cousland’s 37-year career as a journalist also included working at the Deming Headlight and Graphic, the Santa Fe New Mexican, the Albuquerque Journal and the Arizona Republic.

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