Award: $10,000, 3 awards

Established in 2023, the Geoffrey M. Curtis Scholarship awards three rising junior or senior undergraduate first-generation college students who are pursuing a career in public relations, journalism, or communications with a $10,000 scholarship.

Geoff Curtis is former executive vice president, corporate affairs and chief communications officer at Horizon Therapeutics. During his nearly 30-year health care communications career, Curtis has worked domestically and internationally in various roles on both the client and agency side including at Edelman, Abbott Laboratories, GCI and W2O Group (now Real Chemistry). Curtis is a first-generation college graduate, a committed mentor and coach to young professionals and undergraduate students, and he and his wife are avid philanthropists committed to education equity. He has made a grant to the PRSA Foundation to make this award available to all eligible communications students.

"I am passionate about and an advocate for education/education equity and have made it my philanthropic mission to do what I can to reduce barriers to education," said Curtis. "As a first-generation college graduate, I’m hopeful this scholarship is a step in providing other first-generation college students a path to a durable career within our industry.”

Eligibility:

• Registered as a full-time undergraduate student at an accredited four-year college or university.
• A rising junior or senior.
• A first-generation college student (a student whose parent(s) have not earned a four-year college degree).
• Pursuing a major in public relations, journalism, or communications (strategic, science, digital/social)
• A GPA of 3.0 or above on a 4.0 scale.

Application:

• The completed online application form.
• A resume.
• A letter of support from a professor or advisor.

Application Deadline: April 30, 2026