How to apply for college scholarship honoring late Hornets’ reporter Rick Bonnell
Applications for the fifth annual Rick Bonnell Memorial Scholarship are now being accepted.
Beginning Tuesday, any journalism student enrolled at a college or university in North Carolina is eligible to submit an entry for the $10,000 scholarship, and they can apply here through Feb. 23.
A winner will be chosen by a panel of judges that includes representatives from the Hornets, Bonnell’s children Jack and Claire, and his former co-workers at The Charlotte Observer. The recipient will be presented with the award on the Spectrum Center court prior to the Hornets hosting the Memphis Grizzlies on March 21.
This year’s winner will also have an opportunity to be a part of what the Hornets are calling the “Rick Bonnell Experience.” The student also receives media credentials, allowing them to be an official member of the working press and provides them with access to all the usual media happenings before and after the game.
The Rick Bonnell scholarship
Created in 2021, the scholarship represents a way for the Hornets to honor Bonnell and celebrate the longtime Hornets beat writer’s career chronicling the organization, and how he kept The Observer’s readers and the Charlotte fans everywhere informed. Bonnell, who began writing about the franchise in its inaugural season in 1988-89 and continued through the 2020-21 season, covered the NBA in Charlotte for more than 30 years before he died in 2021 at age 63.
“Our father believed deeply in the power of journalism and the responsibility that comes with telling stories the right way,” Jack and Claire said in a joint statement. “This scholarship continues to reflect his love for the craft and his commitment to supporting young journalists who are eager to shape the future of the profession.
“We’re genuinely excited to see this year’s submissions and to help recognize another passionate, early-career journalist who embodies the curiosity and dedication he valued so much.”
This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 10:51 AM.
