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Alexander Schiffer Receives $2,000 Jerry Heaster Scholarship in Business Journalism

He Will Hold a Business Journalism Internship at The Washington Post in Summer 2017

Columbia, Mo. (Dec. 23, 2016) — Missouri School of Journalism senior Alexander Schiffer is the first recipient of the $2,000 Jerry Heaster Scholarship in Business Journalism. He is pursuing his bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in print and digital news and a minor in business.

Alexander Schiffer
Alexander Schiffer, right, is the first recipient of the Jerry Heaster Scholarship in Business Journalism.

Business journalism, Schiffer said, allows him to combine his love for math and journalism. He cites the coverage of Watergate by Washington Post investigative reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward of The Washington Post, along with the encouragement of his parents, for pursuing this career focus.

“I got into journalism in order to keep the public informed on what’s going on in the world,” Schiffer said. “Being a business journalist gives me the opportunity to report on things that directly affect the public and help keep the public informed on where their money is going or where it should be going.”

Schiffer interned at the Los Angeles Times in 2016 and has an internship lined up at The Washington Post for summer 2017. Both of these internships are underwritten by the Donald W. Reynolds Chair in Business Journalism at the School.

“I am proud to award the first Jerry Heaster scholarship to Alex,” said Professor Randy Smith, the Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism. On the committee to determine the award were Hope Heaster, who is Jerry’s daughter, and Mike Waller, who is the former editor of The Kansas City Star.

Jerry Heaster was an award-winning business editor and columnist at The Star. The Jerry Heaster scholarship was created after his death in 2012 by his colleagues, friends and family to encourage students to enter business journalism.

Updated: October 9, 2020

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