Equipping the next generation to be salt and light in the media
L to R: Micah Smyth and Jordan Penisula, two of our 2024 CBA scholarship winners
When news breaks, cameras roll and the mic goes live, you might not realise that some of those steering our nation’s media coverage got their start with help from CBA.
For 16 years, CBA’s Media Scholarship Programme has nurtured Christian talent, offering financial support and mentoring through Salt to launch the next generation of voices in New Zealand media.
Our three annual scholarships equip recipients to shape the stories told in New Zealand’s mainstream media. And many already have – the list of former winners reads like a who’s-who of the industry.
Past winners include:
Ed Swift, Assistant Head of Talk at Newstalk ZB
Joy Reid, former 1NEWS Europe Correspondent
Sean Hill, host and DJ on The Edge Afternoons
Kaitlin Aldridge, former 1NEWS and Fair Go reporter
Aaron Dahmen, former Newstalk ZB and Stuff chief political reporter, now a news anchor overseas
Until recently, Logan Church and Mei Heron – both CBA Scholarship winners – were simultaneously 1NEWS’ US and Europe Correspondents.
As the 2025 Scholarships open to the public, we sat down with the most recent crop of scholarship recipients to discuss how it’s helping them on their journey to becoming a Christian of influence in our media industry.
Jordan Penisula
Studying Screen Production at AUT
For Jordan, who is in his final year of screen production at AUT, the CBA Scholarship hasn’t just been an encouragement and a financial boost – he views it as a call to step up.
“It’s like, now that you’ve got this scholarship, what are you going to do with it? And I accept that challenge.”
The money he received last year, which he describes as a “blessing”, allowed him to buy a camera which is enabling him to hone his craft at university, work, and for the Christian club he’s part of at AUT.
“It’s given me the tools to outwork the vision of what I had in my heart that I wanted to do,” he said. “It’s an encouragement to use this for something good and create content that will benefit people and is meaningful.”
Jordan has also benefitted from the mentorship of CBA’s Salt Leader Nathaniel Kandregula.
“He’s been a good mentor in my life, a super consistent person. I’ve loved being able to catch up with him and get some wisdom from him.”
As he prepares to graduate, Jordan sees social media content creation as a key outlet for his videography talents – but says his ultimate goal is to “reflect the goodness of God” through his creative work.
“God has called us to be the light. He’s called us to love and care for people, and show that without fear. The end goal is to make some impactful stuff that is unapologetically faith-based.”
Joshua Currie-Cook
Studying Communications at the University of Canterbury
Joshua is in his first year of Communications at the University of Canterbury and hopes to be a journalist at the conclusion of his course.
The CBA Scholarship has given him greater financial freedom, enabling him to focus on his study. Plus he says it’s been “awesome” to meet with Nathaniel (CBA’s Salt leader) and be encouraged in his faith and vocation.
“There’s definitely a lot of support through CBA. It’s really encouraging.”
Joshua is open to however God uses him through journalism, but believes his strong sense of empathy and heart for social justice will lay a solid foundation for his career.
“The media has a worldly focus, and God works through the world for heavenly purposes. So I think it’s important that I’m making the world a better place, that I’m a small part of His plans.”
Joshua acknowledges that for CBA supporters, funding scholarships means investing in potential they may not see realised right away. But, he says, “if you look on the TV screen in five or so years, you may well see the results of your donations.”
Micah Smyth
Studying Screen Production at AUT
For Micah, who is studying screen production at AUT, applying for the CBA Scholarship was a no-brainer: “I’m a Christian filmmaker so I thought I might as well try it out and see how it goes.”
“I feel like it was God saying ‘You’ve got this, Micah - this is what you’ll need to be a storyteller and this is your purpose’. It was really reassuring.”
While his study is ongoing, Micah is already working commercially as a freelance filmmaker, and also posts regular Gospel content on his own social media platforms.
“It says in the Bible, whatever work you do, do it for the glory of God. And so I hope that, whatever I do in media, that it is for God – I just hope I’m serving Him and being a good steward.”
“I like to lead people, to communicate, and to tell stories, and university has really been the foundation of [learning] that. But I couldn’t have done it without the scholarship.”
Media Scholarship applications close on 5 September. Please pray that there will be high quality applicants, wisdom for the selection committee, and that this year’s winners will be blessed by the scholarship, as well as the community they are welcomed into. •