Just a quick note for reporters who cover religious issues. The Religion Newswriters Association announced a July 1 deadline for the next round of scholarships for religious studies:

Lilly Scholarships in Religion for Journalists

Journalists interested in taking college courses in religion or spirituality may apply for a new scholarship program offered by the Religion Newswriters Association.

Twenty journalists will receive scholarships for up to $5,000 each to study religion at any accredited college, university or seminary. Scholarships cover expenses including tuition, registration fees and books. Scholarships are funded by a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. to the Religion Newswriters Foundation, RNA's charitable arm.

For more information, including answers to frequently asked questions, go here. A list of past winners can be found here. While you're at the RNA website, you may want to check out Ann Rodgers' tribute to Richard Ostling, the AP religion writer who is retiring this year. He won a Lifetime Achievement Award. And here's Ostling's handy guide to good references for religion reporters.