National Press Club offers condolences on death of NPC scholarship winner Armando Montano, 22

The National Press Club is saddened to learn of the untimely death of Armando Montano, the recipient of the club's Ellen Masin Persina scholarship in 2008. He was 22.

``We remember Armando as a vibrant young man with so much promise,'' said National Press Club President Theresa Werner. ``We would like to extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.''

Armando used his scholarship to study at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.

While on an internship in Washington last summer, Armando visited the Club regularly and participated in the Club's annual 5K run, where he spoke to the crowd of several hundred about what the National Press Club scholarship meant to him and his dreams of being a journalist. He showed a phenomenal amount of enthusiasm and was excited to start his career.

He found time to work with the National Press Club Journalism Institute, which administers the scholarships, on a short film about its programs. He also attended our annual Awards Dinner where he met other scholarship winners and Club leaders.

Armando was working as this summer as an intern in Mexico City for The Associated Press, and had planned to attend a masters program in Barcelona this fall.

Mexico is one of the most dangerous places in the world to practice journalism. Werner urged Mexican authorities to conduct a thorough investigation Montano's death.

The National Press Club is the world's leading professional organization for journalists.