The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association (MBA) has awarded 21 scholarships to Massachusetts students totaling $34,000 between its Student Broadcaster Scholarship, Families in Broadcasting Scholarship and the Al Sprague Memorial Scholarship.
Student Broadcaster Scholarships are given to students pursuing a career in over-the-air broadcasting and enrolled in a broadcast program at a two or four-year accredited school. This year, nine Bay State residents were selected from nearly 100 applicants for a $2,000 scholarship. Winners were chosen based on financial need, academic achievement, extracurricular and community involvement, and an essay about their interest in broadcasting by representatives from participating radio and television stations.
Jordan Walton and MBA Vice Chair of Television and Western Mass News Vice President and General Manager John Hesslein presented scholarships to the following students at Western Mass News on July 10:
- Jordan Baldwin, Chicopee, Communications: Media Technology/Journalism Major, Worcester State University
- Rory Tettemer, Westfield, Sports Communication and Broadcast Journalism Major, Emerson College.
MBA Executive Director Jordan Walton and MBA board member and WCVB-TV President and General Manager Bill Fine presented scholarships to the following students at WCVB-TV on July 16:
- Annika Ueland, Lynn, Media Arts Production major, Ithaca College.
- Ellisya Lindsey, Stoughton, Media Studies, Northwestern University.
- Jesse Alexander, Gloucester, Communications major, UMass Amherst.
- Matthew Haraden, Hanover, Journalism major, University of Maryland.
- Matthew Noah, Framingham, Communications major, Penn State University.
Unable to attend the presentations were Olivia Dulong, Haverhill, Communications major, Suffolk University and Javik Blake, Norton, Broadcasting Journalism major, Elon University.
On July 17, in a standalone ceremony at WFXT-DT in Dedham, a one-time $3,000 scholarship was awarded to Nicole Biagioni of Littleton, a Journalism major at UMASS Amherst. The “Deb Gaita Scholarship” was named in honor of Boston25 Special Projects and Investigative News Executive Producer Deb Gaita, who passed away in January of this year.
For the eleventh straight year, an additional scholarship was given in memory of the late Al Sprague, former president of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association. Awarded in the amount of $3,000, this scholarship was presented at Western Mass News to Wesley Days, Jr., Longmeadow, Journalism major, Emerson College.
Also awarded throughout July were ten Families in Broadcasting Scholarships, given to deserving students of MBA member station employees. Scholarships were evaluated by state broadcasters association executives from several states. These scholarships were awarded to:
- Brian Crowley, son of Robert Crowley, WCVB-TV.
- Emma West, daughter of Ken West, Beasley Media.
- Jarrod Wardwell, son of Gerald Wardwell, WCVB-TV.
- Molly Frauenholz, daughter of Doug Frauenholz, WCVB-TV.
- Christine Reggio, daughter of Christopher Reggio, WBZ-TV.
- Rory Tettemer, son of Rich Tettemer, 22 News, WWLP-TV.
- Melissa Hayes, daughter of Darlene Hayes, MyFM 101.3, WMRC-AM.
- Gwendolyn Kerrigan, daughter of Robert Kerrigan, Entravision Communications.
- David Norton, son of Phillip Norton, iHeart Media, WSRS-FM and WTAG-AM.
- Samantha McFarland, daughter of Lisa Torilli, NBC Boston.
