Eugene Area Radio Stations Awards 2019 Scholarships
Eugene Area Radio Stations – EARS – a non-profit trade association comprised of all Eugene area radio stations recently awarded $10,500 in scholarships to student volunteers on school radio stations in Oregon. Its goal is to support students pursuing a radio career through post-secondary education.
Five (5) students were selected by EARS to receive 2019 scholarships, because of the student’s strong academic qualifications, current/past work at student run radio stations, community service, and their declared interests in a professional radio career.
The EARS scholarship program selects one graduating high school student and one college level student, each to receive a $3,000 scholarship. Because of the strong field of applicants, EARS also selected three (3) additional candidates to receive $1,500 scholarships.
These five EARS Scholarship Awardees include:
$3,000 College Under-Graduate Scholarship: Gerry (Gary) Snyder, a University of Oregon student from Oakridge, Oregon. Snyder will be a senior at the University of Oregon this Fall, majoring in Journalism in Broadcasting with a career focus of radio and tv broadcasting. In addition to his school requirements, he is currently working as an on-air personality at two Bicoastal Media radio stations, 104.7 KDUK and Country US 101. He also is very active in the community, representing the stations in many live radio remotes, including several events to support his hometown of Oakridge, which was hard-hit during recent weather-related isolation. His career goal is to work in large market radio. EARS is pleased to support Gerry Snyder as he develops his radio career in the Eugene-Springfield radio market.
$3,000 High School Graduate Scholarship: Calvin Roome, Sheldon High School student, from Eugene, Oregon, with a 2.99 GPA. He will be a freshman at the University of Oregon this Fall, majoring in Business and Communications with a focus on radio station ownership. Roome has been in the Eugene School District 4J’s KRVM radio program. In addition, he has worked on his own time at the station, demonstrating a strong desire to learn every facet in radio station operation. He comes highly recommended by the KRVM Staff. Roome will graduate from Sheldon with an International Baccalaureate Diploma. He volunteers at the Sheldon Oak Senior House and in support of the community’s homeless.
$1,500 Scholarship: Halie Steward, a University of Oregon Sophomore originally from Tualatin High School, Oregon. Steward maintained a 3.4 GPA as an undergraduate. She is majoring in Journalism and Communications. Steward produces and writes for KWVA, the UO student-run radio station. She has recently begun an internship at Cumulus Media as a Production Assistant where she demonstrates a strong technical capability and a real love for radio. Steward expresses a desire to work in radio and podcasts in order to continue working with audio. She is a volunteer with A Family for Every Child and regularly participates in beach and forest clean-up campaigns.
$1,500 Scholarship: Cameron Sizemore, a Sheldon High School student from Eugene, Oregon. Sizemore maintained a 3.56 GPA; and will be a freshman this Fall at Oregon State University. He is seeking degrees in media and medicine with a desire to use radio and internet audio to educate audiences about health and well-being. During his three years at KRVM radio, Sizemore has really found his voice in radio. He comes highly recommended by the staff at KRVM. Sizemore is active in local Cystic Fibrosis volunteer efforts and other programs for kids with disabilities.
$1,500 Scholarship: Jordan Brenner, a University of Oregon Sophomore, from Eugene, Oregon. Brenner is in the UO Journalism and Communications school. He has already had a remarkable sports broadcasting career. As a student volunteer at UO student-run KWVA, Brenner works 20 hours a week broadcasting play-by-play coverage. He regularly appears as host and panelist on the QuackSmack radio sports talk show; and is an Assistant Sports Director. He has interned with the Washington Nationals baseball club. Brenner early on decided that he wanted a broadcasting career in professional sports. In addition to active volunteering and leadership, he was Varsity Golfer of the Year for three years in high school. Brenner actively supports youth and elderly assistance programs in the community.
Total investment by the Eugene Area Radio Stations in the EARS 2019 Scholarship program is $10,500 in awards. Applications for the Fall 2020 school year scholarship program will be accepted starting January 2020.
A career in radio broadcasting is fun, challenging, and provides the foundation for a lifetime of community involvement. Radio is alive and growing despite the introduction of digitally delivered audio. In Lane County over 91% of all adults over 12 years old listen to free, over-the-air radio every week. That’s over 286,000 radio listeners every week.
Eugene Area Radio Stations is a 501(6)(C) non-profit trade association comprised of 22 commercial and public radio stations in the Eugene/Springfield/Cottage Grove/Junction City market area. Its scholarship program has awarded over $100,000 to qualifying students over the past decade. Many of the recipients have active careers in radio broadcasting.
For more information:
Peter Powell, Executive Director
ears.peter@eugeneradio.org
Phone: 541-729-2689
Web: www.eugeneradio.org