Monday, December 2, 2024
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Bill Penn Scholarship

News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 and our Stonecom radio family wanted to recognize a member of our team celebrating 30 years of commitment to the broadcast community in the Upper Cumberland. That commitment went far beyond the doors of our building as it included work with local businesses, local listeners, and the community as a whole.

Bill Penn has worked for at least one of the stations in our group for more than 30 years. We believed that the best way to honor him was to find the next Bill Penn.

We established the Bill Penn Scholarship, giving a deserving student in the Upper Cumberland the chance to follow in his footsteps through a career in radio, television, journalism, marketing or public relations. The scholarship provides a beginning to a student interested in our business — someone who could build their own career in the tradition of caring, honesty, friendliness, integrity and dedication to the profession that Bill embodies.

The Bill Penn Scholarship will be presented each spring and is open to seniors who plan to pursue a college degree in the areas of broadcasting, journalism, marketing and public relations. A plaque hangs in our Stonecom lobby honoring all recipients of the award. To apply for the scholarship, simply fill out the Bill Penn Broadcast Scholarship Application Package.

Send your completed form to:
Stonecom
Bill Penn Scholarship
1 Stonecom Way
Cookeville, TN 38506

Bill Penn Scholarship Recipients

2018: Jordan Glass — White County High School
Jordan Glass is interested in broadcast journalism. She plans to enroll at Middle Tennessee State University to continue her studies in Multimedia Journalism. Glass said that encouraging comments from students and teachers inspired her to continue her studies in journalism.

2018: Bryce Wilcoxson — White County High School
Bryce Wilcoxson is interested in journalism. He plans to enroll at Northwestern University to pursue a career as a news reporter. Wilcoxson said he enjoyed communicating and talking with fellow students during HOSA activities, and chose to go into journalism over health science.

2017: Tess Simpson — Cookeville High School
Tess Simpson, a first generation college student, is interested journalism. She plans to enroll in Tennessee Tech in the fall 2017 semester with a major in English and a minor in education. Simpson said this scholarship will help her build a foundation.

2016: Hannah James — DeKalb County High School
During her time at DeKalb County High School, James held the offices of FBLA State Office Secretary, Student Council Vice President, and Liberty Club President. Furthering her extracurricular work, she was the Co-Captain of the soccer team, and went to Journalism Conference in Washington D.C.

2015: Erika Howard — White County High School
Erika interned at WCTE and in fact, hosted a night of the WCTE Great TV Auction. She has been a varsity cheerleader, a member of FCA, a Tennessee Scholar, and a volunteer with Special Olympics as well as elementary school cheerleaders.