Congratulations to the BEA 2023-24 Scholarship Recipients!

Eleven students were awarded scholarships in the Broadcast Education Association’s 2023-2024 competition. The winners were selected by the BEA Scholarship Committee and  announced by Pete Orlik, committee chair. BEA scholarships are awarded to outstanding students for study on campuses that are institutional members of the organization. They include:

Abe Voron Scholarship – Sponsored by the Abe Voron Committee
Amy Diaz, University of Central Florida
Amy Diaz is from Orlando, FL. She currently attends the University of Central Florida and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Journalism. She currently work a part time reporter for a local news radio station. In her free time She like to draw, dance salsa, and go to concerts. She hopes to become an investigative reporter when she graduates and eventually work as a legal analyst in the future.

Abe Voron Scholarship – Sponsored by the Abe Voron Committee
Eric Boyce, Illinois State University
Eric Boyce is from Geneva, Illinois, and is  a junior majoring in Mass Media and minoring in Spanish at Illinois State University. In his free time, Eric loves spending time with his family and friends, taking walks around his community, and watching game shows every night. Becoming an intern and director at WZND, ISU’s radio station, has opened Eric’s eyes to a future in the radio industry. Whether it be behind the microphone or working behind the scenes, Eric sees a bright future ahead that has been made a reality thanks to the experiences and opportunities given to him by WZND and the BEA.

Abe Voron Scholarship – Sponsored by the Abe Voron Committee
Madeline Fisher, University of Indianapolis
Madeline Fisher,  is a junior at the University of Indianapolis studying Sports Communication and Marketing. Originally from the greater Louisville, KY area, she decided to follow her sports broadcasting aspirations and landed as the WICR Digital Media Manager, as well as a sideline reporter and color analyst for UIndy Athletics. Being in Indianapolis, she hopes to work with the Indianapolis Colts at some point in her career, specifically in social media content creation! Aside from Madeline’s collegiate career, she still leans into her performing arts roots through the Miss America Organization. Madeline currently serves at local community as Miss Harvest Homecoming, and is using that platform to advocate for the performing arts in public education! In June 2023, Madeline will take a second crack at the job of a lifetime, Miss Indiana.

John Bayliss Award – Sponsored by the John Bayliss Foundation
Taylor Fleming, DePauw University
Taylor Fleming is a junior at DePauw University who is originally from Charleston, Illinois. She is a communication major and a history minor. Fleming is also part of the DePauw Media Fellows Program. Spring 2023, she will be doing an audio-focused internship through the New York Arts Program. Outside of class, Fleming has served as the Station Manager and News Director at WGRE 91.5. She aspires to a career in audio journalism after graduating in 2024. She is interested in telling impactful stories with audio.

Vincent Wasilewski Scholarship – Sponsored by Patrick Communications, LLC
Kaley Martin, University of Alabama
Kaley N. Martin is a current doctoral candidate and Senior Broadcast Producer/Editor at The University of Alabama. Kaley is pursuing a Ph.D. in Communication and Information Sciences from the College of Communication and Information Sciences. She is also a Senior Broadcast Producer/Editor for the Division of Strategic Communications. Kaley holds a Master of Arts in Strategic Communication and Innovation from Texas Tech University and a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Production from the University of Montevallo.

Library of American Broadcasting Scholarship – Sponsored by the LAB
Allen Babiarz-Lira, Regent University
Allen Babiarz-Lira is starting his tenth year of teaching, most currently at St. Xavier University as a Lecturer of Communication.  He was president of the adjunct faculty union at Moraine Valley Community College and the first adjunct faculty senator at SXU, before earning his role as Lecturer.  Allen currently holds a BA in Media Communication and an MA in Communication and Training, both from Governors State University, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Communication from Regent University. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends and being at his favorite place, Walt Disney.

Edward O. Fritts Scholarship, Sponsored by BEA
Rheanna DeCrow, Ithaca College
Rheanna DeCrow is a sophomore television and digital media student at Ithaca College with minors in journalism and education. New York is quite the distance from where her family resides in Iowa, and even farther from her hometown in Colorado. Growing up in such a beautiful state, it’s no wonder she became accustomed to being outside, and in turn, her obsession for sports grew from an early age. Golfing, playing softball with her friends, tossing a football with her brothers, or watching hockey with her family,  she can’t get enough.

BEA Founders Scholarships – Sponsored by BEA
Morgan Butler, San Francisco State University
Morgan Butler is a graduate student pursuing her Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts at San Francisco State University. Morgan brings with her professional experience in local news and public access television which has helped defined her academic career. Her creative work focuses on studio and on-location news production, as well as multi-camera productions of community events. Her work is guided by a passion for empowering local communities through media production and media literacy programs.

BEA Founders Scholarships – Sponsored by BEA
Laken Kincaid, John Carroll University
Laken Kincaid is a junior political science and communication: digital media student at John Carroll University originally from Beckley, WV. They currently serve as the news director for WJCU 88.7 and as the managing editor for The Carroll News. On campus, they also serve as the president of JCU’s chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and as the captain of John Carroll’s speech and debate team. Laken hopes to either work as a political journalist at a national news corporation or as a campaign commercial editor for politicians.

Richard Eaton Foundation Scholarship – Sponsored by the Richard Eaton Foundation
Derryl Barnes, University of Miami
Derryl is a junior majoring in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Miami. He was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs but he now basically lives in his school’s television station where he produces, anchors, and reports for the U’s weekly news and sports shows. He loves digital video and social media content so his goal is to be a news or sports reporter for a major tv network’s digital programming and social media accounts.

Peter B. Orlik Scholarship – Sponsored by BEA
Braden Bylak, Illinois State University
Braden Bylak is from  Naperville, IL. He currently is a junior at Illinois State University, majoring in Mass Media: Management, Promotion, and Sales. Through  his classes at Illinois State, he has gained an interest in the professional media industry and have been able to expand his knowledge about the growing market for media. Braden currently is working at the university’s national award-winning radio station WZND. At WZND, I am the Client Services Director, where I oversee and work with all our clients. By working with  clients, he has been able to obtain professional sales experience.