Illinois Broadcasters Association Presents $20,000 Scholarship Fund
Sep-28-2005
Eastern Illinois University has become one of only five Illinois universities to receive a $20,000 scholarship endowment from the Illinois Broadcasters Association.
Dennis Lyle, president and CEO of the Illinois Broadcasters Association, visited EIU’s campus today to officially present the gift to university officials in the WEIU-TV studio.
In 1999, the IBA initiated its $100,000 College Endowment Program to benefit five universities deemed the state’s finest in providing broadcast curriculum.
The funds were awarded in equal amounts to one university per year: Bradley University, Western Illinois University, Southern Illinois University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Eastern Illinois University.
“It was very easy for us to include Eastern Illinois University in that list of five,” Lyle said.
With the order of recipients chosen at random, Eastern was the fifth school to receive the funds.
“Eastern is last, but certainly not least,” Lyle said. “We applaud the outstanding work that Eastern Illinois University does and the reputation you have in the state.”
EIU’s departments of communication studies and journalism offer training in radio and television broadcasting, including many opportunities for hands-on experience in television and radio with WEIU-TV and WEIU-FM, which have studios in Buzzard Hall on campus.
The Illinois Broadcasters Association Endowed Scholarship will be awarded annually to a full-time EIU junior or senior majoring in communication studies or journalism who plans to pursue a career in broadcasting. The recipient must have a grade point average of at least 3.0.
The selection will be made by a committee comprised of faculty from the departments of communication studies and journalism.
Also speaking at Wednesday’s presentation were Jill Nilsen, EIU vice president for external relations, and Blair Lord, EIU provost and vice president for academic affairs.
The IBA represents radio and television broadcasters from across Illinois and is the largest broadcast trade organization in the state.
