MISSOURI BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2025 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

More than $23,000 awarded to Missouri students pursuing broadcasting careers

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo., February 26, 2025 – The Missouri Broadcasters Association announced Wednesday that 15 MBA Foundation Scholarships were awarded to Missouri students studying to be broadcasters.

 

“We had a number of very impressive students apply for scholarships this year. Many of them are very involved with their campus stations and a few already have part-time jobs at our member stations,” said Chad Mahoney, President/CEO of the Missouri Broadcasters Association. “The quality work from these students makes me excited about the future of Missouri broadcasting.”

 

Avery Gordon and Emily Worthmore each received the MBA Foundation’s Charles Earls Broadcast Scholarship. Gordon, from Marceline, is a Senior at Marceline High School and plans to pursue a Journalism degree from the University of Missouri. Worthmore, a St. Louisan, is a Lindenwood University student with a double-major in Broadcast and Digital Marketing.

 

Mr. Earls was a Missouri native and operated radio stations in Missouri and surrounding states for decades. He served as the association’s President in 1975 and 1976 and was later inducted into the MBA Hall of Fame. Mr. Earls died in 2022 and his family has established a scholarship partnership with the MBA in his memory.

 

In addition to the two Earls scholarships, the MBA Foundation awarded scholarships to 13 other students.

 

• Dana Beattie, from Columbia, is a University of Missouri student majoring in Journalism.
• Caleb Brownley, from Carrollton, is a University of Central Missouri student working at Carter Media in Carrollton.
• John Fiene, from Ballwin, is a St. Louis Community College student majoring in Communications. Fiene plans to continue his education at St. Louis University or Missouri State University.
• Mackenzie Franks, from Springfield, is a Fine Arts major at Evangel University and is the campus cable channel manager.
• Brad Hadank, from Bolivar, is a University of Central Missouri student majoring in Digital Media Production.
• Anna Ince, from Louisiana, is a Lindenwood University student majoring in Communications/Broadcast Journalism.
• Garrett Koger, from Springfield, is an Evangel University student majoring in Communications and Media/Film.
• Madison Mabry, from Van Buren, is an Evangel University student majoring in Multimedia Journalism.
• Nickolas McKinley, from Reeds Spring, is a Film and Broadcasting major at Evangel University.
• Ava Potter, from Clinton, is a University of Missouri student majoring in Journalism/Strategic Communication.
• Savannah Reinke, from Malta Bend, is a Missouri Valley College student who works at Carter Media in Carrollton.
• Cayden Simpson, from Kansas City, is a Senior at Liberty North High School who plans to study Broadcast Journalism and Sports at Northwest Missouri State University or the University of Missouri.
• Samantha Williams, from Springfield, is an Evangel University student majoring in Communications and Journalism.

In addition to the scholarships, the MBA Foundation will cover convention registration fees for these 15 students to attend the annual MBA Convention in May.

 

“We’re very pleased to help these students take the next step in their education,” Mahoney said. “We look forward to when they graduate and become fulltime Missouri broadcasters.”