Past Scholarship Recipients
In 1973, Texas broadcasters formally dedicated themselves to developing the next generation of broadcast journalists, producers and engineers by establishing a college scholarship endowment fund.
Today, the Texas Broadcast Education Foundation awards $21,000 in scholarships annually and is poised to boost that number in coming years. Here’s a look at some recent scholarship winners and how they’re charting the course for their future, as well our industry’s.
How can YOU help our future Texas broadcasters reach their goals? Donate today!
- Andrew Nepsund – 2011 & 2012 Belo/Tom Reiff Scholarship Winner
- Audrey Castoreno – 2006 TBEF Freshman/Sophomore Scholarship Winner
- Blake Silverthorn – 2013 Scholarship Winner
- Cassandra Jaramillo – 2015 Scholarship Winner
- Taylor Turner – 2012 & 2013 Sophomore – Bonner McLane Scholarship Winner
- Ted Emrich – 2008 Scholarship Winner
Andrew Nepsund – 2011 & 2012 Belo/Tom Reiff Scholarship Winner
How has the TBEF scholarship enabled you to pursue your broadcast studies?
TBEF scholarships I received in my time studying broadcast journalism at Texas Tech helped me in two ways. First and most obviously, it helped me in the money department. Thanks to the generosity of the TBEF, I took on fewer student loans in my final two years in college. Which means: less debt for me as I go through the first few years of my career where the pay is what it is when you're brand new (not much). Secondly, thanks to the extra money through the scholarships, I was able to spend an extra year at Texas Tech so I could pursue my history degree along with my broadcast journalism degree. So, now I have two degrees under my belt in case the broadcast field doesn't work out for me. However, I fully intend to stay in it the rest of my life because I just love my job in this field.
How is your college education helping your career in broadcasting?
My college career helped me hit the ground running when I started my first job as the weekend sports anchor/reporter at KLST. There was plenty still to learn and get used to as with any new job, but with my sports journalistic core, learning the rest was very doable. Plus, with the experience I had with my job at The Daily Toreador at Texas Tech, everything felt familiar as I would go out, talk to coaches and players and report live from wherever I was that day.
What are your plans for your next career move?
For my next career move, I want to move up to a bigger market that has a big-time Division I university. I've gotten to know what it's like to cover athletics at an established Division II school here in San Angelo at Angelo St. Now, I want to take the next step to DI athletics.
Audrey Castoreno – 2006 TBEF Freshman/Sophomore Scholarship Winner
How has the TBEF scholarship enabled you to pursue your broadcast studies?
I believe this scholarship played a major role in my acceptance to the Dan Rather School of Communication at Sam Houston State University.
I am a first generation college graduate, so without it, I may not have been able to pursue my dreams of becoming a journalist.
How is your college education helping your career in broadcasting?
My college education has given me the knowledge and experience needed to strive in this field.
I was lucky enough to have a great department that allowed students to be very hands on. Giving me a leg up when jumping into the business. The friends and network I built while in school also helped me make connections within the industry.
What are your plans for your next career move?
Currently I am a multimedia journalist/producer at KENS 5 in San Antonio, Texas.
This market has been a goal of mine for many years and I am happy to now call it home.
As for the next step in my career, in the future I would like to find myself back behind the anchor desk.
Blake Silverthorn – 2013 Scholarship Winner
How has the TBEF scholarship enabled you to pursue your broadcast studies?
The TBEF scholarship allowed me to take advantage of every opportunity there was while I attended Texas Tech. The financial help took a burden off of feeling like I had to work "25 hours" a day at a job that wouldn't help me in my future. Instead, I worked 26 hours a day perfecting my skills in shooting video, editing stories, and producing television shows.
How is your college education helping your career in broadcasting?
Without my college education, I would not be where I am today. Classes are important. Tests and homework are important, but there is no substitute for experience. The experience I received while at Texas Tech was priceless. Starting my freshman year, I worked as a video intern for the marketing department. By my sophomore year, I was leading a team of 10+ students in producing the official television show for Texas Tech Athletics, which aired on Fox Sports Southwest.
What are your plans for your next career move?
I was hired as a contractor by the Dallas Cowboys right out of college. When I was originally job hunting, I told myself I wanted a full time job, that I was good enough at what I do for a full time job. Unfortunately, I didn't get hired for the jobs I applied for. When this opportunity with the Cowboys arose, I decided to take it. Even though it wasn't a full time position, and even though I thought I should have a better position, I could not pass this up. I told myself I just needed to show them that I could do more. So I did. I was the first one in and last one out every day. Within the first three months, I was given my own weekly show to produce, while also producing documentaries and live shows each month. As of this month, I was promoted to a full time employee. The truth is, I did have a lot to learn and I was not above the position they gave me when I first graduated, but I wasn't going to settle for that. You have to take what you're given, but that doesn't mean you can't keep working for something better.
Cassandra Jaramillo – 2015 Scholarship Winner
How has the TBEF scholarship enabled you to pursue your broadcast studies?
As a first-generation immigrant and college student, it was always a dream of mine to pursue higher education. I found my passion for journalism as a high school student and wanted to make a career as a journalist a reality. But finding the resources to pay for college was a challenge. Thanks to the Texas Association of Broadcasters' TBEF Scholarship fund, I was able to pay for some college expenses at the University of Texas at Austin, which has one of the best journalism programs in the country.
How is your college education helping your career in broadcasting?
My college education has helped my career in broadcasting tremendously. The University of Texas at Austin offers some of the best opportunities for aspiring journalists through the classroom and through extracurricular activities. During my time at UT, I have reported and produced for our on-campus broadcast station Texas Student Television. My work with TSTV has helped me get local internships and national internships at networks.
What are your plans for your next career move?
My dream is to pursue a career in financial reporting. I will be interning with The Wall Street Journal in the summer and will work on the media and marketing beat.
Taylor Turner – 2012 & 2013 Sophomore – Bonner McLane Scholarship Winner
How has the TBEF scholarship enabled you to pursue your broadcast studies?
The TBEF scholarship has provided financial, educational, career and personal benefits for me. As a result of receiving the scholarship, I had more time and resources to focus on the foundations and technical aspects of journalism, more time for studying and learning, as well as working meaningful internships in broadcasting. An added benefit of receiving the scholarship was that I was able to complete volunteer opportunities because of my financial resources.
How is your college education helping your career in broadcasting?
My college education and work experience has allowed me to immerse myself in my current role as a production associate with ABC News in Washington DC. The opportunity to pitch and write stories for ABCNews.com, produce chyrons for World News Tonight with David Muir, and manage news coverage of ABC News affiliates in the Western and Central regions are many of the roles that I experience daily. Broadcasting journalism is my passion.
What are your plans for your next career move?
As I continue to experience the various roles in my current position, I am focusing on becoming a video producer. I am also considering graduate school within the next nine months. I would like to continue my studies in the area of documentary filmmaking and business.
I would like to thank the Texas Broadcast Education Foundation again for everything you have done to contribute to my success.
Ted Emrich – 2008 Scholarship Winner
How has the TBEF scholarship enabled you to pursue your broadcast studies?
Of course, the monetary assistance was helpful, the award was generous, but more than anything, the TBEF scholarship was validation for me at an early stage in my career. It was a sign that I was heading in the right direction. I'll never forget standing in line with the CD (imagine that now, a CD!) of my basketball play-by-play, finally getting to the front, and popping it into the stereo so Craig (Craig Bean, TAB's former Director, Public Service & EEO) could hear it. For him to tell me just a few seconds in, "You got it," meant so much. Follow that up with a scholarship award, and I knew that I had made the right decision to chase after my dream.
How is your college education helping your career in broadcasting?
North Texas gave me a foundation. And it was about so much more than the classroom. Desks, pen, and paper, while still important, were never going to help my development as much as cameras, microphones, and headsets. The hands-on experience at NTTV and KNTU was invaluable - calling North Texas men's basketball games on TV, Denton ISD football games on radio, and anchoring live election coverage and daily newscasts allowed me to grow at an accelerated pace. And I'll always be grateful that I made it to North Texas just in time. I was in the legendary Bill Mercer's final Sports Broadcasting class in the fall of 2007. Bill will always be a mentor whose teachings about our field and life continue to guide me.
What are your plans for your next career move?
Who knows? I'm thankful to have all the opportunities I have at the moment at ESPN, Westwood One, the Texas Longhorn IMG Radio Network and Metro Sports Communications. All I've ever wanted to do is call games, to bring a sporting event to life in the mind of a listener, and to capture the energy and accentuate the moment in the eyes of the viewer. Play-by-play is my passion, and I hope I'm just getting started.