University of California, Berkeley, student Veronica Irwin is the winner of the third annual BMI Founders Award for Radio Broadcasting scholarship competition. The award will be presented BMI Vice President of Industry Relations and scholarship Director Dan Spears at the 43rd annual Conclave Learning Conference on July 19, in Minneapolis. The BMI Founders Award commemorates the group of radio industry leaders who founded BMI in 1939 with a groundbreaking open-door policy supporting songwriters, composers, and publishers of all genres of music.
Irwin’s winning essay discussed the ways in which her grandfather, a sports radio broadcaster who passed away from cancer in 2012, influenced her decision to pursue a career in radio broadcasting.
“I’m so thankful to Broadcast Music Inc. for making this scholarship possible,” said Irwin. “I feel incredibly honored to be recognized for my work, especially by such an inspiring organization like the BMI Foundation.”
Irwin is entering her senior year as a media studies major, minoring in music and journalism, with the goal of developing an academic emphasis on radio broadcasting. As a radio DJ and publicity/promotional intern for her campus radio station, Irwin focuses on connecting her station to the local community by highlighting local artists and facilitating relationships with local venues. She also has a background in talk radio, assistant-producing a weekly show dedicated to progressive social issues for Los Angeles Pacifica radio station KPFK.
