After decades behind the mic, former syndicated Country radio talent Whitney Allen is turning her attention to the next generation, launching the Whitney Allen “Hot Mic” Scholarship for female on-air personalities in conjunction with Country Radio Seminar.
The scholarship is aimed specifically at female on-air personalities with one to five years of radio experience who currently hold a primary on-air role. The selected recipient will receive full registration to CRS 2026, along with round-trip airfare to Nashville and hotel accommodations at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
Applicants must be first-time CRS attendees. Applications are open now and must be submitted by February 2.
Allen, who recently retired from her long-running syndicated program The Big Time with Whitney Allen, framed the scholarship as a way to give younger talent the opportunity she believes is essential for long-term growth in radio. “Your program director, music director, or owner may attend CRS and return with notes on what stood out to them or what they felt was important. And while that insight is valuable, it’s still only part of the story,” Allen shared.
“When you’re not there in person, you miss the full picture. Hearing success stories and seeing the stats is one thing – but experiencing the presentations firsthand, delivered with real-world experience, energy, and genuine passion, is something entirely different. That’s what stays with you when you go home. That’s what sparks new ideas, shifts perspective, and inspires real change.”
