Orono woman wins broadcasting award

BANGOR – Meagan Hachey of Orono, a junior majoring in radio broadcasting at the New England School of Communications, is one of only two students in the United States to win a $5,000 scholarship from the Broadcast Education Association.

The Abe Voron Scholarship is the highest offered by the association to full-time students enrolled at a BEA-member school and must be used for school expenses starting in the fall of 2008.

To compete for the scholarship, Hachey wrote essays in six areas, including experience in school – she does a regular shift on Husson’s student radio station WHSN; experience outside school – she works for Clear Channel radio; volunteer activities – she does volunteer work for the American Red Cross; and a focus statement on her plans for the next five years.

Hachey credits her work with the Husson radio station and the production of a public affairs program titled “Red Cross Donor Services” for giving her a leg up on the scholarship.

She was one of five NESCom students who produced the program that won a first place award from the Maine Association of Broadcasters in the public affairs category.

Because of the interest generated by her interviews for the program, Hachey decided to volunteer with the Bangor chapter of the Red Cross. This proved to be particularly important in the volunteer category which constituted a portion of the application procedure.

“It took us an entire semester to complete the program, and it really sparked my interest in volunteer work,” she said.

Her immediate plans after graduation are to become a radio broadcaster in the Bangor market, with a long-term view of moving to a larger market after gaining the necessary experience.

Hachey’s original interest, promoted by classes she took at Orono High School, was video production, but she didn’t feel comfortable in front of or behind the camera. So it was a natural transition to radio when she entered NESCom.

Recognition of the BEA Scholarship will be made at the annual meeting of the BEA April 17-18 in Las Vegas.

If she attends, Hachey will be given free registration for the event and have the opportunity to attend panel discussions sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters. The BEA headquarters is in Washington, D.C.

She is the daughter of Nancy White and Richard Hachey of Orono.