BCA's 2004 Scholarship Winners!

Baptist Communicators Association’s scholarship committee announced the winners of its scholarship program on February 23, 2004, in Nashville during the association’s executive board meeting.

Presented scholarships were: Brian Koonce, Oklahoma Baptist University; Chris Turner, Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn., and Hae Yun Park, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas.

“We had a challenging task due to the fact that every application had merit,” said BCA scholarship committee chair Polly House. “It was a difficult decision-making process and we wished we could have awarded scholarships to every applicant.”

Applicants must have at least a 2.5 GPA and have vocational aspirations in religious communications. Funds may be used for tuition, books, housing or food and are forwarded to the institution in which the student is enrolled.

Koonce, a junior from Bartlesville, Okla., received the $1,000 Al Shackleford and Dan Martin Undergraduate Scholarship. Koonce aspires to be a print journalist for a publication that focuses on missions. He’s served as an intern for the Baptist Messenger, weekly publication for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma and traveled to Russia as part of a 3-member media team during his spring break.

Turner was awarded the $500 Shackleford-Martin scholarship designated for graduate students. Turner is a graduate of Ouchita Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He currently works as the media relations manager at LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville. Turner will begin classes at Austin-Peay in the fall of 2004 working on his masters in corporate communications. Turner’s past communications experience includes serving as an overseas correspondent for the International Missions Board in Panama and as sports editor at The Millington Star in Tennessee.

Hae Yun Park won the $1,000 Bob Stanley and Al Compton Minority and International Scholarship. The Compton-Stanley scholarship seeks to aid minority and international students who are pursuing communications degrees. Park is currently studying religious communications at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Formerly, she was an art teacher and president of Blue Fish Design in Seoul, Korea. In her scholarship application, Park listed her future communications goal as the launching of a religiously-based internet site for children and youth.

Each of the winners expressed a deep appreciation to the organization for sponsoring such a program. The scholarship committee is comprised of House, LifeWay Christian Resources; Jesse Conte, Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions; Mark Kelly, International Mission Board; Jacqualine Preston, Brentwood Baptist Church, Houston, Texas; and Holly Smith, California Southern Baptist.

BCA began in 1953 as a professional development group for Baptist communication professionals. Its scholarship program was later introduced in 1988. Currently, the association boasts a membership of over 300 Baptist communicators in such varied careers as videographers, graphic designers, journalism professors, public relations professionals, writers/editors and photographers.

For further information about how to obtain scholarship materials for the 2005-2006 school year call (615) 904-0152 or email < bca.office@comcast.net >.