WCHS Senior Receives Bill Penn Broadcast Scholarship

White County High School senior Andrew Price is one step closer to turning a lifelong passion for sports into a career after being selected as the recipient of the 2025-26 Bill Penn Broadcast Scholarship.

The $2,500 scholarship was presented Wednesday, May 20, and will help Price continue his education at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, where he plans to major in broadcasting and communications this fall.

“All of the money from it is going to go towards my tuition at University of Tennessee Knoxville and hopefully I’ll be able to complete all four years there and get my degree in broadcasting and communications,” Price said.

For Price, the decision to pursue broadcasting was driven by something much simpler than a career plan — a love for sports and the voices that helped bring games to life while he was growing up.

“They say you have to love your job and what you’re going to be doing for the rest of your life and I just think broadcasting and communications, especially sports broadcasting, is something that I could wake up every day and actually be excited to go do,” Price said.

That passion has led Price toward a specific goal in the industry.

“I think for me the dream would be a play-by-play commentator for football, probably specifically college football, and so yeah that would most likely be the end goal of my career,” Price said.

Price said broadcasters like Voice of the Vols Mike Keith played a major role in shaping his interest in sports media. During a recent trip to Knoxville, Price had the opportunity to meet Keith in person. Stonecom’s Larry Stone also works alongside Keith on Tennessee broadcasts.

“I would say just a number of people growing up, you know Mike Keith has got to be one of them, listening to him on the radio with my dad and just the love of sports overall has contributed to me wanting to become a sports broadcaster,” Price said.

The Bill Penn Broadcast Scholarship honors the memory of longtime broadcaster Bill Penn, who spent more than 35 years serving Cookeville and Putnam County through radio. Penn most recently worked as traffic director and business manager for Stonecom before his retirement and passing.

The scholarship is awarded annually to students planning to pursue studies in broadcasting, journalism, public relations, marketing, graphic design or related fields. Price becomes the 10th recipient of the award.

Penn began his broadcasting career in 1974 in Vevay, Indiana, before later working in east Tennessee, including at Knoxville’s WNOX. He arrived in Cookeville in 1981 and worked for station owners including Dwight Henry and Joe Wilmoth throughout his career.

Price said he remains thankful for everyone who has supported him along the way.

“I’m just extremely grateful for everyone that’s helped me out and I’m grateful for Stonecom and the opportunity to get this scholarship and I’m just very honored to be the recipient of it,” Price said.

Rising seniors from Upper Cumberland high schools interested in applying for the scholarship can find additional information at StonecomRadio.com.

The scholarship was presented by the stations and media outlets operated by Stonecom, including Rock 93-7, Lite Rock 95.9, 106-9 Kicks Country, News Talk 94.1/AM 1600, 101.9/AM 920 WLIV, Sports Radio 104.7, 96.9 Hwy 111 Country, 93-3 The Dawg and TheUCNow.com.