Thanks to our members participation in the NCSA program, the VAB has endowed scholarships at four colleges plus VSAC and provides over $42,000 annually in scholarship awards to dozens of deserving students working towards a college degree. And in 2025, the Judy Simpson Memorial Scholarship, funded by the Simpson & Maglione families, was created to assist aspiring student journalists.

Vermont Student Assistance Corporation (VSAC):

In an effort to try to help employees of Vermont radio and television stations, the VAB established a scholarship through VSAC. If you work for a Vermont station and you have a direct family member planning to attend or already attending college, apply for the VAB scholarship through VSAC

• Up to $1,250 awarded annually to one recipient chosen by VSAC.
• To be eligible, you must be a direct family member of an employee of a Vermont radio or television station.
• Student can be attending any accredited institution of higher learning.
• Student must be enrolled full time in any degree program.

Applications for the VSAC scholarship tend to be due around mid-February. Click here for details.

Champlain College:

Open to outstanding full-time students majoring in Broadcast Media Production.  Students are chosen by a faculty committee and are awarded based on a minimum grade point average of 3.0, a written response to the application, and the quality of their work.

• Up to $1,500 awarded annually to five recipients chosen by faculty members from the Division of Communication & Creative Media.
• Generally applied toward the following year’s tuition, but a limited number of awards are available to support students’ broadcast-related academic and professional activities in the Fall and Spring semesters.

New England School of Communication at Husson University:

Open to full-time students majoring in television or radio broadcasting from New England. Awarded automatically as part of aid package if student is deemed eligible.

• Up to $3,000 awarded annually to one to four recipients each year.
• Preference given to Vermonters

Vermont State University – Castleton Campus:

Open to full-time declared Communication majors with interest in broadcasting. Must have completed two years of study, have a minimum 3.0 GPA and financial need as determined by the Financial Aid Office.

• Up to $8,000 awarded annually to one or two recipients chosen by VTSU-Castleton.

For returning students, applications for scholarships tend to be accepted from mid-January to early March.  Click here for details

Vermont State University – Lyndon Campus:

  Open to students enrolled full time in VTSU-Lyndon’s Broadcast and Digital Journalism degree program and/or students working on a B.S. in atmospheric sciences/meteorology with a concentration in broadcasting.

• Up to $1,000 awarded annually to up to 15 Juniors or Seniors and up to 8 first year students.
• Students cannot apply for these scholarships. Each Spring, the Broadcast and Digital Journalism faculty meet to discuss who should be awards VAB scholarships.  Decisions are based on:
  • Students who show great promise in the JOU/ATM program and whom the faculty feel will go onto a successful career in the industry
  • Student’s energy/enthusiasm for the broadcast industry
  • Whether they are a Vermonter or from New England is also considered
  • Current recipients are re-considered, so a student could receive the scholarship multiple years in a row.

Judy Simpson Memorial Scholarship

  Judy Simpson began her Vermont television news career in 1985 as a reporter for WVNY-TV. She spent a decade anchoring “Channel 3 News This Morning” on WCAX-TV and became the first female TV news director in Vermont history. Judy’s glass-ceiling-breaking career, divine storytelling and dedication to Vermont news won her the Vermont Association of Broadcasters (VAB) Distinguished Service Award in 2014 and in 2017 she was inducted into the VAB Hall of Fame. Judy passed away in 2024, but her legacy of excellence and dedication to mentoring the next generation of broadcasters lives on with the Judy Simpson (Maglione) Memorial Scholarship. One Vermont student intending to persue a degree in broadcast media or a similar field will be awarded up to $1,000 annually.

Student Eligibility:

• Reside full time in Vermont
• Have successfully graduated from a Vermont High School or Vermont Career & Technical Education Center
• Have been accepted to attend an accredited college or university
• Have the intent of pursuing a degree in broadcast media or communications with a concentration in a broadcast affiliated field.
• Demonstrate a passion for news, investigative reporting or human interest storytelling

Amount: Up to $1,000 awarded annually

Deadline to apply is October 31st annually. Click here for details and to access the application.