Alabama State University News March 27, 2012 WVAS Receives Professional Awards, New Grant and New Market By Tina Joly WVAS-FM recently garnered several awards, received a major grant and announced that an international radio station now is airing one of its programs. WVAS-FM, also known as the "Voice of Alabama State University," was the recipient of several awards from the Alabama Broadcasters Association and the Associated Press. The station received three ABBY awards from the Alabama Broadcasters Association during the organization's 2012 annual awards banquet held in Birmingham on Saturday, March 24. More than 300 broadcast professionals from around the state attended the awards ceremony. In addition to the WVAS news team receiving top honors in the Medium Market Regularly Scheduled Newscast category, reporter Melanie Hogan won the ABBY for Medium Market Reporter, and staff members Vy Moon and Jay Holcey shared the promotion award the MLK Tribute. Moon said it was a privilege to win. "All praises to God, first and foremost, for this award. I must thank the staff of WVAS for their support. Also, thanks to Jay Holcey, our music director, for giving me the idea to put this promo together," Moon said. WVAS station manager Candy Capel said she is proud of her team. "Who wouldn't be proud of this staff! Each year, the excellence and hard work that our news team and other staff members put into each and every broadcast day is recognized and lauded by our peers. These awards motivate us to do even bigger and better work," Capel said. Additional Honors The Associated Press (AP) also awarded the WVAS news team the award for Best Extraordinary Coverage of a Planned Event for the station's coverage of the Bingo Corruption Trial. In addition to its professional honors, WVAS recently received a $2,200 grant from the National Center for Media Engagement. The "Teacher Wall" grant will be used to support the station's continuous efforts to engage the community and address the dropout crisis plaguing Alabama communities. WVAS' original program, "Cafe Jazz" featuring host Gene Knight, also has been picked up by another radio station. WVGN 107.3 FM, the only NPR-affiliated radio station in the Virgin Islands, now is airing the program on Sundays. A total of 12 stations nationwide (and in the islands) now are carrying the program. Tune in to WVAS on 90.7 FM or listen live at the station's website<http://www.wvasfm.org>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.