This is a paid release.
Kentucky Wesleyan College’s FM radio station, WKWC 90.3, participated in the Broadcast Education Association’s (BEA) 2026 “Festival of Media Arts” for the sixth consecutive year and picked up two awards. Entries were accepted through December 2025.
BEA is the premier international academic media organization, driving insights, excellence in media production, and career advancement for educators, students, and professionals. BEA is concerned with electronic media programs, placing an emphasis on interactions among the purposes, developments and practices of the industry and imparting this information to future professionals.
Instructor of Communications and WKWC manager, Derik Hancock, received an Award of Excellence in the Long-Form Production in the Faculty competition.
This production featured a holiday radio special that featured Hancock as a cohost with Inspirational Country Music Association Artist, Steve Bridgmon. This radio special, titled “A Christmas Homecoming,” aired on WKWC as well as on multiple radio stations across the nation. This production featured music from Bridgmon, stories from both hosts that included KWC and Owensboro.
Also noting that the Inspirational Country Music Association has selected nominations for their 30th Anniversary Awards in April. Bridgmon, from Owensboro now living in Nashville, picked up 5 nominations. KWC’s radio station, WKWC 90.3, has been nominated for Radio Station of the Year. Hancock has been nominated for Radio Personality of the Year and is the announcer of the Association’s Awards on April 6th held at the Grand Ole Opry.
Hancock’s second award from BEA is in the Promo, PSA, Commercial Category. He produced a 30-second promotion for their summer programming, “Footloose Friday” that can be heard every second Friday in the summer months on WKWC.
Students Daniel Hatcher, Richmond Holinde, Orpheus Sosh, and D’Marques Tyler were all submitted in various other categories from news, sports, and podcasts.
All faculty and student Festival winners will be celebrated in-person at BEA’s annual convention in Las Vegas in April. All winners will be recognized in the online and printed program.
“To be recognized by the BEA in any form is an amazing accomplishment for colleges and universities,” says Hancock. “The competition was intense this year, as it is every year. Students from all over the world competed. There were over 2,200 entries from over 300 participating schools this year. We are a smaller college compared to some that compete, so I do feel its exceptionally special to be acknowledged.”
“I am extremely proud of each student that was submitted this year,” continues Hancock, “I also want to mention how proud I am of all the students that work for the radio station and are involved in the Communications Arts program at Kentucky Wesleyan College.”
“I am proud of the work our students and faculty continue to do within our Communications department and WKWC,” says Dr. Andrew Bolin, Program Coordinator and Assistant Professor of Communications Arts. “We provide real-world experience in broadcast and digital media. It is exciting to showcase what our students and faculty are doing here in Owensboro on a national stage and be recognized for their efforts.”
For more information about WKWC and Kentucky Wesleyan College, visit KWC.edu.
