Tess Simpson of Cookeville Awarded Bill Penn Broadcast Scholarship

Recent Cookeville High School graduate Tess Simpson has been awarded the Bill Penn Broadcast Scholarship.

The award was presented Thursday, June 1st during a ceremony at Del Monaco Winery.

Simpson will receive $1,000 toward her secondary education from the team members at Stonecom Radio, Rock 93-7, Lite Rock 95.9, 106-9 Kicks Country, and News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.

The award honors the long broadcast career of Bill Penn, who served Cookeville and Putnam County through his radio work for more than 35 years. It is open to students interested in studying broadcasting, journalism, public relations, marketing, graphic design, or related fields. Penn most recently served as traffic director/business manager for the stations of Stonecom.

Simpson is interested journalism. She plans to enroll in Tennessee Tech in the fall with a major in English and a minor in education. Simpson said this scholarship will help her build a foundation.

“Expanding my education, I’ve always been very fond of learning and it’s quite amazing to be a first generation college student,” Simpson told Lite Rock’s Sheila Scruggs..

Simpson becomes the third winner of the scholarship, which will be presented each spring.

Penn began his broadcast career in 1974 in Vevay, Indiana. He worked in radio in east Tennessee including stops at Knoxville’s WNOX. Penn arrived in Cookeville in 1981 working for owners including Dwight Henry and Joe Wilmoth.

Rising seniors at any of the Upper Cumberland high schools interested in applying for the scholarship may apply at StonecomRadio.Com.

Stonecom owns and operates Lite Rock 95.9, 106-9 Kicks Country, Rock 93-7, and News Talk 94.1/AM 1600.