73 West State Award scholarship creates new opportunities for OHIO student

Ohio University rising junior and WOUB student employee Trevor Gillam of Amherst, Ohio says he still can’t believe he is one of the recipients of this year’s 73 West State Street Award.

The scholarship established by former WOUB student Bill Brand, BSC ’87, is for students in the Scripps College of Communication.

“I was blown away when I heard that I got the scholarship,” said Gillam. “It is still sinking in to be honest, but I couldn't be more grateful and proud to be the recipient of this award.”

Brand established the 73 West State Street Award in 2011 to recognize the importance of community and to honor the lifelong relationships that are formed at Ohio University. He worked at WOUB all four years when he was a student at Ohio University and developed important leadership and communication skills that he says have helped him throughout his career.

Last year Brand increased his scholarship donation to create a specific 73 West State Street Award for a student working at WOUB.

Gillam is one of three 73 West State Street award winners, which also includes Maggie Amacher, a journalism news and information major from Uniontown, Ohio, and Aydin Pope, an information telecommunication systems major from McConnelsville, Ohio.

A student in the School of Media Arts and Studies, Gillam is the first recipient of the WOUB specific award. He works in the WOUB production department as a director and was a leader in the transition last summer to a new production control system while working as an intern.

“This scholarship opens the door for me to invest more in my future and spend more time on the work that matters deeply to me,” said Gillam. “I have a lot of people to thank for encouraging me to always push for success and for keeping me on track. I hope I can continue to make these people proud as I navigate my future in the media landscape.”

Nominees for the scholarship are asked to provide a written essay that demonstrates individual potential, affinity to Ohio University and involvement in the college experience. Gilliam wrote about his experiences last summer at WOUB.

“Even though configuring this new system was about seeing the big picture, it was just as much about communicating to every individual what that big picture exactly was,” wrote Gillam. “When the time came for our first show, I wasn’t in the director’s chair, but I was sure that we were all prepared. That first show went very smoothly! I was happy to have done my part to make the transition possible. Since then, I’ve continued to put my efforts towards improving the day-to-day experience of working on the show. I’ve also been helping new directors learn, which is very fun. I’m proud of how I’ve been able to take on a mentorship role, because to me it is the most rewarding part of WOUB.”

You can learn more about WOUB here.