Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Scholarship

Broadcast Film Critics Association awards scholarship to University of Arizona Media Arts Student.

The Broadcast Film Critics Association has established a scholarship to promote the art and practice of broadcast film criticism. The BFCA is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing 199 television, radio and online critics and was founded in 1995. They present the Critics’ Choice award annually to honor the finest in cinematic achievement.

University of Arizona Media Arts Student Shawn Florchak is the first recipient of the Jim Ferguson Broadcast Film Critics Association scholarship and has been awarded $3,000.

Jim Ferguson is an alumnus of the University of Arizona with a Masters degree in Education. Ferguson is currently a film critic for KGUN and is one of five board members of the national and prestigious Broadcast Film Critics Association, consisting of over 250 members.

Ferguson will serve as a mentor and arrange for Florchak to attend advanced screenings with press and film critics, a week and half before films are released to the general public.

“Due to my Media Arts training, I have a keen eye for what I am watching.” Florchak said. “Writing about film is a natural step.”

Florchak will be reviewing movies to air on the University of Arizonas’ Channel (Cox Channel 16 and Comcast Channel 76) and KAMP Student Radio (1570 AM).

“This is a little known scholarship opportunity,” said Florchak. “I would encourage students to apply in the springtime.”

The Jim Ferguson Broadcast Film Critics Association Scholarship application will be listed on the University of Arizona School of Media Arts website in time for fall 2010 deadlines:

http://web.cfa.arizona.edu/mediaarts/