CRS Launches ‘Hot Mic’ Scholarship
• Country Radio Seminar (CRS), in partnership with recently retired Country Radio Hall of Fame personality Whitney Allen, has launched the Whitney Allen “Hot Mic” Scholarship, a new initiative designed to support and elevate emerging female on-air talent in Country radio. The scholarship will award one recipient a complimentary full registration to CRS 2026, along with round-trip airfare to Nashville and accommodations at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
The purpose of the Whitney Allen “Hot Mic” Scholarship is to identify female on-air personalities early in their careers who are striving to make a meaningful impact at their station, in their community, and within the Country format. Eligible female applicants must have one to five years of radio experience, serve in a primary on-air role, and be first-time attendees of CRS. Applications must be submitted HERE by Feb. 2.
“Your program director, music director, or owner may attend CRS and return with notes on what stood out to them or what they felt was important,” says Allen. “And while that insight is valuable, it’s still only part of the story. When you’re not there in person, you miss the full picture. Hearing success stories and seeing the stats is one thing — but experiencing the presentations firsthand, delivered with real-world experience, energy, and genuine passion, is something entirely different. That’s what stays with you when you go home. That’s what sparks new ideas, shifts perspective, and inspires real change.”
CRS 2026 will take place March 18-20 in Nashville. General registration is $698 and available at countryradioseminar.com.
