EAU CLAIRE - Melissa Mrachek, a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire senior from Trempealeau, won the $1,000 Jack Shelley Scholarship presented by the Northwest Broadcast News Association.

The scholarship recognizes outstanding promise in the field of broadcasting. It is open to students at colleges and universities in Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Mrachek is an English major and journalism minor who will graduate in May. She also is full-time assignment editor and 6 p.m. newscast producer at WQOW-TV in Eau Claire. Prior to joining WQOW-TV, she was a reporter/newscaster for WAXX-WAYY-WEAQ, Eau Claire. She also has written extensively for the campus newspaper, The Spectator.

The scholarship is named for Jack Shelley, who was a long-time news director at WHO in Des Moines, Iowa. After concluding a broadcasting career there, he had a second career teaching broadcast news at Iowa State University where he is now professor emeritus. He also was a founder and president of the Radio-Television News Directors Association.

Mrachek's scholarship award was announced April 12 at the NBNA's annual convention in Minneapolis.

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JB

Updated: April 22, 1997