The Association of Federal Communications Consulting Engineers (AFCCE) is a professional organization of individuals
who are involved in the field of broadcast and wireless communications, many of whom regularly assist clients on technical
issues before the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). In addition to its professional activities AFCCE engages in
charitable and educational activities including the administration of a scholarship fund.
Scholarship applications are accepted from college students undertaking an undergraduate or graduate program at an
accredited U.S. college, university or technical school studying engineering or science and related to the
telecommunications field. AFCCE administers a several scholarships described in greater detail below. A single application
will automatically enter you into consideration for all scholarships for which you are eligible.
Applicants should obtain a sponsor who is a member of the Association. If you are applying for the AFCCE/IEEE Broadcast
Technology Society Jules Cohen Memorial Scholarship only, a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS)
may alternatively serve as a sponsor. See below for additional information on obtaining an AFCCE or IEEE BTS sponsor.
The AFCCE Scholarship
The goal of The AFCCE Scholarship is to provide financial assistance to students who are undertaking a full-time
undergraduate or graduate program at an accredited college or university with a major in engineering or science and related
to the telecommunications field. Only Junior/Senior students and graduate students are eligible.
The AFCCE Scholarship generally ranges from $500 to $2,500 per semester depending upon the qualifications of the
candidate as well as the candidate’s demonstrated interest in pursuing a career in the telecommunications consulting
engineering or related fields. Since 2006, AFCCE has awarded on average over $15,000 annually for The AFCCE
Scholarship.
The IEEE Broadcast Technology Society/AFCCE Jules Cohen Memorial Scholarship
The IEEE Broadcast Technology Society (BTS) is a scientific and educational organization whose purpose is to advance
the theory and practice of electrical and electronic engineering as it relates to the technology of broadcasting. BTS funds a
memorial scholarship award for undergraduate (Junior/Senior) or graduate engineering students interested in a career in
broadcast engineering honoring the memory of a long-time member of both AFCCE and BTS, Jules Cohen. Scholarship
amounts are either $5,000 or $10,000. Students receiving an award may re-apply and are eligible to receive additional
awards, subject to a limit of $15,000. Unsuccessful applicants may re-apply.
The E. Noel Luddy Scholarship
In 2010, Dielectric Communications, a leading U.S. manufacturer of broadcast antenna systems established a scholarship
honoring E. Noel Luddy (1917-2013). The E. Noel Luddy scholarship provides up to $2,500 per year to Junior/Senior
undergraduate and graduate students who are majoring in engineering or other fields associated with the broadcast and
telecommunications industries.
Noel’s deep and lifelong interest in broadcasting started in 1930 when he became active in amateur radio. He served in the military and was in charge of all communications throughout the South Pacific during World War II. Noel served for
many years in several engineering capacities with RCA. In 1986, with Dielectric’s acquisition of the RCA broadcast antenna
business, he joined Dielectric as a consultant, serving as a liaison to broadcast station engineers, consulting engineers and
the FCC and provided a voice for the company in helping to shape federal broadcast regulations.
Noel remained as a consultant with Dielectric until his retirement in 2008. He was well known for his years of service on
the AFCCE Board of Directors as its program coordinator and was recognized numerous times for his contributions to the
Association and the broadcast industry. Additionally, he was the historian for the IEEE BTS of which he was a member
since 1939.
Byron St. Clair Memorial Scholarship
In 2018, the National Translator Association (NTA) established a scholarship in Byron’s name, to be managed through
AFCCE. The fund provides scholarships for promising undergraduate (including first & second year and community college
students) and graduate students at accredited U.S. universities, colleges (including community colleges) and technical
schools interested in broadcast engineering or technology. The LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition, through its membership,
has also agreed to provide funding for the NTA/AFCCE scholarship.
Dr. St. Clair was director of research and development for Adler Electronics, founder and president of EMCEE manufacturer
and installer of TV translators. Later he took his knowledge west to Colorado, and in 1967 founded and was president of
Television Technology Corp. and later Larcan-TTC Inc. During his three decades in running TTC the company became the
best-known supplier of TV translators.
Dr. St. Clair was inducted into the Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance Hall of Fame in 2014 and received the Jules
Cohen Award from the IEEE BTS in 2017. He was also President Emeritus of the NTA and was the recipient of the SBE
Chapter 48 Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. He received his PhD in Physics from Syracuse University.
Obtaining an AFCCE Sponsor
An AFCCE sponsor is a member or associate member who either knows the scholarship applicant already or, through the
application process, has been approached by a student who otherwise meets the scholarship requirements and is interested
in applying. Scholarship applicants who did not receive an application directly from an AFCCE member or associate
member should consult the searchable (e.g., by two-letter State abbreviation) AFCCE member list at
https://afcce.org/membership-listing.
Applicants for the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society/AFCCE Jules Cohen Memorial Scholarship only may alternatively
choose a sponsor who is a member of the IEEE Broadcast Technology Society. A list of IEEE-BTS members is not
published but questions concerning locating an IEEE BTS member for sponsorship can be directed to bts@ieee.org.
Application Checklist
• Fill out application completely
• Obtain an AFCCE sponsor (or IEEE BTS, if you are applying only for the Jules Cohen Memorial
Scholarship), optional
• Prepare your personal statement
• PDF or scan application, statement, and transcript (including classes for semester being applied for)
• Email by the due date to: scholarships@afcce.org.