Hufker Scholarship to Encourage Women in Audio Production

A newly endowed annual scholarship has been established to encourage women to study audio production, thanks to the efforts of Webster University School of Communications professor Barry Hufker. The Helen Cleary Hufker Memorial Scholarship fund pays tribute to Hufker’s mother, who taught her family the importance of education and equal opportunities for women.

“Helen Cleary Hufker believed in the value of education and made every effort for her children to have the best she and my father Eugene could afford,” Hufker said. “She supported our ambitions, especially mine in music and audio.”

“Her encouragement in music and science led me to a career in audio production and education. From our earliest years my mother taught us the importance of equal opportunities for women. This scholarship is an effort to make her ideals a reality for women in the audio industry,” Hufker said.

“Women comprise only five percent of the workers in the audio industry," Hufker said. "With the addition of this scholarship, we would like to improve that percentage and encourage more women to work in this wonderful field."

“This is a wonderful new gift that will help support the success of our students as the program continues to grow,” said Eric Rothenbuhler, dean of the School of Communications.

Sherry Scott, a recent graduate of Parkway South High School, will receive the first Helen Cleary Hufker Memorial Scholarship.