FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Contact: Leah Edwards, Media Communications Specialist (304) 696-6397


MU broadcast journalism student receives
first Leah Hickman Memorial Scholarship

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University broadcast journalism student Griffin McElroy has been awarded the first Leah Hickman Memorial Scholarship in Journalism, according to Dr. Corley Dennison, dean of the W. Page Pitt School of Journalism and Mass Communications.

Leah Hickman was a Marshall journalism student who died in December 2007.

“Griffin is a fine young student journalist and a very worthy recipient of the first Leah Hickman Memorial Scholarship,” Dennison said. “The School of Journalism and Mass Communications is honored to help keep Leah’s memory alive with the annual presentation of this scholarship. I also wish to recognize the student staff at WMUL-FM which raised an additional $200 for the scholarship through contributions from the distribution of the memorial blue wrist bands.”

McElroy, who is on the dean’s list, has worked with the Parthenon and WMUL. He is serving as an online reporter for MTV covering the presidential campaign in West Virginia. The $500 scholarship presentation to McElroy was made by Leah Hickman’s mother, Sherri Russell, at the annual JMC awards ceremony in April.

Dennison said the blue wrist bands are available by calling WMUL at (304) 696-2295 or the SOJMC at (304) 696-2360. Contributions of at least $1 are being requested for the wrist bands.

Nearly two dozen scholarships were awarded during the JMC ceremony. The following list includes the name of the scholarship, followed by the recipient and the amount of each award:

  • Marvin Stone/Outstanding Contribution as a College Journalist – Kyle Dyer, $400
  • Norman and Joanne Haddad – Brian Dalek, $500
  • George Andrick/WSAZ – Adam Cavalier, $1,000
  • Cathryn Gibbs Harris Public Relations – Jessica Wintz, $1,000
  • James E. Casto – Morgan Unger, $1,000
  • Margie Crabtree Coltrane – Federica Fornaciari, $1,000
  • G. Terry Turner – Chris Adkins, $500
  • Marvin Stone – Megan Bryant, Whitney Burdette, Leannda Carey, Marlowe Hereford and Beth Wilson, $1,000 each
  • J.D. “Jack” Maurice – Kara Busse, Kacie Chambers, Erin Deegan and Angela Marie Sundstrom, $500 each
  • Manley Keith Ray – Justin Minsker, $500
  • Ezra Cochran – Tom Bragg, $500
  • Dorothy Goodman – Molly Grove, $1,000

Dyer, who is from Wayne, W.Va., served as editor of the Parthenon and raised more than $5,000 for the School of Journalism through his fundraising efforts with the J-Walk, an annual homecoming walkathon that supports the school’s greatest needs.  Dyer is also on the dean’s list.   The award is named for Marvin Stone, a JMC alumnus and former editor of U.S. News and World Report.

Also, in addition to receiving the Cathryn Gibbs Harris Public Relations Award, Jessica Wintz received the Ralph Turner Outstanding Performance as an Intern award.

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