Memorial fund to provide scholarships

By Amanda Dolasinski
Money from the new Terry Harper Memorial Fund will go to scholarships to help journalists attend SPJ programming, President Dave Aeikens announced Thursday night before an auction fundraiser benefitting the fund.
Harper, SPJ’s executive director, died June 2 after a long illness. He left $10,000 to SPJ and Sigma Delta Chi Foundation. The $13,865 raised in the auction at the Opening Night Reception Thursday will add to $9,000 SPJ has raised to supplement Harper’s gift. Separately, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has donated $10,000 to the fund.
SPJ officers said the fund would be placed in an isolated account, with 5 percent of the earnings used each year to pay the scholarships.
Auction items included a collection of front pages of newspapers announcing Barack Obama’s presidency and two tickets to a taping of “The Colbert Report.”
“We’re excited about this opportunity to create a lasting tribute to him,” Aeikens said.