Jim Murray Memorial Foundation Announces Scholarship Winners

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --The Jim Murray Memorial Foundation (JMMF) is proud to announce the 2012 class of "Murray Scholars".  This year's scholars include Emily Kaplan (Penn State University), Andrew Wagaman (University of Missouri), Daniel Savitzky (University of Southern California) and Matthew Mainuli (Trinity College-Hartford).

The four scholarship recipients will each receive $5,000 for this academic year.  Each was selected by a panel of judges consisting of JMMF Board members who hold journalism degrees or those working journalists who have written for major publications across the country.

This year's judges include: Steve Brener of Brener, Zwikel & Associates; Neil Everett from ESPN SportsCenter; Erin Gilhuly, President of CV Strategies, Inc.; Arash Markazi from ESPN.com; Bill McCoy from MME PR & Shakedown News.com; Linda McCoy-Murray, Jim Murray Memorial Foundation CEO and Founder; and Michael Palmer, Managing Partner of Palmer Hospitality Group.

The applicants are required to write a story in the style of the late Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Jim Murray.  Linda McCoy-Murray, widow of the late sportswriter, has the pleasure of informing the scholarship winners via a personal phone call.

"It is an absolute honor to win this award," said Emily Kaplan, who has completed internships at NHL.com and MLB Network. "Considering what Jim Murray means to journalism in this country, I am extremely humbled. I've been so fortunate to be taught by wonderful teachers and mentors at Penn State and the John Curley Center for Sports Journalism."

"It is so satisfying to honor Jim's memory and legacy by supporting the next generation of sports journalist," says Linda McCoy-Murray. "Our recipients this year represent the finest young students pursuing this great profession, and we are pleased to help them achieve their goals and dreams."

The Jim Murray Memorial Foundation was established in 1999 by Linda McCoy-Murray to perpetuate the legacy of Los Angeles Times Pulitzer Prize winning sports columnist Jim Murray through a national essay competition for college journalism students. 

Including the Class of 2012, the JMMF has awarded 82 $5,000 scholarships.  Thirty colleges and universities across the United States participate in the scholarship program.

For more information on the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation, visit www.jimmurrayfoundation.org.

SOURCE Jim Murray Memorial Foundation