• Upon hearing of the death of Matthew Shepard in nearby Laramie, Wyoming, WSU faculty member Arthur Adelmann, other WSU faculty/staff and members of the local community initiated the scholarship in 1998.

• This scholarship, in Matthew Shepard’s name, hopes to inspire a continuing campus commitment to honor America’s finest ideals of human rights and personal freedom.

• Over $64,000 have been raised from over 300 donors and the resulting endowment will continue to give scholarships each year.

• The Scholarship provides financial assistance to any full time WSU student, over 18, showing academic excellence and service to the gay, lesbian or bisexual community.

• Since Fall 2000, the scholarship has been awarded annually to WSU students.

• Scholarship recipients major in a cross section of academic programs. Recipients represent a variety of career interests and a commitment to community service and education.

• The scholarship recipients, and many other students, have expressed a greater sense of safety and acceptance at WSU because of this scholarship.

• Although some members of the community wanted to remove the scholarship from WSU, the Matthew Shepard Scholarship is strongly supported on our campus. This scholarship sends the important message that WSU values ALL of its students.

• The scholarship, Judy Shepard’s visit on November 2, 2001, and recent showings of the Laramie Project, highlights the opportunity to educate and enlighten our community about hate crimes and human rights.

• Donations are very welcome and may be made to the Matthew Shepard Scholarship Endowment Fund either through the WSU Development Office or online. For more information visit our Web site at http://organizations.weber.edu/matthewshepard/

"Our family would be most honored to have a scholarship fund in Matt's memory . . . such a generous offering." -- Judy Shepard