Kurt Williams Scholarship for Excellence in Reporting

Shirley Aichel established the Kurt Williams Scholarship for Excellence in Reporting to honor the memory of her son, Kurt Williams, a member of the Class of 1994 at SUNY Brockport.

From 1989 to 1993, Mr. Williams served on the staff of The Stylus, where he developed his commitment to free speech and other First Amendment rights. After graduation, he used his Stylus experience to forge a successful career with National Geographic.

Mr. Williams became a senior software engineer in the Digital Media Division of National Geographic by mastering technical aspects through independent study. His reporting experience in addition to his self-taught technical skills helped him manage content through copyediting, graphics, and text. He was, at heart, a journalist who engaged with the potentialities and complexities of delivering news online and with national and international concerns. He passed away in 2006 at the age of 37.

To qualify for the Kurt Williams Scholarship for Excellence in Reporting, applicants should be a reporter/writer for The Stylus for at least one semester before applying. Applicants also should be in good academic standing at Brockport and demonstrate a commitment to a career in journalism. As part of their application, students should submit a minimum of three articles published in The Stylus that are well-written, accurate, and reflect a concern for free speech and First Amendment rights as well as an understanding of national and international concerns.