Dr. Patrick (PJ) and Ann Brennan donated seed funding for a new annual award that will recognize student journalists for reporting on the most challenging campus and societal issues without regard to popular opinion or the controversial nature of the subject. The new Brennan Family Award for Courageous Journalism will award $1,000 to a student journalist for The Lantern who has demonstrated a relentless pursuit of transparency and accountability from institutions and people of authority in the interest of freedom of information and better informed citizens.
The Brennan's son, Patrick, is a 2014 Ohio State University graduate with a major in journalism and a minor in political science. Patrick Brennan now works as a reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The first student recipient of this fund was rising senior Kevin Stankiewicz. His sister, Mary Stankiewicz, accepted the award on his behalf at the annual Undergraduate Awards Ceremony on March 31 because Kevin Stankiewicz was on assignment for The Lantern, covering the NCAA basketball tournament.
The Ohio State College of Arts & Sciences welcomes additional contributions to this fund. Growing the fund to the endowment level would support the university financially at a higher level while also funding the recognition of an outstanding journalism student each year for many years to come. It would allow the donations to make a long-term impact in addition to the short-term scholarships. Learn more about contributing to the Brennan Award fund. For more information about the Brennan Award or supporting the School of Communication or College of Arts & Sciences in other ways, please email Jen Russell at russell.1066@osu.edu.
Article written by Mary Sterenberg
