Lem Tucker Scholarship extended to two students this year
Two journalism students will receive the Lem Tucker Scholarship this year instead of one.
The scholarship, which gives two high school students full tuition funding for four years and a supplementary award for room and board, is traditionally given to one student at a dinner and awards ceremony in Detroit. But CMU decided to forgo the ceremony this year.
Odille Parker of Holland and Logan Patmon of Southfield are this year’s recipients. Steve Smith, director of Public Relations, said the time came to make changes in accordance with the struggling economy.
“The decision is a reflection of economic conditions,” Smith said. “The university decided the money would be better spent awarding a second scholarship to a deserving student.”
The cost of the dinner and ceremony for 2009 was $50,000. Smith said removing the dinner would allow a second scholarship to be given out.
“The value is $80,000 each,” he said.
The Lem Tucker Scholarship is named after CMU alumnus Lem Tucker and was created 14 years ago to encourage and promote success for minorities in journalism.
The winners
Parker and Patmon had to stand out in many different areas of the application process to earn the award, Smith said. He said there are several requirements, including a persuasive essay, letter of recommendation and copies of their work.
Patmon is editor in chief at the Southfield Jay, the school newspaper.
“I have been on my school paper for 2 years,” Patmon said. “I have a radio personality on my school radio station. It’s a political and news show.”
He said he plans to double major during his time at CMU and explore the legal side of journalism.
“I want to double major in journalism and political science,” Patmon said. “I’d like to become a specialist in international law. I want be one of those people that are called in as specialists and interviewed as an expert.”
Parker said she plans to focus on print journalism.
“I like feature writing,” Parker said. “I’m interested in traveling all over to different places and writing about what I see. Of course, I also wouldn’t mind writing in a magazine about fashion.”
Parker said she has been involved in several aspects of the journalism field while in high school.
“I was the editor of my school yearbook and I write for La Community Voice/La Voz. It’s a bilingual newspaper in the area,” Parker said.
