TOLEDO, Ohio — The University of Toledo is raising funds for a new scholarship by partnering with an organization formed to honor the memory of a murdered student.
Sierah Joughin would have turned 25 on Feb. 11.
But, she was murdered in 2016 by James Worley, a previous violent offender who kidnapped her as she rode her bike in Fulton County.
The Sierah Joughin Memorial Fund was created to award scholarships to students enrolled in the M.B.A. program at the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation, with a preference for individuals who are members of Alpha Kappa Psi, of which Sierah was a member.
Ann Balasz, Dean of the College of Business and Innovation said, "It just made sense to partner, to join forces and to remember what a bright light she was and honor a student with a scholarship who could carry on the good deeds that she did."
The goal of this campaign is to award $5,000 a year to deserving students in perpetuity. To reach this goal, the campaign hopes to raise an additional $20,000 in new funds. The first $5,000 scholarship will be awarded in summer 2021, in recognition of the five year anniversary of Sierah’s death.
Tara Ice, President of Justice for Sierah and Sierah’s aunt said, “Sierah’s life was cut short, preventing her the opportunity to fulfill all her academic and professional goals, but together we can ensure her legacy is carried on by enabling other hard-working students the chance to fulfill their academic and professional goals.”
Individuals can donate and challenge the community to donate to the campaign at this link. The campaign runs through March 31.
