NSU announces new scholarship for journalism students

NATCHITOCHES, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — A new scholarship opportunity available to media, journalism, and communications students at Northwestern State University honors award-winning sports journalist Doug Ireland.

Ireland won the lSWA Distinguished Service Award in Sports Journalism and serves as chairman of the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and Northwest Louisiana History Museum. Ireland serves NSU as an advisor to university president James Genovese.

“This scholarship is so appropriate in that Doug Ireland dedicated so much time and effort to the Sports Information Office,” said David Stamey, the Natchitoches Parish Clerk of Court as he announced the Doug Ireland Endowed Scholarship.

Robert “Skeeter” Salim created the scholarship with a $100,000 gift to the NSU Foundation.

Undergraduate and graduate students who chose to pursue careers in journalism, media, or communications will benefit from the scholarship.

NSU’s Associate Athletic Director of External Operations, Jason Pugh, said the event is a very special occasion and we’re so honored to be a part of it and to share in this outstanding event.

“We all gather to honor a man who was born in Pennsylvania but became a Louisiana legend and, more to the point, a national legend, a figure whose attachment to Northwestern began as a student and stretched throughout three decades in his career as an athletic administrator.  He is one of his alma mater’s most ardent supporters,” said Pugh. 

Skeeter Salim, who initiated the scholarship with a $100K donation, is a 1972 graduate of NSU. He also established four $100,000 endowments in memory of the late Jerry Pierce, Richard Ware, Jack Brittain Jr., and H.N. & Inez Towry. 

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry appointed Salim to the University of Louisiana System board of supervisors.   

“[This scholarship] will make a difference to the media students at NSU for years to come and we all need to accept the challenge of helping make Northwestern a top regional university,” said Stamey. 

Friends of NSU are encouraged to donate to the Ireland Scholarship

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