Awards banquet honors student, scholarship created in remembrance
Erin McCarthy
Issue date: 4/22/09 Section: News
The award of the first scholarship in the name of Western Illinois University student Dameris Bagwell is set to take place during an awards banquet in Sapphire Restaurant's upstairs ballroom in downtown Macomb on May 9.
"This event will be different," said Dameris' mother, Beverly Bagwell. "I am so honored to have given birth to a precious person like Dameris. I know that this banquet is part of fulfilling her purpose and destiny."
Dameris, co-founder of Western Illinois University's National Association of Black Journalists, was killed in a traffic accident December 1, 2008 while traveling back to Macomb from Bloomington, Ill. In accordance with her parent's wishes, the first banquet will benefit the NABJ-WIU travel fund in addition to awarding the Bagwell scholarship to a Western Illinois student.
The banquet will begin at 5 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by a Caribbean-themed dinner from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Local musician Sandra Mosely will play piano during the cocktail and dinner hours, and a brief awards ceremony for the NABJ-WIU officers will follow.
According to Lisa Barr, assistant professor of journalism, plans to remember Dameris began forming shortly after her death. Students initially met with university counselors and decided they would like to hold a memorial ceremony on campus for Dameris.
"She was really a special student," Barr said. "I think that's reflected in the fact that over 100 people showed up for the candlelit walk around Lake Ruth, with a remembrance two nights later at Alumni Hall."
Following the loss of their daughter, Dameris' parents proposed the idea for a scholarship in her memory.
"The family really wanted the money to go into a travel fund, and they were going to set up a scholarship at a later date," Barr said. "Reverend Bagwell proposed that we do a banquet to get a travel fund or just a professional activities fund going for the students, because Dameris had been among those that worked so hard with bake sales for NABJ and what not."
"This event will be different," said Dameris' mother, Beverly Bagwell. "I am so honored to have given birth to a precious person like Dameris. I know that this banquet is part of fulfilling her purpose and destiny."
Dameris, co-founder of Western Illinois University's National Association of Black Journalists, was killed in a traffic accident December 1, 2008 while traveling back to Macomb from Bloomington, Ill. In accordance with her parent's wishes, the first banquet will benefit the NABJ-WIU travel fund in addition to awarding the Bagwell scholarship to a Western Illinois student.
The banquet will begin at 5 p.m. with a cocktail hour, followed by a Caribbean-themed dinner from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Local musician Sandra Mosely will play piano during the cocktail and dinner hours, and a brief awards ceremony for the NABJ-WIU officers will follow.
According to Lisa Barr, assistant professor of journalism, plans to remember Dameris began forming shortly after her death. Students initially met with university counselors and decided they would like to hold a memorial ceremony on campus for Dameris.
"She was really a special student," Barr said. "I think that's reflected in the fact that over 100 people showed up for the candlelit walk around Lake Ruth, with a remembrance two nights later at Alumni Hall."
Following the loss of their daughter, Dameris' parents proposed the idea for a scholarship in her memory.
"The family really wanted the money to go into a travel fund, and they were going to set up a scholarship at a later date," Barr said. "Reverend Bagwell proposed that we do a banquet to get a travel fund or just a professional activities fund going for the students, because Dameris had been among those that worked so hard with bake sales for NABJ and what not."
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