Announcing the Maggie Anne Bringhurst Memorial Scholarship

The College of Humanities and Department of Communication are pleased to announce a new endowed scholarship in memory of University of Utah student Maggie Anne Bringhurst.

The Maggie Anne Bringhurst Memorial Scholarship will support Communication majors, who, like Maggie, pursue interests in journalism through student media at the University of Utah.
A lifelong Utahn, Maggie attended the University of Utah as a Communication major with an emphasis in Journalism. During her time at the U, she worked as an opinion writer for The Daily Utah Chronicle, a position that, according to her staff bio, let her “clear the cynicism from her system, allowing her to enjoy the beauty of Utah.”

Much of Maggie’s work was community-oriented and focused on people and populations often overlooked or muted by the media, and although we knew her as a student, Maggie was also a compassionate and loving daughter, sister and friend to many. “Maggie had the rare capacity to help people understand one another through her reporting and writing gifts,” said Department of Communication Chair Avery Holton. “Her dedication to covering and connecting communities, and helping others understand one another more deeply, was extraordinary.”

It was that compassion and empathy that made Maggie a cherished member of the University of Utah and of the larger Salt Lake community. “Maggie was just someone that had a heart of gold, who was always concerned about other people,” her father, Jason, said.

Maggie passed away in August 2022 while preparing to begin her senior year. Says Morgan Stinson, Director of Development in the College of Humanities, “It has been so heartening to see Maggie’s friends, family, and community rally around this scholarship that supports students like her, who are studying and creating compassionate and community-focused journalism. Thank you to Janet Garrard-Willis and David Willis, and the many donors who contributed to this scholarship that will go on to propagate her legacy, memory, and impact on the world.”  

To contribute to the Maggie Anne Bringhurst scholarship, visit the giving page.