The Emily A. Fabiny Memorial Scholarship was established by Jane A. Fabiny in 2005 in honor of her daughter Emily, who died in a car accident in 2002. The scholarship awards $500 every year, alternating between journalism and religious studies majors, who must have junior standing at the time of the award.
A graduate of Crestwood High School, Emily was a sophomore at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she was pursuing a double major in journalism and religious studies. She decided while still in elementary school that she wanted to become a journalist. Since both her father and her grandfather had been in the army, she hoped to get into ROTC with the aim of becoming a military correspondent. She chose to also major in religious studies because she expected to work in the Middle East and, for her, it was essential to have a good understanding of world religions.
Emily was an avid reader. Her favorite author was Dean Koontz, author of the last book she read, From the Corner of His Eye. She also liked watching TV, Friends and X-Files being her favorite shows. In fact, she and her mother kept Thursdays as a "date night" to watch the former together, even while she was away at IUP. She was also a fan of metal music, and liked going to festivals such as Warped Tour and Ozzfest.
Religious studies majors who have received this award in the past include Luke Hopkins (2006-07), Carole Walker (2008-09), Adina K. Disney (2010-11), and Gabrielle Kennedy (2012-13).More information on the Emily A. Fabiny Scholarship previous winners.
Download the application form.
For more information, please contact Dr. Theresa Smith (tsmith@iup.edu).