May 09, 2008

Scholarship honors memory of Ryan Rendleman

by Pete Rosenbery

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A scholarship is being established to honor a Southern Illinois University Carbondale photojournalism student from Batavia who died from injuries received in a car accident last month.

The School of Journalism announced that the Ryan M. Rendleman Photojournalism Scholarship will honor Rendleman, a 22-year-old senior, who died Tuesday, April 29, south of Nashville.

SIUC on Saturday will award a degree posthumously to Rendleman during commencement exercises for the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. Rendleman's brother, Nick Rendleman, will accept an undergraduate diploma on his brother's behalf. The commencement begins at 1:30 p.m. at Shryock Auditorium.

Four members of the School of Journalism faculty pledged the initial $2,000 for the scholarship. The school hopes to collect the $25,000 necessary to create the endowed scholarship, which will go to an SIUC photojournalism student. Other specific criteria remain to be determined.

William H. Freivogel, director of the SIUC School of Journalism, said Rendleman started school on the writing side of journalism and then became more and more interested in photography.

"He may have been one of our most well-rounded students," said Freivogel, noting that Rendleman was also adept at working on the Web and other multimedia reporting facets. In learning all the tools of the craft, Rendleman reflected "the best we can do; he represents our fondest hopes for our students."

The scholarship fund announcement came during a memorial and red bud tree planting ceremony Tuesday outside of the School of Journalism in Rendleman's honor. Freivogel hopes the initial scholarship award is in the spring 2009 semester.

Rendleman was on his way to a photo shoot and stopped in traffic at a construction zone when a tractor-trailer hit his car from behind. Rendleman was on his way to an assignment for the University's student-run newspaper, The Daily Egyptian, when the four-vehicle crash occurred.

"Ryan was a very special photographer and student. He was special to the faculty, to his colleagues at the DE and to the other students in the School of Journalism," Freivogel said.

Individuals interested in contributing to the scholarship fund should make checks payable to the Ryan Rendleman Photojournalism Scholarship. Checks may be delivered or mailed to the School of Journalism office, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1100 Lincoln Drive, Mail Code 6601, Carbondale, Ill., 62901. Call 618/536-3361 or email wfreivogel@gmail.com for more information.