Harding University announced Tuesday that it has created a scholarship to honor the memory of Botham Jean, who was shot and killed by a Dallas police officer on Sept. 6, 2018.
The school, along with Jean's family and PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers), established the Botham Jean Memorial Scholarship Fund. Jean graduated from Harding University in 2016.
"He was so widely known and deeply loved that the announcement that he had been killed profoundly shook our entire campus," said Harding University President, Dr. Bruce McLarty. "Since the moment we received the tragic news, there has been a strong desire across the University to honor Botham."Tyler Gentry calls himself lucky to have known Botham Jean. Tyler went to Harding University with Botham. He said this scholarship keeps Botham's mission alive.
"For us to be able to have this opportunity is really, really cool. For his family to know that he left a lasting imprint on the University and that people will never forget that name is also something that helps honor him,” Gentry said.
Botham was from St. Lucia. This scholarship will give preference to students from the Caribbean. Gentry said he always aspired to go back there and give back.
"There were a lot of people in St. Lucia that wanted to come to the U.S. There's people that wanted to come to Harding because they would hear him talk about what he did and what he learned,” Gentry said.
Vice President of Advancement Bryan Burks said the scholarship will generate about 12-thousand dollars a year. The scholarship was set up by the family's request.
"That's really what the family wanted. They wanted more students from [the Caribbean] to have the same experience Botham was able to receive,” Burks said.
26-year-old Jean moved to Dallas after graduating from Harding and was hired by PwC following an internship with the company.
Amber Guyger, the officer who shot Jean in his own apartment, has been charged with murder and was fired from the Dallas Police Department.
If you want any information on donating to the Botham Jean Scholarship Fund, contact Harding's Office of University Advancement at advancement@harding.edu or (501) 279-4312.