Scholarship to be Offered in Remembrance of UCO Alumnus
Haley HumphreyThe Brock Warren Memorial Scholarship will be offered for the first time at the University of Central Oklahoma April 3.
The scholarship was created in honor of UCO Professional Media alum, Brock Warren, who died Dec. 30 from a probable pulmonary embolism, a blockage in one of the lung’s arteries. The scholarship will be presented at the Mass Communication awards ceremony, according to Desiree Hill, UCO Mass Communication professor.
“We welcome donations of all amounts and hope some of the alums who graduated with him will contribute whatever they can afford,” Hill said.
Warren, 24, had a significant presence in the Professional Media program and will be missed by professors and students. His personality traits and professional attitude enveloped the highest journalistic standards that are taught at UCO, Hill said.
Warren, who was an anchor for UCentral News, UCO’s broadcast, had many passions within and outside of the journalism realm. He loved writing, politics and sports to name a few.
The Broken Arrow native was a UCO wrestler until his junior year with many accolades.
Hill and Professional Media student Anthony Mellendorf noted Warren’s dedicated political reporting at the Capitol while he was also a UCentral anchor during his last semester at UCO. Warren’s mother Stephanie Wrightsman said Warren had a devotion to exposing corruption in his writing and reporting to ensure the underdog’s story was heard.
“He had a drive for truth,” Wrightsman said.
Warren’s diversity in reporting made him an asset to his UCO family.
“He was one of the most knowledgeable people I have ever met,” Mellendorf said. “It seemed to me that his brain was like an encyclopedia of information.”
Warren had no problem talking to people he did not know either. Mellendorf and Hill agreed that Warren was always a friendly and positive influence on those around him.
“He treated all of his colleagues equally,” Hill said. “He mentored those who needed a helping hand.”
People mattered to Warren, and Wrightsman said growing up, Warren had a zero tolerance for bullying.
“I will definitely miss his infectious personality, his positivity and his respectfulness toward faculty and classmates alike,” Mark Scott, UCO Mass Communication professor said.