On Thursday (November 9), a local student was the first recipient of a scholarship memorializing a local journalist.

The first ever Anne Beaty Memorial Scholarship for Journalism and Communications was presented to Rachel McCarville. McCarville said she was incredibly honoured to recieve the scholarship.

Anne Beaty was a local journalist and editor at a number of Airdrie newspapers and magazines. She was also a member of the team at the Airdrie Public Library. Beaty passed away in September of 2016.

Beaty's mother Jeanne Beaty, a former journalist that made a major contribution to the scholarship fund, attended the scholarship presentation, along with Anne Beaty's daughter Sarah Christie. McCarville said she was very pleased to meet both Anne's mother and daughter.

"They kind of shared some stories, so it gave me a little bit of an idea of who Anne was, which was really nice because I didn't actually know Anne," said McCarville. "Through hearing their stories, I kind of got an idea of who she really was, and she sounded like just an incredible woman.

Likewise, Jeanne Beaty was pleased to meet McCarville and is happy the scholarship is going to such a deserving student.

"[Anne] was a good editor and journalist. Journalism faces many challenges today and since it is one of the hallmarks of a democratic society it needs keen young minds.

McCarville said learning more about Beaty's life and work has inspired her as she continues to study public relations.

"Looking through everything she's done and everything she's accomplished really inspired me to try and do the best that I can and to try and achieve something as great as she did. She was so, so loved in the community and she had such an amazing legacy and I think that that's very inspiring.

McCarville is currently in her third year of study at Mount Royal University. She said the $1,000 scholarship will be put to good use, especially since funding is difficult to find if one is studying in the field of journalism or communications.

"It came at a really good time. I was really stressed out with school and with money and so I was really hoping that I would get awarded it, and then I got the email so everything worked out perfectly and I was so honoured."

Along with Beaty's family, the presentation was attended by local publisher Sherry Shaw-Froggatt, who created the scholarship, and Derrick Cresswell-Clough, representing donor TD Bank.

 

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