Son honors father with journalism scholarship

Some children show their parents how much they mean to them with a card. George Hamel Jr. went a little further: He set up a journalism scholarship in honor of his father, George.

When George Jr. was 18 and looking at colleges, he hadn’t been back to Madison since early grade school. “I was a pretty good writer as well as interested in sports. None of the colleges in Virginia had a good journalism program, so I applied to Wisconsin and was accepted,” he says.

George Jr. played what was then varsity reserves basketball, and one of the assistant coaches was Bo Ryan. He transferred to communication arts, where he earned his degree. Since then, George Jr. has succeeded in the investment business, mostly managing capital for colleges and universities.

“My wife, our kids and I meet my parents every year for a football game in Madison,” George Jr. says. They’ve also traveled to road games and bowl appearances.

“As one of seven kids, with lots of other grandchildren in the family, following the Badgers is a good way to keep in touch and have something in common,” he says. “It’s really helped improve our bond.”

The George Hamel Undergraduate Scholarship is targeted to an out-of-state journalism student.

“I did consider, ‘What could I do to let my father know how much I thought of him?’ It’s a great way to show how much he means to me while he’s still alive and to have his name live on while helping students improve their lives,” says George Jr.

To learn more about Create the Future: The Wisconsin Campaign, contact the UW Foundation at 263-4545 or visit http://www.uwfoundation.wisc.edu.