Malone scholarship fund tops $50,000 in honor of lost sisters

The Jamie and Paige Malone Scholarship has raised more than $56,000 since it was established in honor of the Malone sisters, said Brian Eckert, media relations director for the University of Richmond.

Following the July 15 accident that killed Jamie, a rising junior, and Paige, who graduated last May, the Malone family requested that donations be given to a building fund for Camp Anchor.

Both sisters had been counselors at the camp for special-needs children in Hempstead, N.Y.

The fund reached its goal so quickly that the family contacted President Edward Ayers to set up a scholarship fund to honor the women.

"As word of Jamie and Paige Malone's death in the July 15 accident began to spread in Long Island, Richmond and the university community, the family, fellow students, even people who didn't know the women began contacting the university about setting up a UR scholarship fund in their memory," Eckert said.

Around 335 contributors have donated to the scholarship fund so far, Eckert said.

Both women were involved in Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. The sorority organized its annual philanthropy event, Capture the Kite, to benefit Jamie and Paige's scholarship fund.

Devon McFadden, Theta's vice president of public events for the past year, organized the Capture the Kite event and said the event raised around $1,500 for the scholarship, more than the event had ever raised.

"We're always trying to figure out a way to keep their memories alive as new girls come in," McFadden said. "We think that at least one event per year will go toward the scholarship fund."

Jeannie Neaylon, Theta's president for the past year, said Theta's priority was transitioning from mourning the loss of their sisters to being able to celebrate their lives.

Though Neaylon said they encouraged donors to donate directly to the fund, she said Theta had received a check from Pi Beta Phi for $200 donated on its chapter's behalf.

Eckert said the President's Office was working with the Malone family on finalizing the criteria for awarding the scholarship.

"Usually, there is a one-year lag between when the fund reaches the minimum endowment level of $50,000 and the awarding of the first scholarship," Eckert said, "because it takes a year for the fund to earn income to pay out the award.

"It is possible that the Jamie and Paige Malone scholarship could be officially announced this spring, when the university would announce all the details of the award."

According to the Richmond website, the family requested that the scholarship be set up "so that another young woman can be given the chance to have her dreams come true at the school that is such a part of this family."

McFadden said she tried to personalize elements of the Capture the Kite event to specifically memorialize the Malone sisters.

"Paige's favorite pizza was Chanello's," McFadden said, "so we got about 25 Chanello's pizzas for everyone and we encouraged donations. I think that was the biggest part that, as cheesy as it sounds, touched a lot of people because it was Paige's favorite."

Contact staff writer Liz McAvoy at elizabeth.mcavoy@richmond.edu