JACKSON, Tenn. — May 11, 2021 — Union University alumni George Smith and Patty Foellinger Smith have established the Betty Hillix Foellinger Print Journalism Scholarship, which was awarded May 3 to outstanding freshman journalism major Bailey Swords.
Betty Hillix Foellinger started teaching in the English department at Union part-time in 1963. In 1964, she was hired full-time and was instrumental in setting up the print journalism program. It started as a college minor, changed to an English/journalism composite major and then became the current print journalism major in the communication arts department in 1985.
She taught journalism and English courses for 22 years and retired in 1985 as a communication arts professor. During her tenure she was also the adviser of the award-winning Cardinal and Cream newspaper and the yearbook, “Lest We Forget,” where she spent many hours working with her journalism students on the staffs of both publications.
“We’re so thrilled to be able to continue my mother’s legacy of excellent student journalism at Union University,” Foellinger Smith said.
Union University journalists recently won awards from the Baptist Communicators Association and Southeast Journalism Conference. First place honors were awarded by BCA to Maddie Steele for photography (series), Kirbi Cochran for news writing (single article) and Maggie Exum for feature writing (single article), and second place honors were awarded to Naomi Mengel for feature writing (first-person column/blog) and the Cardinal and Cream fall 2020 edition (Suzanne Rhodes, editor-in-chief) for overall publication (magazine). Second place honors were awarded by SEJC to Suzanne Rhodes for best magazine writer, and third place honors went to Maggie Exum for best magazine writer and Union University for best college magazine.
“In many ways I have Betty Hillix Foellinger to thank for the joyful work that I’m able to do at Union,” said Ted Kluck, assistant professor of communication arts. “She laid the groundwork for what we’re able to accomplish in the program today, and in the future.”
For more information on Union University journalism, visit https://www.unioncommarts.com/programs/journalism/, and to learn more about contributing to the Betty Hillix Foellinger Print Journalism Scholarship Fund, visit https://www.uu.edu/advancement/giving/.