UK Libraries is proud to honor the memory of David Mudry ‘18 through the David Mudry Memorial Scholarship Award. The scholarship is a one-time $1,000 award to help offset the cost of books and course materials for students with unmet financial need.
Applications for the scholarship are available online and are due Nov. 8. The scholarship will be awarded for the Fall 2024 semester.
Who can apply?
How do I apply?
Applicants will be considered based on award criteria and on the strength and authenticity of their essays. The UK Libraries Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Committee will review applications and announce two scholarship award winners in the spring.
Mudry is remembered for his incredible warmth and boundless compassion. As a student, Mudry worked at the University Bookstore, where he encountered many students struggling to pay for books and course materials. He went out of his way to help students in need find creative workarounds, and through his gift of insight and guidance, students were able to enter the classroom with the materials they needed to succeed.
Mudry is also remembered as a tireless advocate for LGBTQ* initiatives on campus. Outgoing, loving, and full of life, Mudry cultivated a sense of belonging for the UK LGBTQ* community and helped young LGBTQ* students acclimate to campus life. He made a big school feel much friendlier to all of those he helped.
The Mudry Memorial Scholarship was created to honor a life dedicated to others and to ensure that his hallmark spirit of kindness continues to live on at the University of Kentucky. Through the vision of Mudry’s close friend Dakota Thomas, the scholarship is made possible with the generous support of Mudry’s family.
“David was a truly wonderful young man,” said David’s mother Sandy Mudry. “He was a warm and loving person, with a tremendous passion for helping others – whether within the LGBTQ* community, through his work at the bookstore, or through his service work in the Alpha Omega Pi service fraternity, of which he was a proud member. David passed away in 2019, but this scholarship allows his kindness and compassion to continue to uplift those in need.”
The Mudrys’ gift enables UK Libraries to further their broad affordability initiatives. By helping instructors find, adopt, and create affordable course content – through course reserves, open educational resources, and the Alternative Textbook Grant Program – UK Libraries has impacted thousands of students and provided millions of dollars in student savings.
“A core tenet of our mission is empowering learners, and providing access to affordable course content is a crucial component in reducing students’ financial burden and increasing access to higher education for all,” said Dean of Libraries Doug Way. “We are enormously grateful to the Mudry family for upholding David’s spirit of generosity, and we are proud to carry on his legacy of helping students in need.”
