News and Progress
In memory of a Missouri public servant
Chris Sifford Scholarship helps MU students
May 11, 2009
Chris Sifford
In October 2000, Chris Sifford, campaign advisor to Missouri Gov. Mel Carnahan, died at the age of 36 with the governor and the governor's son. The three were en route to a rally for Carnahan's U.S. Senate campaign when their plane crashed outside of St. Louis. Sifford was beloved by many MU alumni, and in his memory, friends and family established the Chris Sifford Memorial Foundation, which provides scholarships to students at the University of Missouri and Missouri State University who are interested in journalism, communications or public service - Sifford's areas of expertise.
"He was my best friend," says Joe Bednar, an attorney with Spencer Fane in Jefferson City, Mo., who worked with Sifford as former counsel for Gov. Carnahan, "but Chris touched a lot of lives and had a number of people who considered him their best friend. Everyone who knew him knew his love for MU, even though he was a Missouri State graduate. And he obviously loved the communications business. He also recognized that there were students in need from time to time. We thought it would be a good way to recognize his spirit by establishing a scholarship in his memory."
To date, Sifford's family and friends have contributed nearly $100,000 to the scholarship endowments.
"Chris shared Gov. Carnahan's belief that public service is a noble calling," says Bednar, who also serves on the foundation's board. "Anything we can do to encourage and provide resources to students at MU is a positive for them, a positive for the state and a positive for government."
The foundation will host its annual golf tournament and dinner fundraising event Aug. 7, 2009, at Eagle Knoll Golf Club in Hartsburg, Mo. If you're interested in participating in the event, visit www.siffordmemorial.com./.
To support the scholarship endowment at MU, visit donatetomu.missouri.edu/ and specify that your donation supports the Chris Sifford Scholarship.