The annual scholarship is funded by an endowment established by the Los Angeles Lakers in memory of Hall of Fame sports broadcaster Chick Hearn, who died in 2002. In addition to major gifts from the Lakers and Marge Hearn (right), hundreds of fans contributed to the scholarship fund at USC Annenberg, which now totals more than $200,000.
 The scholarship winners are interviewed on Fox Sports before the game |
The Lakers, Marge Hearn and USC Annenberg journalism professor Dan Birman made the official presentation to Conlon and Koh during halftime at the Lakers-New Jersey Nets game on Sunday, November 26, 2006. The presentation traditionally is scheduled at the game closest to the date of Hearn’s birthday. He would have been 90 on November 27. The game began at 6:30 pm.
“Of all the honors that Chick received, I believe he would have been most proud of this scholarship,” said Marge Hearn. “He never was able to complete his own education and he would have been very pleased that students like Casey and James have the help they need to pursue their dreams.”
Conlon went to high school in San Diego and now serves as sports director for Annenberg Television News, the student-produced daily newscast at USC Annenberg. He has produced sports coverage for USC Athletic Video Operations and was an intern at the San Diego Union Tribune. He is a senior majoring in broadcast journalism.
“I grew up listening to Chick Hearn’s voice and will always hold him far above any other sportscaster,” Conlon wrote in his application essay. “From his coined catchphrases to his trademark, ‘This game’s in the refrigerator …’ call, Chick was always the highlight of the game. To win a scholarship in his honor would be one of my greatest accomplishments.”
Koh is a graduate student working toward an M.A. in broadcast journalism. Born in Korea, his childhood years were spent in Houston and Los Angeles. He earned his B.A. from UC Berkeley. He spent a year as a sports broadcaster and country music deejay for KIBS 100.7 FM in Bishop, Calif. He also worked at San Francisco’s KNBR and KPQX in Havre, Mont. At USC, he is a sports anchor for Annenberg Television News and KSCR, the campus radio station.
“I am not a native speaker of English. I came to America at a young age and did not speak the language until I was six years old,” Koh writes. Citing his admiration for Los Angeles broadcasting icons Chick Hearn and Vin Scully, he adds, “What drives me today is a passion for sports broadcasting.”
“Chick Hearn was an icon who represented the best in sports, broadcasting, and the spirit of Los Angeles,” said Geoffrey Cowan, dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. “We are honored that the Hearn family and the Lakers have chosen to support deserving USC Annenberg journalism students who will build upon his great legacy.”
Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism is among the nation's leading institutions devoted to the study of journalism and communication, and their impact on politics, culture and society. With an enrollment of more than 1,900 students, USC Annenberg offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in journalism, communication, and public relations.
Watch a pre-game interview with Marge Hearn and the scholarship winners
Read about last year's winner
