Jay Kennedy was the much-admired editor at King Features syndicate who died tragically earlier this year. Now King Features Syndicate has announced a worthy way to remember him:

King Features Syndicate has committed $100,000 to establish an endowed scholarship fund in honor of Jay Kennedy, who served as King Features Syndicate Editor in Chief from 1997 until his untimely death earlier this year.

The Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship Fund, which will be administered by the National Cartoonists Society Foundation (NCSF), will enhance two of the nonprofit organization’s major goals – to advance the ideals and standards of professional cartooning in its many forms and to stimulate and encourage interest in and acceptance of the art of cartooning by aspiring cartoonists, students and the general public. King Features and the NCSF and will spearhead additional fundraising for the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship Fund.

T.R. “Rocky” Shepard III, president of King Features Syndicate, said, “We hope this scholarship will continue Jay’s legacy of creativity and generosity. He had a profound impact on our industry, certainly in strengthening King’s roster of talented comics creators and in articulating his vision for the future of the art form. But more importantly, Jay spent countless hours providing advice, support and encouragement to aspiring cartoonists.”



“This scholarship will be a big boost to the careers of aspiring cartoonists,” said Daryl Cagle, president of the National Cartoonists Society Foundation. “College students’ work will be judged by a jury of top, professional cartoonists. The talented winner will meet his cartooning heroes as a guest at our annual convention and will receive his award on stage at our Reuben Awards celebration. We appreciate King Features’ support in establishing the scholarship to honor our friend, Jay Kennedy, and we look forward to making this a new tradition in the cartooning community.”

The first recipient of the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship Fund is to be feted at the Annual Reuben Awards ceremony during the National Cartoonists Society’s annual convention, which will be held in New Orleans over Memorial Day Weekend 2008. Named after famed cartoonist Rube Goldberg, the Reuben Award is considered to be the “Oscar(R)” of the cartooning world. -0- Contributions to the Jay Kennedy Memorial Scholarship may be made payable to the National Cartoonists Society Foundation and mailed to: National Cartoonists Society Foundation Attention: Donations 341 N. Maitland Avenue, Suite 130 Maitland, FL 32751-4761