Brian Muha/Aaron Land Memorial Scholarship Fund

Bringing Good from Evil 

   By Nick Thomm  October 22, 2001

   www.journeyofhope.org

In his apostolic letter entitled On the Christian Meaning of Human Suffering, Pope John Paul II says that what makes human suffering specifically human is the question why. Since the funerals of Brian and Aaron and the trials of Herring and Yarbrough, Rachel Muha has begun a campaign to bring good out of the suffering of her son.

In the fall of 1999, she began the Brian Muha Memorial Foundation.  “The whole reason to have the foundation and do this work is to help make the children of the area feel safe and free,” Mrs. Muha said. “We know that to make a lasting change in a person’s life he or she has to have love, discipline, a good moral education and a good academic education. We are committed, in Brian’s and Aaron’s names, to help ensure that.”

According to Chris [Muha], the Foundation raises money for the Brian Muha/Aaron Land Scholarship Fund at Franciscan University and for support of projects and programs in inner-city Steubenville, Columbus and Pittsburgh. “The scholarship is for someone from inner-city Steubenville, Columbus or Pittsburgh to go to Franciscan who couldn’t otherwise afford it,” Chris said. “Brian was from Columbus, while Terrell and Nathan are from Pittsburgh and Steubenville.” 

The major fundraiser for the Foundation each summer is a golf outing.  This year 142 golfers turned out and $37,000 was raised.  The Foundation was able to give $1,000 in school supplies to inner-city students, and its scholarship went to 20-year-old George Hopkins, who has lived in Steubenville all his life. He graduated from Steubenville Public High School and earned an associate’s degree in business administration from Jefferson Community College, also in Steubenville. Hopkins wanted to complete his bachelor’s degree at Franciscan but came up short financially.

“The financial-aid department gave my name to Mrs. Muha,” Hopkins said.  “I really didn’t know about the scholarship until then, but I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to further my education,” Hopkins added.

“We were originally going to wait until we could give a full scholarship,” Mrs. Muha said, “but after the success of the golf outing we decided to give a partial scholarship. We’re just so happy to be able to help George in Brian and Aaron’s memories. He is a great young man and would really have liked Brian and Aaron.”

Hopkins plans to finish his degree in two years and then pursue a career in business.  “I’m just so thankful to Mrs. Muha and the university,” Hopkins said. “This has been God working a miracle and moving in my life.”

For the complete article: "A Mother's Tale: A Story of Love, Forgiveness and Life" please visit Journey of Hope...From Violence to Healing.