“Do it well… Do it for the right reason.”

“If you’re going to do something, do it well. Do it for the right reason.” These words by Whitten Maher capture his commitment and authenticity in responding to the world and its people, and for over a decade, the Whitten Maher Memorial Scholarship for Writing and Design (WMMS) has recognized work that echoes Maher’s commitment to empathy, critical thought, and principled storytelling. 

Throughout his 2007-2010 tenure as a Breeze contributing writer, columnist, Opinion Editor, and Design Editor, Maher sought to promote compassion rather than derision, educate and engage audiences, and encourage populations who feel invisible. From his first Breeze article, where Maher wrote a profile feature on the inspirational speaker Judson Laipply and the power of choice, to Maher’s final Gadfly column as a graduating senior, where he urged readers to “discover your passion and take advantage of all the people you meet here—really engage with them,” Maher’s words reflect his indomitable and sensitive spirit.

His passion, activism, and astute observation of socio-political issues also find expression in articles like And So We March, a report on the 2009 National Equality March in Washington D.C. focused on LGBT rights, and Turn Off the Media, a commentary on how the media often creates polarizing audience perceptions of political issues and candidates. As one of Maher’s colleagues at New York-based research and policy center Demos recalled, “Whitten possessed a focused energy and a clear-headed optimism. He truly believed in structural change, both in the fabric of our society, and in the processes and systems of communication.”

The WMMS award recognizes and supports undergraduate work that displays its namesake’s compassion and thoughtful reasoning, and honors the JMU alumnus, whose untimely passing on December 20, 2012, brought an early end to a promising future in writing and design. 

In 2024, Charlotte Miller, a junior majoring in Media Arts and Design with a minor in Sports Communication, became one of 18 JMU sophomores, juniors, and returning seniors to receive the WMMS award since its establishment in 2013. Miller applauded Maher’s spirit and values in the cover letter she attached to her submission, saying, “I am passionate about shaping media that incites meaningful change. Whitten’s principle, that everyone deserves a voice, echoes within me, especially in my advocacy for individuals with disabilities.” 

Miller particularly recognized how Maher communicated his ideas through words and design, an approach which resonates with her in her project “Changing the Face of Beauty: See Me In 2023,”  and she concurs with Maher that “our strength is enhanced when we unite, care, and advocate for one another.”

The 2024-2025 Whitten Maher Memorial Scholarship is open to all returning full-time or part-time JMU undergraduates in all academic and non-academic disciplines, genres, and media. Each scholarship recipient is awarded at least $1,000 (up to $5,000) toward the following year’s tuition. Writing- and/or design-based submissions should engage one or more of the following concerns:

• educate audiences through a civic purpose,
• promote empathy rather than derision, and/or
• seek to encourage populations who feel unrecognized or misunderstood

The 2025 application deadline is Friday, March 7. For detailed submission requirements, please visit the WMMS Guidelines page. The site also features a selection of Maher’s Breeze columns in their original print format, along with remembrances from his JMU and Demos colleagues. For a more in-depth insight into Maher’s work, type “Whitten Maher” into The Breeze site’s search bar.