Nearly $40,000 for McClure School students raised during Lonsbury Memorial Scholarship event

Alumni, students and community partners came together Sept. 18-19 for the 2025 Thomas Lonsbury Memorial Scholarship Event. The event raised nearly $40,000 to support scholarships for students in 51��’s J. Warren McClure School of Emerging Communication Technologies.

Founded in 2002, by the McClure School Advisory Board, the annual event honors the legacy of Thomas Lonsbury, who launched the scholarship initiative that now bears his name. Since then, the fund has supported nearly 60 students through scholarships and grown its endowment to nearly $500,000. This is a testament to the continuing support of alumni and friends of the McClure School.

This year’s festivities began with a new pre-event fundraiser sponsored by Altafiber at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park, and coordinated by Mike Herrmann, an added opportunity to build excitement and generate early support. Twenty guests enjoyed suite-level access during the game, with all proceeds benefiting the scholarship fund.

McClure School supporters gather at a September 2025 Cincinnati Reds game — This year’s festivities began with a new pre-event fundraiser sponsored by Altafiber at Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park. Twenty guests enjoyed suite-level access during the game, with all proceeds benefiting the scholarship fund. Photo by Ron Minto.

“The Reds game was great fun and a wonderful way to connect with fellow 51�� alumni while cheering on a Reds victory from a fantastic location,” said event chair Jim Gay.

Gamers play their digital version of the golf tournament at E.W. Scripps Hall on the Athens campus — McClure School supporters competed in the 51�� Grand Prix, a Mario Kart–style time trial that brings the McClure School’s esports culture into the weekend. Photo by Chip Linscott.

The energy carried into the main weekend, several weeks later, which opened Thursday with a banquet and silent auction at Jackie O’s Taproom, presented by Trace3 with support from Cisco, GameU, Guesswork VR, Lookout Advisors, Progressive, Second Sole, Spectrum, United Wheels, Big Outsource, Vaco, and Vertiv. Attendees bid on prizes ranging from NFL game-day experiences to an e-bike, while others competed in the 51�� Grand Prix, a Mario Kart–style time trial that brings the McClure School’s esports culture into the weekend and gives non-golfers and students a way to join the fun.

“After decades of support for our students, the Lonsbury fundraiser events continue to thrive. While the most important thing about the events is the scholarship money collected for McClure students, I want to emphasize that these events are truly fun! Generations of alums come together with faculty, staff, students, business leaders, and community members, and we all really have a blast celebrating, golfing, playing video games, and more. The McClure school is a special place, and it’s thrilling to be able to hold and attend these events each year," said Chip Linscott, chair of the McClure School and director of undergraduate studies.

Friday’s Scholarship Golf Outing at the drew 61 players in a four-person scramble format, with contests for longest drive, closest to the pin and longest putt, as well as prizes for first, second, and third place finishers. The winning team — Todd Bickley, Justin Sarver, Mike Wilson and Kolin McKee — took home the Leah Beltz Cup with a score of 57. The trophy, engraved each year with the winners’ names, is displayed in the McClure School Suite on the third floor of Schoonover Center in the Scripps College of Communication.

Gay credited this year’s success to a strong foundation built by past organizers and continued collaboration across campus and the community, including the Alumni Relations Office, University Communications and Marketing, University Advancement, the Esports Arena, and the Athens Country Club, and many others.

“The framework built by earlier event leaders and committees makes it possible to keep growing,” Gay said. “Every year we see new faces and new ideas, and that’s exactly what keeps the scholarship thriving.” In 2025 there was a very active committee of 8 individuals who each coordinated various aspects of the event, driving our success. We will be looking forward to continued success of this event in 2026.

“McClure School alumni have provided tremendous support for students and other program needs through their participation in the Lonsbury tournament,” said Scott Titsworth, dean of the Scripps College of Communication. “We are grateful for the vision and active participation of all advisory board members, as well as the generous donations that made the silent auction and other aspects of the tournament possible.”

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