David E. Mills Memorial Scholarship Fund
About David E. Mills
David E. Mills was a loving son, brother and friend. Mills, who was born in Maryland and started his writing career as a reporter at the independent student-run University of Maryland Diamondback newspaper, died suddenly and unexpectedly on March 30, 2010 of a brain aneurysm. A brave and resourceful spirit and an extraordinary writer with a passion for good intentioned argument and debate, David always aimed at stimulating conversation and improving the final product. David won the prestigious Benjamin Banneker four-year scholarship to attend his alma mater and quickly became a leader at The Diamondback.
Graduating from the University of Maryland in 1984, Mills began his extensive and impressive journalism and television career. After a successful career at The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, Mills became a top writer for many acclaimed TV shows. David was an Emmy-winning writer and producer whose credits included work on "NYPD Blue," "Homicide," "ER," "The Wire," "The Corner" and his own "Kingpin." He was helping to run the writing staff of HBO's "Treme" at the time of his death.
About the Fund
Each year, at least one scholarship will be awarded to an undergraduate student who has labored for two semesters at The Diamondback and who pledges to continue to serve as a reporter or editor at the daily while receiving the scholarship, which is paid in increments each semester. While the scholarship is linked to service at the student newspaper, an applicant can offer writing samples from any media, in keeping with David’s wide-ranging love of both prose and screenwriting. The committee will be a rotating triad of one Diamondback alumnus, one University representative, and one member of David’s extended family.
As David was a key voice in the de facto desegregation of the Diamondback, candidates who show a particular commitment to creating and nurturing diversity at the paper will be looked upon with special favor by the application committee, as will applicants whose writing raises a bit of hell in that way of which David would be proud. (“No, no, no,” he protested in one famous DBK Wall Quote, as he defended an op-ed column, “I’m just trying to be snide.”)
How to Apply
For more information on how to apply to the David E. Mills Memorial Scholarship Fund, please contact us at sagiving@umd.edu or 301-314-4900.
Past Scholars
