Award honors longtime Wichita Eagle outdoor writer, photographer

Mitchell Keeley, a 2006 graduate of LaCrosse High School, was named this year’s recipient of the Steve Harper Scholarship. Keeley plans to pursue a degree in wildlife biology at Fort Hays State University and will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Steve Harper was a longtime outdoor writer and photographer for the Wichita Eagle. He died of cancer in 2000, and a scholarship was established in his name. Over $10,000 was raised from business, organizations and individuals for the program, which is being managed by the Kansas Wildscape Foundation , Lawrence.

More than 20 students from across Kansas applied for the scholarship. Only students attending a Kansas college or university and majoring in natural resource management or photography are eligible. Applicants are judged by representatives from Harper’s family, the Outdoor Writers of Kansas, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. Judging criteria includes past experience in their field of study, career plans, and academic accomplishments.

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