Devin Moore wanted to become a sports commentator after college, a dream that emerged from his lifelong love of basketball.

That dream was cut short when Moore, a senior journalism major, died in December when he collapsed at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

Now, his family is starting a scholarship to make sure that others like him will not miss an opportunity.

“As a parent, when your child dies, the worst thing you think of the person and their story will be forgotten,” said Christa Poole, Moore’s mother. “It’s a way to preserve his legacy and help him continue to influence people the way that he did.”

The Devin C.G. Moore Memorial Scholarship will award $1,000 to an underrepresented student majoring in broadcast journalism.

It will be offered through the College of Communication and Information starting in the fall semester.

“The whole thing is just so sad, and it just put a explanation point on all the sadness, and how they (Moore’s family) must be feeling,” said Amy Reynolds, the dean of the College of Information and Communication and coordinator of the scholarship. “We thought that through this we could make something positive out of the sadness.”

Moore was a people person and knew how to talk to just about anyone, according to Poole. He was also heavily involved on campus, especially in his fraternity Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., where he was named 2017 4th District Undergraduate Omega Man of the Year.

Moore also hosted his own radio show on Black Squirrel Radio and served as an entertainment reporter for TV2.

He died Dec. 6 due to an unknown heart condition called aortic stenosis, a common but serious valve disease that restricts blood flow from the heart to the main artery. He was expected to graduate in May.

“He was driven, and never wavered in terms of his confidence. And the fact that we lost him during his senior year is heartbreaking,” Poole said. “We immediately thought about how the scholarship would help his dreams live on, and how that could happen through other students who have the same ambitions and the same drive.”

Moore’s parents approached Dean of Students Lamar Hylton to start a scholarship shortly after his funeral. While Hylton has handled many student deaths in the past, he has never seen so many donations in such a short amount of time.

“It speaks to how Devin was so connected on campus, and was just loved by everyone he came in contact with,” he said.

Since the scholarship isn’t endowed, the college had to put forth the $1,000 – but it’s anticipated to grow. As of Jan. 12, donations from Moore’s friends, family and members from Omega Psi Phi increased the scholarship fund balance to nearly $7,000.

The school hopes to have the scholarship endowed in the next several years.

As for Poole, she plans on getting involved in advocacy for early heart screenings in Devin’s hometown of Beachwood.

Rachel Duthie is the features editor. Contact her at [email protected].