November 2, 2007

The spirit of columnist Dennis Duggan, who combined the common touch with an uncommon talent, lives on through those whose lives he graced – and through young journalists he never met, thanks to a new scholarship fund.

Daniel Massey, a member of the J-School’s pioneering Class of '07, received the first annual award from the Dennis Duggan Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by the Society of the Silurians in honor of the beloved Newsday scribe.

Each year, the Fund will benefit a promising student at the CUNY J-School. Massey, one of the standouts of the Class of ’07, received a plaque and a check for $1,000 during a Nov. 2 ceremony at the National Arts Club.

Duggan’s illustrious six-decade career included a stint at the legendary New York Herald Tribune, which was based in the same Times Square building where the J-School opened in 2006. Duggan, a past president of the Silurians, died in April 2006 at age 78.

"We're honored to be associated with Dennis Duggan, who represents the heart of New York journalism, as well as with the venerable Silurians, the nation's oldest press club," said Dean Stephen B. Shepard, who represented the J-School at the ceremony, along with Massey and Prof. Lonnie Isabel, himself a Newsday alum.

"And I can’t think of a young journalist more deserving of this honor than Danny Massey, a native New Yorker who has proven himself talented, industrious and dedicated to serving the people of the city through journalism," Shepard added.

To donate to the Fund, send a check to:

Society of the Silurians
PO Box 1195
Madison Square Station
New York, NY 10159

(Please note in the "memo" section of the check that the monies are being designated for the Dennis Duggan Memorial Scholarship Fund. Contributions are tax deductible.)