Memorial scholarship has inaugural recipient

The first dispersal from a scholarship created in memory of a longtime

Medicine Hat News reporter and columnist has been awarded to a local social work student.

Aksel Tigley, 23, will receive $1,000 toward his studies at Medicine Hat College thanks to the Angus Henderson scholarship available to local students who meet academic standard and shows an interest in journalism.

Tigley, who worked as a carpenter before enrolling in social work program two years ago, said he has family members who are journalists and he sees it as a compliment to his future career.

“We’re always talking about honest communication with the public, and journalism has a lot to do with that,” said Tigley.

Henderson retired from the News in 2011 following a stroke and passed away in the fall of 2016 from lingering health problems.

During his career, Henderson covered city hall, business and politics for the

News as well as penned the popular “Talk of the Town” column weekly.

He also operated several local businesses with his partner Lorraine Dalla Longa, who was on hand Thursday to offer congratulations.

“This was Angus’s dream,” said Dalla Longa. “He always believed that students were broke, and he would have loved that this is happening on Valentine’s Day.”

Tigley will graduate after this academic year, but plans to upgrade his education after spending some time working.

Eventually he would like to specialize in working with military personnel and their families before, during and after deployments.