Students collect money for friend's memorial scholarship fund

It began with three IU seniors' quiet remembrances of a life tragically cut short. The death of Craig Doss, who in November succumbed to a years-long struggle with manic depression, made the friends he left behind think, forcing them to deal with often-painful emotions. They grieved, mourning their loss with the St. Louis native's family, friends and Beta Theta Pi fraternity brothers.\nBut Monday night, they celebrated the person senior Katie Landis says she'll "always love and remember." \nMore than 300 people crowded Kilroy's Sports Bar to pay tribute to Doss, an avid rugby player and renowned jokester among those who knew him best. The event, organized by Doss' closest friends, raised more than $1,000 toward the $20,000 goal of the newly-created Craig Doss Memorial Scholarship Fund.\nThe scholarship, spearheaded by Landis and fellow seniors Pat Carmody and Tina Ortinau, will provide $1,000 to an outstanding senior at St. Louis University High School, Doss' alma mater, to attend IU. Monday's event was one in a string of fundraising activities initiated by the scholarship's executive board to ensure Doss' legacy is never forgotten. \nOrtinau said the turnout at Sports proves "people are willing to get together and donate money for a good cause."\n"The people who attended knew Craig or were there in support of a friend who knew him," she said. "It was wonderful to see all of the support we received from various students." \nSeniors Brooke Steyer and Jenny Kwech came out to support Landis, a close friend. \n"It was great to see the people in the IU community pull together for such a great cause," Steyer said. "I know people who were there who had no connection to Craig but went to support the cause, and I thought that was really amazing. ... Last night proved how much one person can touch the lives of so many and that you may not realize how many people your life affects until something like this benefit happens."\nKwech, who said she attended not only to support her friends but also to show support for Craig's family, said she understands all too well the pain of losing a loved one unexpectedly. \n"I know how hard it is to lose a loved one -- especially when that someone is of a young age and had so much to give to life," she said. "I wanted to donate not only money, but time to someone so dear to one of my friends."\nFrom here, the scholarship committee plans to send close to 300 letters to individuals and organizations soliciting donations.\n"We are getting closer and closer to reaching our $20,000 goal, and every little amount helps," Ortinau said. "These events have brought us closer to our goal. We really appreciate everyone that has shown us support and been in attendance for these memorial occasions. Craig deserves to have his memory live on, and everyone that came or donated has helped his dream continue."\n-- Contact senior writer Holly Johnson at hljohnso@indiana.edu.