Chapman University is honoring the memory of late NBCLA helicopter reporter Eliana Moreno by helping aspiring journalists and storytellers pursue their dreams.
The university is accepting donations in Eliana’s memory to support scholarships for students at its Dodge College of Film and Media Arts.
Those wishing to contribute can make a donation through the university’s online submission form.
Eliana, who graduated from Chapman in 2010, and NewsChopper4 pilot George Marciniw were both killed last month when the helicopter they were aboard crashed while covering a story in Chatsworth.
For 16 years, Eliana reported from the skies above Southern California, becoming a familiar voice to the communities she covered.
Beyond her accomplishments as a journalist, her family remembers her for the compassion, courage, curiosity and love for others that made her so special.
“Eliana was truly one of a kind. Yet, amid our heartbreak, we find comfort in knowing that something beautiful can grow in her memory,” her family wrote in an announcement posted online.
Chapman University held a special place in Eliana’s heart, according to her family. As a student, she benefited from scholarships that helped her pursue a career in broadcast journalism.
“Through this support, Eliana’s passion for storytelling, curiosity about the world, and dedication to her community will continue to inspire and create opportunities for future generations of Dodge students,” the university said.
Donations made in Eliana’s memory will help aspiring journalists, storytellers and media professionals pursue their education and prepare for careers of their own, according to Chapman University.
In lieu of flowers, Eliana’s family is inviting friends, loved ones and members of the community whose lives she touched to consider making a donation in her memory.
“Our hope is that, through these scholarships, another student will have the opportunity to follow a dream, find a voice, and pursue a future once thought out of reach,” her family wrote.
For Eliana’s family, the scholarships are a way to help carry forward her passion for journalism and storytelling.
“Eliana devoted her life to telling the stories of others. Now, through the dreams she helps make possible, a new generation of storytellers will carry her passion forward,” her family wrote.
For more information, contact Chapman University at giving@chapman.edu.