Applications sought for Tyler Trent Courage and Resilience Award

The Tyler Trent Courage and Resilience Award is now accepting applications until Feb. 18. The memorializing scholarship honors Tyler Trent, the student whose fight against cancer and enthusiastic support of the Purdue University football team captured national attention.

Funded through a combination of gifts, the scholarship will be awarded to undergraduate students at Purdue’s West Lafayette campus who have encountered serious physical or similarly daunting adversity in their pursuit of higher education. First-year students through seniors, in any discipline, are eligible. Students may nominate themselves or be nominated by others through an online application form.

Trent was diagnosed with bone cancer at the age of 15. He founded Teens With a Cause, which recruits young people to perform service projects for families affected by cancer. While at Purdue, Trent earned an associate degree in computer information technology. He was also active in Purdue University Dance Marathon, a student organization that raises funds and awareness for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis, where he received treatment. In addition Trent worked as a sports writer for the Exponent, Purdue’s student newspaper.

As the first student member of the Director’s Advancement Board of the Purdue University Center for Cancer Research, Trent helped raise cancer awareness with a younger audience. He was named honorary team captain for Purdue’s Hammer Down Cancer football game, which raises funds for the center.

Trent died on Jan. 1, 2019, at his home in Carmel.

More details about the Tyler Trent Courage and Resilience Award are available online.