Among the golfers taking part in the 3rd Annual 1LT Brian McPhillips Charity Golf Tournament on September 24 are, from left, Chuck Gibson, Michael Joyce ’84, Stephen Sypek ’84, and Reed Chisholm ’83. Joyce, Sypek , and Chisholm are members of the College’s Boston President’s Council.	Karen Bagley ’03, left, and Jennifer Caulfield ’95 were two of the members of the tournament committee. Caulfield is a National Alumni Association board member.

A scholarship fund that was established in memory of a Providence College alumnus who was killed in action in Iraq has been endowed and is fully operational.

The 1LT Brian McPhillips ’00 Scholarship Fund honors the bravery and memory of U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Brian McPhillips ’00, who was killed in 2003. Scholarships from the fund benefit Greater Boston-area residents who are resident assistants at PC and in need of financial aid.

A native of Pembroke, Mass., Lt. McPhillips was a finance major at PC. In recognition of his bravery in Iraq, he was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star Medal.

The 1LT Brian McPhillips ’00 Scholarship Fund became endowed with a donation of approximately $20,000 from the 3rd Annual 1LT Brian McPhillips Charity Golf Tournament. Hosted by the Greater Boston Alumni Club, this year’s tournament was held on September 24 at the Marshfield Country Club in Marshfield, Mass. Approximately 150 golfers, sponsors, family members, friends, and volunteers attended.

An endowed scholarship requires a minimum of $50,000 to become operational. These funds are invested and scholarships are then awarded from the interest the scholarship fund accrues.

The McPhillips Scholarship Fund is the brainchild of Diana Cassidy ’00 of Yonkers, N.Y. Cassidy was a PC classmate of Lt. McPhillips and worked alongside him as a member of the Office of Residence Life staff.

“Brian was one of the nicest people,” said Cassidy. “He was willing to lend a helping hand, he was caring and friendly, and had a good sense of humor.”

Cassidy said that when she heard about Lt. McPhillips’ death in Iraq, “it just made me sad to know that someone so young that I knew lost their life fighting in the war. I felt so helpless about the war,” she said, “but I realized that I could do something to help make a difference by remembering Brian within our College community.”

Lt. McPhillips was assigned to the 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, Camp Lejeune, N.C. He was killed on April 4, 2003, when the battalion he was leading was ambushed in the southeastern suburbs of Baghdad. The citation for the Bronze Star Medal awarded posthumously to his family tells how he heroically placed himself at the head of the convoy, exposed to enemy fire, so he could relay information to the Marines in his command.

“His heroics allowed the battalion to effectively fight though the ambush and saved the lives of countless fellow Marines,” the citation said.