Memorial scholarship fund created at North Central College
A second memorial scholarship fund, this one benefiting North Central College students, has been created in memory of Naperville teacher Shaun Wild.
Wild’s mother, Jami Wild, announced the scholarship fund Friday following a bond hearing for the man accused of murdering her son in a downtown Naperville club. She said the fund will “reward academic excellence in Shaun’s name” at the college.
Students already have raised more than $10,000 by selling bracelets and T-shirts featuring Shaun’s likeness and slogan, “Living Life on the Wild Side,” she said.
“The overflowing donations have been overwhelming and it’s going to allow us to do some very, very wonderful things in Shaun’s memory and to continue to promote elementary education and what it means to be a friend,” Jami Wild said. “We’re very touched by the generosity of the people who are recognizing the special person that Shaun was and the impact he had on so many people.”
Shaun Wild graduated from North Central and had been teaching second grade at Naperville’s Spring Brook Elementary School when he was slain in January.
Adrian Aldrich, North Central’s director of alumni relations, said donations have been coming in from across the country.
Financial contributions can be sent to the Shaun Wild Memorial Fund, Office of Institutional Advancement, North Central College, 30 N. Brainard St., Naperville, IL 60540.
A separate fund was established last month in Wild’s hometown of Brown Deer, Wis., to assist future generations of student athletes. Financial contributions can be sent to Brown Deer High School to the attention of Shaun Wild Memorial Fund, 8060 N. 60th St., Brown Deer, Wis. 53223.
Jami Wild said the family has begun planning a mid- to late-April memorial service for Shaun to be held on the North Central College campus.