“I also just wanted to do something in Joe's memory. He was a wonderful person and greatly missed, and I wanted to have an opportunity for his friends to get together and do something that will keep his memory alive and help another student just like him.”
- Amanda Lulewicz, scholarship event coordinator

Just over one year after University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student Joe Munz was killed in a campus-area shooting, he is still in the memory of many whose lives he touched.

An initiative called the Joe Munz Scholarship has been set up to ensure he will always be remembered, and to raise awareness of crime happening around campus. This includes the Nov. 5 shooting that occurred just south of campus that put a student in the hospital.

Munz, who had recently turned 21, was shot and killed Oct. 10, 2006 after delivering a Jimmy John’s sandwich in the Riverwest neighborhood. Now friends of Munz’ are taking action in the community by starting the scholarship to promote awareness of campus crime and to bring the community together.

Scholarship event coordinator Amanda Lulewicz said crime needs to be addressed in a community-wide way, and the Joe Munz Scholarship will do this.

“I think there have been so many negative things associated with the UWM campus lately,” said Lulewicz. “There have been problems with crime, noise and other disturbances. It affects the entire community, and I wanted to address some of those issues and do something positive to show that students can have a positive impact on the community.”

UWM and surrounding businesses have also helped in the attempt to cut down crime by keeping students aware of incidents. The university, for instance, sends out campus crime alerts, and Jimmy John’s has stopped delivering to the area where Munz was killed.

The university’s free transportation service, Be on the Safe Side (BOSS), is also encouraging students to use the free rides and avoid walking alone at night.

The Joe Munz Scholarship is holding a fundraiser on Friday, Nov. 16 at 9 p.m. to raise money for the scholarship. The event will take place in the upstairs party room at G Daddy’s BBC Bar and Grill on the corner of North and Farwell Avenues. All proceeds will benefit the scholarship in Munz’ name and will include door prizes, T-shirt sales, music and drink specials. A $5 entry fee will get of-age students beer, or for $10 they can get a T-shirt, beer and door prize ticket.

According to Lulewicz, the event will raise money for the scholarship as well as give Munz’ friends and peers a chance to remember him.

“I also just wanted to do something in Joe's memory,” Lulewicz said. “He was a wonderful person and [is] greatly missed, and I wanted to have an opportunity for his friends to get together and do something that will keep his memory alive and help another student just like him. He was such a giving person, and I have no doubt that this is exactly what he would have wanted us to do to remember him.”

The Joe Munz Scholarship’s tagline is “Raising Awareness. Giving Back.” This is exactly what the organization is doing. They’ve set out to generate enough money to help another student get an education because the life of another was taken too soon.

Lulewicz emphasized the importance for students to have crime awareness and give back to the campus area.

“It’s important for us to acknowledge that crime is an issue in this area, but at the same time it is also important for us to show the community that we, as students, aren't just going to sit back and do nothing,” said Lulewicz. “The ‘giving back’ part shows that we can turn something negative into a positive. We are taking this opportunity to get together and give back to the community by awarding a few hard working students with scholarships, all while having a good time and honoring Joe.”

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