Take it Easy Open

John Jackson kept a frame on his night stand with two hand-written phrases his father had given him. One read: "There will only be one of you for all time. Fearlessly be yourself." The other: "Your only obligation in life is to be true to yourself." John lived his life by those philosophies and imparted such wisdoms on those around him until he passed away suddenly during the spring of his senior year at Indiana University in 1996. An aspiring journalist and passionate Hoosiers fan, John was an example for all of those around him to follow. To preserve his memory - and to in some ways thank him for the things he taught us - a group of his friends founded the Take It Easy Open in 2001 to raise money for the John M. Jackson Memorial Scholarship. Established shortly after John's death, the scholarship had been a small gift each year of $200 to a journalism student at IU. But thanks to the generosity of those who have faithfully turned out for the TEO, the scholarship is now an annual gift of $4,000. John believed strongly that the best way to learn the craft of journalism was in the newsroom, not the classroom. In honor of that belief, the scholarship is geared toward those students who have shown a commitment to the Indiana Daily Student and aspire to become a professional journalist upon graduation. A special preference is shown for applicants who hail from John's home town of New Palestine, Ind. Since its inception, the Take It Easy Open has raised more than $45,000 for John's scholarship guaranteeing his memory will live on and he can continue to help others gain wisdom for years to com. Fearlessly be yourself.
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John Jackson kept a frame on his night stand with two hand-written phrases his father had given him.

One read: "There will only be one of you for all time. Fearlessly be
yourself."

The other: "Your only obligation in life is to be true to yourself."

John lived his life by those philosophies and imparted such wisdoms on those around him until he passed away suddenly during the spring of his senior year at Indiana University in 1996.

An aspiring journalist and passionate Hoosiers fan, John was an example for all of those around him to follow. To preserve his memory - and to in some ways thank him for the things he taught us - a group of his friends founded the Take It Easy Open in 2001 to raise money for the John M. Jackson Memorial Scholarship.

Established shortly after John's death, the scholarship had been a small gift each year of $200 to a journalism student at IU. But thanks to the generosity of those who have faithfully turned out for the TEO, the scholarship is now an annual gift of $4,000.

John believed strongly that the best way to learn the craft of journalism was in the newsroom, not the classroom. In honor of that belief, the scholarship is geared toward those students who have shown a commitment to the Indiana Daily Student and aspire to become a professional journalist upon graduation. A special preference is shown for applicants who hail from John's home town of New Palestine, Ind.

Since its inception, the Take It Easy Open has raised more than $45,000 for John's scholarship guaranteeing his memory will live on and he can continue to help others gain wisdom for years to com.

Fearlessly be yourself.