Scholarship to honour slain Alberta freelancer Amber Bowerman

The Alberta Magazine Publishers Association (AMPA) is creating an arts and journalism scholarship to honour the memory of Amber Bowerman, killed last week in a multiple murder-suicide in Calgary.

The freelance journalist, who wrote for a number of Alberta publications, including Avenue Magazine and Alberta Views, was working as a publications editor of the weekly student newspaper at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology.

Gary Davies, vice president of AMPA, said the scholarship is a fitting way to honour the memory of someone so well liked in the journalism industry in Alberta. [He was quoted in a story carried by Canadian Press.]

"Not only as a (journalism) school grad, but with her involvement with SAIT ... and just the fact that, I couldn't even add up the number of publications she worked for,'' he said.

He described Bowerman as "very professional and always with a smile'' said he shocked and saddened to hear about her tragic death.

"Unfortunately, these things seem to happen to the really nice people,'' he said. "It's hard to get your head around.''

Donations for the scholarship can be sent to Alberta Magazine Publishers Association, 204-1039 17 Ave. S.W. Calgary, Alberta, T2T 0B2 with memo "Amber."