The George Katsarelas Endowed Memorial Scholarship: Inspiring Advertising Students and Honoring a Lasting Legacy
How a late Michigan State University alum is continuing to pave the way for future fellow advertising visionaries
By: Ashley Larimer
The College of Communication Arts and Sciences at Michigan State University offers a plethora of scholarships for those willing to go above and beyond in their work in and outside of the classroom. A shining example of such is the George Katsarelas Endowed Memorial Scholarship, offering $30,000 to students studying advertising.
This generous scholarship was born in remembrance of an equally generous man, George Katsarelas, who tragically passed away in 2009.
Katsarelas attended Michigan State University as a part of the class of 1982 and studied advertising and communications. From there, he established an impressive career, culminating as executive creative director at the Leo Burnett advertising agency in Detroit, where he touched the lives of those he worked with.
Jeff Cruz, a friend and colleague of Katsarelas at Leo Burnett, helped start the scholarship as an important part of preserving his legacy within the MSU community.
“He was a great leader, a great human and he was funny…he was just such a wonderful human, which is why everyone would do everything they could to deliver for George,” Cruz said.
Having left such a great impression, many of those who worked with him at Leo Burnett, wanted to help pass down his legacy onto his fellow Spartans.
Each year, a handful of MSU advertising students are selected to not only receive the benefits of the scholarship, but to carry on the example Katsarelas provided throughout his life.
The 2024 scholarship recipients include Morgan Brownell, Emily Cassetti, Cassidy Devergilio and Harmony Hall, all of which are advertising management majors showing great achievements in their major. From being active members and leaders in clubs and organizations on campus, to their outstanding work as interns, these recipients truly represent some of the best MSU has to offer.
In Cruz’s words, there is a common thread shared among the annual recipients.
“There’s a theme of wanting to connect with people, wanting to do well for other humans, which is very George-like,” said Cruz.
Katsarelas was dedicated and hardworking in his work in the advertising field and he was an incredible person that left behind a remarkable legacy that is preserved in his memorial scholarship.
“That’s George, he put in the work, put in the energy, put in the effort, put in the heart, put in the desire, all those things,” said Cruz.
Katsarelas’s profound impact on the lives of those who knew him is still alive today for all Spartans who dream big and work hard to make those dreams a reality.
MSU ADPR majors can learn more and apply for this and other department-level scholarships online.