Late journalist, ex-convict funds scholarship for ex-offenders

Funds from the estate of the late Roger Bruesewitz, a journalist, heroin addict, and ex-convict, will start a first-of-its-kind scholarship at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, according to a Wisconsin State Journal report. Bruesewitz died in 2019 and left his small estate to a long-time friend and former dean of students Mary Rouse. Rouse has donated about $158,500 to nonprofits and other causes in Bruesewitz’s name. Included in the donations is $25,000 used to create the Mary K. Rouse & Roger P. Bruesewitz Beyond Bars scholarship at UW–Madison for formerly incarcerated individuals to attend college. Rouse is hoping to attract more donations to the fund.