Columbia College Chicago Junior Patience Hurston is the recipient of the 2024 Les Brownlee Memorial Scholarship–a $5,000 annual grant given to a Chicago-and-Illinois-area journalism student in honor of Les Brownlee. Hurston is finishing their Junior year at Columbia College Chicago and was just named Editor-in-Chief of the Columbia Chronicle, where they will transition this summer from their role as Copy Chief into the senior leadership job. A proud native Chicagoan who grew up on the South Side and in the South suburbs, they will graduate next year with a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism (Magazine & Feature Writing) as part of the Class of 2025.