A newly created scholarship at Homewood-Flossmoor High School is supporting future journalists as it honors the late Tom Houlihan, a long-time journalist and Flossmoor resident.

The $1,000 annual scholarship will be presented to a graduating senior who intends to major in journalism.

Houlihan’s journalism career stretched 40 years. He helped establish a newspaper in Will County early in his career. He spent years as a reporter at The Times of Northwest Indiana and as a reporter/editor and later a columnist at Star Newspapers until it was disbanded in 2008.

He left newspapers but continued writing about community events while working at Governors State University before he retired in 2013. After a brief hiatus, Mr. Houlihan helped found the Homewood-Flossmoor Chronicle newspaper in 2014. He worked with the publication until 2020.

“Tom believed deeply in the power of local journalism to give a voice to everyday people,” said his wife, Patty Houlihan. “He was passionate about mentoring young writers and helping them find their path. This scholarship ensures that his legacy lives on through the next generation.”

The scholarship reflects her husband’s commitment to community-centered storytelling and his belief that strong local journalism is essential to informed, connected communities, she said. By investing in students pursuing journalism careers, the Houlihan family aims to continue his lifelong work of opening doors and nurturing talent, Patty said.

The Houlihan Family Scholarship for Journalism, established through the H-F Foundation, was established by Patty, in honor of Tom Houlihan, Kat Houlihan and herself, to support the future of professional journalism, a field that had an enormous impact on their lives and on their community.

Their sons, John, Joe and Emmett graduated from H-F.

In establishing the scholarship, Patty called it an acknowledgement of the role community journalism played in their lives. She also was a reporter for more than a decade.

“This scholarship not only honors Tom Houlihan’s incredible legacy but also reinforces the importance of local journalism and mentorship in shaping future leaders,” said Carla Erdey, director of communications and community engagement at H-F. She said the scholarship comes at a time when local journalism continues to face challenges nationwide making investments in future reporters more important than ever.

Donations will help sustain and expand the scholarship’s impact. Gifts in memory of Tom Houlihan can be made through the H-F High School Foundation at the scholarship website or by contacting the foundation directly at [email protected].

The foundation is also accepting stories and reflections on Houlihan and his work that will inspire the next generation of writers. Comments can be sent to [email protected].