On February 14, 2008, five students were killed in a shooting at the Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. It was the fourth-worst university shooting in the history of the United States, following the Virginia Tech massacre, the University of Texas Clock Tower shooting, and the California State University massacre. As surprising and mystifying as the crime was, donors from across the country have made one thing clear—the victims will not be forgotten.

To honor those who were killed, scholarship providers large and small have pulled together $500,000 to create a scholarship for students of NIU, and more donations are expected. The new scholarship fund will be called “Forward, Together Forward,” a line from the university's Huskie Fight Song, stated the Associated Press. Nearly 1,500 donors have pitched in to establish the fund—without solicitations.

The university plans to award five scholarships each year, to be granted on the annual anniversary of the shooting. The first scholarships will be awarded on Valentines Day of 2009. According to The Northern Star, Northern University’s student newspaper, winners are expected to receive about $4,000 each and will be selected by a provost-designated scholarship board.

The new scholarship fund will help students significantly decrease the costs of their education, especially now that an increase in NIU tuition has been announced. During the 2008-2009 school year, college rates will increase by about 9.5 percent.Those who receive the scholarships will be able to both meet and exceed the increase. Further details about the award are expected in the coming months.

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