The James W. Faulkner Memorial Fund is a scholarship fund held by The Columbus Foundation on behalf of the Central Ohio Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. It was founded to perpetuate the name, works and ideals of James W. Faulkner (1864-1923), Statehouse correspondent for The Cincinnati Enquirer, founder of the Ohio Legislative Correspondents Association, and dean of political writers during his lifetime. According to a published history of the fund, Faulkner arrived in Columbus in 1890 to cover the Ohio General Assembly and was astonished by what he found. Lobbyists roamed the floors of the legislature even as sessions were held, trying to influence the lawmakers. Political “correspondents” sent reports to Ohio newspapers that were little more than propaganda paid for by the lobbyists. With fellow journalists, Faulkner proposed to legislative leaders that all but working newspapermen be banned from legislative sessions. The journalists then formally organized the group that would become the Ohio Legislative Correspondents Association and elected Faulkner its president. The General Assembly in 1893 gave this organization the role of determining who would have floor privileges as legitimate working journalists, a role that continues to this day. Faulkner served as the group's president for 24 years, and became known for loaning money to needy college students seeking to become journalists. After his death, friends and colleagues collected money for a memorial fund to continue that financial aid. By 1931 the group had raised $13,000 and formed a board to oversee the fund. For the last 50 years it has provided scholarships to journalism students. This fund grants scholarships to deserving journalism students at colleges and universities in the State of Ohio.