LEWISTON – Matthew Dodge and Elizabeth Mitchell, both of Auburn, were awarded the first Lisa Giguere Journalism Scholarship on Thursday at the Sun Journal.

Both Edward Little High School graduates plan to study journalism and have already been involved with photojournalism or news writing. Mitchell will attend the University of Connecticut and Dodge will attend the University of Maine at Orono.

The scholarship was created by Lisa Giguere’s husband, Ralph Tuttle, in partnership with the Costello family, publishers of the Sun Journal.

“We thought that this would be a good project to set up a memorial for her,” Tuttle said.

“We’re honored to have something like this,” Giguere’s father, Romeo, said.

Tuttle said Giguere was always interested in the arts and loved journalism, and would often comment: “And they pay me for this!”

Tuttle said it was the hope of those involved in the scholarship to perhaps help “nudge” or “foster” a high school senior with an interest in journalism.

Sun Journal Publisher James Costello Sr. said Giguere was a professional at whatever she did during her 30 years at the Sun Journal.

“She is still missed here at the Sun Journal,” he said. “This scholarship will help keep her memory and spirit alive.”

The scholarship is designed to identify promising, questioning, young journalists and help them develop their talent. Edward Little High School, Lewiston High School or St. Dominic Regional High School graduating seniors who have an interest in journalism may apply.

A reporter and editor for the Sun Journal for 30 years, Giguere died in early June 2004 after battling lung cancer. She was known as a thorough reporter who asked tough questions, as well as a creative person who was curious about everything. She was also involved and interested in the arts scene, local history, conservation and the outdoors.

She was born in Lewiston in 1951. She graduated from the University of Maine and was hired as a Lewiston Evening Journal reporter in 1974. After covering Auburn for years, she was on the original team of reporters appointed to the new Sunday Sun Journal in 1983. She was later promoted to Journal city editor, then managing editor. In 1994, Giguere was named business editor, and in 2000 she became a design and copy editor.