USC’s crowdfunding campaign to support the Louis Zamperini Endowed Scholarship, honoring the late Trojan track star and World War II hero, raised over $100,000 in its first week.
The campaign kicked off on Nov. 29 and has raised $167,434 of its $500,000 goal as of Thursday, with contributions by 231 donors.
The annual scholarship will be given to a male or female track and field athlete “who best epitomizes [Zamperini’s] talents and spirit to receive the same opportunities he received as a USC student,” according to the campaign site.
Zamperini attended USC on a full scholarship and at the age of 19 , was the youngest American to qualify for the 5,000-meter run in the 1936 Summer Olympics.
He was a bombardier in the Army Air Corps in World War II, during which his plane was shot down over the Pacific Ocean in 1943, and he was stranded on a life raft for 47 days before being captured. Zamperini was a prisoner of war for 2 1/2 years, enduring hunger and torture from his Japanese captors.
He died July 2 at the age of 97.
His life story and accomplishments are chronicled in the film “Unbroken,” directed by Angelina Jolie and opening in theaters Dec. 25.
Rewards for campaign backers include a Thank You letter from USC Athletic Director Pat Haden, a copy of Lauren Hillenbrand’s “Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption,” recognition on the “Louis Zamperini Scholarship Wall” at the USC Track Stadium and an exclusive Louis Zamperini Print. Two people claimed a $1,000 donor prize of VIP Tickets to USC’s Unbroken premiere on Dec. 16.
Gifted at the highest donor level, and yet to be claimed, is a USC Football Helmet, autographed by Head Coach Steve Sarkisian and Haden.
The online crowdfunding campaign is set to close Jan. 31.
— Colleen Park, MyNewsLA.com