Illinois State University’s Department of Agriculture held its annual Awards Banquet on Sunday, where many current and incoming students and faculty were honored for their contributions and accomplishments. A new scholarship was awarded during the ceremony in honor of ISU student Kristian “KP” Philpotts, who was killed while driving for a rideshare company in Urbana in 2022.
Philpotts’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Lyft, the perpetrator, and the perpetrator’s mother, citing the Parental Responsibility Law. On April 12, a judge ruled in favor of the family, assigning $44.7 million in damages.
Lyft's involvement in the case had already been resolved, according to WCIA in Champaign.
Since his passing, Philpotts’ mother, Marla Rice, established a scholarship in his memory for ISU students interested in pursuing veterinary science. It was Philpotts’ dream to become a veterinarian. The scholarship will continue to be awarded every academic year.
Rosalind Flater and Lola Mancera were both awarded the Dr. Kristian “KP” Philpotts Memorial Scholarship at the ceremony on Sunday at ISU’s Alumni Center. Flater also presented later in the ceremony as the representative for ISU’s Equestrian Club. She told WGLT the scholarship will be a great help to her financially and that she hopes to become a large animal veterinarian so she can treat horses.
Professor Michael Barrowclough chaired the committee that selected the scholarship recipients and presented the awards. For this particular scholarship, he told WGLT, students had to submit an essay expressing their desire to enter the veterinary field “and how adding diversity to that can help.”
Barrowclough said the committee looked at the combination of the essay, the students’ GPAs, and their involvement in the wider department and university communities to select the scholarship recipients.
“I think it’s a fantastic thing, what his mother was able to do,” said Barrowclough, adding the scholarship will keep Philpotts’ name in the conversation every year as the scholarship is awarded, adding to his legacy at ISU.
Rice told WGLT her son “had a heart of gold,” and that he was very passionate about helping others, hosting many charity events during his life.
“I chose to have this scholarship at this school because this is a school he loved so much,” said Rice, speaking of ISU. She spoke of the many opportunities the Department of Agriculture provides students to go out on local farms and get experience in the field.
Rice expressed confidence “this scholarship will help others to become the veterinarian that he didn’t get a chance to become,” adding it is an endowment scholarship that “will go on for the rest of our lives,” and hopes others will contribute to the scholarship fund, as well, so even more students can receive assistance in pursuing their goals.
Most of all, Rice believes the annual award means her son is “still helping others.” This is so important to her “because veterinary school is very expensive. And this will give the opportunity for other students to not have to have so much of a load on them.”
Last year, Bloomington, Normal, Urbana, Champaign and Charleston signed a joint proclamation designating July 17 as a day in Philpotts’ honor, with an accompanying dedication ceremony at Miller Park Zoo. A memorial bench also dedicated to him is in Redbird Plaza. Donations to the Dr. Kristian “KP” Philpotts Memorial Scholarship can be made online at giving.illinoisstate.edu.
