The Fund for American Studies (TFAS) has awarded Benedict Segrest the inaugural Eric Tarpinian-Jachym Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship is named for a TFAS alumnus who was killed last summer in Washington, D.C. It enables colleges students to participate in the fund’s D.C. Summer Program.
Tarpinian-Jachym – a student at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and alumnus of the 2025 TFAS Spring Washington Fellowship – was murdered while spending the summer after his TFAS program as a congressional intern for Kansas Congressman Rep. Ron Estes.
The scholarship was established to support future undergraduate students at TFAS programs in Washington.
Segrest is a rising junior at Cornell University who is involved in the College Republicans chapter, the Cornell Review independent campus newspaper, the Thomistic Institute and the Cornell Catholic student service team. He has also participated in the Abigail Adams Institute’s “The Machine Has No Tradition” seminar.
As the first Tarpinian-Jachym scholar, Segrest will participate in this summer’s TFAS Academic Internship Program, also in D.C. He will have a six-credit curriculum with courses at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia; participate in an internship; and attend policy briefings to gain networking opportunities.
“Eric would have graduated from college alongside his friends last month, so while we miss him dearly, I’m pleased that his memory will live on through TFAS and this new scholarship program in his name,” said Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym, Eric’s mother.
“Eric always sought to treat people with kindness and make a positive impact on others, and he was able to accomplish so much during his 21 years with us. This scholarship will provide students like Benedict the opportunity to learn about honorable leadership through the TFAS D.C. Summer Program.”
Tarpinian-Jachym would have graduated from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management last month with a degree in finance and a minor in political science. On his behalf, his family received his posthumous diploma from Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on May 9.
The family continues to seek justice for Eric. Three men have been charged with his murder, and the case is expected to begin in 2027.
Benedict Segrest has been awarded the inaugural Eric Tarpinian-Jachym Memorial Scholarship. He attends Cornell University.
