Ethan Chapin scholarships handed out to dozens of students

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival honors Ethan Chapin

Ethan was one of the four University of Idaho students allegedly killed by Bryan Kohberger in November. He worked at Tulip Valley Farms, so the organization has created a tulip bulb just for him, called Ethan's Smile.

Ethan Chapin's dreams were buried on the morning of Nov. 13, 2022, but seeds of a brighter future are now in the palms of dozens of young people looking to achieve their own.

Ethan's Smile, the charitable foundation that Chapin's family set up in his memory, doled out 33 scholarships last week after a "bittersweet" ceremony, his mother says.

The foundation has raised far more than the $50,000 handed out this year with a goal of endowing the scholarships, Stacy Chapin told Fox News Digital.

"We can't think of a better way to honor Ethan," she said. "We wanted our kids to have an education so they can stand on their own two feet, and it became 'Let's pay it forward in Ethan's honor.'"

four students appear in a photo together

Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, along with the women's two other roommates in Kaylee Goncalves' final Instagram post, shared the day before the slayings. (kayleegoncalves/Instagram)

Unlike many academic scholarships, she said the foundation is handing scholarships out to any student attending any accredited institution, including beauty and vocational schools.

"We wanted a scholarship for any kid that has any dream," she said. "I can't wait for 20 years from now when these kids come back and say …‘This is what I did with my life.'"

Chapin also thanked donors from around the country, including country star Morgan Wallen, who put the foundation on solid footing. She said she hopes to keep growing the fund until the interest alone can cover scholarships every year.

Bryan Kohberger, who is accused of killing four University of Idaho students in November 2022, walks past a video display as he enters a courtroom to appear at a hearing in Latah County District Court, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023, in Moscow, Idaho. ((AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, Pool))

Chapin, his girlfriend Xana Kernodle, and two other friends — Kaylee Goncalves and Madison Mogen — were murdered in a home invasion attack near the University of Idaho campus in Moscow, Idaho, where they were all students.

The suspected killer, Bryan Kohberger, was a criminology Ph.D. student at the neighboring Washington State University at the time of the stabbings.

Kohberger is being held without bail awaiting trial. He could face the death penalty if convicted.

Idaho student murders: Judge to decide on change of venue

On Tuesday, a judge will hear arguments for a change in venue in the case of a man accused of murdering four University of Idaho students inside their off-campus home.

Chapin, who was majoring in recreation, sports and tourism management, was a triplet. His two siblings, Maizie and Hunter, still attend the university.

Their parents set up Ethan’s Smile, a foundation offering student scholarships after the attack. More information about the charity and how to donate can be found here.