Harold Moon Scholarship
Every year since 2004 the Nebraska IAI has offered a $500 scholarship to one member for attendance to the Annual IAI International Educational Conference.
This scholarship is named for Harold W. Moon. He was hired by the Nebraska State Patrol June 5, 1958 in Columbus, Nebraska. In 1965, he began training in Question Documents. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1977. In April 1973, Moon was appointed as the first Criminalistics Director of the Nebraska State Patrol. Moon designed, equipped and staffed the State Criminalistics Laboratory using at least five other state labs as research and examples to best serve law enforcement and the citizens of the state. Moon was one of the foremost Document Examiners in the Midwest and was instrumental in formulating the Nebraska Chapter of the IAI. When the Nebraska Chapter of the IAI was chartered on June 14, 1985, he served as the first elected president. Moon was chosen as charter honoree of the NEIAI Hall of Fame, created in 1986 to recognize members who have made outstanding achievements in identification or related forensic areas. In 1986 Lt. Moon retired from the Nebraska State Patrol, however remained active in Question Document examination doing private work.
Lt. Harold W. Moon passed away April 14, 1996, but his memory remains with the Harold Moon Scholarship.
The Harold Moon Scholarship is awarded by the Nebraska IAI President to an Active member of the NEIAI. The President takes into consideration: training the individual will be attending and which courses will benefit the most NE IAI members. The requirement of the recipient is to present at the next Nebraska Division of the IAI Annual Educational Conference, passing on the skills and knowledge acquired at the IAI International Educational Conference.
The 107th Annual IAI Educational Conference will be held August 20th - 26th, 2023 in National Harbor, MD.
To be considered for the Harold Moon Scholarship, send a completed application by March 27th, 2023 to:
Nebraska IAI
Attn: Harold Moon Scholarship
PO Box 22060
Lincoln, NE 68542
or by email to joshua.connelly@douglascounty-ne.gov
Past Harold Moon Scholarship Recipients
2006 Kathy Ayres, Nebraska State Patrol
2007 Mariana Ward, Nebraska State Patrol
2008 Erin Sims, Lincoln Police Department
2009 Mariana Ward, Nebraska State Patrol
2010 Bridger Driver, Nebraska State Patrol
2012 Josh Connelly, Douglas County Sheriff's Office
2013 Tony Loth, Nebraska State Patrol
2015 Josh Connelly, Douglas County Sheriff's Office
2016 Amy Lesan, Lancaster County Sheriff's Office
2017 Angie Bonar, Douglas County Sheriff's Office
2018 Christie Van Andel, Nebraska State Patrol
2019 Josh Connelly, Douglas County Sheriff's Office
2020 No conference held
2021 Cheri Ivers, Nebraska State Patrol
2022 Ben McBride, Norfolk Police Department
Madi Schwenka, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Brandi Hayes, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Chris Weber, Lincoln Police Department
Amy Lesan, Lancaster County Sheriff's Office
