Max Pitts is impossible to characterize in just a few words. His family and friends describe him as a loyal, fun-loving, social butterfly. He was a Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity member and a basketball and football fan. He also had a passion for streetwear and fashion, leading him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in apparel merchandising through the Department of Apparel, Merchandising, Design and Textiles (AMDT).
“The AMDT department was the reason he wanted to attend college at all, and it was why he ended up choosing WSU,” said Max’s mother, Lynn Pitts. “It made us so happy that he was pursuing something he was so excited about.”
Though Max frequently appeared upbeat to those who knew him, he also had depression. In 2022, just weeks before he would’ve graduated, Max took his own life.
To honor their son’s memory, Lynn and her husband, Paris, established the Max Pitts Memorial AMDT Endowed Scholarship for students in the department who have declared their major and are passionate about their field of study, regardless of financial need.
The first award went to Max’s close friend, Savannah Carter. Carter used the funds to attend an AMDT study tour in Los Angeles, where she and other students spent a week networking and visiting the headquarters of fashion giants like Vans, Speedo, and Savage X Fenty.
“It meant a lot because I knew Max personally,” said Carter, who graduated in spring 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in apparel merchandising. “It was rewarding to benefit from the funds while honoring him. I knew he would’ve wanted me to have it.”
In addition to helping students reach their academic goals, Lynn is using her son’s memory to spread awareness about the importance of mental health and the help that is available to those who need it.
“We shouldn’t shy away from the fact that Max had depression,” Lynn said. “It’s so important to acknowledge that students sometimes struggle with their mental health.”
The scholarship has already hit the $50,000 mark, and Lynn and Paris hope to raise $100,000 over the next decade. As the endowment grows, so will the amount awarded to students.