The Second City Training Center is proud to announce the launch of the Joe Flaherty Memorial Scholarship, a new initiative honouring the life and legacy of celebrated comedian, actor and writer Joe Flaherty. A beloved alumnus of The Second City’s storied stages in both Chicago and Toronto, Flaherty’s career helped define a generation of comedy. Before beginning that journey, he served four years in the United States Air Force, a meaningful chapter of his life that this scholarship seeks to recognize and celebrate.

Beginning in 2026, The Second City Training Center will award four full scholarships to veterans and active servicepeople in the United States and Canada, supported by a $5,000 USD endowment established in Flaherty’s name. One full scholarship will be awarded annually at each of The Second City’s Chicago and Toronto Training Centers in both 2026 and 2027.

Each scholarship recipient will receive full tuition for The Second City’s signature 5-level Improv Program, an intensive, 10-month training experience built on the foundations of unscripted performance. Through guided instruction in spontaneity, collaboration, and comedic storytelling, students gain the skills and confidence to create from a place of joy and play. The final two levels culminate in public performances, giving students the opportunity to showcase their growth on stage.

“Joe Flaherty’s body of comedic work is nothing short of iconic. He was also a mentor and teacher to so many who have gone on to become household names,” said Julie Dumais Osborne, VP, Second City Training Centers. “We’re honoured to help new voices begin their own comedic journeys in his name and to be able to offer this opportunity to folks who’ve dedicated their lives to the service of others.”

How to Apply:

Veterans and active servicepeople from the U.S. and Canada are invited to apply online through the Second City Training Center website.

www.secondcity.com

2026 Scholarship:

• Application Deadline: January 31, 2026

• Recipients Notified: February 27, 2026

About Joe Flaherty:

Joe Flaherty (1941–2024) began his comedy career at The Second City in Chicago, writing and performing in multiple Mainstage revues alongside talents like Brian Doyle-Murray, Harold Ramis, and later John Belushi, before moving to Toronto to help launch The Second City Toronto with Gilda Radner and other future stars. He went on to become a core cast member of SCTV with John Candy, Catherine O’Hara and Martin Short, earning nine Primetime Emmy nominations and two wins for Outstanding Writing, and creating memorable impressions and characters including Kirk Douglas, Richard Nixon, Guy Caballero, Big Jim McBob and Count Floyd. Beyond SCTV, Flaherty appeared in films and television series such as Stripes, 1941, Going Berserk, Back to the Future II, Happy Gilmore, Freaks and Geeks and The King of Queens, and served as an advisory board member for the Harold Ramis Film School.

Photo: Joe Flaherty.