Colorado Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen and Boulder establish endowment scholarship
The endowment honors the Tuskegee Airmen and serves as a memorial to all Tuskegee Airmen, including the 19 Colorado Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen who are or were associated with the local chapter. The Tuskegee Airmen are a group of African American men and women who served our country with distinction during World War II.
“The Tuskegee Airmen represent discipline, democracy and fairness for all — principles that our school takes great pride in as well,” said School of Education Dean Kathy Schultz. “We are fortunate to partner with the Hooks Jones Chapter, and together we look forward to honoring the Tuskegee Airmen legacy and supporting the next generation of students who are passionate about working with and teaching students from underrepresented communities.”
The chapter made an outright gift of $25,000, which was matched by an anonymous gift of $3,000 and closing support from the School of Education Dean’s Annual Fund. The inaugural $2,000 scholarship will be awarded Fall 2018 to a first-year student who, preferably, is a graduate from a Colorado high school and has demonstrated experience with or is committed to working with diverse students.
“The mission of our chapter is to keep the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen alive and to encourage and enable future generations to pursue similar levels of excellence,” said Mark Dickerson, president of the “Hooks” Jones Chapter. “We believe that this partnership is an exciting and long-term way to do exactly that. We are very proud and pleased to be able to partner with Boulder School of Education to support future students.”
Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. is a non-profit national organization, existing primarily to motivate and inspire young Americans to become participants in our nation’s society and its democratic process. It also supports young men and women pursuing excellence, paying special attention to those interested in careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The organization is dedicated to keeping alive the history, achievements and the importance of the original Tuskegee Airmen.
There are more than 50 active chapters of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. located in major cities and military installations throughout the United States. Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. strives to increase understanding of the “Tuskegee Airmen Experience” by honoring the accomplishments and perpetuating the history of the Tuskegee Airmen.
On June 26, the Tuskegee Airmen Colorado Chapter leaders met with Boulder officials to formally establish the endowment.
From Left to Right: Jackie Colt, Chair of the School of Education Advisory Board; Lowell Bell, Colonel, Air Force, Retired, Chair of the Jones Chapter Board of Directors, Tuskegee Airmen; Vorry Moon, Lt. Colonel, Air Forces, Retired, 1st Vice President of the Jones Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen; Mark Dickerson, Colonel, Air Force, Retired, President of the Jones Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen; Ann Scott, School of Education Assistant Dean for Advancement; Robert Boswell, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement; and Kathy Schultz, School of Education Dean.