Administration

Memorial fund to honor Pennsylvania State Trooper Bryon Dickson

Department seeking gifts for criminology student scholarships

The Department of Sociology and Criminology in Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts has established a scholarship fund to honor the memory of Corporal Bryon Dickson II, the Pennsylvania State Trooper who was killed by a gunman on Sept. 12, 2014. Dickson was a 2003 Schreyer Honors College student and a graduate in the criminology program (then named administration of justice). He was selected as the student marshal for his academic achievements.

''The whole Penn State community, and our department in particular, was deeply affected by the death of Corporal Bryon Dickson,'' said John Iceland, head of the Department of Sociology and Criminology. ''He exemplified the best of our university, both in terms of his outstanding academic achievement and his dedication to service as a Pennsylvania State Trooper. This fund will help us remember him, and to provide opportunities to exceptional students who follow.''

Dickson began his college education at Penn State Worthington Scranton where he was active in the Lion Ambassadors and the Veterans’ Club, was in the Schreyer Honors College program and was a starter for the men’s baseball team. Corporal Dickson also met his wife, the former Tiffany Antos, at the campus.

The goal is to raise at least $50,000 to create an endowment that, when fully funded, can provide an annual $2,250 scholarship to a hard-working and talented criminology undergraduate major. The criminology major is among the most popular degree programs in the College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State.A public fundraising drive has been launched to establish The Trooper Bryon Dickson Memorial Fund with a major gift already pledged by 1969 alumna Mary O’Neill Marsh. Marsh has pledged $25,000 to match gifts of any size to the memorial fund, up to $25,000. The creation of a scholarship requires at least $50,000 in gifts to create an endowment with a meaningful financial award for a student.Marsh is a retired senior deputy chief U.S. probation officer with nearly 30 years of service. She is a dedicated volunteer and a member of the Board of Visitors for the Department of Sociology and Criminology. She has supported criminology undergraduates, the University Libraries, and Penn State Athletics. Her honors include the Liberal Arts Leader and the Mount Nittany Society.''It is important that we (Penn State University alumni) celebrate the memory of Corporal Dickson,'' Marsh said. ''Not just because he was an outstanding student or a valiant Pennsylvania State Trooper, but because his life is a wonderful representation of what it means to be a Nittany Lion. We will forever honor Bryon by supporting students that dream of serving our society with his same ideals and passion.''

Gifts to the Trooper Dickson Memorial Fund can be made by mailing a check made payable to The Pennsylvania State University and sent to Kathie Alterio, Alumni Relations and Development, College of the Liberal Arts, 139 Sparks Building, University Park, PA 16802. Add code SCL7B to the memo line.

Gifts can also be made online by clicking here. 

Last Updated September 22, 2015

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