In his own words
Couple's commitment to service benefits education majors

Rick Fatica Retired Lt. Col. Dale Davison talks with (from left) Kate Huter, Liz McCullough and Katie Schaefer, all recipients of scholarships from the The L. Dale and Mildred K. Davison Education Fund in the College of Education, during a fall quarter reception.

Retired Lt. Col. Dale Davison, BSED '49, and his late wife, Mildred, endowed The L. Dale and Mildred K. Davison Education Fund in the College of Education. Since 1997, the fund has supported six students. Davison keeps in touch with many of them. Here, he shares the reasons he and his wife established the fund and talks about the gifts that have come back to him in return.

The annual awarding of scholarships from our fund is exciting and rewarding. The late Mrs. Davison and I had a dream, and the scholarships fulfill that dream. We wanted to lend a hand to deserving young people who needed help to reach their goals.

Mrs. Davison worked her way through school to become a registered nurse, but my college education was "free" - World War II military training earned me some college credit, and the GI Bill paid for the remainder. I cannot pay back those expenses, but I can repay forward with these scholarships.

Our lives together were ones of service. Mildred K. Free Davison was a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps, serving 22 months in the Philippines and Japan.

"When I was selected to receive the Davison scholarship, I read about the role service to others played in its establishment. I was not only touched, but honored to be chosen for such a scholarship." -Liz McCullough, BSED '01

She retired as an assistant director of nursing for a 375-bed civilian general hospital. I served in the Philippines and Japan for 25 months. After earning bachelor's and master's degrees, I taught mathematics and physics until 1989.

My wife and I chose to endow a scholarship as a means of reaffirming our commitment to service. Throughout my life, a certain personal credo for living has guided me: One purpose for being is to give more to the total societal structure of which we are part than we take from it. This fund, and the resulting scholarships, is an avenue to apply that credo.

Getting to know each recipient is a privilege. I attempt to meet all recipients, and I get to know most on a personal basis. Sharing in their dreams, goals, opinions and academic milestones is extremely rewarding. I may very well receive more than I give.