West Virginia State Football Stadium Named in Honor of Dickerson Family
10/9/2013
Contact: Kimberly Osborne
(304) 766-3363
kosborne@wvstateu.edu
Oct. 9, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
West Virginia State Football Stadium Named in Honor of Dickerson Family
INSTITUTE, W.Va. –West Virginia State University stadium, where the Yellow Jackets compete in football, will now be known as Dickerson Stadium in recognition of a donation made by Dr. Edward E. Dickerson IV, a 1988 graduate of WVSU.
“Dr. Dickerson is a fourth generation graduate of West Virginia State University, and many members of his immediate and extended family have attended the university,” said WVSU President Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
“His father, grandfather, and great grandfather all distinguished themselves as athletes, and Dr. Dickerson served as one of State’s most energetic mascots during his student years. His generous commitment is a fitting tribute to the Dickerson family legacy at West Virginia State.”
The Fayetteville, N.C. physician and his family have pledged a gift of current cash and future life insurance proceeds of $1 million to WVSU.
A new entrance to the football stadium will be built and feature a plaque describing the legacy of the Dickerson family and their history at WVSU. Through this gift, the Dickerson’s will also establish the Dickerson Endowed Scholarship.
“I went to state on an academic scholarship,” Dr. Dickerson said. “They took a chance on me by giving me a scholarship, and I wanted to do the same thing to be able to provide scholarships for students. That type of assistance can make a huge difference in whether someone can afford to attend college.”
Dr. Dickerson is the owner and medical director for Cape Fear Aesthetics, Rejuvenating Med Spa and Fayetteville Plastic Surgery. He attended West Virginia State, where he received a Presidential Scholarship and graduated with honors with an undergraduate degree in Chemistry. Dr. Dickerson was commissioned in 1988 by the ROTC program and branch Medical Service Corps. He is a member of the WVSU ROTC Hall of Fame.
Dr. Dickerson attended the Morehouse School of Medicine before relocating to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, to complete his surgical internship at Brooke Army Medical Center. He then served as the 2nd Brigade Surgeon of the 325 Airborne Infantry Regiment in the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C.
Dr. Dickerson said that he has reached a point in life where he wants to give back, and working through the WVSU Foundation to establish an endowed scholarship over a period of time to meet that goal.
“West Virginia State provided me a good nurturing environment,” Dr. Dickerson said. “I wanted to share that opportunity with a new generation.”
For more information on giving to WVSU contact Patricia Schumann, Vice President for University Advancement and President of the WVSU Foundation Inc. at (304) 766-3021 or
pschumann@wvstateu.edu
West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.
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