Bio
Richard A. Thompson served students over 32 years as a professor of History and Anthropology as well as working in administrative posts at Southern Utah University. Joining the faculty in 1960, he taught history and anthropology, including summer archeology field schools. In later years he served as the Director of the Anthropology Museum. Following his retirement, he continued to assist at the museum and offered summer archeology field schools which were open to students throughout the United States and internationally until his death in 1995. The field school continued after Ric’s passing until 2001. Georgia B. Thompson began her association with the University as Dean of Women in 1967. In 1971 she was appointed as Acting Dean of Students until 1972. Along with family obligations she was involved with the archeology field school and part-time teaching until 1986 when she returned full-time as Director of Upward Bound and Student Support Services and within a few years moved into Student Service Administration posts, first as Assistant, next Associate and then Vice President of Student Services until she retired in 2007. In 2011, she returned to the campus as half time Director of the Center of Women and Families until 2015. Ric’s daughters, Nancy Antle and Linda Gerner, as young adults, both took anthropology courses from their father. They also volunteered with the Utah Shakespeare Festival during summer visits to Cedar City. When Nancy was young she enjoyed being a member of the Utah Shakespeare Festival cast. Richelle, Georgia and Ric’s daughter, cooked and assisted with camp operations for archeology field schools and earned an SUU degree in Theater Arts in 2001. The Thompsons both benefited from scholarship and fellowship support in their university studies and knew how scholarship assistance helps students achieve their academic degree goals.
Criteria
The Scholarship is to be awarded to students who have a 3.2 or higher GPA and must be pursuing a major or minor in the History, Sociology, and Anthropology department, with a preference to a student studying history or anthropology.