A Message from the Chief Executive Officer of the Marshall University Foundation It will be an adventurous summer for Marshall students. Some will study abroad or work internships; many will begin their careers or prepare for graduate or professional school. Others will partner with faculty to work on research or take a new class. The next challenge is always an adventure. Some students consider college to be their biggest undertaking. They prepare for college entrance exams, commit to their high school curriculum and strive to succeed in their first years of college to secure scholarships and grants. These gifts provide a breath of fresh air, reminding them that they are not climbing the mountain alone. Scholarships remove a bit of the weight students carry, like the threat of debt after graduation, and allow them to focus on the achievement of securing their diplomas before moving on to the next quest. College is the first adult adventure many of us take. It is when we leave home and embark on a journey that will forever sculpt the rest of our path. The unknown is frightening, but the rewards students receive because of the encouragement you provide makes a tremendous impact for the rest of their voyage. Whether you are a Son or Daughter of Marshall because you are an alumnus, because you are involved in the community or because of your philanthropic involvement for the betterment of the university, we are grateful that your adventures led you here. Ronald G. Area Chief Executive Officer, Marshall University Foundation Adventures in the Wild “Frankly, it has surpassed what many students in the fifties timeframe ever considered possible for our small college on the beautiful Ohio River,” said Dick. In addition to juggling courses and playing sports, Dick was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity and the Letterman’s M Club. Upon graduation, Dick’s dreams seemed to be coming true- he received an invitation to tryout for a position with the Baltimore Colts, but his mandatory military service requirements prevented him from doing so. Joining the Marine Corps, Dick signed up for three years and attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, where he was later assigned as the Quantico track team coach because of his experience at Marshall. “After completing my time in the Marines’ service requirement, I would be totally free to participate in any new activity without an interruption for additional military service. I could play football and with the extra playing time, I could hopefully improve my game and perhaps put on a few pounds of muscle, which would enhance my opportunity for the professional tryout,” he said. “My plan worked okay except I wrecked my knee during my final season playing for the Camp Lejeune Marines. My hopes for a professional football career were over.” The Marines added another year to Dick’s service, which positioned him for a career in the service. During his time in the Marine Corp, Dick did a tour in Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 and six months aboard a ship making amphibious landings on many Mediterranean islands. He was then transferred to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, and then later, Honolulu, Hawaii. In Honolulu, Dick spent a large amount of time training for combat in Vietnam. “I was assigned to operate with the British in the jungle of Malaysia for several months,” said Dick. “That time in the jungle, which is one of the most dense in the world, made a huge impact on me. The jungle was described as being neutral; it is neither for you, nor against you. It is what you make of it.” Dick says this experience made a lasting impression, taught him survival skills and enhanced his knowledge of operating in jungle terrain, which came in handy when he was assigned to command a rifle company in Vietnam in 1966. While in that position he was awarded two Pictured: The first group of students to participate in Adventures in the Wild.