Colonel Lee C. Dickson Scholarship Endowment
Dean Dickson will be remembered for always being available to students, making an impact in all areas of their education – from the time they began their academic journey until they graduated. His undivided, personalized attention to students’ needs and requests is the legacy that lives on through this scholarship.
Biography
COL. Lee C. Dickson joined Florida International University (FIU) in August 1983 to develop the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management Broward Program at the FIU site on the Broward Community College Central Campus in Davie. As Program Director, he taught courses in Hospitality Marketing Strategy, Hotel & Restaurant Marketing, and Club Operations Management until August 1990 when he was appointed Assistant Dean and relocated to the FIU Biscayne Bay Campus. In 1994 he was appointed Associate Dean.
Upon the retirement of Dean Anthony Marshall in 1999 Dean Dickson was appointed interim Dean and served selflessly and with distinction for 15 months until Dean Joseph West was appointed.
Before coming to FIU, Dean Dickson served as a commissioned officer from 1953 to 1983 in the Quartermaster Corps of the United States Army. He progressed through the ranks from Second Lieutenant to Colonel in various command, staff, management and logistics positions in the United States, Commander, 95th S&S Battalion, Germany, and G4 Delta Regional Assistance Command, and more.., Vietnam. From 1975 to 1983, he was appointed program manager for the U.S. Army‘s hospitality-related non-appropriated fund enterprises, and thereafter as Director of Club and Community Activities Management at Headquarters, Department of the Army.
During his tenure at FIU, Dean Dickson made many important and long-lasting contributions to the hospitality school. He worked tirelessly in making a difference in the lives of students and alumni, often being the first person to arrive and the last person to leave on any given day. Dean Dickson recruited students, conducted thorough orientations, advised students, taught classes, supervised internships, awarded scholarships, wrote recommendation letters for students to get jobs or to gain admission to graduate school. He was meticulous in ensuring that students in Miami and Tianjin, China had the best learning environment, including facilities, classrooms, and computer and food laboratories.
During one year of budget cuts, he personally purchased ink cartridges and paper so that students had the resources to print their papers and projects.
Dean Dickson contributed greatly to the school’s development through fundraising. He especially played a crucial role in the early success of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, having served as one of the founding members of on the planning and organizing committee.
Dean Dickson is the embodiment of leadership. He had the highest level of integrity and generosity, basing all decisions on the best interests of the students, the School and the University. He was always cordial and formal in his day-to-day dealings, thus setting a great example for faculty, staff, and colleagues. He was admired for his wisdom, candor and gracious personality.
After 25 years of service to Chaplin school, students, faculty and staff, Dean Dickson retired in 2008 but he continued to serve the school by committing to raising scholarship funds and advising the administration on a number of initiatives including student recruitment facilities development. In addition, he continued to serve on the Board of Directors as Chair of the Education/ Scholarship Committee of the Black Hospitality Initiative of Greater Miami (formerly Visitor Industry Council).
COL. Lee C. Dickson, Associate Dean Emeritus of the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management passed away in 2018. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved, around the world.