Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Dickinson Scholars

     University of Missouri- Columbia, College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources had their annual Dickinson Scholars Program. I was one of seventeen college sophomores and juniors who attended the six day conference held January 6-11  in Kansas City. Participants were selected through an application process. 
     The program is funded by Dickinson Financial and Bank Midwest in honor of the late Mr. Dickinson. Mr. Dickinson was a MU alum from Chillicothe, Missouri. In the 80s Mr. Dickinson had to sell back his farm because he wasn't able to make his loan payments. He took a huge risk and bought a handful of small banks that he combined to create a huge banking system in Missouri and surrounding states. Mr. Dickinson became wealthy when he contracted with the U.S. government to have his banks at military bases. After Gary Dickinson was involved in a fatal car accident on his way to work in Kansas City one foggy morning, his wife Ann became a chairman of Dickinson Financial. Ann Dickinson, a proud MU alum, wanted to honor her late husband. Mrs. Dickinson funded the new Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity house at MU- Gary himself had been a member of the fraternity, as well as the Dickinson Student Success Center at CAFNR and the Dickinson Scholars Program which is in its twelfth year. 
     The following posts are an overview of the events that took place during the six day conference, which started Sunday January 11th with a five star dinner the the New Theatre Restaurant, which I was unable to attend due to car troubles. Over the next few days participants toured agribusinesses in Kansas City as well as heard speakers ranging from entrepreneurs to a reporter carrying on the 80-year-old family business.