University News

Frank Fulkerson Endowed Psychology Transfer Scholarship Established

September 24, 2020

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MACOMB, IL – To help Western Illinois University psychology transfer students to make ends meet, Psychology Professor Emeritus Frank Fulkerson has established the Frank Fulkerson Endowed Psychology Transfer Scholarship.

Fulkerson joined the WIU psychology faculty as an assistant professor in Fall 1968, and was named department chair in the Fall 1976.

"After I received my Ph.D. in Psychology from St. Louis University, I accepted my first academic position in the WIU Psychology Department in the Fall of 1968," Fulkerson said. "It was a thriving, collegial Department, very welcoming of students. I was pleased enough with the department and the College of Arts and Sciences that I wound up spending my entire career at WIU. This scholarship is designed to attract talented transfer students to the WIU Psychology Department. Hopefully, the scholarship will provide financial support to enable transfer students to begin their study of psychology at WIU."

In 1985, he joined the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office as assistant dean, and later as associate dean. During his 13 years in the dean's office, Fulkerson continued to teach large sections of Introduction to Psychology and a Careers in Psychology course, which he developed and taught for the department. He was also a consulting editor for the national journal, "Teaching of Psychology." He returned to the department full-time in 1998, until his retirement in December 2000.

Following his retirement, Fulkerson returned as a temporary professor to teach Introduction to Psychology in Macomb, and Principles of Behavior Modification in Moline; served as interim chair of the Department of Physics Department; and served as acting chair of the Department of Psychology in Fall 2008. At the end of the Fall 2008 semester, he "officially" retired.

"The department is grateful to Dr. Fulkerson for his generosity in this donation. He has served this department, and the Macomb community, in varying roles for more than five decades," Department of Psychology Chair Karen Sears added. "Even after retirement, Dr. Fulkerson continues to donate through an alumni award, and visits the department to meet distinguished alumni and current students. The connections that he maintains exemplify the spirit of giving that Western has to offer to students."

The Frank Fulkerson Endowed Psychology Transfer Scholarship will be first awarded in Fall 2021. Applicants must be a new transfer student, majoring in psychology, and in good academic standing with at least 24 transfer semester hours. Preference will be given to the student with the highest transfer GPA and demonstrated financial need.

"Dr. Fulkerson had a long and distinguished career at Western. He joins the long line of retired faculty who have continued with their love and support of Western by establishing an endowment to support our students," said Brad Bainter, executive officer of the WIU Foundation. "Scholarship support for transfer students is certainly a big need at Western and this will assist the admissions office and the department of psychology as they work hard to recruit transfer students. "


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