Scholarships: History

 

Bronwyn Dodson Memorial Scholarship

Bronwyn Dodson (1969-1991)

 

Bronwyn Dodson was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama.  In the early 1980's her family moved to Orange, California, and Bronwyn graduated from Canyon High School in 1985.

Bronwyn worked tirelessly in the Theatre Department at Fullerton College from 1986 to 1991. Bronwyn served as an actress, makeup artist, electrician, carpenter, scene painter, assistant stage manager, stage manager, director, production manager, and high school theatre festival coordinator. She also served on the Theatre Department Student Advisory Council for three years and on the Campus Theatre Stage Crew for two years. She played pivotal roles in our annual Theatre Arts Banquet each year, coordinated the Amnesty International Benefit Reception for our production of LARGO DESOLATO, and traveled with the TRACERS production company to Scotland to participate in the Edinburgh Festival.

From her first year at Fullerton College Bronwyn's accomplishments and high potential were officially recognized by the Theatre Department staff and students. Bronwyn won the Most Promising Newcomer Award, two production teamwork awards, two Acting workshop leadership awards, and our highly coveted Paul Scop Memorial Award given to the student who most personifies the humanitarian spirit of the late actor who worked with us in the early 1980's.

More even than her considerable and uncommonly broadly-based accomplishments Bronwyn is best remembered for her personal traits and the personal nature of relationships cultivated and maintained with literally hundreds of people.  She was best known for her infectious smile and exuberant embracing of life's challenges. She was also independent and uninhibited, demanding, dramatic, gentle, and gracious. She had a wonderful listening spirit and became the confidante and special friend to many people.

At the time of her death Bronwyn was finishing up General Education requirements at Fullerton College and was hoping to transfer to North Carolina School of the Arts, like her sister Alyssa. Bronwyn's memorial service was held on the campus quad and attended by 500. Her friends honored her with original songs, poems, memorials, dedications, and tree plantings.  Three months after her death the Studio Theatre was rechristened the Bronwyn Dodson Theatre. The college and school district now have a facility naming policy that was triggered by this memorial.

 

ANITA AND EVERETTE FARNSWORTH SCHOLARSHIP

ANITA FARNSWORTH (1923- )

 

Anita Farnsworth was born in Saskatchewan, Canada and grew up in Long Beach, California, graduating from Wilson High School in 1941. Anita Farnsworth worked for Fullerton College from 1970-1988 in the Health Services, Social Sciences, Art, Music, and Theatre Departments. During her tenure as Theatre Arts Secretary the Department consisted of George Archambeault (1960-1979), George Stoughton (1961-1979), Richard Thompson (1963-72), and current Art instructor Todd Glen and current English instructor Jim Henderson. Anita ran the box office for all Theatre Arts productions and worked with George Stoughton on the business management of the department. Forty years after graduating from high school, Anita earned her A.A. degree from Fullerton College.

EVERETTE FARNSWORTH (1920- )

 

Everette Farnsworth was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and raised in Long Beach, graduating from Wilson High School in 1938. Anita and Everette were married at Bayshore Congregational Church in Long Beach in 1945 and moved to Fullerton in 1950 to open a car wash. Six years later Everette was selected Fullerton's "Man of the Year." He served on the City Council 1958-1964 and as the Mayor of Fullerton from 1964-66, when the population of Fullerton was 14,000. During those eight years of Everette's city leadership Fullerton constructed three fire stations, acquired all the park spaces adjacent to the city's junior high schools, and secured the land for City Hall and Cal State Fullerton. Everette was responsible for the creation of both the Muckenthaler Cultural Arts Center and "Night in Fullerton". He was also a charter member of the local Elks Lodge and active in the Lions Club.

Through his involvement in city government Everette and Anita met Teddy Kennedy, Barry Goldwater, and former Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. The Farnsworth counted among their friends Walt Disney and former Dodger manager Walter Alston. Anita and Everette's principal hobby was raising and racing horses throughout the Southwest. To the delight of area children attending parades, the Farnsworths regularly drove a beautifully equipped 1923 Secord fire engine that they purchased from the city. The Farnsworths live in Fullerton and cherish their daughter and grandchildren.

 

MARVON LEVIN MEMORIAL DRAMA SCHOLARSHIP

 

Marvon Levine was born in Chicago, Illinois in November, 1926. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1959 with a Master Degree in the Social Sciences. As a graduate student he studied with Carl Roger and Bruno Bettelheim, renown psychologists of those years. He won a Ford Foundation Fellowship that enabled him to enjoy his studies more because he no longer needed to drive cabs at night.

In 1952, he met and married Gloria Zanella,a student from Italy studying at the University. They soon discovered that one of their common interests was the theater. After graduation he worked as a school psychologist in Chicago, but he decided that he wanted to work more intensively with the students on a longer term basis. So he became a teacher of students who had learning problems and often emotional problems. He was an excellent teacher, as attested by students and parents.In 1960 he was offered a job in California.

In 1965 we settled in Orange near Chapman College and we took our first course "Go to the theater". We enjoyed it so much that, when we moved to Fullerton, we looked for a similar course and found it at Fullerton College. Going to the theater on Friday nights was the high point of our work week for many years.

One year, Tom Blank, the teacher of the course, invited some of Marvon's students to perform in one of the plays at the college.It was a very rewarding experience for the students and for Marvon and Gloria. That experience and the memorable pleasures from attending weekly performances with the classes planted the seed for the Marvon Levine Memorial Scholarship.

 

ESTER AND VERNON HATCH DRAMA SCHOLARSHIP

ESTHER CULP LITCHFIELD HATCH (1896-1964)

 

Esther Culp was born on a farm near Eureka, llinois, and she grew up in rural Illinios, attended the public schools of the small country town of Eureka, and graduated from Eureka College. After graduating from college, she taught school for several years in Illinois and was married to Orville Litchfield, who, soon after their marriage, was killed in the performance of his duty as a law-enforcement officer by an escaped convict. The next year she immersed herself in graduate study at the University of Wisconsin. Then in 1927 she came to Fullerton to accept a teaching position at the Fullerton Union High School.

Here her years were crowded with useful activity, first for a year in the High School, then from 1928 to 1957 in the Junior College. In 1943 she was married to Vernon Hatch, and their years together were satisfying and happy ones.

Esther's years in Fullerton were years of service--service first to her maker and the world-wide brotherhood of man through her church. Here was her first loyalty; here was her basic commitment; here she received the direction and sustaining faith of her life. Her service was also to the young people of this community, through her church; through the Y.W.C.A.,in which organization she was active during all her years in Fullerton; and through the Panhellenic Association, especially in its scholarship activities. Her service was to various young people whom she took into her home and reared or helped through college as though they had been her own children. Her service was to the Fullerton Junior College and its students as teacher, dean, and drama director, and, after her retirement, to the Fullerton Junior College Foundation as a member of its Board of Directors until the time of her death.

During Esther's 29 years with the College she served continuously as a teacher of Speech, English, and Theatre Arts. Besides this, for 21 of these years she was director of all dramatic productions at the College and for 19 years was Dean of Women, a position which she filled with the highest distinction. I would not by this mentioning of years wish to measure her service to the College in the number of classes she taught, in the years that she served, nor in the more than 70 major dramatic productions that she directed. Rather, I would measure it in the number of students whom she inspired; the students who discovered the direction for their lives under her counseling and leadership; the students who caught an enthusiasm for learning in her classes; the students who gained self-confidence in their presence; the students who shaped for themselves a sound set of values from association with her.

She was respected and loved by her students, who affectionately called her "Litchie," because she respected and cared for them as persons. She was concerned about their personal problems. She joyed in their successes and sympathized in their disappointments. She encouraged more than she criticized. He was characterized in one of the student yearbooks as "a pat on the back... the silver lining to many a girl's cloud." She followed the careers of her students gathered at her home in happy reunion. She had much to give, and she gave it happily, lovingly, enthusiastically, and unstintingly. Her own brief statement addressed to students in the 1950 Annual Torch summarizes well her attitude toward them and toward her profession.

I regard as a high privilege my opportunity to serve the students of Fullerton Junior College as counselor and Dean of Women. The relationship has enriched my life, and I am grateful for the experience. It is my hope that I have been able to contribute at least in some small measure to the basic knowledge, constructive attitudes, and ethical values which constitute your education.

After Mrs. Hatch's death a spontaneous flow contributions came in to the Foundation from her former students, professional associates, and friends. Thus was established the Esther Hatch Memorial Fund for Drama awards.

Dr. H. Lynn Sheller
October 20, 1964