David C. Pritchard Memorial Scholarship

Dr. David Pritchard devoted his life to helping others through a 35-year career in the field of social work, much of it spent teaching and mentoring both undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Social Work at San Diego State University. After first working for the San Diego County Department of Social Services, Dr. Pritchard came to SDSU in the early 70’s where he was instrumental in developing the University’s Center on Aging. Upon receiving his PhD in 1978, Dr. Pritchard became a full-time faculty member in the School of Social Work, where he taught graduate MSW students in the aging concentration. His research and course offerings focused on issues confronting the aging population of society, and he played a role in establishing both the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs in Gerontology which did not previously exist. Dr. Pritchard later became the undergraduate faculty advisor and director of the undergraduate Social Work program. First and foremost, Dr. Pritchard was committed to teaching. He said his greatest satisfaction came from working with students. He had the unique ability to mentor and inspire students and to share with them his expertise; moreover, he was an untiring advocate on their behalf. As a result, he was honored with numerous Outstanding Faculty and Exemplary Academic Advisor awards during his tenure at SDSU. Many of his former students attribute their success in their social work careers to the influence of Dr. David Pritchard. Under his supervision as their Field Supervisor or Educational Liaison, SDSU graduate social work interns were instrumental in developing and establishing several key community agencies, including ElderHelp, UPAC, and San Diego Hospice. Dr. Pritchard valued cultural and language diversity and was always sensitive to the needs of students who were struggling to overcome odds. He was director of the SDSU chapter of CIP (Council on International Programs), an organization that brings social work professionals from around the world to the U.S. for an internship experience. As Professor Emeritus following his retirement in 1996, he helped develop an SDSU tutoring program to assist students for whom English is a second language, and actively participated as a tutor in the program. He emphasized the need for bilingual social workers to meet the needs of an ever-changing population. Through his students, Dr. Pritchard left a lasting legacy that endures in the community today. The David C. Pritchard Memorial Scholarship was established by Dr. Pritchard’s family, friends, and colleagues to assist dedicated students in attaining their educational and career goals in social work and gerontology. The David C. Pritchard Memorial Scholarship is available to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in the Gerontology program or undergraduate Social Work majors.

If you do not meet all of these requirements in a given term, you may lose your scholarship eligibility and your scholarship may be canceled.

Requirements:

• Juniors and seniors who are pursing an undergraduate degree in the School of Social Work and,
• Juniors and seniors who are pursing an undergraduate degree in the Department of Gerontology and,
• Graduate students who are pursuing a master’s degree in the Department of Gerontology.
• Recipients must be enrolled at least part-time to remain eligible for this scholarship.
• Recipients must have financial need, as determined by the SDSU Financial Aid Office.
• Applicants must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the California Dream Act Application by the scholarship opportunity’s deadline for financial need to be determined.