Dr. John L. George Memorial Scholarship Fund
Dr. John L. George passed away at the age of 67 on February 19, 1999, after a year long battle with leukemia. John joined the faculty in the Department of Geography at Salem State College in 1961 and he quickly gained the reputation of being an outstanding teacher and professional in his discipline. He also served his community as a volunteer on many committees and as an elected official in Danvers on the Library Trustees, the Planning Board, the Finance Committee and the Board of Selectmen.
To the Department of Geography and its alumni, John will be especially remembered for his dedication to students and his devotion to the welfare of the College. He spent countless hours counseling about life as well as academics. He was an authentic person who valued the human dignity of everyone, and he often used his own experiences to help students accomplish their goals. He and his wife Joan opened their home for student gatherings and helped to promote a sense of family among Salem's geographers that went well beyond the classroom. John was a champion of Salem State College.
John earned his B.S. degree here in 1953, and then went on to Clark for his M.A. in Geography and Boston University for his Ph.D. But his first allegiance was to Salem. He was actively involved in everything from recruiting freshmen to serving as President of the Alumni Association. He was a principal architect of our academic degree programs in geography and the concept of internships, he promoted the accomplishments of the Department and the College throughout the country, he fought for resources such as the Digital Geography Lab, and he served as a political liaison for the College at the State House.
John leaves Joan, his wife of forty years, and three children, Louis of Washington, DC and Nancy and Julie, both of Danvers. The family has initiated a scholarship fund for Geography majors in John's memory. If you wish to make a contribution, please make a check payable to:
The Dr. John L. George Memorial Scholarship Fund
c/o Salem State College Foundation, 352 Lafayette Street, Salem, MA 01970
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