In 1976 long time member of the International Association of Arson
Investigators (I.A.A.I.) John Charles Wilson made a donation of
$1,000 to start a college scholarship for students enrolled in fire
service and law enforcement curriculum. The scholarship program was
named in honor of Wilson who served on the I.A.A.I. board of directors
and many different I.A.A.I. committees for many years. He was made a
life member of the association in 1975.
From 1976 until 1979 the fund sat dormant until the I.A.A.I. board of
directors voted to take one years interest from the association’s savings
to help jump-start the fund. The following years the program was funded by
generous donations from I.A.A.I. members. In 1981 the I.A.A.I. gave out the
first two scholarships.
By 1995 the scholarship program was giving out three (3) $1,000 scholarships
a year but only adding about $600 a year to the fund. At that rate the fund
would be broke in a couple of years.
In November 1995 the I.A.A.I. transferred the John Charles Wilson (JCW)
program to the I.A.A.I. Educational Foundation. The remaining fund of
$13,785 was transferred to the Foundation as well. The Foundation then
invested $6,000 into the program to fund scholarships. In 1996 the Foundation
awarded three (3) $1,000 and four (4) $500 scholarships to students
throughout North America.
In 2005 the IAAI Educational Foundation board approved a new $1,000
scholarship to be given annually (starting in April 2006) and that
scholarship was named the Robert J. Doran Scholarship.
Educational Foundation President Jack Yates (OK) said the
scholarship was named after Doran for his years of dedicated service. Bob has served on the Educational Foundation board of directors since its inception (1990) and has served as it Vice President since 1998.
Since 1996 the Foundation has funded the JCW program with grants of $6,000 (’96),
$5,000 (’98) and $25,000 in 1999. The scholarship endowment now stands at over $100,000.
With the infusion of funds noted above and the continuing fund raising efforts to
increase the JCW endowment the Foundation has stabilized the program for years to come.
The Foundation continues its fund raising efforts in connection with the John Charles
Wilson Scholarship program. |
