The Bernard W. Detlefsen Senior Academic and Leadership Scholarship (SD6460)

The Bernard W. Detlefsen Senior Academic and Leadership Scholarship honors Mr. Bernard “Bernie” Detlefsen for his service to our country and his interest in places and maps. One scholarship is awarded each spring pending available funding and applied to the following fall.

When Bernard “Bernie” Detlefsen passed away at the age of 89, he named the Department of Geography in his will. Why geography? His interest in places and maps goes back to his elementary school years and was reinforced by his travels while in the military. A high school dropout, he worked as a freighter deck hand, refrigeration serviceman, grocery clerk, and machine tool operator, among other jobs, before joining the Army in 1941. He was involved with classified atomic bomb missions in 1946 and eventually served 20 years with the Corp of Engineers.

After retiring from the Army, he returned to Texas and enrolled at Southwest Texas State University, graduating in 1964 with a degree in social science education. He completed a master’s degree in education in 1968. Bernard then taught for the Texas Department of Corrections until his retirement in 1992.

Eligibility Criteria:

  • have a total of 80 credit hours
  • be a declared Department of Geography major
  • have earned a grade of B or better in GEO 1309 or 1310, 2410, and 3301 and four (4) other GEO classes and at least a 3.40 GPA in all GEO classes
  • have an overall Texas State GPA of 3.40 required to graduate “cum laude”
  • be or have been an officer in a Texas State Department of Geography student organization with a demonstrated record of leadership and service to one or more Department of Geography student organizations

Award
Varies
Scopes
College of Liberal Arts, Geography
Deadline
02/01/2025
Supplemental Questions
  1. Are you a member of any of the following student organizations? Check all that apply
  2. Have you demonstrated leadership in a Texas State Department of Geography student organization?
  3. Submit a copy of your most recent college transcript (unofficial is acceptable).
  4. I will be attending Texas State University next fall semester.