At Rosen College, one class can shape a career.

For many alumni, that moment started with Duncan Dickson. Today, two of those alumni are ensuring his impact continues for future students.

David Buckalew ’05 and Scott Mifsud ‘03, both former students of Dickson, founded the Duncan Dickson Scholarship to support students at the very beginning of their journey at Rosen College.

“He wasn’t up there talking about theoretical ideas,” said Mifsud, president and CEO of Just Right! Destination Management. “He was telling real stories from the real world. I knew he was the real deal.”

Dickson’s classes reflected the reality of the hospitality industry, introducing students to real scenarios, expectations, and opportunities from the start. For Buckalew, that experience provided direction at a critical moment.

“I entered UCF as an undecided major,” Buckalew said. “His ability to portray the hospitality industry and how rewarding and fun a career in it could be really appealed to me.”

Through connections to convention staffing companies, Dickson created opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience early in their academic careers. “By him introducing us to a temporary staffing company as a freshman, I was able to work countless conventions during my time at school,” Buckalew said. “Those experiences and connections allowed me to eventually start my own staffing company.”

Mifsud credits Dickson’s teaching style for preparing him long after graduation. “He was not easy,” he said. “But that is exactly why it worked. I walked out of there with skills that have set me up for life.” Those lessons continue to influence how he leads today. “Hire for attitude and train for skill. That has guided how I build teams ever since.”

Dickson’s impact extended well beyond the classroom. He remained a mentor to many of his students as they built their careers. “Almost every major career decision I have made, Duncan was there to help me think it through,” Mifsud said. “He wasn’t just a teacher for four years. He was a teacher for life.”

Buckalew experienced that connection through his involvement on campus, where Dickson served as an advisor and mentor outside the classroom. He immersed himself in student organizations, took on leadership roles, and built relationships that extended beyond coursework, helping shape both his college experience and his professional path.

Following Dickson’s passing in 2025, Buckalew and Mifsud established the scholarship to carry forward the influence that shaped their own journeys. The focus on first-year students reflects where Dickson made his greatest impact.

“These students are going to miss out on his wisdom, and that is a loss,” Mifsud said. “If even a few of them get to learn who he was and what he stood for, that can set them on the right path.” Buckalew added, “He inspired me right at the start of my journey. We want students starting out to feel that same support.”

As part of UCF Day of Giving, alumni and supporters are working to grow the scholarship and extend its reach to more students.

To support the Duncan Dickson Memorial Scholarship and help create opportunities for future Rosen College students, visit: https://foundation.ucf.edu/DuncanDicksonFund