Insight/Report on Private Giving

Spring 2004

College Establishes Scholarship in Memory of Dr. Alan Tucker

“I especially value my teaching experience at Colorado State…It is so exciting to watch individuals learn and grow, and to help them reach their goals. To be able to share with my students what I was given by my parents – an opportunity to create a rich and rewarding life for oneself – is a great honor and joy. ”

Dr. Alan Tucker (1947-2004)

The College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences has established a scholarship fund to honor the memory of Dr. Alan Tucker, a man who played a vital role in the College for nearly 25 years. Dr. Tucker died tragically on Jan. 6, 2004, while vacationing with his wife Melissa and friends in Mexico. At the College, where Dr. Tucker once served as head of the Department of Physiology, the news was taken especially hard by all those whose lives had been touched by Dr. Tucker.

"Dr. Tucker was not only a colleague, but a friend,” said Dr. Lance Perryman, Dean of the College. “His joy of life, care for others, creativity and intelligence reflected his character and his deep sense of appreciation for the rich life that he enjoyed. His loss is felt deeply by all in our community.”

Born in England to an Italian mother and English father, Dr. Tucker left that country at the age of 12 when his family immigrated to the United States. Here, he made the most of the educational opportunities available to him. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school, and then went on to receive undergraduate and doctorate degrees from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He came to Colorado in the mid-1970s for a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. He then joined the faculty at Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, before returning to Colorado.

Dr. Tucker served at Colorado State for nearly 25 years after joining the University in 1979 as an Associate Professor of Physiology. His teaching and research focused on cardiopulmonary physiology and high-altitude medicine and he routinely taught in the University’s undergraduate, graduate and Professional Veterinary Medical programs. Outside of the University, Dr. Tucker was involved with various community service organizations including the American Heart Association.

During his tenure at Colorado State, Dr. Tucker served as Assistant Dean then Associate Dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (1989-2000), as head of the Department of Physiology from 1995-2001, and on several faculty council leadership committees. He was appointed Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs in July 2002 after serving in that position in an interim capacity since May 2001.

The memorial fund in Dr. Tucker’s name will benefit undergraduate students in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. Preference will be given to students who are ethnic minorities or who are first generation college students. Students must have a financial need, be in good academic standing, and submit an essay on the importance of higher education. For additional information, or to make a memorial contribution, contact Paul Maffey, Director of Development, at (970) 491-3932 or send an e-mail to rpmaffey@colostate.edu.

(Editor's Note: The Dr. Alan Tucker Memorial Scholarship is now a fully endowed scholarship thanks to the contributions of friends and colleagues, and the generous donations of the Tucker family. The College is still accepting gifts to the scholarship to increase funding available and help additional students achieve their dreams, as Dr. Tucker hoped they would.)