Tilman & Pat Bishop Endowed Scholarship

“Tilman & Pat Bishop established this Endowed Scholarship Fund in 2007. They have been residents of Mesa County since 1962. They moved to Grand Junction after attending college and residing in Greeley, CO for ten years. They enjoy the outdoors, sports, arts, music, theatre, and other cultural activities. They believe in and financially support many local, state, and national non-profit charitable organizations. They firmly believe that a good education is the best way to deal with the present and meet challenges of the future. Tilman M. Bishop graduated from the University of Northern Colorado (BA ‘55, MA ’56, and Honorary Doctor’s Degree ‘99). Tilman affectionately know as ""Tillie"" is a life long Colorado resident; he was an administrator and teacher for seven years in the public schools before becoming an administrator—Director of Student Services and Associate Dean of Students at Mesa State College for 31 years. At the same time, he served 28 years in the Colorado Legislature: Four in the House of Representatives (1970-1974), and Twenty- four (24) years in the Senate, (1975-1998), ranking him fourth in the Colorado’s history for continuous service and the longest serving senator from Western Colorado. In 2002 ""Tillie"" was elected to a four-year term as one of three Mesa County Commissioners. Choosing not to seek re-election, in 2006 he ran for and was elected to a six-year term on the Colorado University Board of Regents-Third Congressional District. Being involved is an important part of ""Tillie’s life; he has very active in community affairs, serving as a member of many boards and organizations such as: Lions Club, BPO Elks, Chamber of Commerce, NJ CAA Junior College Baseball Tournament Committee, Center for The Arts, Museum of The West, and the Western Colorado Botanical Society. Tillie also served as founding member and board member of the Mesa County Youth Services Foundation. On the state level, Tillie was a founding member and board member of the Great Outdoors Colorado Trust Fund, Board Member of the Rocky Mountain Public TV Broadcasting Network, Colorado Sports Hall of Fame Selection Committee, Colorado Duck Stamp Selection Committee, El Pomar Foundation Awards for Excellence Commission, Penrose Northwestern Colorado Regional Advisory Council, Mclnnis Canyon National Conservation Area Advisory Board, and the Advisory Board for Sportswomen of Colorado. Tillie has served on many national Boards, Councils, and Commissions. He has received numerous honors and recognitions for his outstanding leadership and service. Wyndell La Faye (Pat) Bishop, originally from Oklahoma, graduated from the University of Northern Colorado (‘59) with a major in Business Education. She taught 3 years at LaSalle High School, in LaSalle, Colorado before teaching and serving as Head of the Business Department at Grand Junction Central High School for 27 years. During her 30 year teaching career, Pat was actively involved in numerous business and professional organizations and activities. She was among the first to receive Vocational Certification in Business Education in Colorado; she organized the first ""Future Business Leaders’ of America Club"" in western Colorado; developed, initiated, coordinated and taught the first vocational Business Education Program in Mesa County School District #51, served as a member of the North Central Accreditation Team, School District #51 Business Education Curriculum Development Committee. Pat was member of Mesa Valley Education Association, Colorado Education Association, and the National Vocational Education Association; she served as a Legislative Liaison for Mesa County Valley School District #51, and was on the Board of Directors of the Colorado Vocational Business Education Association. Pat’s record of commitment to the community includes more than teaching. She served as a member of the University of Northern Colorado Alumni Board for 8 years, was appointed by Governor Richard Lamm to serve on the Western Colorado Employment and Labor Advisory Board, the Colorado Agricultural Leadership Program Selection Committee and was appointed by Governor Roy Romer to the Colorado State Council on Vocational Education. She was a Board Member of the Museum of Western Colorado, Family Health West Care Facilities, the Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame, the Colorado National Monument Association Advisory Board, Mesa County United Way Board, and served as Co-Chair of the annual United Way Fund Raising Campaign in 1995. Pat has received many honors and recognition for her leadership and service."