Retired Airforce Colonel Finds Many Ways to Give Back

By his own account, Col. Ron Forrester, USAF, Ret. '67 has lived a "very blessed" life.

It's a realization he made when he and his twin brother, Don Forrester '67, arrived on the Frostburg campus in the early 1960s. The two were fresh from their "very blue collar neighborhood" in Middle River, Md., outside of Baltimore.

"Frostburg was like an oasis in the middle of the desert," Ron recalled. "It was hard not to fall in love with the campus."

But as both young men studied to be educators on the Teacher Tuition Waiver of the day (agreeing to teach in the state of Maryland for two years post-graduation), they noticed that many of their classmates were struggling to make ends meet and didn't have money beyond tuition and books.

"We were better off than many of the students when we got here," Ron recalled. "[Our parents] were able to support the both of us during our time at Frostburg."

Years later, that realization inspired Ron to give back and he has been active in creating and supporting several scholarships and programs at FSU to help in-need students. Ron, along with his brother, established The G. Wesley and Margaret M. Forrester Education Scholarship in memory of their parents to assist education students in financial need. Ron was a co-founder and contributor to The Alpha Delta Chi Fraternity's Golden Anniversary Presidential Merit Scholarship Fund for academically advanced first-year and transfer students. He also helped create the Alpha Delta Chi Memorial Education Scholarship to honor fraternity brothers who have passed away. Ron has even supported scholarships created by his brother and programs at the FSU Veterans Center.

But the Col. Ronald G. Forrester, USAF, Ret. '67 and Dianna Calhoun Forrester '67 Presidential Merit Scholarship for Education majors, is a tribute to Ron and his wife of 56 years, Dee. Ron and Dee first met their Freshmen Week and started dating the end of their first year. They were married five days after both graduated cum laude in 1967. "It was four great years for us."

During that time though, the Vietnam War was in full combat and Ron knew he would be drafted. He met with an Air Force recruiter who set up a table in Compton Hall on campus and enlisted.

"I wanted to do it on my terms and not someone else's," Ron remembered.

Even though he never taught in the classroom (he paid back his Tuition Waiver to then Frostburg President Dr. Nelson Guild), Ron is forever grateful for his time in the Education Department at Frostburg.

"The key is that it gave me a well-rounded liberal arts education," Ron said, recalling that he trained alongside other Air Force recruits from Harvard, Georgetown and Stanford.

Frostburg also launched Ron's 50-plus year career that took Ron and Dee to bases across the country, as well as The Philippines and Korea, and later roles with the Department of Defense, including many years at the Pentagon. "Frostburg allowed me to do that."

Ron and Dee lived in Middleton, Md., which allowed him to be active at FSU, including serving on the Alumni and Foundation boards. He has received the University's Distinguished Alumni Achievement, Circle of Excellence and Service to the Alma Mater awards. Those accolades join a long list of commendations from Ron's career in the military.

In 2019, Ron and Dee moved to Burlington, Ky., to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter, but still make it a point to come back to Frostburg and the place where, in many ways, it all began. Ron said that no matter where life took him, he always showed his Bobcat pride.

"I proudly displayed my Frostburg degree," he said. "Our family are all Bobcats."