The Jack Dirksen Memorial Aviation Scholarship has been established “to help another young person chase down a dream” and will be available for the spring 2027 semester at Casper College. It will provide a total of $3,000, split between two Casper College students pursuing an aviation certificate or degree.
Dirksen Memorial Aviation Scholarship Honors Student Legacy
Dirksen’s parents, Dan and Andrea, established the scholarship “… because we want Jack’s name, and the spirit he lived with, to keep doing good in the world. To help another young person chase down a dream the way Jack chased his, with commitment without fear and without holding anything back. This scholarship matters to us, because it means Jack’s story doesn’t end. It becomes part of someone else’s beginning.”
Dirksen died on July 25, 2026, in an automobile accident in Weld County, Colorado, at age 19. He grew up in the small community of Eaton, Colorado, graduating from Eaton High School in 2025. Dirksen was active at his school, was part of the state championship football team, wrestled, and started the school’s trap and skeet shooting team, “ … building something from scratch simply because he loved it enough to make it exist,” said Dan.
Dirksen came to Casper College to study aviation. While at the college, he earned his private pilot’s license and instrument rating, and he made the President’s Honor Roll in his first year. “ … proof that when Jack committed to something, he didn’t do it halfway,” his father noted.
His parents remembered Dirksen as someone who lived with “a rare kind of fearlessness.” “As a boy, he was convinced he could stand guard against any storm that rolled toward our home; as he grew up, that same instinct just found bigger places to live,” they said. Whether on the golf course, at the gun range, in the mountains, in the weight room, or in the cockpit, Dirksen remained fearless.
Dirksen was also loyal to those he loved, including his friends and family. His parents noted that he was close to his brother Ryan and his sister Addison. “He hunted with his father, teased his mother mercilessly and adoringly, and brought a bit of chaos and a lot of joy into every family gathering,” they recalled.
To qualify, applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0, be enrolled in at least six credit hours, and be aviation majors seeking a certificate and/or degree. Preference will be given to students with financial need to support flight time costs.
To apply for this and other Casper College scholarships, visit the Casper College Foundation and Institutional Scholarships page.
At a Glance
- News Focus
- Establishment of the Jack Dirksen Memorial Aviation Scholarship at Casper College
- Purpose: Support aviation students with financial need for flight time costs
- Key Participants
- Dan and Andrea Dirksen, scholarship founders and parents of Jack Dirksen
- Casper College Foundation and Institutional Scholarship Program
- Key Takeaways and Eligibility
- Total award: $3,000 split between two Casper College aviation students
- Initial availability: Spring 2027 semester
- Minimum requirements: 2.0 cumulative GPA, minimum six credit hours enrollment
- Academic program: Aviation certificate or degree-seeking students
