Dodson: Never forgotten

 20 years ago, September 19, 1991, FC student Bronwyn Dodson, like many students today was riding her bike to class, when a traffic accident terribly claimed her life. 

An outpouring of affection followed her passing and so did the naming of the theatre in her honor.

The twentieth anniversary of Dodson's death will be remembered at her namesake theatre at Fullerton College with Legends, a celebration of storytelling.

Dean of Fine Arts Robert Jensen, a professor at the time of Dodson's death, knew her personally.  A theatre major, Dodson did a little of everything.  "She was a lighting designer, she was an actress, a director, a production manager, a scene painter, a costumer, a makeup artist," said Jensen.  "It meant a lot of us got to work with her."

 He spoke regretfully of her tenure at the college because he felt "She became so invaluable to us, she stayed too long."

As a result, the department created an in-house counselor position designed to move students through the community college system quicker.         

 Mela Hoyt-Heydon became a department advisor, helping students develop plans to transfer to their desired schools. 

 "We rewrote the school's policy on naming facilities after people" said Jensen.  He described a grassroots campaign, with more than 800 letters in support of the name change flooding into the department. 

  A scholarship fund was also created in Dodson's honor.  The Bronwyn Dodson Scholarship Fund awards the most well-rounded graduate of the theatre arts department each year. 

The fund was created by the college and with the help of Charles, Vicky, and Alyssa Dodson.  It has helped further the education of nearly 40 students since its creation 20 years ago.

Dodson's legacy stands as a testament to the power of a single student.  While she may not have known it, her story attests to the abilities of students everywhere.  Even in death, her name lives on at Fullerton College.

"From my somewhat informal research it appears to be the only theatre in America named after a student" said Jensen about the Dodson Theatre. 

 The spirit of Bronwyn Dodson still lives on, in all the hardworking students who prove that community collegians can do the extraordinary.