Paul Strickler ’51 Gives Back with CGA

September 1, 2010

Paul '51 and Pat Strickler

Paul Strickler ’51’s Dickinson connections paved the path toward his first employer—which would also be his last employer.

“I’m glad I went to Dickinson, because it was the contacts I made there that helped me get my first job at United Telephone,” he says with a chuckle. “And that was a pretty good place for me. I retired there after 36 years.”

But it’s more than his career that makes Strickler looks back fondly on his days at Dickinson. Active in the choir and a member of Raven’s Claw and Phi Kappa Psi, he formed close relationships with faculty and administrators like John Pflaum and Ben James ’34. After graduation, Strickler stayed close to the college, settling in Carlisle, serving on reunion committees and later joining the Board of Trustees.

A longtime donor, Strickler recently chose to make a gift to Dickinson through a charitable gift annuity, which he sees as a “win-win” arrangement. “It’s good for the college and good for me,” he explains. “By making a gift this way, I get some income for myself and support the college in perpetuity at the same time.”

Providing that support is important, Strickler says, not just because he wants to give back but also because he wants to see Dickinson continue to move forward.  “The way the college has developed has been incredible,” he says. “We’re gaining recognition as a top liberal-arts school, and I think it’s only going to get better.”