Curley Scholarship

Dickinson is a nationally recognized liberal-arts college chartered in 1783 in Carlisle, Pa. Our distinctive approach translates into a competitive edge—95% of graduates are in a job, internship, graduate school or pursuing meaningful service within one year. And we are committed to making a Dickinson education affordable and accessible to all. 

Two half-tuition* scholarships awarded annually.

Established in 1993, these scholarships are awarded to students who reside or attend school in Pennsylvania’s Lycoming, Lehigh and Northampton counties.  

There is no additional scholarship application. The scholarship is available to incoming students starting in fall 2023, and consideration is based on residency. Applicants must complete the Common App and submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by the application deadline. You can estimate your family's need using our cost calculators. 

*New amount for the 2023-24 applicant cycle

John ’60 and Ann Conser Curley ’63 are incredibly dedicated members of the Dickinson community who are also committed to giving back to where they’re from.  

At Dickinson, Ann was a member of Phi Mu, Pi Delta Epsilon, Alpha Psi Omega, The Dickinsonian, Microcosm, the Mermaid Players, Wheel & Chain and Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating with a degree in English, she was a member of the Dickinson College Alumni Council, with a three-year role as president; co-chair of the Major Donor Committee of Dickinson’s capital campaign in 1985; served as the alumni representative on the Editorial Advisory Board for Dickinson Today and Dickinson Magazine; served as member and chair of the Class Reunion Committee; was a member of the Dickinson College Board of Advisors; and earned a lifetime membership in the Mary Dickinson Club.  

A lifelong learner, Ann earned her master’s degree from Georgetown University in 2001 and went on to become a features editor for The Trentonian in New Jersey and a freelance writer and editor. Ann is a longtime volunteer reader and a former board member for the Metropolitan Washington Ear, which provides free services for those who cannot effectively read print. 

John earned a B.A. in political science and English with honors from Dickinson, followed by a master's in journalism from Columbia University. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army while at Columbia and worked nights and weekends as a reporter and editor for the Associated Press. Upon graduation from Columbia, he worked for the Associated Press in New Jersey, followed by a stint as a reporter and editor for newspapers in Asbury Park and Woodbridge. He briefly served as press secretary during William Cahill’s successful gubernatorial campaign in New Jersey and then joined the Gannett Company as suburban editor of the Times-Union in Rochester, N.Y. His long career at Gannett included a variety of roles, from editor to publisher to president; chief of the Washinton bureau; and vice president of news. While John directed Gannett News Service, it won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, marking the first time in the history of the awards that a news service won the prestigious Gold Medal for Public Service. In 1982, John was appointed editor of USA Today, Gannett’s national newspaper, while in the planning stage. He continued to move up the ranks, being appointed senior vice president of Gannett and president of Gannett’s Newspaper division. He was also elected to the Board of Directors and was eventually appointed chairman, president and chief executive officer. He retired in 2001.  

In addition to his professional career, John was chairman of the Newspaper Association of America; director (1994-2003) and vice chair (2002-03) of the Board of the Associated Press; chair of Dickinson’s Board of Trustees  (1999 to 2008); adjunct professor in Dickinson’s Department of International Business & Management (2001-05); and a member of the Board of Trustees, John A. Hartford Foundation (2005-14). He was an inaugural selectee to the ROTC Hall of Fame and the Dickinson ROTC Hall of Fame. 

Together, the Curleys have contributed extensively to the college in support of teaching and scholarship. As a tribute to the Dickinson professors who inspired them as undergraduates, the Curleys established the first John J. Curley ’60 and Ann Conser Curley ’63 Faculty Chair in 2002. In addition to that generous gift, the Curleys provided for the establishment of two more chairs in 2004—one in international business & management and the other in global education. Along with those contributions, the Curleys have supported the college in the creation of the Ann Curley Scholarship, the John Curley Scholarship and the Curley Endowment for Faculty-Student Research.