Established 2004

This scholarship fund is a part of the CFMT General Scholarship Application that is open annually from December 1st to February 1st.

Eligibility: Applicants are children of employees of the Tennessee Highway Patrol who serve in uniform, undercover or plainclothes. Applicants may be rising sophomores, juniors or seniors in college who demonstrate a commitment to a career in criminal justice through their course of study.

Colonel Richard Dawson was to many a leader, a mentor and a significant asset to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. He had the unique ability to listen and form an opinion based on merit and facts. The Colonel Richard M. Dawson Scholarship was established by friends and co-workers to honor his dedication to family, friends and the Tennessee Highway Patrol. It benefits students who are pursuing an education for a career in criminal justice.