Evan Dickerson, Salutatorian

Evan Dickerson is the Class of 2024 Salutatorian. He will attend Southern Methodist University in the fall and pursue a business degree. After taking Macroeconomics and Microeconomics with Upper School History Teacher Andrew Thomas, he was inspired to pursue a business degree. Evan is a Hunt and a BBA Scholar at Southern Methodist University. 

A Fort Worth native, Dickerson’s family moved to Spain when he was 9. Evan spent two years at the American University of Valencia, learning and perfecting his Spanish while immersed in the vibrant culture of Spain. The experience broadened his horizons and shaped his perspective at a young age. “It was such a transformative experience in my life, and I know I am lucky that my parents provided such a rich opportunity for our family,” he said.

When the family returned to Texas, they settled in Westlake so his oldest brother, Matthew, could finish his IB diploma at a charter school. When his middle brother, Thomas ’20, wanted an academic experience with AP courses, the family returned to Fort Worth and enrolled Thomas and Evan at FWCD. A seventh grader at the time, Evan was nervous about attending the School and wasn’t sure he would fit in. “I knew FWCD was an impressive school with smart students,” he said, “but now it’s the longest I’ve ever been at a single school.” While here, Evan took advantage of the curriculum, enrolling in every Spanish Honors and AP course offered. 

Evan found that his time in Spain proved invaluable, teaching him to adapt and embrace new challenges, skills he found useful upon his return to FWCD. “I was really well-equipped to adapt and embrace new challenges,” Evan recalls. “It made it easier to start over at a new school.”

In Middle School, Evan explored his passions, participating in theatre, playing in the band, competing in soccer and track, and making friends in all of these activities. He continued competing in soccer in grades 9-11 and played tennis for four years in Upper School. 

With a love of learning and a dedication to always do his best in everything he does, Evan cites family as his guidepost. Brothers Matthew and Thomas are role models who guide him and set a high standard for him to follow, and his parents, Mary Ellen and Paul ’82, have given him their unwavering support. This year, Evan was honored with the Senior Spanish Student Award, the Senior English Student Award, and the prestigious Humanitas per Disciplinam Award, named for FWCD’s motto (Character Through Learning) and given to a senior young man and senior young woman who have earned the respect and affection of the entire Upper School community through their consistently unselfish, positive and supportive contribution to the School. 

Evan’s favorite classes included math, science and English. While he said math was not easy, he embraced the challenge of finding the correct answer. Evan’s interest in understanding how the world works on a broad scale blossomed in his science classes, and he has a zest for writing. His macro and microeconomics and statistics courses propelled his interest in business.

Gaining leadership skills has been important to Evan. At school, he was among 14 students selected during his junior and senior years to serve as Link Crew members. These leaders mentor ninth grade students as they adjust to the challenges of high school. He also joined classmate Lily Hyde ’24 in the Brain Buddies organization and was one of six junior students to serve as a Writing Center Tutor. 

In the local community, he has been part of the Young Men’s Service League, which serves and supports the community, teaching leadership and life skills, as its Leadership and Philanthropy Committee Chair for four years. One of his favorite volunteer activities has been as a Table Servicer at Taste, a community Restaurant, where everything on the menu is free of charge, opting for a “pay-what-you-can” system instead. Recognizing Taste’s need for financial support, Evan created Feeding Fort Worth, a fundraising campaign that has raised over $5,000 and brings awareness about food insecurity in Fort Worth. 

Excited to start his next journey at SMU, Evan said, “SMU feels like home to me, just like FWCD feels like home to me, but I know I will miss this community and the friendships that I have forged along the way. I am already looking forward to reunions and alumni gatherings to hear what my classmates are up to.”