Dr. John Douglas Pike
The Dr. John Douglas Pike Memorial Scholarship was established in 1995 following Dr. Pikes’s death. Its purpose is to provide financial support to deserving undergraduate and graduate students majoring in biology, botany or pre-dentistry. Pike received a bachelor’s degree in biology from Tufts University, a master’s of science degree from the University of Tennessee. In 1977, he received a doctorate of dentistry from the Medical College of Georgia. His teaching career included a teaching position for two years at Georgia Southern.
Dr. Pike received a BS in biology from Tufts University and an MS from the University of Tennessee (UT). In 1977, he received a doctorate of dentistry from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG). While an undergraduate student, he played football and lacrosse. During his professional career, Dr. Pike was a technician in the geophysics division at Woods Hole Oceanographic Insti tution, and he worked through a NASA grant at UT. His teaching career included positions at UT, Georgia Southern University, MCG, and Armstrong Atlantic State University. He was in private dental practice in Hinesville for 11 years. At the time of his passing, he was a dentist at Garden City Dental Center.
Impact
In November, 1995, Vicki J. Pike, Dr. Pike’s wife, wrote about the reasons for the scholarship endowment invested in Georgia Southern. She stated, “We lived in Statesboro as a happy family from 1970 to 1973. John taught in the Biology department, I completed my master’s degree in Adult Education, and our three sons attended Marvin Pittman Elementary school. When John completed dental school in 1977 we moved to HInesville.” All three of the Pike’s sons attended and graduated from Georgia Southern. When the football team started, they purchased season tickets and attended every home game for several years. John even took his sons to the first championship football game in Seattle. Vicki further states that, “I think John’s third love after his family, his profession of dentistry, was GSU”.
This is a great example of what an affinity for Georgia Southern can become. Dr. Pike’s turned into an investment for the future of this wonderful university.