Justen Talmadge Thompson was born in 1931 in Tulsa. He graduated from Will Rogers High School in 1949. Mr. Thompson earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from The University of Tulsa in 1953 and his Master of Arts from Columbia University in New York City, NY. He was a veteran of the Korean War and served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, Reserve Officers Association.

Following his service to the country, Mr. Thompson was an educator in Tulsa secondary schools for 35 years, serving as a teacher, counselor and an administrator. He retired from Memorial High School as Assistant Principal. He was an active member of the Tulsa Classroom Teachers Association, the Oklahoma Education Association, National Education Association, Tulsa Secondary Schools Principals Association, Pi Gamma Mu, Phi Alpha Theta, the Tulsa Masonic Lodge, and was a loyal and longstanding member of the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.

This scholarship was established through a gift from Mr. Thompson’s estate.