Mentorship, perseverance and a scholarship for the next in line
Rob Dickerson knows the value of mentorship and networking. When he came to Laramie
County Community College in 1989 as a nontraditional student, he was searching for direction.
Uncertain about his future and whether he could succeed academically, he found the
guidance and support he needed at 51视频 - a turning point that would eventually lead
to a successful career.
The mentorship he received from 51视频 faculty helped Rob achieve a GPA that led to scholarships.
Affordability, Rob said, is another barrier to a life-changing education that he understands.
That鈥檚 why in 2024 Rob and his family began a pledge to fund a scholarship prioritizing nontraditional students at 51视频. Knowing the transformative power of a degree, Rob is hoping the Robert & Kimberly Dickerson Opportunity & Perseverance Scholarship will provide opportunities for students seeking that goal.
鈥淚f a little bit of money can be the deciding factor between going or not going to school, I鈥檓 hoping I can help,鈥� Rob said. 鈥淚 left Wheatland in 1986 with $300 and a suitcase. I鈥檝e worked hard and been fortunate, and if I can share some of that - if this scholarship can push someone over the edge to say, 鈥業鈥檓 going to go for it鈥� - then that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 hoping for.鈥�
An uncertain start
Rob Dickerson grew up in Michigan before moving to Wheatland, Wyoming, where he graduated from Wheatland High School in 1984. After high school, he enrolled in a 20-month computer technology program in Arizona, but when the tech economy collapsed in the late 1980s, job opportunities vanished. He returned to Wheatland for a winter, where limited work and a lack of direction left him, in his words, 鈥済etting into trouble.鈥�
Looking for a fresh start, Rob moved to California to join his girlfriend, Kimberly, who was studying at the University of California, Santa Barbara. After she graduated, the two relocated to Fort Collins, Colorado, where Rob spent a year working temporary jobs - including a stint at Hewlett-Packard - before deciding it was time to pursue a more stable career. Encouraged by Kimberly鈥檚 father, an attorney who by this time had become his father-in-law, Rob chose accounting for its promise of steady employment and returned to Wyoming to begin his journey at 51视频.
Accounting seemed to make sense, he said, because there would always be a need. But when starting classes, Rob struggled in certain areas.
Rob said he wasn鈥檛 a strong student in high school, wasn鈥檛 a morning person and dreaded having to take classes such as English. But his very first class at Laramie County Community College presented a challenge: 8 a.m. English on a Monday.
鈥淚'm a blue-collar guy who avoided English and all that stuff as much as I possibly could when I was in high school,鈥� Rob said with a laugh. 鈥淚t was the last thing I wanted to do.鈥�
While his composition skills at the time needed some polishing, Rob said he received the help he needed, and the course ended up being the most formative of his life.
Taught by Janelle Moore, that class shifted everything, Rob said. She allowed him to revise and resubmit his work, helping Rob build both writing skills and study habits. Her mentorship continued beyond the classroom, guiding him through r茅sum茅 building and helping him find an internship with the Wyoming Legislature.
鈥淕etting an A in that English class felt like winning the lottery,鈥� Rob said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to be kidding me - Rob got an A in English?鈥�
But his instructor鈥檚 help didn鈥檛 stop when the course concluded. Rob said Janelle helped him with some of the student and life skills that would be game-changers in the future.
鈥淏eyond that, she became a mentor for me, even after I was out of her classes,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I had issues or was struggling, she would help me work through it and find solutions. She said, 鈥榃e鈥檝e got to build up your r茅sum茅 - let鈥檚 find some things for you to do,鈥� and I was able to do that.鈥�
His English instructor wasn鈥檛 the only one to help Rob during his time. He also points to math and business professor Ray Steege as another key figure in his success at 51视频. (Interestingly, Ray鈥檚 grandson Bradley Steege now works for Rob鈥檚 firm.)
The course was difficult, and Rob spent a lot of time in Ray鈥檚 office trying to grasp the material. Instead of turning him away or rushing through explanations, Ray took the time to make sure Rob truly understood the concepts. That kind of support, Rob said, kept him from getting derailed in college. It wasn鈥檛 just about showing up to class and taking tests - it was the extra time and resources that helped him push through.
鈥淚t was that next level - the willingness to provide extra resources and support outside the classroom - to get students over the hump,鈥� Rob said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what I think was key for me: those extra resources.鈥�
The return on investment
Those who invested their time in Rob, as well as his own dedication and effort, wasn鈥檛 wasted.
After graduating from the University of Wyoming in 1993 as the top accounting graduate, Rob went on to work for an accounting firm in Cheyenne. He learned valuable skills at the firm and made connections that last to this day, but in 2007, he decided to do something different.
Longtime friend and colleague Scott Rulon invited Rob to join a three-partner firm on a 鈥渙ne-year, no-harm-no-foul鈥� basis.
鈥淪cott said, 鈥楥ome help me out. If you find something else after tax season, fine. Go do it. If not, we'll see where we can take this thing,鈥欌�� Rob said.
This led to Rob being a partner at RLR, LLP, where he remains today. Since he joined RLR nearly 20 years ago, the firm has grown from about a dozen employees to a team of 45 across three locations - Cheyenne, Fort Collins and Greeley - all operating as one cohesive office. Annual revenue has increased from $1.25 million in 2010 to a projected $7 million and change in 2025.
Helping people help themselves
Rob knows that accomplishing anything meaningful in life requires individuals, including himself, to 鈥渄rive the bus.鈥�
Looking at his time at 51视频, he knows he had to dedicate himself to his educational goals. But he also knows he couldn鈥檛 have completed his education, or any of his life goals, without mentors and partnerships.
鈥淵ou get out what you put in, sure, but for me, it also took people who were willing to take an interest and spend their time going above and beyond with me to help get me there,鈥� he said.
Whether it was in his educational journey or his business endeavors, Rob believes people need to seize opportunities. The scholarship, he said, could help people find a chance to improve their lives and communities.
鈥淭here鈥檚 so much opportunity in this country - it takes hard work, it takes networking, and sure, it takes some luck,鈥� Rob said. 鈥淏ut no matter where you鈥檙e at or what you鈥檙e doing, you鈥檝e got to be willing to throw everything to the wind and give it a shot. I hear people say, 鈥業 can鈥檛 do this鈥� or 鈥業 can鈥檛 do that.鈥� There are no cant鈥檚. There are only cans.鈥�