Statesboro, GA (August 15, 2024) – Family, friends, co-workers, and customers of Derek Richard Schiefer (MKTG, 2011) have generously raised more than $60,000 to endow a scholarship to honor the memory of the sales alumnus who unexpectedly passed away in his sleep in November 2023 at the age of 36. Derek, who reportedly never met a stranger, was the life of any gathering, connecting through compassionate personal acts and still able to create nonstop laughter through clever and comical banter. After he graduated from Georgia Southern University, Derek reluctantly left Georgia for a job in Dallas, TX, at McAfee. His outgoing personality in the office created countless treasured friendships, including the love of his life, Meghan Niski. At the time of his death, Derek was employed at CrowdStrike in Dallas, where he will always be remembered for the genuine relationships that he built with his coworkers and customers.
“Derek’s success in professional sales was driven by relationships built upon trust and integrity,” observes Ann, Derek’s mother. “Derek’s education at Georgia Southern helped him recognize and develop his God-given skills. Derek did not focus on academics or getting the ‘A,’ he focused on what is vital – people and positive outcomes through hard work.”
Beginning with a GoFundMe campaign originally organized by co-worker Kate Lassiter, fund-raising events included the Derek Schiefer Memorial Golf Tournament held in his memory in Charlotte, NC, on April 15, 2024. His friends plan to make the golf tournament an annual event with proceeds benefiting the scholarship in perpetuity. Thanks to the efforts of those whose lives he touched, the Derek Schiefer Memorial Scholarship in Sales Excellence is now fully funded and ready to begin awarding $1,000 to an outstanding sophomore or junior sales student who displays integrity and character, while serving as an active contributor to the sales program.
“Derek’s unique character and the impact he made on everyone around him are what I will always cherish deeply,” recalls Linda Mullen, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing and co-director of Parker College’s Center for Sales Excellence, who taught Derek. “His scholarship will serve as a lasting tribute to someone we all hold dear.”
Michael Thomas, Ph.D., chair, Department of Marketing, commented, “Derek positively influenced many during his time at Georgia Southern. This scholarship should help to continue that impact for years to come.”
Contributions to the Derek Schiefer Memorial Scholarship in Sales Excellence may be made by visiting the link and and search “Derek Schiefer” under Designation.
Center for Sales Excellence, Georgia Southern University
Located within Georgia Southern University’s Parker College of Business, the Center for Sales Excellence is recognized by the University Sales Center Alliance and the Sales Education Foundation as one of the nation’s top sales programs. Established in 2007, it is the mission of the Center to have a positive impact on the sales profession through education, research, and service. The Marketing B.B.A. program offers the students of Georgia Southern University an emphasis in Sales and Sales Management.
Through the Center, students gain experience with sales role-play in our dedicated labs, with many going on to compete in some of the nation’s most prestigious sales competitions. The Center also works to bring students together with companies in the industry looking to hire the best and brightest minds. It is the goal of the Center to be the preeminent sales program in the nation.