Donor Spotlight: The Blue Hawk Touchdown Club Lives the “Always a Blue Hawk” Motto

Formed initially to keep Dickinson State University (DSU) alumni involved with the football program in 2012 by Jace Schillinger, the Blue Hawk Touchdown Club (BHTC) is now the host to several fundraising events to support DSU student-athletes through various scholarships. In 2013, Eric Boettcher, Paul Clarys, Aric Mines, Jason Kraft, Kelly Reid, Dirk Kuntz, Scott Schafer, and Dave Michaelson formed an official board of directors for the BHTC and started to host larger fundraising events.

Pictured Left to Right: Eric Boettcher, Dave Michaelson, Aric Mines

“We started off with a Golf Tournament in Miles City, MT,” said Eric Boettcher, “and as the years have gone by, we have added the Chili Cook-Offs, Men’s Stag, Blue Chicks, tailgating, and raffle events.” As the events grew, so did the number of board members and volunteers needed to keep up with the BHTC mission of providing scholarships for the Blue Hawk Football program.

DSU Heritage Foundation Director Ty Orton commented that "the Blue Hawk Touchdown Club is full of passion and purpose, and its efforts are clear in the long-term impact on DSU athletes. The organization's work is a testament to what’s possible when people come together around a shared love for Blue Hawk Football and a commitment to the future of DSU students."

With several Endowed, Impact, and Annual scholarships for DSU student-athletes, many named in honor of former coaches, the BHTC hopes that the recipients use these opportunities to reach their goals and return the favor for future Blue Hawks one day. A highlight for many BHTC members, according to Boettcher, is “being able to reconnect with former teammates and friends while supporting a team that means so much to us.”

Both the golf tournament and Men’s Stag fundraising events have concluded for the year, but with the 2025-26 football season underway, the BHTC is turning to its plans for the upcoming 100 Years of DSU Football celebrations. “We will be hosting a social on Friday evening of Homecoming [October 10th] for all [DSU] Football alumni, tailgate before the game, and a meal and program after the game,” said Boettcher. The BHTC is also at each football tailgate and running a raffle throughout the season.

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Written by Sarah Griffis – DSU HF Content Writer