RIVER FALLS – The University of Wisconsin-River Falls has received funding for a new endowed scholarship designed to benefit students from Hudson with a love of education. 

The Blanche Hansen Nygard and Meta Hansen Elementary Education Scholarship will provide $1,200 annually to an elementary education major attending UW-River Falls, with a preference that the recipient be a Hudson resident. The scholarship is named for two former Hudson residents, sisters who attended UW-River Falls, where they earned education degrees and then spent their careers as educators. 

Scholarship donors Manley and Ann Olson said the award is intended to help students from the sisters’ hometown carry on their legacy of teaching students. In addition to this scholarship, the Olsons fund three other scholarships at UW-River Falls. 

Blanche Hansen Nygard was Ann’s mother and Meta Hansen was her aunt. Both received their degrees from UW-River Falls and went on to long teaching careers. 

Nygard taught in Hudson but was forced to resign once she married, as female teachers could not be married at that time. When her husband died unexpectedly, she returned to teaching and taught the children of some of her former students. Hansen was a teacher and school principal in Minneapolis for more than 40 years. 

“I can think of no better way to honor their dedicated careers than to encourage other Hudson students to become teachers,” Ann said of the endowed scholarship.

The Olsons met while they were students at UW-River Falls. Manley, ‘59, was a member of the Falcon varsity basketball team. He went on to a long and successful career at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minn. He also served for many years on the UW-River Falls Foundation Board of Directors.

The Olsons first established the education scholarship in 2015 and have funded it annually before deciding to make it an endowed fund, which ensures it will provide educational opportunities going forward. 

 The scholarship ties directly to the important role that teacher education has played at UW-River Falls, which was founded 150 years ago as a teaching college, said Rick Foy, assistant chancellor for university advancement.  

“The education program remains a well-regarded and critical program in supplying high quality teachers to the St. Croix Valley and beyond,” Foy said. “UWRF provides a perfect location for Hudson graduates interested in pursuing a degree in elementary education. It’s wonderful to have this meaningful incentive available to students. We thank the Olsons for their long-time and generous commitment to UWRF students.”

Submitted by UW-River Falls