MSU Northern receives $900,000 for endowed nursing scholarship – NBC Montana
Rain Shower
68
79
60
Today
79
60
Thursday
75
53
Friday
78
53
Latest Weathercast
Now
68
Thu
75
Fri
78
by NBC Montana Staff
TOPICS:
MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana State University-Northern is celebrating one of the largest scholarship endowments in its history.
Last week, a check presentation marked the creation of the Walter & LaVonne Norman Endowed Scholarship, a gift of more than $900,000 that will support nursing students at MSU-Northern for generations to come.
“This gift is transformational for our students and for healthcare in Montana,” Chancellor Greg Kegel said in a press release. “The Normans’ generosity will impact lives for generations, both the students who receive this scholarship and the countless patients they will go on to care for.”
Walter and LaVonne Norman built their lives together on the family’s homestead near Dodson, where they farmed and ranched for decades. Walter, a Korean War veteran, was admired for his work ethic and inventive spirit. LaVonne, a polio survivor, was a homemaker, seamstress, and active volunteer in 4-H and her community.
The couple later retired to Havre. Walter passed away in 2001, while LaVonne remained active in her church and community until her passing in 2024, just shy of her 90th birthday.
Their lifelong commitment to giving back reached across Montana, with support for organizations including the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation in Billings, the Phillips County Museum in Malta, and in Havre—the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Line, Havre Food Bank, Sletten Cancer Center, Salvation Army, Bear Paw Hospice, and the North Central Montana Senior Citizens’ Center.
The new Norman Endowed Scholarship continues that legacy, ensuring future nurses at MSU-Northern can focus on their education without the burden of financial stress.
“The MSU-Northern Foundation is deeply grateful to Russ and Diane Getten, whose friendship and daily care for LaVonne went far beyond being neighbors. Their kindness, support, and dedication played an important role in ensuring this generous gift could honor Walter and LaVonne’s legacy for generations to come,” Managing Director of the MSU-Northern Foundation Melanie Skoyen said in a press release.
