Wedel Nilsen recently made a gift of $10,000 to establish the scholarship in memory of his wife, Dorothy Lee Nilsen.

"The gift provided by Wedel Nilsen is very important to the Department of Nursing," said Dr. A. Louise Hart, chair of the Department of Nursing. "It will make an important difference in students' lives by supporting them to stay in school and complete their degree."

Dorothy Lee Nilsen was the daughter of Henry and Cora Perkins Nicolaides. She was born in 1913 in Piggott, Ark. She married Wedel D. Nilsen in 1952 in Elmhurst, Ill. Mrs. Nilsen received a bachelor of science degree from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She was a teacher 35 years at Elmhurst and Mounds, Ill., schools and wrote teachers' manuals used in elementary schools throughout the United States. She was recognized for her teaching contributions by the state of Illinois in 1973.

The Dorothy Lee Nilsen scholarship will be awarded the first time for the spring 2003 semester, and is open to juniors and seniors in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The Department of Nursing will select the recipient. Applicants are requested to provide a short essay describing interest in gerontological nursing with a special emphasis on care of the frail elderly exhibiting decline in functional and cognitive abilities.

"I had the privilege of visiting with Mr. Nilsen in his home," said Hart. "He truly wants to make sure that nurses obtain the education they need to care for their patients. It is a privilege to participate in honoring Mrs. Nilsen through this special scholarship, and the students who are recipients will be chosen with care."