North Iowa Area Community College has honored three longtime friends of the College with the prestigious NIACC Shining Star Award. NIACC President Dr. Michael Morrison (retired 2008) presented the awards on Saturday, April 30, during NIACC’s Night to Shine hosted by the NIACC Foundation.

The NIACC Shining Star Award was established in 2003 to recognize individuals, businesses and organizations that have invested significant time, energy and/or financial resources in NIACC. The award is intended for those who work to advance the institution and the region through their voluntary support.

The 2005 honorees are the late Bob and Lois Bergland, Dr. and Mrs. John B. Dixon, and the Keithahn Family.

Bob and Lois Bergland both graduated from Mason City Junior College, NIACC’s predecessor, in the 1930s. Bob was employed by Hanson and Waggoner, and he later co-founded the architectural firm of Bergland and Bianco, which eventually became Bergland and Cram. As a local architect, he designed many public and private buildings in North Iowa, including portions of NIACC. The Berglands were proud of their association with the College and often spoke fondly of the school’s progress. They were among the first alumni to participate in the NIACC First advertising campaign. Bob passed away seven years ago and Lois died last year. Their estate included a bequest to NIACC totaling over $230,000 for NIACC scholarships. Accepting the award on behalf of the Berglands was Mary Nell Fullerton, Bob’s cousin and a member of the NIACC staff.

 

Dr. and Mrs. John B. Dixon have had quite an impact on the region and on North Iowa Area Community College. Dr. Dixon practiced ophthalmology for 50 years, 40 of them in Mason City. His wife, Mary Jane, was a social worker for several nursing homes in Mason City. She is a current resident of the Manly Nursing and Rehab Center. The Dixons are exemplary role models of philanthropy. They stepped forward during the Keeping NIACC First major gifts campaign with a $100,000 contribution for scholarships and other needs. The Dr. John B. and Mary Jane Dixon Scholarship has already benefited a number of NIACC students. Last year, the NIACC Foundation received another significant gift from the Dixons, this time in the form of a Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust. The trust will provide Dr. Dixon with income for the term of the trust with the balance of the trust accruing to the NIACC Foundation upon its termination. Dr. Dixon was present to receive the award.

 

The Keithahn Family has been extremely supportive of North Iowa Area Community College over the years. Rollo Keithahn served as a member of the Mason City Junior College and NIACC faculty from 1943 to 1971. His wife, Lena, was also an educator, teaching home economics and biology in the Mason City Community School District for 25 years. Together, they had two children, Charles and Mary. Following Rollo’s death in 1984, Lena established the Rollo C. Keithahn Memorial Scholarship Fund. Every year, Lena continued to add to the endowed scholarship, increasing the principal investment so more and more students would benefit from the fund. In the early nineties, the Keithahn family created a Charitable Gift Annuity through the NIACC Foundation and sponsored the Keithahn Room located in the NIACC Activity Center. In the late nineties, the Keithahn Memorial Scholarship Fund grew by more than $120,000 when Rollo’s sister, Luella, remembered NIACC in her will. Following her mother’s wishes, Mary Keithahn continued to support the memorial fund the past six years while Lena lived at Good Shepherd Health Center in Mason City. Lena passed away on April 4 at the age of 93. Accepting the award for the Keithahn Family was Mary Keithahn.

Several previous NIACC Shining Star award recipients were among the guests at this year’s black-tie dinner celebration. Other NIACC Shining Stars include Jim Benjegerdes, the Globe Gazette Elizabeth Muse Norris Charitable Fund, the late Betty Geer, Joyce Hanes, John Hitzhusen, Phyllis Murphy, John Pappajohn and Tom and Linda Schaefer.

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For more information, contact the Marketing and Community Relations Department
North Iowa Area Community College, 500 College Drive, Mason City, Iowa  50401
422-4295 or 1-888-GO NIACC, ext. 4295
www.niacc.edu