Why would a Minot State University (MSU) Hall of Fame athlete establish an endowed scholarship at Dickinson State University?
Although LaVern Jessen’s accomplishments as a Minot State athlete are impressive, they pale in comparison to the impact he left, and continues to leave, at the Beavers’ rival school in southwest North Dakota.
LaVern and his late wife, Donnie, established two scholarships, including one for his late son and golf enthusiast, Jeff. In 2016, they combined both into the Jessen Family Endowed Scholarship.
“We had the Jessen Family Scholarship and a Jeff Jessen Scholarship geared toward golf in honor of my brother,” says John, a banker in Fargo and one of LaVern’s four sons. “They are there to give back to the university. My dad worked there for 30 years and all of his sons went to college there. The university meant a lot to us and still does.”
Because of his basketball background, 75 percent of the annual award goes to a basketball player and 25 percent goes to a golfer because, as LaVern says: “That was Jeff’s world.”
Basketball and golf were a part of LaVern’s early contributions to Minot State where he had a Hall of Fame career. In basketball, he was a three-year letter winner, captain, and all-conference in 1953. MSU won three straight conference titles in 1951-53. LaVern also lettered two years in golf.
LaVern began his DSU Hall of Fame career as the head basketball and assistant football and baseball coach in 1963. He coached the Blue Hawks to four straight conference basketball titles – 1965-68 – and three national tournaments. His 1968 team, led by Dickinson State’s only first-team All-American Bob Waldal, won two games at the national tournament. All four teams have been inducted into the Blue Hawk Hall of Fame.
Despite all that success, LaVern was just getting started. After leaving the sideline, he continued to help students as Director of Student Services and Financial Aid until retiring in 1990. After that, he served as the only commissioner of the North Dakota College Athletic Conference and the Dakota Athletic Conference.
LaVern says the university gave so much to his family, the scholarship is a small way of giving back.
“This was done because of our love of the university and the sports programs and the appreciation they gave me and my family,” LaVern says. “I had three sons graduate from Dickinson State. Their education from Dickinson State has served them well because they’ve all done well.”
By Scooter Pursley
DSU Heritage Foundation Communication Specialist
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