Donor Spotlight – Memorializing Denver Kitzan

The Blue Hawk spirit is embedded in the family of Gaye and Dwight Dvirnak. They have siblings, nieces, and nephews who are in attendance or alumni of Dickinson State University (DSU) and are fondly regarded as ‘Aunt Gaye’ and ‘Uncle Dwight’ by the DSU Cheerleading athletes. In a joint effort to memorialize Gaye’s late brother Denver Kitzan, Gaye and Dwight created the Denver Kitzan Memorial Scholarship to support future DSU students who exemplify Denver’s spirit.

Denver grew up in the Dickinson community after moving with the Kitzan family from Bowman when he was two. He went to school at Heart River, Jefferson, and Roosevelt Elementary, and graduated from Dickinson High School in 1996 with his high school sweetheart April, who he married that September. Denver spent 20 years as part-owner in his family’s construction business Big K Industries and started his own company with four of his seven children in 2020. In the summer of 2023 Denver was diagnosed with brain cancer and he fought bravely until the spring of 2024.

“This scholarship blends family, spirit, and generosity,” said DSU HF Executive Director Ty Orton. “Each recipient of the Denver J. Kitzan Memorial Scholarship carries forward Denver’s values of integrity, perseverance, and paying it forward.”

With the Denver Kitzan Memorial Scholarship Gaye and Dwight keep Denver’s memory alive on the DSU campus while supporting students who demonstrate his work ethic. The Dvirnaks appreciate each letter they receive from past scholarship recipients, which Gaye pins to her office bulletin board.

The Dvirnaks view the scholarship as a tangible memorial of Denver’s life in its ability to help a student achieve their goals at DSU and allow recipients to create memories on campus without the pressure of a financial burden.

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Written by Sarah Griffis – DSU HF Content Writer