Robert (’46) and Patricia Nieman established the Mr. and Mrs. Gus H. Nieman Memorial Scholarship in 1992. This endowment is incredibly special, in that it supports students who chose PLU in preparation for one day attending seminary. When asked about their PLU story and why they established this endowment, Robert says,
“Both my older sister Dorothy and my younger brother Richard attended PLU as well as myself. My father was active in the college during the rebuilding of the facility and eventually became a member of the Board of Regents. Later my son Richard Nieman and daughter Joanne Nieman Hinkle both attended PLU as well as a good number of nephews and nieces. So as you can tell, our family has always been involved in the University.
After my father Gus Nieman and my mother Clara Nieman passed away, I felt that they would be pleased in our establishing a small endowment to assist others, especially those interested in attending further Christian education at a seminary. As a result of our family interest in Pacific Lutheran and further Christian education, our son James R. Nieman went on to attend Wartburg Seminary in Dubuque and further received his Doctorate at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. James has pursued his interest in working in the Church in Alaska, Iowa, Georgia, Connecticut, and now in Chicago, Illinois as the President of the Lutheran Seminary of Theology in Chicago.
With this background information, I think you can readily see the reason that my wife, Pat, and I are so pleased to assist others in their attempt to further their Christian education.”