Engelstad family gifts $20 million to the University of North Dakota!

by Rachna Mehracost-of-education.jpgThe University of North Dakota will receive $20 million for scholarships from the family of late Ralph Engelstad, a former student and goaltender from the University of North Dakota. This is a second gift from the Engelstad family; they financed the schools hockey arena almost 10 years ago.

Engelstad, who died in 2002 at age 72, was a Thief River Falls, Minn., native who graduated from UND in 1954 with a degree in commerce. He owned casinos in Las Vegas and Biloxi, and had a number of real estate holdings.

The Engelstad family and the Family Foundation have provided various scholarship gifts to UND, including items such as Gen. George S. Patton papers, and portraits of the U.S. Supreme Court Justices that are valued at approximately $127.5 million.

Of the $20 million gift, $4 million will be given towards scholarships for minority students, $4 million will be designated for high achieving students and another $4 million will be used for scholarships to late bloomer students. The gift also provides $4 million in athletic scholarships for the men’s hockey team. Other then providing academic and athletic scholarships, the money will also be used for endowed department chairs in medicine and engineering. All endowed chairs and scholarships will carry the names of Ralph and Betty Engelstad.

The Ralph Engelstad Arena and other gifts made to UND by the Engelstads, have made them one of the most significant university patrons in the history of American higher education,” a UNU said in a statement. “We are obviously very grateful to the Engelstad family for their faith in, and support for the University of North Dakota.”

Rachna Mehra is a freelance writer from New York. For more information on scholarships and financial aid, please visit http://www.Freescholarshipguide.com Rachna Mehra may be contacted at http://www.Freescholarshipguide.com

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