Award will help students attend University of Nebraska at Kearney to study education

Kearney, Neb., Feb. 19, 2010 — Blanche Berns often spoke to her children about the importance of an education. The lessons struck a chord, because her son Henry D. Berns and his wife Marilyn recently established a scholarship in Blanche’s memory to help future teachers attend the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Blanche taught at rural country schools in Webster County, Neb., after graduating from what was then Kearney State Teacher’s College. After seven years, she stopped teaching when she married Henry P. F. Berns. They were rural farmers in Webster County where they raised five children, but she never stopped taking an interest in education.

“She always talked about the importance of going to college and how pleased she was that all five of her children all had a Regent Scholarship at the University of Nebraska,” said Marilyn. “That just made her immensely happy.”

“She was very interested in all her grandchildren and their education,” Henry said.

That interest will be fostered in recipients of the Blanche Kaufman Berns Scholarship Fund, which will provide $1,000 scholarships to UNK students enrolled in teacher education, with preference to high school graduates who are residents of Webster County, Neb. Consideration is also given to candidates who are graduates of a high school in Adams County, Neb., or any Nebraska high school. Preference is also given to those studying elementary education.

“Mother went to Kearney to become an elementary country school teacher, so we thought it would be neat to start a scholarship there,” Henry said. “We both feel that a college degree was very helpful for us and we want to be of some help for someone else.”

Ed Scantling, dean of the UNK College of Education, said the Berns’ gift helps UNK continue its tradition of educating Nebraska teachers.

“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Berns family for establishing this scholarship for future teachers at UNK,” Scantling said. “The Blanche Kaufman Berns Scholarship will make a world of difference to its recipients and the ongoing UNK tradition of preparing outstanding educators for the schools of Nebraska.”

Henry and Marilyn, who now live in Andover, Ill., received scholarships when they attended college. Now they want to return the favor.

“We feel that scholarships are a blessing for someone who wants to go to school,” Henry said. “If we can give people a little boost, that’s what we want to do.”

The Berns family grew up on a farm near Bladen, Neb., in Webster County. Henry hopes to encourage students from that area to attend college and, ideally, spark the same passion for education that he saw in his mother.

Henry earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Nebraska in 1961 and a master’s degree in 1963. He also earned a doctorate in mechanical engineering from Kansas State University in 1968. He worked for Deere & Co., in Moline, Ill., before retiring. Marilyn earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 1977 at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa.

Photos:

Blanche Kaufman Berns

Taken in 1956, front row, from left, Henry P.F., Blanche and daughter Geneva Berns. Back row, from left, Henry D., Kenneth, Richard R. and David Berns.

Henry P.F. and Blanche Berns

Henry D. and Marilyn Berns

Henry D. and Marilyn Berns
 

The University of Nebraska Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization raising private gifts to support the University of Nebraska for more than 70 years. In 2009, the foundation provided the university with more than $102 million in private funding for scholarships, medical research and support for faculty and academic programs. In October of 2009, the foundation announced Unlimited Possibilities: the Campaign for Nebraska, a $1.2 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign—the largest in the university’s history.