'You can't take it with you': Longtime Wadena area resident Roger Lageson establishes healthcare scholarships

Roger Lageson and his late wife Doris lived and loved together in the Wadena area for 60 years, dedicating their lives to each other, to their community, and to their long careers in public service – Doris taught third grade at the elementary school and Roger worked in human services for the state and county. 

Both originally from North Dakota, they made Minnesota their home, developing close friendships over the decades and becoming fondly regarded for their kindness and generosity. They showed support for charitable causes and were involved in the good works of their church and local community organizations. 

“We were blessed,” says Roger. “It’s been a good ride.”

Wanting to find a way to keep his wife’s generous spirit alive in the community after her passing in 2016, Roger began researching ways to support causes close to her heart. He and Doris were fortunate to have accumulated some wealth over the years, he explains, and by that point in his life, he was ready to downsize their estate. 

“You can’t take it with you,” Roger says of material things. “As you get older, you either don’t have much of a bucket list left, or you do but you’re not going to be fulfilling many of the items left on it. So you figure, someone else can have it.” 

Given Doris’s passion for teaching, education rose to the top of Roger’s mind. Healthcare – and nursing, in particular – also rose to the top, thanks to the friendly and caring nurses he and Doris had encountered. He knew the Wadena college, M State, had a strong nursing program, and an investment in that would effectively support both those causes. After connecting with M State Foundation and Alumni to explore donation opportunities, he decided to fund a scholarship. He liked the idea of making a difference in students’ lives, helping them overcome financial challenges so they could graduate and embark on their careers.

In fall 2021, the Roger and Doris Lageson Nursing Education Scholarship was awarded for the first time. Open to nursing students on the M State Wadena campus, the $1,000 perpetual scholarship is awarded every fall semester. 

A few years later, in 2024, the Roger and Doris Lageson Healthcare Education Scholarship Fund was established. This endowment provides another $1,000 scholarship every fall semester, starting fall 2025, to a student in any of the healthcare programs offered at M State Wadena.

“A heartfelt thank you to Roger for his incredible and ongoing support of M State Wadena students, honoring the memory of his late wife, Doris,” says Shannon Britten, Associate Director of Advancement and Development for M State Foundation and Alumni. “Their two scholarships, including a new $25,000 endowment for healthcare programs, will make a lasting difference for our future nurses and healthcare heroes. This is a beautiful way to give back in Doris's memory, and a remarkable show of generosity toward our vision of empowering students to pursue vital careers.”

The scholarships are almost as rewarding for Roger as they are for the students who receive them. Getting to meet the recipients face-to-face at the foundation’s annual awards ceremony, and hearing the students’ stories first-hand, has been a fun and fulfilling experience for him.

“It’s exciting to meet the recipients,” Roger says. “They’re always appreciative, friendly and receptive."