SMU class of 1959 raises $1.66 million for alma mater

Presenting a $1.66 million “check” to Joe Sweeney, Saint Mary’s vice president for development and alumni relations, left, and SMU President Brother William Mann, FSC, center, are, from left: Dave Thies, Ken Ortman, Dennis O’Malley, Harry Bock, Harry Plotke, Tom McKenna and Tom Daly, all from the class of 1959.


In honor of their 50th anniversary, the Saint Mary’s University class of 1959 raised $1,663,000 as a gift to its alma mater. The class gift supports several funding priorities of the university, including three endowed scholarships, which will provide a permanent source of financial assistance to future generations of students.

• The Brother I. Basil Rothweiler ’38 Endowed Scholarship honors the seventh president of Saint Mary’s and his lifelong commitment to the Lasallian charism as an advocate for the work of the Christian Brothers. This scholarship gives preference to young men aspiring to become teachers through involvement in the Lasallian Teacher Immersion Program.

• The Ken Wiltgen Endowed Scholarship gives preference to students aspiring to become teachers and coaches and honors longtime Saint Mary’s teacher and coach, Ken Wiltgen.

• The Class of 1959 Scholarship honors the 50th anniversary of the Class of 1959 and gives preference to students with demonstrated financial need.

The gift was recognized during this year’s Homecoming festivities. Recipients of the Rothweiler and Wiltgen scholarships, Stephen Schmidt and Ryan Wockenfus, were in attendance at Homecoming Weekend. The Class of 1959 Scholarship has not yet been awarded.

More than 50 percent of the class of 1959 returned to Winona this past June for Homecoming Weekend, and more than 70 percent of the class donated money for the class anniversary gift.