Professor donates $1 Million to BHSU

SPEARFISH — Dr. James Hess, professor of psychology and chairman of the School of Behavioral Sciences at Black Hills State University, recently pledged a $1 million gift to BHSU to establish the School of Behavioral Sciences Make a Difference Initiative. In exchange for scholarship funds, students will be challenged to lead sustainable community projects designed to make a difference in the lives of others.

Hess has been a psychology professor at BHSU for 32 years and his generous donation is equivalent to the salary he made in his first 19 years of teaching at BHSU. He says he intends to keep teaching as long as he feels like he is making a difference in the lives of students.

“This million-dollar scholarship gift from Professor Hess will have a profound impact on students while they earn their degrees by providing scholarship funds and encouraging community leadership skills. However, the Make a Difference Initiative also ensures our graduates will become leaders in their future communities,” BHSU President Tom Jackson, Jr., said. “I commend Professor Hess for his visionary idea and express my sincere thanks for his generosity and commitment to Black Hills State University.”

By establishing the Make a Difference Initiative, Hess hopes to change the culture of scholarship funding by encouraging recipients to give back right from the start and continue that practice long after they graduate.

“Even while they’re receiving funds from the initiative, I want our scholarship recipients to engage and make a difference in the lives of others,” said Hess.  “I want the students to remember their experience years from now, changing their attitude and encouraging them to continue giving back.”

The initiative’s board of directors will meet this year to polish the initiative and will distribute the first two $2,500 scholarships in 2015.  In addition to the scholarship, recipients will receive a $2,500 match allocated for student projects.  Future scholarships and projects will be added in the coming years, and the dollar amounts will be increased.

“Students receiving the Make a Difference Initiative scholarships must give something more than going to class and getting good grades,” said Hess.

Student projects must create sustainable solutions, said Hess, referencing the proverb “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”  Examples of sustainable solution projects described in the initiative’s planning document include implementation of a self-concept improvement program for a women’s shelter or designing a summer camp for children of divorced families.

Steve Meeker, BHSU vice president for university advancement, said Hess’ gift will teach students how to make a difference in people’s lives while also teaching them to give back in both time and treasure.

“Dr. Hess’ gift is extremely generous, and he has a great plan to motivate future leaders,” said Meeker.  “This gift sends a strong message as to what BHSU and our students mean to him and is very much appreciated.”

This is not Hess’ first scholarship donation. In 2000, Hess established the Lois Watts Scholarship in honor of his grandmother, for BHSU students majoring in psychology, and since that time he has contributed and secured over $100,000 to that scholarship.  Initial funding for the Make a Difference Initiative will come from conversion of the Lois Watts Psychology Scholarship and an additional $1 million committed donation from Dr. Hess.

Hess says he hopes his donation will encourage others to support scholarships for the excellent students attending BHSU.  He said it troubles him that BHSU has one of the lowest numbers of scholarships of any university in South Dakota.

When Hess became the first BHSU Chair of the School of Behavioral Sciences in 2009, he realized psychology was the only behavioral sciences area with a discipline-specific scholarship.  The BHSU School of Behavioral Sciences includes Exercise Science, Human Services, Outdoor Education, Psychology, and Sociology programs.

“I started thinking how I could personally do something to create a scholarship for the School of Behavioral Sciences,” said Hess.  “I wanted to make sure all of these programs have a way to grow and be supportive of students who need it.”

Born in Belle Fourche, Hess grew up in Oklahoma and spent summers in Belle Fourche with his grandparents.  His bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees are from Oklahoma State University, and he completed his doctoral internship at the University of Oklahoma before moving back to South Dakota.

“Education was crucially important to my grandmother,” said Hess, a first-generation college graduate.

A successful business owner, Hess attributes his success operating six businesses in the Northern Hills to the hard work of his employees.

“Many of the staff who work for me either are or have been Black Hills State University students,” said Hess.

To learn more or to contribute to the Make a Difference Initiative, contact Black Hills State University Advancement at 642-6385 or visit http://BHSU.edu/Alumni/GetInvolved/Donate

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