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Advancement News
Wife of Alumnus Honors Late Husband’s Legacy
The late Robert “Bob” Nugent, Class of 1942, a Charter Member of the Brother George Synan Society, often spoke with his wife, Jane Kay Nugent, about how much he owed to his De La Salle Collegiate education. Jane believes that Bob became so Mrs. Jane Kay Nugent committed to DLS because he came “out of his shell” in high school. He and his fellow Pilots remained in touch over the years, often meeting for lunches, dinners, and reunions.
Jane understood Bob’s passion for De La Salle, and his desire to make a substantial gift to the school. She said, “Bob set up a planned gift because he saw it as giving back to future generations of young men because De La Salle affected his life in so many positive ways.”
The planned gift ensures that Bob, who died in 2008, will be remembered long after he is gone. Jane says she knows that Bob, if he had outlived her, would honor her wishes to support her alma mater, the University of Detroit.
After service in the U.S. Navy, Bob began his career at Detroit Edison. He was a mechanical engineer, and over the years, built and managed various power plants. Jane began working at Detroit Edison after high school, while attending college, and rose through the company ranks, retiring as a Vice President of Administration.
Bob and Jane married in 1991. Throughout their marriage, they were involved in various community organizations, and together chaired the Community Campaign for St. John Hospital’s Van Elslander Cancer Center.
Currently, Jane, who earned her undergraduate degree in Industrial Management at the University of Detroit (now University of Detroit-Mercy, UDM), is on the UDM School of Business Administration Board of Advisors, as well as the Board of the St. John Health Foundation. While working at Edison’s, Jane earned an M.A. from Wayne State University and then an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan. She has served on numerous other boards, and is also in the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame.
Jane was instrumental in bringing Dr. Antonio Garibaldi, President of UDM, to the 2012 Br. George Synan Society Dinner as the keynote speaker.
Memory of Richard Balgenorth Alive at DLS
Kim Balgenorth has honored her late husband Richard, ‘75, with a two-part Memorial.
After Rich’s sudden passing in 2007, Kim left her corporate job as their son Paul, ‘10, was still in high school. She joined the DLS Staff as the Administrative Assistant in Counseling in 2008, and at that time established the Balgenorth Scholarship Fund.
Kim says Richard felt strongly about his educational experience at De La Salle and believed DLS plays a crucial role as a foundation for lifelong learning. The endowment generates funds for both the DLS Tuition Assistance Program and for the annual Richard A. Balgenorth Award for Higher Education, a $1,000 scholarship annually awarded to a senior. Applicants write an essay about the impact on their own lives of their Lasallian education, and Kim, along with other family members, selects the recipient.
Because Richard felt so strongly that the atmosphere and school spirit of De La Salle impacted his life, Kim also underwrites the annual “BroZone” T-shirts, distributed to every student and staff member each fall. Throughout the year, and particularly at each athletic contest, students are encouraged to wear their BroZone shirts.
In November, National Coney Island partnered with De La Salle to donate half their sales in school that day to the Balgenorth Scholarship Fund. Kim Balgenorth and John Monigold wear their BroZone T-shirts proudly as they buy their hot dogs from the National Coney Island coney cart.