University of Nebraska at Kearney
The late Ruth Ann Pigott Janssen, a beloved former professor and chair of the sociology department at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, has left a record-setting gift that will impact the lives of students for generations to come.
This extraordinary investment – totaling nearly $2.25 million – is the largest estate gift from emeriti faculty in UNK’s history. Pigott Janssen died in 2022 at the age of 87.
Her generous gift was made through the University of Nebraska Foundation. A portion of the gift is directed to three priorities in the sociology department: an endowed scholarship fund, an undergraduate student research fund and a fund to support a lectureship program. The rest of Pigott Janssen’s gift will be invested for 20 years, with the resulting funds allocated to a future capital project based on a campus priority.
Interim Chancellor Charlie Bicak said Pigott Janssen’s legacy at UNK extends far beyond her distinguished career as a sociology professor.
“Ruth dedicated her life to education, fostering a passion for learning in her students and colleagues alike,” Bicak said. “Her gift is a testament to her enduring commitment to advancing sociology and empowering future generations. Ruth’s impact will continue to enrich the academic experience at UNK for years to come. We are profoundly grateful for her generosity and the indelible mark she has left on UNK.”
Pigott Janssen began her teaching career at Kearney State College, now UNK, in 1974 as a sociology instructor. She earned a doctorate in sociology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1985 and spent five years as chair of UNK’s sociology department before retiring in 2000.
During her time as a sociology professor, Pigott Janssen provided her students not only with a top-notch education in sociology classes but also the gift of her time. One former student credits Pigott Janssen with preparing him for college-level work and a higher education career.
“Not only was I the only male in the class, I was also woefully unprepared,” said Daniel Bruggeman, a 1980 Kearney State graduate. “She called me into her office for a series of tutorials where she patiently walked me through some of the essential features of a well-written and thoughtfully argued college-level paper. This had a transformative effect on my development as a student. It was a gift that would profoundly impact my future as a student and a teacher.”
Bruggeman, senior lecturer emeritus of art at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, retired in 2023 after 30 years of teaching at the college level. He credits Pigott Janssen with serving as a role model for how a great educator leads a class.
“I developed a passion for not only well-researched and skillfully presented course material but also empathy and patience for the students who arrive less prepared than others to learn,” Bruggeman said.
Suzanne Maughan Spencer, current chair of UNK’s sociology department, said she’s grateful for the time she spent with Pigott Janssen as the retired chair contemplated how her gift could assist students and the department.
“Her gift has had a profound impact on students and the department,” Maughan Spencer said. “Now, as the current department chair who also teaches the same classes Dr. Pigott Janssen once taught, I am appreciative of her foresight, her contemplative planning and her generous legacy. I know she would be overjoyed to see the students’ eagerness to pursue their passion for sociological education without the stress of financial burdens.”
One of those students is Crista Manning, a senior from Grand Island majoring in sociology and pre-public health.
“The Ruth Pigott Janssen Sociology Scholarship has greatly influenced my educational experience at UNK by alleviating the financial strain of college,” Manning said. “This scholarship has allowed me the opportunity to redirect funds to professional development, such as the research conference I plan to attend in a couple of months.”
“The Ruth Pigott Janssen Sociology Scholarship has assisted me in my academics here at UNK,” said Hannah Reeve, a senior sociology major from Potter. “This helping hand has allowed me to continue to pursue my goal of introducing social programs and support for the Nebraska Panhandle where I’m from.”
Pigott Janssen’s gift supports Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future. The campaign seeks to engage 150,000 benefactors to raise $3 billion to support the University of Nebraska. UNK’s goals are to engage 12,000 donors to raise $70 million.