Dr. John Helling and Eldon Tessman were visionaries. Dr. Helling, NHCC’s longest-serving president, helped found and physically build much of our campus. Eldon, a devoted community member, recognized the importance of higher education as Brooklyn Park grew and partnered with Dr. Helling to establish the NHCC Foundation. Together, they created a way for the community to invest in its own future.
Both supported NHCC students financially throughout their lives, and their final gifts continue that legacy today. In honor of their vision, the NHCC Foundation Board of Directors established the Legacy Endowment to provide sustaining support for students in perpetuity.
What makes an endowment different from other gifts is that it continues to give forever. Instead of being spent all at once, the gift is invested, and the earnings provide ongoing support year after year. It is a promise that generosity, opportunity, and hope will always be part of NHCC’s mission.
Each time a student receives help from this endowment, it sends a message: you are seen, you are supported, and someone believed in your potential long before you walked through our doors. That kind of encouragement is priceless.
Many of you have been supporting NHCC students for years. To honor Dr. Helling, Eldon Tessman, and all who helped found the college, we invite you to make a donation to the Legacy Endowment and provide a lasting legacy of support. Our goal is to grow it into a $1,000,000 endowment that will ensure students—tomorrow’s leaders, caregivers, scientists, and innovators—always have the support they need to succeed.
Ways you can participate:
- Include the NHCC Foundation in your will and become a member of our Legacy Society
- List NHCC Foundation as a beneficiary of your IRA
- Donate from your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) or Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD)
- Mail a check with “Legacy Endowment” in the memo line
- Make an online gift at www.nhcc.edu/donate
If you have any questions or need information for your financial advisor, contact Laura in the NHCC Foundation office at 763-424-0815 or Laura.Brandt@nhcc.edu.