Our Donors

After graduating from Nicolet College, Lynn Hudson earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a PhD in genetics and cell biology at the University of Minnesota, and completed her post-doctoral work at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Hudson spent 30 years doing research at the National Institutes of Health as the head of the Laboratory of Developmental Genetics and later taking the helm at the Office of Science Policy Analysis.

Her father, Dr. Steger, helped create Nicolet College. “Even when my dad started in 1969, he really believed in lifelong learning. That was a time when that was such a novel concept,” Dr. Hudson recalls. Dr. Hudson never forgot the important role Nicolet College played in her life, saying, “It really prepared me. I look back at my educational life, and I’d say in all that time, about a half dozen people really influenced me with their passion for the subject and their drive, and half of those were here.”

Dr. Hudson established the Dr. Robert Steger Award in her father’s memory for students graduating from Nicolet College and transferring to a four-year college or university, and she makes a contribution to this award every year. After more than 50 years, the Steger family is still making a difference in the Northwoods community. Theirs is a lasting legacy made possible by a lifetime of philanthropy carried on from one generation to the next.

Superior Diesel President Brian Wendt believes his company’s partnership with the Nicolet College Foundation is a collaborative way to support the educational community. “I believe anything can be achieved if a person has the right attitude. But an individual must take the initiative to find a mechanism that continually stretches or challenges him or her to learn more and pursue their passion. There is no better way to do that than by taking courses at Nicolet College,” says Wendt.

The Superior Diesel Endowment solidifies the company’s commitment to students by providing them with scholarship funds to be used for a student enrolled in any Nicolet College program. Wendt adds, “Nicolet has a great ability to work with people and come up with creative ideas to help businesses solve a problem, address a concern, or develop a curriculum to help students prepare for what is needed in the workforce.”

–Brian Wendt, Superior Diesel President

Paul Marquardt has come a long way since he started working for Vern Kohlbeck at Northwoods Mobil in 1979. At the time, Marquardt was a Rhinelander High School student and, looking back, readily admits he didn’t even know how to change oil.

“Vern taught me about customer service and automobiles, as my mentor, for a decade. He took a risk on me by selling me his shop.” Vern must have known what he was doing because almost 30 years after that sale, Marquardt still owns, what is now, Northwoods Auto Techs.

Marquardt cares about this community. One of the ways he gives back is with contributions to the Nicolet College Foundation. “I wanted to pay it forward. Somebody took a chance on me years ago. Vern did that for me. Once we were in a position to help someone else achieve their goals, it seemed like a good fit.”

Marquardt contributes to a scholarship in Vern’s name every year. “If we’re making an impact on one person’s life, it’s well worth it. It’s a good feeling and it’s the right thing to do. I don’t think I’ve ever considered not giving.”

– Paul Marquardt, Master Technician/Owner, Northwoods Auto Techs and Nicolet College Foundation Donor