Apr. 3—MENOMONIE — UW-Stout has received another major donation to go towards one of its undergraduate programs as well as the Heritage Hall renovation project, which continues to gain private support.

Dean Weidner, who founded and owns Weidner Apartment Homes, a real estate investment and management company based in Kirkland, Wash., has announced a $1,050,000 donation to Stout University Foundation, which includes $500,000 for major scholarships benefiting new and transfer students in the real estate property management program

Weidner has donated a total of $2.5 million to the program. In 2012, he donated $1 million in 2012 to create the Weidner Center for Residential Property Management at Heritage Hall and another $500,00o in 2015 for additional program support, according to a university news release.

The newest donation will provide up to 20 scholarships a year for five years. First-year and transfer students in the program are eligible for one $5,000 award, about one-third of the cost for one year at Stout. The awards are available to new students beginning this fall.

The $550,000 program support portion of the donation includes funding for a program ambassador position to help recruit students to the real estate property management which already has an enrollment of 60 students. Stout's program is believed to be the largest of its kind in the United states. In addition, another 27 students are enrolled in the property management minor.

"Our long-term investment into the real estate property management undergrad program at UW-Stout reflects my confidence in the curriculum that is being taught to students; the fact that the educators in the program have prior industry experience and can help to personalize the education with real world examples; and that we've seen strong results in terms of the students that have been recruited to our team," Weidner said in a news release.

"I look forward to our continued partnership with the university and this program for many years to come."

The donation raises the amount of private support Stout has received for programs based in Heritage Hall, including teacher education, counseling, dietetics, food science, and hospitality and tourism, to more than $11 million. The Heritage renovation project received priority approval from the UW System Board of Regents, is ranked No. 1 in the Chippewa Valley and No. 3 for major academic building renovation projects across the UW System.

According to Weidner, programs like the one at UW-Stout are important to the residential property industry.

"There continues to be strong demand in the residential property management sector for workers to lead the day-to-day operations of the nation's numerous multifamily housing communities," he said.

Stout's most recent First Destination report shows recent graduates from the program reported 100% employment within six months of earning their degree.

Further, Weidner Apartment Homes has hired 84 Stout graduates and 161 university student interns in the past decade. That includes three spring 2023 graduates.

"The workforce of the future requires an adaptable mindset of lifelong learners who continuously upgrade their technical skills as well as the 'soft' skills that are valued by employers," Weidner said.

"By partnering with colleges and universities, we can help shape the education of the upcoming workforce and embed the requirements of the industry into the curriculum. In this way, we are helping to create the workers we need, instead of merely trying to find them on the open market."

Chancellor Katherine Frank is grateful for the support.

"Mr. Weidner's incredible gift to support teaching and learning at UW-Stout has already and will continue to impact students' learning and career trajectory far into the future," she said. "He recognizes the value of our distinct approach to education at UW-Stout and how this approach produces future leaders in the workplace who positively impact their communities."