Nibbe Gift Transforms School of Teaching & Learning

Minnesota State Moorhead's proud legacy as a State Teacher's College is entering an inspiring new chapter, thanks to a transformational $5.5 million gift from the Nibbe Family Foundation. The gift, pledged over 12 years, will rename MSUM's School of Teaching & Learning as the Nibbe School of Teaching & Learning and position the program to meet the evolving needs of future educators.

For Jay Nibbe '85, accounting and finance alum, the gift is deeply personal. "A love for education runs in my blood," Nibbe shared. "The passion is strong in my entire family. My father was a teacher, my sister is a teacher –– and the importance of teachers in shaping my development as a business professional and as a person connects back to the impact a handful of teachers had on my life."

The family of Jay Nibbe

Nibbe retired as Global Vice Chair, Markets with Ernst & Young and serves on the MSUM Foundation Board of Directors. His family's connection to MSUM spans three generations of Dragons, including his sister Dawn Guse '88, social studies, a recently retired social studies teacher from Zumbrota-Mazeppa High School. Dawn now leads the Nibbe Family Foundation as CEO and remains active coaching Zumbrota-Mazeppa's track & field team.

“We want our partnership with MSUM to encourage students to join the teaching profession, and our financial support extends beyond the students to fund innovation and new programs for the School, and recognition awards for the impact teachers have in our communities,” Dawn said. “This will be the focus of the gift to MSUM's Nibbe School of Teaching and Learning."

The newly named Nibbe School of Teaching & Learning, located in Lommen Hall, will bear the Nibbe name on its external signage and be integrated into its academic identity. More than a symbolic honor, this gift will reshape the school's ability to recruit, retain, and graduate highly qualified teachers ready to lead in classrooms and communities across the region.

The Nibbe gift will help transform MSUM's School of Teaching & Learning by addressing urgent needs in teacher preparation and support. Teaching remains one of society's most impactful professions, yet recent Pew research highlights mounting stress and burnout-77% of teachers report frequent stress and only one-third feel highly satisfied in their roles.

The gift will bolster MSUM's efforts to make PK-12 teaching both relevant and attractive by improving recruitment and retention strategies, preparing future educators for evolving challenges, and positioning MSUM as a lifelong partner for teachers through undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. It will also expand opportunities for continuous professional development, ensuring educators receive support at every career stage while inspiring the next generation of teachers.

"From our beginning, MSUM has proudly prepared teachers to serve and lead in our communities," said MSUM President Tim Downs. "This extraordinary gift builds on that legacy, giving our future educators the tools, experiences, and confidence to be innovators in the classrooms across the region."

The impact will be felt across enrollment and programming, enhancing support for students and driving innovation in teacher preparation. "We are excited about the real impact this will have - not just on our students, but on the classrooms and communities they will serve," Downs added.

The partnership with the Nibbe Family Foundation reflects shared values: a commitment to education, a belief in the power of teaching, and pride in MSUM's historic role in shaping the region's schools. As the Nibbe School of Teaching & Learning moves forward, its name will stand as a testament to that commitment-and to the transformative impact of investing in the next generation of educators.

Top image – L to R: Jay Nibbe, Dawn (Nibbe) Guse, VP for University Advancement Gary Haugo, President Tim Downs