NORTHERN TODAY 7 WINTER 2024 NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY | News LAYTON OLSON had a resource and a vision. What he didn’t have was a plan. Not, that is, until a collaborative effort between Olson and the Northern State University Foundation put one together. That plan allowed Olson to give the gift of education that will impact generations to come. Originally a farm kid from Beadle County, Olson, who graduated from Northern State in 1963, returned to the farm in the early 1980s. By the mid-1990s, Olson was presented with a unique opportunity – a teaching job in China. He stayed for the better part of the next two decades, teaching English to post-secondary Chinese students. It was, admittedly, a unique and somewhat unexpected career choice for Olson, who played football at Northern, then taught math for a while and spent some time in the banking arena before returning to the farm. “English was not my best subject,” Olson admitted. “When I told people I was going to go to China and teach English, they said, ‘You’re going to teach English?’” Olson was undeterred. As a young boy, he had watched a movie about Genghis Kahn and decided then and there he was going to go to China someday, so when the opportunity arrived, he took it. “I loved all the time I was there,” Olson said. Olson spent 17 years there, spending the majority of his time along the East Coast in Shandong Province. And it truly changed his perspective. So much so that when he retired back to the Sioux Falls area, he found himself wanting that sort of experience for other people as well. “Too many people in America have no idea about the rest of the world,” he said. “Probably a lot of people have never been out of South Dakota. Maybe they’ve been to Minneapolis for a Vikings game or a Twins game, but that’s the extent of their world travel.” Enter the plan. Olson, who bought the family farm from his parents in 1983, donated a portion of that land to Northern with stipulations that the money be used for post-secondary education scholarships, study abroad programs and Northern’s Common Read program. “(Northern is) still probably the best school in the Midwest for education, and education is very important,” Olson said. “There are people in South Dakota – and some other places – that could use some scholarships from this. Maybe I’ll get some joy out of seeing people that wouldn’t be able to go to school otherwise or making it easier for them to go to school.” The study abroad program will allow Northern State students to attend classes in other countries. While Olson appreciated his time in China, he said it’s not overtly necessary that students study there. But the perspective that comes with studying abroad is important, he said. “I think people need to see the world,” he said. “The time I spent in China, I probably learned more than I did in my formal education. … I think it’s important to give somebody the opportunity that wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity. … If even one person gets to go and it changes their perspective, how they see the world and their values, it’s money well spent.” For some, however, studying abroad just isn’t possible. That’s where the Common Read program comes in. Olson’s gift will allow Northern to bring higher-level speakers to campus. “If they can’t go,” Olson noted, “maybe somebody can come here.” While this is not the first time that Olson has donated funds to Northern, it stands as the culmination of decades of commitment to the institution. “This really started in the 80’s when my wife, Marlene, died of cancer,” Olson said. Olson started a scholarship in Marlene’s memory with the memorials he received. “It was not a large amount of money, but it was a start,” he said. “Over the years, the endowment has been added to by some of the students who actually received the scholarship and by me. Now, I can make a bigger difference. Most of the time, we start small and grow something over time.” Olson expressed gratitude for all the assistance he has received throughout the process and recommended reaching out to the Foundation with questions or ideas. Timing, of course, is everything when it comes to gifts of things like land and commodities, and Olson admitted he could wait until his death and simply pass along his estate. But that really didn’t fit either his values or his personality. “I could wait until I died,” he said. “But I don’t need (the land) now. I have other resources. … I really didn’t know what else to do with it. You don’t own land; you’re a steward of it. You have possession for a number of years, but I don’t need it now and I don’t think I should be a steward of it. And education was important to my parents and to my whole family.” Plus, by donating the land now, Olson gets to have a say in how it’s used. There are tax considerations, as well, but Olson said his main benefit will come from being able to see the tangible implications of his donation. “By giving this now, I get to see how it benefits both the students and the University community,” he said. Clayton Olson on Northern's campus green. Gift of land allows Clayton Olson to leave Northern legacy C By giving this now, I get to see how it benefits both the students and the University community. “ ” The NSU Foundation would like to thank Clayton for his donation in helping educate our next generation of leaders. If you are interested in supporting Northern State University, contact the NSU Foundation at 605-626-2550 or nsualumni@northern.edu.
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