Jim and Nancy Bensen have spent a lifetime shaping institutions, strengthening communities and opening doors for others in ways that continue to ripple outward today.
Jim’s connection to University of Wisconsin-Stout spans from graduate student to Distinguished Professor and Dean where he led transformational growth, including a period in which enrollment tripled, helped launch the Stout Technology Park and advanced applied research and industry partnerships. A Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in 1991, his influence helped position Stout as a national leader in applied learning. That same forward-thinking approach extended beyond campus. In Bemidji, his leadership helped fuel a nationally recognized model for community innovation, expanding entrepreneurship programs and supporting the creation of dozens of new ventures.
Nancy’s work transformed lives on an individual level, building education programs that empowered adult learners, English language learners and employees to gain critical skills, retain employment and pursue new opportunities, often restoring confidence along the way. Together, their impact spans both systems and people, strengthening communities across generations.
That shared commitment to growth and to people has defined their journey together from the very beginning. High school sweethearts from Erskine, Minnesota, Jim and Nancy built their lives guided by that mindset, evolving together while supporting one another’s ambitions.
“We’ve just tried to keep growing together, supporting each other along the way and staying open to what comes next,” Nancy said.
Jim and Nancy started their academic journeys in higher education while raising a young family. Nancy taught while finishing her degree, and Jim began to see a broader future in education and leadership that would take shape at University of Wisconsin-Stout.
Jim came to Stout to pursue his master’s degree and returned as a faculty member, where he quickly became a driver for change. He helped lead a complete transformation of the industrial education curriculum, modernizing programs to reflect emerging technologies and workforce needs. As his leadership grew, so did his impact. He helped establish research centers with global reach, launched one of the nation’s first university-based business incubators and led the development of the Stout Technology Park, creating a lasting connection between industry and the university.
“We were always looking ahead, asking what students would need next and how we could get there first,” Jim said. “Stout really gave me the opportunity to think differently. That mindset stayed with me throughout my career.”
Nancy forged her own path at Stout, earning her master’s degree in guidance and counseling. She applied that foundation in innovative ways, designing programs centered on individualized learning and human connection. Through her leadership in adult education, she built a program that expanded into a comprehensive resource serving learners from all backgrounds, from those seeking GED completion to employees adapting to rapidly changing industries.
“My experience at Stout helped me see the importance of meeting people where they are. Not everyone learns the same way, and that really stayed with me as I worked with adult learners.”
Nancy’s approach was rooted in trust and respect, where learners progressed at their own pace and gained not only skills, but confidence. Her work proved especially impactful in workforce training, helping employees transition into more technical roles while allowing companies to grow and retain their workforce.
Their shared belief in growth and innovation carried forward as Jim went on to serve as president of Dunwoody College of Technology and later Bemidji State University. In each role, he challenged traditional approaches and created new pathways for students and communities.
In retirement, that work evolved into community transformation. Through BemidjiLeads!, Jim helped guide long-term, forward-thinking planning for more than 20 years. The initiative helped grow an entrepreneurship program from just seven participants to more than 250 in its first four years, supported the launch of 51 new companies and sparked more than two dozen community ventures. The model expanded to 17 communities across Minnesota and helped Bemidji earn recognition from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as one of the most innovative communities in the nation.
“We’ve always talked about planning from the future. Where do you want to be and what do you want your community to look like? Then you work back from that and figure out how to get there. When people can see that future, they start to believe in it,” Jim said.
For both Jim and Nancy, their connection to University of Wisconsin-Stout remains central. It was at Stout where ideas were tested, opportunities were created and their shared commitment to growth took root. “Stout had a tremendous impact on both of us. It shaped how we think about education, about people and about what’s possible. It’s where we learned to keep growing and to help others do the same,” they said.
