Ralph Spencer Scholarship

The Ralph Spencer Scholarship is created for students majoring in WSU’s Physical Education and Sports Science Program.

Criteria

1. Each recipient must be an undergraduate student enrolled full-time (minimum 12 credit hours) at Winona State University.
2. Each recipient must be classified as a junior or senior and be in good standing at Winona State University with a minimum grade point average (g.p.a.) of 3.0 (4.0 = A).
3. Each recipient must be a declared major in Winona State University’s Health Physical Education and Recreation Program and plan to work with youth when he/she graduates.

*Biography/Motivation

This scholarship is established in memory of Ralph E. Spencer who graduated from Winona State University in 1940. He earned his masters degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While a student at WSU, he was a member of the football, basketball, baseball, and track teams earning 13 letters in all four sports. He served as football captain for the 1939 conference championship team and was named to the all-conference football team for three years. In 1938 and 1939 he starred on the conference championship basketball teams.
Ralph taught for ten years in high schools and colleges in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. He also served with the 54th Armored Field Artillery of the 3rd Armored Division in the European Theatre and received a battlefield promotion to 1st Lt. He was decorated with the Silver Star Medal, the third highest military honor in the U.S. At the time of his death in 1956, he was president of the Ironwood, Michigan, Kiwanis Club and a member of the American Legion and Bessemer Elks Lodge. A scholarship in his name was awarded for several years at Luther
L. Wright High School in Ironwood. In October 1985 he was inducted posthumously as a charter member of the Winona State University Hall of Fame.