Thelma d’Allemand Lang of Litchfield, Neb., recently established a scholarship fund to benefit University of Nebraska at Kearney (UNK) students with a gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation.
The Thelma d’Allemand Lang Scholarship will provide a scholarship each year to a student studying English, speech or library science at UNK. Lang chose these areas because of their significance to her own education. “I had parents who knew the value of reading, and I have always had an interest in words,” she said. “In high school, the speech contests, drama and music clinics were as important as any of my other classes.”
Rodney Miller, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Humanities, expressed the university’s appreciation. “We are extremely grateful to Mrs. Lang for establishing this gift in memory of her husband,” he said. “This is a wonderful gift to the university and to the college. It will enable the college to further its mission to enhance the educational experience of its students.”
Thelma Lang hopes the scholarship fund enables many students to continue their education. “I know education is the key to successful careers and gives students not only a better life, but the opportunity to contribute to our society,” she said.
Lang’s most recent gift, which brings the scholarship fund to $10,000, was given in memory of her late husband, Byrel M. Lang. He graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and was member of Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, as well as a two-year letterman in baseball. He went on to a career in professional baseball, and signed as pitcher for the San Francisco Seals. Later, he signed a contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1984, he was elected to the Nebraska Baseball Hall of Fame.
Thelma Lang attended UNL for two years, later transferring to UNK where she graduated in 1959 with majors in English and history. She holds professional certificates in both elementary and secondary education and was a classroom teacher and administrator for 30 years.
She served as member of the Nebraska State Education Association Board of Directors and represented Nebraska on the National Education Board of Directors in Washington, D.C. As a member of these boards she served on legislative committees, where she worked to improve teachers’ salary schedules, contracts and retirement benefits.
In 1987, Lang received UNK’s Outstanding Alumna Award and recently was honored to become a member of the UNK Chancellor’s Club. Always dedicated to the Litchfield community, she was co-editor of its Centennial History book. The University of Nebraska Foundation is a non-profit corporation supplementing support for students, faculty, facilities and programs at the University of Nebraska’s four campuses through gifts from alumni, friends, corporations and other foundations.
