Regents approve named spaces within Wigton Heritage Center

The University of Nebraska Board of Regents Friday approved the naming of several spaces within the Wigton Heritage Center, which is slated to open next spring.

Per regental policy, large campus areas — such as plazas and atriums — must have board approval. In addition, facilities named after current employees or individuals who have been retired less than five years, also must be approved. As a result, the board formally approved the:

• Dr. Leland and Dorothy Olson Atrium;
• William H. Northwall, M.D. Plaza; and the
• Stanton D. Harn, Ph.D., Dental Gallery.

“We are grateful to these individuals for their generosity and dedication to UNMC,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD. “Each has left an indelible mark in their field, and these named spaces further ensure that future generations know the critical role each has played in shaping our history.”

The late Leland J. Olson, MD, and his wife, Dorothy, were longtime philanthropists and investors in the future of women’s health. Over the years, the Olsons remained committed to advancing research, education and patient care at the University of Nebraska. Their family and The Olson Foundation continue that work to this day.

Dr. Olson graduated from UNMC in 1944 and eventually started his own practice, Midwest OB GYN at Methodist Hospital. During the last couple of years in practice, he was chief of staff at Methodist. Dorothy received her nursing degree from UNMC in 1943 and her Bachelor of Science in nursing from UNO (formerly Omaha University) in 1967. During her life, she was active in the American Medical Association Auxiliary and served on the board of several non-profit organizations in Omaha.

An Omaha native, Dr. Northwall obtained his B.A. degree in 1963 from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, and graduated from the UNMC College of Medicine in 1967. While at UNMC, he was a member of Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity. After a year of internship at Nebraska Methodist Hospital, he returned to UNMC for a residency in radiology. Dr. Northwall practiced in Kearney, Nebraska, from 1972 until 1998. He retired to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he lives with his wife, Ethel Merrigan.

An emeritus faculty member, Dr. Harn taught anatomy for 45 years in the College of Dentistry before retiring in 2017. In addition to winning many teaching awards, he is the long-time curator of the College of Dentistry Museum. Dr. Harn started curating the Dental Museum to teach students about the history of dentistry, which most dental schools had dropped from their curricula. The Dental Museum represents one of the largest collections of dental artifacts in the United States, dating from the 1850s to the present.

Construction on the Wigton Heritage Center began in June 2019. The center, named for 1969 College of Medicine alumnus, Robert Wigton, MD, will highlight the unique history of the medical center, as well as serve as a campus welcome center.