Gifts Come in Many Forms
Wendy and Larry Shannon leave a legacy at UMR through their contributions of time, scholarships and now a planned gift.
At this year’s commencement, Dr. Wendy Shannon—who has attended 12 of the 13 University of Minnesota Rochester (UMR) graduation ceremonies — reflected on the work of the graduates, their futures and their impact on the world. “The skills they have in technology, with artificial intelligence and with research, and what they will do to advance care in critical areas like cancer and dementia — I had goose bumps thinking about the difference each graduate will make in our state, our nation and our world in health care professions. UMR is a world-class, innovative higher education institution.”
Wendy has had a lifelong passion and commitment to education. Her many gifts to the UMR community over the past two decades have helped create the innovative health education model that can adapt to best train today’s health care students and tomorrow’s health care leaders and improve outcomes for the patients and communities they serve. Now, she and her husband Larry are continuing their legacy to the UMR community with a planned gift.
“We are both very proud of UMR’s role in developing programs like College-in-3 to help students ‘Get Forward Faster.’ Chancellor Carrell holds a national leadership role. It is a movement led by faculty, students and strategic partners to redesign higher education for this new era.”
The Shannons’ many gifts to UMR began with sharing their time.
Over the past 40 years, Wendy has dedicated herself to public education and actively supported higher education. From 2005-07, she served on the Rochester Higher Education Development Committee (RHEDC), appointed by then Governor Tim Pawlenty. The work of this group led to the development of UMR. She credits the foresight and innovation of Gov. Pawlenty, Robert Bruininks, the U of M President at the time, and UMR’s two chancellors, Chancellor Emeritus Stephen Lehmkuhle and current Chancellor Lori Carrell, with leading the way for the successful UMR program.
“Students are at the center. Research informs practice. Partners make it possible. The model is very different — it’s about partners more than brick and mortar. It was created as a new university with a niche of focusing on health care professions and biosciences. That’s a very unique niche.”
Because students are at the center, UMR has created a strong system to assist their efforts, such as Living Learning Communities and JustASK spaces. “When you talk to students — which I do, including our own scholarship recipients — they feel they’re part of a community, that everyone is working towards their success,” says Wendy. “They have tremendous opportunities at Mayo Clinic, the contacts they’re making, internships, research opportunities, it really is endless. The students know it’s unique and going to be a tremendous experience for them. They are even a little overwhelmed with opportunities when you listen to them at research symposiums.”
Wendy points to the Capstone experience as clear proof of what’s possible with UMR’s approach to student support. “It just knocks your socks off in terms of the work they’ve done. It’s transformational.”
Larry adds, “Students who come to UMR are motivated to seize opportunities that surround them, including numerous Mayo Clinic partnerships.”
Along with time and leadership, Wendy and Larry have given financial support to UMR students from the very beginning of the program. They began an annual scholarship in 2007, and in 2022 took it to the next level by endowing it. It is awarded to one student each year. They both enjoy the opportunity to meet the recipients at the annual fall scholarship celebration and make that important face-to face connection. “We talk about their journey, why they chose UMR. That’s always a big question. In many cases, they have a connection to a medical profession, maybe they have been at Mayo Clinic with a family member.”
Wendy and Larry know the importance of scholarship support having been recipients while students themselves at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (UMTC). They’re both first-generation college graduates, originally from Grand Rapids, Minnesota.
Larry attended Itasca Community College for a year, took a year off, then attended UMTC, earning a Bachelor of Science from the College of Forestry. He worked to fund his own education, which made the scholarship very important for him. Wendy, who was raised by a single mother who promoted college education, had her sights set on either Drake or UMTC. She chose the latter because she was awarded a scholarship each year, along with Pell grants. Her mother supported her as much as she was able.
Because we received scholarships, we’re now in a position in our lives to give back — and how neat it is to be able to meet your scholarship recipient,” says Wendy.
In 1977, Larry started surveying in Rochester and became licensed. “During my 32-year career at McGhie and Betts, Inc., I observed the growth and development of the Rochester region. Rochester was the right location for a fifth campus of the University of Minnesota,” he says.
Wendy went on to earn a master’s degree in secondary education with an emphasis in economics, and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction in 1989. Among her many positions, she served as superintendent of the Byron School District from 1999-2012, director of the graduate induction program and department chair at Winona State University and chair of the Home Federal Savings Bank board of directors.
Wendy has also given her time in volunteer leadership roles with many organizations, including the Rochester Area Center Board, the University Center Rochester Advisory Board, Greater Rochester Advocates for Universities and Colleges and the Home Federal Savings Bank Board. Serving on the RHEDC, the committee that helped create UMR, was one of her most fulfilling and invigorating roles, she says, because of the energy and visionary insight of the committee and the outcome.
“The opportunity to be on the governor’s RHEDC was one of the most positive tasks I’ve had in a lifetime. The synergy of the people chosen to think outside the box, to create UMR and to have the power brokers in the right place to support it. Members of that task force were just incredible, wonderful thinkers.”
Now, Wendy and Larry are enlarging the legacy they leave to UMR with a planned gift. “We began thinking about it the last time we updated our will and turned it into a trust. It was a logical conversation to have. Now that we’re in our early 70s, we are realizing we’re aging and want to prepare for where we would like our assets to go upon our death. It wasn’t a difficult decision. Larry knows how important UMR is to me, and he has become engaged as well.”
Wendy continues to play an active role at UMR. She currently chairs Chancellor Carrell’s advisory and advocacy council, which meets four times a year and serves as a think tank. “We look at where UMR is at the present and where it’s heading. Our belief is that the health sciences profession is most critical. Some UMR students will be serving rural communities in Minnesota and across the country. Part of the vision now is to grow the campus to 2,500 students. It’s an exciting time to think about what opportunities there are for UMR to grow. Students are the center of that.”
The Shannons’ planned gift will continue to support that effort through the Chancellor’s Fund for Innovation. “We’re pleased with the decision we’ve made to support UMR,” says Wendy. “It’s centered on investing in our future, thinking of the limitless possibilities of these young people in terms of the health sciences professions. I’m hopeful that I’ll run into them when I’m a patient at Mayo Clinic. There is the potential for them to change their professions.”
“We’re UMR proud, I guess you could say,” she adds. “In all capital letters.”
Moving forward, the Shannons are excited to see the growth in support for the UMR community. “Our hope is for more scholarships to be given by donors, investing in UMR students so they can develop their potential, spread their wings, pursue their dreams in the health care field and make a difference in our world.”
Read more stories from the Fall 2025 Alumni Magazine: The Kettle.