Perpetual Growth, Sustainable Gifts
Dr. Arnold Fenske ’52 understands the importance of supporting the next generations of physicians, especially those needed to serve smaller communities. After all, he was a small-town farm boy himself, growing up on a homestead near Hetland, South Dakota.
Arnold completed the two-year program at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine in 1952 and finished his medical degree at the University of Iowa’s school of medicine. That’s where he met his wife-to-be, Alanna, an Iowa native who was working in Iowa City as a nurse.
Dr. Fenske spent 60 years practicing medicine, most of them caring for the residents of Winona, Minnesota, at Winona Health. He remained in that community for 54 years, retiring in 2014 at the age of 84.
USD and the medical school launched Dr. Fenske on a long and satisfying career for which he and Alanna are incredibly grateful. They began to consider how they would leave a lasting impact at USD, a place that has had a significant impact on Dr. Fenske’s life.
“Live with an attitude of gratitude, it makes life more pleasant,” Dr. Fenske has said. “We’ve had a lot of miracles in life. We have enjoyed getting to know and mentor many medical students throughout the years and developed close relationships with them.”
In 2008, Dr. Fenske and Alanna established the Dr. Arnold W. & Alanna J. Fenske Scholarship Endowment to provide incoming medical students with renewable scholarships. Before creating the endowment, they gave often and frequently to the Sanford School of Medicine, but the endowment has increased their impact at the SSOM.
This year alone, the Fenske Scholarship Endowment has lessened the medical education financial burden for 17 SSOM students; to date, the endowment has assisted more than 27 students in total, paying out more than 100 renewable scholarships.
“It represents more than just financial assistance – it’s a symbol of encouragement and belief in my ability to make a meaningful difference, particularly in providing high-quality care to underserved rural communities in South Dakota,” Popp said.
“This scholarship has strengthened my commitment to this path and inspires me to work harder to live up to the values it represents.”
The Fenskes were awarded the Sanford School of Medicine Award for Friendship in 2015, given in recognition of their extraordinary and unwavering support for the students and the mission of the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine.
“USD really changed my life,” Dr. Fenske said. “I had a very good life because of it.”
“This support empowers me to prepare for a career in rural emergency medicine, where I can combine clinical expertise and leadership skills to address critical health care disparities,” Popp explained. “The scholarship has also motivated me to contribute to the same spirit of giving by mentoring future students and advocating for improved health care access in South Dakota.”
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