Fall 2025 Issue

In the vast, fertile fields of Cozad, Nebraska, Noel Cover cultivated more than just crops and cattle — he cultivated a dream for a future he would never see. Born in 1884, Cover, a prominent farmer and rancher, and his wife, Nellie, worked the land their entire lives.

The couple had no children of their own, but they shared a powerful, unshakable belief in the promise of education. They envisioned a harvest that would far outlast their own lifetimes, one that would plant seeds of opportunity for generations of young people.

When Noel Cover passed away in 1976, that dream, rooted firmly in the Nebraska soil, began to grow. His estate, including approximately 1,000 acres of irrigated farmland, was dedicated to creating the Noel Cover Foundation. Its sole purpose was to provide a perpetual source of scholarship funding for deserving students.

The immense task of translating this farmer’s final wishes into a working philanthropic entity fell to a dedicated group of stewards. His long-time secretary, Pearl Robertson, alongside board members Chuck Addy, Dale Landercasper and Jerry Macken, took up the mantle, ensuring the fruits of Cover’s life’s work would open doors for others.

The board carefully selected four institutions they believed would best honor Cover’s values: Hastings College in Nebraska, St. Olaf College in Minnesota, the University of Denver in Colorado, and Central College. The foundation’s mission was clear: To support male students from Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado and Wyoming as they pursued degrees in science, engineering, medicine and social sciences.

For nearly 50 years, the foundation has quietly and profoundly transformed lives. At Central, hundreds of students received Noel Cover Scholarships, providing the crucial support that made their educational aspirations a reality.

“The Noel Cover Foundation’s generosity powerfully impacted generations of Central students,” says Sunny Gonzales Eighmy ’99, Central’s vice president for advancement. “These scholarships opened so many doors and empowered students to go out and do a world of good. We are incredibly grateful for the foundation’s partnership and the transformative legacy it leaves behind.”

The spirit of generosity proved to be contagious. Pearl Robertson was so moved that she was inspired to create her own legacy. She established the Pearl L. Robertson Endowed Scholarship at Central, creating a ripple of generosity that continues to spread today.

This year, the Noel Cover Foundation’s board determined its half-century of work was complete. In a culminating act of philanthropy, the foundation sunset its operations with two final transformational gifts totaling $943,250 to Central. This brings the foundation’s total giving to Central to nearly $2.5 million, part of more than $9 million in scholarships awarded across the Midwest.

“It has been our distinct honor to carry out the final wishes of Noel Cover,” Macken says. “To see his vision come to fruition is a remarkable legacy. This final distribution completes a mission that began with a local farmer’s strong belief in education, and we are proud to have been stewards of his generosity.”

While the foundation has now completed its mission, its story at Central is far from over. Its legacy lives on through the lives of student scholarship recipients, ensuring the harvest planted by the Covers nourishes their dreams for a lifetime.

THE FIRST OF MANY

When the Noel Cover Scholarship was first awarded at Central, its impact was immediate. The inaugural recipient, Paul Heideman ’76, emeritus professor of biology at William & Mary, credits the scholarship with shaping both his confidence and career.

“At that time in my life, I had low confidence in my ability,” Heideman recalls. “The scholarship was evidence that others thought I had potential — and that made a big difference.”

The financial support allowed him to reduce part-time work and devote more time to his senior honors thesis and summer field research in Yucatán, Mexico — experiences that inspired his Ph.D. studies in evolutionary ecology at the University of Michigan.

“It was my first introduction to private giving to colleges,” he says. “Ever since, I’ve understood the kind of impact scholarships can have.”

Throughout his career as a professor, Heideman has worked to ensure students have the same kinds of transformative opportunities that once changed his own life — advocating for research, experiential learning and scholarships that open doors for others.

“The Noel Cover Scholarship made a long-lasting difference,” he says. “It was fuel for more opportunities later — and I’ve tried to ensure that same kind of support reaches future generations.”