MSU Alum Uses Asset to "Pay it Forward" to Mayville State's Young Athletes

Leo Hannon was an outstanding alum of Mayville State University. A class of 1947 education graduate, Leo went on to a successful career as a teacher and coach. So successful as a coach was he that he was inducted into the MSU Coaches Hall of Fame. Leo had a passion for helping young people. Especially those who were underprivileged.

In fact one of his crowning achievements later in life was founding the Los Pinos High School for juvenile criminal offenders. Students at the school were doing time for crimes ranging from drunk driving to assaulting a police officer. But Leo, who had always been thankful for the character building and ethics he had learned at Mayville State wanted to help other young people attain those same character traits.

During his tenure there until 1961, the school's average daily attendance was 60 students a day, many with discipline problems. Despite the constantly changing student body with these discipline issues, the school had a championship California Inter-Scholastic Federation (CIF) sports program that won not only games but a sportsmanship award from the Los Angeles Dodgers for its achievements in baseball.

Throughout his life, Leo followed MSU athletics. When Leo's wife Julia passed away, a few years before his death, there was an unused asset that Leo wanted to pass on to help young people. He crafted his will and created a bequest for Mayville State University. His experience and enjoyment of athletics at MSU led Leo to make plans in his estate to give a gift of $10,000 to the Comet Athletic Club to help young athletes with scholarships to support their education. Leo felt athletics were the best classroom to teach discipline and ethics.

Mayville State University offers educational materials to alum like Leo to plan their estates to benefit their families and their favorite charities. Contact John Klocke, Executive Director and Planned Giving Director to request a free information kit on how to prepare for the process of creating an estate plan. You can call John at 701-788-4787 or email him at [email protected] .