New WNC scholarship for Fallon classes honors Mike Dugan

Courtesy Steve Yingling, Western Nevada College

A new scholarship through the Western Nevada College Foundation honors the memory of Michael Albert Dugan. The Mike Dugan Memorial Scholarship will be awarded annually to a Fallon, Churchill County or rural student to be used toward materials for online or Fallon campus classes.

“This scholarship will honor Mike’s passion for education, talent for teaching and his love of books,” said Ginny Dugan, Mike’s wife of 39 years.

Following a successful 22 years with the United States Navy as an air traffic controller, Dugan returned to school and earned his master’s degree in speech communications from the University of Nevada, Reno. Soon after, he launched his second career at the Western Nevada College Fallon campus teaching public speaking, oral communication and cinema as art and communication. Dugan soon became a student favorite, twice earning the distinguished award of WNC Instructor of the Year.

“Mike was a good friend and a great instructor. He was well-liked by his students and fellow teachers. He never took himself too seriously. He always had a joke and a smile to make you feel good,” said Bus Scharmann, Churchill County commissioner, a member of the WNC Institutional Advisory Council and former dean of the WNC Fallon Campus.

Dugan was an avid reader and especially loved science fiction novels. He also had a talent for technology and was among the first of WNC instructors to take advantage of distance-learning techniques. He later authored a technical manual on the subject.

“Mike would love knowing that, through these scholarships, his legacy will allow students easier access to the materials they need to be successful in college,” said Ginny, also a former Western Nevada College employee.

Each year, the Mike Dugan Memorial Scholarship will award a student $500 to help with their book and classroom material expenses.

WNC Foundation scholarship applications have increased by 20 percent year over year, creating a greater need for student scholarship support than ever before.

“The Mike Dugan Memorial Scholarship is very generous and much needed. Mike was important to the Western Nevada College Fallon campus. It’s wonderful to see him remembered in this way,” said WNC Acting President Mark Ghan.

For information on contributing to the Mike Dugan Memorial Scholarship, contact WNC Foundation at 775-445-3239, visit wnc.edu/foundation to make an online donation or send a check made out to the WNC Foundation in care of Angela Viera, Western Nevada College Fallon Campus,160 Campus Way, Fallon, Nevada 89406.