Thoughtful planning

THE LEGACY OF ALUMNUS AND EMERITUS PROFESSOR HAL NEES, PH.D., AND HIS WIFE, SALLY, WILL LIVE ON AT MSU DENVER THROUGH AN ESTATE GIFT.

By Lynne Winter

With the passing this year of Sally Nees, widow of alumnus and Emeritus Professor Harol (Hal) Nees, Ph.D. (who died in 2013), the couple’s generous planned gift to Metropolitan State University of Denver has come to fruition.

The gift of about $350,000 will be added to the Dr. Hal Nees Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2014 to provide scholarship support in perpetuity to MSU Denver students with a declared major in Criminal Justice and Criminology and a passion for pursuing a career in that field.

“We are grateful to Hal and Sally Nees for their generosity and for the trust they placed in MSU Denver as we worked together to ensure that the intention of their gift is realized,” said Shelley Thompson, associate vice president of University Advancement. “Their thoughtful planning will help future students achieve their dream of earning a degree.”

Hal Nees, who graduated from MSU Denver with a degree in Law Enforcement in 1976, dedicated his life to Colorado communities. From 1970 to 1991, he rose in rank from officer to division chief with the Boulder Police Department. During his time with the department, he helped create the first domestic violence prevention program in Boulder County. Nees also served as police chief in Durango from 1991 to 1993 and as director of Community Corrections for Boulder County from 1993 to 1998. He earned a master’s degree in Criminal Justice and a doctorate in Public Administration from the University of Colorado Denver.

Nees rejoined the MSU Denver family in 1998 as an assistant professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, dedicating the next 13 years to transforming students’ lives. He served as chair of the Faculty Senate for four years and as faculty trustee for two years before retiring as a full professor in 2011. He was awarded emeritus status in 2012.

Loyal donors for over a decade, Hal and Sally Nees left an indelible mark on MSU Denver. Their support culminated with making the University a beneficiary of their estate, and their legacy will live on through scholarship recipients starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

LEARN MORE about planned giving at: msudenver.mylegacygift.org.