SPEARFISH - Former South Dakota legislator Harvey Krautschun and his wife, Joy, both graduates of Black Hills State, have announced they are donating $1 million to the university in Spearfish.

The specifics of their legacy, through life insurance policies, are being worked on with school officials, Krautschun said Tuesday. He said they want to give the school some flexibility in disbursing the scholarship funding, although there will be a requirement to encourage academic performance.

Both were involved in athletics and want to show that "jocks" can be scholars, too, he said.

As importantly, the funding is to repay a school and community that have provided countless blessings to them individually and as a family.

He graduated from BH in 1972, and she graduated a year later.

He is a partner in Financial Benefits Inc., a company he started 25 years ago, specializing in insurance and benefits planning. He served in the state House of Representatives for 12 years, rising to House speaker before retiring from elected service in 1996.

Joy Krautschun was instrumental in starting and coaching the university's first varsity women's basketball team. A physical education and music major, she taught both at the Lead-Deadwood and Spearfish school districts.

Active in community organizations, she volunteers at the Spearfish Food Pantry and as a reading assistant at Spearfish Elementary School.

She and her husband are emeritus members of the school's alumni board, which is conducting a $30 million long-term funding campaign. In nearly its first year, the effort has raised $5 million.

Harvey Krautschun recalls when people doubted funding could be raised for the school's E.Y. Berry Library Learning Center and the expansion of what is now Spearfish Regional Hospital.

"Spearfish is about getting things done," he said.

Other recent BHSU campaign pledges include:

• $72,500 from the John T. Vucurevich Foundation in Rapid City, its third gift in as many years, so far committing $125,000 in math and science education scholarships to South Dakota students not eligible for federal aid.
• $50,000 from Jim Hess, professor of psychology, to further supplement the Lois Watts Scholarship (named for his grandmother) for BHSU psychology majors.
• $50,000 from Jim Hood, Class of '69 and Kathy (Donahue), Class of '77, to establish the Kathleen G. Hood Elementary Education Scholarship Endowment. The scholarship will be awarded to a junior or senior elementary education major. Jim is a longtime attorney in Spearfish, and Kathy is an elementary school principal in Sundance, Wyo.
• $50,000 from David Mickelson, Class of '94, and Valerie Mickelson, Sioux Falls, along with his mother Linda Mickelson Graham, his brother Mark Mickelson, his sister Amy Brecht, and their families, to establish the Mickelson Family Athletic Endowment. David was a member of the Yellow Jacket football team.
• $48,000 from First Premier Bankcard/First Premier Bank. Athletic scholarships will receive $20,000, and $28,000 will provide scholarships for full-time students who work part-time at First Premier Bankcard in Spearfish. First Premier's giving has now totals nearly $300,000 to BHSU.
• $25,000 from Dan Dryden, Class of '68 and Judy (Boydston), Class of '70. He served in the Rapid City School system as an assistant superintendent for Business Affairs. She was the director of special services for the Rapid City School system. She serves on the BHSU Foundation Board and is a member of the Campaign Steering Committee.
• $13,000 from the Cowboys and Candle Light Dinner and Auction, held in conjunction with the annual Will Lantis Yellow Jacket Stampede Rodeo. The funds included $2,000 from the Lantis Foundation, will help with travel expenses and scholarships for the rodeo team.

For more on the Harvey Krautschun back story, check out the Copy blog.