In 1963, while working as a top salesperson for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Don Larson, ’58 B.A., ’62 M.A., decided to prove a theory in his master’s thesis—that someone could get into newspaper publishing for less than $1,000 using offset printing (a technique that produces large quantities of high-quality prints at a low cost).

The result was Minnesota’s first fully offset newspaper, the Crow River News, which served five towns in the northwest metro. “Don loved giving small towns a voice,” Carole Larson, ’64 B.A., says of her husband.

During the next 40 years, the couple bought and helped numerous community newspapers, earning Don a reputation as a troubleshooter.

The Larsons also generously supported their alma mater, the University of Minnesota Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication. They established a scholarship, donated equipment, and hired students as interns.

In 2006, Don received the College of Liberal Arts Alumni of Notable Achievement Award in recognition of his contributions to business and journalism. After he died in 2016, Carole established the Don R. and Carole J. Larson Professorship in Journalism with a $1 million gift.

In keeping with Don’s pioneering spirit, it will fund a position in a critical field—health communications.