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University of Nebraska Mourns Passing of Longtime Supporter Bill Scott

The University of Nebraska community is mourning the passing of Bill Scott, who together with his wife Ruth was one of the most transformative donors in the university’s history. The Scott family confirmed Bill Scott’s death Tuesday at the age of 93.


Both natives of Ashland and University of Nebraska graduates, Ruth and Bill Scott have been deeply rooted and invested in the Omaha community and the State of Nebraska throughout their lives. With a focus on supporting education and children through their foundation, the Scotts have contributed greatly to the city’s and state’s progress, health and vitality in a quiet but exceptional way.

The Scotts’ generosity has benefited students, faculty and programs across all the University of Nebraska campuses. Just a few examples of their giving include the Ruth and Bill Scott Student Plaza at UNMC; the UNMC Student Life Center redevelopment and expansion; the Munroe-Meyer Institute; the College of Nursing facility in Lincoln; the Frederick F. Paustian Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center; the leadership gift for the Health Science Education Complex at UNK; the leadership gift for the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex (or what Bill Scott has affectionately named “The Doug”); the Dreamers Pathway Scholarship and Project Achieve to support first-generation students, students with limited incomes and students with disabilities at UNO; the John and Jan Christensen Concert Hall in the redeveloped Strauss Performing Arts Center; the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center; the Biomechanics Research Facility and its expansion; Barbara Hibner Soccer Stadium in Lincoln; the Gnotobiotic Mouse Facility and Nebraska Food for Health Center at UNL; and the Cherish Nebraska exhibit space at Morrill Hall.

In 2009 they received the Board of Regents’ most prestigious honor, the Regents Medal, for their contributions.

Bill Scott, a 1953 graduate of the UNL College of Business, joined the Buffett Partnership in 1959 and Berkshire Hathaway in 1970, where he remained until the early 1990s. Ruth Scott, who earned her bachelor’s degree from UNL in education, became a teacher and went on to found the Omaha Bridge Studio.

Following are statements on Bill Scott’s passing from the senior leadership of the University of Nebraska.

Chris Kabourek

University of Nebraska (NU) System Interim President

I had the pleasure of meeting Bill Scott at a university event just last week. He and Ruth were as warm, funny, down-to-earth and generous as everyone had told me they would be. I’ll always remember Bill closing the event by pulling out his trumpet and playing "There is No Place Like Nebraska" while the chancellors and I sang along. The Scotts are the true embodiment of great Nebraska philanthropy. While they never wanted attention or credit for any of it, it would be impossible to overstate the impact their generosity has had on the lives of students and Nebraskans. The University of Nebraska is a stronger, more accessible, more impactful institution for the leadership and vision of Ruth and Bill. We have lost a great Nebraskan, but Bill’s legacy will touch our university and state for many generations. All of us at the University of Nebraska thank Bill for his lifetime of service and extend our deepest sympathy to Ruth and the Scott family at this sad time.

Brian Hastings

University of Nebraska Foundation President and CEO

Bill Scott was truly one of a kind. He was a treasure to Nebraska and its University – a man who gave generously touching so many projects and programs at the University of Nebraska through his many thoughtful investments. He gave simply to help others and to make Nebraska a great place to live and raise a family, and he did it all without ever wanting to be in the spotlight. We are all better for having known Bill Scott. He will be deeply missed.



Transformative Philanthropy: Bill and Ruth Scott's Lasting Legacy at UNO

contact: Victoria Kohout - UNO Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications
email: vkohout@unomaha.edu


Chancellor Christensen, Bill Scott, Ruth Scott

Chancellor Emeritus John Christensen, Ph.D., presents Bill and Ruth Scott with an Honorary Degree — the Doctor of Humane Letters (2017).


As long-time supporters of the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), Bill and Ruth Scott have helped grow UNO’s physical footprint, its impact locally and globally, its retention-focused student support programs, and its involvement in the community.


Statements on Bill Scott's Passing from the Maverick Family

Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA

UNO Chancellor

Bill and Ruth Scott’s contribution to the University of Nebraska including UNO is immense. Bill Scott and Ruth changed the trajectory of this urban university, especially in our world-renowned biomechanics department, and created a multigenerational impact among our communities by funding critical student support initiatives. Words don’t seem enough to describe how saddened we are to lose one of our most inspirational philanthropists but to quote Winston Churchill “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” This sums up Bill’s life and the profound effect he had on our entire community. Our hearts go out to Ruth and the Scott family.

Cathy Pettid, LMHP

Associate Vice Chancellor | Dean of Students
Student Life & Wellbeing

Hundreds of students have achieved their dream of earning a college degree, been helped out of a crisis, or pushed just a little harder to earn an incentive scholarship thanks to Bill and Ruth Scott's contributions to student life and wellbeing. The last time I saw Bill, he was smiling, laughing, and enjoying conversation with students. It's a beautiful memory made all the more poignant with his passing. I am forever grateful for his generosity and thankful that he was able to experience the deep gratitude from the students whose lives are forever changed because of his generosity. His was a life well lived!

Adrian Dowell

Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics

Our hearts go out to Ruth and the family due to the passing of our friend Bill Scott. The Scott's have had an immeasurable impact, not only at UNO, but also our Omaha community and state. The fruits of their generosity will have a multigenerational impact and we are forever grateful for Bill's profound support of Omaha Athletics.

Nikolaos Stergiou, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean and Director, Division of Biomechanics and Research Development, College of Education; Distinguished Community Research Professor and Founding Chair, Department of Biomechanics; Director, Center for Research in Human Movement Variability (MOVCENTR)

Despite being far from my biological family, Bill and Ruth transformed Omaha into a home for me. Bill, in particular, became the closest thing to a father figure I've ever had. His attentive ear, wise counsel, and the deep desire to make him proud have filled me with a sense of belonging and purpose that drives me to keep working hard to this day. I know how proud and excited he was to learn of our most recent research award within the last few weeks. One of the best memories of my life was singing to Bill (and Ruth) when they were inducted as the Face on the Barroom Floor. The last line of that song seems like a fitting send off for Bill - You’ve made this… possible. He will be missed.


The Impact of Bill and Ruth Scott's Philanthropy

Building Construction, Redevelopment, and Expansions

  • Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center (CEC) Construction: The Scotts were principal benefactors for the construction of the CEC at UNO. When the CEC opened, UNO was the first and only university to have a facility dedicated to community engagement across the globe. At 60,000 square feet, the building provides office space and fosters opportunities for collaborative partnerships between nonprofit, government, student and university organizations and initiatives. The center supports UNO’s goal to continue its leadership in the areas of service learning partnerships, volunteer programs, and graduate-level research on community engagement.

  • Baxter Arena: The Scotts supported the creation of Baxter Arena, UNO’s on-campus home for hockey, basketball, and volleyball. The arena seats 7,898 fans for hockey and features two sheets of ice. Construction on the facility began in 2014, and Baxter Arena hosted its first athletic event — a weekend hockey series vs. Air Force — in Oct. 2015. The Mavericks swept the series. Fundraising for Baxter Arena was led by Heritage Services of Omaha and the University of Nebraska Foundation.

  • Biomechanics Research Building Expansion: The Biomechanics Research Building opened in the fall of 2013, establishing UNO at the forefront of the research field as the world's first stand-alone building dedicated solely to this area of study. The Scotts provided the lead donation on the $11.6 million expansion project completed in 2019. The expansion brought the facility to 57,000 square feet and adding critical space for research, machining, prototyping and education. The Scotts also established the UNO Distinguished Community Research Chair in Biomechanics.

  • CPACS Redevelopment and Expansion: The Scotts supported the redevelopment and expansion of the former engineering building into the new home of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS). The CPACS building houses seven units plus several subunits of the College of Public Affairs and Community Service, and contains high-tech rooms utilizing various pieces of multimedia equipment.

  • Mammel Hall Construction: Along with Carl and Joyce Mammel, the Scotts made a generous gift allowing the college to build the $38.5 million, 120,000 square foot, state-of-the-art facility, "Mammel Hall," without taxpayer funding or incurring any debt. In 2016, the Scotts were extended membership to the college’s Lucas Society — which honors individuals and organizations that have made a substantial commitment to the growth and continued success of the college. Induction into the Lucas Society is the highest honor bestowed on supporters of the UNO College of Business Administration.

  • Roskens Hall Redevelopment and Expansion: Formerly home to the College of Business Administration, Roskens Hall was transformed in 2010-2011 into a modern educational facility to house the College of Education (later the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences). The building features classroom facilities and outreach clinics focused on teaching, educational administration, counseling, learning disabilities, and speech/hearing education. The Scotts provided the lead gift to support the redevelopment of the building, benefitting what they believed is one of Omaha’s greatest assets — its teachers. Ruth Scott is a former teacher.

  • Strauss Performing Arts Center Redevelopment and Expansion: The Scotts supported the 2018-2019 redevelopment of and addition to the Strauss Performing Arts Center, providing a leadership gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation, which along with state and university funds, made the $18.3 million project possible. The center now features a renovated concert hall to accommodate nearly 400 guests for events including concerts, rehearsals, UNO’s State of the University address, and more. A new, smaller recital hall also was added during the addition to seat 100 guests. The update included an addition of 25,000 square feet encompassing practice rooms, teaching spaces with studios for the keyboard, brass, percussion and technology areas, and a recording studio. Existing rooms were updated and outfitted with new equipment.


Programs and Initiatives

The generosity of Bill and Ruth Scott has benefited numerous critical student support programs and campus-community initiatives at UNO. To illustrate, here are just a few examples:

Student Support Programs

In 2005, John Scott, chairman of the William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation, befriended UNO’s TRIO Project Achieve program. This friendship resulted in a higher retention and graduation rate for more than 150 UNO undergraduates who qualify as first-generation, low-income, and/or disabled. Through a flexible and highly personalized teaching and support model, Project Achieve works to ensure that students remain in good academic standing, stay in school, and ultimately become UNO graduates. The Scotts have also supported scholars in the Dreamer’s Pathway Scholarship Program, and Mavericks in other retention-focused programs throughout the university.

University of Nebraska Teachers Scholars Academy

In 2018, the Scotts announced their financial support for the creation of the University of Nebraska Teachers Academy pilot program at UNO, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Their gift, made to the University of Nebraska Foundation, provided full-tuition scholarships plus $8,000 annually for other educational costs for students across the three campuses. Academy students have access to learning communities and peer networking opportunities to strengthen retention and maximize their professional development. The Scholars Academy aims to address one of Nebraska's most pressing workforce needs — teachers. Read about the academy's first graduate.

Child Welfare Cohort

In 2016, the Scotts partnered with the College of Public Affairs and Community Service (CPACS), UNO’s Grace Abbott School of Social Work, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), as well as nonprofits Project Harmony and Nebraska Families Collaborative, to launch the Child Welfare Cohort. The program provides a tuition-free, hybrid master’s degree program specifically for employees working in child welfare.

Internships and After School Programs

The Scotts support the College of Information Science & Technology's (IS&T) Summer High School Internship Program and the iSTEM After School Program. In the internship program, local high school students work alongside faculty and students in areas such as robotics, bioinformatics, software engineering, cybersecurity, public health informatics, database-driven web development, IT innovation, the open community participation research lab, music informatics, app development, and the gaming lab. The internship gives students the opportunity to learn new concepts, tools and skills, work on real research, help solve development problems, and explore potential careers in IT. The iSTEM After School Program helps younger students learn at home through workshops made for online and unplugged experiences.


Honoring the Scotts

The Scotts have received multiple awards from UNO.

Order of the Tower

In 2011, UNO presented the William and Ruth Scott Foundation with the Order of the Tower. The award honors community leaders whose exemplary service or financial support have advanced the mission of the University of Nebraska at Omaha. This award is the highest honor given to community leaders whose lasting gifts of service or financial support have left an indelible mark on the institution.

UNO College of Education Award of Distinction

In 2016, the Scotts received an Award of Distinction from the UNO College of Education.

Honorary Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters

In 2017, UNO presented the Scotts with an honorary degree — the Doctor of Humane Letters. This degree honors those who have made extraordinary contributions to the humanities or to human condition.