UM grad donates $100k to scholarship fund

By Jim Beyer
J-School Web reporter

Ted Hilgenstuhler

Ted Hilgenstuhler, a 1950 J-School alum who had a lengthy career in print and broadcast media, has donated $100,000 to the School, money that is helping staff, students and faculty.

“Ted loves Montana and this school, and, though he will flinch at my praise, his gift is not only helping students and staff, it sets a superb example,” said J-School Dean Jerry Brown. The money will be used to help students, staff and faculty, Brown said.

Hilgenstuhler, 79, currently lives in Simi Valley, Calif., where he swims a mile each day and plays tournament handball.

“I sold some property I had for many years and decided to ‘up the ante’ in my long standing practice of sending an annual amount to the J-School,” Hilgenstuhler said in an e-mail interview. “Being a life-long bachelor and with no immediate members of my family alive anymore — who else would I give it to?  The American people — from every walk of life — have always donated money to schools of higher education.”

Upon high school graduation at age 17, Hilgenstuhler joined the U.S. Navy to fight in World War II. He manned a 5-inch cannon on the destroyer U.S.S. Taussig. His ship’s squadron engaged in the last sea battle of World War II and sank four Japanese ships inside Tokyo Bay. The U.S. Navy re-entered Tokyo Bay only after the Japanese surrendered in August 1945.

After the war, Hilgenstuhler came to the University of Montana because it was far away from his home in Brooklyn, N.Y. It also had a varsity baseball team. He played for four years and was elected captain when he was a junior.

He moved to Hollywood, Calif., in 1951 and worked for the TV-Radio Life magazine and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner until 1968. From 1955 through 1973, he worked on more than 400 television documentaries and drama shows. During that time, Hilgenstuhler worked for KFWB radio news and KNXT-TV news. He capped his career as editor of Edison News and retired in 1990. 

Students who received $1,000 Ted Hilgenstuhler scholarships, awarded at last month’s Dean Stone Night, were print student Dennis Carroll and broadcast student Andrew Weed. Staff awards and funds for faculty and programs will be announced later.

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