Nielsen, Waldemar A., 1917 - 2005
Biography
Waldemar A. Nielsen was a Trustee of the Nightingale-Bamford School in the mid-1960s (approximately 1962 - 1964). He occasionally spoke to students about his causes, interests, and travels, such as contemporary Chinese politics and art and Yugoslavia. His wife, Marcia Nielsen, worked as a college advisor at Nightingale, and their daughter, Signe, graduated in 1968.
The Nielsens created the Nielsen Service Award in 1987, to be awarded annually to an Upper School student whose contribution and commitment to community service and engagement are outstanding.
In 1992, the Nielsens gifted Nightingale five works of art by young Chinese artists painted in China between the end of the Cultural Revolution in 1977 and the Massacre of Tienanmen Square in 1989.
It was Nielsen's original idea for Audrey Goode and Betty Hamilton to open a country store upon their retirement from the school and sell antiques and art. He even supplied some of the original inventory. (See Nightingale-Bamford Newsletter, Spring 1987, p. 2)
Professionally, Nielsen was considered an expert on philanthropy, authoring "The Big Foundations" (1972) and "The Golden Donors," (1985), influential books about charitable organizations and their operations. Nielsen worked for the U.S. government promoting the Marshall Plan, the Ford Foundation, and the African-American Institute, writing several books on issues facing Africa in the 1960s. He lated started his own firm consulting on corporate social policy. (See Wolfgang Saxon, 4 Nov. 2005, "Waldemar Nielsen, Expert on Philanthropy, Dies at 88," New York Times)