The John and Loretta (White) Jensen Endowed Scholarship

Criteria: (Two Awards Equal to Full Annual Tuition) The John and Loretta (White) Jensen Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to a new or currently enrolled full-time Worcester State University student based on academic excellence. The applicant must have a grade point average of 3.0 or higher and major in Education. Preference will be given to a son, daughter or relative of a Delta Kappa Gamma, Delta Chapter member. The selected student will be given strong preference in following years (including graduate studies) to receive the annual scholarship providing their academic progress is satisfactory to Delta Kappa Gamma.

Loretta White Jensen, class of 1936, was a dedicated teacher; her career spanned over 50 years and her influence extended well beyond the classroom.

Born in Worcester in 1915, Mrs. Jensen graduated from the former Commerce High School in 1932. She attended Worcester State Teachers College where she impressed both faculty and fellow students with her energy, enthusiasm and inquiring mind. After graduation in 1936, she taught in Wheelright, Millbury and Worcester at Lake View School, Midland Street School, and Flagg Street School, where she was also an assistant principal. She earned her master’s degree from Boston University in 1950, and was active in the Delta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, an international organization of educators.

Mrs. Jensen also loved adventure; in 1951 she taught overseas at the American Dependents School in Kaiserslauten, Germany, and in Tokyo, Japan, in 1956 where she studied Japanese flower arrangement and the ritual tea ceremony.

In 1966, she married John Jensen, a mechanical engineer and inventor. Together, the couple enjoyed hiking and gardening at their home in Millbury. After she retired, Loretta remained active in the Worcester State University Alumni Association and retired teachers associations.

After her death in 1993, her husband established a memorial scholarship as a tribute to her. When he passed away suddenly, Mr. Jensen’s brother Richard established the John and Loretta (White) Jensen Endowed Scholarship as a tribute to them both. The Jensen’s love of life and learning is continued in this scholarship that bears their name.