Vivian and Dr. Gary Biesecker recently made a major gift in support of the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center and the adjoining Jana and Ken Kahn Hotel at High Point University. In honor of the couple’s generosity, the Hall of Fame Meeting Room in the arena will be dedicated to them.
“High Point University prides itself on providing a distinctive life skills education for each of our students, where they are presented with opportunities to apply their knowledge in practical settings,” says HPU President Dr. Nido Qubein. “The arena, conference center and hotel are learning labs where students can test classroom theory in real-world scenarios, and with the philanthropic support of our alumni, friends and family, this extraordinary,
one-of-a-kind building has been brought to reality.”
When the Bieseckers first moved to High Point, North Carolina, they made fast friends with neighbors and associates who were quick to introduce them to HPU. During Jerry Steele’s days as head coach of the men’s basketball team, the couple began attending games and became more involved with the university, first through the basketball team, and then academic programing. Dr. Biesecker now volunteers his time assisting HPU students in the Fred Wilson School of Pharmacy as they gain real-world experience through practical skills implementation during controlled simulations.
Over the years, the Bieseckers have also grown as donors and stewards of HPU. Their support for HPU began as a contribution to a scholarship named in honor of a friend from church. As their personal relationship with the university developed, their motivation bloomed, and their recent major gift reflects their thriving relationship with the university.
“We have been fans of HPU for more than 40 years,” says Dr. Biesecker. “All the university has accomplished over the last several decades has been extraordinary and after having the opportunity to tour the arena and conference center, I knew this would be no different. Vivian and I are so excited we belong to this special community and look forward to many exciting games and events in this amazing space.”
Dr. Biesecker grew up on a farm in Nebreska before attending the Danish Lutheran school, Dana College, as the first member of his family to attend college. After graduating from Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, Dr. Biesecker enrolled in the University of Nebraska’s graduate studies program before moving into the university’s medical school. As a first-year medical student, Dr. Biesecker enrolled in the U.S. Navy as a part of the Ensign 1915 program, and upon his graduation from medical school, he began his service in the U.S. Navy.
Dr. Biesecker completed his residency in general surgery at the Portsmouth Naval Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, during the Vietnam War, and then moved to Connecticut to take the position of Chief of Surgery at the Naval Submarine Base Hospital. The Bieseckers moved to High Point, North Carolina, after Dr. Biesecker completed his naval service. He previously worked as the general surgeon for the hospital now known as Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center. Dr. Biesecker worked at the medical center for forty-five years before he retired in 2012. Now he works at the community clinic in High Point, and recently started a minor surgery practice at the clinic.
While attending school, Dr. Biesecker met Vivian, the daughter of two Danish immigrants. Originally from Connecticut, Vivian had traveled to Nebraska to attend Dana College. After graduation, Vivian worked as a registered nurse (RN) at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Once they moved from Nebraska, Vivian continued working as a RN until her retirement in the early 2000s. The couple have two children, Mike and Stephanie, and seven grandchildren. Mike is currently a pilot for United Airlines and Stephanie is a pediatrics RN in eastern North Carolina.