Wayne Nienhaus

Wayne Nienhaus was born on October 17, 1938, in East St. Louis, Illinois. He graduated from high school in Pacific, MO. He graduated from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College in 1961 with a teaching degree in Chemistry and Mathematics and went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Mathematics Education from Washington University in 1965. He met fellow Southeast alum Joan Friemel while they were attending Washington University on National Science Foundation Fellowships, and they married in August 1966. Wayne and Joan Nienhaus have two sons, Matthew and Eric.

Wayne Nienhaus enjoyed a 39-year career in education as a teacher and an administrator in the Ladue School District. He was extraordinarily devoted to making each one of his classes the best they could be. His work ethic and the countless testimonials of students who had him as a teacher prove that he loved his job and was always striving to make a positive impact on the thousands of students that he taught and mentored. The family has established this scholarship to carry on his legacy as an educator and to help inspire young teachers seeking to follow in his footsteps.