NANCY NELSON & BILL CARLSON
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP
Nancy Nelson and Bill Carlson:
A Minnesota Broadcasting Legacy
Together and individually, Nancy Nelson and Bill Carlson stand among Minnesota’s most beloved and accomplished broadcast personalities—a dynamic couple whose careers spanned more than half a century on radio, television, and the stage.
A Shared Legacy
Together, Nancy Nelson and Bill Carlson embody the spirit of Minnesota broadcasting—talented, genuine, and endlessly devoted to their craft and community. Their partnership, both personal and professional, has left an indelible mark on the media landscape and on the hearts of those who watched, listened, and grew up with them.
The Foundation of the Upper Midwest Chatper of NATAS would like to sincerely thank the NANCY NELSON & BILL CARLSON family for its generous donation to provide this scholarship.
Deadline for scholarship applications is February 6th, 2026.
The Foundation of the Upper Midwest Chapter of the NATAS offers $1,500 student scholarship grants to be used for tuition & books. We even pay the school directly so you don’t have to claim it as income for taxes!
The Nelson & Carlson Family Scholarship is for those seeking video production or talent roles in the video broadcast or television industry.
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE OPEN TO:
College/university/technical students living or attending school in the five-state area served by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. (Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa & western Wisconsin).
Completed application, essay, transcript, video link and letters of recommendation must be completed by February 6th, 2026.
You may email materials to info@midwestemmys.org
Scholarship recipients will be announced March 9th, 2026.
Payments to schools will be made in August 2026.
FOR SCHOLARSHIP CONSIDERATION:
- Applicants must be officially “accepted” into an accredited college media program.
- Submit completed online application form.
- Submit completed relevant essay: Essays judged based on ability to focus on the topic, answer the question and stay within the 450 word limit. We will also pay attention to spelling and grammar.
- Submit copy of most recent high school/college transcript.
- Link to an online video reel of your best work. 15 minute time limit.
- Letter or letters of recommendation from relevant faculty or professionals be accepted via email info@midwestemmys.org, providing it comes directly from the faculty or advisor’s school account. Hard copy letters should be signed and printed on letterhead paper.
NANCY NELSON
From her earliest days, Nancy Nelson was destined for the spotlight. While still in high school, she began her 45-year broadcasting career as the host of KMSP-TV’s teen dance show Date with Dino. Her talent quickly caught the attention of audiences and producers alike. During her time on WTCN-TV’s Mel’s Matinee Movie, she interviewed Don Stolz of the Old Log Theater—an encounter that led to nearly two decades of stage performances at that celebrated venue.
Nancy’s career took her across every facet of broadcasting: she became WCCO-TV’s “Saturday Night Weather Girl,” appeared between Dave Moore’s Bedtime Nooz and Bill Carlson’s This Must Be the Place, and charmed viewers as the “Princess of Prizes” on Don Dahl’s Bowlerama. A former Miss Minnesota and first runner-up to Miss United States, Nancy combined poise, intelligence, and warmth in every role she undertook.
After marrying Bill Carlson, the love of her life, in 1970, Nancy continued to break new ground. She created and hosted What’s New? on WTCN-TV for 13 years before moving to Los Angeles, where she anchored the news at KTTV and earned multiple Emmy nominations. She went on to host national television programs, cover major events like the Academy Awards and Rose Parade, and pioneer the world of televised marketing. Recognized by CBS News as the “Queen of Infomercials,” Nancy has hosted nearly one hundred programs seen in countries around the globe. Through it all, she remains humble, saying: “I’ve been so fortunate. It’s a privilege to do this work. I’m grateful. I love this business.”
BILL CARLSON
A fixture in Twin Cities broadcasting for more than five decades, Bill Carlson began his career in 1951 as a CBS page at WCCO-TV. His natural talent, curiosity, and professionalism propelled him through virtually every aspect of radio and television production. Mentored by broadcasting greats such as Cedric Adams, Bob DeHaven, and Randy Merriman, and later collaborating with legendary Minnesota broadcasters Dave Moore, Charlie Boone, Bud Kraehling, Don Shelby, Pat Miles—and eventually his wife, Nancy Nelson—Bill developed a reputation as one of the Twin Cities’ most trusted and respected television personalities.
Bill’s hallmark was his gift for the interview. He conducted thousands of them across a career that took him more than three million miles on location, capturing candid conversations with icons like Martin Luther King Jr., John Wayne, Jimmy Stewart, Muhammad Ali, Richard Burton, and Barbra Streisand. Over the years, Bill anchored, reported, and even handled weather and sports, but his longest and most beloved role was as the anchor of the WCCO-TV noon block, a position he held for more than forty years. Whether under the banner of Something Special or as part of the station’s midday news, Bill remained a familiar, reassuring presence in Minnesota homes for generations.