Nils Hasselmo was born on 2 July 1931 in Köla, Sweden. He earned his B.A. in Scandinavian languages and literature from Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.) and his Ph.D. in linguistics from Harvard University. Dr. Hasselmo joined the faculty at the University of Minnesota in 1965 as professor of Scandinavian languages and literature. He became dean and vice president before leaving the University in 1983 to become provost and senior vice president at the University of Arizona, Tucson. In 1989, he returned to the University of Minnesota to serve its 13th president. President Hasselmo retired in 1997 and became president of the Association of American Universities (Washington, D.C.). Nils Hasselmo retired from his position at AAU on 1 February 2006.
Patricia Tillberg Hasselmo was born on 17 June 1930 in Moline, Illinois. She earned her B.A. from Augustana College and her M.A. in student personnel administration and art education from Syracuse University. President Hasselmo and Mrs. Hasselmo first met in 1956 when he was an exchange student and instructor from Sweden and she was the alumni director at Augustana College. They were married in 1958. Patricia Hasselmo died on 30 December 2000.
From the guide to the Nils and Patricia Hasselmo papers, 1960s-1970s, (University of Minnesota Libraries. University of Minnesota Archives [uarc])
