Philip Anderson

Philip Anderson and his wife, Valerie D. (Beighley) Anderson, shared a deep commitment to education, scholarship, and the humanities.

Valerie was a Platteville native and a graduate of Platteville High School and the University of Wisconsin-Platteville. She graduated from UW-Platteville in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy and a minor in Voice, having received a four-year scholarship from the American Association for Gifted Children.

Valerie continued her education at El Camino College in the Los Angeles area and later at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where she studied classical literature and language. In 1983, she received the prestigious LaFayette S. Foster Greek Prize in recognition of her academic work.

Philip and Valerie were married in Platteville in 1977. Philip was also a graduate of UW-Platteville and went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Their life together took them to Athens, Ohio; Providence, Rhode Island; Westbury, Long Island; and, beginning in 1991, Manhattan.

Valerie died in 1994. Her legacy of intellectual curiosity, academic achievement, and appreciation for the humanities continues through the Valerie D. (Beighley) Anderson Memorial Scholarship at UW-Platteville. The scholarship supports students pursuing education, with preference given to those emphasizing the fine arts or humanities.

Through Philip’s connection to Valerie and their shared commitment to education, the scholarship provides an enduring way to honor Valerie’s life and encourage future generations of students to pursue their educational goals.