In 1963 a full scholarship to play Badger football was worth $1100 a year. But, even with the help of his scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Madison alumnus Richard “Dick” LaCroix had to work harder than he ever dreamed to complete his education at UW-Madison.
LaCroix and a master’s degree in Soils in 1969. While his road to graduation was not necessarily common, he has remained close to UW-Madison and continues to serve on numerous campus committees, including the corporate board of Alpha Gamma Rho, an agricultural fraternity on campus.
LaCroix grew up near Manitowoc, Wis. in a family of eight children, and as in many big farm families, money was tight when it came to tuition. However, after being noticed by recruiters, he received a full scholarship to play football for UW-Madison. He said the scholarship changed his life and allowed him to complete his education.
Even with his scholarship, LaCroix had trouble making ends meet on his own. However, his future wife, who was also having trouble paying for school, dropped out of school to help LaCroix pay his way.
“We both were going broke,” he said. “We said one of us has got to drop out, but one of us has got to get our education.”
LaCroix went on to earn varsity letters in Badger football as a starting right guard in his sophomore, junior and senior seasons, but not with a shortage of hard work.
“You really had to be dedicated,” he said. “I watched TV once in four years of college. The time when [John F. Kennedy] was killed I watched his funeral… You really had to be dedicated and lucky to make it.”
Despite all of the hard work it took to balance playing football and maintaining a 3.85 grade point average, LaCroix said it was all worth it.
“It was really hard … but, if I didn’t do it, then how would I get through school?” he said. “I had a girlfriend back there supporting me … and she is counting on me to get through because she dropped out of school. It was hard, but I wouldn’t change it for the world.”
