William R. Bernhagen was born September 11, 1940 in Appleton, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school he worked for a few years in the textile mills and joined the U.S. military for two years. He was the first in his family to go on to higher education and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a bachelor’s degree in geography in 1968, the University of Iowa with a master’s degree in planning in 1970, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1974 with a doctoral degree in environmental planning and resource management. Bernhagen came to Mankato State University as a development officer in 1987. He also taught courses in the Urban and Regional Studies Institute for a few years before he retired in 2005. Bernhagen is married to Christine (Solberg) Bernhagen in 1967 and they have two children, Grant and Nissa.

This information was compiled by the interview with Bernhagen, his biography in the 2005 Retirement Luncheon Program and by his folder in the University Advancement collection, MSU ARC 200.