Laura E. Sutherland was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the daughter of an Eau Claire lawyer and a graduate of the Eau Claire State Normal School. After graduation, Miss Sutherland taught at Eau Claire High School and also taught English history for the first quarter at the Eau Claire Normal School when the school first opened in 1916-1917. She joined the staff at the Normal School in 1921 at the invitation of President Harvey Schofield. She was a professor of history from 1921-1959. She was called back to teach one more year on a part time basis during 1961-1962 school year. Miss Sutherland administered the National Youth Administration program for female students from 1934-1942 and served as dean of women from 1939-1947. She established the Eau Claire chapter of Kappa Delta Pi in 1943 and served as faculty advisor. She was also instrumental in organizing an Eau Claire chapter of the American Association of University Women. As distinguished professor emeritus of history, Miss Sutherland was commissioned to research and write the history of the Wisconsin State College at Eau Claire. She had essentially completed writing this history when she died in a car accident in May 1964. Her research was used by Hilda Richardson Carter for a chapter entitled “Fifty Years of Higher Education at Eau Claire,” published in 1968 as A History of the Wisconsin State Universities. As of 2022, through the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation, a scholarship is named in her honor, the Laura Sutherland Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship awards $600. It is open to a senior education major who is a Wisconsin resident. Students must demonstrate general excellence and participate in community or university service activities.