I never really touted the fact that I received the distinction of Phi Beta Kappa — in fact, I do not think my two daughters even know! However, the legacy of study at St. Olaf has been central to the fact that my teaching career and my life after retirement have always been about lifelong learning and service.

I tell my four grandsons, who are all in various stages of being a student, that their first job is to be a good student and their second, equally important, job is to be a good person. In this current world, both are truly important, and they have always been important to me. I live in a senior community where there are constant volunteer and learning possibilities — and my current mantra is “while I can, I will.” I have kept busy! Now I am learning the skills at 79 to be the next president of our Congregational Council. I may be older, but I am still able to articulate how important my faith life is to me and to our community. Thank you, St Olaf, for instilling “possibility” as a central element in my life. We have been lifelong donors who recognize that there are young adults who need to know the power of “possibility.”