St. Olaf was not my first choice for college. There. I said it. But my parents preferred St. Olaf over my first choice because St. Olaf offered me a small scholarship, did not have co-ed dorms (that changed my sophomore year), and in 1969 St. Olaf wasn’t experiencing as much student turmoil as the University of Minnesota and Macalester — two of my other options.
I was miserable my freshman year. For lots of reasons, I didn’t feel like I fit in. Over the summer I took a couple of classes at the U of M — which I liked even less. So back I went to St. Olaf to get my degree. And I’m glad I did.
Once I resolved to make the “best” of St. Olaf, I found a lot to like and excel at (no women’s sports available, however). I was mostly serious about my studies and was encouraged by many professors and staff. Some people in those days still believed women students were mainly there to get an MRS degree, but others — and not just in my major (history) — strongly encouraged my search for vocation. I went on the Newberry Library seminar off-campus (in Chicago) my junior year and formed professional connections far beyond those available at that time to most undergrads. My research as an undergrad included map-making, oral history, women, Indigenous peoples (“Native Americans” was the phrase just replacing “Indians”), immigrants, slavery, and the working class — fields of history that had been largely ignored but which I nevertheless pursued at St. Olaf. My work study job in the College Archives (I was the first student hired in the archives) provided me with income, archives experience, great encouragement from Joan Olson (the college’s first archivist) and Joe Shaw (who was writing the history of St. Olaf for its 100th anniversary), among others — as well as a lot of laughs. The archives immersed me in St. Olaf history. I was appointed the student representative on the college Review and Planning Committee. My memory of an all-campus meeting in the Women’s Gym led by then-President Sidney Rand to discuss the college’s response to the Vietnam War continues to provide me with hope that people who passionately disagree can still be respectful — and maybe even change their minds. Too many great experiences to name.
After I went off to grad school in history with a full scholarship underpinned by my St. Olaf opportunities, I pivoted after my M.A. to go to the New York University School of Law. In 1977, shortly before graduation and beginning the practice of law, I pivoted again and challenged the discriminatory hiring practices of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY). Five years later I won that sex discrimination challenge and, in 1982, became an FDNY firefighter with 39 other women who benefited from my lawsuit. St. Olaf helped me believe I could tackle difficult and varied challenges.
Despite living far from the St. Olaf “heartland,” I tried to remain connected to St. Olaf. Some of my St. Olaf friendships faded as people died or moved. New friendships sprang up. After years of pushing to have more direct connections between current St. Olaf students and alumni living in New York City, Professor of Art John Saurer worked with me to make that happen when he brought students on the New York Art Interim. I met with each Interim class to give a tour of the 9/11 Memorial and describe my experience as a first responder on 9/11. That interaction expanded as I retired from the FDNY and became an artist (I never took a studio art class in high school or college). Years ago, I established a scholarship program to help students on that New York Art Interim with the extra expenses of traveling to the city. Recently the Berkman NYC Art Interim scholarship was renamed the Berkman Saurer NYC Art Interim scholarship at my request to honor John’s commitment to the students and our friendship. I continue to look for multiple ways to support St. Olaf.
After joining several St. Olaf Alumni and Family Travel trips, I formed new friendships with other Ole professors current and retired as well as Oles from other classes. As a result, I became friends with Professor Emeritus of Art A. Malcolm (Mac) Gimse ’58 and his wife, Jackie, St. Olaf Choir Conductor Anton Armstrong ’78, and partnered with Lisa Nave Buck ’77 and Greg Buck ’77 to establish a new Mac and Jackie Gimse endowment.
Fifty years after graduation, my current day-to-day activities are informed by my St. Olaf experiences — art, history (especially women’s history), immigrant rights, non-profit volunteering, social justice activism — all of which are part of my expansive vocation. This narrative is a long way of saying that my St. Olaf liberal arts education helped provide me with the tools and confidence to try new things, roll with the punches, and continue to look for different ways to improve the lives of others. Fram! Fram!