'Scholastic Connections' pairs minority students with alumni mentors

Augsburg News Service

A unique scholarship program created by Augsburg alumnus Syl Jones ’73 and believed to be the first of its kind in the nation, uses proceeds from a $500,000 endowment to pair students of color with alumni of color in mentoring relationships.

Five students have received $5,000 renewable scholarships in this first year, with a goal to increase that number to 20 students as the endowment grows.

"The commitment to diversity is a long-standing commitment on the part of the College," President William Frame said. "It is rooted in the Lutheran proposition that colleges and universities must sweep into modern society to provide the education which the management of our world requires."

The program was developed in response to the resolution of a lawsuit filed by Elroy Stock ’49, who sued Augsburg for breach of contract, relating to a 1986 campaign gift of $500,000. Shortly after this gift, upon learning that Stock was the author of thousands of mailings urging "racial" purity sent to interracial couples and adoptive families, the College decided it would not put Stock's name on a college building in return for the donation. Due to charitable donation regulations, the College could not return the money.

The lawsuit was dismissed due to the expiration of the statute of limitations.

The scholarship-mentoring program assists achievement-oriented high school and post-secondary students of color and/or mixed race to succeed at Augsburg. Scholarship criteria include leadership ability and an interest in community service.

"The connection piece is to put leaders of today in touch with leaders of tomorrow," Frame said. "The scholarships we are announcing today are named for the mentors, for our graduates who have achieved distinction in their fields. [The recipients] will be receiving the advice and counsel of those men and women of color."

The program also aims to strengthen the College's role as a progressive and welcoming institution for communities of color, said Kathy Tunheim, chair of the Board of Regents.

"While it is true that we have always attempted to be responsive to the disparate needs of the communities that we serve, it is also true that we have not always been successful in doing so ... with the announcement of today's initiative, we seek to change that," Tunheim said.

Jones said that by virtue of Augsburg's location and mission, it can play a major role in helping to increase the number of students of color who graduate from college, a number which has been decreasing. "But," he added, "only if the campus is prepared to welcome those who are different."

Frame said that approximately 17 percent of the College's 3,000 students are students of color, putting Augsburg second among Minnesota's private colleges in that category.

Inter-Race, a diversity think-tank based at Augsburg that was co-founded and headed by Vivian Jenkins-Nelsen, will administer the Scholastic Connections program.

Augsburg graduate Rev. Rufus Campbell ’75 presented the homily in chapel (see Chapeltalk link to right). A luncheon, hosted by KMSP-TV news anchor Robyne Robinson, honored the scholarship recipients and mentors.