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Alumni & Parent Relations

All Awardees

All Award Recipients


With over 30,000 active alumni, there is always a reason to applaud and celebrate the accomplishments of our remarkable alumni and friends. Peruse the list of fellow Lutes who are past alumni award recipients, and nominate someone for an award.

Distinguished Alumnus Award: Through years of dedication and service, this alumnus has achieved professional or vocational distinction.

Luther Jerstad 1964
Dr. Martin Johnson 1966
Dr. Lloyd Nyhus 1968
Dr. Halfdan L. Foss 1969
Dr. Robert Mortvedt 1969
Dr. William. O. Rieke 1970
Dorothy (Meyer) Schnaible 1971
Dr. Walter H. Capps 1972
Dr. William H. Foege 1973
Edna (Lee) Goodrich 1974
Dr. Jens Knudson 1975
Elizabeth Hensel 1976
Dr. David B. Wake 1977
Marvel K. Harshman 1978
Dr. M. Roy Schwarz 1979
Paul Steen 1979
Dr. Peter C. C. Wang 1979
Dr. Donald Eugene
Strandness, Jr. 1980
Richard Svare 1980
Dr. Jon Wefald 1980
Rev. Clifford Lunde 1981
Ray Tobiason 1981
Terrance Brown 1982
Jack Holl 1982
E. Ray Lerback 1982
Rev. Leonard Ericksen 1983
Donald M., Keith M.D. 1983
Hon. Earl Tilly 1983
Dr. Ronald Heyer 1984
Insu Lee Ph.D. 1985
Milton Nesvig 1986
Gerhard Reitz 1987
Dr. Grace Foege Holmes 1988
James Freissheim 1989
Alan H. Rowberg 1991
Clare Walters 1992
Philip Nordquist 1993
David Smith 1993
Cecelia (Svinth) Carpenter 1994
Rev. Joe Smith 1994
Roe Hatlen 1995
David Leander 1995
Don Morken 1996
Norman Dahl 1997
Dr. David Wold 1998
Beverly Hatlen 1999
Jack Metcalf 2000
Mark Knudson 2001
H. Eugene LeMay 2002
Kenneth "Skip" Hartvigson 2003
Ron Ho 2004
Frank Spear 2004
Art Thiel 2005
George Long 2005
Robert Krieger 2006
Barbara Gelman 2006
Paul Swanson 2007
Bruce Bjerke 2008
Connie Kravas 2008


Outstanding Alumnus Award: Award to an alumnus, beyond fifteen years of graduation, who has excelled in a special area of life.

Dr. Jens Knudson 1969
Dr. M. Roy Schwarz 1969
Robert A. Nistad 1970
Malcolm Soine 1970
Marvel K. Harshman 1971
Dr. Richard F. Haines 1972
Roger Iverson 1972
Jason Boe 1973
Dr. Thomas Reeves 1973
LaVonne (Densow) Sturgeon 1974
Dr. Roy H. Virak 1974
Dr. Christy Ulleland 1975
Charles Fallstrom 1976
R. Gerald "Gerry" Benson 1977
Dr. Chris Chandler 1977
John S. Anderson 1978
Willie Stewart 1978
Duane Berentson 1979
Kenneth Doggett 1979
Dr. Ronald Lerch 1980
Harry L. Wicks 1980
Judd Doughty 1981
Bryan Wall 1981
Anita Hendrickson 1982
Christopher Howell 1982
Jon B. Olson 1983
L. Jerald Sheffels 1983
Petra Onella Lee Brunner 1984
Douglas Herland 1984
Christine Larson 1984
Dorothy (Larson) Harshman 1985
Wallace Rogelstad 1986
Nicolas Glaser 1987
Evelyn Jacobson Frost 1988
Dr. Lloyd Eastman 1989
Kate Hass 1991
Ron Johnson 1992
Kurt Jacobson 1993
Richard Nace 1994
Annette Stixrud 1995
Dr. Junet Runbeck 1996
Dr. Michael Ford 1996
Rev. Daniel Erlander 1997
Ed Petersen 1998
Michael Peterson 1999
Roger Gebhard 1999
Peggy Chan 2000
Dr. Cindy McTee 2001
Maureen (Pearson) Hoban 2001
Neal Arntson 2002
Duane Larson 2002
Bill Kees 2003
Calvin Watness 2003
June Goldsmith 2004
Judy Perry 2004
Dave Hanson 2005
Lea Armstrong 2006
Brenda Morris 2007
Peter Anderson 2008
Mark Anderson 2008



Outstanding Recent Alumnus Award: Award to an alumnus, within fifteen years of graduation, who has excelled in a special area of life.

Jodie Gilmore 1991
Betty Bekemeier 1992
Piper Peterson 1993
Mark Chestnutt 1994
Christan Lucky 1995
Kent & Lynell Herzer 1996
Jennifer Specht-Brannfors 1997
Michael Nelson 1997
Michelle Long 1998
Laurie Soine 1999
Calvin Goings 2000
Neil Kelleher 2001
Connor Trinneer 2002
Julia Rehwinkel 2002
Dave Howell 2003
Jeremy Desel 2004
Knut Olson 2005
Graham Johnson 2006
Louis Hobson 2007
Crystal Aiken 2008


Heritage Award: Awarded to an alumnus for years of distinguished service to the university.

Arthur Giere 1973
Rev. Theodore Gulhaugen 1973
Rev. Roy Olson 1974
Paul V. Larson 1975
Emma Ramstad 1975
Rhoda Young 1975
Otis J. Grande 1976
Agnes Stuen 1976
Dr. A.W. Ramstad 1978
Grace Blomquist 1980
Theodore O.H. Karl 1981
Harold Leraas 1981
Eric Nordholm 1982
Dr. Philip Nordquist 1983
Dr. Robert C. Olsen 1983
Mabel Buli 1984
Luella Toso Johnson 1985
Hermina Meyer 1986
Harvey Neufeld 1986
David Christian 1987
Rev. Philip Falk 1988
Dr. Paul Templin 1989
John Schiller 1991
Dwight Zulauf 1992
Lucille Giroux 1993
Dr. David Knutson 1994
Dr. Dick Moe 1995
Dr. Stewart Govig 1996
Ronald Douglass 1996
Anne Long 1997
David Berntsen 1998
Mike Benson 1999
William Ramstad 2000
Brian Olson 2001
Herman (Bud) Anderson 2002
Helen Nordquist 2003
Stan Willis 2004
Lee Zulauf 2005
Kerstin Ringdahl 2006
Erving Severtson 2007
Nancy Severtson 2007
Jim Kittilsby 2008


Special Recognition Award: Awarded to an alumnus or friend of the university who has served the university in a unique or special way.

Carl Fynboe 1976
Dr. Irene Creso 1984
Christine Larson 1984
Margaret Wickstrom 1984
Edith Edlund 1985
David S. Peterson 1985
Dr. Roy & Gloria (Jutte) Virak 1985
Dr. Wouter Bosch 1988
Dr. Dale Hirz 1988
Beverly Pine McRae 1988
Dr. Stanley Mueller 1988
Hazel Nesvig 1988
Dr. Arthur Ozolin 1988
Ken Dunmire 1989
Paul Larson 1989
Arvis Olson 1992
Jim Peterson 1992
Frosty (Forrest) Westering 1994
Jane Russell 1996
Marcia Moe 1997
Harvey Neufeld 1998
George Arbaugh 2000
Larry Neeb 2001
Arthur Hansen 2002
Clark and Rae Peters 2003
Donna Westering 2004
Frank and Sandy Jennings 2005
Kurt and Pam Mayer 2006
Tom and Mary Renne 2007
MaryAnn Anderson 2008


Alumni Service Award: Awarded to an alumnus who has demonstrated outstanding volunteer leadership and/or service to the community.

Lynn Bangsund 1998
Ron and Ingrid Gintz 1999
Sue Ellen Johnson 2000
Darcy (Berube) Johnson 2001
Phyllis (Nybakke) Cavens 2002
Dan Wiklund 2003
Cory Heins 2004
Jeni Gregory 2005
James Hushagen 2006
Anita Christian 2007
Dr. John and Jan Winskill 2008


The Brian Olson Award: Presented to a student who has demonstrated commitment to the university and the alumni association. By recognizing the importance of connecting students and alumni, this student has shown a potential for lifelong service to the university.

Linda (Hutson) Pyle 2001
Tim Vialpando 2002
Elisabeth (Pynn) Himmelman 2003
Laura Hunter 2004
Chelsea Blegen 2005
Kaarin Praxel 2007
Paige Sthen 2007
Courtney Stringer 2008



LuteSalute: Awarded by the Alumni Board and the Alumni and Parent Relations Office, this award is presented to alumni, parents and friends of the university recognizing individuals for service above and beyond on behalf of PLU.

Volly Grande '36
Charlene Colburn '49
Darren Hamby '87
Paul Larson '38
Lisa Ottoson '87

Erin Sigman '90
Linda Nyland
Shawn Reiels '83
Onella Brunner '56


1990 Centennial Alumni Recognition:

Walter C. Schnackenberg 1937
Murray A. Taylor 1940
Neil J. Hoff 1941
Marvin S. Tommervik 1942
Marcus R. Stuen 1943
E. Arthur Larson 1947
William K. Ramstad 1947
Arnold L. Towe 1948
Milton C. Hanson 1950
Calvin M. Watness 1950
Donald F. Reiman 1952
Inez V. Steen (Ingebrigtson) 1953
John Reay 1956
David C. Wold 1956
Carol Geldaker (Bottemiller) 1957
David T. Nesvig 1957
David S. Steen 1957
Jan Wigen 1957
Gerald C. Bayne 1958
Jim Capelli 1958
James A. Haaland 1958
Ronald Tau Wo Ho 1958
Beatrice Scheele 1958
Richard H. Foege 1959
Anita Londgren (Hillesland) 1959
John Amend 1960
Jerold Armstrong 1960
Shirley Hanson 1960
Theodore “Ted” Johnson 1960
Charles A. Laubach 1960
Judith Billings (Sannerud) 1961
Loren Hildebrand 1961
John W. “Bill” Lennon 1961
Roger Lundblad 1961
D. Gene Schaumberg 1961
Raymond Tau Wo Ho 1962
Dennis D. Knutson 1962
H. Eugene LeMay 1962
Charles W. Mays 1962
Gretta Merwin (Wesson) 1962

Edward A. Walters 1962
Richard G. Hagerty 1963
Michael H. Macdonald 1963
Jeffrey Probstfield 1963
Ruth M. Anderson (Ellis) 1965
John P. Dirlam 1965
Roe Hatlen 1965
Richard Hildahl 1965
Leslie Perry 1965
Judy Dodds (Seastrands) 1966

James Feek 1966
Gretta A. Goldenman 1966
Gary L. Habedank 1966

Jess C. Hagerman 1966
Paul E. Hartman 1967
Constance Kravas (Farnham) 1967
Michael Ford 1968
James Girvan 1968
Marian A. Halvorson 1968
William Kreiger 1968
John Fischbach 1969
Phyllis Schneider 1969
James W. Aageson 1970
Nancy Connery (Rutledge) 1970
Paul R. Kusche 1970
Arlis M. Adolf 1971
David M. Soderlund 1971
Bruce T. Bjerke 1972
Dale Nesse 1972

Lyle Quasim 1973
Linda A. Zurfluh 1973
Thomas Heavey 1974
Arden Olson 1974
Don Poier 1974
Henry Nyirenda 1975
Arthur W. Thiel 1975
Nancy Ann Wilkinson (Quillin) 1975
Virginia D. Witt 1975
Olivia Dorsey 1976
Cynthia Edwards (Wilson) 1976
Dr. Cindy McTee 1976
Daisy Stallworth 1976
Claudia Finseth (Riiff) 1977
Dale Fixsen 1977
Prentis Johnson 1977
Willy Sing Yuen Tsao 1977
Marc A. Hafso 1978
Roy Hammerling 1978
Bruce Neswick 1978
Theresa M. Stephany 1978
Maria-Alma Copeland (Rainey) 1979
Christopher Menzel 1979
Ken Morrison 1979
Neil Amondson 1980
Candace Dahlstrom (Armstrong) 1982
David Housholder 1983
Tom McArthur 1983
Elizabeth Pulliam 1984
Robert D. McMichael 1985
Christian Lucky 1989