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| The Olsons and six residents of the Olson House take a moment for a photo in the new theme house. Pictured are: (back row, from left) Nadean Krueger, Makenzie Bemis, Nancy Olson, Steve Olson, Emily Hoague and Lauren Devereaux; and (front row, from left) Holly Gilbertson and Ashley Lutrick. For more photos from the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/26n26ko |
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| The name plaque on the Olson House, Waldorf's fifth theme house. |
The Olson House, at Seventh and K streets (a block from campus), was dedicated in honor of Steve and Nancy Olson (Class of 1975) during a ceremony Nov. 18. The dedication ceremony was attended by college faculty and staff, including President Joe Manjone, family and friends of the Olsons and the six students who live in the house.
The Olsons, whose family owned the house for several years, sold it to the college earlier this year at what Nancy Olson described as "a very reasonable price." It is the fifth theme house on campus.
A plaque posted in the house and a replica that was presented to the Olsons reads that the couple "have faithfully served Waldorf College with a humble heart and giving spirit for more than 25 years" and "serve as tireless ambassadors of Waldorf, going the extra mile to support their alma mater whenever and however they can."
Jason Ramaker, dean of students, said Waldorf is lucky to have the Olsons affiliated with the college.
"When the college acquired the house from Steve and Nancy, it was only logical to honor them for their support over the years and name the house the Olson House," Ramaker said. "The dedication event was a great success."
Nancy Olson said she and her husband were taken by the dedication.
"It was a wonderful event, very humbling, very exciting," she said. "We love the girls who are living in the house. They're fantastic women."
Nancy has served the college in various capacities for more than 25 years and currently is director of Institutional Relations. She also has played a key role this year in the development of the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation, which supports scholarships, campus ministry and alumni/community relations.
Steve is a teacher with Forest City Community Schools. He also serves as a charter member of the Waldorf Education Advisory Board and is a member of the Waldorf quartet, Brethren, which was formed when he attended Waldorf in the mid-1970s.
The Olsons' contributions to the college also come financially. Rita Gilbertson, director of Alumni Relations and volunteer for the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation, said the Olsons have given more than $35,000 (donation figures are published in the Waldorf Magazine) over the years to the college and foundation. They fund an endowed scholarship in Nancy’s family name.
The Olsons graduated from Waldorf with their associate degrees in 1975. Nancy went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business in 1997 from Waldorf.
The women who live in the Olson House are Nadean Krueger, Makenzie Bemis, Emily Hoague, Lauren Devereaux, Holly Gilbertson and Ashley Lutrick.
Theme houses allow students with common areas of interest to live in a nontraditional residential setting. The six women advocate breast cancer awareness and live in what has become known as the "Pink House" to symbolize breast cancer awareness. They have sponsored a few events on campus and are planning more. Earlier this year, the women participated in Race for the Cure and raised about $500 for breast cancer awareness.
Lutrick moved into the house at the beginning of this semester. She said conversing with the Olsons and everyone else involved in establishing the house was great. Lutrick said she was moved when the Olsons spoke about what the house means to them.
"To be completely honest, it brought tears to my eyes," she said. "They had expressed how much Waldorf meant to them and they only wanted to give back to Waldorf what it had given to them, which was memories."
For more photos from the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/26n26ko.
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