Leaving a legacy

Rose Ann Anderson and her children found their ties to Inver Hills grow in meaningful and perhaps unexpected ways when they became involved with the creation of a scholarship to honor husband and father Dennis Anderson.

Donor: Rose Ann Anderson and her family

 

A 30-year instructor at Inver Hills, Dennis died suddenly in January 2005.  Memorials were directed to the college's foundation. "At the time, with all that was going on, the idea of a permanent scholarship didn't click for me right away," says Rose Ann.  Liz Evensen, the development associate in the foundation office was a great help. "Liz immediately set up a fund and got the deposits made and sent out thank you messages," says Rose Ann. More than $6,000 came in from friends and family, including many college staff and students.

More importantly, Evensen had a suggestion for a scholarship need that the donations could fund. "Liz noted that there was no scholarship specifically dedicated to Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society members," says Rose Ann. Dennis was the college's PTK adviser, very active in the regional organization, and committed to helping build the local chapter, which won numerous state, regional, and national awards during his tenure of ten years. Rose Ann, Gail Morrison, and Liz Evensen worked up the scholarship criteria. Evensen, in fact, was a Phi Theta Kappa officer as a student at Inver Hills and a national All-American Academic Team honoree.

With the wheels in motion, Rose Ann reviewed the possibilities and the interest rates and set a long-term goal to create an endowment fund of $50,000, which would readily fund two $1,000 scholarships.  With a generous personal contribution of her own, additional money raised through the Building Brighter Futures event with Garrison Keillor in the fall of 2005, and an annual employee-giving campaign at the college, Rose Ann says the fund grew to $33,000; with additional contributions from her and the family, the fund is now over $50,000.  She directly funded the first two Dennis Anderson Memorial Scholarships given out. Rose Ann also has designated part of her estate to the foundation, making her a founding member in the college's Legacy Society.

Inver Hills is a special place for students because of the people and the feel of the campus, Rose Ann says. "The high quality of the faculty and their accessibility to students is so important, and that's the best thing about the college. But it's an excellent value, too, and I love the small college atmosphere." She and the children all have taken classes at the college, including some from Dennis. She and her daughters earned degrees at other schools, but Travis completed an associate degree at Inver Hills.

"I'm so indebted to Inver Hills for the career that it offered Denny and what that meant to him personally and to our family," reflects Rose Ann. "We are very proud to be associated with the college, and we are dedicated to this scholarship opportunity. It means so much as part of my husband's legacy here."