Established on 03.14.2021 with a testamentary gift given from Steve '88 and Rochelle Connelly  

Steve Lawrence Connelly was born in Fargo, ND, on August 15, 1966 but raised on his grandparent’s potato farmstead in Sabin, MN. In the fall of 1984, Steve enrolled at Concordia College where he majored in health and physical education. He played football for the Cobbers under the coaching guidance of Jim Christopherson and was proud of the fact that he financed his own education. Prior to graduating, Steve joined the Army National Guard in March of 1988 and retired with 21 years of service in 2008.

In 1992, Steve received his Master of Science degree from South Dakota State University. While in graduate school he served as a teaching assistant and coached for the SDSU football team. Soon after completing his graduate work, Steve married Rochelle Tarbell in 1993 and began coaching and teaching at Moorhead High School, where he was head football coach from 1995-2003.

In 2003, Steve took a five-year sabbatical from Moorhead High School to become the General Manager of RDO Equipment, providing 17 years of leadership and guidance to all of the Ag stores in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. His most recent position at RDO Equipment was Vice President of Midwest Agriculture.

Steve served on many boards that strengthened his leadership skills for the Ag business. One organization that was near to his heart was the Village Family Service Center. Steve served on their board for 5 years and found that the values of the Village Family Service Center were ones he wanted to instill in his own family. Integrity, service, communication and stewardship are values Steve and Rochelle defined as core values in their own family. Their two boys, John “Jack” and Grant, will be able to carry on these values as Steve would want.

Steve Connelly died in a tragic vehicle accident on August 18, 2020. His wife, Rochelle, lives in Fargo, ND, and, at the time this scholarship was established, Jack was a senior at University of Wisconsin -Stevens Point and Grant was a junior at Concordia College - Moorhead. The Connelly family is grateful for Steve’s close connection to Concordia College. He was instrumental in establishing this scholarship before his death.

The Connelly Family Endowed Scholarship is awarded by the Office of Financial Aid to students majoring or minoring in education.