Established on 04.30.2004 by Brent L. Reichert '79

Edwin “Sonny” Gulsvig was born in the small town of Erdahl, MN, where it was said – “He always had a ball in his hands” (baseball, basketball, or football)! After graduating from Elbow Lake High School, he attended Concordia College in Moorhead, MN where he participated in football, basketball, and baseball. He graduated in 1950.

His first job was teaching and coaching football and basketball at Moose Lake, MN. After one year, Uncle Sam needed him and he was drafted during the Korean War. During his second year in the Army, he completed Officer Candidate School and married his high school sweetheart, Marcella Summers.

When he finished his military service, he attended the U of MN for his Master’s Degree. Upon completion, he taught and coached football and basketball at Sauk Centre, MN for one year.

Jake Christiansen (long-time Concordia football coach and Athletic Director) made 2 visits to Sauk Centre to try and convince Sonny to come back to Concordia and teach and coach. So, he did and spent the next 37 years performing a job he loved!

Sonny coached basketball and football all that time and also coached baseball and was the Sports Information Director for several years.

Sonny’s summer job for a few years was directing the Concordia College Coaching Clinic, which attracted many! He was a very busy man!

Sonny and Marcella were married for 55 years when he passed away on March 13th, 2008. They have 4 children – Penny Burgau, Kathryn Masseth, Kristofer Gulsvig, and Charles Gulsvig. Also – I can’t forget there are 9 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren.

The Edwin “Sonny” Gulsvig Endowed Scholarship is awarded by the Office of Financial Aid to students of any class majoring in physical education, health education, nutrition & dietetics, and exercise science including, but not limited to, all related preprofessional programs such as pre-athletic training, pre-occupational therapy, and pre-physical therapy.