Established on 12.18.2001 by M. Donald and Ardeth Larsen
From the time of their marriage in 1958, M. Donald (“Don”) and Ardeth Larsen made their home in Casselton, North Dakota where they were active in the business and social life of the town. As owners of The Federated Store, as members of Martin’s Lutheran Church, and as volunteers with the School Board, Fire Department, Public Library, and other organizations, they demonstrated their commitment to God and their community throughout their married life. A shared love of travel took them to Europe, the Caribbean, Asia, New Zealand, and South America, traveling not just to see the sights but also to learn about the cultures and histories of people around the world. Ardeth passed away in 2004 and Don in 2021.
Growing up in Casselton, Don developed an early connection with Concordia College through sports, writing “my connections with Concordia College began in the 1940s when my father took me to Cobber basketball games to watch my cousin play. Following Cobber sports, I developed a desire to attend Concordia but when it was time for me to enroll, the money was not available to pay for a Concordia education.” Although he would go on to earn a business degree from the University of North Dakota, the connection to Concordia endured. After their marriage, one of the first organizations he and Ardeth joined was C-400 Club, eventually receiving the Soli Deo Gloria award for their philanthropy. Over the years they would also regularly attend Communiversity courses, send their daughters, Gwen and Lynnette to Language Villages, and watch their daughters Gwen (’80) and Ellyce (’85) become Concordia graduates.
Faith and service were the core tenets of their lives and they felt a strong responsibility to encourage others to follow the same path. In describing his motivation for creating an endowed scholarship Don wrote, “to show our gratitude to God, for all the blessings bestowed on our family, we have created scholarships at Concordia. We hope the recipients of The M. Donald and Ardeth Larsen Endowed Scholarship will go out into society dedicated to the Christian life.”
The Don and Ardeth Larsen Scholarship is awarded by the Office of Financial Aid to students graduating from Central Cass High School in Casselton, North Dakota. If there are no eligible students(s) graduating from Central Cass High School in a particular year, the scholarship will be awarded to one or more students from North Dakota. Selection is also based on financial need and scholastic achievement.