Established on 12.09.2004 by Dr. John '56 and Marjorie '60 Gjevre
Concordia alumni, John and Marjorie Gjevre, have established the Scandinavian Studies and Heritage Endowed Fund to celebrate their Norwegian heritage and honor the Norwegian settlers who founded Concordia College in 1891. The Gjevres, who both speak “Norsk,” have many relatives living in Norway. They have enjoyed exploring the country on numerous visits abroad, tracing their genealogy and visiting heritage sites. Their children and grandchildren have also studied Norway’s language and culture through the Concordia Language Villages in Bemidji, MN.
From 1997 – 2001, John had the privilege of working as a specialist physician at three different Norwegian hospitals, primarily at the Orkanger Hospital in Sør-Trøndelag. The Gjevres also volunteered for five months at the Norwegian-owned Haydom Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania, where John helped with tuberculosis control and Marjorie taught English and cooked for the pilots.
The purpose of the Scandinavian Studies and Heritage Endowed Fund is to develop and sustain a deep understanding and celebration of Concordia’s rich Scandinavian history. In this spirit, the Scandinavian Studies and Heritage Endowed Fund supports the following initiatives on a rotating basis:
1) International opportunities, collaborations, and travel for Concordia students studying abroad in Scandinavian countries, and
2) Coursework and campus events that support Scandinavian-oriented arts, history, social issues, or culture.