Established on 09.16.2024 by Dennis Spjut, Ph.D. '63
Dennis Spjut, a graduate of Roseau, Minnesota High School in 1959 and Concordia College in 1963, has funded the Dr. Dennis Spjut, Ph.D. Endowed Scholarship in the hopes of inspiring young people from Roseau and Roseau County to pursue an education at Concordia College.
Dennis was a very involved student at Roseau High School, participating in student government, music, theater, yearbook, science club, and basketball during his high school years. He was part of a relatively small class at Roseau High School, and he saw a need for students to step up and take on leadership roles in student organizations. Recognizing that need, and possessed with an innate curiosity, Dennis immersed himself in activities to the point where his basketball coach, A.J. Kramer, offered him some advice; “Dennis, if you’re making a peanut butter sandwich and you spread it too thin, you don’t have a peanut butter sandwich.”
Inspired to consider attending Concordia College when Concordia alumnus and Roseau Choir Director Ernest Teie ’51 brought the Roseau Choir to a Concordia Choir Concert, Dennis enrolled at Concordia in the fall of 1959. At Concordia Dennis continued his tradition of involvement by participating in the Beta Tau Omega Society, Chapel Choir, and served as Vice President of his junior class and Class Senator for his Senior Class. Dennis earned degrees in Psychology, Math, German, and Education.
Dennis taught for three years at Larimore High School in Larimore, ND focusing on Mathematics, Intro to German, and one semester of Psychology. He was then admitted to the graduate school of psychology at the University of North Dakota. After earning his M.A in Psychology he completed a Clinical Psychology Fellowship at the Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and completed his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Dakota in 1970.
Looking back, Dennis remarked on the extraordinary number of young men and women from his hometown of Roseau who went on to pursue education after high school. He remembers that of his contemporaries at Roseau High School, approximately 12 students who lived in one block radius around the Roseau County Courthouse, nearly all obtained bachelor’s degrees, five obtained Master of Divinity degrees, and two earned Doctoral degrees. Remembering the emphasis placed on the importance of education, he hopes the Dennis Spjut ’63 Endowed Scholarship at Concordia College will inspire and help future generations of Roseau students.
The Dennis Spjut, Ph.D. '63 Endowed Scholarship is awarded to students majoring or minoring in psychology from Minnesota, with first preference given to students from Roseau or Roseau County. Second preference is for the scholarship to be awarded to students majoring or minoring in a health professions program from Roseau County.