In choosing a name for the institution, the founders responded to strong Norwegian national as well as religious symbolism; it grew out of a celebration in the Norwegian immigrant community of the splendor of the Nordic middle ages as a means of defining ethnic merits and identity. They named the school for Olav II Haraldsson (spelled Olaf in the 19th century), king of Norway from 1016 until 1030. His martyrdom on July 29, 1030, at the Battle of Stikle-stad, close to Pastor Muus's own place of birth, made him Norway's patron saint and eternal king and secured a national monarchy and the position of the Christian church in that country.
St. Olaf's School was operated as an academy until 1886, when a college department was added. The name was changed to St. Olaf College in 1889. The first college class was graduated in 1890. The academy was discontinued in 1917.
Affiliated with the Lutheran Church throughout its history, St. Olaf is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In 1900, the college department of the United Church Seminary was consolidated with St. Olaf, and in 1917 the college department of Red Wing Seminary was merged with St. Olaf.
Many influences have combined to make St. Olaf what it is today. Dedicated faculty members have contributed to its academic reputation. Originating in the Norwegian immigrant desire for higher learning, the college has made a significant contribution to American liberal arts education while maintaining an academic center with a strong program for the study of Scandinavian culture. The rich St. Olaf tradition in music has gained world-wide renown for the college through its choirs and instrumental organizations.
Since 1874 the college has had nine presidents: the Rev. Thorbjorn N. Mohn, who was first the principal of St. Olaf's School and then the president of St. Olaf College until 1899; John N. Kildahl, 1899-1914; Lauritz A. Vigness, 1914-1918; Lars W. Boe, 1918-1942; Clemens M. Granskou, 1943-1963; Sidney A. Rand, 1963-1980; Harlan F. Foss, 1980-1985; Melvin D. George, 1985-1994, and Mark U. Edwards, Jr., 1994 to the present.
Total Graduates 663 Summa Cum Laude 19 Magna Cum Laude 77 Cum Laude 167
Bachelor of Arts-Paracollege
Total Graduates 31 (The Paracollege does not grant honors)
Bachelor of Music
Total Graduates 21 Summa Cum Laude 2 Magna Cum Laude 3 Cum Laude 5
King Harald V
King of Norway
Awarded October 19, 1995
Garland Wright
Former Director, Guthrie Theater
Awarded February 27, 1996
Richard Solberg '38
Lutheran Pastor, Historian, Writer and Educator
Awarded April 18, 1996
Niels Jørgen Cappelørn
Director, Søren Kierkegaard Research Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark
Awarded May 23, 1996
Brenda G. Berkman '73
Firefighter, Brooklyn, New York
Paul H. Groth '41
Community Organizer, Appleton, Wisconsin
B. Kristine Olson Johnson '73
Business Executive, Wayzata, Minnesota
Neil A. Kjos, Jr. '53
Music Publisher, La Jolla, California
Paul A. Lee, Jr. '53
Homeless Advocate, Santa Cruz, California
Robert M. Wulff '51
Volunteer/Village Builder, Lakeville, Minnesota
Graduates in 4 years Graduates in 5 years Entering Fall of Class Size Number Percentage Number Percentage 1992 (Class of 1996) 702 500 71.2 -- -- 1991 (Class of 1995) 733 520 70.9 565 77.0 1990 (Class of 1994) 744 565 75.9 592 79.6 1989 (Class of 1993) 750 552 73.6 598 79.7 1988 (Class of 1992) 796 599 75.2 644 80.9 1987 (Class of 1991) 795 588 73.9 646 81.2 1986 (Class of 1990) 800 613 76.6 657 82.1 1985 (Class of 1989) 806 561 69.6 612 75.9 1984 (Class of 1988) 836 557 66.6 617 73.8 1983 (Class of 1987) 750 485 64.7 524 69.9 1982 (Class of 1986) 761 460 60.4 500 65.7
1st Semester Interim 2nd Semester Year Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Senior 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Junior 8 6 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 6 14 Sophomore 15 15 30 1 1 2 1 0 1 17 16 33 First-Year 314 433 747 2 4 6 5 6 11 321 443 764 Special 45 50 95 0 0 0 5 9 14 50 59 109 382 504 886 3 5 8 11 15 26 396 524 920
1st Semester Interim 2nd Semester Year Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Senior 284 385 669 0 3 3 2 4 6 286 392 678 Junior 288 370 658 4 2 6 3 1 4 295 373 668 Sophomore 234 412 646 0 1 1 0 1 1 234 414 648 First-Year 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 Special 36 40 76 1 1 2 0 12 12 37 53 90 844 1,207 2,051 5 7 12 5 18 23 854 1,232 2,086
1st Semester Interim 2nd Semester Year Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Men Women Total Senior 284 385 669 0 3 3 2 4 6 286 392 678 Junior 296 376 672 4 2 6 3 1 4 303 379 682 Sophomore 249 427 676 1 2 3 1 1 2 251 430 681 First-Year 316 433 749 2 4 6 5 6 11 323 443 766 Special 81 90 171 1 1 2 5 21 26 87 112 199 1,226 1,711 2,937 8 12 20 16 33 49 1,250 1,756 3,006
Men Women Total 27,906 29,027 56,933
Number Percent Alaska 11 0.37 Arizona 5 0.17 Arkansas 2 0.07 California 58 1.93 Colorado 57 1.90 Connecticut 11 0.37 Delaware 2 0.07 District of Columbia 1 0.03 Florida 13 0.43 Georgia 10 0.33 Hawaii 1 0.03 Idaho 6 0.20 Illinois 133 4.42 Indiana 14 0.47 Iowa 133 4.42 Kansas 21 0.70 Kentucky 3 0.10 Louisiana 2 0.07 Maine 8 0.27 Maryland 7 0.23 Massachusetts 12 0.40 Michigan 41 1.36 Minnesota 1,660 55.22 Missouri 30 1.00 Montana 32 1.06 Nebraska 59 1.96 Nevada 1 0.03 New Hampshire 10 0.33 New Jersey 11 0.37 New Mexico 5 0.17 New York 15 0.50 North Carolina 4 0.13 North Dakota 33 1.10 Ohio 18 0.60 Oklahoma 2 0.07 Oregon 24 0.80 Pennsylvania 20 0.67 Rhode Island 4 0.13 South Carolina 4 0.13 South Dakota 31 1.03 Tennessee 6 0.20 Texas 27 0.90 Utah 2 0.07 Vermont 5 0.17 Virginia 18 0.60 Washington 35 1.16 West Virginia 3 0.10 Wisconsin 297 9.88 Wyoming 10 0.33 Foreign Address 8 0.27 Total 2,925 97.31
International:
Number Percent Argentina 2 0.07 Azerbaijan 1 0.03 Bulgaria 1 0.03 Canada 1 0.03 England 1 0.03 Ethiopia 1 0.03 France 1 0.03 Germany 12 0.40 Great Britain 1 0.03 Greece 1 0.03 Honduras 1 0.03 Hong Kong 2 0.07 Hungary 1 0.03 India 2 0.07 Israel 1 0.03 Jamaica 1 0.03 Japan 18 0.60 Kenya 1 0.03 Korea 3 0.10 Latvia 1 0.03 Malaysia 3 0.10 Mexico 1 0.03 Norway 11 0.37 Pakistan 1 0.03 Philippines 1 0.03 P.R. China 1 0.03 Scotland 1 0.03 Singapore 1 0.03 Slovakia 1 0.03 Spain 1 0.03 Sweden 3 0.10 Thailand 1 0.03 Tibet 1 0.03 Trinidad 1 0.03 Total 81 2.69
Affiliation Number Percent Lutheran 1,456 48.44 Catholic 478 15.90 Methodist 191 6.35 Presbyterian 152 5.06 No Affiliation 122 4.06 No Information 113 3.76 Episcopal 77 2.56 Baptist 64 2.13 Other Religions 59 1.96 Non-Denominational 56 1.86 United Church of Christ 55 1.83 Congregational 34 1.13 Unitarian-Universalist 19 0.63 Buddhist 15 0.50 Evangelical Covenant 15 0.50 Evangelical Free 14 0.47 Assemblies of God 10 0.33 Eastern Orthodox 10 0.33 Christian Mission Alliance 8 0.27 Disciples of Christ 7 0.23 Moravian 7 0.23 Pentecostal 7 0.23 Covenant 6 0.20 Judaism 6 0.20 Church of God 4 0.13 Mennonite 4 0.13 Evangelical and Reformed 3 0.10 Hindu 3 0.10 Church of Christ 2 0.07 Islam 2 0.07 Quaker 2 0.07 Mormon 2 0.07 Christian Science 1 0.03 Evangelical United Brethren 1 0.03 Nazarene 1 0.03 Total 3,006 100.00
Number Percent Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 1,217 83.6 Missouri 137 9.4 Lutheran (Other) 68 4.7 Wisconsin 34 2.3 Total 1,456 100.0