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Lois Rand to speak at Founders Day chapel service Nov. 5

By Le Ann Finger '85
November 2, 2004

Lois Rand, wife of the late St. Olaf College President Sidney Rand, will speak at Boe Memorial Chapel on Nov. 5 at 10:10 a.m. during the St. Olaf Founders Day celebration. Rand will speak about the college's Norwegian heritage in her address, "Stumbling Blocks and Launching Pads."

Rand, a native of Sioux Falls, S.D., has spent the past 30 years establishing positive relationships between St. Olaf College and Norway. After her husband retired from St. Olaf in 1980, he was appointed as U.S. Ambassador to Norway by President Jimmy Carter. The Rands served in the U.S. Embassy in Norway for one year. During that time, they traveled throughout Norway to help broaden the cross-cultural bonds between Norway and the United States.

"There was an expectation that we would introduce ourselves and make friends," says Lois Rand. "We learned to make friends, get to know people and help them work."

Upon their return to the United States, the Rands returned annually to Norway for nearly 17 years to visit friends, relatives and for business purposes.

For her work in helping to strengthen U.S.-Norwegian relations, Rand received the Ambassadorýs Award for U.S. Special Services award last month at the U.S.-Norway Forum held in Chicago and chaired by Norwegian Ambassador Knut Vollebaeck.

"The award was a real surprise to me," says Rand. "I was the fourth recipient of the award and since itýs not given annually, it's very touching to me."

In addition, Rand has received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce, the Wittenberg Award from the Luther Institute, the St. Olaf Medal from King Olav V of Norway, the Commander's Cross of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit from King Harald V, and the America-Norway Heritage Fund 2004 Award.

Rand also serves as president of the Norwegian-American Historical Association (NAHA), an organization that helps maintain and develop archives at St. Olaf College of Norwegian-American historical material, including a national center for the collection and preservation of historical material. This work has brought together her long-cherished Norwegian heritage and her passion for making it relevant to American life today.

Founders Day marks the anniversary of that day on Nov. 6, 1874, when the Rev. Bernt Julius Muus, pastor of Holden Lutheran Church, Harald Thorson, a Northfield businessman, and area farmers O.K. Finseth, K.P. Haugen and O. Osmundson came together and signed the Articles of Incorporation for St. Olaf's School in Thorson's home.

Contact Le Ann Finger at 507-786-3416 or finger@stolaf.edu.