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Erik Paulsen '87 named commencement speaker

By David Gonnerman '90
March 13, 2009

St. Olaf President David R. Anderson '74 has announced that Congressman Erik Paulsen '87 will speak to the Class of 2009 during the St. Olaf Commencement ceremony May 24. Paulsen represents Minnesota's 3rd District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Paulsen
Prior to his election to Congress in 2008, where he represents a number of Minneapolis suburbs, Paulsen served in the Minnesota House of Representatives 1995-2008, where he was majority leader 2003-07. While in office he earned Legislator of the Year awards from the Association of Metropolitan School Districts and the Suburban Transit Association. He also was named Outstanding Legislator by the Minnesota School Boards Association and received the Nature Conservancy's Government Relations Award for environmental leadership.

He began his public service career working as a legislative assistant for his 3rd District predecessor, Congressman Jim Ramstad. He later directed Ramstad's Minnesota office.

Paulsen also has participated in several distinguished leadership programs and fellowships, including the inaugural two-year class of the Aspen Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership, the German Marshall Memorial Fellowship, the Young Leaders Forum of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and the American Council of Young Political Leaders. In addition, he has participated in a number of overseas programs, traveling to India, China, Brazil, the Middle East and Europe.

Paulsen has served on the boards of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Southdale YMCA, the Eden Prairie A Better Chance Foundation and Habitat for Global Learning. The mathematics major also has 16 years of business experience, including work as a business analyst at Target Corporation. He and his wife, Kelly, live in Eden Prairie with daughters Cassie, Briana, Tayler and Liesl.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.