$20,000 donated to Luther College Scandinavian Institute
Date 11/18/1999 12:00 AM | Topic: NewsEvery summer since 1963, Luther has opened its campus to 40-60 people from Nordic nations.
These people travel to the Midwest to be a part of the month-long Thanks to Scandinavia Institute in American Studies for Scandinavian Educators.
Luther recently received a $20,000 gift from Thanks to Scandinavia, Inc. for the work done with this program.
According to Bruce Willis, professor of Communications /Linguistics, this institute began at Luther primarily for teachers and school administrators from the Nordic countries to paint a "truer picture" of what the United States is like.
Willis has been co-director of the institute since 1993, along with his wife Barbara.
"The ideas people had about the United States were not at all accurate," said Willis.
Participants in the program spend three days in Chicago and then come to Luther to live in the dorms and eat in the cafeteria, but most of all to learn.
"The institution provides participants with an increased understanding of the diversity and complexity of the United States," says the informational brochure for the 2000 institute.
Lectures and discussions take place in the morning and early afternoon, while the rest of the day is set aside for study, recreational activities, and excursions to area attractions, such as the Mississippi River and the Mall of America.
Thanks to Scandinavia, Inc. is a New York-based philanthropic organization that recognizes the support given to Jews in World War II by Scandinavian countries.
They have been a consistent donor of smaller gifts in the past years, but significantly increased their pledge to $20,000 in exchange for more publicity for their organization. Luther agreed to change the name of the institution to add "Thanks to Scandinavia" two years ago.
The money from Thanks to Scandinavia, Inc. and other donators is given to participants as scholarships to aid with the cost of the program, which is just over $1300. The average stipend is $350-$450.
Willis also pointed out that while the name of the institute has been changed to reflect one of the largest beneficiaries, "we at Luther run the show."
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Laura Riordan
Chips Staff Writer
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