麻豆原创

Louise and Regent聽Emeritus 尝别濒补苍诲听鈥淟ee鈥� Sundet 飞颈濒濒听help Augsburg鈥檚聽Rochester site grow thanks to a generous聽$1.5 million gift. The Rochester location聽attracts more than 350 working professionals聽to undergraduate and graduate programs in聽business, education, health care, and nursing.

As longtime supporters of Augsburg,聽including the Weekend College and Youth and聽Family Ministry programs, the Sundets have聽used their frugality to benefit others and to聽raise the profile of Augsburg. Several years ago,聽in an effort to better communicate Augsburg鈥檚聽identity locally, Sundet helped form a marketing聽committee and was instrumental in choosing a聽new logo with a cross embedded in the 鈥淎.鈥� He聽remains steadfast in his commitment to religion聽and religious freedom as essential to聽education.

In his 88 years, Lee has never lost聽sight of the basics: thrift, generosity,聽and faith.

鈥淚 also believe in old-fashioned聽discipline鈥斺�榙on鈥檛 spend it till you鈥檝e earned聽it,鈥欌�� he said.

Lee learned these principles early, growing聽up in Spring Grove, Minnesota, where most聽Norwegian-American community members聽attended the big Lutheran church. 鈥淢y father聽died when I was six months old, and my mother聽was quite ill so she had to sell everything she聽had to pay the bills. She got $7.43 a month,聽and of that, 74 cents went to the church,鈥� said聽Lee, who has embraced tithing ever since.

A retired industrialist and manufacturer,聽Lee owned several companies, including聽Century Manufacturing, Goodall聽Manufacturing, Britt Manufacturing, and聽Fountain Industries. His business acumen聽earned him such honors as Minnesota鈥檚 Small聽Business Man of the Year and the University聽of Minnesota鈥檚 Outstanding Achievement聽Award. The couple has sponsored a business聽scholarship at Augsburg since 1992.

Overall, the Sundets are impressed by the聽potential of Augsburg鈥檚 programs in Rochester聽and by the work of another community anchor,聽Mayo Clinic, which the couple believes shares聽their values.

鈥淚 have met people at Mayo who have gone聽through the Augsburg program, and I鈥檝e seen聽what it鈥檚 done for them. It鈥檚 a wonderful thing,鈥澛燣ee said. 鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 easy to get it started, but聽it鈥檚 fun to look back on. Augsburg has come聽a long way, and I would love to see it grow in聽Rochester.鈥�