Endowment Listings

The Meslow Family Endowed Scholarship

Established on 01.30.2018 by John and Karen Meslow

John and Karen Meslow are strong advocates of a private college education. Together, they have actively worked to ensure that students from all backgrounds have access to outstanding institutions including Concordia.

John, a native of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, graduated in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in economics from St. Olaf College, which named him a Distinguished Alumnus in 1999. He served in the U.S. Air Force, and went to work for the 3M Company in 1963. He joined Medtronic in 1969, where he stayed for 30 years. He was first director of human resources. He then became president of the Neurological Division where he transformed a struggling unit into more than $1 billion in annual sales.

Karen grew up in Montevideo, Minnesota. She graduated from Macalester College in 1961 with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She taught elementary school throughout the 1960s in the West St. Paul and Mounds View school districts. She has volunteered for many community, church and school organizations. She retired as a continuing education coordinator at Inver Hills Community College, where she worked for 11 years.

The couple met on a blind date early in their professional lives. They raised two daughters – Julie, who attended the Norwegian Language Village; and Sara, a 1992 Concordia graduate. Their family has expanded to include two sons-in-law and five grandchildren.

Both John and Karen grew up in families where giving and sharing were modeled often – from an offering in church to supporting the community United Way. Karen says, “I remember feeling that giving and sharing is what you do and who you are. One of the gifts our parents gave us was showing that giving is always important.”

It was John’s experience in Minnesota’s innovative healthcare industry that led him to start the Mayo Innovation Scholars Program. The program introduces Minnesota private college students to medical and scientific innovations being considered by Mayo Clinic. Students gain experience in the fields of intellectual property, marketing and business development.

Through the Minnesota Private College Council, John and Karen established annual scholarships for first generation students entering Concordia and 16 other private colleges in the state. The couple wants to be sure that qualified students receive the required support and financial access to our outstanding institutions. The couple also supports Concordia’s Cobber Fund and capital projects, including the Knutson Campus Center and the Integrated Science Center.

John and Karen Meslow’s support of Concordia College began when their daughter, Sara Meslow ‘92, chose to attend. Their appreciation of the academic programs and mission of the college was enhanced by their daughter’s experience and by John’s nine year tenure as a member of the college’s Board of Regents. The Meslows, both graduates of Minnesota private colleges, endorse the liberal arts curriculum and appreciate the many local and global opportunities for academic and personal growth provided by Concordia to its students. They hope the Meslow Family Endowed Scholarship will assist a deserving student in obtaining an outstanding education in the caring, supportive, and value-driven college community at Concordia!

It is the intent of the Donors that the Meslow Family Endowed Scholarship be awarded to students based on scholastic achievement and/or financial need. 

 

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