Access magazine

Resources

Contact

Communications Home

Alumni Representative Column | Homecoming Photos | Why I love GC | Alumni Notes

Barbara Stephens Foster

General College Alumni Society Representative
University of Minnesota Alumni Association
Barbara Stephens Foster

A legacy to uphold
Walking in the September 24, 2005, Homecoming parade under the motto “Honoring the Past, Embracing the Future” had particular significance for me. Walking beside me, a representative of the more distant past, were my daughter, Sharla, a General College alumna, representing the recent past, and five of my seven grandchildren, who represent the future.

Sharla and I have joined the General College contingent in Homecoming parades since the college began participating 10 years ago. We started as a very small but enthusiastic group. This year, about 200 GCers of all ages ranged across almost an entire city block. The General College community truly honored our past in our final walk down University Avenue as a collegiate group. I’m sure the faculty, administrators, and staff who went before us, dedicating their careers to General College, are pleased with the pride we showed in the traditions they forged. We held our heads high as we marched past the historic gates, the majestic campus buildings, and the Greek houses.

Another generation of wonderful people is following in the footsteps of the General College builders. They will be pivotal in infusing our future with an intelligent, optimistic, visionary approach to transforming the lives of students who will be entrusted to us. I’m anticipating greatness on their part and the University’s.

The General College is a community of stellar citizens “Honoring the Past and Embracing the Future.” Join us in forging a future as exemplary as our past. With the help of the alumni and the spirit of the elders, we will continue to thrive, no matter the structure. We are change agents whose mission is to help students and others improve their possibilities for success, and we will continue to help the University develop effective strategies to make it happen. There is, and will continue to be, a General College legacy to uphold.

“Opportunity follows struggle. It follows effort. It follows hard work. It doesn’t come before.”
—Shelby Steele, American writer

P.S. In my column in the spring issue of Access, I asked you to lift up your voice and shout about the dissolution of General College. The current term used by administration is “merge,” not “dissolve.” That is perhaps a reason to be more optimistic about our future, but may still affect some of our friends and colleagues in unwelcome ways. My heart goes out to them.

Homecoming 2005

Why I love GC
William “Tex” Ostvig, B.A., 1996

Born in Mexico, adopted and raised in Minnesota, Tex feels he has been blessed. “Being accepted to the U of M was a dream come true, and I couldn’t have done it without General College. GC gave me the tools I needed to build the successful life I have today,” he said.

Tex currently works at the University of Minnesota’s Office for Urban and Educational Partnerships as director for the presidential initiative “U Connects.” He was recently named a Hero of Mentoring by the Minnesota Business Partnership, one of nine so named.

U Connects is an outreach initiative that supports the various needs of mentoring organizations in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota. The program has provided more than 1,300 tickets to mentors and the young people they work with, enabling them to attend “U” artistic and sporting events.

While a student at the University, Tex was a member of the Gopher wrestling team for four years, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity, vice president and president of the Minnesota LDS Student Association, marketing intern for “U” men’s and women’s athletics, University orientation leader, and two-time recipient of the President’s Student Leadership Award.

Congratulations, Tex; GC is proud of you!

KEEPING YOU INFORMED
Alumni relations officers in three colleges affected by the Strategic Positioning Initiative—GC, the College of Human Ecology (CHE), and the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD)—are meeting to discuss possibilities for a new, larger alumni society within CEHD, incorporating GC and CHE alumni. Most important, we want to know the concerns of you, our alumni. How would you suggest effectively transitioning to keep history, traditions, and programs that are important to you? Please share any thoughts with Deb Wilkens-Costello, wilke041@umn.edu.

FAREWELL, BETSY
We are sad to announce that Betsy Taplin, GC’s alumni relations officer, is moving on. After seven years of loyal service to the college, Betsy’s new challenge will be major gifts officer for the social sciences in the College of Liberal Arts. Thank you for your unswerving dedication to GC, Betsy!