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| Giving Back for the Future- Colleen and Patrick Aaberg Story |
Colleen (Molden) '94 and Patrick '94 Aaberg live busy lives. The 30-something business professionals have two small children, Lily, 5, and Sam, 4. Colleen is a sales executive for The Hartford, a large insurance company, and Patrick works as a marketing manager for General Mills. The Aabergs say this peak time in their lives is perfect for giving back to college, which is why they decided to fund two C-400 Presidential Scholarships. The minimum gift for the C-400 Presidential Scholarship is $2,500 per year for four years totaling $10,000.
"We're passionate about supporting scholarships awarded to students who have worked hard and present good cases through community involvement and academic achievement but, most importantly, whose families have financial need as well," says Colleen.
Both Colleen and Patrick received financial assistance to attend Concordia. Colleen recalls a time when her mother even wrote to the Financial Aid Office after a particularly challenging year of farming and the Financial Aid Office adjusted both her and her sister's award packages.
"That may have seemed like a small act by the college, at the time," Colleen says, "but it was an action that our family will never forget. I intend to pay back that generosity now tenfold and then some to ensure kids like me and my sister get the chance to attend Concordia."
The Aaberg's story gets even better thanks to their employers. They both work for companies that match donations. Because of the double match, a $1,000 donation quickly turns into $3,000 per year for the students who will receive their scholarships. They have been taking advantage of those matching programs by giving to the college for several years, but are excited to positively impact specific students via the C-400 Presidential Scholarship.
"The Aabergs provide a wonderful example of the philanthropic spirit of our recent graduates," says Lonnie Pederson, director of C-400 Annual Giving. " Their annual gifts, including the C-400 Presidential Scholarship, provide important 'gifts to live by' -impacting the lives of students every day at Concordia."
Colleen says she and Patrick are thankful for all the opportunities that have come their way, and are looking forward to making a difference in other people's lives, just as Concordia made a difference for them. Now two students will benefit from their generosity.
"I view Concordia as a fantastic launching point," Colleen says. "I was exposed to life and career possibilities while in college that I never could have imagined. I realize now how blessed I was to attend Concordia and want to pay that good fortune forward."
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