Rachel Leonard, energetic and always-smiling county commissioner from Zimmerman, wore a face of pride that would light up the universe as she strolled into our Big Lake office. In her hand was the recent copy of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association magazine.

 

In large display, the magazine featured Rachel’s family - all 10 of them - who proudly wear University of Minnesota outfits as graduates or students at the institution.

Rachel, widowed at an early age, led the way for her family, earning an associate degree in 1952 and three additional degrees, including a masters in education. (She later earned a law degree and still practices to this day. Oh yeh, she has a pilots license.)

 

Her children and grandchildren followed at the U. including Pam, BA, 1974, MD, 1984, MPH, 1991; Eric, BS, 1985, JD (law), 1990;, Todd, MD, 1996, UMD; daughter in law Jill Jansen, BS, 1988; and grandkids Alexandra, BA, 2010; Kyle and Mitchell Leonard and David BA, 2011, UMD; and Katie Cowardin, BA, 2008. Grandkids Kyle are a senior and Mitchell a freshman at the University.

 

Much of the feature on the Leonard clan dealt with their feelings about the U and how it strengthened them to make positive contributions to their communities, on the job and in their neighborhoods. 

 

In featuring the Leonards, we would be remiss to not acknowledge our local commissioner, Ewald Petersen of Big Lake, a graduate of the University with a foreign diplomatic history degree in 1965.

 

I completed a masters program in journalism at UM in 1978.

 

We took a class in science journalism, taught by the late Arnold Ismach (his death featured in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune this week.)

 

We learned the importance of scientifically selecting a sample of respondents from a large group - and that it meant everything to the accuracy of responses on which we based our stories.

 

Our class project? To divie up the approximate 2,200-member Hennepin County Bar Association - about 15 lawyers per class member - for hour-long telephone interviews. Interesting, you can keep a person on the phone that long if your material is presented  correctly.

 

Many issues facing the county bar association at that time included whether they should be allowed to advertise their services. They weren’t, prior to that time.

 

There were strong indiccations our stories based on their survey results played a large part in their (successful) taking the issue to the Minnesota Legislature.

 

We now see attorney ads everywhere, don’t we? 

 

I had the benefit of working for six years in community journalism before attending the U for my masters degree.  I had a perspective of what opportunities were out there for four-year graduates. But in1977, our journalism department sought a new directive for establishing various courses undergraduates should take. Most of the faculty argued students should be able to streamline themselves through a particular curriculum to get their job.

 

My argument was, give undergraduates a wide sampling of courses from broadcasting to print journalism (with a heavy emphasis on interviewing and writing) so when they got out in the world, they would have some experience in many fields, in case they had to take a job dictated by what was open in the market.

 

My arguments didn’t win. Oh well. I had my say.

 

Being a sports fan, I had a wonderful experience as a Gopher fan those years. On the gridiron, Bob Stein led the football team to a 7-4 record, including a 16-0 shellacking of No. 1 rated Michigan at the brickyard one October Saturday afternoon. I’ll never forget Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler pawing and kicking at the dirt as he realized the outcome wasn’t going to be to his liking.

 

And a few months later, our Gopher basketball team, led by Michel Thompson, Kevin McHale, Osbourne Lockhart and  Flip Saunders, powering their way to a 24-3 season and  Big 10 title. What wonderful sports entertainment.

 

Recently, the University was named one of the top schools in the nation for its research effectiveness, which means the influx of millions of dollars for continued work. 

 

The University is many things to us. I’m proud, like Rachel and family and Ewald, to have spent good time there.