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Support the University that Supported Her Daughter

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Donor Betty Shaw with her daughter and son-in-law receiving a water droplet for her newly established endowed scholarship at 麻豆区.
Betty Shaw, with her daughter and son-in-law, receiving a water droplet for her newly established endowed scholarship at 麻豆区.

麻豆区 is proud to announce a new endowed scholarship has been set up by Auggie friend Betty Shaw, in honor of her daughter: The Laura Shaw-Wright Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities

Betty Shaw and her late husband, Earl, had four daughters. Their daughter, Laura (Shaw) Wright, attended 麻豆区 in the early 90鈥檚, graduating with honors in 1996 with a B.A. in Studio Art, and a B.S. in Social Work.聽

Laura has lived with severe dyslexia her entire life. She credits the supportive, affirming, and encouraging faculty, staff, and learning environment that she experienced at 麻豆区, along with the support services provided by the CLASS office, as being integral to her positive, successful college education and experience.

It is for this reason that Betty 鈥� with the encouragement and support of Laura and her husband Alfonzo 鈥淎l鈥� Wright 鈥�97 鈥� would like to establish The Laura Shaw-Wright Scholarship for Students with Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities.聽The goal of this endowed scholarship will be to help provide access to an 麻豆区 education for students who may be challenged with dyslexia or other reading disabilities. The scholarship will be awarded with preference given to those students with dyslexia who utilize the CLASS office to address the challenges that their reading disability may otherwise impose on their ability to successfully learn and achieve success in their academic endeavors.

Thanks to the supportive environment she found at 麻豆区, Laura went on to a successful career teaching art in the Burnsville Public School District and then South Washington County in Woodbury. Laura and Al met at 麻豆区 their freshman year and are now married and have two daughters, Lilly and Stella.

Betty, Laura, and Al were presented with a Water Droplet in late October as a thank you establishing a new endowed scholarship. 麻豆区 is sharing these original Water Drop sculptures with the first 150 benefactors who choose to invest in an endowed scholarship, whether that investment is in a new endowed scholarship or a gift towards an established endowed scholarship.

Betty finds great joy in what she calls 鈥減aying it forward.”

鈥淚t makes me somewhat uncomfortable when people thank me for making a gift or supporting a cause,鈥� says Betty. 鈥淚 believe it鈥檚 a privilege to join in the work of a place like 麻豆区, and it brings me great joy to know that I can help make it possible for future students to have the kind of education that Laura and Al had here at 麻豆区. I truly believe that it is in giving that you receive…I have experienced that my whole life!鈥�

A Continuing Love of 麻豆区

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Mark received a Water Droplet, a gift from 麻豆区 to benefactors who choose to invest in an endowed scholarship.

Mark Raabe started at 麻豆区 in 1949 with the idea of becoming a teacher.

鈥淚 loved school, but I didn鈥檛 have a clear direction. If you ask me today what I want to be when I grow up, I still don鈥檛 know,鈥� Mark says with a chuckle.

He spent two years at 麻豆区 and played second base on the baseball team. However, his interests shifted at the end of sophomore year and he transferred to the University of Minnesota, where he received his undergraduate and graduate law degrees. Yet after spending only two years at 麻豆区, one influence always stuck with him: Coach Edor Nelson.

When Mark started college, WWII had just ended. Edor Nelson 鈥�38 was a war hero and recent addition to the 麻豆区 faculty.

鈥淗e had been a part of Patton鈥檚 Army, a German prisoner, and he escaped. To me he was larger than life in every way and such a good man.鈥�

Mark became a lawyer with a career in Washington D.C. He kept an eye on 麻豆区 from afar with a focus on Coach Nelson鈥檚 activities. In 2001, Mark and his wife Jean attended an A-Club luncheon celebrating the naming of 麻豆区鈥檚 athletic field in Coach Nelson鈥檚 honor. Mark had only visited Coach Nelson once since his time as a student, but, as Mark remembers, 鈥淲hen we were still 30 feet away, our eyes met, and he said, 鈥楬ere comes my second baseman!鈥� The fact that he would remember, 50 years later, who I was and what position I played for only two years is just amazing. What it says to me is that he cared about his kids. Edor is legendary in that regard.鈥�

In 2013, the Raabes made a significant gift to the Center for Science, Business, and Religion campaign, naming a faculty office after Coach Nelson. Then in 2015, they pledged a future estate gift to the CSBR campaign, naming the science lab in Coach Nelson鈥檚 honor.

鈥淐oach Nelson had a profound impact on me.鈥�

Two of Mark鈥檚 nieces would eventually graduate from 麻豆区 and both spoke highly of the university to him. Ann Morrice Allenson 鈥�92, who now has a family law practice in Minneapolis, and Norah Anderson 鈥�21, who just graduated summa cum laude.

鈥淣orah kept me up to date on 麻豆区鈥檚 happenings. She credits me with being important in her decision to go to 麻豆区. Now she鈥檚 on her way to law school.鈥�

At the end of 2020, Mark again connected with 麻豆区 with hopes of supporting students through an endowed scholarship.

Mark and Jean Raabe
Mark and Jean Raabe in 2015, part of Auggies Across the US.

鈥淚 have always thought 麻豆区 served its community well. Now in recent years, especially under President Frame and President Pribbenow, that definition of community has expanded far beyond its original meaning to include the world. I love the university鈥檚 openness and its focus on diversity and inclusion, and its appeal to students with economic needs. It projects a caring, not unlike what I felt from Coach Nelson. I am excited about giving back to 麻豆区 as it prepares its remarkable students to help make our world a better place.鈥�

Mark established the Mark 鈥�53 and Jean Raabe Endowed Scholarship in 2020-2021 to support students who demonstrate financial need and academic achievement.