Keith Christensen ’80 resigned as vice president for development at Luther last summer to join the development staff at Mayo Clinic. He led the development team at Luther for 15 years. The Clinton, Iowa, native has sunk deep roots in Decorah, and he and his wife, Dawn Deines-Christensen ’82, will continue to live in town.
On the last day of his week off between jobs, we talked with him about the transition and his relationship with the college.Image may be NSFW.
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Falling for Luther as a student
“I remember coming over the hill on Highway 52 in my little 1968 blue Nova with everything I needed in the backseat because my trunk had a hole in it,” he says. “Even as a 17-year-old, I was almost brought to tears. . . . It was the beauty of the place that struck me. . . . Everything that happened after that—the deep friendships and connections—these are networks that have worked for me my whole life.”
Finding his way back to Luther
After graduating, Christensen worked for Lutheran Mutual and then Motorola Communications and Electronics. In 1986 he started working for the college in a position he says seemed tailor-made for him—director of estate and gift planning. “All of a sudden I realized this was my niche, and I’ve never been out of the development field since,” he says.
After a stint as vice president for development at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., from 1994 to 2000, Christensen returned as Luther’s head of development.
Unique alumni events
While Christensen won’t say he has favorite events among the hundreds of alumni gatherings he’s attended, he does recall a few as unique.
Golfing in Arizona: “For the last 10 years we’ve done a golf event on Saturday, a Phoenix-area event on Sunday, and a Tucson-area event on Monday. I’ve always enjoyed that because we have family and friends down there and we have lots of Luther connections there,” he says.
Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C.: A campaign event with President Torgerson, hosted by Arne ’80 and Ruth Sorenson, was special because Christensen’s daughter Chelsey saw him on the job for the first time and understood his passion for his work. “It was touching to hear her say, basically, ‘I get it now,’” he says. Chelsey is now director of development for an arts organization in Bethesda, Md.
Holden Village: The Christensens hosted a couple of summer alumni gatherings at the Holden Village retreat in Washington state. When Dawn turned 50, Christensen organized a successful surprise party and card shower during one of those gatherings. “It shows how much I think of our Luther alumni as family,” Christensen says.
Moving to Mayo
Christensen will be a principal gifts officer at Mayo, working an Illinois and Missouri territory. What he enjoyed most about working in development at Luther, Christensen says, was his contact with donors: “Hearing about their stories, their connections, hearing what their dream was in support of Luther College and helping them to make it come true—being a part of that is a big deal.” While he was able to spend about 20 to 40 percent of his time working directly with donors as a V.P. at Luther, he says, his new position will increase that number to 80 or 90 percent.
At his farewell gathering on campus, Christensen said, “My role changes now, and I am excited for what lies ahead with the opportunity at Mayo, but I am still the cheerleader for the Norse and this area of so much bounty —both the natural resources and good people.”
