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Val Björnson Icelandic Exchange Scholarship
The University of Minnesota and the University of Iceland have enjoyed almost 30 years of student exchange. Over these years, dozens of students from Iceland have come to study at the University of Minnesota with support from the Val Björnson Icelandic Exchange Scholarship.
Who was Val Björnson?
Few Minnesotans have contributed as much to the Icelandic community as Val Björnson. Born in 1906 in Minnesota, Björnson was a well-known journalist and served as Minnesota State Treasurer for many years, as well as Honorary Consul of Iceland in Minneapolis. Perhaps his greatest legacy is the strong relationship he helped the state of Minnesota build with Iceland. Björnson was co-founder of the exchange program between the Universities of Iceland and Minnesota, now called the Val Björnson Icelandic Exchange Program, which continues to flourish 20 years after his passing in 1987.
Donor Profile
Louise Solberg had many reasons for wanting to contribute to the Val Björnson Scholarship Fund: she hails from Minneota, Minnesota, where she grew up knowing Val and his family; she has strong ties to Iceland as all four of her grandparents were Icelanders; and her children and husband are proud alumni of the University of Minnesota. The first reason she named, however, was that she has “always been interested in people going to college.”
In 2010, Louise established a gift annuity—a form of planned giving—to support the scholarship over the long term. This gift will help ensure that students from the University of Minnesota and the University of Iceland will continue to have the opportunity to participate in this exchange for years to come.
Student Profile
Working on a Ph.D. in parent education at the University of Iceland, Hrund “Thora” Þórarinsdóttir was somewhat isolated. There are not many people in the field in Iceland so the opportunity to study at the University of Minnesota’s College of Education and Human Development—known for its excellent parent education program—was an exciting opportunity.
Thora spent the 2010-2011 academic year in Minnesota, thanks to the Björnson Scholarship, and was able to connect with other scholars in her field. She learned that she had been on the right track and reading the same research as her colleagues in the U.S. even though she had to find her own way. While in Minnesota, she also had the opportunity to attend the National Council on Family Relations 2010 Annual Conference held in Minneapolis where she met people in her field from all over the country.
Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Ash
University of Minnesota student Becky Yates has made a digital story that recounts her bike expedition around the perimeter of Iceland—and a run-in with a volcano. Becky was in Iceland as part of the University of Minnesota-University of Iceland Student Exchange, which is supported by the Val Björnson Icelandic Exchange Scholarship.
Greetings from University of Iceland
In honor of the inauguration of President Eric Kaler on Sept. 22, 2011, the University of Iceland and Rector Kristin Ingólfsdóttir sent the following video message that was part of a longer video shown at the inauguration ceremony.
Support the Scholarship
The involvement of the community sustains the heart of our academic and cultural relationship. The University is grateful for the outstanding level of engagement and financial support from the Icelandic community.
Questions?
To discuss your gift, please contact Diane Young, our director of development, at 612-624-8819 or young054@umn.edu.
