Edina, MN
When Rebecca Ringham Odland looks back at her time on the Hill, she sees experiences and friendships that shaped her future. Four decades after graduating, she and her husband, Mark Odland ’74, are still very close with many of the friends they made in their first-year corridors.
“The relationships developed at St. Olaf are a fundamental part of the community where people care for you,” she says.
After graduating from St. Olaf as an English major, Odland taught English in high schools around the Midwest. She later earned her master’s degree in education from the University of Minnesota. She is an active volunteer with organizations such as Friends of the Minnesota Orchestra, the Junior League of Minneapolis, and the Hennepin Health Foundation. She also plays in the Minnesota Symphonic Winds, led by St. Olaf Band Conductor Timothy Mahr ’78.
Odland volunteers for the Class of 1974, which has been a leader in participation and fundraising. As an Alumni Board member, she is grateful for the opportunity to expand the mission of St. Olaf and to enhance lifelong connections.
“As with any volunteer organization, you really have to be committed to the cause and have passion for the institution,” she says.
Like many Oles, Odland is passionate about the college and its alumni.
“If you’re halfway around the world and you run into someone from St. Olaf, you become instantly connected,” says Odland. “That bond is invaluable.”
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