Part of the Nena Amundson estate gift to Luther supports a competitive distinguished professorship, awarded biennially to a faculty member through evaluation of project proposals by a selection committee.

Special consideration is given to proposals that focus on health and wellness issues for women, as they were central to Amundson's career. A 1956 graduate of Luther, Amundson taught physical education and coached women’s athletics for more than 40 years, primarily at California Lutheran University, and was a pioneer in collegiate women’s sports programs.

The Amundson Award provides a faculty stipend of $5,000, a student stipend of $2,500, and $2,500 for the research project. The award is renewable up to one year.

Recipients

2006-2007 Distinguished Scholar
Lea Pickard, assistant professor of anthropology

Pickard’s research project proposes developing a better understanding of the health and wellness of Latina immigrants in Postville, Iowa. She will conduct anthropological research to assess community women's general health and wellness, including the type of health care women use, issues about health care that concern them, and how they feel their health and wellness could be improved.

Pickard will use the research data to work with the women and their local communities to build partnerships to ensure that women are getting the health care services they need.

2004-2005 Distinguished Professor
Nancy K. Barry, professor of English

Barry conducted a student-faculty wellness project, "Breast Cancer Risk for Young Women," in addition to her teaching duties. Throughout the 2005-06 academic year, Barry and Laurel Friedel ’06 nursing major conducted several focus groups with female students at Luther to analyze the ways in which college-age women define and assess their personal health and wellness.

The goal of this research is to determine ways the college might be most effective in its educational resources to promote women’s health.