Darrin Deveau Memorial Scholarship

After Darrin Deveau was killed in an automobile accident in November 1996, not one but three personal letters—one from the University president, two from professors in the MBA program—let Jack and Carol Deveau know how much they much they had enjoyed knowing their son Darrin and having him as a student. That unexpected kindliness demonstrates in a small but significant way how CLU lives up to its reputation as a caring institution.

Darrin was the youngest of Jack and Carol’s three sons. The family lived in Thousand Oaks, where Darrin attended high school. After he graduated he enrolled at his father’s alma mater, Oregon State University, but was not content there. So he transferred to Arizona State, only to have a similar experience. And so, he moved home and enrolled at CLU, somewhat as a last resort. To his surprise Darrin not only thrived but literally blossomed at CLU both as a student and as a person. At CLU he took advantage of what was to offer, traveling to the Holy Land on a tour led by Dr. Tonsing. He liked the tour so much that when he returned home he declared history as his major.

After receiving his bachelor of arts degree in 1996 Darrin enrolled in CLU’s MBA program. It was there that Darrin really seemed to find his niche. He excelled in the courses he took in his first semester and, according to his professors, his presence and participation in their classes invigorated other students. His professors found Darrin to be an enthusiastic, curious, affable but serious student, and he truly blossomed under their tutelage.

At the time of his death, Darrin was excelling in his graduate classes and had high goals for himself in the world of business. That was in part due to the example set by his father. Jack Deveau was a highly regarded civil engineer for C. L. Peck Contractors for many years.

As members of Ascension Lutheran Church in Thousand Oaks, Jack and Carol wanted Darrin’s memorial scholarship to benefit members of their church. In designing the endowed Darrin Deveau Memorial Scholarship, they requested that potential students recommended by their own congregation be given first consideration. The only other criterion was that the recipient be an upper-division student needing financial assistance.

Jack and Carol’s firm hope is that recipients of Darrin’s scholarship might experience the same kind of “blossoming” during their time at CLU as Darrin had.