Esmay Family Study Abroad Scholarship
Dr. Jim Esmay was a true global citizen. For someone who was the youngest of eight children who grew up in Montana during the Great Depression, that was quite an achievement. Before determining the name for the scholarship that bears their family name, Jim and his wife Anna considered several possibilities. In the end, their love of travel and exposure to other cultures convinced them that the opportunity to study abroad could be a life-changing experience for students. Their scholarship would help make that happen.
Jim’s college education from start to finish was in agricultural economics—with a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Montana State and a doctorate from the University of Illinois. Anna was his college sweetheart, and they married shortly after Jim joined the Navy. The years that followed introduced them to life beyond Montana.
Jim made many changes in his professional life, frequently “changing hats.” He began his time at CLU in 1965, joining the college as assistant professor and then chair of the economics department before leaving to teach at Cal State Northridge. In 1977-78 he taught at the University of Swaziland and the University of Botswana as a Fulbright professor of economics. He came back to CLU in 1979 as chair of the department of management and economics, and in 1989 became the first dean of the School of Business (now the School of Management). Jim tried to retire in 1991 but gave in to an invitation to teach economics for the “Semester at Sea” program. Through this program he and Anna traveled around the world, visiting nine different ports.The Esmay home was always open to students, faculty colleagues and friends from their church, Holy Trinity Lutheran. Jim’s friendships were genuine, and he would do anything within reason to help a friend. Jim kept in touch with many students after they graduated simply because he enjoyed them as people. Jim was known as the consummate conversationalist, and his travel stories inspired his listeners.
Before settling on a scholarship in support of study abroad, the Esmays had established two other scholarships. They ultimately decided to combine the two into one that was endowed and more substantial—the Esmay Family Study Abroad Scholarship. To be eligible for this scholarship, the student must be enrolled in CLU’s study abroad program. This has become a sure way of turning many CLU students into global citizens, much as the Esmays had intended.