Gaylord and Marian Hougen Endowed Scholarship

Every once in a while, California Lutheran University receives a bequest that has been put into place many years earlier through a trust created by the donors. Sometimes very little information is known about the donors, and this was the case with the funding for the Gaylord and Marian Hougen Endowed Scholarship. If this story is short, that is why—it’s because so little is known about the generous people who established the scholarship that bears their names.

Although little is known about this generous couple, several things are clear. Together they planned well for their end-of-life gifts. They must have had a high regard for higher education and specifically higher education at a faith-based institution. They had sufficient personal knowledge of California Lutheran University to believe that a CLU degree not only signified a quality education but also prepared the student well for a future career.

Through the bequest that created this scholarship, the Hougens also practiced genuine Christian stewardship. They planned carefully and thoughtfully so that their assets after their deaths could benefit students they would never have the chance to meet. Furthermore, they placed their trust in those who would ultimately administer the endowed scholarship fund to invest it wisely and use it to help those students who were most deserving.

The Gaylord and Marian Hougen Endowed Scholarship was a gift to the students of California Lutheran University—a gift with no strings attached. Thanks to the Hougens for their truly wonderful gift.