Leland-Henrikson Scholarship

After leaving his mark on countless students who became teachers under his tutelage, Dr. Allen Leland took one more step in designing the legacy he would leave at California Lutheran University—this family scholarship bearing the names of his parents.

That legacy began in 1962 when Dr. Leland first came to CLC as assistant professor in education. Little did he know the challenges that lay ahead. In 1963, the individual installed as CLC’s second president passed away after just six months in office, and Dr. Leland was selected to serve as acting president. In those early years he also served as dean of the college and as registrar. When he was finally able to return to the deanship of the department of education, he began the process of developing the department and the professional studies program. Thanks to his good work and clear vision, the education department became the School of Education in 1986.

When asked to name some of the milestones in his long career at CLC/CLU, Dr. Leland cited two especially significant accomplishments, the California Lutheran Intern Program (or CLIP as it was known), an innovative elementary credential program developed in 1968, and the Bilingual Cross-cultural Language and Academic Development (or BCLAD) program he developed by building relationships with Ventura County schools. Both of these programs established CLU as a leader in teacher education in the region.

Because Dr. Leland was a visionary, he continued to build programs that were both innovative and successful. Eventually, master’s programs in school administration, pupil personnel, and special education came into existence. Dr. Leland paved the way for additional graduate programs, including CLU’s first doctoral program in educational leadership. His contribution to the reputation of the University was invaluable.

Dr. Leland officially retired in 1992, and finally in 2010 he convinced his wife Anne and their three children to join him in creating a family scholarship bearing his parents’ names. The Norwegian influence is notable in the spelling of their names. The criteria for the scholarship are fairly simple. A recipient must be a freshman who is a Christian and who remains eligible by maintaining at least a 2.5 grade point average. There is no preference as to the student’s major, but there is a “slight preference” for students of Norwegian heritage.