Raymond M. Olson Family Scholarship

Rev. Dr. Raymond M. Olson was the second president of California Lutheran College, serving from 1963 to 1971. Prior to coming to CLC, he was pastor to various parishes from 1939 to 1952, then became General Secretary for Stewardship for the American Lutheran Church, the position he left in order to assume the presidency of CLC. He moved to Thousand Oaks in 1963 with his wife Helen.

Ray and Helen, both proud Norwegian-Americans, first met as students at Waldorf College in Iowa. They were married in 1937. Helen completed her teaching degree at Waldorf and worked as a teacher for four years while Ray attended Augustana College in South Dakota and Luther Theological Seminary in Minnesota, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in theology. He also received honorary degrees from both Augustana College and California Lutheran University. The Olson family included three children—Eloise Cohen ‘70, Signe Rich and Rolf Olson.

Together, Ray and Helen were extremely active in the life of the college and the Thousand Oaks community, both during and following his tenure as CLC president. By nature a gracious hostess, Helen made sure that their home was always open to faculty, students and guests of the college. Because the college was just beginning to spread its wings, Helen especially supported those activities that encouraged people to get involved. As part of the Hilleson family, she was also a lover of art and was integral to the creation of the Hilleson Art Award, which is a recorded scholarship story separate from this one.

The Olsons continued their active involvement in community affairs even after Ray’s presidency was concluded. Ray was named President Emeritus in 1983, and together he and Helen received the coveted Christus Award in 1998. Through his leadership as founder of the Conejo Future Foundation and founding chairman of the Alliance for the Arts, Ray left an indelible mark on the community he loved. He died in 2006 at the age of 96, having celebrated 69 anniversaries with his beloved Helen. Helen passed away in early 2014. Daughter Eloise and her husband Chuck continue to carry the banner of involvement in the life of CLU to this day.

In 1989 the entire family decided to create this scholarship in the name of the Olson Family. By combining their stewardship, they brought the fund to endowment level. The Raymond M. Olson Family Scholarship is awarded annually to an incoming senior majoring in English.