Segerhammar Scholarship

The Segerhammar Scholarship was established in 1982 by Segerhammar family members and many friends of Carl and Ruth Segerhammar in honor of their 50th wedding anniversary. On that occasion it seemed to all onlookers that the couple was as much in love as they had been on the day they were married. Theirs was true love, and it was a love shared in service to the church and in a commitment to Lutheran higher education.

Ruth and Carl Segerhammar, both Swedish-Americans, met while they were students at Bethany College in Kansas. Ruth was preparing to be a teacher while ‘Seger’ (Ruth’s nickname for Carl) was preparing for the seminary. Ruth went on to teach high school in both Kansas and Colorado while Seger pursued graduate studies at Augustana Seminary in Illinois. Three long years passed between marriage proposal and the exchange of wedding vows in 1932.

Carl Segerhammar was a born leader, as well demonstrated by the many responsible positions he held during his lifetime. Ordained in 1932, he became president of the California Conference of the Augustana Lutheran Church. In 1962 he was elected president of the Pacific Southwest Synod of the newly formed Lutheran Church in America (LCA). He was one of the original founders of California Lutheran College, a regent of long standing, and served as acting president of CLC for seven months following the retirement of President Mark Mathews.

Ruth was a pastor’s daughter, so she understood her role as the pastor’s wife well. At the time of their marriage, it was not acceptable for a pastor’s wife to work outside the home, but Ruth took a very active part in Seger’s ministry from the start. In fact, she eventually assumed a leadership role of her own in church women’s programs at the national level. Their family grew to include four children—three daughters and one son—all of whom continued the family tradition of being active in their church. The family grew to include 13 grandchildren and seven great grandchildren before Carl’s death in 1996 and Ruth’s in 2005.

Although Seger was thoroughly Lutheran, he was also ecumenical in his outlook. In determining the criteria for the Segerhammar Scholarship, he requested that the recipient be a student at any class level who needs financial assistance but who is also committed to a religious way of life. The Segerhammar Scholarship became endowed within its first year and was awarded in 1983.