Bob Christiansen ’73 came to Doane in the late 1960s. He grew up and went to school in Columbus, Nebraska, where his parents owned a filling station/garage. Bob put in a lot of hours working at the station. As a senior in high school, he hadn’t given too much thought about colleges, let alone Doane, until he met an admissions counselor from Doane at a college fair. He’ll tell you that moment set a series of events in motion, but at the root of each of those events was a person. “Life is about people. Doane is about people,” he says.
Bob recalls the names of his admissions counselor, professors, staff members, special friends, and community members who all helped him along the way. From his campus tour (which happened to be the day after Doane’s beloved Merrill burned to the ground) to the various scholarships he received, Bob knew Doane was the place he belonged.
What he didn’t yet know was how deeply Doane would touch him.
Bob received a tennis scholarship and other academic awards. He qualified for work grants that allowed him to work on-campus jobs for financial aid assistance. His campus work assignment was initially the cafeteria. One day, he was contacted by a member of the financial aid staff who alerted him to an opportunity with the night watch/security team in the facilities department. Bob quickly signed up and for the next three years worked as a member and later student leader of the crew. He remembers being mentored and supported by his department manager, Larry Reckling.
“Doane was twice the price of UNL. Then, as now, there was and is financial aid to help, and ample opportunities for student employment to fill any gaps. I worked hard during my years on campus to put myself through school. My wife Wintha has provided unwavering support since I was a student. We were married while I attended Doane, and she worked as a nurse at a Crete doctor’s office while I attended classes. When I graduated, she received a PHT (Putting Hubby Through) certificate from Doane, which still hangs in a place of pride in my home office, right next to my diploma, he shared.”
In addition to Larry Reckling, Bob and Win remember many Doane staff and faculty and Crete community members who provided opportunities and support while Bob pursued his Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Mathematics. Through that support, they achieved their goal and Bob graduated from Doane and was able to continue to graduate school, followed by a successful career with Glidden Paint.
“I have always felt that education is the key to the future. My comment to every high school or college student is to finish and “get the piece of paper.” My sincerest desire was to make a difference in a student’s life, which is why we established the Robert E. ’73 and Wintha M. Christiansen Endowed Scholarship. We are honored to be making an impact on students’ lives,” he said.
As Bob says, it’s about the people, and now Bob and Wintha are able to be some of “those people” for the next generation of Tigers.
