Dear Classmates, December 12, 2022
Looking backward, all of us can identify key events, choices and people that have helped to shape who we are and have given our lives meaning and purpose. Often that list includes a particularly inspiring and supportive teacher who opened new possibilities, challenged us to expand our minds, and gave us tools that have helped us to excel. For many of us, Hopkins debate coach and English teacher, Charles Caruson, and his wife Dagmar, a long-time teacher in the Minneapolis school system, were such people. They deserve to be remembered.
We believe that the best way to do this is by helping new generations of students enjoy the same educational opportunities we had. That is why we are establishing a fund that will provide annual scholarships to two Hopkins High School graduating seniors to help them attend college. Our goal is to raise $200,000 to $250,000 so the scholarships can be funded annually out of investment returns. Already over $100,000 has been pledged, so we are about half-way there. This endeavor has the “enthusiastic support” of the three Caruson children, Andy, Kristine, and Rob. We ask you to add your support in the form of a tax- deductible gift.
As you can see from the attached scholarship description, we expect recipients will be strong students who need some financial help to attend college and who will represent the full diversity of the student population. Our goal is to award the first scholarships at graduation in 2023.
Charles Caruson played a major role in the intellectual, educational, and professional development of his students, and many of us believe that working with and learning from him was a life-changing experience. Many of his students/debaters went on to distinguished careers in law, teaching, the sciences, and other professions.
Here are just two testimonials to his impact on students:
One debater wrote:
“Charles Caruson is undoubtedly my most influential mentor. His lessons and his modeling are still active within me. The rigor of this intellect and the enthusiasm he demonstrated for careful scholarship are traits that I try to perfect to this very day.”
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Another debate alum, Nadine Strossen, who became a professor of law and National President of the American Civil Liberties Union from 1991 through 2008, said in her 1992 address to the Annual Convention of the Speech Communication Association, which she dedicated to Caruson:
| “I truly do not think I would be standing here…in my capacity as President of the American Civil Liberties Union and Professor of Law at New York Law School were it not for all I learned from Charles Caruson.” |
Dagmar Caruson, a primary school teacher for 38 years, was similarly inspirational. She not only taught but also developed curricula, and, drawing on her background as a professional singer, she pushed for more classroom music education. Her love of teaching and devotion to her students profoundly influenced both her many students and her fellow teachers, many of whom continued to visit her well into her eighties. One colleague said that she “…radiated light and warmth in her classroom.”
We hope you will contribute to this effort. If you would like to help, please refer to the attached document which explains how to make contributions.
All of us working on this project thank you for hearing us out and for considering our request.
Best wishes,
Signed
Dick Rippe Steve Thorne Ron Axel
Class of ’62 Class of ’62 Class of ‘62
Scholarship Terms:
Number of Recipients: 2 scholarship recipients each year
Amount of Scholarship: $5,000.00
Duration of Scholarship: For the lifetime of the available funding, to be altered when the final balance of the scholarship funds drop below the $10,000 amount in the last year of the scholarship.
Selection Criteria for
Recipients:
The scholarship will be given to an individual Hopkins High School
graduate who has earned at least a 3.0 GPA, has a demonstrated financial need, and been involved in school-based or community-based activities or organizations that promote inclusive, equitable experiences for Hopkins students or community members.
Additional preference will be given to individuals who also have made positive contributions to Hopkins High School through their time, talents, and support of Hopkins High School District programming.
Over time, we expect that the scholarship recipients will reflect the broad diversity of our Hopkins community.
Funding:
Donations will be sought from alumni to support the initial funding and ongoing contributions.
We hope that you will contribute to The Charles and Dagmar Caruson Education Fund (CEF). The fund will generate income that will be used to provide scholarships each year for two graduating seniors from Hopkins High School in memory of the Carusons. Below are the instructions for making contributions of different sorts. All contributions will come to the Hopkins Education Foundation (HEF), a 501(c)(3) organization under IRS regulations, which will record them, acknowledge them to the donors, and pass them along to the Hopkins Public Schools.
We do not provide any tax advice and urge donors to contact their accountants or tax advisers for any tax-related issues. But the purpose of running the contributions through HEF is to qualify them as charitable gifts.
Here are some of the ways you might consider making such gifts and the procedures to follow in each case.
Gift of Securities (Stock, Bonds, Mutual Fund Shares, etc)
Gifts should be sent to:
RBC Wealth Management Account
RBC Account: #30406897
DTC: #0235
RBC Wealth Management
250 Nicollet Mall - Suite 1700
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Phone: (866)791-2743
After the gift is made, please inform Hopkins Education Foundation that you have made the transfer stating the particulars of the gift:
By email:
to Jennifer.StClair@hopkinsschools.org
By regular mail to:
Hopkins Education Foundation
Attn: Jennifer St. Clair, Executive Director
1001 Highway 7, Suite #243
Hopkins, MN 55305
Gifts by Check, From a Family Charitable Giving Fund or a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from an IRA
The gift should be made this way:
Organization Name: Hopkins Education Foundation
TIN: 41-1808042
By personal check or through a family charitable giving fund or QCD
Please issue check to Hopkins Education Foundation and reference the
Caruson Education Fund in the memo section and mail to:
Hopkins Education Foundation
Attn: Jennifer St. Clair, Executive Director
1001 Highway 7, Suite #243
Hopkins, MN 55305
| If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Hopkins Education Fund at HEF@hopkinsschools.org. |
Name:_______________________________________________________
Address:_____________________________________________________
City:_________________________________State:_____Zip:___________
Phone:_______________Email:______________________
Yes, I want to support the Caruson Education Fund with a tax deductible gift
In the amount of: __ $100 __$250 __$500 __$1,000 __$Other__________
My check in the amount of $_______ is enclosed. (Make checks payable to the Hopkins
Educational Foundation and reference the Caruson Educational Fund in the memo line)
Please charge my contribution of $__________ to my credit card:
__Visa __ Mastercard __ American Express __ Discover
Card Number____________________CVS_____ Exp. Date__________
Cardholder name___________________________________________
Cardholder signature________________________________________
Please mail your check in the enclosed envelope or send it to The Hopkins Education Foundation,
1001 Highway 7, Suite #243, Hopkins, MN. 55305