ELCA NEWS SERVICE

June 9, 2005

President Of ELCA's St. Olaf College To Leave In 2006
05-101-MRC

      CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Rev. Christopher M. Thomforde will
leave as president of St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minn., at the
end of the 2005-2006 academic year, the college announced.  St.
Olaf is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
     Thomforde, 58, served as president of St. Olaf since January
2001.  From 1996 to 2001 he was president of Bethany College,
Lindsborg, Kan., and chaplain at Susquehanna University,
Selinsgrove, Penn., from 1986 to 1996.  Bethany and Susquehanna
are institutions of the ELCA.
     "I am grateful for the opportunity the [St. Olaf] Board of
Regents has given me," Thomforde said.  "The work and life of St.
Olaf College extends beyond any one individual, including the
president.  I view myself as a servant of the church, having been
a pastor and missionary before coming to the college.  I look
forward to seeing what God has in store for me next," he said.
     According to Jerry Tostrud, chair of St. Olaf's Board of
Regents, Thomforde's accomplishments include increasing the
college's endowment fund to $70 million through gifts and
strategic investment decisions.  St. Olaf boasts a 94 percent
retention rate among first-year students.
     The college's Board of Regents will appoint a search
committee this summer with the goal of naming a new president by
July 1, 2006.
     Born in Cleveland, Thomforde received a bachelor of arts
degree in medieval and Russian history from Princeton University,
Princeton, N.J., in 1969.  He served as an instructor in western
languages and medieval European history at Tunghai University,
Taichung, Taiwan, from 1969 to 1971.
     In 1974 Thomforde received a master of divinity degree from
Yale Divinity School, New Haven, Conn.  While there he served as
residence and program director of the International Student
Center of New Haven and part-time forester with Conwood, Inc., in
Rockfall, Conn.
     Thomforde attended Colgate University, Hamilton, N.Y., in
1974 and served as assistant chaplain and instructor in
philosophy and religion until 1978.  He also served as the
university's advisor to foreign students, chaired the Commission
on Athletics and was coordinator of student activities for the
Colgate Advance Placement Summer Session.
     From 1978 to 1986 Thomforde was pastor at St. Paul Lutheran
Church, Dansville, N.Y.  At St. Paul, he held leadership roles in
regional church affairs and was active in community
organizations.  His work included service at nearby Attica
prison.  In 1986 Thomforde was named Citizen of the Year in
Dansville.
- - -
     Information about St. Olaf College is available at
http://www.stolaf.edu on the Internet.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news