Clovia - University of Minnesota

Page 2 W hen I first learned about Clovia, I was living off-campus in St. Anthony Park, serving as a live-in cook for a retired home economics professor. My employer introduced me to the organization, and after meeting a young woman also living off- campus with her aunt and uncle, we both decided to join! Getting to know the other women was easy, given our similar rural backgrounds. The members were not "party girls," but were focused on their academic careers, which aligned with my values. I served as Vice President of the chapter for a year, and despite only being able to live in the house during my junior year due to its large membership, the experience was so special. (Even if my sleeping quarters were on the very top level of bunk beds!) After graduating in 1958 with a bachelor's degree in home economics education, I accepted a 12-month teaching position at the University of Minnesota's West Central School of Agriculture. My predecessor at the high school was also a Clovia member! In 1961, I pursued a master's degree in related art and art history. The transition brought me back to familiar ground, as I also accepted the role of housemother at Clovia. During this period, I met my husband, Will, who was pursuing a Ph.D. in agricultural economics. We both received our diplomas in December 1965, were married on February 5, 1966, and headed to Washington, D.C., where Will worked at the USDA. Seven months later, I accepted an offer to teach at St. Olaf. Upon returning to Minnesota, Will taught in the agricultural economics department on the St. Paul Campus, and we managed two households— one on the family farm and one in St. Paul. I resigned after three years to focus on starting a family. Ten years later, our son Peter was born. During the interim, I established a design consulting business, where I designed kitchens and interior spaces and produced and sold draperies. I then accepted a part-time position at Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota, where I taught for the next 20 years. In 1980, Will left the university to take over the family farm, which was recognized as a Sesquicentennial Farm in 2021. Peter, whose wife and two sons live on the farm, now does 99% of the managing. We built a new house on the property, and we're enjoying being close to the grandchildren! While I originally stayed connected with Clovia alumnae through Round Robin letters, I now stay in contact through emails, attending Founders' Day, and reading the yearly Christmas letter. I also participate in a home economics club in Nicollet and LeSueur Counties with several other Clovias. The enduring value of the strong, lifelong friendships and leadership development opportunities Clovia provided sticks with me to this day. Today, I remain active in my church and serve on committees for Bethany College, Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School, and the Nicollet County Historical Society. This summer, I enjoyed contributing to an exhibit on Nicollet County Century and Sesquicentennial Farms called "Celebrating the Past and Cultivating the Future." When the weekly job of lawn mowing is done and our large garden is weeded and harvested, I spend as much time as I can enjoying my grandsons! If you'd like to reconnect, you can send me an email at will.rachel.anthony@gmail.com. "Clovia gave me lasting friendships and cherished memories of shared meals, pass-the-candy excitement, singalongs, and date parties." Rachel Munson Anthony '58 Reflects on Her Clovia Journey Homegrown Friendships Marilyn Schmidt Aldrich Johnson '53 August 15, 2020 Ruth Murk Schwieger '58 October 1, 2023 Wanda Robinson Popko Dodge '64 September 9, 2023 Olivia Binder October 4, 2023 (mother of Danelle Binder Hauser '90, mother-in-law of Deb Mayo Binder '91, and grandmother of Abby Hauser '18) We Remember Our Sisters and Friends of Clovia

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