Dr. Lawrence Brynestad Memorial Scholarship

The Dr. Lawrence Brynestad Memorial Scholarship is created to honor the memory of Dr. Brynestad and support students who demonstrate the gentleness, charity, character, and dedication to service and education that characterized his life. Students must be freshmen who graduated from a Winona County high school.

Criteria

Each recipient must be a graduate from a Winona County high school with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.2 and be in the top 10% of the recipient’s graduating class
Each recipient must be an incoming undergraduate student enrolled full-time (i.e., minimum of twelve credits per semester) at Winona State University
Demonstrate continuing service to the community of a non-athletic nature.

Biography/Motivation

Dr. Brynestad was the pastor at Central Lutheran Church, Winona, MN from 1941 – 1965. Central Lutheran Church had been the Norwegian Lutheran Church in Winona with services every Sunday in both Norwegian and English. Dr. Brynestad came to Central Lutheran and to the Norwegian Church in Cedar Valley, a beautiful nineteenth century, country church, and transformed both congregations. Affectionately known as Dr. , he led his churches by friendship, gentleness, charity, and exemplary character. His leadership led to a much larger congregation. With the dedication of both pastor and congregation, a beautiful new sanctuary was built at the corner of Wabasha and Huff near Winona State University.
By living the teachings of Christ, Dr. Brynestad influenced many in the greater Winona community. The Dr. Lawrence E. Brynestad Scholarship Fund will honor his character, life, and service to the Winona area and his dedication to education and Christianity. Recipients of the scholarship will be from Winona County and demonstrate the charity and dedication to service and education that characterized Dr. S’s life.