Augustana University is proud to announce that six of its students have been awarded Fred C. and J. Marie Christopherson Scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year.
AU faculty and staff nominate upper-level students (juniors and seniors) for the awards and the Augustana Faculty Scholarship & Awards Committee makes selections on the basis of scholarship, campus and community service, as well as how well the nominees fit the donors' description as someone “equipped for life.”
The recipients of the Fred C. and J. Marie Christopherson Scholarship are recognized as students who are committed to the university, respected by their peers, have a strong work ethic and a solid character.
The 2025-26 Christopherson Scholarship recipients are:
- Guadalupe (Lupe) Fernandez Aleman ‘26 of Sioux Falls — Environmental Studies and Sociology Major
- Roman-James (RJ) Holliday ‘26 of Denver, Colorado — Business Administration and Marketing Major
- Lily Holtman ‘26 of Sioux Falls — Social Work Major
- Chilotam Okafor ‘26 of Abuja, Nigeria — Government & International Affairs and Sociology Major
- Gabriela Rabboni ‘26 of São Paulo, Brazil — Neuroscience and Psychology Major
- Elliott Renville ‘27 of Sioux Falls — Biology Major
Fred C. Christopherson, who died in 1989, was the editor of the Sioux Falls Argus Leader for 31 years. J. Marie Christopherson, who died in 1989, wrote the "Driftwood" column published in the Argus Leader for 20 years.