In 1964, incoming Luther students could participate in a Guaranteed Cost Program, which fixed annual tuition, room, and board for all four years. Like many with limited means to attend college, Bob ’68 and Dell Ann (Kappus) Sathe ’68 relied on the program to help them afford the investment in college.

Since graduating in 1968, the necessary investment for a college education has risen significantly faster than inflation. With that in mind, Bob and Dell Ann decided to help Luther students with financial need by funding new scholarships.

The Sathes have always had a special interest in education and in helping less fortunate students succeed. Their philanthropic interests at Luther are focused on education and the arts, but in recent years, directing support to scholarship endowment has become increasingly important.

“With help from Paul Mullen ’79 and the Development staff, we designed a program that provides gap funding to help defray tuition costs,” Bob says. “It’s our way of saying thanks to Luther for helping us with a foundation for a good life.”

Bob and Dell Ann’s gift in support of scholarship was used to create the Robert and Dell Ann Sathe Scholars Endowments, comprising four separate funds, each designed to help qualified underrepresented (such as first-generation or low-income) students with demonstrated financial need afford the Luther experience. Students began receiving scholarship awards in the 2018–19 academic year.

Scholarship recipient Samuel Zegler-Evans ’24—a sophomore from Topock, Arizona, majoring in nursing—is beyond grateful.

“Thanks to the Sathes’ amazing support, I’m able to pursue my dreams as a young adult who will graduate from college,” he says. “Not only do I get the opportunity to receive a highly respected degree at Luther College, but I am able to create relationships and memories and encounter lessons that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”