In this video you will hear from the Ekstrand family who attended San Jose Christian College. Please take a few minutes to hear their heart for what is now WJU and its impact upon future teachers in our nation. 

In 1980, the Ekstrand family walked onto the campus of San Jose Bible College to attend a new church that was meeting in the gymnasium. This marked the beginning of their association with what is now William Jessup University.

The Ekstrand family has always held education as a high priority. Michael Ekstrand’s parents were greatly influenced by their respective mothers who valued education. Leah Jane Dickerson, Michael's maternal grandmother and Evelina Grace Linthicum, his father’s mother, believed it was the one things that could never be taken away from you.  The desire to serve Christ was deeply embedded in each of their families.  Both the Dickersons and the Linthicums had come to Maryland in the mid 1600’s.  Their families lived less than 20 miles from each other. The Dickerson were avid Methodist Church planters who established churches as they moved west.  The Linthicums were members of the Church of England.  Both families held Christ and education in high regard. Gifts and endowments in wills were made to Harvard Divinity School as early as 1675.  

Although she had limited formal education, Evelina Grace pursued a career in nursing and eventually received her license to practice.  Leah Jane completed the 8th Grade, was accepted to Kansas State Normal College (now the University of Kansas), and graduated two years later at age 16 with her state teaching credential.  She began her teaching career immediately and continued until marriage because female teachers at that time were not permitted to be married.  Both women were followers of Christ to the end and, knowing how they valued an excellent education, the Ekstrand family wanted a scholarship in their names. 

Michael’s middle class parents, Mel and Harriet Ekstrand, sacrificed much to send him to a prestigious boy’s boarding prep school so that he would have an excellent education. Unlike his classmates, he did not enter the business world after graduating from college. He chose to teach. The majority of his years were spend educating trainable and profoundly retarded children in the San Jose area.

Michael and Dana Ekstrand also made great sacrifice to prepare their two sons, David and Patrick, for college. David attended and graduated from Biola University. Patrick graduated from San Jose Christian College, on the same campus where he had attended church as a child. Patrick (’96), and his wife Edie (’96), pursued education and ministry after graduation. Edie went on to complete a graduate degree in kinesthesiolopgy and teaches at a Christian school in San Jose. After bringing up two boys, Dana Ekstrand (’97) returned to school to study counseling and the Bible. While there, she received the Katie Butterworth Worthy Woman award.

Around that time, Michael, Dana, Patrick and Edie Ekstrand created the Leah Jane and Evelina Grace Memorial Scholarship to assist students who were particularly hard-working and responsible. The intent was to encourage upper division students who had persevered in a program despite financial difficulties. Last year, David and Margaret Ekstrand decided to re-fund the scholarship with the hope that it would be a perpetual endowed scholarship for students pursuing a degree in education. The Ekstrand family would like to invite you to contribute to this goal and to support the work and students of William Jessup University.