2010 Recipient
Olga Jorgensen Strimple, “Jorgy” to her many friends at Omaha University (OU), was among the earliest and most involved graduates of OU (1915 to 1919). A good student and talented editor of the YELLow Sheet and Gateway, she also performed in theatre, was a leader in her sorority, a force on the basketball court, and an early proponent of what is now called Service Learning.
Olga’s commitment and dedication to OU continued after her graduation, through her service as president and executive secretary of the OU Alumni Association beginning in 1922. Her strong, moving writing was also carried forward from OU student publications to the Alumni newsletters. The first paid employee, she was a driving force in the growth of the Alumni Association until she stepped down in 1949. Olga used her powerful, persuasive talents to stimulate thought about the issues of the day and to inspire others to do the same.
Olga achieved balance in her life as a wife and a mother of two children, within whom she instilled the importance of education. She credited her OU education with helping her develop her strengths and leadership talents, and returned the university’s investment in her through a lifelong devotion to and advocacy for the institution.