Please remember in your prayers Dr. Gerald W. Christenson
Please remember in your prayers Dr. Gerald W. Christenson, distinguished adjunct professor at St. Thomas in the early 1990s. Christenson, 75, died Nov. 29.
Jerry had served as chancellor of the Minnesota Community College System from 1983-1992. Upon retirement in 1992, he became a part-time faculty member in St. Thomas' School of Education (formerly the Graduate School of Education, Professional Psychology and Social Work.) He taught two courses a year and provided advice and counsel to UST on issues related to things such as the community colleges, relationships with other education groups, and curricular issues within the School of Education's Department of Leadership, Policy and Administration (formerly Educational Leadership). He developed and coordinated the Community College Teaching Certificate Program at UST.
Other positions that he held were commissioner of finance, state planning director, and legislative auditor.
In his obituary, Jerry is called one of Minnesota's most influential public policymakers in the past half-century. Both the St. Paul Pioneer Press and Star Tribune had articles about him in yesterday's papers.
A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 5, at St. Mary's of the Lake Catholic Church, 4690 Bald Eagle Ave., White Bear Lake. Visitation will start at 5 p.m., preceding the service.