St. Cloud State University
  • About Us (+)
      • Office of the President
      • Mission and Vision
      • Accreditation
      • University Distinctions
      • Campus Map
      • Employment at SCSU
  • Admissions
      • Undergraduate
      • Transfer
      • Graduate Students
      • International Students
      •  
      • Veterans
      • Continuing Studies
      • Post Secondary
      • Summer Sessions
      •  
      • Visit the Campus
      • Contact Admissions
      • Apply
      • Request Information
      • Academics
          • Faculty at SCSU
          • Research and Facilities
          • Academic Support
          • Undergraduate Programs
          • Graduate Programs
          • College of Liberal Arts
          • School of the Arts
          • College of Science & Engineering
          • School of Computing, Engineering & Environment
          • Herberger Business School
          • School of Education
          • School of Health & Human Services
          • School of Public Affairs
          • Continuing Studies
          • University Library
          • School of Graduate Studies
          • University College
      • Campus Life
          • Campus Housing and Dining
          • Get Involved on Campus
          • Student Services
          • Getting Around Campus
      • Athletics & Recreation
          • Huskies Athletics
          • Campus Recreation
          • Sports Facilities
          • Tickets
      • Information for
          • Current Students
          • Parents & Families
          • Faculty & Staff
          • Alumni & Friends
          • Community
      • Current Students
      • Parents & Families
      • Faculty & Staff
      • Alumni & Friends
      • Community
      • myHuskyNet
      • Directory
      • Campus Map
      • Events & Calendars
      • Library
      • Technology
      • Support St. Cloud State
      • News
      • University news
        • Faculty/Staff news
        • Students news
        • Campus events
        • President’s messages
        • College, school and department news
        • Athletics
          • SCSUHuskies.com
          • SCSUTickets.com
          • Wrestling 2015 national champs
        • Multimedia
          • Photo galleries
          • Video
      • Alumni news
        • Fresh Success
      • Huskies in the news
        • About Huskies in the News
      • Special sections
        • St. Cloud State Magazine
          • Previous editions
        • St. Cloud State 4 Me
        • 2020 Impact Report
          • 2019 Impact Report
          • ’18 Impact Report
          • ’17 Impact Report
          • ’16 Impact Report
          • ’15 Impact Report
          • ’14 Impact Report
        • Remembering President Earl H. Potter III
      • About us

      SCSU alumna Debra Yerigan ’82 motivated to continue to give back to her alma mater

      Posted on October 8, 2020 by Mitchell Hansen Posted in 2020 Impact Report

      Debra Yerigan ’82

      After relying on scholarships to help her get a degree in political science from St. Cloud State University, Debra Yerigan ’82 now focuses on giving back to the next generation at her alma mater.

      When Debra Yerigan attended St. Cloud State University as a student in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, she relied on the assistance of scholarships to allow her to get an education and propel her into her career.

      Nearly four decades later, she now has the goal of helping current SCSU students and future generations by giving back to her alma mater.

      “I was putting myself through school at that point and things like scholarships were extremely important to me to be able to pull that off. I did student loans and I worked, but any kind of help like a scholarship was so helpful,” Yerigan said. “I appreciated very much that they were available to me. When I got into a position where I could help somebody else, I thought it was important to do that.”

      Yerigan graduated from St. Cloud State in 1982 with a degree in political science. After attending SCSU, she went on to attend law school at Hamline University School of Law (now Mitchell Hamline School of Law) and currently works at the Messerli & Kramer law firm in Minneapolis.

      “I want to give other people the opportunities that I had. I think it’s wonderful for people to give back, even if they didn’t receive any help themselves as students.”
      – Debra Yerigan ’82

      While getting her degree from SCSU, Yerigan was also involved in the SCSU Survey, which is an ongoing survey research extension of the university. The survey provides education and experiential opportunities to researchers and students.

      With the SCSU Survey, Yerigan served as one of the student directors during the 1981-82 school year. After enjoying that experience, it persuaded Yerigan to focus on giving back to the Survey – and specifically its student directors – through the Debra Yerigan Scholarship for SCSU Survey Student Directors.

      “When I was in college at St. Cloud State, Steve Frank was the pre-law advisor in the political science department and he had just started the survey. I was one of the first student directors for something that was in its infancy at that point,” she recalled. “I started my career and started to give back because I had gotten some scholarships when I went to school. I first funded a scholarship at St. Cloud State in 2003, and in 2010, I switched things over with the assistance of Dr. Frank and others so the scholarship was directed towards student survey directors.”

      Along with helping students through scholarships, Yerigan has a motivation to serve the community in other ways as well, including serving on non-profit boards, court committees and government commissions and participating in legal organizations and civic activities, as well currently being a member of the SCSU School of Public Affairs Advisory Council.

      “I think people should try to help the people behind us.”
      – Debra Yerigan ’82

      “Whether it’s a specific scholarship or just making donations in general, it’s such a great idea. It’s so important,” Yerigan said. “We should never forget the positions we were in as students and the help we might have needed. Getting through school and getting a degree is important for other people too. If we have the financial ability to do so, whether it’s a little amount or a big amount, we should do that. The students are so appreciative of the help. For a lot of people, it’s the difference of them being able to go to college or not.”

      Whether it’s giving back to her alma mater through scholarships or other facets, Yerigan feels it’s important to give back to future generations and encourages others to do so as well if possible.

      “Education is such an important thing to help people going forward in their development personally, but also their careers. My primary thing is people who are students that need help financially, I like to support that to whatever extent possible,” Yerigan said. “I want to give other people the opportunities that I had. I think it’s wonderful for people to give back, even if they didn’t receive any help themselves as students.

      “Especially for people like me who benefited from scholarships when we went to school, having had that as something to help get you through and launch you into a career was helpful. I think people should try to help the people behind us.”

      « Dan ’01 and Gretchen ’00 Huwe recall fond memories of the Alnwick Castle in England
      Alum supports artificial intelligence research »

      Leave a comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Top news

      • SCSU celebrates graduates with 6 ceremonies May 6
      • Students release 2022 Upper Mississippi Harvest
      • Bennett D. Melin Family University Speakers is SCSU’s first endowed speaker series

      Recent galleries

      • Students release 2022 Upper Mississippi Harvest
      • Photo Gallery: Lemonade Art Fair 2021
      • Photo Gallery: President’s Husky First Snow Day

      Huskies in the news

      • The hunt for evidence of a 1840s era cabin underway near Royalton
      • SCSU professor offers summer food safety tips
      • WMS teacher Paula Stock retires after 15 years in Worthington
      • Professor creates soundwalk to complement ambient noise in Fergus Falls
      © St. Cloud State TODAY
      UnleashAmazing
      • About Us|
      • Admissions|
      • Academics|
      • Campus Life|
      • Athletics & Recreation|
      St. C logo

      Campus address
      720 4th Avenue South
      St. Cloud, MN 56301-4498
      (320) 308-0121

      • Ask St. Cloud State
      • Contact Us
      • Directions
      • Visit St. Cloud State

      Connect with us

      Minnesota State

      St. Cloud State University
      A member of Minnesota State and committed to legal affirmative action, equal opportunity, access and diversity of its campus community (Full Statement).
      © 2022 St. Cloud State University