President Earl H. Potter III
Take a moment to think about the impact St. Cloud State University has on our daily lives. Whether keeping us safe in our homes, getting our attention on TV or coaching and teaching our children, grandchildren and the next generation of Huskies, St. Cloud State is there.
I take comfort and pride in knowing that if there is an emergency in St. Cloud, there’s a good chance that at least one of the police officers responding is a Husky. Forty percent of St. Cloud police officers hold criminal justice degrees from St. Cloud State. And if the Minnesota State Patrol is on scene, I know that their officers received guidance from Lori Hodapp ’83, training and development director for the Minnesota State Patrol.
I trust that I am able to learn the news from St. Cloud State alumni such as Jeff Passolt ’81 on Fox 9, and the weather from Sven Sundgaard ’03 on KARE 11. And during commercial breaks, I know that alumni like Joe Alexander ’82 are behind the creativity that market some of the world’s most well-known brands.
Then there are legacies like the Sundby/Portz families whose connections to the University span generations. These stories and families bring a smile to my face every time, without fail.
Larry Sundby ’63 ’67 has been a great asset to the Huskies Tennis program since the early 1960s as a student and then as a coach, and a professor of accounting. He met his wife, Ruth Willey ’63 ’79 here. He coached both of his daughters, Julie Martin ’94 ’05 and Kris Portz ’90 ’94, as Huskies Tennis players and this year is coaching his granddaughter, sophomore Alexie Portz. Three generations of the Sundby family have attended and played collegiate tennis at St. Cloud State. Both Julie and Kris also met their husbands, Andy Martin ’95 ’00 and Jay Portz ’91 respectively, at St. Cloud State.
There are many other family legacies tied to St. Cloud State, some of whom have four or more generations of SCSU graduates. I thank all of you for your continued support of the University and your successes that show that our graduates go on to do great things.
Huskies alumni are more than 100,000 strong working in hundreds of industries and living in communities all over the world. Be proud of your red and black and let it show. Be proud of your fellow Huskies. I know I am.
– Earl H. Potter III, President
