University Letter

Sonja Collin

UND junior Sonja Collin has been named the winner of the 2012 Dru Sjodin Memorial Scholarship.

Collin is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in marketing through the College of Business and Public Administration, and serves as president of UND’s Delta Gamma sorority. She plans to honor Sjodin’s memory by spreading awareness and educating campus on the importance of women’s safety, violence prevention, cyber bullying and cyber stalking.

“By continuing to spread awareness and create programs that educate the importance of women’s safety and violence prevention, I know that Dru’s memory will be preserved and her legacy will continue to thrive. By reaching out to women from all walks of life in the campus and community, we can prevent violence against women and keep our environments safe for everyone,” Collin wrote in her scholarship application.

She will be presented with the award at the Student Government banquet, which begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 26, in the Banquets on the Boardwalk (formerly Touch of Magic) in East Grand Forks.

Dru Sjodin was abducted in 2003 in Grand Forks. More than 2,000 friends, students, family, community members, and even strangers from across the nation gathered to search for Dru, and on April 17, 2004, volunteers and law enforcement finally brought Dru home to her family. One week later, more than 1,500 people paid their respects as Dru was laid to rest in Minnesota.

As a UND student, Dru’s warm and vibrant personality showed itself through her creativity and campus involvement. She pursued a bachelor’s degree in visual art all the while active in The Clothesline Project. Dru was also a member of Gamma Phi Beta sorority. The Dru Sjodin Memorial Scholarship was established through the UND Foundation in loving memory of Dru’s vibrant spirit with the intention of turning grief into triumph. The Dru Sjodin Memorial Scholarship provides funding toward tuition and fees for a full academic year.

-- Alyssa Shirek, associate director of marketing, Alumni Association and Foundation, 777-4879, alyssas@undalumni.net.