The life path of Dustin (Dusty) Froyum 鈥�98 has had its share of twists and turns, but somehow he always manages to find his way 鈥渉ome鈥� to Augsburg. He acknowledges his gratitude with an annual gift to the Augsburg Fund as well as a recent pledge to sponsor a room in the Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion to honor favorite professor and fellow alumnus Dale Pederson 鈥�70.
鈥淎ugsburg runs through my whole family. It鈥檚 a big part of who we are,鈥� says Froyum, citing alumni relatives that include both parents, his aunt and uncle, and a younger brother. 鈥淲hen my older cousins were attending Augsburg during my teenage years, I think I had promised that I was never going to Augsburg. But you know what? I went there on a football visit and it just felt right. It felt like home,鈥� he adds. 鈥淚 turned down some football and academic scholarships to come home to Augsburg.鈥�
Sports and science connections cemented the bond. Like his father and brother, Froyum played football, and like his mother and brother, he majored in science during his upper division years, landing in Pederson鈥檚 notoriously challenging cellular biology class. 鈥淗e is a tough but fair professor. I never tried so hard to get a 4.0,鈥� says Froyum, who managed a 3.5. 鈥淗e is a role model as a person of science and faith famous for pushing students to do their best. My brother鈥檚 zoology class was famously difficult as well. Dr. Pederson famously said that he could write a test for which no one could get a right answer, and I鈥檓 sure that鈥檚 true. He is聽an extraordinarily brilliant person who, quite frankly, could have been successful in a lot of different settings. But he chose to dedicate his vocational life to Augsburg, and that should be honored. With its fusion of science and faith and impact on the community, the Hagfors Center spoke to me. I can think of no better place to honor Dr. Pederson.鈥�
After graduating, Froyum earned a J.D. from Hamline University School of Law, intending to become an intellectual property lawyer focused on biotech and chemical patents. 鈥淏ut I ended up as a summer intern at Wells Fargo and fell in love with it,鈥� he says. He has handled technology transactions there for nearly 17 years. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 an important part of my giving motivation. Wells Fargo is a huge corporate donor and has one of the largest community support programs in the country. It is ingrained in our culture, and they make giving very easy, especially to quality nonprofit educational institutions.鈥�
In his younger years, Froyum adds, he had more time to donate. But today, with two young children, a busy career at Wells Fargo, and side projects dedicated to integrated alternative energy, financial contributions鈥攅specially when matched by his employer鈥攁re what he is best able to give.
鈥淚 feel an overall social responsibility to my Augsburg education,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 attribute some of those values to my grandfather, who was very progressive in many ways. At some point he turned over his farm acreage to conservation interests, and he chose to be cremated instead of occupying a piece of land.鈥� Froyum lives his values at home, too, by driving an electric car, and tending an urban farm, and making his Golden Valley home completely energy-independent.
鈥淭o be part of your community and your world, you need to be responsible. I鈥檝e done well in my career, and this is what I can do,鈥� he says. There is, after all, no place like home.
Leah McDougall, Class of 2017