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The Dr. Barb Lindman Scholarship seeks to encourage and come alongside a student who is entering their junior year. A student who has been involved in an extracurricular activity for two years, and who desires to commit to finishing what was started throughout their remaining college experience.
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Margie (Haley '92) Broman:
I made the decision to follow Christ at thirteen. This decision was fostered by people who invested time and encouragement into my life. As a student starting a new school late in the 7th grade, the Lord supplied two girlfriends who are still my friends today. One's father at the time was the head basketball coach at Northwestern and the other's dad was the Campus Pastor. These girls invited me to their church youth group and most if not all the youth sponsors were college aged. I was inundated by people who loved Jesus, who wanted to invest in me, and who were somehow affiliated with Northwestern. Their impact was used to lead me to Christ and change my path forever. As my college years approached, I knew that I wanted to be at a place where I would be surrounded by people like that. I was determined to have Northwestern be a part of my future.
I proudly attended Northwestern from 1988 to 1992. From the start, Northwestern felt like home, but I had my doubts and struggles. My parents supported my decision to attend Northwestern, but the financial part was left to me alone. I worked multiple jobs, took out loans, and applied for scholarships, but the weight of the finances was real.
Enter Dr. Barb Lindman. She was my academic advisor. She not only assisted with my class schedule, but she understood my financial concerns. When I had moments thinking I needed to leave Northwestern or quit my extracurricular activities so I could work more, she consistently met me with words similar to, "You do not need to leave Northwestern. Do not quit. You are a good student. You belong here. Keep going." With her calming and confident words, I did not quit.
As it is for many college students, my junior year was especially daunting. The newness of college had passed and I began to see the reality of life after college set in. I started to question decisions I made and feared the ones coming. In addition, I changed my major. I had studied so hard, paid for all the classes and now was making a change that would put me behind. Dr. Lindman again encouraged me to listen to God's calling and trust Him even when it is hard. My junior year included times of anxiety and fear. But Dr. Lindman continued to speak encouragement into my life. I graduated in 4 years with honors. I continued to be involved in extracurricular activities, and even in leadership roles. It was hard, but it was so worth it.
I have always wanted to give back to the University of Northwestern in a meaningful way. To give back in a way that would serve a student perhaps experiencing similar challenges in their college journey that I did. Junior year can be a pivotal point for many college students. Which is one reason why the Dr. Barb Lindman Scholarship seeks to encourage and come alongside a student who is entering their junior year. A student who has been involved in an extracurricular activity for two years, and who desires to commit to finishing what was started throughout their remaining college experience.
Maybe you see a bit of yourself in my Northwestern story? Would you also like to give back in a meaningful way and come alongside a student to encourage him or her to keep going? Then please consider donating to the Dr. Barb Lindman Scholarship.
I cannot think of a better namesake for this scholarship. As Dr. Barb Lindman did for me and I am sure for many others, may we all look for opportunities to make a positive investment in people - all the while pointing to Jesus. " .. .let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Hebrews 12:1-2
