Ronalda A. Condiff Scholarship

Scholarship Criteria: Student recipients shall be enrolled as full-time students, be entering their junior or senior year, and maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.70 or greater. Preference shall be given to students majoring in Christian Ministries or Intercultural Studies who have an initial vocation that is ministry-related or intend to use their education in cross-cultural ministry. Recipients should represent and demonstrate the Mission, Vision, and Values of the University of Northwestern through strong communication and leadership abilities, outstanding Christian character demonstrated through ongoing Christian witness, and demonstrated financial need. Recipients should also exhibit a passion for the Lord and the ability to clearly and articulately communicate the truth of God's Word.

Scholarship Story:

The Ronalda A. Condiff Scholarship was established in 2006 by Ronalda "Ronny" Condiff, a devoted educator, world traveler, missions advocate, and supporter of Christian ministry. Through both her life and her generosity, Ronny sought to invest in future generations of students who would use their gifts and education to serve Christ around the world.

Ronny attended Northwestern in the late 1940s and early 1950s during the years when Billy Graham served as president. She especially treasured the biblical foundation she received while studying under Bible professor Dr. J. Edwin Hartill. Although she later completed her undergraduate degree at Macalester College and earned a master's degree from the University of Minnesota, her time at Northwestern left a lasting impression and helped cultivate a lifelong commitment to missions and Christian service.

Following her studies, Ronny spent approximately ten years working with 3M and a private flight school, where she even took flight lessons herself. She later embarked on a thirty-one-year career teaching junior and senior high students in the Saint Paul Public School District. Her dedication to education and to the lives of young people was a defining feature of her career, and she remained committed to helping others learn and grow throughout her life.

While teaching provided her vocation, missions became her passion. Ronny possessed a heart for worldwide ministry and spent decades following the work of Northwestern alumni serving throughout the world. Through correspondence, personal visits, prayer support, and volunteer service, she developed a firsthand understanding of the opportunities and challenges faced by missionaries. Her teaching schedule allowed her to devote summers to travel, and she used those opportunities not only for sightseeing but also for ministry and service.

Over the years, Ronny traveled extensively, visiting and assisting missionaries throughout the world. Her ministry experiences included service with Conservative Baptist Foreign Missions in Côte d'Ivoire, where she assisted with French-language publications. She also worked with Wycliffe's Summer Institute of Linguistics in Guatemala and spent the summer of 1988 in China through the English Language Institute in China (ELIC). There she helped teach adult students and learned firsthand about ministry in a cross-cultural environment. Her travels also took her to numerous countries and regions throughout Europe, North America, the Caribbean, South America, and beyond. These experiences deepened her appreciation for the importance of Christian education and the preparation of future ministry leaders.

Because Ronny personally witnessed the impact Northwestern graduates were having around the world, she desired to help future students answer God's call to ministry. Her scholarship was created specifically to support students preparing for Christian ministry and intercultural service. During a scholarship celebration held in 2006 honoring both Ronny and the very first student recipients of this award, the scholarship was described as supporting students with outstanding character who are committed to the study of cross-cultural ministry. Recipients were recognized for their passion for the Lord and their ability to clearly and articulately communicate the truth of God's Word. These values reflected the very qualities that Ronny had observed and admired throughout her years of involvement with missions.

A plaque created in conjunction with the scholarship described Ronny as "a leader of significant and substantial Christian influence on the lives she has touched." Those words summarize the legacy she left behind. Through her service in local churches, mission committees, Bible school, Sunday school, and short-term missions, she quietly encouraged and strengthened the ministries of countless individuals. Her influence extended far beyond the classroom and reached around the world through the people and ministries she supported.

In the final years of her life, Ronny faced a lengthy battle with cancer. Despite multiple surgeries and chemotherapy treatments, she expressed gratitude for God's sustaining grace, often speaking of "the small miracles" and the strength He provided each day. Even during this difficult season, she remained committed to investing in the future through the scholarship she established.

Ronny passed away on December 26, 2008, after a courageous battle with cancer. Yet her legacy continues through the students who benefit from this scholarship and the ministries they pursue. By establishing the Ronalda A. Condiff Scholarship, she ensured that her passion for missions, Christian education, and the advancement of God's Kingdom would continue to impact future generations. The scholarship stands as a testimony to a woman who devoted her life to serving others and who believed deeply in preparing men and women to carry the gospel throughout the world.