Lydia Janke ('48) and Allen D. Swan Scholarship

Scholarship Criteria: At the time of the award, eligible student recipients shall be enrolled as full-time students at the University of Northwestern – St. Paul. Students should be majoring in Christian Ministries, Music, or Pre-Med and preparing for careers in missions, music, or medicine. Recipients should represent and demonstrate the high ideals of the Mission, Vision, and Values of the University of Northwestern.

Scholarship Story:

The Lydia Janke ('48) and Allen D. Swan Scholarship reflects a family's deep commitment to Christian service, education, and helping future generations follow God's calling. Originally established in memory of Lydia Janke Swan, the scholarship was later renamed to honor both Lydia and her husband, Allen D. Swan, whose lives were marked by faith, generosity, and service to others.

Lydia attended Northwestern and graduated in 1948. She pursued a career in nursing and became a registered nurse, dedicating her professional life to caring for others. Her husband, Allen, believed her life and legacy were worthy of remembrance through a scholarship that would help students prepare for lives of Christian service.

Al's life reflected a similar dedication to serving others. Born in 1930, he grew up on a farm in Wisconsin and overcame significant challenges after contracting polio as a teenager. After earning a degree in Industrial Arts Education, he served in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict. Following his military service, he built a successful career that included positions with General Mills and, later, many years as a nursing home administrator in Iowa, North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota.

Faith played a central role in Allen's life. He served in church leadership, led Bible studies, supported missions, and sought to live a life characterized by integrity, compassion, and service. Friends and family remembered him for his generosity, hospitality, and genuine concern for others. After Lydia's passing, Allen continued looking for ways to serve and became affectionately known as 'Cookie Grandpa' for sharing homemade chocolate chip cookies with children in schools and churches. In later years, he regularly welcomed friends and neighbors into his home for meals and fellowship.

The scholarship's focus on students preparing for missions, music, and medicine reflects the values that were important to the Swan family. Al specifically wanted the scholarship to support students who were pursuing careers that would allow them to serve others through ministry, music, or healthcare. He remained actively involved in the scholarship throughout his lifetime and took great interest in the students who benefited from it.

Following Allen’s death in 2022, his family encouraged memorial gifts to continue supporting this scholarship. In describing the reason for the fund, Allen once wrote: “I was brought up to believe that God has blessed all of us with gifts and talents of some kind, and we have a responsibility to share those gifts with others. My family has a close attachment to Northwestern, and we feel it's the proper place to honor the Lord and Lydia's memory by giving to others so that they can serve the Lord.”

Today, the Lydia Janke ('48) and Allen D. Swan Scholarship continues that legacy. Through this gift, students preparing for lives of ministry, music, or healthcare receive encouragement and support as they seek to use their God-given talents to serve others and glorify Christ.