Concordia Magazine

Dr. David Sandgren

Dr. David Sandgren joined the Concordia faculty in 1971 and was chair of the department several times through the years.

He earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Augsburg College in 1963. He earned a certificate in African studies, a master’s degree in comparative history and a doctorate in African history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

As an Augsburg College history major, instead of choosing a career as a Midwestern high school teacher, Sandgren applied to teach in East Africa and was one of three teachers at a boys’ secondary school in rural Nyeri, Kenya, in 1963. During his first year there, Kenya succeeded in its 80-year struggle for independence. Sandgren became headmaster of the school, serving also as an education officer for the Kenyan Ministry of Education and assisting in the development of a national school system curriculum. Though his job was to teach history, he also learned and experienced African history firsthand.

Sandgren returned to Kenya in 1979 as a recipient of a prestigious Fulbright scholarship to study the development of African nationalism and its links with Christianity, the topic of his first book. He was awarded a second Fulbright in 1995, this project centering upon the boys he had taught in his first years in Kenya, who grew up to play important roles in Kenyan society. His most recent book, “Mau Mau’s Children: The Making of Kenya’s Post-Colonial Elite,” published last year, tells their story.

“Sandgren is an African historian who has influenced the lives of hundreds of Concordia students, contributed significant scholarship to the fields of East African and Kenyan history, and served the college in numerous capacities,” says Dr. Joy Lintelman, chair and professor of history. “He also served the college on many committees. Suffice it to say that David Sandgren has been a selfless servant of the college during his entire career here spanning 42 years.”

Sandgren also became an effective advocate for global education at Concordia. In the 1980s and 1990s he took groups of Concordia students to Africa through the May Seminar program. In his capacity as Fulbright advisor, he has also assisted students and faculty to develop many successful Fulbright applications.

Sandgren and his wife, Ann '77, will be moving to Minneapolis to be closer to their children and grandchildren. They also plan to spend more time at their year-round lake home where life centers on gardening, reading, research and writing, and welcoming visitors. They also plan to travel and see more of the U.S. and the world.

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