Extreme Homes Project Makes A Concordia Connection
When the producers of Extreme Homes Makeover Edition approached a handful of St. Paul colleges and universities about providing scholarships for the family whose home they were in town to renovate, Concordia University, St. Paul seized the opportunity. On Wednesday, Extreme Homes host Ty Pennington surprised Sandy Morris and her children, Mychal (12) and Catricia (15), with the news that their higher education dreams were now secure thanks to full-ride scholarships being provided by Concordia University, St. Paul. View related stories from KSTP-TV and Saint Paul Pioneer Press.
After the big reveal on Friday, Oct. 9, the Morris family spent their first night in their new home. They met with the home builder and other groups who contributed in many different ways to the makeover at a brief (and chilly) outdoor press conference on Saturday afternoon. Executive vice president Dr. Cheryl Chatman presented the family with gifts from Concordia and shared the University's pleasure at being able to offer scholarships to a family that reflects Concordia's values of making a difference in the lives of individuals and the community. "The Morrises are a very special family," Chatman said. "I think Concordia University is an excellent fit for Mychal and Catricia, and they will be outstanding members of our campus community when they join us here."
CSP students Anne Pitschka, Emily Stanzyk and Abby Nielsen also had the opportunity to volunteer at the site early Friday morning as the team put the finishing touches on the house before the Friday afternoon reveal thanks to Abby's work with Resources for Child Caring. The St. Paul nonprofit organization has a connection with the Morris family and sent out a call for volunteers. The four Concordia students worked in the wee hours of Friday morning (4-8 am), helping to clean-up the house and garage and laying mulch in the outside playground area. "We met a lot of awesome volunteers with great hearts and we were all changed by this experience," Abby said.
Although a specific date has not yet been determined, the program featuring the Morris family is expected to air sometime in January 2010.
