Volunteer spotlight | A life of dedication and service
Growing up in Winnebago, a small town in southern Minnesota, Deanne Magnusson was raised in a family in which education and volunteerism were encouraged and celebrated. Her grandmother studied education at Carleton College; Magnusson’s mother, together with a colleague, spearheaded the first special education program in their community; and Magnusson’s father was deeply involved in volunteerism on the local and national level.
Magnusson received all three of her degrees at the University of Minnesota. After teaching high school, she became an administrator in the Minneapolis Public Schools and developed education programs for new refugees. This was a transformational time in her career as she learned to interact with people of diverse backgrounds and experiences. Later, she joined the faculty of the U of M College of Education and Human Development (CEHD), eventually becoming director of continuing professional studies.
After a stint in Singapore as dean of the Center for American Education, she returned to CEHD, where she served as a member of the faculty and director of the Leadership for Intercultural and International Education PhD program until she retired in 2017.
Deep commitment to the University
These experiences gave Magnusson a deep commitment to the University. After several years of figuring out how she wanted to spend her time in retirement, the University Retirees Volunteer Center offered her an opportunity to “give back.” She joined the URVC Council and now serves as vice chair and project director. In this role, she vets and oversees a range of volunteer opportunities offered through URVC.
In addition to her volunteer role as project director, Magnusson also volunteers with the Minneapolis Public Schools Reader-Writer Program and UMN Future Gopher Admit days, and serves as a mentor for the Post-Doc Mentorship Project, all offered through URVC.
To learn more about volunteer opportunities available on campus and in the community, email [email protected] or call 612-625-8016.
—Lynn Slifer, URVC Leadership Council
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