July 29, 2013

Donors among us: Donna Dermond MAT ’89 and Kurt Wehbring MA ’92

Meet Donna Dermond MAT ’89 and Kurt Wehbring MA ’92. While he was navigating the politics of urban and strategic planning, she was engaging high school students in the joys and revelations of literature.

This story is the last in a series of profiles about Lewis & Clark community members who volunteer their time or donate dollars to create a long-term positive impact. Read our first story about Daniel Blasher ’13 and Heidi Hu ’85, and our second story featuring Sean Hartfield JD ’01, and our third story on Greg Fredricks and Roger Nelsen, Professors Emeriti of Mathematics.

Married since 1989, Donna Dermond and Kurt Wehbring maintain a distinctly Portland lifestyle that includes social activism, backpacking, choral singing, and swimming the Columbia—not to mention keeping bees and chickens in their organic garden well before such practices were common.

While Kurt (MA’92, counseling psychology) was navigating the politics of urban and strategic planning, Donna (MAT ’89, language arts) was engaging high school students in the joys and revelations of literature.

Both support annual scholarships at the Graduate School of Education and Counseling. Donna designated hers for students pursuing careers in the classroom, saying, “Lewis & Clark taught me how to be professionally creative and confident.” Kurt’s involvement with West Women’s and Children’s shelter and William Temple House motivated him to earmark his scholarship for counseling psychology students who focus on domestic violence. 

They also will endow these scholarships through bequests. “Thinking about this stage in our lives, both of us agreed we just want to do as much good as we can,” says Donna. “That is a governing value for us and why we think Lewis & Clark is a good place for us to contribute. We had formative experiences here and want to help students who enter teaching and counseling professions to build a stronger society.”

This content originally appeared in the winter 2012 issue of The Chronicle