July 6, 2023
The public is invited to join in recognizing Connie Rude, a dedicated teacher and lifelong caregiver, for her kindness and dedication to the children she worked with at Mayville State University Child Development Programs (CDP). A formal dedication of “The Connie Rude Memorial Classroom for Infants and Toddlers” will be held Thursday, July 13, 2023, at the Child Development Programs building on the campus of Mayville State University. The program will begin at 10 a.m. Refreshments will follow.
Connie Rae Rude passed away July 1, 2022, at the age of 63. She began her work at Mayville State in 1992. Upon her retirement, she had been a full-time staff member of the Mayville State Child Development Programs for 25 years. During her time at the Child Development Programs, her fondness for shaping the eager minds of infants and toddlers was her personal contribution to the Mayville community at its most foundational, familial level. The classroom at the CDP will be dedicated to honor a spirit of service, an enduring legacy, and an open heart.
“We are touched by the thoughtfulness of Connie’s family,” said Mayville State Child Development Programs Director Jessi Hegg. “Connie’s happy place was in her classroom with the children entrusted to her care, and she was an inspiration to her co-workers. She most certainly would be pleased to know that she is being remembered in ways that will positively impact children now and in the future.”
With their generous financial contribution, the Rude family has chosen to honor Connie by establishing an endowment through the MSU Foundation. Interest earned on the endowment will provide funding for the “Learning by Heart” scholarship for Mayville State students in pursuit of careers in early childhood.
“We thank the family of Connie Rude for their generosity that has paved the way for honoring Connie in such a special way,” said Mayville State University Foundation Executive Director Dr. Lon Jorgensen. “She was a positive influence in the lives of young children who were in their foundational stages of life. One cannot begin to measure the profound impact she had in shaping the future. Honoring Connie’s legacy in this way is most appropriate and deserving.”