Irene S. Rathmann
The Irene S. Rathmann Memorial Scholarship was established by Doug and alum Pat Hartford in memory of Pat’s mother. In the 1930s Irene taught in a one-room rural school in Northern Iowa following studies at Ellsworth Junior College. World War II service brought Irene and her husband Erwin initially to Santa Barbara and eventually to Long Beach where they settled and raised their family.
Irene desired to continue teaching and began working on her bachelor’s degree at Long Beach State in the 1950s taking one class per semester. She served as an elementary teacher for second and third grade at First Lutheran School in Long Beach for several years. She also served as a substitute teacher in the Long Beach City School System. While continually changing state credentialing rules eventually forced her to cease her studies, she continued to be a strong believer in education.
The College of Education (CED) expresses gratitude to all scholarship donors who continue to enhance the quality of education students experience at CSULB.
Impact
The scholarship was established by Doug and Pat Hartford to assist adult (returning) students underwrite expenses associated with their student teaching experience. Doug had a long career in the university world and saw first-hand the financial challenges adult students often faced when they needed to do their student teaching. Because of Irene’s background in elementary education, the scholarship is directed toward students seeking a career in this area.
Scholarships
The Irene S. Rathmann Memorial Scholarship