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| LOUIS T. BENEZET AWARD RECIPIENT
1999 |
Lorna Kollmeyer '80
 Colorado
College prides itself on providing an environment where all students can
embrace intellectual ideals, become effective citizens of the world, and
lead responsible and creative lives. Lorna Kollmeyer's life is a consummate
reflection of CC's liberal arts education.
Although she was offered scholarships to play basketball at larger institutions,
Lorna chose Colorado College for its strong liberal arts education and
the opportunity to continue in her chosen sport. She put the women's basketball
team in the spotlight by scoring 2079 career points, and in honor of her
accomplishment, the basketball team retired her number after her last
season.
A W.E.S. scholar, Lorna graduated cum laude with a major in Nineteenth
Century British History and Literature, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa.
In addition to her studies and sports, Lorna was a major player in the
construction of the first CC Cabin near Florissant in 1980.
After graduation, she played basketball for the city of Avignon, France,
and learned to speak French fluently. Lorna assumed she would return to
the U.S. and coach basketball. However, moving to San Francisco changed
Lorna's path. she took a job on a house remodeling crew and found that
she loved hammering nails and refinishing floors.
The experience led to the purchase of a small ornamental plaster business
in 1984. In the fashion of a true liberal arts major, Lorna spent hours
learning the art of creating Victorian ornaments such as medallions, rosettes,
moldings, and plaques. her passion for research and her attention to details
led This Old House Magazine (Nov./Dec. 1997) to label her "one
of the nation's finest ornamental plaster artisans."
In 1993, Lorna was appointed to CC's Athletic Fundraising Committee and
served as the First Chair of the Selection Committee for the CC Athletic
Hall of Fame. She designed and created the Tiger Award that is presented
to Hall of Fame inductees.
In addition to art and athletics, Lorna has pursued yet another passion.
With similar dedication that she has devoted to the sport of basketball
and the art of ornamental plaster, Lorna has learned to sing and perform.
As "Lorna K," she can often be found in the jazz clubs of San
Francisco entertaining audiences with her renditions of the songs of Cole
Porter, Rogers and Hart, and Gershwin, among others.
Lorna has embraced many different aspects of work and play. Her creative
and active life are a tribute to the liberal arts tradition.
Alumni Awards Main Page
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