Adam Rundh

Class of 2009

Aalborg, Denmark

Adam RundhGrowing up in Denmark in a single-parent family, Adam Rundh ’09 never dreamed he would be studying and playing football at an American university one day.

Yet that’s exactly what he is doing, thanks to the generosity of Norway natives Marit and Jonas Store, a member of the Valpo Class of 1951.

Jonas received a scholarship that enabled him to attend Valparaiso University in late 1940s-early 1950s. Always grateful for this gift, he recently decided to help another Scandinavian student enjoy the benefits of a VU education, with the creation of The Jonas and Marit Store Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Rundh, 20, began taking classes at Valpo in January 2006. Born in Aalborg, Denmark, he attended school at Rudolf Steiner Skolen in Aalborg from age 7 to 17. Then he moved to Sweden and finished high school at Orjanskolan.

“When I decided to go to college, I knew it was going to be a struggle,” he says. “I worked two jobs to make money for school. I feel blessed to have received this scholarship. Especially coming from a single-parent family, it gave me an opportunity to get a great education. I take college very seriously.”

Indeed, Rundh was able to earn a 3.94 GPA in his first semester, even while balancing a rigorous off-season training schedule for football and participating in activities sponsored by the VU Black Student Organization and the Valparaiso International Student Association.

He is majoring in international business and hopes to pursue a career as a professional football player and then start his own business. Following in the footsteps of Jonas Store, he plans to one day fund a scholarship to help students like himself attend Valpo.

“At Valpo, I’m building a foundation for a better life,” Rundh says. “I cannot emphasize enough how grateful I am for this scholarship. It’s a positive reinforcement for me, a sign that what I believe in is true—that people who work hard will be rewarded in the end.”

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