Wartburg College alumni and longtime college supporters Ed and Lorraine (Rennie) Scharlau will receive the Wartburg Medal on Monday, Nov. 16, in the Wartburg Chapel.

The Weekday Chapel service, which begins at 10:15 a.m., will be livestreamed on Knight Vision at www.wartburg.edu/knightvision. The Rev. Brian Beckstrom will use the time to talk with the couple about their life of service.   The Wartburg Medal is awarded by the college to recognize individuals who have provided significant service to the college over a sustained period of time, and recipients have a personal commitment to the college’s mission, quality and character.

“The Scharlaus have offered heartfelt leadership and service in support of their alma mater in countless ways,” said Darrel Colson, Wartburg president.  

Both 1961 graduates, Ed majored in business administration and economics and Rennie in English. Ed is a retired administrator with 3M Company, while Rennie was on the library staff for the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Consortium. Ed is a founding board member of Water to Thrive, a faith-based nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing clean, safe water to rural Africa. The Scharlaus have worked with Wartburg faculty, staff and students to build wells and fundraise for well projects through the college’s Water to Thrive student organization. Ed also was a longtime member of the Lutheran Foundation of the Southwest.

Formerly of Austin, Texas, and now residing in Waverly, the Scharlaus are members of the President’s Round Table, Heritage Society and Tower Society at Wartburg. Both served on the college’s National Campaign Committee for Transforming Tomorrow and on the Class of 1961 reunion committee, which was the first class to raise $1 million in support of the college. Both are past Alumni Board members; Ed received the Alumni Citation in 1977. They have one son, Jonathan.