Alumna Spotlight: Terri Oestmann

TERRI OESTMANN LEGACY SPOTLIGHT

Terri Oestmann has always been a bit of a pioneer. And it’s that pioneering spirit that led her to Dunwoody and the railroads. Now, through a legacy gift, others will get that same opportunity. Back in the 1980s, Oestmann was working a series of dead end jobs after high school and knew she wanted more from her life. “I attended a secretarial program just to get myself out from behind a broom, and in the process I fell in love with computers and technology,” Oestmann said. “I was not meant to be a secretary, but I had a great time working with all of the new technologies.” Oestmann enrolled at NEI, which later merged with Dunwoody College, for electronics with an emphasis in computers. Through the program she received her FCC license, which allowed her to go into telecommunications after graduating in 1996. When the BNSF Railway opened up a telecommunications division, Oestmann jumped at the opportunity. The division was cut in 2005, so Oestmann transferred into the diesel shop as a diesel locomotive electrician. “It was a much more industrial job,” Oestmann said. “But it was still just basically following the bouncing electrons down the wire.” She was one of the few women who worked in the shop, and that could be challenging at times. Like the time the new innovative testing device she invented (which had been recognized with an award) was discovered crushed inside a vise. And it also meant she wasn’t given some of the better projects to work on. “I wanted to get out of the shop and do more creative work,” Oestmann said. It was this desire to do more with her career that led Oestmann back to Dunwoody. This time, for Industrial Engineering Technology. The College had just added the program and Oestmann would be part of the very first graduating class.

She graduated from the program in 2013 and soon after started a new position with the Railway — Rapid Responder. The position came with a big salary increase and a chance to move to Illinois. In her new role, Oestmann was part of a team that chases down broken trains and did what they could to fix them out in the field. It was a physically-demanding job that required a lot of ingenuity and creativity. “We did a lot of bale wire and bubble gum fixes,” she said. Oestmann stayed in her position as a Rapid Responder until she retired when she was in her 50s. After retiring, she and her husband bought a hobby farm out in the middle of the Ozarks, in a small defunct township — population five. There Oestmann grows vegetables and helps out her neighbors when things break down and need fixing. They are even building an addition on their home and doing much of the work themselves. Oestmann has always believed in living frugally and that lifestyle has allowed her to save enough to leave her own legacy behind. One that will benefit future Dunwoody students. “I wanted to provide opportunities for others to have a way up in life,” she said. She encourages others to explore a technical degree. Oestmann is one of the College’s legacy donors, meaning she has included Dunwoody in her will. “Dunwoody was a wonderful environment and a wonderful experience for me,” she said. “I want other people to have the chance to use their talents in the best way possible. We all do better, when we all do better.”

“WE ALL DO BETTER, WHEN WE ALL DO BETTER.”

& Partnership Awards 2019 President’s Dinner

Otto Bremer

Founded in 1944, the Otto Bremer Trust has been committed to investing in people, places, and opportunities in the Upper Midwest that contribute to a better future for all. It’s a mission that reflects the intent of its founder, Otto Bremer.

Otto Bremer came to Minnesota as a German immigrant in 1886 seeking opportunities for a good life. Over the next 36 years, he worked his way up to become chairman of the American National Bank and a dedicated community leader involved in civic, financial, and corporate life.

Since its founding, the Otto Bremer Trust has granted more than $700 million to help further his mission in Bremer communities here at home.

The 2019 Partnership Award was presented to the Otto Bremer Trust in recognition and sincere appreciation of its generous support of Dunwoody during the last two decades. Brian Lipschultz accepted the award on behalf of the Otto Bremer Trust.

Their gift to the Leading the Way campaign helped fuel a campus transformation that will better serve Dunwoody's programs and students.

The award also recognizes Otto Bremer Trust’s consistent support of Dunwoody’s Women in Technical Careers program, helping low-income women prepare for high-wage jobs in nontraditional careers, and ultimately helping to strengthen the Twin Cities community.

In September, Dunwoody College of Technology held its annual President’s Dinner, which celebrates and honors donors who give at the President’s Club Level or higher. This year’s event was held at the Golden Valley Country Club, and more than 145 people were in attendance. During the event, President Rich Wagner presented the College’s 2019 Partnership Award to General Mills and the Otto Bremer Trust. Both organizations were recognized for their long-standing history of supporting the College.

General Mills

It’s a partnership that has spanned more than a century and began with William H. Dunwoody, one of the four partners of Washburn, Crosby & Company — known today as General Mills.

William Dunwoody and his wife Kate L. Dunwoody founded the William Hood Dunwoody Industrial Institute — now Dunwoody College — in 1914 through an endowment. In his will, Dunwoody named the 12 original trustees of the College, eight of whom were fellow business executives at the Washburn Crosby Company.

Throughout the years, General Mills has been an invaluable partner. The College is grateful for the continued support, which has benefited our students, elevated our reputation, and allowed us to expand our reach.

The 2019 Partnership Award was presented to General Mills in recognition and appreciation of all that the Company has done and continues to do to positively impact the Dunwoody community. Gregg Stedronsky accepted the award on behalf of General Mills.

These generous contributions include funding a portion of Dunwoody’s campus transformation; continued support for the Youth Career Awareness Program, which helps low-income students obtain access to high-paying technical careers; and equipment donations that give students access to real-life industry training and experience.