Lindquists extend longtime support for Cornell

Longtime Cornell College supporters Nels Lindquist ’71 and Cindy Ransom Lindquist ’71 were pleased to give again when they learned Cornell’s Athletic and Wellness Facilities Project is an integrated athletic and wellness center that was built to foster community on campus.

The Wilmington, North Carolina, couple is giving $100,000 toward the Greater > Than campaign project, which serves the entire campus with a new two-level health and wellness center.

“It’s beneficial because it’s not only a place to challenge yourself but also welcoming and will draw the college community together in a lot of ways,” Cindy said.

In addition to their giving, the Lindquists served back-to-back six-year terms on the Cornell Alumni Board. 

“Nels and Cindy have given Cornell momentum over and over with their years of service and support. They are incredible, and I am grateful for their loyalty once again,” said Cornell President Jonathan Brand.

They weren’t college sweethearts—they got acquainted while planning their 20th reunion and were married in 1991, the first marriage for both of them. Cindy left her corporate library position in New York City to join Nels in Gowrie, Iowa, where he was a bank president. They later sold the bank and relocated to North Carolina in 2007 to be near Cindy’s mother. Both are community volunteers, including Nels’ service as an EMT.

Nels majored in philosophy, politics, and economics and business and later received advanced degrees in agricultural finance and banking. Cindy, whose degree is in sociology, holds a master of library science (MLS) degree from the Pratt Institute. She was a work-study student in Cole Library’s periodical room under Dorothy Ellison, who remained her friend until Ellison’s death in 2007. 

“She encouraged me to go for my MLS and I thought, no way am I going to be a librarian. And 15 years later I had my MLS from Pratt. She knew me better than I did,” said Cindy, who was a member of the Phi Omegas.

Nels was a swimmer at Cornell for four years, member of Gamma Tau Pi with lots of Milt friends, and was recreation chair of the Commons Union Board, similar to today’s Performing Arts and Activities Council. He still remembers when they brought the band Friends of Distinction to campus with John Denver as the opening act. He also recalls running Winter Weekend when Professor Emeritus of Art Hugh Lifson gave first prize for the ice carving contest to the group that filled a bucket with snow, dumped it out upside down, and called it a sculpture.  

While their college years were tumultuous times nationally, they said Cornell students were generally respectful even when they disagreed. Nels and fellow swimmer Andy Applebee ’71 spent a summer in Marine Corps boot camp and when they arrived on campus that fall with buzzcuts, he said there were no confrontations. Likewise, when Cindy’s father returned from Vietnam, he stopped by the campus in uniform to see Cindy, and students were respectful toward him. 

The couple previously supported the Science Facilities Project, the Thomas Commons renovation, the Virginia Soper Smith ’73 Endowment for the Center for Law and Society, the Thomas A. Sears ’56 Endowed Fund for Student Achievement, Golden Rams, and the Cornell Fund.

“We support Cornell because that’s what brought us together,” Nels said. “And when you look at the academic background that we both received, and the social connections that we’ve made and kept, we felt a real loyalty. We’ve always wanted Cornell to succeed. It’s a special place.”