U of R alumni couple pays it forward with $100K endowment

Addie and Pete Pedersen are honoring a life-changing gift they received more than 60 years ago by establishing a $100,000 endowment for students at the University of Redlands.

The Pedersen Family Endowed Scholarship, which began supporting students this school year, is the couple’s way of paying forward the opportunity Addie received as a teenager when Verda Armacost—the wife of then-University President George Armacost—offered her a full scholarship to attend Redlands.

At the time, Addie was 17 and searching for a college. Her mother, Rosalind, a Baptist missionary and interpreter at a religious conference, had formed an unexpected friendship with Mrs. Armacost. That connection would shape Addie’s future—and, now, the futures of Redlands students to come.

Addie Pedersen, now 78, lives in Morro Bay with her husband, Pete, 81. She was born in Thailand and was attending boarding school when her mother met Mrs. Armacost. At the time, her family was living in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“At the time, I was looking for a university to continue my education,” Addie said. She accepted the scholarship and later met Pete at Redlands. They married in 1968, and she graduated three months later. Addie went on to become a real estate broker, while Pete became a community college biology teacher.

Six decades later, the Pedersens pledged $100,000 to establish the endowed scholarship, which will benefit three students over the years.

Sarah Armes Harwood, director of donor relations and communications in the University Advancement office, said the endowment is already making an impact.

“These endowed scholarships make University grants possible,” Armes Harwood said. She noted that the specific award amount is not disclosed to the student or the public and is not applied toward tuition.

This year’s scholarship luncheon has already been held, but the Pedersens have not yet met the first recipient—Kate Woodhall, a freshman from Santa Monica. All three were unaware of one another when interviewed for this story, but are looking forward to connecting.

Woodhall, 19, is finishing her first year at Redlands and is a student at the Johnston Center. She is studying anthropology, marketing, and writing, and currently works for the university’s Marketing and Communications department.

She applied to 15 colleges and toured 8 to 10 of them with her parents, Wendy and Woody Woodhall, before choosing Redlands.

“The one thing that drew me to Redlands was Johnston,” she said. “I felt a special connection.”

In high school, she founded a club of 10 to 13 students that discussed gender, race, and mental health issues. She led the group for four years.

Woodhall applied for the endowed scholarship in 2024 and found out she received it just before the school year started.

“I was really surprised and really grateful,” she said.

She plans to graduate in 2028 and hopes to pursue a career as a content creator. In the meantime, she’s looking forward to meeting the Pedersens in person and thanking them for their generosity.