Alumni Focus - Lisa (Goplen) Springborn (’84)

We often say SCLA is a “Christian family community,” but for Lisa (Goplen) Springborn (‘84), that’s especially true. She shares how her family has attended SCLA since the 1960s, the long daily journey to school, and how her love for both the school and the Lord continues to bring her family back.

Tell us a little about your long history and deep connections to SCLA:

The most important connection was meeting my husband, David (class of ’87).  My five brothers and sisters (Rosanne, Sandy, Kevin, Scott, and Rick) also attended SCLA, starting back in the 1960s. David’s brother, Barry, and his wife, Grace, and sister, Colleen, also attended. My brother, Scott, married a SCLA alum (Cathy)…so family get-togethers are a bit like a reunion. My children, Meghan and Mitch attended SCLA along with many of my nieces and nephews. We have had 24 family members attend SCLA, not counting cousins.

What was it like to attend St. Croix in the 1980s?  

Most students didn’t have cars, so people had to carpool. It was a bit of a challenge to get to school from Minneapolis – my carpool ride would pick me up at 5:30 a.m., they would drive me to the Pilgrim van, the van would take me to the Bloomington Lutheran bus, and I would take the bus to school. I was on the road for about two hours to get to St. Croix, but it was worth it. It was like attending school with family (there were only 48 students in my graduating class). 

What are your favorite memories of attending St. Croix? What activities did you participate in?

We would get to school early and hang out in the study hall room, just laughing and joking around. I was a cheerleader and participated in basketball and track. 

How has St. Croix changed over the years?  What is your favorite improvement that you’ve seen at St. Croix?

I recently heard that days are no longer “letter” days with skipping one class every day. I think that is my most favorite improvement…I still have nightmares about not remembering what letter day it was. I attended St. Croix in the old building, so that is the biggest change. The current extracurricular facilities are amazing.

How has St. Croix been important in your life or the lives of family members who have attended?  

I have made lifelong friends (and family members). I have a group of friends from SCLA that I vacation with, and we get together weekly to play pickleball. We have played a variety of sports together for at least 25 years. I have another group from my class that gets together as often as we can and text each other weekly. We all share a love of our Lord, which has always been a blessing.

What advice do you have for current students?

Treasure the moments, your friends, and the Lord; they will be there for a lifetime.