She has seen Hamline through two decades of building developments, grand events and changes on campus, remembering when East Hall was only East House. She celebrated Hamline’s 150th anniversary and worked through the tenure of three Hamline presidents.

At the end of this month, long-time Student Accounts director Judy Dehnel is retiring after twenty years of service to the Hamline community.

A wife, mom to three sons and grandparent to five grandchildren, Dehnel is looking forward to retirement.

“Freedom is the word that comes to mind,” Dehnel said when asked what she is looking forward to most. “I look forward to not having a rigorous daily schedule and being able to help my kids out more when they need it.”

Dehnel first discovered Hamline when reading an advertisement for an entry level accounts receivable position in the newspaper twenty years ago, at a time when she laughingly describes, “you had to mail your resume in.” She was attracted to working at Hamline for two reasons.

“I loved the idea of working on a college campus and enjoyed doing finance work,” said Dehnel.

While she’s always felt at home working with numbers, Dehnel also loved having the opportunity to interact with students in her role, interested in helping them reach financial solutions in order to pursue their passions at Hamline.

Dehnel’s Student Accounts co-worker and successor, Sara McLain said Dehnel “is a kind and compassionate person who has worked with many students on their accounts and has always been a great asset to the university.” McLain, with eight years of experience herself, will be transitioning into Dehnel’s former role as Director of Student Accounts at the end of the month.

Dehnel and McLain have been ardently working on the coming transition. “I have every confidence in the world that she’s going to do a great job,” Dehnel said of McLain.

Describing her community at Hamline as having “a collaborative spirit,” Dehnel has experienced Hamline not only as an employee, but also as a student. She highlights her student involvement as “the frosting on the cake to my Hamline experience.”

Dehnel began taking classes at Hamline to finish her undergraduate degree in Religion on top of being a mother and full-time employee at the institution. She graduated in 2002 with her husband and sons in attendance.

A retirement party open to the public was held for Dehnel in the Anne Simley Theatre lobby on Thursday, Oct. 22. The Hamline community along with friends and family wished Dehnel a sad farewell.

At a time of so much change in Hamline’s leadership, Dehnel is happy to leave to allow room for new energy and ideas. However, the same work that attracted Dehnel to Hamline twenty years ago makes it equally as hard for her to say goodbye at the end of October.

“I feel ready to be done with my job but I’m not ready to leave the people. It’s been all about the people,” said Dehnel.