Frederik & Mary in Iowa, then a hop & skip to Nebraska

Today Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have visited Grand View University in Des Moines, which is the second of the two universities in the U.S. to still maintain close historical ties to Denmark. Frederik's grandparents visited Grand View 70 years ago, and Queen Margrethe II visited 33 years ago and he said he and Mary were proud to carry on the tradition. Grand View was founded in 1896 by Danish immigrants and is affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Grand View has more than a century of a 'whole person' student approach which dates from the principles of the Danish Folk School. In 2004 the university enrolled its first 5th generation Danish American student - the great-great-great niece of one of the founding faculty.

Des Moines, Iowa - MARCH 24: Danish Crown Prince Frederik and [Crown] Princess Mary arrive at Grandview University during a visit to Des Moines, Iowa:



Photos © Hanne Juul/Billed Bladet, Daylife/AP,Getty,WireImage, AP/Fyens Stifstidende

Crown Prince Frederik's speech at Grand View University:
President Henning, members of the Board of Trustees, members of the faculty, students, ladies and gentlemen:
Thank you, President Henning, for your warm words of welcome. The Crown Princess and I are delighted to visit Grand View University. Let me start by congratulating you on recently attaining the status of a full university.
Over the years, my family has enjoyed a wonderful relationship with this university. My grandparents visited Grand View 70 years ago, and my mother, Queen Margrethe II, visited 33 years ago. The Crown Princess and I are proud to carry on this tradition.
Grand View is a young university. But when considering what has been accomplished since the founding of Grand View College in 1896, the list of achievements is impressive. Today, the University boasts an enrolment of 1,900 students; it offers 36 majors, 7 certificate programs, 2 post-baccalaureate certificates, and 5 pre-professional preparation programs.
Grand View University is one of only two universities in the United States founded by Danish immigrants. And so the ties between Grand View and Denmark are especially close.
To me, this special relationship is but one example of the affinity that has always existed between America and Denmark.
You may not know this, but diplomatic relations between our two nations were established in 1791. And while the relationship between the United States and Denmark has always been good, it has never been stronger than today. And part of this is thanks to the foundation made by Danish immigrants, Grand View University, Dana College and the Danish Immigrant Museum in Elk Horn.
Grand View is a fine university. Its establishment and continued existence has required great effort and expenditure on the part of many people. While important, I am sure all of this was not done just to advance the interests of Grand View graduates. As significant was the realization that in order to preserve a free society, its citizens must be well educated.
It was President Wilson who said that “a university should be an organ of the memory of the state for the transmission of its best traditions. Every man sent out from a university should be a man of his nation, as well as a man of his time.”
Let me close by saying how impressed I am with everything we have seen here today at Grand View University. I know you have many exciting plans for the future, among them launching a graduate program in Innovative Leadership this fall, and the Crown Princess joins me in wishing you much success in those endeavors.

The Danish Folk High School and its Reception in the United States: 1870s-1930s (strong cup of coffee needed to read this one!)
The History and Philosophy of the Nordic Folk School Movement (just tea needed for this one)

In the afternoon the Crown Prince Couple travelled to Omaha, Nebraska, to take part in the 125th anniversary of Dana College in Omaha, Nebraska. Frederik delivered the keynote address at a ceremony bestowing an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters upon him during the visit to Dana College in Blair. Frederik and Mary were also at a reception and meeting with Danish-American representatives Frederik also gave concluding remarks at a conference about 'Sustainable Enterprise'. There is a full explanation of the afternoon at Dana College here. After they arrived Frederik gave closing remarks at Dana's first annual Sustainable Enterprise Conference while Mary was went to the Forum in the Durham Center where she met Dana education majors and kindergartners from the Blair elementary school.



The Fremont Tribune 'Danish royalty visits Dana'
For the third time in its 125-year history, Dana College hosted Danish royalty Tuesday. Prince Frederik and Princess Mary were on the Blair campus to conclude a conference on sustainable businesses.
The prince also received an honorary degree from Dana College at a special convocation in the Gardner-Hawks Center.
"It is certainly an honor for Dana College to host the Royal Couple as part of our 125th anniversary celebration," Janet Philipp, Dana president, said in an earlier press release.
Also while in Blair, the Royal Couple will was to attend the groundbreaking of the new Novozymes plant.
The Royal Danish Family last visited Dana College in 1976.
USA Today

In the late afternoon the Crown Prince Couple visited Novozymes, a new factory for enzyme production in Blair, Nebraska, including a groundbreaking ceremony. "This weather is very Danish," said Frederik since it was very windy. Frederik also spoke proudly about his country's 30-year effort to wean itself from dependence on oil as he took part in the ceremonial groundbreaking Tuesday on a plant that will produce enzymes for making ethanol from cornstalks and switchgrass.



Novozymes breaks ground for new production facility in Nebraska - Novozymes press release
Omaha World Herald 'New Blair Plant: Enzyme firm doubles down on ethanol'
Omaha World Herald 'Danish firm doubles investment in Nebraska plant'
Omaha World Herald 'Danish pride, savvy fuel energy partnership'
BLAIR, Neb. — Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark spoke proudly about his country's 30-year effort to wean itself from dependence on oil as he ceremonially broke ground Tuesday on a plant that will produce enzymes for making ethanol from cornstalks and switchgrass.
The 1970s spike in oil prices sent Denmark, then dependent on imported oil, into a recession, the prince said. From that, he said, the country made a strategic change of direction that led it to a position of being one of the world's most energy-efficient countries, while still enjoying strong economic growth...

Fyens Stifstidende 'Kronprinseparret i Nebraska'
Novozymes.com
KPTM Fox 42 'Danish Royalty in Town to Celebrate College's 125th Anniversary'
Jyllands Posten 'Kronprinspar gæster "danske" universiteter' - Crown Prince Couple visit "Danish" universities
Back in the 19th century two universities were founded by Danish immigrants in the mid-western U.S.
They exist there still and it was therefore natural for Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary to visit them on the U.S. trip which has taken them from Chicago to Colorado before finishing in New York on the east coast.
The Crown Prince Couple first visited Grand View University yesterday in Iowa's state capital of Des Moines.
The University dates from 1896 and has been inspired by the Danish folk high school movement.
The University also is Lutheran-Evangelical just as is the Danish national church.
The trip then went westwards to Dana College in Blair near Nebraska's state capital of Omaha, where Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary participated in marking the university's 125th anniversary.
It was founded in 1884 and is also founded on Lutheran-Evangelicanism.
Crown Prince Frederik was appointed as an honorary doctor by Dana College at a special ceremony.
Later yesterday the Crown Prince marked a new Novozymes factory in Blair, which will produce enzymes for ethanol production.
Billed Bladet 'Frederik - nu som doktor'
Sioux City Journal 'Danish royalty visits Neb., touts green power' (thanks Valentine!)
Des Moines Register 'Danish royalty pay visit to Grand View' (thanks bonsai!)

24 March 2009 Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark arriving for dinner at First National Tower in Omaha.The Crown Prince Couple dined with business people and Danish-American representatives in Omaha on the occasion of Dana College's 125th anniversary.



Des Moines Register photo gallery - nice gallery of the Dana College visit
Chef Stinson Family blog (thanks Ayvee!)
Billed Bladet gallery - Frederik receiving his honorary docorate and giving his speech
Billed Bladet gallery - some funny angles by photographer Hanne Juul


TV2 news feature (02:32) - with quite a bit in English about Danish Americans in Iowa around Dana College
KPTM Fox 42 news clip (03:43)
KETV clip (00:24) - Danish Royalty visits Omaha
TV2 clip (02:32)
DR.dk clip (01:07)