Karsten Lundring, otherwise known as “The Candy Man,” was a member of the first graduating class of California Lutheran University in 1965. He was also among the first students to enroll at Cal Lutheran in 1961. Three generations of Lundrings have graduated from Cal Lutheran, Lundring said, including his son in 1994 and his grandson in 2024.
Lundring was first given his nickname 57 years ago. The Cal Lutheran football team was playing an away game against the University of San Diego. Lundring said he had a family business picnic in Long Beach that day, but he moved the picnic time forward so that he could make it on time to the Cal Lutheran game at night.
The candy was initially meant for kids attending his family picnic; however, when he got to San Diego for the game, Lundring realized he had forgotten to throw the candy at the picnic. So, Lundring said he brought the candy into the stands and threw it whenever Cal Lutheran would make a good play. Ever since that day, Lundring said he always brings candy to Cal Lutheran athletic games.
Aside from candy, Lundring also hands out two-dollar bills. Lundring began this tradition several years ago and he said he was surprised that people liked them so much. From then on, Lundring began to get bills from the bank and glue them together to make a two-dollar bill packet.
Instead of carrying a business card around, Lundring said he hands out two-dollar bills for people to remember him and put a smile on people’s faces.
Cal Lutheran’s Director of Athletics Howard Davis said it is “awesome” to have Lundring in the stands tossing candy to fans.
“I love seeing him in the stands and I love when he walks into the gym. It just feels like it’s a CLU athletic event, Karsten and Kirsten are here,” Davis said.
Lundring said he and his wife try to make it to as many events on campus as possible, whether it be sports games or community events.
“It is fun to be involved in so many different ways, both in just attending events, and we have been blessed to stay in Thousand Oaks,” Lundring said.
Lundring said he and his wife, Kirsten Lundring, drive their purple and gold Cal Lutheran-themed golf cart to every campus event they attend. Athletic games, plays, concerts, speakers and other events are just some of the ways they are involved with Cal Lutheran.
“We go to as much as we can and that keeps our interest going,” Lundring said.
Lundring said his favorite part of attending events on campus is that he gets to meet Cal Lutheran students. He said he feels like he knows most of the students just by seeing them around campus and at events.
“He is in complete head-over-heels love with this university and, specifically, our students. He appreciates the work and effort they put in to excel in sports and academically. He has a true respect and admiration for them,” Davis said.
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Cal Lutheran alumnus Tim Hengst said Lundring is one of the most committed alumni he has ever met and is always mentoring students. Hengst said he first met Lundring 30 years ago when they both sang in the Ascension Lutheran Church choir together and have worked on several projects at Cal Lutheran since then.
Formerly, Lundring said he worked as a financial planner at Thrivent Financial. He first began working for Thrivent as an intern during his sophomore year at Cal Lutheran.
Lundring said his small class of 300 students did not have proper buildings for classrooms or sports facilities when he attended Cal Lutheran.
“The president gathered us for an assembly in the gym and I remember one time he said, ‘By the time you all are seniors we are going to have a new up-to-date athletic facility. Well, I didn’t know that he meant this kind of senior,” Lundring said.
Among his other commitments, Lundring said he is also involved in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and serves as a volunteer chair of the fundraising committee for Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center, Soiland Humanities Center, and the Samuelson Aquatics Center.
Lundring also said that he is a Regent Emeritus, which is an honorary title awarded by the Board of Regents to professors and alumni who are in “good standing” with the community, per the University website.
With such a title, Lundring makes an effort to attend several Regent meetings because he said he wants to know current situations and updates about Cal Lutheran.
“He is active in events all across campus every day. He is down here all the time and loves the students. He does a lot of mentoring for students when they need help,” Hengst said.
While some people graduate and move on from Cal Lutheran, he believes that Cal Lutheran creates a special bond between alumni that “cannot be broken,” and that his love for Cal Lutheran and its community is why he gives back to future generations of Cal Lutheran students.
Davis said Lundring is a “jewel” and that Cal Lutheran is fortunate to have him.
“So few universities have that type of connection to their past and to their fan base. He is an absolute blessing,” Davis said.
