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Finding meaning in work
Auggies on the job
The future of history
CSBR gains momentum
Auggies on the soccer field
WE ARE CALLED
TO INSPIRE
PEACE
SPRING 2014 | VOL. 76, NO. 2
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Dire...
Show more
Finding meaning in work
Auggies on the job
The future of history
CSBR gains momentum
Auggies on the soccer field
WE ARE CALLED
TO INSPIRE
PEACE
SPRING 2014 | VOL. 76, NO. 2
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing
Communication
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
Reflective practice
As I write, I am on my way back to Minneapolis
after spending meaningful time at our Center for
Global Education campus in Cuernavaca, Mexico,
and my mind and heart are full with what I
learned and experienced alongside our students.
For more than 30 years, students who travel
to our campus in Mexico have been offered
remarkable experiences engaging local residents
in their various realities. In my short stay, I saw
this work on the ground as I was able to visit
local host families who share their homes with
our students for several weeks; an indigenous
village, where our students face the realities
of poverty and personal struggle; and a clothing assembly plant, made possible by the North
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), creating opportunities for economic progress and at
the same time challenging our sense of economic
well-being for workers.
This is education “off the main road,”
which I first described in 2011 (see augsburg.
edu/now/archives/summer-2011), an education
that promotes what Massachusetts Institute
of Technology professor Donald Schön called
“reflective practice,” the dynamic relationship
between learning and experience that is at the
heart of Augsburg’s academic mission.
This vision of education challenges us to
see that our various experiences are inextricably
linked with our reflection and learning. When
we see poverty, what questions do we ask, what
do we feel, what will we do? When we experience injustice, what are the causes and what
options are available for our response? When we
are jarred out of our normal perspectives, what
will we see and do? This integrated link between
experience and learning defines reflective
practice.
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate
This issue of Augsburg Now illustrates in
myriad ways how this commitment to reflective
practice is at the heart of an Augsburg education.
The interviews with alumni in “Finding
meaning in work” advise students to be able to
reflect upon and explain their choices (in college
activities, academic major, and career moves) as
they equip themselves for the workplace.
The story on Augsburg’s women’s soccer
team tells how the student-athletes chose to go
to Nicaragua to combine community engagement
and learning with their soccer games. They partnered with the Center for Global Education (perhaps the first Auggie team to do so), and had the
full “off the main road” educational experience.
And on and on. In the stories that follow, we
celebrate our relationships with the Mdewakanton
Sioux community, with some of the leading business people in the Twin Cities, with our Somali
neighbors in Cedar-Riverside, and even with His
Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who came to
campus as part of the 26th annual Nobel Peace
Prize Forum. These stories powerfully illustrate
Augsburg’s diversity, hospitality, and embrace of
“the other”—all of which point to a college community dedicated to equipping our students for
lives of meaning and purpose in the world.
Reflection and practice—small to our
students and big for the world. Our vision for
Augsburg in the 21st century. We welcome your
support and engagement in the important work
before us.
Denielle Johnson ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Integrated Communication
Specialist
Laura Swanson
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
Christina Haller
haller@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Production Manager/Now Online
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President
of Advancement
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
Graphic Design
Jen Nagorski ’08
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
Faithfully yours,
ISSN 1058-1545
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services, CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
langemo@augsburg.edu
Email: now@augsburg.edu
Hennepin County Library Special Collections
Archive photo
7
24
11
21
spring 2014
AUGSBURG NOW
Features
07
11
21
32
Finding meaning in work
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
The future of history
BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
2014 Nobel Peace Prize Forum
BY LAURA SWANSON
Losar: Celebration of
Tibetan New Year
Departments
inside
front
cover
Notes from President Pribbenow
02 Around the Quad
16 My Auggie experience
18 It takes an Auggie
19 Auggie voices
24 Auggies on the field
26 Alumni news
16
On the cover
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama blessed Augsburg College student Tenzin Yeshi
Paichang ’16 during a keynote event at this year’s Nobel Peace Prize Forum (NPPF),
held March 1 and 7-9 in Minneapolis. When he was two years old, Paichang was
cast as the Dalai Lama in Martin Scorsese’s movie, Kundun. At the NPPF, Paichang
added a new role to his résumé—that of the Dalai Lama’s student attaché.
Read more about the NPPF on page 21.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
19
29 Alumni class notes
31 In memoriam
Designed by Laura Humes
AROUND THE QUAD
AUGSBURG IS A TOP PRODUCER
OF U.S. FULBRIGHT STUDENTS
This past fall, the U.S. Department of State recognized Augsburg College
for being among the top colleges and universities for producing Fulbright
students. The College, ranked No. 11 among master’s institutions, has had
17 Fulbright students since 2007. The Chronicle of Higher Education also
recognized the College in 2010-11 for being a top producer of Fulbrights.
Augsburg earns perfect score
Two Auggies were recognized for outstanding work as filmmakers at the 2013 Student
Film Festival hosted in November by the
Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities
(ACTC) at the Main Theatre in Minneapolis.
•
Chessdogs, an experimental film by Nial
Nelson-Hopkins ’14, won the award for
Best Experiential Film. Watch the film at
chessdogs.com.
•
Black Sun, Red Sky by J.C. Calubayan ’14
won the Best Dramatic Narrative award.
See the film at vimeo.com/71923072.
on Campus Pride Index
Augsburg College recently scored a
perfect 5 out of 5 stars on Campus Pride’s
LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index. This
tool assesses colleges and universities
across the United States on a number
of variables, including policy inclusion,
housing, campus safety, counseling,
support and institutional commitment,
academic life, student life, and recruitment and retention. Campuses that
receive the highest score are considered
“leader(s) for LGBT-inclusive policies,
programs, and practices.”
More than 150 people attended the
film fest screenings. The Student Film
Festival celebrates ACTC students’ digital
storytelling.
More than 160 students from throughout the Twin
Cities’ metro area participated in Augsburg’s third
Native American Youth Day held in January. The students
from grades 6-12 learned how post-secondary education
can influence their futures, got a feel for what college
is like, and were able to interact with current American
Indian college students.
2
Augsburg Now
Courtesy photo
Native American YOUTH DAY
Shakopee Mdewakanton scholarship
The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC)
recently contributed $250,000 to increase endowed scholarships for American Indian students at Augsburg College.
This grant funding will be added to the existing SMSC
endowment fund, which was established in the mid-1990s.
The scholarship is utilized to recruit and retain talented
American Indian students who are enrolled or are eligible
for enrollment in a federally recognized tribe or are identified as American Indian by the Indian Education Act.
Bonnie Wallace
“On behalf of all those involved with our request to the
SMSC, we are absolutely thrilled and extremely appreciative of this most generous
gift. The SMSC, once again, serves as a shining example of its ongoing commitment
in the area of ‘cradle to career’ educational opportunities in our native communities, and in our case, [of providing] scholarship support to American Indian students
seeking degree completion at Augsburg College,” said Bonnie Wallace, enrolled
member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and member of the
Augsburg Board of Regents.
IME Becas scholarships
from Mexican consulate
Augsburg College was one of seven
Minnesota colleges and universities to
receive a grant from Consul Alberto Fierro
Garza, Consulate of Mexico in St. Paul. Garza
presented grants from the Instituto de los
Mexicanos en el Exterior (IME—Institute for
Mexicans Abroad) Fellowship Program to colleges and universities in Minnesota to benefit
Mexican or Mexican-American students. The
presentation took place during a ceremony
hosted by Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities (MnSCU) following the October
meeting of the Board of Trustees. A total of
$55,000 in scholarships was presented at
the ceremony, placing Minnesota among the
top states nationally for the amount received
from this competitive grant. The colleges
and universities will match the awards for a
total impact of $110,000.
THE CEDAR, AUGSBURG RECEIVE GRANT
A grant awarded to The Cedar Cultural Center and Augsburg
College will support a program to build cross-cultural
awareness, knowledge, and understanding of Somali culture through
music. One of only six grants of its type in the nation, the $200,000 award
was made as part of the highly competitive Building Bridges: Campus
Community Engagement grant by the Association of Performing Arts
Presenters funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Doris
Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.
The grant will be used to launch a two-year project titled Midnimo: Music
for Unity, Campus, and Community. Through Midnimo, the Somali word
for “unity,” Augsburg students, Cedar-Riverside residents, and the general public will engage in a series of educational and experiential events
focused on Somali music.
Spring 2014
3
AROUND THE QUAD
SPORTS EXTRAVAGANZA
SABO CENTER
for Citizenship and
2013
Learning
The November Martin Olav Sabo Symposium focused on creating
policy change and featured three panelists who spoke about
their experience working on climate change, the Minnesota
Dream Act, and marriage equality.
Speakers included Kate Knuth, Boreas Leadership Program
Coordinator at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on
the Environment and a citizen member of the Minnesota
Environmental Quality Board; Juventino Meza ’11, a founding member of NAVIGATE, a network of immigrant youth and
allies seeking to widen the path to higher education for young
people; and Sen. Scott Dibble, a third-term state senator.
Sports Extravaganza was founded in 1999 and continues to be an annual College tradition because of the
benefits it provides for Twin Cities area children, and
Augsburg health and physical education (HPE) and
exercise science students.
In mid-November, more than 200 Minnesota students
in grades 3-6 took part in the event, in which participants played adapted games and completed physical
education activities. The event is an opportunity for
Augsburg students to problem solve, use encouraging
messages and motivation techniques, and increase
their adeptness at instructing children with disibilities.
Kate Knuth
Juventino Meza ’11
Sen. Scott Dibble
STROMMEN SPEAKERS SERIES
The Clair and Gladys Strommen Executive Speakers Series at Augsburg
College, which brings local business leaders to campus to share insights
and expertise, kicked off in November with John Taft, CEO at RBC Wealth
Management, and his presentation on “Stewardship: Lessons Learned
from the Lost Culture of Wall Street.” He made a compelling argument
that Wall Street leaders and institutions experienced a failure to fulfill
their stewardship responsibilities by putting their own interests before the
interests of the constituencies they serve.
John Taft
The series continued in February with Dave St. Peter, president of the Minnesota Twins. St. Peter,
who joined the Twins in 1990 and was named president in 2002, talked about the baseball
industry in his presentation, “The Business of Baseball.” St. Peter oversees the Twins’ day-to-day
operations, strategic planning, and interaction with Major League Baseball.
4
Augsburg Now
Dave St. Peter
CONVOCATION SERIES 2013-14
HEAD COACH
DENNIS
BARKER
RETIRES
First held in 1990, the Augsburg College Convocation
Series is an annual speaker series that incorporates longstanding endowed and special programs. This winter, the
26th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation honored one
of the United States’ visionary civil rights leaders with song.
T. Mychael Rambo and Brian Grandison hosted the event,
“Music for Martin.”
In February, the Batalden Seminar
in Applied Ethics featured Sister
Peggy O’Neill, president and director of Centro Arte para la Paz in
Suchitoto, El Salvador. Her presentation was titled, “Awakening
to the Reality of a Crucified World:
Discovering What It Means to Be
Human.”
Augsburg College men’s and women’s track and field
and cross-country head coach Dennis Barker resigned
his coaching positions after the fall season. Barker had
served as coach for both sports for the past 20 seasons.
Barker coached 59 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) event champions and 147 All-MIAC
and 126 All-MIAC Honorable Mention honorees, and
his teams earned several U.S. Track and Field and
Cross Country Coaches Association Team Academic
Awards, among others.
Photo by Caleb Williams
The Sverdrup Visiting Scientist
Lecture in April featured Bonnie
L. Bassler, professor in molecular
biology at Princeton University,
whose presentations included
“Tiny Conspiracies: Cell-to-Cell
Communication in Bacteria” and
“Manipulating Quorum Sensing to
Control Bacterial Pathogenicity.”
The annual Sverdrup Visiting
Scientist Lecture series brings renowned scientists to campus to share their expertise with the Augsburg community,
the College’s aspiring scientists, and members of the larger
scientific community.
To find out more about the Augsburg Convocation series,
go to augsburg.edu/convo.
Spring 2014
5
AROUND THE QUAD
BOOK PROCEEDS to benefit Augsburg College
Book describes Augsburg professor’s
heritage as Norwegian immigrant
Profits from lost manuscript
designated for CSBR
Author Phillip Formo’s new
book, Papa: A Life Remembered,
describes the experiences of his
grandfather, Andreas Helland, a
Norwegian immigrant and a longtime Augsburg College professor.
In the book, Formo shares memories and insights about Helland’s
teaching and commitment to the
Church. Proceeds from the sale
of the book will go to an Augsburg student
scholarship in Helland’s memory.
The family of Erwin Mickelberg
is donating all profits from
his lost manuscript, It’s About
the Ripples, to the Center
for Science, Business, and
Religion. The book breaks down
1 Corinthians 13, line by line,
giving meaning and scope to
the well-loved passage.
A NEW PATH
TO DEGREE
COMPLETION
New bachelor’s
degree program for
working professionals
augsburg.edu/pro
Augsburg is rolling out a new, evening bachelor’s degree program for working professionals beginning
fall 2014. It will be offered in a flexible, hybrid-learning format, combining traditional weeknight
classes with convenient online components on an alternating, every-other-week schedule.
The new degree program format is designed to help working professionals complete their major in as
little as two to three years. With small classes of working professionals, students will be able to learn
from and with professors and classmates.
The program includes degrees in high demand among working adults—including business, communications studies, education, nursing, and psychology. More information about available majors,
tuition, and financial aid is available at augsburg.edu/pro.
6
Augsburg Now
Finding
MEANING
In Work
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
The value of a college education is greater
than it’s been in nearly 50 years. This is
the key finding of a 2014 Pew Research
Center study, which showed a wider earnings gap between college-educated and
less educated people ages 25-32 compared with those in the same age bracket
in previous generations dating back to
1965. The report, “The Rising Cost of Not
Going to College,” found that individuals
ages 25-32 who hold a bachelor’s degree
and work full time make $17,500 per year
more than working adults in that age range
who have only a high school diploma. This
disparity, the report states, “has never
been greater in the modern era.”
But life after college is about more
than just getting a job to earn a paycheck.
And that’s where Pew’s research provides
even further evidence of the value of a
college education: According to the study,
recent college graduates are more satisfied
with their jobs and are more likely than
those with a high school degree or less to
see themselves on a career path, rather
than simply working at a job to make ends
meet.
So what can Augsburg families do to
make the most of college and to ensure
that the investment in education pays off
over time and helps pave the way from
early jobs to a rewarding career?
On the next page, you’ll meet four
alumni who work in human resources
management and with whom we spoke
about finding meaning in work. The group
provided tips and insight into how Auggies
can improve job search outcomes, intentionally build their careers, and seek ways
to use their gifts and talents in a meaningful manner in the world. See their advice
on pages 9 and 10.
AUGGIE NETWORKING EVENT
[L to R]: Rick Bonlender ‘78, of the
Augsburg Alumni Board, talks with Michelle
Grafelman ‘14 and Donny Hunter ‘03 at an
Auggie networking event.
7
MEET THE EXPERTS
LARRY MORGAN ’76
President, Orion HR Group, LLC
Studied: communication/mass communication and
political science, minor in psychology; also holds a
master’s of arts in industrial relations from the University
of Minnesota
What makes work rewarding: “Helping clients solve
human resource-related challenges such as hiring and
dealing with difficult employees; designing compensation
programs; and getting thanked by top executives for
resolving problems.”
Augsburg College Regent
LISA NOVOTNY ’80
Vice President, Human Resources,
General Mills Inc.
Studied: social work and Spanish; also holds master’s
of arts in industrial relations from the University of
Minnesota
What I learned from a liberal arts education: “The liberal
arts taught me to think beyond what was in front of
me. It helped me find linkages to other coursework and
the world, and to other systems. Grad school taught
me about my discipline. Augsburg taught me to think
of all the factors that impact someone and the role of
the organization as something that can play a role in
impacting the person.”
MARCIA WRIGHT ’89
PAUL RENSTED ’87
Director of Human Resources, City
of Annapolis, Md.
Studied: international relations and East Asian studies,
minor in history
What I learned from a liberal arts education: “The liberal
arts will make you well-rounded by allowing you to have
a major focus area and to build around that. A liberal
arts education teaches people how to think, write,
communicate effectively, and relate to others. These are
critical skills to succeed in the work world. They also are
critical to succeed in life.”
8
Augsburg Now
Global Human Resources
Consultant and Human Resources
Manager, Toshiba Global
Commerce Solutions, Inc.
Studied: psychology and business administration; also
holds a master’s of arts in industrial relations from the
University of Minnesota
What makes work rewarding: “I get excited about making
a difference—whether by driving business results or
creating a positive experience for an employee. I enjoy
creating programs and a work environment that optimizes
our human capital.”
FINDING MEANING IN WORK
These four human resources professionals stressed that the starting point for Auggies is to take advantage of the rich
opportunities that Augsburg College has to offer. Getting involved in student activity groups, attending networking and career
events, having an internship, and more, will give Auggies a jumpstart on the skills, experience, and networks needed to land a
job and grow a career. The group stressed the need for Auggies to:
DO AT LEAST ONE INTERNSHIP
Students should seek at least one hands-on learning
opportunity while at Augsburg. Larry Morgan said that
internships offer a way to practice what you are learning in the
classroom and to identify skills that interest you and at which
you excel. Internships are a way to explore where your gifts
intersect with the needs of the world.
BE MINDFUL OF ALL THE WAYS YOU COMMUNICATE
Be aware of the many manners in which you communicate.
“At least 40 percent of employers check social media during
the background check,” Morgan said. “Many people are
screened out based upon inappropriate social media [posts],
and many also are screened out based upon inappropriate
email addresses and voice mail messages.” But not all uses
of communication tools need to cause anxiety. Morgan said
that for people who are seeking jobs in the visual arts, such
as in graphic design, creating an online website and portfolio
to showcase work is a good way to raise your profile and
professional reputation.
PARTICIPATE WITH A PURPOSE
Join student organizations, community groups, and professional organizations. Being involved provides opportunities to
build leadership skills and a network of peers. Marcia Wright
said these groups also provide students the chance to develop
a reputation for doing excellent work and for showing a willingness to embrace challenges. It’s important to know what
you hope to get out of a group, she said, and to be able to tell
potential employers about the influence you made and results
you drove.
NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK
While getting involved in student groups and professional
organizations is an important component of building a face-toface network, it’s also important to take advantage of campus
networking events. Morgan said these events offer an easy
way to take advantage of the interest that alumni have in
students and in staying connected to the College. Face-to-face
networking also can be a starting point for building an online
network on LinkedIn.
CUSTOMIZE COVER LETTERS AND RÉSUMÉS,
RESEARCH COMPANIES
Human resources professionals spend only 15 to 30 seconds
scanning a résumé for an initial screening. Morgan said to
help ensure your résumé is sorted into the “closer look”
pile, it’s critical that your résumé be spotless, that it share
achievements via metrics—it should “show how you made a
difference, not tell them your qualifications.”
“Show how you made a difference, not tell
– LARRY MORGAN
them your qualifications.”
Cover letters and résumés should be tailored to each job and
should highlight the areas in your skills and experience that
dovetail with the job for which you are applying.
MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY JOB YOU HOLD
It’s not uncommon at some point to hold a position that is
not ideal. However, as Paul Rensted pointed out, all jobs offer
opportunities. “Always strive to learn everything you can in
any job you hold,” he said. “Work toward self-learning and
skill growth because you get to take those skills with you. Do
the same with relationships because you never know where
your next job will be or who will help you get there.”
STRATEGICALLY NAVIGATE FROM ONE JOB TO THE NEXT
“By moving around in one company or strategically moving to
different companies, you can start to focus on building your
depth of expertise and interpersonal and technical skills,”
Wright said. “Be sure to ask yourself before you start a job
what it is that you want to get from it.”
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR CAREER
“We all spend a lot of time at work. We need to try to enjoy
that time—or change it if we don’t,” Rensted said.
Spring 2014
9
FINDING MEANING IN WORK
Augsburg College Regent Lisa Novotny agreed with
her colleagues and added another level of insight into how
Auggies can create meaning in work. She said that Auggies
not only need to be taking advantage of the city as an
extension of the classroom and more, they also should be able
to articulate choices and decisions to potential employers.
“If students don’t pay attention to where they are putting
their energy, they will not be prepared to explain or represent
what they did,” Novotny said. “We [hiring managers and HR
professionals] don’t necessarily want to hear that a student
never deviated from a path or that they never looked back. We
want to hear why and how students made their choices and
decisions.”
“If students don’t pay attention to where they are
putting their energy, they will not be prepared to
explain or represent what they did.” – LISA NOVOTNY
Early in their work lives, Auggies should be prepared to
explain to potential employers why they took courses beyond
their major or minor, how they spent their summers, what
types of internships they sought, and what fuels their passion,
she said. This type of deep questioning helps employers learn
how a person thinks and whether they will be a good fit at an
organization.
In her work for one of the largest food companies in the
world, Novotny said she asks probing questions to determine
whether people are curious, authentic, and able to explain
how they may have served as a leader even when they weren’t
in obvious positions of leadership.
But not every employer will ask deep questions or ask
for thoughtful explanations, and that, itself, could serve as a
warning sign to job candidates.
“Organizations that don’t poke and prod, but that look
10
Augsburg Now
only for certain coursework and a specific major, may be
looking just to fill a job rather than help someone build a
career of meaning and differentiating contributions,” she said.
Novotny also stressed the importance of reflection after a
person has landed a job. “You need to pause and ask yourself
why you are doing something, what you are learning, what you
are contributing to the organization and the world. But you
also have to ask what it—the work—is doing for you and how
it is changing you.”
This diligence will help signal whether and when it is time
to seek change.
“Pay attention to your energy level and when and why
and how it is high at work. Do the same when it is low. Ask
yourself what is behind that,” Novotny said.
While being intentional is critical to building toward
and finding meaningful work, it’s not always the case that a
vocation, or call, is apparent right away.
“Sometimes meaning doesn’t come until we are ‘doing,’”
Novotny said.
“We need to learn what we don’t know and let some stuff
be uncovered over time. Be patient while you uncover what
leaves you high and low, but don’t be passive. Passive is really
close to indifferent. Indifferent is close to apathy. Apathy is a
hair’s breadth from disengaged. It’s hard to come back from
disengaged,” she said.
In the end, Novotny said, “you will find meaningful work
and make meaningful contributions when what you are really
good at lines up with where your skills are, what you are
passionate about, and what the organization needs. Careers
are 40 years or longer for a reason. They are just like life, they
are a journey.”
The Historyapolis Project
The Future of History
BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
When professional historian Kirsten Delegard published her book in 2012—her first publication where
she was the sole author—she sold 300 copies. “And
that includes sales to my parents, in-laws, and large
extended family,” she said.
After nearly a decade of research, writing, and editing, her total proceeds were $96. Of course Delegard,
who currently serves as a scholar-in-residence in the
Augsburg College History Department, asserts that she
hadn’t done the work of publishing the book to make
money.
“I published it to share my ideas—to tell a story
about the past that few people knew.”
Delegard’s book, Battling Miss Bolsheviki, describes
the emergence of conservative women political activists in the United States after women won the right to
vote in 1920. It was published by one of the leading university presses in the United States and was
reviewed favorably by the largest professional journals
in Delegard’s field. “It addresses an important and even
provocative topic,” Delegard said, “something that
should be interesting to lots of people—particularly
in a state that includes political figures like Michele
Bachmann.
“But only a few people will ever pick up this book,”
she said. And, so, it is not likely to “shift popular
understandings of politically conservative women or
women’s politics.”
It was this lack of impact—not the lack of monetary
reward—that caused Delegard to become disillusioned
with the conventional approach to scholarly publishing in her profession. Our system squanders precious
cultural resources, she said, by encouraging “our most
highly trained interpreters [of history] to write things
that no one reads.”
History that does work in the world
Instead, Delegard wanted to write history in ways that
challenge people to rethink their perceptions and that
give them new context to help them make sense of the
world.
She said she felt drawn to respond to the words
American Historical Association president Carl Becker
used in his 1931 annual address. Becker called on
scholars to do “history that does work in the world, the
history that influences the course of history,” instead of
the history “that lies inert in unread books.”
The question Delegard then faced was: How?
Photo from the Library of Congress
Spring 2014
11
“How do humanities scholars reach the people who
want to hear their insights? How do they speak to broader
publics?” she asked.
Delegard responded to these questions by upending academic conventions and launching a history
project that is digital first and “old media” second.
The Historyapolis Project, as she has named it, focuses
on producing a comprehensive history of the city of
Minneapolis that adheres to high-quality scholarly standards and, at the same time, is accessible to the broadest
possible audience.
Bringing the story of a city to life
Today, the Historyapolis Project is a multi-platform,
historic storytelling endeavor, spanning Facebook and
Twitter as well as the newly launched Historyapolis.com
website. Delegard also has developed a research plan for
the project as well as an outline for a narrative history of
Minneapolis, which will be published by the University of
Minnesota Press.
A year before launching the Historyapolis Project,
Delegard, a third-generation Minneapolis native, met with
a wide range of community stakeholders. She spoke with
representatives from museums, higher education institutions, historical archives, and policymaking and arts
organizations about the need for a “usable” history of the
city. “In all of these places, I heard the same thing—that
the citizens of our state are hungry for complex stories
about the past, for narratives that will help them understand how Minneapolis became the wonderful, complex,
and contradictory place that it is today.”
The last overview of Minneapolis’ history was written in 1940, Delegard said. That project, Minneapolis:
The Story of a City, was a 94-page volume compiled
by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Education and
the then-Minneapolis Board of Education. Since then,
many aspects of the city’s history have been covered in
various publications, she said, but “in the largest city in
our state, we do not have a central clearinghouse where
people can go to find a full story of our past.”
12
10
Augsburg Now
Engaging Minneapolis
So, the Historyapolis Project was launched—first on
Facebook—in April 2013. Delegard’s decision to undertake this work using digital tools was definitely a step
outside the comfort zone of a self-proclaimed “digital
convert” (as opposed to a “digital native”). But, Delegard
explained, “by making [my work] available to anyone on
the internet, I could reach a broader community and find
the audience I was seeking—an audience interested in
serious and accessible historical work that would bridge
the gap between the academic domain and the larger
world.”
Today, Delegard posts on the Historyapolis Facebook
page five days a week. Each post has an image accompanied by roughly 300 words that explain the significance
of the image. “I try to challenge pre-conceived ideas
about the city’s past. I present primary sources that are
meant to engage readers and to catalyze conversations
about difficult episodes” in Minneapolis’ history.
One of the most widely read and shared Historyapolis
posts was on January 1 this year, when Delegard posted
an archival image and brief history of the building at
512-516 Cedar Avenue, which was destroyed in a tragic
New Year’s Day explosion and fire that killed three
people, and injured and displaced many others. (See a
reproduction of the post on page 14.)
Other examples of Historyapolis topics that have
generated audience response and interaction range from
a 1954 burning of a trolley car to celebrate the end of
the city’s streetcar operations to a post about the beginning of desegregation in the Minneapolis schools in 1971
to various historic maps, which Delegard posts on “Map
Mondays.”
Because of the social nature of platforms like
Facebook, Delegard’s readers not only can provide feedback about the posts that interest them, they also often
share additional historical information about the topic
and even engage with each other in dialogue or debate on
various subjects.
It’s the interactive aspect of digital media that
Delegard finds most valuable. “It took me almost 18
months to get the reviews when I was publishing Battling
Miss Bolsheviki,” she said. “On the Historyapolis
Facebook page, I get instant and thoughtful feedback
from a diverse range of readers. Almost every day these
citizen researchers teach me something I didn’t know
about the city. They direct me to new sources. They
inspire me with their suggestions for new work and their
enthusiasm for the material.”
As evidence of that enthusiasm, the Historyapolis
audience has grown steadily during the past year, reaching a weekly audience of nearly 3,000 by the end of
February—“almost ten times as many as the total sales of
my book,” Delegard noted.
Historyapolis at Augsburg College
The project also is gaining attention and support
beyond its immediate online readership. In January, the
Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) awarded an $82,000
Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage grant to the History
Department at Augsburg College for the Historyapolis
Project—the first time that an academic department of
history has received funding from the Arts and Cultural
Heritage program for such a project. The grant supports
engaging students in the research process and, according
to an MHS news release, creates a “central hub for the
interpretation of Minneapolis history and an innovative
model for urban collegiate history departments.”
“The awarding of this grant establishes Augsburg
as a center for the study of Minneapolis’ past, one in
which the broader public will play a powerful role,” said
Michael Lansing, associate professor and chair of the
Augsburg History Department. It builds on the History
Department’s long-term commitment to the public work
of history and to expanding its role in the discipline
of “public history”—a discipline that comprises the
many and diverse ways in which history is applied to
real-world issues. According to the National Council on
Public History, public history is practiced by “historical consultants, museum professionals, government
historians, archivists, oral historians, cultural resource
managers, curators, film and media producers, historical
interpreters, historic preservationists, policy advisers,
local historians, and community activists, among many,
many other job descriptions.”
As part of its commitment to history education at
every level, the Augsburg History Department has, for
years, hosted Minnesota History Day, which is one of
12 National History Day venues and provides more than
30,000 Minnesota social studies students in grades 6-12
with the chance to be actual historians. Augsburg is also
home to the ACTC Museum Fellows Program, a semesterlong course taught by MHS historians and available to
students from any of the five Associated Colleges of the
Twin Cities (ACTC) institutions.
Bringing the Historyapolis Project to Augsburg,
Lansing said, extends this commitment into the digital
arena, incorporating tools and skills that are increasingly
critical for the practice of public history. The first year of
the project at Augsburg is focused on research and, this
spring, Delegard has engaged several Augsburg students,
funded through April by the MHS grant, in conducting
research that will lay the foundation for specific digital
projects in the future—including projects that may serve
as the foundation for future grant applications, Lansing
said.
“This transformational research project creates an
incredible immersion experience for students,” Lansing
said. Plus, it supports both the Augsburg College History
Department and the people of Minnesota by creating a
collaborative, “public work that brings the practice of history into the world.”
Delegard agrees. “The Historyapolis Project focuses
on the history of Minneapolis, but the practices and
collaboration it represents are as much about the role
of higher education in shaping our shared future as it is
about our historical roots.”
Editor’s note: Portions of the background about the
Historyapolis Project were derived from a presentation
delivered in November by historian Kirsten Delegard to
Augsburg students in The History Workshop course.
Spring 2014
13
The Historyapolis Project
Minnesota Historical Society
Historyapolis.com
Featured on these pages are reprints of three posts
from the Historyapolis Project. To read about, discuss, and engage with the history of Minneapolis,
go to Historyapolis.com and click to the blog or to
the project’s Facebook and Twitter sites.
R.I.P., 514 Cedar Avenue
Posted January 1, 2014
Tragic news from the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, where
514 Cedar Avenue exploded this morning. At least 13
people were injured in the blaze; as of this writing, three
people have not been found in the icy ruins. The building’s first floor contained a small grocery that catered to
the tastes of the immigrant neighborhood. Upstairs were
inexpensive apartments that provided basic housing for new
African immigrants.
When Peter Nordberg constructed this building in
1886, he designed it to house two stores on the first floor
and “twenty room flats” above. At this time, this section
of Cedar Avenue was known as “Snusgatan” and was the
commercial center for new Scandinavian immigrants. The
traditional gateway for newcomers to the city, the neighborhood began to transform once immigration slowed to a
trickle during the Great Depression.
In 1968, the struggling Cedar-Riverside neighborhood
provided the perfect location for a new commercial endeavor
envisioned by two [University of Minnesota] students. Ron
Korsh and Dan Foley started the Electric Fetus music store
at 521 Cedar Avenue in 1968, hoping to sell the psychedelic rock music they heard coming out of San Francisco.
Korsh quickly became bored with the store and sold his
share to Keith Covart, who is credit[ed] with making the
business a long-lasting success.
These counterculture entrepreneurs kept their store in
14
Augsburg Now
the news. In 1969, police confiscated a poster from the
store that depicted a nude couple resembling President
Richard Nixon and his wife. Notoriety (and low record
prices) helped the store to grow, forcing it to seek larger
quarters across the street. In October 1969, it moved into
514 Cedar Avenue, the building destroyed in this morning’s
blaze.
In 1970, Covart was arrested after the store displayed a
United States flag with a peace symbol superimposed in the
spot usually reserved for the 50 white stars. In 1972, the
store held a “naked sale,” offering free records and pipes
to nude patrons. After fifty people showed up to claim their
free merchandise, the store lost its lease on Cedar Avenue.
With the influx of Somali immigrants, Cedar-Riverside
has once again become a first stop for new arrivals to the
city. And the building at 512-516 Cedar had reverted to its
original purpose. The tiny apartments and ethnic businesses
destroyed this morning would have seemed very familiar
to Peter Nordberg, the nineteenth-century entrepreneur
who recognized the economic potential of a new immigrant
community.
Photo from the Minnesota Historical Society. And material for this post is taken from the excellent history of the
Electric Fetus, [“A History of the Electric Fetus”], written by
Penny A. Petersen and Charlene K. Roise in July 2006.
School Desegregation in Minneapolis
Hennepin County Library Special Collections
In November 1970, the Minneapolis Public Schools announced a
modest proposal meant to begin the desegregation of its schools.
Aimed at undermining the effects of residential segregation in
the city, it recognized that neighborhood schools were stratified
by race. In the scheme announced by the School Board, two
elementary schools would be paired. The all-white Hale School
would trade students with nearby Field School, which was almost
entirely African American. Children in the youngest grades would
attend Hale; grades four through six would go to Field.
The proposal was poorly received by a vocal minority, which
coalesced behind Mayor Charlie Stenvig, a former police detective. Stenvig ran for mayor in 1969 as an independent, on a
platform of law and order. Anxieties about the urban disturbances
on the North Side dissipated quickly after Stenvig took office.
They were completely eclipsed by rising concerns about the racial
integration of the school system. District officials knew that if
they could not come up with a workable integration plan, they
would soon find themselves under a court order to begin widespread busing. A determined group of parents sought to block
these efforts, calling on officials to defy any legal orders.
By 1970, anxious parents were voicing their opposition in
marathon meetings; one meeting stretched twelve hours long,
breaking up at 5 a.m. after everyone had spoken for three minutes. Concerned citizens were not content to express their opinions in public forums. School board member Harry Davis—the
only African American on the board—had to keep his phone off
the hook to prevent a constant barrage of threatening phone calls.
Minnesota Historical Society
Posted November 13, 2013
Despite the popular opposition, Minneapolis moved forward
with its plan to combine Hale and Field in the fall of 1971. The
paired schools attracted a committed group of parents, who
worked to build an integrated school community that could be a
model for the rest of the city.
This photo shows Monica Lash (left) and Molly Johnson (right)
on their first day on the bus in 1971. The image comes from
Dave Kenney, who curates the MN70s tumblr, and the Minnesota
Historical Society.
Minneapolis Streetcars
Posted June 19, 2013
The city has decided to invest millions to build new streetcar
lines. Which [begs] the question, what happened to our old
streetcar system? It met its demise in June of 1954 when this
sinister-looking photo was taken. This image records the celebration organized by the Twin City Rapid Transit Company [TCRT]
when it declared streetcars to be relics of the past. On this early
summer day, the company actually burned streetcars—like the
one in the background-—to demonstrate its commitment to
progress and innovation. The men in this photo were celebrating
the purchase of 525 buses, which had been financed with liberal terms from General Motors. This allowed them to discard the
streetcars and dispose of assets necessary to maintain the rail
network. This image shows TCRT treasurer James Towey handing
a check (from NSP for the company’s Main Steam Station) to
company president Fred Ossanna, who was later investigated for
shady business dealings and political bribes.
Spring 2014
15
MY AUGGIE EXPERIENCE
THEHeart OF MINNEAPOLIS
Archive photo
BY STEPHEN GEFFRE AND LAURA SWANSON
with thanks to Augsburg Archivist and
History Professor Kristin Anderson
Since 1872,
Augsburg—and many
Auggies—have called
Minneapolis home. The history of the College
is interwoven tightly with that of Mill City
and its vibrant Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.
These archival images portray the College’s
ever-changing campus and illustrate its
connection to the broader municipality. Take
a close look. And take a moment to recall
your own Augsburg history.
Archive photo
›
The group photograph shows the Augsburg Seminary
community in February 1918. At that time, Augsburg
Seminary had three areas of focus—a theological
school, a college, and a preparatory department.
›
Built during the 1948-49 academic year, Augsburg’s Science Hall in its early years served
several functions, including as the campus entrance; the home of student publications,
administrative offices, and the economics department; and—naturally—the site of lecture rooms
and science laboratories, as seen here.
16
Augsburg Now
›
In 1967, the construction of Augsburg College’s Christensen Center and Urness Tower buildings coincided
with Interstate 94 development occurring at the campus periphery. The freeway changed the College’s
southern border, creating a finite boundary between its Cedar-Riverside home and the Seward neighborhood,
although pedestrian bridges were in place prior to freeway completion.
Archive photo
‹ In 1872, Augsburg established its campus next to Murphy Square—Minneapolis’ oldest public park—and this 1905 photograph by Sweet Studio shows children at play. The
image is in the Minnesota Historical Society’s collection and was enlarged for display in
Murphy’s, a dining establishment formerly located in the Christensen Center.
Archive photo
On October 8, 1972, Augsburg held groundbreaking and site dedication ceremonies for
a new student apartment tower that later
was named Mortensen Hall after Gerda
Mortensen, long-time Dean of Women at
the College. In addition to housing Auggies,
the tower initially was intended to serve
students from St. Mary’s Junior College and
the Fairview Hospital nursing program, as
well as St. Olaf College nursing students
who trained in Minneapolis hospitals. ›
[L to R]: Oscar A. Anderson, Augsburg
College president; Sr. Mary Madonna
Ashton, executive vice-president of St.
Mary’s Hospital; Sr. Anne Joachim Moore,
president of St. Mary’s Junior College;
Suzann Olson ’73, Augsburg student body
president; Leonard F. Ramberg, chairman
of Augsburg’s Board of Regents; Kent
S. Knutson, president of the American
Lutheran Church; and Carl Platou, chief
administrator of Fairview Hospital.
Spring 2014
Archive photo
17
IT TAKES AN AUGGIE
THE TEMPERATURE’S
RISING
As we expectantly watch outdoor temperatures climb this
spring, the Augsburg community has seen the mercury
rise on another attention-drawing gauge. The fundraising
thermometer for the campaign for the Center for Science,
Business, and Religion (CSBR) has surpassed its halfway
mark, reaching nearly $27 million* thanks to donors who
continue to demonstrate support for the largest building
project in the College’s history.
An outgrowth of the campaign’s continued success
is that we’ve heard new stories about why Augsburg
College means so much to so many. Augsburg is a place
where faculty members connect with students, helping
them to troubleshoot assignments and to work through
life’s tough decisions. Augsburg is a place where coaches
inspire teamwork, sparking an enduring dedication to
collaboration and a passion for cooperation. Augsburg
is a place where alumni are proud to call themselves
Auggies, supporting current students and recent
graduates who will carry the legacy forward. And,
Augsburg is a place where people flourish, meeting some
of their dearest friends and making some of their fondest
memories. Here are a few such stories.
Class of ’52 couple gives $250,000 to sponsor
physics laboratory
Harvey ’52 and Joanne Peterson ’52 believe the CSBR
demonstrates how Augsburg prepares students for the
future with energy and vitality. Combined, these Auggie
sweethearts were involved in activities ranging from
athletics to the Augsburg Choir, and beyond their student
years, they have maintained deep ties to the College.
Bill Anderson ’56 sponsors new biology laboratory
Bill Anderson ’56 found a creative way to make a big
difference with his support for the CSBR. Currently
president of the Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs,
he is a lifelong collector who gives Augsburg valuable
18
Augsburg Now
stamps each year and has named the College as a major
beneficiary of his estate. Anderson taught high school
biology for 34 years, and he said he enjoys seeing
Augsburg’s plans for the CSBR move forward.
Marilyn ’61 and Tom Breckenridge sponsor two
faculty offices for CSBR
Rev. Marilyn Saure Breckenridge ’61 is Augsburg’s first
female graduate to be ordained as a Lutheran pastor.
She and her husband, Tom, initially planned to sponsor
one office in the Religion Department in gratitude for
Marilyn’s undergraduate education and her Distinguished
Alumna Award, but—as their excitement about the
CSBR project grew—they sponsored an additional
office located in the Business Department to reflect an
important aspect of Tom’s ministry.
Roommates from ’45 sponsor adjacent
rooms in CSBR
Beth (Buesing) Opgrand ’45 and her college roommate,
Genevieve (Larson) Hendrickson ’45, reconnected after
50 years and both decided to give a naming gift for a
faculty office in the CSBR. It seems only fitting that
these faculty offices sit side by side.
Oliver Dahl ’45 sponsors faculty office in CSBR
Oliver Dahl ’45 has had an 80-year relationship
with Augsburg College. From age 10 to 15, he went
to campus to practice basketball while on a Trinity
Lutheran Church youth team in Minneapolis. Dahl
enrolled at Augsburg in 1941, and in 1942, served as
the College’s first wrestling coach before leaving to join
the U.S. Army during World War II. Dahl has named
Augsburg’s athletics program and the CSBR project the
major beneficiaries of his estate, and he says, “I’ve been
thinking about Augsburg College all of my life.”
LAURA SWANSON
These stories—and many others—are available in an
extended format on the CSBR campaign blog.
To read more, visit augsburg.edu/now.
*Figure represents fundraising total as of February 28.
AUGGIE VOICES
JOB
ON THE
Young alumni
value networks formed and opportunities
available at Augsburg College
As excitement and anticipation grow regarding the campaign for the Center for Science, Business, and Religion, Augsburg’s
newest alumni can articulate why studying at a college that emphasizes thinking across disciplines and beyond convention
proved beneficial in their education and invaluable when launching their professional careers.
BY LAURA SWANSON
TRENT ANDERSON ’12
Studied: accounting, business administration, and economics
Current role: Certified Public Accountant and Assurance Associate,
CliftonLarsonAllen
People have the wrong idea about accountants, according to
Trent Anderson ’12. “It’s not really as math-intensive as you’d
think,” he said. Sure, Anderson admits that part of his job entails
adding or multiplying large groups of numbers, but he also
stresses that teamwork and client relations are equally important—and, for him, energizing—aspects of his career. Anderson
chose to attend Augsburg because the College offered him the
opportunity to exercise his passion for teamwork as a student
athlete. During his undergraduate experience, Anderson found
that he and his baseball teammates developed friendships with
bonds as strong as family and a network with the potential to
influence their careers. It was an Augsburg alumnus and former
baseball player employed by CliftonLarsonAllen who introduced
Anderson to what turned out to be his first employer—and one of
the top 10 accountancy firms in the United States. Both Auggies
benefited from the College’s small-school experience, Anderson
explained, where it is possible to develop meaningful relationships with professors, fellow students, and Twin Cities professionals. “It’s an interesting mix,” he said. “Augsburg is about
more than mastering one subject. It’s about being a well-rounded
student, a well-rounded individual. Now that is something I value
to this day.”
To watch Trent Anderson discuss his start at
CliftonLarsonAllen, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Spring 2014
19
ANGELA BONFIGLIO ’13
Studied: sociology, youth and family ministry
Current role: Director of Youth Programs, Redeemer Center for Life and Redeemer Lutheran Church
During her second year at Augsburg, Angela Bonfiglio ’13 sought the opportunity to become involved in Minneapolis’ community
partnership work, and the College’s Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning was able to connect her with an organization matching
her interests and her studies. By the next fall, Bonfiglio was an afterschool program coordinator at Redeemer Center for Life, a
nonprofit seeking to meet the housing, employment, and youth development needs of Harrison and North Minneapolis neighborhood
residents. Her work—funded through a Batalden Scholarship at Augsburg—turned out to be a near-perfect fit, and she continued to
lead the program during her senior year. A few months prior to completing her degree, Redeemer’s executive director offered Bonfiglio
a full-time position following graduation. She accepted the offer, recognizing that she could use the knowledge and skills she’d gained
during college in her future position. “I loved youth ministry classes, and sociology challenged me in a new way,” she said. Today she
couples her sociological research experience with her background in youth programming to guide the “big picture” for the nonprofit’s
youth activities. “The work is completely interdisciplinary,” she said. “I can ‘plug into’ contexts for both sociology and youth ministry,
and that’s because of Augsburg.”
ALEX SORUM ’13
To watch Alex Sorum discuss the URGO project he
completed with Jennifer Bankers-Fulbright, associate
professor of biology, in Augsburg’s summer research
video series, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Studied: biology, chemistry
Current role: Postbaccalaureate Cancer Research Training Award Fellow, National Cancer Institute
Daily tasks vary widely for Alex Sorum ’13, a research fellow in one of the National
Cancer Institute’s chemical biology laboratories. Some days he tests enzyme activity,
and other days he synthesizes compounds. Synthesis, it seems, is a common theme
between his college experiences and his life since graduation. As a double major, Sorum
was quick to take part in every opportunity available to him, oftentimes combining his
interests. “I always knew I wanted to go into research,” he said. “The biggest benefit
for me was that Augsburg professors use a hands-on approach in their teaching.”
Sorum satisfied his appetite for research through on- and off-campus opportunities that
allowed him to gain valuable experience and strengthen his relationships with faculty
mentors. It was Michael Wentzel, assistant professor of chemistry, who helped introduce
Sorum to the National Cancer Institute, and other faculty members’ thoughtful letters
of recommendation that allowed him to secure the prestigious position. The National
Cancer Institute was “looking for someone with the ability to perform in this research
position,” he recalls. “With my past experience, I had the ability to both think critically
and to problem-solve. Now that’s key.”
20
Augsburg Now
1
2
3
4
BY LAURA SWANSON
The 26th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum—an event that celebrates the importance, consequence, and controversy of the
Nobel Peace Prize—was held March 1 and 7-9 in three Minneapolis locations, including Augsburg College.
With “Crossing Boundaries to Create Common Ground” as
its theme, the 2014 Forum brought Nobel Peace Prize winners,
civic leaders, and scholars together with students and other citizens to contemplate questions of peace and conflict. Now in its
third year of permanent residency in the Twin Cities, the Forum
welcomed more than 5,700 ticket holders who explored topics
ranging from science to law and from music to global affairs and
business.
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the 1989 Nobel Peace
Prize laureate, delivered the Forum’s opening address at Faith
and Peace Day. Leymah Gbowee—a 2011 Nobel Peace Prize
winner and Liberian peace activist—spoke at Global Day, and Dr.
Deane Marchbein represented Doctors Without Borders/Médecins
Sans Frontières (MSF)—the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize laureate—
on Science and Health Day. Representatives from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the 2013 Nobel
Peace Prize winner, also led a breakout session.
In addition to engaging attendees in speeches, book signings, networking events, and more, the 2014 Forum premiered a
partnership with social networking service Google+ that enabled
online attendees to live-stream events, submit questions to keynote speakers, and participate in thought-provoking dialogue—all
from their unique locations around the globe.
“The opportunity to host the Nobel Peace Prize Forum offers
our students, alumni, and international community inspiring
examples of those people who strive to make peace and to make
a difference in our world,” said Augsburg College President Paul
Pribbenow. “At the heart of Augsburg’s mission are our commitments to educating informed global citizens and to embracing
the links between faith and learning.”
Spring 2014
21
6
5
PEACE ON THE STREET
BRAD ST. AUBIN ’15
The Dalai Lama is looked at as a paragon of peacemaking,
but his address helped reinforce that he is also human.
When doing peace work, we want solutions, but his ability
to say, ‘I don’t know,’ gave a nod to the fact that even our
revered leaders don’t have all the answers.
The 2014 Forum was an event that united the Augsburg
community, and Auggies participated both as guests
and as volunteers.
One Auggie who worked at the Nobel Peace Prize
Forum was Banna Kidane ’15. A Sabo Scholar studying
computer science, Kidane was an intern for the Nobel
Peace Prize Forum and acknowledged the rarity of his
chance to serve.
“Being an intern with the NPPF is a once-in-alifetime opportunity that I’m happy I didn’t pass up,”
Kidane said.
It is through making memories, sparking ideas, and
spurring action that the Forum lives out its mission to
inspire peacemaking. A few Auggies shared reflections,
takeaways, and highlights from their NPPF experiences:
HUMAN
KIM BESTLER ’10, Augsburg program assistant and tutor
coordinator, TRiO/Student Support Services
It’s a privilege that Augsburg gets to host an international
event that so tightly corresponds with our College mission.
MISSION
PEACE
LOVE
UNAFRAID
COMPASSION
COMMUNITY
CHARMAYNE SLETTEN, AUGSBURG PARENT
The presentations inspired peacemaking that starts
with love and compassion by each individual.
PAUL BATALDEN ’63
I realize I can’t personally control the emerging,
complex world. I, too, have no other choice but to
control what I pay attention to, what words I use,
what relationships I maintain, and what community
I foster. Through these recognitions, choices, and
actions, I can exert my influence and do my part
for peace and a better world.
INFLUENCE
22
Augsburg Now
SHELBY ANDRESS ’56
Augsburg is unafraid to enter a complicated world,
guide its entire community in ways of peace and
noble action, and use its spheres of influence.
LIZZIE FONTAINE ’16
The NPPF brings together a whole community.
That’s a huge gift for Augsburg.
BRAM OOSTERLEE ’16
My favorite part of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum is
the connections you make with the speakers and
the audience. The speakers open up discussions
that are not held often enough, and the audience is
excited and encouraged to take action.
CONNECTIONS
7
8
9
ABOUT THE PHOTOS
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FORUM SPONSORS
PAGE 21:
The Forum is housed and coordinated by Augsburg College in
partnership with the University of Minnesota Humphrey School
of Public Affairs and the School of Public Health. It was founded
in 1989 through a unique partnership between the Norwegian
Nobel Institute and five Norwegian Lutheran colleges—Augsburg,
Augustana (Sioux Falls, S.Dak.), Concordia (Moorhead, Minn.),
Luther (Decorah, Iowa) and St. Olaf (Northfield, Minn.).
1 His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the 1989 Nobel
Peace Prize laureate
2 Dr. Deane Marchbein, American president of Doctors
Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières, the 1999
Nobel Peace Prize laureate
3 Leymah Gbowee, Liberian peace activist and 2011
Nobel Peace Prize laureate
LAW AND BUSINESS DAY SPONSOR
4 Jay Nordlinger, senior editor of National Review;
Stephen Young, global executive director of the Caux
Round Table; and Geir Lundestad, director of the
Norwegian Nobel Institute
MAJOR EVENT SPONSORS
PAGE 22:
5 Singer/songwriter Mason Jennings
6 Arjia Rinpoche, director of the Tibetan Mongolian
Buddhist Cultural Center in Bloomington, Ind.
Page 23:
7 Burroughs Community School students performing
at the Nobel Peace Prize Youth Festival
8 Dr. Maureen Reed, executive director of the
Nobel Peace Prize Forum
9 A Peace Quilt Labyrinth exhibited at Oren
Gateway Center
To view additional photos, watch laureate
addresses and keynote presentations, or learn
more about the Forum, go to augsburg.edu/now.
EVENT SPONSORS
Barbara Forster and Mary Tjosvold, Smaby Family Foundation,
U.S. Embassy-Oslo, and Winds of Peace Foundation
FESTIVAL PRODUCTION PARTNER
Spring 2014
23
AUGGIES ON THE FIELD
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,
COMPETITION,
& CULTURAL LEARNING
Photos courtesy of Augsburg’s Women’s Soccer Team
It’s easy to say that students at Augsburg
College are interested in the world around
them and that they strive to make a
difference by serving their neighbors. It
shows a deeper commitment to living
out the College’s mission to be engaged
citizens when a group of student-athletes
chooses to take a winter break trip to
Nicaragua instead of a destination beach
vacation in Costa Rica.
This winter, the women’s soccer
team showed just what it means to be
an Auggie when the group of student
athletes voted to go to Nicaragua for a trip
comprised of community engagement,
reflective service work, and soccer. When
the student-athletes combined their desire
for such a trip with the rich programming
that comes from partnering with the
College’s 30-year-old, award-winning
24
Augsburg Now
Center for Global Education (CGE), the
team landed an experience that pushed
their boundaries and understanding of the
world.
“The players genuinely have hungry
hearts and open minds,” said Mike
Navarre, head coach of the women’s
soccer team. “They voted to have an
immersion experience, and I am proud
that they feel they have a responsibility to
make the world better.”
By collaborating with CGE, the
women’s soccer team became the first
of the Auggie teams to participate in a
winter break trip that met the College’s
“Augsburg Experience” requirement,
a distinctive feature of an Augsburg
education that links classroom theory
with off-campus learning through
activities including internships, practica,
service-learning courses, study abroad,
special and individualized off-campus
immersion experiences, and more.
“Our CGE program has deep
relationships and a permanent presence
in Nicaragua, as well as other locations
in the world. We have established mutual
trust with our international partners,
so students who go abroad engage in
meaningful ways with the communities
that they visit,” said Leah Spinosa de
Vega, director of Augsburg Abroad and
International Programs.
“The result is that we deliver a
customized experience that aligns
students’ talents and interests with the
wants and needs of the community. The
programs also challenge students to
see that the community also serves the
students—that both groups experience
a mutual gain from the engagement and
that there is reciprocity of giving.”
For the Auggie women’s soccer team,
CGE designed a program that included
service at a preschool and soccer clinic,
competition against Nicaragua’s national
women’s soccer team, and cultural
learning activities.
The student-athletes spent about
a third of their time serving two
organizations, Nica HOPE (nicahope.
org) and Casa Alianza (casa-alianza.
org). The team painted the preschool
operated by Nica HOPE, an organization
that evolved to serve the needs of people
who live around and near the site of the
now-closed Managua City trash dump and
who depended upon foraging in the dump
for income and survival.
For the second service project,
student-athletes conducted a soccer
training clinic with Casa Alianza—an
organization that serves young people who
are homeless, or may have been trafficked
or exploited.
“We were humbled by the
challenges of the kids at Casa
Alianza and grateful to share in
their love of soccer.” -MIKE NAVARRE
The clinic prepared the Casa Alianza
youth soccer team to represent Nicaragua
in the international Street Child World
Cup (streetchildworldcup.org), a soccer
tournament that is held in late March in
Brazil with the goal of raising international
awareness of issues of homeless youths.
“We were humbled by the challenges
of the kids at Casa Alianza and grateful
to share in their love of soccer,” Navarre
said.
The Auggie team also had the
opportunity to compete in a series of three
games against the Nicaragua women’s
national football (soccer) team. While the
Nicaraguan team won two games, the
Auggies tied in the third game. All the
games received coverage in Nicaraguan
newspapers, an added bonus because it
raises awareness of the value and impact
of women’s sports.
“Our players work hard and respond
well to raised expectations on and off the
field,” Navarre said. “We showcase who
we are by how we play soccer. It’s our
medium. It has proven to be a significant
medium through which our players can
grow individually and collectively.”
The team also visited a coffee growing
cooperative, La Reina Agroecotourism
Project, in the small, rural community
of Matagalpa. The visit was a chance to
learn about the cooperative, which has
55 members of whom 22 are women,
about the impact of coffee and ecotourism
on the national economy, and about the
culture and typical lifestyle in Nicaragua.
All the experiences—working to
improve the Nica HOPE preschool,
working on soccer techniques with
homeless youths through Casa Alianza,
visiting the coffee cooperative, and even
the bits of free time—not only help
students build a greater understanding of
the world we share, but also help them
prepare for the work world.
“Employers today are looking for
employees with intercultural skills,” said
Spinosa de Vega. “Augsburg and CGE
programs require that participants take
time to reflect upon their experience.
Reflection is fundamental to driving
intercultural skills development. This
process undertaken by the team—to
engage and reflect—will help bolster their
success in their professional and personal
lives.”
To make the trip possible, studentathletes conducted soccer camps and
clinics, fundraisers, and an online auction.
In all, they raised about $20,000.
Team co-captain Alekzandra “Ali”
Miller ’14, a business management
major responsible for the online auction,
said she knew the value and impact that
playing soccer and studying abroad can
have. During high school, Miller played
soccer in Sweden and Denmark, and
earlier in her college career, she spent a
semester studying in Spain. Miller wanted
her teammates to have an experience like
the ones she had, but also knew finances
would be a challenge for some of her
teammates.
The trip was highly rewarding to all
the participants and Navarre and Spinosa
de Vega are hopeful that the success of
the trip will spur other athletics teams
to explore how to mix sport, community
engagement, and reflective service for the
type of meaningful learning experience
for which Augsburg College is nationally
known.
“It’s hard to say how much of an
impact we were able to make in just eight
days,” Miller said. “But I can say for
certain that our team was impacted for
the better. These types of experiences are
the kind of catalysts that give a direction
to people’s lives, that spark a new type
of gratitude, and that change the way we
think about and live our lives.”
“This trip confirmed for me and the
players that we have an obligation to make
ourselves and the world a little better,”
Navarre said. “In doing so, we also make
our own lives better. We don’t need to be
overwhelmed by the enormity or gravity
of the world’s problems. We can embrace
the world to make meaningful connections
and improvements.”
STEPHANIE WEISS
Spring 2014
25
ALUMNI NEWS
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
t
Dear alumni and friends,
used as a resource by alumni and students, and it features
posts specifically for Auggies from local and national employers. The next time you or your employer are hiring, consider
employing a fellow Auggie.
We have already seen what can happen when Auggies
work together—we accomplish great things. I would like to set
another goal. Currently, approximately 1,000 alumni are posting jobs on AUGPOST. I would like that to increase to 5,000
alumni submitting internship, job, and volunteer opportunities. Imagine the influence we can have on current Augsburg
students and their future opportunities. Learn more at
augsburg.edu/strommen.
Sincerely,
Courtesy photo
his fall, I reached out to you, my fellow Auggies, to ask
that you support our alma mater on Give to the Max Day
by donating to more than 25 different Augsburg fundraising projects. I am grateful to the 837 donors who
helped us raise $313,639 in one day and achieve our
goals of coming in first place among colleges and
universities and fourth place among all Minnesota
nonprofits! This proves that when Auggies pull
together, we can accomplish any goal!
I am often asked, “How, in addition to supporting Augsburg with gifts, can I help the College and the
current students?” Here’s an answer: draw upon your
experience, expertise, and networks to help students who
are looking for jobs and internships.
Our students are bright, ardent, and ambitious. They
represent our best hope for the future. Their most immediate
challenge in moving on to life after Augsburg is aligning their
liberal arts degree with a career path that will be personally
rewarding and provide them with financial independence.
I encourage all Augsburg alumni and parents to post internship, job, or volunteer opportunities—for free—on AUGPOST
through Augsburg’s Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for
Meaningful Work. AUGPOST is an online job posting board
TRACY (ANDERSON) SEVERSON ’95
ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Join the women of Augsburg for
CONVERSATION, LAUGHTER, AND INSPIRATION
The leaders of AWE (Augsburg Women Engaged) and the Augsburg Associates
are teaming up to host an interactive alumnae event in which women discuss
issues prevalent in contemporary culture, including their reflection on the question, “Am I measuring up?” At this inspirational event for Auggie women of all
ages, attendees will engage in conversation on what it means to be daughters,
mothers, grandmothers, women in public leadership and business, and involved
community members. Join us for brunch and hear insightful remarks from
author, speaker, and TV host Joan Steffend, as well as from an alumnae panel.
The event will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, May 17. The cost is
$25, which includes the meal. RSVP at augsburg.edu/alumnievents. For more
information, call 612-330-1085 or email alumni@augsburg.edu.
26
Augsburg Now
170 ALUMNI
JOIN THE CHALLENGE
Courtesy photo
as class leaders
Celebrating Lutheran heritage
and the Reformation
In the past year, Wayne Jorgenson ’71 and Chris Ascher ’81 have
made a concerted effort to seek the financial support of Augsburg’s
entire alumni community through the campaign for the Center
for Science, Business, and Religion. The Class Challenge goal they
set—for each Augsburg class to contribute a total of $1 million
toward this effort—has generated great momentum that has carried
forward into 2014. So far, the classes of 1952, 1965, and 1971 have
each exceeded their $1 million goal.
Their passion is catching on. As the momentum builds for this
essential and visionary project, Jorgenson and Ascher have been
joined by more than 170 alumni from across the years, each of
whom has made an individual campaign commitment and encouraged classmates to join them in contributing to the campaign.
Currently, every class from 1942 to 2014 has at least one
classmate who has contributed to the campaign. Since the challenge began, there has been a 53 percent increase in the number
of alumni donors supporting the CSBR.
For 2014, Jorgenson and Ascher set a goal of 40 or more
people from each graduating class to become financial supporters
of the campaign. The highest class participation award (so far) goes
to the Class of 1972 with 27 donors. Which class wants to exceed
their goal?
“Each additional classmate who joins with their support for this
wonderful project will find the satisfaction of adding their generosity
to the cause,” said Jorgenson. “The goal is ambitious, and we truly
need a lot of you to say, ‘Yes, I believe, and I will help.’ The size of
all contributions will vary, as they should, based on each person’s
situation and ability to give. Please know that, for each gift, we are
truly grateful.”
Visit the CSBR blog (augsburg.edu/csbr) for the latest progress
on the campaign and alumni participation in the Class Challenge.
Augsburg College is designing a custom travel program
for October 2016 that will celebrate the Reformation
and the upcoming 500th anniversary of when Martin
Luther in 1517 nailed the 95 Theses to the church
doors in Wittenberg, Germany. A highlight of the trip
itinerary will be a visit to Wittenberg over October
31—a time when the town annually celebrates Reformation Day with a parade, medieval fair, special
church service, and evening concert. In addition
to visiting Wittenberg, the itinerary includes stops
in the German cities of Berlin, Dresden, Eisenach,
Erfurt, Leipzig, and Prague, Czech Republic.
Led by Augsburg Department of Religion faculty
members Mark Tranvik and Hans Wiersma, program
participants will explore the lives and ministries of
Martin and Katie Luther and the legacies of influential Lutheran musicians Johann Sebastian Bach
and Paul Gerhardt. They will learn about Dietrich
Bonhoeffer, a 20th century German theologian and
martyr, and Jan Hus, a church reformer of 15th century Prague—100 years before Luther. Participants
also will hear about the church’s role in the Peaceful
Revolution that brought down the Berlin Wall and
remember the sobering days of WWII at the Buchenwald concentration camp. This travel program is
an opportunity to explore the connections between
people, cultures, and historical events while examining the Reformation as an ongoing influence in the
21st century.
To receive updates about this alumni tour as
plans are finalized, email alumni@augsburg.edu, or call
612-330-1085 to be included on a mailing list.
Spring 2014
27
homecoming
ALUMNI NEWS
CELEBRATE YOUR REUNION
SAVE THE DATE FOR
HOMECOMING
2014
SEPTEMBER 22-27
Join Augsburg alumni and friends for Homecoming 2014
Whether or not you are celebrating a
class reunion this year, new events
accompanied by traditional favorites
make Homecoming Week one of the
best times of year to come back to visit
campus. Reconnect with alumni and
favorite faculty members, and experience
the Augsburg of 2014.
The week will include reunion
events, networking and educational
opportunities, and fun for the entire
family. The Homecoming Convocation
on September 26 will kick off the weekend at a morning celebration where the
College will bestow the First Decade,
Spirit of Augsburg, and Distinguished
Alumni awards, and recognize members
of the class of 1964 celebrating their
50-year reunion.
This year’s Taste of Augsburg
28
26
Augsburg Now
pregame festival on September 27 will
include excitement for all ages, with
fair-style booths operated by student,
parent, and alumni groups. Following
the picnic, cheer on the Auggies at the
Homecoming Football Game as they
take on St. Olaf College.
The Auggie Block Party is back by
popular demand! Following the football
game, gather in the parking lot to the
north of Si Melby Hall to enjoy food,
entertainment, and camaraderie. The
activities don’t end there! Homecoming weekend truly has something for
everyone. For more information and a
complete schedule, visit augsburg.edu/
homecoming.
[
REUNION CLASSES
60th Reunion
1954
50th Reunion
1964
40th Reunion
1974
25th Reunion
1989
10th Reunion
2004
If you would like to help make your reunion a success, call the Office of Alumni
and Constituent Relations at 612-330-1085 or email alumni@augsburg.edu.
]
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
50
John Shelstad was inducted
into the Minnesota Livestock
Breeders Hall of Fame at the
University of Minnesota.
62
Ron C. Nelson received the
Faithfulness in Ministry
Cross Award from Luther Seminary
in January. The honor was given in
the category of “25 years or more”
of faithful ministry.
66
Grace (Estenson) Fladeboe
retired after 30 years of work
as a family and consumer science teacher, and she continues
employment with her husband
and children for Fladeboe
Auctions.
67
Marlys (Ruona) Thomsen
and her husband, Tom,
have enjoyed traveling in their
RV since his retirement. They
have especially enjoyed the
Susquehanna River and mountains in Pennsylvania; Florida; the
southeastern United States; the
Pacific Coast (Southern California
to the Olympic Peninsula); the
vineyards of Washington, Oregon,
and California; the gorgeous sights
of Alaska; and the Texas coast.
At home, they are working on a
backyard garden and are active in
their church, Grace Lutheran of
Apple Valley, and Sons of Norway.
74
Scot Davis became the
winningest wrestling coach
in U.S. high school history when
his Eden Prairie, Minn., team beat
Columbia Heights, Minn., 58-17 on
December 12. Davis, who is in his
36th season as a high school head
coach, is the first high school wrestling coach in the nation to surpass
the 1,000 dual meet wins mark.
77
Randy “Goggles” Nelson was
inducted into the Minnesota
State High School Golf Coaches
Association Hall of Fame in June.
His teams have earned three state
titles, two second-place finishes,
and one third-place finish. He has
had an individual champion and
numerous other state participants in 21 years of coaching at
the Academy of Holy Angels in
Richfield, Minn.
Jodi and Rick Pelishek have
advocated for the rights of people
with disabilities for many years.
They began a statewide disabilities coalition in North Dakota and
later, Rick was hired by Disability
Rights Wisconsin (DRW), the state’s
protection and advocacy system,
to work on a rural transportation
project in Northwest Wisconsin
and to begin the development of a
Northwest Wisconsin DRW office.
He and Jodi received a national
award for their efforts on behalf of
the Rice Lake (Wis.) DRW. Rick
currently is retired and shares these
thoughts with his fellow Auggies:
“Your education is to help you
pursue your passion and to follow
your dreams. Wealth or poverty may
follow, but in the end you will find
more joy and inner peace by following your heart.”
David B. Wattman and John
Karason ’78 were married at
Bethany Lutheran Church in
Minneapolis on November 9.
Officiating were Susan Masters
of Bethany Lutheran Church
and Justin Lind-Ayers, Augsburg
College associate pastor.
99
83
Ryan Adrian-Hendrick Rivard
and his wife, Kristin, had a
baby girl, Maeve Wren Rivard, on
July 8.
Debra Hannu was selected
as 2013-14 Minnesota
Art Educator of the Year and
also Minnesota Middle School
Art Educator of the Year by Art
Educators of Minnesota, the state’s
only professional organization for
visual and media arts educators.
She is in her 25th year at the
Duluth Public Schools, teaching
63
Carol (Erickson) Zwernik retired in the summer of 2013 after serving for 45 years at Calvary Lutheran in Golden Valley, Minn. She
was director of pre-kindergarten for 30 years, a teacher for 12 years,
and director of children’s choirs for 25 years. She was awarded the
Vetter Educational Service Award in 2011 from the Evangelical Lutheran
Education Association and named Director of the Year in 2006 by the
ELCA. She is spending time with her husband, Don, at their lake home
and traveling. Future plans include spending time with her two sons and
six grandchildren, and writing a collection of stories about her family.
87
and serving as a curriculum coach
for visual and media arts. For the
past several years, she has served
on the Visual Arts Writing Team
for the National Coalition for Core
Arts Standards. The new national
standards were released in March.
Hannu and her husband, Patrick
Thomson, have a small community supported agriculture (CSA)
operation called Uncle Herman’s
Farm. They spend their summers
growing food and raising honeybees, and currently help feed
15 Duluth, Minn., families. Their
goal is to develop a model of a
small enterprise fashioned around
sustainability and creativity.
Andrew Altenburg works for the Bank of Tokyo as an associate
events manager. During the past nine years, he has produced
and emceed 450 installments of his weekly fundraising event, The Will
Clark Show. Recently, he was honored for his fundraising by the Gay/
Lesbian Anti Violence Project (2012), acknowledged by United for the
Ride (2013), and knighted by New York’s Imperial Court (2013). He
continues to officiate mainly—but not exclusively—same-sex weddings.
Jump for joy with him at jumpingforjoy.net.
Jennifer Grimm recently performed in Theater Latté Da’s
Steerage Song and in Words By…
at the Park Square Theatre.
06
Sara Schlipp-Riedel was promoted
to Alumni Relations Program
Director at Augsburg College in
2013.
ie
augPg
SHOTS
SNA
99
Mark Joseph and his wife,
Danielle, welcomed their
second child, a daughter, on April
30, 2013. Her name is Emily
Renee Joseph and she joins big
sister Ella (age 3) at home.
Spring 2014
29
auggie SNAPSHOTS
Send us your news and photos
Tell us about the news in your life, your new job, move, marriage, and
births. Don’t forget to send photos! (Digital photos must be at least 300
dpi or a 1MB file.)
For news of a death, printed notice is required, e.g., an obituary,
funeral notice, or program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes, Augsburg College, CB 146, 2211 Riverside
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454, or email alumni@augsburg.edu. You can
also submit news at augsburg.edu/alumni.
_________________________________________________
Full name
01
Hilary English Crook and
her husband, Jacob Seljan,
welcomed Britton Samuel Seljan
on September 26.
04
Dayle VanderLeest and
Karley Kielty ’06 welcomed
their son, Jack, on September 30.
_________________________________________________
Maiden name
_________________________________________________
Class year or last year attended
_________________________________________________
Street address
_________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP code
Is this a new address? q Yes q No
_________________________________________________
Home telephone
05
Laree (Lother) Schouweiler
opened Reefuel, the first
indoor cycling and yoga studio in
Decorah, Iowa.
06
Belinda (Painschab)
Estrem and Andrew Estrem
welcomed Allison Jo Estrem on
March 24, 2013.
_________________________________________________
Email
Okay to publish your email address? q Yes q No
_________________________________________________
Employer
_________________________________________________
Position
_________________________________________________
Work telephone
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? q Yes q No
If yes, class year_____________________________________
_________________________________________________
Spouse’s name (include maiden name, if applicable)
07
Carolyn (Mollner) Mason married Justin Mason on September 1 at
Faith Lutheran Church in Forest Lake, Minn. Bridesmaids included
Augsburg alumnae from 2007, Beth Chalstrom, Sarah Pahl, and Jenn
Oliver. Carolyn is the daughter of Joe ’75 and Nancy Mollner ’75, and
granddaughter of John Soli ’54.
Your news:
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
q I know a student who is interested in attending Augsburg.
30
Augsburg Now
In memoriam
Thora O. (Torvick) Anderson ’39,
Fergus Falls, Minn., age 98, on
January 12.
Edith A. (Sorem) Gudim ’52,
Mayville, N.Dak., age 82, on
October 11.
Eleanor R. (Ortonstone) Gustafson ’40,
Brainerd, Minn., age 95, on
January 17.
Marvin L. Hagen ’53, St. Paul, age
84, on November 29.
Arlene (Olson) Borgendale ’44,
Chandler, Ariz., age 92, on
September 16.
James D. Bartsch ’45, Charleston,
W.Va., age 92, on December 24.
Orrin O. Agrimson ’46, Vancouver,
Wash., age 90, on September 2.
Glen M. Springer ’46, Barron, Wis.,
age 90, on October 30.
Carol J. (Ysteboe) Lindsay ’47,
Dilworth, Minn., age 86, on
January 4.
Shirley J. (Vance) Menzel ’48,
Spearfish, S.Dak., age 91, on
October 20.
Nathalie M. (Anderson) Peterson ’48,
Bloomington, Minn., age 87, on
September 1.
Ruby A. (Johnson) Sharp ’53,
Minneapolis, age 83, on January 5.
Audrey E. (Knudson) Boettcher ’54,
Suamico, Wis., age 81, on
November 2.
Gerald D. Baxter ’56, Bellevue,
Neb., age 79, on October 24.
Peggy-Joyce (Sorenson) Grable ’57,
College Place, Wash., age 78, on
November 9.
Norman R. Matson ’57, Evanston,
Ill., age 78, on January 12.
Albert N. Kemmer ’59, Eagan,
Minn., age 75, on November 6.
Helen J. Bergan ’61, Las Cruces,
N.Mex., age 76, on September 6.
Stephen A. Nelson ’69, Edina,
Minn., age 67, on September 5.
Debra K. (Chase) Anderson ’77,
Onamia, Minn., age 59, on
December 19.
Peder J. Wilcox ’49, Bloomington,
Minn., age 87, on December 10.
Philip S. Johnson ’79, Ashland,
Wis., age 58, on October 4.
Roy A. Bogen ’50, Bloomington,
Minn., age 86, on December 26.
Thomas S. McCleery ’87, Eden
Prairie, Minn., age 49, on July 4.
Robert E. Paulson ’50, Crystal,
Minn., age 86, on December 2.
Matthew E. Smith ’02, Minneapolis,
age 51, on April 9, 2013.
Robert “Bob” V. Ryan ’50, East
Helena, Mont., age 85, on
December 18.
Laura A. Peterson ’04, St. Cloud,
Minn., age 31, on December 31.
Virginia “Ginny” L. (Thompson)
Smith ’50, Hendricks, Minn., age
85, on January 1.
Clarice E. (Glamm) Madsen ’51,
Kasson, Minn., age 85, on
October 31.
Celia J. (Hanson) Burk ’52, Fargo,
N.Dak., age 86, on September 24.
Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member Megan Shroat
Linda K. Johnson ’70, Sarasota,
Fla., age 64, on September 15.
William “Bun” W. Fischer ’49, Barrett,
Minn., age 92, on October 21.
Gretchen M. Myers ’05, Waconia,
Minn., age 37, on January 14.
Associate Professor of Social
Work Annette Gerten, Inver Grove
Heights, Minn., age 52, on
December 31.
Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member
Megan Shroat, Minneapolis, age
38, on February 6.
The “In Memoriam” alumni listings in this publication include
notifications received before January 31.
Annette Gerten, 52, a passionate and valued member of
the social work faculty and the
Augsburg community, passed
away in late December from
an aggressive cancer. Her time
with us and our students was a
blessing we will long remember and greatly miss.
Her colleagues in the Social Work Department
said Gerten was an innovative teacher, a tireless
collaborator, and an incurable knitter. She dedicated her whole heart to her students and to her
colleagues, serving as a Fellow with the Center
for Teaching and Learning, on the Committee for
Tenure and Promotion, as assessment director for
the social work program, and as field placement
coordinator for undergraduate social work students.
“As she did with yarn so beautifully and creatively, she wove
us all together more tightly centered on the important work of
serving others...What a good mother, social worker, educator,
and human being! May we carry on in her hopes and dreams as
her spirit lives in our hearts.”
–Anthony Bibus, professor emeritus, Social Work Department
Courtesy photo
Ruth C. (Anderson) Blanshan ’44,
Green Bay, Wis., age 91, on
October 29.
Courtesy photo
Associate Professor of Social Work Annette Gerten
Megan Shroat, 38, a long-time
adjunct faculty member in the
Psychology Department, passed
away in February. An accomplished academician as well as
a gifted teacher, she was deeply
connected and committed to
the fabric and mission of Augsburg.
She also was a strong advocate of Augsburg’s
StepUP® program for students in recovery and shared
the College’s commitment to making higher education accessible to diverse groups of students. She was
willing to listen to her students, their opinions, and
even their struggles, but was also not afraid to challenge them to dig deeper and achieve more.
“I have had students tell me that Megan was the reason
[they] chose to major in psychology and pursue a profession
dedicated to improving the lives of others. Her example, her
presence, her genuine love for students and their growth had
this impact. She taught not simply to impart knowledge but to
change lives.”
–Scott Washburn, assistant director, StepUP
Spring 2014
31
LOSAR
Tibetan New Year Celebration
AUGSBURG WAS THE SITE OF A HISTORIC EVENT
March 2 when it hosted the Tibetan American
Foundation of Minnesota’s Losar celebration in Si Melby
Hall. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama presided over
this Tibetan New Year ceremony—the first time he
observed the holiday in the western hemisphere.
Sitting on the floor and filling the bleachers, more
than 2,500 guests packed Augsburg’s gymnasium,
which had been transformed (literally) overnight from the
site of a wrestling tournament to an ornately decorated
space. After the ceremony and the departure of attending
dignitaries—including Augsburg College President Paul
Pribbenow and Abigail Pribbenow, Minneapolis Mayor
Betsy Hodges, and U.S. representatives Keith Ellison
and Betty McCollum—guests continued the festivities
with traditional music, dancing, and food—rice, jerky,
deep-fried pastries, dumplings, butter tea, and more.
Dozens of Augsburg staff, students, and volunteers
worked the event, demonstrating how Augsburg lives out
its commitment to hospitality.
LAURA SWANSON
32
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Tibetan New Year
Three Auggies, all sisters, participated in the historic Tibetan New Year celebration held at Augsburg
College in March. [L to R]: Tenzin Dolsel ’16, a master of social work student; Dechen Dolma ’16, who
is pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing degree; and Kalsang Chodon ’15, a master of business
administration student. Chodon served as a volunteer for the event, working in one of the VIP reception
rooms for the Tibetan American Foundation of Minnesota. See page 32 for more about the celebration
or scan the QR code to see event photos.
Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Spring 2013: Auggies Love Life In The City
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Collection
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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Search Result
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Twin Cities urban anchors
Nobel Peace Prize Forum 2013
Physician assistant program success
Getting social with Auggies
auggies
LOVE
LIFE IN THE
city
SPRING 2013 | VOL. 75, NO. 2
inside
AUGSBURG NOW
$10 MILLION GIFT
ONE GIANT LEAP
FOR AUGSBURG
In early April, Augsburg College was
hono...
Show more
Twin Cities urban anchors
Nobel Peace Prize Forum 2013
Physician assistant program success
Getting social with Auggies
auggies
LOVE
LIFE IN THE
city
SPRING 2013 | VOL. 75, NO. 2
inside
AUGSBURG NOW
$10 MILLION GIFT
ONE GIANT LEAP
FOR AUGSBURG
In early April, Augsburg College was
honored with a $10 million, unrestricted
gift from a 1965 alumnus. The funds will
be used for a new academic building
that will house the College’s science,
business, and religion programs.
Visit Inside Augsburg to learn more:
IN THIS ISSUE
inside.augsburg.edu.
Features
Departments
6 Getting social with Auggies | COMPILED BY STEPHANIE WEISS
8 Nobel Peace Prize Forum
12 Urban anchors | BY JAY WALLJASPER
18 Physician assistant program success | BY LAURA SWANSON
20 Drawing from experience | BY LAURA SWANSON
2 Around the Quad | 5 My Auggie experience
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
11 Auggies on the field | 16 Auggie voices
21 Alumni news | 24 Alumni class notes
28 It takes an AAuggie
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Notes
from President Pribbenow
Doing the work
Campus is still buzzing with excitement about the
generous $10 million donation that will support the
Center for Science, Business, and Religion (see opposite page). This unprecedented gift profoundly honors
the important work we do at Augsburg College, and it
builds on a growing trend of external recognition for the
role Augsburg plays in our community.
Another testament to Augsburg’s value was earning
the National Society for Experiential Education’s 2012
William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence
in Experiential Education this past fall (see “Around
the Quad” in the fall 2012 Augsburg Now). The award
honors the College’s long-standing commitment to
experiential learning—reaching across decades from
the legends of our faculty, including Joel Torstenson,
Vern Bloom, Garry Hesser, Mary Kingsley, Frankie
Shackelford, and countless others, to a newer generation of teachers and scholars who come to Augsburg
intent on ensuring that this distinctive educational
experience will continue for future generations. I am
proud to be their partner in this important work and to
tell their stories far and wide.
Augsburg’s commitment to engaging in and learning from the world is one that the College has sustained
even through very difficult times. Four years ago, when
Augsburg student Ahmednur Ali was fatally shot as he
left the Brian Coyle Community Center where he was
tutoring Somali junior high students, was one of those
times—a time of immense sadness that challenged our
mission and character as a College dedicated to serving
our neighbors. It is fair to say that fear and anxiety
could have led us to pull back from our community, but
that is not what Augsburg did. Certainly we took the
time we needed to heal, but then we stood together and
recognized that our work in the neighborhood—
work that is at the heart of our academic mission—
was more important than ever, and that it was critical
for us to return to our work so that our entire neighborhood might be safe, healthy, and prosperous.
And that—I am proud to say—is what we did. We
Creative Associate-Editorial
Wendi Wheeler ’06
wheelerw@augsburg.edu
Integrated Communication
Specialist
Laura Swanson
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Creative Director
formed a neighborhood partnership to address security
and economic development and infrastructure needs.
We forged additional partnerships with neighborhood
groups and community agencies. And we spent time
together, doing the work of improving our community.
Today, I can firmly attest that our neighborhood
is safer, stronger, more vibrant, and more united than
ever before. That, to me, is what our commitment to
experiential learning is meant to achieve: education for
our students, of course, and also a safer and more just
community for all of us who live and work here.
Each fall, I offer our incoming students a simple
message about “what is required of them” as they
join our community. One of those requirements, I tell
them, is to “do the work.” Yes, the work assigned to
them, but even more so, the work that they discern
and pursue as important and meaningful. Our mission
at Augsburg—“to educate students to be informed
citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and
responsible leaders”—is not just a set of nice aspirations, but a challenge to all of us to do the work that
the world so needs done.
This issue of Augsburg Now includes many
examples of the work our students and alumni do—on
campus and in the world. I couldn’t be more proud of
our commitment to real-world experiences—a commitment at the heart of our mission.
Auggies take their studies out into the world and
enrich both their learning and the world around us.
Our location, our active and highly connected faculty,
our dedicated and generous donors, our commitment
to linking the liberal arts and professional studies, and
the important role Augsburg plays in the Twin Cities
and around the world—all of these provide our students
with experiences that deepen their learning and their
preparedness for life beyond college. That’s good for
our students, and it’s good for the communities where
Auggies live and work.
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Senior Creative Associate-Design
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Production Manager/Now Online
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Senior Director of Alumni
and Constituent Relations
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
langemo@augsburg.edu
Email: now@augsburg.edu
quad
around the
MASTER OF FINE ARTS
Photo by Natasha D’Schommer
in Creative Writing
SCHOLARS at the Capitol
During February, McNair Scholars Charles Olson ’13 [pictured
above] and Roseanna Benser ’13 represented Augsburg at the
Minnesota Private College Scholars at the Capitol research poster
session. Olson, a biopsychology major, presented the research he
conducted with biology assistant professor David Crowe on brain
activity during perception. Benser, a sociology major, shared an
analysis of audience perception during stand-up comedy performances, research she conducted with sociology professor James
Vela-McConnell. This annual event, sponsored by the Minnesota
Private College Council, highlighted the research of undergraduate students from 15 Minnesota colleges and universities.
Augsburg College is accepting applications
for its new, low-residency Master of Fine Arts
in Creative Writing. The program initially will
offer four concentration areas: fiction, creative
nonfiction, poetry, and screenwriting. The twoyear program features an annual 10-day summer residency, one-on-one work with mentors,
a student-to-mentor ratio of five to one, and
engaging online classroom sessions. This program, the only one of its kind in the region,
will be taught by distinguished Augsburg
faculty and visiting writers.
To find out more about the MFA program,
go to augsburg.edu/mfa.
CONNECT
STROMMEN SPEAKER SERIES
2
Augsburg Now
The Clair and Gladys Strommen Executive
Speaker Series at Augsburg College, which brings
local business leaders to campus to share insights
and expertise, kicked off in November with Sally
Smith [pictured at left], president and CEO of
Buffalo Wild Wings.
Smith, who joined the company as chief
financial officer in 1994 when it was a chain of
only 35 restaurants, talked of establishing the infrastructure needed to
create the nation’s fastest-growing restaurant chain. The company now
has nearly 850 restaurants in 48 states and Canada.
In February, Auggies heard from Chris Killingstad, the president and
CEO of Tennant Company. Killingstad described how Tennant is pursuing
its vision—through product innovation and employee engagement—
to become a global leader in chemical-free cleaning and other technologies. Killingstad joined Tennant, a world-leading manufacturer of
cleaning solutions, floor coatings, and industrial equipment, in 2002
and became CEO in 2005.
Augsburg named a“Top
5”
theater program
outside of New York
Backstage magazine’s 2012 Fall College
Guide listed Augsburg College among the top
five U.S. institutions for theater majors who wish
to continue their studies professionally.
“In our Theater Arts Department, students
connect with professional artists in the city
while they delve into their theater courses,”
said Darcey Engen ’88, Augsburg College
associate professor and chair of theater arts.
Backstage, a theater publication in existence for more than 50 years, recommended
an Augsburg education for “enterprising,
driven students looking to climb the [professional] ladder in double time.”
The article described the three academic
theater concentrations offered by the College,
which include performance, directing/
dramaturgy/playwriting, and design/technical. The article also highlighted Augsburg’s
course offerings and emphasized the theater program’s proximity to the renowned,
Minneapolis-based Guthrie Theater.
FIFTH AUGGIE WINS
prestigious Milken Award
Since 2004, five Augsburg College alumni
have won the prestigious Milken Educator Award.
Steve Abenth ’04, a fourth-grade teacher and choir director at
Highland Park Elementary in St. Paul, was awarded the Milken
Educator Award for the State of Minnesota this past November.
Abenth earned his bachelor’s degree in elementary education
through Augsburg’s adult undergraduate program.
The $25,000 award was established in 1985 by the Milken
Family Foundation to recognize excellence in early- to mid-career
educators.
Other Auggies who have won the award include Jacki Brickman ’97,
Tracey Cross ’01, Maggie Knutson ’91, and Kelly Woods ’98.
To read more about Augsburg’s Milken Educator Award
winners, go to augsburg.edu/now.
To read the full article, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Norwegian parlimentarian visits Augsburg
Augsburg College hosted Norwegian parliamentarian Marianne Aasen on her first trip to
Minnesota. Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow invited Aasen to visit the College to
further her understanding of U.S. higher education and to explore topics central to her
vocation. Her trip included meeting dozens of Auggies, including those from Norway,
students in an environmental politics class, interns to the Nobel Peace Prize Forum
(hosted and organized by the College), and Augsburg’s Peace Scholars.
Aasen, far right, meets with Augsburg students.
Spring 2013
3
AUGGIES SHINE at
college film festival
Three Auggies were recognized for
outstanding work as filmmakers at the
2012 Student Film Festival hosted by the
Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities
(ACTC).
• Carly (Lassegard) Johnson ’11 won
Best of Show for her film Angel. She
earned her bachelor of arts degree in
film and English.
CONVOCATION SERIES 2012-13
BOLD VISIONS
quad
around the
The Humanities and Fine Arts Convocation in November featured Dan Phillips,
a designer and builder of recycled housing. Phillips also is founder of the
Phoenix Commotion, a building initiative that was created to demonstrate that
salvaged materials can be and are viable building materials.
In January, a group of performers at the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Convocation explored the legacy of King through song, movement, images,
and writings by the civil rights leader. The performers were led by T. Mychael
Rambo, an accomplished singer-songwriter, playwright, and arts educator.
The Batalden Seminar in Applied Ethics in February welcomed Susan
E. Pick, professor of psychology at National University of Mexico. Pick shared
insights on ways the “Human Capabilities Approach” was used to develop
programs that reached more than 19 million people in Mexico who became
agents of change in their own lives and communities in areas of citizenship,
development, education, and health. The approach also was used in 14 other
Latin American countries.
Augsburg’s Convocation Series is a cross-disciplinary speaker series that
explores ideas and thoughts around the impact each person can have in a
world of nearly seven billion people.
To find out more about the Augsburg Convocation series, go to
augsburg.edu/convo.
MANY VOICES
• Casey Bargsten ’14 won for Best
Experimental Film. Bargsten is
studying film at Augsburg.
• Joe Funk ’11 won the Technical
Award. He earned his bachelor of
arts degree in film and theater arts.
The ACTC Student Film Festival
celebrated more than 60 short films
including narratives, documentaries,
experimental films, and avant-garde
films. All the films were created during
the 2011-12 academic year.
Augsburg students submitted work
from virtually every class offered in
the College’s film studies program,
said Wesley Ellenwood, an Augsburg
communication studies instructor.
Ellenwood, who serves on the ACTC
Student Film Festival committee, said
the festival is a chance for students to
have their work formally presented in a
theater of more than 200 seats.
4
Augsburg Now
INTERACTIVE ART
Students in Graphic Design I and II courses during the fall semester
researched the history, philosophy, and practice of the Augsburg Central
Health Commons and the Health Commons at Dar Ul-Quba. The students
learned that for many of the 20,000 people seen by the nurses every
year at the Commons, a pair of clean socks can be very important. The
students worked with assistant art professor Christopher Houltberg to
host “Health Commons: Exhibition and Sock Exchange,” an interactive art
exhibit where viewers could take an original print home if they donated a
clean pair of socks to the Health Commons.
To read the full article, go to augsburg.edu/now.
my
auggie
experience
Have a dream.
Focus on key priorities.
Recognize the importance of the team.
Never give up.
THESE ARE THE FOUR LIFE LESSONS Mike Good ’71 shared with Augsburg alumni at
the Eye Opener breakfast in January, a talk that tied together key themes of Good’s
journey to Augsburg and back again.
It started at Fridley High School where, Good said, his dream was to become a
wrestling state champion. He posted a sign above his bedroom door—“SC” for “state
champion”—to remind him every day of his goal and the importance of working
toward it. In his senior year, his high school won the state championship as a team.
Individually, though, Good lost in the semi-finals, ultimately placing third—a result
that was critical to the overall team’s victory. Listening to Good recount the story, it’s
clear that the team accomplishment is as important to him as any individual title
might have been.
Have a dream. Focus on priorities. Recognize the importance of the team.
At Augsburg, Good said, he was passionate about racial justice and freedom from
hunger. A sociology major and physical education minor, he also remained passionate about wrestling. His new goal: to be Augsburg’s first All-American wrestler.
Again, as Good recounted the outcomes of this dream, he not only reported his own
success in winning an All-American title, but with equal relish named several of his
teammates—Daryl Miller ’69, Ron Johnson ’72, Pat Marcy ’72—who also earned
All-American titles during their time at Augsburg.
Dream. Focus. Team.
When Good got into real estate, he brought this same focus and drive to his leadership. By 1998, he was executive vice president and chief operating officer for NRT
Incorporated, responsible for the oversight of more than 1,000 offices nationally.
Then, in 2004, when his parent company, Cendant Corporation, bought the rights
to use the Sotheby’s brand, he was tapped to serve as chief executive officer of
Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates, Inc.
No one ever had built a luxury real estate franchise before, Good said. So, early
on, many of the premier independent real estate companies in the U.S. were not
interested in joining Sotheby’s. Instead of worrying about that, Good focused his
team on building a unique value proposition for Sotheby’s real estate, growing the
franchise to 650 offices in 45 countries. In the end, many of those same independent real estate companies who said, “no thanks,” at the beginning, joined the
Sotheby’s operation and, according to Good, dramatically grew their sales within the
first few years of taking on the Sotheby’s name.
Focus on priorities. Recognize the importance of the team. Never give up.
This past January, Good retired from Sotheby’s and, with his wife, Ann, moved back
to Minnesota. He also just completed four years as chair of the Augsburg College
Board of Regents, where he has served since 2001. So now he has taken on a new
challenge: serving as campaign chair of Augsburg’s capital campaign for the Center
for Science, Business, and Religion. In his January talk, Good acknowledged that the
campaign has moved forward more slowly than desired but, he said, “Nothing happens without belief.”
Today, Good has another sign above his door: “CSBR. Believe.”
Another dream, another focus. A team, Good said, that will include alumni and
others who can and will make a significant impact on the College. And, even if it
takes longer than expected, Good said, he is in this for the long haul.
“I believe in this college,” Good said. “I believe in what it does for young men
and women, helping them grapple with the issues of today and come out as leaders.”
To learn more about Augsburg’s capital campaign for the Center for Science, Business,
and Religion, contact Heather Riddle, vice president of institutional advancement,
612-330-1177, riddle@augsburg.edu.
I couldn’t be more proud to represent
@AugsburgCollege as a @FulbrightPrgrm
scholar in the Czech Republic – @adamspanier
Getting
Nice day for a bike ride, right @niceridemn?
Temps in the single digits, but that’s not too
cold for #Auggies. #AuggieCAM
SOCIAL
with Auggies
Drove by @AugsburgCollege today &
involuntarily beamed with pride when
I saw the “#Auggies We are Called”
banners outside Oren. #AuggiePride
– @mnemosynekura
Members of the Augsburg College community are increasingly turning to
social media to get connected and to stay in touch with what is happening on campus. People connecting to the College in social media—
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or other social media sites—include current
students and alumni, faculty and staff, media and policymakers, and
people from across the globe. Here’s a snapshot of some of the College’s
most established social media channels by number of followers:
Facebook:
5,336
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
facebook.com/augsburgcollege
Twitter:
2,365
@AugsburgCollege
LinkedIn:
2,263
linkedin.com/company/augsburg-college
Check us out online and on your favorite social media sites.
We welcome your comments, tweets, posts, and photographs.
facebook.com/augsburgcollege
“Like” us and get updates in your Facebook feed.
twitter.com/AugsburgCollege
Follow @AugsburgCollege on Twitter for information about
upcoming events and other news.
instagram/AugsburgCollege
Get a glimpse into life at Augsburg through our Instagram
photo feed.
storify.com/AugsburgCollege
Check us out on Storfiy to see what’s happening on campus
and what students, alumni, and others are saying about their
Auggie experience.
6
Augsburg Now
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
TWITTER
Found out I could graduate from
@AugsburgCollege summa cum
laude. My heart is in my throat. It’s
a lot of work, but I think I’m gonna
try. – @littlelizbeth
The college I really want to go to is
Augsburg College.
– @ThE_KinG_54
So thankful for the tunnels and skyways @AugsburgCollege today!
– @jordan_leigh13
Graphic design students
@AugsburgCollege met w/@cityof
saintpaul staff to discuss concepts
for a new stormwater drain stencil
#CityLabs – @CityLabsatACTC
Accepted into the PA program at
Augsburg College! God is faithful!
#PAbound – @jennanoonan33
Oh my gosh. The people from
Augsburg College were such sweethearts. I love each & every one of
y’all. <3 – @amyyvon
A big congrats to my son’s college
basketball team, they are 7-0. Way
to go Augsburg – @sdionyoung
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SEEING
My research @AugsburgCollege just
got accepted for the APA National
Conference in Hawaii! (jumps up
and down repeatedly)
– @LadyChristy
So glad I picked Augsburg. Happy
kid right thereeee. – @kfec3
INSTAGRAM
1
Getting ready for the 25th
@NPPF March 8-10 in Minneapolis!
@AugsburgCollege #NPPF
#NobelPeacePrize
– @LandOLakesInc
I am now a college graduate with a Bachelor of Arts
degree! #AugsburgCollege
#MinneapolisMinnesota
– @ZachKim21
Can’t wait to walk with the Class of
2013 in early May. We’re a great
class. #Auggies – @WhatAPriss
Steve Abenth ’04=5th
@AugsburgCollege grad to win prestigious @Milken award for teaching.
#WeAreCalled – @Milken
To say the #NobelPeacePrizeForum
is inspiring is an understatement
– @OfficialGNiver
2
3
1 “With one day remaining in January, let’s
cheer on the #Auggies who are sticking with
their fitness resolutions for the New Year.”
#AuggieCAM 1/21/2013
2 “Arianna Genis ’13 received the Spirit of
MLK Award at today’s #MLKConvocation.”
#WeAreCalled 1/30/2013
3 “Alumni & their families ice skated during
the recent #Auggie Night at the Depot. What’s
your favorite winter hobby?” #AuggieCAM
1/23/2013
#AUGGIEPRIDE
Auggie Eddie Frizell back on campus for
Mpls Police Department promotions.
He’s now a Deputy Chief! #AuggiePride
– @AugsburgCollege
Wear pink at Augsburg’s home athletic
events this weekend to support the fight
against breast cancer! #AuggiePride
– @AugsburgAuggies
I’ve got big dreams. Augsburg records I’m
coming for you at the MIAC championships
tomorrow #AuggiePride
– @LouLouBell0491
I am soo geeked1 that my school is hosting
Omar @Offendum and Brother Ali for the
#2NobelPeacePrize. S/O3 to @Augsburg
College! #AuggiePride – @LoveLikeHani
THE TWEET DEFINED:
1
➦
geeked = excited
2
# = A hashtag is a word or
phrase preceded by a hash
mark that’s used to categorize
social media posts by topic.
3
S/O = shout out
Spring 2013
7
NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE FORUM
March 8-10, 2013
Augsburg’s Ibrahim Al-Hajiby ’14 [above center] leaves
Christensen Center with Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Tawakkol
Karman [above right] and Karman’s husband. Al-Hajiby
served as Karman’s attaché during her visit to Minnesota
for the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. Karman and Al-Hajiby
both are from Yemen, and Karman is the youngest person
in history to be named a Laureate. Al-Hajiby accompanied
Karman to appointments, helped her navigate campus, and
became a trusted member of her team while she was at
Augsburg.
To watch an audio slideshow about Al-Hajiby’s experience,
go to augsburg.edu/now.
8
Augsburg Now
WE ARE
Nobel Peace Prize Laureates Tawakkol Karman [center] and Muhammad Yunus [right] leave
Si Melby Hall at Kennedy Center following their addresses to K-12 students at the Nobel
Peace Prize Forum Festival. Karman, of Yemen, won the Nobel Prize in 2011 for her work
as a journalist and human rights activist. She is called the “Mother of the Arab Spring.”
Yunus, who won the Nobel Prize in 2006, is from Bangladesh. He pioneered a form of
banking known as “microcredit,” the practice of making very small loans to people with
little or no collateral. “The Father of Microcredit,” Yunus founded Grameen Bank to give
loans of about $100 each to more than 8.4 million people, 94 percent of whom are women.
HIP HOP
AND PEACE
CALLED
TO
INSPIRE
PEACE
Internationally known hip hop artist and activist Brother Ali [above left], of Minneapolis, presented and performed during the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. He was joined by Omar Offendum [above
right], a Syrian-American rapper and activist. The two men explored the dynamics of peace and
hip hop through songs, poetry, lecture, and dance. The event built upon the success of last
year’s “Ethics and Hip Hop” presentation by Dessa, a Minneapolis rapper, singer, and writer.
Spring 2013
9
THE 25TH ANNUAL NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE FORUM—a conference
that celebrates the importance,
consequence, and controversy of Nobel Peace Prize
Laureates—was March 8-10 in
Minneapolis.
“This event brings
members of the world’s most
exclusive club—Nobel Peace
Prize Laureates—to campus,”
said Maureen Reed, executive
director of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, which is housed at
Augsburg College. “Students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to interact with people who fundamentally have changed
and are changing the world.”
More than 6,000 people attended throughout the three
days of the event, which explored issues related to peacemaking, world security, and global stability. One of the 2011 Nobel
laureates, Tawakkol Karman of Yemen, spoke on Global Day,
and 2006 laureate Muhammad Yunus of Bangladesh spoke on
Business Day. Dr. Paul Farmer, chair of global health and social
medicine at Harvard Medical School and cofounder of Partners in
Health, spoke to a packed house [left] on Science and Health Day.
In addition to offering inspiration from global peacemakers,
the Forum provides an opportunity for participants to understand why individuals “halfway across the globe” should care
about one another.
“One of the mission commitments of Augsburg is to educate students to be informed global citizens,” said Augsburg
College President Paul Pribbenow. “By bringing the world to
campus, we also get to know our neighbors, which is fundamental
to our identity as a college of the Lutheran church.”
Watch the laureate addresses and other keynote presentations from the Forum at
nobelpeaceprizeforum.org.
To see more photos from the Forum, go to augsburg.edu/now.
LEAD SPONSOR
MAJOR SPONSORS
SCIENCE AND HEALTH DAY SPONSOR
GLOBAL DAY SPONSOR
EVENT SPONSORS
Jeanne M. Voigt Foundation
US Embassy-Oslo
Winds of Peace Foundation
MEDIA SPONSOR
DONORS
Global Spotlight-GPS Alliance
HealthPartners
Liv Dahl Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation
10
Augsburg Now
auggies on the field
Steward, athlete, scholar
If Paul Hallgren ’13 isn’t at Parade Stadium, home of the Auggie baseball
team, he might be in Augsburg’s Writing Lab helping a student with a paper.
He could be studying in the Honors program lounge or having a high-minded
discussion in the Quad with colleagues in the Philosophy Club. And if he’s not
in the aforementioned places, it’s possible that he is at an event representing
the College as an Augsburg Steward.
This busy outfielder and double major in philosophy and English is able
to balance his studies with his other activities and responsibilities in part
because he’s bright and talented, but he also gives a lot of credit to his
coaches and professors.
“I love that I can have direct correspondence with my professors and that they
know me and know I’m involved on campus,” Hallgren said. “They are always
willing to make sure I have what I need.”
Hallgren was able to meet some of his future professors when he was
recruited by Coach Keith Bateman to play baseball and came to Augsburg for
a campus visit. “I felt that they were genuinely interested in me in ways that
professors at a large institution might not be,” Hallgren said.
Hallgren has played with the Auggie baseball team since his first year at
Augsburg and said that being an athlete with off-season practices helped him
adjust to the rigor of a college schedule. “I was responsible for putting my
schedule in order and making sure I got everything done,” he said. If not for
athletics, Hallgren supposed he might have been a bit lazy.
But “lazy” is one word most would not use to describe Hallgren.
During his first year at Augsburg, he provided research assistance to
professor Larry Crockett for Crockett’s paper on pragmatism, and last
year he spent a semester in Scotland studying English modernism
and Scottish literature.
Through the Augsburg Stewards program, Hallgren learns
leadership and networking skills by connecting alumni to the
College and working with current students to encourage their
continued involvement with Augsburg after graduation.
As a tutor in the Writing Lab, Hallgren helps undergraduate and graduate students with all stages of the writing
process and in all academic areas. “I really enjoy reading
others’ papers and helping them learn how to convey their
thoughts in a coherent way,” Hallgren said. “I hope they come
away from a session feeling more confident in themselves and in
their ability to write.”
Hallgren said these extra activities have shaped him and his Augsburg
experience. “I feel like I’m a much more well-rounded individual as a result
of participating in other activities.”
This spring, find Hallgren and the Auggie baseball team at Parade
Stadium, 400 Kenwood Parkway in Minneapolis. The regular season begins
in late March and ends in early May. And see the new baseball dugout built
with donations from the Augsburg A-Club, a service organization of former and
current Augsburg College athletes and friends of the College.
e
WENDI WHEELER ’06
Spring 2013
11
AN INCREASINGLY
GLOBALIZED ECONOMY
leaves communities everywhere anxious about losing good jobs. Even the
prosperous Twin Cities is no exception,
as the closing of the St. Paul Ford
plant and the transfer of Delta Air Lines
employees show.
It’s bad news for the whole region
when jobs leave, including local institutions like Augsburg that benefit from
being located in a thriving community.
An increase in unemployment, poverty,
and social dislocation in neighborhoods surrounding the campus would
raise new challenges for the College
in attracting students, faculty, and
contributions.
But there’s good news, too. Some of
the Twin Cities’ biggest employers aren’t
going anywhere.
How can we be sure? Because
“anchor” institutions like colleges,
medical centers, and cultural institutions serve the people of a particular
area and are in fact defined by their
location and the people they serve.
For example, try to imagine Fairview
Hospital moving to Beijing or Augsburg
to New Orleans. They would not be the
same in another place because they
12
Augsburg Now
anchor the communities in which they
are located.
Many communities coast-to-coast
see these “eds and meds” institutions as
crucial, not just for keeping jobs but for
keeping neighborhoods vibrant. Anchor
institutions are the largest employer in
66 of the 100 largest U.S. core cities,
according to a study from the Initiative
for a Competitive Inner City.
“Colleges and hospitals are embedded in their community and have a
real stake in seeing that it thrives,”
explained Augsburg President Paul
Pribbenow, who is chair of an ambitious new anchor initiative along the
light rail Central Corridor. Large-scale
anchor strategies have been proven
to work under rigorous conditions
in Philadelphia, Detroit, Cleveland,
Baltimore, and Syracuse—where
economic challenges far surpass those
here in the Twin Cities. But anchor
strategies are not confined to cities with
dire social and economic conditions. A
set of Boston hospitals has established
successful training, employment, and
housing programs to boost surrounding neighborhoods; other projects are
underway in Phoenix, Atlanta, and
Washington, D.C.
Augsburg stands out as a leader in
the Twin Cities’ anchor institution strategy—thanks to longstanding programs
that partner students and faculty with
the community to increase public safety,
boost local education, provide health care
services, promote economic development, work with immigrant groups, train
neighborhood youth, improve the urban
environment, and feed people in need.
Steve Peacock, Augsburg’s director
of community relations who works closely with many of the projects, said the
programs fit with Augsburg’s distinctive
mission as an urban liberal arts college.
“It’s one of the things that distinguishes
us. We offer an opportunity for students
to be engaged in the neighborhood. For
us, it’s not just a charitable activity. It
creates shared value.”
Augsburg recently became one of
a dozen anchor institutions—ranging
from Allina and HealthPartners to the
University of Minnesota—that were first
to sign on to the Central Corridor Anchor
Partnership, a joint effort funded by
the McKnight Foundation to strengthen
communities along the light rail line
between downtown Minneapolis and
St. Paul. Pribbenow pointed out the
immense economic and civic potential
of nine medical facilities and seven
colleges in the corridor that together
account for 67,000 jobs, 115,000
students, and 100 current or planned
capital improvement projects totaling
$5 billion.
Eric Muschler, the McKnight
Foundation program officer involved
with the project, noted that Augsburg’s
long involvement in the West Bank
community offered inspiration for the
overall Anchor Partnership. “[Augsburg
IN THE CENTRAL CORRIDOR,
AUGSBURG IS ONE OF
9 MEDICAL FACILITIES 7 COLLEGES
AND
THAT TOGETHER ACCOUNT FOR
100
67,000 JOBS,
115,000 STUDENTS,
AND
CURRENT OR PLANNED
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
TOTALING
has] been thinking about this longer,”
he said.
“This is not do-gooderism,”
Pribbenow stressed. “This is moving
beyond the charity model. We have
real interests that are at play with the
neighborhood. For us, this is about our
students. It contributes to their education,
their safety, and a vital urban environment where they live. This is not just what
we give to the community, it’s about our
shared interests and mutual benefits.”
Five years ago, Augsburg took a
leading role in the creation of the CedarRiverside Partnership, where stakeholders
including West Bank businesses, Fairview
Clinics-Riverside, University of Minnesota,
neighborhood organizations, the City
of Minneapolis, and Hennepin County
explore new ways of working together in
the neighborhood. Pribbenow currently
serves as the partnership’s chair.
“At first the group was all about
safety,” Pribbenow said, noting how
partners raised funds to increase security at a community center, supported a
neighborhood crime prevention group,
and helped plan a community safety
center that opened at a nearby housing
complex.
“If you talk to the police department, they will tell you that all of
this work by many institutions and
community organizations has improved
the safety and vitality of the neighborhood in a surprisingly short amount of
time.”
That initial success showed everyone what could be accomplished
cooperatively. The group’s attention
then widened to the coming Central
Corridor light rail line. Hennepin County
Commissioner Peter McLaughlin told
the group, “If you get this right, it will
undo the damage that was done” when
Interstates 94 and 35W essentially
walled off Cedar-Riverside from the rest
of the city.
“This work is about resurrecting
a neighborhood,” Pribbenow noted.
“Cedar-Riverside could become a destination for the whole region.”
That’s also a goal of the Central
Corridor Anchor Partnership: to make
sure that adjacent neighborhoods capitalize on the transformative benefits of
this nearly $1 billion public investment.
Pribbenow outlines four major initiatives
to strengthen Central Corridor communities, which in turn strengthen anchor
institutions such as Augsburg.
1 PROCUREMENT—A Central
Corridor Funders Collaborative study
found that 16 major anchor institutions
already spend more than $300 million
$5 BILLION
in goods and services from neighborhood businesses. Finding practical ways
to increase this local spending—both
individually and as a group—makes
a good investment, said Augsburg’s
Peacock. “Local purchasing benefits the
local economy, which means a healthier
neighborhood.”
When it came time to reupholster the
chairs in Hoversten Chapel, for instance,
Augsburg found a small Native Americanowned business in the nearby Phillips
neighborhood to do the job. A class of
Augsburg MBA students is now investigating more opportunities on this front.
2 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT—
The same principle of keeping resources
circulating throughout the community
applies to the goal of hiring more neighborhood residents at anchor institutions. Of course, as Peacock noted, this
depends on finding people with the right
skills. “How do we connect residents to
the training and certification programs
that are needed for the jobs?” That’s
where Augsburg’s nursing and physician
assistant programs come in, preparing
young people to work at the nine medical facilities along the light rail line.
For several years, Augsburg has
gone one step further in developing the
future health care workforce by hosting
Spring 2013
13
“THIS IS NOT DO-GOODERISM,” PRESIDENT PAUL PRIBBENOW STRESSED. “THIS IS MOVING BEYOND
THE CHARITY MODEL. WE HAVE REAL INTERESTS THAT ARE AT PLAY WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR
US, THIS IS ABOUT OUR STUDENTS. IT CONTRIBUTES TO THEIR EDUCATION, THEIR SAFETY, AND A VITAL
URBAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THEY LIVE. THIS IS NOT JUST WHAT WE GIVE TO THE COMMUNITY, IT’S
ABOUT OUR SHARED INTERESTS AND MUTUAL BENEFITS.”
Urban Scrubs Camp (in conjunction
with Fairview and the state-funded
HealthForce Minnesota) to excite young
people about careers in health care.
Augsburg’s many community partners
invite interested high school students to
spend a week on campus in order to get
a feel for work in these fast-expanding
fields and for college life. St. Paul
College, at the other end of the Central
Corridor, is now adopting the idea.
3 ENGAGED LEARNING—Augsburg
holds honors from the National Society
for Experiential Education (2012) and
the White House’s Presidential Award
for Community Service (2010), which
demonstrate the College’s leadership
in this area. “Since the 1960s, we’ve
taken advantage of the city itself as a
classroom,” Pribbenow noted. “It’s part
of what make us distinctive.”
Nursing students, for instance,
gain invaluable experience working at
the school’s drop-in health centers at
Riverside Plaza and Central Lutheran
Church. Hundreds of students also
have volunteered at the Cedar Riverside
Community School, a K-8 charter
school at Riverside Plaza, and the
Augsburg Fairview Academy public high
school in the Phillips neighborhood.
All Auggies can be involved with the
Campus Kitchen, a student-led project
that distributes 2,000 meals a month
to homeless shelters, youth programs,
and senior and community centers.
Similarly, Augsburg’s community garden
finds students, community groups,
and neighborhood residents growing vegetables side by side.
Trinity Lutheran Congregation,
which was founded by Norwegian
immigrants 140 years ago and today is
home to many Eritrean and Ethiopian
immigrants, is housed right on campus
in a unique arrangement that further
strengthens the ties between college
and community. Students are involved
with the congregation’s tutoring program
for immigrants living in Cedar-Riverside
and in interfaith collaborations with
Augsburg’s many Muslim neighbors.
4 PLACEMAKING—Neighborhoods do
not stay vital on economic development
alone; a strong sense of place contributes greatly to their success. Augsburg
reaches out into the community in many
ways to improve the built environment
and enhance the distinctive character
of the neighborhood. This goal is woven
throughout the College’s campus master
plan. The Oren Gateway Center, which
opens onto Riverside Avenue, is symbolic of the College’s commitment to community connection. Another welcoming
gateway is being considered long term
for property Augsburg owns on Riverside
Avenue on the east side of campus.
Riverside Avenue itself underwent
a remarkable makeover in the last few
years—with improved bike lanes and
a new street configuration to calm
traffic—thanks in part to the College’s
cooperation with the city of Minneapolis.
“There are improvements on Riverside
that would not be there if we had not sat
down with the city and said we wanted
them,” Pribbenow said. It is exactly
this type of leadership, collaboration,
and active engagement in community
building that Augsburg and its anchor
partners will now extend to the entire
Central Corridor region through this
innovative new anchor institutions
initiative.
Jay Walljasper, a senior fellow with Augsburg’s Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning, specializes in city and
community issues. He is author of The Great Neighborhood Book and All That We Share: A Field Guide to the
Commons. Read more at jaywalljasper.com.
14
Augsburg Now
ANCHOR INSTITUTION STRATEGIES across the United States
Augsburg’s recent participation in an “anchor” approach
to community revitalization does not rely simply on theory.
Large-scale strategies have been tested successfully
under rigorous conditions in U.S. cities where economic
challenges surpass those in the Twin Cities.
CLEVELAND
• Anchor institutions teamed up to create
a series of worker-owned cooperatives.
• Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve
University, and University Hospitals will benefit from light
rail improvements and a new high-speed bus line.
• A growers cooperative was formed to produce local food.
A FUTURE PROJECT MAY INCLUDE
A TRANSPORTATION COMPANY TO
SHUTTLE PATIENTS TO HOSPITALS.
PHILADELPHIA
• Anchor strategies were pioneered in West Philadelphia.
• The University of Pennsylvania redefined its relationship
with the community from isolation to interaction.
SYRACUSE
• The city’s Near Westside, one of the 10 poorest census
tracts in the United States, is transforming into a center
for technology, design, and art.
Successful initiatives included
launching an incentive
program for workers to live in
the area, reviving commercial
districts, creating more than
600 jobs, and more.
SYRACUSE
UNIVERSITY
RAISED
$
56
million
FOR ITS PLANS TO BETTER
CONNECT DOWNTOWN
WITH ITS CAMPUS.
DETROIT
• Housing initiatives transformed an area notorious for
abandoned properties into a desirable neighborhood.
• Hospitals convinced a medical products vendor to move
its distribution center from the
suburbs to the city, creating
140 jobs.
• The Henry Ford Health System
established a five-year program in area high schools
that trains and certifies students for jobs in 10 health
care occupations.
Other communities with anchor initiatives underway:
ATLANTA
BOSTON
CINCINNATI
PHOENIX
WASHINGTON, D.C.
To learn more about anchor initiatives in these
communities, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Spring 2013
15
auggie voices
From Z to A: Zimbabwean student discovers his dream at Augsburg
During the 2011 Agre Symposium at Augsburg College,
Kirubel Frew ’14 was apprehensive in introducing himself
to Peter Agre ’70—the 2003 recipient of the Nobel Prize
in Chemistry and the director of the Johns Hopkins Malaria
Research Institute. But the conversation between the Auggie
and one of the College’s most notable alumni proved to be the
first discussion of many.
“I happened to mention that I was from Zimbabwe,” Frew
recalled. “[Agre] said, ‘Zim? Zim? I love Zim. It’s a beautiful
country. I believe Zimbabwe will have a scientific boom within
the next decade.’”
As an international student, Frew selected Augsburg
because of its well-respected science programs and its welcoming staff, which he identified during his college application process. Today he recognizes that the warmth of the
Augsburg community extends beyond campus to its alumni
network.
That’s because what began as a simple chat between
Agre and Frew regarding their ties to Zimbabwe matured into
a bond through which the Nobel laureate has shaped the
career aspirations of one of the College’s standout third-year
16
Augsburg Now
chemists.
Frew views Agre’s ability to operate a research lab, speak
to audiences around the globe, and inspire young scientists as
‘a dream job’ and a goal he could not have identified without
studying at Augsburg.
“Years ago, I wouldn’t have believed all this was possible,” Frew said. “Meeting a Nobel laureate in chemistry is awesome, and being mentored by him is even more
awesome.”
This mentorship began when Agre invited Frew to conduct research at the Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Malaria
Research Institute during summer 2012 and to attend the
Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany, an
exclusive annual event that brings together several dozen
chemistry and physics laureates and an equal number of
student guests.
Frew was a fitting choice for these life-changing opportunities because he developed the critical thinking skills
that high-level research requires during the summer after
his first year at Augsburg. He participated in a 10-week
faculty-led research program through the College’s Office of
STUUDDEENNT
Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity (URGO).
“Research is so unscripted and there are so many turns,”
said assistant professor of chemistry Z. Vivian Feng, one of
Frew’s faculty advisers.
Feng presented Frew with the opportunity to conduct a
complex proof-of-concept project in which he could demonstrate the feasibility of making a bench-top reactor, a small
instrument tied to revolutionary biodiesel experimentation conducted by Augsburg alumnus and businessman Clayton McNeff
’91, chemistry professor emeritus Arlin Gyberg, and Augsburg’s
first Rhodes Scholar Brian Krohn ’08.
Feng said she knew the research project would be challenging for Frew given his limited experience in the chemistry lab,
but she also believed it suited his background in physics and
interest in engineering. Frew was determined to independently
achieve his goal of modifying the reactor design using his creativity, ingenuity, and knack for problem solving.
Frew said his experiences on the Augsburg campus and
around the globe have proven so inspiring that he now is determined to continue his science education and align his career
path to his vocation.
Dixie Shafer, URGO director, sees this objective as a nearperfect fit. She said that from Frew’s first days of research at
Augsburg, he has demonstrated a gift for explaining
complex scientific processes in terms that an interdisciplinary audience can understand.
“He sees communication as one of his life-long
missions,” Shafer explained. “He may become a serious scientist and work on issues that are related to
policy—realizing that too many people in policy don’t
know the science and too many scientists have difficulty
communicating with the non-science community … he’d
love to be doing what Peter Agre does.”
Frew cites Agre’s hard work and intellect as key
components in the Nobel laureate’s career success, and the
young Auggie is on track to take his Augsburg education to
the next level with his own tenacity. Students and alumni from
Augsburg’s science and mathematics departments commonly
go on to conduct research, attend graduate school, and accept
employment at some of the nation’s leading research institutions including Cornell University, Johns Hopkins Applied
Physics Lab, Johns Hopkins University, and Yale University,
among others.
Augsburg is a place for young scientists like Frew to set
dreams for the future and lay the educational foundation on
which to achieve them.
research
As spring turns to summer, life on a college
campus typically quiets. But for a select
group of undergraduate researchers, the
summer months are anything but slow.
From May to August, Augsburg students
perform faculty-led research in the sciences, humanities, and fine arts. Their work
is supported by funding from Augsburg’s
Undergraduate Research and Graduate
Opportunity (URGO) program, the McNair
Scholars program, the Sundquist Scholars
program, the Northstar STEM Alliance,
a NASA Space Physics grant, and the
National Science Foundation.
To watch audio slide shows featuring Laura
Essenburg ’12, Samantha Cantrall ’14, and other
summer researchers, go to augsburg.edu/now.
’12
LAURA
ESSENBURG
Essenburg studied
stereotypes and the
portrayal of race
in college admissions marketing
materials.
’14
SAMANTHA
CANTRALL
Cantrall studied the
hip hop protest music
inspired by the Arab
Spring movement.
LAURA SWANSON
To watch an audio slideshow in which Frew discusses his
URGO research, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Spring 2013
17
18
Augsburg Now
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FIELD
SWELLS IN U.S.;
AUGSBURG LEADS IN MINNESOTA
BY LAURA SWANSON
IN JUNE 2012, Forbes named physician assistant studies one
of the best master’s degrees for jobs, citing the discipline’s
salary and employment outlook in which job opportunities are
expected to grow 30 percent by 2020.
Physician assistants (PAs) are in demand due to an
aging U.S. population, a projected shortage of primary care
physicians, and a need for increased access to affordable
health care. And—in alignment with health care industry
demand—100 percent of Augsburg PA alumni are employed
within six months of graduation, according to Dawn Ludwig,
the College’s PA program director.
Jamie Schneekloth ’11 MPA is one of these graduates.
She worked as an emergency room technician and nursing
assistant for a half dozen years. After witnessing firsthand
the important role PAs play in the health care industry, she
gained admittance to the highly competitive Augsburg College
PA program. She wanted to earn a well-regarded education in
general practice medicine, to expand her earning potential,
and to pursue an exceptionally versatile career path.
Schneekloth secured her first full-time PA position at La
Clinica following her master’s degree completion.
“In my day-to-day practice, I manage a number of acute
and chronic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure,
asthma, and I focus on preventive health,” Schneekloth said.
“I perform procedures as needed, such as joint injections …
and laceration repair.”
As a Spanish-major-turned-physician-assistant, she was a
natural fit for employment at the St. Paul-based community
health center that provides multicultural and multilingual
treatment to immigrant and low-income communities.
“PAs are a cost-effective way to deliver quality health
care in primary care areas,” Ludwig said. “The licensure of
a physician assistant is dependent upon the practice of the
physician, which means physicians can delegate certain
responsibilities to the PA to help them run their practices.”
Augsburg began its PA program in 1995 and during 2001
became the first college in Minnesota to offer the Physician
Assistant Certificate along with the Master of Science in
Physician Assistant Studies—a degree program that prepares
mid-level health care providers. As a PA, Schneekloth is
licensed to examine, treat, educate, and write prescriptions
for patients while under the supervision of a physician.
“The profession has exploded in the past 15 years,”
Ludwig said.
Schneekloth completed the Augsburg College PA program
in three years. Current Augsburg students earn a PA certificate
and a master’s degree in 31 months. The program’s duration
is a fraction of the length of medical school, which requires
a commitment of at least seven years. Like med students,
Augsburg College PA students enroll in lecture courses
emphasizing science and diseases, then complete 2,500
hours of clinical rotations during the second half of their education. These rotations are “key to what makes you confident
in providing quality care for a patient,” Schneekloth said.
PAs also are generalists who can easily change medical disciplines. “I liked that the career was versatile,”
Schneekloth added. “I could work in any specialty, as opposed
to physicians who have to maintain the particular career path
that they chose in residency for their entire career.”
The Augsburg PA program promotes a commitment to
lifelong personal and professional development and has a
“strong reputation in the country,” according to Ludwig. “That
leads to high-quality people applying, which means we are
selective about the candidates we admit, which then leads to
high-quality graduates.”
DID YOU KNOW?
The first physician assistant program was established at North Carolina’s Duke University Medical Center in 1965,
and the discipline has become increasingly popular in all 50 U.S. states. Early PA programs were modeled after the
fast-track training available to World War II doctors and addressed a shortage of primary care physicians.
Spring 2013
19
Drawing from
experience
Tara Sweeney, Augsburg College associate
professor of art, looks for the extraordinary
in the ordinary, drawing from direct
observation with watercolor and ink.
After 21 years at Augsburg, she is
at ease teaching painting and drawing
in the College’s on-campus studios.
But, Sweeney said, since 1999 she has
pushed herself—and the students she
instructs—into “deeper observing, questioning, and creating” through shortterm study abroad programs in Italy and
France.
“Learning to draw in a study abroad
program is an opportunity to travel in
an entirely different way than a typical
tourist,” Sweeney said. “It wakes us
up. Sketching in the midst of daily life
challenges the habitual ways we think
about ourselves, where we are, and what
we know. It coaxes us to be more open,
more present to what we encounter.”
In January 2013, Sweeney collaborated with Merilee Klemp, associate
professor of music, to teach the fine
arts course, The Sights and Sounds of
Europe: Paris, which encouraged students to embrace art and music as interrelated disciplines during an Augsburg
Abroad winter break program.
Sweeney said students sketched at
key cultural locations as well as at art
museums and live musical performances
throughout the City of Lights, prompting the travelers to learn new visual and
aural skills, engage with people in the
community, and embrace the diversity of
their unfamiliar setting.
“Drawing is its own language—one
that can be shared without words,”
Sweeney said. “It makes the artist
and the art-making more visible and
approachable. Strangers pause, watch
the sketches unfold, and sometimes
share their stories. Empathy and trust
grow out of this experience. These
attitudes are essential to drawing and
designing, to teaching and learning, and
to embracing and understanding the
world we live in.”
Prior to teaching, Sweeney was a freelance book illustrator and designer as well as executive art director for
Mpls. St. Paul Magazine. She is a prolific artist whose
recent work ranges from artist books to mixed media
paintings and drawings. She holds signature status in
the Minnesota Watercolor Society. The Phipps Center for
the Arts in Hudson, Wis., recently exhibited 42 drawings from her current series, “Close to Home: A Visual
Journal.” Her spring 2013 sabbatical project focuses on
the completion of this series.
Sweeney, at right, with student Nina Robinson ’14.
Augsburg students who participated in The Sights and Sounds of Europe: Paris course
recorded their travel experiences in sketchbooks and journals. Sweeney taught students
drawing techniques by demonstrating in her own visual journal. Sweeney’s examples,
included here, show how Paris provided both the subject matter and the classroom for
this unique approach to experiential education.
20
Augsburg Now
alumni news
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
d
ALUMNI AND STUDENT
networking
During February, Augsburg students connected with alumni at a networking event
sponsored by the Office of Alumni and Constituent Relations and the Clair and Gladys
Strommen Center for Meaningful Work. Here psychology major Joe Kempf ’16 talks
with Auggie alumni. To find out about future opportunities to mentor or support current
students, go to augsburg.edu/alumni.
Current and former Alumni Board members gather at the first Alumni Leadership
Summit.
provide all alumni with an opportunity to return to campus,
meet with current faculty and students, learn about the exciting things that are taking place at Augsburg, and discover how
we can play a role in the continued success of the College.
Please join with me in taking ownership of the future of
Augsburg!
CHRIS ASCHER ’81
ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
AUGSBURG ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
uring February, the Alumni Board
hosted the first Alumni Leadership
Summit, bringing to campus key
leaders who have served on the Alumni
Board of Directors in the past. The objective of this summit was to educate our most
engaged alumni about the importance of the Center for Science,
Business, and Religion; to introduce them to its Campaign
Action Team; and to discuss meaningful ways that they can
contribute to the success of the campaign and engage their
classmates in the process.
The summit was a wonderful opportunity to see the outstanding work being done by Augsburg faculty and staff members, to tour the current science facilities, and to reconnect
with the College and our classmates. I was truly overwhelmed,
although not surprised, by the enthusiasm demonstrated by
those in attendance.
As alumni of Augsburg College, we are in part responsible
for its financial future. This summer and fall, we have planned
a series of additional class year and affinity group summits to
The Augsburg Alumni Association is looking
for volunteers to serve on the Alumni Board.
All alumni are welcome and encouraged to
apply. The Alumni Board is a governing body
of the Alumni Association. Together with the
Office of Alumni and Constituent Relations,
it provides resources and opportunities to
engage alumni with the College and each
other through consistent communication,
inclusive programming, and intentional
relationship-building. For more information,
email alumni@augsburg.edu.
Spring 2013
21
alumni news
YOUNG ALUMNI
AUGSBURG HONORS
FORMER WRESTLING COACH
summer series
RON PFEFFER
BRIT’S PUB
1100 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Complimentary beverage and appetizers provided.
Wednesday, June 19
TWINS VS. CHICAGO WHITE SOX
5-7 p.m.—Pre-game reception at
Hubert’s, 600 N. First Avenue,
Minneapolis
7:10 p.m.—Game at Target Field.
$30 includes ticket to game in The Pavilion, appetizers, and
a complimentary beverage at Hubert’s.
Thursday, July 18, 5:30-9 p.m.
YOUNG ALUMNI LEADERSHIP SUMMIT
Minneapolis Club, 729 Second Avenue S., Minneapolis
Join fellow young alumni leaders to learn how you can
support the future of your alma mater.
Pre-reception cocktails, dinner, and presentation.
Friday, August 2, 5-7 p.m.
Photo by Don Stoner
Thursday, May 30, 5-7 p.m.
Former Augsburg College
wrestling coach Ron
Pfeffer, who coached
the team’s first four
Augsburg All-American
wrestlers and led the
team to its first top-10
national tournament
finish, was honored on
Saturday, January 26,
when a new competition
mat was named in his
Ron Pfeffer celebrates with the All-Amerhonor. Augsburg wrestling icans who competed during his Augsburg
coaching career. [L to R]: Mike Good ’71,
alumni, including many
Ron Johnson ’71, Ron Pfeffer, Daryl Miller
who wrestled for Pfeffer,
’69, and Pat Marcy ’72.
attended the ceremony.
Pfeffer coached the Auggies from 1966 to 1971, compiling a 52-10-1 dual-meet record. His teams from 1967-68
to 1969-70 won three straight Minnesota Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (MIAC) championships, and his 197071 team became the first Augsburg wrestling squad to earn
a top-10 national finish. Pfeffer coached 17 MIAC individual
champions, taught health and physical education courses,
and served as an assistant football coach at Augsburg.
AUGGIE NIGHT AT
CANTERBURY PARK
1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee
Free admission, picnic buffet, and
reserved seating.
Friday, September 27, 6-8 p.m.
HOMECOMING 2013—
REPUBLIC AT SEVEN CORNERS
221 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis
Complimentary beverage and appetizers provided.
To register, go to augsburg.edu/alumni.
Join the Augsburg College Young
Alumni Facebook group to learn
more and stay connected.
22
Augsburg Now
SAVE THE DATE
Leland B. Sateren’s
100th birthday
celebration
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
4 p.m., Normandale Lutheran Church
Edina, Minn.
Leland B. Sateren ’35, director of the
Augsburg Choir from 1946 to 1979, would have
been 100 years old on October 13, 2013. To celebrate
Sateren’s legacy, a special public concert including
Augsburg Choir alumni will be held on his birthday. Choir
alumni will receive more information this summer. To
learn more, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at
alumni@augsburg.edu.
Scholastic Connections’ students, mentors forge deep bonds
Beverly Bushyhead ’98,
a professional in nonprofit leadership and
management, volunteered to serve as a mentor through the
Scholastic Connections program at Augsburg because of her
strong desire to assist Native American students with navigating college.
Scholastic Connections is a scholarship and mentorship
program for high-achieving undergraduate students of color at
Augsburg College. The program is designed to assist students in
the completion of their undergraduate degree by pairing them
with a mentor—usually also a person of color—who recognizes, supports, challenges, and inspires them. In addition,
mentors provide meaningful insight and guidance on becoming
engaged, successful citizens of the world when students graduate, in part by facilitating career development and planning.
Bushyhead, who is a member of the Eastern Band of
Cherokee from North Carolina, was paired in 2010 with
Rebecca Dickinson ’13, a double major in Spanish and sociology. Dickinson is a member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe.
Since they first met three years ago, their mentoring relationship has grown to focus on challenging questions related to
life and professional success, and the two regularly connect.
Bushyhead describes Dickinson as “incredibly bright and
competent, and more than that—she is brave and ethical.”
Bushyhead also
said she’s watched
Dickinson’s commitment to others deepen
during the course of
their three-year mentor relationship.
Dickinson,
indeed, is engaged in Beverly Bushyhead ’98 and Rebecca Dickinson ’13
the community. She
teaches voice to middle-school girls, is a Page Scholar in community centers, works with Minnesota Public Research Group,
and is a tutor at a community library.
Dickinson said when she questions whether she can make
a difference in the world, she leans on words from Bushyhead:
earn an education because you can, represent similar voices that
are unheard, and work to create systemic change so that educational opportunities are available to more people.
CHERYL CROCKETT ’89
Alumni are needed to mentor students in the Scholastic Connections
program. If you are interested in volunteering your time, contact
Cindy Peterson at 612-330-1754 or petersoc@augsburg.edu.
Reunion Classes
SEPTEMBER 23-28
50th Reunion—1963 40th Reunion—1973
30th Reunion—1983 25th Reunion—1988
10th Reunion—2003
augsburg.edu/homecoming
Spring 2013
23
alumni class notes
After 10 years of service as
chief technology officer at
Lewis & Clark College in Portland,
Ore., Dan Terrio accepted the
position of chief information officer
at Whitman College in Walla Walla,
Wash.
90
Sara (Quigley) Brown was
installed on October 28,
2012, as the pastor at Alaska
Native Lutheran, an Inupiaq
(Eskimo) congregation of the
ELCA in Anchorage, Alaska. Her
husband, Russell, works in IT for
Wells Fargo.
00
Kathryn Koch has been
appointed the event and
administrative manager for the
O’Shaughnessy at St. Catherine
University in St. Paul.
01
auggie SNAPSHOTS
Stephanie Quick-Espinoza was
named the director of evangelical mission and synod minister
for expanding vision in the
Rocky Mountain Synod Office
of the Bishop. Her call began in
24
February 2013. Stephanie and her
family relocated to Denver, Colo.
Jaclyn Gehrke is teaching at
a bilingual school in Roatán,
Honduras.
07
Jake (Johnson) Rapp
directed Brain-Dumb for
the Minnesota band STNNNG.
The video was named a Best
Twin Cities music video of 2012
by City Pages. Rapp earned his
bachelor of arts in film production
at Augsburg. Rapp’s student work
was featured at the 2011 and
2012 ACTC film festivals.
12
Graduate programs
Lori Peterson, Augsburg assistant
vice president and dean of graduate and professional studies, was
recognized with the University of
Minnesota’s College of Education
and Human Development 2012
Distinguished Alumni Award.
Peterson was commended for her
leadership in adult education.
Filling their father’s skates
When Bill McClellan ’86 [center] attends Augsburg men’s hockey
games, he is proud to see his sons, Ben ’15 [left] and B. J. ’14 [right],
stepping out onto the same rink where he skated with the Augsburg
hockey team more than 20 years ago. If you’re an Auggie alum and
would like your grandchild, son, daughter, or sibling to be an Auggie
too, contact the Office of Admissions about the Augsburg Legacy
scholarship at 612-330-1001 or admissions@augsburg.edu.
To read more about the McClellans, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Kaye (Nelson)
Jenness
’67 and Gretchen (Strom)
Schmidt ’68 and their
spouses met in Astoria,
Ore., for a two-day visit
during September 2012.
67-68
Marilyn Elness Froiland and her husband, Pastor Philip
Froiland, spent the month of August 2011 in Sitka,
Alaska, as volunteer docents at Sitka Lutheran Church, the
oldest Lutheran church on the West Coast of the United
States. The church was founded in 1840 by Pastor Uno
Cygnaeus of the Church of Finland after the Russian czar
granted permission for a Lutheran church to be built by the
Russian American Company. Throughout the month, the
Froilands showed 1,100 tourists the artifacts of the original
church and explained its history.
53
Augsburg Now
Neil Pauluk Paulson completed a marathon in each of the 50
U.S. states and in the District of Columbia. Paulson ran 36
marathons in 2010 and 32 in 2011; his longest streak was 14 races
in 14 weeks, and he completed two marathons (in New Hampshire
and Maine) in one weekend. He also competed in 50K and 24-hour
races. Paulson is the director of a private mortgage investment fund
affiliated with Equity Trust Company and owner of Franklin Financial,
LLC, a mortgage and real estate investment company.
77
auggies are awesome
Carol (Kenyon) Dekker’s son, Sam, was
named Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball in
2012 and led the team from Sheboygan
Lutheran High School to the Division V
state basketball championship by hitting
a game-winning 3-pointer with 6 seconds
remaining on the game clock. Sam also was
selected to play on the USA Basketball Men’s
U18 national team that won the gold medal
in Brazil during June 2012, and he was a
member of the Wisconsin Badgers men’s
basketball team in the 2012-13 season.
80
Jessica Barker, Jen Ringeisen Berg, Christa Winkelman,
Tara Cesaretti McLeod, and Jane Ruth Zirbes attended their
15-year reunion during Homecoming 2012 at Augsburg.
97
Cristina M. Olstad ’00, ’05
MSW was named the assistant
vice president for student affairs
at Towson University in Maryland.
Olstad began the position on
January 23. She previously served
as the assistant director of residential education at the University
of Vermont, where she completed
her doctoral degree in educational
leadership and policy studies.
Olstad and her wife, Kirsten Fricke,
are thrilled to be moving to the
Baltimore area to be closer to family
and friends.
00
Christina (Boe) and Michael T.
Anderson ’13 WEC welcomed
Savannah Elizabeth on October 9,
2012. She joins big sister, Charlotte.
The couple hopes the girls will
become third-generation Auggies by
attending the College following their
parents and their grandfather, David
E. Boe ’68.
04
Laura (Eliason) Faitsbau
was married on January
8, 2011, to Lauren (Jung)
Faitsbau in Decorah, Iowa.
The couple welcomed Rowan
Sage Faitsbau on August 16,
2012.
05
Stacey (Kinder) and
Ryan Plasch welcomed
daughter Audrey Valda
Plasch on November 22,
2012. Ryan works for South
Metro Human Services and
Stacey is currently a full-time
mother. The family lives in
Maple Grove, Minn.
09
Kelsey Crockett married Stacey
Gadsden in Belknap Springs,
Ore., on July 7, 2012. The couple
lives in Spring Hill, Tenn., where
Stacey works at Olive Garden and
attends college while Kelsey is a
consultant for Verizon Financial
Services, Southern Region. Kelsey’s
parents are Larry Crockett, professor
at Augsburg College, and Cheryl
Crockett ’89, a volunteer in the
Office of Alumni and Constituent
Relations.
07
Brittney Ruth Hodgdon was
born to Andrea (Slack) and
Clint Hodgdon ’04 on August 15,
2012. Andrea is an accountant at
Renewable Products Marketing
Group, and Clint is a sales manager
at Ameriprise Financial.
07
Jenessa Payano Stark
married Geomar Payano
Stark in Glenwood, Minn., on
June 8, 2012. The couple lives
in New York City, where they
met as bicycle messengers.
Jenessa works as a homebirth
midwife assistant for Cara
Muhlhahn Midwifery, and
Geomar works as a bicycle
messenger.
07
Spring 2013
25
auggie SNAPSHOTS
Dixon Dehmer and Melissa
Ludwig were married
at Zion Lutheran Church in
Buffalo, Minn. on September
15, 2012. Dixon is employed at
Nilfisk-Advance in Plymouth,
Minn., as a financial accountant. Melissa is employed at
Venture Photography in Edina,
Minn., as the office manager.
The couple resides in Buffalo.
09
Ali Rapp and Jake
(Johnson) Rapp ’12 were
married on November 10,
2012. Jake owns a video production company, and Ali is a
master of arts candidate at the
University of Minnesota.
Carmen Crockett ’12 MBA
married John Williams in
Eagan, Minn., on October 6,
2012. Larry Crockett, professor
at Augsburg College and father
of the bride, officiated at the ceremony. The bride was escorted
down the aisle by her mother,
Cheryl Crockett ’89, who is a
volunteer in the Office of Alumni
and Constituent Relations.
Carmen is an account manager
for SPS Commerce in downtown
Minneapolis, and John works for
Wells Fargo in the area of mortgages and foreclosures. They live
in Eagan, Minn.
12
26
Augsburg Now
Later this year, the offices of Alumni Relations
and Marketing and Communication will administer the member magazine readership survey created by the Council for Advancement and Support
of Education (CASE). This web survey is designed
to help college and university editors evaluate
how readers view their campus magazine and to
benchmark the results.
Please email langemo@augsburg.edu to update
your email address. A random sample of Augsburg
Now readers will be asked to participate in this
survey.
The Landmarks
of South Africa
and Namibia
11
CORRECTION:
On page 37 of the Fall
2012 issue of Augsburg
Now, Gretha (Halvorson)
Loken ’38 and her
daughter Mary (Loken)
Veiseth ’70 were pictured
at the graduation of Amy
Aylsworth ’12. Aylsworth
was incorrectly listed as
Veiseth’s daughter; she is
Veiseth’s niece.
GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK
Dr. Amit K. Ghosh ’12 MBA
received the Laureate
Award from the Minnesota
Chapter of the American College
of Physicians. The award was
presented in Minneapolis on
November 2, 2012. Ghosh is a
professor of medicine at Mayo
Clinic College of Medicine and a
consultant in the division of general internal medicine. He is also
the current director of the Mayo
Clinic international program.
Pictured with Dr. Ghosh are his
wife, Karthik [left], and daughter,
Divya [right].
12
AUGUST 11-24, 2013
Join Augsburg College President
Paul C. Pribbenow and fellow alumni and friends on this
African tour through South Africa and
Namibia’s shared political past and the
popular tourist attractions and landmarks
this history has created. This trip is offered
by the Augsburg College Alumni Association
and Center for Global Education (CGE) at
Augsburg College. To request more details
about the trip, call 612-330-1085 or email
alumni@augsburg.edu.
In memoriam
Send us your news and photos
Rev. Lester A. Dahlen ’39,
Richfield, Minn., age 95, on
September 25.
Richard H. “Dick” Velve ’57,
Eden Prairie, Minn., age 76,
on September 24.
Rev. Luther O. Strommen ’39,
Minneapolis and Sun City, Ariz.,
age 95, on September 29.
Allen J. Johnson ’61, Sioux
City, Iowa, age 73, on
October 23.
Clair K. “Kenny” Chelmen ’40,
Bloomington, Minn., age 93,
on September 17.
Ronald T. Hagenson ’63,
Plymouth, Minn., age 76, on
May 2, 2012.
Mildred D. (Tweed) Thudium
’40, Oreland, Pa., age 93, on
August 6.
Charles M. Daggett ’64,
Watertown, Minn., age 74,
on November 6.
Philip C. Helland ’42,
Minneapolis, age 92, on
December 12.
Christ J. Behm ’68, Little
Canada, Minn., age 65, on
January 14.
Shirley Ann (George) Foster
’49, Springfield, Minn., age
84, on September 19.
John G. Telste ’72, Ashburn,
Va., age 61, on October 7.
Charlotte E. Leafblad ’49,
Zion, Ill., age 85, on
January 2.
Merida N. (Collin) Erickson
’50, Naperville, Ill., age 85,
on November 22.
Marolyn (Sortland) Halverson
’51, Columbus, Ohio, age
83, on October 31.
Jean (Vettel) Kiteley ’51,
Exeter, N.H., age 83, on
November 16.
Orpha (Hushagen) Iseminger
’54, Sioux Falls, S.D., age
82, on June 14.
Walter K. Josephson ’54,
Rochester, Minn., age 82,
on May 16, 2012.
Kermit E. Bolstad ’56,
Culbertson, Mont., age 77,
on August 8.
John W. Haynes ’56,
Pengilly, Minn., age 80, on
September 15.
Charles “Chuck” Howard ’56,
Madelia, Minn., age 81, on
October 15.
Harlan C. Christianson ’57,
Los Angeles, Calif., age 77,
on December 15.
Karen L. Johnson ’75, St.
Paul, age 58, on April 2,
2012.
Deidre (Durand) Middleton
’88, Plymouth, Minn., age
73, on November 24.
Vicki C. MacNabb ’07,
Minneapolis, age 65, on
December 24.
Please tell us about the news in your life, your new job, move, marriage, and
births. Don’t forget to send photos! (Digital photos must be at least 300 dpi
or a 1MB file.)
For news of a death, printed notice is required, e.g., an obituary, funeral
notice, or program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes, Augsburg College, CB 146, 2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, MN 55454, or email alumni@augsburg.edu. You can also
submit news at augsburg.edu/alumni.
______________________________________________________
Full name
______________________________________________________
Maiden name
______________________________________________________
Class year or last year attended
______________________________________________________
Street address
______________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP code
Is this a new address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
______________________________________________________
Home telephone
______________________________________________________
Email
Okay to publish your email address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Daniel J. Martin ’10,
Lafayette, Colo., age 27, on
October 23.
______________________________________________________
Employer
Eric Dietz ’11, Hilo, Hawaii,
age 29, on January 6.
______________________________________________________
Position
Mark C. Langdon ’13, Omaha,
Nebr., age 22, on December 7.
______________________________________________________
Work telephone
Andrew Pehrson ’13, Eden
Prairie, Minn., age 23, on
December 27.
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Austin R. Conley ’16,
Minneapolis, age 20, on
October 27.
Professor Emeritus Ray
Anderson, Minneapolis, age
88, on January 6.
Professor Emeritus Vern
Bloom, Bloomington, Minn.,
age 78, on October 20.
If yes, class year__________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spouse’s name (include maiden name, if applicable)
Your news:
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
❑ I know a student who is interested in attending Augsburg.
Spring 2013
27
it takes an
auggie
AUGSBURG STEWARDS:
auggies for life
A group of dedicated students play
an important role in the life and
future of the College. Since 2005,
the Augsburg Stewards have shared
their stories of being a student with
alumni. The Stewards also have
taught their college peers about the
importance of philanthropy to the life
of the College.
These dedicated Auggies perform
their service to Augsburg through
alumni relations programs and
Augsburg Fund initiatives. In return,
the Stewards find that their service
yields unique career development
opportunities.
In addition to educating their
peers on the role they will play as
alumni, Stewards also connect with
other students throughout the year
through Philanthropy Week, the Feed
the Pig class challenge, and the 100
Days to Graduation Senior Party.
Each of these programs is intended to
inspire a lifetime of Auggie Pride in
Stewards and other students.
Stewards, as current Auggies,
connect with alumni at events such
as Advent Vespers, the Convocation
Series lectures, Homecoming, the
Alumni Summer Series, the Alumni/
Student Networking evening, and
Scholarship Brunch, and begin to
build relationships that can lead to
internships or career opportunities.
Augsburg Stewards [pictured clockwise from top]:
Justin Lochner ’13, Ashley Pepper ’16, Emily
Bauermeister ’15, Gary Mariscal ’14, Jake Haehnal ’14
THE
Maroon
& Silver
SOCIETY
JILL WATSON ’10 MBA is one of the newest members of Augsburg’s
Maroon & Silver Society. Members pledge to contribute $1,000 annually to The Augsburg Fund to provide scholarships, help the College
hire and retain outstanding faculty, and foster academic growth and
achievement for Augsburg students. The generous donors of the Maroon
& Silver Society make up 8 percent of all donors to The Augsburg Fund
but provide 69 percent of the dollars received each year.
Watson gives to The Augsburg Fund because she knows it supports all students—undergraduate and graduate—in their pursuit of an
Augsburg education.
“In January, I was fortunate to be invited to a Leadership Summit
where I learned about Augsburg’s long-term vision and goals. This
experience was truly inspiring, and I walked away knowing that I had
to get more involved in the life of the College. I chose to support The
Augsburg Fund through the Maroon & Silver Society because it touches
all Augsburg students in some way.”
augsburg.edu/giving
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Twin Cities, MN
Permit No. 2031
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Auggies are everywhere!
As part of the Rochester community for nearly 15 years, Augsburg College’s campus in downtown
Rochester offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, education, and nursing.
To watch a video of Auggie Eagle in Rochester, go to augsburg.edu/rochester or scan the QR code.
Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Fall 2013: Celebrating Auggie Pride!
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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inside
AUGSBURG NOW
What the world wants is a good job
Augsburg College Homecoming 2013
Keeping track of Auggies
Augsburg 2019: A strategic vision
CELEBRATING
auggie
PRIDE!
FALL 2013 | VOL. 76, NO. 1
Auggie class challenge
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
NOTES
NOTES F...
Show more
inside
AUGSBURG NOW
What the world wants is a good job
Augsburg College Homecoming 2013
Keeping track of Auggies
Augsburg 2019: A strategic vision
CELEBRATING
auggie
PRIDE!
FALL 2013 | VOL. 76, NO. 1
Auggie class challenge
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
NOTES
NOTES FROM
FROM PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
PRIBBENOW
“Big
“Big for
for the
the world…”
world…”
In this issue of
In this issue of
Augsburg Now, you
Augsburg Now, you
will find a summary of
will find a summary of
Augsburg 2019,
Augsburg 2019,
a strategic framework
a strategic framework
developed over the
developed over the
past several months
past several months
with the involvewith the involvement of Regents,
ment of Regents,
faculty, staff, and
faculty, staff, and
students. Focused on
students. Focused
Augsburg’s 150th anniversary in 2019, the plan sets
on Augsburg’s 150th
out an ambitious vision, which claims that in 2019,
anniversary in 2019, the plan sets out an ambitious
“Augsburg will be a new kind of student-centered, urban
vision, which claims that in 2019, “Augsburg will be a
university—small to our students and big for the world.”
new kind of student-centered, urban university—small to
I hope you find in this vision statement a glimpse
our students and big for the world.”
of the Augsburg we all know and love—and that we all
I hope you find in this vision statement a glimpse
want to support and help strengthen for the future.
of the Augsburg we all know and love—and that we all
The Augsburg that we all know is a college where
want to support and help strengthen for the future.
students are central to our daily lives; where personal
The Augsburg that we all know is a college where
relationships and a sense of community combine to
students are central to our daily lives; where personal
provide rare opportunities to learn and serve; and
relationships and a sense of community combine to
where academic, civic, and faith commitments are
provide rare opportunities to learn and serve; and
explored and strengthened. A college that is small to
where academic, civic, and faith commitments are
our students.
explored and strengthened. A college that is small to
At the same time, we are a college that makes
our students.
a remarkable impact on the world—as a community
At the same time, we are a college that makes
and through our thousands of graduates pursuing
a remarkable impact on the world—as a community
their vocations in various settings around the globe.
and through our thousands of graduates pursuing
A college that is big for the world.
their vocations in various settings around the globe.
When reviewing the editorial plan for this issue
A college that is big for the world.
of Augsburg Now, I was struck with how this vision
When reviewing the editorial plan for this issue
of “big for the world” is evident in so many different
of Augsburg Now, I was struck with how this vision
ways. And at the risk of violating what my predecesof “big for the world” is evident in so many different
sor, President Bill Frame, called Augsburg’s “militant
ways. And at the risk of violating what my predecesmodesty,” allow me to brag a bit about this very
sor, President Bill Frame, called Augsburg’s “militant
special college…
modesty,” allow me to brag a bit about this very
s !BOUTONEOFTHELARGESTlRST
YEARCLASSESIN
special
college…
Augsburg’s history this fall—more than 460 first• About one of the largest first-year classes in
year students—and the effect they already are
Augsburg’s history this fall—more than 460 firsthaving on campus with their spirit and activism.
year students—and the effect they already are
s having
!BOUTTHEFACTTHATOURSCIENCEFACULTYHAVEGENERon campus with their spirit and activism.
ated unprecedented funding from the National
• About the fact that our science faculty have generScience Foundation and other federal agencies,
ated unprecedented funding from the National
ranking Augsburg third in the state among all higher
Science Foundation and other federal agencies,
ranking Augsburg third in the state among all higher
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing
Communication
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
education institutions, behind only the University
education institutions, behind only the University
of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the University of
of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the University of
Minnesota-Duluth.
Minnesota-Duluth.
s !BOUTTHEFACTTHATWEWERENAMEDTHISPASTFALLAS
• About the fact that we were named this past fall as
one of the top 25 colleges in the country for service
one of the top 25 colleges in the country for service
learning programs, exemplifying how our commitlearning programs, exemplifying how our commitment to education for service is imbedded in the
ment to education for service is imbedded in the
curriculum and recognized by others as a highcurriculum and recognized by others as a highimpact way of learning.
impact way of learning.
s !BOUTTHEFACTTHATWEAREPARTNERINGWITHMORE
• About the fact that we are partnering with more
than a dozen colleges and health care institutions
than a dozen colleges and health care institutions
in the Twin Cities to combine our human and fiscal
in the Twin Cities to combine our human and fiscal
resources in support of neighborhoods along the
resources in support of neighborhoods along the
new Central Corridor Light Rail Line between downnew Central Corridor Light Rail Line between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.
town Minneapolis and St. Paul.
s !BOUTTHEFACTTHATWERAISEDMORETHANMILLION
• About the fact that we raised more than $19 million
in gifts and pledges during the 2012-13 academic
in gifts and pledges during the 2012-13 academic
year from alumni, parents, friends, corporations, and
year from alumni, parents, friends, corporations, and
foundations—another record year in fundraising for
foundations—another record year in fundraising for
Augsburg, our third record year in a row—and that
Augsburg, our third record year in a row—and that
WEHAVENOWRAISEDMORETHANMILLIONFORTHE
we have now raised more than $25 million for the
planned Center for Science, Business, and Religion.
planned Center for Science, Business, and Religion.
s !BOUTTHEFACTTHATWECONTINUETODEVELOPINNOVA• About the fact that we continue to develop innovative academic programs, including our new Master
tive academic programs, including our new Master
of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, which was launched
of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, which was launched
this past summer with a first cohort of 16 students,
this past summer with a first cohort of 16 students,
and a partnership with the Minneapolis Community
and a partnership with the Minneapolis Community
and Technical College to offer the first fast-track
and Technical College to offer the first fast-track
RN/Bachelor of Science in Nursing professional
RN/Bachelor of Science in Nursing professional
program in Minnesota between a two-year public
program in Minnesota between a two-year public
institution and a four-year private college.
institution and a four-year private college.
And I could go on. There’s more in the pages
And I could go on. There’s more in the pages
that follow and even more in the daily life of the
that follow and even more in the daily life of the
Augsburg community. Come and visit, as Minnesota
Augsburg community. Come and visit, as Minnesota
State Senator Terri Bonoff, chair of the Senate
State Senator Terri Bonoff, chair of the Senate
Higher Education Committee, did recently, and see
Higher Education Committee, did recently, and see
for yourself what she described this way: “This is a
for yourself what she described this way: “This is a
special college—one where being small to students
special college—one where being small to students
and big for the world is really true.” I couldn’t have
and big for the world is really true.” I couldn’t have
said it better.
said it better.
Faithfully yours,
Faithfully yours,
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Senior Creative Associate-Design
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Integrated Communication
Specialist
Laura Swanson
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
Christina Haller
haller@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Production Manager/Now Online
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President
of Advancement
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
augsburg.edu
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Email: now@augsburg.edu
fall 2013
AUGSBURG NOW
16
Courtesy photo
12
Features
20
18
02
09
14
18
20
Augsburg 2019
What the whole world wants
is a good job
Augsburg College annual report
Mixing teamwork into the
courseload
Homecoming 2013
Departments
inside
front
cover
4
Notes from President Pribbenow
Around the Quad
12 Auggie voices
16 Auggies on the court
19 My Auggie experience
23 It takes an Auggie
2
On the cover
Edor Nelson Field, home to Auggie football, softball, lacrosse, and soccer,
was resurfaced with more durable and safe FieldTurf Revolution this summer. The field is named for Edor Nelson ’38, longtime Auggie athletics coach
and World War II veteran. Read about other Auggie veterans on page 12.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
19
24 Keeping track of Auggies
31 In memoriam
AUGSBURG
2019
A STRATEGIC VISION
In January 2013, the Augsburg College Board of Regents
launched a strategic planning initiative that involved conversation and input from across the campus community. The outcome
of that work is a strategic vision statement that looks out to
2019, Augsburg’s sesquicentennial year:
In 2019, Augsburg College will be
a new kind of student-centered,
urban university that is
small to our students and big for the world.
“Small to our students” reflects the relationships, community,
and personal attention that are hallmarks of the educational
experience at Augsburg. “Big for the world” acknowledges the
significant impact we know our students—and alumni—do and
will make in the world.
The strategic plan is grounded in Augsburg’s mission statement,
which was updated in 2010. The plan is organized into three
categories, or dimensions, each with three goals. Detail about
each of the strategic planning dimensions is provided on the
next page. The strategic vision will anchor the College’s institutional initiatives and priorities throughout the next five years,
reflecting the values and commitments stated in our mission:
AUGSBURG EDUCATES STUDENTS TO BE
INFORMED CITIZENS,
THOUGHTFUL STEWARDS,
CRITICAL THINKERS,
AND RESPONSIBLE LEADERS.
THE AUGSBURG EXPERIENCE IS SUPPORTED BY AN ENGAGED COMMUNITY
THAT IS COMMITTED TO INTENTIONAL DIVERSITY IN ITS LIFE AND WORK.
AN AUGSBURG EDUCATION IS DEFINED BY EXCELLENCE IN THE LIBERAL ARTS
AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES, GUIDED BY THE FAITH AND VALUES OF THE
LUTHERAN CHURCH, AND SHAPED BY ITS URBAN AND GLOBAL SETTINGS.
2
Augsburg Now
DIMENSION 1
DIMENSION 2
DIMENSION 3
EDUCATING FOR LIVES
OF PURPOSE
AT THE TABLE
BUILT FOR THE FUTURE
The first dimension articulates OUR ACADEMIC
The second dimension focuses on OUR
The third dimension is about how OUR
DISTINCTION: Augsburg educates students for
REPUTATION AND IDENTITY: Augsburg is “at
INSTITUTION WILL THRIVE NOW AND IN THE
lives of purpose. The goals in this category
the table” with our neighbors and institutional
FUTURE. The goals in this category call on
challenge us to:
partners in shaping education to address the
Augsburg to be:
world’s needs. The goals here call on us to:
• rigorously integrate the liberal arts and the
professional studies;
• a welcoming, sustainable campus,
• prepare an intentional mix of diverse learners for a complex, interconnected world;
• use high-impact teaching and learning
practices, enriched by our core com-
• provide experiential opportunities that
mitments of faith and spiritual inquiry,
enable students to discover their gifts,
vocational discernment, civic engagement,
discern their vocations, and open doors to
and global understanding; and
careers; and
anchored in our community and designed
for educational excellence;
• organized for collaboration, efficiency,
and effectiveness; and
• committed to maintaining a sound and
sustainable financial footing.
• provide each student with pathways for
success to graduation and beyond.
• publicly advance the core commitments
that enrich our learning environment—
faith and spiritual inquiry, vocational
discernment, civic engagement, and global
understanding.
Fall 2013
3
AROUND THE QUAD
COLLEGE AWARDS
Top 25 schools for service learning
U.S. News & World Report designated Augsburg College
as one of the top 25 colleges and universities in the
nation for its dedication to service learning. Schools
named to the list were nominated by college presidents,
chief academic officers, and deans from more than
1,500 higher education institutions. Augsburg was the
only Minnesota school named to the list.
Best Regional Universities by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report named Augsburg one of the
Best Universities in the Midwest. Rankings are based
on several factors, including average first-year retention rates, graduation rates, class sizes, student-faculty
ratios, acceptance rates, and more.
“Best in the Midwest” by Princeton Review
Augsburg College is one of 155 colleges that The
Princeton Review has named “Best in the Midwest” for
academic excellence.
Named Top 200 school by Winds of Change
The American Indian Science and Engineering Society
Winds of Change magazine has selected Augsburg as
one of the Top 200 Schools in 2013 for Native American
and Alaska Native students pursuing degrees in science,
technology, engineering, and math.
Recognized nationally for contribution to the public good
Augsburg College was the No. 2 institution in Minnesota
named by Washington Monthly in its 2013 Master’s
Universities Rankings. The list rates schools based upon
their contribution to the public good in three categories:
social mobility, research, and service.
Named a High ROI College by Affordable Colleges Online
Augsburg College was named a top college for return on
investment (ROI) in Minnesota for having high-earning
graduates in comparison to tuition and fees. The ranking,
by Affordable Colleges Online, is the result of a partnership among the National Center for Education Statistics,
Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System, the
Carnegie Foundation, and PayScale.com.
4
Augsburg Now
BOARD OF REGENTS
WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS
At its annual meeting in September, the Augsburg
Corporation elected two new members to the Board of
Regents and re-elected five others.
Wayne Jorgenson ’71
Dennis Meyer ’78
Elected to their first term on the Augsburg Board of Regents:
•
Wayne Jorgenson ’71 serves as senior vice president
of wealth management with UBS Financial Services,
Inc. and brings decades of financial planning and
investment management experience to the Board.
•
Dennis Meyer ’78 has extensive experience in strategic
marketing and global business development. He has
held executive positions in several industries, most
recently in architecture and building engineering with
AECOM Ellerbe Becket, as well as in communications,
printing and imaging, and supply chain management.
Elected to a second or third term:
•
Ann Ashton-Piper, president of The Bridge Group
•
Norman Hagfors, president (retired), Norsen, Inc.
•
Jodi Harpstead, chair of the Augsburg Board of
Regents and chief executive officer, Lutheran Social
Service of Minnesota
•
Dr. Paul Mueller ’84, physician and chair of general
internal medicine, Mayo Clinic
•
Lisa Novotny ’80, vice president human resources,
International, General Mills
Mike Good ’71 and Jennifer Martin were named Regents
Emeriti at the May meeting of the Augsburg Board of
Regents. Each had served three four-year terms on the
board. Marie McNeff also was named Regent Emerita by
the Board at that meeting. McNeff, who passed away
in September, was elected to the Board in 2005 and
served as a Regent for the College until her retirement
from the Board earlier in 2013.
Augsburg science faculty
awarded more than $695,000 in grants
Augsburg College science
faculty continue to be awarded grants from the National
Science Foundation (NSF) for
research. During 2012, the
College was ranked third in
Minnesota for the total dollar
amount awarded to a school,
behind only the University of
Minnesota, Twin Cities and
the University of Minnesota, Duluth. In addition, science faculty members recently were awarded an additional $695,087
in grants. These grants include:
MARK ENGEBRETSON, professor of physics, was awarded a
three-year, $185,940 grant for continued study and probing of
Earth’s space environment, known as the magnetosphere. The
project will help society better understand the relationship
between Earth’s magnetosphere and its interaction with the
solar wind and the interplanetary magnetic field. The project, which builds upon a long-standing relationship with the
University of New Hampshire and that also makes data available to space physics researchers throughout the world, will
study ultra-low-frequency waves on Svalbard, Norway, which
is the only place in the northern hemisphere where the Aurora
Borealis (Northern Lights) can be observed for longtime periods in darkness at noon. The grant, Federal Award ID Number
AGS-1202267, brings to more than $2 million the awards
earned by Engebretson since mid-2008. Funds will support
the continued operation of four search coil magnetometers
and the analysis of the data gathered.
DAVID HANSON, assistant professor of chemistry, was awarded in
excess of $386,000 for a three-year project that ultimately will
help increase understanding of the sources of particulate matter that are harmful to human health. Hanson will test models
for what is called nucleation rates that can be incorporated
into global climate models. Nucleation is a process that drives
the formation of new particles in the atmosphere. Hanson’s
team will look specifically at nucleation in sulfuric acid, water,
and amines. The funds from Federal Award ID Number
AGS-1338706 also will support work by eight students in
Hanson’s lab.
David Hanson, assistant professor of chemistry, will use National Science
Foundation funding to advance atmospheric chemistry research and support
Augsburg students working in his lab.
ANN IMPULITTI, assistant professor of biology, received an NSF
grant for nearly $123,000 to investigate the physiology and
productivity of economically important plants infected by
parasitic, mutualistic, and commensal fungi. Research will
focus on soybean due to its high economic value and the
diverse uses of soybean products. The funds from Federal
Award ID Number 1337582, along with an additional award
of more than $52,000 that Impulitti received from the LiCor
Environmental Education Fund, will be used to purchase a
suite of instruments for plant ecophysiology research. The
instruments will support interdisciplinary research in the
plant biological sciences, mathematics, and environmental
sciences, and also support collaboration between Augsburg
College and the University of Minnesota. The instrumentation will enhance research experiences for undergraduates
and will improve student instruction and discovery-based
labs in plant biology, environmental science, and mathematics. Co-principal investigators on the grant include John
Zobitz, Augsburg associate professor of mathematics, and
Dean Malvick, associate professor of plant pathology at the
University of Minnesota.
Editor’s Note: Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed in this material are those of
the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
National Science Foundation.
Fall 2013
5
AROUND THE QUAD
AUGSBURG HONORS PRESIDENT EMERITUS
CHARLES S. ANDERSON
Augsburg College renamed its music building the Charles S.
Anderson Music Hall to honor the legacy of the College’s eighth
president, who passed away June 14. Anderson oversaw significant growth in the College’s enrollment, program offerings,
commitment to its Lutheran heritage, and student diversity.
He was a constant advocate for Augsburg and helped to
establish the College’s public presence in the Twin Cities.
During his 17-year tenure, Augsburg launched the Weekend
and Evening College (WEC) program, established the Center
for Global Education, and introduced the StepUP® program
for young people in recovery and the CLASS office for differently abled students.
“Charles Anderson’s influence on the Augsburg community is deep and long-lived,” said Augsburg College President
Paul C. Pribbenow. “The priorities Anderson outlined and
championed during his tenure continue to shape how we live
out our institutional mission and celebrate life and learning in
the city each day.”
Anderson Music Hall occupies a central location on
campus and houses an array of music programs that welcome
students of diverse musical interests. More than 100 students each year pursue traditional liberal arts music studies as well as degrees in music business, music education,
[L to R]: Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow with Charles S. Anderson’s
family: daughter Kristin Anderson, Augsburg College professor of art history
and archivist; wife Catherine Anderson, an active Augsburg Associates
member; and son, Eric Anderson.
music performance, and music therapy. More than 350 music
majors and non-music majors alike participate in the College’s
numerous vocal, concert band, symphony orchestra, and jazz
ensembles.
Anderson’s legacy also includes the College’s beautiful
annual Advent Vespers—celebrating the Advent season with a
service of traditional and contemporary hymns, anthems, and
carols. The celebration is one of the largest seasonal events in
the Twin Cities, with 300 participants, including choral and
instrumental performers, readers, a full liturgical party, and
more than 10,000 worshipers annually.
Each year, two Augsburg music students receive the prestigious Orville and Gertrude Hognander Music Scholarship.
Initiated during Anderson’s tenure, Orville and Gertrude
(Lund) Hognander, both 1936 Augsburg graduates, established the Hognander Scholarships in 1998 to provide up to
full tuition for students with exceptional music performance
and academic achievement.
Students present AT BERKELEY
In front of Dwinelle Hall on the University of California, Berkeley campus:
Front row [L to R]: McNair Scholars Program Assistant Director Brian Greening, Mahelet Maru ’14, McNair Scholars Program Administrative Assistant Lara
Crombie, Amineh Safi ’14, Sawiya Hassan ’14; middle row [L to R]: Magaly OrtizAucapipa ’14, Enrico Barrozo ’14; back row [L to R]: Raesean Sneed ’15, David
Fowler ’14, Dereck Dasrath ’14, and Amir Rose ’14
6
Augsburg Now
Last summer, nine researchers from Augsburg College
traveled to California for one of the largest national gatherings of McNair Scholars. The Auggies presented findings
from their summer research at the University of California,
Berkeley for the 21st Annual Ronald E. McNair California
Scholars Research Symposium, which boasts more than 300
student attendees. Augsburg students spent an average
of 400 hours exploring their research topics, developing theses, collecting and reviewing data, and preparing
formal paper presentations. Scholars were paired with a
faculty mentor in their discipline to gain extensive skills
and knowledge, learn research methods, and practice writing and public speaking. The students represented a wide
range of disciplines including biology, philosophy, physics,
and sociology.
CONVOCATION SERIES 2013-14
First held in 1990, the Augsburg
College Convocation Series is
an annual speaker series that
incorporates long-standing
endowed and special programs.
This fall, the series kicked off
with the Bernhard M. Christensen
Symposium featuring Krista Tippett,
host and producer of the public
radio show, On Being. Tippett
shared thoughts from her book, Einstein’s God: Revisiting
Science and Religion in a New Century.
During the Center for Counseling
and Health Promotion Convocation
in October, Sian Beilock, an expert
on performance and cognitive science, revealed the brain science
behind “choking under pressure”
in a lecture based on her book,
Choke—What the Secrets of the
Brain Reveal About Getting it
Right When You Have To.
GIVE FROM YOUR HEART
GIVE TO THE
MAX
GiveMN, an online resource that helps Minnesotans
donate to the state’s nonprofit community, hosted its
annual Give to the Max Day on November 14. Auggies
created more than 20 fundraising projects to help raise
money for an Augsburg cause that they are passionate
about. Contributions from Give to the Max Day help:
• Faculty develop creative course offerings that
encourage Augsburg students to think beyond the
classroom.
• Augsburg graduates prepare for their next chapter.
• Keep Augsburg affordable—thanks to the generosity of donors, more than 94 percent of Augsburg day
undergraduate students receive financial aid through
grants and scholarships.
The Humanities and Fine Arts Convocation in mid-November
featured the Rose Ensemble’s performance of Portraits of
Peru, 1785 Exotic Folksongs and Dances from Trujillo,
inspired by a collection of watercolor paintings compiled by
the local bishop for Spanish King Carlos IV, imaginatively
depicting the plants, animals, people, and archaeological
monuments of this diverse region in northern Peru.
The next event, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation, is
scheduled for January 20 and will celebrate the life and
legacy of this important civil rights leader. Convocations are
free and open to the public.
• Encourage a tradition of vocation and faith, going
back to Augsburg’s roots as a Lutheran seminary.
• Make healthy food accessible to all people in and
around the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood and provide
for basic needs, service learning, leadership development, and genuine engagement between the College
and the community through Campus Kitchen.
Check out the final results from the challenge online at
givemn.org/auggiesgive.
Fall 2013
7
AROUND THE QUAD
Innovative partnership
allows students to earn
BACHELOR’S IN NURSING
IN ONLY THREE YEARS
A new partnership between Augsburg College and Minneapolis
Community and Technical College (MCTC) gives students the
opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
in only three years. The program, the first fast-track BSN
professional program in Minnesota between a two-year public
institution and a four-year private college, allows the schools
to respond to the changing needs of health care professionals
and local communities.
“Augsburg has long been committed to offering high-quality
bachelor’s and master’s programs in nursing,” said Augsburg
College President Paul C. Pribbenow. “We are excited to
partner with MCTC given our shared commitment to educating
diverse student populations.”
The partnership leverages unique relationships and
strengths in each program. Students will study for two years
Minn. Senate Higher Education
Committee visits campus
Photo by Laura Swanson
To view additional photos from the event or watch a video in
which Sen. Bonoff discusses Augsburg’s unique emphasis on
service learning, go to augsburg.edu/now.
8
Augsburg Now
at MCTC and then transfer to Augsburg for the third year.
During their study at Augsburg, students will experience
first-hand community health nursing in diverse settings including
at the Augsburg Health Commons in downtown Minneapolis
and at Dar Ul-Quba in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. In
addition, third-year students in the program will be offered
BSN practicum opportunities locally or abroad in Namibia or
Nicaragua. Prior to their time at Augsburg, students will study
in new, state-of-the-art classrooms and labs at MCTC.
State, local, and education officials attended an opening
ceremony at MCTC to announce the partnership. Those in attendance included Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton, Hennepin County
Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, and leaders from Augsburg,
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and MCTC.
Dozens of Augsburg College students, faculty, and staff took part in
a September town hall meeting with Minnesota Rep. Phyllis Kahn and
Sens. Terri Bonoff, Greg Clausen ’69, and Kari Dziedzic. The legislators
visited Augsburg as part of a statewide “listening tour” effort launched
by Bonoff, chair of the Minnesota State Senate Higher Education and
Workforce Development Committee.
The legislators were enthusiastic to learn more about private colleges in Minnesota and invited Auggies to consider ways to improve the
state’s higher education system. The Augsburg students discussed with
the legislators a number of issues, including transfer credits, financial
aid options, career preparation, and on- and off-campus service learning
experiences. One of the key themes the legislators stressed during the
meeting was the important role colleges and universities play in educating the nation’s future leadership and workforce.
“Education is the engine that runs our Minnesota economy,” Clausen said,
addressing the Augsburg crowd. “We need to invest in you, and you need to
invest in your education.” Clausen is part of an Augsburg legacy family—his
wife, Roberta ’69, and son, Steven ’96, also attended the College.
“What the whole world wants
IS A GOOD JOB.”*
BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
Today, higher education has come under question—
is the debt worth it, are students graduating at sufficient rates, are we educating enough of our population, are students actually learning what they need?
In this environment, the value of higher education increasingly is being
defined—by parents and prospective students alike—as “getting a good
job.” In fact, this is the No. 1 reason cited by U.S. respondents in the 2012
Gallup/Lumina poll for pursuing education beyond high school. And the second
reason? To earn more money.
“When college students and their parents think about the value
of higher education, they typically think about it too narrowly,”
said Brandon Busteed, executive director of Gallup Education.
“People tend to get caught up with things—like potential
income or getting a job with a ‘blue chip’ company—that don’t
matter” when it comes to predicting career success and satisfaction, Busteed said. “Focusing on those things is not the best
way to think about a great job and a great life.”
“WELLBEING” AS A MEASURE OF CAREER SUCCESS
What factors do predict career success? According to Gallup,
it’s being able to respond affirmatively to statements like the
following:
•
•
•
•
“I like what I do each day.”
“I do what I do best every day.”
“My supervisor cares about my development.”
“I have a best friend at work.”
Agreeing with statements like these indicates that a person
is engaged in interesting and meaningful activities at work,
is using his or her strengths to achieve goals, is motivated by
the team leader, and is supported by colleagues who share a
common purpose. Those characteristics, according to Gallup’s
“wellbeing” research, correlate more with top performance than
income or title or working for a prestigious organization.
Gallup has been studying wellbeing, on a global basis,
since the 1930s.
“Wellbeing is not ‘wellness,’” Busteed said. “It is a multidimensional measure of how people rate their lives.”
In the past several decades, Gallup’s study of people in
more than 150 countries has revealed five universal, interconnected elements that shape our lives: career wellbeing, social
wellbeing, financial wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and community wellbeing.
“We didn’t invent these categories,” Busteed said. “The
factors that correlate with wellbeing are what we found from the
data collected over time and across populations.” Of those five
*Source: Gallup World Poll, 2010
Fall 2013
9
Opportunities to learn and grow
Progress in last six months
How do
we grow?
10
Augsburg Now
What do I get?
ic
Bas s
d
Nee
The career wellbeing issue is connected with low worker
engagement, Busteed said. According to Gallup’s 2012 “State
of the American Workplace” report, only 30 percent of full-time
U.S. workers are engaged and inspired at work. Fifty percent
are not engaged, the report states—“they’re just kind of present, but not inspired by their work or their managers.” The
remaining 20 percent of all full-time U.S. workers are actively
disengaged in their jobs.
One significant driver of high or low engagement is a person’s manager, Busteed said. People looking for a “good job”
focus so much on income and landing a position at a “good”
company, but finding a good manager is vastly more important
than working for a well-known company, he explained.
Another factor causing low worker engagement is whether
a person is using her or his strengths every day. “Not just once
in a while, not once every week or so, but every day,” Busteed
said. Among college graduates, he said, the lack of opportunity
to use one’s strengths at work every day points to career misalignment—either getting a degree in a field in which one isn’t
What do I give?
.
WELLBEING AND WORKPLACE ENGAGEMENT
In c
interconnected elements of wellbeing, career wellbeing is the
most important, Busteed said.
“Our careers are a fundamental piece of how we define
ourselves,” Busteed said. “Plus, work is where you spend the
majority of your waking hours,” so it is going to have a major
impact on your life evaluation—not to mention your social,
financial, and physical wellbeing.
Gallup’s research shows that those who have high career
wellbeing are 4.5 times more likely to be “thriving”—versus
merely surviving or, worse, suffering—in life. However, just 31
percent of the U.S. population has very high career wellbeing.
p,
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ual
Ga
ivid
Ind ibution
tr
Con
Materials and equipment to do the job
I know what is expected of me at work
ce:
Someone encourages my development
Supervisor/someone at work cares
Recognition in the last seven days
Do what I do best every day
ur
So
Do I belong?
ork
mw
Tea
I have a best friend at work
Coworkers committed to quality
Mission/purpose of company
At work, my opinions seem to count
wth
Gro
What does a
‘GOOD JOB’
look like?
able to get a job or pursuing a field because of others’ expectations instead of based on one’s own strengths.
“The onus is certainly on the individual [student], but it is
also on the college and mentors to make sure that students are
asking themselves” what they are truly good at, what engages
and excites them, Busteed said.
EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES THAT SUPPORT CAREER SUCCESS
In addition to studying workplace dynamics that correspond
with career wellbeing, Gallup also has identified specific college
experiences that correlate with subsequent career success. In
its research, Gallup has found two educational experiences
that are twice as likely as other factors to predict high work
performance:
1) Working on a long-term project that took several classes to
complete, and
2) Using what was learned in class to develop solutions to
real-world problems.
In short, Busteed said, “what works in school is ‘real work.’”
“Real work”—including problem-solving and experiential
education opportunities—helps prepare students for success
after graduation, but Gallup also has done extensive research
on the factors that predict success during college. Here,
Busteed said, Gallup has found that “hope” is statistically a
stronger predictor of educational outcomes than test scores or
grade-point averages. (In fact, according to the work of Gallup
Senior Scientist Shane Lopez, hope is the leading indicator of
success in relationships, academics, career, and business—as
well as of a healthier, happier life.)
HOPE: AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN COLLEGE SUCCESS
“Hope is a strategy,” Busteed said. However, it is not just wishful thinking, he explained. Instead, it refers to one’s ideas and
energy for the future and includes the following three elements:
1) Attainable goals,
2) The ability to see multiple pathways to achieve those goals,
and
3) Agency—i.e., a belief that you can achieve your goals.
Measures of hope, engagement, and wellbeing account for
one-third of the variance of student success in college, Busteed
reported. And, although college success is also driven by other
things—such as academic preparation and content knowledge—those things are being measured fairly consistently and
systematically through cognitive measures, such as tests.
“But no one is paying attention to measuring the noncognitive factors that account for a whopping one-third of
student success,” Busteed said. “We need better balance and
alignment around how we track and promote student success
[in college].”
The same is true for college outcomes, where job placement percentages and average salaries tell only part of the
story. “What’s the ultimate outcome of an education?” Busteed
asked. “To have a better life,” he said. We need to pay attention
to how we measure that.
Augsburg and Career Wellbeing
MATCHING YOUR GIFTS TO THE NEEDS
OF THE WORLD
According to Gallup, career wellbeing requires
that people understand what they are truly good
at and pursue career opportunities that allow
them to use their strengths every day.
Augsburg calls this vocational discernment.
“Augsburg is about forming and shaping
students to lead lives of meaning and purpose,”
said Mark Tranvik, professor of religion and
director of Augsburg’s Bernhard Christensen
Center for Vocation. “At Augsburg, we encourage
students to move beyond self-enhancement and
think about their lives within a wider horizon. We
want them to ask questions like, ‘What am I good
at?’ and ‘How can my gifts best be used to make a
difference in the world?’
“For many at the College,” Tranvik said,
“faith plays an important role in how those questions are answered.” The exploration of one’s
gifts is rooted deeply in the Lutheran theological
tradition of vocation, and it is a critical part of the
educational journey at Augsburg—for students of
all faith and spiritual backgrounds, Tranvik said.
FINDING THE RIGHT WORKPLACE
ENVIRONMENT
Another important part of the self-discovery
journey is determining what types of work environments might suit you best, said Keith Munson,
director of the Clair and Gladys Strommen
Center for Meaningful Work. “You can get a job
doing something you love, but if that job is not
in the right place—the right work environment
or culture—you won’t be able to sustain your
motivation for the job very long,” he said.
In other words, you need to pay attention to
where and how your gifts will be used.
A good way to learn about work environments is through informational interviews,
Munson said. “Networking, of course, ensures
that people learn more about you than can be
picked up from your résumé, but that’s not
the only reason to network,” he said. It is as
important “for you to actually find out if a given
company or department is a good place for you
to work.”
Determining whether a given work
environment is a fit, however, requires that
you understand what kind of work cultures and
relationships are best for you. This involves
self-reflection and, usually, some amount of
coaching. But many students—and many adults
in job transitions, for that matter—skip that
step and just focus on securing a job.
EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF A
“GOOD JOB”
Munson said he understands why students (and
their parents) think it’s important to get a “good
job” after college. “For many students, following
their passion without worrying or thinking about
their income is not a realistic option,” he said.
“I always tell these students that it’s okay for
them to think about the realities of their career
choices. You can be practical about those matters and still pay attention to the other piece”—
the search for work and work environments that
suits you—as well.
“You’re looking for a job anyway,” Munson
tells students. “Why not also try to find something
that you are going to like to do?” In fact, Munson
said, by actively seeking work environments that
suit them, students tend to be more effective in
the job search process. “When you are looking
for something—and someplace—that’s interesting to you, you are likely to be more motivated in the job search,” he said. You’ll do more
background preparation, seek more informational
interviews, and ask more purposeful questions.
In the end, Munson said, students shouldn’t
think that they need to choose between following
their hearts and getting a “good job.” You can—
and should—do both.
Fall 2013
11
AUGGIE VOICES
Launching a new mission
Augsburg College celebrated 56 Master of Social Work graduation candidates at the June 2013 Commencement, and it’s
quite possible that Christine Dawson ’13 MSW was the only
graduate who began her professional career as a mechanic.
Shortly after high school, Dawson joined the United States
Marine Corps where she spent three decades and worked in two
distinct military occupations.
While Dawson met her goals of traveling the world and
doing something “most women didn’t do” at the time, she felt
called to serve the Marine Corps troops—rather than Marine
Corps vehicles—and began a new assignment as a licensed
alcohol and drug counselor. This role turned out to be a perfect
fit because of her ability to help “people go on to live their best
life and achieve their goals,” she said.
Dawson completed a 17-year tenure with the Marine Corps
and served an additional 13 years in the Army National Guard
where she continued work as a mental health specialist. When
she approached military retirement, she returned to school to
earn a graduate degree at Augsburg College, which offered her
the opportunity to advance in her civilian career and integrate
her military experience into a challenging professional role.
Augsburg, she found, was a place that understood her desire to
live a purpose-driven lifestyle and to embed meaningful service
within her career.
Military and veterans support
CHRISTINE DAWSON ’13 MSW
12
Augsburg Now
Many of Augsburg’s students with military experience enroll in
an undergraduate or graduate degree program to build upon the
education and training that were part of their military service.
For other students, Augsburg is a way to prepare for a civilian
career that’s unlike any past duties.
Some students who have served in the armed forces are eligible for state and federal financial aid assistance to help pay
for college. At Augsburg, more than 100 students with military
experience are working one-on-one with the College’s Student
Financial Services and Registrar’s offices to successfully claim
their education benefits and get individualized help navigating
complex eligibility rules.
Augsburg College also directly supports these students by
hosting an on-campus space for them to meet and by employing a Student Veteran Liaison who mentors peers and works to
connect students with College resources.
A.J. ANDERSON ’15
“We’re seeing more nontraditional-age students in
our undergrad population and some of those people
have been around the world and have served our
country,” said Lori York, assistant registrar and
Veterans Affairs certifying official. “A veteran’s sense
of ‘a call to serve’ totally meshes with Augsburg, and
we want to make sure they can make the most of their
education here.”
From call to campus
During four years of Marine Corps service, A.J.
Anderson ’15, Augsburg’s student veteran liaison,
led an amphibious assault team as the crew chief for
vehicles that he likens to those that carried troops
onto Normandy beaches during World War II. At age
25, Anderson had reconsidered his decision to attend
a large public university and left school to become a
Marine.
“I felt that joining the military was my calling for a
little bit,” he said. “Other people backpack in Europe
or just take a break. I went to war.”
Anderson served around the globe and later joined
the Marine Corps Reserve military police unit at Fort
Snelling in St. Paul before he began thinking about
his long-term career.
He said his military experiences didn’t translate
into a civilian profession, but—through his service—
solidified his aspirations. He resumed his education
and in 2012 transferred to Augsburg with a plan to
serve his country in a new way.
“I’m devoting my life to helping veterans,” he
said. “I didn’t know I wanted to do social work until I got out
of the military, so coming to Augsburg and working toward
that goal is a big part of my life.”
And, Anderson is getting a jumpstart on this career
through his student involvement.
“We know that peer mentors and peer leaders play an
important role in students’ achievement,” said Ann Garvey,
vice president of Student Affairs. “For example, student
athletes serve on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and
Orientation Leaders welcome our new Auggies to campus. Our
Student Veteran Liaison does outreach with a different group,
but the premise is the same.”
For Anderson, helping other veterans succeed at Augsburg
College couldn’t be a better fit.
“I want to give other students the tools I’ve been working with,” he said, “and make sure they have the support I’ve
experienced.”
From assisting veterans on campus to one day serving
them as a clinical social worker, Anderson’s Augsburg education has prepared him for a meaningful career that aligns with
his passions. And Dawson, who has been working with
veterans for decades, shows that this path is clearly a worthwhile one.
LAURA SWANSON
Fall 2013
13
Augsburg College
2012-2013
ANNUAL REPORT TO DONORS
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Augsburg College realized another record year of fundraising in 2012-2013, with
$19,367,258 received from more than 4,500 donors.
This philanthropy helps Augsburg to attract gifted, engaged
students and the talented faculty and staff who teach and guide
them. Your gifts provide financial aid, building and maintenance
support, and instructional and other resources that help
Augsburg provide a quality education to more than 3,500
undergraduate and graduate students at our Minneapolis and
Rochester, Minn., campuses—students like Zach Baltich, Jenna
Leahy, and Hector Camarena.
Zach Baltich ’14 is studying music performance. Originally from Ely, Minn., Baltich received the
Sampson and Carlson scholarships.
The Sateren and Gyllstrom scholarships were awarded to Jenna Leahy ’15, a music education
major. Leahy is from New Richmond, Wis.
14
Augsburg Now
Hector Camarena ’16, a physics major from Fridley, Minn., received the
Grindal and Gjerde scholarships.
2012-2013 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
REVENUE BY SOURCE
Tuition
72%
Room and board
12%
Private gifts and grants
9%
Government grants
4%
Other sources
3%
EXPENSES BY CATEGORY
Salary and benefits
45%
Financial aid
26%
Operating expenses*
17%
Debt service
3%
Equipment and capital improvements
4%
Utilities and insurance
3%
Student salaries
2%
*Expenses in this category include: facility repairs and maintenance, information technology expenditures, marketing expenditures, membership dues
and fees, outside consultants, supplies, and travel and business meetings.
$25.4
$34.6
$33.3
$32.4 $31.5
$27.2 $27.8
ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE
$29.8
$28.2
May 31, 2013
$34,552,615
$24.5
In the year ending May 31, 2013, the value
of the endowment increased by 16.04
percent. Our five-year average annual return
on the endowment is 2.24 percent and
the ten-year average annual return is 4.22
percent. We are committed to maintaining
the value of the principal and to providing
support to the College in perpetuity.
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
(IN MILLIONS)
Please visit augsburg.edu/giving/report for our 2013 Honor Roll of Donors.
Fall 2013
15
[L to R]: Assistant Men’s Basketball
Coach Charlie Scott ’08 and Head
Men’s Basketball Coach Aaron Griess
AUGGIES ON THE COURT
[L to R]: Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach Charile Scott ’08 and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Aaron Griess
Communication. Accountability. Service.
Nine years ago, Aaron Griess moved from
Pacific to the middle of
the middle of the Pacific
the United States to become the Augsburg
College men’s basketball coach. It was a
path back to his Midwest roots and to a
culture that values college athletics.
“Living in paradise has its obvious
advantages, but athletics just isn’t part
of the culture in the same way it is in
the Midwest,” said Griess about serving as coach at Chaminade University in
Honolulu. “Here, lots of families go to
games together, many kids grow up in
organized sports.”
Griess found in Augsburg not only
a school that values the student-athlete
experience, but also one whose mission
refl
ects his own vision for coaching and
reflects
leadership.
“Coaching gives me a chance to instill
important principles of life in the athletes
I work with,” he said. “I want to provide
these students tools that will help them
succeed beyond the court.
“My vision of success in coaching is
fairly unique in this profession,” said the
head men’s basketball coach. “I want
16
Augsburg Now
to build a sustainable program of fi
rstfirstclass leaders who don’t complain about
challenges, and who solve problems. A
team that consistently wins. A program
that helps graduates land good jobs, and
helps them understand the value of giving
back.”
Augsburg College Athletic Director
Jeff Swenson said the program epitomizes
what Augsburg College strives for throughout its teams.
“Coach Griess and his staff exemplify
what we want to see in all our sports—student athletes who display great athleticism
and who work hard to achieve in the classroom and in the community,” Swenson
said. “Griess’ program has helped studentathletes become leaders on and off the
court during their time at Augsburg—leaders who stay connected and who give back
when they graduate.”
Griess also requires that players take
seriously their academics. “We communicate throughout each semester about their
academic progress. We expect our studentathletes to know exactly where they stand
in their progress toward graduation,”
Griess said. “They need to learn to be able
to talk about progress or struggles, and to
be able to communicate that with us, their
professors, and families.”
Mentoring and service work also are
components used by Griess. Juniors and
seniors help younger players understand
the culture and values of the team. The
team currently is part of an Adopt-a-Road
program and is exploring the start of a
reading program with a neighborhood
school.
The impact of Griess’ effort is visible
in the players’ grades, the team’s standing,
and the players’ actions after graduation.
“Coach Griess’ guys are known for
their work ethic. We never have to worry
about his student-athletes meeting eligibility standards,” said Kelly AndersonDiercks, associate athletic director and
compliance director.
During his nine seasons with the
Auggies, the team’s overall winning percentage steadily has climbed to .750. The
team, which is a member of the Minnesota
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC),
has made it to conference playoffs four
times, twice reaching the semifinals.
semifinals.
In 2012-13, the team earned a spot in
the championship game. In the past five
five
seasons, the Auggies have won 65 percent
of their games—the second-highest men’s
basketball winning percentage in the MIAC
for that time period. Griess’ work earned
him MIAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the
Year honors during the 2009-10 season.
Assistant coach comes full circle
The impact of Griess’ vision also can be
seen in the growing number of players
who contribute to the team and College
after they graduate. One of the best
examples of this can be seen in Charlie
Scott ’08, who now serves as Griess’
assistant coach.
Scott, who hails from Ely, Minn.,
was recruited as a fi
first-year
rst-year student
to Augsburg by former Coach Brian
Ammann. Scott picked Augsburg because
of its urban location, which he said
allowed him to make campus as small
or as large as he wanted. He played for
Ammann for two years and for Griess for
two years.
Griess and Scott both acknowledge that at the time Griess arrived at
Augsburg, just as Scott finished
finished his
second year as an Auggie, Scott wasn’t yet
the leader he later grew to be.
“When we met, Charlie wasn’t ready
to be a team leader. He didn’t completely
believe in himself because he hadn’t put
in the necessary work. I talked to him
about whether he wanted to be a leader,”
Griess said. “I wanted him to take himself
seriously, and to use the tools he had. I
knew the players would follow him, but he
had to become our team’s hardest worker.”
Scott said he was ready, and he was
in the weight room and gym every day the
summer before his fourth year of college.
He also talked to Griess every day, picking
his brain for advice on how he could help
the team and reach his potential.
“Coach sparked the drive and
determination in me,” Scott said. “When
Coach shared his vision for how he wanted
the team to be, I wanted to be part of
that. I wanted to help the team accomplish its mission to be nationally known
and respected as a first-class
first-class program and
to cultivate student-athletes who understand the values of hard work, perseverance, honesty, integrity, and teamwork.”
Scott was so committed to the success of the team that he wanted to stay
involved even after his four years of eligibility expired. He served as a volunteer
coach during the fifth
fifth year of college that
it took him to finish
finish his double major in
finance
finance and business management.
After graduation, Scott continued
to volunteer while working full time in
financial
financial services. He gradually became a
part-time coach. Then, when the opportunity to apply for the position of full-time,
assistant coach opened up, Scott chased
it. He was one of more than 100 applicants who wanted to work with Griess at
Augsburg.
“I look for leadership qualities in my
assistant coaches, no matter whether they
are volunteers, fellows, or paid coaches.
They have to be willing to learn and work,”
Griess said. “Charlie is the guy who jumps
in and works as hard as anyone. He leads.
He digs in.”
Developing strong relationships with
prospective families is one thing Scott is
looking forward to as he works to fulfill
fulfill his
recruiting responsibilities.
“I have a huge passion for Augsburg,
for basketball, for working with Coach
Griess,” Scott said. “I’m excited to meet
prospective athletes and their families,
helping them learn about Augsburg
and our program, and decide whether
Augsburg is the right place for them as it
was—and is—for me.”
While Scott exemplifies
exemplifies a studentathlete turned servant-leader, he’s just one
of Coach Griess’ players who is finding
finding a
way to give back to a program and school
that means much to them.
Some players give back by volunteering as Scott did. Others serve as a
resource to students to help ready them
for the working world, and some have
hired qualified
qualified alumni to work at their
companies, knowing they are hiring people
with shared ethics and determination to
succeed—qualities honed on and off the
basketball court at Augsburg. Others give
back in the form of gifts to the College.
Today, the two coaches are continuing to build a special program founded
on communication, accountability, and
service. They know that the program will
support student-athletes in their studies
and when they look for their first
first jobs.
They also know that new recruits are coming to a college that will help them not
only develop as an athlete, but also as a
whole person.
STEPHANIE WEISS
Fall 2013
17
Courtesy photo
A promising experiment in organic chemistry:
MIXING TEAMWORK INTO THE COURSE LOAD
Capitalizing on an opportunity to recreate Augsburg College’s advanced organic
chemistry class, assistant professor of
chemistry, Michael Wentzel, has developed a highly attractive approach to a
complicated subject matter. He forces his
students to work together.
“Originally, I wanted to make it so
everybody understood how to write a
reasonable organic mechanism,” said
Wentzel. “But after taking a step back, my
major goals became communications, and
group work, and teaching students how to
work together and how to communicate
better as scientists.”
Each week Wentzel breaks his students up into teams of four. The groups
are then given a simple assignment:
prepare to send a randomly selected group
representative to a guest lecture at the
University of Minnesota.
After the lecture, each group is
required to put together a presentation on what they feel is the essence of
the subject matter. “Every person got
a chance to be the point person for his
or her group,” said Wentzel, in reference to his first class. “I wanted to see
people work together. To force them to be
uncomfortable.”
Inside the lab, Wentzel’s unique
approach to teaching ensues. He delegates
his workload by directing his students’
questions to other students. He assigns
18
Augsburg Now
As for the class itself, Wentzel’s
methods are driving enrollment. “You can
imagine how many people are excited to
take organic chemistry, let alone advanced
organic chemistry,” joked Wentzel. “I
think the most students to ever take
the course at one time was maybe five
students before I got it,” he said. “And
now we have [another] 20 or at least 15
people for next year. It’s been exciting.”
individual students specific pieces of lab
equipment, has them write out instructions for that equipment, and then dubs
them the go-to person for that instrument’s
technical support moving forward.
The results of this interactive style
of teaching are compelling. “The biggest
thing I’ve seen is the students are confident in talking about science,” he said.
Using the confidence learned in his
class, some of Wentzel’s former students
have landed internships and entry into
competitive graduate degree programs following graduation from Augsburg. Wentzel
is clearly proud. “We had a Goldwater
Scholarship winner and an honorable
mention [this year]. These were kids that
were in [my] classes,” he said.
Editor’s Note: An integrated course design
grant from Augsburg College’s Center for
Teaching and Learning funded peer-review
sessions and other opportunities allowing
Wentzel to revise the advanced organic
chemistry class.
Reprinted with permission. Article by
Phil Meagher for JoVE, the Journal of
Visualized Experiments. JoVE is a peerreviewed journal dedicated to publishing
methods and research in a visual format.
MY AUGGIE EXPERIENCE
Augsburg shifts student’s dream into high gear
Trevor Rodriguez-Sotelo ’13 was the kid who was fascinated
by anything with a steering wheel and motor. From a young
age, instead of playing with Matchbox cars or Tonka trucks, he
would tinker with real engines in his uncles’ garages.
Later, when Rodriguez-Sotelo enrolled at Augsburg
College, he had a clear vision of his dream: to work as an
engineer designing automobile—specifically BMW—engines.
He knew entering this highly specialized field was going to be
a challenge, but he soon learned that Augsburg faculty and
staff were eager to help him achieve his dream.
During his first semester at the College, Rodriguez-Sotelo
took Calculus Workshop, an elective course designed by
Rebekah Dupont, the coordinator of an Augsburg program
that seeks to increase the number of minority students who
complete degrees in science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics.
Rodriguez-Sotelo said Dupont helped prepare him for
success in college-level mathematics courses, supporting him
inside and outside the classroom. She recognized RodriguezSotelo’s remarkable abilities and suggested that he take them
to the next level through undergraduate research on campus,
which he went on to conduct with Benjamin Stottrup, associate professor of physics.
“Trevor came with a dream, and he had to slog through
my biophysics lab to get to that dream,” said Stottrup, who
for two years advised Rodriguez-Sotelo in the use of scientific
instruments to measure resistance to flow in biomaterials.
Rodriguez-Sotelo said he knew this research wasn’t linked
perfectly to his automotive engineering interest, but would
give him priceless experience.
Part of Rodriguez-Sotelo’s on-campus research was made
possible through Augsburg’s McNair Scholars Program, a federal grant-funded graduate school preparatory program to help
ready underrepresented students for doctoral study.
“Stottrup stressed writing skills even though we’re in the
sciences,” Rodriguez-Sotelo said. “This helps you become
more articulate and allows you to present yourself better—
those skills are applicable in my future.”
Rodriguez-Sotelo’s work on campus bolstered his offcampus research applications and opened the door to a prestigious summer automotive engineering position at Oakland
University outside of Detroit, Mich.
In addition to conducting research on and off campus,
Rodriguez-Sotelo was a member of the men’s track team,
was president of Augsburg Latin American Students and of
As Trevor Rodriguez-Sotelo ’13 crossed the stage at Augsburg’s May
Commencement, he celebrated a successful undergraduate experience that accelerated his ability to achieve his dream of becoming
an automotive engineer.
Augsburg’s Society of Physics Students chapter, mentored
first-year STEM students, and more.
“I had the opportunity to do all the academic, cultural and
social activities I liked,” he said. “I was able to do everything
because of personal and academic support from faculty and staff.
I followed their advice, and they put me on the right path.”
Rodriguez-Sotelo graduated last May, and in August took
a step closer to achieving his goals by beginning a master’s degree program at the renowned Clemson University
International Center for Automotive Research. He earned a
competitive BMW fellowship, which will help fund his graduate
studies and allow him to intern at BMW Manufacturing Co. next
summer. He credits earning this award to his “whole body of
work” at Augsburg.
“The beautiful thing about Augsburg is that faculty and
staff pay attention to their students…they care what kind of
person I am and where I go after Augsburg,” he said. “Since
I was a little kid, I knew this was where I wanted to be, and
now I’m here—an automotive engineer.”
LAURA SWANSON
Fall 2013
19
IT’S NOT YOUR
AVERAGE WEEK.
IT’S HOMECOMING.
20
Augsburg Now
Homecoming brings alumni, friends back to campus
Homecoming 2013 reunited former classmates, friends, roommates, and professors, and invigorated the Auggie spirit in everyone in attendance.
Traditional celebrations ensued, including the Homecoming
Convocation with Distinguished Alumni Awards; the Taste of
Augsburg event in Murphy Square featuring food, carnival-style
booths, and bounce houses; and lively athletic events including an
alumni baseball game and dugout dedication ceremony, as well as
volleyball, soccer, and football games.
The week also boasted the Eye-Opener Breakfast featuring Augsburg alumnus Dr. Paul Mueller ’84; reunion brunches;
campus tours; an Athletic Hall of Fame induction ceremony to
honor 2013 inductees; an Auggie Author book reading with Cheri
Johnson ’99; a panel discussion about the Center for Science,
Business, and Religion; and the Augsburg Associates luncheon
with a presentation by Jacqueline deVries, Augsburg professor of
history and director of general education.
The merriment came to a close at the Auggie Block Party with
live music and s’mores.
Homecoming is just one of many ways for Augsburg alumni to
stay connected to the College. If you are interested in serving on
your reunion committee or volunteering to help plan next year’s
events, contact alumni@augsburg.edu. For more information, visit
augsburg.edu/alumni.
AUGGIES AREN’T ORDINARY.
NEITHER IS THEIR HOMECOMING.
Fall 2013
21
ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS
First Decade Award
Honors an Auggie who graduated during
the past 10 years who has exemplified
the mission of the College while achieving significant progress in his or her
professional achievements and contributions in the community.
Alexa Halford ’03
Halford, who graduated from Augsburg
with a bachelor of arts
in physics and mathematics, currently is
a lecturer and postdoctoral researcher in
physics at Dartmouth College.
After graduating from Augsburg, she
earned a master’s degree in astronomy
and planetary sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and a doctorate
in physics at the University of Newcastle. Shortly afterward, she won a highly
competitive Visiting Young Scientist
fellowship from Dartmouth College.
“Augsburg is small, but that’s what makes
it so special. I have people here in my
corner, and you will, too.”
director from 1993-2001.
“I’ve had the wonder of studying music for
many years…it’s for Him we sing, to tell
the wonders of His love.”
Alan Rice
Rice, an Olympic athlete and coach, is one
of the most respected
and honored men in
U.S. Greco-Roman
wrestling. He also is a member of the
U.S. Wrestling Hall of Fame. He is a
long-time friend and supporter of the
College, and responsible for the worldclass Alan and Gloria Rice Wrestling
Center in Kennedy Center.
“I’ve been so privileged to be so involved
in Augsburg. Thank you for allowing me to
participate. Thank you, Augsburg.”
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Honors alumni in recognition of a significant achievement in their vocation,
for outstanding contribution to church
and community, and for leading a life
that exemplifies the ideals and mission
of the College.
Spirit of Augsburg Award
Honors alumni and friends of the College who have given of their service to
substantially impact the well-being of
Augsburg’s mission and programs.
Alfred Reesnes ’58
Reesnes is dedicated
to using his love of
music to serve the
College. For 33 years,
he taught high school
music and developed choirs noted for
high-quality performance and literature.
He was a charter member of the Augsburg
Centennial Singers and assistant
22
Augsburg Now
H. Theodore Grindal ’76
Grindal is former
chair of the Augsburg
Board of Regents
and a partner in the
law firm of Lockridge
Grindal Nauen PLLP. He repeatedly has
been recognized as one of Minnesota’s
top lobbyists.
“I’ve tried to follow five principles throughout my life: God, family, friends, work, and
service. Remember who you are. Be true
to yourself, be authentic, let that be your
guidepost.”
HOMECOMING
2013
Clayton McNeff ’91
McNeff is vice
president of research
at SarTec, Ever Cat
Fuels LLC, Mcgyan
Biodiesel LLC, and
other family businesses. He is known as
the co-creator of the patented Mcgyan
process, which uses non-food sources to
create biodiesel.
“I dedicate this award to my mother,
Marie Olive McNeff, and I urge you to use
your gifts to help those around you. Work
together to pay it back and pay it forward.”
Roselyn Nordaune ’77
Nordaune is founder
of the law firm,
Nordaune & Friesen
PLLC, and is known
for her work in family law. She is a former member of the
Augsburg Board of Regents and dedicated to engaging Augsburg alumnae in the
philanthropic priorities of the College.
“I pledge you: I’m not done yet. I pledge
to Augsburg my work, my resources, my
service.”
IT TAKES AN AUGGIE
Class Challenge spurs friendly competition
among Auggies to build new academic building
Alumni from throughout the decades have responded to a
charge presented by Augsburg College Regent Wayne
Jorgenson ’71 and former Alumni Board President Christopher
Ascher ’81. The two men established alumni Class Challenges
to create a friendly philanthropic-giving competition between
their respective classes, and to invite all alumni to give back to
the College to help build the Center for Science, Business, and
Religion (CSBR).
“Early gifts from alumni and friends of the College made
it possible for each of us to experience a great Augsburg
education,” Ascher said. “We are convinced. Now is our time to
make the investment and help open doors for others.”
“No other campus we know has created such an exciting intersection of disciplines—science, business, and
religion—to serve students and forge a pathway to a better
future for all of us,” Jorgenson said.
Many classes already are involved in Class Challenges,
and some have surpassed their goal of donating $1 million to
the campaign. As of October 15, 42 classes had contributed
more than $25,000 (see chart below).
The Class Challenges, combined with a recent gift of $10
million from a member of the class of 1965, bring the CSBR fund
to more than $25 million. The overall goal for the campaign is
$50 million.
To see the status of all Class Challenges—and to learn more
about the CSBR—visit blogs.augsburg.edu/alumni. To join an
existing Class Challenge or to start a new Class Challenge, contact Kim Stone at 612-330-1173 or stonek@augsburg.edu.
Surpassed the
$1 million challenge
Contributed between
$250,000-$499,999
Contributed between
$50,000-$99,999
Contributed between
$25,000-$49,999
1962
1965
1945
1956
1963
1968
1971
1972
1977
1950
1953
1955
1959
1961
1962
1964
1966
1974
1982
1991
1994
1946
1951
1954
1960
1969
1970
1973
1978
1986
1987
1998
2002
2014
Contributed between
$500,000-$999,999
1981
1984
1985
Contributed between
$100,000-$249,999
1957
1967
1975
1979
1980
1962 1977 1968
1972 1956 1965
1971 1984
1981
1963 1985
1945
Fall 2013
23
ALUMNI NEWS
Dear alumni and friends,
t
hank you to those of you who participated in the
alumni survey that was conducted earlier this
fall. We received a tremendous response: More
than 4,000 alumni records have been updated, and
the Alumni Board is able to more effectively connect
with alumni with whom we had lost touch.
We’ve included many of the alumni updates from
the survey in a special “Keeping Track of Auggies”
Class Notes section on pages 24 to 30 of this issue
of Augsburg Now. You can also discover information
about your fellow Auggies in the recently relaunched
Auggie Maroon Pages online. To open the door to this
network, go to augsburg.edu/alumni and click “Auggie
Maroon Pages.” This will take you to an overview page
for the Auggie Maroon Pages, where you can click the
“Sign In or Sign Up” button and log in or register as a
new user.
In reading all the wonderful notes sent in
response to the survey, it is obvious to me that an
Augsburg education has made a huge difference in
the lives of our alumni!
healthy and active at ages 89 and
86, respectively.
Reprinted with permission
from Duluth News Tribune
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Joseph T. Seto received a
Congressional Gold Medal in 2011
in Washington, D.C., for Military
Intelligence, Service Veteran WWII.
Ebba (Johnson) Brooks
recently was presented the
Swedish Council of America’s
Award of Merit. She was acknowledged in the Duluth News Tribune
with an article and photo (above).
Brooks is pictured in the center of
the image.
42
Evelyn H. Sonnack Halverson
married Dr. Bill Halverson on
July 14, 2013. They honeymooned
in Norway and England, and currently reside in Edina, Minn.
43
Mary Lou Nelson received
a scholarship to Syracuse
but got married instead. She is 90
years old, and a 50-year member
of AAUW and LWV.
45
Jack E. Jacobsen was
ordained as an Auxiliary
Bishop in 2010 by the Ordaining
Council of the Minnesota Graduate
School of Theology.
46
Courtesy photo
Sincerely,
TRACY (ANDERSON) SEVERSON ’95
ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Peter A. Lokkesmoe retired
after 36 years with the Boy
Scouts of America. Immediately
after college, he served in the U.S.
Navy.
47
Eugene Hasselquist was
ordained in 1951 at Holy
Communion Lutheran Church in
Racine, Wis. He retired in 1987
from St. Paul Lutheran Church in
Red Wing, Minn.
48
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Beatrice M. Walker moved to
Otterbein North Shore, a senior
continuing care facility. She and
her husband, Tom, celebrated
their 63rd wedding anniversary
September 10.
49
24
Augsburg Now
J. Forrest Anderson and
his wife are blessed to be
Arne Simengaard is blessed with
a loving family of five daughters,
11 grandchildren, and two great
grandchildren.
Carol V. Larson, at age 85,
was thankful to walk up the
203 steps of Florida’s Ponce De
Leon Lighthouse. She and her husband have four sons: Gary Larson
’72, James Larson ’73, Daniel
Larson ’77, and Fred Larson ’81.
50
Norman F. Nideng retired from his
service in the U.S. Navy Chaplain
Corps.
James E. Christopherson
served since 1954 as a
Lutheran pastor, primarily in South
Dakota. He and his wife have
three grown children: John, Mary,
and Tom.
51
Lillian K. Ose trained and worked
as a medical laboratory technologist at Minneapolis General
Hospital from 1951-57 when she
married her husband, Kenneth.
She worked at various hospitals
and/or clinics in Minnesota until
her retirement in 1994.
Arvid D. Dixe published a
book titled Come, Meet
the Church, which included a
foreword written by Minnesota
journalist Jim Klobuchar.
52
Charlotte M. Rimmereid served
for three years as a teacher in
North Branch, Minn., where she
directed two choirs and taught
music, geometry, and algebra for
grades 1-12.
Dorothy Christopherson
recently retired from serving 11 years as director of the
women’s choir for First Lutheran
53
KEEPING TRACK OF AUGGIES
Church of Sioux Falls, S.Dak. She
also has directed choirs for children, youth, adults, and handbell
ensembles.
Minnesota. Their sons, Dan, Dave,
and Brad, all work for Dart Transit.
Daughter, Angie, is very busy at
home with her three sons.
59
Reidun H. Newquist had several music therapy students
from Augsburg observe at Michael
Dowling School.
Lawrence E. Gallagher and his
wife, Barbara, celebrated their
50th wedding anniversary in
August.
Gloria M. Thorpe and her husband, Gordon, celebrated their
60th wedding anniversary on
August 23.
Ellayne V. Velde-Conyers retired
in 2011 but continues to write a
weekly column in the Marshall
Independent newspaper. She hosts
a public access television program
in Marshall, Minn., once per week,
and was elected to the Marshall
City Council in November 2012.
60
Lois A. Agrimson’s son Erick
Agrimson ’98 welcomed son,
Anders David Agrimson, on June
22, 2012.
James N. Holden recently received
the Distinguished Service Award
from the Northfield (Minn.) High
School Booster Club for support of
the tennis program.
Helen Witt is very thankful for her
two years spent at Augsburg while
earning her nursing education at
Deacon’s Hospital from 1949-52,
also being included in the class of
1953 at Augsburg College. Both
the school and the hospital were a
major influence in her life.
Woodrow W. Wilson’s niece, Catha
Jones, attended Augsburg and
graduated in 1970. After graduation she was diagnosed with
cancer and passed away. In 1975,
her parents, Kenneth and Carmen
Jones, endowed the Catha Jones
Scholarship, which has supported
21 students who share Catha’s
interest in elementary education
and music.
Herbert W. Chilstrom and his
wife, Corinne, recently wrote
Every Morning New—a book of
devotional readings for every day
of the year.
54
George W. Fisher and his wife,
Mary, began their 18th year
singing with the Lexington County
(S.C.) Choral Society. George has
played violin for 17 years and
recently began learning clarinet.
James W. Anderson taught
music for 40 years and was
a real estate agent for 27 years.
Four of his children also graduated from Augsburg College.
55
Dorothy Devick worked for three
years as a school teacher, then
worked with her husband at their
business.
Beverly J. Oren and her husband
have 12 grandchildren. All of their
children have children of their
own and live close to them in
E. William Anderson taught
at Bagley High School and
Mound-Westonka High School.
He has visited more than 100
countries.
56
Robert R. Lockwood was inducted
into the Augsburg College Hall
of Fame in 1994. He taught and
coached for 42 years in Golden
Valley and Hopkins (Minn.)
District 270. At 82, he continues
to spend his time swimming, skiing, biking, and golfing.
Mark C. Thorpe retired from a
lifetime of aircraft design work at
McDonnell Aircraft, McDonnell
Douglas, and Boeing in St. Louis.
Oscar E. Olson taught for
many years, including as
a substitute for Willmar (Minn.)
Public Schools. He partially retired
to Bozeman, Mont., where he
substitute taught for several years
before moving to Billings, Mont.
57
Dennis E. Barnaal and his
wife, Doris, in 2011 traveled
to Norway and the Barnaal Farm/
Mountain Hotel with their children
and children’s families. While
in the Luther College Physics
Department, he conducted three
research sabbatical leaves in
Norway, including one with Keith
Anderson ’54.
58
Harland P. Danielson continues
crop farming in Wisconsin. He
and his wife have 10 children,
23 grandchildren, and four
great-grandchildren.
Luther A. Anderson is a founding
board member of the Lake Region
Writers Network, and serves
as the managing editor of Lake
Region Review, an annual regional
literary magazine.
Carol A. Casperson’s granddaughter, Harley Ann Fulton, was born
on September 1 to parents Laura
Casperson and Scott Fulton.
Karen (Erickson) McCullogh in
2012 walked the pilgrimage route,
Camino Frances, from St. Jean
Pied de Port, France, to Santiago
de Compostela, Spain.
Philip Q. Bauman was
blessed with three greatgranddaughters in 2013.
62
Arden Flaten with his wife, Alice,
celebrated a 50th wedding anniversary in September.
Dennis E. Glad continues to cocoordinate work teams for the
United National Church to the
Caribbean and Central America.
Glad will lead work teams with the
Caribbean Mission Cruise in 2014.
Gordon L. Syverson retired in 2008
but continues to lead worship services. He welcomed grandchildren
in 2011 and again in 2013.
Lowell “Zeke” Zieman was honored by Marshall (Minn.) High
School in April and inducted into
the school’s Hall of Honor.
Kenneth L. Akerman and his
wife, Marilyn A. Akerman ’62,
celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary in 2012.
61
Larry B. Cowl practiced law for
more than 30 years prior to his
retirement in 2005. He continues to work part time as a legal
consultant.
James E. DeMars has been married to Susan for 52 years, and
they have six grandchildren.
Roger and Judy Lerstad Hill ’62
reunited with Gretchen Carlson at
the Miss Minnesota/Miss America
Sisters Reunion Gala held at the
Radisson Blu in Bloomington,
Minn., in June. Hill was Augsburg’s
first Miss Minnesota in 1962, and
Carlson was Miss Minnesota in 1987
and Miss America in 1988. Hill was
the first Alumni Director for the Miss
Minnesota Pageant from 1964-78.
Glenn D. Peterson retired
in 1997 after 35 years as a
teacher of choral music in Rush
City, Minn., and Duluth, Minn. In
2001, he founded Garden Street
Landscape.
63
David D. Proctor was ordained into
the Lutheran ministry in 1963. He
served congregations in Ohio and
Michigan before his retirement in
2000.
Andrew M. Berg and wife,
Jean, are retired near
Willmar, Minn. They have visited
64
Fall 2013
25
all 50 states, Norway numerous times, and many European
countries.
Roger G. Johnson, a Minnetonka,
Minn., native, was awarded
Fergus Falls (Minn.) High
School’s Hall of Fame award for
Distinguished Service.
Arla P. Landon retired in 1985.
Jean S. Olson retired in 2011
following 23 years of service as
an employee of the Minnesota
Historical Society.
her husband have done a lot of
traveling around Colorado and the
U.S., plus trips to Norway, China,
Mexico, Costa Rica, and Hawaii.
third grandchild, Bridget Erin
Causby, on July 3. Their other
grandchildren are Charles Lawton
Ogburn, IV and Selah Eliot Ogburn.
Adeline R. Sarkela is involved in
volunteer ministry with church
music and children.
Jan Pedersen Schiff was honored
and inducted into the Marin
Women’s Hall of Fame for her
community service as the founder
and artistic director of Singers
Marin. For the past 26 years,
Pedersen Schiff has created
structured programs to develop
vocal skills that support musical
development.
When Harold J. Bagley
graduated in 1966, he was
the last (youngest) of several children of Rev. Emil G. Bagley ’49 to
attend Augsburg College. He also
was the first lawyer from a family
of ministers, teachers, and social
workers.
66
Carolyn E. Anderson celebrated 50 years of marriage
with her husband, Don Anderson
’66, in September.
67
Larry G. Buboltz and his wife,
Adrienne, recently celebrated 50
years of marriage. Larry served as
the Director of Rural Minnesota
CED, Inc. He was a member of
the Detroit Lakes (Minn.) City
Council from 1976-1988, and
elected mayor from 1988-2008.
Bruce L. Hansen is a retired
English teacher from
Minneapolis Public Schools, and
now serves as a lay minister for
his local church.
Myrna J. Sheie retired in 2011
after more than 30 years working in the Twin Cities, Minn.,
and Chicago for the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) and the American
Lutheran Church (ALC).
Susan E. Ferguson earned her
masters of theology in 2004 from
Trinity Lutheran Seminary in
Columbus, Ohio.
Diane J. Tiedeman is retired from
Bloomington (Minn.) Public
Schools where she taught secondthrough fourth-grade students.
Kay E. Jenness and her husband,
Dave, moved from New Mexico to
Washington to be closer to their
family.
Karen M. Alm recently retired
after 31 years teaching elementary education in the Forest
Lake (Minn.) School District.
69
Dennis D. Miller and his wife,
Christine, are members of the faculty at Cornell University in Ithaca,
N.Y. Miller serves as the chair of
the Department of Food Science.
Richard E. Cummings has been
active in civic and service organizations, including the Stillwater
(Minn.) City Council and, since
1983, Rotary International for
which he is proud of his 30 years
of perfect attendance.
65
Dennis D. Gray celebrated 50 years
of marriage to Marilyn Rokke Gray
on July 13. They have three sons
and eight grandchildren.
Carmen D. Herrick studied
Norwegian at the University of Oslo
International Summer School from
2008 to 2010. In 2011-2012, she
attended Elverum Folkehogskole in
Elverum, Norway.
Marie D. McNally retired from her
work as an English teacher. Her
husband, Tom, continues employment as chief operating officer of
Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in
Plymouth, Minn.
Diane S. Ristrom sang in a special
choral concert in October with
hundreds of alumni to celebrate
the 100th birthday of Augsburg’s
Leland B. Sateren ’35.
Marlys Tron, retired, stays involved
in her community through church
activities and as chair of a polio
support group.
Richard E. Sandeen retired from
teaching and coaching in Edina,
Minn.
Jerome Schaubach was inducted
into Minnesota Cross Country
Coaches Hall of Fame in 2013.
Margaret P. Albright and her
husband have two daughters. One is a kindergarten teacher
in Bemidji, Minn., and the other
works for Mayo Clinic in the Legal
Department.
70
James Fischer was inducted into
the Augsburg Athletic Hall of
Fame and received the Excellence
in Coaching award.
Ric Hovda retired last June from
San Diego State University, where
he served as dean of the College
of Education for six years. Prior
to his work at SDSU, Hovda was
dean of the College of Education
at the University of Memphis.
Susan M. Pursch was awarded the
ELCA’s Tom Hunstad Award for
Excellence in Youth and Family
Ministry in 2007. She currently
works as a development officer at
The Cancer Support Community
of Philadelphia, Penn.
Mary J. Loken Veiseth retired last
July following 24 years of work
at Apple Valley (Minn.) Medical
Clinic.
68
Lois J. Peterson enjoys living in
Colorado, spending time with
her grown children, friends, and
family, and spoiling her six-yearold granddaughter. She and
Paul A. Andell retired from
his call of 39 years as senior
pastor of St. James Evangelical
Lutheran Church in Philadelphia,
Penn.
Mim Jacobson and Marian Korth
were married in September in
Augsburg’s Harbo Meditation
Chapel.
Charles A. Niles and Bonnie
(Board) Niles ’71, welcomed their
Glen J. Peterson has been
employed for 27 years as the
Augsburg Now
Patricia A. Piepenburg was
inducted into Augsburg’s Athletic
Hall of Fame in 2011.
Bonnie K. Risius retired during
2010.
Jane M. Norman is a business coowner of Kultur Hus, a Norwegian
heritage shop in Sunburg, Minn.
26
director of the Hyland Snow
Sports Academy in Bloomington,
Minn.
Jane C. Bracken retired in
2012 from Cannon Falls
(Minn.) Area Schools after teaching
first grade for 41 years. She continues to work as an organist and
pianist at St. Ansgar’s Lutheran
Church in Cannon Falls, Minn.
71
KEEPING TRACK OF AUGGIES
Wayne D. Jorgenson has long
enjoyed Civil War re-enacting
and studying the Civil War. He
recently published a book on the
First Minnesota Volunteer Infantry,
titled Every Man Did His Duty.
Janice K. Thompson retired in
2012 after 35 years of teaching.
She enjoys traveling with her
family, and she is the Pine Island,
Minn., WCCO Weather Watcher.
Darrell L. Skogen is in his 43rd
year of teaching, with a goal of
continuing until his 50th anniversary. He recently retired from 47
years of charting statistics for high
school and college games, and
from maintaining statistics for St.
Michael-Albertville (Minn.) High
School football.
Clarence D. Anderson is a
retired Air Force Bandsman
stationed mostly in Northern
California.
72
Robert A. Engelson’s son, Matthew,
graduated from Luther College
with a degree in music education
this past May.
Kristin P. Parbst Rohde retired in
June.
Scott J. Brown is a customer
service specialist at Walser
Honda in Burnsville, Minn.
73
Joyce L. Casey retired after
39 years of teaching elementary grades in the St. MichaelAlbertville (Minn.) School District.
Mark A. Ladwig is retired and
enjoying his grandchildren, running, playing viola, genealogy, and
learning German.
Beth C. Walen retired in
January after more than
33 years of service as a flight
attendant.
74
Debra D. Johnson has worked
as a pediatrician and clinical
geneticist for HealthPartners since
75
1985 and is the mother of two
daughters.
Patti (Edwards) Kramlinger
was honored with the Claire
E. Faust Public Service Award
from Minnesota State University,
Mankato, Minn. The award is presented to faculty or staff members
in recognition of their years of
dedicated service to the university,
the Mankato community, the state
of Minnesota, and the United
States.
Clifford G. McCann’s three
children, Kevin, Meredith, and
Allison, are married and he has
three grandchildren.
Heidi (Leaf) Haagenson
recently was named vice
president of Academic and
Student Affairs at Anoka Technical
College.
77
Ruth A. Underdahl-Peirce welcomed her first grandson, Cyrus
Steven Richard, born to her
daughter, Beth Underdahl-Peirce,
on August 9 in Bloomington,
Ind. Son, Jon Underdahl-Peirce,
served in the Peace Corps in
Burkina Faso, Africa, and now
works for the U.S. Department of
Labor in Washington, D.C.
Roberta Aitchison Olson
gets together with five of her
former classmates and roommates
on a regular basis, and cherishes
lifelong friendships and professional support. They call themselves “chez nous” and started
out by forming an intentional living
community based on social justice
principles: Megan Webster Stemper
’78, physical therapist; Jackie
Goheen ’78, gardening business
owner; Grit Youngquist ’79, health
educator, adjunct professor at
the University of Minnesota; Patty
Frazier, psychology professor at the
University of Minnesota; and Jane
Bjorndal McAdams ’78, pharmaceutical compensation director.
78
Marion G. Hinz is an “empty
nester” with her only child
now in college in Chicago.
79
David L. Norgard was
appointed a teaching
faculty member in the Graduate
Management program at Antioch
University Los Angeles.
80
Roxanne K. Williams is in her 34th
year of teaching physical education and credits Lavonne “Ma
Pete/Mrs. Pete” Peterson for her
skills in the classroom.
Jennie Clark-Anderson is
the executive director for
the Living at Home of the Park
Rapids (Minn.) Area, which
helps seniors remain in the home
of their choice. She performs
with the Northern Light Opera
Company and the Park Rapids
Area Community Band.
81
Kyle A. Anderson’s daughter, Kaitlyn, married Peter
Langston, Jr. on July 14 in
Delwood, Minn. Both Kaitlyn and
Peter are graduates of Bethel
University.
84
Janet B. Bolm welcomed her
grandson, Brody, on November
13, 2012.
Brent J. Crego co-founded
Comfort Love Care Assisted Living
Operations. Crego helps nonprofit
organizations care for their elder
members while generating income.
Charles K. Evans retired as a correctional police officer in 2013.
Kathi A. Osmonson has a new
job with the State Fire Marshal
Division as the youth firesetting prevention and intervention
specialist.
Kirsten M. Schwappach is a fulltime proofreader at Medical Arts
Press. She began her career as
an assistant librarian at the Blake
Upper School and a reference
librarian at Hamline University.
Liz Sheahan recently became
the director of transformational
gifts with Society of St. Andrew,
a national nonprofit focused on
getting fresh produce to hungry
Americans.
Jodi L. Holden is enrolled at
Saint Mary’s University pursuing a master’s degree in counseling and psychology, and she
expects to graduate in May 2014.
Holden works as a career counseling graduate intern in the career
and internship services center of
the University of Minnesota. She
holds an MBA in international
management from the University
of Dallas.
88
82
Lynda C. Ott has worked at Seward
Montessori School for seven years,
and many Augsburg students
have volunteered in her fourthand fifth-grade classrooms. Ott
and her husband, Peter, have two
grown sons.
Diane Wells received the 2012
Lifeworks Advocate of the Year
award.
Matthew Butler in 2013 was
promoted to Lt. Colonel.
Jacqueline E. Forrester is working
to establish a nonprofit in her
home country of Jamaica. The
organization will provide food,
clothing, and other services to
children.
Dan Wright and his wife, Kristen
Haglund, celebrated the birth of
their second son, Bjorn Arthur.
Their first son, Johan Rowen, is
now 8 years old. Dan is a senior
applications engineer at Nike,
Inc. and Kristen is a naturopathic
physician.
Michele L. Boyer and her
wife, Melissa Conway, have
two kids, Evan (age 10) and Rita
(age 9)—both adopted from
Nepal. They came home in 2003
and 2006.
89
Fall 2013
27
Michelle C. Goldberger is the
program director of COR Retreat,
a nonprofit spiritual retreat for
food addicts. She is mother to five
children ranging in age from 10
to 24.
Marilee A. Mowry completed three
degrees through Augsburg College
and recently retired from teaching
music and kindergarten in St.
Paul Public Schools. She continues to teach piano and woodwinds
in her home.
Julie A. Edstrom accepted a
new position in enrollment
management at the University of
Great Falls in Great Falls, Mont.
Her son, Cameron, began his first
year at Augsburg in August.
90
Joel B. Bue has an
18-month-old daughter and
another baby due in February
2014.
91
Stephanie A. Trump is serving as
adjunct professor of music at
the University of NorthwesternSt. Paul, and she directs the
Women’s Chorale.
Madelyn D. Browne earned a
Green Belt certificate at the
University of St. Thomas in 2012.
92
Terri A. Burnor is a student at
United Theological Seminary of
the Twin Cities, and she will intern
with two Unitarian Universalist
congregations.
Sharol Tyra, a professional certified coach at Life Illumination
Coaching, was elected president
of the Board of Directors, effective in 2014, for ICF Minnesota,
a chartered chapter of the
International Coach Federation.
Marilyn J. Vick-Kalar is a working
artist.
She recently was crowned Mrs.
Arizona International 2013 and
competed in the Mrs. International
competition in July. Throughout
her reign as Mrs. Arizona
International, McCune continues
to support Adopt a Senior Citizen
programs as her platfom and raise
awareness for the nation’s growing
senior citizen population.
Lisa M. Zahn recently opened her
own business as a Co-active Life
Coach.
Michael P. Schmidt married
Steven A. (Bartkowicz) Schmidt in
Decorah, Iowa, on April 6.
Kristin A. Lehne is a physical therapist and works at
Pediatric Therapy Services, Inc. in
Mankato, Minn.
97
93
Summerei-Dawn Hamille is
creating an original ballet to
“Thumbelina.”
94
Beryl J. Deskin is semiretired and employed parttime as a business writer and
facilitator.
95
Jennifer S. Kvidt welcomed son,
Ethan, on February 13, 2012.
Michelle Boyum Breen and
Trenda Boyum-Breen legally
were wed on August 1.
Shari Hornseth welcomed
daughter, Claire, on February
19. She joins big brother, Andrew.
Shari is a social work MSHO manager with HealthEast. The family
lives in Farmington, Minn.
99
Lillian
Lillian Jane
Jane Moore
Moore was
was born
born
January
January 23
23 to
to proud
proud parents
parents Anne
Anne
(Osberg)
(Osberg) Moore
Moore and
and Scott
Scott Moore,
Moore,
and
and prouder
prouder grandparents
grandparents Jack
Jack
Osberg
Osberg ’62
’62 and
and Nina
Nina Osberg.
Osberg.
Kat
Kat Wolfe
Wolfe and
and her
her husband
husband
opened
opened aa talent
talent agency,
agency, Wolfe
Wolfe
Talent,
Talent, which
which serves
serves the
the Twin
Twin
Cities.
Cities.
Robert P. Wasik retired from
corporate life in 2012 and
opened his own business in White
Bear Lake, Minn.
96
Holly (Kolander) McCune, a
Minnesota Vikings cheerleader
for five years, recently was
interviewed by the NFL Alumni
Organization for its “Where are
they now?” series. McCune lives
in Scottsdale, Ariz., with her
husband and twin daughters.
Ryan R. Ball welcomed
his son, Owen Ball, on
February 20.
01
Jesse (Lipelt) Moen and Jason
Moen ’98 welcomed daughter,
Ada, on May 15.
Emily
Emily E.
E. Larsen
Larsen Scaglia
Scaglia and
and
her
husband
recently
her husband recently welwelcomed
comed their
their son,
son, Logan
Logan Thomas,
Thomas,
born
on
February
born on February 10.
10.
02
Jacob
Jacob M.
M. Wegscheider
Wegscheider welcomed
welcomed
aa daughter,
daughter, Whitney
Whitney Nichole,
Nichole, on
on
June
June 6.
6. She
She joins
joins brother,
brother, Henry
Henry
Tate,
Tate, born
born April
April 6,
6, 2011.
2011.
Brian
Brian L.
L. Kuhl
Kuhl graduated
graduated
summa
summa cum
cum laude
laude from
from
the
the University
University of
of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Law
Law
School,
School, fifinishing
nishing in
in the
the top
top 1
1
percent
percent of
of his
his graduating
graduating class.
class.
He
He is
is an
an associate
associate attorney
attorney at
at
Mayer
Mayer Brown’s
Brown’s Chicago
Chicago offi
office,
ce, aa
proud
proud husband,
husband, and
and aa father
father of
of aa
fifive-year-old
ve-year-old son
son and
and 10-month10-monthold
old daughter.
daughter.
03
Carl Grulke ’07 and Bart
Rall ’05 graduated from
Concordia Seminary in
St. Louis, Mo. Grulke will
serve as associate pastor
at Christ Lutheran Church
in Lincoln, Nebr., and
Rall will serve as pastor
at Bethlehem Lutheran
Church in Monterey, Calif.
28
Augsburg Now
Mac Gordon and Nicki
Gordon welcomed their
daughter, Vivian, on May 16. She
joins big brother, Foster.
00
Michael G. Hargadine completed
his 18th year working for the St.
Paul Public School system.
Matt
Matt Christensen
Christensen and
and his
his wife
wife
Katie
Katie Lindenfelser
Lindenfelser ’02
’02 welcomed
welcomed
their
their baby
baby boy,
boy, Daniel
Daniel Gordon
Gordon
Christensen,
on
Christensen, on January
January 16,
16,
2012.
2012. They
They are
are working
working to
to build
build
KEEPING TRACK OF AUGGIES
a children’s hospice and respite
care home for kids with life-limiting conditions and their families,
the first in the Midwest.
Kari A. Badali and partner,
Jodi, welcomed their first
son, Oliver Joseph Badali-Winters,
November 29, 2011.
04
Deanne M. McDonald performed
as Rosalind in “As You Like It” in
Chicago’s Hamlin Park with her
theater company, The Traveling
Players.
Colleen R. Peterson welcomed son,
Cole Lee Peterson, on August 5.
Lauren Wood relocated to San
Francisco, Calif., after accepting
a position as an associate at the
law firm, Glynn & Finley LLP. Her
practice focuses on commercial
litigation.
Dallas Worth, and her husband,
Jarod Worth, welcomed their son,
Kainen David Worth, on June 15.
Jennifer L. Galvin-Anderson
published her memoir about
overcoming cancer and traumatic
brain injury, Crawl Walk Run, and
welcomed son, Evan Craig, in 2012.
05
Bethany Stolle recently graduated
from an interaction design and
social entrepreneurship program
at the Austin Center for Design.
She won the Intel-sponsored
Student Design Challenge at the
Interaction Design Association’s
annual international conference.
Her concept was playful technology to support communication
and connection for nonverbal
people on the Autism Spectrum.
Perry D. Mathison’s son,
Alex, attended St. Thomas
University and graduated in
May of 2013 with a major in
neuroscience.
06
David L. Nash is planning to
pursue a fellowship and career
in pediatric ophthalmology and
strabismus. Sara Nash ’06 is a
senior marketing coordinator for
HDR Engineering. The couple
is expecting their first child in
February.
Jennifer L. Annett married
Douglas Annett on May 18,
2008. Their son, Julian, was born
on October 7, 2010.
07
Lenette M. Baron is married to
Jason with three daughters, ages
8, 5, and 3; another baby due in
November.
Therese M. Maas completed her
master’s degree and graduated
as adult-nurse practitioner from
the College of St. Catherine. She
is completing her doctorate of
nursing practice degree at the
University of Minnesota.
Brooke H. Brown welcomed
Morgan Elizabeth to her family in November 2012.
08
Chad Greenwaldt and his wife welcomed their third child, Nikolas
Nielsen Greenwaldt, on April 10.
Kevin M. Haglund graduated from
the doctor of physical therapy
program at A.T. Still University and
began a physical therapist position
at Spooner Physical Therapy in
Fountain Hills, Ariz.
Jessica H. Snider is teaching
English as a Second Language
(ESL) in Guanajuato, Mexico. Prior
to teaching in Mexico, Snider
taught in Istanbul, Turkey.
Webster L. Ford teaches
through the Minnesota Math
Corps, and he is the sports director of a small-market radio station.
09
Shonna L. Fulford began a senior
admissions counselor position at
Augsburg College in the Office of
Undergraduate Admissions.
Cody Lewis Oaks graduated from
Luther Seminary with a master’s
degree in systematic theology. He
and his wife, Melody, recently welcomed their first son, Theodore.
Jenni Pickford is completing her
master’s in philosophy at Northern
Illinois University. She and her
husband, Thomas R. Anderson,
Jr., live in DeKalb, Ill.
Ryan Sorensen and Kristi Castelic
’09 were married in Green Bay,
Wis., on August 3. Ryan is the St.
Francis High School boys’ varsity
head coach and Augsburg men’s
soccer assistant coach. Kristi
is employed at DCM Services
in Richfield, Minn. The couple
resides in Maple Grove, Minn.
Brett T. Thompson works fulltime as a customer service team
member at Whole Foods Market in
Minnetonka, Minn.
Whitney P. Holman recently
graduated from St. Cloud
State University with a master’s
in communication sciences and
disorders. Holman received the
Mary E. Weise Clinical Excellence
Award and Plural Publishing
Master’s Research Award for her
work on Parkinson’s disease and
pre-motor brain potentials, which
was presented at the American
Speech-Language and Hearing
Association Conference.
10
Stephanie A. Hubbard
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Title
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Augsburg Now Summer 2013: Auggies Shape Our World
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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inside
AUGSBURG NOW
Augsburg Commencement 2013
Student success and achievements
Hybrid teaching and learning
Auggie teachers shape our future
New women’s lacrosse program
SHAPE
oUr
WORLD
SUMMER 2013 | VOL. 75, NO. 3
auGGiEs
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
NOTES
from P...
Show more
inside
AUGSBURG NOW
Augsburg Commencement 2013
Student success and achievements
Hybrid teaching and learning
Auggie teachers shape our future
New women’s lacrosse program
SHAPE
oUr
WORLD
SUMMER 2013 | VOL. 75, NO. 3
auGGiEs
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
NOTES
from President Pribbenow
Faithful and Relevant
During the past several months, Augsburg’s Board of
Regents has invited the campus community into a
strategic mapping process focused on our priorities
and aspirations leading up to the College’s sesquicentennial in 2019. Fittingly titled “Augsburg 2019,” the
plans emerging from extensive research and conversations are aimed at enabling the College to live into a
vision we have stated this way:
In 2019, Augsburg will be a new kind of studentcentered, urban university, small to our students and
big for the world.
As we have engaged in this important strategic work
for Augsburg, I have been struck by the synergy we
have found between what it means to remain faithful to our core values—our Lutheran faith, the liberal
arts, diversity, and urban life—while at the same time
looking for ways to be relevant in the world—equipping students for lives of meaning and purpose in the
21st century.
Some might note the paradox in such a framework—faithful and relevant—but as good Lutherans,
we know well how to live as people centered in the
gifts of our faith and of service to God’s good creation.
It seems especially fitting that this issue of
Augsburg Now includes a meaningful tribute to
Charles Anderson, who served as Augsburg’s eighth
president from 1980 to 1997, and whose legacy is
very much the foundation for the College’s work today
and in the future.
Chuck Anderson believed deeply in the College’s
Lutheran heritage. He was a tireless advocate for the
liberal arts. And he made the College’s urban setting
an even more central part of its daily life and work.
At the same time, Chuck paid close attention to
the needs of the world. He championed Augsburg’s
ground-breaking Weekend College for adult undergraduates, its Rochester campus, the StepUP®
program for students recovering from addictions,
Rebecca John
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Integrated Communication
Specialist
Laura Swanson
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Creative Director
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
the CLASS program for students with learning challenges, the Center for Global Education, and the
College’s first graduate programs. Chuck also set
the stage for Augsburg’s commitment to intentional
diversity, a commitment that has been realized in
the increasing diversity of our student body during
the past several years.
Chuck Anderson’s legacy of sustaining Augsburg
as a faithful and relevant institution may be best captured in our new vision statement. He put students at
the center of the College’s life. He cared deeply for the
urban neighborhoods around campus and saw them
as an extension of the classroom. And he watched
over the expansion of Augsburg’s academic programs,
leading to the comprehensive range of undergraduate
and graduate programs that characterize the College’s
academic profile today—the profile of a small university, a new kind of 21st century university.
As this issue of Augsburg Now so powerfully demonstrates, this vision is very much alive and thriving
on campus and around the world today: Keeping students at the center of our lives through scholarships
made possible by the generosity of remarkable alumni
like Milt Kleven ’46. Students and faculty achieving at
the highest level and being recognized nationally and
internationally for their work. Innovative new curricula,
aimed at sustaining Augsburg’s abiding commitment
to face-to-face instruction, while at the same time
using technology to enhance student experiences.
Augsburg’s ground-breaking work to educate teachers
for diverse schools, bringing the best of new classroom
methods together with the College’s strengths in the
sciences and mathematics. And so much more. It is a
great time to be an Auggie!
Augsburg is a new kind of 21st century university.
Small to our students—the reasons we exist—and
big for the world. Thanks for all you do to help keep
Augsburg faithful and relevant.
Senior Creative Associate-Design
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Production Manager/Now Online
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President
of Advancement
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
langemo@augsburg.edu
Email: now@augsburg.edu
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
summer 2013
AUGSBURG NOW
22
20
36
10
Features
10
20
22
24
Shaping our future
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06 AND
REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
Commencement 2013
Success after college
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Hybrid learning
BY LAURA SWANSON
Departments
inside
front
cover
Notes from President Pribbenow
2
Around the Quad
9
My Auggie experience
18 The Center for Science, Business, and Religion
19 It takes an Auggie
28 Alumni news
30 Alumni class notes
36 Auggies on the field
9
On the cover
Kassie Benjamin-Ficken ’12, an Augsburg elementary education and math
major, and a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, teaches first grade
at Tatanka Academy in Minneapolis. She is one of the seven Auggie teachers
and education alumni featured in “Shaping our future,” page 10.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
19
quad
around the
Augsburg top-ranked in
Dave Wold named
NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION GRANTS
Campus Pastor Emeritus
Augsburg was ranked third in Minnesota for the total dollar
amount awarded in 2012 by the National Science Foundation
(NSF). Augsburg received three awards from NSF last year, totaling more than $1 million. The top two Minnesota NSF grant
recipients are the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and the
University of Minnesota, Duluth—which means that Augsburg
was the leader in NSF funding among private higher education
institutions in the state. This achievement was highlighted
this past spring in a list published by the Minneapolis/St. Paul
Business Journal.
Auggies had the rare opportunity to go on stage at the Bon Jovi concert this past spring.
The group was interviewed by television stations—including KARE 11, KSTP 5, and
WCCO 4—about their community service, education, and experiences working backstage.
Auggies earn
behind-the-scenes opportunity
on Bon Jovi tour
Six Augsburg College students were given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get an inside look at the music business when they worked
backstage during the Bon Jovi “Because We Can” tour held in April at
the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. The students were selected for the
band’s Community Service College Campaign based on their community
engagement and leadership. Participants included [pictured L to R]
Alom Martinez Aleman ’13, Andrea Batt ’13, Alexandra Jamieson ’14, James
“Bear” Mahowald ’13, Thu Nguyen ’15, and Morgan Waldorf ’15. The
group got hands-on experience in public relations, media, management,
and ticketing; and took advantage of the opportunity to network with
media and music professionals.
To read more about Auggies backstage at
Bon Jovi, go to augsburg.edu/now.
2
Augsburg Now
Pastor Dave Wold—Augsburg’s pastor
since 1983—retired at the end of the
2012-13 academic year, and, in its May
meeting, the Augsburg College Board
of Regents resolved that he would be
named Campus Pastor Emeritus. Pastor
Dave served faithfully and well for three
decades, ministering in a variety of ways
to individual members of the Augsburg
community and the entire College. His
service in organizing and leading daily
chapel services, his accessibility to all
with spiritual needs, his inimitable style
as announcer for Auggie athletic events,
his leadership of outreach programs such
as the Augsburg High School Basketball
League, his guidance of the annual
Advent Vespers worship services, and his
ubiquitous presence at College events—
especially student events—all of this and
so much more have been Pastor Dave’s
remarkable contributions to Augsburg. A
community-wide celebration of his ministry at Augsburg is being planned for fall.
Excellence
in teaching and learning
The 2013 Distinguished Contribution recipients [L to R]:
Laura Boisen, David Matz, Darcey Engen ’88, and Colin Irvine.
Each year, the Augsburg College faculty recognizes select colleagues with Distinguished
Contributions to Teaching and Learning awards—
acknowledging those who have demonstrated
outstanding support for students through
teaching, advising, and mentoring. The 2013
recipients include:
• For Excellence in Teaching—Colin Irvine,
associate professor of English
• For Excellence in Mentoring and Advising—
Laura Boisen, professor of social work
• For Excellence in Scholarship—Darcey Engen
’88, associate professor of theater arts, and
David Matz, associate professor of psychology
COMMUNITY CELEBRATES
STEPHEN ‘GABE’ GABRIELSEN
The Augsburg College community celebrated the life, music,
and contributions of Professor Emeritus Stephen “Gabe”
Gabrielsen ’63 in an April ceremony at Hoversten Chapel.
Gabe, as he was known to students, staff, and faculty, taught
at Augsburg for 47 years. He is known for his service to the
community as College organist. His majors in music and
religion were the foundation for his vocation, which found
expression in music and faith. He played organ in daily chapel
throughout his time at Augsburg and was organist for 28
Advent Vespers services.
URBAN DEBATE LEAGUE
Minnesota Urban Debate League is affiliated with Augsburg College’s Sabo Center for Citizenship and
Learning. The Center, named for former Congressman Martin Olav Sabo ’59, is home to programs that
foster civic engagement, including Bonner Leaders, Campus Kitchen, the Center for Democracy and
Citizenship, and more.
The Minneapolis Public School District committed to provide Minnesota Urban Debate
League (MNUDL), with funding of $100,000
over a two-year period. The funding, combined with support the program already
has from the St. Paul Public Schools,
means the MNUDL will add seven schools
to its program. MNUDL serves more than
500 middle- and high-school students
in the Twin Cities, and students in the
program have a 100 percent on-time high
school graduation rate.
Summer 2013
3
quad
around the
STATE GRANT PROGRAM
Augsburg Day at the Capitol, held in
March, gave students a voice in the
important debate surrounding the
Minnesota State Grant program.
Patrick DuSchane ’13, Augsburg’s
former day student body president,
said the event was a chance to help
ensure that legislators understand
the value of the state grant program
to Augsburg students and their
families. The program is designed
to help make college more affordable to more than 88,000 Minnesota students. In addition to their
visit to the Capitol, students were invited to a post-event reception
with former U.S. Representative Martin Olav Sabo ’59. Earlier in the
legislative session, Ben Yawakie ’13 testified at a committee hearing
on behalf of the Augsburg College community. Rosie Benser ’13 and
Charlie Olson ’13 spoke about
the value to their education
of participating in undergraduate research.
The 2013 Minnesota Campus Compact Presidents’ Awards recognized leaders on the Augsburg campus and in the College’s
surrounding community.
• The Presidents’ Civic Engagement Steward Award went to
Augsburg’s Health Commons programs at Central Lutheran
Church and Dar Ul-Quba. It recognizes those who advance a
campus’s distinctive civic mission by forming strong partnerships, supporting others’ civic engagement, and working to
institutionalize engagement.
• The Presidents’ Student Leadership Award was presented to
Rachel Svanoe ’13 for her commitment to civic responsibility
and leadership.
• The Presidents’ Community Partner Award was presented
to the Brian Coyle Community Center for supporting Augsburg
students’ experiential education.
4
Augsburg Now
HIGH-DEMAND TRACK ADDED TO
DOCTORAL NURSING PROGRAM
The Augsburg College Nursing Department added
an innovative, accredited, and high-demand track to
its Doctor of Nursing Practice program to respond to
the evolving needs of nurses, communities, and the
medical industry. The new track, DNP—Family Nurse
Practitioner (FNP), is geared toward preparing students
who already hold their bachelor of science in nursing
to apply for certification as FNPs through the American
Nurses Credentialing Center. It is the second doctoral program offered by Augsburg. The first doctoral
program, the DNP—Transcultural Nursing Leadership,
readies nurses who hold a master’s degree in nursing
for advanced transcultural nursing across care settings
and care systems.
Ensembles perform throughout Turkey
The Augsburg College Concert Band and Augsburg Jazz
delivered their annual Bon Voyage Performance the
day before May Commencement. The two groups then
went on an international tour to perform throughout
Turkey. The groups played in cities including Istanbul,
Izmir, and Bodrum; met in small groups with school
children in grades K-12; and took time to tour destinations including the Blue Mosque and world heritage
site Hagia Sophia, which was built in 537 A.D. as an
Orthodox Christian church. Each year, Augsburg music
ensembles tour and perform both domestically and
internationally. Read the Augsburg Concert Band and
Jazz Tour blog to learn about the full trip:
augsburgmusic.blogspot.com.
Honoring our retired faculty
Marilyn Pearson Florian ’76, assistant
professor of health, physical education,
and exercise science, joined the College
in 1980. She received a master’s from
St. Cloud State University. Along with her
classroom teaching, she served as chair of
her department, head women’s volleyball coach, and, most recently, women’s
athletic director. She has been a strong
advocate for gender equity in athletics
throughout her career.
Garry W. Hesser, professor of sociology
and metro-urban studies and Martin
Olav Sabo Professor of Citizenship and
Learning, started his career at Augsburg
in 1977. He received a bachelor’s from
Phillips University, a Master of Divinity
from Union Theological Seminary, and a
master’s and PhD from the University of
Notre Dame. Hesser played a key role in
the development of the College’s metrourban studies program and the intensive
curriculum for the hybrid Master of Arts in
Leadership (MAL) program. He is recognized nationally as a leader in the field of
experiential education and urban education. His scholarship and accomplishments in these areas reflect the College’s
mission as a “College of the city.”
Kenneth S. Kaminsky, professor of mathematics, began his work at Augsburg in
1987. He received a bachelor’s in mathematics, a master’s in statistics, and a
PhD in statistics from Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey. Along with his
classroom teaching, Kaminsky is an active
scholar, having published books and
articles in the areas of statistics and financial mathematics. Through a bi-weekly
newsletter and by inviting alumni, industrial mathematicians, and local academics
to speak in the mathematics colloquium
series, Kaminsky keeps mathematics
alumni and current students connected.
Ned D. Kantar, assistant professor of
music, joined the College in 1999. He
received his bachelor’s and master’s
from the University of Minnesota. Before
joining Augsburg, Kantar taught music
to students from elementary school age
through college. Drawing upon his wide
ranging professional experiences that
included performance (jazz and classical),
booking, and production, Kantar brought
to Augsburg the music business degree,
which has grown significantly in both
numbers and innovation, and in which
Kantar taught classes in improvisation,
aural skills, and music business.
Anne M. Kaufman, associate professor of
education, began working at Augsburg
in 1987. She received her bachelor’s,
master’s, and PhD from the University of
Minnesota. Kaufman has been a leader in
secondary social studies teacher preparation at Augsburg College and for the State
of Minnesota. She is the director of the
Paideia Institute at Augsburg and has led
teacher professional development workshops in this area for the past 20 years.
Kaufman has been active in statewide
efforts to set social studies standards and
has been a member of the Minnesota
Board of Teaching.
Laura K. Lazar, assistant professor of
business administration, has worked at
the College since 2005. She received
her bachelor’s from Valparaiso University,
and her MBA and PhD from Indiana
University. Lazar teaches all levels of
accounting in both the undergraduate and
graduate program. She is uniquely gifted
to make this information accessible to
students of all abilities. Along with her
teaching responsibilities, Lazar has served
as the coordinator for the accounting
program and its faculty.
Susan K. Nash, associate professor of
nursing, began teaching at Augsburg in
1977, and in her full-time role in 1998.
She received her bachelor’s, master’s, and
EdD from the University of Minnesota.
Nash received the Augsburg College
Distinguished Contribution to Teaching
and Learning award for Mentoring in
2009. She has been instrumental in
developing a partnership and agreement
with Rochester Community and Technical
College that has introduced hundreds of
students to Augsburg. Nash was one of
the initial architects for the adult learner
programs in nursing on the Minneapolis
campus. Her scholarship has focused on
complexity science in family nursing.
Ronald W. Petrich, assistant professor of
education, began his career at Augsburg
in 1980. He received his bachelor’s from
Augsburg College and his master’s from
United Theological Seminary. Petrich
returned to Augsburg as a member of the
faculty following an extensive career in the
Minneapolis Public School system, giving
him a rich history of hands-on experience
from which to teach his students. Petrich
integrated these experiences in the undergraduate education program and also in
the MAL program, where he examined
the role of the school in modern society
as well as the significance of mentoring
relationships, models of leadership, and
professional development.
David G. Schwain, assistant professor of
business administration, began teaching
at Augsburg in 1995 and five years later
started in his full-time role. He received
his bachelor’s from the University of
Cincinnati and his MBA from Harvard
University. Prior to joining Augsburg,
Schwain had a distinguished career in
general management with more than 15
years in positions at the executive level.
Schwain brought this extensive experience to bear as one of the architects of
Augsburg’s MBA program. For the past
several years, he has coordinated the Clair
and Gladys Strommen Executive Speaker
Series, while teaching marketing classes
in the undergraduate and graduate business programs at Augsburg.
COMPILED BY JUDI GREEN
Summer 2013
5
quad
around the
CONVOCATION SERIES 2012-13
The Koryne Horbal Lecture in April
featured Gloria Steinem, a prominent
spokesperson for women’s issues.
Steinem has traveled the globe speaking on the topic of women’s equality,
has led awareness rallies, is author
of six books, and has launched two
magazines including Ms. She spoke
to a packed Hoversten Chapel about
the founding of the women’s movement, the gains made to find equity
for all people, and areas in which
improvement still must be realized. In
addition to Steinem’s talk, recipients
of the Women’s Resource Center’s
Courageous Woman Award (CWA) were
acknowledged at the lecture. Recipients
included Kristina Monje ’14 and Bo
Thao-Urabe, a long-time advocate for
Hmong women, children, and refugee
families. The CWA recognizes women
who strive for social justice and peace
on campus or in the community.
Strommen
Executive Speaker Series
Augsburg College welcomed HealthPartners
CEO Mary K. Brainerd, a national leader
known for her business acumen and unwavering commitment to the community, as a
featured presenter in the Clair and Gladys
Strommen Executive Speaker Series in
April. Brainerd, who spoke on the topic of
health care reform, is the president and
chief executive officer of Minnesota-based
HealthPartners—the largest, consumer-governed, nonprofit health care organization in
the United States.
The Sverdrup Visiting Scientist Lecture
in April featured Harvard University
Professor David Weitz who talked
about the everyday physics involved
in cooking food. Weitz explored with
attendees the manners in which foods
change during cooking as a way to
illustrate scientific processes. The
annual Sverdrup Visiting Scientist lecture series brings renowned scientists
to campus to share their expertise with
the Augsburg community, the College’s
aspiring scientists, and members of
the larger scientific community.
Augsburg welcomes new Provost/Chief Academic Officer
In July, Augsburg College welcomed Karen L. Kaivola as provost and chief academic
officer. Kaivola serves in a key leadership position as the second in command to
Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow.
Kaivola has wide-ranging responsibilities, including working with faculty, administration, and the Board of Regents to implement the College’s strategic vision; providing oversight of the accreditation process, as well as planning, development, and
administration of the academic program for graduate, undergraduate, and international programs; academic budgeting; and leadership of and advocacy for the faculty.
She most recently served as the associate provost for faculty development and
J. Ollie Edmunds Chair in English at Stetson University in DeLand, Fla. She holds
a master’s and a PhD in English from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s
degree in English from Georgetown University.
6
Augsburg Now
cElEBraTIng
student success
Scholarships and fellowships
Augsburg students earned a range of prestigious accolades
during spring semester. Some of the awards include the
following:
Allison Zank ’14
Kayla Johnson ’13
• FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS: Kayla Johnson ’13 and Emily Jensen ’08
were awarded English teaching assistantships. Johnson,
who graduated with degrees in biology and mathematics,
will teach in Taiwan. She plans to attend medical school in
the future. Jensen, who earned her bachelor’s in international relations and peace and global studies, will teach in
the Czech Republic. Jensen has worked in the Minnesota
State Senate and House of Representatives, most recently
as a research director. She hopes to pursue a master’s
in social work and public policy following her year as a
Fulbright Scholar. In 2010-11, Augsburg was recognized
as a top producer of Fulbright students by The Chronicle of
Higher Education.
• GILMAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS: Four Auggies
received Gilman International Scholarships from the U.S.
State Department to study overseas this summer and fall.
Celia Hernandez Payan ’13 traveled this summer to Amman,
Jordan, while Mariam Ali ’15, Darius Sean Gray ’14, and
Magaly Ortiz ’13 will study abroad this coming fall. Thirty
Auggies have been awarded this prestigious scholarship since
fall 2008.
• GOLDWATER SCHOLARSHIP: Allison Zank ’14, who is studying chemistry, received a Barry Goldwater Scholarship.
Ashley Waters ’14
This $7,500 award is given to students from throughout
the United States who excel in STEM (science, technology,
engineering, and math) disciplines and who plan to work
in a STEM field upon graduation. Zank is Augsburg’s first
female Goldwater Scholar and one of only eight students
in Minnesota to receive the award. Augsburg’s Ashley
Waters ’14 was recognized for her outstanding scholarship when she was named one of seven Minnesotans to
receive an Honorable Mention in the Goldwater Scholarship
competition.
• KEMPER SCHOLARS PROGRAM: Keisha Barnard ’16, who is
studying sociology and international relations, was named
the College’s third Kemper Scholar. Students in the prestigious Kemper program receive academic scholarships and
stipends to cover the costs of two summer internships in
major nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Augsburg is
one of only 16 U.S. liberal arts colleges with the Kemper
Scholars Program distinction.
• NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION GRADUATE RESEARCH
FELLOWSHIP: Joe Buchman ’13, who graduated with majors
in chemistry and biology, received a National Science
Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship that will provide
$40,500 each year for the first three years of his doctoral
study in chemistry. The selection of these fellows is very
competitive and is based on the viability of the student’s
proposed research.
Summer 2013
7
cElEBraTIng
student success
Student research awards
and achievements
STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ZYZZOGETON
2013: More than 70 Auggies presented
their research in the annual poster
session, Zyzzogeton. The spring event
is an opportunity to celebrate student
research, creativity, and scholarship.
The festival is sponsored by the McNair
Scholars Program, the Office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity, and the Louis Stokes Alliance for
Minority Participation.
POSTERS ON THE HILL: Three Augsburg
College students were recognized
for outstanding research at Posters
on the Hill in Washington, D.C. This
highly competitive annual celebration of student research, sponsored
by the U.S. Council on Undergraduate
Research, featured the work of only 60
students out of a pool of more than 800
applicants.
Brianna Noland ’13, a mathematical economics major, was selected to present
her research on college loans and firstyear retention in Washington, D.C., to
members of Congress and congressional
staff. She also met with U.S. Sens. Al
Franken and Amy Klobuchar, both of
Minnesota.
Samantha Cantrall ’14, a communication
studies major, received an Honorable
Mention, ranking within the top 80
applicants, for her investigation of the
influence of hip hop on the Arab Spring.
Megan Rich ’13, a biology alumna and
Master of Arts in Education student,
also received an Honorable Mention.
She studied ways to reduce the growth
of soybean pathogens.
Auggies conduct
off-campus research
At least a dozen Augsburg students are
spending their summer doing off-campus research at locations throughout the
United States as well as on the European and African continents.
• Katherine Aleman ’14, psychology,
research intern at Mayo Clinic
• Elianna Bier ’14, physics, National
Institute of Standards and Technology
• Eric Bowman ’14,
biology and chemistry,
University of Nebraska
• Emma Capman ’14,
physics, University
of Maryland Robotics
Center
Brianna Noland ’13 [at left] met with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
[center], when Noland was in Washington, D.C., to present her research at
Posters on the Hill. Noland traveled with Stella K. Hofrenning [at right],
associate professor of economics.
8
Augsburg Now
• Haley Diem ’13,
environmental studies, field research in
Tanzania on sustainable
agriculture
• Kirubel Frew ’14, chemistry, Johns
Hopkins University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Ben Grant ’14, physics, Colorado
School of Mines National Renewable
Energy Lab
• Anna Herauf ’14, biology and chemistry, North Dakota State University’s
program for research on prairies
• Dan Kornbaum ’14, physics, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and
Geospace Sciences Research Experiences for Undergraduates at University of Michigan
• Marie-Aimee Ntawkulityayo ’14, international relations, research in Belgium on ethnic identity and conflict in
the Kivu Region of Eastern Congo
• Promise Okeke ’15, biology, Johns
Hopkins University Malaria Research
Institute
• Casey Powell ’15, biology, University
of Minnesota Plant Pathology Lab
• Emily Rutten ’14, biopsychology and
psychology, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
• Rachel Shaheen ’15, biology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine
and Public Health
• Ryan Sullivan ’14, computational
philosophy, Carnegie-Mellon University Summer Workshop on Cognitive
Science and Epistemology
my
auggie
experience
Janice Murphy Gladden—
an Auggie All-Star
When it came time for Janice Murphy
Gladden ’14 to think about returning to
college, she found herself taking advice
from her college-aged daughter.
Several decades earlier, while studying at a junior college in Cupertino, Calif.,
she and Dan Gladden met. The two later
would marry.
She would leave school to focus on
being a wife and mother, and also would
work to support the family. She would put
on hold the education her father urged her
to pursue while her husband developed
his baseball-playing career, going from an
amateur free agent to a major league star.
“It was one of those things where Dan
had the opportunity,” she said. “Someone
needed to work. It’s worked out really well,
and we’ve been very fortunate.”
Dan would become a champion
left- and center-fielder for the Minnesota
Twins, a core part of the dream teams that
propelled the Twins to victory in two World
Series.
A couple of years ago, Gladden
decided that the time was right for her to
return to college to finish what she started
some 30 years ago. She talked with and
listened to one of her two daughters,
Whitney Nicole Gladden ’12.
“My daughter had such a great experience at Augsburg,” Gladden said, “so she
encouraged me to visit.”
Gladden met with an admissions
counselor, and said she was hooked from
the very beginning—even though the
idea of again being in the classroom was
daunting. Augsburg faculty and staff supported her and made easier her transition
to life as a college student in communications studies, she said.
“I thought I’d be on my own, navigating this journey,” Gladden said. “But
there are so many ways to access services
and help and to be connected.
“I feel valued in class. My thoughts
matter, my opinions matter,” she said.
“As adult learners, we kick around our
experiences, and I get to hear from people
at Medtronic and Target and other places.
I’m more well-rounded.”
In addition to benefitting from the
experiences shared by her peers, Gladden
said her Augsburg education has helped
her develop valuable workplace tools
including stronger interpersonal and nonverbal communication skills that she is
using in her career. For 18 years, she has
worked for Target Corp. in the financial
and retail services division.
While Gladden chose on her own
to return to college, she also said the
decision was made easier because her
company encourages employees to continue to develop and supports pursuit of
education. But perhaps one of the biggest
influences stretches back through the
decades to her days as a child growing up
in California.
“My father would be so proud, so
proud I stuck to it, no matter my age,”
she said. “Education was the biggest
deal to him. It’s what I remember him
emphasizing when I was little: ‘Education.
Education. Education.’”
Gladden is less than a year away from
finishing her undergraduate degree, and is
thinking about what is next in her life. She
said her positive experience at Augsburg
has her pondering a graduate degree.
“I love Augsburg. I love the vibe. I like
the peer networks. I like that it is small
enough that even after 30 years I could
find a way to come back,” she said. “I’m
thinking now about getting a master’s
degree at Augsburg. I’d love to teach.”
WENDI WHEELER ’06 AND STEPHANIE WEISS
Summer 2013
9
Shaping our future
“TO PREPARE AMERICANS FOR THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE…
WE HAVE TO OUT-EDUCATE THE WORLD.”
—WHITEHOUSE.GOV
10
Augsburg Now
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06 AND
REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
The programs in Augsburg’s Education
Department prepare teachers—
at both the undergraduate and graduate levels—to meet our national education challenge.
The U.S. government recognizes that “the strength of the American economy is inextricably linked to the strength of [our] education system,” which means “America’s ability to
compete begins each day, in classrooms across the nation.”
Auggie teachers and education alumni are leading these classrooms, improving education outcomes, and shaping our future. They are igniting student interest in math and
science, educating an increasingly diverse youth population, bringing global perspectives
and learning into the classroom, and leveraging new technologies and teaching practices
to enhance learning. The following are just a few examples of the ways Auggie teachers
and education alumni are leading the advancement of education in our schools.
Cutting-edge science research for
middle and high school students
When Dan Forseth ’08 was a student at Augsburg, he spent
many hours in the lab with associate professor of physics Ben
Stottrup. It was Stottrup, he said, who helped him realize he
wanted to be a teacher. “He taught me how to make things
work with what you have,” Forseth said.
Today Forseth uses that lesson in his own classroom to
excite students about science and to inspire the next generation of teachers. He teaches biology, physical science,
and robotics at St. Paul Preparatory School, an international
college-preparation program in St. Paul. He said he enjoys
teaching because he loves the transformation when students
grasp a difficult concept after struggling with it. “When they
get it, seeing that light bulb turn on for them is very exciting.”
During the summer of 2012, Forseth was one of six
teachers who participated in a research program at Augsburg
funded by a grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation.
The program paired Augsburg undergraduate science education students studying to be secondary teachers with current
science teachers. The teams conducted college-level research,
which was supervised by Augsburg faculty, and developed
curricula to adapt science projects for middle and secondary
school classrooms.
The Augsburg education students in the program learned
about the practical realities of teaching from their interactions
with current teachers, Forseth said. “And teachers like me
were revitalized by the opportunity to work in new labs and
develop new and different topics for our classes.”
Along with engaging in scientific research, participants
had opportunities to expand their scientific professional
networks through conversations and workshops with scientists in the workplace and college science faculty, said Tracy
Bibelnieks, Augsburg associate professor of mathematics
and director of the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation grant.
Summer 2013
11
“Feedback from last year’s participants was very positive.”
she said. “We are looking forward to building on that experience to continue developing ways that cutting-edge research
and engaging experiences can be integrated into 9th- through
12th-grade STEM (science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics) classrooms.”
Forseth will participate in the program again this summer,
working with Augsburg faculty to create a website to share
materials produced in the program with 9th- to 12th-grade
STEM teachers across the state. “This program provides an
opportunity for Augsburg students pursuing secondary STEM
licensure to learn from experienced science teachers and
helps current teachers integrate more research and authentic
learning experiences into their classrooms,” he said.
Teaching in a diverse world
When Will Ruffin ’13 MAE moved from California to North
Dakota to attend college, he left his little brother behind. “He
struggled in school. I was the smart older brother who wasn’t
there for him, and that always bothered me,” Ruffin said. It’s
the memory of leaving his brother that today drives Ruffin to
make a personal connection with each of his students.
For Kassie Benjamin-Ficken ’12, it’s her ability to relate
to the experiences of first-generation and minority-culture
12
Augsburg Now
students that has strengthened her connections with her students. “As a first generation student, I think it’s easier for me
to explain to my students why it’s important to get an education,” she said.
Ruffin and Benjamin-Ficken are examples of Auggie
teachers working in increasingly multicultural communities—
where the ability to connect with students of diverse backgrounds is critical to student success.
Despite his passion for teaching, Ruffin didn’t begin his
career in education. He first completed a bachelor’s and a
master’s degree in business and began working for a retail
company in southern Minnesota. Then one of his customers—
a teacher—asked if Ruffin would volunteer at his school
because the teacher wanted a strong, black, male role model
to work with his students. “There was just something about
being with kids that hooked me,” Ruffin said, “and I fell in
love with teaching.”
Ruffin became a substitute teacher and eventually was
teaching full time, so he decided to attend Augsburg to pursue
a master’s degree in education. For the past five years, he has
been teaching fifth grade at Riverside Central Elementary in
Rochester, Minn.
For many students, Ruffin is the first black teacher and
the first male teacher they have had, so he takes seriously
his responsibility to be a role model in a community that is
increasingly more ethnically and culturally diverse. Judging by
the drawings and awards posted by students on his classroom
walls, and by the former students who often stop in at Riverside
to visit, Ruffin is making a difference in students’ lives.
As a student himself, Ruffin said, he was quiet and
seldom participated in class discussions. As a teacher and
leader, however, he’s learned that his voice is important. “I
know I have a lot to share, and I can enrich others’ experiences through my own,” he said. “I can’t be a leader and be
silent. I have a perspective that too often is lost or overlooked,
and I need to share that.”
Benjamin-Ficken, a member of the Mille Lacs Band of
Ojibwe, also embraces the opportunity to bring her cultural
perspective into the classroom. “My culture teaches that you
are on this Earth to help others,” she said. “Education is how
I can make a difference.”
At Augsburg, Benjamin-Ficken double majored in elementary education and math. This July, she completed her first
year at Tatanka Academy in Minneapolis, where 13 of her 14
first-grade students were Native American.
In working with students from minority populations,
Benjamin-Ficken strives to instill in them the belief that
they can—and should—excel in school, especially in STEM
fields where populations of color and females are significantly
underrepresented. For example, this past spring, BenjaminFicken celebrated “Pi Day” (which falls on March 14, or
3/14, representing the first three digits in the mathematical
constant, pi) with her students. A self-professed “math nerd,”
Benjamin-Ficken believes that these types of classroom experiences will help her students see math as a subject they can
succeed in and, potentially, choose to pursue in their lives.
Augsburg’s focus on urban education and teaching in a
multicultural classroom were an important part of her educational experience, Benjamin-Ficken said. “My education
studies at Augsburg really taught me to reflect,” she said.
“Taking time to ask what went well [in class], what didn’t, and
whether you reached every student—that’s what makes you a
better teacher.”
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Since 2004, five Augsburg education graduates have received the prestigious Milken Award for Excellence
in Teaching. This award provides public recognition and financial awards to elementary and secondary
education professionals. Only 30 Milken Awards are given annually across the United States.
Summer 2013
13
KATE WOOLEVER ’11
14
Augsburg Now
Bringing global issues and perspectives
into the classroom
Teaching and traveling are more than passions for Kate
Woolever ’11—they are vital to her own education as a citizen
of the world. As a studio art and education major at Augsburg,
Woolever combined her interests into a career that today
allows her to continue her own education and to provide
meaningful learning experiences for her students.
Woolever’s mother, father, and brother are teachers, so
it’s no surprise that she also chose to become a teacher.
“Teaching is completely a part of my life,” she said. “For me
it’s about service to others.”
Woolever came to Augsburg because she wanted to
teach in an inner city or international school, and she felt
Augsburg’s program would best prepare her for that career. As
a student, Woolever took advantage of opportunities to study
abroad through the College’s Center for Global Education. She
studied in Namibia, Thailand, and Ghana, where she completed her student teaching. She said she has always “traveled
with a purpose,” using travel to learn about others by experiencing their lives firsthand.
After she became an art teacher at St. Paul Preparatory
School in the Twin Cities, Woolever had another opportunity
to travel and teach abroad. She was one of five U.S. teachers
selected to participate in a program through World Savvy and
the U.S. State Department. With 30 U.S. high school students, she studied the environmental, social, economic, and
political impacts of climate change in Bangladesh. The group
spent one month living with host families while participating
with Bangladeshi students in research and service projects.
Woolever lived in the Rayer Bazar slum located on the
edge of the capital city of Dhaka—the fastest growing city in
the world. She interviewed and photographed climate refugees
who had moved to the city from outlying areas because the
flooded coastal lands are uninhabitable and the soil is too
saline-contaminated to support crops.
“These climate refugees now live in indescribable squalor,” Woolever said. “There are a thousand people per square
kilometer living in Rayer Bazar; 100 people sharing three
open gas flames for cooking and a single squat toilet.”
This experience, Woolever said, made her more aware
of the global effects of climate change and emphasized the
importance of spreading the word. “The guilt I felt—coming from my bountiful country and witnessing these people’s
atrocious living conditions—constantly tugged at me, and I
needed to find a way to respond.”
One way Woolever responded was to turn her photos and
stories into a traveling exhibit, which she hopes to show at
numerous venues across the state. This past March, her work
was displayed in Augsburg’s student art gallery in Old Main;
the exhibit then was shown in the Pelican Rapids (Minn.)
Library during May and June.
Because of her experiences in Rayer Bazar, Woolever also
is committed to finding ways to incorporate real-world issues
into her classroom. The Bangladeshi trip was a stark lesson in
how much we consume and how wasteful we are as a culture,
Woolever said. Education, at the very least, “is not something
we should take for granted.”
To see samples of the photos and stories from Woolever’s studies
in Rayer Bazar, Bangladesh, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Flipped classrooms: Creating studentfocused learning environments
Most of the time, a noisy middle school classroom doesn’t
seem like a productive learning environment. But, when
the classroom is “flipped,” noise is a sign that students are
engaged in the learning process and working constructively
with each other.
Tara Martinson ’09 MAE leads a lively seventh-grade
INNOVATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS
In 2009, the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation awarded Augsburg more than $400,000 in support of its
teacher preparation programming. Augsburg was one of only four Minnesota colleges receiving these
grant funds. Augsburg also participates in the Network for Excellence in Teaching (NExT) and is one of six
private colleges in the Twin Cities working to improve teacher education through the Twin Cities Teacher
Collaborative (TC2), made possible by major funding from the Bush Foundation.
The College also gives education majors an opportunity to engage elementary school children in the
sciences through Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science (GEMS) and Guys in Science and Engineering
(GISE), two summer programs held on the campus.
Spring 2013
15
pre-algebra class at Central Middle School in Eden Prairie,
Minn. The reason for all the activity is that Martinson uses
the flipped learning model of instruction. With this particular
method, students listen to an online lecture at home and complete a “note sheet”—a structured note-taking guide—on the
lesson. The next day in class, students spend the majority of
their time in “hands-on” learning exercises, working out practice problems and completing small group activities. Students
can ask each other for help and are required to check their
work with Martinson.
Martinson, who has taught middle school math for five
years, flipped her classes in January 2012 after learning about
the method at the 2011 Education Technology Conference
hosted by TIES, the St. Paul-based education technology training organization. During the winter break, she recorded lectures
and set up the resources for her classes and then introduced
the model to her students at the start of the new term.
With flipped learning, Martinson said her students are
more engaged because the responsibility for learning the
material rests with them. “Before [flipping the class format],
I typically would lecture for 35 minutes, and the students
would have the last 10 minutes of class to start their assignment,” Martinson said. “Then, if a student got lost, they
would just shut down. Now there is a much higher level of
engagement and retention.”
Flipped learning changes education from a teachercentered classroom to a student-focused learning environment, said Kari Arfstrom ’89, executive director of the Flipped
Learning Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to
providing educators with the knowledge, skills, and resources
With research support from George Mason University and sponsored by Pearson, the Flipped
Learning Network this summer released the first comprehensive literature review on the flipped
learning model. The full-length literature review, along with an executive summary and white
paper, are available to download for free at flippedlearning.org/research.
16
Augsburg Now
TARA MARTINSON ’09 MAE
to successfully implement flipped learning.
“When I went to school,” Arfstrom said, “it was the
teacher who was imparting information to the student. Now
the students are leading and determining what they need.”
This model makes students more accountable because the
teacher has an opportunity to talk with them every day,
Arfstrom said.
With flipped learning, teacher interaction with students
increases dramatically, said Taylor Pettis ’03, ’09 MAE, senior
manager of marketing communications at Minneapolis-based
Sophia Learning, which has worked with thousands of teachers to create flipped classrooms. “One of the teachers we
worked with said his feet hurt after class because he’s walking up and down the aisles so much more.”
Teachers also have a greater opportunity to provide differentiated instruction to each student when they use a flipped
learning model, Pettis said. This customized, student-centered attention leads to improved student learning. “Eightyfive percent of teachers we work with report improved grades
in their flipped classes.”
For Martinson, the benefits go beyond improved performance in class. In the flipped environment, she said,
students learn social skills, relationship building, and selfadvocacy—abilities that will serve them well in high school,
in college, and beyond.
STATE FUNDING TO EXPAND THE DIVERSITY OF
MINNESOTA’S TEACHER WORKFORCE
In May, the State of Minnesota approved legislation granting
Augsburg College nearly $400,000 over the next two years
to launch the East African teacher preparation program.
The new Augsburg EAST (East African Students to Teachers) initiative will provide scholarships, academic support,
and service learning opportunities for East African students
who are education majors at Augsburg’s Minneapolis and
Rochester campuses.
The number of East African students in K-12 public
schools is growing in many communities throughout
Minnesota. School systems are challenged to meet the
needs of these students, many of whom are the first in their
families to receive education in the United States.
Augsburg’s strong relationships with the Somali and East
African communities and its successful record of teaching
East African education majors, in both Minneapolis and
Rochester, make it uniquely qualified to lead this initiative.
Every year
, more than 600 Auggies are enrolled in education degree
programs at Augsburg’s Minneapolis and Rochester campuses. About 250 of those
students are undergraduates—of all ages—pursuing bachelor’s degrees in education.
The remaining 350 are enrolled in the College’s Master of Arts in Education program,
which provides training for professionals to begin a career in teaching or for current
teachers to obtain additional licenses or endorsements. Every day, these Auggie educators—both in and outside of the classroom—are preparing our children to live and
grow in our increasingly diverse, globally connected, and technologically sophisticated
world. They are, literally, shaping our future potential.
Summer 2013
17
THE CENTER FOR
SCIENCE, BUSINESS, AND RELIGION
Expanding undergraduate research
THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE, BUSINESS, AND RELIGION at Augsburg College
will bring together the study of global business, advanced science and
technology, and religion and the search for meaning into a first-of-its-kind
education center.
The Center will house classrooms, labs, and key Augsburg initiatives, including programs that support our success in undergraduate
research. It will enable Augsburg to accommodate a greater number and
larger scope of year-round research projects across disciplines—the kind
of long-term educational projects that help students gain 21st-century
problem-solving skills.
The tremendous impact of these research programs is evidenced
by the growing number of students who leverage the robust, hands-on
skills they learned in their on-campus experiences to obtain off-campus
research positions and continue to graduate programs. Augsburg students
are sought after by institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, the Mayo Clinic, the University of Maryland Robotics Center,
and many other organizations. (See more examples on page 8.)
We know that Augsburg’s faculty-led research makes a profound difference in the educational experience of our students—and, through their
work, will shape advancements in science, technology, and other fields
across the globe. The Center for Science, Business, and Religion (CSBR)
is a fitting manifestation of our commitment to the growth of this work.
18
Augsburg Now
it takes an
auggie
Leading the way for others
ALUMNI ENGAGE IN SUPPORT OF THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE, BUSINESS, AND RELIGION
“We know what a difference the
generosity of others made for us. Truly,
it was the acts of strangers, other
Augsburg leaders, whose gifts provided
foundational support for the College,
before our times here. It’s our turn.”
So said Wayne Jorgenson ’71, as
he and Christopher Ascher ’81 met
recently on campus to help plan a
series of Alumni Leadership Summits
for their classmates from the decades
of the ’70s and ’80s.
“Those early gifts from alumni and
friends of the College made it possible
for each of us to experience a great
Augsburg education,” Ascher said.
“We are convinced. Now is our time to
make the investment and help open
doors for others.”
Both Jorgenson and Ascher know
some things about good investments
through their accomplishments in the
field of finance. Jorgenson has applied
his business degree from Augsburg,
now serving as senior vice president of
investments at UBS Financial Services
in Bloomington, Minn. Ascher, a finance
major with a psychology minor, also
played on the Augsburg soccer team.
Ascher now leads and manages the
wealth management office for Morgan
Stanley, also in Bloomington, Minn.
“We are convinced. Now is our
time to make the investment
and help open doors for others.”
Both men chose to step up,
inspired by the message of CSBR
Campaign Chair Mike Good ’71 to
“Believe.” By first making their own
leadership gifts in support of the
building, and then by chairing their
respective Alumni Leadership Summits
and $1 million class challenges,
they are adding their enthusiasm and
leadership to the cause. Their goal
is to ensure the success of the effort
to build a new Center for Science,
Business, and Religion at the very
heart of the Augsburg campus.
“We both see this building as the
essential next step in the College’s
development. No other campus we
know has created such an exciting
intersection of disciplines—science,
business, and religion—to serve students and forge a pathway to a better
future for us all,” Jorgenson said.
Watch for updates on the Alumni
Leadership Summits in future alumni
communications.
CATHERINE REID DAY
Wayne Jorgenson ’71 [left] and Christopher Ascher ’81 [right].
Summer 2013
19
INTRODUCING
AUGSBURG’S
NEWEST ALUMNI
The graduating class of 2013 added more than
700 Auggies—from our undergraduate, graduate,
and doctoral programs—to the College’s alumni
ranks. This brings the total number of alumni to
more than 28,000 people living in all 50 states
and 57 countries around the world.
We Are Called | Auggies!
INFORMED CITIZENS
The 2013 Augsburg College Commencement theme—
“informed citizens”—was inspired by the College’s
mission statement.
“To me, an informed citizen is someone—in any profession, living out any vocation—who seeks information, digests it, and vigorously participates in society
by putting their knowledge to a good, collective use.
It means that we are prepared to inform, encourage
and uplift people to make a difference for themselves and for the world we live in.”
— MARY GODI ’13, MAY COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER
To see additional photos, read Commencement
addresses, or watch ceremony videos from May
and June, go to augsburg.edu/now.
20
Augsburg Now
May 4, 2013
June 23, 2013
Summer 2013
21
auggies
ARE ACHIEVERS
Each year, Augsburg College mints hundreds of new graduates who
go on to continued education in graduate schools and workplaces
across the nation. Preparing students for success is a key part of
an Augsburg education and central to the College’s mission of educating students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. Here’s a snapshot of facts
and figures—and student stories—that show how recent Auggie
graduates are having an impact early in their careers.
SUCCESS AFTER COLLEGE
COMPILED BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Each year, more than
100 employers
60%
visit campus to recruit students
or to participate in career-related events
More than
OF AUGSBURG STUDENTS
including Fairview Riverside Hospitals
and Clinics, the federal government,
KDV consulting, KPMG, Target Corp.,
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans™, and
Twin Cities television and radio stations
More than
ENGAGE IN INTERNSHIPS and major-related work with
business, non-profit, and government employers,
gaining professional experience before graduation
90%
OF AUGSBURG STUDENTS
are fully employed or enrolled in graduate school
within 18 months of graduation
LAURIE BARGER ’13
Associate Analyst—Merchandising and Business Intelligence,
Target Corporation
At Augsburg: Mathematics and Spanish major, played on the women’s
soccer team, studied abroad in Mexico and Cuba, tutored for the
Mathematics Department, volunteered at a local social service agency
doing taxes for low-income families, member of the Augsburg Business
Association
“From the moment I stepped on campus, I knew that Augsburg was
going to give me the drive, motivation, and opportunities I would need
to become successful. Through networking and community involvement, making strong relationships with my professors and peers, as
well as being educated in a high-level, real-world environment, I was
able to build a résumé that made me stand out from everyone else.
With the help of the Strommen Center and my professors, I was able to
confidently take what I had learned and comfortably transition from a
full-time student and intern to a full-time employee.”
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Augsburg Now
The CLAIR AND GLADYS
STROMMEN CENTER FOR
MEANINGFUL WORK provides
individualized assistance with
choosing a major, finding an
internship, writing résumés,
developing interviewing skills,
attending job fairs,
and helping students
find meaningful work
after college
JOHANNA FRYKMARK KITZMAN ’10
EDI implementation analyst,
SPS Commerce
JENS OLSON ’10
Medical student, University of Minnesota
Medical School
At Augsburg: Double major in international business and business management, Honors program, co-captain
of women’s golf team, worked in the
alumni relations office
At Augsburg: Biology major, Honors
program, did research related to asthma
and presented at a national conference,
first-year orientation leader, studied abroad
in Vietnam, volunteered and worked at
hospitals, was a Fulbright English Teaching
Assistant in Vietnam
“When I moved from Sweden to begin
school at Augsburg, it was the first
time I had set foot in the U.S. The
international student staff, my golf
coach, my team, and my professors all
helped me get past my homesickness
and establish friendships. Thanks to
their support, I finished my degree
and today I am happily married, am
working in the city, and own my very
own American house in the suburbs.”
“Augsburg’s emphasis on service and
openness to all members of our world community not only aligned with my beliefs but
helped me develop and shape myself into
who I am today. The experiences I had at
Augsburg and the relationships I developed
with staff and faculty helped me decide
that I wanted to serve others as a doctor
and then get into medical school—definitely an accomplishment I am proud of.”
Graduates from the class of 2012
SECURED FULL-TIME EMPLOYMENT
with organizations including:
3M, Advanced Medical Electronics, Air Force Research Labs,
Ameriprise Financial, Cargill, Comcast, Dart Transitt Company,
Com
Delfi Technologies Inc., Delta Airlines, Hennepin County,
t
Marriott, the Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota Department of
Revenue, Minnesota Twins, Piper Jaffray, Prudential, Regions
Hospital, Robert Half Technology, Robotics Redefined Inc.,
Sherwin-Williams, Target Corp., Teach for America, Thomson
Reuters, University of Minnesota, and Wells Fargo
KATHLEEN WATSON ’12
Editorial assistant at a GLBT
media company that produces a
bi-monthly magazine, web content,
international news, and podcasts/
entertainment
At Augsburg: Double major in theater
arts and English, Honors program, Honors house president, did
research on dramaturgy, member of
Feminist Collective
“My experience at Augsburg College
allowed me to not only create a successful and fulfilling career—
it allowed me to embrace and love
who I am and use my talents and
skills to work for a community I
believe in. My job truly feels like my
vocation: I’m using my gifts to meet
a need in a community I advocate
for and support.”
Spring 2013
23
LEARNING
or Lisa Benjamin ’06, ’12, the possibility of going back to school
was appealing, but finding time to spend in a classroom was
challenging.
In 2010, Benjamin sought a license to teach in Minnesota and to
sharpen her skills in American Indian student instruction—a field
she has been passionate about since her youth. But, like many of
Augsburg’s non-traditional learners, Benjamin had the busy schedule
and family responsibilities of a working adult.
That’s why a unique Augsburg College program that takes
advantage of the strengths of both classroom and web-based learning environments—called hybrid or blended learning—offered an
ideal opportunity. Courses delivered in a hybrid format combine
traditional face-to-face components and online learning activities to
optimize student engagement.
F
24
Augsburg Now
BY LAURA SWANSON
Students will earn degrees
through combination of online
and in-person instruction
“I thought the Augsburg program was a perfect match for
what I was working toward,” Benjamin said. “I liked the fact
that a partially online course meant I didn’t have to go into
school every weekend or every day. My son was 3 years old,
and I didn’t want to be away from him all the time.”
By taking advantage of the strengths of a hybrid program
structure, Benjamin met her teaching licensure goal and
joined a tight-knit community.
“The other students were a remarkable, supportive group
of people,” she said. “I got to learn from them and their
experience.”
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF HYBRID LEARNING
Augsburg historically has offered only select hybrid classes.
However, beginning this fall, the College will expand the num-
ber of courses offered in a blended format.
Augsburg will launch a hybrid instruction model for a
significant number of graduate and adult undergraduate
courses at its Minneapolis and Rochester campuses, shifting
approximately half of students’ course contact time to a webbased format. Students in these blended courses will follow a
schedule in which in-classroom meetings and online instruction alternate every other week.
Augsburg already employs a variety of approaches to
hybrid instruction, and the proportion of in-class versus online
course contact time varies from program to program based
on student demographics. For example, Augsburg’s Master of
Arts in Leadership and Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
programs offer a low-residency schedule in which one- or
multi-week intensive face-to-face sessions are paired with
Summer 2013
25
“Many organizations are finding out that, where possible, combining
face-to-face meetings with work in an online environment increases
student satisfaction, student learning, and retention when compared to a
course that’s offered solely online.”
online coursework completed throughout the term.
The new initiative to expand hybrid program offerings
with an every-other-week format is based on recommendations made following multi-year studies through which faculty,
staff, and administrators identified how the College could best
further its tradition of delivering high-quality, face-to-face
instruction; integrate technology into programs for non-traditional students; align with the changing demands of the adult
education market; and satisfy federal education regulations.
“Much of the inspiration for this work stems from the
opportunity we identified as an institution to enhance the
way we serve our students,” said Lori Peterson, assistant vice
president and dean of graduate and professional studies.
Peterson, who chaired a task force on academic program
structure, said the College is taking a thoughtful approach to
integrating online elements into teaching and learning. “Our
faculty and curriculum committees have done tremendous
work to ensure quality in our blended learning approach and
to identify the ways in which we will achieve the highest level
of learning outcomes,” she said.
By shifting additional academic programs to a hybrid
format, the College will meet the needs of current and future
non-traditional learners. A 2010 U.S. Department of Education analysis of online-learning studies concluded that hybrid
courses were at least as good if not marginally better and more
engaging than a fully online model.
26
Augsburg Now
“Many organizations are finding out that, where possible, combining face-to-face meetings with work in an online
environment increases student satisfaction, student learning,
and retention when compared to a course that’s offered solely
online,” said Dan McGuire, an education and communication
specialist who is working with the College as the project manager for a hybrid teaching and learning transition team.
Nationally, 6.7 million higher education students took at
least one online course in 2011, accounting for nearly onethird of all such students. These figures, released in the 2012
Survey of Online Learning, detail those classes in which at
least 80 percent of the course content was delivered online,
but schools offer online learning in varying degrees—including
a web-facilitated instruction model with few online elements
as well as the blended learning model Augsburg selected.
Non-traditional students 21 and older constitute the majority of online learners. Frequently, adult students prefer to
take courses online or to have some combination of an online
and a face-to-face format because it affords greater flexibility
as the students juggle full- or part-time employment, family
commitments, and other obligations while attending school.
By implementing a hybrid model for adult students,
“Augsburg is retaining the power of its physical community—of
a social, spiritual place that exists within a long, vibrant history—and is fusing the educational tradition of the College with
an effective teaching and learning system,” McGuire said.
A COLLEGE-WIDE ENDEAVOR
Rolling out a new academic program structure is an effort that
requires diligence, commitment, and coordination. In order
to offer adult undergraduate programs in a hybrid format,
Augsburg faculty and staff for almost a year have worked to
re-conceptualize and redesign face-to-face classes so that
content can be presented through online course management
software.
Often times, students in hybrid courses master more
basic material online at their own pace so that the classroom
becomes a place where the application of that knowledge can
be refined through lab experiments and discussions with peers
or the professor.
The online component in Augsburg’s hybrid courses will
be delivered through Moodle, a website in which educators
create micro-sites for each unique course. Augsburg has used
Moodle since 2005 and selected this learning management
system because the platform is “grounded in sound teaching
principles,” according to Scott Krajewski, director of information technology.
Moodle is recognized for supporting activities common in
a classroom, and it “provides an elegant structure to ask and
answer questions, to present information, and to engage in an
educational community in between meeting times,” McGuire
said. “The beauty of Moodle is that it’s a very powerful tool—
all of the different variations of interacting with students have
been thought through.”
According to Krajewski, Augsburg faculty and staff are
working in collaboration to design the hybrid courses and to
implement best practices for teaching online. Members of
Augsburg’s information technology staff are certified in online
course design and are experts at tailoring classes so that they
“best match the institutional mission as well as the needs
of distinctive academic departments, course sections, and
students.”
By the end of May, nearly 200 faculty members had begun the process of converting adult undergraduate courses for
fall 2013 into a hybrid model, and their work continues this
summer. Together, faculty and staff members will convert approximately 300 unique courses into a new format—tasks that
McGuire said require a time commitment ranging from 10 to
40 hours per class.
Developing high-quality hybrid courses requires sufficient
time for planning, designing, developing, and testing. Moodle
then allows professors to maximize the productivity of the inclass portion of their instruction and to use innovative, multimedia elements online. In contrast to an in-person course with
minimal supplementary material, the instructor and students
in a hybrid course interact with each other online—they engage in discussion, complete activities, and consume entirely
new information in textual, visual, and auditory formats.
Susan O’Connor, associate professor of education, has
been teaching in a hybrid model for the past five years and
served as a co-instructor for Benjamin’s teaching licensure
program. O’Connor found that while she initially was hesitant
to instruct online, she quickly realized the benefits of the new
format. “It turned out to be one of the best teaching experiences of my career,” she said. “This teaching method calls
students to take more ownership in their learning, it offers
a lot more freedom of time around their schedules, and it
sharpens the objectives that they need to fulfill during each
class session.”
Benjamin found that the blended learning model pushed
her to be specific and clear in her written communication and
to master course content by approaching assignments at her
own pace.
“I feel like the program helped me in my career and
served the K-12 students I work with,” she said. “I was challenged, but at the same time it was possible for me to be a
mom, to be a student, and to have a full-time job.”
Summer 2013
27
alumni news
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
a
s a third-generation Auggie, I am thrilled to be serving
as the new president for the Augsburg College Alumni
Board. My grandparents, Rev. Waldemar and Thora
(Torrick) Anderson, attended Augsburg in the 1930s, and my
father, Dan Anderson, graduated in 1965 and is currently a
member of the Board of Regents. I have fond memories of
attending Augsburg basketball games with my dad as a little
girl, and I’m proud to carry on the Augsburg legacy.
Graduating from the Augsburg Weekend and Evening
College program in 1995, I was immediately grateful for the
flexibility of the program, which allowed me to work full time
while pursuing my degree. Today I am an accomplished Realtor®
in Minneapolis and its western suburbs, and I live in Woodland,
Minn., with my husband, Scott, and our new baby boy, Finn.
My first order of business as president is to inform you
that the Auggie Alumni Directory and the Maroon Pages have
joined forces to provide you with an all-encompassing resource
to find professional and personal information about your classmates in one simple-to-use location. The new Auggie Maroon
Pages will make it easier for you to stay connected with fellow
Auggies and your alma mater.
This fall you will be asked to complete an alumni survey.
The personal and professional information collected in this
survey will appear online in the re-launched Auggie Maroon
Pages. As a business owner, I’m excited about the potential
the Auggie Maroon Pages offer for connecting with other
alumni, but the success of the new service depends on user
participation—so log in now! To open the door to this network,
go to augsburg.edu/alumni, click on “Maroon Pages,” create
your own login name and password, and click again on the
“Maroon Pages” box.
The Alumni Board is committed to lifting up the accomplishments of our fellow Auggies. The new Auggie Maroon
Pages is one more tool that will help us discover and share the
many success stories of Augsburg graduates. Please consider
sharing an update for class notes that will be featured in
future issues of Augsburg Now and the NOW@Augsburg online
newsletter. Help us share the difference an Augsburg education can make.
Sincerely,
TRACY SEVERSON ’95
ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
28
Augsburg Now
ALUMNI BOARD Front Row [L to R]: Jill Watson ’10 MBA, Holly Knutson ’03,
’07 MBA, Marie Odenbrett ’01, Kathy Amos ’87, Rachel Engebretson ’98; Back Row
[L to R]: Chris Hallin ’88, Jerry Poland ’92, Jordan Moore ’12 MBA, Sarah Grans ’01,
Tracy Severson ’95, Chris Ascher ’81, Brent Peroutka ’02, Rick Bonlender ’78
NEW MEMBERS
“The College is doing tremendous work, and I want
to be a part of this great team. I also will be a visible
promoter of Augsburg College in my workplace,
church, and community.”
BRENT PEROUTKA ’02
FINANCIAL ADVISOR, COMPREHENSIVE WEALTH SOLUTIONS
“I want to serve on the Augsburg College Alumni
Board because I believe that building a strong
network of current and former students—from
both the Rochester and Minneapolis campuses—
will enrich the experience had by all.”
JORDAN MOORE ’12 MBA
FINANCE MANAGER, IBM
“It’s difficult to express what Augsburg College means
to me. Augsburg has been a huge part of my life and
has offered me opportunities to gain a great education,
see the world, and discover that anything is possible.”
NICK SWANSON ’09,’12 MBA
HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATOR, ALLINA HOSPITALS & CLINICS
“Simply put, my experience at Augsburg was much
more than I had hoped for from any college. I enjoy
the sense of community that came with being an
Auggie.”
RACHEL ENGEBRETSON ’98
ATTORNEY, BINSFELD & ENGEBRETSON, PA
“I look forward to helping spread the word about
the transformation taking place at Augsburg, to
getting classmates reconnected and engaged with
the College, and to improving the board’s ability to
leverage connections to achieve larger goals.”
RICK BONLENDER ’78
BUSINESS BANKER
Leland B. Sateren’s
100TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
On October 13, 2013, Leland B. Sateren ’35 would have been
100 years old. Family and friends will commemorate Sateren’s
legacy at a musical celebration at 4 p.m. on his birthday at Normandale Lutheran Church, 6100 Normandale Road, Edina, Minn.
The event is open to the public.
Sateren taught at Augsburg from 1946 through 1979,
during which time he also was chair of the Music Department. His work includes more than 400 choral pieces that
are sung in churches throughout the United States. Sateren’s
accomplishments include premieres of works with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra and a piece that was commissioned
by the United Nations.
Peter Hendrickson ’76, director of the Augsburg Choir, is
the music advisor for the event. He is assembling a program
of Sateren compositions in addition to a couple of pieces by
good friends of Sateren. Each piece performed will be conducted by an Augsburg alum who was mentored by Sateren.
The program also will include hymns and Sateren anecdotes.
Nearly 160 alumni from the 1950s-80s plan to participate
in the event by singing. A rehearsal—and reunion—is Saturday,
October 12, at Normandale Lutheran Church.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13
4 p.m., Normandale Lutheran Church
Edina, Minn.
Every effort was made to reach
all music alumni who sang during Sateren’s career at Augsburg.
If you would like to participate, email
sateren100@gmail.com.
Mike Walgren ’64 is chair of the
planning team. Others working on the event include
Hendrickson, David Clarke
’76, Jim Erlandson ’76, Tom
Fischer ’72, Bill Halverson
’51, Sally (Hough Daniels)
Herron ’79, Anne (Mollison) Klus ’76, and Naomi
(Christensen) Staruch ’81.
In addition, John Hanson
’76 and Paul Read ’77 were
instrumental in the early
stages of planning.
Meet David ‘DJ’ Hamm ’08
The Augsburg College Alumni Association
welcomes David “DJ” Hamm ’08 as the new
volunteer and alumni engagement manager
within the alumni and constituent relations
office. David comes to Augsburg with a
background in event planning, social media
communication, and philanthropy.
“Civic engagement and service learning are major parts of the Augsburg experience,” Hamm said.
“As Auggies, ‘we are called’ to serve the community beyond
Augsburg as I did in 2008 as an AmeriCorps VISTA member. I
want to build upon the tradition of giving back by creating meaningful opportunities for alumni, current students, and local residents
that instill pride and strengthen our collective community.”
David lives in Minnetonka with his wife, Emily Crook ’07. He
can be reached at 612-330-1329 or hammd@augsburg.edu.
Follow David on twitter @DJHamm1.
GIVE US YOUR
FEEDBACK
Later this year, Augsburg
will invite alumni to participate in a magazine readership survey created by the
Council for Advancement
and Support of Education (CASE). This web survey
is designed to help colleges and universities evaluate how readers view their campus magazine and
to benchmark the results.
Email langemo@augsburg.edu to update your email
address. A random sample of Augsburg Now readers
will be emailed to participate in this survey.
Summer 2013
29
alumni class notes
John Luoma published an
article in the book Religion:
A Clinical Guide for Nurses 2012.
65
Tom Koplitz was named
Director of the Minnesota
Prevention Resource Center. He
has managed several federal
and state prevention projects
during the past 22 years. He also
manages the drug-free coalition,
Partners for a Drug Free Chisago
County.
74
Scott Seal released an online
video that brings to life a scene
from his 2011 novel Convergence:
A Novel of Science Fiction.
Doug Greseth, boy’s basketball coach at Wesley Chapel
High School near Tampa, Fla.,
won his 400th career game in
December. He has coached 26
people who have gone on to play
college basketball or football,
including three players in the
NFL and one in the NBA. He was
named the Sunshine Athletic
Conference Coach of the Year in
2011-12 and 2012-13.
79
Terri Bocklund was chosen
by jury as an Artist in
Residence at Isle Royale National
Park, located in the northwestern
section of Lake Superior.
81
Kristine West Denton
performed Beethoven’s
“Emperor” piano concerto with
the Erie (Pa.) Philharmonic
Orchestra at Edinboro University
on February 12. She is an associate professor of music at Edinboro
University.
82
Jacquie Berglund, owner
of FINNEGANS Inc. and
the FINNEGANS Community
Fund, was awarded the Social
Impact Award for Best Social
Entrepreneur from Minnesota
Business Magazine. Berglund also
received the Best Small Business
Award from the Minneapolis
Regional Chamber of Commerce
in March. For the past four years,
Berglund has been coached
by Buffie Blesi ’90, ’97 MAL,
owner of the KnowledgeSphere
Group of AdviCoach. Blesi helps
FINNEGANS grow its profits so
that it can continue to purchase
fresh produce for food banks in
each of the markets where its
beer is sold.
87
Heather Johnston was
promoted to city manager of
Burnsville, Minn.
92
Heather Cmiel, account
director with Minneapolisbased public relations firm
02
Auggie Legacy Family
The fourth of five children from the Schmit family graduated this past
May from Augsburg College. This fall, the College will welcome to
campus the fifth Auggie from the Schmit family. The Schmit children,
shown holding their fingers up in their birth order, include [L to R]:
Hannah Schmit ’18, Peter Schmit ’13, Caitlyn Schmit ’11, Michael
Schmit ’09, Christianna “Christi” Lobermeier ’08. These Auggies are
the children of Kathy and Dave Schmit of Tomahawk, Wis.
Weber Shandwick, was named
to the board of directors for the
Minnesota chapter of the Public
Relations Society of America
(PRSA).
Mel Freitag completed her PhD in
curriculum and instruction with
minors in composition/rhetoric
and educational psychology at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison.
She has accepted a position as
a clinical assistant professor and
director of diversity initiatives for
ie
augPg
SHOTS
SNA
Allison (Cornell) and Matt
Broughton ’06 welcomed
their son Calvin Patrick Broughton
on April 24. Calvin joined the
family as the first grandchild for
Randy and Pam Cornell and Cal
and Alice Broughton, and the first
nephew for Jeff Cornell ’15.
05
Iris Grace Terrell was born on
February 25 to Lisa (Ritchie)
Terrell and Chris Terrell. She joins big
sisters Julia, age 9, and Cece, age 7.
94
30
Augsburg Now
Tara (Cesaretti) McLeod and
Chris McLeod ’00 welcomed
daughter Maren on October 11.
She joins big sister, Cora.
97
the University of Wisconsin School
of Nursing.
James Pope, instrumental
music instructor at North
Branch (Minn.) High School
organized the North Suburban AllConference Honors Band program
this past January with 10 high
schools represented. Bob Stacke
’71, chair of the Augsburg College
Music Department, directed the
concert band’s performance. The
festival also included a separate
03
CORRECTION:
On page 25 of the Spring
2013 issue of Augsburg
Now, Cristina M. Olson ’00
’05 MSW was incorrectly
listed as the assistant
vice president for student affairs at Towson
University. She is the
assistant to the vice president for student affairs.
HOMECOMING
All-Conference jazz band under the
direction of Dave Mitchell, director of the
Minnesota Youth Jazz Ensembles.
2013
Elsa Maxwell and her husband,
Rodrigo Bello, have relocated to
Duluth, Minn., after residing in Santiago,
Chile, for nine years. Elsa completed her
master’s degree in Latin American Studies
at the Universidad de Chile and is working
on her doctorate in literature.
04
Kimberly A. Cruce was appointed
to the University of Michigan Mott
Children’s Hospital Nursing Governance
Committee. Before joining Mott, Cruce was
on staff at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
08
Alissa Nollan started a new position in November as coordinator for
the graduate business programs at Saint
Mary’s University in Minneapolis.
09
Jenni (Pickford) Anderson married Thomas
R. Anderson, Jr. on July 28, 2012, in
Rosemount, Minn. They now live in
DeKalb, Ill. where Jenni is working on her
master’s degree in philosophy at Northern
Illinois University, after which she hopes to
pursue a doctoral program.
Matthew Curtis joined The Principal
Financial Group’s Minnesota
Business Center. He serves as a financial
advisor and financial representative.
10
Graduate programs
Dan Dierfeldt ’94 MSW was elected to
represent Minnesota as a delegate to the
2012 National Education Assembly in
Washington, D.C.
Kathy Thoreson ’96 MSW retired in January
after serving as chief executive officer of
Lutheran Services in Tennessee.
Ed Frizell ’05 MAL was promoted during February to deputy chief of the
Minneapolis Police Department. He previously served as the First Precinct inspector
and has had a career with the Minneapolis
Police Department since 1993.
Dr. Amit K. Ghosh ’12 MBA earned the
Certified Physician Executive (CPE)
degree from the Certifying Commission in
Medical Management. The CPE degree
indicates that the physician has achieved
superior levels of professional excellence
and management experience while also
demonstrating effective knowledge and
leadership skills.
SEPTEMBER 23-28
Come back to campus to enjoy Homecoming 2013 and Parent and Family
Weekend with alumni, parents, and friends. New events along with traditional
favorites make this one of the best times to visit campus all year. Visit
augsburg.edu/homecoming for more information and to register.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Friday, September 27
Saturday, September 28
Homecoming Convocation with
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center,
10 to 11:30 a.m.
Recognizing the First Decade,
Spirit of Augsburg, and Distinguished
Alumni Award winners.
Breakfast with the Provost
Oren Gateway Center Atrium, 9:30 a.m.
Current Auggies and their parents are
invited to a breakfast to meet Karen
Kaivola, the College’s new Provost and
Chief Academic Officer.
Homecoming Convocation Luncheon
Dining Commons, 12 p.m.
Enjoy a time for fellowship as we continue to recognize and celebrate our
distinguished alumni award winners
as well as the 50-Year Club inductees
from the class of 1963.
Faculty and Faculty Emeriti
Meet and Greet
Lindell Library, 4 p.m.
Reconnect with faculty from your
time at Augsburg College and take
the opportunity to meet current
faculty from a variety of departments.
Refreshments will be served.
Auggie Hours
Republic, 6 to 9 p.m.
Augsburg Young Alumni, 10th
Reunion, and 25th Reunion will come
together for an all-out Homecoming
bash! Republic is located at 221
Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Augsburg Legacy Family Event
Admissions Suite, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Augsburg legacy families—past,
present, and future—will enjoy time
together at this special reception.
Taste of Augsburg
Murphy Square, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The event includes carnival-style
booths operated by student groups,
alumni, and local restaurants, as well
as games, inflatable bounce houses,
and fun for the entire family.
Homecoming Football Game vs. Hamline
Edor Nelson Field, 1 p.m.
Cheer on the Auggie football team as
they take on the Hamline Pipers!
Auggie Block Party
Parking Lot K, 3:30 to 6 p.m.
Enjoy live music, barbecue fare,
reunions, and more.
Summer 2013
31
Augsburg College President Emeritus
Charles S. Anderson dies at 83
Charles S. Anderson, respected reformation scholar, higher
education leader, and president of Augsburg College from
1980 to 1997, passed away June 14.
As the eighth president of Augsburg, Anderson led the
College to expand diversity in enrollment and programs; to
advance its curriculum to draw more fully on the resources of
the city as an extension of the College’s campus and classrooms; and to strengthen its commitment to spiritual growth,
freedom, and liberal arts education.
During his tenure, Anderson said, “A liberal arts education
answers what business leaders say they need: people who can
communicate, people who can think, people equipped for change…
people who understand history and the possibilities of the future,”
and he led the College to be clear and focused in its mission
while embracing opportunities for growth and progress.
Anderson was a constant advocate for Augsburg and
helped to establish the College’s public presence in the Twin
Cities, said David Tiede, Augsburg College Regent and former
Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation.
Tiede, who studied under Anderson and served as his faculty
colleague at Luther Seminary, said that Anderson “brought
Augsburg into the public square of the city of Minneapolis in a
way that it hadn’t been previously” and put the College on “a
trajectory that has been taken effectively forward.”
“Chuck Anderson was a careful steward of Augsburg’s
distinctive legacy of liberal-professional-experiential education
in the city,” said President Emeritus William V. Frame, who
succeeded Anderson at Augsburg. “He took the view that the
College was, in fact, the Church at 22nd and Riverside, and
he made it profoundly hospitable to a daring array of diversity—not only religious and cultural, but of learning styles and
varying physical capacities.”
Anderson wears the Knight’s Cross, an honor presented in 1993 by His Majesty King Harald
V of Norway to recognize Anderson’s work to strengthen ties between the U.S. and Norway.
Anderson advanced the College vision he inherited from
Oscar Anderson and, before him, Bernhard Christensen and
passed on “an extraordinary College of the Church, which
continues today along the path he and his predecessors laid
out for it,” Frame said.
Anderson was born in Madison, Wis., in 1930—the 400th
anniversary year of the Augsburg Confession, the statement of
faith for which the College was named. He earned a bachelor’s
degree from St. Olaf College in 1951 and after graduation
went on to serve as a Marine Corps officer. He later continued
his studies, earning a master’s degree in English from the
Anderson pictured during his tenure as a
Luther Seminary professor.
Anderson attends Augsburg College’s 1994 Commencement
ceremony with his wife, Catherine.
His Majesty King Olav V of Norway and Anderson meet in 1987.
32
26
Augsburg Now
University of Wisconsin in 1954, a bachelor of theology degree
from Luther Theological Seminary in 1957, and a doctor of
philosophy degree from Union Theological Seminary in 1961.
For 15 years Anderson taught church history at Luther
Seminary in St. Paul, and for six years he also was director of
graduate studies. He was a guest professor in 1968 at
Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Mo., and for five years was
a guest lecturer at St. Paul Diocesan Seminary. A frequent
guest pastor and educator at Lutheran churches throughout
the United States, his publications include four books: The
Reformation, Then and Now; Augsburg Historical Atlas of
Christianity in the Middle Ages and Reformation; Readings
in Luther for Laymen; and Faith and Freedom: The Christian
Faith According to the Lutheran Confessions.
As a lifelong scholar, Anderson completed postdoctoral
study in Strasbourg, France, and at Columbia University, the
University of Minnesota, Harvard University, and Union
Theological Seminary.
Anderson came to Augsburg in 1976 as vice president for
academic affairs and dean of the college—a role he served
until his election as College president.
During the 17 years of Anderson’s presidency, Augsburg
instituted two graduate degree programs, launched the Weekend and Evening College program, and established the Center
for Global Education. The College amplified its support of
students of diverse backgrounds and abilities by creating the
StepUP® program for young people in recovery and the CLASS
office for differently abled students. Augsburg also celebrated
the addition and improvement of numerous campus facilities
such as the Foss, Lobeck, Miles Center for Worship, Drama,
and Communication; the Oscar Anderson Residence Hall; and
the James G. Lindell Family Library.
At the time of Anderson’s retirement, then-Board of
Regents Chair Barbara Gage described his legacy as one in
which “leadership, energy, faith, and pursuit of new ideas...
helped Augsburg fulfill her mission to create leaders in service.”
Gage said Anderson epitomized the servant leader and left
Augsburg strong, healthy, and ready to have a positive impact
in the 21st century.
Anderson, a respected leader in higher education service
learning, was appointed chair of the Youth Works Commission by former Minnesota Gov. Arne Carlson. He received the
Knight’s Cross, First Class of the Royal Order of Merit, from
His Majesty King Harald V of Norway in 1993 for his work
to preserve and strengthen ties between the two countries.
Anderson was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
degree from Augsburg College in 2007.
“Charles Anderson’s influence on the Augsburg community
is deep and long-lived,” said Augsburg College President Paul
C. Pribbenow. “The priorities Anderson outlined and championed
during his tenure continue to shape how we live out our institutional mission and celebrate life and learning in the city each day.”
Anderson is survived by his children, Eric and Kristin,
Augsburg College professor of art history and archivist; five
grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and his wife,
Catherine, with whom he established the Charles and Catherine
Anderson Diversity Scholarship in 1989 and with whom he was
recognized by the June and Julian Foss family with the establishment of the Charles and Catherine Anderson Scholarship in
1997. The scholarship awards help the college fulfill its mission
of being an intentionally diverse community and supporting
students’ exceptional academic ability and Christian service.
A memorial service was held at St. Anthony Park Lutheran
Church on June 18. The Anderson family has requested that
memorials be sent to St. Anthony Park Lutheran Church,
Luther Seminary, or Augsburg College.
Anderson greets American folk singer Peter Yarrow,
the 1990 Augsburg College Commencement speaker.
Anderson pictured in 1980, the year of his
inauguration as Augsburg College President.
To learn more about
President Emeritus
Anderson’s legacy,
view archival images
from his tenure at
Augsburg, and read
articles from the
Star Tribune and
Pioneer Press, go to
augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2013
33
In memoriam
Irene (Hagen) Kyllo ’39,
Donovan A. Moe ’56, Canton,
Bloomington, Minn., age 96,
on January 26.
Julia (Sletten) Benson ’42,
Minneapolis, age 98, on
January 18.
Muriel (Quanbeck) Turrittin ’42,
St. Peter, Minn., age 93, on
March 10.
Orloue N. Gisselquist ’43,
Minneapolis, age 91, on
March 16.
Ruben N. Egeberg ’45, Rock
Island, Ill., age 89, on
March 2.
Joyce K. (Opseth) Schwartz ’45,
Minneapolis, age 88, on
February 3.
E. Milton Kleven ’46, Edina,
Minn., age 90, on April 11.
Gudrun (Vik) Kampen ’48,
Plentywood, Mont., age 90, on
October 27.
Reynold “Ray” J. Skotte ’48,
Long Beach, Calif., age 92, on
January 28.
Iris J. (Johnson) Brustad ’49,
Eden Prairie, Minn., age 85,
on November 4.
Glenn C. Grahn ’49, Atwater,
Minn., age 87, on April 6.
James Cleatus Hodge ’49,
Minneapolis, age 89, on
April 22.
Norman C. Hoium ’50, Coon
Rapids, Minn., age 87, on
May 3.
Allen D. Hanson ’52, Knoxville,
Tenn., age 82, on April 10.
Elwood “Woody” H. Larson ’52,
Roseville, Minn., age 83, on
January 12.
John R. Madsen ’52, Spring
Park, Minn., age 85, on
April 30.
Arnold Paulson ’52, Woodbury,
Minn., age 84, on March 6.
Dean L. Lapham ’53,
Bloomington, Minn., age 81,
on March 29.
Donald J. Reimer ’53, Mound,
Minn., age 81, on March 31.
Jeneane (Abrahamson) Stein ’53,
Killen, Minn., age 82, on
February 7.
Ga., age 78, on December 29.
Harlan C. Christianson ’57, Los
Angeles, age 77, on
December 15.
Janice “Jan” M. (Bremseth) Larson
’55, Sparta, Minn., age 79, on
April 23.
34
26
Augsburg Now
Leona M. (Samuelson) Nelson
’57, Payson, Ariz., age 75, on
March 14.
Marvin S. Rodvik ’57, Franklin,
Minn., age 85, on April 5.
Genevieve T. (Trenne) Michelsen
’61, Charlotte, N.C., age 73,
on April 7.
Stephen “Gabe” Gabrielsen ’63,
Minneapolis, age 73, on
April 8.
David S. Ziegler ’64, Crystal,
Minn., age 71, on April 13.
Francis W. Monseth ’65, Rogers,
Minn., age 71, on March 29.
Carolyn A. (Hanson) Schildgen
’68, Northbrook, Ill., age 66,
on April 20.
Timothy J. Wattman ’70,
Minnetonka, Minn., age 66,
on April 8.
James “Jim” M. Genia ’87,
Shoreview, Minn., age 48, on
March 30.
Scott E. Humphrey ’89,
Plymouth, Minn., age 47, on
January 17.
Erika L. (Timm) Rodriguez ’96,
Alexandria, Minn., age 39, on
December 11.
Kirsten (Kvamme) Salmi ’99,
Golden Valley, Minn., age 38,
on March 23.
Allan T. Davey ’00, Maple
Grove, Minn., age 50, on
September 16.
Juli Elisabeth Crees ’05,
Plymouth, Minn., age 30, on
March 3.
Ana M. Strandemo ’12,
Minneapolis, age 29, on
January 26.
President Emeritus Charles S.
Anderson, St. Paul, age 83,
June 14.
CORRECTION:
The name of Richard “Dick”
Vevle ’57 name was misspelled
in the Spring 2013 Augsburg
Now.
Send us your news and photos
Please tell us about the news in your life, your new job, move, marriage, and
births. Don’t forget to send photos! (Digital photos must be at least 300 dpi
or a 1MB file.)
For news of a death, printed notice is required, e.g., an obituary, funeral
notice, or program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes, Augsburg College, CB 146, 2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, MN 55454, or email alumni@augsburg.edu. You can also
submit news at augsburg.edu/alumni.
______________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________
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Class year or last year attended
______________________________________________________
Street address
______________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP code
Is this a new address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
______________________________________________________
Home telephone
______________________________________________________
Email
Okay to publish your email address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
______________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________
Work telephone
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? ❑ Yes ❑ No
If yes, class year__________________________________________
______________________________________________________
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Your news:
______________________________________________________
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❑ I know a student who is interested in attending Augsburg.
In memoriam
E. Milton Kleven
E. Milton “Milt” Kleven ’46, active Augsburg alumnus, generous scholarship benefactor, teacher, businessman, Navy
Reserve commander, and friend of Augsburg College, passed
away April 11.
Kleven, son of a Norwegian immigrant mother and a
Norwegian-American father, grew up two blocks south of
Augsburg College. He enrolled in the College in 1940,
but his studies were interrupted by World War II. Kleven
returned to Augsburg after the war and graduated with a
bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a minor in physical
education. He later earned a master’s degree in vocational
education from the University of Minnesota.
Kleven began his career teaching mathematics in the
Minneapolis Public School District in 1946. He was an
educator in Minneapolis for 34 years. In 1947, he founded
Kleven Flooring Service, a hardwood flooring company that
he led for more than 60 years.
“The impact on Augsburg students—past, present, and
future—of Milt’s incredible generosity will be felt for generations to come,” said Augsburg College President Paul C.
Pribbenow. “Growing up and teaching in Minneapolis, Milt
understood what a full scholarship could mean to students
from low-income families. He loved getting to know the
students his family supported, and he was a strong advocate
among his peers for greater scholarship funding for even
more students.”
Kleven and his wife, Dorothy, who met at Augsburg in
1943, were generous supporters of the College and student
scholarships for more than 50 years. In 2001, he established the Dorothy Lijsing Kleven Scholarship in Choral
Music, the College’s first endowed President’s Scholarship,
providing a full scholarship to students interested in choral
music. Dorothy was interested in choral music throughout
her life. In 2007, the Kleven family created two additional
endowed President’s Scholarships: one in memory of Milt’s
and Dorothy’s parents, Magnus and Kristofa Kleven, and
David and Florence Lijsing; and a second in Milt’s name—
the E. Milton Kleven Scholarship in Public Service.
Kleven also helped to facilitate two other scholarships.
The Margaret E. Andrews Scholarship was established by
Kleven and his fellow trade and industry coordinators in the
Minneapolis Public Schools to honor Andrews, who founded
the district’s Cooperative Education Training program. The
Reverend Donald C. Carlson Scholarship, through the
Normandale Lutheran Church Foundation, is named for
Normandale’s founding pastor, a 1942 Augsburg alumnus.
This scholarship supports students from Normandale who
attend Augsburg College. The Klevens also provided major
support for the construction of the James G. Lindell Library.
Kleven joined with Glen Person ’47 and Dick “Pork Chop”
Thompson ’61 to provide funding to name the Jeroy C.
Carlson ’48 A-Club Hospitality/Classroom in the Kennedy
Center, in honor of Carlson, their longtime friend.
“The impact on Augsburg students—past, present,
and future—of Milt’s incredible generosity will be
felt for generations to come.”
AUGSBURG COLLEGE PRESIDENT PAUL C. PRIBBENOW
Summer 2013
35
auggies on the field
Lacrosse team maps new ground in women’s athletics
Being first can be daunting.
It’s intimidating because no one before you has done what
you are trying to do. There’s no road map to keep you on track.
But it’s also exhilarating to create the map for others and
to leave an indelible mark on everything that follows.
“I am excited to be at the forefront of Augsburg College’s
varsity women’s lacrosse team,” said Coach Kathryn
Knippenberg. “I’m looking forward to building a team that
knows winning is as much about team chemistry and bonds as
it is about the stick.”
It’s not just that Knippenberg is Augsburg’s first women’s
collegiate varsity lacrosse coach.
It’s bigger than that. Knippenberg is the first women’s collegiate varsity lacrosse coach at any college in Minnesota, and
at the one that launched in 1995 the first women’s collegiate
varsity hockey team.
“It’s an honor to help pioneer this great sport,”
Knippenberg said. “Getting to lead at a place that believes in
the value of women’s athletics is thrilling and challenging.”
Knippenberg, who as a student at the University of
Minnesot
Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Spring 2015: Auggies Are Peace Builders
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Collection
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Alumni Magazine Collection
-
Search Result
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SPRING 2015 | VOL. 77, NO. 2
Everyday work advice for Auggies
Magazine survey results
A tale of two Auggies
Nobel Peace Prize Forum
AUGSBURG COLLEGE RECEIVES
$10 MILLION CASH GIFT
to name Center for Science, Business, and Religion
This winter, Augsburg College was
honored with a $10 mil...
Show more
SPRING 2015 | VOL. 77, NO. 2
Everyday work advice for Auggies
Magazine survey results
A tale of two Auggies
Nobel Peace Prize Forum
AUGSBURG COLLEGE RECEIVES
$10 MILLION CASH GIFT
to name Center for Science, Business, and Religion
This winter, Augsburg College was
honored with a $10 million philanthropic
gift that will support a new signature
academic building housing the College’s
science, business, and religion
programs. Visit augsburg.edu/csbr to
learn about the celebration to announce
the building’s name and the capital
campaign’s progress toward its
IN THIS ISSUE
$50 million fundraising goal.
Features
On the cover
2 Magazine survey results | COMPILED BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
10 Everyday work advice for Auggies | BY STEPHANIE WEISS
16 A tale of two Auggies | BY STEPHANIE WEISS
24 Nobel Peace Prize Forum | BY STEPHEN GEFFRE AND LAURA SWANSON
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former
U.S. President Jimmy Carter addressed
middle school and high school students
during a Youth Forum event in Augsburg’s
Si Melby Hall as part of the 2015 Nobel
Peace Prize Forum, held March 6-8 in
Departments
Minneapolis. Carter spoke in front of
4 Around the Quad | 13 It takes an Auggie
exhibition about past Nobel Peace Prize
Augsburg student artwork created for an
14 My Auggie experience | 20 Auggie voices
winners that opened at the American
22 Auggies on the court | 27 Alumni news
Swedish Institute in February. Learn more
31 Alumni class notes | 36 In memoriam
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
on pages 8 and 24.
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
Abundance at Augsburg
2015 is off to a remarkable start at Augsburg!
The announcement on the facing page
about the $10 million gift to name the Center
for Science, Business, and Religion certainly
ranks as our most exciting news. The momentum
to break ground on this signature academic
building is now palpable on campus and beyond
as we imagine its transformational impact on our
community for generations to come.
And this issue of Augsburg Now is full of
many other examples of the good news of this
academic year. News of national recognition for
community engagement and interfaith initiatives.
News of special events featuring Bill Nye the
Science Guy (a fellow bow tie lover!) and Nobel
Peace Prize Laureates U.S. President Jimmy
Carter and The Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons. News of more than 100
Augsburg students and faculty from five academic
departments collaborating to create an interactive
exhibit to engage people in the topic of peace.
News of student and faculty achievements on
and off campus. News of generous alumni and
friends supporting the mission-based work of
the Augsburg community—including more than
1,300 donors who, for the second year in a row,
helped Augsburg surpass every other Minnesota
college or university in fundraising on Give to the
Max Day. And much, much more to celebrate.
For me, all of this good news points to a core
value at the heart of Augsburg’s identity and
character—we are a community of abundance in
a world of scarcity.
What do I mean by abundance? It is a way
of life that calls our community to live and work
together with a focus on our common wisdom,
experience, and aspirations. It is an ethic that
challenges us to believe that we can do more and
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Communication Copywriter
and Editorial Coordinator
Laura Swanson
swansonl@augsburg.edu
better together than on our own. It is a vision
that says we are small to our students and big for
the world.
As I near the end of my ninth year as
Augsburg’s 10th president, I am more and more
struck by the abundance of our lives together, the
many ways in which the students, faculty, staff,
alumni, and friends of our community aspire to
embody a way of life that links faith, learning,
and service to the neighbor.
I also am struck by the abundance of our place,
the remarkable work of Augsburg as an institution
and community in this neighborhood, city, and
world, and our firm resolve to send our students
out into the world as educated and faithful
citizens, to be good stewards of our environment,
and to embrace hospitality and generosity for our
fellow humans.
Finally, I am struck by the abundance of the
promise we make each and every day to each
other as we dedicate ourselves to collaboration,
to doing things differently, and to working
together to meet the needs of students and
neighbors. Where others say there is not enough,
we say there is more than plenty if we believe and
bring resolve, courage, and imagination to our
efforts to educate, to feed the hungry, to clothe
the poor, and to meet the needs of strangers.
What a deep privilege it is to be a partner
in this work of abundance at Augsburg College.
Thanks to all of you for your abiding support and
passion for this good and faithful work.
Creative Associate
Denielle Johnson ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
Christina Haller
haller@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Production Manager
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communication
Specialist
Jen Lowman Day
dayj@augsburg.edu
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Yours in Augsburg,
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
langemo@augsburg.edu
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Email: now@augsburg.edu
600
Took the survey
TURNING
A NEW PAGE
35-49
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RESULTS:
34 & under
Who took the survey
COMPILED BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
More than 600 people responded to the
Augsburg survey, with 541 completing the
entire questionnaire.
Augsburg Now magazine survey: What you told us
NATIONAL
This past summer, Augsburg College participated in a national higher
education magazine survey developed by the Council for Advancement
and Support of Education. This survey has been used by more than
350 college and university magazines across the United States,
allowing Augsburg to compare its results with national benchmarks.
AUGSBURG
30 percent of the Augsburg Now survey respondents
were 65 years of age or older, nearly 10 percentage
points above the national response rate.
Top ways the magazine helps keep Auggies connected*
Augsburg’s results
National results
Auggies are connected
87%
80% 53%
As a reminder of your
college experience
46% 46%
Keeping you in touch with
your graduating class
39%
Encouraging financial support for
the College and current students
Survey respondents confirmed that
Augsburg Now strengthens their
connection with the College. In fact,
80 percent of respondents older than
age 35 agreed with this notion, and
70 percent of respondents under age
35 agreed as well.
SO, WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN?
Readership, connection, and format
Topics of interest
The magazine will build on its strengths in order
to maintain high readership levels and the strong
connection that the magazine helps Auggies feel with
the College. Augsburg will continue publishing the
magazine in both print and online versions, but those
who prefer a digital format are encouraged to let us
know their preference for receiving notifications instead
of printed editions.
The topics of greatest interest across all age groups align well with the
College’s Augsburg2019 strategic vision, which states that, in 2019,
Augsburg will be a new kind of student-centered, urban university that is small
to our students and big for the world. Stories about student achievements,
alumni in their professions, and campus facilities and growth illustrate our
commitment to educating for lives of purpose, being “at the table” with
our partners and neighbors, and building a vital and sustainable institution.
In addition to those topics, the magazine will continue to include events,
speakers, obituaries, and class notes given that these topics garnered strong
response rates, especially among readers over 35 years of age.
See augsburg.edu/Augsburg2019 for information about the strategic plan.
Go to augsburg.edu/now for more information about
changing your Augsburg Now delivery format.
2
Augsburg Now
ended
event
ade a
nation
64%
h These categories were ranked substantially higher than the national averages.
prefer print
Agreement with these statements among people age 35 years or older was 10 or more percentage points higher than for respondents under age 35.
*
12%
prefer
online
Magazine
readership
23%
Ages represented:
65+
50 to 64
35 to 49
34 and under
11 percent of Augsburg’s respondents were under
age 35, which is only half of the percentage in
that age category nationally.
Attended
an event
Recommended
Top actions
taken as a
Augsburg
Recommended
result of reading
Augsburg Now
Augsburg
Augsburg’s results
National results
Made a
donation
Recommended
Augsburg
Most respondents indicated that Augsburg Now was the No. 1
way they get information about the College, and 82 percent said
they read all orprefer
mostboth
of each issue.
Most respondents said they prefer to read the printed
version of Augsburg Now, although some favor digital formats.
It is exciting to learn that 1/3 of
respondents
indicated that the magazine
Made a
donation
prompted them to recommend Augsburg
to others. One of the primary objectives of
the magazine is to equip Auggies to act as
advocates of the College, so this result was
of particular significance in measuring the
impact of the magazine.
Renaming the magazine
Although the name of the magazine was not specifically addressed
in the survey questions, the time has come to rethink the name of
the publication. “Augsburg Now” served well for decades, but in an
age of digital communication, a publication that comes out three
times per year cannot reasonably include information about what’s
happening at the moment.
As a result, the plan is to announce a new name for the magazine
in the summer 2015 issue and officially change the masthead in
the fall. Look in the summer issue for more information about these
future plans for the Augsburg College magazine!
82%
read all or most of
64% prefer print 13% prefer online 23% prefer both
Topics of interest
When asked what topics readers preferred to see in the magazine,
the following categories rose to the top.
1. Cultural events and performances
68.1% *
2. Alumni in their professions
67.5%
3. Class notes
67.4% * h
4. Institutional history and traditions
66.5% * h
5. Obituaries
65.8% * h
6. Campus facilities and growth
62.5%
7. Student achievements
61.2% h
8. Visiting speakers
60.3% * h
Subscribe to NOW@Augsburg
For the past few years, Augsburg’s alumni relations staff
has published a monthly email newsletter and blog called
“NOW@Augsburg,” which features stories about Augsburg
alumni, upcoming events, fundraising milestones, and College
accolades. Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog for past newsletter
content, or email langemo@augsburg.edu to sign up for the
monthly email newsletter if you are not already receiving it.
Spring 2015
3
Jamar Esaw ’05 directs members of Triad:4Christ, a gospel choral
ensemble, during the 2015 Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation.
MANY VOICES,
BOLD VISIONS
2014-15 Convocation Series
sparks critical thinking,
meaningful conversation
The Augsburg College Convocation Series each year offers the community a chance
to hear from outstanding leaders and visionaries who ignite important conversations
and contribute to making the world a safer place for future generations.
The first event held during the spring semester was the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Convocation in January, featuring collaboration among on-campus student groups
and ARTS-Us, a St. Paul-based arts education organization; Dare 2 Be Real, a
Twin Cities-based interracial student leadership program; and Triad:4Christ, a
renowned gospel choir led by Jamar Esaw ’05.
The Batalden Seminar in Applied Ethics in February welcomed
Rami Nashashibi, executive director of the Inner-City Muslim
Action Network and a visiting professor at the Chicago Theological
Seminary. Nashashibi spoke on “The Sociology of Seerah:
Reclaiming Prophetic Tradition for Our Time and Place.”
The Koryne Horbal Lecture in March featured Janell Hobson,
associate professor of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
at the University at Albany. Hobson’s presentation was titled
“Historical Consciousness and Black Feminist Imagination.”
4
Augsburg Now
AROUND THE QUAD
FROM SCREEN TO SCRIPT:
Auggies win big at film festival
Augsburg students were recognized for
their excellent work at the fourth annual
Student Film Festival hosted by the
Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities.
Delegates from Wells Fargo’s Diversity Council Leadership Team visit with Augsburg student leaders, faculty, and staff.
WELLS FARGO MAKES $100,000
GIFT
to the Center for Science, Business, and Religion
In recognition of Augsburg College’s leadership in closing the higher education
disparity gap for students of color in Minnesota, Wells Fargo made a $100,000
gift to the campaign to build the Center for Science, Business, and Religion.
Wells Fargo joined several other corporations—including 3M and General Mills—
in supporting the CSBR.
Dave Kvamme, CEO of Wells Fargo Minnesota,
in a statement expressed admiration for Augsburg’s
commitment to partnering with college access programs
Wells Fargo also supports a
to help recruit, support, and retain first-generation and
scholarship program through
low-income students.
the Minnesota Private College
“We support Augsburg College’s commitment to
Fund. The fund, started in 1976,
provide opportunities for a college education for those
provides scholarships at each of
students who may face life challenges to attain it,”
the 17 Minnesota Private Colleges,
Kvamme said. “We know our donation will help Augsburg
including Augsburg.
be successful in developing Minnesota’s future business
and community leaders.”
DID YOU KNOW?
U.S. BANK SUPPORTS STUDENT VETERANS
and Center for Science, Business, and Religion with
$125,000 gift
Augsburg College and U.S. Bank celebrated the
opening of the new U.S. Bank Veterans’ Lounge
on campus with a dedication ceremony this fall. U.S. Bank recently pledged
$125,000 toward the building of the Center for Science, Business, and Religion at
Augsburg, and the College recognized the contribution to the campaign by granting
naming rights to the Veterans’ Lounge.
The renovated space, located in Oren Gateway Center, honors the contributions
student veterans have made to their country. U.S. Bank and Augsburg College are
nationally recognized as top supporters of veterans and military families. Augsburg
was named a 2015 Military Friendly® School for its ongoing efforts to provide
transitioning veterans the best possible experience in higher education.
• Thomas VandenDolder ’15 won
Best Experimental Film for
“Oblivious.”
• Rebecca Schroeder ’18 won the
Best Music Video award for
“We Are The Art.”
This year’s ACTC festival included
a new screenplay contest. Students
who have participated in courses in
the Augsburg Master of Fine Arts in
Creative Writing program took home
top awards in all three categories.
• Michelle Herrin ’15 MFA won the
Overall Excellence award for
“Side Effects.”
• Amanda Symes ’15 MFA received
an Honorable Mention, FeatureLength Narrative for “Celia.”
• Mark Woodley ’14 received the
Best Short Screenplay award for
“Missing.”
The festival included work submitted
by students from Augsburg College,
Hamline University, and the University
of St. Thomas. More than 100 people
attended the film festival screenings
this year, and all films were created
during the 2013-14 academic year.
Spring 2015
5
Augsburg earns dual national
COMMUNITY SERVICE HONORS
Augsburg was the only Minnesota college or
university named a finalist on the Corporation for
National and Community Service’s 2014 Interfaith
Community Service Honor Roll as well as on the
Corporation’s General Community Service Honor Roll
with Distinction.
Augsburg is one of only four colleges out
of hundreds of applicants nationwide to be
named a finalist in the interfaith category, an
honor recognizing institutions
that support exemplary
community service
programs, promote greater
interfaith cooperation,
and raise the visibility
of effective practices
in campus-community
partnerships.
Augsburg receives
Carnegie Foundation’s Community
ENGAGEMENT CLASSIFICATION
Augsburg College has earned its second
Community Engagement Classification from
the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of
Teaching. Institutions are recognized based on
evidence of their collaboration with the larger
community, which:
• enriches scholarship, research, and creative
activity;
• enhances curriculum, teaching, and learning;
• prepares educated, engaged citizens;
• strengthens democratic values and civic
responsibility;
• addresses critical societal issues; and
• contributes to the public good.
Augsburg was one of only eight
Minnesota colleges or universities
recognized in 2015. The College
previously received the Community
Engagement Classification in 2008.
6
Augsburg Now
Bush Foundation grant supports
DIVERSITY IN TEACHING
Augsburg College’s Department of Education was awarded a $150,000
grant from the Bush Foundation through its Teacher Effectiveness
Initiative. The award will be used to fund a project that builds the
College’s capacity to recruit and support students of color as they work
toward a degree in teaching. Augsburg was one of only five higher
education institutions selected to receive this one-time award.
Augsburg’s Department of Education Chair and Associate
Professor Margaret Finders will lead the project in partnership
with Minneapolis Public Schools, Minneapolis Community and
Technical College, and St. Paul Public Schools. This team will
create a coordinated, sustainable infrastructure that will
recruit high-quality teacher candidates and reduce attrition.
This infrastructure will help the partner institutions engage
in proactive recruitment of teacher candidates of color
from multiple entry points, improve experiences for teacher
candidates of color, and foster smooth transitions into teaching.
AROUND THE QUAD
This winter, AUGSBURG COLLEGE PRESIDENT PAUL C. PRIBBENOW joined other private college leaders in testifying before the Minnesota State Senate Higher
Education Committee. Pribbenow thanked senators for their support and discussed the ways in which Augsburg works to best educate the state’s future leaders.
DAY AT THE CAPITOL
During the 2013-14 academic year, more than 34 percent of all Augsburg undergraduates—1,054
students—received Minnesota State Grants totaling more than $3.4 million. This February, Augsburg
College students and members of the larger Twin Cities community met at the Capitol with their
respective representatives and advocated for the Minnesota State Grant program.
Augsburg’s StepUP® program, the EAST (East African Student to Teacher) program,
Student Financial Services, Multicultural Students Services, and Athletics partnered to
recruit and train students before the event. The students’ agenda included a policy and
lobbying briefing with comments from House and Senate members representing Augsburg
and a breakfast with alumni legislators followed by a meeting with representatives.
Spring 2015
7
AROUND THE QUAD
128 AUGGIES
exhibit at the
American Swedish Institute
Led by Assistant Professor of Art Christopher
Houltberg, 128 students and six Augsburg
faculty members contributed to a collaborative exhibition, Shaping Peace, at the
American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis.
The project is a collaboration involving the
disciplines of art and design, English, music,
political science, and religion.
Shaping Peace, a visual exploration of
the past 128 Nobel Peace Prize laureates,
is on display from February 28 through
May 24 and aims to broaden the awareness
of the Nobel Peace Prize. The interactive
installation encourages viewers to actively
participate in exploring the history of
the prize by contributing their own ideas
surrounding the concept of peace.
AUGSBURG YEARBOOKS
AVAILABLE ONLINE SOON
The Augsburg College student yearbook, the
Augsburgian, is being digitized for
online viewing. Issues are
being scanned from
newest to oldest,
and all editions
dating back to the
early 1900s will be
available online
soon. Check for your
yearbook at
augsburg.edu/now.
8
Augsburg Now
Archival Photo
PRESIDENTIAL SCULPTURES undergo restoration
public monuments, sculpted busts of Augsburg College Presidents Sven Oftedal
and Georg Sverdrup. For many years, the sculptures were housed in the College’s
original Main building and Old Main before being relocated to the Marshall
Room in Christensen Center. As time passed, the sculptures had become dirty,
scratched, and damaged. In fact, the bust of Sven Oftedal had even fallen off its
pedestal, which resulted in a broken nose.
In 2014, the sculptures were properly restored for the first time in 125
years. They are now on display in all their glory in Lindell Library. All of this work
has been supported by the Nydahl Family fund, which was created in 2006 to
celebrate the history of Augsburg and the Lutheran Free Church on campus.
THE CENTER FOR
COUNSELING AND HEALTH PROMOTION
gets new name and location
The Center for Counseling and Health Promotion recently became the
Center for Wellness and Counseling to better capture the mission of the
department, which is to support students to “stay healthy in body, mind, and
relationships.” The services of the center—
to offer free counseling, low-cost medical
services at a neighborhood clinic, and selfhelp information—will remain the same.
The name change comes at the same time
the center moves from a house on the corner
of 7th Street and 21st Avenue, to a remodeled
first floor of Augsburg’s Anderson Residence
Hall. The new location will allow students easier
access as well as add a dedicated relaxation
space. The house that the center staff once
occupied will be razed this spring as part of the
preparation of the area where the new Center for
Science, Business, and Religion will be built.
explores reputation management
During spring semester, Augsburg
College invited leaders with experience
in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors
of the Twin Cities business community
to share their expertise as part of the
annual Clair and Gladys Strommen
Executive Speaker Series.
In February, Lynn Casey,
CEO at PadillaCRT,
spoke on building and
protecting reputations
in real time. Casey also
discussed her work at
the Minneapolis-based headquarters
of PadillaCRT—the largest employeeowned agency in the United States.
Courtesy Photo
FROM 1888 TO 1890, Jacob Fjelde, a Norwegian portraitist and creator of
SPEAKER SERIES
The College welcomes
MayKao Hang, president
and CEO of the
Amherst H. Wilder
Foundation, in April.
Hang leads the
foundation as it works to live out its
mission to promote the social welfare
of persons resident or located in the
greater St. Paul metropolitan area.
Courtesy Photo
ABOVE: Augsburg’s historic presidents sculptures were first
housed in the College’s original Main building. RIGHT: The
sculptures are transported to a professional restorer.
Courtesy Photo
STROMMEN EXECUTIVE
“When we’re talking about building and
protecting reputations, high standards,
good character, and good operating
principles up-and-down [an organization]
are really essential ingredients.”
–Lynn Casey
Spring 2015
9
Meet Dave Conrad
Dave Conrad has honed his knowledge through decades of work as an
independent business consultant, his experience in sales and marketing
for public and private companies in a range of industries, and his
positions in higher education. He’s author of “Ask Dave,” a column for the
Rochester Post-Bulletin. His first book, which shares the same name as
his column, is available for purchase at the Augsburg College bookstore.
Ask Dave
EVERYDAY
WORK ADVICE
FOR
E
I
G
G
U
A
Y
R
E
V
E
Business professor Dave Conrad shares workplace guidance
with 100,000 readers through weekly newspaper column
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
T
he majority of American workers report being unhappy
in their jobs. One of the biggest factors for this
dissatisfaction is poor workplace communication, according
to The Conference Board’s annual survey of 5,000 U.S.
households. Other top factors that contribute to workplace
dissatisfaction include issues related to compensation,
recognition, and career development.
None of this is surprising to Dave Conrad, assistant director
of the Augsburg College Master of Business Administration
program at Rochester and associate professor in Rochester and
Minneapolis. Each week for the past eight years, Conrad has
shared straightforward business and workplace guidance with
100,000 readers of his column, “Dear Dave,” published in the
Rochester Post-Bulletin since 2006.
Conrad said that while he fields plenty of questions on
workplace communication issues, he also responds to
queries on everything from conflicts among coworkers to
issues of company culture, managing change, and problem
solving. There’s probably no question that has been left
unasked of Conrad. And his advice is so popular that he
published a book based upon his column and has another
one in the works.
Conrad dispenses usable guidance that blends
management processes with leadership thinking so that
readers can gain insight into the worlds of their coworkers.
“My readers tend to be everyday, hard-working staff
employees or mid-level managers who need everyday advice,”
he said.
Spring 2015
11
Clear counseling cleans up
clumsy communication
Conrad doesn’t really need to be told
by a national survey that communication
problems vex employees at all levels.
He knows it because, time and again,
he receives questions from readers
struggling to give voice to their opinions
or to share information about the
direction an organization is heading.
“People are bursting at the seams
with ideas, input, and feedback, but
there often is no one listening,” he said.
When one reader in 2013 asked
Conrad why it seems that managers don’t
interact with employees—not even to ask
how the employees are coping—Conrad
delivered his trademark guidance, mixing
simple steps with insight:
“Organizations thrive on
communication and dialogue. It is
crucial that managers simply interact
with employees ... and ask if they can
help the employees in any way,” Conrad
wrote. “Managers should pass along
information about the company that will
help employees understand the mission,
vision, goals, and objectives pertaining
to where the company is heading.”
Conrad said that the reason this
type of communication is critical
is because it creates what he
calls “we-ness,” a shared purpose
among employees that can inspire
everyone to work toward shared goals.
Conrad also offers practical
guidance for how managers should
communicate with employees:
share honestly, strive to promote
dialogue, ensure every voice is heard,
and welcome ideas and input without
chastising the messenger.
When a manager asked Conrad
how to more effectively guide change
after learning that her employees
felt she didn’t connect well with
those employees who most needed
information, Conrad first shared insight
on the organizational need to develop
12
Augsburg Now
“Keep things fresh,
engaging, and
constructive—dare
I say ‘positive.’”
Read Dave Conrad’s weekly column in the local
business section found at postbulletin.com.
a change-management communication
plan. The creation of such a plan is
an important step in ensuring that the
manager delivers the right information
to the right people at the right time.
He followed up with the types of
information to include in the plan so
all his readers could understand steps
toward shaping and managing change.
“Communication gaps and
weaknesses must be discovered,
and a systematic means of providing
instructions, information, and
feedback must be created and
implemented,” he responded via
the 2014 column. “To get and keep
people on board: Explain the ‘why’ of
the change. Clearly communicate the
vision, mission, and the objectives of
the change management initiative.
Have and articulate ideal outcomes.
Get people interacting and sharing
ideas and perspectives.”
Insight for Auggies
Conrad’s approach was no different
when we asked him what insight he has
for Augsburg College alumni just starting
out in the work world and those who
want to grow their careers.
Conrad said that it’s likely Auggies
who are beginning their careers will
need to perform unglamorous — and
possibly, humbling — work for a while.
But that’s normal.
“I love the saying: If you do what
you love, you will never work a day the
rest of your life,” Conrad said. “The
problem is, when you’re just out of
college, it’s easy to get confused about
what you can do in the workplace, or
even what you want to do.”
Just as Auggies are sorting through
what they might want to do, employers
will be watching. Conrad encourages
Auggies to stay positive, maintain
enthusiasm, and take on tasks they
never thought they would have to
perform. Early in their careers, he said,
Auggies should show off their work ethic
no matter the task assigned.
Conrad’s tips for young employees
include taking on the assignments
nobody wants, asking managers for
feedback on their work, and seeking
guidance for how to earn promotions.
“Not only is this a way to
demonstrate drive and ethic, but
it also offers a way to practice the
communication skills that make a
workplace more rewarding,” he said.
For Auggies further along in their
career, Conrad offers similarly upbeat
advice.
“Keep things fresh, engaging, and
constructive—dare I say ‘positive,’”
he said. “Volunteer for small and big
projects, mentor budding managers,
be there for people in need, learn new
things, and do anything that shows
care about the productivity and wellbeing of the organization, others, and
especially yourself.”
Employers are attracted to employees
who understand the importance of their
work on their team, department, and
organization. Through the reflective
practices and hands-on learning built
into an Augsburg College education,
Auggies leave campus knowing how
their work makes a difference in the
world, and they are ready to lead in
organizations ranging from nonprofits to
Fortune 500 businesses. And, they are
ready to do it well.
IT TAKES AN AUGGIE
IMPACT
Augsburg’s day of record-breaking
fundraising supports new opportunities
More than 1,300 donors gave Augsburg College more than
$430,000 on Give to the Max Day 2014. For the second year
in a row, Augsburg surpassed every other Minnesota college
or university in this annual online fundraising event. The
achievement reflects the work of alumni, faculty, and staff
who championed nearly three dozen unique projects.
A new drone copter for
student filmmakers.
IN THE CLASSROOM
$1,605 was raised to help students purchase essential — but
sometimes pricey — textbooks for class.
The College launched its first student-run publishing organization,
Howling Bird, which is part of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative
Writing program.
The Communication Studies Department purchased a drone camera
that takes student filmmakers’ work to new heights. (above right)
ON-CAMPUS RESEARCH
Biology students will benefit from the
opportunity to fund additional DNA
sequencing critical to their research.
Faculty in the Department of History will
further their research on topics ranging
from the deathbed conversions of medieval
knights to Minnesota after the Civil War to
women’s medicine in the Victorian era.
LEARN ABOUT THE
OTHER PROJECTS
AUGGIES ON THE MOVE
The Augsburg College women’s hockey team
traveled to four European countries, playing
games against international opponents, and
touring historic and cultural sites.
Gifts from Give to
the Max Day helped
to fund student
learning and success
through 34 projects.
Find the full list at
augsburg.edu/now.
Spring 2015
13
AUGGIES HAVE
AND
FOOD COOKING
DOWN TO A SCIENCE
Unique course makes science
approachable for all students
Ceviche is a South and Central American favorite that’s also
been popularized in the United States. It’s a bright and flavorful
seafood dish that’s not raw, but it’s not exactly cooked either. In
fact, it’s never exposed to heat.
Although it’s not cooked in the traditional sense, the raw
fish in ceviche goes through a chemical process that rearranges
or “denatures” its proteins, much like what happens when meat
or other protein is cooked with heat. The acid in citrus juice
cures the raw fish, which makes it safer to eat.
This is just one of the fascinating processes students learn
in one of Augsburg College’s popular physics courses: The
Science of Food and Cooking, taught by Associate Professor
Ben Stottrup.
Among other concepts, students in the course learn the
fundamental physics and chemistry of materials science through
hands-on preparation, like the phase change that occurs when
spinning cotton candy and the Maillard reaction caused by
searing a steak. They are taught the mechanical properties of
ricotta cheese and the states of matter in a root beer float.
And the students love experimenting with various cuisine.
SPECIAL THANKS to chefs Erick
*
Harcey of Victory 44, Landon Schoenefeld of
Haute Dish, and Karyn Tomlinson of Borough for
lending their expertise to the course.
14
Augsburg Now
“My biggest takeaway from this class is that science is,
in fact, present in everything in our daily lives,” said Cynthia
Del Villar ’15, business administration and economics major.
“Even eating is a daily reminder that food undergoes its own
scientific transformation through cooking or even combining
certain ingredients, like oil and vinegar.”
Del Villar took much away from the class—from learning how
to prevent freezer burn to emulsifying a mayonnaise to gaining
an understanding of heat transfer through a molten chocolate
cake. But she also made a personal contribution to the course—
her Mexican family’s traditional shrimp ceviche recipe for
experimentation in the lab. (See recipe on the next page.)
Restaurant reviews, cook-offs, and potlucks
But it’s not just the food that gets students engaged—Stottrup
also introduces competition and community involvement. For
example, while baking cupcakes, some groups are allowed the
use of measuring devices while others are not. Or some use
measurements based upon volume versus weight. This, of
course, determines the outcome of each recipe.
At the end of each lab,
guest judges from
“
This is a traditional family recipe
from my parents’ home state of
Nayarit, on Mexico’s west coast.
- Cynthia Del Villar ’15
MY AUGGIE EXPERIENCE
SHRIMP CEVICHE FOR A CROWD
Serves 20
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 pounds headless shrimp
• 10 medium limes
• 10 medium tomatoes
• 4 large cucumbers
• 1 purple onion
• 8 small green serrano chili peppers
• 2 tablespoons salt
• Tortilla chips
PREPARATION:
1.
Cleanse shrimp in water, peel completely, and
chop into half-inch pieces. Place in large bowl
and set aside.
2.
In a blender, combine lime juice and serrano chili
peppers and blend until smooth. Pour over shrimp.
3.
Add 2 tablespoons of salt to mixture and stir.
various departments on campus decide whose dish was most
successful. The competition and participation of the wider
campus community “creates an educational, memorable, and
interactive experience,” Stottrup said.
Members of the greater Twin Cities restaurant scene
also play an important role in the class. One requirement of
the course is that students dine at one of three well-known
Minneapolis restaurants and then write a restaurant review
describing the materials science on their plate. Afterward, one
chef from each restaurant comes to campus to participate in a
panel discussion on the creativity and lifestyle of being a chef.*
Community members participate in these panel
discussions each term, which range from local cooks revealing
the process of handcrafting the perfect scoop of
natural, organic ice cream to urban
planners explaining
4.
Cut onion into thin slices and add to shrimp. Allow
mixture to sit for 20 minutes.
5.
In the meantime, dice tomatoes and cucumbers
into small cubes and add to shrimp.
6.
Mix all ingredients well and salt to taste.
7.
Serve with chips or tostadas.
sustainable food systems to entrepreneurs from the craft beer
industry talking about the chemistry of brewing.
To wrap up the semester, the class participates in a
“Minnesota potluck,” where each student makes a dish to
share and describes the science behind it to their peers.
These engaging, communal activities make science “fun
and accessible to all students, not just science majors,”
Stottrup said. He hopes the class helps students gain a new
appreciation for science, as well as “for growing, preparing,
cooking, and simply enjoying food.”
BY CHRISTINA HALLER
Spring 2015
15
A TALE OF TWO
AUGGIES
ST. PAUL
COLLEGE EXPERIENCES SHAPE WORK
BY ALUMNI IN THE MINNESOTA
CAPITAL AND ON THE NORTH SHORE
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
As a young man growing up on Minnesota’s far western prairies
during the 1960s, Allan Torstenson ’75 felt the lure of big cities
tugging at him when he was deciding where to go to college.
He considered leaving his hometown of Dawson, Minn., for
campuses on the coasts in Berkeley, Calif., or New York City,
but it was the beehive of activity in Minneapolis and near the
Augsburg College campus that drew him in.
16
Augsburg Now
“I was watching the anti-war movement unfold on
television. People in a counter culture were fighting
construction of HUD-planned communities, including Cedar
Square West,” he said. “It was all happening on the West Bank
of Minneapolis. I wanted to be there to watch it.”
At the same time that Torstenson was responding to the pull
of Augsburg and all that its location in the heart of Minneapolis
offered students, Mark Johnson ’75 found himself similarly
drawn to Augsburg from his hometown of Two Harbors, Minn.,
on the scenic north shores of Lake Superior.
When the two young men arrived at Augsburg, they began to
explore life in the city. They were among the first to enroll in what
was a brand new interdisciplinary major, metro urban studies.
Allan Torstenson ’75
St. Paul city planner
Mark Johnson ’75
Two Harbors city planner, retired
Courtesy Photos
TWO
HARBORS
This new program would prove to build a solid foundation
for the careers of both men, equipping them to navigate
constantly changing landscapes in their careers. Torstenson’s
Augsburg College education provided the skills and knowledge
to begin work as an intern in 1981 for the City of St. Paul—
where he continues to work today as principal city planner with
responsibility for planning and zoning.
Johnson’s education allowed him to successfully return to
Two Harbors where he took a detour from city planning for more
than 20 years to run the family business before becoming the
city planner from 1999 until his retirement in 2001.
Industry changes reshape Minnesota cities
Two Harbors is the birthplace of Minnesota Mining and
Manufacturing (3M) and was long shaped by the railroad
and an ore shipping port. St. Paul is the state capital and
has been home to breweries such as Hamm’s and Schmidt’s,
manufacturing such as Whirlpool and the Ford Assembly Plant,
and more.
When the dominant industries in the cities served by
Torstenson and Johnson inevitably shifted over time, the two
planners needed to interpret what those changes meant for their
communities.
Spring 2015
17
Courtesy Photo
In Two Harbors, the changes meant an opportunity to
reclaim what once were private railroad beds and begin
converting rails to trails. It also meant the opportunity to create
greater public access to the waterfront.
In St. Paul, Torstenson was faced with answering questions
about how to respond to a changing economy that has resulted
in the shuttering of multiple large businesses.
“Our big building and manufacturing companies—Ford in
Highland Park, Whirlpool on the East Side, [and] the breweries
are all gone,” Torstenson said. “Our challenge was to begin to
address the economic, structural, and job training issues left in
the wake of these closings.”
One of the problems faced by Torstenson is that the
underpinnings of earlier city planning—as it was practiced
in the United States after World War II—wasn’t flexible or
resilient, two concepts now at the forefront of civic design.
From the 1950s through the early 1980s, city planning
primarily relied upon a single-use approach that identified
different areas—or zones—for different uses. Single-family
housing was clustered in one area, and apartments and
condominiums in another area. Businesses were situated
somewhere else, and industrial areas were planned in yet another
spot. This type of planning, possible largely because of the
automobile, created what we now understand to be an expensive
form of spread-out development often called “sprawl.”
This type of segregated development can make responding
to changing markets and demands difficult.
“Cities need to think about the social and market needs of
the people who live there,” Torstenson said. “Cities also need
to be resilient in their design so that they can be sustainable
while evolving to meet changing needs.”
The more compact, high-density design used in Oslo,
Norway, after World War II (and studied by both Torstenson
and Johnson during their undergraduate study-abroad trip to
Scandinavia in 1973) now is shaping the work Torstenson
does for St. Paul. Multi-use design allows buildings to be
placed closer together and to be used in multiple ways all at
18
Augsburg Now
once. Business and light industry can be placed at street level
with housing above. It means residents of a building have a
greater likelihood of being able to walk to work and shop close
to home. In addition, these environments typically include
sidewalks, bike lanes, and public transit—whether in the form
of light rail, trains, or streetcars.
“Many people want to live and work in a close, compact
area,” Torstenson said. “Mixed-use and shared-use planning
can create ways for us to change to meet the demands of a new
and creative, diverse, and collaborative economy.”
Today, Torstenson continues to work to shape a city code
that will guide
“The question always has been:
higher-density
development and How can we manage change for
redevelopment
the good of all?” –Mark Johnson
that also fosters
efficient, flexible, and mixed-form uses with multi-modal
transportation corridors—all things that are sought-after by
the Millennial Generation as well as today’s teenagers who are
putting off learning to drive in favor of public transit.
While Torstenson was working in St. Paul, Johnson was
grappling in Two Harbors with a community that at first didn’t
have a history of proactive engagement, which meant that
change had the potential to be seen as negative and foster
greater outcry.
“The question always has been: How can we manage
change for the good of all?” Johnson said. “There are always
unintended consequences of change. At the core, we have to
respect the values of the community we work with, and we have
to reflect those qualities in the work.”
Community-classroom connection
MAKES REAL-WORLD IMPACT
Shawn Thompson Photography
Two Harbors railroad depot near Lake Superior
For instance, when Two Harbors in the 1990s began
the work of creating greater public access to the waterfront
by converting old railroad beds to trails, the community
wasn’t happy.
“It seems that, in a smaller community, there can be a
lot of pushback on any type of change,” Johnson said. “North
Shore people are tough, independent. It’s just innate. We’ve
spent our lives battling Lake Superior.”
But civic engagement is one tool that local governments
such as cities and counties, no matter their location, can
use to help learn about and understand the desires of a
community.
“Community involvement is important,” Johnson said.
“My job was a chance to encourage people to reach out
beyond themselves and to seek ways to be a bridge builder of
relationships.”
Although Johnson retired from city work more than a
decade ago, he remains involved in Two Harbors through
a community fund that he helped establish and that is
used to support new projects in response to emerging and
changing needs.
Johnson said that his days as an Augsburg student
continue to influence him today and have played a role in
creating a rewarding path for someone who has been driven
to serve.
“I never saw my work at the family business or as
city planner as separate paths,” he said. “My work as an
employer, as a city planner, and as someone with an interest
in community service gave me ways to make Two Harbors a
better place.”
Community engagement is an essential part of
city planning, but how that takes shape beyond
town hall meetings and open forums varies.
City planners meet with community
members, government entities, and local and
federal agencies to gather perspective, priorities,
and input from groups before projects are
undertaken. But getting community participation
that represents the diversity of viewpoints and
priorities of any community is challenging.
The Friendly Streets Initiative in St. Paul is
an emerging model of community engagement
that aims to identify the shared needs and wants
of people directly impacted by proposed change.
It’s a model being forged by Lars Christiansen,
lead organizer of FSI and associate professor of
Augsburg’s interdisciplinary metro-urban studies
program. Christiansen, who also is chair of the
Augsburg College Sociology Department, is known
DARIUS GRAY ’15
for his teaching and scholarship focused on urban
resilience and sustainability, and public engagement.
Because of this community-classroom connection, metro-urban
studies majors such as Darius Gray ’15 have augmented classroom
experiences with hands-on learning.
“We engage [people] to give input on how they want their street to be
designed,” said Gray, who has worked as an FSI intern for the past three
years. “Basically we throw block parties and ask questions like: What if
this was on your street? How would you feel?”
FSI staff facilitates community organizing, gathers and examines
information, and helps citizens understand how local government operates.
“The model of engagement used by the Friendly Streets Initiative
invites in those who feel left out of planning processes or who believe their
input is sought for projects that are already a fait accompli,” Christiansen
said in his article, “The Friendly Streets Initiative: Bringing Community
Voices into the Planning Process.”
Christiansen writes that this groundbreaking work has unearthed
lessons for successful community engagement, including bringing
multiple voices into the mix before formal planning is underway; creating
community engagement events that are fun, family-friendly, and easy
to access; helping neighbors navigate formal city processes; and using
multiple methods to garner input.
Through their work in the classroom and out in the community, a new
generation of Augsburg College students is prepared to leave its mark on
American cities and to steward the world’s resources well into the future.
Learn more about the Friendly Streets Initiative and model used at
friendlystreetsinitiative.org.
Spring 2015
19
USING MUSIC’S POWER
TO SOOTHE AND INSPIRE
COMPILED BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
In addition to regularly composing music for Twin
Cities companies including Theater Latté Da, Stages
Theater Company, and Wonderlust, Aaron Gabriel ’99
serves as resident composer for Interact Theater.
Interact is a radically inclusive theater company
that creates new musical theater for performers with
and without disabilities, and Gabriel is committed to ensuring that
each production is shaped by and for the performers. This winter,
he took his expertise on the road—spending a month in Chiang Mai
collaborating with Interact Thailand and the children it serves.
“We’ve created many new scenes and many new songs for
The Love Show—a show about all the different ways we find love
in life … We decided to write The Love Show because one of our
performances falls on Valentine’s Day (a very popular holiday in
Thailand). The songs and stories will all deal with different kinds
of love: romantic love, love of friends and family, love of singing,
love of disabilities, love of food.”
Thematically, the show resonates with nearly all audiences,
but the cast and crew greatly anticipate one special attendee.
In July, the children will perform an excerpt of the show for
Her Majesty the Princess of Thailand, who will be visiting the
hospital that houses Interact Thailand for its grand opening, “so
it’s important,” Gabriel said, “that the songs and scenes really
showcase the stories and talents of these unique performers.”
Comments are from Gabriel’s blog chronicling his work with the Rajanagarindra Institute
of Child Development in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the hospital that houses Interact Thailand.
aarongabrielcomposer.com
20
Augsburg Now
Photo courtesy of amyandersonphotography.com
AUGGIE VOICES
#MLKConvocation @AugsburgCollege. Lovely!
Thank you @JamarEsaw for fillin’ my spirit.
And … wow, #AmaniWard is only 15! Lordy.
-Tweeted by community member Noreen Bulmann
after the Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation
MUSIC MOVES US.
It makes us
smile, dance, cry,
remember. Like Augsburg alumnus Jamar Esaw ’05, whose
choral ensemble, Triad:4Christ, performed at the College this
past Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Auggies are sharing their
musical gifts with their communities and the world.
Conie Borchardt ’98 founded Grace Notes hospice
choir, a group that sings to people in hospice care
at Twin Cities nursing homes, and co-created the
Arts Responding to Foreclosure (ARF) project,
which, she says, creates a community for people
experiencing foreclosure—turning an isolating
experience into a supportive one.
Music, Borchardt says, transforms us and changes us from
the inside out. She has witnessed music’s power to unite and
soothe—both performers and audiences—during times of financial
challenge and even in a person’s final hours.
“We have been blessed with so many meaningful moments
… We sang for a gentleman who seemed at peace, though his
breathing was labored. We sang to him about journeys. Later
we would find out that he completed his earthly journey about
24-hours later.
“And then there are the stories we could tell you about
other second-hand listeners! … Some non-hospice residents
spontaneously decide to join our band of singers on rounds to the
amusement of the nursing staff. Oh, and the staff smiles we see.
Some are coy and some are gratefully enlightened for the service
we provide. It is like watching the sunrise change your mood!”
“There are times in life when I am absolutely
certain, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that
music, singing, movement, and dancing are
how we heal ourselves,” said Nicole Warner ’01,
an Augsburg College alumna whose major in
music performance prepared her for life as an
independent artist and professional ensemble singer.
In 2011, Warner had the opportunity to sing the Mozart
Requiem in a United We Stand concert marking the 10-year
anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Opportunities like
this one remind Warner why the joy she feels while singing
is only a small part of the performance’s real impact. It’s the
audience, she says, who are truly benefiting.
“Most of the time, I think of the beauty of the people sitting
in front of me, and I wonder at their ability to take in the music,
to restore their souls, to be filled by and to fill up with the
music,” she explained. “Time gets lost, and we all get lost in the
music together.”
Comments are from the 2011 “To Sing is to Heal” blog post regarding Warner’s
participation in the 2011 United We Stand concert. nicolewarner.com/blog
Photo courtesy of Karen Nichols Photography, knicholsphoto.com
Quotations are from the Points of Light Music blog written by Borchardt.
pointsoflightmusic.blogspot.com
Photo courtesy of Intermedia Arts
To learn more about Auggies at the intersection of
career and composition, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Spring 2015
21
PA S S I N G O N A
Augsburg College volleyball finds success
on 40th anniversary of historic season
This fall, the Augsburg College women’s volleyball team qualified for the NCAA
Division III National Tournament for the second straight year, an achievement that
marked its reemergence as a regional powerhouse.
Recent team successes—which include back-to-back co-conference
championship seasons and several All-American honors—hearken back to the
achievements of Augsburg’s earliest volleyball teams.
THE FIRST FEW YEARS
Archival Photos
Augsburg launched its varsity volleyball program in 1972 when students
Nancy Soli Mollner ’75, Marilyn Pearson Florian ’76, and Cindy Schendel ’76
walked into the office of Athletic Director Joyce Anderson Pfaff ’65 to ask about
joining Augsburg’s volleyball team. Anderson Pfaff didn’t have the heart to tell
The Augsburg College women’s volleyball team during the 1974-75 season.
22
Augsburg Now
Photos b
y John N
icholso
n
AUGGIES ON THE COURT
The Augsburg College women’s volleyball team
earned Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference regular-season co-champion honors
during the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
the passionate students that there was no team at the time, so
she created one on the spot.
Augsburg’s first volleyball players proved their sport was to
become a staple in Auggie athletics, and in 1973 the College
hired star coach Mary Timm. The next year, the volleyball team
earned a perfect 8-0 record at home.
While there were 14 women on the roster during the 1974
season, six Auggies played nearly every minute of the regular
season and did, in fact, play every minute of the postseason.
The Auggies completed the regular season with a 15-4 record,
which earned them a spot in the Minnesota Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics for Women State Tournament, where
teams competed against one another regardless of their
schools’ sizes or types. After beating Concordia-St. Paul,
Bemidji State, and the University of Minnesota-Duluth, the
Auggies faced the No. 1 seeded University of Minnesota in the
finals. Soli—a setter and team captain—dislocated her thumb
in the first game, but adrenaline allowed her to continue to
play, ensuring that the Auggies could maintain the offensive
strategy they had in place all season.
Augsburg didn’t win the tournament, but its secondplace finish secured a bid to participate in the Association for
Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Region 6 Tournament at the
University of Nebraska. However, there was one more obstacle
to overcome: the team was ineligible to participate because of
an issue with its AIAW membership.
Anderson Pfaff was determined to remedy the issue, so
she and Soli filed a complaint with the District of Minnesota
fourth court. After the Auggies successfully argued their case,
United States District Judge Miles Lord allowed Augsburg
to participate in the regional tournament, but his ruling was
made just one day before the tournament was set to begin.
When they got the news, the Auggie crew jumped in vans and
drove all night, arriving in Lincoln, Neb., at 3 a.m. only to find
that there was no place to stay due to a Nebraska-Oklahoma
football game that weekend.
At the regional competition, the underdog Auggies ended
up playing 10 matches in only three days and earned a
fourth-place finish—the best finish for an Auggie volleyball
team until its NCAA tournament appearances in 1982,
2013, and 2014.
TODAY’S PLAYERS
Augsburg College volleyball alumnae from across the past
four decades continue to support the talented students
who take to the court in Si Melby gymnasium each fall.
Alumnae involvement ranges from cheering in the stands to
encouraging the young women as they venture out into their
careers and callings after college.
Current Head Coach Jane Becker, a two-time MIAC and
Region Coach of the Year, sees firsthand the ways that those
from the College’s past help uplift its future.
“Being a part of rebuilding the Auggie volleyball program
has truly been a remarkable experience,” Becker said. “I am
so blessed to work with such a talented group of studentathletes and to be so supported by an amazing group of
Auggie alumnae.”
BY KELLY ANDERSON DIERCKS
Spring 2015
23
U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, spoke to a
sold-out crowd at the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Forum. He discussed the need to
protect the rights of women and girls, setting the stage for further discussion on
the last day of the Forum, which was International Women’s Day.
NOBEL PURSUITS
BY STEPHEN GEFFRE AND LAURA SWANSON
2015 Nobel Peace Prize Forum
This spring, the 27th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum embraced
a new, interactive approach in fulfilling its charge to inspire
peacemaking.
Even before opening its doors to audiences from March 6-8
at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Minneapolis, the Nobel Peace Prize
Forum encouraged Augsburg College community members—
and citizens across the globe—to share the ways they promote
peace in their daily lives.
In 1989, the Nobel Peace Prize Forum was founded by
five Norwegian-American colleges under the auspices of the
Norwegian Nobel Institute to inspire peacemaking by exploring
the work of Nobel Laureates and international peace builders.
According to Gina Torry, executive director of the Nobel Peace
Prize Forum, the event also has the power to change the
dialogue around peace by uplifting the important roles all people
play in fostering a more just, amiable, and nonviolent world.
Using a common theme, #peaceitforward, individuals
spanning generations and continents shared in social media how
their actions positively shape the present and the future.
The “#peaceitforward [campaign] was not just about the
prevention of conflict but the promulgation of good,” Torry said.
The campaign uplifted “the idea that you can be an ordinary
person and still do something extraordinary, which is a powerful
message that the Laureates send.”
This year’s Forum concentrated on the work of 2013 Nobel
Laureate The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
and also featured former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, the 2002
Nobel Laureate who presented, “A Call to Action: Women, Religion,
Violence, and Power.”
The Forum welcomed more than 1,000 attendees, known
as delegates, during its three days and invited these individuals
to join in the important work of peacemaking—a task that aligns
with Augsburg’s own identity and role in educating students to
be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and
responsible leaders.
View #peaceitforward images, read comments, see
additional event photos, watch featured presentations,
or learn more about the Forum at augsburg.edu/now.
24
Augsburg Now
INSPIRING PEACE
1 Former Prime Minister of Norway Gro
Harlem Brundtland [at left] stops to chat with
Nobel Peace Prize Forum delegates after her
speech on human rights and democracy.
1
2 Director-General Ahmet Üzümcü [at right],
a representative of the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize
Laureate The Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons, speaks with Minnesota Public
Radio host Tom Crann about demilitarization and
the destruction of chemical weapons.
4
3 An ensemble of Native American women
sings on International Women’s Day to honor and
raise awareness of those Native American women
who are victims of violence.
4 The closing presenter at the Forum,
Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, co-founder of the
International Civil Society Action Network, calls
for greater participation by women in global
conflict management and peace building.
2
Arvol Looking Horse, who is the 19th Generation
Keeper of the Sacred White Buffalo Calf Pipe and a
spiritual leader of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota
nations, offers closing comments on the second
day of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum.
Rev. Mark Hanson ’68, Imam Muhammad Ashafa, and Pastor James Movel Wuye
[L to R] share a laugh during their panel discussion at the Forum. Ashafa and Wuye
are featured in a 2006 film, “The Imam and the Pastor,” which is a story about
forgiveness and grass roots peace initiatives.
Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow [at right] participates in the
dearworld.me portrait project by having words of peace written on his arms. Robert X.
Fogarty, founder of dearworld.me, brought his internationally renowned project to the
Forum to help participants share their messages of hope and peace.
HOST SPONSOR
LEAD ACADEMIC PARTNERS
DIALOGUE SPONSORS
PEACE BUILDERS
DELEGATE SPONSORS
THANK YOU SPONSORS
ALUMNI NEWS
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
I
was connected to Augsburg
as a student working in the
admissions office, as a resident
assistant, and even after college.
But there’s something that comes
with age, time, and distance that
really makes me appreciate the
Augsburg that I continue to be
involved with today. When I began
to connect with fellow Auggies and
eventually the Alumni Board, my connections to the College
were enriched, and they continue to grow.
Augsburg has grown, too. It’s exciting to see the ways
in which the College has become larger—not only with new
buildings and faculty, but through an energetic and engaged
commitment to the city and the community—in both programs
and leadership. Augsburg is thriving, and this growth makes
me so proud to call myself an Auggie.
In honor of Augsburg’s sesquicentennial in 2019, the
College is embracing a vision for its future that is both bold
and rooted in values that are uniquely Augsburg.
Focusing on where the College wants to be in 2019, the
Augsburg Board of Regents and President Paul C. Pribbenow
engaged the College community in creating a strategic vision
statement that includes three aspirational dimensions: the
College will educate for lives of purpose, be at the table with
our neighbors and partners, and be built for the future.
I believe my education at Augsburg prepared me for the
future. When I see what’s happening at Augsburg today—
and what’s planned—I know the College’s future is bright.
Augsburg today is a place that calls many to the table to
participate in the life of the College.
The time I first heard about the Center for Science,
Business, and Religion, I may have wondered how all these
disciplines would work together in the same space. I have
come to know that this building represents the future,
and its interdisciplinary emphasis is deeply Augsburg. It
is a demonstration of the College’s vision to work with its
community, to embrace the world, and to prepare its students
for the future.
Today’s students know Augsburg as a place where faith,
service, and learning intersect. It is a College we can be proud
of, and I know I want to help build an Augsburg that continues
to generate pride and equip graduates for the world in which
we live. The outstanding scholarship and research being done
by our faculty and students deserve to take place in a facility
whose quality and capability match their exceptional work. I
want to be a part of preparing for that future.
The interdisciplinary emphasis of the CSBR will match the
world that today’s graduates enter and will truly demonstrate
Augsburg is a sustainable and vital force for educating
future generations. As you’ll see on the inside of the back
cover of this magazine, we can all be part of building that
future for Augsburg by buying a brick that will be a part of
this important new building. Won’t you join me in helping
Augsburg build for the future?
Sincerely,
CHRIS HALLIN ’88, ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
HOMECOMING 2015
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
OCTOBER 5–10
augsburg.edu/homecoming
OCTOBER
Spring 2015
27
ALUMNI NEWS
IN FEBRUARY, Augsburg
wrestling alumni celebrated the
championship teams from 1975, 1985,
1995, and 2005 in the College’s
Kennedy Center with a Reunion of the 5s.
Teams from these class years exhibited
exemplary accomplishments both on
and off the mat, and their successes
represent four of Augsburg wrestling’s
record 32 MIAC Championship teams
and two of the College’s record 11 NCAA
DIII National Championship teams.
Former teammates and wrestling
alumni from all classes gathered to hear
coaches and managers Jim Moulsoff and
Tony Valek ’12, and Athletic Director Jeff
Swenson ’79 share memories and laughs
about the incredible talents from these
four wrestling classes. The crowd of
wrestling legends, families, friends, and
current Auggies cheered at the Battle of
the ’Burgs competition as Augsburg took
on longstanding rival, Wartburg College,
on the elevated stage. Despite a packed
house of enthusiastic supporters,
Wartburg took the victory.
The two teams battled for the newly
created Swens-Millboy Championship
Belt. The belt is named in honor of
Augsburg’s Jeff Swenson (nickname:
Swens) and Wartburg’s Jim Miller
Mike Fuenffinger ’15 opened this
year’s Battle of the ’Burgs match.
28
Augsburg Now
(nickname: Millboy), the head coaches
who led these teams to power. Both men
won 10 national team championships
as head coaches and now, retired from
coaching, are active in supporting their
winning wrestling programs.
The belt will travel with the previous
year’s winner to the duel each year and
will be engraved with the score and the
winning team. Scores from previous
years were engraved to mark the historic
nature of this rivalry.
As Auggies, we are proud to
celebrate the history, legacy, stories, and
success of four generations of Augsburg
College wrestling. Future Auggies can
become a part of the action with our
29th year of summer wrestling camps.
Augsburg wrestling coaching staff and
athletes supervise these camps, which
serve a variety of ages. Learn more at
augsburgwrestling.com.
ALUMNI NEWS
TORSTENSON LEGACY
lives on through gifts
Augsburg alumni shaped and inspired by Professor Emeritus
Joel Torstenson, known as the College’s “father of sociology,”
have contributed more than $180,000 to the Center for
Science, Business, and Religion to honor the legacy of the
man who greatly influenced their Auggie experience.
Torstenson, who died in 2007 at age 94, was well known
for his advocacy for civil rights and social services. His
decades-long legacy is being extended and honored through
generous gifts to name a hall for him in the new CSBR.
One alumnus central to the effort to honor Torstenson is
the Rev. Herb Chilstrom ’54, the ELCA’s first presiding bishop.
Chilstrom, who grew up in Litchfield, Minn., said being a
student in Torstenson’s class opened his eyes to justice issues
and pulled him from his comfort zone.
Then, as today, the College’s location in the city was an
asset to its faculty and students. Torstenson’s impassioned
teaching and perspective on civil rights inspired Chilstrom
years later to fight for the rights of gay and lesbian people.
“Dr. Torstenson impacted me not only during my student
years but throughout the rest of my life,” Chilstrom said.
“He taught that if you are a Christian, you need to face the
problems of the world and be out on the front lines, even if it
makes you unpopular.”
Torstenson challenged students to confront the world’s
problems by engaging directly with individuals. It seems only
fitting, then, that Augsburg’s proposed CSBR pay tribute to
Torstenson’s influence on generations of people, including the
Chilstroms and another family with deep roots in the College:
U.S. Rep. Martin Olav ’59 and Sylvia Sabo.
“Clearly, people like Joel have an impact on what you
think and who you are,” said Rep. Sabo, who spent 46 years
serving his state and country as an elected official.
Rep. Sabo’s Augsburg connection never waned. He
served on the Board of Regents from 1973 to 1984, and
daughters—Julie ’90, a former state senator, and Karin ’86—
are also Auggies.
The Sabos share enthusiasm that the CSBR will be a great
addition to campus.
“The facilities need to keep up with the quality of the
faculty,” Rep. Sabo said. Combining three disciplines in one
facility, the Sabos believe, is a unique and positive step for
the College, which has long embraced interdisciplinary and
experiential education.
The Sabos also marvel at the lifelong friendships that
evolved from Martin’s undergraduate experience, and the
couple remains close to Torstenson’s widow, Fran.
“I’m always amazed at Augsburg,” Sylvia Sabo said. “I
think so much good comes out of it, and Martin had such a
great four years there. I think its size and location give it a
specialness that a lot of colleges don’t have.”
CENTER FOR SCIENCE, BUSINESS, AND RELIGION
JOEL AND FRANCES TORSTENSON CORRIDOR
This space will be provided through the generosity of
Norman ’59 and Delores Berg
Richard ’78 and Linda Bonlender
Herbert W. ’54 and E. Corinne
Chilstrom
Joel ’61 and Yvonne “Bonnie” ’62
Egertson
Harold Hansen ’52
Garry Hesser and Nancy Homans
Lowell O. Larson ’47
Steven ’64 and Rebecca ’65 Nielsen
Martin ’59 and Sylvia Lee Sabo
Allan Torstenson ’75 and Frances
Homans
Beth Torstenson ’66
Gale ’59 and Barbara Torstenson
Linnea Torstenson
Lyndon Torstenson ’78
Robert ’65 and Sylvia ’66 Torstenson
Herb and Corinne Chilstrom pledged $30,000 to kick off
the Torstenson corridor initiative.
“Giving is a lot of fun,” Rev. Chilstrom said. “We have
been blessed, and we like to share our blessings. Giving to the
CSBR means I can say ‘thank you’ to Dr. Torstenson for the
major impact he had on my life, and maybe, by example, we
can encourage others to do likewise.”
If you are interested in donating to the CSBR or honoring
Torstenson with a gift, contact Doug Scott at 612-330-1575 or
scottd@augsburg.edu.
Spring 2015
29
ALUMNI NEWS
AUGGIES CONNECT
on campus and throughout their careers
Building connections, facilitating networking opportunities, and
supporting students and graduates keeps the Alumni Board and Alumni
Relations engaged with inspiring Auggies year-round.
Thanks to those who attended the annual Alumni Board-sponsored
Auggie Networking Event, a reception that welcomed nearly 150 alumni and
more than 100 current students for an evening of networking, conversation,
career pointers, and speakers who shared their stories of finding success
after graduation. Among the speakers were Tina Nguyen ’08, small business
project analyst for U.S. Bank, and Greg Schnagl ’91, former educator and
founder, TeacherCentricity.
The event was a partnership with the Clair and Gladys Strommen
Center for Meaningful Work, which assists students in discovering their
vocation; offers career and internship tips; and helps students with
interviewing skills, resume building, and networking.
The Strommen Center also seeks to help companies recruit more
Auggies. One company with a strong connection to Augsburg alumni is
3M. In January, Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow joined
more than 100 Augsburg graduates now working at 3M for an alumni
event coordinated by Alumni Board member Holly Knutson ’03, ’07 MBA.
In addition to celebrating the amazing presence of Auggies in
the Maplewood, Minn.-based company, the event honored Nicholas
Gangestad ’86, who last summer was appointed senior vice president and
chief financial officer at 3M.
3M also is a major donor to the Center for Science, Business, and
Religion and a strong recruiting partner, hosting internships for Augsburg
students and hiring Augsburg graduates.
If you are interested in hosting an alumni gathering at your workplace, contact
Sara Schlipp-Riedel ’06, director of Alumni Relations, at 612-330-1178 or
schlipp@augsburg.edu.
More than 200 Augsburg College students and alumni attended the 2015
Auggie Networking Event.
New Volunteer and Alumni
Engagement Manager
Katie Radford ’12 joined the Augsburg Alumni and
Family Relations team in January as the new volunteer
and alumni engagement manager. In this role, she hopes
to continue to provide meaningful opportunities for
students, alumni, and friends to connect, give back, and
thrive together as Auggies.
Radford previously worked at Greater Twin Cities
United Way, helping plan and execute corporate United
Way campaigns dedicated to community outreach,
volunteerism, and community giving. She is excited to
be back at Augsburg to continue those initiatives in the
College’s community. If you are interested in volunteering,
mentoring, or serving in a volunteer leadership role, email
her at radford@augsburg.edu.
SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
All over campus and in corporate communities, Auggies
are connecting and sharing their insight and expertise.
There are many ways to support current students and
recent graduates as they move between classroom and
career. No matter your position—whether you’re navigating
a career change or looking to bring more Auggies into your
workplace—Augsburg programs can help.
As alumni, you are invited to share your career
expertise, interests, and life experience with Augsburg
students. One way to do this is through the mentorship
program Augsburg Builds Connections. Learn how to
get started in this program by contacting Katie Radford,
volunteer and alumni engagement manager,
at volunteer@augsburg.edu.
To learn more about helping Auggies succeed or to
take advantage of career planning services and graduate
school information, contact the Clair and Gladys
Strommen Center for Meaningful Work at 612-330-1148
or careers@augsburg.edu.
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1951
John Garland lives in
St. Paul and has fond
memories of his time as sports
editor for the Echo, including the
rare time he covered a meeting of
the Augsburg Women’s Club. He
recently shared a couple of his
columns with Augsburg Now. In
his final column, he handed the
reins to Richie Howells ’52 and
paid tribute to fellow writers.
1953
Edmund Youngquist
first remembers being
drawn to Augsburg in 1945.
Augsburg’s choir put on a concert
at Calvary Lutheran Church in
Mora, Minn., and soloist Evelyn
(Amundson) Sonnack Halverson
’43 became a never-to-beforgotten memory. “At Augsburg,”
he writes, “I roomed in Memorial
Hall with Jerry Elness ’54 and
Wally Hanson ’54. An occasional
visit to our suite was from blond,
blue-eyed Herb Chilstrom ’54.”
After graduation, Youngquist
graduated from Luther Seminary
in St. Paul and was ordained in
1958. His daughter, Margaret
“Grit” Youngquist ’79, went on
to become a president of the
American Lutheran Church Luther
League. His cousin, Beverly
Gustafson, is married to Professor
Emeritus of History Donald “Gus”
Gustafson.
1956
Richard Thorud, who
lives in Bloomington,
Minn., with his wife, Darlene,
was recently named Toro’s most
prolific inventor for its first 100
years. He has 80 Toro patents
and worked for Toro for 34 years
before retiring in 2000 as a senior
principal research engineer. He
was inducted into the Minnesota
Inventors Hall of Fame in 2011
and was named a Distinguished
Alumnus at Augsburg in 2009.
1957
of the Ashford University Faculty
Senate, the governing body for
250+ full-time instructors and
more than 2,000 adjunct faculty.
1974
Kenneth D. Holmen
was named president
and CEO for CentraCare Health.
Holmen, who is a medical
doctor and has served as vice
president of physician strategies
and business development for
HealthPartners, took leadership of
CentraCare in January.
Stanley Baker was
recognized as the
Counselor Educator of the Year
by the North Carolina School
Counselor Association at its
annual conference in November.
He is employed as a professor
of counselor education at North
Carolina State University.
In the summer of 2014, Stan Nelson ’43 won a
gold medal at the Minnesota Senior Olympics,
shooting a 47 in the golf competition. In
July 2015, he will compete in the 95-99 age
group at the National Senior State Games
held in Bloomington, Minn.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
1967
Dennis Miller and his
wife, Christine, spent
the fall semester on sabbatical
at the University of Gothenburg
in Sweden. They are faculty
members at Cornell University in
Ithaca, N.Y.
1972
Rob Engelson is
completing 34 years
of full-time college/university
teaching and department chairing,
including the past 20 years at
Ashford University in Clinton, Iowa.
He recently rose to become chair
Jerry Gerasimo used to take
us karate guys to at the Cedar
Theatre on the weekends. It was
lots of fun marching around inside
and outside the Student Center,
playing my bagpipes during
Augsburg College Day. I just want
to say,” he added, “that Boyd
Koehler was the very best boss a
guy could ever have. He was an
uncle, big brother, therapist, and
encourager to me, and [he] had
a wonderful dry sense of humor.
God bless you, Boyd.”
Mark S. Johnson ’75 and Allan
Torstenson ’75 shape cities and
build communities. See page 16.
1977
David Charles Friedman
has fond memories of
his stays in Urness and Mortensen
towers and the delightful people
he met during that time. He writes
that he fondly remembers “the
samurai movies that anthropology
instructor and fellow karate-ka
Neil Pauluk was a U.S. Infantry
Army officer and later used the
GI Bill to become a trial lawyer.
He legally changed the spelling of
his last name in 1978 to Paulson,
for the convenience of others,
and still goes by either last name.
He set up a scholarship in his
parents’ name at Augsburg and
started a nonprofit organization,
HelpTheVets.org. He writes that his
Augsburg education paid off.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
1967
Sue Nelson was given
the title of Community
Hero for her 10+ years of service
to the John Deere Classic. She
has worked tirelessly to support
other organizations, including the
National Education Association,
Missouri Valley – U.S. Tennis
Association, and Special Olympics.
She also has gone to Yale
University and the University of
North Carolina as Team Iowa tennis
coach for the World Games.
1970
The newly released book, “Waters Like the
Sky,” is a short adventure tale of a young
voyageur and is authored by the late Agnes Peloquin
Rajala and her daughter, Nikki Rajala (pictured),
who are direct descendants of voyageurs, explorers,
and fur traders. After Agnes passed away in October
2013, Nikki carried the legacy of the book forward,
determined to share this historical adventure with
readers. The story is steeped in the history of the
French-Canadian voyageur journeys in the early
1800s in North America. To learn more about the
book, visit nikkirajala.com. Nikki is available for
interviews and presentations at schools, meetings,
and other events.
Spring 2015
31
Pauluk runs into Ron Robinson, also in
Orlando, Fla., from time to time. “God
has blessed me more than I can imagine.
Good friends, good family, and good times.
I ran marathons in each of the 50 states in
2010 to 2012. I am director of the Orlando
Marathon each year. Look me up if you
come to Orlando, The City Beautiful!”
1978
Arvella E. Edwards had a
children’s book, “Town of
Never Never,” published in May by Xlibris,
ISBN #978-1-4931-1486-3. She is so
excited and proud.
Paula (Winchester) Palermo has moved to St.
Charles Parish, La., and continues her work
with the St. Charles Parish School System.
Donadee (Melby) Peterson and husband,
Tim ’76, will celebrate 20 years in business
in 2015. Donadee is the president of their
family company, SDG Computing, Inc.
Tim, a graduate of Luther Seminary and
an ordained pastor of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, served
two parishes full time until 1995 when
he turned bi-vocational and started the
1979
Karla (Wiese) Miller was
honored with the 2014
Minnesota Choral Director of the Year
award. She is in her 21st year as fulltime music instructor/director of choral
activities at North Hennepin Community
College in Brooklyn Park, Minn. At
Augsburg, she received a bachelor’s
degree in piano performance with a vocal
music (K-12) certification.
1980
John Edwin Carlson is a lead
chaplain at Redeemer Health
and Rehabilitation Center in Minneapolis,
which provides senior housing and health
care in the spirit of Christ’s love.
1981
Carla (Isachsen) Kukkonen is
working at Allina hospice as a
medical social worker.
1989
Steven Torgerud is an assistant
professor of life sciences
at Palmer College of Chiropractic in
Davenport, Iowa, where he teaches
neuroanatomy and biomechanics courses.
His students have selected him “Teacher
of the Year” three of the past four years.
Justin Grammens ’96 presented “The Science of My Life and
Career After Augsburg” in an AugSTEM seminar. He provided
insight into current technology trends and advice on what
employers are seeking from graduates in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics fields. Grammens is a software
architect and has been a business owner for the majority of his
career. He is an engineering co-founder at Code42 Software
where he is protecting the world’s data with high-performance
hardware and easy-to-use software solutions. He enjoys family
movie nights with his wife and two children.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
family business. He has since served as
a part-time and fill-in pastor as well as
chaplain in the Minnesota National Guard.
He retired from the National Guard in
2012 after 28 years of service. Tim and
Donadee have spent one or two months
each year for the last three years in
Drammen, Norway, where Tim has worked
as a computer consultant for Conexus, a
company that reports on all aspects of the
Norwegian educational system. Their son,
Nathan, also works for the business from
Concord, Calif.
32
Augsburg Now
Courtesy of Kelly Browne
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1990
Peter Morlock began serving a
new call as pastor of Bethany
Lutheran Church and Lost Island Lutheran
Church in western Iowa in February 2014.
1991
In September, Bill Koschak
was appointed a vice president
of the global internal audit division at
General Mills. In this role, he will provide
leadership and guidance to the global
internal audit team and support the audit
committee in executing its charter.
1981
Bev Benson was elected to the
judgeship for the 4th Judicial District
of Hennepin County, Minn., in November.
Augsburg alumni supporting her campaign
included former roommate Leeann Rock ’81,
Brian Anderson ’81, Kristine Johnson ’81, Kristin
Lehmann ’08, Peggy Larkin ’09, and Benson’s
son, first-year student Robb Benson-Ernst ’18
(pictured), as well as Gaynelle (Webb) Buckland
’81, Fred Buckland ’81, Molly (Olson) Blomgren
’81, and Jim Blomgren ’81. Benson thanks her
Auggie supporters, including Martin O. ’59 and
Sylvia Sabo and professors Milda Hedblom,
Norma Noonan, and Janelle Bussert.
1993
Heidi
Staloch
is now vice president
and senior corporate
counsel, managing U.S.
Bank’s legal channel
for default accounts
nationwide. Heidi is an
active alumni volunteer,
serving as a member of
AWE–Augsburg Women
Engaged.
2010
John Ideen
has been
named executive chef
at Covenant Village
of Golden Valley,
a continuing care
retirement community
in Golden Valley, Minn.
In his new position,
Ideen will manage dayto-day food operations
for the 344-resident community, including casual
and formal dining in the residential and assisted
living, memory support, and health care settings.
He is responsible for managing and training a
kitchen staff of 65; creating innovative, healthful
menus; and managing the community’s catering
services.
AUGGIE
SNAPSHOTS
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1992
Terri Burnor is interning at the
Minnesota Religious Coalition for
Reproductive Choice.
2005
Charles “Rusty” Brace graduated
from Luther Seminary in May
2014. He is looking for a call somewhere in the
Twin Cities area.
Conie Borchardt ’98 transforms lives with
song. See page 20.
Bryan Ludwig ’08 is a head coach and general counsel for
the PHD Baseball Club, LLC, which was created in 2009 by
another Auggie, Brian Bambenek ’07, and two of his friends.
The idea behind PHD—which stands for pitching, hitting,
and defense—is for the coaches to share the love of baseball
with and return value to participating athletes, training young
men and giving them the tools they need to succeed on and
off the field. Learn more at phdbaseball.us.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
Aaron Gabriel ’99 creates new musical theater
for performers with disabilities. See page 20.
2000
In May 2014, Ann Staton received
a master’s of English in technical
communication from Minnesota State
University Mankato. She accepted a oneyear visiting instructor appointment to teach
technical communication during the 201415 academic year at Montana Tech of the
University of Montana in Butte.
Debbie Heard, a tax managing director for
KPMG’s San Francisco office, was honored
with Silicon Valley’s 40 Under 40 award.
2001
Sarah Grans is a new director of
confirmation and youth ministry
at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in
Shoreview, Minn.
Michael Reed has taken a new position with
Robbinsdale (Minn.) Area Schools as a district
behavior coordinator and focuses on reducing
racial disproportionality in suspension rates.
Nicole Warner ’01 gets lost in the music.
See page 20.
2002
Christy Blake completed a
master’s of urban planning from
Virginia Tech’s Alexandria campus in 2007.
She has been working in local government
and economic development. She resides in
Winchester, Va., in the Shenandoah Valley.
Mark and Jessica (Bjurquist) ’06 Matzek
announce the birth of their daughter, Natalie
Violet, who arrived February 9, 2014.
Dan Vogel started a new position as an inside
sales/marketing specialist at the technical and
outdoor apparel company, Storm Creek, based
in Hastings, Minn. He’s excited to pair his
passion for the outdoors and an active lifestyle
with a new, exciting professional career at this
up-and-coming organization.
Jamar Esaw ’05 inspires members of
Triad:4Christ. See page 4.
2006
Tyra (Jensen) Taylor is completing
her graduate-level internship. She
is working with elementary students needing
mental health services. She plans to graduate
in May 2015.
2007
Brett Cease began a doctoral
program in public policy and
political economy with an emphasis in
sustainable development at the University of
Texas-Dallas.
Andrew L. Johnson is a manager of franchise
recruiting and engagement at Ameriprise
Financial Services, Inc., in Cleveland.
Molly Shortall recently became engaged to
Brian Kaszuba of Brooklyn, N.Y. She is a
senior annual giving officer at Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center and also serves as one
of the primary musicians for the Diocese of
Brooklyn and Queens.
2009
Amber Davis is working as
a moderator at the Zürich
International Film Festival.
Stephanie (Holman) Hubbard works as a music
therapist for St. Paul Public Schools. She is
attending St. Mary of the Woods College for a
master’s in music therapy.
2010
Sylvia Bull is studying at Princeton
Theological Seminary in Princeton,
N.J., for Master of Divinity and Master of
Arts in Christian education degrees. Her
anticipated graduation date is May 2015. She
is a candidate for ordination in the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.
Gabriella Hamerlinck is a doctoral candidate
in ecology at the University of Iowa. She is an
alumna of Augsburg’s biology and mathematics
departments, as well as the McNair Scholars
and North Star STEM programs. In addition
to Hamerlinck’s academic successes at
Augsburg, she was a two-sport athlete who
participated in soccer and track.
Sara Kaiser ’08, a social worker for Rice County, Minn., has seen
first-hand the need for daily support for single moms. In addition
to helping families, she convinced the mayor of Northfield, Minn.,
to designate a month for “Teen Dating Violence Prevention and
Awareness,” and she has worked in collaboration to create a
young moms’ support group. She interned at the Northfield
Women’s Center and worked at the Crisis Pregnancy Center. She
has found her life’s calling and is pursuing a master’s of social
work from the University of Southern California.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
Spring
2014
2015
Fall 2014
17
33
37
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Michael Hamm has accepted a position
with the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office in
Minnesota. He has been an officer with the
Department of Public Safety at Augsburg for
the past several years, and he will move to oncall status with DPS.
Grant Rostad is employed with Best Buy for
Business as an account manager. He also is a
licensed certified public accountant.
2011
Kate Edelen is a legislative associate
on climate and conflict for the
Friends Committee on National Legislation in
Washington, D.C. Edelen submitted a letter on
climate change to the editor of The New York
Times, which was published in October.
2012
Joseph Fahnhorst was promoted
to vice president of a payments
application at the Federal Reserve Bank of
Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Fed, with one
branch in Helena, Mont., serves six states in
the Ninth Federal Reserve District: Minnesota,
Montana, North and South Dakota, 26 counties
in northwestern Wisconsin, and the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan.
2013
Since graduating, Alex Bennett has
gotten married and had a beautiful
baby, Layla. He graduated with a degree in
music business and has accepted a position
at Mystic Lake Casino in the entertainment
department.
Kayla Johnson is in medical school at the
University of Minnesota Duluth.
Rachel Rixen graduated from the American
University of Paris with a master’s in cultural
translation.
2014
Janelle Holte has a new job as a
marketing and communications
coordinator at the University of Minnesota.
After a summer internship with Dart Transit,
which is owned and operated by Don ’53 and
Bev ’55 Oren, Mike Schumacher landed a
position as a fleet leader with Transit America.
Anne Skriba is happy to share the news that she
is employed at Bemidji State University as an
assistant women’s basketball coach.
Lani (Langanki) Hollenbeck ’77, ’11 MAN is a staff nurse in an
infant care center at Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
in St. Paul. She was named 2014 Nurse of the Year by March
of Dimes Minnesota, Children’s Hospitals and Clinics, and
Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine. “We do not get to rock babies all
day long,” she said of her care team. “We’re very like-minded in
focusing on the developmental needs of infants.”
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
Katia Iverson celebrated two years at
Minnesota Council of Churches Refugee
Services in February 2015. She recently was
promoted to a case manager position.
Kim (Saukkola) Simmonds is an executive
director at the MonDak Heritage Center in
Sidney, Mont., and is completing a master’s
degree in public and nonprofit administration
at Metropolitan State University.
34
Augsburg Now
Through bridge program funding for research
and extra assistance, Enrico Barrozo is
preparing for a doctoral program at the
University of Georgia.
Maya Sutton has accepted a special education
teaching position for the 2014-15 school
year at Fraser Academy, a charter school in
Minneapolis.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Rebecca (Johnson) Koelln ’76, ’91 MAL
has been named director of leadership
development and senior consultant for
Learning Sciences International. LSI is a
learning and performance management
company focused on continuous improvement
at all levels of the system.
Tom Driscoll ’07 MBA was featured in the
Minneapolis Star Tribune as one of the
construction industry’s “Movers and Shakers”
due to his work as partner and vice president
of business development at the Minneapolis
office of Big-D Construction.
Chris Wolf ’09 MAN recently became a nurse
manager for Ask Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
Physician Assistant Kelly Kleven ’10 MPA
joined the hospitalist department at Essentia
Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth,
Minn. Kleven is certified by the National
Commission on Certification of Physician
Assistants.
Lori (Langager) Higgins ’94, ’12 MAL was
appointed to the Minnesota Amateur Sports
Commission by Gov. Mark Dayton. Since 2010,
she has been the president of the MetroNorth
Chamber of Commerce, which is the fourthlargest chamber in the Twin Cities metro area.
She lives in Blaine, Minn., with her husband
and two children.
In September, Carmen (Crockett) Williams ’12
MBA accepted a position as director of business
development at Mediaspace Solutions in
Hopkins, Minn. Carmen and her husband, John
(who works in mortgages and finance), recently
purchased a home in Burnsville, Minn.
Christine Dawson ’13 MSW was featured on
the cover of the Regions Hospital Foundation
newsletter for her outstanding work with the
HeroCare Program for veterans at Regions
Hospital. Dawson, who is herself a veteran,
coordinates services and advocates for patients
in Regions Hospital’s mental health programs.
ARE YOU AN AUGGIE IN PUBLIC SERVICE?
Whether you are serving as an elected, appointed, or volunteer official, we would
love to hear from you! Submit a Class Note, and we’ll enter you into a raffle to win
an Augsburg College swag bag to display your Auggie pride at work.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
1998
Kaydee Kirk
and Peter
Spuit welcomed Paul
Johann Spuit, who was
born May 27, 2014, and
joins 3-year-old sister,
Miriam.
2005
Ellen (Kvitek)
Saj and her
husband, Nathan, welcomed
their second child, Hazel
Christine, at home on April
26, 2014.
Send us your news and photos
Please tell us about the news in your life, your new job, move, marriage, and
births. Don’t forget to send photos! (Digital photos must be at least 300 ppi
or a 1 MB file.)
For news of a death, printed notice is required, e.g., an obituary, funeral
notice, or program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes, Augsburg College, CB 146, 2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, MN 55454, or email alumni@augsburg.edu. You can also
submit news at augsburg.edu/alumni/connect.
______________________________________________________
Full name
______________________________________________________
Maiden name
______________________________________________________
Class year or last year attended
______________________________________________________
Street address
______________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP code
Is this a new address? q Yes q No
______________________________________________________
Home telephone
______________________________________________________
Email
2011
Korri (Yule)
Corrigan married
Joshua Corrigan on December
13 in Hoversten Chapel at
Augsburg College.
Okay to publish your email address? q Yes q No
______________________________________________________
Employer
______________________________________________________
Position
______________________________________________________
Work telephone
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? q Yes q No
If yes, class year___________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spouse’s name (include maiden name, if applicable)
2011
Jessica (Hilk)
Kociemba and
Joel Kociemba celebrated their
marriage with Auggies Amy
Opsal ’12, Katie (Christensen)
Beadell ’11, Laura (Harms) Faruq
’09, Katelyn Berens ’14, Amanda
Rueb ’09, Jamila Lee ’13, Korri
(Yule) Corrigan ’11, Colleen
Ourada ’14, Julie Jenkins ’09,
Denielle Johnson ’11, Amanda Unze, and Morgan Baumgarten ’14.
Your news:
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
q I know a student who is interested in attending Augsburg.
Spring 2014
Spring 2015
17
35
In memoriam
Nellie I. (Thorud) Blake ’38,
Barron, Wis., age 98, on
October 16.
Edward M. Alberg ’50,
Minnetonka, Minn., age 87, on
September 22.
Albert S. Olson ’40, Amery, Wis.,
age 97, on November 7.
Delphine J. (Jensen) Bakke ’50,
Hendricks, Minn., age 85, on
November 30.
Maynard Bahre ’41, San
Francisco, Calif., age 97, on
January 14, 2014.
Mark C. Thorpe ’56, Kirkwood,
Mo., age 80, on October 30.
Birgit E. Birkeland ’58,
Minneapolis, age 87, on
October 23.
Elizabeth V. Koenig ’72,
Minneapolis, age 91, on
December 2.
Julia C. Blixrud ’76, Lawrence,
Kan., age 59, on October 29.
Sylvia A. (Moe) Overlund ’59,
Portland, Ore., age 90, on
October 26.
Dennis C. Callahan ’82, Grand
Rapids, Minn., age 55, on
December 22.
Louise A. (Heydenreich) Swenson
’60, Princeton, Minn., age 89,
on October 7.
Wendy J. (Miller) Johnson ’90,
Sanford, N.C., age 58, on
August 22.
Gail W. Castor ’61, Redwood
Falls, Minn., age 83, on
September 16.
Eric H. Peterson ’91,
Minneapolis, age 45, on
November 19.
George O. Johnson ’61, Pequot
Lakes, Minn., age 77, on
December 4.
Kathleen M. (McCullough) Zander
’91, ’04 MAN, Minneapolis, age
54, on October 2.
Robert M. Sletta ’51, Dayton,
N.J., age 86, on September 27.
Richard “Dick” “Pork Chops” M.
Thompson ’61, Long Lake, Minn.,
age 74, on September 11.
Sarah (Christiansen) Schuck ’95,
Hager City, Wis., age 64, on
November 29.
Dayel M. Olson ’44, Storden,
Minn., age 87, on October 11.
Warren C. Nelson ’52, Buffalo,
Minn., age 86, on July 7.
Richard L. Strand ’66, Mayville,
N.D., age 70, on December 1.
Peter A. Lokkesmoe ’47, Elgin,
Ill., age 90, on March 20.
Elwood Nestvold ’52, Houston,
Texas, age 81, on January 11,
2014.
Dale L. Strom ’66, Venice, Fla.,
age 71, on October 24.
Sandra “Sandy” S. (Hawley)
Hamann ’00, Fredericksburg,
Iowa, age 58, on October 23.
Mildred I. (Krinke) Sandel ’42,
North Mankato, Minn., age 94,
on September 9.
John R. Bergeron ’43, Detroit
Lakes, Minn., age 93, on
October 12.
Floyd J. G. Rodmyre ’43, Eden
Prairie, Minn., age 92, on
September 17.
Verona A. (Woyke) Blasing ’44,
Mankato, Minn., age 89, on
October 7.
Christine M. (Westman) Behrend
’48, Manistique, Mich., age 88,
on October 29.
Rona B. (Quanbeck) Emerson
’48, Kenyon, Minn., age 90, on
November 1.
Anna M. (Strand) Olson ’49,
Amery, Wis., age 88, on
September 10.
36
Augsburg Now
LaVerne “Lu” A. (Gothe)
Engelstad ’50, Moorhead,
Minn., age 86, on October 16.
Sylvia R. (Kleven) Hanson ’50,
Big Lake, Minn., age 86, on
November 7.
Ann B. (Spencer) Zaudtke ’50,
Meadows Place, Texas, age 86,
on October 5.
Luella (Neumann) Hanson ’51,
Phoenix, Ariz., age 90, on
August 15.
Orville B. Walters ’52,
Minnetonka, Minn., age 89, on
November 29.
Marlys P. (Stock) Giese ’53,
Morris, Minn., age 83, on
September 15.
Wayne G. Steinbrecker ’55,
Princeton, Minn., age 82, on
November 2.
Paul W. Frank ’69, Brooklyn
Park, Minn., age 66, on
September 18.
Jeffrey T. Kosse ’70,
Minneapolis, age 67, on
September 16.
Arnold “Bud” M. Rader ’71,
Minneapolis, age 69, on
December 23.
Nancy J. Mohs ’08, Lakeville,
Minn., age 46, on October 30.
Professor Emeritus Henry
Follingstad, Arden Hills, Minn.,
age 92, on October 1.
The “In memoriam” listings in this
publication include notifications
received before January 10.
THE CENTER FOR SCIENCE,
BUSINESS, AND RELIGION
HELP BUILD A SOLID
FOUNDATION FOR
FUTURE AUGGIES
Read about the $10 million gift to name
the new building on the inside front cover.
Briana Alamilla ’17
Marketing major
Buy a Brick. Build a Legacy.
A
ugsburg College invites you to join your fellow alumni and participate
in the Buy a Brick, Build a Legacy program. When you buy a brick, you
are doing your part to help make Augsburg’s newest academic building, the
Center for Science, Business, and Religion, a reality.
The CSBR will replace the existing 60-year-old Science Hall and
bring together academic disciplines that refle
Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Summer 2015: Building For The Future
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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BUILDING
INSIDE
Faculty-student research duo
Auggie brews up a business
The changing face of Auggies
Commencement memories
FOR THE
FUTURE
SUMMER 2015 | VOL. 77, NO. 3
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of News an...
Show more
BUILDING
INSIDE
Faculty-student research duo
Auggie brews up a business
The changing face of Auggies
Commencement memories
FOR THE
FUTURE
SUMMER 2015 | VOL. 77, NO. 3
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
A college that is student ready
The 2014-15 academic year—the 146th in
Augsburg’s history—was a very good year for the
College. National honors for students. Awards
for faculty teaching, research, and advising. The
successful completion of the $50 million campaign
for the Center for Science, Business, and Religion,
and the early preparation work on the construction
site. Important conversations on and off campus
about interfaith living, race relations, demographic
trends, and diversity. Remarkable outreach
programs like the Minnesota Urban Debate League
and Campus Kitchen receiving major support
for their important work. A national wrestling
championship! And so much, much more.
Reflecting on these accomplishments, I am
so grateful for all our faculty and staff do for this
special college and its students.
But I also realize that these achievements
are made possible by an increasingly clear vision
of our future that says we will be “a new kind of
student-centered urban university, small to our
students and big for the world.” And the fruit of
our labors is made possible by our common efforts
to live into this vision and our shared commitment
to an Augsburg education that equips our students
for lives of meaning, purpose, and significance
in and for the world. That is what truly excites
me about Augsburg’s future—a persuasive vision
that proclaims our desire to be a college that is
student-ready!
What do I mean by student-ready? I mean that
we are turning 21st century higher education on
its head by not focusing on whether students are
“college-ready.” You’ve probably read and heard
that phrase many times. Demanding that students
are college-ready allows lots of smart people to
claim that the responsibility belongs elsewhere
when it comes to ensuring that students show up
on our campuses prepared by someone else for
what we think a higher education should look like.
If students aren’t able to read or speak English
as well as we would like, if their math skills are
lacking, if they don’t participate in class like we
once did, if they demand more of us because of
difficult personal circumstances or diverse learning
and leading styles, then they are not ready for
college. In other words, if they don’t learn and
behave like us, they are not college-ready.
So here comes Augsburg offering a different—
even countercultural—vision of what higher
education is all about today. And it is a vision
grounded in our faith and academic heritage. It is
a vision that claims we are called to be ready for
students with the diverse gifts and experiences they
bring to our campus, gifts and experiences that
demand changes in how we engage them, teach
them, and learn from them. It doesn’t mean that
we lower our standards—that is the too-easy retort
to our vision. It means that we define and claim
even higher standards of academic excellence
and achievement, of teaching and learning, of
civic engagement and community life—standards
shaped not by measures imposed from without, but
by a collaborative and democratic measure borne
of our shared experience and engagement.
And, come to find out, when you take the path
of being student-ready, when you quit measuring
by someone else’s standards, you begin to witness
to a way of being in the world as educated people
that others want to embrace. And students and
faculty win major recognition, your campaigns are
successful, and you are positioned to lead in the
21st century.
Wow, that is exciting and inspiring. I give
thanks every day for a community that embraces
this vision of a college that is student-ready and
student-centered. A college that is faithful and
relevant. Our college—Augsburg College!
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Director of Marketing
Communication
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
Communication Copywriter
and Editorial Coordinator
Laura Swanson ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate
Denielle Johnson ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
Christina Haller
haller@augsburg.edu
Production Manager/Now Online
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communication
Specialist
Jen Lowman Day
dayj@augsburg.edu
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
now@augsburg.edu
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
langemo@augsburg.edu
summer 2015
AUGSBURG NOW
Features
02
08
11
18
22
Ahead of the curve
BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
Commencement memories
BY LAURA SWANSON ’15 MBA
Making their mark
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
Departments
inside
front
cover
Notes from President Pribbenow
02 Around the Quad
08 Celebrating student success
14
18
14 Auggie voices
20 It takes an Auggie
26 My Auggie experience
28 Alumni news
34 Alumni class notes
38 In memoriam
22
26
On the cover
A photo illustration depicts what the future Center for Science, Business, and Religion
will look like from Urness Tower; see pages 20-21. Photo illustration by Mark Chamberlain.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
Correction: In the Spring 2015 issue
of Augsburg Now, the names of donors
Richard Bonlender ’78 and Mary Ahern
were listed incorrectly in the article
“Torstenson legacy lives on through gifts,”
which described an initiative to name a
gathering space for Faculty Emeritus of
Sociology Joel Torstenson in the new Center
for Science, Business, and Religion.
AROUND THE QUAD
PUTTING MINNEAPOLIS
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
This spring, hundreds of prospective Augsburg College students and their
families visited campus as part of “Destination: Augsburg,” an event
designed to offer a glimpse into on-campus life. The event also included
guided excursions to well-known attractions in the heart of Minneapolis
including Target Field, Nicollet Mall, and the State Theatre [above].
MINNESOTA URBAN
DEBATE LEAGUE
adds first-ever Somali Debate Initiative
The Minnesota Urban Debate League—a program of Augsburg College—sponsored
the first debate in the state among Somali youth. The Somali Debate Initiative serves
middle- and high-school students from Minneapolis and St. Paul. A community forum
featuring U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison followed the debate. MNUDL also hosted four Spanish
tournaments throughout the Twin Cities, which helps make debate more accessible to
Spanish-speaking communities.
In May, MNUDL hosted its third Mayor’s Challenge fundraiser. St. Paul Mayor
Chris Coleman; Donald Lewis, co-founder and shareholder of Nilan Johnson Lewis in
Minneapolis; and Barb Schmitt, senior director at Microsoft, served as judges. The
event raised $18,500 plus $3,000 in matching grants from the Pohlad Foundation.
2
Augsburg Now
Keynote speaker and debate judge Ilhan Omar
encourages Somali Debate Initiative guests to
pursue college degrees.
AROUND THE QUAD
A TEACHER’S INFLUENCE
NEVER ENDS
Each year, the Augsburg College faculty
recognizes select colleagues with Distinguished
Contributions to Teaching and Learning
awards—acknowledging those who have
demonstrated outstanding support for students
through teaching, advising, and mentoring.
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING
Joan Kunz, professor of chemistry
Soup for You! Café Chef Judah Nataf seasons one of his signature recipes.
SOUP FOR THE HEART
and soul of Augsburg’s neighbors
Alumnus launches community meal program
Kunz is recognized for her commitment to
Augsburg’s students, embodying the College’s
mission to educate students to be informed
citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers,
and responsible leaders. Since 1987, Kunz has
worked toward creating and sustaining a vibrant
learning community in the sciences.
EXCELLENCE IN ADVISING AND MENTORING
oto
Courtesy Ph
Susan O’Connor and Donna Patterson, assistant
Five days a week, Minneapolis community members convene at Bethany
professors of education
Lutheran Church to dine on gourmet fare prepared as part of the Soup
for You! Café—a program the Star Tribune
O’Connor and Patterson are recognized
recognized for its ability to redefine
for their work to incorporate Public
“Our model is mutuality, and
community outreach.
Achievement into the special education
what better way is there to
Augsburg College alumnus, Chaplain
teacher training program in the College’s
show mutuality than to gather Department of Education. The Public
to Student Athletes, and Linebacker Coach
the Rev. Mike Matson ’06 is the pastor at
at the same table together?”
Achievement model changes lives for
Bethany Lutheran and the driver behind this
students in special education by giving
—The Rev. Mike Matson ’06
community meal. Supported by volunteers
Star Tribune, April 5
them a voice to act as citizens in a
and one talented chef, Soup for You! Café is
democratic society.
a chance for people of all backgrounds to come together in an environment
that focuses on dignity. In the Star Tribune article “Church program
offers hot soup, warm welcome,” Matson underscored that the program is
designed to bring together people from the many faiths
and cultures of the Seward neighborhood.
Augsburg College students, faculty, and staff find varied—and
valuable—ways to lend their time and talents to support the Soup
for You! Café. Auggie Jens Pinther ’15 contributed an article about
the program to the June edition of The Lutheran magazine. The
story, available at thelutheran.org, included photos by Augsburg
photographer Stephen Geffre.
The 2015 Distinguished Contributions recipients [L to R]:
Donna Patterson, Susan O’Connor, and Joan Kunz.
Summer 2015
3
(RE)NAME THE MAGAZINE?
From Augsburg’s
CAMPUS KITCHEN
to the community table
Unique program expands its reach
The Campus Kitchen program at Augsburg College works
to make healthy food accessible to all people living in and
near the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis. The
program also provides opportunities for service learning,
leadership development, and genuine engagement between
the College and the community.
Based in the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship,
Campus Kitchen is a student-driven organization that
addresses hunger locally and globally. Corporate partners
support Campus Kitchen’s efforts, providing a solid
foundation for Auggies’ stellar work.
2014-15 academic year highlights:
7
Augsburg student leaders took home a “Going Beyond The
Meal” award from the 2015 Food Waste and Hunger Summit
in Athens, Georgia. The honor recognized Campus Kitchen’s
exceptional education and outreach efforts.
34
13,036
What do you think?
Last summer, Augsburg College participated in a national
higher education magazine survey developed by the Council for
Advancement and Support of Education. This survey allowed
more than 600 people to share feedback on the ways Augsburg’s
magazine helps them stay connected with the College.
Based on the survey results, we worked to develop a clearer
picture of the roles the magazine plays and found that the
Augsburg College magazine serves to:
• Foster inspiration and pride.
• Provide intellectual stimulation and ongoing education.
• Bridge the Augsburg of today with people’s past experiences.
• Define and illustrate what it means to be an “Auggie.”
• Help the Augsburg community learn how to talk about itself
and equip individuals to advocate for the College.
Given the importance of these commitments, there was a desire to
have the magazine name align with and support the publication’s
purpose. After an exploration of dozens of name options, Augsburg
Spirit and Augsburg Experience stood out. It also was evident that
the name Augsburg Now remains appropriate.
To determine which of these three names is best, you’re invited
to share your opinion on the name of the magazine by voting online
for Augsburg Now, Augsburg Experience, or Augsburg Spirit.
Go to augsburg.edu/now to share your input
to help guide our naming decision.
student volunteers engaged in Campus
Kitchen activities per month on average.
pounds of unserved, edible food were recovered from
A’viands campus dining and the Mill City Farmers Market
and thereby diverted from the waste stream.
11,210
total meals prepared using recovered, gleaned, and
homemade food served to youths, adults, and seniors in need
in the Cedar-Riverside, Seward, and Phillips neighborhoods.
KEY CORPORATE PARTNERS’
YEARS OF GRANT SUPPORT
LAND O’LAKES
TARGET
A’VIANDS
GENERAL MILLS
AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL
=1 year
Plus, a new grant from The Campus Kitchens Project and AARP has
enabled Augsburg’s Campus Kitchen program to provide a weekly
lunch for more than a dozen additional seniors living near campus.
augsburg.edu/campuskitchen
KNOW?
DID YOU
General Mills has invested more than $125,000 in
the Augsburg College Campus Kitchen program.
Renovations are underway on a number of spaces
on the Augsburg campus in Minneapolis, including
the Sateren Auditorium in the Anderson Music Hall.
The space will return to service this fall.
ACCLAIMED ARTIST CREATES
painting for Hoversten Chapel
This spring, Augsburg’s Campus Ministry welcomed the Rev. Paul
Oman—a professional watercolorist whose artistic work draws
inspiration from his experiences, travels, and Lutheran faith—to
take part in a three-day worship event on campus. Oman created
a large-scale painting of Jesus during Daily Chapel services as
on-campus worshipers took part in music, prayer, spoken word,
and Scripture.
Oman’s visual ministry, known as “Drawn to the Word,”
offered the Augsburg community the opportunity to engage
in conversation and reflection on race, radical hospitality,
reformation, faith, and the Lutheran tradition that continues to
shape the College’s identity. The painting is on display in the
Hoversten Chapel in Foss Center.
The Rev. Paul Oman paints “Jesus Withdraws to Pray” during Daily Chapel time.
Summer 2015
5
Photo by Mark Chamberlain
AROUND THE QUAD
AROUND THE QUAD
While traveling to or from campus, some Auggies have near-perfect views of the construction underway on the new Minnesota
Vikings football stadium. This vantage point is near the intersection of Cedar and Riverside avenues in Minneapolis.
ON THE SPOT
Kristin Anderson
In the discipline of art history it’s common to discuss the visual
representation of saints and sinners, kings and queens, and maybe even
a Viking or two. At Augsburg College, Kristin Anderson teaches courses on
the history of art and architecture, and she’s prepared to talk about works
ranging from the Mona Lisa to the Metrodome—may it rest in peace.
Anderson’s current writing and research are focused on sports
architecture, and she is co-authoring a book on the history of athletic
facilities in the Twin Cities. As the St. Paul Saints baseball club settles into
its new CHS Field in Lowertown and the Minnesota Vikings football team
awaits the completion of a new stadium in Augsburg’s own backyard, here
is Anderson’s take on the region’s shifting sports scene.
6
Augsburg Now
Q:
During the past decade new sports
venues including TCF Bank Stadium,
Target Field, and CHS Field have opened
their doors in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
What factors have spurred so much
change in such a brief period of time?
A:
Quite simply, we have moved out
of an era of multipurpose stadiums.
They were popular in the 1960s and
1970s, and we got one of the last ones—
the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome—
in 1982. Sport-specific facilities like
baseball parks and football stadiums have
become the standard, and that drives
all kinds of new construction. And, of
course, when one team gets a new space,
everyone else gets in line. ...
MAKING SPACE
FOR A
AROUND THE QUAD
NEW ACADEMIC BUILDING
On May 1, the campaign for the Center for Science,
Business, and Religion surpassed its $50 million
fundraising goal. To make room for the construction of
this new academic building, the College razed two existing
houses on campus. One of the structures was occupied
by the Admissions Office from 1970-2003 before
that department moved to a more student-accessible
location in Christensen Center. The house also was home for a time to the Center
for Counseling and Health Promotion (now called the Center for Wellness and
Counseling), which has relocated to the first floor of Anderson Residence Hall. A
second house, formerly called Delta House, was first used for student housing. It
was later home to various Admissions staff, then the Sabo Center for Democracy
and Citizenship, which has moved to the Oren Gateway Center. Before these two
buildings were removed, an event was held to honor the work and experiences
of staff and residents who once occupied the spaces. There were 30 people in
attendance, some even traveling from as far as North Dakota and New York.
A house on 21st Avenue South is razed.
Former and current staff members reminisce over a collage
of names written within one of Augsburg’s former houses.
Learn more about the next steps for the CSBR on page 20.
Q:
Q:
Q:
A:
A:
A:
Today’s sports venues offer
amenities that extend far beyond
a wooden bleacher seat and a bag of
popcorn sold at the concession stand.
What does this mean for stadium
architecture and game attendees?
Every new sports facility offers more
than its predecessor, and fans seem
to expect this improvement. The rising
expectations are not new: fan amenities
have been part of the discussion since
the 1860s. Like us, people from that
time period talked about food selection,
legroom, and comfort at the games.
Attending to the fan experience can add
cost to a project, but it is an investment
worth making. Just think about the
many amazing differences between the
Metrodome experience and the Target
Field experience.
What effect does an indoor stadium
(like the new Vikings stadium) versus
an outdoor stadium (like TCF) have on
attendance, especially in Minnesota’s
climate?
We have an amazing range of weather,
from glorious to horrible—and we
don’t always agree on which is which.
This raises the stakes on decisions about
stadium design. Rather than choosing
“indoor” or “outdoor,” many contemporary
facilities combine aspects of each. The new
Vikings stadium will have a glass roof and
enormous windows, bridging the indoors
and outdoors in space, light, air, and views.
Target Field is an outdoor ballpark, but it is
designed with sheltered areas, heat lamps,
and other climate-mitigating features.
Baseball is said to be America’s
pastime. How does new stadium
architecture show that the sport can remain
relevant—and sustainable—into the future?
While most contemporary ballparks pay
homage to the history and tradition of
baseball, they also employ an amazing array
of cutting-edge technologies. One of the
most exciting recent developments is the
emphasis on environmental sustainability.
Target Field has two LEED Silver
certifications, and other sports facilities like
the Xcel Energy Center and CHS Field have
also engaged in significant sustainability
efforts, including rainwater recycling
systems and sophisticated trash-sorting and
recycling programs.
Kristin Anderson is a professor of art
history and the Augsburg College archivist.
Summer 2015
7
CELEBRATING STUDENT SUCCESS
$7,500 GOLDWATER
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Fikre Beyene ’16 and Lyle Nyberg ’16
15 STEM researchers
80+
off-campus
Auggies presented at Zyzzogeton
Research Festival on campus
Taylor Kuramoto ’15
FULBRIGHT TEACHING
ASSISTANT in South Korea
3
ROSSING PHYSICS
SCHOLARS
One of 104 to present at
Fikre Beyene ’16, Andris Bibelnieks ’16*,
and Cain Valtierrez ’16
*Also Goldwater Honorable Mention
NATIONAL SCIENCE
FOUNDATION GRADUATE
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
Honorable Mention, Alex Sorum ’13
2015 WINCHELL
UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Aisha Mohamed ’16
Awale Osman ’15
2
2015 NEWMAN
CIVIC FELLOW
KEMPER SCHOLARS
Mitchell Ross ’18 and Rebecca Schroeder ’18
BENJAMIN A. GILMAN
INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP
David Gersten ’16 and Amal Warsame ’16
8
Augsburg Now
EDDIE PHILLIPS SCHOLARSHIP
FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN
Malick Ceesay ’17
For more information about
these awards and recipients,
go to augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2015
9
12
HONORING
retiring faculty
“
I love the accessibility Augsburg students have to faculty and staff,
especially when we meet students in passing in the quad or elsewhere
when conversations become more candid, genuine, and authentic.”
— Gregory Krueger, Assistant Professor of Education
PAULINE ABRAHAM
Assistant Professor and Director of BSN
Program, Nursing, Rochester
Joined the College — 2005
KATHRYN SCHWALBE
Faculty Emerita
Professor of Business Administration
Joined the College — 1991
FRANKIE SHACKELFORD
Faculty Emerita, Professor of Languages
and Cross-Cultural Studies
Joined the College — 1990
MARTHA JOHNSON
Faculty Emerita
Professor of Theater Arts
Joined the College — 1997
BEVERLY STRATTON
Faculty Emerita
Professor of Religion
Joined the College — 1986
AMIN KADER
Associate Professor of Business
Administration
Joined the College — 1974
ELIZABETH ANKENY
Faculty Emerita
Associate Professor of Education
Joined the College — 2008
GREGORY KRUEGER
Assistant Professor of Education
Joined the College — 2000
STEVEN LAFAVE
GRACE DYRUD
Faculty Emerita
Professor of Psychology
Joined the College — 1962
Faculty Emeritus
Professor of Business Administration
Joined the College — 1991
DAVID VENNE
Assistant Professor of Physics
Joined the College — 1990
STEVEN NERHEIM
Medical Director Instructor of Physician
Assistant Studies Program
Joined the College — 2005
10
Augsburg Now
To read about what these faculty members
love about Augsburg and teaching, go to
augsburg.edu/now.
AHEAD
of the
curve
Augsburg leads in shaping higher education for
Minnesota’s increasingly diverse population
BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
F
or more than five years, Augsburg College has undertaken
“Employers are going to have a much greater interest
important efforts to intentionally diversify the traditional
in bringing populations who previously may have been
undergraduate student profile. This work is not only a
marginalized into productive work,” Brower said. “We don’t
prudent move in terms of growing enrollment, but it is also
have the capacity, going forward, to leave anyone behind.”
proving to be an important factor in sustaining the region’s
For Augsburg, this demographic reality is significant
economic health.
because about 25 percent of college-bound Minnesota high
This spring, more than 200 Augsburg College faculty
school graduates express interest in Augsburg by applying,
and staff met with Minnesota State
inquiring, or visiting campus. In order
Demographer Susan Brower to
to successfully enroll and retain these
“We don’t have the
discuss the “shape and scale” of the
students, Augsburg needs to be intentional
capacity,
going
forward,
demographic trends in the state that
about meeting the educational needs of
will influence its vitality in the coming
this diversifying population.
to leave anyone behind.”
decades. Two significant trends detailed
Augsburg already has an important
—Susan Brower
by Brower were the increasing diversity
advantage in this area because, with
Minnesota State Demographer
and aging of the state’s population –
nearly 33 percent students of color in
trends that heighten the importance of
the traditional undergraduate program,
education now and into the future.
the College is one of the most diverse higher education
Education will grow in importance because the relative
institutions in the state. This is attractive to students of both
size of our workforce affects economic production and the
minority and majority populations because it offers them the
strength of our region. As older adults retire in the next 20
opportunity to learn and work with many different types of
years and the workforce shrinks in proportion to the overall
people, which is increasingly important given that the pace of
population, Minnesota will need the skills and talents of the
demographic change will accelerate dramatically in the next
entire working-age population.
15 years.
Summer 2015
11
1
Demographic Trend #1: Growing diversity.
If you went to college or lived in the Twin Cities before
the 1990s, your experience with the diversity of the area’s
population was different from today’s scenario.
3,500,000
3,000,000
2,500,000
Total Twin Cities population
2,000,000
The Twin Cities experienced accelerated growth
among populations of color from 1990 to 2010.
During that time, people of color represented more
than 80 percent of the overall population growth.
1,500,000
Before 1980, fewer than 6 percent of the
Twin Cities population were people of color,
numbering only 25,000 to 115,000 people in
the total population of 1.5 million to 2 million.
1,000,000
500,000
10%
5%
2
15%
0
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
What’s driving the growth in diversity?
• Younger populations are more diverse.
Approximately 25 percent of Minnesota residents
younger than age 35 are people of color, whereas
populations older than 65 years are predominantly
white. So, as the entire population ages, overall
diversity grows. **Sources: 2, 3
2
• The number of foreign-born residents in
Minnesota is growing. Minnesota, today, is home to
nearly 400,000 foreign-born residents—a level not
seen since the 1930s. By contrast, from 1960 through
the 1990s, just more than 100,000 foreign-born
people lived in the state. **Source: 4
Demographic Trend #2: Our aging population.
• Minnesota’s foreign-born population is
increasingly diverse. In 1950, 80 percent of the
foreign-born population in Minnesota was from
Europe. Today, most foreign-born residents are from
Mexico, Somalia, India, and Laos. **Source: 4
335
Minnesota—and other regions of the United States—are
experiencing an unprecedented aging of our populations.
285
How dramatic is the change?
Change in Minnesota population
age 65+ (in thousands)
Minnesota will add more than 620,000 older adults (age
65+) between 2010 and 2030. By contrast, during the
60 years from 1950 to 2010, the population of older
adults grew by just 416,000. **Source: 1
12
85
55
1950s
Augsburg Now
1960s
71
1970s
97
91
67
1980s
47
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
2030s
66
56
2040s
2050s
A commitment to diversity and inclusion
Today, the Twin Cities population is estimated at
3 million residents, with nearly 800,000—about
26 percent—people of color. This number is
expected to reach 30 percent in the next 10 years.*
30%
25%
20%
2010
2020
2030
*Other areas of the United States are experiencing similar diversity growth.
The U.S. population in 2010 was 36 percent people of color. **Sources: 2, 3
The size of the labor force is expected to stagnate in the coming
decades while the 65+ population will double. As a result, the
ratio of adults ages 18 to 64 relative to adults 65 and older will
go from nearly 5 to 1 in 2010 to less than 2.5 to 1 in the next 25
years. That means there will be fewer working-age people in
the population as a whole. That’s an important consideration
because payroll taxes are critical for funding programs like Social
Security and Medicare that the growing population of retired and
elderly adults will increasingly draw upon. **Sources: 2, 3
To learn more about the range of programs Augsburg offers
to support diversity and inclusion, go to augsburg.edu/now.
2010
2040
One million adults age 65+
In 2015, Augsburg graduated its most diverse traditional
undergraduate class in history, with more than 30 percent
of graduates from underrepresented populations. In fact,
every incoming first-year class since 2009 has included 30
to 40 percent students of color.
Augsburg also has identified faculty and staff diversity
as a priority initiative in its Augsburg2019 strategic plan.
As a first step, the College highlighted its commitment to
intercultural competence, diversity, and inclusion in all job
postings this past spring. An early result is that six of the
College’s 10 new tenure-track faculty are from non-majority
populations.
Augsburg also has named Joanne Reeck, director
of Campus Activities and Orientation, as chief diversity
officer. Reeck launched an intercultural competence
program that involved more than 100 members of the
campus community this spring and will expand to include a
certificate program in the fall. These programs complement
the diversity and inclusion workshops offered each May by
the College’s Center for Teaching and Learning.
Augsburg’s work in intentional diversity has garnered
attention from corporations and community organizations
alike. For example, Wells Fargo recently donated $100,000
to Augsburg’s Center for Science, Business, and Religion
specifically because of Augsburg’s proven work in educating
underrepresented populations. Augsburg also recognizes
that diversity extends well beyond ethnicity and provides
award-winning programs for students who represent a
diversity of ages, national origins, faith traditions, gender
identities, and learning and physical differences.
“Of course, there is still much more we need to
do,” Reeck said. “But we are committed to diversity
and inclusion because it creates a richer educational
environment and prepares our students to lead, innovate,
and serve in a diverse and globally connected world.”
This work not only supports future graduates’ individual
success, it creates a diverse and well-educated generation
that’s critical to our collective future prosperity.
One million adults age 18-64
**Sources: 1. Minnesota State Demographic Center and U.S. Census
Bureau. 2. Minnesota State Demographic Center and U.S. Census
Bureau, Decennial Census and Population. 3. Estimates as presented
by Minnesota Compass, mncompass.org. 4. IPUMS version of U.S.
Census Bureau’s 2010-2012 American Community Survey. Tabulated
by the Minnesota State Demographic Center.
Summer 2015
13
Auggie Matt McGinn ’13
finds innovative ways to
serve an old favorite
BY CHRISTINA HALLER
Matt McGinn ’13 has accomplished more
in his 27 years than most. He overcame
alcohol dependence to graduate from
Augsburg College and its StepUP ® program
and then went on to become a successful
entrepreneur in the coffee industry.
And when it comes to coffee, he does
it all.
McGinn roasts his own beans. He uses
recovery working to earn his bachelor’s
degree in social work.
“Augsburg helped me to become a
leader,” McGinn said. “I showed people
you can go from not being capable of
holding a job and passing out in class,
to working two internships, being a
resident assistant, and succeeding in
five classes.”
Though he later decided not to pursue
a career in social work, he practices skills
gained while at Augsburg to help himself
succeed every day—including business savvy,
budgeting, dedication, confidence, detail
orientation, leadership, and follow-through.
them to cold brew coffee. He bottles it.
Tapping an underserved market
Distributes it. And, he co-owns and runs a
McGinn has been working in the
coffee industry since he was a barista in
high school. Once he got to Augsburg,
he climbed his way up to manager at a
struggling coffee shop and was able to revive
it by crafting new drink recipes, learning a
range of brewing techniques, improving food
and drink menus, training staff, and creating
more efficient labor schedules.
coffee shop where he serves his cold brewed
coffee on tap—an innovation that very few
shops offer, especially in the Twin Cities.
A transfer student from the University
of Massachusetts, McGinn applied to
Augsburg and StepUP early on in his
sobriety. He went from drinking hard liquor
every day for six years, to a student in
14
Augsburg Now
“People were complimenting my work,
and the owner gave me free reign to do
what I wanted,” McGinn said. “I thought—
I’m really good at this. What are my ideas?
What do I want to do? Well, I make really
good cold brew. People love my cold brew.
And I was like, ‘Why am I not doing this for
myself?’”
So he did.
McGinn now co-owns and runs artisan
coffee shop Quixotic Coffee in St. Paul.
His branded coffee, Blackeye Roasting
Co., comes in three varieties on tap—a
signature blend called “Blackeye Brew;”
a nitro blend called “Left Hook;” and
currently under production, a nitro
Guinness, which is similar in texture and
flavor to a creamy stout.
Currently, you can find Blackeye Brew
bottled and sold at select local retailers, but
soon it’ll be distributed nationally. Blackeye
Brew coffee is also kegged and served in
many area restaurants, on college campuses,
and even in Twin Cities workplaces.
AUGGIE VOICES
Summer 2015
15
AUGGIE VOICES
Watch McGinn discover
his passion for coffee at
augsburg.edu/now.
16
Augsburg Now
Wake up and smell the coffee.
Q: You serve a nitro blend at Quixotic. What is that?
A: Nitro cold brew is coffee infused with pure nitrogen. It’s stored in a keg
and served on draft for a cascading, foamy, and velvety ice-cold drink.
Q: What’s the difference between iced coffee and cold brewed?
A: Iced coffee is just hot coffee that’s been brewed with twice as much
ground coffee, then poured over ice. Cold brewed coffee is ground coffee
that’s been steeped in cold water overnight.
Q: So does cold brew have a different taste?
A: Yes. When you brew coffee hot you get a lot of acidity due to the chemical
reaction. When you brew it cold, you don’t get the acidity. In fact, there’s
67-93 percent less acidity in cold brewed coffee—and two times the caffeine.
Q: So you roast your own beans. Is the origin of coffee beans important?
A: Absolutely. Most of our coffee beans are from Africa and Central America.
The coffees we select from Africa are bright and floral and have more
character. The coffees we get from Central America have chocolaty notes.
We blend the two for a perfect balance, so they’re not too tangy or fruity.
StepUP® at a glance
StepUP at Augsburg College is a
residential collegiate recovery program
focusing on helping students sustain
their recovery, achieve academic
success, and thrive in a community of
accountability and support.
• More than 700 students
served since 1997
• 93 percent average
abstinence rate
• 100 students served annually
• 3.2 average GPA
Learn more at
augsburg.edu/stepup
Summer 2015
17
Augsburg College held back-to-back Commencement ceremonies
May 2-3. The College welcomed nearly 4,000 people to campus who celebrated the
achievements of the Class of 2015, gathered as family and friends, and participated
in Augsburg’s unique approach to the centuries-old tradition of graduation.
COMMENCEMENT
MEMORIES
BY LAURA SWANSON ’15 MBA
A
s one of life’s “big days” alongside events like
a wedding or the birth of a child, it’s
common for a commencement to be a
memorable experience that people can recall for
years—and even decades—afterward. Yet, of the
thousands of attendees at this year’s ceremonies,
it is unlikely that any two people will retain
exactly the same event details in the same way.
Why is that? Naturally, it’s due to the fact
that each person’s process of making and
recalling memories is complex. Augsburg College
professor and cognitive psychologist Bridget
Robinson-Riegler helped illuminate how and why
people remember the standout days in their lives
in accurate—and inaccurate—ways.
Bridget Robinson-Riegler
Augsburg professor and
cognitive psychologist
What makes a commencement day memorable?
Uniqueness.
Emotion.
Cognitive psychologists have found
that the most distinctive life events also
are the most likely to be remembered.
For many people, participating in a
commencement ceremony is the type
of occasion that only happens a few
times over the course of their lives, such
as when they complete high school,
college, a graduate program, or attend
a graduation event for a child or loved
one. The event as a whole is unique and
so are particular elements of the day.
For instance, contemporary Augsburg
graduates process to the commencement
ceremonies by walking down 7 ½ Street,
which is lined with faculty members
applauding the graduates’ achievements.
This type of event is so unique that the
experience likely will form a memory
that persists over time, according to
Robinson-Riegler.
Just as distinctive events are more
likely to be remembered, occasions that
are laden with emotion also make their
mark. The two parts of the brain that serve
in memory-making include the amygdala,
which is responsible for the emotion of
a memory, and the hippocampus, which
is responsible for creating the coherent
story of a memory. People are likely to
remember many of the feelings they
experienced on a commencement day
because it’s a time of high emotion and
maybe even some stress.
While graduation is not stressful
in a traumatic sense, there’s a lot of
excitement associated with the event,
which accentuates the activation of the
amygdala. Then, because the amygdala
is functioning at a relatively high level, a
person remembers much of the emotion
of a commencement.
18
Augsburg Now
“Ten or 20 years into the future, you
remember some of the day’s details—
some of the big things about it—but
it may be easier to remember how you
felt,” Robinson-Riegler said.
Timing.
When an event occurs also affects a
person’s ability to remember it. For many
traditional undergraduates, graduation
falls at a time in life known as the
“reminiscence bump,” the period that
spans approximately from age 10 to age
30 when things are most remembered.
“As we age, things become more
routine, so what stands out are things
that are distinctive in your life,”
Robinson-Riegler said. “The things that
you talked about, that you spent a lot of
time rehearsing or explaining—the events
like graduations and weddings—those are
things that are better remembered.”
What affects the
accuracy of memory?
Despite the memorability of unique
and emotional moments, the accuracy of
our memories is not always reliable. One
of the reasons memories change over
time is that people come into contact
with new situations that shape their
recollection of the past.
“None of us really should trust our
memories as much as most of us do; the
gist of our memories is often accurate, but
the details of exactly what happened are
often inaccurate,” Robinson-Riegler said.
Graduation is an interesting event
to recall because there’s not a lot of
“cross-contamination” of memory
from the event happening repeatedly,
but there are disturbances in memory
caused by outside influences.
For instance, people have what’s
known as “schematic knowledge” about
what graduations entail. Due to popular
culture, a person who has never attended
a graduation may be able to explain
what happens at the celebration because
the event typically follows a formulaic
structure that includes listening to
speeches, watching graduates walk
across a stage, and so on. In addition,
people’s memories about past events can
become skewed by the individuals they
interact with later and the discussions
that follow. Graduations might spur
conversations with friends and family
that help a person “fill in the gaps”
where their own memories have faded,
according to Robinson-Riegler.
“Think about how easy it would
be for someone to infuse a memory
from what someone else said about
graduation, and suddenly it becomes
your memory so you have no idea what
the reality is,” she said.
In addition to pulling outside
comments into your memory pool,
commencement recollections can be
influenced by the photos and other
artifacts from the day that a person
comes across later.
“If you see pictures of the
graduation ceremony, those things
get into your head, so to speak, as
you reconstruct your memory based
on several different components,”
Robinson-Riegler said.
Ultimately, when Auggies of all ages
think back on their commencement
experiences, those memories are shaped
by myriad factors, but it’s the outcome
of the education that persists over
time and can be counted upon for the
remainder of their lives.
And, while college memories may
fade and change over time, they still
serve several purposes—one of the best
being to make us smile.
Summer 2015
19
Augsburg College hits $50 million campaign goal
for new, signature academic building
Augsburg College has successfully surpassed the $50 million
mark in its capital campaign for a unique, interdisciplinary
academic building that brings together science, business, and
religion. The campaign—the largest in the College’s history—
met its goal a year in advance of the original schedule.
With the campaign fundraising milestone achieved,
the Augsburg College Board of Regents approved
moving forward with the next stage of architectural
and construction design for what will be the College’s
state-of-the-art, signature academic building. Once that
design work is completed, the Board will set a timeline for
groundbreaking and construction.
The College already has begun the planning and
preparation necessary to make the new building a reality.
Examples of this collaborative effort include the following:
•
A Board-designated project leadership team is selecting
an architect who will work with the College to verify that
the building meets the needs of academic programs in
order to create detailed interior and exterior drawings.
•
Augsburg readied the future site of the building by
razing two existing houses on 21st Avenue South.
(See page 7.)
•
Faculty members are using grant funds to design new,
interdisciplinary courses and to revise existing classes
to better integrate the science, business, and religion
subject areas.
Anderson
Residence Hall
Urness Tower
Luther Hall
N
Mortensen Hall
Old Main
Christensen Center
Sverdrup Hall
Memorial Hall
Lindell Library
20
Augsburg Now
Find campaign news and building
updates at augsburg.edu/CSBR.
IT TAKES AN AUGGIE
Graphics by
Mark Chamberlain
Summer 2015
21
“Individuals matter in stopping the spread of disease
because disease has no boundaries ... I have made
it a personal goal to advocate for the development
of generic medications for infectious diseases that
unfairly affect the developing world.”
—Anika Clark ’14
22
Augsburg Now
Unique research experience draws
faculty-student duo to East Africa
and Capitol Hill
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
ho gets pooped on by chimpanzees, zig-zags through a
mountainous forest to elude elephants, and has been
recognized by members of the U.S. Congress for her
impressive research?
The first undergraduate student from the United States ever invited
to study the world’s largest known community of chimpanzees and
to gather research data to build a foundation for understanding how
human diseases—including Ebola—can be transmitted to and move
through the animals.
By gathering data to model how disease spreads through the nearly
200 chimps in the Ngogo community in Kibale National Park in Uganda,
Anika Clark ’14 may be able to help identify and develop vaccination
plans to protect this and other groups of chimpanzees from being
devastated by transmissible human diseases for which the chimps have
no resistance.
Clark, a biology major, spent four weeks in Africa doing field research
under the direction of Kevin Potts, a biology instructor at Augsburg
and one of the nation’s leading primatology experts. His studies on
chimpanzee conservation, food, habitat, and foraging behaviors are
featured in some of the world’s most prestigious primatology journals.
Potts earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from Yale University
and studied under the Yale faculty who founded the Ngogo Chimpanzee
Project in Kibale National Park. It’s through his decades-long study
of chimpanzees, in which he’s watched some members of the animal
group go from juveniles to adult leaders, and his deep professional and
personal relationships with the project’s founders that he was able to
invite Clark to conduct research on this unique group of chimpanzees.
Summer 2015
23
Undergraduate research—an opportunity for hands-on practice of skills helpful to
science majors and necessary to succeed in graduate school—is an important part of
an Augsburg College education and is evidence of how the College lives out its vision
of educating for lives of purpose. Clark was among nearly 100 Augsburg students who
conducted summer research in 2014, spending many hours in the lab and in the field to solve
complex problems.
Fieldwork is grueling.
“You have to be physically and mentally alert at all times,” Clark said of the work she
did in Uganda. “Elephants can be in the forest. You have to move away from them quickly
… once I zig-zagged down a mountain ravine to get away.”
The work also can be very, very dirty. Even gross.
“Once, a chimpanzee in the canopy pooped on me and my field notebook,” Clark said.
But she wasn’t deterred.
Potts acknowledged the physical demands of fieldwork. He said it’s not uncommon
for researchers—including graduate-level researchers—to burn out after a few weeks,
especially in places as rugged as Ngogo. Clark was up and in the field by 7 a.m., walking
for miles and as many as 10 hours per day in the forest to find where chimps were feeding
so she could gather her data.
Clark’s research is unique because she is creating a baseline for understanding how
infectious diseases spread in the largest group of chimpanzees on Earth. While some other
researchers are trying to understand dispersal of illness among chimpanzee troupes of
about 65 individual animals, nobody else is seeking to explain how disease moves through
Ngogo’s population of nearly 200 individuals.
“Chimpanzees are strange among mammal species,” Potts said. “Unlike most other
mammals, chimps that make up one social group rarely are together all at the same time.
Instead, on a day-to-day basis, small foraging parties go out to look for food, and members
of groups can change daily.”
This means that unlocking how an infectious disease spreads is complex because
chimps don’t interact consistently with the same community members day after day.
Unraveling this mystery may allow people to protect chimps from transmissible human
diseases for which the animals have no immunity. An Ebola vaccine for chimpanzees is in
development and could feasibly be used on wild chimps in the near future. But vaccinating
all the chimps would be prohibitively expensive and logistically impossible.
24
Augsburg Now
“If we can identify a few individuals who are disproportionately gregarious and,
therefore, more likely to spread a disease to others, we can target them for vaccines and
stop an outbreak,” Potts said.
Uganda’s forests may depend upon this understanding, too, since chimps are prolific
distributors of seeds from the tree fruits that they eat and thereby ensure reforestation
and new growth.
Clark’s grit in the field and outstanding achievements in the classroom have garnered
attention in the nation’s capital. Last spring, she was selected to present at Posters on
the Hill in Washington, D.C.
This annual event highlights outstanding undergraduate research and was a chance
for 60 selected students from more than 800 applicants to meet with policymakers and
lawmakers, including U.S. Sen. Keith Ellison of Minnesota.
“Anika’s work stood up exceptionally well against top-tier student researchers
from across the nation, and I hope she sees how talented she is,” Potts said. “This
was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present scientific results directly to those who
implement policy based upon science.”
Clark is applying her resolve to working as a medical scribe at three different hospitals. At
one of the hospitals, Clark serves as lead scribe, a leadership role that includes responsibility
for recruiting other top pre-health students to work as scribes. Clark’s determination to excel
is further readying her for the challenge of applying to medical schools, her next step toward
fulfilling her goal of one day working for Doctors Without Borders.
Through Doctors Without Borders, an internationally renowned humanitarian
organization that provides assistance to countries overwhelmed by armed conflict,
epidemics, natural disasters, and malnutrition, Clark will have the opportunity to use
her talents and gifts to alleviate some of the world’s greatest global health problems.
The organization also is recognized for its dedication to serving people who experience
neglect and discrimination from local health systems.
“Individuals matter in stopping the spread of disease because disease has no
boundaries. The world is connected through trade, aviation, and immigration,” Clark
said. “I have made it a personal goal to advocate for the development of generic
medications for infectious diseases that unfairly affect the developing world. An
infectious disease in one part of the world must be considered a global threat.”
As Clark turns her sights toward medical school and a future serving as an
international doctor of medicine, other Auggies will head into the lab and field with
faculty to unravel problems and seek solutions to better our shared world.
While Auggies have worked to protect chimpanzees from infectious diseases in Uganda’s Kibale National Park,
these animals also face constant threats from poaching. Visit augsburg.edu/now to learn more about chimps
and how you can help in their conservation.
The field journal of Anika Clark ’14 carries
the mark of a chimpanzee encounter.
Clark trekked many miles through
sometimes muddy forests in these shoes.
A solar sun shower was the closest to a
hot shower Clark got while in Uganda.
Biology instructor Kevin Potts uses
his own codes and shorthand to track
information on chimpanzees.
Summer 2015
25
BY CHRISTINA HALLER
Augsburg student travels 900 miles in
search of answers
The last thing studio arts major Indra Ramassamy ’17
thought she’d get out of her course, Women and Art,
was a life-changing trip and lasting friendship with an
established artist. But it just so happened that Augsburg’s
commitment to experiential education fostered a
memorable experience for Ramassamy and cultivated
skills that will prove useful throughout her life.
Ramassamy, an international student from Paris,
was assigned to choose an object from Augsburg’s permanent collection of art and complete a research project
resulting in a final paper, a speech, an installation, and
a curatorial file.
Ramassamy was drawn
“Augsburg expects us to discover
to a print by Nilda Getty
things. We are encouraged to make
called “Psychic,” one work
deep connections with people, to find
in a five-piece series titled,
new ways to problem-solve, to make a
“Life Series.”
difference.”
“What drew me to this
—Indra Ramassamy ’17
print was a sort of ‘motion’
around a white circular
shape—to me, it represented the moon,” Ramassamy
said. “We can see six female figures around the shape,
but there is a possibility that these female figures
might actually be one person at different moments.”
A little persistence goes a long way
In researching the piece, Ramassamy found that
biographical information about the artist was limited.
She was, however, able to locate and contact an art
gallery where Getty had once exhibited. The art gallery
contacted Getty about Ramassamy’s inquiry, and within
a week, they were speaking regularly on the phone for
Ramassamy’s project. A few weeks later, Getty and her
son, Leslie, contacted Ramassamy and invited her to
Colorado, offering to fly her out so she could complete
her assignment.
Ramassamy gladly accepted. “It was about a
lot more than the paper,” she said. “Through phone
conversations and an exchange of emails, I had already
made a connection with Nilda and was beyond excited
to meet her.”
Leaving a lasting legacy
A few weeks later, Ramassamy was on a flight from
Minneapolis to Fort Collins, Colorado, for a 48-hour
stay. While there, Ramassamy toured Getty’s studio,
met Getty’s family, learned how to use metalsmithing
tools, and studied Getty’s artwork—from silk prints
to photographs, metalwork to jewelry. She also
visited Colorado State University where Getty taught
metalsmithing in the Art Department.
When Ramassamy asked Getty about “Psychic,”
Getty said the white circle represented both the world
and the universe. But the artist also explained that it
doesn’t matter what she thinks of the piece. What is
important to Getty is the viewer’s experience with the
art and the relationship formed with it.
Ramassamy was inspired by Getty’s work, by her
outlook on art and life, and by her warmth and spirit.
“One of the sweetest things was when Nilda told me
her ‘greatest works of art are her children’—and she
also asked me a lot about my own mom,” Ramassamy
said. “I believe Nilda’s legacy will be what her children
go out into the world and achieve.”
An Augsburg education is shaped by its
global settings
Ramassamy is grateful to Augsburg for the whole
experience. “There’s a culture at Augsburg to go
the full extent—do as much as you can,” she said.
“Augsburg expects us to discover things. We are
encouraged to make deep connections with people, to
find new ways to problem-solve, to make a difference.”
And that’s exactly what Ramassamy did.
26
Augsburg Now
MY AUGGIE EXPERIENCE
FUN FACTS ABOUT
AUGSBURG’S PERMANENT
COLLECTION OF ART
MOST FAMOUS?
Andy Warhol’s “Liz”
LARGEST?
Henry Lande’s minimalist
sculpture, 24 Elements, stands
outside between Urness Tower and
Christensen Center at 33 feet tall.
BEST-TRAVELED?
A photograph of Gerda Mortensen
vanished from Mortensen Hall
(more than once) and reappeared at
St. Olaf College.
MOST GENEROUS DONORS?
Don and Dagny Padilla, avid art
collectors, who gave dozens of
pieces to Augsburg’s permanent
collection of art, including Nilda
Getty’s “Psychic.”
AVAILABLE IN TWO SIZES?
Jakob Fjelde’s life-size marble bust
of Augsburg’s third president, Sven
Oftedal, and Fjelde’s small-scale
plaster copy, a recent gift from
Melinda and Jim Kohrt.
Summer 2015
27
ALUMNI NEWS
INTRODUCING
NEW ALUMNI BOARD MEMBERS
Six Auggies―successful in business, mentorship, leadership,
and advocacy for the College recently were elected to threeyear terms on the Augsburg College Alumni Board.
New members:
Cyrus Batheja ’08, ’10 MBA
Mary Prevost ’12 MBA
National corporate director,
UnitedHealth Group
Owner, MJP Strategic
Communications
Hannah Dietrich ’05
Howie Smith ’80
Principal planning analyst, Hennepin
County Department of Community
Corrections and Rehabilitation
Manager, talent development,
Ameriprise Financial Services
Jay Howard ’03
Take a moment to read a
few of the reasons why these
new representatives are excited
to be part of the Alumni Board.
Go to augsburg.edu/now for more
information.
Director of global sales, Innovative
Computer Software
Chau “Tina” Nguyen ’08
Project analyst, U.S. Bank
28
Augsburg Now
ALUMNI BOARD
Back Row [L to R]: Adrienne (Kuchler)
Eldridge ’02, Sarah Grans ’01, Howie
Smith ’80, Jay Howard ’03, Rick Bonlender ’78,
Greg Schnagl ’91, Nick Swanson ’09, Patricia
Jesperson ’95
Front Row [L to R]: Marie (Eddy) Odenbrett ’01,
Hannah Dietrich ’05, Jill Watson ’10 MBA,
Meg (Schmidt) Sawyer ’00, Melissa (Daudt)
Hoepner ’92, Chris Hallin ’88, Adriana
Matzke ’13, Rachel (Olson) Engebretson ’98,
Chau “Tina” Nguyen ’08, Mary Prevost ’12 MBA
Not Pictured: Cyrus Batheja ’08, ’10 MBA;
Sharon Mercill ’09; Jordan Moore ’12 MBA;
Brent Peroutka ’02; Nick Rathmann ’03;
Tracy (Anderson) Severson ’95
If you have ideas for alumni
involvement, email the Alumni Board
at alumni@augsburg.edu.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
RECEPTION AND CEREMONY
5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Honor the 2015 Athletic
Hall of Fame inductees.
HOMECOMING
2015
OCTOBER 8-10
REUNION CLASSES
Silver Auggies and
60th Reunion—1955
50th Reunion—1965
40th Reunion—1975
25th Reunion—1990
10th Reunion—2005
For Homecoming this year, let’s come together and revel in our
Augsburg connections with great events all weekend long. Alumni,
families, and friends are all invited to this celebration of our shared
Augsburg experience.
Registering for Homecoming is easier than ever with an allaccess pass. One $40 pass admits you to all events. Register to
guarantee your spot. The price increases to $50 after September 8.
Go to augsburg.edu/homecoming to register.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9
HOMECOMING CONVOCATION AND
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS
10 to 11:30 a.m.
Recognize the First Decade, Spirit
of Augsburg, and Distinguished
Alumni award recipients.
HOMECOMING AND REUNION
CELEBRATION LUNCHEON
12 p.m.
Celebrate this year’s distinguished
award recipients and the newest
inductees into the 50-Year Club
from the class of 1965.
AUGGIE HOURS
6 to 8:15 p.m.
Join the all-class Auggie happy hour.
HOMECOMING FIREWORKS
8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10
Join Homecoming co-chairs Jacquie Berglund ’87
and Devean George ’99 for Augsburg alumni’s
favorite weekend of the year.
“Connecting with folks you
haven’t seen in such a
long time is just
heartwarming.”
Jacquie Berglund ’87,
2014 Spirit of Augsburg
award recipient
HOMECOMING AND REUNION
BREAKFAST
8 to 9:20 a.m.
HOMECOMING CHAPEL
10 a.m.
TASTE OF AUGSBURG
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Family fun takes over Murphy Square
park with carnival-style booths, great
food, student groups, and games.
HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME VS.
UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS
1 p.m.
AUGGIE BLOCK PARTY
3:30 to 6 p.m.
Enjoy live music, s’mores, and a
post-game social hour.
ALUMNI NEWS
THE YOUNG
ALUMNI COUNCIL
The mission of the Young Alumni Council is to provide opportunities to
engage young alumni through planning and hosting networking, fundraising,
and volunteering events and programs.
In May, Auggies joined the Rev. Mike Matson ’06 and his congregation
during an annual rummage sale at Bethany Lutheran Church in the Seward
neighborhood of Minneapolis. This summer the Young Alumni Council hosted
a sold-out gathering at a St. Paul Saints game in June and an evening at
Canterbury Park in July, bringing more than 600 Auggies together.
If you’ve graduated within the past 10 years and are interested in joining
this growing group of active alumni, contact Katie Radford ’12, volunteer and
alumni engagement manager, at radford@augsburg.edu.
FINAL EVENT OF THE SEASON
Summer Series: On Tap
Monday, August 10
5:30 to 8 p.m. | Surly Brewery
Build your Auggie network and learn how fellow
alumni are fulfilling their vocations today.
Appetizers and two drink tickets provided.
Tickets: $10
To register, call 612-330-1085 or visit
augsburg.edu/alumnievents.
To learn more about the Young Alumni
Council members, go to augsburg.edu/now.
Courtesy Photo
Buy a brick. Honor a friendship.
“We came together to buy a brick in honor of the strong
friendships we formed at Augsburg and the memories we
continue to make among our families.” –Brittany Jakubiec ’96
There is still time to participate in the campaign for the Center
for Science, Business, and Religion! Buy a brick as a tribute to
the bonds that helped to create your Augsburg story.
30
•
Augsburg will inscribe a brick with your name, the name
of someone you’d like to honor, or a special message.
•
Each brick will be displayed in the CSBR, creating a
lasting legacy for the future of
the College.
•
Augsburg alumnae from the class of 1996 support the
Center for Science, Business, and Religion.
You will receive official
recognition of your
participation in this program.
•
Front Row [L to R]: Brittany (Lynch) Jakubiec, Jennifer (Cummings)
Ackland, Wendy Laine, Brooke (Manisto) Reseland.
Back Row [L to R]: Connie (Arndt) Clausen, Stephanie Harms,
Jodi Monson, Natasha (Solberg) Sheeley.
The first 500 to buy a brick will
receive a VIP invitation to the CSBR dedication.
Foundation Brick (40 characters, 3 lines) = $250
Legacy Brick (80 characters, 6 lines) = $500
Augsburg Now
augsburg.edu/csbr | 612-330-1085
ALUMNI NEWS
A mix of current students, alumni, and former
faculty serve as the backup band for one of the
Midnimo artists. Somali-British musician Aar
Maanta (far right) practices with musicians
[L to R]: Kyle Burbey ’15, Steve Herzog ’06,
Andy Peterson ’05, and Ben Somers.
BEHIND THE MUSIC
Auggie backup band’s role helps bridge cultures and generations
Augsburg College students, alumni, and
faculty have helped bring a cuttingedge musical partnership to life by
performing alongside the rising voices of
the Somali music scene and even some
“super stars.”
Midnimo was awarded one of six $200,000
grants from the highly competitive Building
Bridges: Campus Community Engagement
program by the Association of Performing
Arts Presenters funded by the Doris Duke
Charitable Foundation and the Doris Duke
Foundation for Islamic Art.
Midnimo, the Somali word for
“unity,” is a two-year partnership
between Augsburg and the Cedar
Cultural Center to bring Somali artists to
Minnesota for educational residencies
and concerts. This unique opportunity
is supported by a prestigious
$200,000 grant award and a number
of Auggies—including Faculty
Emeritus Bob Stacke ’71—whose crosscultural relationship building and love
for performance set the stage for a truly
intergenerational, intercultural musical
immersion.
At concerts held through Midnimo,
artists ranging from the pop collective
North American Super Stars to SomaliBritish singer-songwriter Aar Maanta
played alongside backup ensembles
comprised of a mix of Auggie students,
alumni, and former faculty whose own
musical gifts and talents helped make
Midnimo a critically acclaimed program.
For many of the Auggies, participating
in Midnimo has offered the opportunity
to join a partnership that’s the first of its
kind in the nation and to do what they
love best: play.
Bob Stacke ’71, retired associate professor
of music, is known and respected for his crosscultural percussion performances. Stacke’s deep
musical connections were critical in forging
the partnership between the College, the Cedar
Cultural Center, and visiting artists.
Steve Herzog ’06 [pictured, right] was
selected by Bob Stacke ’71 to write and arrange
the music for Midnimo visiting artists. Herzog
often has needed to transcribe and arrange
music in less than a week. Through this work,
Herzog has been inspired to develop a program
for engaging Somali youth in the advancement
of Somali music. He’s also pursuing a master’s
degree in education at Augsburg.
See a clip of the band performing with
Aar Maanta at augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2015
31
ALUMNI NEWS
AUGGIES FIND LEADERSHIP IN
inneapolis shoppers can
find a little Auggie Pride in
an unexpected location—a
secondhand clothing store that is an
active illustration of Augsburg College’s
mission, which includes collaborating
with others to serve the Cedar-Riverside
neighborhood and providing students
with hands-on learning opportunities.
Sisterhood Boutique (2200
Riverside Ave., Minneapolis) has been
a training ground for young, Cedar-
the idea of opening a clothing store.
Richardson, who in high school
founded a secondhand clothing store
through Youth Express, an after-school
program in St. Paul, used her retail
experience and business management
training to help the women get started.
First, she collaborated with a youth social
entrepreneur coordinator, a store founder,
and other interested young women to
develop a paid internship program for the
boutique. The program provides young
Augsburg College alumnae Yasameen Sajady ’11 and Stella Richardson ’15 serve the Sisterhood Boutique.
Riverside neighborhood women in
entrepreneurship, business, community
partnerships, and sustainable fashion
since its opening in February 2014.
Since then, 60 women ages 14 to 23
have participated as staff and interns,
and two Auggies—Stella Richardson ’15
and Yasameen Sajady ’11—have played
roles on the store’s leadership team.
Two years ago, East African women
in the Youth Social Entrepreneur
Program at the Brian Coyle Center, a
neighborhood resource and community
center, began envisioning a way to
empower young women in the area. The
women worked with Richardson, then an
intern at Brian Coyle Center, to explore
32
Augsburg Now
East African women with professional
development, peer-to-peer mentoring,
and classroom training, followed by three
months of employment in the store.
The founders of the boutique also
collaborated with Augsburg’s Director
of Community Engagement Mary Laurel
True, who has been integral to the
store’s success.
Community engagement for Auggies
happens both on and off campus—and
when True learned about the vision for
a women’s entrepreneurial project in
the neighborhood, she ensured that
Augsburg joined with other community
groups to make the innovative business
venture a reality. True serves as the
Augsburg liaison to the program, is a
mentor for the staff and interns, and
has been on the Sisterhood’s Advisory
Committee since the beginning.
Seizing the opportunity for realworld training, classes on campus got
into the act. A group of Augsburg MBA
students created a business plan for the
store through a management consulting
class project. Christopher Houltberg,
assistant professor of art, led Sisterhood
interns in a branding exercise and
assisted with the design of a boutique
logo; classes taught by Marc Isaacson,
assistant professor of business, provided
website recommendations; and, through
clothing drives, Residence Life collected
thousands of pounds of clothing to
donate to the startup.
Today, Augsburg alumna Sajady
manages the Sisterhood Boutique.
Sajady, a business marketing major, was
hired last November through Pillsbury
United Communities to lead Brian
Coyle’s Youth Entrepreneur Program.
Under her leadership as the operations
coordinator, the Sisterhood Boutique
has exceeded its social media and
community engagement goals.
The program is supported by
Fairview Health Services, an institution
that, like Augsburg, is committed
to its role as a community partner.
Fairview donated a vacant retail
space to the Brian Coyle Center for
workforce development. Additional
donors and community partners
include the Foundation of Minnesota,
Sundance Family Foundation, Marbrook
Foundation, and Women Investing in the
Next Generation (WINGs) Fund of the
Greater Twin Cities United Way.
ALUMNI NEWS
CULTURAL TRAVEL
Courtesy Photos
WITH AUGGIES
A
ugsburg organizes international tours for the College’s alumni, parents,
families, and friends. Each customized trip is led by Augsburg faculty members
whose distinction and expertise adds to a uniquely Augsburg experience.
Celebrating Lutheran heritage in Germany and the Czech Republic
Mark Tranvik and Hans Wiersma, Religion Department faculty members, host this
journey through Germany and the city of Prague October 27-November 6, 2016,
celebrating Lutheran heritage in honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
Cultural immersion in Thailand and Cambodia
English Professor Kathy Swanson, who is fluent in Thai, will lead this exploration
through Thailand and Cambodia January 3-15, 2017. This voyage takes travelers to the
Grand Palace, Wat Pho (the Reclining Buddha), and floating markets. It continues
to Chiang Mai for elephant rides, an authentic cooking class, and volunteer work at
a local orphanage. The journey concludes in Siem Reap at Angkor Wat, the largest
religious monument in the world.
If you are interested in traveling with fellow alumni, contact Sally Daniels Herron ’79
at herron@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1525.
To learn about Augsburg cultural travel
opportunities, go to augsburg.edu/alumni/travel.
Summer 2015
33
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1963
After serving as pastor of Faith
Lutheran Church in Vista,
California, since 1969, the Rev. Beryl
Droegemueller retired in April. Over the
course of his 45 years of shepherding the
congregation, membership grew from 125 to
more than 1,000. During those four decades,
the church opened preschool, elementary
school, middle school, and extended daycare
programs. Droegemueller trained 37 pastoral
interns through the church’s vicarage program
and, in the early 1970s, worked with church
members to develop a new mission church,
Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran in Oceanside,
California. He led Faith Lutheran through
the construction of the sanctuary, a parish
hall, an early childhood center, and offices.
Together with members of the congregation,
Droegemueller was instrumental in building
a multi-level care retirement facility, now
Rancho Vista retirement community, which
was dedicated in 1981. When he talks about
the projects and productivity, he points to
his “very dedicated, creative, and hardworking members” and his staff. Along with
his doctor of ministry degree, he earned a
law degree, which he said was helpful in the
many building projects. He assisted area
churches with numerous legal challenges and
served as circuit counselor and chairman of
the Pacific Southwest District of the Lutheran
Church Missouri Synod board of directors. The
Minnesota native entered Concordia Lutheran
Seminary after a year of working for a bank
and following graduation from Augsburg with a
double major in history and English.
Jean (Bagley) Humphrey married her husband,
Roger, one week after graduation. Nancy
(Bloomfield) Bottemiller and Ruth (Sather)
Sorenson were her bridesmaids. The
Humphreys moved to the Boston/Cambridge
area where they lived in married student
housing at the Massachusetts Institute of
As a public relations expert, Kari (Eklund) Logan ’82 assists
clients in raising awareness about topics that range from
education to urban forestry and from financial services to the
arts. At CEL Public Relations, Logan leads a media relations
team and couples her talents in writing and networking to
serve her clients.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
Technology and had their two children. After
five years, they moved to California where
Roger’s first job was with Chevron Oil. They
lived in California for 38 years. Nine Bagley
children attended Augsburg including Robert
Bagley ’58, who went on to Luther Seminary,
and Yvonne (Bagley) Olson ’52, who lived with
Gerda Mortensen and married Orville Olson ’52.
1967
Jerilyn (Bjugstad) Wibbens is the
choral director of the NW Nordic
Ladies Chorus of Everett, Washington. The
group recently performed with other Nordic
choruses in a Seattle-area celebration of
Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. They sang
“Finlandia” with the Seattle Symphony.
In May, Robert and Sandra (Syverts) ’68 Benson
were grand marshals for Trout Days in Preston,
Minnesota. The Bensons remain active in this
community where Bob served as a county
judge. Bob (now retired) is a certified firearms
instructor and a retired fireman. Sandra is the
founder of the Preston Farmers Market.
1970
Ray Hanson is working for
Goldbelt Raven as an assistant
program manager for chemical forensics
at the Department of Homeland Security’s
Homeland Security Advanced Research
Projects Agency. His role supports the
Chemical and Biological Defense Directorate
in Washington, D.C., which is developing
forensic methods for detecting signatures for
chemical threat agents.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
1982
Diane (Peterson)
Kachel is now a clinical
research manager for Metro
Urology, the largest urology private
practice network in Minnesota. In
this newly created position within
the organization’s management
team, she is responsible for
managing all aspects of the
research program in addition
to developing new research
opportunities and scalable research
infrastructure across multiple
clinical sites and patient conditions.
34
Augsburg Now
2008
Jay Matchett ’08, ’13 MAL was
named director of Our Neighbors’
Place, a social service agency, in River
Falls, Wisconsin. The social service agency
includes a day center, shelter for families,
community closet, classes, and a successful
backpack program. He cites Tim Pippert,
associate professor of sociology, and Andy
Aoki, professor of political science, as strong
influences during his time at Augsburg.
Matchett believes he truly has found his path
to vocation. He would like to establish a partnership with Augsburg’s social
work program so that Our Neighbors’ Place may serve as an internship
site for current students.
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1972
After more than 40 years of regional
sales management and marketing
for two Fortune 500 companies, James
Piepenburg has retired and lives in the Phoenix
metro area with his wife, Lucy. He has two
great daughters, Krista and Jaime, along with
son-in-law, Chris, and 12-year-old grandson,
Nicolas. Currently, Piepenburg is doing parttime art consultation with Thomas Kinkade Art
Gallery of Arizona.
music therapy and has done additional study
at Colorado’s Center for Biomedical Research
in Music.
1988
Kiel Christianson is associate chair
of the Department of Educational
Psychology at the University of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign. He is an associate professor
of educational psychology, psychology, and
linguistics, and he directs the EdPsych
Curt Rice ’84 has been chosen to lead Norway’s largest
university college, taking charge of Oslo and Akershus University
College of Applied Sciences as rector on August 1. Rice received
his undergraduate degree in philosophy from Augsburg. His
wife, Tove Dahl ’84, is a professor at the University of Tromsø,
Norway, and is the dean of Concordia Language Villages’
Norwegian camp, Skogfjorden.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
John Sherman, sports editor of Sun
Newspapers, has been inducted into the
Minnesota State Football Coaches Hall of
Fame. Sherman said he was truly honored to
join the ranks of Stan Nelson ’43, Dave Nelson,
Sid Hartman, Bronko Nagurski, and Ray
Christensen in the Hall of Fame.
Psycholinguistics Lab at the Beckman Institute
of Advanced Science and Technology. In his
spare time, he is a senior writer for the Golf
Channel websites, where he writes about golf,
golf travel, golf courses, and golf equipment.
He lives in Mahomet, Illinois, with his wife, Jen,
and their two children.
1978
1989
Steve Hoffmeyer is interim general
counsel and executive director
of the new Minnesota Public Employment
Relations Board. He also teaches business law
classes at the University of Phoenix campus in
Minnesota and arbitrates labor cases outside
of the state.
1979
Phil Madsen and wife, Diane, moved
into the fitness business, opening
their first Anytime Fitness franchise gym in July
2014 in Port Orange, Florida. A second gym will
follow in nearby New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
Phil says, “This is a wonderful opportunity.
The franchise business model is sound, we
interact with members in truly personal and lifechanging ways, and we get to improve our own
health and fitness like never before.”
1982
Sandra (Walter) Holten, a music
therapist who specializes in caring
for people with Parkinson’s, was featured on
Minnesota Public Radio in March for her work
with Struthers Parkinson’s Center in Golden
Valley, Minnesota. She has a bachelor’s in
Leah (Parker) Maves graduated
from Luther Seminary in May
2014 with a master’s in children, youth, and
family ministry. She received her first call on
December 22 to the Tomorrow River Lutheran
Parish in Amherst and Nelsonville, Wisconsin.
She was commissioned and installed on
February 11 by Bishop Gerald Mansholt.
1991
Stephanie (Grochow) Trump has
been elected to serve as the
choral vice president of the Minnesota Music
Educators’ Association.
1992
Todd Lange was honored with
the Albert Lea (Minnesota) Area
Schools’ 2015 Teacher of the Year award. He
teaches high school English.
Sharol (Dascher) Tyra is a professional certified
coach and mentor for leadership development
at Life Illumination Coaching. Tyra has been a
mentor to Augsburg students since 2011. She
will serve as president of the Minnesota charter
chapter of the International Coach Federation,
and she represented ICF Minnesota at four
global leadership forums.
1998
Raylene Dale (Navara) Streed
has been appointed executive
director of the Minnesota Lions Eye Bank at the
University of Minnesota. Streed has served in
other leadership positions, including as interim
executive director and technical director. Streed
graduated from Augsburg with a bachelor’s
degree in biology.
1999
Scott Hvistendahl manages the
event department at the University
of Northwestern-St. Paul, where he is a member
of the football coaching staff. He enjoys being
involved with football and having a chance to
work with fellow coaches in developing players in
a Christian environment as well as helping them
to grow as men on and off the field. Hvistendahl
and his wife, Alisha, have two children: Macey
and Jordan. The couple met through an
Augsburg staff member who knew Scott from
football and Alisha through athletic training.
Jenna (Bracken) Held ’05 is following in the footsteps of
her mother, Jane (Catlin) Bracken ’71, by serving as a
teacher and pursuing her love of working with children.
Last year, after having taught fourth and fifth grade for
eight years, Jenna switched to first grade at Lincoln
Center in South St. Paul, Minnesota. She enjoys working
in the community where she lives. She met her husband,
Andrew Held ’05, at Augsburg and started to date him
after doing homework together for Calculus II. They
welcomed their third child in June.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
Summer
Spring
2014
2015
Fall 2014
17
35
37
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Josh Krob ’08, ’15 MBA was granted a prestigious “Twin Cities
Finest” award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in recognition
of his extensive community volunteer efforts and professional
growth. A believer in the value of lifelong learning, Krob earned
his MBA at Augsburg seeking to expand his understanding of
how to be an effective leader.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
2001
Maggie Tatton was among those
named “40 Under 40” honorees
by The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
This honor includes young business and
community leaders from throughout the
Twin Cities. Tatton is partner at Lindquist &
Vennum, P.L.L.P.
2002
Brent Peroutka was featured in
the Faribault (Minnesota) Daily
News as a “40 Under 40” honoree for his
community achievements and career in
finance. A financial advisor at Comprehensive
Wealth Solutions. Peroutka holds a business
administration/finance degree from Augsburg.
The best part of his day is helping his clients
achieve their goals, he says. “We can make a
difference each and every day, whether it’s at
home, at work, or in the community.”
with the Minnesota Department of Human
Services to help improve the lives of those
with disabilities.
2012
Lauren Grafelman is the 2015
Business Administration Scholar
Award recipient at Hamline University. This
award is given to the university’s top MBA
student based on academic performance and
leadership within the program. Grafelman was
honored with this award at a graduation and
recognition reception in May.
2013
Mike Lanski is in a long-term
position with U.S. Bank. He
also has started his second season with the
Minnesota Twins, working as an usher, and he
is in his 10th year with the Minnesota Wild in
the same capacity.
Madalyn Johnson is employed as a promotions
assistant at 1500 ESPN Radio at Hubbard
Broadcasting.
Matt McGinn ’13 talks coffee on page 14.
2014
Janelle Holte was accepted into the
U.S. Peace Corps and departed for
Jamaica in March to serve as an agriculture
extension volunteer. During the first three
months of her service, Holte lived with a host
family in Jamaica to learn the local language
and integrate into the local culture. Holte will
work with her community to identify resources
and agriculture projects that can be developed
and implemented to generate income. She
also will facilitate training in farm management
and work with schools to enhance and expand
environmental education.
Anika Clark ’14 discussed the research
she conducted in Africa with lawmakers on
Capitol Hill. See page 22.
2015
Ben Menzies graduated in May
and is about to begin a master’s
program at the University of Minnesota in
integrated behavioral health. He and Shira
Bilinkoff are looking forward to their wedding
in fall 2016.
2008
Justin Reese has been named
head football coach for Fridley
(Minnesota) High School. A native of Houston,
Texas, Reese earned a bachelor’s degree in
physical education at Augsburg and went on to
earn a master’s degree in sports management
from the University of Minnesota. His vision
for the Fridley football program is to inspire
academic and athletic excellence in students
by challenging them to achieve the highest
level of personal development.
2010
Michael Polis was nominated for
the “32 Under 32” awards. This
honor was created in partnership with the
Advertising Federation to recognize the top
young Minnesota marketing and advertising
professionals.
2011
Samantha Drost was appointed to
the State Quality Council for a twoyear term. The council works in partnership
36
Augsburg Now
Meghan (Armstrong) Peyton ’14 MAL is the head men’s
and women’s cross country coach and assistant track
coach at Augsburg College. Augsburg, she says, has
opened her eyes in many ways. Her time at the College
has shown her the joy of serving others and becoming
a more thoughtful steward and responsible leader. She
wants to continue to make a difference in the lives
of future Auggie alumni. Peyton and her high school
sweetheart, Cole, were married in 2010 and live in
Richfield, Minnesota, with their pets. In 2008, she joined
Team USA Minnesota, a post-collegiate distance training
center that encourages holistic development. In 2013,
she won the U.S. 20K Championship. You can “track”
her successes and find her personal best records at meghanpeyton.com.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL has taken a position with the
University of Minnesota as lead of the Creative Services
team in University Relations, the central marketing
office. She works closely with the university’s brand.
Anna Coskran ’09 MBA has been named a principal of
NTH, a Twin Cities real estate and project management
firm where she has worked since 1998. With more than
15 years of real estate experience, she has worked with
a diverse array of clients including The Minneapolis
Foundation, the Star Tribune, and Xcel Energy.
AUGGIE
SNAPSHOTS
2001
Hilary English
Crook and her
husband, Jacob Seljan,
welcomed Lovisa Emily
Seljan on March 30. Both
Lovisa and big brother,
Britton, are sporting their
Augsburg gear!
Chris Wolf ’09 MAN was named chief nursing officer of a
medical element of the Minnesota Air National Guard.
Jordan Moore ’12 MBA and his wife, Jen, became
parents on March 27 with the birth of their daughter,
Carla Jo.
Jim Miles ’14 MBA
recently published
“Hero,” a middle grade
novel. In addition to
writing as a lifelong
passion, “Hero” is the
result of Miles’ MBA
program. He came to
Augsburg to learn how
to give artistic projects
the business legs they
needed to walk and
thrive. He named one
of his supporting
characters after Magda
Paleczny-Zapp,
associate professor of
business. Magda Corbett originally was conceived as a
minor character, but she quickly became a rather
significant part of the story, which Miles considers the
result of the influence of the name. For more information
on “Hero,” go to coltonsilver.com.
Submit a Class Note
Please tell us about the news in your
life—your new job, move, marriage, and
births. Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/connect
to submit your announcements.
2007
Sarah (Gilbert)
Clay and
her husband, Ryan,
welcomed Oscar Leo Clay
on March 19.
2010
Matt and
Sarah (Thiry)
Solberg celebrated their
marriage on August 8,
2014. Auggies in the
wedding party included
maid of honor Hannah
Thiry ’17, Emily Wiles,
and Dan Thewis.
2012
Courtney
Gamrath and
J.P. Perpich were married
on August 15, 2014.
Summer 2015
37
In memoriam
Ingeborg C. Garborg ’38, Grand
Marais, Minnesota, age 94,
on January 20.
Euna G. Nelson ’50,
Evansville, Minnesota, age 86,
on March 18.
James S. Carlson ’55,
Richfield, Minnesota, age 88,
on October 12.
Darwin G. Thorbeck ’60,
Charleston, South Carolina,
age 76, on January 26.
Bernice A. (Westman) Giguere ’39,
Columbia Heights, Minnesota,
age 97, on April 26.
Kerman J. Benson ’51, Victoria,
Minnesota, age 85, on
January 13.
Lyle I. Hunter ’55, Cathedral
City, California, age 85, on
September 27.
James F. Redeske ’61, Golden
Valley, Minnesota, age 75,
on February 16.
Karl I. Krohn ’41, Memphis,
Tennessee, age 95, on
February 7.
John “Al” A. Johnson ’51,
Maplewood, Minnesota, age
88, on January 7.
Eileen M. (Wirkkunen)
Thompson ’55, Astoria, Oregon,
age 81, on January 23.
Kay L. (Hanenburg) Madson ’62,
Minneapolis, age 74,
on January 21.
Thelma (Sydnes) Monson ’41,
San Diego, age 95, on April 27.
Raymond V. Trochmann ’51,
Ulen, Minnesota, age 93,
on March 29.
Laurayne R. (Helgerson)
Solberg ’56, Stoughton,
Wisconsin, age 91, on
October 20.
Paul R. Engwall ’64, Lakeville,
Minnesota, age 75, on May 14.
Philip “Phil” W. Rowberg, Sr. ’41,
Chico, California, age 95, on
March 24.
Marion M. (Myrvik) Buska ’46,
St. Louis Park, Minnesota, age
90, on January 18.
Willard “Bud” W. Glade ’49,
Dows, Iowa, age 94, on
March 1.
Georgette F. (Lanes) Ario ’50,
Minneapolis, age 86, on
January 17.
Irving R. Burling ’50, Sioux
Falls, South Dakota, age 87,
on April 16.
Bernice A. (Larson) Howell ’50,
Beltsville, Maryland, age 89,
on January 30.
38
Augsburg Now
Elmer H. Hanson ’52, Elk
Mound, Wisconsin, age 90,
on February 24.
Karl D. Puterbaugh ’52,
Eagan, Minnesota, age 86,
on March 22.
Dennis H. Erickson ’58,
Rochester, Minnesota, age 85,
on March 10.
Lorents J. Flak ’58, Santa Rosa,
California, age 83, on March 8.
Berton R. Hushagen ’53, Fergus
Falls, Minnesota, age 87, on
February 16.
Jon W. Matala ’58, Carver,
Minnesota, age 78, on
March 15.
Harold E. Peterson ’53, Bella
Vista, Arkansas, age 89, on
April 1.
Ronald “Ron” J. Stave ’58,
Minneapolis, age 83, on
March 7.
Gloria M. (Parizek) Thorpe ’53,
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, age 84,
on May 5.
Nancy Bauman ’59, Rochester,
Minnesota, age 78, on April 10.
Lloyd A. Nelson ’54, Willmar,
Minnesota, age 91, on
January 27.
James “Jim” A. Noble ’60, Grand
Blanc, Michigan, age 76, on
January 25.
Wayne E. Myrvik ’64, Fergus
Falls, Minnesota, age 72,
on February 7.
Gary E. Utoft ’64, Owatonna,
Minnesota, age 72, on
February 23.
Kathryn “Kathy” A. (Lundby)
Young ’64, Williamsburg,
Virginia, age 72, on March 9.
Lowell H. Asplund ’65,
Butterfield, Minnesota, age 73,
on February 6.
Anita M. (Gransee)
Christopherson ’65, Belle
Plaine, Minnesota, age 71,
on April 28.
Neil C. Sideen ’65, Howard
Lake, Minnesota, age 71,
on March 6.
Send us your news and photos
Please tell us about the news in your life, your new job, move, marriage, and
births. Don’t forget to send photos! (Digital photos must be at least 300 ppi
or a 1 MB file.)
For news of a death, printed notice is required, e.g., an obituary, funeral
notice, or program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes, Augsburg College, CB 146, 2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, MN 55454, or email alumni@augsburg.edu. You can also
submit news at augsburg.edu/alumni/connect.
______________________________________________________
Full name
______________________________________________________
Maiden name
______________________________________________________
Class year or last year attended
______________________________________________________
Street address
______________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP code
Karen L. (Torkelson) Leverentz ’66,
Stillwater, Minnesota,
age 70, on February 7.
Magdalen A. (Ardolf) Miller ’75,
Silver Lake, Minnesota, age 91,
on January 20.
Richard “Rick” A. Niles ’67,
Minnetonka, Minnesota,
age 69, on March 6.
Robert “Bob” A. Roberge ’77,
Rochester, Minnesota, age 60,
on March 7.
Mary M. (Dolan) Peterson ’67,
Parkers Prairie, Minnesota,
age 69, on March 25.
Eunice C. (Holmes) Johnson ’80,
White Bear Lake, Minnesota,
age 84, on February 28.
Russell E. Ilstrup ’68, Buffalo,
Minnesota, age 70, on March 21.
Lori L. (Johnson) Rosenkvist ’81,
St. Paul, age 55, on March 25.
Ronald A. Nilsson ’68, Wheaton,
Illinois, age 69, on January 9.
Timothy J. Beck ’83, St. Paul,
age 53, on March 30.
Nancy E. Stevens ’68, Plymouth,
Minnesota, age 68, on
December 29.
Jeffrey T. Miller ’94, Plymouth,
Minnesota, age 52, on
January 29.
Ronald L. Danckwart ’72, Lake
City, Minnesota, age 64, on
February 25.
Alfred “Al” A. Drears ’11, St.
Paul, age 51, on March 24.
James E. Ericksen ’72, Edina,
Minnesota, age 68, on
January 27.
Max D. Bassinson ’17,
Minneapolis, age 23, on
March 7.
Alan C. Kelsey ’73, St. Paul,
age 63, on January 19.
Professor Emeritus Jerry
Gerasimo, Menomonie,
Wisconsin, age 84, on April 4.
Ronald “Ron” A. Hart ’75, Coon
Rapids, Minnesota, age 62,
on March 9.
Longtime staff member
Irene Steenson, Eden Prairie,
Minnesota, age 102, on April 18.
Is this a new address? q Yes q No
______________________________________________________
Home telephone
______________________________________________________
Email
Okay to publish your email address? q Yes q No
______________________________________________________
Employer
______________________________________________________
Position
______________________________________________________
Work telephone
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? q Yes q No
If yes, class year___________________________________________
______________________________________________________
Spouse’s name (include maiden name, if applicable)
Your news:
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
q I know a student who is interested in attending Augsburg.
The “In memoriam” listings in this
publication include notifications
received before May 20.
Summer 2015
39
In memoriam
Courtesy Photo
JAMES E. ERICKSEN ’72
James E. Ericksen ’72, whose life was marked by his commitment to
faith and passion for the arts, passed away in January at age 68, leaving
Augsburg an unexpected and extraordinary bequest of more than $5 million.
To honor his legacy, the majority of Ericksen’s gift will be designated to
the Center for Science, Business, and Religion. Part of this gift will honor
Ericksen’s faith and be directed to Christ Auditorium, the 80-seat classroom
at the heart of the new building. In tribute to his love of music, a renovation
to Sateren Auditorium and its lobby also will be named for Ericksen.
His gift was one of the largest estate gifts in
Augsburg’s history.
“We wish so much that we could have thanked him
during his lifetime,” said Heather Riddle, vice president
of Institutional Advancement.
Ericksen graduated from Minnehaha Academy in
Minneapolis in 1964 and enrolled at Augsburg College
that fall. While still a student, he enlisted in the
U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany. Ericksen
returned to Augsburg College after his service, finished
his business administration degree with an emphasis in
accounting, and graduated with the 139-member class
of 1972.
A history minor, Ericksen later told Augsburg staff that Carl Chrislock,
remembered as one of Minnesota’s preeminent U.S. historians and
a professor emeritus of history at the College, was one of Ericksen’s
favorites. He returned to Augsburg College several times over the years to
attend concerts, particularly those for which his piano instructors served
as accompanists.
A loyal public servant
The entrance
to the Sateren
Auditorium lobby.
40
Augsburg Now
After starting his career at Polaris, Ericksen worked as an auditor for the
State of Minnesota Department of Revenue for 31 years before retiring in
2009. Along the way, he invested wisely and lived carefully.
“Nobody knew much about him, including his family,” said his
cousin, Robert Quick. But they knew he loved history, travel, and classical
music—especially symphonies.
In mid-life, Ericksen began piano lessons at MacPhail Center for Music,
where he studied with Victoria and Dan Sabo for many years. Friend and
piano instructor Janet Holdorf described Ericksen as “so sincere and ardent
in his appreciation of music making.” He didn’t consider himself much of
a musician, but he enjoyed learning and playing. His home was equipped
with a large sound system and filled with carefully cared-for albums, many
of them the symphonies he loved so much.
Ericksen traveled often, venturing to France, Italy, Norway, Sweden,
the United Kingdom, and elsewhere. He took long driving trips, eventually
visiting nearly all 50 of the United States and taking time to explore each
destination’s history. When he was at home in the Twin Cities, he attended
Bible study at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church in Minneapolis.
In his will, Ericksen remembered many family members, friends, and
organizations dear to him.
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Master of Arts in Nursing
Master of Arts in Education
Master of Arts in Leadership
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Master of Music Therapy
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
Master of Social Work
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AND FAMILY DISCOUNTS
FOR GRADUATE DEGREES
augsburg.edu/grad/discount
GRADUATE PROGRAM TUITION
DISCOUNT FOR ALUMNI
Many of Augsburg’s current graduate students are alumni
who earned their first degree at Augsburg and returned
to pursue further education. Become a part of this
growing group and take advantage of our Alumni Tuition
Discount—a savings of $80 per credit! Auggie graduates
who’ve earned a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree
from Augsburg qualify for this alumni discount.
Additionally, parents or spouses of alumni and current
students are eligible to receive the Family Grant
of $80 per credit on graduate programs.
gradinfo@augsburg.edu | 612-330-1101
* This alumni discount also applies to Augsburg graduates who are currently
Summer
2015Fall 2015.
25
enrolled in a graduate program at Augsburg
effective
Photo illustration by Stephen Geffre. Photos courtesy of D3sports.com and NCAA.
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Auggies win 12th national wrestling title
The Augsburg College wrestling team claimed its record 12th NCAA Division III national championship, winning two individual national
crowns and earning six All-Americans in the finals of the national tournament. Heavyweight Donny Longendyke ’17 [pictured, left] joined
125-pound back-to-back national champion Mike Fuenffinger ’15 [pictured, right] in earning top individual honors. Augsburg also swept
the awards presented by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.
Visit augsburg.edu/now to learn more about
the College’s national tournament win.
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AUGSBURG NOW
SUMMER 2010
VOL. 72, NO. 3
inside
auggies
Augsburg Now
Magazine
of Augsburg College
25The
Years
of Life-Changing
StepUP program Environmental literature
Travel
10 reasons to come back Coach Mark Matzek
®
Commencement
2010 Exploring Our Gifts
page
20
on
Stage
Editor
Bets...
Show more
AUGSBURG NOW
SUMMER 2010
VOL. 72, NO. 3
inside
auggies
Augsburg Now
Magazine
of Augsburg College
25The
Years
of Life-Changing
StepUP program Environmental literature
Travel
10 reasons to come back Coach Mark Matzek
®
Commencement
2010 Exploring Our Gifts
page
20
on
Stage
Editor
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
notes
from President Pribbenow
Creative Director
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Editorial
Wendi Wheeler ’06
wheelerw@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Design
A new mission statement and Commission Augsburg
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Photographer
o
ver the past two years, the Augsburg community has been engaged in a lively and rich conversation about our character and identity.
Augsburg last modified its mission statement nearly
20 years ago, and although much that defines
Augsburg’s distinctive identity as a college of the
church in the city has remained constant, there also
have been some remarkable changes. The expansion
of nontraditional undergraduate programs, several
new graduate programs, campus sites in Rochester
and Bloomington, significant work around the world,
and continuing initiatives to meet the needs of diverse students have combined to make Augsburg a
more complex and, I would argue in addition, a more
innovative and faithful college.
Given the reality of Augsburg’s current missionbased work, the College community explored together
how we might state our mission in such a way as to
affirm our abiding values and commitments, while
also to articulate how the College’s circle of influence
and impact has expanded. The result of those explorations is a wonderfully nuanced and meaningful new
mission statement, enthusiastically adopted by the
Board of Regents at its spring 2010 meeting.
Augsburg College educates students to be informed
citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. The new mission statement begins
with a bold claim of our aspirations for our students
as we send them out to live their callings in the
world. As citizens, stewards, thinkers, and leaders,
Augsburg graduates bring their education and experience to bear in all aspects of their lives and work.
The Augsburg experience is supported by an engaged community, committed to intentional diversity in
its life and work. This important statement of our selfunderstanding is an explicit reference to our values as
a participatory community—very much in line with our
Lutheran Free Church heritage—dedicated to the
common work of educating all of our students. At the
same time, we reaffirm our abiding sense of the im-
portance of intentional diversity—diversity of experience, background, and thought—that is supported by
our theological, academic, and civic legacies.
An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in
the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the
faith and values of the Lutheran Church, and shaped by
our urban and global settings. This closing sentence
lifts up our core values: excellence across all academic programs, the particular gifts of our Lutheran
faith, and the central role that our place in the world
plays in the education we offer.
The circle has been widened to reflect how
Augsburg embraces its distinctive role in higher education. I could not be more pleased with the participation of the entire community in crafting this new
mission statement.
As we move into the next academic year, I am excited to announce an opportunity for all Augsburg
alumni and friends to learn more about how our mission sets in place a clear map for our future. Beginning this fall, we will launch Commission Augsburg, a
series of conversations that bring together those
across the country who care about Augsburg to explore three strategic pathways for Augsburg’s work in
the years ahead:
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
(1) We will create and sustain a culture of
innovation and excellence.
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
(2) We will help all of our students to succeed.
Webmaster/Now Online
Bryan Barnes
barnesb@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Jeff Shelman
shelman@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President of
Marketing and Communication
Rebecca John
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni and
Constituent Relations
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
(3) We will tell Augsburg’s story in word and deed.
ISSN 1058-1545
Please watch for opportunities to gather and to
learn more about the key initiatives the Augsburg
community intends to pursue in order to live out its
mission and to honor its distinctive saga as a college of the Lutheran Church. Your perspectives will
help shape Augsburg’s future.
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
langemo@augsburg.edu
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
a
summer 2010
7
12
16
Features
24
contents
20
27
augsburg now
7
12
16
20
24
27
Commencement 2010
A step in the right direction
by Wendi Wheeler ’06
10 reasons to come back to campus
by Jeff Shelman
Learning from the environment
by Wendi Wheeler ’06
Nine years on the mats
by Jeff Shelman
Making connections
by Wendi Wheeler ’06
Departments
inside
front
cover
On the cover
Tessa Flynn ’05, community engagement manager and teaching artist with the
Children’s Theatre Company, is one of the theatre alums who talks about making
connections and the importance of those connections to their life after Augsburg.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
2
4
6
33
36
40
Notes from President Pribbenow
Around the Quad
Auggie voices
It takes an Auggie
Alumni news
Class notes
My Auggie experience
around the
quad
A project of steel
Not many senior projects require countless hours spent shaping steel with a hammer
and finishing it with sandpaper and steel brushes. But Josh Davis’ project wasn’t
like most. For more than two years, Davis spent the vast majority of his free time
working to construct a full suit of armor. The project, which was on display during
Zyzzogeton—Augsburg’s celebration of student research and creative activity—was
featured both in the Star Tribune and The Chronicle of Higher Education.
The suit is made out of sheet steel of varying thickness and includes 20 individual pieces, many of which are smaller pieces riveted together, that fit like a puzzle to
form the complete armor. Each leg, for example, is 13 separate pieces of steel,
some of which were placed on top of each other to increase strength.
Building the suit required Davis to
shape the steel with a hammer—pounding heated steel over or into a form to
produce the required curves—while
using a pattern specially developed to fit
him. Davis also made each of the buckles and straps on the suit.
To call it a labor-intensive process
would be an understatement. After originally keeping track of the time on the
project, Davis stopped when he reached
1,000 hours, the equivalent of 25 weeks
of eight-hour workdays.
“The hardest part is finishing it,”
Davis said. “I can rough out a form in an
hour or two, but fine-tuning it, sanding
out the hammer marks, and making the
Josh Davis’ suit of armor took two years and
hinges and buckles took a long time.”
painstaking work to construct.
Dal Liddle receives NEH
summer research stipend
Dal Liddle, associate
professor of English,
received a National
Endowment for the
Humanities summer
stipend for travel to
London to test a hypothesis he’s been
formulating.
Liddle, whose research focuses on Victorian
literature, is spending three weeks in England poring over the private archives of the London Times
and the early Victorian holdings of the British Library. Using Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, editorial articles from British papers, and Brontë’s Jane
Eyre, he will try to test whether current theories
about the historical development of technology
will also fit the way British literature developed
between 1800 and 1850. What if literary history
turns out to change in some of the same ways that
technological history changes? Could the history
of novels and poems show some of the same patterns as the history of steam engines, microchips,
and jet airplanes?
“I'm taking a big chance,” he says about his
research question. “There’s a big disprovability
factor here, but if I’m wrong I want to prove it.”
NewsNotes
The Nursing Department launched a three-year
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), Augsburg’s first
doctoral degree, that prepares nurses for advanced
practice and leadership in transcultural and community/public health nursing. The DNP is a cohort program that begins in the fall.
David Tiede, retiring after five years as the Bernhard
Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation, has
accepted the interim presidency of Wartburg
Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.
Two new summer camps are bringing young people
to campus. Two week-long film camps in July bring
high school students together to work with 16mm
film, teaching them techniques for scripting, directing, and editing.
The Minnesota Debate and Advocacy Workshop
brings middle and high school students together
with the state’s top coaches in a two- or three-week
institute.
The deaths of two retired faculty are noted.
Robert Herforth, professor emeritus of biology, died on
June 18. He is remembered as an extraordinary zoologist who remained very much engaged in current research throughout his life.
Rosalie Clark, who taught in the Social Work Department from 1979 for more than a dozen years, died in
January 2009. She brought perspectives on American
Indian issues to faculty and students and encouraged
social work graduates.
AUGSBURG NEWS SERVICE
2
Augsburg Now
Three faculty members retire from the classroom
Julie Bolton—Theatre’s “artist-educator”
Curt Paulsen—Social work professor, mentor
Paul Grauer—Coach, mentor, teacher
Thirty-five years
ago, Julie
Bolton, a professional actor, was
hired part time
to teach acting.
She soon became full time,
added courses,
hired faculty, and began to build a theatre
arts program, which she then chaired for
12 years, plus four more years when it became a new department.
Building on her connections in Twin
Cities theatre, Bolton both pushed students to get internships in the theatre
community and helped them explore vocations in theatre. And, she brought theatre
artists to campus to work with students.
She hired faculty whose varied expertise
helped create a comprehensive, professional theatre arts program within a liberal
arts education.
Bolton reflects with pride and gratitude
on the collaboration in the mid-1980s
that helped bring about Augsburg’s black
box theater in Foss Center, with the support of President Charles Anderson, Dean
Ryan LaHurd, and donors Barbara
(Tjornhom) ’54 and Richard Nelson.
Bolton considers herself an “artist-educator” and has used her theatre knowledge in the docent tours she gives at the
Minneapolis Institute of Arts. “If we are
looking at Rembrandt’s Lucretia,” she
says, “I introduce similar themes in
Shakespeare’s epic poem Lucretia or
Hamlet’s soliloquies.”
In addition to expanding her role as a
docent, Bolton also looks forward to
spending time as grandmother to her five
grandchildren.
Social work professor Curt
Paulsen often
sang to himself
on the way to his
classrooms—just
one indication of
the joy he received every day
in teaching. “Just as I have pushed my
students,” he explains, “they have also
pushed me, and I’m grateful for it.” He
found continuing satisfaction in the “joint
enterprise of reaching great understanding.”
Paulsen taught both undergraduate and
graduate students in the Social Work Department and, together with his wife,
Cathy, taught a personality theory course
to graduate students in the leadership
program. He has also taught in the Religion Department and Honors program.
Paulsen enjoyed most working with students who weren’t functioning to their
ability. With respect, and in an atmosphere of intellectual rigor, he pushed
them to their point of real reaction, with
high expectations, helping them not only
to learn, but to grow as people. It meant
facilitating a process where students
moved from answers to questions.
Paulsen always considered liberal arts
and crossing disciplines as “just the beginning of lifelong learning.” For him, “To
gain a real understanding of human beings, one must go to the poets and to
great literature.”
Paulsen now anticipates more time for
photography, reading, gardening, and for
his family—Cathy, their two daughters and
husbands, and four grandchildren.
Paul Grauer says
that even after
31 years,
Augsburg has always been “exactly where I
wanted to be.”
He served long
stints as coach,
athletic director, and instructor, and he lists
a whole series of strong relationships, high
points, and changes that kept it interesting.
A big change is the continual improvement of athletic facilities that has made it
more likely that recruits will choose
Augsburg—early in his tenure he recalls
one hockey recruit who told him that
Augsburg “had no curb appeal.”
In addition, the continual development
of the Health and Physical Education Department that now includes exercise science can prepare students for varied
careers in teaching, fitness, and training.
Grauer recalls 1997–98 as “a special,
magical year,” when four Auggie teams—
football, men’s basketball, men’s hockey,
and wrestling—won conference championships and went to national playoffs, resulting in a wrestling championship and a
hockey Frozen Four appearance.
Among the high points was the celebration in 2007 of the 35th anniversary of
Auggie varsity women’s sports, some of
which pre-date the Title IX era. Grauer prepared and submitted early reports for Title
IX that “showed we had to pay attention to
equality,” and which spurred further expansion of women’s sports.
Grauer will always remember the friendships, the colleagues, and the continual
growth he’s seen both with the coaches and
student-athletes in their training, resiliency,
and good sportsmanship in a very competitive athletic conference.
Grauer now looks forward to having more
time to play his trumpet—especially at
Augsburg in the brass ensemble.
For Auggie sports news and schedules,
go to www.augsburg.edu/athletics.
BETSEY NORGARD
Summer 2010
3
auggie voices
Exploring Our Gifts—
looking back over 8 years
In 2002 Augsburg received a $2 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to integrate a theological understanding of vocation into
the life of the College over a five-year period. In 2007 the grant
was renewed for $1 million to cover an additional three years. As
of summer 2010, the funding from the Lilly Endowment has
ended. The College has now established the Augsburg Center for
Faith and Learning in order to sustain a number of the programs of
the Lilly Endowment grants and to support new initiatives on
vocation.
Mark Tranvik, associate professor of religion and chair of the Religion Department, was director of Exploring Our Gifts. He reflects
about the impact of Exploring Our Gifts on Augsburg’s curriculum
and experience.
Q: Why did Augsburg apply for the Lilly Endowment grant?
A: We should be clear that the Lilly Endowment grant didn’t introduce vocation to Augsburg College. Augsburg began as a seminary,
and it had a sense of calling embedded into its DNA. Throughout
much of its history, students, faculty, and staff came to the College
out of a deep sense of calling. They saw their work here as an expression of what God wanted them to do with their gifts and talents. I think some of that sensibility was lost at a lot of our church
colleges during the 1970s and ’80s, Augsburg included. But the
idea of vocation never went away, and the Lilly Endowment money
provided the school with an opportunity to bring new energy and
imagination to the concept. In other words, it was natural for
Augsburg to apply for the grant, given our heritage.
Q: Why do you think the Lilly Endowment grant has been successful?
A: The group who worked on the original application, led by Carol
Forbes, Academic Affairs, and Bruce Reichenbach, Philosophy Department, did a wonderful job in making sure the proposal “fit”
with the culture at Augsburg. Instead of “top-down” planning, they
made sure to solicit proposals from a wide variety of groups on
campus. They received more than 30 proposals for projects and
were able to whittle that down to 16. When the money actually arrived to fund the projects, a campus-wide conversation had already
been going on for some time. In my mind, the genius here is the
way this is consistent with the ethos of the school. Augsburg is a
college deeply rooted in the traditions of the Lutheran Free
Church, and the egalitarian spirit of that church still pervades this
community.
4
Augsburg Now
Professor Mark Tranvik directed Exploring Our Gifts, Augsburg’s Lilly Endowment program
to explore vocation.
Q. Didn’t a lot of schools receive Lilly Endowment grants? What’s
distinctive about Augsburg’s?
A: The Lilly Endowment’s initiative on vocation was incredibly
generous. More than 80 colleges and universities, many of them
church-related, received grants. And to no one’s surprise, the
grants seemed to work especially well at Lutheran schools. This is
because the theology of vocation was developed in new ways by
Martin Luther and the other reformers in the 16th century. Those
places that trace their heritage back to the Reformation found it
easier, in general, to talk about vocation on their campuses.
One of the distinctive things about Augsburg is the way the College has been willing to integrate a theological understanding of
vocation into its core curriculum. This has been one of the fruits of
our discussion about vocation on campus. All Augsburg students
are required to take two religion classes that have vocation at the
center—Religion 100 and 200, Christian Vocation and the Search
for Meaning I and II, respectively. Furthermore, all students are
asked to think about vocation again in their senior seminars. So,
you could say that vocation serves as the “bookends” for the
Augsburg educational experience. And we also hope that students
will be asked in other classes to think about their sense of calling.
Of course this will happen, but it’s more dependent on the inclination of individual instructors.
Q: What about the specific vocation of ministry? How has the grant helped students
who are thinking about working in the church?
A: One program of the grant that has worked well in this area is the Lilly
Scholars. Every year, 10 juniors or seniors were chosen to take part in a fullcredit seminar dedicated to thinking theologically about vocation and receive
a scholarship from the grant. The main prerequisite for the course is to be interested in studying about vocation in-depth. And some of these students do
not sense a calling in the institutional church, which is fine. But over half of
the participants (about 50 over the eight years) have decided to study theology after receiving their degrees at Augsburg. This is one important way the
College continues its long tradition of developing leaders for the church.
Q: It is especially important for colleges to document their successes. Is there
evidence that the programs of the Lilly Endowment grant have actually made a
difference?
Purpose: To integrate a theological understanding of vocation
into the life of Augsburg College
Programs 2002–2010
Total participants
Alumni mentoring
Student vocation assessments
265
1,962
International exploration
263
Lilly Scholars
82
Church leader development
100
Lilly Interns
54
Youth Theology Institute
~125
Orientation, Augsburg Seminar
2,600
Forums
2,450
Till & Keep journal (copies)
Vocatio Chapel
3,600
~3,600
Interreligious dialogue
471
Courtesy photo
A: Augsburg has been fortunate in that it was selected, along with Luther
College and Augustana College of Rock Island (both of whom also had received Lilly Endowment grants), to participate in a study by the Wilder Foundation that assessed how effectively vocation had been integrated into these
schools. The results were gratifying. They showed significant progress made in
helping students view their lives through the lens of vocation. For example,
students who had exposure to Lilly Endowment programs were more likely
(50% to 23%) to see their life as a “calling,” with a sense of purpose, than
those who were not exposed to the grant. Furthermore, 91%
of the class of 2007 reported that their understanding of vocation deepened while at college. Go to
www.augsburg.edu/cfl to read the full study.
Exploring Our Gifts—Augsburg’s
Lilly Endowment grant program
Q: The Lilly Endowment grant on vocation seems to be strongly
rooted in the Christian tradition. Yet Augsburg also stresses the
importance of diversity and the acceptance of people from a
wide variety of faiths and backgrounds. How do you answer
those who suggest that this stress on vocation is done at the expense of diversity?
A: That’s a great question and one that many of us have
struggled with during the time of the grant. I think I would
answer it on two different levels. First, the emphasis on vocation is a way in which we are trying to be faithful to our
mission statement and its claim that Augsburg will be
“guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran Church.”
We are a college of the church, and that is nothing about
which we should be ashamed.
As one of the Lilly vocation seminars, students in the Religion and the Christian Faith course in 2005
Second—and this is the point that is often misundertraveled to El Salvador to study the legacy of Archbishop Oscar Romero and to explore the depth of
stood—I would argue that our Christian faith and emphasis
Christian vocation in daily life there.
on vocation do not lead to exclusivity and the formation of a
community of the like-minded. Jesus spent a good deal of his ministry breaking down walls and crossing so-called “forbidden” boundaries.
In a similar vein, I would argue that an emphasis on diversity naturally flows from our Christian faith. We are not diverse in spite of being
Christian. Rather, we are diverse because we are Christian. Now this can make life messy, especially for those who insist on nice boxes with
neat straight lines. But as Christians we gladly welcome the “world” to our campus and the plurality of faiths and beliefs that come with it.
We promise we won’t “coerce” anyone to be Christian (as if that would work!), but we do ask that a respectful and public discussion on faith
occur. And we also insist that both sides be open to be challenged and changed.
Summer 2010
5
it takes an
Auggie
StepUP® parents are grateful for support to students and families
When Maureen and Harold Thompson realized their daughter Anne
was not going to graduate from high school with her friends, they
were devastated but not surprised. They knew that something was
wrong and that their daughter needed help.
Anne went into treatment for drug and alcohol addiction and
then began attending daily recovery meetings. During this second
phase of her recovery, she worked hard to complete her high school
graduation requirements. Anne impressed her teachers and others
with her hard work, and her parents thought the situation was
under control. This sense of security and relief quickly faded when
they discovered that Anne had relapsed.
Anne returned to treatment, this time at the Hazelden Center for
Youth and Families, where she learned about Augsburg College and
the College’s StepUP program for students in recovery. Anne entered StepUP in 2004 and graduated from Augsburg in 2008. She
is now a graduate student in higher education and student affairs
at the University of Connecticut.
“We feel that StepUP has allowed our daughter to attend college, continue with her recovery, and experience college life. Anne
has learned to deal with the stresses of projects, schedules, papers, and exams while developing a safe and solid support network. She worked hard in class, and she has worked hard on her
recovery. We don’t think this could have happened anywhere else.”
Maureen and Harold remain thankful for all that Augsburg did
for their daughter and continues to do for other students. That’s
one of the reasons they consistently support the StepUP program,
The Augsburg Fund, and more. “The StepUP program reinforces
the belief that each program participant is accountable. They are
accountable to themselves, to their peers, and to the StepUP staff.
We believe that the program provided an environment that allowed
Anne to blossom and grow, and allowed our family to heal.”
“We believe that the program provided an
environment that allowed Anne to blossom
and grow, and allowed our family to heal.”
“StepUP allowed me to go to college,” Anne says. “College is
hard for students in general, but students in recovery have all the
same challenges that others have and more. This program allowed
me to have a ‘traditional’ college experience, which would otherwise be unavailable.”
Maureen also noted, “It has been often said that someone with
an addiction impacts at least four other people. We believe that
StepUP not only helps the student, but it also helps the family,
and for that we are eternally grateful.”
WENDI WHEELER ’06
Courtesy photo
Maureen and Harold Thompson are
proud parents as their daughter, Anne,
graduated from Augsburg and the
StepUP program in 2008.
6
Anne speaks to a campus group about
her experiences at Augsburg and in the
StepUP program.
Augsburg Now
t
n
e
m
e
c
n
e
comm NS
THE TRADITIO
MORTARBOARD TASSELS
There is no official color for bachelor’s degree tassels. Thus, Augsburg
chose maroon and gray, and all undergraduate students wear this tassel.
Tassels for graduate students are different. In 1895, the Intercollegiate Commission was established to standardize academic dress and to prescribe specific colors to represent different fields of
study. This was the last time academic dress has been updated.
Augsburg has six fields of post-baccalaureate study, each with a different color: business—drab;
nursing—apricot; social work—citron; leadership—white; physician assistant studies—green; and education—light blue. Augsburg graduate program students and faculty all wear the colors of their fields.
‰
‰
DOCTORAL DRESS
The academic dress worn today
has its roots in the 12th and 13th centuries when most
scholars were clerics in monastic orders. Today’s doctoral
robe is based on monastic robes; the hood, originally a
cowl, was used to keep the head warm before indoor heating. Robes were formerly all black, but now institutions
choose their own colors, and all official doctoral robes
have three velvet stripes along the bell-shaped sleeves.
Today, professors wear either an Oxford cap (the square
mortarboard) or a Cambridge cap (the decorative, beretlike caps).
This robe belongs to Nathan J. Hallanger, special assistant to the vice president of academic affairs. The four-foot
doctoral hood is scarlet with blue trim, signifying a PhD
from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley.
‰
DRUM In 1991, music professor Robert Stacke ’71, a professional drummer,
began to lead the procession of graduates through Murphy Square to Melby
Hall. In this now-beloved tradition, faculty line the street and congratulate their
students as they walk by. In 19 years, Stacke has never missed Commencement
and has only once dropped the drum.
Summer 2010
7
THE TRADITIONS
HONOR CORDS Though a variety of colored cords and stoles show up on students’
shoulders at Commencement, two cords are officially given by Augsburg to undergraduate
students. Students who have earned a grade point average of 3.6 or higher are candidates
for Latin honors, shown by their maroon and gray cords. All students who have completed
the requirements of the Augsburg College Honors program wear gold cords. Other cords indicate that the student has completed a departmental honors project.
THE CROSS
In 1988, Professor Emeritus Norman Holen created the cross used in Chapel and carried in Augsburg ceremonies.
‰
‰
‰
‰
8
MACE The mace, like academic regalia, also originated in the Middle
Ages. First used by medieval European
bishops who were not allowed to carry
swords into battle, the mace was useful as an armor-splitting weapon. By
the 16th century, the mace was converted into a symbol of authority and
was embraced by colleges and universities as a ceremonial icon. At Augsburg,
the mace is carried into all official
College ceremonies by the president of
the Faculty Senate.
Professor Emeritus Norman Holen
created Augsburg’s mace in 1970,
which, until 1988, was laid on a table
during events. Holen was then commissioned to create a stand for it.
MASTER’S HOODS
Like tassels, the hoods given to
master’s degree students have specific meaning. The
main color of the 3.5-foot hoods is black, and they are
lined with the colors of the college conferring the degree. The hood’s trimmings are three inches wide and
correspond to the field of study. For example, the master’s hood shown here is given by Augsburg College
(maroon and gray) in the field of nursing (apricot).
commencement
‰
MAY 1, 2010
PRESIDENTIAL CHAIN OF OFFICE
‰
OTHER COLORS
Augsburg
College’s Chain of Office represents the president’s authority to head the university, and is worn by President
Pribbenow at ceremonial functions such as Commencement. The chain is in fact not a chain but a maroon ribbon
that suspends a medal imprinted with the College seal.
The colorful stoles worn by African
American students are made from a material called Kente
cloth, which originates in Ghana, West Africa. The cloth was
woven by the Asante people of Ghana and was exclusively
made for Asante kings and queens.
Now the stoles are given to members of the Pan-Afrikan
Student Union (PASU) as a way to denote their fraternity and
to connect them with their past.
TEXT AND PHOTOS
BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
commencement
JUNE 27, 2010
GRADUATES, FAMILIES, FACULTY, AND
GUESTS CELEBRATE 2010 COMMENCEMENT
MAY 1 COMMENCEMENT
416 undergraduate day students and physician assistant
graduate students
Speaker—Governor Tim Pawlenty
Honorary degree—Father Fernando Cardenal, SJ, educator and activist, Nicaragua
Marina Christensen Justice Award—Jessica Spanswick
Jessica Spanswick graduated with a major in international relations
and a minor in peace and global studies. She has been a Sabo
Scholar in civic engagement, a Hoversten Peace Scholar, a Peace
Prize Forum Peace Scholar, and a Lilly Scholar. Locally, she has
worked with grass-roots organizations on environmental issues and
has tutored Kenyan and Somali immigrants in a neighborhood program. Spanswick studied abroad in Namibia, and while there she
worked on HIV/AIDS events and water rights issues. The Marina
Christensen Justice Award honors a student who has demonstrated a
dedication to community involvement as characterized by the personal and professional life of Marina Christensen Justice, who
reached out to disadvantaged people and communities.
JUNE 27 COMMENCEMENT
492 weekend/evening and Rochester undergraduate students, and
graduate students in business, education, leadership, nursing,
and social work
Speaker—Congressman Keith Ellison
Honorary degree—Peter Heegaard, founder of Urban Adventure
Richard J. Thoni Award—Michele Roulet
Michele Roulet graduated with a major in studio art and a minor in
religion. In immersing herself in student life at Augsburg, Michele
provided leadership, community spirit, hospitality, and innovation
within the adult programs. She served as Weekend College Student
Senate vice president and president and as a student commissioner
in Campus Ministry. Her leadership created the First Word gatherings, an on-campus faith community for adult students. In the wider
community, she has worked with programs to combat hunger. The
Richard J. Thoni Award is given to a weekend student who exemplifies the spirit of community involvement demonstrated by Rick
Thoni’s career at Augsburg.
To view slide shows and a video of Governor Pawlenty’s commencement address, go to www.augsburg.edu and click on the YouTube icon.
commencement
IT’S ALL ABOUT FAMILY AT AUGSBURG
Jeff and Suzi Burt and their daugher, Crystal Studer,
graduated together, all receiving nursing degrees.
Studer is a nurse at the hospital in
Austin. “Augsburg’s been great,” she says.
“It’s made me a more well-rounded nurse,
and the faculty is phenomenal.”
A little more than a year after Suzi and
Crystal began, Jeff returned to the program.
“Mayo is in the process of going bachelor’sonly for RNs,” Jeff says. “If you have an
[associate’s degree in nursing], you'll be required to go back. I just thought it was the
best thing to do.”
All three say there are benefits to having family members in the program at the
same time. Suzi and Crystal were frequently in the same class, and since they
also live across the street from each other
in Blooming Prairie, Minn., they were able
to share textbooks. They have also encouraged and motivated each other as they
worked to balance work, school, and family.
“As a married couple, it’s nice to be in
the same thing because you know what
each other is going through,” Suzi says.
While excited to finish, all three found
the program both rewarding and beneficial.
“It’s been better than I thought,” Crystal
says. “In your first two years, you learn a lot
of skills. In these two years [at Augsburg],
you learn why we do what we do. The content has all been really useful, and it has
inspired me.”
JEFF AND SUZI BURT AND
CRYSTAL STUDER
CAROL DEMULLING, SARAH
DEMULLING, AND HEATHER DEKOK
Jeff Burt was the first member of his family
to enroll in Augsburg’s nursing completion
program. He was working at the Mayo
Clinic when he began taking classes at
Augsburg in 2000. He stopped about
three-quarters of the way through the program to allow his wife, Suzi, to enroll in a
two-year nursing program at Riverland
Community College in Austin, Minn.
In fall 2008, Suzi Burt and Crystal
Studer, one of the couple’s daughters, enrolled at Augsburg, largely because of Jeff’s
positive experience.
Carol Demulling and her daughters Sarah
Demulling and Heather Dekok all ended up
in Augsburg’s business administration program for the same reason—they all knew
the education they had wasn’t going to be
enough.
While all three have positions at Mayo
Clinic and the two daughters have two-year
degrees, they wanted more opportunities for
advancement.
“When I started work in the ’70s, you
could have a high school education and work
your way up,” Carol says. “To make moves
Families have always been a big part of
Augsburg—second- and third-generation
Auggies, Auggies following the paths blazed
by older siblings, and couples who met at
Augsburg and inspired their children to
attend.
The June 27 Commencement, however,
featured a new twist: two families of parents and children from Augsburg’s
Rochester campus graduating together. The
first is a mother, father, and daughter, all
earning bachelor’s degrees in nursing. The
second featured a mother and two daughters who studied business administration
together.
Carol Demulling (center) and her daughters Sarah
Demulling (left) and Heather Dekok (right) graduated
with business administration degrees.
now, you need education.”
Her daughter Heather was a little more
blunt. “I graduated with a two-year degree in
business in 2005,” she says. “And I realized
that a two-year degree doesn’t do anything.”
They all say their Augsburg education
has been practical from the beginning.
Dekok works in the international office at
Mayo Clinic, and what she has learned
about different cultures has been immediately applicable.
“I work in an office full of women,” she
says. “Some of the countries we deal with,
they frown upon women in the workplace.
You realize why you get some of the attitudes that you do at times.”
Carol developed a complicated spreadsheet for a class project that is still being
used by members of her office in the evaluation of grant proposals.
As they finish at Augsburg, they’re
happy to have experienced college together
and appreciate the people they met through
the process.
“I didn’t really realize until the last two
trimesters how many relationships we’ve
built here,” Carol says. “People in the
Mayo system, people at IBM. I’ve really enjoyed that and getting to know these people. We all have something in common.”
JEFF SHELMAN
Summer 2010
11
12
Augsburg Now
step
in the right direction
A
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Editor’s note—In order to be respectful of the students in
the StepUP program, their last names are not used.
StepUP students wear purple cords when
they graduate from Augsburg.
GOING TO COLLEGE
was never a part of Emily A.’s future plans.
She dropped out of high school and eventually
got her GED. When she first heard about
StepUP®, she was in her late twenties and living in a sober house in St. Paul.
“I thought my time had passed,” Emily
said. “College was one of the mountains I just
wasn’t going to climb.”
But she called Augsburg and made an appointment with Patrice Salmeri, StepUP program director. “All the time she was talking to
me, I was saying, ‘Yeah, yeah. Sounds great,’
but I had no intention of applying.”
Then she met Chris Belbeck ’06, an admissions counselor and a StepUP alumnus. “He
asked me, ‘What are you waiting for?’ and he
wasn’t taking no for an answer.” So before she
left campus that day, she had started filling
out an application.
Four years later, Emily graduated with honors from Augsburg this spring. “I didn’t have
any goals when I was using,” she says. “But
StepUP has taught me that I have amazing
drive and potential.” Without StepUP, Emily
says she doubts she would have even tried
going to college.
Since 1997, the StepUP program has
helped students in recovery from addiction to
alcohol and other drugs learn similar lessons
about themselves. To date, more than 400
students from across the nation have participated and have maintained an 85% abstinence rate while in the program. They are
successful in sobriety and in the classroom,
earning a collective 3.2 GPA at Augsburg.
For many StepUP graduates, the thought of
going to college was at one time unimaginable—never mind staying sober in school and
getting good grades. But the StepUP community has given many students in recovery the
opportunity to contribute to society in ways
they never thought they would.
(Photo at left) Emily A. ’10 and Tyler P. ’11
The community is the program
Several colleges and universities sponsor 12-step meetings and
provide academic support or counseling services for students in
recovery. But StepUP goes further by offering chemical-free housing for students in what they refer to as a collegiate recovery
community.
“The community is a safe place where you feel supported,”
says Scott Washburn, the program’s assistant director. The students guard and protect the safety of the community by holding each other accountable.
While they are involved in StepUP, students meet individually with a StepUP counselor each week. They are required to
attend two 12-step meetings per week and to maintain an active working relationship with a sponsor. Students also attend
a weekly StepUP community meeting where they hear from
outside speakers, discuss program business, share service opportunities, and celebrate even the smallest of victories.
“Getting an A on a math test or just making it to the first day
of class, those are chances for us to celebrate,” says Salmeri.
“The little things really make a difference.”
Achieving success—in sobriety, academically, and in the community—is part of the StepUP culture. “We build positive community norms that are geared toward succeeding, growing, and
doing well,” Washburn says. “That’s why it’s different. That’s why
it works.”
The other component of StepUP that makes it stand out from
traditional recovery programs is that the program is constantly
shaped by student input. In particular, students serve on the leadership team, which meets regularly with staff to share what is
happening in the community and to keep the program moving in
the right direction.
“The students really take initiative to make changes
for the better in the community,” Salmeri says. This
mature partnership, where staff and students work
together, gives students the confidence to develop
into leaders. Salmeri adds, “I can see the potential
in them, and it is our role to help them realize it
within themselves.”
A perfect fit
The idea for StepUP began when two students at Augsburg
approached Don Warren, the former director of Augsburg’s
Summer 2010
13
Center for Learning and Adaptive Student
Services (CLASS), to ask for his help. The
students shared with Warren how being in
college was difficult for them. They struggled not only with the usual day-to-day challenges of college life but also with staying
clean and sober.
Warren turned to Dave Hadden, then
the educational and vocational liaison at
Hazelden, for his help. Washburn, who
worked with Hadden at that time, said
Hadden had developed an educational and
vocational packet for patients coming out
of treatment “to get them thinking about
their direction in life,” Washburn says, but
they didn’t have a college to recommend.
In fact, Washburn says, “We would discourage young people from going to college straight out of treatment. We told
them they needed a year of sobriety first
and a really solid foundation.”
Warren and Hadden’s idea for a residential program that would offer counseling and support proved to be just the
foundation students needed to transition
from treatment to college. In the fall of
1997, 23 students moved into Anderson
Hall to begin college and the StepUP program. Thirteen years later, the program
serves 72 students who live in Oren Gateway Center, a chemical-free facility that is
also home to the StepUP staff offices.
Washburn believes the StepUP program
and its students have flourished at Augsburg
due in part to the values shared by the program and the College. “Augsburg’s culture
is about providing access and helping all
kinds of students get the support they need
to be successful,” he says. “That’s perfect
for students like ours.”
Also, as a private liberal arts college of
the ELCA, Washburn says the Augsburg
community is open to conversations about
spirituality. In 12-step programs, students
learn to rely on a higher power or a God of
their understanding. “We work really hard
with students to help them define their
meaning and purpose …” Washburn adds.
14
Augsburg Now
Students receive a medallion when they
complete the StepUP program.
Part of that purpose is being of service
to others, another value in line with
Augsburg’s mission. “We help students
find a vision and see that no matter what
they do, they can make a difference in the
world,” Washburn says. Making a difference means being of service to the community—not just the StepUP community
or the recovery community but at
Augsburg, in the city, and throughout
the world.
Success through service
Being a part of the StepUP community
helps students maintain sobriety because
it gives them a chance to help others.
Being “of service” is an essential component of any 12-step recovery program,
whether it is by sponsoring others, sharing
in meetings, or even making coffee.
Tyler P. has learned that success in college can come through helping others, not
just from studying. After he faced serious
consequences from his drug use, Tyler entered treatment at Hazelden. One of his
friends from treatment, the only one he
knew who had stayed sober, was in
StepUP. Tyler saw that the young man was
a good student and that he wasn’t getting
high or drunk. For Tyler, that kind of life
was hard to imagine.
He enrolled at Augsburg in 2008 and
now participates in the StepUP community, sharing his experience with other
men as a sponsor. “I’ve earned more As
through being of service to others than
when I white-knuckled it for eight hours
cramming for a test,” he says.
In recovery, Tyler has seen students
transform their lives. “I’ve seen guys go
from not being able to sweep the floor
when they first get sober to being able to
run meetings, get on the dean’s list, and
participate in life.”
And Tyler’s life has also been transformed. “I was not an all-star student in
high school, but I’ve found a lot of success here.” He’s been on the dean’s list
for three semesters and has developed a
network of sober friends. Most importantly, Tyler says being a part of the community has given him the chance to
practice the principles he’s learned in his
recovery program.
A new way of living
Salmeri says StepUP also helps students
learn that they are leaders and role models, not only for other students in recovery
but for all members of the Augsburg community. Students can serve in formal leadership positions in StepUP, in student
government, as a member of residence
life, or by participating in athletics. But
many also become role models to their
peers simply by becoming the people they
were meant to be.
When Julia G. first learned about the
StepUP program, she had only been sober
for a few weeks. As time passed and she
neared the six-month mark of her sobriety,
the minimum requirement for acceptance
into StepUP, Julia realized that going back
to college was possible for her.
While in the program, students in
StepUP are required to live on campus.
This meant that Julia, who had been living
in a sober house where she was the
youngest resident, would now be the oldest
woman in her residence hall.
For the first month, Julia says she felt
out of place because of the age difference.
“I thought I was unique because I had more
life experience,” she says. “I judged the
other girls.”
Eventually Julia began to realize she was
more like the other students than she had
thought. “We all had different experiences,
but we also had something very important in
common.” That sense of belonging helped
Julia form “intense, involved relationships”
with the other students. “For the first time
in my life, I was a trustworthy person. It
meant a lot to me that the other women
looked up to me.”
Today Julia has a degree, a career she
calls “fantastic,” and a relationship with her
nine-year-old son. And she’s stayed sober
for seven years. “I really turned into myself
at Augsburg,” Julia says. “StepUP showed
me that anything is possible.”
Moving in the right direction
Over the years, StepUP has provided a safe,
supportive community for hundreds of students. The program has allowed them to
achieve the goal of college graduation while
also staying clean and sober—a goal that
was at one time overshadowed by their addiction. And the confidence students gain in
StepUP keeps them going in the right direction after they move on from Augsburg.
Witnessing this achievement is a great
joy for Salmeri and the other StepUP staff.
“The privilege of my position as director is
to witness the growth of each student as
they experience the transition into mature
adults,” she says.
For 10 years, Salmeri says her dream job
was to work for Augsburg in the StepUP program. “After eight years of working here, I
can still say it is my dream job. I feel honored and humbled to work with the students
and their families.”
“I am your biggest fan”
Every year the StepUP program celebrates the accomplishments of its graduates—
those who have completed their studies at Augsburg as well as those who have
completed their residency with StepUP and will move off campus. The StepUP graduation ceremony is a special time set aside to recognize the outstanding achievements of the StepUP students and for the Augsburg community to hear their
inspirational stories.
The theme, chosen by the students on the StepUP leadership council, was “I am
your biggest fan.”
These are sentiments shared by Patrice Salmeri, StepUP program director, at this
year’s ceremony:
“… let this statement sink deep into your soul. Write it on a rock. Etch it
on a tree. I am your biggest fan. I am rooting for you all the way. And it has
been this way since your first contact with the StepUP program. Through
the ups and downs, the difficulties and celebrations, life’s twists and
turns—I am your biggest fan!
Your legacy here at Augsburg and the StepUP program has already been
left, and it is more than enough! Whether it was a kind word you said or
being a consistent friend in another’s life, you may never know. But each
of you has left their mark on this place and it is forever changed because
of your presence.”
A tradition at the StepUP graduation is for a student to read from “The Awakening,”
an anonymous poem about recovery. This is an excerpt from the poem:
You learn that, for the most part, in life you get what you believe you deserve …
and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything
worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is
different from working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that
in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline, and perseverance. You
also learn that no one can do it all alone and that it’s OK to risk asking for help.
Summer 2010
15
1
10
So try to jog your memory bank and answer this question:
Just when was the last time you were on the Augsburg campus? And we’re
talking about really being on campus. You know, park the car, get out, walk
around, go into a building. Because giving a little wave when you see the
sign atop Mort as you cruise down Interstate 94 doesn’t count.
Has it been a year? Two? Five? That’s all right. We’re not going to judge.
Everybody is busy, you don’t always get to Cedar-Riverside, we get that.
But we also know that sometimes you just need a little inspiration. And
that’s why you need to keep reading. Because while you only need one
reason to come back to campus and remember the role that Augsburg
played in shaping your life, we’re going to give you 10. So stop by, check
the place out, see how much it has changed.
And be an Auggie.
10 reasons to come back to campus
BY JEFF SHELMAN
16
Augsburg Now
1
0
OREN GATEWAY CENTER
If it has truly been a while since you’ve been on campus, well, this
is Augsburg’s new front door. Located on Riverside Avenue, the
Oren Gateway Center is the newest building on campus. The multipurpose building has classrooms, residences, offices, meeting
rooms, and common spaces. And if you want to learn about alumni
programming, our Alumni and Constituent Relations folks are
located on the third floor.
.
2
Campus model
Yes, we know the Augsburg campus has a new look
to it. But it isn’t a finished product either. In the
lobby of Oren Gateway Center is a model that depicts what Augsburg’s campus master plan looks
like. You can see where the planned Center for Science, Business, and Religion will go. Once that is
built, Augsburg’s urban campus will have green
space from 20th Avenue to Kennedy Center.
3 GET SOME GEAR
Let’s be honest, that Augsburg sweatshirt in your
closet is looking pretty grungy, isn’t it? We can fix
that. The Augsburg bookstore in Oren Gateway Center
has many ways for you to show off some Auggie pride.
A hat for the golf course? Check. A sweatshirt for fall
weekends? Yep. Cool workout gear for the gym? We’ve
got that too.
Gear
Summer 2010
17
4
EAT
The food available on campus is no longer how
you remember it. It isn’t mass produced and boring. It actually has, you know, flavor. The folks at
Nabo, in Oren, will make a fresh sandwich or salad
right before your eyes. There’s also homemade
soup and even sushi. At the A-Club Grille in the
lower level of Christensen Center, the options
range from burgers to chicken sandwiches to
wings, and fresh fries are an option. Our choice?
We love Nabo’s Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (left).
You’ll just need a few extra napkins.
5
VELKOMMEN JUL
On the topic of eating, who doesn’t need some
sweets as you head into Advent? Stop by campus on
Friday, Dec. 3, and take part in the Augsburg tradition that honors our Scandinavian heritage. And if
anybody can make treats the way your mother and
grandmother did, it is the Augsburg Associates, a
group of volunteers who support the College.
6 Athletic events
For each of the past two years, Augsburg has
been the most improved athletic program in the
MIAC, and teams are making the playoffs with
much greater frequency than ever before. Why
not load up the family and watch some of our
student-athletes show their Auggie pride? Our defending national champion wrestling team takes
on rival Wartburg in the Battle of the ’Burgs on
January 18, 2011. There’s a home football game
each Saturday in September. Other schedules
can be found at www.augsburg.edu/athletics.
18
Augsburg Now
8
7 Christensen Center
We know how you work. You have a
meeting somewhere in Minneapolis, it
ends, and you proceed directly to Starbucks or Caribou. Right? If you’re near
campus, why don’t you stop by Christensen Center? It’s a little different
than last time you were here. Cooper’s
will brew you up some good java and
you can get a wi-fi password at the
info desk. And you might meet some
current Auggies.
Art on
campus
There’s the Gage Family Art Gallery in Oren Gateway
Center. There’s the Christensen Center Art Gallery.
And there’s also a student gallery on the main level of
Christensen. Stop by, see some of the cool stuff from
local and Augsburg artists in the galleries and across
campus. Exhibit information can be found at
www.augsburg.edu/galleries.
9 DAILY CHAPEL
There are days when you just need a little reflection,
a reminder of what is really important. At Augsburg,
there is time set aside to do just that. On Mondays,
Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10:20 a.m. and on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 11:20 a.m., a 20-minute
chapel service is held during the academic year.
While daily chapel is considered a given by Auggies,
it is very much a rarity for liberal arts colleges. Stop
by and take a break from your busy day.
10
Homecoming
If you are only going to make one
trip to Augsburg in the next year,
make it for Homecoming weekend,
Oct. 15-16. Among the highlights is
the expanded Taste of Augsburg
prior to the football game against
Concordia Moorhead. After the
game with the Cobbers, stick
around for the Auggie Block Party
and see old friends and classmates.
Summer 2010
19
E
H
T
M
O
R
F
LEARNING
t
n
e
m
n
o
r
i
v
n
E
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
College students who take a literature course expect to do a lot of reading. But few who
register for a course titled “Environmental Literature” would imagine being asked to go
camping, wear the same clothing for a week, or borrow someone’s book and not return it.
A student wouldn’t expect this—unless he or she had taken a course from Colin
Irvine, associate professor of English and environmental studies. In order to encourage
his students to experience the literal and literary landscape more deeply, students in
Irvine’s spring semester course found themselves taking on some creative challenges.
In addition to reading books and taking exams, students were asked to observe a spot
in nature and note its changes over time, learn to identify Minnesota’s birds, wear the
same outfit for one week, spend 24 hours in the great outdoors, and go “off the grid” for
an entire weekend.
The point of these unusual assignments was to challenge students to move outside of
their comfort zones. “I wanted, as Thoreau suggested at the outset of Walden, to wake
them up to help them see their world—not the distant world connected with wilderness
but the one they inhabit daily—as being connected to a dynamic, ultimately dangerous
living, evolving world. I wanted them, in short, to feel challenged, unsettled, unsafe,”
Irvine says.
“It’s a risk when you put these kind of things in the syllabus, but I got away
with it.”
On the following pages, students share some of their blog and journal entries about Irvine’s challenges.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only
the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to
teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
HENRY DAVID THOREAU, WALDEN
20
Augsburg Now
BECOME A BUDDING
phenologist
(pun intended)
Select a plot of land and visit two
to three times a week. Spend time
in your place observing, recording, and reflecting on what you
find, hear, note, and think.
SPRING IN THE CITY
It seems as if my professor was right in his recommendation to visit our sites
twice a week. If I had followed his advice, perhaps I would be able to better appreciate my hillside. Where I stand right now, I am unsure as to how much has
changed and how drastically so. The snow is slowly receding into an indistinguishable brown mass of diamond dirt. Wildlife can be heard through the dripping trees
as well; the chattering squirrels, the squawking crows, the cooing mourning doves.
Something that strikes me as I stand here is the indescribable sense of movement
I feel from my site. The water from the once frozen crack in the concrete dam is
now a dull trickle on the hill. In the right moment, a flash of sun bounces off of
the stream and hits my eye.
This sharp glint always jars me awake from my hypnotized state; I feel a bit
silly admitting this, but I often lose myself in the sight of the hillside. It’s as if all
of the attempts of description are fruitless as my words hold no candle to the majestic power of nature. The subtle movement of the water almost gives the land a
pulse. With each trickle of the stream, the surrounding leaves shift and rearrange.
The grass sways above the mud’s restless state and the flow of the dirty water
draws me in; it’s almost as if the pulse of the hillside is acting as a siren. The
movement in the grounds suggests a voice; a voice that beckons me to join with
the land. To see my plot of land move, so see it breathe, this is an experience I
have never had before.
DAVE MADSEN ’11
THISONE’SFOR
the birds
Learn to identify the birds of Minnesota by their physical
characteristics and by their calls.
MARCH 1, 2010
I’m so pleased that now I know what a cardinal
sounds like—a great mystery of my life, solved!
There are three of them—two males and a huge
female—that frequent my mulberry bushes and
the neighbor’s tree, but somehow I’ve never made
the connection before that they’re the ones whose
song I wake up early to on work days. I’ve been late
more than once on my way to the coffee shop; I can’t
help but pause and watch them hop and flutter from
branch to branch, circling each other in some birdish
dance that I suspect is carefully organized, though I
can’t tell what they’re doing.
The downside of my new bird watching discovery is
that I can’t whistle. When my dad would take me hiking
as a little kid, I was constantly fascinated by his ability
not only to identify birds by their calls but also to repeat
them, and I’ve tried my whole life but never learned how
to do the same. When I was five, I remember writing a
list of things I had to learn how to do: zip zippers, cartwheel, snap my fingers, raise one eyebrow, tie my own
shoes, and whistle. The cartwheel and the whistle have
never been checked off.
DALEY KONCHAR FARR ’13
Summer 2010
21
GOINGOFF
the grid
Go off the grid for three days—a Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Though there are
many reasons tied to this course that I am presenting you with this challenge,
here are four of the most important: first, when we are plugged in, we are often
tuned out to the natural sights and sounds specific and central to this course’s
focus on landscape; second, when we are off the grid, we are more inclined to
sync with those around us, an important consideration given the emphasis in this
course on communities; third, unplugging means consuming less and thus preserving/conserving more; fourth (though not finally), much of today’s communications-based technology reinforces the idea that having instant access to
information in small bits represents progress.
Jessica was determined to go off the grid one weekend, but she was waiting
for important news from her family. She received the call and then checked
her e-mail to find a message from her graduate school program, which required her to log on and register for classes. She didn’t make it entirely off
the grid—she didn’t call anyone and checked e-mail only twice a day. She
wrote, “But I know, deep down, that this doesn’t count.”
GOING OFF THE GRID: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE (EXCERPT)
I have become entirely trapped in our mechanized society. The demands
placed on me are not the be-all and end-all of the world, but it is easy to define them as such. This being said, I do not completely resent the technology I have allowed to enter my life.
My family has always been very close, and even now, as a senior in college, my parents call me at least three times a week to check in. I do not resent their phone calls, but I relish the contact I have with my family, it
helps me feel connected to them. In the same way, some close friends that
do not go to school here talk to me via various types of communication. It
helps to keep us together when we cannot be physically together. I think
there is a danger in setting aside the people we are physically present with
for those who are distances away, but there is also a danger in shunning
people we could be communicating with for those that are closer. I don’t
think technology is evil; it, like everything else, can be used poorly and
abused. The key is to use it wisely.
I would like to try to go off-grid some other time, because there is no way
to understand how to truly utilize technology if we don’t know what life is
like without it.
JESSICA FANASELLE ’10
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the
mountain is going home; that wildness is necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are
useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.”
JOHN MUIR
22
Augsburg Now
Bear Grylls
HASGOT NOTHINGONYOU
By the end of spring break, spend 24
uninterrupted hours in Minnesota’s
great outdoors.
3/21 IT’S FREEZING!!
We didn’t anticipate these temperatures. The night dragged on, freezing temperatures resulted
in tossing and turning and shivering all night. I think we all learned a valuable lesson—it’s impossible to share a mummy bag. 24 hours later and the land seems unchanged except for the
layer of frost that confirmed the freeze. It seemed like time froze along with the water in the
bottle outside of the tent (note: always take the time to tuck the water bottle UNDER the tarp
INSIDE the tent). It was hard to fully appreciate the hours without sun. No sleep, the shivers,
numb toes, sounds like initiation criteria. It’s amazing how a few hours of pain and uncomfortable conditions can change how you feel about the outdoors, I’d been winter camping twice before but this was definitely more of a challenge. We may have underestimated the amount of
preparation and anticipation that was needed but by morning it didn’t matter.
MATIE MINASIE ’11
CAN I BORROW
your book?
Borrow Daniel Quinn’s Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit from someone—perhaps a
stranger—and then convince that person to let you give the book away to someone else.
I USED TO BELIEVE
I used to believe, before coming to Augsburg, that ‘try’ was a useless word. I used to believe that if something couldn’t be accomplished fully, successfully, it wasn’t worth much. I used to believe
that everything I did meant only what value could be found in final
products.
I think my journey away from this belief has taken place slowly
over the last four years but it seems perfect and fitting to me that
this Environmental Literature class, with its challenges, has come
at the end of my Augsburg education. The challenges of this curriculum represent everything I was wrong about before coming
here. Education, growth, things of beauty and worth are rarely born
from end products. Trying to spend 24 hours outside, trying to
spend a week not planning outfits each morning, trying to memorize Minnesota birds, trying to find a copy of Ishmael that someone
would let me borrow then give away, trying to spend hours writing
outdoors in the bitterness of February, these attempts taught me
more about myself and the world around me than easily succeeding ever could have.
Some of the challenges I completed, some I completed creatively, and some I failed but I don’t feel that any taught me less
than another.
Find all the Environmental Literature
challenges at www.augsburg.edu/now
One of the best examples of all this, I think, was the challenge
to find a copy of Ishmael to borrow and give away. In my search, I
learned who around me had read the book and wanted to talk
about it when I’d finished (though none from that group still had
the copy they’d read), who wanted to borrow it from me when I was
done, and what it would mean for me to give up a book that had no
intention of coming back to me in physical form. Now I understand, in a way I didn’t before, that a conversation with my father
(who will receive Ishmael from me) about the book is worth more
that the book’s long life on my shelf.
When I couldn’t find a copy of Ishmael from anyone I knew, I
ended up making a trade for the book at a used bookstore in St. Paul.
“Ishmael?” the girl behind the counter said as she handed it
over, “this book will change your life.”
Having finished reading it, I know she was right but that she
may not have understood entirely what she was saying. The book
has changed my life, to be sure, but the journey to find it and the
conversations that will come are life-changing things as well. We
do not grow through successes, final products, and exams but
through journeys, challenges, and trying things once, twice, or fifty
times without fear of the result.
MOLLY BUDKE ’10
Summer 2010
23
MARK MATZEK
It was spring 2007 and Mark Matzek ’05 couldn’t sleep. He was 25
years old, had just finished his first full year of teaching mathematics at Apple Valley High School, and suddenly was faced with a significant life decision.
Ever since deciding to become a high school teacher, Matzek’s
goal was to return to his hometown of Ellsworth, Wis., coach his
nephews on the wrestling mat, and teach math to his nieces. With
only two coaches over the past 60 years, Ellsworth had become a
wrestling power in Wisconsin, and continuing that interested Matzek.
But Matzek was also an Auggie. The three-time All-American and
two-time national champion had spent two years as a part-time assistant coach at his alma mater.
So, three years ago Matzek had to make a choice. A math position
opened in Ellsworth and plans would be made to make him the
coach-in-waiting. At the same time, Jeff Swenson retired as
Augsburg’s wrestling coach, the assistant coach was promoted, and
Matzek was offered the full-time assistant coach position.
“I kept waking up thinking Augsburg was the right choice,”
Matzek says.
Turns out it was.
BACK ON TOP AT NO. 1
Fast forward three years and Matzek doesn’t have some of the worries
that many 28-year-olds have. He doesn’t worry about whether that promotion is really going to happen. He doesn’t fret about that next job.
And he isn’t in that wondering-what-is-next mode that seems to go
along with that time of one’s life.
24
Augsburg Now
Nine years on the mats
BY JEFF SHELMAN
Fresh off a Colorado vacation filled with mountain climbing,
Matzek couldn’t be more comfortable with where he is. And for good
reason. Sitting in his Kennedy Center office, Matzek has two pieces of
serious hardware within arm’s reach. The first is for the NCAA Division III wrestling national championship that Augsburg won in March.
The second is for Matzek being named Division III Coach of the Year.
“There is no ‘what’s next’,” says Matzek, the youngest coach to
ever win a Division III title. “This is where I want to be. It’s Augsburg. This is the premier small wrestling school in America. This is
a dream job.”
And this winter, the Augsburg wrestling program truly became
Matzek’s program. With former coach/program architect/athletic director Jeff Swenson ’79 simply a spectator, Matzek led the Auggies
to one of its most successful seasons in school history.
The Auggies simply didn’t lose. A team with great balance,
Augsburg was perfect in dual meets; it won every tournament it entered and the Auggies closed the season by winning their 11th national championship in the past 20 years. It was a season that
included dual meet victories over the teams that finished both first
and second in the Division II championship and a drama-free Division III national championship in which Augsburg clinched the
title before the championship matches began.
While there were certainly questions about whether Matzek
would be able to keep the Augsburg wrestling program at the same
level—the fact that he looks both younger than his age and
younger than some of his wrestlers didn’t help—there is little
question now.
“I couldn’t be happier for Mark; they got the monkey off their
back,” Swenson says. “You win one and then you don’t have to answer the question any longer. And I couldn’t be happier that I had
nothing to do with it.”
Matzek says he didn’t feel pressure to win that first title, but he
also knows that there were people nationally who expected a misstep.
“If Augsburg was ever going to falter, it was going to be the last
two years,” he says. “And we finished second and first.”
BUMPS ALONG THE WAY
It was a little more than two years ago when Swenson walked into
Matzek’s office and asked him to serve as the program’s interim
coach. It was the end of July, the school year was less than six weeks
from starting and Matzek was handed the keys.
“Was I prepared as well as others in the nation? No,” Matzek says.
“But I didn’t want it to go outside the Augsburg family. I didn’t really
know what I had agreed to until I went home and told my wife.”
The next eight months were a blur for Matzek, who at times was
just trying to stay a step ahead of his wrestlers and make it to the
next day.
Because in addition to leading the Auggies, he was also part of the
way through a graduate program at Concordia-St. Paul, a program
that was much more manageable when he was an assistant coach.
“I had three full-time jobs,” he joked. “I had Augsburg, I had my
master’s program, and I had my wife. Our guys would study and I’d
be there working on my homework at the same time.”
Summer 2010
25
MARK MATZEK AT AUGSBURG
2001-05: Student-athlete
Two individual national championships
Three-time All-American
The team won two national titles and
had two runner-up finishes.
2005-2008: Assistant coach
Augsburg won the 2007 national
championship and finished third in
both 2006 and 2008.
2008-09: Interim head coach
Team rose to No. 1 in the national
rankings and won the National Duals.
2009-10: Permanent head coach
The Auggies completed a perfect season,
winning every dual meet and tournament.
Augsburg won its 11th Division III national championship in the past 20 years.
Matzek was named Division III Coach of
the Year.
The Auggies finished second at the
NCAA championships.
While athletics may not be as cutthroat
at the Division III level as it is, say, in the
Big Ten, contests are still scored and it isn’t
intramurals.
“I didn’t want to just hold on and be a
bridge from one coach to another,” Matzek
says. “I wanted to win the title for those
guys. It was a year of extreme highs and extreme lows for me. I was learning to manage
all of the different guys, manage personalities and figure out that not all athletes were
like me when I was in college.”
Matzek was certainly more than just the
guy to get Augsburg by. The Auggies defeated rival Wartburg, won the Division III
National Duals, and entered the NCAA
Championships ranked No. 1 in the country.
“I knew we didn’t have as good of a tournament team as we did a dual meet team,”
Matzek says. “We had a couple of injuries,
and we had a couple of matches that didn’t
go our way. After the first day I knew it was
going to be tough.”
The Auggies finished second, but
Matzek did enough to ensure his future as
Augsburg’s head coach. While the search
26
Augsburg Now
committee did bring in two outside candidates to interview for the position, Matzek
was hired.
“Given the circumstances, he did a
great job,” Swenson says. “We were a
lowly-ranked team and he took us to the
No. 1 ranking and a second-place finish.
There was a real strong assumption with
the committee that he had done a good
enough job.”
IN THE RIGHT PLACE NOW
While Matzek has been a head coach for
only two seasons—and only one season in
which he knew the job was really his—he
has impressed the guy who is both his boss
and the architect of the Augsburg program.
“I think Mark has become a quick expert at preparing his teams for competition,” Swenson says. “I think he gets it. I
believe he has taken the Augsburg system
and tweaked it to have Mark Matzek’s
name on it. He’s done it by having a keen
sense of what athletes need.
“He’s a lot closer in age to his
wrestlers. He knows how it feels to go
through this. He’s really in tune to when
the guys need to be pushed, need a day
off, need rest.”
Like anyone in a new job, the second
year was easier for Matzek than the first.
He had a better understanding of what the
job entailed, there were fewer surprises,
and he could learn from both high points
and challenges of his first year.
And when the Auggies reached the
NCAA Championships, Matzek knew the
work had been done.
“I don’t want to sound cocky or arrogant, but we expected [the national championship], we expected to win it,” he says.
“It wasn’t a real surprise.”
While Swenson was happy for Matzek,
Matzek was happy for his boss.
“It was big for Augsburg wrestling to
win it without Jeff in the wrestling room, it
was a big relief for him and the search
committee,” Matzek says. “They took a
chance and it worked out.”
And, as a result, Matzek is exactly
where he wants to be.
m
c
Making Connections
making
connections
In theatre, as in life, finding success is often about who
you know. But knowing the right people isn’t enough. In order
to build the foundation for a thriving career in theatre, students
need to form and maintain connections with the people and
the places that make up the “theatre scene.”
Perhaps this is one of the most important lessons that Augsburg
theatre students learn. Through participation in AugSem, the
Artist Series, internships, and by attending some of the hundreds
of productions staged throughout the Twin Cities every year, stu-
dents are challenged to go away from Augsburg, and sometimes
outside of their comfort zones, in order to make connections in the
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
theatre community.
Summer 2010
27
CONNECTING
TO THE CITY
From the beginning of her Augsburg education, Tessa Flynn ’05 says she was encouraged to get involved in the city. A theatre
arts and mass communication major, she
was particularly interested in the role of
theatre in the public school system. She
was fortunate to land an internship with the
Children’s Theatre Company following her
sophomore year, an opportunity that served
as her introduction to critical literacy in the
classroom.
The Children’s Theatre’s Neighborhood
Bridges program was started in 1997 by
Jack Zipes, fairy tale scholar, and the Children’s Theatre Company artistic director,
Peter Brosius. Using a variety of mediums such as theatre arts, storytelling, and creative writing, students work through issues in their
lives and develop critical thinking and communication skills. “It’s like
a little poison, this whole critical literacy thing,” Flynn says. “It gets
in your system, and your teaching is forever changed.”
Before Flynn’s last year of school, sociology professor Garry Hesser
encouraged her to get involved with the Project for Pride in Living college house in the Phillips neighborhood. She lived there with other
college students and tutored middle school students from the community. “I saw that my students needed to break a cycle of violence and
poverty, and I became even more convinced that theatre could be an
important part of that process,” Flynn says.
“Being in the city, you get to have the Guthrie and so
many other theatres as an extension of the classroom.”
KATIE KOCH ’01/’05
Now Flynn is the community engagement manager and a teaching
artist with the Bridges program at Children’s Theatre. She works with
students in grades 3–8 and has 22 classrooms where she spends two
hours a week. Flynn says the Bridges program engages multiple learning styles and allows students to recognize their individual skills.
“When I see students shine in Bridges, who in other areas of the
school day are thought of as low-achieving or who hide in the shadows, I am convinced that this is important work.”
Flynn says she is grateful for the opportunities she had at Augsburg. “I don’t know if I would be where I am now if not for the encouragement of faculty to get involved in the city.”
28
Augsburg Now
Katie Koch ’01/’05 also made many
connections in the city that led her on
a circuitous path—from campus to
downtown Minneapolis to New York and
back to Augsburg with a few more stops
in between.
Koch started out as a music major,
but when her high school drama
teacher took a position as stage manager at Hey City Theatre, longtime
home of Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, Koch
was given an opportunity to assist him.
She worked as the assistant stage
Katie Koch ’01/’05
manager and as an actor in Tony n’
Tina’s Wedding at Hey City for three
years while she was in school. “I would be in Augsburg Choir
with my hair in pin curls,” Koch said, “because I literally had
to go straight from rehearsal to the theater.”
She says it was the advice of Sonja Thompson, a piano instructor and vocal coach at Augsburg, that finally convinced
her she could leave the music department. “She said, ‘You’re
doing all this work in theatre … you don’t have to be a music
major,’” Koch says.
Instead of declaring a new major, Koch left school to stage
manage the next show at Hey City, Smokey Joe’s Cafe. She
then became an assistant stage manager for the Minnesota
Opera, went on to work with Glimmerglass Opera in
Cooperstown, N.Y., and freelanced as a stage manager from
Milwaukee to Miami. Eventually she came back to Augsburg
and completed a degree in theatre.
Koch, who was by then a theatre veteran, found herself in
the classroom with younger students. “It was interesting to be
tossed in with a group of young, eager students,” she says. But
she formed relationships with students and even became a
mentor to some. “It was exciting to watch such a talented
group of artists learn and get ready to begin their careers.”
After school, Koch worked at the Ordway Center for the
Performing Arts until a friend encouraged her to respond to a
posting for the assistant to the director of the Guthrie. She
went through several interviews including a very brief interview
with Joe Dowling who, she says, asked her mostly about the
professionals she’d worked with in her career. “I guess he’d already made the decision to hire me,” she says. She’s worked
with Dowling now for three years.
Koch maintains connections to Augsburg, sometimes serv-
“I knew my experience at Augsburg
wouldn’t end after graduation.”
LEE FISHER ’06
Summer 2010
29
Justin Hooper ’07 (left) and Michael Kelley ’05
ing as a guest lecturer and hosting Augsburg student groups who
visit the Guthrie.
“A huge advantage for Augsburg and the theatre department
is the city,” Koch says. “Being in the city, you get to have the
Guthrie and so many other theaters as an extension of the classroom.” She adds that anytime she gets a chance to talk to
Augsburg students, she tells them to take advantage of the opportunities to see high-quality performances in the city. “I say
you need to sit in the seats and watch … this is your
practicum.”
GOING BEHIND
THE SCENES
Each year many aspiring actors come to Augsburg hoping to
make a name for themselves onstage. And while many do just
that, they also sometimes discover and develop their calling to
work behind the scenes by getting involved backstage.
This was the case for Lee Fisher ’06, Michael Kelley ’05,
and Justin Hooper ’07. All three were very talented actors who
performed in a variety of roles while at Augsburg, but each one
also learned a lot about his craft while working on the technical
side of shows.
Fisher, who has taught English and directed the theatre program for five years at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in
Plymouth, says that being a stage manager was an important
part of his education. “When I was behind the scenes, it wasn’t
30
Augsburg Now
about me. As an educator that has been very helpful,” he says.
“Success happens when the focus is on what the students need
and how I can help them.”
Today he directs two major productions a year and frequently
draws on his connections with Augsburg theatre faculty for advice
about organizing shows. He’s sought out professors Michael Burden ’85, Martha Johnson, and Darcey Engen ’88 for help on developing a curriculum and organizing a show, and he says he wouldn’t
be able to do what he’s done without their help.
Fisher also stays in touch with education and English faculty
who were instrumental in his education because he values the professional connections. “I knew my experience at Augsburg wouldn’t
end after graduation,” Fisher says. He adds that his Augsburg professors continue to be sources of guidance and friendship.
“That commitment to bringing in outside artists puts
Augsburg one step higher than other college programs.”
JUSTIN HOOPER ’07
Kelley and Hooper also had eye-opening experiences working
backstage at Augsburg. Kelley says he came to college wanting
to be a professional actor but became interested in other career
possibilities after working in Augsburg’s scene shop for four
years. And Hooper says his experience was all-encompassing because he worked on- and offstage. “There was always a lot of
good discussion,” he adds, noting that theatre majors tended to
spend a lot of time together and to continue their classroom
discussions outside of class. “You see that everything in theatre is so connected.”
Hooper is grateful for the opportunities he had to work with
and get to know guest artists while he was a student. “In theatre, it’s all about who you know,” Hooper says. In addition to
meeting professionals through faculty connections, he and all
theatre students work with actors, directors, and designers from
the community on Augsburg productions. “That commitment to
bringing in outside artists puts Augsburg one step higher than
other college programs.”
The connections they made while studying theatre at
Augsburg have contributed to their busy and sometimes complicated professional careers. Since graduation, they have
acted in and directed shows, painted and designed sets, and
written original and adapted works. They’ve been from
Winona, Minn., to Acadia, Maine, and back. And now, in addition to maintaining their day jobs, the two are putting their
blood, sweat, and tears into managing 3AM Productions, a
small local theatre company.
At 3AM, Kelley says they draw on their connections with
other artists in the community to create unique and multidimensional productions. “We want every show to be something people aren’t used to seeing,” he says. He adds that
they strive to provide a well-rounded “big theatre” experience
to the patrons who are supporting their small theatre. “I
think it’s what we do well.”
During and after college, Steen worked in the box office at the
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts. An actor friend there suggested she become a dramaturg, and eventually she went to Columbia to pursue an MFA.
“When students see other actors on the great stages of
this city, they can read their bios and see their training,
and that helps them see how to get from Augsburg’s
stage to another.” CARLA STEEN ’91
Because she had very little experience in the “creative side” of
theatre, Steen says her MFA was an immersion experience. “I said,
‘Oh, so this is how all this works.’”
Today Steen says it is interesting to come back to Augsburg because as a student she wasn’t really involved with the theatre department. She has taught and been a guest lecturer at the College,
and she tries to see at least one production a year.
Steen says theatre students in the Twin Cities are fortunate because of the opportunities to meet and see high-quality actors, directors, and artists. “When students see other actors on the great
FINDING YOUR STAGE
It takes more than theatre majors and faculty and staff to
stage a production. Often many non-majors get involved in
theatre in college but don’t end up in “the business” until
later in life.
Carla Steen ’91 is one student whose path to professional
theatre went through the English and history departments at
Augsburg.
As a first-year student, she ran the light board for Julie
Bolton’s production of Macbeth—with a set designed by Burden (then a graduate student at the University of Minnesota)
and starring Engen as Lady Macbeth. But that was the end of
her participation in theatre at Augsburg as a student.
Instead, Steen, who has worked at the Guthrie for 12
years as a dramaturg and publications manager, studied literary criticism with English professor Doug Green and worked
on a senior honors project under his direction. She also researched Shakespearean history and sources for her history
senior seminar taught by Richard Nelson, now professor
emeritus.
“In many ways, that was the beginning of me thinking
that research for theatre was an interesting thing I could do,”
Steen says.
Carla Steen ’91
Summer 2010
31
“We hire people because they are active
and are creating their own work, not waiting for someone … And they also have
some other passions that aren’t about
theatre.” JENNI LILLEDAHL ’87
Jenni Lilledahl ’87
stages of this city, they can read their bios and see their training, and that
helps them see how to get from Augsburg’s stage to another.”
Another student who played a minor role at Augsburg and went on to a thriving
career in theatre is Jenni Lilledahl ’87. As a student, Lilledahl took courses with
Ailene Cole, now professor emerita. “She seemed like she lived and breathed theatre and was completely consumed with passion for the forum,” Lilledahl says.
“She influenced me as an artist, and I always admired her from a distance.”
Though Lilledahl took courses to obtain a minor in theatre, she felt the need to
study in a more lucrative field. “I remember hearing voices saying, ‘You have to
pay the bills and have a reliable income.’” Lilledahl majored in communication
and public relations.
After graduating and working in corporate public relations, she decided to try
the “comedy thing,” so she started taking improvisation classes and met her future
husband, John Sweeney. Eventually she jumped off the corporate ladder so that
she and Sweeney could pursue their dreams, and the couple moved to Chicago
32
Augsburg Now
and worked at The Second City.
Then in 1997, along with Mark Bergren, the couple bought the Brave New Workshop from its founder,
Dudley Riggs. “John and I had three or so years of experience in theatre but had a lot more business experience,” Lilledahl says. “I guess we were sort of the
oddballs of the theatre community, but Dudley appreciated that we could manage the business as well as the
artistic side.”
As the current co-owner of Brave New Workshop
and executive director of the Brave New Institute,
Lilledahl oversees the theatre’s school, which reaches
more than 150 students a week, and she conducts improvisation workshops around the country. She is also
on the board for Gilda’s Club Twin Cities, an organization that provides emotional and social support for
families impacted by cancer.
Lilledahl returns to Augsburg at least once a year to
speak in chapel. Often her advice to students, which
she says is based on years of seeing who gets work and
who doesn’t, is to get as much stage time as they
can—wherever, whenever, and however—and to have a
life outside of the theatre.
“We hire people because they are active and are
creating their own work, not waiting for someone,” she
says. “And they also have some other passions that
aren’t about theatre.” Lilledahl adds that an actor’s experiences outside of theatre help them bring life to a
script and creativity to the stage.
And perhaps that is what makes all these alumni
successful.
At Augsburg students are trained as actors, directors, and technicians, but they also learn how to become involved in their community as artists and as
informed citizens. They understand that making connections is important to their careers and to their
personal lives as well. They’re encouraged to explore
many aspects of theatre, to develop their craft, and
to work and learn at Augsburg and in the city.
More than blocking and movement or scene study
and character analysis, these are the lessons that
will stick with them as they make their mark on the
world’s stage.
auggie
alumni news
From the Alumni Board president …
Dear fellow alumni,
ummer is in full swing, and that means one thing—
lots of activities to enjoy with our families. Nobody
celebrates summer quite as well as Minnesotans, and
at Augsburg we are no exception. The Alumni Board has a
number of family-friendly events planned for 2010 and
2011, and we hope you’ll join us!
The annual Auggie Day at the Races, held at Canterbury
Park on August 5, usually attracts more than 700 Augsburg
alumni. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the whole family to enjoy an evening together. If you didn’t get to it this year, we hope to see you at Canterbury next year.
Another summer favorite is the Minnesota State Fair. When you attend the “Great
Minnesota Get-Together” this year, be sure to visit the Augsburg booth in the Education Building and tell us what you’re up to these days.
Believe it or not, Homecoming is just around the corner—October 10–16. This
year’s events feature something for everyone, including continuing education classes,
Auggie Author Book Signing, alumni concerts, 5K fun run, football game against the
Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers, and much more. Don’t forget to stop by the Alumni
Board booth at the Taste of Augsburg to learn how to get involved. This fun event has
been expanded with more carnival-style booths for a great time for the whole family.
The mission of the Alumni Board is to connect alumni with the College to enjoy
the events, friendships, and company of fellow Auggies. Each year the board has a
planning session to ensure that we support our mission to provide great, compelling
programs that renew and sustain your interest in Augsburg. Some ideas for this year
include an expansion of the Uniquely Augsburg series, similar to June’s Dead Sea
Scrolls event at the Science Museum that featured Professor Phil Quanbeck II; networking events; volunteer opportunities; lectures featuring Augsburg’s beloved faculty; and more.
Augsburg was a gateway to the future for us as students. Now, as alumni, we put
the lessons we learned from Augsburg’s unequaled education into action every day.
Thanks to the life-altering experiences we share because of our alma mater, those of
us on the Alumni Board work hard to unite the alumni of Augsburg College.
Enjoy the rest of the summer! I look forward to seeing you at the many alumni
events.
s
Sincerely,
Welcome, new Alumni Board
members!
At its June meeting, the Augsburg College Alumni
Board welcomed four new members who will
serve three-year terms.
Tracy Anderson is a third generation Auggie. She
graduated in 1995 with a major in communication
and a minor in business administration. Tracy attended Augsburg as a post-secondary student,
studied as a day student, and completed her degree in Weekend College. She is a realtor with
Edina Realty in Edina, and looks forward to networking with alumni and becoming involved in the
Augsburg community.
Christopher Ascher, a 1981 graduate with a major
in finance and minor in psychology, played on
Augsburg’s soccer team and is an A-Club member.
He is senior vice president and a branch manager
for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Bloomington.
He enjoyed meeting more than 80 alumni as host of
the January alumni winetasting event.
Sarah Grans is a youth and family ministry graduate from 2001, also with a minor in psychology.
She is director of outreach and faith formation at
St. Peder’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Minneapolis. As a student she was active in Campus Ministry and was co-commissioner during her
senior year. She wants to give back to Augsburg
and reconnect alumni in meaningful ways.
Sharon Mercill graduated with a bachelor’s degree
in nursing in 2009 in Rochester and is currently a
student in the Master of Arts in Nursing program.
When she attended an Alumni Board meeting for a
study project and enjoyed connecting with other
alumni, she decided to become more involved and
join the board. She is the RN study coordinator of
breast cancer research at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
JOHN STADLER ’07 MAL
PRESIDENT OF THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
Summer 2010
33
auggie
alumni news
Eye-Opener Breakfasts
and Speaker Series
Are you looking for an opportunity to hear from Twin
Cities business leaders? Are you interested in a chance to
network with fellow Augsburg alums? Well, Augsburg—
through a pair of programs—has opportunities for you.
The Eye-Opener Breakfast Series is for Augsburg
alumni who want to network and learn from either a business leader or an Augsburg professor. The Strommen Executive Leader Speaker Series provides opportunities for
students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to hear from
high-level business executives.
Here’s a look at the first speakers of the next academic
year for both programs with dates to mark on your calendar.
President Pribbenow and members of the Alumni Board celebrated with graduating day program
seniors at their reception in May. (L to R) Rob Wagner ’02, John Stadler ’07 MAL, Holly (Ebnet)
Knutson ’03, ’07 MBA, President Pribbenow, Dale Hanka ’60, Dan Hickle ’95, and Jennifer Carlson ’91.
Eye-Opener Breakfast Series:
The first event of the 2010-11 academic year
will be held on Thursday, Sept. 30. In addition to
breakfast and networking, attendees will hear
from Nate Garvis, former vice president of government affairs and senior public relations officer
for Target Corporation. Garvis will present his
thoughts on innovative ways to share the work of
building prosperous communities. Other EyeOpener Breakfasts will be held in 2011 on January 25 and May 10.
The Eye-Opener Breakfasts are held at Town
and Country Club in St. Paul, from 7–9 a.m. The
cost is $5 person, which includes breakfast.
RSVP by September 27 at
www.augsburg.edu/alumnievents.
Strommen Executive Leader Speaker Series:
Richard Davis, CEO of U.S. Bank, will be the featured speaker for the first event of the academic
year on November 18, at 5 p.m., in Sateren Auditorium. Additional events will be held on February 3 and April 7, 2011. The speaker series is
free and held on campus.
34
Augsburg Now
2010 Augsburg graduates were excited to join the Alumni Association as they celebrated their
achievements at the Senior Reception. (L to R) Lisa Yankauskas, Rosine Johnson, Brenna McHugh,
and Barbara Simmons.
go es
i
g
g
u
a
Ruth A. Schmidt ’52—Distinguished alumna and educator
Ruth Schmidt, the first female
president of Agnes Scott College, benefactor to Augsburg’s
Women’s Resource Center, and
Distinguished Alumna, died on
May 24 in Decatur, Ga.
Schmidt graduated summa
cum laude in 1952 with a
major in English and minors in
Spanish and library science.
She continued to study Spanish, earning master’s and doctoral degrees, and taught Spanish at the high school and college
levels, including at Wheaton College and the State University of
New York at Albany. After her appointment as dean of humanities
at SUNY Albany, she went on to become president of Agnes Scott
College in Decatur, Ga., until her retirement in 1994. She remained active in retirement through travel, international development work, women’s social justice issues, and peace initiatives.
Her legacy at Agnes Scott includes establishment of study
abroad programs, and increased diversity among faculty and
students.
Professor Emerita Ruth Aaskov ’52 was a classmate of
Schmidt’s, and they became lifelong friends. As students, both
were close to Anne Pederson, their English professor and mentor.
When Augsburg established the Women’s Resource Center in
2000, it was named in memory of Pederson and funded by a generous gift from Schmidt.
0
1
0
2
G
N
M
O
HOMEC
e it!
2010
c
n
e
i
r
e
exp
Block off your calendar for the weekend of October
15–16 and return to campus for Homecoming 2010’s
fun-filled festivities.
The Homecoming Convocation kicks off the weekend on Friday, Oct. 15, when First Decade, Spirit of
Augsburg, and Distinguished Alumni Award winners will
be recognized. Professor Emeritus Philip Quanbeck Sr.
’50 will provide the keynote remarks at the Homecoming Convocation Luncheon.
A number of Augsburg Experience lifelong-learning
sessions are scheduled for Friday afternoon. In addition, the Auggie Author Book Signing and reading will
take place prior to the Welcome Back Banquet.
If you come to Saturday’s football game against the
Concordia Cobbers, plan to get to campus long before
the 1 p.m. kickoff. The day begins at 9:30 a.m. with the
Come back for Homecoming
October 10–16
family-friendly Anderson Hall Homecoming 5K Fun Run,
and campus tours are available from 10 a.m. until
noon. Three hours prior to kickoff, the Taste of
Augsburg in Murphy Square will feature carnival-style
booths operated by student groups, alumni, and local
restaurants. In addition to carnival-style food, there
will be games, inflatable bounce houses, and fun for
the whole family.
Back by popular demand is the Auggie Block Party
(in Parking Lot K, between Melby Hall and Riverside
Ave.) following the football game. Join alumni, students,
and friends for food, entertainment, and camaraderie.
Join fellow Auggies and music lovers after the Block
Party for a celebration concert in Hoversten Chapel
honoring Professor Stephen “Gabe” Gabrielsen ’63.
Go to www.augsburg.edu/homecoming for information.
Summer 2010
35
alumni class notes
Stan Nelson, Andover, Minn.,
Jerilyn (Bjugstad) Wibbens,
43was selected as one of the
67Mukilteo, Wash., founded the
World War II veterans whose service
would be honored by flying them to
Washington, D.C., at no cost, to visit
the World War II memorial. Stan is
the last survivor of four Navy officers
from a landing craft that participated
in the D-Day invasion in June 1944;
he still attends annual reunions.
Northwest Nordic Ladies Chorus,
based in Everett, Wash., to keep
singing the Norwegian songs she
learned in her family and to learn
songs from the other Nordic countries. They regularly perform at
Scandinavian events and senior
centers.
Vera (Peterson) Rachuy, West-
Peter Agre was honored in
52brook, Minn., a retired
70June, along with four other
teacher, discovered a love and talent
for painting that began during a prolonged and severe winter when she
started to sketch her and her daughter’s dogs.
graduates of Norwegian Lutheran
colleges, with the “Going Viking”
Award by Norway House in Minneapolis. The award recognizes the
contributions of Norwegian Americans to the region.
Rev. Darry
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AUGSBURG NOW
inside
FALL 2010
VOL. 73, NO. 1
Augsburg Now
Magazine
of Augsburg College
25The
Years
of Life-Changing
Meet Martha Stortz Exploring separate worlds
Travel
Celebrating our success Healthcare symposium
Augsburg
annual report Coach Greg Holker
page
20
go
auggies!
Homecoming ...
Show more
AUGSBURG NOW
inside
FALL 2010
VOL. 73, NO. 1
Augsburg Now
Magazine
of Augsburg College
25The
Years
of Life-Changing
Meet Martha Stortz Exploring separate worlds
Travel
Celebrating our success Healthcare symposium
Augsburg
annual report Coach Greg Holker
page
20
go
auggies!
Homecoming 2010
Editor
notes
from President Pribbenow
w
Creative Director
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Editorial
Wendi Wheeler ’06
wheelerw@augsburg.edu
Coming Home
e celebrated Homecoming this year in
grand fashion, welcoming more than
1,000 alumni, families, and friends at
events during the week.
I am mindful of the many ways in which coming home to Augsburg has meaning for alumni and
those of us on campus. We all share in common
this place and the experience that continues to
shape our lives in the world. And when we “come
home,” we mark just how powerful those connections and shared experiences are to our personal
and common callings in the world.
So what does it mean to come home to Augsburg?
First, it is quite literally a homecoming to this
place in the heart of Cedar-Riverside and Minneapolis, this campus home we have inhabited
since 1872 when our Norwegian-American ancestors first settled here.
Homecoming seems especially meaningful this
year as our campus community is engaged in a Commission on Campus Space and Master Planning—
exploring together what it means that we are in this
urban setting and what our aspirations are for the future of Augsburg’s campus. During this year, we will
plan for new buildings, landscape, and the responsible use of space. And we also will consider what it
means that we are here in Cedar-Riverside, this
neighborhood we share with various neighbors. How
best do we honor our role as neighbor here?
Second, homecoming also marks our return to a
community, a gathering of those who share our commitments to education for service.
There are clear distinctions in the nature of this
community over time. We are much larger—we now
count more than 4,100 students and 650 faculty
and staff. We offer a wider range of academic programs—from our traditional day program to adult
undergraduate and expanding graduate opportunities. We are increasingly diverse—in ethnic and religious background, in age and in socioeconomic
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Design
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
class, and in so many other ways. But at its core it
is still Augsburg, a community grounded in offering
a superior educational experience for all students
that focuses on the intersections of faith, learning,
and service.
Augsburg is one of the most hospitable and welcoming communities I know, a place that believes
deeply that access to education demands of us a
commitment to justice for all God’s creatures.
Finally, you come home to a mission, a character,
and a set of values that abide over the years. Here, we
still celebrate the Word made flesh. Here, we still
share with our immediate neighbors an immigrant
sensibility, the belief that education is at the core of
a healthy neighborhood and democracy. Here, we still
work together to ensure that all deserving students
can receive an Augsburg education. Here, we still
help each other discern our vocations and gain the
skills and knowledge to live them out in the world.
In the work and lives of our alumni, we have remarkable stories of how this distinctive Augsburg
mission has made a difference in the world over
the years. For those of us who are the current stewards of Augsburg’s mission, I urge you to listen to
the stories of our alumni for they are our “epistles
to the world,” our parables of what an Augsburg
education means. You will be amazed by what they
have accomplished.
I hope those of you who came to Homecoming
were able to meet our current students, because they
are the most powerful statements of our mission, our
aspirations to make a difference in the world. They
are remarkable signs of what we can look forward to
as Augsburg seeks to live out its mission to educate
students who are “informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.”
Welcome home to Augsburg!
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Webmaster/Now Online
Bryan Barnes
barnesb@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President of
Marketing and Communication
Rebecca John
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni and
Constituent Relations
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
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E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
fall 2010
Features
12
18
26
contents
22
12
18
22
26
29
29
augsburg now
On the cover
Auggies are awwwe-some! With boomsticks in hand,
Auggies cheer on the football team at Homecoming.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
Homecoming 2010
She loves being an Auggie: Meet Martha Stortz
by Wendi Wheeler ’06
The Sabo Symposium:
Understanding healthcare reform
by Betsey Norgard
Celebrating our success
by Wendi Wheeler ’06
Annual report to donors, 2009–10
Departments
inside
front
cover
2
9
10
11
43
48
52
Notes from President Pribbenow
Around the Quad
Auggies on the course
Auggie voices
It takes an Auggie
Alumni news
Class notes
My Auggie experience
around the
quad
Partners in the park
New Board of Regents members elected
Murphy Square, the three acres that sit squarely in the middle of
Augsburg’s campus, is the oldest park in the city of Minneapolis.
It was given to the city by Edward Murphy in 1857, when he platted “Murphy’s Addition.” At that time, however, this first
city park was quite far from the small settlements
in St. Anthony and Minneapolis, and for 20
years or more the park served mostly as cow
pasture.
As Augsburg grew, the park became more
and more surrounded by the College and incorporated into college life and traditions.
Homecoming parades have flowed
around it, science contraptions
have been launched in the annual Agre Challenge, tents have
held formal receptions for commencements and inaugurations, and many games of
Frisbee, grills of hotdogs, and
hours of sunbathing have taken
place in the park.
On October 16 at Homecoming, a formal partnership with the
Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board was celebrated in which
Augsburg assumes responsibility for the maintenance of the park.
The partnership serves as the foundation for further cooperative
efforts and engagement with the park board as Augsburg moves
forward with campus master planning, including a proposed
sweeping green landscape across campus.
At their fall meeting in September, the Augsburg Corporation
Governing Board elected four new members to the Augsburg
Board of Regents, and re-elected three members to second terms.
Elected for first, four-year terms are:
Cynthia Jones ’81
Toby Piper LaBelle ’96
LaJune Thomas Lange
Rev. David Tiede
Cynthia Jones ’81, Senior
Technical Advisor for
Nuclear Security, U.S.
Nuclear Regulatory
Commission
Toby Piper LaBelle ’96,
Senior Vice President,
Northland Securities
LaJune Thomas Lange,
Judge (retired), Fourth
Judicial District of
Minnesota
Rev. David Tiede, Interim
President, Wartburg
Theological Seminary;
Bernhard M. Christensen
Professor Emeritus of
Religion and Vocation
Elected to second, four-year terms are:
Richard C. Hartnack, Vice Chairman, Consumer Banking, U.S.
Bancorp
André Lewis ’73, President (retired), RBC Dain Rauscher Foundation
Rev. Norman Wahl ’75, Bethel Lutheran Church, Rochester, Minn.
Christensen
Symposium 2010
On October 3, Gracia Grindal ’65
presented the life and legacy of
Bernhard Christensen, “Devoutly
Would He Teach.” On October 4,
the symposium continued with
the inauguration of Martha
Stortz as the Bernhard M.
Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation (see page 18).
Read Grindal’s address at
www.augsburg.edu/now.
Bruce Rowe, groundskeeper, begins his day beautifying Murphy Square.
2
Augsburg Now
NewsNotes
Urban Scrubs camp on campus
Augsburg joined with HealthForce Minnesota, Fairview Health
Services, the Cedar-Riverside Partnership, and the University of
Minnesota to host a five-day Urban Scrubs camp. Students in
grades 9–12, many from the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood,
lived on campus and explored opportunities in healthcare fields.
Commission Augsburg focuses on mission
At its 2010 spring meeting, the Augsburg Board of Regents
adopted a new mission statement for the College. Following
two years of conversation about the character and identity of
Augsburg, the new mission statement incorporates many
changes that have come about in the past 20 years, including nontraditional undergraduate programs, graduate studies, a campus in Rochester, global study programs, and
continuing initiatives to meet the needs of diverse students.
The new Augsburg College mission is:
“Augsburg College educates students to be informed citizens,
thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.
The Augsburg experience is supported by an engaged community
that is committed to intentional diversity in its life and work.
An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts
and professional studies, guided by the faith and values of the
Lutheran Church, and shaped by its urban and global settings.”
During this year, Commission Augsburg will present a series
of conversations across the country for alumni, parents, and
friends to learn about how the Augsburg mission sets a clear
map for the future of the College. Watch for opportunities to
meet and hear from President Pribbenow and others from
the College. To learn more about Commission Augsburg, go
to www.augsburg.edu/president/initiatives/Commission.pdf.
To learn more about events in your area, contact the Alumni
and Constituent Relations Office at alumni@augsburg.edu
or 612-330-1085.
Augsburg in the rankings:
• The Princeton Review—one of 152 schools named “2011 Best in the Midwest,” based on excellent academic programs, visits to the schools, and
reports from students.
• 2009 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with
Distinction—115 colleges honored for commitment to volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement.
• “Cool Schools,” Sierra magazine’s 2010 rankings of colleges’ sustainability efforts. Augsburg placed number 102 in the top 162 schools across
the nation.
• Washington Monthly magazine’s 2010 rankings of best master’s universities in the nation, based on contribution to public good in three areas: social mobility (recruiting and graduating low-income students), producing
cutting-edge research and scholarship, and community service.
Augsburg placed 71 of 100.
Grant to support low-income students
The Travelers Company selected Augsburg to participate in the Travelers
EDGE program, a five-year initiative that focuses on recruitment and retention of low-income students of color from the St. Paul public schools.
Augsburg was one of a small number of colleges selected for the program
because of its success in recruiting students from underrepresented
populations.
Pillsbury United Communities Award to Augsburg
Pillsbury United Communities in Minneapolis gave its President’s Leadership
Award this year to Augsburg College for “outstanding contributions to the
Brian Coyle Center and the entire community.” The award especially recognizes MBA student projects, service-learning, community engagement, and
initiatives with the Social Work Department.
Gordon Nelson’s death is mourned
Professor emeritus of sociology Gordon Nelson died
on July 6 following complications from a stroke.
He taught in the Sociology Department, including
serving as chair of the department, from 1967 to
his retirement in 2001. For decades he was a DFL
activist, elected city official, and an aide to U.S.
Rep. Martin Sabo. A memorial service was held in
Hoversten Chapel on September 11.
Welcome, Class of 2014
The first-year, Class of 2014, is one of the most diverse in Augsburg’s history.
419 first-year students
Composition—41% students of color, 43% first-generation college students
Gender—185 male (44%), 234 female (56%)
Geography—351 Minnesota residents, plus 17 other states and 10 countries
Total Augsburg student body—4,109 (2,132 traditional day students, 1,057
weekend undergraduate students, 920 graduate students)
Fall 2010
3
“Gabe” retires after 47 years
When asked how he prefers to be addressed, music professor
Stephen Gabrielsen ’63 always responds, “My friends call me
‘Gabe.’” After 47 years on the music faculty, “Gabe” is retiring in
December. At Homecoming in October, many former students,
friends, and colleagues celebrated his work and legacy at a tribute
concert.
In 1963, while still a graduate student at the University of Minnesota, Gabrielsen received an invitation from Music Department
chair Leland Sateren to return to teach in Augsburg’s Music Department. Since then, Gabrielsen has also served as College organist
and has played organ for chapel every day, which Pastor Dave Wold
figures must add up to more than 5,000 services.
Gabrielsen was at the organ for Augsburg’s first Advent Vespers
service in 1980, and missed only two services in the 30 years
since. He fondly recalls that first Advent Vespers service, which succeeded in creating what he and others had hoped for—an unusual
spiritual experience through music and liturgy. “From the somber
dark of Advent, the service grew to brilliant Christmas light, and
down again to peacefully and quietly end … it was just magic.”
A new organ for the chapel
A high point during Gabrielsen’s tenure at Augsburg was the installation of the Dobson organ in the new Hoversten Chapel in the fall
of 1988. “The building of our wonderful organ in the chapel would
have to be a MOST exciting [highlight],” he says. “I will always be
thankful that the Augsburg Associates financed the organ. They
gave me free reign (within reason) to choose which stops would be
in the organ. Every organist ought to have such an opportunity!”
During the inaugural year of the new organ, Gabrielsen initiated a
series of concerts called “Organ Plus” that featured musician colleagues and friends. Because the series grew so popular, Organ Plus
became an annual event for the next decade.
Gabe’s teaching innovations
David Cherwien ’79 recalled at the celebration concert that he and
other students often would arrive for one of Gabrielsen’s music
classes and find a canon
written out on the blackboard. The class would begin
with all the students singing
in parts.
Music professor Merilee
Klemp ’75 also remembers
those canons as one example
of how “Gabe was great at
making music real, whether
he was teaching theory or
President Paul Pribbenow congratulated
history—it was just his pracStephen “Gabe” Gabrielsen ’63 as he received
tice of making music.”
the Spirit of Augsburg award at Homecoming.
4
Augsburg Now
Stephen “Gabe” Gabrielsen ’63 has played the organ for daily chapel since Hoversten
Chapel opened in 1988.
What may be the most vivid in many students’ memories of
classes with Gabrielsen, however, were his dreaded “drop the needle” music repertoire tests, which he created as a way to bolster
students’ knowledge.
Serving the church as organist
Gabrielsen is a fellow of the American Guild of Organists and studied at the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Cologne, Germany, as
a Lutheran World Federation scholar. For 50 years he served as
church organist in seven metro area Lutheran congregations, including 10 years each at Holy Trinity in Minneapolis and Calvary
Lutheran in Golden Valley. In addition, he often played recitals and
dedicatory concerts when congregations purchased new organs.
Music therapy professor Roberta Kagin was one of many former
students and colleagues who offered personal notes to Gabrielsen at
the tribute concert. She reflected on the 36 years they shared
neighboring offices in Music Hall. The tribute she read to
Gabrielsen described the care, devotion, and mentoring that he
pays to each of his students. “Years after a student graduated, and
we tried to track them down,” Kagin read, “we would always say,
‘Gabe will know’—and you not only remembered the students, but
also knew their spouses and children.”
At Homecoming Gabrielsen was also honored with the Spirit of
Augsburg award (see page 15). In fact, his entire family shares the
spirit of Augsburg, as Gabrielsen’s wife, Kathleen ’79, and their two
children, Buffy ’89 and Joe ’91, have all attended Augsburg.
Gabrielsen grew up in Norwegian communities, where his father,
a Norwegian immigrant, was a Lutheran pastor. Many know that
Gabe will now have time in retirement to search out and tell more of
the Ole and Lena jokes for which he is legendary. Uff da.
BETSEY NORGARD
Embedded with the National Guard
Augsburg’s Center for Democracy and Citizenship collaborates with
the Minnesota National Guard to offer opportunities for student
journalists to spend a week embedded with the Minnesota National
Guard during training exercises.
Jenny Avery, a senior majoring in English with a concentration in
creative writing, went to the field each day with the soldiers to
identify stories, shoot photographs, and conduct interviews. This is
one of many examples of students enjoying personal experiences in
their learning.
A New Universe
Courtesy photo
by Jenny Avery ’11
24 May, 2010
I had never seen anything
like it before. The split second of each fiery explosion
was almost disturbingly
beautiful as the smoke dispersed into fluffy clouds of
ash. Each moment-long eruption took at least 45 minutes
to prepare for, which is a
generous estimate to say the least. Little did I know that so much
preparation would go into a task that one could miss with a blink
of an eye.
Our van had been driving for about 20 minutes across the
grounds where these sorts of exercises are held before we actually
found the specific land that this particular event was holding. We
parked a ways away though; the remainder of our journey we arrived by foot. I, the four other journalists involved in this embed,
and Specialist Cassinos soon enough found the company we were
told to meet with. A group of maybe 12 men were grouped near
one of the bunkers on top of the hill.
When we first laid eyes on the land spread out in front of us, all
that could be seen was a plain of grass, a small little hut off in the
far distance, and mounds of dirt and sand in between the outstretch of land from the bunkers and the cube-shaped building.
About 15 to 20 minutes after we found the National Guardsmen at
the bunkers, four enormous M113 vehicles started slinking their
way towards us, making their way down the steep hill.
We watched as these gargantuan machines lined up in one row
facing the hut across the way. The back ramps from each of them
slowly lowered themselves to the ground. Emerging then from each
vehicle were 13 soldiers, preparing themselves and their equipment for their upcoming mission.
I watched as a large, collective group jogged over to the heavilysanded portion of the landscape. Essentially, the mission was to
set off the explosions on the land, and eventually inside the house.
As the preparation continued, Lieutenant Matthew Sullivan explained to us the layout of what was about to come.
“So basically what they’re going to do is breach the mine field
here ... breach the wire opposite below, and then breach into the
house. And there’s different levels. There’s gaul stage, block stage,
and run stage, and for a training scenario it’s gonna be a little
slower than what it would be in real life ... a real life operation. A
real life operation, we’d be rollin’ in, throwin’ their targets. Boom.”
Being such a great distance away from the company below, it
was difficult to distinguish what the soldiers were doing precisely,
but I got the gist that they were planting the explosives in the field
and waiting for the cue to detonate. At some point I even saw a
few men crawling across the dirt pit, possibly simulating how one
may have to keep hidden in a real circumstance.
“… You might wanna cover your ears,” a soldier pointed out.
Taking his advice, I temporarily put down my camera and pressed
my inner ears with my index and middle fingers.
Suddenly I saw a gigantic orb of orange flame burst out from the
ground, and a moment later a thunderous rumble shook my entire
body. My chest for two seconds felt like it had two hearts inside of
it, and then it was all over. Puffy mushrooms of smoke wafted into
each other from the aftermath of the explosion. I watched in awe
as the cushiony-looking matter spread into thin swirls, eventually
disbursing itself evenly to blend back in with its invisible counterpart called air. Around me I overheard conversations from small
groups, hearing the words but not registering what they were saying. I was too engulfed in the explosion and the rush that it gave
me to even want to try and understand the clearly spoken English
emitted from their mouths.
Suddenly I saw a gigantic orb of orange flame
burst out from the ground, and a moment later a
thunderous rumble shook my entire body. My
chest for two seconds felt like it had two hearts
inside of it, and then it was all over.
After the first or second explosion I was able to relocate to the
lower bunker, the one closer to the wrecking site. The soldiers in
that spot were just as lively if not more so. We cracked jokes about
Monty Python and discussed laundry mishaps; for that spot in time
we weren’t students and soldiers, we were just people.
To read more of Jenny Avery’s story, go to
www.augsburg.edu/democracy/videos.html
Fall 2010
5
500 years ago in the old
church buildings, pilgrim
paths, and road markers.” He says that while
he went there as a
Lutheran pastor, part of a
Lutheran Church with all
its modern trappings, he
came back with a much
better understanding of
the formation of the early
Lutheran movement.
“Those monks started
Andrew and Sarah Wilson completed the 1,000-mile
reading the Bible in a
pilgrimage that Martin Luther made to Rome in
new way that differed
1510. They presented “Here I Walk” as Augsburg’s
Founders Day lectures in November.
from the institutional
church’s way,” he says.
Wiersma’s “Here I Walk” experience caused him to reflect upon
Luther’s own experience. Luther’s 1510 pilgrimage brought him to
Rome, where he was scandalized by the conduct of clergy and the
religious commercialism. Wiersma understood that Luther’s long
journey back to Germany would have given the monk a long time to
think over and talk about what he witnessed in Rome. Seven years
later, he posted the 95 Theses, igniting the Reformation.
BETSEY NORGARD
Andrew Wilson
Scholars of the Reformation gain deep knowledge by studying the
writings of Martin Luther, but for Hans Wiersma it also became experiential when he spent four days walking in the footsteps of
Luther’s pilgrimage to Rome 500 years ago.
Just before fall semester classes began, Wiersma joined the
project “Here I Walk,” led by Andrew and Sarah Wilson, two
Lutheran ecumenical scholars, who retraced the entire 1,085-mile
route walked by Luther from the monastery in Erfurt, Germany, to
Rome. Wiersma walked with the Wilsons for 66 miles, from Erfurt
to Coburg.
Wiersma had met Andrew Wilson at a conference, and what resulted for Wiersma was a fortunate convergence of his disciplinary
interest in Reformation studies, his research focus on the early
Luther and the Augustinian monks who followed him, and
Wiersma’s undergraduate background and continued interest in
documentary filmmaking.
The modern pilgrims followed the old pilgrim routes, sometimes
spotting stone route markers from the 16th century. They followed
the traditional rules of pilgrimage—prayers, scripture reading,
chores, and conversation. “It gave me a sense of how 16th-century
monks traveled,” Wiersma says, “and what it felt like.” He enjoyed
the absence of modern distractions. As it was for the early monks,
lodging could be found each night, with bigger towns conveniently
spaced a day’s walk apart.
What Wiersma brought back was an “appreciation of how much
Europe is built on its past. It’s still easy to connect with Europe of
Religion professor Hans Wiersma joined the “Here I Walk” pilgrimage during its first four days, from Erfurt to Coburg, Germany.
6
Augsburg Now
Courtesy photo
Here I walk ...
Augsburg stands up
When Taylor Foster heard that one of her
friends had been assaulted because of his
sexual orientation this fall, she decided to
turn her anger into something positive. Her
Facebook event, titled “Stand Up Against
Hate,” was the beginning of a show of support that took Foster, and perhaps others in
the Augsburg community, by surprise.
In her Facebook posting, Foster wrote:
As an Auggie and a member of the GLBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender] community, I am outraged at the fact that these acts are being
committed at such a diverse and accepting place
as Augsburg. For, “The Augsburg experience is
supported by an engaged community that is committed to … intentional diversity in its life and
work.” Intentional diversity is the key part in that
statement. We need to make a statement that we
are not going to tolerate hateful acts at Augsburg.
We need to make it known that it is okay to be who
you are …”
Foster created the event expecting only
her close friends to join. Just two days after
she posted it, more than 600 people had
responded to show their support. President
Pribbenow, faculty and staff, and alumni
across the country joined students and
donned a specific color of the rainbow each
day of the week of October 4.
Students held a rally and prayer service
and a march for equality on campus. Several
local media outlets came to campus to interview Foster. “All of this attention and support
was beyond my wildest dream,” she says.
In his weekly update to the community,
President Pribbenow wrote about the
events. “This past week was especially difficult for our campus community because
of the hateful and hurtful acts of some individuals. These actions were contrary to
everything we value in honoring one another, as clearly stated in our mission. I’m
very proud of our students who took the
leadership in standing up for and demonstrating their support for the values we
share as a community.”
Foster says she feels members of the
GLBT community now have a better
understanding of how many allies are at
Augsburg. She also believes the week of
awareness-building activities helped allies
and others see how GLBT people face discrimination in their lives.
Most importantly, Foster says she hopes
the Stand Up Against Hate event will continue to reinforce the message that discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated at
Augsburg. “I was more than thrilled to see
Augsburg come together as a community
and stand up against hate. It made me
proud to be an Auggie.”
WENDI WHEELER ’06
Fall 2010
7
Exploring separate worlds
On an October afternoon when icy winds and rain interrupted an
unusually mild autumn, 15 Augsburg students and their professor
donned boots, opened umbrellas, and took a stroll down
Minneapolis’ Park Avenue.
The group began in the Grand Hall of the American Swedish Institute, a Gothic mansion on the corner of Park and 26th, which
once was the home of Swan Turnblad. Guided by Nina Clark, ASI’s
director of programs and exhibits, they walked toward Franklin
Avenue, learning about other historic homes where some of the
city’s wealthiest families lived in the early 20th century.
The students learned that many of the homes still standing are
occupied by social service agencies that serve those without
homes, people facing addiction and mental health issues, and immigrant families.
This expedition was just one of the ways students were able to
see the juxtaposition of poverty and wealth in the city. In “Separate
Worlds: Comparing Homelessness and Affluence in the United
States,” associate sociology professor Tim Pippert hopes to help students understand the variables of economic and housing stability.
Through a combination of readings, speakers, and involvement
in service projects, students learn about housing, financial stability, social networks, and the trend of increased homelessness in
the United States. Hearing many different viewpoints, Pippert believes, will help students recognize and appreciate the reasons behind the increasing gap between the wealthy and the poor.
Students will also hear from a variety of speakers throughout
the semester, helping them to better understand the people and
the issues. Youth and family ministry major Justin Daleiden says,
“City council member Cam Gordon came into our class so we
could discuss how homelessness is affecting our very neighborhood. Hearing these speakers from our city makes the subject a
little more palatable.”
“Being accepted to Augsburg was one of the
best things that has ever happened in my life, and
when people ask where I’m from, I say that I’m
from Augsburg because this really is my home.”
In addition to classroom work, these students are actively involved in the community by volunteering at places such as Peace
House and Secure Waiting. Perhaps their biggest connection is
with St. Stephen’s Human Services, whose mission is to end
homelessness.
“We’re beyond the classroom … in all sorts of arenas that this
city offers,” Pippert says.
These outside experiences help students relate what they are
learning in the classroom to real people and present-day issues.
8
Augsburg Now
Some of the homes of Minneapolis’ wealthiest families now serve as social service
agencies. The Sumner T. McKnight mansion at 2200 Park Avenue is home to American
Indian Services.
“I think this is a great example in which we are able to learn about
a specific topic and serve the community at the same time. I think
more courses should incorporate some kind of service work like
this one,” Daleiden says.
Veronica Berg, a sophomore social work major, has a particular interest in Pippert’s course—before she came to Augsburg last fall,
Berg was homeless. She says the class has given her insight into aspects of homelessness that she didn't encounter because of her age
and the paths she chose. “I feel validated in this class, learning that
my experiences haven’t been that strange and reading about individuals who have walked some of the same paths as me.”
Berg says she is grateful for the support of faculty and staff at
Augsburg and also for the opportunities she has received in college. “Being accepted to Augsburg was one of the best things that
has ever happened in my life, and when people ask where I’m
from, I say that I’m from Augsburg because this really is my
home,” Berg says.
For their final projects, students will compare the differences—
social and physical—between the lives of the affluent and people
who are without homes. Pippert hopes that through this course,
students will develop a deeper understanding of how increasingly
stratified American society is and think about ways to mitigate
what he sees as a damaging and unjust trend.
KATELYN DANELSKI ’13 AND WENDI WHEELER ’06
Auggies on the course
Ladies of the links lift the team
There was a time not all that long ago when simply getting enough
players to field a complete team was a challenge for the Augsburg
women’s golf program. As a result, the on-course performance of
the Auggies wasn’t where it might have been.
Johanna Frykmark (left below) and Stef Zappa (right below)
have changed that. The two seniors have brought stability, seriousness, and increased levels of success to Augsburg’s women’s golf
program. They have both been All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) selections, both have shown great im-
provement on the course, and both will graduate at the end of this
semester after three-and-a-half years on campus.
“Without them, our team wouldn’t be anywhere near where we
are now,” coach Ted Vickerman says. “They’ve really changed the
mentality to where we want to do our best. We’re beating teams.”
The two take pride in how the program has changed during their
tenure. “Our first year, we were last in the conference, but we had
fun doing it,” Zappa says. “Everybody’s improved. Both of us have
had five or six stokes (average per round) of improvement.”
At the MIAC championship meet—her final collegiate event—in
early October, Zappa became the first Augsburg women’s golfer to
earn multiple All-MIAC honors, finishing seventh, the highest-ever
finish for an Auggie at the MIAC championships.
Johanna Frykmark finished in 25th place and joins Zappa as
the second of three Auggie women’s golfers to record 25th-orbetter finishes in three MIAC meets.
Both appreciate their time at Augsburg and the role golf
has played in their Auggie experience. “My first year was
pretty rough,” Frykmark says. “I had a hard time fitting in
and I missed home a lot. I’ve changed so much as a person since I came here. The golf team was a big part of
that; they were my second family when I got here.”
After completing her degree in international
business and business management, Frykmark
hopes to find a position with an international company that does business both in the U.S. and in
her native Sweden.
Zappa is on her way to becoming a teacher,
spending this semester student-teaching
first- and second-graders at Barton Open
School in South Minneapolis. She’s also
helping to coach volleyball at Minneapolis
South High School.
While that’s a heavy load, Zappa wasn’t
going to walk away from the golf team.
Zappa—who had a hole-in-one on her 20th
birthday during a tournament at Carleton—
didn’t practice with the team as often this
fall as she would have liked. Instead, she
practiced in the evenings and remained one
of the team’s top golfers—that is, on a team
much more stable than before Zappa and
Frykmark arrived on campus.
JEFF SHELMAN is the former director of media relations in the Marketing and Communication Office.
Fall 2010
9
auggie voices
Coach Holker becomes an Auggie
Greg Holker knows that his class ring from Gustavus
Adolphus College is in a box at his house. And he’s pretty
sure he knows where his diploma is.
But that is it. Those are the only tangible things the
Augsburg men’s soccer coach has left from his time both
as a player and as an assistant coach in St. Peter, Minn.
Holker openly admits he didn’t think that was going to
be the case when he took over the Auggie program in
2004. His goal was pretty simple: make Augsburg respectable, win some games, and put himself in position to
become the next Gustavus coach.
“I had a five-year plan,” he says. “I thought I’d be here
three years and I’d be out.” But something happened
along the way to mess up those plans—Holker became
an Auggie.
“The institution has evolved significantly over the six
years I’ve been here and I’ve changed as well,” Holker
says. “I started to embrace the institution and our work.”
He also had success. In 2006 Holker led Augsburg’s
men’s soccer team to a 13-victory season and a first-ever
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) playoff
berth. In 2008 Augsburg reached the NCAA tournament for
the first time in school history and reached the Sweet 16 before losing to Loras College in two overtimes.
This past spring, however, brought out the truest example
that Holker had genuinely become an Auggie. When the
head soccer coach position at Gustavus opened, Holker was
approached about the job and spent a day in St. Peter.
Before the search moved any farther along, however,
Holker pulled out of consideration.
And this year, following a record-breaking season for
men’s soccer, Holker was named MIAC Coach of the Year,
and sophomore Chad Gilmer was named MIAC Player of
the Year. The team won the MIAC playoff championship
and advanced to the national tournament for the second
time. It won the first round, but lost to the University of
Wisconsin-Whitewater in the second round.
“At the end of the day, this is where I want to be,”
Holker says. “I like being in the city and I like that there’s
a very true identity here. I think I’m 100% in love with
what this institution does. Seven years ago, this was a job.
Now, it's a part of me.”
And now he’s an Auggie.
JEFF SHELMAN is the former director of media relations in the Marketing and
Communication Office.
10
Augsburg Now
it takes an
Auggie
The student Phonathon—Dialing for Augsburg dollars
ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT, alumni and friends of Augsburg
might receive a call from a student who is working
to secure donations to The Augsburg Fund.
We asked some of the student callers to share their
experiences and knowledge with our readers.
COMPILED BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Chris Fleming ’12
Psychology/Sociology major, Spanish minor
First year as a student caller
Q. What would you like students and
alumni to know about giving back to
Augsburg?
A. When you do become an alum, remember that while you were in school someone
made a way for you to get through college.
Remember to always give back to the community that gave to you. I know we all say,
“Well I will come back to visit and volunteer my time,” but sometimes you must go
beyond. If you dig deep to give a few dollars to support another student, they will
be able to give back when they graduate.
It’s a domino effect.
Elisabeth Clemans ’11
Pa Dao Yang ’11
Social work major, psychology minor
Has been a caller for four years
Sociology major
Has been a caller for four years
Q. Why should alumni and friends support
The Augsburg Fund?
Q. What have you learned about Augsburg
through this work?
A. I am a recipient of financial aid at
Augsburg, so I want to thank all the
alumni, parents, and friends who give to
The Augsburg Fund. It’s really important
for students like me because every gift increases the percentage of alumni who
give back. That makes the College more
reputable and helps me get a job after I
graduate!
A. What I have learned while working at
The Augsburg Fund is the importance of
keeping the alumni updated on Augsburg.
For example, I talk about the new Oren
Gateway Center or speak about events
such as the chocolate tasting event at the
History Center. It’s fun to talk to alumni
about what is happening on campus and to
listen to them speak about their
experiences.
Ember Russell ’11
Elementary education major
Has been a caller for two years
Q. Have you had any especially memorable calls?
A. I was talking with a lady who had studied elementary education. It was really interesting
to hear how much the Education Department has changed! She gave me amazing advice on
what to do when I graduate. I really enjoyed the call, and she made her very first donation
to The Augsburg Fund!
Fall 2010
11
homecoming
go
12
Augsburg Now
auggies!
experience it!
Fall 2010
13
taste of augsburg
14
Augsburg Now
2010 alumni awards
Distinguished Alumni
Robert Hanson ’68
A distinguished
teacher in bio-organic
and medicinal chemistry researche at
Northeastern University.
“Our three Augsburg wisemen were [Earl]
Alton, [Courtland] Agre, and [John] Holum,
and their gifts to us were: inspiring us to
go far, preparing us with the intellectual
and emotional skills to do that, and a dedication to service.”
Don ’53 and Beverly
(Halling) ’55 Oren
Owners of Dart
Transit, a transportation company
nationally-recognized for leadership, innovation, and promotion of safety for its drivers.
“You can choose a career in business and
still contribute to society, and you can
make a difference.” … “We met here, and
that outweighs all other benefits the school
had to offer.”
First Decade Awards
Morgan Davidsen ’00
Internationallyawarded filmmaker
who recalls a special
moment on the soccer
field before a match
after just hearing he had the lead in the
next theatre production.
“Thank you for being part of the greatest
picture of my life.”
“Augsburg gave me a place to listen and it
taught me how to listen.”
Stephen Gabrielsen ’63
College organist,
music professor, and
mentor to hundreds of
students and alumni
for 47 years.
“My delight in being chosen is more significant when I consider all the people who
could be standing here—dozens and
dozens of students who have helped me
become what I am.”
Nicolas Thomley ’06 MBA
CEO of Pinnacle
Services, a successful
company now employing 600 people;
Marine Corps veteran,
political candidate, and world traveler.
“I’ve chosen to live an unconventional
life—for me, it’s about pursuing my
dreams, doing what I’ve wanted to.”
Jack Osberg ’62
Retired head football
coach, teacher, and
mentor who brought
the football program to
its best season in history and continues to feel the spirit of
Augsburg shape his life.
“The spirit of Augsburg moves through its
people.”
Athletic Hall of Fame
Richard Spratt ’74
Congratulations to the alumni who have
been inducted into the Augsburg Athletic
Hall of Fame:
Social worker dedicated to connecting
people with community resources; adjunct
instructor in Social
Work Department.
Jean Taylor
Respected corporate
CEO and leader; former
Augsburg Board of Regents chair. Learned at
Augsburg how to listen
to what her life tells her and about values
she holds.
Spirit of Augsburg Awards
• John Beatty ’91, wrestling
• Reed Boltmann ’88, football/baseball
• Jeff Dainty ’90, baseball
• Brian DeClercq ’81 (posthumously), men’s
hockey
An African proverb says, “If you want to
walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk
far, walk together.”
• Natasha Hamann ’99, volleyball/women’s golf
• Ann Knutson Brovold ’74, gymnastics
• Astrid Larssen ’97, women’s soccer/women’s
track and field
For the bios and more information about this year’s
alumni award winners, go to www.augsburg.edu/now
• Tom Weidner ’84, football
• Don Wichmann ’89, wrestling
Fall 2010
15
Augsburg dedicates
Ed Saugestad Rink
During Homecoming 2010, Augsburg officially
named its main competition rink in honor of Ed
Saugestad ’59, the coach who led the Auggies to
national prominence in men’s ice hockey during his
storied career. At the Oct. 16 ceremony,
Auggies were able to see the changes that took
place in the arena in preparation for the dedication.
One change in the rink that fans will notice during the season was the addition of three murals depicting the Saugestad legacy as well as the history
of men’s and women’s hockey at Augsburg College.
Saugestad began his coaching career during
his senior year, 1958, and coached the Auggies
until 1996, compiling a 503-354-21 record. His
Auggies won Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) titles six straight years (197782), qualified for national tournament play 10
times, and won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national championship
in 1978, 1981, and 1982. He coached 22 AllAmericans during his Augsburg career. Saugestad
was named NAIA National Coach of the Year three
times and MIAC Coach of the Year six times.
16
16
Augsburg Now
ed saugestad ’59
augsburg hockey
Augsburg Men’s Hockey
Augsburg Women’s Hockey
Augsburg College has had a long history of excellence in men’s
hockey. The Auggie program dates to the mid-1920s, as one of
the early entrants in MIAC play. The Auggies won state titles in
both 1927 and 1928 coached by future U.S. Hockey Hall of
Famer Nick Kahler.
After not fielding teams from the late 1920s to the late
1940s, the program finally was reestablished under coach Ed
Saugestad, who actually began his head coaching duties while still
a student at Augsburg in 1958. Under Saugestad, the Auggie program thrived, winning MIAC titles six years in a row (1977-82),
while winning National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
(NAIA) national titles in 1978, 1981, and 1982. The Auggies
have made appearances in national tournaments seven times in
school history (five NAIA, two NCAA).
After Saugestad retired, Mike Schwartz was named head coach
in 1996, and he led the team to conference regular-season and
playoff titles, and a berth in the NCAA Division III national championships in the 1997-98 season. Schwartz compiled a 124-11030 record during his Augsburg coaching tenure, and teams he
coached made appearances in the MIAC postseason playoffs six
times. Chris Brown was named the program’s head coach in 2006,
and he has led the Auggies to MIAC playoff berths in three of the
last four seasons.
In 1995, Augsburg College made history by establishing the first
intercollegiate women’s hockey program in the Midwest. The
Auggies were one of the dominant teams in the early history of
women’s hockey in Minnesota, winning Minnesota Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (MIAC) regular-season titles in 1998-99 and
1999-2000, and the conference playoff title in 1999-2000.
In 2000, the Auggies made history again, qualifying to compete in the first Division III women’s hockey national championship series, the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance
tournament in Boston against Middlebury (Vt.). Over the first 15
seasons of Augsburg’s women’s hockey history, the Auggies have
a 171-177-30 all-time record.
A total of 150 players have competed as part of the Augsburg
women’s hockey program in its first 15 seasons, all under head
coach Jill Pohtilla. Pohtilla finished her career third among all National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III women’s
hockey coaches in career victories and 20th among all collegiate
women’s hockey coaches in victories. Michelle McAteer was named
the second head coach in program history in 2010.
Hockey murals by Stephen Geffre
Fall 2010
17
She loves being an Auggie…
Many who make the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela today
take a scallop shell from the beaches of Galicia, where St. James is
buried, to commemorate their journey. The shells served as the medieval equivalent of a water bottle for travelers and became a symbol of the route. Martha Stortz, however, did not keep a souvenir
when she made the pilgrimage.
At the occasion of her inauguration as the Bernhard M. Christensen
Professor of Religion and Vocation, Augsburg gifted her with a shell
and a painting of the apostle James by Peter Brandes [background].
Brandes calls St. James the “pilgrims’ apostle.”
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
18
Augsburg Now
Meet Martha Stortz
Shortly after she settled into her new home in Minneapolis, Martha
Stortz (she prefers to be called Marty) did four things: she became
a member of the Seward Co-op, she joined the Midtown YWCA,
she took her bicycle in for “retooling” at the Hub, and she took
herself on walking tours of the Seward, Longfellow, and Downtown
East neighborhoods.
And those activities, along with a genuine love for the city and
an infectious enthusiasm for Augsburg’s mission, are what make
her a true Auggie.
Stortz came to Augsburg this summer as the second Bernhard
M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation. She succeeds
David Tiede, who retired and subsequently took a position as interim president of Wartburg Theological Seminary.
The Christensen Chair holds multiple responsibilities including
teaching in the Religion Department, serving as counsel to the
president and Board of Regents, and chairing the advisory council
for the Augsburg Center for Faith and Learning. Furthermore, the
chair plays a fundamental role in the interpretation and advancement of Augsburg’s institutional vocation, its calling as a college.
Stortz says she is honored to be at Augsburg and excited about
her role in the College’s work. “I was quite taken with everything
that you’re doing,” she says. “I love this city. This is a college in
and for and with the city.”
Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow says Stortz’ appointment affirms Augsburg’s vision and direction. “I am grateful
for the experience and wisdom Professor Stortz brings to this important position, and for the leadership she will provide as we continue to explore what it means to be a Lutheran college in the
city,” he says.
Stortz served as a member of the core doctoral faculty at the
Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., and taught for 29
years at the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary. She is an acclaimed scholar, teacher, and leader in the realms of the church,
academia, and society at large.
Her interest in the Christian pilgrimage has been an important part of Stortz’ personal and scholarly life. She has hiked
part of the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, the Way of St.
James, in Spain. She and a colleague have also joined two
groups—one in El Salvador and another in Mexico City—as they
explore post-modern “pilgrimages” through educational immersion experiences.
Though some might question her move from California to
Minnesota, from theological education to higher education, and
from seminary to college, Stortz feels as though she’s called to
be at Augsburg and to bring her connections, an eagerness to
share the College’s story with the community, and a commitment
to her position.
She believes that her experience in circles of theological education and religion and education will bring some meaningful
connections to Augsburg. “I’m very enthusiastic about what’s
going on here, and I think my key role is to make sure everyone
knows what is going on.”
“I’m eager to communicate Augsburg’s vision and its sense
of a living and lively tradition that is engaged with the city, the
community, and the world. I’ve been a writer, speaker, and
teacher, and I would now harness those gifts in service of the
College’s vocation.”
When questioned about her decision, Stortz says, “I say to
my friends, ‘You don’t know the Twin Cities, you don’t know how
exciting it is to have colleagues in other disciplines and how vibrant those multidisciplinary conversations can be, and you don’t
know Augsburg.’”
Fall 2010
19
Bernhard M. Christensen Professor of Religion and Vocation Inaugural Address
EXCERPTS FROM MARTHA STORTZ’ INAUGURAL ADDRESS,
“LOCATION, LOCATION, VOCATION”
“Tell me the landscape you inhabit,
and I will tell you who you are.” —Jose Ortega y Gassett
However much we claim space, making it our own, space also claims us,
telling us who we are.
Location shapes identity and gives the people who inhabit it a distinctive vocation or calling. Like the Irish monks, we too live accordingly. I want to look at three dimensions of Augsburg’s
location—physical, historical, and spiritual—and probe how it shapes
a vocation or calling that is distinctive to this College.
Physical location
… Augsburg is a college in, with, and for the city … [its] urban location is now central to the College’s identity. The Christensen
Center and Memorial Hall do not square off an academic quadrangle; rather, the space between them opens to a public park. The
plan for the new Center for Science, Business, and Religion …
does not feature a closed quad; rather, it imitates the freeway. As
the freeway enables crosstown traffic between the cities, so this
new building opens to the neighborhood; it invites cross-campus
traffic and cross-disciplinary conversation.
Historical location
The College was founded by the Free Church Norwegian Lutheran
immigrants who settled in the Cedar Riverside area in the mid1800s—and never forgot that they’d been strangers in a strange
land … Consonant with that history, the College has welcomed the
various immigrant groups that make up this neighborhood: Hmong,
Somali, Ethiopian, Eritrean. Moreover, Augsburg consistently saw
itself as an institution of higher learning that provided access and
excellence to students who simply couldn’t pay higher fees of other
private schools. At times when it would have made more financial
sense to go after wealthier families and their children, Augsburg
elected to be faithful to its historic base.
Spiritual location
A tradition is not a museum piece, but a lively argument with the
past, and throughout its history, Augsburg has loved a good fight.
Incarnation and the neighbor stand as signal emphases of this tradition, the first witnessing to the fact that God entered the human
condition—to the max.
At its best, Lutheranism is a tradition that has always leaned
into the neighbor, always learned from the neighbor, and always
looked to the neighbor to supply that unexpected bolt of grace that
makes all things new (Revelation 21:5).
The Augsburg Center for
Faith and Learning
In the spring of 2002, the Lilly Endowment, Inc.
awarded Augsburg College a $2 million grant to
expand the College’s commitment to connecting
faith and learning. As a result, Augsburg developed and implemented the Exploring Our Gifts
program. After four years of successful programming (2002-2006), the Lilly Endowment awarded
Augsburg a generous sustainability grant, matched
by the College, to help support the project for an
additional three years (2006-2009).
As a direct result of the success and positive
impact of Exploring Our Gifts, Augsburg College is
committed to continuing this important work beyond the life of the Lilly grant. To this end, the
College has created the Augsburg Center for Faith
and Learning (ACFL) to embody and build upon
the convictions at the heart of Augsburg’s educational mission:
“… to educate students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and
responsible leaders.”
The work of the Augsburg Center for Faith and
Learning is guided by the lessons of Bernhard M.
Christensen, president of Augsburg from 1938 to
1962. Christensen taught that:
• Christian faith liberates minds and lives
• Diversity strengthens vital communities
• Interfaith friendships enrich learning
• The love of Christ draws us to God
• We are called to service in the world
The Center’s work focuses on three areas of activity:
1. Student and alumni engagement—Supporting
discovery and development of talents and gifts,
discernment of vocation, and exploration of calling
2. Faculty and staff leadership—Developing curricular and programmatic offerings to guide the
theological exploration of vocation
3. Public witness and outreach—Promoting
Augsburg’s leadership in the pursuit and realization of individual and institutional calling
For more information about the Augsburg Center for
Faith and Learning, or to read the full inaugural address and other presentations from the 2010 Christensen Symposium, go to www.augsburg.edu/now
20
Augsburg Now
Sammie Guck, Christensen Scholar
WHEN SENIOR SAMMIE GUCK sees another Christensen
Scholar on campus, she greets them with a simple but reverent, “Scholar.”
“It’s just our way of acknowledging each other when we
are out in the world,” Guck says.
Guck is one of 10 students involved in the Christensen
Scholar program. Named for Bernhard Christensen, Augsburg’s
president from 1938 to 1962, the year-long seminar helps students explore the Lutheran concept of vocation and define their
own calling.
Every year 10 junior or senior students are selected for
the Christensen Scholar program, which is sponsored by the
Augsburg Center for Faith and Learning. The heart of the program is a monthly three-hour seminar devoted to texts drawn
from the Judeo-Christian tradition. Authors include biblical
texts, Augustine, Luther, and Flannery O'Connor. Topics can
range from religious pluralism to the art of prayer.
A philosophy major and religion minor, Guck says she appreciates the discussion-based seminar and the free exchange of ideas that happens among the scholars. “It’s not a
professor saying, ‘Let me tell you what you should know.’”
She adds that the scholars, who represent several different
faith traditions, are very respectful of each other’s ideas and
backgrounds. “It’s a great environment to share and explore,”
she says.
Guck says she is having a “senior year vocational crisis.”
She met with religion professor Mark Tranvik, who leads the
scholar seminar, to discuss the idea of vocation. “I grew up
Catholic, so I have a different understanding of vocation than
the Lutheran concept,” she says.
Together Guck and Tranvik explored different ways that a
person of faith can live out his or her vocation. “I realized
that vocation doesn’t have to be one set thing, it can always
be changing,” she says. Guck was considering graduate
school but does not think she will begin immediately after
graduation. Instead, she is looking into other ways that she
can express her vocation through a career in editing or publishing.
Whether she’s pursuing her master’s degree or working in a
publishing house, two things are fairly certain for this Auggie.
One—even after she graduates from Augsburg, she will continue
to discern what her vocation is and how to make it a part of her
life. And two—if she sees another Christensen Scholar walking
down the street, they are sure to greet each other with the brief
acknowledgement of the conversations they had at Augsburg.
21
Augsburg Now
Fall 2010
21
Understanding
healthcare
R E F O R M
BY BETSEY NORGARD
On March 23, 2010, President Obama
signed into law the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act. It’s complex, difficult-to-understand legislation and is the
product of an extremely contentious
political process.
On October 15, at its fifth public policy
forum, Augsburg’s Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning hosted a forum to decode
and discuss the challenges and opportunities this legislation presents for Minnesota
and the nation—that is, how the current
healthcare system will change. The symposium was moderated by retired U.S. Rep.
Martin Sabo and presented speakers who
are leaders in the healthcare field.
Donna Zimmerman, senior vice president of government and community relations at HealthPartners in Minneapolis,
addressed the overall scope of the law and
focused on the impact of provisions concerning changes to insurance coverage.
“It is a major task to think about how
to explain this major piece of legacy legislation our Congress has passed,” Zimmerman said. “I’ll try to demystify this big
bill, and focus on what’s important for us
in Minnesota.”
Her presentation explained various
provisions of the act that have already
taken effect or are being phased in
shortly; for example, extension of benefits
to dependent children up to age 26,
adding more preventive care without costsharing by consumers, and prohibition on
insurance denial to children under age 19
for pre-existing conditions.
Dr. Sanne Magnan, commissioner of the
Minnesota Department of Health, spoke
about changes to health care itself and the
interface with Vision Minnesota, Min-
Demystifying the new healthcare legislation was the focus of the Sabo Center Public Policy Symposium on October 15.
Panelists were (L to R) Martin Sabo ’59, moderator; Donna Zimmerman, HealthPartners; Dr. Sanne Magnan, Minnesota
Department of Health; and Dr. Bruce Amundson ’60, Community Health Innovations, Inc.
nesota’s reform passed in 2008. Her message was that the federal reforms will not
have as radical an effect in Minnesota as in
some states because Minnesota’s quality
and delivery of health care are already consistently higher than in many states.
She spoke about how Minnesota is coordinating with federal initiatives to influence
how health reform is implemented, “so that
we can build on the innovative strategies
Minnesota has been doing as well as learn
from other states who have been doing
health reform.”
She compared provisions for reform in
the new federal law with similar provisions
in Vision Minnesota and showed how a
number of them are already being implemented in this state.
Magnan also explained that much of the
difficulty in enacting reform stems from how
the current healthcare system was set up.
The incentives and payments for health care
are made to doctors and providers for treatment of illness, and not for promotion and
maintenance of health. Payment is made for
office visits, hospitalization, tests, procedures, and drugs, rather than for better
management of chronic disease, prevention,
and promotion of wellness.
Dr. Bruce Amundson ’60, president of
Community Health Innovators, Inc. and assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, spoke about his
longtime work to seek reform in the healthcare delivery system to provide everyone
with easy access to a team of healthcare
professionals who can provide comprehensive care at lower costs.
Amundson offered a vision of the optimal healthcare model (see next page) that
focuses on a team approach to ongoing, primary care in clinics, which includes clinical
care as well as services in other areas that
affect health. These clinics or “medical
homes” must then be part of, or connected
to, a system that includes specialty-care
and hospital and emergency services.
Sabo Center Public Policy Symposium
2010 Healthcare Reform:
What Will It Mean for You (and the Nation)?
October 15, 2010
Panel Participants:
DONNA ZIMMERMAN, Senior Vice President of
Government and Community Relations,
HealthPartners
DR. SANNE MAGNAN, Commissioner, Minnesota
Department of Health
DR. BRUCE AMUNDSON ’60, President, Community Health Innovations, Inc., and Assistant
Professor, University of Washington School of
Medicine
MARTIN SABO ’59, Moderator; U.S. House of
Representatives, 1978–2006
HEALTHCARE
22
Augsburg Now
To see the slides from these presentations and
view the video of the symposium, go to
www.augsburg.edu/now
E
BY DR. BRUCE AMUNDSON ’60
What is ideal healthcare delivery?
The recent health reform legislation primarily focuses on
helping more people
get health insurance
and on addressing
some insurance injustices. It does not
systematically address delivery system reform—how you receive health care—but elements of the act
do support ongoing reform efforts. To understand this, you must have a clearer picture of
what clinical and healthcare leaders see as a
“reformed delivery system” and what we
have been working towards—for years.
Within the past few years a growing
agreement has emerged on what an optimal
delivery system should look like, both to be
able to provide excellent and comprehensive
care and to reduce costs. These are the key
elements:
First, your health care must be anchored by primary care clinicians—physicians (family practice, general internal
medicine, pediatricians), nurse practitioners, and physician assistants. This ensures
that you have a personal ongoing relationship with a clinician who is the “general
contractor” for your health issues and who
is your trusted partner.
Second, you should be part of a clinic
or system that provides a “medical home”
with your primary clinician. Your medical
home must serve as the first stop for ANY
health issues that arise, short of critical
emergencies.
Further, your medical home should have:
• An electronic health record to ensure immediate access to your history for all who
treat you wherever they are located
• More convenient access to your clinicians—same-day appointments, expanded
hours, e-mail to your clinicians
• Management of all referrals to specialists
and other services you may need, ensuring
coordination and avoiding duplication
• Systematic management of common
chronic diseases
• Case management for people with complex and/or multiple health issues including monitoring of prescription drugs
• Healthcare teams to expand clinical competency and services
The emergence of primary care teams is one
of the most important developments in recent years. I would describe the “optimal primary care team” as comprised of:
• Primary care clinicians (physicians, nurse
practitioners, physician assistants)
• Mental health clinician
• Social worker with family therapy skills
• Nurse case manager for patients with
complex conditions
• Chronic disease care nurse
• Patient educator
• Pharmacist
• Physical therapist or massage therapist
Research has shown that with this range of
skills a clinic or medical home can competently handle 80% or more of the health
problems that it receives. It can care for
the whole person and meet total needs.
This is a radical change, but examples of
this model now exist across the country.
The third component is that every clinic
or medical home must be part of an organized system of care that includes most specialty physicians, hospital and ER services,
and other important services. If not within
the same organization, at least there must be
formal ties and relationships between the
medical home and these other elements of a
comprehensive healthcare system.
Because our human condition is complex, people are affected by physical issues,
mental health problems, family dysfunction,
substance abuse, environmental exposures—
and often a combination or all of the above.
Clinical care is, therefore, also very complex
if it is going to be relevant to the person’s
needs and holistic in its aims. The combination of knowledge and skills represented in
the optimal team described above brings the
healthcare delivery system closer in alignment with human needs, with the foundation
being “relationship-based” (versus “diseaseoriented”) care.
The reform legislation recognizes the
work by clinicians and leaders in defining
what we seek as health reform goals. While it
does not fundamentally change the current
healthcare delivery system, it supports clinician-led reform by:
• Recognizing the role of primary care clinicians and increasing financial support for
training them
• Providing bonus payments for care management of Medicare and Medicaid enrollees when needed
• Providing financial incentives for establishing organized systems of care
• Expanding wellness and preventive coverage in insurance plans
• Funding research on the clinical effectiveness of various treatments
• Creating a Center of Innovation
The legislation is not radical. It builds on
our current private insurance and delivery
systems. It may not be able to address cost
issues, but it does represent a huge step
toward ensuring universal insurance coverage and a more effective delivery system. It
also must be seen as a move to narrow the
gap between healthcare “haves” and “have
nots.”
While there’s an immense amount of
work ahead, it’s critical to understand that
for clinicians and most healthcare leaders,
there is no turning back. The whiff of something better, a humanizing system, is in the
air and a national reform process is underway. I could not be more hopeful.
Dr. Bruce Amundson ’60 is president of
Community Health Innovations, Inc. in
Shoreline, Wash.
Fall 2010
23
Reflection by Adam Spanier ’12, film
and English major
Reflection by Khalid Adam ’12,
economics major and Sabo Scholar
I do not plan on becoming a doctor, a
pharmacist, or anything else in the
medical field, and I
am no expert regarding topics like
health insurance.
Yet, the new healthcare system will affect me and everyone else
in this country.
In today’s tense political climate of rumored complete government takeover, socialized medicine, and “death panels,”
misinformation consumes the media. This is
precisely why it is important to sift out all of
the ridiculous rumors and myths of the new
healthcare bill in order to find some truth
and understanding. And this is precisely
why events like the Sabo healthcare symposium are important.
As a Sabo Scholar, but perhaps more
importantly, as an ill-informed citizen, I attended the Sabo healthcare symposium.
Fortunately, the symposium panelists were
all qualified experts of health care; there
was no dumbing down or oversimplification
of the topic as is evident on the 24-hour
news channels. There was a bit of information I did not fully comprehend; however, I
can safely admit that I walked away from
the symposium knowing much more about
the topic.
Fortunately, it’s comforting to know that
the very people I will directly depend on for
my medical needs were involved in this discussion—doctors, nurses, health professionals, and other people involved in the medical
field participated in the symposium.
Events such as the Sabo healthcare
symposium are exactly what this country
needs right now. We need to stop arguing
and have more conversations. Similar events
are important because it will bring us together to better understand complex topics,
and it will allow us to make more informed
decisions in the future.
So just why has
health care spending gone out of control in the U.S.,
consuming nearly a
sixth of gross domestic product
(GDP) spending in
2008? Liberals say
it’s the health insurance companies’ greed
and the government’s inability to contain
costs and to regulate the employer market
for health insurance.
Meanwhile, conservatives argue that it’s
too much regulation, citing the growing
budgets of government welfare programs
like Medicare and Medicaid. They also cite
overuse of healthcare resources as the main
problem, making the problem of health care
a “volume-control issue.” Despite these differing viewpoints, a few observations are
unarguably universal:
• The science of health care has advanced
rapidly in the last 60 years, which has affected prices of medical inputs.
• The increased health costs, outpacing
growth in GDP, have adverse effects on
the economic outcomes on industries
with large percentage of workers with ESI
(Employer Sponsored Insurance); this results in the loss of output and a de facto
loss of jobs in those industries.
• The current trend in the growth of per
capita GDP spent on health care is unsustainable in the long term.
Health spending in the U.S. has increased
dramatically in the course of the past 50
years, from $27.5 billion in 1960 to
$912.6 billion in 1993, and to a mind-boggling $2.4 trillion in 2008. It is projected to
reach $4.3 trillion by 2017.
To read more of Adam’s paper from his
research on healthcare costs, go to
www.augsburg.edu/now.
Reflection by Phong Le ’13 PA
As a first year physician assistant (PA)
student, I’m usually
busy studying and
spending any spare
time with my family.
Thus I’m afraid to
admit I’ve not kept
up with the latest
news. I attended the 2010 healthcare reform symposium hoping to gain a better understanding of the reform and how it will
impact my future as a PA.
According to the HealthPartners presenter, the reform will increase insurance coverage to 32 million more Americans. Thus,
demand for care will greatly exceed the supply of doctors. In addition, there is also
pressure to find a high value but low cost
delivery system. According to Dr. Bruce
Amundson, these factors have led to a consensus of a team approach in which PAs
and nurse practitioners (NPs) will largely fill
the demand gap while still able to keep
costs low.
I was feeling pretty good about my job
prospects as I listened to the presenters.
However, numerous questions began to
emerge as I thought beyond graduation.
How far will the trickle-down effect from
doctors to PAs and NPs to nurses to healthcare technicians go to increase care volume
while decreasing cost? Will money dictate
the quality or type of care I provide? Will I
be forced to choose between quantity and
quality daily?
I left the symposium with more questions than answers. One thing I do know for
sure is that the reform will happen whether
we like it or not, and I believe that any
movement toward increased access to care
is great. However we should proceed with
caution and responsibility to ensure we
don’t compromise the quality of care in the
process. This drives me to stay informed
and involved so that, hopefully, we PAs as a
group can help to shape and guide this inevitable health reform.
HEALTHCARE
24
Augsburg Now
Celebrating our
SUCCESS
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
At Augsburg College, we don’t have a lot of traditions.
Sure, we have Homecoming every year, and we’ve marked the
holiday season with Advent Vespers for the past 30 years.
But there’s no annual canceling of classes so that students can go to a local park to hear bands and eat bratwurst.
President Pribbenow doesn’t trade places with a student for a
day every year. And though we have some important athletic
rivalries, none are so longstanding that the matchups attract
fans far and wide.
There is one thing, however, that Augsburg has done quite
well for a long time: we are very adept at the Lutheran Scandinavian practice of not boasting about our accomplishments.
Now, after years of celebrating achievements with an occasional internal announcement or a round of applause during daily chapel, we’ve decided it is time for our practice of
humility to change.
Fall 2010
25
Shift in expectations
In the past, Augsburg’s tendency toward humility has kept our students from applying
for national scholarships or to graduate
school. But that trend is changing, thanks
in part to the work of one woman—Dixie
Shafer.
As director of Augsburg’s office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity (URGO), Shafer gives pep talks, takes
her trademark green pen to students’ personal statements, and shepherds them
through the often daunting graduate school
application process.
For a small, private college, Augsburg
has an impressive résumé of national fellowships and scholarships. In 2010 alone,
four Augsburg students were awarded
Fulbright scholarships, bringing the total
to nine awardees in the last four years,
and Augsburg was recently named to The
Chronicle of Higher Education list of top
Fulbright-producing schools. Five students
received Gilman scholarships for the
2010-11 academic year, and in 2009 one
Augsburg student became the seventh
Auggie to receive a Goldwater scholarship.
And in 2008, lest we forget, Augsburg
added its first Rhodes Scholar to the list of
student achievements.
Shafer’s work involves helping students
conduct faculty-led research during the
summer and school year, advising on the
graduate and professional school application process, and helping students apply for
fellowships and national competitions.
In general, Shafer says she sees students
who don’t believe they can be competitive
at a national level. “I rarely meet a student
who thinks that,” she adds. “We have a
pretty humble group of students.”
But she acknowledges the slow cultural
26
Augsburg Now
Dixie Shafer, URGO director, holds a “bouquet” given to
her by Brian Krohn ’08. Krohn fashioned the flowers
from drafts of his Rhodes application essays.
shift in expectations. “We have more students applying for national fellowships and
more receiving them, and that allows others
to know that they can do it.”
Not just for elite schools
Katie MacAulay ’08 was one of the humble students Shafer typically meets. In her
junior year, she was studying abroad in
Argentina and read a story about two
Augsburg students who received Fulbright
fellowships.
“I had assumed it was a fellowship of
the elite schools, one in which a smalltown, Midwestern girl with a relatively average résumé would be of little
competition,” she says. But the article in-
spired MacAulay, and she made an appointment to meet with Shafer on the day
she returned to Augsburg. “Dixie handed
me the Fulbright information book and
told me to decide whether or not I was serious about applying. As she put it, ‘Once
you start, there’s no turning back.’”
MacAulay says her desire to apply was
motivated out of curiosity to test her beliefs about Fulbrights being only for students from “prestigious” schools and to
challenge personal feelings of inadequacy.
“Dixie helped me realize that, although
I maybe didn’t feel like I had the background, I certainly had the foreground.”
Through the application process,
MacAulay says, “I realized that your socioeconomic status and upbringing don’t
play as large of a role in defining who you
are and what you become.” That insight
inspired her to stop feeling inadequate in
comparison to others and gave her the motivation to challenge her own boundaries.
In November, MacAulay completed a
10-month grant as a Fulbright English
Teaching Assistant (ETA) in Terengganu,
Malaysia. She says it has been the best
experience of her life and a gift that will
continue to benefit her in the future.
“I am of the opinion that you can never
have too many options. Be realistic about
yourself, but don’t doubt your own uniqueness and abilities,” MacAulay says. She encourages other Augsburg students to apply
for national fellowships and programs and to
challenge their own ideas about being competitive at a national level.
Educating the whole person
Tina (Quick) Sandy ’08 is another student
whose path was guided by Shafer’s counsel and by the gentle insistence of a few
determined history professors. A first-generation student who says she almost didn’t
come to Augsburg, Sandy is in her third
year at William Mitchell College of Law in
St. Paul.
At the end of her second year at
Augsburg, Sandy saw a poster advertising
the URGO summer research program. This
program provides a stipend and housing
for students who spend 200-400 hours of
their summer conducting research under
the supervision of a faculty member. To
apply to the program, students must submit a research proposal. Sandy was reading the poster just days before the
application was due.
She had been taking a history class
from Michael Lansing. “He pulled me
aside one day and asked if I had consid-
Tina Sandy ’08 is a third-year student at William Mitchell
College of Law.
ered a history major,” Sandy said. So she
went to Lansing about the summer program, and the two of them drafted her
proposal.
That summer Sandy researched the history of the Ku Klux Klan movement in the
Midwest, a project that led her specifically
to document Klan activities in 1922 in
Minneapolis. Throughout the entire project
she worked closely with Lansing, especially on writing her final report.
“He totally changed my ability to
write,” Sandy says. “His red pen shaped
my experience, and it served me well.” As
a law student, Sandy says she feels much
more confident in her writing abilities
than some of her classmates who did not
receive the same direction and support in
their undergraduate programs.
In her third year of college, Sandy
began considering her plans beyond college with the encouragement of Lansing,
history professor Jacqui deVries, and political science professor Joe Underhill.
Sandy was considering law school. “We
discussed her potential and then rallied
the wagons to get her to think about her
options,” Lansing said.
He recalls that perhaps he tried to be
too persuasive at times. “We wanted to
see Tina set her sights wide because we
knew that she had the potential to go to
any institution. We wanted to see that for
her because we knew that she could really
shine.”
“There were a lot of opinions in my ear
about what I should do,” Sandy says.
That’s when she went to visit Shafer. “She
threw a lot of different ideas at me …
ideas that opened my mind.” But Sandy
says she had a “gut feeling” about law
school.
She wanted to stay in Minnesota to be
close to her family and to her future husband, fellow Auggie Sama Sandy ’08. Because the law school application process
requires significant time as well as money,
Sandy opted to apply to one school only,
something most students are encouraged
not to do.
The easy part was making the decision;
the application process was another story
altogether. She needed to study for the
Law School Admission Test (LSAT), pass
it, and submit the necessary application
materials, including several letters of recommendation and a personal summary, by
the deadline. This she did while taking
classes, working, and trying to have something of a social life.
Sandy says Shafer was by her side
through the entire experience. “She really
ended up being my encourager and sidekick.” As a first-generation student, Sandy
appreciated the support of someone who
knew the process but also understood her
own personal background.
As Tina Sandy’s story illustrates, both
faculty and staff can be instrumental in a
student’s success. Lansing says that as a
professor, he feels that he is called to educate the whole person. “I think that’s the
point of a small college, thinking of a
young person not just as a student but as
a person becoming who they are. You want
the very best for them.”
Discovering and meeting
challenges
Melissa Robertson ’10 is another first-generation student who benefited from the
support of faculty who saw her potential
and persuaded her to go outside of her
comfort zone. Their encouragement
helped her meet the challenges of college
and discover new opportunities.
Robertson’s first year of college presented the common challenges of balancing school work and social life. She
struggled, and her grades reflected that.
But in her second year she became more
serious about school as she focused on
the natural sciences and mathematics.
As she got to know her professors, they
saw promise in her and directed her to
study and research opportunities. “Dale
Fall 2010
27
28
Augsburg Now
school, work, and personal issues, Robertson says there were many times she
wanted to give up and put off graduate
school for a year. “But I told myself to
keep on with the help of mentors, friends,
family, and counseling support. I thought
if I didn’t get in to any programs or didn’t
like the places, at least I would have
tried.”
She applied to five programs, both master’s and doctoral in biostatistics and biology, and she was accepted to all five.
Currently Robertson is studying on a full
scholarship in the molecular biosciences
program at Montana State University in
Bozeman.
From first day to
graduation day
There is more to student success than
national scholarships and fellowships. For
some students, whether they are 18 or 38
years old, the greatest achievement is simply to have arrived at Augsburg. In fall
2010, Augsburg welcomed the largest
first-year class and the largest graduate
school class in the College’s history.
Within this student body is the potential for many stories of students who overcame the odds to get to college and to
obtain a degree. Augsburg has an impressive history of assisting students who
might not otherwise be successful in college—first-generation students including
children of immigrant families, students in
recovery from addiction, students with
cognitive disabilities as well as physical
disabilities, and nontraditional-aged students who are returning to college to complete a degree.
Rich Osborn is an older-than-average
student who found success through
Augsburg’s weekend program. At the age
of 69, Osborn completed his first bachelor’s degree and was one of the oldest
Augsburg for Adults students to graduate.
Read his story at http://bit.ly/djx2nN.
Not only is Augsburg attracting a larger
student body—the College is keeping students and helping them persist to graduation. Augsburg can boast an impressive
86% retention rate in the day college program from fall 2009 to fall 2010. That is
an increase of 3% from last year and significantly higher than the national average
of 73% for four-year private colleges and
universities.
All of this success is reason for Augsburg
to celebrate and to share the stories of student success. Whether it’s the announcement of another Fulbright recipient, a
National Science Foundation grant, or publication in a scholarly journal, these stories
serve as inspiration and motivation for other
Auggies to pursue their goals.
Melissa Robertson ’10 is completing a master's degree
in molecular biosciences at Montana State University.
Kelly Gorham/MSU
Pederson and Matt Haines suggested I
think about biostatistics, a field that
would combine biology and math. I knew I
would have to go to graduate school, but
at that point I hadn’t even thought about
it,” she says.
In the summer before her junior year,
Robertson participated in a short-term
study program to examine the biodiversity
and environmental politics of New
Zealand. She also conducted research
with biology professor David Crowe in the
URGO summer research program.
“I was new to that type of research, but
I was ready and willing to learn,” she says.
“David was a very good mentor, always
willing to help and always told me when I
was doing a great job.”
The URGO program presented a new
challenge for Robertson, who says she was
shy and had extreme anxiety about giving
presentations. “Giving reports about my
research in front of my fellow URGO people during roundtable discussions was
awful for me,” she says, “and I didn’t
even want to think about the final oral
presentation.”
But working with Crowe gave Robertson
the confidence in herself as a scientist and
a scholar. Shafer recalls the change she
saw in Robertson throughout the summer
and her enthusiasm about presenting her
research in a graduate school interview. “To
see her go from this quiet girl who could
barely talk with other students to graduate
school … what an accomplishment.”
Robertson continued her research with
Crowe during the academic year and also
began, with Shafer’s help, the process of
applying to graduate school. Between
AUGSBURG COLLEGE
ANNUAL REPORT TO DONORS
2009-2010
Fall 2010
29
DEAR FRIENDS,
This past year has been an extraordinary one for Augsburg College. Despite continued challenges in the economy, through the generosity and good work of the entire Augsburg community, we closed the fiscal year with a
solid financial performance and entered the 2010-2011 academic year with a record number of students in
our day, weekend, and graduate programs.
While these achievements are significant, it is your ongoing and steadfast support for the education of our
students that is most gratifying. As a college, we believe we are called to serve our neighbor, and I am humbled by and grateful for the
Augsburg alumni, family, and friends who join with us in pursuing this calling.
Our new mission statement—adopted last spring following two years of rich conversation across the
Augsburg community—makes a bold statement of our aspirations for our students: We educate students to be
informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.
Never in the history of this institution has the world had a greater need for future leaders with these abilities. And never before have your gifts been more important to ensuring that this education remains within
reach for our growing and increasingly diverse community of students.
As we continue to live out our mission and provide a uniquely Augsburg education—an education defined
by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by our Lutheran faith and values, and shaped
by our urban and global settings—I ask for your abiding engagement and support. Your gifts make possible an
educational experience like no other—one that challenges our students to recognize and live out their individual callings and, through those efforts, make a lasting difference in our world.
Sincerely,
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW
PRESIDENT
30
Augsburg Now
ANNUAL REPORT 2009-10
2009-2010 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
Where the Money Comes From
Where the Money Goes
5%
Government grants
6%
Other sources
4%
Debt service
2%
3%
Equipment
and capital
improvement
Student salary
4%
3%
Private gifts and grants
Utilities
12%
Room and board
44%
24%
Salary and benefits
Financial aid
73%
Tuition
20%
Other
$34.5
2010 Endowment Market Value
May 31, 2010
$28,641,248
$30.5
$28.6
$26.7
$26.6
As of May 31, 2010, we have annual realized
and unrealized gains of 14.65% on our endow$23.2
ment. Our five-year average annual return on
$20.0
the endowment is 1.20% and the 10-year
average annual return is 1.18%. We
$16.4
are committed to maintaining
$14.2
the value of principal gifts
and to provide support to the
$11.5
College in perpetuity.
1995
$33.7
1996
1997
1998
1999
$26.2
$25.4
$24.8
$22.7 $23.3
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Endowment Assets
(in millions)
June 1, 1995 – May 31, 2010
Fall 2010
31
SCHOLARSHIPS
Gratitude
On April 25, nearly 300 people, including donors, faculty, staff,
and scholarship students gathered to celebrate gifts from the
Augsburg community that make an Augsburg education possible
for many students. Donors enjoyed the opportunity to meet the
students who receive their scholarships.
During 2009-10, 716 gifts to scholarships totaled over
$529,000. Eight new scholarships were started last year:
• L. Gracia Christensen English Scholarship
• Inez Olson Schwarzkopf English Scholarship
• Hazel Stoeckeler Art Scholarship
• Judith (Olson) Nelson Health and Physical Education Scholarship
• Jorgensen Sethre general scholarship
• Dr. Lowell and Janice Kleven Scholarship for pre-medicine
• Leonard and Winifred Leifgren Scholarship for students of color
• Jerome and Winifred Formo Music Scholarship
Simple Gifts
Peter Miller graduated in May 2010 with a major in English and is
the son of an ELCA pastor. He is now studying at Luther Seminary.
Here are excerpts from his talk at the Scholarship Brunch on behalf of scholarship students.
It is truly a gift to honor student success, engaged scholarship,
and active citizenship knowing that each of these simple components is intertwined in my own story. This is a story about how simple gifts transform a community into a simple reality.
… When I was a child, I used to love to listen to my mom play
the dulcimer. She would play “Simple Gifts,” an old Shaker hymn
while my brother and I would run around in the yard.
’Tis a gift to be simple, ’tis a gift to be free; ’Tis a gift to come
down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in a
place just right, It will be in the valley of love and delight. When
true simplicity is gain’d, To bow and to bend we shall not be
asham’d, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning and
turning we come round right.
As I recall my mom singing this song and my brother and I turning and turning until we were dizzy, I have come to value the message in these simple words.
We celebrate the success of students because simple gifts are
freeing, liberating, and life changing. Getting into college is a big
deal and it changes you. As students are groomed in success, simple gifts allow us the freedom to engage fully in what we are learning and to develop into the leaders we ought to be, in a college
that is just and right. With an Auggie-assemblage of strong leaders,
32
Augsburg Now
we continue to
build a neighborhood and a city of
love and delight.
And we, too, have
an opportunity to
invest in true simplicity where all
people bow and
bend and never
are ashamed.
Simple gifts
spark the cycle toward a simple reality. I have seen the
spark of a simple
gift in the eyes of
first-year students
Peter Miller ’10 spoke on behalf of students at the
as they acknowlScholarship Brunch.
edge that Augsburg offers them more financial aid than any other school. And I
have seen this simple reality come to life when a former scraping,
struggling business major takes a few philosophy and religion
classes and gets all 4.0s. I have watched it in a group of interfaith
friends who never stand still long enough to watch the paint dry,
whether they are doing service projects at a mosque down the
street, a local church, or a nearby women’s center.
That spark, that simple gift that I saw as an orientation leader,
ignites a question—how do I become a part of this simple reality?
But that was the spark in my eye, too, in the trust that somehow
my family and the Augsburg community would help me afford a
meaningful education and turn my gifts and theirs into something
simple and beautiful. I had to turn from procrastination to participation in simple things like interfaith dialog, global carbon emission regulations, and ending poverty in Minnesota by 2020.
I didn't say it was easy. I said it was simple. It is painting with a
broad brush, or like we did at the mosque, with rollers and a taste
for new colors. This is a simple reality.
Ultimately, I believe the simplest gift is who we are and how
we spend our time—the time to sing a song in the springtime,
study hard, write a thank-you note, share a story, paint, or spare
some change.
I want to thank you all for your simple gifts and the countless
hours you have given to Augsburg, for bowing and bending to the
needs of this community and providing the spark for so many to be
a part of this story. Together, we are a simple reality.
ANNUAL REPORT 2009-10
Scholarships for religion, campus ministry, and youth and family ministry
The Augsburg community continues to keep the College’s roots as a seminary strong as
it provides scholarship support to its students. More than 11% of the value of Augsburg’s endowment supports scholarships for students in religion, campus ministry, and
youth and family ministry—a total of 36 scholarships (12% of the total number).
Kou Lee is majoring in music and plays flute in the
Augsburg Concert Band, the Augsburg Symphony Orchestra, and a woodwind chamber ensemble. His plans after
graduation in 2011 are to pursue a graduate degree in
music composition that will prepare him for a career as an
orchestral director in a university—and hopefully return
to Augsburg some day as a faculty member. He has a
Hognander Scholarship for 2010-11.
The scholarship brunch brought together nearly 300
donors and students to celebrate gifts from the Augsburg
Community.
A number of donors and recipients of these scholarships gathered at the Scholarship Brunch: (seated, L to R) Carl
Vaagenes ’50, Ruth Vaagenes, Dora (Frojen) Quanbeck ’49; (behind them, L to R) Jessica Fanaselle ’10, Sarah Korbel
’12, Emily Wiles ’10, Peter Miller ’10, Morris Vaagenes Jr. ’51, Professor Karl Jacobson, Professor Hans Wiersma,
Whitney Holman ’10, Philip Quanbeck Sr. ’50, Harris Lee ’57, Ivory Phung ’13, and Maryon Lee.
The Sven Oftedal Society exemplifies the legacy of this early Augsburg president
whose leadership and commitment to the growth of Augsburg Seminary secured the
financial future of the College. By reaching out to those who shared Augsburg’s vision
of providing an education not only for its immigrant Norwegian preachers, but also for
everyday people—teachers, farmers, and neighbors in the city growing around
Augsburg—he ensured that Augsburg’s students would become responsible citizens
and leaders in whatever they chose to do.
Planned giving offers a variety of possibilities to provide significant financial benefit to the College while also providing continued income to its donors. Donors and their families can plan with their financial advisors and the College to determine what kind
of gift plan (cash gifts, securities, stocks, and others) can be designed to recognize the donor’s commitment to the College and
still serve their own financial needs. Planned gifts can be made outright or deferred into the future. For many alumni, families,
and friends who are grateful for the education and experience of Augsburg in their lives but have no heirs, planned giving can
help them ensure future students receive that same education.
Fall 2010
33
I ’ M A N A U G G I E — The Augsburg Fund
Your gifts to The Augsburg Fund help to ensure that Augsburg College can continue to support students and give them the opportunity to
make the world a better place. What makes you an Auggie? Why do you give? Make a gift and share your story at www.augsburg.edu/auggie.
Alex Gonzalez ’90
What makes me an Auggie?
I’m an Auggie because of athletics and being a member of the
football team. A lot of the close friendships I have are from
sports, and I love to bring my kids back and see the games. And I
met my wife here—you can’t get much more important than that!
Beyond that, faith is a big part of what makes me an Auggie.
What I’ve learned at Augsburg, I have carried forward with service to the world through my congregation and in the community.
Why do I give?
Augsburg has been such an important part of forming who I am,
and I want to give back. Serving as a regent is a small way of
helping to ensure that this institution continues to make an impact on other people’s lives.
I give because I think it’s important to support the unique
Augsburg experience. An Augsburg degree has a specific intention behind it—of service to the community. It’s a holistic foundation to approaching life in the world.
34
Augsburg Now
Maria Mitchell Helgerson ’07
and Erik Helgerson ’06
What makes us Auggies?
We were both drawn to Augsburg by the feeling of community
and the opportunity to know people and to be a part of something. We loved our four years here and the relationships we
built. We want to keep them going, and we’re so grateful to the
Young Alumni Association for helping us do that.
Why do we give?
We give to Augsburg because we know colleges can’t function
just on tuition, and we know that our gifts will be used to better
the community and to make a place that is important for others.
Augsburg meant a lot to us personally, and giving back helps
give opportunities to other students.
I’M AN AUGGIE!
ANNUAL REPORT 2009-10
LIFETIME GIVING
The following list recognizes alumni and friends of Augsburg College, living and deceased, who have generously given a minimum of $100,000,
including planned gifts, over a lifetime. We are immensely grateful for their examples of loyalty and commitment to the College.
Anonymous (5)
Helen and Ernest† Alne
Brian Anderson ’82 and Leeann Rock ’81
Catherine and Charles Anderson
Daniel ’65 and Alice Anderson
Donald ’60 and Violet Anderson
Oscar† ’38 and Leola† Anderson
Leona Radman Antholz ’41†
Clarette† ’29 and Luther† ’29 Arnold
Earl and Doris Bakken
Loren and Mary Quanbeck ’77 Barber
Elizabeth ’82 and Warren Bartz
Paul ’63 and LaVonne Olson ’63 Batalden
Sidney ’57 and Lola Lidstrom ’50 Berg
Barbara and Zane Birky
Carl Blegen†
Roy ’50 and Ardis Bogen
Joyce and John† Boss
Donald Bottemiller and Shellie Reed
Rodney and Barbara Burwell
Bush Foundation
Carlson Companies
The Curtis L. Carlson Family Foundation
Richard ’74 and Nancy Colvin
Mary Brandt ’79 Croft and David Croft
Oliver Dahl ’45
Theodore and Pamala Deikel
Deluxe Corporation Foundation
Darrell ’55 and Helga Egertson
Tracy Elftmann ’81
Fuad and Nancy El-Hibri
Raymond Erickson ’50†
Malcolm† and Maybelle† Estrem
Ever Cat Fuels, LLC
Philip and Laverne Fandrei
Jerome ’37† and Winifred Helland ’37† Formo
Jerry and Jean Foss
Julian Foss ’30†
William and Anne Frame
Paul† ’42 and Maxine† Fridlund
Barbara and Edwin Gage
General Mills Foundation
Michael ’71 and Ann Good
Roger Griffith ’84 and Jean Taylor ’85
H. Theodore ’76 and Michele Grindal
Raymond ’57 and Janice Grinde
Lynne and Phillip ’55† Gronseth
Carolyn and Franklin Groves
Norman and Evangeline Hagfors
James and Kathleen Haglund
Dale ’60 and Carolyn Hanka
Hearst Foundation
Loren Henderson
Donald Hennings
Grace Forss ’57 Herr and Douglas Herr
Orville ’36† and Gertrude Lund ’36† Hognander
Donald ’39 and Phyllis Holm
Allen and Jean Housh
Garfield Hoversten ’50
Lester Hoversten†
Robert Hoversten
Huss Foundation
Glenda† and Richard Huston
Sandra and Richard Jacobson
James Johnson and Maxine Isaacs
Kinney Johnson ’65
Wayne ’71 and Carol Pederson ’72 Jorgenson
Dean ’75 and Terry Kennedy
Bruce and Maren Kleven
David and Barbara Kleven
E. Milton Kleven ’46 and Dorothy Lisjing ’47† Kleven
Dean and Susan Kopperud
Kraus-Anderson Construction Company
Roy† and Eleanor† Krohn
Harriett Kurek†
Paul ’86 and Rhonda Spitzer ’85 Kwiecien
David Lankinen ’88
Diane and Philip Larson
George ’61 and Mary Larson
Harris ’57 and Maryon Lee
James Lindell Sr. ’46
Arne ’49 and Jean Swanson ’52 Markland
Jennifer and Richard Martin
Marie and Larry McNeff
Gerard and Anne Meistrell
Hoyt ’39† and Lucille Messerer
Robert ’70 and Sue Midness
Gay Johnson ’66 Minear and Spencer Minear ’66
Alan Montgomery and Janet Karvonen-Montgomery
Paul ’84 and Nancy Mackey ’85 Mueller
William and Stephanie Naegele
Barbara Tjornhom ’54 Nelson and Richard Nelson
George ’68 and Tamra Nelson
Ida Nelson†
Ronald ’68 and Mary Kay Nelson
Clifford and Martha Nylander†
R
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102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:29 AM Page 1
AUGSBURG NOW
SPRING 2010
VOL. 71, NO. 3
inside
out of the
Augsburg Now
The Magazine of Augsburg College
25Photo
Years
of Life-Changing
contest winners Peace Prize Forum 2010
Lutefisk and a legacy In the neighborhood
Travel
Learning t...
Show more
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:29 AM Page 1
AUGSBURG NOW
SPRING 2010
VOL. 71, NO. 3
inside
out of the
Augsburg Now
The Magazine of Augsburg College
25Photo
Years
of Life-Changing
contest winners Peace Prize Forum 2010
Lutefisk and a legacy In the neighborhood
Travel
Learning to learn Pursuing an ideal education
page
20
Connecting
the dots for good IGNITE program
box
Auggies
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:29 AM Page 2
Editor
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
Creative Director
notes
from President Pribbenow
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Editorial
Wendi Wheeler ’06
wheelerw@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Design
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Multiply your mind by giving it away
Photographer
a
Webmaster/Now Online
s this issue of Augsburg Now illustrates, the
Augsburg community is engaged in many efforts and initiatives that are best characterized as innovative—or “out-of-the-box,” as they’re
called here. In fact, I believe deeply that there is
something about Augsburg and its mission that
lends itself to this sort of entrepreneurial spirit,
this willingness to try new ways of doing things in
service to our students and neighbors. Just think of
the last 30 years of new programs at Augsburg—
the Weekend College; the expansion to seven graduate programs; the Augsburg campus at Bethel
Lutheran Church in Rochester and at St. Stephen
Lutheran Church in Bloomington; the Augsburg
Core Curriculum ––(AugCore), with its expansive
framework for educating students in the liberal arts
and in the world; the CLASS office, providing support for students with learning differences; the
StepUP program, meeting the needs of students recovering from addictions; and the list goes on and
on. All examples of how Augsburg is on the leading
edge of providing an excellent education in new
and innovative ways.
I’ve recently been reading literature on helping
organizations to embrace and sustain a culture of
innovation—that is, to create organizational cultures that are constantly looking for new and different ways to do things, to make products, to deliver
services; to save souls, educate students, heal the
sick. Recently, I happened upon the writing of
Mark Federman, a Canadian scholar whose writings on innovation include this provocative suggestion: “Multiply your mind by giving it away.” And
Federman means exactly what he says—be generous, be charitable, give instead of always taking.
Because when you are generous with your mind,
with your knowledge and education, you help to
create organizations and neighborhoods and agencies and churches and schools that are marked not
by the scarcity of the world but by the abundance
of what’s possible when generosity of mind and
heart and spirit is our guiding principle.
How will you give away your mind in the communities and organizations you serve? I constantly find
examples of such generosity of mind right here in
the Augsburg community, and you’ll see them in
the stories featured here. For example, I’m struck
by the ways in which staff member Brian Noy and
his many colleagues who run our Campus Kitchen
program are illustrating this generosity of mind and
spirit. In addition to the ongoing preparation and
delivery of 2,000 meals a month they serve to our
neighbors in Phillips and Cedar-Riverside, they
have focused our attention on the important role
that food plays in our lives—as sustenance for our
bodies, as fellowship for our community, as politics
and economics in our neighborhood and world.
They have multiplied their minds by giving them
away to all of us. And the results are staggering—
a community garden on the edge of campus that
brings together neighbors and students and children, a Farmers Market that brings organic farmers
from across the region to campus, composting of
leftover everything in the cafeteria, and so much
more—abundance through generosity.
The gift of an education, an Augsburg education, calls all of us to this generous undertaking of
multiplying your mind and knowledge and experience by giving it away so that it serves God’s abundant intentions for God’s people and world. That is
the sort of innovation that is at the heart of
Augsburg’s mission and vision. I’m proud to share
in this significant work.
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Bryan Barnes
barnesb@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Jeff Shelman
shelman@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President of
Marketing and Communication
Rebecca John
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni and
Constituent Relations
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
healyk@augsburg.edu
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
au
w
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:30 AM Page 3
spring 2010
Features
10
14
6
10
14
10th annual International Programs Photo Contest
2010 Nobel Peace Prize Forum
Lutefisk, a log cabin, and a 50-year legacy
by Betsey Norgard
17 auggies
out of the box
20
34
20 Pursuing an ideal education
by Wendi Wheeler ’06
23 In the neighborhood
contents
by Jeff Shelman
28
augsburg now
Departments
2
5
8
9
37
40
44
Around the Quad
Auggies on the ice
Auggie voices
It takes an Auggie
Alumni news
Class notes
My Auggie experience
25 Learning to learn—without any A, B, Cs
by Jeff Shelman
28 Connecting the dots for good
by Bryan Barnes
31 IGNITE-ing Auggie spirit
by Betsey Norgard
34 The Bod Pod
by Betsey Norgard
36 Out of the box partnerships
by Rebecca John
On the cover
It’s impossible to arrange many of the programs, people, and
partnerships at Augsburg neatly into a box. With their creative
perspectives and unique features, the stories here show how
Augsburg often looks and acts “out-of-the-box.”
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:31 AM Page 4
around the
quad
Auggies win 11th national wrestling title
With eight All-Americans and three national runner-up individuals, the Augsburg College wrestling team claimed its 11th
NCAA Division III national title in the last 20 seasons in March
in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Augsburg finished with 110.5 points, 10 points better than
second-place Wisconsin-La Crosse’s 100.5. Defending national
champion Wartburg (Iowa) was third with 83.5 points, Coe
(Iowa) was fourth with 76.0 points, and Delaware Valley (Pa.)
was fifth with 50.5 points.
In his second year as Augsburg’s head wrestling coach, Mark
Matzek ’05 was named Division III National Coach of the Year
by the National Wrestling Coaches Association—and at age 27,
is the youngest head coach to ever win a Division III wrestling
national title. Augsburg assistant head coach Jared Evans ’07
was named National Assistant Coach of the Year by the NWCA.
“It was nine individual efforts that created this team national
championship,” Matzek said. “I’m proud of each and every one
of the guys who wrestled, and I’m proud of each and every one
of the guys in this program.”
The final session of the tournament completed a unique first
for the Auggies—the first time Augsburg has won a national
title without an individual national titlist. The feat has occurred
just twice before in the 37-year history of the Division III championships.
Have you seen the new signs?
The new LED “Augsburg” atop Mortensen Hall now serves as a
beacon to commuters who pass by on Interstate 94 and as a marker
of Augsburg’s location. To read more and see a video of the
construction, go to the “Auggie Sign” page on Facebook.
Photo by Caleb Williams
Auggie wrestlers, students, families, and friends
celebrated Augsburg’s 11th national championship.
2
Augsburg Now
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:31 AM Page 5
Augsburg receives five Fulbright awards
In the past weeks, three Augsburg students, one faculty member, and the
Center for Global Education have all been notified that they have received
Fulbright awards for next year.
May graduates Jens Olsen and Heidi Le will both teach English in
Vietnam during the 2010-11 academic year. Bethany Hellerich, a 2009
graduate who is spending this year as a member of the Lutheran Volunteer
Corps, will teach English in Indonesia. All three have plans to further their
education after their year abroad, as Olsen will apply to medical school, Le
has deferred admission to pharmacy school, and Hellerich is interested in
a public health graduate program.
Seven Augsburg students have been awarded Fulbrights over the past
three years and the College has been recognized as a top producer of winners. Hellerich said Augsburg’s Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity office (URGO) deserves credit for working with students and
pushing them to believe that they can have success.
“I’m just fortunate that [URGO director] Dixie Shafer exists and magical
things happen when she works with you on your application,” Hellerich
said. “She’s very helpful with giving good and detailed feedback.”
English professor Colin Irvine will spend the next academic year traveling the length of Norway as a Fulbright Roving Scholar in American Studies.
Courtesy photo
College mourns the death of faculty
Professor Don Steinmetz, who
taught in the Languages and
Cross-Cultural Studies Department for 41 years, died of an
apparent heart attack on Dec.
28. He was 71. His son, Erik
Steinmetz, is a member of
Augsburg’s Computer Science
Donald Steinmetz
Myles Stenshoel
Department faculty.
Don Steinmetz served as chair of the department and taught
courses in German and Spanish. He also taught Chinese and linguistics within the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities consortium.
Professor Emeritus Myles Stenshoel died on March 26 following
a short illness. He taught at Augsburg for 28 years and continued
to teach part time in retirement. In 1965 he came to Augsburg and
established the Political Science Department the following year. His
interests were in politics and religion, and he was deeply committed to social action.
Also mourned is Neal Thorpe ’60, former faculty member and a
Distinguished Alumnus, who died in Vancouver, Wash., on March 3.
Jens Olsen and Heidi Le
Colin Irvine
In this role, Irvine will prepare presentations on American studies topics and visit schools across Norway to provide opportunities for Norwegian
teenagers to learn about the United States. Based in Oslo, he will likely give
between 250 and 300 presentations across the country.
“I’ve always been interested in the possibility of working or teaching
overseas,” Irvine said. “This roving scholar program was perfect.”
In addition, the Center for Global Education also received its fifth
Fulbright-Hays Group Project award and will host a four-week curriculum
development program for teachers during July and August in Namibia.
Editor’s Note
The last issue of the Now had a story, “Augsburg’s first
travel to Egypt.” Alas, we have received a note from social work Professor Emerita Edwina (Eddie) Hertzberg,
who tells us it isn’t so.
“In 1979, for the January Interim, the College sponsored a course, Social Services and Public Policy in a Developing Country: Egypt, 1979,” she writes. “I was the
faculty instructor, assisted by former adjunct professor
Nagwa Farag and two of her colleagues from Helwan
University in Cairo. My request to Professor Farag
had been that we get as close to Egyptian people
as possible so that our experience include the
depth that only such engagement can provide.
Eleven students, Augsburg and St. Olaf,
from a variety of disciplines, participated in
the month-long program. … [I]t was a remarkable educational and life-impacting
experience for us all, students and faculty alike.”
Spring 2010
3
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:31 AM Page 6
around the
quad
Yi started out the semester in the back of the room, about as far
away from me as possible. He showed relatively little interest; his
homework and test grades were poor. Yet when I called on him he
responded with reasonable answers. Like others hiding in the
back row, Yi had potential; he just needed some personal attention and prodding. I took to writing notes on his homework encouraging him to move forward and talk to me. One afternoon he
appeared in my office, and we talked for an hour about many
things—about the class, how he came to United International
College (UIC), and his goals. Eventually he closed the office door
and wanted to talk about the injuries his uncle experienced in
Tiananmen Square in 1989. But the fear was still too great and
he left. Yi did move forward, began to interact with me, and soon
his work, tests, and comments improved remarkably. He began to
enjoy thinking philosophically.
Through a special arrangement, Augsburg made it possible for
me to teach philosophy during the fall semester at UIC in Zhuhai,
China. In three classes I was privileged to work with 120 bright
Chinese students. A new, English-medium liberal arts college on
the mainland, UIC is an experiment to provide a more Western
style of education to the Chinese. China is dramatically changing
as it attempts to educate its population, and UIC is one of eight
brand-new universities built in Zhuhai in the last 10 years.
“I told my students that part of my mission was to
corrupt them, to move them from the passive state
of being excellent note-takers and regurgitators of
teachers’ PowerPoints to being able to think and
question for themselves.”
In Introduction to Philosophy we read Plato’s Apology, where
Socrates is accused of corrupting the youth by getting them to
question those in authority who claimed that they knew when they
really didn’t. I told my students that part of my mission was to corrupt them, to move them from the passive state of being excellent
note-takers and regurgitators of teachers’ PowerPoints to being
able to think and question for themselves. By the end of the term
over half of the students were engaging me in the classroom discussion, raising questions and objections and making the class
their own.
Courtesy photo
Philosophy, religion, and Chinese food
Professor Bruce Reichenbach with students (from left) Daisy, Serena, and Charlene enjoy
noodles and discussion after class in Zhuhai, China.
My Philosophy of Religion students and I would walk down to
the student canteen on Friday for lunch and conversation. Jiang
sat next to me and between bites of noodles asked, “Do you really
believe in God?” Teaching Philosophy of Religion provided both a
challenge and opportunity, as both the students and I looked for a
common ground of understanding between our two cultures and
worldviews. Once the initial barriers of passive learning were put to
rest, the classroom boiled with discussion, questions, challenges,
and good humor. Here, too, the students would linger. Tony periodically stayed around for an hour, his phenomenology book in hand,
to inquire how Heidegger would view these ideas. Self taught in
philosophy, he was eager to connect the course ideas with his own
reading.
Three Augsburg students and four recent graduates, serving as
teaching assistants, also joined the UIC community, providing
cross-cultural connections that will continue to develop as students and faculty visit each other’s campuses in the years ahead.
At the end of the term two of my classes took my wife and me to
Chinese restaurants to show their appreciation. We toasted friendship and a wonderful semester as we affirmed that we all liked philosophy and Chinese food.
BRUCE REICHENBACH
Professor of philosophy
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Auggies on the ice
Chris Johnson—A third-generation hockey star
Chris Johnson certainly has an impressive hockey pedigree.
Chris is the son of Mark Johnson, a member of the fabled “Miracle on Ice” 1980 U.S. Olympic team, a pro hockey star, and coach
of the 2010 U.S. Olympic women’s silver-medal hockey squad.
He’s the grandson of “Badger” Bob Johnson, one of the greatest
coaches in American hockey history—who also happened to attend
Augsburg for a year before transferring to the University of
Wisconsin. And his siblings all played hockey on various teams.
But Chris Johnson has also made a name for himself as a leader
of the Auggie men’s hockey team. A native of Verona, Wis.,
Johnson had a terrific career as an Auggie, scoring 41 goals with
74 assists for 115 points in his 104-game career. He had a goal or
assist in 15 of Augsburg’s 27 games this season, including seven
multiple-point efforts.
Johnson’s squads reached the MIAC postseason
playoffs in three of his four seasons, including two
with him as team captain. He earned All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
honors all four seasons and All-American
honors last year.
Off the ice, Johnson will also be remembered as a top hockey
player. He’s a member of Augsburg’s Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee and has helped lead hockey ministry and Bible-study
groups of student-athletes. He’s also worked with the Herb Brooks
Foundation’s “Rink Rats” program, teaching hockey skills to students from the Seward Montessori School. Johnson is a finance
major with a 3.4 GPA.
“Hockey was everywhere when we were growing up, in a good
way, not in a pressure way,” Johnson told columnist Rachel Blount
of the Star Tribune in a January feature. “We all got to play at the
same high school as my dad. He taught us that even though we
might have a last name that helps, it doesn’t matter if you don’t
work hard. But he also told us that at the end of the day, it’s all
about having fun.”
This season was a special one for the Johnson family.
Since the U.S. women’s hockey team was based at the
Schwan Super Rink in Blaine, Minn., prior to the
Olympics, Mark—who took a leave of absence from his
job as coach of the University of Wisconsin women’s
hockey team to lead the Olympic squad—had ample opportunities to be with his son in the Twin Cities. Mark
attended several of his son’s games at Augsburg, and
the two met weekly for dinner and father-son bonding.
In a “Profiles of Excellence” feature on the
CollegeSportingNews.com website by Rich Mies in
January, Chris Johnson said that his experience at
Augsburg has been a positive one. “I’ve received a great education here,” he said, “and
I cherish the relationships I’ve made here
with teammates, coaches, teachers, and
friends. I’ve grown up a lot while I’ve
been here.”
He also said he may consider
following in his father’s and
grandfather’s footsteps and
coach hockey someday.
DON STONER
Spring 2010
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International Programs
1
Photo
Contest
Portraits
1st place: Matt Anderson
“Soccer at Le Sacré Coeur”
Paris, France
2nd place: Sandra Meyer
“Yes”
Managua, Nicaragua
3rd place: Dan Thewis
“Friday at Al-Azhar Mosque”
Cairo, Egypt
Landscape/cityscape
1
1st place: Norah Thompson
“Villa Joyosa, España”
Madrid, Spain
2nd place: Malena Thoson
“Municipal Dump”
Managua, Nicaragua
3rd place: Elizabeth Robinson
“Work Will Set You Free”
Berlin, Germany
Photojournalism
1st place: Dan Thewis
“Cairo at Midnight”
Cairo, Egypt
2nd place: Norah Thompson
“El niño en Madrid”
Madrid, Spain
6
Augsburg Now
1
3rd place: Sandra Meyer
“Nonchalant”
Managua, Nicaragua
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:31 AM Page 9
3
2
3
3
2009
2
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
2
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auggie voices
How girlfriends do theology
“Doing Theology with Girlfriends,” or DTwG as it is known, is
not your typical Bible study.
Sonja Hagander, associate pastor at Augsburg, started DTwG
because students told her they wanted a Bible study on campus.
“But you can’t always call it a ‘Bible study,’” Hagander says,
“because that means it’s difficult or boring or only for people
who already understand the Bible.”
So DTwG gives women at Augsburg a chance to connect, to
support each other, and to relate their own life experiences to
scripture. This group of girlfriends gathers once a month to share
stories of their lives and to “do” theology.
The idea for DTwG came as Hagander reflected on how she
loved spending time with her own girlfriends and on the importance of relating to other women. When the group gathers each
month, one woman shares a story from her life. The others then
share their own feelings and memories related to the story.
Hagander chooses a reading or two from the Bible, which the
women use to dig deeper into their experiences. Finally, they ask
how what they’ve learned might change their daily lives or the
way they practice their faith.
On the last Monday in January, one student talked about what
it means to “truly experience” nature as she related the story of
her family’s vacation in Denali National Park. “I sat there for
hours, looking out for miles, reflecting and praying and trying to
figure out my place within God’s beautiful creation,” she said.
8
Augsburg Now
Hagander passed out copies of Psalm 23, and the girlfriends
identified their own green pastures and still waters. For one, a
late-night jog around the lakes in Minneapolis was a way for
her to connect to nature. Another experienced the majesty of
creation while watching the sunrise over the Grand Canyon.
Then Hagander asked the group to examine the dark and destructive side of nature using Job’s account of a fire-breathing,
stone-hearted leviathan. This led to a discussion about the
massive loss of life caused by the earthquakes in Haiti. One
woman marveled at the faith that kept some people alive as
they waited for days to be pulled from the rubble of destroyed
homes, churches, and schools.
“Today is a gift that we get to use in the best way possible,”
Hagander said, asking how the women could take this discussion into their lives.
This hour wasn’t a gab session or group therapy. But it
wasn’t an ordinary Bible study either. There were no right answers or theologically sound interpretations. Just coffee and
tea, comfortable chairs, a pink candle, and a chance to share.
That is how girlfriends do theology.
WENDI WHEELER ’06
Back row (L to R): Amy Wenzel, Whitney Pratt, Pastor Sonja Hagander, Ally Streed,
Sara Thiry, Emily Wiles; Front row (L to R): Lonna Field, Carly Facchini, Dixie Scruggs,
Marrta Wyatt, Angelica Erickson, Sylvia Bull
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:32 AM Page 11
it takes an
Auggie
A young woman meets her many grandmothers
Last year, Krystal Mattison ’10 studied in Korea. Many students
who study abroad are profoundly affected by the experience. For
Mattison, a history and American Indian studies major from St.
Paul, spending the year abroad was a life-changing opportunity to
bond with her new grandmothers.
Mattison is the granddaughter of a “comfort woman.” During
World War II, thousands of Korean women were forced into sexual
slavery by the Japanese military. Some of these women did not survive their ordeal, and many were unable to have children as a result of their treatment. Furthermore, the women were unable to
talk about their experiences until many years later.
Her grandmother died when Mattison was five years old, but she
heard the story from her father. While in Korea, Mattison spent
time at the House of Sharing, an organization in Seoul that houses
and cares for the surviving comfort women. She says that after she
told them about her grandmother, the women became her adopted
grandmothers (halmonis), even giving her the Korean name
Soo-Jeong. “They spoiled me, holding my hands and feeding me,”
she says.
She learned from the women, who now think of themselves not
as victims but as survivors and activists, that speaking out against
violence is an important part of the healing process. “This experience brought me so much completion that I had to do something.”
That “something” was to connect with Jessica Nathanson, assistant professor of women’s studies and director of Augsburg’s
Women’s Resource Center. After Mattison shared her grandmother’s story and her own experience in Korea, the center agreed
to donate the proceeds from its annual benefit performance of The
Vagina Monologues to the House of Sharing.
Eve Ensler’s episodic play began off-Broadway in 1996. Each
year The Vagina Monologues and other theatrical productions are
presented across the country by women on college campuses on
V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.
“Since the purpose of performing this show is to fight violence
against women by raising awareness about the issue and funds for
organizations who do this work, we feel like it was a tremendously
successful event,” says Nathanson. “The performances were excellent,” she adds, “beautifully and powerfully delivered.”
This year’s production raised more than $800 through ticket
sales and donations, which amounts to 940,000 Korean won.
“This is such a personal issue for me, and I think it’s amazing that
the women of Augsburg took it on,” Mattison says. At the end of
each Augsburg performance, Mattison gave a speech about her
grandmother. “I felt like she was there with me.”
The Vagina Monologues was directed by Julia Sewell, a senior
psychology major from Minneapolis. The cast included Irene Abdullah, Veronica Berg, Kia Burton, Amber Davis, Rebecca
Dickinson, Sarah Gillund, Annika Gunderson, Lucreshia Grant,
Elizabeth Hanson, Brandy Hyatt, Valencia McMurray, Lily Morris,
Kris Ness, Magdalen Ng, Shannon O’Brien, Yasameen Sajady,
Leann Vice-Reshel, Rochelle Weidner, and Courtney Wiley.
WENDI WHEELER ’06
During Krystal Mattison’s year in Korea, she became friends with women, like her own
grandmother, called “comfort women,” who were abused by the Japanese military
during World War II. These survivors became grandmothers to her, and this year she
found a way to help support them.
Spring 2010
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THE 22ND ANNUAL NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FORUM
10
Augsburg Now
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THE 22ND ANNUAL NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FORUM
Striving for Peace
A Question of Will
March 5–6, 2010
In cooperation with the Norwegian Nobel Institute, five Midwestern colleges of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) sponsor the
annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum. The colleges,
all founded by Norwegian immigrants, sponsor
the forum to give recognition to Norway’s international peace efforts and to offer opportunities
for Nobel Peace laureates, diplomats, scholars,
students, and the general public to engage in dialogue on the dynamics of peacemaking and the
underlying causes of conflict and war.
The Peace Prize Forum is the Nobel Institute’s only such program or academic affiliation
outside Norway.
Augsburg College
Augustana College
Concordia College
Luther College
St. Olaf College
This year’s Peace Prize Forum was held March 5
and 6 on the Augsburg College campus, and honored the work of 2008 Nobel Peace Prize winner
Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland.
The other plenary speakers were Kjell Magne
Bondevik, president of the Oslo Center for Peace
and Human Rights, and Leymah Gbowee, executive director of Women Peace and Security
Network-Africa.
Prior to the forum, the 15th annual Peace Prize
Festival brought together approximately 800
school children and youth to learn about the importance and influence of the Nobel Peace Prize
and to honor President Ahtisaari.
For more photos of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum and
Peace Prize Festival, go to www.augsburg.edu/now
Spring 2010
11
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THE 22ND ANNUAL NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FORUM
The Peace Prize Forum is grateful for the support of our sponsors:
this year’s host, Augsburg College, for providing the platform and for staging this
important event. Together, with all of you
in the audience, I look forward to learning
from a leader this evening, a man who’s
been inspiring in his steadfast belief in
peace and transformative in his approach.
May we all leave this conference energized
by the power of one voice and committed
to engaging collaboratively with each other
to further the process of achieving peace.
Thank you.”
Alex Gonzalez ’90 (right), Thrivent Financial for Lutherans,
and Pribbenow meet Ahtisaari.
Ann Parriott, vice president for human resources at H.B. Fuller, extended greetings at
the forum’s opening ceremony.
“Good evening. It’s a pleasure to be here
with you tonight to help introduce this year’s
conference. H.B. Fuller Company is honored
to serve as the lead sponsor for the 2010
Nobel Peace Prize Forum. We’re delighted
to help welcome our very special guest
speaker, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti
Ahtisaari, and pleased to help and encourage ongoing dialogue and discussion on the
topic of peace and conflict resolution.
“As a company operating in more than
100 countries for many of our 120-plus
years, H.B. Fuller has long embraced the
value of diverse global perspectives to solve
problems, address challenges, and maximize opportunities in the business sector.
We are truly excited to help bring this year’s
program to you and by so doing help provide a platform for dialogue, discussion,
and diverse perspectives on an issue that
affects all of us as global citizens.
“We salute the Norwegian Nobel Institute and our academic sponsors, including
12
Augsburg Now
Alex Gonzalez ’90 represented Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans™ at the forum.
Parriott poses with President Martti Ahtisaari (center)
and President Pribbenow.
Ann and Todd Parriott converse with Augsburg’s MBA
director, Steve Zitnick (left).
“As a faith-based membership organization,
Thrivent Financial seeks to help enable its
members to demonstrate their care and concern for others. While organizationally it
does not have a global focus, Thrivent Financial does help its members have a global
impact through programs such as Thrivent
Builds Worldwide and through various
Lutheran relief organizations that have a
global reach.”
Alex Gonzalez, FIC, CLTC, is a partner
with the Stonebridge Group. He is a 1990
Augsburg graduate and a member of the
Augsburg College Board of Regents.
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:34 AM Page 15
Tim McGough (center) greets Ahtisaari and Pribbenow.
McGough Construction and “Bright Green”
As a result of their extensive experience
with “green” construction and knowledge
of sustainable building practices and products, McGough has created the Bright
Green sustainable program. A guiding
principle of the program is to find creative
ways to apply sustainable practices to construction projects in a cost-effective manner. This would include exploring
techniques for reducing waste and applying eco-friendly operating practices.
McGough has adopted green strategies
throughout their company to test cleaning
products and utilize advanced recycling
strategies. This focus on energy conservation and minimizing waste enables it to
export these practices to the construction
site and provide useful advice to clients.
The centerpiece of Bright Green is the
Center of Excellence. The Center of
Excellence consists of several sustainability
specialists who can provide information and
advice to organizations who are considering
the implementation of criteria developed by
the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
or adopting proven practices to reduce the
negative environmental impacts of building
design and construction.
The center draws upon outside research
and industry data, as well as lessons
learned “on the ground” from McGough
Construction projects. Indeed, McGough is
a long-standing member of the USGBC
and is a founding sponsor of the local
Mississippi Headwaters Chapter in Minnesota. The sustainability specialists in
the Center of Excellence maintain active
roles in local chapter committees, enabling them to stay well-informed about
the most recent developments in sustainable design and construction.
McGough, in collaboration with
Augsburg, will apply these practices
to the Center for Science, Business, and
Religion.
Kjell Magne Bondevik, president of the Oslo
Center for Peace and Human Rights, spoke in
dialogue with President Ahtisaari at the forum.
“In the long term, we can never win the
fight [against terrorism] by military means.
We need to find out why people are willing
to give their lives and we need to address
the root causes of terrorism.”
Nordic Home Interiors
Tim McGough (left) and Mike Hangge, with McGough Construction, speak with Barbara Farley, Augsburg’s vice
president for academic affairs and dean of the College.
EVENT CONTRIBUTORS:
Jeanne M. Voigt Foundation
Mary T., Inc.
Wells Fargo
Winds of Peace Foundation
The Omari rug/wall hangings donated to the
forum were woven by Nordic Home Interior’s
partner, Everest Handicraft Industries, in
Katmandu, Nepal. They were hand-knotted
in the primitive Nepalese/Tibetan art form of
Tibetan wool with 100 knots per square
inch. The dove design is Indian silk.
DONORS:
Baker Tilly
Faegre & Benson
Norway House
Spring 2010
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“ I T ’ S A B O U T F R I E N D S H I P, L E G A C Y, G O O D F O O D ,
H E R I T A G E , A G I N G — A L L O F T H O S E . ” JIM PEDERSON ’56
On a cold, crisp February morning, photographer Stephen Geffre and I follow Jim
Pederson ’56 through ankle-deep snow up a
slope to a small log cabin that overlooks
Swede Lake.
This log cabin, near Star Prairie, Wis.,
sits on the farm that was homesteaded by
Pederson’s great-grandparents in 1872 and
that he and his brother, Dwight ’60, now
own. They grew up on the farm, moved away
to begin their own lives, and now return
often with their families and friends.
Our reason for being there is to visit the
site of an annual celebration that has occurred on the second Saturday of November
for the past 50 years. It’s an afternoon each
year when Jim and Elaine Pederson host
friends and family in the small log cabin for
mulled cider and treats before heading to
nearby West Immanuel Lutheran Church for
lutefisk dinner. This church dinner is a
75-year tradition that now attracts more
than 1,200 people for lutefisk, lefse, meatballs, and more.
THE BEGINNING OF
ENDURING FRIENDSHIPS
Jim Pederson says it’s difficult to put a
label on this annual gathering. It’s about
friendship, legacy, good food, heritage,
aging—all of those. Star Tribune columnist
Original furniture, art, and history provide the setting for the pre-lutefisk dinner gathering that fills the cabin in November each year.
14
Augsburg Now
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BY BETSEY NORGARD
Lutefisk,
a log cabin, and a 50-year legacy
Jon Tevlin, who attended last November’s
half-century celebration, described it as
“an iconic Midwestern living postcard that
turned 50 years old Saturday.”
At first it was just an annual trek to the
lutefisk dinner, but as years went by and
friends began to gather beforehand at the
farm, the camaraderie there became as
important as the meal that followed. While
to the Pedersons the gathering marks the
final event of the farm’s social season,
many of the attendees consider it the beginning of their holiday festivities.
Pederson really can’t put his finger on
just what glue has held so many of them
together for so long. The short answer, he
says, is that it was a group of Augsburg
friends who started coming out to the
country for a church dinner.
“The better answer,” he adds, “is that
some of us developed friendships that included faculty members who were our
mentors and with whom we greatly enjoyed
informal times outside the classroom.”
Faculty from the 1950s who became
regular attendees include Phil Quanbeck
Sr., Paul Sonnack, Joel Torstenson, Ralph
and Grace Sulerud, and others. For nearly
20 years, retired history professor Carl and
Val Chrislock spent many of their summers
at the farm, where Carl did a great deal of
writing and where Val tended her flower
and vegetable gardens. When there were
deaths, spouses and families often continued to participate.
“Many of us were deeply interested in
public service of some kind, whether
teaching, the ministry, public policy, or
politics,” says Pederson. In the 1950s,
when academic freedom was restricted
and McCarthyism caused colleges to shy
away from controversy, he credits Augsburg
and the leadership of President Bernhard
Christensen for encouraging political expression and organization.
“Augsburg practiced academic freedom
while in some institutions it was only
preached,” Pederson says. “Political organizations were encouraged on campus.
Faculty encouraged students to become involved in political campaigns, and Political
Emphasis Week brought speakers from the
whole political spectrum.
“It was in this cauldron that lasting
friendships developed and continued beyond graduation. While politics was a strong
interest of a few, the friendships persisted
regardless of the chosen vocation,”
Pederson says.
It all started with the five Auggie
Norwegian bachelors who, as students, lived
together above Larson’s grocery store—
Martin Sabo ’59, Jim ’56 and Dwight ’60
Pederson, Harlan Christianson ’57, and
Erwin Christenson ’58. In 1959, Jim and
Elaine Pederson (who were not yet married)
and Harlan and Lori Christianson decided to
drive out to Star Prairie for the lutefisk
dinner. Elaine was a student nurse at
Deaconess Hospital and Augsburg, and this
trip became her introduction to the farm, to
lutefisk, and to her future Pederson in-laws.
Each year thereafter has brought additional invited friends and families. On
November 14, 2009—the 50th anniversary—the count was 67. The group now includes the families and friends of Jim and
Elaine and their children, Michelle and
Kirk, a 1987 grad; his fiancée Molly; grandchildren Madeline, Emma, and Ginny; and
Dwight and his wife, Marion, also a
Lutheran Deaconess nurse; daughter
Denise; and grandchildren Laura, Thomas,
and Helenya.
AUGSBURG STORIES PLAY OUT
OVER THE YEARS
Pederson says he’d like to tie the story of
the 50-year gatherings to what they
learned at Augsburg. “‘Education for
Service’ we thought of as just a phrase,
but it really did mean a lot to us—whether
in ministry, nursing, government, or politics. It played out, and that’s an important
part of the story for me.”
The Augsburg-connected stories include
the political career of Martin Sabo, which
dates back to the days of the five
Norwegian bachelors. Pederson, who
served as student body president and was
active in student political groups, became
manager in 1960 for Sabo’s state house
endorsement campaign. “And he never lost
an election after that,” Pederson comments, about Sabo’s long and distinguished legislative career, marked by his
retirement in 2007.
In another Augsburg story, Chrislock,
who was a regular at the November gatherings, stayed on the farm while he wrote his
1991 book, Watchdog of Loyalty: The
Minnesota Commission of Public Safety
during World War I.
Emeriti professors Ralph and Grace
Sulerud, close friends of the Chrislocks,
Spring 2010
15
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Courtesy photo
“WE HOPE THIS CARRIES ON FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS—
S O , Y O U N G E R G E N E R AT I O N , W E ’ R E C O U N T I N G O N Y O U . ”
ELAINE PEDERSON
enjoyed the old farmstead and lake so
much that they now have a house there,
just down the hill from the log house. And
so, the Augsburg connections continue.
THE MEANING OF PLACE
THE LOG HOUSE AND LEGACY
Pederson’s log house, the current gathering
place, wasn’t part of the original farm. The
original log house disappeared long ago,
and Pederson had always wanted something
like his great-grandfather built in the
1870s. In 1972, he found neighbors wanting to get rid of an old log house on their
farm, and he jumped at the opportunity.
Courtesy photo
The Pederson ties date back more than
130 years in the community—to that farm
now in its sixth generation and to the
church originally chartered by his grandparents and their neighbors. The log house to
which people come each November is for
him an icon of family and heritage.
In the invitation letter for last November’s gathering, Pederson mentioned a recent book that weaves together themes of
story, place, calling, and purpose. Claiming Your Place at the Fire, by Richard
Lieder and David Shapiro, challenges
those entering “the second half of their
life” to consider these themes in finding
purpose in what they choose to do during
their elder years.
Pederson sees the old farm as the locale where at this annual event these
themes of aging and legacy play out. “This
is a time where family and friends share
life experiences, the happenings of the
last year, perhaps recalling mentors from
college or elsewhere, many of whom are no
longer with us; reminiscing about the good
times; the not-so-good times; commiserating over losses or illnesses; sometimes engaging in a bit of gossip. Sometimes it’s
small groups huddling to solve the world’s
problems.” Collectively, they recall stories,
redefine place, renew callings, and reclaim purpose.
“Oh yes, and there’s the country
church dinner, the ostensible reason for
the gathering,” adds Pederson. “Each
year, however, we hear some say they really come for the hour or two they spend
together before the big meal, sipping cider
Norwegian traditional goodies, and sharing
treats they bring.”
Auggies in the group of 67 at the 50th gathering last November included: (Front row, L to R):, Winnie (Nordlund)
Anderson ’61, Elaine Pederson, Vicki (Skor) Pearson ’59, retired art professor Phil Thompson. (Back L to R) Kiel
Christianson ’88, Jim Pederson ’56 (not visible) holding granddaughter Ginny, Kirk Pederson ’87 (turned away),
Pearl Almquist, Paul Almquist ’59, Eunice Helgeson ’69, professor Garry Hesser, retired librarian Grace Sulerud.
16
Augsburg Now
The “five Norweg
ian bachelors” re
united in 2002 wi
Erickson ’56 (cen
th Rod
ter). (Clockwise,
from left): Marti
’59, Harlan Chris
n Sabo
tianson ’57, Dwigh
t Pederson ’60, Er
Christenson ’58,
win
and Jim Pederson
’56.
An eclectic mix of history and heritage, the one main room of the cabin is
barely able to contain the crowd that gathers. Hanging on the walls are the farm’s
homestead documents and old photos;
some of the furniture is original. Rosemaling and other memorabilia fill the area. A
loft offers sleeping space, and an enclosed porch was added for additional
room.
In addition to Jim and Dwight, the old
farmstead has incorporated the Pedersons’
younger generations. Jim and Elaine’s
son, Kirk, has his place on the farm where
he and his family enjoy the summer. Their
daughter, Michelle, enjoys the solitude
and serenity of the farm both in summer
and winter.
So, as years go by, and the annual lutefisk group continues, children and grandchildren play greater roles. “In 1959,”
Pederson says, “none of us could have
predicted that 50 years later we would
speak of a remarkable tradition that we
hope will continue far into the future.”
Last November 14, after some traditional
Norwegian folk music and hymns, Elaine
Pederson announced, “We hope this carries
on for another 50 years—so, younger generation, we’re counting on you.”
To read more and see photos from earlier
gatherings, go to www.augsburg.edu/now
a
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ON PAPER
, Augsburg College looks a lot like most other liberal arts colleges. We have similar courses, departments, and programs. We teach students to think critically and to lead responsibly in
the world, which is what other schools also aim to do. And our students,
staff, and faculty don’t look much different than those at the big school
across the street or the small campuses across the river.
But in person we look and act differently. At Augsburg, we try to put
our own creative spin on things and to look at issues from different
perspectives.
For example, this year some of our first-year students and a group
of faculty spent an entire semester working together on a big problem
in our first “I-Term.” In another example, students in the Honors program create their very own courses, write and edit their own scholarly
journal, and together shape their own learning environment. And, one
of our alums has found a very creative way to do community service
while also running a thriving business.
The stories in this issue represent just a few of the “out-of-the-box”
programs, people, and partnerships that make us uniquely Augsburg.
Spring 2010
17
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Augsburg Now
50 students, 5 professors, 1 big
problem. Last fall’s I-Term students
discussed three big challenges in the
non-graded Fate of the Earth course.
I-Term students focused on food, fuel, and media in the course.
What’s a great way to engage alumni?
Introduce them to current students
who have similar majors or interests
and let them swap stories. In the end,
everyone benefits.
Yearbooks are keepsakes that link alumni to their college days.
IGNITE
I-TERM
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HONORS
houses in the Honors program.
Items such as an olive-leaf crown are emblems for specific
I-Term students focused on food, fuel, and media in the course.
OUT OF THE BOX
The Honors program consists
of a combination of classes,
students, structure, and a
whole lot of creativity.
FINNEGANS
As a student, Jacquie Berglund ’87
dreamed of helping the working
poor. Today her sense of vocation
drives her to take leaps of faith that
make life better for others.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Working closely with Cedar-Riverside and
Seward residents is just one of the ways we
live out our vocation to serve our neighbors.
Somali students help their classmates learn more about the symbols and dress in Muslim culture.
100% of the profit from every bottle sold provides help at the grassroots level.
Spring 2010
19
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PURSUING AN
IDEAL EDUCATION
Imagine your ideal college education. What classes
would you take? Who would teach them? What kind
of students would you study with? What activities
would you take part in? Where would you travel?
When Robert Groven set out to restructure the
Augsburg College Honors program, he asked faculty
and students these sorts of questions. At first, he
said, they were silent.
“They had just accepted that college is the way it
is,” Groven said. But then, they flooded him with ideas.
Students wanted more academic challenge and to
be pushed by faculty. They wanted courses to include
more content and classroom experiences to be more
active and engaging than in high school. They
wanted to learn outside the classroom and to have
opportunities for unconventional learning experiences—the exact sort of education that a small college in the city can provide.
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
The current Honors program house presidents are (clockwise, from front): Adam Spanier, Katie Radford,
Becki Iverson, Andrew Fox, David Ishida, Jonathan Chrastek, Kathleen Watson, and Charlie Olson.
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UNCONVENTIONAL COURSES
Three aspects of Augsburg’s Honors courses
distinguish them from courses in other college honors programs. First, each class is
specifically created for the Honors program.
In other words, it’s not a matter of adding
an assignment or text to an existing course
or simply creating a new title, Groven says.
The content of Honors courses is enriched
and the pace is accelerated as well.
Second, Honors courses are intentionally
interdisciplinary—multiple faculty from different departments teach in each class.
This spring, for example, the senior keystone course was taught by faculty whose
disciplines include sociology, social work,
metro-urban studies, art, English, and theatre. Augsburg’s
Honors students in the Liberating Letters class stepped back into ancient Greek times to put Poseidon on trial for the
murder of Odysseus’ men and fleet. (L to R): Eric Dooley, Nikki Johnson, Becca Dickinson, and Patrick DuSchane.
president, Paul Pribbenow, is one of the lead
instructors, focusing on his study of Jane Addams, founder of the settlement house movement.
The course, Legacies of Chicago: Ideas
and Action in Place, was conceived by Lars
Christiansen of the sociology and metrourban studies departments. The course examines how particular places are incubators
for unique ideas and actions. In addition to
studying about the traditions and concepts
that originated in Chicago, the class traveled
to the Windy City to experience the “place”
firsthand.
Finally, each course has a “signature” experience—an unconventional way of learning
that involves a high level of effort and also includes a public display of what the students
have learned. Students are usually enthusiastic about these experiences, Groven says, because the tasks are generally open-ended and
students have more freedom to make decisions about what they learn
and how they learn it.
In Liberating Letters, a
first-year humanities
course, students
put texts, authors,
or fictional characters on trial, serving as judge, jury,
prosecution, and defense. But before this
class begins, students have to pass a test. In
fact, in order to gain admission into the first
session, they are required to recite the first
stanza of Homer’s Odyssey from memory,
solve a riddle about Greek mythology, and
present the “prophecies” of three different
people who know them well concerning where
that student will be in 10 years.
A second type of course, which is likely
more-than-ideal for many students, is the
Student Created Learning Experience, or
SCLE. Aptly named, these are classes created
by students based on their interests. SCLEs
can essentially become an independent study
course for one student or 20 students and
can be open to all Augsburg students.
One of the more popular SCLEs, which
generated a great deal of interest when it was
first introduced and again this year, was The
Art, Science, and History of Brewing. In addition to learning about brewing from the perspective of different disciplines, students also
brew two batches of beer and invite guest
judges to evaluate the fruits of their labors.
This year senior theatre arts major David
Ishida created an SCLE on swordplay to fulfill
21
An olive-leaf crown is the emblem of the Hesser
Servants House in the Honors program.
OUT OF THE BOX
The result of all that questioning was a
student-centered program where students
take responsibility for their own learning,
with the full support of the faculty and the
resources they need to achieve their goals.
“We believe that an ideal education will
be different for every student,” Groven
says. “We know no one can reach an ideal
goal, but we believe the process of exploring and pursuing ideals is essential to college education.”
By striving for the ideal, the program
has become one where students routinely
go above and beyond the requirements
outlined in their syllabi. “We set a very
high bar, and we insist that they get there.
But they set a much higher bar for themselves than we ever would.”
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very receptive and energized,” Crockett says, “ … not just in the classroom
but on campus.” Crockett has engaged 14 current students as research assistants who will read and critique work that he is presenting at an international conference. “I hope they really come at me,” he says. “I’m counting
on them to find fresh answers.”
EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER
Honors senior Nicholas Blixt experiments with ingredients in The Art,
Science, and History of Brewing class.
a physical education credit but also to explore his interest
in medieval history and culture.
STUDENTS WHO LOVE TO LEARN
Interesting classes and outstanding faculty certainly can
combine for a compelling honors program, but the character and quality of the students make Augsburg’s program unique. “We are trying to look beyond good grades
and test scores,” Groven comments. “We want intrinsically motivated learners—students who see ideas as living vehicles for human expression and change.”
Computer science professor Larry Crockett, who was
once the Honors program director, has taught in the program for many years. While he says Honors students are
pushed to rise above expectations and challenge each
other, he is especially enthusiastic about the extraordinary energy coming from this year’s incoming class.
“These students are willing to dig into issues and are
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Augsburg Now
There’s more to Honors at Augsburg than fun classes and energetic students.
Honors also provides leadership and scholarship opportunities and fosters an
environment where students often start their own activities or groups.
“Part of our philosophy is that as much learning should happen outside the
classroom as inside,” Groven says.
Students are organized into houses, each of which focuses on a different
area: scholarship, social justice and service, stewardship, and citizenship.
Each house plans and promotes activities and also elects two house presidents who serve on the Honors Council. With faculty advisers, the council sets
the policy for the program and helps solve problems.
One officially organized non-classroom learning opportunity is the Honors
Review, a student-run, student-edited interdisciplinary journal of undergraduate scholarship. Taylor Norman, a senior English major and Honors student, is
the current editor-in-chief.
This year the Review extended its reach and received 43 submissions from
undergraduates all across the country. After articles are selected for publication, Norman and her editorial staff check citations, verify research, and then
engage the author to revise and edit. “We wanted to create a scholarly environment with lots of dialogue,” Norman says.
All Honors activities and programs serve to support students so they can
pursue their academic goals. “Honors tries to show students what amazing
talents and abilities they have,” Groven says, and they find countless ways to
apply their academic learning. For example, senior Jessica Spanswick, who
majored in international relations and minored in peace and global studies,
studied in Namibia for a semester and served as a Peace Scholar in connection with the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. Her opportunities to volunteer for
World AIDS Day in Namibia and to travel as a scholar to Chiapas, Mexico,
gave her valuable hands-on global experience.
Honors program students have received many of the highest national and
international academic awards available; they have been Fulbright scholars,
Goldwater scholars, the College’s first Rhodes scholar, and students who have
won National Science Foundation grants—and that’s still just the tip of the
iceberg. Part of the program’s mission is to encourage students, many who
never thought of themselves as award-winning scholars, to apply for scholarships and publication so that their work can be recognized.
These courses, the faculty who teach them, the students who take them,
and the learning opportunities that happen outside the classroom all come
together to try to create an ideal education for Augsburg Honors program
students.
“I never think of the Honors program as being done,” Groven says. “The
best program will always be different because we are constantly adapting
to new technologies, new students, and new problems.”
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Sophomore Madeline Roe helps a Somali student with her
work as part of Trinity Lutheran Congregation’s Safe Place
Homework Help program.
Across the Twin Cities, Minnesota, and
the nation, stories of neighbors and colleges
clashing bubble to the surface featuring
real town vs. gown tension. Augsburg’s philosophy, however, is very different.
Augsburg isn’t building walls or installing
large steel gates on campus to keep the
outside world out. Instead, Augsburg is
reaching further out into the Cedar-Riverside and Seward neighborhoods and, in the
process, the College founded by Norwegian
Lutherans is working closely with the
largest concentration of Somali immigrants
in the United States.
WORKING IN THE COMMUNITY
We believe we are called to serve our neighbor. That is Augsburg’s statement of institutional vocation.
Live the experience. Love the city. Learn
by living. Those words hang on banners along
Riverside Avenue.
While the first is formal and the second
much more conversational, both, however,
sum up what Auggies do.
On a near daily basis, Augsburg students
BY JEFF SHELMAN
spend part of their afternoon at Trinity
Lutheran Congregation helping young Somali
children with topics ranging from spelling and
sentence construction to subtraction and social studies. Several times a week, Auggies
serve food in the gym at the Brian Coyle Community Center as part of the Campus Kitchen
program. First-year Auggies in the Bonner
Leaders program work with nonprofit organizations, most within a mile of campus.
23
OUT OF THE BOX
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Let’s say one person wanted to match the
amount of community service that was
completed by Augsburg students during the
2008-09 school year. What would it take?
Since Auggies performed 67,000 hours
of community service last year, someone
would have to work for 2,791 24-hour
days—more than 7.5 years—or 8,375
eight-hour work days. That’s a staggering
total for a college with 2,000 traditional
undergraduates and 4,000 total students.
That work has led to Augsburg’s inclusion as one of the top 25 schools in the
country for service-learning by U.S.News &
World Report and the Carnegie [Foundation] Classification for Community Engagement. Earlier this spring, Augsburg became
the only Minnesota college or university and
one of only four ELCA schools to be named
to the 2009 President’s Higher Education
Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction. The President’s Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition an institution can
receive for its commitment to volunteering,
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service-learning, and civic engagement.
“We are very proud and honored to be included in the President’s Honor Roll,”
Augsburg president Paul C. Pribbenow said.
“Civic work and serving our neighbor are at
the core of Augsburg’s efforts to educate
students for democracy.”
Last school year, 900 Augsburg students
participated in service-learning and 1,200
students participated in more than 20
hours of community service per semester.
Much of the community service takes place
in course-embedded service-learning, something that has been part of education at
Augsburg for years.
MORE THAN JUST SERVICE
Augsburg’s work in Cedar-Riverside and
Seward, however, is about more than simply
donating time; it is also about trying to
make the neighborhood safer, more vibrant,
and create opportunities for the state’s
newest immigrant population.
Pribbenow currently chairs the CedarRiverside Partnership, a group that includes
larger institutions in the neighborhood including Augsburg, Fairview hospitals, and
the University of Minnesota.
“There’s a level of trust
being built,” said Steve
Peacock, Augsburg’s director
of community relations.
“There are conversations
taking place that weren’t before. There’s the coordination of infrastructure and
planning among the institutions.”
Much of the work has
been around safety in the
neighborhood. Last summer, for
example, the members of the partnership provided funding to ensure security at the Brian Coyle Community
Center. There has been much more
communication among security at
Fairview and Augsburg, the
University of Minnesota, and
Minneapolis Police Departments.
Augsburg has also worked in the
neighborhood in other ways, ranging from
providing meeting space to sometimes even
trying to build bridges. Last year, more than
a dozen reporters and editors from the Minneapolis Star Tribune sat in a room in Oren
Gateway Center with a dozen or so Somali
community leaders and elders.
The Somali leaders talked of good things
going on in their community that don’t get
covered. Star Tribune editors said they
would like to tell more stories, but finding
Somalis willing to talk is challenging. The
Somali leaders—who arrived in the United
States having never experienced freedom of
the press—gained a better understanding of
how the media work. Reporters and editors
left with new contacts and resources.
CHANGE TO THE CAMPUS
Augsburg’s involvement in Cedar-Riverside
has led to a change on campus as well.
With each passing fall, the number of
Auggies of Somali descent grows. This fall,
The Somali yarn weaving hanging in President Pribbenow’s
office symbolizes the partnership between Augsburg and
the East African Women’s Center.
there are about 50 Somali students on
campus. For some of them, Augsburg was
the first college they ever knew. For others,
there is a comfort in attending Augsburg.
Halimo Adan is a first-year student who
grew up in Seward and can see the
Augsburg sign atop Mortensen Hall from
her home. She’s among the growing number
of students on campus wearing both an
Augsburg sweatshirt and a hijab, the head
covering worn by Muslim women.
“People don’t ask stupid questions,
they’re very open minded,” said Adan, who
came to the U.S. when she was 9 years old.
“Even though I’ve been here most of my
life, when you get asked questions all the
time, you feel like you don’t belong.”
But at Augsburg, neighbors are always
welcome.
First-year students file into the Northern Clay Center to help with clean-up on City Service Day.
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Augsburg Now
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For Daley Konchar Farr, the lack of grades was
motivation for signing up, but the discussions
and professors’ involvement were more
rewarding aspects of I-Term.
LEARNING TO LEARN
WITHOUT ANY A, B, CS
25
OUT OF THE BOX
BY JEFF SHELMAN
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It isn’t quite a chicken or egg kind of question, but it is an academic conundrum along
the same line.
Just how important are grades on a college campus when it comes to actual learning? Do grades really reflect how much a
student has learned? Or do students do just
enough to get the grade they want? And
what happens if you take letter grades and
numerical marks completely out of the
equation?
That’s what 50 Augsburg first-year students, five professors, and several staff
members tried to find out this past fall. The
Integrated Term, Fate of the Earth 101:
Consumption of Food, Fuel, and Media in
Contemporary Culture, was more than just a
different way to package and deliver several
general education courses; it was a semester that challenged many of the standard
conventions about what a college education
is or should be.
There were no traditional letter grades for
this learning community nor was there a
static syllabus passed out on the first day.
This was a term that focused on doing, on
students having a say in what they would be
evaluated on, and on professors writing detailed evaluations about both what students
had accomplished and where they needed
to continue to work. Sitting lifeless in the
back row and regurgitating enough facts to
pass wasn’t an option this term.
“This was much more work than grading,” English professor Robert Cowgill said.
“But I thought it was a major success.”
Most of the students—many of whom
were drawn to the I-Term because of the environmental focus or the alternative evaluation method—agreed. Daley Konchar Farr
called the semester-long experiment empowering. Veronica Berg said she was
pushed to do things she wasn’t sure were
possible just one semester into her college
career. Katelin Grote called the whole thing
life changing.
Some of that was because the I-Term,
which showed just how parts of a liberal arts
education are interconnected, was their entire load for the semester. I-Term students
who successfully completed the course received credit for English 101 or 111 (writing), Religion 100 (Christian Vocation and
the Search for Meaning I), History 101
(Western Civilization), Sociology 101 (Introduction to Human Society) and AugSem
(first-year seminar). They also completed
their Engaging Minneapolis requirement.
REASONS FOR NOT GRADING
When a group of professors returned from a
conference at The Evergreen State College
in Washington in 2007, the goal was to find
a way for Augsburg to experiment with a
learning community model of teaching as
well as non-traditional evaluation methods.
Over the next two years, the professors
worked with the dean’s office to make this a
reality. How was this term going to be structured? Were groups such as Faculty Senate
supportive? How would students receive
credit? How would the narrative evaluations
fit into the very traditional transcript?
Once hurdles were cleared, plans were
set for a three-year pilot program of the nongraded Integrated Term. The faculty designers of the I-Term hope that the students who
spend a semester focused on learning instead of simply making a grade will have
higher retention and graduation rates. The
longer-term outcomes of the experiment
won’t be clear for several years, but this
group and subsequent groups of I-Term students will be tracked by the College.
While the word “experiment” is often
tossed around rather loosely on college campuses, the I-Term is certainly unique. Sociology professor Lars Christiansen, an I-Term
faculty member who has studied alternative
evaluation methods, said that about 15 colleges and universities across the country
have experimented with non-graded
courses. Some are completely nongraded while others are partially graded
The role of media in contemporary culture was a focus for I-Term students.
26
Augsburg Now
or have reverted back to traditional grading. Alverno College in Milwaukee is one of
the only schools in the Midwest that is
grade free.
No grades, however, doesn’t equal no
evaluation. In almost every case, I-Term students had a greater grasp of where they
stood. They worked very closely with the
two English professors on their writing,
and received regular written feedback
from the other faculty members.
“It was kind of like tough love,”
Maryam Ayir said. “You knew exactly
what you had to work on.”
Konchar Farr signed up for the ITerm both because of the subject
matter, and also because of lack of traditional grades.
“Grades are false motivation,” she said.
“In high school, I didn’t get anything out of
getting As if I didn’t learn. [Here], I really
appreciated that things were so discussionbased and how involved the professors were.
They were so dedicated to our work.”
For Christiansen, the best thing from
the semester is that Augsburg now has the
framework in place to continue experimenting with alternative evaluation methods. There is now the ability for the
narrative evaluations to accompany a
student’s transcript. And there is
also at least some appetite from
students to not have a semester of work boiled down to
simply a number.
“The majority of students said it was a good
Courtesy photo
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Kwame Collins and other students from the I-Term attended the 350.org event at the State Capitol that was
part of an international focus on the climate crisis.
LEARNING BY DOING
Unchained from the burden of grades, students could concentrate on really learning
and figuring out what truly motivates them.
And without traditional exercises like exams,
students in Fate of the Earth 101 demonstrated their advancement through semester-long projects that incorporated
something under the broad umbrella of
food, fuel, or media.
One group of students met with staff
members from Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s office
about how the bodies of women are portrayed in advertisements. Pushing Best Buy
to be more environmentally friendly in its
stores was what another group sought. Others looked into the feasibility of Augsburg
capturing solar energy and purchasing more
locally grown food.
“Those are the kinds of things we were
hoping would happen,” Christiansen said.
“We were hoping through the experiences of
the I-Term that [students] were here to learn
and that they were here to understand themselves as possible change agents—and that
collaboration is an essential component.”
And while most courses end as soon as
that final exam is completed, a number of
the I-Term students are continuing with the
ongoing work of their projects. For example,
Berg was part of a group that created the
website www.mnhomelessyouth.org. Those
students met both with representatives from
Minneapolis Public Schools and a group
working on homeless issues, before and during the spring semester.
“It didn’t just end at the end of the
course,” history professor Phil Adamo said.
“They continue to be engaged.”
Because of what they were asked to do,
many of the I-Term students accomplished
more than they thought possible just months
removed from high school graduation.
“We were learning at a different level, we
were getting to project ourselves at a bigger
level,” Berg said. “To sit at the table as a
contributor with some of these agencies was
something I didn’t think I’d be able to do for
many years.”
That theme was a common one.
“One thing we repeatedly heard was the
notion that they were empowered with what
they were able to accomplish by the end of
their first semester in college,” religion professor Lori Brandt Hale said. “They were surprised and excited about how they will be
able to leverage that moving forward.”
CHANGING TEACHING METHODS
Like the other I-Term professors, Colin Irvine
is back teaching more traditional courses
this semester. An English faculty member,
Irvine has a collection of writing and literature classes this spring.
But Irvine acknowledges that he is teaching differently this semester. And the I-Term
had much to do with that.
“It made me complicate my classes,” he
said. “I’m not content with the way I was
teaching before. I’m not content with the assignments I was giving. I’m making them
more fun, more relevant, and harder to assess. I can’t allow myself to teach the way
I’ve always taught.”
Irvine talked about a conversation with a
biology major who is taking his environmental literature course this season. The student
said he’s been doing the reading, working
hard, and attending writing lab sessions.
“But he said, ‘I don’t know how I’m
doing,’” Irvine said. “I told him, ‘Are you
kidding me? That’s exactly what I want you
to do, you’re figuring it out, you’re doing
great.’”
Because just like the I-Term students who
have adjusted to courses with traditional
grading, almost everyone involved in the experiment has a better idea of what motivates
them and just how important learning is.
I-TERM CREATORS/DESIGNERS
Phil Adamo, History, Medieval Studies
Lars Christiansen, Sociology, Metro-Urban Studies
Robert Cowgill, English, Film Studies
Stacy Cutinella, Lindell Library
Lori Brandt Hale, Religion
Colin Irvine, English, Environmental Studies
Nathan Lind, Information Technology
Alyson Olson, TRIO Student Services
Beverly Stratton, Religion
PROJECTS THE STUDENTS WORKED ON
• Addressing women’s body representations in advertising by creating a legislative bill requiring
advertisers to indicate the presence of airbrushing and similar touch-ups
• Website that centralizes resources for homeless
youth in the Twin Cities
• Energy-producing exercise bicycles at
Augsburg’s Kennedy Center
• Reducing water waste at Augsburg
• Increasing local food sourcing at Augsburg, particularly meat and cheese
• Assisting in developing curbside composting in
Minneapolis
• Reducing paper waste at Augsburg bookstore
• Improving environmental practices at Best Buy
• Composting at Maple Grove High School
27
OUT OF THE BOX
experience to not have grades and they liked
the ongoing evaluation,” he said. “It shows
me that if you provide it, people will try it,
and many will like it. Why don’t we make it
an option generally? It’s not dissimilar to our
transportation system. Until the last few
years, many didn’t believe they had options
other than driving. The I-Term is akin to the
Hiawatha (light rail) Line: Once a viable alternative is provided, people may see it as
useful and desirable.”
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CONNECTING THE DOTS
FOR GOOD
BY BRYAN BARNES
“I read this article in Time magazine, interviewing all of these 80- and 90-year-old
people,” said Jacquie Berglund ’87. “The
overwhelming feedback from their question, ‘If you could change one thing, what
would it be?’ was that they all wish they
had taken more risks.”
That was 1983, when Berglund was in
her first year at Augsburg College. Since
then, she has faced many risks on her way
to building one of Minnesota’s most successful social enterprises—an enterprise
that uses beer sales to fund its community
foundation.
One of her first risks? Backpacking
through Europe during her sophomore year
in the face of parental disapproval.
“My parents didn’t want me to do it,”
Berglund said. “[My English professor]
said, ‘Jacquie, you should absolutely do it.
Let’s come up with a way for you to get
credit for it here.’”
With that, Berglund ventured across the
Atlantic for six weeks under the banner of
an Augsburg creative-writing course. Her
experience fostered a travel bug that
would lead her back for a seven-year long
stay in France after Augsburg. “[Backpacking] helped me to think globally and
really changed my perspective,” Berglund
said. “That was a powerful turning point
for me.”
Graduating from Augsburg in 1987
with a degree in communication studies
Jacquie Berglund ’87 knew that with passion
and patience she could fulfill her dream of
making a difference in her community.
28
Augsburg Now
and a minor in political science, Berglund
combined an interest in nonprofits with
her travel experience to pursue work in international development. By 1990, she
had taken an internship in Paris at the
Organisation for Economic Co-operation
and Development (OECD), the same group
that helped administer the Marshall Plan
after World War II. With the collapse of the
Soviet Union, Berglund found herself
working with the best entrepreneurial
minds at OECD to develop regional
economies in former Soviet bloc countries.
“We were training government officials,
and these guys were all communists—they
didn’t want to learn [about how to build
free markets],” Berglund said. “I felt like
we went in and did all of this work and
spent all of this money, and I don’t know
what impact we really had. Then I thought,
‘you know, I think the real work is done at
the grassroots level.’ I would see the people at the grassroots level in these countries and they were really making a
difference, and I thought, ‘that’s where I
have to be. I’ve got to get there.’ I just didn’t know how I was going to get there, but
that’s where I wanted to go.”
While at OECD, Berglund earned her
master’s degree in international relations
from the American Graduate School in
Paris. However, by 1997 Berglund found
herself needing expensive back surgery, so
she returned to the Twin Cities to work as
marketing director for her old friend,
Kieran Folliard, restauranteur
and owner of Cara Irish
Pubs LP.
One of Berglund’s duties
as marketing director was
to help Folliard distribute
charitable gifts in the
Twin Cities. They
found themselves
Finnegan’s Inc. created the Finnegan’s Community Fund to distribute 100% of profits to local community projects.
giving grants to any organization that
asked. Eventually, their CFO put the
brakes on their charity bonanza and told
them they needed a better strategy.
Berglund agreed: she recognized from her
OECD days that the Cara Pubs money
wasn’t making the desired impact.
Berglund had also just attended a conference in Washington, D.C., on self-sustaining nonprofits.
“That’s when I thought: we sell beer all
day,” Berglund said. “What if we create our
own beer, and we choose to give all of the
profits from this one beer to our own foundation, and then we pick one cause, and we
really make a difference? It took me a little
while to sell Kieran on the idea.”
With that, Berglund and
Folliard set about creat-
ing Finnegan’s Irish Amber, named in reference to James Joyce’s final work. They contacted James Page Brewing Company in
Minneapolis to help them create the beer,
eventually selecting one recipe from over 40
options provided by the brewmaster.
At this point, Berglund and Folliard realized that running Finnegan’s and its
community foundation would consume all
of Berglund’s time. That left one choice:
quit Cara Pubs and focus on Finnegan’s,
or let the idea die.
Berglund bought the Finnegan’s recipe
for $1 from Folliard.
“That was kind of scary, leaving that
job, from having a good salary to no
salary,” Berglund said. “It was very scary.
It was rather terrifying. I’ve had a lot of
terrifying moments—I must handle stress
well. I’m still waking and talking and not
in a straitjacket.”
Starting in 2000, Berglund created forprofit Finnegan’s Inc., which donates all of
its profits from beer sales to her nonprofit
29
OUT OF THE BOX
S
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102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:42 AM Page 32
creation, which is now called Finnegan’s
Community Fund. She taught herself the
beer trade. James Page produced
Finnegan’s on contract, but she was responsible for selling it to distributors.
“I didn’t even know what a keg fee
was,” Berglund recalls.
Finnegan’s community focus sold the
beer. Distributors, liquor stores, bars, and
restaurants in the Twin Cities were sympathetic to Berglund’s cause—and it helped
that the beer was popular during the burgeoning craft brew craze. Though she
wasn’t turning a profit yet, Berglund was
able to make a $2,000 donation in her
first year of operation.
Then, James Page Brewing Company
shut down in 2002.
“I was a mess—I was totally a mess,”
Berglund said. “I started to panic: ‘If they
go out of business, I’m going to go out of
business.’”
Thinking quickly, Berglund contacted
Mark Stutrud, founder of Summit Brewing
Company in St. Paul.
“They really didn’t do contract brewing,
but I think that [Stutrud] appreciated the
community-mindedness of what I was
doing,” Berglund said. “Plus, I already had
a list of accounts, so I already had a
proven track record that I could make this
thing work.”
To this day, Finnegan’s is produced at
Summit. In 2003, Finnegan’s made its
first profit. By 2009, Finnegan’s was selling 4,300 barrels per year to 475 restaurants and 600 liquor stores in Minnesota
and beyond—which translated into
$30,000 for the Finnegan’s Community
Fund. That money, in addition to direct donations, is being used to fund local grassroots community organizations that are
helping the working poor.
“When I came back from France, I
30
Augsburg Now
Berglund often considers her own experience growing up as motivation for her drive to do good for others.
volunteered in St. Steven’s shelter in
Minneapolis,” Berglund said. “I got to see
for myself … a lot of these guys get up to
work factory jobs at 3 or 4 o’clock in the
morning. I saw how many of these guys
were working and still homeless.”
The needs of the working poor strike a
personal chord for Berglund. Growing up,
her father started working as a janitor before moving up the ranks, while her mother
was a waitress.
“I remember as a kid not being able to
participate in church activities because we
didn’t have the money,” Berglund said. “I
feel so fortunate to be able to have done
all of the things that I do. I think that,
‘Boy, it’s nice to give back a little bit.’ We
owe a bit of gratitude.”
That background helps explain
Berglund’s drive to build a self-sustaining
nonprofit that can help the working poor
regardless of government grants or philanthropic whims. But it also comes down to
faith in your vocation.
“Whenever I do speaking engagements,
that’s my whole thing: It’s about following
your passions, and then at some point, the
dots will connect. Even though it seems so
remote that they could possibly connect,”
Berglund said. “When I came back and
was working in the pub, I thought, ‘What
am I doing here? How does this connect to
this whole dream job I had of international
development projects?’ I just had faith
that it’s going to come—I’m going to find
it. It’s kind of that whole ‘calling’ thing at
Augsburg—I knew I was going to find it, it
was just going to take a minute.”
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IGNITE-ING
AUGGIE SPIRIT
BY BETSEY NORGARD
Senior Brittany Goff is the intern who matches students and alumni for visits and leads the student team.
31
OUT OF THE BOX
One student heard about a fire that broke
out in one of the houses on campus in the
1970s. Another enjoyed hearing perspectives from a studio art major about his work
at a financial organization. A third met with
an alum who fondly remembers the tasty
cinnamon rolls that students often got in
Morton Hall in the mid-1950s.
Twenty students working in the Alumni
and Constituent Relations Office recently
completed the first year of Project IGNITE.
They’ve been meeting with alumni to learn
more about the role that the College played
in the lives of the alumni and to share stories and experiences about Augsburg then
and now.
Senior Brittany Goff is the intern who directs the students’ work for Project IGNITE.
Once she hand-matches students and
alums who share similar majors and/or interests, a letter from President Pribbenow is
sent explaining the program and alerting
the alum to a future call from a student.
The student will invite the alum to a meeting preferably on campus or at a convenient
coffee shop.
That first contact can be a little daunting
for students, but knowing they share interests makes it easier. Melissa Herrick, a
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:42 AM Page 34
communication studies and art sophomore, says it
tells the alum that “this is not a random call; there’s
a reason I’m calling you,” which, in her case, is to
share with them what art at Augsburg is like now and
to hear about their experience studying art at
Augsburg.
STUDENTS CONNECT WITH ALUMNI
On a cold day last fall, Herrick met with Patti Lloyd
’83, who owns a web development and interactive
marketing company. While Lloyd was an international
business major and not an art major, the two immediately discovered common interests in web design.
Herrick was trying to plan a webpage for an arts project and was delighted to get some ideas from Lloyd.
“We had a great meeting,” says Lloyd, “and when
she left, I think she felt comfortable that all the resources were there for her project.”
One of the meetings that Goff enjoyed was with a
physician. In the conversation, Goff, a psychology
major, learned about the physician’s medical practice that has included a psychologist and a nurse,
enabling him to offer both physical and mental testing and care. “This was really a great experience for
me,” Goff says, “to help me consider my future career and the option to be in a practice like that.”
Adam Spanier, sophomore class president and an
Honors student, says he has met many interesting
people through Project IGNITE. His favorite aspect
of the program, he says, is “hearing the many different bits of advice and wisdom that alumni have
to offer.”
32
Augsburg Now
Sophomore Adam Spanier enjoys hearing the advice
alumni can give to current students.
to-face relationship with a person who is going through
the experience.”
Haug and his partner returned to campus in December
for the Advent Vespers dinner and enjoyed talking with
people they knew and meeting others.
ALUMNI ENJOY RECONNECTING
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES CONTINUE
Most alumni contacted in Project IGNITE are graduates who have not been active in alumni activities
or participated recently in events. Re-engaging with
their alma mater through Project IGNITE has also
been enjoyable for them, especially seeing the
College through the eyes of current students.
Christopher Haug ’79 was one of the alumni
Spanier met last fall. “What benefited me the
most,” Haug says, “is that I felt I was connected
again with my school. There’s nothing like a face-
Pat Grans, the Project IGNITE volunteer coordinator,
follows up with the interests and/or requests that students bring back from the alumni visits. She crafts individual plans recommending events and volunteer
opportunities that could include speaking in a class,
inviting a student to job shadow, or helping with registration at an event. Or, Grans can seek to create a tailored opportunity based on the alum’s interests.
Grans has now developed volunteer job descriptions
and oversees all aspects of recruiting, training, scheduling, supervising, and recognizing volunteers.
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:42 AM Page 35
Project IGNITE means Involving Graduates Now In
Thoughtful Engagement. A three-year project funded
by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Project IGNITE is
designed to serve as a model to help other colleges
and universities engage their alumni.
What makes Project IGNITE an out-of-the-box program and readily transferable are several components
that together offer lifelong alumni connections:
• One-to-one interaction between students and
alumni—who better to talk about the college experience and re-engage alumni than current students?
• Mutually beneficial matching of student and alumni
majors and interests
• Individualized and ongoing follow-up from a volunteer coordinator to keep
engagement and energy alive
In the project’s first six months at Augsburg, both attendance at events and
volunteering have increased. Of the alumni the IGNITE students have visited
during this time, 14% have now attended College events. Nearly 76% have
expressed interest in volunteering; and of those, 20% have begun. More
than 1,800 hours of volunteer time have been logged.
Kim Stone, director of alumni and constituent relations, is excited by the
results. She attributes success to the total package Project IGNITE makes
possible—engaging students in the alumni program before they graduate,
encouraging ongoing attendance at alumni events, and keeping alumni connected to campus through meaningful volunteering.
For more information or to arrange to meet with an IGNITE student, contact the Office of Alumni and Constituent Relations at alumni@augsburg.edu
or 612-330-1085.
“WELCOME TO AUGSBURG”
Larry Menzel ’67 retired three years ago from a long career as a Kmart executive in 17 locations across the
Upper Midwest. Working with people was what his job was
all about, and in retirement he wanted to be able to continue that.
When volunteer coordinator Pat Grans sent a mailing
about Augsburg’s new volunteer program, it sparked his
interest. Despite the fact that he hadn’t been on campus
since graduation, he still felt a connection.
“Since my wife was gone from the house regularly on
Friday mornings, I thought it would be a good time for me
to do something, too,” Menzel says. He called Grans to
talk about volunteering.
Grans suggested that he staff the welcome desk in
Oren Gateway Center on Friday mornings, and he thought
that sounded good.
In addition to helping people find their way around the
building and answering questions, he also provides help to
the Institutional Advancement staff. Soon he found himself
at Homecoming and other events, which pleases his wife,
too, as she sees him doing things he enjoys.
His advice to current students he meets? “Study hard,
find a rewarding life, and follow the principles of God,
family, and work—in that order.”
Melissa Herrick, an art and communication studies major who is
working on a web project, found a natural connection with Patti
Lloyd ’83, the owner of a web development company.
33
OUT OF THE BOX
HAS PROJECT IGNITE MADE A DIFFERENCE?
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:42 AM Page 36
6
3
7
4
1
3
3
2
34
Augsburg Now
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6
5
THE BOD POD lives upstairs in the Kennedy Center kinesiology lab. It’s
a high-tech apparatus that provides fast, safe, and accurate measurements of body composition, detailing fat and lean body mass. It
provides useful information for measuring the effectiveness of exercise and nutrition, fine-tuning top athletic performance, and tracking
the progress of obesity and disease.
Since Bod Pods are found mostly in fitness facilities and elite
training centers, Augsburg’s health, physical education, and health
fitness majors are fortunate to have this in their learning portfolio.
Used primarily in kinesiology and exercise physiology classes, students learn how to run the Bod Pod, interpret the results, and incorporate recommendations into specialized training plans.
If you are interested in being measured in the Bod Pod, contact
Professor Tony Clapp at clapp@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1618.
THE BOD POD
1. The Bod Pod
2. Data acquisition box—interprets test data coming from the Bod
Pod measurements
3. Computer hardware that processes all measurements, manages
data, and provides customized printouts of the test data
4. Calibration standards—Weights used to calibrate the Bod Pod before each person is measured, to assure accuracy when the person’s weight is entered
5. “Fast Eddie”—The Auggies’ own skeleton used in health and physical education classes. He arrived when the Kennedy Center
opened in 2007.
6. Anatomical charts most likely dating from the opening of Science
Hall in 1949, recently found rolled up in a storage closet. They’re
now taking on new life in the Health, Physical Education, and
Health Fitness Department.
7. Professor Tony Clapp, demonstrating the Bod Pod procedure:
• Wear spandex-type swimsuit or bike shorts and a swim cap
• Sit in the Bod Pod while measurements take about 30 seconds
• Get printouts of test results in about five minutes
35
OUT OF THE BOX
4
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OUT-OF-THE-BOX PARTNERSHIPS
BY REBECCA JOHN
The annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum (see
story on page 10) is the result of just one of
the many unique partnerships at Augsburg
College. It is the only program or academic
affiliation of the Norwegian Nobel Institute
outside of Norway.
Here are a few more examples of
Augsburg’s out-of-the-box partnerships.
NEIGHBORHOOD COLLABORATIONS
The Cedar-Riverside Partnership was
founded in 2008 to foster collaboration
among existing community organizations—the African Development Center,
Pillsbury United Communities, West Bank
Community Coalition, the Cedar Riverside
Neighborhood Revitalization Program, and
the West Bank Business Association—and
local government bodies and institutions,
including the city and county, the University of Minnesota, Fairview Health Services, and Augsburg College.
“The goal of the partnership,” says
Steve Peacock, Augsburg director of community relations, “is to leverage these organizations’ collective resources to
strengthen Cedar-Riverside as a vibrant
place in which to live, learn, and work.”
The partnership is chaired by Augsburg
President Paul Pribbenow.
BUSINESS FEASIBILITY
Augsburg plays an active role in the Mayo
Innovation Scholars Program (MISP), a
unique partnership with the Mayo Clinic
that offers an experiential learning opportunity for both graduate and undergraduate
students. Through the program, undergraduate science and business students from select Minnesota private colleges are teamed
with MBA project leaders from either Augsburg College or the University of St. Thomas
to evaluate the commercial potential for
patent ideas submitted through the Mayo
Clinic Office of Intellectual Property.
This year, Augsburg had five teams working on projects—two in Rochester and three
36
Augsburg Now
in Minneapolis—which presented their findings and recommendations to professionals
at the Mayo Clinic in March.
SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
The Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities
(ACTC) was founded in 1975 by five liberal
arts institutions—Augsburg, Hamline,
Macalester, St. Catherine, and St.
Thomas—to provide cooperative programs
and services for students, faculty, and administrators.
In 2009, the consortium’s Chief Academic Officers Council, chaired by Barbara
Farley, Augsburg’s vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college, renewed its efforts to explore common areas
of academic opportunity using a focus on
“sustainable urban development.”
“This theme truly ties us together as colleges in the Twin Cities,” Farley says.
“Broadly defined, it includes education,
health care, transportation, housing, and
environmental concerns, offering a rich platform for exploring strategies for enhancing
shared academic programs.”
PARTNERS ON CAMPUS
In recent years, two of Augsburg’s community partnerships have become integrated
into the College: Campus Kitchen and the
Minnesota Urban Debate League—both of
which operate under the Sabo Center for
Citizenship and Learning.
In 2003, Augsburg became the fourth
college campus in the U.S. to join the Campus Kitchens Project. The program provides
meal preparation and delivery to neighborhood organizations, nutrition and
food preparation classes for area youth, and
outreach to the surrounding neighborhood
through the continuously expanding community garden. Augsburg is the first college
to wholly integrate its Campus Kitchen as
part of the College.
The Minnesota Urban Debate League
has had a relationship with Augsburg
since 2004 and became part of the College in summer 2009. This move allowed
the league to focus less on administrative
operations and more on reaching urban
middle and high school students. In the
past year, the program doubled to 350
students and teaches important skills like
research, writing, thesis development, and
public speaking.
CONNECTING YOUTH TO CHURCHES
Now in its 19th year, the Augsburg College
Congregational Youth Basketball League
partners with dozens of metro-area
churches to involve junior high and high
school boys and girls in an annual basketball league that emphasizes fun, service,
sponsorship, participation, relationships,
and growth in one’s faith.
The program was founded by Augsburg
pastor Dave Wold to help keep youth connected to churches. The league starts in
January each year and culminates in a
March tournament on Augsburg’s campus
that involves more than 1,000 players,
coaches, officials, and volunteers from
Augsburg and area churches.
“The program is very successful at enabling our churches to connect with a
greater number of young people,” Wold
said, “providing the opportunity for them
to have some fun; get some exercise;
build relationships with teammates,
coaches, youth workers, and pastors; and
have an encounter with God.”
To learn about other out-ofthe-box partnerships, go to
www.augsburg.edu/now
102105_Augsburg Now:Layout 1 5/4/10 10:42 AM Page 39
auggie
alumni news
From the Alumni Board president …
Dear Alumni and friends,
a
2010
s I write this article we’ve headed
into the spring season, and a couple of words appear in my mind:
renewal and growth. We can see our
world transform around us with a renewed sense of purpose—growth. Trees
are beginning to bud, early flowers are
beginning to show their bright colors,
and I think this lifts our spirits and warms our hearts to the possibility and purpose of our world.
It is this renewal and growth I want to discuss with you in this
my last article as president of the Alumni Association, as it
chooses new leadership in June.
One of my main goals this year was that of growth for the Alumni
Association—not only in size, but also in commitment and involvement in activities and events that enrich and add value to your life.
Every year, the Augsburg Alumni Association’s Board of Directors spends a great deal of time in the creation, planning, and execution of events designed to raise awareness, renew involvement,
and create a sense of community among alumni.
Looking back on the year, alumni have had opportunities to
come together in ways we have not been seen in many years. Ex-
HOMECOMING
amples of this are the more than 700 alumni who attended the
Canterbury Park event last August, the capacity turnout for events
such as the Winter Wine Tasting, the Eye-Opener Breakfast Series,
and the Young Alumni Council events, as well as alumni attendance at the Guthrie performance of Macbeth. These events and
activities are just a few that have been exceedingly well received;
and the leadership of the Alumni Association as well as the College’s dedicated staff from the Alumni and Constituent Relations
Office plan to enhance what has been a very successful year.
I am very grateful for having the opportunity to represent the
alumni this year as well as for all of the hard work and dedication
of those who helped make this year so successful. I look forward to
seeing many of you in the coming years and plan to continue contributing to this wonderful organization dedicated to the alumni of
Augsburg College.
I wish you a wonderful spring—please continue to check back
with the College, as something new will always be springing to life.
DANIEL HICKLE ’95
ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
October 14-16, 2010
Reunion Classes
60th Reunion—1950
25th Reunion—1985
50th Reunion—1960
10th Reunion—2000
40th Reunion—1970
Recent Grad/Young Alumni
Reunion—2001–2010
If you would like to help make your reunion a success, contact the Office of
Alumni and Constituent Relations at 612-330-1085 or alumni@augsburg.edu.
Go to www.augsburg.edu/homecoming for updates and reunion information.
Spring 2010
37
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auggie
alumni news
preciate works I already knew—Michelangelo’s David, the ceiling
When I returned to Augsburg in fall 2004 after dropping out a year
earlier, I was eager to reform the lackluster study habits that had
of the Sistine Chapel—and discovered wonderful artists—Bernini,
plagued my academic career. At every fork in the road, I purposeCarravaggio—I previously knew nothing about.
fully chose the path I previously would never have considered. And
Between visits to churches and museums, we made time for
that’s how I, a young man who spent his entire adolescence hating
wine tasting on a Tuscan vineyard and a tour on an olive farm.
to travel, jumped at the chance to study in El Salvador.
Food and drink took on greater significance while in Italy. An exThere, we witnessed previously unimagined poverty and became
pansive dinner coupled with lively conversation regularly served as
inspired by countless acts of resilience. The little free time availan evening’s event. My roommate, a chatty substitute science
able was spent in discussions, journals, and books. There were no
teacher from Lester Prairie named Gordon, celebrated his 70th
moments wasted and no words ignored.
birthday in Orvieto during one of our four-course dinners.
That summer, I studied literature in France, and over the next
The trip to Italy allowed me to escape the stresses of home for a
two years, I went on to study in Nicaragua, Uganda, Rwanda, and
couple weeks and infused me with a new appreciation of visual art.
Tanzania and volunteered on a mission trip to Mexico.
It was a fitting continuation of the travel experiences I began while
Upon graduating in May 2007, I feared my opportunities to con- studying at Augsburg.
tinue traveling oversees had vanished. The expansive summer and
JEREMY ANDERSON ’07
holiday breaks were gone; the
immediate walls of my work cubicle provided no horizon to
look beyond. Fortunately, I
spotted a chance to break the
monotony—Professor Kristin
Anderson was leading a travel
seminar to study Italian art and
architecture.
In November, I boarded a
plane alongside 25 other
Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Summer 2012: Auggies Are Achievers
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Collection
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Alumni Magazine Collection
-
Search Result
-
The economics of education
Auggies on the road
Commencement 2012
Calculus and coffee
Gage Center for Student Success
Homecoming 2012 preview
auggies
ARE
achievers
SUMMER 2012 | VOL. 74, NO. 3
inside
AUGSBURG NOW
notes
from President Pribbenow
Vice President of Marketing
and Communic...
Show more
The economics of education
Auggies on the road
Commencement 2012
Calculus and coffee
Gage Center for Student Success
Homecoming 2012 preview
auggies
ARE
achievers
SUMMER 2012 | VOL. 74, NO. 3
inside
AUGSBURG NOW
notes
from President Pribbenow
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Editorial
Wendi Wheeler ’06
wheelerw@augsburg.edu
Creative Director
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
The Augsburg Promise
Senior Creative Associate-Design
A
s I recently watched our almost 1,000 graduates
of the Augsburg Class of 2012 walk across the
stage to receive diplomas, I couldn’t help but be
proud of their many accomplishments and successes as Augsburg students. Our remarkably diverse
graduates—from various backgrounds, of various talents, on their way to various professions—are the most
tangible signs of our strategic commitment to the success of all our students.
And yet, the news media and popular opinion would
have us believe that there are storm clouds rising in
higher education. Some even call it a “tsunami.” Students unprepared for college, students who do not persist or graduate, students who will not get jobs (or, at
least, not the jobs they want), students with too much
debt. And conversely, colleges and universities that do
not meet student needs, institutions that are too
bureaucratic and expensive, colleges and universities
stuck with an “old” model of teaching and learning.
At Augsburg, we are deeply aware of these concerns. In fact, this issue of Augsburg Now includes an
overview of the complex economics of higher education because we understand that topics such as this
are too important to leave unaddressed. At the same
time, we recognize that the markers of student success—graduation rates, academic achievement, or
getting into graduate school or the workforce—also
must be pursued. The story about our new Gage Center for Student Success shows just one way we are
focused on ensuring that our students have the support they need to complete their Augsburg education.
So, rather than allow various social and economic
trends to define our reality, we are dedicated to planning for our future in ways that are both strategic,
that is, focused on what is most essential and important to our mission as a college, and also studentcentered, that is, always mindful that we must do our
best for all of our students.
We articulate this commitment to student success
in a concept we call the Augsburg Promise. It is the
relationship we form with our students to ensure their
success, and it has three key components.
It is, first of all, centered in our commitment to
helping our students discern and live their vocations (or
“callings”). The concept of vocation—inherited from our
Lutheran Christian theological tradition and embedded
in the Augsburg curriculum—is not merely about selffulfillment. It is a deeply nuanced way of helping students explore their gifts and commitments, understand
the arc of their lives, and embrace how their work in the
world—whatever it may be—has significance. At the
heart of the Augsburg Promise is the claim that our students will be better prepared for the world because of
our work together in the classroom, in residence halls,
on athletic fields, and in our neighborhood.
The second component of the Augsburg Promise is
our focus on academic growth and achievement in
terms of both access—how our students are welcomed
as part of our diverse community—and excellence—the
standards we set and the support we offer to ensure that
their education is of the highest order. Our students
come to Augsburg with a variety of gifts and talents. Our
promise to them is that this educational experience like
no other will challenge them to grow as students and as
citizens. So, yes, they will attain traditional academic
success, and be recognized with honors and awards, but
they also will experience the growth and achievement
that is recognized in lives of meaning and significance
in the world.
Finally, the Augsburg Promise is about equipping
our students for the lives they will lead in the world.
Higher education—especially an education grounded in
the liberal arts—must aim at ensuring that our students
are educated across a wide range of disciplines and perspectives. At the same time, a college community like
Augsburg must also consider how students are formed
with certain skills and habits that will prepare them for
citizenship and leadership. Whether in the classroom or
community, in student organizations or residence halls,
on playing fields or international travel, we must have
an integrated sense of how our students are “educated
to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical
thinkers, and responsible leaders.”
That is our mission—and that is our promise so that
all Augsburg students might be successful.
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Production Manager/Now Online
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Senior Director of Alumni
and Constituent Relations
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
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augsburg now
summer 2012
Features
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The economics of education
BY REBECCA JOHN
Speaking of money
BY REBECCA JOHN, STEPHANIE WEISS,
AND WENDI WHEELER ’06
Commencement
COMPILED BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
AND STEPHANIE WEISS
Faculty retirements
COMPILED BY STEPHANIE WEISS
19
.
GAGE CENTER FOR
STUDENT SUCCESS
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
22 Nic Adducci ’15
contents
23 Rachel Hastings ’15
40
26 Andrena Murphy ’15
28
Calculus and coffee
BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
Departments
inside
front
cover
On the cover
Four friends pose for the camera before lining up for the commencement procession. See more photos from the May and July commencement ceremonies at www.augsburg.edu/now.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
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30
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37
40
Notes from President Pribbenow
Around the Quad
It takes an Auggie
My Auggie experience
Auggie voices
Alumni news
Alumni class notes
Auggies on the ice
quad
around the
Celebrating Student Success
Scholarships and fellowships
Augsburg students earned a range of prestigious accolades during spring semester.
Some of the awards include the following:
Fulbright Scholars: Adam Spanier ’12 and
Rosalind “Rose” Sybrant ’12 were awarded
English teaching assistantships. Spanier
will teach in the Czech Republic during
2012-13, while Sybrant will teach in
Venezuela. Augsburg College is recognized
by The Chronicle of Higher Education as
one of the nation’s top producers of
Fulbright Scholars.
Gilman International Scholarships: Seven
Auggies received Gilman International Scholarships from the U.S. State Department to
study overseas this summer and fall. Auggies
will study in India, Jordan, South Africa,
South Korea, and Thailand. Augsburg was
awarded more Gilman Scholarships than any
other Twin Cities college or university this
academic year.
Goldwater Scholarship: Joe Buchman ’13, who
is studying chemistry, was awarded an honorable mention in the Goldwater Scholarship competition. He will spend the
summer doing off-campus research at the
University of Minnesota as a Student Summer Fellow for the Lupus Foundation of
Minnesota.
Kemper Scholars Program: Ibrahim Al-Hajiby
’14, an international relations/international
business major, was named the College’s
second Kemper Scholar. Students in the
Kemper program get academic scholarships
and stipends to cover the costs of two summer internships in major nonprofit and forprofit organizations. Augsburg is one of only
16 U.S. liberal arts colleges with the Kemper Scholars Program distinction.
2
Augsburg Now
Student research
awards and
achievements
Winner of international
contest: Work by biology
major Alex Sorum ’13 on a
bacterium that affects
about 80 percent of cystic
fibrosis patients won an
international American
Association for the
Advancement of Science
Angela Bonfiglio ’13 was named a Newman Civic Fellow for 2013. This award, presented by Campus Compact, honors college student leaders who have demon(AAAS) poster competition
strated their investment in finding solutions to the challenges that face our
this spring. Sorum won
communities.
the student poster competition in the medicine and
Newman Civic Fellow: Angela Bonfiglio ’13
public health category at the 2012 AAAS
was named a Newman Civic Fellow by
international meeting in Vancouver, B.C.
Campus Compact. The award recognizes
Sorum said that one of the rewards of
inspiring college student leaders who work
attending the conference was experiencing
to find solutions for challenges facing their
how going to a small liberal arts college
communities. Bonfiglio has rebuilt
has made him competitive with students
Community Link, a campus service organiat large research universities.
zation, doubling its membership while deepening
its issue-based work. In
North Minneapolis, she is
researching community
perceptions on the
achievement gap and working to close that gap. She
coordinates an afterschool
program at Redeemer
Lutheran Church to ensure
that youth have homework
help and an evening meal.
She is dedicated to social
justice, including environmental work, youth develAlex Sorum ’13 conducts research on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium that
opment, interfaith work,
affects cystic fibrosis patients.
and racial equality.
Zyzzogeton celebrates work
of 67 students: Augsburg
celebrated the creativity
and research of 67 underKirubel Gezehegn ’14, a physics and chemistry major from Zimbabwe, discusses his
graduate
students during
research with physics professor Mark Engebretsen at the 2012 Zyzzogeton student
research poster exhibition.
mid-April at the annual
Zyzzogeton poster session.
Meeting of Nobel Laureates: Augsburg ColThe festival—which included work by stulege student Kirubel Gezehegn ’14 attended
dents from 17 academic departments—
the 2012 Lindau Meeting of Nobel Laurewas a chance for students to present their
ates in Lindau, Germany. The meeting
research to the Augsburg community and
brings together 31 chemistry and physics
practice public speaking. A “zyzzogeton”
laureates and an equal number of invited
is a green leaf-hopper as well as one of the
students. Gezehegn also will study chemlast words in the Webster Collegiate Dicistry this summer at Johns Hopkins Univertionary, a fitting symbol to mark the end of
sity in the labs operated by Nobel Laureate
the academic year.
Peter Agre ’70.
Auggies are doing off-campus research
across the United States at:
• Argonne National Laboratory, Physics
• Baylor University, Biology
• Carleton College, Summer Mathematics
Program for Women Undergraduates
• Harvard University, National Science
Foundation-Research Experiences for
Undergraduates (NSF-REU), Bioengineering, Scientific Computing, Robotics
and Materials Science and Engineering
• Loyola University, Biology
• Mayo Clinic, Neurobiology
• National Institute of Standards and
Technology, Cell Systems Science Group
• Oakland University, NSF-REU, Mechanical Engineering
• Rochester Institute of Technology, NSFREU, External Graph Theory and Dynamical Systems
• Texas Christian University, Physics
• University of Georgia, NSF-REU, Microbiology
• University of Minnesota, Lillehei Heart
Institute
11th time since 1998 that the team finished
in the top 10. On the mat, the team placed
second at the NCAA Division III National
Championship.
National Society of
Black Engineers conference
At the end of March, physics majors Gottlieb
Uahengo ’13, Mohamed Sheikh-Mohamed ’14,
Amir Rose ’14, and Fred Vedasto ’13 attended
the National Society of Black Engineers
conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. The conference included workshops and programming
for grade school, collegiate, graduate,
technical, professional, and international entities of the
society. Uahengo said
he was intrigued by
his “ability to draw
several parallels
between [his]
Augsburg education
and some of the
physics behind the
technology of companies such as Boeing,
Nearly 70 undergraduate students presented their research at the 2012 Zyzzogeton
Lockheed Martin, and
poster session. Zyzzogeton, held near the end of the spring semester, is the College’s
annual festival of student creativity and scholarship.
3M, and to see the
real-world applications of the many
concepts studied in class.” Travel was
funded through the NorthStar STEM
The Augsburg College wrestling team during
Alliance, a program intended to double the
2011-12 stood out in the classroom and on
number of African-American,
the mat. Auggies claimed the highest team
Hispanic/Latino, Native American, Alaska
grade-point average in the National Wrestling
Native, and Pacific Islander students
Coaches Association Division III Scholar Allreceiving bachelor degrees in science,
America program, with an overall GPA of
technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
3.73. This is the second time Augsburg has
earned this top academic honor and the
Scholar All-America Program
Summer 2012
3
quad
around the
Celebrating Student Success (continued)
Travelers EDGE
Five Travelers EDGE (Empowering Dreams for Graduation and
Employment) scholars from Augsburg will complete internships
with Travelers this summer. Three Auggies—Simon Tekle ’13, Ger
Lao ’13, and Dustina Granlund ’14—will work in Travelers’ information technology (IT) department. Mai Yang “Maya” Vue ’13 will
intern as a cash control analyst, and Mee “Kanee” Lee ’14, will
research diverse markets in the Twin Cities. Travelers EDGE
seeks to increase the pipeline of underrepresented students to
college, help them to graduate, and build awareness of careers
in the insurance and financial services industry. This was
Augsburg’s second year as a recipient of a Travelers EDGE grant.
Thrivent Leadership Fellows
Augsburg’s Thrivent Leadership Fellows, a group of students working to engage the Augsburg community in service, organized an
annual multicultural dinner at the Brian Coyle Center during
April. The event featured foods that represented the cultures in
the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. Thrivent
Leadership Fellows work to strengthen on- and off-campus communities through organized volunteer events and activities such
as cooking classes for local shelters, food shelf drives, and
tutoring sessions.
The Thrivent Leadership Fellows: Front Row [L to R]: Christine Smith ’13, Janelle
Holte ’13, Maya Keith ’13, Shana Strong ’13, Masha Shatonova ’13; Back Row
[L to R]: Paul Hunt ’13, Jordan Skrove ’13, Billy Mzenga ’13
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Augsburg Now
Celebration of
Philanthropy
The 2011-12 fiscal year was one of the most successful
fundraising years in Augsburg’s history with nearly $14 million
raised to support programming, scholarships, buildings, and
research. One of the ways the College celebrated this success
was by welcoming more than 250 donors and volunteer leaders
to campus for the annual Celebration of Philanthropy in June.
W.K. Kellogg FOUNDATION
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation during May funded a three-year,
$1.2 million grant to support Sprockets, a St. Paul-based
educational program operated in partnership with Augsburg
College’s Center for Democracy and Citizenship. The W.K.
Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) is among the largest philanthropic
foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all
children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF
works with communities to
create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in
school, work, and life. WKKF
is based in Battle Creek,
Mich., and works throughout the United States and internationally, as well as with sovereign tribes. Special emphasis is
paid to areas where there are high concentrations of poverty
and where children face significant barriers to success. WKKF
priority locations in the U.S. are in Michigan, Mississippi, New
Mexico, and New Orleans, and internationally in Mexico and
Haiti. For more information, visit www.wkkf.org.
National
Science
Foundation
Grant
Augsburg College
Women’s Varsity Lacrosse
Augsburg College announced this summer that it will launch the
first collegiate women’s varsity lacrosse team in Minnesota.
Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing high school girls’ sports in
the state and is currently offered as a club sport at Augsburg.
The College’s new varsity team will begin competing during
spring 2014. A coach, who will join the staff this fall, will spend
the first year recruiting and building the team. By offering
women’s lacrosse, Augsburg will be able to expand the number
of student-athletes who attend Augsburg for their post-secondary education and increase the total number of female student-athletes at the College.
Augsburg was awarded a National Science Foundation
grant of nearly $600,000 to support scholarships for
undergraduates majoring in sciences or mathematics.
The AugSTEM scholarships will provide as much as
$7,500 per year to upper-division students. The grant
brings to nearly $3 million the College’s total active
awards from the NSF. Partial funding is provided by the
National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM)
program under Award Number DUE-1154096.
MANY VOICES
BOLD VISIONS
Convocation Series 2011-12
MusicEnsembles
Augsburg College’s music ensembles
performed regionally and nationally during the 2011-12 school year. Numerous
performances were given around the
metro area, including the U.S. premiere
performance of John Ireland’s “Psalm 42” by
the Masterworks Chorale and a rousing year-end performance by
Augsburg Jazz Instrumental Vocal Ensemble at Famous Dave’s in
Minneapolis. Each of the College’s three touring groups follow a fouryear travel rotation that includes national, international, and two
regional tours. The Augsburg Symphony Orchestra and the Augsburg
Choir went on national tours this year. The orchestra traveled to
Florida during winter break, while the choir after commencement
toured Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington,
and Wyoming. The Augsburg Concert Band performed throughout
northern Minnesota and Wisconsin during spring break, and performed several joint concerts with local high-school and college
bands. The concert band will travel to Turkey in May 2013.
The Sverdrup Convocation, held April 17, created the
opportunity for the community to learn about NASA’s Mercury Surface Space Environment Geochemistry and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission. Brian J. Anderson ’82, deputy
project scientist with the mission and a physicist with the
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, discussed the Mercury mission and whether there is a moral
imperative for space exploration.
The Rochester Convocation on May 15 was a chance for
Auggies to learn about the work of Shanna Decker, a ninetime national award winner for her volunteer accomplishments. Decker’s presentation, “Love Wins,” provided
insight into her “Hearts of Hope” project and her family’s
co-founding of the nonprofit “Brighter Tomorrows” for families touched by childhood cancer. Decker also has mentored, supported, and visited nearly 1,000 people
throughout the world who are amputees or cancer patients.
To see photos from the convocation series,
go to www.augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2012
5
{
The
ECONOMICS of
EDUCATION
BY REBECCA JOHN
A bubble. An eruption. An explosion.
These are just some of the words used in news reports this year to describe college
costs and higher education loan debt. While these headlines may grab attention, they
unfortunately are not very useful in helping people fully understand the multifaceted
topic of college affordability.
As Justin Draeger, president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administrators, said in a May 9 University Business article, a more accurate though
admittedly less exciting headline might be: “A Complex Combination of Economic
Factors Increases College Costs and Loan Debt for Certain Students.”
As mundane as that headline seems, continued public dialogue is important and
timely because many students and families today face real challenges in figuring out
how to pay for college. This article provides a brief overview of four core areas related
to the economics of higher education: the value of a postsecondary degree, key cost
drivers in higher education, changes in government aid, and tuition and student loan
debt trends.
6
Augsburg Now
VALUE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
{
Ironically, if it weren’t for the significant benefits of a college education, the public debate about the cost of college likely would not be
nearly as heated. If people didn’t desire the outcomes of and opportunities afforded by having a college education—if they merely thought
the price was too high—they would just simply stop going to college.
But that is not the case. Instead, the difference between having a
college degree and not having one has become even more pronounced
as more and more jobs require higher education. The Georgetown University Center on Education predicts that 63 percent of jobs in 2018
will require some form of postsecondary education. Already, according
to the U.S. Census Bureau, high school graduates earn less than 70
percent of the income of bachelor’s degree holders.
Moreover, as was evidenced in the recent recession, people with
63 percent of jobs in 2018 will require
some form of postsecondary education.
– THE GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY CENTER ON EDUCATION
college degrees are much less likely to be unemployed than those
with only high school diplomas. In 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported that the unemployment rate for high school graduates was 9.4 percent, whereas people with bachelor’s degrees or
higher were unemployed at only a 4.3 percent rate.
So, while rising tuition costs and student debt may raise questions
about erosion of the ROI (return on investment) of a given college
degree, the larger, societal concern is that the required investment—
and, therefore, the benefits—of higher education may be out of
reach for a growing portion of our population, no matter how promising the return.
COLLEGE COSTS
An oft-cited book in the discussion of rising college costs is David
Feldman’s and Robert Archibald’s Why Does College Cost So Much?
(Oxford University Press, 2010). The Augsburg College Board of
Regents dedicated a portion of its January 2012 board meeting to a
discussion of this book to better understand the key cost drivers in
higher education and how those costs affect students and tuition.
Many factors affect college costs, but Feldman and Archibald,
economics professors at the College of William & Mary, demonstrate
that costs steadily have risen during the past 30 years in all personal-service industries that employ highly educated labor. Increasing costs have occurred not only in higher education but also in
A one-on-one relationship
between a faculty member and a
student is critical for student
comprehension and engagement.
}
– JEANNE BOEH, AUGSBURG COLLEGE ECONOMICS
PROFESSOR AND CHAIR OF THE ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
dentistry, health care, and legal services. Significant productivity
advancements in other industries—for example, automation and
robotics in manufacturing—have increased the demand for, and
therefore the price of, highly skilled labor. As a result, labor-cost
increases have affected all personal-service industries, including colleges and universities, which employ some of the most highly educated people in our country as faculty, staff, and administration.
This phenomenon is called “cost disease,” said Jeanne Boeh,
Augsburg College professor of economics. Boeh, who served as president of the Augsburg Faculty Senate in 2011-12, participated in the
College’s Board of Regents discussion of Feldman’s and Archibald’s
book. She is a frequent commentator on economic trends for the
Star Tribune, Minnesota Public Radio, and Twin Cities Public Television’s “Almanac.”
“In higher education,” Boeh explained, “capital and labor have
not been substitutes but complements.” For example, using course
management software such as Moodle may enhance collaboration
and streamline administrative activities, but it doesn’t reduce the
labor involved in teaching or learning in the same way that manufacturing automation does. Online courses also have been affected,
resulting in higher operating expenses than originally anticipated.
“Augsburg offers several programs in a blended format—merging
in-class time with online learning,” said Boeh, who has taught all
types of classes at Augsburg. “And we will continue to evolve course
formats to take advantage of online technologies where they are most
effective.”
But no matter the format, Boeh said, “a one-on-one relationship
between a faculty member and a student is critical for student comprehension and engagement—not only for any class lectures but also
for in-class assignments and projects as well as out-of-class work.”
So, while online formats offer attractive benefits—including making lectures available to a broader set of learners and providing flexibility to working adults pursuing advanced degrees—they have not,
to date, offered a “perfect” substitute for individual attention from
highly qualified faculty. As a result, the trade-offs between cost and
quality in higher education exist whether course delivery is in-class
or online.
Summer 2012
7
{
By 2009, institutional grant aid [from
Minnesota private colleges] was triple
the state’s contribution.
GOVERNMENT AID
– MINNESOTA PRIVATE COLLEGE COUNCIL
Share of Minnesota general fund spent on higher education
18%
17.3%
16%
14%
12%
10%
8%
6.9%
6%
4%
Percent of General Fund Appropriated to Higher Education
2%
Forecasted Percent of General Fund Appropriated to Higher Education
0%
1967
1975
1983
1991
1999
2007
2013
Chart 1: The percent of the State of Minnesota’s budget appropriated to higher education has declined
steadily in the past 20 years.
Financial aid trends for Minnesota undergraduates
FIGURES IN MILLIONS
$1,800
2009 borrowing by Minnesota
undergraduates and their families
surpassed $1.6 billion.
$1,600
$1,400
$1,200
By 2009,
grant aid
from
institutions
was triple
the state’s
commitment.
$1,000
By 2005,
grant aid from
institutions
was double
the state’s
commitment.
$800
$600
$400
In 1991, institutions
and the state each
provided about $80
million in grant aid
to Minnesota
undergraduates.
$200
$1991
1995
State Grants (actual)
1999
Federal Grants (actual)
2001
2005
Institutional Grants (actual)
2007
2009
Total Loans (actual)
Chart 2: Since 1991, grant aid from Minnesota private colleges grew to three times the amount provided by
the state, while student loan debt increased eight-fold.
8
Augsburg Now
Minnesota Private College Research Foundation analysis of Minnesota
budget data
20%
Minnesota Private College Research Foundation analysis of Minnesota
Office of Higher Education biennial survey of aid awarded
The financial aid that students receive
from the state grant program is an important part of the resources they have to
pay for their college education, said Jay
Benanav, Augsburg’s director of government relations. “And, while the state has
increased the overall dollar amount allocated to support higher education in the
past 20 years, this aid has not kept pace
with rising higher education costs,” he
said. “So, today, state grant aid constitutes a much smaller portion of a student's overall resources for college.”
The Minnesota Private College Council
(MPCC)—an organization representing
17 private colleges in the state, including Augsburg—has been actively
engaged with the Minnesota Legislature
on the topic of higher education funding.
Chart 1, compiled by the MPCC, shows
the declining share of the state’s general
fund that has been spent on higher education costs during the past several
decades.
Because state support covers a
smaller proportion of college costs today,
a larger portion is falling to students and
their families. In fact, the proportion of
college costs that families cover has
gone up faster than the overall cost of
college.
To help offset the growing burden on
families, Minnesota’s private colleges
have increased the aid they provide to
students through their endowments and
operational budgets. Chart 2, again from
the MPCC, shows the dollar amount of
college costs covered by Minnesota state
grants, federal grants, MPCC collegefunded grants, and student loans. The
chart provides data from 1991 to 2009,
a period during which student loan debt
soared and grant aid from Minnesota private colleges grew to three times the
amount provided by the state.
NET TUITION AND STUDENT LOANS
“Financial counseling is embedded in our admissions process,”
As noted earlier, in addition to loans and government aid, many students also receive financial aid directly from their colleges or universi- Edstrom said, “and our financial aid staff work hard to make sure
students and parents understand what they are taking on when they
ties. This means that the out-of-pocket expenses (or “net tuition”)
borrow.”
that a given student pays will be less than the published tuition (or
Even people with significant financial experience should (and do)
sticker price) for that college or university. How much less varies from
seek help navigating the financial aid process, said Paul Terrio,
student to student based on multiple factors—including the family’s
Augsburg’s director of student financial services. “Financing college
financial situation, the student’s academic standing, and numerous
is a substantial investment for families, and it’s an investment that
other factors that enrollment offices take into consideration.
has a major impact on one of the most important people in their
This variation means that the net tuition one student pays will
lives,” Terrio said. “So, naturally, people want to make sure they’re
not be the same as another student, even at the same institution.
As a result, it has become increasingly important
for students and families to understand their specific financial aid package at each institution the
student is considering before making a final
choice, or before assuming that a certain college
is financially out of reach.
Even with financial support from colleges, how– JULIE EDSTROM ’90, ’04 MA, AUGSBURG VICE PRESIDENT OF ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT
ever, borrowing has increasingly become a necessary part of how families of all socioeconomic
doing the best they can.
backgrounds pay for college. Average U.S. undergraduate student
“But since college financing is something people do only a couloan debt for 2010 graduates was $25,250, according to the Projple times in their lives, most are not experts in the process,” he said.
ect on Student Debt, an initiative of the nonprofit Institute for ColAs a result, every family, no matter their income level or financial
lege Access & Success.
The average debt of Augsburg graduates was $24,311 that year.
sophistication, can benefit from working with a financial counselor
In addition to being lower than the national average, Augsburg’s stu- who, according to Terrio, can “help them focus on their own scenario
dent loan debt average compares favorably with the averages for
rather than on averages and statistics reported in the news, which
other higher education institutions in the state of Minnesota, said
may have little to do with the specific family’s financial situation.”
Julie Edstrom ’90, ’04 MA, Augsburg vice president for enrollment
management.
{
Augsburg’s average student debt in 2010 was
$24,311, which compares favorably with other
higher education institutions in Minnesota.
}
}
When one steps back from the headlines, it’s easier to see how college costs aren’t
driven by one simple factor alone but, instead, are determined by a mix of state, federal,
institutional, and individual factors. It’s easier to see, as well, how changing one factor
invariably puts pressure on other factors.
In the end, the challenge for Augsburg College—and every higher education institution—is to find a sustainable balance among these factors—state and federal government
aid, institutional support, and student or family contributions—in a way that keeps higher
education within reach for students of academic ability from all backgrounds.
At Augsburg’s July 1 commencement, honorary degree recipient David Mathews, president and chief executive officer of the
Kettering Foundation, focused his commencement address on the value—specifically the public value—of higher education. Mathews previously served as secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare under former President Gerald Ford and as
president of the University of Alabama. Read his commencement address at www.augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2012
9
SPEAKING of
MONEY
BY REBECCA JOHN, STEPHANIE WEISS, AND WENDI WHEELER ’06
It’s scary. Students don’t like it. Parents don’t like it. But for any
family with a student in college, money matters, and talking openly
about finances is a critical part of figuring out if and how an individual can afford college. It’s a path toward determining whether the
costs of college are a good investment for students, and often, their
families. It’s also a path toward understanding individual and family
philosophies connected to saving, spending, and philanthropy.
Augsburg College is committed to talking with students and families about all these issues and sees these sometimes complex conversations as tools to build good decision-making as well as
valuable investments in a family’s future.
STUDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES
It takes as much energy to wish
as it does to plan.
– ELEANOR ROOSEVELT
Paying for college is a significant
undertaking for families, regardless of
their family household income. To help
plan for this investment, families need to start
talking about their finances long before they’re
actually facing tuition payments.
“The place to start is by focusing on what the family
values and how they make choices about what they buy and
how they use the money they have,” said Carly Eichhorst,
Augsburg College associate director of financial aid. “When we are
working with families, we don’t start by talking about the mechanics of financial aid and student loans; we start by understanding
their values.”
It’s also beneficial to include both the student and the parent or
parents in the conversation, added Paul Terrio, director of student
financial services.
“We see a difference between families who have had conversations about how they plan to pay for college and families where only
some of the members—either the parents or the student—are
10
Augsburg Now
involved in the financial discussion,” he said. “It’s a much more
productive conversation if all of the family members are vested in
the plan.”
In order to help support and foster these important family conversations, Augsburg has embedded financial aid counseling into
the undergraduate admission process. So, when a first-year undergraduate student receives her or his acceptance letter from
Augsburg, the letter clearly states, “The next step is to schedule
your first-year meeting,” and invites them to make an appointment
with the College’s student financial services staff. Augsburg also
has linked financial planning with academic planning in the adult
undergraduate program to ensure that adult undergraduate students and their families have resources to help navigate the system
of financing college.
As a result of this intentional effort to invite families into the
student finance discussion, as of June 1, nearly 45 percent of firstyear students who had made their initial fall deposit had also
scheduled an appointment with Augsburg’s financial services staff.
With sessions continuing through the summer, a majority of firstyear students and their families will have the opportunity to discuss
their financial plans with the College before classes start in the fall.
“Our goal in working with families is to help them develop a
comprehensive plan for the entire college degree, not just to figure
out how they can pay for the first semester,” Terrio said. A comprehensive plan includes outlining how much the student or family will
need to pay and how long they will need to make payments on any
student loans taken out to cover college costs.
“Our role is not to prescribe financial solutions or provide a specific answer for how to pay for college,” Eichhorst said. “We are
working to help families identify and understand their options.”
By gaining a shared understanding of their options, families can
enhance their financial literacy and equip themselves to plan for—
not just wish for—the means to pursue a college degree.
STUDENT PHILANTHROPY
Someone’s sitting in the shade today because
someone planted a tree a long time ago.
– WARREN BUFFETT
Auggies give. Every year.
This simple instruction forms the basis of the goal for
Augsburg’s Student Philanthropy Week, an annual program
designed to make students aware of how donor support benefits
them and to teach students, from the beginning of their college
careers through their graduation, about the importance of giving
back to their alma mater.
The Office of Alumni and
Constituent Relations and the
staff of The Augsburg Fund
sponsor several programs
for students throughout
the academic year. To
coordinate these programs,
staff work closely with the
Augsburg Stewards, a group of current undergraduate students who support philanthropic efforts at the College.
Each spring, Student Philanthropy Week includes a virtual
“donor scavenger hunt” where students use daily clues, conduct
library research, and visit donor-named locations on campus to
guess the identity of one of the College’s major donors. The first
student to accurately identify the donor wins a gift card.
The annual Feed the Pig campaign and the senior class giving
campaign encourage students to begin donating to Augsburg. To
participate in Feed the Pig, students receive a piggy bank in the fall
and, throughout the school year, collect spare change to fill up their
banks. Classes compete to raise the most money and to engage the
greatest number of student participants. The money raised funds a
scholarship for a student in the winning class.
These activities highlight the fact that, every year, Augsburg
relies on thousands of alumni, parents, friends, and students to
ensure that Auggies have access to an outstanding, affordable
Augsburg education.
MONEY MATTERS
The highest use of capital is not to make
more money, but to make money do more for
the betterment of life.
– HENRY FORD
At Augsburg College, students and staff have turned inside out the
federal mandate that all colleges and universities deliver financial
literacy programs. Instead of delivering top-down programs of
expert panelists or lectures, Augsburg involves students as key
partners in creating and developing the school’s financial literacy
program.
A key goal of the program is to help students open the door on
conversations that typically are difficult and sometimes uncomfortable—conversations about personal and family finances, budgeting,
and the cost of college.
“If you make public the stuff you usually hide, you can change
individual behavior,” said Carly Eichhorst, associate director of
financial aid. “But you have to start by being open with your own
story.”
Having students shape the conversation is critical to helping
them learn how to make good financial decisions today and in the
future. That’s because research shows that knowledge retention
soars to 75 percent when learning is practiced by doing, compared
with 20 percent retention when we learn by listening.
“This is hard stuff to talk about,” Eichhorst said, “but when students see their friends sharing and grappling with tough ideas, it
becomes easier and more acceptable to open up about their own
stories.”
The College’s annual Money Matters program runs for a week
during the spring and includes a range of events and activities to
help students and their families talk openly about financial topics.
In addition to counseling sessions and opportunities to connect
with financial experts, 2012 Money Matters activities included:
• A student panel in which five Auggies from different socioeconomic, cultural, and faith backgrounds talked about how they
make college work financially. Some student panelists also
shared their stories with a Star Tribune reporter. Later in the
spring, some of the students participated in a student loan and
student finance roundtable with U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison.
• My Money Secret, a participant-generated project in which students, staff, and faculty posted their money secrets in the skyways on campus. The secrets were hung on a line using
clothespins—a display that was intentionally meant to invoke the
feeling that participants were “airing their laundry,”
Eichhorst said. Some students
shared tips for saving, while other
students disclosed
habits of overspending.
Because investing in a
college education is such
a significant undertaking,
Augsburg is committed to
helping families build financial literacy from the first oncampus encounter through a
student’s full experience. By
beginning the process of talking about money at the very
start, students and their families not only learn important
information about how to better
manage their finances, but also have the chance to consider how
they want to use their money—through saving, spending, and giving.
Summer 2012
11
E
Commencement
May 5, 2012
A
F
D
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Augsburg Now
During the commencement processional, faculty
line 7 ½ Street and applaud as graduating students walk from Christensen Center to Si Melby
Hall. The tradition marks the transition from student to graduate and allows faculty to show respect
for the students. The ceremony also is a bookend to
the Auggie experience. Four years earlier—on their
first day of class—faculty welcomed incoming students with applause during the opening convocation ceremony.
A
Faculty greet passing students with waves and
handshakes and sometimes even give students a
high-five or hug.
B
Members of ethnic student groups often wear
sashes that denote their membership. Here, a
group of students who are members of the PanAfrikan Student Union wear stoles made of
Kente cloth that originates in Ghana, West
Africa.
C
Students can be seen wearing bow ties, a fashion
phenomenon that started to take hold in 2006
when Paul C. Pribbenow was installed as president of Augsburg College. Pribbenow has a reputation for his bow tie collection, and the bow tie
often makes an appearance when students dress
in formal wear.
D
Colored cords represent honors given by the College, academic departments, and the Honors
program. Candidates for Latin honors—students
graduating cum laude, magna cum laude, or
summa cum laude—receive maroon and gray
cords. Students who complete requirements of
the Augsburg College Honors program wear gold
cords. Other cords indicate departmental honors.
E
Students can line up in whatever order they
choose. Because there is no formal order, being
the last person in line—and, therefore, the last
to cross the commencement stage—has become
a coveted spot. Students will jockey for the position and stall during the procession, and the last
person to cross the stage usually makes a grand
statement of it.
F
Like many faculty members, Phil Adamo, associate
professor and chair of the History Department,
breaks from the reception line to congratulate a
student in the procession.
B
C
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13
In 2007, Augsburg started the tradition of holding
two commencement ceremonies—the first in early
May for the undergraduate day students and the
Masters in Physician Assistant program graduates,
and the second in late June for Weekend/Evening
College, Rochester undergraduate, and the remaining master’s degree program graduates.
A
President Paul C. Pribbenow and Jodi Harpstead,
chair of the Board of Regents, shake hands with
every graduate who crosses the stage. For the
July commencement ceremony, that was roughly
300 hands.
B
Tom Kelsey and Lori York of the Registrar’s office
perform a well-choreographed dance to make sure
the President always has a diploma holder in his
hand the moment a graduate crosses the stage.
C
A large stack of diploma holders will be whittled
down to almost nothing during the ceremony. In
case you are wondering, the holders are empty.
Diplomas are mailed to the graduates after their
final grades are processed by the Registrar.
D
Master’s and doctoral degree candidates in
business administration, education, leadership,
nursing, and social work sit on the left side of
the gym.
E
Graduates of the Weekend/Evening College and
Rochester programs sit on the right side of
the gym.
F
Handing out diplomas is like an assembly line:
grab your name card, follow the faculty marshal
to the front of the gym, hand over your name
card, cross the stage as your name is called,
shake hands with the Board chair, take diploma
in your left hand while shaking hands with
President Pribbenow and smile while your photo
is taken, proceed down the ramp, smile for
another photo and be sure that the front of the
diploma holder is facing forward, return to your
seat, breathe a sigh of relief.
To view more commencement photos,
go to www.augsburg.edu/now.
14
14
Augsburg Now
Augsburg Now
E
A
C
Commencement
July 1, 2012
D
F
B
Summer 2012
15
Augsburg grad students mix philosophy
of social work with drive for business
Leading nonprofits increasingly want top-level leaders who understand complex financial issues, can implement strategic business
practices, and are able to serve diverse local and global communities.
Recognizing the changing expectations and requirements of
nonprofits, Augsburg College in 2009 began offering a dual Master
of Arts Degrees in Social Work (MSW) and Business Administration
(MBA). The College’s first two MSW/MBA graduates completed
their dual degrees this spring.
“We chose to respond to changing dynamics. More and more,
leaders of nonprofits, if they want to continue moving up the ladder, need the same business skills as their counterparts in the forprofit world,” said Steven Zitnick, who during June retired as
director of the MBA program.
Those with a Master of Arts in Social Work can, if they choose,
progress to a different point in their career with formal business
training, said Lois Bosch, director of Augsburg’s Master of Social
Work program.
“Larger social service agencies want business leaders for their
business acumen,” Bosch said. “Increasingly, they also want people who are trained formally to understand the needs of their
clients.”
Jana Nicolaison ’12, one of Augsburg’s
MSW/MBA dual degree graduates, said the
program provided her the knowledge and
tools to manage social service programs by
understanding the business behind the programs.
“I have the confidence to advocate for
clients on the macro level because I under-
stand all aspects of the services they receive,” Nicolaison said.
The dual degree program isn’t just a good idea for those who
want to lead social service agencies, though.
“There’s an emerging trend of social entrepreneurship that
opens another path for joint MSW/MBA students to pursue,”
Zitnick said. “Through Augsburg’s combined curriculum, we can
meet the vocational needs of this type of contemporary MSW
student.”
One such potential social entrepreneur is Miki Peterson ’12,
who hopes to use her skills and insight to bring critical healthcare
services to underserved markets.
“We operate in a complex economic, societal, and political
landscape. I now have the knowledge and diversity of skills to
bring critical health care services to underserved markets,”
Peterson said. “I have insights gleaned from both social services
and business administration to allow me to accomplish this goal in
any corporate, small business, or non-profit setting.”
STEPHANIE WEISS
To learn more about the dual MSW/MBA, go to www.augsburg.edu/msw or email
mbainfo@augsburg.edu.
“I have the knowledge and diversity
of skills to bring critical health care
services to underserved markets.”
MIKI PETERSON ’12 MSW/MBA
Miki Peterson ’12 MSW/MBA and Jana Nicolaison ’12 MSW/MBA
16
Augsburg Now
HONORING
our retired faculty
Augsburg College
celebrated the accomplishments and dedication of faculty during the spring Faculty
Recognition Luncheon and formally thanked
10 faculty for their service. Below are brief
biographies of those who finished their
careers as Auggies. The group contributed
more than 240 years of service to the College.
Anthony Bibus III, professor of social
work, joined Augsburg during 1992. He
served the College as department chair, as
faculty parliamentarian, and on key faculty
committees. He received bachelor’s and
master’s degrees in English from the
University of St. Thomas and the University of Virginia, respectively, and a doctorate in social work from the University of
Minnesota.
Shelley Burkhardt, instructor of education, worked as the special education program director at Rochester and as an
adjunct faculty member. She received a
bachelor’s degree from Valparaiso and
completed master’s-level studies at Winona
State University, Minnesota State University Mankato, and the University of Minnesota. Prior to her work with Augsburg,
Burkhardt served as the director of special
education for the Rochester Public
Schools, where she also was a special education teacher.
C. Lee Clarke, assistant professor of business, started his career as a Lutheran parish
pastor and then spent 20 years working in
management information systems. He joined
Augsburg during 2000 as a faculty member
Front Row [L to R]: Glenda Dewberry Rooney, professor of social work; Norma Noonan, professor of political science; Lynn
Lindow, associate professor of education; Grace Dyrud, professor of psychology; Steven Zitnick, director of the Master of
Business Administration; Back Row [L to R]: President Paul C. Pribbenow; Bradley Holt ’63, professor of religion; Arlin
Gyberg, professor of chemistry; Anthony Bibus III, professor of social work; C. Lee Clarke, assistant professor of business;
Vice President of Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Barbara Farley. Retiring faculty not pictured: Shelley
Burkhardt, instructor of education
in the Business Administration Department.
Clarke co-taught with religion faculty and
served as faculty adviser for Augsburg Seminar, a program to help first-year students
learn about the Augsburg community and
participate in neighborhood service programs. He earned a bachelor’s degree from
Capital University, a Master of Divinity from
Trinity Lutheran Seminary, and a Master of
Business Administration from the University
of St. Thomas.
Arlin Gyberg, professor of chemistry,
started his career at Augsburg during
1967. He taught general and analytical
chemistry for science majors and chemistry
courses for non-science major students. He
is one of several co-founders of the Mcgyan
process reactor, a continuous flow device
that is used to produce biodiesel from
plant material. He maintains close connections to alumni in local industry (at companies such as Aveda, General Mills, and
SarTec, to name a few) over the years. He
earned a doctorate in analytical chemistry
from the University of Minnesota.
Bradley Holt ’63, professor of religion,
began his teaching career during 1978.
His scholarly interests revolved around the
history of Christian spirituality and Christianity in a global context, and he is the
author of Thirsty for God: A Brief History of
Christian Spirituality. Holt taught theology
in Nigeria for 10 years. He graduated from
Augsburg with bachelor’s degrees in English and philosophy and received a Bachelor of Divinity from Luther Theological
Seminary, and a Master of Philosophy and
doctorate from Yale University.
Lynn Lindow, associate professor of education, joined the College during 1985 as
a member of the Health and Physical Education Department. She subsequently took
a position in the Department of Education
and was a K-12 expert. For seven years,
she served as chair of the Education
Department. Lindow also helped with the
department’s reaccreditation. She received
a bachelor’s degree from Minnesota State
University Mankato, a master’s degree from
Summer 2012
17
North Dakota State University, and a doctorate from the University of
Minnesota.
Norma Noonan, professor of political science, served Augsburg for more than 45
years, joining the faculty during 1966. She
was instrumental in the development of
the Master of Arts in Leadership, the College’s inaugural graduate program offering,
and served as program director for 18
years. She chaired the Political Science
Department, served on key faculty committees, and was a mentor to many. Noonan
received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in
political science from the University of
Pennsylvania and Indiana University,
respectively, and a doctorate in Russian
and East European Studies from Indiana
University.
Glenda Dewberry Rooney, professor of
social work, began working at Augsburg
during 1992. An expert in direct social
work practice, she served as department
chair and taught in advanced clinical
placement courses. Her research and
teaching interests include child welfare,
particularly where racial disparities exist.
She is the author of one of social work’s
most widely used texts. Rooney received
bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology from the University of North Texas, a
master’s in social work from the University
of Illinois, and a doctorate in social work
and industrial relations from the University
of Minnesota.
Maryann Syers, associate professor of
social work, joined Augsburg during 1998.
Her teaching experience was strengthened
by her previous private clinical practice
and ongoing research working with women
of color, sexual minorities, and persons
with physical disabilities. She was a leader
in conceptualizing content for the Master
of Social Work program’s multicultural
clinical practice concentration. Syers also
served on the Personnel Policies Committee and Faculty Senate. She received a
bachelor’s degree in psychology from
Arizona State University and a master’s of
social work and doctorate in social welfare
from the University of Minnesota.
Steven Zitnick, director of the Master of
Business Administration (MBA) program,
joined Augsburg during 1999. Prior to
that, he served as a military officer and
held senior executive positions in human
resources and organizational development
in the private sector, including at H.B.
Fuller. In 2008 Zitnick was named director
of the Augsburg MBA program. He helped
launch MBA study abroad programs in
Argentina, Chile, Germany, and Russia and
launched the Mini-MBA program with
Luther Seminary. Zitnick received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Shimer
College, a master’s degree in human
resources management from the University
of Utah, and is on track to complete a doctorate from Tilburg University in the
Netherlands during retirement.
On May 3, faculty gathered at the annual
Faculty Recognition Luncheon to celebrate a successful academic year and to
recognize their colleagues’ accomplishments. The program honored retiring faculty members, recipients of tenure and
promotion, milestone years of service,
and recipients of the Distinguished Contribution to Teaching and Learning awards.
18
Augsburg Now
GAGE CENTER
FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Who comes to the Gage Center for Student Success and the Groves Technology Center?
At one time or another, nearly every student at Augsburg does.
I have to write a paper.
I’m here to use the computer lab.
I am a Weekend College student, and I'm planning to graduate next year.
I'm here to plan out my degree progress with an academic adviser.
I have ADHD and struggle with reading.
I’m here to use the software program that helps me read my textbooks.
I am visually impaired.
I’m here to talk to an adviser about the services that can help me at Augsburg.
I am having a tough time with one of my classes.
I’m here to see a tutor.
I’m the first person in my family to go to college.
I am here because I heard you have a program to help people like me learn
how to be successful in school.
I’m a pretty good student, but I really have trouble with time management.
I’m here to learn how to be better at that.
Spring 2012
19
success
INTEGRATING ACADEMIC SUPPORT
tradition of bringing programs and
services together to improve the
student service experience. As in
the case of the Enrollment Center—which first opened in 2000
and combined the offices of academic advising, the registrar,
financial aid, and financial services—co-location benefits students
because all services are in one
convenient location. In addition,
when staff work closely together,
they often discover new ways of
working that lead to new initiatives
and better student service.
The Gage Center staff is evaluating a caseload management software tool that will allow them to
build connections for students and
refer them to additional resources.
Gort said the software will help to
create a network of student support that extends beyond the Gage
Center. “We’re at the start of a
really cool project, and we have
high hopes for what this is going to be,”
she said.
While staff and students are still learning how the Gage Center will function to
best meet students’ needs, Gort said she
has been pleased with the outcomes so far.
GAGE CENTER FOR
STUDENT SUCCESS
At one time, academic support services at
Augsburg were scattered across campus.
One program was tucked around a few corners in a basement. A few others were in
Science Hall. While seeking out and asking
for help is already difficult for some students, having support staff in different
locations made getting help even more
complicated.
To address this situation, Augsburg
moved all of these academic support services to the new Gage Center for Student
Success, which opened on the second floor
of the Lindell Library in January. The center
provides a one-stop shop for students to
access academic advising, tutoring, academic accommodations, assistance with
learning and physical disabilities, academic
skills coaching, and other support services.
“The Gage Center helps us see how students can benefit by having people and programs together,” said Amy Gort, dean of
Arts and Sciences. Co-locating the offices
in Lindell has made student support services more visible on campus and provides
greater access for students. And with all
support staff in proximity with one another,
the center is the first step in creating a
seamless experience of academic support
for students.
The Gage Center follows an Augsburg
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Augsburg Now
“What is great about this group of staff is
that each program has a history of being
innovative, constantly evaluating, and looking for opportunities for students to have an
even better experience.”
Nearly every graduate and undergraduate student at Augsburg
comes into contact with the Gage Center staff or services at least
once—and usually multiple times—in her or his college career.
The center provides a one-stop shop for students to access academic advising, tutoring, academic accommodations, assistance
with learning and physical disabilities, academic skills coaching,
and other support services.
GAGE CENTER FOR
STUDENT SUCCESS
Gifts from the Gage and Groves family foundations allowed
Augsburg to create an integrated and highly visible academic support services center. The Gage Center for
Student Success, which officially opened in January, includes
the Groves Technology Center, the Groves Accommodations
Lab, meeting rooms, testing rooms, and staff offices.
DEPARTMENTS IN THE
AUGGIES ARE ACHIEVERS
GAGE CENTER FOR STUDENT SUCCESS
ACADEMIC ADVISING supports students in achieving their educational and vocational goals.
THE ACADEMIC SKILLS OFFICE provides coaching to help students
develop skills and strategies for academic success, and also works
with students in the Conditional Admit Program (CAP) and Augsburg Advantage St. Kate’s (AASK) program.
THE CENTER FOR LEARNING AND ADAPTIVE STUDENT SERVICES
(CLASS) provides services and accommodations for students with
attentional, learning, and physical disabilities.
THE GROVES TECHNOLOGY CENTER provides computer workstations
for all students and adaptive software programs, such as speech
recognition software and screen readers, for learners with special
needs.
TRiO/STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES, funded by the U.S. Department
of Education, helps students overcome class, social, and cultural
barriers to complete their college education.
TUTORING AND SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION is available for most
courses; the type of support offered depends on the course and
student demand.
ENSURING
ACCESSIBILITY FOR STUDENTS
Augsburg College is committed to ensuring all students
have access to the campus resources and tools they need
to succeed. To support this commitment, the College
recently formed an accessibility committee of more than
50 staff and faculty from 16 departments.
One of the committee’s primary responsibilities is
ensuring the College meets the obligations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Recent revisions to the
ADA as well as legal settlements at other colleges and
universities make the committee’s work especially timely.
One of the more high-profile lawsuits was a case brought
against Penn State University by the National Federation
of the Blind, which settled in 2010 for $150,000. The
settlement cited inaccessible technology for blind and
print-disabled students and is now serving as a guideline
for institutions nationwide to review accessibility of technology and facilities.
As part of its charge to ensure the College meets its
obligations, the Augsburg accessibility committee is conducting an audit of campus facilities and technology,
delivering training to faculty and staff, and working to
identify a compliance officer. The work of the committee
to identify and address accessibility issues helps mitigate
risk for the College as it strives to live up to its commitment to student success.
Summer 2012
21
A NEW
approach to learning
For most of his life, Nic Adducci ’15 was
the kid who couldn’t read or write. The kid
who had to go to the principal’s office to
take his pill every day. The kid with a learn-
said, when educators, students,
and parents were just beginning to
understand learning disabilities. “I was the
only student in a small class with a learning
disability. I was the kid who had emotional
and behavior problems, and when I had a
NIC ADDUCCI
“I have to give credit to the
CLASS office for giving me
the support that I needed to
really be successful, but I
also have to credit the professors who really pushed
me to see something more
in myself than what I had
been taught in the past 27
years of my life.”
ing disability.
Today, due in part to support he receives
from Augsburg’s Center for Learning and
Adaptive Student Services (CLASS),
Adducci made the dean’s list with a 4.0
grade-point average. A double major in business management and psychology with
minors in economics and political science,
he has shed much of the stigma associated
with having a learning disability and has
found success at Augsburg.
In the second or third grade, Adducci
was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It was a time, he
22
Augsburg Now
bad day, [the question] was, ‘Did you take
your pill today?’” he said.
“That was the foundation for my educational experience, and that followed me
everywhere I went,” Adducci said. The
labels and messages followed him to the
workplace where he was a project manager
for an educational testing company. “I
thought that I couldn’t do a lot of things
because I believed I couldn’t rely on
myself.”
In 2006, Adducci was told he needed to
complete a bachelor’s degree as a requirement for his job. A co-worker who had gradu-
ated from Augsburg through Weekend College
recommended the program, and Adducci
found himself back in the classroom.
For several years, he took a class here
and there while he continued to focus primarily on his work and personal life. Then
in 2011, he realized he needed to make his
education a top priority. He enrolled as a
full-time student in the College’s day undergraduate program and moved onto campus.
That’s when education changed for
Adducci, and he discovered his passion for
learning. “I approached my professors and
the CLASS office right away,” he said.
“They really didn’t accept the ‘I’m a bad
writer’ excuse I used when I was younger,
and they showed me that there was a different way for me to approach learning.”
Adducci’s biggest learning-related challenge is reading. “It’s hard to concentrate
and my retention is really low,” he said. The
accommodations provided through CLASS
include extra time to take exams, working
with a notetaker in classes, and using the
Kurzweil software program that reads his
textbooks aloud for him.
In two semesters as a full-time student,
Adducci not only raised his grade-point
average and made the dean’s list, he also
landed a position as a residence life adviser
for next year and made an impression on his
classmates and instructors.
“Nic made a marvelous contribution to
the class,” said assistant professor of business administration John Cerrito, whose
human resource management class Adducci
took in the spring semester. “He was
mature, serious, and a very positive student,” Cerrito said. “He is a real credit to
Augsburg.”
At Augsburg, Adducci said, he is able to
attain a level of academic success that he
hadn’t ever come close to in his life. “People
saw something valuable in me in areas
where I thought that I would never be able to
accomplish anything,” he said, “and that
gave me the motivation to actually put the
effort in. Then I was successful.”
Photo by Sally Ryan
A TYPICAL
college student
In many ways, Rachel Hastings ’15 is a typical college student. She takes Spanish class, sings in a
choir, eats in the cafeteria, and works out in the
fitness center. But she is also atypical—a student
who uses her ears and fingers to find her way
through campus and through life. She’s training for
a marathon, learning arias by ear, and spreading
joy throughout the Augsburg campus. A sophomore
from Maple Grove, Minn., Hastings has been
legally blind since birth.
Through the Gage Center for Student Success at
Augsburg College, Hastings gets individualized
support services and accommodations that help
her succeed. The photos that follow show a typical
day in the life of this atypical college student.
Hastings checks to see if she is at the studio office for her voice lesson with vocal
coach Susan Druck.
RACHEL HASTINGS
Laughing as they finish lunch, Hastings and a group of
friends talk about their upcoming finals and what they
need to do before school lets out for the summer.
Summer 2012
23
1
2
3
independence
1 By touching her right hand to the treadmill every three
or four steps, Hastings keeps her position on the
machine during her daily workout. Hastings has completed two half marathons and is planning to run the
Twin Cities Marathon in October. 2 “Hi Rachel, it’s
Noah,” a student says as he meets Hastings. But Noah
Sievert does not need to identify himself because Hastings recognizes his voice. To her, a voice is as distinct as
a face is to a sighted person. 3 The complex nature of
music theory means that Hastings needs accommodations for this course. Hastings took adapted music theory
Pressing on her belly button to physically remind herself to
breathe from her diaphragm, Hastings works on the piece “Mi
Sueño” during her voice lesson with vocal coach Susan Druck.
from assistant professor of music Doug Diamond as a
summer independent study course. 4 Before she gets
even two steps into a classroom, a classmate hops up
and says, “Rachel, there is an open spot right over here.”
One of the few times Hastings requires help is when she
needs to navigate a full classroom with her cane. 5 Practicing on a baby grand piano is one of the perks of being
a music therapy major whose main instrument is the
piano. Since she does not read Braille music, Hastings
learns music by ear, but she has perfect pitch, which
makes learning easier.
After a year of finding her way around the campus, Hastings has
memorized almost every inch of the grounds. The only thing that will
throw her off is an object that is left in an unpredictable place.
5
See more photos and hear Hastings talk about her
experiences at www.augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2012
4
25
Augsburg’s TRiO/Student Support Services
(SSS) program. Programs like AVID and
TRiO/SSS help first-generation and lowincome students succeed in college. For students in high school, these programs provide
Blue ribbons and gold medals. These are
preparation for college entrance exams,
what we normally associate with being
assistance with college research and applica“first.” But for Andrena Murphy ’15, being
tion, and information about the financial aid
first—the first in her family to go to college— application process. On college campuses,
meant making new connections, proactively
these programs help students find resources
seeking advice, and learning new skills.
and support to complete their degree.
During high school, Murphy said, her
Murphy applied for and was accepted to
mother encouraged her to do well but didn’t
Augsburg’s TRiO/SSS program. She attended
THE FIRST
in her family
share some of the lessons she has learned
with the incoming TRiO students.
During the past academic year, Murphy
met regularly with her TRiO/SSS adviser to
update her academic plan and to talk about
the challenges of balancing school with family time, social life, volunteering, and her job.
She said that her time management skills
and even her eating habits improved in her
first year of college. She also learned how to
make connections with professors and to
reach out to them for advice. “That’s something I never did in high school,” she said.
ANDRENA MURPHY
When Andrena Murphy ’15 saw her first initial in
the flower garden outside Memorial Hall, she
took it as a sign that Augsburg was the place
for her.
insist that she go to college. Though her
mother had taken some community college
courses, neither she nor Murphy’s two older
sisters had obtained a college degree. And
each of them had been able to find a good
job without a college education.
“Nobody in my family knew what college
was like,” Murphy said, “so no one could
help me figure out if it was right for me.”
Murphy used her senior year of high
school and the resources of her high school’s
Advancement Via Individual Determination
(AVID) college readiness program to help
determine if college was the next step for her.
Through AVID, Murphy discovered
26
Augsburg Now
TRiO’s Summer Bridge program in July and
August 2011 to begin her Augsburg career.
Summer Bridge is a five-week residential program in which students take introductory religion and public speaking courses and attend
academic support seminars, workshops, and
other activities to help provide for a smooth
transition to school in the fall.
“It was fun to be in an atmosphere where I
could keep learning through the summer,”
Murphy said. She appreciated getting a head
start on classes, learning what college was
like, and meeting her classmates and professors. This summer, she will be a residential
peer mentor for Summer Bridge and will
Murphy also was involved with the Bonner
Leader program during the school year.
Through Bonner, she served as a youth development and enrichment coordinator at Kaleidoscope Place, an after-school program for
elementary and junior high school students.
Murphy officially will enter the Education
Department this fall. She’s excited about her
education classes and about becoming an
elementary teacher one day. “When I look
back, there were a few teachers who really
made a difference for me, and I want to do
that for someone.”
it takes an
Auggie
Gift to future students allows son’s memory to live on at Augsburg
“Nathan Schott’s life is an inspiration to me, and I’m humbled and
honored to receive a scholarship in his name, a scholarship that is
about future possibilities, not past liabilities.”
These are the words of Alexandra Stoiaken ’13, recipient of the
inaugural Nathan R. Schott Scholarship.
Nathan Schott came to Augsburg as a first-year student in September 2009. His time at Augsburg was short, but significant. He
touched the lives of faculty, staff, and students like Alexandra. He
had a unique ability to make connections within the Augsburg community.
Nathan was diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy at the
age of six. He passed away at the end of his first year of college. Yet
Nathan continues to make a difference in the lives of Auggies, present and future.
Teri and Chuck Schott, Nathan’s parents, established the Nathan
R. Schott Scholarship to honor Nathan’s life and to give other students an educational opportunity in a supportive community. The
scholarship provides support for students who, like Nathan, participate in the Center for Learning and Adaptive Student Services
(CLASS) program. CLASS provides services and accommodations
for students with attentional, learning, and physical disabilities.
“Augsburg was the right place for Nathan,” Nathan’s father,
Chuck, said. “He had a feeling of belonging, and this was a place
where he could participate and contribute to the makeup of the
community.”
Teri Schott, Nathan’s mother, added, “The scholarship is a
chance to see that the spirit of Nathan continues. It means he’s still
a part of this place.”
“[Nathan] always had a ready smile for me when we passed in
the halls,” Stoiaken said. “There was real joy in his life, and he
shared it easily.”
Stoiaken, who manages life with cerebral palsy, said she was
inspired by Nathan. “By receiving this scholarship, I will always
endeavor to make Nathan and his family proud. Like Nathan, I will
never allow my disease to define me. I will live life to its fullest,
finding inspiration wherever I can.”
DOUG SCOTT, DIRECTOR OF LEADERSHIP GIFTS
If interested in supporting this or similar scholarship funds, contact Doug Scott at
612-330-1575 or scottd@augsburg.edu.
“By receiving this scholarship, I will
always endeavor to make Nathan and
his family proud. Like Nathan, I will
never allow my disease to define me.
I will live life to its fullest, finding
inspiration wherever I can.”
ALEXANDRA STOIAKEN ’13
Nathan Schott in his
senior year at Maple
Grove High School.
[L to R]: Teri Schott, Alexandra Stoiaken ’13, and Chuck Schott at the 2011 brunch for
Augsburg scholarship donors and recipients.
Courtesy ph
oto
Summer 2012
27
calculus
AND
BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
Fog-covered mountains, roosters crowing
at 4 a.m., dinner by candlelight, 60-foot
waterfalls, and calculus. Strange components in a college class, maybe, but for
seven students and two faculty members,
this was reality during the 2012 spring
break.
In the course MAT 496: The Calculus of
Sustainability, students spent the first
eight weeks of the spring semester studying coffee plantations of Nicaragua. With
this knowledge, they created projects ranging from calculating the carbon footprint
of coffee production to building a largescale differential equation model that
would be used while in Nicaragua.
Once in-country, students were asked by
the farm families with whom they stayed
for feedback and advice on an ecotourism
model the farmers were creating. The
farmers, all members of the GARBO coffee
cooperative in the Peñas Blancas region of
Nicaragua near the Honduran border, were
exploring diversifying their income by inviting tourists to learn about and stay on the
plantation.
So although they had prepared projects
for months before arriving in Nicaragua,
the students set them aside and put the
needs of the farmers in the forefront. The
class came up with ideas like creating a
map of the cooperative and installing a
water filtration system. They also suggested paving the roads and creating a
store to sell convenience items to tourists
as well as products grown on the plantation.
When all was said and done, the students learned that when working in a place
like Nicaragua, plans can change quickly.
Adaptation and the willingness to think on
your feet are great skills to have when trying to apply complex mathematics in a
real-world situation.
28
Augsburg Now
coffee
See more photos, hear the students talk about their experiences, and watch
video of the class at www.augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2012
29
Courtesy photo
my
Auggie experience
Posts from the road
Summer Travel 2012
The Augsburg Choir U.S. Tour
The Augsburg Choir, under the direction of Peter Hendrickson ’76,
toured the Midwest in May. With stops in Montana, North Dakota,
Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming, the choir performed nine concerts and had opportunities to connect with potential Auggies and their families as well as alumni and friends of the
College.
Teaching English in Thailand
This was the fifth year that English professor Kathy Swanson and
her husband, Jack, took students to teach English in Thailand as
part of a short-term study abroad course through the Center for
Global Education. In addition to teaching for 10 days in the village
of Prachuap Khirikhan, the students learned about Thai culture
and history, sailed on the Gulf of Siam, rode elephants, and tried to
stay cool in the 120-degree heat. See photos from the 2012 Thailand course at www.flickr.com/photos/augthailand.
International Management and Finance in Germany
For four weeks in May and June, a group of German students and
professors from Karlsruhe, Germany, paired with Augsburg students
and assistant business professor Marc McIntosh to study international business practices.
The group met for two weeks in Europe, visiting the European
Parliament in Strasbourg and witnessing firsthand the financial crisis that was occurring in Europe at that time. They also went to the
Frankfurt stock exchange and experienced the volatility in the
financial market as a result of the crisis, McIntosh said.
Then, back in the U.S., the students visited three companies with
strong ties to Germany and gained insights into how to do business
in overseas markets. Finally, the students participated in an intensive
business simulation game with teams competing to maximize shareholder value through the launches of multiple product offerings.
The Augsburg students teaching English in Thailand pose outside of the Wat
Benchamabophit, a temple in Bangkok.
study abroad program coordinated through Augsburg’s
Center for Global Education.
An excerpt from Underhill’s blog:
Election day is notable for its calm. Everyone is voting and
waiting; my sense is that people are still feeling that they are
in a dream, not sure that this can really be happening, and
wondering if they will wake up in the morning to find the military back in power, or in fact with a leader they have chosen.
The city is quieter than usual, less traffic and crowds, with
people staying home to vote.
Read more of the Egypt 2012 blog for more about the elections, the
extreme traffic in Cairo, and sharing a plane ride with former President Jimmy Carter at http://augsburgegypttrip2012.blogspot.com.
Social Service in a Global Context: Namibia and the U.S.
During July, a group of 25 Master of Social Work (MSW) students
studied in Namibia and South Africa accompanied by Lois Bosch,
professor and MSW program director, and Nancy Rodenborg, associate professor and chair of the Social Work Department. The group
visited social service agencies, hospitals, schools, and other venues.
Auggies abroad in 2012-13
•
30
Augsburg Now
28 students participated in summer programs in Austria,
Ecuador, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Namibia, Norway, Jamaica, Jordan,
Spain, and the United Kingdom
•
Political and Civic Engagement in Egypt
Political science professor Joe Underhill and Mohamed Sallam,
director of Pan-Afrikan student services at Augsburg, led students
to Egypt in May to study youth movements and social change. The
group visited cultural sites, villages, an ecotourism resort, and a
Bedouin camp, observed the historic presidential election, and
examined ongoing efforts to rebuild the country in the wake of the
2011 revolution. The combined political science and history
course, Political and Civic Engagement in Egypt, was a faculty-led
(including summer 2012)
41 students took part in summer short-term faculty-led programs including programs in Egypt, Germany, and Thailand
•
27 students will study abroad in fall semester
•
6 students will study abroad for the full 2012-13 academic year
Read more posts from the road in the Augsburg Abroad blogs at
www.augsburg.edu/augsburgabroad/blogs.html.
WENDI WHEELER ’06
auggie voices
In a room of her own
In A Room of One’s Own, writer Virginia
Woolf asserts that “a woman must have
money and a room of her own if she is to
write fiction.” This critical feminist essay,
first published in 1929, examines the
obstacles that women writers faced in a literary tradition that was, at the time, dominated by men.
It was in a room of her own, a quiet
space where she could remove herself from
the distractions of college social life, that
Erika Hammerschmidt ’04 began to write
her first book while she was a student at
Augsburg.
A private room is beneficial for students
with Asperger’s syndrome (AS), an autism
spectrum disorder that affects a person’s
ability to socialize and communicate with
others. Students with AS are characterized
by poor social skills and restricted interests,
but they typically possess great knowledge
in specific areas and have extensive vocabularies.
Hammerschmidt was diagnosed with AS
at the age of 11. “In some ways, having
Asperger’s is a gift,” she said. “I have a
good memory and a gift for logical thought.
And I can get very focused.” As a student,
however, Hammerschmidt said she was easily distracted and had trouble concentrating
on schoolwork because of anxiety she felt
about her social life.
Augsburg’s Center for Learning and Adaptive Student Services (CLASS) program, one
of the student support resources available
in the Gage Center for Student Success,
helped Hammerschmidt deal with the
social aspects of college. “They helped me
get a single room, a ‘room of my own’ as
Virginia Woolf wrote. It helped me get
started on a lot of projects and stay focused
on them.”
The ability to focus helped Hammerschmidt complete her book, Born on the
Wrong Planet. First published in 2003, it is
a collection of poems, short stories, and
For Erica Hammerschmidt ’04, living with Asperger’s syndrome makes her feel as though she is an alien on Earth,
and she taps into that alienation to create art. In her hands is a language she created. It's tactile, and is made up
of disk and small sculptural objects that are put together to create words and sentences. Her tactile language
offers others a chance to experience and feel how different she feels because the language is intuitive to her, and
completely foreign to others.
“[Augsburg’s CLASS program] helped me get a single dorm,
a ‘room of my own’ as Virginia Woolf wrote. It helped me get
started on a lot of projects and stay focused on them.”
’04
ERIKA HAMMERSCHMIDT
essays using alternating voices to illustrate
the complexities of Hammerschmidt’s life
with Asperger’s. A revised edition was published in 2008 by the Autism Asperger
Publishing Company.
Since graduating from Augsburg, Hammerschmidt has continued writing in the
Minneapolis apartment she shares with her
husband, John Ricker, whom she met at
Augsburg. In 2011, the couple co-authored
Kea’s Flight, a science fiction novel that
Hammerschmidt said is “like [George
Orwell’s] 1984 for autistic people.”
The couple also speaks about living with
autism spectrum diagnoses to special education students, teachers, and parents of
children with autism. In 2005, they were
featured speakers at the Annual Autism
Society of Minnesota Conference.
To learn more about Hammerschmidt
and her work, go to www.erikahammerschmidt.com.
WENDI WHEELER ’06
Summer 2012
31
alumni news
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
t
hank you for the opportunity to serve as
the Alumni Board president. We are
welcoming five new Auggies to the
board (see their biographies below) and are
excited about the ideas and gifts they bring.
This year, we will build on the work that has
already been done by the Alumni Board and
make an effort to reconnect even more alumni to Augsburg.
My experiences as a member of the men’s soccer team keep me
connected to Augsburg. We won the MIAC championship in 1980
and went undefeated that season. Many of my soccer teammates are
still friends to this day. Several of my former teammates attended the
student-alumni networking event held on campus this past February,
and it was great to see them give back by sharing their experiences
with current students.
At the networking event, 60 students met with 50 alumni who
hosted tables for students to ask about specific careers; my table
was for those interested in financial services. I talked with several
students for an hour, and I’ve since met with two of them to personally guide them on their career paths.
You can stay connected to Augsburg by attending one of many
events hosted by the Alumni Board this year, including Homecoming
during the week of September 24 to 29. Read more about the activities scheduled for Homecoming on page 33. You’ll find information
about more upcoming events on the following pages, and we will
continue to update you in the monthly NOW@Augsburg e-newsletter.
Be sure to read it when it comes to your inbox.
I’d like to see you at an event this summer or at Homecoming.
When we meet, I hope you’ll tell me your ideas for staying connected
to Augsburg!
CHRIS ASCHER ’81
ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
New Alumni Board Members
Five Auggies were recently elected to three-year terms on the
Augsburg Alumni Board.
Frank Grazzini ’96 helps run TelemetryWeb, Inc., a software startup he co-founded. After earning his degree in accounting, he
worked in finance and now is focused on general business management. Grazzini said he would like to see the alumni connection to
Augsburg begin at commencement.
After graduating, Marie (Eddy) Odenbrett ’01 served Augsburg in
event and classroom services and in advancement services. Now
that Odenbrett works in donor relations at Macalester College in
St. Paul, her desire to stay connected with Augsburg led her to join
the Alumni Board.
Lisa K. Olson ’79 lives in Washington, D.C., and is president and
owner of a business and clinical research consulting firm. Several in
Olson’s family are Augsburg graduates, and her grandfather, Henry P.
Opseth, was head of the Music Department and the first director of
the Augsburg Choir.
Nick Slack ’02 has a degree in business administration and is
currently a manufacturers’ representative for sporting goods companies in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
While at Augsburg, Slack was active in student government and
wrestling. After graduating, he served as an Augsburg wrestling
coach for seven years. He is also a member of the Augsburg Young
32
Augsburg Now
Front Row [L to R]: Holly Knutson ’03, ’07 MBA, Marie Odenbrett ’01, Jill Watson ’10 MBA;
Middle Row [L to R]: Nick Slack ’02, Lisa K. Olson ’79, Kathy Amos ’87, Rob Wagner ’02, Chris
Hallin ’88; Back Row [L to R]: Michael Loney ’03, Heather Cmiel ’02, Tracy Anderson ’95,
Jerry Poland ’92, Chris Ascher ’81
Not pictured: Jennifer Carlson ’91, Sharon Engelland ’87, Sarah Grans ’01, Frank Grazzini
’96, Dan Hickle ’95, LeeAnn Lack ’67, Sharon Mercill ’05, Nancy Nordlund ’91, John Stadler
’07 MAL
Alumni Council.
Jill Watson ’10 MBA is a business analyst for Land O’Lakes.
Watson said she wants to facilitate opportunities to increase alumni
engagement and participation at Augsburg events as well as in the
recruitment process.
If you have ideas for alumni involvement, forward them to the
Alumni Board at alumni@augsburg.edu.
CHERYL D. CROCKETT ’89
Join Us for
homecoming SEPTEMBER 24-29
Whether or not you are celebrating a
reunion this year, Homecoming is a perfect
reason to return to campus to reconnect
with former classmates and enjoy the
Augsburg spirit! Join Augsburg alumni, parents, students, and friends in a fun-filled
week of Homecoming events and activities.
This year marks many milestones for the
College that will be recognized during
Homecoming, including the 25th anniversary
of the Master of Arts in Leadership program,
which will be celebrated following the Sabo
Symposium on Wednesday, September 26,
and the 30th Anniversary of Weekend/Evening
College (WEC), which will be celebrated at
the WEC Alumni Reunion Breakfast on Saturday, September 29.
New events have been added to this
year’s Homecoming schedule, including a
Faculty and Faculty Emeriti Meet and Greet
Reception, an Augsburg Cabaret Reunion and
sing-along on Friday, September 28, and a
Latino/a Alumni Reunion Breakfast on Saturday, September 29.
Homecoming Convocation will start the
weekend off on Friday morning, September
28, when we will recognize the First
Decade, Spirit of Augsburg, and Distinguished Alumni Award winners, as well as
members of the class of 1962. Don’t miss
the opportunity for fellowship and reminiscing at the Homecoming Convocation Luncheon
that afternoon or at the 10-year, 25-year, and
30-year reunions at Republic (formerly Preston’s) Friday evening.
Experience the Best of Augsburg on Saturday morning, September 29, when you can
hear a brief lecture from two of Augsburg’s
outstanding faculty members—Darcey
Engen ’88, associate professor and chair of
theater arts, and James Vela-McConnell,
professor of sociology.
Before the football game on Saturday,
enjoy the Taste of Augsburg event with fun for
the whole family, including carnival-style
booths operated by student, parent, and
alumni groups. That afternoon, cheer on the
Auggies at the Homecoming Football Game as
they take on Bethel College.
The Auggie Block Party is back by popular
demand! Following the football game,
gather in the parking lot north of Si Melby
Hall to enjoy food, entertainment, and
camaraderie. It’s a wonderful way to conclude the Homecoming weekend.
Homecoming has something for everyone.
For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.augsburg.edu/homecoming. We
look forward to seeing you in September!
reunion classes
60th Reunion—1952
50th Reunion—1962
40th Reunion—1972
30th Reunion—1982
25th Reunion—1987
10th Reunion—2002
Summer 2012
33
alumni news
Networking at Work
In the past year, the Office of Alumni and Constituent Relations partnered with Career Services and the Alumni Board
to host two student-alumni networking events. These events
provide an opportunity for current Augsburg students to
have one-on-one interactions with alumni from a variety of
professions and also allow alumni to share their professional
experience and insight.
Several lasting connections were made at these events,
including one between Janeece Oatman ’05 and Julie Bednark
’13, who met during Homecoming 2011. The two found they
have a shared passion for high-energy, intense projects, and
they connected immediately around their Augsburg experiences. Their conversation sparked a connection that led to a
friendship and an internship opportunity for Bednark with
the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure annual
bike ride, for which Oatman is the director.
Oatman said she feels good about giving back to the College by offering a unique experience for a current Augsburg
student. “Julie was so approachable, smart, worldly, and
willing to work hard,” she said. Following her internship,
Bednark plans to volunteer for the Tour de Cure to maintain
her connection to Oatman and to the American Diabetes
Association.
Chris Ascher ’81 and Dennis Som ’12 met at a networking
event, but their true connection began after Som invited
Ascher to lunch and they discovered a mutual passion for
the world of finance. Som was inspired by Ascher’s character, goal-setting structure, and willingness to be a resource
for current Augsburg students. Now the two connect regularly via email to share personal and professional developments. Both agree that a long-term mentor/mentee
relationship is in the cards.
Oatman and Ascher agreed they would return to participate in future alumni and student networking events to
recapture the sense of gratification and pride that comes
from “Auggies supporting Auggies.”
Make your own connection with a current Auggie at the
next alumni and student networking event that will take
place on Wednesday, February 13, 2013.
SARA SCHLIPP-RIEDEL ’06
Julie Bednark ’13 and Janeece Oatman ’05
Dennis Som ’12 and Chris Ascher ’81
auggies supporting auggies
34
Augsburg Now
s
‘Augsburg Start’ Mentor Program
SHARE YOUR SUCCESS WITH A NEW AUGGIE!
Do you remember your first days as a new Weekend/Evening College
student? Navigating a new campus? Balancing work, life, and family? Learning about resources and success strategies?
Now that you are an Augsburg WEC alum, you can give back to
Augsburg and share your experience and success by becoming a mentor for a new Augsburg WEC student this fall.
Augsburg Start is a mentor outreach program focused on pairing
new Augsburg for Adults/Weekend College students with an
alumna/us mentor who will support them in their first term. Once
paired with a new student, you will be asked to connect with them
in the first week and at least two other times in the term and be
available as a resource for help and support in person, by phone, or
by email. Each mentor/mentee relationship is different, but here
are some ways to be an Augsburg Start mentor:
• share your strategies for success
as an adult student
• encourage the student to connect with their
faculty adviser so they will be ready to register for the next term
• help the student reach out to student support programs
• be sure the student knows how to use Moodle and Augnet
• connect the student with the library and its resources
For more information, visit www.augsburg.edu/alumni/getinvolved
or contact Pat Grans in Alumni Relations at 612-330-1329 or
gransp@augsburg.edu.
BUILDING CONNECTIONS FROM THE
ground up
When Yemissrach (Yemi) Melka ’15 met Guy Wojtowicz ’81 in March,
she had several questions in mind to help her learn about the personal and professional journey of the Augsburg grad. But she was in
for a surprise—one that would bring a unique experience to the
general chemistry students at Augsburg.
During the visit, Wojtowicz told Melka about his family, many of
whom are Auggies, including his son Zach who has completed his
second year at Augsburg. He also talked about his professional
career, describing some of the chemical and agricultural projects
currently underway at the stucco and plastering company that he
founded with his brother in 2006.
The project that took Melka by surprise involves a compound
that can be sprayed on depleted soil to significantly increase its fertility. Wojtowicz said the compound could also be instrumental in
remediating contaminated soil without having to excavate and
remove the soil to a toxic disposal site.
As a chemistry major and an international student from Ethiopia,
where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy and soil depletion
has been an issue, Melka was excited about exploring the application of the technology in her home
country. She couldn’t wait to tell
[L to R]: Yemissrach Melka ‘15, Guy Wojtowicz ‘81, assistant professor of chemistry
Vivian Feng
her professor, Vivian Feng, about the chemistry lesson she received
outside of class.
Feng was impressed with the capabilities of the compound and
brought it into a first-year general chemistry classroom for students
to use in the environmental chemistry section of the course. Generally, Feng said, first-year students don’t work with commercial compounds used in the real world, so Melka’s discovery provided a rare,
hands-on learning opportunity for her classmates.
Melka met Wojtowicz through her involvement in IGNITE (Involving Graduates Now In Thoughtful Engagement), a program launched in
2009 with a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans™. Students in IGNITE conduct face-to-face visits with alumni to learn
more about their Augsburg experience and their interest in volunteer opportunities at Augsburg.
If you have an interest in meeting with an IGNITE student representative, contact Pat Grans, volunteer coordinator, at 612-3301329 or gransp@augsburg.edu.
CHERYL D. CROCKETT ‘89
Summer 2012
35
alumni news
save the dates
Saturday, October 13, 1-3 p.m.
FALL FOLIAGE PHOTOGRAPHY AND BOAT TOUR
auggie
IS FLYING SOUTH THIS WINTER!
Join President Paul C. Pribbenow and Augsburg alumni and friends
in Arizona for the following events. To register or for more
information call 612-330-1085 or email alumni@augsburg.edu.
Saturday, February 16, 2 p.m.
AUGSBURG RECEPTION
At the home of Donald ’60 and Violet Anderson, Sun City
The Anderson home is located two blocks northwest from the
American Lutheran Church in Sun City.
Taylors Falls, Minn.
Augsburg’s resident photographer, Stephen Geffre, will
provide insight into what
makes for a successful photo
and share stories and images
from his “365 Project.” This
unique event will be held on
the St. Croix River aboard
the Taylors Falls Queen
excursion boat of Wild
Mountain/Taylors Falls
Recreation, owned by Amy
Raedtke Frischmon ’92.
Register at www.augsburg.edu/
alumnievents.
Thursday, October 18, Noon CT
AUGSBURG LIVE: STATE OF THE COLLEGE
Hear first-hand from President Paul C. Pribbenow
about the College’s priorities for this academic year
on this hour-long webinar. See images of the campus, hear stories of student successes, and learn
about how the College continues to live out its mission and promise to students and its community. To
register, go to www.augsburg.edu/alumnievents.
Saturday, February 16, 6 p.m.
RECEPTION AT HEARD MUSEUM
Heard Museum, 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix
Featuring The Couriers quartet from the Augsburg Centennial Singers
AUGSBURG CENTENNIAL SINGERS: ARIZONA TOUR
Sunday, February 17 - American Lutheran Church, Sun City
Sunday, February 17; 8, 9:15, and 10:45 a.m.
Monday, February 18 - The Church at Litchfield Park,
KING OF GLORY CHURCH SERVICES
Litchfield Park
King of Glory, 2085 East Southern Ave., Tempe
Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow will be the guest preacher
Tuesday, February 19 - Desert Hills Lutheran, Green Valley
Sunday, February 17, 6 p.m.
RECEPTION
At the home of Lute ’56 and Kelly Olson, Tuscon
Featuring The Couriers quartet from the Augsburg Centennial Singers
Thursday, February 21 - Sun Lakes United Methodist
Church, Sun Lakes
Friday, February 22 - Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran,
Fountain Hills
Saturday, February 23 - Vista de la Montana Methodist
Church, Tucson
Sunday, February 24 - Gold Canyon United Methodist
Church, Gold Canyon
36
Augsburg Now
62newly published book on sciKen Olson is the author of a
alumni class notes
57lished two books: Daily Walks
Rev. Neal Snider recently pub-
with Saints and Sinners and Walking
Together through the Bible.
ence and religion, Lens to the Natural World: Reflections on Dinosaurs,
Ga
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Title
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Augsburg Now Fall 2011: Auggies Go Beyond
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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AUGSBURG NOW
FALL 2011
VOL. 74, NO. 1
inside
auggies
Augsburg Now
Magazine
of Augsburg College
25The
Years
of Life-Changing
Augsburg as a Citizen Dr. Amit Ghosh ’12 MBA
Travel
What is the Commons? Norwegian Royal Visit
Homecoming
2011 Annual Report to Donors
page
20
go
beyond
notes
f...
Show more
AUGSBURG NOW
FALL 2011
VOL. 74, NO. 1
inside
auggies
Augsburg Now
Magazine
of Augsburg College
25The
Years
of Life-Changing
Augsburg as a Citizen Dr. Amit Ghosh ’12 MBA
Travel
What is the Commons? Norwegian Royal Visit
Homecoming
2011 Annual Report to Donors
page
20
go
beyond
notes
from President Pribbenow
Assistant Vice President of
Marketing and Communication
Rebecca John
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Editorial
Wendi Wheeler ’06
wheelerw@augsburg.edu
Creative Director
On politics and informed citizens
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Design
t
he creation of the Sabo Center for Citizenship
and Learning a few years ago allowed us a
wonderful opportunity to celebrate the life and
work of our distinguished alumnus, Martin Olav Sabo
’59, whose life-long commitment to public service is
an inspiration to all of us. As we live out our mission
and vision here at Augsburg, we, of course, are
deeply engaged in helping our students to understand the electoral political process, which
Congressman Sabo so ably served. In addition, our
students are closely involved in local political and
advocacy efforts, in public service internships, in
get-out-the-vote campaigns, and in helping our
many new U.S. neighbors to participate in U.S.
electoral politics.
At the same time, we also are deeply committed
to the ideas and practices of a broader public
claim—a claim that calls on all citizens to “get political”—to follow the call of our Augsburg colleague,
Harry Boyte, director of the Center for Democracy and
Citizenship, who suggests that “Despite its bad reputation, politics is the way people in any setting deal
with differences to get something done. Politics
means creating alliances, negotiating, engaging people around self interests, using levers of change in a
strategic way. Politics is how diverse groups of people
build a future together … Politics is from the Greek
root, politikos, ‘of the citizen.’” As Boyte reminds us,
“For over two thousand years politics meant not parties or vertical relations with the state but rather horizontal engagement among citizens.” In other words,
politics and getting political is the authentic and important work of citizenship, claimed by all of us as
our birthright and moral obligation.
One of my heroines in U.S. history is the great social reformer, Jane Addams, who lived and worked at
Hull-House in Chicago for almost 50 years, helping
her immigrant neighbors to practice citizenship—not
because of a political system but because democracy
is a social ethic, a way of living together in commu-
nity, neighborhood, country, some of us think even,
the world. She described democracy as a “mixed
and thronged road” on which we all are travelers together, navigating our lives together. Surely, Miss Addams illustrated in her own life and work the ways in
which mature citizenship—genuine politics—is
meeting the needs of our neighbors, building
stronger and healthier neighborhoods, finding common purpose and then the will to make it real, and
learning to be what political philosopher and ethicist
Jean Bethke Elshtain has called “chastened patriots,” those who love a cause or community or country but love it in ways that make it stronger, more
responsible, and more faithful to common purpose.
This is politics as common, public work.
The great Illinois senator, Adlai Stevenson, who
ran for president against Dwight Eisenhower in 1952,
was once said to have responded at a whistle stop to
a supporter who shouted out, “All thoughtful Americans are with you, Adlai,” with this great line, “That
won’t be enough.” For those of us committed to the
public and civic roles of higher education, we know
that one of our great challenges is to educate more
informed and thoughtful citizens—work that is a central claim of Augsburg’s mission—and to challenge
our students to help others become the same as they
reclaim a sense that politics is not simply about who
is in power and who is not, not simply about ideology
and partisanship, not simply about winners and losers, but instead that politics is the work we all are
called to do to ensure that our common purposes will
be realized.
Please enjoy the many stories in this issue of
Augsburg Now that illustrate Augsburg’s commitment
to educating informed citizens—a commitment that
has implications for our work on campus, in our
neighborhood, and around the world.
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Jen Nagorski ’08
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Webmaster/Now Online
Bryan Barnes
barnesb@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni and
Constituent Relations
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
langemo@augsburg.edu
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
fall 2011
augsburg now
Features
7
Homecoming 2011
BY CHERYL CROCKETT
11
15
14
augsburg
as a citizen
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
.
13 The Sabo Center
Educating citizens and leaders
14 Course-based service-learning
Learning beyond the classroom
15 The Bonner Leader program
Developing future leaders
16 Community relations
The College as an anchor
3
contents
10
7
On the cover
Banners along Murphy Square, part of the commons Augsburg shares
with the neighborhood, reflect the College’s commitment to service.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
17 What is the commons?
BY JAY WALLJASPER
21
Annual report to donors
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Departments
inside
front
cover
2
6
10
29
35
40
44
Notes from President Pribbenow
Around the Quad
Auggies on the court
My Auggie experience
It takes an Auggie
Alumni news
Class notes
Auggie voices
Correction: The Summer 2011 issue of Augsburg Now reported that the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council awarded two $10,000 grants to
Augsburg College. The awards were granted to Medieval Minnesota and OverExposure. Both programs work in partnership with the College.
The grant to Medieval Minnesota was funded, in part, by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota
State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008. The grant to OverExposure, which worked in
partnership with Centro Youth Workshop and Augsburg, was an Arts Learning Grant from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.
quad
around the
NEWSNOTES
U.S.News & World Report names Augsburg College
a 2011 Best Regional College
This fall, Augsburg was named to the 2011 top 30 “Best Regional
Midwest Universities” by U.S.News & World Report. The ranking is
based on assessment in 16 areas related to academic excellence.
To find out more about the U.S.News & Word Report
ranking, go to www.augsburg.edu/now.
Augsburg one of six to win Washington Center Higher
Education Civic Engagement Award
For its commitment to public service and community involvement,
Augsburg was selected by The Washington Center for Internships
and Academic Seminars to receive the Higher Education Civic Engagement Award.
The College is one of six higher education institutions in the
nation to receive the honor, which was awarded October 3 at The
Washington Center’s annual luncheon, held at the National Press
Club in Washington, D.C. Last May, the College was also one of six
schools—and the first in Minnesota—to win the Presidential Award
for Community Service, the highest federal honor available for
service learning.
PA students complete a unit on working with older adults by hosting a community
health fair for residents of Augustana Apartments in downtown Minneapolis.
Physician Assistant program is granted accreditation
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician
Assistant (ARC-PA) has granted Continued Accreditation to the Physician Assistant Program sponsored by Augsburg College. Continued
accreditation is an accreditation status granted when a currently accredited program is in compliance with the ARC-PA Standards.
Continued Accreditation remains in effect until the program
closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards. The
approximate date for the next comprehensive review of the program by the ARC-PA will be September 2018.
The Augsburg program went from a three-year accreditation
cycle to seven—the longest that