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Homecoming - S@ep'13
1ge 13
"Celebrati ng Old Main:
100 Years, 100 Memories "
October 5-8, 2000
•
Summer 2000 Vol. 62 • No.
Augsburg College, Minneapolis
COMMENCEMEN
T
A publication for Augsburg College alumni and friends
Summer 2000 • Vol. 62 • No. 4
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
...
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Homecoming - S@ep'13
1ge 13
"Celebrati ng Old Main:
100 Years, 100 Memories "
October 5-8, 2000
•
Summer 2000 Vol. 62 • No.
Augsburg College, Minneapolis
COMMENCEMEN
T
A publication for Augsburg College alumni and friends
Summer 2000 • Vol. 62 • No. 4
Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN
Chris Kimball is named Augsburg's new
dean of the College
By BetseyNorgard
Christopher W. Kimball, associate
professor of history and chair of the
department, was confirmed by the Board
of Regents as the new vice president for
academic and learning services and dean
of the College, beginning June I.
In this position, Kimball oversees all
aspects of academic and student affairs,
from classroom learning to residential
life and student life beyond the
classroom. A merger in 1997 of the
academic affairs and student life offices
created this combined division.
Kimballhas servedon the FacultySenate
for fiveyears,the last three yearsas its
president,at a criticaltime in which the
Collegehas begunstrategicplanning to
implement theAugsburg2004vision
document As a member of the
qimmission exploringthe nature of
Augsburg'sexperientialeducation and
interdisciplinarystudies,Kimballadvocated
the need for an academic"master planner;•
a role he now assumesas dean.
"Designating someone to think
strategically about the entire curriculum
is essential in making choices about our
future: the relationship of majors to
general education; the balance between
graduate and undergraduate programs;
the place of internships and servicelearning and the most effectiveacademic
calendar, to name but a few,"Kimball
wrote to the search committee.
In commenting on the appointment,
President William Frame mentioned that
the searchcommittee members noted "a
community-wide regardfor the depth
and clarity of [Kimball's]understanding
of the advantages of private, churchrelated higher education in an urban
context, and for his ability to grasp the
implications of these for the management
of both student and faculty life.•
Since coming to Augsburg in 1991,
Kimball has tried to balance a
commitment to teaching with
participation in various areas of student
life. 1\vice he has been selected by
Augsburg graduating seniors as the
honored faculty person in the soda!
sciences division.
Kimballserves as Augsburg's faculty
athletics representative, a position in the
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) and the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
that provides faculty involvement on
campus in programs that help address
problems faced by student athletes.
He has also served as coordinator of the
Secondary Education Social Studies
Teaching Licensure program and as
internships coordinator for the history
departm ent
A native of the Boston area, Kimball
earned an undergraduate degree in
history from McGill University, and both
master's and doctoral degrees from the
University of Chicago. His dissertation
Christopher W. Kimball
centered on American reconstruction
plans following World War I.
Kimball's passion for baseball is well
known on campus. He and art
department chair Kristin Anderson, with
grant money from the Minnesota
Historical Society,are currently
researching the growth of baseball as a
pastime in the Twin Cities and the
building of two ballparks as basis for
exploring the development of urban
identity (see article on page 6).
The College bids farewell to the retiring academic deans
By BetseyNorgard
After a combined 72 yearsof serviceto
AugsburgCollegeas both teachersand
administraton, Marie McNeffand Earl
Alton exchangedfarewellswith the
Augsburgcommunity on May 2.
HoverstenChapelwas filledthat afternoon
for a Deans' Convocation, featuring Sheila
Tobias,a noted national leader in science
and mathematics education and gender
issuesin higher education. This
presentation, addressingissuesof vital
interest to both Alton and McNeff,wasa
gift to the Collegefrom them.
Many collcaguesand friends stayedfor the
followingreception in order to bestow
tnl>uteson the miring deans.
Inez Schwartzkopf'59, former Augsburg
regent and friend of McNeff, spolceof the
high standards that McNeffalways
expectedof both colleaguesand students,
and told her, "Youan: an educator, and
)OU mp learning."
John Hoium, profi:ssoremeritus of
chemistry,whose friendship and teaching
collaborationwith Alton began during
undergraduate students days at SL Olaf
College.recounted how both he and Alton
were r=uited to Aup> urg by chemistry
department chairCourtland Agre,their
former teacher.
In advocatingfor Alton, Hoium quoted
AgR as sayingthat EarlAlton wasa "hard
worm" and noted that this would not
haMbeensaid lightly by Apo
MarieQ McNdf cameto Aupburg's
educationdepartment
in 1968,after
1-:hing in one-roomruralschoolsin her
naliYcNebraska
andin li:YdsK-8.Over
the yan, shetaught most of thecoursesin
the educalion
department.
as wellas
<DWSCS in~
Callqeandthe
SUMMER 2000
"There an: two vital ideas that Augsburg
has exemplified;'saysAlton."One is the
insistanceon academicfreedom- our
College sealproclaims'Through Truth to
Freedom: [The] other is found in the first
phrase of our mission statement.We send
out educated citirens who willbe leaders
exemplifyingserviceto church and
society."
I
EariR. Alton
Master of Arts in Leadership programs. In
1995 she succeededRyan laHurd as vice
president for academic affairsand dean of
the College.During the past year,she gave
up this position in order to serveas
Augsburg'sfirst academicmaster planner,
devoting her time to creating a blueprint
for implementingthe academicprovisions
of Augsburg2004, the College's vision
document
Marie 0. McNefl
Earl R. Alton taught 34 yearsin the
chemistrydepartment before becoming
associatedean for facultyaffairsin 1994.
During that time, he helped secure
certificationfrom the AmericanChemical
Society for the bachelor of science
chemistrymajor.At severaltimes, he
taught chemistry at 3M to emplO)ftS
seekingto finishundergraduate degr= at
"You ore on educator, and you keep learning. "-Inez Schwartzkopf
'59, speaking to Marie McNeff, retiring after 32 years at Augsburg
Prmously, in 1m, McNdf masaw the
merga-of the academicaflairsand student
life divisions.
"Oneof the goalsin bringing the faculty
andstudentaffairs~
is to iml'l'O\'e
boththe instructional
productivityand
learningqualityforstudents,movingus
'-M the'campus-widelearning
amununity';'shewrotr
in heracademic
master planrqx,rt.
Augsburg.
Thispast yearhe became
interim vice presidentfor academicand
learningsaviccs anddeanof the Collqie,
whileMcNdf serw:dasacademicmaster
planner.
During1996-97,Altoncoordinated
McNeffrefersto the vision contained in
Augsburg2004."Within this context;•she
says,"AugsburgCollegehas not only had
the freedom,but has, indeed, acted on that
freedom,to explore new ventures.While
changeswilland should occur at
Augsburg,it is important to safeguardthe
soul of Augsburg,the spirit of venture, of
risk and of the unorthodox."
Ouistopher W. Kimball,chairof the
history department, succeedsAlton,and
previouslyMcNeff,as academicdean.
What's Inside
Campusnews
Commencement2000
Developmentnews
Sporn
Alumninews
Gan notes
page2
page7
page 10
page 11
page 12
page 13
On the Cover..•
c.ommmumm,
2000 •••,~.
from
uppa /di) lnumotional studtntJ /md 1M
groduata' pn,anion to Mdby Hall.
Pmklffll WliliamFram,, cangratulotaRip.
Augsburg's
most recentaa:reditation
al
reviewand- cu-audiorof the self-study Maron 01a,, Sabo on uwocawon
AugJburg~
finl honoratytkgrtt. Dwayne
prq,an!dfor thatprocaL
LDooman
~ 1M day with a ""1Vr to
1MmmtnJ. l'hotos by I.Indac..dlot.
Whenasbd rordlect011.Auglbwg's
missionandstJmgtbs.
bothAltooand
McNeffspeakaboutfreedom.
AUGSBURG NOW
2 • CAMPUSNEWS
We're Changing
This summer issue you are readin g is
the last newspaper tabloid issue of th e
AugsburgNow.
In September you'll receive the
inaugural issue of the Augsburg Now
magazine-the look will be differe nt ,
but we'll continue to bring you th e
stories of Augsburg and its extended
family.
The Auggie campus- refreshed, revitalized, and
getting ready for its 132nd year
Major renovations on campus this summer will give students returningfrom summer
vacations and alumni and friendscoming back for Homecominglots of reasons to
believe in Augsburg'scurrentfundraisingtheme, "Pridein Place and Purpose."
Watch for this new issue, an d please let
us know how you like it.
Augsburg's Web
site- a new look!
www.augsburg.edu
Visit Augsburg's Web site to see a new
look for the College an d learn about
news, events, athletics, and academic
programs.
Also, please visit:
www.augsbur g.edu /2 004A special place for new students to chat
before coming to Augsburg
www.augsburg.edu/cal-Lea rn about
events on tampus on the Web calendar
Mailing list changes?
Is your address listed incorre ctly on the
Augsbur g Now label? Do you receive
du plicate copies in your household?
We would ap preciate your help in
keep ing our database up to date. Please
send your corrections to Sue Allard, CB
142, Augsbu rg College, Office of
Instit ut iona l Advancement, 2211
Riverside Ave., Mi nn eapoli s, MN 55454
or via e-mail to <allard@augsburg.edu >.
A UGSBURG
Now
Summer 2000 • Vol. 62, No. 4
Au95buryNow is published by
Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Avenue,
Minneapolis, Minnesota SS4S4.
Betsey Nor gard
Editor, Director of Publications
Lynn Mena
Staff Writer, Alumni Notes Editor
Kat hy Rumpza
Graphic Designer
Don Sto ner
Sports Information Coordinator
Wi lliam V. Frame
President of Augsburg College
Daniel F. Jorge n se n
Director of Public Relations
and Communication
Nancy Toe dt
Director of Alum ni Relations
1) Melby Hall Renomloff--Th e Class of 2000 were awarded their
d egrees and given a college send-off in a gymnasium sporting a brand
new floor, new cushioned bleach ers trimmed in Auggie maroon, new
and b right er lighting, and air--conditio ning. This first major renovation
of the 40 -year-old building also included expansion of the Fitness
Center, new champagne-co lored glass windows across the front fa~de
replacing the blue panels, and new offices for athletic faculty and staff.
2) The Ubra,y Un/r......(:onstruction began in May to build the link
connecting Lindell Library to Sverdrup and Memorial Halls. Students
will be able to go from Urness and Mortensen residence halls to the
library without having to face the outside weather.
4) Enrollment and Flnandal xmca Cente, (USC}-A complete
renovation of Sverdrup Hall's first floor has created a new service
center to make it easier for students to take care of their enrollment.,
registration, and financial needs. In addition to new physical space,
implementation of new state-of-the-art financial aid software will more
efficiently serve student needs and provide additional online capability.
In addition to the EFSC,the first floor of Sverdrup Hall will house the
registrar's office and academic advising.
5) Umeu ffall--l ncoming first-year students will enjoy brand-new
furniture and improved bathroom facilities when they move In over
Labor Day weekend.
3) Ice Areno--Skaters and hockey players will notice new paint,
dasher boards, bleachers, and floors in the double-rink arena, as well
as a new roof o n the building.
Opinions oxpn,ssed In Augsburg Now (ISSN
1058-1545) do not neceuarily reflect official
college policy. Send com,spondence, name
change.,and -ress con.c-. to: Augsburg
Now, Office of Public Relations and
Communication, C.mpus Box 145, Augsburg
College, 2211 Riffl>ide Avenue. Mlnneapol',s,
MN 55454. Telephone : (612) 330-1180. En\lil: <n<>w9aug,burg.edu,..
A&.<gsbury
Now Is not copyrighted. Unies>
othefwlse noted. articles may be n,printed
without permission IS long as approprilte
credit Is g!Yonto the wrikf and to Augsburg
College.
Postmaster. ff undol.,...ble os addresse<I.
plNse send changes to: Al.!PIJurg
-•
Office at P\lblic Relations and
Communlaition, c.mpus
Box 145 , Augsburg
Colege. 2211 Riffl>ideAvenue.MiMNpolls,
MN 55454.
•....,..,
...,_,,....
_ °"""'
.._
~
b.., _
_.........,_._
www.augsburg.edu/now
Dick Adamson.vice president for finance and administJation.
led a tour in May for Augsburg faculty, staff and regents to see
renovaoons
and reconstruction around campus.
the
AUGSBURGNOW
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
CAMPUSNEWS • 3
Faculty books make marks in the ir fields
beginning researchon a
book that furthtt
investigatessome of the
themes from WhoisMy
Neighborr"The working
title of my new book is
Someof My Bt:stFriend$
An. .. ; saysVelaMcC.onnell."I'm
interestedin looking at
friendshipswhich cross
Vela-McC.onnell,
socially-constructed
associatesociology
socialboundaries,such as
professor,was recently
friendshipsbetween men
nominated for a
and women, between
C. Wright Mills Awardfor
JamesVela-McConnell
Kathy Schwalbe
different races,sexualities,
his book, WhoisMy
nationalities,classes,cultural ethics,etc."
Neighbor.SocialAffinity in a ModernWorld KathySchwalbe,associate professorof
(State Universityof New YorkPress).The
Schwalbeis cumntly writing Web-based
businessadministration/accounting/MIS,
award, sponsored by the Societyfor the
coursesabout project management
had a hard time finding good books for
Study of SocialProblems,is one of the top
softwarefor her book's publishing
her project management courses,so in
awardsgivenfor a book in the fieldof
company,and hopes to write more books
1998 she set to work on writing one
socialproblems.
in the future."I was surprised at how
herself.The resultingbook, Information
much I likedwriting the book,"she says.
Technology
ProjectManagement
Although he contributed to the book
"UsuallyI like to be around people
(International Thomson
What'sLeft?:RadicalPoliticsin the
Publishing/CourseTechnology),published more-writing is so solitary-but I found
Postcommunist
Era(Universityof
it very satisfyingand creative."
just one yearlater,is the first project
MassachusettsPress),this is Velamanagement book that focusesexclusively
McC.onnell'sfirst full-lengthbook. Whois
on information technologyprojects.
My Neighborrexploreswhat he terms
"socialaffinity,'a concept "bridging
As a result of her book,
classicalnotions of socialcohesion with
Schwalbehas been
contemporary socialpsychology."The
contacted byother
book ultimatelydemonstrateshow "social
publishersseekingher
affinityand the meaning our valueshave
expertisefor various
for us are shaped byour sociallocation
projects, and the University
and the self-interestwhich permeates our
of Minoesota recruited her
culture."
to teach a project
management course in their
"I reallyenjoy the writing process,"says
engineeringschool
Vela-McC.onnell"For me, one of the most
rewardingaspects of publishing a book
Both Vela-McConnelland
was the sense of accomplishmentand the
Schwalbeare working on new
feelingthat I had actuallycontributed
writing projects.Vela-McC.onnell
is
something differentto the field"
•
Junior Ryan Cobian wins
Goldwater Scholarship
Junior physics
and mathematics
major Ryan
Cobian was one
of309
undergraduate
students
nationwide in the
fields of
mathematics,
science and
engineering to
win a prestigious
Goldwater scholarship for the 2000-2001
academic year. The $7,500 scholarship
Aroundthe Quad
Recentgrants
ByLynn Mena
Lastfall,two Augsburg
farulty members
cdebrated the publication
of their first books. Since
that time, both Kathy
Schwalbeand JamesVelaMcC.onnellhave attracted
critical acclaimand
attention for their literary
contributions.
will cover the cost of tuition, fees,books,
and room and board.
At Augsburg, Cobian has participated in
two international space physics
conferences, making an oral
presentation at one and a poster
presentation at another. In addition, he
is the second author of an academic
paper published this summer in the
Journal of Geophysical Research.
After graduation, next year, Cobian
plans to pursue a graduate degree in
electrical engineering, leading to a
research and development career in
either magnetic recording technology or
microelectronics.
He said he was attracted to Augsburg by
the strong reputation of Augsburg's
physics department and the research
opportunities he knew he would have as
an undergraduate.
Cobian is the fourth Augsburg
Goldwater scholar in the last five years
and is one of 13 recipients from
Minnesota colleges and universities.
The scholarship winners are selected by
the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and
Excellencein Education Foundations
from among I, 100 nominees by college
and university faculties. Goldwater
scholarships are considered the premier
undergraduate awards of their kinds in
these fields.
scie1a b tine
,-s from theNallonll Sclencie
S123,82Sto~
Foundation (NSF) to supportsummer
unclerglDllte~"'-Uglting
robot navigation using~
landmlllcs.
Sl00,816 to computer sciencefor three
from NSI'to support joint l'l!Selrch
with the I.Jnillffllty
of Utah to gll'leflte
an accurate sense of deplh and size
usingcomputer graphics.
,-s
$6,000 ID lhe AugsburgCollegeof the
Third h;Jefrom the Minnesota
HumanitiesCommission,In cooperation
with the National Endowmentfor the
Humanitiesandthe MinnesotaState
t.eglslatu~ to supportliberalans
learningfor older adults et four sitesin
lhe lwln Cities. The Collegeof lhe Third
h;Jeis one of 12 Leamingin Retirement
Networl<(URN) programsselectedfor
the year 2000 in Minnesotathat
promote older adult laming In the
humanities.
$925,000 TwinCitiesPublicTelevlslon
('ll'T), the RichardR. Glftl'I Instituteand
AugsburgCollegeto use current and
emergingmedia technologyto draw
attention to the best practicesof
teaching and learningand to dellelop a
CommunityOil5$roomlaboratoty
schoolproject The LeamingParle
projectwill use televlslon, newspapers,
digitallyenhanced bmadcasts, the
Internet and the telephone ID bring
infonnationabout criticaleducational
issues,opportunities and methods to
TwinOtles residents.
Augsburgis participatingIn a S740,000
grant from the Departmentof
Educationto Teacheis In Educatlonal
Services (TIES)in Rosevillefor "Preparing
Tomorrow'sTeachffl to Use
Technology.• Augsburgeducation
students, facultyand K-12 teacherl will
build a model of technology-richpreservice teacher education at the College.
Facultytenureand promotions-as of Sept. 1, 2000
F...ity tenured:
WilliamC. Caprnan, biology
JUIA. Dawe,muJk:
JacquelineR.deVries,history
Gretchen KranzIrvine,education
SusanE. O'Connor, educaUon
ParyPezechkian-Welnbefg,
modem
languages (French)
MichaelD. Schodc, social\Wl1'
Promoted to auodate profes-.
PIIA.l>av.<e,music
Jacqueline
R.de'Mes, history
Susan E.O'Connor,education
ParyPazechkian-Weinberg,
modem
languages
Rochester program
AuJsbu,9ConcertBanddireclorRobfflStade '71 conductsbdott a full houseat the elegantHeardMuseumIn
in_,,,
--
l'floenilr,
Atiz. TheAugsbu,gChoirand ConcettBand SouthwestTourtook them to performancesin Arizonaand
NewMoico
spring.
Duringspringtrimester 125 51lldents
were enrolledin Rochester. Augsburg
received a favorable report from the
North CentralAssociationof Schools
and Coleges for establishment al a
branch campus In Rochester,
and .awaib
the final notification.The Rochester
programoffen ~ degr9!S
In nuning and computer ICience, and
c.ounesIn liberalarts and bulir,m
admnstlation.
New majors offered
~
i5ane ol thft
p,lvat2 c.ollllgs to offer a full
majorIn marlcetlng. ralher thin a
~
COlll'..ellbatio,, widw,
busine5. (-
IIOr)'
onp.10).
Emotionala,d behavioral disabllti&A,_ 111:-12
lacher liansLre major In
'ltlmll!nd CG1egereponds to ldlOOI
clllrict rwms
for~
1nthl! .. o1
special nation.
SUMM ER 2000
AUGSBURG NOW
4 • CAMPUSNEWS
Keeping track of
faculty, staff, and
students
Faculty and staff members
retire from active teaching
and service
Publications
By Lynn Mena
LARRYCOPES,mathematics, "Messy
Four faculty members, three of whom
have more than 30 years of teaching at
Augsburg, and two staff members retired
from active teaching and service at the
end of this academic year. All four faculty
members were granted emeritus/emerita
status by the Board of Regents.
Monk Mathematics,• in the April Issue
of Mathematics Teacher. He was also
a co-presenter at the annual meeting
of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics in Chicago In April.
CASS DALGLISH,English, "The
Textual Dance: Allusionin the Oldest
and Newest Poetry," an electronic
essay, was included in the published
proceedings of the 1998-99 Red River
Conference on World Literature.
Senior Spanish major ANNALISA
FREJ'sarticle, "Undocumented
Women and Abuse,• was published in
LaJomada,a Mexican newspaper. She
wrote the article as part of an
internship at an independent human
rights organization in Cuernavaca,
Mexico during her semester abroad.
DOUGLASGREEN,English, has
recent and. forthcoming articles about
gender and sexuality in Shakespeare's
A MidsummerNight's Dream published
In the Garland Shakespeare volume of
the play. He also has three poems
appearing in the fall issue of Rag Mag.
Green presented a seminar paper,
"My Own Private Italy: Zeffirelli,
Shakespeare, and Hollywood,• at the
annual Shakespeare Association of
America meeting in Montreal,
April 6-9.
BEVSTRATTON,religion, wrote a
series of recent columns on the
"women of Genesis" in Lutheran
WomanToday,the magazine of the
women of the ELCA.
Exhibits/Performa
nces
SUSANDRUCKand BARBARA
LUNDERVOLD,
music, perfonned in
April in Caracas, Venezuela, with the
Minnesota Chorale, one of two choirs
invited to represent the United States
at the America Cantat Ill, an
international choral festival.
NORMANHOLEN,art, exhibited
"Desiree• in The Figure Show at
Minnetonka Center for the Arts; he
also exhibited •corn Bale" in the
national juried art exhibition, Arts in
Hannony 2000, at the Sherburne
County Government Center in Elk
River,and at the Northern Lights 2000
exhibition at Century College in White
Bear Lake.
Papers/Presentations
Augsburg students VICKIAMAN,
REBECCABAINVILLE,
ANDREA
COBERY,and c.J. MACE,presented
papers on their research of poets and
novelists Including WilliamBlake,
Daniel Defoe, and Charlotte Perlans
Gilman at the ACTCEnglish Majors
Conference at Macalester College.
The CENTERFOR GLOBAL
EDUCATIONcoordinated a
community forum in Namibia, Africa,
on HIV/AIDSas a gender issue. in
March.
BRIDGETDOAK, music therapy,
presented "Bringing the Arts to
Students with Behavioral Disorders,•
at a video teleconference in February.
She also helped AnokaCounty write a
S10,000 grant from Medtronics to get
music therapy sefVices at BellCenter
Day Treatment in Coon Rapids.BRIAN
SATTERUE
'98 was hin!d as music
therapistfor that program.
AUGSBURGNOW
Palmer's retirement plans begin with a
summer trip to Europe with her husband
and the Alumni Association. Later,she
hopes to work part time and find
volunteer opportunities. "But I will miss
the students- I reallyenjoyedworking
with students and their families,"says
Palmer.
RICHARD C. NELSON
JOHN E. BENSON '55
John Benson, profeswr of religion,
returned to his alma mater in 1963to
begin his 37-year teaching career.
"Amongthe words one might use to
describe the work and activity of John are
comprehensive,expansive,methodical,
and thorough,"saysPhilip Quanbeck Sr.
'50, profeswr emeritus of religion."It has
been a privilegeto know and to work with
John and I am sure he has left his
academic imprint on a variety of
students."
Along with some part-time teaching,
Benson plans to spend most of his time
working on severalwriting projects. He
says,looking back over the past 37 years,
"Teachinghere at Augsburg has beenfor
me very much a 'family' type of
experience.In large part this is probably
due to its cultural and religious heritage,
but it has alsobeen due to those particular
individuals who have investedtheir lives in
this place."
DEIDRE MIDDLETON '88
Deidre Middleton, academic adviser,
began in I 988 as enrollment coordinator
for WeekendCollege,moved to associate
program coordinator and then academic
advisor for weekend students. In 1995she
began advising both day and weekend
students.
"The things I will remember the most
about Deidre is that she would alwaysdo
the little extra things to make life a little
more pleasant,"says Benjamin Kent,
director of academic advising."For
example, she alwayshad a full candy jar,
she took the time to see how you were
doing, and she let you know what was
going on in her life."
Middleton's plans include writing,
volunteer work, and perhaps starting a
cottage industry, but "right now I am
pretty much caught up in trying to
develop my backyard into a myriad of
flower beds and walking paths,"she says.
"Augsburg has beena significant part of
my life since the '70s; many members of
my familyhave gone to school here, and I
hope someday my grandchildrenwill
attend."
JOCFJ YN PAL\IER
Jocdyn Palmer retired as student accounts
receivablecoordinator (for both day and
weekend programs). She came to
Augsburg in 1985as an accounts manager
in the Weekend Collegeoffice from
teaching business courses.
"I've had the privilegeof hiring a number
of people mer the yearsbut one of the
bestwas Jocdyn Palmer,"saysHerald
Johnson '68, director of financialaid.
"Students wereso well treated by her that
many ashd for her by name, always
knowingthat she would'find a -/ for
them to meet Ihm obligations
and)1!I:
comply withCollegerequirements.
•
Richard Nelson, profeswr of history,
began at Augsburg in 1968as assistant
profeswr.
"Rick Nelson is why I came to Augsburg,"
saysChris Kimball,vice president for
academic and learning services and former
associateprofeswr and chair of the history
departmenL "He hiredme, guided me,
and helped me to understand what
Augsburgwas about. He will never be
replaced."
Nelson and his wife plan to traveland take
time to read, especiallyabout U.S.history.
He has fond memories of his many years
at Augsburg."Over 30 yearsof teaching
yields a range of memories... all mostly
good memories. As a professor,I will miss
students and the opportunity to teach. I
suspect no one gets over the desire to teach
and to be taughL"
EDWARDM. SABELLA
Edward Sabella,profeswr of economics,
came to Augsburg in 1967as assistant
professor.
Teaching the
bottom line in
the Czech
Republic
By Betsey Norgard
Associatepromir Stu
Stolleris accustomed to
~nding to callsfrom
localbusinessesand
corporations.His
AugsburgBusinessCenter
linksAugsburgbusiness
studmts with local
companieswherethey
gainexperienceby helpingthe businesses
solveproblemsor implement projects.
In the fall of 1998,however,the "call"
came not from a Twin Cities business,but
from a universitycenter in the Cuch
Republic, and led to a six-month, backand-forth consultation during fall 1999.
Stollerwasinvitedto serveas a business
consultantin a project 5P<>nso
red by the
Centre for InterculturalStudiesat Palacky
University.They knew of his work in 1995
in neighboringPoland, they knewabout the
Augsburg BusinessCenter, and they hoped
he could help them incubatebusinessesin
Olomouc,the country's third largestcity,
wherePalackyUnivmity is located.
The universitycenter had secured
European Union funding to help former
Soviet Union countries applying for EU
membership whose inherited economies
faced huge issuesof privatization and
globalizationin striving to compete
economicallyin the new Europe.
"Professor Sabellais deeply committed to
the field of economics," saysJeanne Boeh,
associateprofessor and chair of the
economics departmenL "He strongly
believesin the value of an economics
degree as a way of helping students reach
their true potential. His expression of these
core values servedto motivate many
students, during his career,to study
economics at both the undergraduate and
graduate level."
While many Western businessesrush into
the economic vacuum in Central Europe,
the PalackyUniversitycenterproject
striv<sto build and dewlop Cuch industry.
Sabella'sretirement plans are "pretty much
open-ended" as of now. In addition to
writing, he hopes to keep his hand in
academia and is alsointerested in
volunteering his time to tutor
underprivileged students. Sabellasayshe
will missthe group of colleaguesthat came
to Augsburg with him in 1967."I will miss
their academic acumen and their
friendships. I will also missthosestudents
who are hungry to learn.•
"It's amazing to me, the many everyday
things we takefor granted•.. They don't
have the knowledgebase to know where to
get the information," saysStoller.
"Everydaymetaphors in our conversation
that come from business arc unknown to
them, for instance when we ask 'What's the
MARYLOU WILLIAMS
Mary Lou Williams,assistant professor of
social work and former Augsburg regent,
joined the social work laculty in 1984as
an instructor.
"She has inspired all of us to care and
makea difference,"saysTony Bibus,
associateprofessor of social work. "She
taught me that we have an ethical
obligation to be the bestteachers of the
strengths inherent in diversity,and we
must comey the knowledgeand skills
needed to address oppremon and fflJrk
for justice"
Williams'plans for retirement are to "catch
up on rest"and her madiDg.Shealso plam
to spend time with her grandsonsand be
open to whatrwercomes along. "I I,a..,
especiallyenjoyedwatchingstudm1S
disa:MrIhm own capabilities,
smng
studmts suaa:d at somethingtheydid
themsdvacapableof
achieving,-saysWilliams.
not~
Stoller was able to provide assistancewith
basic,yet vital, services for nascent
businesses,e.g. developingquestionnaires
to request the kinds of information
needed to make judgements about
business needs and for businessesto know
what they must have in place.
bottom line?'"'
In addition to advising the business center,
Stoller also gavea lecture series on the
history of free enterprise in theU.S."It
was very interesting,"he says,"and made
me look at U.S.history in different ways,
based on their questions."
StoDer'svisits to the Cuch Rq,ublic
opened the door for coMections between
Augsburgand PalackyUniversity.lwo
students, chosen by Stolla, will come to
Augsburg nm year.And, nm January,an
AugsburgInterimclasswillbe offmd at
PalackyUniversity,studying the social and
cultural impaa of the country's emerging
free market economy.
Stoller also hopes to involYethe Ang:sburg
BusinessCenter in partnerships~
Minnesota and Cuch businesse5---lor
instana, promoting a Minnesota import
and"'JIOrl company intaated in doing
business in c.entral Europe.
Stolla continues to collaborau, will, the
c-hs and will ldum this smnJD<I' to tradl
a-,bbop.As.Aug,bmg's bminas
department seeb to globameils amimlum,
Stollds ties will prorideadditional
opportuDitiesfor mead, and~
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
CAMPUSNEWS • 5
A beloved theatre family honors Ailene Cole
Keeping tradr, continum
By LenoreFranzen
When Professor
Emerita Ailene Cole
spoke to a room full
of admirers at a
dinner in her honor
in April, she
addressed them as
"my beloved theatre
family."
speak for all the
38 students who
attended the
dinner in Cole's
honor. "Ailene's
presence in our
lives affected how
we see the world,
how we
understand the
impact of theatre
on our human
journey, how we
wrestle with the
big questions of
life, how we treat
one another, and
how we love
theatre."
Indeed they were.
Cole herself was
hired in 1955 to
create and parent a
theatre department.
Her students, whom
she taught much
more than drama,
Prof. Emerita Ailene Cole's "beloved theatre family" gathered to pay tribute and honor in April.
were like her
children. Many of
the process we learned we had to come
For her part, Cole is pleased with the
them came from as far away as Los
through," she said. "We got along with
Angelesand Orlando to speak of her
family she helped to nurture. "The
what we had."
current theatre activities at Augsburg are
continuing influence on their lives.
As theatre program director until she
in good hands;' she said, citing the
Former colleaguesgave similar
retired in I 985, Cole also faced the more
efforts of Julie Bohon, Michael Burden,
testimony.
predictable challengesof a director and
Darcey Engen, Martha Johnson, Sandra
Julie Bolton, theatre professor who
professor."Always,we wanted to do
Schulte and Sandra Agustin.
worked alongside Cole for ten years,
good plays,"she said. "Then as now, we
Ever the dynamo, Cole seems to have
perhaps said it best. "Ailenehas an
wanted to keep the degree programs
maintained her high energy even in
enormous capacity for love,"she said.
rigorous so we could attract good
"When I think of her, 1think of
retirement. "I volunteer every Tuesdayat
students:•
the College,"she said. Cole also belongs
devotion and commitmenL"
Over the years Cole was guided by a
to a book club and makes quilts with a
These gifts were sorely needed when
strong directorial ethic. "I'm strict," she
group at her church. She enjoys
Cole first came to Augsburg.According
admitted. "I expected students to attend
gardening and walking her dog.
"Ailene'spresence in our lives affected how we see the world, how we
understand the impact of theatre on our human journey, how we
wrestle with the big questions of life, how we treat one another, and
how we love theatre. "-Assistant professor Darcey Engen
to Bolton, Cole was a one-woman
dynamo. "She did everything except act.
She directed, built sets, designed and
hung lights, even made costumes."
"My first year, I announced we'd do fall
and spring plays and a Lenten drama,"
Cole recalled."Then I learned that up to
that point, the acting class did one play a
year."
Not discouraged, Cole announced "Skin
of Our Teeth,"which became an irony in
itself when she had to scrape together a
cast. Thetheatre's first home wasthe old
music building. "I had to negotiate with
organ students to use the space for dress
rehearsals and performances,"she said.
What little scenery existed lay on the
basement floor and often got weL
From these humble beginnings, Cole
developed the departmenL "Through
rehearsals and know their lines."Cole
also planned the action on stage before
rehearsal "It gave the cast a starting
point," she said.
LenoreFranzen is a freelance writer who
lives in St. Paul.
A faculty member in the English
department once
performed under Cole's
direction. He described
her style as being able to
evoke from the
performers, their roles,
never telling them how to
read a line.
'Iwo of her former
students now teach in the
theatre department ,
Darcey Engen, assistant
professor,and Michael
Burden, associate
professor. l!ngen's words
~
~~
r
While these details may fade for some of
Cole's "theatre family;' to a person they
look forward to her annual Christmas
message.As much a signature as her
pony tail, the letter keeps everyone
connected with a year's worth of Cole's
inspiring observations. And alwaysshe
ends with the benediction befitting a
beloved family:"Blessyou."
I
:
.
Fonner student Lisa (Pestka) Anderson '86 enjoys a moment
with Prof. Emerita Allene Cole.
~
~ '~ ~,,-. -' -.;
•.
.,
:
..
· •
.
'
-~n- .
[u(t] On Apti I 3, Mbm!n's Resoun:~Cent~ directorand historyprofmorJacqueline DeVriesthanked Ruth Schmidt 'SZ, whosegift
ptrwid«I ~ fund',ngto dedicat~ ~ ant~ in honorof former Augsbu,yEnglish profmorAnnePedenon.{Right] Family members
and frifflds of Annr Prdman Wl!re on hand as ~ Women's llesaun:eCent~ was dediwt ed. [L to R, bad row] Juanita and Homer
l'l!derson,Joya and ~
l'l!derson,Gary Prdman. [Frontrow] Ruth Schmidt 'SZ, Corl Tollman, Pro/. &nfflta Ruth Aaskav '53.
SUMMER 2000
SU DOR{E,mathematics, NANCY
GUILBEAULT,
counseling and health
promotion, senior ROSSMURRAY,
BEVSTRATTON,
religion, and Faith
KirkhamHawkinspresented
"Educating Whole Persons:Renewing
the Courage to Teach and Learn• at
the conference SustainingInnovation:
Content and Pedagogyfor a New
Century.
GRACEDYRUD,psychology and
ERINDOOLEY'99, presented
"Perception of Chance, Self-talk,and
Gambling Behavior,"
a poster that was researched and
compiled by Dyrud, Dooley,and
BridgitRobinson-Rieglerat the
Midwestern PsychologicalAssociation
meeting, In Chicago In May.
MARKENGEBRETSON,
physics,
presented a technical lecture, "Space
Weather: PlasmaAstrophysicsas
EnvironmentalScience,• and a public
lecture, "The Power of Metaphors:
How Inventions, ScientificIdeas, and
Current EventsHave Influenced
ChristianWorldviews,"at Luther
College, Iowa, In March.
Seven Augsburg psychology students
(DANNIELLE
FLADTEN,
MELISSA
GREGORY,
KARLAHASSLEMAN,
TAMARAIERDE,ANDREANEVIN,
DEBORAHNIMZ.and STACY
WATERMAN)
presented their original
research at the Minnesota
undergraduate Psychology
Conference at MacalesterCollege In
April.
GARRYHESSER,sociology and
urban studies, conducted a faculty
workshop, "Community-based
Leaming and Service-Leaming,•for
the annual convention of the Texas
Community College Teachers
AssociationIn Austin, March 4.
CHRISKIMBALL,
academic dean,
and KRISTINANDERSON,art,
presented "Designing NorwegianAmerican Identity: Church BuildingIn
the TwinCities, 1BS4-1930,'' at the
Minnesota HistoryCenter.
HEATHER
KLEMPP '99 was copresenter with NANCYSTEBLAY,
psychology, presented a research
paper at the American Psychologylaw Society 2000 Blennlal
Conference in New Orleans,
"Memory for pretrial publicityand
juror decision making.• Steblay also
presented the work of SARAH
GINKEL'99, "Ameta-analytictest of
underlying assumptions for
anatomically-detalleddoll use in child
abuse Investigations.•
LEIEUNELOCKETand ANN
LUTTERMAN-AGUILAR,
Center for
Global Education, presented a
workshop, "ExperientialApproaches
to Issuesof DiversityIn Study Abroad
Programs in Mexico,• at the
Associationof Academic Programs In
LatinAmerica and the Caribbean
Conference In Oaxaca, Mexico,In
February.
REGINAMcGOFF,Center for Global
Education, presented a workshop,
International Familiesand the
Dil=mas They Face: A Simulation,at
the InternationalWomen'sDay
Conference in SL Paul in March.
JOSEPHUNDERHILL-CADY,
polltlcal
science, and junior English major
ANDREACOBERY,co-presented
"The Throat d War: Ewllvlng
AmericanJustificationsfor Death in
Battle at the Endd the Cold War," at
the International StudiesAssociation
Annual Meeting in Im Angeles in
March.
AUGSBURG NOW
6 • CAMPUSNEWS
"Take Me Out to the Ballpark"
Keepingtradr,continued
Researching baseball as urban history
KATHY
SCHWALIE,
.,.__
admlnlstntlon/MIS, prma1leda
keynote- "TheMagical
InformationSystemsProject
Management:Revullngthe Masten'
Secrets,• at the ProjectManagement
InstituteInformationSystemsSpecial
lnlen!St GIOup(PMI-ISSIG)
41h
AnllllllProfessional
o-lopment
SeminarIn OrlandoIn May. She also
spolre at lhe 16th Annual Computer
lnfonnatlonSystems(CIS)
Confelenc:e
In EiluOalre, Wis., as
wellas at a nationalconference.
bothIn Mardi.
By Lenore Franzen
~ rooted in a pre-industrial American past.
i
j
Like many progressives of his era,
j
Jones was concerned with designing a
:i: capitalist society that didn't feed already
l e growing class tensions.
~ Kimball, an urban historian with a
l~~
iaiii
"'"'::'
~ passion for baseball, described the
uniqueness of their research. "We're
11
In 1912, the MinneapolisMiller>rebuilt and expanded NicolletPart<,their home that was
replaced later by Metropolitan Stadium.
What does baseball have to do with
urban identity? As two Augsburg
professors are discovering, quite a bit.
Christopher W. Kimball, academic dean
and associate professor in the history
department , has teamed with Kristin
Anderson, art department chair, on a
research project that will draw out these
connections. They are well on their way
to breaking new ground on a very old
pastime.
"Last fall we received a grant from the
Minnesota Historical Society to write an
article," said Anderson. "In it we plan to
use Nicollet Park in Minneapolis and
Lexington Park in St. Paul as lenses
through which to view the construction
of urban identities in the Twin Cities.
We'll describe the ways ballparks
attempted to blur class lines and mediate
class conflict while promoting the
identity of each city."
Nicollet Park, located at Nicollet Avenue
and 31st Street, was home to the
American Association Minneapolis
Millers from 1896 to 1955. The
American Association St. Paul Saints
played at Lexington Park, on the corner
of University and Lexington Avenues,
from 1897 to 1903 and 1910 to 1956.
Today, both spaces are commercial ly
developed.
Anderson and Kimball's research goes
well beyond the ties these parks have
with Augsburg College. "During the
1940s, the College's baseball and football
teams played at the parks on occasion:'
said Anderson.
connecting several fields-sports history,
urban history and architectural designthat scholars haven't fully add ressed
before," he said. He and Anderson's
shared interest in the designed
environment has led to other
collaborative work, notab ly the history
of Norwegian-America n churches in the
Twin Cities.
DAVIDWASHINGTON,
business/MIS,presentedat the
NallonalO,ganizltionof Social
SecurityClaimants'Representatives
ConferenceIn N- Orleanslastfall.
Honon/Awards
For their article, they have relied on a
number of primary sou rces archived at
local libraries and history museums.
Because the New York Giants purchased
the Millers and the Los Angeles Dodgers
bought the Saints, Kimball and
Given their common history, the parks
make a natural research pairing. They
share nearly identical life spans, from the
1890s to 1950s, with
renovations in the
1910s. Nicollet Park
-·
and Lexington Park
differed from the
symmetrica l
automobile-oriented
suburban stadia built
in the 1950s and
1960s. Both were
located on the edge
of an urban core and
along major streetcar
lines. As Kimball and
Anderson note, the
appearan ce, location,
and access to the
The St Paul Saints played at LexingtonPart<at Universityand
parks mirror
LexingtonAves.until 19S6.
professional baseball's
search for a more middle-class audience
Anderson have also gathered source
and the transportation technologies of
material from the Giamatti Research
the time.
Center of the National Baseball Hall of
Their article promises to fascinate local
Fame in Coopers town, N. Y.
baseball history buffs and urban
Anderson and Kimball hope their article
historians equally. In 1912, for example,
will appear in the Minnesota Historical
the Millers hired local architect Harry
Society's quarterly, MinnesotaHistory.
Wild Jones (designer of Butler Square
"Our long-range goal is to write a book
and the Lakewood Cemetery Chapel) to
on ballparks and urban culture in the
create a new entrance gate an d ticket
Twin Cities," said Kimball.
office. Jones chose a charming village
look to reflect baseball's claim to be
LenoreFranzenis a freelancewriterwho
livesin St. Paul.
:f
Recent survey proves the value of Lutheran education
Findings from a recent survey
commissioned by the Lutheran
Educational Conference of North
America (LECNA) prove that a four-year
education at a Lutheran liberal arts
college or university has distinct benefits
over education in public institutions.
Lutheran college graduates enjoy an
education in which they were more
involved in campus life through student
activities, in which they found
opportunity for leadership roles, and in
which they were more likely to develop
friendships for life.
Graduates of Lutheran colleges, when
compared to graduates of flagship public
universities, reported the following:
Specifically, Lutheran college graduates
are more likely to:
• they expressedgreater satisfaction
with the overoll quality of their
education and ~t better prepared
for graduate school and their
firstjobs;
• they repomd similar levels of
advan~ education and income; and
• they wa-esignificantly more lilcdy
to complete their degttt in four years.
The survey compiled the telephone
responses of 2,400 college and university
alumni from the ynrs 1958-93 to a series
of questions about their college
experience and wort life since
graduation. The responses show that
AUGSBURGNOW
• graduate in four years;
• be committed to social values and
social justice; and
• be actively invoi-1 in their churches
and communities.
The report, "Reclaiming Lutheran
Students," al.socompiles responses of
parents of Lutheran 9th- and 10th-grade
students, and Lutheran "thought
leaders," people working in the Lutheran
Church.
The report found that Lutheran parmts
expect the kinds of benefits and
outcomes documented by Lutheran
college alumni, but believe that public
institutions are equally capable of
producing them, and place higher value
on the reputation and facilities offered
by public schools. Lutheran parents
understand the cost of attending
Lutheran colleges, but underestimate the
extent of financial aid available. The
parents are generally not familiar with
individual Lutheran higher education
institutions.
Most people working in the Lutheran
Church do not believe that Lutheran
colleges prepare their students any
differently than public institutions. They,
too, do not understand the financial
support available to students at Lutheran
colleges.
Only five percent of all Lutheran high
school graduates attend a Lutheran
college or university. With the results of
this research, LECNA hopes to inaease
that number. They have created a special
Web page to present the research
findings and help parmts make choices
about colleges with their tecnagen. VISit
<www.collegevalue.com>
.
NANCYGRUNDAHl.music,has
been honored by the Mayflower
Chun:h (UCC) for 20 yurs as
director of the MayflowerChoir.
BILLMONSMA, phy,la. iecelYedI
Templeton Course Pnlglamawa'd,
and Is lhe fifth Augsbulgf1C1111r
member to be recognlad by Iha
Templeton Foundation for telehlng
in the area of science 111dllllglon.
HOWARD OLSON, regent emetltus
and retired development officer.
received the Reuel Harmon lttiard ,
an annual recognition al exemplary
semce
to parllland trailsin
Minnesota by the Pmlil11111
ll'alls
Council of Minnesota .
Junior NICOLE WARNER '01 won
second place In the ThuBday
Music.alcompetition In Maldl.
Newsnotes
IEANNEBOEH,~W
quoted In the Star lHbune lltldt
"What Could Bring on Recasslan.•
Sunday, Feb. 27.
MARKENGEBRETSON,
phylla.
provided Information on the
Northern lights fo, the winier 19'9
issue of Boundary"'1tm Joutr,ol.
an.-fatunld
NORMAN HOLEN.
In the April 26 Issue al the SunCulffllt Central. M excerpt fnlm the
anicle says,""-sketches rftWII
Holen for lhe artist he Is, a man with
an eye for lhe ordinary and the
talent to make It~--
HERALDIOHNSON,EFSC,WIS
elected president-elect of lhe
Minnesota Associationof Flnlndll
Aid Administrators (MAFAA)
. He
attended the 2000 Natlonal
Ladershlp Confen!nce by die
National Assodltion of Rnnlll Aid
Administrators(NASFM)Mlldl 5-7.
DAVIDlARSON, load of .....
was named chairman al JoinHindi
Day,• -.
nationalllnllllthe
connecling ~ and adulls in
nelghbolhoodVlllunlenmNOIIMA NOONAN.palllal
sdenc.. - 1n1er,rie111ed
on WCCOAM radio~
about tanner
Soviet Un1anpresidentMllhlll
Golbachev's recent ¥islt to
Mlnnesata .
DIAN£ PIKE,soclologJ. aindudld
an eldemill ~ __,lllr
thedlpatmentals«lalogJ•'college.
FOUllTUN AUGSBURGSTUDENTS
andASTAFFMEMBYdelegates to lhis yam's24th Annull
hn-NrbnSIUdl!ntl.Mdmhip
Comnnce.
MINNEAPOLIS
, MN
COMMENCEMENT 2 000 • 7
AugsburgColkge
• Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College
COMMENCEMENT
2 0 0 0
THECLASS
OF2000 - TAKINGTHENEXTSTEP Abby Mildbrand wins Alberg
Five Augsburg gra duates reflect on their Augsburg education and
the next steps in their learning journey.
Leadership Award
Student ActivitiesCouncil, a planning
member for the Annual Seminar in
Applied Ethics,and as house manager for
the pre-health house in Anderson Hall.
Michelle Basham
B.AJcommunication, Weekend College
Activities/Awards (while student): Founder, executive
director and registered lobbyist for Project Foundation,
serving homeless youth; policy fellow for the Humphrey
Institute Policy Forum; founder and president of Minneapolis
35th/36th Russell Avenue North BloclcClub; co-chair and cofounder of Minnesota Homeless Youth Coalition; 1999
Minneapolis chapter president of the Minnesota DFL
Feminist Caucus; 1997 Woman of the Year Award, Skyway
Business and Professional Women's Association; City of
Minneapolis Award for community service in 1996; and
current candidate for the Minnesota state legislature.
Future Plans/Dreams: "My immediate goal is to be elected state representative ultimately I'd love to be a U.S.senator. I'm also planning to attend graduate school to
work on a master's in public administration."
Activities/Awards (while student): Vice president of student
body as a junior; Honors Program graduate; internships with
the U.S. Congress (working for Congressman BillLuther) and
the White House.
Future Plans/Dreams: "I am attending the divinity school at
the University of Chicago this fall, and I think I've received a
really solid foundation here for future graduate work. I know
that I will be taking the values of the College with me as I
pursue my Master of Divinity degree."
StephanieLein
B.A./theatre arts
Activities/Awards (while student): Internship at the Guthrie
Theatre; Honors Program graduate; Augsburg College
Augsburgian commissioner; numerous theatre productionsincluding assistant director of The Misanthrope,
stage manager
for Antigone, Rosalind in As You Like It and Masha in The
Thru Sisters.
Future Plans/Dreams: "I would like to go to grad school to
study directing and eventually be a director in the Twin Cities
- maybe even teach. I think Augsburg has a fabulous theatre
p mm - lt"i thebb t ln the Twin Oties for private colleges.Once you have completed
your major you reallyappreciate and realizewhat an excellentprogram this is."
Sher!YMyers
Master of Arts in Leadership
Intended use of degree: "I have been able to apply much of
what I have learned [at Augsburg] in my capacity as board
president of a statewide non-profit Working with other
master's candidates and the professors has allowed me to
develop critical thinking skillsthat I did not have before, and
apply this to both my volunteer activities and my work life. My
intention for acquiring this degree was to broaden the way I
thought about the world around me, and this has certainly
been accomplished."
Mildbrand is also a student-athlete on
the soccer and softball teams.
One of her nominators stated, "Abby's
natural ability to think about involving a
variety of people in the programs she
coordinates is a true breath of fresh air."
Abby Mildbrand, a sophomo re &om
Greenwood, Wis., is the 2000 recipient of
the Linda Schrempp Alberg Leadership
Award.
Mildbrand is a pre-physician assistant
studies major. She has been active in
student campus activitiesand student life
as an orientation leader,as issues and
ideas chairperson in the Augsburg
The award was established by the family,
colleagues,alumni and friends of Linda
Schrempp Alberg in recognition of her
19 years at Augsburg as director of
residence life and associate dean of
student affairs and her commitment and
leadership in the field of student affairs.
She died on June 13, 1996,at the age of 44.
The Leadership Award is given annually
to an Augsburg undergraduate student
who reflects the qualities of leadership
and commitment to enhancing college
life that distinguished the professional
life of Alberg. Students are nominated by
members of the campus community.
Seniors choose honored faculty and staff
The 2000 graduating class chose the
following faculty and staff members
(one from each division) to honor and
represent them at the Commencement
ceremony:
JanelleBussert, assistant professor of
religion, Division of Humanities
Larry Ragland, professor of computer
science, Division of Natural Science and
Mathematics
Curt Paulsen, associate professor of
social work, Division of Professional
Studies
RichardC. Nelson, professor of history,
Division of Social and Behavioral
Sciences
David T. Wold, director of ministries
and campus pastor
The honored faculty and staff are chosen
for academic excellenceand skill in
teaching, for guidance and assistance to
students in personal advancement
outside the classroom environment and
for being an ambassador for and
contributor to the values and ideals of
Augsburg.
Pan Asian student awards given
The Pan-Asian Student Services
program recognized 55 students for
academic excellenceand achievement at
the second annual recognition awards
banquet.
Twenty-six students with grade point
averagesof 3.5 and higher received
Academic Excellenceawards, and 29
students with grade point averages
between 3.0 and 3.4 receivedAcademic
Achievement awards.
Three special awards were given: The
Community ServiceAward, to Youa
Yang;the Leadership Award to Emily
Chen; and the Special Distinction
Award to Akiko Ito.
Chiho Okuizumi
B.SJ music therapy
Activities/Awards (while studen t): JazzBand, Riverside
Singers,Concert Band, brass ensembles, guitar quartet,
euphonium soloist at her own Commencement ceremonies,
Hognander Scholar; music therapy dioical internship in
Tallahasee,Fla. for Leon County, working with people &om
one to 90 years old.
FuturePlans/Dreams:"I was aaq,ted intn the graduate
program [in music therapy/music performance)at Montclair
State Unnoasity in New Jersey.My 'dream' future would be ID
practice music therapyduringthe dayand performat night- maybein a big
orchestrapit or on Broadwayor in a jazzsetting."
SUMMER2000
~ ..... accepts honors"""' EarlAllon.
dean al the Colege. at the as LarryClod:eU, inlaim .mociale dean for '-1.«y lllbin, loab on.
<:on,,ocation,
AUGSBURGNOW
8 • COMMENCEMENT2000
Martin Sabo receives Augsburg's
first honorary degree
U.S. Rep. Martin Olav Sabo '59 was
awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters
(Honoris Causal at the 2000
Commencement ceremony on May 21
- the first honorary degree given by
Augsburg College.
AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege•
the degree. Sabo was introduced by
sociology professor Gordon Nelson.
"To the College, I thank you. I thank you
for the education you gave me, for the
experience you gave me, for teachers like
Carl Chrislock," Sabo repsonded.
Sabo's remarkable life of public service
exemplifies the dedication of Augsburg
College to stewardship and vocation.
In his 11th term representing
Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District,
has served in the House of
Representatives since 1978. He currently
serves on the Appropriations, Standards
of Official Conduct and Democratic
Policy committees. Prior to his election
to Congress, Sabo served in the
Minnesota Legislature (1961-78),
including spending six years as Speaker
of the House and four years as Minority
Leader. Sabo also served for 12 years on
Augsburg's Board of Regents.
History Professor Emeritus Carl
Chrislock, one of Sabo's most respected
teachers from undergraduate days,
assisted President Frame in bestowing
Dr. James Ford, retiring chaplain of
the U.S. House of Representatives,
spoke to the Augsburg community.
VickiAman reflects on the experience
of Weekend Collegestudents in
reaching their educational goals.
PresidentFramecongratulatesRep. Martin
Sabo'59 upon receivinghis honorarydegree.
Marina Christensen Justice Award
to Dwayne Lowman
Dwayne Lowman, a senior urban studies
and political science major, was selected
as the 2000 recipient of the Marina
Christensen Justice Award.
This award is given each year to the
graduating senior whose communityservice work best illustrates Augsburg's
motto, "Education for Service" - itself
brilliantly displayed in Marina
Christensen Justice's personal and
professional dedication to the
vitalization of urban communities.
the Minneapolis Consortium of
Community Developers, and worked
assiduously with Augsburg's CLASS
office, the Writing Lab and as a volunteer
tutor.
In 1999 he won the Pan Afrikan Student
Leader Award, and has also received the
Martin Sabo Public and Community
Services Scholarship.
"My short-term goals are to stay
involved with the West Bank
Community Coalition and to study in
Augsburg international students led the Classof 2000 processionInto Melby Hallfor
commencement
"[Dwayne] has devoted himself to serving others, both within the
Augsburg and wider Cedar-Riverside communiti es."
-Augsburg faculty member
During his time at Augsburg, Lowman
has served as president and chair of the
West Bank Community Coalition, a
community organization of which
Augsburg is part.
Lowman was also president of the
freshmen class, vice president of the
student body and chair of the Student
Senate. Over the entire span of his four
years, he served the Wednesday Night
Out program as a volunteer, organized
the 1999 Night Out Celebration for the
Cedar-Riverside community, worked
with the FANS program at the Brian
Coyle Community Center, interned at
Germany by way of the Rotary Scholar
program," said Lowman. "After two
years I would like to study public
administratio n at the Humphrey
Institute. I have long-term goals in two
areas, the first being public service and
the second being teaching:'
The respect and affection Lowman has
won from his colleagues are reflected in
the words an Augsburg faculty member,
"More than any student I have observed
at Augsburg in the past 23 years, he has
devoted himself to serving others, both
within the Augsburg and wider CedarRiverside communities."
Newty-graduatedJared Trostand his familysharilsome lighb!rrncinmm • 1lle
commencementreception.
AUGSBURG
Dwayne Lowman (right) receiwd the Marina Christensen Justiceaward Imm President Frame
forbestexemplifyingAugsburg',motto, "Educationfor SeMCe.•
AUGSBURGNOW
Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • AugsbW
MINNEAPOLIS,MN
~e
COMMENCEMENT 2000 • 9
• Augsburg College• Augsburg College• AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege• Augsburg College• AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege
COMMEN
C EMEN
T
2 000
Boardof Regents chairperson KathyTunheim congratulates Carol
Piepenburg as she receivesher diploma.
Professoremeritus of history Cari Chrislock'37, President
Frame and commencement speaker Rev.James Ford led
the administration, regents, and faculty from Melby Hall.
A parkfilledwith proud parents, fammesand friends
await.Ithe Oau of 2000 as they leave the
commencement ceremony for the rec~tion.
Chw of 2000 graduates Jenn~orReruenbrinkand Adam
Roeschcelebrate the day.
The golden anniversaryClau of 19SOproceued with the Classof
2000, marking their own anniversaryand welcoming the new
graduates to the alumni family.
DwayneLowrNn turns and waves to the camera
a he headsout of ceremony.
CO MMENCEMENT
589
2000
Candidates for gnuluationAupburg's largestgraduating class
339
Day students
166
Weekend College studmts
M
Graduate students (Masta of Arts in Leadership, Muter
of Arts in Edacatioa-Lndaship, Master of Social Work)
Mlsle' ol Sodlf WDlt gradiaa (L to R) MP/ He,Ur. SondyHammiln, andi..,.,
Larsonpo,,r lat I last time as dalsm11e bofore,..-.g Ila dlgrwe.
HONORARY DEGREE AWARDED:
Doctor of Humane Ldten-M.artin
0. Sabo '59
• Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg Col/eye • Augsburg College • Augsburg Coll 9
SUMMER2000
AUGSBURGNOW
8 • COMMENCEMENT 2000
Martin Sabo receives Augsburg's
first honorary degree
U.S. Rep. Martin Olav Sabo '59 was
awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters
(Honoris Causa) at the 2000
Commencement ceremony on May 21
- the first honorary degree given by
Augsburg College.
AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege•
the degree.Sabo was introduced by
sociology professor Gordon Nelson.
"To the College, I thank you. I thank you
for the education you gave me, for the
experience you gave me, for teachers like
Carl Chrislock," Sabo repsonded.
Sabo's remarkable life of public service
exemplifies the dedication of Augsburg
College to stewardship and vocation.
In his 11th term representing
Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District,
has served in the House of
Representatives since 1978. He currently
serves on the Appropriations, Standards
of Official Condu ct and Democratic
Policy committees. Prior to his election
to Congress, Sabo served in the
Minnesota Legislature (1961-78),
including spendin g six years as Speaker
of the House and four years as Minority
Leader. Sabo also served for 12 years on
Augsburg's Board of Regents.
History Professor Emeritus Carl
Chrislock, one of Sabo's most respected
teachers from undergraduate days,
assisted President Frame in bestowing
Dr. James Ford, retiring chaplain of
the U.S.Howe of Representatives,
spoke to the Augsburg community.
VickiAman reflectson the experience
of WeekendCollege students in
reaching their educational goals.
President Frame congratulates Rep. Martin
Sabo '59 upon receiving his honorary degree.
Marina Christensen Justice Award
to Dwayne Lowman
Dwayne Lowman, a senior urban studies
and political science major, was selected
as the 2000 recipient of the Marina
Christensen Justice Award.
This award is given each year lo the
graduating senior whose communityservice work best illustrates Augsburg's
motto, "Education for Service" - itself
brilliantly displayed in Marina
Christensen Justice's personal and
professional dedication lo the
vitalization of urban communities.
the Minneapolis Consortium of
Community Developers, and worked
assiduously with Augsburg's CLASS
office, the Writing Lab and as a volunteer
tutor.
In 1999 he won the Pan Afrikan Student
Leader Award, and has also received the
Marlin Sabo Public and Comm unity
Services Scholarship.
"My short-term goals are lo stay
involved with the West Bank
Community Coalition and to study in
Aug,burg international students led the Class of 2000 procession into Melby Hallfor
commencement.
"[Dwayne] has devoted himself to serving others, both within the
Augsburg and wider Cedar-Riverside communitie s. "
- Augsburg faculty member
During his time al Augsburg, Lowman
has served as president and chair of the
West Bank Community Coalition, a
community organization of which
Augsburg is part,
Lowman was also president of the
freshmen class, vice president of the
student body and chair of the Student
Senate. Over the entire span of his four
years, he served the Wednesday Night
Out program as a volunteer, organized
the 1999 Night Out Celebration for the
Cedar-Riverside community, worked
with the FANS program at the Brian
Coyle Community Center, interned at
Germany by way of the Rotary Scholar
program:' said Lowman. "After two
years I would like to study public
administration at the Humphrey
Institute. I have long-term goals in two
areas, the first being public service and
the second being teaching ."
The respect and affection Lowman has
won from his colleagues are reflected in
the words an Augsburg faculty member,
"More than any student I have observed
al Augsburg in the past 23 years,he has
devoted himself to serving others, both
within the Augsburg and wider CedarRiverside communities. •
•
-·»
'
\
II Ille
M.JGSBURG
-
Dw•yne LowmArl(right) receivedthe Marina Christensen)usticl! award from Pmident Frame
for best exemplifying Augsburg'• motto, "Education for SeMce.•
AUGSBURGNOW
Newly-graduatedJaredTrostand his family shartl,ome r,gi-m, .commencement reception.
AugsburgCollege• Augsburg College• AugsburgCollege• Au!
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
COMMENCEMENT2000 • 9
• Augsburg Co//•
• Augsburg College • AugsburgCollege• AugslJllrgCollege• AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege• AugsburgCollege
COMMENCEMENT
2000
Boardof Regents chairperson Kathy Tunheim congratulatesCarol
Piepenburg as she receives her diploma.
Professoremeritus of history Carl Chrislock'37, President
Frameand commencement speaker Rev.James Ford led
the administration,regents, and facultyfrom Melby Hall.
A parl<filledwith proud parents, familiesand friends
awaits the Cfall of 2000 as they leavethe
commencement ceremony for the reception.
Classof 2000 graduates JennfferRensenbrinkand Adam
Roeschcelebrate the day.
The golden anniversaryClassof 1950 proceued with the Classof
2000, marking their own anniversaryand welcoming the new
graduates to the alumni family.
Dwayne Lowmanturns and waves to the camera
• he hNds out of ceremony.
COMMENCEM
ENT
2000
589
Candidatesfor graduationAugsburg'slargestgraduatingdass
339
Day stuclen ts
166
WeekendCollege students
84
Graduate students (Master of Arts in Leadership, Master
of Arts in Education-Leadership. Master of Social Work)
Mosler of Social11\atigraduates (L to R)Mry Hera. s.llfy Hlmmin . aild ~
I.arsonpose for a lauttime as classmo~ befo<e~ Ila degree .
HONORARY DEGREEAWARDED:
Doctor of Humane Lettel'5-Martin 0. Sebo 'S9
IW!rge
• Augsburg
College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg College • Augsburg
SUMMER2000
AUGSBURGNOW
liege
10 • DEVELOPMENTNEWS
Lutheran Brotherhood and Strommen family gifts
establish a marketing major at Augsburg
a the future."saysLori Lohman,associate
j professorof businessadministration and
New major includesteaming
about people
1t coordinator of the major.
j
Collegesare accustomedto receivinggifts
from their alumni-indeed , they depend
on it In one case, Aul!liburghas been
fortunate to benefit from a substantialgift
givenby the employerof an Augsburg
alumnus in honor of his exemplary
service.
Included in the marketing major, and
rather unique in the field,is an aspect of
training that Clair Strommen
recommends with great conviction from
his experiencein the insurance field-that
ofleaming interpersonal skills.
Interpersonal skillsare needed whether a
person is a 'doctor, lawyer,men:hant, or
chief, believesStrommen.
"The people who have reallysucceededare
the ones who have the technicalskill,but
then they also know how to deal with
people:• saysStrommen. "To the best of
my knowledge,there's not one school that
deals with people knowledge, i.e.
developingpeople relationships."
The course that includes the Wilson
training, BuildingInterpersonalWorking
Relationships, is requiredfor all marketing
majors, and is open to other students as an
elective.
"There isn't a fieldat Aug.iburgthat
wouldn't benefit [from the Wilson
Learning training], whether it be coaching
or teaching,"saysStrommen.
In I 994, Clair Strommen '46 retired from
Lutheran Brotherhood as chair of its
board of directors.He had servedthe
fraternalorganization since I980 as
president and CEO, andboard chair since
1987. In fact, his ties to the company date
back to 1956, when he first joined LB as a
field agent, before establishinghis own
insurance agency.
The Strommen FamilyBusiness
Endowment enables Augsburgto establish
a major in marketing for both day and
weekendstudents, beginning in the fall To
date, students have only been able to study
marketing as a concentration within the
businesscurriculum. Augsburgbecomes
one of three private collegesin Minnesota
to offer a marketing major.
2000
Goal:
$20 milhm,J,,0.... 2000
,Ii is in keepingwith Aug.iburg'svision for
By BetseyNorgard
Upon his retirement, and in honor of his
long and remarkable service, the Lutheran
Brotherhood board designateda gift of
$250,000 in his name. Strommen and his
wife,Gladys(Boxrud) '46, and family,
decided to giveit to AugsburgCollege,
This sum has been matched with the
intent to support businesseducation and
fullyendow a chair in the future.
REACHINOTHE GOAL
AUGSBURG
Thirty years ago, Strommen's insurance
agency,Strommen and Associates,was
invited by the Wilson Learning
Corporation to participate in the same
kind of sales training Wdson provided for
major national corporations. The effecton
Strommen's company,in his view,was
remarkable.
"It literallychanged the business that we
were in, and it changed our corporation
dramatically,"he says. He subsequently
introduced the same training to Lutheran
Brotherhood agents,with the same results.
Instead of focusingsolelyon closingthe
sale of a product, the Wilson program
trains salespeopleto focus on
understanding and meeting the needs and
objectivesof their customers.
"Sellingis not pitching a product; sellingis
helping people solve their problems. The
most powerful salespeople are the people
who spend time helping you find out your
objectivesand sharing possiblesolutions,"
comments Strommen.
This approach lits well within an
Aul!liburgeducation."Given the strong
economy and the need for employeeswho
understand what marketing is about, we
see this major as the perfect opportunity
to provide our students with an education
that will help them to succeedin their
careers.Such an education blends both the
liberalarts and professionalstudies, and it
Clair Strommen is a Distinguished
Alumnus, a former regent,anda member
of the AthleticHall of Fame. He has
receivedhonorary doctoral degreesfrom
Wittenberg Universityand St Olaf
College.In 1982 he was honored by the
insurance industry with the G. Bennet
SerrillAward,the highest given to a
member of that profession in Minnesota
In I 992 he receivedthe Wittenberg Award
from the Luther Institute for outstanding
serviceto church and society.
GladysStrommen has servedtwo terms on
the Board of Regents.In 1982 she was a
co-founder of the AugsburgAssociatesand
remains an activemember.
The Strommen FamilyBusiness
Endowment includes the Sttommens' two
children and their families,Nancy
(Strommen) '71 and John-Mark Stensvaag
'69, and Robert '74 and Andrea (Johnson)
Strommen '75.
Homecoming
2000
"CelebratingOld Main;
100 Years,100 Memories"
October 5-8, 2000
Celebrate
theclassreunions-Classesof
1950, 1960, 1975, 1990
..~
-~"'~
Aa ol Mud. 31, 2000, Slo.7
I(,-
-LI W..udonnatiom
million
.._.
ti.. Aupl,a-, 2000 pn,joct, ..JIti..
<>Ht...dlmtlhdlanal
Adat
(612>330-1613• (BOO)273-0617.
Au.i,...
V1111
ti..~
Wei,,-pal
<www...,.i,......lu>,
THE AUGSBURG FuNo•
Goal:12million
L, Deeeml.r2000
S1,ooo,ooo
to
A. al~31,
30),
.l.8milliaa
•inclucl.J
in tl.aAu,,lnus
2000 tot.I
Spring Phonathon
goes over the top
The 1999-2000Phonathon IDppldIts
goalof $110,000early in die aprina,
and reacheda total of $120,096-•
increase of 209(, 0ffl' ... JI&
A dozen students spent -'f
650
houn callingAup acblmnga
pledge rate of 34'11,1111d
iDdudins.,
new donon, repor11Alllf Hem,
diRctor of telemublinglllddlNd
mail programs.Porty-a ,-:mt '11
donors wereableto matchtheirpfta
throughanplopasor other pn,pma
Monies nlledthrough
thePhonalhon
suppon The Augsburg
FuDd,the
IJIDual,wuatrided funding(I/ the
CoUep.
Senior communication and theatre arts major Trena Bolden spoke on behalf ol students in
thanksfor scholarships and financial aid they receM at ~ thank-you celelxation at Aa,g,burg
Home. More than 200 donon attended this annual ewnL
Digging the link. ..The link sl,;ywa
y gets an officialgroundbreaking. bringing together~
team colllborating to conM<t Undell l.lbraryw,'th Svedrup Hall And ~ Quad. (I. to R) Bert
Sandberg '50, (en,y Carlson '48, Did<Adamson (via! president for finance) , I.any b&nch,
President F,tohn Pllubon, And Rick Thoni (director ol Rochester Program).
AUGSBURGNOW
We apologize.••The foUowingpeople were inadvertently omitted or listed incomcdy
in the Annual Report of Donors 1998-99publishedin the spring. We apologizr for
the errors.
JohnN. Schwartz'(;I, Presidmt's Qub; KyleAnderson '84, ManhallCouncil; William
Anderson'86, President's Oub; Kari 8a£US'88, c.aitnry Oub
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
SPORTS• 11
Four named Augsburg Honor Athletes
By Don Stoner
Four Aug.,burgCollegesenior studentathlms who have cxalled in both the
cwsroom and the athletic fieldswere
named Honor AlbJdes by the Allgsburg
men's and women'sathletic coachesin
early May.It is the highest honor Aug.,burg
gift$ to its senior student-athletes,
Josh Cagle (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) and
Jake Kem (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) were
named men's Honor Athletes, and Carrie
Lind (Sr., Coon Valley,Wis.) and Jodi
Soule (Sr., Cannon Falls, Minn.) were
named women's Honor Athletes.
In addition, the men's athletic
department honored Kevin Van Rossum
(Sr., Green Bay,WIS.)as the second Male
Athlete of the Yearfor his achievements
for the Auggie men's basketball and
men's golf teams.
HONORATHLETES
Josh Cagle earned AU-Americahonors
three times for the Auggie wrestling
team, which won the Division Ill
national championship three times and
finished second once during Cagle's
tenure. Cagle finished fourth In the
nation at 142 pounds In 1998and
second in the nation at 149 pounds in
1999.This season, en route to winning
the national championship at 149
pounds, Cagle became just the second
Auggie In school history to go through a
single season unbeaten, finishing 40-0.
His 139-17 career record places him
seventh in school history In career wins.
JakeKem,a freesafetyfor the Auggie
footballteam, oorralled12 interceptionsin
his four-yearcareerat Augg>wg.the thirdhighest total in schoolhistory. He also
finished his career with 221 tackles,leading
the team in tackleshis last two seasons.In
the classroom,Kem carrieda 3.75 gradepoint averagewith a physicsmajor.
Carrie Lind transferred to Augsburg
from Wisconsin-LaCrosse before her
junior season and made an immediate
impact on the women's track and field
team, earning second-place honors in the
nation in the indoor 20-pound weight
throw in both the 1999and 2000
seasons. She set the school's record for
the weight throw in her first collegiate
meet, and continued to build on the
mark until reaching a then-MIAC-reoord
57-feet, 10-1/4-inch effort last season. In
the classroom, Lind carries a 3.85 gradepoint average with majors of youth and
family ministry and psychology.
Jodi Soule played women's basketball at
Augsburg for three seasons, after playing
at the College of St. Benedict In her
freshman year. A starting guard as a
senior, Soule led the Auggiesin scoring.
averaging 12.2 points per game, while
also contributing 28 steals and 41 assists,
as Augsburg doubled its win totals from
a season ago. Soule scored in double
figures in I 8 of her 25 games her senior
season, including nine of her last 10
games. A communication major with a
3.73 grade-point average,Soule will
graduate with departmental honors in
communication this spring.
AUGSBURGMALE
ATHLETE OF THE \'UR
Kevin Van Rossum excelledin both
men's basketball and men's golf at
Augsburg. In basketball,Van Rossum
finished his career I 5th on Augsburg's
career scoring list with 1,025points, part
of Auggie teams that won the MIAC title
and advanced to the NCAA Division Ill
national playoffstwice and to the MIAC
playoffsall four years of his tenure. Van
Rossum set Augsburg's career record for
three-point field goals with 239, the
second-most three-pointers ever by any
MIAC player.
In men's golf, Van Rossum became the
fourth Auggie golfer to earn medalist
honors at the MIAC championships, and
this spring, he became the first Auggie
since I 997 to qualify for the NCAA
Division III national championships,
finishing 39th overall.
Augsburg women's hockey team
accomplishes another 'first' with
national tournament berth
By Don Stoner
JoshCagle
JakeKem
CarrieLind
Jodi Soule
KevinVanRossum
Spring 2000 Sports Reviews
By Don Stoner
MEN'SAND WOMEN'SOUTDOOR
TRACICANDFll!I.D
Augsburg'
s softball
team finished the
year with an 11-11
mark in the MIAC
anda 15-23 overall
mark. Included were
imprasiw
doublc:headersweq,s
of ConcordiaMoorhead, Bethel,SL Catherine and
Macalc:sterIn MIAC play.
The RUOn washighlighted by the
playof third basemanTully Kaiser
(Sr., Minaeapolil,Minn.), who set a
newMinnesotacollegiate (all
divisions)careerstolc:nbase remrd,
with 108.The total also put KaiserIn
sixth place in NCAADivision 111
biltory for stolen buts.
She becamejust the sca,ad pJaya-in
Mianaota softballhistory to mxird at
llut 100 hill, runs and stolen basesIn
I career. She finished her calftl' with
1C1moJ
NCOrdsfor base hill ( 162),
runs (129), and stolc:abases(108).
.....
,.
Dllple I poor6-29 CMl'lll mx>nl,
iDcludinga 2-18 mark In the MIAC,
tbme_llill _.
bright spo11
andbapa for the future for the
Rea>rd-settingperformancescontinued
to pile up, as Auggieteams combined to
set 20 new school marksduring the
2000 indoor and outdoor seasons.
Augsburg's Carrie Lind (Sr., Coon
Valley,WIS.) qualified for her fourth
NCAADivision Ill national
championships berth, her third as an
Auggie,in the women's hammer
throw. A three-time All-American,
Lind has finished second In the nation
twice in the indoor 20-pound weight
throw (I 999, 2000) and fourth in the
hammer throw (1998).
Augsburg's other All-MIACoutdoor
performance came from Desman
Oakley (Jr., Indianola, Iowa), who
provisionally qualified for the NCAA
championships with a third-place,
14.n-second finish In the men's 110meter hurdles.
MEN'SGOLf
Thespringhalf of the Aug,burg men's
golf seasonwashighlightedbytheteam's
lint enlnnt In the NCAADivisionm
NationalClwnpionships In three
-,u-senior
ltcvin VanRossum
(Sr.,Gftai Bay,WIL). VanRos5wn
finished
39dlovaallal thechunpion
slupl.bdd in BaaleOmc. Mich.
MIiii& QW among lhem wasthe
play"'junior dalgnated
hitwloudillder llidl Storbolm (Jr.,
Mmnapalil. MinnJSL LouisPut
HS). wbo arned AII-MIAChoaon
widia 41omimntpaformanclr
at the
plale dm-.
He bit .447 widl
highsol 33 RBI, 132 doubles
aDdthrft ho- runs.Storilolmbad.
tpUlding.753 sluging perceaiaee
and .490 mHIDf pen:mtage.
SUMMER2000
WOMEN'S GOLF
Auglburg"swomm's golftam took
in thespring halfof the
IDOlber...,
-IDbuildaqualilypfpn,gnm.
Drawing_.
albletesfrom other
fall and winter spores.
Auglburg was
able to fidd a team for the spring half
ol the seuon, thoughpoor -th er
mnditions limited Augsburg to just
one a,mpeti tioo.
Augsburg's women's hockey team has
been the subject of plenty of "firsts" in
its five-yearhistory.
The first varsity women's hockey team
established at a Minnesota oollegeor
university.Part of the first college
women's hockey game to draw more
than 6,000 fans. The first Minnesota
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
regular-season championship. The first
MIAC playoff title.
Add to that another first this season,
with Augsburg's first-ever appearance in
the American Women's College Hockey
Alliance Division 111national
tournament, held in Boston, Mass.
But one "first"- the first-= Division
Ill national title - eluded the Auggies.
Middlebury College(VL),the most
dominant team In small-collegehockey,
dismantled the Auggiesin the twogame/mlnigame series in Boston,winning
the first game 5-1 and the second 8-1.
"You see what you need to beat," said
Augsburg head coach Jill Pohtilla, who
has been with the Auggieprogram since
its inception. "Middlebury has been the
team to beat for years. Hopefully,in the
West,we'll be the team to beat next year,
and we will go into next year with the
[the national tournament) as a goal."
Regardlessof the outcome of the
national tournament, Augsburg's
women's hockey team was still proud of
the experience of competing for the
first-ever national title, along with being
part of a strong representation of how
the sport has grown in Minnesota.
having won 95 games in a row in five
years over their league opponents in the
Eastern College Athletic Conference
(ECAC) small-college division.
Middebury outscored its opponents
147-18 this season.
Middlebury controlled the action during
the tournament from start to finish,
outshooting the Auggiesby a 90-23
margin in the two games. Auggie goalie
Meg Schmidt (Sr., West St. Paul, Minn.)
earned a spot on the All-Tournament
Team by being tested often, making 77
saves on the weekend.
AngieRieger(Ir., Courtland, Minn.), the
MIAC'sPlayerof the Yearin 1999-2000,
scored the lone goal for the Auggicsin the
first game, on a blast from Sarah Garrison
(So.,West Des Moines,Iowa) with eight
seconds remaining in the first period.
Garrison, who earned MIAC Player of
the Yearhonors at Gustavus last season
before transferring to Augsburg this
year, had the lone goal for the Auggiesin
the second contest, a power-play goal on
assists from Rieger and Erica Johnson
(Sr., Blaine, Minn.), midway through the
first period. Garrison was also named to
the All-Tournament Team.
The series marked the end of the career
for five Auggie seniors, the first five
seniors to play four seasons in the
Augsburg women's hockey program Schmidt, Johnson, Annie Simons (Sr.,
South SL Paul, Minn.), Cindy Drum
(Sr., Milwaukee,WIS.) and Emily Miller
(Sr., Blaine, Minn.).
of Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth on
the Division J kvel and Aug.,burgat the
Division Ill lc:Yd- wac represented in
Boston during the national
championships, with the Gophers
winning the Division I national title:.
"The most positive thing about thil
tournament is the group of women that
we have with Augsburg women'•
hocuy,"Pohtilla said dur ing the
postgame press conference after the
second contest. "There', no lock.erroom
I'd rather hr in than this one, win or
lose. They're great students, great
athleta, great citizms, the beltgroup of
people I've ever been around."
At the Division Ill lrvd, Augsburg
entered the national tournament after
dispatching SL Benedict and rival
Gustavus Adolphus in the MIAC
playoffs.But Middlebury entered the
tournament on an even bigger roll,
Augsburg finished 21-7-1 O\'ttall and
12-1-1 in the MIAC. one win away from
the school', single-season record for
wins (22 in 1996-97).Over the five-year
history of Augsburg', women'• hocuy
program, the Auggiesare 83...f0-5.
Three Minnesota teams - the UDMnity
AUGSBURGNOW
12 • ALUMNI NEWS
Peter Agre
elected to
National
Academy of
Sciences
Peter Agre,M.D. '70 is among the 60
new members elected lo the National
Academy of Sciencesat their 137th
annual meeting in May. This
membership is considered one of the
highest honors a scientist can receive.
Agre is professor of medicine and
biological chemistry, and director of the
MarkeyGraduate Program in Cellular
and Molecular Medicine al Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine,
in Baltimore, MD.
He has been recognized internationally
for his discovery and research on
aquaporins, a family of molecular water
channels, that have direct implications
for treatment of water balance disorders,
such as kidney disease.
Agre is a Distinguished Alumnus of
Augsburg. His researchwas featured in the
spring 2000 issue of the AugsburgNow.
New faces and
new jobs in the
alumni office
As of June I, the Alumn i and Parent
Relations Office has named new staff
and made organizational changes to
better serve alumni , parents and friends.
Nancy Toed! '94 is the new director of
alumni and parent relations. A Weekend
College graduate, she has been on staff
in the alumni office for nine years,most
recently as assistant director. She will
serve as the liaison to the Alumni Board
and will have responsibility for alumni
and parent programs.
Jeff Krengel '93 joined the alumni office
staff as the new assistant director of
alumni and parent relations. At
Augsburg he majored in religion with a
youth and family work emphasis. Prior
lo joining the Augsburg staff he worked
at Western lllinois University and St.
Olaf College.
Sharon (Holt) Garland '74 also joined
the staff as administrative assistant. She
was a political science major al
Augsburg.
Donna McLean, former alumni and
parent relations director, is now director
of The Augsburg Fund and responsible
for the College's unrestricted ann ual
giving program.
Masterwork s
Chorale first
European tour
Forty-five members of the Masterworks
Chorale performed in Munich, Salzburg,
Prague, and Dresden in June under the
direction of Peter Hendrickson 76,
director of choral activities.
The tour ended in Leipzig.Germany,
with their performance in the Amcriam
Choral Festival,which Hendrickson has
served as artistic director for five years.
AUGSBU
RG NOW
Nancy
Fogelberg
receives
business award
Nancy Fogelberg '71 was named
Minnesota's Small Business Person of
the Year in May by the U.S. Small
Business Association. She is president of
American Artstone in New Ulm, Minn.,
a company that makes pre-cast
architectural stone panels.
Fogelberg's award was due to the
progress made since Fogelberg took over
the company in 1993. Sales are up nearly
300%, the staff has increased, and a new
plant was built and opened two years
ago.
An article in the Minnesota Star Tribune
on recounts the challenges faced by
Fogelberg in trying to realize the vision
she knewthe 70-year-old company
could bring about with a new plant,
updated equipment, and a nurturing
management.
"It was never a question of talent,"
Fogelberg was quoted as saying, "it was
facility and equipment ."
Fogelberg came to this position with
experience in sales of commercial and
industrial building materials. She had
led her father's company, and she had
experience in sales and marketing
training.
She was also quoted as saying that she
feels the best trainin g she brought to her
new position was the 11 years she taught
fifth grade, and the management skills
she needed to keep her class motivated
and productive.
www.augsburg.edu
A New Look
ALUMNI
PROFILE
'
Janice Aune, life-long learner
ByLenore Franzen
Janice Aune,
Classof 1988,
graduated with
more than a
degree In finance
and business
managment.
"Augsburg
instilledIn me
that every day of
my life I am in a
Janice Aline ' 88
learningmode,"
she said.
Aune's 30-year career at U S WEST
exeplifiesthis attitude. From an entry
level posiUonin 1970 Aune has
moved through various areas of the
company. Recentlyshe was named
president of U S WESTlnterprise
Networking, the fastest-growing,
high-tech side of the business.
In Aune's new position, learning is
constant. "One of my responsibilities
is to oversee the innovation,
development and implementation of
new products and sevicesinvolving
data networking," she said. Yet her
degree was nontechnical. How did she
make that leap?
"My coursework in business
management trained me to look at
business cases from a financial
perspective," Aune explained. • 1also
learned to read earnings and analyst
reports.• Allof which comes to bear
when considering a product's
feasibility in a highly competitive
market and how it will impact the
business.
Evenas a student in Augsburg's
Weekend College, Aune found ways to
connect what she was learning with
her work. She started at U S WESTto
earn money for college so she could
go back to school. Along the way,
Aune realizedshe wanted to do
both-<:ontinue working and earn her
degree.
"I liked what I was doing, but I
realized that without a college degree,
I was at a disadvantage for formal
opportunities within the company"
she said. "I knew my education was
going to be pivotal."
And it was. Aune worked long hours
at U S WESTand took classesin the
Weekend College. •1 was really happy
at Augsburg,• she said, despite the
often grueling balancing act of
working and being a student. "Almost
everything I learned I was able to
bring back to the work environment.•
Aune, with a general business
background, has demonstrated
tremendous success in a cutting-edge
field because of her skillsin both areas.
Much of her technical training she's
learned on the job. "But to be a
leader, you need to have operations
management skillsand people skills,•
she said, both of which she acquired
from her business management
courses.
While the industry's emphasis is on
innovative products and services,Aune
sees the individualas its most valued
resource. "Currently there aren't
enough people who have technical
training," she said.
For anyone choosing a technical area
of focus, she offers the same advice
that has sustained her own career.
"Balanceyour technical training with
business management skillsif you
want to contribute at a leadership
level."
LenoreFranzenil a freelancewriter who
livesIn St. Paul.
Sviggum brothers decide to hang up their whistle
By Donny Henn • PostBulletin
Thefollowi11g
is excerpted from an artide
that appearedMarch16 in tirePost
Bulletin,Rochester,Minn., and is
reprintedwith permission.
For the last couple of decades high
school basketball coaches in southeast
Minnesota had an understandin g: if any
combination of the three Sviggurn
brothers was officiating their game,
they'd better play it clean.
Jim and Dick worked their last game
together in the Section One, Class AA
championship between Rochester
Lourdes and Wmona Cotter last
Thursday at Mayo Civic Center Arena.
Steve, who is better known as House
Speaker of the Minnesota state
legislature, has been cutting back on his
officiating for the last couple of years.
The Kenyon natives have been calling
games together as an independent crew,
unaffiliated with any officials association,
since they were in their mid-20s. Dick,
who entered the occupation first, is 46.
Steve is 47.
The three brothers went to nearby
college, Dick and Jim to Augsburg, and
Steve to St. Olaf, all coming home with
math degrees in education .
While Steve and Jim each spent more
than a half-dozen years in teaching and
in junior high coaching, Dick returned
din,ctly to the family farm.
4S-50 games each winter, which kept
them busy four to five nights each week.
"We all love high school basketball, and
this was a way to stay close to it," Dick
said.
The Sviggum brothers all decided to
retire at once, largdy for family
considerations.
Now the Sviggum brothers are farming
partners, working 1,100 acres and raising
about 70 beef cattle from their three
separate farmsteads.
Jimand his wife,Sandy have two
ITWASAJOB
At the height of their officiating careers,
before marriage and children, the
Sviggurn broth ers worked as many as
children, Peder, 6, and Siri, 4. Dick and
his wife, Ann, have a son, Connor, who
just turned 3.
Dick said that he and his brothers will
probably still get certified in the years
ahead, to fill in in an emergency when a
blizzard or something else might keep
other crews away from a game.
BROTHERS AND PARTNERS
As siblings go, you don't get much closer
than the Sviggum brothers. The oldest of
Peder and &wrly's five children-the
boys have two younger sisters, Beth in
Oakland, Calif.,and Melissain Cannon
Falb-Steve, Jim, and Dick all played
football, basketball, and baseball together
at Kenyon High School at the tail end of
the I 960s and the beginningof the 70s.
Jim'75
(left) and Dick SYiggum '7 6 decided to than 20 ye.uson the courts.
from bastettJaA
officialing~ matt
MINNEAPOI.IS
, MN
ALUM NOTES • 13
ALUMNI
Class
PROFILE
A journey from divinity to disasters
BySusieGilhoi
•----
.~~
Some people
follow their
dreams, while
othen, like Bob
(Erickson)Warren,
'"6, follow
disasters. Actually,
Warren combines
the two as a Red
Cross mental
health volunteer.
ll'·
~,'
•1 think I'm just
one coune and
one disaster away from being promoted
to coordinator for the disaster mental
health team," he said with some
eagerness.
Robert (Erickson)
Warm, ' 46
Thisis not to say that he revelsIn
d"ISilSten
; quite the contrary,he's eagerto
help others and put his counselingand
ministerialskillsto work. He's helped those
strickenby a hunicane in Mississippi,
floodsIn NorthDakota, and tornadoes in
Ohio.Warrenalso workswith a localstress
team on an on-callbasis.
In his work and life, Warren strivesto
fulfillSt. Francisof Assisi's admonition:
•Preach Christ all the time, and only as
a last resort use words.• He admits,
however, that it's a challenge for such a
wordy person.
Warren'sjourney from divinityto
disasters began at Augsburg and
continued at Augustana Seminary (Ill .).
He served several parishes around
Moose Lake, Minn., then became
missiondeveloper and first pastor of All
Saints Lutheran in Glen Lake,Minn. He
earned his master's degree In
counseling psychologyat AttredAdler
Institute; worked at a sliding-feescale
cllnlc;proposed a counseling center and
became a counseling minister at St.
Andrew's Lutheran Church in Eden
Prairie. Alter retiring from all that, he
joined the Red Cross.
In recounting his Augsburg days,
Warren recallsthese words from a
plaque In Old Main: •1 am a part of
everything that I experience.•
"Those words kind of confirmed my
feeling that I wanted to be a pastor," he
said. "But more than that, they really
helped me on my spiritual journey,
moving from being a biblical literalist to
learning to question and go on to a
greater truth. That's been very
important to me.•
Augsburg's urban campus was also an
important Influence, causing him to
realize that •we are here to serve
people, not to be off in an ivory tower
someplace. We're here to make a
difference in the wor1d.•
Warren and his wife, Mary,a registered
nune, have worked to make positive
differencesIn many ways. They were
long-term volunteen at a local teen
clinic, at a food shett and with Mealson-Wheels. Through St. Andrew'sthey
initiated clothing donation drives, have
worked with a youth service team In
Appalachia and last year served on a
mission service team in Jamaica.
Warren hasn't always been successfulIn
making a difference. He strongly regrets
not pressing his church council to
support the Southern Poverty Law
Center during the CivilRights
Movement.
"Martin Luther King,Jr.'s death shocked
me into realizingthat I'd been a real
sissyin facing controveny in what I
believed. He got killed,and I wouldn't
even take a little chance about getting
into trouble [with the council). I
preached a sermon about this the next
week, and promised the congregation
that I wouldn't ever do that again. That
was the beginning of getting into a lot
of trouble, and It was worth It.•
Though he doesn't get into much
trouble anymore, he still gets into the
thick of things. Alter all, where disaster
goes, Bob Warren and St. Francis's
words follow.
SusieGi/hoi is a former staff member in
the PublicRelationsand Communk ation
Officeand Is Bob Wam,n~ step-daughter.
HOMECOMING
2000
"100 years, 100 Memories,,
Oc:aober
6-8, 2000
Friday, Oct. 6
1941
Helen (Rowbe,g)Drake, Minne.apolis,is
retired.Her husband, Curtis, passedaway
in January 1999.She ra:mdy moved from
her south Minneapolishome to the
Ebeneur Park Apartments in Minneapolis.
194S
Carol (Tyvoll) Noldeberg, Duluth,
Minn., and her husband, Roald '47, have
been retired for many years. Carol was a
school nurse in the Duluth school
system and Roald was a teacher, coach,
and principal.
Doris JC.(I.anon) Walen, Alamo, N.D.,
and her husband, David, celebrated their
50th wedding anniversaryin March 1999.
19 S1
Ted Berldand, Grantsburg, Wis.,
recently published the book We Are
GueslS,which features narrative and
poetry related to the Crex Meadows
Wildlife Area located near his home. He
is retired and serves as president of the
Wild Rivers affiliate of Habitat for
Humanity in Burnett and northern Polle
County, Wis.
Freda M. (Binder) Helm, Minot, N.D., is
enjoying her three grandchildren:
Garrett (6), Brandon (21 months), and
Ashley (2 months).
Merlin A. Johnson, Grantsburg, Wis.,
was elected to his 5th term as county
board supervisor, where he serves as
vice-chairman.
Joan (Baxter) I.anon, Ely,Minn.,was the
featured choral clinician at an annual
choir workshop at EvangelicalFree
Church in Bemidji. She taught public
school music for 31 years, retiring from
Minnetonka High School in 1994after
teaching there for 18 years. She currently
teaches private piano and voice in Ely,
and directsat Ely Baptist Church.
Ruth (Fostervold) Westphal, Cranberry
Isles, Maine, retired from nursing in
1997and is currently working part time
as director of the Great Cranberry Library.
19S2
Anna Marie (Sabo) Huesers , New
Hope, Minn., moved to New Hope from
Minot, N.D., in April; she is looking
forward to attending her SO-year
reunion in 2002.
Jean (Swanson) Markland and her
husband, Arne '49, moved from Salt
Lake City, Utah, to Scottsdale,Ariz., this
summer. Arne serves as a historian
aboard cruise ships, which has kept
them busy on more than 100 cruises.
C-elebrating
OldMain
Hipllprs indllllc
Thunday,Oct. s
Notes
Athletic Fall of Fame Banquet • 5:30 P.M.
19S3
Homecoming Chapel and Community Tune
10-.20.ui.
Quent Goodrich , Port Ludlow,Wash.,
was elected to his local school
board for a fourth consecutive term and
subsequently elected to represent
Olympic Peninsula school board
members on the Washington State
Directors Association board of directors.
In addition, he suves as president of his
county mental health center and is
term as assistant
completing a three-year
district governor of Rotary District
5020. He is also an active member of
Community United Methodist Church,
serving as chair of the congregation's
staff parish relations committee for eight
years and on the district superintendency committee.
19S6
Dorothy (Floistad) Benson and her
husband, John'55, professoremeritus of
religion, Minneapolis,moved to an
apartment near Augsburg after spending
35 years in Southeast Minne.apolis.A
retired teacher,she enjoystutoring adults
in reading,and in October she cdebrated
the publication of her book, None
AmericanCmtmnial Daughtm, a history
of an organization in St. Paul.
Robert Lockwood, Hopkins, Minn., and
his wife, Mary, are both enjoying their
retirements from teaching and coaching.
19S7
The Rev,Bruce A. Engebret son ,
Hopkins, Minn., and his wife, Mary, are
both enjoying their retirements from
teaching and coaching.
19S8
KennethHagen, Lake Mills, Wis., retired
after 33 years at Marquette University
where he was a Lutheran theolo~ian,
scholar, and church historian. Has
specialty was Luther studies in a Catholic
context. Kenneth has written six books,
edited 20 others, and written several
chapters in books. He is the recipient of
numerous honors and grants, including
fellowshipsfrom Harvard, Rockefeller,
Newberry Library,and more.
1968
Lynn Gunderson, Coon Rapids, Minn.,
recently retired from a hockey coaching
career that spanned five decades in
Coon Rapids.
Wayne N. Hansen, Cheyenne, Wyo.,
retired in April I999 after 30 years in the
U.S.Air Force. He is currently employed
as director of the Cheyenne Frontier
Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne.
His wife, Lois (Batalden) '69, is a legal
secretary at Holland and Hart.
1970
MarkS. Francis,Phoenix, Ariz.,just
completed his fourth year as founder
and c:ucutive director of the Arizona
School for the Arts.
H-,,.1
,- 11na
Goldm AnniwnAry Cllw of J9SO_, die 2000
DutmpiJ/wd Alumni: Oscar A. Anderson '18, David Cherwein '79
Ellen (Stenberg) Eridllon 's l .M.Annette (Hvftrsten) Hanson '68 '
Saturday, Oct. 7
Millennium Oioir Songfest (for all dioir alumni)
8:30-noon
Homecmnlng FootballGame YL
University of St. Thomas • 1 P.W.
Homecoming Dinner • 5:30 P.M.
Horoori,,Idie Dimnpisltal Al-11i, Golmll Ammwrary Class, First Deaule
...,_,s,irito/Allpnlrf-"ra:ipia,ls
Celebntc with the Golden Annmnuy
mebrations of 1960, 1975,and 1990.
a..
of 1950 and join the mmion
Lookfar mmplek Hom«nming details in the faDA11pbu,rNow.
Spedalaie:Aaput.l*
c 111 dmefOld.._
__
lDliafta..U
ladadedlcmladlc ...........
·12-
tcori (Bdund) .._
ClfffflCAuglbutg ~-Mlty
l.alglNold
U.W- Mohn IO hap out in Uptown Minnelpalls in May. Logln's ....- -.,
f'nl, C.E.L
-tho
studonls' i.erlb in tho .wt af-lO
kldi aff Wmle ffee ftidl)'lfor tho
.._..,,
o1_....,_ow..._,ae-__..,_._..,.11iat_C1111 -
P\Jblc _,,,
UplOwn-
.. _~IOtap
who -
SUMMER2000
Into my-momarlosaf
a....--
acting a,
I-.•
Auglbutg __
-"'
_
_,
__,
said Login.
AUGSBURGNOW
14 • ALUM NOTES
Notes
Class
1985
LaRhaeKnatterud,St. Paul, received the
Dutch Kastenbaum Award for
Outstanding Achievement in
Gerontological Practice in April. LaRhae,
a Minnesota Department of Human
Services employee, is nationally known
for her work as the director of Project
2030, which identified the impacts of the
aging baby boomer population and
Minnesota's ability to provide services.
L Craig Estrem,
Mound, Minn.,
was promoted to
chief operating
officer of Madison
Marquette Realty
Services,a
Minneapolis-based
national property
management
company.
1 9 71
Thomas Arthur Haas, Minneapolis, has
worked at the Minnesota Department of
Economic Security for 26 years as a job
service representative. He and his wife,
Nancy, celebrated the recent marriage of
their daughter, Heidi.
David C. Siedlar, Carlisle, Mass., and his
wife, Donna, celebrated their 25th
wedding anniversary in May.
1972
Timothy K. Brady,Grand Junction,
Colo., is a chiropractor and clinic
director; he recently became president of
the board of directors at the Museum of
Western Colorado.
19 7 J
Janet (Schurr) Bru bak, St. Paul, is in her
6th year as a pre-school teacher at Central
Lutheran grade school in St. Paul. She
and her husband have been married 26
years and have three children: Ben (22),
Leah (18), and Anna (14).
Michael Meadows,Studio City, Calif., is a
film/TV producer in Hollywood.
Larry Walker,
Minneapolis, who
writes under the
pen name "Lars
Walker,"celebrated
the recent
publication of his
book, The Yearof
the Warrior(Baen
Books). This is his
third published
novel, and is the second in a series of
historical fantasies. He is an
administrative assistant to the director of
Home Missions of the Association of
Free Lutheran Congregations in
Plymouth.
19 7
e
Elsa (Mohn) Stazesky, Brooklyn, N.Y.,is
manager for marketing analysis at HBO
in New York.CTAM, a major U.S. cable
and 1V professional organization,
selected her research study, "Segmenting
Cable Transaction Behavior Using GeoDemographics," as the best research
project in the programmers category for
1998.She presented a paper on this
study and was given the award at the
1999 CTAM annual convention in San
Diego, Calif.She and her husband,
Richard, have a 7-year-old daughter,
Drew Elizabeth.
1977
Lise Lunge-Larsen, Duluth, Minn., was
named a Minnesota Book Awardwinner
for her collection of children's stories,
The Trollwith No Heart in His Body and
Other Talesof 'lrollsfrom Norway
( illustrated by Betsy Bowen). She is
married to Steven Kuross '76.
Mark Hofsta d, Lakeland, Fla.,is an
administrative judge in Lakeland.
AUGSBURGNOW
Marion G. Hintz, Crystal, Minn., was
recently promoted to business support
manager at GE Card Services (JCPenney
Credit Services), and celebrated her 20th
anniversary with the company. She is
also the co-editor of Ni Hao, a Children's
Home Society of MN newsletter for
families and children from China. She
and her daughter, Kira Li, just celebrated
their 5th "Happy Adoption Day."
Joy Burkhart , St. Louis Park, Minn.,
married Anthony Dean in July 1999.Joy
is a database administrator/programmer
analyst for the MN Board of Public
Defense; Tony works for MaxPak, a
division of MultiTech,Inc.
198e
Debra Balzer, Brainerd, Minn., moved
from Blair,Neb., to Brainerd in July 1999
to become the manager of internal
education at Universal Pensions, Inc.
1 988
Amy K. Evans, Orono, Minn., married
James Dailey in September. She is a
market manager with OPTUM in
Golden Valley; he is co-owner of
Innovative Presentations, Inc., in
Brooklyn Center.
1 98 0
Judith Driscoll, St. Paul, recently
returned to Minnesota after working as a
photo stylist and interior designer in
New York for 10 years. She now works as
an interior designer for Ethan Allen.
The Rev. David L Norgard, recently
moved back to Minnesota to head
Episcopal Community Services,a 37year-old statewide, nonprofit family
support agency. Prior to ECS, he was
rector of the Church of St. John the
Evangelistin San Francisco.
Gary Tangwall, White Bear Lake, Minn.,
a financial planner with Lutheran
Brotherhood, qualified for Million
Dollar Round Table honors, attained
only by those representatives who have
demonstrated exceptional professional
knowledge, expertise, and client service.
Gary ranked 5th out of about 1,500
Lutheran Brotherhood representatives
nationwide. The Round Table's
membership represents the top financial
service professionals worldwide.
Bradley Schafer, Minneapolis, married
Kristy Dieterichsin August 1999. He works
at Apple Valley High School;she works at
Hidden Valley ElementarySchool.
Noro Andriantiana, SLPaul, recently
completed a Ph.D. and is currently
employed at the Universityof Minnesota.
Jennifer Norberg , Maple Grove, Minn,
joined Carmichael Lynch Spong as a
counselor. Prior to joining the public
relations firm, she was an independent
public relations consultant to the health
care industry, du ring which she
organized the fetal alcohol syndrome
public awareness campaign for
Minnesota. She also served as director of
public affairs for the Minnesota
Departmen t of Health.
KathrynA. (Schaubach) Encalada,
Ironwood, Mich., is director of Allied
Health Programs. She recently
completed her master's degree in nursing
at Northern Michigan University.
Jennifer Lynn Ose, Augusta, Ga., married
Matthew Glen Lamb in December on the
island of Maui, Wailea,Hawaii. They
both work for the John Deere Company.
1982
1995
The Rev. RebeccaSogge, Buffalo,Minn.,
became associatepastor at Zion Lutheran
Church in February. She is also
currentlyenrolledin the doctoral ministry
program at Luther Seminary.Prior to Zion
Lutheran Church, she served three
churches in the Brooten, Minn., area.In
addition, she also served as a social worker
at Hammer Residencein Wayzata;a
residentialcounselor at Children'sHome
Society in Hopkins; and worked summers
at various church and bible campsin
Minnesota, Iowa,and WISCOnsin.
Stacy Jo Harmon , Plymouth, Minn.,
married Christian A. Johnson in
October. She is the marketing
communications manager for
VideoLabs, Inc., where her husband is
the Internet sales director.
Annette Marie (Anibas) Poeschel,
Excelsior,Minn., is the executive director
of Minnetonka lnterchurch Community
Association. She has also held a two-year
internship at Curtin University in Perth,
Australia, and was a camp director in
Seoul, Korea.
Karin (Ludwigsen) Rochester, Concord,
N.C., and her husband, Matt Rochester
'98, moved to North Carolina last
summer, where she teaches in the
religious studies department at the
University of North Carolina-Charlotte
and he has a management position at
First Union Home Equity Bank. Last fall
they bought a home in Concord, just
north of Charlotte, and have added two
cats to their household.
Jim South,Eagan,Minn., married his
wife, Robin, at Augsburg in Hoversten
Chapel in May 1999.He works for special
events at Coca Cola and she works in
flight operations at Northwest Airlines.
1998
Meghan Carlblom , Burnsville,Minn.,
backpacked in Europe over the summer
of 1999. She is a senior lab technician at
the University of Minnesota.
Heidi Golden , Inver Grove Heights,
Minn., married Jason Beckendorf '00 in
July 1999.
Eyob Hamda, Madison, WIS.,is a system
developer in the billing and collections
departmen t at Cuna Mutual Group in
Madison.
Amy Lee, Colorado Springs, Colo.,
teaches kindergarten in Colorado Springs.
Gretchen (Rivera) Meents, St. Paul,
moved back from Ft. Lauderdale in
March 1999 after working in the area of
child protection. After working in
Ramseyand Dakota counties as a social
worker on temporary status, she was
hired by Hennepin County in December
as a child protection social worker.
Carol Morgan Rothschild, Hastings,
Minn., was promoted from credit analyst
o relationship business associate and
supervisor at US Bank in Minneapolis in
May 1999.She married Scott Durdall in
December.
AngelaSerwas , Oshkosh, WIS.,teaches
1983
Debra Hannu, Duluth, Minn., married
Patrick Thomson in October. She teaches
at Chester Park Lab School for Arts &
Technologyand works part time as the
art curriculum specialist for Duluth
Public Schools. She also teaches
elementary art methods at the University
of Minnesota-Duluth. Her husband owns
the Dairy Delight restaurant in Duluth.
19 84
Alia, (Weimer) Brown e, Minneapolis, is
a freelance music therapist She recently
recei-1 a grant from the Minnesota State
Arts Boardto study the art of old time
fiddling. She is doing a folk art
apprmticeship under teacher BillHinkley,
who wasinducted into the Minnesota
Music Hall of Fame this wintEr.
Carol Van Hulle, Boulder, Colo.,
received a master's degree in behavioral
genetics at the University of ColoradoBoulder in December; she is curren tly
working on her Ph.D.
CraigSchwalbe, Faribault, Minn., was
included in an article in the Le Center
Leadernewspaper that featured Cedar
House, Inc., a community based mental
health center in Le Center, where Craig
is a lead therapist.
RyanCamon,
Plymouth, Minn.,
married Lauren
, Kaunein June.He
worksfur Seagate
as an electro
plating/etchproa:s
engineer and is also
a volunteer
fin,figbl:Er
fur the
City of Plymouth.
Lauren is a Ph.D.
candidate al the Uniw:rsityof Minnesota
and ramtly taugjlt a semesta" of chemistry
a!Aup>tlrg.
first grade at her daughter Brittany's
elementary school in the Oshkosh
School District.
1999
Amy Brallier, recently accepted a
position teaching first grade in the
Columbia Heights School District.
Jesse Upelt, Mendota Heights, Minn.,
began teaching kindergarten at Edgerton
Elementary School in Rosevillein
January.
Jill J. Pintens , West Bend,WIS.,rec.ently
joined the medical staff of Fairview
Northeas t Clinic as a physician assistant;
her specialinterests include women's and
adolescent health care.
Victoria Sadek, West St Paul, recmtly
accepted a position t-=hing 10th and
12th grade English at Bloomington
Jeffmon Senior High.
Sarah Thompson , Bloomington, Minn.,
married Todd Fortner in August 1999.
2000
K£DyDonahu e, Excelsior,Minn.,
married Jason Exley'98 in May.Kdly
graduated in May with a degree in social
work; Jason is attmding seminary while
working for the Minnesota Fdlowshipof
Christian Alhletes.
MINNEAPOLIS,MN
ALUMNOTES • 15
Births
John F.Aune '79 and Rebecca
(Lundeen) '79 , Bedford, Texas---;,son,
Nicklas Ryan, in November. He joins
Sonja, 5, Rachel, 13, Nate, 16, Betsy, 18
and Ben, 19.
Diana K. (Wtllde) '86 and Richard
Buffie, Apple Valley,Minn.-a girl,
Karin Elyse,in September.
Heidi (Dufres ne) and Joe Puce!, Eagan,
Minn.--<1son, Nathan David, in
December.He joins brother Thomas, 3.
Rebecca (Severson) '88 and Doug
boy,
Westholm, New Auburn, W1S.--<1
Benjamin Maurice, in November. He
joins Brandon, 4, and Derek, 7.
Cathleen (Kleiman) '89 and Paul Thom,
Waconia,Minn.,--<1daughter, Carolyn
Elaine, in April 1999.
Jennifer (Ohlin) '90 and Daniel Falk,
Sauk Rapids, Minn.,--<1daughter, Emily
Joan, in October.
Chuck Hanka '9 1 and his wife, Diann e,
Scottsdale,Ariz.,--<1girl, Macie Dianne,
in February. She joins older brother
Benett. Chuck manages title insurance
officesin Arizona, Minnesota, and
Wisconsin.
Marla (Stratton ) '9 2 and John Mayer
'88, Fridely, Minn.--<1boy, Mason
Thomas, in October.
Stacie (Edlund ) '93 and John Reynolds,
Hutchinson, Minn.-a girl, Meredith
Kate, in April She joins sister Madison.
Andy Wichmann '95 and his wife,
Candice, Boise, idah0--<1 girl, Ashley
S112aDne,
in January.
In
Memoriam
Sigurd John Sonju '32, Moorhead,
Minn., died in March; he was 89. He
retired in 1975 as superintendent of
schools in Hawley, Minn., after a career
as a teacher, coach, principal, and
superintendenL He is survived by his
wife,Vivian; sons V'mce,Lyndon, and
Larry; brother, Ralph; and grandchildren
and great grandchildren.
The Rev. C. Walden Hedmann '37,
Tacoma,Wash., died in January; he was
87. He served 10 yearsas a missionary in
Africa;while there he established the
Mwika Bible Institute near ML
ICilimanjaro.He retired in 1978 from the
Lutheran Bible Institute in Seattle,Wash.
He is survived by his wife, Genevieve;
sons David '66 and Donn; daughters
Mary and Martha; grandchildren and
great grandchildren; and a sister.
Dorothy Carol Anderson '40, Starbuck,
Minn., died in April; she was 82. She
earned a master's degree from the
Universityof Minnesota and worked in a
brucellosis research program there. She
is survived by two brothers, John and
Donald; and sister Jean (Schwen).
Laurell E.Olson '47, Milwaukie,Ore., died
in February.He had a careeras a teacher,
coach,and administrator,and credited his
yearsat Augsburgfor preparing him for a
rewardingprofessionaland personal life.
He is survivedby his wife,Eva,and
daughter,Laurie.
Leslie J. Evenson '49, Lake City, Minn.,
died in February; he was 76. He is
survived by his wife, Jearme;son Paul
and his wife, Peggy;and two nieces and
two nephews.
The Rev.Torgney Jystad 'SO, Hawley,
Minn., died in March; he was 80. He
served as a medic during WWII in India.
Ordained in 1953, he most recently
served as a visitation pastor at Grace
Lutheran Church in Ada, Minn. He is
survived by his wife, Lyla (Larson) '49;
sons John, Dr. Philip, and Steven;
daughter Ellen; brother Lloyd;and
grandchildren.
Theodore M Bungum 'S 1, Bloomington,
Minn., died in December of cancer; he
was 75. He retired in 1986 after 30 years
at Honeywell.He was a member of St.
John's Lutheran Church in Minneapolis
and St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Mesa,
Ariz. He is survived by his wife of 50
years, Lorraine (Iverson 'SO); daughter
Kathy; son Dr. Brian; and grandchildren.
Carl 0. Paulson ' SO,Washburn, Wis.,
died in March; he was 71. He was a
member of the U.S.National Guard. He
worked 40 yearsfor Northern States
Power Company in Sioux Falls,S.D., and
Minneapolis. He is survived by his wife,
Renora; daughters, Debra, Jan Marie,
and Kimberly;grandchildren and a
great-granddaughter.
Marion J. (Nelson) Benrud '54, Eagan,
Minn., died in December; she was 68.
She was a medical technologist for 30
years at Northwestern Hospital. She is
survived by her husband, Vernal;brother
Denny; and sister-in-law Jean.
Donald D. Ronning '65, Stillwater,
Minn., died in March; he was 56. He
retired from his 33-year teaching career
in 1998. His love for construction
developed into a log home construction
business just prior to retirement. He is
survived by his wife, Sharon (Bjugstad)
'65; four children, Kari, Kris, Kipp, and
Kiersten; parents, the Rev.Donald M. '38
and Borghild;brothers, Merrill '68 and
Philip; and sister, Ruth.
J. Luther Anderson '66, St. Louis Park,
Minn., died unexpectedly in November
1999; he was 55. He is survived by his
wife, Sylvia(Sather) '66; sons, David and
Jim; brother, Norm; sister, Helen; and
many other loved ones.
John H. Batten '66, Brooklyn Park.,
Minn., died in June 1999; he was 62. He
is survived by his son, Daniel; mother,
Ruth; sister, Jan; brother, Jim; and many
nieces, nephews, and friends.
Cheryl L (Strom) Mann '69, Ellsworth,
Minn., died in April at her home; she
was 53. She was a physical education and
swimming instructor at River Falls High
School for 30 years. At Christ Episcopal
Church she was a past president of
Episcopal Church Women and a
member of the choir. She is survived by
her children, Arthur and Samantha; her
mother, Lucille;sister,Kristin;and
brothers, David and Mark.
Diane E. Helling '74, Burnsville,Minn.,
died in January; she was 47. She earned
degrees from the Univ. of Minnesota and
the Univ. of St. Thomas. At the time of
her death, she was a technology
consultant for RCM Technologiesand
Norwest Banks. She is survived by her
husband, Ted Martz;and daughter,
Allison Martz.
Loren Manuel Schottenstein '83,
Minneapolis,died unexpectedly in
January;he was 30. At Augsburghe
becamechair of the CollegeRq,ublicans,
treasurer of the MarketingAssociation
and student assistant in the audio-visual
department. He was also the site manager
of the International SpecialOlympicsand
a member of the Minnesota National
Guard. For the past two years,he worked
as a computer softwaretechnical
consultant at SAPAmerica,Inc. He is
survivedby his mother, RosalynKirkcl;
father,Morris Schottenstein;and sister,
Liano Walborsky.
Ethelind "Sis" (Krawetz) Garetz,
Lilydale,Minn., died in March; she was
74. Ethelind was assistant professor of
education at Augsburg from 1989 to
1995. She was also a teacher and school
administrator in Omaha and 'Jwin Cities
area public schools. She is survived by
her husband of 53 years, Charles; sons,
Bruce and Jeffiand grandson, Charlie.
OTHER DEATHS:
Morris C. Jorenby '27.
Elmer A. Hendr ickson '31.
Sylvia H. Nelson '34.
The Rev.Marcy Ditmanson '40, died in
June. See the fall AugsburgNow for
complete notice.
Alice (Backstrom) Firman '40, Tacoma,
Wash., died in October of Alzheimer's
Disease.
Ernest 0. Perry '46, BrooklynCenter,
Minn., died in April; he was 76.
John Oshida '47, Santa Rosa,Calif., died
in February of lung cancer.
The Rev.Donald B. Olson '50,
Wauwatosa,Wis., died in December.
Jonathan Knecht '58, died in April 1999.
Shin Koyama '59, Edina, Minn., died in
February; he was 65.
Logan F.Railson '59, died in April 1997.
Keith M. McKay'60, died in September
1999.
Alice Swensen, Augsburg nurse and avid Auggi e fan, dies
tii!
Swensengraduated from the Emanuel Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, Ore.,
which she attended after graduating from McVilleHigh School in Binford, N.D. In
addition to working at Augsburg,Swensenwas a nurse at both Emanuel Hospital and
the Retired TeachersHome, as well as a public health nurse in Minneapolis.
Swensen'slove of sports, which began at Augsburi:, grc~· to include the V1~ ing1,,the
'Jwins--<:speciallyKirby Puckett-and the
- Tirnberwolves.She loved to attend games
and probably knew as much or more about
the team than the armouncer. When "her"
teams won, she would quickly call family
members who supported opposing teams
and gloat. When "her" team lost, these calls
might be delayed for a half-hour or so.
Ab S--,
(lelt). picturedasAugsbulg's
ru,e
in the 1949 Aug,burgian
yeaboclt.
AliceE. Swensen,longtime employee and friend of Augsburg,died March 20 in
Minneapolis, surrounded by her loved ones. From 1947-1971, Swensenserved as
Augsburg'sschool nurse, touching the lives of thousands of students.
While at Augsburg, Swensenand her mother, Anna, lived on campus at Edda House,
where she was "house mother" to the girls. She was also a regular at athletic events,
especiallybasketball games and any of the women's sporting events. In addition, she
~ as nurse on College band and choir tours, taking her throughout the United
States and Europe.Even after her retirement in 1971, Swensenkept in contact with
Aupburg. visiting often.
"Alice'sname was never in the headlines, lh.was never rich in this world's goods, but she
was wealthy in the love of Jesus that she so
generously shared with thousands of souls,"
wrote Ernest A. Alne and Elizabeth Horton
in Swensen'smemoriam.
Swensenis preceded in death by her parents,
the Rtv. Ole Swensen'l 9 and Anna, and
sibling.s.
She is survivedby sister-in-law,
BeatriceSwensen;brother-in-law,Emes1
Alne;and many more loved ones, including
great-nephew KristoferHorton, Augsburg ,\bs..er-,(1,ft)llilil.edon-•
Classof 1981.
Homea1nw1g1997 wilhlais ~)
1MD1 '57.
SEND US YOUR NEWS!!
You rnn submit class notes by e-mail to <alumni@augsb11r9 .edr.r>, onfine at < 111
'ww .ougsbrJrg .ed11/olumni >
I
or by mail with the form on the back page .
----
SUMMER 2000
AUGSBURGNOW
r---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1,,
f
SEND US YOURNEWS
\
Most of the recent newsabout alumni you read is oontnbuted by alumni themselves.Ld us knowabout your job changes,promotions or other
achievements. Send us news of muriages, births or deaths. Photos an, welcome.
JI
Send your news items,photos or change of address by mail to: Officeof Alumni and Parent Relations,Campus Box 146,2211 RiversideAvmue,
.
Minneapolis, MN 55454, or by •• mail to <alumni@augsburg.edu>
YourFull Name _ _ _ _ ____
Address,_____
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_...cGraduationYearor last YearAttended______
Maiden Name_ _ ______
_________
Home Telephone L...J _____
Is this a new address!D YesD No
Employer ------------
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Is spouse alsoa graduate of AugsburgCollege!D YesD No
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ClassNotes Information: ------------------
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L------ --- ------ ---------------- --- ------ ---- ---------- --•-------- ----- --------------- ---- ----- ------
CALENDAR
Sept ember 8-0ctober
OF
SEPTEMBER
19
Exhibit, "Islamic Prayer Rugs," Sacred Arts Festival
Gage Family Art Gallery, Lindell Lib rary
M·F, 9 a.m.•9 p.m., Sat., 9 a.m.•5 p.m., Sun., noon•5 p.m.
September 11
Faculty Recital
7 p.m ., Sateren Auditorium
Contact : Music department , (612) 330·1265
September 14
Illus. lecture on WIiiiam C.llbert, colleague of
C.allleo and personal physician to Queen Ellzabeth I
AUGSBURG
Now
A-UGSBURG CXlll..F.GE
2211 RiversideAvenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
EVENTS
David Stem, theoretical physicist and historian, NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center
7 p.m ., Site TBA-Contact : Mark Engebretson , (612)330·1067
September 24-26
2000 Christensen Symposium
Sept. 24, 7p.m.
Readings from Berthold Brecht's Galileo (Foss Center)
Sept. 25•26 "Chan ging Cosmologies and the Church"
Owen Gingerich, Senior astronomer, Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory
Sept. 25, 7 p.m., Foss Center-Pu blic lecture
Sept. 26, 11 a.m., Foss Center-Convocation on Galileo
Contact: Phil Quanbeck, (612) 330·1006
N-ProlilOrg.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Minneapolis,MN
PermhNo. 2031
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Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Summer 2001
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Collection
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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Search Result
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Ê
_-ii
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*
{
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#
¡¡
¡a
What a year this has been ¡..
tñt
lfll
iLh this summer issue, we
.orptete our first Iull volume
year as a magazine . . . and realize what
an exciting and rewarding year it's been.
The comments we've received from
you have encouraged and uplifted us.
You've...
Show more
Ê
_-ii
j
*
{
T
#
¡¡
¡a
What a year this has been ¡..
tñt
lfll
iLh this summer issue, we
.orptete our first Iull volume
year as a magazine . . . and realize what
an exciting and rewarding year it's been.
The comments we've received from
you have encouraged and uplifted us.
You've told us that you enjoy the longer,
more colorfully illustrated articles. You've
told us to keep up the good work. You've
told us that this new magazine makes
you feel proud to be an Auggie.
And, now, I'm proud to announce
that Augsburg Now has also received honor
and recognition beyond our own
communiqz The Now received aBrorue
Medal in the 2001 Circle of Excellence
awards sponsored by the Council for
Advancement and Support of Education
(CASE) for periodical publication
improvement. As one of eight awards from
97 entries, Augsburg joins company with
several of the top college and university
magazines in the country And that makes
us feel proud to be Auggies, too.
ln this issue, we present stories
about stretching beyond what is
necessary and expected. The first feature
highlights Augsburg's commitmenr ro
beì.ng a good neighbor and engaging
students in opportunities to learn from
and serve the communitv
The second story is a feature on
focus-two gutsy men who push the
envelope to achj.eve at levels greater than
expected of them. Aaron Cross and Jim
Mastro personify one of our key
messages to prospective students-that
at Augsburg, you are encouraged to
reach farther than you ever thoughl
possible.
For those ofyou online, please take
a moment to consider the questions in
the enclosed survey about services you
would find useful on an enhanced
alumni Web page. The questions can
also be completed online.
Letters to
the editor
Experiencing Cuba
I found the article "Experiencing Cuba" in
I th. ,ecenL issue of Augsb urg Nàw very
gratifying to read. vou. lto.yãbo.rr
Augsburg journallsm students spendÌng 10
days in Cuba interviewlng people is a
wonderful example of how Augsburg's
Center lor Global Education is promoting
understanding between people in the U.S.
and in Latin American countries. ln the
case of Cuba it is particularly lmportant
because governmental sanctions have
made the kind of contact which promotes
Please continue to write to us-about
your thoughts as you read through the
issue, about your comments and
concerns, and about your reactions to the
articles. We'd like to keep in closer touch.
We look forward to continuing this
conversation as rMe enter our second
magazine year, in the 133rd year ol
Augsburg College.
understanding very difficult.
As I live in Wisconsin, I found it
partlcularly interesting that one of the
students had done a comparative study of
farming and the cooperative movement Ìn
Cuba and Wisconsin.
Ww
Out of Africa
Betsey Norgard
-Larry
Glenn'70
reetings from Nairobi. i appreciate
always getting a copy of the
AugsburgNow
G
Editor
-Kanaidza
Abwao'75
We welcome your letters!
Please
write to:
Editor
AugsburgNou
2211 Riverside Ave., CB 145
Minneapolis, MN 55454
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Fax: 612-330-1780
Phone: 612-330-1 18I
Letters fo¡ publication must be signed and include your name, class year, and daytime telephone
number They may be edited for length, clarir¡ and style.
Correction: ln the w¡nter issue on p. 26, we
incorrectly identified the subject of our
alumni profile in the title and caption. lt
should read: Peter Steen-A Model Teacher.
ITTGSBLJRG
Vol. 63, No.4
'r 2OO1
DO YOU VISIT THE ALUMNI
WEB PAGE?
Woulu You LIKE To
Now
'es
sEE ADDTTToNAL
oNLINE SenVlCeS?
g to serve ...
to learn
Norgard
erve in the community is part of an
rcation, and students begin to worle
The Alumni and Parent Relations
'1ty partners Jrom their
Jirst day on
Office would like to hear what you
would find useful on the alumni page
3
Please take a moment to complete the
survey-either on the attached tear-off
<www. augsburg. edu/alumni> and
19
return it byJuly 20. lf you complete
will
by Don Stoner
Augies Aaron Cross and lint Mastro haye
orercome obstacles to excel in their sports,
gain international recognition, and achieve
success in their careers.
card or online at
the contact information, you
Targeting success:
No barriers allowed
tno,o contest for
International and
Off-Campus Studies
be
tments
entered in a drawing for a $50 gift
cértificate from the Augsburg College
20
co*-encement 2ool
Around. the Quad
Bookstore.
Sports
Alumni News
Class l\otes
Auggie Thoughts
administered pro gr am5 except
in
those instances where religion
is a bona Jíile occupational
qualificati on. Au gsb ur g C ollege
is committed to proviiling
r eas onable accomm o d ations to
íts employees and its students.
inside
back
cover
Calendar
On the cover:
Augsburg senior Dereh Schwartz
completed his student teaching at
C e d ar - Riv e r si
de
C ommunity
School. Here, he helps hindergarten
www.augsburg.edu
student Farult Ahmed with an
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-consumer waste)
assígnment. See story on page
Photo by GregHelgeson.
B.
r
AucsBuRG Now
Vol. 63, No.4
Summer 2001
Features
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
22ll Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55454.
Betsey Norgard
Learning to serve ...
serving to learn
Editor
by Betsey Norgard
Lynn Mena
Learning to serye in the community is part oJ an
Augsburg educatiott, and students begin to worh
with community partners from their Jirst day on
Assistant Editor
Kathy Rumpza
Graphic Designer
cdmpus.
William V. Frame
President
Dan Jorgensen
Director of Public Relations and
Communication
Nancy Toedt'94
3
Director of Alumni and Parent
Relations
Opinions expressed rn Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
1SSN 1058-1545
success
Postmaster: Send correspondence,
name changes, and address
corrections to : Augsburg N ow,
Office of Public Relations and
Communication, 22 I I Riverside
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454.
Augsburg College, øs afflrmeil
in its miss¡on, does not
discriminate on the basis of røce,
color, creed, religion, national or
ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual
orientation, marital status, status
uith regaril to public assistance,
or disability in its education
p olicíes, a ilmi s sions p olicie s,
scholarship ønd loan progrøms,
athletic andlor school
ødministered pro gr am1 except
in those ínstances where religion
is a bona fide occupationøl
qu aliJi c øtio n. Au gsbur g C olle ge
is committed. to provüling
reasonable accommo dations to
its employees and íts stuilents.
by Don Stoner
Auggies Aaron Cross and Jim Mastro haye
overcome obstacles to excel in their sports,
gain internatiot-tal recognition, and achiev e
official College policy
E-maii: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-Ì I8ì
Fax: 612-330-I780
Targeting success:
No barriers allowed
in theLr careers.
f 9
prro,o contest for
International and
Off-Campus Studies
Departments
2
6
23
25
32
inside
back
cover
2O
co*roencement 2ool
Around the Quad
Sports
Alumni News
Class Notes
Auggie Thoughts
Calendar
On the cover:
Augsburg senior Dereh Schwartz
completed his student teaching at
C e dar-
Ny er si de
C ommuniQ
School. Here, he helps ltindergarten
www.augsburg.edu
student Faruh Ahmed with att
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-clnsumer waste)
assignment. See story on page 8.
Photo by GregHelgeson.
I
a
^
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I
o
¡a
O
/
a
o
Susan Klaseus is Augsburg's newest
vice presidgnt
byDan Jorsensen
s
usanJ. Klaseus, former associate dean
of external affairs for the Carlson
School of Management at the University of
2004' vislon and the strategies we are
pursuing in its behalf is palpable, and I
look forward to her work and her
Minnesota, has been named vice president
of institutional advancement and
community relations.
President William Frame noted that
Klaseus brings to her new role a strong
background in the institutional
advancement field combined with a firm
grasp of Augsburg's mission and "place" in
leadership," the president added.
Klaseus served at the Carlson School
from 1996-2000, where she was
responsible for all corporate and individual
donor relations, fundraising and
development, as well as media relations,
public and community relations, and
alumni relations. In 2000, she formed her
own consuiting business, partnering with
the communit;z
"We are fortunate to have found an
individual who not only is committed to
bridging the worlds of education,
[Augsburgsl strdtegy includes ø solid
academic exp enence coupled w ith
spintuøl growth and community
s ew ice opp ortunitie t
Å'*ron
l.
KIas eus
government, business, and the not-for-
profit sector, but who also has a keen
sense
of what is needed to form strategic
partnerships to help the College articulate
its vision," Frame said.
"Her enthusiasm for the 'Augsburg
community agencies to serve client needs.
Preyious to her position at Carlson,
she served various executive positions aL
four companies in the financial services'
industry, most recently as a senior rnce
president for Piper Jaffray Companies .
Klaseus said she looks upon
publidprivate partnerships as vital to the
future success of Augsburg's development
and community relations efforts and to
ensure that the College's students have the
best possible educational environment
available.
"l am pleased to see that in Augsburg's
case, this stmtegy includes a solid
academic experience coupled with spiritual
growth and community service
Susan J. Klaseus
opportunities woven into the curricula and
life of the Co1lege," she said.
Klaseus also said she is excited about
Augsburg's location in the city and the role
she believes the College can play in
assisting the Twin Cities in economic
growth and development and muchneeded attention to K-I2 education.
Klaseus holds a Bachelor ofArts degree
from Metropolitan State University, a
Master of Public Administration from the
John F Kennedy School of Government at
Harvard University, and a Master of Arts in
liberal studies from Hamline Universiqr
Currently working part time, she will
assume full-time duties in August.
Herald Johnson elected to head financial aid officers
I
lerald
II1oh,rro,.,
enrollment
MAFAA to head the organization twice.
The MAFAA is the professional
organization of nearly 400 financial aid
officers at postsecondary institutions in
Minnesota who work with students,
educators, policy makers, and others to
ensure that adequate programs of financial
assistance arc avallable to all students
attending Minnesota institutions of higher
services, has
education.
'68, director of
financial aid
and assistant to
the vice
president of
admissions and
Johnson,6g
been elected for
the second
time as president of the Minnesota
Association of Financial Aid
Adminj.strators (MAFAA). He is only the
second person in the history of the
Herald
2
,+UGSBURG NoW
Financial aid in higher education is
often misunderstood, Johnson says,
it is one of the most complex
functions in high education institutions.
"It's like a moving target," he said.
"The variety of funds available all comes
because
with their own
set of rules. And they are
always changing."
Among the blggest changes, he says, is
in the mixture of gifts, loans, and work,
with a shlft to a greater availability of loans
The MAFAA provides training,
workshops, and conferences for
professionals in financial aid, includlng a
Leadership Symposium that has been
recognized natì.onally and serves as a
model program.
Johnson graduated from Augsburg in
1968 and was hired as an admissions
counselor. ln 1969, he became the
College's first (and only one to the present)
director of financial aid.
Summer 2001
Three students are awarded Hognander
Scholarships for music excellence
Lake, Minn., is a
music performance
and composition
major. He has
Lindsay
f
Bonner
Brendan Anderson
composed pieces for
the Concert Band
and a piece for the
Chamber Orchestra
that premiered in
May Two of his
Dan Luedtke
compositions received their international
premiere during the Concert Band's recent
tour [o ]reland. Anderson is a saxophonist
in the Concert Band and an
instrumentallst with Gospel Praise He is
also a member of the Camp Cruisers, and
has arranged much of the Cruisers'
repertoire.
Dan Luedtke, from Warren, Minn., is
a piano performance major and studies
with music professorJill Dawe. He has
participated in the chamber music group
for the last three years and has also
hree Augsburg students were awarded
I
Hognander Scholarships for 2001-02,
the most prestigious award given to music
students.
Lindsay Bonner, from Virginia, Minn.,
is a vocal performance major studies with
Janet Gottschall Fried. Bonner is a member
of the Augsburg Choir, is a vocalist with
Augsburg's Gospel Praise, and performs
with the Camp Cruisers, the house band at
Mall of America's Camp Snoop;z She was
also instrumental in the production of
"Women in Opera," a group of five femaie
student performers who met weekly for
over a year to perfect their singing and
acting skills and their knowledge of opera
repertoire.
Brendan Anderson, from Madison
performed with the Concert and Jazz
Bands. He will participate in a spring
internshì.p with HECUA's (Higher
Education Consortium for Urban Affairs)
City Arts program, taking classes and
working at an arts organization. His
upcoming performances include a 20thcentury music recital in December and a
senior recital in spring 2002.
The Orville C. and Getrude O.
Hognander Family Fund established a
permanent source of scholarship funds to
recognize exceptional music performance
and achievement. The intention of this
award is to attract gifted students,
stimulate current students, and build a
cadre of alumni whose achievement
elevates the reputation of the College and
the music department. Requirements
include a résumé, essay, and an audition of
two music pieces.
Congratulations
to tenured and
newly-promoted
faculty:
Promotions effective September
1
Instructor to Assistant Professor:
Sonja Thompson, music
Assistant Professor to Associate
Professor:
William Green, history
Peter Hendrickson'76, music
Sandra Olmsted'69, chemistry
øc
Gil
Student tour guide
Connie Bishop (left)
answers questions
from the directors of
academic affairs of
15 Norwegian colleges
who visited campus to
learn about Augsburgb
initiatives in higher
education marketing
and international
pro9rams,
EA
M
E
n
Z
ø
fl
m Næ
UÐ)
F
Bridget Robinson-Riegler, psychology
E
z;
T
Associate Professor to Professor:
Milo Schield, business administration
and MIS
Frankie Shackelford, modern languages
Tenure granted
Cass Da1g1ish, English
Rebekah Dupont, mathematics
Peter Hendrickson '76, music
Dawn Ludwig, physician assistant studies
Bridget Robinson-Riegler, psychology
Summer 2001
4ucs¡unc ruow
3
Around the Quad
Farewell to retiring faculty and staff
membgfS
by Lynn Mena
!hree laculty members, wilh a
I combined'64 yearsof service to
Augsburg, retired from active teaching at
the end ol this academic year. The Board
of Regents granted all three
emeritus/emerita status in May In
additlon, one staff member, with more
than a dozen years of service to the
College, will retlre thls fall.
Marjorie M. Magnuson
Marj Magnuson came to Augsburg in 1988
as a receptionist for the Center for Global
Education; she currently serves as the
center's admlnistrative assistant. She and her
husband had moved to the area ln 1987
after 12 years of directing a Christian
children's camp/retreat center.
"Neither of us knew exactly what we
wanted to do next," says Magnuson. "I took
some classes, and we both had paper routes
as well as being caretakers in an apartment
buildlng." Meanwhile, she says, her
youngest son registered for a Global Ed
semester program in Cuernavaca, Mexico,
and a newsletter from lhe center announced
a job opening for which she applied and
was hired.
A graduate of a bible college with a
major in Christian education, Magnuson
says she will miss her colleagues and the
leaming opportunities within the
department and the College community.
After her retirement in the fall, her plans are
to take a bike trip in Europe with her
husband, volunteer, and work.
"Ma4 has been the spiritual and moral
center of the Center for Global Education
for the past 13 and a halfyears," says Regina
McGoff, the center's director of marketing
and administration. "She leads by example,
setting the pace by working very hard and
always looklng out for the heart and soul of
our mission. Her presence will be greatly
missed by everyone on our staff."
Last year, the College thanked
Magnuson for her dedication by honoring
her as one of the Outstanding Employees of
Augsburg.
4
,+UGSBURG NoW
Marjorie M. Magnuson
Gordon L. Nelson
Beverly J, Nilsson
Clarice A. Staff'63
Gordon L. Nelson
political setting, hometown lore, or
Gordon L. Nelson, professor of sociologl
and facuity parliamentarian, was flrst hired
relative. He is sharp and dedicated to the
Coilege. We are grateful for his many years
at Augsburg
ín 1967
as assistant professor
of sociology He was granted tenure in
1971, and promoted to associate and full
professor in1977 and 1985, respectivel)¿
He also served as department chair for l0
years, and has
regulaf
taught in the
religion department. Nelson obtained B.A.
and M.A. degrees from the University of
Minnesota, a B.D. and M.Div from Luther
Theoiogical Seminary, and a second M.A.
and a Ph.D. from the University of
Chicago.
"Gordon has a marvelous sense of
humor and a remarkable sense of history,"
says Diane Pike, professor of sociology "He
rarely fails to connect a student to some
a
of commitment."
After retirement, Nelson hopes to
continue [o serve as a member of the
Minneapolis Board of Estimate and
Taxation, he is seeking re-election to the
position in the November municipal
election and was first elected to the
position in 1973.In addition, he expects
that he will continue to work part time in
the district office of Congressman Martin
Olav Sabo '59, as he has done since 1979.
Beverly J. Nilsson
BeverlyJ. Nilsson, professor of nursing,
began her career at the College in1977 as
associate professor. She was granted tenure
Summer 2OOf
in 1980, promoted to full professor in
1990, and has served as department chair
since 1978. She received her diploma in
nursing from the Mlnneapolis General
Hospital School of Nursing, and her B.S.,
M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of
Minnesota.
"Bev has been a colleague, mentor,
and friend," says Sue Nash, assistant
professor of nursing. "What an honor to
have worked side-by-side with her as we
launched the first graduating class of
nursing students here at Augsburg, back in
the '70s, and now to be involved in the
launching of the first graduating class of
the Rochester branch nursÍng students. Bev
has touched my life and helped shape my
career."
Nilsson looks forward to the
opportunity to "savor and enjoy the
choices" ofher future. She says that she
will miss the "good people of Augsburg,"
particularly the nursing students, past and
present, and her colleagues from the
nursing department.
"Over the years, I have experienced a
genuine and most generous spirit of
helpfulness among those of us who work
and study in this place," says Nilsson. "The
people here care about each other, and
demonstrate that caring in large ways and
in small, everyday ways."
Clarice A. Staff '63
'Clarice A. Staff, assistant professor of
social work, has taught at Augsburg since
1995 at her present rank. Although she
was in a tenure track position, she waived
tenure consideration since it fe1l during
the same yeat as her retirement. An
alumna of Augsburg, Staff received her
B.A. in 1963 and went on to earn M.S.
and D.S.W degrees from Columbia
University She served for a time
as
director of Augsburg's M.S.\M program. In
1984, she received a Distinguished
Alumna Award.
Staff has particularly enjoyed working
with the Weekend College and graduate
students. "As adult learners, they bring a
special commitment" she says. She plans
Summer 2001
to retire her alarm clock, and will continue
working on stories related to family
genealogy
"With uncompromising integrity,
Clarice has stood strong and fast for
social justice and for what she believes is
right," says Tony Blbus, associate professor
of social work. "The social work
department, our faculty, staff, and
especially our students, have benefited
greatly from her attention to detail, her
intelligence, and her experience in higher
education, her steady advising, and her
loyal friendship."
An Augsburg teacher celebrates 100
by Maggie Weller'O1
lor today's students, it is not
I uncommon to attend a class taught by
a woman. However, before Anna Manger
began teaching math, there were no
female teachers at Augsburg College.
Manger, who celebrated her 100th
birthday in February, graduated from the
University of Minnesota in 1923 and was
hired by Augsburg as its first female
instructor, teaching higher algebra and
geometryl lt was just a year earlieq in fall
1922, that Augsburg enrolled its first
lvomen students.
Manger recalls the friendly
atmosphere at that time and the fact that
"everyone was interested in everyone
else. "
Manger shared a story about how she
used to walk home after school with
several of her male colleagues. "They were
big and ta1l, so \Me must have looked
funny walking together," she says with a
laugh.
Even after marrying and leaving
Augsburg ín L925, Manger continued to
be involved with the College as part of a
group that worked to help raise money
for scholarships. The group painted and
built "decorative things," including plates,
napkin holders, and stools. While this
group no longer exists, Manger continues
her involvement as a member of the
Augsburg Associates.
Manger's dedication to Augsburg had
a lasting effect on her family Both of her
daughters are Augsburg alumnae who
enjoyed becoming part of the community
where thelr mother had taught.
Manger recently attended her 75th
college reunion and found herself to be
the only attendee. "There are not many of
us left," she says, and tells of how she was
invited to sit with the president of the
university and the dean.
When asked what Manger believes to
be the greatest change at Augsburg
between now and when she taught, she
responds, "There were not so many
students then, so it was not as busy as it is
today"
Her 100th birthday was a festive
affair. Two daughters, eight grandchildren,
and 13 great-grandchildren, as well as
over 300 people, attended the part¡
including a number of Auggies.
"I got loads of lovely cards," Manger
reports.
o
a
Ð.
à
É
o
U
Anna Manger, Augsburg's first
female professor; celebrated her
centennial year with family and
friends.
,4ucssunc
Now 5
Edor Nelson field to be named
Ã
coach
uesburg College wilI honor ìongtinrc
Edor Nelson by
re-dedicating the outdoor athletic field ln
his honor.
A ceremony to dedicate the lield as
Edor Nelson Field will be held during the
Augsburg football team's home-opener
against St. John's Universily on Saturday,
Sept. 22. Game time for the season-opener
has not been set.
In 1984, the College named the
It : , enct
ï,, urstruclor
:
,ncoacn
outdoor athletic field as Anderson-Nelson
Fleld, in honor of Nelson and longtime
athletic director and men's basketball coach
Ernie Anderson. In Februar¡ the College
dedicated the court in Melby Hal1 in
Anderson's honor.
Nelson earned Augsburg Hali of Fame
honors as both a student-athlete and coach
at Augsburg. As an athlete, he was a multisport star in football, basketball, and
baseball, graduating in 1939. After serving
his country in World War ll-including six
months of imprisonment in a German
prison camp-he retr¡rned to this country,
by Don Stoner
in
1947
, and also served tl-re College
hockey and wrestling coach at times in
the 1950s.
Nelson coached football [or 23 years
(1947-69), flnishing with a 58-118-10
coaching record, the most coaching wins in
school history. He was inducted lnto the
Minnesota Football Ha1l of Fame in 1973.
He coached baseball for 33 seasons (194679), earning MTAC titles seven l¡mes
as
(t947,'48.'59,'61,'63,'73 and'75) and
earning conference coach of the year
honors in I97 5
Nelson was an associate professor in
Ar-rgsburg's health and physical education
department for 32 years, retiring in 1978.
More information on the Sept. 22
event will be sent to A-Club members
during the summer, as well as being placed
on Augsburg's athletic Web site,
<www.augsburg.edu/athletics>. For more
inlormat ion on lhe dedication event,
contact Norm Okerstrom at 6L2-330-I6I6.
.
.,<l.
Edor Nelson '39 in a baseball coaching photo
from the 1950s. Nelson was best known for
leading the baseball and football teams
during his three decades as a teacher and
coach at Augsburg.
earning his master's degree from the
University of Minnesota ín 1947
.
He coached lor three years in
Lamberton, MÌnn., and returned to
Augsburg in 1946, when he was named
baseball coach. He was named football
Don Stoner is sports information coordtnator
Auggie sports wrap for 2000-01
Football
Named to the MIAC All-Conference first
team were defensive linemen Matt
Chappuis and Andy Howard, and offensive
lineman Andy Hansen. SevenLeen seniors
completed their Auggie careers in 2000
wirh. a 25-L7 career record, joining the
graduating classes of 1999 and 2000 as
holders of the best four-season career
record in school history
Volleyball
The team capped the l1-16 season by
winning seven of their last 10 matches,
including a three-game sweep of defending
MIAC champion Bethel. Angie Rieger
earned first team A1i-MIAC honors, and
closecl her Auggie career with a unique
double-double, 1,030 career kills and
1,052 career digs.
Men's and women's soccer
A stretch of six wins late in the year, wlth
Auggie \Momen were able to compete as
team for the first time slnce 1998.
14 freshmen on the roster, marked the
beginnings of what the men's squad hopes
will be a strong showing next fa1l. Joel
Stone, a defender, earned a spol on the AllMIAC first team.
On the women's side, a 7-10-1 markthe best record since I997-and consistent
scoring pr-rnch from both veterans and
newcomers spelled an outstanding
rebuilding season. Brenda Selander was
named to the All MIAC first team.
The men's and women's cross country
teams capped their year with one of their
best finishes in recent years at the MIAC
championship meet. Senior Eric
Bloemendal and junior Chrissy Baune
earned all-MIAC honors.
Men's and women's golf
The men's and women's goll teams
completed split seasons-fa1l and springwith solid efforts. The men's team was third
in the MIAC fall championships, 1ed by the
team's lone senior, Hans Anderson.
With increased nr-rmbers of players,
a
Men's and women's cross country
Men's and women's basketball
The men's basketball team earned a trip to
the MIAC playoffs for the fifth season in a
row, despite late season injunes. Seniors
Tomrny Chatman and Matt Davis earned
first-team AII-MIAC honors. The team was
11-9 in the MIAC.
The women's team's 1l-13 overall and
9-12 mark in the MIAC was Augsburg's
best since l9B4-85. SeniorJaime Kingsley
continued on next page
6
,+ucsBURG Now
Summer 2001
Lucky seven for Auggie wrestlers
Augsburg wins record seventh
national title
w ilLåi;:i::: iîi,*:ïäî:es,'n
g
history, the Augsburg College wrestiing
team won its second consecutive national
championship and seventh title in the past
ll years to highlight the 2000-01 sports
year for the Auggies.
The wrestlers had three individual
national championships and eight Al1Americans. Their 119.5 points was the
sixth-largest total in Division lll history
Defending national champion senior Ben
Bauer became the fifth Auggie in school
history to earn consecutive national titles.
Senior Nik Lewandowski, who became
the fourth Auggie ever to earn four Al1
American honors, claimed the first national
championship of his career with a dramatic
7-5 overtime victory in the 184-pound
final. And, two-time national runner-up
Darin Bertram earned his first national
championship.
Defending national
champion Nick Slack saw his
The wrestlers also excelled in the
classroom, earning a 3.372 GPA with its
distinction of being the fourth highest in
national Division III.
unbeaten streak end in the
I 74-pound championship
match and finished his season
at 29-1, notching a two-
season, consecutive-match
winning streak of 60-the
second-longest in school
history The team finished the
dual season at 16-l and won
the MIAC title for a record
15th consecutive year,
defeating perennial Division 1I
powers North Dakota State
and South Dakota State in the
dual season.
Augsburg's wrestling team shows off their national
championship hardware after claiming the school's seventh
NCAA Division lll national title in the last 11 years at the
2001 NCAA meet.
Sports wrap (continued)
s'
earned a spot on the
.s
AII-MIAC first team,
leading the Auggres
L
È
in scoring,
rj
Q
rebounding, and
blocked shots. A
biology major with a
3.844 GPA, she also
earned Verizon
Jaime Kingsley goes
up for a shot during
.Augsburg's victory
over St. Olaf.
Academic AllDistrict first-team
honors.
Men's and women's hockey
The Auggie men finished in a fourth-place
tie in the MIAC with a 9-6-I record, but
were eliminated from playoffs on a totalgoal tiebreaker. Four Auggies earned firstteam A11-MIAC recognition-freshman Tim
Olsen, sophomores Jaro Cesky and Brad
Holzinger, and senior goalie Ryan
Mclntosh, for the lourth season in a row.
The women's team had its third
consecutive winning season, lncluding a
sweep on the annual trip to the East Coast.
For the second year in a row, forward
Angie Rieger was named MIAC Women's
Hockey Co-Player of the Year and a finalist
Summer 2001
for Natlonal Player of the Year from the
American Hockey Coaches Association.
Rieger and teammate Kristi Brusletto
earned AII-MIAC honors. A three-time AllAmerican, Rieger ended her career holding
steeplechase), and Baune (1500 meter
virtually every school scoring record.
Augsburg's baseball team finished the
season with 20 wins for the first time since
1992. Mike Schwalen, a four-year starter,
was named to the Verizon Academic AllDistrict V College Division First Têam. He
ended his Augsburg career with a .349
Men's and women's track and field
The men's and women's track and field
teams showed dramatic improvement
during the indoor half of the season,
breaking schooi records l6 times. New
records \Mere set by senior Desman Oakley,
who also won the 55-meter hurdles title;
freshman Derik Thaden (55-meter dash);
Mathew Shannon (200-meter dash), Chris
Ohnstad and Teresa Lewandowski (both in
the 600-meter dash); and Chrissy Baune,
who claimed all-conference finishes in the
1,000- and 1,500-meter runs.
In outdoor action, Oakley won his
second straight MIAC 1l0-merer hurdles
title and qualified for the NCAA Division
iII national championships. The men's 400meter relay squad set a school record of
41.99 seconds.
Other all-MIAC honors went to
Chrlstian Dawson (3,000 meter
run). Three other Auggie relay squads set
school records.
Baseball
batting average.
Softball
For the 22nd time in the last 23 years, the
softball team finished the season wirh a
double digit win record, 17-19 overall and
10-12 in MIAC play Shortstop Kristin
Lideen earned second-team recognit-ion on
the Natj.onal Fastpitch Coaches Association
(NFCA) AIl Midwest Region team. She and
pitcher Rachael Ekholm earned first-team
AII-MIAC honors.
For additional information, statistlcs, and
records on Auggie athletics, visit
<www. au gsburg. edu/athletics>.
,4ucs¡unc
ruow
7
L(Àrhín? t o s(rV(...
#
$ffiwwffi ww
w
w
&
ffi
(lrh
by Betsey Norgard
"lt's hard to tell where Augsburg ends, and the community begins."
Laurel True, director of community service-learning
-Mary
¡ n 1872, Augsburg Seminary chose
I vinn.upolis as its new home and
' settled on donated land surrounding
what is now the city's oldest park. Toda¡
Augsburg College boldly proclaims its
urban nature and firmly embraces the
city as a classroom for educating its
students. Augsburg 2004: Extending the
Vision declares that "Augsburg, in fact,
has made its location part of its
curriculum."
In these 100 years, this city location
has helped the College structure an
education that seamlessly integrates
practical experience with a liberal arts
education. The city has become a
iaboratory of unlimited opportunities,
which students begin exploring from
their first days on campus.
Community service-learning is one
of the experiential components of an
Augsburg education. Students learn
from and about the community and
society in which they live by
participating in service experiences that
are integrated into Augsburg courses or
the 100 students at the Cedar-Riverside Community School who
interact with up to four Augsburg students each day who come to the school to teach classes,
These kindergartners are among
assist teachers, and
tutor students.
done as part of other campus activities.
It is an area in which Augsburg has
built an enviable national reputation.
"Service-learning is embedded in
the education, it's not an add on,"
explains Mary Laurel True, director of
community service-learning. "lt's part of
who we are." And, it's clearly a "winwin" situation-both siudents and the
community benefit. It actively engages
Augsburg's mission and motto-learning
that takes place "in the context of a vital
metropolitan setting," and learning that
provides "Education for Service."
chilclren ancl aclults in literacl,, teachlng
classes as llart ol tl-reir courses, ancl
researchir.rg communitl' problems ¡o offer
ana11,5is ancl soluliot-ts.
Tl're Ceclat'-Rive rside Cornrnr-tnity
School is orre of Ar.rgsburg's close
partners. This public charter school-the
onl;' school ln the countr), to be located
r.vithin a high-rlse apartment complexserYes mosil;, Ìmrr-rigrant chlldren in
grades K-8. The 100 children come from
l7 natìons and speak seven different
languages, says assistant clirector
Stephanie Byrdziak. In the past trvo
years, not one of the kinclergarten
chlldren has spoken English as a first
language.
Every da;', the Cedar-Riverside
school children average four contacts
r,r'ith the more than 40 Augsburg
Augsburg junior Kristy Bleichner spends time
each week at Wednesday Night Out taking
neighborhood kids to a gym so that their
parents can enjoy time together.
Highlightecl in this article is jLÌst a
sampling ol the activities and programs
in the community sen'ice-learning
progrâm. ln turn, the sen,ice-learning
program is just one o[ the experiential
components in Augsburg's
Center lor Sen'ice, Work, and
Learning, rvhlch also oversees
stuclents who spend one to three hours
per lveek at the school. Some are
Augsburg science majors teaching
science units, musrc students teaching
piano lessons, educatìorr majors lullilllng
teaching requìrernents, or others tlrtoring
inclividual students ìn math or English
as
a seconcl langr-rage (ESL).
Worl<ing one-on-one helps the CedarRiverside studen[s keep up in class.
"Without Augsburg students, lt u'ould be a
lot more dillicult," sa;'s Malcolm Currle,
one ol the nlne teachers at the school.
r.vouldnt be able to l.rìo\¡e as fast because
o[ clillerences in abìlitìes; some stuclents
u'oulcl fall behind."
The partnership clearly bene[its
both Augsburg and the Cedar-Riversicle
school. For example, the school's
teachers, u'ith assistance lrom Augsburg
facr-rlt¡', have secured a granl for tl-re
school from the Medtronic Fottndatiot-t
that provicles a mobile science
laboratory needed to teach science in
the classrooms, since the school has no
space lor a dedicated science lab. For
Augsburg students, lvorking r'vith
community children provicles rich
experiences and valuable learning
r,r,ithÌn their own str-rdies-and many
students continlle these relationships
alter the ploglam ends.
Also r,vi¡hin the Cedar-Rir,ersicle
neighborhood, Trinity Lutheran Church
(rvhìch rvorships in Hoversten Chapel)
pariners with Augsburg lor Wednesclay
Night Out, a program that brings
together neighborhood parents and their
children for supper donatecl by
community organÌzatÌons and ¡he
College. Augsburg students spend time
after supper taking children to the
People's Center g1'm. leai'ing palenls
free to talk about [arnil1' znd
neighborhood issues.
"1
\
I
'4
a!
interr.rships, career placement,
.nnt[ cooperatrvc cdtrcrt iorr.
CeJrr- RiversíJq
Prrtners
se rvice -learnù'rg prograr.n has
cleveÌopecl paltnershi¡rs rvitl-r
The
ove
r 25
ct'rr-nmunily'
organrzations, prir-l-larily in
Ar-rgsbur g's ou'n Ceclar -Riverside
neigl.rbcrrhoocl. On ar-r1, given da;',
Augsburg stuclents are ir-r nearby
clerrrenlar'y sehools. conimunit;cenle rs, and neighborl-roocl
sllclters. engnged in tutorìng
Summer 2001
Senior Derek Schwartz keeps the attention of his kindergarten class during his student teaching at CedarRiverside School.
,4ucsguRc
f{ow
9
;1
=
a
{
Ì
hall day in groups
I
E
1
i
()
Ë
çä
<
"There is son-rethlng Iabout service-
at nearly 20 sites,
learningì that changes students,"
giving ahnost Ì,500
computer science professor Larry
hours of service.
Raglancl
Primarily located
communlty partners at a recent
around the College,
the projects range
from palnting ivalls
to yard work to
playing kickball
gathering.
told facr-rlty colleagues and
Tl.c ncíll.boif'il, c0lne5
yLurl
u'ith school children.
Tiue highlights the
importance of this,
-
because students
learn that "this is
what Augsburg is;
this is one of the
ways you'll learn
here."
Augsburg junior Nick Leach helps Abshir Mohamud with an assignment
on magnetism and electricity for the science unit Leach taught in the
middle school class at Cedar-Riverside.
Lerrnínt to sqrvc
Augsburg's community sen'ice-learning
program
r,vas
formally organlzed
10
years ago. A goal of the program, says
True, lvho arrived in 1990, is to build
a
continuum of community involvement
for each Augsburg student. It begins
with the Augsburg Seminar (AugSem),
the required lreshman orientalron
course that includes servrce projects
as
part of its curriculum.
The first day of the Augsburg
Seminar is City Service Projects Day,
when more than 300 freshmen spend
a
After Augsburg
Seminar, students
begin to take
courses that embed
service projects in
the coursework, they then become more
confident and ready to work
independently in Lhe comrnunity on
internships or research projects.
Each year, 20-25 Augsburg courses
include a service-learning component.
For example, last year a math class
helped a Cedar-Riverside organization
measure the impact that varying levels
of federal census returns would have on
the amounts of formula grants to the
neighborhood.
One of the goals in Augsbtu'g 2004 is
to engage more of the faculty in servicelearning and to spread rt across as many
disciplines as possible. Faculty benefits
include fresh perspectives and energy that
students brìng back to the classrooms
lrom Lheir community experiences.
Benelits fron-r the sen'ice-learning
experiences are more far-reaching than
the hours committed to service or the
measurable gains in learning.
"A key component lin our program]'
ìs the connection to har,ing an adult
person who cares about you," says
Edison/Project for Pride in Living School
staff person Cathy Nissen. "We try to
make sure in all these partnerships that
our student comes to tour Augsburg
College. Most every student at
Edison/PPL has had at least one
experience in college life at Augsburg
and they know at least one student who
goes there. lt makes sense that they can
see themselves posslbly going to college
in the future."
A special treat lor the CedarRiverside School children is "Kids Come
to Campus Day," during Comrnunity
Sen'ice Week in April. All 100 children
at the school walk the three biocks to
campus, eat in the cafeteria, and meet
people on campus. This year, as part of
the "Share a Story" project, all of the
school's students, teachers, and staff
wrote stories about themselves or their
families and compiled them into a book
that was presented to Dean Chris
Kimball on their i'isit day.
Cours(s
Examples of courses
that include service-learning
Journalism students work in a community settìng and "report" on it.
fii Students in applied math n-rodeled the impact of census data on grâni money in the Cedar-Rive¡side neighborhood.
{f A compuier science class helped Sewarcl Montessori School evaluate and update its computer system.
ü1
l4 Nursing students treat neighborhood residents at the College's lree clinic located in Central Luiheran Church.
iþ Students studying criminology work in organizations dealing with crime and its irnpact, e.g. the West Bank Safety Center.
il History students work in environmental, peace and justice, and won-ren's organizations to study social movements in the past
10
,4ucsnunc ruow
Summer 2O01
to become
o
lp
H
ffi
n
ffi
P
o
ã
Ovcrví(u
teachers, the
ru
E
F
curriculum takes
them through three
phases of servicelearning: exposure
to service-learning
practices and
E
*
education in urban
areas, skill
building to
develop familiarity
H
learning theory
Auysbury lerJs tl.c wr¡
Augsburg has been a pioneer in
community service-learning dating back
to the 1970s, when sociology and
metro-urban studies professor Garry
Hesser directed the experiential
education program, sending students off
campus to learn first-hand about
community challenges and needs. ln
1998, Hesser was honored
nationally by Campus
Compact as a co-recipient
of the national Thomas
Ehrlich award for
internship or
lessons.
Augsburg's most recent grant for
service-learning, bringing a decade total
in grant monies to over a half million
dollars, is from the Council of
lndependent Colleges. Thirteen private
colleges, from the ll3 who applied,
were selecied to participate in "Engaging
Communities and Campuses," a
program that will help colleges
"establish partnerships with community
or ganízatíons [o enhance experiential
in this
Perhaps nowhere at
Augsburg has servicelearning been more
o
o
t
More than 30 courses eachyear
include a service-learning component.
I
All 300+ freshmen spend
I
Over 200 students each year tutor
children and adults in schools, literacy
centers, and neighborhood
organizations in Minneapolis.
3
Six Community Service
Scholarships are offered each year to
support student leaders in service.
t
$5,000 scholarships are available to
AmeriCorps volunteers for full-time
study. (Augsburg is the only college in
the nation to offer this.)
I
A full-time VISTA volunteer at
Augsburg coordinates 30 work-study
students who work after school on the
q
a half day
during orient-at-ion on service projects
while learning about the city.
AmericaReads/America Counts program
ffi A Get Ready program staff person
works with two schools to encourage
low income children, starting in fifth
integrated into the learning
curriculum than in the
Education Department. In
grade, to attend college.
1997, Augsburg was one of
six institutions selected by
the American Association
for Colleges of Teacher
Education (AACTE) to
participate in the Service-
Summer 2001
An overview of community
service-learning at Augsburg
student teaching to
carry out servicelearning enhanced
Community Service, the
Learning and Teacher
Education project
(SLATE). As students learn
coordinator.
and lessons, and
Augsburg alumna Roeshell Lewis'97 (right) is an English as a Second
Language (ESL) assistant at Cedar-Riverside School. She, along with
other staff members, have been instrumental in teaching English to
Suad Salad (left) and helping her adjust to the new experience of
attending school.
. highest recognition
fie1d.
Mary Laurel True (left) is director of
community service-learning. Merrie
Benasutti (right) is tutoring and literary
with service-
fr
Community Service Week each April
ceìebrates and recognizes community
service efforts of Augsburg faculty,
staff, students, and community partners.
H A student-run Link program of more
Tony Pham (middle) shows Augsburg students Allie
Gulbrandson (left) and Christian Shada (right) his story page
in a book presented by Cedar-Riverside School to the College
in the Share a Story project.
than 100 students organtzes events on
campus for neighborhood children and
service projects for students.
4ucs¡unc n¡ow
11
learning activities while addressing
community needs."
Six Augsburg faculty members are
paired with six community partners,
including Cedar-Riverside and
Edison/PPL schools, to extend the
activities of freshmen in city service
projects throughout the entire Augsburg
Seminar term.
The Engaging Communities and
Campuses program is designed "to
o
empower colleges and universities and
community organizations to collaborate
in ways that are new to academe."
o
Ê.
s'
r^
True describes Augsburg's
community collaboration over the years
as being a good neighbor and seeking
to build community "from the inside
out." Byrdziak has begun engaging the
Cedar-Riverside School children in
service-learning with neighborhood
organizations by teaching that "servicelearning is not just a project; it's a way
of thinking and a way of learning." I
Divcrsi t¡ out our froht Àhd
brrl Joors
by Garry Hesser
Those of us who attend Augsburg as students or work
I here have the unique and remarkable pleasure, dayI in und day-out, of living in vibrant anà vital
neighborhoods that reveal just how much of an asset a
multicultural community can be. Cedar Riverside and
Seward give diversity a meaning and reality that is rare to
find an;,.where in the U.S., maybe even in the world. What
a gift and bonus Ìt is!
Often, I get to take visiting candidates for faculty
positions on a walking or driving tour of this area I like to
call "my home town." When I do so, I like to 1et the
neighborhood do its own talking and enticing. Just off the
campus along Riverside Avenue, for example, we have a
virtual United Nations of restaurants reveallng the rich
tapestry of our "Mr. Roger's Neighborhood." From the
Addis Ababa Ethiopian restaurant to Livlngston's Organic,
to the Lucky Dragon Vietnamese and Chinese, dozens of
ethnic culinary
opportunitles
await those who
delight in
exploring the
foods of the
Cedar-Riverside assistant director
Stephanie Byrdziak (left) helps Mohamed
Abdulkadir tell his story to an Augsburg
journalism class.
world.
Over in the Seward neighborhood across I-94 that
abuts Augsburg campus's south side, an equally diverse
group of eating establishments abound, ranging from the
Biue Nile to Moon II, one of our newer coffee houses.
Recently at Moon lI I savored a conversation with one of
my former students who, after living and teaching in the
Ukraine, is now a homeowner in the neighborhood. It was
this same student who, nearly two decades ago, helped me
write a grant proposal that ultimately led to the survival of
the Seward Redesign Community Development
Corporation. Redesign has since played a vital role in
the revival of the central city neighborhoods
surrounding our campus, lncluding the design of the
new light rail station that will be built on the edge of
the campus.
Today, thanks [o the vision of active neighborhood
organizatì.ons, augmented by both Augsburg and
Tiinity Lutheran Congregation volunteers, lhese
communities are thriving. Augsburg's connection to
and involvement in its neighborhood continues to
provide an extraordinary opportunity both for its
students and for those of us fortunate to lÌve and raise
our famihes in this remarkable and unexcelled rainbow
of humanity
Garry Hesser is professor of sociology and metro-urban
studies. The above is excerpted t'rom an article written
Children from the Seward Montessori school visited Augsburg in 1998
when the College announced a scholarship program with the school.
12
4UCSSURCi¡OW
for lhe Lutheran
magazLne.
Summer
2OO1
Targeting success:
NO BARRIERS ALLOWED
by Don Stoner
-fhe D.H. Lawrence poem is
I pro.inently displayed on the case
I rhat holds Aaron Cross'archery
equipment.
You remember the poem as you watch
Cross practice the skills that have earned
him international honors in archery. You
watch Cross concentrate on his coffee can
lid-sized target, which looks so small 70
meters away You watch Cross'eyes,
intense and focused on the task at hand.
He puts the arrow in place and draws
back the bow. At that point, with all the
tension in the world seemingly on the tips
of his fingers, he pauses, relaxes his
breathing. The moment seems like forever.
Then he releases the arrow. ln a fraction of
a second, the arrow arrives at its Largel.
Nearly perfect.
And then you remember he's in a
wheelchair, able to utilize just a fraction of
the physical skills able-bodied individuals
can use, and it doesn't seem to matter.
SELF.PITY
H
I neyer saw a wild thing
sorry for itselJ.
A small bird will drop frozen
deadfrom abough
without ever haying felt sorty
for itself.
Ë
-D.
H. Lawrence
t
tr
1
)'tg
?
I
ï
t72
StalJ photo
Å
Left: Aaron Cross '97 concentrates on the target during a practice session at Mike's Archery shop in 5t. Cloud, Minn. Right: James Mastro '73 battles
his opponent during a match in the 1998 Blind World Judo Championships in Madrid, Spain.
Summer 2001
,4ucs¡uRc
ltow
f3
AUGGIES IN THE SYDNEY PARALYMPICS
ugsburg has
^
l\n:';;3J".'
earned international
acclaim in disabled
sports-Aaron
Cross,
a L997 graduate, and
James Mastro, who
graduated in 1973.
Cross is
consÌdered one of the
top wheelchair
archers 1n the world
and has earned
numerous honors
and records in his
sport.
Mastro, an
Augsburg Athletic
Hall of Fame
member who lost his
vision while 1n hÌgh
school, has competed
in seven Paraiympics,
in several sports,
"In the first match, a minute-anda-half in, a guy from Austria tried a
stupid throq and the first thing to hit
the ground was my elbow," Mastro
said. "1 tried to continue in my next
match, bul I couldn't raise my arm up
above my elbow. I was just ticked."
For Cross, it was the luck of the
draw, and a quarterfinal meeting with
the eventual gold medalist in head-tohead competition that did hlm in.
Cross was considered one of the
since 1976. The first Paralympic athlete
ever to medal in four different sports,
Mastro has earned 10 medals-five gold,
three silver, and two bronze.
"These games were specifically
developed for athletes with certain
challenges to compete at an Olympic
level," said Cross, who competed in his
second Paralympics last year in Sydne¡
Australia. "Our scores are comparing well
with able-bodied scores. I compete
against able-bodied archers all the time
"l contftete dgainst øble-bodied
archers all the time and beat them ...
Cross'97
but we don't get recognized as m7tch."
-Aaron
and beat them, guys who were on the
U.S. Olympic team and beat them. But
we don't get recognized as much."
In the 2000 Paralympics in Sydney,
both Cross and Mastro were eliminated
earlier than they anticipated. For Mastro,
it was an elbow injury in the first match
of his judo event that ended his
competition.
o
s.
h
!
o
U
favorites in the W1 competition, one
of three levels of wheelchair archery
based on the range of disability of an
athlete. His class consists of athletes
who are quadriplegic, have extremely
limited functÌon in their arms and
legs, or have amputation of three
limbs.
But in the "ranking round," where
archers' individuai scores determine
their spots in the final round of 12
athletes, Cross said he didn't shoot
wel1. As a result, he failed to finish in
the top four, where he would have
earned a first-round bye in the headto-head competition. ln his first headto-head match, Cross smashed the old
world record in l8-arrow competilion,
but lost to Zdenek Sebek of the Czech
Republic, the eventual gold medalist,
in the quarterfinaìs by ¡usL six points.
"lt was just the luck of the draw,"
Cross said. "It was crushing. I had
shot four world records last year, I
had gained back all my national tì.tles
last year, and I missed a fifth world
record by a point."
While falling short of their
Aaron Cross (center of front row) poses with the 2000 U.S. Paralympic archery team before
competition in Sydney. lt was Cross'second Paralympic appearance in his archery career,
14
4UCS¡URC n¡OW
goals
was disappointing, the experience of
being part of the largest competition
for disabled athletes in the world was
Summer 2001
{r
JIM MASTRO_A
certainly a thrill. A crowd of more
than 100,000 people attended the
PARALYM PIC FLAG.BEARE R
openÌng ceremonies, and sellout
crowds were the norm for most
events; a welcome change
considering that Ín compelitions in
the last decade, event organizers
T-o. Mastro, competing in athletics
þ t.,ut always been a natural thing,
I .u.n nlLe, becoming blind
"You walhed up and down
the street ønd people hnew
that you were there
for the Parølympics."
-JimMa,stro'73
between his junior and senior years of
hÌgh school.
He enrolied at Augsburg and
became a member of the wrestling
team, while studying for his education
degree. He earned A11-MIAC honors
twice and won the conference
championshlp at 177 pounds as a
senior. Along the way, he became a
solid amateur wrestler, in spite of hÌs
vision Ìmpalrment. He was a member
of the U.S. team in the World
University Games in 1973 , was a threetime bronze medalist at international
competitions, and became the first
blind athlete to be a member of an
Olympic team, when he was an
alternate on the U.S. Greco-Roman
Wrestling team at the Montreal
Olympics in 1976. He was named to
the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in
1997.
had to literally give tickets away.
"Australia was great," Mastro
said. "The people were really
friendly. They were as friendly as
their reputation is. They knew
about the Paralympics, knew what
it was for and that it was after the
regular Olympics. You walked up
and down the street and people
knew that you were there for the
Paralympics. The publicity there
was really great, much better than
Atlanta [in 1996ì."
"Europe and Australia have
much more respect for Paralympic
events than we do lin the United
Statesl ," Cross said. "Every single
event in Australia was sold out. ...
The people were amazing.
Volunteers were everywhere. Every
single volunteer I talked to said that
they would rather volunteer for the
Paralympics than the Olympic
Games. The culture matches the
people, as beautiful as you'd
me to determine how hard I would
have to work to do weil. I found that
the guys I was working with didn't
grant me any quarter because I was
blind. They'd throw me into the wall
expect."
like anyone
FlrtiÌtÌittitnrirI
a
o
s,
à
o
L)
James Mâstro, posing for a photo at the 2000
Sydney Paralympics, is one of America's
Paralympics pioneers. He has earned 10
medals and was the first Paralympic athlete
to earn medals in four different sports.
"When I was at Augsburg, I didnt
have to worry about being accepted.
When i was trying out for the
Olympics, I didn't have to worry about
being accepted there, either."
When the Paralympics began to
admit blind athletes ín I976,1t was a
natural draw for Mastro. He competed
in four different sports-1udo,
wrestling, track and field, and goalball
(an on-court team sport designed for
blind athletes). ln addition to his 10
Paralympic medals, he has earned 17
Ìnternational medals in the various
sports.
And in 1996, Mastro was honored
"l found thøt the guys I wøs worhingwith didn't grant me dny quarter
becøuse I was blind. They'd throw me into the wall lihe
anyone else."
Møstro '73
-Jim
"I wasn't able to compete until I
came to Augsburg, when I decided to
go into wrestling," he said. "lt helped
else.
for his years of service by being named
flag-bearer for the United States team at
Lhe Paralympics opening ceremonies in
Atlanta, where he earned abronze
medal in his weight class in judo, and
also competed in track and field in the
shot put and discus.
Judo has become his primary sport
ÆldilÚitililt¡lrrrE
{'
\s
sÂa
S
.a
B
q
J
(left) maintains a hold
on his opponent during the 1998 Blind
James Mastro
\Â/orld Judo Championships in Madrid,
Spain. Judo is similar to wrestling, a
sport Mastro competed in while an
interesting marathon
events, including doing
3,076 pushups in an hour
and bench-pressing an
Olympic bar 1,300 times
in
15 minutes.
At
age 52, Mastro
could be consiclerecl one
of the "elder statesmen" of
the Paralympic
movement, though he
doesn't enjoy that tit1e.
"Our blind judo team, none of them
are young. Most of them are in their later
20s or 30s, and they've competed a 1ot.
They know what it's like to compete, it's
their goal," Mastro saicl. "lt [judo] rnust
keep you young. it's either going to keep
me yoLlng or kill me. The injr"rry I had in
Sydney was my lirst inlury since
Augsburg student, in terms of throws
and intense action.
after wrestling was
dropped from the
Paralympic program
before the 1996
Ë
games.
E
was in Long Beach,
Calif. The Braille
H
¡tc
"When I was
introduced to judo, it
Institute had a
prograln on the
sport," he said. "After
I graduated from
college, I had
wrestled primarily
Greco-Roman, and
that style and judo
are very similar. The
biggest difference is
that you are able to
use the collar in judo.
The throws were
basically the same,
though a bÌg
difference was in
chokes and arm-bars.
It's like wrestling with
your pajamas on."
In order to raise
money for himself
and his family to
travel to major
competltions like the
Paralympics, he has
performed some
,4ucssuRc f{ow
wrestiing in 1973.I've been lucky"
Mastro has also been e pioneer in
his primary profession, teaching. He
became the first blind student to earn
CROSS BECOMES A
TOP WHEELCHAIR
ARCHER
T-or Cross. rrcherv wasn't his irst
þ iou., growlng up rn tne
I Sr . CloLrd, Minn., arer. By age
f
16, he was an accomplishecl biker and
cross country skier, and was
preparing for a spot on a Junior
Olynrpic team. Competing in a
bicycle race in Biwabik, Minn., in
May 1991, he crashed into a support
van. The accident left him a
quadriplegic, with no sensation from
the armpits down.
While rehabilitating at the Sister
Kenny lnstitute, a therapist, who
happened to be a Paralymplc archer,
recommcnded thc sport îs în activity
ln which he could excel, but he
preferred wheelchair track ancl rugby
instead.
a
Ph.D. in physical education in the
United States, and later taught in the
physical education department at the
University of Minnesota. Now he teaches
at Bemidji State University in the health
and physical education department,
including all the adapted physical
education classes.
He is unsure whether he will take
on the Paral)¡mpic challenge again, when
the games go to Athens, Greece, in 2004.
He will compete in the sport's world
championships in 2002.
"I'11 be 56 fin 20041," he said. "At
the world championships in a couple of
years, I will see how my arm is. My arm
right now is about 90 percent back. One
of the things I really enjoy labout the
Paralympicsl is the camaraderie, going
out and busting your butt with people
who understand and enjoy what's goÌng
on. I've gone to a iot of places 1n the
world, met a lot of cool peoPle."
"She gave me three choices o[
sports. She told me I could do
archery, I could do archer¡ or I could
do archcry." Cross 1oked.
While he was in high school, a
close frlend decided to take up
archery, and Cross joined hÌm in
trying out the sport.
"l got into it and we went down
"[My therapist] gave me three
choices of sports. She told me
I could do archery, I could do
ørchery, or I could do
drcherY."
-[6Yçn
Cross'97
to a national shootout in Las Vegas. 1
absolutely fell in love with it," he said
"That summer, I got a letter to try out
for the world team, went overseas for
the first tlme for the world
championships, and came back with
Summer 2001
{
l
't
,¡
sure I was going in the right
my first gold medal. Needless to say,
I'm hooked."
Eventually, Cross was winning
national competitions and gaining
sponsorships, from bow companies,
Target stores, and Mike's Archery, a
store in St. Cloud where he trains.
At that time, he also began to
speak publÌcly about overcoming the
obstacles in his life, a hobby that
eventually led to his current career as
motivational speaker. He speaks for
numerous school groups and other
organizatÌons through his business,
direction."
He was able to keep up his
str¡dies in spite of a schedule that
a
Motivation on Wheels.
Cross graduated from Augsburg in
1997 with a mass communication
degree and credits the school, especially
the Center for Learning and Adaptive
Student Services (CLASS), wÌth much
of his success.
"The CTASS office and the
communication faculty and staff never
had him flying across the country
lor major archery compeliLions,
along wÌth working on internships
and projects with accomplished
motivational speakers.
"I'd leave on a Thursday, shoot
on Friday, Saturday, and Sunda¡ all
day long, come back on a red-eye
flight ai ]:00 on Monday morning.
I'd study on ihe planes and in the
hotel rooms, and be back in class by
eight on Monday morning," he said.
Archery has become a passion for
ln addition to his achievements as a world-class
arche¡i Aaron Cross speaks throughout the country
about overcoming obstacles and maintaining
positive attitude in everyday life.
Cross, who is also an accomplished
bowhunter. He is currently ranked among
the top five archers in the world in the
Wl
class, and
will compete at the world
championships ìater Lhis summer in
Prague, Czech Republic. He is currently
"The CLASS ffice dnd the communication faculty ønd staff ... were
ølwøys a phone call awøy. If I needed something, they were there,
Cross'97
every single step of the wø1t."
-[6vçn
once backed down lor me. They knew
what I wanted to do, they knew how I
was going to do it, and they always
stood behind me," Cross said. "l can't
tell you how many times they bailed
me out. ... They were always a phone
call awa;r lf I needed something, they
were there, every single step of the way.
"Augsburg never babied me. They
put me in my place and they just made
FnfiïtÌnãfDn¡r
the governor for his region on the
Minnesota State Archery Association, a
technicai delegate to the USA Archery
committee, and on the Paralympic Athlete
Advisory board for the United States
a
placed fourth in an individual
competition and fifth overall at the world
championships, leading up to his
experience at the Sydney Paralympics.
He said the level of respect that
Paralympic athletes receive Ìn the United
States has improved, but it's still not at
the leve1 of Olpnpic athletes. Coverage of
the Paralympics needs to improve in
order for the athletes to gain the respect
of the public, Cross said.
"lf we were to get the respect that the
able-bodied team gets, it would be
dÌfferent for me," he said. "Slowly but
surely, it's working. Archery is getting
advanced in this knowledge. For years,
we've been competing against the ablebodied people. They know we're out
there. They're working with us." I
Olympic Committee.
Don Stoner is sports information coordinator.
He competed in his first Paralympics
ìn 1996 in Atlanta, and though he set a
world record in the ranking round, he
finished fourth overall. In 1999, he
Jim Mastro canbe reached at
<lmastro@b emidlistate. edu> and Aaron Cross
at <adron. cro s s@ motiv ationonwhe
els.
c
om>.
TEltE{Érfftilf.rnrtl
ugsburg's First International and Off-Campus
Studies Photo Contest
Over 100 entries were submitted in the inangr-rral photo contest for rnternational and off-campr-rs studies
sponsored by the Office of International Programs and Office of Public Relations and CommunicaLion.
Wlnners were selected rn three categones: Scenic lanclscapes; locai people rn a cross-cultural setting;
and Augsburg students in a host setting. All winnrng photos lvere displayed in Christensen Center dr-rring
International Student Week.
lnchrded here are the first- and second-place winners. To see all the wlnners, visit
<www. augsbnrg. edu/internationaVphotocontest>.
¿z
V
I
I
t-
:L
,.1
i
t.
ffi
ffi
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F
Scenic landscapes. First place. "Spirit Gifts," Ross Murray'00. Chaing Mai,
Thailand, January 2000. People offer many gifts to the spirit world, and shops
sell ready-made flowers to offer the spirits.
Augsburg students in a cross-cultural setting. First place.
"Café in Rome," Stacy Funk'03. Rome, ltaly, January 2001
Local People in a cross-cultural setting. First place. "La Musica di Firenze,"
Rustin Newburger'01. Florence, ltaly, fall 2000.
18
,4UCSSURC fr¡OW
Summer 20O1
,d.##
Augsburg students in a host setting. Tie for second place. "Tortilla,"
Jennifer Brogger'01. San Jorge, Guatemala, January 2000.
Augsburg students in a host setting. Tie for second place. "Bay
Watche4" Mike Murray'02, Antibes, France, January 2001.
Local people in a cross-cultural setting. Second place. "Young
Girl," Brandon Hofstedt'02. Nueva Vida, El Salvadon fall 2000.
Scenic landscapes. Second place. "Wandering," Nathaniel
Bunker'03. Nice, France, January 2001.
E
Winners of the 2001
lnternational Photo
Contest, from L to R:
Rustin Neuberger,
Stacy Funk,
Nathaniel Bunker,
Kendra Hines,
Trephaena Sylte,
Jennifer Brogger,
Ross Murray.
Not pictured:
Brandon Hofstedt,
Petra Velander, Nellie
Pearson, Amy Funk,
Maria Sieve, Mike
Murray, Tenelle Russ.
Summer 2O0f
,4ucsnunc ruow t9
n[\
nÊ
t-¿ á
The next step ¡n Nicole Warner's music career
is clear-off to New York for study at the
Master of Arts in Leadership graduate Den¡se
Gordon receives her hood from Professor Bev
Manhattan School of Music.
Nilsson.
Dean Chris Kimball congratulates senior Stacy
Sellers as she receives her honor cords.
After receiving his Master of Social Work
degree, Nick Metcalf poses with his proud
family.
Erica Bryan (L) and Allison Heimkes (center) pose during lineup with
admissions director Sally Daniels (R).
COMVTEI\CEVIEI\T
This year's graduating mus¡c majors take their turn
drum during the Commencement Concert finale.
20
,4ucssunc Now
to beat the
I
n/
Summer 2001
President Frame congratulates a new
graduate as he receives his diploma.
On their way to the ceremony, seniors file through the line of faculty, stopping for quick hugs,
their professors applaud their achievement.
as
President Frame addresses the 2001 graduates, their families, faculty, and staff at the
Baccalaureate service.
Music professor Bob Stacke'71 and flagbearer Abby Mildbrand lead the seniors to
the ceremony.
The family of international student Terence
Tam traveled to Minneapolis from Malaysia to
be with him on Commencement day.
Summer 2001
Nursing professor Bev Nilsson (fourth from left) and Rochester program director Rick Thoni
(fourth from right) share the success of Rochester nursing students completing their bachelor's
degrees-the first in the Rochester program.
,¡lucsguRc rr¡ow
21
..LIFT
OFF ON THIS U/ONDERFUL
JOIIRI,{EY WE CALL LIFE"
Excerpts from the Commencement Address
The Hon. Daniel Goldin, NASA Administrator
May 20, 2OO1
I
t is a great privilege
to be addressing you
today. To the
graduating seniors ...
let me start with two
simple words: well
done! Well done, but
not mission
accomplished.
Each and every one of
you is an explorer in
the journey we call life
And, yes, today's
milestone is an
important one. But,
commencement means
a beginning, not an
end. The bulk of this
journey is still ahead
of you.
IUR
NASA Administrator Dan¡el Goldin advised Augsburg's class of 2001
that their college achievement is only part of the journey toward a
"mission accomplished."
...My advice is this: always remember
that life's lessons will not come from the
guy delivering a speech in front of you.
But, they have been developed and
nurtured by the people around you.
Your friends. Your professors. Your
mentors. And, even though you may not
realize to what extent now, life's lessons
come mostly from what I like to call
Mission Control-your family. Especially
your family. And never forget it.
... So go for it. Never deterred by the
fear of failure. In life, having no failures
The Augsburg College Class
554
331
128
59
36
22
is rarely a sign ofperfection, but rather
that your goals aren't bold enough. Find
something you love. Have a dream.
Pursue it. Believe in yourself. Whether it
is in Minneapolis or on Mars-make
your mark.
...So to the Augsburg College Class of
2001 ... Go for launch. Lift off on this
wonderful journey we call life. And
Godspeed to all of you.
Goldin's speech was included in both the
New York Times and NBC Nightly News
in theír roundup of top college
Rozenia Fuller rece¡ves Marina
Christensen Just¡ce Award
ozenia Fuller, a senior youth and
R family ministry major and McNair
Scholar, was selected as the 2001 recipient
of the Marina ChristensenJustice Award.
This award is given each year to the
graduating senior whose communityservice work best illustrates Augsburg's
motto, "Education for Service"
-itself
brilliantly displayed in Marina Christensen
Justice's personal and professional
dedication to the vitalization of urban
communities.
Fuller represents the best blend of
excellence in scholarship and an untiring
commitment to the community. She has
been active at Spirit Church and the
Harvest Preparatory School in North
Minneapolis and serves on the boards of
the Glenwood Ly.ndale Community Center
and Minneapolis Community and
Têchnical College.
An Augsburg student recently said of
her, "I could not imagine an Augsburg
minus Rozenia Fuller. She has helped
make Augsburg the intentionally diverse
community that it strives to be, and she
alone has kept many students of color tied
into this community"
The mother of two
children-
Jeremiah and Rosetta-Fuller lives by the
words she loves to share with them: "Try
to take advantage of the opportunities that
God presents you with." She has helped
homeless mothers locate housing,
developed support groups for junior high
and high school students, and helped with
counsel and spiritual support forjuveniles
in the Hennepin County Detention
Center.
commencement speeches.
of 2O0f
Candidates for graduation
Day students
Weekend College students
Graduate students (Master of Arts in Leadership and Master of social work)
Nursing students in Rochester-the first students completing baccalaureate
degrees in the Rochester program
,4UGSBURC tllOW
Rozenia Fuller'01 is congratulated by
President Frame as she receives the Marina
Christensen Justice Award.
Summer 2O01
)
ll I
From the Alumni Board president's desk ..,
/l
I
^
T
he work of
our
Augsburg
Alumni
Association is
like
a
jigsaw
puzzle-it
has
many parts, and
\Mirh diligenr
work and a bit
of luck, will come together to portray a
memorable picture. Oftentimes, when
working a jigsaw puzzle, you will pick up a
piece and try it in several locations before
you find the right place. Also, you never
throw away apuzzle piece, as you will need
it to complete the puzzle. If you cant find
the exact spot where the piece fits, just set
it aside for a while and work òn another
piece.
So
it is with the efforts of our Alumni
Board. We are always working on the
puzzle. We've tried quite a few pieces this
past year, including:
Alumni gatherings outside of the
Twin Cities
The association organized and sponsored
numerous gatherings of Augsburg alums in
sites near and far: Florida, Anzona,
Califomia, Illinois, Wisconsin, and greater
Minnesota. The intent was to test the waters
for the development of actual alumni
chapters in those areas. Many colleges have
such chapters and it's a good time for
Augsburg to do likewise. Out of those
various efforts, key contacts have been
identified in six locations to continue work
on this concept. In addition, an employerbased alumni chapter is in the works at the
3M Company, thanks to the interest of
several alums who work for that company
This project will take several years to
nurture and develop, but we're convinced
that it holds an important place in the
puzzle.
Alumnijob fair
We sponsored a job fair on the Augsburg
campus this spring \Mith 25 companies
represented who have Augsburg alumni in
key positions for hiring new grads. Job fairs
are not new, but having alumni staff the
booths gave it an extra spark, and students
were most appreciative of the chance to talk
with those present. The alumni also
enjoyed meeting each other and being back
on campus.
Augsburg Day at Como Park
An alumni event geared toward families
took place on May 5 when we gathered at
Como Park in St. Paul with a hearty group
of Augsburg fans. Students were on hand to
provide musical entertainment and a oneact play Parents had a chance to bring their
small childrenfuture Auggies to a Collegesponsored event. Next year w€ plan to
expand upon this pafticular "piece".
All these pieces look like they fit into
our puzzle and are going to sta)¿ The
picture rMe are working to complete is one
of a strong and vibrant Augsburg College
that enjoys broad support from its Alumni
Association. This support can take many
forms; financial, interest, and connections.
The picture is not yet complete. How do
you fit into this puzzle? Think about it.
Thanks to our AlumniÆarent Relations
staff, Nancy (Carlson) Toedt '94, Jeff
K¡engel '93, and l-aura Cichocke for a great
year. Also, thanks to the Alumni Board that
served diligently and creatively this past
year. June starts a new board year. Jackie
I(niefel Lind C69, MAL'94) is slated to
become the next president of the
association, and Andy Morrison ('73) is
president-elect. Seven new board members
have been elected to join our "puzzle party."
Keeping you in touch, in the know,
and in the spirit of Augsburg Collegeyou'll be surprised at what we can do
together!
.
Paul Mikelson'70
President, Alumni Board
.Homecoming 2OO1 to include new events
and a visit from Maya Angelou
¡Fhis
I
I
A
fall
uo-".o--
ing will feature
a talk by Dr.
Maya Angelou,
who is hailed as
one of the great
r4
voices of
Maya Angelou w-ll
present a talk during
Homecoming 2001 in
October.
Summer
2OO1
contemporary
llterature. As
poet, educator,
historian, bestselling author,
playwright, civil rights activist,
producer, and director, Angelou travels the
world, spreading her wisdom and
captivating audiences through the vigor and
sheer beauty of her words and þcs.
Her program, "An Evening with Maya
Angelou," is described as a patchwork quilt
of her life and work. She will appear October
8 at 7:30 p.rn.; more derails will be available
later this summer in the Homecoming
brochure and on the Augsburg Web site.
This year's theme for Homecoming and
Family Week 2001 is 'Augsburg on parade,"
actress,
and several exciting changes are planned. In
addition to Angelou's visit, Homecoming will
now be a full week of activities for alumni,
students, families, faculty, and staff. Some of
the new events this year include a 5K
run/walk for fun or charity along the
Mississippi River; an alumni art show; a
parade around Murphy Park; faculty and
faculty emeriti collaborationlpresentations; a
student variety show and coronation; Umess
Hall floor reunions (hosted by current
student residents); and much more.
4ucsnunc
now
2B
Martin Hl¡nka '99 s¡gns second contract
with
NHHs Washington Capitals
F
lt
s
È
in
s
or the
r".ond y"^.
a row,
o
Augsburg
alumnus Martin
ô'
Hlinka was
L
A.
à
U
a
(J
Martin
Hlinka'99
signed to a oneyear National
Hockey League
contract by the
Hlinka played briefly with the United
Hockey League's Quad City (Moline, Ill.)
Mallards in November, but returned to
finish the season in Portland. He was the
club's top centerman down the stretch,
used often on crucial face-offs by Pirates'
head coach Glen Hanlon, and was the
club's top scorer in the postseason.
A native of Bratislava, Slovakia,
Hlinka played both football and men's
byDons,oner
hockey at Augsburg from 1995-'99. Hlinka
came to America from Slovakia in 1994,
staying with a host family in Farmington,
Minn., and graduating in 1995 from
Farmington High School. He stayed with
the host family all four summers while at
Augsburg, and graduated with a B.A. in
business administration.
Don Stoner is sports information coordinator.
washington
Capitals, the
team announced in Ma;r
The signing was another step on an
incredible progression in professional
B
Ê-
B
Ë
o
À
hockey for Hlinka.
This season, Hlinka started the
campaign as the lone training camp invitee
on the opening-day roster for the Capitals'
top minorleague team, the Portland
(Maine) Pirates of the American Hockey
League. He originally was signed by
Portland to a25-game professional try-out
agreement, but soon after inked a standard
AHL deal that lasted the duration of the
season. In November, Hlinka signed to a
one-year contract wlth the Capitals, and
he was assigned to the Pirates roster.
!
o
a
É
Martin Hlinka (#a1, left) fires a shot during a Portland Pirates home game
in January in Portland, Maine. Hlinka signed his second one-year contract with
the NHL's Washington Capitals organization in May.
Alumna named Aquatennial Senior Queen
o
a
si
A;,'"'åä'
à
Eunice (Kyllo)
Roberts '62 was
named this
ô
U
year's Senior
Queen for the
Minneapolis
Aquatennial, the
lO-day official
civic celebration
Eunice (Kyllo) Roberts
'62 was named this
of the City of
year's Senior Queen for Minneapolis
the Minneapolis
fiuly 13-22). As
Aquatennial.
Senior Queen,
she
will travel to festivals and functions
zà ,4ucs¡unc ruow
throughout the state and region
representing the Minneapolis Aquatennial.
Roberts was nominated by
representatives of Fairview-University
Medical Center in Minneapolis, in
recognition of the more than 1,300 hours of
time she has donated to Child and Family
Life Services as a Watchful Companion. She
also serves as a member of the center's
Volunteer Services Advisory Committee.
Lastyear, Roberts was nominated for
the Friends of Nursing Award by the
nursing staff on the children's unit at
Fairview-UniversitY.
Since retiring from Augsburg Fortress
Publishers, Roberts has dedicated her time
to volunteer work, and is committed to
providing friendship and understanding to
help improve health and welfare in the
communit;r
"We applaud Eunice for her loyahy
and dedication and, especially, her
stamina," says Alex Thwaites, FairviewUniversity volunteer coordinator. "Her
energy, enthusiasm, and dedication are
wonderful motivators for all of us."
Roberts stays connected to the College
by singing with the Masterworks Chorale.
She and her husband, Warren, a retired
University of Minnesota psychology
professor, live in Fridle¡ Minn. They have
lwo sons.
Summer
2OO1
)
l
It
1942
Everald H. Strom, Fergus Falls,
Minn., has been retired for 15
years; he served as president of
the Church of the Lutheran
Brethren for IB years. He has
found retirement to be a very
rewarding experience, and enjoys
giving Bible studies and teaching
part time.
-
o
The Rev. S. Jerome
1949
(Hamberg)'54
Donald Peterson, Burnsville,
Minn., lost his wife of nearly 53
in November;
Donald and their four sons survive
years, Mabel,
her.
Joyce (Gronseth) Limburg
recently moved to Apple Valley,
Minn.; she lived in lowa for 5I
years and taught English in
Parkersburg, lowa, for 25 years.
She is happy to be back home
with family and friends. Sadly, her
husband, Sherm, died in 1993.
Harold C. Roosen, Phoenix,
Ariz., has been doing well since
his 1997 accident, in which a car
hit him after he exited a bus. A
retired elementary school teacher,
he enjoys reading and attending
Shepherd of the Valley Church
Eleanor L. (Ewert)
Hutchinson, Indianola, Iowa, is a
breast cancer survivor and was in
charge of survivors for this April's
Relay for Life event, which was
held in Indianola and sponsored
by the American Cancer Society
and Simpson College.
wedding anniversary in
January. They are both
retired and live in
Duluth, Minn., where
The Alumni Association hosted its
retired in 1990 after serving more
than 38 years with Hennepin
County Welfare; he currently
sewes on the state Department of
Human Services Special Review
Board. Sadly, his wife passed away
1999.
firct
"Augsburg Day at Como Pârk" celebration
in May. Despite rainy weather, the event
Lutheran Church in
brought together alumni and their
Superior, Wis. Having
families, faculty, staff, and students.
served missions to
Augsburg students (pictured above)
Tâiwan and Hong Kong, provided musical enterta¡nment.
he is hosting his sixth
dystrophy. He and his wife, Pat
tour to China in June and will
(Larson) '57, live in Anacortes,
host his seventh the summer of
Wash.,
overlooking Puget Sound
2002. All interested parties can
and
the
Olympic Mountains.
e-mail him at <revelness@aol.com>.
1
Karl Puterbaugh, Eagan, Minn.,
in
celebrated their 45th
Redeemer's Free
1952
1948
Elness and Elaine
Jerome preaches at Our
1951
1944
1954
(where forme¡ Augsburg
instructor, the Rev. Brian Erickson,
is pastor).
956
Bob Lockwood, Minnetonka,
Minn., says he is "back to 99
percent and ready to play golf
again" after recovering from
successful open heart surgery.
Bob Moylan was recently
diagnosed with muscular
1
961
Richard Lund, Edmonds, Wash.,
retired from the daily practice of
diagnostic radiology in 1997. He
is currently a consulting
radiologist for a medical device
company.
a
a
Iìeaching and learning ¡n Vietnam
L
o
(J
by Lynn Mena
For three weeks earlier this year, the Rev Harris Lee '57 and his wrfe, Maryon, traveled from Mrnneapolis to
Vietnam to teach conversational English to Vietnamese students. They traveled with a group of about l5
people and stayed at a hotel in Cao Lanh, located in the southern half of Vietnam. The trip was arranged
through Global Volunteers, an organizatlon based ln Little Canada, Mlnn.
"My wife and I had long talked about taking part rn a
volunteer opportunity such as this," says Lee. "The
experience was very fulfilling; we received such a warm ancl
respeclful receplion from the students. It was a very relaxed
and healthy relationship."
o
a
s
à
!
o
U
The students, all advanced college students str-rdying to be
teachers, doctors, and computer professionals, already had a firm
grasp of the English language, but were eager to enhance their
skills.
The Rev. Harris Lee '57 (left)
traveled to Vietnam earlier this
year to teach English to
Vietnamese students.
"The experíence was very
Jult'illing; we receíved sucLr a
warm and respectful
reception
from the students."
"The students were excited to use English for several reasons,"
says Lee. "Of course, it's an international business language and knowing it helps to find a good job
Br-rt they were also excited to be able to read good books written in Eng1ish."
Lee's
wife, Maryon, stands in the
Vietnamese classroom where they
taught; the experience was arranged
through Minnesota-based Global
Volunteers.
Summer 2001
The sludents had not heard of Minnesota-until the Lees mentioned the Mississippi River. "They
remembered the river from Mark Twain's books," Lee says, chuckling.
A retrred ELCA pastor and stewardship specialist, Lee still does some stewardship work for the ELCA;
he also works as an independent consultant lor churches. Maryon is a retired elementary teacher.
,4ucs¡uncruow
25
Class Notes
968
1964
1
Deanne M. (Star) Greco,
Carol (Torstenson)
John Clawson relocated f¡om
Duane llstrup, Rochester,
Bloomington, Minn., was
appointed to the Board of Ordway
Circle of Stars. As a member of
the board, she will join other
volunteers committed to
supporting the Ordway Center for
Performing Arts.
McCausland, Warner, N.H.,
Minneapolis to California after he
was elected president and chief
executive officer of Lutheran
Social Services o[ Southern
California. He began his work
with LSS of Minnesota in I992 as
director of the public poiicy office.
Minn., was rhe Bntish lournal of
Surgery invited speaker at the
965
recently celebrated several happy
family occasions: a wedding, a
new granddaughter, and a son
starting law school. Carol is a
Title I coordinator for the
Hillsboro-Deering School District
1967
1
in Hillsboro, N.H.
ffi
Marlene (Chan) Hui '74=
Moved by the spirit
o
S.
à
so
Q
ln
1968, a Lutheran missionary approached Marlene (Chan) Hui, then a
studious high school student living in Hong Kong, with an opportunity
to attend college in the United States. The prospect of attendìng a U.S.
college, and specifically Augsburg College, appealed to Hui. Two of her
brothers were already livíng in the U.S., and the idea of belng able to
explore her faith while immersed in academia suited the l8-year-old,
who attended Tiinity Lutheran Church in Bata Lou. Moreover, if she
remained in Hong Kong, she would face limited opportunities to attend
college, due to a shortage in higher education institutions.
adapted to life 1n the U.S. and at Augsburg. She served as chair of the
Foreign Student Group, and was very involved in faith-related activities.
During her first year at Augsburg, she 1lved with biology professor Neal
Thorpe and his famrly She fondly remembers going on family trips and
participating in Bible studies with her host family. Although Hui lived in
the clormitory her second and third years of college, she formed her
iongest lasting friendships with the girls she met during her senior year
while livlng in the Lambda House. Last summer, the lormer residents
reunited in Brainerd, Minn., for four days of reminiscing and catch-r-rp.
1971
David Siedlar, CarlisÌe, Mass.,
accepted a position as a student
Ioan administrator for Brandeis
University in Waltham, Mass.
1973
Rebecca (Nystuen) Berger,
Green Bay, Wis., is director of the
Door County Library
Marlene (Chan) Hui, class
agent for the CIass oÍ 1974,
works as a special education
teacher and Iooks forward to
fulfilling her goal of doing
missionary work in Asia.
Joyce Catlin, Maple Grove,
Minn., married the Rev. Paul
Casey in April at Brookll'n Park
Evangelical Free Church. Joyce is
a second grade teacher at
AlbertviÌle Primary School and
Paul is a part-time worship/music
pastor at Waterbrooke Fellowship
ìn Victoria, Minn.
"Augsburg enriches d
person relig¡ousþ,
spiritualþ, and
academically."
Hui majored in English and elementary education and minored in French; however, her career path
became clear to her during an Augsburg internship. Her first professional experience entailed working
with low-income children. "We seemed to get along well, and it seemed like I could get through to them,"
says
Research Society and the
Association of Surgeons of Great
Britain and lreland in April in
Birmingham, England. He
presented a lecture titled "Should
You Always Believe in What You
Read?" He is associate professor of
biostatistics at the Mayo Clinic.
Õ
by Wendy Elofson
Though the challenge of adjusting to the highly variable weather of
Minnesota was difficult (Hong Kong has a tropical climate), Hui quickly
joint meeting of the SurgicaÌ
Hui. "it was God's plan."
She works with high school
students who are considered moderately to severely mentally lmpaired, ancl she is eager to say that
teaching the students is her favorite part of the job. She recently taught one of her students with Downs
syndrome how to e-mail his father who llves across the country.
Hui has been a special education teacher at Jefferson High School since 1976.
As for the future, Hur and her husband are contemplating an early retirement, which would allow them to
pursue missionary work in Asia. "Retirement doesn't mean that I don't do anything; retiremenl means thal
I can pursue different interests, and do something new and different," says Hul.
Hui was asked to consider being the Class of 1974 class agent. She accepted the
opportunity becanse she saw it as an enjoyable way to give back to the Co11ege. She enjoys relaying
information about Augsburg to people, and seeing former classmates and faculty members. She is very
grateful for her experience at the College. "Ar-rgsburg enriches a person religiousl¡ spirituaily, and
Two years ago,
1974
Sharon (Holt) Garland,
Minnetonka, Minn., completed
her training as spiritual director
from Sacred Ground Center for
Spirituality at the College of St.
Catherine. Her husband, Rick
'75, is a technical trainer for
Northwest Airlines.
1977
William Reyer, Tiffin, ohio,
was
nominated and selected by his
colleagues at Heidelberg Coìlege
to receive the college's
Distinguished Teaching Award for
Faculty for 2000. The award,
established in 1995, recognizes
excellence in classroom teaching,
academic accomplishments,
professional activities, and service
academically."
to the Heidelberg community. A
Wendy Elofson is an information specialist Jor Augsburg's institutional ødt,ancement ot'fice.
member of the Heidelberg faculty
since 1983, he is a professor of
English.
26
.AUCSnunC ruOW
Summer 20Of
)
Eye of the beholder
by Maggie Weller'01
hnagine how clifficult it would be to paint a prcture six feet wide and seven feet tall that would be considered
good enough to be displayed in national exhibits. Now rmagine accon.rplishing that feat with double vislon,
shaking in both eyes, and very httle depth perception.
These are exactly the conclitions that Jon Leverentz is forced to worl< under every day Leverentz has recelved
private instruction at Ar-rgsburg îrom I975-'79 and from 1990 to today
At the age of IB, Leverentz was ln an automobile accident that caused brain stem damage and led to the
dlsabilitìes described above. Surgery to the right thalamus, usua\ used to treat Parkinson's disease, reduced his
shaking but lefi him with double vision and little depth perception.
"I must make intr-ritive judgments regarcling what I perceive as close and what seems to be far away," sald
Leverentz. "For instance, it's hard to get the pen into the ink bottle, but I just think hard about where the middle
of my two r,rews are and then I make it."
Leverentz cuffently r'rsits Augsburg once a week to receive private instructron from art professor Norman Ho1en,
whom he credits for some ol his success. "Norman is a really great guy," he said. Holen has helped him find art
shows, and, "he helps suggest which
galleries I should put my art in."
Jon Leverentz (left) has received
pr¡vate instruction from art
professor Norm Holen (right) at
Augsburg since 1975.
"My worh is my main activity,
and Lts worhmanship is as
important to me now as it was
bet'ore the accídent."
While he admits to enjoying painting the mosl, Leverentz also draws and sculpts.
Despite his disabilities, he insists on doing most of the work himself. "I take pride 1n
tÐ4ng to work wrthout he1p," said Leverentz. "Though I work wrth friends, it is
important for me to have control over my own work. My work is my main activity,
and its workmanship is as important to me now as it was before the accident."
Though Leverentz never graduated, he "took all the studio courses and a couple
more classes," lnc1r-rding socÌologz Leverentz continues to work at Augsburg because
people like Holen are wilhng to heip him when necessâry and because it gives him
access to materials he could not use easily at home, "llke clay and toxrc inks."
Many of Leverentz's pieces, such as this vivid painting
of sunflowers, are exh¡b¡ted nationally.
f 980
The list of Leverentz's exhibits is extensive, and accordlng to Holen, Leverentz's work
is exhibited nationally and in exclusive galleries. Leverentz won the Sister Kenny
Shorv honorable mention in 1986 and 1996.
Catherine (Knudtson)
production goaÌs
for his effgts in
2000. In the
Andress, Rosemount, Minn., is a
senior technical writer at Lawson
Software in downtown St. Paul,
securities industry
he received the
"Cìrcle of
where she has worked for seven
years. "My children are growrng
fast and wll soon be of driving
age!" David is 15 and Carl is 14.
Kathryn Encalada, Isanti,
Minn., recently left her position o[
nearly seven years as director of
Allied Health Programs at Gogebìc
Community College in lronwood,
Mich., to return to the Twin Cities.
Jeffrey K. Jarnes, Bloomington,
Minn., a certified financial planner
with Fortune Financial in
Minneapolis, achieved two top
Summer 20O1
ExcelÌence"
honor; he also achieved "Top of the
Table" honors awarded by the
Million Dollar Round Tâble for his
work in risk management. He and
his wife, Jacqui, have three
daughters: Kristin, Justine, and
Erika.
Jim Rongstad, Woodbury Minn.,
an accountant with Ramsey
County, is on the school board ol
East St. Paul Lutheran School,
where his children, Lexi and
Matthew, attend. He was a delegate
to the Libertarian Natlonal
Convention this past June in
Anaheim, Calif.
1982
Brian J. Anderson was
appointed to a three-year terrn as
editor for the space physics section
of Geophysical Research Letters. He
is a former assistant professor o[
physics at Augsburg and is
currently a member o[ the
principal professional staff ar the
Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.
He and his wife, Leeann (Rock)
'81, live in Mount Airy Md.
Tammy Cowan, Minneapolis, is
now in her second year as a
physical education teacher at South
High School in Minneapolis; she
was previously an investment
banker for seven years.
Debra (Krueger) Knight,
Bloomington, Minn., was recently
featured in GtyBusiness joumaÌ for
her success as co-owner of Edinabased Career Professionals, a
specialized search firm that
matches recent college graduates
with companies seeking to fill
entrylevel positions.
1
983
The Rev. Valerie de
Cathelineau, Avon, N.Y.,
recently became pastor of St.
Timothy Lutheran Church in
Geneseo, N.Y. She previously
served as assistant pastor of Holy
Trinity in Buffalo, N.Y.
4ucsnunc
now
27
Class Notes
@
1984
As a member of the Augsburg
College Aiumni Association,
you are a very important part
of the College community and
are welcome to receive various
John Ennen, McKinney, Tèx.,
joined Exel corporation in Dallas
benefits including:
7achary.
.
AugsburgNow, the quarterly
College publication
. Bi-annual
letters from your
class agen[, who will keep
you updated on news
.
Tnvitations to Homecoming,
reunions, and other special
events on campus
.
Access to the computer 1ab,
librar¡ and fitness lacilities
.
Access
to Career Services'
alumni
. An alumni directory
containing complete
information on classmates
that is available for purchase
. Volunteer opportunities on
leadership boards and
committees
.
.
a director of customer
development. He and his wife,
Opportunities to participate
in alumni tours around the
This 12-day tour program features flve nights on the
world-famous Norwegian coastal voyage, sailing south
from the "top of Norway" to Bergen.
Thomas L. Terpening, Key West,
Fla., has settled into his new life
and job as advertising composition
and graphic services manager for
Key West Citizen,which is owned
by Cooke Communications LLC.
He is in charge of nine weekly and
one daiþ publication. He misses all
his family and friends in the
Midwest, but sure is glad for the
beautiful weather! You may have
in the March 13,
2001, edition of the Nøtional
Enquirer wirt' the Mercedes he won
in an AIDS Help raffle in Key West.
f986
Lisa Baumgartner, Amherst,
N.Y., received her doctorate in
adult education from the
University of Georgia last August.
She is assistant professor of adult
education at Buffalo State College
in Buffalo, N.Y.
Karl Howg, Hopkins, Minn., is
Legacy scholarships for family
members of students and
chief meteorologist on the new
Fox29News Nine local newscast;
his on-air name is Karl
a
Norway in the summer of 2002.
1985
world
alumni to sludy toward
degree at Augsburg
Join President and Mrs. William V Frame and
Professor Frankie Shackeìford on a journey through
Mary have a 4-year-old son,
caught Tom
TCSOUICCS
. A special tuition discount for
DISCOVER NORWEGIAN
TREASURES AND HERITAGE
as
This tour has limited spaces remaining; please call the
alumni office ar 612-330-1178 or l-800-260-6590 for
more information or to sign up for an upcoming
information session.
country before fulfilling his dream
o[ retuming home to Minnesota.
John Wahlberg,
,
Sr. Paul,
recentþ formed his own company,
Excel Promotions, which is a
distributor of corporate apparel
and promotional items.
her short story "Bent Tiee," was
accepted for publication in the
upcoming antholog¡r Spirit Songs.
1990
Karen Reed,
Atascadero, Calif.,
author of Music is
1989
Laura Netson, Minneapolis,
job in February
started a new
the Master Key,
sigred copies of
her book at a Twin
as a
support consultant at låwson
Software; she previousþ worked
at the University of Minnesota.
Cities-area Bames
and Noble in October. According to
Reed, a music therapist in
Califomia, music is the key to
Gail (Moran) Wawrzyniak,
unlocking the mind closed by
Raleigh, N.C., recentþ had a play
published online at Native
Realities (www.wordcraftcircle.org/
mental illness.
natreaVhome.htm). In addition,
Carla Beaurline, Hopkins,
Minn., is a monthly guest host on
Spring. He worked in
smaller markets across the
1
99r
the QVC shopping network as vice
president of product development
ETIIIÙII¡II:Í.,ÍIITÐ
2001-2002 Alumni Board
meeting schedule
June 19
August 2I
November 20
February 19
April16
Meetings are open to the public
and all alumni are invited rcr
attend. Each meetlng features
ln April, the Alumni Board, the Alumni/Parênt Relat¡ons Office, and the Center for Service, Worh and
Learning sponsored the firct alumn¡ job fair on Gamput which brought togeths morê than 25
companies, alumni, Augsburg seniors, and r€cent grads. The event was the brainchild of Colleen K.
Watson'91 MAt (picfured above with business partner Deb Krueger Knight'82), president of Carcer
Plpfessionals and chair of the Connections Committee of the Alumni Board.
2A
4uCSnUnCruOW
a
guest speaker such as the
president, dean, or other
Col lege adminisl rator. Th is
Ìnformation will be available
online at <www.augsburg. edu/
alumni>.
Summer
2OO1
for ZEVA's Natural Nail products.
Waconia; she was
She is also a dÍsplay adverrising
previously assistant to
the city manager lor
the City of New
Brighton.
represenrarive for the s¿. Paul
Pioneer Press.
Colleen Watson, Mendota
Heights, Minn., was recently
featured in GtyBusinøss journal for
her success as co-owner of Edinabased Career Professionals, a
speciaÌized search firm that
matches recent colìege graduates
with companies seeking to fill
entryìevel positions.
1992
Sharol
(Dascher)
Tyra, Hanover,
Minn., was
recently
interviewed on
KSTP-5 news
and in NurseW¿eh and, HealthWeeh
publications for her work as a
personal success coach.
1
Alumni Chapter key contacts
include:
Los Angeles
Amy Ellingrod'95
Bonnie Bina,
Minnetonka, Minn.,
compieted her master's
degree in health and
human services
administration at St.
Mary's University She
is the clinic
administrator at
ConsuÌtants Intemal
Medicine.
aellingrod@laphil.org
Chicago
Kaydee
Todd Steenson'89
tsteenson@hklaw. com
Sun
Cit¡ Ariz.
Borgie (Rholl) Gabrielson'47
623-972-7206
Washington D.C.
Kari Arfstrom '89
Erica Benson was
recently hlred by
Studio City, a leading
broadcast marketlng
company, as
KArfstrom@aasa.org
writerþroducer/editor.
She was previousþ
Rochester, Minn.
Norman'75 and Kathy (Anderson)
'76 Wahl
Wahl@bethellutheran. com
UPN affiliate in Chicago as
been doing
Maren Lea Carlson,
Pl).rynourh,
Minn., married Steve Combs in
March 2000. She is the business
manager for Dr. Gary L. Carlson in
Minnetonka, Minn.
1994
Susan (Horning) Arntz, Fridley,
Minn., accepted a new position as
city administrator for the City of
Frilrrilit]lrit
'Auggies at the Minnesota
freelance
producing at
Studio City
since October
2000, working
E
on such projects
as the launch of the NBC Saturday
Movie, sitcoms Spin City and
Change oJ Heart, and the
promotion of various Paramount
ffi
movies. As a staff member she will
continue to work on comedy series
and NBC movies and mini-series.
Erica has an extensive background
State Fair
in promotion, having worked at
WHHO-ry rhe WB affiliate in
Don't mrss the new ancl
improved Augsbr-rrg booth at
the Mrnnesota State Fair!
Columbus, Ohio; WTTW-T! the
PBS affiliate in Chicago; and the
UPN network, in addition to her
work at WPWR. She's earned two
Emmy Awards for editìng, and
received six Emmy nominations for
her work.
August 23-Septen-rber 3, 2001
Located in the education
burldrng, the booth will featr-rre
many special events this year,
ìncì ud ing Al Lrmni gat herings.
Stefanie (Murphy)
Guzikowski, Portsmouth, N.H.,
Check out the scheclule online
works at Beaupre
at www.
Relations, Inc., as a senior account
au gsburg.
edu/statefair
lnterested rn volunteering?
Contact the alumni office at
612-330-1I78 or
1-800-260-6590
Summer
2OO1
This past year marked the beginning
of the Alumni Chapter Program, which
was developed by the AIumni
Association to encourage alumni to
organize themselves (either around a
geographic basis or an employment
basis) to reestablish ties, promote the
interests of the €ollege, and to be of
service to its alumni. Above, two alums
enjoyed coffee and conversation at a
gathering in DeKalb, lll.
withWPWR-TV the
writerþroducer/editor. She had
993
Kirk'98
kaydeeklrk@yahoo.com
&
Co. PubÌic
executive. She moved to the East.
Coast five years ago and loves
living by the ocean. She married
Christopher Guzikorvski, a Bosron
native she met through her former
employer American Express
Financial Advisors in Minneapolis.
She is working toward
certification as an aerobics
instructor and enjoys running 5K
and l0K road races and playing
piano and acoustic guitar. She's
had two poems published and
hopes to some day publish a
horror novel. "No kids yet, but a
cat and some fish."
f 995
John Nielsen, Chicago, received
his master's degree in ancient Near
Eastern history from the University
of Chicago; he is currently working
on his doctorate.
1
998
Mark Goetz,
Eagan, Minn.,
married Christine Wilmer earlier
in June.
Eileen Kerr has been named
Champion of Health for her work
with Women's Inte¡narional Sel[reliance Enterprise and her
ongoing advocacy and supporr of
persons of all nationaÌities.
Champions of Heahh honors
individuals, organizations, and
businesses that have gone above
and beyond to improve the health
of their community It is sponsored
by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
Minnesota, the Minnesota lnstitute
of Public Health, the Greater
Minneapolis Chamber of
Commerce, and CityBusiness.
r
999
Christopher James Rothe,
Britton, S.Dak., married Jamie
Lea Kyle '00 in May Christopher
is a deputy sheriff in Britton, and
Jamie is working with special
education students at Britton High
School.
2000
Ann Staton, New Hope, Minn.,
was awarded a Siehi Scholarship
from St. John's School of Theology
Seminary where she is pursuing a
master's degree
in theology This
award is in recognition of her
academic performance and
leadership abilities.
Jack Stover, Burnsville, Minn., is
a software engineer (modeling and
simulation and Web programming)
for Lockheed Martin Tactical
Systems in Eagan, Minn.
4ucs¡uRc lrrow 2s
Births/Adoptions
James Kuehl '92 and Sarah
Roy Carlton '83 and his wife,
Mary BumsvilÌe, Minn.-a son,
Christopher Leonard, in May
He joins older brother, Bryan
son, Samuel Walter, in
November. James is a mortgage
bond analyst for Wells Fargo
Mortgage and Sarah is an account
manager lor Portu-Sunberg
Russell, 5. Roy is an accountant at
Ban-Koe Companies in
Bloomington, Minn.
Roger Griffith '84 and Jean
Taylor'85,
Minn.-a
Eagan,
daughter, Emma, in December.
Jody (Anderson)'90 and Mike
Acers'90, Cloquet, Minn.-a son,
Andrew Michael, in August.
He
joins sister Emily.
M. Susan (Noleen) '90 and
Steve
Bianchi, Duluth, Minn.-a
daughrer, Lucienne Elisabeth, in
December. She joins siblings Mario
and Isabel.
(Evans)'95,
Ramsey,
ErcrcTrcTrcTlfi
Minn.-a
Visit Augsburg's online bookstore!
www. bkstore.com/a u gsbu rg
NeHi Christian Preschool and
Daycare.
Marketing.
Todd Cina '93 and his wife, Kari,
Steven Dow'95 and his wife,
New Berlin, Wis.-a daughter,
Lauren Jean in Novembe¡.
Sarah Schaffner, Dubuque,
Þ
Carrie (Skradski) '93 and Tom
Phillips, Big l-ake,
Stephanie N. (Johnson)'94 and
Robert E. Moreno'94, New
Brighton, Minn.-twin sons,
David Emanuel and Daniel
Eliah, inJanuary Roben continues
to work for US Bancorp as a
lowa-a
Mark, inJanuary.
Jennifer (Strickland) '96 and
{3
Minn.-a
daughter, Ashley Elizabeth, in
March. She joins brother Parker,2.
boy, lsaac
Jim Buehler, Lincoln, Neb.-a boy,
certified network administrator and
desktop technology services
engineer. Stephanie is pursuing her
master's degree in early childhood
education and development at
Jared Bartlett, in December.
Xanara Amand '00 and Marc
Stevenson, Bloomington,
daughter,
Minn.-a
Malaya Ãlexis, ln
December.
Concordia University; prior
to the twins'birth, she
worked as a teacher at
a
o
\
ñ
m
!
o
U
A room at the inn for all
by Lynn Mena
As a sociology major at Augsburg, MinamJacobson'69 had been intrigued by the problems of diverse
people lÌung together within the limited confines of a citlz later, as a nurse working in Chicago in a
variety of environments (including a rehabilitation unit, an emergency room, a hospice, and a mobile
unir), she became professionally aware of physÌcal accessibility issues, and how society can adapt to make
places universally accessible. And more recently, she found herself personaþ involved wtth universal
accessibllity when her mother became paralyzed from a stroke and lived with her for nearly five years.
ln lighr of these experiences, Jacobson and her partner, Marian Korth, left Chicago to open a bed and
breakfast in a century-old farmhouse on the outskirts of Cambridge, Wis., with the dream of making their
inn handÌcapped accessible.
The pair opened the Country Comforts Bed 6s Breakfast in May 1998, with plans lo build a 600-square foot
handicapped accessible guest suite. However, their plans were quickly halted when they ran into a snag in
the srare law By Wiscorsin law, bed and breakfasts can have up to eight bedrooms. But bed and breakfasts
were prohibited from adding on to their original house, unless they abided by commercial building codes.
Residential codes, which are far less restrictive and expensive than commercial codes, didnt apply
Miriam Jacobson'69 (right) and her
partner, Marian Korth, added a
handicapped accessible guest suite
to their bed and breakfast inn last
year, and in the process changed
Wisconsin state law.
"IJ we hadbeen intimidated
one bit, we wouldn1have
gotten thís done."
Their problem caughr rhe arrenrion of State Rep. Martin Rel'riolds, who had run into the same building code dilemma when he wanted lo make
changes to his own bed and breakfast. He contacted Jacobson and Korth and encouraged them to take their problem to the state leglslature. He also
conracted fe11ow Assembly Reps. Cloyd Porter and Joan Wade Spillner about sponsoring legisiation to change bed and breakfast bulldlng code
requirements.
Jacobson and Korth appealed to state regulators, but out of fiustration (and fear of losing several advance reservations that had been made for the new
suite) they went forth and completed the addition to state commercial codes. However, they still thought the commercial code requirements were too
restricrive for bed and breakfasts, and they testified at assembly and state hearings on the legislature put together by Reynolds, Porter, and Spillner.
The bill moved quickly through both houses, and in May 2000, Gov Tommy Thompson signed legislation that allows bed and breakfasts in buildings
50 years or older ro expand without having to follow commercial codes. BothJacobson and Korth were present for the bill slgning in Sauk City, Wis.
Shortly thereafter, the Wiscoilsin State lournal featured the pair on its fiont page, and reported that the change in legislation could be "a boon to the
growing bed and breakfast industry," making it easier to make modifications as well as to create inlerest tn converling older homes into inns. Both
"If we had been intimidated one blt, we wouldn'l have
Jacobson and Korth are happy that others won't have to endure the difficulties they faced.
gotien rhis done," Korth told the lournal "Fortunately, we aren't easily intimidated." Jacobson added that the new br11 will be very helpful. "Several
B&Bs rhanked us for helping to change the law"
30
,4ucs¡unc
rr¡ow
Summer 2001
I
)
c
The Rev. Lloyd V. Sand'29,
Lake N4ills, lor,va, clied in March; he
r,r,as 94. Alter completing his B.A.
at Augsburg, he taught high school
for three years; he ¡eturned to
attend Seminary and gracluated in
l9lj. He sened as a rnissionar'f in
Africa fol several years, dedicating
n-ruch of his time to help transcribe
LLrther.S Snrall Catechisnt and The
Biblc into the Gbaya language. ln
1950, he and his rvife, Beryl
(i,r,hom he met and married in
Africa), rvorked with another
couple to establish a Bible school
for the training ol church leaders.
After his retirement in 1974, he
sewed as a r.isitation pastor at
Salem Lutheran Church in lowa.
Alice (Simonson) Solberg'29,
Rolette, N.Dak., died in lr4arch; she
95. For 44 years she taught
music at Perth, Wolford, and
Rolette public schools and taught
piano lessons [or 77 ye:rrs, reliring
on\, last year. She sen'ed as a
longtime church organist, choir
director, and Sunday School
teacher. She also sen,ed as a Cub
Scout, Bo1'Scout, Girl Scout, and
4-H leacler' she received the Silver
r'vas
Fa*'n arvarcl for her ,10+ years of
sen'ice to the Boy Scouts. She also
enjoyecl li'riting a ner,i's colurnn for
the T¿rrtie Motuúahr Star.for rnore
than 40 years.
I
Roald Ovren '37. Elk lr4ound,
Wis., cliecl in May 2000; he l'as
87. A retirecl fanner, he loved
music and sang solos at church,
rveddings, ancl funerals. He rvas
past president ol both the Northern
Lights Barbershoppers ancl Big Elk
Crtek Lutheran Church.
Mentor R. Larsen '49,
Bucl'nrs,
Ohio, died inJanuarl'; he rvas 78.
A veteran of \\\Wl, he r.vorked at
the Ylt4CA for 28 years in Red
Wing, Minn., and in La Crosse and
Mrdison. Wis., bcfore sen ing as
executlve director in Bucyrus for
13 1,s¿¡r. After his retirement from
the Y\4CA, he r'vorked for lB years
at D. Pickling and Co. He
volunteered his time on many
projects and boards, including the
Unitecl Way and the Crawford
County Society for Crippled
Children and Aclults.
Rodney
E.
Anfenson '51,
St. Cloud, lr4inn., died in April; he
r'r'as 71. Prior to retiring in 1993,
he was associate professor at
St. Cloucl State Universitl', rvhere
he taLrght kinesiolog¡; athletic
admir-listration, and racquetball. He
wrote two books. one on
râcquetball techniques and another
on the histoD¡ o[ the Rum River
Athletic Conlerence. ln 1990, he
rvas recognized lor his athletic
inducted into the SCSU Hall of
Fame;
Sidney B. Johnson, Cumberland,
in
1992 he rvas also
inducted into the Bemidji State
Universitl' Hall of Fame.
Sharon (Raivo) Remmen'61,
Los Gatos, Calif., died in December
rlter a trvo-1'ear battle rvith ovarialr
cancer; she rvas 6I. She lvas an
adoptior-r social worker, ancl was
deeply involved with the Christian
Women's Club, the Daughters of
Norwa)', and various other
organizations. She rvas a talentecl
artist, photographer, rvriter,
speaker, and musician ancl suflered
a case o[ rvanderlust; before settling
into the California Bal, A*u, tn.
llved in Hawaii and [ir.e other
states as u'ell as abroad in Eg1pt.
Spain, the Philìppines, and
Malaysia. Even as her disease
aclvanced, she contÌnued her
practice of reaching out to people
in the midst o[ suffering, sending
out l0 carcls and letters a day
Fritz Hadeler'80, Maplervood,
Mlnn., died in March of cancer; he
42. After receiving a bachelor's
degree in pharmacy from the
University of lr4lnnesota, he rvent
on to eern a rnasler's degree in
pharrnacy ancl an lvlBA in
nrarketing. He rvas I marketing
manager in the pharmaceutical
r'r'as
Wis., died in N4arch; he rvas 76. He
rvorked at Augsburg for 22 years,
lirst as a custociian and then as a
buildings and grounds employee.
He retired
in
1989.
Other deaths:
Hazel Willand '39, Minneapolis,
clied in February. She lr'as a retÌreci
teacher and editor.
The Rev. Alfred Weltzin'41,
Viroqua, Wis., died inJanuary
Valdemar Xavier'46, Alberr
Minn., died in April; he rvas
86. He uas a ret¡red education
administrator.
Lea,
Stanley G. Puelston'51,
Minnetonka, Minn., died in March,
he u'as 77. He rvas retired llom
Alexander 6¡ Alexander lnsurance
Company
Lloyd Huesers'52, Minot,
N.Dak., died ìnJanuaryr
Laton "Jack" C. Schwartz'52,
Minneapolis, died in March; he
u,as 72.
Alan Redman '68, Prineville,
Ore,
Daniel Reuss '77, St. Paul, died
in February 2000.
Eclitors note:
At
presstínte, we weïe
saddened to receive notice oJ the death
division of 3M until his cleath.
oJ Chuch
accon-rplishn-rents by beir-rg
Gabñelson'77;
see tlrc JaIl
issrre/or a contplete notice.
i
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in
your new job, move,
marriage, and births. Dor-r't forget
yonr
Full name
Maiden name
Class year
or last year attended
Street address
life ,
to sencl photosl
Cìty
ls
zip
State
this a new address? n Yes Ll No
E-mail
Home telephone
F*ol ner'vs ol a death, rvritten notice
n
Okay to publish your e-mail
address
notice , or progran-r
fiom
a
memorial seLvice.
Sencl
Employer
Position
ls spouse also a graduate ol Augsburg College?
Work telephone
n
Yes
n No
lf yes, class
your ner.vs iten-Ls, photos, or
change of acldress b1' ¡.,^i1 to,
Augsbu'g Nor,r, Class Notes,
Augsburg Co11ege, CB 146,
22l l Riverside Ave ., Mrnneapolis,
MN, 55454, or e-mail to
Spouse name
Maiden name
Your news:
<alumni@ar-r gsburg. eclu>.
Summer
2OO1
i
l
is rec¡ttired, e.g. an obìtuar¡ fi-rneral
,4ucsnuRc
luow
31
Each year the graduating class nømes four honored faculty members (one from eøch division) ønd one outstanding
staff person. The following are excerpts from the remarhs of these honorees during CommencementWeehend.
**"/6*
a%tt-,
SOCIOLOGY AND METRO-URBAN STUDIES
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
"i consider myself to be very lucky to be surrounded by many neat
students. They give me the opportunity to do what I love. Without
all of you, I would not be standing here today .. . Honestly, I think
this is the coolest thing that's ever happened to me."
"At the heart of all forms of Buddhism ì.s the concept and practice .
of 'mindfulness.'Among other things, mindfulness reminds us to
stop endlessly looking for greener grass somewhere e1se. Being
mindful reminds us of the incredible gifts that surround us in the
people and places that we so often take for granted."
ç/Ø*
COMPUTER SCIENCE AND HONORS PROGRAM
(Referring to a story he recounted of a woman who felt the
presence of Jesus standing with her during a difficult time....)
"One way to think about our time together would be... as you go
through various tests and trials (and you surely will), to think
back upon your Augsburg experience, and perhaps in a smal1 way
my experience with you, and to think of the question, 'How
would it be if we stood with you'?"
COMI\/IEI\CEVIEl\trT
/
32
,.4UCSSURC i¡OW
RELIGION
"something that's very important about Augsburg is the role that
tradition can play Tiadition does not have to be constricting or
enslaving; but, in fact, it can free. This is a conviction shared by
many here, and it's what makes Augsburg a fun place to be and a
great place to teach."
DIRECTOR OF THE ROCHESTER PROGRAM
"Beyond a wish for success and happiness, my hope for Augsburg
graduates is that they will be able to lead lives that are filled with
meaning-iives enriched by moments that draw equally on the
mind, the heart, and the spirit. I believe an appreciation of how
these elements of human experience interact to create meaning is
at the core of an Augsburg education."
Summer 200f
)
fhe Alumni and Parent Relations Office would like to enhance the Alumni Web site
I lwww.augsburg.edu/alumni). We want ro know which online services would be most useful to you.
When you return this survey, you are automatically entered in a drawing for a $50 gift certificate from the
College Bookstore if you fill out the contact information at the end. Returl the survey byJuly 20. You may
fill out this same suwey online at the alumni site, but please complete only one survey Thank you!
PLEASE ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING:
Class yearI am an Augsburg Alumna/us: O yes E no
How often clo you visit the Alumni Relations Web site:
D never visited D once a month fl less than once a month
E
male E female
Below is a list of online services we are considering. Please indicate how often you would use the
following services by circling a number in the column at right:
O=would not use 1=would use occasionally 2=would use frequently
Searchable Alumni Directory
Registered alumni have password-protected
access to a secured database of Augsburg
alumni names and addresses. Would allow
users to update their information online.
Message Boards Organized
Class Year
by Topic or
Class Notes Online
Post your updates on marriages, births, and
promotions online. View notes from other
alums. Class notes would continue to
appear in printed publications.
0
0
t
1
Moderated Chats with Faculty and Staff
Share opinions, debate, orjust talk with a
E-mail Addresses
Lifetime Web-based e-mail addresses (e.g.
yourname@augsburgalumni.net) that let
you check your mail from anywhere you
have Internet access.
2
lan Alumni Reception
Gay Hawthorne Jazz & Poetry Bash
hing of Edvard Grieg: Diaries, Articles,
i, a collection of Grieg's writings in
ianslation, by Dr. Bill Halverson'51
rwegian scholar Finn Benestad)
0
l
2
tdar and is subject to change; please see your
echure-due ín maílboxes later t'ltis summer.
0
l
2
0
1
2
0
I
2
0
I
2
Give your suggestions for online services:
OPTIONAL INFORMATION (required for entering drawing!)
Name
E-mail
Phone number
ìK/1K Run/Walk (for fun or charity)
ning Parade
2
featured speaker.
Career Center
Post résumés for other alums and approved
employers to review. Approved employers
may also post job listings.
lay, October 13
[he park
hing Football Game vs. Macalester
hing AlumniAwards Social & Dinner
¡nions of '1951, 1961,'1976, and 1991
Online Giving
Give to the college with a secured credit
card transaction or make a pledge.
¡sburg on Parade
(J
À,,
Each year the graduøting class nømt
staff person. The following are excer
/@
/
ø/t¿o¿ Qt1/ce
HEALTH AND
PH
"I consider myself to be very lucky to be su
students. They give me the opportunity to r
all of you, I would not be standing here toc
this is the coolest thing that's ever happene<
Lô
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cô
a$.
o Hb'E
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H:
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COMPUTER SCIENCE
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ANf
(Referring to a story he recounted of a won
presence of Jesus standing with her during
"One way to think about our time togethet
through various tests and trials (and you st
back upon your Augsburg experience, and
my experience with you, and to think of th
would it be if we stood with you'?"
CON/IVIEI\CE
200
32
4UCSBUnC ruOw
/
"Beyond a wish for success and happiness, my hope for Augsburg
graduates is that they will be able to lead lives that are filled with
meaning-lives enriched by moments that draw equally on the
mind, the heart, and the spirit. I believe an appreciation of how
these elements of human experience interact to create meaning is
at the core of an Augsburg educatì.on."
Summer 2001
a
¡¡
I
o
o
Homecoming and Family Week 2001: Augsburg on Parade
October 8-13, 2OO1
Monclay, October
.
.
S
a
Saturday, October 13
B
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
An Evening with Dr. Maya Angelou
Parents Reception
Thursclay, October 11
.
Variety Show and Coronation
o
Friday, October 12
.
.
.
.
Homecoming Chapel Service
Alumni Band & lazzBand Reunion Concert
Hall of Fame Banquet
Auggie 5K/1K Run/Walk (for fun or charity)
Homecoming Parade
Picnic in the Park
Homecoming Football Game vs. Macalester
Homecoming Alumni Awards Social & Dinner
Class Reunions of 1951, 1961,'1976, and 1991
Pan Afrikan Alumni Reception
M. Anita Gay Hawthorne Jazz & Poetry Bash
Book signing of Edvard Grieg: Diaries, Articles,
Speeches, a collection of Grieg's writings in
English translation, by Dr. Bill Halverson'51
(with Norwegian scholar Finn Benestad)
preliminary calendar andis subject to change; please see your
Homecoming
eventbrochure-due in mailboxes later thís sutnmer
JulI
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COLLEGE
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Minneapolis, MN
Permit No.2031
PAID
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Title
-
Augsburg Now Summer 2002
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-
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Celebrating great achievement
rFhe
solash olcolor on Lhis cover
I uiuiåty displays the pomp and
clrcumstance of Commencement-this
year alI the more glorious under
beautiful spring sunshine with trees in a
late bloom from the cold early...
Show more
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Celebrating great achievement
rFhe
solash olcolor on Lhis cover
I uiuiåty displays the pomp and
clrcumstance of Commencement-this
year alI the more glorious under
beautiful spring sunshine with trees in a
late bloom from the cold early spring.
May celebrations on campus are all
about achievement (yes, some senior
celebrating may stretch those
parameters). Foremost, we celebrate the
years of hard work and achievement of
the new graduates who are receiving
degrees. For many of Augsburg's
Weekend College graduates, that
achievement comes at a
steep price paid in time
spent away from
families on weekends, in
a schedule that included
Augsburg community-faculty and
staff-who celebrate the achievements
of long careers at the College. The
retiring professorial class of 2002
includes three men whose vision and
energy during the 1970s and'BOs
helped to build the campus facilities
and programs that enable Augsburg to
be a welcoming place today to all
students. Their legacies enable students
who were limited i.n educational choices
to achieve an Augsburg education,
especially students with physical and
learning disabilities, and students in
recovery from substance abuse.
Lìke the saying, "Tomorrow is the
first day of the rest of your life,"
Commencement Day (as it-s name
denotes) seems to focus on the
beginnÌng of a new stage in one's 1ife. I
suggest we linger for just a moment to
offer congratulations on today's great
achievemenl belore moving on.
Ww
Betsey Norgard
Editor
o
a
s.
hs
q
full-time work plus
extra-time study.
Sometimes the greatest
reward for them may
not be a diploma, but
the achievement of selfconfidence and
realization that a college
degree truly is possible.
We also join with
those members of the
We welcome your letters!
write to:
Please
Editor
AugsburgNow
22ll
Riverside Ave., CB 145
Minneapolis, MN 55454
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Fax: 612-330-1780
Phone: 612-330-1 181
Letters for publication must be signed and
include your name, class year, and daytime
telephone number. They may be edited for
As part of their European concert tour in May, the Augsburg Choir performed at the
Temppeliaukio Church (known as the "Rock Church") in Helsinki, Finland. The church is
carved into a granite hill and covered with a concave copper roof. On their two-week tourl
the choir performed at four cities in Finland, two in Estonia, and in St. Petersburg, Russia.
length, clarity, and style.
)
AI¿GSBLJRG Now
Augsburg Now is published
quarterþ by Augsburg College,
Vol. 64, No.4
Summer 2002
22I1 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55454.
Betsey Norgard
Features
Editor
Lynn Mena
Assistant Editor
Kathy Rumpza
Graphic Designer
Jess¡ca Brown
6
11
Bridging East and West:
A music teaching career
Shaped by the faith
and values of the
Christian church ...'
by Betsey Norgard
Class Notes Coordinator
' ...
Stephen Geffre
Contributing Photographer
William V. Frame
President
7
Making Augsburg
accessible: The legacy of
three professors
Dan Jorgensen
Director of Public Relations and
Communication
16
weekend College
16
cn¡t"nges, rewards,
and an A for my daughter
by Sue Kneen
by Betsey Norgard
18
Opinions expressed in Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
nringing their experience
to class
official College policy.
by Joan Thompson
ISSN 1058-t545
ffi
Postmaster: Send conespondence,
name changes, and address
corrections to Augsburg N ow,
Office of Public Relations and
Communication, 221 I Riverside
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454.
þ'q*
athletic andlor school
ailministere il p ro gr ams, e xcept
in those instances where rcligion
is a bona Jide occupational
qualif icøtion. Au gsbur g C olle ge
is committed to provüling
r e as onable acc ommo dations to
its employees and its students.
www.augsburg.edu
f4
S".orrd Annual International
Photo Contest
21
Commencement 2oo2
,-.,^
Fax:612-330-1780
Augsburg College, as aJfirmeil
stgn language interpreter
makes the grade
by Deanna Constans
wÐ
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-I l8I
in its mission, does not
iliscriminate oi the basis ol race,
c'olor, creeil, religion, national or
ethnic origin, age, getder, sexual
orientation, marital status, status
with regard to public assista:nce,
or disability in its education
p olici e s, admissions p olicie s,
s cholar ship anil lo an pr o gr ams,
20
Departments
t?
2
4
25
26
32
inside
back
cover
Around the Quad
¡
9
*l
r
n
Sports
Alumni News
u
Class Notes
Auggie Thoughts
Homecoming Preview
On the cover:
Augsbur g f aculty, lining
b o th si d e s
street,honor and cheer on
the graduates as they process to the
oJ the
Commencement ceremony. Photo
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-consumer waste)
by Stephen" GeJfre.
l
I - O
I o
Mary Laurel True is honored for commitment
to service-learning
È
¡
a
tt
O
!
M :üiJ:il *î:.ï:ïi::: *::i:'
and Learning and director of the
Community Service-Learning Program
was honored by Minnesota Campus
Compact in April as a 2002 recipient of
the Sister Pat Kowalski Leadership Award.
The award is given io honor her
commitment to building communitycampus partnerships locusing on servicelearning and civic engagement, and for
success in creating the institutional
change to build them.
Augsburg's Community Service-
Learning Program, embedding service
experiences into the curriculum, serves
a national model. Activities include
as
courses with service-learn i ng
components; a city service projects day
for all freshmen; tutoring children and
adults in schools, literacy centers, and
neighborhood organizations ; community
service scholarships, an annual
O
community servlce week;
and a student-run program
that organizes events on
ca1Ìlpus for neÌghborhood
children and projects for
s.
students. (See story in
Augsburg Now, summer
2001 issue, or online at
<www. au gsburg. edu/now>).
Minnesota Campus
Compact is a coalÌtion of
50 colleges and university
presidents committed to
strategic partnerships that
Mary Laurel True, director of community-service learning,
strengthen communities
holds up lhe Augsburg /llow, summer 2001 issue, that
and education for
contained an article on Augsburg's program. She was
informed and active
recently honored as a 2002 recipient of the Sister Pat
Kowalski award,
citizenship.
This award is named
for Pat Kowalski, O.S.M., who served as
years and is co-sponsored by the
director of community partnerships at the
Minnesota Private College Council,
University of St. Thomas from 1992 until
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities,
her death in 1999. lt is given every two
and the University o[ Minnesota.
Physician ass¡stant students win national writing
COmpgtitiOn Aussburs News service
I
aura Carìson, Larry Nilsson, and Paul
LTala.ico, stuáents ín the Physician
Assistant Program, co-authored the
winning paper in the J. Peter Nyquist
Student Writing Competition, a national
student physician assislanl, competiLion.
The paper titled "Polypharmacy: A
Prominent Yet Preventable Geriatric
Problem," began as a collaborative writing
assignment for a class, and after a little
"tweaking" the students submitted it to the
national coniest where it received first
place among the nearly 70 submissions
from across the nation.
The paper discussed how
poþharmacy, the use of many
medications, is a problem in geriatric
medicine. They also sited examples in
which adverse effects have resulted from
2
,4UGSBURG NOW
using too many medicines.
The purpose of the paper
was to increase awareness
of the importance to reevaluate a patient's profile
before prescribing more
medication.
"ltb nice when one's
hard work is recognized,
and fun to collaborate on
a paper
with
fl t
a
M
m
s.
hs'
FI
æ¡
E
classmates,"
Talarico said. "lt is even
more rewarding to be
recognized for our team
effort. l'm proud to
represent Augsburg College
and its PA Program."
(L to R) Larry Nilsson, Paul Talarico, and Laura Carlson won
the top award in a national student physician assistant
writing competition with a paper discussing use of
multiple medications for older people.
The students received cash prlzes and
funding to attend the American Academy
of Physician Assistants semiannual meeting
in Boston in
May, where they presented
their winning research project. Al1 three
students
will graduate in August.
Summer 2002
I
Augsburg Fund tops 5I50,OOO
record goal
ooi:.rìns
Aili:i:îï:äliJ'
DIALING
Fund
Augsburg Fund
gifts for the year
ending on May 31
came to $801,341, a
33 percent increase
2002 PA o[ the Year, at their spring
conference. The academy cited Ludwig for
her accomplishments in building
Augsburg's PA Program, for her continued
clinical practice, for her volunteer efforts in
church and communit¡ and for the balance
she is able to maintain with family life.
Augsburg's PA Program is graduating
degree.
gave nearly half of
these gifts, increasing
Nursing program accredited
their percentage of
participation over last
year's 15 percent.
Part of this year's
EIIa Howell (left), assistant director of The Augsburg Fund, and
growth can be
Donna McLean (right), d¡rectoí give a thumbs up to the
Phonathon successes and donor support that raised the annual
attributed to the
fund to record levels this fiscal year.
success of the new
Maroon 6¡ Silver
"It is difficult to fully express our
Society donors who pledge a four-year
gratitude
to the thousands of people who
commitment at a leadership levei.
participated
Ìn The Augsburg Fund this
Approximately $350,000 has been given
Achieving
year.
this goal during such a
by the 150 charter members. Also to be
for
difficult
year
our nation shows the
credited is the student Phonathon team,
strong
commitment
so many people have
who raised $134,000 in gifts and
to
Augsburg
and
its
mission," said John
matching gifts.
Knight, director of development.
Student harpist Emily Gerard
rece¡ves Hognander Award
lmily Gerard,
Lof Esko,
Minn., Ìs the
2002-03
recipient of the
Hognander
Award, the
College's most
prestigious
music award.
Gerard, a junior
majoring in
2OO2
o
its sixth class in August. All five classes to
date have achieved a 100 percent pass rate
on the national certification exam. In fall
2001, the PA Program became a graduate
program leading to a master of science
over last year. Alumni
Summer
Dawn Ludwig is PA of the Year
Physician Assistant Program director Dawn
Ludwig was honored by the Minnesota
Academy o[ Physician Assistants as the
s.
$750,000 goal for
fiscal year 2002-the
hÌghest goal ever set
for The Augsburg
Emily Gerard '03
Nn¡Etlilolr-Ililt
music, studies
harp with Minnesota Orchestra principal
harpist Kathy Kienzle and plays in the
Augsburg Concert Band.
The Orville C. and Gertrude O.
Hognander Family Fund was established
to recognize exceptional music
performance and achievement. The
scholarship is based on merit, specifically
to provicle encouragement to outstanding
music students. Requirements include a
résumé, essay, and an audition of two
musical selections.
Augsburg's Master o[ Arts in Nursing
Program had received initial accreditation
by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education (CCNE). A site visit was made
in November 2001, with final
accreditation granted in May.
Fourth Fulbright group grant received
Augsburg received $55,000 fo¡ a
Fulbright-Hays Group Projects Abroad
Program for 12 faculty members to study
at the Center for Global Education's
Namibia site, July I to August 5.
"The purpose of this study trip is to
creâte a core of people lon campusl who
will have a common African experience to
heighten u*ur.r,ess of African issues on
campus," said Professor Bruce
Reichenbach, project coordinator.
While in Africa, the team will study
cultural issues, visit urban and rural
centers, and meet with people and leaders
in all segments of society
Augsburg joins
The Princeton Review
Augsburg has been chosen for inclusion in
The Pnnceton Revíew\ best colleges
publication and Web site. Especially
popular among high school students,
these guides include a "Students Say"
section that comments on all aspects o[
campus life.
Student comments about Augsburg
will be compiled f¡om a survey ¡hat The
Princeton R¿vi¿w encourages students to
complete, which includes academics,
campus life, and the student body.
,Aucsnunc
¡¡ow
3
2O0f -O2 Athletic year in revievlr
All-MIAC honors; three All-MiAC
second-team honors; I7 AII-MIAC
honorable mention team honors; three AllRegion honors; and an All-Region
honorable mention highlighted Auggie
athletÌcs this year.
lifteen
I
o,Donsroner
stands at 53-58 in his 1l-season career. The
53 wins are the second-most ever for an
Augsburg coach, only Edor Nelson's 58 wins
are grealer.
s
a
Ë
ts
Senior Matt Chappuis eamed the Stam
Award, given to the outstanding lineman in
the MIAC on a vote of conference coaches.
Wrestling
Augsburg won its third straight NCAA
Division III national championship and
eighth in the last L2 years, both NCAA
Division III records.
Under head coach Jeff Swenson, the
Auggies finished wirh a 16-0 dual-meer
record, extending its consecutive match
winning streak to 24.The Auggies won the
Division
lll
Volleyball
Augsburg's volleyball team continued to
improve despite a schedule that included
eight matches against teams invited to the
2000 or 2001 NCAA Division III national
playoffs. The team, whÌch had only two
seniors, finished 12-tB overali and 4-7 in
MIAC play
national tournament by six
poi.nts over Upper lowa and Wartburg.
Men's soccer
Augsburg has had 7l NWCA Scholar
All-Americans since 1983. In the five seasons
the National Wrestling Coaches Associatlon
Augsburg's men's soccer team continued [o
show improvement under third-year head
coach Mike Navarre. The Auggies finished
with a 5-11-1 overall record, matching last
has sponsored a DMsÌon III academic
national team championship, the Auggies
have finished in the top four every year.
year's
win total. All but four of the team's 26
goals were scored
Chrissy Baune crosses the finish line during
an Augsburg track and field meet.
Men's/Women's track and field
Senior Chrissy Baune earned a berth in the
NCAA Division III national championships
by freshmen or
sophomores.
for the first time in her career, qualifying
Men's hockey
Augsburg finished third in the M[AC, with a
l0-5-l mark (14-9-3 overall). More than half
of this year's team \Mere freshmen or
sophomores, with just eight seniors.
alter winning the MIAC title in the
women's 3,000-meter steeplechase.
Augsburg's men finished ninth and the
women llth in the MIAC.
Men's golf
Women's hockey
Augsburg finished one point sþ of
qualifying for the postseason playoffs, with a
9-13-2 overall record (8-9-1 MIAC).
Augsburg won seven of its final 12 games
with more than half of the team either
freshmen or sophomores.
Freshman Lauren Chezick was named
to the MIAC All-Rookie Tèam.
Matt Chappuis (right) is about to sack the
St, Olaf quarterback during an Augsburg win.
Men's/Women's cross country
Augsburg's men's squad recorded its best
finish ever in the NCAA Division
Football
Augsburg's football team finished the 2001
campaign with a 4-5 mark in the rugged
MIAC, which sent t\Mo teams to the NCAA
Division III national playoffs.
Head coach Jack Osberg earned his
50th career coaching victor¡ and now
4
,+UGSBURG
Now
lil
Central
Regional, placing l2th in the 22-team event.
All six runners placed in the top 106 in the
154-runner race. Augsburg's women's squad
recorded its best finish since 1996 with a
16th-place finish in the 22-team meer.
In the MIAC meet, the men placed
seventh while the Auggre women were lOth.
Augsburg finished the fall half of the men's
golf season with a fourth-place finish at
the very competitive MIAC championships, continuing a string of finishing in
the top four in the league meet every year
since 1994.
Woment golf
With just four golfers in the fal1 and six in the
spring, Augsburg finished ninth as a tearlrr at
the MIAC championships, led by junior
JanellJohnson, who eamed Most Improved
GoÌfer from coaches in the Minnesota
Womenb Collegrate Golf Association.
For the most complete informatlon on
Augsburg Auggie athletics, visit
<www au gsburg. edu/athletics>.
Don Stoner is sports information coordinator.
Summer 2002
I
Nine students earn top athletic awards
Conference Honor
Roll honors three
times, Verizon
Academic All-District
honors twlce and
Verizon Academic All-
N;ï,::î:;:iî11:iin",äiïî::l"'
year, voted by coaches in Augsburg's men's
and women's athletic departrnents.
Four AuggÌes earned Honor Athlete
designation, the highest honor the College
gives its senior student-athletes-female
athlete Kristi Brusletto and male athletes
Tony Abbott, Brent Peroutka, and Kevin
Brent Peroutka
starter on the defensive
physics-A two-time
All-American in
wrestling, Rasmussen
education double
All-American in
wrestling, Abbott won
the NCAA Division lll
national championship
Tony Abbott
at 165 pounds this
season, after finishing fourth in 2001. He
won MIAC Ìndividual titles twice and was
a part of three consecutive national
championship teams. With a 3.309 GPA,
he earned NWCA Scholar All-American
honors twi.ce.
Ifuisti Brusletto,
psychology-A four-
e
yeâr starter on defense
in women's hockey
with
a 3.2 GPA,
Brusletto earnecl Al1MIAC honors her
\:t
junior season and allKristi Brusletto
conference honorable
mentlon honors her senior year, and was a
part of hockcy terms that Iwice won
MIAC titles
Brent Peroutka, busÌness finance-A fouryear starter in the defenslve backfield in
football, Peroutka earned AÌI-MIAC
second-team honors his sophomore, junior,
and senior seasons. With a 3.780 GPA,
Peroutka earned MIAC Academic Al1-
and physical
education-A four-year
Earning Augsburg Senior Athlete of
the Year honors were male athletes Darin
Bertram, Matt Chappuis, and Nick Slack;
and female athletes Chrissy Baune and
major-A two-time
Matt Chappuis, health
200 1.
Rasmussen.
2OO1-02 Honor Athletes
Tony Abbott,
communication and
winnÌng the national trtle his junror year.
He was one of 10 wrestlers ever to win four
MIAC individual championships.
American honors in
Kevin Rasmussen,
Rachael Ekholm.
placed fifth in the
nation at 197 pounds
this season, after
linishing sixth
Kevin Rasmussen
nationaliy the year
before. He won the MIAC title his senior
season. With a 3.526 GPA, he earned
MIAC Academic All-Conference Honor
Roll honors twice and NWCA Scholar AllAmerican honors twice.
2OO1-02 Senior Athletes
line in football,
Chappuis earned AllMIAC honors three
times, eaming secondMatt Chappuis
team honors his
sophomore year and first-team honors his
junior and senior seasons. ln 2001, he
earned Football Gazette All-Region first-team
honors, and was voted by MIAC coaches as
winner of the Mike Stam Award, given to the
or-rtstanding lineman in the M[AC.
Rachael Ekholm,
physical education-A
four-year starter in
softbali and three-year
of the Year
Chrissy Baune,
business
management-A
leader on the Auggie
track and field and
cross country teams,
Baune earned All-
MIAC honors 16
times in her career,
three times in cross country and 13 times
in track. She qualified for the NCAA
Division III track and fleld national
championships in the women's 3,000Chrissy Baune
letterwinner in
basketball, Ekholm
was a significant part
of the record books in
Rachael Ekholm
both sports. Ekholm
holds school records for career and singleseason strikeouts, and she hold most of the
power-hitting school records. In basketball,
she holds the single-game and singleseason records for three-pointers. In her
sophomore and senior seasons she earned
All-Region honors.
Nick Slack,
marketing-One of the
meter steeplechase.
top upperweight
wrestlers in school
history, Slack earned
All-American honors
three times in his
Darin Bertram, health
and physical
I
t)
byDonstoner
education-One of the
most dominant
llghtweight wrestlers
in school history
Bertram earned A1lAmerÌcan honors three
Dar¡n Bertram
times in his career,
finishrng second in the NCAA Division III
national championships ar, I25 pounds his
lreshman and sophomore seasons and
Nick SIack
career, finishing
second in the NCAA
lli national champlonships aL I74
pounds his junior and senior seasons, while
winning the national title with a 3l-0 record
in 2000. He was one of 10 wrestlers ever to
win four MIAC lndividual championships.
Division
Don Stoner is sports information coordinator.
Sunrmer 2002
,4ucssunc
f{ow
5
mffiXffiffiKruffi
ffiA$f altd kVK$T: Å mltl$;t T,nAtl{lÍ,{ffi ffiÅnnfm
by Betsey Norgard
Robert Karlén's 43 years at Ar-rgsburg
inclucle teaching and research spanning
the globe lrom Scandlnavia to Greece ancl
Tùrkey and China. As he retires from the
College, he leaves a legacy that includes
close conneclions to a Chinese
conservatory of music and its faculty, an
archive of original music from
Scandinavia, and influences from these
experiences that impacted the education of
many, many music students he has taLlght.
Over a decade's time, Karlén taught
four semesters at the Sichuan Conservatory
of Music in Chengdu, China, initiated by
an invitation from the United Board of
Christlan Higher Education in Asia. What
he lound there was a dearth of Western
music-resulting from the purges of Mao's
collect scorcs, and lcarn,
Augsburg then became a
logical recipient of a r-rniqr-re
collection oI Scandinavian
music scores, recorclings, and
books that has recently been
È!
u
ù
caralogr"red in Lindell Library.
(See Augsburg Now, spring
2000 story.)
Karlén came to Augsburg
in 1959, initrally through a
commission for incidental
music for a play, Christ in the
Concrete City, directed by
theatre arts professor Ailene
Cole. He was attrâcted to
Augsburg by music chair
Leland Sateren, and chuckles
Cultural Revolution-and during his
in recalling the early days
teaching sojourns there was able to rewhen they sharecl an office and
ìntroduce music of the classics and his
between the two of them
own to the Chinese students.
tatrght almost all thc mLrsic
On one trip Karlén arranged for a vlsit
students. In lact, cnn-ent music
ofAugsburg Concert Band director Robert
department chair Bob Stacke,
Stacke to join Karlén as a guest concluctor.
as well as faculty members
This led to a yearlong residency at
Merilee Klemp, Peter
Augsburg by the conservatory's band
Hendrickson, Gabe Gabrielsen,
director. Sun Jin. Upon returning to
and Tiudl Anderson all studied
China, Sun started a non-milrtary
with Karlén cluring their
Robert Karlén's legacy at Augsburg includes music
community band in Chengdu.
student days at Augsburg.
influences from his teaching experiences in Europe and Asia.
Karlénb career at Augsburg has also
Karlén comments on the
Among his honors and commÌssions,
includecl exploration of Nordic music. As
openness for collaboration and
Karlén created a composition, For the Birds,
an American Scandinavian Foundation
experimentation as one of the most
basecl on the play by Aristophanes, for the
Felloq he spent a year visiting the five
rewarding aspects of his career hereopening concert of the Ordway Center for
Nordic countries to meet composers,
something not as possible at larger,
the Performing Arts
performance-based music
Karlén looks lorward to retirement as
programs where each faculty
a time to complete some unfinished
member is a specialist.
projects. One is a musical composition
An early pro¡ect brought
that was requested by the Havana Clarinet
Karlén and art professor Phil
Quintet, a grorlp whom he happened to
Augsburg honors and celebrates four
Thompson together for a
meet when they perlormed in China.
faculty and staff who retire in 2002:
series of six TV programs
Karlén would most enjoy a trip to Cuba
describing similarities in
for a premiere ol this composition.
visual arts and music. For
A scholarship honoring Robelt Karlén
another, Karlén collaborated
Vern Bloom, social work-37 years
was established by his friencls, family, and
with English professor John
alumni in recognition of his musical
Norman Holen, art-38 years
Mitchell on a unique short
nccomplishnrents and long service to
film where each frame was
Robert Karlén, music-43 years
Augsburg. I
hand-etched by Mitchell and
Don Warren, StepUP Program-24 years
for which Karlén created an
elecl ronic t¡ttsrc st ore.
6
,4UGSBURG NoW
Summer
2OO2
¡
r
[/lAl(
NG AUGSBIJRG ACCISSIBLI
TllE LEûACY OT TllREE PROFESSORS
by Betsey Norgard
Augsburg has long been recognized as a
leader in providing support for students
with physical disabilities.In 1971, before
federal legislation mandated access,
Augsburg began making its campus
accessible to everyone. By 1978, which was
the implementation deadline for Secrion 504
of the 1973 RehabiÌitation Act, Augsburg
aiready had more than a dozen physicallydisabled students living and studying on
campus, and had a college and community
task force on track with plans to make the
campus fully accessible by mid-1980.
Augsburg's programs are significant
because they began not solely as selvice
programs but as an aspect of "co-leaming."
In 1969 social work adjunct professor Cal
Appleby took his Crime and Community
class to visit Stillwater prison. Appleby then
Vern Bloom
suggested that the class meet there regularly
today-the combination of leaming and
and arranged to include not only Augsburg
students, but Stillwater inmates, and-to
satisfy the apprehensions of correctional
officials-prison guards. With this
succeeding, Appleby then took his
Introduction to Social Work class to meet at
Tievilla of Robbinsdale, a home for severely
physically-disabled adults.
In a paper written by Professor Vem
Bloom on the growth of programs like these
during the 1970s and'80s, Bloom quotes
Appleby, "lt was quite an experience for
everyone, including myself. We not only
studied social work principles and concepts
from books, we now had a rich
environment in which to leam from each
other. And we did!" This concept is the
heart and hallmark of Augsburg's education
experience.
Don Warren
Students from these diverse populations
then came to Augsburg and found a
welcoming community By the late 1990s,
Augsburg was aiready serving over 200
students with physical, learning, and
emotional disabilities.
The end of this academic year marks
the retirement of three longtime professors
and staff who played key roles in developing
these early programs and access for students
with few other educational opportunities,
especially students with physical disabilities.
These faculty members also led the way in
recognizing needs of other student
populations, including those with learning
disabilities and, most recently, students in
recovery from alcohol and drug abuse.
Norm Holen
Photos by Stephen Geffre
Summer
2OO2
4ucsnunc
ruow
7
V[|l[I
HLÜOU]:
F0lJ1ìl0ATl0il
ln I971, rvhen Augsbulg reccivecl
a srate
grånt to cìevelop the prison lealnir-rg
l)rograrll, social n,ork plolessol Vern Bkron-r
bccame cllrectol of Consen'ation o[ Humar-r
Rt'Sor il
cr': (CH R). t hc .:rrrI
pr rs ()l
lltltIt:rti(
ìlr
that ach-r"rir.ristelecl the prrtgraÌn. Soon its
classes expanclecl to inclucle other
populations u,ith little access to an
erlLrtnrrtrn -nrcrrrrll¡ ill Prlicrrts ilì statc
institutions, the elcletly., and resrcler"rts in
other state lacilities.
''The it-rtelesting thing is that every
place n'e \\¡ent," Bloom continues, "everyone
in charge-allnost all n,ith r.aryrng degrees
ol intensitl'-saÌcì that it n,ouldn't u'ork and
tl.rat the;, clicln't think tl-reir people 1i'onlcl l¡e
very,goocl students. Ancl it'uvasn't tn¡e.
Man;' u'e re just '"i onclerfi-rl stuclents."
CHR received no clirect lunds ftorn tl're
College, ancl its classes u,ere kept alive ìt1,
Augsbr-rrg students
u'ho held fi-u'rdraisers. ln
1973, registration fol the classes u'as
extenclecl to the ACTC schools (Hamline,
lvlacalester, St. Tl-ror-nas, St. Catirerine).
In 1975, Augsburg
teceivecl a granr
from the Minnesota Departmer.rt ol
Vocational Rehabilitation ro pror.icle oncamplls eclucatlon [or clisablecl students,
n-ran1' of lvhom \\¡ere ahead;' stud;'i1g q'Lth
Augsburg stuclents ar-rcl facult;r It r,i'as the
determination ol these stuclents lor a chance
at a college eciucation that helpecl u.in rhe
sLlpport of PresiclenL Oscar Anclerson ancl
the College communill,, Bloom recalls.
"lt u'as a goocl idea, but it createcl a
mess, because nobocll, kneu, u4rat to clcr
u,ith lthe stuclents] rvl.ren rhey gor here ."
The barriers \\¡ere nor only'pl.r1'sical; Bloor.n
relates hor,r, tl're stucler-rts organizecl
"Disability \\¡eel<" in lall 1975 u'irh u.rsenice trair-ring sessior-rs and the
encolrragenlent ol everl,gne to "aclopt" a
disabihq' lol a clayi "Tl.re message to us \\'as
clear. Lile is clifficult-bur clon'r rnake ir an1.
u'orse b;' ignoring or feeli.g so'1' for us,"
u,rites
8
Bloor.r.r.
,+UGSBURG NoW
The efforts in the 1970s of social work professor Vern Bloom and others helped Augsburg create
a barrier-free campus to welcome students with physical disabilities.
Another large obstacle for rhe disabled
students rvas lack ol afforclable
transportation to and fion] campus. Solution
to tl-ris problem câtre ir-r the petson ol
\Va¡rre 'lrlo" l\loldelrhalre¡'. a plisorr innrarc
uùo stucliecl in the initial classes ar
Stillwater Prison. Upor-r I'ris release, Bloom
hirecl him as a clriver, and cliscor,erecl a
tremendous commitment ancl energl' for
helping Augsburg build its prograrn. ln
197ó, Molclenhauer becarne the director ol
the Center lor Non-ti-aditional Students
(CENTS). an ACTC eonsortiunì prograln tL)
take over the sen'rces lor CHR, but not the
acadenric classes. B¡ rlris tirne.
75 percent ol disablecì srudents supported
b1, CENTS u'ere choosing to attend
Augsburg. The transportation program thar
N,loldenhaue¡ created sened as a training
r.r-roclel lor the Metlc.r N4obility prograrn later
tleri lopcrl b¡ ltlerro Tlansjr.
Bloom n'as also part ol the task lorce
establishecl b1' President Oscar Anderson ir-r
1976 rl'ith cormrr:nity ancl student leaders
to cleterr.nrne the feasibility, o[ campus
accessÌbilit)' to llersons r,i.iLh dÌsabilities. A
r.r.rajor funchaising eflorr u.ould be requirecl
[() tùtn(r\'('art llitcet rilnl l'rrr.l icrs on cltììpus.
ln 1977, with rhe help ol a film, Mahing
n Wny, proclucecl by English prolessor Jo}rn
Mitchell, Anderson recmlted several facult;,
and stafl r.nenbers, including Bloom, ¡o visit
Lutheran congregations lor fundraisrng. Tl"re
campaign r,r'orkecl, ancl or,er $750,000 rvas
raised lo help construct tunnels, rau-tps,
sk;r,r'a1,s, and oulfit the campr-rs lor clisabled
studer-its.
B),the time federal legislation requirecl
accessibillt;' at al1 instltutions, Ar-rgsburg ri as
aìread;, uncleru'ay with reno'ation. At that
time, there was not one pnr,ate college in
Minnesota that rvas barrier-hee. In 1979.
Augsburg created a special prograrn lor
sen-rng students u'ith clisabilities that took
over the role thar CHR had plal'ecl.
Ar,rgsburg coniinued to oller classes
ser,eral academic disciplines of[
ir-r
canpus-at
Trevilla, Shakopee rvomen's prison, ancl
Stillrvater. Bloom continued to teach in
correciional institutions; althor-rgh begir.rning
in the earll, 1980s, classes \\,ere restrictecl to
prison inr-nates ancl guards, excludir.rg
Arrgsburg stuclents rluc tr, sccu|lt)
consicleratior-rs.
To read Bloom's recollectior-rs about the
cleveloprnent ol Ar,rgsburgs progrâms, llo ro
<n'u.mangsbur g.eclu/nori'>.
Summer
2OO2
I
I
I
Ìln 1978, when he came to Augsburg to
interview for the half-time position of
academic enrichment director, Don
Warren was impressed that the campus
abeady had ramps for people with
physical disabilities. He was also
impressed with the welcoming atmosphere
he felt for diverse student populations on
campus.
A
year laler, a student
in the learning
center told Warren about his diagnosed
learning disabiliqr Warren realized a need
to understand this area and spent a
summer at Berkeley learning from experts
in the field and becoming immersed in the
literature and services for students.
"This is something that Augsburg by
law was required to do and yet we had no
specific services," Warren recalls
concluding. Nor did any other college in
the Midwest at that time.
His proposal to the College
administration for a program to serve
these students was accepted, and the
Office for Disabled Students (ODS) was
born, initially serving three students,
which Warren directed along with the
learning center and tutor center. At that
time, he also proposed that ODS take over
ihe services at Augsburg that had been
provided by CENTS, the ACTC program.
By 1984, \¡/ith the rapid growth of
these programs, Warren returned to
College administrators, requesting the
hiring of a learning disabilities specialist.
In 1989, the program was renamed
the Center for Learning and Adaptive
Student Services (Cf.{SS Program), and by
1990 it served 9I students with leaming
disabilities and 29 with physical
disabilities. Helping to firm the program's
foundation was an endowment received in
1988 from the Groves family to purchase
adaptive technology for leaming
disabilities.
The CLASS Program continued its
Summer 2002
Under Don Warren's leadership, Augsburg programs have grown for students with learning and
physical disabilities and students in recovery from chemical abuse.
growth to a population in 1999 of 125
learning-disabled students, 45 physicallydisabled students, and29 students with
psychiatric disabilities
In 1997, however, Warren was faced
with another challenge. One of his students
told him that it was tough at Augsburg for
students in recovery. Warren understood
that recovery for this student meant
recovery from alcohol and other drug
abuse and realized that a support program
was needed on campus for these students.
Again, Warren proposed to the
administration-this time to academic dean
Marie McNeff and associate dean Earl
Alton-an innovative plan to support the
academic success of students in recovery
from substance abuse. Both McNeff and
Alton were immediately supportive, and
the StepUP Program was created. Two floor
houses in Anderson Hall became a sober
home for 23 students. By living together,
by signing a contract to remain sober and
to advance toward a degree, and by
attending weekly meetings with Warren,
the program achi.eved a relapse rate of only
eight percent, as compared to the national
rate of 82 percent.
After three years, Warren chose to
leave the academic enrichment program,
including CLASS, to direct the StepUP
Program full time, then having grown to
45 students.
Recently completing its fifth year,
StepUP has served 152 students in
recovery and is the only program of its
kind in the country that focuses on
traditional-age college students. StepUP
students have consistently earned a 3.1
grade point average; in its five years, the
program has maintained an average relapse
rate of 15 percent.
In May, Warren was presented with a
certificate of "Special Congressional
Recognition" signed by U.S. Rep. Jim
Ramstad for pioneering work in this area.
Warren plans to remain connected to
StepUP by serving on the StepUP Advisory
Board and working with the StepUP staff
as leaders in a nationwide effort to create a
national association of recovery programs
in high schools and colleges.
4ucssuRc
f{ow 9
ln
1976, an professor Norm Holen was
asked by someone from the registrarb office if
he would be willing to work with a
physically-dÌsabled student in one of his art
classes. "As I started to walk away" recounts
Holen, "this staff person said, 'I should just
menrion that he can only move his left foot.' "
Holen decided to make a tool for
sculpture that would fit between the
student's first two toes, trying it out first on
hls own foot. From there, Holen evoived the
concept to a kind of wooden sandal, using
old belts for straps. The student adapted
well to ìt, and Holen further outfitted the
"shoe" with changeable tools and a gummed
sole to prevent slippage.
"Sculpture was ideal, because if you did
anything other than clay, you needed two
hands," explains Holen. "If you did pottery
you'd have to do the inside. So sculpture
was a natural, because you only needed to
do the outside."
Holen's next challenge was with
students who couldn't iift their arms. He
developed a canvas bag with sand as a
counterbalance, eliminating the need for
strength to lift.
"[The student] said that he really
enjoyed being in class, because for the first
time he could lift his arm. And it was fun,
enjoyable, something we take for granted.
But it was something he could now do,"
recalls Holen.
For one student, Holen's tool was too
efficient. The student had regained strength
through rehab and wanted to push his
capacity, so Holen created a lighter tool that
didn't need a counterbalance. Not being able
to find anything thin enough, Holen had to
laminate his own wood, about 3/16 inch
thick, weighing only l0 oz. when finished.
While each of the splints he made took
as long as some of his sculptures, Holen
never charged students or the College for
his work. "All I did was to solve the
1o
,4ucs¡unc ruow
problem so that they had the tools
to work with. I jusr wanred ro
make it more consistent, for them
to have lhe same opportunities as
I
I
everyone else."
Holen also created a headpiece
for a student who was very
immobiie, who had only head
movement and used a breathing
apparatus. He designed an
adjustable head splint with Velcro
and canvas straps for tools that
would eliminate the need to hold
tools in the mouth-making it
easier on the jaws and teeth, and
permitting the student to talk
during class.
Holen has kept in touch over
the years with a number of his
students with disabilities. He still
talks weekly withJon Leverenu, a
student who suffered brain damage
in a car accident. Leverentz needed
help opening the caps of his paint
tubes, and Holen made a ribbed
receptacle that allowed the cap to
d
be held while the tube tumed.
Norm Holen's hand-made devices have made art possible
In 1990, Holen received the
for students with disabilities.
Govemor's Award on Têchnolory to
Assist Individuals with Disabilities.
When asked about his life work, Holen
In 1995, Holen was honored with an
reports at least 2l one-person shows, 92
Alumni Achievement Award by his alma
group shows, and I 16 competitive
mater, Concordia College-Moorhead.
exhibitions, including a group show at the
Holen's legacy to Augsburg, however,
National Gallery of Art. He says he now
far exceeds his innovative tools. A number
concentrates on national or intemational
of his sculptures in clay, welded steel, and
shows. His achievement includes 16
part of the community and
cast bronze
^re"Buming
national and two intemational awards.
Bush" in front of
campus-the
Holen intends to enjoy his retirement
Christensen Center to honor Bemhard
time working on his own prqects full time.
Christensen, the Augsburg Seminary seal on
The tools and splints he made will still be
the brick wall next to the entrance to
available to students who may need them.
Hoversten Chapel, the Hoversten Chapel
Holen and his wife, Ilene, have established
cross and the bas relief in Sverdrup Hall
an endowed scholarship in his name to
called "The Promulgation of Leaming and
support art and art history students at
Culture."
Augsburg. I
Summer 2002
r
Shaped by th
OF THE
h and values
TIAN CHURCH
I
aaa
EDITOR/S NOTE:
From time to time questions are asked about how the above
portion of Augsburg's mission statement is lived out in daily
life on campus-in the education students receive, in lhe
faculty and staff who teach, in daily engagement with the
community Questions are asked about the nature of Augsburg
as a Christian coliege and as a college of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, especiaily as it relates to a
commitment to intentional diversity.
AugsburgNow invites discussion in this area to form the
basis of occasional articles about the College's mission, its
founding tenets, and the legacy of its alumni, facult¡ and staff
of 133 years.
We begin with questions posed in a recenr letrer, followed
by excerpts from comments made on campus this spring that
speak to the issues raised.
DEAR ED¡TOR,
"I felt led to wrÍte you after taking the time to read the
Spring 2002 edition of your publicatlon. ... My husband
and I have been working as youth leaders since September
I97B at Grace Baptist Church and have numerous
experÌences watching souls come to knowJesus.
Throughout your publication, I see very little mention of
Jesus. Is Augsburg still a ChrÌstian school? I see a pastor's
name mentioned from time to time and Juliana Martinez
briefly mentioned Jesus who started her out to be a 'leader,'
but even she did not give Him continuing credit for where
she is. Has Augsburg changed to be a diversified school,
separated from the Christian faith?
"I need to know where you stand, as I need to know
how to pray for all of you, and what to tell others who are
looking for a Christian college."
-LuAnn
(Ludewig) Lindquist'78
FROM AUGSBURG 2004: EXTENDING THE VISION
"Augsburg is the only ELCA college to be located in the center
of an urban area. As part of its life in urban socÌet¡ as well as
because of its Christian traditions, Augsburg remalns
committed to intentional diversity among its students, staff,
and faculty. Augsburg's commitment to diversity is a function
not only of the gospel, but also of Luther's notion of vocation.
Because God's love extends to all, those who would be faithful
Summer
2OO2
to the gospel cannot preserve non-essential disLinctions
between person, and in fact are called to extend special
attention to those pushed to the fringes of society. Further, an
institution that takes seriously the future of Ìts students cannot
avoid preparing those students ro work in the diverse
communities that make up the modern world."
.Aucssunc
Now
11
EXCERPTS FROM REMARKS BY REV. MARK S.
a
a
HANSON '68,
s.
PRES|DTNG BTSHOB EICA
AT THE COMMENCEMENT LUNCHEON
r^
AND CEREMONY-MAY 19,2002
"As presiding bishop, I'm deeply committed to the vocation of this church to be a church in
higher education, and as I look at the 28 colleges of this church, Augsburg stands unique, not
only in its location, but in its vocation-of preparing people to live in a diverse world, grounded
in the faith, but as global citizens.
"lt was in this hall when we'd gather for chapel that I remember as a first-year student
hearing Oscar Anderson, our president, cry out for the Holy Spirit to stir up within each of us
that faith which so many of us had been benefited by planting in our hearts from parents and
grandparents, so it mlght be for us a iiving faith ... Augsburg College, where reason and faith are
held in lively tension, where we are sent into the world with a passion for building communlties
of justice and mercy"
REMARKS By pHrUp QUANBECK
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson'68
il, ASSTSTANT PROFESSOR OF REilGION
ATTHE lOOTH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OFTHE BIRTH OF AUGSBURG PRESIDENT EMERITUS BERNHARD
CHR|STENSEN-APR|t 1 6, 2OO2
o
o
s.
"I've been asked to
describe how the
legacy of Bernhard
Christensen
continues toda)¿
Let me address
hs'
how Christian faith
remains
Prof. Philip Quanbeck ll
a
distinctive and
essentiai part of
Augsburg's mission.
This is the Christensen legacy
"During Christensen's tenure
as
president of the seminary and the College,
the collegiate division became a true liberal
arts college. Christensen built programs in
arts, music, sciences, and humanities. He
did that by identifpng people whom he
wanted to be teachers in those programs.
In religion he found people who were then
fresh out of graduate schools, such as John
Stensvaag, Paul Sonnack, and Philip
Quanbeck, to name only a few. These, like
others, would become fondly remembered
by students and, dare I say, legends. In
matters of Bible and theologr, Christensen
brought in the challenges of modern
historical and critical approaches. At the
same time there was a concern for teaching
the faith.
"Augsburg is still a college with a
Christian mlssion. In the tradition of
Bernhard Christensen, we continue Lo
combine the scholaf and critlcal
12
4UCS¡UnC ruOW
approaches to Bible and theologr with a
concern for an encounter with Christian
faith. Every student at Augsburg is required
to take three religion courses. This threecourse requirement includes a course in
Bible, a course in Christian theology, and a
third course which may be in world
religions, ethics, philosophy of religion, or
an additional course in Bible or theologr
Many students exceed this minimum and
go on to take five courses for a minor.
"The ful1-time faculty who teach in our
religion department are all people of faith.
As academics, certainly, we have been
trained to be able to step outside of our
tradition and look critically at it. On the
other hand, we are not dispassionate
observers simply interested in historical
curiosity No, we are people concerned with
the claims the gospel makes on individuals
and the world. This constant engagement of
faith and learning or faith and reason, as
President Frame likes to say, is at the core
of our mission as a department and our
mission as a college.
"A Lutheran college like Augsburg has
a unique role in the life and mission of the
church. A college classroom is not, nor
should it be, Sunday School or
confi.rmation. lt is a place of open and free
inquiry There is, however, a providential
irony We have the opportunity in our
classrooms and on this campus to meet,
teach, and engage students and others who
may be unlikely to enter a church. We have
the opportunì,ty to teach some who have
little or no knowledge of the Christian
tradition. The Christensen tradition, and
the Augsburg tradition, have always
emphasized freedom over compulsion, This
college provides a place where students can
encounter the Christian faith and its claims
in an atmosphere of freedom. I hope the
wider church and its congregations
appreciate the importance of a place like
Augsburg and how the church's mission is
served here.
"Augsburg is among an ever-decreasing
number of colleges that still has daily
chapel. It is significant that the College
continues to devote space in the dally
schedule as a testimony to its commitment.
"We're willing to take big risks here,
but they're the risks the church needs to
take in order to speak and teach the gospel
message. We risk asking difficult questions
with no simple answers. We risk finding
new ways to translate the Christian message
into contemporarylanguage. We walk the
difficult line between the partlcularity of the
gospel and the necessity to adapt to the
needs of diversity in modern society Those
are the kinds of intellectual and faith risks
that were Bernhard Christensen's legacy to
this school. His willingness Lo venture inlo
new territory however, also refLected a deep
confidence that the gospel would survive
the test."
Summer 2002
-l
EXCERPTS FROM "PENTECOST'S CTEAR CALL TO pOLypHONy"
BY WILUAM V. FRAME, pREStDENI AUGSBURc COLLECE
THE BACCALAUREATE SERMON_MAY
"[On Pentecost] , at the very momenr in
which the disciples are empowered to
proclaim rhe gospel to all people
regardless of natÌonal origin or religious
tradition, Peter turns back ro [oe1] calling
his people to repentance in advance of the
Judgement Day And the sharpest point of
the irony lies in the line wirh which Joel
ends his panegyric on rhe Lasr Day: 'And
those who call upon the name of the Lord
will be saved.'
"What of the others? Why doesn't
Peter ask this obvious question? Today we
naturally ask about 'the others'-the ones
who don't, or don't yet 'call upon rhe
name of the Lord.' Perhaps we're better
instructed now than Peter was then. He
and his successors have since published
the gospel, and we've heard its central
message-that we love one another and
our nerghbors as ourselves. Those
neighbors surely weren't expected to be
Christian, were they, nor even and
exclusively of the three great traditions
borne of the sons of Abraham?
"But the largest reason for the
difference between Peter and us concerns
our experience with diversit;r We've been
trying for some time to create here, on this
campus, both a distrnctive Lutheran,
Christian community that is thereforenot 'also' or 'by the way,' but thereforewarmly hospitable to a wide array of
.diversit;r We have mr-rch yet to achieve in
this effort, but Peter and his colleagues
have been preparing for therr foray into a
cliverse world frorn a relatlvely
homogenous cultural confine. They
haven't yet faced, to the degree we have,
the Ìmmense challenge of managing the
tension between community and diversit¡
betrveen unity and plurallty, between the
one and the many
"Apparently, they don't sense (as we
certainly do) that Joel's exclusivityespecially as an original qualifier of those
to whom they pr-rblish the gospel-wou1d
compromise their work in the world
beyond Galilee or our work either in this
College or in vocation in the worlcl
Summer
2OO2
1
s, 2002
beyond this College. After all, we have
invited a fair number of folk who do not
'call upon the name of the Lord' to join
our learning community and to bring their
various religions and cultures with them.
"A community is more than a
mutually advantageous'deal' among
privately-interested individuals formed
into parties. But what is this 'more than,'
thìs unifying thing? Here ls
a question of central
importance on which we
might make a fair trade
with the gospel: While we
rneans of our exchanges, toward called
lives of service that can be lived out,
¡oyously, in a world more surprised by
these virtues than welcoming of them?
"Diversity and communiry are easy;
diverse community is real hard, but trying
lt
offers the best life possible."
For the full text, see <www.augsburg.
edu/commencement2OO2>. I
o
ù
Ê
may have news for Peter
and the disciples on
diversity-and I don't
thinl< that's an impious
claim-they surely have
news for us on lhe
constituting elements of the
ChrÌstian communÌt;r The
12th chapter oI Paul's First
Letter to the Corinthians
contains a brilliant
exposition, '... the body is
one and has many
members,'he says, 'and
all the members of the body, though man¡
President William V. Frame,
Baccalaureate service 2002
are one body'
"This theme that creates the
polyphony among the parts, on the one
hand, and between each part and ¡he
whole identifies eight very carefully chosen
talents or human capabilities. They are:
the utterance of wisdom and knowledge,
healing and the working of miracles,
prophecy and the discernment of spirits,
the lÌstening and rherorical capacitles that
enable us to understand and be
understood, and faith.
"Are not these nine the very talents
that rnake for communal life, that weave a
dlsparate batch of people rhrough their
very vocations into that peculiar ne[work
of relationships and hope that warrants the
name'community'? Have we not used the
wonderful opportunity of our time
together here to bring these to greater life
in each other-and to draw us each, by
,4ucsnunc ruow t3
ver 100 entries were submitted in the
second annual Photo contest for
international and off-campus studies.
Winners were selected in three categories:
scenic landscapes, local people in a cross-
cultural setting, and Augsburg students in
a
host setting. All winning photos were displayed
in Christensen Center.
To see all the winners, visil"
<www augsburg. edu/internationay
photocontest02>.
Top right: Scenic
landscapes. First place.
"Gondola on the
Canal Grande," Becky
Perrotti '03. Venice,
Italy, January 2002.
Bottom left: Scenic
landscapes. Third
place. "The Church
and Social Change,"
Adam Nugent'04.
Tepotzlán, Mexico,
January 2002.
Bottom right:
Augsburg students in
a cross-cultural
setting. Second place.
"Scottish Kiss," Kristi
Eisenreich '02.
Scotland, spring 2001
14
,AUCS¡URC ruOW
summer 2002
)
a.t-.
r
:l
{lr
{
T
:' .,Ðt4
'ü.'
,¡
i:;
Top left: Augsburg students in
a
"New Friendship," Ariann Russ '04.
-
Pattaya, Thailand, January 2002.
Top right: Local people in a crosscultural setting. First place. "Man in
Marketplace," Solveig Grafstrom'02
Bergen, Norway, June 1999.
ttrt
*
ffi
Í
Summer 2002
.4ucseuRc
r{ow ts
wï","ff*"_:
,!
b
BALANCING LIFE AND LEARNING
r^
U
s
At 4 p.m. on Fridays, class activities
ì
wind down on most campuses. But
t,
at Augsburg, a shift occurs, as
parking lots start filling with
Weel<end College students coming
for their 6 p.m. classes.
Students choose to spend every
other weekend on campus for
various reasons-completion of
a
degree or teaching licensure, job
Sue Kneen began Weekend College four years ago and has found rewards for herself and her
family that far exceed the required course readings.
promotion, or personal interest. Most
have full-time jobs and families, so
the commitment is strong and the
motivation to succeed is high.
Faculty choose to teach in
Weekend College also for different
reasons, among them the joy of
teaching students who bring years of
life experience to class discussion.
16
.4ucsnunc now
f
I
I
remember my lirst night of class four
years ago as
il it were just
yesLerday.
Prolessor Kathy Swanson asked each
student to introduce him/herself and to
share a little something. At first chance I
said eagerly, "My name ls Sue Kneen. I
have four daughters, and i'm so happy to
be here, I could just cry" The guy from the
day program sitting directly in front of me
whipped his head around and looked at
me in utter disgust as his face implied,
"Are you for real?"
IniLially. Augsburg was attractive to me
because I iearned that WEC offers the
same degree as the tradìtional program;
the same material is covered, the same
work is expected of us, and we have the
same professors-the only difference is
our schedules. With the commirment
WEC requires of a non-traditÌonal
student, I wouldn't waste my lime on
anything less.
As I proceeded further into the
program, however, what became equally
attractive to me was the quality of
professors at Augsburg. Many
conversations with my WEC colleagues
seemed to end with the same conclusion:
the professors are great at what they doteach. Difficult material is brought down
to an undergraduate level and presented
in a manner that makes it both interesting
Summer
2OO2
I
Weekend College
MAJORS
and exciting to learn. It is quite something
how consistently this seems to happen
from class to class, and I am sr-rrprised at
the lengths most professors will go to help
I
,
us succeed.
I have been challenged in many ways
at Augsburg. Let me share with you just
two: I have learned through my religion
classes an unbiased understanding of other
religions. The Hindu and Buddhist faiths,
for example, have been intriguing to me,
but I had never quite received an unbiased
view previously; I hacl no idea of the depth
and beauty of these faiths. I look forward
the community sulrouncling Augsburg.
Dean Chris Kimball says it well in one of
his letters to students: "1 hope your
achievemenls will encourage yor-r to be of
service to others."
Attending WEC has been one of the
best decisions in my 1ife. Previousl¡ I had
not thought of myself as college material,
so success at Augsbllrg brìngs with it more
and more confidence. I wÌli be the first in
my family of origln to graduate from
college, and I know this is the beginning of
many good thrngs. And it seems most
WEC stuclents have their own stories.
"I
HAD NOT THOUGHT OF MYSELF AS COLLECE MATERIAI, SO
AUGSBURC BRINGS WITH IT MORE AND MORE CONFIDENCE."
I
l
!
to learnlng more about the Buddhist's
message of peace.
It is also okay to be a Chnstian at
Augsburg. Funny âs that may sound,
considering that our mission statement
reads, "... shaped by the faith and values ol
the Christian church ...," it seems Ìt is not
politically correct in many circles today to
admit one is a Christian I find the climate
at Augsburg to be tolerant ancl respectful,
where faith and rdeas are expressed and
shared openly
Secondl¡ my Augsburg education has
shattered the stereotype I had ol inner-city
lile from my grolvlng up in a little,
Caucasian, southern Wisconsin hometown
of 3,500. I dicln't know about the large
. class of people termed the "working
poor"-urban dwellers r.vhose harcl r.vork
lor minimum pay only ekes out a meager
existence. Life ls tough ancl Lltter poverty ls
usually one paycheck arvay for more
people than I l-Lad realized. I am proud that
Augsburg is committed to lhese urban
issues, both via dialogue in classrootn
scllings anrl lhrottgh îclive comnritlllcnl to
Summer 20O2
SUCCESS AT
Some are here for job advancement or a
pay increase, and that's line; but for many
of us, it's much more. As one colleague
whispered to me in class, "l come to class
feeling lÌke the most grateful student."
A thrilling benefit of attending
Augsburg is the example my college
experience gives to my daughters.
Discussion about college abounds in our
home; we are all in this together. Every
other weekend, their smiling little moon
faces peer through the front door and wave
rne off to school; and my six-year-old asks
me after each class, "Mom, did you get an
A toclay?" It ls true, as one prolessor told
me. thíìt one neccls e very sLrpportivc
lamily
ACCOUNTINC
Public accounting
Managerial accounting
BUSI N ESS ADMI N ISTRATION
Marketing
Management
Fi
nance
lnternational business
COMMUNICATION
COMPUTER SCIENCE
COMPUTATIONAL ECONOMICS
ECONOMICS
EDUCATION
Elementary and secondary
licensure
Emotional/behavioral
d isabilities
ENCLISH
HISTORY
MANAC EMENT
I
N
FORMATION
SYSTEMS
MARKETINC
NURSINC (BSN completion)
PSYCHOLOGY
RELICION
So, although I have now learned to
no longer wear my mom's heart on my
SOCIAL WORK
sleeve amidst academia, I still very much
STUDIO ART
just like I did that lirst night ol class
four years ago.
YOUTH AND FAMILY MINISTRY
feel
CERTIFICATE PROCRAMS IN
Suc l{nccn
Ls
aWcchutd Collcge stuclutL
mcrjortngin English.
I
:
nformation technology
Business management
Business finance
.Aucs¡unc
ruow
17
n8 n t)CI their
lr
Br
)
s I walk into O1cl Main 13 at
on a Saturday afiernoon, my
are already deep in
l:10
conversation on Toni Morrison's Beloved.
When I break into their discussion to start
class, the stndents immediately start to tell
me about their responses to the week's
reading. Their enthusiastic interest makes
the three-and-a half hours we will spend
together fly by When class meets every
other weekend, the hours always seem too
short for the lecture and discussion that
need to fit into the afternoon.
I have taught in Weekend College for
the past four years and find adult
returning students a joy to teach. My
sLuclents demonst rate strong molivation to
keep up with assignments and attend
class. Additionally, they bring their life
experience to the classroom, which serves
to enrlch discussion. In my Women and
Fiction class, which meets evenings and
has both day and Weekend College
students, the weekend students' voices add
a much-needed perspective to the
discussion. While most tradltional
students read about women's life stages
with the eyes of daughters, the weekend
students add the perspective of mothers
and sometimes grandmothers to the
classroom. Thelr voices enrich discussion
by helping the day students to undersrand
character motivation that may have
Ê
:J
O
È
E
ilt
Ë
E
É
il
Adult students also tend to teserve
judgment while reading, which allows
them to become fully engaged in the
characters they meet in fiction and the
/WHI[E MOST TRADITIONAL STUDENTS
READ ABOUT WOMEN'S tIFE STAGES
WITH THE
EYES
OT DAUGHTERS, THE WEEKEND STUDENTS ADD THE
PERSPECTIVE OF MOTHERS
TO THE CIASSROOM."
18
,4ucssuRc Now
ff
English professor Joan Thompson finds that many weekend students enroll in her literature
classes to fulfill requirements, but end up engaged in the class community and find an
unexpected enrichment from discussion of the readings.
arguments they encounter ln essays. Of
course weekend students come with as
wide an array of personal, political, and
religious beliefs as any group of students
does, but they also have encountered more
people with other beliefs ln both their
work and daily lives. Because of this,
weekend students generally acknowledge
the ways in which their own experience
has informed their ideas. Rather than
puzzled them initially.
F
AND SOMETIMES GRANDMOTHERS
offering peer comments that simply
disregard the position another student has
taken when writlng an essay, the weekend
student tends to write, "You have a
different opinion on this topic than I do.
You could make your point more
convinclng by considering
counterarguments." As I look at the
comments the students write for each
other, I always appreciate rhis willingness
to consider others' viewpoints.
Many Weekend College students take
literature classes for the purpose of
fullilling general education requirements.
Oftentimes students mention this as their
Summer 2002
7
What students say ab out
WEEKEN
LLECE:
C
primary reason for taking my class in the
letter I ask them to write on the first day
of class. Yet, despite signing up for the
class primarily to fill a requirement, these
students generally turn out to be as
motivated as the Enghsh majors in the
classroom. Most o{ the students take notes
and ask questions about American
transcendentalism or the elements of
fictÌon just as if they were majoring in
English instead of planning on furthering
their career at 3M, Medtronic, or American
Express. By the end of the course, I find
students writlng that they enjoyed reading
the fiction and plan on making more time
to read when they finish college. Others
write of a theme the course emphasized,
such as American pastoralism, and
mention that they will continue to look for
this theme when they read on their own.
My students' interest in learning about
other views of culture and acquiring
knowledge simply because it enriches
one's life adds to my enjoyment in
teaching Weekend College. As the
discussion of Beloved ends because we
have run out of time rather than running
out of topics [o explore, a student remarks
that the afternoon has been like going to a
book club. I know that the students are
walking away with new knowledge about
literary allusion, narrative technique, and
African American culture and hlstory My
student's remark also makes me realize
that they are leaving with a sense of a
'community built through engagemenl in
reading and studylng books. I
Joan Thompson is an assistant prot'essor ín the
English Department who teaches it't both the
day progrant andWeehend College.
"THE WEEKEND COLLECE
SCHEDULE is so flexible. You can
make up your own course schedule
based on what works for you and
your family, and pace yourself so you
can keep up with your school work."
Kundan '02, Minneapolis
-Jit
Public
Schools
"JOY AND I MET in one of our
Weekend College classes. After the
class was over, we kept in touch and
she became my good friend and
moral support. Earning a degree at
Weekend College has helped me in
so many ways-l'm much more
assertive and disciplined. Plus I
gained a lifelong friend in the
process."
Walterbach '00, Wells Fargo,
-Kathy
speaking about Joy Scheck'00,
Ceneral Mills
"I HAVE A VERY DEMANDINC
JOB
and a young child at home, so going
back to school presented a major
challenge. The support of my wife
and the tuition reimbursement
provided by ty company were
instrumental in making it possible for
me to get my degree."
Litteken'01, Reliant Energy
-Luke
Minnegasco
"THE AUCSBURG CURRICULUM
has been extremely important for my
business career and professional
advancement. lt gave me the
roundedness that I needed, and I use
what I learned just about every day."
-Janice
Aune 'BB, Onvoy
From the Weekend College publication, "Balancing Life and Learning."
To Iearn more about Weekend College, visit <www.augsburg.edu/wec>,
e-mail <wecinfo@augsburg.edu>, or call 612-330-1
Summer
2OO2
101
.
,.4ucs¡unc
ruow
19
a
S r8 n
an UA e
N TE
watcl-ring him grow
"Television is a brarn killer," says
MAKES THE GRADE
Devereaux, w1-ro doesn't spencl much ol her
tinre watcl-ring it. "l only let Evan watch one
helf-honr program, Bluc.s Clucs." Perhaps thÌs
rs one of her secrets to balancing her 1tfe,
r.vork, ancl education-her time with her
son is precior-rs, ancl she mal<es cefiain their
by Deanna Constans
EDITOR'S NOTE:
Over 'l 50 students are currently taking
tinre togcrhcr rs r¡urlrty tinrc.
evening classes in Augsburg's Rochester
Program. Three undergraduate majors
are offered-busi ness adm
i
n
Another exciling lroment in her
istratior-r,
Constans.
r-rring the day, 36-year-old GaÌl
Devereaux of Rochester, Minn.,
works ftrl1 time at Mayo Clinic as a
sign language interpreter. She also Ìs a single
parent to her son, Evan, age l9 months. Ancl
this past 1a11, Devereaux aclcled college
classes to her busy evenings by enrolling in
Augsburg College at rheir Rochesrer campus.
Devereaux is one ofnearly 200
nontraditional students who attencl the
Rochester program held at Rochester Central
Lutheran School. Convenlent evening classes
meet on an alternate week schedule.
Devereaux typifies the studenr body at
Augsbr.rrg-Rochester, most of rvhom work
part or lull tirne, have families, and have
declded to pursue an undergraduate or
graduate degree. The average age ol enrolled
students last year r.vas 38, according to Rtck
Thoni, director of the Rochester Program.
Even though she was a full-trrne
employee and mother, Devereaux deciclecl
that she needed to fulfill her goal of
achieving a fòur-year college degree
"l diclnt \van[ to be telling my son he
needed to get a college degree, rvhen I cliclnt
have one mysell," she stated. Although this
graduate from Henry Sibley High SchooÌ
(West St. Paul) had previously auended the
,.rfucs¡unc ruow
1lfe
was when Devereaux hacl the opportunity to
sign duling a Mayo Graduate School lecture
for Archblshop Desmoncl Tutr-r. "He was
computer science, and nursing (for
RNs), plus a master of arts in
transcultural community health nursing.
During winter trimester, journalisrn
class stuclents interviewed other
students and wrote profiles. Here, meet
Cail Devereaux, as profiled by Deanna
20
because I was tolcl by my doctor that I was
infertile," she stated. She ts a devoted
lnother ancl enloys plapng with Evan and
Gail Devereaux is a sign language ¡nterpreter
at Mayo Clinic and an Augsburg-Rochester
student.
very kind and shook my hand," Devereaux
says ol the South Af ican religious leacler
whose efforts to pronlote lacial jr-rstice
eamed hirn the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984
ln her role as sign langurge interpreler
at Mayo Clinic, Devereaux enloys meeting
and connecting with people lrom all over
rhe wor'ld. At trmes she saicl it can be
emotÌonally challenging, especially r.vhen
interpreting dismal medical dlagnoses.
Hclwever, the satisfactlon she gets lrom
helping peopie olrtweighs the drfficulr
moments.
Medical signing is nor for the fainrheartecl. She accompanies deaf patients
cluring their medical tests and procedures,
so is lrequently asked by medical staff il she
might laint. Luckily, Devereaux has never
had this problem in her nine years sigr-ring
at Mayo.
Devereaux also uses her sign language
for the benefit of the greater Rochester
sl<l11s
College of St. Catherine, she was still one
year short of completing her degree.
For Devereaux, lall 2001 was the nght
time to retLlrn to school; and she is nor,v
enrolled at Augsbr"rrg and pursulng her
degree rn communication wrth emphasis on
public relarions. She hopes to finish ir-t
2005. Her career goal is to contrnue
working r.vi¡h cleaf people, but she isn't sure
community, by slgning for the theater (her
great passlon), as rvell as graduation
ceremonies, church services, and other
social functions.
The Augsburg-Rochester campus is
providing a r,rable means for Devereaux to
fi"r1[r11 her dt"eam of obtatnlng a bachelor's
degree, while still allowing her to enjoy the
little, and big, things in life. I
in what realm.
One aspect that the Rochester Program
promotes is "balance in life and learning."
When speaking of her son, Evan,
Devereauxb face lights up. "For me, the
most exciting moment ol my life was when
For inforrnation on the Rochester Program,
visit <w-vr,r,v.ar:gsburg.eclu/rochester>.
Deanna Constans is an Augsbtn'g-Rochcst¿r'
student nnj
o
rmg
in
contn'Lunicatiotts.
my son was bom. Evan is a'miracle'baby
Summer
2OO2
-
p
Ê
L)
H
COMMENCEMENT2OO2
n
"You will be judged not by whom you know, not by what you know but by
who you are-by the commitments you keep, the dreams you realize, the
love you give, the journey you take. Don't be afraid to steer far off course. .
The only way you can really fail is by failing to try."
A. Johnson
-James
Å
E
.S
n
O
a7
James A. Johnson, vice chairman
of Perseus,
banking and private
equity firm, spoke to the 2002 graduating
class, which included his cousin,
lan Anfinson.
L.L.C,, a merchant
n
\
fl
tr
z I
MT
g
g
H
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il
ú
Eì
ws
q
F
IJ
I
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MARK HANSON AWARDED HONORARY DEGREE
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Rev, Mark S. Hanson '68 (right) received an
honorary doctorate degree, conferred by
President William Frame (left) as Rev. Dr.
Herbert Chilstrom '54 looked on (center).
HONORED FACULTY AND STAFF
Augsburg alumnus Rev Mark S. Hanson '68 , presidìng bishop of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America, was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters
(Honoris Causa) at Commencement on May 19. This is the second honorary degree
awarded by the College; the first was awarded to U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo '59 in 2000.
Hanson is a native of St. Paul and the immediate past bishop of the St. Paul Area
Synod. He earned his master of divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary in New
York, and studied at Luther Seminary and Harvard Divinity School.
"Mark has exemplified Augsburg's educationai misslon ln his pastoral work and in
his leadership of the church," commented President Wllliam Frame upon conferring the
degree. "He has brought a profound theology to the service of the city and a graceful
courage to the inclusion of wide diversity in the Christian communion."
Hanson was elected presiding bishop in 2001 and is the second Augsburg graduate in
that office, following the ELCAb first bishop, Rev Dr. Herbert Chiistrom '54.
In his remarks, Hanson told the graduates, "I believe the winds of the Holy Spirit
continue to blow. They have given every one of you graduates gifts that you will use in
your vocations, in the building up of communities for the common good, in the sharing
of the wonder of God's love for us in Christ ]esus."
I
Rolf A. Jacobson, assistant professor of
religion (Divislon of Humanities)
I
Dale C. Pederson '70, associate professor
and department chair of biology (Division
of Natural Sciences and Mathematics)
I
Summer 2002
I
Lori L. Lohman, associate professor of
business administration (Division of
Social and Behavioral Sciences)
I
Rebecca A. Frestedt'01, academic
coordinator, Weekend College
Ronald W: Petrich, assistant professor of
education (DivisÌon of Professional Studies)
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21
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Brandon Hofstedt, a sociology major and McNair Scholar,
received the 2002 Marina Christensen Justice Award for his
commitment to community issues and involvement in student
organizations.
BRANDON HOFSTEDT RECEIVES MARINA CHRISTENSEN JUSTICE AWARD
Brandon Hofstedt, a senior sociology major and McNair Scholar, was selected as the
2002 recipient of the Marina Christensen Justice Award.
Each year this award is presented to the graduatÌng senior whose community
service work best exemplifies Augsburg's motto "Education for Service." This also
characterized the personal and professional life ol Marina ChristensenJustice, who
courageously and effectively reached out to disadvantaged people and communities.
Hofstedt, from Cannon Falls, Minn., has consistently demonstrated his leadership
skills and commitment in the areas of service, justice, and global understanding.
Throughout hÌs years at Augsburg, he remaÌned committed to a broad public agenda,
including work through organizations such as the Minnesota Public Interest Research
Group (MPIRG), the Coalition for Student Activism, LINK, and the AmeriCorps Youth
Works/Get Ready Program.
As one of his professors commented, "Brandon has demonstrated a strong
commltment to social issues, a great ability as an organizer, and has the rare
combination of someone who has both a positive vision for his community and the
skill and dedication to make that vision a reality"
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Beautiful weather, inspiring speeches, pride in
achievement hard earned, and the extra special
rewards-all part of Commencement Day.
Religion professor Rolf Jacobson (left)
takes a moment to chat with students
before the ceremony,
22
,4ucssunc Now
Taher Omar, physics graduate and McNair Scholar,
celebrates with family and friends during the
reception.
Summer
2OO2
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Amy Maheswaran (left) adds a master's hood to her
academic garb, as she receives her master of social
work diploma and degree from program director
Lois Bosch,
Speech/communication major and McNair Scholar Darryl Sellers enjoys a moment with
fellow grads before the ceremony.
I BELIEVE PREMIERES WITH THE CHOIR AND CONCERT BAND
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Brendan Anderson, senior muslc major and 2001 Hognander Scholar, led the
Augsburg Choir and Concert Band in the premiere performance of his work,
I Belíeve, an lnterpretation of the Apostle's Creed in word and music.
"I Believe is the culmination of my four years of composition study at Augsburg
Coilege," says Anderson, who graduated wirh distinction, received Music
Department honors, and was part of Augsburg's Honors Program. The piece is
structured in three general sections, as is the creed. The Concert Band introduces
and carries musical statements, intertwined with the choir's recitation of the creed,
heightened by illustrations of the themes in Latin.
"It is my hope and prayor that through this remarkable texr and this
remarkable story the spark of faith will be ignited in all who hear rhis piece, and
that the convictions we all believe in will be strengrhened by God's awesome
power," explains Anderson.
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Graduating musician Brendan Anderson conducted
his composition, I Believe, for the Augsburg concert
Band and Choir at the Commencement Concert on
May 18.
Graduates in the Class oÍ 1952 wear gold caps with their gowns as they join
the Class of 2002 at the Commencement Ceremony. The 5O-year class will be
back on campus to celebrate at their reunion during Homecoming,
Summer
2OO2
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The Class of 2002 begins their graduation day in Hoversten Chapel at the
Baccalaureate service, led by Augsburg campus pastors, Rev. David Wold (left) and Rev.
Sonja Hagander (right).
Social work graduate and McNair Scholar Leslie Howard
(left) poses with visiting Norwegian social work student
Kristine Dyrnes (right).
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THE AUGSBURG COLLEGE CLASS OF 2OO2
54I
¡ 318
t 148
a 44
a
I 3l
I 1l
Candidates for graduation
Day program graduates
Weekend College graduates
Graduate students (22 Master of
Social Work, 1 Master of Arts in Nurslng,
20 Master of Arts in Leadership, and I
Master of Arts in Education-Leadership)
Rochester Program graduates
Countries of graduates-China, Czech
Republic, Estonia, Ethiopia, Laos, Nigeria,
Pakistan, Sweden, Turkey, Venezuela, and
Vietnam.
I
20-58 Age range of graduates in the Class ol 2002
24
,4UCSSURC n¡OW
GRADUATION
DAY-A
CONTINENT AWAY
Three sets of parents at Commencement this year came from Norway to Minnesota to
see their daughters graduate, Five Norwegian students from the Oslo University
College, who have been studying in Augsburg's lnternational Partners Program, were
unable to take part in their own graduation because of the academic schedule here.
They received special permission to take part in Augsburg's Commencement. The front
row students are (L to R): Una Sveen, Kristine Dyrnes, Rikke Nielsen, and Sylvi Nilsen.
Not pictured is Erik Moen.
Summer
2OO2
/-.
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From the Alumni Board president's desk...
¡lhe
I
Alumni
sourd
organized
w
activities this
year with four
outcomes in
mind. As I
report on these,
join me in
applauding the
board and the Office of AlumniÆarent
Relations on their accomplishments.
Outcome : Friend-raising
Many events connected alumni to the
College, including Auggre Hour gatherings
that brought 130 alumni together after
work to meet and hear stories from
Augsburg professors. There were 3,500
participants at Homecoming events. The
alumni nights at the State Fair, the MAL
l5th anniversary dinner, and
Commencement weekend events brought
together still more friends of Augsburg.
Alumni events did not happen only in
the Twin Cities. Regional chapters in
Chicago; New York City; Washington,
D.C.; Los Angeles; Boulder, Colo.; Naples,
Fla.; Sun City and Tucson, Ariz.; Rochester
and Willmar, Minn.; and 3M Company in
St. Paul also held alumni gatherings.
And can there be any better way to
Outcome: Communication
If you have computer access or a mailbox,
you can always be in touch with
The ultimate measure of our Alumni
Association's effectiveness is increased
talent and resources supporting the
mission of Augsburg. Board members led
by example, donating time, expertise,
financial grfts, and Maroon 6¡ Silver
scholarships. Thank youl
Our new Alumni Board president,
Andy Morrison'73, is well prepared to lead
us into another successful year. Our new
board members-Greg Boone '81, Barry
connect with students than serving treats
during finals week?
Outcome: Effectiveness
Augsburg. Board members helped to
enhance the alumni Web site, the Augsburg
Now magazine, and the Class Agent lerters.
They communicated with leaders of the
regional chapters. They also searched for
First Decade, Spirit of Augsburg, and
Distinguished Alumni award recipients.
Outcome: Connections
Alumni gave valuable contributions to
current students, faculty, and staff. We
were advisors to the Board of Regents,
Development Committee, and'Science
Advisory Board. Alumni from 25
businesses held ajob fair for over 100
students, preceded by a session onjobsearch skills. We surveyed faculty to match
alumni with their needs, e.g. intemships,
mentors, speakers, and research funding.
Vornbrock'96 MAL, and Jennifer Tome
'gg-will add to our spirit of fun and
responsibility Would you like to join us?
e4+
Jackie ltuiefel Lind'69, '94 MAL
President, Alumni Board
Lute Olson '56 elected to Naism¡th Memorial
Baskgtball Hall of Fame
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A
ugsburg
College
alumnus and
Olson, previously a finalist for the
Hall of Fame in 2000 and 2001, will be
joined in the Hall of Fame by players
currenI
University of
Arizona men's
Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Drazen
Petrovic, coaches Larry Brown and Kay
Yow, and the Harlem Globetrotters. The
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of
Fame's Class of 2002 will be enshrined on
September 27 in Springfield, Mass.
basketball head
coach Lute
Olson'56 was
among five
individuals and
one team
selected for
enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial
Basketball Hall of Fame, officials
announcedJune 5.
Summer 2002
"I think it ranks right up there with
the NCAA Championship and rhe 1986
World Championship," said Olson. "This
is definitely one of the special things that
has happened in my career. I am very
thankful for the recognition and
opportunity for enshrinement."
A native of Mayville, N.Dak., Olson
was an Augsburg student from 1952-56,
plapng three sports (football, basketball,
baseball) while earning a double major in
history and physical education. Olson was
Augsburg's Honor Athlete, the highest
honor given to a senior student-athlete, in
1956. He was inducted into Augsburg's
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.
Olson earned his piece of basketball
immortality with a coaching career that
spans 43 seasons and includes nearly
1,000 career victories. He has won more
than 70 percent of his games on the high
school, junior college, and NCAA
Division I level.
4ucsruncruow
2s
Albuquerque. He is the author o[
1948
several books.
Reynold Skotte, Long
Beach,
Calif., ¡etired lastJune from
teaching at Peninsula Christian
School in Carson, Calif.
1
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O
tt
1957
for 25 years.
Marshall
Ellen (Stenberg) Erickson,
Ham Lake, Minn., was recently
named president ol Free to Be
Community Coalition, an
organization in Anoka County
that helps financially stressed
famìlies.
1
956
The Rev. Dr. Russell C. Lee,
Albuquerque, N.Mex., was guest
preacher at St. Paul's Lutheran
Church in Crookston, Minn., in
February. From 196'l to his
retirement in 1997 he served
Faith Lutheran Church in
1964
Minneapolis,
recently
published Mahing
Phebe (Dale) Hanson, St. Paul,
1951
D.
Johnson,
950
recently rvorked with artist
Rebecca Alm and poet Kathleen
Heideman to create timeuponOnce
a book o[ poems that seek to
"deconstruct" and reconfigure old
fairy tales, mostly those of the
Brothers Grimm and Hans
Christian Andersen.
Sense
rnù¡d rlFr
u¡ri,..¡-¡
U nder standíng
mathematics department, and
taught high school math at Cook
County SchooÌs in Grand Marais
of the Bible:
Ltteraty typ(
as
an Approach to
(Eerdman's
Publishing Co.).
r 961
The Rev. Daniel J. Carlson,
CharÌestown, R.I., has been an
ELCA regionaÌ gift planner for the
ELCA Foundation sinceJuly 1999
he previously devoted 34 years to
parish ministry in New England.
r 963
Dean Gulden, Grand Marais,
Minn., recently returned from a
dog sledding expedition to the
North Slope in Alaska, t50 miles
above the Arctic Circle. He has
also competed in the lditarod, the
Yukon Quest, plus numerous races
in the continentaì United States. In
addition, he worked in the space
industr¡ spent nine years at
Augsburg as head of the
Ann
L. (Johnson) Wollman,
Beaver Falls, Pa., and her
husband, Dave, retired from
Geneva College. Ann was
registrar, and Dave was a professor
o[ history and chair of his
department. They plan to travel to
Lithuania to teach and counsel at
Lithuanìan Christian College.
1
Luncheon in March. She has coauthored seven books and
recently published her eighth, Just
How Much Scrap.Wood Does a Man
Need to Sav¿? The audio book of
her award-winning book, Grcwing
Up Lutheran, is under
consideration for a Grammy
nomination.
1970
Ray Hanson, Denton, Md.,
St. Paul, recentìy
continues to help teach Children's
Church a[ Talbot Evangelistic
Church. He recently completed
serving three years on the church
board, during which time a new
Christian ministry center was
constructed and opened.
published a book
of poetry called
1977
96s
Gracia Grindal,
Lise LungeLarsen, Duluth,
won her second
ARevelry oJ
Harv¿st, which
features several
poems about
Auggies. She is currently professor
o[ rhetorÍc at Luther Seminary in
Minnesota Book
Award for her
children's book,
The Race of the
St. Paul.
1968
Birhebeíners,
UMC-M Auxiliary 50th
illustrated by Mary Azarian. The
book, based upon an account
written in 1264 by Sturla Tordsson,
explores the origin of Norway's
national ski championship-the
Anniversary Membership
Race o[ the
Suzann (Johnson) Nelson,
Grand Rapids, Minn., was the
guest speaker for the Fairview
ffi
c
Birkebeiners-and tells
the story of the cross country
escape that kept the nation's infant
king safe from an invading army.
Rod Skoe, Clearbrook, Minn.,
recently announced he will seek
election to the Senate in District 2;
he is currently serving his second
terrn âs state representative (DFL)
in DÍstrict 28. He also farms in
northem Minnesota. Prior to his
election to the Minnesota House in
1998, he was a member of the
CÌearwater County Board of
Commissioners. He also served on
the Clearbrook-Gonvick School
o
s.
ã'
o
U
Board. He and his wife, Sarah
Hoagberg, have two children.
1978
Gladys (Boxrud) Strommen '46 and Anne Frame hosted an Augsburg alumni
luncheon in Naples, Fla., this past March. Front row, L to R: Donna Mclean; Gladys
(Boxrud) Strommen '46; Anne Frame; Louise Sundet; Helen Smith. Back row, L to R:
Lois Wattman '76; Carole Skaar; Marilyn Fogdall; Nancy (Strommen) Stensvaag'71;
Jan Grinde; Grace (Forss) Herr'57; Marion Anderson; and Lorraine Carlson.
26
,4UCSSUnC NOW
Steve Hoffmeyer, Mendora
Heights, Minn., joined the State
Bureau o[ Mediation Services as
mediator in April.
a
Summer 2O02
d
m
Tim Wolter '78: Baseball historian and
'battlebot' chal lenger
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5
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by Lynn Mena
During the Second Worid War, nearly I30,000 American soldiers and 19,000 crvilians were captr-tred
and held in prisoner of war camps. While the conditions under which they were held varied enormously,
baseball, in various forms, was a common activity among the prisoners. Not just Americans, but
Canaclians, Britìsh, Australians, and New Zealanders palticipatecl, as well asJapanese and even some
Germans.
Augsburg alumnus Tim Wolter wrote a book on this toplc, which was published last year by McFarland
6c Company. POW Baseball inWorldWar II: The National Pastime Behind Barbed V/irz is the story of POW
baseball. The book is dÌvided into the various prison camps and describes the types of prisoners held
there and the degree to which baseball was played.
Tim Wolter'78 recently
published a book about the
history of PoW baseball in
World War Il.
"I've been a history lan for a number of years, Ìn fact, my minor at
Augsburg was history," says Wolter. "l kind of drlfted into this aspect
of baseball hrstory-one thing led to another."
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Wolter, a practicing physician who has written articles on the history of baseball ar-rd the philosophy of
mediclne, first investigated I9th-century war baseball. He discovered that even during the Clvil War, POW
baseball was playecl on maneuvers.
Wolter received so many lnteresting clues and information from various calls ancl letters about WWII POW
basebal1, that what first appeared to be an Ìnteresting magazine article soon turned lnto a book.
"The book turned out pretty weli, althor-rgh I can of coLlrse see a hundrecl ways I cou1c1 have done it better,"
for a first book, it's not too bad." Wolter is especìally glad to see the book published rvhile
some of the people he wrote about are stlll living.
says Wolter. "But
During the course of Wolter's research and writing, ESPN, the cable-TV sports network, heard about the
project and asked him to help with a documentary on WWII and sports for the networl<'s Outside the Lincs
While writing POW Baseball
in World l/l/ar ll, Wolter also
contributed to an ESPN
documentary about llllWll
and sports.
program. The episode, "Fields of Battle, Fielcls of Play," premieled last December on Pearl Harbor Day.
"They filmed me at Fort Snelling Ìn a l9th-century limestone jail cell," says Wolter. He came away from the
collaboration in awe of the enormous resources the writers at ESPN have at their disposal. "What would
have taken me years to research took them months or jr-rst weeks."
Wolter, who has lived in Chippewa Falls, Wis,, since 1985 with his
wife, Laura (KasdorÐ'81, and their three sons, Matt, Karl, and
Gus, is also a frequent guest speaker. He recently spoke at the
Baseball Hall of Fame on Memorial Da¡ ancl olten speaks lo
veterans' gloups.
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ln addition to baseball ancl histor¡ Wolter recently cliscoverecl a
new passion that he shares with his son, Karl-robotic combat.
"We first got interestecl rn robotic combat a couple yeals ago on a
trip to London," says Wolter. "While watchlng BBC we discovered
RobotWars, a program that had not yet crossed the Atlantic. 'How
cool is thisl'we exclaimed, and started to discr-tss ways to create
or11' own killer robots."
Since then, they have built several 'battlebots' (as they are known
in the U.S.) and have cornpeted 1n various competitions. Their
robots have featured garden gr-romes, fruitcake, and bowling balls.
New clesign ideas include the use of other cultural icons, sttch as
rhe Teletubbies, a disco ball, or perhaps even lava lamps or E1vis.
ln addition to baseball history, Wolter also enioys building
'battlebots' for robotic combat competitions with his son' Karl
Summer 20O2
Sometimes, robóts come home h'om competitions in pieces, "Bnt
that is part" of the fun," says Wolter. "Then it's back to the shop to
build something new."
4ucs¡unc ruow
27
Class Notes
W
W
1979
Sharon Lakin Upton,
Congratulations
and WELCOME,
Class
Â
of
20021
s a member o[ the
A^ugrourg Lottege Alumnr
AssociatÌon, you are a very
important part of the College
community and are welcome
VISIT THE AUGSBURG BOOTH AT THE
MINNESOTA STATE FAIR!
Hellertown, Pa., is the new
director oI development research
at Lehigh University in
Bethlehem, Pa. (not at North
Carolina State University, as was
mistakenly printed in the previous
issue of Augsburg Now).
1
980
Stacy Lee (Stephans)
Hutchens, Indianapolis, Ind., is
to receive various benefits
including:
men's work-release counselor at
.
Corporation.
Augsburg Now, the quarterly
Coilege publication
. Bi-annual letters from your
class agent,
who wilÌ keep
you updated on news
.
.
Invitations to Homecoming,
reunions, and other special
events on campus
Access to the
library and
[itness facilities
.
Access to Career Services'
resources
. A special tuition discount for
alumni
. An alumni directory
containing complete
information on classmates
that is available for purchase
. Volunteer opportunities on
leadership boards and
committees
. Opportunities to participate
in alumni tours around the
world
.
Legacy scholarships for
family members of students
and alumni to study toward
a degree at Augsburg
ATUMNI
Blomkest, Minn., recentÌy accepted
the pastorate position at Roseau
Baptist Church in Roseau, Minn.
He previously served the Blomkest
Baptist Church near Willmar.
1992
Larry John
Anderson,
Eagan, Minn.,
received
N.Y, received a $40,000 Houle
preaches
Sandra (Voss) Wollschlager,
Cannon Falls, Minn., recently
announced her candidacy for state
representative (DFL) from Distrlct
28,{. She has worked for 3M
Company lor 22 years, beginning
as a lactory worker and advancing
to her current position in research
and development. She is in her
second term on the Cannon Falls
Schooi Board. She and her
husband, Joe, have two children.
occasionally-most
He can be e-mailed at
<drljanderson@msn.con>.
988
Timothy Todd, El Sobranre,
Calif., relocated from France to
CalifomÍa last year after obtainÍng
a finance manager position at BioRad l-ab. He and his wife, Helene,
have three children: Natalie
Caroþ, and Christoph.
has
Jim Weninger, Prior Lake,
Minn., is the facilities and
maintenance manager at the Toro
manufacturing plant in Shakopee,
Minn. He has served on the Prior
l-ake Planning Commission, as well
as on the Metropolitan Council's
Water Advisory Board and on the
Minnesota River Assessment
Project, a position to which he was
lived in England and worked at
investment banks for the last few
years. Michiel can be e-mailed at
appointed by former Gov. Arne
Carlson. He and his wife, Liz
(Wolffl '92,have
99f
a daughter,
Ginny
is
a technical coordinator for Peace
Corps MalawiS training programs.
His wife, Stacia, is the coordinator
1994
doctorate degree
recently at Bethany Baptist Church.
N.Y.
candidacy for a seat in the
Minnesota House of
Representatives. She will run for
the District 638 (DFL) seat, now
held by Mark Gleason. She is an
independent consultant in the area
of corporate citizenship and
philanthropy management.
in biblical studies
Andersonville Baptist Seminary in
March 200I. He is an emplol.rnent
developer for Ramsey Action
Programs and also works with the
Filipino American Christian
Church of RoseviÌleb Social
Concerns Ministry In addition, he
America, and the United States.
She is currently an assistant
professor of adult education at
Buffalo State CoÌlege in Buffalo,
1
a
from
Scholar Grant for Emerging
Scholars in Adult Education,
which is sponsored by ihe WK.
Kellogg Foundation and is given
to scholars in Africa, Latin
Kristof Nordin, Malawi, Africa,
,4UCSSURC NOW
years.
Lisa M. Baumgartner, Amherst,
1
2A
lnterested in volunteering? Contacl the alumni offlce at
6L2-330-I 17 B or I -800-260-6590
f986
<mYbema@hotmail. com>.
ÀSSOCIATION
Visit rvith alumni, get a peek into Homecoming activitres, find out
how you can get involved, ancl don't forget to enter the gleat
'alumni only' drawings.
for Peace Corps Malawi's crisis
corps program. They have been
living in Africa for more than five
The Rev. Patr¡ck Krause,
ASSOCTATTON
ALUMNI
a
98f
Michiel Ybema, London,
Augsburg College
Speclal nights dedicated to alumm are Tlesday, Ar-rgust 27, ancl
Thursda¡ Ar-rgust 29, lrom 5-9 p.m.
Check out the full schedule of booth events on1ìne at
<wwwarrgsbrr rg.ed rr/strte lai r>
Riverside Community Correct ions
1
August 22-September 3, 2002
1993
Doris Rubenstein, RichfieÌd,
Minn., recently announced her
ElIil[INII:rõtlf¡ftl
2002-2003 Alumni Board
meeting schedule
June 18
August 20
November 19
February 18
April
15
Meetings are open to the
public and all alumni are
invlted to attend. Each
meetrng features a guest
speaker from the College
community For more
inlorrnrtion, visit lhe alumni
Web site at <www.augsburg.
edu/alumni>.
Summer 2O02
)
F
W
The Augsburg alumni
chapter at 3M held a
iuncheon May 6.
Augsburg College staff
and faculty joined
alumni and current
Augsburg students who
work at 3M for a lunch
and leadership program.
Diane Pike, professor and
department chair of
sociology, presented
"Confounded by
LeadershÌp." Augsburg is
planning future events at
3M, American Express,
We11s Fargo, and LBIAAL.
1
1997
995
a
Matthew A. Gooding,
Lori (Mosher) Claussen,
s
Goodyear, ArÞ., has lived in
Arvona since he began working
wirh rhe Litchfield Elementary
Rosemount, Minn., received her
master's degree in special education
from the University of St. Thomas
a
s.
School District
in 2000.
1996
John R. Burt, Fargo, N.Dak.,
married Kara Miller in December.
He works at Scheels All-Spons.
Teresa (MacNabb)
Barbara Kaufmann, manager of 3M
education contr¡butions, presented
the 3M scholarsh¡p and 3M
match¡ng gift checks to Ron Nelson
'68, vice pres¡dent and controller at
3M and member of the Augsburg
College Board of Regents,
Kysylyczyn, Roseville, Minn.,
passed the Certified Public
Accountant Exam in February; she
is a staff accountant at John A.
Knutson & Co., PLLB and can be
in December. She is teaching in
Independent School District 196,
working with students with
specific leaming needs, at
Rosemount High School.
Michele McNaughton,
Mahtomedi, Minn., joined the staff
of Catalyst Medical Clinic, PA., in
Watertown, Minn. She will focus
on women's health care, pediatrics,
and diabetes.
a
e-mailed at <tck@Knutsoncpa.corïÞ.
S"
A.
L
s
(_)
m
Ami Nafzger
'94:. Finding
cultural connections
by Cherie Christ
Aml Nafzger beheves the Augsburg College Pan-Asian Association changed her life. A native of Chun Ju,
Korea, Nafzger was adopted by an American famrþ in 1975 at the age of four. Growing up in Minong, Wis.,
and a later move to Willmar, Minn., left Nafzger with very few AsÌan connections.
Determined to keep a promise to her dying mother that she would graduate from Augsburg, Nafzger worked
three parr-rime jobs to pay for school and living expenses, leaving little time for involvement with the campus
community But. it was an encounter her freshman year with Lee Hoon Wong Benson, then Pan-Asian Services
director, that changed Nafzger's life.
Ami Nafzger '94 established
G.O.A,t,, an organization
committed to providing
knowledge about Korean
culture to Korean adoptees.
Frightened and hesitant to approach other Asians, Nafzger remembers, "I had never even talked to an AsÌan before." Benson not oniy encouraged
Nafzger to ger involved in varÌous campus events and organlzations, including Pan-Asian Services, but to build friendships within the Asian
community Her connection to Benson provided Nafzger a sense of pride ln herself as an Aslan, and also as an individual.
In 1994 Nafzger completed her social work degree, and now has built her career around 1t. With a need to better undersknd her heritage and with
few concrete reasons to stay in the United States, Nafzger returned to her native home, Korea, in 1996.
In 1998, after extensive research on Korean adoptees, Nafzger established G.O.A.L. (Global Overseas Adoptees Link), an organization committed to
providing knowledge about Korean cuiture. G.O.A.L. acts as a voice for many Korean adoptees by providing positive links to their Korean culture.
Developed specifically for these adoprees, G.O.A.L. provides a variety of resources such as translators, guides, home stays, and birth search
depar[ments to those who wish to learn more about their culture. Nafzger says, "Afier so many decades I felt there needed to be something
established in Korea for adult adoptees as they return to their birth country"
I
Although on occasion frustrated by a lack of support from the Korean government, Nafzger believes there are many benefits. HelpÌng adoptees
understand where they come from is the most rewarding part of her job.
work connected her to addirional associations around the world. in addition to her work with GOACC (Give Orphans a Chance to
Choose), which helps provide hands-on assistance to adult orphans in Asia, she is also a member of an international planning committee working
with sister adult adoptee organizations in Europe and America
Nafzger's
Nafzger believes that her work is "helping to break down the prejudlce and misunderstanding thal separates Koreans from adoptees and adoptees
from each other."
For additional information, vislt G.O.A.L. online at <www.goa1.or.kr>.
Chene Chnst is ø communication speciølist in the Ot'Jice
Summer
2OO2
oJ
Public Relations and Contmunication.
4ucsnunc ruow
29
Class Notes
ffi
Births/Adoptions
Auggie Conversations
Jeannie (Shaughnessy)'88
al fresco
and Joseph Hodges, Alexandria,
Dine ancl converse with fellow
Augsburg alumni and friends
on some of the Twin Cities' best
ontdool patlos for Auggie
Josie, in February.
Va.-a daughtea Campbell
Amy (Johnson) '89
Conversations al fiesco.
Rernaining sunìmer dates are:
Tuesda¡July 16, 5:30 p.m.
Jennifer (Ohlin) '91 and
and Patrick
952-47r-8513
An Augsburg alum will lead a
'sporty' conversation-j oin the
team!
Please RSVP
lor the above
events to the Alumni./Parent
Relations offÌce, ó I2-330- I I 78,
or e-mail <alumni@
augsbr,rrg.edu>. Particlpants are
responsible for the cost of thelr
meals and dlinks. Visit the
alumni Web site for more
information at
<www.augsburg.edu/
alumni,/gatherings.html>.
daughter, Alexis
Leigh, inJanuary
Kenndy D.
(Bade)'00 and
Kirk Lewis-a
son, Owen, in
January.
lan Quello'38 correctly
identified Olive Berg'38
(far Ieft) in this photo
from the'Remember
When' contest in the
spring issue. An Augsburg
t-shirt is on the way!
Laura
ahrmna, will lead the
conversation.
on Lake Minnetonka
3746 Sunset Dr., Spring Park
Minn.-a
Dan
(Carlson)'92
Lold Fletcher's Old Lake Lodge
Stefanie (tindell) '98 and
Falk, Sauk Rapids, Minn.-a
daughter, Olivia Joan, in March.
She joins older siste¡ Emily, 3.
stage ancl screen and Augsbr-rrg
Tuesday, August 13, 5:30 p.m.
Denmark-a son, Christopher,
in February.
Bruce Lender'98, Coon Rapids,
and John
Hanson, Falcon Heights, Minn.a son, Noah John, in December.
Hejoins older brother, Bennett.
WA. Frost & Cornpany
374 Selby Ave., St. Paul
651-224-57r5
Carolyn Pool'91, actress of
Louise L. (Andersen)'97 and
Jacob Karlstad '97, Lyngby,
N
E
F-!
LI ro
Guernsey
'86, St. Paula son, lan
Patrick, in
March.
Pictured,
clockwise from
top, is Patrick'86, Alan, Robert,
Josephine, lan, Laur a' 92,
Thomas, and Angela.
Laura (Ferry) '92 and Matthew
Lee, Prentice,
Wis.-a
daughter,
Catherine Rebecca, in January.
Alisha (Kaul)'97 MSW and
Curt Nelson, Bloomington,
son, Zachary Patr¡ck,
in March. He joins older brother
ErcrcTKIIIE
Alumni Book Club Spotlight
What does it mean to say "I exist?" What is existence and can we say
anything about it?
If questions like these interest you there exists a book club for you.
The Nature of Being alumni book club is looking for members. The
group meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. The
next book up for discussion is An Enquiry on Human Understanding,
by David Hume.
If you are interested, call Bob Fitzsimons '96 ar 612-926-2059 or
e-mail him at <rtfitzsimons@mmm.com>.
Other active book club categories include Pulitzer winners, American
novels, mysteries, and women fiction writers. If you are interested in
joining an existing book club or starting a new one, contact the
AlumniÆarent Relations office at 612-330-l l78.
Minn.-a
a
a
Jeremy, 3. Alisha is a school social
worker for Independent School
District 196.
s.
à
ô
Q
a
o
s.
ã
!
o
U
On September 8, Tim Vadis'94 married Kari Lee at Viking
Lutheran Church near Alexandria, Minn. Tim's father, the Rev.
Vadis'64 presided. Tim's mother, Anita (Berg) Vadis'6O
was prcsent also, of couñse, having been "up to her eyeballs" in
the wedding preparations. Pictured seated, L to R: Carmen
(Neseth) Berg '65; Anita (Berg) Vadis '66; Darryl Carter'65; Lona
Berg Froyum'69; and Carla (Quanbeck) Walgren'64. Second row,
L to R: David Berg '66; Christina (vadis) Jones'95; Marilyn (Quam)
Larson'66; Kristin Ftoyum'00; Kim Vappie'98; and Michael
Walgren '64. Back row, L to R: Allen larcon '66; Timothy Vadis '94
(groom); Bryan Maloney'93; and the Rev. James Vadis'64.
James
Brenda Seaver'00 married Justin Dittrich 'Oi September 29 at
Family of God Lutheran Church in Brooklyn Parlç Minn., wherc
Justin is director of youth and family ministries. The Rev. Sonja
Hagander; Augsburg's associate college pastor, performed the
ceremony. The Rev. Paul Burow'84 also participated.
30
,4ucsnunc now
Summer 2002
)
!
I
Oscar Galstad '26, Redwood
Falls, Minn., died in April; he was
97. Known as a 'Jack of all trades,"
Galstad traveled many paths. He
worked ar the Redwood Falls post
Office for 18 years, rhen wenr on
to operate a farm in Delhi. He also
served as a civil service secretary
was elected secretary-treasurer to
the Minnesota Federation for Post
Office Clerks, served as clerk of
Consolidated School District IB for
six years, continued farming until
1975, arrd more. He served on
several boards and committees,
and received numerous honors,
including a citation lrom the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the
Redwood County Outstanding
Senior Citizen Award.
Jessie M. Christensen'29,
Orlando, Fla., died in ApriÌ. She
was a retired teacher.
Mathilda L. Sageng'31,
Fergus
Falls, Minn., died in March; she
was 94. She was a social studies
teacher and guidance counselor at
the Hutchinson high school for
many years o[ her long career in
teaching. After retiring in I972,
she traveled extensively Dedicated
to service of her church and
communlty, she donated the land
on which the Zion-Sarpsborg
Church of Dalton stands.
Marie (Pierce) Mitlyng'37,
Montevideo, Minn., died in April;
she was 86. She wo¡ked fo¡ the
National l¿bor Relations Board
and the Department of Agriculture,
living in San Francisco, Cincinnari,
Chicago, PeorÍa, and Washington,
D.C. She was also a member of the
National Organization o[ Women,
and enjoyed working in her church
and reading.
Ardel le (Albertson) Versen
'39, Waterloo, Iowa, died in
March. She \¡/as a retired teacher.
Margie M. (Jensen) Green '40,
Norwood Young America, Minn.,
died in February; she was 83.
During WWII, she served as a
nurse in the ArmY, receiving a
Bronze Battle Star, an American
Theater Ribbon, and an EAME
Theater Ribbon. She was an
Summer 2002
Eastern Star member and served in
several positions; she was also
active in the United Methodist
Church in NYA, holding several
offices and as a Ladies Aid
member. From 1975-1987, she
worked part time at the Young
America Library and was always
on the look-out for her patrons'
favorite reading materials,
personally calling them when
books arrived that might be of
particular interest.
The Rev. Alton Halverson'43,
Park Rapids, Minn., died in
March; he was79. He sewed as a
missionary with his wife on the
island of Madagascar for eight
years, then worked in the national
World Missions office in
MinneapoÌis, serving as secretary
for interpretation and promotion
f.or 23 years. He traveled on all
continents, making films and
gathering information for the
promotion of global missions in
the U.S. He later served as director
of public relations at Golden Valley
Lutheran College and then as
director of church relations at
Augsburg.
Edna C. (Oseth) Sausser'56,
I-akeport, Calif., died in March;
she was 72. She moved to
Califomia in 1976, where she was
a security guard until retiring in
1986. Prior to moving, she also
served as a security guard for
Barn's lnternational Securities in
Bloomington, and was co-owner of
Ken-Rich Enterprises.
The Rev. Joan (Everhart)
Stavig '56, Brooklyn Center,
Minn., died in April; she was 67.
Beginning in1977,she made I5
missionary trips to Haiti, followed
by numerous other overseas
missionary trips to Jamaica, St.
Maarten, South Africa, China,
India, Sri Lanka, and the
Philippines. She was ordained by
the Spiritual Life Training Center
Bible School in 1987, and shortly
thereafter started Flag of the
Nations, which is primarily an
overseas ministry specializing in
short-term, long-term, individual,
or group missionary trips. She was
also a travel agent, and her
commissions heÌped to support rhe
ministry Flag of the Nations built a
medical clinic in the Philippines,
which was completed in 200I and
dedicated this past May
Ronald E. Nelson'67, Grand
Rapids, Minn., died last November
after a long, courageous battle wÍth
brain cancer; he was 58. He
worked for ltasca County as an
assessor and also was a composer
and publisher of music. He was
director of the Blandin Male
Chorus, as well as a past director
o[ the Community Chorus and
interim director at Zion Lutheran
Church. He was also a vocalist and
soloist with prestigious choral
groups. He is survived by his wife,
Suzann (Johnson)'68, and two
daughters, Senja and Siri.
Ruth E. (Anderson) Lofgren
'75, St. Anthony Village, Minn.,
died in May of multlple myeloma;
she was 77. She was an employee
of the Board of Pensions of the
ELCA for 14years, and aÌso
enjoyed teaching Bible study
classes and preparing retreats in
with a psychology major; as a
student, she sang with the
Augsburg Choir, and also traveled
with the contemporary ChrÍstian
singing group, the Con¡inentals.
She is survived by her husband,
Erik; parents, James and Karen;
and siblings, Blair, Jeremiah,
Benjamin, and Rebacca.
Sara Marie Turpin '03,
Albertville, Minn., died in May of
leukemia; she was 2I. She was a
junior in Augsburg Weekend
College, majoring in
communications.
Leslie M. Jones, Columbia
Heights, Minn., died in May as a
result o[ medical complications; he
was 41. He was an integral and
dedicated member of the
Augsburg communit¡ working in
the facilities department slnce
January 1994. He was also a
member of the Minnesota Home
Brewers Association. He is
survived by his wife, Cindy (also a
member of the Augsburg facilities
staff), and two children, Angelena
and Leslie II.
Richard Clark
various churches.
Little,
Heidi Huber'92, Long Lake,
Minneapolis,
died in March of
Minn., died in April of malignant
melanoma; she was 33. She was a
Peace Corps volunteer from 1993199ó, and earned her masterb
degree
in education from Harvard
University in 1998. OnJune 2, a
new booth at the annual Grand
Old Day festival in St. Paul offered
free samples of sunscreen as a
tribute to Huber; the festival was
her favorite summer event. Her
friends and famiÌy working in the
booth also sold lshirts and hats to
raise money for the American
Cancer Society and a scholarship
in Huber's nâme at Augsburg.
Tamara (Aakre) Jerde'00,
Apple Valley, Mìnn., died in March
after a long battle with a brain
tumor; she was24. She was a
counselor at Inspiration Point Bible
Camp and was Rollag, Minnesota,
Steam Thresher Queen. She loved
music and played the piano, flute,
and oboe. She graduated from
Augsburg at the top of her class
pancreatic
cancer; he was
Education
&
56. His
Housing Equity
Project has been based at
Augsburg, and he has been a great
friend and celebrant of Augsburg's
engagement in the life of the city
and in partnership with such
entities as the Project for Pride in
Living and the Minnesota
Minority Education Partnership.
In November, he received the
2001 Minneapolis Special
Recognitìon Award, honoring his
lifelong commitment to
Mìnneapolis. For 20 years he
worked ln federal housing
programs, leaving to work as a
consultant and voiunteer,
dedicating rhe resr of his life ro
Twin Cìties civil rights and urban
and housing issues. He died as he
lived-with dignity, grace, and
much love.
4ucs¡unc now
31
I
o
^
o
¡¡
O
o
EDITOR'S
NOTE:
In honor of National Tèachers Week in May, Woman\
ne teacher who stands out was my high school
philosophy/American government teacher. He was the
first really avid reader
I ever met who shared what
he read with me (and other
students). Sophie's Choice
inspired a great class
discussion. Besides teachÌng,
he and his wife owned a
()
bookshop in town, and they
employed me there. I never
s.
made any money, because I
had the option of taking my
pay in books. Oh, the books
I earned while there. I
babysat hj.s children. He
coached me on our Hi-Q and
Knowledge Bowl teams (thj.rd
in State that yearl). He was
the one who encouraged me
to go on to college, and I
became the only one in my
family to ever do so.
My first Christmas home
from college, I was in a
severe kitchen accident, and
Fran Baker
spent the next two months ìn
the hospital, recovering from
burns and undergoing
surgeries. He was lhere,
dressed in surgical cap and
gowrr so as not to infect me.
He brought me books and
talked about what he was
reading.
When I dropped out of college the
following year, ít was his disappointment in me
that I most dreaded. My family, who could
never understand why one would go to college
to study English in the first place, never gave
me any grief about dropping out. lt was much
wiser, in their eyes, to go out and get a job and
make moneir It was my teacher's voice, nagging
in the back of my mind, that encouraged me to
go back to school now And when I return
home, it is not my classmates I go visit, but
him and his family He is the one to whom I
Day magazine requested stories by readers whose lives
were changed by teachers. Here are two that were
submitted by Augsburg women:
teachers can point to a parent who, in the
f think many "parent"
and "classroom teacher," provided
I dual role as
Ian early love of learnlng and teaching. I am no
exception. My mom, E. Cecil Gregoire, was an English
and physical education teacher for the Cannon Falls
(Minn.) School District from 1967-86. As a farm wife and'
mother to 11 children, she used her love of learning,
curiosity about the world, and teaching expertj.se to direct
us through family outings, 4-H, athletics, K-12 school,
college, and service to a larger community I didn't realize
until after she had died thls last September the gifts she
gave to her students and to her community during her
tenure as a teacher.
At the wake and funeral, former students and
communÌty members warmly remembered Mrs. Gregoire
as the white-haired basketball coach for the boys and girls
team; the teacher of folkdancing, dodgeball and volleyball,
as well as good sportsmanship, manners and cooperation;
the caring adult who told young H.S. graduates that their
nexl step was college; and the "vocal" taxpayer, small
town school supporter, and self-designated adviser and
watch-dog of the schooi board.
We had a gara,ge sale this last
Saturday to disburse her estate and to
raise funds for the school playground in
her memory As I boxed up the
Grollíers Encyclopedia and the
o
o
Booh of Knowledge for the next
s.
family of learners, I realized
E
how vitally important teachers
are to their family and to the
larger community. Her legacy
lives on in how that knowledge
and those life lessons have
transformed us, our families,
and those with whom we live,
work and play into the next
generation of "teacher" and
community leaders.
show off my children. And my current report
J eanine
cards.
Professor of Education
Fran Baher, Weehend College student and McNair
Scholat maj onng in English and history
32
.AUCSBUnC ruOW
Gregoire, Assistant
Jeanine Gregoire
Summer 2002
)
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N
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26
.
.
D
fT
Ea
t_¡
N
I
w
OII
--
ffi
T:
Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
Variety Show & Coronation
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 27
.
.
Homecom¡ng Convocation
Master of Arts in Leadership event
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 2B
r Auggie 5K Mississippi RunA,A/alk
r Pan-Afrikan Alumni-Student
E
I
E!
Basketball Came
M
m
. Homecoming Pep Rally
o Picnic in the Park
. Homecoming Football Came
å
.
.
L:-
!ffi
ffi
.
.
ËT
.
vs. Custavus Adolphus
Homecoming AIumni Awards
Social & Dinner
Class Reunions oÍ 1952, 1962,
1977, and 1992
Pan-Afrikan Alumni Reception
6th Annual M. Anita Cay Hawthorne
Jazz & Poetry Bash
Music Event
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29
.
EI
GJ
t!
Herita8e Society Luncheon
o
a
s.
s'
Send us your news
and photos!
Please tell us about the news rn
your life, your new job, move,
marriage, and births. Don't forget
to send photos!
year or last year attended
Class
Street address
City
ls
For news o[ a death, written notice
is required, e.g. an obituary, funeral
notice, or program from a
memorial service.
Maiden name
Full name
this a new address?
!
Yes
!
No
E-mail
Home telephone
Employer
ls spouse also a
zip
State
Position
graduate of Augsburg College?
!
okay to publish your e-mail address
Work telephone
! Yes n No
lf yes, class
year-
Send your news items, photos, or
change of address by mail to:
Augsburg N ow Class Notes,
Augsburg College, CB 146,
22Il Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
MN, 55454, or e-mail to
<alumni@au gsburg.edu>.
,4tmmc
COLLEGE
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Spouse name
Maiden name
Your news:
Non-Profit Org.
U.S, Postage
PAID
Minneapolis, MN
Permit No.2031
-
Show less
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Title
-
Augsburg Now Summer 2003
-
Collection
-
Alumni Magazine Collection
-
Search Result
-
¡¡
¡¡
From the editor
A :':1l,l^li:-,'ïï; îffi"::
:
3:"'
May 4, Augsburg concluded its l3,lth
academic year, sending 534 graduates
of the Class of 2003 into the world,
making room for the incoming Class of
2007.
The Commencement photo spread,
starting on p. 13, features highlights
fro...
Show more
¡¡
¡¡
From the editor
A :':1l,l^li:-,'ïï; îffi"::
:
3:"'
May 4, Augsburg concluded its l3,lth
academic year, sending 534 graduates
of the Class of 2003 into the world,
making room for the incoming Class of
2007.
The Commencement photo spread,
starting on p. 13, features highlights
from the weekend's festivities,
including excerpts from the ceremony's
keynote speakers, ABC News
correspondent John McWethy and
elder care advocate Laurie Duncan-
McWethy
This year, the College also bid
farewell to four retiring members of the
faculty and staff: economics professor
Satya Gupta, biology professor Esther
Mclaughlin, associate professor and
librarian Grace Sulerud'58, and
support of the College. Comprised of
Augsburg alumni, alumni wives,
faculty wives, and other friends of the
College, the organization was founded
in the fall of 1984. Since then, its
members have raised over a half
million dollars for Augsburg. The
feature story on p. B pays tribute to
this forward-thinking and enterprising
group of women.
Be sure to check out the winning
entries of Augsburg's third annual
international photo contest on p. 6.
The contest provides an opportunity
for students to share their best images
from international and off-campus
studies, and offers a glimpse into the
different cultures explored by our
students.
Finally, Auggie Thoughts onp.24
features the Commencement speech
presented by Christin R. Crabtree '03,
Weekend College representative.
Crabtree reminds us that "behind every
new person you meet, there is a sea of
faces." We may never know all the
faces existing behind the lives we
touch, but as Crabtree reflects, "we all
have the opportunity to have a ripple
upon the world we occupy ... we can
positively affect our communities
through the simple acts of smiling at
our neighbors, voting at every election,,
and advocating for our future
generations, our children."
-l
Áu¡
*Jw
ll*
Lynn Mena
Assistant Editor
facilities assistant Mary Duffee. With a
combined 93 years of service, all four
leave distinct legacies to Augsburg;
read their stories and plans for the
future on p. 11.
The Augsburg Associ.ates, who
number around I00, is a service
auxiliary dedicated to fundraising for
a
o
s.
S
special projects and scholarships in
We welcome your letters!
Please
wdte to:
Edito¡
AugsburgNow
2211 Riverside Ave., CB I45
Minneapolis, MN 55454
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Fax: 612-330-1780
Business administration chair John Cerrito celebrated with four graduating business seniors at
the department's reception in April: (L to R) Kristina Truong, Peter Samargia, Suki Sylaphet, and
Hugo Quintiliano.
Phone:612-330-ll8l
Letters for publication must be signed and
include your name, class year, and daytime
telephone number. They may be edited for
length, clarity, and style.
CORRECTIONS
Karen Ackerman, who completed the Master of Arts in Nursing program this Ma¡ was incorrectly
identified as Linda Ackerman in the photo on p. 1l of the spring 2003 AugsburgNow.
On the same page, Gary Shinnick, pictured with professor emerita Bev Nilsson, was incorrectly
identified as the Rev Bill Miller.
Also in
tl-re
spring 2003 Augsburg Now, Carl Grulke's name was misspelled ln the story on p. 8.
i
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by:
Office of Public Relations and
Communication
221 I Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
612-330-r
AucsBuRG Now
Vol.65, No.4
Summer 2003
lBr
now@augsburg.edu
Features
Editor
I
Betsey Norgard
Assistant Editor
Lynn Mena
Graphic Designer
The Augsburg Associates-providing
service behind the front lines
Kathy Rumpza
by Betsey Norgard
Class Notes Coordinator
In the nearly 20 years since their founding,
Sara KamhoÞ
the Augsburg Associates have given to the
College over a half million dollars from their
fundraising efforts earmarked for special
projects and scholarships.
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
President
William V Frame
D¡rector of Alumni and
Parent Relations
11
Amy Sutton
Director of Public Relations
and Communication
Farewell to retiring faculty and staff
by Lynn Mena
Three retiring faculty members, with a combined 78
years of service to Augsburg, were granted
emeritus/emerita status by the Board of Regents in May;
in addition, one staff member, with nearly 15 years of
service, retired in January.
Dan Jorgensen
Opinions expressed in Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
official College policy
ISSN r058-r545
6
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
Augsburg College, CB 142
221 I Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Third Annual International
Photo Contest
f3
co**encement 2oo3
612-330-ló87
now@augsburg.edu
Augsburg College, as affirmed
its mission, does not
discriminate on the basis oJ race,
color, creeil, religion, national or
ethnic origin, øge, gender, sexual
orientation, marital status, status
with regard to public assistance,
or disability in its education
p olicie s, a dmis sions p olicies,
s cholar ship ønil lo an pro gr ams,
athletic anill or scho ol
aâministered pro grdms, except
Departments
ir
in
those instances where religion
is a bona Jiile occupøtional
qualific ation. Au gsbur g C oll e ge
is committed to proviiling
reasonqble accommo ilations to
its employees and its students.
www.augsburg.edu
2
Around the Quad
4
Sports
17
18
Alumni News
24
Auggie Thoughts
inside
back
cover
Homecoming 2003 Preview
Class Notes
On the cover:
Augsbur g
s
tu dent
s, c ar ry ing Jlags
rcprescnltng lhe countrics oJ origin
oJ
the Class of 2003 graduates,Ied
the academic procession to the
C omnrcnc
50 percent recycled paper (10 percerLt post-consumer waste)
ement
C eremony. Pho to
by Stephen GelJre'03.
I
0
I o
^
Presenting music therapy in China
a
D ïi:: î.1ïil5i"':",*i:,:n" ""'
/a
O
tt
a
university faculty and
students, as well as a
s.
Therapy-A Field Whose Time Has
Arrived Around the World"-music
number of dignitaries,
could be felt in the
therapy professor Roberta Kagin found
that relatively few of the nearly 120
people who crowded into a room set up
for just 30 people in Beijing, China,
were familiar with the discipline of
music therapy.
Kagin was one of five music
educators invited to present at a
conference on music education reform,
held at Capitol Normal University in
Beijing. She says that Western music in
general is sorely lacking in China, and
that the Chinese concept of music
education is more commonly
understood as teaching people about
music, not preparing teachers of music.
"Students are hungry for anything
we can give them," she commented, in
reflecting on the great interest in her
presentation and in music therapy in
conference ambiance.
Kagin reported that, "The
opening ceremonies were
an amazing array of
flowers, speeches, and
videos."
general.
The conference audience included
à
as
so
U
While in Beijing,
Kagin visited two other
music schools-the
premier Central
Conservatory ol musìc
and the Chinese
Professor Roberta Kagin (right). chair of Augsburg's music
conservatory, a more
therapy program, was greeted with flowers in Beijing, China,
where her presentation at a conference on music therapy was
traditional program. As
eagerly received and overfilled the meeting room, Zhou Shibin
part of her own doctoral
(center above) is an administrator at Capital Normal University
study, Kagin met with
who visited Augsburg in the winter o1 1996-97.
members of the Huaxia
Musical Ensemble, a group of music
Kagin's host in Beijing was Zhou
students playing traditional Chinese
Shibin, an administrator at Capital
instruments. A paper she wrote included
Normal Universit¡ who visited
research and field recordings of the
Augsburg in the winter of 1996-97 and
instruments.
may return in the coming fall.
American lndian Student Services Program celebrates
25th ann¡versary
Æï}':::äffi ä":3öx'"'åïä:.
a yearlong celebration of its 25th
anniversary with a gala dinner May 16.
Mike Freeman, master of ceremonies and
Augsburg regent, welcomed guests, who
included faculty, staff, students, alumni,
and friends of the College and AISSP
The evening began with an
invocation by the Rev. Marlene
Whiterabbit Helgemo of All Nations
Indian Church, and an Honor Song by the
Lakota Singers, led byJerry Dearly Cindy
Peterson, director ofAISSB then presented
the history of the program.
Following dinner, those who have
impacted and helped shape the program
were honored with a "give-away."
Receiving special recognition were former
College presidents Oscar Anderson and
2
,+UGSBURG NOW
a
a
Charles Anderson;
former AISSP director
Bonnie Wallace and
current director Cindy
h
Peterson; Joseph Aitken;
President William Frame,
academic dean Chris
Kimball; Herald Johnson,
assistant to the vice
president of enrollment
and market development;
Tom Morgan, vice
president of enrollment
and market development;
Ann Garvey, associate
dean for student affairs;
scholarship donors; and
the Tribal Offices
Committee.
Charles Anderson, president of Augsburg
from 1980-97, receives
a
"give-away" blanket from Bonnie Wallace, the first director of
Augsburg's American lndian Student Services Program. Assisting
with the give-aways at AISSP's 25th anniversary dinner are Sandi
Lallak, a specialist with Augsburg's CLASS program (left), and
Sadie Curtis, a specialist with Augsburg's Access Center (right).
Summer 2003
I
a
o
Parker Palmer visits Augsburg
sS.
r^
Flarker l. Palmer.
Y m,
Courage
bestselling author oI
to Teach,visited
Augsburg lly''ay 17 as part of the College's
Exploring Our Gifts program. In the
afternoon, faculty, staff, and invited
guests gathered for a workshop, where
the respected teacher and activist
discussed vocation. Using a Mobius strip,
Palmer illustrated how one side
represents a person's outer
life-the
roles
played, the "stage-self"-and the other
side represents the inner life, the
Tvvo
"backstage self." He then demonstrated
how the two are combined, how "soul
and role" intersect.
In the evening, Palmer addressed
the issue of education with a public
presentation, "Honor Thy Teacher:
Authentic Education Reform in an Era
of Smoke and Mirrors." Palmer
suggested a need to "support the heart
of the teacher, and equip them as
human beings to effect change in the
troubled system we call education."
Parker Palmer, an acclaimed writen teache1 and
activist, presented a workshop and lecture May 17
as part of Augsburg's Exploring Our Gifts program
students rece¡ve Hognander Award
f, iark
Abelsen and Maja Lisa
are the 2003-04
recipients of the Hognander Award, the
College's most prestigious music award.
Mark Abelsen, of Duluth, Minn., is a
senior piano performance major studying
with associate professorJill Dawe. He
participates as an accompanist on
campus and in the chamber music
program, where he enjoys working with
singers and string players. In the future,
he plans to pursue master's and doctoral
degrees in accompanying or orchestral
conducting. He was a featured soloist in
the 2002-03 Concerto Aria concert.
lYlrtl,ruuspen
FritzHuspen, of Bismarck, N.Dak., is
a Regents Scholar and senior vocal
performance major studying with studio
artist Susan Druck. She performs in the
Augsburg Choir and vocal chamber
music program. In April 2002, she won
first place in the intermediate voice
division of the annual Schubert Club
competition. She was also featured as a
soloist in both the 2001-02 and2002-03
Concerto Aria concerts.
The Orville C. and Gertrude O.
Hognander Family Fund was established
to recognize exceptional music
performance and achievement. The
n
7
Maja
Lisa
ffi
Mark Abelsen '04
FritzHuspen '04
scholarship is based on merit, specifically
to provide encouragement to outstanding
music students. Requirements include a
resume, essay, and an audition of two
musical selections.
NOr{Wran¡t"Y
it¡t!ïtt?rñtãrtE
a
a
Augsburg hosts
Antarctic research
meet¡ng of national
scholars
s.
r4
Physics professor Mark
Engebretson (left) hosted a
meeting at Augsburg in
May of scholars from across
the country participating in
research in the Antarct¡c
region, including Vladimir
Papitashvili (center), f rom
the National Science
Foundation, and John Foster
(right), from MlT.
Summer
2OO3
President William V. Frame was
elected president of the ELCA Council
of College Presidents, representing the
28 colleges of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.
Emeritus/emerita status granted
Three retiring faculty members, with a
combined 78 years ofservice to
Augsburg, were granted emerituVemerita
status by the Board of Regents in May:
Satya Gupta, professor of economics
Esther Mclaughlin, associate professor
of biology
Grace Sulerud, associate professor and
librarian
For more information,
see the story about
retinng faculty and stafJ on p. 11.
,4ucs¡unc
ruow
3
2OO2-03
Twclvc
I
athletic year in review
All-Arnclican honors; two
national players ol the weel<;
l5
national toLrrnament qualifiers in
individual sports; l2 All-Region
selections, two MIAC Players of the Year;
22 AII-MIAC honors; three AII-MIAC
second-team honors; 35 AII-MIAC
honorable mention honors, 14 MIAC
Players/Athletes of the Week; 50 MIAC
Academic All-Conference honors; seven
Verizon Academic All-District selections,
and l5 sport-specific Scholar All-America
selections highlightecl the sports year.
Wrestling
The Auggie wrestlers saw their threeseason string of national championships
ended by Wartburg (Iowa), but the
Auggies finished second with six AllAmericans. Freshman Marcus LeVesseur
went 44-0 to earn the national title at 157
pounds, Augsburg's 3lst individual
national title.
Football
The Auggies finished the 2002 campaign
with a 2-8 overall record ancl l-7 mark in
the MIAC.
championship meet, a one-position
improvernent from last year's finish.
Augsburg's volleyball team struggled this
season, finishing 3-25 overall and l-10 in
the MIAC.
Men's soccer
Augsburg finished
4-II-2 overall and 1-8-1
in MIAC play
"i
U
Augsburg recorded one of its best
finishes in school history in the NCAA
Division III Central Regional at the encl
of the season, as each of the 14 runners
who competed at the regional rneet for
Augsburg recorded a personal-best time.
Augsburg's rnen placed l3th in the
25-team event, while the women finished
20th.
Men's hockey
Augsburg reached the conference
postseason playoffs for the fifth time in
the last six years. Ar,rgsburg finished
17-9-0 overall and 10-6 in MIAC pla¡
placing third. SeniorJaro Cesþ was the
top scorer among MIAC players this
season, standing 20th nationally among
Division III players in points. Chesky
was narned MIAC Player of the Year.
After a two-season absence, Augsburg
returned to the MIAC playoffs with a
fifth-place conference standing, finishing
the season l2-lI-3 overall, 10-6-2 in the
MIAC. Sophomore Lauren Chezick was
named MIAC Player of the Year; tl-ris
season, she led the nation in total points
and was second in points-per-game.
Men's basketball
Augsburg claimed its best record since
1995, finishingll-5-2 overall and 5-5-1 in
the MIAC.
Augsburg finished 1l-14 overall, S-12 in
MIAC play
Women's basketball
Men's golf
Augsburg finished
Adjusting to a relatively young lineup,
Augsburg finished fifth in the MIAC
meet with a 482 27-hole total, finishing
out of the top four in the MIAC meet for
the first time since 1993.
MIAC play
Women's golf
4
,+UGSBURG NOW
4,;
Men's/Women's cross country
Women's soccer
Augsburg finished eighth at the MIAC
¡*4É-{tr
In the MIAC meet, Augsburg's men
placed eighth overall, while the Auggie
women placed ninth. As a team,
Women's hockey
Volleyball
byDonstoner
4-2I overall,3-20 in
Baseball
The Auggies showed strong improvement
in team play finishing 9-24-2 overaTl and
4-16 in MIAC play
Softball shortstop Kristen Lideen earned All
American honors this season.
Softball
Augsburg finished the 2003 seasonT-29
overall and 4-18 in the MIAC. Shortstop
Kristen Lideen (junior) led the team in
virtually every offensive category, setting
the third-best single-season batting
average in school history. She set singleseason school records for hits, doubles,
and total bases, and became.just the third
player in school history to go through a
season
without
a strikeout.
Men's/Women's track and field
Sprinter Mathew Shannon (junior)
became the first Auggie male track and
field athlete to ever earn multiple AllAmerican honors in track in one season,
and earned MIAC Athlete of the Week
honors three times this season. Sprinter
Tonnisha Bell (freshman) became just the
second Auggie freshman to earn AllAmerican honors in track.
For the most complete information on
Augsburg Auggie athletics. visit
<www. augsbu rg.ed u/at
h let
ics>.
Don Stoner ís s¡rorts inJorntation coordtnator.
Summer 2003
T
I
Five students earn top athletic awards
!ive senior student-athletes received
I athletic awards for the 2002-03 school
year, voted by coaches in Augsburg's men's
and women's athletic departments. Four
Auggies earned Honor Athlete designation,
the highest honor the College gives its
senior student-athletes, and one eamed
Augsburg Senior Athlete of the Year honors.
career putouts are
tops in school history.
She has served as an
year starter at
Jay Howard,
running back in
football, Bramwell
earned AII-MIAC
business
Augsburg StudentAthlete Mentor for
two years and is a
member of the MIAC Student Athlete
Advisory Commiuee. With a 3.0 GPA, she
has served as president of the Augsburg
College Education Students (ACES)
association, and is a two-time recipient of
the Joyce Pfaff Academic Award for
management-A
women's athletics.
three-year starter in
men's basketball,
Howard earned All-
2002-03 Senior Athlete of the Year
2002-03 Honor Athletes
T.J. Bramwell,
biology-A three-
second-team honors
in2002. He was a
team co-captain in 2002 and received the
football team's Auggie Award. With
a
3.611 GPA, Bramwell earned Academic
AII-MIAC honors and Verizon Academic
All-District third-team honors in both his
junior and senior seasons.
Ricky Crone,
marketing-A twotime All American in
wrestling, Crone
nation at 184 pounds
this season, after
finishing second
coaches have been hired in four sports in
recent months.
Alumnus Douge Schildgen'90 was
hired to lead Augsburg's baseball team.
For the previous four seasons, Schildgen
served as head coach at North Hennepin
Community College, where he compiled a
49-44 record in his four seasons, finishing
second in the competitive Minnesota
Community College Conference twice
and reaching state tournament and
regional competition twice.
InJanuary Augsburg hired Troy
international
business-A four-
junior and senior seasons. He led the
Auggies in scoring, rebounding, blocked
time AII-MIAC firstteam recipient in
shots, three-point baskets, and field-goal
percentage. He was 10th in the MIAC in
scoring his senior season, 18th in
rebounding, and third in blocked shots.
With a 3.593 GPA, Howard earned
Academic AII-MIAC honors his junior
and senior seasons.
men's hockey, Cesky
Jennifer Lemke, elementary educationA four-year starter in softball at catcher
and first base, Lemke served as team co-
'Augsburg hires five new Goaches
I ugsburg College has severa] new
Flfu..r in the coaching ranks, as new
Jaro Cesky,
MIAC honorable
mention honors his
placed third in the
Summer 2003
captain for two
seasons. Her 631
nationally the year before. He earned MIAC
and Great Lakes Regional championships,
and was team co-captain his senior season.
He earned the team's Auggie Award and
was a part of teams that won the NCAA
Division III national title in 2002 and
finished second in 2003. With a 3.20 GPA,
Crone earned NWCA Scholar All-America
honors in 2003 and was a member of an
academic national team that finished sixth
nationally with a team GPA of 3.335.
byDonstoner
earned AHCA
Division III AllAmerican first-team
honors in 2002-03, Augsburg's 27th AllAmerican honor in men's hockey He was
named MIAC Player of the Year for
2002-03, scoring 42 points. He was voted
team Rookie of the Year his freshman
season and team MVP his senior year. In
March, Cesky was drafted by the Quad
City Mallards, a minor league UHL team.
byDonstoner
Nygaard and Laura Levi to serve as cocoaches for the women's golf team.
Nygaard currently serves as operaLions
supervisor of the Eagle Lake Golf Course
in the Three Rivers Park District (formerly
Hennepin Parks) in Plymouth, Minn. Levi
has worked as a golf instructor in the
Three Rivers Park for the past two years,
and is the golf courses' site coordinator for
the LPGA/USGA Girls' Golf Program.
In April, Cathy Skinner was hired as
the new head coach for the volleyball
team. Skinner brings 15 seasons of
volleyball coaching experience to
Augsburg, including eight years at the
NCAA Division I level with Fordham,
Princeton, and Drexel universities.
ln May, Dave Johnson, who coached
the Hudson (Wis.) High School girls'
basketball team to six Wisconsin state
tournaments and two state titles in the
last eight years, rÃ/as hired as the Auggies'
new women's basketball head coach. In
addition to his coaching duties at
Augsburg, Johnson will also direct the
school's intramural athletics program and
serve as equipment supervisor for the
health and physical education
department and the women's athletics
program.
,4ucssunc
Now
5
t'
\'('r' I00 I'nir¡(':r \\,¡^c :;Lrl)ltìii1('(l ìn tllc
1lriril lrtrrrrurl ¡rlroto t orrtcl;1 for
i
ntclnltionlI
¿rrrrl of 1ì.clrr.rprr:; :;t Lrrl icl;.
Wi¡rrrcr-¡; r,r,r'r"r' :;r'lcc:1ccl irr
tllrt'i'
clttc¡pric:;: :;cctric latrrl:;rlr¡ri':;, loclI ¡rco¡tIc
irr
l.r c
r-os¡;-cnItrrlrI :;ctiin¡r,, irncI Au¡,,.1brrlt,,
:itt-tcl(ìn1:ì
ur u lrosi rjcttinlì. ¡\llr'r,inninu
l)llotos wcrc c[isl)la)/ccl itr (.Ìrristcnscn
I
C.c:ntr:r'.
Lnlries \,vcrc juclgccl on t]ìc lollor,r,ing
cJ:itcrirì: cross-cullLll'irl contcnt, artistic tìncl
Lcchnical cluiìlity, ancl r'cprocl ucibrìr ty
Io 'r t' ltll llrt' rr innt'ts, r irit
<w
w\\r
a Lt
gsllulg.
ccl
u/i r tcl'r'r r
:
tiorul/
pho tocontcst03 >.
Local people in a cross-cultural setting. Third place.
A "Damara," Jamie Johnson '06. Namibia.
Scenic landscapes. Second place. "Namib," Jamie
e; &È,,e
B Johnson '06. Namibia.
Scenic landscapes. First Place.
C Stacy Enger'04. Norway.
"Little Piece of Norway,"
Local people in a cross-cultural setting. First place.
D "Playing with Pigeons," Naomi Sveom '04. Argentina
Augsburg students in a cross-cultural setting. First place.
E "Traje tipico y tevas," Katie Nielsen '03. Guatemala.
Scenic landscapes. Third place. "Nature's Embrace #2 "
F Naomi Sveom '04. Argentina.
6
.+t (;srit lì(; Now
Summer 2003
*:
q
Summer 2003
a
,,4ucsnunc
n¡ow
7
PROVIDING SIRVICE BIH ND THE FRONT
L
NES
by Betsey Norgard
Behincl the neu' Welcome Desk in
Cl.rristensen Center will soon appear a
new plaque, thar-rking the Augsburg
Associates for their funcling ancl support
for the renovatìon of that space. They
have also been thanked for similar
projects in tl-re Augsburg Roorn, Marshall
Roorn, and the Green Room in Foss
Center.
In the nearly 20 years since their
founding, the Augsburg Associates have
gi\¡en to the College over a half million
clollars frorn their fundraising eflorts
earmarked for special projects such as the
Christensen Center rerìovation.
The Ar.rgsburg CoÌlege Associates,
'uvho number around 100, is a sen'ice
auxiliary cleclicatecl to fundraising lor
special projects and scholarships in
support ol the College. Nearly 20 years
ago, in the fall of 1984, Gladys (Boxrud)
Strornmen '46, Kate Anderson, and Stella
(Kyllo) Rosenquist '64 er.rvisloned an
organization of Augsburg alumni, alurnni
1y11,s5, ancl other lriencls of
the College-sirnilar to social and service
organizations on other c:rm¡luses-ancl
compilecl a list of potential members to
invite to a luncheon.
A nurnber of these women then
hostcd thcir own luncheons. iuviting
classmates ancl friends with Augsburg
connections. Witl-rin a yeâr, the Associates
grew to arouncl 60 members.
For their initial funclraising events,
they sponsored benefit performances at
i.l'ives, facultl,
o
o
s.
bs'
Ø
Through its fundraising and membership, the Augsburg Associates have supported the College
for nearly 20 years. Board members are: (seated, L to R) Birgit Birkeland '58 (treasurer),
Michelle (Karkhoff) Christianson '72 (president). Ruth Aaskov'53 (secretary); (standing, L to R)
Lucy Hackbart, Grace (Kemmer) Sulerud'58, llene Holen, Lois (Black) Ahlbom '47,Barbara
(Olson) Dettle '59. Dorothy Bailey, Maryon Lee, Mary Wick, Anne Frame, Jo Erickson. Board
members not present are Dorothy (Floistad) Benson'56, Doris (Frojen) Bretheim '51,Terry
Cook, and Joanne (St¡les) Laird '58 (vice president).
8
,+UGSBURG NoW
Summer 2O03
L
q
Associates'board by Helga Egertson, who
had volunteered on similar sales with
Ebenezer Society. A group of 80 or so
women, who are experienced in the
organization and appraisal of household
goods, manage the sale and then take care
of anything that didn't sell. From 1996
through 2002, with six or seven sales per
year, the sales have netted $72,000 profit
The new Welcome Desk in the recently renovated Christensen Center was funded by the
Augsburg Assoc¡ates, and is but one of several examples of the Associates' generosity over the
past 20 years.
area theaters. The first, Tlrc Good Life, was
only marginally successful in raising
money, says Kate Anderson, a former
Associates president and wife of Augsburg
president emeritus Charles Anderson. "We
were barely organized, and we were trying
to do this at the same time." The two
following projects, The Rainmaher and
Gospel at Colonnus, were more successful.
At that time, planning was underway
at Augsburg for a new chapel, to be
located in the new Foss, Lobeck, Miles
Center for Worship and Communication.
As the need for a new organ was
discussed, Anderson recalls her proposal
to the Associates-"Let's see if we can buy
it for the College." Over a six-year period,
they raised $250,000 to purchase the
. Dobson organ in Hoversten Chapel.
During the first decade of the
association, their major fundraising
projects were annual "Trash and Treasure"
sales. For months, the group would
collect donations of furniture, clothing,
and other household articles for a giant
sale. While quite successful, the sales were
an enormous arnount of work to gather,
categorize, and price the goods-and
subsequently dispose of unsold items.
Space was used in the old church that
stood next to Melby Gyrn and in the
gyrnnasium itself, meaning that
everything had to be moved around to
accommodate athletic schedules and other
needs for the space.
Summer 2003
for the Associates.
These sales offer a service as well as
After eight or so years, and when the
church was torn down, the Associates
provide a benefit for the organization. The
Associates have received letters and cards
of appreciation, mentioning that they are
glad the money goes to support a worthy
decided to end the era of the Trash and
Treasure sales.
cause, says Egertson.
Managing estate and
mo\/ing sales
Anderson adds that their services are
provided at times that can be very difficult
for many people, some of whom already
have connections to Augsburg.
Each sale requires a team who spend
a week or so in the home organizing,
pricing, and preparing everything for sale,
including washing all china and crystal
Since 1996, the Associates have continued
to raise funds for the College by selling
household items, but now through the
administration of estate and moving sales.
The idea was first proposed to the
a
!
Avis Ellingrod (left) and Orlette Tatley (right) are
kept busy ringing up and packing purchases at
an estate sale in Burnsville in April.
È
L
q
Kate Anderson (right) and shopper Ruth
Schuenke examined some of the jewelry
items included in the Burnsville estate sale.
,4ucssunc
fr¡ow
9
and polishing silver. They bring tables ancl
sheÌr,ing to the sale Ìocation for clisplay
On the Friday and Saturday sale days,
approxirnately I0-12 r'olunteers are on
hand, sor-netirnes finding a line of 20
people waiting for them at 6:30 a.rn.
Customers range frorn professional clealers
who follow their schedule of sales to
neighbors and curious passers-b;'.
Funding other
special projects
After the organ purchase, the
Associates' second major
fundraising project was furnishing
the Special Collections room in the
new Lindell Library The Associates
raised $100,000 to create an
attractive space with a proper
enr¡ironr¡ent to house the special
books and collections owned by the
College, including the personal
library donated by writer and
activist Merideì LeSueur.
Since then, the Associates have
H
ru
r.w
ÆHE
LI
fl
m
Graham, and Leola Josefson.
renovated the Green Room in Foss
Center, the Marshall and Augsburg
roorns in Christensen Center, and, most
recently, havejust funded creation of the
Welcome Desk that greets visitors to the
College center.
Special lundraising projects are
chosen by the Associates in collaboration
with the College administration,
identifying projects of the greatest need to
the College.
Festive hosts
r7ïrr5
At Velkommen Jul 1999, among the festive hostesses
were (L to R) Fern Hanson Gudmestad '41, Elaine
f or
Velkommen Jul
The Augsburg Associates are perhaps rnost
visible at the College's annual Velkommen
Jul celebration for the community, held
usually on the first Friday in December.
Dressed in traditional Nordic folk
costumes, they host the sumptuous table
of Scandinavian Christmas goodies and
attract visitors with sales of homernade
and irnported Scandinavian gifts ancl
holiday clecorations. For a number o[
years, the Associates have carried out the
Over a six-year period, the Augsburg
Associates raised $250,000 to purchase the
Dobson organ in Hoversten Chapel.
10
,4ucs¡uRc ruow
planning ancl preparation for this popular
event, as well as the baking ancl donating
of many Scandinavian treats-flatbreads,
lutunl¿ahe, sandbahelser; hransel¿ahe, and
rosettes.
Service in education
Beyond fundraising, the activities of the
Augsburg Associates include an annual
educational seminar each spring.
Speakers on various topics-some frorn
the Augsburg faculty and staff-presenr
sessions to which the public is aÌso
invited.
In addition, the Associates have
endowed a scholarship offered to an
Augsburg student each year.
With a traditionally fernale
membership, the Associates would
welcome men and, especiall;', young
people to their ranks. Not all mernbers
need participate in the activities. For
many, ¡þs organization provides a way to
support the College, and higher levels of
membership represent a significant
portion of their annual funclraising.
For inlormation about estate and
moving sales or about the Augsburg
Associates, contact 6 1 2-330- I 183 or
6i2-330-1171.
I
Summer 2003
Farewell to
,i
FACULTY AND STAFF
by Lynn Mena
SATYA GUPTA
Satya Gupta,
professor of
econotnics, began
27 years oï
distinguished
service to the
College in 1976.
He was granted
tenlrre in 1982,
and promoted to
full professor in 1987. He obtained B.S.
degrees frorn Agra University in Inclia,
M.S. degrees from both Agra University
ancl Southern Illinois University, ancl his
Ph.D. from Southern lÌlinois Universì.ty.
Prior to coming to Augsburg, he taught in
India, Ethiopia, and Canada.
"He was always very interested in his
students," says Jeanne Boeh, associate
professor and chair of economics. "His
early work in peace studies was very
l-relpful to the College."
In 1981, Gupta and his wife were
two of 531 appointees from colleges and
universities throughout the United States
for six-year terms as Danforth Associates.
'The purpose of the Danforth Associate
Program is to recognize and encoLlrâge
effective teaching ancl to foster activities
that humanize teaching and learning for
nlcrnbcrs ol campus cornrnunilies.
In 1982, Gupta was awarded a grant
lo conclut l a spccial serninat'on rninority
education.
In reflecting upon eclucatior-r ancl the
role of educators, Gupta wrote in 1988,
Summer 2O03
"We need education that produces not
the physical or intelleciual, not the
political or economics man only, but also
the moral and spiritual mân-the whole
man. We need to impart education that
will help deveiop a meaningfui
philosophy ol lile."
Gupta anticipates having his hands
full during retirement, helping to care for
his new grandchild.
ESTHER G. MCLAUGHLIN
Esther
Mcl-aughlin,
associate
professor of
biology, began
her career at
Augsburg in
1989 as assistant
professor of
biology. She
obtained her B.A. and Ph.D. clegrees i.n
botany from the University of CaliforniaBerkeley in 1962 and 1968, respectively.
Prior to Augsburg, Mclaughlin held
adjunct faculty positi.ons teaching plant
biology ât Carleton College, St. Olaf
College, and the University of Minnesota.
"However, much of the time I was a stayat-home nìother, until my younger
daughter was a senior in high school,"
says Mclaughlì.n.
Outsicle of teaching, Mclaughlin has
co-eclited a two-volume book on ltrngi
for Springer-Verlag, ancl is an active
melnber of the Minnesota Native Plant
Society.
When she looks back on her career
at Augsburg, Mclaughlin says she is most
proucl of having inspirecl "a student or
a career involving plants
or fungi. She especially appreclates
having had colleagues "who care as much
as I do-or ms¡ç-¿þ6¡¡ biology and
two" to choose
teaching biology." She says she will miss
her department and her students, but
promises to "come back and annoy my
clepartment from time to time, just in
case they thought they coulcl get entirely
away from me."
"Esther Mclaughlin is a superb
teacher whose enthusiasm, energy, and
dedication is a joy to students ancl
colleagues alike," says Dale Peclerson,
associate professor of biology. "She has
rno<leled rnany oI the best l)racl jces it]
teaching: clear organization, thorough
preparation, honest self-evaluation, and
continual improvement. She has served as
mentor both for students and colleagues.
We have relied heavily on her
philosophical perspective, her wellternperecl and good-humored insistence
on rationality, and her willingness and
ability to argue for those positions that
improve the educational quality of our
programs and the College ... she will be
sorely missecl."
In the long term, Mclaughlin looks
forwarcl to spencling more time with her
two chilclren and grandchildren, traveling
wirh her husband (incluciing trips to Asia
and South America to collect fungi), ancl
,4ucs¡unc ruow
11
Fa
rewell to Retiring
plans to volunteer at the Bell Museum of
Natural History at the University of
Minnesota, where her husbancl is curatclr
of fungi.
storytelling. "She has often entertainecl
the library staff with stories of her travels
GRACE K. SULERUD '58
Augsburg, both as a stticlent ancl as a
librarian," adcls Susan Certain,
accluisitions coordinator.
Suierucl particì-tlarly enjoyecl worliing
wìth the library stafl to clevelop the
library's collections and expancl services.
An Augsburg
graduate fiom the
Class of 1958,
Grace (Kernmer)
Sulerud returnecl
to the College in
1.966 as a
circulation
librarian. She
stayecl for 37
years, retiring as associate professor ancl
collectior-r development/reference
iibrarian. She also served as acting heacl
librarian for one year, interirn co-clirector
for another year, and taught children's
literature in the education department for
14 years. She obtainecl a B.A. in English
frorn Augsburg, ancl two M.A. degrees
frorn the University o[ Minnesota (library
science in 1968 and English literature in
1970). Her husband, Ralph L. Sulerud, is
professor emeritus of biology.
"Grace Sulerud played a number of
roles as professor and librarian ... but her
most important role has been as a model
to others," saysJane Ann Nelson, director
of Library Services. "She's modeled
enthusiasm for learning, her own learning
and that of others; eagerness to try new
ways to serve stuclents or connect with
faculty; and seemingly bounclless energy
to work for peace and jr-rstice, to travel,
and to serve on caÍìpus committees.
Grace's legacy to Augsburg includes a
strollg collection of books as well as
strong relationships between the library
and faculty"
Many of Sulerud's colleagues are
especially fond of her talent lbr
12
,4UCSSURC NOW
and overseas teaching experiences, ancl
lras ¡rlovitlctì lristolical l)clsl)c( livc lr)
rnany situations liom her years at
"I'll rliss the work ancl daily encoLlrÌters
with the people here who have so greatly
enriched my life," says Sulerud. "I'rn
pleased that I could spend so rnuch of my
life at Augsburg, first as a siuclent and,
after a few years of teaching here ancl
abroad, as a librarian f'or over 30 years.
"I expect to continue working on
social issues such as affordable housing,
spend time with friends and farnily, travel,
paint a bedroom, and take more walks."
MARY DUFFEE
Mary Duffee
came to Augsburg
1988 as
facilities assistant
in
to the director of
the newly
instituted
Department of
Facilities, created
to establish
centralized scheduling on campus, as well
âs to coordinate both on- and off-campus
events. Duffee played an integral role in
helping this departrnent, now known as
Events ancl Classroom Services, to evolve
from a rnanual schecluling process to the
more sophisticated schecluling software
cllrrently in
use.
"When I started at Augsburg lin
19991, Mary scheclulecl everything on
huge hard copy books and then
transferrecl recorcls to a software
program," says Craig Maus, clirector of
Events ancl Classroom Services. "The olcl
software progranl wasn't so great, so tl-re
College pr-rrchasecl a new prograrn."
In the transition fronr tlre olcl
progrâm to the new program, Duffee
workecl hard to keep the carnplrs events
schedule running smoothly ancl, for a
tirle, was forced to scheclule everything
three times-hard copy, olcl software, and
new solÌware.
Maus creclits Duffee with having been
an invaluable member of the carnpus
community. "She knew the campus, the
departments, the phone ¡¡mþs¡5everything. She was a wonderful
resource."
Few at Augsburg know that it was
Duffee who won a contest to name two
Christensen Centel meeling loonìs upolì
their renovations-the Cedar and
Riverside rooms.
Prior to Augsbr"rrg, Duffee worked in
office adrninistration at the University of
Minnesota, Golclen Valley Lutheran
College, and Bethel College. "I discovered
[early on] that working in an academic
environment and Christian college
community is my passion," says Duffee.
"My position at Ar"rgsburg provided
interaction with faculty, staff, students,
and the general public. I will especially
miss working with students, as I always
enjoyed their vitality and energy.
"The gift of retirement will provicle
me with the opportunity to take more
trips, watch more sunsets, take more
walks, explore new bike paths, and savor
relationships with friends and farnilyespecially the six little ones who call me
'Granchna.' Retirement will also enable
me to try new opportr.lnities, such as
special interest classes ancl part-tirne
ernployment." I
Summer 2003
È
COMMENCEMENT2OO3
u
The 134th year of Augsburg College
s'
¡l
l
i
Despite overcast skies and sporadic rain
showers, spirits were high at this year's
Commencement f estivities.
ül
()
s.
ra
President William Frame presents Paul
Peterson, a metro-urban studies major, with
the Marina Christensen Justice Award for his
commitment to community issues.
REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE CLASS OF
PAUL PETERSON RECEIVES MARINA CHRISTENSEN JUSTICE AWARD
Paul Peterson, a senior metro-urban studies major, was selected as the 2003
recipient of the Marina Christensen Justice Award.
Each year, this award is presented to the graduating senior who best
exemplifies Augsburg's motto "Education for Service." The student must have
demonstrated a dedication to community involvement as characterized by the
personal and professional life of Marina Christensen Justice, who courageously
and effectively reached out to disadvantaged people and communities.
Peterson, from Minneapolis, has carried out a wide range of activities that
led to his being selected for this award. Among them are internships with both
the Lyndale Neighborhood Association and the Higher Education Consortium
of Urban Affairs' Metro Urban Studies program. He has been an active member
of MPIRG (Minnesota Public Interest Research Group) and the Coalition for
Student Activism. In addition, he spent this past spring break on the Lilly grant
"Community Development and Civil Service Exploration" trip to Washington,
D.C.
As one of his professors commented, "Paul represents the kinds of
commitments to social and community building that Marina lived for."
2OO3
COMMENCEMENT,FUN FACTS,
I
Jean M. Gunderson, representing graduate students
3000
Attended Commencement Ceremonv
I
I
Sarah R. Haberkorn, representing day school students
542
Served for brunch
Christin R. Crabtree, representing Weekend College students
19
Cakes for t"he luncheon
1
Pair of graduating sisters with the same
first name and the same major
Summer 2003
4ucssunc
Now t3
o
a
b
s.
O
B'
r^
Augsburg Chamber Orchestra director Paul Ousley poses with graduating
orchestra students after the Commencement Concert. Pictured, L to R: Heidi
Peterson, viola, business administration (marketing) major; Jody Montgomery,
violin, music therapy major; and Callie Hutchison, violin, music performance
Graduating senior and McNair Scholar Charles Barton (right)
enjoys a moment with Emiliano Chagil, director of Augsburg's
Hispanic/Latino Student Services, before the ceremony'
major.
CEREMONY KEYNOTE SPEAKERS THANK STEPUP PROGRAM,
ADVISE GRADS TO FIND BALANCE BETWEEN WORK AND FAMILY
-L
()
s.
I don't have any magic words or easy answers, but what I do know is that each of
you will progress in a way that's perfect for you. Clearly, you are embarking on the
next stage of your very interesting life-no one else's. ... I wish to thank and bless
the students, staff, and administrators of StepUP, starting with Don Warren, the
founder of the program, to the current staff and participants. Your unrelenting
vision and energy are making a critical difference in people's lives. I thank you from
the bottom of our hearts for giving our son [Adam] a safe, supportive, challenging,
and demanding place to return to college. Thank you to Augsburg.
-L
George Kwangware, a management information
systems major, celebrates before the ceremony.
So you're about to take this amazingjourney called the rest of your life. Whatever
you do, make a difference. You don't have to win a Nobel Peace Prize to have an
impact. If you help someone else, you will help yourself. It's so simple, it's all
right-and, in fact, it's wonderful-to have a passion for your job. But separate
your job from your life. l'm one who has had a job that is very demanding, and
have been gone a lot, but I have tried to separate those important parts of my lifethe job which takes me from home a huge amount of time, and still pay attention
to my kids and my
o
a
$
fi
,ì
s.
E
Steven Grande (center), a history major and
McNair Scholar; gathers with his parents after
the Baccalaureate service,
14
4UCSSUnC NOW
aur i e D un c an -M cWethy
The Class of 2003 begins their graduation day in Hoversten
Chapel, first at an early morning Eucharist service, then at the
Baccalaureate service (pictured above), led by Augsburg campus
pastors, Rev. David Wold (left) and Rev. Sonja Hagander (right).
wife. ... You cannot
imagine how relevant
the building blocks
and knowledge and
experiences you've
gained here will be in
the rest of your life.
... What you've
learned at Augsburg
may not be the
answers, but you've
been given the tools
to start asking the
right questions, and
that is critical.
-JohnF.
McWetlry
Summer 20O3
o
o
s.
COMMENCEMENT 2OO3
Eü'
ABC NEWS CORRESPONDENT JOHN MCWETHY AND ELDER CARE
ADVOCATE LAURIE DUNCAN-MCWETHY DELIVER KEYNOTE SPEECHES
ABC News correspondentJohn F McWethy and his wife, Laurie Duncan-McWethy,
were the keynote speakers at the Commencernent Ceremony Sunday, May 4. The
2003 graduating class included their son, Adam (pictured on p. 24 with his
fiancée, Christin R. Crabtree). Their other son, Ian, is a student at Fordham
University in New York City
Marissa Mapes, a communication major, joins fellow
grads as they process to the ceremony,
o
B'
q
Faculty and staff line up to enter Melby Hall for the
Commencement ceremony,
SJ
b
u
$
"We greatly admire Augsburg College and its StepUP program, in particular,"
Laurie commented upon accepting Augsburg's invitation to speak at this year's
ceremon)¿ "Not only has the school been an asset to our son and family, but we
find the College's role in education unique and filled with an exceptional mission.
We are pleased to be part of the graduation exercises and a support to the
Augsburg community"
Laurie Duncan-WcWethy is the owner and president of an elder care
management company called Choices for Aging and its affiliated daily money
management company Paperwork Solutionstt for Seniors. She founded the
company in l99t when she saw the need for assistance by older adults struggling
to remain in their homes or deal with a care crisis. She graduated from DePauw
University in Greencastle, Ind., and received her master's degree in health care
administration from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In
addition to her health care background, Laurie is a certified public accountant
specializing in long-term care counseling and retirement planning.
John F McWethy is chief national security and Pentagon correspondent,
Washington Bureau, for ABC Nøws. An ABC correspondent since 1979, he reports
on military and diplomatic aspects of U.S. foreign policy Widely honored for his
work, John received three Emmy Awards for his reporting on Ross Perot, the
Persian Gulf Waq and the Soviet military. He has also received the Alfred I.
DuPont-Columbia Award and the Overseas Press Club Award. He is also a
graduate of DePauw University, and earned his master's degree from Columbia
University's Pulitzer School of Journalism.
Augsburg's StepUP program, founded tn 1997 by Don Warren, is a nationwide model providing resources and support for students in recovery from drug
and alcohol dependenc;z After five years of service to recovering college students,
and a career dedicated to student-centered education, Don Warren retired in the
spring of 2002, handing his duties to StepUP's currenr director, Patrice Salmeri.
s)
Ê
O
s
E
H
u
ù
u
r4
E
Patricia Gonzales (left) adds a master's hood to her
academ¡c garb, as she receives her Master of Arts in
Nursing diploma and degree from Cheryl Leuning,
nursing department professor and chait.
Summer 2003
John McWethy, ABC News correspondent, and Laurie Duncan-Mcwethy, elder care
advocate, deliver keynote speeches at the Commencement ceremony. Their son, Adam
McWethy, was among the members of the Class of 2003 listening in the audience.
.Aucssunc
r{ow
15
r
U
È
s
s.
lb
Desiree Jorgenson (center), a psychology major, Honors Program graduate, and
McNair Scholar, shares a laugh with McNair Scholar program director Dixie Shafer
(left) and Rebekah Dupont (right), assistant professor of mathematics, at the
Commencement reception.
A future Auggie grad tries on her mother's
mortar board for size.
THE AUGSBURG COLLEGE CLASS OF 2OO3
) 534 Candidates for graduation
I 315 Day program graduates
I 148 Weekend College graduates
I 38 Graduate students (5 Master of Arts in Leadership,
è
h
26 Master of
Social Work, 7 Master of Arts in Nursing)
32
If
I 13
a
I
Rochester Program graduates
United Hospital Program graduate
Countries of graduates (Bangladesh, Brazll, Cameroon, Canada,
Colombia, Czech Republic, Guatemala, Lebanon, Somalia, Tibet,
Uganda, Ukrainia, and Zimbabwe
20-60 Age range of graduates in the Class of 2003
Karen Sutherland, associate professor of computer science,
poses with computer science major Hoa Nguyen (right)
and his wife (left) at the reception following the
Commencement ceremony.
h
U
s
ù
MASTER OF ARTS IN NURSING-CLAss OF 2OO3
Academic dean Chris Kimball (left) chats with Brad
Motl (right), a mathematics and physics double maior,
at the Commencement reception. Motl accepted a
research assistantship at the University of Wisconsin
in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and
Engineering Physics.
16 ,4ucssuRc
t{ow
The Master of Arts in Nursing program celebrated its second class of graduates'
Pictured, L to R, seated (faculty): Ruth Enestvedt, assistant professor of nursing; Bev
Nilsson, professor emerita of nursing; and Cheryl Leuning, professor and
department chair of nursing. Back row, L to R (graduates): Sandra Leinonen, Karen
Ackerman, Brenda Becker, Deb Brown-Schumacher, Patricia Gonzales, Jean
Gunderson, and Rae Ormsby.
Summer 2003
ll I
I
From the Alumni Board president's desk...
¡/ll
lJ
n May 4, I had the privilege and
hono, to address a new class of
graduates at the l34th Commencement
ceremony, and welcome them as official
alumni of Augsburg College.
The fall issue of the AugsburgNow will
provide more information on the board's
new leadership and members. Several
dedicated board members have completed
their terms, and we will endeavor to keep
them involved in the Augsburg
o
Thirty years ago, I sat in the same
Meþ Hall as a young graduate
looking forward to new horizons, but
feeling sad that I was leaving so many
good friends. These years later, I still get
seats in
community
together with some of my classmates once
or twice
a year.
Being Alumni Board president has
brought me back to campus, and now I
have a new set of friends from different
classes and programs. It has been a great
experience to work with the College and
the wonderful members of the Augsburg
community
As my term has ended, Dr. Paul
Mueller'84 from the Mayo Clinic is slated
to become the next president of the
Alumni Board, with Bill Vanderwall'93
Andrew Morrison '73, 2OO2-03 Alumni Board
president addressed the Class of 2003 at the
Commencement ceremony in May.
WEC as president elect.
We are fortunate to announce that
Lew Beccone'98 MAL; Dan W Anderson
'65; Tom A. Peterson'70; Jacqueline
(Brookshire) Tèisberg'80; Luann Watson
'88,'02 MAL; and the Rev. Karsten Nelson
'83 have been nominated to the board.
Speaking of keeping involved with
Augsburg, please contact the Alumni
Board or AlumniÆarent Relations and let
us know what interests you as alumni. We
want all of you to know about the wealth
of new programs at the College and the
numerous opportunities for alumni to
become involved with Augsburg. A good
time will be had by all.
Q72,,*-,
Andrew Morrison'73
Alumni Board, president
Lori Moline '82 rece¡ves women's business award
I
(ì
s
ffi:.ïi*'
company
specializing in
religious travel
wins a business
award. But in
April, creating
*J
Lori Moline'82
journeys of faith
and pilgrimage
earned Lori Moline'82 and her business
partner, Martha Van Gorder, the honor of
Emerging Business Owners of the Year by
the Minnesota Chapter of the National
Association of Women Business Owners.
Their travel company, CrossingBorders,
Inc., based in Bloomington, Minn., creates
church-related international tours that
provide spiritual expression and religious
education.
Few businesses have faced such a
series of challenges as CrossingBorders.
First, the viability of one of their key travel
Summer 2003
products was eliminated when the conflict
erupted inJerusalem in late 2000.
"The first destination for many
Christian travelers," Moline and Van
Gorder note, "is a journey to the Holy
l¿nd." Ayear later there was the impact of
September 1f , 2001, followed by a weak
economy and the weakening U.S. dollar,
and now the situation in Iraq.
It has required strength and
unwavering commitment to the long-term
potential of their business mission. Van
Gorder states, "We remain committed to
helping U.S. cit2ens discover their
Christian heritage, other cultures, and
often times other faiths through
international travel." To meet the
challenges, CrossingBorders has expanded
travel products, strengthened its overseas
people-to-people connections, and focused
on working with church leaders who put a
high value on intemational travel.
"We have witnessed," Moline said,
"some church leaders embracing the belief
that it is more important than ever to travel
beyond our borders to understand our
place in the world."
With planning up to 18 months in
advance, clients are preparing to travel to
Greece, Turkey, Italy, England, Scotland,
lreland, Germany, Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Hungary Austria, and China.
Tours created by CrossingBorders
emphasize a combination of church
heritage, cross-cultural, and spiritual
experiences. Prior tour highlights include a
choir performance in the church of a
Slovak village to standing-room only, a
pastor given permission to play one of
France's greatest church organs with the
tour group listening by his side, a church
group meeting elderþ members of the
Lutheran church in Dresden to hear how
the church was bombed in WWII, and
members sharing communion at the
Christian Catacombs in Rome.
,4ucssunc
Now
17
ta
1
939
The Rev. Alfred H. Sevig,
Spicer, Minn., retired inJanuary
2002, alter 45 years as pastor in
five parishes, and 15 years as
part-time hospital
chaplain/pulpit-supply. Last July,
he had heart bypass surgery and
has recovered well. He celebrated
the 60th anniversary of his
ordination in October.
1947
The Rev. Paul Blikstad, Salem,
¡a
o
Ore., continues in his l5th year
St. Matthew
Lutheran
Church in
as host of TheWillamette Renewal
Radio Broadcas¿, a half-hour
program sponsored by the
evangelical churches of many
denominations located in Salem.
The broadcast can be heard
Sunday nights at 7:30 p.m.,
Pacific time, at <www.kccs.org>.
1
956
The Rev. Ervin Overlund,
Beaverton, Ore., retired in
December, and was granted
pastor emeritus status by
Beaverton. He
celebrates 41
years o[
ordained parish
ministr¡
including 17 years ofparish
ministry in North Dakota, 18
years of institutional chaplaincy
in North Dakota and Canada, and
six years as a visitation pastor. He
and his wife, Sylvia (Moe) '58,
can be reached via e-mail at
<ekosao@attbi.com>.
1964
o
o
The Rev. James Parks,
Columbia Heights, Minn., is
s.
à
chaplain o[ Crest View Senior
Housing nursing home, which
provides a continuum of care for
a
U
seniors.
1
Staten Island, N.Y., is the
associate director of a museum
housing the John A. Noble
a
Maritime Collection, which
includes drawings, paintings,
lithographs, and writings
capturing the past century's "Age
of Sail." The museum is part of
Staten Island's Cultural Center.
She
recently retired from Lucent
Technologies, where she was
development manager.
1
à'
966
The Rev. Rodger Ericson was
I
recently featured in the
Cambridge, Minn.,Stør
newspaper. A lieutenant colonel
for the U.S. Air Force, he was
assigned to the Brooks City-Base
in
Antonio, Texas, as
chaplain for the 3llth Human
San
Systems
Wing and executive
officer of the 3llth Mission
Support Group. He has 23 years
of military service.
Alumni and friends of the College gathered at the Seattle Art
Museum in March to attend a performance of the Augsburg
Chamber Orchestra, Pictured, L to R: Anne Frame, David
Fagerlie '76, and Bonnie (Johnson) '67 and Bryce Nelson.
f8
,4ucssunc Now
is a victim advocate with
C.O.PE., working to empower
victims of domestic
abuse/violence. She also has a
side business of making creations
from gourds and modified pine
needle baskets. She can be
reached via e-mail at
<dav e7 5kay@netscape.net>.
f 968
Michael Arndt, Thousand
Oaks, Calif., received the
Excellence in Theatre Education
Award of the Kenney
Center/American College Theatre.
Festival at the American Theater
Festival XXXV held in Logan,
Utah, in February He is
professor of drama at California
Luthe¡an University in Thousand
Oaks, and is co-founder and
artistic director of the Kingsmen
Shakespeare Compan¡ a
965
Julie (Gudmestad) Landicina,
Augsburg alumni and friends gathered at the Housh home in
Arizona in March. Pictured, L to R: Anne Frame, President
William Frame, Ruth (Ringstad)'53 and Marvin Larson,
Lowell Ziemann'60, Jean and Allen Housh, and Vickie (Skor)
'59 and Howie '53 Pearson.
nicknamed the "earthship." Kay
1967
Kay Eileen (Nelsen) Jenness,
Lal-uz, N.Mex., and her
husband, Dave, are building an
underground house in Laluz,
professional theatre troupe that
brings Shakespearean plays to
life each summer in CLU's
Kingsmen Park. The troupe also
performs at other venues,
coordinates apprentice programs,
sponsors Theatre in Education
programs in local schools, and
organizes summer theatre camps
for youth.
1969
Kathleen Adix, Plymouth,
Minn., was featured in the New
Hope-Golden Valley Sun-Post
after being awarded the Arts
Coordinator of the Year award
from the Minnesota Alliance for
Arts in Education (MAAE) in
April. Kathleen is curriculum
coordinator in District 28I,
,/'?
where she has worked since
1969.
1972
Robert Engelson, Clinton,
Iowa, is starting his eighth year
as music department chair, fine
arts division chair, and choir
director at Mount St. Clare
College. He is also president of
the Board of Directors of Clinton
Symphony Orchestra. His wife,
Thea, is music director atZior'
Summer 2003
)
r¡rrrcreff=filÏIiE
Summer Auggie
Hours al fresco!
Come for the great patios and
stay for the interesting
speakers and networking
opportunities! The Augsburg
Alumni Board invites you to
these popular summer alumni
gatherings at local outdoor
patios the second Tuesday of
each month at 5:30 p.m.
July 8
Pickled Parrot
Apple Valley, Minn.
Facilitator: Norm Okerstrom
'85
August
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Clinton, and is pursuing her
doctorate in music
literature-voice at the University
of lowa. Their son, Matthew, is
in sixth grade.
197?
Don Swenson, St. Paul, is vice
president o[ operations at
Bachman's, the largest privatelyheld retail florist in the United
States. He gave a presentation
entitled "Tèchnology and
Problem Solving for Business,"
for the Augsburg Business
Organization (ABO) in April.
1975
Subhashchand Patel was
12
It's Greek to Me
Uptown, Minneapolis
Facilitators: Jeni Falkman '0I
At Patty Park'02 MAL
RSVP to AlumniÆarent
Relations if you can, or just
show up and enjoy a summer
evening catching up with old
friends and learning
something new.
featured in the Montevideo
American-N ews for practicing
dentistry in Clarkfield, Minn.,
for 26 years. He and his wife,
Annette (Hanson)'74,'89
MAL, reside in Clarkfield.
1977
Neil Paulson
started Franklin
Financial Corp.,
privately
funded
a
/¡l¡IIñN,IIm¡iJfrr\rl
,REALIZING
THE
AUGSBURG VISION'
an invitation from
President Frame
Members of the alumni,
associates, and parents'
advisory boards have been
invited tojoin the regents.
facult¡ and staff in
identifying strategies and
initiatives that will clarify the
institutional vocation of the
College and strengthen its
capacity to serve it.
President Williarn V Frame
welcomes any comments or
suggestions lrom aìl alumni;
please send them by August
15 via e-mail to
<frame@augsburg.edu> or to
Augsburg College, CB 13f,
2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, MN 55454.
mortgage
company that
offers sub-prime
loans to help customers rebuild
their credit.
William Reyer,
English
professor at
Heidelberg
College, Tiffin,
Ohio, is the
2003 recipient of
the Jane FrostKalnow Professorship in
Humanities, established to foster
educational excellence in
humanities teaching. Reyer has
been a member of the Heidelberg
faculty since t9B2 and serves as
chair of the English department.
1978
Jonathan Moren, Eden Prairie,
Minn., was elected vice president
of the Minneapolis District
Dental Societ¡ a chapter of the
Summer 2O03
;¡
"
la
Jackie (Kniefel) Lind '69, '94 MAL and Andy Fried '93 were
recognized in April at the end of their terms on the Alumni
Board of Directors for their leadership. Other outgoing board
members include Paul Fieldhammer'65, Tom Hanson '66, Jeff
Elavsky'68, and Christopher Haug '79.
Minnesota Dental Association, in
April. He also assumed
responsibility as president of the
United States Ski Association,
Central Division, Region One
board in May. He practices
1979
Linda Sue Anderson,
Minneapolis, and Zach Curtis
'97, appeared in the Twin Cities'
area premiere of Lanford Wilson's
in
dentistry for both Boynton
Health Service at the University
of Minnesota-Twin Cities and
Booh o[ Days at the Theatre
Pentagon Dental.
Bates.
Debra Axness, Charleston,
living with her
boyfriend, Larry aboard a
The Rev. Louise Britts was
featured in Norfh N¿ws for
S.C., has been
sailboat for almost three years.
They left Duluth in 2000 and
sailed through the Great Lakes to
the Erie Canal, down the
Hudson River to the Atlantic,
over to Chesapeake Bay, and
down the East Coast to the
Florida Keys. They are currently
anchored in Charleston, where
Debra is working at the Medical
University ol South Carolina as
associate director of a computer
lab for a research center that
does compute-intensive work on
the Round. Linda played Martha
Hoch and Zach playedJames
recently being ordained and
installed as pastor of River of
Life Lutheran Church in
Minneapolis. She was previously
the interim pastor at Good
Shepherd Lutheran Church in
afIrrù¡I¡Lrra[lltD
2003-2004 Alumni Board
meeting schedule
August
19
November 18
February l7
April20
brain imaging research.
June
Susan Shaninghouse,
Minneapolis, is a primary teacher
of a multi-age classroom at
Meetings are open to the
public and all alurnni are
invited to attend. Meetings
are held in the Minneapolis
Room in Christensen Center
at 5:30 p.m. For rnore
information, visit the alumni
Web site at <www.augsburg.
edu/alumni>.
ParkView Montessori School in
North Minneapolis. She is
pursuing special education
licensing in EBD through
coursework at St. Cloud State
University and the Minneapolis
Public School District.
15
4ucs¡unc ruow t9
Class Notes
Boardman, Ore., and has served
as the outreach minister and
youth minister at several
Minneapolis churches.
1
980
accepted the position of worship
ministries pastor at Brooklyn
Park Evangelical Free Church in
fall 2001. He and his wife, Mary
(Johnson) '80, reside in
Champlin, Minn.
The Rev. John E. Carlson
198f
1
Mary Beamish, La Crosse, Wis.,
married David Christensen in
February. Mary is a copy editor
at the Duluth News kibune and
David is employed by St. Louis
Janet Paone and Deb Pearson
'83 were featured guess on the
983
Ruth Koscielah Show on KCCO
radio in March. Janet was one of
the original cast members of
County.
m
o
a
Erica Benson '94= Path leads from basement
to Beverly Hills
s.
à
(J
by Dan Jorgensen
When Erica Benson '94 started on her career path she literally found herself with nowhere to go but up.
That's because her first job was located in a basement.
Benson, who now works for Beverly Hills-headquartered Kaleidoscope Films as a producer of movie
and TV promotional spots, landed her first media job working out of the basement at the PBS
affiliate ì.n Chicago.
"I sort of got into my career by accident," she recalled. "I was in the promo department and soon I was
on my way One job led to another until I eventually took the plunge and moved out to L.A. I went to
a promo house and got experience doing network stuff, including movies. Eventually that
Ianded me my job here at Kaleidoscope."
work at
A communication major, her first experience in the promotion field came through the news side when
she landed an internship atKARE-1LN¿ws in Minneapolis.
Erica Benson, a 1994 communication grad,
successfully transitioned from her first
media iob working out of the basement
at the PBS affiliate in Chicago, to Beverly
Hills-headquartered Kaleidoscope Films,
pictured above, as a producer of movie
and TV promotional spots.
"While I wâs there I met this crazy yovîgproducer named Larry Watzman," Benson said. "He was always going out on shoots and sending me to
fetch Bowie and Devo CDs for his spots. He pointed out that the great thing about TV promos is you get to wear many hats-writing, directing,
producing, and sometimes editing-versus work in advertising where you are forced to specialize in one area.
"I'd also have ro give a nod to MTV in shaping my career. I'm a pretty 'trendy' gal, so the thought of basically doing 'art' in
and ever-evolving medium, AND getting paid for it totally rocked."
a
hip way, in an exciting
Benson said she sort of "grew up" at Augsburg, where her father, Tom Benson'56 was the longtime director of Planned Giving, and not only helped
raise money for the College's scholarship funds but also for funding many of the newer Augsburg buildings, such as Lindell Library With a tuition
break because of her father's employrnent, she decided to try a year or so to see if she would like being a student where her father worked.
"I stayed because I liked the small classes and individualized attention I got from my professors," she noted. Her principal Augsburg mentors, she
said, were communication professor Deb Redmond, who also served as her advisor, and English professorJohn Mitchell. Benson also has other
Augsburg connections, including her uncie John Benson '55, a professor emeritus of religion.
Since entering the promo field full time, she's done work for almost all the major TV networks, including a short stint full time at FOX. She cut
movie spots for a Star W'ars campaign , Erin Brochoyich and Runaw ay Bride, and has done promos for such TV shows as the CBS blockbuster miniseries Hitla¿r. Other TV shows have included That '70s Show , Dr Phil, Spin City , and 3rd Roch From the Sun, to name just a few. The art of creating
these spots is made even more complicated by the fact that they have to "fit" into 30 seconds.
Making the transition to the L.A. area from Chicago, she noted, wasn't as hard as she thought it might be, "except everyone is so skinny out here,
and I like to earl" She makes her home in Toluca Lake, which is next door to Burbank, home of NBC's The Tonight Show.
As for advice to those interested in the field, she says "definitely internships, and make all the contacts you can. Go on informational interviews,
write thank you notes, and keep in touch. It's all about who you know
"As for actual skills, if you want to edit, learn programs like AVID, Final Cut Pro, and After Effecs, which is a graphics program. More and more
producer/editors are expected to make their own graphics these days, and this is especially true in television, which has become a very graphic
sensitive medium."
And for a final word of advice, she advocates long hours and hard work.
"l know it sounds depressing, but be prepared to pay your dues and do grunt jobs for long hours at little pay Then, if you hang in there and prove
you are ambitious, it will all pay off."
Dan Jorgensen is director of public relations and communication.
20
4ucssuRcr,¡ow
Summer
2OO3
)
Minneapolis' longest running
theatrical production, Tony n'
Tina\ Wedding, and is now a
theatre director at a local high
school and has done extensive
voice-over work. Deb is the
manager of the Children's
Theatre Company.
Anthony Munsterman,
Ironton, Minn., was featured in
¡he Aithen Independent Age as
feature French horn soloist in
The Great River Strings
Ensemble concert, "Something
Old, Something New, Something
Borrowed, Something Blue" in
March. He is band director for
the elementary and senior high
bands in Crosby, and has taught
music in Minnesota, Montana,
and North Dakota for 19 years.
Throughout his career, he has
directed or participated in
numerous choirs, orchestras, and
ensembles, both with the French
horn and voice. In 1998, he was
the assistant principal horn in
the College Band Directors
National Association Honor
Band. He and his wife, a
trombonist, have three children.
1
985
Peter Carlson and his wife,
Sara (Treanor) '87, Maplewood,
Minn., both received their
master's degrees in psychology.
Sara is licensed in marriage
therapy and owns a private
practice.
The Rev. Tammy Rider,
Claremont, Minn., was recently
honored for her award-winning
sermon addressing the issue of
violence against women,
"Sleeping Women," at the Walk
the Talk recognition banquet,
part of the third annual Spiritual
Speakout for Violence-Free
Families ecumenical
competition.
988
Jeffrey Bates, Chicago,
is
student special services advocate
at Prosser Career Academy on
Chicago's West side. He is also
Summer 20O3
o
a
AT
Ê*
a
2
5
programs and projects since
1997. He is former board
member of Future Teachers of
Chicago and lllinois, and
secretary of the Northwest
Neighborhood Federation Board
of Directors and catalyst for
community improvements.
Jeffrey is the proud single father
of Alyssa Carolynn, 7, and Kyle
An Auggie track athlete. pictured on the left, is now noteworthy
because of this race from around 1960, won by Macalester
student Kofi Annan. now UN Secretary General and Nobel Peace
Prize laureate. This photo appeared in the January issue of
Smithsonian magazine as part of an article about Annan. Do you
know who this Auggie runner is? Please let us know!
Jeffrey, 5.
Susan Hakes married John
Gorski in November. She opened
her own real estate company,
Hakes Realt¡ in Grand Marais,
Minn., inJanuary. She can be
contacted via e-mail at
<hakes@boreal.org>.
Tim A. Todd, El Sobrante, Calif.,
is group finance manager for BioRad Laboratories in Hercules,
Calif. He relocated from
Borbach-Le-haut, France, where
he worked at Roche
Pharmaceutical Co. of Basel,
Switzerland. He attended Schiller
International University in
Heidelburg, German¡ in 1991 to
receive his MBA, where he met
his wife, Hélène. They have three
children: Natalie, 7, Carol1.n, 6,
and Christopher, 2.
Kiel Christianson received his
Ph.D. in linguistics from
.1987
1
the head coach for girls'softball,
varsity [ootball assistant head
coach (offensive coordinator),
and assistant coach for girls'
varsity basketball. As the service
learning coordinator at Prosser,
he has developed innovative
Michigan State University in
December. He and his wife and
daughter moved to Amherst,
Mass., where he is a postdoctoral researcher in the
psychology department at the
University of Massachusetts.
1
989
Pamela Dorset Hoye was
featured in the Mírrrreapolis
Business.lowncl as owner of
Calhoun Beach Framing Ât Art
Gallery.
1
990
Lara Elhard, Minneapolis, is
pursuing her M.E.D. in Family
Education at the University of
analyst for the Toro Company.
Minnesoa-fwin Cities.
1
I 991
Perrine Dailey married Mau
Mikesell in August. She is an
Colleen Kay Watson, Mendota
Heights, Minn., wrote two
articles for CollegeRecruiter.com,
assistive technology specialist for
the PACER Center's Têchnology
Center, where she has worked
for eight years. Perrine held her
first solo art show at a St. Paul
café inJanuar¡ which featured
her fractals. She has also been
featured in several other art
shows sponsored by VSA MN
(Very Special Arts). The couple
resides in St. Paul.
entitled "You Will Find What
You Are Looking For" and "Don't
Let the Beetles Get Under Your
Bark." Colleen is CEO and cofounder of Career Professionals
Inc., which helps job seekers
find entrylevel opportunities in
management, marketing, sales,
customer service, finance, and
administration.
Carla Beaurline, Eden Prairie,
Minn., is founder and co-host for
the new cable television show,
Aroundthe Town, covering the
seven-county metro area, and
airing on MCN regional channel 6
and Time Warner 23. She was
director of national sales for a
direct response radio agency and
has been in advertising sales for
eight years. In addition, for the last
six years she has served as a parttime spokesperson/co-host/model
for ShopNBC and QVC.
1
993
Brent Anderson married
Marilyn Barry in April. Brent is a
manager in the small business
division at Qwest
Communications in St. Paul, and
Marill,n is a senior financial
1
995
996
g
il
Ryan Carlson,
Minneapolis,
participated in
Seagate's eco-
challenge, an
adventure race
consisting of
mountain
biking, sea kayaking, hiking and
orienteering, and rappelling, in
Brisbane, Australia. Individuals
from Seagate sites around the
world are nominated to participate
in the six-hour race. He is a
manufacturing manager for
Seagate, and can be contacted via
e-mail at <rcarlson@seagate.com>.
Scott Magelssen, Rock Island,
Ill., received his Ph.D. in theatre
history and theory from the
University of Minnesota in
spring 2002. He is assistant
4ucsnunc
now
21
Class Notes
m
Jane Jeong Trenka '95:
A journey in words orJudyPerree
An accomplished rnusician and soon-to-be published book author,
JaneJeong Tienka says she has been very "lucþr"
Tienka graduated magna cum laude in I995 with degrees in music
perlormance and English. Her first "real job" came about by a
suggestion from Jill Dawe, Augsburg assistant professor of music,
that she volunteer at The Schubert Club. Dawe's suggestion led to a
job at which she stayed for five years. While at The Schubert Club,
Tienka directed a music program, Musicapolis, which reduced the
cost of music lessons for children who couldn't otherwise afford
them. She now teaches private piano lessons out of her home.
A quirk of fate and a trip to a plumbing store eventually led to the
publication of her first book, due out this fall. What do plumbing
and writing have to do with each other? Well, the plumbing store
was across from The Loft Literary Center, and since she was
already
street.
in the neighborhood, she decided to make
a
professor o[ theatre arts at
Augustana College in Rock
Island.
FT
IJ
ffi ffi
ffi
Thanks to a "quirk of fate" that
led to Jane Jeong Trenka'95
receiving The Loft Creative
Nonf iction Mentorship Award,
she is celebrating the publication
of her first book, The Language
of Blood: A Memoir (Borealis
Books), due out this fall.
trip across the
"I loved writing while I was at Augsburg, but had no idea I was a writer," Tienka said. After winning the
award, she discovered she could indeed write. Since then she has aÌso been awarded aJerome Tiavel and
Study Grant, a Biacklock Nature Sanctuary Fellowship, a Minnesota State Arts Board Fellowship, a
fellowship from SASE: The Write Place, and an Honorable Mention for the Water-Stone 2002 Brenda
Ueland Prose Prize.
Tienka said she feels kind of "guilty" that it has come so easy "Some people slave at their writing for
years before they publish, but I had luck. I'm glad people are interested in what I have to sa)¿"
The Language of Blood: A Memoir will be available this fall from Borealis Books. It is a personal comingof-age story of her search for identit¡ which takes her on a journey from Minnesota to Korea and back.
Included in her book are some of her experiences at Augsburg.
Tienka said Augsburg gave her the feeling of freedom to do whatever she wanted. It gave her a good
liberal education base, which has allowed her to pursue music as well as a literary career, and even
beyond that, if she chooses.
"Without that scholarship, I never would have been
able to attend Augsburg." But what she liked was the urban setting. She said she was so excited when
she tasted her first Korean food-growing up in a small, northern Minnesota town, ethnic restaurants
were few and far between.
She came to Augsburg on a President's Scholarship.
"I liked the slice of urban life where there is a diversity of people. In this setting I was able to find out
who I really was." While at Augsburg, Trenka said she made "terrific friends," and the faculty were so
giving. She got a sense that she could try whatever she wanted. 'John lMitchell, associate professor of
Englishl was fantastic. He would hang out with students at this little coffee place and talk to us. It was a
blessed time." She said it rerninded her of "hang-out places" you always hear about back in the'60s. "It
was like a little bubble in time at Augsburg."
What's next for Trenka? She is working on writing a series of children's books on home repair with a cowriter who is a builder. Her books will focus not only on home repairs, but diversity
"It's rare to see interracial families depicted in children's books," Tienka said with a twlnkling in her eye,
"but you'll see them in mine."
22
/,lUCSnUnC ruOW
ù
ã,
L
o
U
Laura Marie (Krepela)
Stoneburg, Farmington, Minn.,
received her master's degree in
education from St. Mary's
University. She is teaching all-day
kindergarten for Minneapolis
Public Schools.
1997
While there, she picked up information about The Loft Creative Nonfiction Mentorship Award and
decided to send in a manuscript. Tienka was one of five chosen for this award, which lent her the
opportunity to work with authors Louise Rafkin and Aram Saroyan, both out of California.
ludy Petree is media relations mdndger.
o
o
Melissa (Wieland) Bergstrom,
Brookll-n Center, Minn., was
featured ín rhe Champlin Dayton
Pr¿ss as
choral director of Anoka-
Ramsey Community College. She,
also directs music at Holy Nativity
Lutheran Church in New Hope,
and works as a personal assistant
for local composer Steve Paulus,
and is co-artistic director of The
Sacred Voice, a chamber choir in
the Twin Cities.
r
998
Brian Olmsted married Heather
Manley in May. Brian is pursuing
his doctorate in materials science
at the University of Minnesota,
and Heather is a production
manager ar cable Phoro systems.
The couple resides in Richfield,
Minn.
1
999
Leah Holloway married Kevin
Rudeen in May. Leah is a
marketing analyst with Liberty
Check Printers; Kevin is an
operations analyst with Wells
Fargo Home Mortgage. The
couple resides in Vadnais Heights,
Minn.
Wendy N.
(Hoekstra)
Vogelgesang,
Litchfield, Minn.,
received her
Master of Arts in
education from
St. Mary's
University inJanuary. She is a
second grade teacher for
Litchfield Public Schools.
2001
Todd Boerbooffi , Chattanooga,
Summer 2003
)
Tenn., married Kristine Smith in
February. He recently accepted a
position as product manager
with Playcore, Inc., in
Chattanooga. Todd can be
contacted via e-mail at
<todd_boerboom@hotmail.com>.
Dawn Millard, Iowa Cir¡ lowa,
married Brent Cobb in
December. Dawn works for Iowa
Health Physicians in Monticello,
Iowa, and Brent works at World
Class Industries Inc., in
Trojan Women.
Adam Sprech€r married
Shaundra Fossen in May. Adam
works for Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans; Shaundra is attending
college obtaining her floral
design designation. The couple
resides in Corono, Calif.
Christina Thérèse MarkwoodRod, Wayzata, Minn., is
pursuing her master's degree in
public history.
Hiawatha, Iowa.
Births/Adoptions
2002
Susan (Young)'88 and Thomas
Campbell, Maplewood, Minn.-a
son, Eric Thomas, in April. He
joins brotherJack, 5. Susan is a
kindergarten teacher for District
Ryan Krautkremer married
Amy Holthus in March. Ryan is
sales representative for Verizon
Information Services; Amy
a
third grade at Eastview
Elementary School in Lakeville,
teaches
wife, Sheila, Pl1'rnouth, Minn.-a
son, Matthew Scott, in March.
He
joins sister Lauren, 5. Scott
works in sales at MSI Insurance,
and can be contacted via e-mail
at <scotthumphre)@stribmail.
developer for Select Comfort.
Nick Gruidl '96
and his wife,
Megan, Brooklyn
Park, Minn.-a
son, Anthony
com>.
Denise (Bohnsack) '92 and
David Helke, Jordan, Minn.-a
daughter, Sarah Rose, in
December. She joins brothers
Matthew, 4, and Noah, 2.
Presley, inJuly
2002. Nick is a
tax manager at Grant Thornton,
LLP,
in Minneapolis.
Tina (Kubes)
'92 and Lance
Kristin Kay
Hillukka '98, Big
Peterson,
Willmar,
Dawn Lorna
(Givans)'89 and
Patrick Lander,
Marina Del Rey,
Erin Stuhtfaut, Inver Grove
Heights, Minn., recently
Calif.-twin
boys, Blake and
Blane, in
Minn.-a
¿:. ". daughter.
'Y
'
Ari
Rose, in
February. She joins brother
Blake, 3. Tina is a physical
education teacher for New
London-Spicer Schools.
Rich Blumer'95
and his wife,
Heather, Maple
Grove, Minn.-a
son, Carson
James, in March.
Rich is a software
Scott Humphrey'90 and his
622.
Minn.
performed at Lakeshore Players
and in Lex-Ham Community
Theatre's production of The
','
at Frege Salon, and can be
contacted via e-mail at
<dawngivans@aol.com>.
.
Lake, Minn.-a
daughter,
Meikiina
Dorothy
DanDan,
adopted from Hangzhou, China,
in May 2002. Kristin is an
accountant for Cargill, Inc.
January. Dawn is a hair colorist
lnM emorrem
I
Ann (Kveen) Sveom'36,
Minneapolis, died in February; she
was 87. She was preceded
in death
by her husband, the Rev Freeman
O. Sveom'34. She is survived by
her daughter, Karen (Sveom)
Andrews'69; her son, the Rev.
$tephen Sveom'76; and five
grandchildren.
Lloyd E. Raymond'38,
Burnsville, Minn., died in March;
he was 88. He was a retired
teacher and coach, and also coowned and operated aJohn
Deere dealership for 25 years. He
is survived by his wife, Evelyn;
son, Lloyd E. "Butch" '63;
daughter, Marcia (Raymond)
Berkowitz'73; six grandchildren;
and five great-grandchildren.
served in San Bruno, Calif.
Kenneth G. Robbins '50, Coon
The Rev. Harold l. Nelson'43,
Edina, Minn., died in April; he
Rapids, Minn., died in November
of A.L.S.; hewas74. A veteran o[
the Korean War, he taught for 32
years, and also owned an auto glass
business in San Diego, Calif., for
22 years. He is survived by his
wife, Beverly; three children; and
one grandson.
was 92. He worked as a farm
hand until he was 25, and later
served Trinit¡ Lesje, Turtle
Mountain, and Bethesda
Lutheran churches in Souris,
N.Dak., and Tiinity Lutheran
Church in Ottawa, I11. He served
as a mission developer for both
St. Mark Lutheran Church
in
Lindenhurst, Ill., and Peace
Lutheran Church in Morris, IlÌ.
Post retirement work included
visitation and interim ministry.
He is survived by his wife of 60
years, Helen; four children; ll
grandchildren, and four greatgrandchildren.
The Rev. KarlW. Berg'40,
Norman H. Hermstad'47,
Tacoma, Wash., died in December;
he was 86. A retired minister, he
was a missionary inJapan, a
chaplain at the VA Medical Center
in American l-ake, Wash., and also
Novato, Calif., died in February He
was a retired teacher, and is
survived by his wife, Anne, and
Summer 2003
tvvo sons, Steven and Bruce.
The Rev. Milford C. Parkhurst
'54, Tiempealeau, Wis., died in
February; he was 70. He was a
retired pastor, serving
congregations in North Dakota and
Wisconsin. He worked tirelessly in
writing the constitution for the
new l-a Crosse area slmod of the
ELCA and served as s1'nod dean as
well as in other capacities. He is
survived by his wife, Donna; four
children; and four grandchildren.
Lynn E. Erickson '55, Walhalla,
N.Dak., died in Februar/; he was
69. He was an attomey in
langdon, N.Dak.; an assistant
attomey general for North Dakota;
chiefjudge of the tribal court for
Sunding Rock Sioux Nation in
Fort Yates, N.Dak.; a supervisory
contract specialist and contracting
officer for the Department of
Delense at the Grand Forks,
N.Dak., Air Force Base; and a
North Dakota state attomey for
Cavalier County He is survived by
his wife, Delma; three daughters;
and four gandchildren.
The Rev. Frank Schmeling'90,
Buffalo, Minn, died inJanuary
from complicatiors following a car
accident; he was 43. He was a
welder and mechanic until 1985,
when he was seriously injured in
an industrial accident. Shortly
thereafter, he began his college
education, and was ordained in
February 1999. He served parishes
in South Haven, Kingston, and
Cokato until health problems
prevented him from his pastoral
duties in 2001. He is survived by
his wife, LuAnn.
4ucs¡unc ruow
23
I
A
o
O
¡-
I I
o
I
'Behind every new person you meet, there is
a S(êa Of facest
ollow ing is the C ommencement
ceremony sp eech presented by Christin
R. Crabtree , Weehend College Class of 2003
representatíve.
F
The first Weekend College course I
attended at Augsburg was in 1988. I had
ridden in a car for four hours from
Brookings, South Dakota, and I was
thrilled to be at college. I was 7 years old.
My mother is a graduate of Augsburg
Weekend College, where she obtained her
elementary teaching license. I am honored
to follow in my mother's footsteps, as a
graduate with a degree in history and a
secondary education teaching license.
Augsburg has been a force of change
and growth for our family My mother has
a job working in a charter school that she
loves. My sister was able to begin college
here at age 17, leaving herjunior year ol
high school to become a freshman at
Augsburg majoring in social work. There
have been countless times that my 3-yearold son, Jacob, has attended psychology
classes here, with my fiancé, Adam. He
has met every history professor in the
departmentl
A wise woman I know told me once,
"Behind every new person you meet, there
is a sea of faces." This truth is one I carry
with me daily I may never even know the
people whose lives I affect through my
actions. Because of this truth, I must carry
with me into life the ideals of love and
tolerance for all people. I must be honest,
possess integrity, and above all maintain
spiritual health. ln living up to my ideals,
my time on earth will result in positive
relations with those who surround me.
When Don Warren founded the
StepUP program, I am sure he knew his
actions would help hundreds of youth and
their families. However, the ripple effect of
the founding of StepUP reaches far
beyond these students and their families;
StepUP serves as a catalyst for change
across the country through the fine
example being set for other colleges. The
24
,4UCSBURC ruOW
by chrisrin R. crabrree'03
example of Augsburg sets
a
precedent of success and
service for universities
around the nation-through
its Weekend College, the
CLASS program, and through
StepUP
As graduates of
Augsburg, we all have the
opportunity to have a ripple
effect upon the world we
occup)¿ We have been given
the gift of finding a vocation,
a chance to work in a field
where we find meaning, and
where we can use gifts given
to us by God. We can
Christin R. Crabtree ,03, seated with her fiancé, Adam
McWethy'03, and her son, Jacob, is surrounded by her
family, who gathered at Augsburg for Commencement
positively affect our
.o-*,,,'iti., through
ffi:1,ï"i":,'ffiiï"ifliiìil! i.îi:"ff;'ï'"31n'311n"
simple acts of smiling at our
ceremony May 4.
neighbors, voting at every
experience, and I had lost faith in myself
election, and advocating for ouI future
and in God.
generations, our children.
At Augsburg, my professors helped
I want to take this opportunity to
me to reach beyond what I ever thought I
thank the Augsburg community for the
could achieve. Because of the existence of
effect you have had upon my life. My
Weekend College, I was able to work full
experiences at this institution have
time to support my son while maintaining
inspired me, and changed me. To see
my enrollment in college.
faculty and staff believe in students and
You have brightened my future and
the one-to-one interaction that occurs is
that of my son. My faith in God, and in
amazing. \üy'atching young, recovering,
the inherent goodness of humanity, has
chemically dependent students enter
developed here. My dreams for the future
college and graduate with honors is a gift.
seem real now; there was a time it
Witnessing McNair Scholars
achieving goals beyond what they thought seemed I may never graduate from high
school, and I stand here today, speaking
possible is an honor to observe. To see a
blind man attend class with his seeing-eye at my college commencement. My goal
for the future is to advocate for those
dog, never losing his positive attitude or
with no voice, and to always give back to
his dream, is a memory that will stay with
the world around me, be that through
me forever. As for me, I have been given
teaching, public service, or some othel
the gift of a drive to succeed above all
avenue. Through faith anything is
obstacles. Know that these effects upon
possible, and the people we touch along
me inspire me to be a positive force in the
the way are the largest gifts of all. You
world around me.
may never know the sea of faces existing
When I first came to Augsburg, I had
behind the lives you touch. Thank you,
little study skills, nor did I have the faith
Augsburg, for the effect you have had in
that I could succeed. As a youth, I had
my life, upon the people I love, and the
been though turbulence and trials that
sea of faces beyond each of them.
have
eveï
to
not
should
children
the
Summer 2003
)
tl
O
¡¡
ll
O
I I
o
AUGGIE TRADITIONS
September 3o-October 5, 2003
Tuesday, September
christensen
n
a
m
30
symposium
-Locarion
rBA
Men's soccer vs. university or
Thomas
7:30 p.m.-Edor Nelson Field
st.
1
Luncheon
Town 6¡ Counrry Club, St. Paul
l0 a.m.- Craft Sale
1 I :40 a.m.-Annual Business Meeting
Noon-LuncheonÆrogram
Augsburg Ethnic Programs Celebration
:4
5
p.
[iíJ;i;"tääil
Friday, October 3
Augsburg Associates Annual Fall
:30-6
Fame
Banquet
ZÍ.ÎJ;k"-:'.'f,J"-
Wednesday, October
5
Athletic Hallof
m.-Christensen Center
Scholastic Connections Social & Dinner
7-B 30 p.m.-Christensen Center
:
Volleyballvs. St. Olaf College
7:30 p.m.-Melby Gymnasium
Class
of 1943 Reunion Breakfast
Picnic in the Park
11 a.m.-l p.m.-Murphy Park
9 a.m.-Christensen Center
of 1993 Tailgating Party & Reunion
a.m.-l p.m.-Class of 1993 tent,
Class
Class
of 1953 Registration & Continental
11
Breakfast
9 a.m.-Foss Center
across Murphy Park between Urness 6¡
Homecoming Chapel & Community Time
I 0:20 a.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Augsburg Women's Story Archive
Noon-3 p.m.-Christensen Center
of 1953 Luncheon
I I:30 a.m.-Chirstensen Center
Football Game vs. Carleton College
Book Signing/Authors from the Class of
Class of 1993 Post-Game Party
Upstairs at Grandma's after the game
Class
1953
Christensen
I p.m.-Edor
Nelson Field
2 p.m.-Christensen Center
Thursday, Octob er 2
2 p.m.-Gather in Christensen Center
English Dept. Alumni/ae Wine & Cheese
Reading & Reunion
4-5:30 p.m.-Lindell Library, Room 301
Seventh Annual M. Anita Gay
Hawthorne Jazz & Poetry Bash
Trash & Treasure/Augsburg
Alumni Soccer Game
Underground
4:30 p.m.-Edor Nelson Field
Campus Tour
5-7 p.m.-Foss Center
lnternational Student Alumni Gathering
'4:30-6 p.m.-Christensen Center
wÆrofessor Emeritus Philip Thompson
3 p.m.-Location TBA
Variety/Talent Show:'Auggie ldol'
7 p.m.-Foss Center
Homecoming Social, Dinner, & Reunion
4:30-5:30 p.m., Social Hour-Christensen
Center
5 :30 p.m., Dinner-Christensen Center
7:30 p.m., Reunion parties-Locations TBA
Saturday, October 4
Science Alumni Gathering
9-1 I :30 a.m.-Location TBA
Social Work Alumni Network (SWAN)
Event
10 a.m.-noon-Christensen Center
Registration & Refreshments
l0 a.m.-4 p.m.-Christensen Center
Campus Tour
11 a.m.-Gather Ìn Christensen Cenrer
Women's Soccer Game vs. St. Catherine's
7:30 p.m.-Edor Nelson Fj.eld
Sunday, October 5
Worship Service
I
I a.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Heritage Society Recognition Brunch
I I a.m., Worship Service-Hoversten
Chapel
Noon, Brunch-Christensen Center
This is a preliminary calendar and is subject to change; please wøtch for your full Homecoming eyent brochure-ilue in mailboxes later this summer.
'"
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Send us your news
and photos!
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nrarriage , ancl births. Don'L 1òrgct
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rs
Maiden name
Full name
Class
year or last year attended
Street âddress
ls
zip
State
City
this a new address?
[
i Yes l-l No
E-mail
Home telephone
r'ìotirc
n
okay to publish your e-mail address
lcr¡urccl, c.g. rn obitr-tary, fr,rncral
notice , or plogram fìorn a
Employer
mcmorial servicc.
ls spouse also a
Scncl yonr news iteurs, pl-roLos, or
change of aclclress by mail to:
ALrgshurg Nou, Class Nolcs,
.\rLg'brrlg t olìeg., LB l*o.
221 I Rlversiclc Ave., Minneapolis,
MN, 55454, ol e-rnail Lo
Spouse name
Work telephone
Position
graduate of Augsburg College?
n
Yes
n No
lf yes, class year
Maiden name
Your news:
t
<alun'rnr@augsì rurg.cclr-r>.
L
A
UGSBURG
COLLEGE
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Title
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Augsburg Now Summer 2005
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Collection
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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Search Result
-
A
P U B L I C AT I O N
Summer 2005
F O R
A U G S B U R G
C O L L E G E
A L U M N I
&
F R I E N D S
Vol. 67, No. 4
EEditor’s
DITOR’Snote
NOTE
Staying connected
I
t seems the talk everywhere is about
being “connected.” There’s the daily
media buzz about camera phones, text
messagi...
Show more
A
P U B L I C AT I O N
Summer 2005
F O R
A U G S B U R G
C O L L E G E
A L U M N I
&
F R I E N D S
Vol. 67, No. 4
EEditor’s
DITOR’Snote
NOTE
Staying connected
I
t seems the talk everywhere is about
being “connected.” There’s the daily
media buzz about camera phones, text
messaging, chat rooms, etc., but here on
campus the conversations focus more on
meaningful ways to help our alumni stay
connected to the College.
While I was thinking about all of this,
we received the sad news of the death of
Augsburg’s President Emeritus Oscar
Anderson. It was a quote included in a
newspaper article that sparked more
thinking about connections. In 1983, while
speaking about liberal arts education,
Anderson said that students needed to be
as familiar with Captain Ahab in Moby
Dick as with the computer HAL in 2001: A
Space Odyssey. “The computer is an
extension of the brain, not a substitute for
the mind.”
To me, this really tells us that as we
become more proficient in maintaining the
technological connections, we should
remember that it’s the fostering of deeper
relationships that make people want to
stay involved in the life and future of
Augsburg. It’s the difference between being
brain-connected and being heartconnected. Like family members who grow
up and move away, we hope our students
will leave us wanting to stay involved in
what goes on at this place.
We hope this relationship begins with
the very first impression a high school
junior gets as he or she is led around
campus, and with each stop increasingly
thinks, “This is the place I really want to
be.” Or, when a full-time nurse or a stayat-home mom hangs up the phone, excited
about the prospect of finishing college
after receiving lots of encouragement from
an admissions counselor.
Once students are on campus, they
discover many opportunities to forge this
kind of relationship—with classmates,
with athletic teammates, with professors in
classrooms and labs, with academic
advisers, and with people they meet as
they explore the world off campus.
Each year at Commencement, we send
off our graduates confident that they’ll take
their learning in directions that bring
meaning to their lives. We fervently hope
they stay in touch.
After that the connections become
more tenuous. Work and family life take
over, and again we hope that somehow
Augsburg fits into their careers and
activities.
This summer issue of the Now speaks
to this whole process of building Augsburg
relationships and keeping the “family”
connected. You’ll share the excitement of
the 600 graduates we sent off in May with
Augsburg diplomas. You’ll be encouraged
to return to campus for Homecoming
festivities to catch up with old friends and
connect with our current students.
In the feature stories, you’ll meet
bright, young music scholars who have
graduated and followed their hearts and
talents to places far and near. You’ll also
meet students and faculty in our
Mathematics Department, and learn how
math studies and career exploration go
hand-in-hand in a very personal process.
And, you’ll read about some very
remarkable donors to our Access to
Excellence campaign—both Augsburg
alumni and others—who are committed to
building exceptional opportunities for
future students.
Alumni president Bill Vanderwall sums
it up at the end of his column, “Be
connected—stay connected!” And I’ll add,
“Stay heart-connected!”
Betsey Norgard
Editor
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55454.
Editor
Betsey Norgard
Assistant Editor
Lynn Mena
Graphic Designer
Kathy Rumpza
Class Notes Coordinator
Sara Kamholz ’04
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
President
William V. Frame
Director of Alumni and
Parent Relations
Amy Sutton
Director of Public Relations
and Communication
Dan Jorgensen
Opinions expressed in
Augsburg Now do not necessarily
reflect official College policy.
ISSN 1058–1545
Postmaster: Send address
corrections to:
Advancement Services
Augsburg College, CB 142
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
healyk@augsburg.edu
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
Augsburg College, as affirmed in its
mission, does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, creed,
religion, national or ethnic origin,
age, gender, sexual orientation,
marital status, status with regard to
public assistance, or disability in its
education policies, admissions
policies, scholarship and loan
programs, athletic and/or school
administered programs, except in
those instances where religion is a
bona fide occupational qualification.
Augsburg College is committed to
providing reasonable
accommodations to its employees
and its students.
www.augsburg.edu
12
A PUBLICATION FOR AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
Summer 2005
Vol. 67, No. 4
FEATURES
21
Finding the right career formula
by Betsey Norgard
25
Following the Hognander Scholars
by Jessica Brown
10
12
16
2005 Fifth Annual International Photo Contest
Commencement 2005
Vision, news from Access to Excellence:
The Campaign for Augsburg College
DEPARTMENTS
21
2
Around the Quad
8
Sports
28
Alumni News
30
Class Notes
35
In Memoriam
36
Auggie Thoughts
inside
back
cover
Homecoming 2005 Preview
On the cover:
Three education students enjoy the
serenity of the Quad to study after
their summer school class.
25
Photo by Stephen Geffre.
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post—consumer waste)
AROUND
QUAD
Around THE
the Quad
President Frame announces
retirement in 2006
Augsburg News Service
W
illiam V. Frame, who has served as
president of Augsburg College
since the summer of 1997, has
announced plans to retire in the summer
of 2006 following completion of his
current term.
In letters to regents and colleagues
and in a talk before a gathering of staff
and faculty on the campus, Frame said
that he and his wife, Anne, have found
the work both rewarding and
demanding, with the principal rewards
being a deeper understanding of the
Lutheran idea of vocation and of the
educational regimen that it requires. He
saluted faculty, staff, regents, and other
supporters of the College as “true
partners” in his presidency.
“Our work together has helped us
draw Augsburg to new levels of
recognition for advancing the cause of
Lutheran higher education in the city
and in the global society of the 21st
century,” he said. “Together, we have
brought new life and utility to Luther’s
idea of vocation, and have organized our
general education curriculum and now
our graduate programs around this grand
idea of the ‘called life of service.’
“Augsburg plays a unique role in the
world of Lutheran education. Its service
to the city, to the provision of accessibility to first-class educational
opportunities for both traditionally-aged
students and working adults, and its
regard for faith and reason as interactive
and mutually reinforcing modes of
understanding gives us a special mission
which you have helped us to see and
pursue. No doubt my successor will rely
as heavily upon your counsel and
support as have I.”
Jean Taylor ’85, president of Taylor
Corporation and chair of the Augsburg
Board of Regents, said she expects the
search for the new president to occupy
most of the next year. She has appointed
H. Theodore Grindal ’76, partner in the
law firm of Lockridge Grindal Nauen
P.L.L.P. and vice-chair of the Augsburg
board, to lead the search.
Frame, who is the 10th president in
Augsburg’s 136-year history, said that
while much has been accomplished, he
expects his final year to be filled with
projects and opportunities. Among those
is his continuing work on the College’s
$55 million Access to Excellence: The
Campaign for Augsburg College, kicked off
in April 2004. Some $41 million has
been raised toward that goal, the largest
in the College’s history.
Prior to joining Augsburg, Frame was
vice president for finance and operations
at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma,
Wash. He has been a strong proponent of
William V. Frame
the tradition of Lutheran higher
education, which he believes is based on
the ideas of vocation and service and
requires ongoing dialogue between faith
and reason.
His advocacy for vocation also has led
to his national leadership among college
presidents, currently serving as project
director for the Council of Independent
Colleges’ program designed to guide both
current and prospective presidents in
reflection about each leader’s sense of
calling and its intersection with
institutional mission. He also has taken
leadership roles with the Minnesota
Private College Council—as chair during
the 2004-05 academic year—and the
Minnesota Campus Compact.
A L U M N I A S K E D T O S U B M I T N A M E S O F P R E S I D E N T I A L C A N D I D AT E S
The Augsburg College Presidential Search Committee is continuing to seek names of potential candidates
for the presidency and especially wants to hear from Augsburg alumni, parents, and close friends of the
College during this process.
Names of suggested candidates should be sent to Dr. Thomas B. Courtice of the Academic Search
Consultation Service, Washington, D.C., who is assisting with the search. Nominators or prospective
candidates may contact Courtice at <tom.courtice@academic-search.org> or at 614-405-9209.
2
Summer 2005
David Tiede named to first endowed chair
D
avid Tiede, president of Luther
Seminary for 18 years, has been
named to the Bernhard M. Christensen
Chair in Religion—the first endowed
chair in Augsburg’s history.
Known as one of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America’s preeminent theologians and educators, Tiede
was selected following a nationwide
search by the College. He earlier had
announced his intention to retire from
the Luther presidency in May 2005. His
appointment to Augsburg begins in the
2005-06 academic year.
The chair honors Bernhard M.
Christensen ’22, the seventh president of
Augsburg College and Seminary from
1938-62 and a central figure in drawing
Augsburg fully into the study of liberal
arts. Augsburg Seminary was later merged
with Luther Seminary.
In announcing the selection, Augsburg
President William V. Frame noted, “David
Tiede is a champion of the Augsburg ideals
of vocation and service to the city. These
ideals, along with Augsburg’s increasing
attention to its role as a college of the
church and in a global society—including
the formation of a new Center for Faith
and Learning under the auspices of our
Lilly Endowment grant—were keys in
attracting him to this new position.”
As the Christensen professor, Tiede
will carry out research and writing,
including focus on Christensen’s legacy
and work. He also will lecture and conduct
on-campus workshops, represent the
College at various events sponsored by the
Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment
Fund, work with Augsburg students who
have been designated as “Lilly Scholars”
and who have demonstrated an interest
in studying for ministry, and will seek
ways to strengthen the College’s ties to
key Christian leaders and communities.
In accepting the position, Tiede
noted, “Since the days of President
Bernhard Christensen, Augsburg College
has had a vision of academic excellence
for the sake of vocation in the world.
Summer 2005
Now faculty, graduates, and administrative leaders are bringing renewed
focus, discipline, and strength to this
vision. I am grateful the Christensen
Chair will allow me to join them in
helping make it happen.”
Inez Schwarzkopf, former Augsburg
regent and chair of the College’s
Christensen Endowment Fund
Committee, said Tiede graces the
Christensen chair with a wide reputation
as a scholar, a leader, and a churchman.
“We are delighted that he has accepted
this new challenge,” she said. “At the
same time, the appointment honors Dr.
Tiede by association with Augsburg’s
solid legacy of scholarship, Christian
spirituality, service, diversity, and
ecumenism as embodied in the life and
work of Bernhard M. Christensen.”
Christopher Kimball, provost and
dean of the College, who co-chaired the
search committee with Schwarzkopf,
said, “Tiede provides the College with a
voice in the national conversation about
the importance of church-related—in
particular Lutheran—higher education.
So, we are fortunate to have someone of
that stature join the faculty.”
Tiede’s teaching career began in 1967
as a summer instructor in Greek at
Harvard Divinity School, where he
became a teaching fellow in New
Testament in 1969.
Ordained in 1971, he served as
associate pastor of Trinity Lutheran
Church, Minneapolis, from 1972-75. In
June 2000 he was elected vice president
of the Association of Theological Schools
(ATS) in the U.S. and Canada. Two years
later, he was elected president of ATS. He
serves on the board of directors for In
Trust magazine.
Courtesy of Luther Seminary
Augsburg News Service
David Tiede, retiring president of Luther
Seminary, is Augsburg’s first Bernhard M.
Christensen Professor of Religion.
Tiede earned the B.A. degree from
St. Olaf College, attended Princeton
Theological Seminary, and received the
B.D. degree from Luther Seminary in
1966. He earned the Ph.D. degree from
Harvard in 1971 and began his career at
Luther that same year, teaching New
Testament, his specialty.
In addition to ten books and textual
notes, he has written dozens of scholarly
articles and book chapters, done a
number of audio and video productions,
and served on numerous boards and
committees for the church, in national
and international religious organizations,
and throughout the Greater Twin Cities.
For the past three years he has been the
initial chair of the new consortium, Faith
in the City, composed of seven Lutheranbased organizations working collectively
and with others to contribute to the wellbeing of the community.
Oscar Anderson dies at 89
As Augsburg Now goes to press, we sadly report the death of President Emeritus Oscar A.
Anderson, Augsburg’s eighth president, from 1963-80. Read the news release at
<www.augsburg.edu/news/news-archives/2005/oscaranderson.html> and see the
complete story in the next issue.
3
Around the Quad
Larry Crockett recognized for
Honors Program leadership
omputer science professor Larry
Crockett, who directed the Honors
Program from 1988 through this past
academic year, was honored by the
College for his service and vision for the
program over 16 years. Crockett will be
on sabbatical leave during spring 2006
and return in the fall to teach in the
Honors Program and computer science
department.
“His vision for the Honors Program
has shaped its curriculum and the
intellectual lives of its students,” said
academic dean Barbara Edwards Farley at
the April recognition gathering.
“Establishment of the Honors Suite gave
students a place to call their own; and
Larry’s work on the Honors Web page and
contributions to the National Collegiate
Honors Council have brought the College
national recognition,” she continued.
For several years, Augsburg’s Honors
Program Web site was the top-ranked
honors page at both Google and Yahoo.
Christopher Kimball, provost and dean
of the College, said that Crockett “cares
deeply about ideas, particularly those that
should shape and be shaped by a liberal
arts education.” Kimball recalled a
conversation in which Crockett lamented
that faculty only gather to take care of
questions of governance and legislation,
and no longer to converse about ideas.
“We never talk about the important stuff,”
Kimball recalled Crockett saying. “Those
are the things that got all of us into
academia.”
Crockett’s teaching crosses disciplinary
boundaries—computer science,
philosophy, history of science, theology,
and history. He has served in the clergy of
the Lutheran church, and is currently a
priest in the Episcopal church.
Both former and current students
testified to the impact that Crockett’s
sometimes unorthodox, but always
challenging, teaching made in their
education.
Erica Huls ’01 recalled the first day of
Honors 101 when students were asked to
4
Staff photo
C
Larry Crockett catches up with former
Honors Program students Erica Huls ’01 (left)
and Stephanie Lein Walseth ’00 (right) at the
reception honoring his leadership and service
to the program.
count the ceiling tiles in the classroom,
before pondering why it was that people
don’t sit around all day doing that. She
said that Crockett’s goal was to teach them
how to think, to make and defend
arguments, and to find fallacies in others.
“The program wanted us to look at
subjects like religion, science, and
technology, and see how they could live
and work together, just as they live and
work together in Dr. Crockett’s person,”
she said.
Senior Eric Dunens spoke about
community. “[Crockett] created a program
that surrounds its participants with the
best Augsburg has to offer. He’s created an
honors community that challenges its
participants to reach their potential. He’s
also created an honors community that
encourages students to interact with other
students and create a real community on
campus.”
Crockett participated on the Honors
Program Design Team to develop a new
proposal for the Honors Program. The
proposal was approved by the faculty,
and Crockett has worked with the team
implementing the program, along with
Robert Groven, the new Honors
Program director.
Bob Groven
named Honors
Program director
Augsburg News Service
R
obert Groven,
associate
professor of
communication
studies, has been
named to a threeyear term as
director of the
Honors Program.
Groven holds a Juris Doctorate from
the University of Minnesota Law School
and a Master of Arts in speech
communication from the University of
Minnesota. He is a 1989 graduate of
Concordia College-Moorhead, where he
participated in the honors program in
humanities. Groven, who has been a
member of the faculty since 1997, also is
director of Augsburg’s award-winning
forensics program and has led it to
national prominence in recent years.
In announcing the appointment,
Christopher Kimball, provost and dean
of the College, said, “Dr. Groven’s
philosophy of education, his vision for
an honors program education at
Augsburg, and his commitment to
student development and community
building make him an excellent choice
to assume leadership of the program.”
Kimball noted that an Honors Program
Council will be established this year to
work with the new director to guide the
development of the recently revised
program.
Kimball said that the Honors
Program—as noted in its operational
statements—both celebrates and
enhances the signature elements of
Augsburg’s Core Curriculum: Christian
vocation, global citizenship, the
importance of service, the value of
diversity, and the role of the city in
framing the College’s beliefs and values.
About 115 students participate in the
program each year.
Summer 2005
Making room for mental illness
P
rofessor Dan Hanson’s family has
struggled for a decade to understand
and care for their mentally ill son and
brother, Joel. The road has been difficult
and, at times, seemingly hopeless. Hanson
has transformed that journey into a book
that aims to give hope and support to
countless other families who also never
expected to find themselves in this
situation.
At age 20, Joel Hanson was diagnosed
with severe schizophrenia, and believes
that he is God. He lacks the insight to
understand why others can’t share his
delusion and why he must inhabit his
different reality alone. If he discontinues
his court-ordered medication, he stops
eating and drinking, and becomes severely
ill and dehydrated.
Dan Hanson explains that his book,
Room for J: A Family Struggles with
Schizophrenia, evolved in several ways. The
simplest is that it started out as a personal
journal. “Writing is often my way of
dealing with difficult situations,” he says.
“[My books] always emerge out of my
own struggle.”
As Hanson and his wife, Sue, sought
care and support for Joel, they also began
to consider a book that would help other
families navigate the social services system,
as well as deal with the sense of loss for a
loved one who has become a totally
different person.
And, thirdly, Hanson wanted to include
Joel’s own voice, his own writing about his
self-identity, to demonstrate how he, too,
Professor Dan Hanson
struggles with family and others who don’t
acknowledge or understand him for the
person he believes he is.
The book presents journal entries of
the Hanson family members. They talk
about good times, even during Joel’s
illness, when the Joel they know shines
through while out fishing or playing with
a nephew. But there are also the most
difficult times, when they fear for Joel,
when he becomes psychotic, when they
must confront him to force commitment,
or when they discover he’s gone off
medication and disappeared.
What the Hansons and other families
learn and face is that society does not deal
adequately with mental illness. Many
institutions and asylums were closed in
order to mainstream the mentally ill into
society, but the reality is that the programs
by Betsey Norgard
and support to
accomplish this are
severely underfunded and
understaffed. Some
end up reinstitutionalized in nursing
homes, prisons, or
state hospitals not
designed to treat
them—or they end
up on the street and helpless.
Ultimately, Hanson says, Room for J is
about making room for Joel in the family,
as well as challenging society to make
room “for all our Js, and to find ways to do
a better job of providing community-based
programs that integrate people who cope
with severe mental illness back into the
community so they feel respected, yet are
given the right kinds of program to survive
and even thrive in the social structure.”
Room for J has been welcomed and
critically acclaimed. It was recognized as a
“highlighted title” on an independent
publisher’s Web site. Hanson appreciates
hearing from others who find comfort in
understanding that they need not face
their challenges alone.
Dan and Sue Hanson spoke about the
book and insights the family has gained on
Minnesota Public Radio’s “Speaking of
Faith” program on July 17. That program
can be heard at <speakingoffaith.
publicradio.org>. Room for J: A Family
Struggles with Schizophrenia was published
last year by Beaver’s Pond Press.
Augsburg gains a provost and three new deans
Christopher
Kimball
Summer 2005
Barbara
Edwards Farley
Ann Garvey
Julie Olson
Last September, as part of a restructuring of the College
administration, Christopher Kimball became Augsburg’s first
provost, as well as continuing as dean of the College.
In further changes to the Academic and Student Affairs
division, three positions of dean were created. Barbara Edwards
Farley became academic dean, while Ann Garvey is now dean of
students. Formerly, both positions were associate deans.
Julie Olson ’98, ’05 MAL , formerly director of the Enrollment
Center, is the new dean of enrollment management, with
responsibility for the Enrollment Center; day, weekend, and
graduate admissions; and public relations and communication.
5
Around the Quad
Music therapy celebrates
past, present, and future
by Jessica Brown
F
aculty, alumni, and friends of
Augsburg’s music therapy program
gathered in April to celebrate its 30th
anniversary. They reflected on the growth
of the program, affirmed a leading role
for music therapy across many careers
and vocations, and proposed a vision for
its continued growth.
The original vision for music therapy
at Augsburg was that of longtime music
department chair Leland Sateren ’38, who
asked Prof. Robert Karlén to attend a
national conference in this emerging field.
Karlén was impressed, and invited
Roberta Kagin to teach the first music
therapy courses. She was eager. “As a
college student,” she said, “I saw a
demonstration by a talented composer
and pianist who asked handicapped
children to walk across the room to the
beat of her piano music. If music had the
power to influence the way these children
could move, what else might lie in its
power?”
Today, Augsburg’s more than 100
music therapy graduates live around the
world and work in a wide variety of
careers and fields that serve people of all
ages and needs—working with disabled
children to maximize their learning
potential, helping elderly people remain
active and engaged, and combining music
with many forms of treatment and
therapy to promote healing and wellness.
Keynote speaker Cheryl Dileo, from
Temple University, recounted personal
experiences from her career in which
music therapy is introduced in situations
of death and dying, i.e., of aiding people
in the transition from life to death. Where
communication can be difficult among
family members, Dileo says, “songs help
families express all the love they hold in
their hearts to the dying patient,” as well
as provide spiritual affirmation, healing,
and a musical legacy.
Speaker Bill Bowen spoke personally
about the value of music therapy to
6
people with physical and cognitive
challenges. He told of the instrumental
role that music therapy and Professor
Roberta Kagin played in the remarkable
progress of his son, Edward “Major”
Bowen, following surgery to remove a
brain tumor.
Kagin, honored as one of the original
architects of the program and its current
director, presented a slide presentation
and oral history of Augsburg’s music
therapy program and affirmed its place in
Augsburg’s curriculum. “The music
therapy major is firmly and without
apology steeped in a liberal arts
education,” she said. Students study a
four-year liberal arts course, followed by
an intense six-month internship with a
music therapist. Above all, music therapy
touches a very basic human need for
creative expression.
Kagin also spoke about music therapy
within a Center for Creativity and
Transformational Learning envisioned at
Augsburg. In addition, a master’s degree
in music and medicine is under
consideration. Augsburg remains the
Each year Augsburg music therapy students
join with VSA Arts of Minnesota in a music
festival for developmentally disabled children.
only music therapy program among
Minnesota’s private colleges.
For information about music therapy
at Augsburg, contact the Music
Department at 612-330-1265.
Jessica Brown is a communication specialist
in the Office of Public Relations and
Communication.
2005 teaching and learning distinctions
The 2005 awards for
Distinguished Contributions to
Teaching and Learning have
been announced by the Center
for Teaching and Learning and
the Office of the Provost.
TEACHING—
Kristin Anderson (standing),
associate professor, art
ADVISING/MENTORING—
David Wold (seated, left),
College pastor and director of
ministries, and Sonja Hagander
(seated, right), associate
College pastor
SERVICE TO STUDENTS—
Wendi Wheeler (seated,
center), Weekend College
academic coordinator
Summer 2005
Terry Lewis retires from PA program
T
erry Lewis, clinical site director and
faculty member of Augsburg’s
physician assistant program, retired from
Augsburg at the close of the 2004-05
academic year. He joined the PA program
in 1995 as clinical coordinator, having
spent several years prior as a physician
assistant in the military.
Lewis received his initial PA training in
1977 from the U.S. Army/Baylor University
PA Program in Texas. He went on to
receive his bachelor’s degree in 1983 from
Siena Heights University in Adrian, Mich.,
and his Master of Physician Assistant
Studies in 2002 from the University of
Nebraska.
“Terry and I [joined Augsburg] when
this program was new,” says Dawn
Ludwig, PA program director. “Terry’s
wisdom has been invaluable to me as this
program was molded into the premier
program it is today. … He is a kind and
patient person and I will miss him greatly.”
Over the course of his career in the
physician studies field, Lewis has received
numerous honors and awards, including
the U.S. Army PA of the Year in 1990,
presented by the surgeon general, as well
as 40 additional military honors. He has
presented numerous presentations around
the world, and his work has been
published in several PA reference works.
Not one to stand still—even in
retirement—Lewis has signed a one-year
Getting the project done right
P
roject management is carried out in
all kinds of organizations; and across
the board, advances in computer
technology and globalization of the
workforce have required everyone to
become smarter about managing work
and resources. Within information
technology, it has become a highly
specialized field that others are
beginning to notice.
Business Administration professor
Kathy Schwalbe has published a
textbook, Information Technology Project
Management, now in its fourth edition,
that incorporates the guidelines of the
Project Management Body of Knowledge
(PMBOK), information that the Project
Management Institute (PMI) uses as the
basis for its certification. Even while the
book is aimed at IT students, it is not so
advanced to preclude others who could
benefit from principles of good planning
and management.
After teaching a project management
course for several years, Schwalbe
decided to tackle the project of writing a
book the way she would like it, using
the PMBOK Guide as a basis and
Summer 2005
by Lynn Mena
Professor Terry Lewis
contract with a small rural health clinic in
Melba, Idaho (population 497).
by Betsey Norgard
advances in the field and
updating Microsoft Project
software. At her
publisher’s request
(Course Technology, a
branch of Thomson
Learning), she is also
working on a new project
management textbook,
not geared toward
Professor Kathy Schwalbe
information technology
projects, to be published
including many examples
in late 2005.
and exercises to help
Within the past two
students understand and
years, the second edition
apply project management. Information Technology
of Schwalbe’s book has
Project Management,
In every chapter, case
been
translated into
translated into Japanese
studies—both successes
Chinese and the third
and failure—feature actual
edition into Japanese,
applications of the project management
reflecting the growth and interest
framework. A companion Web site
worldwide in the project management
includes template files for creating
profession.
various project management documents,
A senior project manager for IBM
notes, quizzes, case studies, and links. In
Germany commented that global IT
five years sales of the book have
companies—especially in Japan, China,
exceeded 120,000 copies.
and India—are creating career models
On her Web site, Schwalbe explains
for project managers based on PMI
her intent to release a new edition of the
certification credentials.
book every spring, continually adding
7
Sports
Augsburg nets record number of academic
All-Americans
by Don Stoner
A
Charles Walbridge
ugsburg student-athletes set a new
milestone for academic performance
this season, as a record four athletes
earned ESPN The Magazine Academic AllAmerica honors from the College Sports
Information Directors of America
(CoSIDA).
Senior wrestler Mark Matzek and
junior Ryan Valek earned Academic AllAmerica men’s at-large honors, while
junior baseball player Darren Ginther
and track and field/cross country senior
Riley Conway earned Academic AllAmerica honors in their respective sports.
Four Auggie All-Americans represents
the most ever in a single year. Since 1981,
Augsburg student-athletes have earned 17
Academic All-America honors from
CoSIDA.
Matzek, a first-team men’s at-large
Academic All-America honoree, is profiled
in the story about honor athletes on page
nine.
Ginther, a first-team Academic AllAmerica selection in baseball, is a
secondary education/social studies major
with a 3.81 grade point average (GPA). He
also earned All-Minnesota Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference honors as well as
American Baseball Coaches
Association/Rawlings AllMidwest Region second-team
honors in 2005.
As the Auggies’ No. 2
starting pitcher, he finished as
one of the top hitters in the
MIAC this year, and was
Darren Ginther
Ryan Valek
Riley Conway
Augsburg’s fourth .400 hitter
since 1988.
Conway, a second-team Academic
Cross Country Coaches Association
All-America honoree, was the Auggies’ top
Scholar All-America honors his senior year.
runner in all seven cross country
Valek was a third-team men’s at-large
competitions in 2004, earning all-region
Academic All-America honoree. He earned
honors at the 2004 NCAA Division III
wrestling All-American honors for the
Central Regional in November. At the
second time in 2004-05, finishing second
MIAC championships in October, he
nationally at 165 pounds.
earned all-conference honorable-mention
Valek is an accounting major with a
honors.
3.789 GPA. He has earned National
In track and field, Conway earned
Wrestling Coaches Association Division III
All-MIAC honors at the outdoor
Scholar All-America honors in both 2004
conference championships in May. In the
and 2005.
indoor season, Conway set a school
Top student-athletes from non-Division
record as part of the distance-medley
I programs, who have already earned
relay squad.
Academic All-District first-team honors,
Conway had a perfect 4.000 GPA and
are eligible for inclusion in the ESPN The
graduated in May summa cum laude with
Magazine Academic All-America program.
an English major. He was an Academic
They must have a GPA above 3.20 (4.0
All-MIAC selection his junior and senior
scale) and have outstanding athletic
years in both track and field and cross
credentials. The Academic All-America
country, and earned NCAA Division III
ballot is voted on by a committee of
CoSIDA members.
In addition to the four Academic AllAmericans, Augsburg had three other
student-athletes earn ESPN The Magazine
Academic All-District V honors, saluting
the top student-athletes in a four-state area
of the Midwest. Senior women’s hockey
players Lauren Chezick and Laura Prasek
were named to the Academic All-District V
women’s at-large second team, and junior
Millie Suk earned Academic All-District V
first-team honors in women’s soccer.
For a full list of Augsburg 2004-05
athletic award-winners, go to
<www.augsburg.edu/athletics/sportsnews/
0405athleticawards.html>.
Augsburg wrestler Mark Matzek controls Wartburg’s Tyler Hubbard en route to a 4-2 win in a
dual meet in February at Si Melby Hall. Matzek repeated as NCAA Division III national champion
at 133 pounds in 2004-05.
8
Don Stoner is sports information
coordinator.
Summer 2005
Eight senior athletes are honored
A
ugsburg College honored eight
senior student-athletes for 2004-05.
Athletic awards are voted on by coaches
in Augsburg’s men’s and women’s athletic
departments.
Five Auggies were named Honor
Athletes, the highest honor the College
gives its senior student-athletes for
accomplishment, leadership, and
character on the playing field and in the
classroom. Three Auggie student-athletes
were named Men’s Athletes of the Year.
2004-05 AUGSBURG HONOR
ATHLETES
Lauren Chezick rewrote
the record book in
women’s hockey at
Augsburg. A three-year
captain on teams that
qualified for conference
playoffs in three seasons,
Chezick earned MIAC Player of the Year
and American Hockey Coaches Association
Division III All-American honors.
Chezick was named to the Dean’s List
five semesters and graduated with a 3.562
grade point-average (GPA) and a prelaw/communications major. She
volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and
served as a student-athlete mentor.
Joe Cullen earned
honors in both football
and wrestling. In football,
Cullen earned All-MIAC
first-team honors in 2004
after honorable-mention
honors in 2002 and 2003.
In wrestling, Cullen earned NCAA
Division III All-American honors in the
2003-04 season. He earned the wrestling
team’s Auggie Award his senior season.
Cullen was a mathematics major with a
3.500 grade-point-average.
He has also earned numerous national
and conference academic honors in both
football and wrestling.
Hannah Dietrich was a four-year member
of both Augsburg’s cross country and track
Summer 2005
and field teams and
played women’s hockey
two years.
In cross country,
Dietrich was a team
captain and No. 3 runner
her senior season.
In track and field, Dietrich was a top
middle-distance runner, earning three
MIAC championships. In 2005, she
qualified and competed at the national
outdoor meet in the 1,500-meter run.
A psychology major with a 3.672 GPA,
she graduated with departmental honors
in psychology, national honor and
leadership society recognition, and
numerous academic athletic and
leadership awards. In 2004, she was voted
Homecoming Queen.
Adam Hoffmann, a
three-year offensive line
starter in football, was
named to the Division
III Preseason AllAmerica team by the
D3football.com Web site
in 2004, and was named to the Football
Gazette Division III All-West Region third
team at the conclusion of his senior
campaign. A two-year captain, Hoffmann
was voted the team’s top lineman by his
teammates for three years, and earned the
team’s highest honor, the Edor Nelson
Auggie Award, in 2004.
Hoffmann graduated with a 3.770
GPA as a finance major. He was an
Augsburg Presidential Scholar and a
student-athlete mentor.
Mark Matzek, one of
the top lightweight
wrestlers in school
history, won national
titles at 133 pounds his
junior and senior
campaigns, while earning
NCAA Division III All-American honors
three times.
Finishing his collegiate career with a
42-match winning streak, Matzek
dominated his weight class in the 2004-05
by Don Stoner
campaign. He earned the team’s Coaches
Award his senior season, was the team’s
Auggie Award winner his junior season,
and earned the team’s Most Improved
Wrestler award his sophomore season
Matzek graduated as a mathematics
and secondary education major with a
3.408 grade-point-average.
2004-05 AUGSBURG ATHLETES OF
THE YEAR
Mike Elcano has been a
team leader throughout
his career for Augsburg’s
men’s soccer team. In
2004 he led the
conference in overall
scoring. He finished his
career with Augsburg’s all-time record for
goals with 35, and earned MIAC honors in
two years. He graduated with a major in
finance.
Jeremy Nelson emerged
as one of the top pitchers
in recent years for
Augsburg’s baseball team.
He was Augsburg’s No. 1
starter throughout his
four seasons, and earned
MIAC and regional honors over two years.
He graduated with a marketing major, was
on the Dean’s List, and served as a studentathlete mentor.
Jamell Tidwell was a
four-year starter on the
varsity squad and a fourtime qualifier for the
NCAA Division III
national championships.
He earned All-American
honors three times and finished his career
with a 155-17 record, second best in wins
in school history. A health and physical
education major, he was one of 10
members of an Augsburg academic
national team that finished sixth nationally
in team GPA this year.
Don Stoner is sports information
coordinator.
9
Augsburg’s fifth INTERNATIONAL
OFF-CAMPUS STUDIES PHOTO CONTEST
1 Scenic landscapes, first place.
“MY CHAIR,” Jamie Schiller ’05.
Venice, Italy.
2 Scenic landscapes, second place.
“STRENGTH, SWEAT, AND
SOUL,” Lindsay Plocher ’06.
Cuernavaca, Mexico.
3 Scenic landscapes, third place.
“BUILDING BRIDGES,” Lindsay
Plocher ’06. Cuernavaca, Mexico.
4 Local culture, second place.
“SAWADEE CROP,” Rachel
Schuette ’03. Bangkok, Thailand.
5 Local culture, first place. “LUK
LUK,” Rachel Schuette ’03.
Chiang Mai, Thailand.
6 Augsburg students in a host
setting, second place. “ON
WATCH,” Sari Gallagher ’08. U.S.
Virgin Islands.
1
3
2
10
4
Summer 2005
7
5
8
6
7 Augsburg students in a host setting, first place.
“A TROPICAL MINNESOTA NIGHT,” Maria Roots
Morland ’05. Minneapolis, Minn.
8 Augsburg students in a host setting, third place.
“LAST DAY,” David Nash ’04. Edinburgh, Scotland.
9 Local culture, third place. “GAMBLING DURING
RAMADAN,” Jake Renze ’05. Morocco.
Summer 2005
9
11
COMMENCEMENT
2005
The 136TH YEAR of Augsburg College
photos by Stephen Geffre (except as noted)
TONY SCHADEN RECEIVES
MARINA CHRISTENSEN
JUSTICE AWARD
The Augsburg campus provided
fresh spring blooms as a backdrop
for family photos.
REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE
CLASS OF
2005
❚ Glenda C. Holste,
representing graduate students
❚ Gretchen M. Hemmingsen,
representing day students
❚ Nicholas J. Schumm,
representing weekend students
12
Tony Schaden, a history major from
Minneapolis, was selected as the 2005
recipient of the Marina Christensen
Justice Award.
Each year, this honor is presented
to the graduating senior who best
exemplifies Augsburg’s motto
“Education for Service.” The student
must have demonstrated a dedication
Tony Schaden, a history major from to community involvement as
Minneapolis, was honored with the 2005 characterized by the personal and
Marina Christensen Justice Award during the
Commencement ceremony. professional life of Marina Christensen
Justice, who courageously and
effectively reached out to disadvantaged people and communities.
Schaden grew up in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood and was a member of
Trinity Congregation, where he has been a longtime volunteer with the Safe Place
Tutoring Program.
At Augsburg he has held numerous leadership roles, including serving as
chaplain for the Pan-Afrikan Student Association for the past two years, as organizer
of Peace Day in the Park, and as a member of the Outreach Ministry Team through
Campus Ministry. He has done service-learning at Women against Military Madness,
as well as volunteered with Campus Kitchens and mentored youth at the Wednesday
Night Out program in the neighborhood.
Among his numerous awards and honors are the Dean’s Award for student
leadership, the Pan-Afrikan Ambassador of the Year Award for commitment to
campus and community, the Win Wallin Scholarship, and the Bilkie Scholarship.
Paul Cummings, president-elect of
Augsburg’s student body, wrote this
about Schaden: “Giving back to the
community is part of Tony’s very nature.
The courageous example he is setting
within his community and family has
given many people hope that they too
may succeed in college. Tony is a role
model in the Cedar-Riverside
neighborhood. His actions in service to
his family and community speak
volumes about his true character.”
In the coming year he will expand
his work with youth mentoring and
counseling, serving in Brazil and Africa
under the auspices of the Wapagasset
Luther Bible Camp.
Students processed from Foss Center to Melby
Hall for the Commencement ceremony.
Summer 2005
“ON OUR OWN—AGAIN”
Excerpts from the Baccalaureate Address
William V. Frame, President, Augsburg College
May 7, 2005—Ascension Sunday
… The thing that Graduation has in common with the Ascension is separation. You
are leaving us today and are henceforth and in a new way “on your own;” Jesus leaves
the Disciples at Ascension. They are “on their own.” And so—What is the good news
in this Separation—either yours from the College or the Disciples from Christ?
Staff photo
The Commencement concert featured
performances by the Augsburg Choir and
Augsburg Chamber Orchestra.
If we stick with the relationship between you and us, a preliminary and happy
interpretation is quite possible. Not that we’re glad to be rid of you … but your
separation from the College is a necessary condition of your full engagement with the
world. However successfully we have introduced you to the city and to the global
society of which it is so much and evidently a part, Augsburg College remains a refuge
and a training ground, a harbor ringed round by our core general education
curriculum; an open cloister in which we can talk “… of many things: Of shoes—and
ships—and sealing wax—of cabbages—and kings … .” All that talking, and especially
about such things as these, yields self-knowledge at exactly the rate at which it yields
knowledge of the world. …
But when we turn to the Easter Story itself, the good news lies deeper and is harder to
detect. According to the lectionary passage from Acts, the first consequence for the
disciples of their separation from Jesus is the loss of their special access to the Divine
Plan.
They ask: “Is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus
responds: “It is not for you to know the time or period that the Father has set by his
own authority.”
Kathy Rumpza, advertising and graphic
design manager for Augsburg’s public
relations department, posed with her
husband, Matt Rumpza, manager of
Augsburg’s Central Support Services, prior to
receiving her Master of Arts in Leadership.
You can sense their stunned reaction. “After giving up everything of our own to follow
you; after all that we've been through together-you leave! And at the same time cut us
off from the very knowledge you’ve been so anxious to reveal to us. You've left us on
our own in this world after pointing us time and again, especially recently, at the other
world.”
Before they have time to register this complaint with their ascending Lord, he
imposes upon them a task—to be performed in his absence. For the sake of this
task, he expects them “to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.” …
Both the good news and the good sense in this is camouflaged by
the pathos of the separation. Just behind the fact that the disciplesand, through them, we—have been left on our own by the
ascension, lies the fact that we were prepared for this independence
by the whole of the Easter story—including the part of it here at
issue. Christ’s refusal to answer the disciples’ request for knowledge
of the Divine Plan—indeed, his general refusal to give us any
detailed portrait of heaven-keeps our attention where the Gospel
focuses it-not on the next world but this. The Easter story—all of it,
including the ascension-gives us the tools (including a carefully
confined ignorance) to take up, for the first time, life on our own.
To read the complete address, go to
<www.augsburg.edu/president/bacc05.pdf>.
Christopher Kimball, provost and dean of the College, handed out
honors cords during the Honors Convocation.
Summer 2005
13
COMMENCEMENT 2005
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS:
“IF YOU CAN'T GET OUT OF IT…”
Dawn Ludwig, director of the Physician
Assistant Program, placed a master’s
hood on Patricia Rodriguez.
Nicholas Schumm, Weekend College Class of 2005
representative, addressed the crowd at the
Commencement ceremony.
Following are excerpts from Parker J. Palmer’s Commencement address; download
the complete address at <www.augsburg.edu/president/palmer05.pdf>
… I was raised by a father who gave my two sisters and me the perfect
graduation speech at breakfast every school day. Dad had a thousand aphorisms,
brief and pithy sayings designed to point us kids in the right direction. Well, it
seemed like he had a thousand, but he probably only had 50, which he recycled
constantly.
We’d be almost finished with breakfast, my sisters and I, when Dad would
look at us and say, “Just remember kids, add a little ‘oomph’ to ‘try’ and you get
‘triumph.’ Now off you go!”
Or on another day he’d look at us and say, “Just remember kids, there’s only
one-letter’s difference between hero and zero. Now off you go!”
… Now, if I had any sense I’d say “Off you go!” and sit down, having
delivered succinct advice from a highly reliable source, my father. But there are a
few more things I’d like to say …
First, we never outgrow our need for teachers … as you go down the road
called life after college, stay alert for your next teacher, and the next, and the
next. It may be a family member, a friend, a child, a stranger, it may even be a socalled enemy. If the teacher does not appear, reach out for him or her. Your need
for a teacher will draw that person to you if you make your need known. …
A second lesson is this: whatever good and true thing you want to do, go
ahead and take the first step … of course the big enemy of trust and risk-taking
is fear. But here we can take good counsel from the religious tradition in which
this college is rooted: “Be not afraid.” Those words do not say that you should
not have fear, which we all do (at least I do); instead they say you need not be
your fear. Right alongside our fear we have other places within us, places with
names like hope, and faith, and trust. We can look at the world from those
places instead of from our fears. …
Here’s the third lesson: when you face into that fear as you step off the cliff
… seek out people with whom you can tell it like it is. …
A fourth lesson is this: know that you have an inner guide, an inner teacher,
a true self who will be there for you when all
else fails. …
And finally, a fifth lesson … “If you can’t
get out of it, get into it.” Of course there are
some things that you can get out of, and you
should: a relationship that kills your spirit, a
job that contradicts your most basic values
… but there are other things that we can’t
get out of, so we had better get into them.
And one of them is to fully inhabit
ourselves, which means making the most of
our gifts and being honest about our
shadows. …
So congratulations to all of you, and
many blessings for your journey. And, as my
father would surely say, “Now off you go!”
Parker Palmer (center), Commencement ceremony keynote speaker, was presented the Augsburg
Medal by President Frame and Jean Taylor ’85, chair of the Board of Regents.
14
Summer 2005
Staff photo
THE AUGSBURG COLLEGE
Twin brothers Robert Amaya (left) and Renzo
Amaya Torres (right) celebrated the day with their
mother, who flew to Minnesota from Colombia to
watch her sons graduate.
630
Candidates for graduation
355
Day program candidates
144
Weekend College candidates
85
Graduate program candidates (20 Master of Arts in Leadership,
35 Master of Social Work, 6 Master of Arts in Nursing, 16 Master
of Science in Physician Assistant Studies, 8 Master of Arts in
Education)
33
Rochester program candidates
9
United Hospital candidates
4
3M candidates
20-65
10
Jubilant students celebrated after the
Commencement ceremony.
Summer 2005
CLASS OF 2005
Age range of graduates in the Class of 2005
Countries other than the United States represented (Belarus,
Bolivia, China, Colombia, Ethiopia, Mexico, Norway,
Philippines, Sweden, and Vietnam)
After the Commencement ceremony ended, students exited Melby Hall to join their
families at the reception in Murphy Square.
15
Dean ’75 and Terry Kennedy donate $2 million to
Melby Hall expansion
by Dan Jorgensen
The proposed addition to Si Melby Hall, as shown from the southwest corner, is adjacent to
Edor Nelson Field, facing 23rd Avenue South.
All-American his senior year. He also
was a two-time Minnesota Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference champion, and twotime MIAC Tournament Most Valuable
Player. In dual-meet competition, he lost
only one match during his career and
had 53 victories his junior and senior
seasons. In 1996, he was inducted into
the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame.
He credits the discipline instilled in
him by his coaches and mentors,
particularly Mike Good ’71 (a current
Augsburg regent) and John Grygelko
(Augsburg’s head coach from 1973-80),
as keys to his success.
Good preceded Kennedy at both
Fridley High School and Augsburg where
he, too, was a champion wrestler. He
went on to a successful business career
in New York and has served on
Continued on page 19
16
Dean Kennedy ’75 shared a moment of
honor with his wife, Terry, when he was
inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame in
1996 for his career as an Auggie AllAmerican wrestler.
Thanks to the generous gifts from
Augsburg alumni and friends, the
ceremonial groundbreaking for the
south wing addition is scheduled
for Oct. 29. Ground cannot be
broken, however, until the
remaining $1.5 million in gifts and
pledges is secured. Contact the
Development Office at
612-338-0002 or 1-800-273-0617.
Summer 2005
David Santos/H. Larson Photography
A former All-American wrestler and his
wife have contributed $2 million to
Access to Excellence: The Campaign for
Augsburg College in support of a major
addition to the College’s athletic center,
Si Melby Hall.
The gift, made by Fridley natives
Dean Kennedy ’75, and his wife, Terry,
was announced recently by Augsburg
President William V. Frame, who said
the gift not only is “a magnificent
gesture of support for the campaign, but
also significant recognition for the work
of coaches and others who shape the
lives of those of our students and
colleagues who are engaged in athletics.”
Kennedy, an independent businessman, was the first four-time AllLutheran Tournament champion in the
tournament’s history. And he was at the
front end of what has been built into the
most successful small-college wrestling
program in the nation. In his senior year
as co-captain, Kennedy led Augsburg to
a runner-up spot in the NAIA national
finals with a third-place finish at 142
pounds. In the ensuing 30 years,
Augsburg has consistently finished
among the top 10 in the nation, winning
a record nine NCAA Division III
national titles and taking second place
seven more times.
A four-year varsity wrestler for
Augsburg, Kennedy was a 142-pound
The Augsburg Fund annual goal of $1 million reached again
Significant growth in alumni giving to
The Augsburg Fund made an aggressive
goal of $1 million reachable for the fiscal
year ending May 31. The annual fund
primarily supports student financial aid
through scholarships and grants. Since
this is unrestricted annual giving, gifts
also may be used to provide for the
critical needs of the College such as
technology advancement and other
strategic operations.
“This is the second time in
Augsburg’s history that $1million has
been raised in one year for The
Augsburg Fund,” said Stephanie Malone,
director of the fund. “The standard has
been set, so it should be an achievable
goal in the future.”
Significant giving this year came
from the Alumni Board with 100 percent
participation, the Board of Regents, and
two class challenges generated by
Alumni Board members and volunteer
leaders, including the “Decade of the
’70s Challenge.”
Ken ’74 and Linda (Bailey) ’74
Holmen provided the lead gift to the
challenge, followed by more than 200
fellow alumni from the decade of the ’70s.
Five alumni families from the
1970s—Rick Colvin ’74, Mark ’79 and
Pamela (Hanson) ’79 Moksnes, Robert
’74 and Andrea (Johnson) ’75 Strommen,
Philip ’79 and Julia (Davis) ’79 Styrlund,
and Thomas Peterson ’70—issued a
$50,000 challenge and 1:1 dollar match
to ensure new levels of support and gifts
of $100,000 to the College.
“The Decade of the ’70s Challenge
was a dollar-focused challenge that
matched new and increased gifts to The
Augsburg Fund,” said Malone. “We are
pleased with the results and hope that
next year other individuals will come
forward and think of creative ways to
sustain the College.
“It was a highly successful year in
terms of participation levels. First time
donor giving rose 100 percent, and
alumni giving increased from 20 percent
to a participation rate of 25 percent.”
Repeat and increased giving also were
noticeable. All donors at the $10,000
level renewed their gifts, and new donors
were added to the $25,000+ level,
currently the top tier for gifts to The
Augsburg Fund.
Reunion year activities and volunteer
involvement this year also sparked the
growth of annual giving, led by Alumni
Board initiatives. Class agents, who
engaged their classmates through letters
and contacts, were also extremely
beneficial in helping to meet annual fund
needs. “We will especially miss the efforts
of class agent Wes Sideen ’58 who passed
away earlier this year,” said Malone. He
affected many Augsburg families by his
vigor for life and commitment to his
alma mater.”
Giving to The Augsburg Fund is an
important component of the $55 million
capital campaign, Access to Excellence:
The Campaign for Augsburg College. “We
hope alumni and friends of the College
will continue to make The Augsburg
Fund a priority,” Malone said.
“We hope they continue to offer
prayers and gifts of support and that the
first gift they make every year is a gift to
The Augsburg Fund as a way to ‘check in’
annually with their alma mater,” she
continued. “After that we hope they will
consider special opportunities based on
the College’s priorities, like building and
endowment initiatives. Gifts to Augsburg
offer a future of access and excellence to
our students.”
For information on how to contribute
to The Augsburg Fund, contact Stephanie
Malone at <malone@augsburg.edu> or
612-338-4825. ■
Campaign progress
$41.1M of $55M goal
as of 7-31-05
Summer 2005
17
What is your dream job? For many of us,
travel would play a part in our dream. The
Reverend Dr. Arne Markland ’49, and his
wife, Jean (Swanson) ’52 Markland, have
lived their dream of seeing the world.
Their gift for storytelling has landed
them on the lecture circuit for a number of
cruises—162 and counting. Arne first
starting working on cruise ships as a
chaplain and history lecturer and has
amassed a repertoire of 156 lectures on
countries and islands around the world.
Jean shares her knowledge and
expertise of how nutrition affects the
brain. They have acted as destination art
lecturers and have been fortunate to
collect art on their travels. Their cruise
travel has taken them mainly overseas.
“We’re waiting to cruise to Sri Lanka,
India, Havana, New Orleans, and Lake
Wobegon,” said Arne.
The Marklands have spent their lives
encouraging people to enthusiastically
embrace learning. Since graduating from
Augsburg, Arne became a campus and
parish pastor in Georgia, South Dakota,
and Utah. He also served as a military
chaplain for four years. Jean used her
skills as a teacher and taught many
different subjects in the public school
system as a secondary school educator for
30 years.
Recently the Marklands established an
endowed scholarship to help support
students who want to attend Augsburg
from two high schools: Hillcrest Lutheran
Academy in Fergus Falls, Minn., and Oak
Grove Lutheran School in Fargo, N.Dak.
Arne grew up in the Norwegian section
of Brooklyn, N.Y., but his parents sent him
to Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Fergus
Falls for high school. Jean is from Bemidji,
Minn., and has had an interest in Oak
Grove Lutheran School.
The scholarship is structured so if
there are no students accepted to
Augsburg from these high schools in a
given year, the scholarship will be given to
a current Augsburg student who will
attend Luther Seminary or one who has an
interest in secondary education.
“We have always been interested in
Christian education,” said Jean. “I liked
the spiritual values of Augsburg when I
was attending college. Augsburg has
Courtesy photo
Marklands endow a scholarship as they cruise into retirement
Rev. Dr. Arne ’49 and Jean (Swanson) ’52
Markland are enjoying second careers as
cruise ship lecturers while staying connected
with Augsburg through an endowed
scholarship.
always stressed the values of serving and
giving to others.”
Perhaps like the Marklands you want to
make student dreams a reality. After all,
85 percent of Augsburg’s students receive
financial aid and scholarship support.
Contact the Development Office at
612-338-0002 or 1-800-273-0617 to offer
encouragement and significant financial
assistance for students. ■
Ellingers support Science Center through student-faculty research
Albert Einstein’s words, “It is high time
that the ideal of success should be
replaced by the ideal of service,” reflect the
giving spirits of Patricia (Olson) ’71 and
Mark ’71 Ellinger. The Ellingers, both
biology majors at Augsburg, have enjoyed
success in their careers and are now giving
back in ways that will serve others.
18
Last year, they established an
endowment, the Ellinger Faculty Scholar,
to provide support for faculty research to
include student collaboration. “We really
appreciated how the research program was
developed,” said Pat. “It is our way to
support the new Science Center and
faculty research because of the positive
experiences we had at Augsburg.”
“We were both drawn to Augsburg
because of the strong science and
biomedical programs and its Lutheran
heritage,” continued Pat. Mark, who
transferred to Augsburg during his junior
year, echoed that: “I had a deep and
continuing interest in the relationship of
Summer 2005
Dean and Terry Kennedy, continued
Augsburg’s board for the past three years.
Just out of college in 1971, Good
convinced Kennedy to come to Augsburg
and then coached him his freshman year.
Grygelko was Kennedy’s coach for his
final three years.
“I was fortunate to be on the varsity
for four years and take my lead from
good leaders who remain my lifelong
friends,” Kennedy said. “It was such an
important part of my life at the time, and
it molded me and shaped my values as a
person.
“Terry and I have been blessed to be
in the position to do this. We’re doing it
for Jeff Swenson ’79, Mike Good, John
Grygelko, and all the outstanding young
men for whom the Augsburg wrestling
program has meant so much. And now
that we’ve thought it through and made
the commitment, we’re feeling very good
about it, both of us.”
Swenson is current wrestling coach
and assistant dean for athletics and
recreation. Kennedy said he is a great
admirer of Swenson’s coaching, but more
importantly how he has shaped his team
members into outstanding men who
excel in the classroom and in society.
“Augsburg has done a very good job
in working with its student-athletes. I
took great pride in the program when I
was there, and 30 years later I’m still able
to take pride. When I was at this year’s
national tournament (in Northfield,
Minn.) I was very impressed by Jeff’s
work with these young men. They were
articulate and, even with all their
success, very humble. I attribute that to
Jeff and his coaches.
“You see a lot of successful ‘sports’
programs, but you don’t hear them talk
about their graduation rates or inclassroom successes. But you do hear
that at Augsburg. This is a college that
teaches its students how to think
critically and care about the world. I
wanted to be supportive of that.”
Kennedy said he also was spurred
into making his gift by an earlier gift
science and religion, which continues to
captivate me.” Both of them enjoyed
learning in smaller classes and taking a
wide array of liberal arts in addition to
the required biology courses for their
majors.
Taking Professor Robert Herforth’s
Developmental Biology course
influenced Mark significantly: it’s where
he and Pat met, and it convinced Mark
to pursue a Ph.D.
Pat has never regretted following a
career in medical technology suggested
by her chemistry professor Courtland
Agre. She went on to specialize in blood
banking and obtained a master’s degree in
health education.
For many years both Mark and Pat
Ellinger have mentored students about
the importance of science careers and
research. The Ellinger scholarship will
further those efforts; and for its first
recipient, biology professor Mark
Strefeler, it will provide enhanced
resources for his research and support
for a student assistant.
Summer 2005
made by Twin Cities wrestling legend
Alan Rice—a non-Augsburg alum who
donated $1 million to the campaign just
a year ago. Kennedy said he had long
known and admired Rice, and when he
saw that kind of commitment from him,
he knew that he, too, needed to step
forward to insure that good facilities
were available for future generations.
The goal for the new facility is about
$5 million, and nearly $4 million has
now been raised. The College hopes to
bring in the last of the money by fall and
have a ceremonial groundbreaking soon
thereafter.
“I hope that Terry’s and my gift will
not only spark interest in other
generations of Augsburg athletes whose
lives have been shaped by the College,
but also by Augsburg alumni in general
in support of the many other important
projects, such as the new Science Center,
that will serve so many students in so
many different ways,” Kennedy said. ■
The Ellinger Faculty Scholarship has
supported the collaborative research of
biology professor Mark Strefeler and student
assistant Andrea Carlson ’05.
19
Seed family endows StepUP to affirm others
SM
Adam Seed’s life changed when he
attended Augsburg. “It took Hazelden
and Don Warren, former StepUP SM
director, to jumpstart me,” said Seed.
“Don Warren saw my potential and
made me believe in myself. He was
always available to me and the other
students.”
Seed was one of the first students in
Augsburg’s StepUP program, which
supports students in recovery to achieve
academic success.
Now it’s Seed’s turn to share his
passion for the program and offer his
unique insight as co-chair of the StepUP
Alumni Board. “His leadership, wisdom,
and strong recovery are necessary assets
for the Alumni Board,” said Patrice
Salmeri, StepUP director.
“I want to make a connection with
others and come up with unique
solutions to common problems,” Seed
said. “I’d also like to help re-establish
alumni connections and contribute to
the decisions concerning StepUP’s
present and future. StepUP is a major
part of who I am today and its health
and possibility for the future are very
important to me. Augsburg’s part in my
Vision is published by
Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454.
Editor and Writer
Lynn James
Contributing Writer
Dan Jorgensen
Graphic Designer
Kathy Rumpza
www.augsburg.edu/campaign
20
Jim and Adam Seed
development was crucial. It’s my hope
that students take the opportunity to get
uncomfortable and grow in areas that
typically don’t occur naturally.”
Seed’s family also continues to be
involved with StepUP because of the
impact it had on his life. In 2003 the
Seed family received the Toby LaBelle
Award as the StepUP Family of the Year.
Recently, they showed support for the
program by answering the Parent/Family
and Friend Challenge.
“By endowing the StepUP program—
both as a physical and financial
resource—we hope to create more
certainty for its future,” said Jim Seed,
Adam’s father. “We appreciate what was
available to Adam and to others. I’d also
like to commend [President] Bill Frame
on his dedication to this program and to
Augsburg,” said Jim.
“I appreciate the commitment and
loyalty to the program shown by the
Seeds,” said Salmeri. “Since its inception
in 1997, when Adam was in the class of
founding students, the program has
grown from 23 students to 53 students.
Our new home, [the] Gateway
[Building], will house 84 students.”
“The original model for the StepUP
program evolved over the last eight
years,” Jim Seed said. “Young people are
living in a small community and
supporting each other. Prior to StepUP it
was something that was impossible for
them to do on their own. It’s a
transformational environment where
students break through the memories of
failure and then come back into that
environment.
“It’s a wonderful program. It will be
affirming and visionary if this program is
constructed and transported to other
colleges and universities. StepUP is a
paradigm for life. As a collective group
we have to help each other.” ■
GATEWAY CONSTRUCTION
FURTHERED BY CHALLENGE GIFTS
Thanks to the generous support by the
Seed family and others, StepUP’s
Parent/Family and Friend Challenge met
its goal. The challenge, set by Jim Johnson
in the spring of 2004, raised $425,000
toward construction of the Gateway
Building that will house the StepUP
program.
Johnson, a former CEO of Fannie Mae,
likes the urban village concept of the
planned mixed-use office/retail/residential
Gateway Building. He also appreciates
the collaboration between the University
of Minnesota and Augsburg, with both
institutions serving the neighborhood and
addressing needs for retail and housing.
Johnson has been supportive of education
and a strong proponent of higher
education. At Augsburg, Johnson honored
his mother, Adeline (Rasmussen) ’31
Johnson, by establishing a scholarship in
her name.
Summer 2005
FINDING THE RIGHT CAREER
F
O
R
M
U
L
A
by Betsey Norgard
TRYING OUT THE OPTIONS
Senior Jennifer Geis has shaped her own career goals in just this
way. She came to Augsburg having been turned on to math in the
eighth grade and having studied two years of college math as a
postsecondary student. But, she really didn’t have a career focus,
and hadn’t even settled on a math major. After two years of
Summer 2005
Staff photo
S
On one of the first nice days in spring, students in Professor
Rebekah Dupont’s (second from left) class enjoyed solving their
math problems outside on the Quad.
Stephen Geffre
tudying mathematics can open doors to increasing numbers
of varied careers and jobs for students. Often called the
“language of science,” mathematics provides a structure and
the tools to solve many kinds of problems, especially within the
increasing complexity of today’s sciences and technology.
In the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2002 Jobs Rated Almanac,
eight of the 10 “best jobs”—biologist, actuary, financial planner,
computer-systems analyst, software engineer, meteorologist,
statistician, and astronomer—all require complex understanding
and interpretation of numbers.
Even more telling of how mathematics is becoming “cool” is
the popularity of the new CBS-TV show, Numb3rs, in which a
mathematician helps the FBI solve crimes through mathematical
modeling—constructing formulas to reveal patterns and predict
behavior.
Using mathematics as a complementary skill to a variety of
disciplines makes it a valuable second major or minor. Augsburg
students combine math with physics, computer science, biology,
psychology, economics, as well as music, English, Spanish, and
religion.
While some students know they want to pursue a degree in
mathematics, many students generally don’t enter Augsburg
intending to major in math, or even to study it. So, how does the
mathematics faculty help students sort out the possibilities for
math in liberal arts, for teaching, for research, for graduate
school, and for using math in both theory and application?
“We encourage them to pursue opportunities for out-of-class
experiences such as community service, undergraduate research,
paper presentations, and internships,” said department chair
Rebekah Dupont. “Then, as part of our advising, we talk about
what they liked best, and what perhaps they didn’t.
“Our focus is really on helping students to activate their
potential by connecting them to opportunities they might not
have known about.”
Senior Jennifer Geis has taken advantage of internships, tutoring, and
research to help her pursue a career in statistics.
mathematics courses at Augsburg, she knew she was hooked.
“When my professors realized I was spending more time
in the math department than anywhere else, they encouraged
me to improve my teaching and tutoring skills,” said Geis.
She began assisting with grading and tutoring in calculus,
linear algebra, statistics, and courses for non-majors.
It was a course in actuarial science that really sparked her
interest and led to her work with Professor Ken Kaminsky on
the textbook he had just completed. While giving the
textbook a trial run in one of his classes, Kaminsky asked
Geis to help him proofread, review the ease of layout, and
21
Stephen Geffre
Stephen Geffre
Professor Ken Kaminsky tried out his new textbook with classes over several semesters, and
tests his math cartoons with the readers of Augarithms, the bi-weekly department newsletter.
Rhythm and ‘Rithmetic—Music professor Bob
Stacke ’71 (left) and math professor Matt
Haines (right) presented an interactive
seminar for Augsburg faculty, staff, and
students to demonstrate how counting beats
in a measure is really mathematics.
verify the accuracy of the answers—
while also gaining a bird’s-eye view into
how a professor engages in academic
scholarship.
Kaminsky encouraged Geis to pursue
a double major in mathematics and
actuarial science, which she is able to do
through the Associated Colleges of the
Twin Cities (ACTC) consortium,
allowing students to take courses at four
other private colleges when they’re not
learned how to communicate clearly and
how to explain myself carefully.”
This summer, she left the business
world to accept a research internship in
statistics at North Carolina State
University, funded through the National
Science Foundation. This gives her an
introduction to the wider application of
statistics than actuarial science offers.
Mathematics major Tim Bancroft,
who is now at Iowa State University
T E A C H I N G
Mathematics professors Tracy Bibelnieks
and Matthew Haines usually focus on
helping college math majors head to
graduate school or other careers. Recently,
though, they have spent considerable time
together with education specialists across
the country studying the mathematical
knowledge needed by college students
who are preparing to become teachers.
This is important because everyone is
learning mathematics differently now than
how it was taught years ago—even only
five years ago. Starting in early grades,
children begin playing games with
numbers—tossing pennies and making
charts to learn about probability, for
instance. In each succeeding year, their
classroom learning builds on and expands
the knowledge and skills they
already have.
It means that elementary teachers need
to develop a deeper understanding of
numbers than just how to add two
22
available on the home campus.
Geis put her skills into practice for a
year as an intern at Allianz Life
Insurance. She became part of a team
implementing a major, new actuarial
reserving system and feels fortunate to
have been given a role and responsibility.
Plus, she learned more.
“Some of the most important things
I’ve learned working at Allianz have
nothing to do with math,” she said. “I’ve
M A T H E M A T I C S
T O
numbers, or divide, or multiply. High school
calculus teachers must understand how
their students learned mathematics as they
progressed through the grades—how their
thinking developed and how they
communicate mathematical concepts.
Bibelnieks and Haines focused their
research on mathematics content for
students preparing to be elementary
teachers who have neither a strong
background in math nor an interest in
teaching it. Already, together with
Augsburg’s K-6 mathematics education
specialist Linda Stevens, they’ve made
content revisions in two mathematics
courses.
It has been a more difficult assignment
than they imagined.
“How you teach pre-service teachers
[education majors] is different from how
you teach somebody who’s going on to
graduate school in math, says Bibelnieks.
“You have to go out of your comfort zone
T E A C H E R S
and learn what it means to be an
elementary teacher in some sense.”
Bibelnieks, Haines, and Stevens received
Minnesota State Education Department
funding to work with current teachers on
acquisition of content knowledge in
mathematics and its application to
classroom learning. An in-service workshop
first focused on mathematics content;
Bibelnieks, Haines, and Stevens then
advised the teachers during the school year
in class activities. The project goal was to
develop a “professional continuum,” in
which knowledge gained from current
teachers informs how future teachers learn,
who then go into the field, etc.
This summer Bibelnieks and Haines
presented papers at an international
conference in Brazil outlining Augsburg’s
new curriculum as well as Haines’
participation in a wider longitudinal study
looking at where education students learn
their mathematics.
Summer 2005
Staff photo
working on a master’s degree in statistics,
was able to enter graduate school with
solid research experience. He took a
project from his Discrete Mathematics
Structures class with Professor Su Dorée
and developed a research project in
combinatorics, which studies the
arrangement of objects. For the cointrading game called Bulgarian Exchange,
Bancroft took results from the solitaire
version of this game and generalized the
patterns and repetitive cycle of twoperson play. Together with Dorée,
Bancroft presented his research at a
national mathematics conference.
Stephen Geffre
Tim Bancroft began grad school with solid
research and presentation skills from a
project he carried out with Professor Su
Dorée involving prediction of patterns in a
coin-trading game.
S T U D E N T S AT T H E
CUTTING EDGE
Professor Tracy Bibelnieks considers
herself an applied mathematician, which
in her words involves “using theoretical
mathematics in innovative ways to solve
rich business problems.”
She previously worked as a consultant,
applying mathematics to the analysis of
huge customer databases to help
companies address problems or
maximize revenue in their marketing and
promotional strategies.
Bibelnieks is seeking to develop
partnerships with local firms that would
provide benefit to both the business
world and to her Augsburg students. She
is looking for rich business problems and
projects that will engage students in
research beyond the standard classroom
theory and models. The mathematical
theory involved has to be exacting and
validated—risky for a company to
undertake—but invaluable for students
wanting to get their feet wet in the field.
The research generated by such a
business/academic partnership gives
students an edge as they look for career
opportunities in the marketplace.
Moreover, it may give the business an
edge in the marketplace through the
development of new tools, techniques,
and solutions for a wide range of
business problems.
In September, Jennifer Geis begins to
work with Bibelnieks on a business
partnership research project. Geis is
excited because it will require her to
learn more about applied mathematics in
the business sector, including the use of
programming and software, that will
hopefully give her that extra edge as she
pursues an advanced career in statistics.
ENGAGED STUDENTS
Professor Tracy Bibelnieks is developing
business partnerships to provide problems
and projects for students to research and
gain experience in applied mathematics.
Summer 2005
The mathematics department makes it
easy for students to feel connected to
R E A D
P I —
T H R O W
P I E !
On 3-14 (March 14, that is), students
in Unbounded, Augsburg’s math
club, hosted a pi(e) fest, in honor of
Pi Day. The event benefited
Augsburg's “Ride the Wave”
tsunami relief project. From noon
until 3:14:15 p.m., students took
turns reading the digits of pi—
24,401 at final count. Also, faculty
and staff signed up to be “pied,”
i.e., to have a whipped-cream minipie tossed at them for a donation—
the larger the donation, the closer
the pie subject would stand.
faculty. Several years ago, a study room
was set up in the department to
encourage students and faculty to get to
know each other. Students spend time
there using the telephone or computers,
or researching something in the small
library.
“I practically live in the math suite
with the workroom and the study areas,”
said Geis. “It’s great just having the
professors there. They come in to eat
lunch and help you through your
homework right then and there.”
Dupont adds that it also encourages a
supportive environment in which
upperclass students can help newer
students.
The department also brings students
together in bi-monthly colloquia where
they meet professionals in various fields
of mathematics, learn about applications,
and hear research presentations. Often
the presenters are Augsburg alumni who
enjoy keeping in contact with their
former professors and getting to know
current students.
Augarithms, the department’s
biweekly newsletter, complete with
department news, colloquia information,
puzzles, and even math cartoons
provided by editor Kaminsky, keeps the
department in touch.
All of this is to encourage students to
connect what they learn in classrooms
23
K E E P I N G
A
L E G A C Y
A L I V E
T H E
G E O R G E
S O B E R G
S C H O L A R S H I P
Professor George Soberg graduated from
communicate to our students that we
Augsburg in 1926, and then spent the
think they show real potential in
next four decades of his life teaching
mathematics. As a department, we
mathematics at his alma mater. For 32
believe in honoring the level of
years he served as chair of the
accomplishment seen in junior or senior
Mathematics Department.
mathematics majors, and also celebrating
The 1965 Augsburgian dedication
the strong performance and enthusiasm
calls out his “constant concern for
of a freshman in calculus. In addition,
students and his ever-ready willingness
since they are named scholarships, they
to help them individually.”
connect our current students with alumni
Donald G. Murphy ’43 and Kenneth
A. Gilles ’44 were two of Soberg’s
and faculty emeriti.
“A named scholarship is one of the
students who wanted to keep his legacy
many ways alumni give back to our
alive and inspire future students to
department. Mathematics alumni also
achieve their educational dreams. In
speak in our colloquia, connect students
2004, Murphy and Gilles endowed a
with internship opportunities, serve on
scholarship in Soberg’s name to be
Augsburg’s alumni board, and participate
awarded to a math major or minor.
in programs such as the alumni
“The value of such gifts to the
mentoring program (funded by the Lilly
department is immeasurable,”
Endowment), which brings together
commented Rebekah Dupont,
alumni, current students,
Mathematics Department chair. “The
and faculty.”
scholarships funded by these gifts
Archive photo
Professor George Soberg, who graduated from Augsburg and stayed to teach and chair the
Mathematics Department for over 30 years, now has an endowed scholarship in
his honor.
24
with real-world mathematics. Last year,
Dupont and other faculty and staff from
Augsburg attended the Engaged
Department Institute in Engineering,
Mathematics, Computer Science, and
Related Fields. Co-sponsored by Campus
Compact and 3M Corporation, the
institute aimed to help departments
develop strategies to include communitybased work in both their teaching and
scholarship and to seek ways to integrate
service-learning, community-based
research, and civic engagement into the
curricula.
For example, one of the first-year
mathematics courses last fall that was part
of the Augsburg Seminar student
orientation included service-learning at
the Cedar-Riverside Community School.
Augsburg students worked with the
elementary children to create a store,
helping them understand what kinds of
data they needed to make decisions about
stocking the store, setting prices, etc.
All in all, the department seeks to
encourage students to explore the
possibilities and to help them
understand what it means to be
successful in the sciences. It’s part of
introducing them to the notion of
vocation—helping them discover the
opportunities within their own interests
and abilities. Bibelnieks talks about
helping them open doors, which they
can leave behind if they wish, but
supporting them toward success, not
failure.
For Geis, it’s made the difference. “All
my professors have encouraged me to try
things I didn’t think I could do,” she
says. “I didn’t think I could get my
internship this summer, but I was
accepted. I didn’t think about pursuing a
master’s or Ph.D. in statistics, but here I
am prepping for my GREs. It’s been a
lack of self-confidence, and they’ve
always encouraged me to push myself
from the limit to the next level, and I
think that’s the most important thing.” ■
For information about Augsburg
mathematics, go to <www.augsburg.edu/
mathematics>.
Summer 2005
Music after Augsburg
R
FOLLOWING THE HOGNANDER SCHOLARS
by Jessica Brown
adio variety shows … opera … film scores … high school teaching … music
education outreach … electronic music … jazz composition … Augsburg’s Hognander
Scholars are out making their marks in music around the world.
In 1998, the Orville ’36 and Gertrude (Lund) ’36 Hognander Family Fund was
established to support Augsburg’s music department. Principally, it establishes the
Hognander Scholars, juniors and seniors who receive merit awards for exceptional
music performance and academic achievement. The award is based on a résumé, essay,
and audition.
Here is an update on the Hognander Scholars, now Augsburg alumni, from the past
seven years.
Stephen Geffre
Aaron Gabriel ’00 (below), tenor,
graduated with majors in both English
and music performance. He is now
director of cultural arts at the Sabes
Jewish Community Center in
Minneapolis, where he supervises the
music, theatre, dance, art, literary, and
cinematic arts programs. Center
Playhouse, the youth theatre program
he created does six productions a year
and includes a Holocaust outreach
program, touching 3,000 middle school
age students; a classics series for teens
interested in classic playwrights; and
two summer musical theatre institutes
based on the Wesley Balk training he
received at Augsburg.
In addition, Gabriel performs
regularly with a number of local Twin
Cities theatre companies, including the
Minneapolis Musical Theatre, which
won the Star Tribune Best Small Theatre
Award in 2004 for Bat Boy, a musical in
which Gabriel played five characters.
Qiuxia (Hu) Welch ’99, French horn,
was “recruited” to Augsburg by
Professor Emeritus Robert Karlén, who
met her while teaching at the Sichuan
Summer 2005
Conservatory in China. After Augsburg,
she studied in the graduate program of
the University of Minnesota School of
Music and has spent three summers
teaching high school horn and
performing at the Kendell Betts Horn
Camp in New Hampshire. She and her
husband, Kevin, are moving to China
for several years to continue their
teaching and performing careers.
Chiho Okuizumi ’00 (above),
euphonium, earned an Augsburg degree
in music therapy, but also pursued an
instrumental career. At Montclair State
University she completed a master’s
25
FOLLOWING THE HOGNANDER SCHOLARS
degree in euphonium performance, and
she continues to play in the New York
metropolitan area. She is currently
pursuing a second degree at Montclair
State University in music therapy.
Okuizumi directs the REACH
(Resources for Education And Community
Harmony) program for the New Jersey
Symphony Orchestra and produces
orchestra concerts throughout the state. As
a one-person production unit for the
NJSO, she manages 120-150 concerts each
year, serving 20,000 people.
Jaime Kirchofner ’00, oboe, has carved
out a busy performance and teaching
career since graduating from Augsburg.
She plays second oboe in the St. Cloud
(Minn.) Symphony and regularly appears
with the Duluth-Superior Symphony
Orchestra, Amadeus Symphony, Great
River Chorale, Minnesota Center
Chorale, and chamber groups throughout
central Minnesota. She currently has 40
piano and oboe students.
Nicole (Warner)
Simml ’01 (left),
mezzo-soprano, has
performed for
audiences in the
U.S. and abroad. In
her junior year at
Augsburg, she
brought home top
division honors in a
regional voice competition. After
graduating, she completed a master’s
degree in classical voice from the
Manhattan School of Music and moved
to Germany.
In December, she sang Bach’s
Christmas Oratorio. “Without overflowing emotion, [Simml] convincingly uses
the opportunity to sing unpretentiously
and stylefully,” read a German newspaper
in translation.
26
She is also an active member of the
Gächinger Kantorei under the direction
of Helmuth Rilling. She teaches voice
and piano, and conducts a small
community choir.
Anna Brandsoy ’01, soprano, studied
in Germany at the Mozarteum and the
Münchner Singschule with Edda Moser
on a scholarship from the Voices of
Vienna. She is currently a doctoral
candidate at the University of Minnesota
where she has performed in numerous
operas. Last December, she won the
Metropolitan Opera National Council
Auditions, South Dakota Region.
Joe Tucker ’01, piano, is director of
instrumental music at Como Park High
School in St. Paul, where he has
established an orchestra program which
now boasts 40 members, has expanded
the band program to two ensembles with
a total of 85 students, and has led
ensembles to top honors at state contests
for four consecutive years.
From Augsburg, he earned a master’s
degree in music education from the
University of Minnesota. He was recently
recognized as an “outstanding teacher”
in the 2005 edition of “Who’s Who in
American Teaching.”
Brendan Anderson ’02 (top right),
saxophone and composition, made a
name for himself as a composer even
before leaving Augsburg. In his senior
year, he led the Augsburg Choir and
Concert Band in the premiere “I Believe,”
his interpretation of the Apostles’ Creed
in word and music. The work was later
performed at the Crystal Cathedral in
California during the Concert Band’s
spring tour in 2003.
In the past two years he has
completed coursework in the UCLA film
scoring program, and been commis-
sioned to compose an arrangement of
part of the Lutheran liturgy, as well as a
piece for the Lutheran High School of
Orange County (Calif.) Handbell
Ensemble and Hollywood Brass
Ensemble.
This spring Anderson was nominated
for Best Original Score at the 168 Hour
Film Festival in Pasadena, Calif., for his
score to the short film, Picket Guy. He
lives in Arizona and works in the
administrative offices of the Phoenix
Symphony while continuing to compose
both concert and film music.
Lindsay Bonner ’02, soprano, sang in
the Augsburg Choir, performed with the
Gospel Praise ensemble, and appeared on
the theatre stage. In 2002, she studied on
scholarship at the Wesley Balk MusicTheater Institute and performed with
Nautilus Music-Theater. For two years
she has been in Austin, Texas, where she
is a featured performer with the Lillian
Kaufman Radio Drama and teaches voice
lessons at Westlake High School. Bonner
has also performed on Eklektikos, an
Austin Public Radio variety program.
Daniel Luedtke ’02, piano, is exploring
the potential for creative expression
Summer 2005
Stephen Geffre
found in the experimental and electronic
genre. He currently works on electronic
music and sound design projects, as well
as the post-production video editing for
the Pilot Chicago Queermedia
Conference 2004. In July he began work
with the Video Data Bank in Chicago,
Ill., a resource for videotapes by and
about contemporary artists.
Visitors and is
performing the part
of La Ciesca this
summer in Puccini’s
Gianni Schicchi.
FritzHuspen is a
teaching assistant
and will begin to
coach private vocal
lessons in the fall.
Mark Abelsen (’04), piano, has plans for
graduate school in the near future,
majoring in either piano or musicology. He
currently works for the Schubert Club in
St. Paul as a museum docent in the
organization’s keyboard and manuscript
museums, as well as assists with various
recital series, scholarship competitions,
and office duties.
In addition, he serves as director of
music ministries for Epiphany Lutheran
Church in Minneapolis and has a piano
studio of 12 students.
Gertrude Hognander with the 19992000 Hognander Scholars Jaime
Kirchofner ’00 (left) and Chiho
Okuizumi ’00 (right).
THE HOGNANDERS:
SUPPORTING MUSIC
EXCELLENCE
Orville ’36 and Gertrude (Lund) ’36
Hognander created a legacy in
Augsburg’s music department that will
encourage and support students for
years to come.
Emily Gerard ’03 (above), harp, studied
harp at Augsburg with Kathy Kienzle,
principal harpist with the Minnesota
Orchestra. She went on to Carnegie
Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where
she studied with Gretchen Van Hoesen,
principal harpist with the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra. During her time
there, she was able to participate in
numerous master classes and perform
repertoire with the Carnegie Mellon
Philharmonic, and play second harp with
the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. In
May she earned her Master of Music
degree in harp recital.
Upon completing this degree, she
returned to Minneapolis to join the
faculty of the MacPhail School of Music.
Maja Lisa FritzHuspen ’04 (top
center), soprano, currently studies at the
University of Iowa with Rachel Joselson
and opera director Gary Race. Last fall
she performed the lead role as the
mother of Amahl in Amahl and the Night
Summer 2005
While a student at Augsburg in the
1930s, Orville Hognander sang in the
male quartet and the Augsburg Choir.
He created and produced “The Hour
Melodious,” a weekly radio program
that brought the choir to a national
audience.
Gertrude (Lund) ’36 Hognander,
studied music at Augsburg and went
on to a career as a church organist and
choir director.
Andy Peterson ’05 (above with Professor
Angela Wyatt), piano and saxophone,
will complete his bachelor’s degree in
music education following student
teaching at Henry Sibley High School
this fall. He is currently working on his
composition Sound Carei's, a piece for
saxophone and piano which was inspired
by the music of Minneapolis jazz
musician Carei Thomas. ■
Jessica Brown is a communication
specialist in the Office of Public Relations
and Communication.
Together, they provided leadership
support to Augsburg music. In 1994,
they matched a $25,000 challenge to
refurbish pianos and purchase
equipment for the music department.
The Hognander Scholar awards,
aim to attract gifted students and to
encourage current students.
Orville Hognander died in 1997,
and Gertrude Hognander in January
2005. They are survived by their son,
O.C. Hognander, Jr.
27
AAlumni
LUMNINews
NEWS
From the Alumni Board president’s desk…
I
n May I had the
opportunity to
attend Augsburg’s
Commencement
ceremony in Si
Melby Hall. I also
had the privilege to
welcome new
graduates into the
ranks of over
19,000 alumni. Surveying the crowd, I
was reminded that Augsburg graduates
are prepared to lead and make a
difference—wherever their community is
and however defined. Augsburg
graduates understand that the phrase
“values proposition” goes beyond the
business marketing context to include
living out one’s life in service to
community and others.
Representatives from each graduating
class spoke of their experiences and
perspectives as learners. Glenda Holste,
representing graduate-level students,
shared a story that revealed the
important value she places on her
education. However, she didn’t mention
her career as a member of the Pioneer
Press Editorial Board. Her role at the
Pioneer Press newspaper exemplifies the
Augsburg spirit of leadership and service
to others. Holste’s editorial responsibilities
and op-ed writing reach many thousands
of people each day—and her work
ensures that readers have the
opportunity to be informed on many
viewpoints of important issues of the day.
Another example of exemplary
service is Dr. Jeanette Vought ’77,
profiled on page 31 of this issue. Vought
founded the Christian Recovery Center
in Brooklyn Center, Minn., which helps
many people get the mental health care
they need. In today’s world of
A-Club making connections with new
look and Web site
A
n old Augsburg tradition has a fresh
new face! Earlier this year, the
A-Club Executive Committee approved a
new logo for the organization that
supports Augsburg athletics and
physical education.
“We hope the bold, clean look
will increase awareness of A-Club
events as well as our mission of
helping today’s student athletes,” said
John Harden, A-Club president.
The block “A” is just the first step
aimed at improving A-Club’s brand.
Visitors will see the logo on the debut
Web site (www.aclub.org). For the first
time, A-Club members and friends can
get the latest information on events,
activities, fundraising efforts, and
newsletters online.
“It is critical to stay connected with
all our members, and this Web site will
help us take giant steps toward improved
28
communication,” Harden said. By
browsing the site, visitors will also
discover an exciting line of A-Club
apparel featuring the block “A.” Hats,
shirts, windbreakers, and even stadium
blankets are now available online with
proceeds benefiting Augsburg athletics
and physical education.
diminishing access for mental health
services, particularly for lower income
people, Vought’s service approach is
particularly needed and inspiring.
Each of us as alumni have the spirit of
vocation and leadership potential of
Vought and Holste. We are all at a starting
point of some kind or another. If you
haven’t already, I invite each one of you to
connect or re-connect with Augsburg
College. Along the way your life
experience will grow and be enhanced,
your community will benefit, and
Augsburg will be enriched many times
over. Be connected—stay connected!
Bill Vanderwall ’93 WEC
President, Alumni Board
A-Club 5K Run/Walk
The Augsburg College Athletic Alumni
Club (A-Club) requests your
participation in the Second Annual
A-Club 5K Run/Walk. Join us for a fun
morning of fellowship and running or
walking in the crisp autumn air while
helping to support student athletes at
Augsburg.
The event will take place Sunday,
September 18. Check-in begins at 9 a.m.
at Melby Hall; race begins at 10 a.m.
For more information or to register,
please contact A-Club President John
Harden at <jharden@hardeninc.com>.
Second
Annual
A-Club
5K
Summer 2005
Attention Auggies: Do you have the time and desire to help
today’s student-athletes become tomorrow’s leaders?
The Augsburg A-Club is looking for
women and men who are willing to be
active participants on the A-Club
Executive Committee. The A-Club is a
volunteer organization of former men and
women athletes that depends on members
to do what they can to help provide
today’s student-athletes with opportunities
for a quality athletic experience.
We are looking for individuals who are
dedicated to supporting the College,
Augsburg athletics, and physical
education. Most important, they must be
willing to put in time as a volunteer. The
time does not have to be significant, but
they do need to be able to follow through
on their commitment (we’re big on people
doing what they say they will). Members
must be able to attend brief quarterly
Executive Committee meetings at the
College and be willing to work on at least
one A-Club committee: Golf, Hall of
Alumni tour to China
Centennial Singers Fall Schedule
Enjoy fellowship, comfort, and enriching
educational opportunities on the May
2006 Augsburg Alumni Association
China tour: Sights and Spirits. Hosted by
Brad Holt, professor of religion, this 15day tour scheduled for May 11–25,
2006, begins in Beijing and includes
Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City,
the Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors,
and a boat cruise down the Yangtze
River past the Three Gorges, which will
be flooded by a dam project at the end
of this decade. The international city of
Shanghai concludes this travel
experience. In addition to visiting
famous sites in China, the tour will
include an investigation of the religions
of China, including Confucianism,
Taoism, Buddhism, Christianity, and
Islam, with special attention to the
churches of China. Spaces are filling
quickly; to add your name to the waiting
list, call or e-mail the alumni office at
612-330-1178 or <alumni@augsburg.edu>.
Summer 2005
Fame, Membership, Fundraising,
Communications, Special Events, 5K
Run/Walk, etc.
Are you interested in joining our
team? Do you know of someone who
would be a good fit on a winning team?
If you would like to know more, e-mail
A-Club President John Harden
(jharden@hardeninc.com), or Jane
Helmke (jhelmke@kare.gannett.com).
Thanks for your interest!
September 25, 4 p.m.
Hope Lutheran Church
Moose Lake, Minn.
October 22, 7 p.m.
Salem Covenant Church
New Brighton, Minn.
October 1, 6 p.m.
Augsburg Awards Banquet
Christensen Center
October 23, 7 p.m.
Christ the King Lutheran Church
Bloomington, Minn.
October 2, 7 p.m.
Golden Valley Lutheran Church
Golden Valley, Minn.
October 29, 7 p.m.
Lakeville Arts Center
Lakeville, Minn.
October 9, 9 and 10:45 a.m.
House of Prayer worship services
Richfield, Minn.
October 30, 7 p.m.
Community of the Cross Lutheran
Church
Bloomington, Minn.
October 9, 4 p.m.
Westwood Lutheran Church
St. Louis Park, Minn.
October 17, 7:30 p.m.
Wayzata Community Church
Wayzata, Minn.
November 6, 4 p.m.
Our Savior's Lutheran Church
Hastings, Minn.
November 13, 11 a.m.
Fort Snelling Chapel morning worship
Minneapolis
29
CLASS
NOTES
Class Notes
1948
1958
Robert Tharp, Lexington, Va.,
works as a commercial artist
who does illustration, murals,
stone carving, and portraits. In
addition, Robert works in art
conservation, engineer drawing,
and ceramics.
Doris (Johnson) Deml, St.
Cloud, Minn., won the Ray
Johnson Distinguished Service in
Senior Housing Award, given
annually to one winner in
Minnesota through the Minnesota
Health and Housing Alliance.
Doris is director of operations at
Clearwater Suites, an assistedliving facility in Alexandria,
Minn.
1956
Rev. Arlen Stensland and his
wife, Lois, were featured in the
Minneapolis Star Tribune in a
story about how they collect and
send portable manual
typewriters to the pastors and
congregation of the Malagasy
Lutheran Church in Madagascar,
where the couple were
missionaries for 22 years. The
manual typewriters are
immensely useful in this
electricity-starved nation. Arlen
and Lois live in Laporte, Minn.,
on Lake Kabekona; they can be
reached at <kabegasy@
paulbunyan.net>.
1957
Rev. Orval
Moren, Coon
Rapids, Minn.,
wrote a book,
Gospel Stories for
Pastors, Teachers,
and Parents
(American Christian Writer’s
Press), filled with 115 children’s
lessons he told during his 14
years of ministry at Faith
Lutheran Church in
Albuquerque, N.Mex.
Rev. Neal
Snider,
Steilacoom,
Wash., published
two books in
2004: Letter to
Jabez: Response
to a Prayer, and Spring Training
for Christians: Getting Your Faith
in Shape (both by Augsburg
Fortress). He is pastor emeritus
of Bethlehem Lutheran Church
in Marysville, Wash.
30
1961
Keith Leiseth, Golden Valley,
Minn., is an ecology instructor at
Benilde-St. Margaret’s; he was
featured in a story in the Edina
Sun Current for the unique
teaching techniques he uses in
his honors ecology class. Last
year, Keith volunteered his
students to partner with the
Department of Natural Resources
to track white-tailed deer and
wolves near Camp Ripley in
northern Minnesota. This year,
his class partnered with the
Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency to monitor water quality.
1962
David Moe,
Juneau, Alaska,
published My
Spirit Sings (Moe
Publishing), a
collection of
poems written
over the past 40 years on a
variety of subjects.
1968
Duane M. Ilstrup, Kailua-Kona,
Hawaii, is a retired associate
professor of biostatistics at the
Mayo Clinic. He was recently
appointed by the governor of
Hawaii to a four-year term on the
Hawaii Subarea Health Planning
Council.
Bruce Johnson, Plymouth,
Minn., received the Minnesota
High School Hockey Coaches
Association’s 2005 Dave Peterson
Award. The award is given
annually to a high school coach
who has shown great leadership
in developing youth hockey
either locally or statewide.
Bruce, currently the boys’
hockey assistant coach at
Bloomington Jefferson High
School, previously served for
several years as head coach at
Robbinsdale Armstrong High
School.
1969
John-Mark Stensvaag, Iowa
City, Iowa, received the 2005
President and Provost Award for
Teaching Excellence from the
University of Iowa in recognition
for his years of outstanding
teaching. John-Mark is the
Charlotte and Frederick Hubbell
Professor of Environmental and
Natural Resources Law in the UI
College of Law, where he has
taught since 1988. He was
awarded the university’s
Collegiate Teaching Award in
both 1989 and 2002, and also
received the 1996 UI
Instructional Improvement
Award, which supports faculty in
bringing innovative teaching
methods and technologies to the
classroom.
1970
Sonya (Hagen) Zieske, Albert
Lea, Minn., was one of five
finalists for Teacher of the Year in
the Albert Lea school district.
Sonya is a fifth-grade teacher at
Lakeview Elementary School; it is
her second year in the district.
Her husband, Rev. Curtis Zieske
’69, is pastor at Trinity Lutheran
Church, where Sonya serves as
director of the children’s choir.
She and her husband have two
children, Sarah and Aaron.
Twin Cities. Previously, she was
a vocalist with the ensemble
Moore By Four, and has been a
solo artist for the past decade,
producing six albums on her
own label, Minnehaha Music.
Ronald Mielke was inducted
into the Bloomington Sports
Hall of Fame. He is director of
sales at Trintel Communications,
Inc. Ronald and his wife, Linda,
live in Bloomington, Minn.
1977
Rev. Jim
Purdham is the
minister at
Sargeant,
Brownsdale, and
Lansing United
Methodist
churches in southeastern
Minnesota, leading services at
all three each Sunday. He and
his wife, Cindy, have two
daughters: Katie, 14, and
Laura, 12.
1979
David Eitrheim, Menomonie,
Wis., was named Family
Physician of the Year for 2004
by the Wisconsin Academy of
Family Physicians. The award
recognizes a physician who
exemplifies the tradition of the
“family doctor.” David has been
a family doctor in Menomonie
for 17 years.
1980
1974
Dan Carlson, Excelsior, Minn.,
is chief of police for Eden
Prairie, Minn. This past winter,
he and his son, Peter, traveled to
Alaska for a month to compete
in the international Iditarod dog
sled competition, where Peter
came in 11th.
Connie
Evingson was
featured in a
story in the St.
Paul Pioneer
Press. Since the
1970s, Connie
has been singing jazz in the
Lisa Novotny, Minneapolis,
was awarded the Woman of
Achievement Award from the
Minnesota Chapter of the
National Association of Women
Business Owners at its awards
gala in April. The award honors
women who have made
Summer 2005
ALUMNI PROFILE
Dr. Jeanette Vought ’77: Restoring Broken Lives
by Kathy (Kuchera) Gruber ’84
Courtesy photo
Dr. Jeanette Vought ’77 has compassion for people of all ages who have experienced traumatic or abusive events
in their lives. As a licensed psychologist, she saw many people unable to afford mental health care slipping
through the system. So in 1993, she founded the Christian Recovery Center (CRC): a nonprofit,
nondenominational charitable organization, located in Brooklyn Center, Minn., to help more people get the
mental health care they need.
Vought’s career journey began at Augsburg, when she became interested in the social work degree offered.
Transferring from Golden Valley Lutheran, known today as Lutheran Bible Institute, was easy.
“The degree laid the foundation in the helping field,” Vought said in her calm soft voice.
One memory she won’t forget occurred during her first day interning at South High as a high school social
worker. “They were a tough group of kids with difficult problems,” Vought said, “and they stole my car.”
Dr. Jeanette Vought ’77 began
her career working with
abuse and trauma victims
while working toward a
social work degree from
Augsburg College.
Vought called the police, and they offered to drive her to work. On the way, they heard a call over the police
radio about an abandoned car. “It had been left in the middle of an intersection, running, and all the doors
open,” Vought said. Today she can chuckle over the event.
It was during college that Vought landed her first job at Friendship House I (FHI), a residential treatment center
for unwed pregnant teens run by Lutheran Social Services. Once she graduated, there were staffing changes at
FHI and Vought was asked to develop programs, write policies, and eventually supervise staff. The focus of care transitioned from unwed pregnant
teens to treating emotionally disturbed girls ages 12 to 18 years old.
“It was hard to write policies because not everyone on staff had a Christian background,” Vought said.
In 1981, she found a job with New Life Family Services, working with families, individuals, and marriage counseling. With her previous
leadership and program development skills, Vought eventually became executive director. During her years there, she completed her Ph.D. at
Union Institute, co-authored a book with Lynn Heitritter, Helping Victims of Sexual Abuse, and authored another book, Post-Abortion Trauma: Nine
Steps to Recovery.
“I really loved that ministry,” said Vought, “but I saw [in the helping fields] that people who were being abused sexually, emotionally, and
domestically were falling between the cracks—especially the poorer people.”
Motivated to action, Vought founded CRC in a small office space with a receptionist, a board of directors, and, initially, no pay. Today, CRC sees
over 250 clients a week ranging in age from 3 to 80 years old. A Rule 29 clinic, this state-licensed mental health facility has many programs to
help facilitate emotional healing. No one is turned away.
Vought has another connection with Augsburg, working with interns from the Master of Social Work program. Vought said she gets together with
professors Laura Boisen and Maryann Syers-McNairy to work on intern evaluations. Not only does Vought have a heart for the victims of abuse,
but also for giving interns the opportunity to develop their skills in helping to restore broken lives.
Kathy (Kuchera) Gruber is a 1984 Augsburg graduate and freelance writer in Brooklyn Park, Minn.
outstanding contributions to their
company. Lisa is vice president of
diversity and staffing at General
Mills.
Lisa Mae
Rusinko married
Anthony Michael
Vannelli in
October. Lisa is
an executive
liaison at
Navitaire, Inc., in Minneapolis;
Tony is a fire fighter/paramedic
Summer 2005
with the St. Paul Fire
Department. The couple lives in
Shoreview with their children:
Tovah (19) and Christian (16)
Rykken and Stephen (21),
Brianna (18), and Andrew (17)
Vannelli.
1981
Suzanne (Sienkiewicz)
Peterson, Burnsville, Minn.,
directs the Master of Education
in Teaching and Learning
Program at Saint Mary’s
University in Winona, Minn.,
where she also received her
Master of Education degree.
1982
Sandy (Walter) Holten,
Plymouth, Minn., wrote an
article, “Music Therapy for
People with Parkinson’s,” that
was included in a Parkinson’s
disease reference book published
by CRC Press (2005).
Debra Krueger Knight,
Bloomington, Minn., was
awarded the Wise Woman Award
from the Minnesota Chapter of
the National Association of
Women Business Owners at its
awards gala in April. Debra is
co-founder of Career
Professionals, Inc. The award
honors female business owners
who have operated a steady
business for more than 10 years
and who have sustained their
31
Class Notes
company through day-to-day
obstacles while continuing to
build a healthy, profitable
business.
1984
Lori Gustafson, Helsinki,
Finland, teaches English to
children of diplomats.
Paul Mueller, Rochester, Minn.,
received the Outstanding Faculty
Award for 2004 from the Mayo
School of Continuing Medical
Education.
Mike Riley, Brainerd, Minn., is
president of Bremer Bank in
charge of overall operations in
Brainerd and the surrounding
communities. Previously, Mike
was senior vice president at
Bremer.
Judy (White) Rixe, Corcoran,
Minn., was a member of the
Buffalo Thunderbirds women’s
hockey team that won the
Minnesota state tournament, C-3
division, in March. The team is
part of the Women’s Hockey
Association of Minnesota, which
has been around for 25 years and
has grown to nearly 900 players
in seven levels of competition.
The Thunderbirds were
unscored-upon at the
tournament; Judy scored two
goals and two assists. Her three
sons also play for Buffalo teams,
and her husband, Steven ’84,
coaches youth bantams at
Buffalo.
1985
Daniel Cress,
Gunnison, Colo.,
was promoted to
professor of
sociology at
Western State
College in
Gunnison. His co-edited book
on social movements, Authority
in Contention, was published this
spring. Daniel and his wife,
Cindy McKee, have two
daughters: Maggie, 11, and
Myles, 2.
32
Thomas “Tommy” Terpening,
Key West, Fla., works for Cooke
Communications as the printing,
composition, and graphic
services manager for Cooke’s
newspaper, The Key West Citizen.
1986
Mike Berry, Dayton, Ohio, is
senior vice president of solutions
management, development, and
operations for The Reynolds and
Reynolds Company. Previously,
Mike was senior vice president
of services at Reynolds. Before
joining Reynolds, he was
executive vice president of
customer support and general
manager for Stored Value
Systems at Comdata, a division
of Ceridian.
Jon Thorson, Middleton, Wis.,
was inducted into the Brainerd
High School Distinguished Hall
of Fame. He is an associate
professor of pharmacy in the
graduate school of the University
of Wisconsin.
1987
Jacquie Berglund,
Minneapolis, was featured in the
March 2005 issue of Minnesota
Monthly magazine for her
Finnegan’s Irish Amber beer and
the Spud Society nonprofit
organization it funds. Jacquie is
co-founder, director of sales, and
the sole employee of the
company, which uses money
generated from its beer sales to
help at-risk youth and the
working poor. Finnegan’s is
available at more than 140
restaurants and 200 liquor
stores.
1990
Alisa Holen, Iowa City, Iowa,
teaches ceramics and sculpture
as an adjunct faculty member at
Kirkwood Community College
and Mt. Mercy College, both in
Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Alisa
received her MFA from the
University of Iowa in May 2004
and has a home ceramics studio.
Karen (Neitge) Holt, Winters,
Calif., is teaching grade school at
the Davis Waldorf School.
1992
Robera Battal received a
Master of Art in African Studies
degree at Yale University in
2004.
Bethany Buchanan,
Minneapolis, is a medicalsurgical RN at Methodist
Hospital. She is also a bareboat
charter captain and races
sailboats competitively on Lake
Minnetonka and Lake Superior.
Bethany can be reached at
<gracesaddress@aol.com>.
theatre companies: Jungle
Theatre, Park Square, Theatre
Mu, Outward Spiral, the
Playwrights’ Center, Mystery
Cafe, Shakespeare on the Park,
and many others. She also does
commercial work and can be
seen in the short film, PALS,
written and directed by Neil
Orman. By day Heather is a
billing specialist with the law
firm Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Heather can be reached at
<porkchop@aboutthisplay.com>.
Greg McAllister, Shoreview,
Minn., was featured in the
St. Paul Pioneer Press as a
“business mover.” He is
president and chief technologist
at Anesis Information Services
LLC in Shoreview.
Amber (Meier) Tarnowski,
Peabody, Mass., is a Kress Fellow
at “Historic New England”
(formerly SPNEA) in
conservation of historic objects.
Amber received her Master in
Art Conservation degree from
Queen’s University (Ontario,
Canada) in 2003 and did
research as a Kress Fellow
(2003–2004) at Harvard
University.
1993
1995
Ted Reiff, St. Paul, Minn., is
head volleyball coach at The
Academy of Holy Angels. Ted
has taught science at Holy
Angels since 1996 and
previously served as the school’s
head varsity volleyball coach
from 1998–2000 and as assistant
varsity coach from 1996–98. He
was also head coach for Club
Adidas Select Volleyball in
St. Paul.
Gena (du Bois) Hepworth,
MSW, Madera, Calif., is a
therapist at DCFS in Fresno
County, Calif., doing sandplay
therapy. Gena and her husband,
Todd, have one child, Gillian.
1994
Heather Stone, Minneapolis,
started a theatre company,
Sandbox Theatre
(www.aboutthisplay). The
company’s first production was
an original work titled Victoria
in Red, which premiered in June
at the Bryant Lake Bowl theater
in Minneapolis. Sandbox is
currently creating a piece about
Zelda Fitzgerald to be performed
next May at the Loring
Playhouse in Minneapolis.
Heather has been working
professionally in the Twin Cities
since 1994 with numerous
Dee Ann L. Sibley, Cambridge,
Minn., is a high school guidance
counselor for Centennial
Schools in Circle Pines, Minn.
Dee Ann received a master’s
degree in art therapy and school
guidance and worked as an art
therapist in a clinical setting
before going into counseling. In
2004 she also taught oil painting
for Anoka-Ramsey Community
College.
1996
Emily D. Haraldson,
Northridge, Calif., is the
registrar at the Carnegie Art
Museum in Oxnard, Calif., and
teaches art history at Mt. San
Antonio College in Walnut,
Calif. Emily received her M.A. in
Art History degree in June 2004
from California State University
in Northridge. Her thesis
Summer 2005
explored the importance of
posters to international
environmental movements.
online Bathtub Art Museum
(www.bathtubmuseum.com) that
opened in August 2003.
Erika Scheider received the
Excellence in Performance
Award from the Minnesota
Association of Women Police at
its annual conference in April.
Erika is a police investigator in
Roseville, Minn., where she has
worked since 1997. Last year,
she also received the 2004
Minnesota Chiefs of Police
Association Award for
meritorious service.
Jason
Canfield is
the band
director at
Prescott High
School. He
has a drumming ministry, “Drumming to
Spiritual Enlightenment,” and
performs at church services and
youth events. He recently
released a CD of drumming,
Drumming from Within, The Inner
Drum. Jason lives with his wife,
Christy, in River Falls, Wis., and
can be reached at
<canfield@pressenter.com>.
Scott Scholl,
Eden Prairie,
Minn., married
Heather Lucken
in June 2004.
Scott works in
lifestyle
management at the Minneapolis
Club.
Jane Jeong Trenka,
Minneapolis, won a $25,000
Loft Award in Creative Prose,
part of the 2005 McKnight
Artist Fellowship for Writers.
She has previously received
fellowships from the Jerome
Foundation, the Blacklock
Nature Sanctuary, the Minnesota
State Arts Board, the Loft
Literary Center, and S.A.S.E.:
The Write Place. Her book, The
Language of Blood, received the
2002 Minnesota Book Award for
Autobiography/Memoir and was
a Barnes and Noble Discover
Great New Writers selection.
The book was also cited by City
Pages as “Best Book by a Local
Author” and received a
commendation from the
Minnesota Humanities
Commission.
1997
Carye (Johnson) Bye,
Portland, Ore., is running a
small arts press called Red Bat
Press (www.redbatpress.com),
that specializes in old-time
printing methods such as
woodcut prints, letterpress type,
and hand coloring. Carye is also
director and curator of the
Summer 2005
Pamela J. Glander,
Minneapolis, is the associate art
director for Social Expressions
Company. Pamela is also starting
a home-based design/art studio,
Outsideline Studio, with her
business partner.
Derrin Lamker, Minneapolis,
was named the new football
coach at Osseo High School.
Derrin previously served as the
offensive coordinator at
Armstrong.
Jackie
Osterhaus is a
primary care
provider for the
Paynesville Area
Health Care
System (PAHCS)
at the Eastside Clinic in
Belgrade. Prior to joining
PAHCS, Jackie was in the Army
Reserves and spent 10 months in
Kuwait and Iraq as a physician
assistant, processing troops who
were being sent home for
medical reasons. She is now the
acting commander of the 367th
Engineering Battalion.
1998
David Peters, Dovre, Wis., was
elected to the Chetek Board of
Education in Wisconsin. David
is chief financial officer for a
community development
corporation in Almena.
Joan Game, Iron Mountain,
Minn., works in watercolor and
teaches children’s after-school art
classes at Hana Mele, her
studio/gallery. More than 20
regional artists display and sell
their work at her gallery.
1999
Kyran (Christianson) Cadmus
is a PACFA (Pet Animal Care
Facilities Act) inspector for the
State of Colorado Department of
Agriculture. She lives with her
husband, Pete, in Fort Collins,
Colo.
Brenda Talarico is a faculty
member in the physician assistant
program at Augsburg.
Adam Thronson,
Coon Rapids,
Minn., won a
Teacher
Outstanding
Performance
(TOP) award from
the Anoka-Hennepin School
District. The TOP program is
designed to involve parents,
students, and community
members in recognizing
exemplary teachers and rewarding
them for their efforts.
Wendy Vogelgesang, Litchfield,
Minn., teaches second grade for
Litchfield Public Schools. In
addition, Wendy and her husband,
David, are busy working on their
home, a 1912 Arts and Crafts
bungalow.
Laura Welke completed and
defended her doctoral thesis,
“Prefrontal Cortex and Medial
Temporal Lobe Interactions in
Cognition,” earning a Ph.D. in
Anatomy and Neurobiology
degree at Boston University
School of Medicine.
2000
Stephanie Lein Walseth, St.
Paul, Minn., was pictured on the
cover of May 25 issue of The
Chronicle of Philanthropy, and
interviewed for the accompanying
article, “Small Theater Puts
Training to Use.” Stephanie is
managing director of Mu
Performing Arts, a Pan-Asian
performing arts organization
based in Minneapolis.
Jennifer Rensenbrink,
Minneapolis, is a Web designer
for the Star Tribune. Jennifer
also does freelance Web design
and continues to work on
photography and bookmaking.
She and her husband, Adam,
live in south Minneapolis with
their dog and are “slowly”
fixing up their old house.
2001
Anne (McCaul) Bailey,
Shorewood, Minn., is the
gallery manager for Circa
Gallery and Dolly Fiterman
Fine Arts. In addition, Anne is a
certified fine art appraiser and
runs Bailey Fine Art Appraisals.
Adina (Levine) Bergstrom,
New Ulm, Minn., is a lawyer at
Gislason and Hunter LLP. Adina
also works with her husband’s
business on housing restoration
and interior design while
continuing to pursue
photography in her free time.
Amy Vatne Bintliff received a
Teacher Outstanding
Performance (TOP) award from
the Anoka-Hennepin School
District. The TOP program is
designed to involve parents,
students, and community
members in recognizing
exemplary teachers and
rewarding them for their efforts.
Amy teaches English at
Crossroads Alternative High
School, where she also leads the
Drop-Out Prevention
Committee, and is a member of
the Department of Reading
Specialists, which facilitates a
program to meet the needs of
struggling readers.
Carrie McCarville, St. Louis
Park, Minn., owns Mac’s Liquor
in Hopkins, Minn. She also
plays hockey in a women’s
league with other Augsburg
women’s hockey alumnae.
33
Class Notes
Joyce Nyhus,
Buffalo Lake,
Minn., was
elected the first
female mayor of
Buffalo Lake,
earning 70
percent of the votes. She also
teaches written communication
at Ridgewater College, and
serves as a member of the
Renville County HRA Advisory
Board and as American Legion
Auxiliary president.
2002
Maria Sieve, Leicester, Mass.,
received a Master of Education
degree in May from Providence
College. Maria, a math teacher at
Holy Name High School, can be
contacted at <sievem@
yahoo.com>.
Mark O. Rogge, Santa Monica,
Calif., graduated in April with
an MBA from Pepperdine
University’s Graziadio School of
Business and Management, and
was recently asked to serve as a
mentor for the program. He has
worked as an executive in the
high tech/software industry for
the last eight years with both
Fortune 100 companies and
start-up software companies.
Mark lives by the beach, and has
appeared on a couple TV shows,
a TV show pilot, and in a few
commercials since moving to
California. He spends most of
his free time surfing in Malibu
and snowboarding at Mammoth
Mountain, and is also training
for the Rock-n-Roll Marathon in
San Diego.
Brooke Stoeckel, Elk River,
Minn., is sales manager of
meetings and conventions for
the Minneapolis Metro North
Convention and Visitors Bureau.
In 2004 she won both the EMPI
Rookie of the Year Award from
Meeting Professional International (MPI) and the Best of
2004 Hall of Fame Up-andComing Meeting Professional
Award through Minnesota
Meetings and Events. She is an
34
active member of the
Foundation Committee of the
local chapter of the Society of
Government Meeting Professionals, and also serves as cochair of the Education
Committee for MPI.
2003
Melissa Bawek, Minneapolis,
is assistant director of The
Augsburg Fund in the Office of
Institutional Advancement at
Augsburg. Melissa is also
pursuing a master’s degree.
Erika Hammerschmidt was
featured in a
story in the St.
Paul Pioneer
Press for her
book, Born on
the Wrong Planet, recently
published by Tyborne Hill
Publishers LLC. Her book
describes her quest to understand
and be understood as she moves
through life diagnosed with
Asperger’s syndrome, Tourette’s
syndrome, and obsessivecompulsive disorder.
Jon Liesmaki, Newport Beach,
Calif., completed a Master of
Environmental Health and Safety
degree from the University of
Minnesota-Duluth. He is an
environmental health specialist
for a consulting firm in southern
California called Environmental
and Occupations Risk
Management. Jon lives with his
wife, Natalie.
David Mataya, Hudson, Wis.,
manages creative services at
Anderson Windows, Inc., which
includes managing creative
direction and personnel. In
addition, David serves on the
Visual Arts Council of the
Phipps Center for the Arts in
Hudson.
Natasha Thoreson, Shoreview,
Minn., is a communications
coordinator at Family Pathways
in Wyoming, Minn. Natasha
does some desktop publishing
for Family Pathways while
keeping up with her
photography, drawing, and
painting. In her free time she is
a volunteer tour guide at the
Walker Art Center.
2004
Laura Simones, Minneapolis, is
in the process of finding an
internship with a child life
program in a Twin Cities hospital.
She hopes to take photography
classes in the area and start her
own photography business.
2005
Mark Langseth, MAL, was
appointed vice president for
university advancement and
executive director of the
Metropolitan State University
Foundation. Mark will serve as
the university’s chief development
officer. Since 1994, he has been
the executive director of
Minnesota Campus Compact, and
previously served for seven years
as chief operating officer of the
National Youth Leadership
Council. Mark and his wife, Kate
DePaolis, have two daughters,
Tess, 10, and Teagan, 6.
Births/Adoptions
Tina (Kubes)
’92 and Lance
Peterson,
Willmar, Minn.—
a daughter,
Ellary Brooke,
in October. She
joins brother Blake, 5, and sister
Ari, 2. Tina is a middle school
physical education teacher with
NL-S Schools and can be
reached at <wildmom@
charter.net>.
Julie
(Severson) ’94
and Dermott
Norman,
Minnetonka,
Minn.—
a daughter,
Elizabeth Claire, in August
2004. She joins sister Sophie, 2,
and half-sisters Emily and
Miranda, both 12. Proud
grandparents are Audrey
(Neiderhauser) ’68 and Clair
Severson ’68.
Tara (Butler)
’96 and Robb
Kruger,
Burnsville,
Minn.—a son,
Calvin Rock, in
November. He
joins older siblings Chloe and
Charlie. Tara can be reached at
<taranbkruger@yahoo.com>.
Ann
Stratton
’96 and her
partner,
Dawn
Madland ’93, Luxemburg, Wis.—
two sons, Levi and Luca. Dawn
directs an alternative high school
in Green Bay, Wis.; Ann
previously worked at the
University of Wisconsin-Green
Bay and now stays home with the
boys at the couple’s hobby farm.
Ann can be reached at
<stratton224@aol.com>.
Kathleen
(Lindquist) ’00
and Eric Blilie,
Blaine, Minn.—a
son, Alexander
Patrick, in
November. He
joins older brother Andrew, 2. Also
welcoming Alexander is proud
uncle Orville Lindquist ’96.
Frank Huebner
’02 and his wife,
Elizabeth, South
St. Paul, Minn.—
a daughter,
Sophia, in
January. The
couple was also married in
January. Frank is a lab technician
at Alternative Technologies, Inc.
Karen (Tweeten) ’02 and
Russell Larson, Mabel, Minn.—a
son, Jordan Ricky, in January.
Chad Prigge
’05 and his wife,
Laura, Edina,
Minn.—a son,
Aven Michael,
in April.
Summer 2005
In Memoriam
Richard E.
Jacobson ’41,
Plymouth, Minn.,
died in April on
his 61st wedding
anniversary; he
was 86. He was a
chemical engineer for Honeywell
for 34 years, retiring in 1980 as
manager of the Cost EstimationOrdinance Division. He then
served as a consultant until
1991. He was honored in 1994
as a WCCO Good Neighbor for
his dedication to church and
community. He is survived by his
wife, Ilamae; sons Richard,
Terrance, and Jay; daughter
Dawn; and eight grandchildren.
Earl V. Lanes ’40, Spokane,
Wash., died in April; he was 86.
He served in the Navy during
WWII and the Korean War. He
retired from the Navy in 1962 as
a commander in supply at
Moffett Field, Calif. He then
worked in electronics in Silicon
Valley, retiring from Western
Microwave as vice president in
1986. He was honored as an
Augsburg Distinguished
Alumnus in 1975. He was loved
and respected for his charity and
service, much of which was
associated with Immanuel
Lutheran Church of Los Altos,
Calif., where he was a member
for 45 years before moving to
Spokane. In the last days of his
life he greatly enjoyed watching
the recording of the 25th
Anniversary Advent Vespers
service. He is survived by his
wife, Dorothy (Herman) '43;
daughter Gretchen; sons Scott,
Thomas, and Timothy; seven
grandchildren; and five greatgrandchildren.
Shirley (Formo) Haven ’46,
McHenry, N.Dak., died in
February in Mesa, Ariz., of
cancer; she was 77. In addition
to Augsburg, she also attended
the MacPhail School of Music
and later taught in Enderlin,
N.Dak., before moving north of
McHenry to farm with her
husband. She served as church
organist, choir director, and
Summer 2005
Sunday school teacher at
Gethsemane Lutheran Church.
In spite of arthritis that
challenged her physically, she
continued to teach piano lessons.
She is survived by her husband,
Melvin ’38; sons Donald and
David; daughter Linda; seven
grandchildren; and one greatgrandson.
Leroy “Buzz” Northfelt ’52,
Minneapolis, died in April; he
was 80. He worked for CocaCola Bottling Co. for 36 years.
He is survived by his wife of 51
years, Geri.
James “Huck”
S. Haugen ’56,
Minneapolis,
died in April
from complications of
Parkinson’s
disease; he was 71. He spent 43
years as a math teacher and
coach at Minneapolis South and
Washburn high schools, as well
as at Augsburg and Bethel
colleges. He received his master’s
degree in math from Western
Michigan University and pursued
graduate work at the universities
of Maine and Minnesota. A
standout football and baseball
athlete while attending
Augsburg, he was inducted into
the Athletic Hall of Fame in
1992. He is survived by his wife
of 41 years, Dottie; sons Tom
and Peter; and four
grandchildren.
Kenneth Manske ’61,
Asheville, N.C., died in
November from a brain tumor.
He was a retired professor of
chemistry. He is survived by his
wife, Janet (Hermstad) ’60;
daughter Sheryl; and son
Timothy.
University of St. Thomas, and
previously taught at Winona
State University, where she
directed the social work
program. She was a strong
supporter of social work
education at Augsburg, serving
as an active member of the
College’s alumni advisory
committee for many years. She
was a caring friend and
consultant to several faculty
colleagues, a valued guest
speaker in Augsburg classes, past
president of the MN Chapter of
the National Association of
Social Work (NASW), past chair
of the MN Conference of Social
Work Education, and current
vice-president of the
International Association for the
Advancement of Social Work
with Groups. She was co-author
of the book The Road Not Taken:
A History of Radical Social Work
in the United States (used by
Augsburg as a supplemental text)
and author of the recently
published biography of Gisela
Knopka. Augsburg honored her
as a Distinguished Alumna in
1999; she also received the 2005
Lifetime Achievement Award
from the MN Chapter of the
NASW. She is survived by her
husband, Carl Schenk; son
Jonathan Andrews; step-sons
Peter and Tim Schenk; and three
step-grandchildren.
Leslie (Samuelson) Larsen
’76, Wayzata, Minn., died in May
of ovarian cancer; she was 50.
She was an interior decorator
who completed major projects
for Augsburg including the
president’s office, the Augsburg
Room, and Augsburg House. She
also served as an admissions
counselor following her
graduation from Augsburg. She
was the daughter of Pat
Samuelson, an active member of
the Augsburg Associates. She is
also survived by her husband,
Kenneth P. ’76; their son, Sam;
and her sisters, Barbara and
Lynne.
Dustin P. Hoff ’04,
Minneapolis, died in April; he
was 23. He was pursuing his
master’s degree in psychology at
Bethel College. He is survived by
his family and his fiancée,
Amanda.
Marvin E. Trautwein, Brooklyn
Center, Minn., died in March; he
was 91. He was an Augsburg
professor of education and
psychology from 1950-59. He
was a Minnesota Teacher of the
Year, DFL advocate, master
gardener, and activist for the
elderly. In addition to teaching at
Augsburg, he taught in
Nebraska, the Robbinsdale
School District, the University of
Minnesota, and at several
community colleges in
Minnesota and Wisconsin. He
also wrote teaching materials for
McGraw-Hill and was active in
national and international
psychology organizations until
retirement. He is survived by his
wife, Margaret (Sateren) ’37, who
taught English at Augsburg in
the 1950s and ’60s, and by his
son, Thomas ’79, and daughterin-law, Margaret (Oven) ’87.
Janice Peterson
AndrewsSchenk ’66,
Minneapolis,
died in May of
pancreatic
cancer; she was
61. She was a dedicated
professor of social work at the
35
AUGGIE
THOUGHTS
Auggie Thoughts
EDITOR’S NOTE: This year Murphy Square, Augsburg’s literary
arts journal, celebrates 30 years. Following are excerpts from the
foreword to this year’s edition, written by English professor John
Mitchell, who recollects the journal’s early years.
Foreword
John Mitchell
As a title, Murphy Square came into being in the spring of
1975. … At first I thought the name odd, and still have no idea
who thought of it or how it actually came about. … In the
immediately preceding years, the literary magazine had been
called Arkai, Loose Change, and Burnt Sugar, stilted, jazzy, and
enigmatic names that changed almost yearly. In previous
decades, coldly allusive literary names like The Dial (Margaret
Fuller’s famous transcendentalist magazine in the 1840s) had
beggared identity and status.
The more I thought about it, the better I liked the new
name. I marveled that no one had thought of it previously, this
coming down and back to our very place on earth. It was our
own, not a classical or alien allusion. Murphy Square is the
oldest park in Minneapolis, the oldest free and public space in
the city. The title, I reckoned, signified the playful license poets
and creative people need to feel and speak truthfully and
amusingly—a freely creative zone now identified with the
magazine itself.
Although the square is enclosed by Augsburg College and
the freeway, it is not owned nor regulated by the college.
Although writers and artists are associated with the college,
they are not controlled by it. Like the circle, the square may
also be seen as a symbol of perfection or, short of that lofty
aspiration, a symbol of wholeness and centered or squaredaway integrity. Because of this line of reasoning, I am grateful
for the continuity of the name for the past 30 years, as opposed
to a string of idiosyncratic appellations not many alumni
would likely remember and be able to refer to.
More personally, I get more pleasure from being published
in Murphy Square than from a nationally distributed magazine.
Why? Well, more people are likely to read my work, people I
know and care about, and readers who will be more able to
construe it in terms of my known local identity. To put it in
literary jargon, I have the chance to be a public poet rather
than merely a private one. Murphy Square gives me a sense of a
reading public, a community to write to and for and about, the
dream of most artists, including minor ones.
Finally, I like the title and purpose of Murphy Square
because it is neither pretentious nor timid. It is just what it is,
take it or leave it. Certainly there is pride in competitive
publication, but, I trust, not a false pride nor an overweening
one. And the truth is, the literary magazine is an institution in
and of itself. Check the archive in the library. It was here
36
Title page design by Aaron Koehn ’06
before we arrived (going back to the Roaring ’20s and The Jazz
Age) and will be here long after we have passed. And there our
poems and stories and photographs and art works and
recognitions of editorial contributions will be manifested,
speaking of our living and feeling presence to the future from
the past. There’s not much in our studious lives that performs
such a cherished role and acquires such a persistent value.
John Mitchell is an associate professor of English and faculty
adviser emeritus to Murphy Square.
Leaf Meditation
Sarah Aune ’06
She takes shrooms on occasion,
For clarity.
And I play my red guitar.
She has always wanted to date a girl.
And I want to be an artist.
But some leaves are blown away,
Browning and taking seed in other dimensions.
Only in the spring of dreams we see them—
Sprouting.
Finally at home in the soil.
Summer 2005
Roarin’ and Soarin’ Auggie Style
September 26-October 2
Monday, September 26
Friday, September 30
• Roarin’ and Soarin’ Student Activities
• Class of 1955 Reunion Breakfast
• International Student Homecoming
Reception
• Homecoming Chapel
• Christensen Symposium (Part 1)
• Roarin’ and Soarin’ Student Activity
• Roarin’ and Soarin’ Student Kick-off
Event, “A Roarin’ Good Time”
• Variety Show and Coronation
• Pep Rally
Saturday, October 1
Tuesday, September 27
• Augsburg College Nurses Alumni
Association Brunch
• Christensen Symposium (Part 2)
• Annual Social Work Alumni Network
(SWAN) Homecoming Brunch
• Counseling and Health Promotion
Annual Fair
• Fourth Annual Powder Puff
Football Game
Wednesday,
September 28
• Class of 1955 Reunion Luncheon
• Alumni Chamber Music Recital
• 2006 Alumni Tour to China
Information Session
• Soarin’ to the Finish Line: A Roarin’
Celebration of Augsburg Athletics
• Class of 1995 Tailgating Reunion
• Augsburg Associates Annual Fall
Luncheon
• WEC Alumni Network Lunch Reunion
& Gathering
• Roarin’ and Soarin’ Student Activity
• Homecoming Picnic
• Baseball Alumni Game
• Augsburg Wrestling Alumni, Family,
and Friends Barbeque
• Augsburg Ethnic Programs Celebration
• Scholastic Connections Dinner
• Augsburg Football Alumni, Family, and
Friends Barbeque
Thursday, September 29
• Homecoming Football Game vs.
Carleton College
• Los Gauchos de Roldan (live
Paraguayan music group)
• Post-Game Gathering for First Decade,
WEC, Football, and Wrestling Groups
• Leadership Workshop: The Art of
Presentation
• English Alumni/ae Reunion and
Reading
• 2005 Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
• Volleyball Game vs. St. Olaf College
• Homecoming Dinner & Reunion
Parties
• Women’s Soccer Game vs. Macalester
College
• Men’s Soccer Pre-Game Alumni
Gathering
• Men’s Soccer Game vs. the College of
St. Scholastica
Sunday, October 2
• Men’s Soccer Alumni Game
2005 Award Recipients
Distinguished Alumni Award
Donald A. Anderson ’60
Donald Mattison ’66
Janice Aune ’88
Spirit of Augsburg Award
Richard J. Thoni
The Augsburg Centennial Singers
First Decade Award
Aaron Cross ’97
Andry Andriambololona Jurcich ’98
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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 e-mail to
<alumni@augsburg.edu>.
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A
P U B L I C AT I O N
F O R
A U G S B U R G
C O L L E G E
A L U M N I
Summer 2006
&
F R I E N D S
Vol. 68, No. 4
A SMOOTH TRANSITION
page 2
FEATURES
17
The Frame years—
a journey toward vision
by Betsey Norgard
22
Augsburg’s original MBAs:
The Class of 2006
by Bethany Bierma...
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A
P U B L I C AT I O N
F O R
A U G S B U R G
C O L L E G E
A L U M N I
Summer 2006
&
F R I E N D S
Vol. 68, No. 4
A SMOOTH TRANSITION
page 2
FEATURES
17
The Frame years—
a journey toward vision
by Betsey Norgard
22
Augsburg’s original MBAs:
The Class of 2006
by Bethany Bierman
27
On tour with the Augsburg Choir
by Judy Petree
30
Those Lutheran Ladies
by Betsey Norgard
DEPARTMENTS
2 Around the Quad
7 Sports
8 Commencement 2006
12 Sixth Annual International
Programs Photo Contest
14 Supporting Augsburg
Access to Excellence:
The Campaign for Augsburg College
35 Alumni news
37 Class notes
TABLE OF CONTENTS
40 Auggie Thoughts
Summer 2006
Vol 68, No. 4
A college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Augsburg College is an equal education/employment institution.
Editor
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
Graphic Designer
Kathy Rumpza
rumpza@augsburg edu
Staff Writer
Bethany Bierman
bierman@augsburg.edu
Staff Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Media Relations Manager
Judy Petree
petree@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing and
Communications
Christopher Moquist
moquist@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni Relations
Heidi Breen
breen@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
On the cover:
Augsburg Now is published quarterly by Augsburg
Augsburg President William Frame (right)
and President-elect Paul Pribbenow (left)
have enthusiastically worked together for a
smooth administrative transition.
College, 2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, Minnesota
55454. Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now do not
necessarily reflect official College policy. ISSN 1058–1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
Augsburg College, CB 142
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
healyk@augsburg.edu
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-consumer waste)
AROUND
QUAD
Around THE
the Quad
From one president to the next—
in smooth transition
I
n what President William Frame calls a
rather remarkable and unusual
occurrence in higher education, both he
and President-elect Paul Pribbenow
jointly spoke to the spring gathering of
faculty and staff in March.
Frame explained what he understands
as a complex relationship between
continuity and change, as both he and
the incoming president individually and
jointly continue to increase the “clarity of
the College’s self-definition” as well as
“the speed at which it is being realized”
during the transition period.
(In a gesture to ease at least the visual
transition, Frame turned just before
introducing Pribbenow and donned a
bow tie, calling reference to the incoming
president’s signature accessory.)
Pribbenow lauded and affirmed the
defining work that has been carried out
by the Augsburg community in
articulating its vision. “I would not be
here,” he commented, “if I did not find
your aspirations inspiring and
compelling.”
Pribbenow takes office on July 1, and
his inauguration has been set for Oct. 20.
The next issue of Augsburg Now will
outline his administration’s priorities and
introduce his leadership team.
William Frame donned a bow tie to signal his
“profound regard” for his successor.
Both retiring president William Frame (left)
and incoming president Paul Pribbenow
(right) spoke to faculty and staff in March.
Chris Kimball will be chief academic
officer at California Lutheran University
C
hristopher Kimball, provost and vice
president for academic affairs, left
Augsburg May 31 to assume the same
position at California Lutheran
University in Thousand Oaks, Calif.,
beginning in July.
Kimball, a member of the history
faculty since 1991, was appointed dean
in 2000 and provost in 2004 when that
position was created. His impact at
Augsburg is seen in the areas of
curricular reform, calendar changes,
teaching loads, several new programs,
and the “internationalization” of the
campus.
“I have been blessed to work at
Augsburg during a time of great change,
2
especially in the articulation of our
mission and vision,” said Kimball.
“California Lutheran University, located
in an economically vibrant and culturally
diverse region, offers a wonderful
opportunity to continue that work.”
President William Frame stated,
“… Chris’ gifts, some of which were
shaped in the process of giving our
College new vitality and sharp direction,
have been acknowledged by a fine
institution in current need of them.”
In May, the Department of Business
Administration presented Kimball with a
plaque recognizing his support of business
studies and his “entrepreneurial spirit.”
Summer 2006
Farewell to the Frames—a ‘gentle roast’ and
a proper tribute
1
2
3
O
n April 21, more than 300 faculty and
staff gathered to honor and show
appreciation to Bill and Anne Frame, and
to entertain them with some ‘gentle’
roasting. Augsburg’s Gospel Praise
provided music, with returning special
guest artist Jennifer Grimm ’99.
Gift presentations were made and the
Frames offered an Augsburg rendition of
Woody Guthrie’s song, “So Long, It’s Been
Good to Know You.”
Frame reflected on his time at
Augsburg. “These years have been a great
gift to us … because they’ve given us the
possibility for growth … And new
understanding about this great business of
education—where it comes from, what it
changes, why it’s crucial for the salvation
of humankind. …
“This place gave us a chance to think
through [a great calling] more deeply and
better than ever we would have had a
chance to do otherwise. So, we’re grateful.
We’re grateful to you and we’re grateful to
Summer 2006
this place and its great lineage in history.”
When asked by Augsburg Echo about
his plans for retirement, he mentioned one
specific project—an old boat with “at least
a year’s worth of work before it’s ready for
the water.”
On April 30, a more proper
“Celebration of Music and Worship for the
Presidency of Bill and Anne Frame at
Augsburg College” was held at Central
Lutheran Church.
ELCA presiding bishop Mark Hanson
’68 presented the keynote address. Three
music groups—Augsburg’s Gospel Praise,
Masterworks Chorale, and the Augsburg
Centennial Singers—each sang several
pieces.
Campus pastor David Wold read a
series of tributes received honoring the
Frames, including an ode written by
Wartburg College president Jack Ohle and
his wife, Kristy, and a proclamation from
the City of Minneapolis declaring this day
to be “Bill and Anne Frame Day.”
4
1 Bill and Anne Frame enjoy some of the
lighter minutes of the “roast” in their
honor.
2 Campus pastor David Wold reads the
proclamation from Mayor R.T. Rybak
declaring April 30 “Bill and Anne Frame
Day” in the City of Minneapolis.
3 President Frame picked up his guitar to
join Gospel Praise in “I Saw the Light” at
Central Lutheran Church.
4 Assistant director of alumni relations and
former football coach Jack Osberg ’62
leans in close to extend his greetings
above the jazz and gospel music.
3
Campus News
Honors for distinguished
teaching and learning
Association, and the American
Association of School Administrators.
Selection to the network, part of ECS’
National Center for Learning and
Citizenship (NCLC), commits its
members to further service to promote
civic engagement for all students.
Erickson serves as chair of the
Minneapolis School Board.
Hannah Dietrich’s research
paper wins national award
Dietrich visited the sex offender
treatment program at the Lino Lakes
Correctional Facility and learned about
the pre-release transition program. She
became interested in finding out if
offenders really understood the
registration process and if they became
more compliant and submitted better
verification after completing the
program.
Together with Steblay, she crafted a
research plan that became her senior
honors project.
Dietrich is now in the master’s program
in experimental psychology at the
University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
Orientation leaders
receive awards
Congratulations to the faculty and staff
who received awards for Distinguished
Contributions to Teaching and Learning
from the Center for Teaching and
Learning and the Office of the Provost
and Dean of the College:
Teaching—Phil Adamo (standing, left),
history
Mentoring—Dixie Shafer (seated,
center), Undergraduate Research and
Graduate Opportunity (URGO)
Service to Students—Heather Feehan
(standing, right), Chris Pegg (seated,
right), Scott Krajewski (seated, left),
Robert Bill (standing, center)—all from
Information Technology.
Joe Erickson selected for
national network
Joseph Erickson, education, has been
named to the “100 District Leaders for
Citizenship and Service-Learning
Network.” The network includes school
board members and district
superintendents across the country
selected by a panel representing the
Education Commission of the States
(ECS), the National School Boards
4
Hannah Dietrich’s honor project research
with Professor Nancy Steblay was named
Best Undergraduate Paper.
Hannah Dietrich, a 2005 psychology
graduate, has received the American
Psychology-Law Society’s 2006 Award for
Best Undergraduate Paper. She presented
her research and received the award at
the AP-LS meeting in March in St.
Petersburg, Fla.
Her paper, “Predatory Sexual
Offenders: Post-Treatment Registration
Compliance and Recidivism” is the result
of research she did in collaboration with
psychology professor Nancy Steblay.
Dietrich became interested in
studying disorders after taking an
abnormal psychology class. She landed
an internship at the Minnesota Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension, working in the
Predatory Offender Registration Unit,
and connected with a supervisor who
included her in many areas of the work.
Augsburg’s student orientation leaders
participated in the National Orientation
Directors Association Regional
Conference in Minneapolis.
In the Undergraduate Case Study
competition, Greg Hildebrandt ’08 won
the Best Problem Solving Award, and
Sarah Black ’09 received the Best
Communication Award. Student
Activities director Marc Skjervem
presented on the changing culture of
college students using online
communities and the consequences
students face with the misuse of
websites.
Wrestlers are second in nation
in academics
For the ninth year in a row, Augsburg
finished in the top 10 in the National
Wrestling Coaches Association’s Scholar
All-America team program, finishing
second among more than 100 NCAA
Division III wrestling institutions, with a
3.42 team grade point average. The top
team, Messiah College (Pa.), had a team
GPA of 3.47.
Augsburg is the only school in NCAA
Division III wrestling to finish in the top
10 both in competition on the mat and
in the academic team competition in
each of the nine years that the NWCA
has awarded an academic team national
championship. ■
Summer 2006
‘Zyzzogeton’—
the last word
A
ugsburg launched a new tradition this year with
“Zyzzogeton,” a four-day celebration of student
and faculty work—from artistic performances to
student research posters.
Taking its name from the last entry in Webster’s
Third New International dictionary, the celebration is
meant to wrap up and highlight the breadth and depth
of scholarship at Augsburg. Art exhibits, faculty and
student recitals, faculty research roundtables, student
research posters, film projects, theatre productions,
museum installations, and more filled the calendar
of events.
(In the dictionary, “zyzzogeton” is defined as a
genus of South American leaf hoppers.)
Visitors to campus during this time included high
school students who came on Drama Day to learn
more about the theatre arts program, and middle
school students with developmental disabilities and
peers taking part in the annual Metro Arts Festival
with Augsburg’s music therapy students.
A lighter highlight of the celebration was a
vigorous debate, Lefse vs. Lutefisk, in which four
scholars—President Frame (political science), Lori
Brandt Hale (religion), Joan Griffin (English), and Ken
Kaminsky (mathematics)—took sides to argue and
defend the Norwegian delicacies from the viewpoints
of their academic disciplines. The judges were
Norwegian bunad-clad members of the Augsburg
Associates, and guests were treated to the delicacies of
each, including their aromas. (And, yes, the lutefisk
side was declared the winner.)
Top left: The spring theatre production, Metamorphoses,
by Mary Zimmerman, uses contemporary language and
imagery to explore ancient myths.
Center: Biology major Ben Sonquist explains his research
to physics professor Ben Stottrup.
Bottom left: Physics professor Mark Engebretson shared
his research on geomagnetic pulsations in Earth’s space
environment.
Summer 2006
5
Larry Ragland retires after
21 years
P
rofessor Larry Ragland was
one of the founding
members of the Computer
Science Department and retired
in May after 21 years teaching
in both that department and
mathematics.
He has stayed at Augsburg,
he says, for the same reason he
tells prospective students they
should come—to be in a
supportive environment where
students and faculty work
closely together.
While computing has
changed greatly over two
Professor Larry Ragland served as one of the founding
decades, he says, the discipline
faculty of the computer science department and retired
of computer science has not.
after 21 years at Augsburg.
“When I started, we showed
students the ‘on’ switch and
unmanned flights.
how to use a mouse … We operated in
Ragland recalls his first assignment at
an entirely different way then,” Ragland
Augsburg
as chair of the Academic
says. Now, with a comprehensive campus
Computing
Committee, with a goal to
network and the global Internet, “we
hire
a
full-time
academic computing
have changed how we relate to the
director.
That
finally
happened in 1990.
world.”
At
Ragland’
s
retirement
celebration,
Ragland reflects on the fact that he
Professor
Karen
Sutherland
said the
has spent his entire career working in a
department
will
miss
his
“advice,
cool
discipline that didn’t exist when he went
ideas,
ability
to
keep
them
calm,
and
to college. His first degrees were in
sense of humor.” Junior Cory Nathan
mathematics, and he started out teaching
spoke
for students, thanking Ragland for
in public schools.
“putting
up with us and teaching us a
His interest in computer science
thing
or
two
along the way.”
developed while he worked in the Apollo
Ragland
has
no definite plans yet for
Space Program in Houston. During the
retirement.
He
says
he has room for one
period in which the manned program
big
“yes”
for
a
project,
but has no idea
recovered from its tragic fire, Ragland
yet
of
what
that
project
will be.
worked on computer displays for
Joy Bartlett leaves Education Department
E
ducation professor Joy Bartlett retired
from Augsburg in December 2005
and moved to Las Vegas. Since 2001 she
has taught orientation to education,
reading methods, and technology in the
classroom.
6
She fondly recalls the warmth of the
Augsburg community and the
enthusiasm of her students. Also, she
enjoyed helping students in the McNair
program and the Undergraduate Research
and Graduate Opportunity office with
their research.
Sandi Lallak
leaves Augsburg
for Arizona
A
fter 23 years at
Augsburg
working with
students in the
CLASS program,
Sandi Lallak retired
in May and moved
with her husband to
Mesa, Ariz.
When Lallak began working in the
Center for Learning and Adaptive Student
Services (CLASS), she recalls, CLASS had
one computer, little technology, and
mostly provided advocacy for students
with disabilities—about 10 of them.
An endowment from the Groves
Family in 1988 enabled the program to
grow and make the commitment to
become a premier program. Lallak
researched the field to learn about
available adaptive technology, traveled to
visit programs, and helped create a small
lab on campus. She and colleague Sadie
Curtis began to tape textbooks.
Within three years, the program grew
to provide services and accommodations
to over 100 students. Lallak and Curtis
spent nearly a decade developing the
systems, databases, and procedures for
CLASS as it is today, including its student
workers. “I’m so honored to have been
able to make this happen,” she says.
With new technology, Lallak says,
“students are reading better, retaining, and
comprehending better.”
Lallak became the first
accommodations specialist she knows
about; Curtis is now a physical disabilities
specialist in the ACCESS program.
While CLASS currently serves about
190 students, past students remain an
important part of Lallak’s life. A double
bulletin board jammed with photos of past
students—weddings, babies, vacations—
covered a corner of her office.
Lallak has no definite plans in
retirement, but many ideas for volunteer
opportunities in Arizona.
Summer 2006
Sports
For current sports information, scores, and schedules go to <www.augsburg.edu/athletics>.
Carol Enke retires from coaching
by Don Stoner
I
“ ’ve never looked at any part of my job as
a ‘job’,” said Carol Enke, who has
coached Augsburg’s softball team for 21
seasons and taught in the Health and
Physical Education Department for 19
years. “I always say that I’m going to
‘school.’ I never say that I’m going to
‘work.’
“I’ve looked at this as fun. I get paid to
come in here and do this—interact with
students and interact with studentathletes.”
Enke left her coaching position at the
end of the 2006 season, while continuing
to work in the HPE department. In 21
seasons at Augsburg, Enke has compiled
302 career victories, while coaching six
players who have earned National
Fastpitch Coaches Association Division III
All-American honors and 28 players who
have earned all-region honors (entering
the 2006 season).
Along the way, Enke has touched the
lives of hundreds of softball players, along
with hundreds of HPE majors who are
continuing her legacy in classrooms all
over the region. In 2001, the senior class
selected her as one of three Honored
Faculty.
“I’ve enjoyed watching the students
grow,” Enke said. “I have them in a 200level class in their first or second years,
and I ask myself, ‘Are they really going to
make it in the teaching profession?’ Then
when they are in the 300-level classes their
junior and senior years, you see that these
kids have made a lot of progress and
they’ll be OK.”
Enke was a standout athlete in
multiple sports in her hometown of
Janesville, Wis.—she was inducted into
her hometown’s Athletic Hall of Fame in
1995—and played collegiate softball at the
University of Minnesota. She coached for
three seasons, two as head coach, at
Minneapolis Roosevelt High School before
coaching her first season at Augsburg
in 1986.
Enke initially worked part time at
Augsburg, while completing her master’s
degree at Minnesota. And in her early
Summer 2006
Softball coach Carol Enke, flanked by players (left to right) Sarah Mueller ’09, Sarah Green ’09,
and Katie Johnson ’08, cheers on the team in her last game as coach after 21 seasons. Enke will
continue teaching in the health and physical education department.
years, she felt that Division III Augsburg
would be just a step in her career to bigger
goals.
“Way back when, I thought that
someday I’d move up to coach Division II
or Division I softball. Then, it happened
that I started to teach more courses in the
[HPE] major and I really enjoyed that
along with coaching. After that, I never
thought about moving up to Division II or
Division I.”
Do I remember very many
games? Heck, no. Do I remember
the fun we had? Absolutely.
—Carol Enke, softball coach
Enke has developed a close-knit, family
atmosphere with her softball teams,
encouraging the players’ families to be
active in the program during the short
spring season. In the past, she has taken
the players on off-season adventures and
team-building activities, such as crosscountry skiing, winter camping, snow
tubing, and rock climbing.
She has also encouraged her studentathletes to be active in multiple activities
on campus. Several of her players compete
in multiple sports at Augsburg, while also
serving as members of clubs and
organizations on campus.
“With the softball teams, our athletes
aren’t one-dimensional,” Enke said. “We’ve
got them going in all directions, more than
ever before. That’s just how well-rounded
they are, and we encourage that. We tell
them that they have four years here, and
they should ‘bite off as much as they can
chew.’ If you want to play two or three
sports, do it. If you want to be active in
campus activities, do it. Take advantage of
what you’re getting for your tuition.”
There have been many changes in
college softball during the 21 years of
Enke’s tenure, including in bat technology.
“When I started here, a bat was $29.95.
Now bats can cost over $200,” she said.
But what hasn’t changed with Enke’s
Auggie teams is the fun atmosphere she
encourages, along with the life skills she
teaches, both in the classroom and on the
softball diamond.
“It keeps me young,” she said. “Just
the relationships with the students and
student-athletes, getting involved in their
lives. Letting them know that you are
someone they can come to. I really like
that, and I like to watch them grow in all
areas of their lives—not just as student,
not just as an athlete, but as the person as
a whole.
“I’ve loved the people, the teammates
and the coaches, all the relationships
we’ve had. Do I remember very many
games? Heck, no. Do I remember the fun
we had? Absolutely.” ■
7
COMMENCEMENT
2006
The 137TH YEAR of Augsburg College
PAUL CUMINGS RECEIVES
MARINA CHRISTENSEN
JUSTICE AWARD
Faculty and students grab one more farewell in Augsburg’s longtime tradition
of faculty cheering on their students as they process to the ceremony.
Libby Henslin, admissions and operations
coordinator for Augsburg’s Rochester
program, graduated with a major in
religion and shared the day’s excitement
with her daughter, Rebecca, who earned
a degree in social work.
Paul Cumings, an international relations
major and student body president, was
selected as the 2006 recipient of the Marina
Christensen Justice Award.
Each year, this honor is presented to the
graduating senior who best exemplifies
Augsburg’s motto, “Education for Service.”
Cumings came to Augsburg from
AmeriCorps, serving at the Brian Coyle
Center on the West Bank in Minneapolis.
He worked two years in the college readiness
program, helping junior high and high
school students first consider going to
college and then helping them prepare the
skills to gain acceptance.
On campus he served in numerous
service and leadership roles—as resident
adviser, as director of food and clothing
drives, as a co-sponsor of the “get out the
vote” efforts, and as a leader in neighborhood Somali programs.
As a Sabo Scholar, Cumings helped
Augsburg make connections between public
policy and service, laying groundwork for
future Sabo Scholars.
The award recipient must have
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.
President William Frame congratulates
student body president and Sabo Scholar Paul
Cumings, who was awarded the 2006
Marina Christensen Justice Award.
8
Summer 2006
EXCERPTS FROM THE COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
“An Augsburg Education: Vocation and the Social Good”
—Peter Agre ’70, M.D.
I would like to use this occasion to reflect on my life and share some of the lessons I have
learned. While an Augsburg student I became a die-hard advocate for the liberal arts
tradition …
Proud chemistry professor Arlin Gyberg (left)
straightens the hood of his former student,
Dr. Peter Agre ’70, who was the Commencement
speaker and received an honorary Doctor of
Humane Letters degree. The accolade was read by
Dr. Paul Mueller ’84, a student of Agre’s at
the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.
The Honorable Walter F. Mondale reads the
accolade for the honorary Doctor of Humane
Letters degree awarded to James A. Johnson,
former executive assistant to Mondale and
CEO of Fannie Mae.
Lisa Prytula ’04, ’06 MAN, who completed
a bachelor’s degree in nursing and
finished a master’s degree, spoke on
behalf of the graduate students.
I was a student here in the 1960s—an era notable for extreme turmoil in our country.
During my years in high school and as an undergraduate, I lived through the assassinations
of John F. Kennedy, Malcolm X, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert Kennedy. My years here
coincided with unprecedented social disturbances resulting from conflicts between white
supremacists and civil rights workers, between supporters of the war in Vietnam and antiwar protesters. Despite the consternation experienced elsewhere, those of us at Augsburg
enjoyed an island of tranquility where issues and events such as these could be discussed
with respect and civility.
Augsburg College has never been a school for privileged members of the establishment.
Augsburg recognized the importance of inclusion at a very early time and has long been a
leader in providing educational opportunities for the Native Americans and other ethnic
minorities. Augsburg’s commitment to students with physical disabilities had just begun in
the 1960s. Similar to previous generations of Augsburg students, many of my classmates
were from the working class, often the first members of their families to attend college. …
But this is not the tradition prevailing at the so-called “prestige” colleges and
universities in the United States where it is rare to have first generation students or
students with parents holding blue-collar jobs. Clearly the working class of America is
being excluded from many institutions of higher education. This makes me even prouder
of the modest roots of Augsburg students, for as the late Kirby Puckett reflected, “It doesn’t
matter where you come from. It only matters how you play the game.”
And I always felt that my classmates at Augsburg learned to play the game extremely
well. This was due in part to the splendid Augsburg faculty—perhaps most outspoken
among them was my father, Courtland Agre, whose unbridled enthusiasm and exuberant
encouragement directed many of us into professional and graduate schools. …
While my generation, the “Baby Boomers,” has achieved unprecedented prosperity, I
sincerely feel that we have failed to improve the world to a state better than it was when
we received it from our parents. In fact, I fear that the world is in worse shape now. If
this continues, we will be the first generation in memory to fail in such an important
endeavor. We all know what the problems are: damage to the environment, continued
war, prevalence of famine and untreated disease in the developing world, violent crime
and poverty in our inner cities, the epidemic of drug abuse, failure to provide adequate
health care to all Americans, and the staggering $9 trillion national debt which will fall
on your generation.
Education has never been more important than in the current time of growing antiintellectualism in America. It is really shocking when you think that less than half of all
Americans read a single book last year.
As Mark Twain informed us, “The man who doesn’t read good books has no
advantage over the man who can’t read them.”
I fear the emphasis in our country has now become one of fixing the blame rather
than fixing the problem. The polarized special interests have caused gridlock in our
national government where the two major parties can seemingly agree on nothing. Let
me suggest that the hour is late and we must stop the face-slapping and join hands and
concentrate all of our attention on fixing the problems. It is often said that “the genius
of this immigrant nation is that we have always found our center,” and I believe that we
need to do so urgently. …
Thank you and congratulations.
The full Commencement Address is at <www.augsburg.edu/president/commencement06.html>.
Summer 2006
9
COMMENCEMENT
2006
BACCALAUREATE HOMILY (EXCERPTS)
WILLIAM V. FRAME, PRESIDENT
Physician assistant graduate Tara Rick is the center of attention as she receives her
master's hood from PA director Dawn Ludwig.
“Separating Together”
[I]n John’s Gospel and the Book of Acts, Jesus is preparing the disciples for
their new assignment—dispersal, one by one, each on his own, into the
world for the sake of the great commission. He suggests that they can
sustain themselves in the midst of their independence only if they remember
before leaving that they were transformed from a motley crew of fishermen,
tax collectors, and other workaday professionals into a “community.” But
this recollection will strengthen them for the independent journeys just
ahead only if they repair the terrible rip in the fabric of their collegium
caused by Judas’ betrayal. Hence, before the reprise of community can be
undertaken, Judas’ empty position must be filled. And it is, by one Mattias,
who is called up from the apostolic bench (which appears to have been
deeper than that of the Timberwolves) by a drawing of lots. …
You and I are separating—together—and the good news is that we’re
separating from a place that gave each of us something to be separated from. …
[from] a community of learning, in which ideas of the transforming kind,
experiences (sometimes of the embarrassing kind—some, entailing success,
and some, failure and frustration), gave us new life and, therefore, identity. …
Like us, in the hands of the College, the disciples had been molded into
something new by their particular course of study, faculty, and classmates.
Their capstone course culminated in the resurrection. Yours came to a more
conventional conclusion a week ago. But neither we now, nor the disciples
then, are yet prepared for separation.
Until we recognize that we were transformed by our time together; until
we confess that each of us is now becoming someone—not the realization of
some persona prescribed at or even before birth—but a self created by a
million incidents of concourse, a thousand recollections of experience,
a hundred moments of revelation. Until we begin becoming ourselves, we
shall lack the independence of the world that vocation requires. To stand in
the midst of the life each of us is about to undertake—either of a job search,
employment, or retirement—and to render service to our neighbor, we must
know who we are and how we got that way. That knowledge is of identity; it
constitutes the protective suit, even though not fully woven, that allows us
to live in and serve the world without being wholly fused with it. …
But what we have learned here—about ourselves, the world, and God;
what the disciples learned about themselves—remains beyond our grasp and
theirs without the great final examination known as saying goodbye!
Until we address our separation—seriously; until we face the fact that we
are leaving people who have meant the world to us—teachers, friends,
10
Sunny Olise receives his master’s hood from director Robert
Kramarczuk in Augsburg’s first MBA class.
parents (that you now realize you didn’t leave four years
ago but are now, finally going to leave—today!)—we are
not tempered for the new immersion in the world. Until
we know who and what we have become, we cannot
maintain our independence in the world when we are out
there in it, on our own.
Goodbyes force us each to meet ourselves face to face,
as Achilles did in The Iliad. That means that we have put
our affairs in order—so that they may be abandoned; we
have to repair the rents in the fabric we knit in the
College cocoon in order that we might be released from
it—a beautiful butterfly capable of flying into the
maelstrom of life without danger to bring a glimpse of
beauty to a dour and broken world. …
And so—let us, to each other, both now and this
afternoon, say, “Goodbye!” And in so doing, we shall
each bear the College with us, out into the world—a
shield and a buckler of the vocational life that fulfills the
requirements of the great commission in the kingdom on
the left.
That last great goodbye gives us the capacity and even
the need for reunion. If done right, it allows us to soon
again say—here, at the intersection of Riverside and
22nd—“Hello! It’s good to see you. I’ve missed you!”
To read the full Baccalaureate Homily, go to
<www.augsburg.edu/president/baccalaureate06.html>.
Summer 2006
THE AUGSBURG COLLEGE CLASS
OF 2006
3,420
Attended the ceremony
3,600
Cookies and petit fours served at the reception
752
Class of 2006—346 traditional day students, 162 weekend
students, 39 students in the Rochester program, 13
from United Hospital, 1 from 3M; and 191 graduate students
in six programs
580
Graduates marching
490
Enjoyed Commencement Brunch
350
Attended Commencement Dinner
125
Faculty marching in the procession
58
Age of the oldest graduate
20
Age of the youngest graduates
14
Flags representing countries of international graduates
2
Honorary degrees conferred
1
Retiring presidential couple—many thanks to Bill and Anne!
countless Smiles and tears of happiness, gratitude, and appreciation
Audra Johnson, a studio art graduate, has a
jubilant smile on graduation day.
The sociology department faculty take a moment to get photos of their graduates.
Summer 2006
11
SIXTH ANNUAL International Programs Photo Contest
1
2
3
7
1
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT
AUGSBURG, second place.
“Melting Pot.” Kamilla T. Fossem,
Norway.
2
PEOPLE PORTRAITS, first place. “Yo
confío.” Kathryn Jones ’08. San
Salvador, El Salvador.
3
PEOPLE PORTRAITS, third place.
“Begging Musicians.” Richard
Garnett ’08. Cuernavaca, Mexico.
4
5
LOCAL PEOPLE, second place.
“Video Games vs. the Acropolis.”
Katharine Mahon ’06. Athens,
Greece.
LOCAL PEOPLE, third place. “A
Journey through an African Desert.”
Therese DeMay ’06. Swakopmund,
Namibia.
12
8
6
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT AUGSBURG,
first place. “The Old and the New
Minneapolis.” Martin Garnes, Norway.
7
CITYSCAPES, third place. “Untitled.” Britta
Boyum ’06. Lofoten Islands, Norway.
9
8
LOCAL PEOPLE, first place. “Bearing the Load.”
Kelsey Nolan ’06. Sontule, Nicaragua.
9
PEOPLE PORTRAITS, second place. “Familia.”
Megan L. Schiller ’06. Nicaragua.
10 CITYSCAPES, second place. “Cusco by Night.”
Joelle Bickel ’07. Cusco, Peru.
11 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT
AUGSBURG, third place. “A Frozen
Falls.” Martin Garnes, Norway.
12 CITYSCAPES, first place. “Fishing
Industry.” Britta Boyum ’06.
Harstad, Norway.
13 BEST OF SHOW. “Waca Wasi
Wardrobe.” Joelle Bickel ’07.
Waca Wasi, Peru.
Summer 2006
4
5
6
10
11
12
Summer 2006
13
13
Supporting Augsburg
Gift of $4 million gives green light
to Gateway
by Betsey Norgard
A
$4 million naming gift from Donald
’53 and Beverly (Halling) Oren ’55
has provided the funding needed for
Augsburg to proceed with the $18.5
million Gateway Building.
On May 5 the Augsburg Board of
Regents granted approval for the College
to pursue the financing needed to begin
construction this summer. A ceremonial
groundbreaking is scheduled for Sept. 8,
with building completion in fall 2007.
Donald Oren ’53, an Augsburg regent
emeritus, is chairman of the board of Dart
Transit Company, founded by his father in
1934. The trucking and logistics company
ranks 53rd of the Top 100 Carriers
nationwide.
Beverly (Halling) Oren ’55 has taught
school and worked as vice president of
human resources at Dart Transit. She
remains a principal and adviser to the
company, and currently serves on
Augsburg’s Board of Regents.
Three of their children are involved
with Dart Transit—David, president;
Daniel, vice president; and Bradley, general
manager. Daughter Angela Anderson is
mother to one-year-old Samuel.
“We are pleased and honored to
participate in Augsburg’s growth by being
part of the Gateway project,” says Beverly
Oren. “The business school is of special
interest as it offers an opportunity for
students to experience the entrepreneurial
Donald ’53 and Beverly (Halling) Oren ’55
spirit. Also, Augsburg’s commitment to
promoting vocation provides a very
worthy goal.”
The Gateway Building will be
Augsburg’s link to its surrounding
community and city, and a distinctive
“front door” on Riverside Ave. It will easily
connect the College with the CedarRiverside area, the University of
Minnesota’s West Bank, and the FairviewUniversity Medical Center across the
street.
The building is a four-story combined
administrative, commercial, and residential
center. It will provide new homes for the
Alumni Conference Center, the StepUP
Program, the Master of Business
Administration program, the Gage Family
Art Gallery, and offices for Institutional
Advancement. Community residents and
organizations will be encouraged to use
meeting space in the new Gateway.
On the first floor, retail stores such as
Barnes and Noble will serve not only the
campus community, but staff and patients
of the hospital across the street and the
West Bank and Cedar-Riverside
communities as well.
The top three floors will provide
student housing—upperclass students on
the second floor and StepUP students on
floors three and four.
From Riverside Ave., a central Gateway
plaza welcomes visitors to campus.
Circling the plaza are Hoversten Chapel,
Lindell Library, and the Gateway Building,
representing the College's commitments to
faith, reason, and service.
For Augsburg’s StepUP program, which
provides students in addiction recovery the
support and skills they need to succeed in
college, the Gateway Building will
centralize their office, counseling, and
residential space.
It’s about “having a home where we’re
all together,” says StepUP director Patrice
Salmeri, and will give students who
complete the program the “ability to stay
longer and mentor younger students.”
In eight years, StepUP has grown to
over 50 students, and they have
maintained an 83% abstinence rate while
in the program and a grade point average
of 3.0. Augsburg is a national leader in the
recovery school movement; Salmeri
currently serves as president of the
national organization.
The Augsburg MBA program, which
after only two years is now the state’s
third largest, will gain much needed and
more suitable classroom, technology, and
study space in Gateway for its small-class
learning.
Save the date!
GATEWAY BUILDING
CEREMONIAL GROUNDBREAKING
Friday, September 8
Noon
14
Summer 2006
Gateway’s ground floor will welcome
alumni and visitors, and provide a
gathering space to meet over coffee and
enjoy exhibits in the Gage Family Art
Gallery, which will move from Lindell
Library to a more accessible location in the
new building.
“[T]he connection to the wider
community will be greater than ever
before,” says Kerry Morgan,
coordinator of galleries and exhibits.
“The easy access from Riverside will be
welcoming to off-campus visitors; and
Augsburg students, staff, and faculty
will continue to find inspiring and
thought-provoking art where they
work, live, and study.”
Planning for the Gateway Building
has been carried out in conjunction
with the Riverside Corridor Project
development, funded partially with an
early campaign gift from James A.
Johnson, former banking administrator
and public servant. The project brings
together West Bank partners—the
Cedar-Riverside Business Association,
the West Bank Community
Development Corporation, the
University of Minnesota, Augsburg,
Fairview-University Medical Center, and
others—to envision a thriving urban
village that links to the light rail system.
The City of Minneapolis has begun to
develop a small area plan for the entire
Cedar-Riverside neighborhood.
“One issue the plan will consider is
how to make Riverside more comfortable
for pedestrians and bicyclists,” says Beth
Elliott, principal city planner. “More retail
stores and outdoor seating opportunities
will also help in adding vibrancy to that
section of the corridor.” She says the
Gateway Building can be “an example that
others can follow if they are thinking
about redevelopment.”
Honoring a graduate by honoring the College
A
s a nontraditional
student past the
usual graduation
age, Matt Van Zant
seemed just a bit
too old for the
traditional card
with a money
pocket. So Frank
McKinney, a close
family friend,
Matt Van Zant ’06
called Augsburg
and asked how he could make a gift to the
College instead, in honor of Van Zant.
Van Zant came to know McKinney, a
corporate lawyer, in Ohio where Van
Zant grew up. “He encouraged me and
stressed the importance of ethics,”
Summer 2006
Van Zant says. “[He] is a believer in
education and encouraged me to remain
in school and do well.”
McKinney said he was proud of Van
Zant, that after many years he would
return to school for his degree.
Van Zant works as an operations
analyst in the healthcare field. He
enrolled in Weekend College in fall 2001
to begin a major in management
information systems (MIS).
One of the common themes he found
in his classes fits right in with what he
remembers learning from McKinney.
“People who work with data, who
manage sensitive and confidential
information,” says Van Zant, “are and
should be held to higher standards of
performance and integrity.”
Juggling full-time employment with
full-time study was difficult, and Van
Zant says he tried to take it just one term
at a time. “It helped to work on
coursework almost every day and try to
remain current with the material.”
His strategy worked, so much so that
he will begin an MBA degree in the fall,
looking forward to “the opportunity to
develop strategic decision-making skills.”
McKinney says he enjoyed making the
gift to Augsburg in Van Zant’s name and
that Van Zant also enjoyed it. To
McKinney, “it just seemed the appropriate
thing to do.”
He says now he’ll just wait for Van
Zant’s master’s degree.
15
Construction begins on Melby Hall addition
by Betsey Norgard
n a chilly, cloudy May 5, a crowd
gathered on the south side of Melby
O
Hall to ceremonially mark the
groundbreaking for the $6.1 million new
south wing, named the Kennedy Sports
and Recreation Complex.
Augsburg regent and emcee Mike
Freeman, in describing the expansion,
called it “lots of much-needed space to
show our Auggie pride.” He drew
attention to the efforts that had made the
project possible, especially noting that
every coach had put together a plan to
reach former students and athletes.
He read a statement from lead naming
donors Dean ’75 and Terry Kennedy, who
Kennedys. “Your gift is exciting, and we
so appreciate it.”
The Kennedy Sports and Recreation
Complex includes the Alan and Gloria
Rice Wrestling Center and the James and
Katherine Haglund Fitness and
Recreation Center, as well as other named
spaces: the Lavonne (Johnson) Peterson
’50 Conference Suite; Lute Olson ’56 Hall
of Champions; “Doc” Johnson ’52 A-Club
Office; and the Gamma House
Hospitality/Classroom.
Work has already begun on the new
south wing; construction is expected to
be completed in spring 2007, with the
official opening in fall 2007.
weren’t able to be in attendance, saying
that their “family is proud and excited to
be part of this [project].” Kennedy was an
All-American wrestler and, as co-captain
of the team, led Augsburg to a runner-up
spot at the NAIA national finals, marking
the beginning of Augsburg’s longtime
dominance in small-college wrestling.
President William Frame drew
attention to Augsburg student-athletes
and the leadership they bring to the life
of the campus.
Football linebacker Michael Matson
’06, speaking on behalf of studentathletes, directed his remarks to lead
donors Alan Rice, Jim Haglund, and the
Front row (L to R): Major gifts director Donna McLean; regent and lead donor Jim Haglund; Board of Regents chair Jean Taylor '85; assistant dean
and head wrestling coach Jeff Swenson ’79; lead donor Alan Rice; regent Mike Freeman; and President William Frame.
Melby groundbreaking—twice!
When Rev. Clifford M. Johnson, ’34 (’30
Acad, ’39 Sem) received his invitation to
attend the May 5 ceremonial
groundbreaking for the expansion of
Melby Hall, he remembered that he still
16
had a 46-year-old photo from the day he
held a shovel to break ground for the new
Melby Hall.
Johnson, age 95, has been part of the
Augsburg community since 1926 when he
entered the Augsburg Academy. He has
been a fundraising leader, a regent and
board chair, and a director of development
over the years. In 1993 he was honored as
a Distinguished Alumnus.
He recalls the excitement in 1960 of
constructing the first athletic facility for
Augsburg. Until then, he says, the
basketball team played on the court in the
basement of Old Main. He also remembers
that the invocation that day was given by
Lutheran Free Church president Rev. T. O.
Burntvedt ’12.
Johnson was thrilled to be part of this
new excitement this year and to see that
earlier photo at the ceremony, enlarged to
poster size and sitting on an easel.
Just announced …
$1 million gift has been received
A
from Norman and Vangie Hagfors for
the renovation of the chapel in Old Main
and the creation of a home for Augsburg’s
Center for Faith and Learning. Read more
in the next issue.
Summer 2006
The
FRAME
years
a journey toward vision
BY BETSEY NORGARD
W
William Frame, the 10th president of Augsburg, is not typical of his nine
predecessors. He is not a Midwesterner, nor is he of Norwegian background or an
ordained Lutheran minister.
From his nine-year tenure, he leaves a long litany of new programs, partnerships,
and much-needed capital improvements. But, much more significant is that he leaves
an Augsburg that has renewed its self-identity, and that has crafted and refined a
vision representing the deepest thinking any college could undertake about its own
mission or “institutional vocation.”
In the foreword to Augsburg’s revised vision document, The Augsburg Vocation:
Access and Excellence, Frame describes this vision not as his, but as “drawn from the
soul of the College.” It is an idea—vocation—that “has been calling Augsburg to its
work since the founding.”
Frame points to his time at Augsburg as the continuation of a vocational journey
that began as a young instructor at Kenyon College, that immersed him in the urban
life of corporate banking and finance, and then took him back into academia. All
along, the work he did served to shape, nurture, and refine a strong, personal sense
of vocation. At Pacific Lutheran University, he came to understand Martin Luther’s
two-dimensional world of faith and reason, one in which students explored vocation
as both learning through faith to understand themselves and learning through reason
to prepare for careers and service in the world.
Top, left: President Frame (right) and ELCA presiding bishop Mark
Hanson ’68 (left) find a moment for conversation at
Commencement. Staff photo
Middle, left: Bill and Anne Frame enjoy talking with passersby at
Augsburg’s State Fair booth. Staff photo
Bottom, left: President Frame occasionally joins the Augsburg Jazz
Ensemble with his guitar.
Summer 2006
17
At Augsburg Frame discovered the
theology of Luther’s close colleague,
Philip Melancthon, who authored the
Augsburg Confession and advocated the
participation of Christians in civic
affairs. This German theological duo
became the basis for Frame’s model of
education and the hallmarks of
Augsburg’s vision: vocation, service,
civility, diversity, and community.
Remarkably, in retrospect, the agenda
for the Frame years seemed set even
before he became president. In summer
1997, shortly before taking office, he was
interviewed for Augsburg Now, and was
asked to identify the three most important
agenda items for Augsburg College as it
prepared for the 21st century.
Nine years later, his responses at that
time seemed predestined:
1. finding “communal clarity about our
purpose”—who we are and what
we do;
2. determining “how we adapt what
we’re up to, to what properly serves
the world” … i.e., what we must do
to carry out our mission;
3. figuring out “how we do all that” …
finding “a form of life on campus that
allows us to do all this thinking in a
fully civil, candid, ingenious,
participative way.”
Clarifying the vision
In the first two years of Frame’s
presidency the entire campus engaged
itself in a highly collaborative process,
which included commissions charged
with producing working papers around
issues that would form the groundwork
for a vision document.
English professor Joan Griffin,
describes that period:
“When Bill Frame became president
of Augsburg, the College suddenly
became Lutheran. I’m exaggerating, of
course, but despite the required religion
courses and daily chapel, our Lutheran
identity was something that we took for
granted: we did not always connect it
with how we go about doing our work.
18
“But then Bill arrived, and even the
least theologically sophisticated among
us became familiar with the kingdom on
the right and the kingdom on the left,
freedom, paradox, and of course, most of
all, vocation. Bill changed the Augsburg
lexicon.”
Griffin and physics professor Mark
Engebretson were charged with shaping
the 250 pages of discussion into the
College’s first vision document, Augsburg
2004: Extending the Vision, approved by
the Board of Regents in 1999.
Five years later, as 2004 approached,
Frame again called the campus
community into discussion about
updates to the vision. Again, Griffin and
Engebretson compiled a revised vision
document, The Augsburg Vocation: Access
and Excellence, that succeeds in bringing
vision and practice closer together.
Tracy Elftmann ’81, vice president for
institutional advancement and former
regent, commented, “The leadership Bill
brought to our visioning work is nothing
short of extraordinary. The clarity of
purpose in Augsburg’s vision provides
balance, meaning, and motivation to our
daily work. We know who we are and
what we are here to do.
“Let’s be clear,” she continued, “this
is not Bill’s vision for Augsburg—it’s our
vision. We wrote it, we work it, we live
it. The collaborative effort to bring this
work to full fruition was laborious but
well worth the effort.”
Tom Morgan, vice president for
planning and market development,
added additional context. “Through Bill’s
leadership we have rediscovered who we
are and clarified where we need to go.
More than simply words on a page, we
have been inspired to rededicate
ourselves to a course that was charted at
the time of the College’s founding.”
Carrying out the vision
The most significant result of the
revisioning process was the launching of
a new general education curriculum to
imprint the core values of the vision.
Griffin led a faculty team that crafted a
new Core Curriculum. Combined with
the depth of study in a major, this would
prepare students for careers and service
in the world.
Ideas of vocation, citizenship, and
engagement are reflected in the signature
elements of the Core Curriculum—
Search for Meaning courses to explore
vocation; the first-year program that
Summer 2006
Staff photo
The LEGACY of WILLIAM FRAME’S
YEARS at AUGSBURG (1997-2006)
New programs
• New general education—Core Curriculum
• Scholastic/Corporate Connections
• New master’s degrees—education, nursing, physician
assistant, and business administration
• Youth and family ministry major
• Finalizing and naming first endowed chair—Christensen
Chair in Religion
• Growth of StepUP program
• Degree programs in Rochester
Community partnerships/collaborations:
• Nursing degree programs at United Hospital and Rochester
• Augsburg-Capella innovative“brick-click” courses
• Faith in the City—plus the spin-off Augsburg Academy for
Health Careers
• Clinical Lab Science program with Fairview
Capital buildings/improvements:
• New Hall—apartment-style residence hall
• Groundbreaking for Melby Hall expansion
includes learning about and connecting with the city; experience
gained through internships, research, community service, and
global study; and a keystone summative seminar. Combined with a
liberal arts foundation and skills development, students prepare to
become effective, informed, and ethical citizens.
Important to Augsburg’s vision are a number of new programs that
provide access to education for students who lack it for various
reasons: Scholastic Connections, a scholarship program that matches
students of color with alumni of color in mentoring relationships;
StepUP, a nationally-recognized program that provides support to
students in addiction recovery to help them succeed academically; and
graduate programs to help students understand the world through a
lens of vocation.
Augsburg’s vision has taken the College into many new and
innovative partnerships. A program in Rochester now serves 300
students, mostly from Mayo Clinic and IBM, who wish to complete
baccalaureate and some graduate degrees. An unusual partnership
with Capella University involves Augsburg faculty developing and
teaching online courses.
One of Frame’s key leadership roles was helping to found Faith in
the City, a collaboration of seven urban Lutheran institutions in
Minneapolis that together seek to improve the quality of life in the
community. Included is the year-old Augsburg Academy for Health
• Link between Library and Sverdrup/Memorial— Sverdrup
renovation, new atrium
• Christensen Center renovation—welcome and gathering
area, coffee shop, gallery space
• Purchase and renovation of Augsburg House
• New signage on Mortensen Hall and on I-94
• Upgrading of residence halls
• Replacement of Edor Nelson Field turf
• Overall beautification of grounds
• Sale of Ice Arena to gain lease-back arrangement
and capital
• Added two new parking lots and upgraded security
• Purchased additional perimeter properties
around campus
Administrative
• Creation of Enrollment Center as one-stop shop
• Creation/consolidation of Center for Service, Work,
and Learning
• Creation of Undergraduate Research and Graduate
Opportunity (URGO) from McNair program
Awards/Recognition
• 2006—Augsburg Medal
Left: President Frame poses for a moment with the directors of the ethnic
programs at the annual Scholastic Connections dinner in October 2005.
(L to R) Bao Thao, Cindy Peterson, Frame, Emiliano Chagil, and Trena
Bolden Fields.
• 2006—award from Lutheran Educational Council of North
America
Top: First-year students hear from the president on City Service Projects
day during their Augsburg Seminar.
• 2004-05 chair of Minnesota Private College Council
Summer 2006
• Project director for Council of Independent Colleges’
19
Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission seminars
• 2006—Toby LaBelle award from StepUP to Anne
and Bill Frame
• 2003-04 president of the ELCA Council of College
Presidents
Careers, a joint charter school with
Fairview Health Services that prepares
high school students for careers and
vocations in health care.
Augsburg, under Frame’s leadership,
has gained considerable recognition for its
visioning work. Elftmann stated, “College
presidents across the country consistently
ask Bill how Augsburg was able to capture
its essence, its purpose, its wholeness so
well. Bill’s contributions have established
Augsburg as a national leader in terms of
strategic direction and future focus. “
The College was recognized by The
Princeton Review and Campus Compact as
a “college with a conscience.” It
consistently ranks high for service-learning
programs and is one of 12 colleges selected
for excellence in first-year programs.
Frame has served as president of the
ELCA Council of College Presidents, as
chair of the Minnesota Private College
Council (MPCC), and as project director
for the Council on Independent Colleges
(CIC) seminars reflecting on vocation
and institutional mission. He also has
received awards from the Lutheran
Educational Conference of North
America (LECNA) and Augsburg’s
StepUP program, who selected Anne and
Bill Frame for the 2006 Toby LaBelle
Award for support of its ideals.
Changing the culture
Frame’s third agenda item from his 1997
interview was the creation of a campus
culture that would support and model the
mission and vision. His first task was
confronting what he called “militant
modesty,” the difficulty of the College to
“toot its own horn.” He immediately put a
great deal of attention on both tangible
improvements—fixing up and painting
residence halls, landscaping, new
facilities—and more deep-seated changes,
such as making Augsburg salaries more
competitive.
Griffin says that Frame has been able
to get Augsburg to “think big about
ourselves”—in both small ways, like the
campus improvements, as well as bigger
ways, with new programs and initiatives.
“I think we’re becoming more willing to
20
embrace our complexity—and also our
promise,” she said.
The Frame presidency has been one
very much shared by both Bill and Anne
Frame. Anne has been active in a number
of Augsburg programs, contributing her
business expertise, hospitality, and much
volunteer time.
She told faculty and staff that after long
consideration of how to describe her role
at Augsburg, she had recently been
introduced in a way that seemed very
comfortable to her—“this is Anne Frame,
she’s a member of the Augsburg
community and happens to be married to
our president.”
Hospitality, from the theological sense
to a simple friendly welcome, has become
a hallmark of the vision—and one in
which Anne has played a significant role.
Their sharing of Augsburg House as a
center for college hospitality has opened
new dimensions in how community
members relate to each other.
In March Bill Frame articulated
Augsburg’s vision of hospitality: “[Our
college] welcomes the stranger as a gift to
a learning community composed of
students, many in the guise of faculty and
staff colleagues, who cannot proceed in
their own quests for vitality and hope
without constant contact with a diverse
array of learning styles and even learning
capacities, each one at least beginning to
feel that deep and absorbing hunger
to know.”
In an interview with Augsburg Echo,
Frame recently reflected on what he
considers his proudest moment—“having
our envisioning work recognized as
distinctive by candidates and their
sponsors for the 11th presidency of the
College.”
And, indeed, President-elect Paul
Pribbenow told faculty and staff in March,
“I would not be here if I did not find your
aspirations inspiring and compelling.”
Griffin offered an Augsburg
community perspective: “I think at least
part of the excitement of the approaching
Pribbenow era is that Bill brought us to a
point where we can imagine how much
farther we can go.”
Since February, when Pribbenow was
chosen by Augsburg regents, an unusual
The Frame years in print
William Frame has published a collection
of writings and speeches from his years
as president at Augsburg College. He says
it intends to both “provide a record of
the principal stops on the faith and
reason journey on which I was sent when
elected as Augsburg’s 10th president,”
and to share his connection with Martin
Luther and Philip Melanchthon.
The book’s preface was written by the
Rev. Mark Hanson ’68, presiding bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America.
Published by Lutheran University Press in
Minneapolis, the book is available in
bookstores, online, and at <www.
lutheranUpress.org>. Proceeds from sales
of the book will be donated to
Augsburg’s annual fund.
collaboration has developed. Frame invited
Pribbenow to share the podium with him
in March at the College’s all-faculty and
all-staff meeting.
Mark Hanson ’68, presiding bishop of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA), summarizes the impact
of the Frame years, “… Bill draws upon
the great themes of the Lutheran
Reformation and weaves them into the
mission of a Lutheran urban college in the
21st century. When Bill Frame speaks, I
want to ask him to stop after each
sentence so that we can ponder the depth
of his wisdom.”
In every way, the Frame presidency has
been one of introspection and distinction,
even to his legendary eloquence and
penchant to speak long. Quipped student
body president Paul Cumings, “He will be
missed. Even his dry humor and lengthy
lectures.” ■
Summer 2006
At Augsburg House—since 1998
Frequency of events: about twice a week
Events held: 430
In 1998, the Augsburg Board of Regents authorized the purchase of a house for
the home of the president and a gathering place for campus events. In January
2006 Anne Frame talked to the Board of Regents about hospitality at Augsburg
House. Following are excerpts of her talk.
People who have attended: 8,600
Catering by Augsburg-Sodexho staff
(as of January 2006)
Staff photo
HOSPITALITY
and the House
BY ANNE FRAME
I
I’ve been asked to think about some of
the ways my work with Augsburg is
applied to implementing the idea of
hospitality. The Augsburg Vocation, our
vision document, talks about
community and intentional diversity–
language that conceived of this College
as a welcoming place, where persons are
accepted, perhaps because of their
differences, and where a community is
developed that contributes to the
learning for all of us.
Much of my work takes place away
from this Riverside campus. From the
beginning, Bill and I—ironically, as the
newcomers—took as our job helping the
various constituents of the campus feel at
home here. We have visited alumni and
friends of the College in many locations
to let them know what is going on now
at Augsburg, and specifically to
emphasize that they are welcome here.
That they, as a part of Augsburg’s history,
therefore have a place in its present. And,
as we have learned much from their
stories and memories, we hope they have
strengthened or rekindled their bonds to
this place.
We have been privileged both to live
at Augsburg House and to use it
frequently for College events. A plaque
in the entry hall—carved by a Norwegian
in Iowa—states our purpose:
In this place we extend to our guests
the friendship and hospitality of the
Augsburg Community in loving
memory of Adeline Marie Rasmussen
Johnson ’31 and through the
Summer 2006
generosity of James and Kathleen
Haglund and Milton and Dorothy
Kleven.
So we are acting for the community and
have practiced that hospitality to student
groups, to faculty and staff, to the
regents, the parents and alumni and
friends of the College, to neighborhood
and community groups who may not
know Augsburg well. We have done this
in as many different forms as we can
think of: with receptions, breakfasts,
lunches, dinners, conversations. We
bring these groups together for food and
fellowship, for study and discussions. We
feel that getting to know each other
better, spending time together, and
talking about the College together helps
us to be a stronger community.
Frequent remarks I hear as people
learn how many groups and events are at
Augsburg House each year come in one
of two forms, the first being, “You must
get really tired of having so many people
at your house.” (The answer is a very
clear “no.”) The other comment is, “You
must really be a party person!” I don't
think that’s quite the case, either.
But these two questions have caused
me to try to express what it is that I do
like about using Augsburg House in this
way. What do I get out of it?
The answer is … getting to know the
wide and diverse constituency that is
Augsburg—learning histories and
connections, hearing staff and faculty
speak across their areas of expertise, and
listening and discussing ideas with
each other.
Bill and Anne Frame welcome the community
to Augsburg House.
What a rare privilege this is. It has
given me an appreciation of this place
that is deeper than I could have
discovered elsewhere. It has widened my
horizons, expanded my understandings,
and has made this College house truly
“home” to me.
What we do at the house is
intentional, and I believe it’s consistent
with trying to build our community, as
stated in The Augsburg Vocation, “the
development of a sense of connectedness
that leads to lasting relationships.”
The author of the Book of Hebrews
exhorts his readers: “Do not neglect to
show hospitality to strangers, for by
doing that some have entertained angels
without knowing it.” And I’m convinced
there are at least a few angels hanging
around Augsburg.
21
Augsburg’s original
MBAs
The Class of 2006
BY BETHANY BIERMAN
22
Summer 2006
The
AUGSBURG
MBA
Nathan Appel joined the army right out of high school in Colorado and spent several years in the
service. He eventually came to Minnesota to attend the university but “became tired of rollerblading
from Timbuktu to a class where another student taught us.” So he transferred to another college,
taking evening classes to finish his undergraduate degree in management. His campus? A hotel
conference room in the suburbs. His cohort? Number 327.
Later, with his career at Wells Fargo Home Mortgage well underway, Appel decided to return to school
for his Master of Business Administration degree. He was about to choose another program when he
received an MBA postcard from Augsburg. He came to an information session and was sold. His new
campus? A small, fully functioning campus in the heart of Minneapolis. His cohort? Number 1.
“It’s kind of cool … We are the original,” Appel says.
A JUMP-START LAUNCH
This May, Augsburg graduated the first four sections, or cohorts, of
its new Master of Business Administration program—a total of 84
students.
The 20-month program evolved from eight years of discussion,
research, and planning by members of the business department, with
Professor David Schwain serving as the chief designer.
“In the feasibility study, our researcher found that our business
program ranked third best business program in the state by those
students taking the GMAT,” says John Cerrito, chair of the
Department of Business Administration. “Of course, we did not have
a grad program at that time, which the two programs that ranked
higher did, so we felt we’d have good acceptance in the market.
When we introduced the MBA, we met with instant success.”
In fact, recruiting one group to start the program doubled into
two, as 44 students responded by the time the MBA began in fall
2004. The initial goal of four cohorts by the end of three years was
met within four months of launching the program. It was these
students who became Augsburg’s first MBAs in May.
THE CAPTAIN
Since its launch 20 months ago, under the direction of Robert
Kramarczuk, the MBA program has grown to over 300 students.
Kramarczuk’s international career had included teaching at the
International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in
Switzerland, running several successful businesses, and starting up
six other graduate educational programs. He was already enjoying
retirement, but the Augsburg call was too good to pass up.
He was attracted to Augsburg’s commitment to service-learning,
Top: MBA director Robert Kramarczuk places a hood on Kristen Schell, one of
84 in the first class of MBA graduates.
Bottom: Sarah Anton offers a comment to her classmates in Cohort 3.
Summer 2006
23
“In the real world, you don’t function on
your own. You rely upon other people.”
—CHRISTINE WAGGONER ’97, ’06 MBA
which became an integral component in
the MBA. “The program reflects very well
Augsburg’s mission—service to others,”
Kramarczuk says. “It’s a hallmark of our
program.”
One group of MBA students spends
time in the Somali community. All are
involved in field projects where, as a
team, students work with an organization
for 10 to 11 months. Kramarczuk says
that these sorts of experiences put
Augsburg’s MBA students “ten levels
above” those in other programs.
“The other key factor is that we
consider really good leaders to differ
from others by being able to think
critically … That’s woven into the entire
program.”
Even with six other successful
program starts, Kramarczuk considers
Augsburg’s unique. “We look at it from a
different perspective. We look at it as
your life’s purpose or vocation, with the
MBA being a critical leg in this life’s
journey… We tell our students, ‘After
you get this MBA, you’ll say this
is probably one of the most
important decisions you’ve made
in your life.’”
Jamie Schiller, MBA coordinator, and graduate
As a requirement for
Christine Waggoner pause from the action of an MBA
admission to the program, each
softball game.
applicant must personally
interview with Kramarczuk. “It’s
humbling to hear them share and discuss
THE CURRICULUM
their goals and aspirations and how the
The intense curriculum includes finance
MBA fits into this process. … I consider
and economics, local and global issues,
myself almost like a peer. I love my
organizational management, and
students, and I think they kind of like
leadership ethics. Through application
me.”
and research, students learn to
Like him they do, and at a recent
implement ideas and communicate vital
event they presented Kramarczuk with an
statistical, financial, and other critical
award. Accolades include these words
business-related data in an evolving work
from Babette Blumenauer of Cohort 4:
environment.
“He has started this program that will
The required field project, which
change my life course. … I am not just a
serves as the thesis for the MBA, often
number or an obscure student here. Dr.
responds to real-world requests that
Kramarczuk … gives me time, shows he
come to the program from business and
cares, and he knows my name. And that
industry.
has meant a lot to me.”
“Book learning is very different from
Announcing
•
•
•
•
•
•
NEW MBA
GRADUATE
CERTIFICATES
Finance
Financial planning
Human resource management
International business
Marketing management
Music business management
Graduate certificates provide applied, practical, graduate-level
training to enhance skills and advance careers. In addition, they
can later be applied toward a master’s degree. Certificates can be
earned in as few as six months with courses meeting one evening
per week for seven weeks. Cohorts will form beginning this fall.
For information, call 612-330-1390.
24
real-life experience,” says Christine
Waggoner of Cohort 2. “It’s that real-life
experience that is discussed and studied
in this program.”
Waggoner earned her bachelor’s
degree from Augsburg in 1997. “Given
my positive experience as an
undergraduate, I cannot tell you how
excited I was when I received the
postcard announcing that Augsburg was
starting an MBA program,” she says. “At
Augsburg, the professors know you.
They tailor their teaching methods to the
students in their class. They share their
personal stories … [and] successes and
failures they’ve gone through.”
“When you finish, you will be at a
higher level of leadership and decisionmaking,” Kramarczuk says. Additionally,
because of the liberal arts background, an
Summer 2006
Augsburg MBA graduate will be more of
a “cosmopolitan” thinker.
Waggoner confirms this. “I have a
new outlook on the way I view myself
and my career. I have a lot more
confidence in my ability to lead, manage,
and make strategic business decisions.”
A significant number of students have
been offered new jobs and promotions as
a result of what they have taken away
from the MBA program.
LIFE IN THE COHORT
The cohort model has been critical to the
success of the program. It allows
students to build relationships and
become almost like family to each other
as they travel together through the
sequence of courses.
“Taking classes as a member of a
cohort has really enriched my learning
experience,” says Waggoner. “Classes are
sequentially ordered so that students
build upon learned skills, and those
skills are continually reinforced
throughout the program. The program is
organized so students can focus on
learning.”
This even includes providing a warm
meal before each evening class.
“[Students] have an opportunity to sit
together,” says Kramarczuk. “They are
from different professions, different parts
of the Twin Cities. They sit down to
really communicate about class work,
personal life, professional life.”
“In the real world, you don’t function
on your own,” Waggoner says. “You rely
upon other people.”
“You learn a lot from the students,
too,” adds Appel. “There are people of
diverse backgrounds—professional
backgrounds, cultural backgrounds, age
groups…”
This group atmosphere extends
beyond the classroom to social events
and celebrations. Appel formed and
managed a softball team with players
representing multiple cohorts. They
ordered Augsburg caps and jerseys and
even won a game. “We were beyond
awful, but we had a lot of spirit!”
Waggoner says.
“When Cohorts 3 and 4 came on
board, we had a little party at
Kramarczuk’s Deli,” reminisces Appel.
“Bob [Kramarczuk] wrote a ‘Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer’ song and made
them sing it.” The parody was titled
“Auggie, the Adult Professional.” These
kick-off dinners have become a tradition,
with older cohorts welcoming new ones.
Other social events have included the
students’ families, giving them a chance
to meet classmates and professors.
Already, a graduation celebration is in
the planning, where awards will be
handed out and, in line with tradition,
Kramarczuk’s musical parodies will
probably be sung.
THE CAMPUS
MBA director Bob Kramarczuk (left) and Auggie Eagle (right) lead Cohorts 3 and 4 in their
“initiation” song.
The opportunity to study on a “real”
campus also attracts students to the
program.
“Here, you come to school,” Appel
says. “There’s people with laptops, people
studying, there’s the bookstore… When I
meet my cohort outside of class to study,
we meet at the library. You feel like you
“[My classmates are]
people I respect…
very smart people.
Just like family.”
—SUNNY OLISE ’06 MBA
MBA graduate Nathan Appel, originator of the
MBA softball team, strikes a pose.
Summer 2006
Nigerian-born Sunny Olise came to the U.S. to
study business and appreciates the small-group
atmosphere in Augsburg's MBA program.
25
are in school… Now, actually coming to
campus just feels more like I’m at an
institution of higher learning and all that
goes along with that.”
Nigerian-born Sunny Olise began
studying in Lindell Library while he was
an undergraduate business student at
another school because he found it to be
a more calming and productive place for
him to work.
So when he heard the ad for
Augsburg’s new MBA program on the
radio, he said to himself, “Yeah, it’s a
good school.” Olise called Kramarczuk
and told him the story of how he woke
up one day after working for the
Nigerian government for 21 years
wanting to “try something new.”
The two later met in the coffee center of
Christensen Center. At the end of their
visit, Kramarczuk said, “Congratulations,
Sunny. You’re in!”
“I didn’t even know he was
interviewing me,” Olise says, laughing.
From there, Kramarczuk took Olise to
the bookstore to purchase his books.
Less than two years later, Olise is one of
the Cohort 4 graduates. He describes his
group as “people I respect… very smart
people. Just like family.”
“In addition to the knowledge you get
from the MBA program, there’s a lot of
prestige attached to it,” says Olise. “I work
full time, I have a full-time family, I
attended school, and I’m a chess addict…
I have no regrets whatsoever. None.”
COMING OF AGE
Kramarczuk considers the number of
students pretty close to the maximum
the College can currently support,
although he sees a huge potential for
growth. In response to a particular need,
Augsburg now offers the full MBA
program at Thrivent Financial’s corporate
center in downtown Minneapolis. Several
students have transferred in from nearby
programs, and Kramarczuk anticipates an
eventual 100 students at the Thrivent
location alone.
Augsburg also launched its first MBA
cohort in Rochester in fall 2005, its second
last winter, and will add its third this fall.
26
“Augsburg is a very traditional
institution, while the MBA is a very
entrepreneurial effort. There’s continual
adjustment that’s had to happen on both
ends,” Kramarczuk says. “It’s seems to be
progressing well.”
“We want to continue to develop
graduate business programs geared
toward executives. We are also
developing MBA programs in specific
concentration areas such as international
business,” says Cerrito.
Putting their MBA
“It’s kind of scary being the first class
of MBAs, but Augsburg’s reputation in
the metro and in the region is solid,”
Appel says. “The undergraduate business
program has a really good reputation.
Hopefully we’ll piggyback off of that. …
I’m banking on Augsburg’s reputation
carrying weight. I think it will.” ■
For more information about the MBA
program, go to <www.augsburg.edu/mba>.
(L to R): Derek Zielin, Max Boller, David
Sandvig, Matthew Barrett, Sarah Anton,
Scott Kretzschmar
TO WORK
Many MBA students seek out the
program to help them advance in their
current positions. For some students in
Cohort 3, however, the program
provided the foundation for a new
business venture.
One particular group of students
began talking during breaks, after
class, and, of course, over the pre-class
dinners. At these dinners, student
Sarah Anton says, “We learn about our
families, our goals, our plans for the
future.”
These discussions led to the creation
of Minnesota Business Consultants, LLP
(MBC), a group of five men and Anton.
“Each member brings a different
expertise to the group that comes out
of our diverse career paths,” she says.
MBC specializes in strategic
planning and profit maximization for
small- to medium-size businesses.
“Guiding businesses that might wish to
re-evaluate their current financial
picture” is the mission, according to
Anton. “We see using the contacts
we’ve gained from Augsburg to
develop a client base and to develop a
niche in an industry where small
businesses are struggling. We believe
small businesses are an important part
of our Minnesota culture.”
MBC is starting out in rental office
space, and each consultant will
maintain his or her current job until
MBC is able to support them fully.
“It’s a natural progression of the
excellent talent pool that Kramarczuk
puts together,” says Anton. “It would
surprise me if there aren’t more
businesses formed out of the MBA
cohorts.”
Summer 2006
on tour with the
AUGSBURG
Choir
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JUDY PETREE
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW WROTE, “Music is the universal language of
mankind.” As the Augsburg Choir set out on its European concert tour they would come to
understand the meaning of Longfellow’s words.
From May 8-21, under the direction of Peter Hendrickson ’76, the choir toured Budapest,
Hungary; Prague and Kutna Hora, Czech Republic; and Dresden and Leipzig, Germany,
where the tour ended at the American Choral Festival.
The 66-voice choir sang in basilicas that took their breaths away, in churches that dated
back to the 1300s, and in one of the finest concert halls in Europe. Their audiences included
U. S. citizens living in Europe as well as people who could speak little or no English.
The choir learned that it wasn’t the words they sang, but rather the music they made that
touched hearts and brought smiles—and sometimes even tears—to the people who came to
hear them. They also learned how music is indeed a universal language, and that experiences
like these also create bonds among themselves that last across continents and time.
On the return trip home, tenor Hayes Kaufman ’09 said when he joined the choir his dad
expressed his hope that someday he, Hayes, would come to appreciate the opportunity he
was being given.
“I think I already have,” Kaufman told his fellow choir members. “Thanks to everyone
for this great trip, the memories, and opportunity.”
H U N G A R Y,
Summer 2006
C Z E C H
R E P U B L I C ,
A N D
G E R M A N Y
27
B U D A P E S T ,
K U T N A
H O R A ,
P R A G U E ,
D R E S D E N ,
L E I P Z I G
(1) The concert tour began at St. Stephen’s Basilica
in Budapest, Hungary, the city’s largest church. Not
only its beauty and magnificence awed the choir,
but also the sound of their voices. Tenor Tony
Wallin ’08 said he couldn’t believe that “we, the
Augsburg Choir, would ever have the opportunity
to sing in such a place.”
(2) In the small Czech town of Kutna Hora, once
famous for its silver mines, the choir sang at St.
Barbara’s Cathedral. Here, a few choir members
take a break at intermission to catch a view of the
town at night.
(Front row, L to R) Aleah Tebben, Mike
Schmit, Colin Callander, Kathryn Goerges (Back
row, L to R) Stacey Zeutenhorst, Miranda Nelson,
Eric Anderson, Adam Krumwiede, Tom Robinson
and Kent Bodurtha.
1
In Prague, the choir sang at St. Ignatius, an active
church run by Jesuit monks that was begun in
1665 and completed in 1671.
2
3
4
28
(3) At a stop in Krabcice, another small Czech
town, the choir performed for an audience of
senior citizens, most of whom knew no English. A
highlight of the tour for many of the students was
a song they sang in the Czech language, for which
they received a standing ovation and compliments
on their pronunciation.
“This by far has been the best part of the tour
for me,” said soprano Molly Shortall ’07, who
enjoyed talking with one of the senior citizens
after the concert.
“It was better than the larger concerts because
you could just feel that it meant so much to these
people. These are people who had their culture
taken away from them for so many years, and now
you can see how much it must mean to them to
get it back.”
(4) The audience was sparse but very appreciative
at Annen Kirche in Dresden, Germany, one of the
only churches there to escape bombing during
World War II. A woman in the front row was so
clearly moved by the choir’s singing, she would
direct along with Peter and, at times, smile broadly
and cry quietly.
Summer 2006
B U D A P E S T ,
K U T N A
H O R A ,
K R A B C I C E ,
D R E S D E N ,
L E I P Z I G
“It doesn’t always matter how many people are
in the audience, said bass Dave Czepa ’06. He
spoke for many of the choir members as he said,
“that one lady and what this obviously meant to
her made the whole concert worth it.”
(5) In Leipzig, Germany—home to such famous
composers as Bach and Handel—the choir visited
St. Thomaskirche, where Johann Sebastian Bach
was a cantor and where he is buried. They also
toured St. Nicholaskirche, founded in 1165.
6
(6) The choir teamed up with the Northwestern
College Choir of St. Paul to perform at the
Gewandhaus in Leipzig for the American Choral
Festival. They sang several songs as a massed
choir, plus each choir performed on its own.
Joining the choir was Augsburg alumna Nicole
(Warner) Simml ’01. Simml now lives in Germany
teaching voice and performing frequently.
Performing solos are (L to R) Nicole (Warner)
Simml; Krista Costin, Augsburg; Nathan Bird,
Northwestern; and Dave Czepa, Augsburg.
Directing is Northwestern choir director Timothy
Sawyer, with Augsburg director Peter
Hendrickson on piano.
What was the most memorable part of the trip—
the beautiful churches; the scenery; experiencing
different cultures, food, and languages? Not
according to many of the students. What they will
remember most are the bonds and friendships
they made with each other. Although the choir
has been singing together all year, they found that
sometimes it takes an experience such as this to
get to know each other really well. Alto Kellin
Pray ’08 said she really enjoyed being with others
who enjoy the same thing. The sad part, she
added, is now saying goodbye to the seniors
whom they were just starting to really know.
7
5
8
(7) (L to R) Kellin Pray, Bri’Ann Wright, and
Micah Erickson.
(8) (L to R) Emily Denstad, Emma Stensvaag, and
Adena Berg.
(9) Mother’s Day greetings from Prague were sent
home by Brian Halaas and Kari Aanestad.
9
Summer 2006
29
E
very week more than 2,000
people fill the Plymouth
Playhouse in the Twin Cities’
suburb for an afternoon or
evening of laughter, sharing
the lives of four women and their pastor
in the church basement of the East
Cornucopia Lutheran Church.
The play, Church Basement Ladies,
pays homage to the stalwart women who
cooked for and served every church
congregation. And it strikes a chord with
anyone who grew up in the 1950s and
’60s across the Midwest, whether they be
Lutheran, Methodist, or Presbyterian—it
was all part of their own experience.
Church Basement Ladies is based on
the Scandinavian humor books of Janet
Letnes Martin and Suzann (Johnson)
Nelson, both 1968 Augsburg graduates.
On stage the role of the church’s
matriarch, Mrs. Lars Snustad, is played
by Janet Paone ’83. For all three of them,
their Augsburg experiences play big.
Martin and Nelson came to Augsburg
in 1964 as freshmen, each attracted to
the big city and driven by the desire to
escape a future as a farm wife. When they
arrived, Augsburg was in the midst of
great change, reflecting new college
direction and leadership—the College
had just merged into the American
Lutheran Church after the demise of the
Lutheran Free Church, and Oscar
Anderson had just become president.
Students were pushed to explore and
understand the social and racial issues of
the city around them, forever changing
their worldviews.
Nelson aspired to be a home
economics teacher, but by the end of her
“God knew that if there were going
to be growing, self-sustaining, active
Lutheran Churches in America, he
would have to create a special
species of people, so He created the
Lutheran Church Basement Women.”
—Growing Up Lutheran,
Janet Letnes Martin and
Suzann (Johnson) Nelson, 1997
first semester had switched to political
science, and then in her sophomore year
to Scandinavian studies when the new
major was announced. She studied
Norwegian and was active in the
Norwegian Club, which led to many
opportunities, such as meeting the
visiting King Olav V of Norway.
Both Martin and Nelson felt
comfortable at Augsburg. They loved the
big city around them, but appreciated the
small-town comfort of the campus.
What they discovered was that smalltown Scandinavian Lutheran life was the
same everywhere. Nelson recalls the
many nights she and classmates from
small towns across the Upper Midwest
sat around in Gerda Mortensen Hall and
talked about their common backgrounds.
“We all grew up the same way,” Martin
confirms.
Students not from rural small towns
were commuter students, and Nelson
remembers stunning her city roommates
by talking about eating cream on bread.
So much so that she and others went
shopping and demonstrated how it was
made and eaten.
Paone arrived at Augsburg 15 years
later. By then Augsburg was less
THOSE
Lutheran
ladies
BY BETSEY NORGARD
30
Summer 2006
Top: Janet Letnes Martin ’68 began writing
down her experiences growing up in rural
North Dakota and calls herself a “NorwegianLutheran farm girl humorist.”
Suzann (Johnson) Nelson ’68 used her
Scandinavian studies to inspire the
characters of rural Norwegian
Minnesota in her books.
Janet Paone ’83 has made a career in
acting and voiceover work, and
brings her Augsburg experience to
the stage in Church Basement Ladies
Bottom: From The Augsburgian, 1968.
Bottom: From The Augsburgian, 1968.
Bottom: From The Augsburgian, 1981.
obviously Norwegian Lutheran and far
more diverse, but it was because of the
Lutheran church that Paone chose it. Her
mother was Lutheran and her father was
Catholic. She was raised in Abiding
Savior Lutheran Church, but within her
family she felt the stigma of being the
child of a parent who “turned,” i.e.,
married outside the Lutheran faith. She
feels her father’s family never really
accepted her Lutheran mother.
After applying to music schools in New
York, she decided to stay home for college
and chose Augsburg because she had
always respected and enjoyed the
Augsburg students who were counselors at
Lake Wapogassett Lutheran Bible Camp.
She had also considered the ministry, but
she ended up in the theatre program.
“There was definitely a Norwegian
Lutheran influence at Augsburg,” Paone
says. “There was a Scandinavian studies
major, and most people’s names ended in
–son, -sen, -gard, or –dal.” She also
remembers the aesthetic influence of the
“good” dinnerware with Scandinavian
design used for special dinners.
Martin and Nelson graduated in
1968, but neither returned to her small
town. On a Norwegian Club trip to
Decorah, Iowa, Nelson had met Ronald
E. Nelson ’67; in March 1967 they were
married in Mindekirken, the Norwegian
Lutheran Memorial Church in
Minneapolis. She studied Scandinavian
literature in graduate school and for 10
summers directed Skogfjorden, the
Norwegian Language Village.
Martin married shortly after college
and began raising a family. More than a
decade later, in 1983, while helping her
mother-in-law research family history,
she became frustrated at not finding
much information about life in rural
communities and decided to begin
writing down what it was like growing
up. Together with Allen Todnem ’64, also
an Augsburg graduate, she co-authored
Cream and Bread, and then Second
Helpings of Cream and Bread.
Martin and Nelson remained close
friends. In 1994, on a whim, Martin
suggested that Nelson should write a
book with her, and Nelson quit her job
the same day.
Sitting around the kitchen table in
their flannel nightgowns enjoying
Summer 2006
31
REMEMBERING
those
Lutheran
ladies
BY DAVE WOOD
IT WAS THE MID-1980S. I had recently been appointed
book review editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune after a lengthy
stint as English teacher at Augsburg and feature writer for the old
Tribune.
“Dave,” said the receptionist, “There’s an author out here in
the lobby who wants to see you.”
Wow. My first author. Who would it be? I trotted down to the
lobby to discover a woman who looked like a pert middle-aged
housewife from Hastings, Minn., which, in fact, she was.
“Hi,” she said, thrusting an enormous layer cake into my paws.
“I’m Janet Martin. I went to Augsburg back in the ’60s. I’ve
written a book and if you’ll review it the cake is yours.”
Looking back, I sincerely hope I wasn’t too condescending
when I explained to Janet Letnes Martin that Star Tribune policy
prohibited my taking gifts, blah blah blah.
“OK,” she said, unflappable. “I’ll take back the cake. You take
the book.”
So there I was with Janet Letnes Martin’s first literary effort,
Cream on Bread. I gave it a whirl. It was wonderful. As a minor
ethnician of the times, I had read lots of this stuff, like Howard
Mohr’s work, and I think I knew what was good. Janet Martin’s
was excellent. No cheap shots. There were no big yuks in Cream
on Bread, just lots of little ones. That’s because Janet Martin was
smart enough to know that there aren’t a lot of big yuks in
Lutherandom, but lots and lots of little ones. That’s why she
became one of Lutheran humor’s most honest purveyors.
Was I surprised? Yes. But I shouldn’t have been. I had taught
for 10 years at Augsburg, not too many years after she had
graduated. I had taught at four other schools before my arrival
there and was continually surprised at the little college’s vitality
and intellectuality. Sure, there was a streak of inferiority feeling
running through the student body. The University of Minnesota
students across Riverside Ave. called Augsburg “God’s Little Acre.”
We had great music, science, art, and poetry, but the steam heat
system in Old Main on a cold day sounded like the last 15 minutes
before the H.M.S. Titanic went down. Nevertheless we had great
32
Dave Wood is a past vice-president of the
National Book Critics Circle and former
book review editor of the Minneapolis Star
Tribune. He taught English and journalism
at Augsburg from 1969 to 1981.
poetry readings, students went off to good
graduate schools.
Best, we all had lots of fun, parked
right in the middle of a seedy old section
of Minneapolis.
But back to Janet Letnes Martin. Her
first book was a success followed by many
more, including one of my favorites, which
involved Hastings housewife/detective
Shirley Holmquist, a direct steal from Arthur Conan Doyle. In 1994,
her Auggie classmate, Suzann Nelson of Grand Rapids, Minn.,
joined her and their books tumbled out, books like their
monumental theological tract about Lutherans and Roman
Catholics entitled They Glorified Mary … We Glorified Rice. They
also performed two-woman shows, filling church basements across
the Midwest.
Ever since the Martin/Nelson success, I’ve been a bit jealous.
I’ve tried my hand with ethnic humor. Like Martin and Nelson I
grew up in a little Norwegian Lutheran town. But my stuff never
lit any fires. Why did theirs?
I’ve come to think that Augsburg College had a lot to do with
it. Augsburg was traditionally on the outer fringe of the Lutheran
establishment. Its supporting synod, the Lutheran Free Church,
was always suspicious of clericalism, authority, big shots. An
immigrant church, it had to survive by its wits. (Janet Letnes
Martin, you see, didn’t actually think her layer cake would
persuade me to review her book. It was just a way of tweaking my
self-satisfaction, cutting me and the Star Tribune down to size.)
And so the two pious girls from small farm towns came to God’s
Little Acre in the heart of the Sinful City and found out one could
love one’s church and have some fun with it, too.
I look back more than a quarter century at the students like
Martin and Nelson and wonder at their successes, many of which
have just a bit of orneriness in common. It’s a wonderful tradition
and the women who made church basements famous are
definitely part of it.
And so now the girls are moving out onto the national scene.
Martin and Nelson are no longer girls, but I can’t help thinking of
them in that way, for their girlish glee and for poking a little fun
at the basements where they both spent hundreds of hours
learning that certain concepts were “most certainly true.”
I have only one bit of advice and that’s for Janet Letnes
Martin. If and when you get to New York City, don’t bring a layer
cake to the offices of the New York Times Book Review.
The editor won’t get it.
Summer 2006
copious amounts of both coffee and
laughter, the two women began to
capture recollections and memories as
they spilled out. Nelson has said that it’s
her job to jog people’s memories and
their job to laugh. Their intention is
never to make fun of anyone or anything.
“There’s a fine line between making fun
of something and having fun with it,”
Martin told an interviewer. “Hopefully
we’ll never cross it.”
Three books came within the first six
months. So far, they’ve written nine
books together, the most popular being
Growing Up Lutheran: What Does This
Mean?, which won a Minnesota Book
Award for humor.
Requests for speaking engagements
also started coming, and for several years
Martin and Nelson crisscrossed each
others’ paths as they spoke to church
groups, women’s groups, and local
organizations. Then they devised a
comedy routine and began appearing
together as “Those Lutheran Ladies”—
nothing more than sharing their own
backgrounds.
An idea for a play came about when
TroupeAmerica’s president and executive
producer-director, Curt Wollan, hired
Those Lutheran Ladies to perform for
three weeks at the Medora Musical in
North Dakota. Wollan invited a
playwright-couple, Jim Stowell and
Jessica Zuehlke, to pen the script.
Wollan, who had grown up as
“Lutherans attending a Lutheran
college in the ’50s and ’60s did not
have to prepare themselves for any
big culture shock. Some of them
even shared the same last name—
but were not related.”
—Growing Up Lutheran,
Janet Letnes Martin and
Suzann (Johnson) Nelson, 1997
president of his Luther League and the
son of a dedicated church basement lady,
encouraged Paone to take the part of
matronly Vivian Snustad, the
unequivocal and uncompromising queen
of the church basement ladies in his
fictional East Cornucopia Lutheran
Church.
Paone, a veteran character actress seen
in Tony ’n Tina’s Wedding, pushed for
revisions to the script through a workshop
process in order to engage Mrs. Snustad
more with the audience. This character is a
curmudgeon, but works through her
issues and begins to understand why
things must eventually change—beginning
with her consternation over the hymnals
changing from black to red.
Church Basement Ladies previewed at
several locations before settling into its
long run at the Plymouth Playhouse.
Paone recalls opening in Fargo, where
the cast was extremely nervous about
how it would go over. Once the audience
started laughing and didn’t stop, Paone
remembers the “neat moment” between
acts when the cast suddenly realized that
“this thing is going to be huge.”
Audiences react differently to the
play, Paone says, and she can tell by what
they laugh at whether the crowd (often
comprised of large church groups) is
Lutheran or Catholic. And, if they react
most vividly to the physical comedy
aspect, they probably aren’t churchconnected at all.
Even if someone is not well versed in
the ways of Martin Luther, she says, the
play is still very accessible. “It’s about a
[small] country church … it’s the social
center, with many different layers.”
Paone would love to pull more
material from Martin and Nelson’s books
for the stage, and Martin and Nelson
would love to have the current actors
stay involved with the East Cornucopia
Lutheran Church.
What’s next for Those Lutheran
Ladies? When asked about it, Martin
quickly replies, “Oh, ya, there’s lots more
in it.” When they get together and start
laughing, she says, “We just run with it
… and sometimes we just blurt out the
same thing.”
And, to quote Martin Luther and the
church basement ladies, “This is most
certainly true.” ■
“If Scandinavian Lutherans could add one more feast day to the church
calendar, it would be the feast of fish and flatbread … Unlike the Catholics
who had to eat fish every Friday, Scandinavian Lutherans were only morally
obligated to eat it once a year, and that was at the annual Lutefisk supper.”
—Growing Up Lutheran,
Janet Letnes Martin and
Suzann (Johnson) Nelson, 1997
Summer 2006
33
CHURCH
Basement
Troupe America, Inc.
Ladies
—you bet it’s a big hit!
The cast of Church Basement Ladies (L to R): Janet Paone ’83 (Mrs. Lars Snustad—Vivian), Greta
Grosch (Mrs. Gilmer Gilmerson—Mavis), Tim Drake (Pastor E. L. Gunderson), Dorian Chalmers
(Mrs. Elroy Engelson-Karin) and Ruthie Baker (Signe Engelson—Karin’s daughter).
BY ANY MEASURE, Church Basement Ladies is a monster
hit. It has been running for more than 35 weeks at Plymouth
Playhouse (scheduled through the end of 2006) at 101%
occupancy. It now has a double cast and offers 10 or 11 shows per
week.
Curt Wollan, producer and director, found inspiration for the
play in his own mother. After she died, Wollan was asked if the
gift she left the church could be used for their greatest need, a
new stove for the kitchen. He agreed, and it was named Lorraine
in her honor, a seemingly fitting legacy.
“We’re honoring people who are never honored … and who
are under-appreciated,” says Wollan. “The play has been hugely
popular with women who have worked in church basements, and
with their daughters and granddaughters, who are remembering
mom and grandmother.”
He remembers being a Luther Leaguer in his own church when
they’d sing, “Come out, dear ladies, come out, come out” so the
women could be recognized, and they were always bashful about
it. “They were the unsung heroes of the church—they kept it
clean and fed, and the coffee going.”
He says the play is universal—it doesn’t matter where or what
church you’re in—every church has its basement ladies. The show
just happens to be Norwegian Lutheran because it’s based on
Nelson and Martin’s book, Growing Up Lutheran.
The play is important, he says, because this part of church life
is dying. “As women have started to work, there are fewer
basement ladies and there is more catering,” says Wollan. “This
34
celebrates the past and its heritage.”
Church Basement Ladies is preparing to embark on a ninestate, 50-city tour from January-March 2007, in mostly small towns
throughout the Upper Midwest, but reaching as far as New
Mexico, Colorado, and Montana. Then, they’ll wait a year and
tour bigger cities.
Already underway are plans for a second cast to begin
production in Chicago. New York is pending, and there has been
interest in an off-Broadway venue where it would play in a real
Lutheran church basement.
Norwegian Lutheran food is central to the play. One of
Wollan’s favorite lines is “Lutefisk and lefse are directly descended
from the five loaves and two fishes at the Sea of Galilee, and have
since lost their color.”
The music and lyrics were written by Drew Jansen; here are
two samples:
From “Closer to Heaven”—“You’re closer to heaven in the
church basement, Where we do the Good Lord’s work. Everywhere
you look you see spectacular sights; 40 kinds of food to feed some
fierce appetites; Nearly new linoleum and fluorescent lights,
managed by a stalwart squad. Here below the house of God.”
From “Dead Spread”[term for the spreads served on
sandwiches following a funeral]—“Dead spread, a splendid affair,
to celebrate someone who’s no longer there; dead spread, a
wonderful thing, what sweet consolation a hotdish can bring.”
For more information, go to <www.plymouthplayhouse.com>.
Summer 2006
AAlumni
LUMNINews
NEWS
From the Alumni Board president’s desk…
S
erving as
president of the
Augsburg Alumni
Board the past year
has in many ways
been one of the most
rewarding and
enriching things I
have done. I am
continually inspired
by the many outstanding and diverse
accomplishments of our alumni, and I
am honored and humbled by the
opportunity to serve the Augsburg
Alumni Association and Augsburg
Alumni Board over the past seven years.
My goal this year was to continue the
transformation and forward momentum
of the Alumni Board in its journey from
the role of an advisory board to a
working board. Under discussion has
been our advisory member initiative, in
which we invite representatives of
various campus constituencies to attend
our committee meetings in order to
foster greater dialogue, e.g. parents,
international students, A-Club, the
Augsburg Associates, Faculty and Staff
Senates. Our Connections Committee,
led by Buffie Blesi, undertook an effort to
explore possibilities for offering alumni
benefits. Stay tuned to hear more about
this effort in the coming months.
I’m proud to report that Alumni
Board members are well on the way to a
fourth consecutive year of 100%
contribution to the annual fund. Our
intention is to continue to build on this
tradition of giving, and I am pleased to
say that the Alumni Board has also
committed to a 100% contribution rate
among board members to the Access to
Excellence campaign. We are certainly
blessed by these commitments and by
these gifts.
President Frame’s leadership of
Augsburg is finishing with tremendous
energy, solid growth for the College, and
renewal of its vision for the future. The
strength and constancy of his leadership
has helped draw Augsburg to new levels
of recognition. In his own words,
“Augsburg plays a unique role in the
world of Lutheran education. Its service
to the city, to the provision of
accessibility to first-class educational
opportunities, and its regard for faith and
reason as interactive and mutually
reinforcing modes of understanding …
gives us a special mission.” Augsburg has
been truly blessed by President Frame’s
incredible leadership the past nine years.
I had the privilege of speaking at
Augsburg’s 137th Commencement on
May 6 and welcoming 752 graduates as
the newest members of the Augsburg
Alumni Association. Our Alumni
Association has grown considerably since
my Commencement ceremony a little
over 20 years ago, when the Weekend
College had just been launched and
when graduate programs, the Rochester
program, and many others did not yet
exist. The Alumni Association in those
days numbered around 10-11,000
members and now includes around
18,000. Congratulations and welcome to
the Class of 2006!
I am excited about Augsburg’s future,
the future of the Alumni Association,
and the Alumni Board. I hope you will
join me in welcoming President-elect
Paul Pribbenow and incoming Alumni
Board president Barry Vornbrock—the
next chapter in our history!
Stay close and stay connected.
Karina Karlén ’83
President, Alumni Board
LSAT prep for a bargain
Don’t take out a loan to pay those expensive test prep companies.
Augsburg’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate
Opportunity (URGO) is hosting LSAT Prep on campus this fall.
The instructor is Brian Farrell ’95, an attorney and Augsburg
alumnus, who scored in the 99th percentile on the exam and taught
LSAT prep for Princeton Review. Four sessions are offered:
TUES., OCT. 10, 6 TO 9 P.M.-—Homework review, reading
comprehension strategy and practice
TUES., OCT. 17, 6 TO 9 P.M.—Homework review, continued practice in
all sections, overall test-taking strategies, test-day preparation, class
questions
TUES., SEPT. 26, 6 TO 9 P.M.—General introduction to the LSAT,
analytical reasoning strategy and practice
The cost for the four sessions is $150 for Augsburg alumni,
compared to $580 at the University of Minnesota and over $1300 at
Kaplan or Princeton Review.
TUES., OCT. 3, 6 TO 9 P.M.—Homework review, logical reasoning
strategy and practice
To register (limited spaces are available), contact Dixie Shafer,
<shafer@augsburg.edu>.
Summer 2006
35
Alumni Events
Please join us for these upcoming alumni events; unless otherwise noted, call 612-330-1085 or 1-800-260-6590 or e-mail
<alumni@augburg.edu> for more information.
June
August
20
8
Auggie Hours, 5:30-7 p.m.
Campiello, 1320 West Lake St.,
Uptown Minneapolis,
612-825-2222
15
Alumni Board Meeting,
5:30 p.m.
Minneapolis Room,
Christensen Center
10
Auggie Evening at the Races
Canterbury Park, Shakopee, MN
Gather your friends and family and
join us for free admission and
complimentary hors d’oeuvres.
RSVP is required and space
is limited.
16
Auggies attend Lutheran
Night at the Dome
Minnesota Twins v. Cleveland
Indians, with first pitch at 7:10.
Lower level seating—$18 per
ticket(group rate).
Tickets are limited-contact the
Alumni Relations Office,
612-330-1613 or send check to:
Alumni Relations Office,
2211 Riverside Ave S., CB 146,
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Once your payment has been
received, the tickets will be mailed
to you in August.
Alumni Board Meeting,
5:30 p.m.
Minneapolis Room,
Christensen Center
July
11
Auggie Hours, 5:30-7 p.m.
Maynard’s Restaurant,
685 Excelsior Blvd., Excelsior, MN
(located in the southeast corner of
Excelsior Bay on Lake
Minnetonka), 952-470-1800
Please e-mail the following
information to <ecs@augsburg.edu>
or call 612-330-1104: Total number
in your group, names of you and
your guests, your graduation
year(s), and your contact number.
The deadline to register is Friday,
August 4.
Homecoming 2006—Watch us Soar
September 25-30
Mon., Sept. 25
Wed., Sept. 27
4:30-6 p.m.
10:30 a.m.
7:30-9 p.m.
International Student
Organization reception
Student Kick-Off Event,
Coronation and Pep Rally
Augsburg Associates annual
fall luncheon (off campus)
Noon-1 p.m.
Auggie Cup Knowledge
Bowl (East Commons)
9:30-10:30 p.m. Homecoming communion
Tues., Sept. 26
11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Counseling and Health
Promotion Annual Fair
6:30 p.m.
Alumni Baseball game,
Parade Stadium
7 p.m.
Powder puff football
9 p.m.
FCA campfire, Murphy Park
Thurs., Sept. 28
11 a.m.-2 p.m. Student activity—Old Auggie
photos
5:30-8:30 p.m. Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
Fri., Sept. 29
9-10 a.m.
10-11 a.m.
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
12:30-2 p.m.
36
2:15- 3:15 p.m. Campus tour
3:30-6 p.m.
Hall Crawl
3 p.m.
Artist Amy Rice ’93, slide
presentation, Marshall
Room, Christensen Center
7 p.m.
ASAC Variety Show
7:30 p.m.
Men’s soccer game v.
Macalester
Reunion breakfast
Homecoming chapel
Student activity
Alumni luncheon
Sat., Sept. 30
11 a.m.-1 p.m. Picnic in the Park
noon
Auggie Cup Desk
Hurling
1-3 p.m.
Football Game v. ConcordiaMoorhead
3:30-7 p.m.
Auggie Block Party
Summer 2006
CLASS
NOTES
Class Notes
1956
Evelyn (Chanco) Steenberg,
Missoula, Mont., and her
husband, Tom ’58, ’61 Sem,
celebrated their golden wedding
anniversary on June 2, and hope
to be at their 50-year reunion at
Homecoming. They’ve spent 45
years in the ministry, including
35 years as missionaries in Japan.
The Steenbergs can be reached at
<tasteenberg@aol.com>.
1957
Gloria (Grant) Knoblauch,
Lake Elmo, Minn., was recently
recognized for her service and
leadership in forming the Friends
of Lake Elmo Library, which
succeeded in bringing a branch
of the Washington County
Library back to their city.
1958
Rev. Gary Turner, San Jacinto,
Calif., is an Anglican priest and
V.A. Hospital chaplain. Last
summer, while at the Hollywood
Bowl to see Garrison Keillor, he
ending up sitting two rows
ahead of Philip Knox ’57.
1965
Dwight Olson, San Diego,
Calif., was elected president of
the Licensing Executives Society
(LES) of USA & Canada, a
professional society of over 6,000
members engaged in the use,
development, manufacture, and
marketing of intellectual
property. LES is part of an
international organization, with
30 national societies representing
12,000 members in 80 countries.
He can be reached at
<dwight.olson@ironmountain.com>.
1969
James Roste, Roseville, Minn.,
retired on Dec. 31 after 36 years
in corrections work. He has
joined his wife, Lorene
(Peterson) ’70, in her business,
“Senior Moves,” helping seniors
Summer 2006
sort, pack, move, unpack, and
settle in at new locations.
1971
Thomas Haas, West St. Paul,
Minn., retired last August after
working 32 years at the State of
Minnesota Department of
Employment and Economic
Development, helping people find
employment by providing basic
skills and resources. He says that
retirement is “almost all I have
heard it can be—WONDERFUL.”
He also wonders how he had time
to work and get other things
done before. His wife is a genetics
researcher at the University of
Minnesota.
Jean Holbrook, San Mateo,
Calif., has been named San Mateo
County superintendent of schools
through January 2007, to
complete a vacated term. She
brings 30 years of experience
with the San Mateo County Office
of Education to the position.
Charles Maland, Knoxville,
Tenn., was awarded the
Alexander Prize for his superior
classroom teaching and
distinguished scholarship at the
University of Tennessee. His
teaching and research focuses on
American literature and cinema,
and he has been named editor of
a volume of James Agee’s film
criticism.
NewsCenter in Duluth, Minn.,
which provides weather news to
several TV channels and
newspapers in northern
Minnesota and northwestern
Wisconsin.
1988
Kiel Christianson, Champaign,
Ill., writes a golf equipment
column for travelgolf.com as a
hobby, and was recently quoted
in an article in CNNMoney.com
about a new Nike golf club.
1989
Nnamdi A.
Okoronkwo and
his wife, Sabrina
K., Minneapolis,
announce the
birth of their son,
Grayson
Nnamdi, very unexpectedly and
quickly, with the help of the
Minneapolis Fire Department. He
was born on his parents’ fifth
wedding anniversary and joins
older brother, Spencer, 18
months. Nnamdi and Sabrina
work for Best Buy and Target.
Steven Torgerud and his wife,
in St. Paul, welcomed a
daughter, Abigail Mae, on
March 1.
1992
Susan E. (Gehrke) Erdman
and her husband, Shane,
Marinette, Wis., announce the
birth of their daughter, Wynn
Leslie, on Sept. 9. She joins her
brother, Carson.
1993
Dana (Ryding)
Martin, and her
husband, Jeff,
Andover, Minn.,
welcomed a son,
Caden Joshua,
on Dec. 2. He
joins brother Noah, age 2. She
can be reached at<dana.martin@
moundsviewschools.org>.
1975
Daniel Swalm, Minneapolis, is
an adjunct professor at the
University of Wisconsin-River
Falls in the Graduate College of
Education and Professional
Studies and teaches career
counseling through the
Department of Counseling and
School of Psychology. He is the
executive director of Career
Solutions Inc., a nonprofit career
development agency in St. Paul.
1986
Karl Spring was named chief
meteorologist at the Northland’s
Joyce (Nelson) Schrader ’64, Friendswood, Texas, is a retired
elementary school teacher who taught second, third, fourth, and
fifth grades. Her husband is a retired human resources manager.
In the photo are Joyce and her husband, Steve (middle and top
rows, right); their daughter Mandy and her husband, Scott (top
row, left and middle), with their children, Haley (3) and Cason (1);
and their daughter Julie (bottom row, left) with her dog, Elvis.
37
Class Notes
Courtesy photo
ALUMNI PROFILE
Targeting cancer as both
physician and scientist
by Sara Holman ’06
Nine years have past since Arlo Miller roamed Augsburg’s campus as
a biology and chemistry student. However, this recent M.D./Ph.D.
Harvard graduate has not forgotten his Minneapolis alma mater.
“One of the biggest challenges in medical school is just trying to
figure out what is important and what actually matters. It’s
essentially very easy to lose the forest for the trees. I think Augsburg
science did very well to emphasize the forest, which provided a good
starting point,” Miller comments. He also credits the Honors
Program for its emphasis on critical thinking and communication
skills. After his junior year, Miller worked for the summer with a
leading cancer researcher at Washington University in St. Louis, who
helped convince him to seek the dual medical/research degrees.
Entering Harvard after his 1997 graduation was the first step in
Miller’s pursuit to study oncology, and his lab work in graduate
school led him to study melanoma. “I’d always been thinking I
would do hematology-oncology,” says Miller, “but I found that
dermatology is a better fit for me. Dermatologists actually deal with
the most prevalent forms of cancer, but the work primarily occurs in
the clinic rather than in the hospital. This will better enable me to
spend a fraction of my time doing research.”
Arlo Miller '97 received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2004 on
the same day as his fiancée, Ileana Howard, graduated from Harvard
Medical School. In June, he completed the M.D./Ph.D. program and
also received his medical degree.
Whether to become a regular doctor or a regular researcher or to split his time doing both has been something Miller has grappled with since
becoming part of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP).
MSTP was founded to bridge the gap between physicians and scientists. “Sometime in the 1970s,” Miller says, “there was a concern that the
divide was widening to the point that effective translation of basic science research to the realm of medicine was in jeopardy. The MSTP
program sends people to medical school and graduate school with the hope of creating a pool of people who could serve as bridges between
these two communities.”
Miller entered the MSTP program with a National Institutes of Health (NIH) training grant, given to about 300 students across the country.
The grant pays all medical school costs and provides an annual stipend to compensate for the economic consequences of choosing the
lengthy M.D./Ph.D. path.
In this joint medical-research program, Miller’s first two years included the medical school core scientific curriculum—anatomy,
biochemistry, microbiology, pathology, pathophysiology, etc. Then he shifted to graduate work and did research for five years in three
different laboratories, including the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. Finally he returned to the last two years of medical school and
worked in hospital and clinic settings.
In early June, Miller graduated from the M.D./Ph.D. program and will marry Ileana Howard, also a physcian. For the next year, he has a
transition-year internship in Seattle, where Howard is currently a resident in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
In July 2007, Miller will begin a three-year residency in dermatology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., a department known for its
excellence in the research and treatment of unusual problems. He imagines himself ending up at a research university and says he feels
drawn to the area of cancer biology.
When dealing with the very sensitive subject of cancer, Miller says his Augsburg experience continues to impact his role as a doctor. “You
often find yourself taking care of people that the rest of society has pretty much given up on and for whom all social support systems have
failed,” he says. “This is a community service aspect of medicine that I hadn’t anticipated or appreciated when I started, but I feel that
Augsburg helped prepare me through informal means, including the Link program and its urban setting.”
Sara Holman graduated in 2006 with majors in communication studies and English.
38
Summer 2006
operas in repertory during its
eight-week season, attracting
40,000 people from around
the world.
Courtesy photo
TOASTMASTERS AWARD
Graduate
programs
Doris Rubenstein ’93 MAL
was elected to the Board of
Directors of Affinity Plus
Federal Credit Union. She is
principal of PDP Services, a
consulting firm specializing in
corporate and personal
philanthropy.
In Memoriam
The Honorable Pamela Alexander ’74, Minneapolis, received the
Toastmasters International Communication and Leadership award
for 2006. She was lauded for her community service as a youth
motivational speaker, basketball coach, and teacher, and for the
more than 50 community service awards she has received. She is
a judge of the Fourth Judicial District Court, Juvenile Division, of
Hennepin County.
Jessica (Ferrell)
and Brad
Zenner ’92,
Minneapolis,
adopted a
daughter,
Jasmine Shan,
in November. Jasmine was born
in Hunan, China, in February
2005. She joins a happy sister,
Lily Jinxiong, 3. Jessica can be
reached at <jessicazenner@
hotmail.com>.
1994
Carrie Kennedy
and her husband,
Eric Peterson,
Hopkins, Minn.,
announce the
birth of a son,
Kieran Philip, in
January. Carrie is an adjunct
professor of English at Concordia
University in St. Paul and
teaches fiction writing at the Loft
Literary Center.
1996
Anne Lalla married Todd
Johnson in March; they live in
Summer 2006
Shoreview, Minn. They have one
son, Evan, born in September
2002.
Leslie Lucas ’00 married
Matthew Weide in July 2005.
She is currently a student in
the Master of Social Work
program, and he is an account
executive for Donaldson in
Bloomington. They live in
Minneapolis.
1998
Brittani (Gross) Filek ’00 PA,
Corona, Calif., and her husband,
Matt, welcomed their first child,
Van Owen, in June 2005. They
were married in July 2004;
Brittani is a surgical physician
assistant at Kaiser Permanente
General and Plastic Surgery
Department.
1999
Bobby Scala, Eden Prarie,
Minn., along with his brother-inlaw, has opened Scala’s Beef
Stands in Maple Grove, a
restaurant selling products from
his family’s Chicago-based
wholesale meat company.
Sarah (Ginkel) Spilman, Iowa
City, Iowa, and her husband,
Matt, announce the birth of their
son, Alexander Nicholas, on
Jan. 3. Sarah earned a Master of
Arts degree in sociology at the
University of Iowa in 2004.
2000
Kai Gudmestad ’06 MBA,
Minneapolis, Minn., and his
wife, Amy, welcomed their son,
Elijah Douglas, on Jan. 29. Kai
graduated in the first Augsburg
MBA class.
2001
Kathryn Koch has been named
production stage manager for the
Glimmerglass Opera 2006 festival
season in Cooperstown, N.Y. She
will lead the stage management
staff and be part of a world
premiere opera, The Greater Good.
The company produces four
Irvin Nerdahl ’40, age 87, Jan.
27 in Crystal, Minn. He is
survived by his children,
Marsha, Laura, John, and David.
Kelly Roth ’47, age 85, in
Wheaton, Minn. He is survived
by his wife, Beverly, and three
children, John “Champ”,
Richard, and Janice, who also
attended Augsburg. Kelly,
nicknamed “Smiley,” was a
manager at the Smiley’s Point
confectionary. He retired from
Lutheran Brotherhood and
Central Life Insurance. He was
inducted into the Augsburg
Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978.
Rev. Philip A. Nelson ’55, ’58
Sem, age 72, Dec. 1 in New
London, Minn. He is survived
by his wife, Beverly (Omdahl)
’55, and three sons, Bruce, Peter,
and Blair. Phil had callings to
Colombia Heights, Morris, New
London, and Osakis before
retiring in 1994 due to health
concerns.
Edward M. Sabella, professor
emeritus of economics, May 5 in
Minneapolis. He taught at
Augsburg from 1967 until his
retirement in August 2000 and
was chair of the Departments of
Business Administration and
Economics from 1968-81.
39
AUGGIE
THOUGHTS
Auggie Thoughts
Over spring break, 35 Augsburg students joined with students from Grand
View College in Des Moines, Iowa, for a trip to Biloxi, Miss., to help with
hurricane relief sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA). Students posted daily journal entries on Augsburg’s website; the
following is a portion of Jeanette Clark’s journal from the last day of the trip.
Guarding people’s stories
by Jeanette Clark ’07
Some look at the journey home as a necessary part of a trip—something
logically following going away somewhere. On some level, this is true. On
the other hand, the opportunity to travel home is one that should not be
ignored. One does not have an experience, really, until he/she reflects on
it, and this is part of going home. So rather than being a burden, this 30hour bus ride has been a blessing—a chance to continue to get to know
people and to process, or try to process, all we have seen and heard.
It seems that more than the work we did during our time in Biloxi, our
greater service was guarding people’s stories. We heard the great trials and
agony of those who worked in the morgue after Katrina. By going home,
caring for those around us, and sharing these stories, we will guard the
stories of those who suffered through this disaster. More than clearing
brush, painting, or scrubbing, it was crucial that we took the time to value
the experiences of those who suffered so much. It was a service to hear AJ
talk about the importance of his camp. It was a service to hear Jack tell of
the struggles of those living in FEMA trailers. We heard the stories of
spelling tests and possible “reward movies” by the elementary students we
visited. There is no way we can begin to understand their pain or their
experiences, but we can listen, and in doing so, we show them they matter
just as they showed us that we mattered by cooking and caring for us with
the utmost hospitality.
On some level, our trip home is when the journey starts. Who around
us is also suffering, and how do we get to the root of this pain? Who
around us has a story to tell that no one has listened to? How can we be in
solidarity with those on the coast who are trying to rebuild their lives?
There is still work to do. We’ve only just begun.
Jeanette Clark ’07 is pursuing a degree in metro-urban studies, and youth and
family ministry. She is a student leader in Campus Ministry and the Campus
Kitchen at Augsburg.
40
Summer 2006
The Golden
Fisherman
According to the volunteer coordinators at Lutheran Episcopal
Disaster Relief in Biloxi, Miss., Mondays start slow. So, to quell their
nervous energy, some students got on the bus for a quick tour of the
damage that Hurricane Katrina caused. Even after nine months the
destruction is awe-inspiring. The U.S. Highway 90 bridge, which once
spanned the 1.5 miles between Biloxi and Ocean Springs, looks like a
set of dominos. “The Golden Fisherman,” a sculpture by Harry Reeks,
has only its feet connected to the cement base, with the rest of the
eight-foot brass-and-copper figure thrown 20 feet from its home.
—Stephen Geffre, Staff Photographer
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!
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 e-mail to
<alumni@augsburg.edu>.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Is this a new address? ■ Yes ■ No ________________________________________________________________________________
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If yes, class year_______________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Augsburg
Now
COMMENCEMENT 2007
INTERNATIONAL PHOTO
CONTEST
A P U B L I C AT I O N F O R
AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
SUMMER 2007
VOL. 69, NO. 4
Diggin’ Dinos
in Murphy Square
page 6
P. 4
P. 7
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Augsburg
Now
COMMENCEMENT 2007
INTERNATIONAL PHOTO
CONTEST
A P U B L I C AT I O N F O R
AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
SUMMER 2007
VOL. 69, NO. 4
Diggin’ Dinos
in Murphy Square
page 6
P. 4
P. 7
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Editor
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
Notes
from President Pribbenow on…
Staff Writer
Bethany Bierman
bierman@augsburg.edu
Design Manager
Kathy Rumpza
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Class Notes Designer
Students at the center of our lives
I
t is the end of July as I pen these Notes for the
summer 2007 issue of Augsburg Now, and we
have just concluded our summer orientation
for more than 400 incoming first-year
students, the Class of 2011. I am as energized
as always by the sense of wonder and hope that
comes with an incoming class of college students!
At the other end of the continuum, you will
find in the following pages the stories and images
of our two 2007 Commencement ceremonies—the
first early in May for our day undergraduates and
our physician assistant graduate students; the
second late in June for our weekend
undergraduates and the other five graduate
programs (nursing, social work, education,
leadership, and business administration). All
combined, we graduated more than 900 new
Auggie alums this spring—what grand
celebrations we enjoyed!
I have been thinking a lot about this
continuum of student experiences—and have
enjoyed some rich and important conversations
the past several months with the Augsburg
community about how we might better honor the
centrality of students to our life as a college.
It is, above all, about the promise we make to
our students. Let’s call it the Augsburg Promise. As
students come to us, no matter their prior
experience or background, we regard them as:
Photographer
As they enter the College—as undergraduates or
graduate students—we engage them in missionbased academic and social experiences that
prepare them for meaningful work and service in
the world. In the classroom, on the playing fields,
in the residence halls, on stage, and in the
neighborhood, students enter a teaching and
learning community that prepares them to make a
living and to make a life in the world.
And as they leave us, our students remain at
the center of our lives as graduates whose lives
and work are emblems of this college’s aspirations
and commitments. We expect them to have gained
an informed vision of the world, focused on
discovery and appreciating difference. We prepare
them for intelligent understanding, full of curiosity
and a commitment to dialogue. And we offer them
remarkable opportunities for relevant experience,
learning to apply what they have learned and lead
others.
Students are at the center of our lives. There is
no more energizing and engaging work. And there
are few places that do it as well as Augsburg
College. It is the Augsburg Promise, a promise we
strive to keep each and every day.
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Faithfully yours,
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services,
CB 142,
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
healyk@augsburg.edu
• Gifted—a gift to us and the world, to be cared
for, educated, and nurtured,
• Called—on a vocational path that we will help
them discern and navigate,
• Accountable—persons of responsibility
and integrity.
Signe Peterson
petersos@augsburg.edu
Media Relations Manager
Judy Petree
petree@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President
of Marketing and
Communication
David Warch
warch@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni Relations
Heidi Breen
breen@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, Minn., 55454.
Opinions expressed in Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
official College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Paul C. Pribbenow, president
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
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Summer 2007
4
Contents
Features
4
2007 International Programs Photo Contest
Selected winners of the seventh annual student photo contest for
international study programs showcase the experiences of students abroad.
6
An “Auggieasaurus” in Murphy Square
by Betsey Norgard
7
Senior Jen Janda created the “Auggieasaurus” as Augsburg’s entry in the
Science Museum of Minnesota’s Diggin’ Dinos project.
7
Commencement 2007—May
Nearly 400 students in undergraduate semester programs
and the Physician Assistant program received their diplomas in May.
10
Commencement 2007—June
In the College’s first Commencement focused on programs in the
trimester schedule, undergraduate and graduate students who studied on
weekends and evenings received their degrees.
Departments
10
On the Cover: “Auggieasaurus” is one of
about 50 dinosaur statues decorated and
displayed by local businesses and organizations
as part of the Science Museum’s 100th-year
anniversary project, Diggin’ Dinos. Studio art
major Jen Janda created Augsburg’s entry.
2
3
13
inside
back
cover
Around the Quad
Supporting Augsburg
Alumni News
Calendar
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
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AROUND THE QUAD
NOTEWORTHY
Social Work Student
of the Year
Lisa Luinenburg ’07 was named
Social Work Student of the Year
by the Minnesota Chapter of the
National Association of Social
Workers (NASW) for her
“outstanding scholarship and
service to the community.” She
graduated in May with double
majors in social work and
international relations.
Physician Assistant
program earns
national award
Augsburg’s Physician Assistant
program was recently awarded the
2007 American Academy of
Physician Assistants’ Constituent
Organization Award of
Achievement for a high school
curriculum project developed in
2005. With the help of the
Minnesota Academy of Physician
Assistants (MAPA), the PA faculty
developed a program to educate
high school students about the
role of a PA, increase the diversity
among PA providers, and provide
health education and hands-on
learning.
In May 2006 and 2007,
Augsburg hosted high school
groups on campus who
participated in interactive
educational activities on how
diseases, specifically HIV and
other sexually transmitted
infections, can spread, as well as
how to administer a neurological
exam and take blood pressures.
Current PA students and recent
graduates helped with the
teaching.
2 AUGSBURG NOW
Nou Chang ’09 joins
Minnesota’s Future
Doctors
Junior Nou Chang participated
this summer in Minnesota’s Future
Doctors, a program to explore the
medical profession that is
sponsored by the University of
Minnesota and Mayo Medical
School. Over three summers, it
aims to increase the number of
Minnesota minority, immigrant,
and rural physicians by helping
these students develop academic
skills, an understanding of
medicine, and an appreciation for
serving in an underserved
community.
Chang, a biology and English
major with a religion minor,
immigrated with her family to
Rochester, Minn., from Thailand
in 1988. She also is the recipient
of a Jay and Rose Phillips Family
Foundation Scholarship that
awards potential student leaders
who intend to dedicate a portion
of their lives to community
service. She works with homeless
Hmong refugee children, ages 612, in partnership with the
Southeast Asian Community
Council, and hopes to create a
center where the homeless
children can participate in
culturally-based programs.
Rick Thoni retires as
WEC celebrates
25 years
As Weekend College celebrated 25
years in May, the program’s
founder, Rick Thoni, prepared to
retire from the College in June,
after 35 years of service.
Mia Bothun, WEC student body
president, spoke at the 25th anniversary
celebration on behalf of WEC students,
urging them to become more involved
in building greater community.
Rick Thoni, with his wife, Linda, listened
as President Pribbenow announced the
creation of the Richard J. Thoni Award
for a graduating WEC student that
Thoni joined Augsburg in
1972 as a part-time psychology
professor and counselor in the
Student Affairs Office and went on
to fill such roles as associate dean
of students, acting vice president
of student affairs, vice president
for research and development,
director of Weekend College, and
vice president for enrollment
management.
On May 17, students, faculty,
staff, and alumni of Weekend
College gathered to look back on
a quarter century. President
Pribbenow commented that the
number of stories from faculty and
staff of being asked to help
students get an education clearly
demonstrates the organic nature of
how WEC grew, beginning with
the student at the center.
He also commented on the
commitment of Rick Thoni and
others in WEC who didn’t merely
launch the program, but threw
themselves into the work of
meeting students’ needs.
would honor him “in an abiding way.”
Don Gustafson, professor of
history, applauded WEC students
and described the rewards of
teaching in WEC—meeting
students who bring different
experiences, perspectives, and
commitment to class.
In Thoni’s honor, President
Pribbenow announced the
creation of the Richard J. Thoni
Award, which will be given
annually to a graduating WEC
student whose actions,
commitments, and future
aspirations most profoundly
demonstrate a commitment to
Augsburg’s motto, “Education for
Service.”
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SUPPORTING AUGSBURG
The Kennedy Center—
filled with Auggie spirit
On May 4, the dedication of the Kennedy Center, the three-story
addition to Melby Hall, brought together Augsburg alumni, donors,
regents, faculty, staff, and students in celebration of Augsburg
athletics, fitness, and health and physical education.
Greco-wrestling champion Alan Rice
President Pribbenow expressed gratitude to
was greeted by President Pribbenow
the family of former regent James Haglund
in front of the Alan and Gloria Rice
and his wife, Kathleen, whose gifts provided
Wrestling Center, a state-of-the-art
the spacious, new fitness center bearing their
training facility for Augsburg’s
family name.
championship team and GrecoRoman wrestling.
President Pribbenow (second from left), together with President Emeritus William
Frame (left) and lead donors Dean ‘75 and Terry Kennedy, cut the ribbon to showcase
the new training, fitness, locker, classroom, and hospitality facilities.
The Lute Olson Hall of Champions highlights and celebrates the accomplishments of
The open entryway provided a great gathering place for
the many Auggie student-athletes across 18 men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports.
the Augsburg community to celebrate the dedication.
SUMMER 2007 3
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2007 International Programs Photo Contest
FIRST PLACE
“Mysterious Ireland”
Anthony Porter ‘07, Wicklow, Ireland
SECOND PLACE
“Cliffside: Bonsai Overlooking Tea Hills”
Ryan Treptow ‘07, Munnar, Kerala, India
THIRD PLACE
“Beneath African Skies”
Krista Costin ‘08, Ada-Foah, Ghana
LANDSCAPE
4 AUGSBURG NOW
HONORABLE
MENTION
“Eiffel Tower“
Laura Henry ‘07,
Paris, France
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PHOTOJOURNALISM
SECOND PLACE
“Untitled”
Jennifer Oliver ‘07, Chiang Mai, Thailand
FIRST PLACE AND BEST IN SHOW
“Pilgrims and Three Oceans Converge at Sunrise”
Ryan Treptow ‘07, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, India
THIRD PLACE
PORTRAITS
“The Boat Keeper”
Allison Hutterer ‘07, Rabat, Morocco
SECOND PLACE
“Lumbini Woman”
Ryan Treptow ‘07, Bijapur,
Northern Karnataka, India
FIRST PLACE
“Las Hermanitas” (“The Little Sisters”)
Megan Schiller ‘07,
San Lucas Toliman, Guatemala
SUMMER 2007 5
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ugsburg senior Jen Janda has
been “Diggin’ Dinos” this
summer—not on an
archeological dig in Egypt, but
in downtown St. Paul. It’s part
of the “Diggin’ Dinos” summer celebration
honoring the 100th anniversary of the
Science Museum of Minnesota. Beginning
Memorial Day weekend, 53 dinosaurs were
placed around the streets of St. Paul, mostly
downtown, and seven in the parks of
Minneapolis as part of their 150th
anniversary celebration.
Much like the Snoopy statues a few years
ago, these dinosaurs have been painted by
local artists. Until Labor Day, Janda’s 4.5 feet
tall by 8 feet long, 80 lb. dinosaur will live in
Murphy Square, Minneapolis’s oldest park,
located in the heart of Augsburg’s campus.
When the College joined the project,
Janda was selected as Augsburg’s designer by
the art faculty. In keeping with the overall
theme, she named the dinosaur
“Auggieasaurus.” All the statues were painted
during the Diggin’ Dinos Paint-Off at
RiverCentre in St. Paul, just before Memorial
Day weekend.
“My idea for the Auggieasaurus was to
incorporate Murphy Square’s history
into a ‘map’ of the various
activities that go on in the
Page 8
park each spring and fall because of its
location in Augsburg College’s campus,”
Janda says. Around the base of the statue,
she inscribed:
Murphy Square Celebrating 150 Years,
1857-2007 “From cow pasture to
community center” The Dinosaur
of Minneapolis Parks
The activities she depicts on the
Auggieasaurus are:
• Runners—The Auggie cross-country team
runs around Murphy Square every fall.
• A biker—Minneapolis has many biking
commuters who travel through the park
area every day.
• A picnic scene
• A student reading Murphy Square, the
College’s literary and arts journal
• Kayaks, representing Minnesotans’ love of
the outdoors
The four legs of the Auggieasaurus are
designed to represent the Minneapolis
skyline, Augsburg campus, Seward
neighborhood, and the University of
Minnesota.
On Sept. 9, all the statues will be
auctioned off to benefit the work of the
Science Museum of Minnesota in its next
century.
Janda is a senior in the Honors Program,
with an art studio major. During the summer
she is working on a project to illustrate a
book for children in hospitals to help them
understand medical treatments
and surgery. She also works as
a graphic designer in the
Marketing and
Communication Office.
• A Somali family, representing the rich
cultural diversity of our neighborhood
• Frisbee players
• The Campus Kitchen van that delivers
meals in the neighborhood
A
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lives in murphy square
by Betsey Norgard
and Judy Petree
page design by Jen Janda ’08
A Paint-Off took place in downtown St. Paul
as local artists created dinosaurs to be placed
around the city, all in honor of the Science
6 AUGSBURG NOW
Museum of Minnesota.
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Page 9
traditional day undergraduates and master’s program in physician assistant studies
commencement
Jeanette Clark receives Marina Christensen
Justice Award
Jeanette Clark, a senior graduating with a double major in metrourban studies and youth and family ministry, was selected as the 2007
recipient of the Marina Christensen Justice Award. Each year, this
honor is presented to the graduating senior who best exemplifies
Augsburg’s motto, “Education for Service.”
Clark, a President’s Scholar, participated in the Honors Program as
well as Concert Band. At Augsburg, she held numerous leadership
roles, including serving as a campus ministry commissioner, resident
adviser, and leadership team member for the Campus Kitchen at
Augsburg College.
As a Spanish minor, Clark spent a semester in Cuernavaca,
Mexico, through Augsburg’s Center for Global Education, where she
worked for a pre-school and after-school program.
This past year, Clark created a spring break opportunity for
students staying in Minneapolis, called “Go Away Here.” In order to
show students opportunities in the city, it included service projects,
visits to neighborhood organizations such as the Sierra Club and East
African Women’s Center, and social outings.
The award recipient must have 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.
— Jen Winter ’07
Senior Jeanette Clark was honored with the Marina Christensen Justice award from
President Pribbenow for her work in the community and on campus.
May
2007
SUMMER 2007 7
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Eboo Patel, founder of the Chicago-based Interfaith Youth
Core, in his Commencement speech, described the “faith line”
that separates religious pluralists, who seek tolerance and
cooperation, from the religious totalitarians.
excerpts
from the
commencement address
“The Faith Line: On Building the Cathedrals of Pluralism”
Eboo Patel
… In his new book, Peace Be upon You,
Zachary Karabell writes: “If we
emphasize hate, scorn, war, and
conquest, we are unlikely to perceive
that any other path is viable … ”.
Hate, scorn, war, and conquest
sounds like a pretty good summary of
our newscasts; it certainly seems like
the dominant narrative of our times.
And the soundtrack of violence these
days appears to be prayer—in Arabic,
in Hebrew, in Hindi, in various
inflections of English.
There are many who are eager to
divide humanity along a faith line:
Sunnis vs. Shias, Catholics vs.
Protestants, Hindus vs. Buddhists.
I believe there is something else
going on. I believe that the faith line is
indeed the challenge of our century,
but it does not divide people of
different religious backgrounds. The
faith line does not separate Muslims
and Christians or Hindus and Jews.
The faith line separates religious
totalitarians and religious pluralists.
A religious totalitarian is someone
who seeks to suffocate those who are
different. Their weapons range from
suicide bombs to media empires. There
are Christian totalitarians and Hindu
totalitarians and Jewish totalitarians
and Muslim totalitarians. They are on
the same side of the faith line: arm in
arm against the dream of a common
life together.
A pluralist is someone who seeks to
live with people who are different, be
enriched by them, help them thrive.
Pluralists resonate with the Qur’annic
line, “God made us different nations
and tribes that we may come to know
one another.” Pluralists are moved by
the image of the Reverend Martin
Luther King Jr. marching together with
the Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel in
Selma. Pluralists love the words of the
poet Gwendolyn Brooks:
We are each other’s business
We are each other’s harvest
We are each other’s magnitude
and bond…
We pluralists far outnumber the
totalitarians. What if we let ourselves
imagine? What if we began building?
What if every city block were a
cathedral of pluralism; every university
campus; every summer camp and day
care. There would not be enough
bombs in the world to destroy all of
our cathedrals.
Read the full Commencement Address at
www.augsburg.edu/commencement/
patel.pdf
President Emeritus Charles S. Anderson (right), who led the
College from 1980-1997 during a period of significant growth,
received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree.
Maria Belen Power is the third in her family to
graduate from Augsburg. She poses here with
sister and brother Ana Gabriela ’05 and Camilo
Jose ’02, and their uncle, Dennis Power, from
White Plains, N.Y. The three grads are from
Managua, Nicaragua, where their mother,
Kathleen McBride, is the Center for Global
Education regional co-director for Central
America and adjunct professor.
8 AUGSBURG NOW
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As the graduates process down the street lined with faculty, hands are shaken, hugs exchanged, and high-fives given.
m”
Theatre arts professors Darcey Engen ’88
Physician Assistant program director Dawn
(second from left) and Martha Johnson (second
Ludwig places the master’s hood on Huong
from right) pose with grads James Lekatz (left)
Timp, one of the 31 newly-graduated PA
and Justin Hooper (right).
students.
President Emeritus William V. Frame, who retired last year from
Augsburg, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
degree, and was lauded for his work in sharpening the mission
of the College.
SUMMER 2007 9
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The flags of the Commencement procession represent the countries of Augsburg’s graduating students.
A
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2007
weekend, evening, and graduate programs
commencement
Faculty line both sides of the street as
graduates march through them on their
way to the ceremony.
June
Nursing Department chair Cheryl Leuning takes a photo of instructor
Pauline Utesch ’05 MAN (right) with graduates in the Bachelor of
Science nursing completion degree program.
Roberta Kagin, associate professor and director of the
music therapy program, shares a graduation moment
with her daughter, Julia (Metzler) Mensing ‘00, who
serves on Augsburg’s Alumni Board and received her
10 AUGSBURG NOW
MBA degree.
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Angela Brand receives first
Richard J. Thoni Award
In honor of his retirement from Augsburg,
the Richard J. Thoni Award was established
earlier this year. It was awarded for the first
time on June 24 to Angela Brand, a social
work major.
Beyond the required 240 hours of public
service volunteer work Brand completed for
her major, she also provided parenting
instruction and visitation supervision to a
working mother in Chisago County. She
facilitated and organized meetings to ensure
that the transportation needs of clients at
the Chisago County Social Services office
were met.
Additionally, Brand developed an
evaluation of the youth-oriented services
provided by Chisago County Social Services.
The county is currently following up on her
recommendations to ensure that youth are
better prepared for their transition into
adulthood.
During his or her time at Augsburg, the
award recipient must have demonstrated a
dedication to the kind of community
involvement characterized by the personal
and professional life of Richard J. Thoni,
who until his retirement in June 2007,
served as a tireless advocate for higher
education at Augsburg.
— Jen Winter ’07
Social work major Angela Brand is the first recipient of the Richard J. Thoni Award, established in honor of the
retiring Weekend College founder and given to a weekend student committed to service in the community.
Dean Barbara Edwards Farley places a doctoral hood on
Srividya Raman, who received her master’s
Martin Marty, retired University of Chicago professor and
degree in social work, spoke on behalf of the
historian of religion, who was awarded an honorary Doctor
Class of 2007 and told how, after receiving a
of Humane Letters degree. In his Commencement speech,
business degree in India, she realized her
he gave suggestions about learning to live life as a process,
passion was in “doing something different that
not a product, continually questioning and testing.
was closer to [her] heart.”
A future college coed straightens the tassel of her mom’s
mortar board following Commencement.
More than 50 graduating students and their families from Rochester were able to leave the driving to
Augsburg and relax on their way to and from the Commencement ceremony.
SUMMER 2007 11
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Page 14
Going to college with your mom
With more classes than ever offered in Weekend College, more
students are finding out what it’s like to attend college with their
parents. The Clark and the Spargo families are two who have had
more than one generation attend Augsburg simultaneously. Jeanette
Clark and her mother, Mary Simonson Clark, both graduated in the
spring. The Spargos have three family members graduating from
Augsburg this year and next. According to Clark, “Augsburg’s
graduate programs and Weekend College facilitate adult learning and,
therefore, increase the prevalence of multi-generational students in
families.”
The Clark family went through four commencements this past
spring. There were so many that Mary referred to their graduation
schedule as: “It’s a weekend, who needs a robe?” Jeanette graduated
from Augsburg with a Bachelor of Arts degree in youth and family
ministry and metro-urban studies on May 5. Mary graduated from
Luther Seminary with a Master of Arts in theology on May 27. Mary’s
other daughter, Marie, graduated from the New School of
Architecture and Design in San Diego, Calif., with a Master of
Architecture on June 16, and Mary received the other half of her dual
degree, a Master of Social Work, from Augsburg, on June 24.
Concerning being coeds together, Mary said, “I needed to learn
how to be on the same campus with my daughter without either of
us interfering with each other’s schedules.” Jeanette added, “To be
honest, I had some small anxieties when my mother started college at
Augsburg. It just doesn’t fit the norm to go to college with your
mother.” But both assert that not only did it work, but that the family
grew closer because of it. Jeanette claimed, “I think it was really good
for both of us to have others in our family who were going through
the stress of homework, tests, etc. at the same time. I think this really
promoted understanding.”
Jeanette Clark (left) who graduated in May, shares graduation joy with her mother,
Mary Simonson Clark, who completed dual master’s degrees at Luther Seminary and
Augsburg College. For more on Jeanette, see page 7.
The Spargos had three members attending Augsburg last year, and
all three participated in Advent Vespers. Antonio graduated in May
with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and secondary education.
Carolyn, mother to Annika and Antonio, graduated from Augsburg in
1980 and will complete the Master of Arts in Leadership program
next year. She says, “It’s been fun to have some of the same professors
my kids have.” Annika, who will graduate next year also, with a
Bachelor of Arts in music and education, adds, “Although there are
several of us on campus, we all have our separate programs which
allow us to maintain some individuality.” Continuing, she says, “I
think the neatest thing about being a family of Auggies is that I have
seen and met so many different people from different departments at
the school whom I normally would not know.”
— Jen Winter ’07
the class of 2007—956 graduates
May 5, 2007—semester programs
31 Master of Science, Physician Assistant Studies students
409 Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science
440 Total graduating
June 24, 2007—trimester programs
234 Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science
172 Weekend College
52 Rochester
10 United/Unity/Mercy Hospitals
20 Master of Arts, Education
26 Master of Arts, Leadership
15 Master of Arts, Nursing
178 Master of Business Administration
43 Master of Social Work
516 Total graduating
An MBA degree was also awarded posthumously to Shika Addo,
a student in the program, who died in April 2006.
12 AUGSBURG NOW
ALUMNI NEWS
From the
Alumni Board
president …
Greetings fellow
Auggies,
Well, a year has come and gone.
My time as president of the
Alumni Association is at an end.
My hat is off to all the wonderful
folks on the Alumni Board and
to the faculty and staff at
Augsburg. They’re a great group
dedicated to Augsburg and her mission.
As I handed off the president’s role to Buffie Blesi, we had a great
strategic planning retreat in June to define our new objectives.
I’m excited to report to you that our focus areas for 2007 include:
• Augsburg Stewards—Connect with the Augsburg Stewards and
build our Auggie Pride!
• Career Development Program—support Augsburg’s efforts
around Career Development for (soon to be) alumni;
• Gateway—participate in the opening of the Oren Gateway
Center and ongoing activities there
• Vespers—support the annual Advent Vespers programming
• Awards Committee—honor Auggies each year who have done
amazing things in service to the world and Augsburg’s mission
• Augsburg Now Advisory Committee—provide input and advice
to the great group of folks producing the Augsburg Now
• Affinity Groups—build connections with other groups at
Augsburg
• Fundraising—help build Augsburg’s strength through support
of the Annual Fund
Centennial
Singers perform in
the Twin Cities
The Centennial Singers, a male
chorus of Augsburg alumni and
friends, will present a series of
concerts this fall in the greater
Twin Cities area.
The chorus was formed in the
early 1990s of former Augsburg
Quartet members to revive and
continue singing the gospel
quartet tradition. Since then,
they have toured both to Norway
and the Southwest U.S. twice.
Fall Concerts/Appearances:
Fri., Sept. 28, 7 p.m.
Faith Lutheran Church,
Staples, Minn.
Sat., Sept. 29, 7 p.m.
Salem Lutheran Church,
Deerwood, Minn.
Sun., Sept. 30, 4 p.m.
Cambridge Lutheran Church,
Cambridge, Minn.
Sat., Oct. 6, 7 p.m.
Christ the King Lutheran Church,
1900 7th St., New Brighton, Minn.
Sat., Oct. 20, 7 p.m.
Calvary Lutheran Church of
Golden Valley,\
7520 Golden Valley Rd.,
Golden Valley, Minn.
Benefit—Wilderness Canoe Base
Sun., Oct. 21, 4 p.m.
Colonial Church of Edina,
6200 Colonial Way, Edina, Minn.
Sat., Oct. 27, 7 p.m.
Community of the Cross
Lutheran Church,
10701 Bloomington Ferry Rd.,
Bloomington, Minn.
Sun., Oct. 28, 4 p.m.
King of Kings Lutheran Church,
1583 Radio Dr.,
Woodbury, Minn.
Sat., Nov. 3, 7 p.m.
Minnetonka Lutheran Church,
16023 Minnetonka Blvd.,
Minnetonka, Minn.
Sun, Nov. 4, 4 p.m.
St. Michael’s Lutheran Church,
9201 Normandale Blvd.,
Bloomington, Minn.
You are invited and encouraged to participate. Please contact the
Alumni Relations office.
All my best to you and your family as the cycle turns and we
start another year.
Barry M. Vornbrock ’96 MAL
President, Alumni Board, 2006-07
SUMMER 2007 13
CLASS NOTES
1950
1969
Frank Ario, Minneapolis, was
featured on the Minnesota Public
Radio show, Midday on May 18,
in a program, “Two Minnesotans
Touched by WWII; Two
Strikingly Different Stories.”
Royce Helmbrecht, Austin,
Minn., is principal at Lyle
Community School in Lyle,
Minn., a small school of 240
students recently named by
Newsweek in the top five percent
of high schools in the nation.
1952
Robert R. Hage Sr., Hector,
Minn., was entered into the
Minnesota High School Football
Coaches Hall of Fame on April
21. He is the former football
coach at Hector High School.
Rev. Orville Olson and his wife,
Yvonne (Bagley), Excelsior,
Minn., celebrated the 50th
anniversary of his ordination. He
is currently a pastor at Mount
Calvary Lutheran Church in
Excelsior. Gifts will be given to
the Timothy Olson Memorial
Scholarship, honoring their son.
John R. Hubbling, St. Paul,
Minn., received the Max Hecht
Award from ASTM International
Committee D19 on Water. The
committee cited Hubbling for his
outstanding service and
advancing the study of water. He
is laboratory manager for
Metropolitan Council/
Environmental Services in St.
Paul, and also serves on ASTM
International’s international
committees on waste
management, and quality and
standards.
1970
1967
Gerrie Wall (Neff), Rapid City,
S. Dak., retired in May, after a
five-decade teaching career, from
Western Dakota Technical
Institute (WDTI) in Rapid City,
where she has taught in the
general education department for
the last 18 years. At this year’s
commencement ceremony, she
received the Distinguished
Service Award from the school,
and is the first faculty member to
be honored with its highest
award.
Mary (Tweeten) Gladwin,
Pocatello, Idaho, has retired after
21 years in education. She taught
in Cottage Grove, Minn., and
was the media specialist at Grace
Lutheran and Hawthorne Middle
School in Pocatello, Idaho.
physical education and aquatics
in the Glynn County (Ga.)
schools. She was also principal
horn with the Coastal Symphony
of Georgia and played in other
bands and small brass groups. At
Augsburg, she played in a brass
group named Neophonic Brass
with Mike Savold, Bob Stacke,
Johnny English, and others, and
would love to continue playing
brass music.
1982
Les Heen, Maynard, Minn., was
recently appointed president and
general manager of Pioneer
Public Television in Appleton.
He and his wife, Barbara
(Westerlund) ’89, have two
children, Chris, 9, and Erik, 6.
Barbara (Mattison) Lagrue,
Lamberton, Minn., has recently
moved back to the Midwest,
with her husband, Paul. For
many years, she taught adaptive
14 AUGSBURG NOW
John Sheehan, Lakeville, Minn.,
has been named boys varsity
basketball head coach in
Lakeville South High School. For
seven years he was an assistant
coach with the Lakeville North
girls team.
1997
Jasmina Besirevic-Regan,
Hamden, Conn., and her
husband, Matt, welcomed their
second daughter, Lejla, on June
14, 2006.
Rev. Scott M. Ludford, Hayward,
Wis., was installed as senior
pastor of First Lutheran Church
on January 21, after serving at
Concordia Lutheran Church in
Superior, Wis., for eight-and-ahalf years.
1987
Jody Abbott was recently named
senior vice president and chief
operating officer at North Kansas
City (Mo.) Hospital to provide
direction for upper management
in the areas of nursing services,
support services, and facilities.
Previously, she worked at
Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa,
Okla., in a similar position.
1992
1975
1993
Rev. Judith Bangsund, San Jose,
Calif., is pastor, along with her
husband, Rev. James Bangsund,
at Timothy’s Lutheran Church.
She graduated in nursing, served
with her husband in Tanzania for
several years, and became
ordained.
Join the Augsburg
Online Community
• Keep in touch with
classmates
• Find out what’s happening
on campus
• Change/update your address
and e-mail
www.augsburg.edu/alumni
CLASS NOTES
1999
Cheri Johnson, Minneapolis,
received a $25,000 McKnight
Artist Fellowship for Writers,
through the Loft Literary Center,
in creative prose. She has
graduate degrees in English from
Hollins College and the
University of Minnesota and is a
regular participant in the English
Department Homecoming
Reading and Career Night.
2000
Sara M. Quigley, St. Paul, Minn.,
graduated on May 27 from
Luther Seminary with a Master
of Divinity degree. She is the
youth director at St. Stephen
Lutheran Church in White Bear
Lake, Minn., and hopes to
become ordained in the ELCA.
Jennifer Rensenbrink, and her
husband, Adam Miller,
Minneapolis, welcomed twins, a
boy and a girl, at Fairview
Riverside Hospital on June 9.
Rowan Charles weighed 5 lbs., 2
oz.; and Anneke Rensenbrink
weighed 4 lbs., 14 oz.
certified nursing assistant/
environmental aide at Fairview
Southdale Hospital in Edina,
Minn.
2003
Natalia Pretelt, Roseville, Minn.,
was mentioned in the Money
and Business section of the Star
Tribune on April 15 for her role
as a loan specialist with the
Minneapolis Consortium of
Community Developers. She is
involved in microlending and
small loans to help immigrants
and others start businesses.
Jonathan Fahler, has studied
since 2004 in the Master of Arts
in Medical Sciences program at
Loyola University Chicago and
was recently admitted to medical
school at Des Moines University
College of Osteopathic Medicine.
John Tieben, St. Louis Park,
Minn., received his medical
degree from the University of
Minnesota on May 4. Tieben and
his wife, Danielle (Slack) ’04,
will live in Duluth, where he will
serve a three-year family practice
residency in the St. Mary’s/Duluth
Clinic Health System, St. Luke’s
Hospital, and the Duluth Family
Practice Center.
Options, a volunteer mentoring
program that connects with atrisk kids, ages 10-14, in the
Twin Cities through biking and
running. See blog photos at
bolderoptions.org.
2005
Brooke Dornbusch received a
Master of Arts in counseling
degree in May from the
Assemblies of God Theological
Seminary in Springfield, Mo.
Mark Simmonds, placed fourth
in the 120-kilogram GrecoRoman class at the 2007 USA
Wrestling Senior World Team
Trials. He is a damage
controlman third class (DC3) in
the U.S. Navy, operating out of
the Mayport, Fla., Naval Station
and is a member of the Navy’s
wrestling team.
2006
Lauren Falk, Eden Prairie,
Minn., has started her own
portrait/wedding photography
business, Lauren B. Photography,
with on-location photography of
weddings, portraits, and events
in the Twin Cities metro area.
Graduate Programs
Jeff Falkingham ’95 MAL, Eden
Prairie, Minn., donated his
services to author a 2007
commemorative edition of his
earlier book, The County
Courthouse Caper, recounting the
history of his native Browns
Valley, Minn. The publisher,
Beaver’s Pond Press, has donated
1000 copies for the city to sell as
a fundraiser for its Long-Term
Flood Recovery Fund.
Dietrich-Swanson Wedding
2004
2001
Emily Waldon, Salem, Mass.,
recently joined the Harvard
Vanguard Medical Associates at
its Cambridge internal medicine
practice as a physician assistant.
She received a master’s degree
from Northeastern University in
Boston. Formerly she was a
Max Langaard, Oakland, Calif.,
was recently featured in an
article titled, “Teaching
Leadership through Coaching.”
The article is focused on the
Sports-4-Kids program centered
in the Bay area inner city
schools. The program attempts
to help children become not only
healthier but also to learn what it
takes to lead.
Laura Simones, St. Paul, has
biked from Boulder, Colo., to
Minneapolis with Bolder
Hannah Dietrich and Nathan Swanson ’05,, Lincoln, Neb., were
married on June 8, in Luverne, Minn. The wedding included several
Auggie students and staff, including Sadie Dietrich ’09, Lynde
Kuipers ’08, cross-country and track coach Dennis Barker, Marcia
Gunz ’05, Anna (Ferguson) Rendell ’05, Kyla Rice ’05, Tim
Stowe, and Janeece (Adams) Oatmann ’05. Jeremiah Knabe ’05
also served as an officiant at the wedding. Hannah is a doctoral
student at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, and Nathan is
pursuing a job with Lincoln Public Schools.
SUMMER 2007 15
CLASS NOTES
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!
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 e-mail to
alumni@augsburg.edu. You can also submit news to the Augsburg
Online Community at www.augsburg.edu/alumni.
Full name
Maiden name
Class year or last year attended
Street address
City, State, Zip
In Memoriam
Larsen, Norman ’34,
Morristown, Minn., age 97, on
June 12. He was a member of the
Athletic Hall of Fame.
Woolson, Gladys (Oudal) ’34,
Minneapolis, age 92, on May 9.
Knudsen, Rev. Richard I. ’37
Sem, Minneapolis, age 95, on
July 10.
Gilseth, Margaret (Chrislock)
’40, St. Charles, Minn., age 88,
on June 10. She was a
Distinguished Alumna.
Framstad, Rev. Waldemar ’41,
Marinette, Wis., age 87, on June
14, after a lengthy illness.
Ahlberg, Rev. G. Harold ’42,
Valparaiso, Ind., age 86, on June 4.
Is this a new address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Home telephone
Stolee, Magdalene (Gronseth)
’42, Kenyon, Minn., age 87, on
June 11.
E-mail
Okay to publish your e-mail address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Employer
Position
Work telephone
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? ❑ Yes ❑ No
If yes, class year
Spouse’s name
Maiden name
Your news:
16 AUGSBURG NOW
Estness, Borghild ’43,
Minneapolis, age 92, on July 8.
She served as a recorder in
Augsburg’s Office of the Registrar.
Gronseth, Luther C., Sr., ’43,
Apple Valley, Minn., age 86, on
June 23.
Lindahl, Burton J. ’50, Wayzata,
Minn., age 82, on May 22.
Bakken, Rev. Hardis C. ’52, San
Pablo, Calif., age 97, on May 5.
Thompson, Robert D. ’52,
Bloomington, Minn., age 81, on
June 29.
Pundy, Eileen “Dolly” ’59,
Minneapolis, age 69, on May 4.
Peterson, Rolf ’61, University
Place, Wash., on April 24.
Heimbigner, Marlene (Hanggi)
’65, Olympia, Wash., on Jan. 15.
Timmons, Peter ’74, St. Paul,
age 63, on June 16, from
pancreatic cancer.
Ness, Sheela Jo ’86, Plymouth,
Minn., on July 4, of injuries from
an auto accident.
Galland, John H. ’93, Durango,
Colo., age 56, on May 18, in an
auto accident.
Hope, Jared ’00, West Concord,
Minn., age 28, on May 8 of
injuries from an auto accident.
Neitzel, Daniel Kurt ’06, Eden
Prairie, Minn., age 27, on
June 11.
Ward, Sister Agnes, CSJ, on
April 10. She taught classical
languages at Augsburg in the
1960s.
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CALENDAR
For music information, call 612-330-1265
For theatre ticket information, call 612-330-1257
For art gallery information, call 612-330-1524
SEPTEMBER
September 10
Seventh Annual Scholastic
Connections Gala and Dinner
Celebrating the scholarship/
mentorship program and the four
ethnic services programs
Free and open to the public
6:30–8:30 p.m.—East Commons,
Christensen Center
Info and reservations: 612-359-6480
or scholar@augsburg.edu
September 24-25
2007 Christensen Symposium
Everyday Life in the Light of the
Gospel
Rolf A. Jacobson, associate professor of
Old Testament, Luther Seminary.
Free and open to the public.
September 24, “Why Do You Weep?
Sadness, Grief, and the Gospel”
7 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel
September 25, “How Can I Keep
from Singing? Laughter, Joy, and the
Gospel”
11 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel
September 27
Theatre Artist Series
From Augsburg to the Guthrie
Theater
Katie Koch ’06, stage manager and
executive assistant to Joe Dowling,
Guthrie Theater
9:40–11:10 a.m.—Tjornhom-Nelson
Theater
September 14–October 26
Glass from the American-Swedish
Institute and Its Local Influence
Gage Family Art Gallery, Oren
Gateway Center
Opening reception: Friday, Sept. 14,
5:30–7:30 p.m.
Artist Presentation: To be announced
September 14–October 26
Reweaving a Life
Prints by Alejandro González Aranda
and baskets by women weavers of
Tlamacazapa, Guerrero, Mexico
Christensen Center Art Gallery
Artist Printmaking Demonstration:
Friday, Oct. 12, 8:30–10:10 a.m.
Artist Presentation and Reception:
Friday, Oct. 12, 3:30–5:30 p.m.
September 18
Theatre Artist Series
Technical Direction at the
Guthrie Theater
Craig Pettigrew, assistant
technical director
9:40–11:10 a.m.—
Tjornhom-Nelson Theater
September 20
Featured Artist Presentation
A Life in the Theatre
Peter C. Brocius, artistic director,
Children’s Theatre Company
7 p.m.—Tjornhom-Nelson Theater
October 17
Many Voices: Bold Visions
Convocation Series
Peter Bisanz, film director,
documentary One
10 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel
NOVEMBER
November 2–11
Life is a Dream (La vida es sueño)
by Pedro Calderon de la Barca
Directed by Martha Johnson
Nov. 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10 at 7 p.m.
Nov. 4 and 11 at 2 p.m.
Tjornhom-Nelson Theater
OCTOBER
October 8
Theatre Artist Series
Working in the Theatre
Buffy Sedlacheck, literary manager,
Jungle Theatre
12:10–1:10 p.m.—Tjornhom-Nelson
Theater
October 8–13
Homecoming 2007
See www.augsburg.edu/alumni for
information
October 11
Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
November 14
2007 Koryne Horbal Lecture
Anne Pedersen Women’s
Resource Center
Jane Fonda
“My Life’s Lessons about Sex and
Gender”
10 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel
November 30
Velkommen Jul Celebration
10:15 a.m.—Chapel Service,
Hoversten Chapel
11 a.m.—Scandinavian treats and
gifts, Christensen Center
October 12
1957 50th Anniversary
Celebration
Homecoming Convocation
Homecoming Luncheon
Campaign Completion
Celebration and Oren Gateway
Center Dedication
Dept. of Sociology 60th
Anniversary Celebration
November 30–December 1
That All May Have Light
28th Annual Advent Vespers:
A service of music and liturgy
5 and 8 p.m. each night
Central Lutheran Church,
Minneapolis
For seating envelopes,
612-330-1265
English Alumni/ae Reunion
and Reading
October 13
1967 40-Year Reunion
Picnic in the Park
Football game vs.
University of St. Thomas
Auggie Block Party
SUMMER 2007
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An Augsburg Mural
Augsburg’s history is celebrated in the mural across
the Barnes and Noble Augsburg Bookstore windows
at the new Oren Gateway Center. Artwork by
photographer Stephen Geffre.
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Minneapolis, MN
Permit No. 2031
Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Summer 2010: Auggies On Stage
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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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
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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.
‰
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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
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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. Darryl Torrin, Cedar Falls,
66Iowa, retired on July 1 after
serving for 39 years in active parish
ministry. For the past 13 years, he
has served at St. John Maxfield
Evangelical Lutheran Church in rural
Denver, Iowa, where a retirement
celebration was held on June 6.
Alvina Strand Skogen, Eppen, N.D.,
is serving a two-year term as president of Western North Dakota
Synodical Women’s Organization
(Women of the ELCA).
David Siedlar received the “Model Worker Award” from the Communist
71Party, City of Huaian, Jiangsu Province, China, in April, which was published in the party newspaper.
Michael Good, Raritan, N.J.,
71president and CEO of Sotheby's
International Realty Affiliates, LLC,
and chair of the Augsburg College
Board of Regents, was named to the
Inman 100, a list of the top 100
most influential leaders in real estate
for 2009 by Inman News.
department at Lake Superior College
in Duluth. She has a master’s degree in business administration from
the University of St. Thomas, a master’s degree in education from College of St. Scholastica, and a
graduate certificate in educational
computing and technology from
University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Kathy (Langemo) Dugdale, Su-
72perior, Wis., was named director of the business services
Annette (Olsen) Hustad, Glenwood,
Minn., is “Lena” in the comedy
singing duo, “Tina and Lena,” along
with Susan “Tina” Edwards. For 25
years, they have entertained audiences in the Upper Midwest and farther with music, humor, and fun.
With degrees in music therapy and
music education, she taught K-12
music for 10 years. In April they performed at the Lifestyles Expo in
Alexandria.
Lois (Wennen) Larson, White
80Bear Lake, Minn., was named
to a one-year appointment as interim financial aid director at
Metropolitan State University in
Minneapolis, effective Feb. 1.
Joan (Maland) Mussa was re-
81cently named senior vice presiParticipants in the Master of Arts in Leadership study and cultural tour of Norway in June pause for a group photo
in the mountain resort town of Geilo. Twenty-eight Augsburg faculty, alumni, students, and friends of the College
took part in the customized MAL program done in conjunction with Diakonhjemmet University College in Oslo,
Augsburg experts on Norway, and CrossingBorders travel company in the Twin Cities. Pictured are Ruth and
Raymond Burgau; Paul ’65, Priscilla ’65, David, Karen, Andrew, Lynnsey, and Erika Fieldhammer; Professor
Douglas Green; John Grafstrom and Carol Sime ’73; Pete and Glenda Holste ’05 MAL; Lucinda Hruska-Claeys
’10 MAL; Paul ’80 and Rebecca Kilgore; Professor Lynn Lindow; Roger and Linda Nielsen; Angeline and Jeanne
Nelson ’09 MBA; Professor Norma Noonan; Patty ’02 MAL and Warren Park; Tawni Reller; Professor Linda
Stevens; Professor Barbara West.
Look for more about the MAL experiences in Norway at www.augsburg.edu/now
36
Augsburg Now
dent for donor engagement,
advocacy, and communications at
the United States office of World Vision, one of the largest relief, development, and advocacy organizations
in the world. Her responsibilities include overseeing the work of all private fund raising, government
relations, advocacy, internet, publications, and additional communication functions. She and her
husband, Mohammed, and their
three children live near Seattle.
Tessa Flynn, Minneapolis, ap-
05peared in the Frank Theatre
Daniel Werner and Shayne
95Hamann, Little Canada,
Minn., announce the birth of their
daughter, Savannah, born on Feb.
20. Savannah joins her twin brothers, Drake and Dylan, age 3.
Monica Fitzgerald, Washing-
Ryan Carlson BA ’96 and BS ’02 and his wife, Lauren, St. Paul, an-
96nounce the births of identical twin daughters, Adelaine Elizabeth and
Isadora Louise, on Feb. 14. Addy and Izzy join brother Quin, 4 1/2. The family lives in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Ryan is an engineer
for Seagate.
Karen Reed, Atascadero, Calif.,
82ton, D.C., is director of CIO
90was appointed program direc-
University and the deputy director of
the IT Accessibility and Workforce
Division in the General Services Administration’s Office of Governmentwide Policy. In 2009 she was
selected as a member of the Council
for Excellence in the Fellow’s Program of the Partnership for Public
Service, which focuses on servant
leadership.
tor in January at Coalinga State Hospital, the newest state mental health
hospital in the California Department
of Mental Health. She formerly
served 18 years as a registered
music therapist at Atascadero State
Hospital. She continues to represent
forensic psychiatric music therapy
treatment at the national and regional music therapy conferences.
Tim Asgrimson, Edina, Minn.,
Anthony Patton has published
83was recently named the chief
91his second novel, Unfaithfully
financial officer of Kraus-Anderson
Cos., where he has worked since
2007 as assistant chief financial officer. For 16 years prior to that he
provided tax, auditing, and consulting services to the company.
Yours, a love story in which he explores how hard-working couples
can achieve happiness and success
in the time it takes to watch a great
movie.
Sharon (Fairbanks) Romano,
Minneapolis, has served as director of the Department of Indian
Work of the St. Paul Area Council of
Churches for the past year.
87
Kristin Eggerling, Hallock,
89Minn., is a freelance writer
and has served on the board of Conservation Minnesota. A recent article
on StarTribune.com featured her
family’s outing to view the giant jack
pine in Lake Bronson State Park.
Nnamdi Okoronkwo, Minneapolis, an
assistant city attorney with the City
of Minneapolis, was appointed in
April by Governor Tim Pawlenty to a
four-year term on the Council on
Black Minnesotans.
Luann Roth, Columbia, Mo., has
been appointed as education coordinator of the Mizzou Advantage, a
collaboration of five programs of excellence at the University of Missouri. She will facilitate
interdisciplinary curriculum and
courses for these five areas. She has
been an instructor in the English Department and is completing her doctorate in American film and folklore.
Heidi (Wachholz) Boll,
Minneapolis, was named vice
president of sales for the Northeast
Region of Allianz Life Insurance
Company of North America. She
joined the company in 2001 and
has held several positions within it.
94
Lori (Langager) Higgins, Blaine,
Minn., became president of the
MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce
in the Twin Cities in May. She has
worked for the chamber since February 2009 and became its first female chief executive officer.
Kari (Schroeder) Prescott, Minneapolis, took a new position as representative for Minnesota to the
American Podiatric Medical Association in Washington, D.C., and will be
kept busy with the current healthcare debate issues.
Matthew Gooding, Sun Lakes,
95Ariz., graduated from a medical assistant program and is currently looking for and interviewing
for jobs.
Carye (Johnson) Bye, Portland
company’s adaptation of Kafka’s
Metamorphosis, which ran at the
Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis during April. She is also on
the board of the theatre. (Read
more about her on p. 28).
Jessica (Norman) and Eric
01Hafemeyer welcomed Kristen
Marie on February 22. Kristen joins
big sister, Lauren, 3.
Christina (Boe) Anderson,
04Blaine, Minn., and her husband, Michael, welcomed their new
daughter, Charlotte Marie, on Feb. 25.
Chad Darr and his wife, Krista, welcomed a son, Hayden James, on
May 5.
Miranda Nelson, Chicago,
06began the clinical psychology
PhD program at the University of
Illinois at Chicago last fall. She plans
on specializing in pediatric neuropsychology and will graduate with
her doctoral degree in 2014.
Dan Morlock, St. Paul, is site
97Ore., is owner of Red Bat
07leader of a before- and-after-
Press, a print and design company.
She wrote and illustrated a book,
Hidden Portland: Museums &
Collections, in 2010 with Bedouin
Books.
school child care program for the
Roseville school district called
Friendship Connection.
Ted Schultz, Bloomington,
98Minn., started a new position
as activities director at Minnetonka
(Minn.) High School on July 1. He
had served for six years in the same
position at Bloomington Jefferson
High School.
Adam Erickson, Chanhassen,
00Minn., was appointed busi-
ness banking officer at Anchor Bank
in Eden Prairie. Prior to this he was
a business relationship manager for
Wells Fargo Bank.
Maureen O’Shaughnessy was featured as a music therapist on
WCCO-TV about her work with autistic children at Fraser Child and Family Center.
Molly Shortall recently completed
her master's degree at Manhattan
School of Music. She has been in
New York City for two years and
works as a house musician at a
large church in Brooklyn. This summer, she's singing the role of Second
Lady in Die Zauberflöte.
Summer 2010
37
Colonel Steven Charles ’76
receives Legion of Merit
On May 1, Colonel Steven Charles ’76 received the Legion of
Merit, the highest award not received for valor, which is
awarded for “exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements.”
While Charles’ 30-year military career began in 1977 as a
navy pilot, he received the Legion of Merit for his work as program manager from 2001 to 2007 in the 87th Air Force Element, and air director of joint operations, Air Force Element,
U.S. Army Forces Command, 87th Battle Command Training
Division in Birmingham, Ala.
The citation states, “In this key leadership position, Colonel
Charles served as project officer for nine major exercises and
15 Command Post exercises preparing over 30,000 Army
troops for Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom, and the
Global War on Terrorism.”
His duties included training the soldiers how to call in close
air support. By teaching soldiers how to talk to Air Force support, how to call in for help, and what protocols and information they needed, they could quickly be rescued, saving their
own lives and those of other ground forces. He also developed a
successful Train the Trainers program that provided understanding of joint operations within the modern battlefield.
During his military career, Charles served two cruises aboard
the USS Constellation where he had more than 200 carrier
landings. He was chosen to become a Navy A-4 adversary pilot
and graduated from the Navy Fighter Weapons School. He
Rikki Starich, Lexington, Ky., was recently appointed assistant director of
annual giving at Transylvania University in Lexington. In May she completed her Master of Education in
higher education administration/
institutional advancement.
Andrew Sinko, Blaine, Minn., a
teacher in Spring Lake Park, Minn.,
has been accepted to a University of
London doctoral program.
Zac Wooten, New York, received his
master’s degree from New York University and continues to express appreciation for the support of faculty
at Augsburg.
A.J. Hau and his brother, Chris,
10from Fort Collins, Colo., were
signed by the Colorado Eagles
hockey team. They both advanced
through the Northern Colorado
Youth Hockey and Colorado State
University hockey programs.
Christopher Stedman gradu-
08ated with a master’s degree in
theology from Meadville Lombard
Theological School of Chicago.
38
Augsburg Now
Jens Olsen and Heidi Le will spend
the 2010–11 academic year in
Vietnam on Fulbright English Teaching Awards.
Courtesy photo
alumni class notes
Colonel Steven Charles ’76 (left) received the Legion of Merit, presented to him in
Birmingham, Ala., on May 1, by Brigadier General David W. Puster.
crossed to the Air Force and was an instructor in both the
F-111 Aardvark and the F-117 Stealth Fighter. In 1990, he appeared on national television as one of the two pilots flying a
Stealth Fighter during their unveiling.
He left active duty in 1991 and joined the Air Force Reserves before joining the 87th Division. He retired from the military in 2007 and is now a Boeing 767 pilot for Delta Air Lines.
BETSEY NORGARD
Graduate Programs
Sarah Resor ’06 MAL and Eric
Johnson, both of Robbinsdale,
Minn., were married Feb. 27 in Oak
Ridge Conference Center.
Mike Bilden ’07 MAL, St. Louis Park,
Minn., is coordinator of the new
Adult Degree Completion Program in
the College of Business and Economics at University of WisconsinRiver Falls. He has served as
director of continuing education at
North Hennepin Community College
and director of adult and graduate
admissions at Augsburg.
Larry McGraw ’10 MBA, Owatonna,
Minn., has been appointed senior
vice president and chief credit officer of Home Federal Savings Bank
in Rochester. Previously he spent
eight years at United Prairie Bank in
Mankato, Minn.
Hector Matascastillo ’10 MSW is
using his own experience and gift of
compassion to help veterans when
they return from war.
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!
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 e-mail alumni@augsburg.edu. You can also submit news at
www.augsburg.edu/alumni.
____________________________________________________________
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
In Memoriam
____________________________________________________________
E-mail
Olsen, W. Donald ’34, Sioux Falls,
S.D., age 99, on Dec. 20.
Nelson, Gordon A., ’54, Cloquet,
Minn., age 77, on April 9.
Okay to publish your e-mail address? q Yes q No
Paulson, Dr. Eric ’38, Spokane,
Wash., age 92, on March 6.
Wolden, Gerhard ’56, Minneapolis,
age 82, on April 5.
____________________________________________________________
Employer
Shebeck, Ethel (Sinner) ’38,
Richfield, Minn., age 93, on November 14.
Welch, Robert ’58, Burlingame,
Calif., age 73, on March 28.
Ronholm, Olive ’47, Golden Valley,
Minn., age 84, on March 9.
Peterson, Robert ’49, New London,
Minn., age 83, on April 8.
Schmeltzer, George W. ’61, Minneapolis, age 70, on March 31.
Faue, Jeffrey L. ’68, Belle Mead,
N.J., age 64, on April 15.
____________________________________________________________
Position
____________________________________________________________
Work telephone
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? q Yes q No
Bolstad, Nan (Haraseth) ’69, Jefferson, Ore., age 63, on March 2.
If yes, class year ________________________________________________
Metz, Rev. Richard G. ’74, Sisters,
Ore., age 63, on May 13.
____________________________________________________________
Spouse’s name
Arney, Claudia (Odegaard) ’78,
Clarkdale, Iowa, age 74, on
April 17.
____________________________________________________________
Maiden name
Davis, Gerald ’51, Litchfield,
Minn., age 82, on April 21.
Haugan, Joan ’80, Spring Lake
Park, Minn., age 80, on Feb. 14,
2009.
Your news:
____________________________________________________________
Stenvig, Charles Selmer ’51,
Sun City, Ariz., age 82, on
February 22.
Thayer, Nancybeth (Sedgwick) ’80,
Hermantown, Minn., age 49, on
June 30, 2006.
Schmidt, Ruth A. ’52, Decatur, Ga.,
age 79, on May 24 (See story on
p. 35)
Reinhart, Laura Jane ’82, Livermore,
Calif., age 49, on January 2.
Hegland, Dagny (Quanbeck) ’50,
Brandon, S.D., age 81, on
March 17.
Johnson, Esther ’50, Minneota,
Minn., age 80, on April 15.
Johnson, Rev. LeRoy ’50, Richland,
Mich., on January 11, 2009.
Kjos, Edwin ’54, Abbotsford, Wis.,
age 85, on March 31.
Therres, Emmaline (Schlueter),
Chaska, Minn., age 66, on April 2;
former faculty member.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
q I know a student who is interested in attending Augsburg.
Summer 2010
39
my
Auggie experience
By all accounts—his own included—sophomore Gottlieb Uahengo
had a difficult first semester at Augsburg College.
Making the move to Minneapolis from his home in Namibia meant
many changes. He missed his family and friends and got sick five
times from the food. He was introduced to Mountain Dew and the effects of over-consumption. “I didn’t sleep for several days,” he says.
And when he witnessed his first snowfall, a fellow student asked
him, “Are you alright? You look disturbed.”
Uahengo is a Legacy Scholarship student. His father graduated
from the University of Minnesota and came to work in Augsburg’s
Physics Department while his wife, Fredericka ’90, completed her
degree in education. Gottlieb was actually born at Fairview Riverside
Hospital but lived most of his life in Oshakati,
Namibia, where his father is a pharmacist and
his mother serves as the rector of Ongwediva
Teachers College.
When it came time to apply for college,
Uahengo’s father said, “I’m sending you
to Augsburg.” Because Uahengo wants
to be an engineer, his father wanted
him to study in a small school
with a good physics department.
“My father holds professors
[Mark] Engebretson and [Jeff]
Johnson in high esteem,”
Uahengo says. “He told
me I would get more out
of my education at
Augsburg than at a
large, public
university.”
His father also told him to be prepared for the challenge of college
life. “He said the best way to overcome adversity is to become part of
the community, to take a leap of faith.” And that’s exactly what led
to a better second semester and a successful first year at Augsburg
for Uahengo.
Greg Holker, Augsburg’s men’s soccer coach, said Uahengo
looked frightened and overwhelmed when the two first met last summer. “I wasn’t sure he would amount to much as a soccer player because he seemed frail physically and psychologically,” Holker recalls.
After a tentative start, Holker says the first-year player definitely
made an impact on the team. “He scored a big goal against Buena
Vista and took off in training from that point on,” says Holker. “He
sought out improvement and soaked up as much information as he
could. Rarely do I see a person that determined to learn and learn
quickly.”
Rebekah Dupont, whom Uahengo calls his mentor, says he displayed the same tenacity in his academics as on the soccer field.
Dupont worked with him in Augsburg’s North Star STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program. He participated
in the calculus workshop, a class in which students work together on
challenging problems. He also got involved in a research project,
something not many first-year students take on.
“Gottlieb has very high expectations for himself, and I think this
made adapting to so many new things all at once a challenge,”
Dupont says. “As he feels more comfortable and confident, those
high expectations and strong work ethic will serve him very well.”
In addition to conducting research during the school year, Uahengo is working on a summer project with another student and professor Ben Stottrup of the Physics Department. This fall he will be
an officer with Augsburg’s International Student Organization and
will continue to play soccer. He also hopes to compete on the track
team as a sprinter in the spring term.
“When I set my mind to something, it’s hard to sway me,”
Uahengo says. “I am always looking for a way to be engaged.”
WENDI WHEELER ’06
40
Augsburg Now
an
augsburg legacy
Joyce Young
“I value the impact of my Augsburg education on my life and career … That’s why I am giving
back through naming Augsburg as owner of a life insurance policy. Augsburg’s gift planning team,
along with my financial adviser, showed me the great benefits.”
1-800-273-0617
www.augsburg.edu/giving
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Minneapolis, MN
Permit No. 2031
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Courtesy photo
Augsburg Choir tours China
The Augsburg Choir and the choir from Guangxi
Provincial Normal University in Guilin, China, pose for a
giant group photo during the choir’s trip through China.
For the choir’s China blog and photos, go to
www.augsburg.edu/music.
Show less
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Title
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Augsburg Now Summer 2011: Auggies Go Global
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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AUGSBURG NOW
SUMMER 2011
VOL. 73, NO. 3
inside
auggies
Augsburg Now
The Magazine of Augsburg College
25Awesome
Years
of Life-Changing
internships Commencement 2011
Ali Rapp ’11 Gage Center for Student Success
Travel
International Auggies Ask an Auggie expert
page
20
Achievement
in the ...
Show more
AUGSBURG NOW
SUMMER 2011
VOL. 73, NO. 3
inside
auggies
Augsburg Now
The Magazine of Augsburg College
25Awesome
Years
of Life-Changing
internships Commencement 2011
Ali Rapp ’11 Gage Center for Student Success
Travel
International Auggies Ask an Auggie expert
page
20
Achievement
in the classroom Nick Ward ’11
go
global
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
Kathy Rumpza ’05 MAL
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Education off the main road
Creative Associate-Design
a
s I write these words for the summer issue of
the Augsburg Now—which includes stories illustrating Augsburg’s vision of educating
global citizens—I am in Oslo, Norway, attending an
international conference on the links between higher
education and democracy, and also spending time
with Augsburg students studying peace and conflict
mediation at the University of Oslo. I am struck by
how relevant Augsburg’s longstanding commitment
to what I call an “education off the main road” is to
preparing our students for life in the 21st century. A
simple story illustrates my point.
In a trip last fall to Augsburg’s Center for Global
Education (CGE) campus in Windhoek, Namibia, I remember looking out at the sparkling lights as I was
hosted at a dinner in an ultra-modern restaurant high
above the city. All was well, it seemed, as I waited for
my dinner companions to arrive.
But the view from our perch above the city, nestled in an obviously affluent subdivision of the burgeoning city, belied my experiences earlier in the day.
I had witnessed the remnants of an apartheid system.
Formerly separate cemeteries for whites, colored, and
blacks. Housing that was clearly demarcated by tribal
class. Primary and secondary schools stratified by social class. A sprawling tin village—the so-called “informal settlements”—in which tens of thousands of
Namibians lived in squalor, unable to find work after
they arrived in the city and were left to their own devices to survive. Health clinics with waiting rooms full
of women seeking both prenatal care and HIV tests.
Non-governmental organizations struggling to serve
the needs of indigenous people whose rights were
neglected. The stark contrasts of the day were mindbending.
My dinner companions arrived—a labor activist
and a teacher working to improve education for indigenous people—and as I described our day in
Windhoek, one of them commented that he was
grateful I had witnessed these contrasts because too
many outsiders come to Namibia and travel only “the
main road,” from which all seems well. I had left that
main road and experienced the real Namibia.
My experience that day was a snapshot of what
our CGE students encounter each semester in
Namibia as they participate in intense experiences
that open their eyes to the life-transforming dynamics
of life in this developing country. Through extended
homestays in both urban and rural areas, internships
with organizations doing important social and educational work, classes that feature speakers who have
firsthand experience of the tensions in Namibia’s life,
and opportunities for significant interaction with
Namibian people and culture, our students experience life off the main road in this remarkable country, just 22 years after it declared independence.
And when these students return home to the
U.S., we know they carry with them knowledge and
experiences of this place and its good people that will
shape the decisions they make about their own lives
and what they might be called to do in the world.
Some may return to Africa, perhaps as medical workers or teachers. But most will not, and, for them, we
trust and know that their experiences off the main
road in Namibia will help them understand their own
privilege in an increasingly complex world—privilege
that must be named and then put to responsible use
in the search for equity and justice, both in their personal lives and in the systems they inhabit.
Off the main road in Namibia, off the main road
wherever Augsburg offers its distinctive education for
global citizenship. I’m only beginning to understand
how critical our work as a college is in transforming
the lives of students and contributing to a different
vision of our common future as global citizens.
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
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
summer 2011
Features
11
6
“Problem” students become problem solvers
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
14
21
Auggies
are everywhere
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
.
16 Gloria Xinico Morales ’12
A girl of the world
17 Max Bregenzer ’12
Living life to the Max
17 Erica Lippitt ’12
Family teamwork creates a world of possibility
18 Jiahua (Holly) Huang ’12
Holly is a regular Minnesotan
8
14
18 Dat Nguyen ’11
contents
Unlocking possibilities and potential at Augsburg
26
19 Faiza Abbas Mahamud ’11
A life that defies definition
20 Ibrahim Al-Hajiby ’14
Life in the United States: Different, but not weird
21
26
Real experience in the working world
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Commencement 2011
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Departments
On the cover
International Auggies Gloria Xinico Morales, Alom Martínez, Zebokhon
Tursunova, and Gottlieb Uahengo have fun at a Minneapolis landmark,
Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s Spoonbridge and Cherry.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
augsburg now
inside
front
cover
2
6
8
9
10
28
32
Notes from President Pribbenow
Around the Quad
My Auggie experience
Auggies on the track
It takes an Auggie
Auggie voices
Alumni news
Class notes
quad
around the
NEWSNOTES
National fellowship and scholarship awards
Fulbright Awards, 2011-12
• Katie Edelen ’11, majoring in chemistry, biology, and environmental studies, received a Fulbright Research Grant to Norway. She
will study and carry out research at the Peace Research Institute
of Oslo. (See story page 10.)
Urban Debate League success at nationals
Two teams from the Minnesota Urban Debate League (UDL), part of
Augsburg’s Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning, were among the
top 10 teams in the country at the National Urban Debate League
(NAUDL) tournament in New York in April. A student debater from each
of the two teams—Washburn and South high schools—placed seventh
and eighth respectively in individual speaker competition.
Newberry Library Fellowship to
Michael Lansing
Michael Lansing, assistant professor of
history, received the Lloyd Lewis Fellowship in American History for 2011–12.
The fellowship will support the ongoing
work of his book-length research project
on the Nonpartisan League.
Norma Noonan honored for long-term
direction of the MAL program
Norma Noonan was honored this spring after
stepping down as director of the
Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL) program.
Throughout her 18 years of directing
and teaching in the program, Noonan has
been both a leader and a shaper of leaders. Since the mid-’90s, Noonan has had an exceptionally steady
hand in leading the ongoing development of the MAL program and
the Leadership Center. Students have appreciated her accessibility,
encouragement, and clarity. Although she is leaving the director position, Noonan will continue to teach at Augsburg and support the
College’s commitment to leadership.
2
Augsburg Now
• Jennifer Oliver, a graduate student in education and former financial aid counselor in the Enrollment Center, received a Fulbright
English Teaching Assistantship in Germany.
Goldwater Scholarship—Math major Austin Wagner ’12 received Honorable Mention for a Barry S. Goldwater Scholarship.
Newman Civic Fellows—Claire Bergren ’12 was honored by Campus
Compact for her community work around racial justice and social issues linked to poverty.
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship—Katie Edelen will pursue graduate
study in environmental management in 2012–13.
Udall Scholarship—Kathy DeKrey ’12, an environmental studies and
political science pre-law double major, has been awarded a Udall
Scholarship for 2011–12.
Top green power purchaser
Augsburg College has been recognized by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as the 2010-11
top green power purchaser in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC). Augsburg College
purchased more than 13 million kilowatt-hours of
green power, representing 100 percent of the
school’s annual electricity usage on
the Minneapolis campus.
This is the equivalent to
avoiding the carbon dioxide emissions from the electricity use of more than 1,000 average U.S. homes
or nearly 2,000 cars annually.
EXCELLENCE in research
In April 2011, Jeremy Anthony, a senior
Presidential
Award for
mathematics major, represented
Augsburg College in the Council on
Undergraduate Research Posters on
Community Service
the Hill event. This event, held each
year in Washington, D.C., showcased
Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Awards
Augsburg College earned two $10,000 grants
from the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council for
programs recognized for providing “high-quality, age-appropriate arts education.”
Medieval Minnesota: This one-week boarding camp for students ages 14 to17 reimagines life during the Middle Ages.
Students study medieval history, the Crusades, castle design, and the history of
labyrinths. They also learn to build a medieval costume, juggle, dance, fence, and
entertain. The camp, in its fifth year, attracts
students from across the United States and
Canada. For more information, go to www.augsburg.edu/medievalminnesota.
Centro Youth Workshop: This summer photography
workshop provides 10 youths from metropolitan
Latino/Chicano communities the opportunity to develop technical and artistic photography skills. The
program, which is in its second year, is a partnership
between the College and Centro, a Minneapolis-based
social service nonprofit. Learn more at http://overexposuremedia.org/.
the research of 75 undergraduate stu-
Courtesy photo
Augsburg is one of six higher
education institutions in
the nation to receive the
2010 Presidential Award for
Community Service from the Corporation for National and Community Service. This is the highest award given that recognizes institutions for their
commitment to and achievement in community service, and Augsburg is
the only Minnesota school to receive this honor. In three previous years,
the College has been named to the President’s Honor Roll with the additional designation of “With Distinction.”
During the 2009-10 school year, Auggies contributed nearly 200,000
hours of community service to programs, including course-based servicelearning, Bonner Leaders, Campus Kitchen, community gardens,
GEMS/GISE/STEM summer programs, Urban Scrubs Camp, and more.
More than 1,700 students and 200 faculty and staff participated in service-learning last year.
dents from colleges and universities
across the country.
L to R: Isanti mayor George Wimmer, Senator Al Franken, and Clayton McNeff ’91,
vice president of research at SarTec Corporation.
SENATOR FRANKEN
visits Ever Cat Fuels
On April 21, U.S. Senator Al Franken visited Ever Cat Fuels in Isanti, Minn., which
can produce three million gallons of biodiesel each year using the Mcgyan
Process. In 2008, the discovery of the Mcgyan Process began with student research by Brian Krohn ’08, along with chemistry professor Arlin Gyberg.
The process received its first patent in March 2011.
Augsburg receives second grant
for Travelers EDGE
Augsburg received a second gift from Travelers Insurance for their
Empowering Dreams for Graduation and Employment (EDGE) program. This program focuses on college recruitment and retention of
low-income and first-generation students. In Minnesota, the focus is
specifically on students graduating from the St. Paul Public School
district.
The $100,000 grant will be used for Augsburg’s Travelers
Pathways program for financial literacy training, which is open to all
students. Current Augsburg juniors and seniors who graduated from
a St. Paul public high school may be eligible to apply for a $5,000
annual scholarship, which brings with it opportunities for job shadowing, internships, and mentoring.
Summer 2011
3
In Memoriam:
Jessica Nathanson
Jessica Nathanson, assistant professor and director of the women’s studies program and the
Women’s Resource Center at Augsburg College, died April 5 of breast cancer. Nathanson’s passion for and knowledge of social justice and gender issues was instrumental in shaping the
women’s studies community at Augsburg. Nathanson earned a BA from Wesleyan University and
an MA and PhD from the State University of New York at Buffalo. She co-edited the book Mother
Knows Best: Talking Back to the “Experts” and enjoyed a wide following as a blogger on feminist
issues. The following is an excerpt of an original spoken word piece read by Lucreshia Grant ’11
at the multifaith service in Hoversten Chapel to remember and celebrate Nathanson’s life.
An excerpt from
There are so much things to say
By Lucreshia Grant ’11
For Jessica Nathanson
There are so much things to say right now
There are so much things to say
There are so much things to say right now
There are so much things to say
…
Friends, let me tell you
If we had the time to recall every moment where in which this
woman made me feel like I could levitate, I swear it’d take all day…
This is a piece about praise today because,
if there was bad between us
I just can’t remember it
I never knew I could float with pride this way.
I came in here rusty and naïve, too big for my own britches
You saw a light in me and followed it
My writing then, was sloppy, holey and dishonest
There are times when writing for an audience is just plain perjury
And every time I lifted my pen from this paper in disbelief
Turned my palms up in discouragement
You calmly, proclaimed that
“That must be the oppression talking.”
That day I thought my heart would beat right through my ribcage
I never imagined that someone might get it
Get me, get this
I love you, for the tears you allowed me to cry, often and
The beauty you believed me to write
And I can’t help believing that we were meant to be
in a space like SVERDRUP 207
warm and complicated
in the differences between us
4
Augsburg Now
age, race, class, time, distance
there is love in that and we confronted it daily
learning that
oppression sometimes smells like privilege and
power doesn’t always have to be dominance
you are my best memory about this place and
I know we’re not done
Cuz you African dance through my dreams
Reminding me of the freedom I already keep, on my tongue
You’re in my windpipe
Part of the cadence and confidence in my voice
You’re the social justice in my strut
I won’t lower my head in fear again
Eyes forward ready to stand completely still with another
You gave me grace, honored me with respect
Not just a Black woman on a stage to you…clap me a round of
“thanks and that was beautifuls”
But she knew the truth.
Knew I was a Queen, believed my words and told me.
There are so much things to say
I have so much to say, but I can say nothing fully at all.
Thanks for all the books and
Reminding me that I can do this
Thanks for believing in feminism enough to teach it.
Thanks for loving us as much as you did
Thanks for loving me
It’s not over, we’re not done
You’ll see
Because
This place became a home for me because you were in it
It is better because you graced it
Because you believed it I am better
Jessica, thank you!
CONGRATULATIONS
TO OUR RETIRING TENURED FACULTY
Retiring faculty were honored at the
Faculty Recognition Luncheon on May 5.
Nora Braun, Business Administration
Nora Braun has been described as a role model for successfully
balancing the demands of professional and personal responsibilities
with incredible patience, integrity, and humor during her 14 years
at Augsburg. A few of her contributions include participating in the
College’s accreditation program, chairing a keystone collaborative,
helping to design the business keystone course, and being involved
in the initial design process for the Augsburg Master of Business
Administration program. Braun enjoys writing and is the author of a
children’s book that explores the life of the middle child.
Francine Chakolis, Social Work
Bruce Reichenbach, Philosophy
Francine Chakolis graduated from Augsburg in 1978. Since 1983,
her dedication to her colleagues and students has taken many
forms. Always a proud Auggie, Chakolis was a formidable leader
and the first director of the Master of Social Work program in the
1990s. Her colleague Tony Bibus used these words to describe
Chakolis, “…spouse, mother, family, and COMMUNITY, with capital letters. She is also a teacher, activist, fighter, administrator,
leader, and social worker.”
Bruce Reichenbach began his teaching career at Augsburg 43 years
ago. Students have always been at the top of his priorities, and they
received the very best of Reichenbach’s passion and deep commitment to learning. He organized and led the writing team for the Lilly
Grant and then served on its advisory board. As a logical outgrowth
of the Lilly Grant to explore vocation, he worked on the development
of an extended orientation for first-year and second-year faculty.
Reichenbach is a prolific scholar, having written a dozen books and
many articles, and is regarded for his expertise in helping faculty understand how to teach critical thinking.
Dan Hanson, Communication Studies
A 1986 graduate of the Weekend College program, Dan Hanson
began taking classes when he was a vice president at Land
O’Lakes. A dedicated colleague and teacher for 23 years, Hanson
developed several courses, including the communication studies
keystone course and a course for the Master of Arts in Leadership
program. He is the author of several books, including A Place to
Shine and Room for J: A Family Struggles with Schizophrenia.
Hanson has devoted his energy and years of experience and expertise to the development of his students in both undergraduate
and graduate program classes.
Lynne Lorenzen, Religion
At a reception honoring Lynne Lorenzen’s 22-year career at
Augsburg, Professor Bev Stratton referred to Lorenzen as a trailblazer. A tireless advocate for gender rights on campus and in
broader communities, Lorenzens’s collaboration on the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America’s (ELCA) first sexuality task force 20
years ago laid the groundwork for the decision to recognize lesbian
and gay clergy in committed, same-gender relationships. She played
an important role in the design and development of the
Augsburg/Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) women’s
studies program. An active member and leader in the Lutheran
church, Lorenzen’s classes at Augsburg also reflected her interests
and focus on theology, church studies, and feminism.
Charley Sheaffer, Computer Science
Charley Sheaffer has been involved in several curricular development efforts in his department since he joined the College in
1997. He helped revise the computer science major to include the
programming languages and compilers sequence. He was a co-creator of a three-credit cognitive science course, which was instrumental in increasing confidence among many students about their
ability to handle college-level work. His colleague Larry Crockett
said, “If the measure of a person is finally the ability to retain a
gracious sense of humor in the face of all that life can present,
then Charley is a remarkable person indeed.”
Nan Skelton, Center for Democracy and Citizenship
As co-director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship (CDC) at
Augsburg College, Nan Skelton led the center’s external public work
in civic education, reclaiming neighborhoods, and the democratic
renewal of education. She is a co-founder of the Jane Addams
School for Democracy; and she has been an architect of the
Neighborhood Learning Community and, more recently, Learning in
Cities (also called Sprockets), pioneering new approaches to learning
and education. Prior to joining the CDC in 1994, Skelton served as
assistant commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Education
and provided leadership with the National Governors Association.
Summer 2011
5
my
Auggie experience
Floating on the social media bubble
If you’re a friend of Ali Rapp ’11 and weren’t a frequent visitor
to the communication and film studies office where she
worked on campus, you maybe “saw” her on Facebook and
Twitter. And if you didn’t attend a class or go to a local restaurant with her, you may have kept up with the goings-on of Ali
Rapp’s life—and maybe still do—through her blog, “No, I am
a Cat.”
Rapp was the social media intern for Augsburg’s admissions office since 2007. In this position, she maintained her
own blog and managed other student bloggers on Homemade,
the College’s unobstructed window on student life.
6
Augsburg Now
The student bloggers kept prospective and current students entertained and up-to-date with real-life posts about classes, favorite
professors, internships, experiences abroad, papers and projects,
social events, and general commentary on life as an Auggie.
Homemade follows a national trend among college admissions
offices to engage and recruit students using social media. A May
2009 article from The Chronicle of Higher Education cites data
from the Center for Marketing Research at the University of
Massachusetts Dartmouth. It shows that in fall 2008, 61 percent
of admissions offices were using social-networking sites and 41
percent had blogs, up from 29 percent and 33 percent, respectively, in 2007.
Rapp thinks Homemade is an easy way to give new students a
view of Augsburg that they might not get through visits with admissions staff. “Incoming students aren’t dumb,” she said. “They
know that things go on that no one talks about. I think they appreciate our honesty.”
Staying afloat in the social media bubble is more than writing
and editing posts and reminding bloggers to blog. It’s also about
using other social media tools such as Facebook and the microblog
tool Twitter to raise awareness of the blogs. Throughout her internship, Rapp became more adept at promoting Homemade using
unique accounts on those social media sites.
Rapp said the key to staying on top of social media is to remember
that it is always changing. “For me it’s a matter of realizing I can’t
stop learning. If I stay off of Twitter and Facebook for too long, I will
lose some of it.”
To be sure, social media is growing in importance not only for
recruiting new students but also for keeping current students,
alumni, donors, faculty and staff, and the community engaged in
the life of the College. Many campus departments including the
Enrollment Center, Campus Kitchen, the bookstore, and the dining
service rely on social media to keep students informed. Auggie
Eagle is on Facebook, too.
In the fall, Rapp will begin graduate studies at the University of
Minnesota in communication studies with a focus on critical media
studies. She hopes to continue research started as an undergraduate on computer-mediated communication and to explore the role
of social media in the communication studies field.
And just in case you’re wondering, “No, I am a Cat” has no
meaning. At least none that Rapp can remember. She doesn’t have
a cat at her Minneapolis home. She does, however, have a dog
named Per. If you were following her social life through social
media, you may have read about him on her blog, too.
WENDI WHEELER ’06
Keeping up with social media
@Augsburg College
Throughout Augsburg College, many departments and programs are finding that
one of the best ways to stay in touch with prospective and current students,
alumni, and the community is through social media.
BLOGS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Homemade—www.augsburg.edu/homemade
President Pribbenow’s blog—follow at www.augsburg.edu/president
FACEBOOK PAGES YOU SHOULD “LIKE:”
Augsburg College—the official page of the College (2,879 followers)
Augsburg College Alumni Association—all the alumni news you need, and a
great way to connect with your Auggie friends (336 followers)
Augsburg College Homemade—you guessed it (285 followers)
Auggie Eagle—be Auggie’s friend (1,251 followers)
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER:
@AugsburgCollege (1,088 followers)
@paulpribbenow (258 followers)
@auggieshomemade (107 followers)
Number of followers listed are as of July 2011.
auggies on the track
More than an all-around guy
At Augsburg, Nick Ward ’11 worked hard to
be an all-around student-athlete—one who
was as dedicated to his studies as he was
to setting records on the track. In his last
year of college, he put in extra time to add
one more accomplishment to his list:
All-American athlete.
A physics and mathematics major originally from Milwaukee, Wis., Ward says he had
no intention of participating in college track
and wanted instead to focus on academics.
Then a couple of his first-year friends talked
him into joining the track team.
Augsburg track and field coach, Dennis
Barker, says Ward was a very coachable athlete and a good listener. “He always tried to
absorb and understand the concepts behind
what I asked him to do,” Barker said. “I think
that’s partly the way he thinks as a physics
student.”
Barker was impressed with Ward’s commitment. “I don’t know anyone who studies as
much as he studies,” Barker said. He speculates that track offered a chance for Ward to
let loose after spending long hours in the lab
and the library. “I think track and field maybe
comes more naturally to Nick than physics,
but that never stopped him from excelling,”
Barker said.
Being a member of the Auggie track team
turned out to be a good choice for Ward. One
of the top men’s sprinters in school history,
he earned his first trip to national competition this spring when he competed in
the men’s 55-meter dash at the
National Collegiate Athletic
Association (NCAA) indoor
championships in Columbus,
Ohio. Ward’s qualifying time
of 10.73 seconds in the
men’s 100-meter dash was
the 17th-fastest among the
22 entrants in the event.
Last season, Ward won
the conference titles in
the men’s 55-meter dash
and men’s long jump at
the MIAC indoor championships, while finishing
second in the men’s 100meter dash and winning a
conference title as part of
the 400-meter relay at
the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC)
outdoor championships.
In his first-ever appearance at the NCAA
championships in May, Ward clocked a time
of 11.07 seconds to record a 20th-place finish in the event. As one of the top sprinters
in Augsburg school history, Ward will end his
career having earned seven MIAC titles, 12
All-MIAC honors, and eight All-MIAC honorable-mention honors, to go along with eight
school records.
Off the track, Ward completed his studies
with a 3.2 grade point average and conducted
summer research in physics as a McNair
Scholar and also through the North Star
STEM Alliance program. He credits his academic success to faculty and staff who encouraged him, namely his physics adviser Ben
Stottrup, Tina Tavera from the McNair Scholars program, and Rebekah Dupont who advises North Star STEM students at Augsburg.
“They pushed me throughout my whole
college career, making me apply for internships and for research opportunities off campus. I guess they motivated me to keep
going,” he said. Ward applied to three graduate school programs and was accepted into
the master’s program in electrical engineering
at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical
State University in Greensboro.
“Nick has such a great attitude and is always so excited about the opportunities he
has,” Barker said. “I think he feels very fortunate to be at Augsburg, studying in a stellar
physics department and being on the track
team. I think he’s enjoying life here.”
After four outstanding seasons and a successful academic career, Ward’s goal for the
end of the season was to be named an AllAmerican in the 100- and 200-meter dashes
and in the long jump. Unfortunately his name
was not on the NCAA Division III list, but that
doesn’t change the fact that Nick Ward is an
impressive student and athlete.
For Ward, a somewhat shy young man,
talking about his accomplishments is one
thing that does not come easily. “I guess I’m
just trying to be an all-around guy,” he said.
WENDI WHEELER ’06 AND DON STONER
8
Augsburg Now
it takes an
Courtesy photo
Auggie
Visionary leadership in support of student success
In 1984, Skip and Barbara Gage’s oldest son, Geoff, made an unexpected choice. Though he had been determined to attend school
in California, the high school senior decided after a tour of the
Augsburg campus that he preferred to become an Auggie. At parent
orientation the following fall, Skip and Barbara joined the campus
community for the first time.
“We couldn’t have been more pleased with the nurturing and
caring environment provided at Augsburg,” Skip said.
While they remained proud Auggie parents (all four of their
children attended classes at Augsburg, and two graduated from the
College), it didn’t take long for Skip and Barbara to take a more active role in the community. Just two years later, Augsburg President
Charles Anderson asked Barbara to join the board of regents, where
she served for 12 years, including four years as chair of the board.
During the early years of Barbara’s service, she and Skip approached President Anderson to discuss ways to expand student
support.
“We’ve had distinct experience with learning differences in our
family,” Skip said, but at that time, little research had been done
on learning differences at the college level. In fact, according to
the Gages, Augsburg and the University of Colorado, Boulder, were
Barbara and Skip Gage
Skip and Barbara have supported other campus projects
through the years, including the Scandinavian Center,
Lindell Library, Anderson Plaza, and the Gage Family Art Gallery.
And, with their newest gift, the Gages once again reveal their enthusiasm for student support and innovative programming.
The Gage Family Foundation and the Carlson Foundation last
spring announced that they will collectively contribute $900,000 toward the creation of the Gage Center for Student Success—a centralized place where all
“We were so thankful that we had found a school that actually had ways to help
students can go to enhance their learning and
students with learning differences,” Barbara said. “We were excited to help
achieve their academic goals. Construction for
make the program larger and able to meet the needs of more students.”
the center started this summer in Lindell
Library. The center will be on the link level,
the only two colleges they found that provided support services to
creating space at the heart of the campus for the CLASS program as
students with different learning abilities.
well as numerous other academic success programs.
Passionate about this cause, Skip and Barbara commissioned a
Barbara noted the importance of having the learning center
$30,000 study on programming to support learning differences.
near the College’s technological resources and at a centralized loBased on this study’s findings, the Gages, together with the
cation.
Carlson Family Foundation, committed half a million dollars and
“The center will be a part of the students’ daily lives,” she
raised another half a million to institute a new program at
said. “[The students who use the center] will become advocates of
Augsburg, which evolved into the Center for Learning and Adaptive
learning.”
Student Services (CLASS). This program provides services to help
The Gages believe that Augsburg’s leadership in student sucall students—regardless of learning style, preference, or need—
cess is due in part to its mission for service.
reach their full potential at Augsburg.
“Augsburg has been wonderful in being inclusive in working
“We were so thankful that we had found a school that actually
with students of different needs,” Barbara said. “I’m so proud to
had ways to help students with learning differences,” Barbara said. be a part of it.”
“We were excited to help make the program larger and able to meet
the needs of more students.”
KAYLA SKARBAKKA ’09
Summer 2011
9
auggie voices
Treating the system instead of the symptoms
Katie Edelen ’11 wanted to be a
doctor from the time she was five
years old. She watched surgery on
the Discovery Channel before naptime and begged her parents to let
her be present at the birth of her
two younger siblings.
It wasn’t until she was in college
and working with doctors in India
that Edelen realized she did not actually want to be a doctor.
Soon after she arrived at
Augsburg, Edelen began looking for
an opportunity to volunteer abroad
to gain medical experience helping
people in war-torn countries. She
had been interested in Doctors
Without Borders, so she contacted
native health non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to find volunteer opportunities. In her junior year,
Edelen landed in Chennai, India,
where she shadowed doctors in government hospitals and another who
brought internal medicine services to
refugee camps, slums, and villages.
“What really spoke to me were all
the people who had been exposed to
water-borne, preventable diseases
because of unsafe sanitary conditions,” she recalled. Though she had
been interested in environmental issues before traveling to India, there
she began to see in a new way the
consequences of peoples’ actions on
the environment. She saw that issues related to health, education,
poverty, and social justice were connected to environmental problems.
“That is when I started to become
interested in treatment of the systematic inequalities as opposed to
putting a band-aid on the problem,”
she said.
This experience led Edelen to
pursue other opportunities centered
10
Augsburg Now
on water and its role in society. She
took a course on environmental and
river politics led by Augsburg political science professor Joe Underhill.
She traveled to Uganda and worked
with villagers on water access and
conservation, even starting a “safe
water and hygiene club” in the primary school.
This summer, she will be in
Norway on a Fulbright fellowship
researching the correlation between
armed conflict and water hazards
and scarcity at the Peace Research
Institute in Oslo. Following her
time in Norway, Edelen will pursue
graduate work in environmental
studies on a Rotary Ambassadorial
Scholarship.
A triple major in chemistry, biology, and environmental studies,
Edelen said her education and experiences abroad have solidified her
desire to work in the area of policy
analysis and research. “I really see
my vocational work and my background bridging the different realms
of sciences and the humanities together to address problems,” she
said. “The nexus between science,
policy, and society can be messy
and convoluted, but that’s what really excites me about it.”
Edelen said her parents instilled
in her the importance of taking initiative, encouraging her interest in
medicine even before she began
grade school. “I’ve always had a desire to make a difference in the
world somehow. That’s what really
motivates me. I want to use my gifts
as a way to help the world.”
WENDI WHEELER ’06
To read more about Katie Edelen, go to
www.augsburg.edu/now.
“PROBLEM” STUDENTS BECOME
PROBLEM SOLVERS
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
Visualize young people in our public schools making positive change in their communities. Who comes to mind? Probably not middle school
students in the special education classroom—kids with emotional and behavioral disabilities who have difficulty paying attention and communicating with each other or their teachers.
Typically, students in special education are labeled as troublemakers. They are marginalized, silenced, and given little choice in their daily
school tasks. But a partnership between Augsburg College and Fridley Middle School hopes to change that. By giving students a voice in their
education and allowing them to focus their time and energy on an issue they care about, this program has turned “problem” students into
public problem solvers.
Public Achievement in special education
Piloted in the 2010-11 academic year, Augsburg’s program
at Fridley Middle School (FMS) is a partnership involving
Augsburg’s Center for Democracy and Citizenship (CDC), the
Augsburg special education faculty and students in the
Master of Arts in Education (MAE) program, and teachers
and students from the school.
The project began when Susan O’Connor, associate professor
of special education at Augsburg, heard Dennis Donovan and
Nan Skelton of the CDC speak about the Public Achievement
model. This model for youth civic organizing was developed by
the CDC’s Harry Boyte. In the classroom, Public Achievement
serves as an empowerment tool that allows students to create
change in an area that they select and take ownership of as
a group.
To O’Connor, Public Achievement seemed like a fit for special education classrooms. “It was like the self-advocacy tool
we are always encouraging teachers to use with their students,”
she said. “The kids with EBD (emotional/behavioral disabilities)
are kids that typically don’t have a voice in their school work.
They’re told what to do. They’re told how to act.”
O’Connor and Donna Patterson from the Augsburg special
education faculty learned how to implement Public Achievement in the classroom. They looked for a location to pilot the
project and settled on FMS because two of the special educa-
tion teachers—Michael Ricci ’07 and Alissa Blood ’07—are
graduates of Augsburg’s teacher education program. Finally,
they hand-picked five MAE students from the Critical Issues
seminar course to work with the middle school students and
then began weekly classes at Fridley in the fall term.
A new way of teaching and learning
The Public Achievement model identifies classroom teachers as
coaches and places all responsibility for decision-making and
action on the students. The middle school students identified
two projects: one concerning alternative energy and another on
homelessness.
In each project, the students were responsible for designing
every aspect. They created timelines, conducted research, contacted experts and members of the community to schedule
speaking engagements or field trips, and communicated about
their projects with faculty and students in their school.
Cheryl McClellan, an Augsburg MAE student, worked with
the “Solar Heroes” team on installing solar panels to light the
school’s flag and a solar thermal to heat water for domestic
uses at the school. “The idea is, the students decide who gets
invited to be a part of the project. They find out how to contact people, send them an e-mail or call, and follow up with
them,” McClellan said. At the end of the year, Solar Heroes
had not been able to finalize the projects but pledged to con-
Summer 2011
21
11
tinue working on fundraising initiatives
for the solar panels.
For many of the students, these were
tasks they had never been entrusted to perform. In addition to learning about how it
feels to be empowered, McClellan said students also came to understand that community organizing and advocacy is not always
easy work. “You get a lot of ‘no’s,’ but they
are learning the skills to move forward.”
Kayla Krebs is one of the Augsburg MAE
students working with “Team Making a
Way,” the class focused on homelessness.
Her students went to the State Capitol to
speak with legislators and also made fleece
blankets to donate to Families Moving
Forward, a North Minneapolis shelter that
provides services for families with children
who are experiencing homelessness.
Krebs saw her role in the classroom as a
facilitator. “I learned how to be flexible and
how to let the students’ voices shine.” For
students with special needs, she says this is
an important part of the learning process because “so many times, people tell them
what to do.”
Molly McInnis, an Augsburg MAE student, said the program has taught her a new
way of teaching. “I have learned how to let
the students make the decisions and drive
their own project,” she said. “I can’t come
in and be a teacher—I need to listen to
them and let them lead.”
Blood said the program was beneficial to
her students because they struggle with
taking responsibility. “This program has
given them a sense of power and responsibility and taught them that what they think
and do matters. They are much more committed and have a sense of pride in what
they are doing.”
By giving students the power to choose
the issues they want to work on and the
methods of solving problems, Donovan said
the students have developed the capacity to
become public problem solvers. That means
they work to solve problems affecting the
Augsburg-Fridley
Public Achievement Team
Back Row [L to R]: Dennis Donovan, Stephen Keeler, Cheryl
McClennan, Alissa Blood, Steph Bloxham, Heidi Austin,
*Barbara West
Middle Row [L to R]: Michael Ricci, *Susan O’Connor,
*Dee Vodicka, *Elizabeth Ankeny, *Donna Patterson
Front Row [L to R]: Molly McInnis, Becki Hamlin, Kayla Krebs
*Augsburg College Faculty
12
Augsburg Now
“THIS PROGRAM HAS GIVEN THEM A SENSE OF POWER AND
RESPONSIBILITY AND TAUGHT THEM THAT WHAT THEY THINK AND DO
MATTERS. THEY ARE MUCH MORE COMMITTED AND HAVE A SENSE OF
PRIDE IN WHAT THEY ARE DOING.”
ALISSA BLOOD ’07
public and are doing it in a public way. The
students created displays for cases outside
their classroom, logos and posters for their
projects, appeared on the FMS Friday
radio broadcast, spoke at a luncheon at
Augsburg, and held a public presentation
at the school. “Kids that are marginalized
really rise to the top when they are given
power,” he said.
“In education, we say it’s not an
achievement gap—it’s an empowerment
gap,” Donovan said. “We have to ask ourselves how we can empower teachers and
students to learn about things that are
meaningful to them and have a voice in
their education.”
Lessons for teachers
One of the most important reasons for implementing this Public Achievement project was to drive institutional change,
O’Connor said. “We want these students to
be seen in a more positive light, not as
trouble-makers.” She added that the Fridley
students were noticed by their administrators and peers, recognized publicly for
their work, and asked to contribute to future discussions.
Another goal of the project was to bring
lessons learned by the Augsburg students
and faculty into the special education curriculum at Augsburg. The faculty are creating a three-year plan to integrate into
the special education curriculum and
hope to develop a Public Achievement
coaching course that can be used in other
departments.
Donovan is excited to see how this project will affect Augsburg’s special education curriculum and students. “I think
Augsburg students are going to be different teachers because of this experience,”
he said. A former public school administrator, Donovan is passionate about working with teachers and helping them
acquire new skills for the classroom.
Helping the Fridley students find their
voice and become more visible in their
middle school community are outcomes
that also had a strong impact on the
Augsburg students who will one day lead
their own classrooms.
Heidi Austin, an Augsburg MAE student
who worked with the Solar Heroes group,
said that as a future teacher, this program
makes her very hopeful. “It is so important
to give kids an opportunity to see that they
can make a difference,” she said. “I came
in thinking there wasn’t going to be much
progress with this project, but I’ve been totally blown away with what they’ve done.”
Speaking to the Augsburg community at
an event in May, McClennan said this project transformed the FMS culture, the students, and also transformed her personally
in a way she hadn’t anticipated. “At my
core I am a better parent, a better citizen,
and a better teacher,” she said.
She commented that the students have
felt empowered by their accomplishments
and the public recognition they received.
“I have learned that these kids who are so
often silenced have a strong voice.”
To read more about the Fridley Middle School Public
Achievement project, go to www.augsburg.edu/now.
Summer 2011
13
ERICA LIPPITT ’12
Erica, a Weekend College
student, studied abroad in
Mexico to learn Spanish.
a
Cuernavaca, Mexico
San Lucas Sacatepequez,
Guatemala
GLORIA XINICO MORALES ’12
ugsburg’s Office of International Programs (OIP) for
more than 25 years has provided internationally recognized and award-winning programs to students who
seek cross-cultural and hands-on learning abroad. The office also brings international students to campus.
“Increasingly, a global perspective is critical to a liberal
arts education,” said Orval Gingerich, assistant vice president for International Programs and director of the Center
for Global Education. “Intercultural experiences—at home
and abroad—are a way to bridge global and local issues.”
During the 2009-10 school year, nearly 275 students
studied abroad. At the same time, Augsburg’s Minneapolis
campus was home to nearly 100 international students
from about two dozen countries including Morocco, Nepal,
Norway, Tanzania, Togo, and many more.
In this edition of Augsburg Now, we present a snapshot
of the stories of students with ties to Guatemala, Germany,
Mexico, China, Vietnam, Kenya, and Yemen. Some traveled
from Augsburg to other parts of the globe. Others came to
Augsburg and the Twin Cities from far away home countries. Still others have graduated and are on to the next
chapters of their stories.
To learn more about OIP and its programs, go to
www.augsburg.edu/oip.
Gloria, an international student
from Guatemala
plans to study in
Namibia this fall.
auggies are ev
14
Augsburg Now
MAX BREGENZER ’12
Max has traveled, studied,
and lived in four countries,
but was born and raised in
Germany.
Würzburg, Germany
IBRAHIM AL-HAJIBY ’14
Guangzhon, China
FAIZA ABBAS MAHAMUD ’11
Faiza went back
to her home
country of Kenya
as an exchange
student to help
African women.
Sana’a, Yemen
Hue, Vietnam
Holly, a student
at United International College in
China, came to
the U.S. to study
education at
Augsburg.
JIAHUA (HOLLY) HUANG ’12
Ibrahim hopes one day to
return to his home in
Yemen to start a non-governmental organization.
Nairobi, Kenya
DAT NGUYEN ’11
Windhoek, Namibia
Dat, a recent graduate and international student, will
be a graduate student at Dartmouth.
verywhere
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
Summer 2011
15
GLORIA
XINICO MORALES
A girl of the world
Gloria Xinico Morales has worked so hard at
Augsburg since arriving during 2008 that
she twice won outstanding student of the
year awards—once during her sophomore
year and again her junior year.
The hard work that earned Xinico Morales
these honors is fundamental to her personality. She doesn’t give up. She doesn’t quit.
Xinico Morales was 18 when she first applied for—and was denied—a student visa.
She wanted to study at Augsburg College, a
school she has known of for her whole life
because her father is director of the Center
for Global Education in Guatemala. Xinico
Morales wasn’t deterred by the denial.
Top: A view of the mountains from Gloria Xinico Morales’
hometown of San Lucas Sacatepequez, Guatemala.
Bottom: Xinico Morales, left, is the oldest of three children. Here she is shown with her brother, Manuel, and
sister, Nickte.
Courtesy photos
16
Augsburg Now
She waited the three months before she
again could apply, and this time was approved. But the whole process pushed her
college plans back by a full year. And as if
that wasn’t enough, her visa was delivered to
the wrong city the day before she was to fly
to the United States. She drove to the city to
pick up her visa.
“After waiting one year and one week, I
had two days to get here, unpack, and settle
in,” Xinico Morales said. “I’d never been
outside of Guatemala before.”
But she still didn’t get to start at Augsburg
right away. She said that by working with admissions staff, they decided she should
study English for three months before starting college. It was a good plan.
“Going to Global Language Institute was
very helpful,” she said. “When I did start at
Augsburg, it seemed the teachers talked really fast. I wasn’t comfortable with English,
homework took a lot longer.”
She kept plugging away. She joined the
Spanish club and quickly was an officer. She
joined Allied Latino/a Augsburg Students,
and finally the International Student Organization of which she now is president. That’s
not even all of it, though, because Xinico
Morales said she can’t say ‘no.’
Being a student from another country can
be challenging and students sometimes
grapple with living life in two cultures. Xinico
Morales grew up in Guatemala and was
raised Catholic. She looks for answers to
questions about varied perspectives in part
through self reflection.
“My life is like a tree,” Xinico Morales
said. “The roots are the morals my parents
taught me. When things get messy, that’s
where I go. The trunk is my immediate family that is there for me no matter what. Then
there are the leaves. The leaves go away and
come back as I grow and change.”
Lately, people have been asking Xinico
Morales what she plans to do with her degree
in international relations and minor in political science. She doesn’t know the answer.
“Minneapolis is my second home. My life
is built here, but Guatemala is where I belong, all my roots are there and my heart is
there,” she said. “But I’ve become a different person and don’t fit there.”
She hopes that she’ll find the answer in
Namibia, in southern Africa, where she’ll
study in the fall as an exchange student.
“Namibia is a neutral place, a different
country, a different continent,” she said. “It
will help me make a decision from far away.
Or maybe I’m just a girl of the world and I’ll
go other places.”
MAX
BREGENZER
Living life to the Max
Max Bregenzer has traveled, studied,
and lived in four countries—Germany,
Spain, Argentina, and the United
States—and he might not yet be done.
Bregenzer, 22, was born and raised
in Germany and now works in his
home country for a large grocery
wholesaler. The company, called
Edeka, also is sending him to school.
He studies for three months, then applies what he’s learned for three
months. He’ll do that for a total of
three years and at the end will have a
holistic perspective of the company. It was through
this model that Bregenzer came to Augsburg.
He researched schools in the U.S. and found
that Augsburg offered the classes he wanted, including human resources and project management, problem-solving for business, and
international business. He said he also was lured
by the arts and outdoor activities.
“I learned about theatre and was totally surprised that everyone is biking here in the winter,”
he said.
This isn’t the first time Bregenzer has studied
or lived abroad. He spent a year of high school
in Spain. Then he went to Argentina to work
with street youths as part of his civil service.
Bregenzer is the oldest of three boys, and his family since about 1869 has owned a group of bakeries and cafés within 40 miles of his home city. You can see all the tasty-looking treats his family
makes at Maxl Bäck (http://maxlbaeck.de).
He hasn’t shut the door on the idea that he might someday work in the family business, but for
now he is focused on learning and practicing regional store management.
ERICA
LIPPITT
Family teamwork creates
a world of possibility for WEC student
Some people buy home study courses to learn
Spanish. Some enroll in Spanish classes. And some
people, like Erica Lippitt, go all the way to
Cuernavaca, Mexico, to live and study.
“I definitely achieved what I wanted in only four
months,” said Lippitt, a single working mother and
Weekend College student. “My son’s family is from
Cuba and they say that my Spanish is getting good.
We can communicate, and I understand them.”
Studying at the Center for Global Education’s
Mexico location was possible because Lippitt’s family pulled together. Her parents offered to care for
her son, and Lippitt’s brother helped, too. Her father, a Lutheran pastor, even got a night job so the
family could afford daycare for Lippitt’s son.
“My parents pushed me,” she said. “They showed
me this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Lippitt originally enrolled at Augsburg during
2001 for business administration. She said she left
the school—also her mom’s alma mater—because
Erica Lippitt visited the pyramids of Teotihuacan in Mexico City and
the Xochicalco pyramids in Cuernavaca, Mexico, with friends she
made on her travels.
Courtesy photos
she wasn’t focused. Lippitt moved to Florida to work
and while there, met her son’s father.
“I left Florida to escape an abusive relationship,”
she said. “My dad is a pastor, and I wasn’t raised to
live like that. I had to leave.”
When Lippitt returned to Wayzata, she returned
to Augsburg where she earned a 4.0 grade point average while working as many as 30 hours a week
and raising her son.
“It shows I am more focused, more determined. I
am here because I want to learn, not because I have
to be here.”
Studying in Cuernavaca also opened new possibilities and ways of thinking. Erica now knows she
wants to work in human resources for an international company. She’d also like to live and work in
Mexico for a time so her son can experience living
in a Spanish-speaking country. And finding ways to
help other women is on her radar screen, too.
“I’ve gained so much strength from my experience, that if there is something I can do to help
other women, I’d like to,” she said.
Summer 2011
17
JIAHUA (HOLLY) HUANG
Holly is a regular Minnesotan
In the 12 months Jiahua Huang was in the United States, she became a typical Minnesotan. Holly, as she prefers to be known in
the U.S., liked the Minnesota State Fair and shopped at the Mall
of America. And she got sick of snow.
Huang, a student at United International College (UIC) in
China, came to the U.S. to study education at Augsburg College.
She learned about
the college through
an Auggie studying
abroad at UIC. She
wanted to learn about
the United States’
culture and improve
her English skills,
and she was attracted
to Augsburg because
of its location.
“It’s better for me
to live in a city,” said
Jiahua Huang was originally excited for snow, and her
Huang, who comes
friends were jealous that she was able to experience
from
a city of 1.6 milwinter. By April, though, she was ready for springtime.
lion people. “Friends
who went to [rural private colleges] said they were bored. But,
when I got here, I asked where all the people were. I went to the
State Fair, and I liked it a lot—all the people.”
Huang was raised near Hong Kong. She has two older sisters
and an older brother. Many families in China have only one child,
but some are able to afford more children.
“My parents wanted another boy, but got another girl,” she
said. “Many friends would think from my name that I am a boy
because my name means ‘handsome’.”
Huang struggled with classes at first. “English is so hard,” she
said. “I would listen to the professor, and I didn’t know what he
was talking about. I would read the textbook, and I didn’t know
what I was reading.”
She also worked hard to become comfortable with cultural differences in the classroom.
“In China, you raise your hand and stand up to participate,”
she said. “Here, all the students talk. I wish I were more confident in class—I feel comfortable talking, but it also feels like I
am being impolite.”
Despite growing tired of the snow, Huang said she would like
to return to Minnesota. She wants to go to graduate school at the
University of Minnesota and teach Chinese while staying connected with her new friends in Minnesota.
18
Augsburg Now
Success in the sciences started for
Dat Nguyen when
his photographer
father lectured
him on the solar
system. It was
1995 and the
two were taking
pictures
of
the
total
solar
Dat Nguyen, right, performs with
folksinger Peter Yarrow of Peter,
eclipse in Vietnam. Nguyen was
Paul, and Mary
more interested in how the
camera and solar system worked than in the photos.
Nguyen, who is Buddhist, said that his success also can
be traced to selling candy at his mother’s store, and performing improvisational theater with American students visiting Vietnam in 2004. It was through these experiences
that Nguyen learned to break out of his comfort zone.
“As a Buddhist, we aren’t real loud or active. You have to
break out of your shell and contribute,” Nguyen said.
The American students that Nguyen’s family hosted invited him in 2005 to an improvisational theater camp in
Colorado.
“I didn’t expect to be invited to America when we
hosted the students,” he said. “But I’ve found that if you do
something voluntarily, without expectation, something automatically will come back.”
In Nguyen’s case, that “something” turned out to be lifechanging relationships that resulted from his theater performances in Colorado. He met Peter Yarrow—of Peter, Paul
and Mary—and later sang backup with Yarrow when the
singer was in Vietnam for a fundraiser. He also connected
with a group of families who offered to sponsor his education by providing his tuition, health insurance, and a
stipend.
In the sciences, Nguyen credits his success to the strong
advising, encouragement and opportunities provided by his
Augsburg professors, all of whom encouraged him to explore
his curiosities and broad-ranging scientific interests.
He will continue to feed his unlimited curiosity this fall
as a graduate student at Dartmouth, where he has earned a
full scholarship. He said he is looking forward to continuing
his studies in a setting similar to Augsburg College—one
with a smaller department where he can connect and interact with many people.
DAT
NGUYEN
Unlocking
possibilities
and potential
at Augsburg
FAIZA
ABBAS MAHAMUD
A life that defies definition
Faiza Abbas Mahamud moved a lot when she was young. First
her family moved from war-torn Somalia to Kenya. Then the
family moved four times in Kenya, including living at one time
in a refugee camp.
All the moving meant Mahamud wasn’t able to have one set
of friends with whom to spend time, connect, and grow up. But
she did have one constant—a dictionary.
“As a child, textbooks had to be purchased. We couldn’t buy
books, but we always had a dictionary. I feel like this is a tradition in our home,” she said.
The moving stopped in 2004 when Mahamud’s family came
to Minnesota.
“My aunt put her life on hold to help us,”
Mahamud said. “Aside from God, if it weren’t for
my mom’s youngest sister, it would be hard for us
to have a stable life.”
Mahamud graduated from Roosevelt High School
in 2007, then enrolled at Augsburg College. She
went back to Kenya during 2010 as an exchange student to work for a United Nations agency in a variety
of roles, including as a premarital counselor.
“When I went back to Kenya, I was a totally different person,” she said. “I wasn’t the girl who wanted
to get away from this country. Where is home for me?
When I was in America, I would say ‘I’m going home.’
When I was in Kenya, I kept calling Minnesota home.”
Mahamud, now a U.S. citizen, graduated in spring
2011 with majors in English and women’s studies and
with a minor in chemistry. She’s now exploring options
for graduate school but isn’t ready to confine herself
only to the United States.
“I want to be in Africa to help women who don’t have
that second helping hand like my aunt,” she said. “I
want to be in a position to make a difference in the lives
of women and children.”
And she still needs to finish reading the dictionary.
“I spent so much time reading and using the words I
learned,” she said. “But there are so many words I haven’t
gotten to.”
During her trip to Kenya, Faiza
Abbas Mahamud learned beadmaking from the women of
Narok who sold their goods at
Maasai Mara.
Courtesy photos
Summer 2011
19
IBRAHIM
AL-HAJIBY
Life in the United States:
Different, but not weird
Ibrahim Al-Hajiby’s time in America is a study in contrasts.
He first came to the United States during 2007 as a
high school exchange student. He crossed the globe from
Yemen’s capital city of Sana’a to Cloquet, Minn.—in the
dead of winter.
“I always seem to come to Minnesota in the winter,” he
said. “In Cloquet, I loved McDonald’s double cheeseburgers. I would eat one every day. Even in winter, I’d ride my
bike and the wheels would just spin in the snow.”
Volunteerism and politics are different, too.
“I live in one of the most conservative countries in the
Middle East, and we have a tribal culture,” said Al-Hajiby,
20. “In Yemen, our schools are focused on academics—
there isn’t the focus on serving the community.”
Al-Hajiby volunteered time since first arriving in the U.S.
and next year will serve as an officer of the International
Student Organization.
Al-Hajiby said that a key to his success in America is to
embrace wherever he is living, and to be open to new experiences and people.
“One of my host moms and I have a slogan: ‘It’s not
weird, it’s different’,” Al-Hajiby said.
Al-Hajiby said he misses and worries about his parents
and sister but is glad that his brother also is in Minnesota
Al-Hajiby is shown wearing the traditional clothing
worn by men in his home country of Yemen.
Courtesy photo
20
Augsburg Now
Ibrahim Al-Hajiby said two of his favorite foods in
the United States are hot dogs from The Wienery
and double cheeseburgers from McDonald’s.
this year. His country is in turmoil with protests against the government,
and some demonstrations turn deadly.
“I know people who have been killed,” he said. “My parents’ last
words on the phone are that they are glad my brother and I are here and
that we are safe.”
Al-Hajiby is an honors student in chemistry and recipient of Augsburg’s
International President’s Scholarship. He hopes one day to return to
Yemen to start a non-governmental organization.
“I really want to go back at one point and make a change,” Al-Hajiby
said. “I feel like God has chosen me to pursue such a fine education so I
can go back and help.”
REAL EXPERIENCE IN THE WORKING WORLD
BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
INTERNSHIPS, ONCE A NECESSARY STOP ON THE CAREER PATH OF ASPIRING PHYSICIANS, ARE NOW COMMON FOR MANY COLLEGE STUDENTS. WE TALKED TO FOUR
AUGGIE INTERNS ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE LEARNING OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM.
INTERNSHIPS PROVIDE VALUABLE OPPORTUNITIES for college students to gain hands-on experience in their fields. In addition to practical
training, internships can give students an inside view of a business or industry and help them broaden their professional networks. The internship
experience often validates a student’s career choice, but it can also lead
them to consider options they hadn’t before.
Today an internship is part of many students’ college experience and
perhaps a must for those hoping to be hired after college. According to a
May 2011 Washington Post article, internships are common for 75 percent of U.S. college students.
There are a number of reasons why students should and do take on
internships, said Lois Olson, executive director of the Clair and Gladys
Strommen Center for Meaningful Work at Augsburg. “Students get excited about what they are learning in the classroom and want to apply it
in another setting.” Often, she said, students will tell her that an internship experience helps them better understand lessons from the classroom. “They say, ‘Now I understand why we needed to learn that.’ ”
One of the most significant reasons for doing an internship relates to
getting a job after college. “A prominent message from employers is that
they want practical applied experience related to a student’s major on
their résumé,” Olson said. “They want to know they are making a good
hiring decision.”
In fact, completing at least one internship during college can have
great value beyond the learning experience. According to the 2010 Student Survey published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 42 percent of graduates with internships who applied for a job
received an offer compared with only 30 percent for students who had no
internship experience. In addition, students with internships tended to
receive higher starting salary offers.
As for internships leading to a job offer, Olson said technically a job
cannot be promised in an internship situation. “Most students hope it
will lead to a job,” she said. Olson added, “The reality is that many organizations will look to their interns to fill open positions should the opportunity arise.”
The prominence of internships and the rise of importance in the hiring process means students should start thinking about an internship
early. Olson said students who want to do an internship in their junior
year should start the process of planning in their sophomore year. “The
competition has really changed. It’s not as easy as making a phone call
anymore,” she said. Because the process takes longer, Olson encourages
students to dedicate as much time and attention to it as they would
when applying for a job.
Here we profile four students whose unique and challenging internships have given them insight into their chosen career fields and also
helped them grow as future leaders.
Summer 2011
21
What are you doing?
I bring the children of major donors and long-time season ticket holders onto
the field for batting practice so they can see what happens and meet the players. I also coordinate a few of the opening pitches.
’11
22
22
What have you learned?
I have learned how much goes into the presentation of a professional sporting
event. There is so much that you don’t see or hear about that’s behind the
scenes to make a baseball game run.
DAN BRANDT
What is the value of your internship?
Major: marketing
Internship: Minnesota Twins public affairs office
I have had a lot of unique experiences—meeting people, networking, and
doing things out of the ordinary that most people don’t get to do. At some
point I would like to have a career in this field, but it is very competitive.
Augsburg Now
Now
Augsburg
’11
KRISTI VINKEMEIER
Major: chemistry, biology minor
Internship: Aveda Corporation/SarTec Corporation
What are you doing?
My internship is a joint project between Aveda and SarTec Corporation. We are using the Mcgyan reactor technology to synthesize
new surfactant precursors from renewable resources. Surfactants
are an important class of molecules and integral to the performance of shampoos, conditioners, and soaps. This new surfactant
will be produced almost exclusively from renewable resources and
is expected to be fully biodegradable.
What have you learned?
When you work in lab class, your professor says, “This is what you
need to do, this is how you do it, and this is what you are going to
get.” In industry, you don’t know what you are going to get. You
have to keep strict notes. In lab you assume you’ll remember minor
details, but in the real world you can’t remember from the first
time to the fifth time. In industry, it’s not always clear as day what
is going to happen. The learning curve is much greater.
I’ve also learned about myself. Before this, I told everyone I
didn’t like research. Now I love it. I need change, so research and
development and the variety of tasks I’ve been able to do are a lot
of fun. Originally I was strongly interested in becoming a physician
assistant, but I have started to explore the idea of getting my master’s or PhD in chemistry.
What is the value of your internship?
I can’t explain how awesome an internship is. The companies are
willing to work with a student who is learning. I wish everyone
could have this opportunity. You learn so much about working with
people in a real chemistry lab.
If I went to a big school I don’t think I would have had the
same opportunities as I have had here. Augsburg has great affiliations with companies. Here, the chemistry department [faculty] got
to know me and know what I am interested in.
Summer 2011
23
What are you doing?
I have been researching the area around the proposed stops along University
Avenue on the Central Corridor Light Rail line. I have looked at the cost of developing high-density housing units in the area. I have also looked at government policies that were changed, such as some zoning policies and parking
regulations. I have had to look at the background information of the proposed
stops and give their story.
’11
TOM THAO
Major: sociology
Internship: Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC)
What have you learned?
I am getting more into urban planning and learning about the policies involved
in implementing a big project into a city.
What is the value of your internship?
I would like to have a career in urban planning, so it’s been beneficial to go
into the field and get to know people. I hope I can build up my résumé these
next few years and then get a master’s in urban regional planning. But right
now it’s about building the connections.
’11
GEOFFREY GILL
Major: youth and family ministry, psychology minor
Internship: Seeds of Change at St. Paul Central High School
What are you doing?
Seeds of Change is an after-school program directed toward African
American males. We try to give them the support they need in their
education and in their personal lives.
Our main goal is to get the families involved in the kids’ lives.
A lot of their parents don’t go to conferences and don’t know about
their kids’ grades. We are inviting the parents to a family night where
they come and get involved in conversations. We are doing a small
play to portray their experiences in school and life. It’s a chance for
them to literally tell their parents what is going on in their lives. At
the end we give the parents an opportunity to talk about what they
saw.
My goal is to be a support for the students. I first of all want to
be a listening ear and hear where they are in life and be with them.
They talk about how they moved around all their life and they never
had a stable home. A lot of them don’t have fathers in their lives.
They talk about how their relationship with their parents isn’t good
and how they have seen their parents at their lowest points. They
didn’t know how to handle it so they found a way to cope. You see
kids who get into drugs because it’s the only way that makes them
feel normal. Some of them don’t go home sometimes; they just ride
the bus all night.
What have you learned?
It has helped me immensely. I’ve been put in a leadership position as
the artistic coordinator. I’ve learned how to be a leader, how to make
decisions, and how to lead a group. It’s different leading a group of
people who are going out to do volunteer work or working with kids,
but having your own employees and needing to delegate and make
sure they stay on top of it is different. It’s been totally new for me.
I’ve learned the importance of being consistent and organized and on
time. If you’re slacking on something, it starts to show.
What is the value of your internship?
It has prepared me for the real world. When I walk into a new job situation, I am confident that I will be able to step in right away. I feel
comfortable working with young people because through the youth
and family ministry major we were taught to focus on what youth really want—not just from a religious perspective but on a human level.
When I come into a situation I am able to understand what a person
really wants.
Summer 2011
25
2011
commencment
Commencement by the numbers
3,655
150 faculty lined 7 ½ Street
and applauded graduates as they processed
tickets redeemed
2 drummers 314 steps
Bob Stacke, professor of music, was unable to
lead the procession in May due to an injury, so
he enlisted the help of Andrew Myers ’10.
718
participating graduates
(May and June)
18 FLAGS
8
Augsburg Now
210
5,200
minutes
of music, speeches, recognition, and applause
from Christensen Center
to Si Melby front steps
3
number
of
volunteers
Kwok Siu Tong, founder of United International College in Zhuhai, China
The Reverend Kjell Magne Bondevik, former Prime Minister of Norway and
founder and president of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights
The Reverend Ishmael Noko, general secretary (retired) of the Lutheran
World Federation
70
Doctor of Nursing
Practice graduates
representing countries of international students graduating
26
sandwiches served at postcommencement receptions
honorary degrees conferred
6 bows
1 bow
on Colin Stanhill’s beard, photo
featured in the May 8 Pioneer Press.
on President Pribbenow’s neck
(at each ceremony)
dnp
The first graduates of Augsburg’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program
are prepared to bring new perspectives to the nursing practice.
Back Row [L to R]: Kristin McHale '08 MAN; Susan Loushin '03 BSN, '06 MAN; Mary Ann Kinney '04 MAN; Kaija Freborg Sivongsay '08 MAN
Front Row [L to R]: Joyce Miller '02 BSN, '05 MAN; Katherine Baumgartner '05 MAN; Jean Gunderson '03 MAN; Deb Schuhmacher '04 MAN
At this year’s June commencement, Augsburg College graduated its
first cohort of students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
program. The DNP program, which began in 2009, is the College’s
first doctoral program.
The DNP curriculum focuses on transcultural nursing in community life, and the program has given students new perspectives
on treating people and illness.
Katherine Baumgartner ’05 MAN has been a member of the
nursing faculty since 2005. For her, the DNP program was a logical fit to expand her journey and practice and to strengthen and
deepen her knowledge in transcultural nursing. An ongoing focus
of her study and practice has been providing training and skill
building for health promoters in indigenous communities in rural
Guatemala.
Baumgartner said the DNP program reminded her that her own
experiences matter and encouraged her to go forward with her work
in Guatemala. “I learned that the practical wisdom borne from my
own experiences is not to be minimized,” she said. “That’s not a
classic outcome but is so important to my work.”
Joyce Miller ’02 BSN, ’05 MAN also has taught for the past
five years in the Augsburg nursing program. Her career focus has
always been on leadership, she said, and she felt the DNP program
would add a different dimension of care to her practice.
“This program has changed the way I look at the world and pa-
2011
tients and the way I envision health care,” Miller said. “I ask who
isn’t being cared for and how we can make sure everyone is being
cared for in the same way.”
Miller said she has learned to value “metis,” a term that refers
to collective wisdom, and to respect its role in the nursing practice.
“There is tremendous wisdom that we can learn from indigenous
healers,” she said. The nurses learned from the practices of healers in Mexico, Africa, and Native American traditions. “This program has given me the ability to stand back and respect everyone
for who they are and what they bring,” Miller said.
Jean Gunderson ’03 MAN was one of the first students to graduate from Augsburg’s nursing master’s degree program and is also
one of the first doctoral graduates. A public health nurse for the
majority of her career, Gunderson says she has dedicated her whole
life to creating systems of care that resonate with cultural diversity.
“This program has been lifelong learning for me,” Gunderson
said. She added that the program has transformed her models of
care and helped her recognize diverse ways of knowing. She also
said she has been moved to honor and recognize indigenous wisdom and to work in partnership with healers.
Both Miller and Gunderson said that being “pioneers” of the
DNP program has been rewarding. “We jumped right in with huge
faith and helped to co-create the program,” Gunderson said. “We
felt like we were partners.”
commencment
Summer 2011
27
alumni news
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear fellow alumni,
I
t is with great honor and a humble
acceptance that I will serve as your
Augsburg Alumni Board president for
the 2011-2012 academic year. Having
been a part of the Alumni Board for three
years, I am very fortunate to have been selected to lead our alma mater in connecting and engaging alumni. It is my goal to
help create fun and efficient programs that will not only get you connected but will keep you engaged!
I grew up playing golf, and I absolutely love the game! My favorite
times are when I am heading off that first tee with either family or a
group of buddies and we are reminiscing or razzing one another
about past memories that bring a few laughs. It’s that type of bond
that keeps us connected and eager to reunite.
When I think of family, Augsburg is a place I keep close to my
heart—the friends that I made and the new friends that continue to
emerge. Over the past few years, the Young Alumni Council has
helped reunite old and new friends with the Young Alumni Summer
Series of events, attended by 1,500 alums. We have had a blast putting this program together and have enjoyed watching its success.
Following Auggie Eagle on Facebook and Augsburg College on
Twitter have been fantastic ways to stay in touch and relay information when groups are getting together.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the 2011
graduating class! I look forward to seeing you at the 2011 Young
Alumni Summer Series. We have another engaging and entertaining set of events in store for you, including Canterbury Park on
August 5 and a Minnetonka boat
cruise on September 15! Register at
www.augsburg.edu/alumnievents
or 612-330-1085.
Auggies are literally all over the world! With
more than 25,000 alumni, Auggies can be found from
New Zealand to Denmark, the United States to Japan, and
Minneapolis to San Diego. We are everywhere doing good things
for our communities! The Alumni Board is rolling out a networking
program, Augsburg Builds Connections, which will enable alumni
professionals to provide information, encouragement, and support
to current students and recent graduates. This flexible volunteer
program will allow alumni mentors to connect with students via
e-mail, phone, or face-to-face meetings and assist them in navigating their career path and achieving their professional goals.
Read more about this program on the next page. Now, assisting
Auggies is as simple as ABC!
With all of this, I can’t help but be excited for the future. I wish
you well and look forward to getting connected this year.
Sincerely,
ROBERT WAGNER II ’02
ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
P.S. The Alumni Board would like to welcome our new members:
Kathy Amos ’87, Heather Cmiel ’02, Kate Loyd ’05, and Jerry
Poland ’92
Alumni Board of Directors 2011-12
Standing (L to R): John Stadler ’07 MAL (past president); Jennifer M.
Carlson ’91; Sarah Grans ’01; Chad Darr ’04; Sharon Mercill ’09; Tracy
Anderson ’95 (secretary); Julia Mensing ’00, ’07 MBA; Michael Loney ’03
(treasurer); Kate Loyd ’05; Chris Ascher ’81 (president elect); Kathy
Amos ’87; Jerry Poland ’92; Dale Hanka ’60; Robert J. Wagner II ’02
(president); Misti Allen Binsfeld ’93; Daniel Hickle ’95
Seated (L to R): Holly Ebnet Knutson ’03, ’07 MBA; Sharon Engelland ’87;
Chris Hallin ’88
Not Pictured: Heather Cmiel ’02; Lee Anne Lack ’67; Nancy Nordlund
’91, ’07 MAL; Carolyn Spargo ’80; Maggie Tatton ’01
28
Augsburg Now
abc
Augsburg Builds Connections
CONNECTIONS HELP GRADUATES DISCOVER WHAT’S NEXT
After college, many graduates ask, “What am I going to do now?”
Since he graduated from Augsburg, Cory Allen ’07 has helped
several Auggies answer this question and find ways to share their gifts
and talents with the world.
“Augsburg is great about helping you understand your vocation,
but it’s difficult to go the rest of the way,” he said. “You have to push
yourself to discover what is next.”
Allen works with students and graduates to help them understand
their strengths and their weaknesses, what they do well and where
they can improve. He said that knowledge might help in a person’s
career but will also be beneficial in other areas of their lives.
One recent graduate who has benefitted from Allen’s mentorship
is Joe Lichtscheidl ’11. Allen helped Lichtscheidl improve his résumé
and also gave him an “in” with a local company.
Lichtscheidl said having a mentoring relationship with an alumnus who has gone through the job search is extremely helpful. “I feel
that it keeps me from stressing out about getting a job in this tough
economy because I have someone who has gone through it to help.”
Sama Sandy ’08 reconnected with Allen at a Young Alumni Summer Series event, and the two continued communicating after that
e
w
a
Alumni mentoring volunteer
opportunities will begin this fall
night. Sandy said mentorship is a mutually beneficial relationship because both parties learn from each other.
He added, “Mentorships are a fantastic way of networking in
every sense because you are able to learn more about a person, potentially provide advice or assistance during times of struggle, and
also get to be a part during the times of triumph.”
For Allen, mentoring and working with others is simply “organic.”
He said, “I think it’s my responsibility to pass on my knowledge and
experiences, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see students go from the
start of their senior year to a successful career.”
SUPPORTING FELLOW AUGGIES IS AS EASY AS ABC
The Augsburg Builds Connections (ABC) program is one of the many
volunteer opportunities available to Augsburg parents and alumni.
Volunteers in the program meet or correspond with students or graduates who are in the process of applying for a job or are interested in a
career in their industry.
Augsburg alumni and parents who participate in the ABC program
have the opportunity to help Augsburg students navigate their career
path. To learn more about Augsburg Builds Connections, go to
www.augsburg.edu/alumni/abc.html.
Auggie alumnae seek to engage
women through AWE
In late 2009, a group of Auggie women gathered to respond to a
challenge: how to effectively engage more women in the life of
Augsburg College. They created AWE: Augsburg Women Engaged.
In Spring 2010, Augsburg graduates convened to share their insights about meeting this challenge. These alumnae shared two key
pieces of advice. First, alumnae desire to re-establish or strengthen
meaningful connections with classmates, faculty, current students,
and the College community. Second, women desire to make an impact in whatever they do.
We invite all alumnae to be part of making strategic connections
for the coming years for Auggie women. Participate in whatever way
best suits your interests, circumstances, and availability. Contact any
of the Advisory Council members or Donna McLean, director of development initiatives, mclean@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1556, to
find out how you can be involved.
AWE women gathered at Augsburg House on Wednesday, June 1. Pictured [L to R]:
Lisa Zeller ’81, ’89 MAL; Donna McLean; Shelby Andress ’56; Buffie Blesi ’90, ’97
MAL; Cassidy Titcomb; Sherilyn Young; Kari Eklund Logan ’82
The AWE Advisory Council members are Shelby Gimse Andress ’56;
Buffie Blesi ’90, ’97 MAL; Lisa Svac Hawks ’85; Kari Eklund Logan
’82; Jennifer Hipple ’09; Lori Moline ’82; Roz Nordaune ’77; Heidi
Wisner Staloch ’93; and Lisa Zeller ’81, ’89 MAL. We thank them
for accepting the challenge to engage more women in the life of
Augsburg College.
Summer 2011
29
alumni news
YOUNG ALUMNI
summer series
To register for the Young Alumni events or to see the full calendar
of events at Augsburg, go to www.augsburg.edu/alumni
Friday, August 5, 5-7 p.m.
AUGGIE NIGHT AT THE RACES
Canterbury Park
1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee
Free admission, picnic buffet, and
reserved seating
Thursday, September 15, 6-8 p.m.
BOAT CRUISE ON LAKE MINNETONKA
Join other Young Alumni donors for a
sunset boat cruise on Lake Minnetonka
with complimentary appetizers and beverages. Not a donor? Don’t miss the
boat! Become a donor today at augsburg.edu/giving.
Thursday, October 20, 7-8:30 a.m.
EYE-OPENER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BREAKFAST sponsored by Thrivent Financial
for Lutherans™
Town & Country Club
300 Mississippi River Blvd. N., Saint Paul
$5 includes full breakfast buffet and networking
Friday, October 21, 6-8 p.m.
HOMECOMING 2011: AUGGIE HOURS
Republic (formerly Preston’s)
221 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis
Two complimentary beverages and appetizers provided
30
Augsburg Now
10% Auggie discount
In an effort to attract Augsburg’s finest back to campus
to continue their education, the Augsburg Master of
Business Administration (MBA) is offering a 10% discount on MBA tuition to graduates of any of Augsburg’s
undergraduate programs including Weekend College.
The discount applies to students who begin the MBA
program in September 2011 and will be applied to each
course in the MBA program. Admission requirements
and deadlines for the Augsburg MBA can be found at
www.augsburg.edu/mba or by calling 612-330-1101.
The Augsburg MBA is an accredited MBA that has recently become a formal candidate for global business accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Business
Schools & Programs (ACBSP). Consider coming back to
Augsburg for a two-year MBA program grounded in the liberal arts with a focus on local, national, and global business issues.
Augsburg LIVE! webinar
SEPTEMBER 21
Augsburg’s President Paul C. Pribbenow has traveled this year
to ten cities and six states to engage the Augsburg community
in discussions about the College’s mission, vision, and vocation, and to foster opportunities to advance the College’s key
strategic initiatives. Alumni who have had the opportunity to
hear from the president have left with a greater sense of pride
in their alma mater and excitement for the future of the
institution.
The Augsburg LIVE! webinar is your chance to hear firsthand from President Pribbenow. Log in at www.augsburg.edu
on Wednesday, September 21, at noon CT for a 30-minute
conversation with President Pribbenow. See
images of the campus master plan
and hear stories of student success and excellence.
Augsburg
alumni
experience
the
EMERALD ISLE
Courtesy photo
auggie
involved in monitoring
Japanese nuclear facility
After the March earthquake and tsunami in Japan,
Augsburg alumna Cynthia Jones ’81 was called upon
to monitor nuclear safety of the affected Fukushima
Daiichi nuclear site.
Jones, a physics graduate and Augsburg
College regent, is a senior staff member in the
Office of Nuclear Security and Incident Response
of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
and worked as part of NRC’s 24-hour Operations
Center team in the aftermath of the earthquake.
During mid-May, the NRC transitioned this 24hour monitoring to a Japanese regulatory office.
Since that time, Japanese officials have been managing the recovery process for the site.
Because of Jones’ early involvement in the response, she now is presenting at scientific conferences. During late June, she chaired a special
session at the national Health Physics Society
meeting in Florida on the response to the events.
For continuing information on NRC activities in
response to this event, go to
www.nrc.gov/japan/japan-info.html.
Early in May, Auggie alumni and friends journeyed through Ireland on an
alumni tour led by Phillip Adamo, director of the medieval studies program and
history department chair.
Highlights from the group’s travels include a Dublin cruise on the river
Liffey and sites such as the Rock of Cashel and Holy Cross Abbey. Travelers experienced the majestic landscapes at the Cliffs of Moher and explored the ancient fort of Dun Aengus on the Aran Islands. Traditional Irish music was
enjoyed in the village of Dingle and the bustling city of Galway.
The travelers are pictured in front of Kylemore Abbey, a working Benedictine abbey in the countryside of the Connemara.
Front Row [L to R]: Phil Adamo, Fritz and Linda Morlock, Marya (Christensen)
Farrell ’63, Jessica Motschenbacher ’08, Jean Moucha, Sara Naegeli, Sandi
Prince ’05, Ted Naegeli, Clodaugh Horner (Irish guide)
Back Row [L to R]: Trace Regan, Mary Ellen Kelly, John Greenfield ’66, Mary Jo
Greenfield, Bob Farrell, Jennifer Carlson ’91, Sue Tesmer ’74, Nancy and
Richard Borstad, Amanda Storm
Courtesy photo
Journey to the Holy Land
With Religion Professor Philip A. Quanbeck II
JANUARY 3-14, 2012
Travel with a com