BEFORE TODAY
BEYOND TOMORROW
FALL–WINTER 2019 | VOL. 82, NO. 1
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Associate Vice President and
Chief Marketing Officer
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On s... Show more
BEFORE TODAY
BEYOND TOMORROW
FALL–WINTER 2019 | VOL. 82, NO. 1
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President and
Chief Operating Officer
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Associate Vice President and
Chief Marketing Officer
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On seeing and being seen
We see you!
This summer, Assistant Professor Joaquin
Muñoz from our education department
greeted our incoming students with a
powerful message. He said that every one
of them deserved an adult who loved them
unconditionally. He then looked out at our
remarkable students and told them that he
loved them. He said, “I see you,” and “I will
do all I can to ensure that you are successful
at Augsburg and beyond.”
Joaquin was speaking to students of color
and indigenous students in particular, but
this is our promise to all our students: “We
see you” is at the center of Augsburg’s
commitment to meet students where they are
and walk alongside them as they pursue their
educational goals. What does it mean to say
that “we see you”? It means that your life
experience, your vocational journey, your path
to Augsburg is important to us and will be
taken seriously as we work together to ensure
your success.
It seems especially fitting as we launch our
150th anniversary—our sesquicentennial—
that we renew our promise to meet our
students where they are, to see them in all of
their astonishing and diverse life experiences,
and to accompany them as they pursue an
Augsburg education.
Our promise to see our students is evident
in all of our celebrations of our 150th
anniversary. For example, the remarkable
“Each, Together” art project—part of an
international initiative known as “Inside
Out”—is featured in this issue of Augsburg
Now (see page 16). More than 1,200
photographs are displayed on buildings
across campus: images of current students,
faculty, staff, and alumni alongside those of
historic figures like Bernhard Christensen ’22,
Augsburg’s fifth president, who looks at me
each day as I pull into my campus parking
spot! Every time I look at those photographs, I
think about how they reflect our commitment
to seeing each other, to recognizing that our
various journeys to Augsburg and beyond
are part of a remarkable narrative that has
unfolded over the past 150 years.
Since our founding in 1869 and through
the decades that followed, our institution has
grown and changed, yet our commitment to
our foundational promise has remained the
same. We see you, we love you, and together
we will fulfill our abiding promise that
Augsburg is “small to our students and
big for the world.”
Faithfully yours,
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Director of Marketing
Laura Swanson Lindahl ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Director of Public Relations
and Internal Communications
Gita Sitaramiah
sitarami@augsburg.edu
Assistant Director of
Marketing Creative
Denielle Stepka ’11
stepkad@augsburg.edu
Senior Creative Associate, Design
Elizabeth Kästner
kaestner@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
John Weirick
weirick@augsburg.edu
Communication and
Social Media Specialist
Briana Alamilla ’17
alamilla@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communications
Specialist
Kaia Chambers
chamberk2@augsburg.edu
Web Manager
Joe Mann
mannj@augsburg.edu
Contributors
Kate H. Elliott
Jen Nagorski ’08
Lisa Renze-Rhodes
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg University
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
university policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
AUGSBURG NOW
Fall–Winter 2019
During Augsburg’s annual community
engagement and service event—now
known as City Engagement Day—first-year
students volunteer at Twin Cities-based
organizations at the start of the academic
year. On September 3, more than 650
students in Augsburg T-shirts worked
alongside faculty and staff. Some sites
included community gardens and a river
cleanup with the National Park Service.
The Class of 2023 is Augsburg’s largest ever.
See the back cover.
02 Around the quad
16 Face value
08
Annual report to donors
22
10
A September to remember
26 Auggies connect
12
Building on an early lead
15
Honoring Auggies
Balancing the books
28 Class notes
32 In memoriam
On the cover: Portraits of community
members—past and present—create a
tapestry of faces that celebrate, recognize,
and honor the individuals who have
contributed to Augsburg University during
the past 150 years. Read more on page 16.
All photos by Courtney Perry unless
otherwise indicated
Send address corrections to
alumniupdate@augsburg.edu.
Send comments to
now@augsburg.edu.
PHOTO BY REBECCA SLATER
AUGSBURG’S LARGEST CLASS KICKS OFF
ACADEMIC YEAR WITH VOLUNTEERING
PHOTOS BY SHAWN NIELSEN
AROUND
THE
QUAD
Augsburg launches
TRANSIT PASS FOR UNDERGRADUATES
Augsburg University now offers the Auggie Pass, a universal transit
pass that gives undergraduate students unlimited rides on buses
and light rail in a first-of-its-kind partnership between Metro Transit
and a Twin Cities university.
Augsburg’s student government approved increasing the green
fee by $5 to $20 per semester to pay for the Auggie Pass in order
to reduce students’ out-of-pocket costs while improving their
chances of accepting jobs and internships that involve a commute.
Day Student Government is officially responsible for overseeing the
green fee that supports sustainability efforts.
The Auggie Pass is valid throughout the school year and is paid
for from both the student green fee and university operating funds.
All traditional undergraduate students who pay the semester green
fee are eligible for the pass at no additional cost.
“As someone who uses the bus every day, it’s great not to have
that financial burden,” said Skye Ryge ’20, who advocated for the
pass. “It’s really economically advantageous to students who pay
for school, like me, to not have to choose between textbooks and
bus fare.”
2
AUGSBURG NOW
President Paul Pribbenow named
FUNDRAISER OF THE YEAR
Augsburg University President Paul
Pribbenow was named an Outstanding
Fundraising Professional for his effective,
creative, and inspiring leadership.
The highest honor bestowed upon one of
its members, the award was presented by
the Association of Fundraising Professionals
at the International Fundraising Conference
in San Antonio this spring. “The impact
of Paul Pribbenow on the organizations
he has served is only exceeded by the
impact he has had on the entire fundraising
profession,” said AFP President and
CEO Mike Geiger. “It is fair to say that
fundraising—and how we look at ethics
and philanthropy—would look differently
without the contributions of Paul. His work
will serve as one of the cornerstones of the
profession for years to come.”
QUIZ:
OLDER OR
YOUNGER
THAN AUGSBURG?
VARSITY WOMEN’S WRESTLING TEAM
Augsburg announced earlier this year the addition of a varsity women’s
wrestling team.
This new team continues the pioneering tradition in women’s athletics
at Augsburg, which now has the only varsity women’s wrestling team in
Minnesota. In 1995, Augsburg became the first college in the Midwest
to sponsor a varsity women’s ice hockey team. Then, in 2014, Augsburg
became the first collegiate institution in Minnesota to sponsor a varsity
women’s lacrosse team.
The women’s wrestling team is competing this academic year under
head coach Max Mejia, who most recently served as women’s and
developmental coach at the Sunkist Kids Regional Training Center in
Tempe, Arizona.
Mejia, a 2015 graduate of Harvard University, has helped coach a
World Team Trials champion and another finalist; two senior national
team members; a U.S. Open champion, finalist, and placewinner; and
four Arizona high school state champions.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
The first recorded baseball
game occurs.
Abolitionists Frederick Douglass
and Harriet Tubman are born.
Leaders sign Norway’s constitution.
Abraham Lincoln serves as
president of the United States.
Victor Hugo publishes the novel
“Les Misérables.”
Pharmacist John Pemberton invents
Coca-Cola.
The first automobile with an
internal combustion engine is
invented.
Answers: 1. Older; 1846. 2. Older; 1818 and 1822.
3. Older; 1814. 4. Older; 1861–65. 5. Older; 1862.
6. Younger; 1886. 7. Older; 1807.
MINNESOTA’S ONLY
In honor of Augsburg’s founding in 1869,
the university is celebrating the past and
the present with sesquicentennial events
all year long. Think you know history?
Test your knowledge: Identify whether
each of the events below is older or
younger than Augsburg.
German scholars and artists join
RIVER SEMESTER
PHOTO BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
Augsburg University’s third River Semester launched in August as part of
a prestigious German initiative to explore the Mississippi River.
“Mississippi. An Anthropocene River” is a German research project
involving many communities and initiatives along the river with a focus
on climate change. Joining Augsburg students are German travelers,
including artists, authors, journalists, and scholars from the Max Planck
Institute and the Goethe Institute.
This year’s River Semester voyagers departed from Lake Itasca in
northern Minnesota and, for 100 days, are paddling portions of the
Mississippi River to reach New Orleans. The students will earn 16 to
19 credits.
FALL–WINTER 2019
3
AROUND THE QUAD
NEW AUGSBURG
BOARD OF REGENTS MEMBERS
At its annual September meeting, the Augsburg Corporation
elected four new members to the Board of Regents and
re-elected three members.
Elected to their first term on the Augsburg Board of Regents:
•
Sylvia Bartley, senior global
director, Medtronic Foundation
•
Ellen Ewald, co-owner and
executive advisor at Tysvar LLC
and mobileAxept in Minneapolis
•
John O’Brien, president and chief
executive officer of Educause;
former president of North
Hennepin Community College in
Minneapolis
•
John Schwartz ’67, retired hospital
administrator at Advocate Trinity
Hospital in Chicago and former
general manager of SmithKline
Beecham Clinical Laboratories,
Schaumburg, Illinois
Sylvia Bartley
Upgraded training room
boosts athletes’ efficiency
Augsburg’s athletic training room has moved to a larger,
substantially upgraded space in Si Melby Hall.
In this new space, sports medicine support staff from on
and off campus—including team physicians, chiropractors,
physical therapists, and dietitians—can work collaboratively
with athletic trainers to better serve Augsburg’s more than
500 student-athletes from 22 varsity sports. Philanthropic
gifts paid for the upgrades, with student-athletes gaining the
benefit of more efficient scheduling.
“The ability to serve multiple teams at the same time in
the larger space, with state-of-the-art equipment, will be the
biggest advantage and benefit for the student-athlete,” said
Missy Strauch, Augsburg’s head athletic trainer.
Ellen Ewald
Augsburg hosts inaugural
HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM
Elected to a third term:
•
Karen Durant ’81, retired vice
president and controller of
Tennant Company, Golden Valley,
Minnesota
•
Matt Entenza, attorney in private
practice in St. Paul, Minnesota,
and former Minnesota state
representative
•
Jeff Nodland ’77, retired president
and chief executive officer of KIK Custom Products
John O’Brien
The Human Rights Forum at Augsburg University welcomed
about 800 students, thought leaders, global changemakers,
and activists this fall. In partnership with the Human Rights
Foundation, which also produces the Oslo Freedom Forum,
the two-day event at Augsburg brought together participants
from a variety of institutions and locations around the world.
The first day explored human rights issues in authoritarian
regimes, and the second day focused on racial justice,
indigenous rights, and environmental sustainability.
John Schwartz ’67
See the full list of Board of Regents members
at augsburg.edu/about/leadership.
4
AUGSBURG NOW
2019 Media Sponsor
Learn more at augsburg.edu/humanrightsforum.
OREN GATEWAY CENTER
lobby renovation provides
aesthetic convenience
The Oren Gateway Center lobby and adjoining Nabo cafe were redesigned and
renovated during the summer, creating more inviting campus meeting spaces.
The Nabo security gate was relocated to allow access to the bookstore and seating
area beyond the cafe’s hours of operation. Key pieces of kitchen equipment also
were upgraded. This project was funded by A’viands, Augsburg’s food service
provider, as part of its most recent dining contract with the university.
Augsburg names inaugural
Augsburg welcomes
Sundquist Endowed
Professor of
Business Administration
This fall, Augsburg named Business Department Chair Jeanne Boeh the
Sundquist Endowed Professor of Business Administration.
The Sundquist professorship supports business administration,
Augsburg’s largest academic department with the most undergraduate
students on campus. Boeh, a professor of economics, has been teaching
at Augsburg since 1990 and often appears in media interviews and on
business panels using her talent for bringing complex business concepts
to life.
“Jeanne Boeh will lead Augsburg’s efforts to attract top business
faculty, thanks to this generous endowment,” said Augsburg
University President Paul Pribbenow. “She is known as a faculty
leader on campus and for her strong commitment to students as they
prepare for careers in business.”
This endowed professorship is named for alumnus Dean Sundquist ’81,
an Augsburg Board of Regents member and chairman and CEO of
Anoka, Minnesota-based Mate Precision Tooling. Sundquist and his
wife, Amy, have made several major investments in Augsburg.
The Forum on Workplace Inclusion has a new
home at Augsburg University. Previously based
at the University of St. Thomas, the forum is the
nation’s largest workplace diversity, equity, and
inclusion conference designed for national and
global audiences.
The forum has served as a convening hub for
those seeking to grow professional leadership and
effective skills in the field of diversity, equity, and
inclusion by engaging people, advancing ideas,
and igniting change.
“The Forum on Workplace Inclusion is excited to
begin a new chapter at Augsburg University,” said
Steve Humerickhouse, executive director of The
Forum. “We look forward to the amazing things we
can create with our new Auggie family.”
FALL–WINTER 2019
5
ARCHIVE PHOTO
From disease to remedy: How
nostalgia offers a psychological boost
A special vacation with family members you miss. That unforgettable meal at your
favorite restaurant with your favorite person. The album you used to listen to nonstop
during the ups and downs of high school. You’re happy you have those pleasant
memories, but you’re also sad they’re over. You are experiencing nostalgia.
Throwback TV shows, retro fashion, and reboots of toys, trinkets, and stories from decades ago have people wondering
if American culture is at its peak in terms of nostalgia—and how long it can last. Bridget Robinson-Riegler is a professor
of psychology at Augsburg University. Taking a moment between writing a cognitive psychology textbook, research, and
teaching and learning with her students, she explores what psychology can tell us about nostalgia’s appeal.
Q:
A:
What is nostalgia? How does it
relate to memory?
Nostalgia is a sentimental longing
for one’s past. The emotion is deeply
social and bittersweet but predominantly
positive. Nostalgic memories are
recollections of atypical life events (e.g.,
vacations) that involve close relationships
(e.g., family, friends) or events from
childhood. We view these experiences with
rose-colored glasses so negative aspects
are often not remembered. We miss those
experiences and yearn to relive them.
Q:
A:
Where did the idea of
nostalgia originate?
The word “nostalgia” is a compound
of two Greek words that essentially
mean a sad mood originating from a
desire to return to one’s native land. The
word was coined in the 17th century
by a medical student who was helping
Swiss mercenaries working in France.
He observed symptoms of sadness,
loss of appetite, insomnia, cardiac
6
AUGSBURG NOW
palpitation—things we would diagnose
as post-traumatic stress disorder today.
Much of the early interest in nostalgia
focused on how to stop these thoughts
because it was considered a disease
and the resulting symptoms prevented
individuals from performing at their
military best.
Q:
A:
How does nostalgia affect people
psychologically?
Nostalgic remembering is
most likely to occur in times of
loneliness, negative moods, or feelings of
meaninglessness. It is basically a coping
mechanism to deal with distress. Rather
than being the problem (the disease, as
it was conceptualized when the term was
first coined), it is the way we cope (more
like the remedy or cure). Even if we may
feel bad and disconnected in our current
life, we can “relive” a time when we felt
good and were not lonely. Reconstructing
memories and projecting ourselves into
the future are interdependent cognitive
processes that share a system in the brain.
So, when we think about a time when
we were socially connected and at our
“personal best,” these feelings stretch out
into our future, and we become hopeful
and consequently feel better.
Q:
A:
How is nostalgia active in
society today?
Given the state of the world—
climate change, ups and downs in
the economy, racist acts, problematic
government leadership—it is not surprising
that nostalgic thinking is common.
This type of societal distress can lead
to personal nostalgia and to collective
nostalgia in which people long for a time
when they viewed the world as a better
place, even if it wasn’t. So there is a
resurgence of old TV shows, vinyl records,
throwback uniforms for athletic teams,
retro clothes, and other products. We
seek comfort with familiar products from
childhood or from a time when the world
was viewed as “better” or “easier.”
Visit augsburg.edu/now to read more
about nostalgia.
COURTESY PHOTOS
2019–20 CONVOCATION SERIES
Augsburg University’s annual convocation series provides
dedicated time during the academic year to hear from
outstanding leaders and visionaries.
In October, this year’s series kicked off with the Bernhard
Munib Younan
M. Christensen Symposium featuring Munib Younan,
retired bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan
and the Holy Land and former president of the Lutheran
World Federation, and Hamdy El-Sawaf, founder and
psychotherapist at the Family Counseling Center and imam
of Masjid Al-Iman in
Hamdy El-Sawaf Minneapolis. Through
their presentations, each shared personal
experiences and religious perspectives
Join us January 20, 2020
on hope, reconciliation, and resiliency
for the Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation.
All convocation events are free and open to
in the midst of suffering and struggles
the public. Visit augsburg.edu/convo.
that often are intensified by religious
convictions and differences.
SAVE THE DATE:
PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT STUDIES PROGRAM
moves to new Minneapolis location
The physician assistant studies graduate program moved into a renovated, leased
space in the Riverside Park Plaza building.
The building’s location, at 701 25th Avenue South in Minneapolis, puts it
among the medical facilities of the University of Minnesota Medical Center
and the Masonic Children’s Hospital and just a short walk from the Augsburg
University campus. The program’s move in August came after four years at
Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The new space, which features an increased footprint for classroom and clinical
lab instruction, supports potential future departmental growth and allows the
program faculty, students, and staff to engage with Minneapolis campus activities.
“The curriculum was redesigned to be more case-based and hands-on, and this
new space will allow for a more creative and innovative learning environment,”
said Alicia Quella, the physician assistant studies program director and
department chair.
AROUND THE QUAD
AWARDS AND HONORS
Best Regional Universities by
U.S. News & World Report:
U.S. News & World Report again
named Augsburg one of the Best
Regional Universities in the Midwest in
2019. This year, Augsburg is No. 13,
which makes it the top Minnesota school
on the list. Augsburg is also ranked ninth
for undergraduate teaching, eighth in its
support for veterans, top in the state and
sixth overall for innovation, and fourth
in promoting social mobility. Rankings
are based on average first-year retention
rates, graduation rates, class sizes,
student-to-faculty ratios, and
other information.
Best in the Midwest by The Princeton
Review: The Princeton Review
again named Augsburg one of the Best
in the Midwest for academic excellence
this year.
25 LGBTQ Friendly Colleges: College
Consensus, a new college review
aggregator, recognized Augsburg in its
survey of 25 LGBTQ Friendly Colleges of
2019. College Consensus works to bring
attention to schools that other ranking
publishers overlook.
Top Schools for Indigenous Americans:
In 2019, the American Indian
Science and Engineering Society’s Winds
of Change magazine selected Augsburg
as one of the Top 200 Schools for
Indigenous American and Alaska Native
students pursuing degrees in science,
technology, engineering, and math.
Top Military Friendly School:
Augsburg was again named a
Military Friendly® School, a list compiled
through extensive research and a free,
data-driven survey of more than 10,000
Veterans Administration-approved
schools nationwide.
FALL–WINTER 2019
7
2018–19 AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY
ANNUAL REPORT
TO DONORS
You are a part of a large
community of Augsburg donors.
We are so grateful for the
generosity of this community of
people who support our mission.
AUGSBURG BY THE NUMBERS
ACADEMICS
STUDENTS
16.2 average class size
13:1 student-to-faculty ratio
50+ undergraduate majors
10 graduate degrees
2,005
traditional undergraduate students
76%
of traditional undergraduate
first-year students live on campus
Data from 2018–19 academic year
27%
of Augsburg undergraduates
are first-generation college students
47%
of traditional undergraduates
are students of color
38
U.S. states represented by the
undergraduate student body
44
countries represented by the
undergraduate student body
97%
of traditional undergraduates
receive some form of financial aid
AUGSBURG DONORS ENSURE OPPORTUNITIES
Parents:
Hazen and Kathy Graves
• Hazen: Retired partner at Faegre Baker Daniels
law firm
• Kathy: Principal for communications and
planning firm Parenteau Graves
• Priority: Support higher education institutions
that serve students with physical disabilities
When Hazen and Kathy Graves toured Augsburg with
their son, Sam Graves ’16, they found that it offered
the unique assistance Sam needed as a young man
with cerebral palsy who uses a power wheelchair. “As
we learned more about the support Augsburg offers
to students with various kinds of challenges, we
came to understand that Augsburg had been doing
this for a long time,” said Hazen.
Sam graduated with a degree in psychology.
The idea of supporting Augsburg financially
occurred to both Hazen and Kathy independently,
and they decided to donate $50,000 to endow a
scholarship. “Access to higher education is a big
issue,” Hazen said, “and we’re just doing our
little part.”
Find more donor stories at
augsburg.edu/giving.
AVERAGE GIFT SIZE
$2,565
NUMBER OF DONORS LAST YEAR
9,966
Alumni:
Brian Anderson ’82 and
Leeann Rock ’81
• Brian: PhD in physics at the University of
Minnesota, taught at Augsburg, joined Johns
Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
• Leeann: MD from the University of Minnesota,
pathologist at Frederick Memorial Hospital
• Priority: Expand students’ academic
opportunities and multidisciplinary efforts
Husband and wife Brian Anderson ’82 and
Leeann Rock ’81 are donating $50,000 to endow
the Raymond E. and Margaret J. Anderson
Scholarship in honor of Brian’s parents’ legacy, as
well as in honor of Brian’s brother, Augsburg Physics
Professor Emeritus Stuart Anderson ’78.
Brian’s father, the late Raymond E. Anderson,
joined Augsburg in 1949 as a speech and
communications professor. Brian’s mother, the late
Margaret J. Anderson, came to Augsburg in 1967
and became library director.
Endowing a scholarship is “a formal way of
maintaining our relationship with Augsburg while
ensuring more opportunities for students in the
future,” Brian said.
• Retired clinical psychologist who studied at
the State University of New York—Buffalo and
Michigan State University
• Priority: Equitable representation of women in
education and leadership, including in faculty
roles, administration, and political offices
Linda Giacomo was the first in her family to attend
college. She empathizes with immigrant struggles,
recalling impoverished grandparents who left
southern Italy to become naturalized U.S. citizens and
parents who could not afford their children’s college
tuition despite holding four jobs combined.
“Education is transformative in a way that gives
you so much power and choice. People should not
be denied that opportunity because they have no
money,” she said.
Noting that women earn 26% less than men but
carry two-thirds of the nation’s college debt, Giacomo
designated a $30,000 outright gift to the Augsburg
Women Engaged Scholarship as well as a generous
estate gift.
“To not be generous, to not share what you have
with those in need, is heartbreaking,” she said. “In
making these gifts to Augsburg, my heart is full.”
ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE
$48.1
May 31, 2019—$49,644,712
$40.5
$38.3
$32.4
$31.5
$28.2
$49.6
$43.9
$39.4
$34.6
$33.3
$29.8
$24.5
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
REVENUE BY SOURCE
EXPENSES BY SOURCE
39% Salaries and benefits
34% Financial aid
19% Operating expenses
3% Utilities and insurance
2% Debt services
2% Student compensation
1% Capital improvement
Friend:
Linda Giacomo
WHERE GIFTS ARE FROM
72.57% Individuals
14.70% Corporations
12.73% Foundations
79% Tuition
8% Room and board
6% Gifts and private
grants
3% Government grants
2% Endowment income
2% Other
GALA AT A GLANCE
• 1,000 Auggies attended the gala.
• Thanks to our generous guests, we raised a total of
$1.4 million in support of Augsburg’s mission.
• Paul Mueller ’84 and Nancy (Mackey) Mueller ’85
issued a challenge and pledged to match every gift
at the $1,000 level dollar for dollar up to $100,000.
1
A SEPTEMBER
TO REMEMBER
2
SESQUICENTENNIAL GALA
It wouldn’t be right to mark 150 years of Augsburg with a
small affair—so we threw a huge, once-in-a-lifetime party.
On Friday, September 27, Auggies of all kinds dressed up
and headed to Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel—The Depot in
downtown Minneapolis for the Sesquicentennial Gala, a night of
dinner, dancing, revisiting the university’s history, and rallying
support to propel Augsburg into the next 150 years.
10
AUGSBURG NOW
3
1) Gala attendees pose for a photo.
2) Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a guest speaker for the evening,
takes a selfie with Augsburg Day Student Government leaders
Arianna Antone-Ramirez ’20 and Lucia Davila ’20.
3) Provost Karen Kaivola and students dance to live music.
PHOTO BY LAUREN FALK
HOMECOMING 2019
Auggies continued the celebration Saturday, September 28,
with a full day of Homecoming festivities, including Taste
of Augsburg, a chapel service, the football game, and the
Augsburg Music Department Collage Concert. The classes
of 1969, 1979, and 2009 celebrated milestone reunions.
Donte Collins ’18 embraces
English Professor Doug Green.
“Auggie, you are called into the world.
Into your wonder. Your why. To wrestle
with reason. To spot the problem. And propose new
parts. To walk toward your fears. To find the heart.
We are Called. We are Auggies.”
—from “We Are Auggies,” a spoken-word piece
written and performed by Donte Collins ’18
PHOTO BY BOB STACKE '71
Campaign Chair Paul Mueller ’84 joins
President Paul Pribbenow on stage.
“Augsburg is astonishing. Which is really to say that
the people of Augsburg are astonishing—Brilliant.
Committed. Resilient. You might try to hide it or
downplay it, but it is undeniably, unequivocally,
tangibly bursting forth from everything you do. It has
been nearly 15 years since I first stepped on campus.
And, today, the world is noticing Augsburg, what it is,
and does, and stands for. Not just in the Twin Cities,
but nationally and internationally.”
—from President Paul Pribbenow’s gala remarks
FALL–WINTER 2019
11
BUILDING ON
AN EARLY LEAD
BY KATE H. ELLIOTT
Athletics secures NCAA grant to fund first-of-its-kind position supporting culture of inclusion
Hop, step, and jump. Hop, step, and jump.
Training for the 2004 Summer Olympic Games, Chris Dixon
could think of little else than the triple jump cadence.
Hop, step, and jump. Hop, step, and jump.
Then at practice, hop, step, and crack—followed by intense
pain, doctors, and confirmation that his Olympic dreams
shattered along with his ankle.
Dixon spent the next few years figuring out who he was off
the field—the place where athletic ability and subsequent
praise had become closely linked to his sense of identity. It was
a journey as difficult—if not more so—than his climb to peak
performance. During that dark, confusing time, he promised
himself: If I’m ever in a position to help others transition to life
after sports, I will.
Since July, Dixon has served as Augsburg University’s director
of athletic diversity and inclusion and assistant coach for the
men’s and women’s track and field teams. He is eager to return to
the field as a coach, and he has a game plan to use the new role
to promote a culture of inclusion. This job is personal, Dixon said.
“I was one of only a few African American kids in elementary
school. People would ask to touch my hair, and I felt different
until fifth grade, when I performed in front of my peers and
teachers at a district track meet,” he said. “For the first time, I
felt accepted and embraced, and from then on, my identity was
as an athlete. I loved it, don’t get me wrong, but it was difficult
to adjust once I left the arena.”
Dixon never had an African American teacher or coach other
than a friend’s dad who, after selling insurance all day,
volunteered for Dixon’s high school track and field team.
“I had amazing coaches and teachers, but I never saw
myself in those roles,” he said. These and other life
experiences inform his outlook on this new role
and emphasize the importance of his presence at
Augsburg, where he also teaches Introduction
to Kinesiology.
“I am meeting student-athletes and talking
with them about the challenges they face. I
am working to be a presence on campus—
to break down stereotypes for some and
to be a role model for others,” he said.
“Alongside student-athletes and our athletics
administration, I want to create or enhance
academic resources, life-skills development,
and networking opportunities.”
Personal connections and consistent,
centralized support are critical to the
success of underrepresented studentathletes, Dixon said. “Augsburg is already
ahead of the game. The student body is
diverse, and there are many resources across
campus that support inclusion. I plan to work
with and build on what’s already there.”
A plan—starting with breakfast
Student-athletes attend a networking event hosted by Chris Dixon.
12
AUGSBURG NOW
As the sun rose on the second Thursday in October,
Dixon greeted several tables of student-athletes seated
in The Commons in Christensen Center. The young men
of color connected with each other over breakfast before
hearing advice from Jareck Horton, district sales manager
at PDC IDenticard, and Augsburg Football Assistant Coach
Keanon Cooper. Dixon plans to invite successful men of color
from a range of professions to these monthly networking
socials, and he will hold similar events with other groups.
Alicia Schuelke ’20 MAE, graduate assistant coach for track
and field, said she and other students are thrilled with Dixon’s
enthusiasm and vision for the role.
“In a world where, many times, the odds are stacked
against us, leaders of color provide hope and strength,”
said Schuelke, a student in the Master of Arts in Education
program. “I came to Augsburg for the MAE program, but I was
pleasantly surprised to find how diverse the campus is, and it
is my absolute favorite part of my learning experience.
“If we can move the needle toward a more diverse group of
leaders that better represent our country’s demographics, then
students of color will begin to understand that the
sky’s the limit in terms of their own hopes,
dreams, and aspirations.”
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INCLUSION
and netwo
RSITY AND
—CHRIS
ECTOR
DIXON, DIR
E
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OF ATHLET
FALL–WINTER 2019
13
AUGGIES
Position the result of
NCAA diversity grant
Dixon’s position is largely made
possible through a two-year NCAA
Ethnic Minorities and Women’s
Internship Grant, which provides
financial assistance to member
institutions who create full-time,
entry-level administrative positions
for people who identify as an ethnic
minority and/or a woman, according
to federal guidelines. The grant also
supports professional development and
formalized mentoring.
Augsburg was one of only 20
institutions and conference offices
selected to receive the grant this cycle,
and it is the third award for Augsburg
in the past decade. The university first
secured the Ethnic Minorities and
Women’s Internship Grant during the
2012 to 2014 cycle to fund Jennifer
Jacobs’ role as assistant director
of NCAA compliance and assistant
volleyball coach. In 2014, Augsburg
received the NCAA’s Strategic Alliance
Matching Grant, which funds fulltime, mid- to senior-level athletics
administration positions during a fiveyear commitment. Jacobs’ role then
evolved into assistant athletic director
of external relations and diversity and
inclusion, in addition to her role as
assistant volleyball coach. She is
now head volleyball coach at
Augustana University.
Augsburg’s Associate Athletic
Director Kelly Anderson Diercks said
the department is driven to advance
diversity and inclusion. “Embracing
and connecting students of all
backgrounds and experiences is the
right thing to do, but it is also smart,”
she said. “More diverse teams are
often stronger teams. They produce
student-athletes who are better
prepared to excel in play and in life.”
Anderson Diercks is a product of
the NCAA’s diversity grants, first as an
intern for the Minnesota Intercollegiate
14
AUGSBURG NOW
Athletic Conference and then as an
assistant director. The experience,
Anderson Diercks said, transformed
how she operates as a leader in a maledominated profession. More than a
decade has passed, but she remains in
contact with the mentor assigned to her
during the internship.
“These are critical opportunities for
women and minorities to enter into
leadership positions with tremendous
personal and professional resources
designed to equip them with the tools
and outlook to navigate difficult roles,”
said Anderson Diercks, who formerly
served as chair of the NCAA Ethnic
Minority and Women’s Internship
selection committee. “We are
particularly excited about Coach Dixon’s
position because, to our knowledge, it is
the only role of its kind.”
Augsburg is ‘ahead of the game’
Ali Spungen, associate director of
Division III for the NCAA, said that
about 130 positions have been
awarded through diversity grants during
the past five years—that’s more than
$36 million in funds for positions and
professional development. Augsburg,
Spungen said, stands out as a leader in
the division, which is well positioned to
meet the needs of diverse populations.
“Division III allows student-athletes
to play the sports they love within
departments also focused on their
academics and social engagement,”
said Spungen, also a past grant
recipient. “These positions empower
leaders like Coach Dixon to thrive,
which inspires and encourages
students. Augsburg clearly cares for
its student-athletes and is willing to
dedicate time and resources to ensure
they are successful and well-rounded.”
Dixon is ready and grateful to come
full-circle—to be the coach and teacher
he never had and to prepare others for
the transitions he never saw coming.
ARCHIVE PHOTOS
IN MEMORIAM
Merton Strommen ’42 and
Gladys Strommen ’46
Merton Strommen ’42 and Gladys Strommen ’46 were a part of a
family legacy at Augsburg that has spanned generations. The
Strommens have widely shared their gifts and talents with the
university, and their impact on the Augsburg community will be
felt for many years to come.
Mert Strommen died September 2. Youth ministry was the core
of his life’s work—as campus pastor at Augsburg and founder of
Search Institute, which has an international impact on youth work
through research. Mert and his wife, Irene (Huglen) ’44, started the
Youth and Family Institute at Augsburg and also created the David
Strommen Endowed Fund for youth ministry. Mert also served on
Augsburg’s Board of Regents, founded and directed the Augsburg
Centennial Singers, and was awarded Fellow status by the
American Psychological Association for his pioneering research in
psychology and religion.
Gladys Boxrud Strommen passed away May 26. Gladys and
husband, Clair ’46, who passed away in 2001, have served and
supported Augsburg in many significant ways over their lives
and created a lasting legacy through their work and dedication.
Gladys was a supportive partner to Clair in developing his career
in business and leadership with Strommen & Associates and
Lutheran Brotherhood, now known as Thrivent Financial. Gladys
served on the Board of Regents, co-founded the Augsburg
Associates, and hosted many alumni gatherings in her homes in
Minnesota and Florida.
Through a generous gift, the family established the Clair
and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work in 2014 in
recognition of their personal commitment to create meaning and
purpose in work and life.
“Clair and Gladys Strommen are forever woven into the
fabric of Augsburg through their commitment to lives filled with
purpose and meaning,” said Lee George, executive director of the
Strommen Center. “Through the Strommen Center for Meaningful
Work, Clair and Gladys’ legacy is realized in students who commit
themselves to exploring their values, passions, and skills and
understanding how they can be put to use in the world.”
The Strommens also commissioned a sculpture in front of
Christensen Center and have two endowed funds: a scholarship
fund and a program fund for the Strommen Center.
As President Paul Pribbenow said in his campus announcement
of Gladys’ passing, “Her loss is a big one, but her legacy will
continue to be felt by generations of Auggies to come.”
FALL–WINTER 2019
15
Face Value
BY LISA RENZE-RHODES
Dakota and Ojibwe.
Norwegian and Irish.
Art installations celebrate
individuals, expound on
Augsburg’s history, and
expand the boundaries
of community.
Somali and Ethiopian.
On and around the land that today houses Augsburg University’s
Minneapolis campus, they celebrated births and mourned deaths.
They spoke languages of love and laughter, stress and sorrow. They
built families, businesses, and dreams.
They were here and many are gone, at once everywhere and
nowhere because in the blistering pace and abundant distractions
of the human ecosystem we all inhabit, it’s natural that we forget
who came before us.
But what if—even for a moment—we turned our attention to
who we were and who we are right now? To who worships next to
us, or walks by us in the grocery, or shares an apartment wall?
“On This Spot” and “Each, Together”
bring into focus the history of the campus
and the surrounding neighborhood, and
the people who are the Augsburg of
yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
What would we discover if we intentionally took notice of who
we are and where we’ve come from?
This idea is at the core of new art and historical exhibits that
cover collectively four city blocks on 12 of Augsburg’s building
facades and 37 window panes around campus. As part of
Augsburg’s sesquicentennial celebration, artists and designers at
the university wanted to give the community a chance to reflect on
their history and their people. So the works, dubbed respectively
“On This Spot” and “Each, Together,” bring into focus the history
of the campus and the surrounding neighborhood, and the people
who are the Augsburg of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
FALL–WINTER 2019
17
‘Humans at the center’
Photographers capture portraits at Augsburg events to use in
“Each, Together.”
“Each, Together,” the larger of the two projects, is a Group Action of
the international “Inside Out: The People’s Art Project” initiative that
launched in 2011 after a French street artist, known only as JR, won
that year’s TED Prize. First awarded in 2005, the TED (Technology,
Entertainment, and Design) Prize has become synonymous with
visionary thinking meant to spark change throughout the world.
Winners of the award—including educators, artists, chefs, journalists,
and even former President Bill Clinton—have used the $1 million
prize to fuel specific community projects, like healthy food initiatives
and educational innovations. The winning projects all have one
thing in common: They are designed to make people engage in
their communities.
In the case of artist JR’s project, his vision was to create works
that “shine a light on the unsung and give everyone the dignity they
deserve.” And he hoped that beyond his capacity as one artist, people
around the world would join in the celebration of others.
To date, more than 260,000 people in 129 countries have
participated in different versions of the project featuring faces
displayed on billboards, buildings, sidewalks, and in digital
collections. Augsburg is one of the latest communities to answer the call.
“We saw that invitation, that there was a related, common ethos to
what we have here at Augsburg, and that the project was similar to
public works we’ve done here,” said Christopher Houltberg, Augsburg
associate professor of art and design. “It’s really about putting
humans at the center.”
SOCIAL MEDIA
Spotlight
My former college roommate had
eagle eyes today and found me!
Responses edited for length and clarity.
—ERICA HULS ’01
Hey, look who I found! #AugsburgFamous
—SETH RUETER
Look ma I made it!!!!! @AugsburgU
wahooo!!!! #sesquicentennial
—APRIL JOHNSON ’18
18
AUGSBURG NOW
So a team that included a curator, nine photographers,
and three designers—Houltberg, Maggie Royce ’15, and
Indra Ramassamy ’18—worked for several months between
Fall 2018 and Summer 2019. The photographers attended
between 15 and 20 campus events, all working to capture as
many faces as possible to best tell the Augsburg story.
“The way we went about it was really organic,” Houltberg
said. “We started going to events around campus in Fall 2018
and then in the springtime, trying to get to as many different
ones as possible. There’s a really big holiday event called Advent
Vespers, and a lot of alumni come to that.”
All told, the group took more than 900 photos and gathered
about 300 additional images of historic Auggies.
“It’s very democratic; everyone is given the same amount of
space,” Houltberg said. “From our president, Paul Pribbenow, to
people who work on our janitorial staff, to our students, to our
former mayor, R.T. Rybak.
“As we were defining the parameters [of the ‘Each, Together’
project] it was a fun surprise for us to see who self-identified as
part of Augsburg.”
Bigger dose of Augsburg
R.T. Rybak, current president of the Minneapolis Foundation,
was the mayor of Minneapolis from 2002 to 2014. He said it
would be impossible to think of the growth and development of
the city without considering the role Augsburg has played in
that history.
“I’ve conservatively said 1,000 times in public speeches
that the neighborhood where Augsburg is, is our Ellis Island.
One wave after the other washes in and the next wave builds on
top, and it’s something that no one wave could have created in
isolation,” Rybak said.
That’s most certainly the story of the Cedar-Riverside
neighborhood that surrounds Augsburg and the story of
Minneapolis as a whole.
“... I often think we just need a bigger dose
of Augsburg. We need to realize that offering
that ladder of opportunity to someone else
makes all of us able to climb higher. We are
better together.”
—R.T. Rybak, former Minneapolis mayor
“Augsburg is a shining example of the very best parts of
Minneapolis’ history. The university represents opening doors to
people with strange names like Johnson or Anderson or Rybak,
and keeping those doors open for people with names that come
from Africa, Asia, and places across the globe.
“When I get down about what’s fracturing our deeply divided
country and world today, I often think we just need a bigger
dose of Augsburg. We need to realize that offering that ladder
of opportunity to someone else makes all of us able to climb
higher. We are better together.”
Houltberg said the “together” ideal is at the heart of the exhibit.
“As individuals we are showing up, and collectively we can do
something greater than what we can do on our own,” he said. “I
loved seeing the portraits blocked together, seeing people stop and
take selfies. There are people who say, ‘I recognize who that is!’”
Forward facing, historic reflections
Kristin Anderson, a co-creator of these projects as well as a
professor of art history and Augsburg archivist, said she’s only
heard good things about the exhibit.
“I have seen emails and tweets—sometimes emotional—with
people responding to the wall as a whole, as well as to their
individual images,” Anderson said.
The community is responding to the historical revisit that
“On This Spot” installations provide, too, she said.
That exhibit features enormous panels that share Augsburg
moments that photographers captured decades ago. The campus
life of yesteryear includes images of young bobby soxer women
from the 1940s in saddle shoes and flowing skirts in contrast
with men wearing formal suits while tramping across a snowcovered campus.
I’m so proud to be part of the @insideoutproject at
@augsburguniversity in honor of the Sesquicentennial!
—NIK LINDE ’15
FALL–WINTER 2019
19
“It has been a fun way to bring some old photographs to life
and to show how the campus is layered on the site. Those ‘lost’
buildings displayed on the walls of the current buildings help
to connect us to our past, reminding us of the imagination and
commitment of our predecessors,” Anderson said.
The two exhibits are being admired by community members
who see the campus regularly and by those who keep up with
Augsburg from a distance.
Killa (Martinez Aleman) Marti ’08 came to Augsburg from her
home in Honduras. Marti said she brought her own values with
her when she enrolled, “but Augsburg put them to work. The
Auggie community showed me that I wasn’t crazy to want a
career with meaning.”
“Those ‘lost’ buildings displayed on the walls
of the current buildings help to connect us to
our past, reminding us of the imagination and
commitment of our predecessors.”
—Kristin Anderson, university archivist
For Marti, “Each, Together” perfectly sums up her experience
at Augsburg.
“My career is an intersection of what I love to do with the
opportunity to serve,” said Marti, an attorney in Atlanta. “To
think critically, to be socially and community-minded—all of the
things I exercise in my life were supported and further developed
at Augsburg.”
Houltberg said it’s difficult not to consider the greater impact
that art, especially a work like “Each, Together,” has.
“Having a group of artists, designers, and photographers come
together to make something this beautiful and to see it up and
fully functioning is pretty great,” he said.
“It has created a tangible thread between all of us, which
transcends 150 years and all our history,” said Ramassamy, who
worked with the team to design “Each, Together.”
“We live in a visual world yet we can be unaware of each
other,” she said. “This project is making us aware of one
another, making us pay attention, making us curious about the
person in the portrait above or to the left or right of us.”
“I love watching people who are walking down the streets
looking at the portraits,” Houltberg said. “There’s an element of
surprise to it that’s really fantastic. Sometimes the tendency is
to put people in big groups. But if you look at these portraits, look
at the eyes, and look at the humans who are represented here, you
see just how wide a spectrum of humans we are. Anytime we can
show the humans and not the institution, we win.”
“On This Spot” installations show how Augsburg’s landscape, architecture, and people have changed in the past 150 years.
20
AUGSBURG NOW
BY THE NUMBERS
Each, Together
A crew works to install a portion of the 1,246 portraits
that make up “Each, Together.”
302
HISTORICAL
143
STAFF
1,246
PORTRAITS
517
STUDENTS
103
ALUMNI
92
FACULTY
29
COMMUNITY
MEMBERS
installations
37
photographers
60
INCOMING
FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
3,475 1
2
building facade
SQUARE FEET curator
window
panes
9
3
10
building facades
3
designers
12,710
SQUARE FEET
1
curator
BY THE NUMBERS
On This Spot
designers
Members of the university’s faculty and staff launched a
number of special projects, including “Each, Together”
and “On This Spot,” to commemorate Augsburg’s
anniversary year.
See other sesquicentennial projects at augsburg.edu/150.
Catch a glimpse of the Augsburg of yesteryear, thanks to “On This Spot”
displays on window panes around campus.
FALL–WINTER 2019
21
Mary Taris ’04 is a graduate of Augsburg’s Adult
Undergraduate program, which was ranked ninth in
Best Colleges’ 50 Top Colleges for Older Students.
g
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c
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Bala
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LIOTT
BY KATE H. EL
Augsburg alumna starts a publishing
company, creates the diverse book list
she wished she had
Y
oung Mary Taris ’04 was so
thankful to be a girl. The Minneapolis
Public Housing Authority required children of
different genders to have separate bedrooms, so
while her brothers had to share a room, Taris had
her own. Through reading, her bedroom walls grew
into a mythical grove where she’d encounter a
prince or sit for tea with Frog and Toad.
“I escaped into books. Or maybe,” she said, “I
disappeared in them.” Books gave her the life she
longed for, but those beloved tales were someone
else’s story. She was 20 before she read a book with
black characters.
Now 55, the retired teacher is driven to change
that narrative. Last August, at the historic James
J. Hill Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, Taris stood in
front of family and friends to voice her dream, Strive
Publishing, into existence. The startup—based out
of her Twin Cities home—supports emerging authors
of picture books and young adult novels that are
culturally relevant, contemporary, and relatable to
kids of all shades, abilities, and experiences.
“Everyone has a story, and those stories build
bridges to connect us all,” said Taris, a graduate of
Augsburg University’s Adult Undergraduate program,
a flexible degree program that pairs on-campus
FALL–WINTER 2019
23
classes with online coursework
in a dozen undergraduate
majors. “Too often, authors
conform to narrow industry
standards driven by profit, but I
refuse.” At Strive, Taris and her
team work to create pathways
for writers and artists from all
backgrounds to write about
their own experiences and a
wider array of identities.
Publishing stories that
represent and connect
Strive Publishing has released
three titles by local African
American authors, and several
more books are in the works
with upcoming launch dates.
Taris’ efforts have been featured
nationally and celebrated
locally, with invitations to
conduct workshops at schools,
partner with established
publishing companies, and
co-sponsor the inaugural African
American Voices in Children’s
Literature Contest in partnership
with Free Spirit Publishing.
“Strive is more than a
company; it’s a mindset,” she
said. “I was a runaway teen
mom who finished high school
while striving to raise a son
and work for a better life.”
That determination led her to
enroll in Augsburg’s elementary
education program. Juggling
work and family, it took Taris
eight years to graduate,
but she walked across the
commencement stage and into
the classroom where she taught
a range of grades and subjects
(mostly English) for 15 years.
“I became the first person in
my family to earn a college
degree,” she said. “It had been
my dream since childhood.”
Augsburg left a mark on
Taris, as classes exposed her
to inequities in education and
literature. Taris reframed those
inequities as opportunities.
Now, years later, Barbara West,
director of student teacher
placement at Augsburg,
recalled Taris’ embrace of
story-filled, relevant learning.
While student-teaching, Taris
invited a Japanese friend to talk
with students who were reading
a novel about a Japanese girl
during World War II. On her
lunch hour, Taris met with
eighth-graders to advise on a
student-produced newsletter.
She sought to incorporate
diverse voices and stories into
the curriculum.
“Augsburg taught me to
consider the whole child and
to understand the classroom as
a life-giving space where you
can listen and let people tell
their stories,” she said. “As
a teacher, I struggled to find
diverse texts.”
Taris also struggled when
administrators brought speakers
and books that reinforced
cultural stereotypes and
limited experiences rather than
providing real cultural and
ethnic diversity. “I wish they
would have, instead, given kids
diverse books or brought in
local authors who looked like
the students.”
Celebrating voices that
defy stereotypes
Taris launched Strive in 2016
while teaching full time, but
three years later, she took early
retirement to dedicate herself
fully to the publishing company.
Taris remains an educator,
though, as a mentor to young
authors and as an advocate
for change. She challenges
communities, schools, and
publishing houses to invite new
titles that can find their way
onto more readers’ nightstands.
Ricardo Peters is among
Strive’s “founding authors,” as
Taris calls them, and he
says he is indebted to “Miss
Mary” for her guidance and
encouragement. Peters’ book—
the first in a fantasy series—
sold out within months. The
35-year-old stands out, Taris
said, because he is a black man
who loves and lives the arts like
few others.
“Plenty of black men are
deeply connected to their
artistic side, but society doesn’t
celebrate that expression,” Taris
added. “Our sons are not all
basketball and hip hop. Ricardo
defies that stereotype, and his
work will lead others to do the
same.”
Peters had been dreaming up
stories since he filled stapledtogether notebook paper
with “Transformers” stickers.
Publishing a book remained
his dream, but it wouldn’t have
happened without Taris.
“I had been working on
this series for nine years and
likely would have sat on it
forever,” said Peters, who
works as a reading instructor
at Kumon Math and Reading
Center of Maple Grove. “But
Mary presented me with this
opportunity, she believed in me,
and I am eternally grateful.”
Strive Publishing’s Book List
“Under a Cloven Sky” and
“A Wild Nature Embraced”
by Ricardo Peters
Books one and two in the
young adult fantasy series,
“The Scorched Heavens,” in
which the fate of two nations
rests on the city’s young
princess and her protector.
“Red’s Adventures: The Egg
Pie” by Donna Gingery
The hilarious first book in
a picture book series for
children, this story follows
the precocious Red, who
grows up in Alabama under
the watchful eye of her
grandmother.
“Story to Story: A Strive Short
“Isaiah’s Sunglasses”
Story Series,” Volume 1
by Linda Miller
This collaborative book
A short, rhythmic story for
project aims to celebrate and
children about family, hope,
empower emerging authors
acceptance, and learning
about different types of people. and illustrators.
“Who Can I Be?” by
Arielle Grant
Created by Strive’s founding
illustrator, this is a story of
a girl who sees her potential
through the example of women
in her community.
Representation in
literature on the rise
but has ‘a long way to go’
Mary Taris ’04 with two of her children, Jermaine Taris and LaToya Taris-James, who both work with
Strive Publishing.
Making stories more accessible
runs in the family
This sentiment is shared among the
authors who work with Taris. Her
children are equally inspired by her,
so much so that they joined the Strive
team. Her oldest son, Jermaine Taris,
is a book illustrator. Her 16-year-old
daughter, Grace Taris-Allen, serves
as “quality control,” happily reading
manuscripts; and her eldest daughter,
LaToya Taris-James, assists with
marketing and social media.
“My mom makes things happen,”
said Taris-James, a student leadership
program coordinator for Augsburg’s
Sabo Center for Democracy and
Citizenship. “She is resourceful and
passionate, with a unique way of
connecting with and inspiring others.
“When I was 12, she introduced
me to ‘Things Fall Apart’ by Chinua
Achebe. It was the first piece of African
literature I had read on my own, and
it shaped my view of black people
across the African diaspora and helped
connect me with my heritage.”
Through Strive, her mother is
making those connections on a broader
scale, said Taris-James, who hasn’t
fallen far from the tree. Along with a
friend, Taris-James created a social
impact initiative known as Rooftop
(or RFTP) that uses storytelling to
engage communities in dialogue
around difficult, often polarizing,
issues. Mother and daughter are both
driven to make stories of all kinds more
accessible and communal.
“I felt called to create Strive, and to
be honest, it’s been difficult to wear so
many hats and break through,” Taris
said. “Where I have come to see the
greatest need is for a safe space for
all people to tell their stories, whether
they get published or not. I’m working
with PopUp Think Tank to gather ideas
for how Strive can make the greatest
impact, and it’s feeling more like a
social enterprise than trying to operate
as a traditional publishing house.
Whatever Strive looks like in a year—
or five years—I know it will be moving
the dial.”
The Cooperative Children’s Book Center
researched and compiled statistics about the
number of children’s books and young adult
literature published by and about people of color,
American Indians, and those of First Nations.
“Every year, we see amazing books by and
about people of color and first/native nations.
There just aren’t enough of them,” CCBC Director
Kathleen Horning reflected in the ongoing study’s
abstract. “The more books there are, especially
books created by authors and illustrators of color,
the more opportunities librarians, teachers,
parents, and other adults have of finding
outstanding books for young readers and listeners
that reflect dimensions of their lives and give a
broader understanding of who we are as a nation.”
1985
2,500
Children’s books published in the United States
0.72%
Children’s books written or illustrated
by black people
2018
3,312
Children’s books published in the United States
17.8%
By or about Asian Pacific people
17.5%
By or about black people
12.8%
By or about Latinx people
1.6%
By or about American Indians/First Nations
FALL–WINTER 2019
25
AUGGIES CONNECT
ARCHIVE PHOTO
Create inclusive and engaging
experiences for fellow Auggies
The Alumni Board is
the governing body of
the Augsburg Alumni
Association. The board
exists to guide the Office
of Alumni and Constituent
Relations in serving the
valued alumni, parents, and
friends who make up the Auggie community.
All alumni are welcome and encouraged to join the
Alumni Board. See the job description and apply at
augsburg.edu/alumni under “Leadership Boards,” or
contact Katie (Koch) Code ’01 at codek@augsburg.edu.
New video available: MARTIN SABO ’59
Video of an interview with late Congressman Martin Sabo,
whose rise to politics was supported by Augsburg University
students, will be available later this year at the Sabo Center
for Democracy and Citizenship website, augsburg.edu/sabo,
thanks to an Augsburg Sesquicentennial Project award that
paid for an updated video description and closed captioning.
One year after graduating from Augsburg, Sabo —then 22—
was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives.
During his tenure, he became the first member of the
Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party to serve as Speaker
of the House, and he went on to the U.S. House of
Representatives, retiring in 2007. Sabo died in 2016.
COURTESY PHOTO
COURTESY PHOTO
Serve on Augsburg’s Alumni Board
Augsburg’s first
ALL-SCHOOL REUNION
Mark your calendar for the All-School Reunion
during Homecoming: September 26, 2020.
More than 150 enthusiastic Sesquicentennial Stewards have
committed to help plan Augsburg’s inaugural All-School
Reunion. Volunteers are the heart of this sesquicentennial
year of events, and this work is not only more fun but is
strengthened by their participation and input. Volunteers
assist with the All-School Reunion’s schedule, entertainment,
venues, and marketing.
Visit augsburg.edu/150.
26
AUGSBURG NOW
YOU CHIMED IN:
SESQUICENTENNIAL
FAVORITE
FACULTY
IN FOCUS
HERITAGE TRIPS
Augsburg Now staff asked the
university’s Facebook followers for
their most memorable professors.
Here are a few of their responses,
edited for length and clarity.
NORWAY ARTS AND CULTURE
May 8–18, 2020
$4,800
“Mary Lowe—I had a lot of memorable professors, most of them
dear to me, but she and I worked so closely together in my last years of
my degree that I cannot think of Augsburg without thinking of her. She
is a wonderful, insightful, funny mentor who held me accountable and
helped me reach heights I wouldn’t have dreamed of initially.”
—TIMOTHY PAUL BISHOP JR. ’18
GERMANY
July 15–26, 2020
$5,300
“Merilee Klemp ’75—So many lessons learned from her, both
music and life. It’s impossible to forget those in your life who have taught,
pushed, encouraged, and mentored as well as she does. She’s an incredible
human being with such a kind, wonderful soul. Thank you for everything!”
—JENNIFER SCHMITT ’04
Hosted by Religion Department
faculty Lori Brandt Hale and
Hans Wiersma
Oberammergau, Germany
COURTESY PHOTOS
“Oh, do I have to choose? Matthew Maruggi in the Religion
Department—he completely changed how I looked at religion, opened my
mind to new perspectives, and taught me the meaning of ‘vocation.’”
—GINA MARIE GAINOUS ’15
CAMPUS TOUR
Hosted by Theater Professor
Darcey Engen ’88 and
Luverne Seifert ’85
National Theater, Norway
“Kristin Anderson—I wouldn’t be where I am in my career without
her! She taught me how to think critically about the built environment, ask
the hard questions, and think about all of my research from the standpoint of
race, class, and gender. She’s one of the smartest women I’ve ever known.”
—KACIE LUCCHINI BUTCHER ’13
Take a limited-edition
In honor of Augsburg’s 150th
anniversary, three trips hosted
by expert faculty guides will
celebrate the university’s
heritage in Germany and Norway.
NIDAROS PILGRIMAGE
August 4–13, 2020
$3,300
Hosted by Vice President for Mission
and Identity Sonja Hagander
Nidaros Cathedral, Norway
Learn more at augsburg.edu/alumni/travel or contact
Katie (Koch) Code ’01 at codek@augsburg.edu.
Two walking tours are available on campus this year: “Augsburg Nooks and
Crannies” and “Augsburg Campus: Past and Present.” Led by Kristin Anderson,
university archivist, each tour lasts one hour and is limited to 20 people. The tours
move through indoor and outdoor spaces to learn about the evolution of the campus
from 1872 to the present. The Nooks and Crannies tour includes a visit to the old
chapel and gymnasium in Old Main, the Old Main attic, an Art Deco filling station,
and other little-known spots of interest.
Augsburg Campus: Past and Present
Augsburg Nooks and Crannies
•
•
•
•
•
•
Wednesday, April 8
Wednesday, April 22
Tuesday, May 5
Wednesday, April 15
Wednesday, April 29
Wednesday, May 6
Save your spot on a tour.
RSVP required: eventrsvp@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1104.
FALL–WINTER 2019
27
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1961
Jim Holden ’61 wrote a new
book called “Heron Thieves,
a Bat Out of Hell, and Other Flyfishing
Stories, Essays, and Poems.” Holden
has been a fly fisherman for more than
40 years, and the book highlights his
experiences on trout streams.
1965
Dwight Olson ’65 presented
President Paul Pribbenow a
copy of his book “Northern Lights: The
Beauty of the Forgotten Scandinavian
Enamel Artisans” for Augsburg’s
library in celebration of the university’s
sesquicentennial.
1969
Cheri (Kraskin) Best ’69,
Pam (Fredrickson) Gunderson ’69,
Sue Kelly ’69, Linda (Stewart) Miller ’69,
Margi Ness ’69, and Anna (Stivland)
Olsen ’69 celebrated the 50th anniversary of
their graduation from Augsburg with a trip to
Boulder, Colorado, in May.
1973
David Colacci ’73 and partner
Susan Ericksen, both classically
trained theater professionals, were featured
in a Star Tribune news story that detailed
their success as audiobook narrators. The
couple records their audiobook narrations in
their St. Louis Park, Minnesota, home. They
have each narrated more than 500 titles.
1978
This year,
Augsburg’s
Excellence In
Coaching Award
recognized Ken
Novak Jr. ’78.
Novak led high
school boys basketball teams at Blaine and
Hopkins to 17 state tournaments, the most
of any boys basketball coach in Minnesota
history. After winning three consecutive state
titles and seven in a 10-year span (2002–
11), Novak was named ESPN RISE National
Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the
Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association
Hall of Fame in 2013, and in 2019 he was
inducted into the second class of the
Minnesota High School Basketball Hall
of Fame.
28
AUGSBURG NOW
1987
Andrew Altenburg ’87 joined
KPMG in a senior associate
role in May 2019. He previously worked
as an events manager for The Bank of
Tokyo for three years. As a freelance event
planner, his clients included MNG, Louis
Vuitton, Colgate-Palmolive, and The Carlyle
Group. From 2005 to 2015, he produced
and emceed 470 bingo events, which
raised $250,000 for dozens of LGBTQIA+
organizations. He also is a wedding
officiant and cartoonist, posting his work
at jumpingforjoy.net. He lives with his
partner, Matthew, and their parrot, Lulu,
on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in New
York City.
Minasie
Theophilos ’87
received the
Distinguished
Athletic Service
Award in honor of
his decades-long
support of
Augsburg’s
student-athletes and coaches. A custodian
in Augsburg’s athletic facilities, Theophilos
has grown close to many people in Auggie
athletics including the men’s hockey team.
He came to Augsburg as a student in 1983
from Ethiopia and had not been able to
return to his home for more than 30 years.
In 2017, after the death of his mother, the
men’s hockey team raised more than
$7,500 to fund a trip for Theophilos to see
his family, who now live in Norway.
1993
Tanya Schwartz ’93 was named
the seventh police chief of
Burnsville and is the first woman to hold
the post. Schwartz has been with the police
department for 23 years, beginning as a
patrol sergeant and then serving as detective
sergeant and captain.
1994
Lori Higgins ’94, ’12 MAL
became president of Augsburg’s
Alumni Board. She currently serves on
several boards including the Minnesota
Amateur Sports Commission. She joined the
Alumni Board in 2016 because of her deep
connection to the university and support of
its mission.
1999
The first NCAA
Division III player
to be selected in
the first round of
the NBA Draft,
Devean George ’99
was inducted into
the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame. George
led the Auggies to two Minnesota
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
championships and berths in the NCAA
Division III national playoffs, earning
conference MVP honors both times. He
finished his college career with 2,258
career points and 868 career rebounds,
both second in school history, and a 23.5
points-per-game average, the best in school
history. George has played with three NBA
teams and works to develop affordable
housing in North Minneapolis.
Augsburg Athletic
Hall of Fame
inductee Scott
Hvistendahl ’99
was Augsburg
baseball’s starting
centerfielder as
well an AllAmerican wide
receiver on the football team. He was the
first player to break the NCAA career
receiving yardage record held by NFL
legend Jerry Rice, finishing his career with
285 receptions for 4,696 yards. He now
stands 14th in NCAA all-divisions history in
career receiving yardage. Hvistendahl was
named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference Player of the Year, twice earned
CoSIDA Academic All-America honors,
and won the Gagliardi Trophy for his
performance in academics, athletics,
and community service.
Qiuxia (Xia) Welch ’99 and Kevin Welch,
co-founders and owners of Boom Island
Brewing, hosted Augsburg’s first “beer
choir” in the spring. The couple started
their company in 2011 focusing on
Belgian-style beers, and they recently
relocated the business to a new space in
Minnetonka, Minnesota.
2002
Crescent Cove, a hospice
home for children founded
by Katie Lindenfelser ’02, was featured
in a New York Times story. Lindenfelser,
the executive director and an Augsburgtrained music therapist, opened the
St. Louis Park, Minnesota, care facility
in 2018. Crescent Cove offers respite
and hospice care to children and is the
only facility of its kind in the Midwest.
2003
Kristen Opalinski ’03
began a new professional
chapter as the manager for Ecumenical
and Inter-Religious Relations for
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America. This role includes managing
communications, providing staffing for
EIR committees and events, extending
hospitality to ecumenical and interreligious partners at the Lutheran
Center in Chicago, and serving as the
ELCA representative at various EIR
meetings held both domestically and
internationally. This is a new position
designed to meet the needs of the everchanging ecumenical and inter-religious
landscape and the expansion of the
church’s ecumenical and inter-religious
commitments. Opalinski also serves as a
writer for Living Lutheran Magazine.
2004
Max Langaard ’04 was
featured on “Good
Morning America,” where he shared
his journey as a teacher and also
his time as a mentor and coach at a
nonprofit called Playworks in Oakland,
California. Playworks helps schools and
youth organizations create a place on
the playground for every child to feel
included, be active, and build valuable
social and emotional skills. Langaard
also received NBA Finals tickets from
the television show.
Adam Langer ’12 and wife, Alyssa,
welcomed their first child, Addison, in
November 2018.
Dual sport
athlete Kristen
Lideen ’04 was
inducted into
the Augsburg
Athletic Hall of
Fame. As
softball
shortstop,
Lideen was the lone Auggie to hit better
than .400 in their career (.444). Her 38
career doubles remain a school record,
while her 18 doubles and 89 total bases
in 2003 are both single-season school
records. In soccer, Lideen played as a
sweeper for an Auggie defense that
recorded a 1.04 goals-against-average in
her four seasons. Lideen earned
All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors
three times as a soccer athlete and
earned All-MIAC first-team honors four
times as a softball player.
2008
Greg May ’08 was hired
by the University of
Minnesota’s hockey program as the
new director of hockey operations.
May spent the previous three years as
the hockey head coach and associate
athletic director at the Blake School
in Minneapolis. While playing hockey
during his time at Augsburg, he was a
MIAC All-Conference honoree.
AUGGIE
SNAPSHOTS
Christina Olstad ’00, ’05 MSW began her new
role as dean of students at the University of
Wisconsin—Madison in July. Olstad previously
was the interim assistant vice president for
student affairs, housing, and residence life at
Towson University in Maryland. She has worked
in higher education administration for nearly
two decades, beginning with her time
at Augsburg.
2009
Caitlin (Hozeny) Lienard
’09, ’16 MSW passed her
Licensed Independent Clinical Social
Worker exam in April.
The late Donny Wichmann ’89—a three-time
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
champion, a national tournament All-American,
and a longtime assistant coach who was a part
of 10 NCAA Division III national championship
teams with the Auggies—was inducted into the
National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III
Hall of Fame in August.
Augsburg Men’s Wrestling Co-Head
Coach Tony Valek ’12, ’14 MAL and wife,
Kassi (Goranowski) Valek, welcomed a
son, Hudson Ricke, in June.
Denielle (Johnson) Stepka ’11 and Timothy
Stepka welcomed a daughter, Halle Jo Jean,
on September 30.
FALL–WINTER 2019
29
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Bobby Rose ’16 married fiancée, Amber, in Cottage
Grove, Minnesota, in May.
Mara (Breczinski) Barrozo ’14 and
Enrico Barrozo ’14 welcomed a
daughter, Ryna, in June.
Carlson Inc. announced the
appointment of Richard “Rick”
Gage ’96 as its non-executive
chair of the board in August.
Gage is the founder and
former CEO of YourMLSSearch.
com, a director of the World
Childhood Foundation, and
is on the board of the Carlson
Family Foundation, where
he has served for more than
20 years.
Tyler Heaps ’13, manager of
analytics and research for U.S.
Soccer, was on the staff of the
USA national women’s soccer
team that celebrated a World
Cup Championship victory in
July. Heaps, who helped play a
part in the team’s seven-game
win series to clinch the title,
said it was “one of the most
challenging and rewarding
experiences” of his life. Heaps’
work in data analysis and use
of video coverage enhances
skills on the field and helps
athletes better prepare for their
competition.
Read more of this story at
augsburg.edu/alumni/blog.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
Hayley (Thomas) Ball ’12 and Emerson
Ball ’14, ’19 MSW welcomed a
daughter, Zara, on March 13.
Jessica Barker ’97, Amy (Bowar) Mellinger ’97, Tara
(Cesaretti) McLeod ’97, Christa Winkelman ’97, and
Jane (Ruth) Zirbes ’97 gathered for their annual girls’
trip in Las Vegas. Since their days at Augsburg, they’ve
planned yearly trips and remained close friends.
30
AUGSBURG NOW
Two rural Osakis, Minnesota, churches—with roots dating
back to the early days in the state’s history—are thriving
with the help of their new intentional interim pastor John
Douglas Hopper ’68. Hopper, who lives in Delano, Minnesota,
and spends weekends at Salem and Sauk Valley Lutheran
churches. He began a one-year pastorate on October 21, 2018.
Stephanie Putzier ’16 MBA serves
Minnesota Women of Today at
the state level as the internal vice
president, a position in which she
oversees the organization’s internal
programming. Putzier received the
Programing Award of Excellence for
her commitment and efforts. She
has been an active member of the
organization since 2002.
Ross Murray ’00, ’09 MBA
received the Living Loehe
Award at Wartburg Seminary’s
commencement in May. The
award was given in recognition
of the 50th anniversary of the
Stonewall uprising, the 10th
anniversary of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America’s
steps toward inclusion for
LGBTQIA+-identified people, and
his calling as a deacon to engage
in LGBTQIA+ advocacy in the
church and the world. Murray is
the senior director of education
and training at GLAAD Media
Institute and is the founding
director of The Naming Project.
Read more of this story at
augsburg.edu/alumni/blog.
K. Marshall Williams Sr. ’78 received the Herschel
H. Hobbs Award for Distinguished Denominational
Service from Oklahoma Baptist University. Williams,
who has served as pastor of Nazarene Baptist Church in
Philadelphia for more than 35 years, accepted the award
on June 10 during the Southern Baptist Convention’s
annual meeting in Birmingham, Alabama.
SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE
Tell us about the news in your life—your new job, move,
marriage, and milestones. Visit augsburg.edu/now to
submit your announcements.
Kristy Millering ’06 became
the new director of finance at
Winona Area Public Schools.
Millering began this role after
eight years in finance at Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota,
most recently as a senior internal
auditor. She also worked as an
accountant for McNeilus Truck
and Manufacturing and owned
her own dance studio.
Jason Oare ’05 and wife, Erin,
welcomed a daughter, Remedy
Faith, in April.
Amber (Stransky) Caswell ’07 and husband,
Tavid, welcomed a daughter, Olivia Sandra
Donna, in June.
Mary Christine Kane ’94
released her first book
of poems, “between
the stars where you
are lost.” Kane also
works in marketing and
volunteers for the arts and
animal rescue initiatives. Her poetry and nonfiction
works have appeared in journals and anthologies
including Bluestem; The Buffalo Anthology, Right
Here, Right Now; Ponder Review; and Sleet.
FALL–WINTER 2019
31
IN MEMORIAM
Gladys I. (Boxrud)
Strommen ’46, Edina,
Minnesota, age 93,
on May 27.
Gladys H. I. (Vigen)
Hallstrom ’56, Thief River
Falls, Minnesota, age
87, on March 27.
Omar N. Gjerness ’47,
Fergus Falls, Minnesota,
age 97, on July 19.
Sylva M. (Dahl) Kubicek ’56,
Lake Crystal, Minnesota,
age 83, on March 18.
Prudence V. (Hokanson)
Nystuen ’47, Lakeville,
Minnesota, age 93,
on July 3.
Mary J. (Christiansen)
Meyer ’56, Miami,
age 84, on April 7.
Barbara (Ekse) Carlson ’48,
Minneapolis, age 92,
on April 1.
Catherine A. (Mork)
Kordahl ’48, Fertile,
Minnesota, age 96,
on June 28.
Lorraine W. (Weltzin)
Peterson ’49, Hastings,
Minnesota, age 94,
on May 28.
Sheldon L. Torgerson ’49,
Minneapolis, age 92,
on May 26.
Gordon N. Berntson ’50,
Fargo, North Dakota,
age 93, on April 25.
Wayne H. Wickoren ’50,
Fargo, North Dakota,
age 92, on July 7.
Elizabeth A. Becken ’51,
Shoreview, Minnesota,
age 90, on June 3.
Harriet M. (Haller)
Brown ’52, Hastings,
Minnesota, age 89,
on May 11.
Evonne L. (Emerson)
Johnson ’52, Faribault,
Minnesota, age 88,
on March 9.
Duane L. Addison ’53,
Minneapolis, age 88,
on April 18.
Robert L. Lindquist ’53,
Worthington, Minnesota,
age 87, on April 28.
Arthur V. Rimmereid ’53,
St. Paul, Minnesota,
age 87, on June 24.
Jeannine L. (Torstenson)
Blanchard ’54, Fresno,
California, age 86,
on March 6.
Oliver K. Vick ’54,
Lancaster, Wisconsin,
age 88, on March 22.
32
AUGSBURG NOW
Marvin L. Dooley ’59,
Eagle Grove, Iowa,
age 95, on July 20.
Edean A. Berglund ’73,
Lacey, Washington,
age 67, on April 11.
Nancy J. (Thompson)
Peterson ’75, Minneapolis,
age 65, on May 27.
Bonnie M. Goetzke ’76,
Memphis, Tennessee,
age 65, on April 19.
Pamela S. Slette ’76,
Albert Lea, Minnesota,
age 65, on June 21.
James A. Hanson ’59,
Dodge Center, Minnesota,
age 88, on July 6.
Marcia G. (Thompson)
Turcotte ’78, Chanhassen,
Minnesota, age 97, on
July 19.
Donald E. Jorenby ’59,
Woodbury, Minnesota,
age 81, on March 19.
Michael J. Riley ’84,
Brainerd, Minnesota,
age 58, on July 25.
Bonnie J. (Martinson)
Storley ’59, Minneapolis,
age 81, on March 31.
Donald D. Wichmann ’89,
Minneapolis, age 53, on
July 16.
Arden S. Flaten ’60,
Hastings, Minnesota,
age 82, on May 4.
Thad D. Firchau ’92,
Mankato, Minnesota,
age 48, on March 23.
Marlin B. Aadland ’62,
Delta, British Columbia,
age 82, on May 30.
Marna R. Brown ’93,
Fergus Falls, Minnesota,
age 49, on March 28.
Jerome C. Barney ’62,
Fergus Falls, Minnesota,
age 81, on July 9.
Theresa D. (Holt)
Wimann ’94, Baraboo,
Wisconsin, age 60,
on May 7.
LeRoy E. Lee ’63, Solon
Springs, Wisconsin,
age 79, on March 25.
Gerald A. Carlson ’64,
Pine, Arizona, age 78,
on June 19.
Lennore A. (Bylund)
Bevis ’66, Minneapolis,
age 75, on July 28.
Verland E. Kruse ’66,
Stillwater, Minnesota,
age 83, on March 23.
Richard E. Andersen ’68,
Phoenix, age 73, on
June 2.
Russell K. Jones ’69,
Mercer, Maine, age 71,
on May 9.
Raymond J. Wesley ’69,
Maple Grove, Minnesota,
age 77, on July 27.
Daniel L. Knak ’72,
Hastings, Minnesota,
age 69, on July 19.
Mary S. (Wozniak)
Sergeant ’99, Kansas
City, Kansas, age 61,
on May 25.
Mauris N. De Silva ’00,
Jackson, New Jersey,
age 46, on July 31.
Robin A. Olsen ’01,
St. Paul, Minnesota,
age 48, on April 28.
Amanda J. Kelley ’09,
Ave Maria, Florida,
age 38, on May 25.
Patrick J. Inman ’11,
Rochester, Minnesota,
age 41, on July 9.
Matthew C. Blackburn ’15,
Plymouth, Minnesota,
age 36, on August 19.
The “In memoriam” listings
in this publication include
notifications received
before September 1.
ARCHIVE PHOTOS
Augsburg community – 1931
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Permit No. 2031
Augsburg enrolls historic first-year class
A record-setting 636 undergraduate first-year students started at Augsburg University this fall. The Class of 2023 marks the
third year in a row in which a majority are students of color. All told, the university now has 2,159 students in the traditional
undergraduate program, which is also a record for Augsburg.
Show less
Auggie friendships
Learning across abilities
Sesquicentennial preview
The new age of artisans
SPRING–SUMMER 2019 | VOL. 81, NO. 2
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Spring–Summer 2019
Director of Mark... Show more
Auggie friendships
Learning across abilities
Sesquicentennial preview
The new age of artisans
SPRING–SUMMER 2019 | VOL. 81, NO. 2
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Spring–Summer 2019
Director of Marketing
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
Augsburg at 150
It is indeed remarkable for any of us today to
stand in the shadows of an institution that
has existed for 150 years. Institutions such
as Augsburg University—no matter their
meaningful legacy and inspiring mission—are
viewed with some skepticism by a citizenry
more and more committed to going it alone.
I am privileged to lead Augsburg on
the occasion of its 150th anniversary and
dedicated to ensuring that our academic
mission and democratic engagement remain
firm for the next 150 years. In that way, the
history of Augsburg is in service of going
forward together.
There are four themes that I believe are at the
heart of this university’s identity. The themes
are abundance, generosity, engagement, and
service. Throughout Augsburg’s 150 years, there
is ample evidence that the interplay of those
themes has helped to shape what Burton Clark
has called “the saga” of Augsburg. A saga is
more than a story or a parable. It is an unfolding
narrative anchored in mission, values, rituals,
and objects.
This issue of Augsburg Now offers us
a glimpse of the ways in which our saga
continues to unfold in rich and meaningful
ways. From the yearlong celebration of our
sesquicentennial, to urgent interfaith and
human rights initiatives, to new academic
programs, to the remarkable accomplishments
of the many alumni, faculty, and students
featured in these pages—we are reminded
again and again of how Augsburg is both
faithful to its historic values and relevant to
the needs of the world today.
Augsburg alumni David Cherwien ’79
and Gracia Grindal ’65 painted with music
and words this saga of faith, educational
aspirations, and public service in a hymn
commissioned for my inauguration in 2006.
The final stanza of the hymn proclaims:
Send, oh God your Holy Spirit,
Give us wisdom, love, and faith.
Faith enough to move a mountain,
Love that died to conquer death.
Wisdom crowned with healing leaves,
Truth made flesh to set us free.
Let your glory bear rich fruit,
Growing from your sturdy roots.
Alleluia, Alleluia!
And so we join with the company of saints and
witnesses who have lived in the shadows of
our beloved Augsburg to renew our vow to hold
fast to all that is good.
Faithfully yours,
Director of Public Relations
and Internal Communications
Gita Sitaramiah
sitarami@augsburg.edu
Assistant Director of
Marketing Management
Laura Swanson Lindahl ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Senior Creative Associate, Design
Elizabeth Kästner
kaestner@augsburg.edu
Senior Creative Associate, Design
Denielle Stepka ’11
stepkad@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
John Weirick
weirick@augsburg.edu
Communication and
Social Media Specialist
Briana Alamilla ’17
alamilla@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communications
Specialist
Kaia Chambers
chamberk2@augsburg.edu
Web Manager
Joe Mann
mannj@augsburg.edu
Contributing Writers
Katie (Koch) Code ’01
Kate H. Elliott
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg University
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
university policy.
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
ISSN 1058-1545
AUGSBURG HOSTS ANNUAL INTERFAITH GATHERING
This February, 130 young people from across Minnesota came together at Augsburg
University for the fifth annual Interfaith Youth Day of Service presented in partnership
with Interfaith Action of Greater St. Paul. Augsburg students, staff, and faculty offered
programming assistance for the youth-designed initiative tailored to those in grades
6–12 and aligned with the United Nations’ observance of World Interfaith Harmony Week.
The event featured a keynote address, breakout workshops, musical performances, and
service projects before attendees concluded their day on campus with an Augsburg tour.
02 Around the quad
24 Auggie friendships
08
All in the family
27
Auggies connect
12
Learning across abilities
28
Class notes
15
A year of celebration
to honor 150
32
In memoriam
19
The new age of artisans
On the cover: Augsburg’s Hagfors Center
supplies an illuminating contrast to the
backdrop of downtown Minneapolis.
All photos by Courtney Perry unless
otherwise indicated
Send address corrections to:
alumniupdate@augsburg.edu
Send comments to:
now@augsburg.edu
AROUND THE QUAD
AROUND THE
QUAD
AUGGIE RESEARCH WOWS
AT THE ROTUNDA
Augsburg TRIO McNair Scholars Breanne
Sande-Martin ’18 and Andy Thao ’20 presented
their research during the 16th annual Private
College Scholars at the Capitol event this
January. As a member of the Minnesota
Private College Council, Augsburg was
invited to send Auggies to the event, which
recognizes the scholarship of students and
the efforts of their faculty advisors.
Psychology student Sande-Martin
presented her research on “The Impact
of Smartphone Notifications on
Proofreading Accuracy.” Biology
student Thao shared his
“Exploration of Local Field
Potentials and Spiking
Activity in a Genetic
Model of Schizophrenia.”
FOSTERING FUZZY FEELINGS
A new venue, a grand scale
Augsburg University will host this year’s commencement ceremony
May 10 at U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis. This is the
first time Augsburg will use the multi-purpose facility that’s home to
the Minnesota Vikings as the site for commencement events.
In making this change, Augsburg is responding to consistent
concerns raised by graduating students regarding the limited number
of tickets available for their guests to attend on-campus ceremonies
which were held most recently in Si Melby Hall’s gymnasium. Augsburg
will use a portion of U.S. Bank Stadium, and the change in venue and
dramatic increase in total available seats will enable all
graduates, their families, their friends, and members of
the Augsburg community to celebrate together.
HONORING
Two faculty members are retiring this
spring following years of dedicated
service to Augsburg University. Augsburg
is grateful for their commitment to
advancing the university’s mission and
supporting student learning within and
beyond the classroom.
ROBERTA KAGIN
Professor, Department of Music—joined
Augsburg in 1974
DAVID CONRAD
HUMAN RIGHTS FORUM
at Augsburg
THE AUGSBURG
PODCAST: SEASON 2
After a popular first season of the
Augsburg Podcast, season 2 kicked
off with President Paul Pribbenow,
Campus Pastor Rev. Sonja Hagander,
and Professor of English Doug Green
[pictured], among others. The podcasts
offer wide-ranging perspectives on the
university’s critical work of educating
students for the future.
Listen to the new season at
augsburg.edu/podcast or in
your podcast app.
AUGSBURG NOW
Announcing the
Retiring Faculty
Associate Professor, Department of Business
Administration—joined Augsburg in 2000
2
PHOTO BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
COURTESY PHOTO
COMMENCEMENT 2019
At the Ed Saugestad Rink, pucks glide across the ice and stuffed
animals fly through the air.
In January, Augsburg students on the women’s hockey team and in the
Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies program collaborated
to host a teddy bear toss in which fans pitched plush toys onto the
ice during the first intermission in the Auggies’ home contest against
Gustavus Adolphus College.
The teddy bear toss concept originated in Canada in the early 1990s
and has grown in popularity through support from hockey teams at the
collegiate and professional levels. The 48 toys collected January 19
were donated to Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, where each year
up to a dozen Augsburg physician assistant students complete clinical
placements as part of their studies. Fans also created greeting cards
with encouraging messages for hospital patients.
Building on a 30-year history with the
Nobel Peace Prize Forum and as part of the
university’s sesquicentennial celebration,
Augsburg is launching a new event this fall:
the Human Rights Forum at Augsburg.
The event will bring students, thought
leaders, global changemakers, and local
activists together to explore innovative
ways to take action in our ongoing pursuit
of racial justice, indigenous rights, and
environmental sustainability domestically
and globally.
The Human Rights Forum will be held
October 28-29 on Augsburg’s Minneapolis
campus and is open to the public. Tickets
will go on sale this summer.
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
3
AROUND THE QUAD
MEDIA COVERAGE
WORTH MENTIONING
THE GOLDEN NIGHT GLEAMS;
STUDENTS GROOVE
The Augsburg Student Activities
Council treated Auggies to a formal,
Roaring ’20s-inspired event that
added zest to campus following a
stretch of bitter cold winter weather.
A NEIGHBORLY GESTURE
Augsburg University students distributed jackets, blankets,
children’s toys, and meals to families in need at a homeless encampment
near Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis in November. “It’s basically in
[Augsburg’s] backyard, and helping the community is a really big thing for
me,” student Tyler Johnson ’22 told Fox 9 reporter Christina Palladino. This
day of service was the brainchild of Augsburg student Inam Al-Hammouri ’20,
and other students quickly joined.
“Cooking a hot lunch and serving it to hungry families out in the cold is
not something most college kids would do on a Saturday, but these youth
at Augsburg University are not just your average students,” the Fox 9
reporter said. “The students believe it is their responsibility to take action
and empower their generation to build bridges to those less fortunate.”
A NOTEWORTHY LINEUP
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder journalist Charles Hallman wrote
about this year’s Augsburg University women’s basketball team when
its starting lineup included five African-American students—a moment
believed to be a first in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
Augsburg University students Arianna Jones ’20, Camille McCoy ’20,
Tamara McLenore ’20, Camryn Speese ’20, and Kaezha Wubben ’20 made
history at the November 19 game against the University of Wisconsin—
Superior, the story said.
Go to augsburg.edu/news to learn
more about the university’s media buzz.
4
AUGSBURG NOW
COURTESY PHOTO
COURTESY PHOTO
The three-story mural “Emergence” adorns
the Hagfors Center’s west stairwell.
NEW PROGRAM LAUNCHES:
The Augsburg University Convocation Series is an annual
speaker series that includes long-standing endowed and
special programs. Recent presenters included:
• Terrance Kwame-Ross, associate professor in
the Department of Education at Augsburg, who
delivered “Our Conversation with Dr. King: Class
in Session” at the 31st annual Martin Luther
King Jr. Convocation in January.
• Jin Y. Park, professor of philosophy and religion
and founding director of the Asian Studies
Program at American University, who shared a
presentation at the Batalden Seminar in Applied
Ethics in March called “Ethical Imagination:
Buddhist-Postmodern Approaches.”
• Pamela Ronald, distinguished professor in the
Plant Pathology Department and the Genome
Center at University of California—Davis,
presented “Serving Up Science: Plant Genetics
and the Future of Food” for the General Leif J.
Sverdrup Visiting Scientist Lecture in April.
Augsburg University is accepting applications
for a new Master of Arts in Education program
that offers a non-licensure track for teachers
and educators looking to enhance their
skills within and beyond the classroom. This
program includes 30–31 credit hours and
can be completed in less than two years.
Students have the opportunity to choose from
two concentrations: Culture and Community,
which focuses on the tools educators need to
navigate complex systems and co-construct
curriculum with their students, and Community
Engaged Learning, which looks at the problems
students, schools, and communities face
when seeking meaningful change.
FOR CONVOCATION SERIES
AN ARTFUL COLLABORATION
The artwork in Augsburg’s Norman and Evangeline Hagfors
Center for Science, Business, and Religion always captivates eyes.
Recently, the collection also attracted the ears of Minnesota Public Radio
listeners. That’s because MPR highlighted the successful partnership
between Augsburg and Forecast Public Art, which helped guide the
university’s effort to commission original art for the campus’ newest
academic building. Now in its 40th year, Forecast Public Art is regarded
as one of the nation’s leading nonprofits committed to communityengaged design and placemaking. Augsburg benefitted from the
organization’s expertise as the university worked to acquire art to reflect
the diverse communities that make up the Augsburg student body and
to knit together the various academic disciplines housed in the Hagfors
Center. Today, the facility has more than 25 art pieces on its walls and six
works of art built into its structure.
AUGSBURG WELCOMES LEADING SCHOLARS
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION
Go to augsburg.edu/gpe to learn more
about the Master of Arts in Education.
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
5
AROUND THE QUAD
WOMEN’S ATHLETICS
ARCHIVE NEARS THE FINISH LINE
The James G. Lindell Library’s digitization lab team has been working with an
impressive collection of projector slides and photographs that document women’s
athletics at Augsburg from the time Title IX took effect in 1972 to the present.
With more than 7,000 images,
this archive will become one of
the largest online collections
of women’s athletic history in
the country when processing
is complete in Fall 2020. The
collection was started by Joyce
Pfaff ’65, retired Auggie coach,
instructor, and director of
women’s athletics who launched
several women’s teams and
The Augsburg women’s basketball team posing for a
served the university for 43 years. photo in the locker room, 1978.
Gwen Walz is still surprised
to be addressed as first lady.
“I sometimes walk right past people or don’t turn around when someone says it
because I just don’t hear it like I hear ‘Gwen,’” said Walz, whose husband, Tim,
became Minnesota’s governor in January.
While Walz may not be used to being called first lady, she’s jumping into the
role. She’s the first Minnesota first lady to have an office at the state Capitol
and plans to focus on education and corrections as policy issues. Walz also
recently joined Augsburg University as an independent contractor serving in two
roles: as special assistant to the president for strategic partnerships and as a fellow in the Sabo Center for Democracy and
Citizenship. Here is a glimpse into her connection to Augsburg and new life.
President Paul Pribbenow has described
you as a friend of Augsburg. How have
you worked with Augsburg in the past?
Q:
A:
A:
President Pribbenow and I met
in Rochester when Tim (then
U.S. representative for Minnesota’s 1st
congressional district) asked us to facilitate
a series of community-wide conversations
on education. Through this partnership,
I knew that I shared Augsburg’s deep
commitment to equity.
Q:
You are the first Minnesota first lady to
have an office at the state Capitol. Why
was that presence important to you?
A:
Tim and I work closely together. We do
our work differently at times, though,
so having our own spaces is important. I
also work with the staff very closely, so it is
more convenient for them if I have an office
near them. I am still learning how to best
use this space to do meaningful work and
build meaningful relationships.
6
AUGSBURG NOW
Your mother, Linnea Wacker ’60, is an
Auggie. What did she say when you told
her about coming to work at Augsburg?
She told me that I had better bring
my “A” game. My mom told me that
Augsburg is a very important place, and
I must make sure I am prepared to bring
focus and energy to the task. The mission
of Augsburg University is very important
to her, and she wants to make sure I help
advance it! My mother was a teacher and
first-generation college graduate. She
and my father, a long-time educator, are
committed to providing opportunities in
education for everyone.
Q:
You started your career as an
elementary school teacher. How does
your passion for teaching and learning suit
your roles at Augsburg and the Capitol?
A:
On the campaign trail, Tim and I
both used the phrase that teaching
was not just how we paid our bills; it’s
how we live our lives. I have never been
able to separate things in my life; I have a
pretty holistic approach to who I am and
what I bring to something. I have a lot to
learn from Augsburg and the people here.
All of that informs how I am thinking
about how I might best serve all of the
people of Minnesota.
Search or browse at
archives.augsburg.edu.
Insta Augsburg:
A few square snapshots showing
significant #AuggiePride.
Q:
What’s your favorite thing to do in your
free time now that you’ve moved to the
Twin Cities?
A:
Each Sunday evening, I invite my
three sisters and their families to
have dinner. Everyone who can come does,
and it is lovely to have a moment to pause
as one week ends and another begins—we
all sit a little longer at the table. We even
have dessert on Sunday evenings!
@riverside_innovation_hub
COURTESY PHOTOS
Q:
Use Augsburg’s digital archive to find every Echo
issue dating to the 1890s, as well as photographs,
yearbooks, oral histories, videos, speeches, and more.
Head under heels
Auggie image shines in anthology
“Illuminated,” a photo by Ava
Fojtik ’21, will appear in plain china
(plainchina.org), a national anthology
of undergraduate creative writing and
art based at Virginia Commonwealth
University. Fojtik’s artwork was first
published in the 2018 issue of
Murphy Square, Augsburg’s literary
and visual arts journal.
Fojtik pursues portrait photography
as a hobby while studying religion,
theater, and English literature at
Augsburg. She said she’s particularly
fond of “Illuminated” because the
image is expressive without showing
an individual’s face. The image
is part of a larger collection titled
“Pity Party” that focuses on the
themes of absurdity and things
being upside down.
Recognize those limbs and laces? They
belong to Adam Ruff ’18.
The Augsburg greenhouse
@orchidhunter She’s beauty, she’s grace, she stinks
up the entire place. It’s the voodoo queen herself,
Amorphophallus konjac, serving sinister lewks and foul
odors to attract pollinators. #plantdiversity
@augsburgauggies
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
7
All in the
Family
I
t could have been worse. Their
parents could have made them
hold hands (or even smile). But
after each game during last year’s
Auggie football season, the parents
of the team’s four sets of siblings
lined the eight players up for a
Kodak moment.
“We loved the tradition, but
there was a bit of that ‘Come on,
mom’ feeling, especially when
they made us take a photo before
our last game,” said wide receiver
Nick Heenie ’19, whose not-so-little
brother, Frank Heenie ’23, protects
the Auggie line. “We were all so in
the zone that we look mean, but
that couldn’t be further from the
truth. It was such a special year and
an honor to play with brothers.”
Rounding up the octet was easy,
especially after home games, when
those same parents—led by the
Heenie family—prepared meals for
80 players and their families. Head
Football Coach Frank Haege said
the team traditionally shares food
and fellowship after one home game
each year, but the siblings’ parents
united the Auggie football family
in an unforgettable way during the
2018 season.
“It was such a joy to coach four
sets of siblings last year, particularly
8
AUGSBURG NOW
BY KATE H. ELLIOTT
since I have twin boys, and I played
football with my brother,” said
Haege, whose 9-year-old son, AJ,
spends so much time with the team
that he maintains an Auggie locker.
“Our team always feels like family,
but we were especially close last
fall. It reinforced that Augsburg is
where students learn to be part of
something bigger than themselves.”
Coaching four sets of siblings at
one time was unprecedented for
Augsburg Athletics, but siblings are
not uncommon. Haege estimates he
has coached eight sets of siblings
during his 15-year tenure. In addition
to football, siblings have competed
on several teams recently: The Wilson
twins dominated the wrestling mat,
the Everett sisters commanded the
lacrosse field, and the O’Conner
brothers scored big on the ice.
Relatives on the
roster
The list of sibling alumni who have
played together at Augsburg could fill
a football roster, not to mention the
generations of families with Auggie
pride running through their veins.
An example: Athletic Director Jeff
Swenson ’79 wrestled and coached
for 25 years at Augsburg. His sister,
Marie (Swenson) Hechsel ’90, played
volleyball. Her son, Matt Hechsel ’15,
wrestled, and her daughter, Stephanie
Hechsel ’19, played volleyball.
Augsburg women’s ice hockey’s
Megan Johnson ’19 also is playing
out a family legacy. Her grandfather,
Bob “Badger” Johnson, attended
Augsburg for a year before
transferring to the University of
Wisconsin—Madison, where he
secured seven NCAA Men’s Ice
Hockey Championships. Her father,
Mark Johnson, was a member of
the fabled “Miracle on Ice” 1980
U.S. Olympic team and coach of the
2010 U.S. Olympic women’s silvermedal hockey squad.
Megan’s brother, Chris Johnson ’10,
’14 MAL, slapped the puck around
for Augsburg and later served as
men’s ice hockey assistant coach
for seven seasons. It was during that
time Megan picked Augsburg over
the University of Wisconsin, where
her grandfather, father, and two
other siblings played. Although the
colors of their jerseys differed, every
member of the Johnson family has
donned No. 10.
Women’s Ice Hockey Head Coach
Michelle McAteer said that although
Megan no longer has a sibling at
Augsburg, members of the team
Mustafa Adam ’18, left, and
his brother Shihab Adam ’22
“Augsburg—even beyond the field—is a tight-knit community, where everyone looks
out for one another. Teachers care about your education and are always willing to
provide you with extra academic support. At Augsburg, they truly care about you as an
individual, and they will do whatever they can to ensure that you succeed inside and
outside of the classroom.”
— Linebacker Mustafa Adam ’18, a three-time cancer survivor who studied business
and economics and plans to go to medical school
SPRING –SUMMER 2019
9
are like family. Third- and fourthyear student-athletes have begun
to mentor newcomers, calling
each other big and little sisters,
respectively.
on the football roster was “a dream
come true.” But he doesn’t have
one brother on the team. “I have
80,” said Mustafa, a two-time team
captain and nominee for Mayo
It was such a joy to
coach four sets of
siblings last year.”
“These mentor relationships
are lasting, and it’s an intentional
effort players established to support
each other on and off the ice,”
McAteer said. “As a two-time team
captain, Megan has been integral
in helping us foster that sense of
togetherness.”
Family legacies are
part of the game
To Haege and others, the influx
of legacy families and sibling
teammates is no coincidence.
Augsburg draws families, he said,
because the campus feels like a
family and students know they
will gain a solid education and
passionate sense of vocation. Older
siblings often make recruiting easy,
Haege said, by “talking up the
program naturally,” as they share
their good experiences with siblings.
Mustafa Adam ’18 said having his
younger brother, Shihab Adam ’22,
10
AUGSBURG NOW
Clinic’s 2018 Comeback Player
of the Year Award, which honors
college football players who have
returned to the field of play after
overcoming major life challenges.
Mustafa sat out his first year
at Augsburg when the cancer he
beat in high school returned just
prior to signing on at Augsburg. He
played the entire 2016 and 2017
seasons, but the disease returned
at the conclusion of his second
season, in which he finished second
in tackles (93) in the Minnesota
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
He underwent chemotherapy
and had to have his right ear
amputated to prevent the cancer
from spreading. In Fall 2018, he
returned to the field and played in
all 10 games.
“I know it pained Shihab and
all my teammates to see me go
through this disease, but having a
little brother only further motivated
me to keep my head up and stand
strong throughout this whole
process,” said the linebacker
from Wisconsin. “Envisioning the
football field was truly the driving
force behind my will to fight. I
was willing to persevere through
anything to accomplish my dream
to play college ball, and my
willingness to fight inspired many
of my teammates to look inside
themselves to find their ‘why.’ Going
through this—together—has created
lifelong bonds and friendships.”
Siblings and
teammates keep
each other on track
Nick Heenie ’19 said growing close
to dozens of teammates from
different states, cultures, and
life experiences has broadened
players’ worldview. The football
team’s inclusive culture, Nick said,
has inspired him to explore and
appreciate Augsburg’s setting in one
of the most diverse neighborhoods
in the Twin Cities.
The Heenies room with brothers
linebacker Xavier Hanson ’23 and
defensive lineman Christopher
Hanson ’19. “So our moms always
know where to get ahold of us,”
Frank added. Wrestling twins Aaron
Wilson ’21 and Alex Wilson ’20 also
share a residence, not to mention
a major—biology. The two are
rarely apart.
“I started wrestling in
kindergarten. Alex started a year
later, and we both dreamed about
wrestling at Augsburg as kids,” said
Aaron, whose proudest moment
was being ranked nationally
alongside his brother. “We knew it
would make us the best versions
of ourselves on and off the mat.
Augsburg’s small class sizes have
allowed me to make meaningful
relationships with my professors
and pursue research of my own.”
Lacrosse player Delaney Everett ’18
is equally ambitious, with plans to
own an accounting firm. Having
sister, Demey Everett ’20, by her
side has pushed the midfielder to
achieve in competition and in the
classroom. Head Lacrosse Coach
Kathryn Knippenberg has had a
front row seat to the dynamic duo’s
inspiring support.
“The two are in sync on the field,
and their intuitive play challenges
the rest of the team to follow suit,”
said Knippenberg, who is in her
sixth season at Augsburg. “Their
majors are different—biology
and accounting—but Augsburg’s
impressive academic programs were
able to support both their interests.
Not many schools in the area offer
lacrosse along with such diverse
academic options.”
‘Here’s to
quadruplets in 2021’
The Kordah brothers are a few
years beyond graduation, and these
stories of campus life and sibling
bonds call up fond memories for
the former Augsburg soccer players.
Lekpea Kordah ’15 is raising two
kids while working as a high school
administrator and as a certified tax
professional. Barinedum Kordah ’17
works in health care administration
in the Twin Cities.
Adulthood keeps them from
kicking the ball around together,
but they do find time to talk about
the “good old days as Auggies,”
while they watch professional
soccer, Barinedum said. Campus,
he added, became home to them
after their nine-member family
migrated from Nigeria.
“I learned some of my greatest
lessons at Augsburg. On the field,
my brother taught me to never give
up and to work with intensity,”
said Barinedum, a defender who
majored in exercise science and
minored in psychology. “Coach
[Greg] Holker taught us to consider
details, which was tough because
I wanted to just get out there and
play. That study of each opponent
and the game itself helped us
outsmart our opponents and waste
less energy than if we were always
trying to beat them athletically.”
Haege knows the Kordah
brothers, as most coaches and
players do. That’s how it works
at Augsburg, he said. Players—
siblings or not—don’t only support
their team, they are among the
loudest fans at all Auggie contests.
Whether that sense of support
stems from family connections or
not, Haege doesn’t make that call.
He does, however, predict the trend
will continue. “Here’s to looking at
quadruplets in 2021,” he joked.
“The two are in sync ...”
—Head Lacrosse Coach Kathryn Knippenberg
Demey Everett ’20, left, and her sister Delaney Everett ’18
LEARNING
ACROSS
ABILITIES
The Center for Learning and
Accessible Student Services
champions students with a broad
range of disabilities on the path
to academic success.
BY KATE H. ELLIOTT
Maura Gunter ’19
S
ince second grade, Maura Gunter ’19 relied on
accommodations for attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder and a word processing disorder. So when she
started college, Gunter knew the drill. But on her way
to class that fall semester, Gunter’s vision blurred and a
metallic taste coated her mouth. She lay in the snow for
four hours before paramedics arrived. When she woke,
doctors greeted the then 19-year-old with another
diagnosis: epilepsy.
As her peers at Colorado State University prepped for
finals, Gunter was pricked and scanned for two weeks.
Catch up, you can do this. Seizure. Someone stuffs a
wallet in her mouth. Doctors: “Episodes might pass or
might not. Try this medicine—no, this one.” Catch up, you
can do this. Seizure. Hospital stay, stares, and bruises.
“You need to find a way to complete assignments, Maura.”
Can I do this? Brain throbbing. More pills. Less sleep. No.
“When I started having seizures, I didn’t know [my
illness] was considered a disability. Support services at my
college at the time were fine but not personal. I didn’t have
an advisor to help me navigate my college education with
this invisible illness,” Gunter said. “So, nearly every time I
had a seizure, I had to medically withdraw.”
“I felt like such a failure—lost
and alone”
Without campus advocates and close teacher relationships,
Gunter turned to doctor-prescribed opioids for support and
became addicted. She found Augsburg University’s StepUP®
Program—a residential recovery support community—and
decided to transfer in 2015. Disability Specialist Anne Lynch
12
AUGSBURG NOW
was there to greet her, then walk the Georgia native through
her rights and responsibilities, documentation forms, exam
scheduling, and more. When Gunter made the dean’s list,
Lynch was the first person she called.
“Anne has been my rock,” said Gunter, who plans to
graduate in May with a degree in social work. “When
people cautioned me against seeking departmental honors
because they were worried ‘it’d be too much for me,’ Anne
pushed me. She lets me determine and define my own
limits. People don’t realize that it’s as equally stressful
and offensive to be coddled as it is to not be believed and
supported. Anne took the time to know me, to listen, and to
empower me with information and guidance.”
Sober since August 2014, Gunter thrived with newfound
campus advocates and with caring professors at Augsburg’s
tight-knit, affirming campus. Driving that advocacy
and service is the university’s Center for Learning and
Accessible Student Services, known as CLASS, where Lynch
has worked for 20 years.
The center’s influence is woven throughout every aspect of
Augsburg: CLASS informs administrative policies, advises on
housing accommodations, monitors updates to the physical
campus, and ensures students’ dietary requirements are met. They
offer professional development across campus, introduce assistive
technologies, and meet one-on-one with professors about universal
course design.
Disability specialists connect with parents, meet regularly with
students, and coordinate a range of accommodations—from exam
and tutor scheduling to notetakers and sign language interpreters.
The office serves those who need temporary accommodations,
including injured student-athletes, and engages in community
outreach and education. CLASS maintains a robust website with
links to programs, software, and apps for anyone to access.
When Lynch started in the late ’90s, she worked with about 30
students. Now, that number is 100.
“It’s been amazing to see Augsburg embrace diversity and
grow the reach and reputation of this critical office,” Lynch said.
“CLASS empowers the students we serve, but our work also
informs and inspires faculty, other students, and the communities
in which we live and work. It’s a gift to see employers, faculty,
parents, and even the students themselves shed misconceptions
about disabilities after working with our office.”
Lynch calls herself a partner. She spends her days partnering
intentionally with each student—to listen, to solve problems
alongside them, and to empower them to better understand
themselves and their abilities.
“‘Disability’ is not a bad word; it is tied to rights and
protections,” she said. “I love when students get to a place where
they can say, ‘Yes, I have a disability, but I am not a disability.’
Let’s move beyond the word and come up with solutions for making
sure all students have the same opportunities afforded to others.”
education and contribute their wisdom to solving the problems of
the world.”
A 2018 report from the American Collegiate Health Association
indicated that in the past year, three out of five college students
experienced “overwhelming anxiety,” and two out of five students
were “too depressed to function.” With increased stressors and
public services cutbacks, Carlson said, Augsburg has rallied to
strengthen safety nets.
“We strongly believe in helping students put together teams of
support so they can navigate college successfully. For students
with a mental health or other disability, CLASS is part of that
team,” Carlson said. “Augsburg is blessed with faculty who ‘get’
mental health issues and want to support their students and
advisees. Together, we help students feel connected on campus,
and that sense of connection can increase students’ likelihood
of success.”
CLASS Director Kathy McGillivray said this focus on “together” is
what distinguishes Augsburg and draws students to study and grow
alongside the support of CLASS’s comprehensive services.
“Our focus is on each individual student,” McGillivray said.
“But we are part of a larger mission to connect Augsburg students
to academic support, resources, and services that will help them
create and achieve their educational goals. Prospective students
see that seamless student support, all housed within the Gage
Center for Student Success.”
Within the Gage Center, CLASS includes the Groves
Accommodations Lab, which provides assistive technology and
testing accommodations for students with disabilities, and the
Groves Technology Center, which is a fully equipped computer
lab that is available to all students. Resources for students with
disabilities are offered within a suite of services for all.
“‘Disability’ is not a bad word”
Augsburg’s team approach weaves
a strong safety net
Although her focus is on students, Lynch said the office invests
a tremendous amount of time and energy in partnering with the
campus community to ensure Augsburg meets its commitment to
provide equal access to higher education and campus facilities.
Among CLASS’s greatest collaborations is with Augsburg’s Center
for Wellness and Counseling.
CWC Assistant Director Beth Carlson said that with the strong
connection between mental health and academic success, CWC
staff have found their work with CLASS invaluable in helping
students thrive. CLASS is distinct, Carlson said, in its deep
connections with students and collaborative, creative approaches
to overcoming complex situations.
“Many students who are academically capable might not be
able to graduate from Augsburg if they didn’t have the support
of CLASS. In the past, a student with a significant mental health
disability may not have been encouraged to go to college; now, our
campus is much richer and more diverse because we’re embracing
all of our students, supporting them as they gain a liberal arts
Matthew Glaven ’21 has built a team at Augsburg. The history major
serves on the board of Augsburg’s chapter of Women for Political
Change, manages the baseball team, and has traveled overseas
with fellow Auggies. CLASS is a major player on “Team Glaven,”
given that the Minnesota native is deaf/hard of hearing and has
cerebral palsy, which makes it difficult for him to write and speak.
“One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned at Augsburg is that you
need to have a team, no matter who you are, to get through life. As
your life goes through different stages, your team of personal and
professional supporters evolves with you,” said Glaven, who uses
ASL interpreters, a microphone for his hearing aids, notetakers,
and testing accommodations. “CLASS also taught me that
advocacy is key to getting what you need to make your life better.
If you don’t advocate for yourself, you won’t be as successful.”
That embrace of advocacy will serve him well as he plans to
enter public office. The Queen fan and BBC-listening cat lover
is driven to improve public health care, protect minorities, and
continue to fight climate change, among other initiatives.
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
13
The paw-fect solution
Matthew Glaven ’21
Faculty advocates
embrace universal design
Glaven gained that passion for policy
from instructors who were eager to make
lectures and content accessible—educators
like Rich Flint, assistant professor of
mathematics, who teaches core math
courses required of all students. In Spring
2009, Flint taught a pre-algebra course
of 24 students, 10 of whom had
documented disabilities.
“If I hadn’t known the CLASS staff
before that semester, I got to know them
all very well that spring,” Flint said. “We
now give all of our students a Math Anxiety
Bill of Rights, which includes statements
like, ‘I have the right to need extra help,’
and ‘I have the right to not understand.’
Many of us [math professors] include
statements about relaxation on our exams.
In fact, yesterday I proctored a Calculus 2
exam for a colleague that stated: ‘Relax.
You have done problems like this before.’
Without our work with CLASS, I don’t
know if we would be so attuned to using
straightforward strategies that benefit all
test takers.”
Professor of Mathematics Suzanne
Dorée said the department’s embrace of
universal design is a habit that emerged
from experience. Dorée has taught Auggies
for 30 years. When she started, parents
sometimes needed to attend classes to
assist their children. Now, because of the
resources and accommodations Augsburg
has to offer, students are able to enjoy
more independence, Dorée said.
“I love a good problem, and there’s
an element of creativity required in
adjusting my teaching style to reach all my
students. Over time you realize that the
new practices you adopt are good for all
students. For instance, I had a student who
was blind so I began narrating everything I
was doing on the board. It slowed me down
but I noticed that all my students were
processing the information better,” she
said. “The difference between a 50-minute
test and a 70-minute test’s ability to
assess student learning is not significant,
so I always write a 50-minute test for
my 70-minute classes. English learners,
students who didn’t get much sleep the
night before, and students with test
anxiety all appreciate the extra time to
check their work.”
That problem-solving can take many forms.
During Gunter’s freshman year, it barked and
was named Gus.
Gus was Gunter’s service dog. He was
trained to sense when Gunter might have a
seizure and assist her if and when she fell.
His vest detailed her diagnosis, which was
helpful since doctors previously missed her
medical ID bracelet three times, Gunter said,
while “Gus was tough to miss.”
“Was,” because Gunter hasn’t needed
a service dog since identifying the proper
blend of medicine, sleep, and support. The
24-year-old has been seizure-free for the
past year, and Gus has enjoyed the time off
to play with Gunter’s three other four-legged
pals: Nelson, Susan, and Shana. Each of her
pups, other than Gus, is a rescue with “some
special needs,” Gunter adds, proudly.
Health and stability, Gunter said, means
she can set her sights on the horizon—
toward research and graduate school.
Lars Christiansen, associate professor of
sociology, is collaborating with Gunter on
research about street equity, city planning,
and movement. This semester, Gunter is
focused on roadside memorial ghost bikes,
which are white-painted bikes placed near
streets not safe or accessible to cyclists.
She received travel funds to present her
findings at the Midwest Sociological
Society’s annual meeting in Chicago.
“Augsburg gave me the tools and space
to figure out my passion, understand my
responsibilities, and advocate for my
rights. A world that felt small years ago
now seems open and exciting.”
A year of
celebration
to honor
Augsburg’s leading approach to disability services didn’t just happen. Paired with staff expertise and an
inclusive campus culture, it took the vision and support of proud parents, alumni, and industry partners.
Auggie mom and Regent Emerita Barbara Gage, who served on Augsburg’s Board of Regents for 12 years,
led the charge to uplift Augsburg as a national leader in holistic student support services.
In the 1980s, Barbara and her husband, Skip Gage, along with the Carlson Family Foundation, donated and
raised funds to support the program that ultimately became CLASS. In 2011, the Gage Family Foundation
and the Carlson Family Foundation contributed $900,000 to create the Gage Center for Student Success.
This centralized, supportive learning space in the James G. Lindell Library provides resources for all
students—regardless of learning style, preference, or need. It houses the Office of Advising and Academic
Excellence, TRIO/Student Support Services, and CLASS.
A preview of Augsburg’s sesquicentennial plans:
September 27, 2019, to September 26, 2020
ARCHIVE PHOTOS
Sesquicentennial events calendar
From 1869
to today
Augsburg’s sesquicentennial
celebration will feature diverse
opportunities that uplift the
university’s founding principles,
honor its history, and look toward
its future.
Augsburg will:
• Showcase academic excellence
• Present historical elements
• Tell its institutional story
through art and design
• Host high-impact experiences
• Bring together thousands of
alumni and friends from all
generations
Augsburg’s community-wide events will include a gala, reunions, convocations, art shows,
concerts, book readings, theater performances, and lectures. Follow the sesquicentennial
calendar today for easy access to event details, possible weather-related changes, and parking
information. Here’s a glimpse at some of the signature events so you can start planning for this
historic year.
H O M E C O M I N G 2 0 19
September 23–28, 2019
New events along with traditional favorites make Homecoming one of the most
festive times on campus all year. The majority of this year’s events will occur
Saturday, September 28, and special reunions will honor the classes of 2009,
1979, and 1969.
S E S Q U I C E N T E N N I A L G A LA
September 27, 2019
Kick off Augsburg’s sesquicentennial at this once-in-a-lifetime event in
downtown Minneapolis. This gala will acknowledge Augsburg’s history of
pursuing the call to serve the community, and it will rally energetic support for
the next 150 years of Augsburg University.
I N A U G U R A L A LL- S C H O O L R E U N I O N
September 25–26, 2020
This all-inclusive gathering is for Auggies from every class, every degree
program, and every decade—Augsburg athletes, musicians, artists, scientists,
student leaders, and everyone in between. Learn how to coordinate a reunion
for a specific area of interest or identity by emailing Katie (Koch) Code ’01 at
codek@augsburg.edu.
Sesquicentennial book
Augsburg is publishing an institutional history book as part of its sesquicentennial celebration.
“Hold Fast to What is Good,” by History Professor Phillip Adamo, uses 10 objects from the
university archives to tell stories from Augsburg’s first 150 years. Signed, limited edition,
hardcover copies of this book are available for preorder until May 1, 2019.
SESQUICENTENNIAL
Register for Homecoming, purchase Sesquicentennial Gala tickets, learn
more about the All-School Reunion, and order your commemorative book at
augsburg.edu/150.
COURTESY PHOTOS
International travel
opportunities
BY JOHN WEIRICK
Augsburg will host four alumni trips to locations in Germany
and Norway that are central in the university’s history. Find
details for each trip at augsburg.edu/alumni under “Travel.”
NORWAY ARTS AND CULTURE
Tentative dates May 8–18, 2020
The tour will include theater productions, concerts,
and historical landmarks, and it will focus on the
rich and vibrant arts and culture of Norway. Explore
Norway alongside Augsburg Theater Program alumni,
co-leaders Darcey Engen ’88, Augsburg University
professor of theater, and her husband, Luverne
Seifert ’83, Minneapolis actor and instructor at the
University of Minnesota.
NORWAY NOW: EXPLORING
PEACEMAKING, THE ENVIRONMENT,
AND CLIMATE CHANGE
GERMANY AND AUSTRIA FEATURING
THE OBERAMMERGAU PASSION PLAY
Tentative dates July 15–26, 2020
This tour will focus on Bavaria, with stops in
Nuremberg, Salzberg, and additional nearby locations.
The hottest ticket in Europe every 10 years is to attend
the centuries-old Oberammergau Passion Play. This
trip includes prime seats for this once-in-a-decade
experience. As members of the university’s Department
of Religion, associate professors Lori Brandt Hale and
Hans Wiersma have teamed up to share their expertise
and offer a uniquely Augsburg experience.
NIDAROS PILGRIMAGE IN NORWAY
Tentative dates May 9–19, 2020
Tentative dates in July 2020
This tour will explore Norway’s peace work,
government, and environmental agencies. This tour is
co-led by Bettine Hoff Hermanson, managing director of
the Human Rights Forum at Augsburg as well as the
Norway Hub, and Joe Underhill, associate professor of
political science, director of environmental studies,
and director of the Human Rights Forum.
Hike to the Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim,
Norway—a pilgrimage made by travelers for more than
1,000 years. Augsburg University Pastor and Director
of Ministries Rev. Sonja Hagander will lead the trek in
which adventurous Auggies will learn about history
and culture, and they will experience firsthand some
of the most beautiful natural sights in the world. This
trip is intended for experienced mountain hikers.
For more information, contact Katie (Koch) Code ’01, director of Alumni
and Constituent Relations, at codek@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1178.
Matt Swenson ’91 displays artisan
creations on the Minnesota Art Truck.
During an economic downturn,
a resurgence of skill-savvy
craftspeople revived centuriesold traditions of making highquality goods in small quantities,
harnessing the power of modern
technology and local communities.
Americans plunged into the Great Recession.
A wave of new and seasoned workers alike struggled to navigate the economic
uncertainty of fewer jobs and growing debt in an ever-changing global landscape.
But while the economy grew stagnant, the creative efforts of workers did not.
An artisanal phenomenon gained momentum, which affects not only what people
buy and the jobs they seek, but also shifts consumer expectations around the
country. This is no new trend; it’s actually an old one.
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
19
FINNEGANS taproom in downtown Minneapolis
LAGER
IPA
BELGIAN
STOUT
GROWLER
PILSNER
CASCADE
PORTER
PALE ALE
BLOND
AMBER
PILSNER
WEISSBIE
MAIBOCK
HEFEWEIZ
DOPPELBO
SAISON
WITBIER
BERLINER
WEISSE
GROWLER
CASCADE
PHOTOS COURTESY OF FINNEGANS
The modern artisan movement—
craftspeople who focus on distinct,
skillfully made goods produced in
small quantities, often by hand—has
deep roots in the past, before the
relatively recent industrialization that
revolutionized the global market by
providing more affordable products to
more people.
“The United States has had mass
production of plentiful and relatively
cheap goods for at least a century,”
said Nancy Fischer, associate professor
and chair of sociology at Augsburg
University. “An appreciation for more
traditional forms of making things—of
craftsmanship—was a reaction to and
coexisted with mass production.”
Fischer, who has researched vintage
fashion and is writing a book on vintage
clothing consumers, said artisans in
the pre-industrial 1800s could make a
living running shops that sold everyday
items like furniture, candles, or shoes.
However, artisan endeavors today form
a niche market, often as side jobs for
extra cash and personal fulfilment more
than a stable income or employment
benefits. The focus is not just on a
product; the artisanal approach also
20
AUGSBURG NOW
focuses on the origin of the item, what
it’s made of, and how it’s made.
You’ve seen the items: artisanal
breads and cheeses, small-batch ice
cream, hand-crafted chocolate and hot
sauce. Many major metropolitan areas—
and a number of smaller communities
as well—boast independent coffee
roasters, artisanal pizzerias, and craft
butchers of locally raised livestock.
Custom jeans and hand-tailored
leatherworks are neighbors to yoga
instructors, artisanal pickle producers,
and specialty popcorn shops in
tiny storefronts. Even international
corporations and fast food franchises
attempt to pique consumer interest
using the terms “artisanal” and “handcrafted,” much like they appropriated
“gourmet” and “specialty.”
Artisans appear in three oftenintertwined variations: 1. maker artisans
who produce tangible products, 2.
personal service artisans who offer
curated experiences, and 3. knowledge
artisans who bring together people and
ideas to enhance social capital.
“Artisans can look a lot different
than what most would expect,” said
Brian Krohn ’08, co-founder of Mighty
Axe Hops, which supplies Minnesotagrown hops to craft brewers around
the state. After studying chemistry at
Augsburg and finishing graduate school,
he became a serial entrepreneur,
launching a company that uses 3D
printing to make flame-emitting
wizard staffs and founding Soundly, a
smartphone app designed to reduce
snoring. “A woodworker would normally
be considered an artisan, but I think
an experienced engineer who uses CAD
[computer-aided design] and a CNC
[computer numerical control] to mill
wood or aluminum can also be
an artisan.”
To seek a simple explanation for the
artisan economy’s proliferation would
be to ignore the multifaceted appeal of
such products and services, as well as
the diverse array of people who sell and
buy them.
Consumer boredom, dissatisfaction
with mass-produced options, and the
feeling of overall instability could play
a psychological role in the appeal of
artisan alternatives. “When you think
about the current state of economic
inequality, recessions, an affordable
housing shortage, multiple wars, everchanging technology, outsourcing of
jobs, and terrorism, we live in a pretty uncertain world,” said Bridget Robinson-Riegler,
cognitive psychologist and professor of psychology at Augsburg. “We value nostalgic
products because they make us feel more secure. The new wave of such products is
possibly indicative of a society in turmoil and people in angst searching for comfort.”
The search for comfort doesn’t stifle the curious desire for variety, though. “If it’s
beer, consumers are looking for something that is different, not formulaic,” Fischer
said. “With woodworking items, ceramics, or clothing, they are looking for something
that will last, as well as something that is unique.”
Jacquie Berglund ’87 found a unique angle in
a competitive market: craft beer with a cause.
After graduating from Augsburg and studying
in Paris, she returned to Minneapolis and
co-founded FINNEGANS Brew Co., whose
profits are donated to alleviate hunger in the
markets that serve FINNEGANS beer. “When I
started my beer company, there were a handful
of breweries. There are now more than 150
in Minnesota. FINNEGANS needs to make
high-quality beer, differentiate our brand as a
FINNEGANS co-founder Jacquie Berglund ’87
social business with more than $1.3 million in
impact, and connect with our consumers and supporters.”
The craft beer boom is representative of the growing artisan movement in many
industries. Almost half of the 150 breweries in Minnesota have opened in the past
eight years, including Boom Island Brewing in Minneapolis, another brewery with
an Auggie connection. Qiuxia Welch ’99 studied music at Augsburg and became a
professional French horn performer and teacher. Today, she is Boom Island’s marketing
manager and runs the business with her husband, Kevin, its founder and head brewer.
“Most of Boom Island’s beers are brewed using traditional Belgian techniques,”
Welch said. “This requires expensive ingredients, no preservatives, years of experience,
and time. It’s difficult for the large breweries to do this.”
Craft beer sales have grown to nearly
13 percent market share, according to
the Brewers Association, which offers
“certified independent craft” labels for
breweries not owned by the handful of
multinational corporations that have
maintained dominant market share
following the repeal of Prohibition.
Because consumers pay more for
craft beer, these corporations seek
higher profits through consolidation,
buying craft breweries with national
reputations, and creating “craft”
sub-brands to mass produce.
“Mass production is not able to
work with the small, local suppliers
of ingredients like artisans can,” said
Berglund, whose FINNEGANS pale
ale features Krohn’s Minnesota-grown
Mighty Axe Hops. “We have made more
than 100 different beers in our taproom
in the past 11 months with five barrelaged brews—mass production is not
this nimble.”
Though craft beer brewing and buying
demographics skew toward Gen X and
Millennial white males, some signs point
to a more diverse artisan future. “More
women, and particularly women of color,
are playing important roles,” Welch said.
“They are opening breweries, making
great beers, and changing how we
market and drink craft beer.”
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
21
When you visit a Twin Cities craft brewery
or farmers market, you also might
see another kind of artisan: artist and
curator Matt Swenson ’91, founder of the
Minnesota Art Truck. Swenson displays
local artists’ work in the truck to connect
with people who don’t realize they can
purchase original art at prices comparable
to big-box stores while sustaining the
local art community. “I don’t see art as
just for the middle class or upper middle
class or the wealthy. Art really is for
everybody, and the more I get to interact
with people, the more they see that
themselves,” he said.
Before he started this “food truck
for the soul,” Swenson studied
communication and English at Augsburg
and worked in sales and marketing
management for 13 years. Today, he feels
lucky and grateful that his wife supported
his departure from corporate America in
search of creatively fulfilling work: “We
had to adjust how we live, but she knows
Minnesota Art Truck and
founder Matt Swenson ’91
22
AUGSBURG NOW
that it’s something I’m passionate about,
and I think it can be sustainable.”
Billy Mzenga ’13 is another Auggie
who left the corporate world, turning
his attention to graduate school and
a new entrepreneurial initiative. The
venture started when his wife, Megan,
fine-tuned recipes of homemade almond
butter, cashew butter, and peanut
butter. In 2017, the couple launched
these products into a small business:
NutMeg’s Nut Butters. The Mzengas now
live in Chicago and continue to develop
new recipes. They distribute NutMeg’s
products online and at farmers markets
and Chicago-area grocery stores.
Like FINNEGANS, NutMeg’s is a social
enterprise. NutMeg’s donates half of
its earnings to humanitarian nonprofits
in Kenya. Staying nimble and avoiding
stockholder pressures are key factors for
artisan entrepreneurs like the Mzengas.
“We are accountable to our customers
to make sure we are providing a good
product, and to the charities we partner
with, making sure we provide them with
financial resources,” Billy said.
Billy believes his Augsburg University
education equipped him to see how his
purpose intersects with causes bigger
than himself. “My experience there
opened my eyes to the issues facing the
world, Minnesota, and those who were on
the front lines as problem-solvers,” he said.
Berglund, whose social impact model
with FINNEGANS inspired the Mzengas,
can relate. “I got a strong sense of ‘We
are here to serve others’ by going to
Augsburg,” she said. “It shaped my world
perspective and the way I designed and
run my business.”
Augsburg’s communal support was
also obvious to Boom Island’s Welch
when she arrived in the United States
to study music. “I came from a very
warm place in China,” she said. “I
didn’t come to Minnesota prepared for
the winter. Professor Roberta Kagin from
the Department of Music sent out a
campus email asking for donations of
winter clothing. I don’t think I bought any
clothes for two years after that.”
Welch wants the same qualities of
Augsburg in her business today. “This
is a very caring community with an
appreciation for a well-balanced life.
I like to think Boom Island Brewing is
the same,” she said.
FOAT co-founders Zoë Foat Naselaris ’96, left, and Kaja Foat ’96
Boom Island Brewing’s
Qiuxia Welch ’99
What prevents the artisan niche from
drawing more consumers away from massproduced items? “The choice is between
a $40 hand-crafted wood cutting board
or a $7 one from Target,” Fischer said.
“That kind of price differential for most
Americans’ financial situation—which is
more heavily weighted for folks with fewer
resources—eliminates the choice, even if
they would prefer the $40 cutting board.”
The higher price doesn’t necessarily
mean artisan products are luxury items.
In fact, artisan entrepreneurs often
justify the higher cost of crafted goods
in pragmatic terms. With some massproduced products, Krohn is concerned
that consumers will end up spending
more money in the long run on subpar
items that wear out rather than a quality
item that lasts—“You get what you pay
for,” as the adage goes.
Augsburg alumni craft a variety of artisan goods and services.
From a sociological perspective, the
benefits of less expensive production
and more affordable mass-produced
goods come with the risk of exploitation
of workers and the environment in
the supply chain and manufacturing
processes. “Organizations and activists
have encouraged us for decades to
question the unsustainable model of
buying more cheap goods shipped
from overseas where the pay, working
conditions, and factory harms to
the environment are jaw-droppingly
horrible,” Fischer said.
The relationship between quality,
cost, and ethics is especially tangible
in fashion. Zoë Foat Naselaris ’96 and
twin sister Kaja Foat ’96 created FOAT,
an environmentally conscious women’s
fashion brand with a personal touch.
Based in their Charleston, South
Carolina, and northeast Minneapolis
studios, they design, cut, and sew
garments by hand rather than
outsource the work.
“We are not interested in massproducing our patterns and clothing
overseas because it is important to us
to produce our items ethically, locally,
and with a lot of care,” Naselaris said.
“When garments are mass-produced,
they are designed with one body type in
mind. Handmade garments are tweaked
and tucked, pushed and pulled into a
COURTESY PHOTOS
shape that is both comfortable
and complementary to the
customer’s body.”
Like FOAT, many artisans
extend their care for customers
and details to the overall industry
and consumer expectations that
NutMeg’s co-founders Billy Mzenga ’13, left, and Megan Mzenga
influence business practices.
“Most Americans are not
accustomed to paying attention
Artisans offer alternate products as
to, or even caring about, how their
well as an alternate story, a different
products are made,” Naselaris said.
way to engage with the American
“There has to be a change of mindset.”
tradition of consumerism. They invite
FOAT encourages people to buy fewer
others to see that more isn’t always
well-made garments that last longer
better, that making something beautiful
rather than many poorly made products
and enduring takes time. Many
that tend to fall apart more quickly.
consumers are rethinking their economic
Billy believes many consumers are
relationships in society: how they engage
ready for change: “People are speaking
with what they eat, what they buy, the
with their dollars and moving their
issues they care about, and ultimately,
business to more locally owned,
how they engage each other.
locally made products.”
“The craft-brew taproom has become
a vital part of the community like you
find in Old World Europe,” said Welch,
who co-leads Belgium brewery tours to
Will some consumers continue to
stay tethered to a historic beer tradition.
lack the financial resources to choose
“Our typical customer wants to connect
more artisanal options? Will others
with the people who make and serve
grow weary of paying more for local,
their beer. They want to know where
sustainable, quality products? Might
their food and drinks come from, how
this artisan movement form a robust
they are made, and who made them.
economy of the future? It doesn’t show
This is how we lived for centuries. Now
signs of slowing, perhaps because of
artisans are back.”
the connection between crafters and
those enjoying the craft.
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
23
Professor of Psychology
Assistant Professor of Psychology
They became colleagues at Augsburg
roughly a decade ago.
BY COURTNEY PERRY AND LAURA SWANSON LINDAHL ’15 MBA
Community is an undeniable fixture of the Augsburg experience, and nothing makes a campus feel small like the familiar
faces of those who’ve become friends. Countless Auggies have forged lifelong connections—whether in an instant during
their first days on campus or over time through shared classes, interests, residence halls, occupations, and stories. Here’s
a taste of the many rich friendships that have grown at Augsburg and carried on across time and geography.
Robinson-Riegler: “We’re both cognitive
psychologists, so we have a mutual interest,
which was probably the initial thing that
brought us together. Then once we got to know
each other, we just realized how similar we are.”
Professor Bridget Robinson-Riegler, left, often stops into the office of Assistant Professor
Ben Denkinger to talk about everything from their shared field of study to baseball.
Major: Communication Arts/Literature
and Secondary Education
Denkinger: “We’re excited about the same
things in psychology, and maybe riled up about
the same things in politics and culture.”
Meeting in the James G. Lindell Library, Joaquin
Delgado-Ortiz, left, and Ann Sheely discuss
a project she’s working on for her residence hall.
Majors: Film and Communication Studies
They helped each other on move-in day
and became intramural soccer teammates.
Harris: “Anthony is one of the greatest
students I know in the area of academics
. . . my grandad always used to say, ‘If
you want to get good at something, then
surround yourself with people who are
already outstanding in that area.’ So I see
him in that. He inspires me.”
Villagrana: “Likewise, from day one,
Mallory has always been positive—the
energy he gives is positivity. Always
smiling, always talkative. He’s never
gloomy, you know? He brings this energy to
the room. I’m just glad I met Mallory this
year because I was pretty quiet and kept
to myself last year. He’s a transfer student,
and he’s older than me. He introduced
me to a lot of people, and I made a lot
of friends. His character has inspired me
to be more open and more social in this
environment at Augsburg.”
24
AUGSBURG NOW
Major: Psychology
Anthony Villagrana, left,
and Mallory Harris head
off to class.
Majors: Life Sciences and
Secondary Education
After being assigned to the
same lab group, they formed a
friendship and ended up laughing
their way through their final
presentation for their course.
Sheely: “One thing I’ve noticed about people at Augsburg is that
everybody is really open and accepting and willing to just be there to
help you. They’ll actually return your smiles, generally. So that’s been
really helpful for me—not being afraid to reach out to people even if
I don’t know them really well yet, and then friendships can grow.”
Camryn Masse, left, and Jen Meinhardt study together, as they
do at least twice a week, in Christensen Center.
Major: English (Creative Writing)
“That’s a cool pen.” One
seemingly simple statement
made in a 12:30 p.m. religion
class on the first day of the
semester sparked a friendship.
Meinhardt: “We both transferred
here from a different school—
from the same school, in fact—
but we didn’t know each other
there. It’s been fun because we
have the same perspective of
someplace different—of going
from a small community college
to this school. The city is kind
of different for us, and we
didn’t know anybody else. For
me, our friendship just gave me
something more concrete and
grounded at this school, which
helped me transition better.
And it’s given me somebody to
study with. She’s inspired me to
hit the gym; she’s inspired me to
work instead of goof off. She kind
of just keeps everything rolling.”
Enrollment Communications
and Event Specialist
AUGGIES CONNECT
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
COURTESY PHOTO
Major: Elementary Education
The Augsburg University Alumni Board
supports the university’s mission by finding
meaningful ways for our members to
contribute their time, talent, and treasure.
Members meet regularly to create and
enhance events where Auggies can network,
collaborate, and serve together.
This fall, we partnered with the Clair and Gladys Strommen Center
for Meaningful Work to co-host a mock interview event for current
students. We then brought Auggies together again this February at
our annual networking event. This year’s networking workshop offered
students the chance to practice their networking skills in a friendly
environment, and attendees heard from an impressive panel of alumni
who discussed how networking helped further their careers.
This spring, the Alumni Board has been busy working on events
like an Augsburg Beer Choir, A-Club Spring Happy Hour, and our first
All-School Reunion Stewards Meeting, which is coming up May 20.
Of course, the big event we’re gearing up for is Augsburg’s
sesquicentennial celebration. After we kick things off at the
Sesquicentennial Gala and Homecoming 2019, the Alumni
Board will focus on the ways it can support Augsburg at a number
of additional low- or no-cost events and new, family-friendly
opportunities. Augsburg’s sesquicentennial will truly be a year to
remember, and you can learn more on pages 15–18.
There are plenty of ways for alumni to give back to Augsburg as a
volunteer this year. Consider becoming a Sesquicentennial Steward,
joining the Alumni Board, or serving on one of our other leadership
boards. It’s been a pleasure to serve as board president for the past
two years. I’ve enjoyed working with current Alumni Board Vice
President Lori Higgins ’94, ’12 MAL, and I’m confident she will be a
terrific Alumni Board president going forward.
Assistant Director of Admissions
PICK THE
PATTERN
Denielle Stepka ’11, a senior
creative associate at Augsburg,
has created patterns for elegant
neckties, scarves, and—of
course—bow ties inspired
by art from around campus,
Augsburg’s “A” mark, and
university seal. Help decide
which designs should be put
into production.
Take a look at the options and “like” your favorites on the Augsburg Alumni
Association Facebook page: facebook.com/augsburgalumni.
HAGFORS CENTER
TRANSFORMS AUGGIE EXPERIENCE
It's been three years since Augsburg University broke ground
on the Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion,
and 16 months since the facility opened for classes. These
fast facts from the building’s inaugural year illustrate its
remarkable impact and the new opportunities it affords
Augsburg students, faculty, staff, and community members.
FAST FACTS
Go Auggies!
Office space for
They first worked together at another
college but both found a home at Augsburg.
NICK RATHMANN ’03, ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
of Augsburg’s
full-time faculty
Sotos: “Someone saw us playing
racquetball here together one day and
asked us if we were married. I said, ‘Well,
we’re not married, but I did marry him!’
because my wife and I officiated his and
his wife’s wedding.
It’s always good to have a familiarity
with how people work best and what
their strengths are, so it’s nice working
alongside a friend.”
40%
PARTICIPATE IN THE SESQUICENTENNIAL MUSICAL
Colleagues who once competed for the same job, Maggie Sotos, left, and Josh Owens, right, are now friends on
staff in Augsburg’s Admissions Department and opponents on the racquetball court during their lunch hour.
Among the many faculty-led projects in development to celebrate
Augsburg’s 150th anniversary is a new work of musical theater about
the university community, past and present, to be performed in Spring
2020. Members of the community are invited to take part in every step
of the process, from creating material to performing in the production.
Learn more at engage.augsburg.edu/sesquicentennialmusical.
29
THE HAGFORS CENTER HAS:
139,000
square feet of collaborative
learning areas with 32 open
study spaces
laboratories, four 30-seat classrooms,
and the largest classroom on campus,
which seats up to 100 people
If you are interested in learning more about projects in the Hagfors Center
or taking a tour, contact Heather Riddle at riddle@augsburg.edu.
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
27
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1960
Lowell “Zeke” Ziemann ’60
wrote a new book titled “A
Kaleidoscope of Baseball.” The publication
shares quotes, poetry, stories, odd facts,
and historical information related to baseball
as a national pastime. Ziemann previously
authored several books in the Old West
genre. He studied mathematics at Augsburg.
Jacquie Berglund ’87 discussed her craft beer
company’s social impact and collaborations with
local ingredients suppliers. See story on page 19.
1977
Zoë Foat Naselaris ’96 and twin sister Kaja
Foat ’96 create fashionable, ethically sourced,
one-of-a-kind women’s garments by hand. See story
on page 19.
The Augsburg men’s soccer
program celebrated its 50th
anniversary this fall with a lunch and
reception attended by more than 100
Auggies. The celebration brought together
Auggie soccer players from many decades
and was led by a host of Augsburg alumni
including Darcy Debing ’77, Gary Dahle ’79,
Mike Kennedy ’79, Don Potter ’79, Vinnie
Brooks ’07, Alex Hildebrandt ’10, and Van
Hong ’11.
Athletic Director Jeff Swenson ’79 has deep
family ties at Augsburg. His sister, Marie
(Swenson) Hechsel ’90, played volleyball. Her son,
Matt Hechsel ’15, wrestled; and her daughter,
Stephanie Hechsel ’19, played volleyball. See story
on page 8.
1982
Augsburg alumni Deb Krueger
Knight ’82, Mike Cunningham ’10,
Janice Gladden ’12, and Cyrus Batheja ’08,
’11 MBA offered networking and career
advice as panelists at the 2019 Augsburg
Alumni and Student Networking Event.
Attendees gathered to practice networking
skills, discuss career paths, and get to know
other Auggies.
Matt Swenson ’91 took inspiration from the
food truck phenomenon and created a mobile
opportunity to buy local art. See story on page 19.
1999
Tammy Sinkfield-Morey ’99, ’13
MAN, ’17 DNP received the 2018
March of Dimes Distinguished Nurse of the
Year award. She is the first African-American
recipient of this top honor, which recognizes
experienced nurses’ community service and
professional and personal development.
Qiuxia Welch ’99 builds community around
Belgian beer made with traditional techniques
in Minneapolis. See story on page 19.
1998
Scott Erickson ’98 opened an
independent insurance agency,
State Insurance, in Otsego, Minnesota. The
business serves all of Minnesota.
2003
Linnea Benton ’03 moved to
Okinawa, Japan, with her
husband who serves in the U.S. Navy.
Her oldest child started kindergarten, and
Benton, who graduated from Augsburg with
a degree in English, volunteers in the school
library to stay active in her field.
2004
Darin Rowle ’04, ’15 MSW
accepted a manager role for the
Department of Human Services HIV Program.
Most recently, Rowle served JustUsHealth
(formerly known as the Minnesota AIDS
Project) as a director of prevention and
coordinated care/integrated services. Rowle
has more than 20 years of experience
working with HIV-related concerns and
helping people navigate complex social
service and medical systems.
of development at Fordham University
School of Law. She and her family reside in
Brooklyn, New York.
They’re Auggie hockey stars, and they’re
siblings. Meet Chris Johnson ’10, ’14 MAL and
Megan Johnson ’19 in the story beginning on page 8.
2008
2013
Ben Katz ’08 produced a podcast
mini-series for the New Yorker
and New York Public Radio that tells the
story of his wife investigating a family secret.
Serial entrepreneur Brian Krohn ’08
demonstrates the breadth of diverse artisan
endeavors in today’s economy. See story on page 19.
2005
MK Gibbs ’05 opened the Mary
Katherine School, which is
an early education center serving children
and parents through infant, toddler, and
preschool programs in Bloomington,
Minnesota.
2009
Lisa Peterson ’09 is taking on
additional leadership roles with
the Northfield Area Chamber of Commerce
as she transitions from serving as its director
of tourism to her new position as chamber
president. Peterson studied marketing and
business administration at Augsburg.
2006
Ramsey County named Kari
Collins ’06 director of community
and economic development. Collins worked
as a community development manager with
the city of Roseville, Minnesota, since 2016.
She previously served as an assistant to
the city manager of Roseville and as zoning
administrator and board secretary for the city
of Milwaukee.
Evelyn Tsen ’09 and her husband, Alec,
welcomed a baby boy, Abraham Fenlason,
on January 18.
2010
The Litchfield Independent
Review reported that Brandon
Begnaud ’10 organized a Christmas cantata,
“The Glory of Christmas,” at Christ the King
Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, Minnesota,
where he serves as director of worship and
music. A graduate of Augsburg’s music
program, Begnaud recruited for, led, and
participated in the pre-Christmas cantata
that included a choir of 53 singers and 29
instrumentalists.
2007
Grant Hemmingsen ’07 and his
wife, Kari, welcomed a baby girl,
Quinn Joann, on January 26. Hemmingsen
is the men’s basketball head coach at
Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota.
Molly (Shortall) Kaszuba ’07 and her
husband, Brian, welcomed a baby boy, Jack,
this winter. Kaszuba is an associate director
Augsburg biopsychology major
Alix Young ’13 taught psychology
for two years in China’s Guangdong province
following graduation and opened the
Brain and Psychophysiology Lab at United
International College. Now living in Houston,
Young is a coordinator of clinical studies at
MD Anderson Cancer Center.
2016
Former Auggie women’s
basketball player Abbey Luger ’16
teaches and coaches at Transfiguration School
in Oakdale, Minnesota.
2017
Kaylee E. Gueltzow ’17 is teaching
English in Germany through the
Fulbright Program. She lives in Greifswald
and is traveling throughout Europe.
2018
Ricki Larson ’18 is a fourth-grade
teacher in her first year serving
her home district.
Billy Mzenga ’13 and his wife, Megan, turned
their hand-crafted nut butters into a small
business that supports nonprofits in Kenya. See story
on page 19.
Brothers Mustafa Adam ’18 and Shihab Adam ’22
were among four sets of siblings on the 2018–19
Augsburg football roster. See story on page 8.
2015
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Awale “Wally” Osman ’15 and
Felecia Zahner ’15 served as
keynote presenters at Augsburg University’s
TRIO/SSS 50th Anniversary Celebration in
November. More than 130 of the program’s
students, supporters, and graduates
attended the event, which included a
reception and dinner.
Osman is also a new member of the W.K.
Kellogg Foundation’s Community Leadership
Network. He also serves as a community
innovation program associate at the Bush
Foundation and has received accolades
from the Center for National Leaders,
NAACP, TRIO, and the National Newman
Civic Fellowship.
Lekpea Kordah ’15 and Barinedum Kordah ’17
found that their brotherly bonds strengthened
their Augsburg experience. See story on page 8.
Carola Thorson ’07 MAL became the vice
president of enrollment management at
Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio,
in September. Thorson served in several
roles in Augsburg’s Admissions Department
from 2003 to 2013, and she most recently
was the executive director of admission
and scholarships at Concordia College in
Moorhead, Minnesota.
Physician assistant Sarah Pattison ’12 MSPAS
joined the internal medicine department at
Carris Health Clinic in Willmar, Minnesota,
where she also assists in urgent care. She
previously worked at High Point Family
Practice in North Carolina.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
Annika (Spargo) Eriksson ’09
and Carl Eriksson were married
November 17 in Stillwater, Minnesota.
’09
Taneasha Muonio ’18 joined
People’s Center Clinics and
Services as a substance abuse
program manager in May 2018. Just
a few weeks before being hired,
Muonio completed a case
management internship at the
People’s Center and earned her
bachelor’s degree at Augsburg with
a double major in biology and
psychology. In her full-time role,
’18
’09
’18
28
AUGSBURG NOW
’01
’05
’13
’87
Muonio serves 150 patients dealing
with substance abuse concerns and
works with doctors to integrate
patients’ medical and behavioral
health care.
On November 11, Jill
’01 Mintz-Hoydl ’01 married
Andrew Hoydl. Augsburg alumna Jeni
(Eckman) Linnenberg ’01 [pictured,
left] was in the wedding party. The
Mintz-Hoydl family resides in Denver.
’05
Erika Hiland ’05 welcomed
a baby girl in November.
Shannon (Connaughton)
Grindal ’13 and Erik Grindal ’13
welcomed a new baby who someday
could be fourth-generation Auggie.
’13
Richard Bahr ’87 released a
book about homelessness in
Twin Cities. “Those People: The True
Character of the Homeless” includes
anecdotes about people with whom
Bahr has worked and seeks to
counter stereotypes and dispel myths
about people experiencing
homelessness.
’87
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
29
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Tina (Anderson) Boe ’04
bought a home in Forest
Lake, Minnesota, and works
for Aveda as a distribution
supervisor. Her daughters
are 6 and 8 years old.
In September, longtime friends [L to R] Mary (Boraas)
Janotta ’73, Jill Steele ’72, Mary Lynn (Monson)
Ogelsbee ’72, Lennice “Sparky” (Nordaune) Keefe ’72,
and Julie (Hagberg) Swaggert ’73 traveled to upstate
New York. The Augsburg alumnae once lived together
in Chi House and have been traveling yearly since
their graduation. A highlight of their most recent trip
was visiting Niagara Falls.
Augsburg Assistant Volleyball
Coach Colleen (Ourada) Enrico ’14
and her husband, Zach Enrico ’12,
welcomed a son, George, on
May 23, 2018.
In December, Susie (Emmert)
Schatz ’09 MSW was named vice
president and chief advocacy
officer for St. Paul-based Lutheran
Social Service of Minnesota.
Schatz now oversees state and
national advocacy initiatives for the
organization. Schatz joined LSS nine
years ago as an advocacy manager,
and she has received numerous
accolades for her work, including
the LSS CEO Leadership Award.
Since 2011, Schatz has served as an
adjunct instructor at Augsburg.
This fall, Tina Nguyen ’08
and her fiancé helped
connect more than 250
people at Minneapolis’
Franklin-Hiawatha homeless
encampment with supplies
and blankets. Nguyen also
served on the Augsburg
University Alumni Board.
Allyson (Ruedy)
Dooley ’13 and Eric
Dooley ’13 welcomed
twin boys in February
named Jason Timothy
and Lucas Anthony.
Arianna Genis ’13 was
the campaign manager
for Jeremiah Ellison for
Minneapolis City Council.
Currently, she’s merging both
her creative and political
skills at Wellstone Action as
a deputy communications
director. Genis also creates
a podcast, “Latina Theory,”
to unite the voices of Latinx
people in Minnesota.
Kevin Butcher ’13 and Kacie
Lucchini ’13 were married on
August 18 at Surly Brewing’s
Beer Hall in Minneapolis.
Connor Krenik ’13 married
the couple, who celebrated
alongside family, friends, and
fellow Auggies. The newlyweds
live in south Minneapolis as they
both pursue graduate school at
the University of Minnesota.
This fall, Reginaldo HaslettMarroquin ’03 received a
lifetime Ashoka Fellowship
for social entrepreneurship. A
graduate of Augsburg’s business
administration and management
program, Haslett-Marroquin
is the principal architect of a
poultry-centered regenerative
agriculture model. As part of
his new role with the Ashoka
organization, Haslett-Marroquin
contributed to a commentary
on nonlinear farming that was
published in Forbes in October.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
Leah (Jacobson) Soland ’12 and
Cody Soland were married this
November in Owatonna, Minnesota.
Leah graduated from Augsburg with
a bachelor’s degree in social work.
30
AUGSBURG NOW
Alom (Martinez-Aleman)
Walters ’13 and
her husband, Seth,
welcomed a baby boy,
Søren James, in October.
Former head coaches [L to R]
John Grygelko and Jeff
Swenson ’79 were among
more than 200 attendees
at the Augsburg wrestling
program’s 70th anniversary
celebration held this February.
The reunion took place the
same evening as Augsburg’s
meet against rival Wartburg
College—a competition known
as the Battle of the Burgs.
Anna (Ferguson) Rendell ’05
released a new book titled
“Pumpkin Spice for Your
Soul: 25 Devotions for
Autumn.” This is her third
book featuring devotionals
for women and moms.
Greg Schnagl ’91 published
the book “Not My First
Classroom: A Guide to
Supporting Experienced
Teachers in New Roles.”
Schnagl earned a
bachelor’s degree in
business management at
Augsburg and also holds
master’s and doctoral
degrees in education. He
is the founder and owner
of TeacherCentricity, which
supports experienced
educators. Schnagl is
married to Molly (Fochtman)
Schnagl ’92.
Lauren Webber ’14 welcomed
a baby boy in November.
“MN Original,” an Emmy Awardwinning program produced by Twin
Cities PBS, featured Alison Price ’08
and her painting series “Witnessing
Waves” in an episode that aired in
November. The artwork was created
during her undergraduate years at
Augsburg and was inspired by the
trees of the Mississippi River gorge.
SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE
Tell us about the news in your life—your new job, move, marriage, and
milestones. Visit augsburg.edu/now to submit your announcements.
Augsburg alumni [L to R] Dave Ogren ’91 MAL
and Eric Galler ’91 MAL visited Devils Tower,
Wyoming, this October and participated in the
KannonFall Charity Fun Rally.
Devoney Looser ’89 visited
Augsburg University in February
to discuss her new book, “The
Making of Jane Austen.” Looser,
who was featured in the Fall
2018 issue of Augsburg Now,
returned to campus for two
days to meet with faculty and
students. She is a professor at
Arizona State University.
SPRING–SUMMER 2019
31
Celebrate 150 years of Augsburg
and launch another 150 years
of Auggie legacies.
IN MEMORIAM
Gertrude E. (Larson) Franzen ’43,
Hastings, Nebraska, age 97, on
February 1.
Marlys A. (Backlund) Morland ’54,
Newberg, Oregon, age 88, on
November 19.
Thomas A. Steenberg ’58,
Missoula, Montana, age 83, on
October 20.
Milton L. Anderson ’44, Willmar,
Minnesota, age 96, on October 29.
Grace M. (Larson) Anderson ’55,
University Place, Washington, age
85, on September 22.
Paul H. Almquist ’59, Edina,
Minnesota, age 81, on
November 7.
Arnulf Maeland ’55, Royal Palm
Beach, Florida, age 85, on
February 7.
Harry C. Collin ’60, Gold Canyon,
Arizona, age 86, on December 21.
Lorna M. (Wilberg) Sanders ’47,
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, age
93, on November 20.
Jeroy C. Carlson ’48, Edina,
Minnesota, age 95, on
November 20.
James C. Record ’55, St. Paul,
Minnesota, age 85, on May 20.
Lorraine “Lee” M. (Gimmestad)
Clyne ’48, Coldwater, Michigan,
age 92, on November 19.
Jeanette I. (Olson) Locke ’57,
Lakeland, Minnesota, age 83, on
February 10.
Llewellyn “Llew” (Rustad)
Smith ’48, Twentynine Palms,
California, age 90, in August.
John H. Olson ’57, Richfield,
Minnesota, age 88, on October 31.
Jean (Christenson) Sverdrup ’49,
Edina, Minnesota, age 91, on
September 12.
Einar D. Unseth ’51, Lester Prairie,
Minnesota, age 93, on January 2.
Harvey M. Peterson ’52,
Minneapolis, age 91, on
December 10.
Joan E. (Carlberg) Nordenstrom ’53,
Cambridge, Minnesota, age 87,
on September 8.
Lowell H. Kleven ’54, Golden
Valley, Minnesota, age 86, on
October 11.
32
AUGSBURG NOW
Gudwren “Goodie” L. (Ellingson)
Belkholm ’58, Ogilvie, Minnesota,
age 86, on January 20.
Kenneth J. Belkholm ’58, Ogilvie,
Minnesota, age 90, on January 28.
Roger R. Brandt ’58, Sonoma,
California, age 82, on January 8.
Mabeth L. (Saure) Gyllstrom ’58,
Minneapolis, age 82, on
September 22.
Betty J. (Johnson) Hass ’58, Rio
Rancho, New Mexico, age 82, on
November 4.
Carl L. Hellzen ’58, Litchfield,
Minnesota, age 83, on January 24.
Gerald “Jerry” E. Hendricks ’60,
Watertown, Minnesota, age 81,
on December 10.
Edward J. Olson ’60, Mauston,
Wisconsin, age 86, on January 3.
David G. Torgerson ’60, St. Paul,
Minnesota, age 84, on April 9.
Russell D. Osterberg ’63,
Alexandria, Minnesota, age 82,
on October 1.
Jeffrey H. Barbour ’70, St. Paul,
Minnesota, age 71, on January 27.
Mary K. Ratzlaff ’74,
St. Paul, Minnesota, age 66,
on September 26.
Elin K. Ohlsson ’77, Edina,
Minnesota, age 63, on June 19.
Francine B. Chakolis ’78,
Minneapolis, age 73, on
January 15.
Carol L. (Watson) Saunders ’79,
St. Paul, Minnesota, age 72, on
November 1.
Bonnie R. (Lindgren) Reeb ’81,
Willmar, Minnesota, age 60, on
October 3.
Jeffrey C. Yue ’81, Wayzata,
Minnesota, age 59, on January 10.
Henry F. Groth ’64, Sioux Falls,
South Dakota, age 77, on
August 31.
Bob S. Dayton ’90, Maplewood,
Minnesota, age 52, on
November 26.
Diane K. (Rife) Notch ’64,
Northfield, Minnesota, age 77, on
November 28.
Julie A. Tanner Fischer ’92,
Minneapolis, age 48, on
January 19.
Dwight J. O’Bert ’66, Minneapolis,
age 74, on February 4.
George “Bruce” B. Sorrells ’07,
Minneapolis, age 60, January 11.
Lois A. (Barnaal) Ryan ’67, Lilburn,
Georgia, age 73, on January 7.
Frances E. Cleveland ’10,
Minneapolis, age 48, on
November 18.
Linda D. (Letnes) Lewis ’69,
Hastings, Minnesota, age 71, on
January 3.
+
The “In memoriam” listings in this publication
include notifications received before March 1.
Attract future leaders and eliminate barriers so more students
can thrive at Augsburg and explore their vocations.
Give any amount to the Sesquicentennial Scholarship
to support students in financial need.
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Twin Cities, MN
Permit No. 2031
Auggies win 13th national wrestling title
In March, the Augsburg University wrestling team claimed its 13th NCAA Division III
national championship, winning all four of its individual national title bouts. Seven
Auggies earned All-American honors in the finals of the national tournament.
Visit augsburg.edu/now to learn
more about the university’s
national tournament win.
Show less
An alumna’s cutting-edge research
Augsburg University Day
Women of influence
Nobel Peace Prize Forum
AUGGIES MAKE
AN IMPACT
FALL–WINTER 2017 | VOL. 80, NO. 1
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing... Show more
An alumna’s cutting-edge research
Augsburg University Day
Women of influence
Nobel Peace Prize Forum
AUGGIES MAKE
AN IMPACT
FALL–WINTER 2017 | VOL. 80, NO. 1
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
Assistant Director of
Marketing Management
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On celebration
Augsburg’s ninth president, Bill Frame,
was fond of pointing out our “militant
modesty,” the tendency to avoid touting our
accomplishments for fear that we might be
accused of boasting. Whether occasioned by
our Lutheran faith tradition or Scandinavian
roots (or some combination thereof), this
modesty meant that often our good work as
an institution was hidden under a bushel.
Now, as someone steeped both in
Lutheran and Scandinavian ways, I may
have occasionally fallen victim to that same
modesty, but perhaps I am being rehabilitated
because there is just so much to celebrate at
Augsburg these days! We can no longer hide
our light, as this issue of Augsburg Now most
clearly illustrates.
Whether it is our name change to Augsburg
University, officially celebrated in early
September; the 29th annual Nobel Peace
Prize Forum in mid-September, attracting
international attention for this remarkable
gathering of Nobel laureates and other
peacemakers; the progress on the Hagfors
Center for Science, Business, and Religion,
our signature academic building to open for
classes in early January 2018; or one of the
myriad other signs of good work—like the
renewal of our McNair Scholars program,
preparing first generation and students of
color for graduate and professional school—I
just can’t deny the need to celebrate!
So, here’s my point. I’m all for humility
and modesty in pursuing the mission-based
work we are called to do for our students
and our community. The gifts we share as a
community—our values and commitments,
our faculty and staff, our alumni and partners,
and our inspiring students—these truly
are gifts to be stewarded responsibly, not
exploited. But it is not boasting when we
celebrate how those gifts come together and
are deployed to achieve our distinctive calling
in the world: to be small to our students
and big for the world, to educate students
as informed citizens, thoughtful stewards,
critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.
In fact, I might argue that not celebrating
what has been achieved means that we miss
the opportunity to proclaim what God has
done in our midst and how others are invited
to join us in the work we are called to do. We
live in a world marked by a sense of scarcity;
Augsburg models what it means to model the
way of abundance.
We choose abundance, and we celebrate
all that God has made possible at Augsburg
University—surely a beacon of light and hope
in the world.
Faithfully yours,
Laura Swanson Lindahl ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Senior Creative Associate, Design
Denielle Stepka ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Web Manager
Joe Mann
mannj@augsburg.edu
Communication and Social
Media Specialist
Briana Alamilla ’17
alamilla@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communications
Specialist
Asha Sorenson
sorenso3@augsburg.edu
Contributing Writers
Kate H. Elliott
Jessica Mueller
All photos by Courtney Perry
unless otherwise indicated.
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg University
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
University policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
alumniupdate@augsburg.edu
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Send comments to:
now@augsburg.edu
AUGSBURG NOW
Fall–Winter 2017
The Norman and Evangeline
Hagfors Center for Science,
Business, and Religion is
located near the corner of
21st Avenue South and South
7th Street on Augsburg’s
Minneapolis campus—a
site strategically selected
to further connect the
University to the community.
02
Around the quad
19
Women of influence
08
Annual report to donors
22
Auggies connect
10
Augsburg University Day
26
Class notes
12
The fatherhood bonus and
the motherhood penalty
32
In memoriam
16
Nobel Peace Prize Forum
On the cover
The Augsburg University quad
featured vibrant autumn colors
this October. Photo by Kevin Healy.
Inset photo by John Solem,
University of Massachusetts
Amherst.
that Augsburg University’s quad now
boasts a splash of color. At more than
82 feet wide, the vinyl graphic installed
on Science Hall’s eastern-facing facade
is nearly impossible to miss. The design
pairs an excerpt from Augsburg’s
strategic vision statement with vibrant
hues chosen to reflect the accent colors
on the exterior of the new Hagfors Center
for Science, Business, and Religion,
which stands northwest of Science Hall
and is blocked from view in the quad.
One of the priorities outlined in
Augsburg’s 2016 campus master plan is
to extend the quad from the west edge
of campus, through the existing campus
core, and on to Murphy Square. This
vision requires the demolition of Science
Hall, which will be possible only after
departments and program offices now
housed in the facility relocate following
the completion of the Hagfors Center.
The timeline for this work is not yet
determined, so, in the near term, those
strolling through the heart of campus
or navigating nearby streets will see
Science Hall stand as an illustration of
Augsburg’s vision to be “small to our
students and big for the world.”
160 Y E A R S A G O
Fifteen years before Augsburg moved in
next door, Edward Murphy donated land
for the first city park in Minneapolis—
what is now Murphy Square. For years
prior, the parcel had been used as a
cow pasture.
1937
1857
LOOKING BACK: DECADES OF AUGSBURG HISTORY
BEFORE
AFTER
ARCHIVE PHOTOS
8 0 Y E A RS A GO
Augsburg elected an erudite and scholarly
teacher, Bernhard Christensen ’22, ’25,
to be president. He led the institution
for nearly 25 years, during which time
Augsburg made vigorous efforts to
expand and enhance academic offerings.
1967
IT WOULD BE OVERLY MODEST to claim
5 0 Y E A RS A GO
Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel played for more than
3,000 people in Si Melby Hall on Nov. 10, 1967.
According to an Augsburg Echo review, the lengthiest
applause was reserved for the song, “To Emily,
Wherever I Might Find Her.” The same year
saw the openings of Urness Hall and the
Christensen Center, with the Marshall Room
at the time serving as a faculty lounge to
the resentment of the Echo’s editorial board.
PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLAIN
CURB APPEAL
AROUND THE QUAD
Where faith and public life meet
30 Y E A RS A GO
Augsburg began offering its first
graduate degree program, the Master
of Arts in Leadership. Augsburg
now offers nine post baccalaureate
programs and set an enrollment record
this fall with 1,035 master’s students.
2007
40 Y E A R S AG O
Construction began on what is
now the Charles S. Anderson Music
Hall, which would open a year
later, bringing the entire music
department under one roof for
the first time in 100 years.
AN AUGGIE THROWBACK
PHOTO BY REBECCA SLATER
1987
1977
The Rev. Mike Rusert [center] and
members of Intertwine NE meet
on a Sunday morning to plan a
December 10 launch event designed
as an inclusive experience for young
adults interested in being part of an
intentional spiritual community.
PHOTOS BY DON STONER
It is no secret that the gap between young adults and Christian congregations
is widening. The good news, though, is that young people are not rejecting
faith or religion; many are living out their faith through political activism, the
arts, environmental stewardship, and interfaith engagement—places where
public life and faith intersect.
Bridging this gap will require congregations to adapt and innovate. To
support this adaptive work, Augsburg’s Bernhard Christensen Center for
Vocation has launched a five-year project, called the Riverside Innovation Hub,
with $1.5 million in funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc.
In its first year, the Riverside Innovation Hub will work with an
interdisciplinary research team of Augsburg faculty to study 12 local
congregations that are effectively engaging young adults in their communities.
Using the lessons learned from that research, the program will recruit and
train a cohort of youth to serve as coaches, working alongside approximately
15 partner congregations committed to new ministry with young adults.
“Partner congregations can then apply for two-year innovation grants to
implement their programs in 2019 to 2021,” said Kristina Frugé, program
manager for the Riverside Innovation Hub. At the end of that experience, all
program participants will share their key learnings. Augsburg will publish the
results and share the outcomes and insights through conferences and workshops.
“Vocation is at the center of this project,” Frugé said. “For congregations,
it’s about discerning their call in relationship with their young adult neighbors.
For young adults, it’s about a connection with a Christian community who can
accompany them in exploring
how faith and public life
intersect in ways that matter
most to them.”
Melissa Lee ’04, Augsburg’s head
softball coach, threw out a ceremonial
first pitch before an August Minnesota
Twins game at Target Field as part
of the team’s annual Lutheran Night
festivities. Lee joined former St. Olaf
pitcher the Rev. Charlie Ruud, with the
pair dressed in costume as historical
husband and wife duo Martin Luther
and Katharina (von Bora) Luther in
celebration of the 500th anniversary
of the 1517 Protestant Reformation.
Ruud previously served as a Campus
Ministry intern at Augsburg.
1 0 Y E A RS A GO
In 2007, Oren Gateway Center opened, connecting Riverside
Avenue with the James G. Lindell Library, which opened
a decade earlier. OGC will lose the distinction of being
Augsburg’s newest building when the Norman and
Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and
Religion is completed in late 2017.
FALL - WINTER 2017
3
A N O T H ER F IV E YEARS OF
SERVING SCHOLARS
Every year, more than two dozen undergraduate
students participate in Augsburg’s McNair
Scholars Program, an intensive 21 months of
graduate school preparation that opens doors
to some of the most competitive institutions in
the U.S. What’s more, these McNair Scholars
are from populations who statistically are
less likely to have the opportunity to pursue
advanced research and doctoral degrees—firstgeneration college students with financial
need and/or students from racial and ethnic
populations who are underrepresented in
Each year, Augsburg selects two
graduate education.
McNair Scholars to represent
Now, with a five-year renewal of its grant,
the University at the Minnesota
Private College Scholars Showcase
Augsburg’s McNair Scholars, a federal TRIO
at the Minnesota State Capitol.
program funded by the U.S. Department of
Education, will be able to continue supporting these students’ pursuit of
advanced degrees through at least 2022.
The McNair Scholars Program was created by the U.S. Congress in honor
of Ronald E. McNair, one of the first African American astronauts in the U.S.
space program. Augsburg’s program provides graduate school preparation
workshops, travel to a national research conference, hands-on scholarly
research projects with faculty mentors, and more.
Since 2007, according to “Tina” Maria Tavera, director of the McNair Scholars
Program, Augsburg McNair Scholars alumni have completed or are currently
pursuing more than 30 master’s degrees, 19 doctoral degrees, two medical
school degrees, and two doctor of pharmacy degrees. With nearly $1.2 million
of future funding, Augsburg is excited to see further program success.
Augsburg awarded $475,000
to infuse sustainability in university life
Augsburg University has new opportunities
to live out its commitment to sustainability
on campus, in the community, and among
institutional partners thanks to nearly half
a million dollars in new grant funding
from Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, a
Minnesota-based foundation that believes
colleges and universities can serve as models
of operational sustainability for society at large.
Using the grant award, Augsburg will
facilitate student internships and other
experiences at sustainability-focused
organizations, strengthen and expand course
offerings in Environmental
Studies, fund student and
faculty research, integrate
In 2015, the Margaret
sustainability and wellness
A. Cargill Foundation
contributed $1 million to
across the academic
the campaign to build the
curriculum, and more.
Hagfors Center for Science,
“The next breakthrough
Business, and Religion.
in sustainability could come
from a student majoring in communications,
philosophy, or education,” said Allyson Green,
Augsburg chief sustainability officer. “For
all of us to live on this planet sustainably
and equitably, we need all perspectives,
experiences, types of knowledge, and skill sets
to be part of the work.”
Did you know?
AN OC C A S IO N TO C E LE B R AT E
Augsburg event series honors Reformation anniversary
Augsburg held a series of events this fall marking the 500th
anniversary of the Protestant Reformation. To kick off the series,
Augsburg was honored to host ELCA Presiding Bishop Elizabeth
Eaton for two events: the Christensen Symposium, which
focused on interfaith friendships, and a panel discussion with
representatives of #DecolonizeLutheranism, a grassroots movement
challenging long-held patterns of white power and privilege in the
ELCA and stereotypes of what it means to be Lutheran.
The series continued in October, in observance of Heritage
Day, when Mary Lowe, associate professor of religion, invited
community members to consider Martin Luther’s perspectives on
bodies and creation. Lowe explained how—even today—Luther’s
theology relates to complex issues.
Lowe discussed themes related to
climate change, gender and sexuality,
abuse, and deforestation.
In November, award-winning musical group The Rose Ensemble
presented “Welcome the People: The Musical Legacy of the
Reformation.” The ensemble creates musical performances and
educational programs that connect audiences to compelling stories
of human history, culture, and spirituality from around the world.
The celebration ends with this year’s Advent Vespers, the theme
of which is inspired by Luther’s hymn, “From Heaven Above.”
Visit augsburg.edu/now to learn
more about Augsburg’s Reformation
event series and Advent Vespers.
4
AUGSBURG NOW
AROUND THE QUAD
MAKING HISTORY
VISIBLE
In the basement of Wilson Library at the University of
Minnesota Twin Cities, a team of researchers is working to
map the history of racial segregation in Minneapolis. The
group is unearthing racial restrictions buried in Minneapolis
property deeds to create the first comprehensive visualization
of historical racial covenants for a U.S. city.
The project, called Mapping Prejudice, started with
Augsburg’s Historyapolis Project, which seeks to illuminate
the history of Minneapolis and has traced the roots of
the city’s present-day racial disparities through historical
research. To date, Mapping Prejudice researchers have
found around 5,000 property deeds containing language
that historically restricted ownership of residential properties
by race. Enforcing these restrictions has been illegal
in Minnesota for more than 60 years, but the records
provide insight into the racial segregation that persists in
Minneapolis neighborhoods.
“Minneapolis is known for its parks, high-quality schools,
and progressive politics,” said Kirsten Delegard, director of the
Historyapolis Project and Augsburg scholar-in-residence. “Yet
we have the highest racial disparities in the country.”
Delegard said racial covenants were once pervasive in
many U.S. cities and were instrumental in remaking the
racial landscape of Minneapolis, which had not always
been segregated. As many as 10,000 or more Minneapolis
property deeds may contain such racially restrictive
language. One of those properties is the Augsburg House,
a residence on West River Road in Minneapolis that the
University purchased in 1998.
“When I saw the information that the Mapping Prejudice
team had compiled for south Minneapolis, I suspected that
Augsburg House originally had a racially restricted deed,”
said Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow. “Nearly
every new development in south Minneapolis in the early
20th century carried those types of restrictions.”
The property’s 1926 deed didn’t initially show up in the
project’s electronic search process because the document
was handwritten, but Delegard was able to locate the deed
manually. The University has sought legal counsel regarding
options for clarifying that Augsburg does not support
discriminatory restrictions on the property.
“At the same time, we want to ensure we maintain the
historical record represented by the deed,” Pribbenow said,
“so that we never lose track of the disgraceful manners in
which covenants were used to segregate our communities
and to inflict real harm on so many.”
The Mapping Prejudice project is a massive undertaking,
so the group strives to engage volunteers in the work. Many
Augsburg students have become involved, including two
history students who did semester-long internships last year
helping build a digital map display and an entire history
The Mapping Prejudice team includes Kevin Erhman-Solberg ’14 [left], a University
of Minnesota graduate student in geographic information science; Penny Peterson
[center], a veteran property records researcher; Kirsten Delegard [right], director of the
Historyapolis Project and Augsburg scholar-in-residence; and Ryan Mattke [not pictured],
a map and geospatial information librarian from the University of Minnesota.
class that is working with the project throughout the fall
semester this year. Several sociology classes got involved
this past spring and summer, helping develop the program’s
volunteer outreach strategy. Students from Pribbenow’s
honors seminar also helped transcribe deeds this past spring,
and a cohort of Augsburg first-year students engaged in the
work as part of City Service Day at the beginning of the 2017
academic year.
“We absolutely could not have developed the project
without this kind of participation from both students and
faculty,” said Delegard, who is continuing to seek funding
that will allow the project to get even more students involved
in all aspects of the work.
Go to augsburg.edu/now to link to an interactive map illustrating the spread of racially
restrictive deeds across Minneapolis during the first half of the 20th century and to
learn more about getting involved in Mapping Prejudice research.
FALL - WINTER 2017
5
AWARDS 2017
Top 25 LGBTQ-friendly Colleges & Universities:
Augsburg was named to Campus Pride’s list
of the top 25 LGBTQ-friendly colleges and
universities in 2017. Campus Pride is the
leading national organization for creating
safer, more LGBTQ-friendly colleges and
universities.
Top 50 nationally for contribution to the public
good: Augsburg was the No. 2 institution in
Minnesota named by Washington Monthly in
its 2017 Master’s Universities rankings. The
list rates schools based upon their contribution
to the public good in three categories: social
mobility, research, and service.
Top 25 schools for service-learning: Augsburg
has been named one of U.S. News &
World Report’s 2018 Top 25 Colleges and
Universities for Service Learning. The sole
Minnesota school on this list, Augsburg
requires volunteering in the community as
an instructional strategy. Schools garnering
recognition were nominated by fellow
institutions, college and university presidents
or deans, and chief academic officers.
At its September meeting, the Augsburg Corporation elected four additional
members to the Board of Regents and re-elected three currently serving
members. In addition, in accordance with the bylaws for Augsburg University,
two bishops were appointed as ex-officio board members this fall. Augsburg
University welcomes these new regents and thanks them for their service.
•
Eric J. Jolly, president and chief executive officer of
Minnesota Philanthropy Partners. Jolly previously
served on the Augsburg Board of Regents from
2008-2015.
•
Cynthia G. Jones ’81, senior level advisor for nuclear
safety and analysis at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory
Commission. Jones previously served on the
Augsburg Board from 2010-2012.
•
Dean Kennedy ’75, co-founder and chief strategy officer
of Texakoma Oil & Gas Corporation. Kennedy previously
served on the Augsburg Board from 2005-2013.
•
Karolynn Lestrud ’68, retired photography and
publishing industry professional; former board
member in historic preservation and performing
arts organizations; and active volunteer in arts,
education, and theater.
COURTESY PHOTO
Elected to a new four-year term in 2017:
Eric J. Jolly
COURTESY PHOTO
Recognition for being student-centered: For
the second year in a row, The Wall Street
Journal and Times Higher Education ranked
Augsburg No. 2 in Minnesota for student
engagement in the learning process in their
ranking of U.S. colleges and universities. The
student engagement score is based largely
on results of a student survey that addresses
how challenging classes are, whether they
foster critical thinking and prompt students
to make connections to the real world, and
how much interaction the students have with
faculty and other students.
WELCOMES NEW MEMBERS
Cynthia G. Jones ’81
COURTESY PHOTO
Best Regional Universities: U.S. News & World
Report again named Augsburg among the
best universities in the Midwest. Rankings
are based on factors including average firstyear retention rates, graduation rates, class
sizes, student-to-faculty ratios, acceptance
rates, and more.
BOARD OF REGENTS
Elected to a second four-year term:
•
Wayne Jorgenson ’71, senior vice president of wealth
management at UBS Financial Services Inc.
•
Dennis Meyer ’78, chief marketing and business
development officer at Robins Kaplan LLP
•
Pam Moksnes ’79, vice president for gift planning
services, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, through
the Lutheran Church Extension Fund
Elected to a third four-year term:
•
Ann Ashton-Piper, president of the IT consulting firm
The Bridgie Group
Appointed as ex-officio members of the Board of Regents
for a three-year term:
•
The Rev. Patricia J. Lull, bishop of the Saint Paul
Area Synod
•
The Rev. Steven H. Delzer, bishop of the Southeastern
Minnesota Synod
Dean Kennedy ’75
PHOTO BY CAROLINE YANG
Augsburg University is consistently
recognized for excellence. This year’s
accolades include:
Karolynn Lestrud ’68
S
T
C
FA
AROUND THE QUAD
ON THE SPOT
Communications expert describes
history and peril of “fake news”
WHILE THE TERM “FAKE NEWS” IS RELATIVELY NEW, the phenomenon, of course,
is not. People throughout time have been motivated to share false information in ways
that give it the appearance of legitimacy or to discredit accurate information in order
to serve their own interests. Newer, digital media channels have made the tools to do
so readily available and more effective, according to Jenny Hanson, assistant professor
of communication studies, film, and new media. What’s more, social media sites tend
to present users with information that confirms existing biases. In her classes, Hanson
teaches students the media literacy skills necessary to be critical consumers of the news.
Q:
A:
What is the history of “fake news”
in media?
Fake news has been around for
centuries; it’s probably as old as
humans’ ability to communicate. People
seem to have a natural desire to tell tall
tales. After all, spectacles draw crowds and
outlandish stories trend. Fake news took off
with the invention of the printing press in
1439, in part because stories were difficult
to verify and mass distribution meant news
could travel relatively quickly. A journalistic
code of conduct toward objectivity and
the practice of fact-checking did not yet
exist. Stories about strange beasts, hideous
crimes, and falsified scientific discoveries
sold papers, and for advertising-supported
publications, that was the goal.
As journalism evolved and as
newspapers came to rely on subscription
models, impartiality and accuracy
became guiding principles. In the 1980s,
standards changed when cable TV made
the 24/7 news cycle a reality. Next, the
internet created alternate—and rapid—
means of news distribution and increased
access to content-creation tools among the
general population. Today, new reasons
for using fake news are emerging: to
distract, to challenge existing knowledge,
and to raise doubt about the validity of
information, all in order to favor particular
interests. In this way, calling something
“fake news” and creating fake news both
can be used to advance political, social, or
personal interests in a way that functions
more like propaganda. Calling something
fake triggers a reaction in us to question
and doubt, thereby decreasing our
confidence in the information and opening
us up to different possibilities.
Q:
A:
What are the potential real-world
implications?
There are immense implications
when news is inaccurate. Journalists
understand that if they misreport,
misquote, or just plain get the story
wrong, there are often legal implications,
damage to the outlet’s reputation, and
harm to those wronged.
When fake news is used as propaganda,
it threatens the very legitimacy of news
itself, inviting us to believe what is most
aligned with our own ideologies rather
than what actually is. The damage can
be widespread, creating lasting impacts
that go on to shape industry, policies,
procedures, culture, artifacts of history,
and society.
Q:
What can individuals do to protect
themselves from falsities and to
process news and information critically?
A:
There are many actions people can
take to become savvy information
consumers. The advice we tell students
includes getting your news from a variety
of sources, seeking connections on social
media who have viewpoints differing from
your own, and reading beyond the headline
and before sharing information. In a critical
reading, check the author’s credentials,
watch out for emotional appeals or
outrageous claims, look to see that sources
are named and are experts in their fields,
review the article date for context, and
consider your own bias. Understand the
source and their interests, and be sure
websites are the official sites and not ones
intended to mimic another’s appearance.
Go to augsburg.edu/now to learn more
about the line between falsehood and satire.
FALL - WINTER 2017
7
2016-17 AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY
ANNUAL REPORT
When you give to Augsburg, you aren’t just supporting a
private university—you’re paving the way for students
to make a living, make a life, and make a community.
The impact of your generosity can be seen in the lives of
thousands of students who are now embracing financial
security, finding their vocation, and following their calling.
TO DONORS
ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE
$40.5
$38.3
May 31, 2017—$43,878,362
$32.4
$28.2
$39.4
$34.6
$33.3
$31.5
$43.9
REVENUE BY SOURCE
$29.8
75%
8%
7%
$24.5
2007 2008
2009 2010 2011
2012 2013
2014 2015 2016 2017
As of May 31, 2017, Augsburg University’s endowment had annual
realized and unrealized gains of 12.19 percent. The five-year average
annual return on the endowment is 8.21 percent, and the 10-year
average annual return is 4.34 percent. The University is
committed to maintaining the value of the principal to
provide support to Augsburg in perpetuity.
Your philanthropy
is creating an Augsburg that will be
SUSTAINABLE,
7%
3%
EXPENSES BY CATEGORY
38%
33%
20%
4%
3%
2%
1%
Salaries and Benefits
Financial Aid
Operating Expenses
Debt Services
Utilities and Insurance
Student Compensation
Capital Improvement
FAITHFUL,and RELEVANT
long into the future.
Thanks to you and other committed friends, Augsburg is preparing students of all ages, abilities,
and backgrounds to serve and lead in our communities, schools, places of worship, and businesses. During
fiscal year 2016-17, more than 9,300 individual donors gave $17,216,961 through cash gifts, pledges, and
planned gifts. Augsburg Fund supporters provided the University with more than $1.1 million in unrestricted,
discretionary funds to improve the student experience.
Tuition
Room and Board
Private Gifts
and Grants
Other Sources
Federal Grants
MAKE A LIVING
When juggling the rigors of family life, owning three businesses, and
coaching high school sports, starting a graduate program might not hit
the top priority list for many people. But for Joe Tadros ’98, ’17 MBA,
the benefits of pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree
to further his career and build greater financial security for his family
were worth the effort. “My graduate experience was an eye opener.
It reminded me where I came from, and where I wanted to be in the
future,” said Tadros. “My classmates had unique abilities and talents,
and I learned so much from them.”
Joe Tadros ’98, ’17 MBA
Shika Addo Memorial Scholarship
Tadros now serves as a guest lecturer for Augsburg finance classes,
sharing life lessons with undergraduates. With his degree, and your gifts,
he looks to the future with confidence, knowing that his kids will be well
provided for and that his impact will extend beyond his career.
MAKE A LIFE
As a shy, small-town kid, Kevin Tran ’18 would never have believed it
had someone told him that as a college student he would become a
board member for three student organizations, travel abroad with the
choir, work as an intern for US Bank, and volunteer in the community in
his free time. Tran began to really come out of his shell by living his life
through the Auggie experience. “When I came [to Augsburg], I didn’t
know what to expect. In high school, I was just really all about my work.
Augsburg exposed me to who I am supposed to be ... I became more
independent, more knowledgeable, more vocal, and more myself.”
Kevin Tran ’18
Leland and Louise Sundet
Scholarship
Because of you, Tran has found his calling and is planning to pursue
his dream by working in marketing for the entertainment industry in
Los Angeles.
MAKE A COMMUNITY
Singing, studying, social work, public policy, and reconstructing the
criminal justice system. These are among the top priorities for Augsburg
student Alexa Anderson ’19.
Anderson may be a proud member of the Honors Program and Augsburg
vocal ensembles, but the deeper she dives into her studies as a social
work major, the more motivated she has become to change her community
through restorative justice.
Alexa Anderson ’19
Mabeth Saure Gyllstrom
Scholarship
Dorothy Lijsing Kleven President’s
Scholarship in Choral Music
“Augsburg has completely changed me as a person, specifically regarding
how I view my role as a member of a community,” she said. “Before
coming here, I didn’t understand how important being an active member
of a community was. Through my classes, volunteering, internships, and
living in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, I now believe that in order
for a community to succeed, its members must act and live in a way that
encourages understanding, acceptance, and unity.”
A NEW DAY, A NEW KIND OF UNIVERSITY
BY JESSICA MUELLER
AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY DAY was a moment of celebration—a time to honor and appreciate the abiding principles on
which Augsburg was founded and an opportunity to consider Augsburg’s commitment to shaping the world for generations to
come. Augsburg marked the transition from college to university through a commemorative day full of fun and fellowship. And,
although Augsburg College officially became Augsburg University on September 1, the campus threw its proverbial hat in the
air a few days later—on September 5, the day Augsburg formally welcomed its most diverse incoming class in school history.
OPENING CONVOCATION
On September 5, Augsburg’s Class of 2021 rose early
to participate in the grand finale of their welcome
week: Opening Convocation. New students marched
across campus, past rows of cheering faculty and staff,
and toward Hoversten Chapel with pride (and maybe a
few sheepish grins), to engage in a historic beginning
for them and for their school: the commissioning of
Augsburg University’s inaugural first-year class.
This year’s event featured elements linked with
Augsburg’s commitments to faith, diversity, and
vocation: Lutheran hymns, interfaith blessings, and
international flags representing the countries from
which Augsburg students come. President Paul
Pribbenow encouraged new Auggies to do justly, love
mercy, walk humbly ... and follow him on Twitter.
And that was just the beginning.
A MOMENT TO REMEMBER
Following Opening Convocation, the Class of 2021 processed
from the chapel to the quad where they were met by stilt
walkers, local musicians, Haitian and Somali dancers, and the
smells of dishes as varied and diverse as the neighborhoods
surrounding Augsburg’s metropolitan campus. More than 800
students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University convened
to feast on sambusas, Mexican tacos, cotton candy, brats and
sauerkraut, and, in some cases, all of the above.
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AUGSBURG NOW
Students had nearly two hours to take in their surroundings,
grab food, pose at the Auggie photo booth, and assemble
hygiene kits for the Augsburg Health Commons, which serves
unsheltered persons throughout Minneapolis. Many even had
time to read a proclamation, signed by Minnesota Gov. Mark
Dayton, naming September 5, 2017, Augsburg University Day.
A UNIVERSITY OF THE CITY
In the afternoon, more than 500 students, faculty, and staff gathered in small groups and dispersed
throughout Minneapolis to listen to, learn from, and volunteer with local partners and nonprofits with
ties to Augsburg. In total, the Class of 2021 donated nearly $35,000 in service work at more than 20
Twin Cities locations.
The entire string of events—from the convocation, to the celebration, to the service-learning
opportunities—demonstrated that Augsburg’s name change was much more than updated monument
signs (though they do look nice), letterhead, and websites. The name change was a collaborative effort
to share Augsburg’s story—the narrative of a place that’s deeply embedded in its community, that richly
lives out its traditions, and that points to a bolder vision of what a student-centered, urban university
can be … small to its students, and big for the world.
FALL - WINTER 2017
11
The fatherhood BONUS
a n d th e
PENALTY
motherhood
BY KATE H. ELLIOTT
G r o un d b r e a k i n g r e s e a rch by alum na
M i c he l l e B u d i g ’ 9 3 s h eds light on wage
ga p b e t we e n f a t h e rs and m others
Michelle Budig’s story is deeply woven
into her pioneering research to expose
gender inequality and examine family
policies in the workforce.
The product of an outspoken dental
receptionist and a pious electrician—
who staked the yard with opposing
political signs—Budig learned from
a young age to question, wonder, and
voice her beliefs. In preschool, for
example, she insisted her class change
the lyrics of “Yankee Doodle Dandy” to
remove “and with the girls be handy.”
But despite her early and strong
advocacy for girls’ rights, Budig still
believed that as an adult she would
have to choose between motherhood
and a meaningful career. Indeed, at 22,
she married her Augsburg sweetheart,
nurse practitioner Peter Landstrom ’91,
but then waited almost 20 years—until
12
AUGSBURG NOW
after she secured tenure as a sociology
professor—to adopt their daughter, Lucy.
Her beliefs about how things should be
were tempered by her understanding of
how things actually are.
It may be no surprise, then, that
Budig focused her scholarly research
on the impact of parenting across
gender—specifically the wage inequities
between fathers and mothers across the
pay scale. Her latest findings, currently
making rounds in The New York Times
and the like, assert that although the
gender pay gap is decreasing (women
now make about 76 cents for every
man’s dollar), wage inequalities among
parents who work are increasing.
Overall, fathers incur an average wage
increase of more than 6 percent with
each child, while women experience,
on average, a 4 percent decrease
in salary per child. Fatherhood,
ultimately, is considered a “valued
characteristic, signaling perhaps a
greater work commitment, stability, and
deservingness,” said Budig, Sociology
Department chair at the University of
Massachusetts Amherst. Mothers, on
the other hand, are often perceived as
“exhausted and distracted at work,”
rendering them less productive.
Beyond perception, other significant
contributors to the discrepancy include
that women often take time off to care
for children and bypass higher wages
for mom-friendly roles. “Kids are seen
as a privilege, not a right, so if you
want to have them, you must pay the
price,” Budig said, referencing a view
some hold.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN SOLEM,
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
TY
Michelle Budig ’93 is an award-winning professor and author whose research interests
focus on gender, employment, labor markets, earnings, stratification, and family.
FALL - WINTER 2017
13
But it’s not as simple as “dads make
more, moms make less,” Budig said.
Using sophisticated statistical techniques
on a large sample of U.S. workers,
Budig found that parenting exacerbates
earnings inequalities within genders
depending on income.
The “fatherhood bonus,” as she calls
it, is highest for the most advantaged
men—married, white, college graduates
with professional jobs. Unmarried, black
men in non-professional occupations,
for instance, receive minimal—if
any—bonus. The motherhood penalty
is smallest among women who earn
above the 90th percentile of female
workers, with women at the very top of
the income distribution experiencing no
wage penalty. Low-to-average earning
women incur the greatest motherhood
penalty, Budig found.
“I always thought that women who
made the most would have the most to
lose, but that is certainly not the case,
and it makes complete sense when you
consider factors and stressors influencing
populations at the top and bottom of the
pay scale,” Budig said. “Fathers and
mothers earning lower wages often rely
on fragile networks of free child care, and
when a grandmother or friend is sick or
doesn’t show, those parents can’t make
it to work. Conversely, parents who can
afford it, secure reliable, consistent child
care operated by licensed professionals.”
Additionally, lower-earning men and
women statistically are more likely to
have children, Budig said, which leads to
higher penalties for those families.
Accessible child care among
policies to close the gap
Budig suggests two policy shifts to
reduce the gap: publicly funded,
high-quality child care for babies and
toddlers and nontransferable paid
leave for both mothers and fathers. The
“nontransferable” part is critical, Budig
reiterated, as “evidence suggests that
if fathers can transfer leave to a female
partner, they will.”
“Access for all to high-quality,
reliable, licensed child care options
would certainly even the playing field for
both parents and children,” Budig said.
“Think of all the stress it would alleviate
from low-income families relying on
less dependable child care. Businesses
would likely be more productive with
a more resilient, consistent workforce.
And children growing up in low-income
situations would benefit from the same
instruction and care as wealthier families,
giving those young ones a stronger start.”
This approach is not new. Many
Scandinavian countries, which support
publicly funded child care and offer
incentivized paternal leave, report smaller
It' s not as simple as
“dads make more, moms make less.”
Wider wage gaps among lower-earning
individuals are exacerbated by the fact
that people tend to marry within socioeconomic situations, Budig adds, so
low-earning couples take greater hits,
while highly paid duos keep climbing.
14
AUGSBURG NOW
or no parental pay gaps. In contrast,
countries with entrenched gender roles,
like Germany, where new mothers are
expected to take a year or more off work,
report the highest motherhood penalties.
“Workplace policies matter,” Budig
Budig’s 19-page curriculum vitae
details the more than $725,000 in
grants she’s received, including
some from the National Science
Foundation, and lists her articles
in professional journals, including
the American Sociological Review.
She regularly contributes to
national and international media
outlets, including The New York
Times, Money Magazine, and the
Washington Post.
said. “Most of my life, I had to choose
between being a mother and having a
meaningful career, and unless progressive
policies are adopted, the parental and
economic gaps will persist.”
The Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development ranked
the United States last in a study
the intergovernmental organization
conducted about the national paid
maternity leave policies of its member
countries. The average amount of
paid leave time for mothers among its
35-member countries was a little more
than one year, as of 2016.
Budig notes there is progress on the
state level, citing California’s paid family
leave, which allows family members to
take time off to care for a loved one or
to bond with a new child entering their
life (either by birth, adoption, or foster
care). Without a comprehensive federal
approach, however, Budig warns of the
implications of inconsistencies across
states.
“It’s encouraging to see states and
companies take action, but it leads to
inequities among states and industries,
which may only add to our country’s
increasing divide,” said Budig, who
has testified before Congress and the
United Nations about the implications
of her research. “More universal support
will reduce wage gaps, promote greater
equality, and better prepare our children to
be productive members of society.”
The culture is shifting as men
embrace female roles
But beyond evolutions in policy, Budig sees
hope in the young people she interacts with
as a professor and mentor. They expect
both parties—and want both partners—to
be involved in maintaining the household.
Single-paycheck families are difficult to
sustain, and popular books and blogs are
encouraging mothers to shed the mom guilt,
cast aside the superwoman expectations,
and go order a pizza for dinner.
“Believe me, I get it. Even with the
most supportive husband, who as a nurse,
experiences his own gender stereotypes,
I still slip into unrealistic expectations,”
said Budig, who earned a master’s and
doctorate in sociology from the University
of Arizona. “Our marriage is a constant
conversation, and splitting up the chores
by room works for us.”
A 2016 PayScale Gender Pay Gap Report
found that men still out-earn women in
every state in the union, but Vermont is
the closest to equality, with women earning
84.8 percent of what men earn overall, as
opposed to Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and
Wyoming where women earn from 71 to 73
percent of their male counterparts’ income.
The national average is 76 percent, per the
report, which does not factor in years of
experience, education, or job title. When
such national statistics were first calculated
in the 1970s, it was about 60 percent.
Mentors pushed her to live with a
‘heart for service’
Budig lost both her parents nearly two years
ago. She often wishes she could talk with
her mom about her latest research, knowing
her mom would get a kick out of hearing
about innovative solutions to promote
equality and increase access for women.
“My mom was wildly supportive of my
work, but I’ll never forget the first time
she read a major study I published about
the wage gap. I was driving, and she was
in the back seat. She looked up and said,
‘Michelle, everyone knows women earn less
than men. That’s what you’ve been working
on?’ Gee, thanks, mom,” Budig said. “I
think she would have appreciated this last
batch of research and what I’m focused on
next, which involves female entrepreneurs
and a study about the motherhood penalty
in Israel.”
Although there is no replacing a driveand-talk with mom, Budig is not short on
inspiring female mentors. At Augsburg,
where she majored in English and sociology,
Budig sought out educators to support her
journey. Sociology Professor Diane Pike
has taught Auggies for more than three
decades, and Budig certainly stands out.
“Michelle had a seriousness and
sophistication about intellectual ideas
and work that was exemplary, and being
a first-generation student, she never lost
sight of the privilege it is to pursue higher
education. She set the bar high for herself,
and we’ve been following her career ever
since,” said Pike, who specializes in
organizational analysis, sociological theory,
and research methods. “There is nothing
better than seeing one of your students
succeed at such a level. Michelle’s a
big deal in sociology, speaking at top
conferences and advocating for important
change. She has a rare ability to convey
complex data and theories to general
audiences, and we are very proud of her.”
Budig’s Auggie roots run deep, and both
she and Landstrom commit themselves
to its mission through caregiving and
advocating for change. Augsburg gave
them a way of looking at the world and
approaching life that will never leave them,
Budig said.
“The greatest takeaway from Augsburg
is our desire—the responsibility, really—
to give back and live with a heart for
service to others. Every day, we try to
live out that change in our personal and
professional lives.”
FALL - WINTER 2017
15
N
I
E
U
G
O
DIAL SOCIETIES
D
E
D
I
V
I
D
20
17
N
ob e
l Pe
a ce P
rize Forum
li s
o
p
nea
n
i
M
—
[Above] Representatives of the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet are joined on stage
by Peace Scholars and other participants at the closing ceremony of the Forum.
[Left] During a break, the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize laureates posed for photos in front of
a three-story mural featuring their images along with dozens of other past laureates.
N
obel Peace Prize laureates, world leaders, and
renowned peacemakers came together this fall as
Augsburg University hosted the 29th annual Nobel
Peace Prize Forum—Minneapolis. As an international
peace congress, the Forum united honored guests, students,
and community members in considering the globally
significant, multidimensional nature of peace by examining
topics that ranged from disarmament and human rights to
economic development and environmental sustainability.
This year’s Forum kicked off with several hundred attendees
filling Augsburg’s Si Melby Gymnasium to listen to the
incredible, true story of the 2015 Nobel Laureates—leaders
who inspired a sharply divided nation to find common ground
and, ultimately, form one of the world’s newest democracies.
During a conversation presented in both English and
Arabic, representatives of the Tunisian National Dialogue
16
AUGSBURG NOW
Quartet described an arduous and inspiring peacemaking
model in which members of business, labor, human
rights, and law disciplines crafted a sustaining democratic
constitution through peaceful dialogue.
Recognized collectively with the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize
for their contribution to building a pluralistic democracy
in Tunisia following the Jasmine Revolution of 2011, the
Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet is made up of leaders
from four key organizations in the north African nation’s
civil society. In the tense early moments of the Arab Spring
uprisings, the Quartet exercised its role as a mediator and
demonstrated the power of civil communication in sensitive
political circumstances. Perhaps no other Forum experience
better illustrated the event’s overarching theme: Dialogue in
Divided Societies.
Nobel Peace Prize Forum art festival
Augsburg University has served as the Nobel Peace
Prize Forum’s official host since 2012, but in recent
years, the event itself has taken place at several
conference venues across the Twin Cities. Bringing
the Forum back to Augsburg this fall gave global
peacebuilders the opportunity to experience the
unique, urban beauty of the University’s location and
to engage with a large-scale outdoor art exhibition on
display across campus.
In the spirit of fostering dialogue during the Nobel
Peace Prize Forum, artists from across the United
States collaborated on installations that highlighted
the layered and often overlapping complexity of finding
solutions to global issues. The art exhibition was
curated by Christopher Houltberg, assistant professor
of art and director of Augsburg’s Design & Agency
program, a student-run design studio experience
that teaches design thinking and problem-solving in
graphic design.
One of the most talked-about installations at
the Nobel Peace Prize Forum was a Hex House
constructed in Murphy Square. Designed by Architects
for Society, a nonprofit seeking to enhance the built
environment for disadvantaged communities, the Hex
House is a prototype for dignified, low-cost, flexible
housing that’s easy to deploy in emergency situations.
Given that the Forum dates fell just after Hurricanes
Harvey and Irma brought havoc and destruction to
the Caribbean, Texas, and Florida, the Hex House
was a timely opportunity to see how smart design can
address critical community needs.
Building peace in the greater Twin Cities,
around the world
Throughout the four days of the 2017 program,
attendees participated in dozens of breakout sessions
led by globally recognized leaders in the fields
of international development and peacemaking.
Participants had the opportunity to meet and hear
from national and world leaders—including Norwegian
Ambassador to the United States Kåre Aas, Tunisian
Ambassador to the United States H.E. Fayçal Gouia,
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, and U.S. Rep. Keith
Ellison. Other often-recognized presenters at the event
included former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who
is seeking to end gun violence, and Barbara Bush,
who founded the Global Health Corps organization to
mobilize young leaders to support health equity.
The Nobel Peace Prize Forum also prompted
attendees to consider local peace-building needs,
convening conversations focused on present-day
issues in the Twin Cities. Students, community
members, and facilitators worked through difficult
discussions on respecting and honoring sacred spaces,
bridging political differences through civil dialogue,
and addressing cross-generational injustice. These
mediated conversations went beyond campus to places
that brought the topics to life. For example, part of
the dialogue on preserving Native American sites took
place in suburban Eagan at Pilot Knob, an area that
was an indigenous gathering place and sacred burial
ground for centuries.
“It’s entirely fitting that these important
conversations are happening at Augsburg University
as part of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum,” said the
Forum’s Program Director Joe Underhill, reflecting on
the entire event.
“A university is a place where civic dialogue
on difficult topics is not only allowed, but highly
encouraged,” said Underhill, an associate professor of
political science at Augsburg. “It is only through that
kind of dialogue that we are going to move toward any
mutual understanding on these issues.”
[Far left] Augsburg Design & Agency students created
numerous large-scale art installations to convey the theme,
Dialogue in Divided Societies.
[Near left] The Hex House, a low-cost, emergency housing
prototype, showcased how smart design can create humane
solutions during crises.
FALL - WINTER 2017
17
JOIN US FOR THE 30TH
[Above] Chief Arvol Looking Horse and Methodist Bishop Bruce Ough visit
the Red Rock, a boulder that is located at a United Methodist Church in
Newport, Minnesota, and considered sacred by the Dakota people. The 2017
Forum included site visits addressing local peace-building topics.
September 19–22, 2018
Augsburg University
[Left] Interactive art installations allowed Forum attendees to participate in
creating displays that reflected their own perspectives on peacemaking.
PRESENTED BY
LEAD SPONSORS
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SPONSORS
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18
AUGSBURG NOW
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WOMENOF
INFLUENCE
BY KATE H. ELLIOTT
Augsburg outscores national average of
female coaches, supports inclusive culture
across Athletics department
“Only priests and participants’ fathers
can be anywhere near the pool,” three
St. Catherine’s nuns echoed in protest as
Augsburg’s 1963 swim instructor, Malcolm
“Mac” Gimse, led then-20-year-old Joyce
Pfaff ’65 and three other physical education
majors onto the pool deck.
Gimse reluctantly exited the building,
but as the Auggies lined up at water’s edge,
“GO AUGSBURG” boomed from the stands.
Pfaff looked up, and there was her instructor,
wearing a big smile and a clerical collar.
Call it obstinate or call it resolute, but
Pfaff adopted that tenacity—and it helped
her climb over, chisel away, and bust down a
decade’s worth of walls in women’s athletics
and coaching prior to the passage of Title IX,
a federal law that allows women access to
any federally funded educational program
or activity. So, it comes as no surprise that
Augsburg’s first women’s athletic director
is “beyond proud” that a recent report
ties Augsburg with Macalester College
as the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference’s schools with the most female
head coaches.
Head Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Coach
Meghan Peyton ’14 MAL leads a team practice.
FALL - WINTER 2017
19
PHOTO BY CYNDI NIGHTENGALE, CYNBADMEDIA
This distinction, out of the
University of Minnesota’s
Tucker Center for Research
on Women and Girls in Sport,
is particularly encouraging
as national studies point to
dramatic decreases in women
coaching women’s sports. When
Title IX was passed in 1972,
women coached 90 percent
of women’s collegiate athletic
teams. Today, only about 40
percent of those teams are led
by female coaches, according
to the NCAA.
Augsburg hits national
average out of the park
Pfaff coached at a time
before women’s athletics were
afforded official equipment or
facilities. In fact, Pfaff helped
build Augsburg’s first softball
field. Today, she remains
confident in Augsburg’s ability
to advance equality. According
to the Tucker Center, Augsburg
leapt from having slightly more
than 36 percent female head
coaches in 2014 to nearly 73
percent in 2017.
“Think of how far we’ve
come,” Pfaff said. “Augsburg’s
first volleyball coach, Mary
Timm ’81, could ‘afford’ to
coach for us because she
had a full-time job as a day
care supervisor, and she used
vacation time to travel with
the team. Today, Augsburg has
more women’s teams (11) than
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AUGSBURG NOW
men’s (10), and the Athletic
Department works hard to create
an equitable, forward-thinking,
and inclusive culture.”
Augsburg Athletic Director
Jeff Swenson ’79 and Associate
Athletic Director Kelly Anderson
Diercks appreciate the Tucker
Center’s acknowledgement
of Augsburg’s dedication to
women’s athletics. University
leaders are ever-vigilant in their
efforts to support all coaches,
staff, and student-athletes in
achieving a well-balanced life.
“Coaching demands all of
you and more, with 365-day
recruiting on top of practices,
planning, and leading studentathletes in competition and
out in their everyday lives,”
said Swenson, who has worked
at Augsburg for more than 36
years. “We are committed to
work-life integration. The best
coaches are fulfilled, healthy,
and productive members at
home and in the community—
an approach to life we want to
mirror for our student-athletes.”
Anderson Diercks recruits
coaches and advises studentathletes interested in
transitioning from court to
clipboard. She is keenly aware
of the factors contributing to
the diminishing number of
female coaches across the
U.S. and emphasizes that
even if you’re in a position of
success, there’s still room for
improvement.
It’s vital for
all students to
see women as
role models in
all professions,
including
athletics.
—Kelly Anderson Diercks,
associate athletic director
“College athletic departments
need to do a better job of recruiting
and retaining women coaches
through mentoring, professional
development, and supportive
cultures,” she said. “And it is
critically important that this
conversation is not just about
women coaching women. It should
be about women in coaching, which
includes women coaching boys
and men. It’s vital for all students
to see women as role models in all
professions, including athletics.”
Popularity of women’s
athletics contributes to
decline in coaching equity
The NCAA’s findings suggest that
a major factor contributing to the
decline of women coaching women
is, ironically, tied to the boom of
women’s athletics. With increased
popularity came expanded staffs
and higher salaries, attracting
men—particularly longtime
assistant coaches—to lead
women’s teams. And while 60
percent of women’s teams are
coached by men, according to the
study, women guide only about 3
percent of men’s teams. Roughly
80 percent of collegiate athletic
directors are men.
Is a solution to ignore gender?
“Absolutely not,” Anderson Diercks
said. “Like any dimension of
diversity, to ignore or deny a part of
someone’s identity does not allow
them to show up as their fullest
and best self, and then we all miss
out. There is richness in diversity,
and women are an important part
of that diversity, especially in the
athletic arena.”
A coaching job is demanding,
with long hours, travel, and high
expectations, but those pressures
can be overcome, Swenson said.
The more universities exemplify
work-life balance, the more
family-oriented student-athletes,
regardless of gender, will be drawn
to the profession, he added.
Negative perceptions still
cast a shadow
Stigmas, misconceptions, and high
stakes also contribute to the decline
in women seeking and maintaining
leadership roles in university
athletics, according to the NCAA.
Interviews with female coaches
across the U.S. drew out comments
about increasing demands,
assumptions about female coaches’
sexuality, and perceived gender
bias. Augsburg Women’s Hockey
Head Coach Michelle McAteer said
if she could squash an assumption
curbing female coaches, it would be
the belief that “all women are catty
and emotional.”
“Since women hold fewer
leadership positions in all realms—
from athletics and business to
politics—we are put under a
microscope and our actions are
generalized,” she said. “Women
in leadership need to become the
norm and not the exception in
order to combat these myths so
we can get onto the business of
empowering those we lead (and
winning games).”
And she would know. McAteer,
who led the Augsburg women’s
hockey team to its highest MIAC
finish since the ’90s, played for
female coaches throughout her high
school and college years. These
models of “strength, resolve, and
compassion” gave her confidence
and an awareness of her role now, as
a coach, to model those values for
the next generation, she said. “It’s a
responsibility I care deeply about.”
For Pfaff, this and other
reflections from today’s women
coaches signal that the legacy
she and others fought to instill is
[L to R]: Women’s Lacrosse
Head Coach Kathryn
Knippenberg and Graduate
Fellow Taylor Tvedt ’19 MAL
greet a prospective student.
holding strong. Sure, there always is
yet another contest to win, she said,
but what’s the fun in not having a
fight? The best part, for Pfaff, is
knowing that Augsburg is on the
right side of the field—maybe even
the infield she helped grade for
Augsburg’s first softball diamond.
FALL - WINTER 2017
21
AUGGIES CONNECT
AUGSBURG WOMEN ENGAGED:
COURTESY PHOTO
Dear alumni and friends,
It’s an exciting time for Augsburg University,
and the Alumni Board aims to infuse
positive energy from Augsburg’s big events
this fall in our year-long agenda.
The board’s objective is to advance
Augsburg’s mission by making the most
of the time, talents, and treasure found in
our alumni group. Each year, the Alumni
Board plans events where Auggies can network, collaborate, and
serve together. The 2017 Summer Series was an example of this
work. Auggies attended a Minnesota United soccer game, took
part in Auggie Night at Canterbury Park, and listened to Augsburg
community members give presentations on a range of topics at the
7 People 7 Passions 7 Minutes event at Sisyphus Brewing. Alumni
Board members also hosted Happy Hour Squared at Brave New
Workshop, which featured a twist on a traditional social hour—
attendees enjoyed beverages while making 1,500 sandwiches for
unsheltered people in the Twin Cities.
It is fun watching the talents of fellow Auggies come to life at
our social events, and our upcoming calendar is available online:
augsburg.edu/alumnievents. Using your time and talents to make
connections with current students is simply one of the best ways to
stay connected with Augsburg, so stay tuned for details about the
upcoming 2018 Auggie Networking Experience on February 6.
Auggies also can join the Alumni Board’s effort to sponsor a
tree in the Urban Arboretum planned for Augsburg’s Minneapolis
campus. The trees selected for the first phase of this plan will
surround the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science,
Business, and Religion and include species native to Minnesota.
All gift levels are welcome.
As the Alumni Board continues to advance the mission of the
University through events and networking, we invite you to join us.
We work hard, and we make sure we don’t forget to have fun, as well.
MOVING IN A NEW DIRECTION
The Augsburg Women Engaged Philanthropy
Council has grown in the past year. Augsburg
alumnae formed AWE in 2009 to unite women
with shared interests and passions through
events, mentorship, and philanthropy. Today,
AWE inspires women to connect, learn, and give.
AWE highlights:
Connect—Members gathered at Homecoming
for a painting party to prepare pieces of a
mural titled “Emergence” that will be installed
in the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center
for Science, Business, and Religion.
Learn—AWE hosted a discussion following
the 2016 Center for Wellness and Counseling
Convocation and a pre-concert reception
at the annual Woman Voice: Voice of Hope
choral performance.
Give—Members raised more than $100,000
for the “Emergence” mural and are engaged
in planning to raise an additional $1 million
for scholarships.
AWE’s participation has nearly doubled during the
past year and includes Augsburg women from all
generations, degree programs, and career fields.
COURTESY PHOTO
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Go Auggies!
NICK RATHMANN ’03, ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
AWE Philanthropy Council members [L to R]: Debby
(Fredrickson) Crowley ’76, Danielle Stellner ’07, Joni
Marti ’05 MAL, Lori Moline ’82, Martha Truax ’16 MAL,
Shelby (Gimse) Andress ’56, Lisa Zeller ’81, ’89 MAL, Cheryl
Jensen ’86, Donna McLean, and Kris (Peterson) Pearson ’78.
Not pictured: Rachel (Olson) Engebretson ’98, Dr. Lisa
Latham ’83, Diana Pierce ’16 MAL, and Cindy (Winberg)
Sisson ’83.
Visit augsburg.edu/now to
learn more about joining AWE.
22
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGGIES CONNECT
Celebrate
STEPUP ® PROGRAM MARKS 20 YEARS OF SUCCESS
COURTESY PHOTO
A
Heidi Bausch ’07
ugsburg University’s
StepUP Program is in its
20th year of empowering
students in recovery to achieve
academic success. StepUP held its
annual gala October 28. The gala
was an evening of inspiration and
fellowship in which emcee Don
Shelby, an Emmy-award-winning
broadcast journalist and person
in recovery, welcomed nearly 500
Auggies, families, friends, and
advocates for recovery. Each year,
the StepUP Gala is organized by
a committee of volunteers with
support from Augsburg staff. The
2017 committee co-chairs were
Gina Gage and Cindy Piper.
Two of the evening’s highlights
were the keynote address by
alumna Heidi Bausch ’07 and the
presentation of the Toby Piper
Labelle Award to the James and
Sally Dowdle and Pat and Jeanne
Dwyer families.
Bausch is celebrating the 10th
anniversary of her graduation
from Augsburg, where she studied
psychology and philosophy,
was an active member in the
StepUP community, and worked
for the Center for Wellness and
Counseling. Today Bausch lives out
a passion for serving the recovery
community. She is pursuing a
doctorate in counseling psychology
at the University of St. Thomas.
Her clinical practice included an
internship at The Hazelden Betty
Ford Foundation’s residential
program for young people and work
at the University of Minnesota
Medical Center, Fairview inpatient
unit for youth facing chemical and
mental health difficulties. Bausch
also works with the Minnesota
Psychology Association to promote
legislation aimed at improving
behavioral health care quality.
This year, Bausch partnered with
her StepUP Program roommate,
Samantha Yerks ’06, to launch
Singularity Behavioral Systems &
Technology, a business that develops
clinical software products for the
mental health field.
Go to augsburg.edu/stepup to
learn more about the StepUP
Program and its fundraising gala.
FALL - WINTER 2017
23
introduces high school students to health science careers
When University alumni and
community members step up to help
make an Augsburg program succeed,
everybody wins.
Since 2008, Augsburg University
has hosted Metro Scrubs summer
camps that offer high school students
a glimpse into health science careers.
Through workshops and hands-on
activities, students gain insight
into career paths that range from
veterinary medicine and public health
to physical therapy and nursing. The
success of the weeklong program—
formerly known as Urban Scrubs—
hinges on faculty involvement and
volunteer engagement through which
working professionals teach workshops
and mini-courses. This year, an
Augsburg alumna and the parent of
two Auggie alumni stepped in to offer
their expertise—and to learn a thing
or two from their pupils.
Jenny Kelley ’85 pursued a nursing
degree after completing her Augsburg
education and now serves as a
nurse and asthma educator at the
Hennepin County Medical Center in
COURTESY PHOTO
METRO SCRUBS PROGRAM
Nearly six dozen students participated in Augsburg’s Metro Scrubs Camp this
summer. One of nine such programs for Minnesota high school students, Metro
Scrubs is a collaborative effort of Augsburg University, HealthForce Minnesota,
Fairview Health Services, and St. Catherine University.
Minneapolis. Kelley initiated a Metro
Scrubs class by asking students to
inhale and exhale through a narrow
cocktail straw, an exercise that
highlighted how difficult it is for
someone with asthma to breathe.
Kelley noticed that her students were
from a diverse array of backgrounds,
but previous knowledge of asthma was
something that unified the group.
“I felt I was having an impact on
students from many different cultures
and different communities,” Kelley
said. “Yet, everyone knows somebody
with asthma, so this education is
helpful in ensuring people use their
inhalers the right way.”
One out of 12 people in the U.S.
is diagnosed with asthma. For Kelley,
leading a Metro Scrubs course was a
way to teach young people about the
medical condition and to spur interest
in careers that could help tackle this
pressing health care need.
For Dr. Robert “Bob” Florence,
a primary care internist at Allina
in Vadnais Heights, Minnesota,
teaching Metro Scrubs students was
an opportunity to reconnect with the
basics. Florence knows Augsburg
well through his children, Jeffrey
Florence ’02 and Beth Florence ’08,
and he noted that teaching high
school students was a reminder about
the importance of clear doctor-patient
communication.
“I show the students what it’s like
to do an office call with a patient,
explaining the types of interactions
I have with patients, along with
the best and worst ways to handle
certain scenarios,” Florence said. “I
began teaching the class because
the students hadn’t been exposed
to primary care in the other Metro
Scrubs sessions, and I wanted to
teach them what they could and
should expect.”
While it can be difficult to fit extra
opportunities into a physician’s hectic
schedule, Florence said leading
Metro Scrubs classes has been
worthwhile. “It has helped me to be a
better physician and taught students
interested in medical careers valuable
lessons,” he said.
Visit augsburg.edu/now to learn more about volunteer
and sponsorship opportunities with Metro Scrubs Camp.
24
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGGIES CONNECT
GIFT EXPANDS
MARINE AQUARIUM FACILITY
for study of biological diversity
When the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science,
Business, and Religion opens for classes in January 2018, the
new building will feature a state-of-the-art marine aquarium
facility thanks to the generosity of donor Fritz Grimm, who
made a substantial gift to fund the project.
Twenty years ago, Associate Professor of Biology William
“Bill” Capman created a large multi-tank coral reef aquarium
system on campus to inspire interest in biological diversity,
to serve as a teaching and research tool, and to provide
living specimens for lab demonstrations. In the years since,
the aquaria have been integral to Capman’s teaching,
making interaction with marine life a unique aspect of
Augsburg’s biology laboratory experience, exposing students
to biodiversity they would not see elsewhere, and promoting
careful stewardship of the world’s ecosystems.
Capman has been passionate about aquatic life since his
childhood. He and Grimm, as fellow members of the Twin Cities
Marine Aquarium Society, have known each other for years.
Grimm is the former proprietor of a store selling items
for keeping coral, fish, and other sea life, and has assisted
Capman in past efforts to care for Augsburg’s aquaria. For
Grimm, sponsoring Augsburg’s marine environments is a way
to support quality work already underway and build on it for
the future. Grimm’s gift is enabling Augsburg to significantly
expand its marine facilities to include a 350 gallon coral
reef aquarium and six additional 60-90 gallon tanks housing
additional diverse organisms, along with a research lab for
studying coral biology and captive breeding of coral reef fish.
“We rely on places like this to inspire people,” Grimm
said of Augsburg’s marine aquarium expansion. “How should
people know they need to care about seahorses and coral
without ever seeing them?”
Grimm is concerned by the known degradation of natural
environments, pointing to the fact that a significant portion of
the world’s coral are becoming more susceptible to disease and
are dying due to increases in water temperature and pollution.
“If anyone is going to inspire the future generation to do
something about it, it will be Bill,” Grimm said.
During a presentation to the Minnesota Aquarium Society,
Bill Capman demonstrates how he creates artificial reef
structures for new aquaria.
COURTESY PHOTOS
FALL - WINTER 2017
25
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1950
Carl Vaagenes ’50, a retired
pastor, helped to translate the
mission articles of Georg Sverdrup. Vaagenes
was inspired to translate Sverdrup’s sermons
for future generations and did this as a
member of The Georg Sverdrup Society. In
1898, Georg Sverdrup and Sven Oftedal,
co-founders of Augsburg Seminary and
College, published their sermons at the
founding of the Lutheran Free Church but
without their names. In “Aand og Liv” (“Spirit
and Life”), they reveal their mind and heart
for the church and for Augsburg.
1952
Millie
Nelson ’52
received a Spirit of
Augsburg Award
at Homecoming in
recognition for her
dedication to Augsburg
University. Before
retiring, Nelson worked
at Augsburg for decades. In her role as
Christensen Center manager, she guided
student assistants who described her as
professional, competent, knowledgeable,
and kind. These former students
acknowledged that Nelson embodied the
spirit of Augsburg.
1957
Stan Baker ’57 received the
Ella Stephens Barrett Award for
excellence in professional leadership and
counseling from the North Carolina Counseling
Association during its annual conference in
February in Durham, North Carolina.
1964
Garrett “Gary” Waldner ’64 and
his wife, Nancy, celebrated their
50th anniversary in October. They have
three sons and four grandchildren. Waldner
is active in the real estate appraisal field,
specializing in litigation valuations.
1966
After graduating from Augsburg,
Ron Blake ’66 went on to Luther
Seminary and has pastored several churches
before retiring in 2009 as a pastor with dual
membership in the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America and the United Church
of Christ. Blake and his wife remain active
members of Trinity Lutheran Church in
Lynnwood, Washington. They have two
children and four grandsons.
1968
Bruce
Benson ’68
received a Distinguished
Alumni Award at
Homecoming. Benson
served as campus
pastor at St. Olaf
College for 30 years
and has been a board
member at church camps in Minnesota,
Montana, and Ohio. He graduated cum
laude from Augsburg with a Bachelor of
Arts in English, earned his Master of Divinity
degree from Luther Seminary in 1972, and
further earned a degree in Sacred Theology
from Yale Divinity School in 1980. Benson
hosts a radio program called, “Sing for Joy,”
which is broadcast on 140 radio stations
in the United States, carried by cable
networks, and broadcast in 40 countries in
and near Africa.
1970
Mark
Francis ’70
received a Distinguished
Alumni Award at
Homecoming and
was recognized for
his leadership in the
Arizona school system.
After graduating from
Augsburg with a music degree, Francis
founded the Arizona School for the Arts in
1995. ASA became one of the top charter
schools in the state. Today, Francis is a deputy
associate superintendent within the Arizona
Department of Education. He is an active
member of Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran
Church, which he has served in a number
of capacities, including as congregational
president, treasurer, and music leader.
In June, Ray Hanson ’70 retired and moved
to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, one day later. He
completed his career with Goldbelt Raven,
where he provided scientific and technical
assistance to the chemical forensics program
at the Department of Homeland Security.
1972
In May, Rob Engelson ’72
received the Distinguished
Service Award from Ashford University at its
commencement ceremony in San Diego. The
award acknowledged 21 years as a faculty
member and five years as a member of the
Faculty Senate.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
’01
’05
’76
26
AUGSBURG NOW
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1973
Terry
Lindstrom ’73
received a Distinguished
Alumni Award at
Homecoming. After
graduating from
Augsburg with degrees
in chemistry and
biology, Lindstrom
received his doctorate in biochemistry with a
pharmacology minor in 1977. He went on to
complete postdoctoral research at Michigan
State University from 1978 to 1979. During
his career, Lindstrom led research teams that
obtained patents for prescription medications
Evista and Cymbalta. In addition to Lindstrom’s
many scientific achievements, he and his
wife, Janet Lindstrom, have provided 16
full Undergraduate Research and Graduate
Opportunity summer scholarships for
Augsburg students during the past five years.
1974
Thomas Koplitz ’74 has been
elected to the Minnesota Baseball
Hall of Fame and was inducted at a September
ceremony held in St. Cloud, Minnesota.
1977
Augsburg
honored
Inez Bergquist ’77 with
a Distinguished Alumni
Award at Homecoming.
As the current president
of Waltman Associates,
Bergquist has more than
35 years experience in
fundraising and is an expert in the area of
nonprofit management. She served on the
Augsburg University Alumni Board for eight
years and on the Augsburg Parent Council for
four years. Bergquist authored several books
on families of wealth including the “Book of
Minnesota Family Trees.” She also is a Wells
Foundation board member.
1978
Phyllis Bartel ’78 published
“Scooter ‘n’ Oaks: A Cat Adoption
Story” in October 2016. As Bartel’s premier
work, this fictionalized tale teaches children
about the pet adoption process with
compassion and gentle humor and shares
similar themes with human adoption.
1979
Dave Boots ’79, who was inducted
into Augsburg’s Athletic Hall of
Fame in 2004, was named to the University
of South Dakota Vermillion’s Henry Heider
Coyote Sports Hall of Fame in October after
retiring in 2013 with the 14th most wins
in Division II men’s basketball history. He
led the Coyotes to 23 consecutive winning
seasons from 1989-2011, 10 NCAA Division II
tournaments, six NCC titles, and back-to-back
Elite Eight appearances in 1993 and 1994.
At the Division I level, Boots also won a Great
West Championship in 2010. Boots began his
coaching career at Anoka Ramsey Community
College and spent six years coaching at
Augsburg before arriving in Vermillion.
Sally (Hough) Daniels Herron ’79 is the new
parish and communications administrator for
Valley of Peace Lutheran Church in Golden
Valley, Minnesota.
SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE
Leah Abdella ’76 retired in 2016 from a 40-year
teaching career in the field of special education.
At Augsburg, Abdella earned a double major in music
and music therapy as one of the first three music therapy
majors. Abdella stays fulfilled in retirement through
volunteer work and flute performance at assisted living
residences, nursing homes, and churches. She also
stays active in ballet classes and yoga. She is a former
member of the Andahazy Ballet Company.
’76
Katie (Koch) Code ’01, director of alumni and
constituent relations at Augsburg University, married
Chris Code in April during an intimate ceremony at the
Guthrie Theater—where the couple met while both on staff.
The wedding was officiated by Code’s father, the Rev. Jack
’01
’14
Former hockey and
football player Paul
Holmquist ’79 was
inducted into the
Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame. Holmquist
was a key member of
Augsburg teams that
dominated in the late
1970s, earning the National Association of
Intercollegiate Athletics national title in 1979
and qualifying for NAIA national tournament
play all of Holmquist’s four seasons. The
teams he competed with also won Minnesota
Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles in
1978 and 1979. He was named a team MVP
in the 1978-79 season, the same time period
in which he earned All-MIAC Honorable
Mention honors.
1980
Paul Kilgore ’80 wrote a novel,
“The Broken Key,” that is
available through online and retail outlets.
1985
Brian Ammann ’85 has been
running the Minnesota School of
Basketball in Apple Valley and Golden Valley
for 12 years. He is the former head basketball
coach at Augsburg.
1987
Lee Ann (Burson) Hohenstein ’87
left a 20-year career in mortgage
banking to follow her dream and become a
staff writer for the Mille Lacs Messenger. She
also opened Restoration Books and Gifts in
Crosby, Minnesota.
Tell us about the news in your life—your new job, move, marriage, and
milestones. Visit augsburg.edu/now to submit your announcements.
Koch, and was witnessed by sibling Jason Koch ’93 and
sister-in-law Heather Johnston ’92.
Allison (Cornell) Broughton ’05 and Matt
Broughton ’06 welcomed new baby Nicholas
James in June. Nicholas joins big brother Calvin, age 4.
’05
This August, Samantha Cantrall ’14 and Austin
Smith ’14 were married in Ellsworth, Wisconsin,
by Augsburg Professor of Computer Science Larry
Crockett. The couple met in Augsburg’s Urness Hall in
2010, and both graduated from the Honors Program in
2014. They have taken Samantha’s mother’s last name
as their wedded name and will be known as Samantha
and Austin Wolf.
’14
FALL - WINTER 2017
27
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1991
Kristin
Dragseth
Wiersma ’91 had an
outstanding volleyball
career at Augsburg, an
accomplishment that
earned her induction
into the Athletic Hall of
Fame. Wiersma played
three seasons of volleyball, earning All-MIAC
and Academic All-MIAC honors in 1990,
and All-MIAC Honorable Mention honors
in 1989. She remains in the top 10 players
in school history in three career statistical
categories: kills per-set, attack percentage,
and digs per-set. A team co-captain in
1990, Wiersma also served as an assistant
coach at Augsburg in 1991.
1992
Athletic
Hall of
Fame inductee Juli
Gustafson ’92 played
two years of softball
at Augsburg earning
All-MIAC honors as
a shortstop in both
1991 and 1992, while
also earning National Fastpitch Coaching
Association All-West Region honors in
1991. Her .395 career batting average is
the third-best in school history. She also
ranks third in career slugging percentage
and sixth in career doubles. Gustafson was
a member of Auggie teams that went 47-22
in her two seasons.
Though he only
competed in one season
of wrestling at Augsburg,
Bret Sharp ’92 made
the most of it. He went
43-2-1 with 15 pins
and 95 takedowns,
won the MIAC title
at heavyweight, and
finished third at the NCAA Division III
national tournament in the 1991-92 season,
where he helped to clinch a second-place
national team finish for the Auggies. Sharp
was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame. He competed his first three seasons
at Drake University in Iowa.
1993
Dr. Jason Koch ’93 was appointed
president of Southdale Pediatrics,
where he has worked for the past 16 years.
Wrestling star Gary
Thompson ’93 was
inducted into the
Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame. A four-year
competitor in wrestling,
Thompson completed
his Auggie career with a
91-40-1 record, finishing
fourth at the 1993 NCAA Division III national
championships and earning All-American
honors. He was a MIAC champion, a National
Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar AllAmerican, and a two-time Academic All-MIAC
honors student-athlete. Thompson was a
member of Augsburg squads that won the
NCAA national championship in 1993 and
finished second and third in other years.
1994
Chris Terrell ’94 was promoted
to vice president of finance for
Medtronic’s Cardiac and Vascular Group
Global Operations. Terrell joined Medtronic
in 2003 and most recently served as a
senior director of operations in finance,
where he drove finance strategies for nine
manufacturing locations.
1995
Dual sport
athlete
Marty Alger ’95 was
inducted into the
Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame. In football,
Alger set an Augsburg
program record for
career rushing yardage,
which stood until 2014. In 1992, he became
the first Auggie ever to rush for 1,000-plus
yards in a season. He earned All-MIAC
honors in football in both 1992 and 1993. As
an Auggie wrestler, he qualified for the 1993
NCAA Division III national tournament after
winning the MIAC title at 190 pounds.
1997
Augsburg
Athletic
Hall of Fame inductee
Eric Rolland ’97 was
a leader on some of
the most successful
men’s golf teams in
school history. He led
squads that won the
MIAC championship in 1995 and recorded
second-place finishes in 1994 and 1996,
while competing in three straight NCAA
Division III national tournaments. Rolland
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
Denielle (Johnson) Stepka ’11 and
Timothy Stepka were married July 15
in Prior Lake, Minnesota. Their ceremony
was officiated by Josh Corrigan ’11, and their
wedding party included Augsburg alumni
Katie (Christensen) Beadell ’11, Korri (Yule)
Corrigan ’11, Tim Lund ’12, Amy Jo Opsal ’12,
and Tyler Phillips ’12.
’11
28
AUGSBURG NOW
In July, Enrico Barrozo ’14 and Mara
(Breczinski) Barrozo ’14 were married
at Augsburg University’s Hoversten Chapel.
The ceremony was officiated by the Rev.
Mike Matson ’06. The newlyweds live in
Gainesville, Florida, where Enrico is pursuing
a Ph.D. in genetics and genomics at the
University of Florida, and Mara teaches
middle school science.
’14
Rebecca (Welle) Winters ’05 and Paul
Winters ’07 welcomed a daughter, Maisy
Beverly, in May. She joins siblings Max, who is
six years old, and Millie, who is three years old.
’05
Matt Tonsager ’09, co-owner of
Gullton Wood, and Melissa (Moberg)
Tonsager ’10 welcomed a daughter, Adalind
Kay Tonsager, in April.
’09
earned All-America honors in 1995, AllDistrict honors in 1997, and All-MIAC honors
in 1995 and 1996. Since 2014, he has
served as Augsburg’s men’s and women’s
golf head coach.
1999
Elizabeth
(Petrik)
Brown ’99 had an
outstanding goaltending
career on the Augsburg
women’s soccer team,
an accomplishment that
earned her induction
into the Athletic Hall
of Fame. Brown started all but one game of
her collegiate career, finishing with 34 career
victories, including a then-school-record 13
in 1995. She stands second in school history
in career shutouts, fourth in career wins,
and eighth in career win-loss percentage.
Her 1.69 career goals-against-average is
10th-best in school history.
Cheri Johnson ’99 wrote two book series
released this fall for young readers.
“Origins: Urban Legends” and “Origins:
Whodunnit” are high-interest, low-readinglevel books that target upper-elementary
and middle-school students. The books
will be distributed by Lerner. Johnson also
is working on a performance project in
Minneapolis called “Crocus Hill Ghost Story”
with the music ensemble Zeitgeist; her
sister, Julie Johnson ’98; and actor, director,
and filmmaker D.J. Mendel. “Crocus Hill
Ghost Story” tells a tale set in an evil house
in St. Paul.
’11
’14
’05
’09
’00
Devoney Looser ’89 published a new
’89 book, “The Making of Jane Austen,”
which was named in Publishers Weekly’s list
of Best Summer Books of 2017 (nonfiction).
This May, Lewis Nelson ’00 graduated
from the University of Virginia’s Darden
School of Business with a Master of Business
Administration degree. Nelson left a 15-year
military and government career and is
seeking the next challenge. Nelson resides in
Charlottesville, Virginia, with his three children.
’00
’89
29
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
2000
The Rev. Sara (Quigley) Brown ’00
has accepted a term-call as
the associate interim pastor at Saving Grace
Lutheran, Lutheran Congregations in Missions
for Christ, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She
will serve and work alongside its faithful
congregation and pastor, the Rev. David
Irgens, during a time of great transition
and growth. Brown will serve Saving Grace
Lutheran for one year until the congregation
places a call for a permanent associate pastor.
2001
James Shropshire ’01, former
assistant director of public safety
at Augsburg, is the new director of campus
safety at Grinnell College. At Augsburg,
Shropshire also served as a Title IX
adjudicator and investigator. Besides
revising diversity training, Shropshire’s
agenda for campus safety at Grinnell will
include updating the department’s software,
computers, and other equipment.
2002
Augsburg
Athletic Hall
of Fame inductee Chrissy
(Baune) Bloemendal ’02
was a 16-time AllMIAC selection in cross
country (three times)
and track and field
(13 times). The team’s
No. 1 runner her final three seasons in cross
country, Bloemendal finished sixth in the MIAC
championships in 2001 and 13th in 2000.
In track and field, she won the MIAC title and
qualified for the NCAA Division III outdoor
national championships in the 3,000-meter
steeplechase in 2002, finishing ninth nationally.
AUGGIE
SNAPSHOTS
30
AUGSBURG NOW
’15
Two years ago Heather Cmiel ’02 left 13
years of communications agency life behind
to go corporate. She now serves as global
marketing communications strategist within
3M Healthcare. Cmiel spends her free time
as president of Minnesota Public Relations
Society of America. She also leads a
contemporary worship band.
2003
Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin ’03
is the founder and director
of the Rural Enterprise Center, a program
of Main Street Project, a nonprofit
organization focused on rural development.
Haslett-Marroquin also serves on the
boards of the Northfield Area Foundation,
the Northfield Area United Way, and Fifth
Bridge, a nonprofit organization promoting
volunteerism.
2005
Ryan Bosshart ’05 is a vice
president of services at phData,
a global leader in big data consulting and
managed services. Most recently, Bosshart
was a principal sales engineer at Cloudera.
2006
Michelle Dirtzu ’06 is a new
marketing manager at Pacific
Trellis Fruit/Dulcinea Farms based in Los
Angeles, California. Dirtzu has 10 years of
experience in the grocery-retail-produce
business. Previously, she was a marketing
director for North Shore Living Herbs, in
marketing with Flagstone Foods, and in
brand management with Supervalu. Dirtzu
earned a Master of Business Administration
degree from Opus School of Business at
the University of St. Thomas in 2014.
Brenda Valentine ’06 welcomed her son,
Jackson James Valentine Rice, in April.
2007
A managing
partner of
business planning at
the American Public
Media Group, Danielle
Stellner ’07 received
a First Decade Award
at Homecoming.
After graduating
from Augsburg, Stellner went on to earn a
Master of Business Administration degree
from the Carlson School of Management at
the University of Minnesota in 2016. She
was recruited for the board of Isuroon and
Secretary, and she is the active co-chair of
the AWE Philanthropy Council at Augsburg.
In addition, Stellner serves the Friendship
Academy of the Arts as a board member and
expansion committee member.
2008
Tony Landecker ’08 serves
as a portfolio manager in the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development’s Minneapolis-St. Paul field
office and is responsible for assisting with
the management of local housing stock.
Landecker was named the Minnesota
Civil Servant of the Year by HUD’s Federal
Executive Board for helping others find
the comfort of a home in the aftermath of
a disaster. In 2016, he left his home and
family to spend time helping Baton Rouge
flood victims, leading a team that found
permanent housing for 130 families initially
placed in temporary shelters.
Rachel Shaheen ’15 and
Christopher Kopp ’15
were married in July. The bride
and groom were joined by fellow
Augsburg alumni [L to R]: Becky
Shaheen ’11, Patrick DuSchane ’13,
Laura Schmidt ’11, Jakob
Anderson ’12, Erika Osterbur ’11,
Aren Olson ’11, Lily Moloney ’15,
Mary Stickelmeyer ’74, Emily
Knudson ’15, Kate Gray ’15, Tyler
Dorn ’15, and Alisha Esselstein ’15.
’15
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Curtiss Schreiber ’08 is now an associate at
the law firm Donohue Brown Mathewson &
Smyth LLC in Chicago.
2011
Jennifer
Weber ’11
received a Spirit of
Augsburg Award at
Homecoming for
her dedication to
Minneapolis’ CedarRiverside community
and in recognition
for the projects she has initiated in the
Twin Cities area. Before graduating from
Augsburg with a triple major in emotional/
behavioral disabilities, learning disabilities,
and American Indian studies, Weber
created an American Indian resource
library for the Anoka-Hennepin Indian
Education Program. Weber has been
involved in many community projects and
is a crisis prevention and interventions
trainer at the Charter School Special Ed
Network. She is also a certified school
coach, teacher, and member of the Cedar
Riverside Community School Board.
2012
Katie Radford ’12, ’18 MBA
started a new position at
Fairview Health Services as a training
consultant. She helps facilitate individual
and team development sessions for
professional growth.
2014
Maren Daniels ’14 teaches
elementary visual art at Hiawatha
Academy Morris Park in Minneapolis.
2015
Awale Osman ’15 serves as a
community innovation associate
at the Bush Foundation. He has experienced
much change: coming to the U.S. from
war-torn Somalia and Kenyan refugee camps
to learning English as a third language and
graduating with high academic honors.
His work as a change agent has included
expanding after-school opportunities for
Somali youth; impressing upon Congress
the value of federal TRIO programming; and
activating safe spaces for women, people of
color, and queer students.
2016
Victoria Linstrom ’16, Andrew
Kleidon-Linstom ’16, Bridgette
Henry ’16, and student Mitch Ross ’18 formed
the Open Door Theater where Linstrom serves
as the executive director, Kleidon-Linstom is
the artistic director, Henry is the company
manager/dramaturg in residence, and Ross is
the marketing director.
Muna Mohamed ’16 received a scholarship
at the University of Minnesota to pursue
a Master of Science degree in behavioral
aspects of physical activity. At the university,
Mohamed conducts research on East African
mother-daughter physical activity.
2017
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton
appointed Eron Godi ’17 to the
Young Women’s Cabinet, part of the Young
Women’s Initiative of Minnesota that aims to
improve opportunity for women ages 12 to 24
by bringing together nonprofits, businesses,
government, philanthropic organizations, and
young women to create plans for building
equity. Godi was one of 25 women selected
statewide for a cabinet position.
Emily Gregg ’17, former Augsburg women’s
soccer defender, was named one of 174
nationwide recipients of a $7,500 NCAA
Postgraduate Scholarship honoring her
achievements as both a scholar and an
athlete. A biology major with a 3.72 GPA,
Gregg is the first Auggie to receive an NCAA
Postgraduate Scholarship since 2014. Gregg
will attend graduate school at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. She hopes to someday
work as a wildlife/large animal veterinarian.
Anna Renner ’17 has been accepted to
the Clarkson University Master of Physician
Assistant Studies program in Potsdam,
New York.
Dua Saleh ’17 had one of her songs played
on “The Current” radio station. She performs
music and poetry at Twin Cities venues.
Riley Siddorn ’17 was among nearly 450
summer interns at NASA’s Goddard Space
Flight Center. Interns seek out new ways
to explore their career fields and engage
NASA’s international scientific community in
Goddard projects. Siddorn, who majored in
physics, held an internship in ionospheric
physics. The internships covered a wide
spectrum in science-related areas, from
planetary science to sounding rockets to
Earth science.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Doris Rubenstein ’93 MAL won the silver
Independent Book Publishers Association
Benjamin Franklin Award for her book, “The
Journey of a Dollar,” at the association’s 29th
annual award ceremony in Portland, Oregon.
Kathleen Clark ’10 MAN, ’14 DNP; Joyce
Miller ’02, ’04 MAN, ’11 DNP; Katherine
Baumgartner ’04 MAN, ’11 DNP; and Cheryl
Leuning, former Nursing Department chair,
co-authored an article, “The Citizen Nurse: An
Educational Innovation for Change,” which was
published in the Journal of Nursing Education.
Jamie Heitzinger ’11 MPA earned a Certificate
of Added Qualifications by completing
specialty training from the National
Commission on Certification of Physician
Assistants. She works at Queens Medical
Center in Honolulu.
Ryan Stopera ’11 MSW/MBA is a social worker
and social entrepreneur. He serves as a
program analyst for the Graves Foundation
and teaches in Augsburg’s Social Work
Department. Stopera enjoys building
community through art, cycling, and rock
climbing in his spare time.
Allison DeGroot ’15 MAL is the new head
women’s soccer coach at the University of
Wisconsin-Superior. The women’s soccer
program competes at the highest level in
the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference,
and DeGroot is looking forward to working
with players to help the program reach its
potential. DeGroot was an assistant coach at
Augsburg from 2012 until 2016.
Angela Mejdrich ’15 MAE is the new director
of administration at Spirit of the Lake
Community School in Duluth, Minnesota.
She provides lead support and oversight of
several administrative and business matters.
Mejdrich has more than 20 years of teaching
and administration experience, most
recently as vice principal of St. Michael’s
Lakeside School.
Thomas Hirsch ’16 MPA is a new physician
assistant at the Essentia Health–Hermantown
Clinic in Minnesota.
FALL - WINTER 2017
31
PHOTO BY CAROLINE YANG
IN MEMORIAM
Alfred W. Walck ’40, Urbandale,
Iowa, age 96, on April 27.
Addell L. (Halverson) Dahlen ’43,
Minneapolis, age 96, on June 2.
Carl G. Gilbertson ’43, Battle
Lake, Minnesota, age 96, on
April 14.
Arlene L. (Dunham) Sandberg ’43,
Madelia, Minnesota, age 95,
on May 12.
Muriel R. (Ruud) Frosch ’45,
Winona, Minnesota, age 94,
on July 26.
Lorene M. (McGinnis) Hansen ’49,
Clear Lake, Iowa, age 92,
on July 7.
Lorraine (Telander) Hendershot ’49,
Mora, Minnesota, age 89,
on March 29.
Phyllis (Erickson) Quanbeck ’49,
Salem, Oregon, age 89,
on June 28.
Donald P. Sateren ’49, Long
Beach, California, age 96,
on June 18.
Russell G. Solheim ’49, Racine,
Wisconsin, age 96, on July 8.
Marilyn L. (Larson) Forslund ’50,
Moline, Illinois, age 94,
on May 26.
Roger C. Mackey ’57, Saint
Paul, Minnesota, age 83,
on July 20.
David C. Siedlar ’71, Huaian
City, Jiangsu, China, age 68,
on March 19.
Norman O. Landvik ’50, Port
Angeles, Washington, age 89,
on April 6.
Warren L. Anderson ’59, Grand
Marais, Minnesota, age 84,
on March 16.
Bradley W. Shoff ’77,
Akeley, Minnesota, age 62,
on June 18.
Arnold R. Aasen ’51, Fridley,
Minnesota, age 88, on July 23.
Carrol A. Bakken ’59,
Rushford, Minnesota, age 82,
on March 18.
John A. Faeth ’89, Stillwater,
Minnesota, age 51, on April 3.
Elden O. Landvik ’51, Duluth,
Minnesota, age 92, on July 3.
James D. Slarks ’51, Saint Peter,
Minnesota, age 92, on June 27.
LeVon M. (Paulson) Dinter ’52,
Edina, Minnesota, age 86,
on March 18.
Mildred C. Hetager ’52,
Minneapolis, age 103,
on June 30.
Donald W. Siegel ’53,
Minneapolis, age 89,
on April 6.
Peter L. Hauser ’62, Lakeville,
Minnesota, age 76, on July 10.
Michael L. Kropp ’95, Albert
Lea, Minnesota, age 49, on
April 2.
Gerald W. Mortenson ’62,
Stone Lake, Wisconsin, age 79,
on March 31.
Charity Thunder ’99, Black
River Falls, Wisconsin, age 71,
on July 1.
Paul S. Monson ’63,
Coon Rapids, Minnesota,
age 76, on July 12.
Jacob R. Collins ’03,
Austin, Minnesota, age 36,
on August 25.
Gary W. Paulson ’63, Willmar,
Minnesota, age 75, on June 10.
Christopher G. Frame ’09,
Minneapolis, age 33,
on March 20.
Richard E. Kuehne ’64, Walker,
Minnesota, age 76, on August 7.
Elnora C. (Hanson) Beireis ’54,
Parkers Prairie, Minnesota,
age 84, on July 27.
Ronald A. Hanson ’65, Grand
Rapids, Minnesota, age 74,
on July 17.
Mary Ann E. (Fox) Domholdt ’56,
Mentor, Ohio, age 83, on
April 5.
Terence W. Rindal ’66,
Crystal Lake, Illinois, age 82,
on August 12.
Mark D. Lukitsch ’20,
Cottage Grove, Minnesota,
age 19, on August 5.
The “In memoriam” listings in this publication
include notifications received before September 15.
32
AUGSBURG NOW
JOIN US FOR THE
GRAND OPENING OF
THE NORMAN AND EVANGELINE
HAGFORS CENTER
FOR SCIENCE, BUSINESS, AND RELIGION
SATURDAY, JANUARY 27, 2018
4–5 p.m. | Alumni and Community Open House
Hagfors Center, Augsburg University
700 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454
RSVP by January 8 at augsburg.edu/alumni/events.
Send questions to Hannah Walsh ’14, advancement
assistant, at walsh@augsburg.edu or call 612-330-1098.
FALL - WINTER 2017
33
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Thousands of Auggies. One Augsburg.
Augsburg’s 2017 Homecoming celebration was held October 12–14, a festive weekend when alumni,
students, and community members took part in more than 35 events, including reunions for the
classes of 1967, 1977, 1992, and 2007. In all, more than 600 alumni from different generations
visited campus to show their Auggie pride and mark the first Homecoming as Augsburg University.
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