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Augsburg Now Fall 2000: Remembering Old Main
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Welcome to the premiere issue
of the Augsburg Now magazine!
We welcome
your letters!
write to:
Please
Editor
AugsburgNow
22lI
Riverside Ave., C8145...
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Welcome to the premiere issue
of the Augsburg Now magazine!
We welcome
your letters!
write to:
Please
Editor
AugsburgNow
22lI
Riverside Ave., C8145
Minneapolis, MN 55454
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Fax: (612) 330-1780
Phone: (612) 330-118r
l¡tters for publication
must be sigr.ed and
include your name,
class year, and daytime
telephone number.
They may be edited for
length, clarity, and style.
f
I
elling the story oi Augsburg is what
Augsburg Now is all
the page with a letter to you from President
rhe
about-telling stories of
our students, faculty and staff, alumni, parents,
and friends.
This premiere issue takes you back through
the halls and history of Old Main, the one
place on campus shared by a1l of our alumni,
as we look forward to its centennial celebration
at Homecoming. You'll also read about several
families for whom Augsburg has been an
educational tradition over the generations.
We close with reflections on how one
approaches the task of telling the story through
written histor¡ in comments by Rick Nelson
and Dave Wood about their forthcoming book.
In future issues, this page is reserved for
your letters, whether they be of comment,
praise, correctìon, or exception to what appears
in t"he magazine. In this issue, we inaugurate
Frame.
Over the past few years, as this publication
has changed in small ways or through a major
transformation, the Augsburg Now name has
been maintained as a constant reminder of the
importance of keeping Auggies connected to
one another and to the College. We are proud
ol the AugsburgNow and hope you feel that this
new magazine Iives up to it-s name.
We want you to stay connected and
interactive-don't be shy about sending your
letters and keeping in touch with your stories.
WW
Betsey Norgard
Editor
Dear Augsburg
alumni and friends,
W
ith this issue of Augsburg Now we not only
introduce a new "look" to the primary
publication that serves you, but we also usher in
weekend of activities and recollecti.ons. Re-connect
Co1lege, your classmates, and friends, and
learn more about the many programs that have
resulted in Augsburg being named one of the
nation's leading servicelearning institutions.
As the College enters its l32nd year,we arc
rededicating ourselves and our resources to
continuing this historic task of educatlng persons
for a changing future. Please know that we welcome
your input, support, and presence at this special
place-not only at Homecoming but throughout the
with the
a
new academic year. Augsburg continues to move
forward in many excitlng ways, including a number
of construction projects that are rehabilitating and
refurbishing our facilities.
An enthusiastic new first-year class, the Class of
2004, has arrived and joì.ns v/ith the rest of our
outstanding student body. It is a student body
hungry for learning and challenging us to provide
the "transforming" education that unites the liberal
arts with the practical, preparing each of our
graduates to truly make a difference in the world we
academic year.
Sincerely,
are educating them to serve.
This issue ol AugsburgNow also provides us with
a means of inviting each of you to come to the
campus to participate in Homecoming. I want to
extend my personal invitation to join us for a
llt,il^
Ûa'r*<---
William V Frame
President
-l
AttcsBURG Now
Vol.63, No. 1
Fall 2000
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
22ll Rive¡side Ave., Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55454.
Features
Betsey Norgard
Editor
Remembering Main
Lynn Mena
Old or "New"
Assistant Editor
-
8
J4â
by Betsey Norgard
Kathy Rumpza
F
Approaching its centennial, Augsburg
stops a moment to remember Old Main,
a building that has had to earn its place
on calnpus as ø treasure oJ history
andhentage.
Graphic Designer
William V. Frame
President
Dan Jorgensen
I
Director of Public ReÌations and
Communication
Nancy Toedt '94
Di¡ector of Alumni and Parent
Relations
E
Production Assistance
Sexton Printing
n
e
Opinions expressed in Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
official College policy
n
@
fA
4
Postmaster: Send correspondence,
name changes, and address
corrections to: Augsburg N ow,
Office of Public Relations and
Communication, 22 I I Riverside
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454.
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Tèlephone: (612) 330-f IBI
Fax: (612) 330-1780
f amilie s ar e b e ginnin g new e r
Augsb ur g
is a bona
file
occupational
qualification. Augsburg C olle ge
Around the Quad
Supporting Augsburg
Sports
19
Events
21
Alumni News
27
32
Ciass Notes
reasonable accommo ilations to
its employees and its stuilents.
inside
back
cover
www.augsburg.edu
rt)
èf
ß committeil to providing
f amily tr dditi ons.
Departments
2
Augsburg College, as affirmeil
in iús missior{, iloes not
discriminate on the basis of race,
color, creeil, religion, nøtional or
ethnic ongin, age, geniler, sexual
orientation, marital stl;tus, status
with regaril to public assßtance,
or disability in its education
p olicie s, ailmissions p olicie s,
scholarship and loan programs,
athlecíc anill or school
administered programs, excEtt
in those instances where religion
by Lynn Mena
The Augsburg tradition in some
Jamilie s include s p arents, slblings,
and dozens of cousins, while other
\
rssN t058-1545
Augsburg Family
Traditions
SO
Auggie Thoughts
On the cover:
Calendar
A student eryoys the aJternoon
sunshine with his boohs on the front
percent recycled paper Q0 percent post-consumer waste)
porch of OldMain. Photo @2000
S te
nb ahhen / s t enb ahhen.
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Getting an education
in Namibia
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retchen lrvine. assistant prolessor of
ïravereo wrln a cllverse group
of ll Twin Cities elementary and secondary
school teachers to Namibia, June 29-August 2,
under a Fulbright-Hays Group Projects
Abroad grant awarded to the Center for
Global Education. While there, the teachers
worked with Augsburg staff through a
program of field trips, meetings with
governmenl and community leaders, and
homestays in a variety of Namibian
communities. Their experiences would
contribute to learning plans for their own
students upon their return.
During the five weeks, the teachers
visited schools in Windhoek, the capital city,
and traveled to Okakarara, a Herero village
about 150 miles away, where they stayed
with families and visited local schools. In
addition, the group met participants of a
[!ao.,.u,ron,
./
ta
o
Auggie
Adventures...
women's craft center and heard from UN
officials about efforts to conrrol the AIDS
epidemic.
The teachers had an opportunity Lo
spend an evening with Namibian Prime
Minister Tjitendero. He reiterated to them a
message they had akeady heard from
others-Namibians have chosen to forgive
the past Ìnjustices to them, and joln hands to
work together.
Irvine sent back notes during the fiveweek period, which were posted on
Augsburg's Web site. To read more, visit
<www augsburg. edu/namibiæ.
In one report, Irvine summed up her
meeting and discussion with a local school
teacher: "I am thankful for this opportunity
to learn through direct- experiences in a
community that is very different, and yet in
many rvays similar to my communiqr"
T
I
h" campus bustled August
Il-I2
with 163 ìncoming first-year
students and their families during the
this year's second Auggie Adventures
orientation weekend, giving students
their first opportunity to meet
classmates, take assessment exams, and
register for classes,
The Saturday family program
provided both parents and students
chances to hear from various campus
offices about enrollment procedures,
campus services, residence life, study
abroad, and generally what campus life is
all about.
Saturda¡ September 2 was Move-in
Day for new students, and classes began
on Sept. 6.
T¡t! TEf<Iã{
Twenty-six physician assistant students received their
certificates at the commencement ceremony on Aug. 13
Five of the students also completed bachelor of arts
degrees in physician assistant studies. This Class of 2000
is
the fourth physician assistant class to graduate.
Dr. Byron Crouse, chair of the Family Medicine
Department at the University of Minnesota-Duluth and
director of the Rural Health School, presented the
keynote address.
Physician assistant students spend 27 months in both
academic and clinical programs. ln order to practice in
the state of Minnesota they must also pass the board
exam from the National Commission on Certification of
Physician Assistants.
ln June 2000, the physician assistant program became
Augsburg's fourth graduate program, and now offers a
master of science degree in physician assistant studies.
o
Augsburg's Class of 2000 physician ass¡stants.
z
4ucssuRc Now
Fall
2OOO
æF
-ã
The Enrollment and Financial Services
Center opened in newly-renovated
Sverdrup Hall.
S
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Augsburg's Jazz Ensemble and Gospel Praise energized 38,000 Lutheran youth at their
national gathering in St, Louis in June,
Gospel Praise 'Dances at the Crossroads'
T
I
hev came by plane, bus, rnd car ...
.^áit.¿, ani wirh r spirit ol journey
undiminished by the long rides, heat, and
humidity For two weeks inJune,38,377
youth descended upon St. Louis for an
arnazing experience at the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America's Al1 Lutheran
Youth Gathering.
Gathered under the theme "Dancing at
the Crossroads," yollth were encouraged to
question, cry, cheer, and, most of all, to learn
about God's special invitation to be a dance
partner rvith God through ChrÌst. And part
of.it al1 during [he seconcl week was
Augsburg's ownJazz Ensemble and Gospel
Praise, rnaking their thlrd appeârance at the
ffi
Fall
2O0O
Students have a
'one-stop shop' for
reg¡stration,
financial needs
T :: i::"j,ää iÏi#ffi ilï:îiï:.
national youth gathering.
Augsburg's ensernble of 27 musicians, 1ed
by Robert Stacke'71, played for youth
crowds large and small at morning worshÌp,
evening entertainment, and in an exhlbit hall
called "The Beat."
"No rnatter how the audience size varied,
there were always kids dancing and clapping
along, rvho were energized by the spirit
through the music we were playing,"
reflected saxophonist Brendan Anderson '02.
"lt didnt lnatter if there were only l0 people
there. If those 10 people were moved by the
nessage of the music, then our.lob of
ministry was accomplishecl. "
l{och'01
--I{athryn
Sverdrup HalÌ to offer one-stop shopping for
students taking care of regÌstration, financial
aid, and student billing and account
questions. The academic advising and
registrar's offÌces are located ln the same
alea.
This "one-stop shopprng" is especially
important to Weekend College students, for
whom convenience is a significant lactor in
their stuclies. In addition, over the next two
years, more and more of the College
enrollment lunctions will become Webbased.
windor.vs in the EFSC
are wheelchair accessible, as well as the
All counters and
compllter kiosks where stuclents can access
their accounts.
irst-year students this year will move into newly-refurbished rooms in Umess Hall. All new beds,
dressers, and desk chairs wili greet the 306 students living in the residence hall.
This fail also marks the launching of ARC, the Academic Resource Center, iocated in Urness Hall, with
satellite centers on each floor. Resident advisers are partnering with the First Year Experience program
faculty to sewe as academic mentors to the students on their floors, helping with study skills and in other
lvays to ease adjustment to academic life.
Commuter students will also be connected to student clusters on the Umess floors, giving them the
same opporrunities to participate in the Flrst-Year Experience and to become more involved in campus life.
F
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StepUP Program receives major gifts
on path toward $f million goal
A;Ë::;,i,"#iï;åïåïii
received gifts of more than $500,000 toward
a goal of $1 million by year end.
Three major gifts have led the way in
the drive, with the most recent, $250,000
from James and Eva Seed of East
Greenwich, R.I., being the largest. That
followed closely on pledges of $200,000
from the Piper family of Minneapolis, and
$65,000 from the Huss Family Foundation
in St. Paul. The Piper gift was sparked by the
efforts of Augsburg graduate Toby LaBelle
'96, an investment officer for PiperJaffrey.
Ë
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Augsburg student Jessie Jacobsen '00 was featured in the Halden (Norway)
Arbeìderbladeú in a full-page story about her teaching experience in their city.
Student teaching,
Scandinavian style
Wi'å"å:ï:ï:iffi "',îî1?:Tåî;::iårï::.i;trifJi.ffi ï;Jüi",',,*ìî
teach," she quipped as she recounted her seven weeks in an elementary school with a
class of 27 in Halden, Norway, southeast of Oslo.
The opportunity was arranged through Intemational Partners, an Augsburg program
that collaborates with schools in Norway and Germany; Jacobsen was the first student in
the program for student teaching.
Jacobsen worked out the teaching requirements with her Augsburg education adviser
and the teacher of her Norwegian school class-coincidentally, all three with the last
name of Jacobsen. Augsburg professor Mary Jacobson was able to arrange a side trip on
her European vacation to visit Norway and carry out the required student teaching
observations.
Jacobsen is currently seeking a teaching position in the T¡¡in Cities area.
¿
,4ucssuRc Now
The Huss gift funds a new asslstant
director as part of the plan to expand the
program; and the Seed gift came from
grateful parents whose son was helped by
the program and now is enrolled at Brown
University
"The StepUP Program is a fabulous
story," said John Knight, director of
corporate/foundation relations, "and as
more and more people recognize that, they
are making major contributions toward it to
ensure that its work is not diminished. The
Seeds told me they are grateful both for the
program's effectiveness and the fine
education their son received at Augsburg in
conjunction with it."
Knight said a number of smaller gifts,
but some as large as $10,000, also have
come from parents of other students in the
program, and while there are several
hundred thousand dollars yet needed to
achieve the goal, he is confident that it will
be done.
The StepUP Program was started in
1997 by Don Warren, then director of
academic enrichment at Augsburg, who
decided he wanted to do somethì.ng to assist
students who were in recovery from alcohol
and chemical abuse. Warren now serves as
fuli-time director for the program, which
has grown to 43 students this fall.
The program's mission is threefold: First,
it strives to affirm the College's commitment
to provide a high-quality liberal arts
education for students with diverse
backgrounds, experiences, and preparation.
Second, it provides students in recovery
who demonstrate the willingness and ability
to participate in college-level learning with
ongoing study and living skills that support
them in their academic progress toward a
degree. And, third, it supports students in
their commitment to sobriety
For more information about the StepUP
Program and its goals, contact Don Warren
at (612) 330-1166 or by e-mail at
<warren@augsburg. edu>.
--Dan
Jorgensen
Fall 2000
U
!
Arnold leading 'Year of Reaffirmation'
for Augsburg's Heritage Society
R
driving force to help the College move
forcefully into the new centur)¿
ob Arnold has a passion for Augsburg
College and a vision for how to help it
succeed.
"This is a crucial point in Augsburg's
history," Arnold noted. "This college has rediscovered itself-who it is and what it is
about. Now, hopefully, our alumni and
friends will discover what their role should
be in helping the vision of the College
become reality. A single donor or group of
donors can make a significant difference for
this institution, and I want to be a key part
of making that happen."
Arnold, who attended colieges and
universities in lowa, had a career in the
investment, money management, and
banking industries before becoming
Augsburg's director of principal giftsHeritage Soclety It is an organization that
he hopes to both rcvitalíze and establish as
a
"We're calling the coming year-from
Homecoming 2000 to Homecoming 2001'The Year of Reaffirmation'," Arnold said.
"We are going to both reaffirm the
importance of the Heritage Society and at
the same time build upon the base that's
already in place to establish new levels of
support."
The Augsburg Heritage Society abeady
has about 150 members, and Arnold's dream
is to add 100 new members during the Year
of Reaffirmation.
"The Heritage Society just by its name
implies something that can be passed on
from our alumni to current students and to
those who will follow," Arnold said. He
pointed out that it also acknowledges the
generosity of those who have made planned
gifts and encourages
additional planned giving by
virtue of the connection and
ownership that its members
à
Rob Arnold, Director
distinct purposes, or it can go directly into
the College's endowment fund. Some
donors use their bequest to fund
scholarships; others to fund individual
programs, academic departments, athletÌcs,
or the College's religious heritage.
And, it is both Augsburg's heritage and
vision for its future which brought Arnold to
the College in the first place. "A year ago,I
had offers from both the University of
Minnesota and Augsburg to do this kind of
work," he said. "Going to the university
probably would have been the correct
'career' move, but after coming here and
meeting the students, faculty, and staff and
hearing of the College's vision, the decision
was eas)¿ My career could have been with
the university, but my heart was with
Augsburg."
experience.
U
experience the joy and
recognition of that gift before
passes from their estate.
Augsburg would much rather
thank a donor in person than
thank the donor's heirs."
Planned gifts also may
provide donors with a varieLy
of tax advantages as well as
create cash flow to either
themselves or their heirs.
Arnold said that a planned gìft
can be designated for many
it
A Heritage Society board has been organized and
will use their individual skills and experience to
assist in both the promotion and retention of
planned charitable gifts to Augsburg. Members of
the board pictured at â recent meeting are: (L to R,
standing) Rob Arnold (director), Orville Olson '52,
Mary McDougall (chair), Robert Herman'55, Robert
Kincade, Arnie Skaar'48, and Edward Lindell;
(seated) Elizabeth (Anne) BatAz'82, Patrick Sheehy
(Augsburg's new director of development), and
Joyce Spector'70. Board members not pictured:
Roselyn Nordaune '77, toan Volz'68, Anne Frame,
Robert Tufford '53, and Bill Anderson '86.
Fall 2000
--Dan
Arnold is a firm be]iever in
pianned gifts for t\Mo reasons:
"First, charitable trusts and
annuities allow donors Lo give
a future gift that is much
larger than could be found
today in their checkbooks or
savings accounts, yet the
donor continues to receive
income and tax write-offs from
the gift. Second, donors can
of
Principal Gifts-Heritage Society
Jorgensen
ffi
To learn more about the Heritage
Society or how to make a planned gift
or bequest to Augsburg College, call
Rob Arnold at (612) 330-1512, or write
to Heritage Society, Augsburg College,
2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
55454.
All donors who have made a
deferred or planned gift to Augsburg
become members of the Heritage
Society and will receive special
recognition from the College, a gift
from the Heritage Society Board, the
opportunity to attend special seminars
and programs, and an invitation to the
annual Heritage Society recognition
event-this year a brunch and hymn
sing on October 8.
,4ucsnunc
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5
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Eight new Augsburg athletes
inducted in Athletic Hall of Fame
ff ugsburg College will honor some of the top athletes in school
Flhirto.y during Homecoming weekend, with the annual Athletic
Hall of Fame banquet. Eight former Auggie student-athletes will be
inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
The annual banquet will be held Thursday, Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at
the Christensen Center. For more information on the banquet and to
make reservations, contact Irene Steenson at (612) 330-1245 or
Norm Okerstrom at (612) 330-I6L6.
The Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame was established in 1973 to
recognize male athietes who made special contributions to the
College's athletic histor¡r In 1989, female athletes were first inducted
into the hail. Recipients are chosen each year on the basis of
performance in Augsburg athletics, service to the school, civic and
professional achievements, and leadership.
Honored in this year's class of inductees into the Augsburg
Athletic Hall of Fame are:
Jon Bergherr'76
Jeff Nessler'76
Jane Helmke'83
Calvin Peterson'65
Men's hockey
An NAIA All-American on
Augsburg's 1976 national
tournament team.
Men's basketball, baseball
A solid guard on Auggie teams
Softball
A member of Augsburg teams
thal won the MAIAW state title
four years in a row and finished
Football
A co-captain ín 1964 and the
rhar won MIAC rirles in L97475 and 1975-76, Nessler (22) ís
llth in school history in career
scoring (1,094 points).
13th in the nation in 1982.
team's leading scorer in 1963 as
a running back, Peterson was a
key member of an Augsburg
squad that finished 6-3 overall
and in second place in the
MIAC in 1964.
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Dave Cornell'77
Men's basketball
A top inside player for the
Auggies, Cornell (50) is sixth
in school history in both career
scoring (I,338 points) and
rebounds (653).
Kim (Olson) Miklya'82
Darcy Debing'77
Men's soccer
One of Augsburg's first threetime A11-MIAC players, Debing
was a key lorward on Auggie
teams that won three straight
MIAC titles.
Gymnastics
An individual all-around
national meet qualifier, Miklya
earned Augsburg Women's
Athlete ol the Year honors in
1982.
Scott Smith '76
Men's hockey
An NAIA All-American in 1976,
Smith is second all-time in
career goals scored at Augsburg
(8ó) and lourth in total poinrs
(161).
s
,4ucsnuRc Now
Fall 2000
Augsburg College Auggis5Fall 2OOO Sports Home Games
Football
Vollevball
Men's soccer
Women's soccer
Sat., Sept. 9
Wed., Sept. L3
Concordia-M'hd* 7:30 p.m.
Tues., Sept. 12
Buena Vista (IA) 3 p.m.
Tues., Sept. 12
Buena Vista (fA) 5 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 16
Sat., Sept. 16
Fri., Sept. 22
Tues., Sept. 19
Carleton 7 p.m.
Alumni Match 1 p.m.
Northwestern
Sat., Oct. 7
St. Thomas*
Sat., Sept. 23
Sat., Sept. 23
Alumni Game 1:30 p.m.
Alumni Game 11:30 a.m
(Homecoming)
Sat., Sept. 23
Augsburg Junior Varsity
Tournament
Sat., Oct. 7
Wed., Sept. 27
Sat., Oct. 21
Fri., Sept. 29
Hamlinex 6 p.m.
St. Benedict* 7 p.m.
Carleton* 7:30 p.m.
Tues., Oct. l0
St. Olaf* 7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 30
St. Thomas* 5 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 22
Tues., Oct. 3
Carletonx 7 p.m.
Wis.-Eau ClaireT p.m.
Gustar,-us
I
p.m.
Adolphus*
Sat., Nov. 4
Concordia-M'hd*
I p.m.
Metrodome
Sat., Nov.
Bethel*
I
ll
p.m.
I
p.m.
Wed., Oct.4
St. Thomas* 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Oct. l1
Gustar,rrs* 7:30 p.m.
Wed., Oct. l8
Bethel* 7:30 p.m.
(IA) 6:30 p.m.
Wis.-Superior 3:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 28
Gustar,us*
I p.m.
Bethel* 6:30 p.m.
Mon., Oct. 9
Northland (Wis.) 4 p.m.
Sun., Oct. 22
Wed., Oct. 25
Wis.-Superior
Hamline* 7:30 p.m.
I
p.m.
Sat., Oct. 28
Fri., Oct.27
Gustar,-us 3:30 p.m.
N'western-Rose. 7 p.m.
*MIAC conference games
3
U
¡
Foss Center is reflected in the newly-installed
windows in Melby Hall, replacing the blue panels
from the building's origin. Extensive renovation is
being completed in the nearly 40-year-old building
that includes a new gym floor, expanded fitness
centet new heating/air conditioning system, and
new offices for the athletic staff.
Fall 2O00
,4ucssunc
irow
7
Old Main-it's that
quintessential symbol at many
colleges of campus spirit,
heritage, and history. At
Augsburg, howeven the
building known today as Old
Main has had quite a time
finding its identity and earning
this reputation. For decades it
had another name, and the
date chiseled above its front
door is neither its beginning
nor completion. At one time it
was even slated for demolition.
While it may have sat deserted
and unfinished at the turn of
the last century, it begins this
century as a national landmark
and an Augsburg treasure.
o
gmbering
iltn
c(l{sw')
-
Old or
by Betsey Norgard
o
ld Main was buiit on the southwest corner
of the Augsburg quad, near the earlier
Old Main. It was called New Main until the earlier
building's demolition in the mid-1950s. For many
years, it was the most imposing building in its
vicinity and prominently marked the Augsburg
campus. But, construction of the freeway and new
high-rise dorms, and the growth of the surrounding
neighborhood gradually diminished its physical
prominence.
Although it took more than two years to
complete because of financial difficulties, Old
Maln's dedication on New Year's Day in 1902 was
joyful. It renewed College spirits that had been
dampened by a difficult decade. The multipurpose
building gave the College's 200 students muchneeded classrooms, a lofty chapel, library,
gymnasium, and office facilities.
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A stately building
The main floor contained stately,
spacious classrooms, administration, and
faculty offices. Below was the gymnasium
and library; the second level contained
additional classrooms. The second lloor had
large skylights, and a glass block floor in the
center allowed light to filter below to the
main lobby, which also received light from
the two entrances.
The building's most striking architectural
space, however, was the chapel, and for
decades, it was the focus of College life.
Until 1920 or so, chapel services began the
day at 7:30 a.m. ; later they moved to I0
a.m. Attendance was required and roll was
taken. Men sat on one side; women on the
other. In the earlier
days, faculty sat on
the raised
stage area,
and only they
were allowed to
ascend the small,
carved stairway
from the main
lobby
Much of the
chapel's aura,
however, grew
from the
splendor of the
carved, plaster
decoration that
surrounded the
room Ìn Ìts seeming immensity It was no
accident that the chapel ¡Mas the building's
largest and most ornate space.
Until 1955, Room 18 was the main
theology semÌnar room. Students sat at
double desks in this most stately of all the
classrooms. Theology candidates were
required to present their trial sermons to
4o,a
,4ucsnunc
n¡ow
9
le11ow stuclents
and the religion facr,rlty from
pulpit that is still a
fixlure
in this classroom.
permanenl
a carved-rvood
The hub ol stuclent hle was on the lower
level in the library and the gymnasrum. The
library was small-only 30 by 43 feet-ancl
in its lirst
decade r.vas siudent-run
The gymr-rasium lvalls 1e[t almost no
room around the marke cl floor, and Jeroy
Carison '48 recalls how a basketball lay-up
shot was impossible withou¡ banging into
the wall. Spectators stood in the narrow
edges around the court. At Christmas the
gym wâs dressed up with a Christmas tree
rnd hostcd scasonrl lcslivitics.
The moclern plr"rmbing that lirst
appeared on campus in Old Main challenged
the Medical Aid Sociery, a strlclent-fâculty
organization ihat oversaw campus medical
servrces and sanitary practices. Professor
Emeritus Carl Chrislock '37, in From Fjortl to
Frecway, quotes the Society's "Rr-rles
Governing Baths and Lavatories": No one
could "occupy a bathroom more than 30
minlrtes, nor remair-r under a shou'er more
tl-ran 10 minutes." The mer.nbers were
entitled to "one bath a lveek (tub or shower),
lree of charge."
Making money by u'hatever means was a
constant necessity for the Coilege during the
1930s and .1 940s. Ernre Anderson'37
recalls in the Winter 1995 Augsburg Now the
1itt1e candy concession that was below the
steps of the chapel where one could buy
"They gave their all that men might be free
lreals. One day in 1932, however, Anderson
clecicled his cancly money r.vor-rlcl go into the
College till when Presrdent Sverclrr-rp
announced that nnless money could be
raised to br-ry a load of coal, tl-rere wou1c1 be
no classes the following da¡r
Whrle no ghosts or spirits are knowrL to
inhablt Olcl Main, ghost stories 1-Lave a place
rn the building lore. Or.r a Hallorveen night
rn the 1960s, speech professor Arlene Cole
took her class to the spaclous, if not rather
spook¡ attÌc to practice their narra[ion skills
by telling ghost stories. "We had to be
carefnl where we lvalked, ancl the students
hacl to knorv the stones very well since il
was dark," she recounted, but she believecl
all the students had a good time.
,t
Beginning in 1942, the halls of Old Main were quieted as many students and some faculty were called
to duty in World War ll. More than half of the student population did not return to classes in
September 1943. Jeroy Carlson '48 remembers a special chapel service held in May 1943, at which he
was asked to speak on behalf of the men who were leaving for service. Photos at the service identified
those who had already enlisted.
During the war years, the bulletin boards on both sides of the Old Main lobby were filled with news
and information about the men in service. News of promotions. of assignments, and letters home were
posted to help the small Augsburg "family" stay close to its men.
Twenty-one Augsburg students lost their lives in the war. The 1947 Augsburgian yearbook listed their
names and was dedicated to them.
The post-war years more than recouped the wartime loss of students, with the campus population
quadrupling from 1945 to 1950.
AUGSBUT?û
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ln recent years, a rather large photo collage of
these 21 men (shown at left) was found among
items in storage. Can anyone help identify the
origin of this photo collage? Please let us know!
The names of the men who died are: (top row, L
to R) Gerald Anderson, Edward Berntson, Arnold
Gustafson, Charles Held, Keith Hoffman, and
Curtis Johnson; (middle row, L to R) James
Johnson, Mentor Johnson, Norwood Johnson,
Virgil Knudson, Arthur Lawien, and Arthur Molvik;
(bottom row
L to R) William Muelleç James
Mydland, Joseph Nelson, Lynn D. Peterson,
Richard Pederson, Robert Tousley, Leland Vojta,
Robert Watson, and Ellard Wold.
Fall 2000
Photo @2000 Stenb ahhenlStenbahhen.
MCM-what does it signify?
The date chiseled in stone above the front entrance of Old
Main is MCM-1900 in Roman numerals, and the date of
the building's expected completion when it was begun.
Construction on Old Main began in 1899, but was stopped
when funding ran out. lt wasn't until the 1901 annual
conference that the Lutheran Free Church allocated
sufficient funds to complete the building. lt was dedicated
amidst pomp and circumstance on New Year's Day 1902.
Art professor Kristin Anderson offers an additional
explanation of the MCM from campus lore-that among
J
early seminary students, MCM was suggested to stand for
Moses, Christ, and Mohammed.
This year, 2000, was chosen to begin the recognition of
Old Main's centennial. By New Year's Day 2002, Augsburg
plans to have collected many more than 100 memories
and stories from alumni and friends and completed the
renovations necessary to celebrate Old Main with
respect, appreciation, and joy.
What to do about renovat¡on?
By the mid-1960s, however, Old Main was no
longer the sparkling gem on campus, as several newer
buildings outshone it. Much of the vital campus hfe
in Old Main had moved, leaving it primarily a
classroom and office building-with a future in
question. Years of coal heat had tarnished and
darkened the interior, and a fire in 1960 had caused
minor damage to religion professor Marlo Colacci's
office. An October 1967 AugsburgEcho article, titled
"Old Main Stili Alive, Kicking," quoted Burton
Fosse,
vice president for business affairs, as saying that
campus planners weren't sure of its future.
In the mid-1970s a planning commission
recommended the demolition of Old Main for
construction ol a new building. However, the
resulting discussion of its history and heritage led ro
criticism from alumni, students, and others arguing
its historÌcal significance and aesthetic appeal. A
reconsideration of the proposal was forced, and the
revised decision recommended complete renovation
and study ol malor changes in iLs use.
Fall 2000
The 1979-8O renovation
and renaissance
The major physical changes included updating
heating, ventilatlon, and insulation for energy savings;
instaliing security systems; and making the building
accessible with the addition of an elevator and entrance
into the campus tunnel system. Through it all, though,
classes met. Professor Emerita Ruth Aaskov '53 recalls
how she prepared some extra French vocabulary lessons
about the construction going on in their midst.
The cost of the renovation nearly doubled by its
completlon. In a paper assessing the clecision to preserve
the building, art department chair Kristrn Anderson noted
that, despite its cost, the College gained much more than
additional classroom space. The care given to preserving
Olcl Main's aesthetic character, in both the exierior
decoration and lnterior woodwork, increased Ìts historical
significance, to both its Augsburg heritage and the role it
played Ìn the neighborhood and city
And, the completion of the renovation re-instlllecl a
sense of renewed spirit and pricle in both the builcling
itself and the College. Anderson noted that for nearly a
decade Augsburg's logo featured Old Main.
,4ucsnunc rrlow
11
com
94Os
1
unbenngMatnOlå #r "Nsw"
Another surge in student population
occurred as Auggie men returned from
World War llto finish their education.
Between 1945 and 1950, the student
population nearly quadrupled.
1
1899-f 902
Construction on Old Main
started in 1899, but it wasn't
dedicated until 1902.
æ
ff
1
920s
ffi
The lower level library became
more crowded after coeds were
admitted in 1921and the student
population continued growing.
Gaining architectural
recognition
While much of the campus llfe of its
earlier years-chapel services, basketball
games, etc.-had disappeared, Old Main
still impressed Augsburg students. "I loved
having classes in Old Main," recalls Laurie
12
,4ucssunc itow
=
(Ofstedal) Frattallone '84, "it was old, rt
was quiet, and stately"
In the early 1980s, as Weekend College
was launched, Old Mrin on( e 3g3in
assumed a role of hospitality and fellowshlp
for a smal1 community of Augsburg
students. Rick Thoni, lounder of WEC and
director ol the Rocl-rester program, said that
E
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u
E
I
H
g
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,t
F
c
\E
â
ffi
ü
l:t
dn
E
N
n
all WEC classes were orìginally schecluled
ln Olcl Main, wÌth Room 18 serving as a
gathering place. Here students came to talk
with facult¡ mee[ each other, snac]<
between classes, and builcl this cornmunity
of worl<ing stndents returning to col1ege.
The art departmenl is now housed in
the chapel and the lower level, ancl
Fall 2000
1
983
"Ne\rv" Main at Augsburg
€ollege was placed on the
National Register of Historic
Places.
1
960
Fire and smoke
caused minor
damage to
Professor Mario
Colacci's office.
1979-80
Major renovat¡on updated the functioning of
Old Main as a classroom building and returned
the architectural and decorative features to their
former splendor.
àr''
painting easels line the room where pews
once stood.
In 1983, Old Main was placed on the
National Register ol Historic Places. This
now assures its preservation but requires
additional care and maintenance from the
College. The last decade has once again
shown its wear on the building; the glass
Fall
2OOO
block floor on the upper level (that is
rumored to have been off limits for early
coeds for fear of revealing too much to those
on the main floor below) has been found to
be structurally weak, necessilating
replacement.
Special efforts are planned for
Homecoming 2000 and for the next two
years leading up to the anniversary of Old
Main's dedication to capture the memories,
storles, and heritage of this historic
treasure. And to encourage current
Augsburg students to lÌsten lbr the quiet
echoes from the trial sermons of those early
seminary students.
!
,4ucsnunc n¡ow t3
L¡*e the branches of ûees rcaching out and
intertwining, many siblings, children, and
cousins of Augsburg families share traditions
and interconnect over several generations.
ntt
fa1l, as Augsburg celebrates the l00th birthday of its oldest standing building, Old
Main, it's hard not to attribute a symbolic value to this stately campus cornerstone. Much
like an old tree whose roots spread deep into the ground, Old Main provides a nucleus for the
many generations of families who have chosen to make Augsburg a family tradition.
The 'Augsburg families' arc easy to identify; several lamily trees can be traced withìn the pages
of the alumni directories. Family names like Strommen, Torstenson, Quanbeck, and Hoversten
it wouid be impossible to list every name here. Accordingly, the names that do appear in this article are meant to pay tribute to all alumni who have made Augsburg part of their family.
Together, their stories and memories form a unique page in the history of our College. We invite
you to submit your famlly stories for future issues of AugsburgNow.
f
t
The Hoverstens
Elias Hoversten, the son of Norwegian emigrants, was a stern and practical man who farmed the
land near Marshail, Minn., in the first half of the I900s. When his oldest son, Knut, grew into a
young adult, Elias feared that his son's bad hip would prevent him from being a successful farmer.
So in 1926, he sent Knut to the city to get an Augsburg education. After Knut graduated in 1930,
more than 40 members of the extended Hoversten family also attended.
Garfield Hoversten, a real estate executive, was one of three of Knut's siblings to graduate in
1950. "I definitely gained a great deal from attending the same college as so many other family
members," says Garfield. "My favorite memories of Augsburg are the associations and friends I
made and the times we had together
those are lasting associations."
Garfield's niece, Annette (Hoversten) Hanson '68, heard a lot about Augsburg during her
childhood. "Whenever my dad (the Rev. Chester E.'44) and his friends or other family members
would get together, they would always talk about Augsburg," says Annette, a medical director and
associate clinical
professor in
Massachusetts. "There
was lots of laughter
and many stories
about what seemed to
be the best times in
the world.
"And if you wanted
to get married, you
went to Augsburg," she
jokes. "I met my
husband, Robert
lHanson] '68, here. I
think that while I was
a student, I didnt
attach much meaning
to the fact that so
many other family
members had
attended. But
subsequentiy, it has
become much more
important to me.
What a rich,
precious environment. "
Hoversten family members gather in Hoversten Chapel in 1989 for
the dedication service of the <hapel they funded. At left are
(Standing) Allen Hoversten'64, L. Berniece Johnson, Knut Hoversten
'30; (kneeling) Garfield Hoversten and Clarence Hoversten '41. At
right are: (Back row) Brian Livingston, Kyle Hoversten, Rev. Joel
Njus, Augsburg Pastor Dave Wold; (front row) Rev. Thomas
Hoversten '56, Rev. Chester J, Hoversten '60, Rev. Chester E.
Hoversten'44, and Augsburg President Charles Anderson,
,4ucssunc f,¡ow
'''--]:.-
f5
The Quanbecks
The Quanbeck lamily has planted deep
roo[s at Augsbr"rrg. More than 40 family
members have attended the College,
datlng back to the Class of 1924 with
Aron and Caleb Quanbeck. In addition,
Martin Quanbeck '29 spent 32 years al
Augsburg as professor, registrar, and
Dora (Frojen) Quanbeck
dean. His nephew, Philip Quanbeck '49, senior class picture
'50, is professor emeritus ol religion,
and Philip's son, Phil II, has sen'ed on the religion faculty since
The Strommens
r987
Dora Anne (Frojen) Quanbeck '49, a retired media specialist
and librarian, recalls her first day on campus. "l remember arriving
by train in Minneapolis at the Milwaukee Depot with my twin
sister, Dorls (Frojen Bretheìrn '51), and taking a cab to Augsburg
College," says Dora. "l know I hacl some apprehension about
coming to this large city from a rural setting, but it wasn't long
belore we were settled in Memorial Hall and the routine of college
life. The first person we met on the campus was Martin Quanbeck
iittle did I know that lour years later I wouid marry his nepheq
-Philip Quanbeck."
L
This September, Hans Strommen '04,3oins his
cc'rusin, Becky Stensvaag'12, as the fourth generatlon
ol Strommens to attencl Augsburg. Their greatgrandfather, the Rev Peter Andrew (a.k.a. PA.), was
among the first generation of Strommen Auggìes. To
date, more ¡han 30 members of the extended
Strommen lamily have attended.
"From my earliest age I remember hearÌng about
Augsburg in my father's prayers," says Luther
Strommen '39, a retired pastor of the two largest
Lutheran churches 1n Illinois and Ohio, of his father,
PA. "It never occurred to any of the Sirommen
brothers that there was any other college to attend."
Clair Strommen'46, a retired business owner and
former president of Lutheran Brotherhood, agrees
with his brother. "Our lather was a parish minìster in
a downtown Seattle church, but in 1934 he came
back to Minnesota because he wanted his lour sons
to attend Augsburg. He had a deep love lor the
school. In the late 1930s, my father took the only
savings he had and gave it to Augsburg
that was
¡he level of commitment my father had to the
'r
I
I
College."
U
!
Philip Quanbeck Sr. '50 became a Distinguished Alumnus in 1996.
Pictured with him on that day are his wife, Dora (Frojen) '49, and
their children (L to R), JuliAnn (Quanbeck) Erdmann '82, Thomas,
Mary (Quanbeck) Barber'77, and Philip ll.
Stan Quanbeck'59, a medical missionary in Madagascar,
remembers feeling a close link to the College even as a child.
"When I first came to the United States as an ll-year-old I was
introduced to the famous Augsburg College that was so intimately
tied to my family through two generations before me," says Stan.
"For most ol my youth I was not aware there were any other
colìeges! My mother and father both graduated from Augsburg and
my maternal grandrnother, as a widow, served in the infirmary. My
maternal grandfather and paternal grandfather both graduated from
the Augsburg Seminary, as well as my lather."
Augsburg's new-est Quanbeck, Becka, daughter of PhÌl ll, will
continue the far-nily tradition as a mernber of the Class of 2004.
16
,4UCSBURC ruOW
I
I
ï
Strommen brothers (left to right) Merton '42, Clair
'46, and Luther'39
Clair ancl Luther's brother, Merton Strommen,
has worn many hats at Augsburg since he graduated
in 1942. Mert
has sen'ed as campus pastor, news
clirector, religion teacher, and in l9B7 lounded the
Youth and Family lnstitute in memory of his son,
David Huglen Strommen'83.
Fall
2OOO
à
U
Ethel A.
È -:'*gt
! a:,:
(Anderson)'50
and Robert W.
Andersen'50
j
Clair Strommen'45 and
granddaughter Becky Stensvaag '02
A fourth brother, Abner '38, who passed
away last October, had a long and distìnguished
career ìn Minnesota high school athletics as a
coach, teacher, and athletic director. He was
honored as athletic director of the year in
Minnesota in Ì980 and athletic director of the
year nationally ìn 1981.
Nancy Stensvaag'71, Clair's daughter, was
part of the third generation of Strommen
Auggies. "In the years since graduation, the
strong connectìons with my extended family
have continued in a way that mìght not have
happened if so many of us had not had a
common college experience," says Nanc¡
executive director of Habitat for Humanity-Iowa
Valley. "lt is now a thrili to have our daughter
Becky enjoy being at Augsburg, and to have her
experìence enriched by being joined there by
her cousin Hans."
l
Robert Strommen '74 (Clair's son) and family.
Left to right Hans 'O4, Andrea (Johnson) '75,
Tjersti, Robert, and Bjorn
-
contLnued on page 18
,3
My husband and I met at
Augsburg and we were
married in what was then
the new Science Building.
There was a lovely small
chapel in the building and
we were marrìed there on
August 29,1950
50
years this fall!
NF
I
Jr
f-'-
t
Ethel
Ethel A. (Anderson) '50 and
Robert W. Andersen '50 in the
Science Hall chapel in 195O
Lois (Batalden)'69
and Wayne Hansen '68
My husband and I met at Augsburg; we were engaged in the
fall of 1968. He presented me with a ring while we were in Dr.
Holman's office for pre-marital counselingl
Wayne, having graduated the previous spring, was facing Viet
Nam. He joined the Air Force, and we knew there would be a
limited amount of time and limited dates for a wedding. He had
three weeks leave in April of 1969, so we planned our wedding
for the day before Easter. I made wedding plans while living in
Urness Tower, and all went well despite some heavy spring rains
and a few flooded highways in southern Minnesota.
When I returned to classes after the Easter break, we stayed
in a borrowed Minneapolis apartment until Wayne went to his
first Air Force assignment. I then moved back into the clorm and
finished the last six weeks of my senior year. I'11 never forget Miss
Lund going around the classroom asking what everyone had
"l got married!"
done over Easter break. I had the best answer
On graduation day, I went lrom Commencernent exercises to
the airport to join Way-ne in Alabarna. I was laden down with
graduation gifts and a few late weddlng gifts. Getting to rn1'
connection in O'Hare Airport lvas the worst run I'r'e el'er taken,
but I made it and was with my new husband by evening.
Augsburg brought us together and we'r'e lived happily ever
after.
Fall
2OOO
,4ucssunc
Lois
irow
17
The Torstensons
;
ï
È
"ln the 1920s and'30s,
Presrdent George
Sverdrup began
changing the College
New Traditions
curriculum to inciude
liberal arts," says Jeroy
Carlson '48, a senior
development officer at
Augsburg and i¡s
'unofficial' hisrorian.
'Joel Torstenson was a
significant element of
that change
he had a
- it. He is
lot to do with
known for being a social
developer, and has done
a lot of outreach to other
states nationally."
Torstenson'38,
professor emeritus of
sociologr, joined the
faculty in 1938 as a parrtime instructor of history
and sociai science, which
led to full time two years
later when he received
Professor Emeritus of Sociology his M.A. degree. During
Joel S. Torctenson'38 in Old Main WW ll, Torstenson lefr
in 1943 to farm, later
becoming involved in a rural cooperative organization. He
returned to the faculty in1947, and began reorganizing and
broadening the sociology department.
"Within the social science division, sociology was the most
innovative department," writes Carl H. Chrislock'37, in his
book about Augsburg, From Fjord to Freeway. "When Torstenson
became chairman in 1947, a general sense of direction was
evident ... within the Minnesota private college community its
field experience venture became a pace setter, and on campus it
sharpened awareness of the school's potentialities as an urban
Patricia Lowman watched her son, Dwayne Lowman,
excel at Augsburg. The 2000 graduate, who recerved the
Marlna Christensen Justice Award in June and wâs âcti\/e
in numerous activities both on the campus and in the
community, serr,ed as inspiration for his mother to return
to schooi and complete her bachelor's degree. Last spring
she enrolled in Augsburg Weekend College, and plans to
study elementary education and art.
"Dwayne really enjoyed the community here, and I
just thought the whole school was more of a family," says
Patricia. "My first day of class, I was all prepared. I had
my book bag, my notepad, everythlng
but no pen! I
panicked, and went searching for a pen. I stared at thrs
pen chained to an Ìnformation deck, all the while
wondering'what will my teacher think?"'she laughs. "The
woman at the desk gave me a pen, she was so nice.
Everyone here has been so helpful ... I really feel at
home."
Shari (Holt)
Garland's
daughter, Katie, is
a
junior
U
at
Augsburg,
studying English
and history Shari,
a member of the
Class
of 1974 and
an administrative
assistant in the
Office of
AlumniÆarent
^ -. ""'
-Patricia Lowman and her son,
-':-'.-'"
Relatlons, ls
Dwayne Lowman,O0, at
thrilled that her
Commencement in June
daughter chose
college."
Augsburg.
More than a dozen other Torstensons have attended
Augsburg, and all have followed Joel's path into professions that
"I wanted her to come here not just for the education,
but for the faith. This is one of the most important
reasons
it's such a positive thing. I recognized it when I
was a student here, and I wanted her to experience that
atmosphere too," says Shari, who met her husband, Rich
Garland'75 on campus, and whose uncie and two cousins
emphasize social consciousness/awareness, such as education,
medicine, and city planning.
"I went to Augsburg because Joel was there," says Beth
Torstenson '66 of her uncle. "My parents never pressured me to
pick Augsburg
they just said 'you're going to college"' jokes
Beth, a high school art teacher. "Augsburg was the best place
for me. There was a comfort of going someplace where there
were some ties."
also attended.
"l was lamiliar wlth a 1ot of the familles who had sent
their children and grandchildren here, and I thought
maybe she would also lind a place in this community of
traditlons, of faith."
18
,4UCS¡URC lr¡OW
¡
Fall 2000
-
I
Augsburg
Gonvocatíon
Seríes zooo-01
SCIENCE AIìII' RETIGION IN I'IATOGUE
daes relígíott "fit" ín the øge of cotnþuter techrwlngy, exþlmatiotr of the frontíers of
Where
genetics, ond the scienrifíc search for extrqtenestri.allífe? Mørk yow calenàar and, plmr to
joín the díalnpe with sonæ of the natimls lnøÃíng sci¿núists atd theolagíøns in Augsburg
College's þrwocathte new conuocati.on seríes.
SEPTEMBER 2.4'261 2OOO
The 2OOO Ch¡istensen Symposlum:
"Ghanging Cosmologies and the Ghurch"
Sun., Sept. 24-7 p.m. Reatlings frorn Berroh Brechri Galilecr
Monday, Sept,25-7 p.m. Euerràrg Conuocatíon
Tuesday, Sept. 26.11 a.m, Conuocatiott on Galileo
Dr. Owen Gingerich, senior astronomer at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory and pro{essor of astronomy
and of the history of science at Harvard University. Gingerich is a leacling authority on the 17th-century German
astronomer Johannes Kepler ar-rd the 16th-century cosmologist Nicholas Copernicus. Besides his rnore than 500
technical or educational articles and reviews, Gingerich has u'ritten rnore popularly on astronotrìy in several
encyclopedias and journals.
2OOO
Darwin"
Thursday, Oct, 19.7 p.m. Public Lecture
Friday, Oct. 2J.ll a.m, Convocation
OCTOBER 19,20,
..God after
Dn John Haught, Landegger Distinguished Professor of Theology, Georgetown University. At the beginnir-rg of the
21st century, can we arrive at a plausible unclelstancling ofGocl that is both consistent with tladitional beliefand
adequate to the reality of evoLutionary science? Evolutionary portraits of life rnay open up fresh ways of thinking about
clivire providence and cosmic purpose.
NOVEMBER 9,1O,
2OOO
Thursday, Nov. 9-7 p.m.
PtLblic Lecttne
"Hístory of Scientífíc Creationism
Dr. Ronald Numbers, William Coleman Professor of History of Science and Medicine, University of Wisconsin.
Professot Ntulbers will explore the origins ofconternporary evangelical opposition to evoLution and the nature ofits
concerns as it sttuggLes to co1ììe to tenns with nLodern biological science. Nurnbels has specializecl in the history of
evangelical challenges to biologicaL evolution.
MARCH
2.3,2OOl
"Religíon ín the Computef Age"
Friday, March 2.10 tm. Conwcntion
Saturday, March 3.12:10 p,m,LectnreforWeekendCollege students
Dr' William Grassie, executive director of the Philadelphia Center {or Religion and Science, and editor of the Meta
Lists on Science and Religion. The inventior-l of the moveal¡Le type press in the 15th century made possible the
Protestant Refonnation ancl religious levolutions in Etuope in the 16th century. The advent of comp.uter technologies
in the 20th ccntLlry will also have proforurd effccts on our religious urclerstancìing and practice in the 21st century.
MARCH 29.3Or 2OOl
19th Annual Augsburg Seminar ín Applled Ethícs:
"Patentlng Life"
Thursday, March29.7t30 p.m.Lccttu'e
Friday, March 30-10 a.m. Co¡uocatiott
Friday, March 30.11a.m. Parrel disc¡¿ssion
Dn Audrey Chapman, director, Science and Human Rights and Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion, American
Association for the Advancement o{ Science. The ger-retic revolution has becn accornpanied by controvcrsy al¡out the
status ofcreatecl life forms. Currently, patents ale being issuecl to researchers:ìnc] privatc industry, L.ut many in the religious
cotntnunity have opposed lifc ¡ratcnts. The syrrposium will expLorc thc cthical issues regartling owncrship of humanly
createcl uew Lifc forms ancl the reasrxring usccl by persons or1 hoth sicles.
APR¡L 9,1O,2OOt
2OOl Sverdrup Visitíng Scientlst Lecture:
"F¡om Antarcfica to Mars and Europa:
The Search for Lífe"
Monday, April 9.8 p,m. Lcctru'e
Tuesday, April 1O-noon Noon r¿ll¿
Dr. Christopher
P. McKay, planetary scientist, Space Science Division, NASA Ames Research Center. His current
rcscarch focuses ou the evolutiur of thc solal systcm ancl the origin of life. He is also actively plamring firture Mars
urissions, incLtrcling hutlan settletnents. McKiry ¿rlso has been invoh'ecl with polar rcsearch, traveling to tl-re Antarcric dry
valleys and Sibcrian aud Canacli:ru
Atctic to colìLfuct rcscarch in these Mars-life environr¡cnts.
All events are Íree, open to the publíc, and wíll take place (unless oûher$¡lse not€d)
in Hoversten Chapel of the Foss Center on the Augsburg College campus.
For informatíon, call (6f2) 330,11t0
Fall 2000
,4ucsnunc ruow
19
¡l
I
Welcome the
Christmas season
in Scandinavian
tradition with the
Augsburg
Associates:
l0:20 a.m.
Christmas service
and music, with a
Begin the Christmas season
with a majestic service of music and liturgy
visit from
St.
Nicholas,
Hoversten Chapel
The 2lst Annual
Augsburg College
tLdvent ïús
ers
O Holy Night
II
a.m.-3 p.m.
Open house with
Scandinavian treats
and a gift shop
with hand-crafted
items, Christensen
Center
Friday, December 1, 2000
6:00
as
9:00
p.Na.
Saturday, December 2, 2000
5:00 e¡ B:00 p.v.
Central Lutheran Church
For seating information: (612) 330-1265
ll
a.m.-2 p.m.
Special Hardanger
fiddle music and
demonstration,
Christensen Center
ô
Central Lutheran Church is located
next to the Convention Center in Minneapolis
Velltom-trt
COLLEGE
December
zo
,4ucssunc ruow
I
Fall 2000
/
^
ll I
¡¡
l
ffi
Greetings from
the Alumni
Board President
ál
lJ
n behalf of the Augsburg Alurnni Association, I welcome you to tl-ris premiere issue of
you. updated collà'ge publication, Augsburg Now.
The Augsburg Alurnni Association is a big group
some 17,000 people. As alumni ol
- school and helping to keep it a vibrant
Augsburg College, we are interested in supporting our
place for students to get an education, both insicle and outsìde of the classroom. A smaller
group of alums serves on the Alumni Board, at this tirne there are 21 indìr'iduals, including
six new board mernbers (see page22). The Alurnni Board seeks ways to connect the College
of today rvith its alun-rnì lor mutual benefit.
We have organized our board by forming comrnittees to address our three main efforts
with aiumni: communications, events, and "connections." The next year will be spent in
several key areas, including the possibility of developing regional chapters ol Augsburg
alumnl around the country. Concurrentl¡ we woulcl like to open up the Alumni Board to
people who live outside o[ the Twin Citles.
I have been on the Alumni Board since 1996. Why dicl I become invoh'ed? Because
someone asked! That has been my experience since. Our alumni are r'vonderfully wìlling to
help theìr alma rnater
it just takes someone to ask them. I have been impressed with the
other people who have sen'ed on the board, whether older or younger than I, ancl admire
their cledication to Augsburg College. lt is also gratifyrng to know that Augsburg is still
changing lives, as well as provicling a good education. So promote our school, whether you
you'll be surprised at what we can do
are at your church, at work, or i,vith neighbors
-
together!
?r,.¿WIk!-=
Paul Mikelson, '70
Presiclent, Alumni Board
Nancy Toedt '94, Director of AlumnilParent Relations
Jeff Krengel '93, Assistant Director of AlumnilParent Relations
Shari Garland '74, Administrative Assistant
Teleph one: (612) 330-1178 or (800) 260-6590
Fax:
Fall
2OOO
(612) 330-1499
ffi
E-mail:
alumni@augsburg.edu
Web site:
<wwwaugsburg.edu/alumni>
Mail:
Office of Alumni/Parent Relations
2211 Riverside Ave., CB 146
Minneapolis, MN 55454
,4ucssunc f\¡ow
21
ll I
l
Six alumni appointed
to Alumni Board
I
as a volunteer on several boards of
by Maggie Weller'01
T he Augsburg Aìumni Board of Directors
I appointed six new members inJune
and elected Paul Mikelson '70 as president
and Jackie (Kniefel) Lind '69 as presidentelect. The new members are as follows:
Jeff Elavsky'68
Jeff Elavsþ graduated
from Augsburg in 1968
with a bachelor's degree
in social science. He is a
school administrator for
Wayzata Public Schools
and volunteers with the
Courage Alpine Skiers
and as a deacon at
æ
EI
II
Central Lutheran Church.
Chuck Gabrielson'77
A political science
major, Chuck Gabrielson
graduated from Augsburg
in 1977. Gabrielson,
executive director for a
non-profit organization,
has been involved in
extensive volunteer
activities, including acting
as the chair for Minnesotans for Improved
Juvenile Justice and associate member of the
Carver County Sheriff's Mounted Posse.
Gabrielson has been honored with Alumni
Honors and is a recipient of this year's Spirit
of Augsburg awards.
Rev. Thomas Hanson'66
Thomas Hanson
graduated from Augsburg
in 1966 with a bachelor's
degree in speecMheatre.
A Lutheran pastor,
Hanson has been
recognized as an
Augsburg Distinguished
Alumnus. He also serves
22 4ucs¡unc now
Augsburg
Centennial
Singers
directors, including the YMCA, Mental
Health Center, and Senior Adult Housing.
Christopher Jan Haug '79
Christopher Jan
Haug graduated from
Augsburg in 1979 with
a bachelor's degree in
studio art. He is a
customer service
supewisor for Lutheran
Brotherhood, and
volunteers as the
director of evangelism on the Mount Olive
Lutheran Church Vestry.
Andrew Morrison'73
Andrew Morrison
graduated from
Augsburg in 1973 with
a degree
in political
njoy a musical concert by
E Augsburg alumni and friends,
carrying on the choral traditions of
Augsburg College.
Oct. 1, 4 p.m.
St. Luke's Lutheran Church
Minneapolis
Oct. 14, 7 p.m.
Association Bible School
Pl)¡mouth
Oct. 15, 4 p.m.
Zion Lutheran Church
Anoka
Oct,21,4:45 p.m.
St. Michael's Lutheran Church
Bloomington
science. He is an
attorney and lobbyist
for Koll, Morrison,
Sharpentier LLP He
also chairs the
Minnesota Institute for Legal Education
Self Insurance Seminar and volunteers as
a Minnesota Mock Trial judge.
Oct'22,4 p.m.
St. Andrew's Lutheran Church
Eden Prairie
Oct. 28, 7 p.m.
St. Andrew's Lutheran Church
Mahtomedi
Beth Torstenson'66
A theatre, speech,
and art major, Beth
Torstenson graduated
from Augsburg in
1966. For 34 yearc,
Torstenson has worked
as a high school art
teacher, and was
named the Minnesota
Secondary Art Teacher of the Year for the
1993-'94 academic year. In addition to
teaching, she has volunteered to jury
community art fairs and has been on
various professional and community
boards and committees.
Oct. 29, 4 p.m.
House of Prayer
Richfield
Nov.4 3 p.m.
North Heights Lutheran Church
Arden Hills
Nov. 5, 4 p.m.
St. James
Lutheran Church
Crystal
Fall 2000
Rememberirg OLD MAIN:
100 Yn¿ns, 700 MnuoRIEs
Wednesday, Oct. 4
Saturday, Oct. 7
Class of
Augsburg Associates Annual Fall Luncheon
Decathlon Club
Millennium Choir Songlest
Christensen Center
(open to all Augsburg College choir alumni)
8:30 a.m.-no6n-fl6v¿¡5¡en Chapel
Contact: Ryan Larson, (6L2) 330-1265
Cost: $10 reunion social only; $20 social
and dinner
10
a.m.-Craft
Noon
Sale
-Luncheon/Program
l9ó0 Reunion Social
:30
p.m.-Minneapolis Room,
3:30-5
Guest Speaker: Kim Ode, Columnist for the
Class of 1960 Breakfast
9 a.m.-East Commons, Christensen Center
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Cost: $20
Gallery, Christensen Center
5:30 p.m., Dinner-Commons, Christensen
Reservations: Betty Arnold, (612) 330-l i71
Center
Cost: $15
Augsburg Parent Program
9 a.m.-11 a.m.
Thursday, Oct. 5
Homecoming Socìal and Dinner
4:30-5:30 p.m., Social Hour-Alumni
Contact: Jeff Krengel, (612) 330-1,173
Class
Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
5:30 p.m., Reception-Alumni Gallery and
Plcnlc in the Park
Commuter Lounge, Christensen Center
6:30 p.m., Banquet-East Commons,
Cost: $7
1
t
a.m.-
lp.m.-Murphy
Christensen Center
Square
Cost: $10 reunion only; $20 reunion and
dinner
Christensen Center
l5
of Ì975 Reunion
7:30 p.m., Reunion Party-Marshall Room,
Reservations: lrene Steenson, (612) 3301245
Old Main Tours
1la.m. and 3 p.m.-First Floor Lobby,
Old Main
Friday, Oct. 6
Join Augsburg faculty emeriti Ruth
Aaskor"53 and Phil Quanbeck'50
7:30 p.m., Reunion Party-Old Maln Lobby
Cost: $10 reunion only, $20 reunion and
dinner
of 1950 Golden Anniversary Reunion
a.m.-4
p.m.
9:30
Homecoming Footbail
Game vs. University of St. Thomas
Sunday, October 8
Cost:
$
Class
Homecoming Chapel 6¡ Community Tìme
l0:20-l
I ¿.¡¡.-flevs¡sten Chapel,
Foss
I
p.m.-Anderson-Nelson Field.
Tickets: $ 5 Adults, $2 Children
Ticket office: (612) 330-1249
Class of 1990 Reunion
Worship Service
11 a.m.-Ho\¡ersten Chapel, Foss Center
Center. Special guest speaker: Andy Balerud
'50.
Old Main Tours
I
and 2 p.m.-First Floor Lobb¡ Oid Main
Augsburg facr-rlty emeriti Ruth Aaskor' '53
and Phil Quanbeck'50
Consult the
Homecoming 2A 0 0 br o chur e
Class of 1960 Gathering
6 p.m.-Augsbr-rrg House
Contact: Nancy Toedt
(612) 330-1525
Variety Shou, and Coronatìon
7 p.rn.-Hor/ersten Chapel, Foss Center
Contact: ASAC, (612) 330-lltl
Fall 2OO0
f or additional br eahf østs, toLlrs,
and events during the weel¿end.
For informntion,
call (612) 330-1178
,4ucsnunc n¡ow
23
EN
Four named as
2OOO Distinguished Alumni
by Maggie Weller'Of
our alumni join
l5l
others as Distinguished Alumni of Augsburg College. Recipients are recognized for significant achievement in their vocations
years of preparation, experience, dedication, exemplary character, and service.
F and outstanding contrlbutions to church and community, through
Oscar A. Anderson'38
David Cherwien'79
Oscar Anderson was educated at
Augsburg and St. Olaf College,
where he received his B.A. in
1938. After graduating from
Luther Theological Seminary in
l942,he entered parish ministry,
he later completed graduate
study at Union Seminary New
David Cherwien graduated from
Augsburg in 1979 with a B.A. in
organ performance and music
education. Since then, he has
eamed a M.A. from the
University of Minnesota in theory
and composition. He is enrolled
in the D.M.A. program in organ
performance at the University of
York.
Anderson was president of
Augsburg from 1963 to 1980.
Prior to his presidency, he served
as senior pastor at Ttinity
Lutheran Church, Moorhead,
Minn. He has also worked
as
pastor at l-ake Harriet Lutheran
Church, Minneapolis, and
executive director of the
Intemational Young People's
Luther League.
A nationaþ known preacher,
Anderson has received many
honors, including the Paul Harris
Fellow from Rotary Intemational
and the Distinguished Alumni
Citation from St. Olaf College.
24
.4ucssunc Now
Minnesota.
Cherwien, organist/cantor of
Christ Chapel and visiting
instructor of music at Gustavus
Adolphus College, is a published
composer of over 30 collections
of hymn interpretations and over
40 choral octavos. He is also the
author of kt the People Sing! A
Kqb o ardßt\ Cre ativ e and P r ac ttcal
Guide to EngagjngGod\ People in
Meanin$ul Song.
Ellen (Stenberg) Erickson
'51
M. Annette (Hoversten)
Hanson'68
Ellen Stenberg Erickson
graduated from Augsburg in
I95i with a parish worker's
certificate. After graduating,
Erickson did parish work for
Concordia Lutheran Church,
Minneapolis.
Now retired, Erickson also
worked for the Lutheran Social
Service in South Dakota and
Minnesota and was vice president
from 1987 to 1995. She currentþ
volunteers on the social
ministries committee of Glen
Cary Lutheran Church, a countywide prqect to provide housing
for the homeless and a Lutheran
Social Service's effort to help
Dr. M. Annette Hanson graduated
from Augsburg in 1968 with a
B.A. in biology She went on to
eam her M.D. from the
University of Minnesota and a
M.B.A. from Northeastem
University Hanson completed her
postdoctoral training at
Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge,
Mass.
Hanson is currently serving
medical director for the
Division of Medical Assistance,
Executive Office of Health and
as
Human Services, Massachusetts,
refugees get their green cards.
Erickson was honored with
the Donald H. Larsen Award
and as an associate clinical
professor, University of
Massachusetts Medical School.
She has eamed a national
reputation lor her expertise in
managed mental heath care,
lrom the Lutheran Immigration
and Refugee Service for her 20
public sector managed care
programs, and quality
years of work with refugee
resettlement.
management.
Fall 2O0O
U
B
Augsburg alums receive new awards
by Lynn Mena
n addition to the Distinguished Alumni Award, Augsburg is
pleased to announce the creation of two new annual awards: the
First Decade Award and the Spirit of Augsburg Award.
The First Decade Award is presented to Augsburg graduates of
the last l0 years who have made significant progress in thelr
professional achievements and contributions to the community, and
I
I
leaders in service to the world. Graduates from the day, weekend,
and graduate programs are eligible.
The Spirit of Augsburg Award honors alumni and friends of the
College who have given exceptional service which contributes
substantially to the well being of Augsburg by furthering its
purposes and programs.
in so doing exemplify the mission of the College: to prepare future
Jennifer Peterson'9O
Karen Reed'90
Kurt Wehrmann '90
Peterson is
executive director
A music therapist
of Helping Paws
of Minnesota,
Inc., a volunteer-
Hospital in
Wehrmann is the
founder and CEO
of Northern
Scientific, a
worldwide buyer
and seller of preowned medical
equipment. He is a former
member of the Alumni Board of
at Atascadero State
Atascadero, Calif.,
Reed works
in
based, not-for-
forensic
proflt organization whose
mission is to further the
independence of individuals
psychiatry She
with physical disabilities
through the use of service dogs.
Peterson's past honors include
Ms. Wheelchair Minnesota
(1987), and national and
intemational wheelchair archery
titles (1994, 1995).
established a gospel choir of
inmates of the California
Department of Corrections, and
is an intemational gospel
saxophonist, a renowned
speaker, and author of the
2O0O
executive director
Chuck Gabrielson'77
Gunnar Wick
Gabrielson is a
member of the
When Wick's two
Alumni Board and
Augsburg, he
chair of the Class
Agent Advisory
Council. During
managed the
concession stand
at athletic events,
organized
the last three
years, Gabrielson has led six
Class Agent Workshops and
Fall
associate
Directors.
ís the Master Key.
This group of 20+ women is comprised of retired faculty, staff, and
spouses. Led by Kate Anderson, they gather on Tuesdays to assist the
College in processing direct mail, saving the College thousands of
dollars in labor every year.
Woodrich is
of the Division of
Indian Work for
the Greater
Minneapolis
Council of Churches. She is
also the recipient of a yearlong
leadership work and study
grant from St. Paul Companies
to study leadership roles of
Indian women in their cultures
and their own families.
recentþ published book, Music
The "Tuesday Volunteers"
Noya Woodrich '92,'94
MSW
recruited more than 25 new
Class Agents. He spearheaded
last November's Augsburg
House Shower, which raised
nearly $20,000 to purchase
china, Ílatware, and stemware.
He also organized and hosted
alumni gatherings in Arizona
during the recent band and
choir tour,
sons attended
volunteers, and sold
merchandise including cowbells
to increase Auggre spirit at
games. Wick continues to
contribute many hours of
service on behalf of Augsburg's
athletic program, and provided
the lead gift for additionál
upgrades to the AndersonNelson Athletic Field.
4ucsnuncnow
zs
Honoring the Golden Anniversary Class of 1950
Ocronnn 6, 7 eNo 8, 2000
"The senior class of 1950 looks back with pleasure at the past four years
... The largest visible progress has been the completion of the Science
Building ... We have participated in athletics, clubs, musical organizations,
and the Augsburg publications. Thus we have grown in friendships,
understanding of others, and in sportsmanship ... We go forth in many
different directions, with varied interests and abilities."
-
from the 1950 Augsburgian
Members of the Class of 1950 participated in
this year's Commencement ceremony. (L to R)
Lola Lidstrom Berg, Shirley Dahlen, Robert
Paulson, James Peterson.
Senior class officerc meet in the new student lounge.
(t to R) Paul Konsterlie, vice president Ann Bueide,
social directoü Andrew Balerud, presidenû Harriet
Skonnard, secretary; William Robbin+ treasurer.
King Bob Howells and
Queen Ann Olsen ruled over
the festivities at Winter
Sports Ðay.
Delores Johnson and Arlo Dahlager take part
in intramural bowling.
Dorothy Gramling, Helen Green
Eugene Campbell, editor-in-chief of the
Augsburgian, meets with his staff. (Standing,
t to R) Eugene Campbell, LaVon Moderow, Paul
Konsterlie, William Halvorson, James Andress.
(Seated, L to R) Dean Erickson, Betty Munson,
Ray Huglen, Don Ditmarson, Robert Paulson.
Ernest Hone scores despite
the efforts of St. Olaf.
TH¡s vren's HotvncoMrNc CntnsRcrtoN ALso HoNoRs
rHE CLAssEs oF 7960,1975 AND 7990.
26
4UCSSURC NOW
Robert W. Hagen, Norman C. Hoium
Fall 2000
e/
o
¡a
1942
Magdalene (Gronseth) Stolee,
Kenyon, Minn., and her husband
Amos "retired" again and moved
into a townhouse in Kenyon.
1948
Gordon Ahlquist, Minneapolis,
recently performed on piano for the
American Swedish Institute's
membership dinner. He has served
as organist and choirmaste¡ at
Central Free Church and Salem
Covenant Church and has been the
organist at First Covenant Church
in Minneapolis for 40 years.
1
950
Rudolf Engelmann,
Potomac,
Md., has been a consultant to the
U.S. Department of Energy on
issues of emergency response,
environment., NEPA, worker
exposure to radiation, and safety
since 1988. He was also a chief
1
Energr (environment safety and
health); chief of technical staff for the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration; deputy director of
environmental assessment for the
United Nations Environment
Programme; director of the AÌaskan
Outer Continental Shelf Program;
and more. He and his wife, Virginia,
have six children and seven
grandchildren.
Lillian (Johnson) Ingersoll,
Toledo, Ohio, recently returned from
a trip to Iceland and Norway. She
has also traveled throughout Canada,
Alaska, the continental United States,
and the British Isles; she lived in
Singapore for one year with her
husband, Henry She is active in the
Presbyterian Church, sewing as elder
and on the adult Christian education
committee. She and her husband
have two daughters and five
grandchildren.
1970
9s3
Faith (Carlstedt) Dippold,
Sherman Danielson, Stiìlwater,
Jacksboro, Tenn., retired eight years
ago as a doctor of naturopathy and
reflexology She is an active member
Minn., was named the 1999'person
of the year' by the Stillwater Gazette
of her church (church organist),
sings with her community choir,
volunteers for Habitat for Humanity,
and more. She and her husband,
Edward, enjoy traveling around the
United States to visit their three
children and grandchildren.
newspaper, in honor o[ his
dedicated work on behalf of
students as activities director at
Stillwater Area High School.
George M. Melby, Kansas City,
Mo., is a student pastor at United
Chu¡ch of Christ; he is attending
Central Baptist Theological
1961
Seminary
Curtis Haney, Billings, Mont., has
left Friendship House of Christian
Service (where he serves as
1975
executive director) to enjoy a twomonth sabbatical and begin serving
smaller Montana ELCA
congregations, and continue to
coordinate Montana Synod antiracism and multicultural ministries.
in Kansas City.
Stephanie R. (Gierke)
Gustafson, Minneapolis, is
director/teacher of Christ Church
Lutheran's preschool learning center
in Minneapolis. She was recently
featured in an article in the
Southside Pride newspaper, which
honored her 25 years as an earþ
childhood educator.
scientist for the Department of
Alumni at the Oberammergau Passion Play
h
È
ù
¡r , S'ìt h(
Kneeling front: Nancy Turpie, Marie-Agnes Duijs-Lange (tour guide), Hans (bus driver). First row standing: Max and Jan lrving,
Marie Kneeland, Maryon and Harris Lee, Henry and Helen Follingstad, Mary McDougall, Colleen Watson, Karen and Ted
Anderson, Second row: Arlo Kneeland, Harriet and Forrest Anderson, Esther and Malcolm Watson, Dee Hoffman, Carolyn
TerEick, Nancy Garwick, Russell and Helen Lee, Back row: David Harstad, Katharine Wellef Sandy Harstad, Dot Hoice, Joceyln and
Wayne Palmer Ken Hoffman, Bill and Myrna Anderson, Jerry TerEick, Jan and Arnie Cutle¿ Mae Peterson.
Fall 2000
,4ucsnunc ruow 27
Class Notes
1975
1984
continued
Linda M. Haven, Sandvika,
Steven V. Larson, Coon Rapids,
Norway, teaches grade school and is
pursuing post-graduate studies in
special education at the University
of Oslo. She has three children,
Minn., an investment/insurance
representative for Lutheran
ages
17,15, and 12.
1978
Jim Bernstein, MinneapoÌis, was
recently appointed as commissioner
of the Minnesota Commerce
Department. A former advertising
company executive, he was deputy
commissioner and had been serving
as the acting head of the
department since February He also
serves as a member of the Augsburg
Now Alumni Advisory Committee.
Brotherhood, qualified for Million
Dollar Round Table honors, attained
only by those representatives who
have demonstrated exceptional
professional knowledge, expertise,
and client service.
demonstrated exceptional
professional knowledge, expertise
and client service. Gary ranked 5th
out of about 1,500 Lutheran
Brotherhood representatives
nationwide.
f983
Gary Tangwall, white Bear Lark,
Minn., a financial planner with
Lutheran Brotherhood, qualified for
Million Dollar Round Table honors,
attained only by those
representatives who have
Fraser School in Richfield, was
featured in a Channel 9 news story
in April.
Julie Rykken, Elburn, lll., married
George Coyle
in 1993; they have
two children,
ages
4 and
2.
D.C., is a foreign service officer with
the U.S. Department of State; she
was posted to Cuba for a two-year
tour that began inJuly. She will be
working in the U.S. interest section
of the Swiss Embassy in Havana.
Tom Weidner, Stillwater, Minn.,
Kay Luedtke-Smith, Hopkins,
Minn., a music therapist at the
1980
Ann E. Gabrielson, Washington
was recently selected as a "rising
star" in the Minnesota legal
community "Rising stars," chosen
by Minnesota's top lawyers, are
lawyers who are either under 40 or
have been in practice for l0 years
or less. He is a partner in the
Stillwater law firm of Eckberg,
Devean George
What a first year!
ci
by Don Stoner
à
n
Augsburg's Devean George '99 will have a special piece of jewelry to wear very soon. George will
earn an NBA world championship ring after his Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA title in his first
year with the team.
ö
z
o
o
o
N
with the Lakers was a wild ride. The first NCAA Divlsion III player ever
selected in the fìrst round of the NBA Drafi, George made the adjustment from small-college
basketball to the NBA smoothly, as a key player off the bench durÌng the Lakers' run to the best
record in the league during the regular season. The guard,/forward appeared in 49 games, averaging
3.2 points and I.5 rebounds in seven minutes of playng time per game. George's playing time
diminished during the playoffs and NBA Finals, as he was only able to play in one game during the
Lakers' championship series win over the Indiana Pacers. However, as he told the Minneapolis StarTribune's Dan Barreiro during the finals, he was still able to learn a lot from the experience.
George's rookie season
"This whole experience, reaching the finals, has just been wonderful for me. It's been everything I
could have dreamed of and more. I'm like everybody e1se. I want to pla¡" he said in the June 15
issue of the Star-Tiibune. "But I can learn so much just watching what's happening there on the
court, soaking it all Ìn. To me, the regular season seems so relaxed compared to this. Everythingthe play on the court, the fans-it just seems like everything is so magnified. The inrensity is just
unbelievable."
George earned praise from Lakers
o
Devean George '99 found plenty of
excitement in his rookie year as the
Lakers dribbled and shot their way to a
national championship.
coaches during the season,
includlng head coach Phil
Jackson, and should receive more
playing time next year, as several
veterans who were ahead of George
on the Lakers' depth chart are not
returning to the team.
"This whole experience,
reaching the t'inals,
has just been wondert'ul for me
It's been everythingl could
have dreamed oJ and more."
@2000 NBA Photos. Photos by Andrew D. Bernstein
Fall 20O0
1
Lammers, Briggs, Wolff & Vierling.
He is also a member of the Board of
Governors of the Minnesota State
Bar Association and president of the
St. Croix Valley Heart Association.
C.
Anderson, Srillwarer,
Minn., a district representative for
Lutheran Brotherhood, qualified for
Million Dollar Round Table honors,
attained only by those
representatives who have
demonstrated exceptional
professional knowledge, expertise
and client service. Bill was in the
top one percent (out of 1,500
Lutheran Brotherhood
representatives nationwide) when
measured by amounts of life,
health, annuity and investment.
products issued.
1
988
Neal R. Hauser,
Savage,
Minn.,
received a Master of Arts in
Leadership degree from Augsburg
inJune.
Daniel Wright, Portland, Ore., is
a self-employed computer
consultant. He married Kristen
Haglund in September 1999. After
honel'rnooning in Spain, Morocco,
and Portugal, they settled into their
1925 Spanish house, which they
finished restoring last year.
1
989
Ly$a Morehouse,
Sr. Paul,
recently sold her first science fiction
novel [o Roc, a science fiction
imprint of Penguin Putnam; the
expected publication date of her
book, Archangel Protocol, is spring
2001. The book explores
theological issues in a iuturistic
science fiction setting.
1
990
Judy (Goede) Luers, Eden
Prairie, Minn., was recently
featured in the business section of
the Star Tribune as its "spotlight"
business professional. She recently
became associate vice president and
director of marketing at HammeÌ,
Green and Abrahamson, lnc., in
Fall 2000
1991
Jeff Ronneberg, Circle
1986
Bill
Minneapolis. She and her husband
Scott., have a son, Andrew, and a
daughter, Sarah.
of Minnesota; he is employed as an
elementary principal in Fridley
Kevin Ronneberg, St. Louis Park,
Minn., compÌeted his residency in
family medical practice at Methodist
Hospital in St. Louis Park in June;
he graduated from the University of
Minnesota Medical School in 1997.
C.
1
Tiffany Bjerga,
Keller, Texas,
recently married Chris Bruce'96.
Tiffany is a civil engineer for
Kimley-Horn; Chris is a recruiter for
Oracle.
Pines,
Minn., recently received â doctorate
degree in educational policy and
administration from the University
Tim
995
VanRooy, Roseville, Minn.,
a financial analyst for Lutheran
Brotherhood, qualified for Million
Dollar Round Table honors, attained
only by those representatives who
have demonstrated exceptional
professional knowledge, expertise
and client service.
1992
Jennifer Norberg, Maple
Grove,
Karen (Anderson) Dee, Oakdale,
Minn., was recently named the
Oakdale Business Association
contact. for Burns Personnel. She is
pursuing a Master o[ Arts in
Leadership degree at Augsburg.
1
a
graduated from the University of
Minnesota Medical School in May
and will start his residency in family
medical practice at St. John's
Hospital in Maplewood.
1997
industry during which she
David.
Erik Hagestuen, Baudeue, Minn.,
was awarded his Ph.D. in analytical
Kathleen J. McDonald,
Minneapolis, is a bilingual
classroom teacher at Aurora Charter
Elementary which is a dual
language bilingual program for
children whose families come from
Spanish-speaking countries.
John Stover, Burnsville, Minn.,
996
Tim Ronneberg, Minneapolis,
998
David Peters, Maple Grove,
Minn., earned an MBA in April
recently accepted a position as a
software engineer at Lockheed
Martin Naval Electronics and
Surveillance Systems-Tactical
Systems in Eagan. His a¡eas of
expertise are in simulation,
modeling and Web support.
Joseph Tucker, Brookþ Park,
Minn., married Ericka Carlson in
June.
Births
Laurie Beckman Yetzer,
Bloomington, Minn., received a
Master of Arts degree from Luther
Seminary in May.
1
2000
recently joined Target Corporation
Susan Scott Lundquist,
Woodbury Minn., received a Master
of Science degree in May; she is
currently serving in the Peace Corps
in Honduras with her husband,
r 993
Grove, Minn., is director of
mathematics at Huntington
Learning Center; she is also still
singing "as much as possible" with
various projects.
as a business analyst.
Minn, joined Carmichael Lynch
Spong as a counselor. Prior to
joining the public relations firm, she
was an independent public relations
consultant to the health care
organized the fetal alcohol slmdrome
public awareness campaign for
Minnesota. She also served as
director of public affairs for the
Minnesota Department of Health.
Jennifer Petra Grimm, Maple
Tim Benson, Burnsville, Minn.,
Craig Schwalbe, Faribault, Minn.,
was included in an article in the Le
Center Leader newspâper that
featured Cedar House, Inc., a
community based mental health
center in Le Center, where Craig is
lead therapist.
999
Lynn (Gustafson) '85 and Gary
Gnirk, Willmar, Minn.
a
daughter, Courtney Lynne, in April.
She joins brother Aaron, 5.
Debi (Mattson)'89 and Steve
at
Casperson '89, Minneapolis
in March.-
a
chemistry from North Dakota State
University in May 1999; he works as
a research scientist for Solray
the Carlson School of Business at
the University oI Minnesota.
daughter, NaraJolie,
Jason Wardlow, Pensacola, Fla.,
Pharmaceuticals.
is a second lieutenant
Jeff Ronneberg '91 and his wife,
Jill, Circle Pines, Minn.
- a son,
Samuel Jacob, in March.
Doris S. Rubenstein, Richfield,
Minn., recently contributed a guest
editorial to the business journal
CityBusiness; her editorial focused
on the importance of corporate
philanthropy. She is the principal
consultant with PDP Services and
has more than 26 years of
experience in the field of
philanthropy.
in the U.S.
Marine Corps. He married his wife,
Vanessa,
inJuly
1999.
Erik Hagestuen '93 and his wife,
Maureen, Baudette, Minn.
daughter, Nora Kathleen, in
-
a
February
4ucs¡unc now 29
I
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¡a
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Clarette (Jorenby) Arnold '29,
Alton H. Bjurquist'48,
Rochester, Minn., died inJune; she
was 96. A retired teacher, her
passions included reading, writing,
travel, and music. She was preceded
Minn., died in May after a long
illness; he was76. Prior to his
in death by her husband, Luther
Arnold '29; the Arnold Atrium is
named for their gifts to the College.
Russell Helleckson'40, Richfield,
Minn., died inJune, he was 82. He
was a retired naval commander and
a former Washington High School
teacher, football coach, and
assistant principal.
Helen M. (Sateren) Quanbeck
'64, Roseville, Minn., died inJuly;
she was 81. A retired teacher, she
touched many lives with her special
sense of caring; her life revolved
around her husband (the late Rev.
Russell Quanbeck'47), her famil¡
and her faith.
Rochester,
retirement in 1985, he spent more
than 20 years at John Marshall
Senior High as a teacher, DECCA
advisor, and coach.
The Rev. Marvin C. Andros'51,
Richfield, Minn., died inJuly; he
was 77 . A veteran of WW Il, he
served pastorates in the United
Methodist Church for more than 30
Anne (Berg) Oie '59,
years.
The Rev. Rudolph "Rudy"
E.
Edman J. Saland'+8,
Berntson'53, Zumbrota, Minn.,
Bloomington, Minn., died in May of
congestive heart failure; he was 76.
He worked for both PilÌsbury and
Prudential, and retired in 1983 after
23 years âs manager of the advanced
financial planning department of
American Express Financial
died in May; he was 72. He was
ordained in i956 and served
parishes in both Minnesota and
North Dakota; after he retìred in
1992he served as the fiÌl-in pastor
for many local churches.
Services.
Norman "Norm" C. Anderson
'50, died unexpectedly in May at his
home; he was 69. He worked for
the U.S. Forest Service for 28 years
ln the national forests of ldaho,
California, and Arizona. He also
Kenneth L. Walsh'48,
Bloomington, Minn., died inJune,
he was 77. He was a social studies
teacher and a retired lieutenant
colonel of the U.S. Air Force.
worked in the Washington D.C.
office from 1967-'70 and headed
the Boise Interagency Fi¡e Cente¡ at
its inception.
Roseau,
Minn., died inJune; she was 64.
She taught school in Roseau for 34
years as a family living teacher, and
was aciive in several community
activities, including Messiah
Lutheran Church, Roseau Arts
Association, Roseau Historical
Societ¡ Friends of the Library, and
more.
Elizabeth M. Petersen'63,
Minneapolis, died in August after a
three-year battle with cancer; she
was 59. She had a long career in
chiìdren's book publishing, working
at Lerner Publications in
Minneapolis for over 20 years as
editor and editorial director. She
aÌso served as a literary agent and
freelance publishing consultant.
James B. Dahlen'78,
Minneapolis, died in May; he was
44. Through self-employ'rnent in
cabinet making, he became involved
in the art, music, and theatre
by Tony Bibus, associate professor of soc¡al work
community He was passionate
about the arts and at the time of his
death was pursuing a career in art
education.
Professor Emeritus Paul T. Steen, Minneapolis, died July 23 after heart
surgery in Springfield, lll.; he was 88.
We will miss Paul deeply
-
his contribution
to the social work
With Joel
Christine Prestly '89, died inJune
department at Augsburg College is beyond measure.
Torstenson, professor emeritus of sociology, Paul launched our social
work program and curriculum; during retirement he maintained
continuous supportive contact with faculty, staff, and students. He
was an active, enthusiastic, nurturing, wise, constructively demanding,
and forward-looking member of our advisory committee. The Steen
Family Scholarship helped fund the education of numerous social
work students of color.
1998 of liver cancer; she was 30.
Mary Ann Bayless, Elk River,
Minn., died in July after a
Paul Steen, on his
80th birthday
Until this year when he became ill, Paul regularly participated in the annual spring senior
celebration honoring the accomplishments of our students. His joy in students' learning and love
for social work were evident both in informal conversations and in formal presentations as he,
with Joel as always by his side, handed out the Steen-Torstenson Award to seniors who
exemplified the best in their class. He was a mentor and model to social work faculty.
Although we will no longer have the privilege of working with Professor Paul Steen, we will
remember his spirit and sustain his legacy of devotion to human rights, reconciliation of the
races, and social justice.
courageous four-year struggle with
breast cancer; she was 62. Bayless
joined the Augsburg faculty in 1990
as an associate professor o[
education, with a focus on teaching
health and physical education.
FollowÍng her diagnosis and
treâtment, Bayless continued to
teach for two years, and although
she was unable to teach for the past
year and a half, she continued to
play an active role in the College
community. She was a former
professor at the University of
Wyoming and the University of
Minnesota.
30
4ucsnunc ruow
Fall 2000
i
)
I
John L. Werness, Edina,
Minn., died inJuly; he was
93. He served on the
Augsburg Board oI Regents
in the 1960s. He was
president and co-founder of
Born and raised in Hunan, China, by Lutheran m¡ssionary parents, he came to the U. S. in
1939 to attend Augsburg. Upon graduating he returned to China to pursue graduate studies
until he was interned in a Japanese prison during WW ll. While imprisoned, he met Joyce
Stranks of Australia; they married in 1948 and returned to the United States, where
Ditmanson studied medicine at the University of Minnesota Medical School. He died in June
in Green Valley, Ariz.
Werness Brothers Funeral
Chapels, and past president
of the Minnesota Funeral
Directors Association and
the National Funeral
Directors Association. He
was also past president of
the Downtown Y's Service
Club and founder o[ the
Christmas Tree Project that
ln 1957, the Ditmansons moved to Taiwan and opened a clinic, which started out in their
living room and ultimately became the Chiayi Christian Hospital. ln the 1970s, the
Ditmansons also worked in the surgical unit of an improvised orthopedic hospital for the
victims of the civil war with Pakistan. They returned to the Twin Cities in 1981, where
has spread throughout the
world.
Ditmanson practiced orthopedics in a North Minneapolis clinic. From 1993-'97, the couple
made yearly trips to China to conduct teaching seminars on the rehabilitation of disabled
children under the auspices of Wheat Ridge Foundation and Amity Foundation.
Ditmanson has been honored for his service with Augsburg's Distinguished Alumni Award
as awards from the University of Minnesota Medical School and the governments of
Taiwan and Bangladesh.
as
well
Please tell us about the news
in your
life, your new job, move, marriage, and
births. We look forward to hearing
from you-and dont forget to send
Maiden name
Full name
Class year
or last year attended
photos.
Street address
We are happy to publish news of your
marriage or the birth of a baby, but it is
. not Augsburg Now's policy to publish
news of engagements or expected
City
ls
this a new
State
address?
n Yes f l
zip
No
births.
Home telephone
For news of a death, written notice is
required, e.g. an obituary funeral
notice, or program from a memorial
Employer
service.
ls spouse also a
E-mail
Position
graduate of Augsburg College?
Work telephone
n Yes n No
lf yes, class year_
Send your news ii.ems, photos, or
change of address by mail to: Augsburg
Now Class Notes, Augsburg College,
CB 146,22II Riveiside Ave.,
Spouse name
Maiden name
Your news:
Minneapolis, MN, 55454, or e-mail to
<alumni@augsburg. edu>.
We want you to stay connected to
Augsburg!
Fall 2000
,4ucsnunc ruow
31
I
A
o
On
o
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o
)
o
I
writing Augsburg's history
by Betsey Norgard
I I
Fl
ow does one aooroach the task ol
writlng the history ot a college? This was
a question I posed to Rick Nelson and Dave
Wood, authors of a soon-to-be-published
book, The Anderson Chronícles, a look inside
the Oscar A. Anderson and Charles S.
Anderson administrations at Augsburg
College, from 1963 ro 1997.
Nelson, professor emeritus of history and
recently retired after 32 years at Augsburg,
was approached by college officials shortly
after Charles Anderson retired in 1997. After
the work was commissioned, he recruited his
long-time friend and colleague David Wood,
who had taught English at the College for 13
years and who, in I976,had published a
collection of interviews with Augsburg
alumni, TellingTales out of School.
"We'd like to do something about
Augsburg in the news, about Augsburg
humor; we'd like to do interviews with the
presidents," Nelson proposed to thenacademic dean Marie McNeff, "and we'd like
to have something that would deal with the
growth and development of Augsburg, not
"We approochedit
with the ideø thøthistory
is to an institution or to society
as memory is to øn individual.
Ithelps us understand
who were are,
how we got there."
necessarily in brick and mortar .. . but mainiy
on the growth of the place as a college, as a
place of learning, as a place of community
and worship.
Professor Emeritus Richard Nelson (left) and former professor David
Wood (right) review final changes to the¡r book, The Anderson
Chronicles, which will be available at Homecoming.
"We approached it wirh the idea that
hlstory is to an institution or to society as
memory is to an individual," he said. "It
helps us understand who we are, how we
subject." Nelson added that they intend it
for both an audience that knciws Augsburg
got here. "
Nelson did the "heai.y lifting" (as Wood
all.
described it) in researching files,
publications, committee minutes, ietters,
memos, and other public documents. Wood
contributed interviews with the two
presidents emeriti and others who shaped
the iife of Augsburg during that period, as
well as chapters on other topics, some of a
light-hearted nature.
It is not a classical college history like
Professor Emeritus Carl Chrislock's
centennial histor¡ From Fjord to Freeway,
and lt is not chronological, said Wood. "l
think it's a book of essays on the same
Co1lege, but perhaps doesn't know
it
wel1,
and others who do not know Augsburg at
The Anderson Chronicles is being
published by Kirk House Publishers, and
will be available at a booksigning session
during Homecoming 2000, on October 7.
While the two-and-a-half-year project
may have been greater than either
anticipated, Nelson and Wood describe it in
terms of an opportunlty to tell Augsburg's
story from the heart.
"I told Marie [McNeff] that I was doing
it as an act of love-not as an act of faith or
act of hope, and certainly not one of
contrition, but one of love," said Nelson.
Wood wholeheartedly agreed.
lf you would líke to contribute to Auggie Thoughts, contact the edítor for submission guidelines.
Essays, poem9 photos, artutork, and other creative expressions are encouraged,
32
,4UCSSURC f{OW
Fall 20O0
_i
tt
¡l
o
tt
Music
Oct. 6
For more inJonnatiott on any oJ these events,
call (612) 330-1265.
Anita Gay Hawthorne Jazz and Poetry Bash
Ocr.29
7 p.m.-Tjornhom Nelson Theatre, Foss
Center
Nov. 3-12
Honoring Norwegian composer Knut Nystedt
on his 75th birthday
7 p.m.-Wayzata Community Church,
Buried Child
by Sam Shepard, directed byJulie Bolton
Nov. 12
Faculty Recital, Angela Wyatt, saxophone
4 p.m.-Sateren Auditorium
Nov. 20
Concert Band in concert
7 p.m.-Central Lutheran Church, 333 South
Performances: November 3,4,9,10, 1l at 7
p.m., November 5 and 12 at2:00 p.m.
ljornhom-Nelson Theatre, Foss Center
Dec. B ancl
I
Everyman
directed by Kirsten Solem
7 p.^., lornhom-Nelson Theatre, Foss
Center
12th St., Mlnneapolis
Nov.
2l
Exhibits
For gallery int'omntion, call (612) 330-1524.
Concert
Gage Family Gallery hours: Mon.- FrL.,9 a.m.- 9 p.m;
Sat.,9 a.m.- 5 p.m.; Sun., noon - 5 p.m.
Dec.
1
Velkommen Jul
li a.m.-3 p.m., Christensen Center
Dec. 1 and 2
Advent Vespers
Dec. 1-6 and 9 p.m., Central Lutheran
Church, 333 South 12 St., Minneapolis
Dec.2-5 and B p.m., Central Lutheran
Church,333 South 12 St., Minneapolis
Dec. 10
Sept.B-Oct.
19
"lslamic Prayer Rugs: A Creed in Color"
Sacred Arts Exhibition Series
Gage Family Art Gallery, Lindell Library
Opening reception, Sept. 8, 6-9 p.m.
Nov. 3-Dec. 14
"Black, White, and Red All Over"
Lee Anne Swanson
Gage Family Gallery, Lindell Library
Opening reception, Nov 3, 6-9 p.m.
4 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Seminars, Lectures, and Films
Däc. B ancl 9
Sept.
i4
Annual Benefit Concert and Silent Auction,
lllus. lecture on William Gilbert, physician
Center for Global Education
Featuring Marty Haugen and Mary Preus
to Queen Elizabeth l, and author of the
first scientific study of magnetism.
7p
-.-
Hoversten Chapel
David Stern, theoretical physicist, NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center
7
p.^
, Location TBA
For information, call (6L2) 330-1067.
Theatre
Sept. 24
2000 Christensen Symposium
Scenes ftom Galileo, by Bertolt Brecht
7 p.m.-Foss Center
1l a.m.-Convocation on Galileo,
Hoversten Chapel
For information, call (612) 330-II80.
Oct. 19-20
"God after Darwin"
John Haught, Landegger Distinguished
Professor Theology, Georgetown University
Oct. 19, 7 p.m.-Public Lecture, Hoversten
Chapel
I I a.m.-Convocation, Hoversten Chapel
For information, call (612) 330-1180.
Oct.24
10:30-1
1
:40 a.m., Hoversten Chapel
Oct. 30
The Rev. Mitri Raheb, Christmas Lutheran
Church in Bethlehem, Palestine
10 a.m., Hoversten Chapel
Nov 9-10
"History of Scientific Creationism"
Ronald Numbers, William Coleman Professor
of History of Science and Medicine, University
of Washinton
Nov. 9, 7 p.m.-Public Lecture, Hoversten
Chapel
Nov. 10, 10 a.m.-Convocation, Hoversten
Chapel
For information, call (612) 330-t 180.
Jazz Ensemble Concert
For ticket information, call the Center for
Global Education, (612) 330-1159.
Hoversten Chapel
The Rev. Jean Vanier, founder of the
UArche Community
Chamber Orchestra and Chamber Music
7 p.m.-Sateren Auditorium
Sept. 25, 7 p.m.-Evening Convocation,
Sept. 26,
Masterworks Chorale of Augsburg College
Wayzata
Sept. 24, 7 p.m.-Readings from Bertolt
Brecht's Galileo, Foss Center
Sepr. 24-26
2000 Christensen Symposium
"Changing Cosmologies and the Church"
Owen Gingerich, senior astronomer,
Smithsonian Astrophysicai Observatory, and
professor of astronomy and of the history of
science, Harvard University
Other Events
Oct. 5-B
Homecoming 2000
"Rememberlng Old Main: 100 Years,100
Memories"
See
calendar of events on p. 23.
Oct. 15
Augsburg Sunday in area churches
For information, call (612) 330-1732.
Dec.
I
Velkommen Jul
I0:15 a.m, Hoversten Chapel
lI a.m.-3 p.m., Christensen Center, featuring
Scandinavian treats and Hardanger fiddle
music
HoxonrNc rHE 2000 DrsrrNcursngD AlurlrNr
Oscar A. Anderson'38, David Cherwien'79, Ellen (Stenberg)
Erickson'51, and Annette (Hoversten) Hanson'68
Snlur-rNc rHE Golo¡N ANNlvrnsARy
Cless oF 1950
and the reunion classes of 1960, L975, and 1990.
LOOx FOR DETAILS INSIDE IN THE SPECIAL SECTIoN,
PAGES
23.26.
HOMECOMING 2OOO
October 5-B
YrÀns,
/.åt l( i,5Ïå{
(:.1'
lT ( ì
() " f, " [, " {-i " G " lli
I
Riversiclc Avcnuc
Mrnnca¡rolis, MN 55454
221
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
lVinneapolis, lVìN
Permit No. 2031
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¡a
/¡
Those last few lazy, hazy, crazy days
reparing ths lall issue brings home
the realiLy that summer is nearly
gone. Poet Elinor Wylie described thls
time of year as "summer, so much too
beautiful to stay"; and we also must
come to grips with the ephemerality of
lhe season, as hot and ...
Show more
¡a
/¡
Those last few lazy, hazy, crazy days
reparing ths lall issue brings home
the realiLy that summer is nearly
gone. Poet Elinor Wylie described thls
time of year as "summer, so much too
beautiful to stay"; and we also must
come to grips with the ephemerality of
lhe season, as hot and dry as this one
has been in Minneapolis.
Life is differenl on campus during
the summer. As most students and many
faculty depart for travel, research, work,
or vacatÌon, completely different
populations arrive to keep our residence
halls and buildings full.
In this issue, we look at life at
Augsburg during the summer, for a
couple of reasons. One is to illustrate
Augsburg's outreach to populations other
than our college-age students-junior
high and high school students, church
groups, educators, and other
þ
f
organizations. Photos from their campus
activities tell their stories.
PIus, many ol our own communit-y
who are not here these three months
miss the chance to see the campus at its
most beautiful, when flowers surround
the benches and the canopy of trees in
the quad offers a welcomed respite from
the ci.ty's heat.
After hearing a number of comments
on how especially beautifui the campus
looks this summer, we invited the
Augsburg community to wander around
with cameras and capture on film the
places or settings that were especially
appealing to them. See our feature called
"Home Sweet ... Campus."
Lest we bestow too much attentlon
on place, we are reminded on our
Auggie Thoughts page thal the real
future of this College is not in a splendid
campus, but in the "nurture of
distinctive attitudes toward truth and
life, toward God's good creation, and His
beloved human famÌ1y"
This was written by President
Emeritus Oscar A. Anderson tn a I976
column in which he eloquently discusses
the impact on Augsburg made by his
predecessor, Bernhard M. Christensen.
We reprint thls column as we mark
the t00th anniversary of the birth of
Christensen in October.
Enjoy the few remaining days of this
"too beautiful" season.
Ww
Betsey Norgard
Letters to
the editor
¡F ongratulations on your great innerL.ity involvemenl program, especially
on the Cedar-Riverside School and the
Tiinity Lutheran Church Wednesday Night
Out program. These are "textbook
examples" of the kinds of things that make
for real social change and lasting peace
and understanding in the world.
It was for the same reason that as an
Augsburg undergraduate my reaction to
the assassination of President Kennedy was
to start the Children's Groups program at
Augsburg. We went door to door in the
neighborhood signing up the children and
then met with them weekly in small
groups for crafts and games and social
interaction. I don't know how long the
program lasted after I left but I've kept up
my involvement with kids having taught
for 35 years (15 of them with gifted kids).
I'm also very involved in ecological causes,
supporl the Museum of Tolerance, and
have worked against the death penalty But
after reading the summer AugsburgNow,
I've never been so proud to be an alumna
of Augsburgl Carry on-the world needs
you. By the wa¡ what are you doing about
ecological issues?
Editor
-Cathenne
tr
(Wehner)
O sman'
65
Editor's note:
,s
We'll respond to Ms. Osman abour ecology
in our curriculum, but would also enjoy
hearing from alumni who are working
with ecology and environmental issues for
a future stor;r
s
o.
We welcome your letters!
Please
write to:
Editor
AugsburgNow
2211 Riverside Ave., CB 145
Minneapolis, MN 55+54
Many members of the Augsburg community, such as this in-line skate¿
take time out to enjoy summer's colors on the College câmpus. Turn to the
stor¡es on pages 1O and 12 to explore life at Augsburg during the summer.
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Fax: 612-330-1780
Phone: 612-330-llBI
Letters for publication must be signed and include
your name, class year, and da¡ime telephone number
They may be edited for length, clarity, and style.
I
AvcsBuRG Now
Vol.64 No. 1
Fall 2001
Features
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
22ll Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55454.
Summer in the City ...
at Augsburg
Betsey Norgard
Editor
Kids and teachers, wrestlers, and musicians
Lynn Mena
1
spent their time on campus this summer.
Assistant Editor
Kathy Rumpza
Graphic Designer
llllilliam V. Frâme
President
Dan Jorgensen
Director of Public Relations and
Communication
2
Nancy Toedt'94
Director of Alumni and Parenr
Relations
Opinions expressed h Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
I
rssN l058-1545
6
E
E
ü
official CoÌlege policy
Postmaster: Send correspondence,
name changes, and address
Augsburg
C olle ge, øs
ffirmed
in its mission, does not
iliscriminøte on the basis of race,
color, creed, religion, national or
ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual
orientation, mdrital status, status
with regard to public assistance,
or disability in its education
p olicie s, admissions p olicies,
scholarship ønil loan programs,
athletic andlor school
ailminis tere il pro gr ams, e xcep t
ín those instances where reli$on
is a bona fiile occupational
qualiJication. Augsburg Colle ge
is committed to providing
reøsonable accommo ilations to
its employees and íts stuilents.
www.augsburg.edu
the Augsburg campus.
The Apartment: Campus
Living for Today's Students
by Judy Petree
Campus liJe is changing as colleges seeh to heep
students on campus with new independent,
ap ar tment- style re sidenc e halls.
corrections ro: Augsburg N ow,
Office of Public Relations and
Communication, 221 I Riverside
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454.
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
TÞlephone: 612-330-1 181
Fax: 612-330-I780
Home Sweet ... Campus
Aphoto essay descnbes the sumnterbeauty on
1
9 trr" Legacy of Mayo Savold
Departments
2
Around the Quad
I
Sports
21
Alumni News
23
26
32
Homecoming Preview
inside
back
cover
Class Notes
Auggie Thoughts
Calendar
On the cover:
Ph o to gr aph
e
r
Er Lh
tenb ahh en
of
conversation on the Augsburg
quad. @2000
Stenb ahhen/
str:nbahhen.com
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-consumer waste)
S
caught a quiet moment
t
a
I o
t ¡¡ I
Augsburg receives $500,000
from UlLM. Keck Foundation
A
a
O
The 2001
Christensen
Symposium
Augshurg College News Service
A;å::ä,1ä:.
a half
million-
dollar grant by the
WM
Keck
Foundation of Los
Angeles to support
the development of
statistical literacy
Prof'Miloschield
as an
interdisciplinary
curriculum in the liberal arts. This
interdiscipiinary project will help bridge
the gap between formal mathematical
statistics and informal critical thinking,
beiween experimental studies and
observational studies in the physical
sciences, and between the sociai sciences
and the humanities.
The goal of this project is to reform
the teachÌng of statistics to include the use
of observationaliy based statistics. Milo
Schield, business administration professor,
is the project leader and organizer of the
proposal.
This is the first time the WM. Keck
Foundation, one of the top national
science funding foundations, has awarded
a grant to Augsburg College.
John Knight, director of corporate and
foundation relations, calls this "groundbreaking" for the College. Guided and
driven by Augsburg 2004, Augsburg has the
opportunity to forward its vision through
this project, create a new dlscipline that
informs and is informed by orher academic
disciplines, and extend the value of this
work to instructors across the U.S.
During the three-year project, Schield
will be responsible for writing a statistical
iiteracy text that is useful to students and
usable by faculty in various disciplines.
There will also be a phase for training
teachers and testing materials. Elght other
faculty members will be team-teaching
wirh schield.
This project will introduce new ways
of thinking about age-old problems in
statistical education and ultimately in al1
ol undergraduate education,
Augsburg Concert Band tours lreland
StalJ photo
fhe 65-member Augsburg
I Con..tt Band toured ]reland
for 12 days in May, perlorming
aL
schools, churches, and pubs. Led
by Professor Robert Stacke'71,
the tour also included
performances by the Augsburg
JazzEnsemble and Gospel Praise.
The tour wasn't all
performances. "We really tried to
build the students not just in
performance, but educationally as
well," Stacke said. Guided
The Augsburg Concert Band performs at Colaiste
informational tours in Derry
Muire School, a secondary school for girls in Ennis,
Dublin, and Calway were just a
Augsburg student band members Brendan
few of the stops along the way
Anderson and Ben Duane were also played
This tour, "Music of the Americas,"
For photos of the Augsburg Concert
featured works by composers throughout
Band in lreland, r,rsit <www.augsburg.edu/
the Americas (including ArgentÌna, Mexico,
music/lreland>.
Cuba, and the U.S.). Compositions by
September 23-24,2001
"Global and Local Neighbors:
Christian Faith across Cultures"
o
o
T:i,13,:i,."
à
Symposium features
a leading scholar of
!
;l
Õ
U
world Chrlstianit¡
Dr. Lamin Sanneh,
the D. WillisJames .
Dr. Lamin Sanneh
Professor of
Missions and World
Christianity at Yale University
A naturalized U.S. citizen, he was
educated on four continents. He has been
actively involved in Yale's Council on
African Studies and is an editor-at-large of
the ecumenical weekl¡ The Christian
Century. His work includes more than
100 articles on religious and historical
subjects, and several books.
This year's Christensen Symposium
features a musical worship celebration on
Sunday, Sept. 23, with choirs from global
cultural traditions. Dr. Sanneh will
present the homily FollowÌng this service,
conversations about global Christianity
will continue in smaller groups.
Sunda¡ September,
23-
"Celebrating Christianity in Global Cultures"
3:30 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
Musical worshlp celebration with
choirs stemming from Liberia, lndia,
Oromia, Latin America, the Hmong
tradition, and the Agora Ministries
Choir. Homily by Dr. Lamin Sanneh.
5 p.m.-Foss Center
Group conversations, "Getting to Know
Our Neighbors: A New World to
Explore." Join discussion with
Christians from different parts of the
world.
6 p.m.-East Commons, Christensen Center
Light supper-RS\? to
Monda¡ September
6
l2-330-1 160.
24-
"Race, Culture, and Chrìstian Mission"
10 a.m., Convocation-Hoversten Chapel,
Foss Center
2
,+UGSBURG NoW
Fall 2001
.1
I
The Maroon & Silver Society leads the way
Aîi*tï.ffiïTffiiî:;::T'
In appreciation for their
leadership opponunity for Augsburg
alumni and friends to help current
students. Maroon 6¡ Silver Society donors
pledge to sponsor an Augsburg
scholarship for four years, with gifts
ranging from $1,000 to more than
$10,000 per yeat.
Augsburg College has steadfastly
maintained its commitment to keeping an
Augsburg education affordable for the
broadest range of diverse and talented
students. Toda¡ 81 percent of Augsburg
students receive some form of financial
assistance, made possible in part by the
generosity,
generous financial commitment of
Maroon 6¡ Silver Society members.
"The Maroon 6¡ Silver Society is the
College's highest fundraising priority,
needed to create a solid foundation of
annual financial suppoft essential to
attracting and retaining outstandi.ng
meet students
benefiting from
students," explains Donna Mclean,
director of The Augsburg Fund, the
College's annual fund. "Charter members
of the Maroon & Silver Society encourage
others to join them Ìn building the 'living
endowment' provided by an annual
Augsburg continues to provide students
with an academic and spiritual
foundation that not oniy prepares them
for their life's work, but also to lead as
thoughtful citizens," say Maroon 6¡ Silver
Society members Philip '79 and Julia
(Davis) '79 Styrlund. "We are committed
fund."
Maroon 6¡ Silver
Society members
will be invited to
special Maroon 6q
Silver events and
receive special
updates from the
president on the
College's
progress.
Members will
also have the
opportunity to
their support at
an annual event.
"As alums,
we are proud to
watch
President and Mrs. Frame hosted the Maroon & Silver Society
inaugural event in June at Augsburg House. (L to R) Mert Johnson
'59, JoAn Johnson, President Frame, Anne Frame, Normâ Hall, and
John Paulson.
as
to doing our part to insure that today's
dynamic and talented students have the
same opportunity we had to obtain an
outstanding education at Augsburg."
For information, call Donna Mclean,
director of The Augsburg Fund, at 612330-1179 or I-800-273-0617; or send
e-mail to <mclean@augsburg.edu>.
YFI hosts church leaders
F\r. Martrn Martv
lJ*u, one of the
o
o
s.
Þ
r^
featured speakers at
the Youth and
Family Institute's
fourth annual
Augsburg and the StepUP program volunteer advisory board
will recognize Tad and Cindy Piper for their leadership gift
toward an endowed position in the StepUP program at a
special event on Oct. 26, at7 p.m. in Hoversten Chapel. Earl
Hightower, noted authority on addiction intervention and
international
ecumenical
conference this
summer, which
brought 155 people
treatment coordination, will be the keynote speaker.
Augsburg's StepUP program is one of only three such
programs in the country and unique in several aspects. lt
assists Augsburg students in recovery from alcohol and drug
addiction in achieving academic success.
For ticket information, call Kara Malmgren after Sept. 1
612-330-1405.
from nine major
denominations,
representing six
countries.
at
The Rev. Martin Marty
Fall 200f
,4ucssunc
ñrow
3
Around the Quad
The 2001 -O2 Augsburg Convocation Series
Race: Dividing and Uniting
f
he lace and shapc ol American society
I is radically ehanging. While racinl
issues have and still do drvrde us and
deserve serious attention, we look for
ways to embrace racial diversity in one
socì.ety and internationally that champion
freedom, justice, compasslon, and
Monday, October 22, 200'l
"Counting incidents or Telling Tiagedies?
Writing the History of Worklng Class Race
Relations"
10 a.m., ConvocatÌon-Hoversten Chapel,
Foss Center
equality of opportunity.
November 15*16,2001
THE 2OO1 CHRISTENSEN SYMPOSIUM
"The Influence of Afro-American Culture
on American Music"
September 23-24,2001
"Global and Local Neighbors: ChrÌstian
Faith across Cultures"
Sunday, September,23
3:30 p.m., Musical worship, Hoversten
Thursda¡ November 15
7 p.*., AugsburgJazz Ensemble Concert
Frida¡ November
16
10 a.m., Convocation-Hoversten Chapel,
Chapel, Foss Center-"Celebrating
Foss Center
Christianity in Global Cultures"
Dr. William C. Banfield, Endowed Chair in
Humanities and Fine Arls, associate
professor of music, and director of the
American Cultural Studies Program at the
UniversÍty of St. Thomas. He will use the
Jazz Ensemble to illustrate the role of
Black music in shaping American identity.
5 p.m., Group conversations, Foss
Center-"Getring to Know Our
Neighbors: A New World to Explore"
6 p.-., Light supper, East Commons,
Christensen Center
Monday, September 24
10 a.m., Convocation, Hoversten Chapel,
Foss Center-"Race, Culture, and
Christian Missìon"
Dr. Lamin Sanneh, D. WlllisJames
Professor of Missions and World
Christianity and professor of hÌstory, Yale
University, with choirs represenLing
cultural groups from around the world.
Monday, October 8, 2001
"An Evening with Maya Angelou"
7:30 p.m.-Melby Cymnasium
Dr. Maya Angelou, award-winning poet,
educator, historian, actress, p1a1'wright,
civil rights activist, producer, and
director.
General admission tickets are available
Sept. 15 from TicketWorks at
<wwwticketworks.com> or 6L2-3433390. Free admission for Augsburg
students, faculty, and staff.
4
1+UGSBURG NOW
Monday, January 21, 20Oz
"HealÌng the Violence of Racism"
Chapel, Foss Center
Nontombi Naomi Tutu is program
coordinator, Race Relations Institute at
Fisk Unlversit¡ and instrucior in the
School of Education, University of
Connecticut-Storrs, and is the third
daughter of Archbishop Desmond Tìrtu
Wednesday, February 27, 2002
"The Changing Face of Minnesota and the
Twin Cities: The Contribution and
Consequences of RaceÆthnicity from the
Census 2000"
l0
Cultural Quest"
1 1: 15 a.m., MinÌ-convocation-Hoversten
Chapel, Foss Center
Theater Mu, the premier Asian American
theatre company in the Miclwest, will
present taího, the ancient Japanese
expression ol communal unÌt¡ and a
theatre piece explorÌng issues of Asian and
Asian American identity.
THE 2OO2 BATALDEN SEMINAR IN
APPLIED ETHICS
April4-5,2002
"Affirmative Action: Rethinking the
Martin Luther King, Jr., Convocation:
I p.m.,-Hoversten
Tuesday, March 19, 2002
"Theater Mu: Drumming, Ritual, and
a.m., Convocation-Hoversten Chapel,
Foss Center
Claims olJustice"
Thursda¡ April4
"Affirmative Action: Solution or Problem?"
7
p.^., Public lecture-Hoversten
Chapel,
Foss Center
Friday,
April5
'Justice over Time: The Fathers Have
Eaten Sweet Grapes and Their Children's
Teeth Are Set on Edge"
10 a.m., Convocation-Hoversten Chapel,
Foss Center
ll
a.m., Panel discussion
Dr. Darryl Trimiew, dean of Black church
studies andJohn Price Crozer Professor of
Christian Social Ethics, Colgate Rochester
Divinity SchooV Crozer Theological
Seminary He will examine the changing
attitude toward affirmative action and why
justìce is best understood as an ongoing
process over
time.
I
Unless otherwise noted, all events are Jree
and open to the public.
F or
inf orntation, c all
6 1 2 -3 3 0 - 1 1
80.
l1
a.m., Panel discussion
Dr. Tom Giliaspy, Minnesota stâte
demographer
Fall 2OOf
I
Masterworks Chorale sings Martin Lutherthe opera
by Maria rhompson
and have worked with him. Plus, the opera
needs a good-size chorus."
Staglng the U.S. prerniere of Luther at
Central Lutheran Church is no accident.
The production was designed with Central
specifically in mind. "I have visited Central
many times while participating in past
Reformation Festivals," said Tikka. "The
congregational singing was tremendous. I
had never heard anything like it! From
1996 on I had visions of creating
something for Central. Lutlrcr ishighly
inspirecl by this wonderful church which is
at irs best when crowded with spirit-filled
1J*rongtlt to put the two together. But
spend a few minutes with Karì Tikka or
Gracia Grindal and you'll think differently.
Their passion for the Luther production lets
you know that this is something
extraordinary. lt highlights the remarkable
story of Martin Luther, his struggles, loves,
and all-out battles with Satan. The U.S.,
Englishlanguage premiere, wili be at
Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis,
Ocl25-27.
Kari Tikka, a conductor with the
Finnish National Opera, composed,
condr¡cts, and co-wrote the libretto for
Luther. Gracia Grindal '65, professor of
rhetoric at Luther Seminary, serves as the
.translator and artistic director for the U.S.
premiere. Composed originally in Finnish,
the production prerniered in Helsinki,
Finland, to sold-out performances and
excellent reviews in December 2000.
The six Finnish National Opera
prÌncipals lrom this production will
perform in Minneapolis, joined by
Augsburg's Masterworks Chorale and a
26-piece orchestra. For Masterworks,
Augsburg's choÌr of alumni, students, and
cclnrnrunrty lriends. Lhis is a rare
opportunity. "The connection with Gracia
and our Lutheran heritage makes this a
perfectly natural ht," says Peter
Hendrickson '76, director of Augsburg
choral activrties, "and I l<now Kari Tikka
Fall 2001
<www.luthersem. edu/Luther>.
Mana Thompson is director
oJ
I
cotnmunication
at Luther Seminary.
voices."
¡F\pera. Luther. You may have never
Luther Seminary's 2001 Reformation
Festival. It is presented by Luther
Seminary, Central Lutheran Church,
Augsburg College, the Finnish National
Opera, and Lutheran Brotherhood.
Tickets can be ordered through
TicketWorks-$ 12.50 for general
admission, and $10 for students and
seniors. Visit <www.tlcketworks.com> or
call 612-343 -3390. For additional
inlormation on Luf he r, visit
Tikka had been thinking about a
production on Martin Luther for quite
some time and is convinced that Luther
has a lot to say to those of us in the 2lst
century. "This theme-Luther-has been in
my mind for more than 20 years," he said.
"Luther's theology has been vitally
important to me. Salvation is 100 percent
God's gift. Faith, too, is a gift. After reading
much of Luther 7 realized I had gone
through similar tnals and tribulations. I
wrote thÌs opera so that many would hear,
see, and understand that God in his son
Jesus has gone through all of our battles
and won for us llberty."
Unlike most operas, the audience is
encouraged to sing along in Luther.
Between scenes the audiences sing
several of Luther's hymns.
Congregational choirs will be "planted"
throughout the sanctuary to lead the
singing.
Although Luther's theology and
life story have been in print for
nearly 400 hundred years, this is a
first in the form of an opera.
"Opera is a wonderlul way to tell
stories," said Tj.kka. "It's not only
music. It's also theater. It's visuallÌghts, costumes, sets-and it's llve.
Opera can touch the mind and
soul in ways that words alone
cannot. At its best, opera can be
psychoanalysis or pastoral care."
Luther is the centerpiece of
!
c
Martin and Katie Luther are portrayed by Finnish
National Opera singers in the production to be staged
at Central Lutheran Church in October,
,4ucsnunc
ruow
5
Women of action to speak at Augsburg
AUGSBURG COLLEGE WELCOMES
four dynamic women to camplls ¡his fall:
Sarah Weddington, the attorney who
snccessfully argued Roe y. Wade before the
U.S. Supreme Court; Dr. Maya Angelou,
accLaimed author, poet, actor, and activist;
Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a psychosexual
therapist; and Judy Shepard, mother of
hate crime victim Matthew Shepard.
Built around issues of diversity, the
"Women in Action" speaker series is
sponsored by the Augsburg Student
Activities Councrl (ASAC), with support
"WOMEN IN ACTION"
For times and location, see the calendar on the inside back cover
Tuesda¡ September
l8
Sarah Weddington
"Some Leaders are Born Women"
I
from other campus departments and
Monda¡ October
Anthony Shane Florìst. The four women
bring messages of strength and action to
their presentations-Maya Angelou's
Dr. Maya Angelou
"An Evening with Maya Angelou"
Ticket info: www.ticketworks.com or 612-343-339O
creative gifts and experience, Judy
Shepard's message of tolerance, Sarah
Weddington's articulation of leadership
roles for women, and Dr. Ruth's humorous
treatment ol contemporary issues.
The events are free and open to the
public, with the exception of Angelou's
presentation. Tickets for "An Evening with
Maya Angelou" are available through
TicketWorks, 612-343 -3390 or
<www. ticketworks.com>.
o
o
Tuesda¡ November 6
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
"Sexually Speaking with Dr. Ruth"
Thursday, December 6
Judy Shepard
"The Legacy of Matthew Shepard"
Social Work
ñ
students visit
Slovenia
I
,c
Six Augsburg graduate and
undergraduate social work students
spent two weeks in Slovenia with
Professor Laura Boisen studying family
and child welfare services as compared to
those in the U,S. Next summer Slovenian
students will come to Augsburg as part
of the ongoing partnership with the
University of tjubljana.
Pictured in the dining room of Prof. Gabi
Cacinovic Vogrincic are: (back row, L to R)
Prof. Lea Bohinc, University of Ljubljana;
Prof, Laura Boisen; Erika Rosted; Tanja
Medvesek; Charley Price; Nin Sadovsky,
Simona Hrvatin; (front row, L to R) Kristy
Bleichner; Lyra Peterson; Prof, Vogrincic;
Tina Mihic; Dragana Kojic; Robin Hesser,'
(kneeling) Rachel Olson; V¡oleta Potocnik.
6
,+UGSBURG NoW
Fall 2001
-
A conversation with Maya Angelou
by Thomas B, Howard, tr,,'O2
RECENTLY HAD A CHANCE
to speak with Dr. Maya Angelou
in anlicipation ol her visil Lo
Augsburg. Excerpts lrom that
conversation follow.
TH: My first question ... what do you
leel is one o[ the most important issues
facing today's college student?
MA: There is a full length of issues and it
is hard to say which is most important. I
think we are in a kind ol moral crisis in
our countr)¿ Young men and women have
had a scarcity ol people to pattern after;
that is, role rnodels are few and far
between when 1t comes to morality I will
probably speak at length about heroes and
sheroes because I think people live in
direct relation to whom they have access.
And, I'm sorry to say, a number of young
people have chosen as their rnentors and
role models mega stars-a lot of people
who are featured in the tablords and on
the silver screen and so for¡h. Quite often
those are people who wouldn't give a fig if
those young people lived or died.
So, my encouragement is to look in
the family, look in the church, look in the
synagogue, in the temple; look around the
school, Iook in history for people who had
enough courage to live lives that mean
something ... [a lifel that 1s uplifting and
encouraging and healing. I think that that
'is one of the crises.
TH: Many students go to school
thinking "I am going to school so I can
get a job," not "I'm going to school to
learn a vocation." What are your
thoughts on vocation versus just getting
a job, and how have you defined your
vocation?
The young
man or woman
a
who follows her
passion or follows
his heart is more
likely to succeed
than the person
who follows the
paycheck. If you
find something
you love to do
and you stay in
school and you get the training in how to
do it, then it is likely you will succeed,
and in every way That is following the
passion. Reall¡ it is likely you will do well
financially and in other tangible ways il
you follow your heart and your passion.
That is when vocation really is your
calling-it is more than a 1ob.
fauna. So arnong human beings there is
diversity among looks and personality
and attitudes. It is wonderful to have
those, we are enrichecl. We are made to
see ourselves and others, rnade to see
ne\M things. To hear new ways of
describing the sunrise makes you see
the sunrise with a dilferent value.
We should have it in our lives and
understand that the tapestry of iife is
made up of many colors and threads.
No color is rnore valuable than the
other or less. No thread more precious
or less than the other. They all make up
the tapestry of life.
TH: Diversity has become al¡uzz t-errn
lately and in some ways may become a
cliché. How do you define diversity and
MA: My encouragement would be to
give out a song-a spirirual, which is
There is a BaIm in Gilead. It's wonderful.
(Singinþ There is abalm tn Gilead, to heal
s
s
what role does it play in a human being
becoming more tolerant?
MA: Just the use of the word has reduced
what it originally meant, much like love,
I'm sorry to say Love is the most powerful
condition on the planet and maybe in the
universe. I love those socks. I love that
sitcom. It is sad that diversity has fallen
prey l-o that as wel1.
The truth is, it is in diverslty that we
enrich our lives. That is true in one family,
it's true in a house. Il we had a house that
had one color, the interior one color, and
no rellef 1n sight, it would just run us
rnad. If we ate the same meals at breakfast,
dinner, and supper-I knoq I seem to be
reducing the large meaning to something
that is meaning less, but i am afraid it is
TH: What guidance would you offer
college-age students who are fearful
of change and yet have the desire to
help others and to make a difference?
the sin sich soul. There is a balm tn Gtlead,
to make the wounded whole, to mahe the
wounded whole. If vou cannot preachlihe
Jesus, and cannot singlihe Paul, you can
tell the world of Jesus and say he díed t'or
all. There is abalm ín Gilead.
I did not thrnk of the verse as
much as I thought ol the refrain-there
is a balm, the idea is in their coming to
a place where they can find the ba1m,
which can heal not only their sÌtuation,
but prepare them to heal the world. I
-Thomas
Howard'02 is a senior in
social worh and is the major events chair
the Augsburg Stu(lent Activities
Council, co-commissioner o.f Queer and
Straight in Unity, and a McNair Scholar.
for
not meaningless.
MA: I have many I am happy to say I am
writer, that's how I deline myselI, br-lt on
the other hand I am a teacher. I used to
think I was a writer who could teach, but
over the last few years I think I am a
teacher who writes. I do love to teach.
Fall 2001
a
We physÌcally and intellectually and
spintually need diversity. God has
For the complete interview, visit the Now
Ortline at <www augsburg. edu/now>.
provided us with the diversity of the
seasons and the diversity of flora and
,4ucs¡uRc
rr¡ow
7
Swenson earns top coach
honors, named to new
athlgtic position
byDon stoner
ïen to earn
Athletic Hall of
Fame honors
by Don Stoner
Chafles
fl
ugsburg College wrestling
AÏ3':ïif,".'J.i:i.l'iläî::ff ;:,,
Ar
r coach
,,,r, r-rr. Swenson has
Flheacl
Jell
the annual Athletic Hall of Fame banquet.
Ten former Auggre student-athletes will be
inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame:
received both honors and a new
job this summer.
InJuly, Swenson, who has
coached the Auggie wrestling team
.
.
.
.
.
to seven NCAA Division III
national championships in the last
11 seasons, was named Lutheran
College Coach of the Year by the
Lutheran Brotherhood financial
services firm.
"While there are
a
lot of
Lutheran
rr
colleges' lew nave Deen aDle^to
matchJeff's team tradition of
winning champlonships while
Augsburg wrestling head coach Jeff Swenson (center)
watches the action, along with assistant coaches John
Pena, Dan Lewandowski (to swenson's left), and Scott
whiriey (to Swenson,s right) during the MtAc Team
Duals at Augsburg in February.
successful coaches at
maintaining academic success," said
Swenson was inducted into the Augsburg
David Angstadt, Lutheran Brotherhood's
cnrel marKetrng olïlcer, ln presentlng
-, --- - o tne
'
nonor to t*tttlt
^ ,, nameq
ln /î'ugust, tne LoLlege
5wenson to a newly-crealecl posrtron ol"
lnre'm asslsranr oean 1or arnle*cs ano
recreatron. In [nls posil"ron, >wenson will
.
super\nse tne mens ano womens atnletrc
departments, along with the athletic
.,1
.
,
lacrlrtres deparlmen[. He wlll retarn nrs
wresttlng nead-coacnrng responsrDrlrtres,
but wil give up responsibirities as assistan,
athletic direcLor and College
-o-strength
o and
conclltlonlng coacn
A,1979 Augsburg graduate, Swenson
was nameo wresllrng neact coacn rn 19öu,
and has coached at Augsburg lor 19
seasons (1980-84, l986-present). He
received his master's degree in health from
the university of Minnesota in 1982.
Collese AthLetic HalL ol Fame in 1999.
During his coaching tenure, Augsburg
has earned an NCAA-recorcl seven Division
national championships, and has
finished in the top lour in Lhe naLion 16
times. includins the last l3 seasons in a
row Aussburs has won the Minnesola
TII
Intercollegiate Athletic conference
wrestlinq title l8 times under Swenson, has
linished in the toD lour in the NCAA
Division iII national tournament in each of
the last I 3 seasons, and finished in the top
20 nationally every year since 1971. He
has earned National wrestiing coaches
.
.
.
.
.
Dick Bain'80 (men's hockey)
Jeff Blixt '77 (wrestling)
Greg Boone '81 (men's basketball)
John Fahlberg'68 (football, baseball)
Julie (Goldstein) Yeazle'83 (women's
basketball, softball)
Ronnie Henderson'Bl (men's basketball)
Wllliam Lundgren'73 (men's hockey,
footbali)
Phil Olson '76 (men's soccer)
Carolyn Ross '89 (women's track
and field)
Karen (Sterner) Engel'87 (women's
track and field)
The Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame
was established in 1973 to recognize male
athletes who made special contributions to
the Coliege's athletlc history In 1989,
female athletes were first inducted into the
hall. Recipients are chosen each year on the
basis of performance in Augsburg athletics,
service to the school, civic and professional
achievements, and leadership.
a
s.
Association (NWCA) Division lll National
coach of the Year honors five times (1983'
I
1991' 1995' 1998' and 2000)'
-Don
stoner is sports ínformation coordinator
Dedication of Edor Nelson Field o Sat., Sept. 22, at 1 p.m. r Augsburg v5. St. John's University
Pre-game brunch and program, 10 a.m., Christensen Center
For information, call Norm Okerctrom, 612-330-1616
8
4UGSBURG NoW
.
Dedication during game halftime
,',
Edor Nelson '39 in a baseball
coaching photo from the 1950s.
Fall 2001
Top student-athletes earn awards
I n May, live Auggies earned Honor Athlctc
I clcsignation, the highest honor the
pnrt ol three Division liI
national title tearns. A
College gives its senior student-athletes.
ln addition, Augsburg Leadership in
Women's Athletics awards were awarded to
seniors Brenda Selander and Cassi Van
Ausdall, and earning Augsburg Male
Athlete o[ the Year honors were Ben Bauer
management
ancl Ryan Mclntosh.
Athletic awards are voted on by
coaches in Augsburg's men's and women's
information systems
major with a 3.0 GPA,
Lewandowski earned
National Wrestling
Coaches Association
Scholar All-America honors twice, and was
team co-captain his junior and senior
seasons.
athletic departments.
2000-01 Augsburg Honor Athletes
Todd Boerboom-
vol1eybal1 and women's
hockey, Rieger earned
A11-MIAC honors twlce
A four-year starter
and Lutheran
1n
football, Boerboom was
a team co-captain his
senior year. A
marketing and
management double
major with a 3.652
grade-point-average, Boerboorn earned
MIAC Academic All-Conference honors
three times, and Verlzon Academic Al1District honors twice.
Jaime
Kingsley-
A team leader in
women's basketball and
cross country, KÌngsley
was a team co-captain
rn both sports her
senior year. In cross
country, she was the
team's consistent No. 4 runner, as well as a
rnember of the track and fieid team for two
years. ln basketball, Kingsley earned AllMIAC first-team honors. An Augsburg
President's Scholar and biology (pre-med)
major with a 3.8 GPA, Kingsley earned
MIAC Academic All-Conference Honor
Roll honors three times. She was a Verizon
Academlc All-District first-team selectÌon in
basketball this season.
Nik Lewandowski earned four AllAmerica honors and four MIAC individual
championshrps, a feat just three other
Auggies have ever accomplished. He was a
Fall 2001
Angie Rieger-An AllMIAC selection in both
Brotherhood Lutheran
College All-Amerlca
mention
honors her senior year.
honorable
hocke¡
Rieger holds every
In women's
single-season ancl career scoring record. She
earned All-Amerlca honors three times and
National Player ol the Year finalist honors
twÌce, in addition to being named MIAC
Player of the Year herjunior and senior
years. An international business major with
a 3.8 GPA, RÌeger earned MIAC Academic
All-Conference Honor Roll honors three
times in both volieyball and hockey, and
became the first Augsburg student-athlete to
earn Verizon Academic All-District firstteam honors in two sports in a single school
year, in volleyball and falVwinter at-large
(hockey) Ìn 1999-00.
byDonstoner
2000-01 Augsburg Leadership in
Women's Athlet¡cs Award Winners
Brenda Selander-Augsbtirg's only threesport âthlele (women's soccer, hocke¡ and
softball), Selander was the team's leading
scorer three seasons in women's soccer,
earning AII-MIAC first-team honors her
senior season. She was a lorward for
Augsburg's wornen's hockey team and a
two-year starting centerfielder for the
softball team. A health and physical
eclucatlon major with a 3.3 GPA, Selander
served as a student-athlete mentor.
Cassi Van Ausdall-A four-year starting
outside hitter for the vo11eyball team, Van
Ausdall earned All-MfAC second-team and
Lutheran Brotherhood Lutheran College AllArnerica second tearn honors her senior
season. A history major wrth a 3.8 GPA, Van
Ausdall earned Verizon Academic All-District
second-team honors in volleybail her senior
year, in addition to MIAC Academic AllConference Honor Roll honors three times.
She is active in Augsburg's FellowshÌp of
Christian Athletes chapter.
2000-01 Augsburg Male Athletes
of
the Year
Ben Bauer-Bauer excelled in both
wrestling and track and field at Augsburg. ln
wrestling, he won a second Division III
national title this year, finlshlng 36-3, and
MIAC individual tLtles at hear,yweight three
tlmes in his career. In track and field, Bauer
Mike Schwalen-
competed in three drfferent weight
A four-year starting
disciplines-shot put, drscus, ancl weight
throw He is an elementary education major.
infielder for Augsburg's
baseball team, Schwalen
earned AII-MIAC
honors in 1999. A
business administration
major with a3.7 grade-
point average, Schwalen has earned MIAC
Academic All-Conference Honor Roll
honors tl-iree times, as well as earning
Dean's List honors each semester. He has
earned Verizon Academic All-DistricL
honors his last two seasons, inclr-rding firstteam honors this year.
Ryan Mclntosh-A four-time AII-MIAC
first-team selection in men's hockey, he
earned All-America honors his fi"eshman
year; he was MIAC Player of the Week fÌve
times and U.S. College Hockey Onllne
National Player of the Week twice. He
made his prolessional debut in April wÌth
the Quad Clty Mallards of the Unired
Hockey League bclorc retulning to
Augsburg to finlsh his biology studies. I
,4ucssunc
Now
9
most stuclents and many
faculty are
^way
for the
surnmer, the Augsburg
campus is far frorn quiet. Many younger students
spend time here-learning how to build Lego
robots, how to wrestle, studying the life of
Monarch butterflies, and playing 1oß of music. A
number of conferences also take place that bring
GEMS (Girls
church groups, international church leaders, and
advanced placement teachers to campus. Here are
some snapshots from summer 2001:
SuUMER
in
Engineering, Mathematics,
and Science)-Augsburg's summer portion
of a Minneapolis Public Schools program
that brings 100 young girls, grades 4-12, to
campus to explore problem-solving projects,
opportunities to present their work, and
ongoing mentoring.
II\ THE CtrY...
AT AIJGSBI]RG
E'
.;t
WRESTLING CAMP-800 elementary through
high school wrestlers attended two week-long
clinics, taught by world and Olympic champion
wrestler John 5mith.
<::
:
ADVANCED PLACEMENT INSTITUTE-Over 100 high school,
middle school, and junior high teachers spent a week honing
their skills in teaching advanced placement courses.
=
'õ
I:-.,:
il
LUTHERAN SUMMER MUSIC CAMP-160 high
school students from across the U.S. spent four
weeks in a musical and spiritual community,
taught by more than 60 faculty and staff.
GET READY!-A week-long camp for 4th-6th graders
from families with little college background. to learn
computer-driven Lego robotics projects, hosted by
Augsburg's library and information technology
department.
SunnuER IN THE CITY...
=:iil:i:l
!
I
I
g
7
,
F
)'
ti
II
i i:::-=-:
j- ¡lú¡!a
ÞÉ!
¡fo
ugsburg College's 23-ocre compus is bordered by on interstote highwoy on one
fuA
ff
äside, ond o mojor city ovenue on the other. This enclosure, combined with the
presence of Murphy Squore, Minneopolis's oldest pork, gives the compus q smolhown
feel, despite ils urbon oddress. Collecied here ore imoges of Augsburg in the summer,
when the compus's beouty provides q colorful bockdrop for reflection qnd relqxotion.
Ë
o
o
h
s.
hs'
N
Mihe Habennantt
ew benches ond flowers provide o respite ond ploce for
reflection (quite literolly) on lhe new Poutz Plozo in front
of Melby Holl (below)
o
o
Fall 2001
6'
ts
o.
"1) O Elements," o sculpture by Henry Londe, wos o gift to the
LColl"g" from Honeywell, lnc. lt wos dedicoted in memory of
'-:+è;'>=--
Ronold K. Speed, vice president for public offoirs ot Honeywell
ond o regent ot Augsburg.
:
w)
Pcntl
Tallq
Êi
m
TTIR{G
D ll.t
H
o
N
kH
t
rom miles oround, the Augsburg logo is now visible on
F the top of Mortensen Holl, thonks to the generosity of
the Lelond Sundet fomily, the Closs of I 999, ond Chuck
Gobrielson'ZZ (deceosed).
l:ãltl¡rdr]
,4ucssunc
Now t5
THE APARTME
CAh4PLJS LTVI
FOR TODAY'S STI]DET\
S
by Judy
n
fl
o
s.
New Hall, which opened in 1999, establíshes
the western edge of Augsburg's campus and
is designed to complement the surrounding
neighborhood.
:
[-t emember what dorm room living was like 10, 20, 30 years
]</ ago-small, cramped rooms that you shared with a roommate
I\tJr two!), setting your alarm cloci< an hour earlier than everyone
eìse on the floor so you didn't have to wait in line to use the shower,
and eating every meal in the school cafeteria? While you still may see
the last remains of the old dorm room style of living, it is more likely
you will see a ne\M style of residence life on college campuses. Like the
legendary phoenix, student housing is risìng fresh and young from the
ashes of its former seif. Resident living on college campuses is evolving
to meet the changing life styles ol today's students, and Augsburg
College is at the cLrtting edge of this rebìrth.
The idea to build a new type ol housing at Augsburg in order to
:
:,
-
.ji
i:1il
drj'l'
r1l!i
iji
arrracr and retain students actually began back in I972-73 with the
construction of Mortensen Hall. Students were involved from the
planning stage on and said they did not want dormitory rooms. Rather,
they wanted apartment-style living, where they couÌd be more
independent. The building, a l5-story high rise, has 13 residential
floors, each with four one-bedroom and four two-bedroom
apartments-a total of 104 apartments housing 312 students.
Kari (Eklund) Logan, a 1982 graduate, said that one of ihe reasons
she chose to attend Augsburg was in part because of Mortensen.
"There were no other prìvâte colleges at that time with on-campus
apartments," Logan said.
In 1993, Augsburg went a step further i,vith the construction of
Anderson Hall, which contains one-person suites; four-person
apartments; eight-person, two-story townhouses, and l5-person
lloorhouses, which allow students in various interest groups or
academic majors to live together.
16
,4ucssuRcNow
Fall 2001
Norv, Augsbrtrg has gone )'er anorher
step i,vith the operring rwo )/ears ago of
Ner'r,Hall (not ¡'et nar.r.recl). This housrng
complex olfers studenrs state-of-the-art
heating and air conditionìng, plr-rs lull
secllnt)r It features
ba1' windor,vs, nìne-
foot ceillngs, kitchens, and nnclergrouncl
parking. The br,rilding is fr-rlly ri lred
throughor-rt lor present and anticipated
l
I
needs
in computel technology.
Sorne
apartments e\¡en come lurnished.
David Graham, prÌncipal partner of
Elness Slvenson Graharn Architects, Inc.,
and a national expert on trends in
student housing, is one ol the deslgners
ol this new hall. He said that neighbors
lir,ing nearby like the Ìdea ol a
residential building defining the edges of
campus.
Neli, Ha1l was placed at the campus
edge to gil'e a leeling of off-campus
living, yet stil1 be close enough so
students can participate in academic ar-rc1
extracurricular activities and part-time
jobs. They have the option to sign fullyear leases, rnaking them true residents
of the nelghborhood. The ph1'siç¿l le6L
for the neighborhood was kept in mincl
when choosing the building materials,
which include residentiall), scalecl
elements, such as brick, stucco, and
architectural nretal.
C(ìl¡
t(
Elness Sr,r'enson
Graharn (ESG)
Architects are also
responsible for the
renovation ol
Sverdrup Hall,
clesign of the ner,v
Paulson Atrium-
Link, and the
upclating of the
Augsburg Campus
It4aster Plan,
oi
lvhich housing Ìs a
key part.
ESG's goal is to
der,elop student
L
S
E'
Tim Elness'89 (right) and David Graham (left) were part of the
Elness Swenson Graham architectural team that designed New
Hall as an apartment-style residence hall to encourage juniors
and seniors to stay on campus.
housing that focuses
on creating an academic village and
url:an diversit;', ¡¡. strengths ol the
College. "We'r'e beer-r tracking Augsburg
College for slx to se\¡en years, and
Augsburg has consistently been
exploring how to get more iuniors and
seniors to sta)¡ on campus," Graharn
saicl. "The goal has been to increase this
number and continue creating a high
quality ol lile to make the campus a
Iiving/learning village.
"lti r unique experience to come to
school and at the same tìrne har,e access
to all the amenities the clties have to
offer," Graham continued. "Augsburg
uses the Ti,vin Cities as a classroom and
an extension of its academic programs."
He saìd the1, þ¿.'. been researching
national trends in student housing ar-rc1
Augsburg is at the leading edge.
Research proves that rvhen a student
lives on campus all four years, they
pârticipate more in extracurricular
activÌties, develop more lasting
iriendships with classmates,
consistently earn higher grades, and are
more llkely to complete their degrees
successfully. Older students become
mentors to underclassmen, whlch
ultirnately impror,es the over-all college
experience.
Obviousl;', this plan has worked at
Augsburg. Ann Klarner, director of
residence life, saÌd that about 50 to 60
percent of Augsburg's da1, popuiation
s\' ¡rl'ESG Ari hilr'r ts
Elness Swenson Graham Architects are working with
Augsburg to develop a long-range master plan for the
Augsburg campus. Here, the concept of a student residence
quad gives the atmosphere of a neighborhood square.
Fall 2001
.4ucsnunc uow
17
tIt
H
H
FTJTURE TRENDS åN
RNSTNEI\ CE LTFT:
According to Graham, a ke;' lactor in
higher eclucation cnrrently' shaping
calnpus planning is the need to replace
physicalll' ancl fr,rnctionally obsolete
resiclential strllctlrres. lr4uch of the
housing ri'as built in the 1950s ancl
1960s ancl sirnpll, no longer meets the
U
J
Some of the apartments in New Hall feature large corner windows and
spacious ceiling heights.
to a Ló percent higher
retention rate, partly due to the addition ol Ner,v Hall.
For Klamer, the value in residential lii,ing lies in the
opportunlties lo¡ students to siudy, plal', 11'e¡51-rip, and grou'
togelher. Augsburg Sen-rinar, the lreshman orientation
program, bases i¡s academic and extracurricular experiences
for lreshmen around the floor groups in Urness Hall.
nor,v ln'es on cal-rìpus, leading
Tim Elness, Elness Swenson Graham's director ol
development ancl a 1989 Augsburg graduate, r'vho was
invoh'ed in the planning oi New Hall, said that being an
alum has enabled him to brìng an rnsider's perspective into
the project.
"We wantecl to ìncrease a sense of place and encourage
junlor
the
and senior students to stay on campus," Elness
saicl. "Hower¡er, we don't wanl to do away with the
freshrnan experience ol dorm 1ife. That experience creates a
collegiate atmosphere."
Elness lived on camplls u'hen the "houses" lvere
still
a
part ol the living experience. For more than three clecades,
upperclass students could choose to live in a number of
residential houses on streets
surrounding the campus.
Manl' of the fondest alumni
memories and lifelong
lriendships developed as
students who livecl together
Happo
in the houses.
needs ol contelrporarl' sluclents.
Graham sees higher educatÌon
movir-rg tou'arcl increasÌr'rg the number
of resiclential students ancl a greater
\'.ìriet)' ol resitlential trppoltrrnities in
apartment-style living ollered to them
ftom lreshnlan through senior 1'earli,ithout the need [o commu[e. The
qualitl' oI r'esidential expcrience a
college or unir,ersity can offer r'i,ill be a
significant factor in student recruÌ[rng.
Features ol resiclential livrng that
Grahan-r envisions include stucly l-ralls
with a 24-hour "cyber café" r'vhere
laptops can be plugged in lrom any
location. The trend, he addecl, is lor
computer accessibility throughout
buildings, thus lessening the need lor
special computer 1abs. He also sees
more fitness centers, "grab and go" food
stores, and "lir,lng/learning" spaces. I
-Judy
Petree is n'tedie relatiotls nlanager.
G¡rls Drcam
Concerns for salety and
cost of maintenance were ihe
major factors that led to a
phasing out of house ìiving
as new residence halls u,ere
bui1t. N4an;' ol the l-rouses
have since been razecl to
make lvay for nerv College
buildings.
"The houses r,vorked r,vell
because they u'ere pliable,
ancl that is hou' the ner'r, hall
t:t"l
,:i.
works," sald Elness.
18
-,'IUCS¡URC ruOW
q
Homecoming was an opportunity for the various houses to compete for
decorating honors. Here, the Kappa House girls show off their Peanuts cartoon
motif at Homecoming festivities during the 1960s.
Fall
2O01
By Amy Funk'03
Testins
I
vocal abilitv is
'
stand"ard fn. ,.'.,
student interested ín
slnging in Augsburg's
choirs, but vocal skills
testing for a band
member? While his
students were often
surprised, it made sense
to Mayo Savold, who
first tested students'
vocal ability before
hearing their
instrumental skills in an
audition.
A. Mayo Savold,
director of the Augsburg
College Band from 1952
until 1973, believed
that singing helped
band performers
appreciate instrumental
tone and balance.
"It was part of his
music philosophy-if
you can't sing, you can't
play a musical
instrument,"
says
Stephen "Gabe"
Gabrielsen'63,
professor of music at
Augsburg who was a
student of Savold's and
also taught with him.
Audiences weten't surprised during
concerts when band members belted
out a song, using their vocal cords
rather than instruments. Mayo Savold's
group became widely known as "the
singing band."
Besides turning band members into
vocalists, Savold made numerous other
contributions in the field of music,
helping establish the instrumental
department at Augsburg. Teaching and
conducting led Savold to innovations in
training and placement of instruments
in concert setting-ideas that became
widely known for improving the clarity
and unity of sound.
Savoid was born in Maddock,
N.Dak., in 1915, and by 1937 he was
ready for college life at Luther College
in Decorah, Iowa. Savold majored in
history and music, he directed
numerous choir and bands while in
co11ege, a small preview of what was to
come.
Soon after graduating from Luther,
Savold married Melba Woyen and
served in the U.S. Army from 1942-46.
Even war \Masn't enough to stop Savold's
love for music. At one time, he was
assigned to General MacArthur's
headquarters and conducted the
Headquarters Chapel Choir. \n 1944,
Savold brought Christmas to those in
the war. Via radio, he presented a
concert that was broadcast to fighting
fronts across the world. Through a
bombing raid and combat conditions,
Savold directed the choir and continued
with the performance. MacArthur is
reported to have said that if all fighting
men had the courage of these singers,
there would be nothing to worry about
for the rest of the war.
After military service, Savold taught
and directed music in a safer work
environment at Glenwood High School.
His success with the band and choir
there led to hls recruitment by
Augsburg College ín 1952 to do the
same here.
During his first yeat at Augsburg,
Savold developed the band from 28
members to a 55-piece organization that
became recognized natì.onally as one of
the best. Especially noted by audiences
was the precise, professional quality of
playing-something quite unique for a
college band of that time. Savold also
served as associate professor of music
and director of the Augsburg Repertoire
Band.
at Augsburg, Mayo Savold built the
into a nationally-respected musical
Fall 200f
,4ucssuncNow
19
!
travel by bus ovcr the Alaskan Highway.
Anolher famons tollr was the Jol-rn
F Iiennedy memorial toLrr in 196'1, to
tl-re late presrclent who was a strong
slrpporter ol tl-re arts. Mayo Savolcl later
hacl the honor- ol prcsenting a recorcling
flon] thal tour lo altorncy general
Robcrt
F. I(ennccly.
Savolcl retlred
tn I977 alter
25
)'e¡rs ol servicc at Augsburg ancl
I983 after a lengthy illtress.
t )n ()l tohcl' I ì. dLrring
-,4 râ
Music students spoke about the ability of Mayo Savold to inspire musical
self-expression and encourage their leadership skills.
Robert Stacke '71, current
band director and c1-rair ol the
Augsburg music department, was a
stuclent of Savold's in the late '60s
and never envisioned that he
rvoulcl follow in his footsteps.
"I highly respected him,"
Stacke says. "He really did so
much for this coilege. He
motivated us and iet us come to
the foreground wher-r we had
something to offer."
Savold was careful not to 1et
his group prodr,rction be mass
production. His desire was that
playrng in the Augsburg College
Band should lnspire the greatest
ptrssible indivitlrral parl i( il)atiorì,
sel l-dìsciplinc. rnd sel l-ex¡ression.
Str"essing that individuals believe
1n iheir abilities and take
leadership roles allowed Stacke to
start lhe jazz program while still a
college sludent.
Colleagr"res of Savold say that
he could rnspire any student
displaying even the slightest abilÌty
to play. His charm and inlectious
sense of humor were enolÌgh io
captÌvate students lo jorn band. "He
always had a sparkle in his eye," says
Gabrielsen. "He was always telling
funny stories" and had a "marvelous
abrlity to lead students."
Savold was also
l<norvn for his
famous band tours
throughout the
Upper Midwest and
c1iccl
in
l{omecoming ancl Family Week 2001,
jazz ancl concert hand mcmbers from
the last 40 years are invitecl to gather at
a leunion and concert ln tribute to
Mayo Savold. Bring lnstruments for a
proglam ol continental breakfast,
rehearsal, ancl a concert to be presenled
et Ìl a.m. in Hoversten Chapel. For
adclitional information, see the
Homecomrng brochure clr call thc
alumni/parent relatlons office at
612-330-1178 or 1-800-260-6590
-Amy
Funh'03 is o jtu'tior majorLng
in
English.
a
l,
!
west. One "exotic"
trip came in 1960
when the Ar"rgsburg
College Band was
chosen as the official
bancl of the Alaskan
Music Festival.
After a sllmmer
tour throughout
Canada and Alaska,
the band presentecl
the opening concert
celebrating the first
year of Alaskan
statehood. This band
lvas also the first
college band to
After the band tour in memorial to John F. Kennedy, band director
Mayo Savold presented the tour recording to then-attorney general
Robert
F.
Kennedy.
Jazz and concert band al umni
Bring your ¡nstruments and play ¡n the tr¡bute concert to Mayo Savold at Homecoming on October 13;
see the Homecoming brochure for more detai¡s.
20
,4ucssunc f{ow
Fall 2001
tl I
From the Alumni Board president's desk ¡.,
I
I
recentlv
utr.,ld"d
o
memorial service
for a member of
our Alumni
Board, Chuck
(râbnelson '/ /
Among his many
accomplishments
were those that
supported and served Augsburg College. I
saw the impact one individual can have on
an institution and in people's lives.
However, I think Chuck would have been
the first to say that no one can do it alone.
This ìs the paradox for our Alumni
Association as we begin a new year: to
make a difference as individuals, yet
recognize we cannot do it alone.
Individually we can recruit ner.v students;
contribute resources to sustain the students,
faculty, staff, and facilities, and speak about
Augsbury to our neighbors across the
country so Augsburg's quality education is
no longer a well-kept secret.
The other side of the paradox prompts
us to join with others to nurture our alumni
community. Think about hosting a
gathering of Auggies in your town-we'll
help you with the event. Or plan now to
attend actir.ities on campus-such as
Homecoming-and bring along your
classmates from years ago.
As your new president, l'11 be working
Paul Mueller'84, Bill Vandenvall'93 WEC,
and Jan Marie Voelker '90.
I hold trvo degrees from Augsburg: a
bachelor's in education ('69) and a master's
in leadership ('94). The long-term value of
my degrees-and yours-is contingent on
Augsburç continued success and
reputation. Individually and together we
can support the College as iI continues to
ser\¡e us today through the degrees we
hold, and through alumni opportunities for
connecting with old and new friends.
with the board and staff to build
connections between aìumnì and the
Augsburg community, communicate with
new regional chapters, organize alumni
events, and recognize alumni
accomplishments. We have talented and
enthusiastic new members joining the
Ø+u-*
Jackie (Kniefel) Lind '69, '94 MAL
President, Alumni Board
board: Susan (Horning) Arntz '94, Paul
Fieldhammer'65, Lisa (Svac) Hawks '85,
Rob LaFleur'80, Terry Marquardt '98 WEC,
Strommen family honored w¡th new award
à uesburs announces the creation ol a
fl."* award, the Distinguished Service
Award, which will be given annually to the
College's "formative families"- families who
have made substantial and continuing
contributions to Augsburg.
This year, the ar'vard goes io the
$trommen family, and will be presentecl
during Homecoming festivities in October.
The Rev. Peter Andre'"v Sirommen
(a.k.a. PA.) was aûìong the first ol four
generations of Strommens to attencl
Augsburg. A graduate from Augsburg
Seminary in 1913, he rvas a parish minister
in a downtor,in-r Seattle church until 1934,
r,vhen his cleep love of the College brought
him and hìs wrfe, Nellie (Framstad), back to
Minnesota so ¡heir lour sons, Abner '38,
Lu¡her '39, Merlon '42, and Clair '46, couid
attend his alma mater. His clevotion to the
College didni end there. In the late 1930s he
took the only savings he had and gave it to
Augsburg.
To date, more than 30 rnernbers of the
extended Stromrnen famìly have attended.
This is a truly unique family Augsburgs
motto, "Education for Sen ice," defines the
grandchildren. The Strommen lamilies have
been major contributors to Augsburg in all
aspects, and what they have achieved
Strommen family-starting with PA.
Strommen and all the way down to his great-
through their vocations has affected
thousands of people.
U
\s
J
At Homecoming in October, Augsburg will present a new award, the Distinguished
Service Award, to the Strommen family, which has included more than 3O graduates.
Pictured, left to right: Gladys (Boxrud) '46 and Clair Strommen '46 (deceased, see page
3O); Merton '42 and A. trene (Huglen) '43 Strommen; and Helen and Luther'39
Strommen.
Fall 2001
,4ucssunc
Now
21
Alumni News
Seven alumni appointed to Alumni Board
by Lynn Mena
f
Paul Mueller'84
he Augsburg Alumni Board of
Dir..torr appointed seven new
members and elected Jackie (I(niefel) Lind
'69 ('94 MAL) as president and Andy
Morrison'73 as president-elect. The new
members are as follows:
I
Susan (Horning)
Paul Mueller
graduated from
Augsburg in 1984
with a B.A. in
chemistry. He is a
physician at the
Arntz'94
r
Mayo Clinic.
New ass¡stant
director joins
AIumni/Parent
Relations
Ia n lulv.t' Amanda
^' ...lornecl
I sumrnskl
Susan Arntz
graduated from
BillVanderwall'93 WEC
Augsburg in 1994
with
a B.A.
in
political science.
She is city manager
graduated from
Augsburg Weekend
for the City of
Waconia, Minn.
College in 1993
with a B.A. in
Lisa (Svac) Hawks'85
communication. He
is the social service
director at Lutheran
Lisa Hawks
graduated from
Augsburg in 1985
with a B.A. in
Social Services.
Jan Marie Voelker'90
Jan Marie Voelker
graduated from
Augsburg in 1990
with a B.A. in
Musicland/Best Buy.
communication.
She is a customer
Rob LaFleur'80
category manager at
Kraft Foods in
Eden Prairie, Minn.
Rob LaFleur
graduated from
Augsburg in 1980
with a B.A. in
business
specialist in
Augsburg's Office of Public Relations and
Communication, Suminski will oversee the
Class Agent Program, the Parents
Association, Homecoming planning and
other special event planning, and more.
Suminski received a B.A. in
communications from the University of
North Dakota in Grand Forks, where she
was a leader in student, alumni, and
parent programming. She has worked as
volunteer at several Augsburg alumni
a
events.
ñf.Tilr¡rtNZ
DISCOVER NORWEGIAN TREASURES AND HERITAGE
administration/
accounting. He is
an attorney at
Chestnut 6¡ Cambronne PA. in
Minneapolis.
Join President and Mrs. William V Frame and Professor Frankie Shackelford
on a journey through Norway in the summer of 2002. This l2-day tour
program features five nights on the world-famous Norwegian coastal voyage,
sailing south from the "top of Norway" to Bergen. The tour has very few spaces
remaining; call the alumnl office at 612-330-1178 or
t-800-260-6590 for more information.
Terry Marquardt'98 WEC
Terry Marquardt graduated from Augsburg
Weekend College in 1998 with a B.A. in
business administration/
management. She is manager of sales
and planning operations for 3M's
22,4UCSm¡nCruOW
assistant director.
Formerly a
communications
communication.
She is the
communications
director at
medical businesses.
the Office of
AlumniÆarent
Relations as its new
Bill Vanderwall
Upcoming Norway Tour Information Meeting "Are Norwegians Europeans?"
A look at the cultural and political situatlon of Norway in the context of the
European Union and the factors that unite and divide the citrzens of Norway
September 30, 2-4 p.m.
ù
.
Marshail Room, Christensen Center
RSVP required; please caII one of the numbers listed above.
Fall 2OOl
l-
AUGSBURG
""QPrå.dB.
Homecoming and Family Week 2001
Augsburg on Parade
I
Monday, Oct.8
Saturdav Oct. 13
.
.
.
.
An Evening with Maya Angelou
Wednesday, Oct. f 0
.
Augsburg Associates Annual Fall
Luncheon
Thursday, Oct. l1
.
.
Flamenco Dance Performance
International Student Alumni
-
Variety Show 6r Coronation
.
.
.
.
Gathering
.
.
Fridav, Oct. 12
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Class
of 1951 Registration 6r
Continental Breakfast
Homecoming Chapel 6l
Community Time, featuring the world
premiere ol The Word Became Flesh, a
new choral piece by Norwegian
composer Knut Nystedt
Class of 1951 Luncheon
The Living History of Augsburg (with
professors emeriti Carl Chrislock '37
and Philip Thompson)
Campus Tour
CLASS Program Homecoming Reunion
Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
Fall 20Of
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
5K Mississippi Run/Walk
Registration 6¡ Continental Breakfast
Concert Band &. Jazz Band Alumni
Reunion and Concert
Business Administration Department
Reunion
Open House at the Augsburg House
Campus Tour
The Living History of Augsburg
(with professors emeriti Carl Chrislock
'37 and Philip Thompson)
Nursing Alumni Brunch
SWAN (Social Work Alumni Network)
Brunch
Urness Hall Floor Reunions
Pan-Afrikan Alumni-Student Basketball
Game
Campus Tour
Picnic in the Park
Augsburg Parade
English Alumni Luncheon 6t Reading
Homecoming Football Game vs.
Macalester College
Lindell Library Tour
Campus Tour
Book Signing & Reading
(Bill Halverson'51, Edvard Gneg:
Diañes, Articles, and Speeches)
.
Homecoming Social
.
Dinner
Fifth Annual M. Anita Gay
6ø
Hawthorne Jazz 6z Poetry
.
.
.
.
Bash
Class of 1951 Reunion
Class of 1961 Reunion
ClasS
ol1976 Reunion
Class of 1991 Reunion
Sundav Oct. 14
.
.
Worship Service
Heritage Society
Recognition Brunch
Consult the Homecoming 200
1
for additional
information, or call
612-330-1178 or
1-800-260-6590.
brochure
,4ucsnunc
now
23
AUGSBURG
"" Q9TE.ETE
Four named as 20Ol Distinguished Alumni
by Lynn Mena
our alumni join 155 others as Distinguished Alumni of Augsburg College. Recipients are recognized for
significant achievement in their vocations and outstanding contributions to church and community,
through years of preparation, experience, dedication, exemplary character, and service.
!
f
George S. Dahlman'72
Burton R. Fosse'44
Kathleen D. Lake'76
Neal O. Thorpe'60
George Dahlman graduated
from Augsburg in 1972 with a
B.A. in mathematics.
He is a managing director
and a senior research anaþt at
U.S. Bancorp PiperJalfray in
Burton Fosse was educated at
Augsburg and the University
of Minnesota, where he
received his B.S. in
Neal Thorpe graduated from
Augsburg in 1960 with a B.A.
in chemistry and mathematics.
He earned his Ph.D. in
physiological chemistry from
the University of Wisconsin-
Minneapolis, specializing in
food and agribusiness.
Nationally recognized for his
perceptive anaþis, Dahlman
is a chartered financial analyst
and has been named a Wall
Street Journal All-Star Anaþt
in 1953 and served
Kathleen Lake graduated from
Augsburg in 1976 with a B.A.
in biology and chemistry. She
earned her B.S. and doctorate
degrees in pharmacy from the
University o[ Minnesota.
She is director of clinical
research and transplant
therapeutics at the University
of Michigan Medical Center;
senior associate research
scientist in the medicine and
surgery departments at the
University of Michlgan
Medical School; and clinical
professor at the University of
Michigan College of Pharmacy.
Actively involved in
numerous professional
organizations, Lake is an
extensively published author
who is sought to serve on
editorial boards and to act as
reviewer for professional
journals. She has received
been an active member of
several congregations and
professional organizations, and
has received many honors and
awards, including an Honorary
Doctor of Humane Letters
from Rocky Mountain College
four times.
At his congregation, Faith
Lutheran Church in Coon
Rapids, Minn., Dahlman is
dedicated to the work of its
Global Mission Committee,
and has served as president of
the congregation and on
numerous committees.
When the ELCA was
established, Dahlman was
elected to the first Augsburg
College Board of Governors
from the Minneapolis Area
Synod, sewing for four years.
He has also served as chair of
Augsburg's Heritage Society
Advisory Committee.
24,4UCSnUnCruOW
engineering.
He returned to Augsburg
as vice
president for business and
finance for more than 25
years. Driven by wide-rangrng
passion and vision, Fosse
played a major role in the
College's growth and
development. He supervised
the building of 13 projects and
was a significant contributor
and peacemaker in the
development of the CedarRiverside neighborhood.
Fosse served for several
years on the Burnsville School
Board, headed literacy
programs in Bonita Springs,
Fla., and has been an active
member in several
congregations. He is the owner
of Burton's Frame Shop and
president of Picture Framers of
America.
many awards and honors,
including the prestigious
Hallie Bruce Memorial Lecture
Award from the Minnesota
Society of Hospital
Pharmacists for her
contributions to the growth
and development of the
pharmacy practice.
Madison.
Following his
distinguished academic career,
which included22 years
as an
Augsburg biology professor,
Thorpe began a second career
in philanthropy at MJ.
Murdock Charitable Trust in
Vancouver, Wash. As executive
director and trustee, Thorpe
has advanced its reputation as
the leading private charitable
foundation in the Pacific
Northwest.
In addition to numerous
articles and papers, Thorpe is
the author of CellBiolog Qohn
Wiley and Sons, 1984). He has
in Billings, Mont.
Fall 2O01
Alumni and friends named as First Decade
and Spirit of Augsburg award recipients
bylynnMena
f, ugsburg is pleased to announce the 2001 recipients of the second annual First Decade and Spirit of Augsburg awards.
|ll fn. First Decade Award is presented to Augsburg graduates of the past l0 years who have made significant progress in their
professional achievements and contributions to the community, and in so doing exemplify the mission of the College: to prepare future
leaders in service to the world. Graduates from the day, weekend, and graduate programs are eligible.
The Spirit of Augsburg Award honors alumni and friends of the College who have given exceptional service which contributes
substantially to the well being of Augsburg by furthering its purposes and programs.
DanielC. H¡ll'9f WEC
Lisa (Carlson) Sackreiter'95
As an IT
project leader
at GE Capital
Fleet Services
in Eden
After three
Prairie, Minn.,
service at the
Hill oversaw the company's
Y2K conversion for its systems
in North America and Mexico.
ln appreciation for his efforts,
he was awarded the company's
Circle of Excellence Award. He
has hosted four foreign
exchange students and donates
much of his time to hls church
and community.
Colleen K. Watson'91 MAL
involvement
Watson is cofounder and
CEO of Career
with
Professionals,
years of
community
Blake Upper School in
Minneapolis, Sackreiter was
selected as the school's first
PK-12 community service
coordinator. In addition to
expandrng the program, she
created and supervised service-
leaming activities with teachers
at all levels. She is co-class
agent for the Class of 1995.
an employment
placement service that has
established itself as the top
entry-level agency in the lvin
Cities area for recent college
graduates. She is a member of
the Alumni Board, past
president of the Alumni
Association, and a key player
behind both Augsburg's Career
Roundtable and the first
Kristin (Dragseth)
Wiersma'9f
Wiersma is
vice president
for marketing
and sales for
Seraphim
Communications, a media production
company Her passion to "pass
on the faith" is evident in her
extensive outreach endeavors,
aided by her remarkable talent
to connect with people of all
ages and backgrounds.
AlumniJob Fair.
Marolyn (Sortland)'51 and
William Halvorson'51
The
Halvorsons
have
developed
five
scholarships
in their
children's
The
Associates
The Augsburg Associates are made up of alumni, friends, faculty, and
staffwho generously donate their time and energlr to raise money for
the College. Contributions have included the organ in Hoversten
Chapel and renovation of Foss Center's Green Room and Christensen
Center's Marshall and Augsburg Rooms. They also raised money to
help build Lindell Library and established a scholarship for current
students. The photo above is from VelkommenJul, their popular
holiday event.
Fall 2001
names. In addition, it was
through their professional
contacts that the music
department was able to finally
is Scandinavian music
collection and acquire the
collected works of Grieg and
Kjerulf. MoreoveE they recently
commissioned a new work by
Iftrut Nystedt for the Augsburg
Choir to premiere at
Homecoming 2001.
evaluate
Marie McNeff
McNeff retired
last year after
completing 30
years of
service to the
College as a
professor of education,
ffi
director of faculty
development, dean of the
College, and academic master
planner. Her willingness to
think beyond traditional
boundaries and take calculated
risks serves well as a model for
the Augsburg community Her
commitment to the mission of
the College-even after
retirement-embodies the
spirit of Augsburg.
4ucsnuncnow
2s
-
a
o
1942
Merton
Volunteer
Service Award.
P.
Strommen,
Richfield,
Minn.,
published a new
book,
Th¿
Church €¡
H omo s exuality :
Se
ar ching
fo r a
Middle Ground (Kirk House
Publishers). The product of three
years' research, his book presents
a middle ground between
condemnatlon and rejection of
gays and lesbians in the church,
and adoption of what he terms the
The award
honors her
contributions to
Hennepin park
as a raptor
surveyor, deer watch interpreter,
blue bird monitor, and for her
service at a variety of nature center
programs and events.
1
968
The Rev. Mark
5. Hanson,
Minneapolìs,
was elected the
"militant gay agenda."
r
9s3
Rhoda Carlstedt, Kissimmee, Fla.,
retumed to the U.S. in December
1998, after living in Papua, New
Guinea, for 37 years. Before settling
in Kissimmee, she spent time
visiting fúends and family in
Australia and throughout the U.S.
third presiding
bishop of the
ELCA to
succeed retiring presiding bishop
George Anderson. Hanson will be
installed on Oct. 6.
Carolyn
(Hanson)
Schildgen,
Northbrook,
f 960
Ill., retired after
Judy (Johnson) Peterson,
32 years of
Bloomington, Minn., was one of
six recipients of the Hennepin Park
District's 2001 Distinguished
teachìng high
school Spanish at Highland Park
High School in suburban Chicago.
Her career included a Golden
A.pple Award nomination and
various district awards for
teaching excellence. Professional
development opportunities
allowed her to live and study in
Spain, Ecuador, Mexico, Costa
Rica, and Argentina.
1972
Calif., received his associate's
degree in computer and
informat ion sciences-network
administration from Solano
Community Junior College in
Fairfield. He also recently earned
certification as a Microsoft.
Certified Professional and a
Certified Novell Administrator. In
his spare time he is an avid
amateur bowler and within the
Iast year rolled his third
sanctioned 300 game and his first
800 three-game series. Both
accomplishments are listed in the
St. Louis Bowling Hall o[ Fame.
Awarded to Augsburg College alumni in recognitìon of slgnificant
achlevement in vocation, fo¡ outstanding contribution to church and
communit¡ and for a life that exemplifies the ideals and mission of
Augsburg College. Augsburg alumni (graduates and non-graduates)
are eligible.
eVau Ø **
Barbara (Shirley) Steinhauser,
Fine Arts in Writing for Children
degree from Vermont College in
Jul¡r She can be reached via e-mail
at <flamelin3T@aol.com>.
Jerome Rokke, Minneapolis,
received a master's degree in
management from the University
of St. Thomas in May; he works
for IBM Global Services.
1978
P.
Dawn (Heil) Taylor,
1979
Jeffrey
urLL
aú"rr,¿
Awarded to Augsburg College graduates of the past 10 years who have
made significant progress in their professional achievements and
contributions to the community, and in so dolng exemplify the
mission of the College: to nurture future leaders in service to
the world.
F.
Swenson,
Minneapolis,
Lutheran
East Lansdowne,
Brotherhood's
flight attendant
with Northwest Airlines since
1975. She and her husband,
2000-01
Lutheran College Coach of the
in identifying members of the Augsburg
t/aør/rt/.,,,f aø"'*r,¿
Honors Augsburg alumni and friends of the College who have given
exceptionaÌ service that contributes substantiaÌly to the well being of
the College by furthering its purposes and programs. Alumni, friends,
faculty, staff, and groups who have served the College are eligible.
Please take a few moments to consider
aøhn
Des
Moines, Iowa, received a doctorate
degree in education from Drake
University. She can be reached via
e-mail at <dawn@taylorball.com>.
was named
Pa., has been a
aryr¿.-r
-year-old
Parker, Colo., received a Master of
1975
Olando Smith,
7
1976
Dean C. Anderson, Fairfield,
The Augsburg College Alumni Association Awards and Recognition Committee seeks your assistance
community to be consìdered for recognition.
Ø^a^y"*Ll aøt/n¿r'o aøt".r,¿
Daniel Sweeney, have a
daughter, Narita.
from among your friends
those who might be honored for these awards. Your nominations and
build these important programs
to celebrate the accomplishments of the Augsburg community.
suggestions are critical in helping to
To make a
nomination online, go to:
www. augsburg. edu./alumni./nomfo¡m
To receive a nomination packet, contact:
Office of AlumniÆarent Relations . Phone: 612-330-1178 or 1-800-260-6590 . Fax: 612-330-1499
E-mail: alumni@augsburg.edu . Web site: www.augsburg.edu./alumni
The deadline Jor nominations Jor 2002 is March 15, 2002.
26
,4UCS¡URC ruOW
Fall 2001
)
m
Making history from history
bywendyErorson
o
e
ã'
Sisters Gracia Grindal '65 and LaRhae (Grindal) Knatterucl'70 have several sharecl interests: both
are Augsburg graduates rvho have ren-rained very connected to therr alma mater, both have a
tremendous faith as well as a great appreciatron for Lutheran traclition; and both love music.
s
û
with the prodr-tction of Luthtr, an
interactive musical that highlights the ex[raordinary life of Martin Lr-rther (see story on page 5 for
more rnformation).
These shared interests have resulted rn their clua1 involvement
In October, Luther wIlI make its North American, Engllsh-language premrere at Central Lutheran
Church in Minneapolis, ancl will leature Ar-rgsburg's Masterwor]<s Chorale and singers frorn the
Finnish National Opera. The musical is the centerpiece of Luther Seminary's Reformation Festival,
an annual event created by Gracia for the purpose of strengthenlng the connection between LuLheran Gracia Grindal '65 collaborated with
Kari Tikka, the director and composer
colleges and Lhe seminary.
o'f Luther, an interactive musical about
Gracia, a recipient of Augsburg's Disringuished Alumna Award, is a professor of rhetoric at Luther
Seminary She is also an accomplished poet and hymn translator. She had collaborated with Karl
Tikka, the clirector and composer onLuther, prior to hls compositron of this par[Ìcular opelâ.
the Iife of Martin Luthet which will
make its North American, Englishlanguage premiere at Central Lutheran
Church in Minneapolis in October,
The idea of doing the play emerged from one of Tikka's personal experiences. According to Gracia,
Tikka, like Lr-rther, "experienced the understanding of the unconditional love of God alter he had been troubled by his conscience." Interestingly,
Gracia encouraged Tikka to shape his idea of a play about Martin Luther's life into a reality She attended the premrere of Luther in Helsinki, and
eventr-rally helped Trkka translate the opera into an English vetsron.
LaRhae, a planning director for the Minnesota Departrnent of Human Services's aging inltiative, majored rn rnnsic at Augsburg ancl will showcase
her singing taler-rt in Luther as a member of the Augsburg Masterworks Chorale. The interactive aspect of the opera will consist of the
Mastenvorks Chorale and the Finnish National Opera prrncrpals leading the congregation in singing several Martin
Ltrther hyrnns, inclr-rdìng Out oJ thc Depths, Christ Lay in Death's StrongBands, and Dear Christians Onc and AIL
o
s.
à
with many other fanlily members, share a long history with Augsburg that clates back to
l868 rvhen their great-grandparents, Ole andJonettaJacobson, were married by the Rev Ole Paulson, an Augsburg
founder ancl early supporter. Both of Gracia and LaRhae's parents (now deceased), the Rev Harald Grindal'42 and
Jonette (Tinseth) Grinclal'41, and their brother, Ted Grlndal'76, are also Ar"rgsbr.rrg graduates. Ted is a current
Gracia ancl LaRhae, along
!
S
()o
ffi
member of the Augsburg Board of Regenis.
Both Gracia and LaRhae have loncl memories of thet years at Augsburg. For Gracia, one particularly memorable
aspect of her Ar.rgsburg experience was the extraordinary and talented leadership of such figureheads as Dr. Bernhard
Christensen and Dr. Warren Quanbeck.
LaRhae (Grindal)
Knatterud'70, sister
of Gracia Grindal '65,
will sing with the
Augsburg Masterworks
Chorale in the
production ol Luther.
"They knew how to give great speeches that rvere extremely funny and moving, and rvould make you die lar-rghing
and then rveep for ¡he sheer beauty of the language," says Gracia.
LaRhae says that "being ln the choir and beìng directed by Dr. Sateren rvas an experience that
duplicated. He was a greal rnan ancl lve made great music."
-Wcndy
Year. The Augsburg wrestling head
coach and interim assistant dean
for athletics and recreation led the
College to its seventh NCAA
Dir,ision III wrestling national
championship in the past I I
years, and its second national title
in a row (the most in Division 111
history).
See story, page B.
1984
Chris Dykstra, Minneapolis,
accepted a position as senior vice
Fall 2001
Elolson is an irrt'onnation specialist.for AtLgsbrrrg! ittstittttional advanccment of[ice
president with EPAM Systems,
custom soltrvare- and Webdevelopment [i¡m.
1
a
988
Connie (Wendland) Bouley,
Long l-ake, Minn., joined Len
Busch Roses in December as a stafl
accountant.
Todd Erickson, Maple Grove,
Minn., u'as named to Entrepreneur
magazine's top 100 for his
compan)', ì nternat ionel Logistics,
Inc., in Plymouth, Minn.
1
.
Scholars of English Associatìon
Faculty Teacher o[ the Year Ar,vard
989
Dawn Givans, Marina del
will never be
Arizona State Universit),. This
fall she joins the faculty of
Louisiana State University as
assistant professor of English; her
husband, GeorgeJustice, rvill be a
at.
Re1',
Calif., married Patrick Lander, a
British actor who has appeared in
the film Armagedclon and several
Shakespeare theatrical
productions, ìn December 1999.
The couple plans to remain in the
Los Angeles area and start a family.
Devoney Looser, Baton Rouge,
La., lvas ar.varded the Gracluate
visiting assistant professor oI
English at LSU during 2001-02.
Mary Saugestad, Brooklyn
Center, Minn., is a licensed in-
home childcare provider.
,4ucs¡uRc ruow
27
Class Notes
'IÍIITúI¡II¿II.IIf
|II
Eloisa Echávez:
Seizing La Oportunidad
c
à
:
!
U
o,
o-,
Funk,o3
"l hate it with all my guts," says Eloisa EcÌrávez with a chuckle, referring to Minnesota's co1c1 winter rveather. "Every
year I say it's my last year', but I fincl myself here again." Coming from Colombla, South America, this 1s no sttrptise.
But Echávez's involvement wrth the Latir-ro community ìn the Twin Cities ancl her passion for hel work keeps her
here, despite the rvinters.
Echâvez is executÌve director of La Oportunìdad, Inc., a local nonprofil organization seiwing more than 2,000 l¡tino
families each year that works to promote and strengthen peace rvithin the community Started in 1987, La Oportunidacl's
promoting transitronal sewices to ex-offenders. Under Echávez's leadership, the orgamzation has
lrrth a new vision for a stronget, more peacefu1 community Today, La Oportr-rnidad
focuses on peacemaking and many new programs inclucling violence prevention and Latino youth serwices.
n-rain focus was on
developecl a three-year strategic plan
Eloisa Echávez'94
('98 MEt) was recently
honored by INROADS for
her work with the Latino
community,
"I absolr-rtely love the peacemaklng aspect," says Ecl'rávez, who has been rvrth the organtzatton since 1998. "la
Oportunldad looks at making peace withrn the self, within the famlly, wrthin neighbors-even within a global
perspective. This work relates to my personal vahtes."
Echávez was an elementary school teacher lor three years rn Colornbia before coming ro the U.S. in l9BB. She hacl
wanted to study in the U.S. and heard about many co11eges, inclr,rdlng Augsburg's Weekend College program. Echâvez
attended one meetrng at Augsburg and left the r-neeting signed up for classes.
In1994, Echávez received a B.A in computer science and returned [o receive
a n-rasterb degree
in education and leadership ln 1998.
education-she also directed the College's Hispanic/Latino Student Services from 1993-98,
helping to develop ancl manage the program since its inception (she continnes to stay involved with the program). She also coordinated Augsburg's Têachers
of Color Program and served as the Collegeb muÌticultural coordinator from 1993-97.
Echávez's relatlonship with Augsburg doesnt end wrth her
In addition to her work, Echâvez somehow manages to frnd time to fLrlfill her love of motlvational/keJ'r-rote speaking at numerous conferences and special
events. Echávez's favorite audiences are high school and pre-college students.
"I like to lmpror,rse," says Echávez. "I never prepare a speech untìl I get on the stage." Talking to the audience beforehand gives Echávez an iclea of the
direction she'1l take during her speech.
For her work with the cornmunlty Echâvez has received several awards ancl certificates, incÌuding the Outstanding Community Sen'rce Award from the
State o[ Minnesora and the Educator of the Yeal Award from INROADS (a national organization that develops and places talented minority youth into
businesses to prepare them for corporate and community leadership). Echávez helped to develop Augsburg's partnership wrth INROADS through her'
various roles and actlr,.rties at the Co11ege.
"My best reward is seeing the students r.vho are taking advantage of INROADS' opportunities to be successful, and becoming those needed leaders in our
communities of coior," Echâvez said upon receivrng her award fiom INROADS.
-A^y
1
Funh'03 is a junior majorntg m English.
993
Steve
Kelly'94, Lisa Laehn'94,
Lonnie Laehn '94, Jennifer Olsen,
Jeff Krengel '93, Kurt Clark '94,
Marshall Johnson '95, and Erica
apprentice member of the Lakes
and Plains Carpenter's Union in
St. Paul, and works lor Pink
Business Interiors.
Bentley'95.
1
1994
Deb (Walstrom), Cottage Grove,
Minn., married Darren Riske in
Jeff Krengel,
St. Paul, Minn.,
married Jennifer Olsen in June at
Boe Chapel in Northfield, Minn,;
the couple hone)¡mooned in Banff
National Park. Krengel is an area
coordinator at the University of St.
Thomas. Pictured, left to right:
28,4UCS¡UnCruOW
June 1996. She has three children:
BriannaJoyce, 12; Helen Marie, 2;
and Zane
A¡thur,
I . She is a
government clai ms representative
at HealthEast's corporate offices in
St. Paul. She is also a member of
Minnesota Quilters and River
Valley Quilters. Her husband is an
995
Jon Olsen, Piedmont, S.Dak.,
and Leann (Freeberg)'96
celebrated their [ifth wedding
anniversary in August.
1
996
Susan (Conway) Jackson
moved to Aurora, Ill., in 1996 and
got married; she has a 3-year-oId
son. She has been a daycare
teacher for children aged 4 and 5;
fuil-time teacher of an autistic
third-grader; and a kindergarten
a
teacher.
Tracy (Mazion) Ose, Inver
Grove Heights, Minn., married
Drew Smith in August in Estes
Park, Colo.
1997
Liddy J. Howard, Golden
Valley,
Minn., received a Master of
Divinity degree from Luther
Seminary in May; she has accepted
a call to serve Ttinity Lutheran
Church in Bruning, Neb.
Fall 2001
)
l-
Jennifer Ringeisen, Inve¡ Grove
Heights, Minn., recently accepted
position as an employment
consuitant at Regions Hospital.
1
a
998
Dustin Froyum, New Brighton,
Minn., received his Juris Doctor
degree from Hamline University
School of Law in May.
Brent Grier, Walnur Creek,
Calif., was promoted to an
underwriting and sales position at
Aetna, an insurance compan¡ and
transferred to Walnut. Creek, near
San Francisco.
Mary Pennington,
Shakopee,
Minn., is a project manager for
Dakota Count¡ where her focus is
construction management and
facilities planning. In April, she
was appointed to the City of
Shakopee Envi¡onmental Advisory
Committee, which works to
presewe and protect natural
resources amid the area's
continuing growth and expansion.
She is a music therapy intern at
Northern Wisconsin Center for the
Deveìopmentally Disabled in
Chippewa Falls, Wis.
a son, Paul Charles, in March. He
joins older sister Kristi.
Births/Adoptions
lsaac Stephen, in May. He joins
oider sisters lGtie, 10, Megan, 6,
Diane (Reule) '84 and the Rev.
Steve Brandsrud'83, Huron,
S.Dak.-a daughter, Abigail
Kay, in March.
She
joins older
brothers Seth, 11, Sam, 9, and
Micah, 2. Diane received a
bachelor o[ science in nursing
degree from Huron University in
May; she has been a registered
nurse at Huron Regional Medical
Center for three years. The Rev.
Brandsrud is senior pastor at
American Lutheran in Huron.
Terry A. Claus'88 and his wife,
Lisa, Excelsior,
Minn.-a
son,
and Courtney, 4. Terry is senior
vice president for investment sales
at Miller Johnson Steichen Kinnerd,
and can be reached via e-mail at
<tclaus@mjksales. com>.
Donna (Zummach) Martin'90,
and her husband, Dean, Waconia,
Minn.-a son, Dawson Dean, in
May He joins oÌder brother Derek.
Donna is a field performance
business analyst for Luthe¡an
Brotherhood.
Kindwall '86, Seabrook, S.C.a son, Colin Worth Kindwall, in
Laura (Carlson)'92 and Patrick
Guemsey, St. Paul-a son, lan
Patrick, in March.
July He joins older siblings Ethan,
Kim (Swanson)'93 and Jeff
Lisa (Worth)'85 and Jim
B, Kaitlin, 6, and Allison, 5.
Meslow'92, Pll'rnouth, Minn.-
Karin (Sabo) Mantor'86 and
a daughter,
Jillian, inJune.
2001
her husband, NichoÌas, Bumsville,
Minn.-a son, John Bjorn, in
January He joins older siblings
Emiìy and Thomas.
Amy Leanne Stier,
Christopher Schulz'87 and his
Belle PÌaine,
Minn., marriedJeff Eppen inJune.
wife, Maureen, Omaha,
Neb.-
m
Devean George:
Two-time NBA world champion
C.J.
Beaurline '94
and his wife,
Christin, Coon Rapids,
a son,
Mlnn.-
Simeon John, in May. He
joins older sister Savanna, 2. CJ. is
a sales representative for Unique
TèchnoÌogies, Inc., a distributor of
semiconductors; his wife is a violin
teacher and a Creative Memories
consultant..
The Rev. Steven Dow'95 and
his wife, Sarah Schaffner, Elizabeth,
lll.-a son, lsaac Mark, in
January Steven graduated from
Wartburg Theological Seminary in
May, and was ordalned inJune; he
serves as pastor of St. John
Evangelical Lutheran Church in
Elizabeth.
Jim South '96 and hÍs wife,
Robin, Cottage Grove,
a daughter,
Minn.-
Holly Lynn, in
January
Ally
@2000 NBA Photos.
Photos by Andrew D. Bemstein
Heidi(Wisner)
Staloch '93 and her
husband, Mark, St.
Paul-a son, Mac
Fels, in March.
¡v Don stoner
in professional basketball,
with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Devean George'99 hasjoined a unique fraternity In his first two seasons
he has been a member of two NBA world championship teams
The l¡kers finished thelr back-to-back championship nrn lnJune, rvhen they defeated the
Philadelphia 76ers in five games. After a slow start to the season, the Lnkers dorninated tl-uough the
playoffs, srveeping three series before losing just one gar.ne in the NBA Finals.
Many ol the game's greats have yet to w1n NBA charnpionships, rvhich has given George-arlc1 by
extension, hls Augsburg fans-a special sense of pride.
"I think about thaL stuff aÌl the time," George told the Minneapolis Star-Ttibune in a June 14 srory
dr.rring the NBA Fìnals. "Guys like [Charles] Barkley ancl lPatrick] Ewing never have r.von one . . l'm
just trylng to learn."
Devean George'99, here shooting a basket
during the 1999-01 season, became a tuvotime world champ¡on when the Los
Angeles Lakers won the NBA Finals in June,
George sarv hls role on the clu'b increase in his second season, as he playecl rn 59 regular-season gatnes (one start), averaging
ln seven playofl galne appearances, he avelaged 2.0 points and 0.7 rebonnds per gatne.
3.I points and
1.9 rebouncls per
game.
He will enter the tl'rircl year of a guaranteed contlact with the Lakers in the 2001-02 season, a crucral year for him for his furture in prolessional basketball.
The Lakers hold the optlon on a lòurth season. This pâst snmmer, he excelled in a surnmer pro league for rookies and prospects, leading the L,rkers in
sconng (16,8 potnts per game) ancl rebouncling (7.4 per game), incÌuding two double-doubles in seven games
-Don
Fall 2001
SLow is spotts inlorm(tti.ott cootdhtatot.
4ucssunc Now 2s
ln MerncDriam
Clair Strommen, alumnus and long-time
friend of the College, dies at 77
byLynnMena
C*::-.",
1946 graduate of
Augsburg and past
member of the
Board of Regents,
died of cancer July
20 in his home in
Roseville, Minn., surrounded by his wife,
Gladys (Boxrud)'46, and family members.
"We have lost the advice, the energetic
support, and the profound affection of one
of the remarkable members of the College's
alumni," said Augsburg President William V
Frame.
As a student, Strommen was a member
of Augsburg's basketball and baseball
championship teams. After graduation, he
signed a contract wlth the St. Louis
Cardinals and pitched his way to â top
minor-league club.
Although his dream ol playing for the
major leagues was cut short after he contracted
tuberculosis, Strommen recovered and became a
success in the business world. In 195i, he
returned to Augsburg and served as its public
relations director. F¡om there, he worked as an
agent for Lutheran Brotherhood in Fargo, N.Dak.,
and Moorhead, Minn. In 1960, he founded
Strommen 6q Associates in St. Paul, and made it
Central Life of lowa's ieading agency.
Twenty years later, Strommen returned to
Lutheran Brotherhood in Minneapolis, taking over
as president, chief executive officer, and chairman.
From l9B0 to 1994, he helped build the
organization into one o[ the Ìargest fraternal
insurance companies in the nation.
For more than 50 years, Strommen and his
family have graciousiy contributed their time,
support, and resources to the College. Upon his
retirement in 1994, and in honor of his long and
remarkable sewice, the Lutheran Brotherhood
board designated a gift of $250,000 in his name.
Strommen, along with his wife, Giadys, decided to
give the gift to Augsburg. The Strommen FamiÌy
Business Endowment lvas started, which the
family has committed to fully endow This has
enabled Augsburg to establish a major in
marketing for both day and weekend students.
Clair Strommen Ìs a Distinguished
Alumnus, a former regent, and a member of the
Athletic Hall of Fame. He has received honorary
doctoral degrees lrom Wittenberg University
and St. Olaf College. In l9B2 he was honored
by the insurance industry with the G. Bennet
Serrill Awa¡d, the highest given to a member of
that profession in Minnesota. ln 1992 he
receìved the Wittenberg Award from the Luther
Institute for outstanding service to church and
society.
At Homecoming this October, the
Strommen family will be honored with the
Distinguished Service Award (see story on page
21). He is survived by his wife, Gladys'46;
daughter, Nancy'71 (John-Mark Stensvaag'69);
son, Robert'74 l{ndrea (Johnson)'75ì; and
eight grandchildren.
Chuck Gabrielson, dedicated Auggie and
youth advocate, dies at 45
bylynnMena
1ã
Fharles
lLr.
"Chuck"
cuun.lson, an
alumnus of the Class
1977 , dìed June l2
of colon cancer at. St..
Cloud Hospital in St.
ol
Cloud, Minn. He
was 45.
Gabrielson's passion for Augsburg was
honored during Homecoming 2000, where he
been known to provide special treats for the
choir members as they embarked on tours. He
presented a challenge gift to the 1999 senior
class gift project and also spearheaded the
Augsburg House Shower, which raised almost
$20,000 to purchase 50 place settings of china,
flatwa¡e, and stemware for the ColÌege official
presidentiai residence and gathering pÌace. He
also organized and hosted alumni gatherings in
Arizona, where he worked to establish an
was presented a Spirit of Augsburg Award. He
alumni chapter.
exemplified 'Augsburg spiril through his iongstanding commitment as an alumni volunteer
and faithful donor, by his innovative ideas,
Always active in musìc, Gabrielson
performed with the Dale Warland singers and
Augsburg's Masterworks Chorale and Centennial
Singers. He also performed as a sololst for
numerous weddings and funerals, and served as
and through his unwavering energy as he
continued to press Augsburg forward to realize
its full potential.
Gabrielson served on the Aìumni Board,
represented his cìass as cÌass agent, and
chaired the Class Agent Advisory Council. His
love of music kept him closely involved with
the music department; over the years he had
30
,4ucssunc f{ow
a
choir director and soloist at several churches.
Gabrielson had been active in Republican
Party politics for the past 35 years at the
count¡
state, and national levels, including managing
several successful campaigns
in Minnesota,
North Dakota, and Louisiana. He aÌso served on
the Republican State Central Committee.
From I9B2 to 2000, Gabrielson served as
executive director of Mid-American Baptist
Social Service Corporation (MABSSCO). Under
his leadership, MABSSCO enjoyed substantial
growth in faciÌities, staff, residents, and funding.
The lnitial facility, Gateway, doubled in size and
continued its mission of helping at-risk
adolescent boys. Another
facilit¡
STEP, was
added to heip at-risk teens develop independent
living skills. As recently as 2000, GabrieÌson
Iocated and was instrumental in starting another
group home for at-risk adolescent girls.
In addition, Cabrielson was an associate
member of the Carver County Sheriff's Mounted
Posse, commissioner of Corrections CARE
Advisory Committee, and board member of
Minnesotans for Improved Juvenile Justice. He
was also active ìn fostering and rehabilitating
abandoned and abused animals of all kinds
through his involvement with the Hennepin
Humane Society
Fall 20Ol
)
Harold
F.
Groth'36,
Edina,
Minn., died inJuly; he was 87. He
elementary school teacher and
social worker.
sewed as a lieutenant in the U.S.
Nary during WWII, and was a
3M executive from 1941 untii his
early retirement in 1975. That
same year, he was inducted into
the Augsburg College Athletic Hall
of Fame.
Myrna G. Liebers '67, Marine
on St. Croix, Minn., died of
cancer inJune; she was 56. She
was a library acquisitions assistant
at Augsburg in the 1970s and 'B0s
prior to establishing he¡ own
The Rev. Kenneth M. Englund
'52, Abbotsford, 8.C., Canada,
White, Inc., near Stillwater, Minn.
Her library colleagues and other
died inJune; he was 84. He was
long-time minister with the
Evangeìical Covenant Church.
Augsburg acquaintances especially
remember her keen wit, integrit¡
and compassion toward students.
Marvin W. Field'56,
a
McGregor,
market. research firm, Liebers
Harold'Crusher'
F.
&
Schliep
Minn., died inJuly; he was 73.
'67, Clarks Grove, Minn., died in
Before managing the Carlton
June; he was 55. He was a
member of the Army Reserves at
Fort Snelling from 1966-72, and
worked lor 7 -Up Bouling Co.,
County Electric Co-op from 1979he served in the Army in
Germany and also taught biology
and chemistry. He retired to his
farm in Rice River Township in
I99I. He was a former Golden
Glove Champion in St. Paul.
9I,
LeRoi T. Elias
'58,
Minneapolis,
died inJune; he
was 68. He was
a retired
Northland Beverage, Waste
Systems, and American Bottling
Co. He enjoyed practicaljokes,
hunting, sports, and treasured his
wi[e, kids, and grandchildren.
Patricia (McDonald) Fulton
'71, Bloomington, Minn., died in
JuÌy after a courageous battle with
Please
tell us about the news in
your 1ife, your new 1ob, move,
marriage, and births. Don't forget
lo send photosl
Send yor-rr news items, photos, or
change of address by r.nail to:
his parents, James and Gloria;
sister, Laurie; brothers, Mark and
Matt; his loving gulde dog, Jud;
and many other ìoved ones. He
will be deeply missed by the
Steven Carl Psihos'80,
Chaska, Minn., died inJune; he
was 43. He enjoyed horseback
Augsburg community.
riding; gardening; reading; tiedying clothing with his wife,
lfñriltr:füIîIllEf[lì
Mary; listening to classical music;
and especially spendìng time with
his family.
Jean G.
(Shillinglaw
Tigwell)
Mel Riley'80,
St. Paul, died of
cancer inJune; he was 55. A
highly respected Minnesota sports
figure, Riley was a college
basketball player at both
Augsburg and Concordia
College-St. Paul. He was head
basketball coach at Minneapolis
Community and Technical
College. An avid golfer, he most
recently worked at the Arbor Goìf
Course in Inver Grove Heights,
Minn. He was also a partner with
his wife, Peggy, in their consultant
firm. He hosted Mel Riley\ Sportson-the-Run show, a popular Ìocal
cable-TV sports show
Lindell,
Woodbury,
Mlnn., died in
July; she was
l. A great
friend of Augsburg
College, Jean, along with her
husband, James Llndell '46,
contributed the major gift that
made construction of the James
G. Lindell Library possible. She
was vefy ac[ive in attending
many Augsburg events; many of
her children and grandchildren
were Augsburg graduates. The
Augsburg community has been
very fortunate to knowJean and
will miss her deeply
B
Minneapolis, died unexpectedly in
Maiden name
Class
year or last year attended
Street address
City
ls
this a new address? D Yes
tr
No
E-mail
Home telephone
ls spouse also a
Spouse name
Your news:
zip
State
Employer
For news o[ a cleath, lvritten
nolice is required, e.g. an obituary,
funeral notlce, or program from a
memorial service.
July; he was 32. He is survived by
by sons Aaron,22, and Daniel,
lB, and many other loved ones.
Michael Gustavson'02,
cancer; she was 52. She was an
independent consultant for the
Full name
Send us your news
and photos!
Pampered Chef. She is survived
Position
graduate of Augsburg College?
!
Okay to publish your e-mail address
Work telephone
n Yes n No
lf yes, class yea
Maiden name
_
Augsburg N ow Class Notes,
Augsburg College, CB 146,
221Ì Riverside Ave., Minneapolìs,
MN, 55'154, or
e-n.raÌ1 to
<alumni@au gsburg.
Fall 2O01
edr-r>.
4ucssunc n¡ow
31
A
o
I
o
¡a
I
o
o
I
'%"*¿-*¿a,,,4.
ctober
2I, 2001, marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of
Bernhard M. Christensen, Augsburg graduate, professor, and
president from l938-62.
Through the work of the Christensen Endowment, the tangible
legacy that has been made possible by
Augsburg alumni and friends, the principles
and commitment of Bernhard Christensen to
academic integrity and Christian community
can continue to shape our vision.
The following excerpts from a column
written in 1976 by President Oscar A.
Anderson eloquently illustrate Bernhard
Christensen's legacy to Augsburg.
A. Quanbech, assistant professor of
-Phílip
religíon
and member of the Chnstensen
Endowment Committee
Bernhard M, Christensen
Bernhard M. Christensen and his wife, Lilly Gracia
Ø-*t
t@o"o*
r. Christensen was president of Augsburg for 24 years and
before that served as a professor here. He, perhaps more
Now, I confess to a presenl and personal uneasiness at this
point. Have I been as dedicated to "the inner pilgrimage" as I am to
than any other person, brought Augsburg College into
the outward progress at Augsburg College? When a1l is said and
the modern era as an accredited American college.
done, have we at Augsburg maintained some peculiarity of the
The book he has written lThe Inward Pilgnmagel, however, is a
powerfui reminder to all of us at Augsburg today that Dr.
heart which imprints those who teach and learn and earn here? Or
Christensen's most significant contribution was to the essentìal
us have amassed, enjoyrng the interest but not replenishing the
spirit of this institution-the essential Christian spirit of Augsburg
principal? Are we content to let the Christianness of Augsburg be
simply an old historical notion rather than a present day reality?
College.
He knew that this college had as its purpose the freeing of the
are we simpiy living off the "spiritual capital" which others before
The real future of this college lies not in a prestigious facult¡
a
mlnd for the rigorous and relentless pursuit of truth. He kneq
briliiant student body, a splendid campus, or a balanced budget
also, that thÌs college required a body, so-to-speak, namely, the
with all the emoluments everyone
physical and programmatic facilities essential to the fulfillment of
its mission. He was, in every way, a builder. But most important of
the nurture of distinctive attitudes toward truth and 1ife, toward
God's good Creation and His beloved human family. It lies in an
all, he will be remembered as a president who was dedicated to the
proposition that a college is essentially spirit-that mind and body
unapologetic bias toward the Spirit of Jesus, whose Living Presence
we have just celebrated at Easter.
function according to inner dictates, that education without
direction is dangerous, that "out of the heart are the issues of life."
32
,4UCSBUnC ruOW
-Excerpts
desires.
It lies beyond
these,
in
Jrom "Augsburg Confesstons," Augsburg Echo,
Apnl 30, 1976.
Fall 2O01
)
o
¡a
t
a,
o
Music
For more information on any oJ these eyents
(unl e s s o t"het'wis e note d), c all 6 1 2 - 3 3 0 - 1 2 6 5
October 13
Homecoming Concert Band and Jazz
Band Alumni Concert
I 1 a.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Theatre
November
Writing the History of Working
2-\1
Our Town
by Thorton Wilder; dlrector, Julle Bolton
Performances: Nov 2, 3, B, 9, t0 at 7 p.m.;
Nov.4andllat2p.m.
-I.1-ornhom-Nelson
Theater, Foss Center
For tlcket information, caII 612,330-1257
October 14
Faculty Recital, Stephen Gabrielsen '63
4 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
October 23
Riverside Singers and Men's Chorus
Concert
7: 30 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
David Roediger, Unlversity of lllinois-Urbana
10 a.m., Convocation-Hoversten Chapel
October 2ó
Lecture by Earl Hightoweri on addiction
intervention and treatment coordination
7 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
For information, call StepUP program,
612-330-t405
Exhibits
For gallery inJormation, call 612-330-1524.
November 6
September l4-October 24
"Sexually Speaking with Dr. Ruth"
"Woodgrain: Vertical and Horizontal,
With and Without Knots"
by Patricia Scott
Gage Family Gallery, Lindell Library
October 25-27
Class
Relations"
Ruth Westheimer, psychosexual therapist
7:30 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
For information, call 612-330-1124
Opening reception, Sept. 14, 6-9 p.m.
November 15-1ó
Featuring Masterworks Chorale (see story
October B-14
on page 5).
7:30 p.m.-Central Lutheran Church,
Minneapolis
For tickets, call TicketWorks at 612-3433390 or visit www.ticketworks.com
Augsburg Homecoming Art Show
"The lnfluence of Afro-American Culture
on American Music"
William C. Banfield, University of St.
Luther
Paintings, photography, and sculpture by
Augsburg alumni
Thomas
Alumni
Ensemble
7 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
GaIIery, Chrlstensen Center
l\ovember 9-December 19
November 19
"Seamless: An Exhibition
Augsburg Orchestra Concert
7 p.m.-Sateren AudiLorium
of Paper
Garments"
by Erica Spitzer Rasmussen
Gage Family Gallery, Lindell Library
November 20
Opening receptìon, Nov. 9, 6-9 p.m.
Augsburg Concert Band Concert
September 1B
1
.Advent Vespers
Nov. 30-6 and 9 p.m.
Dec. I-5 and 8 p.m.
Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
For information, call 612-330-1265
December 7-B
1 th Annual Benefit Concert and Silent
Auction, Center for Global Education
7 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
"Some Leaders are Born Women"
Sarah Weddington, attorney, former
presidential special assistant
7:30 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
For information, call 612-330-1124
Septenrber 23*24
2001 Christensen Symposium
"Global and Local Neighbors: Christian
Faith across Cultures"
Dr. Lamin Sanneh, Yale University
For schedule, see page 2
For ticket informatlon, call 612-330-Ì159
December 9
Augsburg lazz Ênsemble Concert
4 p.m.-Hoversten ChaPel
December 6
"The Legacy of Matthew Shepard"
Judy Shepard, speaker and activist
p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Seminars, Lectures, and Films
Minneapolis
or l-800-299-8889
Nov. 16, Convocation
10 a.m.-Hoversten Chapel
B
7 p.m.-Central Lutheran Church,
November 3O-Decernber
Nov. 15, Concert, AugsburgJazz
October
B
"An Evening with Maya Angelou,,
7:30 p.m.-Melby Hall
For tickers: TicketWorks, 612-343-3390,
or www. ticketworks.com
December 10
October 22
Chamber Music Recital
7 p.m.-Satcren Audit orium
"Counting lncidents or Telling Tragedies?
Other Events
October B-14
Homecoming and Family Week 2001
"Augsburg on Parade"
October
B
Diversity Scholarship Day
l0:20 a.m.-Special Chapel service
For information, call 612-330-1 180
Octobe:' 13
5th Annual M. Anita Gay Hawthorne
lazz and Poetry Bash
7 30 p.m.-Tj ornhom-Nelson Theater
For information, call 612-330-1022
:
November 30
Velkommen Jul
I0:20 a.m.-Special Chapel
service
For information, call 612-330-1 180
10:
l5 a.m.-Hoversten
ll a.m.-2
Chapel
p.m., ChrÌstensen Center,
featuring Scandinavian treats and gifts
HOMECOMING & EAMILY \üíEEK 2001
AUGSBURG on
OCTOBER S-14
a
Q.e9ede
Honoring the 2001 Distinguished Alumni
George S. Dahlmarr'72, Burton R. Fosse'44,
Kathleen D. Lake '76, and Neal O. Thorpe '60
Saluting the Golden Anniversary Class of 1951
and the reunion classes of 1951, 1961,1976, and 1991
Looh
for detøils in the special Homecoming
sectíon, pnges
23-25
UGSBURG
A
COLLEGE
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
J211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Minneapolis, MN
Permit No. 2031
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Augsburg Now Fall 2002
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Exploring arts at
A ;:: îilli:iäi"
*
Augsburg From the editor
W
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from them we find means to express
emotion.
Whatever is said about fine arts, the
stories and profiles in this issue offer yor,r
a gllmpse of their role and importance at
Augsburg. Stud...
Show more
å
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Exploring arts at
A ;:: îilli:iäi"
*
Augsburg From the editor
W
JH;'ä*
from them we find means to express
emotion.
Whatever is said about fine arts, the
stories and profiles in this issue offer yor,r
a gllmpse of their role and importance at
Augsburg. Students who study and
particÌpate in music, theatre, and art
have the many and marvelous resources
oI a rich, artistic urban environment at
their doorstep. Augsburg students study
with professional actors and musicians,
visit world-class museums, and enjoy
internships with professional arts
organizations. Students who are not
majoring in the arts are welcomed and
encouraged to explore their talents and
express creativity in many ways.
The arts truly educate for a lifetime.
Students involved in a theatre
production carry the experience of that
play with them for the rest of their lÌves,
much in the same way that students who
play in orchestra during college feel
more connected to a symphony orchestra
when attending concerts. The vocabulary
of the arts enriches our lives in
innumerable ways great and small, giving
us appreciation and understanding for
new language, image, and sound.
Ours is not a cloistered faculty, and
everyone who teaches here in fine arts is
also out in the community engaged in
professional performance or exhibition.
This enables them to provide the kind of
mentoring that helps students develop
their talents and makes the real-world
connections they need, while
encouraging and supporting their
"ii"i
development.
As the nature of an Augsburg
education becomes r¡ore interdisciplinary. students experience arts
integrated into many of their courses and
actÌvities. And, our new multin-redia
computer lab will be a place for students
to stretch their imagination, to explore
the latest technology across the arts, and
I
to equip themselves to meet new
marketplace demands.
Studying the arts is also integral to
"Exploring Our Gifts," Augsburg's
program funded by the Lilly Endowment
to encourage exploration of vocation. A
new course, "Art, Religion, and Vocation"
will help students understand and
appreciate the qualities of creativì.t¡
sensitì.vity, and awareness that arts can
help develop and that will aid them in
searching for an understanding of
elcome to this first ¡heme issue of
the Arrgsburg Now. From titnc to
time, we will present an in-depth view of a
partÌcular area of Augsbr-rrg College and its
education. In this issue, you'11 explore the
line arts at Augsburg, as we open up to
you the world of muslc, art, and theatre at
the College.
Since we believe that Alrgsburg's story
cannot be told better than through the
stories o[ its students, facr-rlty, and alumni,
we introduce you to a number of these
talented people in this issue. We begin,
however, with an overview of Augsburg's
fine arts program and its curriculum.
Enjoy-we hope it may move you to
pick up your own paintbrush or musical
instrument for a time, or simply to
appreciate the arts around you by seeing
and listening just a little bit differently
WW
Betsey Norgard
Edltor
PS. As always, we'd love to hear from you
about your thoughts on AugsburgNow.
vocation.
So, I invite you to take your
AugsburgNow io a comfortable spot, ttlrn
on some music, and enjoy reading about
arts at Augsburg, while perhaps
reminiscing about your own moments on
stage, in the choir, or at an easel.
We welcome your letters!
Please
write to:
Editor
AugsburgNow
2211 Rive¡side Ave., CB 145
Minneapolis, MN 55454
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Fax:612-330-1780
Phone: 612-330-1181
Christopher W Kimball
Vice President for Academic and
Learning Services and Dean o[
the College
Letters for publication must be signed and
include your name, class year, and daytime
telephone number. They may be edited for
length, clarity, and style.
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
22ll Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55,15,1.
AucsBrJRG Now
Fall 2002
Vol. 65, No.
Editor
Betsey Norgard
Assistant Editor
Features
Lynn Mena
Graphic Designer
Kathy Rumpza
Class Notes Coordinator
Jessica Brown
Contributing Photographer
7
Stephen Geffre
President
William V Frame
Director of Alumni and
Pârent Relations
Amy Sutton
Director of Public Relations
and Communication
Dan Jorgensen
Opinions expressed in Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
ISSN 1058-1545
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-l l8l
Fax: 612-330-1780
Augsburg College, as ffirmed
in its míssion, does not
ìliscriminate on the basis of race,
color, creeil, religion, national or
ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual
orientation, m^rital status, status
vrith regard to public dssistance,
or disability in its eilucation
p olicies, admissions p olicie s,
scholarship and loan programs,
athletic anill or school
adminis ter eil pr o gr ams, except
in those ínstances where religion
is ø bona Jide occupational
qualiJication. Augsburg C olle ge
is committed to providing
reasonable accommo ìlations to
its employees and íts students.
16
nrrc faculty
20
ettr
22
ntrtalumni
24
xugtburg music on
the road
{E
students
26 c"g.Gallery:
official College policy
Postmaster: Send correspondence,
name changes, and address
corrections to: Augsburg N ow,
Office of Public Relations and
Communication, 22I I Riverside
Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454.
Fine arts at Augsburg
Reaching beyond
the campus
Departments
2
Around the Quad
5
Sports
6
Alumni awards and honors
28
29
Auggie Thoughts
31
Class notes
inside
back
cover
Calendar
Alumni news
www.augsburg.edu
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-cônsumer waste)
On the cover:
Erin Carlson'03 and Carson Lee
'04 are caught in a moment on
st(tge as the baker's wiJe and
Cinderella\ prince in thc s¡tring
theatre production, lnto the
Woods. Photoby Stephen Get'fre.
I
¡o/
O
I
^
Musictech College collaborates w¡th Augsburg
O
a
O
o
ê t. Paul-based Musrctech College ol
Ðvus¡. and Recording Arrs and
Augsburg have announced a new
collaborative arrangement enabling
Musictech students enrolled in its music
performance programs to transfer their
two years of Musictech credits directly to
Augsburg and cornplete a four-year
bachelor's program in music.
"Many music students, and theÌr
parents, have wanted to complete a fouryear bachelor's degree at our two-year
school-yet most traditional academic
settings don't provide the real-world
contemporary music education and stateof-the-art studios that Musictech
provÌdes," notes Doug Smith, co-founder
and vice presÌdent/education director of
Musictech College.
"Musictech and Augsburg's
arrangement is the best of both worlds,"
explains Smith. "For example, a
Musictech studenl can no]M specialize in
music performance for two years here in
St. Paul, and then transfer to Augsburg to
complete the final two years of a fouryear degree in music education and
become a high school band leader."
"Our new relatÌonship with
Musictech College is a boon for
Augsburg's students," adds Robert Stacke,
Augsburg music department chair and
s.
Augsburg Dean Chris Kimball (left) and Musictech co-founder and vice
presidenUeducation director Doug Smith (second from left) together toured the music
labs and observed a class at Musictech College, where a new agreement allows their
students to transfer credits to Augsburg.
director of bands. "Augsburg offers
Musictech students its excellence in
music education, music therap¡ and
performance, while Musictech provldes
its remarkable faculty of working
musicians and its expertise in such areas
as music business, in-studio recording
engineering and production, and
improvisation."
Augsburg and Musictech have also
established a scholarship fund for
students who enroll at Musictech Coliege
with the lntention of transferring to
Augsburg.
Musictech College, which opened its
$3.6 million school in St. Paul last
January, has more than 250 students
learning guitar, bass, keyboards, voice,
percussion, brass, and woodwinds;
motion imaging; as well as recording
technology, music production, and the
music business. Augsburg has more than
350 students who take music classes or
perform in musical ensembles.
2OO2-03 CONVOCATION SERI ES:
Truth, Reconciliatioh, and Forgiveness
The third annual Convocalion Series,
I titled "Truth, ReconciliaLion, and
Forgiveness" explores Lhe emergi ng
Oct. 8, 2002
Julia Butterfly H111, environmental activist,
"C)ne Makes the Dlfference"
dialogue that focuses on telling the truth
about the past, reconciling prevrous
enemies, and granting forgiveness.
Nov.11,2002
Mark Swanson and Amin Kader, "Islam
The six presentations are:
Sept.23-24,2OOz
2002 Christensen Symposium-Richard T.
Hughes, "How Christian Faith Can Sustain
the Life of the Mind"
2
,+ucsBURG Now
and Chrlstianity: ReligÌous Resources for
Living with Differences"
Jan. 20, 2003
Martin Luther King, Jr. ConvocationPrlnce Cedza Dlamini (Nelson Mandela's
grandson), "From Victim to Victor: The
Tiuth and Reconciliation Model of
Forgiveness"
Feb. 10,2003
Victoria Barnett and Barry D. Cytron,
'Jews and Christians in Dialogue"
March 6-7, 2003
2003 Batalden Seminar in Applied
Ethics-Lewis B. Smedes, "From
Alienation to Reconciliation"
For information, call 612-330-1t80 or
visit <wwwaugsburg.edu>.
Fall
2OO2
l-
Gaining a summer edge on
experience
f or a number of Augsburg students,
I there was a little less fun in the sun,
but some great opportunities this summer
in research projects or internships. Here is
a sampling of students who were literally
around the world engaged in learning
.
Brad
Math and physics
rece¡ve
Motl-University of Wisconsin
Engineering Physics Department
Seven other physics students, including four
freshmen, carried out research at Augsburg
with funding from NASA and NSE
experiences.
Six junior and senior physics students Other students found opportunitìes in
participated in research projects across the
their majors:
country, funded by federal agencies
. John Tieben, biology-teaching assistant
including NASA, National Science
Foundation, and the Department of
in neurobiology in the Summer Research
Energy:
program at the Universlty of
.
il,iïr*ï
Victor Acosta-Stanford Linear
Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford
.
University
.
Kirsten Anderson-University of
Minnesota's Materials Research Science
and Engineering Center with Augsburg
professor J. Ambrose Wolf
.
Alexa
Halford- Jet Propulsion
Labor afory, Pasadena, Calif
.
.
.
Alex Krantz, philosophy-study of
Søren Kierkegaard in Norway
first
award in new
NSF program
Æ:$tr'ï#,iä:::,::äl:ilì:å,,
projects between mathematics and the
geosciences made its first award to
Augsburg. Math professor Nicholas Coult,
principal investigator, and physics
professor Mark Engebretson, co-principal
investigator, received $214,690 to develop
mathematical models of electromagnetic
waves in Earth's space environment.
The three-year project begins in
January 2003 and will support research
efforts for Coult and Engebretson, as well
as
part-time research work for two
undergrad uate research assisl-anLs.
Erin Carlson, theatre and Englishinternship at Jay Binder Casting Agency
in New York
.
Scott Kuhl, computer science-virtual
reality research at University of Utah
.
Courtney Jenkins-MÌchigan State
University's Electrical Engineering
Department.
Jared Mack- Cornell University's
Center for Materials Research
Five Augsburg students in business and
economics traveled to Germany for
inLernships with German companies as
part of Augsburg's lnternational Partners
program. Ten students spent two weeks in
Bergen, Norway for the Youth and Family
Institute's course, Church and Culture in
Context.
a
o
s"
A Fulbright Group ftavel grant enabled 12
Augsburg faculty from a var¡ety of academic
disciplines to spend five weeks on a study tour
in Namibia, meeting with government, religious,
and tribal leaderc; educatorc; and health
workerc. ln Windhoek, they visited the home of
Augsburg alumnus Tommi.Riva Numbala '91 and
his family-his wife, Vicki, and three children
(above).
Fall 2O02
,4ucsnunc
ruow
3
Around the Quad
Nf.rlãWnrtfJ:If
Chris Kimball named
Thrivent Fellow for senior leaders
A-Club golf tournament named for
Clair Strommen '46
Academic dean Christopher Kimball was
named one of the first 12 Thrivent Fellows in
a new program sponsored by the Council of
College and University Presìdents, the ELCA,
and the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation
for senior leaders in leadership positions in
ELCA colleges and universities.
Congratulations faculty!
Tenure granted and promotion to
associate professor:
.
.
.
Laura Boisen, sociai work
Charles Sheaffer, computer science
Mark Tranvik, religion
Promotion to associate professor:
.
.
.
David Apolloni, philosophy
William Capman, biology
Philip Quanbeck tl, religion
Robert Strommen '74 and his son, Bjorn, played in June in A-€lub's annual fundraising
Promotion to professor:
.
.
Steven LaFave, business administration
Glenda Dewberry Roone¡ social work
golf tournament that was renamed in honor of Stommen's fathen Clai¿ who died of
cancer in July 2001, Clair Strommen '46 was a basketball and baseball athlete and
Athletic Hall of Fame membet a former Augsburg regent, a Distinguished Alumnus, and
an active member of A-CIub, the College's men's athletic alumni support organization,
Alexa Halford wins national award
for paper
ê
ffi
enior nhvsics maior
Ðu,-rd vr.Ñui, Scholar
Alexa Halford was
awarded an
Outstanding Student
Paper Award for her
poster presentation at
the 2002 spring
meeting of the
American Geophysical
Union's Space Physics
and Aeronomy SectÌon.
Both graduate and
Join with current coach Mike
Schwartz, the Saugestad family,
former teammates, and friends to
celebrate Augsburgt first
national championship team-the
f 978 ment hockey Auggies.
undergraduate students
compete for these
awards.
Her winning paper
presentation Ìs titled
Physics major Alexa Halford's poster presentation at the
McNair Scholars Poster Session centered on research she
"Latitudinal and
carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
Calif. during the summer.
seasonal variations of
quasi-periodic and
periodic-ELF-VLF emissions," and was coauthored by Halford, lProfessor] Mark
Engebretson, and [Augsburg physics staffl
4
.4UGSBURG NoW
Jennifer Posch; with Andy Smith, Britlsh
Antarctic Survey; and Umran lnan,
Stanford University
Saturday, Nov.23,2O02
5 p.m. social hour
5:30 pm. dinner
7 p.m. Hockey game vs.
Concordia-Moorhead at the
Augsburg lce Arena.
For information, call Mike
Schwartz, 612-330-1 t 63.
Fall 2002
l-
Ten
to earn Athletic Hall of Fame honors
by Don Stoner
Steenson to receive
service award
Aåi'füiHå:iilï,:"f.i'llï;
Athletic Hall of Fame banquet. Longtime
athletÌc department secretary lrene Steenson
will receive the school's Distinguished
Service in Athletics award.
The Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame
was established to recognize male athletes in
1.973; in 1989, female athletes were first
inducted. Recipients are chosen on the basis
of performance in Augsburg athletics,
service to the school, cMc and professional
achievements, and leadership.
Steenson came to Augsburg in 1963
and worked as secretary in the Public
Relations and the Alumni and Parent
Relations offices before joining the athletic
department in the early 1980s. She officially
retired in 1982, but has worked part time
since then. She is also secretary for the
A-Club.
Honored in this year's class of inductees
into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame are:
Brian Arvold '80 (wrestling)
Terry Brown '82
(ment hockey, men's golf)
(gymnastics, track and field,
Brown was a key member of hockey teams
that won NAIA national championships in
19Bl and 1982, and was the most valuable
player of the l9Bl national tournament. In
golf, he was a t\Mo-time captain and won the
MIAC individual championship in 1982.
Priesz earned Honor Athlete honors in
1978 and was on Augsburg's first teams
Brian Gauger'80 (men's hockey)
Lisa (Svac) Hawks'85
cross country)
in
in the mid-7Os. She
participated in state championship meets
in gymnastics, track and field, and cross
cross country
countÐI
Gauger was a member of Augsburg's first
national championship hockey team in
1978 and was team captain his junior and
senior years.
Wayne Graves'73 (football)
(volleyball. softball)
Hawks was a member of Auggie softball
squads that won Minnesota AiAW state
titles in 1982 and 1983, and MIAC
championships in 1982, 1983, and 1984
One of the top running backs in school
history, Graves holds the school record for
career carries and is second all-time in
rushing yardage.
Rod Jonas'77 (men's basketball)
A member of Auggie teams that won MIAC
championships in 1975, L976, and 1977,
Jonas was Augsburg's Honor Athlete his
senior year.
Scott Whirley'82 (wrestling)
One of the top lightweight wrestlers in
school history, he was a national finalist
twice. He has been an assistant head coach
for the Auggies for l9 seasons, including
all eight NCAA Division III national
championship teams.
Merlin White'56
(football, men's basketball)
White developed a reputation
Connie (Lamon) Priesz '78
Arvold was
a
wrestling team captain his
senior year, served as an assistant coach
from 1981-85, and was wrestling head
coach from 1984-86, winning an MIAC
as a rare
"i¡en¡¡¿¡"-¿ player who played all 60
minutes of a game. He was also a member
of the men's basketball teams for several
years.
championship.
For more information on Augsburg's
Athletic Hall of Fame inductees, visit
Linda (Berg) Henke'82
(women's basketball)
<www. augsburg. edu/athletics>.
Henke was the first Auggie women's
basketball player to break the 1,000-point
barrier and still holds the single-season
school mark of 272 rebounds.
Don Stoner is sports inJormation coordinator.
Fall 2002
.,,lucssunc
Now 5
o
It
¡-
o
It
o
I I
Three named as 2OO2 Distinguished Alumn¡
by Lynn Mena
hree alumni join 159 others as Distinguished Alumni of Augsburg College. Recipients are recognized for
significant achievement in their vocations and outstanding contributions to church and community,
through years of preparation, experience, dedication, exemplary character, and service.
f
I
James S. Hamre'53
o
a
James S. Hamre,
s.
Ph.D., graduated
from Augsburg i.n
à
L
o
U
1953 with a B.A.
in histor;r He
The Honorable
LaJune Thomas
Lange graduated
from Augsburg in
1975 with a B.A.
earned a master's
in psychology
degree
in church
history from the
University of
Chicago, and a
doctorate in
religion in American history from the
University of lowa.
FromL967:94, he served as a
professor of history, rellgion, and
philosophy at Waldorf College in Forest
City, Iowa, where he continues to teach
religion courses part time as a professor
emeritus. He has also taught at Luther
College in Decorah, Iowa, and has been
visiting lecturer at Luther Seminary,
Augsburg College, and at Volda
a
Dlstriktshogskule in Norway
In addition to teaching, he also served
as pastor at several churches from 1960'64.In 1998, he published From Immigrant
Parish to Inner City Ministry: Iinity
Luther an Congregation,
1
868
- 1 99
8, a book
about the history of the Tiinity Lutheran
Congregation. His list of other published
works is extensive, and lncludes several
articles and a book about Augsburg's
former president, Georg Sverdrup.
Hamre is a member of Bread for the
World and his local Sons of Norway
chapter; he is also involved with his local
chapter of Aid for Asia for Lutherans. He
has received several honors and awards,
including Waldorf College's Regents
Outstanding Faculty Award and the
Holmen Faculty Achievement Award. His
scholarly contributions have been
recognized by the Concordia Hj.storical
lnstitute.
6
,4UGSBURG NoW
Richard J. Seime'70
Lalune Thomas Lange '75
went on to
earn her Juris
She
Doctor degree
from the
University of
Minnesota Law School in 1978. She also
did post-graduate \Mork at Harvard Law
School, the NationalJudicial College, and
the Minnesota Institute of Criminal Justice.
Lange is a state trial judge serving on
the Fourth Judicial District Court in
Hennepin Coungz She is also a clinical
professor at William Mitchell College of
Law, where she teaches international
human rights and civil rights. She was the
first African American woman appointed to
the bench in Minnesota history as well as
the first African American to serve on the
Minnesota State Bar Association's Board of
Governors.
Lange served Augsburg as a regent
during President Charles Anderson's term,
and addressed graduates as a
Commencement speaker in 1991.
Judge Lange is a lecturer nationally
and internationally in the area of women's
rights, African American issues,
government corruption, comparative legal
systems, and judiclal independence. She is
a founding member of the Minnesota
Minority Lawyers Assoclation and served as
Minnesota clvil rights commissioner from
1979-'84. She was appointed to the
Minnesota Supreme Court Racial Bias Täsk
Force and the governor's Blue Ribbon Task
Force on Drugs.
Lange's concern about the problems in
developing nations led her to establish the
International Leadership Institute in 1994,
which provides resources in partnership
wìth people in developing countries.
RichardJ. Seime,
ñ
Ò
U
Ph.D., graduated
from Augsburg in
1970 with a B.A.
in psychology He
earned his Ph.D.
at the University
of Minnesota.
Dr. Seime's
professional life
has been devoted
to the mental health field. During his 25year tenure at the West Virgrnia Universì.ty
School of Medicine, Seime divided his time
between evaluating and treating patients;
doing research; teaching graduate and
medical students, supervising students,
interns, and post-doctoral fellows; and
serving as chief psychologist and on the
department executive commill,ee.
While at \W\4J, Seime also served on
the West Virginia Psychological Association's
executive committee and served a one-yeat
ten:n as president of \\ /PA. He was
appointed by the governor to the West
Virgrnia Board of Examiners of
Psychologists, where he served as secretary
He is a respected senior accreditation site
visitor for the American Psychological
Association, and was elected to the
presidency of the Association of Medical
School Psychologists.
Seime has distinguished himself with
the professional credentials that define the
top clinical scholars and training directors in
the field.
Seime left West Virginia University ì.n
1999 to join the Mayo Clinic's Department
of Psychiatry and Psycholog;r, where he is a
consultant and co-head of the Section of
integrated Evaluation and Tieatment. In
addition, he is an associate professor of
psychologr at the Mayo Medical Schooi.
Seime is a member of the advisory
board for planning the new science building
at Augsburg.
Fall 2002
First Decade and Spirit of Augsburg award
recipients named for 2OO2
bylynnMena
ff ugsburg is pleased to announce rhe 2002 recipients of the First Decade and Spirit of Augsburg awards. The First Decade Award is
filpt.r.nt.d to Augsburg graduates of the past l0 years who have made significant progress ln their professional achievements and
contributions to the communit¡ and in so doing exemplify the mission of the College: to prepare future leaders in service to the world
Graduates from the day, weekend, and graduate programs are eligible.
The Spirit of Augsburg Award honors alumni and friends of the College who have given exceptional service that contributes
substantially to the well being of Augsburg by furthering its purposes and programs.
ffi
'IIII'I
Ko Ly'97
o
o
à
o
(J
Ù
{.'ll
¡I illll!'ll
¡I Ð
Barry Vornbrock'96 MAL
Ko Ly is a business system consultant at
Wells Fargo Bank, where she co-founded
and co-chairs Asian Connection, a team
member resource group that provides a
forum for members to share experiences,
information, and support with other Asian
American employees and the Asian
American communiqr Members take
s.
II ¡ìfl I
leadership roles and develop educational and career
opportunities for its membership and for the community. Ly
received recognition from the executive management team for her
involvement with the group and for the impact it has had on the
growth of the company and the community ln addition, Ly is
active in her church, captained the United Way Campaign 2001
at Wells Fargo, and mentors St. Paul Asian youth.
Barry Vombrock manages IS Ambulatory
Patient Care Systems at HealthPartners, Inc., in
Minneapolis. His varied professional
background includes engineering, computer
science, and retail sales. An active volunteer, he
serues his community as an election judge and
site coordinator. This past year, he donated his
time and materials and taught a class that
raised money for the United Way Campaign. He contributes to the
HealthPartners community through work with their diversity
committee and grass roots political group. Since 1998, Vornbrock
has opened his home to homeless gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender youth through the Minneapolis Youth Diversion
Program's GLBT Host Home Program. He joined the Augsburg
Alumni Board in 2002 and chairs the ConnectÌons Committee.
tiI{aIùIilñIfI.IIliI-úIúItIIil¡I.ItrLlIcft:lllilctlllltllilrl
Orval Moren'57
o
o
The StepUP Advisory Board
The Rev Dr. Orval
Moren was a pastor in
the Lutheran church
for
3l
years
prior to
his retirement in 1991
He served on the
national board of
directors of the
Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan
Society for 12 years, serving as president
of the board for two terms, and also as its
treasurer. He is a member of the
Minnesota Christian Wrlter's Guild, and
has written devotions îor Christ in Our
Home, as well as several published articles.
He is currently writing a book of
children's gospel stories. Many of Moren's
family members have attended Augsburg,
including his son, Jonathan '78, and the
family's latest graduate, his granddaughter,
Adrienne Tietz'01.
Fall 2002
o
a
The StepUP Advisory Board is
made up of alumni and friends of
the College and has provided
r^
exceptional service to the
students of the StepUP Program.
The program is one of only three
of its kind in the country for
young people ln recovery from
alcohoi and drug addictions. In
1997, Hazelden, a worldwide
ieader in addressÌng chemical
dependency lssues, estimated that
up to B0 percent of the students in the StepUP Program could be expected to relapse into drug
or alcohol use. In fact, quite the opposite has been the case-more than B0 percent of the
students who entered the program maintained their sobriety, and the mean grade point average
has consistently been at or above 3.0. The StepUP Advisory Board has been key to this success.
Most of the members are either in recovery themselves, aÍe a paÍen'- of a student in the StepUP
Program, or care about someone in recovery The board raises money to support the program,
provides advice and support for the program director, and provides personal support to
students as they work on their recovery
,4ucs¡unc
now ',
Homecoming 2OO2
The Quanbeck family honored with the
Distinguished Service Award o,LynnMena
Tï:i;il,'å",1',î'.ii::,^il#;,,^,,
year's Homecoming
with the Strommen
o
person in the history of the school,
having received the Distinguished
Tëacher Award (given by graduating
Ò
s.
þ
seniors) an unprecedented five
times. After he graduated from
Augsburg in 1950, he returned in
1957 as campus pastor and
instructor at both the Seminary and
the College. Starting in 1963, he
taught full time, and chaired the
religion department, rhe Division of
Muriel (Quanbeck)
Philosophy and Religion, and the
lhe nev' nr''37warren
Turrittin'42
Quanbeck
Division of Humanlties. He rerired
and was named professor emerÌtus
ecumenlcal leader. He was a member of the
of religion in 1993, and began teaching part
governing committee of the World Council
time ln Weekend College. Quanbeck's
of Churches and had been a delegatefather graduated from Augsburg (in f9f4),
observer from the Lutheran World
as did all six of his siblings.
a
Federation to the Second Vatican Council's
His
Dr.
Martin
uncle,
o
1963,1964, and 1965 sessions in Rome.
s,
Augsburg
served
32
Quanbeck'29,
Ê,
Slnce 1965, as a clergyman of the American
years as registrar, director of
r^
Lutheran Church, he had participated in the
teacher placement, education
official Lutheran-Roman Catholic
professor, chair of the education
conversation in the U.S. He was also a
department, and dean of the
theology professor at Luther Theological
College (1942-'46 and 1950-'65).
Seminary and contributed to the OxJord
He died in September 1992.
AnnotatedBible.He died in November 1979
Phiiip Quanbeck Sr.'s son,
of cancer; he was 62.
Philip Quanbeck II, did not attend
Several members of the Quanbeck
Augsburg, but he has serued on the
family have received prior honors from
College's religion faculty since 1987.
The Rev. Dr. Philip Quanbeck Sr. '50 becâme a
Augsburg. Five family members have
The Rev Dr. Warren Quanbeck
Distinguished Alumnus in 1996. Pictured with him
received the Distinguished Alumni Award:
graduated
from
Augsburg
(Froien)
ín
1937
on that day are his wife, Dora
'49, and
,
the Rev. Dr. Warren Quanbeck'37 (1965),
their children (t to R), JuliAnn (Quanbeck) Erdmann and became internationally known
'82, Thomas, Mary (Quanbeck) Barber'77, and
Dr. Martin Quanbeck'29 (1969), the Rev
as a Lutheran theologian and
Philip ll.
Caleb Quanbeck'24 (1975), Dr. Stanley
Quanbeck'59 (1987), and the Rev Dr.
famÌly, recognizes familles who have made
substantÌa1 and continuing contributions to
Augsburg-in the form of students and
graduates, ideas, reputation, and resources.
This year, we celebrate the Quanbeck
family, and thelr generationsJong
connection with Augsburg. Since the 1800s,
as many as B0 members of the extended
Quanbeck family have attended Augsburg
Academy, Seminary and College. In
addition, three Quanbecks have served the
College as faculty members.
The Rev. Dr. Philip Quanbeck Sr. has
been called the most decorated facultv
a
o
Philip Quanbeck'50 (1996). In addition,
Muriel (Quanbeck) Turrittin' 42 was
inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of
s,
à
so
Q
Fame
A few years ago, the Quanbeck family gathered on the Augsburg campus for a reunion,
8
,+UGSBURG NoW
in
1995.
As a whole, the Quanbeck family is
remarkably service-oriented, fully
illustrating Augsburg's mission of
"education for service." Numerous family
members have gone on to become pastors,
teachers, librarians, misslonaries, business
owners, volunteers, and more.
Augsburg honors the entire Quanbeck
lamily lor its long and contrnuing senrce to
the College.
Fall 2002
,4ucsgunc Now
Fall2OO2
At Augsburg, arts abound, and not jr-rst irr the art studio, rrusic hall, or
on stage. Str-rclents participate in arts to beconre perfornrers, artists,
actors, teachers...or ior the enjoynrent of singing, playing in a jazz
band, or creating a watercolor on paper. The arts are creative ancl
sustaining-integral to growtl-r as huntan beings-ancl at whatever
level stuclents are involved, they carry the experience with them
through their lives.
þ'åru å{ ,,:'kKë''ffi= ;*å ik&
'$, ;þå
ä { iå{
by Betsey Norgard
FII\EARTS aTAUGSBURG
n Commencement
and symphonies of the Twin Cities
are thrust into a situation where's it's
Weekend, the chapel was
available nearly a short rrip from campus,
swim or sink." These students then
filled with proud families,
Augsburg extends its classrooms beyond
become role models for other
faculty, staff, and fellow students. The
its campus to allow students to learn by
students, he says.
conductor of the Concert Band,
seeing, by doing, and by working
a
with
Perhaps the most engaging of
striking figure in black and white
formal, stepped onto the podium and
professionals.
raised a baton to begin the next piece.
music education and performance. We
powerful blend of gospel and jazz
can show people rea11y what it takes to
vocals supported by a jazzbigband
director, however-it was graduating
make it in the real
sound. Stacke founded the group in
senior Brendan Anderson, directing
books, it's out of experience," says Robert
1991, several Augsburg alumni
the premiere of "I Believe,"
Stacke'71, chair of Augsburg's musÌc
mentored 1B student instrumentalists,
department.
while Anthony Brewer and the Brewer
It wasn't the
Augsburg's studenL perlorming groups
"We can train past the traditional
College's band
a
composition for band and choir that
world-it's not out of
Augsburg music students have found
he wrote and that he calls the
is Gospel Praise, who deliver
a
Family Choir coached a half dozen
culmination of his four years of
numerous ways to get tastes of real-world
student vocalists. Since then, Gospei
composition study at Augsburg
music. Students have played at Camp
Praise has brought crowds to their feet
College.
Snoopy in the Mall of America, sung with
at three national Lutheran Youth
the Minnesota Opera, played in rock
Gatherings and performed across the
therapy major and trombonist Sara
bands at local restaurants, entertalned at
country, occasionally including Brewer
Seekins took the podium to conduct
professional sports games, performed on
as guest artist.
the band in "Carnival in Venice."
campus for small events and gallery
Just before [hat, graduating music
openings, and collaborated with
Students at Augsburg are
challenged, stretched in their
r.rdeographers to provide music scores.
This experience, says Stacke, "teaches
creativity, and encouraged [o express
themselves in ways that perhaps even
them, for instance, how to communicate
they didn't expect. Seekins speaks of
her experience, "Augsburg gave me
as a
the chance to grow in an area where I
chance Lo achieve. The experience
to lry other challenges in the future."
.F
o
s
ra
CLASSROOMS
Ii\ THE, CITY
Much of this exploration Ìs done
outside the classroom. With worldclass art museums, theaters, cholrs,
fo
,4ucssr-rRc t{ow
and within walking distance of the
new Guthrie Theater site gives them
access
to performances, internships,
and connections with theatre
Music therapy major Sara Seekins '02 (lower left) played trombone in the Concert
Band, but also found ways to grow musically through jazz ensembles and playing in
student performing groups in the community.
never before would have had the
made me feel competent and prepared
director what they want before they
For theatre students, being in the
heart of the West Bank theatre district
professionals. Several of the area's
sma11
CHAMPIONII\C
II\DIVIDT]ALITY
theaters have become home to
theatre graduates seeking stage
experience.
The proximity and connections
Augsburg's small size allows faculty to
also bring arts professionals to
mentor their students throughout their
campus-for workshops with
studies, encouraging them in whatever
students, performances, exhibitions,
directions their talents and interests
and teaching. During this academic
take them.
"l think we really champion
year, lor exampie, the theatre
individuality here," notes Stacke. "We
o
a
want to develop people's potential to
the fullesr. If it's individualÌstic, that's
s'
r^
better, because
it brings crealivil-y
to
us. It can be diverse talents-opera,
classical piano, lazz
d
rumming,
trumpet playing. They are all given an
Theatre major and aspiring director Hope
Moy'02 gained experience in designing
and painting sets on an internship at
Theatre de la feune Lune in Minneapolis.
opportunity to grow here."
Martha Johnson, chair of the
speech, communications, and theatre
arts department, agrees. "We watch our
students and we mentor them all the
Theatre major Crystal Harles (left) and
Weekend College students Mary
O'Neil (center) and Michelle Hollie
(right) participated in a reading of
Princess and the Peacocks, a play by
Professor fulie Bolton, that was part of
the Studio Series.
history classes. Students visit these places
and others, like the Como Conservatory,
way through," she says. "They get a
for viewing and making art. Artists from
that they are notjust actors, but they
the community speak with classes about
their work while their shows are in the
Gage Gallery
Since openin g
series of sessions
will host a
with technical
1997 , the Gage
exhibitions in both national and
international
directors, actors, educators,
contexts, that
fÌlmmakers, dramaturgs, and voice-
have included
over artists from professional theaters
other area college
and agencies in the Twin Cities to
galleries, the
explain and illustrate their crafts to
University of
students.
AIso near campus are the
Minnesota,
Minnesota Crafts
Minneapolls Institute of Arts and the
Council,
Walker Art Center, as well as the
American-
lively gailery districts in downtown
Swedish Institute,
and northeast Minneapolis, and
and commercial
architectural gems studied in art
city galleries.
have to know how to do basic design;
they have to know how to work
backstage and they have to be in a crew."
in
Gallery has participated in major citl'wide
department's Artist Series
hoiistic view of theatre. Our goals are
With the theatre department's
strong commitment to produce the
;lw
lMÁ
l.j;;:3w]w
t
involvement of faculty in their own
prolessional fielcls.
"We all take pride 1n the fâct that
we're not just here at the College , br-rt
we re all involved ìn communitywe're playing 1n Broadway shor.vs,
r,ve're
playing in the Minnesota Opera,
at the Basillca, in pick-r-rp orchestras,
and recording sessions," says Stacke.
It's not unusuai for students to
perform alongside their professors.
Stacke tells that harprst Emily Gerard
'03 was chosen as harplst at the
Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis,
giving her the chance to play alongside
Stacke, a percussionist there.
Last summer, Johnson and Darcey
Engen 'BB, also a theatre faculty
H
member, co-wrote and perforrned
Senior music performance major and Hognander Scholar Emily Gerard studies harp with
Kathy Kienzle, principal harpist with the Minnesota Orchestra.
a
play, FloatrngMothers, at the
Play'wrights' Center. They were
delighted, and felt quite honored,
highest quality theaire productions
possible, theatre students get valuabie
experience in the three main siage
productions each year, which are
PIìOIIESSORS AS
ARTISTS
directed by theatre facult;z Thirty to
The strength of Augsburg's connections 1n
forty students have roles in each
the communlty is largely due to the
production-acting on
as assistant
stage, serving
directors or designers, and
working in set design, lighting,
costuming, and front house tasks. ln
addition, four or five studio
productions each year involve 10 to 20
students who prepare and present
scenes from classes or individual
theatre projects.
Five current Augsburg music faculty
members began their careers at Augsburg
as students and returned to their alma
mater to teach. (L to R): Merilee Klemp
ttGabett Gabrielsen
'75, Stephen
'63, Peter
Hendrickson '76, and Robert Stacke '71 .
Not pictured: Trudi Anderson '77.
12
4UCSSURCNOW
when a number of their students came
for the premiere and could share firstperformance jitters with their
professors.
Johnson sums up her department's
philosophy: "We're proacLive in
keeping ourselves involved in the
Staff photo
the world in all its
not just for a specific career. The art
complexity and diversit;z
department's foundation course
Engagement in the arLs.
teaches students the basic vocabulary
through studies or
of design and form that serves them
participation, helps iree
in
students from everyda¡ finite
heips them become visually lÌterate.
experience and encourages
The arts teach students to
their creativity, awareness,
appreciate, and understand in new
openness, and sensitivity.
ways.
ArL department chair
On Drama Day, theatre professor Darcey Engen
'BB
introduced high school students to the student cast of
A Midsummer Night's Dream (on stage), who talked
about their roles and the production.
careers, families, and home, and
Beginning this fa1l,
a1l
see,
Augsburg
Kristin Anderson describes
students are required to spend one
the studio art major as an
semester
"open" major, flexible enough
Experience"-study abroad,
internship, research with faculty, or
to educate students for life,
in an "Augsburg
Míhe Habennann
communit¡ in getting our students
out in the community, and in getting
the community onto our campus."
Also central to the line arls
mission is outreach to high schools.
On Drama Day, the theatre department
hosts 100 high school students and
their teachers, some of whom
are
Augsburg alumni, for a day on
campus. Students attend workshops
offered by Augsburg faculty, theatre
students, and visiting area fheaÍe
professionals; and they attend
a
theatre performance on campus.
The art department's Tara
Augsburg's painting classes are taken by studio art majors, on both day and weekend
class schedules, and other students who creative expression in their lives.
Christopherson is a graphic designer
as
well
as a teacher,
and brings her
professional expertise, exhibit
experÍence, and community
service-learning. While arts and
ñ
literature enable students to
connections to the classroom.
experience other worlds vicariously,
E
a
study tor-rr rhat explores the "sights
and sounds of Europe" or an
ARTS FOR A
internship at a casting agency allows
students to step into that world for a
LII.'ETIil/fIi
short time.
Augsburg's broad liberal arts
curriculum is designed to help
students learn about and understand
Fall 2O02
¡'
T
Theatre major Angela Hardy '02 (left)
and Professor Darcey Engen 'BB (right)
experienced Shakespeare's world at the
Clobe Theatre as part of a travel course
on live theatre.
4ucs¡unc ruow
13
ü
collaborations offer students nnnsual
P
opportunities.
É'
o,
ñ
Established 25 years ago,
Ar-rgsburg's mr-rsic therapy
program
remaìns the only onc at a privale
college in Mìnnesota. With expanding
critical health care needs, especially
among older adults, Augsburg's
program gives students the
background and training, includlng
a
six-month internship, to become active
participants in emergìng developments
for the role of music therapy
care. Augsburg alumni are
1n
health
in the
lorefront in contributing research and
new prîctrce to a lield that is
becoming an integral part of
mainstream health care.
Music therapy major fenna Hammel teaches children who visit Augsburg's classes to
make music on various instruments.
An initiative that promotes arts
collaboration is a multimedia lab
cluster for music, theatre, and the
As throughout the Augsburg
curriculum, fine arts courses
are
designed to be interdisciplinary.
Johnson describes the theatre arts
program as a place where the liberal
THE I]SI]AI,
exploration across disciplines. Already,
latest digital technology io support
graphics art courses have attracted
Characteristic to Augsburg's fine arts
computer sclence majors, who can
arts meet-where a play may involve
curriculum are collrses thar combine solid
apply their sensibilities and knowledge
looking at history, literature,
classroom learning with hands-on
from computer courses to explore
practice. A number of courses and
digital art and imaging for new media.
psychology, philosophy, religion, or
music. "When we direct a
p1ay,
we
oftentimes pull in people from those
disciplines to help us unclerstand it,"
she says. "When we did lbsen's ADoll's
House
, fProfessor of Norwegian]
Frankie Shackelford helped explain the
language and culture to us."
Dean Chris Kimball and Doug Smith,
vice president of Musictech College,
confer about the new agreement that
makes Musictech's extensive
technology available to Augsburg
students and enables Musictech
students to transfer to Augsburg.
14
arts-a lab equipped with the
COI IRSTS BTYONII)
visual
,4UCSBURC NOW
il
7)
D
ru
JJI
D
Augsburg's theatre
tl
6¡
r
h
department offers
a
number of courses that
set
ñ
A
Eltñtrttil¡Fl
Students in the broadcast production course get behindthe-camera experience in Augsburg's television studio.
it apart from other
campus ministly students hrghhght
the event.
For the College, it's a powerful
showcase for ministry of music in
small liberal arts
mission to community. For str-rdents,
colleges. A teaching
it's a great opportunity for leadership
partnership between
rn planning a huge event involvÌng
music and theatre
many sectors of the Augsburg
faculty has built
community And for the alumni,
enthusÌasm and interest
donors, frÌends of the College, and
in music-theatre.
the community, it's a time to
Students can partlcipate
celebrate the season through the arts
in a semester-long course
at Augsburg.
I
and prepare scenes for
Two new initiatives in the music
department respond lo emerging
perlormance in the Studio Series.
Other seldom-olfered theatre
worl<pìace needs. A new minor in
courses found at Augsburg include
music business, created in
p1a1,'wrighting, Asian and Asian-
colleboration wiLh Lhe business
American theatre, and-especially
administratlon department, is aimed
appealing for adult weekend
at music students who r.vish some
a dance-theatre licensure program for
knowledge ol business practices.
well
as at
as
majors in other areas who
wish to pursue careers in the music
industп
MAIOR AND M¡NOR AREAS OF STUDY
students-
teachers seeking state licensure to teach
in publlc schools.
A film minor, seldom offered in
Art department
Studio art major and minor*
Art history major and minor
Architecture minor
Certificate in art*
Certificate in art: graphic design*
sma1l colleges, has been extremely
Further exploration of cutting
popular since its inception several years
Music department
Music major (8.4.) major and minor
edge music technology can be
ago. lnterdisciplinary in nature. it is
pursued in collaboration wÌth
grounded in theatre and builds on the
Musictech College in St.
synergy and historical links betr.veen
Music education (8.M.) major
Music performance (8.M.) major
Music therapy (8.S.) major
Augsburg students can use their
technology ancl equipment for the
theatre and film. Students study acting,
Music business minor
recordrng and electronic music
lvell as courses in 16mm film, broadcast
production, documentary video, and
contemporary issues in film.
Pau1.
industry, while Musictech stuclents
can [ransfer to Augsburg to complete
a liberal arts degree.
lncreasing the professional
directing, set design and lighting,
Perhaps nowhere, however,
as
a1'e
the
fine arts expressed as beautifully or
Theatre arts department
Theatre arts major and minor
Dance and theatre
(teacher licensure major)
Theatre history and criticism minor
Dramaturgy minor
Film minor
optlons lor art students also
extensively as Augsburg's annual Advent
influenced the creation of an
Vespers program. Four services of
*Can be completed through Weekend
architecture minor in the art
majestic music, worship, and liturgy
Col
clepartment. Students who have
the context of cornmunlty can take
held during the first week in December
are the College's hoiiday gift to the
community and draw more than 10,000
advantage of Augsburg's liberal arts
people each year. Several choirs,
locus and bc in a strong position to
special orchestra, hturgical readers, and
apply for a graduate-level professlonal
a colorful processronal designed by
appreciation and interest for design in
lege-Weekend students may
choose other majors in the day program,
take as many courses as possible in
Weekencl College, and finish the major
as a day program student.
a
For information about Augsburg College
and its fine arts program, visit
<www.augsburg.edu>; or cal
61 2-330-1001 or'l -800-788-5678; or
I
degree
in architecture.
e-mai I <admissions@augsburg.edu>.
Fall 2O02
4ucsnunc rrrow
15
PASSION
Tära Christopherson
approaches art as a lile sport. Like a
good coach, she helps her students,
rnanlr 6f whom are not art majors,
overcome fears they bring to class, find
abilities they may not know they have, and
achieve something that will sen'e them and
give them pleasure.
Christopherson's watercolor painting
class ls a case in point. She begrns by asking
students when they last took an art course.
For some, it was elementary school.
With small class sizes, Christopherson
is able to demonstrate techniques and then
work individually with each student to see
if they can do it, understand it, and apply
it. But it's still up to them.
"The truth Ìs, no matter what leve1
you're at, you still have to show up and
paint. And the extent to which you're
willing to suspend disbelief and pick up a
brush and brave the empty page determines
what happens more than I do," she says.
What students take with them is a
discovery of how pleasurable it is to mix
colors, which can help them make choices
in theÌr personal lives, from clothing to
house colors.
I
FOR WORD
AND IMACE
u
L
Art professor Tara Christopherson demonstrates techniques for making paper
and book forms
Christopherson finds it exciting to see
students realize that "there is room lor
dlscovery in what art can do for you and
how you can make art that is separate from
our consumer culture."
Christopherson's Fiber and Form class
illustrates the interdisciplinary nature of
Augsburgs education. Students learn to
make paper by hand, to make a book form,
and then to write the text and create the
imagery for it.
"Word and image are inseparable to
me," says Christopherson. "They integrate
two parts of the brain that the education
system tries to keep separate ... I began
working in book form because I have a
passion for both word and image, and I
teach from that passion."
Students work in collaboration on their
book forms, and Christopherson says that if
she's dolng her work right, by the end of the
semester sheb just waLching.
Sometimes students are amazed at what
Tara Christopherson's watercolorr "Rayon
du Soleil," appeared on the back cover of
the fune/fuly issue of The Gardener
magazine
16
,4ucs¡unc ruow
by Betsey Norgard
happens. One student told Christopherson
that this was the first time she felt she was
making art with her whole person because
she could integrate both her art and wdting
skills.
Two years ago, Christopherson joined
with French professor Pary Pezechkian to
lead an Interim travel course to France.
Students studied six French master painters
in their own milieus and created cultural
collages of words and art ìn the form of
artist books. The course came about because
Chrisopherson audìted a French course for
her own personal improvement and began
brainstorming with Pezechkian. (See story
in
Augsburg Now, Spring 2001.)
"The way we're interconnected for
interdisciplinary opportunities is a real
strength," says Christopherson. "The
interdisciplinary connection is an adventure
for students."
This past January Christopherson
retumed to France with eight students to
study watercolor techniques.
In her own professional life,
Christopherson is transforming herself from
a longtime graphic artist to a visual artist
workng in watercolors, and finds that her
skills serve her well.
"I have to use the same marketing skills
to establish myself as a fine arts presence
and to get my work to reach the right
audience, and price it, and write press
releases," she says.
And, when her bright watercolor of
summer flowers appears on the back cover
of a gardening magazine, she knows it's
worhng.
Fall 2002
f
S
PUTTI
N' O N TH E
ob Stacke '7I , chair of the music
department, says that some
professors get an endowed chair
after tÌme at an insiitution. But he got a
bench-a park bench, as a matter of fact.
Just outside Music Hall stands a bench
inscribed, "Dedicated to Dr. Robert Stacke,
Graduating Class of 2002."
"It's my crowning accomplishment,"
Stacke said with a smile. "It meant so
much to me that my students would do
something like that. They're always talking
about meeting me in my'outdoor' office
because I like to sit outside and talk to
people. So, they created my very own
'meeting' bench for me."
Stacke's life has come full circle since
he first became aware of Augsburg and
made a decision to attend when he was
only an eighth grader. That year he played
percussion in the Twin Cities Youth
B
Symphony.
"Our guest performer was Augsburg
professor Jim Johnson, who was the piano
teacher at the College. He performed
"Rhapsody in Blue," and I was so
impressed with him and his playing that I
decided then and there that I wanted to go
to Augsburg."
o
a
Z
q
During his Augsburg student years,
Stacke started on one o[ two paths he has
since followed in the music
world-music
performance. In addition to playing in jazz
and blues ensembles in local clubs, he
served as an "extra" for the Minnesota
Orchestra's percussion section and played
in the Skeets (Langley) Trio, a job that
paid his way through school.
"Skeets was a world-class accordionist.
I did percussion, and Stan Freese, now
musical director at Disneyland in
California, was on tuba," Stacke recalled.
"We were in demand all the time,
performed for two presidents, and
everyr;vhere from conventions to circuses
to demolition derbies. It was a fantastic
experience."
His jazz playing led to his joining
with fellow students to form Augsburg's
jazz program-one in which students
wrote and arranged most of their own
music. It's a skill he shares today with
members of the current Augsburg Jazz
Band, a much sought-after ensemble in
many of the same places Stacke
himself played 35 years ago.
(Venezueia) Symphony, Stacke
embarked on the other path in his life.
In 1990, he jumped at the chance to
return to his alma mater to become the
band director while finishing his Ph.D.
"When I got here I found a
concert band with just 1B members,"
he said. "Needless to sa¡ my first
priority became rebuilding the band.
Music professor Bob Stacke sits on his "meeting
benchr" a gift from the 2002 graduating music
seniors. (L to R): Solveig Grafstrom, Brendan
Anderson, Sara Seekins, Matt"FÍ1t2" Bergin and
Adam Holzschuh.
Fall 2002
s
by Dan forgensen
After several years in teachingjobs
and orchestra positions including
piaying with the Maracaibo
s.
s
u
Today the Augsburg Concert Band is
ranked among the nation's top
undergraduate wind ensembles and
has toured to both coasts and Ireland,
where it earned rave reviews. Almost
simultaneously, he created another top
performance group-Gospel Praise.
This 3O-member instrumental and
vocal ensemble began in 1991 as a
Robert Stacke '71, music department chair,
has played in ensembles and orchestras
from Venezuela to lreland.
hybrid featuring Augsburg alumni music
professionals in the leading roles. They
have performed across the nation, been
featured at three national Lutheran Youth
Gatherings, and sung for the King of
Norway.
Stacke also continues to lind playing
opportunities for his students and ìs now
creating a jazzband for facult¡ alumni,
and the community.
"I hope I'r'e played a role in making
music fun for my students," Stacke says o[
hìs career. "Even if they never go on to
perform beyond college, I hope they will
leave here with a great understanding and
appreciation lor music that lasts them the
rest of their lives."
Dan lorgensen is director of public relations.
,4ucseunc
Now
17
COSTT]MII\G
CHARACTERS I N CHARACTER
-T-\
H
by fudy petree
ven Ín junior high school sLudy hall
in Zumbrota, Minn., Augsburg
I-Jcostume
designer Sandy Schulte
found herself drawing clothes for a comic
strip character. Now, not only does she
design and sew clothes for Augsburg
theatre productions, but for Chanhassen
Dinner Theatre as well. Schulte has been
part-time costume designer at Augsburg
for l7 years and fuil-time designer at
Chanhassen for 30 years.
However, Schulte didn't start out
wanting to be a costume designer. She
attended the University of Minnesota to
become a geneticist. But after being asked
to be in a play her freshman year, the
theatre bug bit her and "it never went
away." While in school she worked at
Northwestern Costume in Minneapolis as
an assistant to the designer to help pay
her way through college. Schulte has her
8.4., 8.S., and M.FA. degrees from the
University of Minnesota.
At first she wanted to direct, and has
also done some acting, playing mostly
children's parts because of her small
stature. But after playing the role of Helen
Keller when she was 27 years old, she
thought she needed to do something
different and took a job in summer stock
theatre as a costume designer.
Occasionally she got to act, which felt like
a vacation, she said.
After that came a call from
Chanhassen Dinner Theatre asking if she
Augsburg costume designer Sandra Schulte brings 30 years of theatre experience to
Augsburg's students, as she helps them design their own costumes.
involvement with the theatre department
doesn't stop there. She lectures in the
technical design, directing, and acting
classes, and she participates with the
director and set designer in seminars held
the week after a show opens. These
seminars are designed to show the students
how to accomplish the director's vision of a
particular show through costume and set
design.
Schulte also works with theatre
students in small work-study groups
sewing costumes, including their own-
"l can tell a student what's poss¡ble and not possible and what it's Iike in the real
world of theatre, even though somet¡mes it's not what they want to hear."
would be interested in working
as a
costume designer. At that time the
Chanhassen theatre was just "bare bones."
Now, she adds, they have four huge
costume rooms.
Because there is no costume design
class at Augsburg, Schulte works just part
time, designing and sewing costumes for
all of its productions. However, her
18
4ucsnunc ruow
something she hopes gives them a feeling
of accomplishment and pride. They also
use the opportunity to talk about different
aspects of costuming for a production and
how costumes can help develop a
character.
With her professional experience,
Schulte believes she brings to her students
a look at theatre from a practical aspect,
rather than an academic perspective. "I can
tell a student what's possible and not
possible and what it's like in the real
world of theatre, even though sometimes
it's not what they want to hear."
She said she enjoys working at
Augsburg because she can design
costumes for classic productions, which
she doesn't do at Chanhassen. Plus she
can use more subtleties in her designs to
further help develop a theme. Students
from Augsburg have also been able to
work with Schulte at Chanhassen.
"It's quite a coup for the College," she
notes, that so many of Augsburg's theatre
students are working in some aspect of
theatre somewhere. She attributes this
success to Augsburg's emphasis on
studying the entire process of theatrical
production. "The teachers and directors
are so steeped in their craft and literature
that the students get a well-rounded
education in theatre."
Right now Schulte is busy designing
costumes for Camelot, which opens in
October at Chanhassen, and she will soon
begin work on costumes for Augsburg's
fall production, Macbeth.
Judy Petree is media relations manager.
Fall 2O02
LEARN INC
OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM
T-\
H
I
ven though art professor emeritus
Philip Thompson rerired lwo years
/ugo, there is always something to
do. He says that artists never get bored,
and he has stayed connected to Augsburg
by teaching calligraphy and glass
knapping classes through the College of
the Third Age.
But sitting in an ivory tower is not
how Thompson spent his 41 years at
Augsburg, either. Whether unearthing the
wealth of treasures from the past on
campus, or reaching beyond the borders
of the College with his students, he
showed them that there is more to a
coilege education than sitting behind a
desk. "Departments have an obligation to
partake in the larger affairs, rather than
isolate themselves," Thompson says.
"There ls a time for that, but one must
learn how to balance the two."
Thompson, born in Bismarck, N.D.,
received his B.A. from Concordia CollegeMoorhead and his M.EA. in studio art
from the University of lowa. He came to
Augsburg in 1959. At that time there was
no art department, and only a few art
classes were offered through the home
economics department. Thompson was
instrumental in the formation of the art
by fudy Petree
department, and the mid '60s saw the
hiring of the art faculty at which time art
was added as a major.
Being at Augsburg College, in the
heart of the Twin Cities, has been an
important part of Thompson's work, both
on and off campus. "This is a tremendous
haven for teaching art, and being anchored
in a community with lots of interaction is
healthy. lt's important to stretch across
neighborhood borders. "
In the late 1960s, Thompson and his
students "stretched" all the way to northern
Minnesota, north of Grand Rapids, where
they found a challenging art project. The
Russian Orthodox Church o[ St. Peter and
St. Paul in Bramble, Minn., with its onion
dome, was completed in 1918 and fell into
disuse during the 1940s. In 1967, led by a
clergl.rnan from Grand Rapids, an effort
was made to restore the church. Thompson
was asked to paint 35 icons, which would
complete the church's icon screen.
Thompson enlisted several dozen of
his students, who researched the style,
technique, and content of icon painting
before embarking on the project. With
their painting, the project was completed
in spring 1971.
Closer to home, his strong
interest in urban archaeology led to
his conducting digs on the
Augsburg campus, once primarily a
residential area. They collected a
variety of artifacts, inciuding
bottles, porcelain dolls, marbles,
and even an old civil war period
projectile. He also conducted digs
at homestead sites in Carver and
Pine Counties. Thompson said that
interest in this sparked some of his
students to pursue archaeology
either as a career or a serious
hobby
Thompson's own contributions
to the campus and off campus are
numerous. A recent addition is the
For 40 years, professor emeritus Philip
Thompson's hands-on teaching took
students out of the classroom to urban
archeological digs and Orthodox icon
restoration.
stained glass cross located in the corridor
outside the chapel. Thompson used glass
from Tiinity Lutheran Church, saved when
the church was torn down to make way
for the freeway.
Outside Augsburg, Thompson's work
is in collections or on display at the Sioux
Cìty Art Center, in Sioux City, Iowa; the
Pillsbury Research and Development
Center; the Minnesota Museum of Art in
St. Paul; the University of St. Thomas;
Moorhead City Hall; Rourke Museum in
Moorhead, and the Plains Museum in
Fargo. He has also restored rotunda
paintings at the Cass County Courthouse
in Fargo and sanctuary murals at
Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mankato.
Judy Petree is media relcltions manager.
StalJ photo
Fall 20O2
4ucsnunc ruow
19
PT]MPII\G T]P THE CRO\MD
AT LYNX CAMES
by Don Stoner
¡l everal Augsburg student musicians
\or. gaining valuable experience ancì
\*-lentertaining thousands oI people in
the process by serving as the "house band"
for the Mlnnesota L1.nx Women's Natlonal
Basketball Association (WNBA) franchise.
The Auggie band-Ben Duane,
Michael Groves, Brendan Anderson, Ryan
Parsons, and Bob Seekins-played for
most of the Lynx's home games at Target
Center durìng ¡he team's summer season.
The Lynx added a live band this
season to help fire up the crowd and serve
as a complement to the recorded music
used durlng breaks and time-outs, said
Robert Stacke, music department chair and
director of the band.
"I've worked with a lot of pro sports
teams in this area, and the Ly'nx called me
to say they needed a band," Stacke said.
"They thought it would be terrific to use
students, and it's really been successful. lt's
good pay and a wonderful experience."
The band plays during pre-game
warm-ups, halftime, and several times
during the game. The musrcians are in
constant contact with the Lynx's gameoperations personnel, who coordinate
promot ions, audience-participation events,
and the team's cheerleaders and mascot.
"You learn a lot about performing at
(t to R) Student musicians Ben Duane, Mike Groves, and Brendan Anderson form the horn
section that pumps up the crowd during the home games of the women's pro-basketball
Minnesota Lynx.
an arena, how to interact with an
audience, and how to maneuver with
headphones on with the game-operations
people. They might say, 'We need 20
seconds of music right now,' and we have
to be ready to do it," Stacke said.
The students write their own
arrangements of
popular songs and
classic Dixieland
music.
"We give them a
song list, and they'll
say that they need 15
minutes of music; so,
we adapt it to what
they need," he said.
"They may want up-
tempo music, or music
for the cheerleaders, or
something else. It's fun
to coordinate, but it's a
An up-tempo beat is added by the guitar and drums of Bob
Seekins, Ryan Parsons, and Professor Robert Stacke (on
headphones).
20
,4ucssunc f{ow
liitle nerve-u'racking. "
Several ol the
students in the Lynx's
banci also play for
another popular Augsburg-based band,
the "Camp Cruisers" house band at the
Mall of America's Camp Snooplz
Like this band, the Lynx band is able
to interact with fans and the team, which
is a positive for the musicians. lt's also a
positive for Augsburg, which is
mentioned often during the game in
introducing and acknowledging the
musicians, Stacke said.
"It's fun to work with the fans, the
support staff, and all the athletes. They're
nice folks and really appreciative of the
band," Stacke said. "lt's good basketball
and the athletes are so nice. The way they
interact with the young crowd is great to
see. P1us, the lans often ask for
autographs of the band, which is fun."
ln addition to working wlth the LJ'nx,
Stacke said that the band would
eventually like to work other pro sports
events in the Twin Cities, including the
Target Center's other occupant, the NBAb
Minnesota Timberwolves.
Don Stoner is sports inJormation cootdinator.
Fall 2002
i\EW YORK, I\.Y.
sUMMER
oN
'THE oTHER srDE'
by Erin Carlson '03
months in New
York City at Binder Casting, one o[
I
L the most influential Broadway
casting offices, swept me into an entirely
new world and understanding between
what professional theatre is and what
many actors think it is.
ftT\wo-and-a-half
Did my two-and-a-half-month
internship there shatter my fluffy dream
of becoming a paid and respected actress?
No. But it definitely put perspective into
important theatrical office, but I began to
realize the work I was doing and
observing was beyond any world I had
ever been a part of. My father made a
great analogy for my experience-it was
comparable to going to the major leagues
straight out of high school baseball. I had
always strived to do an internship
somewhere far away the summer before
my senior year, but I never realized it
would be this huge.
t'11
you desperately want to make a career out of the art you love, you must be
prepared to do it alone and have enough confidence to be rejected more than
accepted."
Carlson '03, English and theatre major
-Erin
with no connection or relationship to the
casting director is only going to get
thrown into the trash. Without great
credits or Lraining lrom a prestigious
school, it will be difficult to obtain
professional exposure. It's reality. It's also
most definitely possible to be successful
in New York and make it into a dazzlíng
Broadway show, but it demands sacrifice
and a complete surrender to your career.
Would I want to establish a longterm life and career in New York? Most
likely not. However, I have vowed that I
would not survive more than a year
without making a substantially long visit.
I suppose it is the greatest city in the
world.
my career goals of three months ago and
the reality I now understand and have
accepted.
Professional theatre is a demanding
career full of personal sacrifices. If you
desperately \Mant to make a career out of
the art you love, you must be prepared to
do it alone and have enough confidence
to be rejected more than accepted.
Although sounding clmical, these
realizations have forced me to recognize
what I must do to survive as a
professional actress. lt has also fed my
constant inspiration to act.
Binder Casting threw me over to The
Other Side-the dark, mysterious world
of theatre business that most actors never
.see nor understand. Being surrounded by
only one casting director, four associates,
and one part-time intern in an intimate,
open office space submersed me into the
inner workings of a Broadway casting
director. Within my first few weeks I was
answering phone calls from prominent
playwrights such as Neil Simon and
Wendy Wasserstein and actors Jenna
Elfman and Peter Gallagher.
During my last week I sat in on a
final callback for the replacement of Little
Sally in Broadway's Urinetown! The Musical
and watched Saturday Night Live's Rachel
Dratch sing "Welcome to the Jungle" as
part of her audition.
I knew I was working in
Fall 2002
an
My daily responsibilities with phone
answering, mail, e-mails, and faxing were
mundane. However, I experienced how
one casting director and his four
Erin Carlson is a senior majoringín theatre
arts andEnglish. She recently playedthe role
of the baher\ wife in the spnng production,
associates balance numerous projects and
Into the Woods.
somehow
beautifully cast huge
Broadway
productions. I
observed the
relationships
between casting
directors,
playwrights, agents,
producers,
directors, and entire
creative teams. It's
amazing and
shocking how
enormous a task it
just to cast the
show, let alone
is
bring to the stage.
As stated
earlier, the
knowledge gained
from my internship
and the New York
City theatre world
put perspective and
reality into my
dreams. I learned
that sending an
unsolicited headshot
Erin Carlson spent the summer learning the realities of the theatre
business as an intern at a major Broadway casting agency in New
York. Here, near Times Square, she is pictured with her two
brothers, Colin (left), a writer and editor in New York, and Evan,
visiting in the Big Apple.
,4ucsnunc ruow
21
MAKINC
MUSIC
avid Cherwien'79 and Mark
Sedio '76 have traveled many of
the same roads since their
graduation from Augsburg three years
apart. Both have become prominent
church musicians and organists and both
have written and published widely and
continue to share the "h).rnnfest circuit,"
each playrng ar 20-30 h)'mnfests per year.
Sedio is director of music at Central
Lutheran Church and Cherwien is cantor,
or director of music, at Mt. Olive
Lutheran Church, both in Minneapolis.
Cherwien succeeded Sedio at Mt.
Olive, and each taught [or ayear at.
Gustavus Adolphus College. At Augsburg,
they sang in the choir under Leland
Sateren and they consider themselves
"spiritual, professional children," as Sedio
put it, of Stephen "Gabe" Gabrielsen '63,
with whom they studied organ.
Sedio played piano as a child, and
was captivated by the sound of the organ,
especially "the small, soft sound." But it
was psychology, not music, that brought
him to Augsburg. He joined the choir,
however, and came under the wing of the
music department, who told him that he
just couldn't do anything else but music.
It was while doing graduate work in
choral music at the University of Iowa
that Sedio discovered his vocation. "I
realízed that doing music in the context of
worship \Mas my great love," he says. He
completed two years at Luther Seminary
pursuing a calling in ministry of word and
sacrament.
At Central Lutheran, he sees a
different kind of ministry weaving
together music and spirituality. "When
you are actually able to fit music into the
life of a congregation, not maybe just in
worship, but in the whole life, and to help
people see that knitted-together fabric and
to facilitate it-that's the greatest joy you
could have," says Sedio. He delights when
he sees kids captivated with his organ
demonstrations who want to come back
for more.
22
,4UCSBUnC n¡OW
TO STIR THE SOUL
by Betsey Norgard
David Cherwien began playing organ
while his family lived briefly in France. He
never played a h).'rnn until his sophomore
year afAugsburg, when he took ajob at a
local church. Even though he was a music
education major, church music became his
passion as he sang in the Augsburg Choir,
played organ, and was inspired by
organists such as Paul Manz.
Cherwien's publishing career, which
includes most major music publishers, was
launched when a music publisher attended
an Augsburg recital and heard Cherwien
play h1.rnn improvisations he wrote for an
independent study course with Gabrielsen.
His original collection of hymn
improvisations contains 15 volumes.
Gabrielsen comments, "Dave's organ
compositions are played in all 50 states
and several foreign countries, I would
guess."
ln addition to his position at Mt. Olive
Church, Cherwien recently became
director of the National Lutheran Choir.
And, last November, he played for the
installation of the Rev. Mark Hanson '68 as
the third presiding bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Both Sedio and Cherwien attribute the
Augsburg Choir and Sateren's gift for
guiding students toward the "soul" of the
music as significant. "He never talked
about 'soul,'but he told stories and passed
on the tradition," explains Sedio.
Gabrielsen recalls the "glory years" of
the 1970s, when Sedio and Cherwien were
among his 16-20 organ students. With
lìmited organ practice available on
campus, Augsburg organ students of that
time gained opportunities to play on
wonderful organs around the metro area,
better than any college could afford.
He says that today, even with an
increase in great organs available, there is
an enormous decrease in organ students.
Lack of parental pressure to make children
practice, the instant gratification of playing
ready-made music on keyboards, and the
infiltration of contemporary music in
Church musicians and organists Mark Sedio
'76 (leÍt) and David Cherwien '79 (right)
both studied with music professor and
Coflege organist Stephen "C,abe"
Gabrielsen '63 and found their ministries of
music in publishing, congregational music,
and as organists.
churches all contribute to this decline.
Despite pressures to bring more pop
music into worship, Sedio sees the old
tradition continue. "Some of the kids I had
in Choristers at Mt. Olive are graduating
from college and they're excellent
musicians. They know what it's all aboutit's a whole."
Fall 2002
,-¿
6
THE
)
S
TO SUCCESS FOR CARRET WILLIAMS
parh, a film by writer-director Garret
Williams'89, received what some
might describe as catalytic acclaim
among those in the film industry when it
debuted as a short in 1996 at the
Sundance Film Festival. The fi1m,
originally 40-minutes long, was made
whiie Williams was enrolled in graduate
school at the American Film Institute and
was funded by two sizable grants from the
National Endowment for the Arts and the
Bush Foundation. It expiores race
relations in America through the story of
Nina and Byron, a young African
American couple whose car breaks down
on a road trip from Chicago to L.A. The
pair finds help from a mechanic,
considered suspicious and possibly racist
by Byron, and the tension between the
two empts into a confrontation. The
movie ìllustrates how easily racial
suspicion can turn violent.
Sparh garnered wide acclaim,
including at the New Directors/New Films
series at the Museum ol Modern Art; the
USA Film Festival in Dallas, where lt won
the grand prize; and the Urbanworid
on to graduate school at the American
Film lnstitute.
S
Festival, where Williams received an
award for best dìrector. Spurred on by
success, Williams wrote a script to expand
the film to feature length and embarked
.on what he calls the "entrepreneurial
adventure" of getting a film in production.
He met producers Ìnterested in the
project, gained selection of the film lor
conversÌon to lull length at the Sundance
Film Labs, and received underwriting
from the Blockbuster-McKnlght Film
Fund.
Despite hìs thought that "films, like
any arf", are never finished-you just
abandon them," Williams has not exactly
abandoned Sparh, but still travels to
various screenings, such as the recent
Image Nation Film Festival in New York.
A self-described jock in high school,
Williams says he really didn't become
interested in art untìl college. He admits,
Fall 2002
by Wendy Elofson
Last year, Williams received a Bush
Artist Fellowship, given annually to l5
artists to allow them chances to explore
new directions, continue work already in
progress, or accomplish work not
financially feasible otherwise. With this,
he is traveling for research on several
projects, one of which involves the
Addicts Rehabilitation Center in Harlem.
Williams hopes to shoot a film in
Minnesota in the near future. He is
cuûently re-writing a screenplay titled
"Hyenas," a contemporary drama about a
group of friends involved in an inner-city
drug culture, which had originally been
worked through the Sundance
Screenwriters Lab.
About his future plans, Williams says,
"l want to make a lot of movies, help
establish a foundation, and keep busy."
Garret Williams '89, who majored in studio
arts and communication, graduated from
American Film lnstitute and is now
researching several film projects with help
of a Bush Artists Fellowship.
however, to somewhat o[ a genetic
predisposition toward art-his mother is a
poet and college professor and his father ìs
Wendy Elofson t'ormerly worhed in the Olt'ice
of Institutional Advancement at Augsburg.
a painter.
Williams entered college more
ry
interested Ìn
advertising, but found
photography more to
his liking. At
Augsburg, he gained
experience as
Courtesy
liûto
ii'ri:iiFlìiiiËirk!ì!iliiir:r¡1
t
a
student photography
edltor, lvhich
increased his interest
in the visual arts and
led him to major in
studio arts/communication. Alter
graduating, Williams
worked as a
photographer and
started fìlm school at
the now-defunct Film
in the Cities. After
producing several
shoris there, he went
/
t"
i.
I
ti
¡r;ï'"
Nicole Ari Parker and Terrence Howard appear in Spark, Garret
Williams'film that explores issues of racial tension and suspicion.
,4ucssunc
Now
2g
..
AUCSBURC
MUSIC
ON THE ROAD
by Cathy Anderson
f-T-lo many o[ us, traveling with 60 peopie,
I instruments, robes, equipment, and enormous
I. amounts of luggage carefully crammed onto a
bus may not sound like the best way to spend our
vacâtÌon. However, for students who are members of
music ensembles, tours are eagerly anticipated each year
and form some of their favorite memories of college.
Muslc tours are an important pari of Augsburg's
outreach. Performances by these ensembles increase
Augsburg's recognition and knowledge of its mission.
They also help alumni, friends, and families spread
across the nation stay connected with the music
department and the College. Students take on important
roles as Augsburg ambassadors.
"Students are remarkable at communicating with
audiences and alums on tour," says Robert Stacke'71,
director of bands and music department chair. "People
enjoy interacting with students and learning how both
music education and Augsburg College have impacted
their lives."
Tours give students a unlque platform to travel and
perform around the globe while gaining valuable
professional training with a performing arts
organization. In the past few years alone, Augsburg
ensembles have traveled throughout the Midwest,
Arízona, New Mexico, Florida, the Republic of lreland
and Northern lreland, Finland, Estonia, and St.
Petersburg, Russia.
However, touring music ensembles have long been
an important tradition at Augsburg College, dating back
*#
4ucssunc Now
to 1888, when a quartet of students traveled as
part of a temperance organization. Quartets
began to visit Lutheran Free Church
congregations during summer vacations and
often served as the first contact many rural
families had with Augsburg.
In the 1950s, both choir and band tours
began to visit civic locales more frequently
than churches and toured outside of the
Midwest. In the summer of 1960, director
Mayo Savold and the Augsburg College
Concert Band embarked on a 45-day tour to
I
The1972 Augsburg Choir, led by Leland Sateren'38,
toured Minnesota, lowa, and Nebraska.
a
Flutist Bonnie Martinson '59 celebrated her
birthday in 1958 with the Augsburg Band
on tour through southwestern Minnesota.
ln April 1999, the Augsburg Orchestra and Riverside Singers
performed in Red Wing and Rochester, Minn.; and LaCrosse, Wis.
Fall 2O02
important in life. I have taken my
high school orchestras on tours
overseas because of that tour. I feel it
is important for students to see other
countries and customs that are
different from their own."
Some memorable personal
connections are also made and
renewed through the tours. ln 1998,
the Augsburg Choir traveled to
Norway and performed in a number
of small churches. The pastor of one
church told choÌr director Peter
Hendrickson '76 that he remembered
25 years earlier when the choir also
The Augsburg Choir sang in the famed "Rock Church" in Helsinki,
performed in his church.
Finland, as part of their 2002 tour to Finland, Estonia, and Russia.
Hendrickson told the pastor that he also
remembered that night, because he was
help celebrate the new state of Alaska. This
a
student
singing
in that Augsburg Choir.
remarkable journey encompassed nine states
Hendrickson
also recalls another choir reunion of
and Canadian provinces and more than 30
sorts
from
the
following
year, when he led Masterworks
performances, including two concerts under
Chorale,
the
choir
including
students, alumni, and
the renowned baton of Robert Shaw.
community
members,
That tour reunited
to
German)¿
Alum Lara (Dyrud) Maclean, a L990
the
four
lenors,
including
Hendrickson,
who had sung
violin performance grad, recalls an Augsburg
together
as
students
in
Augsburg
Choir.
Choir tour that traveled to several eastern
The Augsburg touring tradition continues in the
European countries and Germany just months
2002-03
academic year with the Augsburg Chamber
after the Berlin Wall had come down.
Orchestra
traveling to the Seattle/Tacoma, Wash. region
"It was amazíng to be there and meet
numerous
and
ensembles on the road throughout the
people our age. It was so eye-opening Lo see
entire
Midwest.
Tour itineraries and performances
how involved they were politically lt made me
schedules
can
be
found online at
feel like we take too much for granted as
<www.
augsburg.
edu/music/tours>.
Americans.
To lnquire about an ensemble visiting your
"In Poland, the choir had the opportunity
community,
contact fine arts coordinator Cathy
to stay with host families. "We stayed with...a
Anderson
af" 6L2-330-1279 or
college teacher and an engineer who made $45
a month to live on and feed their two children
and mother-inJaw. They \Mere so kind and
<andersc@augsburg. edu>.
giving... [and] really exemplified what is
Cathy Anderson
is
fíne arts coordinator.
I
The Concert Band, all dressed up ready to play, toured with
With palm trees swaying, the Concert Band
the choir in Arizona and New Mexico in spring 2000.
played on a Florida beach in March 2002.
Fall
2OO2
4ucssunc fìtow 2s
The GACE GALLERY
REACHINC BEYOND THE CAMPUS
"11 alleries are not just for those of us passionate about the
arts," says Cathy Peters '93, galleries and exhibits
I
utih. Gage Family Aricaliery opened in
\I.oordir.,uto,
-usual
commÌtment to the community to provide opportunities for up and
coming artists," says Peters. One such example is that of artist
Barbara Lea, whose "New Works" were exhibited this past February
Gage Gallery acted as a launching pad for Lea's career, resulting in
her art being picked up
by Circa Fine Arts
1997 in conjunction with the Lindell Famlly Library, Gage Gal1ery
has become a place that not only provides hands-on access to art
and artists alike but a place where the Augsburg community can
explore art. "We get to share another part of the world with
Gallery in Minneapolis.
Over five years, the
Gage Gallery has enjoyed
people-by bringing shows to campus that people would rarely
see," says Peters.
opportunities to build
The location and accessibility of Gage Gallery in the llbrary
it possible for the Augsburg community to take
of
the gailery and its artists as learning tools. By inviting
advantage
lecture
in classes and by requiring student attendance at
artists to
receptions,
faculty members ì.ncorporate the exhlbits lnto
opening
In
their curricula.
doing so, students learn how art can be
into
integrated
their major field of study; they converse about the
make
connections with the artists.
artwork, and
"The student's learning ranges from the practicality of how to
make a living to the use of various colors in a piece of art," says
Peters. "It is this interaction between student and artist that is the
most stimulating."
Peters' commitment extends beyond that
of the College. "I also have a
local, national, and
have made
Gallery exhibits vary widely in media and
R) from creative artist's books on
handmade papers (Tara Christopherson), to study of
the worldwide art of tattooing, to wearable art as
expression- (L to
fashion (Erika Spitzer Rasmussen), and to evocative
oils on canvas (Barbara Lea).
26
,AUCS¡UnC ruOW
by Cherie Christ
international
collaborations with
prestigious arts
organizations, including
the Minneapolis Institute
of Arts and the
Smithsonian Institution.
ïlhTToo
a.
u¡tüEililutrm
Fall 2002
,--
21ST CENTURY TILES: FROM EARTH TO FIRE
Augsburg College's Cage Family Art Callery and
the Catherine C. Murphy Callery at the College of
St. Catherine are co-hosting a national
Cage Gallery, located in Lindell library, focuses on the work of Minnesota
artists-providing both a place for them to exhibit and opportunities for
them to particiPate in classes.
juried tile
exhibition, "21st Century Tiles: From Earth to Fire,"
from Sept. 13 to Oct. 20.
This exhibition in the trvo galleries includes
more than 100 contemporary works by
The falt art exhibit entitled "21st Century Tiles: From Earth to Fire," is one
example of such a collaboration. In conjunction with the Tile Heritage
Foundation's 1Oth q.'rnposium "Tiles in the Twin Cities: The Quintessence
of Handicraft," the Gage Family Art Gallery and the Catherine G. Murphy
Gallery at the College of St. Catherine wili host a national juried tile
exhibition.
The gallery's growing presence in the art world has led to some
pleasant surprises and connections for Peters. While she was in Stockholm,
Sweden last summer to research Viking Age textiles, she visited the Statens
Historiska Museum, where the textiles are now conserved. On the desk of
rhe curator was the March-Apri1 2001 issue of Hahmagazine, featuring
three articles and an exhibition notice for "Textiles from the Silk Road,"
which ran in the Gage Gallery from March to May last year. Peters marveled
at lhe oppofiunity to share her exhibit and information about the gallery
with this European colleague. The ga11ery was again featured in Hali
magazine for the exhibit "Kilims: Weaving as a Tiadition."
The L997 opening
a
exhibition in the Gage Gallery
a
s.
featured paintings, prints, and
6
sculpture donated to the College
ra
approximately 50 artists. Sponsored by the
Minnesota Crafts Council, the exhibition was
juried by William Hunt, American artist, critic,
author, educator, and editor oÍ Ceramics Monthly
from 1972-1994.
"From Earth to Fire" is presented in
conjunction with the Tile Heritage Foundation's
1Oth symposium, "Tiles in the Twin Cities: The
Quintessence of Handicraft," held in September.
Presenters of the symposium include the
American Swedish lnstitute, the Handmade Tile
Association, the Minnesota Historical Society, the
Northern Clay Center, the Minneapolis lnstitute of
Arts, and theTile Heritage Foundation.
by Captain Gerald L. Johnson,
son of 1915 Augsburg alumnus
Rev Harold "Butch" Johnson.
Johnson's gifts of artwork to
the College will also be featured
this faÌl as rhe première exhibit
in the new gallery space in
Christensen Center, a gallery
wall on the main floor of the
college center.
Gage Gallery received
funding from Barbara and Skip
Gage and their families.
For information on the
Gage Family Gallery and
exhibits, caII 6L2-330-I524 or
visit <www. augsburg. edu/
galleries>.
Ch erie Chnst is a
specialistfor
Jine
c
ommunications
arts.
Fall 2002
Augsburg alumnus Noburu Sawai /66
returned to Augsburg and lectured in
Gage Gallery as one of the artists
Í:;ï'""$
l
*; ffi'fj}jïT
j;ï:,i
instructor Toshi yoshida.
4ucs¡unc ruow
27
REMEMBERII{G ESTHER OLSOI{:
JOYFUL STRUCCLE AND A ',|OIE DE VIVRE'
,,GaryK.otson'65
o
ù
Esther J. Olson, professor
of drama at Augsburg from
1960 to 1977.
"Occasionally a splash of color
comes into our lives, awakening us
to delight and goodness. That splash
may be the flight of a brightly
colored bird; it may be a piece of
music; it may be a play done so well
you are drawn in and captivated.
The awakening is better when it
comes through a person. Esther
Olson was a splash of color in the
lives of many of us." That's the way I
began my eulogT for her funeral in
T984.
In the 1960s it was my privilege
to have acted and to have done
technical theater work under the
direction of two talented and strong
professors, Ailene Cole and Esther
O1son. For them I am grateful and
because of them I am a better
person.
Esther's intense personality was
reflected in the plays she chose to
di.rect. She was drawn to
play'wrights like Henrik Ibsen,
August Strindberg, and Anton
Chekhov-not exactly writers of
comedy or musicals. I confess that I
yearned for Esther to direct more
comedles; yet the social, theological,
and personal themes of the plays
she chose were so universal they
2A
,4UCS¡UnC n¡OW
could speak to contemporary audlences.
Though she was intense, acting under
Esther's direction was to experience r.vhat
play'wright Henrik Ibsen called 'Joie de vivre,"
the joy of life. For Esther it was a joy born out of
engaging the struggles ol lile with faith in God.
Part of her joylul struggle was a passÌon for
excellence. Like a great orchestra conductor she
put together the various characters and scenes of
a play in order to bring it alive for the audience.
It is a theater cliché, but there were no small
roles in her prodr-rctions. She worked actors who
had bú parts as hard as those who had major
given up." She used this method on many
actors. Esther could draw more lalenl out
of a person than he or she thought they
roles. She wanted each scene and each character
[o contribute to the whole effect. Many times she
would say, "Run that scene again, lt's not dght! If
you do it rlght, it'1Ìmake me cry (or laugh)!" i
remember standing wrth a friend backstage late
one night, wanting to go home, hoping she
wouldn't say "Run it againl", but she did.
Sometimes she would ask actors to come to
her home on a Sunday afternoon to polish
a scene. We young actors would complain.
We would be angry But when the plays
were produced before an audience and we
did a good job, we were proud and glad.
We returned to act under her direction.
Yes, Esther had a passion for
excellence, but she also had compassion
for her students. She stood with us in the
sense that she wanted us to grow and be
the best we could be. She encouraged us
to take responsible risks, to be bold in
using our talents. On occasion during a
rehearsal she would stop everything and
yell to an actor, "Give me some emotion!
Give me something even if it's wrong!
Then I'lt have something to work with!"
More than once she would push me
ourselves.
Then she
Ìn rehearsal until I became
^ngry.
"Good,
now
use
that
good,
would say,
say,
Later
she
would
scene."
energy in this
"Don't worry if I push you or am angry at
you. it means I see potential. Only worry
if I don't say anything to yolt; it means I've
had to give.
When rehearsal was over, she would
often say, "Come over to my hor"tse for eggs
and toast." Many of us did. There we saw
the other side ol Esthcr's compassion:
tenderness, sensitivity, a willingness to
listen to our hurts, our fears, our hopes
and dreams. We laughed and cried
together. We learned to be bold ìn trustirig
God and loving people beginning with
Esther was indeed a splash of
wonderful color in the lives of many of us.
The Rev. Gary K. Olson'65 is minister at
Laheview Luther an Church in Maplew ood,
Minn.
Funding for the Tjornhom-Nelson Theater sign was
paid for by the Esther f . Olson Memorial Fund.
Fall 2002
tl I
)^
l
¡a
From the Alumni Board president's desk..,
ffi
il
Accordingly, I highly recommend that
when an Auggre Conversatlon is held in
your area, you spend a few hours
reacquainting yourself with other
alumni-and gain some useful and
interesting information at the same time.
A:Jìï*:
educational
opportunities
did not end
when we
graduated from
Augsburg. Last
month, I had the
@
m
pleasure of
attending an Auggie Conversation located
on the garden patio of a local restaurant
on a warrn summer evening.
Mr. Zack' Curtis '97 enlightened us
with interesting stories conceming what it
is like to be a professional actor in the
T¡¡in Cities. I learned more behind-thescenes information about the Minnesota
theatre community in one hour than I
could ever have imagined.
The Augsburg Alumni Board is
dedicated to connecting alumni with their
fellow alums and to their program in a
manner that is of mutual benefit to both.
Vocation Mentoring Têams
Augsburg is the fortunate recipient of the
Liþ Endowment Grant entitled
"Exploring Our Gifts; Reconnecting Faith,
Life, and Vocation." Part of the grant
involves creating a program that will bring
alumni back to the campus for a
mentoring program that includes students,
facult¡ staff, and alumni.
At the mentoring meetings and
retreat, the group participants will discuss
what fosters spiritual growth and
maturation while reflecting upon vocation.
It is anticipated that the mentors'
commitment will involve an evening
training session; five or six evening
gatherings consisting of large group
presentations for alumni mentors,
students, faculty, and staff; small-group
breakout sessions; potential follow-up with
students at their place of work; and a final
evaluation celebration.
Students will be interested to know
how you chose the work you do, how
Augsburg prepared you and influenced
you in your work, how you face the
challenges in balancing your work and
family life, and what gives your life
meaning and purpose.
Ifyou are interested in participating
or learning more about this program,
please contact Pastor Sonja Hagander at
612-330-1735 or via e-mail at
<hagander @ augsburg. edu>.
Andrew Morrison '73
President, Alumni Board
Three alumni appointed to Alumni Board
designed to provide opportunities for
youth in the South Minneapolis
community to participate in traveling
league sports. Boone was inducted into the
Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
The Augsburg Alumni Board o[
I Directors appointed three new
members and elected Andy Morrison '73
as president and Paul Mueller'84 as
president-elect. The new members are as
follows:
Jennifer Tome'99
Greg Boone'81
Greg Boone
graduated from
Augsburg with
a
B.A. in business
administration and
concentration in
finance. He works
for Northwest
Airlines as a business unit manager. He
has been a volunteer youth basketball
coach in South Minneapolis for seven
years. He is also director, treasurer, and
member of the South Side Athletic
Association, a non-profit organization
Fall 2002
Å
a
m
il
z
Jennifer Tome
graduated from
Augsburg in with
B.A. in communications and
Barry Vornbrock
,96 MAL
Barry Vombrock
graduated from
Augsburg in 1996
with an M.A. in
leadership. He
manages IS
a
business. Tome is a
wine representative
to local restaurants
with
Paustis Wine Company in Plymouth.
She serves on the Children's Home Society
Winemaker's Dinner Planning Committee,
and is a member of the Minneapolis
Chamber of Commerce and Grapevine
Wine Club.
bylynnMena
Ambulatory Patient
Care Systems at HealthPartners, Inc., in
Minneapolis. His varied professional
background includes engineering,
computer science, and retail sales. His
volunteer work includes service as an
election judge and site coordinator, as well
as involvement with the United Way
campaign and the Minneapolis Youth
Diversion Program's gay, lesbian, bisexual,
and transgender host home program. This
year, Augsburg honored him with a First
Decade Award (see page 7).
,4ucsnuncruow
29
Alumni News
New director and associate director join
Alumni/Parent Relations
bylynn Mena
o
o
ñ
(_)
E
k
Amy Sutton, director
of Alumni/Parent
director of Alumni/
Relations
Parent Relations
Heidi Breen, associate
and maintain relationships with all of our
alumni, students, and parents, and to
work with them side-by-side to ensure
that Augsburg is always an exceptional
place to come home to. We hope to
provide additional support to our
international and Weekend College
students and alumni as well."
In her first recruiting assignment at
Augsburg, Sutton hired Heidi Breen as
associate director of AlumniÆarent
rlhe Oflice ol AlumniÆarent Relations
I *ilì ,tur, the 2002-'03 academic year
Relations. Breen, who joined the staff
Sept. 3, had been associate director of
admissions at Augsburg. Over the last 16
with
years, she handled all aspects of recruiting
director and associate director.
Amy Sutton joined the staff as director
in August. She was previously vice
a new
president of Friendship Ventures in
Annandale, Minn., a nonprofit organization
serving children and adults with
developmental disabilities. She has also
served both South Dakota State University
and Augustana College in positions ranging
lrom admissions counselor, assistant
director of admissions, development officer,
interim director of annual programs and
alumni relations, and director of
scholarship administration and
development.
Sutton served as dean of counselors for
South Dakota Girls State in a voluntary
capacity for 16 years and received the
South Dakota Girls State service award for
her efforts. She has also been recognized as
one of the top 20 people under the age of
40 for contributions to the Brookings,
S.Dak., community through work, public
service, and volunteer efforts.
Sutton graduated with a B.S. in
commercial economics from South Dakota
Srate University in 1991 and acquired her
Master of Science in lndustrial Management
in 2000 from South Dakota State Universiqz
"I look forward to becoming a member
of the Augsburg community," says Sutton.
"It is already obvious to me that there are
exceptional people here.
"Our continued priority in
AlumniÆarent Relations will be to build
30 4ucs¡unc now
transfer and international students plus
students from North Dakota and
Colorado.
Breen has served on the European
Council of International School Boards
since 1993 and has led two groups to
Central and South America for recruiting
purposes. She has a B.A. in elementary
education from Concordia CollegeMoorhead, but you'd find it hard to
believe she is not an Auggie!
"I have loved my years working in
admissions meeting great students and
their families," says Breen. "The
relationships that I've built with students,
families, and counselors while recruiting
are amazrng. I am very excited to begin
my position as associate director of
AlumniÆarent Relations. lt will be
wonderful meeting up with some of my
earlier recruits! The alumni oflice is here
for you, so please let us know how we can .
help you get connected to Augsburg-and
for those akeady connected and
volunteering, thank you!"
ffi
Auggie Conversations are held the
second Tuesday of each month.
October 8, 5:30 p.m.
Benihana, St. Louis Park
Facilitator/topic: Kari (Eklund) Logan'82,
media relations
November 12, 5:30 p.m.
Fhimas, Downtown St. Paul
(Lawson bullding)
FacÌlitator/topic: Merilee Klemp'75, rnr,rsic
Ãrrr\tnTfe[fl:TllTñIcßr
President and Mrs. Wl11iam V Frame wrll visit
alumni, parents, and friends of the College in
the Seattle, Wash., and Vancouver/
Portland, Ore., areas from October
26-November'3,2002.
January 14, 5:30 p.m.
St. Petersburg, Robbinsdale
Facilltator: Prof. Norma Noonan
February 11,5:30 p.m.
Wildfire, Eden Prairie (in the mall)
Mark your calendars for the following
gatherings:
Topic: Athletlcs at Augsburg
Saturda¡ October 26
March 11,5:30 p.m.
Host: Neal '60 and Kay Thorpe
Contact: Steve Rosvold'Bl
360-576-9692
Frida¡ November
The Newsroom, Downtown Minneapolis
Facilitator: Lisa Ze11er'Bl, 'Bq MAL
April 8, 5:30 p.m.
I
Magrano's, Edina (in Southdale Mall)
Facilitator/topic: Prof. John Mitchell, poetry
Seattle gathering
Locatìon and time TBD
Il you wor-rld like
December 10, 5:30 p.m.
Roadhouse, Burnsville
Facilitator: Jeroy Carlson '48
infotrnatÌon on
above gatherings, 01 you rvoulcl like to
scheclule an appointment to meet wrth
n-rore
t-he
President Frame, please contact Norn-r
Okerstrom'85 at 612-330-1616 or e-mai1
<okerstro@augsbr-rrg. edr-r>.
May 13, 5:30 p.m.
Freighthouse, Stillwater
Facilitator: Prof. MarthaJohnson and Rick
Shiomi, theatre
For more informatron, please call 612-330I l78 or e-mail <alumnl@ar-rgsburg.eclr"r>.
Fall 2O02
,--
School Business Official of rhe
1950
Year by the Minnesota
Esther Johnson, Marshall,
Minn., was honored at the Pride
in the Tiger Foundation Hall of
Honor banquet for her
contributions to area schools and
community.
A,
longtime Marshall
High School teacher, she has
spent
212
years
in education,
including teaching English to new
immigrants and teaching English
abroad.
1952
Harvey Peterson, Edina, Minn.,
was featured in the June issue of
Truch Parts and Sewice. CATCO,
the company he joined in l95l
and for which he currently serves
as chairman of the board, was
named as one of five finalists for
2002 Distributor of the Year. In
the article he is described as "one
of the best teachers anyone could
have" by both the company's
president and vice
president/general manager. Under
his leadership, the company has
expanded to 13 locations.
1
953
Phyllis (Vik) Swanson,
Association of School Business
Officers. He has been business
manager at West Central Area
Schools in Barrett, Minn., since
t996.
1964
Avis (Hoel) Dyrud, Newfolden,
Minn., was named Faculty of the
Year by Northland Community
and Tèchnical College in Thief
River Falls, Minn., where she has
taught for 19 years. She and her
husband, Philip '64, have five
children and ll grandchildren.
The Rev. Gary L. Langness,
St. Paul, retired in May after 29
years as Augustana Lutheran
Church's senior pastor. "[He] is
one of the most outstanding
pastors in the [ELCAI," said the
Rev. Mark S. Hanson'68,
ELCA presiding bishop. The Rev.
Langness plans to pursue
missionary work in lanzania and
also looks forward to spending
more leisure time with his wife,
Carol (Welch)'65: his two
children, Jennifer and Tony '93;
and his twin grandsons.
Northfield, Minn., celebrated the
marriage of her youngest son,
Daniel, to Cortney l-arson last year.
She recently retired after editing St.
Peter's Lutheran Church's
1967
Marilyn McKnight, Edina,
Minn., is running as a DFL
candidate for state legislature.
She and her husband, Stephen
Erickson '68, own a mediation
firm in Minneapolis.
1
of the No¡theastern Minnesota
Synod of the ELCA. Before his
election as bishop, he was senior
pastor of First Lutheran Church
in Duluth.
1973
Randolph
968
Just was
named senior
director and
chief auditor of
Dorothy Anderson and her
husband, Roy Hankins, recently
relocated from Mason City, Ill., to
accept positions as child
psychiatrists with Woodland
Centers in Willmar, Minn. She
was previously employed at the
Wilder Child Guidance Clinic in
St. Paul, the Mendota Mental
Health Center in Madison, and
in private practice for IB
was
Schwan's Sales
Enterprises,
Inc., a frozen foods manufacturer
and marketer based in Marshall,
Minn. Before joining Schwan's,
he served as senior manager at
KPMG, LLP, in Los Angeles.
1974
years.
Kathryn (Sanoden) Pearson,
David Loftness, Shakopee,
Cambridge, Minn., recently
published her first book,
Temp erTamer s (Attainment
Company), a guide for
instructors to help students with
behavioral problems. She works
for both the Braham Area School
District and the Princeton and
Elk River clinics of Fairview
Counseling Centers.
Minn., retired after sewing as
director of court services for
Carver and Scott Counties for
34 years.
1
969
The Rev. Peter Strommen,
Duluth, Minn., was re-elected for
a second six-year term as bishop
ffi
Augsburg alumni and friends joined President and Mrs. William V. Frame
and Prof. Frankie Shackelford on a 12-day journey to Norway.
THIS PAST SUMMER,
newsletter for23years. Sadl¡ her
husband, Bob, died in 1996.
f 955
Shirley G. (Lundborg) and
Harold Reistad '56, reside in
Circle Pines, Minn. Shirley is a
registered nurse at Northwestern
Hospital.
1
963
Carolyn E. Johnson, Ph.l.
Placentia, Calif., was recently cited
as "a great. teacher, wonderful
friend, and role model" in the
communications department
alumni newspaper at Cali[ornia
State University-Fullerton, where
she is an associate professor.
Jon Nygaard, Fergus Falls,
Minn.. was named Minnesota
Fall 2002
Pictured at left on the steps of ffollhaugen, the home
of composer Edvard Grieg, are: (top row L to R)
President Frame, Malcolm Watson, Laura Cichocke,
Esther Watson, Dorothy (Floistad) Benson '56, Sonya
Quam, tour guide, and Anne Frame; (center row, L to
R) Prof. Shackelford and Larry T[¡rner'69; (bottom row,
L to R) Farolyn (Johnson) Gehring '56, Bonnie Lerberg
'92, and Judy Ramler. Pictured at right on board the
Nordlys Ship are (t to R) Prof. Shackelford, Mary
McDougall, and Susan Albrecht.
.4ucssuRc
Now 3l
Class Notes
1975
Dan R. Bruss, Pella, Iowa, was
named the ninth president of
Bethany Lutheran College,
beginning inJanuary. Bruss began
his academic career at Bethany in
1975, where he taught until 19Bl
He has taught at Central ColÌege
in Pella since 1990. He and his
wife, Kathrym, have two children.
The Rev. David Grant and his
wife, Deb (Thomson)'76,
president-elect of the Minnesota
Osteopathic Medical Society He is
family physician with MinnHealth
in Woodbury Minn., and remains
a
active in the America Osteopathic
Association. He also holds
professorial appointments at the
University of Minnesota Medical
School and Des Moines University
Martha "Marty" (Wagner)
Nitzberg, Springfield, Va.,
continues to work for the
honors, as well as the Associate of
the Year honor by his parent [irm,
North Star Resource Group. He
and his wife, Jacqui, have three
daughters: Kristin, Justine, and
Erika.
1
981
Walt Johnson, Minneapolis,
was
elected president of PLUM
(Professional Librarians Union of
Minneapolis). He is a relerence
relocated to West Union, Iowa,
where Dave is senior pastor at
Zion Lutheran Church. He
retum in 2000 from a two-year tour
overseâs. She has two daughters,
Meredith and Robbie.
previously served Indherred
Lutheran Church and Immanuel
Lutheran Church in Starbuck,
1979
Mary Lingen, Backus, Minn.,
exhibited t9 of her paintings at
M'inn.
1976
Leah Abdella, Inver Grove
Herghs, Minrì., is co-local office
Karla J. (Wiese) Miller, Brookþ
the Johnson Heritage Post in
Park, Minn., is director of choral
music at North Hennepin
Community College.
April. Since 1988, she has had
1
980
direcLor of the Cancer PreventÍon
Coalition, an educationaì and
informative non-profit organization
whose goal is to reduce cancer rates
through outreach, public education,
advocacy, and public policy
initiatives.
1977
Bruce B. Cunningham,
Maplewood, Minn., was elected
Jeffrey
K.
13
solo shows and has been involved
in 43 group exhibits in 20 states.
Her work is described as
"surrealistic and colorful."
1984
Bloomington,
Ann Gabrielson works with
Minn., achieved
U.S. Foreigrr Service. She recently
left her two-year post in Havana,
three top
for his efforts in
200Ì as a cerrified financial
planner with Fortune Financial.
These included the Circle of
ExcelÌence and Court of Table
Cuba, for a new position in
Adana, Turkey. Prior to being
hired by the govemment, she
graduated from the University of
Minnesota Law School, worked as
a law clerk, and ran a private
practice in Montevideo, Minn.
Distinguished Alumni Award
is founder and executive director
of Reaching Arms International,
an inte¡national adoption agency
and ministry outreach
organization with programs for
adoption in Russia and Ukraine.
ln April 2000, she opened the
First Decade Award
first privately-run orphanage in
the Ukraine called Cradle of
lollowing awa¡ds:
Spirit of Augsburg Award
990
Terri (Withers) Williams and
her husband, Ray, reside in
Plyrnouth, Minn. She is a full-time
homemaker, raising their two
daughters, and teaches private
vocal lessons in the Minneapolis
area. Ray is a financial advisor with
American Express.
Corey L. Davison, Chicago, Ill.,
married Kelly Lin Sullivan. Corey
works for the Concord Coalition
as midwest director in Chicago
and as director of legislative affairs
in Washington, D.C. Kelly is a
flight attendant for a major alrline.
.lim Douglas, Apple Valle¡
the
The Rev. Nila (Garner)
Neumiller, Minnetonka, Minn.,
The Augsburg Coilege Alumni Association Awards and Recognition
Committee seeks your assistance in identifying members of the
Augsburg community to be considered for recognition for the
&
1991
Jarnes,
production goals
on his law practice, Rice, Michels
Johnson LLf; in Minneapolis.
1
librarian in the technology/science/
government documents
department of the downtown
Minneapolis Public Library.
Department. of Defense after her
in the Minnesota Senate. The Ìawyer
and former lobbyist has opted not to
run for reelection so he can spend
more time with his family and focus
Children's Hope. The organization
Minn., started a new company
providing marketing and creative
services called Nighthawk
Marketing. He and his wife,
Andrea, have two sons, Jimmy, 5,
and Tyler, 2.
Kristof Nordin, Lilongwe,
Malawi, Africa, is a technical
coordinator for the Peace Corps'
Malawi training programs. His
wife, Stacia, coordinates the Peace
Corps' Malawi Crisis Corps
Program. They have been living
and working in Africa for more
than five years.
Eric H. Peterson, Minneapolis, a
marketing director for Dairy
Queen, was recently recognized as
the creator of the Express Lunch
promotion, which has run in
approximately 1,250 of DQ
restaurants nationwide.
To make a nominatlon online or to view the description/criteria for
each award, go to <www. au gsburg. edu/alumni,/nomform>.
is planning to extend its efforts
into Africa. Last September, she
was honored as one of three
To recieve a nomination packet, contact:
Office of AlumniÆarent Relations
recipients for the 2000 Women of
Achievement by lrin West
Chamber of Commerce.
Carolyn Pool, Minneapolis, an
actor and comedian, recently
appeared in the 1929 comedy
June Moon by Ring Lardner and
George Kaufman, at the Park
f986
Square Theatre in St. Paul. She is
married to Matt Sciple.
Phone: 612-330-l i78 or l-800-260-6590
E-ma11: alumni@augsburg.edu
The deadline for nominations for 2003 is March 14,2003
Dave Johnson, Bloomington,
Mirm., will retire from his seat (DFL)
32,4UCSSURCNOW
Fall 20O2
m
'Titletown's' Eayrs an NFL innovator
uv Don sroner
A conversation with Mike Ea¡'rs is like attending a doctorate-1eve1 c1ass. The subject is footba11. Listening to him discuss the
intricacies of his favorúe sport, you understand how football has become the passion of his life for more than 30 years,
a
^s
coach and now as a National Football League innovator.
Eayrs, a 1972 Augsburg graduate, is regarded as one of the NFIS innovators 1n merging technicai and statistical analysis
with
advancements in video technology For 16 years, the West Concord, Minn., native created a unique video and technical
analysis program for the team he grew up admiring, the Minnesota Vikings. But in 200I, Eayrs left the Vikings to join one of
the team's biggest rivals, the Green Bay Packers. He became the Packers' first director of research and development.
Mike Eayrs'72
"The timing seemed right," said Eay'rs of his move to Green Bay Wis. "I was contacted by the Packers to see if I was interested
in a job. Had they called a year or two sooner, I would have probably said no, because I wasn't really interested then. But there
were some things happening with the franchise Ìn Minnesota . . . (and) there was just enough uncertainty that all of a sudden, 1
thought to myself that if the right team would call, I probably would listen."
Other teams were callingbecause Ea¡rs is considered one of the leaders in an NFL revoiution of sophisticated analysis. It all started in the early l980s,
when Ea1'rs was a footbalì assistant coach and instructor at Minnesota State University-Mankato-where the Vikings hold their annual summer training
camp.
"Every year, I taught a statistics class in the HPER (health, physical education, and recreation) department. Statistics was a painful thing to teach, and I
was trying to find a way to make the class more fun, s¡ill worthwhile, and more exciting," Ea¡rs said. "We applied statistical analysis to sports statistics.
We wrole to the NFL and got the Elias Sports Bureau to send us the year-end reports for three or four years. We started to do 'trending' on professional
football. I started to send the repoils to the Vikings, findings that we found on the NFL. They were very interested in it, and I was extremely happy to do
it for them."
Eventually, those "State of the NFL" reports led to a full-time job wrth the Vikings, where he created sophisticated research repoils on statistical, team,
and player lrends. He became one of the first NFL analysts to incorporate the use of computer databases, along with video analysls.
anaþis from the o1d style of l6-millimerer film to videotape and, now, drgital video that can be merged with
computer databases. Instead of looking through hours and hours of game films for specific plays or trends, Eayrs and his staff can instantly find specific
plays and players, via computer video, for coaches to analyze and present in team meetings.
Eayrs has seen the evolution of video
In 2001, Eayrs made the jump to the Vikings'division rival, Green Bay, where he took his skills-often referred to
created position wlth the Packers, the only publicþ-owned team in the NFL.
as
the'Viking p6d¿1"-¡6
a
newly-
Of course, moving from the Vikings to the Packers could have presented a problem for Eayrs and his family-including his son, Brian, who is entering
his senior season as a quarterback at Augsburg, and who had spent tìme as a ballboy at the Vikings' training camp as a child.
"Brian was the one who encouraged me to go to Green Bay, more than anyone
else in our fami1y," Eayrs said. "The move to Green Bay isnt just about me, it
involved all five members of our family ... Brian was a very loyal Viking fan a1l
the way through, and he had a lot of great memories and relationships with
that team. I asked hÌm what he thought, and he said, 'Dad, it's a chance to go
o
a
s.
õ
L
U
to 'Titletown,'you'd be a fool not to take it. The winnlngest franchise in the
NFL, you'd have to be a fool not to go there.' I thought, 'Well, he's on board'."
Eayrs' family has a strong association with Augsburg. He received hls bachelor's
degree in social studies and physical educatlon at Augsburg, and his wife, Mary
Jo, currently a human resouÍces director at a Twin Cities compan¡ rs
graduate of Augsburg Weekend College.
a
He said he enjoyed the urban setting and diversity at Augsburg, along wrth the
opportunities for research and real-world experience. He played football at
Augsburg, though he said that he "wasn't even a good player-I wâsn't even an
averuge player on the JV team." While at Augsburg, he was able to work as a
youth supeffisor and coach for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board,
and learned a lot from frequent vÍsits he made to watch the Umverstty of
Minnesota football team. He eventually eamed his masterb degree at
Wisconsin-l¿ Crosse and doctorate at the University of Oregon. He coached
and taught at four different colleges in the Midwest before jumping to the NFL.
Dott Stoner is sports inJormation coordinator.
Fall 2002
Mike Eayrs '72 is regarded as one of the NF[s innovators
in merging technical and statistical analysis with
advancements in video technology.
.4ucs¡uncNow
33
Class Notes
1992
!i
()
s
All the world's their stage
q
by Lynn Mena
John Clifton, Cambridge, Minn.,
married Ernily Carr in July He
received his Master ol Arts in
Educatron frorn St. Mary's last
year.
When Darcey Engen and her husbancl, Luvetne Scifelt, were theatre majors
ar Augsburg in the 19BOs, the theatre arts cleparttnenl macle its hotne in a
space knor.m as Stage lL Although Engen and Seifert clìcl nol attend
Ar-rgsbr.rrg ar the same time, they share a similal fòndness lor the olcl theater'.
"lr rvas oliginally the rnr.tsic building, and belore tl-rat, a chtuch," says Engen.
"BnL when I rvas a stltdent, lt r,vas oul own little space , and we Lool< care of
rt. We rea11y learnecl how to create something out of nothù-rg-how lo tnake
a costunle, how to bni1cl a sct, how to c1o lighting, how Lo work with Lhe lìre
marshal, hor.v to be
a
janìtor-we
learned cvcr-ything"' says Engen.
husband, Luverne Seifert
'83, have found personal
and profess¡onal success
There rvas also another theater on camptls, the Little Theater. "Bul I
primarily remember Stage Il," says Seifert. "ll was great because yor't cor-l1d
do so rnany things with the space-I can remember being there until five or
six in the morning, working through the night. There were no restrictions,
since graduating from
you could really create r'vith yor-rr imagination."
Darcey Engen '88 and her
Augsburg's theatre a¡ts
pro9ram,
Both Engen and Seilert credit Augsburg urth helpug lo shape them into the
performers rhey are today "I calne out very well-rounded; it wasn't just
abour performing, it r,vas about thts group of peop1e," says Engen. "We were a community and a collaboration,
"
nu. purh.d each other and rve supported one another-we created art. It tvas incredtbly beneficial
Engen's perfonnance experience ir-r Minneapolis lncludes work wrth Theatre de 1a
ancl Dudley Rig¡¡s' Brave Nerv Workshop. Thìs past sumrnel she co-wrote
-Je¡ne iur-re, ReJ Uye Collaborarion,
Augsburg theatre professor Martha Johnson, a two-person procluction
with
rc
ancl perlormecl tn FloatingMothe
Since gracluating
in 1988,
that deals wlth the funny and poignant moÌrrents of being a mother.
After receiving her M.FA. in actlng from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, rvhere she specialized in voice
ancl rnovement traimng for the stage, Engen was a thealre professor al the University of Kentucky-Lexington,
and later a professor at the Uníversity o[ Northern Iowa
New York
Seifert, who teaches theatre pan time at the University of Mlnlresota-Tw1n CÌties, spent time 1n both
up the
ancl Califorr-ria after gracluaring lrom Augsburg ln 1983. He first headed to New York, where he soaked
Tì'ade
Worlc1
of
the
bottom
at
the
a
store
Alexander's,
at
a
salesperson
worled
as
and
classes,
took
culture,
"The ttlb in
Center. "l llved in an old hotel that was cheaper even than the YMCA-it was awful," he chuckles.
But
ever)'where
cockroaches
were
and
there
rvater,
the shared bathroom was always fillecl with brown, murþ
anyr,vhere."
never
been
I
had
jusr
and
college,
out
of
it r,vas a gteat experience; I was
When he returnecl to Mrnneapolis, he started a theatre company r.vrth a grotlp of [e11ow Augsburg alumni called
Franl<
Crry Stock Thearer., whÌch operared for several years. He later performed wllh the Red Eye Collaboration,
Thåafe, Chilclren's Theatre Co-p^rry, and Theatre c1e la Jeune Lune, lvl-rere he r'vas an arlislic associale for 10
str-rdy clouning in
years. Earlier this year, he receivecl a McKnlght Theatre Fellowship, rvith whìch he plans to
work.
Switzerland and to develop ârtistic
together'
Althor-rgh Engen ancl Seifert clidn'r meer as students, Angsbr-rrg still played a role it-r bringing then'r
at a festival
perform
lo
hired
them
rvho
Parker,
Gary
faculty,
thearre
Augsburg's
of
member
a
Àet
thÃugh
They
performance
he árganized called Summer Srar, an offsÀoot of rhe Renaissance Festival, in Shakopee, Minn. The
lwo sons,
their
with
Minneapohs
in
Northeast
live
eventually led to marriage tn 1992. Today, Engen and Seiferr
Severin, 5, ancl Simon, 4.
993
J. Ernst, St. Paul,
married Holly Lee Henderson Ìast
December at St. Mark's EpiscoPal
Cathedral in Minneapolis.
Jin Sun, Chengdu. China. is
a
trombone teacher, director of the
concert band, and dean ol the
Sichuan Music Conservator),. He
rvas a visiting scholar to Augsbur¡i
lrom 1992-'93, and expresses his
gratitude to the CoÌlege and its
faculty for making it a "wonderful
and beneficial" experience.
1
996
Ryan Carlson, Minneapolis,
recently earned a B.S. in cornputer
science from Augsburg Weekend
College in addition to his B.A. in
chemistry from Augsburg and an
M.S. in chemistry from the
UnÍr'ersity ol Minnesota. He is an
operations manager at sea8ate.
1997
Kevin Crerand, Peoria, Ariz., is
a mortgage broker
in Phoenix. He
says "the weather is awesome and
my golf game is tops."
Zach Curtis, MinneapolÍs, is
artistic director of Fifty Foot
Penguin Theater, which rvas
named Best Independent Theater
in the Twin Clties 2002 by CitY
Pages. The company just
completed their fifth season, and
next season will be their largest
yet.
r 998
is an olficer in the
Air Force stationed in ltaly.
Matt Butler
1997, Engen returned to Ar.rgsburg's theatre arts clepartment-this time as faculty Engen is an assistant
is nor'v
professor, teachurg several conrses ancl directing one production each year. The theatre cleparlmenl
locarecl in Foss Center, r,vith lornhorn-Nelson Theater setving as the main stage.
U.S.
now
The benefit of Augsburg's cLrrÌ'ent rhearer space is that the hlgh artistic qr,rality of the perlortnances is
"I
design
costume
and
sottnd,
paired wirh a polirhed iechnical presentation, inclucling professional lighting,
calnplìs
Augsburg
"There
the
on
prodr.tctions
ate
Engen.
are now a shorvcase for the Coliege," says
il-rir-ri.
rhat are rruly of professronal cluality-and beyond. It has really been a rvonderful transition."
stewardship and parish mrnistr):
from Lutheran Theological
Seminar¡ in May. He was also
awarded a two-month summer
ln
*.
A
1
Matthew
4ucs¡uRc
tr¡ow
Justin Walkef received
a Master
o[ Divinity degree, with honors in
Fall 2002
-
course of study ât the Goethe
Institute in Dresden, Germany.
1
River, Minn.
Dan Lillquist, Papesville,
Minn., received his Master of
999
Amy Covington moved to
Fairview Northland Clinic in Elk
San
Diego, Calif., in April; she works
for Academic Press and also writes
for several local newspapers.
Karen Schachtschneider,
Sarasota, Fla., was promoted to
senior marketing specialist at
SPEEDCOM Wireless
Corporation.
Shana Wilkinson, Bloomingron,
Minn., married Lance Jensen in
March. Shana is a teacher at
Forest HiÌls Elementary School
and is pursuing a graduate degree
at the University of St. Thomas;
Lance works at Coca Cola, Inc.
Physician Assistant Studies degree
with a specialization in family
medicine from the University of
Nebraska Physician Assistant
Program. He has worked for the
Paynesville Area Health Care
System since 2000.
Becky teaches elementary special
education in Wesley, Iowa; Dean is
a sales representative for Syngenta
Seeds and he farms with his father.
2001
Erica Bryan joined the stafl of
Kinship as an Anoka county
coordinator.
Kris Froyum married Kristina
Weinzierl inJuly. Kris is a project
manager at Braun Intertec;
Kristina is a senior development
engineer at Honeylveìl
International.
computer programmer/analyst for
Wells Fargo in Minneapolis;
Nathan is a physician assistant at
Fall 2002
and Steve
Nelson,
! Minn.-a
III
Minn.-a
Brittany Kay, in
daughter,
February. She
joins older brother, Mitchell.
Jennifer (Koehntopp) '93 and
Dan Wenzel '93, Lino Lakes,
Minn.-a
son, Dylan Michael,
inJune 2000.
Kathleen Blilie '00 and her
husband, Eric, Blaine,
Shakopee,
F
Neu, Rogers,
son,
son,
Alijah Ehret, in
January. He joins older sister
Arianna, 4. Kristin is a music
education and band teacher for
Minneapolis Public Schools.
Minn.-a
Andrew Thomas, in May.
Kathleen is a contracts specialist at
Fairview Hospital.
Tahirih (Robinson)'00 and
David Jensen '00, Woodhaven,
Mich.-a
daughter, Morgan
Theone, in March. Tahirih is an
Rozenia Fuller recently
Amy, Edina,
Minn.-a
the Henry Ford Health System.
is a fifth-grade teacher [o¡
Minneapolis Public Schools and is
also pursuing graduate studies in
special education.
Sheri lronside married Nathan
Budde '00 in April. SherÍ is a
Kristin Joy
(Schwerin)'88
Wendy (Hanson)'92 and Mark
relocated to New Jersey after
being accepted into Princeton
University's Master of Divinity
Program. She was previously
academic advisor with Augsburg's
approximately $21 million
contract to remain with the NBAIs
Los Angeles l-akers in July, staying
with the team on which he has
earned three straight NBA
championship rings. He visited
with five other teams during the
two weeks that teams could court
from Luther Seminary. Before
entering the seminary she served
as director of continuing
education and co-coordinator of
strategic planning ât Augsburg.
John is director of business
development for Exel, an
intemational logistics provider,
based in the U.K.
admissions coordinator at the
University of Minnesota.
ob/gm resident and David is an
intemal medicine resident with
TRIO/Student Support Services.
Dennice (Sorko-Ram) Gooley,
Fridle¡ Minn., received a Master
of Arts in Old Têstament degree
Mary McKinney, Texas-a son,
Jacob Thomas, in April. He
joins older brother Zachary,6.
Clara Emilie, in May. Cindy is an
Mark Keating
'91 and his wife,
Devean George, Los Angeles,
agreed to a four-year,
free agents-Minnesota,
John Ennen '84 and his wife,
Becky Soller, Algona, Iowa,
married Dean Bormann inJune.
2000
,Washington, Chicago, New Jersey,
and Utah-and between 12-15
teams had contacted him, but he
chose to remain in Los Angeles.
Births/Adoptions
Fhonda (Davis) Hicks, St. Paul,
John Rotter married Marisa
Schleis in July. John is a financial
at HealthPartners in
Bloomington, Minn.; Marisa is a
graphic artist at USP Lumber
Connectors and a dance instructo¡
at Center Stage Dance in
anaþt
Montgomery Minn.
2002
Rebecca L. Running, Edina,
Minn., received a Master of Arts in
Leadership for Mission degree
from Luther Seminary in May
Marissa Skowronek married
Michael Partridge in August.
Marissa is a marketing
communications specialist for the
Minneapolis Consortium of
Community Developers; Michael
is a programmer/analyst for
eBenX, Inc.
son,
Owen Wade, in
February Mark is
an âccount
executive for EMC; Amy is a
décor specialist for SUPERVALU
Design Services Group.
Lucinda
"Cindy"
(Wiehle)'92
Jennifer
(Crego)'01 and
Chad Carls'00,
St. Michael,
Minn.-a son,
Thomas Allon,
inJanuary
Jennifer is a math teacher for the
Osseo School District.
and JeffJohnson,
Champlin,
Minn.-a
'.1À: daughter,
Will Schroeder '95 and his
business partner T.J.
Paskach, have become hot
sensations with their Nitro
Ice Cream company, While
chemical engineering
Ph.D, students at lowa
State University, they
invented a way to flash
freeze ice cream with
liquid nitrogen, creating a
creamier-than-most
product in seconds. The ice
cream got thumbs up
from fans and food
experts at the Minnesota
State Fair this year. Visit
<wwwnitroicecream.com>,
árre$l.tRc¡tow
35
m
Palmer N. Henrickson '37,
Oakdale, Minn., died in April; he
was 90. Prior to retiring in 1978,
he worked for the Standard
Conveyer Company in St. Paul.
He also taught junior high in Fort
Ransom, N.Dak., and worked for
the Government Agriculture
Program in Lisbon, N.Dak. He
was a veleran o[ WWtl, serving in
Hawaii and the Philippines. Upon
retirement, he and his wife
traveled extensively around the
U.S.; they took their dream trip to
Norwa¡ where at 80, Palmer was
able to climb a mountain. He is
survived by his wife of 59 years,
Nora; three sons; five
grandchildren; and a greatgranddaughter. He is preceded in
death by his son, Pete¡ Tim.
Joe O. Reitan '42,Fargo,
N.Dak., died in May; he was 83.
He worked as a clerk for the U.S.
Postal Service in Minneapolis, and
later worked as a salesman for
Westem Products in Fargo until
his retirement in 1994. He is
suwived by his wife, Harriet, two
sons, a daughter, and nine
grandchildren.
Selvin "Sam" E. Sampson'44,
Grand Rapids, Minn., died in
May; he was 80. He sewed many
m
Catalog Operations, retiring in
l9B9 as general manager. He is
survived by his wife, ShirÌey
(Odencrans)'5 I ; daughters,
Susan, C1'nthia, and Karen; and
grandson, Jonathan.
Roger E. Glans'52, Coon
Rapids, Minn., died inJune; he
was 76. He was a retired teacher
from Coon Rapids High School.
He is survived by his wife, Carol;
sons, Christopher and Eric;
daughter, Mary; and
grandchildren, Erika, Lydia,
Carsten, and Connery.
Douglas Berg '56, Eurick, Wis.,
died inJune; he was 70. He
taught in the Gale-EurickTiempealeau School District for
20 years, retiring due to illness.
He is survived by his wife,
Christa; son, Steve; daughter,
Monika; and granddaughter,
Jordan.
Shirley (Lundborg) Reistad
'58, Circle Pines, Minn., died in
June; she was 65. She was a nurse
at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.
She is survived by her husband,
Harold '56; sons, Jim and Steven;
and grandsons, Joshua, Nicholas,
and Matthew.
until his retirement in 1980. In
1987, he was elected Grand
Rapids Township supervisor and
served six years. A WWII veteran,
he served in the 82nd Airbome
taught high school in Cokato,
Minn., from 1958-'60. He is
survived by his wife, Darlene. He
is preceded in death by twin sons,
Infantry in Sicil¡ ltal¡ and in
southern France. He was awarded
the Purple Heart for his wounds
and also was awarded the Silver
Star for gallantry during the Rome
Campaign. He is preceded in
death by his wife, Billie Jean. He
is survived by three sons, Bruce,
Ra¡ and Donald; seven
grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren.
Glen and Gary
Donald R. Erickson '50, New
Brighton, Minn., died in March;
he was 74. He was a 43-year
employee o[ Sears Roebuck
36
,4UCSSURC itOW
Martha Batalden,
Lebanon,
N.H., died inJuly. She was
a
nationâl leader of Lutheran
church women and among
intemational missionaries. Martha
and the entire Batalden famiÌy
have touched the lives of many
within the Augsburg communit¡
in part through their
establishment of the Batalden
Ethics Endowment Fund. Her
inspiration and life will forever
touch the Augsburg community.
She is survived by her husband,
Abner'35; her two sons, Paul'63
(LaVonne Olson'63), and Stephen
'67 (Sandra); grandchildren; and
many others.
The Rev. Curtis
C. Peter, Isanti,
Minn., died in
June following a
valiant battle
with cancer; he
was 64. His life
served as a testament to human
strength, courage, and deep
compassion. He served l0 years
as church relations director at
Augsburg, ìeaving in 1997; he
returned to parish ministry at St.
Phillips Lutheran Church in
Fridley, and Ìater accepted a
perrnanent call at Faith Lutheran
Church in Isanti, Minn. He
concluded 32 years of formal
ministry when he preached at
Faith Lutheran's Con[irmation
service on May 4. "Curt was a
faithful, gentle person in our
midst," said Augsburg Pastor Dave
Wold. "Perhaps the best
description of Curt is that he was
a sweet guy, and always looked for
the good in every person." He is
survived by his wife of 4I years,
LaVerne; fou¡ children, Eric,
Rachel, Aaron, and Seth; a
grandson, Adam; and many
others.
The Rev. Waldo Pierson'62,
Mesa, Ariz., died in May; he was
75. Over the years, he served
congregations in Minnesota,
North Dakota, Nebraska,
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. He
years as a teaching principal in
Effie, Minn., and at Squaw Lake,
and finally taught social studies at
the Grand Rapids Middle School
software technical consuitant at
SAP America, Inc. In memoriam,
his family established the Loren
Manuel Schottenstein Scholarship
Fund to heìp deserving students
and to honor Loren, by paying
tribute to his hard work and to
the receptive and encouraging
academic environment at
Augsburg that helped Loren to
succeed despite his learning
differences. He is survived by his
mother, Rosalyn Kirkel; father,
Morris Schottenstein; and sister,
Liann Walborsky.
Loren Manuel Schottenstein
'92, Minneapolis, died
unexpectedly inJanuary 2000; he
was 30. As a student at Augsburg,
he became chair of the College
Republicans, treasurer of the
Marketing Association, and was a
student assistant in the audiovisual department. He was also
the site manager of the
lntemational Special Olyrnpics
and a member of the Minnesota
Nationaì Guard. Prior to his
death, he worked as â computer
Fall 2OO2
)
¡a
tt
o
It
Music
Nov. 25
Sept. 26-OcL. 25
For more inJormation on any of these eyents
(unless othenuise noted), call 612-330-1265
Chamber Music Recital
8 p.m.-Sateren Auditorium
"G¡fts to Augsburg College: Selections
from the Captain Gerald L. Johnson
Sepr. 27
September
1
1 Commemorative Concert
p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
B
Collection"
Dec. 6-7
New art gallery, Christensen Center
Advent Vespers
Nov B-Dec.
Dec.
Oct.
13
Gospel Praise Concert
9 a.m.-St. John's Lutheran Church
Howard Lake, Minn.
Oct.22
Augsburg Riverside Singers and Men's
Chorus Concert
7:30 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Ocr. 27
O. Nicholas Raths Faculty Guitar Recital
3 p.m.-Sateren AudÍtorium
Nov. 3
The Masterworks Chorale Concert
4 p.m.-Wayzata CommunÌty Church
Wayzata, Minn.
Nov. 10
Gospel Praise Concert
9 a.m.-Emmanuel Lutheran Church
Almelund, Minn.
6-5
and 8 p.m.
Dec.7-5 and I p.m.
Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
For information, call 612-330-1265
Augsburg Jazz Ensemble Concert
4 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Nov. 18
Augsburg Chamber Orchestra Concert
7 30 p.m.-Sateren Auditorium
Dec. 13-11
For tlcket information, call 612-330-1I59
Seminars,
Lectures, and
Films
or l-800-299-8889
F or
15th Annual Benefit Concert and Silent
Auction, Center for Global Education
7 p.m.-Hoversten Chapel
Theatre
For tichet information, call 612-330-1257
l\ov. 1-10
Macbeth
by WÌlliam Shakespeare; director,
Julie Bolton
Performances: Nov l, 2,7 , 8, 9 at 7 p.m.;
Nov. 3 and l0 at 2 p.m.
Tjornhom-Nelson Theater, Foss Center
Augsburg Concert Band Concert
3 p.m.-Central Lutheran Church
Minneapolis
information, call
Oct.
Nov
l0-l : l0 p.m.-ljornhom-Nelson
Julie Bolton, director; Michael Burden,
setlighting designer, Sandra Schulte,
costume designer
Nov. 6
Drama Day for high school students
For informaiion, call Darcey Engen,
612-330-r549
-11
B0
B
"One Makes the Difference"
Julia Butterfly Hill, writer, poet, activist
7:30 p.m.-Convocation, Hoversten
Artistic Conceptsr Macbeth
:
-330
2002 Christensen Symposium
"How Christian Faith Can Sustain the
Life of the Mind"
Richard T. Hughes, Pepperdine University
For information, call 612-330-1 180
Chapel
12
612
Sept. 23-24
Nov. 4
:
Nov. 24
"Out of the Woods," by Alis Olsen
Opening reception: Nov 8, 6-9p.m.
The Gage Family Art Gallery, Llndell
Library
Theater, Foss Center
Nov. LT
18
11
"lslam and Christianity: Religious
Resources
for Living with Differences"
Mark Swanson, Luther Seminary
Amin Kader, Augsburg College
I 0 a.m.-Convocation, Hoversten Chapel
Other Events
Sept. 25-29
Homecoming: Many Gifts, One Spirit
Exhibits
For gallery int'ormatiott, call 612-330-1524
Sept. 13-OclZA
"21st Century Tiles: From Earth to Fire"
National Juried Tile Exhibition
Opening reception: Sept. 20, 6-9 p.m.
The Gage Family Art Gallery Lindell Library
Dec. 6
Velkommen Jul
10: 15
a.m.-Hoversten Chapel
I I a.m.-2 p.m.-Christensen Center,
featuring Scandinavian treats and gifts
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Augsburg Now Fall 2003
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A
PUBLICATION
Fall 2003
FOR
AUGSBURG
COLLEGE
ALUMNI
&
FRIENDS
Vol. 66, No. 1,4
,,\
. 111
The Sciences at Augsburg
octors, research psychologists ,
space physicists, mathematicians,
teachers, and a Nobel laureateAugsbu rg enjo ys a long tradition of
excellence in the sciences. I ...
Show more
A
PUBLICATION
Fall 2003
FOR
AUGSBURG
COLLEGE
ALUMNI
&
FRIENDS
Vol. 66, No. 1,4
,,\
. 111
The Sciences at Augsburg
octors, research psychologists ,
space physicists, mathematicians,
teachers, and a Nobel laureateAugsbu rg enjo ys a long tradition of
excellence in the sciences. I am
delighted to welcome you to this specia l
issue of Augsburg Now focusing on our
program s in the natu ral and behaviora l
sciences and mathematics.
Based in the liberal arts and
sciences, an Augsburg education equips
our diverse stud ent body to meet the
needs of the highly techno logical 21st
century. All of our stud ents gain skills
that help them und erstand
contemporary issues, evaluate evidence,
and make informed decisions. The new
Augsburg Core Curri culum encourages
interdisciplinary teachin g and
coursewo rk. It also gu ides students to
become thoughtful, effective leaders,
mindful of their gifts and talents, in
whatever field they enter.
Augsburg science maj ors, the focus
of this issue, receive a solid found ation
for advanced work. Ou r science
programs provid e many hands-o n
experiences such as research with
facult y, internships, and service- learnin g.
For example, our qu arter-centur y
partn ership with NASA has prov ided
D
We welcome your letters!
Please write to:
Editor
Augsburg Now
22 11 Riverside Ave., CB 145
Minneapo lis, MN 5545 4
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Fax: 612-330- 1780
Phone: 6 12-330- l! Sl
Lellers for publication must be signed and
include you r name , class year, and daytime
telepho ne numb er. Th ey may be edi ted for
length , clarity, and style. Read the full text
or len ers at Now Online,
<www.augsburg.edu/n ow>.
research opportuniti es for stud ents far
beyond what is available at many other
small private colleges. Our communit y
partnership s provide internships and
other off-campu s learnin g expe riences.
We eagerly anticipate the up comin g
campaign for a new science facility. For
50 years, our Science Hall has served
stud ents well, producin g remarkabl e
achievements in its laboratories and
classrooms. Our new center for the
natur al and behaviora l sciences and
mathematics will offer a state-of-the-art
environm ent for teachin g and research ,
as well as a welcoming place for the
communit y.
In these pages, I invite you to meet
our engaged facul ty, read about stud ents
succeedin g beyond their expectations,
and catch up with some of your fellow
classmates and friends who have chosen
many different paths in the sciences.
~ -plChristopher W. Kimball
Vice President for Academic and Student
Affairs and Dean of the College
Letters to the
editor
Mystery Auggi e runn er from
1960 s photo come s forth
Seeing the picture of Kofi Ann an on the
track with two other runn ers [see Summ er
2003, Class Notes] concerns me. Without
knowing, I may have been in the presence
of one of the greatest minds of our time.
How often does that happen?
I started my freshman year in 1960
and participated and lettered in track and
field. I held the school record for the high
hurdl es for a while and ran some sprint
races and pole vaulted as well.
Wh en my wife saw the mystery
picture she immediately said "The person
in this picture looks ju st like you." I got
out the magnifying glass, and sure enough
it looked like me. I had bony legs and
always had a pained look on my face
durin g a race. Furth ermore, I hardly ever
placed first- as the picture shows.
- Gary Ellis '65
Miigw etch from Bonnie Wallace
II write] with great humilit y and
appr eciation for the wond erful
celebration held Jun e 16 [see Summ er
2003, Around the Quad] for th e 25-year
anniv ersary of th e American Indi an
Stud ent Services Program .
I want the Augsbur g and local
American Indi an co mmuniti es to kn ow
that the success of the pro gram depended
on literally hundr eds of peopl e . ... I hold
[Augsbur g President Emeritu s] Charles
And erson in high regard for his genuin e
belief in our work .... He supp orted the
progra m's aut onomy, and that is evident
today.
Twenty-five years-th at's longevity!
.. . I am so very pleased to be a part of
th e history of this exce llent progra m.
Miigwetch (th ank you , in the Ojib we
language) to the Creator and all of you
that made this poss ible.
- Bonni e Wallace , Scholarship Director,
Fo nd du Lac Reservation; and found er
and former dir ector of Augsbur g's AISSP.
Augsburg Now is publi shed
qu arterly b y Augsbur g Co llege ,
22 11 Rive rsid e Ave., Minn eapoli s,
Minn eso ta 55454.
AUGSBUR G NOW
A
PUBLICATION
FOR
AUGSBURG
COLLEGE
ALUMNI
&
Fall 2003
FRIENDS
Vol. 66, No . 1
Editor
Betsey No rga rd
Features
Assistant Editor
Lynn Mena
Graphic Designer
Kath y Rumpz a
Class Notes Coordinator
Sara Kamhol z
Photographer
Steph en Geffre
President
9
The Sciences at Augsburg
In this special issu e abou t th e sciences at
Augsbur g, stud ents, faculty, and alumni share
Willi am V. Fram e
th eir stori es of researc h in Antar ctica,
Director of Alumni and
Parent Relations
chemistry in cosm etics, teach ing high school
AmyS utlOn
Director of Public Relations
and Communication
Dan Jor gense n
O pini o ns expr esse d in Augsburg
Now do no l n ecessa rily renecL
o fficial Co llege policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Pos tm aste r: Send co rr es pon de nce ,
nam e changes , and addr ess
corr ection s 10: Augsburg Now,
om ce of Publi c Relations and
Communication , 22 11 Riversid e
Ave., Minn eapo lis, MN 55454.
E-mail: now@au gsbur g .edu
Teleph on e: 6 12- 33 0 - 118 1
Fax : 6 I 2-3 30-1 780
Augsburg Co llege , as <iffirmed
in its mission , does not
disc,im inat e on the basis of race,
color, creed , religio n, nati ona l or
etlmic origin , age, gender. sexual
mie ntalion , marita l status , stat us
with regard to public assistance ,
or disability in its ed ucation
policies, admissions polici es,
scholarsl iip a nd loan pr ogmm s,
athletic and/or school
ad m inist ered programs , excep t
in tho se insta nces wliere religion
is a bona fide occupationa l
qualification . Augsburg College
is co mmitt ed to pr-oviding
reasonab le accommodations ro
its emp loyees and its stud ents .
biology, creatin g virtual reality, findin g su ccess
in grad schoo l, and mu ch mor e.
An overview story pull s together
th e myriad activiti es in biolog y,
chemistry, ph ysics , math emati cs ,
psycholo gy, and comput er
science.
Departments
2
Around the Quad
5
Sports
6
Homecoming awards
37
39
Alumni news
inside
back
cover
Calendar
Class not es
www.augsburg.edu
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-consumer waste)
On the cover :
First-year s tud en ts Sa.-ah Pesola
(lef t) and Sara Ray mond (right)
get so m e hands-on experience in
chemisoy lab. Photo by Stephen
Geffr e.
Top rankings in college guides
A
ugsb urg has been named among the
nation's best colleges in thr ee
catego ries and ranked in th e top tier
among Midwestern unive rsities.
U.S. News & World Repon listed
Augsburg (the only Minnesota school)
among 20 of the nation 's best institutions
for service learnin g.
TIie Princeton Review includ es the
Co llege in the 150 "Best for the Midw est,"
prai sing an outstandin g faculty, sma ll class
sizes , and friendl y environm ent.
Kaplan Publishing 's The Unbiased
Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges,
2004 includes Augs bur g and names it as
one of the top five sc hoo ls that may be
und errat ed , as judged by a nationa l survey
of guidanc e counselor s.
For the third year, Augsbur g is one of
the best 201 in Great Collegesfor the Real
World, selec ted for best demonstrating
both the education and the opportunities
to prepare stude nts for the real wo rld .
Augsburg has been named one of 12
"foundi ng institut ions " nat iona lly to
participate in a project joint ly sponsored
by the Policy Center on the First Year of
College and the Counci l of Indepe ndent
Colleges (C IC) to develop a model of
exce llence for the first college year.
Pete r Agre wins Nobel Prize
eter Agre, a 1970
graduate and
Distinguished
Alumnu s of Augsb ur g,
was one of Lwo
win ners of the 2003
Nobel Prize in
che mistry. He is a
professor and
researcher at the John s
Hopkin s University Schoo l of Medicine in
Baltimore . His discovery of "aquapori n-1,"
a "cha nn el" that lets water pass in and out
of cells represented a major breakthrough
that has led to greater understanding of
many inherited and acquired water balance
disorders , such as kidney disease .
After gradua ting from Augsburg , Agre
received his medical degree from John s
Hopkin s University School of Med icine
and is now professor of biologica l
chem istry there.
Agre's father , the late Court land Agre,
was chem istry professor at Augsburg from
1959-76. Three of Agre's siblin gs also
auended Augsburg: Mark Agre '8 1,
Annetta (Agre) Anderson '69, and James
Agre '72 , who curre ntly serves on
Augsburg 's Science Advisory Board .
"The Chemis tr y Department is elate d
at this news ," said chemistry professor
Arlin Gyberg . "Those of us who had Peter
P
2
,4 uGSBURG NOW
as a stud ent are not su rpri sed he has
reached this level. It's no shock that he
won the Nobel Prize in chem istry."
Agre shares the chemistry prize with
America n Roderick MacKinnon .
Center for Teaching
and Learning
2003-04
Convocation
Series
he fourth an nual Convocation Series
presents a challenge to consider all
work as voca tion-id ent ifying one's gifts
and abilities, and using them in benefit to
the communit y
T
The presentaLions include:
Oct. 14. 2003
Sharon Da loz Parks , W hidbey Institute
"Big Qu estions , Worthy Dreams "
Nov. 12, 2003
Lee Hard y, Ca lvin Co llege
"The Ch ristian 's Calling in th e Academy "
Jan. 19,2004
2004 Martin Luther King, Jr.
Convoca tion
Vanne Owe ns Hayes , Minneapolis
Departme nt of Civ il Rights
"Responding to the Ca ll"
Feb. 18, 2004
Kathy Buck ley, co med ian
"No Labe l, No Lim its "
Feb. 26-27, 2004
2004 Batalden Symposium in
Applied Ethics
Paul B. Batalde n , M.D. and David C.
Leach , M.D.
"Transfor min g th e Profess ion of
Health Ca re"
A S79,000 grant from the Bush
Foundation to the Center for Teaching
and Learning will involve more than
100 faculty in studying student
outcomes and assessment in the new
Augsburg Core Curriculum. Pictured are
(L to R) Frankie Shackelford, associate
dean for teaching and learning
enhancement ; Diane Pike, director of
the Center for Teaching and Learning;
and Terry Martin, administrative
assistant. Not pictured is Carol Forbes,
director of sponsored programs .
Spring 2004
2004 Sverdrup Visiting
Scientist Lecture
To be annou nced
For informatio n , call 612-330-1180 or
visit <www.augsburg .edu/ co nvo> .
Follow Auggie Athletics
NEWS • STATS• ALWAYS UPDATED
Visit the Augsburg College Athletcis
Web site, www .augsburg .edu/athlet ics
Fall 2003
$1 million-an
Fund first!
he $1 million goal for Augsburg 's
annual fund was reached for the first
time in Co llege history durin g 2002-03.
This 25 percent increase in giving over
th e previous year was achi eved by a total
of 1,928 donors.
Often referred to as "the lifeblood of
th e Co llege ," Augsbur g's ann ual fund
supp orts the financial aid com mitm ent
that allows the College to remain
affordable for a wide variety of
academically-qualified stu den ts. Last
year, more th an 80 percent of Augsburg
stud ents received $25 million in financial
aid , includin g $9 million in Augsburg
sc holarship s and tuition gran ts.
Sixty percent of The Augsburg Fund
total was contribut ed by the 185
memb ers of th e Maroon & Silver Society,
th e College's leade rship-l evel dono rs.
T
Augsburg
Congratulations,
faculty!
These donors pledge to support the
financial aid commitm ent with annu al
cash gifts of $ 1,000 to $25 ,000 for a
minimum of four years .
Much of the growth in The
Augsburg Fund has occurred in the last
six years , during the tenur e of President
William Frame . When he ar rived at
Augsburg , the annua l fund level was at
178 ,000. His push to increase th e level
and comm itm ent lo annu al fund giving
has resulted in its more than five-fold
growt h. Augsb urg regent Tracy Elfunann
'8 1, chair of th e Develop ment
Commin ee, and Donn a McLean , dire ctor
of The Augsb urg Fund , provided
leaders hip for the fund 's success .
Planning for Augsburg 's nexl capital
campaign includes continu ed aggressive
growt h of The Augsburg Fund .
Promotion to professor
Martha Johnson , speech ,
communicati on , and theatre arts
Stuart Stoller , bu siness administrati on
Tenure granted and promotion to
associate professor
Lois Bosch , social work
Nora Braun , business admini stra tion
Rona ld Fedie , chemistry
Merilee Klemp , music
James Vela-McConn ell , sociology
J. Ambrose Wolf , ph ysics
Tenure granted
Karen Sutherland , co mput er science
Welcome, new Auggies!
Sport ing maroon Augsburg T-shirts, 22 Augsburg Seminar groups-the orien ta t ion
seminar for freshmen-contributed
over 1,400 hours of commun ity service on t he
first day of school at 18 sites, mostly in the neighborhood . At Danebo Residence,
students visited with senior residents , painted , and cleaned .
Fall 2003
Jeann ette Clark, fr om Hop kins, Minn ., is one of
t he 348 fre shm en in t he class of 2007. She moved
int o Urn ess Hall on Aug . 31, getting some help
fr om her parents in unpacking the boxes .
A- UGSBURG NOW
3
Around the Quad
Transforming our students, ourselves,
our world
"Do you believe you will
be transformed by your
college experience?"
ore th an 94 percent of curr ent
and prosp ective stud ents-da y,
weekend , and grad-an swe red, "Yes."
Now th e qu estion is , "what th ey will
do wit h this transformative
expe rien ce ."
Th ese qu estions were part o f an
exte nsive resea rch effort Augsb urg
cond ucted rece ntl y in preparation for
th e laun ch of a new brand ima ge,
tag line, and marketin g camp aign for
th e College.
Th e resu lts o f this far-reac hin g
effort are now being see n and heard
all ove r campu s and throughout th e
Twin Cities, wit h the Septe mb er
laun ch of th e camp aign . Throug h
billb oa rds and bus stop post ers,
news pap er ads and radio spot s, a n ew
Web site and man y oth er engaging
vehicl es, Augsburg College is
emb arkin g on this ex tend ed
ca mp aign wit h a three-fold goa l: to
captur e and pres ent th e uniqu e
esse nce of its edu ca tional experience ;
to raise awa reness and positive
supp ort among key co nstitu ent s; and
to dri ve the mission of Augsb urg
College forward in an excit ing and
dynamic new way.
Both th e traditiona l day stud ent
and th e wo rking adult are being
Be yourself at Augsburg. And leave completely__
changed.
chall enged to "Be yo urse lf at
Augs bur g, and leave co mpl etely
changed ." Th e theme of
"Transform ing Ed ucat ion" deliv ers
three int errelate d messages:
trans forming stud ent s' uniqu e talents
and int erests into ca lled lives of
service ; tran sforming the edu cational
exper ience itself to effec t st ud ent
growt h and chang e; and , ultimat ely, transforming our community and wo rld through positive change .
Inco ming and "vetera n " stud ents , faculty members , staff, alumni , donors , and co mmunity members-all are integral parts of
this eve r-transforming ex perience ca lled Augsburg Co llege .
Stay tun ed . More to co me.
M
4
A-UGSBURGNOW
Fall 2003
Sports
Eight receive Athletic Hall of Fame honors
by Don Stoner
ugsbu rg Co llege honored eight
form er ath letes duri ng Homeco min g
wee kend , indu cted int o the Augsbur g
Athl etic Hall of Fame at th e annu al
banqu et on Oc l. 2.
Th e Augsbur g Ath letic Hall of Fame
was es tab lished in 1973 to recog nize
ma le athletes who made spec ial
co ntributi ons lo th e Co llege's athl etic
hisw ry. In 1989, female athl etes we re
first indu cted inlO the hall. Rec ipients are
chose n each yea r on th e basis of
performan ce in Augsbur g at hletics,
se rvice lo th e sc hoo l, civic and
profess ional ac hievement s , and
leadership .
A
Honor ed as indu ctees int o th e Augsbur g
Ath letic Hall of Fame are:
Bob Adams '83 (wrestling)
T he on ly Augsbur g wres tler to earn
mu ltip le All-America n honors in a single
seaso n, Adams wo n th e CAA Division
Ill indi vidu al champi ons hip al 134
pou nds in 1983 and place d seco nd al the
we ight class in th e NAlA champi onship
meet, the only yea r Augsbur g co mp eted
in both orga niza tions' national
tourn aments . Adams won MIAC titl es in
1982 and 1983 and was Augsbu rg's
Seni or Honor Athl ete in 1983.
Michele Boyer '89 (softball,
basketball)
Boyer earn ed All-American honors in
Fall 2003
1988 as a so ftball outfi elder, ea rnin g AllMIAC honors thr ee yea rs in a row. Her
.495 bauin g ave rage in 1988 is th e best
single-seaso n perform ance in sc hoo l
history. In basketba ll, Boyer was one of
only five players in sc hoo l history LO
sco re more than 1,00 0 po in ts in her
ca ree r, finishin g with 1,0 19 poin ts, and
ea rn ed All-MIAC honors in 1986-87 and
1987-88. She was Augsburg's Senior
Honor Athl ete in 1989.
Kevin Gordon '82 (hockey)
An NAIA All-America n in 1982 , Go rd on
was a member of Auggie tea ms that wo n
th e national champi onship in both 198 1
and 1982 , as we ll as thr ee straight MIAC
championship s. He earn ed All-M IAC
honors in both 1980 and 1982 , lead ing
th e tea m in sco rin g both years . Gordon 's
30 goa l in 1979-8 0 are th e seco nd- mos t
in a single seaso n ; he finished his caree r
with 108 poin ts (57 goa ls , 51 ass ists ).
Ray Hamilton '75 (basketball)
An honora ble-mention All-American in
1975 , Hamilton playe d two seaso ns o f
bas ketball al Augsbu rg, ea rnin g AIIMIAC and NAIA All-Distri ct honors both
seaso ns and MIAC Mos t Valuable Player
honors in 1974-75 , as the Auggies wo n
th e MIAC champi onship and advanced
LO th e NAIA distri ct champions hip game.
He led th e Auggies in sco ring both of his
seaso ns and in reboundin g his enior
ca mp aign.
Melanie Herrera '88 (track and field ,
volleyball)
Herrera ea rn ed All-America n honors
seve n Limes in trac k and field ,
dominating th e throwing eve n ls. She
qu alified for national mee ts in the shot
put all four yea rs in ollldoo r com pelilion
and her final thr ee seaso n in indoor
co mp elili on , win ning CAA Divi ion Ill
national champ ionship s in 1987
out doo rs , and in 1988 in bo th indoo r
and outd oo r co mp etiti on , where her
reco rd -se ttin g effort st ill stands . She also
played th ree sea a ns of volleyba ll al
Augsbur g and was Aug burg's Senior
Honor Ath lete in 1988 .
Robert Lafleur '80 (soccer)
A two- lime All-M IAC election (1 97879) and AIA All-Distri ct selection ,
LaFleur was a member of Auggie team s
that wenl 43-15-10 in his care er, neve r
finis hing low er than third in MIAC play.
He was team capt ain his se nior seaso n.
Jim Peterson '78 (hockey, baseball)
In men's hocke y, Peter son was a memb er
o f Augs bur g's first national
champio nsh ip team , the 1978 AIA titl e
team , and was a memb er o f Augsbur g's
MIAC base ball champi on hip tea m in
1975. He earn ed All-MIAC honors twi ce
in both ho ckey and base ball, was a
member of th e
IA All-Tourn ament
Team in hocke y in 1978 , and ea rn ed
Augsburg Senior Honor Athl ete honors
in 1978 .
David Trost '81 (track and field,
basketball)
Augsbu rg's firs t men's tra ck and field
national meel qualifier, he finished thir d
in the high j um p al th e AIA outd oo r
na tiona l meel with a 2.14-meter (7-fee lO) effort , a school reco rd that still stands .
He won the MIAC titl e in the high j um p
in 1981.
Don Stoner is sports inf onnation coordinato,:
,4uGSB RG NOW
5
Two named as 2003 Distinguished Alumni
ni jo i~ 162 oth ers as Distin gu ished Alumni of Augsb u rg College. Recipien ts are recog niz ed for
T s1wogmalum
f1cant achievement m their voca u ons and ou tstandm g con tributi ons to chur ch and commun ity,
by Lynn Mena
th rough years of prepara tion , experience, dedication , exempl ary character, and se rvice.
Hans G. Dumpys '56
Bishop Hans G. Dump ys gradu ated
from Augsbur g in 1956 with a B.A. in
histo ry. ln 1960 , he earn ed a B.D. from
th e Luth eran Schoo l of Theo logy in
Chicago , and was ordained by Hope
Luth era n Chur ch in Detroit. He
received a master's degree in th eology
from Harvard Divinity Schoo l in 1965 ,
and purs ued doc toral stu d ies at
Prin ceto n Theological Semin ary and
Tuebin gen University in Germ any. He
also studied at th e Advanced Institu te for Pastora l Studi es in
Michigan , and th e Tan tur Ecu menical Inst itut e in J eru salem .
Born in ibra i, Lithuania in 1933 , Dump ys has lived in th e
U.S. since 1949. He was instrum ent al in th e renewal and reviva l
o f th e Luth eran chu rch in Lithu ania after th e count ry regain ed
ind epend ence from the Soviet Unio n. This includ ed training
pas tors and teachers for the chur ch and contributin g as one of
th e fou nders of th e University of Klaipeda's th eological sc hool
in Lithu ania in 1992 . Du mp ys retired from parish mini stry in
ove mb er, but continu es to serve as bishop of th e Lithu anian
Evangelical Luth era n Chur ch in Diaspora, located in Chicago ,
for which he also serve d as chair of the syno d coun cil. In
additi on , he has served pastora tes in Michigan , Massac hu setts ,
Canada, Iowa , and most rece ntl y at Lithu ani an Evangelical
Lutheran Home Church in Chicago , Ill.
In Febru ary, Dum pys was honored by th e Knights o f
Lithu ania "in recog n itio n o f and grateful app reciation for
ecum enical, spiritu al, cu ltu ral, and hum anit arian lifetime
achievements in th e worldwi de Lith ua nian co mmunit y." In
1998, he was invited to th e Whit e House for the signin g of th e
"Charter o f Partn ers hip" with th e Baltic republi cs. He has
pr esent ed speec hes, se rm ons, in vocations, and greetin gs both
nationally and in tern ationally, and has initiat ed , organiz ed , and
presided ove r synod asse mbli es with delega tions from Ge rman y,
Ca nada, and th e U.S. In honor of his wo rk for th e Luth eran
chur ch in Lithuania and in th e ex ile Lithu anian communi ty, he
was invited by Lithu ania's mini ster of cultur e to be an official
represe nt at ive of North America's Lithu anian co mmunit y at th e
ethni c world music festival in 1994 .
Dump ys taught in Augsbur g's religion departm ent in 19651966. W hile pur suin g his gradu ate studi es, he was an assistant
at Harva rd University's Memorial Church , and se rved as pastorin-residence and also assistan t to th e dean of inst ru ction at
Prin ce ton Th eological Semin ary. He met his wife, Donn a , while
at Augsbu rg. They live in Oak Park, Ill., and have two childr en ,
Jon and Chri sta.
6
A UGSBURG NOW
Ertwin Jones-Hermerding '69
ErtJ ones-Hermerding graduated from
Augsburg in 1969 with a B.S. in liberal
arts speech, theatre, and physical
edu cation , with a head coaching
endors ement . He received an M.S. in
curri culum and instru ction with an
English emph asis from Mankat o State
University in 1975.
Jones-Hermerding retired this year
after an exceptional 34-year teaching and
coaching career for the Robbinsdale
Independent School District. He was the first to teach
improvisational theatre at the juni or high level. From 1969-1988 ,
he taught speech and theatre at Plymouth Junior High School, and
directed 96 productions. The Children's Th eatre Foundati on of
America recognized the Robbinsdale school district's theatre
programs with an award for excellence in 1995;Jon es-Hermerding
was specifically celebrated for creating "an extraordin ary middle
school dram a progr am."
Sin ce 1988 , J ones-Herm erdin g has taught speech , th eatre,
litera tur e, oral int erpr etation , and acting at Coo per Senior High
School. He also served as th eatre arts chair and audi tori um
manage r. He dir ected over 50 produ ctions at Coo per, and his
Introdu ction to Th eatre class was on e of only two in Minn eso ta
where a childr en's th eatre perform ance proje ct is compl eted as
part of th e curri culum , givin g stud ent s who can't particip ate in
after-schoo l th eatre th e chance to exp erience th e thrill of
crea ting and performin g in a sho w.
In additi on to his strong juni or and senior high theatre
programs, Jon es-Hermerding has also been a successful football
coach. He coached at Plymouth Juni or High for 10 seasons and at
Cooper Senior High for over 20 seasons (includin g 10 as head
coach). He was honored as Lake Conference Coach of the Year in
1984 for his exceptional program. He inspired players to be role
models for each other, and they work ed on team uni ty projects by
organizing programs on chemi cal abuse, weight trainin g, and other
relevant topics. He also institut ed a program that requir ed his
players to check in with their teachers on a weekly basis regarding
their academic performance and attitud e in the classroom .
Jones-Herm erding has worked in summ er th eatre projects for
th e Orono, Hopkins , and Robbinsd ale school districts, and as a
staff member for Augsburg's summ er theatre institut e. He is an
instru ctor and curri culum writ er for th e University of St. Th omas
Cont inuin g Edu cation progra m, and has facilitated worksh ops for
colleagues and serve d on many curri culum developm ent
committ ees. He and his wife, Pat, have two childr en, Mee-lynn
and Harper.
Fall 2003
First Decade and Spirit of Augsburg award
recipients named for 2003
bylynnMena
A
ugsbur g is please d to ann oun ce the 200 3 reci pients of the First Decade and Spirit of Augsbur g awards . Th e Firs t Decad e Award
is presented to Augsbur g gra du ates of th e past 10 years who have made signifi cant progress in th eir prof ess iona l achievements
and co ntributi ons to th e communit y, and in so doing exemp lify the miss ion of th e Co llege: to prepar e futur e leaders in se rvice to th e
world. Graduates from th e day, weeke nd , and gra du ate programs are eligible.
The Spirit o f Augsbur g Award honors alumni and friend s of the Co llege who have given exceptiona l se rvice that co ntribut es
substanti ally to th e well being of Augsbur g by furth erin g its purposes and programs.
RECIPIENT
OF
THE
2003
FIRST
DECADE
AWARD
Tammera Ericson '93
Tamm era Ericson has successfully combin ed
her interests in political science , urban stu dies,
public service, and the legal profession-all
while raising thr ee children. After serving as
chair of the Columbi a Heights Charter
Commission and as a member of its Planning
and Zoning Comm ission, Ericson was
appointed in 2002 to a task force charged with
developin g city design guide lines. In addition , she helped start a
nonprofit organization , Rising to New Heights, dedicated to
improving the image of Columbia Heights . In 2002 , Ericson was
elected to the Columbia Heights City Counci l, and was also
appoint ed to concurr ent terms on the city's Econo mic Developme nt
Auth ority and Housing Redevelopment Authority.
RECIPIENTS
OF
THE
2003
In Jun e, she gradua ted summa cum laude from William
Mitchell College of law, where she received the Stud ent Award of
Melit , the Burton Award for Excellence in Legal Writin g, and the
CALI Award for Excellence in Drafting and Negotiating Business
Agreements. She volunt eers for the Minn esota Ju stice Found ation,
giving presentations on legal topics to wom en living in a transitional
housing cent er in St. Paul. In addition , she volunt eers for the
Chrysalis Center for Wom en in Minn eapolis as part of the Pro Bono
Attorn ey Safety Project. Throu gh this program , she works to help
low-income victims of dom estic abus e obtain orders for protection.
She is curr ently serving as a judici al clerk for the Minnesota
Supr eme Court for one year before returnin g to the law finn
Winthrop & Weinstein .
SPIRIT
OF
AUGSBURG
AWARD
John Benson '55
Professor Emeri tus John Benson served more
than 35 years as an ac tive memb er of
Augsb ur g's religion department. After joining
th e facult y in 1963 , he was promo ted to
associate prof essor and gra nt ed tenur e in
1969 , th en promoted to full prof esso r in
1986. Benson also taught in th e phil osop hy
depart ment and helped deve lop Augsb ur g's
hum aniti es major in th e 1970s . In additi on ,
he taught a course entitl ed Deve lop ing a Mu lti-Cu ltural
Perspect ive for th e Master of Arts in Leadership program , and
tea med up wi th ph ysics prof essor Mark Engebretson to teac h a
cou rse th at int egra ted sc ience with religion and sp iritu ality.
Their co llabora tion led to two awards from the pr estigious J ohn
Templeton Foundation 's annu al sc ience and religion co ur se
pro gra m co mp etiti on. Throughout his years at Augsburg ,
Benson se rved on co mmitt ees too numerous to list. Beyond his
co mmitt ee wo rk , he was at th e forefront of a numb er o f thin gs ,
mos t notably the introduction of co mput er techn ology to th e
campu s in th e early 1980s. An avid go lfer, he also coac hed go lf
at Augsburg for sev era l years . Benson and his ,vife, Doroth y,
co ntinu e to be ac tive memb ers of th e Augsb ur g commu nit )'.
Fall 2003
Sigvald Hjelmel and , the seco nd of four
generati ons of Hjelmeland s to attend
Augsbur g, return ed to Augsbur g in 1952 as
th e Co llege's firs t dir ec tor of deve lopm ent.
He headed the new ly establi shed
Deve lopm ent Office and emb ark ed up on
Augsbur g's first capital ca mp aign to raise
fund s for the "Libra r)' Drive ." Th e camp aign
excee ded its goal, and b)' 1955 , th e Co llege
brok e ground on th e Sverdrup -Oftedal Libra ry. Th e success of
th e camp aign led to Augsbur g's su ccess ful appli cation of
acc reditation b)' th e North Centr al Association . Hjelmeland's
man y contributi ons and proj ects begun durin g his )'ears al
Augsburg includ ed Science Hall; Chri stense n Ce nt er; Urn ess
Hall ; Foss , Lobec k, Miles Cent er for Wor ship , Drama, and
Communi cati on ; and th e Tim es Buildin g (th e first co mm ercia l
building donat ed to Augsbur g). In th e late 1980s , Hj elmeland
es tablished the Rev. John Hjelmeland End owed Scholarship
Fund in honor of his fathe r, an alumnu s of Augsbur g Academ)',
Seminar )', and College. Even after his retir ement in 1982 ,
Hj elmeland volunt ee red his vas t ex perience as a developm ent
co nsult ant from 1982 to l9 86.
frU GSBURG NOW
7
Homecoming
2003
The Hoversten family honored with the
Distinguished Service Award
he Distinguished Service Award, inaugurat ed in its currenl form al Hom ecomi_ng 2001 with ~ e Strom~en _family, and last yea_r
T award ed to the Quanbeck family, recognizes families who have made substanual and contmumg comnbuuons lo Augsburg-111 the
by l ynnMena
form of stud ents and gradu ates, ideas , reputation , and resources .
.
.
Thi s year, we celebra te the Hoversten family, and th eir gene rations-long conn ecuon with Augsburg .
The Hoversten story
In 1806 , a youn g Norweg ian teacher
namedj ohann es ja cobso n mar ried Anna
Hoversten. She was a woman of prop erty
on the rocky island of Renn esoy, up the
coas t from Stavanger. So he took her
surn ame , which came from an
ou tcro ppin g of stone- "hoved sten" or
headsto ne-on the farm she owned.
J ohann es and Ann a had nin e
childr en. It is the descendents of thr eeJacob , Knud , and Gun vor-who
recognized that edu cation offered many
more op portun ities in th e U.S. than in
orway, and who u ltimatel y formed the
Augsbur g conn ection.
The Hoverstens and Augsburg
Elias Hovers ten , son of Knud and Elen
Hoversten, was a stern and practical man
who farmed the land near Marshall,
Minn ., in the first half of the 1900s. Wh en
Elias' oldest son , Knut , grew imo a young
adult , Elias feared that his so n's bad hip
would prevent him from becoming a
successfu l farmer. So in 1926 , he sent
Knut to the city to get an Augsbu rg
education . After Knut grad uated in 1930 ,
more than 40 members of the extend ed
Hovers ten family also attended , includ ing
the family's most recent Augsbur g alumn a,
Kari Lucin '03 , da ughter of Kim
(Hoversten) Lucin '76 and the Rev. Martin
Lucin '74 , grandd aughter of Kermit
Hoversten '50 , and grea t-gra ndd aughter of
Elias Hoversten .
Augsburg's motto, "Educatio n for
Service," is also one of the Hoversten's
strongest tradi tions , and the family has
dedicated their labors to the ideal of
service . Knut , the first Augsburg gradu ate,
is now a retired chemistry teacher. Several
other Hoverstens also became teachersand many entered the fields of medicine,
8
A-UGSBURG NOW
law, ministry, busin ess, and
agriculture.
The Hoverstens recall
Augsburg as a unifyi ng,
centr al presence in their
lives. M. Annett e
(Hoverste n) Hanson '68 ,
daught er of Knut's broth er,
the Rev. Chester E.
Hoversten '44 , heard many
stories abou t Augsburg
durin g her childh ood .
"Wh enever my dad and his
friends or other family
About 200 Hoversten family members gathered in Hoverst en
members would get
Chapel in 1989 for the dedication of the chapel_they funded . At
left are: (standing) Allen Hoversten '64, L. Berniece Johnson ,
together, they would
Knut Hoversten '30; (kneeling) Garfield Hoversten '50 and
always talk about
Clarence Hoversten '41 . At right are : (back row) Brian
Augsburg ," Annelle said in
Livingston, Kyle Hoversten , Rev. Joel Njus, Augsbu rg Pastor
an article for the fall 2000
Dave Wold ; (front row) Rev. Thomas Hoversten ' 56, Rev.
Chester J. Hoversten '60, Rev. Chester E. Hove rsten '44, and
issue of the Augsbu rg Now.
Augsburg President Charles Anderson .
"And if you want ed to
get married , you went to
Augsburg," she continu ed
the Augsburg campus . In recent years, the
with a chu ckle. "I met my hu sband ,
family had hon ored the College with gifts
Robert [Hanson '68] here. I think that
and pledges of over $1 million as major
while I was a stude nt , I didn 't auac h much
support for the cons tru ction of the
meanin g to the fact that so man y other
College's Foss, Lobeck , Miles Center for
family members had attended . But
Worship , Drama and Communication and
subsequently, it has become mu ch more
to establish the Hoversten Endowment .
important to me. What a rich, precious
On April 22, 1989, Augsburg officially
environm ent. "
dedicated the chape l in Foss Cente r as the
In Octo ber of 1985 , the Hoverstens
Hoversten Chape l. Two months later, two
gathered at the College for a reunion. It
newly endowed Hoversten scholarships
was during this time that they began
were announced , the Hoversten Peace
discussing a monum ent- a chapel at
Scholarship and the Jacob and Ella
Augsburg that would reflect their family
Hoversten Scholarship.
values and traditi ons. A gift of a chapel
"During my days on campus I was
not only expressed their gratit ude but also
enriched in man y ways," said Lorna
demons trat ed their comm itment to
Hoversten '62 . "I received not only a
edu cation , faith , and the college that so
strong scientific education , but also a
many family memb ers had au end ed.
deeper knowledge of my religious ethnic
Four years later, about 200
heritag e. I contribut e jo yfully to this
Hoverstens and their relatives from all
institu tion to enable present and futu re
over the U .5. return ed for a special day on
students to have similar experiences ."
Fall 2003
AUGSBURG NOW
Fall 2003
The sciencesat AugsburgCollegeoffer a rich educational environmentthat preparesstudentsto
enter a variety of fields in science, medicine, research, industry, public service, and education.
Rigorouscourseworkwithin a liberal arts curriculum, combined with internshipsand outstanding
opportunitiesfor researchwith faculty give students the solid foundation they need to meet the
highly technical demandsof our global society.
This combinationof high quality teaching, the enormous resourcesof the city, and an expectation
that each personcan make a difference in the world affords a powerfuleducation at Augsburg.
design
by Kathy
Rumpza
• photos
by Stephen
Geffre
• art
by Sam
Gro ss
theSCIENCES
atAUGSBUR
Educating
professional
scientists,effectiveleaders,and informed
citizens
by Cynthia Hill
" Progress made in harnessing fusion as energy source."
"World water crisis worsening. "
" Brain research reveals clues to dyslexia ."
"Meat suppliers asked to cut antibiotic use. "
"CDC reports first cases of monkey pox."
" U.S. sues over ban on genetically
modified foods ."
veryday headlin es like these
fields and inform ed citizens with th e
und ersco re the pervasive
knowledge and crit ical thinkin g skills to
influence of science in our lives .
evaluate the imp act of scientific develop ments
E
While the st ud y of science has long
been co nsidered part of a well-ro und ed
libera l arts edu cation at Augsbur g, it has
and weigh their mora l, ethi cal, and soc ial
impli cations," she said .
Augsbur g has a stro ng track record on
grown more imp ortant than
ever in a world increasingly
shape d by scientifi c and
techn ological
developm ents.
"Science matters come
up in th e pu blic deba te
continu ally, as we confront
issues such as
enviro nm ent al qu ality,
adva nces in medicine, and
the complexity of hum an
be havior," says Nancy
Steblay, professo r of
psychology and facu lty
liaiso n to Augsbur g's
Science Advisory Board.
"As a socie ty, we need
both capable professionals
in scientifi c and related
Luci Sagehorn'03 combinedminors in biology and chemistrywith a studio
art major.
Fall 2003
ETER AGRE '70
eter Agre's decision to major in
chemistry may have been a family
matter. His father, Courtland Agre
was a distinguished chemist in research at
DuPont and 3M as well as a college
professo r. He was one of the "founding
fathers" of Augsburg's chemistry
department and taught in it for 17 years.
Afte r Peter Agre graduated from
Augsburg, he went on to earn a medical
degree at Johns Hopkins UniversitySchool
of Medicine. His interest in biomedical
resea rch led him to a medical residency at
Case Weste rn Universityand a clinical
fellowshipat Universityof North CarolinaChapel Hill. He returned to Johns Hopkins
for a research fellowship in the cell biology
department and has been a faculty member
in the School of Medicine since 1984.
Agre sea rched for answers as to how
water moved from the cells within our
tissues . He also wondered why some
tissues, such as the linings of our lungs,
were so much more permeable than others .
In 1988 Agre discovered "channels "
that allow passage of water in and out of
ce lls. This major breakthrough resulted in
many related studies in biochemistry,
physiology, and genetics. From them ,
researchers have gained much greater
understanding of inherited and acquired
water balance disorders , such as kidney
disease.
P
Biology and chemistry major KeneeshiaWilliams '03 spent a summerresearchingnutrient import and export
in Augsburg'scoral reef aquariumwith biology professorBill Capman (above) and chemistry professorArlin
Gyberg(not pictured).
both fron ts, especia lly th e remarkab le
many a elementary or seconda ry teac hers.
numb er o f scient ists place d in ind ustry,
Augsb urg's strong int ern shi p co nn ect io ns
pub lic servi ce , edu cation , and socia l
lead o th ers to pro fess ional o ppo rtuniti es
servi ce organiza tio ns. Among th em a re
in ind ustry and th e no npro fit wo rld.
K- 12 teac hers, ph ysicia ns, and ot her
Augsburg science gradua tes ca n be foun d
hea lth care and ment al hea lth
at Medt ronic , SciMed, Genera l Electr ic,
prof essionals.
Guid ant , and many oth er bo th large and
In chemistry, for exa mpl e, half of all
gradu atin g maj ors ove r th e pas t 25 years
small co rp ora tio ns. At 3M in St. Paul in
parti cu lar, Augsbur g maint ai ns a large
have go n e o n to eith er earn Ph .D.s o r
prese nce beca use of its longtime
beco m e doc to rs , d en tists , or ph ar macists .
partn ers h ip with th e corpora tio n for
In th e sam e Lime fra me, m ore th an ha lf o f
trainin g of scie nti sts . Simil arly, hos pit als,
all physics maj ors have ent ered gra du ate
co un seling age ncies, and environm ent al
sc hoo l. A simil ar propo rtio n o f b iology
and health nonp ro fits empl oy grad uates
gradu a tes go o n to p rofess io na l and
from Augsbur g's sc ience depa rt ments .
gradu a te pro grams, includin g medi ca l
Thi s reco rd o f ac hi eve ment grows out
schoo l. In psyc ho logy, about half o f all
of Augs bur g's uni q uely enr ichi ng
gradu ates pur sue advanced stud y in areas
edu ca tiona l environm ent -r igorous
ranging from be haviora l gen etics to
science co ur sework wi th in a libe ral arts
co un selin g psyc ho logy as we ll a law,
curr iculum , ou tstand in g opport u nities for
medi cin e, and th eo logy.
s tud ent -fac ul ty researc h and int ern sh ips ,
O ther scie nce majo rs begin th eir
caree rs imm ediately after gra du ation ,
Fall 2003
and stro ng facult y mem ori ng and
p rogra m su ppo rt .
,4 GSB RG NOW
11
"Our science
condu cted indep endent and team research in
progra ms set high
the College's solid-state ph ysics lab as well as
expectatio ns of what our
summ er resea rch at both Stanford University
stud ents can achieve,"
and th e University of California-Berkeley.
said Mark Engebretson,
ph ysics departm ent chair.
HARDWORK,
"Whil e Augsbur g is only
BIG
REWARDS
moderately selective
comp ared to so me other
libera l arts colleges, it's
what we do with and
expect o f our stud ents
andScholarship Fair, Weekend College
n cassidy and biology major Jean Johnson
ledthe possibility of producing low sugar
the dietaryand diabetic consumer market.
that is different. "
One indi cator of
qu ality is the fact that in
the past seve n years, five Augsbur g science
majors have been awarded Goldwater
Scholarships , a pre mier national und ergradu ate
science awa rd for stud ents in science and
mathematics. Only 30 0 stud ents across th e
count ry are selected each year.
Augsb urg's mos t recent Goldwater Scholar is
senior ph ysics maj or Victo r Acosta . He has
Stud ents attain these high levels of
scholarship because Augsbur g's program s are
demandin g, said William Capman, chair of
Augsburg 's bio logy departm ent.
"Science at Augsburg is hard work, but it
pays off," he said. "Our stud ents develop the
strong found ation needed to succeed in
gradu ate school and in science professions."
Augsburg's biology program is design ed to
develop both breadth and depth of knowledge
in the field . "Our program is broadly based so
that stud ents have more opportuniti es than
they would with a more specialized degree,"
he said. "Stud ents gradu ate well-prepared for
many different paths."
Whil e each program requir es coursewo rk
Mathematics professor RebekahDuponthelps studentsfind researchprojects and internshipsthat give them experience,
combinedwith a solid foundationof theoretical and applied mathematics,for a variety of careers or advancedstudies.
Fall 2003
end eavo r. Cur riculum
tec hn o logy, it is diffi cult for th em to
enh ance ments includ e
co nve y a se ns e o f scie ntifi c exp lora tion
rece ntl y-developed courses
beca use stud ents are usu ally ex p ec ted to
in polym ers, medicin al
dupli ca te k now n res ult s ," sa id
ch emi stry , mat eria ls scie n ce ,
Enge br etson of ph ys ics.
beh aviora l m edi cin e , and
developm e nt al
int o new territo ry in every disc iplin e,
ps yc hopath o log y. In
work in g alongs ide Augs bur g facu lty o n
add iti o n , pra c tici ng
ind epend ent resea rch proj ec ts and w ithin
sc ienti sts come to ca mpu s
cours ewo rk .
as adjun ct facu lty a nd gues t
In the TeachingScholars Program,fundedby NationalScience
Foundation,Augsburg science majorstaught middle-school children at
the Cedar-RiversideSchool, involvingthem in "bottle biology"hands-onprojects like this, studyinggroundwater and its effects on
habitats when percolatingthroughsoil.
in oth er scien ce disci plin es , ma ny
stud en ts pur su e a seco nd maj o r or a
minor , of ten co mbinin g bi ology and
ch emi stry o r a scie nce d iscip lin e wi th
math em atics .
Math emati cs is a popular ch oice
beca use it is "th e language of scie nce, "
sa id ma th ema tics p rofesso r Rebeka h
At Augsburg , st ud ents are digg ing
Bes t kn ow n is Augsbur g's work in
speakers , he lpin g Augsburg
space ph ys ics over th e pas t qu a rt er
stay o n top o f sc ien ce's
ce ntu ry, fund ed w ith gra nts from the
rapidl y chang in g
Na tio nal Science Foundation
d eve lop men ts
a nd NASA.
Und er th e dir ec tio n of Engebretson
But per haps no thin g is
and
fellow ph ysics prof essor Ken Eri ckson,
mo re relevant and inOu enti a l
students
in deve lopi ng tomorrow 's
num e rou s spa ce ph ys ics proj ec ts , both
scie nti sts , do cto rs , ed uca to rs, a nd h ea lth
have bee n ac tively in vo lved in
on- a nd o ff-ca mpu s , and m any have
a nd behaviora l specia lists
than Augsburg 's
co mmitm ent to
un de rgra duat e resea rch ,
o ffer ing o pportuniti es
unmat c hed in mos t o th er
sma ll co lleges.
Dupont. "It's co mpl em ent ary to so many
o th er disci plin es ."
For exa mp le, J ennif er Pa lm er '99
QUESTIONING,
EXPLORING
co mbin ed a ma th maj or wi th a ch emi stry
minor. She wen t o n to ea rn a mas ter's
Scie nce edu ca tion ad visory
d egree in biostatisti cs at th e Un ive rsity of
pane ls have lo ng str essed
Minn eso ta and is n ow a bios ta tistician a t
th e va lue of und ergrad uate
Boston Scientifi c Co rporati on in th e
resea rch ex perien ces,
Twin C iti es .
es pecia lly th e op po rtunit y
With changing scie ntifi c tr end s and
wor kpl ace requir ement s, th e pro gra ms
n ot o nly str ess mas tery of th e
to look for n ew, as o pp osed
to ex pec ted , res ults .
"Alth oug h stand ard
fund a ment a ls but a lso ac qu ai nt st ud ent s
laborator y co u rses co nvey
with em erg in g fields of sci e ntifi c
kn ow ledge abo ut curr en t
Fall 2003
NSF funds provide 30 Augsburgscholarships each year for computer
science and mathematics majors (CSEMS) in both the day and
weekendprograms. Pictured here are: Firstrow (Lto R): Alex Krantz,
Brian Bue, Sarah Sletten (Middle row): HeatherGreene, Kirsten
Halvorson, Scott Kuhl (Back row}: Brian Ashbaugh, Paul Sanft.
/T UGSBURG NOW
13
Chemistry major Jennif er Hagenspent her summerassisting ProfessorRon Fedie on NSF-funded research studying
copolymers at the University of Minnesota.
presented resul ts at nationa l scie nce
conferences and in academic publi cation s (see
story on p. 30).
Similarl y, chemistry student J ennifer Hagen
devoted her summ er to assisting che mistry
professor Ron Fedie on a project to furth er
necessary for this work.
Engeb retso n said gradu ates rep eated ly tell
him th ese kind s of experiences were a key
factor in their decision to pursue adva nced
degrees and science caree rs.
"Their resea rch back gro und gave them an
know ledge of block copolym ers condu cted at
important sense of direction both during
the Univers ity of Minnesota, as part of the
th eir studies and durin g their later careers,"
NSF-fund ed Research Site for Edu cato rs in
he said .
According to the National Science Board's Science and Engineering
Indicators 1998 report, only one-quarter of Americans understand the
nature of scientific inquiry well enough to make informed judgments
about scientific results reported in the media.
Chemistry (RSEC) program. This grant provides
While man y stud en ts assist in resea rch
funding for faculty and students from smaller,
outsid e of th e classro om, research
primarily four-year colleges to collabora te and
experiences are also emb edded int o the
engage in cuttin g-edge research at research
curri culum . For exa mpl e, in biology, severa l
uni versities equipp ed with sophistica ted
cours es within the major includ e what
instrumentation and chemistry resources
Capman calls "non-trivi al" original research
Fall 2003
as maj or comp onents of th e labora tory
work . Every biology maj or comp letes at
progra ms.
In psychology, a research proj ect is
least two or thr ee such research proj ects
requir ed of every maj or, and many
before grad uating.
stud ents go on to do furth er work wit h a
"Through these long-term proj ects ,
students experience science the way a
faculty member.
"We stress research in our program
scienti st does, " Capm an said. "They have
because our stude nts need to become
to figure out the hypo thesis, design and
critical think ers. We want them to
cond uct the experim ents , and int erpret
question why claims are made, and to
and present the research, wh ich often
recognize both the strengths and
means dealing with the ambiguities of
limitations of research findin gs," said
results."
Bridget Robinso n-Riegler, chair of
Worki ng in small group s, stud ents
review the work of previous class projects
Augsbur g's psychology departm ent.
Research experience at Augsbur g
to figu re out the nex t logical qu estion for
often leads to int ensive off-campu s
stud y.
opportuni ties and int ernship s.
"Throu gh these stud ent proj ects , we're
Last summ er, for exa mple, j uni or
actually bui ldin g our own body of
ph ysics maj or Ryan Nevin went to Penn
scien tific literatur e on popu lation
Slate University for a research
genetics, prot ozoa n eco logy, )'easl grow th ,
expe rience, while juni or Greg McKusky
and other topics," Capm an said. He
and soph omore Nigel Milbridge loo k
add ed that this level of stud ent research
part in proj ects with Augsburg physics
goes far beyond many und ergradu ate
professor Amb rose Wolf at the University
Psychology
professorGraceDyrud(center)and psychology
studentsMatt Plitzkow(left) and Emily Beltz
(right)exploredpossiblereasonsfor persistent gamblingby lookingat gamblingbehaviorwhen players
receiveddifferentkindsof resultsin the slot machines.
Fall 2003
ecause science affects nearly every
aspect of modern life, Augsburg
courses for non-science majors are
aimed at building scientific literacy- the
knowledge and understanding of scientific
conce pts and processes required for
personal decision-making , participation in
civic and cu ltural affairs, and economi c
productivity .
B
William Capman , chair of Augsburg 's
biology department said , "We want nonmajors to become familiar with the scien ce
issues facing our society. The object is to
get them to the point where they can make
sense out of a newspaper article about
genetic engineering, health issues, human
behavior, or the environment , for
example. "
The College's general education
requir ement s include two science courses
for non-scie nce majors. Offering s include
courses specifical ly designed for the nonscience major, such as the elective
Chemistry for Changing Times.
Non-majors also participate in
Augsburg 's Science Education for New
Civic Engagement and Responsibility
program (SENCER), funded by the
National Science Foundation. Through
SENCER, biology and chemistry stud ents
have engaged in hand s-on projects, such
as analyzing water and invertebrate
samp les from area streams and providing
the information to a Hennepin
Conservation District water-quality
database. In turn , students are inform ed
as to how the data is used by legislative,
neighborhood, and environmental group s.
Joan Kunz, chemistry professor and
c hair of the Division of Natural Sciences
and Mathematics, has provided leadership
for the SENCER program . She is
ent husiastic about how thi s project brings
together two critical element s in
Augsburg 's mission-high quality science
educa tion and an ethic of service to
society. "Community environmental needs
are served at the same time that science
literacy is fostered in our student citizens,"
she said.
hUGSB URG NOW
15
University of Minnesota 's Cedar Creek
Natu ral Hiswry Area. After gradu atio n, he
was hired as a research field manager in the
program , and plans to cont inu e to grad uate
school for an advanced degree in ecology.
Augsburg science students have also
participated in research at the Mayo Clinic,
Argonn e
atio nal Laboratory, ationa l
Institut e of Health Summ er Research
Program , and the University of Minnesota
Sup ercomput er Institut e, to name just a few.
Besides enri ching stud ent learnin g,
Augsburg faculty-student research also
contribut es
lO
the wider comm uni ty by
advancin g scientific und erstandin g,
ftercomplellqhisfreshma
n year, RyanShea'06 found a research project working with Professor
Ambrow
Wolfin thesolidstatephysics lab.
contribu ting to new appli cation s, and , in
so me cases , in formin g public polic y.
In psychology, Steblay's resea rch on false
identifi cation in police line-ups , for exampl e,
has contribut ed to th e U.S. Departme nt of
Ju stice's new pro cedura l guide lin es for law
enforcemen t regarding eyewi tn ess evidence .
An exami nat io n of poverty patt ern s and th e
census in th e Cedar Riverside neighborhood
by Dupont and math ematics stud ents helped
a non-p rofit organization frame its advocacy
efforts .
On yet anoth er level, resea rch serves as a
"batt ery-c harger" for facult y, accordi ng to
Engebretso n . "Researc h can be very exc itin g.
It also remind s us that we as faculty are still
Biology maj or JaredTrost '00 was offered a position at the
University of Minnesota's Cedar Creek Natural History
Centerfollowing his research internship there in ecology.
learn ers and helps us maint ain humilit y in
th e face of th e uni verse. We don 't have all
the answe rs."
of Minnesota's Materials Research Science and
Engineering Cent er.
Sometimes an off-campus expe rience leads
A CULTURE
0 F
C A R
N G
to a job . Go ldwate r Scholar Jared Trost '00, for
example , pursu ed his interest in eco logy
Stroll through Science Hall and you'll usually
th roug h a se nior year research internship at th e
find groups of stud ents hanging ou t in the
Fall 2003
departm ent al office uit es. A strong
se nse of co mmunit y is enjoyed by
sc ience facult y and stud ents .
"Beca use we teach our ow n labs ,
j oy," she said .
Many Augsbur g scie nce gra du ates
ON THE
probably wou ld not have co nsidered
0 R I Z ON
majo ring in sc ience or pursuin g scie nce
have small classes , and advise our ow n
careers with out thi s level of facult y
majo rs , we spend a lot of tim e with our
involvement and Augsb urg's support
stud ent s and co me to kn ow th em well,"
progra ms. Science facult y wo rk clos ely
said Capm an .
with stud ents in Augsbur g's Cent er for
ugsburg is extending its pledge to
A
prepare the scientists, health ca re
and mental health professionals of the
Robin so n-Riegler's psyc hology
Learnin g and Adap tive Services (CLASS)
futur e through collaborations with
stud ents call her by her first name. "I
and Access Cr nt er (for stu dents with
like th at. Augsbur g is a place wh ere I
ph ysical o r learnin g disab ilities) and the
commu nity partners such as Fairview
can get to know stud ents well enough to
StepUP pro gram (for stud ents in
Health Services, United Hospitals, and
help guid e th em th rough thi s very
recove ry from alco hol and dru g
Hazelden. These alliances allow expanded
tumu ltu ous tim e in th eir lives. "
depend ency) .
ed ucational oppo rtunities for studen ts as
they prepare for careers as clinical
"The undergraduate years are the last opportunity for rigorous
academic study of math, science, and engineering by many of
the future leaders of our society-who
will have to make
momentous decisions that involve science and technology. "
-The National Research Council
laboratory scien tists, nurses, and chemica l
dependency counselo rs.
Among the emerging initiatives are a
new clinical laboratory science maJor to
prepare health professionals in laboratory
A ment oring relationship with
Augsbur g has also supp orted
medicine, in partner ship with Fairview
stud ent s often leads to what chemistry's
stud ent s from un de rrep rese nt ed group s
Sandra Olm sted calls "head- to-h ead ,
in pur suin g gradu ate studi es after
Health Services; an art iculated agreement
soul-sea rchin g academic advi sing."
co llege with a Ronald E. McNa ir Post-
that allows more seamless connection
Baccalaurea te Achievement grant.
between Augsburg's and Hazelden's
"Sometim es a s tud ent picks a career
path based on admirin g so meo ne, not
"lnclu sivity in our progra m is key to
necessa rily on his or her ow n calling,"
Augsbur g's missio n ," said Du po nt. "By
she said .
givin g th em th e too ls and ex periences to
educational programs; and the Augsburg
Academy, a charter schoo l focused on
Reca lling a s tud ent who had always
build th eir co nfid ence and co mpetence,
health careers, in partnership with
want ed to be a doc tor, Olmsted said th at
stud ents w ho might have bee n writt en
Fairview Health Services, Luther Seminary,
whil e workin g at a part-Lime jo b at a
off can encl up succee din g."
and othe r organizations.
hospit al near campu s , th e yo un g man
discovered he didn 't like being aro un d
ick peo ple. As his adviser, Olm ted
Robin so n-Riegler chara cterizes
Augsbur g's app roac h to scie nce
edu cation as "a laun ching pad for youn g
helped h im ex plo re oth er paths. He
peop le. You learn th eir dr eams , you see
eventu ally went on to Yale University
w hat th ey're good at, and
and beca me a medical resea rcher. "We
th em on ."
try to help stud ent s discove r th eir
Cy111h
ia Hill wriles fr eque111
/y a/JouI Augsburg
College and is a parlller <II Rw11111
el, Dubs and
Hill.
uniqu e talents and what brin gs th em
Fall 2003
)' OU
cheer
•
A- UG 8 RG NOW
17
MENTORING
andNETWORKING
BY PROFESSORS
PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR STUDENTS
by Dan Jorgensen
ugsburg College
Th e University of
math ematics and
Minn eso ta also serves
science
as a key summer
student.s---in addit ion
research site for Wolf
to winnin g such
and his students who
prestigious awards as
have worked at th e
the Goldwater
Material s Research
Scholarship (five in the
Science and
past seven years)Engin eering Center
often find themselves
(MRSEC) for th e past
in line for major
four summe rs. There ,
su mm er research
projects bring toge ther
oppo rtuniti es and
research ers from
acceptance into some
chemistry , ph ysics,
of the nati on's leadin g
material s scie nce, and
grad uat e program s,
engineerin g. In
thanks in no small part
addition to his physics
to th e research work
students Wolf has also
(L to R) ProfessorsRonFedie, chemistry; J. AmbroseWoll, physics; and NicholasCoult,
an d outside consultin g
worked with students
efforts of th eir professors. mathematics, offer their studentsadvancedresearchand internshipsopportunitiesbecauseof
researching polymers ,
their own research, networking, and collaborationwith universities, researchinstitutions,and
Faculty like icholas
the same field as Fedie .
industry across the country.
Coult in math emati cs,
"Polymers are at the
Ron Fedi e in chemistry,
heart of my work ," Fed ie
labo rato ry as well as in places like Target
and J. Ambro se Wolf in physics , brin g
stated . "Because there are probabl y 200 or
Co rporation , where th ey'll have th e
both "real-wo rld " expe riences dir ectly to
more local companies involv ed directly
chan ce to use th eir math ematics skills .
th eir classroom instru ction and pro vide
with polym er use, the indu strial
Fedie , who came to Augsburg in the
facult y-stud ent resea rch parLnerships that
applications are almost limitle ss. As a
mid -1990s after earning his Ph.D . in
help prepare th eir stud ents for graduat e
chemist, you have higher th an a 70
ph ysical/polym er chemistry from th e
sc hoo l, indu stry int ernship s, and job
perc ent cha nce of working ,vith polymer
Unive rsity of Minn eso ta, said many
chemistry, so I'm pleased that we've
op portuniti es .
chemistry stud ents find resea rch or
created a number of ties between
Coult , who earn ed his Ph .D. in
internship opportuniti es in places like
app lied mathematics at th e Universi ty of
Augsburg and th e industry . Through the
3M , Aveda, Aspen Resea rch , Hon eywe ll,
RSEC collaboration we are able to give
Co lorado , came to Augsbur g thr ee years
Genera l Mills, and Medtronic . He has also
our undergraduat es opportunities that
ago after serving as a postdoc tor al
been ab le to work in a team setting with
only graduate students might get at other
researc h asso ciate at the Institut e for
one of his students at th e U of M's
institutions. "
Mathema tics and its App lications at th e
Research Site for Educator s in Chemistry
A course developed by Fedie , Th e
University of Minn eso ta. With h is U o f M
(RSEC), where Augsburg has a grant to
Properti es of Polymers , has been th e only
con nection s, he is assis ting in develop ing
help und ergraduat e stud ents work und er
regular undergr aduate course offered on
oppo rtunities for stud ents to take
th e sup ervision of Ph .D. advisers.
this topic in the Associated Colleges of
int ernship s at its St. Anthony Falls
A
18
A-UGSBURG NOW
Fall 2003
Lhe Twin Cities (ACTC ) consort ium.
Polym er are long chain molecule
that are eith er natural , such as D A,
proteins , and cellul ose , or syntheLic.
Synth etic polym er rang e from
poly(e th ylene terep hthal ate) PETE, used
to mak e sof t drink bottl es an d polyester
fibers, to poly(s tyrene) PS, used for
insulation and co ffee cups , to
poly (ethylene ), the flexib le type used in
plastic sheetin g and trash bags. It also can
be blended for use in every thin g from car
Lires to fabrics LO artificial turf.
"Polymer ," Fedi e said , "are th e synthetic
age of materials that we're in toda y. In
many way , th e 1960s movie The
Graduate s till has it correct- th e futur e
is plastic s."
Polym er study also carries over to
ph ysics and th e thin films application s
researc h that Wolf is doi ng. "Polym ers
allow for flex ibilit y and co uld be used to
make tran istors , the building blocks of
co mput er chips . Thes e cou ld th en be
sprayed onto any surface and logical
elements created . Speci fically, th ey co uld
be sprayed on non -r igid surfaces like
clothing , si nce th ey are very thin and
lightweight. If every thin g in a store , for
example , had th ese sprayed-on pol ymer
inform ation piec es, all items in a
shoppi ng cart co uld be sca nn ed at th e
sa me tim e without being taken from th e
cart. It creat es grea t research possibiliti es
for our stud ents ."
Wolf's primar y research has centered
on Magnetic RAM (MRAM) , a co mpl ex
proc ess used for s torage densit y on th e
read-h eads of co mput er hard drives.
"MRAM will revolutionize comp uter
memory and storage as we know it," he
said . "Part of this research also is done in
my Augsburg lab. We are working on
basic equipm ent at this point , but the
resea rch shou ld reac h 'publishable ' leve l
during th e nex t academic year."
Becau se of th e ex tensive researc h
work Augsbur g stud ents have done not
on ly at th e Univer ity of Minn eso ta, but
in places like Wisco nsin , Corne ll,
tanford, and Univers ity of CaliforniaBerkeley, th e Chemi Lry and Physics
Departm ents are coo perating on crea tin g
a bachelor 's degree in materials science
for stud ent int erested in that area and
Fall 2003
currently doing doubl e majo rs in phy ics
and chemi try. Throu gh ACTC classes ,
th e new majo r also will serve Universi ty
of t. Th omas engin eer ing majo rs.
"Our new genera l edu cation
curriculum pro vid es for th e co urse
arrange ment for such a maj or," Wolf said .
"And loca l industri es are int eres ted in this
typ e of major. Its graduates will be very
empl oyable, boLh loca lly and nat ionally;
and it mirror s th e resea rch side in our
coursework. "
Wolf, who created Augsb urg's so lid
Late ph ysics co ncentr ation , did
postd octoral resea rch at Basel,
Switzerland, and th e Nava l Re earch
Laboratory in Washington , D.C., after
earning his Ph .D. from the University of
Ka in and th e Research Cent er in J0li ch ,
Germany. Th e new co ncent ration brin gs
all of the ph ysics resea rch supp ort-s uch
as co mput er program s and eq uipm entdir ectly in to th e classroo m. At th e same
tim e, it provides elective co urses for
stud ents majo rin g in chemistr y and
math ematics .
Cou lt's research also has brought new
equipm ent LO Augsburg , primaril )' in th e
form of co mput ers . The equipm ent is
pur chased throu gh gra nt s from a Texasbased seismic-exp lora tion co mp any and i
used to support his resea rch in
co mputati onal method s in ap plied
math emati cs. Augsburg tud ent
resea rchers mak e heavy use of th e
equipment both during th e summer and
throughout the schoo l year.
"I am working on severa l so ftware
packages that use advanc ed math ematics
to impro ve th e proces sing and analy is of
data used in exp lora tion for oi l and gas ,"
Co ult sa id . "A math ema tical per pective
allows us to have a precise und erstandin g
of why a process do es or do e not work ,
and how it can be impro ved . My plan is
LO ge t our tud ent dir ectly involv ed in
this kind of work ."
Coult has summer stud ents wo rkin g
with National Scienc e Foundation-funded
research . His stud ents build oftwar e th at
will be appli cable to co mput ationa l
research-solving
prob lems by using th e
comput er. Like his co lleagues in
chemistr y and physics , ou lt ha helped
start new classes, including Math 355 ,
um erical Mathematics and
Comput ation , which lie at th e
intersection of math emati cs and
comp ut er science-his primary field of
researc h.
"This is an elective for both
math ematics and computer science,
and stud ents from th at clas arc well
prepared Lo do co mput atio nal work in
th e field ," he aid.
"It is of int eres t LO stu de nts in th e
sciences , too, especia lly thos e
int erested in doing computational
modeling. Genomics , where sc ienti ts
will be sortin g th rough snippets of
DNA, and bio-infomatic , wh ich deal s
with pro cess ing and gathering in the
biological scien es, are go ing to be
growing fields where thi l rpe of
training will be ideal. " •
A- G BURG NOW
19
by 11111, Nor11rd
handra Erdman came to Augsbur g
with two years of co llege classes
alread y on her tra nscr ipt , but had
no particular major or caree r goal in
mind . Now, one year after gra du ating,
she has compl eted a master's degree and
has begun a Ph.D. progra m al Yale
University in sta tistics.
"I never thought I'd be where I am
toda y," Erdman reflected. and , as she
loo ks ahead a cou ple of years, lhe
statistic sh e's aimi ng for is lo beco me th e
first African-A merican to compl ete Yale's
doc toral progra m in statistics.
Erdman came to Augsbur g after
spendin g her ju nior and senior years of
high schoo l at the University of
Minn esota full lime taking general
co urses. She chose Augsbu rg because of
its small size and fou nd a co mfortable
fit. She decided upo n a math maj or
because the subj ect really challenged her,
and becau se o f its exac tn ess and "how
thin gs fall imo place." The fact that it's a
science that can be carrie d out enti rely
in one's mind , without too ls or lab
experim ents, imrigu ed her.
W hal made the real d ifference in
Erdm an's experience at Augsbur g,
howeve r, was selection as a McNa ir
Scholar. Thi s federally-funded prog ram
seeks to increase the number of gradu ate
degrees earned by stu de nts from
und erreprese nted segme nts of soc iety.
Th e 18 stud ents who have been serv ed
each year by the progra m, eith er lowincome first generation co llege stud ents,
stud en ts of color, or other individu als
und erreprese med in doc tora l progra ms,
have been involved in research and oth er
scholarly ac tivities lo p repare th em for
doc toral studi es.
Erdm an comp leted two research
proj ects while she was an un de rgradu ate.
For a summ er research proj ect in appli ed
mat h, she used U.S. census co un ts to
model the shifting residenti al palterns in
the last four decades among blacks and
C
20
,4 UGSBURG NOW
whit es in North Minn eap olis. She
presen ted thi s research as an ora l
presemation on campu s and as a
session at the McNa ir Scholars
conference at the University of
Puerto Rico.
Her seco nd resea rch proj ect
was in pur e math , where she
studi ed cominu ed fractions and
tried to pro ve a series of openend ed qu estions. This resea rch was
presented at a colloquium for
mathematics, co mput er science,
and ph ysics stud ents on campu s.
As she began thinkin g about
her voca tional choices , howeve r, it
was a semester with math ematics
prof esso r Ken Kamin sky that set
th e course. "My favorite class was
ChandraErdman'02 celebratedher Augsburg
graduat
ion
probability and statistics," Erdm an
with DixieShafer(left), McNairScholarsprogramdirector,
said- she enjo yed the fun in
and her mother
, PaulaErdman(right).Erdmanis currentlya
doctoralcandidatein statisticsat Yale University
.
probability and th e usefuln ess of
statistics. Thi s int erest, combin ed
with a requir ed teachin g experience in
thought about gradu ate schoo l. As a first
generation college stud ent , she grew up
calculu s, which she really enjoyed ,
helped shape her goa l to teach at the
with out role models to help her pur sue
co llege level.
edu cation or leach her th e process of
learnin g.
In fall 2002 Erdm an began a master's
In the McNair program, she learned
prog ram al Colum bia University. "I was
how to co ndu ct and present research,
terrified when I first go t th ere, thinking
that everyo ne else was smarter than I
what gradu ate schoo l is all about , and
was," she said. "But after I started gettin g
how to wril e appli cations and prepare for
th e gra d schoo l exa ms. But, most
A's, I felt I really did belong ." She
imp ortant , she received lots of supp ort
compl eted th e master's degree in a year.
and encou ragement to gain the
In seekin g doc tora l programs,
confidence to succeed. "McNa ir help ed
Erdm an loo ked not only at the schoo l's
me to never feel alone," Erdman
pro gra ms, but she also called its gra duat e
reflected .
stud en ts and talked with th em about
She stays in contact with mathematics
their ex periences . Yale's small size again
professo rs Kamins ky and Rebekah
see med like a goo d fit to pro vide the
Dup ont , also McNa ir's resea rch director,
comfort she so ught. Whil e im erviewin g
as well as with Dixie Shafer, McNair
there, she also conn ected wit h a facult y
prog ram director.
member who shared her int erest in
Fo r so meo ne who admitt ed to not
und ercoum ed popul ations and had a
even kn owing what the Ivy League was ,
proj ect idea in mind for adju stin g the
Erdman has already left her mark on on e
count s.
of its schoo ls and is ready lo tackle
Erdm an admit s that before j oinin g the
anoth er. •
McNa ir Scholars progra m, she had not
Fall 2003
LEARNING
THEHUMANSIDEOF
SCIENCE
by Paul S. Mueller '84, MD
hen sick people consult a
physician Lo determin e the cause
and treatment of their illness, they
may also seek answers to existe ntial
questions that science cann ot answe r (e.g.,
"Wh y me?"). Many patients rely on their
spirint al beliefs and spirintal care providers
to answ er these qu estions . Many patients ,
howeve r, also engage their ph ysician in
existential discuss ions. As a physician who
frequ ently conveys bad news to patients,
my liberal arts edu cation at Augsbur g,
mu ch more than my medical edu cation,
has prepared me to participat e in these
discussions .
Unlike most of the hard sciences (e.g.,
ph ysics), medical science is inexact. At
best, it is difficult to cond uc t research of
organ systems (e.g., the heart and blood
vessels) in iso latio n. Th e human body is a
highly complex organism. Its organ
systems are intertwi ned and exist in
harm ony with each other. Furth ermore ,
medical science often involves ani mal
research , the results of whi ch are
extrapolated to hum ans .
Whil e medical science is inexac t,
clinical medicine is even more so . It is
imp ossible for ph ysicians to appl y all of
the techniqu es of the laboratory LO the
patient's beds ide. In add ition, a patient is
mu ch more than a biological organism. A
patient has an emotional life, a sp iritu al
life, and past experiences, all of which give
meaning and purp ose LO life events,
includin g illness. Furth ermore , like organ
systems , patients do not exist in isolation.
Rather, patients have relationship s with
loved ones and communi ties. In fact,
evidence is growi ng that psychological
factors, spiritu ality, and interperso nal
relationship s are importa nt determ inants
W
Fall 2003
of health , and seasoned phy icians
recognize their imp ortance. Providing
holis tic care by addressing the
psychosoc ial, spiritual, and relational needs
of patients leads to beuer health outcomes
includin g recovery from illness.
In 1984 , I gradu ated from Augsburg
College with a B.A. in chemistry. I also
completed the pre-med ical education
requirements for medica l school. While in
medical school and interna l medicine
residency, I always felt my Augsburg
science education was sufficient. While I
certainly learn ed many facts at Augsbu rg, I
also deve lope d a love of discovery th rough
the scient ific method. I learned how to seek
new knowledge by asking quest ions ,
developi ng hypo theses, and conducting
expe riments--sk ills that I app ly LO my
practice and research wday.
Yet it was the Augsbur g libera l arts
edu catio n that allowed me to thrive in
clinica l medicine. Discussing a diagnosi s
(e.g., cancer ) \vith a patient requires not
only up- to-da te un ders tanding of the
disease and its treatment , but also how
such a diagnosis can impac t a perso n and
his or her relations hips. Religion ,
philosop hy, ethics, art , and the other
compo nents of a liberal arts education
inforn1 me in ways that the ph ysical
sciences do not. Not surpris ingly, it is from
these areas, especially religion and
philosoph y, that many patients draw
meaning, pu rpose , and wisdom as they face
and cope \vith illnesses. Like\vise, a liberal
arts educatio n prepares physicians to
empath ize and dialogue with patients as
they face iIIness.
Whil e the science major learns how to
become a proficient scientist, the Augsburg
liberal arts education informs the science
major of other truths such as religious ,
phil osophi cal, and ethica l tru ths. Indeed ,
blind pur suit of cientific knowledge an d
acceptance of scien tific materialism (i.e.,
the belief that everyt hing, including the
hum an being, can be under wod as simply
Paul S. Mueller'84, MD
mauer ) can have devastatin g conseque nces.
For examp le, the Nuremberg trials of Nazi
physicians taught us that medical cience
\vithoul conscience is un acceptable. A
liberal arts edu cation inforn1s the Augsburg
science major of what questions are worth
answering and what it means LO be a
scientist in the context of wday's world and
its greatest needs .
An Augsburg liberal arts edu cation also
encourages scien ce majors LO seek and
pursu e their vocation , or calling, rather
than simply a job. Like patients , man y
stud ents ask existential questions related LO
vocation (e.g., "What is my purp ose in
life?"). Science canno t answer these
qu estions. On the other hand , a rich liberal
arts educational experience can assist the
stud ent in answering these questions .
Some of my best memor ies of Augsburg are
of long discussions \vith my professors
related LO the meanin g and purpose of life.
Indeed , I spe nt countl ess hou rs in these
discussion s ,vith my mentor and adviser ,
Professor John Hoium of the Chem i try
Departm ent. He taught me not on ly the
principl es of organic chemistry, but al o
helped me reconcile my faith with my
know ledge of the physical uni verse. He
role mode led vocation and what it meant
be a conscientious scientist. These
discussions inform ed me and helped hape
my vocation , or calling-and continu e LO
inforn1 Augsburg stud ents wda)( •
Pau l 5. Muelle1; M.D., M.P.H., F.A. .P., is a
con ulta11tat the Mayo Clinic Rochester
a11dis president of che Augsburg College
Alumni Association Board of Directors.
,4 GSBURGNOW
21
I
BIOLOGY
FORTHECLASSROOM
by Betsey Norgard
TEACHING THOSE WHO WIL[ IEACH
eachers are often asked to recall past
teachers in their lives who made
differences along the edu cational
journey.Jon Iverson '00 and Pete Ockuly
'95 were biology majors at Augsburg. Both
now teach science in public schools , and
both readily talk about the differences
biology professor Dale Pederson '70 , their
adviser at Augsburg, made in their
vocational decis ions .
Iverso n teaches seventh- and eighthgrad e science at Anderson Open School in
Minn eapolis, and Ockuly teaches biology
at Champlin Park High School. Both
believe that Augsbur g prepared them well
to step into a classroom.
Iverson and Ockuly are grad uates of a
departme nt that prepares students for
varying career paths-graduate or
professional studies , secondary education,
and industry and research positions. In all
cases, it means equipping them with a
solid foundatio n in biology
Pederso n exp lains how difficult it has
become LO under stand the leadin g edges of
science without such a broad foundation .
When he talks LO prosp ective seco nda ry
schoo l teachers, he tells them how
important it will be for them to "help
[their] stud ents develop a useful
und erstanding of th e fund amental aspects
of biology, e.g. the cellular natur e of life,
the cent ral dogma of information storage
and expression , the correlations between
cell divisions and pan erns of inh eritan ce,
the unit y and diversity of life and
evolution-above all, evolution. Whil e
there are many hot topics in curr ent
biology," he says, "most of them cannot be
usefully addressed without such
found ational knowledge and insight. "
T
22
t4 UGSBURG NOW
In addition to courses in biology, most
biology majors also take six semes ters of
chemistry and physics, and two semesters
of mathematics . Iverso n says he felt this
prepar ed him for a variety of science
activities and teaching-more than many
new teachers he knows who concentr ated
in one major or focused on research.
Ockuly feels his core science
background is bett er than some of his
colleagues. His perception is that his
college training allowed him Loquick ly
work at a level like that of his colleagues
who had more extensive teachin g
experience.
Th e Biology Department's rigorous
training begins with freshm an courses that
includ e research projects throu gh which
stud ents learn to und erstand science as
process, how science knowledg e is
acquired , and the limitations of sciencewhat types of qu estions it can and cannot
ask. For futur e teachers , Pederson says,
this will provid e grounding needed for
them LO help their students , for example,
if they become involved in science fair
projects. "Teachin g science as process is
not likely to be effective un less the teacher
is experienced in research ," he says. "You
can't learn how to do science by reading a
book . ILtakes experience and
mentorin g-a lot of mentoring."
Th e departm ent also encourages
students LO develop a sense of lifelong
learnin g. "Th ere is no way that they can
learn everything they need to know [at
Augsburgl, but they'll know how to learn
and teach th emselves," says Pederson.
And , he hopes they take with them an
enthu siasm and excitement for science.
"You can't work in biology without
BiologyprofessorDale Pederson'70 adviseshis
studentsenteringteaching careershow important
it will be for them to help their studentslearn the
foundationand processof science to understand
the growingcomplexities of life.
developing a passion for it and a craving
for the insights that continually reveal life
to be both more complex and elegant than
imagined ," he says.
For his future teachers, Pederson says
the depart ment also makes specific
suggestions for courses to take. If, for
instance, th e student hasn't had a plant
biology course , Pederson recomm ends
one, believing that plant biology should be
part of th e high school curriculum .
When speaki ng abou t their advising
expe rience with Pederson, however, both
Iverson and Ocku ly speak about it more
from an intellectual than scientific
persp ective. Both recall frequent
Fall 2003
discussion s with Pederson about teaching,
education , and edu cational systems .
Iverson came to college already
knowing he wanted to teach. He tells of
recently cleaning out old paper s and
finding a report from second grade in
which he listed teaching as his choice for
wha t he wanted to be when he grew up.
He recalls Pederson as a "very, very,
very tough teacher." "ln my first year I
didn 't do very well in science ," Iverson
says, "and I was thinking that I really
shouldn 't do this . ln my second year 1 had
[Pederson]. and he pushed me like no
other instructor at Augsburg had. I think it
was at that time I really started to develop
intellectually. You could see it, not only in
my grades , but in how mu ch I remembered
after courses and in my attitud e toward
other classes.
"He taught me intellectually the effort it
took and the patience it took to do science
really well," Iverson says.
Ock uly didn 't decide on teaching until
late in his sop homore year. He can't
pinpoint the actual decision , but can recall
listening to teachers and thinki ng about
how he wou ld explain the subj ect
differently, or use different examp les. Ot her
factors supp orted his decision to teach. He
enjoyed coach ing yout h
wrestling, and his wife, Kristi
Ocku ly '95 , was in eleme ntary
edu cation.
Ockuly recalls thoughtfu l,
and sometimes provoking,
discussions he had with
Pederson. "I remember
specific conversat ions about
Jon Iverson'00, a middle-school science teacher, can now appreciate
the education system . It
the "push" he receivedfrom his biology professors at Augsburgthat
interested me to thin k and
challenged him-and helps him seek the best from his students.
talk about it, and perhaps
helped push me into
th ousands of doll ars because of the years
education ," Ockuly says. "Dale was the
or decades of research , design , and trials
first person I ever had deep discussions
that mad e it possible.
wit h; he helped me realize that I wanted
Pederson stresses that advisers at
to teach. "
Augsburg spend a great deal of time with
In educating the ir own stud ents now;
their students - in lectur es, in labs, in
both Iverson and Ockuly want to impress
one-on-o ne research, and in advising.
how important science edu cation is for
Students become comfortab le talking with
everyone, not just for the stud ents who
their advisers, mak ing it easier to discuss
want to become scientists.
how to select app ropr iate courses ,
"I believe the goal of science education
experiences, and activit ies for tho se
should be educating [students[ enoug h to
stud ents .
be able to vote on important science
For stud ents go ing into classroom
issues, to be able to deal with household
teachin g, the departm ent can arran ge
prob lems that they might have, or
pra ctical teaching experie nces. Iverson
prob lems at their businesses ," Iverson
worked as a lab assistant , helpin g teach a
says. "If their city decides to bui ld a stom1
biology class for non-majors . "The
sewer, they should be able to hear
opportuni ty to deal with tud ents who
argum ents on both sides and
really didn 't want to be th ere and didn 't
then decide whether it's a
have a good grasp on a lot of science "
good thing or not."
was a lot like th e middl e school science
Ocku ly tries to help his
classroom whe re he now teaches, he says.
stud ents und erstand the
At Augsburg, 10-15 students each year
complexity of probl ems, in
maj or in biology, chemi try, ph ysics, or
additio n to the advantages ,
math wit h seco ndary teachin g in mindthat result from the explosion
areas of current teacher shortages. Th ey
of science and techn ology.
have advisers in bot h their major
He gives medical care as a
discipline and in edu cation- something
prim e example. What once
not often the case in teacher training
were friendl y hom etown
progra ms.
doctors' offices have given
Advisers from th e two depa rtm ents
way to techni cally-advanced
depend on one anoth er, says Pederson ,
clinics. He tries to help his
and co llaborate on planning scie nce
Ideas from many of the discussions on educational systemsand
stud ents und erstand how, for
requir ements. "Th e bottom line," he
science standardsthat Pete 0ckuly '95 fondly rememberswith Dale
example, a small tub e for a
says, "is th at both want the student to
Pederson, his biology adviser, have found their way into 0ckuly's
heart procedur e may cost
succeed ." •
biology classroom at ChamplinPark High School.
Fall 2003
A-UGSBURGNOW
23
I
ONTHEROAD
TO
by Betsey Norgard
andr a Olmsted '69 , associate professor of
chemistry, often wonders what her former
classmates and stude nts are doing in the field and
what she can learn from them.
Sherry Jennings-King , director of corporat e,
foundation , and governm ent relations , has wondered,
in her new job , how she could gain ent ree to major
area corporat ions to build institutiona l relation ships
with the College. She happens to have a degree in
chemical engine ering.
So, they teamed up . Olmsted identified Augsburg
chemistry alumni worki ng at area corporatio ns, and
the duo visited them for lun ch and conversa tion.
Olmsted and Jennings-King 's agendas were differentOlmsted was anxious to hear what th e alum s could tell
her about new and chang ing ski lls in the workp lace
and , from their perspectives , what emerging trends
might impact Augsburg's chemistry curriculum .
Jennings-King was hoping to build bridges that wou ld
help bring internships , partnerships , and finan cial
support to Augsbu rg.
In meeting th e alumni , Olmste d
says it opened her eyes to new and
emerg ing opport uniti es for her
students , especia lly in the
combin ation of chemistry with ot her
disciplines . One grad they visited
combined chem istry with computer
scie nce. He writ es softwa re that run s
hosp ital instruments and allows
th em to communicate across
distances , enab ling doctors in
remo te loca tions to access medical
data and follow pat ient prog ress. He
says his kn owledge of how
chemistry works in the bod y mak es
him a bett er software engineer
because he can und ers tand the data
in more depth .
One person they visited is Dean
Malotky '71, vice president and
prin cipal at Barr Engineering. In his
25 years th ere he has been in on the
ground level to develop assessment
SherryJennings-King(right), ~irector of corporate,
and remediation meth ods for waste
foundation, and governmentrelations, and Sandra Olmsted
disposal sites . Serving as an expert
'69 (left), chemistry professoi, haveteamedup to connect
witn ess in cou rt , he helps resolve
with and learnfromchemisryalumni in the metro area.
S
24
A-UGSBURGNOW
legal battles fought over the extent of
liability and share of cleanup costs that
compa nies are assessed.
He tells of a big case in New J ersey
where thr ee maj or comp anies had to
divide up the total cost of cleanup .
Malotky 's job was to look at five or six
different chemi cal manufa cturin g
facilities to evaluate their products and
by-products , as well as the raw materials
that went into each facility, to determine
th e extent to which they contribut ed to
cont amin ation.
Earlier in his tenur e at Barr, Malotky
help ed wr ite th e specifications for
analysis of samples at the companies
where they were outsourced, in order to
ensur e accuracy.
After Augsburg, Malotky says he felt
well prepared to pursue doctoral studi es
at th e Un ivers ity of Wisconsin-Madison.
Since joining Barr Engineering , he has
helped the company grow from 40
employees to over 350 and win severa l
awards as a good place to work.
Shann on Hess , associate chemist at
Aveda, gradu ated in 2000 and told
Olmsted and J enning s-King, "I've loved
my j ob since th e day I started two-and-ahalf years ago."
Her work at Aveda, a cosmetics
compa ny whose vision is "connecting
beauty, environm ent , and well-being ," is
challenging because of th e strict
guidelines for using on ly naturallyderived materials. She explain s that
instead of using synt hetic raw materials ,
Aveda chemists mu st try to replicate the
benefits and perform ance with natur ally
derived and organ ic raw materials.
Hess' work is to acquire new organic
essentia l oils for fragran ce formul as. She
is in daily communi cation with
supp liers, who may be comp anies in
England , South Africa, Australia , or
lavender farmers in France . Aveda also
buys natural products from indigenous
Fall 2003
Shannon Hess '00 uses her chemistry to create personal care products from naturally -derived and organic raw materia ls.
Aveda and its co mmitm ent to
environm ent al issues. She says that
awareness of we llness is so methin g she
wo rks with every da y, "thinkin g about what
you put on your skin and in your body."
While her plans may includ e graduat e
schoo l some day, her work at Aveda is
giving her the experience she want s to
advance her car eer in th e persona l care
industr y.
J onath an DeVries '68 is a techni cal
manage r at th e Medallion Laborato ries
division of Gene ral Mills. For almos t 26
years he has been in th e forefro nt of
und ers tandin g, develop ing anal ytical
method s , and buildi ng sta nd ards for certain
nutriti onal and food safety guid elines. His
work has cent ered on th e infor mation
co nsum ers read on the nutrition al labels o f
foods th ey eat, with ex tra emphas is on th e
term "dietary fiber."
Prior to th e 1980s , "cru de fiber" was th e
basic nutriti on label, but thi s excluded a
significant portion of health y dietary fibers
in the foods. DeVries was instrum ental in
sta nd ardizing th e definiti on of dietary fiber
Dean Malotky 's work takes him into courtrooms to present expert
and in standardi zing and validatin g
technic al information toward resolut ion of legal issues around
meth ods of extrac tion and analysis for
environmental contamination and cle an-up.
genera tin g nutriti ona l labe ls , wo rkin g
throu gh th e Associa tion of Officia l
Analytical Chemists (now AOAC lNTER NATIONA L) ,
gro ups aro und th e wo rld , trying to
which established internationa l guid elines for th eir
und erstand and inco rpora te use of th eir
raw mate rials as they are used in th eir
usage.
De Vries cred its professor emeritu s J ohn Hoium for
cu ltur es.
emph asizing a solid scie ntifi c found at ion and process
At Augsbur g, a p lant biology co ur se
for co ntinu al learnin g, ra th er than the spec ific body of
with recent ly-retired Prof. Est her
chem istry learn ed . DeVries wo uld advise stud ent s not
McLaughlin spark ed Hess' int erest in
Fall 2003
A-UGSBURGNOW
25
Olmst ed and Jennings -King plan to
LO worry too mu ch about computer and other
continue their visits with area chemistry
techn ology that will change , but to "mast er the
alumni. Jennings -King has already told
learnin g pro cess an d the basics of the subj ect area, and
Olmsted that it's tim e LO hit the road
to loo k at all the data at their disposal before dr awing
co nclu sions ."
again. •
From these thr ee
chemistry alumni and
others, the feedb ack
Olmsted heard already
has brou ght chan ges to
the way chemistry
majors are taught. First ,
a new sec tion o f a
speec h course that
focuses on how to
present techni cal
infor mation and
research , including
makin g presentation s to
various audi ences , is
being develop ed.
Second , the fourJonathanOeVries
' work at GeneralMills over 25 years has involveddevelopinganalytical
semes ter chemistry
methodsand standardsfor nutritional and food safetyguidelines, especially concerning
semin ar for juniors and
dietary fiber.
seniors has been
revamped to be of
greater value to what stud ents can
expect after they leave Augsburg .
Stud en ts will also get more hands-on
expe rience in using instrum ents .
Olmsted says stud ents need to feel
comfortabl e about the kinds of
instrum ents they may encount er in
the wor kpla ce-no t only how LO use
th em, but also how to int erpret th e
data . "This will prepa re th em to be
functioning chemists as well as
fun ctionin g grad stud ents ," she says.
Olmsted also heard alumni speak
abo ut the imp ortance of
understanding the patent process ,
especia lly important for stud ents
pur suin g studies in publi c researc h
instituti ons where protec tion of
resea rch is para mount.
Jenning s- King has see n ben efits as
well. When she submits propo sals
and comp anies ask how engaged
Augsburg alumni at th eir co mp any
are, J enning s- King can report
co nfidentl y on their meetings . Th e
College has estab lished new
internships with these co mp anies and
SherryJennings-Kingand SandraOlmsted'69 review sketchesfor the
received in-kind donati on of
new science building, which has beena topic of discussionin their
eq uipm ent as well.
visits to metro-areachemistry alumni.
26
.4UGSBU RG NOW
by Lynn Mena
ehind Lhe door of a small
laboratory in the lower level of
Sverdrup Hall, Augsburg senior
Scott Kuhl is manipulatin g reality.
Kuhl, an undergraduate research
assistam, is part of the Departmem of
Comput er Science's Localization Project,
analyzing the cues Lhat people use to
locate Lhemselves when the y ent er
comput er-created virtua l environm ents.
Kuhl has participated in the Nationa l
cience Foundation-funded project since
Lhesum mer of 2001.
"Generally speak ing, we're trying to
answer qu estions abo ut how people
perceive thin gs," says Kuh l, a comput er
science and mathematics doubl e major.
"Similar research ha been done in
outdoo r environments. We are dupli cating
that work in a virtu al environment. We're
imerested in seeing the difference between
doing the experiments in a virtual
environm ent versus a real environm ent. "
The proj ect consists of two sets of
experime nts , the first involving selflocalizatio n and the second dealing with
rotational recalibration. The subjects in all
of the experiments view the virtual
environm ent by using a head-moum ed
display. They can move freely, able to turn
around or look up and down in the virtua l
environment. Kuhl wrote computer
programs to rend er the virtua l
environm ents for bot h sets of
experim ents .
Karen Suth erland , Augsburg associa te
professor of compu ter science , based the
overall vision of the project and the set of
localization experiments on her previous
work in both robot and real-world
localization . Experi ments in selflocalizatio n have been condu cted in the
real world for many years. More recemly,
researche rs have begun exp loring virtua l
space and asking the question: "Do we use
the same techniqu es to locate ourse lves in
B
Fall 2003
Scott Kuhl's head-mounted "glasses" give a manipulatedview of reality, as he uses a virtual environmentto
study how people locate themselvesin a given space.
virtua l space as we do in real space? "
Th e project's set of rotationa l
recalibration experim ents was developed
by Kuhl, and is inspired by a research
proj ect he participated in at the University
of Utah the su mmer of 2002.
"They had a tread mill-like system \vilh
screens, where you walk straight ahead
while the virtual wo rld is displayed on th e
screens ," ays Kuhl. "As part of their
research, they changed how fa t the virtual
world moved as you walked . The world
would , for exampl e, move twice as fast as
it should have."
This experie nce prompted Kuhl to
pond er what wou ld happe n if instead of
changing Lhe rate that the world moves as
you walk straig ht , you changed the rate at
which it moves as you rotate.
"I'm interested in learnin g about the
process of adjus tmem and how we might
adj ust differemly in virtua l environments
Lhan we do in real-world environments ,"
says Kuhl.
In Kuhl's expe riments , participants put
on the head-moumed display and are
shown a comput er-generated wall with a
post er on it. After viewing the poster ,
participants close their eyes and are
instru cted to turn around in place so that
Lhey are facing in the same direction as
the y were origina lly Then , th y are told to
look at a series of posters by follow ing a
set of instru ctions. After these instru ctions,
participants view another po ter, close
their eyes, and turn around in a complete
circle so they are facing the poster again .
"I've parti cularly enjoyed the techni cal
a pects of this research- although the
psychological aspects are a bit of a
challenge," says Kuhl. "It's really neat to
relate what I've learned in my math ematics
classes to what I'm doin g ,vith comp uter
graphi cs."
When the experiments are complete ,
the results will be compi led and analyzed
statistically, comparing results of the
previous real world and robot experiments
with these. Th e rotational recalibration
exl)eriments ,viii also erve as Kuhl's
departm emal hon ors project. After he
gradua tes Lhis sprin g, he plans to pursue
grad uat e studi es in co mput er science.
In addition to Lhi work, the co mput er
science departm ent will be performin g
experiments usin g a data glove in the
virtual environm em , and is also using the
lab to develop a comput er graph ics cour e
that incorporat es virtua l reality topics .
"I can see lots of opp ortuniti e in th e
future to use our lab-n ot just for virtu al
reality, but also for robotics-as we ll as a
combination of th e two," says
utherland . •
,4uGSBURG NOW
27
dam McWeLhy graduated with
distincti on and with deparm1ental
honors in psychology last spring.
Four years earlier, he had learned about
Augsbu rg's StepUP program and decided
to app ly- a decision Lhat wou ld change
his life.
"I knew nothing about Lhe school and
wasn't even Lutheran ," McWethy said.
"But I knew I had a great oppo rtuni ty in
this one-of-a-kind program ." McWeLhy
was on e of approximatel y 40 stu dents in
Lhe growing StepUP program, which
provides a support ive environm ent to
allow stud ents in recovery from add iction
achieve academic success. McWeLhy's
appreciaLion of StepUP's mission has now
broughL him into leadership positions on
StepUP's advisory board and , since
graduation , on a StepUP alumni board .
McWeLhy became a psychology major
in his sophom ore year. "I came here
because of StepUP, but it was the
Psychology Department Lhat allowed me
to find my niche and to excel."
He curr ent ly works as a chilcVfamily
advocate at Wayside Hou se- where he
also completed his psychology internship .
Th is program provides safe hou sing for
women in recovery from chemical
dependency. McWeLhy spends his time
working with teams who are Lrying to
accomplish what is best for the children of
Lhe residents . He says he is "on the front
line of a war to save kids' lives."
McWethy has also worked on a
numb er of research projects , most recently
with Professor Nancy Steblay. For the past
two years, McWethy and Steblay have
collaborated on a project in psychology
and law that includes Steblay's research
colleagues at Lhe University of Texas-El
Paso. Together, the team has collected and
analyzed a massive amo un t of laboratory
data addr essing three interrelated variables
in the ju ry decision-making process:
inadmissible evidence, judicial instruction
to disregard this eviden ce, and type and
timin g of such instrucLion. A pap er, which
A
28
A-UGSBURG NOW
At Augsburg, AdamMcWethy'03 discoveredhis
passion for research in psychologythat helped him
shape his goals in working with children.
McWethy co-auth ored , was presented
in Jul y at the International
Interdisciplinary Psychology and law
conference in Edinburgh , Scotland .
McWethy's honors Lhesis was a section
of this research and specifically
investigated the impact of charging
instru ctions that follow a trial.
McWeLhy's internship and his
research experiences are part of an
education that allowed him
"oppo rtuniti es to go above and beyond
the classroom. " 'T hat is what I love
about Augsburg," he said. "There is
always room to do your own thi ng,
and you truly get out of the school
what you put into it."
According to Steblay, what
McWethy "put into" the academic
endeavor was laud able. "Adam's skills
of analysis and syn lhesis are
remarkab le," she said. "His talents are
well-suited to Lhis domain of
research- an inquiry Lhat merges
psychology and law. He has a
particu larly sharp eye for the policy
implications of the data. Adam is a
valued collabora tor; the products of
our work have been mu ch richer for
his contributi ons ."
The research experience
dramatically influenced McWeLhy's
futur e plans . "While my jobs have
shaped my interest- helping children - it
is my research experience that has altered
how I believe I can be most effective in
solving kids' problems. I began to truly
comprehend the power of research to alter
the way in which society views prob lems.
It is only through research Lhat the way we
heal can become more effective," said
McWethy. He plans to apply to graduate
programs in psychology and law.
"Augsburg gave me a focus and a
passion that have allowed me to exceed
all my expectations for myself. No long er
do I mak e excus es ... Inst ead , I now do
what I need to do becaus e I love it and
because I see the good thaLcan result
from my work. " •
Judy Petree is media relations manager.
Professor Nancy Steblay contributed to
this story.
PROFESSOR
NANCY STEBLAY
:
Involving
students
in reSl,IJ;Pft
Professor Nancy Steb lay believes the goal of
the psychology department is to facilitate
students' movement from learning about the
disciplin e to becoming active contributors to
the discipline. Each psychology major must
comp lete at least one major laboratory
research project under the guidance of a
faculty member , plus at least one
com muni ty-based interns hip .
Steblay's ongoing research projects have
established her as an expert in areas of
psychology and law and have given her
student s challenging original research
oppo rtunit ies
The research Steblay and her student s
have carried out on police lineups has
contribut ed to recent U.S. Department of
Justice police procedural guidelines for the
gathering of eyewitness evidence. Her
projects focus on proper lineup structure
and format, assessing far''1rs of social
influence and witness memory in the
identification process. Recent cases in which
convictions have been overturned by forensic
Fall 2003
SEAN
TRuMANA PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE
Psycho logy professo r Sean Truman is
beginnin g his secon d year teac hin g in th e
department. Augsburg Now edi tor Betsey
Norgar d talked with him about stu dents
and teaching.
Whydid Augsburg
interest youas a placeto
teach?
I'm int eres ted in und ergrad uate
excellence, and I'm int erested in
gro undin g edu catio n in the libera l arts
NancySteblay
, professor of psychology
DNA tests have revealed a crucial
finding: Mistaken eyewitness
identifications have been the primary
evidence used to convict innocen t
people. Thus, this research has critical
implications for soc iety.
A secon d line of resea rch bega n with
a 1999 article, co-authored by Augsburg
stude nts, regard ing the effect of pretrial
publicity on jury verdicts. The research
team found that pretrial publicity
produce d juror expectations of defendant
culpability before the trial and ultimately
produced higher conviction rates.
Traditionaljudicial safegua rds did not
reduce the pub licity's impact. Since then,
additional teams of Augsburg students
have advanced our understanding of
comp lex nuances of memory that
underlie pretrial publicity effects.
-Betsey Norgard
Fall 2003
tradition .... I also th ought that th e caliber
of my colleagues in th e Psycholo gy
Departm ent was remarka ble. The people
in the departm ent were clearly committ ed
to teac hin g, and to prod ucing research
and wo rkin g in th e communi ty on things
that were im po rtant. I found that
compe lling.
Whatdo youseek for your students?
I want to be unapolo get ically demandin g
of st ud ents.
I want them to be int ellectuall y
sop histicated , rigorou s, consi dered people
who have th e capacit y to dea l with
int ellectua l ambig uit y and who can
manag e in a worl d th at is frequ entl y
contradi ctory. The world is co mpli cated,
and what we do here is help peop le to
dev elop a capacity for compl ex thinkin g
that serves th em throu ghout th eir lives.
The way we do th at in th e psycholog y
department is th ro ugh scie nce-based
und ersta nding of peop le's experiencewhether it's peop le's emot ional exper ience,
cog nitiv e pro cess, socia l behavior, or what
have yo u. These are all different slices of
how we , as psycholog ists , think about
human expe rienc e. There's nothing
magical abo ut one parti cular pers pective;
it's th e disciplin e we bring to th e
perspective th at I think is really useful.
You don 't know who's in your class.
You have no idea. l'm hop ing I hav e a
futur e senator in my class. Wh en she sits
on a Senate sub-commiu ee, she 'll think ,
"How do we evaluate thi s iss ue? W hat is
th e justifi cation for spending a half billion
dollars on th is program? Whe re is th e
eviden ce th at this approac h wi ll be
effective?" We hope that our stud ents are
discip lined and rigorou s thi nkers when
th ey leave the College.
Some of the most comp elling mom ents
l've had here are when stud ents begin to
Psychology professor Sean Truman
see th emselves as intell ectu ally
sop hist icated. Early on in college students
rarely appreciate their own capac ity for
exce llence; they don 't see the horizon
that 's possib le for them. Th ey can exce l in
ways that the y don 't yet appreciate. It is
really fun to see students change ove r four
years in ways that are simply astounding.
How will a newsciencebuilding makea
difference in your department?
The first thing a new science buildin g
does is provid e ph ysical evidence of an
institutional commiu11ent to th e sciences.
When we app ly for grants , a new
building will mak e it possible to su pp ort
larger and mor e substantia l proj ects. Il
puts us in a mu ch more co mp elling
position to say, "We have intell ectu al
cap ital here , we have th e capacity for hard
work here, we have th e institutional and
organiza tional capacity , and we hav e th e
capaci ty to contr ibut e in a serio us way
through our laboratory resea rch." In th e
encl, havi ng th ese reso urces wi ll mean that
our stud ent s get more opportuniti es to do
meaningf ul work with faculty.
We have to recog niz e and be honest
abou t th e fact that we've don e great work.
This work has tak en pla ce wi th out many
resources. While people have done an
incr ed ible amount with what they have,
we also should be clear that the limit ed
resourc es redu ce our capaci ty to do work
that wi ll be meanin gful, larger in scope ,
and more comp elling and productive for
our students. •
A-UGSBURGNOW
29
LAB
ight scientists are gathered round a
conference table for a regular
week ly meeting. As they begin
reportin g their research to the group , the
talk is of variations in ULF and VLF
waves, compi lation of PE and QP/PE
data, progress on papers to be presented
at professional conferences, etc.
This would not sound unu sual unt il
it's realized that the meeting is taking
place on a small, private college campu s,
and five of the eight part icipants have
only ju st completed their first or second
year in college.
Each summ er, as part of the funding
Augsburg receives from the National
Science Found ation, NASA, and others,
physics professor and departm ent chair
Mark Engebretso n selects promi sing
physics and pre-engineering stud ents for
research proj ects in the physics labs.
Engebretso n says that the depart ment
tries to provide all physics maj ors with
research opportu nities- the experience
helps physics and pre-engineering
students with graduate school admi ssions
and helps them compete for national
fellowships.
Geoff Shelburn e, who is beginn ing
his j un ior year, began workin g last year
with Augsburg physics senior Alexa
Halford '03 on a paper titled "Latitudinal
and Seasonal Variations of Quasi-Periodic
and Periodic ELF-VLF Emissions." The
paper, a statistical study of extremelylow-frequency (ELF) and very-lowfrequency (VLF) waves using data from
severa l stations in Antarctica, includ ing
the South Pole, won Halford a top
student award last year when she
presented it at the spring meeting of the
American Geophysical Unio n. This was
one of two such awards Lo Augsburg
E
30
ft UGSBURGNOW
Sophomore
physics studentsSteveQuick(left), Erik Lundberg
(centerfront), and Matt Argall(right)watched
as junior Jon-Erik Hokenson (centerback) demonstrate
s howto run and plotdatafromgroundstationsand
orbitingsatellitesoverAntarctica
.
students in the last th ree years, who
comp eted against mostly graduate
stud ents, some of whom were presentin g
their Ph.D. work .
Shelburn e's work has focused on
identifying, tabu lating, and plottin g
occurrences of various types of these
waves as a function of the time of day for
an entire year at four different stations in
Antarctica- a time-consumin g and
tedious jo b.
Engebretson points out at the
meeting, however, that Shelburn e has
made a valuable con tributi on with his
meticulous work , because of surp rising
variations that can be observed only
when stud ying th e data in the detail he
plotted.
Shelburn e is workin g with
Engebretson to comp lete the paper and
ready it for publi cation next year. The
final author list will includ e Halford,
Engebretso n, assistant scientislj ennifer
Posch '94 , as well as researchers at the
British Antarctic Survey and at Stanford
University. Engebretson points out that
all the department 's fund ed research is
do ne in collaboration with physicists at
other schools and instituti ons, part of the
educational process for the students.
Shelburn e has put in his time learnin g
the detailed, routin e task of collecting
data. Next summ er, he hopes to gain
additi onal research experience at another
school or research laboratory- somethin g
that Engebretson encourages most of his
stud ents to pur sue.
Jon-Erik Hokenson, who ju st
completed his sophomore year, is
teachin g thr ee first-year research stud ents
in the space physics lab how to run and
plot the routin e data-th e same kind of
work he did last year as a freshm an. Part
of their work involves comparing the data
recorded daily by an orbiting satellite
with dat a recorded at the same time at the
ground stations to see if the same events
are observed. It requir es using a
comput er program to translate num erical
data int o spectrograms, or colored char ts,
that show wave activity.
Hokenson is a physics and math
major, and also has a comput er science
min or. The comput er progra m familiarity
comes in handy when stud ents must
wr ite their own programs in order to run
the data they want. Comput er science
and physics stud ents have been
Fall 2003
collaborating over the past coup le of years
on new progra ms in the physics labs .
Back in the meeting, first-year research
student Erik Lundb erg reports to the
group on the difficulti es he faced wit h
such a compu ter progra m while trying to
run the data requ ested by a researcher at
anot her inst ituti on. Wh en the printer
refused to spit ou t any data beyond 1999,
Lundberg wro te a new progr am to
eliminate the prob lem . Engebretson asked
him to inst all it on all the lab comput ers.
Lund berg recogn izes that science is a
lot of rout ine. "Sometim es you run the
numb ers several tim es and it doesn't
work; but one time it works ... and it's
exciting."
Heather Greene '04 reports to the
meeting that her paper is completed and
will be presented at a McNair Scholars
conference the following week. The paper
and the National Science Found ation .
The McNair program seeks to prepare
stud ents for doctora l studi es and to
increase the numb er of gradu ate stud en ts
from und errepresented sec tors. Through
the summ er experience, Greene says, "I
am starting to learn the process of
research and what I need to network wit h
others."
To prepare for her conference
presentation , Greene was able to bu ild
confidence wit h presentations to her two
ph ysics pro fessors, Engebretson and
Professor Ken Erickso n '62 , as well
as to the McNair Scholars staff and
stud ents .
Augsburg's physics department
has a long history of both involving
stud ents in ongoing, original
research and of collabora ting with
other scientists literally aro un d the
world . Hokenson said that he had
j ust sent thr ee CDs of data to a
researcher in England who had
requested it. Some of Shelburne 's
data came from Stan ford University
Senior HeatherGreene's research on geomagnetic activity was
and the Brit ish Antarctic Survey.
presentedboth on campusand at a McNair Scholars
Recent physics grad uate Jesse
conferenceat PennState University.
Woodroffe is still comparing data
from four European satellites,
studi es the activity recorded by satellites
obtained from a researcher in Germany
durin g a geomagn etic storm to help
wit h da ta from Augsbu rg's own
und erstand its effect on communi cations
instru ments .
systems as well as hum an health .
After gradu ating from Augsburg,
Greene's summ er research was fund ed
Erickso n return ed in 1970 , to teach space
by both the McNair Scholars program
Fall 2003
---
,
ProfessorMark Engebretsonreviews data in research carried out by graduati ng senior Jesse Woodrolle , who
1sheadedto a teaching assistantship and fellowship at the University of Minnesota.
physics at both the University of
Minnesota and Augsbur g. Following the
example of his faculty mentor at the
university, he began involving stud ents
in in teresting proj ects and research.
When Engebretson came to Augsburg in
1976, he began to seek grant funds to
cover the stud ent activit ies. Today, after
more than 30 years, and with the
additi on of Professor Ambrose Wolf's
research in solid state physics, there are
few small, private colleges that provide
the depth of undergrad uate research in
physics found at Augsburg.
The meeting continu es with an
ann oun cement that Olga Kozyreva, a
visiting ph ysicist from the Institut e of
the Physics of the Earth in Moscow,
would arrive the following week for a
month 's stay. Her visit, along with regular
semester-long visits by Russian physicist
Slava Pilipenk o, continu es collabora tive
research and teachin g with Engebretso n ,
fund ed by a recently-renewed Nationa l
Science Found ation grant.
In addi tion to the 10 students
working at Augsburg durin g the sum mer,
other stud ents are at un iversities around
the count ry. For the physics majors
attendin g the meeting, getting
experience that helps them gain an edge
in their field and getting paid for it is
ideal. And , as Hokenson pu ts it, "you
couldn't ask for a better employer than
Professor Engebretson. " •
/t- UGSBURG NOW
31
by Judy Petree
or 10 weeks over the summer,
severa l of Augsburg 's physics labs
on the lower level of Science Hall
became a staging area for a large-sca le
model of the Mars surface, with robot
exp lorers and a simulated model of the
space shuttle.
It's part of the Girls in Engineering ,
Mathematics, and Science (GEMS)
program , providin g middle and high
school girls and college undergraduates
an opportunity to exp lore math ematics ,
scie nce, and applied technology.
Because boys as young as fourth
grade begin LO show greater interest and
highe r achievement in math and science
than girls, GEMS address es an acute
need to create programs that encourage
girls to exp lore, experiment , and
collaborate in these fields.
Jeanin e Gregoire , assista nt professor
of edu cation and science coordin ator at
Augsburg, and co-coordinator of the
program , is con cern ed with gender
equit y in science edu cation . "Research in
F
gender-based programs and our own
experiences with the GEMS program
throughout the past six years have shown
how important it is for girls to have
access to challenging , comp lex, and fun
science, math, and technology proj ects
set in a supp ortive environm ent. "
Gregoire , in conjunction with the
Augsburg NASA Space Grant Program ,
has worked closely with Brad Blue,
Minneapolis Public Schoo ls science/math
teacher , and parents and teachers from 13
Minneapolis schools to develop ,
implement , and evaluate this program.
The GEMS progr am includes three
age groups:
FOURTH-EIGHTH
GRADE
COMPONENT
The year-ro und GEMS program presents
you ng wom en with comp lex problemsolving proje cts and opportu nities to
present in public . Annu ally, the girls
bui ld and program robots to compete in a
robotics competition.
One of th e GEMS
teams was featured on
the premiere episode
of Dragonfl y TV
Students also
Middle-schoolgirls in the GEMSprogramcarve from Styrofoama scale
modelof the surface of Mars createdfrom NASAtopographicalmaps.
32
A-UGSBURGNOW
particip ate in an intensive, 10-week
summ er program at Augsburg. During
the summ er of 2003, 78 middl e-school
girls from Minn eapoli s public schools
met twice a week at Augsburg and
learned how LO "terraform " the surface of
Mars. Th ey researched question s they
had about Mars, and built and
progra mm ed robots to maneuver on the
scale mod el surface they create d. Other
GEMS proj ects investigate the Science of
Speed, where they design, build , test, and
race CO2 cars in the Annual Day at th e
Races at Augsburg.
GEMS gro ups regularl y present the
results of their projects at the Science
Museum of Minnesota , LEGOL.and at the
Mall of America, the Minn esota State
Fair, the Minn eapolis School Board, th e
Eye to the Futur e Career Conference for
Young Women, and to engin eers and
technicians at Medtronic . These venu es
provide stude nts wit h opportu nities to
consolidate their und erstandin g of what
th ey are learnin g, become more
comfort able communi cating th eir
findin gs to othe rs, apply sk ills th ey have
learned in their proj ect, and receive
feedback from participants .
Gregoire said that they have already
seen many of th ese st ud ents do well on
Layersof Styrofoamwere piled and then smoothedout to look like the actual surface
of Mars' mountains.
Fall 2003
Two girls check to see if the robot they built and programmedto maneuver
on the Mars surface is working properly.
th e advanced placement tests for nin thgrade science, and th ey tend to take
more math and science cour ses in high
school.
"The GEMS program has also given
man y girls a strong network of friend s
who encoura ge schoo l att endance, value
and support each oth er's academic
achievement , and wh o demonstrate
leadership in oth er areas of sc hoo l. Th e
GEMS program gives each girl a different
way to see herse lf in the world. "
The program is free to gir ls in the
Minn eapolis Public Schools who app ly
and qualify.
NINTH-12THGRADE
MENTORING
PROGRAM
Girls who have participa ted in th e GEMS
fourt h-eighth grad e pro gram are eligible
to app ly for the su mm er leadership
program . Success ful compl etion of th e
summ er program allows new ment ors to
participat e in a year-long position as a
GEMS ment or. The GEMS ment or
program bu ilds up on th e mat u rity,
leader shi p developm en t, int erests, and
academ ic needs of the GEMS ment ors
involved in th e program. Incomin g
ment ors, th e girls in grades 8-12 , are
involved in a beta level leadership
trainin g to develop int erp erso nal
communi cation and group bui ld ing
skills. Th ey then have th e opp ortu nity to
lead larger GEMS enri chm ent progra ms.
"We have een many of th ese youn g
Fall 2003
On break time, GEMSgirls relaxed outside with jump ropes and games.
women develop tremend ous leadership
capacity wor kin g with th e middl e schoo l
stud en ts as a 'coach' and in one case the
progra m coo rd inator of a GEMS
program ," said Gregoi re.
Thi s past summ er 15 GEMS mento rs
participa ted in th e GEMS leadership
trainin g progra m . In 200 1, a high sc hool
mentor was chose n as "Mentor of th e
Year" from among all adu lt
ment or/coac hes in Minn esota for the first
Lego-Logo comp etitio n .
"Midd le school GEMS loo k up to th e
high choo l GEMS for direction , supp ort ,
and friendsh ip," Grego ire sa id. "I love to
see the strong bond established between
th e high sc hoo l ment ors and the middle
school GEMS dur ing th e summ er
prog ram."
UNDERGRADUATES
AS TEACHERS
Augsbur g smd ents have also benefited
from this progra m. Und ergrad uate
wo men in sc ience, math ematics,
engineer ing, and element ary or
seco ndary edu cat ion are recruit ed to
serve a teachers for th e summ er GEMS
middl e-schoo l progra m and as cofaci litator durin g th e regular schoo l year.
GEM mento rs and th e un de rgradua te
stud ent s wo rk as a team to plan and
teach uni ts to GEMS middl e schoo l
stud ents.
"Such opportuni ties give Augsbur g
stud ents valuable teachin g experience
and bui ld th eir own confidence and
know ledge of math ematics, scie nce, and
techn ology," Gregoire said. She added
th at as a result of th e program , severa l
elementary majors have refocused their
co ncentr ation in scie nce and several
oth er math majors are now in secondary
licensure programs .
Gregoire said that Augsburg , as a
college of th e city, has gained
tremendous ly as a community partner
with Minn eapo lis Pub lic Schoo ls.
"With th e challenge in urban
edu cation, th e College could be either
pan of th e prob lem, or we can be pan of
the so luti on by leveraging our resour ces,
knowledge , and experiences to create
viab le solut ions. The GEMS program is
bu t one program where the College and
th e NASA Space Grant have take n an
active role in working with urban schoo l
d istricts on specia l programs and
projects. GEMS has been a tremend ous
program for the linneapolis Publi c
Schoo ls and Augsburg College."
Fundin g for th e GEMS program s
co mes from th e Medtro nic STAR grants ,
Minn eapolis Public Schoo ls, and the
NASA Space Gra nt. The GEMS program
was prese nt ed at th e American
Association for Advancement o f Science
(AAAS) conference in an Franci co in
Feb ruary 2001. In Augu t it was featur ed
on W CCO-TV •
Judy Petree is media relations manager:
A-UGSBURGNOW
33
s part of the continued commitment
to maintain and enhanc e Augsburg's
traditio n of excellence m the
sciences, the Science Building Plannin g
Committ ee comp leted a feasibility report
that addresses the needs of curr ent
Augsburg stud ents and offers a unified
vision toward interactive and
interdisciplinary learning in the sciences.
In 2001 , a Science Advisory Board
(SAB) of 13 experts in the fields of biology,
chemistry, physics, mathematics, and
psychology was created to gain inp ut ,
guidance , and support. Propo sed by
academic dean Chris Kimball and scienc e
facility shepherd Nancy Steblay, the SAB is
sponsored by the Board of Regents and led
by Augsburg alumn a Ruth E. Johnson '74,
MD, chair of the regents' Academic and
Student Affairs Committ ee (ASAC).
The objectives of the Science Advisory
Board were out lined: (1) raise the pro file
of science edu cation at Augsburg; (2)
increase enro llment in science programs ;
(3) improve educatio nal opportunities and
outcomes for Augsbu rg stu dents; and (4)
assist in the design and fundr aising efforts
for the new science hall.
SAB members represent the corporat e
sector ; medical, dental, men tal health and
laboratory health care professions ;
Augsburg science faculty eme riti; and a
science-oriented charitable trust. Eight of
the thirt een SAB member s are Augsbur g
science alumni.
In its two years, the SAB has met
quart erly as a full board and has consulted
with President Fra me, Board of Regents
chair Kathy Tunh eim, ASAC regents, and
chairs of all the departm ents includ ed in
the new science hall. SAB memb ers tour ed
current science facilities and have had
several virtual tours of the proposed new
facility led by project designers Holabird
and Root, who also led an on-site tour of
A
34
A-UGSBURG NOW
the science bu ilding they designed at
University of St. Thomas .
In fall 2002 a special Homecoming
science alumni gathering , sponsored by
SAB and the ASAC, brought together
nearly 200 alumni , students , and faculty
to meet with science faculty emeriti Ted
Hanwick (physics),John Hoium
(chemistry) , Ralph Sulerud (biology), and
Bev Durk ee (mathemati cs), and to hear a
talk by SAB member Pau l Mueller '84 on
the interface of science and faith.
The Science Advisory Board also
focuses on fundraising efforts for the new
science hall, and has met with Sue
Klaseus, vice president for institutional
advancement , and the developm ent staff.
Neil Thorpe , executive director of the M.j.
Murdock Charitable Trust, SAB member,
and former Augsburg biology professor,
presented a Foundation Perspective
Report and recommended how Augsbur g
might approac h foundations for funding .
The SAB also plays a crucial role in
providing opp ort uniti es for science-related
educati on and careers for curr ent stud ents.
SAB member Rick Pannin g, president of
labora tory services at Fairview,
spearheaded developm ent of an Augsburg
partnership with Fairview, beginnin g this
fall, for stude nt s to pursue a n ew major
in clini cal laborato ry scie nc es. In thi s
joint p rogra m , stud ent s can co mp lete
thr ee yea rs at Augsbur g and one yea r of
practi ca l laboratory exper ien ce at
Fairv iew, to ea rn a B.A. degree and
certifi ca tion as a clini cal labor atory
scienti st.
In add ition , se nior psychology
majors met in Roch ester wit h SAB
memb er Rick Seime, a Mayo Clini c
psyc holog ist, to tour Mayo 's
psychoge netics rese arch labs and
discuss psych o logy-related health careers.
In August SAB member and Honeywell
Ruth E. Johnson
'74, MD, chair of the regents'
Academicand StudentAffairsCommittee (ASAC
)
executive J oel Houlton brought a dozen
members of HEART (Hon eywell Employee
and Retiree Team) to the Augsburg
campus for a tour and a "roll up the
sleeves" session with faculty and staff on
advancing the missi on of science
edu cation.
"It is in the role of helping to raise the
funds to make the science hall a reality
that the Science Advisory Board is most
needed now," says SAB chair Ruth E.
Johnson .
"Th e most challenging aspect of the
science hall project now is securin g
financial commitm ents against the
backdrop of an econo mic downturn ," she
says. "I have confidence that the Science
Advisory Board will continu e its
outstandin g leadership in this end eavor,
and I believe that science alumni and
friends of Augsburg College will do what
is so chara cteris tic of them: to give
generously so that curr ent and futur e
stud ents can also experi ence an
outstanding educati on in the best
traditi on of Augsburg College."
Fall 2003
•\iX'.;·
.->~·•.
1-\:Jj1t'
SCIENCE
ADVISORY
BOARD
.,1~•.~ -·
James Agre '72 , MD
Min istry Medical Group
Eagle River, Wis.
Loren Barber,
;.
l...
•
•
•
"t;
•
~-
·---
~ _:....
r
•,.;
.. ;
,.~--.
..
PhD
3M
Gary Carlson
'95
3M
Fred Faxvog , PhD
Honeywell, Inc.
Steven Grinde '81, DDS
Maple Grove Dental Center
Joel L. Houlton
Honeywell, Inc.
David Knutson '69
Park Nicollet Medi cal Center
Paul S. Mueller ' 84, MD
Mayo Clini c • Rochester , Minn.
Joel T. Nelson '85, PhD
Universi ty of Wisconsin- Madison
Rick Panning
Fairview Health Services
Richard Seime ' 70 , PhD
Mayo Clini c • Rochester, Mi nn.
Distingui shed Alumnu s 200 2
ugsbur g's new scie nce facility will
pro vide 58 ,000 net-ass ignable
square feet (NASF) of teac hi ng
laborat ories , resea rch space, classroo ms,
offices , and supp ort . Th e new bui ldin g
will includ e 45,000 NASF and house th e
Depart ments of Biology, Chemistr y, and
Psyc hology as well as add itional lab and
class room space for physics. The ex is tin g
Science Hall will und ergo ex tensive
renova tion , and will house the
A
Ralph Sulerud , PhD
Professor Emeritu s of Biology
Augsburg College
Neil 0 . Thorpe '60 , PhD
M.J. Murdock Charitabl e Trust
Vancouver, Wash.
Distingu ished Alumnu s 2001
AUGSBURG
BOARD
OFREGENTS
LIAISONS
Departm ent s of Phys ics and Mat hemat ics,
as we ll as add 13 ,000 NASF for other
campu s needs.
T he addition of the new science
bu ildin g crea tes a new quadrang le,
jo inin g Ande rso n and New Halls to the
aca dem ic plan. It also opens up th e
ex istin g area aro un d th e curr ent Scie nce
Hall, returnin g grea ter prom inence and
s tatur e to Old Main in th e main
qu adrang le area .
Ruth E. Johnson ' 74 , MD
Mayo Clin ic • Rochester, Minn.
Distingui shed Alumn a 1996
Beverly Thompson Hatlen,
MSN
Minnesota Li fe College
RN,
EXOFFICIO
- AUGSBURG
COLLEGE
Christopher W. Kimball , PhD
Vice President for Academic and Stu dent
Affa irs and Dean of the Coll ege
Joan Kunz , PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Chair, Division of Natural Sciences
and Mathemati cs
Nancy Steblay , PhD
Professor of Psychology
Assistant to the Dean for Spec ial Projects
Fall 2003
A-UGSBURGNOW
35
"\
-
..\·,·..,·..__
•
,_.., '
-..T
·,_
--•••
··•
A ·..
ugsburg's biology department is home to two thri ving and colorful coral
reef ecosystems. Difficult to maintain in captivity, the coral reef habitats
provide stud ents opportunit ies for laboratory stud y of marine life
organism s usually accessible only in the natur al environm ent.
The 600-gallon multi -tank system has a sp ecial filter system that sustains
the more than 100 species of marin e organisms- corals, live sponges, fish,
shrimp , and many oth ers. The aqu arium provid es a numb er of biology stud ents
with research topics, as well as an opportuni ty for outr each to the communi ty.
Capman has train ed teachers as well as volunt eered in scho ols to help set up
small systems for science classes. He has also publi shed an article and been
featured in professional meetings of reefkeepers.
A
Biology professorBill Capmanhelps biology major Jean
Johnsonin a study of coral colony developmentunder
different water flow conditions.
36
,4uGSBURGNOW
Fall 2003
From the Alumni Board president's desk ...
Tw o decades ago, I
I enter ed my senior
year at Augsbur g. I
rememb er the fall of
1983 as a
transform ing tim e for
me. 1 vividly recall
the brilliant colors of
that autumn , the crisp yet sunn y weather,
the Quad covered with fallen leaves, my
classes, my friends , and especially my
housemates (not to mention the
camaraderie and the socia l gatherings that
living in one of the houses afforded).
Indeed , it was durin g this period that
many of my closest friendsh.ips were made
and when I met my wife (Na ncy Mackey
Mueller '85). I give thanks and praise for
Augsburg, as it has touched and enriched
my life every day for more than 20 years!
For the last severa l years, I have
served on the board of directors of the
Augsburg Alumni Association. Th e
changes that have occurr ed over the past
20 years at Augsburg are trul y asto nishin g.
New curri cula challenge stud ents in
relevant and practical ways. Th e stud ent
body has grown dramatically. A myriad of
programs and classes are offered to nontraditi onal stud ents. In additi on , the
campu s itself has also changed
dramatically: the houses are gone, and in
their place new buildin gs have been
erected . Desp ite these changes, however,
Augsbur g has retained its charac ter as an
academically rigoro us college that
encourages stud ents to pur sue their
vocation in a world with num erous and
daunt ing needs.
The Augsbu rg Alum ni Association
exists to represent you and to serve the
College. Our motto is "Buildin g
Conn ections. " All Augsbu rg alumni are
members of the associa tion. Members are
encouraged to supp ort Augsburg wit h
their time, talents, and financial gifts. The
Alumni Board consists of more than 20
alumni who serve one or two three-year
terms. We work closely with the
Augsbu rg's Office of Alumn VParent
Relatio ns, and we meet regularly at the
College. ln add ition, severa l Alumni Board
com mittees meet regular ly. These
com mittees include the Events
Committee , which sponso rs activities
such as the State Fair boot h and the
"Auggie Hour " gatherings; the
Connections Committee , which assists
wit h th e Class Agent Progra m and
establishes conn ections between current
st ud ents, alumni , faculty, staff, and others;
the Communications Committee , whic h
coordinates alum ni award program s,
provides input for the Augsburg Now and
alumni Web pages, and develo ps new ways
of stayi ng in touch with alumn i.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Contact us . We want to hear from
•
•
•
you ! Let us kn ow what you are doi ng
and how you wou ld like to be
involved wit h th e College and fellow
alumn i. We can be reach ed through
the Office of AlumnVParent Relations
by ph one at 6 12-330-1178 or
1-800-260-6590, by e-mai l at
<alum ni@augsburg .edu >, or in writing
(Ca mpus Box 146, 2211 Riverside
Ave., Minn eapolis , MN 55454).
Attend Augsburg events . The College
offers many enriching and entertaini ng
activities that are available to alumni .
These activities include mu sic and
dra ma produ ctions, athletic events,
holiday events, Homecom ing, alumni
gatheri ngs, conferences , and more.
Visit the campus . Look up former
professors and mentors , shop at the
bookstore , and see the dram atic
changes tha t have occurred over the
last severa l decad es.
Keep Augsburg and its stu dents ,
facul ty, and staff in you r prayers.
Paul S. Mue ller, M.D. '84
President , Alumni Board
Six alumni appointed to Alumni Board
he Augsbur g Alumni Board of
Directors app ointed six new memb ers
and elected Paul S. Mueller '84 as
president and Bill Vand erwall '93 WEC as
president-elect. To view photos of the new
memb ers, vis it the Alumn VParent
Relations Web site at <www.augsbur g.edu/
alumn i>. Th e new memb ers are as follows:
T
Dan W . Anderson '65
Anderson gradua ted from Augsbur g with a
B.A. in math . He is president of Swenson
And erson Financial Group .
Fall 2003
Lew Beccone '98 MAL
Lew Beccone gradu ated from Augsbu rg
with a Master of Arts in Leadership . He is
an ind epend ent software consultant .
Jacqueline (Brookshire) Teisberg '80
Teisberg gradu ated from Augsbu rg with a
B.S. in nu rsing. She is a homemake r and
serve d on Augsburg's alumni awards
selectio n committee.
The Rev. Karsten Nelson '83
Nelson grad uated from Augsburg with a
B.A. in commun ication. He serves as
bylynnMena
pastor of Redeemer Luth era n Church in
W hite Bear Lake, Minn .
Tom A. Peterson '70
Peterson graduated from Augsburg with a
B.A. in socio logy. He is chief investment
officer at the Good Samaritan Society.
LuAnn Watson '88, '02 MAL
Watso n graduated from Augsburg ,vith a
B.S. in nursing and a Master of Arts in
Leadership. She is a pan-tim e member of
Augsburg's nursing faculty.
t4UGSBURG NOW
37
Alumni News
2003-04 Augsburg
Alumni Events
Calendar
Gatherings and events for Augsburg alumni and friends are
being plann ed in the areas listed below throug hout 2003 -2004 .
Events may be added/changed as the year progresses. Please
make sure your cont act information is up-to-date with th e
alum ni office and then watch your mailbox for invitations with
complete details! Hope to see you soo n!
October
1- 4 ............ Homeco min g 2003 : Auggie Traditi ons
18 ...... .......Augsburg Centenni al Singers 20th Anni versary
Celebration, First Luth eran Chur ch, Columbia
Heights, Minn ., 7 p.m.
2004 Alumni Tour
he Augsburg Alumni
Association
invites you to
T
....,,!-.:~~~.
-.~;:;. :•:·J
enjoy the fellowship , comfort , and
, •. ·,.•l')• . .-.11
~'~
-,
-
. -
.
learnin g opportuniti es of travelin g
with a group of alumni and
friends to Germ any and Eastern
Europ e in early fall 2004.
A tour to Germany, the Czech Republi c, Slovakia, and
Hun gary is being plann ed to featur e a stud y of Martin Luth er's
life and ministry in Witt enberg, Germany, as well as visits to
Berlin , Pragu e, Bratislava, and Budapest. Pre-tour edu cation and
inform ation sessions are also being planned .
To receive upd ates about this exciting travel experience as
details become available, please e-mail the alumni office at
<alumni @augsbur g.edu> or call 6 12-330-1178 to have your
name added to the mailing list. Start plannin g now to j oin us
for this amazing trip!
' '-.
._ - ' t •
23 ............. StepUP Celebra tion, 5-10 p.m.
November
date TBD .... Chicago, Ill., alumni gatherin g
date TBD ....Boston , Mass ., alumn i gathering
date TBD .... New York area alum ni gathering
date TBD .... Rochester, Minn., alumni gathering
December
5- 6 ............Advent Vespers, Cent ral Luth eran Chur ch,
Minn eapolis, 5 p.m. and 8 p.m .
date TBD ....Washin gton, D.C. , alumni gatherin g
date TBD ....Norwa y alumni gatherings
January
24 ........ ...... Clint on , Minn. , alumni gatherin g (featurin g
Augsbur g's Gospe l Praise)
25 ........ ......Alexandria , Minn., alu mn i gathering (featu ring
Augsburg's Gosp el Praise)
30 .......... .... Theatre alumni reception on campu s prior to th e
winter pro du ction of An Ideal Husband
February
date TBD .... Du luth , Minn ., alumni gath ering
date TBD ....Arizona alumni gat herin gs
March
13 ..... .........Bonita Springs, Fla. , alumn i gather ing (featur ing
the Augsbu rg Choir )
14 .......... ....Venice, Fla., alumni gath ering (featurin g the
Augsburg Choir)
16 .............. Fairmont , Minn. , alumni gathering (featurin g
Augsburg's Chamber Orc hestra)
38
AUGSBURG NOW
Auggie Hours 2003-04
Auggie Hours are held th e second Tuesday of each month at
5:30 p.m. Please j oin us!
October ............Keegan's , N.E. Minn eapolis
November ........Bella Fin o, Maple Grove
December ........PF Chang's , Edin a (Southd ale)
January ............Rudolph 's, Plymouth
February ..........Pazzalun a, St. Paul
March ..............Koyi, Downtown Minn eapolis
April.. ................Redstone, Eden Prairie
May ..................Toby's on th e Lake, Oakdale
June ..................Solera, Minn eapolis
July ....................Dock Cafe, Stillwater
August ..............Bar Abilene, Upto wn Minn eapolis
2004 Lutheran Free
Church Reunion
reuni on celebrating Augsbur g's Luth eran Free Chur ch
(LFC) heritage is planned for Jun e 2004 . A new fellowship ,
Sons and Daught ers of '97 (the Luth eran Free Chur ch was
established in 1897) , is being organized by the Rev. Neal Snider
for those who have at any time been a member of an LFC
congregation. If you are interested in learnin g more about Sons
and Daughters of '97, please contact Snider at 253-583-8293. If
you would like to be involved in the upcomin g reun ion
preparations, which are being coordinated by a committ ee led by
Gracia Grind al '65, please contact the alumni office at
<alumni @augsburg.edu > or 612-330-1178 so we can keep you
updated as plans progress !
A
Fall 2003
1940
Ma rgaret (Chrislock) Gilseth ,
St. Charles, Minn., was named to
the Winona County Hall of
Fame. Prior to her retirement in
1976, Margaret taught English at
St. Charles High School. She also
served on the Board of American
Field Sen~ce Foreign Students;
was a member of Friends of the
Library, reading to childr en
weekly for over 10 years; and
taught Nonvegian through
community edu cation . From
1959-1963 , she and her husband ,
Walter Gilseth , taug ht at a
teacher trainin g college on ML
Kilimanjaro in Tanzania . After
retiring , she wrote four books .
Rev. Dale Striker , Faribau lt,
Minn , mourn ed the passing of
his wife of 58 years, Amelia
(Engelstad ), in Decem ber; she
named poet laureate of Taluca
Lake Village, Calif. He continues
to write poems for his chu rch
men's group and has received
several awards for his acrylic
landscape paintings.
1959
Rev. Robert Mor itz , Hadley,
Minn ., retired in Jun e after 40
years of min istry. His call to serve
often reached beyond the chur ch
wall and into the communit y,
where he sen •ed as chair and/or
member of several boards and
organizations , includ ing Murra y
County Development
Achievement Center ,
WonderWorld Preschoo l, SW
Minnesota Regional
Developm ent Committ ee,
Battered Women 's Workshop ,
and more. He was an end orsed
candidate for the MN Senate, and
was awarded the Murray County
ARC Distinguished Citizens'
Award. He and his wife, Carol,
have three childr en.
1960
Don Holmquist , Braham ,
Minn ., was inducted into
Braham's Hall of Fame in May.
Prior to forming the HolmquistGrundyson Insurance Agenc)' in
1986 (which evolved int o
Cent ral Insurance Agenc)') , he
worked at Olso n Insura nce
Agency and was ,~ce president
of Braham Bank. He is involved
in numerous communit y
activiti es, including two terms
on the Dist rict 314 Braham
School Board and in nearly all
phases of churc h activity at
Braham Evangelical Luth eran
Chur ch.
1961
Sheldon Johnson, Lake
Sup erior , Minn ., was hired as
interim superintendent for the
Lake Superior schoo l distr ict.
He retired in 1997 after 39 years
in edu cat ion , including 24 years
as superintendent of schools in
Monticello , Minn . After his
retirement , he was hired by the
Monti cello schoo l distri ct as its
cons tru ction proje ct supervisor
for the new Mont icello high
school, compl eted in 1999. He
then served as int erim
superintendent in the Crosb )'lronton School District from
2000-2001.
1963
Brenda (Henri ckson) Capek
and her husband , Richard,
retired last September and
moved from Illinois to Punta
Gorda , Fla. She was a socia l
work er for nearly 40 years. The
coupl e enjoys trave ling and has
visited all the contin ents .
1965
Anit a (Christ opherson)
Gransee, Belle Plaine , Minn .,
retired in May. She spent the last
16 years of her 38-year teachin g
AUGSBURG WEDDING
was 81. Amelia worked as a
nurse in several communilies
where Dale was an ELCA
minister . An active church
membe r, she taught Sunday
School and confirmati on, led th e
childr en's choir, sang in th e
church choir, and participated in
the ladies' aid and several pr ayer
groups . She was a dedi cated wife,
mother , grandmother , and greatgrandmother .
Bohdan and Erika Vadis w ere marrie d in February. an d t hough bot h Gustavus alumni were wed at
t heir alma mater, t he guest list conta ined a large number of Augsburg alumni . The groom' s mother is
Anita (Berg) Vadis '66, and his fat her is t he Rev. James Vadis '64, w ho presided over the ceremony .
1947
Warren Anderson, Huntington
Beach, Calif., taught for Long
Beach Public Schools for 29 years
until his retirement in 1981.
During that time, he was awarded
the "School Men Medal" at the
American Freedoms Foundation
in Valley Forge, Pa., hon or ing his
12 years of work prom oting
American ideals in the public
schools. He also wrote the script,
songs, and music for the school's
annua l spring pageant, and was
Fall 2003
Pictured (left to right): Christina (Vadis) Jones '95, Anita (Berg ) Vadis '66, Mardelle (Johnson) Pearso n
'66, Timothy Vadis '94, Lona (Berg) Froyum '69, Darryl Carte r '65, Carmen (Neseth) Berg '66, Rev. James
Vadis '64, Kim Vapp ie '98, Dustin Froyum '98; (kneeling): David Berg '66.
AUGSBURG NOW
39
Class Notes
career as a mu sic teacher al Belle
Plaine Elementary Schoo l. Her
hu sband , Earl, also retired from
his posLas principal of Belle
Plaine Elementary , and th e
coupl e plans LOspend retirement
traveling and volunt eerin g. Th eir
two daughters , Corinn e and
Miche lle, also work in ed ucation .
The Rev. John Luoma recentl y
celebra ted 25 years in ordained
ministry and was elected to a
seco nd term on th e Trinit y
Sem inary Board of Trustees in
Co lumbu s, Ohio . He and his
wi fe, Gracia (Nydahl) '66 ,
reside in Stow, Ohio .
1968
Janet (Letnes) Martin ,
Hastin gs, Minn ., recent ly spoke
at the Wom en's Spring Luncheo n
at Cambridge Luth eran Chur ch .
She is th e aut hor of 14 books ,
including Growing up Lutheran,
whi ch received th e Minnesota
Book Award in Humor in 1998 .
1969
John-Mark Stensvaag , Iowa
City, Iowa , received his second
Collegiate Teachin g Award from
the University of Iowa, and has
been named the Cha rlotte and
Frederi ck Hubb ell Professor of
Environmental and Natural
Resources Law at the University
of Iowa Co llege of Law.
1970
Terry Nygaard , Arden Hills,
Minn. , was promot ed to
principal at Ernst & Young in
Minn eapolis .
1971
Steven E. Larson, Riverside,
Calif., received th e Outstanding
Cont ributi on to Medicine Award
for 2002 from th e Riverside
County Medical Association . The
award hon ors his many years o f
serv ice to medicin e and the
contributions he has mad e to the
advancement of HIV medicin e.
He treated his first AIDS patient
in 1983 and has been active ly
involved in th e treatment of HIV
pati ents ever sin ce. He is th e
chief exec utiv e officer and
chairman of the Riverside
Medica l Clinic, and also serves
as a clinica l professor of
biomedica l sc ience at th e
Universit y of CaliforniaRiverside . In add ition , he directs
the AIDS Clinic at the Riverside
Ronald J. Graham '61: Class assignment
opens door to 40-year career
by Jessica Brown
Ronald Graham could never have guessed that an und ergraduate research paper would lead to a
career that has spanned more than 40 years. But a fateful class assignm ent did ju st that.
As pan of an Int rodu ction to Business cour se al Augsbur g in the late 1950s, Graham and his
classmates were instru cted LOwrite a pap er based on a chapter in their textbook , and in "one of
those linle things that becomes a very big, life-defining thing ." Graham was assigned the chapter
dealing with eth ics. He contacted the local Better Business Bureau , an organization whose prim ary
focus is business self-regulation and advocacy for cusLOmersatisfaction, and schedul ed an interview
with Cecil Shirk , then-president of the Minneapo lis bran ch.
Graham was intrigu ed by what he learned from Shirk about the BBB. He discovered that
Minn eapolis was th e birthp lace of the organization , and he admired the idea of busin esses
organizing themselves around the core principa l of engaging in honest advertisi ng and custome r educatio n. At th e end of the interview, Graham's
interest was piqu ed and he indi cated his willingness LOdo volunt eer work for the organization. Short ly thereafter, he became a "shopp er" for the BBB,
visiting local businesses and reporting on his exp eriences.
A year after beginnin g his volunt eer role, Graham received a call from the BBBnotifying him of an ope nin g for departme nt manager . Sudd enly, he
was faced with a difficult decision: stay in school, or strike ou t on a possible career path. Having spent time in the Air Force prior LOenro lling at
Augsburg, he was reluctant to halt his edu cation on ce again . But upon hearing that these positions were hard to come by- app roximate ly one
opening every seven years- he decided LOgrab the opport uni ty in front of him . Although his time at Augsbu rg was cut short, Graham says that the
College had an impact on his Christian values, pointin g him in the righ t direction .
"Augsburg helped me to renew and refine my Christian faith , which in tum help ed to shape and mold my business career," says Graham.
He soo n realized that his work at the BBBserved as his calling, and he contin ued working for the organization for more than 40 years. Eventually,
Graham was promot ed to general man ager of the Minneapolis bran ch. After the Minneapolis and St. Paul branches merged in 1978, he became
president of the BBBfor the state of Minnesota.
Th ough semi-retired, Graham still operates the BBBUniversity, an on line Web site designed to train BBBpersonn el in basic opera tional and
investigative skills. He enjoys the freedom that the Internet gives him to work as a cons ultant from home.
In addit ion LOhis continu ed involvement ,vith the BBB, Graham serves on the board for the Minnesota News Coun cil, the media's instrument of selfregulation, and on the Minnesota Consu late for Economic Education . "We need LOtrain teachers on economic edu cation before they can train their
own stud ents," he says.
Graham and his wife reside in Arizona for part of the year, but return LOMinnesota for the summ ers.
Jessica Brown is a communication specialist in the Office of Public Relations and Communication.
40
'4UGSBURG NOW
Fall 2003
Cou nt y Medical Center in
Moreno Valley, and is an active
member of the Inland AIDS
Project Board o f Dir ectors , the
HIV Medical Assoc iat ion , and
th e American A soc iat ion of HIV
Med icine . He has lectured
numerou s tim es in Chin a and
has published severa l articl es. He
can be reac h ed ,~a e-mail at
<Steven. larso n@rmcps .co m >.
David Siedlar, Co n cord, Mass .,
comp leted a 22-week course
spo nsored by th e New England
Regio n of th e United Synagogue
of Co nservative Jud aism . The
Jewish Discovery Institut e wa s
an in-d epth examina tion of
J ew ish belief, hi s tory, pra yer, and
ritua l, as we ll as in s tru ction in
basic Hebr ew.
Nancy (Strommen)
Stensvaag , Iowa Ci ty, Iowa ,
retir ed from her volunt eer
position as execu tive dir ector o f
th e Iowa Valley Habitat for
Hum anity affiliate. Durin g her
eight years of leaders hip , th e
affiliate built 25 hom es in the
greater Iowa City co mmunit y
and fund ed man y addi tiona l
homes in third-, o rld co umries
through its tith es to Hab itat for
Humanit y Int ern ation al.
1972
George Dahlman , Coon
Rapids , Minn ., was the focus o f
an articl e in th e Enterprise
Dispatch . He is th e resea rch
manage r for US Ban co rp Pip er
Jaffray 's Equity Capi tal Mark ets
Departm ent , and is we ll known
in th e financi al wor ld . He has
bee n named a Wall Street j ourn a l
All-Star five tim es , and is
frequeml y int erview ed and
refer enced in the Scar Tribun e
and on WCCO radio , as well as
on CNN, CN BC , Wall Street
Wee/1, and more .
1974
Raymond E. Dahlof , Buffalo ,
Minn ., is a produ ction s up en •i or
at Maximum Gr aphic s .
Fall 2003
1975
Rev. Rufus Campbell , St. Paul ,
is district s up erint end ent of th e
Southwest Dis tri ct o f th e
Minn eso ta Uni ted Meth od ist
Chur ch . He was pr evio usly
pas tor of Camp ho r Memor ial
United Methodist Chur ch in St.
Paul , wh ere he se rved fro m
1990 -2003 . He and his wife ,
Caro lyn, have thr ee childr en and
seven grand childr en .
1976
Rev. Mary (Ronning)
Gilthvedt , Grygla , Minn ., and
her hu sband , th e Rev. Gary
Gilth ved t , step ped in to fill
pas toral duti es at Gryg la
Luth eran Pari sh (G ra ce and Our
Savior 's) in Jun e. Mary is se rvin g
as prim ary int erim pasto r and
Gary as assis tant int erim pastor .
Rev. David Halaa s, River Falls ,
Wis ., accep ted a call to serve as
pastor o f Augus tana Lutheran
Chur ch in Cumb erla nd , Wis . He
recen tly se rved on th e
development panel for "New
Hymns and ew Songs ," one in
a series o f vo lum es in the ELCA's
"Renewi ng Worship " series .
1978
Dan Taffe , Glend ale, Ariz. , is
p lease d to hav e twin daug ht ers
enroll ed as so ph om o res at
Augsbu rg.
Steve Wehrenberg , St. Paul ,
was promoted to execu tive vice
president and director of
s trategic p lannin g and
int egra tion at Ca mpb ell Mithun.
operation s, and advocac)' and
publi c education campaigns for
clients ranging from Fortune I 00
corpora tio n and large trade and
profes s iona l assoc iatio ns to
leadin g think tanks and
gove rnm ent age ncies . He has
crea ted and m anaged success ful
coa liti ons, and lobb ied on
Capi to l Hill and in stat e houses .
His wri tin g on behalf of clients
has been p ubli shed in most
major newspa pers , including The
Washington Post , The ew Yori,
Times, and th e Los Angeles Times.
Throughout the 1980 s , Bond erud
served as press secretary for U.S.
Rep. Mart in Sabo 'S9 and
wo rk ed o n pr esidential and
co ngre s ional campa igns .
1980
Jeffrey K. James, Bloo min gton ,
Minn ., received the A sociate of
the Year award from Fortune
Financial for his client service and
for his produ ction durin g the year
endin g J une 30. Jam es is a
certifi ed financial planner at
Fortune Financial ; this is th e 15th
time he has earn ed this top award .
Mar ianne
(Lundberg)
Kulka,
Bloomi ngto n ,
Minn ., is
corporate vice
pr es ident at
Rada Adv ertis ing , and recentl )'
won four award s with th e agen cy
for creat ive advertising
exc ellence at the EMA
(Emp loym ent Manag ement
Associa tio n) An nu al Conf erence
in Las Vegas.
1979
Kevin Bonderud , Washington
D.C. , was prom o ted to exec uti ve
v ice pr es id ent o f Widmeyer
Co mmuni ca tio ns . A 20-year
ve tera n o f publi c policy
co mmuni ca tions , Cap ito l Hill ,
a nd political campaigns ,
Bonderud directs the firm 's
public affa irs pra ctice group . He
has d eve loped and execu ted
maj or co mmuni ca tio n
str ategies , natio n al m ed ia
M ary Beamish,
and David L.
Chri stense n ,
both o f Du luth ,
were married
Feb . 9 , 2002 , in
Duluth . She is a
cop y editor a l th e Duluth 'ews
Tribw,c.
1982
her comp an)', Cro s ingBord er ,
were the focu of an articl e in th e
Southsid e Prid e. Cross in gBord cr
is a travel comp an)' specializin g
in journ ey of faith and
pilgri m age.
Samuel Twerefo ur, Fon
Co llin , Co lo., was app oim ed
vice pr esid ent o f engin ee rin g and
corporat e o fficer al Advanced
En erg)' lndu tri es .
1983
John Oelfke , ew Hope, tinn .,
was nam ed athl etic d irec tor at
Robbin sdale Coo per High
Schoo l. He se rved as int erim
athleti c dir ec to r for th e pas t yea r
and pr eviously coac hed footb all,
bas eball , and gir ls' hocke)'. He
wa s hir ed by th e dis tri ct in 1986
as a phy sica l edu cati on and
h ea lth teach er, and has been
invo lved in impr ovin g th e
ph ysica l edu ca tion cur ric ul um
for di s tri ct s tud en ts . His wi fe,
Diana (Boe) '82, teac hes
kind erga rten in th e Robb insdale
sc hoo l di tri ct. Both rece ived
m as ter's deg rees fro m St. Mary's
Uni ve r il)' in May. Th e)• have
thr ee childr en : Eric, 16 , Allie, 13 ,
and Abb y, 10.
1985
Jose Becquer, Plymouth ,
Minn ., is se ni or m an age r for
treasur) ' manage m ent sa les and
co mm ercia l bu in ess
developm ent at \ Veils Fargo . He
bega n his ca ree r wi th o n vest in
1995 as vice pr esid ent and
dir ec tor o f treas ur y management
sys tems . He has also work ed at
Lotu s Deve lopm ent Co rp ora tion
as a regio nal sa les manage r an d
at IBM a a sa le m anager to th e
financial se rvices indu str)'.
1986
Jo hn W . Sandin III co mp leted
his Ph .D. at New Mex ico Lale
Uni ve rs ity with a read ing
specializa tion . 1-te continu es LO
teach at Taco ma Co m m unit )'
Co llege in Taco m a, Wash ., and
lives n ea r Taco ma with his wi fe
and thr ee daught ers .
Lori M ol ine, Minn ea polis , and
A-UGSBURGNOW
41
Class Notes
racing, called
Signs of Winning
(Whipp oorwill
Press). He
teaches
alternative
edu cation al
Nort h Branch ISO and has 20
sled dogs.
1987
Jenni Lilledahl, Minneapolis, will
present a seminar, "The Power or
Yes," as part or the eighth annua l
Women Venture Conference at the
Minneapolis Convent ion Center
Oct. 31. She is co-owner and
executive director or the Brave
New Workshop Theatre in
Minneapolis.
1989
Stephen Hind le accepted a
position as regional manager for
New Horizons, an IT training
compan y. He recently moved
Scott D. Mill er, Hinckle y,
Minn ., published his first book , a
young adu lt novel abo ut a dear
girl and her passion for dogsled
AUGSBURG CENTENNIAL
from Taiwan to Singapor e with
his wire, Wu Chun-Yann, and
two daught ers, Claudia, 7, and
Madeleine , 4. He has also lived
in Korea and Chin a.
1991
Rev. Andrew Carlson is the
new pastor at Zion Lutheran
Chur ch or Finland in nonhern
Minnesota. Prior to his recent
ordin ation , Andrew painted
houses to support his love or
travel. He has visited 30
countries in Europ e, the Midd le
SINGERS
The Augsburg Centenni al Singers consist or 40 men from various walks or lire drawn together by their
love or singing . Th e group was formed in 1993 to commemorate the 100th an niversary or the first gospel
qua rtet to travel to Norway from Augsburg . The group has traveled to Norway twice, mos t recently in
2001. Al Reesnes '58 serves as music director, and Pau l Christensen '59 as assistant director/accompanist.
Upcom ing performances by the Augsburg Centennial Singers :
Saturday, October 18
Sunda y, October 19
Satur day, November 1
7 p.m .
7 p.m .
5 p.m .
20th ann iversary celebration or
the Augsbu rg Cent enni al
Singers.
First Luth eran Church
1555 40th Av. E
Columbi a Heights , Minn.
Grace Luth eran Chur ch
1730 Old Hudson Rd, St. Paul
Oak Grove Presbyterian
Chur ch
2120 W. Old Shakopee Rd.
Bloomi ngton , Minn.
Sunda y, Octo ber 19
11 a.m .
(Part or the wors hip service)
Fort Snelling Chapel,
Minneapolis
Saturday, October 25
7 p.m .
First Luth eran Church
Hinckley, Minn .
Sunda y, October 26
7:30 p.m .
Communit y or the Cross
Lutheran Churc h
10701 Bloomington Ferry Rd.
Bloomington , Minn .
Sunday, November 2
4p.m.
House or Prayer Lutheran
Church
7625 Chicago Ave. 5.
Richfield, Minn .
East, North Africa, South Asia,
and Latin America.
Tina (McGregor) Jackson, St.
Paul , was reatur ed in the
Mi1111esota
Spokesman-Recorder
arter being appointed by the
University or Minn esota as
coo rdinator or the Minne sota
Women 's Center. She is th e first
Arrican-American woman to hold
the position since its inception
43 years ago. Ja ckso n is well
known in socia l service and
academic circles for her vitality
and commitm ent to youth
development and mentor ship ,
and is one or only 20 University
or Minnesota faculty, sta ff, and
administrator s chosen to
parti cipate its President 's
Emerging Leaders program .
Joel Staehling , Worthington ,
Minn ., is president or
Community First National Bank.
He previousl y served as vice
president or commercial loans at
Vermillion State Bank in
Vermillion, $.Oak. , He and his
wire, Erica, have two children:
Hannah , 5, and Benjamin , 2.
1992
Jennifer (Piper) Kempenich ,
St. Paul, received her master 's
degree in counseling and
psychological services from St.
Mary's University in January. She
works at Courage Center in
Golden Valley, and marri ed
Gerald Kempenich in June.
1993
Doris Rubenstein , Minneapolis ,
was named one or "25 Women
Changemake rs in the Twin
Cities" by The Business Journal.
She was selected for her
proressional achievements ,
leadership qualiti es, and her
ability to influ ence positive
change ,vithin her company and
her industr y. She was pronied in
a special section or the Jul y 25
issue or The Business Journal, and
was honored at a luncheon in
Jul y.
42
AUGSBURG NOW
Fall 2003
1995
2000
Rick Sansted was app oint ed
assistant prin cipal for South
View Middle Schoo l in Edin a.
Dan ielle Scheff , Go lden Valley,
Minn ., ma rri ed Co rey Drevlow
last Sept emb er. During their
honeymoo n , th e coupl e ran
togeth er in the Dublin Marath on
in Ireland . Danielle i a staff
acco unt ant at Ryan , Hodg ins &
Associa tes.
1996
Xanara Amand marri ed Marc
Stevenso n in Jul y.
Jox Metcalf, Monti ce llo , Minn .,
marri ed Kristi Hanso n in August.
Both are teac hers at St. Michae lAlben ville High Schoo l.
David Schreiber , Big Lake,
Minn ., marri ed Jane Millerb ernd
in August. David is a learnin g
disabilil )' tut or at LOA, Inc.; Jane
is a special edu cation teac her for
the Osseo Scho ol Distri ct.
1997
Kevin Crerand , Mesa , Ariz ., is
operati ons manager for a large
mortgage comp any in Phoenix .
Travis Stettler , Forest Lake ,
Minn ., join ed th e Miller Law
Office in Wyomin g, Minn .,
prim arily handlin g th e firm's
comm ercial litigation , personal
inj ur y, and crimin al defense
porti ons of th e pra ctice. Prior to
Miller Law Office , he work ed at
law firms in Chanh asse n and
Duluth .
1998
Jennifer Durst marri ed Kirk
Affeldt in Jun e. J ennif er works at
New Ulm Medi cal Cent er ; Kirk
works for Cann on Falls Publi c
Schoo ls.
1999
Natasha Hamann , Shoreview,
Minn ., gra du ated from th e
Universit)• of Minn eso ta Medi cal
Schoo l in Ma)'. She started her
family prac tice residency at St.
John 's Hos pit al in Maplewood .
She is marri ed to Jos h Schae fgen .
Aaron D. Smit h, Tucso n , Ariz. ,
gradu ated from th e Univ ersity of
Minn eso ta Medi cal Schoo l in
May. He start ed his general
surgery residency at th e
University of Arizo na . He is
marri ed to Jill (Pin tens) '99.
Fall 2003
Ma tt hew Romsdahl , Mankato ,
Minn ., marri ed Brin a Urevig in
Jun e. Manh ew wo rks at Kenda ll
Doo r a nd Hardwa re; Brin a wo rks
at Habil itative ervices Inc.
2001
Carrie Lind , Cham plin , Minn .,
marr ied Christopher Cabe in
April. Car rie is a sup erviso r a t
Edin a Kids Club , and can be
reached via e-mail at
<chri sand ca rr ie03@ao l.com>.
Carrie Mcc arvi lle , Hopki ns,
Minn ., own s Mac's Liquor in
Hopki n
Emily Shelt on, Minn eapo lis,
married William Grau in May.
Emily is a middle school ma th
teacher for Cedar -Riverside
Charter School in Min neapo lis;
William is as oc iate cent er
dir ec tor for Sylvan Learn ing
Cent er in Burn svi lle and is
dep loyed oversees on active dut y
with th e U.S. Arm y.
kind ergarten teacher for
linn eapolis Publi chools.
2003
Linda Kay
Stuart '99 and
Maur icio
Co rdova ,
Minneapo li -a
so n , Luca
Santiago , in
Apr il. He j oins sister Ananda . 2.
Th e coup le rece ntl y rewrn ed to
th e U.S. after Lind a comple ted
her master's in int ernational
relations at the Universi t)' o f
Chil e in Santi ago, Chil e.
Jill Boike , Ham Lake, Minn ., is a
family therap ist al ystrom's &
Assoc iates in ew Brigh ton .
Catheri ne Colsrud was nam ed
assistant general manager at
Grand Casino Hinckley.
Births/Adoptions
Jean Taylor '85 and Roger
Griff ith '84, Eagan , Minn .a daughter, Abby Jean, in Jun e.
She joins big sister, Emm a.
Laura (Krepela)
'96 and Dan
Stonebur g,
Farmin gton ,
Melis sa Mo rfo rd, Shakopee,
Min n ., married Spe ncer
Ande rso n in May. Melissa is a
trave l adm ini Lrator for Carlson
Marke tin g Group; Spenc er is a
comp uter consu ltant at
Wiz mo , Inc.
Mi nn.- a son ,
Jake Daniel , in
Ju ne. Laura is a
Rick W illbanks marri ed J ennif er
Spyc halla in Jun e.
AUGSBURG
Mike Darring t on , Red Wing,
Minn ., is a new financia l
associa te with th e south ern
Minn eso ta regional office of
Thr ivent Financial for Lu th erans.
He previously worked al th e
State Cap ito l in l. Pau l.
Angela Sat re marr ied Troy
Dej ong in Jul y. Angela wo rks at
Minn ewaska Luth era n Home in
Starbu ck , Minn .; Troy wo rks at
Garb's Sales of Kensingto n .
co m >.
Brenda Ely '99
and her husba nd
Tim , Blaine ,
Minn .-a on ,
Nicholas
Alexander , in
Ju ne. He JOins
sister Elizabeth , 2. Brenda is an
element ary teac her for Fores t
Lake Area Schoo ls.
LICENSE PLATE
•
2002
Pat Campanero was rece ntl y
th e spotlight perso n in th e
"Sunday Peop le" featu re of the
bu sines section of th e Srar
Tribu11
e. She is genera l manage r
of bu sin ess and whole ale
markets for Sprint in
Minn eton ka. She was previously
sales dir ector at Avaya Inc.
M elanie (Anderson) '97 and
Brian Burm eister, Owa tonn a,
Minn .- a so n , Nolan Dale , in
Oc tober. Mela nie i pra Lice
manager at Mont go mery Dent al
Care; she can be reached via email at <melanieb93@hotm ail.
EXPLORE
h
A-iJGsBDRG
CO
LLL
O l:
a.
AUGSBURG COLLEGEe
Display your Auggie pride by ordering an Augsburg lice nse plate
for your car! You may order Augsburg license plates th roug h th e
Department of Motor Vehicles. Considered a sp ecia lty collegiate
plate , these plates may be displayed on any passe nge r class
vehicle . A minimum contribution of S25 is collecte d at t he time of
the initial application and at each registration renewal. This
contribution is deposited to the scholarship accou nt of the
participating baccalaureate degree-granting colleg e, un iversity, or
post -secondary institution . Applicants must also pay an initial S10
plate fee and a S7 filing fee. You do not ne ed to be a n a lum to
order these plates - proud parents can order th e m too ! For
further information, visit the DMV online at <www .dp s.state .
mn .us/dvs /MotorVehicle /specialplates .htm >.
A-
GSB RG NOW
43
In Memoriam
Harold Olson '33, Cannon Falls,
Minn ., died in April; he was 93.
He work ed for the State of
Minnesota in social services al
various agencies for nearly 38
years until his retirement in 1975.
He also served with the U.S. Navy
from 1943-1946. He is survived
by his wife, Gladys; two
daughters; five gran dchildren ; and
two great-grand childr en. He was
preceded in death by five broth ers
and two grandchildren.
Viola (Holland) Nydahl '36,
Decorah, Iowa, died in May; she
was 84. She worked for Dayton's
for over 18 years and was active in
various Lutheran church es where
her husband served as pastor. She
is survived by two daught ers and
five grandchildren. She was
preceded in death by her husband ,
the Rev. Harold Nydahl '36 .
Winifr ed (Helland ) Formo '37,
Roseville, Minn ., died in April;
she was 86. She was a retired
nur se, and anended Augsburg
Academy before enro lling in
Augsburg College. Her father,
Andreas Helland, was an
Augsburg professor. She is
survived by her husband , Jerome
'37, and two childr en, Philip and
Katherine '79. She was preceded
in death by a son, David.
Walte r Keller '39, Tacoma,
Wash. , died in May; he was 91.
He was retired from
Weyerhaeuse r Co. He is surviv ed
by two childr en, Kathryn an d
Richard. He was pr eceded in
deat h by his wife, Hilder.
The Rev. A lfr ed H. Sevig '39,
Spicer, Minn ., died in June ; he
was 86 . He served parish es in
Canada, Minn eso ta, and Sou th
Dako ta. Following h is retirement
as a full- time pastor , he serve d as
chaplain part time al Rice
Memoria l Hospi tal in Willmar,
Minn ., for 10 years . He also
wo rk ed as a visitation pastor at
Calvary Luth eran Chur ch for five
years and continu ed to be an
active volunt eer visitor until his
deat h. He was survive d by four
childr en and seve n
grand childr en. He was preceded
44
AUGSBURG NOW
in deathcby his wife, Olive, and
two sons in infancy.
The Rev. John W. Steen '46,
Maple Grove, Minn ., died in Jun e;
he was 81. He served as pastor of
First Lutheran Church of Crystal
for 22 years. Following his
ordination in 1949, he served a
four-point parish north of
Williston , N.Dak. , until 1953.
From 1953-1956, he was a fulltime chaplain in the U.S. Air
Force. He continu ed his military
service in the Reserves for an
additional 17 years. He is survived
by his wife, Esther Victoria; five
childr en; 14 grandchildre n ; and
one great-grandson .
Erik Tromborg '48 ,
Bloomington , Minn ., died in May;
he was 77. A retired Honeywell
engineer, he and had a life-long
love of trains, and served on the
board of the St Croix Railroad
Club. He is survived by his wife,
Evelyn; two children ; and five
grandchildren .
Bonnie Mae (Everts) Yasgar
'48, Little Falls, Minn., died in
May; she was 77. She was a retired
English and physical education
teacher. She is survived by her
husband , Donald; two daught ers;
four grandchildren ; and her three
dogs and five hors es.
Berti! "Bert" Sandberg 'SO,
Mendota Heights, Minn ., died in
April; he was 77. He was a
building contractor , an
outstanding lifetime athlete , and a
decora ted WWll veteran. His
behind-th e-scenes work earned
him man y admir ers and an award
from former St Paul Mayor
George Latimer for ridding St.
Paul streets of Dutch Elm disease.
He was drafted after graduating
from Augsburg to play football for
the Philadelphia Eagles, but he
waived the opportunit y and
instead join ed his father's
business , St Paul-based N.H.
Sandberg Erection Co., which he
eventu ally took over and
e,q,anded . He was a member of
the Augsburg Board of Regents
from 1968-1980 , and was
indu cted into Augsburg's Alhletic
Hall of Fame in 1979. He is
survived by his wife, Carol
(Ziniel) '73, and three children.
William H. Riley '52, Golden
Valley, Minn ., died in June ; he was
77. He worked at the Montgomery
Wards home office in Chicago as
iLSnationa l merchandise manager
of iLScatalog division. He later
served as advisor to the founder of
the Lands End Co. He was a
WWll Navy veteran. He is
survived by his wife of 16 years,
Carol, and two stepchildren. He
was preceded in death by his first
wife, Marlys.
The Rev. Dr. A ndrew Hsaio
' 56, Hong Kong , China , died in
May of a heart attack; he was 77.
He was president emeritus of
Lutheran Theological Seminary
in Hong Kong, where he was its
first Chinese president. He was
named an Augsburg
Distinguished Alumnus in 1970.
He is surviv ed by his wife, Anna ,
and three children.
Warren Persons '66, Tracy,
Calif., died in June ; he was 59. He
was a successful software
engineer , and was instrumental in
developing software at Honeywell
for the Air Force's first-ever
computerized flight simulator . He
also worked at MTS Systems
Corporation , Bentley Scientific
Corporation , Pacific Bell, and
most recently at Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory
He also taught math ematics at
Augsburg . He is survived by his
wife, Connie; four children; and
three grandchildren.
Carole (Moran) Renner '92
WEC, New Brighton, Minn ., died
in May; she was 44 . She had
worked for Wells Fargo since high
school , starting with a clerical
position and most recently as
check reconciliation manager . In
her long career at Wells Fargo, she
earned many awards for her hard
work and accomplishments.
Known as an adventurer , she
loved to travel and enjoyed
fishing, boating , and camping. She
is survived by her husband ,
Ronald , and stepson , Christopher.
Robert B. Miller '04 , Virginia
Beach, Ya., died in August after a
car accident in Golden Valley,
Minn. ; he was 28. He was a senior
at Augsburg, studying psychology
and English, and a member of the
wrest ling Learn. ln 2001 , he won
the MlAC championships at 133
pounds , and earned All-American
honor s at the NCAA Division Ill
national championship s. He was a
1993 graduate of Kempsville High
School in Virginia Beach, where
he was a state champion wrestler.
He is survived by his parents, Nho
Tran Miller and Ernest Miller, and
two siblings , Kimberly and James .
James "JC" Carey, Minneapo lis,
died in September of heart failure;
he was 54. A 30-year employee of
Augsburg , he was mosl recently
director of ath letic facilities. He
was a muc h-loved member of the
Augsburg community , and his
unique and kind spirit will be
missed deeply. He is survived by
his wife, Sharon (Pautz) '82; two
children , Tim and Joy ; two sisters ,
Patjensen and Deb Yolkart; and
his father-in-law, Richard Pautz
'3 7, who co-founded Augsburg 's
A-Club.
Robin "Rob" A. Curtis, St Louis
Park, Minn ., died in April; he was
56. He served for many years in
Augsburg 's facilities management ,
and was a beloved member of the
campus community . He is
survived by his wife, Sadie, who
works with Augsburg 's Access
Center, and a son , Zach '97.
The Rev. Maynard L. Nelson ,
Phoenix , Ariz., died in May; he
was 72. He was a former member
of the Augsburg Board of Regents,
and also served on the boards of
Lutheran Deaconess Hospita l,
Fairview Riverside Hospital , and
Golden Valley Luth eran College.
He was senior pastor of Calvary
Lutheran Church of Golden
Valle)• for 22 years until his
retirement in 1996, after serving
congregations in North Dakota
and Washington. He is survived
by his wife, Nancy ; five children;
and 14 grandchildren.
Fall 2003
Calendar
Music
Oct. 3 1-Nov. 9
for more i11fo1111ation
on any of t/1ese events
(unless othen vise noted), call 612-330-1265
The Pirates of Penzance
or The Slave of Duty
Oct. 18
Gospel Praise Concert
7 p.m.-O ak Grove Luth eran Church
Richfie ld , Minn .
Directed b)' Karen Coe Miller;
mu sic dir ection by Sonja Th omp son
Perfo rmances: Oct. 3 1, Nov. 1, 6, 7, and
8 at 7 p.m .; Nov. 2 and 9 at 2 p.m .
Tjornhom- Nelso n Th eater, Foss Cent er
Nov. 22-23
Oct. 19
Gospel Praise Concert
10:30 a.m .-Peac e Luth era n Chur ch
Inver Grov e Heights, Minn.
0. Nicholas Raths Faculty Guitar Recital
3 p.m .- Sateren Auditorium
Nov. 2
The Masterworks Chorale Concert
7 p.m .-Immanue l Lut hera n Chur ch
Eden Prairi e, Minn.
Exhibits
Oct. 30
For galle,y infor malion , call 612-330-1524
International Business Forum :
Competing Glob a lly a nd Act ing Loca lly
Discuss ion o f global i sue pertainin g to
trade , int ernational awa reness , and
resea rch .
Guest speaker : Dr. Richard Bohr
4-6 p.m.- Chri ste nse n ent er
For inform ation , call 6 l 2-330- 119 1
Sept. 15-Nov. 2
"Recent Works by C.B. Sherlock:
Exploring the Box"
11 a.m.-Trinity Lut hera n Chur ch
Hovers ten Chapel
"Five Metro Paper Artists : Marjor ie
Alexander , Amanda Degener , Mary Har k,
Erica Spitzer Rasmussen, Jeff Rat hermel "
Nov. 15
Ope ning reception : Oct. 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Th e Gage Family Art Gallery, Lindell
Librar y
7 p.m.-Hoversten
Chapel
Nov. 7-Dec. 18
Nov. 16
Augsburg Concert Band Concert
3 p.m .- Centra l Luth eran Chu rch
Minneapolis
Nov. 18
Augsburg Chamber Orchestra Concert
7 p.m .- Sateren Auditorium
Dec. 5-6
24th Annual Advent Vespers
5 and 8 p.m. serv ice eac h night
Central Lutheran Chur ch , Minn eapoli
"Dan Noyes: Recent Wo rk in Stone
and Metal "
Annu al StepUP Prog ram Celebration
Ope ning reception : Nov. 14, 6:30-8 :30 p.m.
Christensen Center An Galler)'
5- 10 p.m.-Foss
ent er
For in formation , call 6 12-330- 1173
Seminars,
Lectures, and
Films
7th Annual M . An ita Gay Haw th orne
Jazz and Poet ry Bash
"Big Questions , Worthy Dreams"
Studi o , Foss Cent er
Dr. Lee Hard y, professo r of phi loso ph y,
alvin College
10 a.m.-Co nvocation, Hovers ten hapcl
Pan of the 2003-04 Augsburg
Convocation Series:
lak ing the Most of Your Gifts
"M arcia Soderman-Olson : Drawings ,
Paintings, and M ixed Media"
Oct. 14
7 p.m .-Film
"The Christ ian's Calling in t he Academy"
Other Events
For tic/1et i11formatio11
, call 612-330- 1257
Festival of Student-Directed
10-Minute Plays
Nov. 12
Opening reception: ov. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Th e Gage Family Art Gallery
Theatre
Oct. 16
Oct. 20
Colombia : Women and W ar
Directed by Sarah arga ng (s tud ent
senior proj ect)
Per forman ces: ov. 22 and 23 at 7 p.m.
Tjornh om- elso n Th eater
Gospel Praise Concert
Augsburg Jazz Ensemble Concert
Kathy Kelley Present ati on
A Nobel Peace Prize- nomin ated activi t
return s from Iraq .
9:45-11 :15 a. m.- Chri stense n ent er
For information , call 6 12-33 0-13 12
Luth era n Wo rld Relief- pon ored
di cussion by thr ee olombi an wo men
speakin g about wo men's issues , war,
and peace .
4-6 p .m .- Christen en enter
For inform ation , call 612-330-1385
On the Verge
Opening reception: Oct. 10, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Christensen Center Art Gallery
Nov. 9
Oct. 16
Sharon Daloz Parks, as ociate directo r and
facult y member, Whidb e)' Institut e
11 a.m.- onvocat ion , Hoversten Chape l
Fo r in formation , call 62-330- 1180
Oct. 23
Nov. 6
6:30- 10 p.m.-Sat eren Auditorium
For information , call 612-330 -1022
Dec. 5
Annual Velkomm e n Jul Celebration
10:15 a. m.- Chape l ervice , Hove r ten
hapel
11 a.m.-2 p.m.-Sca ndi anavian treats
and gifts , Chri s tensen ent er
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and photos!
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marriage, and births . Don't forget
to send phot os !
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notice, or program from a
memorial service.
Send your news items, phot os, or
change of addr ess by mail to :
Augsbwg Now Class Notes,
Augsbur g College, CB 146,
2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
MN , 55454 , or e-mail to
<alumni @augsbur g.edu >.
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Augsburg Now Fall 2004
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A
P U B L I C AT I O N
Fall 2004
F O R
A U G S B U R G
C O L L E G E
A L U M N I
&
F R I E N D S
Vol. 67, No. 1
EEditor’s
DITOR’Snote
NOTE
What is an Augsburg education?
Joan Griffin, Augsburg’s director of
general education, writes that an
Augsburg education is an education for
a...
Show more
A
P U B L I C AT I O N
Fall 2004
F O R
A U G S B U R G
C O L L E G E
A L U M N I
&
F R I E N D S
Vol. 67, No. 1
EEditor’s
DITOR’Snote
NOTE
What is an Augsburg education?
Joan Griffin, Augsburg’s director of
general education, writes that an
Augsburg education is an education for
action. It is an education to prepare
students to become effective, informed,
and ethical citizens. It asks students to
explore answers to the big questions
within the context of values and beliefs
that matter. At Augsburg students are
challenged to discover the very best in
themselves.
The new Augsburg Core Curriculum,
highlighted in this issue, truly gives
distinction to an Augsburg education.
The result of several years of thoughtful
and deliberate collaboration, the new
core curriculum offers a blueprint for a
learning community that connects each
and every element of the College’s
mission with its vision. It respects and
reflects the College’s heritage, including
its vital role in the community, working
in partnership to prepare students for
responsible citizenship.
Augsburg has long believed, before
many other colleges around the country,
that students learn best when combining
their classroom learning with experience
outside the classroom. In the Augsburg
Core, every student is required to
complete an Augsburg experience—
through internships (and student
teaching, practica, cooperative
education, etc.), faculty-student research,
service-learning, study abroad, or other
off-campus immersion activities.
Augsburg’s leadership role in this area
has been affirmed repeatedly—most
recently and importantly by the honor
bestowed upon sociology professor
Garry Hesser as Minnesota’s Professor of
the Year, from the Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching and
the Council for the Advancement and
Support of Education (CASE). Hesser
has also received national awards for his
pioneering work in developing
experiential education and continuing
national presence in promoting it.
Augsburg’s Center for Global
Education and service-learning program
have also received national and regional
awards for their excellence in programs.
The new Augsburg Core has good
reason to make all Augsburg alumni
proud of their Augsburg education.
Enjoy reading about it, as well as about
some important events in our campus
life—Homecoming 2004, Advent Vespers
25th anniversary, and the upcoming
Nobel Peace Prize Forum and Festival
in February.
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55454.
Editor
Betsey Norgard
Assistant Editor
Lynn Mena
Graphic Designer
Kathy Rumpza
Class Notes Coordinator
Sara Kamholz ’04
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
President
William V. Frame
Director of Alumni and
Parent Relations
Amy Sutton
Director of Public Relations
and Communication
Dan Jorgensen
Opinions expressed in
Augsburg Now do not necessarily
reflect official College policy.
ISSN 1058–1545
Postmaster: Send address
corrections to:
Advancement Services
Augsburg College, CB 142
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
healyk@augsburg.edu
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
Betsey Norgard
Editor
Greetings of the season
Augsburg College, as affirmed in its
mission, does not discriminate on
the basis of race, color, creed,
religion, national or ethnic origin,
age, gender, sexual orientation,
marital status, status with regard to
public assistance, or disability in its
education policies, admissions
policies, scholarship and loan
programs, athletic and/or school
administered programs, except in
those instances where religion is a
bona fide occupational qualification.
Augsburg College is committed to
providing reasonable
accommodations to its employees
and its students.
www.augsburg.edu
A PUBLICATION FOR AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
Fall 2004
Vol. 67, No. 1
Features
FEATURES
15
The Augsburg Core Curriculum:
Educating for work, educating for life
This special issue introduces readers to the new Augsburg Core
Curriculum—the broad general education that forms the foundation
for an Augsburg education. Signature elements of the Augsburg
Core draw on the College’s heritage, values, and mission.
11
Vision
The newsletter for Access to
Excellence: The Campaign for
Augsburg College
4
Advent Vespers celebrates
25th anniversary year
DEPARTMENTS
Departments
2
Around the Quad
6
Sports
8
Homecoming 2004 Awards
27
Alumni News
30
Homecoming 2004 Photos
On the cover:
34
Class Notes
40
In Memoriam
inside
back
cover
Calendar
50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post—consumer waste)
Over 300 first-year students begin
their educational journey through
the Augsburg Arch, the visual
representation of their Augsburg
education, at the Opening
Celebration, where they are
welcomed into the Augsburg
community. Photo by Stephen Geffre.
AROUND
QUAD
Around THE
the Quad
Notes in brief
Namibia center
celebrates 10 years
Convo series
explores social
justice themes
PA students excel
on exam
The May graduates in the Physician
Assistant Program received among the
highest scores in the country on the
National Commission on Certification of
Physician Assistants board examination.
The Class of 2004 received a mean
score of 613, ranking in the 99th
percentile, as compared to the national
mean score of 510.
Augsburg’s program is Minnesota’s
only PA training program; in 2002 it
became a graduate program and received
full accreditation. The Class of 2004 is
the first to graduate at the master’s level.
Augsburg moves up
in college rankings
Once again, U.S.News
& World Report has
included Augsburg in
the top tier of its
annual ranking of best
universities, tied for
20th place—a move
up from 24th place
last year. The College is ranked among
142 institutions in the category “Best
Midwestern Universities-Master’s” and is
compared with other area colleges and
universities that offer both
undergraduate and graduate degrees.
Also, The Princeton Review has once
again included Augsburg among the 170
colleges named “Best in the Midwest,”
based on student responses as well as on
recognition by the media, other
institutional leaders, and educational
organizations. Augsburg was recognized
for its dedication toward diversity.
THE 17TH ANNUAL
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FORUM
February 11–12, 2005
www.peaceprizeforum.org
2
Center for Global Education Namibia
director Pandu Hailonga welcomed
guests of the center’s 10th anniversary
celebration, with associate dean Orv
Gingerich and President William Frame
looking on.
“Justice for All,” the theme of the
2004-05 Augsburg Convocation series,
challenges consideration of how
issues of justice bring into focus one’s
gifts, interests, desires, and passions;
and connects them with diverse
careers, occupations, and ministries
that benefit others and selffulfillment.
The remaining presentations are:
New MBA program
in full swing
Forty-four students filled two cohorts to
launch the new Master of Business
Administration program this fall, and
additional cohorts will begin in winter and
possibly spring. About 30 percent of the
first class is made up of Augsburg alumni.
The 20-month MBA program includes
several cross courses with the Master of
Arts in Leadership program and a strong
emphasis on application of classroom
learning to the business environment.
Garry Hesser is prof
of the year in
Minnesota
Nov. 18 was designated “Dr. Garry
Hesser Day” in the state of Minnesota in
honor of the announcement that Hesser
had been named Professor of the Year in
Minnesota by the Carnegie Foundation
for the Advancement of Teaching and
the Council for the Advancement and
Support of Education (CASE).
Hesser was lauded in the citation for
his pioneering efforts in developing
experiential education, a hallmark of an
Augsburg education.
See the next issue of Augsburg Now
for the full story.
• JAN. 17—Martin Luther King Jr.
Convocation, with speaker Victoria
Jackson Gray Adams, a spiritual,
social, political, and civil rights
activist.
• FEB. 11—In conjunction with the
2005 Peace Prize Forum, former
United Nations high commissioner
for human rights and former
president of Ireland Mary Robinson
will speak about security in an
unsecure world.
• FEB. 16—Jane Jeong Trenka ‘95,
award-winning author, will speak
on transracial adoption and
memory/writing as a site of
resistance.
• MARCH 4—Craig Kielburger,
children’s rights activist and
founder of Free the Children,
in the 2005 Batalden Seminar
in Applied Ethics.
• APRIL 11—2005 Sverdrup Visiting
Scientist lecture, to be announced.
For further information,
call 612-330-1180 or visit
<www.augsburg.edu/convo>.
Fall 2004
Access to Excellence:
The Campaign for
Augsburg College
Fourth annual Scholastic Connections celebration
Goal: $55 million
$33 million
Read more campaign news in Vision, the
campaign newsletter, on p. 11.
Welcome,
Class of 2008!
WELCOME TO 343 NEW FRESHMEN …
• 10 states represented, with 81% from
Minnesota
Five new scholarship recipients and six returning scholars were honored along with
their mentors at the fourth annual Scholastic Connections dinner and program in
October.
This program pairs student leaders of color with alumni mentors of color. The
emcee for the evening was Vineeta Sawkar, news anchor at 5 Eyewitness News. The
welcome was presented by actor and vocalist T. Mychael Rambo.
Front row (L to R): Xia Xiong ‘05, Eloisa Echávez ‘94, ‘98 MEL, Melat Woldegebriel
‘05, Vineeta Sawkar, and Renzo Amaya Torres ‘05. Back row (L to R): Franklin Tawah ‘83,
Alex Gonzalez ‘90, Nhia Lee ‘02, Saroja Thapa ‘06, Robert Amaya ‘05, Chris Adams ‘07,
Maria R. Johnson ‘94, Adela Arguello ‘05, Jim Genia ‘87, Diane Love-Scott ‘98, Leah
Carlson ‘01, and Audra Johnson ‘06.
Forging exchanges with a Polish university
Courtesy photo
News:
• 3M is partnering with Augsburg to
raise $600,000 in support of the
Science Center that will come through
a combination of gift and challenge
match.
• 89% live in residence halls on campus
• 37% are Lutheran
• 11.3% are students of color
• 2,600 hours of service-learning in the
community given by first-year students
as part of the Augsburg Seminar
ACROSS ALL PROGRAMS …
• 3,375 students (1,826 day,
1,090 weekend, 459 graduate)
• Average age is 21 in day, 34 weekend,
33 graduate
• Students from 40 states and
33 countries
• Students of color—10.2%
Fall 2004
Amidst their European and African travels last summer, President and Mrs. Frame, along
with business professor Magda Paleczny-Zapp, visited the Cracow University of
Economics in Poland, an institution of 20,000 students, to discuss exchanges of faculty
and students in business and the social sciences. The university is also interested in
starting a program similar to Augsburg’s CLASS program to support students with
learning disabilities.
(L to R): President William Frame; Anne Frame; Chancellor Ryszard Borowiecki;
Professor Magda Paleczny-Zapp; Professor Janusz Teczke, vice chancellor for scientific
research and cooperation; and Agnieszka Nawrocka, head, Office of International
Relations.
3
Around the Quad
ADVENT VESPERS
celebrates 25th anniversary year
‘With Peaceful Wings’ offers
theme of peace and comfort
Augsburg College’s Advent Vespers program celebrates its 25th
anniversary around the theme “With Peaceful Wings.” The
four services, this year held Friday and Saturday, Dec. 3 and 4
at 5 and 8 p.m. at Central Lutheran Church in Minneapolis,
usually draw over 8,000 people.
Advent Vespers combines more than 300 participants from
choirs, instrumental ensembles, readers, and a full liturgical
party. Through the majestic celebration of music and word, the
message of Christ’s coming to the world is conveyed.
Augsburg’s annual advent program began in 1979 around
the vision of Larry Fleming, then-director of choral activities,
to offer a service of meditation and prayer as a gift to the
community during the advent season. The tradition continues
today under the direction of Peter Hendrickson ’76, director of
choral activities, and the Rev. David Wold, College pastor and
director of ministries, with active support from Augsburg
College students, faculty, and staff.
“With Peaceful Wings” focuses on the message of assurance
that in the wings of the Savior Jesus Christ rest and comfort
4
Fall 2004
SPECIAL
BROADCAST
Add this special 25th anniversary
Advent Vespers broadcast to your
holiday plans.
can be found through all good and ill.
The wings of the Savior provide the
strength and shelter to live in the
unconditional grace of God, and the
strength and comfort to know the
peace of God that passes all
understanding, the peace of God that
keeps hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
The service provides an
opportunity to reflect first on the
coming of Jesus, initially announced by
John the Baptist; second, on living in
the promise that Christ will come
again; and third, in knowing that
Christ comes through people
constantly and regularly, even now.
To mark this special 25th
anniversary, Augsburg College
collaborated with Twin Cities Public
Television (TPT) to produce a onehour program to be broadcast during
Christmas week. The majesty of
Central Lutheran Church and the
intimacy of the service are captured by
a multiple-camera production crew
that followed the drama of the
processions and recorded the splendor
of the sounds from the choirs scattered
through the sanctuary.
The program is also offered
statewide to the stations of the
Minnesota Public Television
Association, and nationwide, via
satellite, to public broadcast services.
Commemorative DVD, VHS, and
CD recordings of this production will
be available following the event.
For more information about Advent
Vespers, call 612-330-1444 or go to
<www.augsburg.edu/vespers>. ■
Fall 2004
The service will be aired in Minnesota
on Twin Cities Public Television:
December 22, 8 p.m. on TPT2
December 23, 2 a.m. on TPT2
December 25, 10 a.m. on TPT2 and 7
p.m. on TPT17
Check local listings for broadcast times
on public television stations.
The 25th anniversary Advent Vespers
broadcast is made possible through a
major gift from the 11 Hoversten
families who have supported
Augsburg worship, music, and
education programs for generations,
and with additional support from
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.
TWIN CITIES
PUBLIC
TELEVISION
5
Sports
Women’s hockey celebrates 10 years
ugsburg College has played a major
role in the growth of women’s
hockey, one of the fastest growing sports
in recent years. As the first college or
university in the Midwest to sponsor the
sport on the varsity level in 1995,
Augsburg was a leader in sparking major
interest and impacting the lives of
thousands of young girls and women.
This year Augsburg celebrates its
10th season of varsity women’s
hockey—an achievement that speaks
volumes to the College’s commitment to
the sport’s growth.
Over the past decade, 97 young
women have donned an Augsburg
uniform, for a team that has gone
131-86-13 entering this season under
Jill Pohtilla, the only head coach in the
program’s history.
“What I’m most proud of is that,
year-in and year-out, the types of
individuals who play here have great
character and great motivation,” Pohtilla
said. “They work hard, and they care a
lot about the legacy they are going to
leave behind.”
When Augsburg announced in
February 1995 that it was going to field
a varsity women’s hockey program for
the 1995-96 season, there were only 15
varsity teams nationally—all on the East
Coast (members of the Eastern
Collegiate Athletic Conference) and
none in the Midwest.
Girls’ hockey was just starting at the
high school level in Minnesota—the
first state to sponsor a girls’ hockey high
school state championship tournament
—even before it became an Olympic
sport.
Both location and funding made
Augsburg’s situation unique. In its
announcement, Augsburg was believed
to be the first collegiate team to fund its
women’s hockey program on a level
equal with the men’s program, in terms
of equipment, uniforms, ice time,
training, games, publicity, and awards.
A
Highlights from Augsburg’s first decade
include:
• 1995-96—Augsburg went 16-5 in its
first season against club and women’s
adult teams in the Midwest, including
three games on the East Coast against
varsity teams.
• 1997-98—Augsburg faced the University
of Minnesota in the Gophers’ first
varsity contest. The crowd of 6,854 in
Mariucci Arena remains the largest-ever
crowd for a U.S. collegiate women’s
hockey game.
by Don Stoner
• Winter 2003—Members of the team
traveled to Italy and Austria to play and
win three games against local club teams.
A 10th anniversary dinner and program
was held in November. For more
information about women’s hockey, go to
<www.augsburg.edu/athletics>.
Don Stoner is sports information coordinator
in the Office of Public Relations and
Communication.
• 1998-99—Augsburg won a share of the
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) title, which was the
first Division III conference to sponsor
the sport at championship level.
• 1999-2000—Augsburg won the MIAC
play-off to go to the Division III national
championship, where they lost the
national title series to Middlebury (Vt.).
• 2003-04—The playoff semifinal game
against the University of St. Thomas,
a 6-5 loss, was the longest women’s
hockey game in conference history,
a two-overtime, 96-minute, 9-second
marathon.
A plaza in front of Augsburg’s Ice Arena was
dedicated as “JC’s Place,” in honor of James
“JC” Carey, athletic facilities director for 30
years. New seating and memorial plaques
honor Carey, who died of heart failure in
2003 at the age of 54.
The 1999-2000 women’s hockey team posed, following the Division III national championship,
where they lost to small-college power Middlebury (Vt.).
6
Fall 2004
17
AUGSBURG COLLEGE HOSTS
T H A N N UA L N O B E L P E AC E P R I Z E F O RU M
Around the theme “Striving for Peace:
Uniting for Justice,” Augsburg College will
host the 17th annual Peace Prize Forum,
Feb. 11-12, 2005. This forum honors the
2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Shirin
Ebadi, an Iranian lawyer and human rights
activist who was recognized for her efforts
for democracy and human rights.
In cooperation with the Norwegian
Nobel Institute, five Midwestern colleges
of the ELCA—Augsburg College,
Augustana College (Sioux Falls, S. Dak.),
Concordia College (Moorhead, Minn.),
Luther College (Decorah, Iowa), and St.
Olaf College—host the annual Nobel
Peace Prize Forum, the Norwegian Nobel
Institute’s only such program or academic
affiliation outside Norway.
The colleges, all founded by
Norwegian immigrants, sponsor the forum
to give recognition to Norway’s
international peace efforts and to offer
opportunities for Nobel Peace Prize
Fall 2004
by Betsey Norgard
laureates, diplomats,
scholars, students, and the
general public
to engage in
dialogue on the
dynamics of
peacemaking and
the underlying
causes of conflict and war.
The first Nobel Peace
Prize Forum took place in
1989 at St. Olaf College, and
rotates each year among the five ELCA
colleges. Augsburg last hosted the forum
in 1999, and honored Peace Prize laureates
Jody Williams and the International
Campaign to Ban Landmines. Over the
years, more than 21,000 participants have
become involved in the forum, which has
received an even broader audience through
national and regional media coverage.
The Peace Prize Forum program also
includes a series of seminars and
discussions of issues around the theme.
Plenary speakers scheduled for the
2005 forum include:
• Mary Robinson, the first woman
president of Ireland and more recently
United Nations high commissioner for
human rights;
• Davar Ardalan, a producer for National
Public Radio based in Washington,
D.C., who has lived in Iran under both
the shah’s reign and that of the
ayatollah’s;
• Sima Samar, pioneer for almost 20
years in the cause for women’s rights in
war-stricken Afghanistan; and
• Frances Moore Lappé, author and
global citizen who started a revolution
in the way Americans eat. Her most
recent book is You Have the Power:
Choosing Courage in a Culture of Fear.
For more information about the 17th
annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum, go to
<www.augsburg.edu/ppf> or call
612-330-1383.
Children celebrate peace at
the Nobel Peace Prize Festival
More than 700 students from 27 Peace Site
schools and youth groups across the Twin
Cities will gather at the 10th annual Nobel
Peace Prize Festival at Augsburg on Feb.
10. This year’s festival will honor Shirin
Ebadi, the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
The festival was first organized in
1998 as an expansion of the Nobel Peace
Prize Forum and in response to the
growing interest to involve children and
youth of all ages. The event is designed
to connect students in grades K-12 with
Nobel laureates. Students study a
laureate or peace theme,
create a related interactive
exhibit or performance of
their subject, and bring it to
the one-day festival.
Along with the Peace
Prize Forum, the festival
has the endorsement of the
Norwegian Nobel Institute.
The 2004 festival honored
Nobel laureate Jimmy
Carter, who visited the J.J.
Hill Montessori School in
St. Paul, Minn., along with
the former first lady. ■
7
HOMECOMING 2004
TWO HONORED AS 2004 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
T
wo alumni join 164 others as Distinguished Alumni of Augsburg College. Recipients are recognized
for significant achievement in their vocations and outstanding contributions to church and
community, through years of preparation, experience, dedication, exemplary character, and service.
Brian J. Anderson ’82
Dr. Brian J. Anderson graduated from
Augsburg in 1982 with a B.A. in
physics, mathematics, and religion.
From 1983-1987, he served as a
research associate at the University of
Minnesota, where in 1987 he earned a
Ph.D. in physics. In 1986 he returned
to Augsburg as a visiting lecturer in
physics, and in 1987 as an assistant
professor of physics. During his two
years on the Augsburg faculty, he was instrumental in securing a
grant from the National Science Foundation for the establishment
of a vacuum technology laboratory for advanced physics
students.
In 1988, Anderson relocated to the East Coast to serve as a
postdoctoral associate at Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory, where he is currently a senior physicist. He
also supervises the magnetic fields section of the APL’s Space
Physics Group, and is a member of the science team for NASA’s
Messenger mission to Mercury, among others.
Anderson is internationally recognized in space physics for
his innovative and wide-ranging contributions to the
understanding of the dynamic particle and magnetic field
environment of near earth space.
In addition to his duties at Johns Hopkins, Anderson also
serves as president of Division III (Magnetospheric Phenomena)
of the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy,
the international scientific association that brings together space
scientists worldwide for biennial scientific congresses. He
recently completed service as an editor for Geophysical Research
Letters, the premier international journal of earth and space
sciences. He was also a member of a panel convened by the
National Academy of Sciences to provide guidance over the next
10 years to all U.S. government agencies in the areas of solar and
space physics.
Anderson is an active member of Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Frederick, Md., where he serves on the church council
and on various committees. He also serves as an assisting
minister in worship and is a regular participant in other
congregational events. His wife, Dr. Leeann Rock, is a 1981
graduate of Augsburg.
8
by Lynn Mena
Fern L. (Hanson) Gudmestad ’41
As a child growing up in Seattle, Wash.,
Fern L. (Hanson) Gudmestad learned
about Augsburg from her uncle, the Rev.
Frederick Iversen, an early 1900s graduate
of Augsburg College and Seminary.
Although she enrolled at the University of
Washington—where she ultimately
received a B.A. in art in 1941—she
convinced her parents to send her to
Augsburg for her sophomore year.
Gudmestad’s time as a student on the Augsburg campus
produced numerous lifelong bonds—particularly to one
alumnus, the Rev. Lawrence Gudmestad ’39 (1983 Augsburg
Distinguished Alumnus), whom she married. Three of their four
children also attended the College—one graduating in 1965 and
the other in 1968—as well as a daughter-in-law and a grandson,
making theirs a four-generation Augsburg family.
Gudmestad has remained a loyal and active alumna of the
College, having served as an adviser to the College of the Third
Age, as a longtime member of the Augsburg Associates, and on
the committee assisting with the recent Lutheran Free Church
celebration held on campus in June. In addition, she has been a
regular contributor to The Augsburg Fund and a member of the
president’s Maroon & Silver Society. She generously funded a pipe
in Hoversten Chapel’s new organ for each of her children, and
after her husband’s death in 1986 she directed memorial gifts to
Augsburg.
As a young woman in the 1940s and ’50s, Gudmestad
answered the call to serve along with her husband during his
years as a parish pastor in both Washington and North Dakota.
As his partner, she managed a myriad of responsibilities, and in
the 1970s and ’80s she held successive and increasingly
comprehensive leadership positions in the American Lutheran
Church Women (ALCW) organizations, beginning as president of
her local ALCW, later as president of the ALC’s Southeast
Minnesota District ALCW Board, and ultimately as president of
the national ALCW.
Recognized as a wise and quietly powerful woman,
Gudmestad’s special combination of faith and skills in leadership
continues to bring many invitations to speak at events and
participate on committees and boards.
Fall 2004
HOMECOMING 2004
FIRST DECADE AND SPIRIT OF AUGSBURG AWARD
RECIPIENTS NAMED FOR 2004 by Lynn Mena
A
ugsburg is pleased to announce the 2004 recipients of the First Decade and Spirit of
Augsburg awards. The First Decade Award is presented to Augsburg graduates of the past
10 years who have made significant progress in their professional achievements and
contributions to the community, and in so doing exemplify the mission of the College: to prepare
future leaders in service to the world. Graduates from the day, weekend, and graduate programs
are eligible.
The Spirit of Augsburg Award honors alumni and friends of the College who have given
exceptional service that contributes substantially to the well being of Augsburg by furthering its
purposes and programs.
FIRST DECADE AWARD
SPIRIT OF AUGSBURG AWARD
Susan Arntz ’94
Arthur V. Rimmereid ’53
Susan (Horning) Arntz graduated from
Augsburg in 1994 with a B.A. in
political science and a minor in metrourban studies. In 1999, she earned a
master’s degree in public administration
from Hamline University.
Despite her young age, Arntz
possesses a vast amount of knowledge
and leadership skills related to public
affairs and government, and has utilized
these for an exemplary career in public
service. Following her graduation in
1994, she served as an intern to Commissioner Peter McLaughlin
of Hennepin County, Minn. During that same time period, she
served as assistant administrator and economic development
coordinator of the City of Chaska (Minn.), and from 1998–2001
as the assistant city manager of New Brighton, Minn. Over the
last several years, she has served as the city administrator of
Waconia, Minn. She has skillfully managed increasingly larger
city projects, and has directed major projects in the rapidly
growing community of Waconia.
Clearly, Arntz is driven to excel in her chosen field of city
management; she approaches the responsibilities and call of
public service with tremendous enthusiasm and dedication. She
has worked tirelessly to construct an innovative and successful
partnership between the city and the development community
and other agencies.
Since 2001, Arntz has served as a member of Augsburg’s
Alumni Board of Directors, contributing a valued voice of vision,
reason, and influence. In addition to sharing her time with the
College, Arntz is also a member of Augsburg’s Century Club.
A woman of deep faith and Christian values, Arntz is an active
member of her church and community. She and her husband,
Jonathan ’95, have two children.
The Rev. Arthur V. Rimmereid graduated
from Augsburg College and Seminary in
1953 and 1956, respectively. His first call
was to a parish in north central North
Dakota—Bisbee Lutheran Church—
where he served as pastor from
1956–1962. He then served as pastor of
Advent Lutheran Church in Coon
Rapids, Minn., where he was asked to
develop a new mission congregation.
From 1967–1983, he served first as
assistant pastor and then as senior pastor
at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Brainerd, Minn.
Rimmereid’s 27 years of distinguished parish ministry—in a
rural community, in a mission congregation, and in a larger
established congregation—served as excellent preparation for his
next call to serve as assistant to the bishop of the Northern
Minnesota District, ALC, from 1983–1987. He served in that
capacity until the merger and was called to a like position in the
new Northwestern Minnesota Synod of the ELCA, serving again
as assistant to the bishop from 1988–1991. In 1991, he was
elected bishop and served until his retirement in 1995.
A strong supporter of his alma mater, Rimmereid often and
proudly encourages others to attend the College and also to
provide financial donations to support its programs and its
mission. In addition, he is a regular participant and speaker at
College events—particularly in chapel, where he shares his spirit
of dedication, his love of people, and his message of faith.
Rimmereid has distinguished himself as an active member of
Kiwanis International for a number of years. He and his wife,
Charlotte (Kleven) ’52, reside in Maplewood, Minn., where in
addition to church activities, they are active volunteers in the
community.
A person of compassion and integrity, Rimmereid’s
achievements and service exemplify the ideals and mission of
Augsburg.
Fall 2004
9
HOMECOMING 2004
THE NYDAHL FAMILY honored with the Distinguished Service Award
by Lynn Mena
T
Courtesy photo
he Distinguished Service Award recogizes “formative
families” who have made a substantial and continuing
contribution to Augsburg and to its mission in the world
through their vocations, their philanthropy, and their citizenship.
This year’s recipient is the family of Johannes and Tabitha Nydahl,
honoring their Norwegian and Lutheran heritage and their
generations-long connection to the College. Over the years, many
descendents of Johannes and Tabitha have attended Augsburg,
including their three sons, Theodore, Malvin, and Harold. The
Nydahl family members, through their careers and avocations, have
long illustrated Augsburg’s mission of “education for service,” and
it is a great honor to recognize them with this special award.
Johannes Ludvigson Nydahl was born Feb. 20, 1863, at Sondfjord,
Norway, to Ludvig Olson Nydahl and Nille Johannesen Holsen. As
the oldest son, Johannes stood to inherit the family farm. However,
he relinquished this right in order to realize his dream of exploring
the world. He considered going to South Africa or the Sandwich
Islands (Hawaii), but chose instead the United
States, emigrating in 1882.
When Johannes arrived in the United States,
he first worked as a lumberjack in northern
Minnesota and then as a stonemason in
Minneapolis—the First Baptist Church was
one of his masonry projects. By these jobs he
earned enough money to attend Augsburg.
Johannes’ wife, Tabitha, was born to immigrants
on a southern Minnesota farm. She was the
daughter of Torger T. Rygh, who arrived in
America in 1845 along with several siblings and
their parents.
Johannes Nydahl
Johannes graduated from both the College and the Augsburg
Seminary, attending from 1883–1891. Although he was never
ordained, he was deeply involved with the Lutheran community,
and served as a vicar in Watertown, S.Dak., in 1891. He then served
the College as a professor of history and Norwegian from
1891–1920, before beginning in 1920 as Augsburg’s head librarian,
a post he held until his death in 1928.
During his years at Augsburg he also served as an instructor at
Deaconess Hospital in Minneapolis from 1909–14. Among his
many community and church activities were serving as Sunday
school superintendent at Trinity Church, as president of the
Minnesota Total Abstinence Society, secretary of the Folkebladet
Publishing Company, treasurer and then president of the Board of
the Deaconess Home, and secretary of the Lutheran Free Church,
being listed as one of the 10 prominent men in the church’s
development. An outstanding musician, too, Johannes was a
member of the Augsburg Quartette, which toured throughout the
10
Johannes and Tabitha Nydahl pose with their six children. Pictured
from L to R are: Ragna, Tabitha, Malvin, Agnes, Harold, Theodore,
Johannes, and Valborg.
upper Midwest and Michigan through the
late 1880s and early 1890s. In 1895, the
Quartette toured Norway, the first concert
tour by Norwegians in America back to the
fatherland.
The Nydahls also were members of the
Saga Hill community, a colony established
in the 1880s by Augsburg professors,
ministers, bankers, and professional men,
most of them being members of Trinity
Tabitha Nydahl
Church who were deeply interested in the
College and its success. They purchased 40
acres from a farmer in the Lake Minnetonka area where they built
summer cabins.
Johannes and Tabitha—who lived on the Augsburg campus for
more than 30 years in what was to become known as West Hall
when it became a girls’ dormitory—raised a family of six children.
Ted became a history professor at the University of MinnesotaMankato, and later head of their Humanities Department; Mally
became an orthopedic surgeon in Minneapolis after a standout
athletic career in football, basketball, and baseball at the University
of Minnesota. Harold became a pastor and counselor, and Ragna,
Agnes, and Valborg all married Lutheran pastors and Augsburg
graduates—Melvin Olson, Clarence Carlsen, and Torgney Kleven,
respectively. All six children were great musicians, the three sisters
singing in a much sought-after trio, and the three brothers being
both singers and choir directors.
This award celebrates the contributions and legacy of Johannes and
Tabitha and the extended Nydahl family.
Fall 2004
BY PAUL S. MUELLER, M.D. ’84
Scientific inquiry will reveal truth and lead to more questions
“Where truth is, there is God.”
—Miguel de Cervantes
I give thanks and
praise for my
years at Augsburg.
I am grateful for
the knowledge I
learned, the skills
I acquired, and
the experiences I
had. But I am especially grateful for the
professors, fellow students, and other
individuals at Augsburg who encouraged
me to think about science and the
physical universe in the context of the
Christian faith. Faculty members like
John Holum, Earl Alton, Ralph Sulerud
and others patiently spent countless
hours with students like me, helping us
not only to understand the universe, but
also the relationship between the
universe and God. Kermit Paulson and
Mark Engebretson, persons of faith,
encouraged my wife Nancy (Mackey) ’85
to pursue a degree in physics, an
advanced degree in engineering, and
ultimately careers in engineering and
science teaching. To me, these teachers
made physics understandable and God’s
universe more spectacular.
The desire for truth at Augsburg
continues today. I am awed by the
innovative education and research
programs conducted by the science
faculty. Seeking scientific truth at
Augsburg is not simply memorizing and
reciting facts. Instead, it is learning
Fall 2004
methods of scientific inquiry that reveal
truth and lead to more questions. The
cycle of hypothesis, inquiry, discovery,
and generating new questions and
hypotheses about the universe leads to
new knowledge and understanding.
Whereas ignorance leads to fear and
conflict, knowledge and understanding
lead to comfort, joy, and peace. In other
words, the truth makes us free.
A tour of the current science
building reveals how innovative and
vital the science faculty is. This
education is made complete by the
Augsburg experience, a liberal arts
education that places scientific truth in
the context of other truths such as
spiritual, humanistic, and philosophical
truths. This milieu encourages the
Augsburg science major not to seek just
a job, but a true vocation, which
Frederick Buechner describes as “the
place where your deep gladness meets
the world’s deep need.”
A major focus of the current
campaign, Access to Excellence: The
Campaign for Augsburg College, is a new
Science Center. It is widely
acknowledged that the current Science
Hall is inadequate to fulfill and sustain
the vision for science education and
research at Augsburg College.
Despite the limitations of the current
facility, the sciences at Augsburg have
grown. In addition, the number of
science majors, education opportunities,
and research programs has grown.
Indeed, the College and the science
faculty have been very creative in using
and modifying the current facility, which
is now more than 50 years old, to meet
new challenges as they arise. For
example, the site of an active living coral
reef on the second floor of Science Hall
in the Biology Department is truly
amazing. Yet, this example of creativity
reflects the enthusiasm the Augsburg
science faculty has for teaching and
research irrespective of the facility. This
enthusiasm has undoubtedly played a
crucial role in the growth and success of
the science departments.
Nevertheless, the time has come for a
new Science Center at Augsburg College.
This center will provide an environment
conducive to teaching and mentoring
science students and conducting research
(SCIENCE continues on page 12)
Vision is published by
Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454.
Editor
Lynn James
Graphic Designer
Kathy Rumpza
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
Contributing Writers
Lynn James
Paul Mueller, M.D. ’84
www.augsburg.edu/campaign
11
3M Foundation partners with Augsburg in gift and matching
grant challenge
The 3M Foundation has announced a
partnership with Augsburg College to raise
$600,000 in support of its new Science
Center. For every dollar donated by a 3M
employee or retiree, the 3M Foundation
will contribute three dollars. Under this
3:1 challenge, the foundation will match
up to $100,000 in contributions from
employees or retirees with a $300,000 gift.
Additionally, the foundation itself is
contributing $200,000 to the Science
Center.
The grant challenges the College to
raise up to $100,000 in gifts and pledges
from 3M employees and retirees between
Oct. 15 and Dec. 10, 2004, according to
Alex Cirillo, Jr., vice president for the 3M
Foundation.
“This is a tremendous gift that
provides Augsburg the opportunity to raise
$600,000 in new funding for our
campaign’s top priority—the new Science
Center,” noted Sue Klaseus, Augsburg’s
vice president for institutional
advancement. “We are excited about the
3M Foundation leadership commitment.”
Gifts toward the 3M Foundation
challenge grant can come from any of its
employees or retirees, Klaseus said, but the
College’s primary effort will be geared
toward the hundreds of Augsburg alumni
and parents who work for the company.
SCIENCE continued from page 11
at 21st-century standards. It will, in part,
preserve and grow opportunities to
explore science at Augsburg. Finally, the
Science Center will be a major focal point
of the Augsburg campus, where faith and
reason are reconciled, where truth is loved
and sought, and God is found.
What can you do?
• Keep Augsburg leadership, faculty, staff
and students in your prayers.
• Be an ambassador of Augsburg. Share
with others, especially family, friends,
and potential students, the good things
that are happening at Augsburg,
especially in the science departments.
Encourage them to partake in the
Augsburg experience, a place where the
search for truth is encouraged and
12
nurtured, where science meets and
honors God, and where seeking and
finding the truth makes one free.
• Get involved. Visit the campus and see
what is happening at Augsburg. Attend
alumni events.
• Give generously to Augsburg. Consider
joining the Maroon & Silver Society.
Prayerfully consider committing to
Access to Excellence: The Campaign for
Augsburg College. Include Augsburg in
your estate plan (e.g., will, insurance
policy, annuity). ■
Paul S. Mueller ’84, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.P.,
is a consultant at the Mayo Clinic
Rochester and a member of the Science
Advisory Board. He is a former president of
the Augsburg College Alumni Association
Board of Directors.
3M hosted a campaign “event” at its
headquarters in November to help raise
awareness for both the campaign and this
special matching gift opportunity. Joining
Klaseus at the event was Augsburg
President William V. Frame, Provost
Christopher Kimball, Professor Nancy
Steblay, science faculty, students, and
alumni.
For additional details on this
challenge, contact Sherry Jennings-King at
612-338-4823 or <jenningk@
augsburg.edu>. ■
SAVE THE DATE
JANUARY 7, 2005
Friday Forum—noon-1 p.m.
Featured speaker Senator Dave Durenberger
Brown bag luncheon, Christensen Center
Call 612-338-4821 for details
JANUARY 29, 2005
Women’s Connections,Thrivent Financial
625 4th Ave., Minneapolis
FEBRUARY 4, 2005
Friday Forum—noon-1 p.m.
Brown bag luncheon, Christensen Center
Call 612-338-4821 for details
FEBRUARY 10, 11, and 12, 2005
17th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Festival
and Forum, Augsburg College campus
MARCH 4, 2005
Friday Forum—noon-1 p.m.
Featured speaker Senator Mark Dayton
Brown bag luncheon, Christensen Center
Call 612-338-4821 for details
MAY 16, 2005
Second Annual Healthcare Conference
Details to follow
www.augsburg.edu/healthcare
Fall 2004
Director of development named
After a national search, Stephen Preus assumed
his role as director of development in October.
“Preus brings a strong background of corporate
and community experiences to the role,” said Sue
Klaseus, vice president for institutional
advancement.
“Stephen articulated well his passion about
Augsburg’s mission and vision. We feel confident
that his expertise and external perspective will
continue to enhance the success of Augsburg’s
current capital campaign and our long-term advancement program,”
she continued.
Preus succeeds John Knight, who left Augsburg in May to pursue
opportunities with his church, and interim director Richard J.Weiland,
of Northfield.
Prior to joining Augsburg, Preus owned CM IT Solutions in Edina,
Minn., and was a longtime employee and officer of Thrivent Financial
for Lutherans and its predecessor company Lutheran Brotherhood.
Preus is active in numerous community organizations and lives in
Burnsville with wife, Martha, and their two children. ■
CAMPAIGN CORNER
• An anonymous endowment gift of $2 million was given
this fall.
• Thrivent Financial Services is offering alumni, friends of
the College, faculty, and staff the opportunity to join
Thrivent’s GivingPlus charitable/matching gift program.
For details, contact Stephanie Malone, director of The
Annual Fund, at 612-338-4825.
• Broadcasting of Advent Vespers nationwide this year was
made possible by generous lead gifts from the extended
Hoversten family,Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and a
number of other friends and alumni of Augsburg College.
(Read about the broadcast on p. 5.)
If you’d like to consider a gift to the Advent Vespers
broadcast, funding is still needed. Contact Sherry
Jennings King at 612-338-4823 by December 31 for this
year’s pledge form.
WE’VE MOVED
Institutional Advancement moved from Smiley’s
Point recently when Fairview Health Services
exercised its option on Augsburg’s lease to
house the Fairview Foundation.
Vice President Sue Klaseus, administrative
assistant Kathryn Croyle, and the Institutional
Advancement and Alumni and Parent Relations
departments are located in Science Hall 152.
Development, Government and Community
Relations, and Advancement Services are in
downtown Minneapolis in the Crown Roller Mill
Building next to the former Whitney Hotel, just
off Washington Avenue near the new Guthrie
Theater site.
All email addresses are the same, but to contact
individuals in the Crown Roller Mill building,
please call the phone numbers listed.
Fall 2004
KAY AHLSTROM 612-338-4818
STEPHANIE MALONE 612-338-4825
MELISSA BAWEK 612-338-4819
DONNA MCLEAN 612-338-4826
TRACY BECKMAN 612-338-6536
KIM OLMSTED 612-338-4827
DAVE BENSON 612-338-6539
STEPHEN PREUS 612-338-4828
JEROY CARLSON 612-338-4820
PHIL QUANBECK, SR. 612-338-6539
CHRISTIN CRABTREE-MCWETHY
612-338-4821
PATRICK SHEEHY 612-338-6533
KEVIN HEALY 612-338-6537
BARBARA HUTSON 612-338-4822
STEPHANIE STUART 612-338-6534
GEORGE SVERDRUP 612-338-6539
SHERILYN YOUNG 612-338-6535
SHERRY JENNINGS-KING 612-338-4823
JENNIFER KAHLOW 612-338-6540
SUE KLASEUS 612-338-6538
FAX 612-338-6542
MAIN OFFICE NUMBER 612-338-0002
RON MAIN 612-338-4824
13
Superb results through Class Challenge
Strides to increase annual giving continue
as “alumni participation for the past five
years has increased to 20 percent,” said
Stephanie Malone, Augsburg Fund
director. For fiscal year ending May 2004,
$825,000 was raised to support the lives
and education of Augsburg students.
New this year was the Class
Challenge. “We issued a Class Challenge
in hopes of involving more individuals in
supporting their alma mater.” The criteria
used included individuals who could be
located within each class year and who
held a day student status. Using the
aforementioned criteria, the Class of 1937
had 100 percent participation. The Class
of 1946 was the top giver, with an average
gift size of more than $13,000 and a class
participation rate of almost 81 percent.
The class of 1985 also significantly
increased their participation from past
years.
“We really appreciate the efforts of
each of the Class Challenge participants,”
said Malone. “The Augsburg Fund
touches every aspect of the College at
every moment of a student’s educational
experience. It offers financial aid through
scholarships and programs that transform
students’ lives.”
There are many stories of individuals
giving to the Class Challenge who have
never given to the College or who haven’t
given on a consistent annual basis.
Richard Koplitz ’48 has given to the
College’s athletic programs in the past, but
liked what he saw with the College
expansion and wanted to support The
Augsburg Fund.
“Our annual fund support also was
made possible by leadership donors, many
of whom are Maroon & Silver Society
members. Their gifts of $1,000 or more
accounted for 75 percent of the annual
fund goal this past year,” reported Sue
Klaseus, vice president of Institutional
Advancement and Community Relations.
Augsburg’s goal is to nearly triple
annual fund giving by 2006 to reach a
30 percent alumni participation rate. “This
is a vibrant, evolving college,” said
Malone. “Alumni giving to enhance the
institution makes an Augsburg degree
more meaningful. There are so many ways
to support Augsburg, and contributing to
the annual fund to support scholarships is
one meaningful way.” ■
Contact Malone at 612-338-4825 or by
e-mail at <malone@augsburg.edu>.
Dorothy and Richard Koplitz ’48
CLASS CHALLENGE RESULTS
(as of May 31, 2004)
Class of
Class Part.
Class of
Class Part.
’30
33.33%
’69
21.50%
’33
16.67%
’70
24.82%
’34
28.57%
’71
21.28%
’35
22.22%
’72
19.93%
’36
40.00%
’73
16.33%
’37
100.00%
’74
20.28%
’38
83.87%
’75
10.50%
’39
41.94%
’76
29.80%
’40
43.90%
’77
16.49%
’41
22.81%
’78
20.14%
’42
32.73%
’79
27.71%
’43
38.60%
’80
14.33%
’44
20.69%
’81
24.73%
’45
97.78%
’82
12.61%
’46
80.95%
’83
15.76%
’47
60.00%
’84
24.91%
’48
55.68%
’85
31.67%
’49
44.80%
’86
6.93%
’50
51.58%
’87
11.62%
’51
50.68%
’88
17.97%
’52
51.91%
’89
11.73%
’53
63.03%
’90
11.07%
’54
30.97%
’91
8.45%
’55
21.51%
’92
7.43%
’56
55.65%
’93
9.94%
’57
40.00%
’94
13.47%
’58
53.97%
’95
7.47%
’59
42.96%
’96
4.94%
’60
25.63%
’97
10.54%
’61
32.45%
’98
11.95%
’62
23.21%
’99
11.80%
’63
41.71%
’00
2.70%
’64
35.96%
’01
2.70%
’65
33.93%
’02
4.69%
’66
37.67%
’03
1.21%
’67
22.12%
27.27%
’04
0.29%
’68
14
TOTAL 20.57%
Fall 2004
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
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THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
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core
curriculum
T H E A U CORE
G S B UCURRICULUM
RG
THE AUGSBURG
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM is designed to
E D U C AT I N
G F OCURRICULUM
R WORK,
THE AUGSBURG
CORE
THE
AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
prepare students to become effective, informed, and
SM
E D U C AT I N G F O R L I F E
ethical citizens through their engagement in a
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE
AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
curriculum that:
provides
a liberal arts foundation
and CURRICULUM
promotes the
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE
AUGSBURG
CORE
▼
acquisition of intellectual and professional skills;
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE
AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
calls for common inquiry into questions of Christian
▼
faith and the search for meaning; and,
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
▼
cultivates the transformative discovery of, and
appreciation
for, the student’s
place ofCURRICULUM
leadership
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE
AUGSBURG
CORE
and service in a diverse world—vocatio and caritas.
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM THE AUGSBURG CORE CURRICULUM
THE AUGSBURG
core
curriculum
E D U C AT I N G F O R W O R K ,
E D U C AT I N G F O R L I F E
BY BETSEY NORGARD
▼
DESIGN BY KATHY RUMPZA
When students look at colleges, one of the
first areas they ask about is the list of
majors or academic disciplines offered.
Seldom are they as interested in other
required courses, usually called the general
education or core curriculum.
What they don’t realize, however, is
that this part of their college study is
recognized within the higher education
community to be as important as their
major or area of specialization in
preparing them for an increasingly
technical, complex, and diverse
workplace.
Following extensive study, a national
panel of the Association of American
Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
issued a report in 2002 that makes the
case for a “liberal” education, meaning
one that will “help college students
become intentional learners who can
adapt to new environments, integrate
knowledge from different sources, and
continue learning throughout their lives.”
A liberal education prepares students
with skills beyond the theory and depth
of a specialization that they will need to
meet the challenges of a global society—
critical thinking and communicating, the
knowledge of how to learn, and the
preparation for responsible citizenship.
One hallmark of a liberal education is
the integration of classroom learning with
practical application through internships,
community service, and other forms of
experiential learning. A liberal and
practical education educates students for
responsible citizenship as well as for
16
▼
work and careers.
The good news for Augsburg is that
educating for citizenship has always
been part of an Augsburg education.
Joan Griffin, Augsburg professor of
English and director of general
education, wrote in a recent
discussion paper, “Education for
citizenship may be trendy now, but as
many of us discovered … it’s been in
the bones of this College at least since
September 1874 when the faculty
approved a science division that
would provide ‘a practical general
education’ to prepare Norwegian
immigrants to flourish as citizens of
their new world.”
In the area of experiential
education, and especially in servicelearning where community service is
integrated into classroom learning,
Augsburg has been a national leader
for many years. In 2003, U.S.News &
World Report, in its “Programs to Look
for,” included Augsburg among 20
schools nationwide as a “stellar
example” of a service-learning program.
PHOTOS BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
previous general education course
requirements spread over eight liberal
arts “perspectives,” and—most
importantly—that aligns it more closely
with Augsburg’s vision document,
Augsburg 2004: Extending the Vision.
LAUNCHING THE
AUGSBURG CORE
In fall 2003, Augsburg launched the
Augsburg Core Curriculum, or
Augsburg Core, a new general
education curriculum that
incorporates the best practices from
national research, that streamlines the
At Opening Celebration, new first-year students
process into Hoversten Chapel through the
ballooned arch and through a line of welcoming
faculty and staff.
Fall 2004
For more than two years, several
committees involving over 25 faculty and
students worked to define the underlying
principles of general education at
Augsburg. Then, over several months a
design team collaborated to construct the
new curriculum. The full faculty
discussed the proposal in open hearings
and finally voted its approval.
The Augsburg
Core Curriculum
Design Team
CORE PRINCIPLES
A number of key principles make up the
heart of the Augsburg Core.
Augsburg believes that students learn
best in community. Thus, “learning
communities” are at the center of the
Augsburg Core. Students begin their
college careers in the Augsburg Seminar
learning communities, and they
complete their careers in their major
keystone communities. Both connect
students with faculty and with fellow
students. In the first year almost all
courses are taught by full-time faculty,
not adjuncts, to encourage these
connections.
The community of learners is
strengthened by having all students
share educational experiences at several
places during their studies where
common questions are considered and
continually revisited. This is
accomplished through common
readings, through required courses, and
through required experiences to which
students apply their classroom learning.
At the heart of the Augsburg Core are
Joan Griffin, chair . . . . . . . .English
Lori Brandt Hale . . . . . . . .Religion
Dal Liddle . . . . . . . . . . . . . .English
Merilee Klemp . . . . . . . . . . .Music
Diane Pike . . . . . . . . . . .Sociology
Ambrose Wolf . . . . . . . . . .Physics
The result of this work over these
several years is a carefully crafted,
cohesive education that blends broad,
general learning with depth in one or
more specific areas and prepares students
with tools to succeed.
The Augsburg Core combines
hallmarks of the College’s Lutheran
(and, specifically, Lutheran Free Church)
heritage, its long-standing commitment
to educating students for service in the
world, its commitment to provide access
to a diverse learning community, and its
location in the center of an urban area.
Woven throughout are the themes of
Christian faith, exploration of vocation,
the city, diversity, and global awareness.
It is an education distinctive to Augsburg
College, and it offers a life-changing
journey for students, truly a
transforming education.
Fall 2004
In their Augsburg Seminar, first-year students begin learning about the city in which they will
study, live, and work by exploring its resources and opportunities and engaging in community
service projects.
Sociology professor Diane Pike (right) leads an AugSem group as they explore downtown
Minneapolis streets.
17
the two signature courses called Search
for Meaning that are required of all
Augsburg students. In these courses, the
themes most important to Augsburg’s
mission and vision—vocation, identity,
and Christian faith—are introduced and
revisited as students begin to reflect in
more substantive ways about these
issues.
The Core Curriculum is designed to
be developmental. From the first year
onward, the curriculum introduces
shared themes through common
experiences, engages students in the city,
builds skills in the major, broadens
perspectives through the liberal arts,
requires application of learned theory,
and, finally, pulls everything together in
a keystone course before graduation.
Augsburg students continually have
Becoming an orientation leader is one way in
which students can grow as leaders on
campus. Here, during summer orientation,
Laura Prasek ’05 helps a new student figure
out his academic schedule for the first
semester.
18
opportunities to develop leadership
skills for service in society: through
knowledge gained from the breadth of
their liberal arts courses, through the
embedding of skills development in
their major courses, and through the
many forms of experiential education in
the Twin Cities or elsewhere where they
can apply their classroom learning to
practical situations.
An Augsburg education places
emphasis on the whole student, both in
academic classroom study and activities
outside of the classroom. Working in
tandem with the academic curriculum is
the co-curriculum, i.e., the rich variety
of college life that includes support
services such as advising, tutoring
services, and accommodations for
physical and learning disabilities, as well
as student government, sports, residence
life, campus ministry, and many other
social organizations. All of this helps
students build the confidence and skills
they need to become leaders.
Two significant aspects of an
Augsburg education—the commitment
to a diverse learning community and the
importance of global awareness—are
intentionally infused throughout both
the core curriculum and the major,
rather than being targeted in specific
courses. Students will encounter these
themes inherent in Augsburg’s identity
throughout their studies.
In several cases the themes are
imprinted in a common experience. For
example, the Effective Writing course,
required of first-year students, includes
a common text chosen for its culturally,
racially, and ethnically diverse content.
Throughout the core curriculum,
students will encounter opportunities to
experience and discuss the nature of
human differences.
The Augsburg Core is designed for
all undergraduate students and is
required of all, including those in the
traditional day program, in Weekend
College, and the Rochester program,
albeit with some adjustments and
slightly altered format for weekend and
transfer students.
While weekend and Rochester
students do not participate in the firstyear program, they must fulfill all other
requirements of the curriculum. For the
most part, adult working students value
the Augsburg Core for its emphasis on
liberal arts, and they understand its
application to their work or life
situation. They often use their own
workplace as the setting for a project to
fulfill the Augsburg Experience. Many
students also take advantage of shortterm study seminars to experience
another country or culture.
Augsburg’s Honors Program is rooted
in the Augsburg Core and offers an
enriched and interdisciplinary
environment in which students explore
the many dimensions of ideas and uses
of knowledge. Its courses lead students
through a specially-designed core
curriculum for academically-qualified
students.
IMPLEMENTING THE
AUGSBURG CORE
In 2003, Augsburg’s Center for Teaching
and Learning received a three-year grant
from the Bush Foundation to help
faculty implement the new Augsburg
Core. During the past year, faculty have
met in learning collaboratives to address
best teaching and learning practices. The
grant has also funded workshops,
materials, and research collaborations.
For faculty, the new core curriculum
has resulted in a significant shift.
Formerly, faculty members generally
designed, taught, and evaluated their
own courses within departments. The
new curriculum calls upon faculty to
Fall 2004
collaborate across departments and
disciplines, since all courses now serve
the broader goals of an Augsburg
education, including embedded skills,
service-learning, and other kinds of
learning beyond the specific subject
matter.
“It’s work that will have as much
payoff for faculty, if we do it well,”
comments Diane Pike, professor of
sociology and director of the Center for
Teaching and Learning. “Faculty gain a
much better understanding of how the
curriculum meets its goals; it gives us an
intentionality and explicitness that we
didn’t have before.”
The Augsburg Core’s distinction has
not gone unnoticed. While higher
education is clearly moving towards the
“liberal education” called for in
AAC&U’s national report, Augsburg
shows clear leadership with its emphasis
and commitment to service-learning and
the development of learning
communities. The College is actively
participating in this national discussion
and is being recognized for the
distinctiveness and coherence of the
new core curriculum. Representing the
Augsburg Core graphically as an arch
becomes an effective tool to explain the
comprehensiveness of the curriculum as
well as to help students navigate
through the courses to graduation.
Creating the Augsburg Core has been
a self-examination of the most
fundamental values of Augsburg’s
heritage, mission, and vision. An
Augsburg education is now more closely
aligned with the vision of “transforming
education” the College understands
itself called to offer, helping students to
find their place in the world and reach
their potential.
Provost Christopher Kimball sums it
up on Augsburg’s Web site, “We are one
college with one mission, offering one
unique experience.”
Fall 2004
The Augsburg Arch
The Augsburg Arch visually
demonstrates the structure,
relationships, and coherence of the
Augsburg Core Curriculum. It shows
how the liberal arts, academic majors,
and general education intersect, and
how the liberal arts are foundational,
both in content and skills. The keystone
brings it all together and supports the
whole as an integrated education.
The Augsburg Core has three major
components:
▼
The Signature Curriculum
▼
The Liberal Arts Foundation
▼
Skills Requirement
The Signature Curriculum sets
Augsburg apart from others. It includes
both specific courses and elements of
courses that engage students with the
core values inherent in Augsburg’s
mission and heritage.
1. THE SIGNATURE CURRICULUM
Augsburg Seminar (first-year
program) helps first-year weekday
students make the transition to college
in “learning communities” based on
their major or other academic interests.
In these courses students learn what it
means to become a citizen of an
academic community. Many of these
courses also include an Engaging
Minneapolis component, which
introduces them to life in the Twin
Cities—by exploring the local arts
scene, studying environmental issues on
the Mississippi, bicycling the downtown
riverfront, tutoring neighborhood
immigrant children, sampling the local
ethnic cuisine, and much more.
Search for Meaning 1 and 2—These
two religion courses present Christian
theology as well as non-Christian faiths
and guide students in exploring and
reflecting on Augsburg’s concept of
vocation—discovering and using one’s
own talents and passion in service in
the world.
Augsburg Experience—All students
will complete a required experience
that links their academic study to
involvement in the broader community,
either locally or globally. This
experience can be study abroad, an
internship, research with a professor,
community service-learning, or an offcampus immersion experience.
Senior Keystone—The required senior
keystone course revisits conversations
on vocation, now within the context of
the major, and builds on the cumulative
combining of theoretical classroom
knowledge with experiential
applications of it. It also reflects the
developmental nature of the Augsburg
Core—beginning with Augsburg
Seminar, Search for Meaning, and
Engaging Minneapolis; then adding
growth in major skills and practical
application in the Augsburg Experience;
and, finally, a uniting of everything in
the keystone.
2. THE LIBERAL ARTS FOUNDATION
In order to learn and appreciate
different ways of knowing and modes
of inquiry, students take two courses
from different departments in each of
the four academic domains. Students
may take “connections” courses that
are team-taught and examine the
liberal arts around themes and across
disciplines.
3. SKILLS REQUIREMENTS
Courses throughout the four years
provide skills beyond the specialization
that responsible citizens and successful
employees need in the global
workplace—in critical thinking,
speaking, writing, and quantitative
reasoning. Entrance assessments
prepare students to take the courses
that fulfill graduation requirements in
these areas. Core skill requirements
include writing, modern language, and
lifetime fitness.
19
core curriculum
Augsburg Seminar
THE FIRST-YEAR PROGRAM
BECOMING AN
AUGGIE
For most first-year students, college is a
big change. It may be the first time they
have left home or have lived in a city.
Many will find that high school did not
prepare them for the demanding work
load of a college schedule or the cognitive
challenges and skills that they will need to
flourish in their new academic
environment.
Augsburg recognizes that first-year
students need support as they make the
transition to college and successful
academic careers. Because of the attention
that it pays to the experience of first-year
students, Augsburg was named as one of
12 Founding Institutions in the Council of
Independent Colleges’ Foundations of
Excellence™ in the First College Year
Project.
Augsburg’s first-year program,
Augsburg Seminar, introduces first-year
weekday students to the Augsburg
learning community. It helps them
become intentional learners as they
develop the skills and strategies that will
lead to success in college. It introduces
them to the signature themes of an
Augsburg education: vocation, caritas,
and community. It introduces them to
what it means to be an educated person:
an effective, informed, and ethical citizen.
From their first day on campus,
everything is geared to helping students
get off to the right start. Augsburg
Seminar courses join students, professors,
peer leaders (AugMentors), and campus
staff together in “learning communities”
based on a student’s major or other
academic interests.
In these communities, students may
work on joint projects, getting to know
the Twin Cities cultural scene, meeting
and tutoring newly-arrived immigrants in
the neighborhood, and writing reflections
on these experiences. On the day before
classes actually begin, AugSem sections
spend the afternoon in community
service projects, mostly in the
neighborhoods around campus. This year,
Kristin Snartland is one of the AugSem students who rode the new
lightrail from near campus to downtown, finding out how easy it is to
get around.
20
first-year students worked a total of more
than 1,000 hours on their AugSem
community service projects.
In the process they become acquainted
with each other, explore the resources of
the College community, get connected
with the city—and have fun. Many
students find college-long (and life-long)
friends in their Augsburg Seminar. They
get to know their professors—and their
professors get to know them, both in class
and outside the classroom in AugSem
activities.
Biology professor Bill Capman’s
AugSem section is paired with the
Introductory Organismal Biology course,
which also includes a service-learning field
project. This fall, his students visited a
local nature preserve, Dodge Nature
Center, to learn about and work to remove
invasive plant species from their grounds.
As part of their AugSem curriculum,
Capman’s group spends time on broader
topics—developing good study skills in
the sciences, exploring biology and
medical-related careers, and, for biology
The AugSem/Biology 103 class spent time at the Dodge Nature Center,
studying invasive plant species and helping to remove them from the
preserve. Professor Bill Capman points out differences between the
buckthorn to be removed and ash trees to Brittany Grudem (left) and
Jennifer Moe (right).
Fall 2004
A Somali community leader, Abdirizak Bihi, introduces an AugSem group to a Somali shop in the
Cedar-Riverside area. The class was getting acquainted with Somali culture to prepare them for
their later visits in the neighborhood to give people information about voting and registration.
majors, getting to know upperclass
biology majors and becoming involved
in department activities.
In Professor John Shockley’s
Augsburg Seminar section with its
paired Political Patterns and Processes
course, students took advantage of the
events around the presidential election
to study the challenges and
opportunities people face in trying the
make the world safer and more peaceful.
On the AugSem city service projects day
this group visited shops and businesses
around campus owned by Somali
immigrants to learn about their culture.
During the semester they met with
people in the neighborhood about voting
and voter registration.
Getting off to the
right start
Over the past decade, Augsburg has
intentionally developed a first-year
program that helps incoming
students ease the transition to both
college life and to the city in which
they’ll live, work, and find many
kinds of opportunities. Because of
this commitment and a readiness to
evaluate and improve its program,
Search for
Meaning
All freshman students are required to
take the first of two Search for Meaning
courses, Christian Vocation and the
Search for Meaning. This course explores
the broad questions of existence—who
we are, why we’re here, etc.—and
examines the Christian notion of
vocation as a lens through which one’s
own life can be considered, informed by
faith within the context of these larger
questions.
Some of the Search for Meaning
Fall 2004
sections are paired with Augsburg
Seminars, and some have
community service-learning
components. Religion professor
Russell Kleckley’s Search for
Meaning section is paired with
music professor Merilee
Klemp’s Introduction to Music
and the Fine Arts, and together
they co-teach the Augsburg Seminar.
These two courses will jointly study
larger questions of meaning in the
context of the Judeo-Christian musical
tradition—from medieval chanting to
today’s rap music.
The second Search for Meaning
course invites students to think about
the role that religion, the Bible, and their
own beliefs play in the vocational
choices they make in their lives.
Students who are not Christian will
consider their own religious and spiritual
beliefs and how they affect their vocation
and place in the world.
Augsburg was named one of 12
“Founding Institutions” to
participate in a national project to
develop a model first-year program
that can be used by small, private
colleges to help their students reach
graduation.
The project, Foundations of
Excellence™ in the First College Year,
is co-sponsored by the Policy Center
of the First Year of College and the
Council on Independent Colleges.
Funding for the two-year project is
provided by Lumina Foundation for
Education and The Atlantic
Philanthropies.
21
core curriculum
Engaging Minneapolis
“MEETING” THE CITY
The first-year orientation booklet tells incoming day students,
“When you come to Augsburg, you arrive at the heart of a vibrant
city.” While most students have probably visited the Twin Cities
before, it was most likely while visiting family or as a tourist,
which gave them little knowledge about studying, living, and
working in this area.
Engaging Minneapolis highlights the importance of Augsburg’s
urban location and introduces new students to the resources,
issues, opportunities, and diversity of the city. This is the urban
context that enables Augsburg to fulfill its mission to prepare
students as responsible citizens and leaders in service to the world.
Engaging Minneapolis is not the name of a single course, but
rather an added course component that makes intentional and
substantial use of city resources. Courses with Engaging
Minneapolis components are not about the city, but engage the city
as a learning laboratory in which students study their particular
liberal arts or general education subject matter.
Activities in Engaging Minneapolis courses can vary widely—
attending concerts and other cultural events, exploring the ethnic
restaurants in the neighborhood, tutoring immigrant children or
adults preparing for citizenship tests, helping care for community
gardens, or discovering the many bike and walking paths along the
Mississippi River near campus.
Some of the Engaging Minneapolis courses also include courseembedded service-learning—an Augsburg signature. In these
classes service experiences and reflective learning are integrated
Bicycling Minneapolis is a lifetime fitness course that fulfills Engaging
Minneapolis by exploring the history and culture of the city along its
bikepaths and trails.
22
As part of her Search for Meaning course, Ashley Boyd helps
Somali high school students with their homework and has
opportunity to learn about their religion and culture.
into the students’ coursework, and the community
experience becomes a “text” for the course. Both the
students and the community partners learn from each
other.
Very few colleges include service-learning in first year
courses. Mary Laurel True, director of community servicelearning, says that community service is “part of who we
are,” and that it’s important for new students right away to
get a taste of what it means to be engaged in the
community.
Several of the AugSem paired classes work with new
immigrants in the neighborhoods surrounding the College.
In Professor Janelle Bussert’s Religion 100 class, students
spend 15 hours at Trinity Lutheran Church in the CedarRiverside neighborhood helping Somali high school
students with their homework in Safe Place, an afterschool program.
The students study Islam in their religion class, and
then find opportunities to talk further and ask questions of
the Somali high school students about their religious
traditions. Bussert says that some wonderful conversations
have arisen while they work together.
English professor Bob Cowgill’s Effective Writing
students spend 15 hours during the semester working with
adult immigrants, mostly from East Africa, at the Franklin
Learning Center in the Phillips neighborhood near campus.
The students review English lessons or help with flash
cards as the adult learners study for citizenship tests.
Cowgill’s English course investigates how one knows
and accounts for identity through language. He says that
his students benefit from meeting and working with the
immigrants, and have remarked about how hard the
immigrants work to learn English and become Americans.
Fall 2004
core curriculum
A LESSON IN COMPUTERS AND CULTURE
Business/MIS professor Lee Clarke
student wrote. “He handed me
teaches a first-year course, MIS 175
a piece of paper that said,
Principles of Computing for Business.
‘Thanks for helping me.’ It
It’s an introductory course for
was typed in real big, bold
management information systems (MIS)
letters. He then looked at me
students to learn Microsoft Office
and said, ‘Look, I learned how
programs and how they are used in
to use Word.’ ”
business to reach goals and solve
A disabled student
business problems.
thought he would not be able
The course is designed to include an
to help, but later wrote,
Engaging Minneapolis component. That
“Little did I know that I was
part of the course, which Clarke calls
about to prove myself wrong,
the experience “text,” involves a
very wrong.” The computer
partnership with the Cedar-Riverside
instructor told him that since
Plaza Residents Resource Center. There,
he was not able to actually do
Augsburg students work 15 hours per
Freshman business student Jerrad Honstad helps a Somali woman the computing for the
at Riverside Plaza learn computer skills.
semester as assistants in the computer
residents, it was more
class or open lab. The residents are
beneficial for them, since
mostly Somali refugees; many have
they had to listen to the student’s
One student wrote, “This experience
limited English skills and some have never
explanation and do the work themselves.
helped me to meet [new immigrants], and
touched a computer.
For the young business students in
I can look at the world and America in a
Clarke requires three assignments that
his class who have always had computers
whole new light. … I feel that you can
connect the subject matter with the
in their lives, Clarke knows they are now
learn more in the short 15 hours I worked
service experience. In one, students reflect
more aware of the disparities of wealth
there than you can in some classes you go
on the digital divide with its issues of
and technology in the world. The
to daily for a whole semester.”
technology “haves” and “have-nots” and
experience of working with new
Another student talked about an
talk about how the Resource Center helps
immigrants, many of them close to the
unforgettable moment after helping an
the residents overcome these barriers. The
students’ grandparents’ ages, also gave
older man learn to use Microsoft Word.
last assignment asks the students to reflect
them a greater appreciation of culture
“Then one day he came in quite as usual
personally—what they learned at the
and citizenship.
but with a huge smile on his face,” the
center and how it relates to their course.
Keystone
PUTTING IT
TOGETHER
If Engaging Minneapolis is the bookend
on the front end of an Augsburg
Fall 2004
education, the keystone experience is
the final bookend. During the years in
between, students delve into a major,
build professional as well as life skills,
apply their classroom learning, explore
faith, and experience the city. The
keystone course usually occurs in the
senior year, close to graduation.
The keystone in the Augsburg Core,
as in architecture, provides the shape
and support to the structural elements
of the arch. It connects the broad liberal
arts foundation with the professional
skills and the in-depth study in the
major. It helps students begin the
transition to their after-college life.
Learning goals include a revisiting of
the critical conversations about vocation
that were begun in the first Search for
Meaning course. Attention is paid to
reflection on vocation, leadership, and
service in a diverse world.
The value of the keystone, says MIS
professor Nora Braun, who piloted an
MIS keystone course, is that it’s time
focused on thinking about all the pieces
in an Augsburg education and what the
student has done with them. “It’s a
reflection and a pulling together of the
total experience in and out of the
classroom.” Braun asks her students to
write an “education autobiography” that
reflects on the identified outcomes of
their Augsburg education.
23
core curriculum
Augsburg Experience
CONNECTIONS TO
COMMUNITY
Augsburg recognizes that today’s citizens
need new kinds of competencies—
abstract and complex problem-solving,
systems thinking, and collaboration,
among others. These are skills that
cannot be learned in normal classroom
activity alone, but are enhanced with
direct experience in the workplace and
community. In the Augsburg Core all
students are required to complete an
approved Augsburg Experience, one of
the signature elements in the core
curriculum that adds value to an
Augsburg education.
The Augsburg Experience can be
completed in one of five ways:
▼
internships, cooperative education,
practica, fieldwork, and clinicals
▼
faculty-student research
▼
community service-learning courses
and experiences
▼
study abroad
▼
off-campus immersion experiences
The Augsburg Experience, in short, links
the theoretical with the practical, and
links on-campus experience to the wider
community. Every approved
“experience” must engage the student in
the community away from campus. To
help them tailor an experience to their
studies and interests, students work with
faculty; the staff and resources of the
Center for Service, Work, and Learning;
and the Office of International Programs
(OIP).
Internships and cooperative
education have traditionally been the
most common choices for work-based
24
experiential education. Several
professional studies majors already
require student teaching, practica or
fieldwork, and internships. Some
Weekend College students who are
working full time find they are able to
develop an Augsburg Experience in
their own jobs by compiling a formal
plan, approved by the Center for
Service, Work, and Learning, identifying
a minimum of three learning outcomes
that make deliberate connections
between their education and work.
Augsburg offers outstanding
opportunities, especially in the sciences,
for student-faculty research. Students
work with their professors on original
research that is usually more common at
the graduate level. Through this,
students learn to apply knowledge from
their major and engage in the research
process and in the discoveries, both
successes and failures, that contribute to
the body of knowledge in their
discipline and benefit the wider
community.
Augsburg’s Physics Department
collaborates on a number of ongoing
research projects with major universities
and government agencies, giving its
students original research opportunities
from their freshman year forward. The
department enjoys an international
reputation for research excellence, and
its students have won several awards for
outstanding presentations.
Students can also meet the Augsburg
Experience through courses with servicelearning components. A portion of
course time is spent in service at the site,
reflection, discussion, and related
activities. Or, students can work at
approved sites and carry out reflection
activities with Augsburg faculty or staff
members. Augsburg has built
partnerships with more than 30
community organizations and is a
recognized national leader and awardwinner.
Students have a variety of choices for
study abroad through the Center for
Global Education’s study centers in
Sociology and metro-urban studies students visited U.S. Rep. Martin Olav Sabo ’59 on their
study trip to Washington, D.C., last spring to talk with people in public service about their
vocations and working “on the hill.” (R to L): Lois Olson, Center for Service, Work, and
Learning; Jennifer Nacey; Jessica Howard; Lori Cain; Amanda Froiland; Ray McCoy; Ted
Arrindell; Maria Belen Power; Adela Arguello; Krista Dahlke; Kendra Kahlow; Kate Loyd; and
Garry Hesser, professor of sociology and metro-urban studies.
Fall 2004
Central America, Mexico, and southern
Africa. Also, the International Partners
program offers opportunities in
European countries where Augsburg
has formal university partnerships and
internship opportunities. Other
programs are available with approval
from OIP.
The fifth possibility for an Augsburg
Experience is through off-campus
immersion. These are typically weeklong experiences away from campus
where students are engaged in learning
that helps them understand, apply, and
appreciate their Augsburg education in a
diverse, global society.
One example of off-campus
immersion includes the visits made by
Weekend College nursing students to the
Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
There they meet with public health
nurses, shadow them in their daily work,
and learn about Lakota culture.
An English major looks at rap music
by Keme Hawkins
It was the summer before my senior year
and I knew I wanted to apply to
graduate school. It was important for me
to get some research experience and
quick. The University of Minnesota’s
McNair Summer Research Program
accepted me, and I worked with the
Institute on Domestic Violence in the
African American Community under the
mentorship of Dr. Oliver Williams from
the College of Human Ecology, School of
Social Work.
It seemed a strange home for an
English major, but my McNair adviser
assured me that it would be a valuable
experience. The Institute holds annual
conferences that focus on specific aspects
of domestic violence and this year’s
conference theme was “Domestic
Violence and the Hip-Hop Generation.”
In keeping with the theme I tailored my
research to complement the research
already in progress and formulated a
study that looked at whether or not
people are influenced by the suggested
gender identities in rap music and how
that affected their dating and marital
relationships.
The scholar’s group reported weekly
to the seminar, where we would be
debriefed on each aspect of the research
process: developing an introduction,
explaining the significance of the study,
forming a hypothesis, doing a literature
review, forming methodology, compiling
results, creating a discussion, and making
recommendations for further study. The
dispensing of our stipend was contingent
upon completing each research step by a
certain time, while also doing work to
help prepare us for graduate school, like
writing a personal statement, putting
together a curriculum vitae, and making
Fall 2004
a list of graduate schools to apply to.
My research concluded with the
Domestic Violence and the Hip-Hop
Generation conference at York College in
Queens, N.Y. Because my professor
thought so highly of my work and was
impressed with my knowledge of hiphop music and culture, I was invited to
take part in a plenary session where I
discussed the impact of sexist rap lyrics
with the rap group Holla Point and
practitioners who work to combat
domestic violence.
As an English major, entering the
world of social science was not as
unnatural or discomforting as I would
have imagined. While the social sciences
study human behavior, literature is a
study of the human condition through
non-fiction accounts and human
imagination. Having the opportunity to
do interdisciplinary work has not only
given me another perspective on how to
think more broadly within my own field,
but it has also allowed me to get better
focus on the kind of graduate program
for my interest. African-American
literature can offer me the best of those
worlds—having a definite house or genre
or body of literary work to study based in
a social science is the ideal place for me.
Keme Hawkins is a Weekend College senior
English major and a McNair Scholar.
Weekend College senior English major Keme Hawkins used her knowledge of hip-hop music
and culture in research on domestic violence that she carried out last summer with a
professor in the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Family at the
University of Minnesota.
25
Meet Joan Griffin
PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH
D I R E C T O R O F G E N E R A L E D U C AT I O N
Joan Griffin has lived and breathed the
mission and values of Augsburg College.
She is the co-author of the College’s vision
document, Augsburg 2004: Extending
the Vision, that was approved in 1999,
and has also co-authored its update and
revision, presented to the Board of Regents
for approval in January 2005. Augsburg
Now posed the following question to her:
What are the most important core
values from the College’s mission and
vision that are now imprinted in the
new Augsburg Core Curriculum?
One, of course, is vocation … the idea
that each student brings a unique set of
talents and abilities and potential. We
need to cultivate all of these abilities,
not just the academic ones, but all the
talents that students bring with them.
Certainly, also important is
citizenship, or “the city.” We tried to
expand the notion of city, so that it’s not
just an urban studies requirement, but it
really has to do with providing an
education for citizenship. The College
has always done that; it’s part of why the
College is a college rather than a
seminary—early leaders were concerned
with how to prepare
Norwegian immigrants to
become citizens.
Right away we want
students to know they they’ve
come to a terrific place and
that they can learn here, both inside and
outside the classroom. We introduce this
theme in Engaging Minneapolis and
repeat it in the Augsburg Experience,
where once again we ask them to go
beyond the classroom and actually put
into practice what they’ve learned in the
classroom.
For the first time we have overall
goals in our curriculum—we want
students to become effective, informed,
and ethical citizens. The emphasis on
ethics comes from our Lutheran heritage,
but we want it to pervade the entire
curriculum. Effective citizens need the
skills of knowing how to write, to read,
to think critically. Those skills should be
addressed intentionally throughout the
curriculum, but general education can be
particularly accountable.
We know too that effective citizens
will need to function in a diverse society.
Although we explicitly introduce the
theme of diversity through the Many
Voices Project in the first year, the new
Augsburg Core calls for an infusion
model of diversity whereby we’ll ask the
entire curriculum—especially majors—
to think about the skills and knowledge
that their students will need to be
responsible citizens of an increasingly
global society.
The Signature Curriculum does
really hit these distinctive parts of an
Augsburg education. The two Search for
Meaning courses address vocation
through the lens of our Lutheran
heritage. The city, of course, we address
within our metropolitan setting through
the Engaging Minneapolis requirement.
There is also the notion of caritas,
the demand for God’s love to be enacted
in the world. An Augsburg education is
an education for action. We see this
throughout the curriculum—in
Augsburg Seminar, in Engaging
Minneapolis, and in the Augsburg
Experience.
Contact information
Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Weekend College Admissions
612-330-1001 or 1-800-788-5678
admissions@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu/day
612-330-1101
wecinfo@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu/weekend
2 2 1 1
26
R i v e r s i d e
A v e n u e ,
M i n n e a p o l i s ,
M N
5 5 4 5 4
For information about
Augsburg’s Core Curriculum:
Barbara Edwards Farley
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs
612-330-1024
farley@augsburg.edu
w w w. a u g s b u r g . e d u
Fall 2004
AAlumni
LUMNINews
NEWS
From the Alumni Board president’s desk…
ello Augsburg
alumni! As the
first Weekend
College graduate to
serve as Alumni
Board president,
I’ve been spending
some time
considering both
the similarities and
the differences among our alumni and
their experiences.
Augsburg has done an incredible job
of creating educational programs that fit
the contrasting needs of students. In
years past, the College was smaller and
offered fewer programs. Today, our
students may choose from the weekend,
Rochester, graduate, or traditional day
programs. They may live on campus or
they may commute from home.
It’s only natural, then, that graduates
of 20 or more years ago are likely to have
very different memories from those who
graduated more recently. In turn, this
H
also means that the “Augsburg
experience” will mean different things
for our alumni—their memories are
unique and the connection each feels
toward Augsburg varies. For example,
many adult learners do not feel the same
long-term association and affection for
the College as do those students who live
on campus. However, we all share in the
traditions and events that have been
treasured to this day, like Advent Vespers
and Homecoming.
One important goal of the Alumni
Board is to help create meaningful
relationships between all Augsburg
students and alumni. We want everyone
to share a deep “Augsburg experience”
and a continuing connection with the
College—which we believe will help to
spread Augsburg’s educational and
vocational values throughout the
community. All alumni have one thing in
common: the great benefit of an
Augsburg degree, which does not
differentiate between student types.
Five alumni appointed to Alumni Board
he Augsburg Alumni Board of
Directors appointed five new
members and elected Bill Vanderwall ’93
WEC as president and Karina Karlén ’83
as president-elect. To view the complete
list of board members, visit the
Alumni/Parent Relations Web site at
<www.augsburg.edu/alumni>. The new
members are as follows:
T
Buffie Blesi ‘90, ‘97 MAL
Blesi graduated from Augsburg with a
B.A. in business administration and a
Master of Arts in Leadership. She is
senior vice president and director of
operations for TCF Investments.
Andy Fried ‘93 WEC
Fried graduated from Augsburg Weekend
College with a B.A. in management
information systems. He is operations
Fall 2004
and systems support manager for
WindLogics, Inc.
Calvin Hanson ‘98
Hanson graduated from Augsburg with a
B.A. in history. He is a senior admissions
counselor at Augsburg.
Joyce Miller ‘02 BS Nursing,
Rochester
Miller graduated with a Master of Arts in
Nursing from Augsburg’s nursing
program in Rochester, Minn. She is a
registered nurse at the Mayo Clinic and
an adjunct instructor at Augsburg.
Elizabeth “Liz” Pushing ‘93
Pushing graduated from Augsburg with a
B.A. in business administration. She is
director of financial services at
Providence Place.
Of special note in this issue of the
Augsburg Now is the article on page 28
about the newly formed Weekend
College Alumni Network (WECAN).
This group is already developing some
great strategies on how we can better
connect with current Weekend College
students in order to establish a strong
alumni relationship later. We value your
input on how to accomplish this, so
please call the director of Alumni/Parent
Relations, Amy Sutton, at 612-330-1525,
or e-mail <suttona@augsburg.edu>. You
may also e-mail me at
<bvanderwall@lssmn.org> with your
ideas. I look forward to serving as your
new Alumni Board president!
Bill Vanderwall ’93 WEC
President, Alumni Board
Alumni Board elects
first WEC alumnus
as president
ugsburg’s Alumni Board of Directors
is pleased to announce the election of
Bill Vanderwall ’93 to serve as the
2004–2005 board president. Vanderwall is
the board’s first Weekend College alumnus
to serve as its president.
“I am honored to bring in some new
ideas to further connect Augsburg to nontraditional students,” says Vanderwall.
“Personally, my degree from Augsburg has
had great impact in helping me discern my
vocational direction and in setting a course
of action on how to get there—ultimately
enabling me to work and live in a way that
is consistent with my values.”
Vanderwall was recently promoted to
vice president of family services at
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota. He
previously served as LSS’s senior director
of housing services.
A
27
Alumni News
Augsburg student and alumni win
legislative and judicial seats
by Lynn Mena
n November 2, an Augsburg graduate
student and three alumni won seats
in various legislative and judicial races,
while two alumni—Sandy (Voss)
Wollschlager ’94 and Kathryn Ness ’02
(both DFL)—were narrowly defeated by
Republican incumbents for seats in the
Minnesota House of Representatives.
O
Larry Hosch, MSW
student
Hosch (DFL) won a seat
in the MN House, District
14B. He has served as
mayor of St. Joseph for
four years, and at 27 is
the second youngest
mayor in Minnesota history. He is also coowner of Lamar Homes & Remodeling,
LLC, and is enrolled in Augsburg’s Master
of Social Work program.
LaJune Thomas Lange ‘75
The honorable LaJune Thomas Lange
retained her seat as a judge on the
Hennepin County 4th Judicial District
Court. She has held this seat since 1986,
previously serving as a
judge on the Hennepin
County Municipal Court
(1985–1986) and as an
assistant public defender
for Hennepin County
(1978–1985). She is also
an adjunct professor at William Mitchell
College of Law, where she teaches
international human rights and civil
rights. She is an Augsburg Distinguished
Alumna (2002) and a former member of
the Board of Regents.
Diane Loeffler ‘75
Loeffler (DFL) won a seat
in the MN House, District
59A. A lifelong resident of
Northeast Minneapolis,
her career has been spent
in public service. She has
worked as a budget and policy analyst on
education issues for state and local
government. She currently works for
Hennepin County in healthcare policy
analysis on issues of services to seniors
and persons with disabilities, health
promotion and protection, and how to
ensure more persons have access to
affordable and effective health coverage.
Martin Olav Sabo ‘59
Sabo (DFL) was elected to
a 14th term in the U.S.
House of Representatives,
MN District 5. He has
held this seat since 1979,
previously serving as a
representative of the MN House before his
election to Congress. In 2003, he became
the ranking member of the newly created
Homeland Security Subcommittee of the
Appropriations Committee. Sabo also
serves on the Defense Subcommittee of
the Appropriations Committee, where he
is known on Capitol Hill as one of the
leading voices on arms policy. An
Augsburg Distinguished Alumnus (1976),
he served for 12 years on the Board of
Regents, and also received the College’s
first honorary degree—the Doctor of
Humane Letters (Honoris Causa)—
in 2000.
Weekend College Alumni Network (WECAN) established
by Amy Sutton
lumni of Augsburg Weekend College
have established a group to represent
and advocate for WEC students and
graduates. Although initially launched a
few years ago, the Weekend College
Alumni Network (WECAN) has been reinvigorated in recent months.
“The Weekend College program is
such a vital part of Augsburg, and we want
to bring attention to that,” said Andy
Fried, a 1993 graduate who also serves on
the Alumni Board of Directors. “We
believe that a group of alumni who have
actually experienced the unique challenges
of WEC students can be strong advocates
for positive changes that will enhance the
Augsburg experience for current WEC
students.”
A
28
WECAN members also
hope to bring visibility to the
value that WEC alumni and
students bring to the College,
as well as to develop programs
and communications that
provide support and
encouragement to current
WEC students. “Our
opportunities to attend
Augsburg have had a
tremendous impact on our lives
and we want to give something
back,” says Fried.
If you are interested in
joining WECAN or have
suggestions for the group,
please e-mail
Members of the newly established Weekend College
Alumni Network (WECAN) gathered recently to strategize
ways to represent and advocate for WEC students and
alumni. Pictured here are (L to R, front row) Heather Birch
‘96 and Anne-Marie de Jong ‘01, and (L to R, back row)
Andy Fried ‘93, Jeff Gilbertson ‘04, Bill Vanderwall ‘93, and
Meri Pygman ‘93 (not pictured are Pete Hespen ‘92 and
Terry Marquardt ‘98).
Fall 2004
Alumni events calendar
Please join us for these upcoming alumni and parent events (see also the college-wide
calendar on the inside back cover for additional events):
January
April
11 Auggie Hour celebrating Augsburg
authors, Shelly’s Woodroast (I-394 &
Louisiana in Golden Valley), 5:30 p.m.
12 Auggie Hour on campus for
graduates of the Honors Program
(meet current students in the
program and learn about the changes
to the curriculum), 5:30 p.m.
18 Parent Association gathering,
Augsburg House, 6-8 p.m.
February
8 Auggie Hour luncheon on campus
for alumnae business owners (please
e-mail <alumni@augsburg.edu> with
your information if you are selfemployed or own a business and
wish to network with other women
business owners), noon
15 Alumni Board meeting,
Minneapolis Room, Christensen
Center, 5:30 p.m.
March
8 Auggie Hour wine tasting hosted
by Jennifer Tome ’99 of Grape
Beginnings, Beaujo’s Wine Bar, 50th
& France in Edina, 5:30 p.m.
14 Auggie Hour senior reception on
campus (all alumni are invited to join
us in welcoming the 2005 graduates
to the Alumni Association), 5:30 p.m.
May
6 Special reception for business
graduates (all Augsburg faculty,
alumni, and 2005 business graduates
are invited), Marshall Room,
Christensen Center, 4-6 p.m.
10 Auggie Hour on campus for all
current and former Alumni Board
members, 5:30 p.m.
Holidazzle Parade Event
Always wanted to see the Holidazzle
parade without the hassle? Augsburg
alumni and their families are invited to
gather at Augsburg at 5:15 p.m. on
Dec. 19. A bus will depart at 5:45 p.m. to
take you to the parade and then return
you to Augsburg where holiday goodies
and hot chocolate will be waiting to
warm you up. There is no cost but
limited transportation is available, so
please call the RSVP hotline at 612-3301598 or e-mail <rsvp@augsburg.edu>.
Business alumni events
All business alumni are invited to attend
the Second Executive Management
Lecture: “Key Success Factors in Starting a
Business,” presented by Richard
Brimacomb (partner, Sherpa Partners, and
previous vice president of finance, Cartia
Inc.) on Feb. 26, noon-1 p.m., Christensen
Center. Alumni may also attend the Spring
Business Forum: “General Systems Theory
Unites Diverse Disciplines,” on April 21,
4-6 p.m., Christensen Center. Presented by
Augsburg’s Department of Business
Administration.
The Lion King
THIRD ANNUAL
CONNECTIONS EVENT
The third annual Connections—A Women’s Leadership Event, co-sponsored by Augsburg
and Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, will be held January 29 from 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
“What makes this women’s event unique compared to others is that we invite students
to participate in this leadership development opportunity so they may network and be
encouraged by the experiences and stories of the amazing women who attend,” said
Sue Klaseus, vice president of Augsburg’s Institutional Advancement.
Presenters this year include author and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Frances
Hesselbein, and alumnae Jean Taylor ’85 and Ami Nafzger ’94. For more information and
to register online, please visit <www.augsburg.edu/alumni>.
The Augsburg Alumni Association invites
you to attend The Lion King performance
at the Orpheum Theatre on April 22. A
limited number of tickets are available to
alumni at a special discounted price of
$50, a value of over $80 that includes a
reception, roundtrip transportation to the
Orpheum from Augsburg, and a balconyseating ticket. For more information or to
secure your ticket, please visit
<www.augsburg.edu/supporting/>.
Alumni Tour to Norway
Interested in an eight-day tour to
Norway in May 2005? The Augsburg
Concert Band is touring Norway in May
and the alumni office would like to
know who would be interested in
participating on the companion tour.
Please e-mail <alumni@augsburg.edu>
for more information.
Fall 2004
29
[
Spark Your Spirit ]
Left: Students gathered
with Augsburg alumni,
faculty, and staff for the
third annual
Homecoming reception
celebrating the College’s
four ethnic programs:
the American Indian,
Pan-Asian, Pan-Afrikan,
and Hispanic/Latino
student service areas.
Right: As part of the Homecoming
festivities, students constructed
elaborate hats—such as the hat pictured
[at right]—to express their Auggie pride.
Above: The Auggie cheerleaders kept spirits
high at the Homecoming football game
despite Augsburg’s 13-point loss to Gustavus
Adolphus College.
The Auggie Eagle entertained fans at the Homecoming football game.
30
Left: Recipients of the 2004
Distinguished Alumni, First
Decade, and Spirit of Augsburg
awards were honored along
with the Golden Anniversary
Class of 1954 at the
Homecoming chapel service on
Oct. 8. Pictured [at left] are (L to
R): Dr. Brian Anderson ‘82,
Distinguished Alumni Award;
Charlotte (Kleven) Rimmereid
‘52, wife of the Rev. Arthur
Rimmereid ‘53, Spirit of
Augsburg Award; Fern (Hanson)
Gudmestad ‘41, Distinguished
Alumni Award; and Susan
(Horning) Arntz ‘94, First Decade
Award.
A future Auggie had her face painted by an artist before the football game.
Fall 2004
Above: Norman Nielsen ‘44 (left) was presented with
a commemorative archival photo of the Augsburg
campus in recognition of his pioneering efforts in
development for Augsburg during a special Class of
1944 reunion breakfast. Pictured with Nielsen is “Mr.
Augsburg” Jeroy Carlson ‘48 (right), a senior
development officer.
Above: The Auggies huddled before the game, which despite a
near-record running day by junior quarterback Marcus LeVesseur,
they lost to the Gusties, 34–21. LeVesseur rushed for 207 yards
on 32 carries, just 10 yards shy of the College’s single-game
rushing record 217 yards by Marty Alger ‘94 in a 1993 game.
Above: Members from the Class of 1994
gathered before the football game to
celebrate their 10-year reunion.
Above: Auggie wrestlers gathered for a reunion
and party in Murphy Park; they continued the
celebration at Grandma’s after the football
game.
Above: Bobby Brown (left) and Hannah
Dietrich (right) were crowned as the
2004 Homecoming King and Queen.
Above: Jack Osberg ‘62 addressed the team
during what would be his final Auggie
Homecoming halftime as Augsburg football
head coach; Osberg retired from his coaching
position at the end of the 2004 season, capping
a 14-year career that has produced the most
victories in school history. He will remain on the
Augsburg staff, assisting in the school’s Alumni
and Parent Relations and Development areas, to
develop connections with athletic alumni and
parents.
H o m e c o m i n g
Fall 2004
2 0 0 4
31
[
Spark Your Spirit ]
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY
CLASS OF 1954
(L to R) ROW 1 (front): Theodore W.
Anderson, Donald J. Dill, Marlys
(Ringdahl) Gunderson. ROW 2:
Joyce (Weber) Krueger, Ruth (Pousi)
Ollila, Donald A. Norum, Winifred
(Nystuen) Nyhus, Janice (Anderson)
Rykken, Gary R. Rust. ROW 3:
Ardelle Skovholt Quanbeck, Mary
Lee Peterson Leak, Shirlee Blake
Olmstead, Roger E. Carlson. ROW 4:
Helen Jensen Myhre, Orpha
Hushagen Iseminger, Marilyn
Soiseth Boraas, Yvonne Oudal
Rhodes, Jane Collins Cornelius,
Marlys Harkman Schmidt, Edward
O. Nyhus. ROW 5: Ardis Dorr
Nystuen, Arlene Larson Nelson,
Wallace L. Hafstad, Joyce Fossum
Pflaum, Florence Helland Borman,
Jerome S. Elness, James L. Shiell,
Wallace L. Hanson, Marlys Backlund
Morland, Russ Lance. ROW 6:
Clinton J. Peterson, Arlene
(Reinertson) Rolf, Leland E.
Evenson, Carl Jensen. ROW 7: Louis
O. Becker, Louis P. Rolf, Mark L.
Johnson, George W. Fisher, Valborg
(Kyllo) Ellingson, Barbara Tjornhom
Nelson, James A. Sorenson. ROW 8:
Robert E. Twiton, Herbert W.
Chilstrom, Virgil R. Gehring
CLASS OF 1964
(L to R) ROW 1 (front): Anita
(Martinson) Mock, Karen (Henry)
Steenson, Jean (Pfeifer) Olson, Carla
(Quanbeck) Walgren, Dorothy
(Borsgard) Berkland. ROW 2:
Deanne (Star) Greco, Verlie (Block)
Jorenby, Rondi (Rindahl) Suppiah.
ROW 3: Joyce (Leifgren) Young,
Stella (Kyllo) Rosenquist, Sandra
(Simpson) Phaup, Ann (Tjaden)
Jensen, Mary (Fenrick) Olson. ROW
4: James W. Parks, Ellen (Paulson)
Keiter, Karen L. Kohout, Arlan
Oftedahl, Raul A. Jackson. ROW 5:
Charles W. Schulz, Betty (Hanson)
Rossing, Andrew Berg, Charlotte
(Gerdeen) Oswood. ROW 6: Robert
A. Nordin, Carolyn (Aadland)
Allmon, Mary (Munson) Peterson,
Linda (Hamilton) Senta, Ted W.
Olson. ROW 7: Philip M. Dyrud,
Sharon (Lindell) Mortrud, Avis
(Hoel) Dyrud, Karl I. Bakke, Michael
W. Walgren.
32
Fall 2004
CLASS OF 1979
(L to R) Row 1 (front): Julia (Davis)
Styrlund, Gary C. Dahle, Sally
(Hough) Daniels, Sandra (Spitzack)
Elhardt, Laurie (Hoversten) Busch.
Row 2: Carol (Dubovick) Hard, Paul
A. Daniels, Holly (Groten) Krekula,
Katharine E. Skibbe, Pamela
(Hanson) Moksnes, Mark A.
Moksnes, Lynn Schmidtke, Brian J.
Carlsen. Row 3: Jay K. Phinney,
Philip Styrland, Eric Anderson.
RECIPIENTS OF THE 2004 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD: THE FAMILY OF JOHANNES AND TABITHA NYDAHL
The extended family of Johannes and Tabitha Nydahl gathered at Homecoming Dinner on October 9 to accept the Distinguished Service Award and
to celebrate their generations-long connection to Augsburg—beginning with Johannes Nydahl in the 1800s (read more on page 10).
H o m e c o m i n g
Fall 2004
2 0 0 4
33
CLASS
NOTES
Class Notes
1965
Mary Jean (Danger)
Holmquist, Braham, Minn., is a
retired music teacher, and can be
contacted at <jeanie@ecenet.com>.
Rev. Dr. Dennis Morreim is a
pastor in Cloquet, Minn., and
has worked with Alcoholics
Anonymous throughout his 35year ministry. He has served as a
consultant and speaker at
treatment centers and is the
author of three books, two of
which were translated into
Spanish. Over the past four
years, he has twice led work
groups to Santa Barbara,
Honduras, to help build homes
and schools and to bring medical
help to those in poverty. His wife,
Jeanne (Wanner) ’66, taught in
public schools for several years,
directed youth music and
education programs in church,
and currently serves on the
volunteer network for
Compassion International. The
Morreims have two grown
children, Edward ’93, an
educator with the Mahtomedi
public schools, and Sarah, a
psychotherapist with Hoistad and
Associates in St. Paul.
Duane Westfield lectured onboard the Marco Polo cruise
ship this past summer.
1956
Arlen Stensland was featured
in an article in the Minneapolis
Star Tribune, “A Keystroke of
Genius.” Arlen and his wife,
Lois, were missionaries to
Madagascar for 22 years and
now organize a program that
sends manual typewriters to
Malagasy Lutheran Church in
Madagascar.
1958
Wes Sideen, St. Paul, was
elected district 5M6 governor of
the Lions Club, and is currently
planning an April benefit
concert for the Lions Club
International Foundation on the
Augsburg campus featuring the
Centennial Singers.
1959
Rev. Eugene S. Peterson
retired from the active clergy
roster. He is doing international
interim ministry. He lives with
his wife, Paula, in Jackson,
Minn.
1960
Lois (Richter) Agrimson is
director of social services at
Rose of Sharon Manor nursing
home in Roseville, Minn. She
lives with her husband, Russell,
in Eagan, Minn.
1962
Deloris (Olson) Norling,
Willmar, Minn., is enjoying her
retirement from teaching with
her husband, Palmer, and their
18 grandchildren.
34
Minneapolis/St. Paul
International Airport.
Barb Youngquist, Willmar,
Minn., and Nancy Sandro ’74,
Hendricks, Minn., co-wrote a
book for handbell choirs entitled
Bell Prayers (Lakeside Press).
The book is a nine-month
devotional that includes
inspirational quotes and a
collection of 35 corresponding
pieces for bell choirs to play at
weekly rehearsals. The book also
includes original watercolor
prints by Barb that divide the
book into the seasons of the
church year.
1971
1966
Sandra (Welin) Grunewald,
Ventura, Calif., was named a
senior accounting lecturer at
California Lutheran University
in Thousand Oaks, Calif.,
beginning this fall semester. She
is a licensed CPA and a partner
at a Thousand Oaks-area CPA
firm and has served as an
adjunct instructor at CLU in
both the day and evening
undergraduate programs.
Carmen (Neseth) Berg, Fergus
Falls, Minn., recently retired.
1972
Sylvia (Steinbeck) Torstenson,
Hayfield, Minn., recently retired
from teaching for the Hayfield
School District. The town held a
weeklong celebration and parade
in honor of her contributions to
the school district.
Diane Thompson, Wayzata,
Minn., received her master's
degree in special education in
1994 from the University of
Minnesota. She is currently on
leave from teaching to pursue
research, and can be reached at
<djunet2000@yahoo.com>.
1967
Marlys Ruona Thomsen, Apple
Valley, Minn., co-chairs the Sons
of Norway First District 2000
Convention Committee and is
the head of the library committee
at her church. She enjoys
traveling the United States with
her husband, who is retired.
1969
Jackie (Kniefel) Lind ’94 MAL,
Lilydale, Minn., is the volunteer
coordinator for the Travelers
Assistance Program at the
1973
Lyth Hartz recently celebrated
25 years of employment at
Midwest Special Services, Inc.,
an agency that provides
employment and training to
adults with disabilities, where he
is currently president. He lives
with his wife, Mary, in St. Paul.
Rev. Gary M. Wollersheim, St.
Charles, Ill., was elected to a
second six-year term as bishop
of the Northern Illinois Synod of
the ELCA at the synod assembly
in June. During his first term as
bishop, he served in numerous
denominational capacities,
including as chair of the ELCA
Evangelical Task Force. That
effort resulted in the adoption
of an evangelism strategy for the
ELCA at the 2003 Churchwide
Assembly in Milwaukee.
1975
Olando Smith is a weekend
international flight attendant
with Northwest Airlines. She is
also a cheerleading and track
and field coach at St. Cyril
elementary and middle school in
E. Lansdowne, Pa. Her 11-yearold daughter, Narita, holds the
2004 record for the one-mile run
from the Penn Relays novice
division. Olando lives with her
daughter and husband, Dan
Sweeney, in E. Lansdowne, Pa.
ALUMNA RECEIVES
NORWEGIAN MEDAL
Courtesy photo
1955
Leona (Eng) Rokke ’52 (left)
was presented one of
Norway’s highest
distinctions, the St. Olavs
Medallion. The medal was
presented to her in July at a
banquet of the Seven Lag
Stevne in Willmar, Minn.
Norwegian Consul Anita
Helland (right), presented
the award, and commented
that Rokke’s extensive and
gracious work over the years
have helped to keep and
strengthen the strong bonds
between Norway and the
upper Midwest.
Fall 2004
1977
Staff photo
Staff photo
Laurie (Barrett) Burns,
Stillwater, Minn., is pursuing a
career in import/export
operations after 25 years as a
travel agent. She can be
contacted at
<robertr.burns@netzero.net>.
OPEN HOUSE HONORS CLASS AGENTS
Rev. Jon Schneider,
Minneapolis, is senior staff
hospice chaplain at North
Memorial Medical Hospital, and
can be reached at
<jschap123@msn.com>.
Rev. Eric
Burtness
recently
published a
book, Leading on
Purpose:
Intentionality
and Teaming in Congregational
Life, available through Augsburg
Fortress Publishers. Eric is senior
pastor at St. Matthew Lutheran
Church in Beaverton, Ore.
1980
Dawn (Zocher) Nelson,
Minneapolis, is a radiology
supervisor at Abbott
Northwestern Hospital and is
enrolled in Augsburg’s Master of
Arts in Leadership program. She
can be reached at <autumnmoon
morn@mcleodusa.net>.
1982
Katie (Erdahl) Gussman
earned tenure as the orchestra
director for Marlboro and
Marlboro Memorial middle
schools. She is also a freelance
violinist, has been a member of
Monmouth Symphony Orchestra
for 20 years and the Orchestra of
St. Peter by the Sea for 17 years
(she has made six recordings
with the latter). Katie’s husband,
Roy, is the music director and
conductor for both the
Monmouth Symphony and the
New Jersey State Youth
Symphony. The couple traveled
to Eastern Europe with AllAmerican Youth in Concert and
Fall 2004
President William V. and Mrs. Anne Frame hosted an open house at the Augsburg House on October 26
in appreciation of Augsburg’s class agents. Pictured above (left) are 1974 class agents Marlene Chan Hui
(left) and Laurie Thorpe (right). Also pictured above (right) is President Frame (left), who visited with
class agent Sam Walseth ’02 (center) and his wife, Stephanie Lien ’02 (right).
performed in Budapest, Prague,
and Berlin this past summer. The
couple resides in Neptune, N.J,
with their three cats: Claude,
Lucy, and Beans.
1983
Sharon (Copeland) Booth,
Blaine, Minn., is a music
therapist at Hospice of the Twin
Cities.
1984
Lisa Rykken Kastler is middle
school ministry director at Faith
Lutheran Church. She lives with
her husband, Brent, in
Champlin, Minn. She can be
contacted at <middleschool@
faithlutherancr.org>.
1985
Barbara (Haack) Ross teaches
Suzuki violin from her home
studio and is the K-3 choir
director at St. John’s Lutheran
Church. She and her husband,
Tim, live in Lakeville, Minn.,
with their three children: Jordyn,
13; T.J., 11; and Jamie, 8.
1986
Scott Finsrud, Clifton Park,
N.Y., received a master's degree
in history/political science from
the College of St. Rose in Albany,
N.Y., in June.
1987
Joel Engel, Chaska, Minn., is
corporate sales manager for the
Minnesota Timberwolves and
Lynx basketball teams.
Patrick Hilger is a commercial
support manager at Tetra Rex,
Inc. He lives with his wife, Suzi,
in Circle Pines, Minn.
1988
Jeff Carlson, Linwood, Minn.,
teaches music at Highland High
School in St. Paul.
1989
Jean Hunter, Minneapolis,
teaches second grade for
Minneapolis Public Schools.
1990
Jenny Peterson, Mound,
Minn., is featured in the Courage
Center’s 2004 holiday card and
gift catalog. After a skiing
accident in 1983, Jenny became
a quadriplegic, and she credits
the Courage Center with helping
her to learn skills that enabled
her to succeed in her new life.
She now owns her own jewelry
design business and some of her
jewelry is sold through the
catalog. She is also a
motivational speaker and
consultant and serves as
executive director of Helping
Paws of Minnesota.
1991
Kristen Hirsch, St. Paul, is a
senior field communications
specialist at Thrivent Financial
for Lutherans in downtown
Minneapolis. She also recently
joined the Morris Park Players
Board of Directors and serves on
the Augsburg Alumni Board of
Directors as the Events
Committee chairperson and is
the class agent for 1991. She can
be contacted at
<kmhirsch@aol.com>.
Tommi-Riva
Numbala is the
personal
assistant to the
CEO and acting
company
secretary of
NamWater (Namibia Water
Corporation Ltd). Tommi, an
internationally acclaimed
35
Class Notes
1992
Rev. Sven
Erlandson
recently
celebrated the
publication of
his second book,
Rescuing God
from Christianity: A Closet
Christian, Non-Christian, and
Christmas Christian’s Guide to
Radically Rethinking God Stuff
(heliographica). Sven has spent
the last several years in
California as a preacher and
writer dedicated to meeting the
spiritual needs of people who
find themselves outside of
organized religion.
Walt Filson retired from police
work in 2002 and is now a
teacher in the Anoka-Hennepin
ISD #11, teaching the only high
school law enforcement program
in the state. He lives with his
wife, Anna, in Brooklyn Center,
Minn.
Robert
Manning,
Apple Valley,
Minn.,
completed his
third tour of
duty in support
of Iraqi Freedom, earning three
air medals and four aerial
achievement medals with more
than 300 combat hours. He was
promoted to the rank of major
(O-4) after completing inresidence squadron office school
at Maxwell Air Force Base.
36
Stacie (Edlund) Reynolds is
pursing a Master of Social Work
at the University of Minnesota.
She lives with her husband,
John, in Buffalo, Minn.
A-CLUB 5K RACE
Stephen Geffre
Lynelle Osgood is co-owner
and treasurer of Terra
Productions, Inc., an artist
agency representing artists for
commercial advertising, such as
makeup artists, stylists, etc. She
lives with her husband,
Lawrence, and children in
Minneapolis, and can be reached
at <lyn@terraproductions.net>.
1993
1994
Amy Gehring, West St. Paul, is
a professor at Anoka Ramsey
Community College and recently
moved back to Minnesota after
attending graduate school in
New York.
Bruce Nelson, Roseville, Minn.,
is a solutions lead at Affinity Plus
Credit Union. He is building a
home in Farmington, Minn.,
with his wife, Cristine, and their
son, Daniel, 2.
1996
Michael P.
Schmidt,
Minneapolis,
recently signed
with G.S.
Associates Artists
Management and
will debut at Carnegie Hall and
Berlin Stadtsoper in 2005. Most
recently, he was featured as Don
Alfonso with Lyric Opera of
Cleveland, Danilo with Western
Plains Opera, Marcello with
Kenwood Chamber Opera, and as
Dr. Falke with Pine Mountain
Festival. Some of Michael’s other
roles include: Figaro (Le Nozze di
Figaro), Dr. Bartolo (Il Barbiere di
Siviglia), and Horace Tabor (The
Ballad of Baby Doe). Also an
active concert artist, Michael has
performed as soloist in such
works as Mozart’s Coronation
Mass, Haydn’s Creation and the
Durufle Requiem. Upcoming
performances include a solo
recital featuring works of German
composers, Leporello in Don
Giovanni, and concert
appearances in the upper
Midwest. He is an adjunct faculty
member at Macalester College
and is set to complete his D.M.A.
at the University of Minnesota in
2005.
More than 100 runners took part in the inaugural A-Club 5K run
on Sept. 19. The fundraising run, organized by A-Club Executive
Committee member Tracy Tomforde ’92, took participants around
the Augsburg campus and along the Mississippi River Road on a
scenic fall afternoon. Winners from the event: Tim Nelson,
first male finisher; Eileen Uzarek, first female finisher; Scott
Peplinski, first male alum finisher; Laura Simones, first female
alum finisher; and Doug Pfaff, JC Award winner (for finishing
closest to 25:00, in honor of the late James Carey).
ALUMNUS RECEIVES DOCTORATE
Courtesy photo
musician, was recently featured
in the company’s newsletter in a
story detailing his musical career.
He can be reached at
<NumbalaT@namwater.com.na>.
Lars Dyrud ’97 (right) received his doctorate in space physics at
Boston University in May and has stayed to pursue a postdoctorate. Mocha Holmgren Dyrud ‘97 (left) is completing her
doctorate in clinical psychology at Suffolk University. The couple
has a son, Finn, born in September.
Fall 2004
1997
Jacki Brickman, Coon Rapids,
Minn., recently directed a
performance of Romeo and Juliet
for fourth graders at Elizabeth
Hall Community School in North
Minneapolis. Jacki teaches fourth
grade at the school and also
teaches education courses as an
adjunct faculty member at
Augsburg Weekend College.
Sarah (Gilbert) Holtan teaches
at Concordia University in
Wisconsin and recently entered
the doctoral program in
journalism education at
Marquette University. She was
married in June and resides with
her husband in Milwaukee, Wis.
Lena Stackhouse-Rogers was
named one of three recipients of
the charter school teacher of the
year award in Minnesota by the
Minnesota Association of Charter
Schools. Lena is a kindergarten
teacher at the Partnership
Academy charter school in
Richfield, Minn.
1998
student at the University of
North Carolina, Chapel Hill,
pursuing a Master of City and
Regional Planning.
Gretchen Meents ’02 MSW,
So. St. Paul, recently raised more
than $6,000 for the Leukemia
Lymphoma Society’s Team in
Training when she ran the
Honolulu Marathon in honor of
her brother who is battling
leukemia. She is a senior social
worker for Hennepin County.
Benjamin Hoogland, Stillwater,
Minn., is pursuing a master’s
degree at the University of
Wisconsin-Stout in marriage and
family therapy. He works for
Faith Inkubators as their Faith
Stepping Stones director and can
be contacted at
<hoogland98@hotmail.com>.
Paul Pierson, Alma Center,
Wis., is associate registrar at
Walden University in Minneapolis.
2001
1999
Deb Cortes received a TOP
Award for outstanding teaching
in the Anoka-Hennepin School
District for 2004.
2000
Rebecca Lynn Brown,
Carrboro, N.C., is a graduate
Kari Burke-Romarheim
recently started the M.Div.
program at Luther Seminary. She
spent three years in Bergen,
Norway, working in youth and
family ministry. She lives with
her husband, Vidar, in
Menomonie, Wis.
2002
Adrienne (Kuchler) Eldridge,
Staff photo
ALUMNI TOUR TO EUROPE
Minneapolis, works for Vibe Urban
Youth Ministries in St. Paul.
Jackie Heyda, Savage, Minn., is a
first-grade teacher at New Prague
Primary School.
Darryl Sellers completed his
master’s degree in broadcast
journalism at the American School
of Journalism in Los Angeles. He
recently accepted a position as
weekend sports anchor at the
ABC-affiliate in Austin, Minn.
Emily Shelton, Minneapolis,
teaches at Cedar-Riverside School
in Minneapolis.
Brooke Stoeckel, Minneapolis, is
sales manager of meetings and
conventions at the Minneapolis
Metro North Conventions and
Visitors Bureau.
2003
Melissa Bawek, Minneapolis, is
assistant director of The Augsburg
Fund at Augsburg. She can be
contacted at <bawek@augsburg.
edu>.
Staci Owens, Minneapolis,
works for Hennepin County and
is pursuing a master’s degree in
elementary education. She can be
reached at <staciowens3411@
msn.com>.
Liz Sterbentz, Lindstrom, Minn.,
owns Break on 8 Coffee Shop,
where she serves Peace Coffee and
Fair Trade fruits to help
cooperative farms-both are
product lines she became
interested in after participating in
Augsburg’s Center for Global
Education’s WEC class on
liberation theology in Cuernavaca,
Mexico.
2004
In October, participants from the Augsburg Alumni Association-sponsored tour to Germany and Eastern
Europe gathered in Wittenberg, Germany, for a photograph. The tour, which ran from October 15-27,
visited Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, and featured the places of Martin Luther’s
life and ministry as well as a special worship service at the American Church of Berlin, where Augsburg
alumnus Rev. Ben Coltvet ’66 is currently pastor. Augsburg professor Dr. Mark Tranvik and his wife, Ann,
hosted the tour. Pictured are (Front row, L to R): Darryl Carter ’65, Ann Tranvik, Cecilie Teerink, David
Berg ’66; (Row 2, L to R): Pris Fieldhammer ’65, Sue Kneen ’05, Vi Aaseng, Lynn Stertz, Sally Tonsager,
Elaine Harder; (Back row, L to R): Ruel Carpenter, Darrell Strand, Larry Turner ’69, Chris Kneen, Karen
Bolstad, Sue Turner, Clarice Johnson, Marek Tysek, Peter Ern, Sue Klaseus, Mark Tranvik, Paul
Fieldhammer ’65, Tom Stertz, Rolf Aaseng.
Fall 2004
Kristi Hartway works at Abbott
Northwestern and is also an
adjunct faculty member in the
nursing program at Minnesota
State University-Mankato for the
2004-05 school year. She lives
with her husband, Mark, in
Wekston, Minn. She can be
contacted at <Kristi.Hartway@
allina.com>.
37
Class Notes
ALUMNI PROFILE
Carrie McCarville ’01: Building on a foundation of success
Stephen Geffre
by Rebecca Welle ‘05
Carrie McCarville’s decision to attend Augsburg
was due in large part to the strength of its
women’s hockey program and to its head coach,
Jill Pohtilla. Indeed, Augsburg was a natural fit
for McCarville, who as a high school student at
Benilde-St. Margaret’s played on its girls’ hockey
team—one of the first in Minnesota. At
Augsburg, she played center position on the
women’s hockey team, participating on the team
that took runner-up honors in the first-ever
NCAA Women’s Division III National
Championship series in 2000.
“Although we didn’t win, it was a blast going to
Boston and representing Augsburg,” said
McCarville.
After graduating in 2001 with a bachelor’s
degree in both studio art and art history,
McCarville began searching for her next
challenge, which presented itself a short time
later when she and her parents opened a liquor
store in September 2002.
Carrie McCarville ’01 gives strong credit to Augsburg for instilling the self-discipline
needed to successfully manage her business, coach and play hockey, and volunteer in
her community.
“We opened it because the store a block away
was torn down due to road construction and was never replaced,” said McCarville.
After a space in a nearby strip mall opened up they purchased it and immediately began the two-month remodeling process on what was
previously an audio-visual store. McCarville stated that she received a great deal of help putting the store together from fellow Augsburg
friends.
“We also managed to contact all the right people, and before we knew it there were reps from all the liquor and wine distributors setting up
our store,” said McCarville, who found it enjoyable to watch how the store came together from start to finish.
Although the first two years of operation were difficult due to nearby road construction, McCarville stuck with her business and today is
pleased with how well her store is doing. “Now we are enjoying seeing how everything we do affects our business,” said McCarville.
Aside from running her business, McCarville is also very active with the Hopkins Raspberry Festival during the summer months. She donates
her time by outfitting the royalty, “making sure they look their best wherever they go,” and volunteers as a chaperone to the young women
throughout the year. McCarville herself was the 1997-1998 Hopkins Raspberry Festival Princess and enjoyed her experiences throughout her
reign.
“It was a great learning experience and I will forever be grateful to the Raspberry Festival for giving me that [opportunity],” said McCarville,
which explains why the backroom of her store serves as headquarters for the festival. “I made sure everyone got what they needed,” said
McCarville, all in the comfort of her own business.
McCarville is also still involved in hockey. She has coached the Hopkins JV girls’ hockey team for the last three seasons and will coach the
Wayzata girls’ hockey team this season. She is also a member of the Owl’s team, which is a women’s A-Club team comprised of Augsburg
alumni. McCarville plays one to two times a week, mainly at Augsburg, and can be found playing any position—except goalie.
As a student at Augsburg, McCarville learned skills that enabled her to juggle her studies as a double major with both her hockey and work
schedules. Today, she gives strong credit to the College for instilling the self-discipline needed to successfully manage her business, coach
and play hockey, and stay organized with the Hopkins Raspberry Festival—all while remaining appreciative for everything that she has
accomplished.
38
Fall 2004
AUGSBURG CENTENNIAL SINGERS 2005 ARIZONA APPEARANCES
JANUARY 27—Centennial
Singers concert, Desert Hills
Lutheran Church, Green Valley,
Ariz., 7:30 p.m.*
FEBRUARY 2—Centennial
Singers concert, Lord of Life
Lutheran Church, Sun City West,
Ariz., 5 p.m.*
JANUARY 28—Centennial
Singers concert, United
Methodist Church, Catalina,
Ariz., 7 p.m.*
FEBRUARY 3—Centennial
Singers concert, Prince of Peace
Lutheran Church, Phoenix, Ariz.,
7 p.m.*
JANUARY 29—Centennial
Singers worship service,
American Lutheran Church, Sun
City, Ariz., 4 p.m.*
FEBRUARY 4—Centennial
Singers worship service, Victory
Lutheran Church, Mesa, Ariz.,
4 p.m.*
JANUARY 30—Centennial
Singers worship services,
American Lutheran Church, Sun
City, Ariz., 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.*
FEBRUARY 5—Centennial
Singers worship services,
Pinnacle Presbyterian Church,
Scottsdale, Ariz., 9:30 and
11 a.m.*
*Coffee receptions sponsored by Augsburg will be held prior
to these concerts or between services
Courtesy photo
AUGSBURG GIVING
Pamela Moksnes ’78 (left) and Joy Peterson (right) of Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans presented a check to Sue Klaseus, vice
president for Institutional Advancement (center), in support of
Connections, the women’s leadership event co-sponsored by
Augsburg and Thrivent.
Rachel Kreger, Richfield,
Minn., teachers seventh- and
eighth-grade English at
Minnesota International Middle
School, a charter school for
Somali immigrants.
Weddings
Carl Priest ’78 married Kathryn
Kraker in June. Carl is a
certified project management
professional and in January
celebrated his 25th anniversary
with IBM, where he has been a
project manager for the past 10
years. He also plays string bass
with a variety of groups in the
Twin Cities area. The couple
resides in Minneapolis.
Fall 2004
Melanie Main ’95 married
Calvin Johnson in April. She is
an office manager for Sonstegard
Foods. The couple resides in
Fayetteville, Ark., and can be
contacted at <melanie@
sonstegard.com>.
Amorita Larson ’96 married
Jeff Linner in October 2003. She
is a docket clerk for the U.S.
District Court-District of
Minnesota. The couple resides
in Lino Lakes, Minn., with their
daughter, Alexis, 5. Amy can be
contacted at <amorita_larson@
yahoo.com>.
Alisa C. Berg ’01 married
Jeremy Anderson in December
2003. Alisa is a music therapist
for the Robbinsdale School
District and Jeremy teaches in
Intermediate District 287.
Erica Bryan ’01 married Jason
Wegner ’01 in May 2003. Erica
is the volunteer coordinator for
Kinship of Greater Minneapolis
and can be contacted at
<ericajayne@hotmail.com>.
Jason is enrolled at Luther
Seminary.
Births/Adoptions
Kiel
Christianson
’88 and his
wife, Jennifer,
Champaign,
Ill.—a son, Erik
Douglas, in
October 2003. He joins older
sister Sophia. Kiel is an assistant
professor in the Department of
Educational Psychology at the
University of Illinois; he
previously served on the
psychology faculty at the
University of MassachusettsAmherst. Kiel is also a senior
writer and equipment editor for
<TravelGolf.com>.
Mark Keating
’91 and his
wife, Amy,
Edina, Minn.—
a son, Carson
Mark, in
February. He
joins older brother Owen. Mark
works for BladeLogic.
Melissa
Kaltenbach
’92 and her
husband, John,
Madison,
Wis.—a
daughter,
Vivianne Helene, in May.
Laura (Ferry) ’92 and the Rev.
Matthew Lee, Prentice, Wis.—
a daughter, Elizabeth Hannah,
in December 2003. She joins
older sister Catherine, 2 (3 in
January). Laura can be reached
at <blndcaml@pctcnet.net>.
Kirk Litynski
’95 and his
wife, Kara,
Savage, Minn.—
a son, Kahler
Michael
Edward, in
October 2003. Kurt works for
Motorola in the commercial
government communications
sector for radio communications
and covers Iowa and the
southern half of Minnesota.
Rodney
Dewberry,
Minneapolis—
adopted two
sons in
November
2003. Rodney is
president of the Circle of Men
Institute and is pursuing a
teaching career at the School of
Social Work at the University of
Minnesota. He can be contacted
at <dewbery47@msn.com>.
Jennifer (Runke) ’01 and
Ryan Cobian ’01, Blaine,
Minn.—a son, Caleb Ryan, in
March. Jennifer is a kindergarten
teacher for ISD #282.
Cole Trimble
’01 and his
wife, Gina,
Independence,
Iowa—
a daughter,
Alison Sue, in
September 2003. Cole is a
school social worker for the
Keystone Area Education
Agency and can be reached at
<trimble@indytel.com>.
Lori Strand
Fenske ’02,
Ham Lake,
Minn.—
a daughter,
Allison Marie,
in August 2003.
She joins sisters Haley, 6, and
Nicole, 3. Also welcoming
Allison are proud grandparents
Delmour ’53 and Luella Fenske.
Kelly (Saur) ’92 and Dustin
Sims, Minneapolis—a daughter.
Kelly works at United Defense.
39
In Memoriam
Rev. Martin D. Larsen ’45,
Fargo, N.Dak., died in June; he
was 81. After his ordination in
1951, he served parishes in
North Dakota, South Dakota,
Minnesota, Idaho, Washington,
and Oregon. He recently served
as visitation pastor at First
Lutheran in Fargo from 19881996. He is survived by his wife,
Marguerite (Greguson) ’45; six
children; and eight
grandchildren.
Rev. Olin “Ole” Nordsletten
’49 died in February after a long
illness. He was pastor of Prince
of Peace Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Kenmore, Wash., for
32 years. He retired in 1987.
Before serving Prince of Peace,
he was pastor of Trinity Lutheran
Church in Fort Atkinson, Wis.
He is remembered for his
determination and sometimes
unorthodox approach in serving
others. A sign outside his church
read: “Pray, but swing the
hammer.” He was known to live
that motto throughout his life—
for him prayer was important
and action was critical in making
a difference in other’s lives. In
40
addition to serving at Prince of
Peace, he helped county officials
establish the Paramount House
low-income apartments for the
elderly and disabled. He also
wrote and produced Christmas
plays, performed by young
people both at the church and on
local television. He is survived
by his wife, Arlett; four
daughters; six grandchildren;
and two great-grandchildren.
Harold Schwartz ’49,
Minneapolis, died in October; he
was 81. He served in the Army
Air Force during WWII from
1942-1945, and again during the
Korean War from 1950-1951. He
later worked for the U.S. Postal
Service, retiring in 1982 after 26
years of service. Throughout his
later years his faith in Christ and
his Jewish roots became
increasingly important to him.
He was a member of Ebenezer
Lutheran Brethren Church and
an enthusiastic supporter of
Lutheran Brethren World
Missions and Jewish Christian
organizations. He will be
remembered for his special
ministry of encouragement to
others. During his life he sent
out thousands of cards and
letters letting people know that
he was praying for them and that
he appreciated them and their
work. He is survived by his wife,
Carol; a daughter, Linda (Dean
Bengtson); and two grandsons,
Joshua and Christopher.
Rev. Erling Carlsen ’50, Eau
Claire, Wis., died in August from
acute leukemia; he was 77. He
served in the U.S. Navy,
stationed at the Great Lakes
Naval Base from 1945-1946. He
served parishes in North Dakota,
Wisconsin, and Illinois. He is
survived by his wife, Beverly;
five sons; and nine
grandchildren.
Veola Y. (Soberg) Ellingboe
’50, Lakeville, Minn., died in
June; she was 74. She served as a
member of the Augsburg
Associates. She is survived by
her sons, Rev. Craig (Mary),
Randy (Lynn), and Bradley
(Karen); nine grandchildren; and
one great-grandson.
Rev. John Miskowiec Jr. ’58,
Mounds View, Minn., died in
June at Mercy Medical Center
during a surgical procedure; he
was 68. He served Lutheran
congregations in Kansas and
Minnesota for over 36 years,
including 29 years at Abiding
Savior Lutheran Church in
Mounds View; he retired in
1998. He is survived by his wife
of 42 years, Linnea; two sons,
John III and Allen (Lisa); and
four grandchildren.
Rev. Lewis John Sundquist II
’62, Sturgeon Lake, Minn., died
in September; he was 72. After
serving in the U.S. Navy, he
became a radio broadcaster in
Minnesota, Texas, Michigan, and
Ohio. In 1965, he became an
ordained ELCA minister and
served parishes until his
retirement in 1993. Recently, he
had become pastor emeritus of
North Emanuel Lutheran Church
in St. Paul, his childhood
church. He is survived by his
sons, Lewis John III ’88
(Gretchen) and Martin Laurence
’93 (Melinda).
Iris Burlock ’94 MSW,
Farmington, Minn., died in
September; she was 51. Iris made
a difference in the lives of many
children while working as a
social worker for Hennepin
County Children and Family
Services. She is remembered for
her spunk, warmth, and
compassion, and was loved by
many friends, co-workers, and
clients. She is preceded in death
by her parents Amelia and
Phillip Burlock; she is survived
by her sister, Ellyn (Lou)
Romano; a niece, Nicole; lifelong
friends Barbara Higens and Bill
W.; family members Vickie Berg
and her sons Joe (Mandy) and
Derrick; and a granddaughter,
Emma.
Dr. Paul LeRoy Holmer, St.
Anthony Village, Minn., died in
June; he was 87. He was the
Noah Porter Professor of
Philosophical Theology at Yale
Divinity School. He also taught
at Augsburg, Gustavus Adolphus
College, and for 14 years at the
University of Minnesota. He is
survived by his wife of 60 years,
Phyllis; a daughter, Leanna
Wren; two sons, Jonathan
(Cathy) and Paul (Suzanne); and
a granddaughter, Nayla.
AUGSBURG MILESTONES
Archive photo
Rev. Lynn Hanson Luthard
’36, Paynesville, Minn., died in
September; he was 90. After
graduating from Augsburg
Seminary in 1939 (also the alma
mater of his father, the Rev.
Louis T. Hanson ’11), he legally
changed his name from Luthard
E. Hanson, and was later
ordained as a pastor in Fortuna,
N.Dak. Prior to his retirement in
1979, he served parishes for over
65 years, including those in
Wisconsin, Minnesota, North
Dakota, and Iowa. He served as
an interim and supply pastor for
nine years after his retirement.
He was preceded by his wife of
62 years, Thelma, who died just
four months before Lynn, and by
his daughter, Grace Moore
Meske, who died at age 48. He is
survived by two daughters, Lois
(Charles) Anderson ’65 and
Twila (John) Edmunds ’71; six
grandchildren; and one greatgrandson.
November 8 marked the 70th anniversary of the first annual
Augsburg Alumni Association banquet.
Fall 2004
CCalendar
ALENDAR
Music
For more information on any of these
events (unless otherwise noted), call
612-330-1265
December 22-25
Special Advent Vespers Telecast
Special one-hour broadcast of the 25th
anniversary Advent Vespers celebration
on Twin Cities Public Television
Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. (TPT2); Dec. 23 at 2
a.m. (TPT2); Dec. 25 at 10 a.m. (TPT2)
and 7 p.m. (TPT17)
Gage Family Art Gallery, Lindell Library
Opening reception: Jan. 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Gallery talk: Jan. 27, noon
February 11
“Wearable Resistance,” by Mary
Laurel True
Christensen Center Gallery
Opening reception: Jan. 21, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Mary Robinson, former United Nations
high commissioner for human rights
10 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
For information, call 612-330-1006
February 25-April 3
February 11-12
“Meditating on Seasons and Light,”
paintings by Joonja Lee Mornes
17th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum
Gage Family Art Gallery, Lindell Library
Opening reception: Feb. 25, 5-7 p.m.
January 12-17
Sculpture by Karen Searle
Gospel Praise Tour
Christensen Center Gallery
Opening reception: Feb. 25, 5-7 p.m.
Performances in southeastern Minnesota
and northern Iowa
February 4
2005 Music Listening Contest
Annual music listening contest featuring
teams of 100 Minnesota-area high school
students
1-5 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
For information, call 612-330-1180
February 15
Michael Jacobs Concert
Native American recording artist
7 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
For information, call 612-330-1144
Theatre
Feb. 4-13
Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Martha Johnson
Feb. 4, 5, 9, 10, and 12 at 7 p.m. and
Feb. 6 and 13 at 2 p.m.
Tjornhom-Nelson Theater, Foss Center
For tickets, call 612-330-1257
Exhibits
January 14-February 18
“Voice To Vision: Holocaust Survivors
Share Their Experiences Through Art”
A collaborative project directed by David
Feinberg
Seminars,
Lectures, and
Films
January 17
Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation:
“Building Peace in our Community”
Victoria Jackson Gray Adams: spiritual,
social, political, and civil rights activist
1 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
For information, call 612-330-1006
Nobel Peace Prize Forum Convocation:
“Finding Security in an Unsecure World”
This year Augsburg hosts the annual
two-day forum, which will honor 2003
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Shirin Ebadi
For information, call 612-330-1383
February 16
“Outsiders Within”
Jane Jeong Trenka ’95, awardwinning author
10:20 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
For information, call 612-330-1006
Other Events
January 24
Fine Arts Night
January 29
High school students are invited to visit
campus and meet the admissions and fine
arts departments
5-8:30 p.m.—Christensen Center and
Foss Center
For information, call 612-330-1585
Connections: A Women’s
Leadership Event
February 5
8 a.m.-1 p.m.—Thrivent Financial
Corporate Offices, Minneapolis
For information:
www.augsburg.edu/alumni/connections
February 10
10th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Festival
This one-day festival is designed to
connect students in grades K-12 with
Nobel laureates; this year’s festival
honors 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Shirin Ebadi
For information, call 612-330-1383
Pan-Afrikan Student Union Fashion
Show
7 p.m.—East Commons, Christensen
Center
For information, call 612-330-1022
February 17
Graduate Programs Discovery Evening
Prospective graduate students are invited
to enjoy a meal, sample a course, and meet
with graduate program faculty and staff
5:30-8:30 p.m.—Christensen Center
For information, call 612-330-1150
See the alumni calendar on p. 29 for additional events
Send us your news
and photos!
Please tell us about the news in
your life, your new job, move,
marriage, and births. Don’t forget
to send photos!
For news of a death, printed
notice is required, e.g. an
obituary, funeral notice, or
program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or
change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes,
Augsburg College, CB 146,
2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
MN, 55454, or e-mail to
<alumni@augsburg.edu>.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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If yes, class year_______________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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6121_Augsburg_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
9/12/06
12:25 PM
Page 1
Augsburg
Now
FRESH FOOD FOR CITY FOLKS
A BETTER POLICE LINEUP
HANDS-ON HEALING
A PUBLICATION FOR
AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
FALL 2006
VOL. 69, NO. 1
Welcome to
the Pribbenows
page 12
P. 30
P. 18
P. 24
6121_Augs...
Show more
6121_Augsburg_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
9/12/06
12:25 PM
Page 1
Augsburg
Now
FRESH FOOD FOR CITY FOLKS
A BETTER POLICE LINEUP
HANDS-ON HEALING
A PUBLICATION FOR
AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
FALL 2006
VOL. 69, NO. 1
Welcome to
the Pribbenows
page 12
P. 30
P. 18
P. 24
6121_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
9/14/06
10:55 AM
Page 2
Editor
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
Staff Writer
Bethany Bierman
bierman@augsburg.edu
Letter
from the President
W
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
hat we have loved,
others will love, and we will
teach them how.”
William Wordsworth’s remarkable words from “The Prelude” offer me
the simplest way to introduce myself to the Augsburg community. I am
an educator and college president because I have been blessed in my
life with passionate teachers who have taught me to love great ideas,
imaginative skills, faithful acts, and vibrant communities. I teach and
lead so that others also might love what I have learned to love.
A wise alumna of Rockford College—from which I have arrived to
take up my new post here at Augsburg—asked me during the interview process there in 2001 what I was reading and why. What a great
question and what an intriguing way to know someone.
Allow me therefore to offer a few texts that are always near at hand
for me, and that offer you a glimpse into the issues and ideas that
inspire my work.
The Bible is the source of my worldview. It teaches me of faithful
and abundant lives, of generous love surpassing all understanding,
and of a gracious story that still unfolds around all of us in our lives
in this world and beyond.
The Constitution of the United States sits on my desk as a reminder
of the truths and aspirations of our democracy. In those truths is the
stuff of patriotism, properly understood.
Michael Ignatieff’s The Needs of Strangers is an elegant essay that
draws together some of the best of human thought to help all of us
better understand what it means to care for each other.
Jane Addams’ Twenty Years at Hull-House is the story of a life led
in a neighborhood, serving others and strengthening democracy.
Parker Palmer’s Let Your Life Speak is my roadmap to vocational
journeys.
And Wendell Berry’s What Are People For? challenges us to remember the proper scale of human work and life—and to fight for sustainability in the world bent on destroying itself.
Shall we read together? Shall we find the time to talk together
about great ideas and actions? Shall we work together to make the
world a more faithful, just, and humane place for all God’s people?
I believe that is what Augsburg stands for and I could not be more
pleased—or have a deeper sense of gratitude—for the privilege to
lead this remarkable college.
I look forward to our work together on behalf of Augsburg College.
Yours,
Paul C. Pribbenow, president
Media Relations Manager
Judy Petree
petree@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing and
Communications
Christopher Moquist
moquist@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni Relations
Heidi Breen
breen@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
On the cover:
On July 1, the Augsburg community welcomed Augsburg’s
11th first family—Paul and
Abigail Pribbenow, and their
children, Thomas and Maya.
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, Minn., 55454.
Opinions expressed in Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
official College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services
Augsburg College, CB 142
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
6121_Augsburg_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
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Page 3
18
Fall 2006
Contents
Features
Departments
12 Experience grounded in
2
Around the Quad
mission and vision: Paul
4 Sports
Pribbenow’s call to Augsburg
10 Supporting Augsburg—
by Bethany Bierman
Access to Excellence:
The Campaign for
18 Country Fresh Urban
Augsburg College
Renewal by Tim Dougherty
32 Alumni News
22 Making art and history in
France by Tara Sweeney
34 Class Notes
24 Making their mark in the
40 Views
lineup by Betsey Norgard
and
Calendar
28 Photographer’s pick—
some of the year’s favorites
by Stephen Geffre
22
30 A hands-on approach to
better health by Betsey Norgard
28
6121_Augsburg_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
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Page 4
AROUND THE QUAD
NEWSNOTES
Also elected as board officers
are: Dean Kopperud, vice chair;
Dan Anderson ’65, treasurer; and
Jackie Cherryhomes ’76, secretary.
In addition, Pribbenow has
announced the formation of a
Branding Committee, which will
work with materials as they are
developed to strengthen the
College’s position and image.
Promotion to professor
Andrew Aoki,
political
science
Vicki Olson,
education
The president’s
leadership teams
Congratulations, faculty!
Ted Grindal is elected
board chair
At its spring meeting on May 5,
the Augsburg Board of Regents
elected H. Theodore Grindal ’76
the new chair for a six-year term.
“My goal is to help the board
keep true to our vision and mission,” said Grindal, which
includes supporting the president and serving as ambassadors
to the community on behalf of
Augsburg. “If we do these things,
the College will continue to
move forward positively.”
President Paul Pribbenow has
formed two teams to help him
lead the College:
The President’s Cabinet will
be the primary administrative
decision-making body for the
College and includes the two special assistants, five vice presidents,
and chief information officer. (see
photo on p. 14)
The President’s Advisory
Group comprises a representative
group of Augsburg College faculty, staff, and students whose primary role is to convene regularly
on a one-year appointment to
advise the president on key institutional issues, to receive reports
on institution-wide projects and
initiatives, and to engage in an
ongoing conversation about
future opportunities and challenges related to institutional
planning and activity.
Editor’s note
After its first six years, Augsburg Now has received a makeover—
not extreme, but aiming to read more easily, look fresher, and
appear more contemporary with Augsburg’s other communications.
We’ve listened to your comments and hope that you enjoy the
new format for Around the Quad campus news and the Alumni
News/Class Notes. Our features aim to engage you in their remarkable stories and vibrant photography.
Please … write to us with your thoughts. Does Augsburg Now
read well? What changes or improvement should we still consider?
We’d love to hear from you.
2 AUGSBURG NOW
Tenure granted
Matthew
Haines,
mathematics
Augsburg advances in
college ranking
Mark Strefeler,
biology
Tenure granted and promotion
to associate professor
Beth
Alexander,
physician
assistant
studies
Eric
Buffalohead,
sociology and
American
Indian studies
Lars
Christiansen,
sociology
Nancy
Rodenborg,
social work
In U.S.News & World Report’s
2007 listings of America’s Best
Colleges, Augsburg is ranked
23rd in the category of “Master’s
Universities—Top Midwestern,”
an improvement of three places
from last year. For the full listings, go to www.usnews.com.
Augsburg is also named an
“Academic Program to Watch
For” in two categories—ServiceLearning and First-Year
Experience—and is the only
Minnesota private college in
either group.
Hoping for “I do” on
the Today show
WEC student Josh Linde and his
fiancé, Carrie Hortsch, are
among the seven finalists for a
wedding with all the trimmings,
courtesy of NBC’s Today. As they
tackle weekly competitions, their
fate is determined by viewer
votes, with one couple eliminated each week up to Sept. 20,
when the winner is announced.
Go to
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/130830
94/.
6121_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
9/14/06
Three learn
foodservice skills
In its third summer Culinary Job
Training program for the unemployed or underemployed, the
Campus Kitchen at Augsburg
College graduated three people
with newly-earned skills for the
foodservice industry. This year’s
eight-week program focused on
local food production in partnership with Ploughshare Farm (see
the story on p. 18).
Jessica Gaulke is
Aquatennial queen
On July 21, sociology major Jessica
Gaulke was crowned the 2007
Aquatennial Queen of the Lakes.
As ambassador, she will travel
throughout the region representing
the City of Minneapolis and receive
an educational scholarship.
RECENT GRANTS
$9,000 from the C. Charles
Jackson Foundation for a oneyear project to analyze and
develop leadership activities in
the co-curricular program.
$2,000 matching grant from the
Consulate General of Canada in
Minneapolis to purchase library
materials to support Canadian
Studies on campus.
$238,080 renewal of two-year
grant for Academic Fellows from
the U.S. Department of
Education to support summer
research of students who are
first-generation or low-income
college students working with
faculty mentors in preparation
for post-baccalaureate education.
10:57 AM
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$538,300 in grants from
National Science Foundation to
the Department of Physics to
support the collection of data
and study of Earth’s magnetosphere, or “space weather.”
$26,514 from the National
Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) to support the research of two physics
students who will carry out data
validation and scientific analysis
of magnetometer data from
NASA’s recently launched ST5
satellites.
$198,000 federal appropriation to
the StepUP Program to refine academic support services, to hire a
chemical dependency counselor
for student caseload relief, to
complete an outside program
evaluation, to develop standards
of practice, and a mentorship
program, and to write a history of
the program in book form.
Kids creating art on Riverside Avenue
Augsburg art faculty member Robert K. Tom, students from the Cedar Riverside Community School,
and volunteers from the Augsburg community have begun work on a project that will turn dour concrete walls at Augsburg’s 21st Avenue entrance into a ceramic bas-relief mural.
The mural is an outgrowth of the Cedar Riverside–Augsburg Pottery Cooperative, an ongoing partnership that Tom began with the Cedar Riverside Community School. Each week fifth- through
eighth-grade students from the largely Somali, Asian, and Hispanic neighborhood participate in
hands-on pottery and art workshops.
Starting in the fall, Augsburg volunteers and the students will create clay press moulds to be replicated over and over—moulds of icons and symbols that Tom says “represent their thoughts, values,
concerns, and/or inner beliefs.” They will be fired and placed in a radiant mandala pattern along the
220 square foot walls. In July, students in the CREATION summer arts program, sponsored by Trinity
Lutheran Congregation, enjoyed a four-day head start on the project.
This project recently won Tom a seed grant from Forecast Public Art, a Twin Cities-based organization
nationally recognized as a public
art resource, to carry out the
project through November. Tom
is currently seeking additional
funds for further continuation.
Tom said that he found regular
walks in the Cedar-Riverside
neighborhood to be the impetus
for a project to chisel away at the
“invisible barrier between the
Augsburg campus and the community of Cedar Avenue.” To
him it seemed that despite the
lively energy of the dense multiethnic neighborhood, “there
were two worlds existing sideby-side with little interaction.”
— Darcy Trunzo ’06
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AROUND THE QUAD
SPORTS
Campus mourns
longtime English
professor
Seven students receive
athletic honors
John Mitchell, who taught English
at Augsburg for 36 years, died on
Aug. 17 at the age of 66. A memorial service was held for him on
Sept. 8 in Hoversten Chapel.
Mitchell taught courses in
poetry, writing, and film.
Repeatedly, former students
remark that John Mitchell’s classes were among the most difficult
and the most memorable they
took. They describe his teaching
as challenging, engaging, enraging, inspiring, and influential. He
always found time for students
and took great effort to correct
and edit their papers.
His passion for film led to a
two-year sabbatical to study film
at San Francisco State University.
English department colleague
Robert Cowgill remembers that
when the Oak Street Cinema
opened, Mitchell often attracted
groups of people around him
after the shows who stood and
listened to hear his thoughts
about the films. On campus,
Mitchell was often seen with
clusters of students and colleagues, enjoying a conversation.
In 1996, Mitchell was devastated by the death of John
Engman, an Augsburg student
whom Mitchell had met in 1968,
during his first year of teaching
at the College. Following
Engman’s premature death,
Mitchell became the executor of
his literary estate and worked to
find a publisher for a manuscript
Engman left. This poetry collection, Temporary Help, was published by Holy Cow! Press and
was nominated for a Minnesota
Book Award in 1998.
4 AUGSBURG NOW
Augsburg College has awarded
seven seniors with its athletic
awards for accomplishment,
leadership, and character on the
playing field and in the classroom. Athletic awards are voted
on by coaches in Augsburg’s
men’s and women’s athletic
departments.
Augsburg mourns the death of English professor John Mitchell, who died in August.
Mitchell was born in Decatur,
Ala., and earned degrees from
Maryville College and the
University of Tennessee. He
met his wife, Jean, while they
both served in the Peace Corps
in Liberia.
For a number of years,
Mitchell was faculty adviser to
Murphy Square, Augsburg’s literary arts journal. Last year, in the
foreword to its 30th anniversary
edition, he wrote, “I get more
pleasure from being published in
Murphy Square than from a
nationally distributed magazine.
Why? Well, more people are
likely to read my work, people I
know and care about, and readers who will be more able to
construe it in terms of my
known local identity. To put it in
literary jargon, I have the chance
to be a public poet rather than
merely a private one.”
— Betsey Norgard
2005–06 Augsburg Honor
Athletes
Mitchell was also a frequent
contributor to Murphy Square.
This poem appears in the 1998
edition:
The Sound of Two Pie Pans
The brief little period when you
Are alive is more than enough
To make up for all the years
When you were giving yourself
Advice. How wonderful to
perspire,
To examine the back side of a
leaf,
To admire the angel worms
Gorged on their silk. You could
Walk for days sucking an orange.
You could write letters home
Without stopping to compose
Your face. Living is like banging
Two pie pans together at midnight
For the brief silence that precedes
The noise. No, living is not
anything
You can say. It’s an attitude
Of swanky delight, and the
absence
Of attitude, simple sleep at night.
Darren Ginther—Ginther, a
baseball third baseman and pitcher became one of the top hitters
in the region, earning All-MIAC
and All-Midwest Region honors
as well as ESPN The Magazine
academic honors. He was an economics and education studies
major and Dean’s List honoree.
Millie Suk—Suk was the only
women’s soccer player in MIAC
to earn All-MIAC first-team honors in all four years, and she set
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Augsburg career records for total
points and goals. A political science major, she graduated magna
cum laude.
tournament, earning his second
straight fourth-place national finish to earn All-American honors
for the second time.
Seven named to Athletic
Hall of Fame
Ryan Valek—A three-time AllAmerican wrestler, Valek was an
individual national runner-up
twice at 165 pounds. He earned
ESPN The Magazine academic
honors and National Wrestling
Coaches Association Division III
Scholar All-America honors.
Troy Deden—Deden transferred
to Augsburg from St. Mary’s and,
as a catcher, helped lead the
Auggie baseball team to the
MIAC playoffs in 2005. He also
played two years of football as a
quarterback and defensive back,
and was a special education
major at Augsburg.
Named to the 2006 class of the
Athletic Hall of Fame:
2005–06 Augsburg Athletes of
the Year
Tonnisha Bell—Bell became one
of the most decorated track and
field athletes in school history. A
sprinter, she finished her career
with five All-American honors
and qualified for every indoor
and outdoor NCAA championship meet during her Auggie
career—eight in total. Bell won
11 conference championships
and earned numerous conference
honors while setting six individual and two relay school records.
Seven alumni will be inducted
into the Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame during Homecoming
week at a dinner on Thurs.,
Sept. 28, in Christensen Center.
For information, contact the athletic office at 612-330-1249 or
bjorklus@augsburg.edu.
Chike Ochiagha—Ochiagha was
a defensive tackle on Augsburg’s
football team, earning conference
and Football Gazette honors. A
business and marketing major,
he earned Academic All-MIAC
honors, as well as football academic club honors twice.
Brad Tupa—An upper-weight
wrestler, Tupa battled injuries
during his career. He recovered
in his senior season to qualify for
the NCAA Division III national
Tom Hall ’85—Hall earned AllAmerica honors in wrestling four
times, including twice in the
1983 season in two different
national meets. In NCAA competition, he placed seventh in
1983, sixth in 1984, and fifth in
1985 at 142 pounds.
Steve Nelson ’78—Nelson
earned All-MIAC and NCAA AllAmerican honors as a leader and
center of the 1977-78 Augsburg
men’s hockey squad that captured
the NAIA national title—the
school’s first team national title.
John Nelson ’86—A two-time AllMIAC pitcher in baseball, Nelson
set an NCAA Division III singleseason record, which still stands,
with 15 complete games in 1986,
as the Auggies reached the NCAA
Division III Midwest Regional.
Wayne “Mick” Scholl ’86—
Scholl earned All-MIAC honors
in baseball in 1984 and 1986.
Peggy Meissner ’80—An
Augsburg Honor Athlete in
1980, Meissner competed in
both volleyball and softball, and
was part of an Auggie volleyball
squad that finished second at the
MAIAW state tournament in
1979, finishing 27-15-3.
— Don Stoner
Julie Stepan Flaskamp ’92—A
track and field athlete, Stepan
Flaskamp qualified for the NCAA
Division III national championships twice in the heptathlon,
earning All-American honors in
1992 with an eighth-place finish.
She earned Academic All-MIAC
honors and was named an
Augsburg Honor Athlete in 1992.
Kristi Ockuly ’95—Ockuly, an
outfielder and pitcher, earned
All-MIAC and All-Region honors
three times each in softball and
was named a Division III AllAmerican in 1995. She was an
Augsburg Honor Athlete in 1995.
For complete schedules, scores,
and information about Augsburg
athletics, go to
www.augsburg.edu/athletics.
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AROUND THE QUAD
Ages of Imagination
Augsburg College celebrates a new season
of leadership
October 18–21, 2006
Over four days in October, Augsburg College will celebrate the new leadership of President Paul
Pribbenow, as he is inaugurated into office around the themes of AGES—abundance, generosity,
engagement, and service.
Each day will focus on one of these themes in a variety of activities and events that involve the entire
Augsburg community on campus, in our neighborhood and city, and around the world.
The Inauguration Ceremony, open to the public, will take place on Fri., Oct. 20, at 2 p.m. in Melby
Hall, followed by a community celebration.
For major events, see the calendar on the inside back cover. For further information and the complete
calendar of events, go to www.augsburg.edu/inauguration.
Lutheran college choirs
celebrate F. Melius
Christiansen
The Augsburg Choir and four
other Minnesota Lutheran college
choirs will perform together in
two concerts on Sunday, Nov. 19,
to celebrate the living legacy of F.
Melius Christiansen, the “father”
of American a cappella singing.
Christiansen’s birth 135 years
ago will be commemorated by
Augsburg, Concordia-Moorhead,
Concordia University-St. Paul,
Gustavus Adolphus, and St. Olaf
in the first joint appearance by
these five ensembles representing
the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America (ELCA) and the
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod
(LCMS). Each choir will perform
individually with their own conductor and as a combined choir
under the direction of guest conductor Kenneth Jennings, professor emeritus and former director
of the St. Olaf Choir.
Two identical anniversary concerts will be performed at
Slovakian baseball, Auggie style
For the seventh year, StepUP program director Patrice Salmeri coached in a baseball camp for youth in
Slovakia. Here, Jano and Lucia sport Auggie baseball t-shirts sent from the baseball team.
6 AUGSBURG NOW
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F. Melius Christiansen
Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis on
Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
The concerts are sponsored by
the F. Melius Christiansen Star of
the North Festival Concert Series
affiliated with the American
Choral Directors Association
(ACDA) of Minnesota, and will
highlight the organization’s twoday annual fall convention program and benefit the F. Melius
Christiansen Endowed
Scholarship Fund that supports
continuing education and graduate studies of young and aspiring
choral directors in Minnesota.
Music to be performed at the
concerts will feature works of
F. Melius Christiansen, including
choral favorites of thousands of
choral concertgoers, such as
Beautiful Savior, Wake Awake,
O Day Full of Grace, Psalm 50,
Praise to the Lord The Almighty,
and Lost In The Night,
among others.
Born in Norway in 1871,
Christiansen came to the United
States at age 17. In 1892, he
attended a concert by the
Augsburg Quartet in Wisconsin
and was attracted to Augsburg
College, where he became a
quartet member.
In 1903 he accepted an appointment as director of the St. Olaf
College music program. He founded the St. Olaf Choir in 1911 and
directed it until 1941, becoming
internationally known for his
Sunday, Nov. 19, 2006
2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, Minn.
Featuring the choirs of
Augsburg College
Concordia College–Moorhead
Concordia University–St. Paul
Gustavus Adolphus College
St. Olaf College
Ticket sales available May 1, 2006
Orchestra Hall Ticket Office: 612-371-5656
1871–1955
Proudly sponsored by the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Committee
and the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) of Minnesota
135th Anniversary Festival Concerts
development of perfect intonation,
blend, diction, and phrasing. He
was succeeded by his son Olaf;
another son, Paul, taught for nearly 50 years at Concordia CollegeMoorhead. F. Melius Christiansen
died in 1955.
Welcome, GEMS and GISE
About 100 girls and—for the first time—35 boys from Minneapolis Public Schools in grades 4–12 spent
several weeks on campus studying monarch butterflies, building the Mars terrain, programming robots,
and learning the chemistry of cosmetics. The GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Mathematics, and Science) and
new GISE (Guys in Science and Engineering) programs involve Augsburg students and former GEMS students as mentors.
For additional concert information go to www.fmcendowment.org. All seats are reserved;
tickets are available through the
Orchestra Hall box office (1-800292-4141 or 612-371-5656).
The Frame years in print
Published by Lutheran
University Press, with a preface
by ELCA presiding bishop
Mark Hanson ’68
$24.95
Available at the Augsburg
College Bookstore
612-330-1521
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AROUND THE QUAD
Dan Jorgensen retires to teaching—for now
Retirement for Dan Jorgensen, Augsburg’s public relations director
since 2000 and special assistant to President Frame for the past year,
is all relative. During this fall semester, he’ll still be commuting from
Northfield, but to a classroom instead of an office.
He has taught a journalism course in Weekend College for the past
five years, and in September he’ll teach it both in the day and weekend
programs—plus, teach a public relations course in both programs.
Much of Jorgensen’s tenure as public relations director focused on
raising the visibility of Augsburg in both the local and national media.
“I feel like we became more of a ‘player’ in terms of which institutions should be contacted when media sources were searching for
across-the-board responses to different educational questions,”
Jorgensen says. He recalls an editor of the Chronicle of Higher
Education telling him that Augsburg and President Frame were the
first who came to mind from small liberal arts colleges when planning a national forum on college presidencies.
Jorgensen also enjoyed seeing more faculty included as key
resources in the media—faculty who “took on a willingness to be
called upon,” he says. “That sort of cooperative spirit exemplifies the
overall ‘can do’ spirit of the institution. I loved that.”
For his retirement outside of teaching, he has several writing projects waiting, especially a novel about the Black Hills of South Dakota.
He and his wife, Susan, have first-hand experience living there and
have been collecting information for many years. He has also been
asked by his publisher for additional youth sports novels.
8 AUGSBURG NOW
Herald Johnson—Augsburg’s first financial
aid officer—retires after 37 years
When he came as a freshman in 1961, Herald Johnson ’68 probably
had no clue he would still be at Augsburg in 2006.
He stayed on to become an admissions counselor, but moved into
financial aid when new federal programs required administrative
oversight. In the 37 years since, he has served as a pioneer, leader,
and mentor among Minnesota financial aid officers.
One of Johnson’s legacies at Augsburg is the Enrollment Center. He
and Julie Olson, vice president for enrollment management, played
important roles in the concept development and implementation of
bringing several financial aid and enrollment offices together in a
one-stop shop for students.
He is the only person to have been twice elected president of the
Minnesota Association of Financial Aid Administrators (MAFAA). He
is proud of the Futures Task Force he created with his charge to past
presidents: “I want you to look at our association with critical eyes
and see if we’re poised for what you see coming down the road.”
His retirement plans include a fair amount of work, but his four
children and seven grandchildren are top priority. “The kids are my
friends,” Johnson says—“it’s really cool.” Their gift to him is a trip to
Norway to meet relatives and explore his heritage—a longtime dream.
He’ll continue as a consultant at Augsburg with the Scholastic
Connections program, the Scholarship Brunch, and with government
relations concerning financial aid issues in 2007.
He mentions that among his pleasures at Augsburg was hiring student workers and following their careers as they assume leadership
positions both at Augsburg and around the state.
At the end of his notice of thanks following a retirement celebration, Johnson wrote, “As we Norwegians say, ‘Mange tusen tak.’”
— Betsey Norgard
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American Indian Studies—
a cultural commitment
Augsburg’s newest department
makes a bold statement for the
College—about commitment,
about culture, and about heritage.
After being offered as a minor and
major for a number of years, the
faculty approved the creation of
an American Indian Studies
Department, headed by Associate
Professor Eric Buffalohead.
The new department models
Augsburg’s mission to serve diverse
populations, says Buffalohead, and
it signals to students, parents, and
the community that it’s permanent
and a great choice for a major—
and not just a selection of courses
that may change.
The number of students in the
program has been growing, and
they are beginning to shift from
Native to non-Native students.
American Indian Studies is a valuable major, second major, or minor
for students who are preparing for
work with human services—in
business, health care, education,
youth and family ministry, etc.
“AIS courses and skills are
transferable,” Buffalohead says,
“to law, politics, service—it’s
about cultural understanding.”
Since the program is small,
students often take several courses
with the same professor. For
native students, the program also
serves as a safety net where they
can relate to faculty and staff.
The department works closely
with Augsburg’s American Indian
Student Services program.
This multidisciplinary department includes courses in history,
literature, religion, film, women’s
studies, and special topics. The
faculty seek opportunities to
build in experiential opportunities, such as learning in the community, internships, and study
abroad. Next winter, Assistant
Professor Elise Marubbio will
M. Elise Marubbio and Eric Buffalohead are
two of the faculty in Augsburg’s new
American Indian Studies Department.
lead a travel program to
Guatemala, focusing on indigenous issues of the Mayan people.
Film has become a focus in the
AIS program. For three years, the
College has sponsored the
Augsburg Native American Film
Series, which screens documentary films, often with the filmmaker present to lead discussion.
It also provides a venue for selections from other film festivals,
and links to Augsburg’s
Indigenous Filmmakers course.
Buffalohead says that
Augsburg’s American Indian
Studies Department seeks to
excel as a regional center for the
study of Indians in the Upper
Midwest. Students can study one
year of Ojibwe language on campus, with the possibility of a second year of study.
Buffalohead’s experience in
American Indian Studies dates
back to age five, when his father
became the first chair of the
American Indian Studies
Department at the University of
Minnesota, and Eric would visit
his office. After earning academic
degrees in anthropology, he also
taught at the university, which he
considers to have been good
training for Augsburg’s new
department.
For information on American
Indian Studies, contact Eric
Buffalohead at
buffaloe@augsburg.edu or go to
www.augsburg.edu/ais.
— Betsey Norgard
Killing the Indian Maiden:
Images of Native American Women in Film
by M. Elise Marubbio
Native American women have been
characterized as various figures in
film for over 100 years. None,
however, has intrigued Elise
Marubbio more than the young
Native woman who falls in love or
is connected with a white hero and
dies for this choice.
Marubbio’s book, Killing the
Indian Maiden: Images of Native
American Women in Film, will be
published in December by the
University Press of Kentucky. The
book analyzes 34 A-list Hollywood
films, from the silent era to the present, to analyze the depictions of
women and the themes and myths that are played out.
The book stems from her dissertation and unites her various areas
of interest—she has degrees in fine arts/photography, American
Indian Studies, and cultural studies. It is the first in-depth study in
this area and is important for film studies, women’s studies, cultural
studies, and American Indian studies.
Marubbio researched film archives at the Museum of Modern Art
in New York, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., the
Motion Picture Academy of Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, and
the Cecil B. DeMille Archives at Brigham Young University. A dissertation fellowship from the American Association of University
Women gave her time to write.
What she found, she says, is that “over a 90-year period this figure
emerged in premier films in various forms as either the Princess or
Sexualized Maiden, figures through whose body national themes of
colonialism, violence toward women of color, and feats of interracial
mixing are played out.
“All the films reinforce American myths of the frontier, Manifest
Destiny, and the ideal of Anglo-European America’s pre-modernization innocence through this image,” Marubbio says.
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AROUND THE QUAD
Renewing Old Main—
heritage of place,
spirit of space
SUPPORTING
AUGSBURG
Over the top at
$55 million
A 500-ton crane has begun to set the precast concrete walls on the poured footings for
On June 27, a celebration was
held in Christensen Center as
the star was moved across the
$55 million figure and the goal
was reached in Access to
Excellence: The Campaign for
Augsburg College.
“We are here to celebrate
achievements in the capital campaign that started six years ago
with a $55 million goal,” said
Tracy Elftmann, vice president
for institutional advancement.
She reported an exact total of
$55,009,761 received to date.
Retiring president William
Frame commented that this
could not have been achieved
without everyone’s participation.
He described vocation as “living
so that you create community,”
and this accomplishment could
not have happened unless
Augsburg is becoming “something called ‘community.’”
President Paul Pribbenow
wrote in a memo to the
Augsburg community in July, “As
called for in our original campaign plan, we are continuing to
raise funds for all Access to
Excellence campaign projects
(Kennedy, Gateway, and science
facilities, along with our endowment) through the end of the
2006 calendar year. And we are
preparing to celebrate this
10 AUGSBURG NOW
the new Oren Gateway Center. The completion date is set for fall 2007. Watch the
progress on the webcam at www.augsburg.edu/campaign/gateway/construction.html.
Construction is moving quickly on the Kennedy Sports and Recreation Complex in Melby
Hall. The structure is up, new bleachers have been installed, and anticipated completion is
January 2007.
remarkable achievement during
the upcoming academic year.”
He further explained that
although the total goal was reached,
funding for the science building
was not completed, in part due to
dramatically higher construction
and transportation costs.
Pribbenow has identified the
science building as one of his top
priorities, and says that “with
anticipation and momentum we
will now redouble and refocus our
efforts to raise funds to see the
completion of the science project.”
Construction began on the
Kennedy Sports and Recreation
Complex in Melby Hall in May,
and on the Oren Gateway Center
in July.
— Betsey Norgard
A gift of $1 million has been given
by Norman and Evangeline
(Vangie) Hagfors for the renovation
of Old Main and a potential home
for the Center for Faith and
Learning. Both Norman and Vangie
enjoy longtime connections to
Augsburg through the Lutheran
Free Church. With this gift they
honor both the physical and theological heart of the Lutheran Free
Church as well as the renewed
spiritual vitality of the College,
guided by its Center for Faith and
Learning.
The renovated chapel in Old
Main will be named for Vangie’s
father, Rev. Elnar Gundale, who
graduated from Augsburg College
in 1933 and Augsburg Seminary in
1937. For more than 50 years,
across four states, he served LFC
churches and was the oldest living
LFC pastor at the time of his death.
From her childhood memories, Vangie recalls visits to their
homes during the summers from
the Augsburg Men’s Quartets.
“Their proclamation of the
Gospel as Augsburg ambassadors,” says Vangie, “made a very
positive impression on the youth
of the churches they visited, as
well as their parents, who supported the school.”
Three of Vangie’s siblings followed their father’s footsteps to
Augsburg. Vangie also attended the
College as part of her nurse’s training at Lutheran Deaconess
Hospital. She remembers her class
of 32 nurses walking across
Franklin Avenue to Augsburg
where they studied mostly science.
Among other activities on campus,
she attended chapel in Old Main.
Norman Hagfors has been a
member of Augsburg’s Board of
Regents for more than twelve years,
including serving as vice chairman
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Above: The chapel in Old Mail will be restored and named for alumnus Rev. Elnar
Gundale, ’33, ’37 Sem.
Left: Vangie and Norman Hagfors
and chairing committees. “I have
enjoyed watching the College grow
in stature both as an educational
institution and in spiritual vitality,”
he says. He gives much credit to
President Emeritus William Frame
who, he says, “really pushed the
spiritual aspects of developing one’s
life—not only at Augsburg, but as
a spokesman to other colleges.”
Norman graduated from the
University of Minnesota in electrical engineering when biomedical
engineering was in its infancy,
and worked in medical research,
authored many papers, and
received a number of patents for
his inventions. He also played a
part in several “start up” medical
device companies that brought
implantable cardiac pacemakers
and neurological devices for the
treatment of chronic pain to the
medical community.
Norman and Vangie Hagfors
have chosen to support the renovation of Old Main not only
because of its physical significance in the history of the school,
but because it embodies the spiri-
tual foundation and concepts on
which Augsburg was founded.
Their hope is that the renovation
will give support, emphasis, and
inspiration to the spiritual life of
the school and its students.
Norman and Vangie have two
married children and seven
grandchildren.
— Betsey Norgard
The Center for Faith and Learning
As the Old Main Chapel stands in the center of the campus,
Augsburg’s new Center for Faith and Learning lies at the heart of
Augsburg’s educational mission. Four years ago, Augsburg received
its first grant from the Lilly Endowment for “Exploring Our Gifts,”
helping students, faculty, and staff attend to their called lives of
service. When the Lilly grants conclude in 2010, Augsburg’s Center
for Faith and Learning will continue to embed and extend
Augsburg’s leadership in vocation.
A focal point in the Center for Faith and Learning is Augsburg’s
first endowed chair, named for former Augsburg president and
scholar Bernhard M. Christensen. In September 2005, retired Luther
Seminary president and theologian David Tiede was inaugurated as
the Bernhard M. Christensen Professor in Religion and Vocation.
In his inauguration speech, Tiede explained the Center for Faith
and Learning: “The purpose of the center is to guide the College in
the theological exploration of vocation as understood within the
Lutheran tradition. It will provide resources to faculty, staff, and students that enable them to organize faith and learning within a vocational framework.”
The center is also building external partnerships to study faith
and learning in the community. One example is faith@work!, a
partnership with St. Philip the Deacon Church in Plymouth, Minn.
This speaker series presents community leaders who provide examples and tools for living faith-based lives. (See information on the
speakers and dates in the calendar on the inside back cover.)
A $1 million gift from Norman and Vangie Hagfors will help renovate Augsburg’s
oldest building.
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Experience grounded in mission and vision:
Paul Pribbenow’s call
to Augsburg
BY BETHANY BIERMAN
12 AUGSBURG NOW
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“Hip, hip, hooray!” Thomas exclaimed, his right arm pumping in triumph. He had just been told his family’s picture would be on the cover
of a magazine.
“Wow, how about that!” replied his mother, as she brushed sand off his
little sister Maya’s knees.
I
ndeed, it is a time for celebrating at Augsburg, as the
Pribbenow family settles into Minneapolis and the Augsburg
House. Not since Bernhard Christensen’s presidency, which
began in 1938, has Augsburg’s first family included young children. Paul Pribbenow and his wife, Abigail, and their children,
Thomas (5) and Maya (2), quickly have acclimated to the Augsburg
community.
On July 1, 2006, Pribbenow became the 11th president of
Augsburg College, a position that colleagues close to him have
known was his dream—to become the president of a Lutheran college. To that dream he brought a proven track record of success—
from fundraising to developing mission and vision and from teaching
to handling senior management issues.
In announcing his Augsburg appointment to the Rockford College
community, which he had served as president since 2002, Pribbenow
stated, “The leadership opportunity at Augsburg College is a once-ina-lifetime chance to take the best of what I have learned at Rockford
College, with its commitments to liberal arts and civic engagement in
the city, and link that experience with a connection to the Lutheran
Church, which is my personal faith tradition.”
Over the months since his appointment, Pribbenow’s entry into the
Augsburg community, through an unusual shared transition with
retiring president William Frame, has seemed quite natural—as if it
had been in the making for a long time.
Son of a pastor
Paul Pribbenow was born in Decorah, Iowa, during his father’s senior
year at Luther College. The young family moved to St. Paul where his
father attended seminary, then moved to a small town near Tomah,
Wis., where his father’s ministry began.
The eldest of six children, Pribbenow spent most of his youth in
small towns around Madison. His family moved to Iowa during his
ninth-grade year, and he graduated from high school in Denver, Iowa,
near Waverly. Pribbenow graduated magna cum laude from Luther
College in three years, with a B.A. in sociology and political science.
“My first couple of years at Luther, I thought I would go to seminary,” Pribbenow recalls. Halfway through his third year, however, he
admitted to one of his religion professors, “I love the study of religion, but I don’t feel called to be a minister.” The professor suggested
looking into the Divinity School at the University of Chicago where
he could engage the questions that interested him without specifically
preparing for the ministry. Pribbenow entered the Divinity School in
1978 and spent the next 18 years in the Chicago area.
“I went from never living in a big city to living on the south side of
Chicago. If I have a place that I call home, it’s probably Chicago.”
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The call begins
Starting graduate school, Pribbenow felt his primary interest would be in
teaching religion and ethics. Along the way, however, he began to focus
his interests on the ethics and management of not-for-profit organizations.
“I learned that in American society, non-profits are one of the
important ways we live out our social ethic,” Pribbenow says. “I
became intrigued by how organizations are managed and what link
that has to how effective they are in helping society live out its social
ethic. If there’s a problem in the way a college or museum is run,
that’s going to have an impact on how well the institution will live
out its mission and values.” Pribbenow began to understand these
issues as examples of the need for reflective practice—linking learning with action.
In order to practice what he preached, he took a job in fundraising
at the university after receiving his M.A. in divinity. “I started up the
administrative ladder, along the way I taught and had chances to
write, but I never left the practice of administration. I started practicing what I studied and what I cared about. That was my calling.”
The lines connect
The President’s Cabinet (L to R) Leif Anderson, chief information officer; Barbara
Edwards Farley, vice president of academic affairs and dean of the College; Ann
Garvey, vice president of student affairs and dean of students; Tom Morgan, senior
vice president and special assistant; President Pribbenow; Tracy Elftmann, vice president for institutional advancement; Julie Olson, vice president of enrollment management; Dick Adamson, vice president for finance and adminstration; and Gaye Lindfors,
senior vice president and special assistant.
14 AUGSBURG NOW
It was in these early years working at the University of Chicago that
Pribbenow started to realize even more clearly the connection
between his various interests—higher education, management, and
ethics—and that he might have both the skills and commitment to be
a college president.
In 1993, Pribbenow was named vice president for institutional
advancement at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago—an
assignment that helped him gain valuable experience in leading a
complex (and sometimes unpredictable!) organization.
At the Art Institute he also met his future wife, Abigail, then a
graduate student in the school’s arts administration program, when
she interviewed with him for a job in event planning for the school.
Paul and Abigail were on their honeymoon when the call from
Wabash College came. After many years of living in the Windy City,
the two packed up and headed to Crawfordsville, Ind., for a six-year
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Abigail at a
glance
adventure where Paul served as dean for college advancement, secretary of the Board of Trustees, and research fellow in the liberal arts.
A taste of the ministry
While working at Wabash, Pribbenow got a call from the ELCA
Indiana-Kentucky Synod bishop, saying, “‘There is a little SwedishLutheran church down the road from you in Attica, Ind., that has lost
its pastor and can’t afford a full-time pastor. I was wondering if you’d
take an interim assignment to serve them for six months, just to help?’”
“I actually think he mistook me for my father,” Pribbenow chuckles. When he told the bishop he wasn’t ordained, the bishop
responded that he would license him for the roles that would require
ordination. “What was originally a short-term assignment turned into
a three-year stint as interim pastor,” says Pribbenow.
The Pribbenows moved to Rockford, Ill., on Easter Weekend 2002
for the start of Pribbenow’s presidency at Rockford College. After the
couple and their son, Thomas, whom they adopted in Vietnam in
2001, made the Saturday trip from Central Indiana to Illinois with
two heavily packed vehicles, Pribbenow turned around to make the
five-hour trip back to Indiana so that he could preside at his last
service the next morning—on Easter Sunday.
“My work as interim pastor in Attica was a valuable experience for
a new college president. It taught me some very important lessons
about loving a congregation, preaching the lectionary, and presiding
over congregational meetings—all activities that closely parallel the
work of leading a college.”
The Rockford years
Pribbenow became the 16th president of Rockford College at an
extremely important point. Critics at the time of his arrival described
the four-year, independent college founded in 1847 as lacking in focus,
and there were financial challenges that required immediate attention.
In his four years at Rockford, Pribbenow led the campus community in a strategic long-range planning process that refocused on the
liberal arts, launched new degree programs, renewed its commitment
Abigail Crampton Pribbenow
grew up in Flossmoor, Ill., outside of Chicago. She spent her
junior year of high school as an
exchange student in France and
two subsequent years at the
United World College–USA in
New Mexico. She went on to
earn a bachelor’s degree in
anthropology from the
University of Chicago and a
Master of Arts in arts administration from the School of the
Art Institute of Chicago.
Dance has always been a keen interest for Abigail. While growing
up, she studied classical ballet and in college learned modern dance
and choreography. Combining her experience as a dancer and her
administrative skills, Abigail’s professional work includes working in
not-for-profit management at the Chicago Dance Coalition, the
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Wabash College, and the
International School of Indiana. While preparing to adopt Thomas,
she returned to teaching dance to children in Crawfordsville, Ind.
Abigail has fully immersed herself in the life of each college and
community in which she and Paul have lived, including serving as
president of the Rockford Area Arts Council, church council member,
board member for the Easter Seals Children’s Development Center,
and host of the biannual women in the arts festival at Rockford
College. Among her many accomplishments, she co-founded the Jelly
Bean Ball, a family-friendly fundraiser for Easter Seals. She looks forward to finding her niche in the Augsburg community.
Abigail anticipates much entertaining and relationship building in
the next several months and expects her largest challenge to be figuring out when to integrate the children into these activities. For
now, she’s glad to have figured out routes to the farmer’s markets
and local parks. Thomas and Maya seem glad about this, too.
to civic engagement, and engineered a provocative and attentiongrabbing branding campaign that played off of the image of the institution’s most famous alumna, Jane Addams, social reformer and the
1931 Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
The Pribbenow family also received the blessing of a daughter while
in Rockford when they adopted Maya in Chongqing, China, in 2004.
The call to Augsburg
When approached by the search consultant in 2005 about applying
for the vacancy at Augsburg, Pribbenow was intrigued. He and
Abigail knew Bill and Anne Frame through their work on a vocation
project with the Council of Independent Colleges.
“It was a call to a place that clearly is working to be faithful to its
church tradition while also seeking to be faithful to its educational
and civic engagement traditions,” says Pribbenow. “I’ve spent my
entire career in non-sectarian places. … I’ve learned some valuable
lessons about what it means to be faithful in the world, and I know
those are lessons that will inform my work at Augsburg.”
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Augsburg College—
the first-year initiatives
One College
Based on the College’s mission that embraces the liberal arts, faith
and values, life in the city, and diversity, the Augsburg community
will engage in conversations that explore how all the curricular,
co-curricular, administrative, and public work at Augsburg is
grounded in the College’s singular mission and vision. Wherever it
is found—in Minneapolis, Rochester, or around the world at its
Center for Global Education sites—and whomever it teaches—traditional undergraduates or adult learners—and whatever it teaches—the traditional liberal arts or professional studies—how is
Augsburg known as one college, dedicated to the same abiding
values and aspirations?
The Augsburg Promise—Experience and Image
Based on the one college conversations, the Augsburg community
will examine the promises it makes to students, faculty, staff,
alumni, its neighborhood, and the wider world. We will consider
how well we keep our promises in the daily work of the College.
We then will explore how the Augsburg community can do an
even better job of keeping its promises, talking to each other
about those promises, and then illustrating to the world what the
Augsburg brand is all about.
Common Work at Augsburg
The Augsburg community also will examine its organizational
life—how it’s governed, who’s involved in leadership and decisionmaking, and what voices are heard (or not) in its daily life. Based
on this examination, the College will develop an organizational
structure that deploys resources responsibly and is accountable.
Based on our common work of educating students, we also will
seek to offer all members of the Augsburg community the opportunities to nurture and sustain their callings.
Science at Augsburg
As a college community, we will explore what it means to educate
students in the sciences at Augsburg, within the context of the
College’s mission—dedicated to our rich tradition of excellence in
teaching and research, as well as to our commitments to scientific
literacy and responsibility. Based on our findings, we will plan curricular and co-curricular programs, public outreach, and facilities
appropriate to our highest aspirations for science education at
Augsburg. A central feature of this project will be the re-launching
of fundraising efforts for new science facilities at Augsburg.
— Paul Pribbenow
16 AUGSBURG NOW
Pribbenow did have hesitations about leaving Rockford. “I didn’t
feel as though I’d been there long enough, and there were many
issues still to be addressed.”
He was encouraged to speak with Jean Taylor, chair of the
Augsburg Board of Regents. “She listened carefully, and at the end of
our conversation she said, ‘I think you’ve got to do what Augsburg
has taught me—you’ve just got to listen.’ That was very insightful
and critical to my decision to seek the Augsburg presidency.”
It was a call to which he and Abigail couldn’t say “no.”
A remarkable fit
In his letter to the Augsburg search committee, Pribbenow spelled
out why this opportunity seemed such a remarkable fit for his leadership and experience.
To him leadership must also be understood as stewardship. He is
committed to the role of a collaborative leader who has a “responsibility to help the college community ‘pay attention’ to its most deeply
held values and priorities so that all gifts are well used.” This
includes a uniting of the campus community in shared vision, as well
as in varying forms of hospitality that engage the campus with its
urban neighbors.
Pribbenow wrote that his own deeply held sense of personal vocation builds on Martin Luther’s view of education that creates people of
“wondrous ability, subsequently fit for everything.” A college that helps
students discover this ability must in itself be a mission-driven and
integrated institution, so that all students in all programs “are chal-
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lenged and shaped by [a] vision to link education with engagement.”
Pribbenow went on to write that he is “committed to the idea that
colleges—and especially church-related colleges—are uniquely situated to help students of all ages to listen for and hear their own calls,
to find their vocations for life and service in the world.” As an ethicist
he has examined professional work in society and understands how
significantly reflective thinking (linking learning and experience) and
personal faith affect public well-being.
As he begins his Augsburg presidency, Pribbenow finds Augsburg
and Rockford colleges very similar in their commitments to civic
engagement. “I am here because of that commitment to educating students for democracy, and I intend to make it an even more important
focal point. Augsburg should be known for what it does in civic
engagement. … We need to say to the world, ‘Look at what we’re
doing and why we’re doing it. There are important lessons about faithful life in the world that are being taught and practiced at Augsburg.’”
The key difference between the colleges, he says, is of course the
connection to the church. “The role at Augsburg of Lutheran faith
and human religious experience shapes the education of students and
defines a central aspect of our identity as a college,” Pribbenow states.
“I need to have a different lens to the way I look at issues that I didn’t
in a non-sectarian institution. That’s an energizing and meaningful
aspect of the work ahead of us.”
The plan
Pribbenow’s initiatives for his first year at Augsburg all point to action
(see the sidebar on the opposite page). “We need to take the good
vision work that’s been done during the Frame presidency and translate it into organizational activity and image so that people will look
at Augsburg and say, ‘I see what this college cares about.’”
When asked what he hopes the headlines will read when he retires,
Pribbenow answers, “I do hope we’ll be here until I retire, and when
I’m ready to step down that the community will have the same affection and love that people had for Bill and Anne, because we were
faithful to what this college is called to do. … I hope the headlines
will read that I helped Augsburg to be even more faithful to its calling, and that as a result, this little college stands as a 21st-century
model for faithful and responsible liberal arts education in a city.”
As far as Thomas and Maya’s plans, they seem content to be getting
to know their new hometown. When asked his favorite thing about
Minneapolis, Thomas answered, “The Mall of America! On the log
ride, there’s this big guy with an axe. He’s GI-NORMOUS!”
Without a doubt, Augsburg seems to be on the cusp of some pretty
“gi-normous” opportunities as well. Ⅵ
5
things you may
not know about
Paul Pribbenow:
1.
He writes his own version of
a “blog,” known as Notes for
the Reflective Practitioner.
2.
He sang professionally for 13
years in Chicago. (His father
and he both sang for Weston
Noble at Luther.)
3.
He doesn’t eat red meat or
lutefisk. (Perhaps the latter
has to do with his first job
cleaning out the lutefisk tub
in the Stoughton, Wis.,
grocery store cooler.)
4.
While it’s true that his mentor
and dissertation adviser Martin
Marty wears a bow tie, it wasn’t
until years after learning to tie
them for the many black tie
affairs he attended at the Art
Institute of Chicago that he
decided to adopt the look on a
daily basis.
5.
In his car stereo you’ll find
National Public Radio, the
Mars Hill tapes (conversations on Christianity and
modern culture), choral
music, or Raffi (children’s
musician and entertainer).
To learn more about Augsburg’s mission and vision and to read
President Pribbenow’s speeches, go to www.augsburg.edu/president.
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Country
Fresh U
BY TIM DOUGHERTY
very Thursday during the growing season, Campus Kitchen
student intern Melanie Opay returns to campus around 5:30
p.m., her head barely visible above the white produce boxes
stuffing her car. Teeming with delicacies from rutabagas to
radishes and kale to kohlrabi, these bountiful boxes are
courtesy of Gary Brever’s Ploughshare Farm, a family-owned organic
farm in Parker’s Prairie, Minn. Brever’s parents, Jeanie and DeWayne,
deliver the veggies each week to drop-off sites in Alexandria, St.
Cloud, and the Twin Cities, delighting urban dwellers who have
increasingly searched for more freshness in their summer diets.
Brever is a small-business owner and entrepreneur just as much as
an organic farmer, and has carved a niche for his farm in the growing
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement. In the CSA
model, individuals and families purchase a “share” of the harvest at
the beginning of the growing season in exchange for a weekly box of
vegetables from mid-June to early October. Typically, paying customers receive the produce themselves, but Brever has augmented his
market by allowing people or congregations to purchase shares and
donate them to hunger organizations like the Campus Kitchen at
Augsburg College (CKAC).
For the past three summers, these white produce boxes have
formed the food foundation for Augsburg’s Campus Kitchen—a student-driven food recycling organization. Volunteers use this produce
along with surplus food from Sodexho’s campus dining services and
local food banks to prepare nutritious, free meals for residents in
neighboring community programs. The premise has always been simple: there is far too much good food going to landfills and far too
many agencies that can’t afford to buy food for their hungry clients.
By recycling food and empowering students to prepare meals and share
them with immigrant youth, the homeless, and homebound elders,
CKAC uses food as a tool to engage students in the community, to reduce
the amount of discarded campus food, and to forge bonds in Augsburg’s
neighborhood through the universal language of a shared meal.
E
Ploughshare Farm’s Gary Brever spreads
hay to mulch the tomato beds for weed
control and moisture.
18 AUGSBURG NOW
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Urban Renewal
With the addition of Brever’s organic, locally-grown produce,
CKAC has begun to build programs that can better nourish clients
with an array of ingredients infinitely fresher than grocery store fare.
At the same time, the programs redefine stewardship by supporting
local farmers and they educate youth about dietary choices that can
simultaneously heal both the earth and their bodies.
Above: Campus Kitchen culinary job
Taste the difference
trainee Kenny Peterson chops lettuce fresh
For the Campus Kitchen, the quality of freshness is staggering. Each
week, the menu for clients is set according to the contents in those
boxes, an adventurous undertaking in and of itself. “Working with
local produce has been an exciting challenge,” says Opay. “I get to
work with food I’ve never used before, which has been a great learn-
from Ploughshare Farm.
Below: Campus Kitchen volunteer Trish
Hannah leads the youth in the Jump Start
program through cooking techniques.
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ing experience and a lot of fun. Plus, our clients love the results!”
That’s because the results are often worthy of an epicurean’s table:
dishes such as arugula salad with shaved fennel and marinated chioggia beets or southern-style collards and cabbage. These meals are
then delivered, served, and shared with the community by Augsburg
students, staff, and alumni.
In addition, each week’s harvest is so bountiful that CKAC can
share full boxes of fresh produce with the Brian Coyle Center food
shelf. In the heart of the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, this community food shelf primarily serves East-African immigrants, a population
that prefers to prepare meals from scratch and spurns the canned
goods and highly processed foods that usually fill food shelves.
Brever, like the Campus Kitchen, believes that true community
health can begin with what people have on their dinner plates.
Having spent a few years on a Catholic Worker farm in Washington
state, he was well accustomed to the corn-syrup-laden, preservativerich foods typical of food shelves. While these foods may fill bellies,
they do little to build health.
Brever also saw the preponderance of these products as a good
indicator of the shortcomings embodied by our industrial food system, where—according to Francis Moore Lappé and Anna Lappé in
their book Hope’s Edge—about half of a typical grocery store’s more
than 30,000 items are produced by 10 multinational food and beverage companies.
A rural Minnesotan by birth, Brever knew the effect this homogenized system has on the fabric of rural farming communities and the
20 AUGSBURG NOW
relative lack of nutritive value provided by these preserved foods.
Longing for an alternative, he envisioned a system where small, family
farmers could thrive while even the urban poor could gain access to
fresh, responsibly grown produce. In short, everyone deserves food
grown with care, harvested at peak ripeness, and made into meals
that nourish the body and sustain the mind.
Redefining stewardship
Brever saw the CSA model as the answer. By offering people the
opportunity to donate locally-grown produce, he felt he could help
farms like his to earn a living wage while getting more healthy food
options to urban populations who lack access to such luxury. “At its
core, it’s about relationship,” says Brever. “How are we supporting the
farmers and the communities that grow our food?” In an increasingly
complicated world, it’s no longer enough to merely feed people. We
must also take into account how that food is grown and prepared
while weighing the environmental and economic realities we’re supporting with our food decisions.
The model has been hugely successful, as church congregations
and individual donors love the idea of enriching the urban community
while helping small farms succeed. In Brever’s words, feeding the
hungry is “no longer just about charity. Now, it’s also about change.”
At Augsburg, the Campus Kitchen has been helping to usher in
those changes. Thanks to a generous donation from St. Martin’s
Table, the local restaurant and social-justice bookstore, CKAC is
embarking on its third summer of vegetables from Ploughshare Farm.
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In addition to preparing meals for clients, the produce is now being
leveraged to educate youth about the health benefits of a diverse diet,
and the power we have to effect change with something as simple as
our eating habits.
Project C.H.O.I.C.E.S
Few tactics succeed when it comes to getting kids to taste new vegetables. Unless, of course, you involve them in the cooking process.
Each week, CKAC volunteer Trish Hannah leads a cooking class with
11- to 14-year-old participants in the Brian Coyle Center’s Jump Start
program. Seasonal dishes such as a strawberry, spinach, and grilled
asparagus salad that would have originally garnered a cacophonous
chorus of “eew” and “boo” are suddenly finding a receptive audience
in these young culinarians.
Project C.H.O.I.C.E.S (Community Health Originates in Creating
Environmental Sustainability) is a curriculum devised by Hannah in
conjunction with CKAC and Jennifer Tacheny, coordinator of
Celeste’s Dream Community Garden Project. Its goal is to awaken the
power in students to choose health for their bodies and the earth.
Through cooking classes using local produce, it seeks to teach youth
the full cycle of food—from the field to the table to the compost
bin—while empowering them to choose respect. It means the choice
to respect their bodies with healthy, tasty food that was grown in a
responsible manner and as close to home as possible. And the choice
to respect their neighborhoods and backyards by picking up litter
and composting food waste. Using the common denominator of food,
the curriculum hopes to teach self-sufficiency and empower these
youth to cultivate healthy, responsible lifestyles.
Honoring the full cycle
Brever can’t think of a better outlet for his produce. “So many nonprofits are forced to measure their impact in pounds of food. Just as
it’s hard to measure the intangible nutritional and environmental values of buying local and organic produce, you can’t measure the intangible value of sharing a meal with someone,” he says. “Not only does
the Campus Kitchen share my food with people in Minneapolis, it
also uses it as a teaching tool for empowerment.”
And the Campus Kitchen can’t think of a better direction to be heading, helping to better their urban backyard while supporting the work
of organic farmers in Minnesota. With the success of the Ploughshare
Farm partnership and the positive impact of programs like Project
C.H.O.I.C.E.S., the Campus Kitchen at Augsburg College hopes to
expand its programs to involve more local growers and to take clients
on field trips to the farms that make the meals possible. It could also
lead to the creation of a local community garden where clients get their
own chance to participate first-hand in the full cycle of food.
Through the Campus Kitchen, Augsburg is redefining what it
means to be a good urban neighbor and, simultaneously, support
rural communities. With such tasty food arriving by the boxful, it’s
becoming easy to build bridges to the heart through the belly. Ⅵ
Former Campus Kitchen coordinator Tim
Dougherty pounds in the staking lines for
organic heirloom tomatoes.
Tim Dougherty is the community and civic engagement student coordinator in the Center for Service, Work, and Learning. He formerly was
the coordinator of the Campus Kitchen at Augsburg College.
Augsburg Campus Kitchen volunteer
Melanie Opay heaves boxes of produce
from Ploughshare Farm into her car.
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S
Making art
and history
in
France
BY TARA SWEENEY
Above: From left, Augburg students John
Leibfried, Patrick Wendel, and Joe Trenary
greet the locals in Espeyrac, France.
Right: Augsburg pilgrims cross the old
bridge into Estaing, France.
22 AUGSBURG NOW
o, how was France?” is the usual question. “Good. Great,” is
the typical answer that satisfies a polite inquiry. The real
answer takes a little longer.
“What’s the first word of the rule?” my colleague, [Professor]
Phil Adamo, asks, and not for the first time. “Listen,” the students chime in unison, just as the old man in the beret hobbles up the
tiny cobblestone passageway that Espeyrac, this hamlet in southern
France, calls a street. It’s not easy to upstage Phil Adamo, but this
Frenchman’s hound dog doesn’t know any better. The students have forgotten about The Rule of St. Benedict. The traditional French greeting—
kiss-kiss-kiss—seems more the order of the day as they hand out eager
caresses to this tail-wagging, sweet-talking, show stealer of a dog.
They have come here with us to learn plein air drawing and to
study the religious experience of medieval France as a paired shortterm study abroad experience, May 14–June 4. Before they return to
Minnesota they will make a four-day pilgrimage, visit monasteries,
cathedrals, walled towns, museums, and a papal palace to earn two
credits and satisfy the critical thinking (CT) and liberal arts foundation (LAF) graduation requirements.
Class begins wherever 15 students can listen to the history professor
read a passage from a 1500-year-old text on monastic practice, and
the art professor read from John Ruskin’s Elements of Drawing in
Three Letters to Beginners. Yesterday it was below Le Pont Vieux in
Espalion, one of three communities on this pilgrimage with the muchdeserved designation of “les plus beaux villages de France.” The day
before it was beside the River Lot in equally picturesque Estaing.
My colleague reminds me daily that this collaboration in experiential
teaching and learning is work. Each day’s sweat, constant thirst, and
aching body parts are real enough. So are the pain of blisters, the weight
of packs, and our labored breath as we follow our capable local guide,
Laurent Riou, up another steep ascent of mud and rock. Each night we
sleep in a new family-run hotel after dining on traditional local fare at
long communal tables. We hear little English other than our own as we
walk village to village on the centuries-old pilgrimage road, le Chemin de
St. Jacques de Compostelle, with pilgrims from around the world. Some
will continue the entire summer, across the Pyrenees into northern Spain,
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Class in France begins wherever history
professor Phil Adamo finds enough
room to gather students and read the
day’s passage from The Rule of St.
Benedict.
and all the way to Santiago in the
west, to receive the official pilgrim’s
passport and a chance to have their
sins forgiven. Some, like us, are walking just a few days.
We have many things to teach;
what students learn depends on the
site visit and their willingness to try.
Each keeps a daily sketchbook/journal that integrates personal reflection with history and art assignments.
Reading from The Rule of St. Benedict is Phil’s structure for teaching
the principles of monastic community, an important aspect of medieval
religious practice. Students don’t simply hear about how silence helped
monks to listen deeply. They are expected to practice it. They do so,
awkwardly at first, for a short time as they enter Église de Perse, the
Romanesque chapel of Saint Hilarian, built on the site where the
Muslims supposedly beheaded him in the eighth century. Eventually,
they practice silence for what seems like an eternity, from sundown to
sunup, in preparation for a visit to the monastery, St. Martin du
Canigou, perched a half-day’s hike up the foothills of the snow-capped
Pyrenees. In the end, they are willingly silent beside the rushing alpine
waters of Vernet-les-Bains, embracing experiential learning at its best.
My structure for teaching plein air drawing is demonstration and practice, and practice, and practice—the medieval master/apprentice model.
Students are expected to draw at least two hours per day. For some this
is daunting at first. We stop and draw together wherever the inspiration
and pauses of travel make it possible. They learn that this kind of drawing can happen all day, any day. This means that a rest from the midday
hiking heat finds these vibrant young people sketching in the shade
along the trail. Curious fellow pilgrims pause to enjoy the view and cheer
them on. Augsburg’s students are natural goodwill ambassadors.
Our pilgrimage ends in Conques, where we receive the pilgrim’s
blessing at Abbaye de St. Foye, the patron saint of the blind and the
imprisoned, and hear Phil read the gospel of John. We pick up our
pace and continue to the restored, walled city of Carcassonne and
hear about heretics; take a dip in the Mediterranean Sea at Collioure;
and visit the papal palace at Avignon. The last full week of the course
is spent in the “city of lights” where we are surprised and thrilled to
Art professor Tara Sweeney sketches plein
air with student Cassandra Roschen on the
outskirts of Sénergues, France.
hear students wishing for more pilgrimage and less Paris.
So what was France really like? The syllabi promised we’d unravel
the mysteries of critical thinking and blind contours, learn how to
read history, and make plein air drawings. We walked a very long
way together to do all that. But if we can’t tell you the best thing that
happened in France it’s probably because it’s still happening. In
studying to understand the past, in sketching what remains of it, we
have learned to listen, to see deeply, and most importantly, to be fully
present. Transformation is like that. Go ahead, ask. Ⅵ
Tara Sweeney is assistant professor of art. Phil Adamo is assistant professor of history.
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MAKING THEIR MARK
BY BETSEY NORGARD
Nancy Steblay and her student researchers
in the lineup
have partnered with
Hennepin County police
officers to research, apply, and test
changes in police lineups to reduce the
chances of convicting innocent people.
24 AUGSBURG NOW
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n the past 14 years, 183
people have been exonerated from crimes they
did not commit, but for
which they were convicted and for which they may have
spent a decade or more in prison.
In 75% of these DNA-exoneration cases, the primary evidence
leading to their conviction was a
witness who identified them as
the perpetrator of a crime.
Only after development of DNA
technology that could positively
match evidence to a person—or
exonerate that person—did the
law enforcement community realize the depth of the eyewitness
problem in the legal system.
The social impact of a witness
identifying the wrong person in a
lineup is significant. Not only can
it send an innocent person to
prison, but it also allows the real
criminal to remain uncaught.
In the late 1980s, when psychology professor Nancy Steblay
began reading the early research
describing simple changes in lineup procedures that could reduce
the rate of false identifications,
she became intrigued. Trained as
a behavioral scientist, she saw in
this an ideal application of laboratory research and theory. “There’s
so much we could add, we could
say, about how to understand
human memory in the legal
process,” says Steblay.
What the early psychology
research offered, she says, is only
probabilistic—laboratory research
I
Psychology students have created research
projects to examine procedures used by law
officers in police lineups and to test them in
field projects. Student researchers include
Psychology professor Nancy Steblay has studied police lineups for more than 15 years and
helps students develop research that addresses problems with eyewitness identifications.
helps to estimate the likelihood
that certain events, like eyewitness fallibility, will occur. What
the legal system needs at trial,
however, is certainty about a specific case. Did something affect
this particular witness’ memory
in this particular case?
The goal of recent lineup
research, says Steblay, is to fix
the eyewitness problem before it
reaches the courts. “We need to
develop the procedures that
make certain that memory, like
all trace evidence, is not contaminated,” she says. In other words,
when a person is on trial for a
crime for which he/she has been
identified by a witness, the legal
system needs to know that this
identification is accurate, that the
eyewitness evidence is sound.
(L to R) Brenna Johnson ’07, Amanda Brey
’08, and Robert Tix ’07.
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Tackling the problem
By the late 1990s, the Department
of Justice could no longer ignore
the fact that increasing numbers of
people were being proven innocent after wrongful convictions,
even by well-meaning law
enforcement officials and eyewitnesses who thought they were
doing everything by the book.
In 1999, Attorney General
Janet Reno brought together
early researchers who had been
focusing on lineup procedures
and produced an in-depth study
of their research with recommendations for improving the system. It gave visibility and awareness to the problem and options
for improving the protocol.
Augsburg’s psychology department did not have a laboratory
at that time, so Steblay was
unable to carry out any lab
research. However, what she
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could do was to produce metaanalyses, or comprehensive
reviews and syntheses of all
existing research around a particular issue or question that provide a “grand picture.” These
studies prove extremely useful
for researchers and policy makers studying the questions.
In 2001, Steblay’s meta-analysis on sequential vs. simultaneous lineups caught the attention
of Gary Wells, an Iowa State psychology professor and pioneer in
lineup research, who was trying
to encourage lineup reform
across the country.
What Wells advocated, and
Steblay’s meta-analysis confirmed,
is that the rate of false identification is lowered when the lineup
subjects, usually shown in photos,
are presented to the witness one
at a time, rather than all at once.
There is less tendency for wit-
nesses to compare one to the
other instead of to their memory
of the perpetrator.
A further procedural change
that Wells recommended was a
“double-blind” lineup, where the
law officer or person administering the lineup does not know
which person, if any, in the lineup is the suspect.
When the psychology department gained a small lab, Steblay
was able to involve students in
her research. As part of the
advanced research seminar she
taught, students could create
spin-offs of her research and
could run subjects in the lab.
To develop better research
capabilities, Steblay needed some
tools—a laptop simulation of a
crime and a lineup to show lab
subjects. The technical concept
came from IT staff person Bill
Jones, and the material came
from film professor Deb
Redmond’s video production
class. “It became the students’
assignment—to shoot a crime,
and then to help me construct
the lineup,” says Steblay. “And
they did a beautiful job.”
Hennepin County attorney Amy Klobuchar
(left) and psychology professor Nancy
Steblay (right) recently co-authored an
article that reports on the success of the
Hennepin County lineup project.
26 AUGSBURG NOW
Joining with law
officers
In 2003 Hennepin County in
Minnesota initiated a year-long
pilot project to test new sequential, double-blind lineup procedures. County attorney Amy
Klobuchar spearheaded the
study, involving four police jurisdictions—two urban
(Minneapolis and Bloomington)
and two suburban (Minnetonka
and New Hope)—after hearing
Wells speak about the need for
lineup reform.
Steblay joined the pilot project
as the data analyst, supported by
a two-year grant from the
National Institute of Justice
(NIJ). The grant paid for her
time to pull and run data from
the 280 lineups in the pilot project, and to run several analog
laboratory projects testing questions that arose. One such question was “Does it make a difference if a witness goes through
the sequential lineup photos
more than once?”
“Questions came up in the
field and we tested them in the
laboratory,” Steblay says. “Now I
can bring the two together and
say, ‘This is how we should run
lineups in the field based on
what we know now.’”
NIJ found Steblay’s project compelling because it united police
practice and laboratory research,
Steblay says. It was a field study
on the cutting edge of national
discussions, and no field data had
been collected previously.
Steblay and Klobuchar were
two of the three co-authors for a
recent article in the Cardozo
Public Law, Policy and Ethics
Journal that reported on the success of the Hennepin County
project. The authors wrote that
“analysis of the data and anecdotal responses from the participating police agencies led to the
conclusion that the new protocol
is both efficient to implement
and effective in reducing the
potential for misidentifications.”
In a press release issued by the
Innocence Project, co-director
Barry Scheck called the study
6121_Augsburg_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
“the first to use scientifically
valid research techniques to evaluate the eyewitness identification
reform in the field—in a ‘real
world’ application, rather than
an academic setting.”
Getting students
involved
The lineup research has been a
great opportunity for students to
learn about the research process.
Even before a psychology lab
existed, students co-authored the
meta-analyses with Steblay. With
the lab, dozens of students over
the years have developed their
own research questions as well
as aided Steblay with her studies.
The NIJ grant added more
opportunity. Students helped to
produce a more professional laptop video “crime scene,” to run
pilots to clarify the instructions,
and to make sure the procedures
ran accurately.
“The benefit of this kind of
research is that students can
grasp it readily and contribute
enormously. Even though the
eyewitness research is complex
and sometimes confusing in its
entirety, at its surface it’s easy to
understand what we’re trying to
do,” says Steblay.
“Students seem to enjoy the
connection to the national lineup
reform effort, as when I say,
‘Well, we’re doing this in
Hennepin County,’ or ‘I went to
Chicago and talked about that,’
or ‘the Los Angeles Police
Department called me yesterday
with this question,’” she says.
“They realize this is not just
some practice exercise—this
really counts.”
With the current popularity of
television crime shows attracting
more students to forensics,
Augsburg launched a concentration in psychology and law.
Steblay’s psychology and law class
has always been popular, and she
says that while students start out
with forensic clinical interests from
TV, the class helps them see the
broader range of opportunities.
Augsburg is one of the few
schools that offers psychology
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Page 29
and law at the undergraduate
level. Steblay feels that the
research helps prepare students
who may be intimidated by the
prospects of graduate school
research.
“I think they get a sense of,
‘Yes, I can do this,” says Steblay.
“Once you get on top of the
research, there’s no end to the
number of research questions
and directions to go.”
A good example is 2005 psychology graduate Hannah
Dietrich. She was awarded the
2006 Best Undergraduate Paper
award from the Psychology-Law
Society for her senior honors
research project on sex offenders,
which began with an internship
at the Minnesota Bureau of
Criminal Apprehension. She’s
currently studying for a master’s
degree at the University of
Colorado-Colorado Springs.
Senior psychology major Shannon Ryan, one of 60 students selected to present their
Presenting the
findings
Since the completion of Hennepin
County’s pilot project, Steblay has
presented the findings at a number of conferences across the
country. Her phone has also been
ringing more with questions and
contacts about the research since
publication of the study.
She is now completing the final
data analysis and report for the
NIJ grant, and preparing to train
in a new batch of students to start
the next generation of research in
Augsburg’s “crime” lab.
“The people I work with—the
homicide investigators, the attorneys—help keep me in touch
with how this plays out in the
real world, and the kinds of
adjustments I need to make in
the lab to try to capture that in a
better and more authentic way,”
Steblay says. “And the students
help keep me very much in
touch with what a real witness
would experience.” Ⅵ
research on Capitol Hill, has been part of Nancy Steblay’s research that is supported
by a National Institute of Justice grant.
Shannon Ryan takes lineups
to Washington
Shannon Ryan ’07 was among 60 students selected nationally to
present their research at the Council on Undergraduate Research’s
Posters on the Hill session in Washington, D.C.
in April.
Ryan’s research examines procedural guidelines for gathering
eyewitness evidence in police lineups and how witness memory is
affected by lineup structure and format. Her poster, “BlindSequential Police Lineups: A Test of Revised Procedure” compared
the number of eyewitness false identifications in two different formats, and was the only poster representing the social sciences.
While in Washington, Ryan and Professor Nancy Steblay, her
research adviser, visited with U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo and Rep. Betty
McCollum to explain the research.
Ryan will carry on the lineup research for her senior honors
project, and then continue in either a psychology and law or criminal justice graduate program.
During the summer, she worked in the McNair program at the
University of Minnesota on a project about the over-reporting of
voting behavior, with Christopher Uggen, Distinguished McKnight
Professor and chair of the sociology department.
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Left: Very Special Arts (VSA) day brings
children with mental and physical disabilities to the Augsburg campus where they
are treated to dancing, music-making,
music performances, and more by the
Music Therapy department.
Right: Members of The Remnant Gospel
Choir sing at the annual Martin Luther King
Jr. convocation, sponsored by the PanAfrikan Center. The 2006 speaker was
Dr. Bernard LaFayette Jr., SNCC co-founder
and director of nonviolent and peace studies at the University of Rhode Island.
Below: The tables on the balcony of
Christensen Center are distorted by raindrops clinging to the windows during a
Photographer’s pick—
September rain storm.
some of the year’s favorites
PHOTOS AND TEXT BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
From the thousands of photos
staff photographer Stephen Geffre took during 2005–06, he selected these photos
that give beauty and meaning to life at Augsburg.
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Left: Trevor Tweeten ’06 sits in front of a
video installation piece that was part of his
senior filmmaking show. Tweeten is the
first graduate of Augsburg’s new film major.
Above: Helping to clean up the Soap
Factory art gallery was one of the many
AugSem projects first-year students undertook on the first day of class in September.
The gallery is housed in a former soapmaking factory in the St. Anthony Main area
of Minneapolis, and “is dedicated to the
production, presentation, and promotion of
emerging contemporary practice across the
visual arts.” (Soap Factory website)
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A hands-on
approach to
better health
BY BETSEY NORGARD
r. Bruce
Cunningham ’77
talks about having
one additional trick
in the bag of medical
tricks he offers patients in his
practice.
Cunningham is a doctor of
osteopathic medicine, or DO,
and has been practicing in
Woodbury, Minn., for 21 years.
For the last 12 years he has been
a family practice physician at the
MinnHealth Clinic.
The “trick” he calls on is
manipulation, the core of osteopathic medicine. Osteopaths
examine the interrelationship
and functioning of the body’s
musculoskeletal system—nerves,
muscles, and bones—to understand disease and its causes. It’s
literally a hands-on approach
with patients as he physically
manipulates or adjusts their
D
With his left hand, Dr. Bruce Cunningham
searches for a lesion in the patient’s back
where manipulation will help his condition.
30 AUGSBURG NOW
joints, muscles, tendons, etc. that
may be injured or impaired.
“It’s not for everybody or every
problem,” Cunningham says, “but
it can be effective in a number of
common disorders—backaches,
headaches, sleep disorder. It’s a
nice tool to be able to pull out.”
In his practice, he shares some
of his patients with his MD partners—the patients come to him
specifically for certain things
because he’s an osteopath. “It’s a
very good holistic approach to
care; many MDs have a similar
approach, but very few have the
training where they can actually
do the manipulations that help
people immediately.”
“So there are reasons why we’re
a bit different,” Cunningham
says. “But if someone comes in
with appendicitis, I’m going to
treat it in exactly the same way as
my very capable MD partners.”
He says that 80–90% of what he
does is “very mainline.”
The medical training is essentially the same for both the “allopathic,” or traditional physicians,
and osteopathic physicians—four
years of medical school, at least
three years of residency, and certifying exams administered by
different bodies.
Osteopathic students have extra
study in the musculoskeletal system, including two years of lab
work. “You’re learning on other
students, and then you’re picking
on your family and friends to do
some of the manipulation,” he
says. “So there’s a better understanding of how the body works
and how to interact with it.”
Cunningham is a faculty member at the University of Minnesota
and two osteopathic colleges—
Des Moines University College of
Osteopathic Medicine and
LECOM-Bradenton College—and
enjoys working with third-year
osteopathic students, who must
spend eight weeks in rotation to
learn primary care.
“I teach both allopathic and
osteopathic students, and there’s
a big difference. … The osteopathic student is always more
comfortable touching the patient
and getting close, and doing a
number of the musculoskeletal
exams we have to do.”
Cunningham explains that
osteopathic physicians are different
than chiropractors, who also treat
patients with physical manipulation, but are not medical doctors.
Chiropractic focus is on the nervous system, while osteopathy
trains doctors to look at the body’s
functioning in more depth.
Osteopathic physicians have
not always been accepted as
equals in the medical profession.
Minnesota did not offer full practice rights to DOs until 1963; the
last state to do so was Louisiana,
just two years ago.
Currently there are about
56,000 osteopaths in the U.S.
who make up about six percent
of all physicians. In Minnesota
that figure is about 300, and
they practice across the state, traditionally serving in smaller
communities, but now increasingly in large healthcare systems
and at Mayo Clinic.
Cunningham says that osteopathic medicine is “growing by
leaps and bounds,” and that
within two or three years,
approximately 20% of all medical students will be pursuing
osteopathy. Currently they study
at 23 osteopathic medical
schools, most of which are private institutions. Because they’re
not affiliated with large hospitals,
osteopathic students tend to
travel and spread out more for
their rotations.
Four additional colleges of
osteopathic medicine are actively
on the drawing board, says
Cunningham, who has served on
the national committee that
approves new training schools.
In Minnesota Cunningham has
enjoyed being part of a team of
DOs who visit every college in
the state once a year to talk to
students about osteopathic medicine. “It’s really fun,” he says,
because “the idea that you can
learn to touch your patients and
to take a more natural approach
to some of their ailments is very
exciting to pre-med students.”
6121_Augsburg_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
Osteopaths can pursue any
specialty, although most are in
family practice. Cunningham
says that research is becoming an
important new endeavor in
osteopathy. “I’ve just had a student who finished his PhD while
he was on rotation with me and
he’s doing oncology research,
some really exciting work in it.”
The choice between traditional
medical programs and osteopathy must be a personal one for
the student, Cunningham says.
First they have to know they
have a choice, and then some
will go the osteopathic route as
they become excited by the
approach osteopathy offers to
concentrate on treating the person and not just the disease.
Cunningham’s own vocational
route was not so direct. When he
was not accepted at first into
medical school, he took graduate
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Page 33
courses at the University of
Minnesota and worked in a hospital. After trying a year at law
school, it was a fellow classmate,
John Ronning ’77, now a physician in St. Cloud, who suggested
osteopathy. When Cunningham
learned more about it, he
applied, and went on to Des
Moines University College of
Osteopathic Medicine.
He says he owes a lot to the
profession, since it was while on
his internship in Grand Rapids,
Mich., where he met his wife.
He has served twice as president of the Minnesota Osteopathic
Medical Society, and has been
active on committees within the
profession, including the
National Board of Osteopathic
Medical Examiners.
Cunningham credits Augsburg
with a good preparation for leadership and service. He attended col-
lege as a commuter student to save
money, but was welcomed by the
residents and even kept a sleeping
bag in the corner. He served as
student body vice president, and
remains best friends with Ron
Robinson, who was president.
“The student leadership and
the opportunities Augsburg gave
me to be in that role were really
great testing grounds for what
I’ve gone on to accomplish in
medicine,” Cunningham says. He
encourages all students to take
advantage of leadership opportunities during their college years.
Cunningham says he loves
being involved in the politics of
medicine. This should keep him
active as osteopathic medicine
keeps growing and offers additional tricks in the doctor’s bag
for health and wellness. Ⅵ
For over 20 years Dr. Bruce Cunningham
’77 has brought the additional perspectives
from osteopathic medicine to his clinical
practice.
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ALUMNI NEWS
From the Alumni
Board president …
When I attended Augsburg in the
MAL program from 1993-1996, I
often thought of Augsburg as a diamond—many facets, one beautiful
gem of a college. Serving on the
board of directors of the Augsburg
Alumni Association over the last
few years has offered me many different and wonder-filled views of
Augsburg, yet I come back to the
same thought—many facets, one
beautiful gem of a college.
As another school year begins,
the cycle it brings is also the same
and different. Augsburg is about its
same calling—offering a transformative education rooted in vocation and service—while embracing
new presidential leadership.
Healthy expressions of excitement,
concern, joy, and challenge are evident every day I visit or speak
with someone on campus.
Augsburg is very alive! And well!
I encourage you to participate
in this cycle of life at Augsburg
through your Alumni Association.
The association remains committed to its purpose: “…to support
and serve Augsburg College in its
stated mission and to promote
interest and involvement of the
membership in Augsburg College
and in the association.” And there
is something new, too: the
Alumni Association has restruc-
32 AUGSBURG NOW
tured itself and its activities, and
has prepared itself to be a
stronger partner with the College.
I invite you to (re)connect
with Augsburg and your Alumni
Association:
• Attend events. Take advantage
of the many interesting and
meaningful activities available to
alumni. These include the inauguration of our new president,
music and theatre, athletics,
Velkommen Jul and Advent
Vespers, Homecoming, alumni
gatherings, and conferences.
This year’s alumni events also
will include volunteering with
Habitat for Humanity and the
Campus Kitchen, as well as the
Master of Arts in Leadership’s
20th anniversary celebration.
• Visit the campuses. Yes, that’s
plural! Augsburg now has at
least five campuses: ‘traditional’
day school, weekend, graduate,
Rochester, and overseas. Look
up former professors and mentors, shop at the bookstore,
and see the dramatic changes
that are occurring at Si Melby
and Gateway and planned for
the Science building. You
could even come back to
Augsburg for another degree!
• Stay in touch. We want to hear
from you and we want to be able
to contact you! Register for the
Augsburg Online Community
(www.augsburg.edu/alumni,
then click on Augsburg Online
Community) and let us know
what you are doing. Remember
to update your profile, and
look for your friends and
classmates. You can also use
the form on page 39 to submit
information, or e-mail it to
alumni@augsburg.edu.
• Contact us. Let us know how
you would like to be involved
with the College and fellow
alumni. You can reach me by
e-mail at bvornbrock@gmail.com
or through the Online
Community. You can also contact us through Alumni
Relations by phone at 612330-1085 or 1-800-260-6590,
by e-mail at alumni@augsburg.edu or in writing
(Campus Box 146, 2211
Riverside Ave., Minneapolis,
MN 55454).
I look forward to seeing you at
Homecoming.
Barry Vornbrock, ’96 MAL
President, Augsburg Alumni
Association
Homecoming 2006—September 25–30
“Watch Us Soar”
Highlights of Homecoming Week
Please note that not all activities are on campus. For a complete listing and information, go to www.augsburg.edu or call 612-330-1085.
September 25
4:30-6 p.m.
Intl. Student Organization reception
September 26
11 a.m.–2 p.m.
6:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
Counseling and Health Promotion Annual Fair
Alumni Baseball Game
Powder Puff Football
September 27
10:30 a.m.
Augsburg Associates Annual Fall Luncheon—
speaker, Abigail Pribbenow
September 28
5:30–8:30 p.m.
5:30–8:30 p.m.
Education Dept. Open House
Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
September 29
9 a.m.
10–11 a.m.
12:30–2 p.m.
2:15 p.m.
4–5:30 p.m.
5–7 p.m.
5:30–7:30 p.m.
7 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
1956 Reunion Celebration
Homecoming Chapel
Homecoming Luncheon
Campus Tour
English Alumni/ae Reunion and Reading
Pan-Afrikan Alumni Reception
Metro-Urban Studies 35th Anniversary
Homecoming Variety Show
Men’s soccer game vs. Macalester College
September 30
10 a.m.
10–11:30 a.m.
11 a.m.
11 a.m.
11 a.m.–noon
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
1–3 p.m.
3–7 p.m.
1966 Class Reunion
Political Science Dept. 40th Anniversary
1981 Class Reunion
Young Alumni Reunion (1990–2006)
Campus Tour
Picnic in the Park
Football Game vs. Concordia College-Moorhead
Auggie Block Party
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(Front row, L to R) Karen Oelschlager ’66, Donna Amidon, Linda Holt, Karen Johnson ’66,
Cathy Holmberg ’64, Joyce Pfaff ’65, Nancy Roemer, Janet Roemer ’79, Andy Song.
(Row two, L to R) Larry Turner ’69, Lynn Kielas, Colleen Johnson ’60, Margaret Fogelberg,
Doug Pfaff, Connie Bagenstos, Marie Sandbo ’65. (Row three, L to R) Florence Borman
’54, Joyce Young ’64, Donna Pederson, Sue McQuire ’70, Sue Turner, Lana Donald,
Mike Holmberg ’64, Lee Johnson, Donna Torgeson, Joan Dehn, Matt Young.
(Back row, L to R) Dennes Borman ’57, Louis Dehn, David Pederson ’70, Tom McQuire,
Jim Donald ’63, Brad Holt ’63, Hans Sandbo ’63
Centennial Singers perform in the Twin Cities
The Centennial Singers, a male chorus of Augsburg alumni and
friends, will present a series of concerts this fall in the greater
Twin Cities area.
The chorus was formed in the early 1990s of former Augsburg
Quartet members to revive and continue singing the gospel quartet
tradition. Since then, they have toured to Norway twice and to the
Southwest U.S.
Fall Concerts/Appearances:
Sat., Sep. 30, 7 p.m.
Vinji Lutheran Church, Willmar
China: A visit to the Great Hall
Thirty alumni and friends of the College, hosted by assistant alumni
director Donna Torgeson and faculty members Brad (’63) and Linda
Holt, toured China for two weeks in May. The tour featured the history, culture, and scenic beauty of China, and included a visit to the
Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City; a boat cruise
down the Yangtze River past the Three Rivers Dam project; an
evening at the opera; and many other historical stops. The experience
took travelers from Beijing to the international city of Shanghai. In
addition to visiting the famous sites of China, the group enjoyed an
educational opportunity to explore the religions of China with visits
to several temples and churches.
Sun., Oct. 1, 4 p.m.
Central Lutheran Church, Elk River
Sat., Oct. 7, 7 p.m.
Oak Grove Presbyterian Church, Bloomington
Sun., Oct. 8, 4 p.m.
Crystal Free Church, New Hope
Sat., Oct. 14, 7:30 p.m.
Gethsemane Lutheran Church, Hopkins
Sun., Oct. 15, 4 p.m.
Faith Lutheran Church, Coon Rapids
Sat., Oct. 28, 7 p.m.
Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church, Prior Lake
Join the Augsburg Online Community
It’s designed just for you—
• Keep in touch with classmates
• Find out what’s happening on campus
• Send class notes about what you’re doing
• Change/update your address and e-mail
• Update your profile so others can find you
• Make an online gift to Augsburg
It’s fast and easy. Already, more than 500 alumni have registered.
Simply go to www.augsburg.edu/alumni—have you signed up?
If you have questions, e-mail healyk@augsburg.edu.
Sun., Oct. 29, 2 p.m.
House of Prayer Lutheran Church, Richfield
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CLASS NOTES
1950
1951
1957
Rev. Raynard Huglen ’53 Sem,
Rev. Herbert C. Hanson, Forest
Stan Baker, Raleigh, N.C., pro-
Newfolden, Minn., has published
a book, The Race Before Us, a
collection of writings from his
27-year tenure as editor of The
Lutheran Ambassador, the publication of the Association of Free
Lutheran Congregations. His
book is available through
Ambassador Publications of the
AFLC, in Minneapolis.
City, Iowa, was presented the
Golden Hammer award by
Habitat for Humanity in North
Iowa and the Volunteer of the
Year award for 2005 by the Forest
City Chamber of Commerce for
his volunteer work for Habitat for
Humanity. In April, he celebrated
his 80th birthday.
fessor of counselor education at
North Carolina State University
in Raleigh, was recognized as one
of the 100 Distinguished Alumni
during the centennial celebration
in May of the University of
Minnesota’s College of Education
and Human Development. He
received a Master of Arts degree
in personnel and guidance work
from there in 1963.
Auggie Reunion
Marshall Johnson, Brooklyn
Center, Minn., has completed 60
articles for The New Interpreter’s
Dictionary of the Bible, forthcoming from Abingdon Press.
Virgil Vagle, Paynesville, Minn.,
was inducted into the Minnesota
State High School League Hall of
Fame in May. He has coached football and wrestling at Paynesville
Area High School for 70 seasons
combined and held the state record
for most career coaching victories
in wrestling from 1997–2004.
1963
1970
Carolyn E. Johnson, Placentia,
Bonnie (Christopherson) Feig,
Starkville, Miss., has been teaching social studies at Starkville
High School for 16 years. During
that time, she has been named
the state’s outstanding social
studies teacher by the Mississippi
Historical Society, the district’s
Star Teacher (chosen by the high
school’s Star Student), the
Starkville Teacher of the Year for
2005–06, and the American
History Teacher of the Year by
the Mississippi Chapter of the
Daughters of the American
Revolution. Her husband,
Douglas ’68, teaches political
science at Mississippi State
University in Starkville.
Calif., received a grant from
Rotary International to teach for
one semester at the University of
Belize in Belize City, starting in
February 2007. She will also
work with the Women’s Issues
Network in Belize. Contact her at
cjohnson@fullerton.edu.
1965
Peter Jacobson, Paynesville,
Six roommates/housemates who graduated in 1967 celebrated their 25th consecutive annual
reunion in August 2005. They all have been teachers at some point in their careers. (Back
row, L to R) Gloria Lamprecht, Sue (Overholt) Hampe, Pat (Rupp) Rossing, Phyllis
(Stradtman) Krieg; (Front row, L to R) Ruth Ann (Gjerde) Fitzke, Ardell (Arends) Lommen.
34 AUGSBURG NOW
John K. Luoma, Stow, Ohio,
recently saw the re-publication
of his case study on the Anglican
divine Richard Hooker in the
Journal for Case Teaching
(2004–05). It was recognized as
one of the outstanding cases in
the Association for Case
Teaching archives.
Minn., and his wife, Lynne, were
honored as Distinguished
Alumni of the Paynesville Area
High School. They have been the
publishers of the Paynesville
Press since 1973, when they
took it over from her father, who
had succeeded his father as well.
In June they became semi-retired
when their son, Michael, took
over as publisher/editor.
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Rev. Kathryn Schreitmueller,
Green Bay, Wis., has been named
pastor of Resurrection Lutheran
Church, after serving for 20
months as interim pastor of Peace
Lutheran Church in Oshkosh.
She teaches liturgy and worship
at the Eastern Lay School of
Ministry and has led students to
work for Habitat for Humanity.
1991
Jennie (Clark) Anderson, Park
Lisa Dietz, Golden Valley, Minn.,
was selected as one of the artists
for the Minnesota State Arts
Board’s second annual Art of
Recovery exhibit, April through
June. Her work included a
poem, an essay, and textile art.
Rapids, Minn., is the new owner
and innkeeper of the Red Bridge
Inn in Park Rapids.
www.redbridgeinn.com
Christine Halvorson, Hancock,
1977
Sharon (Johnson) Sullivan, San
Ron Housley, Santa Maria,
Jose, Calif., was honored by the
Junior League of San Jose as one
of the City of San Jose’s
Outstanding Volunteers for 2006.
She received her honor at the
37th Volunteer Recognition
Luncheon on April 28. She was
nominated by The Tech Museum
of Innovation for her dedication,
compassion, and action.
Calif., is in rehearsal with The
Kingsmen Alumni Corps, a
group of musicians who formerly
were members of The Anaheim
Kingsmen Jr. Drum and Bugle
Corps, for the 2007 Summer
Music Games. Recently, his
arrangement of “Eternal Father,
Strong to Save,” was chosen for
inclusion in the book of The
Kingsmen Alumni Corps.
1975
Craig Olsen (deceased) was
inducted posthumously in April
into the Oregon Chapter of the
National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
During his career he coached high
school teams in Minnesota and
Oregon, and at Pacific University
and University of MinnesotaMorris. He died of cancer in 2004.
1981
N.H., has entered the business of
corporate blogging as a consultant to companies wishing to join
the blogosphere.
www.halvorsonnewmedia.com
1989
Carolyn (Ross) Isaak,
Rochester, Minn., was named to
the U.S. Track and Field Cross
Country Coaches Association’s
Silver Anniversary Team, as one
of the outstanding performers in
women’s outdoor track and field
of the last 25 years. She was
named for her performance in
the 400-meter hurdles, for which
she still holds the NCAA
Division III national meet record.
1990
1978
Debra Axness, Charleston, S.C.,
has been living with her
boyfriend, Larry Struck, aboard
Debonair, their cutter-rigged sailboat, for four years after sailing
from Duluth, through the Great
Lakes, down the Erie Canal and
Hudson River, and down the
East Coast. They are ready to set
sail again towards Bermuda and
south to the Caribbean Basin.
Ora Hokes, Minneapolis, was
one of two winners of the 2006
University of Minnesota Josie
Johnson Human Rights and
Social Justice awards, named for
the first African American to
serve on the university’s Board of
Regents. The award recognizes
individuals who have devoted
their time and talents to making
substantial and enduring contributions to the University of
Minnesota community.
1992
Steven Benson, Owatonna,
Minn., was one of 100 teachers
nationwide to be awarded a 2005
Presidential Award for Excellence
in Mathematics and Science
Teaching. He and his wife, Nancy,
spent a week in Washington, D.C.,
sponsored by the National Science
Foundation, in a combination of
professional development activities
and festivities, which included a
White House breakfast meeting.
He is an advanced mathematics
teacher at Owatonna High School.
Sven
Erlandson,
Minneapolis,
published his
third book,
The 7
Evangelical
Myths:
Untwisting the
Theology behind the Politics, that
addresses the intersection of religion and politics in America,
specifically the role of evangelical
Christianity in the current political culture. During the spring he
served as Augsburg’s strength and
conditioning coach for all sports.
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CLASS NOTES
1993
1999
Anne JulianVan Abel,
Minnetonka,
Minn., started
a new business,
The A-List, a
human resource firm that provides
sourcing and staffing services for
local and national firms in all
industries. She had been an independent consultant for 12 years.
1996
Ryan Carlson, St. Paul, was
appointed an alternate member
by the Highland District
Council’s board of directors. The
council is an organization that
provides a neighborhood voice
to decisions made by the city
and the state.
1997
Sarah (Gilbert) Holtan,
Milwaukee, Wis., was promoted
to assistant professor of communications at Concordia University
Wisconsin. She can be reached at
sarah.holtan@cuw.edu.
1998
Angie Ahlgren, Minneapolis,
will begin a doctoral program
this fall in theatre history/criticism/theory/text with an emphasis in performance as public
practice at the University of
Texas at Austin. She holds an
MA in English literature from the
University of Minnesota.
36 AUGSBURG NOW
Erik C.B.
Johnson,
Chicago, Ill.,
received a
PhD in biochemistry
and molecular biology
from the University of Chicago
on June 9. He is currently a third
year medical student at the
University of Chicago, Pritzker
School of Medicine.
2003
Kristen Opalinski, White Bear
Lake, Minn., was named Coach
of the Year by the Northcentral
Schoolgirls Lacrosse Association
(NSLA) after coaching the North
Suburban Lady Spartans lacrosse
team to an undefeated record
and state championship. She was
also head coach for the
Minnesota All-Stars team, made
up of the state’s best girls in
lacrosse, who achieved a 2-1-2
record at the US Lacrosse
Women’s Division National High
School Tournament at Lehigh
University in Pennsylvania, after
six years of winless appearances.
Kristen works as a graphic artist.
Lindsay Plocher, Megan Feider, and Miya Kunin—the Des Cordes String Trio
2004
2006
Kelly Chapman, Willernie,
Lindsay Plocher, Megan Feider,
and Miya Kunin ’04 have joined
Minn., graduated magna cum
laude from the Fashion Institute
of Design and Merchandising in
Los Angeles. She was one of 10
students accepted into the third
year design program and awarded a full Nolan Miller Scholarship
for the 2006–07 school year.
2005
Yi Chen, New Brighton, Minn.,
works with her husband, Chen
‘04, at Akingco, Inc., a company
that sells gift pens.
together as the Des Cordes String
Trio, playing for weddings, parties, and corporate events. The
trio has performed prior to Saint
Paul Chamber Orchestra concerts as part of their community
series, and in the Linden Hills
Live Music Festival. They are
currently on the preferred musicians list of the Twin City Bridal
Association. www.descordes.com
Graduate programs
Doris Rubenstein ’93 MAL,
Richfield, Minn., has been
named a contributing editor to
CPA Wealth Provider magazine.
She is the principal of PDP
Services, a philanthropy management and planning consulting
firm in Minneapolis.
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Sports and Scores in Saginaw
Darryl Sellers, a Weekend
College grad of 2002, is the most
recent addition to the WNEMTV5 news team in Saginaw,
Mich. The station’s no. 65 ranking is an impressive advance for
Sellers, coming from no. 153,
KAAL-TV, in Austin, Minn. It’s
one more stepping stone on the
journey that began at Augsburg.
While earning a major in mass
communications and a minor in
English through the weekend
program from 1997 to 2002,
Sellers spent three years as a
McNair Scholar, which helped
him to prepare for graduate
school through workshops,
weekly meetings, conferences,
and outside assignments involving cultural awareness.
Sellers credits Augsburg for
“[laying] the groundwork for my
path… The school helped me
open many doors that were
closed to me before.”
For his McNair mini-thesis,
which he presented at the State
Capitol, Sellers chose to research
the Western Appeal, a St. Paul
African-American newspaper
published from the late 1800s to
the 1920s. He was able to see
how the newspaper began and
how it handled issues facing
blacks of that era such as racism,
discrimination, disenfranchisement, voting rights, and equal
education. Sellers concluded that
the black community was divided
in a number of issues. “Although
the people had many of the same
goals in mind,” he said, “the pathways to get there varied.”
The project helped Sellers
learn crucial lessons in balanced
reporting. “It helped me explore
both sides of issues. I learned
that objectivity itself can be subjective. Balance can’t always be
achieved, and this was something very valuable for an aspiring broadcast journalist.”
After Augsburg, Sellers and his
wife moved to Los Angeles where
he entered the Annenberg School
for Communication at the
University of Southern California.
Although he chose the school
because of its excellent program,
staff, and campus, he also admits,
“I fell in love with Los Angeles
during my honeymoon; I had
fantasized about living in
California. I also wanted to see
what it was like to escape the
tundra country and cold temperatures for two years.”
Part of his study there included
a six-week internship in 2003 in
Cape Town, South Africa, working
for SABC-TV, which he found to
be a great, eye-opening experience.
He received a Master of Arts in
broadcast journalism in May 2004,
and by August, KAAL-TV in
Austin, Minn. offered him a weekend sports anchor position. “I
started working there in
September 2004. It was a whirlwind summer—our son was born
August 13, so we drove more than
2,000 miles to Minnesota with a
three-week-old baby.”
In addition to the weekend
anchor spot, Sellers did sports
reporting and put together feature stories. He was in charge of
all his own camera work, producing, writing, and editing.
After a year and eight months
at KAAL-TV, Sellers stumbled into
a great opportunity through the
persistence of his father-in-law—
whom he calls his “unofficial
agent”—to connect with a
Phoenix TV-station president so
he could tell him about Sellers.
The president sent notification to
sister stations with a wonderful
recommendation. A week or so
later Sellers received e-mail from
the news director of WNEM-TV,
requesting a tape and an interview
in Saginaw. Sellers was then hired
as an 11 p.m. Fox sports anchor.
This new position offers both a
wider geographical area and a bigger budget. It also offers greater
challenge and opportunity to
report on events such as the PGA
Buick Open and to cover college
sports teams, like Michigan State,
and professional teams.
Darryl Sellers ’02
Sellers does miss Minnesota
and the people back home, and
he hopes to eventually make it
back to Minneapolis. “I would
like to work for WCCO-TV—
save a place for me, Mark Rosen,
as a sport anchor,” he says, and
adds with a smile, “Of course, I
wouldn’t say no to KARE, KSTP,
or KMSP.”
His goals also include starting
his own production company
and mentoring aspiring, young
journalists and other youth. “I
want to give back and help pave
the pathway for their future.”
Right now, though, Sellers is
staying very active with his new
job and helping to raise a very
energetic little boy.
— Sara Holman ’06
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CLASS NOTES
WEDDINGS
BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS
Dale Martin Christopherson ’85,
Grand Forks, N.Dak., and his
wife, Debra, announce the birth
of Alyssa Mae, in March. Dale is
a chemist at the U.S. Department
of Agriculture’s Human Nutrition
Research Center.
Mark Keating ’91 and his wife,
Amy, of Edina, Minn., announce
the birth of their third son,
Aidan Howard on March 14. He
joins brothers Owen, 4, and
Carson, 2. Mark is an account
executive at Symantec.
Nicole (Smith) Sendar ’93,
Edina, Minn., and her husband,
Jordan, announce the birth of
twin boys, Cameron and Gavin,
in September 2005. Nicole is a
teacher in the Minneapolis
Public Schools and can be
reached at nsendar@mn.rr.com.
Sarah (Ginkel) Spilman ’99,
Ames, Iowa, and her husband,
Damion, announce the birth of
their son, Alexander (Zane)
Nicholas, on Jan. 3. Sarah
earned her Master of Arts degree
in sociology at the University of
Iowa in 2004. She is a research
scientist for the Institute for
Social and Behavioral Research at
Iowa State University.
Jennifer Johs-Artisensi ’94, Eau
Ami Nafzger ’94 married Aron Spiess in July. They wed in a tradition-
al Korean wedding that took place as part of the 10th annual Dragon
Festival, an event in St. Paul at Lake Phalen, where they were introduced to each other three years ago. Both Ami and Aron are adoptees
from South Korea. Ami says, “The chair of Dragon Festival asked if
Aron and I would be willing to share our culture with the public at
the festival. We agreed and thought it made sense. Since we met at the
Dragon Festival, we should wed at the festival.” She serves on the festival board as treasurer, as well as on Augsburg’s Alumni Board.
Ami is the founder in 1998 of GOAL, the Global Overseas
Adoptees Link in Korea, that helps to inform Koreans about the existence of adoptees and helps adoptees to connect with their Korean
families and culture. She is beginning a three-year project to start a
GOAL in Minnesota for Asian adoptees and others. Ami and Aron
live in Minneapolis.
38 AUGSBURG NOW
Claire, Wis., and John Artisensi
became the parents of Alexis
Polina in May 2005. She was
born in Novosibirsk, Russia, and
is now two-and-a half years old.
Jennifer is an assistant professor
in the University of WisconsinEau Claire healthcare administration program and John is an elementary music teacher. She can
be reached at johsarjl@uwec.edu
Erica (Johnson) and Jared Trost
’00, East Bethel, Minn., welcome
to the world Josiah Jeffrey, their
first child, on March 19. Coming
in at 8 lbs., 13 oz. and 21 1/2
inches, Josiah is definitely a keeper. Erica is a science teacher at St.
Francis High School, and Jared is
employed by Cedar Creek
Natural History Area.
6121_Augsburg_AugsburgNow-Fall 06
IN MEMORIAM
The Rev. Robert D. Weeden
’51, Newington, Conn., age 82,
on June 22. He served churches
in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and
Connecticut, as well as serving in
the chaplaincy during WWII and
at hospitals until his retirement
in 1990.
Phillip Gronseth ’55, Bella Vista,
Ark., age 72, on April 7. He was
an entrepreneur who retired to
Arkansas, where he enjoyed
being an avid golfer. While at
Augsburg he sang in the
Augsburg Quartet and continued
singing throughout his life. He
remained close to Augsburg,
with a special fondness for the
baseball program, and has supported athletics and the sciences.
9/12/06
12:47 PM
Page 41
Betty (Hanson) Rossing ’64,
Grand Rapids, Minn., on July 3.
With a special love for children, she
mentored teenagers, taught Sunday
School and Vacation Church
School, taught elementary grades in
public schools, and encouraged
young people to become involved
in ELCA missions.
Bessie Mae Hughes ’71,
Minneapolis, age 94, on June 8. A
native of Alabama, she came to
Augsburg to complete her college
degree at age 59, after raising four
children, and then taught in
Minneapolis Public Schools. In
1992 she was named an Augsburg
Distinguished Alumna for her contributions to community and her
church, St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church.
SEND US YOUR NEWS AND PHOTOS
Please tell us about the news in your life, your new job, move,
marriage, and births. Don’t forget to send photos!
For news of a death, printed notice is required, e.g. an obituary,
funeral notice, or program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes, Augsburg College, CB 146,
2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55454, or e-mail to
alumni@augsburg.edu.
Full name
Maiden name
Class year or last year attended
Street address
City, State, Zip
Joseph Boyer ’90, Greenwood,
Minn., age 38, died unexpectedly
at home on June 11.
The Rev. Harry H. Fullilove ’59,
Coral Gables, Fla., age 81, on Dec.
25, 2004, after a lifetime of service
as Lutheran pastor and missionary
in Pakistan, Ghana, and India.
Is this a new address? □ Yes
□ No
Home telephone
E-mail
Okay to publish your e-mail address? □ Yes
□ No
Employer
Position
Work telephone
Go, Auggies! Lots of spirit at Homecoming ’55
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College?
□ Yes
□ No
If yes, class year
Spouse name
Maiden name
Your news:
Auggie spirit resounded around the Quad as the cheerleaders led the
Pepfest for this year’s 50-year anniversary class at Homecoming 1955.
FA L L 2 0 0 6 3 9
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VIEWS
Reflections on
Red Lake
by Janna Caywood ’04
Janna Caywood, former program
coordinator for the Master of
Social Work program, interviewed
Matthew Thornhill ’04, ’06 MSW
about his reflections, as a social
worker, following the Red Lake
school shootings. Following is a
summary of her longer article.
40 AUGSBURG NOW
n March 21, 2005,
16-year-old Jeffrey
Weise shot and
killed three adults
and five classmates,
wounded seven other students,
and then killed himself. It’s a day
in history that the Red Lake Band
of Chippewa will never forget.
This one-hour violent act tore a
gaping hole in the collective spirit
of the entire Red Lake Nation. The
shock and pain were unimaginable. People simply could not
believe something so heinous
could happen in their community.
Worst of all, it was children who
were most deeply affected.
Social work graduate Matthew
Thornhill, a foster care social
worker for American Indian
Family and Children Services in
St. Paul, is an enrolled member
of the Red Lake reservation and
a relative of one of the kids who
died. When he heard the news
that day, his first instinct was to
go to the reservation to be with
his family and friends. “To be
present is very important in
Native culture,” he explains.
He immediately coordinated a
fund drive with his social service
colleagues to help many other Red
Lake members in the Twin Cities
also make the trip back home.
When Matt reached Red Lake,
what he found was both rewarding and disheartening.
It was rewarding to see the
close-knit Red Lake community
pull together and support one
another. Rewarding also was the
support that came from outside
the reservation—from Native
peoples across the U.S. and
Canada, in particular, who called
and e-mailed to express sorrow
and to offer help. “It’s a cultural
value,” says Matt. “We look out
for each other.”
O
Matthew Thornhill ’04, ’06 MSW was named
the “2006 Social Work Student of the Year”
by the National Association of Social
Workers–Minnesota Chapter. His wife,
Angelina, accepted the award with him.
Non-native responses, too,
came from around the globe,
including from some who had
suffered their own school shootings. Many non-Native emergency
responders in Red Lake learned
how to be culturally sensitive
while helping in the community.
The collaboration between
emergency responders and tribal
elders was quite remarkable.
Medicine men, spiritual leaders
and other Band members acted
much like social workers to help
individual families cope and pull
the community together toward
stability and healing. They organized healing ceremonies and
prayer circles for spiritual strength,
both on and off the reservation.
The collaboration between
emergency responders and tribal
leadership was also impressive.
Each morning tribal leaders met
at the local hospital to brief one
another on recent arrivals, so the
newcomers could be dispatched
where need was greatest. Given
the sovereign status of the Red
Lake Nation, there was no ambi-
guity as to who was in charge
and responsible for emergency
efforts—unlike the post-Katrina
confusion.
What Matt found disheartening was the media frenzy around
the shootings and the allegations
about the involvement of the
tribal chairman’s son. Insensitive
behavior by a number of journalists made many in Red Lake feel
exploited. Matt and his family
were most disturbed by news
stories that focused on Red
Lake’s social and economic struggles, implying that they were the
result of failed Native values and
an indifferent, incompetent
community.
The truth is, Matt says, Red
Lake does have its difficulties.
But the root causes are complex
and can only properly be understood through the lens of history
and an understanding of the
long-term effects of colonialism.
What didn’t always come
through were the embedded cultural values in the Red Lake
community and Native way of
life that give strength and
endurance in times of crisis.
In the end, Matt says, Red Lake
did not succumb to the media
barrage, because people drew on
their cultural traditions to rally
each other. “We are a proud,
strong Nation” he says. “We hold
onto our traditional values, yet
we adapt with the times. Red
Lake is gonna make it.”
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For music information, call 612-330-1265
CALENDAR
For theatre ticket information, call 612-330-1257
For art gallery information, call 612-330-1524
SEPTEMBER
October 18
Concert by the Habbestad Trio, tone
poem and chamber ensemble
September 15–October 27
Reliquiae
Sculpture by Sam Spiczka
“Terje Vigen” song cycle,
by Kjell Habbestad
7 p.m.—Sateren Auditorium
Free and open to the public.
Gage Family Art Gallery, Lindell Library
Artist reception, Oct. 7, 4–8 p.m.
Artist gallery talk, Oct. 25, 12:30 p.m.
Egg Basket
Full of
Hollyhock
Dolls
Paintings by
Amy Rice
’93
Christensen Center Art Gallery
Artist reception, Oct. 7, 4–8 p.m.
Artist slide presentation, Sept. 29, 3:30
p.m., Marshall Room, Christensen Center
September 21
Many Voices: Bold Visions
Convocation Series
The Rose Ensemble
“Common Threads: Exloring Shared
Texts among Early Christians and Jews”
11 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel
Free and open to the public.
September 25–30
“Watch Us Soar”—Homecoming 2006
October 18–21
Ages of Imagination: A New Season
of Leadership
The inauguration of Paul Pribbenow
Free and open to the public.
October 20
Festival Service
Bishop Mark Hanson ’68, presiding
Rev. Dr. Robin Lovin, preaching
10:30 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel
Inauguration Ceremony
2 p.m.—Melby Hall
Community Celebration
3:30 p.m.—Murphy Square
October 21
Auggie Spirit Zone
11:00 a.m.—Murphy Square
Football game vs. Carleton College
1 p.m.—Anderson-Nelson Field
For information:
www.augsburg.edu/inauguration
See page 32 for schedule.
NOVEMBER
OCTOBER
November 1
faith@work! breakfast speaker series
October 2–3
2006 Christensen
Symposium
Douglas John Hall,
professor emeritus
of Christian theology, McGill
University
Free and open to
the public.
October 2, “Where in the World Are We?
Being Christians after Christendom”
7:30 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel
October 3, “What Are People For? Caring
for Life in a Violent World”
11 a.m.—Hoversten Chapel
October 4
faith@work! breakfast speaker series
Paul Pribbenow, Augsburg president
7:30 a.m.—St. Philip the Deacon
Lutheran Church, Plymouth, Minn.
Free and open to the public.
Contact: John Knight, 330-1351 or
faith@augsburg.edu. Go to www.spdlc.org.
Barbara Helmsley, founder, Hope
Chest for Breast Cancer
7:30 a.m.—St. Philip the Deacon
Lutheran Church, Plymouth, Minn.
Free and open to the public.
Contact: John Knight, 330-1351 or
faith@augsburg.edu. Go to www.spdlc.org.
November 3–11
Hedda Gabler
By Henrik Ibsen
Faculty directed by Martha Johnson
November 3, 4, 9, 10, and 11
at 7 p.m.
November 5 and 12 at 2 p.m.
Tjornhom-Nelson Theater
November 3–December 17
Signs of Life
Sculpture by
Kim Matthews
Gage Family Art
Gallery
Artist reception,
Nov. 3, 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Artist gallery talk, TBA
November 5
November Nativity
Concert by Masterworks Chorale of
Augsburg
4 p.m.—TBA
November 17–19
Exceptionally Ordinary
Guest directed by David DeBlieck ’88
November 17, 18, and 19 at 8 p.m.
performed together with
No Exit
November 5–19
Henrik Ibsen Film Festival
Lindell Library 301
Free and open to the public.
November 5, 4:30 p.m.
Immortal Ibsen!—a documentary by
Erling Borgen (Norway, 1999)
Terje Vigen–Victor Sjöström (Sweden, 1917)
November 10, 7 p.m.
The Wild Duck (Vildanden)—
Tancred Ibsen (Norway, 1963)
November 12, 4:30 pm.
A Doll’s House—Patrick Garland
(England, 1973)
By Jean Sartre
Student directed by
Justin Hooper ’07
November 17, 18, and 19 at 9 p.m.
Foss Studio Theater
November 18
Augsburg Concert Band concert
4 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel
November 19
F. Melius Christiansen Festival concert
2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.—Orchestra Hall
See page 6–7.
November 17, 7 p.m.
Lady Inger (Fru Inger til Østråt)—
Sverre Undnæs (Norway, 1975)
November 19, 4:30 p.m.
An Enemy of the People (En
folkefiende)—Erik Skjoldbjærg
(Norway, 2004)
November 5–30
Exhibit–“To Be a Poet Is to See:
Ibsen in Our Time”
Lindell Library, third floor
November 6
Scholastic Connections Gala
Reception and Dinner
Celebrating the scholarship/mentorship program and the four ethnic services programs
Free and open to the public.
6 p.m.—Christensen Center
Info and reservations:
612-330-1104
November 10
Anita Gay Hawthorne Jazz &
Poetry Bash
6:30 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel and
Arnold Atrium
November 12
Augsburg Symphony Orchestra Concert
4:30 p.m.—Sateren Auditorium
Augsburg Jazz Ensemble concert
7 p.m.—Hoversten Chapel
Subjective Mapping: An Exploration
of Spirit and Place
Paintings by Teresa Cox
Christensen Center Art Gallery
Artist reception, Nov. 3, 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Artist gallery talk, TBA
DECEMBER
December 1
Velkommen Jul Celebration
10:15 a.m.–Chapel service,
Hoversten Chapel
11 a.m.–2 p.m.–Scandinavian treats and
gifts, Christensen Center
December 1–2
27th Annual Advent Vespers
A service of music and liturgy
5 and 8 p.m. each night
Central Lutheran Church, Minneapolis
For seating envelopes,
612-330-1265
December 6
faith@work! breakfast speaker series
Norah Long, Canto, St. Philip the
Deacon Lutheran Church
7:30 a.m.–St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran
Church, Plymouth, Minn.
Free and open to the public.
Contact: John Knight, 330-1351 or
faith@augsburg.edu. Go to www.spdlc.org.
FA L L 2 0 0 6
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College website. This feature
was created to keep AugNet
readers up to date on College
happenings, to help them
notice beauty they may have
overlooked, and to add variety
to the page.
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2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
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Page 1
Augsburg
Now
SUMMER ACTIVITIES P. 12
IMMERSED IN BOLCOM P. 18
SOCIAL WORK FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE P. 24
A P U B L I C AT I O N F O R
AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
FA L L 2 0 0 7
VOL. 70, NO. 1
Making orchids
more affordable
page...
Show more
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Page 1
Augsburg
Now
SUMMER ACTIVITIES P. 12
IMMERSED IN BOLCOM P. 18
SOCIAL WORK FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE P. 24
A P U B L I C AT I O N F O R
AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS
FA L L 2 0 0 7
VOL. 70, NO. 1
Making orchids
more affordable
page 14
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Editor
Notes
from President Pribbenow on…
Collaborating with our sister colleges and universities
Y
ou’ll read in this issue about a special
program organized last spring to celebrate
the musical legacy of the American
composer, William Bolcom. The program,
called “Illuminating Bolcom,” is a fine
example of the sorts of remarkable opportunities our
students enjoy as a result of our collaborative
relationship with sister colleges and universities in the
Twin Cities. Organized with our partners in the
Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC)—
Augsburg, the College of St. Catherine, Hamline
University, Macalester College, and the University of St.
Thomas—this special program gave our students and
faculty unprecedented access to performances, master
classes, and informal experiences with a world-class
musical talent.
What a privilege it has been for me to experience the
many collegial and genuinely collaborative
relationships that exist between Augsburg and its
sister colleges and universities. Surely it is a sign of
abundance that we can partner with higher education
institutions that perhaps once were seen primarily as
competition for students. Today, I believe these same
institutions are modeling the sort of collaborative
efforts that lead to innovation, a careful use of
important resources, and a perspective on life in the
world that eschews the sort of scarcity thinking and
living that our culture promotes. We care deeply at
Augsburg about living with a sense of abundance, and
here are several collaborations I would like to lift up.
We participate with the other 27 colleges and
universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America (ELCA) in regular gatherings for administration
and faculty members. In addition, many of the ELCA
institutions participate together in insurance
partnerships, tuition savings programs for parents, and
tuition exchange programs for faculty and staff. Our
partnerships also are sources of good ideas and best
practices for our institutions, even as we celebrate our
common links to the Lutheran church and its abiding
commitment to vocation and education.
We are proud charter members of the Minnesota Private
College Council (MPCC), which serves as an advocacy,
fundraising, and public affairs partnership for 17 private
colleges and universities in Minnesota. Together we have
a significant impact on creating awareness of, and access
to, higher education in our state.
ACTC is an innovative partnership begun more than 35
years ago that allows our students to register for courses
on all five campuses; that organizes joint programs like
the “Illuminating Bolcom” series; and that has created
administrative partnerships that save our schools more
than $2 million annually on supplies and services.
Our athletic conference, the Minnesota Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference (MIAC), is one of the premier small
college conferences in the country and includes 13 of
Minnesota’s private colleges and universities.
There are several other national organizations in which
we proudly participate: Campus Compact, which brings
together colleges and universities dedicated to the public
and civic role of our institutions; the Council of
Independent Colleges (CIC), to which we turn for best
practices in teaching, learning, and administration, and
tuition exchange opportunities for our faculty and staff;
the National Association of Independent Colleges and
Universities (NAICU), our lobbying consortium in
Washington, DC; and the Association of American
Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), working with us to
promote the continuing relevance of liberal arts
education in the 21st century.
Surely these various partnerships and collaborative
relationships point to the remarkable opportunities we
have to enhance the Augsburg experience for all of our
students and to model a way of working together, across
institutional boundaries, to serve the public good.
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
Staff Writer
Bethany Bierman
bierman@augsburg.edu
Creative Director
Kathy Rumpza
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Class Notes Designer
Signe Peterson
petersos@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Media Relations Manager
Judy Petree
petree@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President of
Marketing and Communication
David Warch
warch@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni Relations
Heidi Breen
breen@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published
quarterly by Augsburg College,
2211 Riverside Ave.,
Minneapolis, Minn., 55454.
Opinions expressed in Augsburg
Now do not necessarily reflect
official College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
Advancement Services, CB 142
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
healyk@augsburg.edu
E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
Telephone: 612-330-1181
Fax: 612-330-1780
Paul C. Pribbenow, president
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Page 3
10
Fall 2007
Contents
Features
12 Summer activities
Faculty and students take advantage of their summer time to pursue
diverse activities on and off campus.
18 Immersed in Bolcom
by Betsey Norgard
A two-week festival gave Augsburg musicians extraordinary access
to a renowned American composer.
22 Faith, vision, and a call to Guyana
by Betsey Norgard
Ruth Singh responded to a call 13 years ago to help the people in her homeland.
24 Social work for social justice
by Holley Locher, with Michele Braley and Nils Dybvig
18
A couple gives up their Twin Cities jobs to become peacemakers
amidst violence.
© 2006 Katryn Conlin for VocalEssence
Departments
On the Cover: Chemistry major Caryn Quist
experiments with chemical compounds, seeking
less-expensive ways to grow orchids.
2 Around the Quad
8 Sports
11 Supporting Augsburg
27 Alumni News
29 Class Notes
32 Views
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
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AROUND THE QUAD
Teaching and
learning awards
The Distinguished Contributions
to Teaching and Learning Awards
honor significant contributions to
teaching and learning at Augsburg
by faculty and staff in the areas of
teaching, mentoring and advising,
and services to students.
The 2007 awards went to: Doug
Green, professor of English, for
teaching; to Susan O’Connor
(center), associate professor of
education, for mentoring and
advising; and to Lois Olson (left),
director of the Center for Service,
Work, and Learning, for service to
students.
Congratulations,
faculty!
Tenure granted
Keith Gilsdorf, economics
Tenure granted and promotion
to associate professor
Phillip Adamo, history
Lori Brandt Hale, religion
Stella Hofrenning, economics
Barbara Lehmann, social work
David Matz, psychology
Scholarships awarded for 2007-08
by the ELCA Foundation. Junior
Reid Larson was named a first
alternate and received $3,000 for
academic expenses.
The Rossing Physics Scholarships
were established by gifts from
Dr. Thomas D. Rossing, who
taught at Northern Illinois
University and St. Olaf College.
They seek to encourage top
physics students to attend ELCA
colleges and universities, to help
ELCA schools recruit top physics
students, and to encourage
students at ELCA schools to
consider majoring in physics.
This is the third year they have
been awarded by the ELCA
Foundation.
Two students
participate in
international music
program
Meghan Sherer, who graduated
in May, and senior Krista Costin
were accepted to the
Festivalensemble Stuttgart, a
choir that is part of the
Internationale Bachakademie
Stuttgart, founded and directed
by conductor and artistic
director Helmuth Rilling. They
spent a month in Germany from
Aug. 17-Sept. 13, with all
expenses paid, together with a
worldwide group of about 100
selected musicians.
The performances included
Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem,
and Gustav Mahler’s Symphony
No. 5.The first two weeks, the
choir rehearsed in southern
Germany and then traveled for
two weeks, performing in
various festivals. In addition to
the European Music Festival
Stuttgart, they sang in the
Rheingau Music Festival,
Beethovenfest Bonn, and in
Dresden, Halle, and Berlin.
For several years, Augsburg has
been one of the 24 audition sites
around the world, and this is the
first time that any Augsburg
students have been accepted.
Sherer performed with
Augsburg’s Gospel Praise, and
was a soloist with the group at
the June Commencement. She
graduated cum laude in May
with a Bachelor of Music degree
in music performance.
Costin toured with the Augsburg
Choir last year to Germany and
the Czech Republic, and was a
soloist at their Leipzig concert.
2 AUGSBURG NOW
Darcey Engen leads
“The Mother Project”
A collaborative theatre project,
staged at the Open Eye Figure
Theatre in August, told the
stories of six mothers from
different ethnic backgrounds and
traditions, across generations,
who all tried to juggle their
identities as care-giver, teacher,
parent, worker, and leader.
Darcey Engen ’88, assistant
professor of theatre arts, led the
collaboration of mothers—Jeany
Parks, Nanci Olesen, Maria Asp,
Sonny Case, Erin Carlson Sutton
’03, and herself—who created
the work through writing
exercises, recounting their
individual journeys through
motherhood.
According to Engen, the women
were drawn to “The Mother
Project’ because each had grown
restless seeking a place where
their experiences could be told,
and not finding it in literature,
television, drama, or cinema.
Kent Bodurtha
receives Rossing
Physics Scholarship
Senior physics major Kent
Bodurtha was awarded one of the
two new $10,000 Rossing Physics
Theatre arts professor Darcey Engen ‘88
worked with five colleagues to stage a
presentation about their journeys and
experiences of being mothers.
Meghan Sherer ’07
Krista Costin ’08
ELCA News Service
NOTEWORTHY
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Physician assistants
celebrate 10 years
Augsburg’s Physician Assistant
Studies program celebrated the
10th anniversary of its first
graduating class at a reception
and dinner on Sept. 15.
Members of the graduating
Class of 1997 attended, along
with other graduates and faculty.
“It was truly special to have so
many classmates and original
faculty join us to celebrate,” said
David Barlow, a graduate of the
Class of 1997 and current assistant
professor in the program. “We’re
fortunate to be part of a fabulous
profession that makes a difference
in so many lives.”
One of the program’s early faculty
members who couldn’t attend
wrote, “In general terms, [the 1997]
class most likely recently passed the
one million mark in patients seen.”
The 1997 physician assistant class, shown here as they graduated from Augsburg’s new program, reunited for a
10th-anniversary celebration in September, after treating probably more than one million patients during the decade.
ELCA News Service
Mark Hanson
re-elected presiding
bishop
Rev. Mark Hanson ’68 was
solidly re-elected presiding
bishop of the ELCA for a second
six-year term on Aug. 7, at the
2007 ELCA Churchwide
Assembly in Chicago. He is the
third presiding bishop of the
ELCA, is the second to be reelected, and is the second
Augsburg graduate to serve in
the ELCA’s highest elected office.
“Six years ago I said that I do not
view this as an election won but
a call received,” Hanson told the
assembly. “I view what you have
done today [as] the affirming of
that call to which I continue to
hold with great humility and
deep gratitude.”
Prior to his election as presiding
bishop in 2001, he and his wife,
Ione (Agrimson) ’68, lived in the
Twin Cities where he was bishop
of the Saint Paul Area Synod.
Several of their children have
attended Augsburg.
tration. She also served on the
Institutional Review Board and
was its chair for over a number
of years.
Sharon Patten, social
work, is mourned
The Augsburg community
mourns the death of Sharon
Patten, associate professor of
social work at Augsburg for 16
years, who died from cancer in
hospice care on Aug. 25.
She was instrumental in the
development of the Master of
Social Work program,
particularly in creating the
Program Development, Policy,
and Administration concen-
Sharon Patten
Bishop Mark Hanson ‘68
FALL 2007 3
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AROUND THE QUAD
Star Tribune/Minneapolis-St. Paul 2007
Dan Schueller ’83
Coping with the
bridge collapse
Dan Schueller ’83 was on his
normal bike commute from work
along West River Parkway on
August 1, when fate placed him
as one of the first persons on the
scene of the monumental
collapse of the I-35W bridge over
the Mississippi River, just a mile
from Augsburg’s campus.
Tragically, Sherry Engebretsen,
who worked for Thrivent
Financial for Lutherans and is the
mother of Augsburg first-year
student Jessica Engebretsen, was
one of the 13 people killed in the
bridge collapse. Several Augsburg
staff were near the bridge when it
fell, and at least one of them
helped rescuers with victims on
the wreckage.
In the week that followed,
Augsburg provided space on
campus for the American Red
Cross to set up a Family
Courtesy photo
After hearing a crack and seeing a
cloud of dust in front of him,
from the rubble he began to hear
crying and moaning. “That’s what
kicked me into gear,” he told the
Star Tribune in an audio slide
show. “I knew I had to climb up
there and see if I could help
somebody.” He left his bike, and
was able to assist a number of
people out of their cars and onto
safe ground.
One of the first persons on the scene of the bridge collapse, Dan Schueller ’83
helped people out of their cars to safe ground.
Assistance Center, in partnership
with the City of Minneapolis, for
families and friends waiting for
news about their loved ones.
During that same week, a public
meeting of area and neighborhood business owners, with state,
local, and federal officials was
held at Augsburg to discuss how
to help the local businesses cope
with the effects of restricted
traffic and detours.
Retirees gave more
than a century of
teaching years
Three long-time Augsburg
faculty members, whose
combined years of service
amount to more than a century
and a decade, retired in June.
All of them have served under
four Augsburg presidents, and
two of them spent virtually their
entire classroom careers at
Augsburg.
Robert S. Herforth, biology professor, set a high example for his students of the
importance and quality of research.
4 AUGSBURG NOW
Robert S. Herforth, professor of
biology, came to Augsburg in
1967, from graduate work at
the University of Nebraska. His
research there focused on
hereditary disease in fruit flies.
Discoveries that he made
The effects of the bridge collapse
will endure long beyond the
clearing of the wreckage
spanning the river. Schueller said
that when he attended a meeting
of the weekly support group of
bridge survivors, he was “very
saddened to see so many people
with bad backs and still having a
hard time dealing with what
happened.”
— Betsey Norgard
pointed out errors by leading
scientists in existing scholarship,
for which he received university
honors.
Over the years, Herforth taught
animal physiology, developmental
biology, genetics, and molecular
biology; and he always stressed
research.
As a freshman at Augsburg,
associate biology professor Dale
Pederson ’70 was in Herforth’s
classes. At Herforth’s retirement
celebration, Pederson recalled
Herforth’s fly lab, especially
noting the quality of the technical
drawings done by art professor
Phil Thompson. Pederson called
Herforth’s scholarship
“exemplary.”
Courtesy photo
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Retired colleague Esther
McLaughlin spoke about teamteaching general biology with
Herforth and remarked about his
patience.
For enjoyment in his retirement,
Herforth’s colleagues and friends
presented him with an iPod filled
with recordings of bird songs.
7:19 PM
Page 7
how one should be in the
world.”
Griffin ascribed an “epic
quality” to Kingsley’s career, and
noted that Augsburg presidents
have sometimes recognized her
as quite an “adversary.”
Colleague Don Steinmetz
mentioned that
Al Kloppen, health and physical education, connected with students both in the
classroom and on the playing field as a football coach.
Mary A. Kingsley retired after 43 years of teaching Spanish and sharing her passion
for social justice issues.
Mary A. Kingsley, associate
professor of modern languages,
came to Augsburg in 1964 and
has taught Spanish here since.
She served many terms as
department chair, taking
occasional breaks when it was
held by a colleague.
Former English faculty professor
Joan Griffin commented on
Kingsley's “passion for justice,
especially if it’s an underdog that
has been wronged.” She said that
Kingsley “has engaged
generations of students about
department faculty have always
preferred to have Kingsley on
their side.
In the early days of the Center
for Global Education, Kingsley
and her husband donated a
house in Cuernavaca, Mexico,
to Augsburg, which was used as
the center’s base of operation
for some time.
Kingsley is enjoying her time in
retirement at their cabin in the
Apostle Islands.
Alvin L. Kloppen, assistant
professor of health and physical
education, came to Augsburg in
1976 from Augustana College in
Rock Island, Ill., where he had
been defensive football
coordinator. He served both as
Augsburg’s head football coach
and HPE faculty member for 10
seasons. He later served as an
assistant football coach while still
teaching.
Assistant athletic director Paul
Grauer commented on Kloppen’s
tenure at Augsburg. “Al Kloppen
had a ready smile and a funny
story for everyone he
encountered during his days at
Augsburg. As a coach, Al was a
tireless worker who always
looked for innovative strategies
and techniques which would
give his team the greatest chance
for success.
In 1977, he was named
Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference (MIAC) “Co-Coach
of the Year” when the Auggies
finished the season with an upset
win over powerful Concordia
College (Moorhead).
“In the classroom, Al had an
engaging approach which
enabled him to connect with his
students. He was there to give
support and encouragement to
all his students and especially to
those who may have taken ‘the
road less traveled’.”
FALL 2007 5
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Page 8
Medieval Minnesota:
Summer camp at Augsburg College
This summer, from August 5 to
11, 10 students from across the
country flocked to Augsburg to
learn about and, above all,
experience the Middle Ages.
They came for Medieval
Minnesota, the weeklong summer
camp for students ages 14 to 17
that encourages them to reimagine medieval life.
For seven days, students worked
and played together, learning
everything from swordsmanship
to Renaissance dancing, from
calligraphy to bookbinding, from
period music to storytelling. By
the end of the week, they had
researched and created medieval
characters and built period
costumes that they wore to a
graduation performance at the
famed Minnesota Renaissance
Festival.
Edward Peterson, 14, a student
from Wilmington, Del.,
performed the rousing “Saint
Crispin’s Day” soliloquy from
Shakespeare’s Henry V. Other
students, coached by music
professor Merilee Klemp,
performed a French love song
about Robin Hood and Maid
Marian, written by the 13th
century troubadour Adam de la
Halle. With the help of theatre
professor Darcey Engen, the
entire group wrote and performed
in its own version of a Robin
Hood play.
The students also got a taste of
college life. In addition to many
of the classes being taught by
Augsburg professors, they stayed
in Urness Hall, were guided in
research by Lindell reference
librarian Bill Wittenbreer, and ate
all their meals in the cafeteria.
6 AUGSBURG NOW
Photos courtesy of Phil Adamo
AROUND THE QUAD
Every day they went to classes
and workshops, from eight in the
morning until eight at night. Just
before bed they would unwind
playing medieval board games—
not Dungeons and Dragons, but
Hnefatafl, a strategy game played
by the Vikings! They also
watched Augsburg’s first-ever
Robin Hood Film Festival.
Medieval Minnesota was recently
featured in Renaissance magazine
(vol.12 #2, issue 54), a national
publication that features articles
on history, as well as news from
Renaissance festivals across the
country. The story brought
students to the camp from a
number of states, including
Delaware, Kentucky, Wisconsin,
and Iowa. Two of the students
who attended the 2006 camp are
now enrolled as first-year
students at Augsburg. Even the
youngest students at this year’s
camp have Augsburg on their list
of possible colleges for the future.
“The camp is meant to be
educational and fun, in and of
itself. But it’s also part of our
recruitment plan for the major
here at Augsburg,” said Phil
Adamo, associate professor of
history and director of the
College’s Medieval Studies
program. “We hope to have more
students at the camp next year.
Some of these will be returning
students, and others will be their
friends,” Adamo said.
Medieval Minnesota held a soldout benefit on October 5 to
From around the country, 10 high school students spent a week at Augsburg
immersed in the history, culture, and customs of the Middle Ages—all part of
Augsburg’s Medieval Studies program. (Back row, L to R) Joe Piper, Jack Randleman,
Edward Peterson. (Middle row, L to R) Alyssa Perra, Kelly Ryan, Ben Davidson,
Liz Ryan, Cambria Rosales. (Seated, L to R) Kayla Fratt, Jessica Larson.
provide scholarships for the camp.
That’s when former Monty Python
member Terry Jones, who is also a
well-respected medieval scholar,
presented “Medieval Lives.” His
presentation attempts to combat
the image of the Middle Ages as a
time of ignorance, misery, and
superstition. Jones’ talk surprises
and provokes, and makes you
think, and leaves you smiling.
At the end of the “medieval
camp,” e-mail addresses were
exchanged, as well as hugs. The
students had only one question
for each other: “Are you coming
back next year?” There may be
new students next year, and
different students, but Medieval
Minnesota will still inspire them
in their love of history.
For information on Medieval
Minnesota, go to www.augsburg.
edu/medievalstudies
— Bethany Locke ’11
Bethany Locke is a Medieval
Minnesota alumna, assistant
counselor, and now is a first-year
Medieval Studies major.
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Photos courtesy of Phil Adamo
Second-year physician assistant
.
a
11/20/07
studies student Kate McKenzie spent
time with a couple at Augustana
Apartments as part of a graduate
course that trains physician
assistants, social workers, and nurses
to become better skilled in meeting
the various needs of older adults.
Preparing for the
‘age wave’
In a new five-week summer
course, Augsburg physician
assistant (PA) students explored
issues of aging in preparation for
the anticipated needs of the
nation’s baby boomers as they
become senior citizens.
The new course, Multidisciplinary Perspectives on
Aging, focuses on building
geriatric skills for professional
social workers, nurses, and
physician assistants. The goal is
for older adults to be cared for by
teams of healthcare providers
working collaboratively to
address needs comprehensively
and holistically.
Meeting one-on-one with older
adults to learn about their needs
has been part of the PA study
curriculum for several years, but
this course is the first to consider
aging from an interdisciplinary
approach. In the future the
course will also include graduate
social work and nursing students,
and upper division psychology
students.
To shape the program, physician
assistant studies professor Beth
Alexander and social work
professor Christina Erickson
partnered with Augustana
Apartments and Health Care
Center, a nearby community of
senior apartments, assisted living,
and long-term care. Together
with Augsburg alumna Patty
Crawford, director of resident
services at Augustana, Alexander
and Erickson set up three sessions
at Augustana where students
could learn by directly interacting
with residents.
At a preliminary session, an
interdisciplinary panel broadly
looked at issues to offer an
appreciation of the diversity of
older adults’ lives.
At the second session, the PA
students spent the morning oneon-one with Augustana residents
who are living independently.
The students developed
interviewing, listening, and
relationship-building skills by
asking open-ended questions to
assess the residents’ social,
psychological, spiritual, and
medical needs.
Second-year PA student Kate
McKenzie met with a couple
begining to deal with health
issues. “This has been very
challenging … for the couple,”
says McKenzie. “Fortunately
[they} have wonderful and
supportive children who visit
often and help out a lot.”
In their final visit to Augustana,
students examined specific cases
of long-term care residents,
reviewing their medical charts
and discussing their needs.
For McKenzie the class made an
impact. “Combining social work,
nursing, and physician assistant
perspectives on older adult care
has helped create a balanced
picture of what geriatric care is
truly all about,” she says.
“There is so much more than
meets the eye!”
The course began as part of a
three-year, $50 million project
on gerontology funded by the
Hartford Foundation with the
Council on Social Work
Education (CSWE). Augsburg is
one of 72 social work programs
across the country selected to
prepare social workers to improve
the care and well-being of older
adults and their families.
adults and the growing need for
more specialized skills.
Augsburg added the interdisciplinary collaboration as part
of the College’s initiative to build
bridges across programs. The
opportunity to partner with
Augustana, within a mile of
campus, also engages these
programs with its neighbors in
the community.
“The course has changed my
opinion of geriatric care
altogether,“ McKenzie says. And,
meeting the residents of
Augustana was something that
will remain dear to her.
— Betsey Norgard
Alexander also recognized the
need to better train physician
assistant students in this area.
She also recognized how often
PAs, social workers, and nurses
work together in caring for older
Elizabeth Baker interviewed a resident
to help understand how the role of a
physician assistant fits into a
multidisciplinary team of health
providers caring for older adults.
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AROUND THE QUAD
2
A
SPORTS
Augsburg College
names 2006-07 Senior
Honor Athletes,
athletic award
winners
Seven Auggies earned Senior
Honor Athlete designation, the
highest honor the College gives
its senior student-athletes for
accomplishment, leadership, and
character on the playing field and
in the classroom. Three Auggie
student-athletes were named
Senior Athletes of the Year. The
awards were voted on by coaches
in Augsburg’s men’s and women’s
athletic departments.
2006-07 Senior
Honor Athletes
Emily Anderson, a biology major
and chemistry minor with a 3.39
grade-point average, finished her
career as one of the top forwards
in Augsburg women’s soccer
history. She earned All-MIAC
first-team honors in her
sophomore and junior seasons.
Anderson earned ESPN The
Magazine Academic All-District
third-team honors in 2005 and
was an Academic All-MIAC
honoree in 2004. She has been a
Dean’s List honoree and was a
member of the Tri-Beta national
biology honor society.
8 AUGSBURG NOW
Jared Evans, a health and
physical education major with a
3.27 grade-point average, earned
All-American honors three times
as a 149-pound wrestler at
Augsburg, finishing seventh his
sophomore season, fourth his
junior season, and fourth in his
senior season. He was a part of
Augsburg teams that won
national titles in 2004-05 and
2006-07. He earned National
Wrestling Coaches Association
Scholar All-America honors in his
sophomore, junior, and senior
seasons.
Erik Helgerson, an accounting
and finance major with a 3.51
grade-point average, was a key
member of an Augsburg men’s
golf program that showed
tremendous growth during his
four seasons. Helgerson cut his
stroke average nearly five points
from his freshman to his senior
campaigns and earned All-MIAC
honors with top-10 finishes in
the league meet three times.
Andrew Johnson, a business
administration and economics
major with a 3.72 grade-point
average, was another key member
of the Augsburg men’s golf
program. He cut his stroke average
almost four points from his
freshman to his senior campaigns.
He earned All-MIAC honors this
season, finishing fourth at the 2006
conference meet. He was also a
Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar
last season.
Christopher (Critter) Nagurski,
a business management major with
a 3.30 grade-point average, was
one of the top scoring hockey
forwards in the MIAC throughout
his career, Nagurski earned AllMIAC first-team honors his
sophomore, junior, and senior
seasons. In 2006-07, Nagurski
finished second on the team in
scoring with 40 points, as the
Auggies returned to the
conference’s postseason playoffs
after a three-year absence. He also
earned Preseason All-USCHO
honors from U.S. College Hockey
Online twice.
Andrew Neumann, an elementary
education major with a 3.46
grade-point average, shined in
both football and wrestling. In
football, he was named to the AllMIAC first team in both 2005 and
2006 and was an all-region
selection by D3Football.com and
Football Gazette. In wrestling, he
competed twice at the NCAA
Division III national tournament
as a heavyweight, earning AllAmerican honors, among others.
He received National Wrestling
Coaches Association Scholar AllAmerican honors in both 2006
and 2007.
Shannon Olson, a marketing and
communications major (public
relations/advertising emphasis)
with a 3.66 grade-point average,
was a defender of an Augsburg
women’s soccer team that
qualified for the MIAC postseason
playoffs three straight seasons.
Olson earned All-MIAC first-team
honors her senior season and
Academic All-MIAC honors in
2005 and 2006. She was a
multiple Dean’s List honoree.
A
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2006-07 Senior
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Page 11
wrestler to win four individual
national championships and the
second college wrestler (with
Cael Sanderson at Iowa State) to
finish his career unbeaten and
untied, with a 155-0 career
record. He also played parts of
two seasons of football at
Augsburg as a quarterback, and
in 2004 he set all of the school’s
single-season rushing records.
Betsey Norgard
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Aaron Johnson, a health and
physical education major, was
one of the top forwards in
Augsburg men’s hockey history.
He earned All-American honors
twice, as a first-team selection his
junior and senior campaigns. This
season, he earned MIAC Player of
the Year honors and was one of
two NCAA Division III players
selected to compete in the 2007
NCAA Pontiac Frozen Four Skills
Challenge at the Division I men’s
hockey Frozen Four. He was also
named a Preseason All-USCHO
Division III West Region honoree
this season by U.S. College
Hockey Online.
On Sept. 8, the football jersey of Scott Hvistendahl ’98 was formally retired.
He is pictured here with the Gagliardi Trophy as outstanding NCAA Division III
player in 1998, and shown with Jostens representative John Abel [left] and coach
Mike Matson was one of the top
linebackers in the MIAC during
his football career, earning AllMIAC second-team honors in
2005 and first-team honors in
2006, while also earning AllMIAC Sportsmanship Team
honors his senior campaign. In
2006 he was named to the
Preseason All-Division III first
team by Lindy’s National College
Football Preview magazine, and in
both 2006 and 2007 he earned
D3Football.com and Football
Gazette honors.
For more about Auggie athletics
go to www.augsburg.edu/
athletics.
Scott Hvistendahl’s
jersey is retired
Jack Osberg [right].
At a halftime ceremony on Sept. 8 during the game against
Northwestern College (Roseville, Minn.), the No. 30 football jersey of
Scott Hvistendahl ’98 was formally retired.
Hvistendahl is one of the top Division III receivers in history, having
won, among many honors, the Gagliardi Trophy in 1998 as the
division’s outstanding player. In the last game of his career, he broke
NFL legend Jerry Rice’s record for receiving yardage with 285 passes for
4,696 yards received.
The ceremony marks the 10th anniversary of the 1997-98 football
season in which the Auggies captured the conference championship and
reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
Hvistendahl’s honor was held during this Northwestern game because
he serves as an assistant coach at the school.
The Auggies went on to win the game, 31-26.
— Don Stoner
n
Marcus LeVesseur, a health and
physical education major, was
one of the top competitors in the
history of small-college wrestling.
He became the first Division III
FALL 2007 9
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AROUND THE QUAD
Augsburg men’s
soccer team has the
trip of a lifetime in
Argentina
The soccer players trained at the
CEFAR Academy (Centro
Entrenamiento Futbol Alto
Rendimiento/Center for High
Performance Football Training),
a private training facility.
In addition, the Augsburg group
toured the city of Buenos Aires,
The Augsburg and CEFAR teams pose for a photo after the teamʼs first game in Argentina.
experience gained from the trip
was invaluable for the squad.
“This experience will be one that
will last a lifetime,” said Augsburg
head coach Greg Holker. “Our
guys played some of the best
The team also attended two
professional soccer matches in
Buenos Aires and experienced the
passion that Argentines hold for
the sport. They were lucky to
have the unique opportunity to
tour the training facilities of Boca
Juniors, one of the top teams in
Argentine professional soccer.
“Every day in Argentina is about
soccer—it is not just a way of life,
but a way to make a life,” Holker
said. “Generally speaking, if a
young boy growing up in Buenos
Aires does not make it in a club,
he is likely to fall victim to a life
of delinquency. When they play,
they are not only playing for
passion, but for their lives.”
To view daily stories from the
trip, along with student-athlete
diaries and more than 1,200
photos from the trip, go to
www.augsburg.edu/athletics/msoc
cer/2007argentina/index.html.
Former Argentine professional soccer player and coach Jorge “Coqui” Rafflo coaches
the Auggie players. Rafflo is the director of the CEFAR Academy, where the Auggies
stayed during their trip to Argentina.
often termed as the “Paris of
South America.”
The Auggies played four games
against strong club competition,
and though the team only scored
one goal in the four contests, the
10 AUGSBURG NOW
soccer they have ever played, and
faced opponents with qualities
they are unlikely to see again.
On top of this, they experienced
a culture that is not all that
different from our own in the
United States, with the exception
of its incredibly strong sporting
passion.”
James See (9) brings the ball forward
during Augsburg’s game against a River
Plate reserve team. David Long (6) trails
the play.
— Don Stoner
Photos by Don Stoner
Andrew Seidel plays the ball during
an Augsburg scrimmage against a
CEFAR squad.
Judy Petree
The Augsburg College men’s
soccer team had the experience
of a lifetime in August, traveling
to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for
an 11-day training and
competition trip. Twenty-seven
players, along with five Augsburg
staff members and several
parents and family members,
made the trip to Argentina.
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Making a gift to Augsburg
It’s easy to make a donation to Augsburg College.
All donations are tax-deductible.
SUPPORTING AUGSBURG
Putting your IRA to
work for Augsburg
Vera (Thorson) Benzel ’45 had
decided to establish a family
scholarship through her estate—
until she learned of the advantage
of gifting a portion of her IRA now.
She and her late husband, Jerold
’51, met at Augsburg. After she
graduated with a major in English,
Augsburg offered her a job
teaching secretarial studies in its
business department. After raising
her family, she also taught at the
Minnesota School of Business. At
Augsburg she graduated with a
minor in music, and for many
years enjoyed her time directing
church choirs.
Bob and their son, Loren, were
both photographers who
chronicled the life and culture of
Nordic cultures, both in the five
nations and among their
descendents in Minnesota. In
business together for many years,
they were the official
photographers for at least two
Norwegian royal visits. They were
also known for the colorful
calendar they produced annually
in Norwegian, Swedish, and
Finnish versions.
Gifts online
Go to www.augsburg.edu/giving to make a secure credit card
donation. You can use the form to make a one-time donation or
to set up recurring gifts.
Gifts by phone
To make a donation by phone, call Kevin Healy, director of
advancement services, at 612-330-1619 or 1-800-273-0617.
Gifts by mail
You can mail your gift to:
Development Office, CB 142
Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454
Matching Gifts
Many employers and organizations have matching gift programs,
and if you are a Thrivent Financial for Lutherans member, you are
eligible for additional matching opportunities through the
GivingPlus program.
For complete information about making a gift,
including the types of giving and giving programs,
go to www.augsburg.edu/giving.
After Loren’s death in November
2006, they established a fund in
loving memory of him for
students who are art majors
studying graphic arts and design.
In addition, they established a
second endowed scholarship in
Bob’s name to assist art students
interested in photography.
end of this calendar year. The law
allows individuals aged 70 1⁄2 or
older to make immediate gifts to
qualified charitable organizations,
including Augsburg, from funds
they transferred directly from
an IRA.
Making a gift using your IRA
The Pension Protection Act of
2006 presents a special giving
opportunity—but only until the
If you are interested in making a
gift like this, you will not have to
pay taxes on the amounts
transferred. You can transfer any
amount up to $100,000 on or
before Dec. 31, 2007.
The transfer counts toward your
minimum required distribution as
long as you have not yet received
your 2007 distribution. The
transfer generates neither taxable
income nor a tax deduction, so
you will receive the benefit even
if you do not itemize your tax
deductions.
The best part of a gift from an IRA
transfer is that you can witness the
difference your philanthropic
dollars make now for students at
Augsburg College.
Judy Petree
The recently established Benzel
Family Scholarship honors Jerold
and Vera and their children, David
’71 and Ann (Benzel) ’78 Rieck,
who both attended Augsburg.
Since all of their careers have
included business, their new
scholarship will assist students
who are studying business.
Robert ’50 and Ruth Ann Paulson
decided to use an IRA to fund a
new endowed scholarship, which
will provide encouragement and
financial assistance to students in
graphic design and photography.
For information, call the
Development Office at
612-330-1613 or 1-800-273-0617.
— Betsey Norgard
David Benzel ‘71 and Ann (Benzel) ‘78 Rieck (pictured here
when they visited campus in September) together with their
mother, Vera (Thorson) ‘45 Benzel, have established an
endowed scholarship honoring their family from the transfer
of funds from an IRA.
President Pribbenow enjoyed talking with Robert ‘50 and
Ruth Ann Paulson, as they established two endowed
scholarships, one that is in memory of their son, Loren.
FALL 2007 11
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Courtesy photo
SUMMER
activities
During the summer,
students and
faculty can be found in interesting and
varied activities—research, internships,
travel, summer jobs, and more... .
Here are just a few examples of where
Auggies spent their summer days this year.
12 AUGSBURG NOW
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Courtesy photo
COOKING UP
an internship
Senior Emily Johnson
used her summer job at
camp as an internship
to learn about the
business side of
running a camp and
understanding the
importance of
leadership skills.
This year she returned as head
cook, and everything just fell
into place.
For a number of
summers, Grand Rapids,
Minn., native Emily Johnson
and her friends spent time at
Camp Hiawatha, a Voyageurs
Lutheran Ministry (VLM) camp
in northern Minnesota. After
high school, she found a way
to keep returning to camp
while earning money for
college—working as an
assistant in the camp kitchen.
Last year, when spring
came around, she
received a call asking if
she would consider taking
over as head cook at
Camp Vermilion, VLM’s
other camp, following the
retirement of the longtime
cook. She accepted …
with trepidation.
Johnson is a business
management and economics
major, set to graduate next
May. She plans to use her
management experience,
combined with a love for the
outdoors, to own and manage
her own resort some day. After
“
“I made all the mistakes there
were,” Johnson says, as she
talks about what she
encountered in figuring out
what to serve, how to make it,
and how much food to order
each week.
It was good
for me to take
what I’ve learned
in my classes and
apply that
knowledge…
”
graduation she intends to seek
a job at a resort in the Pacific
Northwest. She'll bring added
expertise in scheduling events
from her student work on
campus in the Event Services
office.
Johnson decided to shape this
summer’s camp experience
into formal learning to fulfill her
required internship. She
learned and wrote about
aspects of business management in her work—how the
camp runs as a business; how
she could avoid unnecessary
costs in ordering food; and
how the kitchen staff manage
and communicate important
camper issues, like food
allergies.
“It was good for me to take
what I’ve learned in my classes
and apply that knowledge …
away from school,” Johnson
says. “It’s amazing how much
of it comes into view when
you’re in the midst of it. … I
also learned how difficult
being a good manager is.”
Her work involved long hours
and a lot of planning to feed
campers who vary in age from
kindergarten to ninth grade at
nearly a dozen different
sessions all summer. She was
usually in the kitchen by 6:30
each morning, enjoying a brief
calm before the day’s routine
began.
Figuring out what foods the
campers would relish, and how
much to make were among
Johnson’s greatest challenges.
Once she figured out some of
the tricks to adapt and
multiply recipes, she enjoyed
borrowing some of her
mother’s recipes to try out on
the campers. Most of the time
they worked well.
What she learned included
leadership training—values
such as patience, compassion,
and standing up for yourself—
as well as business savvy.
“I even felt I was able to
contribute to conversations
about business matters,”
Johnson concludes. “That was
a good feeling.”
–— Betsey Norgard
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OBSERVING
Orchids
Chemistry major Caryn
Quist partnered with a
local supplier to obtain
the orchid stems needed
to study chemical
reactions that would help
her understand how the
costs of growing orchids
might be reduced.
With a national
wholesale value of
$100 million, potted
orchids are second in
popularity only to poinsettias,
and the wholesale value is
much greater. Thus,
discovering how to best
propagate low-cost orchids
is big business.
of phenols (a class of chemical
compounds) produced in vitro
under varying light and
temperature conditions by
phalaenopsis, a genus of
approximately 60 species of
“
The orchid breeder of
Orchids Unlimited in Apple
Valley thought so as well, so
when junior chemistry major
Caryn Quist approached
him about sponsoring her
summer research project,
he jumped on board. In the
initial stages of her project,
beginning in January, Orchids
Unlimited was the sole provider
of orchid stems for research.
Quist’s research focused on
determining the total content
It’s really
exciting, taking
this risk and
knowing I
could make a
contribution.
”
orchids. Other student
researchers included Steve
Eichten, studying adjustments
with light quality in orchid
propagation, and Nick Nelson,
researching ways to
manipulate the germination
process of Ladyslippers. Mark
Strefeler, associate professor
and department chair of
biology, led the research
team.
“Research is about going into
the unknown,” Quist says. “It’s
really exciting, taking this risk
and knowing I could make a
contribution. … It has certainly
begun to change the way I
observe and formulate
questions about the natural
world around me, and has
given me a chance to see a
slightly different side of
academia. I feel really
fortunate to have had this
research opportunity.”
While the summer research
didn’t uncover any great
discoveries, Quist considers it
time well spent. “I learned how
to do tissue cultures, and
learning the process itself took
a lot of time. We also ran into
contamination issues, which
slowed things down. … This fall,
I expect more results.” Quist will
continue her research through
the coming year and
eventually pass it on to a
younger student.
Through its Summer Research
Program, Augsburg’s Office of
Undergraduate Research and
Graduate Opportunity (URGO)
students are given opportunities to explore theoretical
and practical questions in
depth under the mentorship of
Augsburg faculty.
For more information on
summer research projects
and URGO, go to
www.augsburg.edu/urgo/.
— Bethany Bierman
14 AUGSBURG NOW
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MUSIC
to help the
brain
heal
Senior music therapy
major Holly Tapani
studied the importance
of multidisciplinary
support for students
with brain injuries to
give them the best
college experience.
inadequate to treat the
increasing numbers of survivors
in rehab centers. And not
many colleges are prepared to
support brain injury survivors
who want to pursue higher
education.
Last semester, in one of
Holly Tapani’s music therapy
courses, music and movement
were incorporated into the
learning of two Augsburg
students who are survivors of
traumatic brain injury. She
immediately saw the benefits
of music therapy to their
learning, and she began
imagining ways to also
improve their overall college
experience.
“
Tapani understands the
urgency of this work. More and
more young people are
recovering from brain injury,
which is coming to be known
as the “signature” injury of the
Iraq War. The holistic therapies
designed to go beyond the
medical needs and address
the social, emotional,
cognitive, and physical aspects
of brain injury are totally
This is just
the small
beginnings of
the program
”
Tapani sought funding through
Augsburg’s Undergraduate
Research and Graduate
Opportunity (URGO) program
to formally study the activities
of the music and movement
class—an opportunity to carry
out needed research that can
help future students.
She interviewed the two braininjured students who participated in the class—both of
whom have been successful
academically despite their
impairments from brain injury.
Tapani asked them about the
various types and levels of
support they’ve received from
campus resources, as well as
from families and friends.
The students reported general
satisfaction in addressing their
physical and cognitive needs,
but they felt they lacked many
of the social and emotional
experiences typical of college
students.
Tapani proposed a program
that pairs student survivors oneon-one with a student mentor
who can manage the multiple
aspects of support, beyond
classroom tutors, for the
survivors and help to make their
college experience more
normal.
“This is just the small beginnings
of the program,” Tapani says,
but it will help colleges
understand a need to develop
the staff and knowledge to
offer broader support to this
growing population of students.
In order to launch the mentor
program, a benefit concert in
September featured the trendy
pop-rock band, The Abdomen.
Next year, Tapani will complete
a six-month internship, hopefully
at a rehabilitation center, and
graduate. Her long-term goal is
to specialize in neurologic
music therapy, further pursuing
her interest and research in
working with brain injury
survivors.
— Betsey Norgard
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Page 18
AUGGIES
at
AMNICON
Courtesy photo
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(L to R) 2007 grads
Erik Hinderlie, Ted Fabel,
Brett Cease, and senior
David DeBlock spent the
summer as canoe and
backpacking guides at
Camp Amnicon.
Three recent Augsburg
graduates and one senior
spent their summer working as
guides for canoe and
backpacking trips around the
heartland of
Northern
Minnesota,
Michigan, and
Wisconsin.
“
adventure trips—kayaking,
backpacking, Voyageurcanoeing—and retreat
programs for youth and adults.
“What makes Amnicon so
foster agency programs,” says
Cease.
“Many of these kids have
never had the opportunity to
spend a week
of their lives
outside
before. … I
have never
seen such
profound
change and
positive
growth come
out of a week
of a young person’s life than
the work I get to take part in at
Amnicon,” Cease continued.
Many of these kids have
never had the opportunity to
spend a week of their lives
outside before …
Erik Hinderlie ’07,
Ted Fabel ’07,
Brett Cease ’07,
and David
DeBlock ’08 were
guides at Camp Amnicon, an
outreach of Central Lutheran
Church in downtown
Minneapolis. For 40 years,
Amnicon has offered both
”
unique is its strong commitment
to getting the majority of its
campers from at-risk groups
throughout the state, whether
from inner-city, reservation, or
The groups visit areas including
Lake Superior, the Brule and
Namekagon Rivers, the
Sylvania Wilderness, and the
Apostle Islands. On some trips,
campers paddle as a team in
34-foot Voyageur canoes on
Lake Superior or in Voyageurs
National Park.
“Being canoe guides is
undoubtedly one of the most
inspirational havens in our
lives,” says Cease of the
experience he and the others
have had. “It is because of
places like Amnicon that I am
continually reminded of the
importance of building an
intentional and caring,
supportive community, like
that which was modeled at
Augsburg.”
To read more about Camp
Amnicon, go to
www.amnicon.org.
— Bethany Bierman
16 AUGSBURG NOW
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Page 19
ADVENTURES IN
HAITIAN MUSIC
After teaching for years
about work songs in
various cultures, Stacke
traveled into the Haitian
hills and recorded sugar
Bob Stacke
cane workers playing a
This was Bob Stacke’s fifth
summer trip to Haiti as a
volunteer band director and
music teacher, but this year’s
adventure he calls one of the
most spectacular things he’s
ever done.
For Stacke, Augsburg’s band
director, associate professor,
and music department chair,
one big difference in this year’s
sojourn was the chance to
spend the first two weeks there
with his photographer
daughter, Sarah Stacke, who is
a staff photographer for the
Minnesota House of Representatives. Another was that
being with her also made it
easier for him to pursue his own
hobby, which also happens to
be photography.
Their first adventure, and
Sarah’s assignment, was a
week in Port Salut, where she
shot photos for a non-
governmental organization
providing health care in
southwestern Haiti.
Bob’s highlight was traveling
into the hills there and listening
to the call-and-response work
“
I think I
learned
more than
they did.
”
songs of the sugar cane
workers. He says for years he’s
been teaching about the
cultural role of work songs in
marking rhythm and giving
structure to tedious work, but
this was the first time he’s
heard it live in the field. He
documented the workers, their
instruments, and songs in both
photos and recordings.
variety of homemade
instruments.
Sarah’s second assignment was
photographing projects of Yéle
Haiti, an organization started
several years ago by GrammyAward winning Haitian
recording artist Wyclef Jean.
His foundation provides
resources and inspiration
targeted at Haitian youth, with
music infused throughout.
Yéle Haiti’s programs include
food distribution, health care,
education scholarships, films,
sports, and music programs,
which involve thousands of
people and reach far into the
poorest and most violent
Haitian neighborhoods.
But Bob’s primary reason for
being in Haiti was to teach
band and percussion at the
Holy Trinity Episcopal School
summer music program in Portau-Prince. Professional
musicians and music students
keep returning as volunteers to
teach in this summer program,
working with Haitians ranging
in age from elementary kids to
young people well into their
twenties.
“This experience was so much
fun,” Bob says. “I teach them
Western music all day, and all
night they teach me how to
play their music. I think I
learned more than they did.”
He describes their music as
incredibly complex and driving,
with meters that defy barlines,
and with countermelodies and
melodies laid on top.
Next year he’ll likely return to
Haiti. But before that, he’ll lead
a two-week study trip for
Augsburg students to Jamaica
to reconnect with the second
of his three favorite Caribbean
music traditions—Haitian,
Jamaican, and Cuban. ■
— Betsey Norgard
FALL 2007 17
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Page 20
© 2006
lEssence
for Voca
Conlin
Kathryn
Immersed in
Bolcom
by Betsey Norgard
Augsburg students Kristen Lueck and Bri’Ann Wright struggled for
weeks to feel comfortable with the four-hand piano piece they
would play in concert, with the composer in the audience. Little
did they know it would be a world premiere.
For several weeks in the spring, music students and faculty in the
five Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC)—Augsburg,
Hamline, Macalester, St. Catherine, and St. Thomas—enjoyed a
rare experience to explore and absorb the musical genius of a
single composer, William Bolcom, winner of a Pulitzer Prize and
four Grammy awards. Through master classes, concerts, and
coaching, they interacted collectively and one-on-one with this
most interesting and eclectic composer.
It was all part of the “Illuminating Bolcom” festival, organized by
18 AUGSBURG NOW
Brian
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Page 21
n
tt Holma
Brian Sco
The centerpiece of the Bolcom festival was a huge, multimedia concert,
including video images of William Blake’s illustrations for his poems,
showing here “The Tyger.”
Bolcom’s popularity is often attributed to the accessibility and
variety of his music, often an eclectic borrowing across
musical genres. Songs of Innocence and of Experience, for
example, includes a country western rendition of “The
Shepherd,” and ends with a raucous, Bob Marley-reggae
interpretation of “A Divine Image.”
Beyond composing, Bolcom keeps a busy performance
schedule accompanying his wife, Joan Morris, a versatile
mezzo-soprano cabaret singer. (Minnesotans may be
surprised to discover that Bolcom wrote “Lime Jell-O
Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise,” a cabaret tune
made popular by Morris and often played in the context
of Minnesota local culture.)
Ragtime music is another of Bolcom’s musical passions,
and the recordings he made in the 1970s of Scott
Joplin’s music are often considered the force behind
the revival of ragtime music and the inspiration for
the rags that Bolcom himself composed.
Exploringgenius
It was all part of the “Illuminataing Bolcom” festival, organized
by Philip Brunelle and his Twin Cities ensemble, VocalEssence,
and involving many of the area’s top performing arts
organizations. Star Tribune music critic Michael Anthony
predicted that this festival might prove to be the Twin Cities’
ACTC faculty and music students enjoyed more than a dozen
opportunities to connect with William Bolcom in lectures,
coaching sessions, and performances. For his consideration, they
prepared selections of his works for voice or instrument, for solo
performance or in ensembles, as in the following highlights:
“classical event of the year.”
Courtesy photo
s
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Versatilecreativity
William Bolcom is a down-to-earth pianist, teacher, and
composer—and clearly was grateful and completely engaged
in the two-week attention to his work. A child prodigy pianist
by age 5, he began studying music at the University of
Washington at age 11, and went on to study with composers
Darius Milhaud and Olivier Messiaen. Since 1973, he has taught
at the University of Michigan.
“Illuminating Bolcom” presented a diversity of his gospel,
chamber, classical, and stage music. The festival
centerpiece was a multimedia concert at Orchestra Hall,
“Songs of Innocence and of Experience,” presenting the 46
poems of William Blake’s collection of the same name, set to
music by Bolcom. The 2005 recording of this work won four
Grammy awards.
May music graduate Bri’Ann Wright (right) and music therapy major Kristen
Lueck (left) played a 30-year-old piano piece by Bolcom (center) that turned
out to be a historic performance.
FALL 2007 19
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Page 22
Lecture/Recital—At the University of St. Thomas, Bolcom
The music has been called “monumental”—46 numbers, with
lectured about his own process for composing the music in
sound ranging from classical to ballad to gospel to country
Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience. The evening
western. Stacke, associate professor and chair of the music
recital, which he attended, focused on performances of the
department, called it “about the hardest music he had ever
same Blake poems set to music by a variety of other composers,
played, but just amazing.”
and included performances by Augsburg students—sopranos
Meghan Sherer, Kaila Frymire, and Evelyn Tsen; and tenors
Surprisepremiere
Andrew Kane and Brian Halaas; accompanied by Kirsten Bar
Schubert Club Courtroom Concert—Wright and classmate
(oboe), Melody Buhl (clarinet), and Jerusha Sunde (piano). The
Kristen Lueck had an even more amazing personal Bolcom
program also included faculty soprano Janet Gottshall Fried,
experience when they played in the concert sponsored by the
and Sonja Thompson, who provided accompaniments.
Schubert Club, featuring ACTC students.
Student Composer Master Class/Band Rehearsal—Senior music
For that concert, they had been given a four-hand Bolcom
performance pianist Bri’Ann Wright was a student in Carol
piece, called “Abendmusik,” which he had written for his piano
Barnett’s music composition class that Bolcom visited. She and
teacher, married to an astronomer.
classmate Adrian Moravec were writing and preparing a piano
film score accompaniment to the 1920s German silent film,
“It’s a cosmic, ethereal piece; very slow, with chords appearing
Pandora’s Box, being shown on campus. The task was
all over the piano, out of the air,” says Wright. It’s also “very
daunting—to compose, play, and improvise music to fit the film.
difficult, obscure, and abstract,” she continues, “and you can't
Playing their score for Bolcom proved invaluable, as he gave
wrap your ears around it easily.”
them tips for how to use the piano more effectively with film.
Lueck says that in practicing it, they counted for months just to
Faculty Chamber Music Concert—At Hamline University, in a
get the rhythm and timing in their brains. Only a few weeks
concert titled “A Little Night (Chamber) Music,” faculty from all
before the coaching session with Bolcom preceding the
five ACTC colleges, including Augsburg faculty Merilee Klemp
concert, she says, the piece had “just begun to gel in our
(oboe), Jill Dawe (piano), and Angela Wyatt (saxophone),
minds and fingers.”
performed a series of Bolcom’s chamber works all containing
night themes. Rebroadcasts of portions of this concert on
At the coaching session, Lueck says, Bolcom was very laid
Minnesota Public Radio extended its listening audience.
back. He made some random remarks and confirmed their
dynamics for portions of the piece. He also made a passing
Lecture in Music History Class—Just as Klemp’s music history
comment that in 30 years he hadn’t seen that piece again nor
class was completing a study of 20th-century music, they had a
heard it played.
visit from Bolcom, one of the composers they had been
studying. Roberta Kagin, associate professor of music and
Wright and Lueck opened the concert with “Abendmusik.”
director of the music therapy program, attended the class and
When Bolcom was asked to explain the piece to the audience,
observed that “Students opened their music history textbooks
he mentioned that it had never been performed.
and were reading about him, as he stood in front of them.”
“So,” declared emcee Randall Davidson, Augsburg’s fine arts
“Songs of Innocence and of Experience”—Three Augsburg
manager, “this is a world premiere!” Wright and Lueck were
faculty members—Klemp (oboe), Bob Stacke (percussion), and
then brought back on stage for accolades and hugs.
Matt Barber (percussion)—played for “Songs of Innocence and
of Experience,” the centerpiece concert at Orchestra Hall.
“It was an huge, overwhelming honor,” Lueck said of the
Faculty member Steve Lund was the orchestra contractor. It was
performance, “and a privilege to work with Bri and [Bolcom].
a gigantic performance, illuminating in vivid sight and sound the
… Playing for him was an affirmation of our work.” And a very
poetry of William Blake, with 13 soloists and three choirs,
lucky day for two unsuspecting college music students.
supported by an orchestra of 95 players. All through the
concert, striking video images based on Blake’s own illustrations
Students Tammy Smith (flute) and Nikki Lemire (harp) also
for his poems were projected on a huge screen.
played in that concert, performing two selections from
Bolcom’s “Celestial Dinner Music.”
20 AUGSBURG NOW
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Page 23
Kathryn Conlin for VocalEssence
Courtesy photo
Senior Tammy Smith received coaching from Bolcom, along with recent
grad Nikki Lemire on harp, for his piece they would play in concert.
May music graduate Bri’Ann Wright (left) and music therapy major Kristen Lueck (right)
walked off stage to applause, not yet realizing they had just performed a world premiere
by one of the country's leading composers.
Learnerstogether
A collaborative grant from ACTC, conceived by Davidson,
Bolcom’s settings to the Blake poetry. At Augsburg, this included
funded the various activities that aimed to involve faculty and
students in the Honors Program and British literature course who
students from at least three ACTC schools at each event.
explored the poetry from the perspectives of the music.
Klemp says that the ACTC collaboration afforded valuable
Davidson was thrilled with the impact of the Bolcom festival.
opportunities for everyone involved. Students and faculty were
“Rarely has an American composer been celebrated like this,”
learners together as they worked with a master teacher.
he says. “The festival has given our students extraordinary access
Students became music professionals as they worked side-by-
to Bill Bolcom, and will remain an important point of reference in
side with their own teachers to prepare Bolcom’s music for
their lives for years to come; there is no substitute for first-person
master classes and performance. And, student and faculty
experiences. Augsburg’s participation helped build deep and
from the five colleges collaborated to sample a wide variety of
lasting partnerships within the Twin Cities’ world-class arts
the musical genres that make up this composer’s life work.
community and a premier fine arts program at the College.” ■
The Bolcom festival and the ACTC grant also encouraged
To read more about the Bolcom festival, go to
students and faculty in disciplines outside of music to examine
www.illuminatingbolcom.org.
FALL 2007 21
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Page 24
Courtesy of Guyanese Outreach
705384_CATALOG:705384_CATALOG
substitute taught at vocational and
technical schools, eventually earning a
bachelor’s degree in industrial technical
education at the University of Minnesota
and securing a full-time teaching position
in apparel arts at Minneapolis Technical
College.
During this time, she began to dream of
going back home to help the Guyanese
people living in poverty, a vision she
planned to follow in her retirement.
Singh’s life changed, however, with auto
accidents that left her with long-term
disabilities, unable to continue teaching.
In 1993 she felt compelled to address the
vision and answer the call.
She made plans to return to Guyana,
together with two of her sons—John, who
graduated from Augsburg in 1983, and
Earl. “As long as this is what I am called to
do, they would support me,” she says.
Guyanese Outreach
Singh tells of feeling fearful that she had
nothing to offer the Guyanese officials,
whose help she needed to secure
resources and locations for her work.
founder Ruth Singh
helps a child learn
to read.
Faith, vision,
and a call to Guyana
by Betsey Norgard
Ruth Singh’s story
is about paying attention
to a vision. It’s about
answering a call. And it’s
about how life can bring
this about unexpectedly.
For the past 13 years, Singh has been
responding to a call she received from
the Lord to return to her native Guyana
to help her home country meet its basic
needs in poverty. As she has traveled
back and forth in these years, the vision
has been transformed from strictly
22 AUGSBURG NOW
providing humanitarian relief to creating
programs that help people escape
systemic poverty through education.
Singh first came to the U.S. from Guyana in
1957 with her husband, who was studying
on a scholarship. She studied home
economics at Augsburg, and has fond
memories of Dean Gerda Mortensen’s days
on campus. The Singhs returned to Guyana
in 1960, but stayed only three years. When
they came back to the Twin Cities in 1963,
Singh concentrated on raising her four sons.
In 1979, the Singhs divorced, and Ruth
decided to return to school. With good skills
in sewing and embroidery, she studied and
“Lord,” she recalls praying, “address my
fears … you could let me help You [in
Guyana] by helping me walk boldly into
those [government] offices.”
Three months later, she had plans to teach
women to sew. It was clear that she would
not move to Guyana but keep her house
in the Twin Cities and travel back and
forth, so that she could collect shipments
of materials to help meet basic needs in
her home country.
In 1995, her fledgling organization,
Guyanese Outreach (GO), sent its first
container of relief items—clothing, toys,
medical and dental supplies, and other
basic necessities. She recruited women for
her sewing classes, with the initial meetings
taking place in Hindu temples, and began
teaching and sharing the gospel with them
—without electricity, on pedal sewing
machines, and with many women who
couldn’t read or understand to sew with
patterns.
h
d
r
s
n
m
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Back home, GO found a home base at
Brooklyn Park Lutheran Church, and
partnered with several other
congregations, including Hope Lutheran
Church, to collect the materials and
money to begin expanding their work.
In 1997, GO secured an old building in
Guyana, without roof, windows, or doors.
Several spaghetti dinners later in
Minnesota, they had raised funds to
help repair and rehabilitate it as a
vocational center.
In the past decade, the work of
Guyanese Outreach has
exceeded all expectations.
Beginning with sewing and
computer classes in the two
rooms at this building, they have
added after-school reading
programs, additional sewing
and crafts classes for all ages,
Internet access for the
community, and a library of
more than 6,000 books. In
addition to teaching out of their
Vo-Tech building, they arrange
for a number of after-school
satellite locations, mostly in
churches.
Page 25
warm milk and some snacks when they
arrive. The program also gives monthly
basic food staples to the families of
participating children.
A second primary-level program, TOPS,
targets children who were not able to pass
the Grade 6 exam. GO teaches them
sewing and crafts to build their vocational
skills and self confidence for making a good
living. A future plan for GO is to address the
special needs of these TOPS students and
return them back to the normal track to
receive their school diplomas.
Teams of GO volunteers travel to
Guyana for short terms, and recently
more mission trips are being arranged,
mostly through STEM (Short Term
Evangelical Missions).
GO also partners in-country with NGOs,
and is working with both VSO and
Peace Corps volunteers to set up
classes, train teachers, and provide
some management.
Ruth Singh’s vision doesn't end here. GO's
space and resources are now stretched
to the limits, and for several
years they have been
negotiating with the government and searching for a new
location. GO’s ongoing
Gateway Project proposes a
new 17,000 sq. ft. architectdesigned center that offers
space for classes as well as for
mission groups, and is just
waiting for sufficient physical
and fiscal resources.
Guyanese Outreach
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In the Twin Cities, Guyanese
Outreach has a volunteer
board, currently headed by
Teacher Olivia Phillips’ after-school reading class at the Streams of Power Church
John Olson. His first involvement
always begins with a warm cup of milk.
with GO was packing crates of
supplies to send to Guyana.
In the shift from humanitarian
Computer classes teach the basics of
Two years later, he joined the board, and
relief to job training classes and teaching,
now heads plans for the Gateway
it is Singh's firm belief that “the way to help computer literacy to all ages, and Singh
says there are few government offices there Project. On Oct. 7, a benefit concert
this generation and future generations is
that don't have workers who were past
featuring Christian music group
to help them through education.”
students in GO’s computer classes.
“downhere” was held.
In 2005, after-school classes were
One of GO’s newest programs teaches sex
Singh continues to travel back and forth
launched for primary students ages 6-11
education
to
teenagers,
using
the
to Guyana, more and more frequently
to build functional literacy through
abstinence curriculum developed by Dr.
dealing with various government offices
reading, writing, and spelling. They focus
James Dobson, in order to confront the high
as their program expands—something
on phonics, in cooperation with the local
rates of HIV/AIDS, the highest in the Western
that may now be easier than those first
school system. The goal is to help students
Hemisphere except for Haiti.
offices she tried to boldly enter 13
succeed on the Grade 6 examination,
years ago.
thus enabling more children to enter the
All of GO’s classes are offered at no cost to
secondary level track rather than
the participants, except for the higher level
“We’re small,” she asserts, “but the fruits
vocational education. So far the program
computer classes, which have a very
we yield are phenomenal.” ■
has served around 500 children, and
modest fee. The only paid employees at
continues to expand to other villages as
GO are the local staff in Guyana. The
funding becomes available.
teachers, for the most part, are untrained in
teaching. GO provides training in phonics,
Since the children come at the end of
reading, or their subject material, plus a
their school day, often hungry, Singh
small stipend.
forged a partnership with Food for the
Poor to provide the children a cup of
FALL 2007 23
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Page 26
SOCIAL
WORK
for
by Holley Locher, together with
Michele Braley ’96 MSW and
Nils Dybvig ’96 MSW
SOCIAL
justice
a
uthor Thomas
Friedman coined the phrase,
“the world is flat,” to describe
the process by which society
has become global and
interdependent. In this
context, social workers are
obligated to address social
injustices at every level and
be culturally competent and
responsive to people from all
corners of the world.
Two Minneapolis social
workers have traveled many
miles to do this. In 1996, after
graduating from Augsburgs
Master of Social Work
program, husband and wife
Nils Dybvig and Michele Braley
quit their jobs, moved to the
State of Washington, and
decided they would quit their
jobs again in 10 years. So, in
September 2006 they took a
year’s leave from their jobs
and left for Barrancabermeja,
Colombia, in the Magdalena
Medio region of oil
production, mining, and
agriculture.
24 AUGSBURG NOW
y
r
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Page 27
They are volunteers with Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), an
the role of U.S. tax dollars in Colombia and works through Congress
organization that devotes the same amount of discipline and
to convert this funding into social and economic development
self-sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking as armies devote to
funding. In June the U.S. House of Representatives passed a
war. CPT places violence-reduction teams in crisis situations and
revision to Plan Colombia that reduces military aid and increases
militarized areas around the world. To date, Braley and Dybvig
development aid; similar actions occurred in the Senate.
have been working primarily in rural areas with Colombians who
have been threatened with violence and feel more comfortable
Braley and Dybvig spend their days attending meetings and
with an international presence. And violence is definitely
visiting with people in rural areas. For instance, Braley tells of one
something that Colombians have lived with every day—for at
weekend that she and her husband spent in a small community
least 40 years.
on the Opón River.
In the early 1960s, amidst a climate of great social and economic
“This is a community that was violently forced off their land several
inequality, two left-wing guerrilla groups (the FARC and the ELN)
years ago,” she says. “CPT was invited to Colombia to assist this
formed, partly in response to the struggle for access to land rights
community in returning. Currently, a team from CPT takes the two-
on behalf of poor farmers. In the 1980s, large landowners and
hour canoe ride to the community every week to spend time with
drug traffickers privately funded paramilitary groups (still in
the people. Most of the time is spent in people’s homes, but we
existence) that oppose the guerrilla groups. While these
also stop to talk to any armed groups in the area to let them know
paramilitary groups often work in concert with the Colombian
who we are, and to ask them to respect the rights of the local
military, they are not officially affiliated with the government and
people.”
are, therefore, able to use aggressive—often horrifically cruel and
violent—tactics. The paramilitaries are responsible for 70% of the
The goal for a visit Dybvig made to an indigenous community was
human rights violations against civilians.
“to make them [the people] more visible by publicizing their
struggles in an area that has a strong presence of both the FARC
It is sad to note that many of the casualties in Colombia's war are
and the paramilitaries.”
not members of any armed group, but civilians. Guerrilla groups
accuse civilians of collaborating with the Colombian military and
On an 11-day trip in April, Braley and Dybvig traveled to Mina
paramilitaries and vice versa. It is a vicious cycle that claims the
Caribe, a rural mining village to bring an international presence to
lives of nearly 3,000 Colombians each year. In the last 20 years,
a five-day leadership training school, followed by a general
over 3.6 million people have been forcibly displaced by violence
assembly of more than 100 miners and farmers. Dybvig wrote, “we
or the threat of it-more than in any other country of the world
took a bus for three hours, then a taxi, then traveled an hour by
except Sudan.
boat, then another taxi, then two hours by four-wheel-drive truck,
and finally three more hours by mule.”
,
The United Nations now calls the situation in Colombia the worst
humanitarian catastrophe in our hemisphere. Through Plan
When Army soldiers showed up as the assembly was to start,
Colombia the U.S. has sent $4.7 billion to Colombia since 2000,
tension increased. The local residents had already been victims to
80% of that as military aid. CPT works to educate others about
harassment and detentions; and a mining federation leader had
FALL 2007 25
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Courtesy photos
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Much of Braley's time is spent getting to know community
members and attending their meetings, which often focus on
health and economic issues.
Michele Braley and Nils Dybvig apply their social work and
peacemaking skills to support rural communities in Colombia
threatened by the military presence and illegal armed groups.
been killed earlier by the same battalion. Several hours of
many death threats that the government was forced to drive
discussions that CPT and other organizations had with the Army
her around in an armored vehicle for her protection, as a human
sergeant, plus calls from the government’s human rights
rights issue.
ombudswoman to the battalion’s commanding officer, finally
resulted in orders for the Army to leave town.
Braley believes they are immersed in “what I think is some
valuable social justice work where we are definitely challenged
Braley and Dybvig have noted many similarities between the
to use our social work skills. … We are lucky to partner with great
work they do in Colombia and social work in the U.S. They assert
Colombian organizations, and it is interesting to learn how they
that while the violence in Colombia is motivated by different
provide social services to a rural population plagued by violence
reasons and while community organizers risk their lives nearly
and the legacy of 40 years of an armed conflict in this country.”
every day to bring about change in their communities, some of
the outcomes and struggles are analogous to those in
“The work of CPT is very much in line with our social work values;
Minneapolis. In one instance, after speaking with several young
we work in communities where we are invited, and our presence
men engaged in illegal fishing, Braley says “… these men
allows others to make changes in their lives.” Braley says. “We
reminded me so much of the men dealing drugs in Minneapolis.
don’t come in with answers. And, we work to change policies in
[They have] limited education, attraction to easy money, and
our own country that are impacting the situation here.”
the idea that their life could end by violence at any time. So
why bother to play by the rules?”
Dybvig and Braley were back in Minnesota for two months
during the summer, but decided to spend one more year with
They also see similar practices among women’s organizations in
CPT and returned to Colombia in early September.
both Colombia and the U.S. that move people from poverty to
self-sufficiency. According to Braley, “To walk into their offices or
To follow their work, go to www.nilsandmichele.blogspot.com.
talk with their staff, you could not tell the difference from one of
our programs in the U.S., if it weren’t for the language.” That is,
Holley Locher is program coordinator in the Master of Social
until she says that the director of the organization received so
Work program. Michele Braley has served as an adjunct
professor in the Social Work Department.
26 AUGSBURG NOW
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ALUMNI NEWS
From the
Alumni Board
president …
Greetings fellow
Auggies,
There is something special about
fall. While during summer we
typically take time away from
school and work, fall is when we
return to our routines and
reconnect with friends and
colleagues.
And so it is with the Augsburg Alumni Board. We enter fall with
high aspirations for achieving our strategic goals, which are
primarily centered on making connections with various campus
and affinity alumni groups, participating in campus events, and
ensuring that we tell the stories of our alumni.
In order to achieve these goals, we need your help!
• Become an Alumni Board volunteer for special projects or
participate in alumni-sponsored events
• Talk to your Augsburg friends and classmates about getting
involved in the greater alumni association
• Nominate special alumni or friends of the College for
Distinguished Alumni, First Decade, or Spirit of Augsburg awards
• Participate in the Career Networking event with current students
• Sign up for Augsburg’s online community at
www.augsburg.edu/alumni
• Become a member of the alumni association
The alumni association is not just a group of people who sit on
the board. It is about providing an avenue for expression of our
gifts and talents. It is about making a difference and conducting
“real work.” And, finally, it is about you!
So, are you interested in reconnecting with old friends and
making new ones? Do you need more information about what we
are doing and where we are going? If so, contact Heidi Breen, at
breen@augsburg.edu.
Welcome!
New members join Alumni Board
At the June meeting of the Augsburg Alumni Board, Buffie Blesi ’90,
’97 MAL, began her term as president. The other officers are: Joyce
Miller ’02, vice president; Carolyn Spargo ’80, secretary; Chad Darr
’04, treasurer; and Barry Vornbrock ’96 MAL, past president.
Three new members joined the Alumni Board at this meeting:
Daniel Hickle ’95 graduated with a major in journalism and a
minor in economics. At Augsburg, he wrote for the Echo and
interned with the Career Services Office, where he worked on a
monthly newsletter for graduating seniors. He also worked off
campus with autistic adults and children to help them develop
socialization skills.
Hickle owns and operates Fortis Agency, a full service insurance
brokerage, in Brooklyn Park. On the Alumni Board, he would like
to help further Augsburg’s mission in the community.
Jim Kline ’01 MAL, served as a student representative on the
Graduate School Committee. He received his bachelor’s degree from
Southwest College in Winfield, Kan.; he is a retired Marine Corps
colonel, and has 35 years of leadership and management
experience.
Kline is vice president of operations at SICO America Inc. in
Minneapolis, and is responsible for the operations of three factories
and product development. He is serving on the Alumni Board to
show his support for liberal arts education.
Lee Anne (Hanson) Lack ’67 had double majors in German and
English. While attending Augsburg, she wrote for the Echo, sang in
the Women’s Choir, was involved in theatre, and helped plan many
events, including the Honors Day Assembly, Religious Emphasis
Week, and the Spring arts event. Known as having a knack for
making people laugh, she values diversity, justice, and kindness.
Lack is an assistant financial associate in charge of financial
products and service sales at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans in
Golden Valley. On the Alumni Board, she wants to remain
connected in a meaningful way and make a significant contribution
to the school she loves.
The mission of the Alumni Board is to support and serve Augsburg
College in its stated mission and to actively promote involvement of
alumni and their giving of time and resources to the College and
the Alumni Association.
Buffie Blesi ’90, ’97 MAL
President, Augsburg Alumni Board
FALL 2007 27
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ALUMNI NEWS
Experience Spain and
Portugal—March
2008
Visit Greece and
Turkey—October
2008
You are invited to join an
Augsburg alumni group to visit
Portugal, Morocco, and Spain,
from March 27–April 6, 2008.
Alumni and friends are invited to
join religion professors Phil
Quanbeck II, accompanied by
his wife, Augsburg regent Dr.
Ruth Johnson, and Mark Tranvik
for educational travel in October
to the cradle of western
civilization and early Christianity,
Greece and Turkey.
The 11-day tour begins and ends
in Lisbon, Portugal, and includes
two nights in Lisbon, two nights
in Madrid, two nights in Tangier,
two nights in Seville, and one
night in Granada. All along the
way stops will be made for site
visits.
The land portion of this trip is
$1499 each based on double
occupancy. A few single
supplements are available for an
additional $319. Airfare is
additional, and can be booked
by you or arranged for you.
Current airfare with Trafalgar Air
is approximately $995.
For further information and a
brochure, contact the alumni
office with your name and
address at alumni@augsburg.edu.
To reserve a place on the tour, a
$200 deposit is required; if you
choose Trafalgar Air for your
round-trip airfare, an additional
$100 is needed. Reservations
must be made by December 10
and space is limited.
This tour is sponsored by
Augsburg A-Club, and a portion
of the proceeds will benefit
Augsburg.
The tour begins in Istanbul, the
capital of the Roman, Byzantine,
and Ottoman Empires and
travels along the Aegean
coastline to the port of Kusadasi.
From there, a two-night cruise
through the Greek islands of
Patmos, Rhodes, and Santorini
arrives in Athens.
This study tour explores the
history, culture, and legacy of the
Greco-Roman world and cities
associated with the Apostle Paul
and the rise of early Christianity
in the Greek and Roman context.
The tour looks at the legacy of
the Byzantine Empire and
considers the rise of the Islamic
empire of the Ottoman Turks,
with some attention to modern
Turkey. The tour concludes with
Athens and Corinth, with a visit
to the Parthenon on the
Acropolis and Mars Hill.
Granada, Spain
Athens, Greece
The tour includes visits to
museums, open air archaeological
sites, and modern cities, with
expert local guides. The tour
leaders provide lectures and
insight from their previous travel
in this region and their fields of
study and expertise.
For further information contact
Phil Quanbeck II at 612-3301006 or quanbeck@augsburg.edu.
Santorini, Greece
28 AUGSBURG NOW
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CLASS NOTES
1951
1981
1989
1994
Rev. Leonard E. Dalberg,
Buellton, Calif., is a retired
pastor and was named
California’s Volunteer of the Year
by the California Association of
Homes and Services for the
Aged. His wife, Annabelle
(Hanson) ’52 continues to serve
as church organist. She began
playing the piano for Sunday
School as a teenager 65 years
ago. The photo shows them at
Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis
in August 2006.
Karla (Morken) Thompson,
Pine Island, Minn., is a physical
therapist at Mayo Clinic in
Rochester, Minn. In June 2007
she was certified as a clinical
specialist in orthopaedic physical
therapy and celebrated 26 years
at Mayo Clinic. Her son, Danny,
is an Augsburg sophomore.
Jody K. Johnson earned a
master’s degree in community
counseling at University of
Wisconsin-River Falls and works
as a child protection social
worker. She and her husband,
Mike, have four children, ages 7
to 14. The two youngest are
adopted from India and Korea
and have special needs.
Carley (Miller) Stuber, and her
husband, William, Shakopee,
Minn., welcomed the birth of
their daughter, Carolyn Sophie,
on March 30, pictured here with
big sister Kirsten, 23 months.
1968
Gretchen (Strom) Schmidt,
Ventura, Calif., has retired and
began an 18-month road trip in
July with her husband in their
“fifth wheel.” At the end of the
trip, they’ll settle in South
Carolina.
1978
Julie Anne (Johnson)
Westlund, Duluth, Minn., has
been director of career services at
the University of MinnesotaDuluth since 1988. This year she
received the John Tate Award for
Excellence in Advising from the
University of Minnesota.
jwestlund@umm.edu
1982
Laura (Lam) Redding,
Samois-sur-Seine, France, has
published Late Blossom, a
chronicle of wartime Viet Nam,
and a memoir of life, loss, and
love. She is a refugee from Viet
Nam, who graduated with a
degree in business
administration.
Princeton University has
identified Late Blossom as
required reading for a new
graduate course on the Viet Nam
war era, and a university in
Japan is also interested in using
the book in their Southeast Asian
Studies Department. In Paris,
several book clubs have selected
it for reading, and a French
translation is expected soon.
1992
Heather (Wagner) Rand,
Duluth, Minn., was a candidate
for the District 3 Duluth City
Council seat. She works as
Duluth planning commissioner
and chair of the citizen
committee that developed the
Duluth Comprehensive Land Use
Plan. She is also a Duluth
heritage preservation
commissioner and a higher
education commissioner.
1997
Paul Cicmil, Minneapolis, began
in July as one of two
undergraduate representatives
(recruiters) for DeVry University
in the Twin Cities at its Edina
Center.
Read more about Laura and Late
Blossom at her blog,
http://lauraonvietnam.blogspot.com
Join the Augsburg
Online Community
• Keep in touch with
classmates
• Find out what’s happening
on campus
• Change/update your address
and e-mail
www.augsburg.edu/alumni
FALL 2007 29
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CLASS NOTES
Carolyn Herman ’05 and Tessa Flynn ’05
1998
2004
Jamie Larkin married Kelli Leick
on Jan. 27, 2006; they live in
White Bear Lake, Minn. On April
18, they welcomed the birth of
their son, Jack Thomas.
Kerry Lynn (Keller) married
Cole Patrick Bryan ’03 on Aug.
25, 2006; and they live in St.
Michael, Minn. Cole is in
purchasing and sales with RoadRite Truck Sales.
klkeller82@yahoo.com
Carolyn Herman and Tessa Flynn, were honored June 22 by
Admission Possible as the AmeriCorps Members of the Year at
Admission Possible. AmeriCorps volunteers work with this program
to help economically disadvantaged students gain college admission.
Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak proclaimed June 22 as Carolyn
Herman Day in Minneapolis, and June 24 as Tessa Flynn Day, for
serving the citizens of Minneapolis admirably, with passion, pride,
and unending commitment to [their high schools] and to [their]
students.
Herman worked at Patrick Henry High School and helped 34 seniors
gain admission to college, and helped them raise nearly $175,000 in
scholarships. Currently she is at the University of Hyderabad in India
as a Rotary Ambassador Scholar studying literature.
Flynn, worked at North High School and also helped 34 seniors gain
admission to college, with nearly $250,000 in scholarships awarded.
1999
Rebecca Welle ‘04 and Laura Olson ‘89
Trudy Marie (Kueker) married
Michael Howard on May 26,
2006; they live in Woodbury,
Minn. She is an RN, CCRN for
Healthways and Healtheast.
tmhoward@mm.com
2000
Rev. Melissa (Moyle) Pohlman,
Minneapolis, was one of the
presiding ministers at the daily
worship on Aug. 7 at the ELCA
Churchwide Assembly in
Chicago. She is the presiding
minister at Christ English
Church in Minneapolis.
Rebecca Welle ’04 (left) and Laura (Henning) Olson ’89 (right)
took a break from volunteering around the city with Meals-onWheels to visit the Auggieasaurus in Murphy Square. They both
work at ING in downtown Minneapolis. Becky is also the women’s
assistant cross country coach at Augsburg.
30 AUGSBURG NOW
Harry Ford, Brooklyn Center,
Minn., is director of Emerge
Villages. Its program, Fathers
and Children Together (FACT),
which provides transitional
housing for custodial fathers and
their families, received a Family
Strengthening Award from the
United Neighborhood Centers of
America/Annie E. Casey
Foundation.
A
2005
Y
Sara Baufield ’05 married Justin
Sorby on May 5 at Holy Name of
Jesus Catholic Church in
Wayzata, Minn. Sara is currently
pursuing another bachelor’s
degree in early childhood
development at Minnesota State
University-Mankato. Justin
graduated in 2004 from North
Dakota State University and
works as a grain merchandiser
for Archer Daniels Midland.
They live in Mankato, Minn.
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2006
In Memoriam
Emily Soeder, Washington,
D.C., has been appointed an
associate director in the White
House Office of Presidential
Speechwriting. For eight months,
she worked for the assistant
secretary in the Office of
Legislation and Congressional
Affairs at the U.S. Department of
Education. During the summer
she traveled to Haiti with a
group working at an orphanage.
Tungseth, Rev. Erling M. ’40,
Cambridge, Minn., age 89, on
July 21.
Correction:
In the summer issue’s note about
Lauren Falk ’06 and her new
business, Lauren B. Photography,
her e-mail contact was omitted.
You can reach her at
laurenbfalk@aol.com.
Waggoner, Sylvia (Haukeness)
’47, Seattle, Wash., on Oct. 3,
2006.
Johnson, Wilgard “Will” ’57,
Lexington, Ky., age 75, on
July 25.
Calderwood, David ’50,
Birchwood, Minn., age 81, on
Sept. 18, of cancer.
SEND US YOUR NEWS AND PHOTOS
Please tell us about the news in your life, your new job, move,
marriage, and births. Don’t forget to send photos!
For news of a death, printed notice is required, e.g. an obituary,
funeral notice, or program from a memorial service.
Send your news items, photos, or change of address by mail to:
Augsburg Now Class Notes, Augsburg College, CB 146,
2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, MN, 55454, or e-mail to
alumni@augsburg.edu. You can also submit news to the Augsburg
Online Community at www.augsburg.edu/alumni.
Full name
Maiden name
Schmidt, David Has ’85,
Phoenix, Ariz, age 47, on
Sept. 27.
Class year or last year attended
Street address
City, State, Zip
Is this a new address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Home telephone
E-mail
Okay to publish your e-mail address? ❑ Yes ❑ No
Employer
Position
Work telephone
Is spouse also a graduate of Augsburg College? ❑ Yes ❑ No
If yes, class year
Spouse’s name
Maiden name
Your news:
“Auggie is an action verb” t-shirts were worn by all
first-year students on City Service Day.
FALL 2007 31
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VIEWS
Auggie women who participated in
sports prior to 1988, when athletic
letters were first awarded to women,
were honored with framed “A” letters
at an event in September that
celebrated 35 years of varsity women’s
athletics at Augsburg.
A maroon-letter day for Auggie women athletes
by Augsburg News Service and Betsey Norgard
September 28 was a special day for 78 Auggie
women who competed in sports at Augsburg prior to
1988, the year in which the first athletic letters were
awarded to women. They finally received their letters
as well.
The dinner that evening celebrated 35 years of
varsity women’s athletics at Augsburg, as well as the
rich history of women’s athletics prior to the Title IX
era. In 1972 Augsburg’s varsity women’s basketball
and volleyball teams were started, along with
gymnastics and tennis.
The celebration event started in the LaVonne
Johnson Peterson Health and Physical Education
Center, named for “Mrs. Pete,” the longtime
instructor, women’s athletic director, and coach of the
famed “Auggiettes” basketball team of the mid-1950s.
Following dinner, current female student-athletes
led a Parade of Champions from Kennedy Center to
Hoversten Chapel, accompanied by a brass band. In
a ceremony there, the alumnae received framed
maroon A’s and a place in Augsburg’s sports history.
Though the varsity era of Auggie women’s
athletics began in 1972, there have been women’s
College dating to the mid-1920s. From the 1940s to
the 1970s, there were numerous intramural sports
sponsored for women, including the Auggiettes
basketball team. They competed in the Minneapolis
Park Board league and compiled a 125-5 record in
15 seasons from 1950 to 1965.
At Homecoming in October, the unbeaten
Auggiettes team of 1956-57, celebrating its 50th
anniversary, was honored with induction as a group
into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame.
In an article printed in the Star Tribune following
the celebration event, assistant athletic director
Marilyn Florian ’76 recounted how, on her first day
of classes at Augsburg, she asked then-athletic
director Joyce Pfaff ’65 when volleyball practice
would begin, assuming there was a team. Florian
said Pfaff then started and coached a team, learning
the sport as she went. “She knew we had talent and
desire,” Florian said. “We just needed the
opportunity and we’re all grateful we got it.” This
was a sentiment echoed throughout the evening’s
athletic festivities.
For more about women’s athletics, go to
www.augsburg.edu/athletics.
Current female student-athletes
led a Parade of Champions from
Kennedy Center to Hoversten
Chapel, where the alumnae
athletes were honored and
awarded athletic letters.
32 AUGSBURG NOW
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CALENDAR
For music information, call 612-330-1265
For theatre ticket information, call 612-330-1257
For art gallery information, call 612-330-1524
February 22–April 4
Augsburg Art Department
Faculty Exhibition
NOVEMBER
Gage Family Art Gallery,
Oren Gateway Center
Reception: Friday, Feb. 22,
5– 7 p.m.
Artist talk: March, TBA
November 30
Velkommen Jul Celebration
10:15 a.m.—Chapel Service,
Hoversten Chapel
11 a.m.—Scandinavian treats and
gifts, Christensen Center
January 20
2008 Convocation Series
20th Annual Martin Luther King Jr.
Convocation
Ekwueme Michael Thelwell, “Visions
of a Just Society: Dr. King’s Legacy”
1 p.m., Hoversten Chapel
November 30–December 1
That All May Have Light
28th Annual Advent Vespers:
A service of music and liturgy
5 and 8 p.m. each night
Central Lutheran Church,
Minneapolis
For seating envelopes,
612-330-1265
JANUARY
February 28-29
2008 Convocation Series
FEBRUARY
February 1-10
The Visit
by Friedrich Durrenmatt; transl. by
Maurice Valency
Guest directed by Luverne Seifert ‘83
Feb. 1, 2, 7, 8 and 9 at 7 p.m.
Feb. 3 and 10 at 2 p.m.
Tjornhom-Nelson Theater
January 11–February 22
Contemporary Native American Art
Christensen Center Art Gallery
Artist reception: Friday, Jan. 18
Artist presentation: TBA
January 16–February 1
Augsburg Art Club Exhibition
Student Art Gallery, Christensen
Center
February 29–April 4
Kelly Connole, Where the Sky
Meets the Earth
Ceramic installation
Artist Reception: Friday, Feb. 29,
5:30–7:30 p.m.
Artist Presentation: TBA
(group show)
Gage Family Art Gallery, Oren
Gateway Center
Reception: Friday, Jan. 18
Artist talk: TBA
Barbara Harman: Prints, MixedMedia Drawings, and Artist Books
Batalden Seminar in Applied Ethics
“Reinhold Niebuhr for the 21st
Century”
Rev. Robin Lovin, Cary McGuire
University Professor of Ethics,
Southern Methodist University
Feb. 28—7:30 p.m.,
Hoversten Chapel
Feb. 29—10 a.m., Hoversten Chapel
February 15-16
2008 Convocation Series
Dr. Ned Hallowell
Feb. 15, “Worry”
3:30 p.m., Hoversten Chapel
Feb. 16, “CrazyBusy”
Noon, Hoversten Chapel
MARCH
March 11-14
The Exception and the Rule
by Bertolt Brecht,
transl. by Eric Bentley
Guest directed by Warren C. Bowles
March 11, 12, 13 and 14 at 7 p.m.
Foss Studio Theater
FALL 2007
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Page 36
Our college in the city
Augsburg has gone through dramatic changes over
the past three years, including new turf on the
football field and the addition of the Kennedy and
Oren Gateway Center buildings, which have given
the College a new look from the air.
Photograph by Stephen Geffre.
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Minneapolis, MN
Permit No. 2031
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AUGSBURG NOW
FALL 2008
VOL. 71, NO. 1
inside
auggies
1
Augsburg Now
The Magazine of Augsburg College
25Nursing
Years
of Life-Changing
at the grassroots level Travel that
transforms Clever student + wise professor +
Travel
expert alum = awesome discovery Ready, action,
page
film20
suc...
Show more
AUGSBURG NOW
FALL 2008
VOL. 71, NO. 1
inside
auggies
1
Augsburg Now
The Magazine of Augsburg College
25Nursing
Years
of Life-Changing
at the grassroots level Travel that
transforms Clever student + wise professor +
Travel
expert alum = awesome discovery Ready, action,
page
film20
success! Street pastoring in Wales
get
political
Editor
notes
from President Pribbenow
Our neighbors
o
ne of the most compelling moments in the
Christian scriptures is the question asked
of Jesus by one of his disciples: “And who
is my neighbor?” His answer, of course, is
the parable of the Good Samaritan.
For me, the disciple’s question is at the
heart of the mission and vision of Augsburg College—a question that is at once theological, reflecting our understanding of what God intends
for us to be and do, and also educational and
practical, helping us to link our learning with
service.
So, let’s do some theology! Ask yourself—
who is my neighbor? Is it the Somali woman I
met this morning on Riverside Avenue struggling to carry her groceries home from the bus
stop? Or is it the family in the ravines of Cuernavaca, Mexico, who will offer me both refreshments and life lessons when I meet them on a
Center for Global Education trip? Or is it my
classmate, who is struggling with balancing
school with life at work and home, and who
needs my time and comfort? Once the question
is asked, we are compelled, as was Jesus himself,
to answer with stories and parables—stories of
how being educated at Augsburg prepares us to
serve our neighbors no matter when or where
we encounter them. In that way, the question
leads us to think about the links between learning and service.
A central aspect of an Augsburg education is
to nurture and sustain the work of civic engagement—the practices of citizenship, negotiating
our lives together, navigating what political
philosopher and Roman Catholic theologian John
Courtney Murray once called the “intersection of
conspiracies,” his definition of democracy.
Betsey Norgard
norgard@augsburg.edu
Creative Director
Kathy Rumpza
rumpza@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Editorial
Wendi Wheeler
wheelerw@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate-Design
Jen Nagorski
nagorski@augsburg.edu
Here at Augsburg, we believe we are called
to serve our neighbor. I am so proud of our
Augsburg community for its abiding commitment to civic engagement, to meeting the needs
of our neighbors—there are abundant examples
of ways in which students, staff, faculty, regents,
parents, and alumni are modeling for all of us
and the rest of the community what it means to
be reflective, productive, and responsible citizens of our campus, our neighborhood, and our
world.
At the same time, I want to challenge all of
us to think at an even deeper level about the
work of civic engagement, to see it not simply as
acts of service and compassion, but also as the
abiding and messy business—the lifelong business—of being educated, of building communities of trust and accountability, and of helping to
create a more just and humane world.
The stories in this issue of Augsburg Now
about the Center for Global Education (CGE)
offer fine examples of how the Augsburg community has answered the question of “Who is
my neighbor?” time and again in parts of the
world where our neighbors are partners in the
work of teaching and learning. We celebrate
CGE’s remarkable legacy and promise in Augsburg’s continuing and common work to serve
our neighbors.
Yours,
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Sports Information Director
Don Stoner
stoner@augsburg.edu
Assistant Vice President of
Marketing and Communication
David Warch
warch@augsburg.edu
Director of Alumni and
Constituent Relations
Kim Stone
stonek@augsburg.edu
www.augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, Minn., 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
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E-mail: now@augsburg.edu
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a
fall 2008
Features
14
Lights, camera, and action
by Bethany Bierman
A new film major has come of age and now attracts
students from around the world.
augsburg now
19
Get Political!
by Wendi Wheeler ’06
Augsburg students got up front and backstage as interns for The
Washington Center at the Republican National Convention.
24
Travel that transforms
by Betsey Norgard
contents
Augsburg’s Center for Global Education reached the quarter
decade mark last year and continues to transform the way
students and participants view global issues and challenges.
29
Annual report to donors, 2007-08
Departments
2
4
6
13
45
56
Around the Quad
It takes an Auggie
Auggies on the Field
Augsburg Voices
Alumni News and Class Notes
My Auggie Experience
On the cover
(L to R) Erik Franzen, Mai Lee, and Ben Krouse-Gagne—three of Augsburg’s interns for The Washington Center at the Republican National Convention—each found unexpected discoveries in the experience.
Editor’s note:
Welcome to Augsburg Now’s new look! If you visited us at the State Fair last
summer or at our Web site lately, you’ve noticed more vibrancy and energy—
with just a touch of edginess. We’re in the city and we’re all about learning
by doing—whether it’s in the classroom, on the playing field, around the
world, or on the floor of the Republican National Convention. Please let us
know what you think, or what you’d like to see in the Now. Auggies are everywhere, and we want to connect with you. E-mail us at now@augsburg.edu or
call 612-330-1181. — Betsey Norgard, editor
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
around the
quad
Regents elected and honored
Five new members were elected to four-year terms on the
Augsburg Board of Regents at the annual meeting of the Augsburg Corporation Governing Board in September. In addition,
Anthony L. Genia Jr., MD ’85, was re-elected to a second fouryear term.
Mark A. Eustis, president and CEO of Fairview
Health Services.
At the board’s fall meeting, outgoing regents were honored for
their commitment, loyalty, and service. Those leaving the board
after serving several years are Michael Freeman and Beverly
(Halling) Oren ’55. Regents who retired after two six-year terms
are Rev. Gary Benson ’70, Ron Nelson ’68, and former board chair
Ted Grindal ’76. In addition, two ELCA bishops completed ex officio terms: Rev. Harold Usgaard, Southeastern Minnesota Synod,
and Rev. Peter Rogness, Saint Paul Area Synod.
Three retirees worked closely with students
Darrell Wiese ’59 has always had a knack
Alexander J. Gonzalez ’90, senior financial advisor
at Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
Eric J. Jolly, president of the Science
Museum of Minnesota
Gloria C. Lewis, president and CEO of Big Brothers
Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities
Marshall S. Stanton, MD, vice president
for clinical research and general manager
of the cardiac rhythm disease
management business of Medtronic, Inc.
Appointed to three-year terms on the
board, ex officio, are Bishop Craig E.
Johnson, Minneapolis Area Synod of the
ELCA, and Bishop Duane C. Pederson,
Northwest Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA.
To read more, go to
www.augsburg.edu/regents
for finding “diamonds in the rough,” baseball and football players who may not have
put up the big numbers in high school, but
had the potential to shine.
It’s estimated that Wiese, a 1959 Augsburg alumnus, helped to bring literally
hundreds of students to Augsburg over the last several decades
as a recruiter and assistant coach. For his lifetime of service to
Auggie athletics, Wiese was honored with the Distinguished
Athletic Service Award this fall.
“I always had a genuine concern for youth and athletics,
and something always kept drawing me back to Augsburg over
the years,” Wiese said. “I would talk about Augsburg and say it
was a great school with friendly people; they’ll give you a
chance to succeed and get your degree.”
After Wiese had been scouting for talent as a volunteer for
more than 20 years while still owning and operating his family
farm in rural Northfield, Minn., he spent more than a decade as
an assistant coach for both the football and baseball teams.
Several of his football recruits provided the backbone of
the Auggies’ 1997 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title team, the school’s first since 1928. Many of his players were key members of the 2005 MIAC baseball playoff team.
“One of the things that strikes me so much about Darrell is
his ability to identify potential talent,” said former football
coach Jack Osberg, now a football coach and A-Club advancement manager. … “When he recruits, he doesn’t just recruit the
athlete, he recruits the family and gets great connections with
the families and siblings of the athletes he recruits.”
Wiese officially retired from coaching after the 2008 baseball season. A baseball team trophy has been named in his
honor—the Darrell Wiese Most Respected Player Award.
DON STONER
2
Augsburg Now
Retiring faculty and staff, continued
Karen Sutherland, professor of computer science, came to Augsburg in
1999 and retired at the end of the
academic year in May. Often her students would find her in the small lab
in Sverdrup surrounded by computer robots roaming the floor—
AIBO dog robots used for their ease
in teaching basic programming, and
search and rescue robots designed to
stay in communication with each other during emergency situations. They were all part of National Science Foundation
grant research in which Sutherland collaborated.
These projects were at the core of Sutherland’s passion for
improving how computer science is taught to non-traditional
students, including weekend students, immigrants, women,
and first-generation college students. “These students didn’t
relate well to computer science and how we were teaching it,”
Sutherland said. With the grant funding she could do a better
job of both attracting and retaining non-traditional students.
The National Science Foundation CSEMS (Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Scholarship) program
enabled her to offer scholarships to non-traditional students.
She had upper-class students serve as peer mentors to CSEMS
students, encouraging them toward career possibilities in
computer science.
“A number of our young people want to do something to
make this world better,” Sutherland says. “They don’t see how
computer science is going to help that. You have to show
them ways it can, and they have to see how they could make a
difference, a mark.”
Via e-mail, she keeps in touch with many former students, some who have accepted jobs in industry directly after
graduation and others going on to graduate programs.
There is no shortage of plans for her retirement, which
center around gardening and travel. Even her gardening will
keep her near a computer, as she serves as the webmaster for
the Garden Club of Ramsey County. At her lake home, she
serves as a board member of the lake association, working to
promote shoreline conservation and sustainability.
Kenneth N. Erickson ’62, in his
nearly 40-year tenure teaching
physics, allowed students to see just
how vast the world is and just what
is possible.
After one year at Augsburg in
the 1960s, Erickson returned in
1970 and never left. For much of
that time, he held a shared professorship between Augsburg and the
University of Minnesota, cooperating with the University’s
physics and astronomy faculty in grant-funded research.
“As part of the shared appointment at the “U,” I was able
to do a lot of research,” he said. In 1970, Erickson started an
active undergrad research program at Augsburg. In 1991, he
started the Minnesota Space Grant Consortium, part of a
NASA-funded program that provides research and program
development grants to students and faculty.
“His satellite studies and rocket experiments in Alaska,
often involving other scientists from around the globe, gave
his students a window to a much wider and very exciting
world,” said Mark Engebretsen, an Augsburg colleague. “He
helped many of his students catch the excitement of trying to
find out new things about our world.”
The soft-spoken Erickson is reluctant to discuss his
achievements, but colleagues and many former students appreciated Erickson’s teaching and mentoring. Stu Anderson
’78, a current member of Augsburg’s physics faculty and a former student, said, “He displayed the art of an excellent
teacher—to invite students into the voyage of discovery, to
develop an appetite and tolerance for mathematical complexity, and to give students like me the courage to be persistent.”
Matt Broughton ’06, a physics and English major who
was awarded a Fullbright grant called Erickson—who has a
scholarship established in his name—“the best instructor he
had in college.”
Now Erickson is staying busy by growing corn and soybeans and raising cattle on his farm near Cambridge, Minn.
“I haven’t done much physics lately,” he joked.
WENDI WHEELER
BETSEY NORGARD
Fall 2008
3
it takes an
Auggie
New President’s Circle recognizes annual giving
During Homecoming Week, President Pribbenow announced
the creation of the President’s Circle, a new giving society that
recognizes annual gifts of $1,000 or more, at several levels of
support. By recognizing all current gifts, the President’s Circle
shares the Augsburg story among greater numbers of alumni
and donors and builds stronger connections with the College
today.
Within the President’s Circle, one of the top funding priorities of the College is the Augsburg Fund, which provides
support across a range of critical needs of the College. Most
important is the financial support made possible through the
Augsburg Fund that helps the College fulfill its promise to a
richly diverse student body. Financial support makes an Augsburg education possible for more than 85% of its students.
The Augsburg Fund also provides needed support for
current technology to improve teaching and learning, faculty
recruitment and retention, facilities maintenance and renovation, and opportunities for community events and services.
“There’s no other way to give to so many priorities—to
touch the lives of so many students in so many different
ways—than through the Augsburg Fund,” says Jeremy Wells,
vice president for institutional advancement. “It’s giving that
moves Augsburg forward just as it also honors its past.”
The President’s Circle Challenge, through the generosity
of an anonymous donor, will match all increases in gifts to the
Augsburg Fund up to $1,000 for those who become charter
members of the President’s Circle.
President’s Circle members will receive a special pin and a
new, members’ e-newsletter plus invitations to special events
and other benefits offered for support at higher levels.
Sven Oftedal Society honors Augsburg’s legacy
Augsburg’s Heritage Society, which
recognizes donors who have made
a future gift commitment to the
College, has a new name and identity—the Sven Oftedal Society,
named for the second person appointed to Augsburg’s faculty, who
became the College’s third president and chaired the Board of Regents for over three decades.
During the 1870s, vast numThe recognition of donors who
make future gifts to the College
bers of immigrants flocked to
has been named the Sven Oftedal
western and northwestern MinSociety, in honor of Augsburg’s
third president, who saved the Col- nesota. Augsburg’s move to Minlege from bankruptcy, ensuring an neapolis in 1872 placed it closer to
Augsburg education for
the center of Norwegian-American
future generations.
settlement, but by 1877, the College faced a financial crisis that threatened its very existence.
Augsburg was heavily in debt; the region was in an economic
depression.
Sven Oftedal stepped forward to lead a heroic fundraising
effort that saved Augsburg. Oftedal rallied and inspired farmers, merchants, businesses, and churches throughout the
4
Augsburg Now
region to support Augsburg’s mission, an effort securing gifts
from over 30,000 individuals. Augsburg was no longer a
school of a select few—Augsburg truly became a school of the
people.
Exemplifying Augsburg’s commitment to civic involvement, Oftedal established a community newspaper, was
elected to the Minneapolis Board of Education, appointed to
the Minneapolis Library Board, and served as the president of
Augsburg’s board for 36 years. His legacy of service is honored
by Augsburg through the founding of the Oftedal Society to
recognize the loyalty and vision of those who make a commitment of future support to the College.
“By renaming the planned giving recognition society in
honor of Sven Oftedal, we have a wonderful opportunity to
reflect upon the nature of Augsburg’s foundation—its roots,”
noted Jeremy Wells, vice president for institutional advancement, “and to reaffirm that those ideals continue to be the
core of the College and its mission.
To learn more about the Sven Oftedal Society or making a
gift of future support, contact the Office of Planned Giving at
1-800-273-0617 or via e-mail to development@augsburg.edu.
Another million-dollar year!
• The Augsburg Fund, the College’s annual fund, reached its
goal of $1 million—for the third time and the first time
outside of a campaign year—ending the fiscal year at
$1,001,979.
• Important to achieving this goal was the President’s Challenge of $100,000, which resulted in additional giving of
nearly $69,000 in new or increased gifts, triggering a total
of $158,000 in challenge gifts. This was made possible by
Don ’53 and Bev (Halling) Oren ’55 and anonymous
donors.
• During this last fiscal year, a 100% participation rate was
reached with gifts to the annual fund from all members of
the Augsburg Board of Regents, the Alumni Board of
Directors, and the President’s Cabinet.
It’s Augsburg Calling … Mai Yer Vang ’11
Mai Yer Vang was born in Thailand and moved with her family to the U.S. in 1994. When she was in high school, Vang
was introduced to Augsburg on a tour with the Upward
Bound program. “We had a really good tour guide who
showed us everything on campus,” she said.
Vang liked Augsburg’s small campus atmosphere and was
intrigued by a presentation given by Richard Webb, a counselor for Augsburg’s TRiO program, a U.S. Department of Education program that helps first-generation college students
overcome class, social, and cultural barriers to completing
their education.
“My family is on welfare,” Vang said, “but Richard talked
about financial aid and told us that we could go to Augsburg
if we wanted to. He helped us understand that a college education was possible.” In fact, Vang became the first in her
family of eight children to attend college.
She came to Augsburg in the summer, before many of her
classmates, for TRiO’s Summer Bridge program, a five-week
residential program that introduces students to the college experience with classes, academic support seminars, workshops,
and social activities.
As a TRiO scholar, Vang must not only maintain a 3.0
GPA each term, she also meets regularly with her TRiO counselor to discuss her academic progress and financial issues.
TRiO students complete all of their financial aid application
paperwork on their own, an often-daunting procedure many
of her peers delegate to parents. Vang is grateful for this experience because she is now helping one of her older sisters
complete college and financial aid applications.
For two years, Vang has worked as a caller for the Augsburg Fund in Augsburg’s Office of Institutional Advancement.
Through her conversations with alumni, Vang has received
career advice and has learned more about Augsburg traditions
and history. “I learned that Homecoming used to be huge
here,” she said, “and there were a lot more dances and royalty
and parades during the year than we have now.”
To date, Vang and the student caller team have helped
raise more than $114,000 for the Augsburg Fund. To learn
more about the Augsburg Fund and other ways to support
students like Mai Yer Vang, go to www.augsburg.edu/giving.
WENDI WHEELER ‘06
Mai Yer Vang ’11 is one of the
student callers of Phonathon
and enjoys learning about
Augsburg in past years from
the alumni she calls.
Fall 2008
5
Auggies on the field
Jordan Berg: Football, physics, and far more
Division III athletics is more than simply the games. It’s just as much about academics, family friends, and hobbies. Augsburg senior quarterback Jordan Berg understands the importance of balancing.
On the field, the Gaylord, Minn., native is already the most accomplished passer in
Augsburg history, owning single-season and career records for passing touchdowns,
completions, and yardage. Despite starting his college career at Division II MinnesotaDuluth, Berg is on pace to break the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic
Conference career passing record of 7,290 yards.
But Berg is more than just a quarterback. He’s also a physics major
with a 3.8 GPA. In his time at Augsburg, Berg has taken classes ranging from chemistry to American Sign Language, and Christian Vocation and the Search for Meaning.
“One of the reasons that Jordan is so successful is his preparedness,” says offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Drew
Privette. “He is prepared on the field, in the classroom, and in his
social life. If we have a quarterback’s meeting and Jordan also has a
big test in one of his classes, he’ll find a way to reschedule the
meeting, so he can take care of his first priority, his academics.”
Berg, a self-described “motor head,” has a variety of other
interests. He restored his own Harley-Davidson motorcycle,
complete with a custom paint job. He designed t-shirts for the
football team. And Berg designed two tattoos for himself and a
few others for his teammates.
“Jordan is a unique blend of character, artist, and student-athlete. He is gifted in each of those areas and it is a joy to work with
such a colorful and outstanding individual,” said football head coach
Frank Haege.
KELLY ANDERSON DIERCKS
6
Augsburg Now
For the full story, go to
www.augsburg.edu/now
homecoming
’08
2008 Alumni Awards
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
LaRhae (Grindal) Knatterud
’70, specialist on aging,
Minnesota Department
of Human Resources
Dennis Kalpin ’61, retired
mathematics teacher and
coach, Alexandria, Minn.
FIRST DECADE AWARDS
Zach Curtis ’98, actor,
artistic director, and
theatre manager
Jeffery Cameron ’96,
intellectual property
attorney, E.J. Brooks
and Associates, PLLC
Save the date for Homecoming 2009—September 28-October 3
For more about Homecoming
and the alumni awards, go to
www.augsburg.edu/now
Fall 2008
7
Grassroots health care
the CENTER CLINIC
Augsburg nursing student Eileen Johnson
confronts poverty and patient needs at the
small, volunteer-run Center Clinic in
Dodge Center, Minnesota.
arty Alemán has a
passion for public
health. She is one
of Augsburg’s Rochester
Campus nursing faculty,
and she believes that
“greater community and social awareness make a better
citizen and a better nurse,
no matter where they
work.”
Thus, it seemed fitting
that she, along with the
Augsburg nursing program,
was chosen by the Center Clinic in Dodge Center, Minnesota, a
small, rural, volunteer-staffed clinic, to receive their Social
Awareness award at their annual appreciation event.
From her office at Olmsted County Public Health, Alemán
coordinates a number of the county’s public health nursing positions. As the Community Health II nursing instructor at the
Augsburg Rochester Campus, she integrates her knowledge of
public health and connections to community health agencies
with the course content to be a catalyst for transformation in the
lives of most of the Rochester Bachelor of Science in nursing
M
8
Augsburg Now
(BSN) students. She loves it. She loves introducing her students
to a side of health care that few of them have ever seen.
Community Health II is Augsburg’s only BSN course with
significant clinical hours outside of the classroom; all 48 hours
must be spent in community health settings. Alemán notes that
about 90% of Rochester BSN students are hospital nurses. “Some
students have only worked in surgery where they see a very limited view of patient care. Community health nursing is not such
a controlled environment,” she says. It stretches and challenges
the students.
Alemán helps students to navigate the challenges of a different healthcare culture and to connect the dots of relevance between their work in a large hospital to social justice in the
community. To that end, she raises questions within the context
of diversity about the uninsured, about poverty and patient
needs upon dismissal from the hospital, and about the community resources to meet those needs. She also encourages students
to consider health issues in public schools such as drug and alcohol abuse, sexual activity, bullying, and obesity.
Clinical hours bring the questions of the classroom into the
realm of experiential knowledge. Students integrate these experiences, comparing them to their currently held beliefs, and seeing things first hand rather than in text. They return to class and
talk about the experiences and how their current belief systems
are being challenged.
For their clinical hours, students may choose from a number
of cultural immersion options or community health settings in
Olmsted County or in the county where they reside. Alemán is
fluent in Spanish, having spent four years early in her nursing
career living and working in Ecuador, and has coordinated and
led immersion trips and home stays for students in Nicaragua
and Guatemala.
It’s obvious that Alemán has a special place in her heart for
arranging student placements in county community health settings. She encourages them to divide their time among a variety
of agencies and clinics. Her students can be found at the Good
Samaritan Medical Clinic, Migrant Health Clinic, Christ United
Methodist Church Health Fair, the county jail, and working with
church parish nurses.
The Center Clinic, directed by Jan Lueth, who is also a public health colleague of Alemán, is a favorite placement for
Alemán and her students. Lueth welcomes the students and describes the clinic as “a small non-profit agency staffed by volunteer nurses, nurse practitioners, and Mayo doctors and residents
that provides family planning and limited healthcare services to
the uninsured and underinsured, many of whom are Latino.”
Some of the BSN students have chosen to continue volunteering at the clinic. One student returned for six months as a
paid staff member. Since the clinic relies heavily on volunteer
hours to stretch their limited revenue, Lueth says their services
are invaluable.
“Social awareness is an important part of our mission at the
Center Clinic,” says Lueth. “We believe that awareness is the
first step toward social change.” Part of the clinic’s motivation
for giving Alemán and the nursing program the Social Awareness
award was that “always their questions and comments challenge
us to clarify what we believe and strengthen our determination
to continue our mission,” Lueth says.
When asked about Alemán’s passion for social awareness,
Lueth says, “only a professional like Marty, who truly empathizes and appreciates the complicated world in which our
clients reside, and the positive effect that nursing students could
experience by exposure to this, would have considered the Center Clinic as a possible clinical site for her students.”
She continues, saying the clinic is “a world where, like a
messy closet, you can make the conscious choice to close the
door, so you don’t have to look at it. But, you still know the mess
is there. … Marty puts her foot in the door, so you have to look,
have to experience the ‘mess’ at least for a moment.”
LIBBY HENSLIN ’06
OPERATIONS AND ADMISSIONS COORDINATOR, ROCHESTER CAMPUS
“Social awareness is an
important part of our
mission at the Center Clinic.
Pictured, right: In her community health
nursing course, Augsburg student Eileen
Johnson (left) is learning from Center
Clinic staff person Ramona González
(center) about difficulties faced by clinic
patients, many of whom are Latinos.
We believe that awareness
is the first step toward
social change.”
Fall 2008
9
awesome
DISCOVERY
clever student + wise professor+ experienced alum =
BY WENDI WHEELER AND BETSEY NORGARD
Brian Krohn (second from right) poses
with the scientists who named the
process (“Mcgyan”—from their own
names) that they hope will revolutionize
the biofuel industry: (L to R) Chemistry
professor Arlin Gyberg, SarTec vice
president Clayton McNeff ’91, Krohn, and
SarTec chief scientist Ben Yan.
A student’s passion for research
Brian Krohn originally came to Augsburg to study film, but
after only one semester without any science classes, this lifelong scientist felt “so deprived” that he officially changed his
major to chemistry.
Even so, he was unsure where the degree would lead
him. “I thought with a degree in chemistry, I
could only be a teacher or a pharmacist,” he said.
Then in the summer of 2006, Krohn received
a grant from Augsburg’s Undergraduate Research
and Graduate Opportunity (URGO) program. It
was support to conduct research, one of his passions. He and his adviser, chemistry professor
Arlin Gyberg, were both interested in biodiesel, so
Krohn set out to find a more efficient way to produce the fuel.
Krohn describes the research process as difficult but exciting. “You have to really dig into the
whole process and read all the literature to join
into the conversation about your topic before you
can figure out what you can contribute,” he said. Whereas
most undergraduate researchers “do what they are told, like
calibrate a machine all day,” according to Krohn, he had more
freedom to explore and experiment.
Eventually his work led to the discovery of a process that
converts animal feedstock to biodiesel. Gyberg advised Krohn
to contact alumnus Clayton McNeff ’91, a chemist and vice
president of SarTec, a company specializing in yucca-based
products and CEO of ZirChrom Separations, a chromatography company. McNeff, his chief scientist at
SarTec Ben Yan, and Gyberg took Krohn’s idea and
created the “Mcgyan” Process (from their three
names), an efficient and environmentally friendly
method that will allow McNeff’s new start-up company, Ever Cat Fuels, to produce more than three
million gallons of fuel per year at a first-of-its-kind
biodiesel plant in Isanti, Minn.
Krohn says it was his research and connections
through Augsburg, not the discovery itself, that
opened doors for him. In fact, he said this opportunity might never have been available if not for
McNeff’s ties to the College.
“It’s almost unheard of that the vice president of research
would sit down with an undergraduate student and his old professor,” he said.
clever student
10
Augsburg Now
wise professor
A professor’s connections to industry
It’s an event, says chemistry professor Arlin Gyberg, that
probably wouldn’t have happened anywhere else in the
world.
He’s referring to senior Brian Krohn’s research, his
relationship with Clayton McNeff ’91, and the partnership
that ultimately yielded the invention of the Mcgyan
Process. Gyberg, who is beginning his 42nd year teaching
at Augsburg, has supervised many student research projects over the years beginning with Richard Olmsted ’69,
the husband of current Augsburg chemistry professor Sandra Olmsted ’69, in the summer following their junior
year.
Krohn began his research by poring over hundreds of
abstracts of research on biodiesel. Eventually he found two
examples of projects that had been somewhat successful,
which had suggested that solid-state strong acids might be
effective catalysts for conversion of plant oils to biodiesel.
Gyberg knew that this material was used as a bonded solid
stationary phase in chromatography, so they attempted a
conversion using a batch process that had been used since
World War II. Gyberg summed up the results: “It didn’t
work.”
Then Gyberg recalled a seminar given four years earlier by McNeff on zirconia-based stationary phases used
for liquid chromatography and the ease with which it
could be bonded with various substances. Gyberg contacted McNeff, and Krohn and Gyberg went to present
their research to McNeff at SarTec Corporation. They
asked for some bonded strong acid zirconia and again
tried a batch process experiment with no success.
“Here is where the confluence of events occurred that
would not likely have happened anywhere else,” said Gyberg. McNeff’s ZirChrom Corporation is a world leader on
zirconia and its properties. McNeff and fellow scientist Ben Yan had
been working on oven-heated zirconia-based high temperature liquid
chromatography. It occurred to McNeff that pressurized, heated, continuous column catalysis using solid-state acidified zirconia might
work—and it did, the very first time. The Mcgyan Process was born.
“It would appear that this is only the beginning,” Gyberg said.
Research continues, with SarTec and Augsburg investigating algae
growth as a feedstock source for biodiesel as well as other reactions
that are possible for new types of biofuels that have not been possible
to synthesize before.
Gyberg is also working on a project with a University of St.
Thomas engineering professor who believes that in three years all
biodiesel will be made using the Mcgyan Process. They are developing a “pickup bed biodiesel plant” that the individual farmer could
use to make his own biodiesel fuel. This would also benefit Third
World countries where jatropha, a weedy bush that grows on noncropland and needs only about eight inches of rain or so a year, is
readily available. Jatropha can produce about five times more plant
oil a year for biodiesel than soybeans, and the Mcgyan reactor is the
only one that can completely convert the oil efficiently and cleanly to
biodiesel with virtually no waste and no pollutants.
Rather than spend his summers on the golf course or on the
lake, Gyberg supervises research because, he says, “It keeps things
interesting and exciting, keeps one up with current science, and
keeps the mind sharp.” He adds, “One of the great pleasures over the
years is using my background and experience to work with students,
some of whom are smarter than I am.” Gyberg says students are fortunate to be able to do research at Augsburg, since faculty there can
spend more time working with students than at large research
institutions.
Above, left: Senior Brian Krohn and chemistry professor Arlin Gyberg explain the Mcgyan
Process, a new, improved method of making biodiesel, at a press conference in March.
Fall 2008
11
awe
som
e
SarTec vice president Clayton McNeff ’91, whose team discovered
the Mcgyan Process, shares the discovery with alumni and friends
during Homecoming in September.
“It can be cost effective and
environmentally friendly—
experienced alum
and it’s portable.”
A chemist on the cutting edge
In March 2008 at a press conference at Augsburg College,
Clayton McNeff became somewhat of a media sensation in
the biodiesel world. He is vice president of SarTec Corporation, and together with his chief scientist Ben Yan, his former
professor Arlin Gyberg, and Augsburg student Brian Krohn,
McNeff announced a discovery they said would revolutionize
biodiesel production and lessen or eliminate the country’s dependence on fossil fuels.
This was the first public announcement of the Mcgyan
Process and the biodiesel fuel it can produce more efficiently,
less costly, and without harmful byproducts than existing
processes. He went on to announce that the group was already successfully producing 50,000 gallons per year at a
pilot plant, and even powering the plant with it. Through a
new company, Ever Cat Fuels, a new large-scale production
plant is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2009 that
will yield three million gallons per year, using non-food
grade corn oil from ethanol plants and free fatty acid waste
products from the current conventional biodiesel industry.
In July the Star Tribune described the Mcgyan production
process as immensely appealing to countries and companies
around the world because “it can be cost effective and environmentally friendly—and it’s portable.” The goal is for farmers to be able to produce the biodiesel they need to run their
farms completely on site. More than 35 countries have contacted SarTec inquiring about the technology.
Algae is a large part of McNeff’s vision. He refers to it as
the “holy grail” of biodiesel production because it can be
grown utilizing the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from
12
Augsburg Now
bioethanol and coal-burning power plants, and it can potentially yield enough oil for biodiesel to replace all U.S. petroleum
needs without competing for food crops or cropland. SarTec, in
partnership with Augsburg and Triangle Energy, is pursuing this
research with grants from Great River Energy and Xcel Energy.
McNeff is a 1991 Augsburg chemistry graduate, who pursued his PhD in analytical chemistry at the University of Minnesota. He joined SarTec, the company founded by his parents
where he first worked as a high school student, fostering his
love for science.
In 1995, as he became known for his expertise with zirconia, McNeff co-founded ZirChrom Separations, Inc., along with
Steven Rupp and University of Minnesota professor Peter W.
Carr. Carr has won numerous awards in the field of analytical
chemistry and has been announced as the recipient of the 2009
American Chemical Society Award in Analytical Chemistry.
In 2002 McNeff was awarded the Tibbetts Award from the
Small Business Adminstration’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. This award was given in recognition of
McNeff’s achievement in innovation, research, and business
that contributed to the commercial success of ZirChrom Separations.
McNeff considers the success of the experimentation leading to the Mcgyan Process as “serendipity,” but it’s a success
that can extend far beyond their projected goal of three million
gallons per year and be licensed worldwide to companies seeking more efficient and sustainable fuels.
For more information, go to
www.augsburg.edu/chemistry
DIS
COV
ERY
V
Courtesy Glendine Soiseth
auggie voices
Street pastors bring care and
hope to the streets
Glendine Soiseth graduated from Augsburg and Luther Seminary in 2004 with a dual degree—Master of Social Work and
Master of Arts in Theology. She was ready for the challenge of
an international experience and is the supervisor of therapy
services for a fostering agency in Flintshire, Wales. She lives
in nearby Chester, England.
In 2006 Soiseth heard about the three-year-old Street Pastors program and trained as a street pastor leader in Wrexham, Wales. She led her team on patrol once or twice a
month, from around 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Recently, with her
move to Chester, she also serves as a Chester lead street pastor and will alternate patrols and voluntary time between the
two locations.
In September she wrote about street pastor work for a
community ministry blog in Chester. With permission, we’ve
reprinted excerpts from it.
Call
Historically, I have consistently been involved in faith, community, and political organizations, either working with
people, programmes, or the community in developing a
voice and making a difference.
When the St. Margaret’s vicar in Wrexham started talking about Street Pastors during a service, I immediately experienced a ‘call.’ Not a lightning bolt, but it was made very
clear that this (street pastoring) was something I needed to
do. I realized I was being asked to take a leap of faith despite not knowing how the new initiative would take me.
After training and graduation, I was out on the streets
in my street pastor uniform talking and explaining to people, door staff, vendors, police, and emergency personnel
what a street pastor is and does.
Community
When I mentioned to people at the time that I lived in
Wrexham, the response was universal, ‘nothing good comes
out of Wrexham … .’ I knew it would take more than a marketer or one person to make a difference. It would take the
‘Urban Trinity’—police, civic partners, and church—coming
together in agreement on community initiatives and protocols, as a means for it to work.
Glendine Soiseth ’04 MSW/MA Theology dual degree graduate (left), is a social
worker in North Wales and volunteers as a street pastor in an interdenominational church/community initiative with Rev. Trevor Beckett (right).
Street pastors are now recognized, respected, and welcomed in the community by pub/club goers, police, emergency personnel, door staff, street vendors, CCTV, and
visitors. They have witnessed and experienced our commitment, tenacity, unconditional positive regard, and passion
for what we do.
We’ve been accepted as part of their community for not
only sticking it out when it is raining, cold, and miserable,
but, more importantly, for listening, being authentic, and
providing practical assistance—not preaching ‘heaven and
hell,’ but getting back to basics of what it means to be a ‘caring’ community and how diversity can bring together unity.
Hope
I can’t begin to tell you all the stories I have heard on the
street in my role as street pastor. … about the drug dealer,
or the rugby player, or the person we picked up off the road
just before a car came round the corner, or the person who
had been involved in a cult, or the alcoholic, or the soldier.
But they are just stories about people you don’t know. What
I do know is that Street Pastors makes a difference in our
community. I make a difference. We make a difference.
From a human perspective, getting back to basics with
the above is a step in not only providing a community with
hope, but also it can be a difference between life and death
for that person we talk to on the street. … A good deal of
our work is ‘working in the moment where that person
seems to be at that time.’ Street pastoring works. I truly feel
blessed and privileged every time I go out into the street.”
Street Pastors is an inter-denominational church response to urban problems, engaging with people on the
streets to care, listen, and dialogue. For information, go to
www.streetpastors.org.uk.
BETSEY NORGARD
Fall 2008
13
LIGHTS,
CAMERA,
AND
ACTION
BY BETHANY BIERMAN
Augsburg’s film program, based in liberal arts and
giving students knowledge in production, performance,
and theory, attracts students from around the world.
14
Augsburg Now
ugsburg film comes of age
The coffee shop in Christensen is nearly
full, so we grab two empty stools by the
computers in the back. Wes Ellenwood
sits poised on the stool, looking relaxed
in his blue jeans and vintage New York
baseball cap, balancing his coffee between his hands.
“What makes our department
unique is its three tracks,” he explains.
The former NYU professor specializes
in documentary and 16mm film and
was just last year given full-time status,
making him the only full-time film faculty member.
He breezes through the description
as if he’s told it many times before.
There’s the production track (creating
films and videos), the performance
track (acting for the camera), and the
theory and culture track (the analytical
track). “And our faculty are not just faculty—they are professionals and experts
in film.”
Picture, bottom left: For more than a decade, communication
studies professor Deb Redmond has worked with alumni to nurture
the film courses that have grown Augsburg’s film program.
Pictured, below: Auggie Mike Bodnarczuk ’85 built a career in music
video production and has helped other Auggies get a start in LA.
Just then communication professor
and director of the program Deb Redmond approaches with a young man.
“I’m sorry, but may I interrupt?” she
asks. “Matt, this is Wes Ellenwood, who
teaches our production courses. Wes,
Matt is looking at transferring to Augsburg to study film.”
The professors exchange knowing
glances. This is not the first time such
an introduction has been made. In fact,
the film department averages two visitors per week. For a program that officially finished its fourth year, numbers
are exploding. While Augsburg has a
strong history of graduating students
who have excelled in film, it was only
in 2004 that the major was added. It
jumped from one graduate in 2006 to
now nearly 40 students. Five new film
majors transferred in this past semester.
“We’re different from most of the
metro college campuses,” Ellenwood
tells Matt and me, “because there is actual film being shot on this campus.”
He goes on to explain that because
Augsburg students develop an understanding of film, video, television, and
digital media, in addition to being
grounded in the liberal arts, these graduates are better prepared than most to
truly succeed in the industry.
A seed is planted
It was the early ’80s, and every Friday
English professor John Mitchell showed
movies in his class. One student recalls
nearly leaping out of his seat with excitement.
“He really opened up the gateway
for me,” says Michael Bodnarczuk, the
son of Ukrainian immigrants and a St.
Paul Johnson High School graduate. He
Nick Vlchek
A
LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION
had come to Augsburg to study prelaw and to play
soccer. “I got very
involved with politics with my lifelong friend John
Evans … and
Franklin Tawha,
but then started
spending a lot of time with film.”
Bodnarczuk took a 16mm film
course taught by a friend of Mitchell’s
during January term. “After that, I was
completely hooked, and then it became
an addiction.” He took Julie Bolton’s television class and Stan Turner’s class in
newswriting at St. Thomas. Jeroy Carlson found him an internship at KARE11, which turned into a job editing
stories for the sunrise show.
But Bodnarczuk’s passion was
music videos, and how they told a story
in four minutes. Augsburg didn’t have
cable at the time, however, so with the
rise of the MTV boom, he persuaded the
College to invest in a satellite dish for
the top of Christensen Center. He’d
record videos and host a showing on
Sunday nights during dinner, until they
got too risqué and the administration
shut him down.
Beyond the classroom, he made
connections with several people, including Jimmy Jam, Steve Rifkin (editor of
the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy) and
Darrell Brand (cameraman). During college, he directed videos for Twin Cities
music sensation The Jets and spent a
couple days as a production assistant on
Purple Rain.
Following graduation, he worked at
a law firm for a while but just wasn’t
satisfied. He drove to Hollywood in a
Fall 2008
15
Augsburg’s first “official” film grad, Trevor
Tweeten ’06 has won awards for his films
and is now living and working in New York.
yellow Dodge Charger, with about a
thousand dollars in his pocket, moved
in with a friend, and volunteered on an
American Film Institute film. Through
persistence and personal connections,
he eventually started to get work. His
first breakthroughs were as a production assistant on Lionel Ritchie’s “Say
You, Say Me” video and the film La
Bamba, which led to work on Stand and
Deliver.
“It snowballed from there.” Within
two years he was producing his own
videos and commercials such as
Michael Jordan’s Gatorade ads, and
within a decade was running the commercial/music video department of A
Band Apart with co-founders Quentin
Tarantino and Lawrence Bender. While
his Hollywood connections blossomed
and his résumé grew, his Augsburg connections never died.
16
Augsburg Now
Breaking new ground
“Michael [Bodnarczuk] wanted the film
major here desperately,” recalls Redmond. “He contacted us.” Redmond and
theatre professor Martha Johnson traveled to LA to spend time meeting with
him about the idea. This became the impetus for the program.
Courses in film continued to find
their way into the catalog, and when confirmation came from the dean’s office, a
film minor was established.
As more and more Augsburg graduates entered the world of film, momentum for the program continued to grow.
President William Frame visited Hollywood to raise money for the film program, and Bodnarczuk donated
equipment and money for it.
Students like Adam Schindler ’00
and Hanne Anderson ’99 came to Augsburg before the major was established,
but knowing that film was their passion.
Schindler took creative writing
classes, looking to hone his storytelling
ability, and ended up with a communication major and minors in English and
film. “As I continued churning out
scripts, taking broadcast production
courses, film-related J-term courses, I was
approached by a few students about the
possibility of forming a film group.” They
applied for a grant through Student Senate, and, with the help of Redmond, put
together the Augsburg Association of Student Filmmakers (AASF).
“We were pleasantly surprised when
we had 30 or so students show up for our
inaugural meeting,” Schindler remembers.
“It was a very collaborative effort
with all the members chipping in film
ideas, cameras, and loads of time,” says
Anderson.
While he was still a student,
Schindler had a chance to meet Bodnarczuk through a contact in Augsburg’s
Alumni Office. Bodnarczuk extended
Schindler an invitation to intern if he ever
decided to move to LA. Needless to say,
Bodnarczuk was the first person Schindler
called when he made the decision to go
west.
“I hired a lot of Auggies,” Bodnarczuk recalls. “I helped open doors for
them because I knew how hard it was for
me. I think every single one of them has
gone on to greatness. I am very happy for
and very proud of them.”
A distinctive major emerges
“It took years to put [the major] together
because we really wanted it to be interdisciplinary, and truly based in the liberal
arts,” says Redmond.
The application for approval of the
major was submitted during the 2002-03
school year and was approved for fall of
2004. In the past year, Ellenwood has
begun teaching full time, and additional
courses have been added.
Today, first-year film students are not
allowed to take production courses, but
instead start with still photography and
core academic courses. From there, they
take courses in the history of cinema, criticism, and issues in contemporary cinema, which lead into documentary and
acting courses. Students have the opportunity to take electives in areas such as
graphic design, journalism, and art, and
for their lab science requirement they may
take Physics for the Fine Arts.
Robert Cowgill, who spent years as a
dramaturg at the Guthrie and is past performer, owner, and manager of the Oak
Street Cinema, teaches courses in analysis.
Elise Marubbio, an award-winning author
on the representation of Native Americans
in film, teaches courses that cross-list between the American Indian studies and
film programs.
“Our focus is on training students to
recognize within a system like Hollywood
that there are very particular narratives
around groups of people,” Marubbio says.
“Our hope is that film students begin to
realize that when they create a film and an
image of someone, they need to be aware
of the cultural implications.”
Marubbio coordinates Augsburg’s Native American Film Festival. “The combination of things that we’re doing is unique
to Augsburg.”
The program’s first student to officially major in film was Trevor Tweeten
’06. “The whole theory side at Augsburg
was fantastic, between [John] Mitchell
and [Robert] Cowgill,” he says. “There’s a
practical side of it with Deb [Redmond]
and Wes [Ellenwood], but also the heavy
side of theory and history. I think there’s a
good balance … I feel really lucky to have
gone to a liberal arts school and have a
broader understanding of politics and life
and literature and all that stuff.”
Augsburg also brings in adjunct faculty who are experts in their field, such as
Christina Lazaridi, a New York-based
screenwriter whose first screenplay was
nominated for an Emmy. She teaches
screenwriting in the summer.
Beyond the classroom, the program
encourages study abroad and internships.
It is often past graduates who provide the
internships for current students.
“We are growing our own,” says Redmond. “When people come to Augsburg
to study film, they are not committing
themselves to four years, but for life …
We’re growing our own faculty, in
essence.”
“The thing that fits with the mission
of the College is we’re looking for people
with a commitment to a message, particularly using the language of film to tell
their stories,” Redmond states.
One such example is a film by senior film major David Siegfried, who
used still photographs with voiceover to
tell the story of the teaching career of
his grandfather, Augsburg anatomy and
biology professor Erwin Mickelberg. In
his film are photos of Siegfried’s mother
riding her bicycle in Murphy Park as a
young child. (http://davidsiegfried.com/
mycampusfinal.html)
The current crop
“We’re grounded now,” says Ellenwood,
pointing to the fact that there is now a
common place for film students to hang
out, a space shared by communication,
film, and theatre students. Just through
the hallway of faculty offices are the editing suites, then the film studio, and
the “closet” they hope will soon become
the screening room. “Loitering is happening on a regular basis. That’s a good
thing.”
Ellenwood attributes the increased
interest in Augsburg’s film program to
the fact that it is deeper and broader
than most programs. “Without any marketing, students are finding us. Word is
getting out,” he says. Students have
come from as far as Argentina, and now
India. “We need more faculty, space,
and equipment to allow for the increasing number of students.”
“Our hope is to grow donors,” Redmond says. “It can start with supply
items, like an extension cord, then volunteering to take interns, then, if
they’re in the position to hire, to look at
our graduates. Eventually, they can donate larger sums of money.”
At the end of each semester, there is
a screening of student work. The event
is not broadcast across campus, and yet
last semester’s screening filled the TV
studio, with over 100 in attendance.
“That’s an astounding number for us,”
says Ellenwood.
Starting in fall 2007, film students
Film professor Wes Ellenwood, who specializes in documentary and 16mm film,
connects students with film pros in the
Twin Cities for hands-on experience.
Fall 2008
17
were included in the Fine Arts Scholarship program, which awards $3,000 per
year to selected students who have
demonstrated excellence in film. Four
students were awarded the scholarship
in its inaugural year.
This fall Augsburg is launching a
partnership with the highly-regarded
film studies program at Minneapolis
Community and Technical College.
MCTC students will be able to complete
a four-year degree in film studies at
Augsburg, and Augsburg film students
will be able to take courses in the film
program there.
A rich harvest
Students who recently graduated have
enjoyed rubbing shoulders with professionals in the business, just as those in
the early days.
w
Ben Katz ’08, Steven Jacobson ’08,
Trevor Tweeten ’06, and Joe Lueben ’07
all worked on a film accepted into the
Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film
Festival last year. Matt Goldman, who
has written for Disney and for Seinfeld,
directed the film. “Working with Matt
opened up a lot of doors,” says Lueben.
“It was the first time we’ve taken somebody else’s story, and not our own.”
The four also created a feature film
called “Bits” with a group of Augsburg
alumni, which has been featured on
www.mnfilmtv.org and was screened at
the Uptown Theater in August.
He has freelanced for such organizations as 3M and the University of Minnesota, and worked on a Kid Dakota
music video, on a short film with the lead
singer of Motion City Soundtrack, and
made a 50-minute compilation of clips of
Minnesota-made films.
For his senior project, Katz worked
ho’s who in film alums
with Ellenwood to research the documentation needed for an independent
film. With a 90-page script, he created a
production book with scene breakdown,
shooting schedule, budget, and business
plan, which he then presented to the
writer in LA.
“I love that the program’s grown
with me,” says Katz. “When I started out
[at Augsburg], everyone was excited
about the film program, but the department was not very structured. It’s gotten
better. Once Wes was hired full time, it
changed. It’s a real program now.”
“It’s this current wave of graduates
who will probably be the best ones,” Wes
says of the dozen or so who graduated
this last spring. “They are positioning
themselves to be out in the industry, in
the field; not pumping gas.”
Bethany Bierman formerly worked in the
Office of Marketing and Communication
and lives in Minneapolis.
To learn more about Augsburg’s film program,
go to www.augsburg.edu/film
Michael Bodnarczuk ’85
Owner of Battle Creek Productions. Past president and co-founder (along
with Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender) of A Band Apart, which produced videos for such megastars as U2, Metallica, and Bon Jovi (and in
1999 alone was up for 21 of the MTV Awards).
Adam Schindler ’00
Past assistant to producer Lawrence Bender. Assistant to the executive
producer of Desperate Housewives; current assistant for director Marty
Calner. Semi-finalist in the Academy of Motion Picture’s Nicholl Screenwriting Contest; horror script, “Sundown.”
Garret Williams ’89
Attended graduate school at the American Film Institute; directed Spark,
which received a Best Director Award; selected as one of nine filmmakers for
Fast Track in 2005 on his work on Lost Dog. IFP Blockbuster/McKnight Film
Fund winner.
JoLynn Garnes ’02
Editor of The Fearless Freaks, featuring the Flaming Lips documentary,
winner of the Mojo Vision Award. Has edited videos for artists such as Liz
Phair, Hilary Duff, and Prince, as well as Target commercials, the feature
documentary Summercamp!, and video visuals for Beyoncé’s 2007 world
tour.
Bryce Fridrik Olson ’97
Director of feature films The Caretaker (2008) with Jennifer Tilly and Judd
Nelson, and Be My Baby . Co-produced instructional DVD “OT for Children
with Autism, Special Needs & Typical.”
Hanne Anderson ’99
Emmy nominee for camera editing for her work on Guiding Light; editor for
digital group at Spike TV, and, as a sideline business, co-owns Riveting Productions, a DVD authoring company that works primarily with Comedy Central Records.
Jenny Hanson ’05
Completing graduate work in Austria in a trans-arts program; owns
Sprouted Wolf Productions; teaches film at North Hennepin Community
College and Normandale Community College.
Trevor Tweeten ’06
The first official film major. Won first place at the Oak Street Cinema’s 24hour film festival; recently moved to New York City to freelance; currently
shooting for TLC’s What Not to Wear.
THE PIONEERS
18
Augsburg Now
auggies
In the first days of September, while Gulf Coast residents battled
Hurricane Gustav, more than 45,000 Republican delegates, party
officials, volunteers, and members of the media converged on the
Xcel Center in downtown St. Paul for the 2008 Republican National Convention.
An event as significant as the RNC was not contained, however, to a single site. Across the Mississippi on Augsburg’s campus, students and faculty from 48 colleges and universities met
for a two-week program of the The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. Because of its commitment to civic
engagement and service-learning, Augsburg was chosen to host
the seminar in conjunction with the convention.
Twenty-three Augsburg students participated in internships
through the program, each working in the preparation and planning stages to learn about the behind-the-scenes efforts involved
with a national convention. Augsburg communication studies professors Robert Groven and Kristen Chamberlain served on the faculty of The Washington Center Seminar.
Three Augsburg students shared their convention experiences—a young Hmong woman who changed her major from premed to political science, a graduate student who entered a state
legislative race, and a politically liberal political science major
who learned that Republicans and Democrats are more similar
than he thought.
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BY WENDI WHEELER ’06
The Washington Center at the RNC
Fall 2008
19
’11
Ben Krouse-Gagne
Getting active in politics
The Washington Center at the RNC
20
Augsburg Now
Though he says he has been involved in politics for a short time—just
two-and-a-half years—Ben Krouse-Gagne has done more than some of
us will do in our lifetimes. He worked on Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer’s Senate campaign, did a summer internship with the Anti-War Committee,
served as a delegate to the 2008 Democratic state convention in
Rochester, Minn., and spends weekends door-knocking for state congressional candidates.
Krouse-Gagne, a second-year political science major who grew up
in Minneapolis’ progressive Seward neighborhood, said he was really always involved in politics because his family, neighbors, and church
community were politically active. Then in high school, he traveled to
the School of the Americas in Georgia, a military combat training school
and the site of frequent anti-war protests. “It really hit me when they
read the names of those killed in the war,” he said, “and one of the names
was ‘one-month-old baby.’”
That experience fueled Krouse-Gagne’s desire to become active and led
him eventually to a summer job at TakeAction Minnesota, where he worked
to educate voters about political issues. “People don’t understand how state
politics affects them,” he said. “A lot of people don’t even know who their state
representatives are.”
His RNC field placement was with the Bloomberg News Service. On the
first day of the convention, he covered the protests outside Xcel Center. “I
knew a lot of the people and organizations protesting,” he said, which gave
him an opportunity to get close to the action. Protestors told him their goal
was to slow down the convention. “Inside, they didn’t even know what was
happening out there,” he said. “It didn’t slow down the convention at all.”
Through conversations with delegates, Krouse-Gagne learned that he had
more in common with Republicans than he thought. “Republicans are just
the same as us,” he said. “They want what we want, just in a different way.”
Krouse-Gagne also became friends with Eric Franzen, another intern
who is currently the president of the Augsburg College Republicans. The
two are working with the Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning, with
the help of Augsburg Sabo Professor Garry Hesser, to bring speakers to
campus to further the “Get Political” civic engagement events.
Their goal is to ensure that the Augsburg community is exposed
to multiple perspectives on political issues.
Being at the RNC made Krouse-Gagne want to be a delegate
to the 2012 Democratic National Convention and to become
even more involved in politics. A lot can happen in four years.
’11
Mai Lee
Changing courses
In the Hmong culture, young people often follow the path chosen
for them by their parents. For Mai Lee, a second-year student from
Minneapolis, this meant a career in medicine. Though she had always wanted to study political science, she pushed the idea away
and filled her fall semester schedule with science courses. “I was all
set to take biology and chemistry and 99% sure about majoring in
pre-med,” Lee said. Then she attended the 2008 Republican National
Convention, and that experience changed her course.
Days before the fall semester began, Lee changed her major from premed to political science. “At the convention, I met many people who
gave me good advice about a career in politics,” she said. Lee thought
her family would disapprove of her decision, but she knew she needed
to trust her instincts. “My dad wasn’t too happy,” she added, “but I said
I just knew pre-med wasn’t what I wanted to do.”
Lee said she had always considered herself politically conservative,
but the convention gave her an “up-close look at the Republican Party”
and persuaded her to consider a career in public or government administration. She wants to change the immigrant mindset that government
is “bad” or against them. “I want to help people,” she said, “and show
people that government can be good.”
As a Hmong American woman, Lee acknowledges that she would be
a minority in the public administration world. “There are not many
Hmong women in politics,” she said. “I could change that and make a
little difference if I get involved.”
During the convention, Lee was placed with Fox News as a “runner.”
She ran errands, picked up politicians or celebrities, brought coffee to producers, and did whatever else was needed. “At one point, I had to pass out these
ridiculous Fox News hats to convention delegates,” she said. “If they didn’t
want it, I was told just to put it in their faces.”
Her convention experience not only influenced Lee’s future, it also encouraged her to become a more active citizen. She’s joined the Augsburg College Republicans and says she is watching the news and reading the paper more. “I’m
doing what voters should do,” she said.
While she plans to support John McCain, Lee says she will still not be discouraged from pursuing a career in public service if the presidency goes to the Democrats. “If McCain doesn’t win the election, it won’t be over for me.”
The Washington Center at the RNC
Fall 2008
21
’10
MAE
Eric Franzen
Because I can
Even at the RNC, Eric Franzen felt like he was in the minority. He was
certain that he and another intern from St. Louis, Mo., were the only
Republicans placed with Talk Radio News Service.
As a student in Augsburg’s Master of Arts in Education program,
Franzen is not required to complete an internship. He applied to The
Washington Center program because he said he recently became intrigued by the “reality” of politics. “Politics is real people doing real
things with real consequences,” he said. “It’s democracy in action.” He
felt the convention would provide an opportunity to become part of the
political reality.
For his internship, Franzen covered convention events with a video
camera and then posted interviews and stories on the Talk Radio News website. His most rewarding experience, however, happened after the convention
because he said he finally felt free to have open conversations about politics
with other students at Augsburg. “This campus is very politically liberal,”
Franzen said. “Some of us get a little nervous.”
Franzen is grateful to Augsburg for hosting The Washington Center program because he said it created opportunities for dialogue and has allowed
him to engage with others, including his politically liberal friend and fellow intern, Ben Krouse-Gagne. “I want to push for political diversity and inclusivity
at Augsburg,” he said, “but certain opinions aren’t always included in the discussion.”
In the future, Franzen aspires to hold a public office. He even added his
name to the ballot in the Republican slot for the District 60A state representative
seat. His opponent? Margaret Anderson Kelliher, the 10-year incumbent and current speaker of the House.
Why would a young graduate student put his name on the ballot against an
incumbent in an overwhelmingly liberal district? Franzen answered. “Because I can.”
“No one was running, and I didn’t want to see the office go unopposed,” he
said. “My goal was for voters to have a choice, so I’m doing what I can to give them
that choice.” Though he’s not likely to unseat Kelliher, he’s has been campaigning,
calling voters, and attending events to promote his candidacy. “It’s a lot of work.”
22
Augsburg Now
Paul Nixdorf
In the production of Fiddler on the Roof, Janet
Paone ’83 met John Vaughn, who became her
kidney donor. Here, as Golde and Tevye, they
once again ask, “Do You Love Me?”
The Kidney Kabaret for Janet Paone
BY BETSEY NORGARD
In a summer 2007 community theatre
production of Fiddler on the Roof, Janet
Paone ’83 played Golde. Golde’s husband, Tevye, was played by John
Vaughn, a Northwest Airlines pilot.
Four months later, she underwent
transplant surgery and received a kidney
that was given to her by Vaughn. Paone
remains amazed at how this whole series of events evolved.
Since September 2005, Paone had
appeared in the cast of Church Basement
Ladies, playing Mrs. Vivian Snustad, in
the comedy based on the book Growing
Up Lutheran, by Janet Letnes Martin ’68
and Suzann (Johnson) Nelson ’68.
While Paone had lived with reduced
kidney functioning since birth, it worsened into renal failure, and her doctors
put her on the transplant list.
Paone turned down out-of-town
gigs, and a friend told her about the Fiddler production, a show she had done as
an Augsburg student and loved. When
she got to know Vaughn, he asked about
her illness.
“Oh, I need a kidney,” Paone said
offhandedly.
“Well, you can have mine,” Vaughn
replied.
Paone took this as purely a casual
remark, but Vaughn persisted. He told
her he would contact the clinic. Prelimi-
nary tests showed him to be a potential
match, to be confirmed with a battery of
testing. They became close friends.
Four months later, Paone’s regular
check-up indicated she had reached a
crisis point and would have to start dialysis until a transplant became available.
After Fiddler, she and Vaughn had gone
their own ways, and she thought he
might have reconsidered. She set a date
for dialysis.
But the very next day, Vaughn contacted her with news that he had finally
been able to schedule the battery of
tests. He asked how she’d been. She told
him honestly, and added, “Is that kidney
still available?
“I just started crying,” Paone says.
“The timing was crazy.”
Vaughn was a good match, and on
November 27, after several heart-toheart talks with him, Paone received the
kidney he donated. She says he told her
that the true gift she could give him in
return was her good health.
Paone’s recovery went remarkably
well, and she was back on stage in the
winter, continuing her role as Mrs.
Snustad in Church Basement Ladies 2: A
Second Helping. She and Vaughn have
remained in close touch since.
What Paone now faces are thousands of dollars in medical bills, with
few resources to cover them. A month
after surgery, several friends in the theatre
community began talking about a
fundraiser, and a planning “posse”
formed, including several Augsburg classmates. Katie Koch ’06, assistant to the director at the Guthrie Theater, knows
Paone well and served as coordinator.
The “Kidney Kabaret” played at
Augsburg on April 21, with many actors
and musicians stepping forward to donate
services, time, and talents, which also included technical support for sound and
lighting, and event decorations.
A silent auction offered more than
125 items from theaters, restaurants,
churches, sports teams, and radio stations.
The program acts were all friends,
co-actors, and colleagues of Paone from
past theater productions. WCCO’s
Frank Vascellaro and Dale Connelly,
from Minnesota Public Radio, co-hosted
the evening.
Special guest Dr. Mark Odland,
Paone’s transplant surgeon, was introduced, along with staff from HCMC’s
kidney transplant program. Vaughn was
recognized and lauded for his gift of life
to Paone.
More than $15,000 was donated,
and the Janet Paone Transplant Fund
was set up at U.S. Bank with the help of
Auggie classmate David Young ’82.
Sponsors for the event were Curt Wollan and TroupeAmerica, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and Augsburg.
For more information, go to
www.augsburg.edu/now
Fall 2008
23
Travel
that
transforms
BY BETSEY NORGARD
The Center for Global Education
Amazing. Life-changing. Transforming. Participants are not shy about describing their experiences on trips organized by the Center for Global Education. They seek out opportunities to talk about what they learned, and they want to return. The difference is that they
have not been on casual, sightseeing trips, but reflective travel; and CGE has built a reputation as a national leader in international experiential education.
24
Augsburg Now
Courtesy CGE-Namibia
Courtsey CGE
Social work students from eight colleges spend a
semester learning about social work issues and meeting
social work students in Mexico City and Cuernavaca—
and here, posing next to papayas in rural Morelos.
While the first student seminar in Mexico
took place in 1979, it wasn’t until 1982
when Joel Mugge led a group that officially established the Center for Global
Service and Education. He did this in response to a request from the Lutheran
Church for programs to raise awareness
of international issues.
Mugge developed a new form of international education, basing the curriculum on the educational principles of
Brazilian educator and theologian Paulo
Freire. In this, students learn in a cycle of
three phases. Initially they have direct experience in the local community, listening
to the voices of people not usually heard
in mainstream media, telling their own
stories and stories of their communities.
Then, informed by readings, students reflect on what they saw and heard. Lastly,
as a group, students share their reactions,
discuss issues, and formulate actions to
carry with them. It becomes a continual
process of “learning how to learn.”
CGE’s programs include study and
travel abroad for students, faculty development in global education, and customized
group travel around specific issues or targeted for specific groups. As a result of
these programs, CGE has served as a catalyst in the Lutheran Church for a new understanding of global mission, putting
people from the U.S. face-to-face with
people in local communities around the
world to learn from each other and build
partnerships across faiths. CGE programs
tailored for small businesses have helped
their employees understand complexities
in social, economic, and political issues,
and the development of more responsible
global citizenship.
“The goal is not to simply educate
persons, but to encourage them to pursue
a life of involvement that will ultimately
lead to wisdom,” says Larry Hufford, a political science professor at St. Mary’s University, San Antonio, Texas, who has led
numerous study seminars with CGE’s as-
sistance and who finds them spiritually renewing.
During the 1980s and 1990s, CGE
planned travel seminars literally around
the world. Study centers with resident
Augsburg faculty and staff were then established in three locations—Cuernavaca,
Mexico; Managua, Nicaragua; and Windhoek, Namibia. Offices and staff are also
located in El Salvador and Guatemala.
CGE became known for the quality
of learning their travel provided; in 1988
they were hired by the American Society
of Newspaper Editors to organize a seminar for journalists to Central America and
Mexico. CGE has also received Fulbright
grants to organize several group projects.
In 2003, the program was named the National Society for Experiential Education’s
Program of the Year.
In 2001, the position of CGE director
was expanded to include the associate
dean of international programs. The Office of International Programs (OIP) was
created, which, in addition to CGE, includes Augsburg Abroad, the study
abroad office; International Partners, including European institutions in Germany,
Norway, and Finland that have reciprocal
agreements for study with Augsburg; and
International Student Advising, providing
advising and advocacy for international
students at Augsburg.
Students say…
Comments from the “Religion and
Christian Faith” travel seminar to
El Salvador, January 2007
NATALIE SASSEVILLE ’09
“Going on the trip to El Salvador was like getting
stuck in an earthquake—it shook me and all of
my values to the core…Never before have I felt
so inspired or impassioned…”
JOE SKOGMO ’08
“This trip gave me knowledge that cannot be
learned in any textbook, but it is knowledge that
one cannot do without in order to understand the
magnitude of human responsibility, vocation, and
global citizenship. Studying in El Salvador is
simply the greatest practical application for understanding why our vocations matter.”
MICHELE ROULET ’09
“The people of [El Salvador] are our textbook,
and their stories are frightening and funny and
inspiring. To say that everyone comes back
changed is to make light of the experience. People come back enriched, enlightened, and energized.”
OLEE AMATA ’11
“The concept of affecting another human being
by decisions I make made me see the world differently. … As a business major, I want to learn
how I can help be a global citizen when globalization is the enemy to developing countries.”
Fall 2008
25
Courtsey Donna DeGracia
Students training to become physician assistants visited
clinics in Guatemala, learning about healthcare practices
there and presenting health clinics—such as teaching
children about oral hygiene.
INTERNATIONALIZING AUGSBURG
EDUCATION
Shortly after the arrival of new Augsburg
president Paul Pribbenow in 2006, the
College began to focus on internationalizing Augsburg education. OIP launched efforts to integrate study abroad experiences
into the curriculum of all majors on campus, seeking to create a culture shift toward
a more internationalized campus and college experience for students. The goal is a
more seamless relationship between campus curriculum and study abroad. Students
may choose from the semesters abroad offered by CGE or participate in other study
abroad programs approved by the Augsburg Abroad office.
In addition to infusing study abroad
into all majors, CGE has made it possible
for all students—undergraduate and graduate—to have a cross-cultural experience.
For weekend students it means only a oneor two-week course, a shorter time away
from family and work than the semester
program. For graduate students, it means a
short-term seminar that directly links to
their program work or research. For all students, the direct, personal experience in
another culture is carried back into their
lives and work at home.
A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS
Following are examples of programs that
have been designed for specific disciplines or target audiences:
26
Augsburg Now
Social work in a Latin American
context
This semester-long program in Mexico for
social work undergraduate students was
developed within a unique consortium of
eight colleges and universities in South
Dakota and Minnesota—both public and
private. It provides a common experience
for students at schools lacking the resources to create a program of their own.
This experience gives future social work
professionals better preparation to serve
the needs of Spanish-speaking clients in
their home areas.
The social work students live at
Augsburg’s center in Cuernavaca. They
take classes in culture with Augsburg’s
adjunct faculty there, and classes in social
work theory and practice with a visiting
professor from one of the consortium institutions.
In 2006, the consortium was
awarded the Council on Social Work Education’s Partners in Education award for
“advancing education for international
social work.”
Exploring health care in Guatemala
In July the physician assistant studies master’s program became the third graduate
program to offer a study abroad course tailored for its students. Twelve students traveled to Guatemala for two weeks to learn
about indigenous culture, and specifically
to explore health practices and spirituality
in Mayan cultures.
While there, the students visited clinics, learned about deep social and cultural
disparities, and presented programs on
healthcare topics, such as hypertension and
diabetes. They learned and saw how
healthcare practices can be developed with
vastly fewer resources—something which
may serve them well as they seek physician
assistant positions in areas with underserved populations.
Before traveling, the PA students raised
money to buy supplies and materials to
give to the clinics, such as over-the-counter
vitamins and pain relievers, stethoscopes,
blood pressure cuffs, etc.
Lilly vocation seminars
As part of “Exploring Our Gifts,” Augsburg’s grant from the Lilly Endowment for
exploration of vocation, a total of nine
travel seminars have been designed with a
focus on vocation.
Religion professor Bev Stratton has
twice led a vocation-themed seminar—Religion and the Christian Faith (REL 480)—
to El Salvador, where students have studied
how powerfully the faith of the Salvadoran
people has impacted their struggles for social justice. These courses fulfill the students’ keystone requirement—a seminar
generally taken in their last year that pulls
together their total Augsburg experience,
combining the liberal arts foundation with
their in-depth major, while revisiting the
Courtsey Jennifer Hipple
As part of the Hoversten Peace Seminar, an Augsburg faculty, staff, and student group stopped for a photo while
touring the fields of a coffee cooperative in Guatemala.
critical conversations about vocation.
The El Salvador group visited massacre sites, met with survivors, and heard
from leaders such as Bishop Medardo
Gomez of the Salvadoran Lutheran
Church, who spoke about how he sees his
vocation at work in El Salvador. The group
also became immersed in the work and
legacy of Archbishop Óscar Romero, killed
in the civil war in 1980.
The Lilly seminars have given students
both a cross-cultural experience and a
framework to understand how Christian
vocation is part of daily life. Other Lilly
seminars have taken students to Namibia,
Mexico, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
Hoversten Peace Seminar
Supported by the Hoversten Peace Endowment, this biennial travel seminar for
Augsburg faculty, staff, and students aims
to develop a strong learning community
among participants. Pre-departure orientation introduces the group to each other,
and living and learning together abroad
strengthens their bonds. Upon return, the
group continues to build community
around their common experience by
sharing it with the larger Augsburg community.
In August, 10 faculty, staff, and students—coincidentally, all women—par-
Courtsey Rachel Olson
“I learned how to learn”
Hannah Glusenkamp ’09
Students in the 2005 study seminar to El Salvador studied
the legacy of Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was killed
while championing the struggle of the Salvadoran people
during their long civil war.
ticipated in the 10-day “Peace and Reconciliation after Conflict: A Guatemalan Perspective.” The women learned about the
history of civil war and the peace accords, heard from leaders with differing
perspectives, and confronted the realities
of the local communities.
The efforts to internationalize the
Augsburg campus are showing results. In
2007-08, a record number of 221 Augsburg students studied abroad.
As their first quarter-century came to
a close, CGE director and associate dean
Orval Gingerich noted in their anniversary publication that “the work of CGE is
unfinished, and is perhaps more important than ever in bringing tools for critical analysis and action and ultimately
hope to a new generation of students,
professors, and global citizens.”
Stay tuned for the next 25 years.
Hannah Glusenkamp is a senior majoring in
women’s studies, with minors in Spanish and religion. At the 2008 Peace Prize Forum at Concordia College in Moorhead, she was selected as
one of Augsburg’s two Peace Scholars, a new
program that strives to develop students leaders
aspiring to careers in world peace issues.
Glusenkamp studied on two CGE programs—“Sustainable Development and Social
Change” in Central America, and “Gender, Sexuality, Politics, and the Arts” in Mexico.
“Both of these experiences challenged,
shook up, and reshaped my values, beliefs, and
world view,” she wrote. “From the first day of
the trip we, the students, were encouraged to reflect on our multi-dimensional selves and to approach education from a holistic standpoint, a
standpoint that incorporates all aspects of our
lives into the learning process.”
At the Council on International Educational
Exchange conference last fall, Glusenkamp and
nine other student panelists were asked to share
the most important thing they learned while
studying abroad. “I thought about the question
for a moment and then realized that my answer
had to be, ‘I learned how to learn,’” she said.
“I learned to become an active participant
in my education. … I learned to be curious and
to ask questions. I can no longer travel to a city
or country without wondering what the healthcare system is and if it benefits the people in
that community, or how the public transportation runs, or how subsidies in the United States
might affect the agricultural practices of the indigenous peoples in that community. … I
learned to question whose voice I am hearing
and whose voice is being left out.
“My experiences and time with the Center
for Global Education … showed me that I am
not just a student of Augsburg College for four
years, but rather that we are all students of life,
with the rights and responsibilities to engage in
the dynamic, liberating, and transformative ongoing process of experiential education.”
Fall 2008
27
TRAVEL SEMINARS
850
sponsored groups CGE has
worked with
25
Celebrating
years of
educating for transformation
by Kathleen McBride, regional co-director for Central America
and adjunct professor, Center for Global Education
Crossing borders and challenging boundaries is a
powerful metaphor for our journey of the last 25
years. It is the title of the first Center for Global
Education publication that documented the collective memory of our first years of work. The
Center’s initial experiences in 1979 included
crossing the Mexican border with students for
short-term educational experiences. Since that
time, thousands of participants have joined the
Center’s travel seminars to Mexico, Central America, the Philippines, the Middle East, Southern
Africa, and [locations in the U.S.].
As educators, we see our role as one that
engages students and participants in the world,
facilitating critical analysis and reflection that
leads to action. We believe that intercultural dialogue and collaboration with decision makers
and historically disadvantaged urban and rural
communities are a way of developing greater
understanding of the power relations in the
world and planting seeds towards more just relations and fair practices. These assumptions
are at the root our pedagogical model.
An expanded pedagogical framework
While the pedagogy of Paulo Freire continues to
be the foundation of our educational process (experience—reflection—action), in recent years
other kindred approaches, including feminist and
indigenous pedagogies, have influenced our
practice and strengthened our analysis. All of
28
Augsburg Now
the numbers
12,000+ travel seminar participants
Center for
Global
Education
SEMESTERS ABROAD
300
colleges, whose study semesters are arranged by CGE,
including institutions in the U.S., Germany,
Canada, and Norway
1,900
semester program participants
COUNTRIES VISITED
40+
in Mexico, Central America, South
America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, the Middle
East, India, Southeast Asia, China, and Hong Kong,
and the U.S.
CGE FACULTY AND STAFF LOCATIONS
9
Minneapolis
16
Mexico
9
Nicaragua
1
El Salvador
2
Guatemala
8
Namibia
And, millions of stories shared, hearts touched, and
perceptions changed over 25 years across the globe.
these pedagogies place significant emphasis on
learning in community. For Freire, learning in
community is one of the foundations of liberating
education. Historically, learning in community has
been a fundamental characteristic of indigenous
teaching and learning, though underrepresented
in traditional educational systems. Similarly, feminist pedagogy upholds learning in community as
central to educational processes that gives voice
to all people, particularly women, whose experience and voice have oftentimes been silenced.
Concepts of autonomy and empowerment that are
key to feminist and indigenous scholarship have
informed our methodologies and expanded our understanding of the world and of the educational
process. Our efforts to foster ongoing critical
analysis of power relations in the world are
grounded in a practice of intercultural dialogue
and experiences that continue to break open new
understandings of the world, leading us to a
deeper analysis that continually informs our
teaching.
Ongoing challenges
While our role has become clearer with regard to
our niche in the field of transformative education,
we still face significant challenges. As we facilitate
participants’ reflections on educational experi-
ences and encourage the exploration and implementation of action steps, we are confronted with an institutional challenge if we are in fact going to
continue to practice what we teach. To fully engage
the circle of praxis with the goal of transforming society, follow-up to participants’ experience as they
return to their home communities is essential. How
do we, as an institution, provide a space for participants and students to fully engage the circle of
praxis upon their return? How can we facilitate the
exploration of actions steps in participants’ home
communities? …
The Center for Global Education’s work today
continues to be the fruit of dialogue and reflections
with staff and resource people from over a dozen
countries and hundreds of students and participants
from the United States who have inspired our work,
shaped our analysis, challenged our language, and
informed our worldview. We are excited to be engaged in an educational process that will continue
to be refined and changed in the coming years by
new generations of staff and participants engaged in
transformative education.
Excerpted from Global News & Notes, Summer
2007; 25th Anniversary Issue: “Building a Just
and Sustainable World: Educating for
Transformation”
AUGSBURG COLLEGE
ANNUAL REPORT TO DONORS
2007-2008
Fall 2008
29
DEAR FRIENDS,
I write with a deep sense of humility and gratitude for your remarkable support of Augsburg College.
When I received the call to serve as the 10th president of Augsburg College, I enthusiastically accepted,
filled with a sense that God intended my life’s work to intersect with Augsburg’s mission and vision. I give
thanks every day for the opportunity to serve this special college. I am impressed by the deep commitment so
many individuals show toward Augsburg and its important work in the world. This annual report is a reminder to all of us of the importance philanthropy plays in the life of our college, and in the lives of our students. On their behalf, thank you for your generosity.
Our common work here at Augsburg calls us to be good stewards of the many gifts and resources we’ve
been given. Each year, thousands of alumni, parents, and friends make gifts not to the College, but through
the College, directly benefiting the many students we
serve. These students either embark on, or continue,
their vocational journeys here at Augsburg, and the
WE BELIEVE WE ARE CALL
many gifts we receive on an annual basis directly imTO SERVE OUR NEIGHBOR
pact their experience—in the classroom, on campus,
and in our neighborhood.
We have a new and bold way of stating the vision
of Augsburg College. It is this: We believe we are called to serve our neighbor. It is a vision statement that resonates deeply with the legacy and promise, the commitments and values, and the aspirations and reality of
our college. It is a statement that confirms our strong conviction that faith, learning, and service are at the
very heart of our identity as a college. I am especially grateful for the faculty and staff of the College who live
out this vision in educating our students.
To continue to live out this vision in a very real and meaning