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AUGSBURG NOW
AUGSBURG
UNIVERSITY
SPRING–SUMMER 2017 | VOL. 79, NO. 2
COMING SEPTEMBER 2017
PHOTO BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On the power of both/and
I am writing these notes on c...
Show more
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGSBURG
UNIVERSITY
SPRING–SUMMER 2017 | VOL. 79, NO. 2
COMING SEPTEMBER 2017
PHOTO BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On the power of both/and
I am writing these notes on commencement
weekend when we have just sent the final
graduates of Augsburg College into the world,
full of promise and aspiration—as has been the
case for almost 150 years. As you will read in
this issue of Augsburg Now, the change of our
name to Augsburg University will become official
in September, and we will welcome the incoming
class on Labor Day weekend. We are busy
preparing for this exciting new era for Augsburg!
For some, the name change may reflect
a break with Augsburg’s past. For others,
perhaps this is a welcome acceptance of the
need to embrace the future. For the Augsburg
community, however, the change is a remarkable
opportunity to re-present Augsburg to the
world—to tell a story that is about an abiding
mission and identity shaped by faith, and
academic and civic values, and at the same
time to point to innovative and urgently needed
responses to our dynamic environment. In
other words, this change is about the pivot
from “either/or” to “both/and.” This is about
embracing the best of past, present, and future.
This is about Augsburg University.
The almost 1,000 Auggies who commenced
into the world this spring reflect in their
achievements and aspirations the foundation for
embracing this change.
Across undergraduate and graduate programs,
the Class of 2017 achieved academic excellence
of the highest order, excellence that defines a
university: national and international honors for
scholarship and service; exemplary undergraduate
research that equips students for graduate
work and professional opportunities; innovative
community building that strengthens democratic
engagement; and a commitment to equity in
education that promises to change the world.
At the same time, our newest graduates
reflect the diversity that we expect in a
university—diversity of ethnicity, thinking, life
experience, identity, and ability—diversity not
for its own sake but for the promise of a more
robust, healthy, and just world. As I watched our
diverse graduates cross the stage, I could not
help but be filled with hope in our future leaders
who already have learned to navigate difference
in ways that unite rather than divide.
In a final way, these newest Augsburg
graduates offer a perhaps countercultural
lesson about what makes for a great university.
Though some imagine a university as big and
bureaucratic and faceless, Augsburg has a
vision to be a new kind of student-centered,
urban university—small to our students and
big for the world. The sense of community was
palpable in our commencement ceremonies as
graduates cheered each other and celebrated
the relationships they have forged at Augsburg,
lifelong relationships that engendered
achievement and success. And propelled by those
relationships, our graduates will indeed be “big
for the world,” as they live Augsburg’s mission as
“informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical
thinkers, and responsible leaders.”
Here’s to the power of “both/and” and the
promise of Augsburg University!
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing
Communication
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
Communication Copywriter
and Editorial Coordinator
Laura Swanson Lindahl ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Senior Creative Associate, Design
Denielle Johnson ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Production Manager
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
Jessica Mueller
muellerj@augsburg.edu
Contributing Writers
Kate H. Elliott
Jen Lowman Day
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Faithfully yours,
Send address corrections to:
alumniupdate@augsburg.edu.
Send comments to:
now@augsburg.edu
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
AUGSBURG NOW
Spring–Summer 2017
02 Around the quad
08
Preserving Norway’s
treasures
12
Augsburg University
name change
18
Winning the long game
24
Auggies connect
28
Class notes
33
In memoriam
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
On the cover
Augsburg College will become
Augsburg University effective
September 1. Learn more about
this historic transition on page 12.
An Auggie passes by the first art installation in the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center
for Science, Business, and Religion. This new academic building, which will open in January
2018, celebrates Augsburg’s commitment to learning at the intersection of disciplines.
Glass fritting on the lobby curtainwall depicts the pattern of Martin Luther’s handwritten
score of “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” overlaid with the cell structure of elm wood.
“Knowing that light will pour through the tall glass of the Hagfors Center, and that
people will pass through the reflected shape of the notes of this stirring hymn, ties the
whole idea of the building together for me. Science, business, and religion, drawn together
in space, time, and rhythm of the ages,” said Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow, who,
with his wife, Abigail Crampton Pribbenow, sponsored the artwork.
AROUND THE QUAD
HONORING
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
Retiring Faculty
RALPH BUTKOWSKI
MAGDA PALECZNY-ZAPP
Assistant Professor, Department of
Biology—with the College
since 2001
Associate Professor, Department of
Business Administration—with the
College since 1986
CASS DALGLISH
NOEL PETIT
Professor, Department of English—
with the College since 1986
Professor, Department of
Computer Science—with the
College since 1984
PETER HENDRICKSON ’76
Associate Professor, Department of
Music—with the College since 1994
BOYD KOEHLER
Associate Professor, Library—with
the College since 1967
SANDRA OLMSTED ’69
Associate Professor, Department
of Chemistry—with the College
since 1978
DEBORAH REDMOND
Assistant Professor, Department of
Communication Studies—with the
College since 1981
STUART STOLLER
Professor, Department of Business
Administration—with the College
since 1986
TARA SWEENEY
Associate Professor, Department of
Art—with the College since 1990
Auggies advocate at
STATE CAPITOL
The Augsburg community
celebrated the Class of 2017 on
Saturday, April 29. In a morning
ceremony, 503 traditional
undergraduate students were
conferred their degrees. In the
afternoon, the school recognized
469 adult undergraduate, master’s,
and doctoral students—50 of
whom studied at Augsburg’s
Rochester site. [Pictured]: Fatimah
Kinaphone ’15, ’17 MBA receives
her master’s degree hood.
2
AUGSBURG NOW
PHOTO BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
COMMENCEMENT
Augsburg College students recently visited the Minnesota State Capitol to
participate in advocacy events hosted by the Minnesota Private College
Council. First, in February, two of Augsburg’s TRIO McNair Scholars took
part in a Private College Scholars at the Capitol event that promoted the role
undergraduate research plays in students’ educational and professional
development. Then, in April, Auggies met with Minnesota representatives
and senators for Day at the Capitol.
These students advocated for
several programs, including
Minnesota State Grants, that help
undergraduates afford higher
education.
[L to R]: Professor of Sociology Diane Pike
advised McNair Scholar Devin Wiggs ’17, who
was invited to present his undergraduate
research project at Scholars at the Capitol.
AROUND THE QUAD
TICKETS ON SALE:
NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE FORUM
Visit nobelpeaceprizeforum.org to find ticket, presenter, and schedule information.
PHOTO BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
COURTESY PHOTO
September 15-16
Each year, the Nobel Peace Prize Forum offers opportunities to learn from the world’s most
celebrated, innovative, and dedicated peacemakers. Hosted and presented by Augsburg, the
Forum invites attendees to turn abstract ideas into the skills our world needs for fostering
better relationships and for building peace. In September, international guests from leading
organizations will explore the theme “Dialogue in Divided Societies” and honor the work of
the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize laureate, for its decisive
contribution to building a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia after the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.
Electronics lab is electrifying!! Building the circuits of
tomorrow, today. #MaroonMilestone @AugsburgCollege
FUEL FINISH
THERE IS, PERHAPS, NO GREATER CURE
FOR STRESS than taking a moment to
acknowledge the good. As Augsburg students soldiered through the last week
of classes this spring—turning in final papers and finishing projects—they
also made time to reflect on their achievements in 2016-17. Students posted,
tweeted, and shared #MaroonMilestones on social media, and soon a powerful
collective story came together. Whether it was winning athletic championships,
landing job interviews, or beating cancer, Auggies finished strong.
FOR THE
CELEBRATING
STUDENT
SUCCESS
FUEL
E
FOR TH
FINISH
For those who posted
#MaroonMilestones, Augsburg
partnered with its food service
provider, A’viands, to provide handdelivered treats and cheerful notes
that offered additional fuel for the end
of the term, though physics students
kept their beverages safely stationed
outside the lab (pictured above)!
Read about the scope of prestigious academic
achievements, awards, and honors earned by Auggies
during the 2016-17 year at augsburg.edu/now.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
3
PHOTO BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
AROUND THE QUAD
After a morning practice, goaltender Jordyn Kaufer ’17 and members of the Augsburg men’s
hockey team presented Minasie Theophilos with a check for $5,000. In comments aired on
KARE 11 news, Kaufer told Theophilos the sum was, “A token to give you thanks for your
selflessness, your service, your care to the rink and the guys.”
Honoring
Luther’s legacy
To mark the 500th anniversary
of the Reformation, Augsburg is
hosting a series of events this fall.
Visit augsburg.edu/ccv/events
for dates and details.
4
AUGSBURG NOW
A SEASON OF REFORMATION CELEBRATIONS!
In September, Augsburg will welcome the fourth
presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America, the Rev. Elizabeth Eaton, as an honored
speaker for the Bernhard M. Christensen Symposium.
To mark Augsburg College Heritage Day in October,
Associate Professor of Religion Mary Lowe will lead a
discussion on the revolutionary life of Martin Luther.
In November, award-winning musical group The
Rose Ensemble will present “Welcome the People: The
Musical Legacy of the Reformation.”
To kick off the holiday season in December, Augsburg
will host Advent Vespers with the theme “Welcome,
Noble Guest,” inspired by Martin Luther’s hymn “From
Heaven Above.”
AROUND THE QUAD
MINASIE THEOPHILOS has cared for Augsburg’s athletic facilities—most notably the ice arena—
during his more than 25 years of service on the College’s custodial staff. Theophilos and the men’s
hockey team developed a life-changing relationship that was shared by media outlets across the
United States and around the globe.
When members of the team learned that Theophilos’ mother had died in Ethiopia—a home
Theophilos hasn’t seen for nearly 35 years—and that Theophilos missed her funeral because he didn’t
have the money to visit, the team created a fundraiser. In less than 48 hours, the players and Auggies
worldwide raised thousands of dollars for
Theophilos to use to visit his family.
Today, Theophilos and his wife are planning a
trip to see his father and their families, thanks
to a special friendship with the Augsburg
athletes he has supported for decades.
PHOTO BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
FRIENDSHIP ON ICE … AND OFF
right,’
ou raised ’em
‘y
of
y
or
g
te
ca
“In the
y team.”
Augsburg hocke
e
th
of
s
d
ki
e
we give you th
—Bob Collins,
Minnesota Public Radio News Cut
COURTESY PHOTO
Who’s on first? Auggies are! This spring, the Augsburg baseball team kicked
off its season at U.S. Bank Stadium, competing in four nonconference
doubleheaders. The new Minnesota Vikings venue is only a stone’s throw (or
a really strong pitch) from Augsburg’s campus.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
5
PHOTO BY STEPHEN GEFFRE
ON THE SPOT
IT’S SIMPLE MATH: Fewer people are entering the teaching profession, more are
leaving it, and many educators lack the qualifications required to teach Minnesota’s
increasingly diverse student body. These factors have prompted teacher preparation
programs—including those at Augsburg—to adapt in support of more inclusive,
flexible learning environments that accommodate a spectrum of needs and abilities.
As the director of education programs at Augsburg’s Rochester location, Kaycee Rogers is working alongside colleagues
and legislators to better support and retain teachers and to inspire a more diverse workforce. She is driven to ensure the
next generation of Minnesotans experience a meaningful education through hands-on, relevant learning.
Q:
How does educating, training, and
employing K-12 teachers with specialty
backgrounds improve our schools?
A:
The demographics of our student
population have changed given the
influx of new populations into our welcoming
state and education’s shift to incorporate
students with special needs into the general
classroom. Because of this, teachers with
specialty licenses are in demand, and these
positions are often tough to fill. Augsburg
is leading the charge to offer broader
licensures, which prepare teachers to
succeed in today’s classrooms and qualify
them for a wide range of teaching positions.
Exposure to more teaching strategies
and more specializations helps teacher
6
AUGSBURG NOW
candidates adapt and innovate so they can
offer students multiple access points for
understanding.
Q:
A:
What’s an example of an innovative
teaching strategy?
Students learn best when they’re
engaged in experiences that matter to
them. We’ve been incorporating real-world,
student-led experiences into the classroom,
and the results are impressive. Augsburg
teacher candidates, for instance, are helping
fourth- and fifth-graders write grants, speak
to community groups, navigate teamwork,
and participate in democracy. It’s been
amazing to watch our teachers transition
to more of a coaching role, while students
PHOTO BY BRENDAN BUSH
Education expert Kaycee Rogers describes how an inclusive,
agile K-12 model can help Minnesota classrooms make the grade
take the lead to apply classroom learning to
issues and situations of meaning to them.
Q:
A:
How do teachers recognize students’
home cultures and diverse experiences?
Although “English as a Second
Language” is a widely used term, we
say, “English learners,” because it’s more
accurate given that some students learn
English as a third or fourth language. We
also celebrate home culture and language
rather than asking students to check their
heritage at the door.
In special education, we try to be more
inclusive. It used to be that educators
relied on what was called a medical
model of diagnosis and treatment. Today,
AROUND THE QUAD
Outstanding
EDUCATORS
Share your ideas for
Each year, Augsburg recognizes
individuals who have made
exemplary contributions to creating
an engaging academic learning
environment. The 2017 recipients
of the Distinguished Contributions to
Teaching and Learning awards are:
AUGSBURG’S 150TH ANNIVERSARY
CELEBRATION
1869-2019
Visit augsburg.edu/150 to
submit your suggestions.
Alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff are invited to
celebrate Augsburg’s 150th anniversary in 2019. What
aspect of your Augsburg experience would you like to
highlight during the sesquicentennial year? Were you
connected to a team, an organization, or a department
that made a difference? Would you like to see a reunion
for your favorite activity—whether it was campus
ministry, KAUG radio, student government, or a music
ensemble? Let us know how to best honor Augsburg’s
past, present, and future.
Teaching
Full-time faculty
Joyce Miller ’02, ’05 MAN, ’11 DNP,
assistant professor and Nursing
Department chair
Part-time faculty
Alyssa Hanson ’01, mathematics and
statistics instructor
Scholarship
William Green, professor of history
Service
Q:
A:
David Crowe, associate professor of
biology
How do we inspire a workforce that is
more reflective of diverse classrooms?
It’s well documented that students
retain more information and have a
positive view of education when they relate
to teachers. We want to reach out to people
who look like our students and come from
the same backgrounds, particularly those
already working as teacher aides or in other
supporting roles. Growing teachers from
within each community’s diverse population
will beget more teachers of color and inspire
some to remain in their community to make a
lasting difference.
Stella Hofrenning, associate professor
of economics
Dixie Shafer, director of
Undergraduate Research and
Graduate Opportunity
PHOTO BY BOB STACKE ’71
we recognize that our role isn’t as much
about changing someone as it is about
using an approach that welcomes learners
of different styles, that encourages support
networks to address, adapt to, and respond
to each young person. We seek to accept,
listen, and innovate as we help students
gain as much as possible to prepare them
for a fulfilling life.
Both approaches fall under an umbrella
of universal design that can be applied to
all students, regardless of ability. If our
goal is understanding, then we must create
multiple access points for students. We urge
teacher candidates to get to know students,
their families, and the community to
appreciate the backgrounds coming together
in each classroom.
[L to R]: Stella Hofrenning, Dixie Shafer,
William Green, Joyce Miller, David Crowe, and
Alyssa Hanson.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
7
PHOTO BY ANNAR BJØRGLI
8
AUGSBURG NOW
Juliane Derry ’00 works on an artifact from Norway’s national collection.
As an objects conservator, she studies and preserves historical materials.
BY LAURA SWANSON LINDAHL ’15 MBA
“As you can see, I’m not in my office,” says
Juliane Derry ’00 answering a video call and
gazing toward the cell phone resting in her
outstretched palm. “It’s kind of a little crisis.”
Behind her, a warehouse complex comes into
focus. It looks tidy—for the most part—but
there’s chaos emerging in what otherwise would
be a meticulously organized space.
Derry is standing in one of the storage
facilities for Norway’s Nasjonalmuseet, the
National Museum of Art, Architecture and
Design, and she is responding to an immediate,
all-hands-on-deck plea to mitigate an unnerving
discovery in the archive: water.
“Oxygen, light, and variations in
humidity are the things that cause
damage,” Derry said, hours later,
offering a primer on the fundamental
culprits in the degradation of
historical materials. As a conservator
for the national museum in Oslo,
she plays a multifaceted role in
the institution’s efforts to hold,
preserve, exhibit, and promote public
knowledge about Norway’s most
extensive collections.
Vestbanen – Downtown Oslo
Future home of the Nasjonalmuseet
Norway’s new national museum will open
in 2020. Juliane Derry ’00 is working to prepare
hundreds of objects for public display.
Oslo, Norway
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
9
PHOTO BY ANNAR BJØRGLI
During her career, Derry has
restored furniture, objects,
frames, and gilded surfaces.
10
AUGSBURG NOW
“There are so many different materials in our
collection that we have textile, paintings, paper,
and book conservators,” said Derry, who is an
objects conservator specializing in furniture,
frames, and gilded surfaces. She has studied
restoration on three continents and has become
an expert in both preserving national treasures
and making new creations shine. Derry is
someone who excels at finding connections
between seemingly disparate areas. Her
conservation work blends science with artistry,
research with intuition, and the practical with
the theoretical.
Derry’s personal life has been filled with
complementary relationships as well. She was
born in Norway, and she lived there until age 15
when she, her sister, and her American mother
moved from the tiny alpine town of Ål to the
densely populated Twin Cities lying on the edge
of Minnesota’s prairie. Later, as an Augsburg
student, she focused on women’s studies,
international relations, religion, and studio arts.
“I took classes based on what interested me,”
Derry said, shrugging her shoulders. “When
you get out into the real world and meet new
people you begin to realize that [some of them]
followed a very narrow path. I’m not looking
down on that in any way, but I appreciate the
fact that I was able to experience so many
different things.”
As her former faculty advisor, History
Professor and Director of General Education
Jacqueline deVries acknowledges that
Derry is the type of person who thrives in
interdisciplinary programs like women’s studies.
Now known as “gender, sexuality, and
women’s studies,” the major includes courses
in biology, English, history, political science,
sociology, and other disciplines. And it seems
Derry’s inclination toward diverse opportunities
only increases with time.
“Juliane’s path is fantastic. She totally
wandered,” said deVries, who now counts Derry
among her friends. “I think she’d laugh that I
said that, but along the way she discovered a
true passion.”
Derry’s career in restoration and conservation
began because misdirected mail literally came
across her desk. Shortly after graduating
from Augsburg, Derry worked as an assistant
to buyers at Dayton’s, Minneapolis’ storied
hometown department store chain. Even though
she didn’t support staff in the furniture division,
she received heaps of catalogs for that area.
Eventually, a thoughtful colleague noticed
her growing interest in woodworking and
encouraged her to pursue her calling. After
some networking and introspection, Derry
signed up for a wood finishing program at
a technical college—an experience that
ultimately led to her launching a small
business, obtaining an advanced degree,
and developing industry contacts around
the world.
One of those connections is Don
Williams, an author, educator, scholar,
and furniture conservator who retired after
serving the Smithsonian Institution for 29
years. Williams was a guest lecturer who
instructed Derry during her Minnesotabased finishing program, and he became
a mentor as she took her education and
career to new levels.
Williams has taught hundreds of
students, and he’s noticed that those who
succeed often have similar predispositions.
“How many people do you know who
are both scientists and artists?” he
asked. “That’s what we are. If you are not
consumed by creativity, this is going to be
a miserable path for you. People need not
only creativity but also curiosity.”
For Derry, an eagerness to experiment
and to learn has triggered some of her most
defining life events.
After working a handful of day jobs and
operating an independent business in the
U.S. for three years, Derry enrolled in an
immersive, full-time restoration program
near Florence, Italy. There she gained
studio experience and new skillsets,
including the ability to speak Italian through
a crash course lasting a single month. After
completing the restoration program, Derry
moved with her wife, Jody Scholz ’97, to
Norway. Derry was armed with a portfolio
of recent work and ambition to relaunch her
business in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
“I ended up making a CD full of pictures
of various restoration projects, and I made
the rounds in town,” she said. “I looked up
people in the yellow pages and then handed
out my pictures. In the beginning I worked
a little bit at a frame shop, and then I got a
job in a gallery where I restored frames.”
During the years since, Derry’s workload
has grown to match her expertise, and
sometimes her expertise has grown due to
Derry prepares an Oslo
city model from the
1930s for display in an
architectural exhibit.
PHOTO BY ANNAR BJØRGLI
the requirements of her work.
She earned a master’s degree at the
University of Oslo’s Institute of Archeology,
Conservation, and History by completing a
project-based thesis that examined shellac,
a sealant created using a resin secreted by
insects. For this project, Derry conducted
fieldwork in the rural Jharkhand region of
India where villagers harvest stick lac—the
key ingredient that becomes shellac and
its by-products—and she analyzed the
chemical characteristics of several samples
at the Smithsonian’s Museum Conservation
Institute where Williams served as her
internship sponsor.
“Investigative problem-solving” is one of
the aspects Derry said she most enjoys about
her field, and her liberal arts experience at
Augsburg informs the way she approaches her
assignments. She uses traditional techniques
and materials in her conservation projects
whenever possible, and her ability to think
critically is paramount.
While employed at a furniture restoration
company, she was tasked with repairing
beloved pieces used by the Oscarshall
Summer Palace, the Office of the Prime
Minister, and private clients. She also has
served Fortidsminneforeningen, a nonprofit
that preserves and protects monuments,
including 40 of the stave churches located
throughout Norway.
“Ashes to ashes and dust to dust is not
only a homily, it is an inexorable law of
the universe,” said Williams, describing
the vital role individuals like Derry play
in preserving cultural heritage for future
generations. “Everything is going back to
dust. As conservators, it is our job—to
the extent that is rational—to slow that
process down and concurrently enjoy and
extract the most utility from an artifact on
its path.”
Today Derry’s workdays primarily are
devoted to making internationally important
materials accessible to the general public.
At the national museum, she has completed
assignments that range from applying gold
leaf on the frames of masterworks to cleaning
a plaster-of-Paris city model measuring more
than 100 square feet. And still, her current
undertaking is the largest one yet.
The Norwegian government is building
a joint “all-arts” museum, which is slated
to open in Oslo in 2020. Intended to be a
dynamic arena for people to interact with
the visual arts, the space requires new
exhibits so curators and conservators are
working hand-in-hand to select and prepare
pieces for display. Derry is in the midst
of locating, evaluating, cataloguing, and
potentially repairing 400 pieces of furniture
for the museum.
It’s a process that requires passion and
persistence—two words that also perfectly
describe the manner in which Derry has
shaped her career. She’s prepared to
address new challenges if issues arise in a
workshop, at a laboratory bench, or during
the process of managing complex projects.
Even in a soggy situation at a storage
venue, Derry sees the annoyance of
rewrapping objects impacted by a minor
cooling system leak as an opportunity to
formulate a plan for the future should staff
ever need to address a true disaster.
“She can pursue something with
intelligence and diligence and still with a
smile on her face,” Williams said. “That’s
an unusual gift.”
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
11
AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY:
SMALL TO OUR STUDENTS
AND BIG FOR THE WORLD
BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
O
n September 1, “Augsburg College” officially will become
“Augsburg University”—a change approved by both the Board
of Regents and the Augsburg Corporation.
For generations of Augsburg alumni and friends, it may seem like
the place always has been called “Augsburg College.” That’s been
the formal name of the school for the past 54 years.
Over the course of the school’s history, nearly 24,000 people
have completed degrees at Augsburg. With so many Auggie alumni
accustomed to thinking of Augsburg as a college, why change the name?
In short, the term “university” illustrates the breadth of Augsburg’s
current reality and goals for the future. And, “while our name is
changing,” said Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow, “the essence
of who we are is not.”
As the first seminary created by Norwegian Lutherans in America,
the name Augsburg—chosen by the school’s founders in 1869 to
honor the Augsburg Confession—always has defined the ethos of
this institution and its mission to support those called to service in
the world. Since its founding, Augsburg has been known by at least
four different names. The name has shifted as the school has grown,
but our commitment to an accessible, quality education has never
wavered. Likewise, our dedication to the Lutheran principles of
hospitality, service to the neighbor, and social justice is as steadfast
today as ever.
12
AUGSBURG NOW
In announcing the name change, Pribbenow affirmed
that becoming Augsburg University “does not alter our
dedication to integrating the liberal arts and professional
studies or our commitment to being small to our students
and big for the world.”
Rather than moving Augsburg away from its roots,
the name change helps Augsburg remain both faithful
to its heritage and relevant to the educational needs of
students in the 21st century.
Ever evolving, always Augsburg: Growth
in graduate programs
From its early years, Augsburg stressed that a good
education is practical and focused on educating
ministerial candidates and theological students as well as
farmers, workers, and businesspeople.
So, it’s no surprise that Augsburg today offers
a number of professional master’s and doctoral
degrees — a mix of programs that makes Augsburg
already more like a university than a college. While there
is no fixed definition outlining the distinction between a
“college” and a “university,” offering post-baccalaureate
degrees commonly is associated with institutions named
as universities.
Augsburg’s first advanced degree program, the
Master of Arts in Leadership, launched 30 years
ago. Since then, 3,700 people have earned master’s
or doctoral degrees from Augsburg. This past fall,
Augsburg’s graduate enrollment reached a record
high — representing 28 percent of total enrollment — and
continued growth in Augsburg graduate programs is
anticipated in the coming years.
An international perspective
Today, Auggies live and work all over the world. In many
countries and cultures, the word “college” is associated
with a high school-level education. Alumni who work
in international settings have noted that they already
refer to their alma mater as “Augsburg University” in
order to avoid confusion. For the same reason, the name
change also will help Augsburg be more attractive as a
destination for international students, which represents a
potential growth area for Augsburg.
A view from the outside in
With nearly 150 years of history, it’s no surprise that
Augsburg is well known in the region—even among
people who haven’t (or haven’t yet) studied here. What
impact would a name change have on their perceptions
of Augsburg? We asked the following groups to share their
thoughts:
• high school students,
• parents of high school students,
• high school counselors,
• people considering getting an advanced degree, and
• people who didn’t finish an undergraduate degree
right after high school and are thinking about going
back to school to earn a bachelor’s.
These conversations generated several important
insights, but the core takeaway is that Augsburg’s reality,
reputation, and promise are aligned with the name change.
Our reality and reputation. Conversations with
members of the general community demonstrated
that people associate the word “university” with a
number of attributes that clearly apply to Augsburg.
Specifically, people view universities as having high
academic standards, a commitment to research, strong
international programs, and diverse student populations.
Augsburg has robust programs for scholarly research
and global study, and is recognized nationally for its
leadership in inclusion and equity. In many ways,
Augsburg already embodies much of what people expect
of a university.
The promise of a student-centered university. We also
learned from these conversations that Augsburg has a
strong reputation for direct student-faculty engagement.
We already know how important this is to our alumni,
students, faculty, and staff, but it was gratifying to hear
that members of the broader community also value
Augsburg as a student-centered organization.
This is something Augsburg needs to ensure does
not change. Augsburg University will not become an
institution marked by big campuses or large studentto-faculty ratios. Instead, as is articulated in our
Augsburg2019 strategic vision, Augsburg will be a new
kind of student-centered university, and just as we have
done for decades, Augsburg will remain committed to
educating students for lives of purpose in a vibrant,
engaged learning community.
Learn about the visual identity of Augsburg University
on the following pages.
Learn more about the Augsburg2019 strategic vision, the
name change, and the logo update at augsburg.edu/now.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
13
AUGSBURG NAME CHANGE HISTORY
1869
1872
1892
1942
AUGSBURG
SEMINARIUM
THE NORWEGIAN DANISH
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN
AUGSBURG SEMINARY
AUGSBURG
SEMINARY
AUGSBURG COLLEGE AND
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
EMBRACING OUR LEGACY
AND OUR FUTURE
When Samuel Gross ’03 was a student at Augsburg, he
designed the original Auggie eagle-head symbol as an
assignment for one of his graphic design courses. The design
was so good, Augsburg ended up buying the rights to the
image and has used the eagle symbol for campus life, student
organizations, and athletics for the past 15 years.
During that time, Gross became an award-winning designer
and creative director who founded his own graphic design
firm, 144design, with a specialty in developing logos for
clients. So, when Augsburg needed to update its logo as part
of the transition to the Augsburg University name, it was a
perfect opportunity to re-engage with Gross to envision and
design the next-generation Augsburg logo.
“Early on, our conversation about the logo confirmed that
this project should be an evolution of the Augsburg brand, not
a revolution,“ Gross said. “We wanted to preserve the strong
recognition that has been built for Augsburg over time.
“Our goal was to preserve and respect the historic nature
of Augsburg’s logo — especially since it already has strong
14
AUGSBURG NOW
[Top Left]: The Augsburg “A”
shape is reimagined.
[Top Right]: Samuel Gross ’03
works on Augsburg University’s
visual identity in April 2017.
[Left]: Gross shows off
merchandise displaying
the first eagle-head symbol
shortly after he created it for
Augsburg in 2003.
energy and good familiarity — while at the same time creating
a treatment that also embraces the future,” he said.
The results, including the updated Augsburg logo, “A”
icon, and eagle-head symbol are shown on the next page.
Separately, the Augsburg seal — which is used on transcripts,
diplomas, and other official documents — was updated by
Augsburg staff Mark Chamberlain and Denielle Johnson ’11 and
is shown on pages 16-17.
1963
2017
AUGSBURG
COLLEGE
AUGSBURG
UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE
Augsburg marks: honoring the legacy
Augsburg logo
Augsburg “A” icon
Eagle-head symbol
The Augsburg University logo is
designed to feel familiar to people who
are already acquainted with the College
logo, connecting the new design with
Augsburg’s legacy. In the new logo, the
word “Augsburg” is more bold than the
word “University.” This approach was
informed by research suggesting that
people’s strong associations are with
the name, “Augsburg,” whether or not it
is followed by “College” or “University.”
The font selected for “Augsburg”
conveys an established, academic feel,
while the font for “University” provides
a sleek, contemporary balance. The
contrast of the two words creates a
dynamic energy.
By strengthening the design of the
“A” icon — broadening its base
and making the vertical strokes
bolder — Augsburg will be able
to use the “A” icon as a standalone graphic element much more
frequently and effectively going
forward.
For example, current plans call
for the “A” icon to be installed on
the shorter ends of the sign on
top of Mortensen Hall. This is one
of the most visible signs in the
region and will be updated this
summer as part of the transition to
“Augsburg University.”
The eagle-head symbol is stronger
and bolder with this evolution.
Whereas the original design lost
detail and contrast when translated
to black-and-white treatments,
the updated design is much more
effective across a broader range
of uses.
Currently, designs using the
updated eagle-head symbol are
under development for an array of
installations—from the Si Melby
gym floor and the Edor Nelson
athletic field scoreboard to the
Christensen Center student lounge
and merchandise sold in the
Augsburg bookstore.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
15
AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY SEAL: HISTORY AND MEANING
Past seals
T
he seal conservation process began as
Augsburg College explored the steps
involved in changing its institutional
name to Augsburg University. The seal
enhances an original centennial
symbol design and aligns with the
institution’s current reality,
reputation, and promise.
THE AUGSBURG COLLEGE SEAL WAS
BASED ON A CENTENNIAL SYMBOL CREATED
BY PAUL KONSTERLIE ’50.
THE LION REPRESENTS AUGSBURG’S
NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE.
AUGSBURG’S CENTENNIAL SYMBOL,
CREATED BY KONSTERLIE.
THE LAMP OF LEARNING
DEPICTS SOUND SCHOLARSHIP.
THE FONT WAS INSPIRED
BY THE CENTENNIAL SYMBOL.
THE SEAL FOR AUGSBURG COLLEGE
AND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
FEATURED MARTIN LUTHER.
16
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGSBURG WAS FOUNDED IN 1869
IN MARSHALL, WISCONSIN, AND
MOVED TO MINNEAPOLIS IN 1872.
THE CROSS DEPICTS THE SIGNIFICANT
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE
CHURCH AND HIGHER EDUCATION.
THE SILHOUETTE OF THE
MINNEAPOLIS SKYLINE EMPHASIZES
AUGSBURG’S METROPOLITAN
RESOURCES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
THE DEEPLY THEOLOGICAL
STATEMENT, “THROUGH TRUTH
TO FREEDOM,” SUMMARIZES
THE BELIEF THAT THE TRUTH
SETS US FREE TO BE EDUCATED
AND TO SERVE.
THE EAGLE REPRESENTS
U.S. DEMOCRACY.
THE FOSHAY TOWER RETURNS TO THE CENTER OF THE
SEAL AS A NOD TO AUGSBURG’S CENTENNIAL SYMBOL.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
17
PHOTO BY DON STONER
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
[L to R]: At an Auggie Compass event, panelists Mike Gallagher ’12, Katie Jacobson ’11,
and Dan Brandt ’11 spoke to students about the journey from college to their careers.
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
[Left]: This fall, student-athletes engaged in
team-building exercises led by U.S. Marines.
18
AUGSBURG NOW
[Above]: Student-athletes kicked off evening
workshops by dining together.
WINNING
THE LONG
GAME
BY KATE H. ELLIOTT
Meaningful, relevant workshops
equip students to excel in the
classroom, competition, and
their careers
S
tudent-athletes file past tables,
stacking breadsticks on mounds of
pasta, but this crew isn’t carb-loading
for the next matchup. The nearly 550
students from Augsburg’s 19 sports teams
are preparing to tackle Auggie Compass—a
series of workshops and team-building
exercises designed to inspire personal and
professional success. After piloting the
program in 2014-15, Augsburg Athletics
recruited this year’s lineup of on- and
off-campus partners to engage each class
in issues relevant to each stage of their
undergraduate lives.
Associate Athletic Director Kelly
Anderson Diercks said the biannual
series starts a conversation with studentathletes, then builds upon those
themes each year as Auggies develop
the confidence, expertise, and support
networks they need to navigate known and
unknown challenges during college and
after graduation. For instance, first-year
students discussed study skills, time
management, and wellness, while seniors
learned about financial planning, living
their values, and networking techniques.
“When I moved into my first house,
I didn’t know furnaces had filters, and
that’s just one example of the many things
I should’ve known—but didn’t—before
graduation,” said Anderson Diercks, who
spearheaded the program. “We developed
Auggie Compass from the best aspects of
similar programs and from conversations
with our coaches, student-athletes, and
alumni. Our students seem more aware
of campus and community resources and
better prepared to excel in the real world.”
Panel of alumni shares lessons
from ‘professional lumps’
Among the spring event’s most popular
sessions was a student-athlete alumni panel,
“Not Where They Thought They’d Be,”
which—as the title suggests—invited alumni
to share lessons from their not-so-straight-orsmooth paths to personal and professional
fulfillment. Mike Gallagher ’12 was among
the four panelists asked “not to sugar coat”
their transitions to the workforce.
“My first paid job out of college lasted
21 months before I was laid off with 25
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
19
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
Auggie Compass workshops target needs and issues specific to the phases in student-athletes’ academic and personal journeys. Each session builds
upon the previous event, equipping Auggies with a deeper understanding of their values, career preparation, and wellness practices.
percent of the company’s workforce,
and that’s just one example of the
professional lumps we shared,” said
Gallagher, an academic advisor at
Walden University and the on-air host/
producer of Gopher Sports Update and
MIAC Weekly. “Our stories reinforced
that new graduates likely will have
to do things they don’t enjoy as they
work toward goals. But we encouraged
them to channel the persistence and
dedication they gained as athletes
toward new challenges and to say ‘yes’
to any opportunity to better themselves
or gain new skills.”
Gallagher, also a freelance sports
broadcaster and emcee, talked openly
about his path, which is a fairly common
one: going to college with hopes of
playing professional baseball, then
realizing he wasn’t any better than his
teammates. Then, struggling to find
balance within the fun, demanding
routine of workouts, competitions,
classes, and life until he walked across
the commencement stage and into a
9-to-5 job without the sport, the people,
and the routine he’d always known. “It
is, indeed, a huge wakeup call,” he said.
Women’s golfer Wendy Anderson ’17
was among the seniors who rotated
through the panel discussion. The double
major in music business and accounting
said she valued sessions about financial
planning and interviews, but the alumni
20
AUGSBURG NOW
panel resonated with her the most.
“I’m a type-A, perfectionist planner.
Hearing their stories reassured
me that I may not end up where I
thought I might, but because of these
types of sessions and my Augsburg
experience, I’ll survive and hopefully
have a fulfilling career,” she said. “I’m
glad I attended sessions about fiscal
responsibility, but workshops that
encouraged us to consider our values
and worth and to step outside our
comfort zones were the most rewarding.
Guidance from Auggie Compass
sessions paired with the entirety of our
experiences prepares us to achieve.”
Athletic Director Jeff Swenson ’79 is
glad to hear student-athletes position
Auggie Compass within the greater
framework of their Augsburg education
and athletic experience. The lessons
and skills are interconnected, he said,
strengthening one another.
“Our athletes learn to win and lose
with class, to embrace leadership, and
to play their role—whatever that may
be—to achieve a shared goal,” said
Swenson, who has been a member
of the Augsburg community for more
than 30 years as a student, coach,
and administrator. “These are all great
lessons for life after sports, and Auggie
Compass builds upon what teams and
coaches are already instilling. At our
core, we are about community and
supporting these fine student-athletes
on their journey. Auggie Compass
prepares them to carry that legacy out
to the world.”
Building skills to navigate a
complex environment
Mike Matson ’07 knows all about
Augsburg’s core principles. They guided
him through his time as one of the
College’s top linebackers, then through
seminary, and now in his role as an
assistant director of leadership gifts at
the College. Matson said Augsburg’s
commitment to diversity, inclusion, and
community outfits students with empathy
and poise to respectfully engage in
meaningful conversations and authentic
relationships. He talked with juniors
about how to lead difficult conversations.
“We live in a complicated world
with complex people and issues, and
those who are able to have difficult
conversations in a respectful manner
advance progress and understanding,”
said Matson, who also serves in the
Navy Reserves and as chaplain for
the Minneapolis Police Department.
“Instead of talking at the students,
we challenged them to work through
case studies. I can’t say I was all that
surprised at how well they handled
themselves, but I was impressed
with how willing they were to share
PHOTO BY DON STONER
PHOTO BY COURTNEY PERRY
This spring, members of the junior class headed to the gym for basketball and bean bag competitions with Special Olympics
athletes, and in September, first-year students learned techniques to manage stress and practice mindfulness.
vulnerabilities, speak about biases,
and view situations through alternate
perspectives. It was amazing to watch
‘community’ happen.”
Unified tournament puts
principles to practice
Student-athletes didn’t only talk about
ideals, they practiced them. Juniors
headed to the Si Melby gymnasium to
compete alongside 40 Special Olympics
athletes in basketball and bean bag
toss competitions. Jennifer Jacobs, who
organized the volunteer effort, said the
tournament underscored Augsburg’s
commitment to service and inclusion.
“We added [the unified competition]
because civic engagement is one of the
college’s co-curricular learning outcomes,”
said Jacobs, then-assistant athletic director
and assistant volleyball coach. “We decided
to collaborate with Special Olympics
because of an NCAA Division III partnership
with the organization and because our
ongoing involvement with the area chapter
continually inspires our students.”
Student-athlete Cody Pirkl ’18 had never
interacted with Special Olympics athletes
before the Auggie Compass event this
spring. Initially, the baseball player had
not been excited about the obligation on
what otherwise would have been a free
night. But as he said goodbye to Special
Olympics teammates, the social work major
said it felt like parting with dear friends.
“We, as college athletes, become so
focused on our own goals and everyday
lives that we forget how rewarding it
is to give back to others,” Pirkl said.
“Our involvement with Special Olympics
shines Augsburg’s positive light on our
broader community, but it also gives us
meaningful perspective. Watching the
Special Olympics athletes’ pure love of
the game reminded me how lucky I am
and how much I love to play.”
Pirkl said he and his teammates took
a lot away from the mix of formats and
engaging activities. That active structure
was intentional, Anderson Diercks
explained, as presenters played to
student-athletes’ competitive nature.
“For years, we had brought wonderful,
inspiring speakers to campus once
or twice a year to talk with students
about hot topics or enduring life-aftercollege lessons,” Anderson Diercks said.
“Although these experts offered great
perspective and information, the format
was a challenge, and we were never
able to cover as many of the topics as
we would have liked. The new Auggie
Compass format allows us to engage each
class in specific topics to prepare them for
the next year and beyond. We can more
easily adjust based on student feedback,
and it’s a nice way to highlight our alumni
and campus experts as well as celebrate
community partnerships and resources.”
Celebrating mindfulness and
meditation
One such resource is Jermaine Nelson, a
meditation and mindfulness coach and
yoga instructor. The former athlete urged
students to seek mind-body connections
as they strive to be more present. He also
reminded them to give themselves grace
during transitions and various phases of life.
“It’s so easy for student-athletes to
continue to eat and sleep how they did
in college without the same level of
activity, and then they look up one day
and realize they are out of shape and out
of sync,” Nelson said. “It’s important
to anticipate, on the field and in life, so
that you avoid injury and prepare for the
next phase of your life.”
Nelson wasn’t expecting to, but looking
out at the dozens of student-athletes
reminded him of his nephew, and
Nelson got personal. His nephew was a
promising college recruit, with plans to
play in the NBA, but he broke down from
all the pressure.
“I wish he would have had a program like
this when he was in school,” Nelson said.
“Imagine all the heartache and recovery he
would have avoided had he been offered the
tools to cope and achieve without grinding
himself into the ground. I worked with
him, and he’s on a good path now, but it
took a while. If Auggies can practice these
techniques now, they’ll succeed.”
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
21
Nelson’s talk reinforced some of the themes presented by
Augsburg’s Center for Wellness and Counseling.
For example, counselor Jon Vaughan-Fier and Beth Carlson, the
center’s assistant director, co-facilitated “Becoming Resilient
to Stress,” which challenged student-athletes to assess what
drains them and to identify ways to recharge. In addition to
discussing the importance of sleep, nutrition, and meaningful
relationships—among other topics—students engaged in yoga,
mindful breathing, and relaxation strategies.
As a senior, Chuckie Smith ’17 took part in Auggie Compass workshops on financial
planning, job search strategies, living authentically, and a variety of other topics.
During the Compass program’s pilot year, the entire CWC
staff also presented on a range of topics related to wellbeing,
including body image, depression, healthy choices, and stress
management, which Vaughan-Fier said is critically important for
today’s overly busy student-athletes.
“To emphasize the connection to sports and improved
performance, we showed testimonials from Seattle Seahawks
quarterback Russel Wilson about his ‘one play at a time’ mindset
and New York Knicks President Phil Jackson’s philosophy of
‘one breath, one mind,’” Vaughan-Fier said. “We hope these
tools help student-athletes as they strive to incorporate self-care
practices into daily life.”
According to a 2015 health survey, the top stressors among
Augsburg students are: a death or serious illness of someone
close, conflicts with roommates, parental conflict, and the end of
a personal relationship. Director of the counseling center, Nancy
Guilbeault, said the opportunity to interact with student-athletes
about these and other topics is a proactive way to introduce the
center’s role and resources.
“Mental health and GPA are linked, and they affect your
performance,” she said. “We want to make sure these studentathletes are working on their physical, mental, and spiritual
health and wellbeing. These sessions provide an overview and
tips, but we also encourage them to follow up with one-on-one
or group support.”
22
AUGSBURG NOW
Financial stressors, professional
communications among top concerns
A key barrier to wellness, Guilbeault said, is stress related to
finances—a worry that plagues many students, particularly studentathletes who might not have the time to hold a job or internship.
To build upon the counseling center’s session, Auggie Compass
introduced a practical question-and-answer session with Tommy
Redae ’09 MBA, a treasury management sales consultant and vice
president of Middle Market Banking for Wells Fargo in Minneapolis.
“Talking with upper-class students, I focused on the importance
of budgeting and managing credit for a healthy financial future,”
Redae said. “I shared several of the many online tools and apps to
help them stick to a budget and monitor credit for suspicious or
fraudulent activities.”
Also in the category of practical and purposeful guidance, Auggie
Compass enlisted faculty mentors Carol Enke and Shana Watters to
offer best practices for professional communications. The pair broke
student-athletes into groups to review and assess emails students
sent professors, many of them lacking clarity, starting with an
informal “hey,” or displaying accusatory language.
“Research shows that people read emails more negatively than
intended, and therefore, communicating effectively in this medium
reduces ambiguity and negative perceptions,” Watters said. “The
students did a great job of improving the emails, and we hope
they will apply the guidance we shared to communicate with
professionals now and in the future.”
Program reinforces Augsburg’s mission,
commitment to students
The blend of practical knowledge and conceptual, creative
exploration reflects Augsburg’s care for and commitment to
student-athletes, and it supports community-building across teams
and among coaches, said Swenson. This year, the program added
a track for coaches that focused on situational leadership, social
media training, and a DiSC® behavioral assessment inventory.
“We’re not offering Auggie Compass to check off the ‘personal
development box,’” Swenson said. “The program was developed
by former collegiate players, thinking about what they wished
they would have known, so that our student-athletes can have
more tools to reach for as they strive for success.”
The creation and evolution of Auggie Compass embodies some
of the innovation, self-reflection, and grit the program aims
to instill. Anderson Diercks said organizers continue to have
conversations with student-athletes, alumni, and experts to align
sessions with players’ needs and to reflect the latest trends and
topics. As a former athlete turned furnace-filter-changing adult,
she knows greatness doesn’t come from perfection but from the
drive to keep playing until you get it right.
HOMECOMING
THOUSANDS OF AUGGIES.
ONE AUGSBURG.
Celebrate the first Augsburg University Homecoming
NEW NAME. SAME SCHOOL SPIRIT. Gather among friends to celebrate the memories
and milestones that define your Augsburg experience. Whether it’s to participate in
a reunion, see campus updates firsthand, or cheer on a favorite team, it’s time to
register for this year’s historic Homecoming—the first as Augsburg University.
Interested in organizing
your reunion?
October 13-14
Call the Office of Alumni and Constituent Relations
at 612-330-1085 or email alumni@augsburg.edu.
Find accommodation information, the event schedule, and more at:
augsburg.edu/homecoming
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
s my second
year as Alumni
Board President
comes to a close, I
look back on the past
several months with
gratitude for what
the Alumni Board
has accomplished. We hope you have enjoyed
recent alumni events, both on campus and off.
At the start of my tenure, when I challenged
the Alumni Board to change, not a little, but
a lot, everyone stepped up to the plate and
went to work. Today the board maintains
more committees with fewer people on each,
operates with clearly defined goals for each
committee, and sustains a high level of
engagement. We’ve also partnered with staff
throughout the College to increase the board’s
effectiveness and relevance.
The Alumni Board continues to seek new
pathways to connect with students, whether
through mentoring, visiting classrooms, or
simply sharing tips on LinkedIn. Students
have said they enjoyed taking part in a
Homecoming lunch last fall where they had
the chance to share a table with distinguished
alumni who pursued similar fields of study.
We also held another successful Auggie
Networking Experience in February, and if you
couldn’t make it to campus, you’ll find some
tips for reluctant networkers on page 27.
In June, we transition board leadership. I’d
like to welcome Nick Rathmann ’03 as Alumni
Board President for the 2017-19 term. He
is full of energy, has a passion for Augsburg,
and is a dynamic leader with innovative ideas
to take the Alumni Board even further. He is
the athletic director at The Blake School, a
longtime supporter of Augsburg as a member
of the A-Club, and an all-around amazing
volunteer. The Alumni Board is in great hands
under his leadership.
I’d also like to recognize Greg Schnagl ’91,
who has led our Networking Committee for
the past two years. His passion for creating
meaningful connections between students and
alumni has helped make the Auggie Networking
Experience event bigger and better.
I recently moved away from the Twin Cities
for work, and I am so pleased to see alumni
events scheduled across the U.S. more often.
In the past two years, alumni gatherings
have occurred in Denver, Las Vegas, Raleigh,
Washington, D.C., and other cities. If you’re in
the Minneapolis area, we hope to see you at
some of this summer’s exciting alumni events!
JILL WATSON ’10 MBA, ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
SUMMER
ALUMNI EVENTS
Minnesota United Soccer Night
June 21 | 7 p.m.
Republic
420 SE 23rd Ave., Minneapolis
Meet for an alumni reception at
Republic from 4:30–6:30 p.m.
before taking the light rail to
TCF Bank Stadium for a game.
7 People. 7 Passions. 7 Minutes.
July 7 | 7–9 p.m.
Sisyphus Brewing
712 Ontario Ave. W., Minneapolis
Hear idea-stirring talks from
seven passionate Auggies.
$10 covers your first beverage
and light appetizers.
Auggie Night at Canterbury Park
July 21 | 5:30–7 p.m.
1100 Canterbury Road,
Shakopee, MN
$5 reservation covers a buffet
meal, $5 of Canterbury Currency,
and reserved seating.
Happy Hour Squared
URBAN ARBORETUM
Join the Alumni Board to sponsor a tree
You can help transform Augsburg into an urban arboretum that serves as an educational
and community resource in harmony with the environment.
Join the Alumni Board’s effort to sponsor a tree in the urban arboretum planned for
Augsburg’s campus. The trees selected for this plan will surround the Hagfors Center
for Science, Business, and Religion and include species native to Minnesota. All gift
levels are welcome.
The total cost to sponsor a tree is $25,000, which includes long-term care and
maintenance. Help us reach this goal by December 2018! Visit augsburg.edu/giving for
more information or contact Amanda Scherer, assistant director of leadership gifts, at
scherera@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1720.
24
AUGSBURG NOW
September 5 | 5–7 p.m.
Brave New Workshop
824 Hennepin Ave.,
Minneapolis
Join alumnae business owners
Jenni Lilledahl ’87 and Jacquie
Berglund ’87 for a happy
hour with a purpose. Make
sandwiches for a good cause
and enjoy a FINNEGANS® as
part of Augsburg’s annual City
Service Day.
For more information and registration,
visit augsburg.edu/alumni.
COURTESY PHOTOS
AUGGIES CONNECT
[Top]: Travelers pose at Wat Chedi Luang Temple
in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
TRAVELING WITH
[Far Left–L to R]: Hans Wiersma and Lori
Brandt Hale, Department of Religion faculty
members and trip leaders, pose with Katie
(Koch) Code ’01, director of alumni and
constituent relations.
AUGGIES
This winter, 15 Auggies traveled to
Thailand and Cambodia with Augsburg
College Professor of English Kathy Swanson
and her husband, Jack, as their hosts.
“The trip was beyond amazing,” said
traveler and Alumni Board President Jill
Watson ’10 MBA. “Our hosts, Jack and
Kathy Swanson, have a passion for the
people and culture of Thailand that was
contagious throughout the trip. They
were always willing to share insights,
recommend food (such as sticky rice and
mango at a floating market) and go out
of their way to help others and ensure
everyone was having a great trip.
“Memories that stand out include
the elephant camp in Chiang Mai, Thai
cooking school, Angkor Wat in Siem
Reap, Light for Kids orphanage, and the
food ... all the foods!
“Traveling with fellow Auggies meant I
[Near Right]: Travelers stand in front of the
Castle Church in Germany where Martin Luther
nailed the 95 Theses to the door.
had at least one thing in common with so
many people I had never met before. By
the end of the trip, I had developed new
friendships, and I will be keeping in touch.”
Celebrating Lutheran heritage in
Germany and the Czech Republic
Last fall, another group of Auggies
traveled to the land of Luther to mark
the 500th anniversary of the Protestant
Reformation. Religion Department
faculty members Hans Wiersma and Lori
Brandt Hale led a group of 30 Augsburg
alumni and friends on a multi-city tour
that included Dresden, Prague, and
Wittenberg—the long-time home of
Reformation catalyst Martin Luther.
One of the highlights for Augsburg
Alumni Director Katie (Koch) Code ’01 was
the opportunity to be in Wittenberg on
Reformation Day. The town marked the
occasion with a festival, and the Augsburg
group visited Castle Church where Luther
nailed his 95 Theses to the door.
“At worship that morning we sang, ‘A
Mighty Fortress is our God,’ which took
me back to my Augsburg days enrolled
in the Luther and the Reformers class
with Religion Professor Mark Tranvik,”
Code said.
Minneapolis Star Tribune reporter Jean
Hopfensperger and photographer Jerry
Holt accompanied the group to chronicle
how Minnesotans observed the 500th
anniversary of the Reformation. In a story
published after the group’s return home,
Augsburg alumnae Carol Pfleiderer ’64 and
Kathleen Johnson ’72 described how the trip
itinerary offered participants opportunities
to build and reflect on their faith.
To view trip photos,
visit augsburg.edu/now.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
25
A GIFT FOR
AUGSBURG IN
ROCHESTER
Louise and Regent
Emeritus Leland
“Lee” Sundet will
help Augsburg’s
Rochester site grow thanks to a generous
$1.5 million gift. The Rochester location
attracts more than 350 working professionals
to undergraduate and graduate programs in
business, education, health care, and nursing.
As longtime supporters of Augsburg,
including the Weekend College and Youth and
Family Ministry programs, the Sundets have
used their frugality to benefit others and to
raise the profile of Augsburg. Several years ago,
in an effort to better communicate Augsburg’s
identity locally, Sundet helped form a marketing
committee and was instrumental in choosing a
new logo with a cross embedded in the “A.” He
remains steadfast in his commitment to religion
and religious freedom as essential to
education.
In his 88 years, Lee has never lost
sight of the basics: thrift, generosity,
and faith.
“I also believe in old-fashioned
discipline—‘don’t spend it till you’ve earned
it,’” he said.
Lee learned these principles early, growing
up in Spring Grove, Minnesota, where most
Norwegian-American community members
attended the big Lutheran church. “My father
died when I was six months old, and my mother
PHOTO BY BRENDAN BUSH
PHOTO BY BRENDAN BUSH
AUGGIES CONNECT
was quite ill so she had to sell everything she
had to pay the bills. She got $7.43 a month,
and of that, 74 cents went to the church,” said
Lee, who has embraced tithing ever since.
A retired industrialist and manufacturer,
Lee owned several companies, including
Century Manufacturing, Goodall
Manufacturing, Britt Manufacturing, and
Fountain Industries. His business acumen
earned him such honors as Minnesota’s Small
Business Man of the Year and the University
of Minnesota’s Outstanding Achievement
Award. The couple has sponsored a business
scholarship at Augsburg since 1992.
Overall, the Sundets are impressed by the
potential of Augsburg’s programs in Rochester
and by the work of another community anchor,
Mayo Clinic, which the couple believes shares
their values.
“Augsburg has come a long way, and I
would love to see it grow in Rochester.”
26
AUGSBURG NOW
“I have met people at Mayo who have gone
through the Augsburg program, and I’ve seen
what it’s done for them. It’s a wonderful thing,”
Lee said. “It wasn’t easy to get it started, but
it’s fun to look back on. Augsburg has come
a long way, and I would love to see it grow in
Rochester.”
tips for the reluctant networker
Augsburg College alumna Jenni Lilledahl ’87 was a featured speaker at the Auggie
Networking Experience in February. As co-owner of the sketch and improvisational comedy
theater Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis, Lilledahl brought insight from the improv
world to the crowd of nearly 300 alumni and students meeting to exchange career advice.
No matter their personality or career, Lilledahl said, all people have anxiety about jumping into
new conversations or taking new career paths. Here she shares tips for individuals to jump-start
meaningful conversations and say “yes” to new experiences.
1.
We all get uncomfortable, yet we cannot let this
feeling control us. Instead, we must face our
fears and immerse ourselves in new experiences.
2.
Sometimes saying “yes” is easier than we think.
Don’t rattle off 20 excuses; jump in with an
open mind.
3.
PHOTOS BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
Stop yourself from using the word “but.”
Instead, use the reframing mindset of “yesand” to add something positive to each situation
you are in. Don’t use excuses to squash new ideas,
possibilities, or adventures. Rather, embrace them.
4.
Be intentional about your communication.
Don’t just be there. Be awake, aware, and
connected to the other people in the room.
5.
Have gratitude for the chance to develop
relationships, share ideas, and try new things.
People who create authentic connections with
others are often more successful than those who
possess only technical skills.
Augsburg alumni and students participated in short
improvisational exercises at the event.
with the Young Alumni Council
Auggies who have graduated from any Augsburg degree program
in the past 10 years are invited to join the Young Alumni Council
and help plan year-round activities for recent alumni. In the past,
the Young Alumni Council has organized a Twins game outing, a
financial planning talk and social hour at Summit Brewery, and an
afternoon of ice skating at The Depot in Minneapolis.
For Young Alumni Council Vice President Evan Decker ’12,
taking part in the group provides opportunities to practice valuable
life and business skills that he doesn’t necessarily hone in his day-
to-day work, such as planning meetings and events, communicating
with fellow alumni, speaking to groups, and networking. Serving the
council also is a way to stay engaged with the College.
“Some people feel there aren’t resources for them after
graduation, and that couldn’t be further from the truth,” Decker
said. “This group is here to help bridge that gap.”
To join the Young Alumni Council,
visit augsburg.edu/alumni.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
27
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1961
Last year, First
Lutheran Church in
Red Wing, Minnesota, recognized
Arlan Johnson ’61 for 50 years
of service to its choir as a singer
and director. While a student at
Augsburg, Johnson played in
the band for four years and sang
in the choir for two years. He
enjoyed tours with the band and
choir in the Pacific Northwest,
and in 1960 he participated in
an extended Alaskan band trip
to the Anchorage Music Festival.
After graduating from Augsburg,
he completed his education
requirements, student taught at
Braham (Minnesota) Area High
School with Herman Aune ’50,
and finished a second major in
biology. Johnson taught band
and vocal music in Stewart,
Minnesota, and elementary, junior
high, and middle school band in
Red Wing until his retirement. He
and his wife, Phyllis, continue to
live in Red Wing.
1967
5 0-Y E AR RE UNI ON
HOMECOMING 2017
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Sandra Olmsted ’69 retires after
serving Augsburg since 1978. See page 2.
1971
Darrell Skogen ’71
retired after teaching
for 46 years. He spent the
past 41 years at St. MichaelAlbertville High School in
Minnesota. Skogen is the
longest-tenured employee in the
history of the school district. He
taught classes such as AP World
History and AP U.S. History.
Skogen continues to instruct
part-time at the high school
and records stats for its football
program. He says that the
school’s Class 5A football state
championship victory in 2015
was the first in his 50 years
walking the sidelines.
1974
Dr. Subhashchandra
“Pat” Patel ’74 and
Annette (Hanson) Patel ’73
donated their dental clinics
in Clarkfield and Cottonwood,
Minnesota, to Open Door Health
Center of Mankato. Open Door will
run satellite dental clinics in the
towns. Pat retired in June 2016.
Associate Professor of Music
Peter Hendrickson ’76 retires
after teaching at Augsburg for more
than two decades. See page 2.
1977
40- YE A R R E U N I O N
HOMECOMING 2017
In August, Neil Paulson ’77 was
elected state committeeman for
the Republican Party in Orange
County, Florida.
for Advanced Science and
Technology.
1979
1990
Walter Ohrbom ’79
earned a doctorate
in chemistry from North Dakota
State University after graduating
from Augsburg. He retired from
BASF as a senior research
associate with more than 120
U.S. patents. Over the years,
he and his wife, Patricia, have
traveled around the world to
backpack, bike, canoe, and
scuba dive.
Athletic Director Jeff Swenson ’79
draws connections between
student athletes’ time on campus and
leadership roles after graduation. See
page 18.
1988
Kiel Christianson ’88
was promoted to
full professor in the Department
of Educational Psychology
at the University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign, where he
conducts research on language
processing, reading, and
bilingualism. He is associate
chair of the department, as well
as leader of the Educational
Psychology Psycholinguistics
Lab and co-chair of the Illinois
Language and Literacy Initiative,
both in the Beckman Institute
In July, Karen Jean
Reed ’90, a music
therapy major, was honored
with the President’s Award at
the Southern California First
Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction
Church Of God in Christ 50th
State Women’s Convention,
held in Palm Desert, California.
She also was nominated for
the 50 Women of Excellence
honor for her exemplary service
and outstanding achievement
in music and administrative
service in local, church,
district, regional, and state
positions. Reed has excelled in
music as a gospel saxophonist
and in women’s ministry. She
was recognized for exemplary
service by Barbara McCoo
Lewis, the assistant general
supervisor of the Church of God
in Christ International. Reed
serves as the assistant regional
missionary for the Santa
Barbara region and also works
with youth. Professionally, she
is a program director at the
Department of State HospitalsCoalinga, overseeing the
treatment of sexually violent
predators. She is the author of
“Music is the Master Key.”
AUGGIES NEAR AND FAR
[L to R]: Sociology Professor Tim Pippert and
Torstenson Scholars Ellen Sachs ’17, Emily
Campbell ’17, and Jen Kochaver ’19 meet with
Mark Johnson ’75 on campus. [Not pictured]:
Torstenson Scholar Mark Daniels ’17.
28
AUGSBURG NOW
Last fall, metro-urban studies alumnus Mark Johnson ’75 invited
Sociology Professor Tim Pippert to the remote country of Vanuatu
in the South Pacific. The pair distributed solar lights donated by
Johnson to villages on the island of Tanna, which in 2015 suffered
widespread destruction due to Hurricane Pam. For Pippert, the
trip was an adventure of a lifetime and an opportunity to observe
the relationships Johnson has developed with local people over the
course of several previous trips.
The connection between Johnson and Pippert was built, in part,
through their involvement with Augsburg’s Torstenson Community
Scholars program that supports undergraduate research. Since
2015, Johnson has funded research opportunities for Auggies engaged in the program, which
is named in memory of Professor Joel Torstenson ’38, a founder of Augsburg’s Department
of Sociology. This February, four Torstenson Scholars traveled with Pippert to North Dakota’s
Bakken oilfield region to assess how residents have been impacted by oil exploration.
From the Auggie Connections blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
1992
2 5-Y EA R RE UNI ON
HOMECOMING 2017
Scott Peterson ’92 has accepted
a call to be the pastor at
Lutheran Church in the Foothills
in La Cañada, California. After
living in Canada for more than
17 years, Peterson has returned
to the U.S. to continue ministry
within the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America.
1993
Chad Shilson ’93
is the Minnesota
women’s wrestling director for
USA Wrestling. He has completed
his 100th marathon and qualified
for his fourth Boston Marathon.
Marathon running has taken him
to 36 states, including 29 states
in the past two years. A dedicated
daily runner, Shilson has run at
least one mile per day for more
than six years.
1996
Stephanie Harms ’96
and Kristin (Young)
Miller ’91 are helping change the
nation’s response to vulnerable
individuals and families through
their work in the supportive
housing movement. Both
Auggies work at CSH, a national
nonprofit organization that
connects housing with services
for vulnerable populations. Based
in New York City, Miller leads a
successful CSH program that
assists communities throughout
New York, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania. Harms serves
as chief operating officer and
leads CSH’s communications,
administrative, talent, and
human resource efforts. CSH has
ended veteran homelessness in
several communities throughout
the U.S., created more than
100,000 homes for individuals
and families, and changed public
systems to address the root
conditions that create turmoil in
the lives of vulnerable individuals
and families.
’05
’03
1999
Peter Durow ’99 has
been commissioned
by the American Choral Directors
Association of Minnesota for the
2018 ACDA-MN State 4-5-6 Girls’
Honor Choir. ACDA-MN has been
committed to commissioning
new choral works for all-state
and honor choirs from Minnesota
composers each year since 1975.
Durow serves as visiting director
of choral activities at St. Cloud
State University.
’67
Juliane Derry ’00 blends
science with artistry and
research with intuition as a historic
materials conservator. See page 8.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
Andrea (Carlson) Conway ’05 and Riley
Conway ’05 welcomed a son, Soren Jon, in
December. Soren is the grandson of Jon Carlson ’79
and great-grandson of Jeroy Carlson ’48.
Golf Association and president of Women in the
Golf Industry. She also wrote an e-book titled,
“Hit It, Alice! A Woman’s Golf Guide to Everything
But the Swing.”
Barb (Walen) Hanson ’67 became
president of the Minnesota Golf
Association at its annual meeting in November.
She is the first woman to serve in this role. Since
retiring from her teaching career, Hanson has
been actively involved in the golf world, having
served as president of the Minnesota Women’s
Paul Putt ’03, ’15 MAE and his wife, Katie,
celebrated the birth of a son, Theodore
Howard, in October.
’05
’67
’03
Pete Pfeffer ’87, who holds a Doctor of
Chiropractic degree, and his daughter,
Maggie, served on a chiropractic and medical
’87
’87
mission team in Kimana, Kenya. The team
provided care and education to hundreds of
Maasai villagers living in bomas and orphanages
in an underserved area. Pete and his brother,
Mike Pfeffer ’92, jointly own and serve as
chiropractors for a HealthSource Chiropractic
and Progressive Rehabilitation Clinic in
Alexandria, Minnesota. In addition to private
practice, Pete has taken on a national role with
the HealthSource Corporation to provide training
in technique and rehabilitation procedures for
new franchises.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
29
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Mathematics and Statistics
Instructor Alyssa Hanson ’01
is honored with a Distinguished
Contributions to Teaching and
Learning award. See page 7.
2002
JCI Minnesota
(formerly Minnesota
Jaycees) selected Katie
Lindenfelser ’02, founder of
Crescent Cove, as one of the Ten
Outstanding Young Minnesotans
for 2016. The mission of
Crescent Cove is to offer care
and support to young people
with a shortened life expectancy
and their families. The vision
of Crescent Cove is to build
and operate the first residential
children’s hospice and respite
care home in the Midwest.
Started in 1950, the Ten
Outstanding Young Minnesotans
honor is Minnesota’s only
statewide recognition program
for outstanding young leaders
ages 18-40 who have devoted
themselves to improving their
communities. The program
acknowledges the efforts
and accomplishments of
young adults who contribute
to Minnesota through their
service, thought and influence,
community involvement, or
entrepreneurship.
2003
Reginaldo HaslettMarroquin ’03
published “In the Shadow
of Green Man.” The book,
published by Acres USA,
chronicles Haslett-Marroquin’s
upbringing in revolution-torn
Guatemala and how he built his
vision to develop a regenerative
farming model that uplifts
individuals and communities.
Throughout the book, he shares
the fable of the Green Man, a
tiny and wise Guatemalan folk
character whose stories teach
the importance of respecting
the natural world. HaslettMarroquin is chief strategy
officer for Main Street Project,
based in Northfield, Minnesota.
Haslett-Marroquin has
served as a consultant for the
United Nations Development
Program’s Bureau for Latin
America and as an advisor to
the World Council of Indigenous
People. He was a founding
member of the Fair Trade
Federation, and was Director
of the Fair Trade Program for
the Institute for Agriculture
and Trade Policy from 1995 to
1998. He also led the creation,
strategic positioning, startup,
and launch of Peace Coffee,
a Minnesota-based fair-trade
coffee company.
Samuel Gross ’03 designs new
university logo. See page 12.
2007
10-YEAR REUNION
HOMECOMING 2017
Mike Matson ’07 helps teach
student-athletes how to engage
in difficult conversations. See page 18.
Jenessa Payano Stark ’07 began
a Master of Science in Nursing
program at Yale University this
past fall. She is studying in Yale’s
Nurse-Midwifery/Women’s Health
Nurse Practitioner program. She
received a prestigious National
Health Service Corps Scholarship
that pays her tuition and fees,
and defrays her living expenses
for three years in exchange for
future service in an area with a
shortage of health professionals.
2011
Dan Skaarup ’11
and Casey (Ernst)
Skaarup ’11 welcomed a
daughter, Eowyn River, to the
world in December.
Laura Schmidt ’11 and Sarah
Witte ’12 launched a nonprofit,
spiritually based community
called Intertwine Northeast. The
group’s mission is to be “made
and moved by story, convinced
by compassion, always in
process, and about questions,
not answers.”
Mike Gallagher ’12 shares life
lessons with current students.
See page 18.
2014
Composer and
percussionist Zack
Baltich ’14 was featured in
the 2017 Cedar Commissions.
Baltich’s piece “ingress/passage”
used contact microphones
and uncommon performance
techniques on marimba, glass
bottles, and other found objects.
The Cedar Commissions
(formerly the 416 Commissions)
is a flagship program for
emerging artists made possible
with a grant from the Jerome
Foundation and has showcased
new work by more than 30
emerging composers and
musicians.
Catherine Colsrud ’14 was one
of 25 leaders who participated
in the eighth cohort of the
Native Nation Rebuilders
Program sponsored by the
Native Governance Center
and the Bush Foundation.
Representatives from 12 Native
nations from Minnesota, North
Dakota, and South Dakota were
selected for the Rebuilders
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
Kathleen (Watson) Bradbury ’12 and
Krissy Bradbury ’12 welcomed Peter
Gene to their family.
’12
Beckie Jackson ’10 received a
Fulbright Distinguished Award in
Teaching and is one of approximately 45
U.S. citizens traveling abroad through
the program in 2016-17. In January,
she headed to Botswana to spend five
months conducting educational research.
Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected
’10
30
AUGSBURG NOW
on the basis of academic and professional
achievement, as well as demonstrated
leadership potential. Jackson teaches at
Moose Lake High School in Moose Lake,
Minnesota.
Nick Rathmann ’03 and wife, Shannon,
welcomed a daughter, Finley Grace, in
November.
’03
’11
Several Augsburg College alumni serve
as tutors and coaches with Minnesota
Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps.
Tutors pledge one year of service in schools
to help children become proficient readers
by the end of third grade and proficient in
math by the end of eighth grade. [L to R]:
Charmaine Bell ’11, Kathleen Abel ’76,
Joaquin Vences ’16, Kacie Carlsted ’15,
Christine Fankhanel ’02, Amy Riebs ’18 MAE,
and Alicia (Oppelt) Musselman ’14.
’91
Nancy Palmer ’91 joined the
Minnesota Reading Corps September
Program as a leadership component of a
larger initiative to support tribes as they
strengthen their governing capabilities.
Colsrud serves the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
as the commissioner of administration, chief
of staff, and acting commissioner of natural
resources. Native Governance Center and
Bush Foundation Rebuilders convened for
four structured sessions during which they
developed action plans to share knowledge
with peers and their respective tribal
governments.
’12
’10
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Nursing Department Chair Joyce Miller ’02,
’05 MAN, ’11 DNP earns a Distinguished
Contributions to Teaching and Learning award. See
page 7.
Tommy Redae ’09 MBA helps Auggies prepare
for a healthy financial future. See page 18.
Rochelle Fischer ’14 MSW became a hospital
administrator at Anoka-Metro Regional
Treatment Center in January. For the past
four years, she has been an assistant
program director at the Minnesota Security
Hospital in St. Peter, Minnesota, providing
day-to-day operational and administrative
leadership for persons with complex
behavioral health symptoms.
’03
’11
Dan Klein ’15 MBA and Kaitlin (Astleford)
Klein were married February 25 in
Hollywood, Florida.
Nicole (Egly) Olson ’15 MBA and Mark Olson
were married February 24 in Playa del
Carmen, Mexico.
Institute and tutors students in kindergarten
through third grade.
’91
Chris Stedman ’08, an interfaith
activist and author, is joining Augsburg
this spring as a fellow serving the Sabo
Center for Democracy and Citizenship where
he will facilitate and build new community
partnerships for non-religious and interfaith
civic engagement. Stedman also will consult
on the development of interfaith engagement
programs at Augsburg.
’08
’08
31
HEALING WATERS
’68
Jason Kusiak ’08 spends late winter
and early spring long-lining for cod and
haddock, and most of the year catching
lobster. Fishing in long-established seaports
near Gloucester, Massachusetts, gives
Kusiak an appreciation for the area’s rich
history and a healthy respect for those who
made a living fishing the Atlantic in earlier
times. “With fishing,” he said, “you can see
the direct result of your work ethic.”
Today Kusiak recognizes that his
entrepreneurial inclination was shaped by
Assistant Professor of Business John Cerrito
and former staff member Peggy Cerrito, and
that his drive for continual personal growth
was influenced by his involvement in StepUP®, the College’s residential collegiate
recovery community. While at Augsburg, Kusiak found that the College’s
commitment to building strong community connections and emphasis on
learning through experience resonated with him. He now seeks out opportunities
to interact with new people, to give back, and to offer hope to individuals and
families who struggle with substance abuse. He’s driven to invest in the future of
his business and his community.
’78
From the Auggie Connections blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
’83
[L to R]: This fall, Lutheran
Immigration and Refugee
Service President Linda Hartke met
with former U.S. Secretary of State
Madeleine Albright and the Rev. Mark
Hanson ’68, former presiding bishop
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America, at the LIRS Walk of Courage
Award Gala. Albright and Hanson
were honored at the event for their
commitments to furthering equity for
all people.
’68
’71
Actor and performing arts
educator Luverne Seifert ’83 won
a $25,000 fellowship from the William
and Eva Fox Foundation. He is part of
a national cohort of artists supported
by the foundation, which underwrites
training and career development for
performers. The support will enable
Seifert to deeply explore his art and
travel to France and Switzerland. In the
past 25 years, he has acted at theaters
in the Twin Cities and across the U.S.
’83
’05
[L to R]: Margaret Marx ’78,
Margo Casey ’78, and Cathy
(Kaiser) Bloomquist ’78, all members
of the original second step Bachelor
of Science in Nursing program at
’78
’06
32
AUGSBURG NOW
Augsburg, continue their friendship
today. The women gathered in
Scandia, Minnesota, in September,
and they share this photo as
a reminder of the second step
program’s impact on the nursing
profession in Minnesota.
Bob Stacke ’71 received an
award from the Somali Museum
of Minnesota on the occasion of
the museum’s third anniversary last
October. Stacke has provided music
and photography services to the
museum since its inception.
’71
Janeece (Adams) Oatman ’05,
an Augsburg Alumni Board
member, and Jim Gross, associate
provost for academic innovation
and strategic initiatives, were part of
the Auggie team at the Rochester,
Minnesota, Tour de Cure in October.
’05
Missy (Gaulke) Wilson ’06 completed
her first Ragnar trail race and
’06 her third Ragnar overall race in
September. She ran 15.2 miles on the
Ragnar Trail Northwoods - WI in the
Ragnar relay.
Helen M. (Anderson) Johnson ’40,
Hallock, Minnesota, age 96, on
September 4.
Eleanor C. (Christenson) Kline ’44,
Minneapolis, age 93, on May 31.
Marvin W. Johnson ’45,
Rochester, Minnesota, age 93,
on November 28.
Olav Overold ’45, Cando, North
Dakota, age 103, on January 23.
Bonnie J. (Sorem) Anderson ’46,
Cedar Falls, Iowa, age 92, on
December 7.
Delpha M. (Randklev) Berg ’47,
Grand Forks, North Dakota, age
91, on September 12.
Ray E. Gerlinger ’49, Overland
Park, Minnesota, age 93, on
December 4.
Theodore C. Nystuen ’49, Altoona,
Wisconsin, age 94, on January 19.
Lorraine G. V. (Lundh) Qual ’49,
Lisbon, North Dakota, age 93, on
October 4.
Joan L. (Sears) Ryden ’49, Cedar
Hill, Texas, age 91, on October 18.
Phebe D. (Dale) Hanson ’50,
Minneapolis, age 88, on
December 16.
Evelyn I. (Shelstad) Kriesel ’50,
Alamo, Texas, age 88, on
September 21.
Rhonda M. (Hektner) Lybeck ’50,
Fargo, North Dakota, age 88, on
January 29.
Daniel Nelson ’50, Spicer,
Minnesota, age 90, on
February 14.
Melvin E. Vigen ’50, Irving, Texas,
age 88, on September 26.
Arvild T. Jacobson ’51, Sun City,
Arizona, age 93, on November 26.
Donald H. Olson ’51, Henderson,
Nevada, age 87, on December 19.
Robert “Bob” R. Hage ’52,
Hector, Minnesota, age 88, on
December 16.
William “Bill” J. Kuross ’52,
Hopkins, Minnesota, age 87, on
January 31.
Charlotte M. (Kleven) Rimmereid ’52,
St. Paul, age 86, on December 29.
Roger V. Anderson ’53, Ottawa,
Ontario, age 86, on February 11.
Joan J. (Johnson) Kuder ’53,
Williams Bay, Wisconsin, age 86,
on December 19.
Harry E. Olson ’53, Apopka,
Florida, age 84, on October 7.
Nola E. (Bengtson) Studer ’53,
Bemidji, Minnesota, age 85, on
September 5.
Donna R. (Osland) Gaines ’54,
Laguna Hills, California, age 84,
on September 17.
Ruth M. (Pousi) Ollila ’54,
Minneapolis, age 84, on
February 14.
Betty J. (Dyrud) Oudal ’54,
Rochester, Minnesota, age 85, on
December 31.
Arlene V. (Tollefson) Paulson ’54,
Lake Oswego, Oregon, age 89, on
September 20.
Gary R. Rust ’54, Burnsville,
Minnesota, age 85, on October 12.
Robert “Bob” E. Twiton ’54,
Brainerd, Minnesota, age 84, on
February 26.
Theodore “Ted” S. Berkas ’56,
Minneapolis, age 88, on
January 15.
Robert A. Fundingsland ’65,
St. Louis Park, Minnesota, age
73, on September 19.
Sanford E. Egesdal ’56, Minneapolis,
age 82, on October 3.
Marie D. (Hafie) MacNally ’65,
Minneapolis, on November 7.
Robert A. Roos ’56, Robbinsdale,
Minnesota, age 86, on
September 3.
Dale H. Peterson ’69, Sapulpa,
Oklahoma, age 69, on
November 27.
Merlin J. White ’56, Fridley,
Minnesota, age 86, on
September 8.
Anita M. (Lindquist) King ’70,
Pella, Iowa, age 68, on
September 1.
Raymond Seaver ’57, Fergus
Falls, Minnesota, age 82, on
December 5.
Chuck S. Marsh ’73, Puyallup,
Washington, age 65, on
November 14.
Robert H. Gustafson ’59,
Cambridge, Minnesota, age 84,
on January 28.
Colleen M. (Brown) Olson ’74,
Shakopee, Minnesota, age 63, on
August 20.
John P. Martisen ’59, Minneapolis,
age 81, on August 30.
Sheila M. (Conway) Kortuem ’84,
St. Peter, Minnesota, age 76, on
August 26.
Lloyd H. Reichstadt ’59, Flagstaff,
Arizona, age 84, on November 21.
Paul C. Casperson ’60, Dallas,
Texas, age 77, on January 31.
Wayne R. Juntunen ’60, Esko,
Minnesota, age 83, on
December 5.
Karen O. (Egesdal) Trelstad ’61,
Red Wing, Minnesota, age 79, on
November 30.
Coralyn J. (Lunsted) Bryan ’62,
Minneapolis, age 77, on
October 25.
Joshua B. Lerman ’08, Louisville,
Kentucky, age 33, on
November 18.
Angel G. Rodriguez ’15,
Minneapolis, age 25, on January 3.
Tyler G. Kotewa ’17, Fairmont,
Minnesota, age 25, on
December 7.
Mark A. DiCastri ’18, Minneapolis,
age 29, on February 27.
Clair A. Johannsen ’62,
Hagerstown, Maryland, age 79,
on February 10.
Paul W. Anderson ’63, Moorhead,
Minnesota, age 77, on January 31.
Gaylen K. Heggen ’63, Cottage
Grove, Minnesota, age 75, on
October 26.
The “In memoriam” listings in this
publication include notifications
received before March 15.
SPRING–SUMMER 2017
33
PHOTO BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
IN MEMORIAM
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY PERRY
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Steve Wozniak inspires Auggies to ‘Learn Different’
Apple, Inc. co-founder Steve Wozniak engaged the Augsburg community in a conversation that emphasized the
importance of creativity, education, and innovation in an increasingly connected world. Wozniak launched Apple with
Steve Jobs in 1976, revolutionizing the personal computer industry. Wozniak’s visit took place this winter during
Scholarship Weekend, an opportunity for prospective students to compete for Fine Arts and Honors scholarships.
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Twin Cities, MN
Permit No. 2031
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Title
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Murphy Square 2017: Murphy Square Visual Art and Literary Magazine
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Literary Journals
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MURPHY SQUARE VISUAL ART
& LITERARY MAGAZINE
ISSUE 42, 2017
EDITORIAL BOARD
Malena Larsen, Editor In Chief
Abigail Tetzlaff, Associate Editor
Audrey Campbell, Art & Layout Editor
Cassie Dong, Art Editor
Jazmin Crittenden, Art Editor
Elisabeth Beam, Prose Editor
Abigail Carpenter, Prose Ed...
Show more
MURPHY SQUARE VISUAL ART
& LITERARY MAGAZINE
ISSUE 42, 2017
EDITORIAL BOARD
Malena Larsen, Editor In Chief
Abigail Tetzlaff, Associate Editor
Audrey Campbell, Art & Layout Editor
Cassie Dong, Art Editor
Jazmin Crittenden, Art Editor
Elisabeth Beam, Prose Editor
Abigail Carpenter, Prose Editor
Ryan Moore, Prose Editor
Gabriel Benson, Poetry Editor
Danny Polaschek, Poetry Editor
Cary Waterman, Advisor
2
WITH THANKS TO
Ivy Arts Copy and Print
Augsburg College Student Government
Augsburg College English Department
Augsburg College Art Department
The Echo
Augsburg Honors Program
QPA
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
What Type of Black Girl Are You? Nikkyra Whittaker ........................................................................... 8
Simul Justus et Peccator, Andy Anderson .......................................................................................... 11
Queer, Eve Taft ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Jesus in a Cracker, A.Tetzlaff ................................................................................................................ 14
Grey Cloud Island, David Baboila ......................................................................................................... 17
Saint Paul Airport, David Baboila .......................................................................................................... 18
White Bear Lake, David Baboila ............................................................................................................ 19
Zips Coliseum, David Baboila ............................................................................................................... 20
Bridge, Jacob J. Miller ............................................................................................................................ 21
50 Feet Tall, Emilie Tomas ...................................................................................................................... 25
Meow, Ashley Waalen ............................................................................................................................ 26
Mousetrap, Halle Chambers .................................................................................................................. 27
Faces, Constance Klippen ..................................................................................................................... 29
I Don’t Always Feel Colored, Diamonique Walker ............................................................................... 30
Where I am From, Hannah Schmit ......................................................................................................... 32
Who Am I?, Ashley Waalen .................................................................................................................... 34
2
Gratitude, D.E Green ..............................................................................................................................
CSBR, Gabriel Bergstrom ......................................................................................................................
The Fire, Elisabeth Beam ........................................................................................................................
Desert Drums, Abigail Carpenter ..........................................................................................................
Colors, Hannah Schmit ...........................................................................................................................
Urban Delight, Jazmin Crittenden .........................................................................................................
When Dad Wore Cologne, A. Tetzlaff ....................................................................................................
Shitty Christmas Trees, Elisabeth Beam ...............................................................................................
Summer Nights, Adam Ruff ...................................................................................................................
36
38
39
41
42
43
44
46
48
The People United, Adam Ruff .............................................................................................................. 49
After the Hike, Adam Ruff ..................................................................................................................... 50
Crumbs, Malena Larsen ......................................................................................................................... 51
Bloomed, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................................................... 55
Pruned, Audrey Campbell ...................................................................................................................... 56
Herman, Danny Polaschek ................................................................................................................... 57
El Barrio Suyo, Chad Berryman ............................................................................................................. 60
The Neighborhood, Chad Berryman ..................................................................................................... 61
Odyssey, Eve Taft .................................................................................................................................... 62
Postcards From My Bedroom, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................. 63
Postcards From My Bedroom, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................. 64
Counting Sheep, Danny Polaschek ...................................................................................................... 65
3
Sky Nights, Keeyonna Fox ...................................................................................................................... 67
Inner Self, Keeyonna Fox ....................................................................................................................... 68
Victory of the People, Petra S. Shaffer-Gottschalk ............................................................................. 69
An Open Letter to the Un-specials, Halle Chambers ...........................................................................76
Sorex Palustris, Emilie Tomas ................................................................................................................. 79
Woodsy Adam Ruff, Gabriel Bergstrom .................................................................................................. 80
Words, Malena Larsen ................................................................................................................................. 81
Malcom, Danny Polaschek ....................................................................................................................... 83
DRIVING AT ZERO ONE, John Herbert ................................................................................................... 85
DRIVING AT ZERO TWO, John Herbert ................................................................................................... 86
Placemakers, Diamonique Walker ........................................................................................................ 87
A Necessary Evil Thing Considered in any Light, Jacob J. Miller ....................................................... 88
1
WHAT TYPE OF BLACK GIRL ARE YOU?
Nikkyra Whittaker
On the spectrum of being black and female, we can
only be what we appear to be. Take this quiz to find
out what kind of black girl you really are!
1. You’re listening to the radio on the way to Target.
You’re playing…
a. Beyonce’s “****Flawless”
b. Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen” or “You Belong With
Me” or “Wildest Dreams”
c. Chris Brown’s “Loyal”
d. Keri Hilson’s “Pretty Girl Rock”
2. It’s your day off work. What will you be doing?
a. Blowing off steam on Facebook.
b. Watching old episodes of One Tree Hill
c. Out for drinks and scoping eye candy
d. Talking shit with the ladies while drinking Moscato!
3. What’s your dream home like?
a. Full of books on systemic oppression
b. Beverly Hills penthouse
c. Some big shot rapper’s mansion
d. Spacious New York Loft
8
4. Your favorite TV show is…
a. Docu-series on race
b. Sex in the City
c. Bad Girls Club
d. Love and Hip Hop
5. Finally, who’s your favorite female icon from this
list?
a. Angela Davis
b. Taylor Swift
c. New York from I Love New York
d. Nicki Minaj
Tally up how many of each letter you got and turn
the page to find out who you really are!
If you got mostly a’s...You’re an Angry Black Girl!
Congratulations, you loud-mouthed, anger filled
home-girl! I’m guessing there’s always some reason
to be mad at someone, isn’t there? Do you just spend
your days in a perpetual state of rage, angry at the
world for reasons they don’t find important? Do you
find yourself constantly snapping your fingers in
that z-formation, pursing your lips at anyone who
steps in your way? I bet people are telling you to
just be quiet, huh? I mean, what issues could you, a
black female, possibly have? Why should you care
that your high school English teacher gives you a
C+ on your essay because she thinks you copied
it from the white man online? Why does it matter
that your male co-worker at Target constantly teases
you about your nappy hair, calling it a “brillo pad,”
“cheeto puff,” or some other clever name? None of
this should anger you! Be aware, you sassy Sapphire,
in this world, your anger means nothing.
If you got mostly b’s...You’re an Oreo!
You grew up watching Lizzie McGuire and
listening to Aaron Carter. You straightened your
hair from the moment you were old enough to assert
yourself and cried when it wouldn’t lay flat. Your
friends were always shocked to see you bring collard
greens and jambalaya to lunch so you stopped eating
your favorite foods. They didn’t understand why
you couldn’t just brush your hair, wash your hair
everyday, why it suddenly grew or shrunk inches
overnight. I’m certain you’ve heard from many of
your friends how they just don’t see you as a black
girl. They erase your black skin because it doesn’t fit
the images of other black girls they see. You spend
most of your time edging away from the loud black
girls, the ghetto black girls who ate hot cheetos and
drank kool aid and had corn rows and long braids
and smelled like a mix of the jungle and your
ancestors pain and you wished, maybe for a just a
moment, but you did wish that you could be white.
But honey, you can never wash off that melanin! It’s
a permanent stain. Just because your friends can’t
see the black on you, it doesn’t mean the rest of the
world can’t.
9
If you got mostly c’s...You’re a Hip Hop Ho!
You sexual deviant you! Let me guess—big
breasts, small waist, and wide hips? You’ve got that
original Betty Boop to you, something in your eyes
that say yes to a question no one bothers to ask.
You’re the black girl that white guys use as a notch
in their belt. You are the exotic sexual being that
men love to hate and hate to love. You became a
sexual thing at a young age, when your breasts came
in at ten years old and became d-cups at fourteen.
They started looking at you differently, didn’t they?
Your eyes stopped existing. Your words didn’t matter.
Your body became the tool used to diminish your
worth. How often did you get yelled at in school to
put on something less revealing than your shorts?
Did you ever wonder why the skinny, flat-assed white
girls were never told the same thing? Honey, your
wide hips wrapped in chocolate skin were never
yours. You will never be yours.
10
If you got mostly d’s...You’re a Ghetto Fabulous Black Girl!
You make what little money you can working at
Walmart or doing nails. You make people waiting at
the bus stop with you uncomfortable with your loud
laughter and yellow and pink braids and long, bedazzled nails. You toss your weave around, remove
your earrings, and square up to anyone that says shit
about you. When you’re out, you are often told to
stop yelling, screaming, taking up space. You’ve got
baby daddy problems and you’re only 18. You grew
up playing double dutch in the middle of the street
with old rope. You accept your black, your ghetto,
your Ebonics. But you are not supposed to accept
yourself, honey! Don’t you see the fashion police
spreads in the magazines? You are on all the pages!
Don’t show your hips. Put on a shirt that conceals
your stomach. Put your breasts away. Don’t wear
bright lipstick. Stop standing out, being different.
Get smaller, quieter, lesser, as you are supposed to
be. You love your black too loudly and it makes
others uncomfortable. Your job is to make people
comfortable so do your best to limit the loudness of
your melanin.
simul justus et peccator
andy anderson
11
QUEER
Eve Taft
You think there isn’t a sign on my ribs that says
“stonewall inn”?
You think Matthew Shepard doesn’t tug at my hair
and warn me
as I walk the streets of my city?
You think I don’t choke on the smoke
from the hellfire you spit from your pulpits
with sparks that sear and heat branding
irons
which scar your names on me to mark me as
danger?
You think my veins don’t shiver
when they think
of the devastation
wracking the cities
that some called deliverance
while Reagan fiddled
as we burned
You think that the prisons
pink triangles
asylums
bullets spitting into a nightclub
don’t whisper in my head as I make my
way through the world?
12
You think that I don’t notice—
I kiss her
and kiss her
—the headline blowing by with a death toll
and I kiss her
the skyline splashing out behind us
the lights on the Washington Avenue bridge flicker
on and I kiss her
Putin criminalizes us, across the
world
I kiss her
Vigils held too late for young suicides
Corrupting, perverted, disgusting, an affront to
family values—
I kiss her
in the rain and the sleet of Minnesota
I kiss her, our lips tasting of chants from the protest
that shut down I-94
handed down from our grandmothers
hearts beating, eyes sparkling, alive
I kiss her
You think I forget the lists and the candles and the
deaths and the pain and
all that roars in my ears is a chorus
screaming over and over again
you were not able to kill us
I kiss her
and all is still
13
JESUS IN A CRACKER
A. Tetzlaff
Eucharist
I hugged my father’s black, pleated pants while
we waited for mass to start. He was beaming proudly and chatting with the rest of our family. I wore
the only dress I allowed to touch my body: by then
it was a year old and from my uncle’s wedding when
I walked down the aisle carrying a bouquet, looking
like a blonde deer caught in front of a semi truck.
It had a black velvet top connected to a white skirt.
All the girls wore white. My parents cut their losses.
All the boys, shirt and tie. Eight-year-olds taking
their first communion despite the fact that most of
us had no idea what was happening. Understanding the sacraments isn’t really necessary when you
grow up in a Catholic family. By the time you are
aware of your burden, it’s too late anyway. Religion
lived at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, in Green Bay,
Wisconsin. Between church and home, I lived in a
realm of contradiction. I came to visit religion, but
it never went home with me. On Sundays when the
game was in town, God would not judge you for
wearing your Packer jersey to church. Sinning was
bad, but you could tailgate and drink and carouse to
your heart’s content. We should have taken beer at
14
that first communion. We would have appreciated it
more than the wine. We took our places in the ritual
that had been performed again and again. The
time-worn ritual begins anew as I walk to the altar
with my hands folded in front of me. I must remember to raise my hands high enough so the rheumatic
priest doesn’t have to bend down. Right hand over
left. I’m a blonde deer again.
“The body of Christ.” This is the part where
I say, “Amen,” whether I mean it or not, then
put the communion wafer in my mouth. I must
cross myself (right hand touching head, then left
shoulder, then right shoulder) as I walk back up the
aisle and toward my family. They liked to sit in the
middle section, never too close to the altar. They
didn’t like making direct eye-contact with the priest
during his homily. To this day I skip the wine for
fear of communicable diseases. It stuck to the roof
of my mouth, this first communion wafer. It was
stale. There was no substance. Maybe the parched
flour and water, mixed with the lingering incense is
actually what Jesus tastes like. The absorbent clump
lasted into the next hymn. Saliva rushed into my
mouth and eventually the wafer, heavy with mois-
ture, fell from the roof of my mouth. I swallowed
without chewing.
Just go with it, I told myself. All these people
believe in this, so one day, you will too. But I wasn’t
sure. I didn’t get it. The power that kept me from
running back up the aisle wasn’t the love of God
gently pushing me along, but the ritual itself, and the
expectation of my parents and grandparents watching proud and probably dewy-eyed as I joined their
ranks. Hugs and smiles and congratulations as my
family comes out of the first communion Mass, but
I wasn’t sure what was such cause for celebration; I
hadn’t had a great epiphany about God, nor had I
felt any change at all. It was just like every Sunday
late in October.
head and tell me I was forgiven. “Sometimes, I’m
not very nice to my mom or my brother,” I told him.
Navitity didn’t own a confessional booth like the
ones in movies. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen
a confessional booth at any Catholic church outside
the movies. We sat quietly in a tiny room. Being
small for my age, I circled the air below me with
my feet. I sat facing him directly. He crossed his legs
under the cassock he wore, clearly annoyed. After a
silence and a slow nod, the priest said, “Sometimes,
we hurt the people we love the most.” It was the
only part I heard or remember hearing; he started
talking about God’s forgiveness, I assume. I didn’t
pay attention, because I didn’t feel different after
admitting such a pitiful sin.
Marriage
I had no ill-feeling toward the physical place
of church. In fact, the ritual, the sounds, the smell
of incense, and the light that filtered through the
stained-glass windows from an Easterly rising sun
became familiar and comforting over the years. The
nave, filled with old pews, had witnessed my parents’
wedding and my grandparents’ weddings. The organ towered over the choir. The smell of old patrons
and Sunday cologne too liberally applied became a
sensory memory of that place. However, religion has
never been an inward practice; the practice and the
scene never joined together.
Anointing of the Sick
When times are bad, I’ve pulled the fragments
of ritual from my memory and recite the “Our
Father.” I did this in the winter of my eighteenth
year in days following my grandfather’s funeral. He
died of bladder cancer, worsened by a communicable bacterial infection called C.Difficile. I became
familiar with the ritual of funeral; I’d been to three
or four for close relatives. But this time, the ritual felt
different. Before, I was sad. My grandfather’s funeral
confirmed that the only sacred part of my world had
been ripped mercilessly from my arms.
Reconciliation
“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”As the
words come out of my mouth, they themselves felt
sinful. I hadn’t sinned, I was eleven. I barely knew
what sin was. I had to stop a moment to think of
a sin I had committed, so the priest could nod his
Baptism
I sat in the shower until the water hitting my
face was colder than I could stand, reciting
the “Our Father” over and over, sobbing.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy
name.
I hoped, over so many repetitions, that my view
15
of God and heaven would change. Yet, it confused
me more. Religion stopped looking like the patron
blind to reality and became a place where I didn’t
belong. Like I was missing out because I didn’t get
that epiphany, and didn’t have that same faith.
Confirmation
Religion was so stale, that when my Mother
would occasionally talk about faith, or God, or divine love at the dinner table I would blush with pity
and embarrassment. How can you believe this? I
thought, how can you be so blind to the real world?
Perhaps, I’m the blind one. I continue to live in
an intermediate space between faith and atheism. I
can’t commit to either. The fence between atheism
and faith is fraught with angst. Most days, I try to
laugh away my uncertainty. I tell jokes about my
Catholic past, chuckle when I hear of “recovering
Catholics,” and tell friends, “It smells like a Catholic
church in here,” whenever they burn incense. Religion is still stale to me. Religion has no nutritional
value. Stale religion has no holy orders.
16
grey cloud island
david baboila
17
saint paul airport
david baboila
18
white bear lake
david baboila
19
zips coliseum
david baboila
20
BRIDGE
Jacob J. Miller
This was not way back when, as my dad would have
you believe. It was more recent than that. If he can’t
flat out deny it, which he no longer can, he will at
least try to convince you that it was so long ago as to
suggest it might have been a different lifetime, and
he a different person. He has been, after all, Born
Again. Except he was not the only person involved,
and to carry along as if he was is an exercise in what
I’ve heard philosophers call solipsism. For him, his
transgression was between himself and the Holy
Ghost: accountable not to those he wronged, only to
an invisible spirit. But he doesn’t have sole authority
in determining the past’s relevance or irrelevance
to our lives today. My mother too pretends the past
is only what has happened at a particular point
in time, and not a factor in what determines what
has happened since then and what is happening
now. The slate wiper theory of forgiveness is what
allowed them to wear their veneer of innocence and
believe in its authenticity, and for that reason I resent their new-leaf turnover. My love for them may
not be emergent in my words, I know, but I do love
them, regardless of the fucked up traits they passed
on to their children, which will become evident as
this story unfolds
You might be wondering, if you care at all, what
could be so terrible. Well, it’s not so terrible, and
not even very uncommon, but it happened to me,
and my brothers and my sisters, and there was never
anything we could really do about it. We watched
it unfold almost every night to reveal its rotted pit.
What was scariest was not when a half-full beer bottle would be hurled in our direction for us being too
noisy, and then being held responsible for wasting
the beer, and getting punished even more for that.
What was scariest was when they fought with each
other, mom and dad, when they were both liquored
up. All of us children would be sitting in the living
room, on our knees, in a line, with our hands folded
and tucked inside our clenched thighs, having
hitherto been fulfilling our playful, childish duties
who couldn’t expect things to go so suddenly and
intensely wrong. They would fight about anything,
or nothing, for all we knew or cared. They would
yell, swear, slam their fists on various surfaces, throw
things across the room at each other as if rehearsed.
One time, I remember, and this is what I’m talking
about when I talk about how scary things got, my
21
dad had my mom pinned up against the refrigerator—after she threw three or four plates at him, one
that hit his arm, but would have hit his face if he
hadn’t been blocking, and cut it deep. He had the
sharp kitchen knife pressed firmly under her chin.
If she gulped too hard in fear, or if dad in his stupor
lost balance, she would have been bleeding all over
the family pictures held by magnets to the fridge.
As we grew older, my big brother and I began working under dad instead of merely living under
him. Our prospects in life weren’t substantial at that
point. Whatever potential we had, it had never been
encouraged, so entering into the family business, if it
can even be called that, was the only viable option.
I woke dad up most mornings from his typical
collapse into a face-down, fetal heap on the kitchen
floor, sometimes still wet, sometimes already crusted
over. I’d say, “it’s time for work, dad,” and he’d drive
me to the site where (drinking coffee with whiskey
in it on the way) heavy machinery was waiting to
be operated—even though we used hammers and
nails whenever we could. Stonehenge-sized slabs of
cement, wooden pillars, cinder blocks, and iron rods
littered the landscape. It was all so disorderly that if
a nomad wandered upon the scene, the indication
would be of destruction rather than pre-construction. There were no piles of allocated materials
or inventoried supply lists. It could have all been
salvaged from past demolitions or by thievery from
other project sites. We seemed to accrue it all without any kind of exchange or standard of accountability for use. Everything seemed to just show up
wherever and whenever we needed it. Who actually
made all this stuff? How did we move it from place
to place to use from job to job? Who permitted my
sodden father to oversee such potentially hazardous
22
projects? He was a self-made man outside the advent
of auditing. What did I care then? I was making my
way, fashioning for myself a future out of will power,
and holding my breath until I could extricate myself
from this grim farce.
First day on the job, my dad said to me, don’t
fuck up, or he’d make me test the bridge before
the support beams were all in place. I believed
him. That particular bridge wasn’t connecting two
sides over a raging river or anything; more of a
convenient pathway over a stream, but it was still a
threat coming from dad. Second day on the job, my
brother James tore partway through his leg with a
chainsaw. I heard him yell, but it sounded more out
of frustration than terror and pain. He sat down,
ripped his immediately blood-soaked pants from
where the initial tear was, delicately unlaced and removed his boot so as not to cause more pain, grunting as if he had done nothing more than step in dog
shit, and lifted the nearly severed part of his leg that
dangled lifelessly like a tube sock on a clothesline,
to close the wound, from which I saw steam rising
sacrificially to the wintery heavens. He reached
forward to grab the excess of sock which, although
bunched up at his toes, had a long, tortuous journey
before being completely removed. He screamed as
he stretched forward, more circumstantially appropriate this time, and this is when I dropped my—
whatever, the thing I was holding, I can’t remember
what, but I didn’t hear it land because I couldn’t
assimilate anything else that may have been transpiring around me. I almost seemed to float over to him,
not even aware of my legs propelling me forward. I
saw all the blood, but I wasn’t put off by it as much
as I thought I probably should have been, and I
thought that as I stared at it pooling out. I observed
it dispassionately, coldly, but I may not have been
breathing. At first sight, it was just an organic pipe
that sprung a leak. I think I asked if he was all right
but I meant it more like did he think he was going to
die. He said to go get dad and that’s when I became
afraid. I stood there for I don’t know how long, until
he repeated himself more urgently:
“Walt!” he said, “Go! Get! Dad!”
I listened that time, but I was still very afraid. I was
trembling and began feeling like I might faint, and
I almost hoped I wouldn’t find dad, that he’d be off
drinking somewhere, but he wasn’t. He was drinking
right there, over a small mound of dirt, holding a
big piece of wood sturdy for someone to do something with. I saw his breath bellow out into the cold
with a cough and evaporate as he took a swig from
a bottle before sliding it back into his coat pocket,
without so much as a pretense of inconspicuousness.The bottle neck stuck straight out and brushed
against his elbow, a cumbersome lump sinking
down and throwing off his equilibrium further than
the ethanol already had. I slowed my pace, tried to
regain some composure, and still hoped he wouldn’t
notice me. I could claim an attempt at getting his
attention, but he just couldn’t be bothered with me.
I tried, I’d tell James, but I’ll carry you. I was sure I
could have done that. Part of me still wished I could
have avoided involving my dad at all. It was selfish,
but I thought I might get slapped with the blame.
But I yelled, Dad! Come quick! Dad, I yelled again,
skidding on the gravel as I spun around, intent on
not letting my dad’s impatient glare lock on me,
and from that momentum, nearly ascending at a
perfectly horizontal angle in the air before I landed
face first on those same tiny rocks, a perfect reenactment of self-humiliation on the school playground
at recess. I felt all those multiple points of impact,
but wasted no time in catapulting myself back
up—no time for embarrassment just yet—clawed
off the pebbles that clung gently to the tiny dents
they bore into my face and palms, and sped back
to my brother who, when I reached the dirt-mound
summit again, I could see was lying flat, surrounded
by the thick, still-steaming purplish puddle which
had, since I left him, at least quadrupled in circumference. Not looking back at all during my return
sprint to see how far behind me dad was, or even if
he followed me at all, I turned from the sight of my
brother completely to see him, Dad, shuffling over
the mound, bogged down by beer bottles, which
could be heard clanging together in his pockets.
He was wheezing inhalations of frozen air. He saw
James right away, I know it, but he didn’t say anything until he got right up close to him, planting one
clumsy boot in the blood puddle with a squelchy,
meager splat, like an old-fashioned letter-sealing
stamp on melted wax. He leaned over with outward
turned elbows and hands on hips, looked at James’
face. James’ eyes were closed. Dad then scanned
down to the butchered leg, grimaced, scanned
back up to James’ face. James’ eyes were now open
again, frigid with shock, and dad said, “pull yourself
together, son,” erupting hysterically at his own clever
buffoonery.
James turned out to live, no real thanks to
our father. I ended up having to run to the nearest
phone anyway and call an ambulance. He didn’t
even lose his leg. He did require a blood transfusion
because he lost gallons of it, or at least it seemed
like it when I stood there staring at the mess, but his
gristly cheeks had their color restored right in front
of me, resupplying and, it almost seemed, re-inflat23
ing him to human shape at the coercion of some
stranger’s bodily elixir. It worked like sorcery, but far
more astonishing because it was methodologically
reliable. The warm fluid surged through his veins,
and he was ensconced for a moment in a prodigious glow of newfound vitality. Back then, my dad,
laughing, called him a lucky son-of-a-bitch, whereas
telling the story now, upon reflection and suspension of rational thought, my brother was “touched
by an angel.” Now, whenever this celestial creature
of mercy is mentioned, who conveniently remains
anonymous for humility’s sake I suppose, instead of
our dad drunkenly laughing and mocking the situation, James does. An example of an aforementioned
fucked up trait passed on in the family.
24
50 FEET TALL
Emilie Tomas
I was in 5th grade
When my class went
To see ‘The Human
Body’ and I watched
In childhood
Horror as
A 50 foot grin
Unfurled, loomed
Large enough
To pull me
Into orbit
Devoured
First a sandwich
And then my
Faith in humanity
With deafening
Smacks
Like thunder
If thunder
Was made
Of jelly and
Dismay and I
Knew it was a
Crime to allow a
Person to become
This
Inflated,
With every pore
Its own path to
Hell and I knew
I couldn’t trust
Anyone because
In our heads
We are all
50 feet tall.
25
meow you see
ashley waalen
26
MOUSETRAP
Halle Chambers
Minnie “Mousy” O’Mally knew she was
invisible up here on her fire escape. This was her
safeplace. With the ladder pulled up as it was now,
almost no one could reach her here. Plus, even if
someone did make it up here, she could easily get
away.
If she crawled rough the window, she’d be
securely locked in the apartment. There, it was
warm and dry and at least sometimes safe when her
daddy…no, excuse her, correction, “Father or Sir”
wasn’t home. He hated when she called him Daddy.
He wasn’t home now, out doing illegal God knows
what in the “family business,” but he would be back
soon. Hence why she was out here. So, no apartment, not right now.
If she dropped the ladder, she could slide down
to street level in seconds and be down the block
in under a minute. She knew, because she’d practiced and had timed herself. The only way to avoid
getting hit in the face was to be quick on your feet.
That was the first rule of fighting that Jase, her older
brother, had taught her. With the life they lived,
it was also a rule of survival. And they didn’t call
her “Mousy” for nothing: she was small and fast…
very fast. Jase could make a distraction, and Minnie
could run. But, Jase was working a job that “Father”
had given him out of town till this weekend, and
she’d surely get caught if she didn’t have her usual
head-start. So,“down” wouldn’t work either.
If she scaled up the ladder above her, she’d be
on the roof, where their oldest brother, Cobie, had
often taken her and Jase to stargaze. She hadn’t
known till six years into her still short life that he’d
done it to keep his precious baby brother and sister
away from their father’s sight when the man would
come home satellite high or plastered. She hadn’t
known till twelve years in that he’d take their father’s
hungover backhand on the mornings after, so she
and Jase didn’t. All she’d known as he’d taught her
each constellation was that Cobie was braver than
Orion and that she and her brothers were more
inseparable than the Gemini twins. But, her world
went as topsy-turvy as Cassiopeia when her father
had sent Cobie away, saying he would not have a
queer as a son. When Jase and Minnie hugged him,
Cobie swore he’d come back for them in a year or
so. Jase had given up when he’d been two years
gone. That was two years ago, and now even Minnie
27
was starting to doubt. No, she couldn’t go up to the
roo, not alone.
She shivered in the October chill as she reviewed her options: “in” would be facing her father’s
wrath, “down” would be facing being caught by
a cop or a stranger, and “up” would be facing a
reminder of the happiness, now heartbreak, brought
by a brother who was likely never coming home
again. So, maybe she couldn’t escape easily…or at
all. She shivered again, this time more in frantic
panic than from the frigid, near winter city wind.
For not the first time in her life, Mousy felt trapped.
28
faces
connie kilppen
29
*I DON’T ALWAYS FEEL COLORED
Diamonique Walker
Sometimes I find comfort in places I somehow know
I don’t belong
Never a full day, but hours will pass and I won’t
consider my brown skin or kinky hair
I’ll let the imminent fear of my black body being
made into an example fall back to the depths of my
mind
My daughter’s safety in mixed company won’t occur
to me
I won’t juxtapose my blackness with any other’s
identity
confidence
As if one chooses randomly from a pile of stock
black girl names when they look at me
He asks me if my hair is real
I tell him he can’t ask me that
He says oh it’s okay, my girlfriend is black
I’m a dirty smudge on freshly ironed white linens
Trying to blend in, trying to live my life
I breathe, momentarily
Suddenly, I’ll feel breathless, choked
Stabbed in the chest
Stung by a white hot micro aggressive slap in the
face
An unsolicited violation of my personal space
A pale hand gently pulls a lock of my hair in white
amazement
Or a thin pair of lips will say “what’s upppppp” to
me and not anyone else
I’ll get called a name like Jasmine with such utter
30
*Line borrowed from Claudia Rankine, Citizen
WHERE I AM FROM
Hannah Schmit
I am from the forest. From ruddy Maple and heady
Pine. I am from the sunlit dust that refracts the life
of the breeze. The rough wood of the trees are my
bones, roots firmly planted deep in the depths of the
cool black soil. Generations have taught me to live
in the sun, tan weathered hands, calloused and worn
cover small, break earth and sow seeds. Exhaling
with the unfurling of new leaves whose first stretch
welcomed life, I learned the importance of patience
and nurturing.
I am from dirt beneath my nails and gritty sand in
my teeth. Sap painted hands and hot tar feet, blackened from short dashes across burning pavement
that rippled with summer heat. Sandboxes were my
kingdom, the layers of silt and sand familiar to my
prodding hands. I climbed turreted towers of twisted
bark and branches to survey the world and breath
in time with the breeze. Twigs and leaves were my
crown and a rusty tractor my carriage. My people
were the songbirds and insistent cicadas whose songs
filtered lazily together through the woods. Sometimes I called back, matching note for note, melodies
and harmonies creating a canopy of familiarity.
I am from wildflowers who nodded their velvet, satin, and paintbrush heads as I passed by. From dried
grasses whose sweet scent rose from rolling waves
that undulated under horse-tail clouds above. The
gold-fringed top of the corn is my hair as it turns to
brown under the autumn sun.
I am from the passing of seasons, each marking the
time as brilliant red and orange gave way to pristine
white and serene gray. Freckles and sunburn traded
for pale skin cold kissed cheeks. My life can be
counted in scraped knees and bruises, and band-aids
and scars, each a story unique unto itself.
I am from the water. Clear and silted, still and rushing it surrounds me. The river courses through my
veins, its steady pulse my heartbeat. I am from the
muted silence of holding my breath. From letting
go in the soft pixelated light that swirls lazily in the
haze of a murky river. From the dew that rests in
early mists that lay as a blanket over a newly purified
earth, protecting the last of the dawn.
I am from music. Love-strung tunes of lullabies rock
31
my past to sleep and call forth dog-eared memories.
Treasured memories that float fragmented in my
mind,
I was waltzing with my darling…
Goodnight, Irene…
Then sings my soul…
Black Forest I have come to be in this place. Knit
sweaters and hand me downs weave the fabric of my
personality.
The black ink of the notes is stained on my fingers, the lyrics printed out as a map on my mind.
My body is movement, ‘full of grace’ as I danced
through recitals and music competitions. My history
is composed of the ivory keys of a piano board, the
metallic strings of a guitar, and the soft wheeze of a
musty accordion.
I am from survivors. From broken families and lives
I was given the opportunity to begin. Out of the
ashes of war and blood, death and pain I was taught
compassion. The scars remind me of my privilege.
A handful of ink-smeared letters, a fading tattoo,
and relentless nightmares that went unspoken.
Touched by shadows of heartbreak and longing I
have learned the fears of disease and pain, the cruelty of man and the destruction of illness.
I am from a legacy. Footsteps preceded my very first
and taught me how to stand tall—to walk courageously. When I was tired of walking and needed to
fly, strong hands lay behind me as I learned to test
my own strength.
I am from fading memories. From sweat and
ploughs, rough tools and run down sheds. My past is
a copper foundation of saved pennies stretched with
love and trust. The polished wood of a hunter’s gun
and tug of a taut fishing line tie me to
the land of a generation gone by.
I am from the creaking wood of a ship that ferried
dreams. From the fjords and
32
I am from strength. From weary hands that sought
to move forward. From songs crooned in different
tongues, prayers tucked away from missed lives.
I am from the sweet smell of tobacco. From a worn
brown pipe laid in the top overall pocket. From tales
of Shirley Temple and shiny black shoes. From the
canoe as it passes over reeds and the click of a cane
keeping time with shuffling shoes. From sterilized
rooms and flowers with similarly fated owners.
I am from loss and tears.
I am from the Mississippi and the Great Lakes, from
steam and coal. From concrete jungles and log cabins. I am a piece of the past, I am…
The rooms of my mind are wallpapered with
snapshots of a younger me. Sayings and phrases are
the soundtrack of my life. I carry them with me.
Tucked in locked and forgotten rooms they wait
patiently, longingly for me to recall.
future. I seek not where I am going only
exist here, as I am.
I am from the past. Shaped by the present I live for
the future. I am from wanderlust. An incorrigible
desire to explore that cannot be quelled with the
stillness between heartbeats. I am from the excitement that teeters on the brink of the inevitable.
I am pulled at by the gentle whisper of religions.
Called to the beauty of holiness in the world, I am
grounded in the church yet growing in the temple
and the mosque.
I am gentle hands that have learned to be useful—to
give back. Well-used fingers taught to survive and
protect. I am a collection of places and people that I
have encountered. In love with humanity, I exchange comfort for experience.
I am at home in the concrete jungles constructed
from heat-cracked pavement and in the mudpatched hut of the desert. The mountains and caves
call to me like the trees and fields of my youth. I am
at home in the grand expanse of a world that knows
no limits, understands no boundaries. A world that
exists, simply to exist. My feet itch to travel down
forgotten paths where the dust of ages can billow
out from under me and cloud the clarity of the
33
who am i?
ashley waalen
34
2
GRATITUDE: A POEM IN FOUR PARTS
D.E. Green
1. Le Chaim
2. In Praise of Delusion
Each day, my own sunrise, my own morning star:
your red head radiates strange aerial spikes.
When he walks down the sloping skyway from
Memorial
to the Music building on his way to a long evening
class, he sees his reflection in the large classroom
window at the base of the slope. He loves that mirror. In it, he is about a foot taller than his five-fiveand-a-half and twenty pounds lighter. He is younger
than his sixty years.
The silver hair is less telling. As he approaches, the
Other ways slightly, moves with the elegant gait of
an athlete or dancer. This, he imagines, is my Norwegian double—tall and slender and (at least from this distance)
good-looking.
Of course as man and image converge, his Other
shrinks into an eastern-European, Semitic, rather
compact, little old man.
Perhaps (he wonders) I have seen the inner image of myself.
Perhaps (he smiles) I am happy just to have illusions.
Our son’s beard and long Hasidic locks
on a head never bowed in prayer hover
over his guitar and, till he gets it just so,
a heavy-metal riff. The picture of Ollie, our old
pup,—
his face speaks love, love, love. Like the holiday meal
you’ll pretend to let me cook. Or when your hand
gently
strokes my heaving shoulder: I am sobbing silently
because the movie has ended well—a good death,
timely reconciliation, vows revived, a renewed
breath.
36
3. Thanksgiving
4: To My Son
This morning, as I drive
from Northfield to Hampton
past field after barren field,
three wild turkeys
foraging and gobbling
at the edge of the road—
their white-splashed wings,
black-feathered trunks,
It’s Friday, Z—, and (as always) time to say how
much I love you (and your mom too, since I don’t
say it often enough though I feel it every minute)
and how much I miss you and hope you can spend
a few hours with us and Grandma the first weekend
in November. We worry about you every day, ‘cuz
that’s our job, but we also have an abiding sense
of how strong you are: How much you have been
through, how far you’ve come, and how you face
each day with grit—and, I hope, love. The latter
is so hard to do: Over breakfast your mom and I
sometimes sit around and whine about our work,
about grading student papers. But a little later I’ll be
walking across campus and the light will be just right
and I’ll see a familiar face amid a group of young
people and—I don’t know why—I feel love. I think
that’s the word. And I felt it last time we picked you
up downtown and you were talking to some scruffy
stranger on the street. And the fact that you can still
be open to such encounters—isn’t that love too?—
filled me with wonder. It’s funny: Old people, among
whom I am about to number, have proverbially been
beyond wonder, such a romantic and old-fashioned
word. But I swear that I still feel it—and that you are
among the wonders of my world.
red combs poking
and pecking the gravel
and weeds—surprise me.
I flinch.
The car swerves.
I breathe.
They range unruffled.
37
work in progress
gabriel bergstrom
38
THE FIRE
Elisabeth Beam
I stood with my back to the crowd watching the
house go up in flames. It happened faster than I had
expected. It had taken less than a minute for the fire
to spread from the kitchen to the living room and
even less time for it to make its way upstairs and into
the bedrooms where Grandma and the twins had
been peacefully sleeping. Joel stood beside me; his
face was dark with ash, his mouth tilted upwards in
a sickeningly gleeful smile.
Momma had never liked Joel. She said he was a
troublemaker and I should do my best to stay away
from him. Joel hadn’t always been mean. When I
first met him he would bring me friends and make
me laugh. He gave me my grey tabby cat, Walter,
and my small white bunny, Snowy. We used to all
run around the garden and play and laugh. I didn’t
like it when Walter and Snowy played. Walter
always hurt Snowy. Joel loved it. Snowy’s pain filled
shrieks always brought a smile to his face.
Joel would play tricks on Momma. He’d move the
chair she was about to sit in and she’d tumble to the
floor with a crash and a scream. He would put dead
things in the twins’ crib for Momma to find. Once
he brought a live snake into the house and slipped
it into the shower when Momma was in it. She
screamed something awful and had locked me in
my room for a week. I always got blamed for Joel’s
wicked tricks.
Momma brought a lot of new friends to the house
after that. She brought in men wearing long white
coats who talked with me and asked questions about
Joel and Walter and Snowy. Joel would stand behind
them as they questioned me and make faces. I didn’t
understand why they didn’t just talk to Joel and grew
frustrated with their questions.
Once Momma brought home a man in a black suit.
He walked around the house mumbling in a strange
language, throwing water on the walls and waving
his cross around like a baton. I thought he was
crazy. I told Momma and she told me to hush and
sit down. The man stood in front of me yelling in his
strange way and holding his cross on my forehead.
It was cold and made me uncomfortable. Joel got
upset. He didn’t like the man and the way he was
39
shouting. The next thing I knew the man was on the
floor bleeding from a gash in his head and Joel was
laughing loudly in my ear. A bunch of police officers
showed up and Joel told me not to tell anyone what
he’d done. He said I should blame it on Momma
and she’d go away for a long time and stop bothering us. Momma shouted and cried and struggled as
the police dragged her away to the sound of Joel’s
gleeful laughter and the twins’ high pitched screams.
Grandma came after Momma. She was mean.
She locked me in my room and told me to stay
there until I learned my lesson. I watched him
stalk around the room at night mumbling darkly to
himself. Grandma made me to go church with her
every Sunday, she said I had to pray for my soul for
what I’d done to that man and to Momma. I didn’t
understand why everyone blamed me for Joel’s tricks
and was tired of being punished for all the naughty
things that he did.
One night at supper, Joel made scary faces at the
twins who started wailing. Grandma stood up and
yelled at me as she tried desperately to calm the
twins. She told me to go to my room. I said no. I
pointed at Joel and yelled at him with all my might.
This was all his fault. Grandma sent me to bed. Joel
told me they were going to send me away. They
would separate us and I would never be able to see
him again. I told him I was fine with that because he
was being horrible. That upset him. He got Walter and Snowy and made me watch as Walter ate
Snowy. I cried. He laughed.
Joel woke me up at midnight. He told me we could
stay together. Me, him, and Walter, but we had to do
40
something first. He smelt like gasoline. He led me to
the kitchen and pointed to the stove which was covered with a sticky, sweet smelling liquid. He told me
to open my hands. I did. He handed me a lighter.
I didn’t want to do it but Joel got angry when I tried
to say no. He yelled and told me to do it for all the
times Momma blamed me for something he did.
That if I did this everyone would finally realize it
was him doing all the bad things and not me. My
hands were shaking so bad it took me five tries to
get the lighter to ignite. When it did I froze and
stared at the small flame in my hands. It flickered
with every shuttering breath that came out of my
mouth. Joel grew impatient and slapped the lighter
out of my hand and onto the stove. There was a
large whooshing noise and a blast of orange light.
My arm hair stood on end and sweat trickled down
my face. I backed away. Joel stood in front of the
fire and laughed. He threw his arms out wide and
danced in tune with the flames. He was crazy but
his movements were so beautiful and fluid. It was
frightening. The fire advanced toward me. I didn’t
want to move. I wanted the fire to eat me like it was
going to eat Grandma and the twins. Joel grabbed
my hand and led me outside.
We stood to the side and watched as the fire slowly
ate up the house I had grown up in. The house that
the priest, the twins, and Grandma had all died in.
Sirens and smoke filled the night air. I looked to my
side for Joel, but he had disappeared.
DESERT DRUMS
Abigail Carpenter
When my London flatmate, Raoni, suggested
we travel to Northern Africa because he was missing
the heat of Brazil, we had no intention of visiting
the Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains. But we
quickly made friends with a generous and hospitable
Moroccan man, Raxido, who invited us to a local
drum circle at the edge of the Sahara Desert.
After traveling on camelback against an orange-rayed sunset, we found ourselves among the
sand dunes. We parked our camels single file near
our camp, and I realized a place that once only
existed in my dreams was now before me.
I had to close my eyes for a long while. I opened
them over and over again until I was sure of it. I
had to reach down and let the sand fall between my
fingers slowly. I had to breathe in the crisp, evening
air. And when I looked up, the stars speckled in the
sky like the summer freckles on my face, thousands
and thousands of them.
When the drum circle began, I let its music
fill me up. It started in my toes and moved higher,
tickled my fingers and sent goosebumps up my arms
and back. The drums vibrated within my chest and
when it reached my mouth, I screamed in laughter.
My laugh echoed farther and farther across the desert, not meeting any person or town or house until it
was miles and miles away.
I wrapped my blanket a little tighter and
watched my friends dance around the fire to the
beat of the drums. Their legs moved up and down
as their hands joined the ashes flying through the
night air.
For many hours, we sat around the fire, told
our stories and spoke aloud our dreams. We danced
and sang and took turns pounding the drums. We
slept under the stars among the silence of the desert
for only a few hours until the sun awoke us on the
horizon. And moving through the deep sand, the
sunrise at our backs, we rode our camels to the bus
to escape the desert heat before it swallowed us up
whole.
41
COLORS
Hannah Schmit
If I am a color call me red
The color of passion and love
Humanity worn on my sleeve
The color of my blood, beating heart.
Call me red.
If I am a season call me fall
With baited chilled breath I speak
My words on whirlwind breezes fall
An omen of changes to come
Call me fall.
If I am a sound call me silence.
The chaos and stillness of calm
My words lost yet encompassing
In anticipation of something
Call me silence
If I am a thought call me hope
The desire for something more
A yearning call deep within me
The need to breathe
Call me hope.
42
urban delight
jazmin crittenden
43
WHEN DAD WORE COLOGNE
A. Tetzlaff
“Did Grandpa Mike die?” My small voice
broke a quiet that Dad and I carry easily between
us. A radio frequency connecting our minds that
communicates silently, so we don’t have to. Even at
the age of three, I knew our sacred, noiseless space
well.
Dad took me to a park one day, nearby my
childhood home. We rarely visited this park unless
we intended to use its snowy slope for adrenaline
rushes in our bright plastic sleds in the winter time.
But it wasn’t wintertime now. My dad wore a blue
t-shirt he’d owned since high school. Summer or
spring, the season isn’t particularly distinct. The hills
rose nakedly as we quietly approached.
I’ve come back to the memory time and again;
the images are blurred, like a positive photograph
that didn’t come out of the darkroom correctly.
I can’t recall how my father responded to my
question, though I’m sure he patiently and painfully affirmed my query. In that moment I wasn’t
shocked. I wasn’t sad. Presently, I regret that I can’t
remember a man who loved me and was so dearly
loved by others. I don’t know how he looked aside
from the pictures I know. How he talked, laughed,
44
yelled, walked, I don’t recall. Did he wear cologne to
work like Dad?
When I was young, Dad wore cologne to work.
He woke up around five in the morning in order to
be at work five-thirty, and he still does, despite the
fact that no one expects him in the office till eight.
I’d hear his alarm from my bed and wait to smell
the mix of dewy summer grass and the spicy knives
of cologne in my nostrils. The smell lingered and
pulled me back to sleep as Dad left the house. On
the day at the park, Dad wasn’t wearing cologne.
Dad didn’t wear cologne that day because it was
either a weekend or he had the day off or had taken
time away to grieve.
I don’t remember the call to our corded
telephone late one night. It was the hospital telling
Mom and Dad that my grandfather died of a heart
attack while showering. I don’t know if he died
immediately or if the attack was slow, painful, cold,
and wet. I will never ask. The thought of breaking
the stitches grief so tenuously sewed incites trepidation. Was my young face one of his last images? I’m
vain enough to assume so––grandparents always
think of the grandbabies first. Was it a comfort? I
can only hope.
At my Grandfather’s funeral, I can’t remember
Mom’s grief. I can’t remember the funeral either.She
keeps the remnants of her love tended like a flower
garden and tells me of her father often. I have nothing but the cemented walkway leading to the park
that summer day deep in my mind.
Mom tells me that my grandfather lived as long
as he did because he was waiting for me. It was a
miracle I was even born, but that’s not my story to
tell. She calls me “the sparkle in his eye.”
Christopher, my younger and only brother,
inherited my grandfather’s bright, Anglo-blue irises.
He was born the year after my grandfather died.
Christopher joined the Army a few weeks ago; my
grandfather was a Marine in the 60s.
During his service in Asia, my grandfather collected each country’s currency. Grandma keeps the
collection in a red leather box in her bedroom closet.
I used to step onto a chair and carefully extract the
artifact from the top shelf and touch each coin and
each bill. Some of those tenders are much extinct
now.
The souvenirs of my grandfather’s life are far
less valuable to me than those of my travels––those,
at least, the mugs and the key chains, those have
memories attached of the real thing.
I’ve spent most of my life scouring photos and
objects, trying to resurrect an authentic memory
of my grandfather. Trying to find a sensation that
brings him back to me like the early morning scent
of Dad’s cologne because I only remember the
hills and my words and Dad. The solvents of time
washed away my grandfather.
45
SHITTY CHRISTMAS TREES AND SECONDHAND DOLLS
Elisabeth Beam
When I was a kid we didn’t have a lot of money.
But we managed to survive. Mom worked a lot at
the dingy looking Super 8 Motel just down the street
from the elementary school. You know, the kind
of motel that charges by the hour instead of night.
She hated it but it was close to school and paid just
enough. Around November she would start picking
up shifts at other hotels in town to save up more
money for Christmas. It was hard. The heat bill
always went up mid-October when the chill started
to set in and the snow began to fall. Presents were
always an issue. Getting stuff for just me and Sarah
was usually alright, but Mom came from a big family. Six brothers and sisters all of whom had kids. All
of whom would be needing presents. That’s a lot of
money. Money we just didn’t have.
One year there was a huge blizzard and they
canceled school for a week. Sarah was only six at
the time and she couldn’t be left alone to take care
of herself much less a five-year-old as well. So mom
had to stay home from work and look after us. She
tried to make it seem like she wasn’t stressed out
about the money, but I knew she was. She would
pace around the kitchen at night and mumble to
46
herself. She’d crouch over her checkbook and shake
her head. She tried to hide it from us, but I noticed.
I always noticed when she got like that. A week of
work missed meant we wouldn’t be able to afford the
gas to get to grandma’s house for Christmas. And a
week with everyone at home meant that the heat bill
was going to be rough. She was too proud to try and
get food stamps. So money that would normally go
towards presents went to buying our Christmas feast.
We didn’t go to my grandma’s house that
Christmas but it was probably the best Christmas of
my life. The day before school let out our landlord
took out all the carpet in the living room. He said it
was due to be replaced and that someone would be
over before the holiday to put down some new carpet. “Your feet will be so happy and thankful! That’s
the best Christmas present you could ask for!” he
had happily told us. No one came. The floor was
cold and there were nails and sharp staples sticking
up at weird angles. It hurt to step on them and small
red dots appeared throughout the house as we all
made the mistake of stepping in the living room
without socks.
Mom put down an old ratty green rug, one
that our cats liked to pee on. She bought a small
fake green tree from the thrift shop downtown. It
was the saddest looking tree. Most of the branches
were missing so it had random bald spots sporadically around its leaning trunk. A good number of
the ornaments that we put on it fell off because it
couldn’t support their weight. We made new ones
out of paper and glitter. Mom wrapped tinsel she’d
taken from work around it and Sarah and I sloppily
placed string lights. We put an old family picture at
the top of the tree because we were too scared that
our expensive Christmas angel would fall and break
if we tried to stick her up there.
Thinking back on it now it was a pretty shitty
looking tree, but back then I thought it was the best
thing I’d ever seen in my life. I remember sitting on
the floor amongst the nails and staples and looking
at it glittering and glistening and thinking that it was
a far better tree than anyone else could ever have. I
thought that even if we’d spend a million dollars on
a tree and all its dressings that it wouldn’t even be
able to come close to this masterpiece sitting before
me.
For Christmas Eve we blasted holiday music
and ran around the living room twirling and waving
our arms above our heads. Mom had somehow
found time to make new flannel pajamas for both
me and Sarah and we had immediately put them
on. She had also given us each a doll that she’d
found at a thrift store. They looked ratty and dirty
but I loved them both. Every bit of dust and matted
patch of hair was a story waiting to be told. The
dolls had character and I loved it.That shitty tree
and our thrift store dolls were great but they weren’t
what made that night so special. It was that we were
all together, making the most out of what we had
and not lamenting what we were missing. I think as
we grow up we lose the magic in secondhand dolls
and shitty Christmas trees.
47
summer nights
adam ruff
48
the people united
adam ruff
49
after the hike
adam ruff
50
CRUMBS
Malena Larsen
He’s looking for love
In the crevices of his couch
Like loose change.
I saw him lift up the cushions
And pull out crumbs
His mother’s earring
A quarter
The spoon he dropped last week
After eating ice cream out of the container.
It was chocolate cookie dough and he ate the whole thing.
I watched him put the quarter in his back pocket
and the spoon back in the cushions.
I told him I had been in love once
And he said
I like it when girls call me daddy.
I had a dream that night that he was dating somebody and my stomach hurt when I woke up.
I became a spoon in the couch cushion
Who said words like
Daddy
And
Fuck me
And
Hard.
At the end of every night I was put back with the
crumbs, and each day that he came to get me there
was more cat hair or lint stuck to me
I waited patiently
Dirty
For him to pick me up.
It was 77 degrees the late summer night he stopped
getting me from the cushions.
He told me that he found somebody to love and we
can’t be friends, because if I see you I’ll fuck you. I
asked him why he couldn’t control himself if he was
in love with somebody.
The inside of my ribcage
Was being scraped empty
51
Like the chocolate cookie dough ice cream container
And my stomach hurt
Like it did after the dream
Where he wasn’t mine
I can’t help it.
He told me.
I like it when girls call me daddy.
When we met he was wearing a suit and it looked
like he had spent a lot of time on his hair but I
didn’t think he was attractive until the weekend
when I was drunk.
Across the table
On the other side of red cups
And puddles of water
He stared at me
In a grey tank top.
His eyes
And arms
Were strong
52
And dark.
Making eye contact felt like sex
And he smelled like Fireball
And somebody I shouldn’t be alone with
And too much cologne.
We went swimming at 6 am at the neighbor’s lakefront when everyone else fell asleep.
He took off his shirt
I kept mine on.
The water fell off of him like it didn’t want to keep
his body covered for too long. He picked me up and
folded me over his right shoulder and threw me into
the 6 am summer sweet lake water.
He drove me home
At 7 am
Still drunk and
Smitten.
It was 88 degrees and my birthday the night I let
him kiss me in the back hallway of our friend’s frat.
I couldn’t wait anymore
He told me
In the house that smelled like
Liquor and dust
And damp wood.
The first time we
Fucked
Was in the front seat of his
White Pontiac Grand prix
At 11 pm on a Tuesday.
I saw him almost
As an animal.
His fists
Were clenched
And his eyebrows
Like shelves
Over his beetle eyes.
Do you like fucking daddy?
After that night I had to sneak him into my bedroom
because he couldn’t do all of the positions he wanted to in his car. He needed to prove to me that he
was the best fuck and that he could make me cum
and that I should call him
Daddy.
I had never called fucking, fucking before. Before I
was a dirty spoon it had only been called love.
His eyes started to remind me
Of Tiny
Round
Black beetles.
There’s nobody else anymore
We should just keep fucking.
And when we fucked
It was 66 degrees and almost fall when he came to
my house in his white Pontiac Grand Prix and told
me
I remembered then, the quarter he put in his pants
and how he used me to eat his ice cream and then
put me back with all the crumbs in the cushions of
53
his couch
Where he keeps looking for love
Like it’s the loose change
In his back pocket.
54
bloomed
audrey campbell
55
pruned
audrey campbell
56
HERMAN
Danny Polaschek
Grape juice dribbled down Herman’s chin and
landed in scattered droplets down the front of his
white T-shirt. He didn’t notice and, after setting
down his half-emptied glass, picked up his spoon
and started on his bowl of bran flakes. Sitting at the
kitchen table, there was nothing in front of Herman
—but a bare white wall. It seemed, however, that he
wasn’t looking at it, but rather through it like a child
looks through a window and, seeing nothing but
gray skies and rain, is overwhelmed by disappointment because they will not be outdoors playing that
day.
As Herman sat there facing the white wall and
chomping his cereal, his son entered the kitchen
and began his morning ritual. Herman heard the
coffee-maker start bubbling from somewhere behind
him in the kitchen along with the quick and efficient pitter-pattering of his son’s feet, who Herman
assumed had to be walking laps around the center
island as some sort of new, trendy morning workout.
Once the coffee maker’s burbling came to an end
the footsteps stopped as well.
Herman focused on the sound of the coffee being poured, the soft sound of liquid filling a ceramic
mug. The sound stopped as quickly as it had started
and Herman was further drawn from his relaxed,
monotonous state by the sound of his son’s voice.
“How are the flakes this morning, Dad?”
Herman didn’t turn around to face his son, but
continued with what he was doing, looking like a
cow chewing cud. “Five star quality,” he replied in
between spoonfuls. “Flaky as ever.”
Herman’s son chuckled a bit and looked up
from his fresh cup of coffee but the laugh died away
when he noticed that his father was still turned away
from him, eyes glued straight ahead. Taking another
sip, Herman’s son pondered whether he would keep
pursuing his father in conversation or not. He ultimately decided against it and left the kitchen, coffee
mug in hand.
A sigh escaped Herman’s throat as he set down
his spoon, finished with his mushed and soggy cereal. Ain’t this the life, he thought to himself sarcastically. Finally turning away from the wall, Herman
scooted himself back from the kitchen table and
slowly stood up. He gripped the side of the table for
balance and took a few deep breaths in an effort to
steady himself. Just a few weeks before, Herman had
57
missed a stair descending to the basement and found
himself tumbling clumsily down the rest of the way
until crashing to a stop on the last few steps.
Herman’s head still felt a bit shaky from time to
time, which caused a bit of a tremble in his legs. Instead of walking from place to place, he grew accustomed to maneuvering his way to each destination
by leaning on and grabbing anything he could for
support and then flinging himself to another sturdy
checkpoint, and so on and so forth until he reached
his goal. It was much like a monkey swinging from
vine to vine, but less precise and much less graceful.
With his feet finally under him, legs steady,
Herman pushed away from the kitchen table and
launched himself to the kitchen counter, which
caught him with cold indifference. Hunched over,
Herman caught his breath for a few seconds before
beginning to shuffle down the length of the marble
counter towards the coffeemaker at the other end.
“This better be a damn good cup of Joe,” he mumbled to himself, clearly exhausted.
Halfway down the counter, Herman stopped.
With a steady grip on the counter he reached up to
the cupboard above his head and swung it open. He
couldn’t see inside but he knew that what he was
looking for was in there: his old blue coffee mug—
one of the only things worth bringing with when he
moved into his son’s house the year before. Feeling
around the smooth, wooden interior, Herman
eventually got a hold of his mug which distinguished
itself by having only half of a handle still attached.
With the partial handle hooked onto his ring and
middle fingers, Herman pulled out his mug and
brought it shakily down over his head, setting it on
the counter with a soft “clink.”
Herman was beginning to feel dizzy at this
58
point, and wished for a moment that he had listened
to the doctor about getting a walker. “Mr. Huckley,”
the doctor said, “even if you don’t think you’ll use
it, take it anyways. Just in case.” Herman didn’t take
the walker, and wouldn’t even let anyone help to
walk him out of the hospital, not even his son. “I
don’t need your damn help,” he snorted each time
someone tried to take his arm to steady him. He was
always a stubborn man and old age wasn’t going to
change that.
Continuing down the counter, Herman felt this
same stubborn anger boiling in him. He was almost
seventy years old and yet he felt like a child who
was just learning to walk. He’d built his own home,
and a garage to go with it, and now he could hardly
make it to the opposite end of the room without
feeling fatigued.
Sweat was running hot from Herman’s forehead. He wiped it with a shaky hand and breathed
in deeply, closing his eyes as he did so. He only had
five or so more steps to go and he braced himself for
the final stretch, determined to get there even if it
killed him.
With a focused balance and patient, shuffling
steps Herman managed to get to the end of the
counter and the coffee pot. He exhaled in relief, and
a satisfied smile tugged the corners of his mouth up
ever so slightly. With his blue mug in one hand, Herman picked up the coffeepot in the other, intent on
pouring himself a well-deserved cup of coffee after
his tiresome journey. His satisfaction was immediately replaced with bitterness as he lifted the pot
and felt that it was nearly empty, only a few drops
remained rolling around in the bottom.
Herman’s minute smile had vanished and his
brow hardened, scrunching up his forehead in small,
tense knots. Setting the pot back on the counter,
Herman hissed repeatedly under his breath, cursing
his son for not leaving him any coffee. Herman’s
hands were visibly trembling and he was having
a difficult time keeping a grip on the edge of the
counter. He contemplated making more coffee but
dismissed the idea immediately, knowing that he
could not remain standing and moving around the
kitchen much longer.
Herman felt a hot flush come over his face and
could feel beads of sweat rolling down his temples
and his cheeks. In one swift motion he wound up
and threw his coffee mug across the room, where it
shattered against the windowless, white wall. Slivers
and shards of ceramic bounced all over the kitchen,
the blue pieces scattered like shattered glass.
Herman heard footsteps drumming down the
staircase before his son entered the room,stopping in
the doorway to avoid stepping on any of the pieces
of blue ceramic. “Dad!” he exclaimed, “What happened?
Herman was bent over, hunched with his hands
on his knees. He was struggling for breath now,
and sweat soaked through his shirt on his back. In
between wheezes, Herman said exasperated, “You
didn’t leave me any damn coffee, you son of a
bitch.”
His son stood there eyeing first his father and
then the indent in the wall where the mug had hit.
He shook his head in disbelief, which quickly turned
to anger. With a clenched jaw, he left the room and
returned a minute later with broom in hand. He
began quietly sweeping the blue bits of coffee mug
into a dustpan.
After Herman had caught his breath and recomposed himself, he pulled his body back
into a standing position, leaning against the counter. He glanced to his son, bent over and sweeping
under the kitchen table. “I heard you on the phone
last night,” he said.
Herman kept his eyes on his son as he stood
and turned to face him. His son raised an eyebrow
at him but gave no verbal reply. “I heard you,” Herman repeated.
His son bit his lip and continued sweeping, eyes
trained on the floor. “It’s just not working, dad.”
59
EL BARRIO SUYO
Chad Berryman
El viento le envolvió al hombre como una manta de hielo. Él andaba por el barrio suyo pero los
vecinos no lo saludaron. Caminaba delante de una
casa grande con flores y grandes ventanas, y por esas
ventanas podía oír una pelea entre dos padres y los
lamentos penosos de sus hijos.
Él seguía la acera que serpenteaba por un
parque lindo donde había un banco solitario. Él
Lo saludó con la cabeza. Recordaba unas noches
del verano cuando este banco no había ofrecido
insultos ni acusaciones, sino un lugar simpático para
descansar mientras él le regalaba un uso admirable.
Pero en el invierno el banco se congelaba como él, y
ambos eran incapaces de ayudarse el uno al otro.
Paseaba delante de una casa blanca de arquitectura maravillosa. Un coche altanero llegara
la entrada. Un padre sincero apareció mientras
acababa de contar los acontecimientos de su día. Su
hija miraba su celular, y el silencio suspiró por la expresión herida de la cara del padre. Ellos entraron a
la casa sin otra palabra.
El hombre nómada seguía caminando, y pronto
la nieve dentro de sus venas se derretía por una balada antigua que se tarareaba al ritmo de sus pasos.
60
No pido mucho, no vivo de prisa
canto los himnos con risa bendita
no tengo nada salvo alma amada
y sin despedida no hay la llegada
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
Chad Berryman
The frigid air wrapped around the man like a
blanket of ice. He was travelling through his own
neighborhood, but no neighbors acknowledged him.
As he walked in front of a large, picturesque house,
complete with flowers and giant windows, he could
make out the sound of two parents fighting accompanied by the upsetting cries of their children.
The sidewalk snaked its way through a park in
which there stood one solitary bench. With a nod
of his head, the man greeted it. Nights of summers
past filled his mind, nights in which the bench
had not offered insults or accusations but rather a
consoling place of rest while he presented it with the
gift of an honorable purpose. However, the bench
froze and shivered in the winter the same as he, and
neither could provide the other with any relief.
He passed by a white house of grand construction. There, a flashy car had just pulled into the
driveway. From it emerged an earnest father finishing the recounting of his day. His daughter, however, simply stared at her phone, and the wounded
expression on her father’s face betrayed an unsung
sigh. The two entered the house without another
word.
As the wandering man continued walking, the
snow in his veins began to melt due to an old tune
he commenced to hum in time with his steps.
I don’t ask for much, or live in a rush
in my blessed laughter the hymns come alive
there’s nothing I own save a soul that is loved
for without a farewell one could never arrive
61
ODYSSEY
Eve Taft
Thank you for the twisted pathways of your mind
Which led to the streets and alleyways of Dublin
James Joyce, do you understand that you opened floodgates?
Your avalanche of babbling sentences, sans punctuation
Buck Mulligan tossing form and style into the wind
Your catechism, you, Daedalus, gave us sacrament
Blood flow to wake up the numb limbs of literature
You spoke with your soul to our souls
Fearing not the noise in your skull but flinging it down in ink
I understand you, “life is many days”
I understand you, “god is a shout in the street”
I understand you, “I am another now and yet the same”
You understand me “everything speaks in its own way”
Soon I’ll visit your beloved homeland
Walking the streets of Dublin, writing and giving thanks to modernism
Now as free of rigid form
As Ireland of England
62
postcards from my bedroom
audrey campbell
63
postcards from my bedroom
audrey campbell
64
COUNTING SHEEP
Danny Polaschek
What can you do
when the world is asleep?
Go to sleep too?
I’ve counted all my sheep.
They jumped through the air
gliding for 5 or 6 feet
cleared the fence and then flew
with not even a bleat. I didn’t focus however
on these aerial sheep antics
because far away in the distance
was a sight oh so fantastic.
A blue house, with a single light on
in the window sat a girl
a beauty no pencil could ever have drawn.
I looked up at her
and she down at me
addicted to the eyesight
too distracted to count sheep.
65
3
sky nights
keeyonna fox
67
inner self
keeyonna fox
68
VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE
Petra S. Shaffer-Gottschalk
Your worship was my refuge, your clay heart my focal
point, your chelsea smile the apple of my eye. We were
sick. We poisoned ourselves with amphetamines and pills
until we didn’t recognize ourselves in the mirror. We
walked miles just to feel accomplished in our space, we
turned the cigarettes we shared into sentiments we thought
we shared. I must possess the wrong innocence.
Souls are fickle things that change when left to die in the
cold.
~
He was outrageously tall.
He towered over me like the Statue of Liberty and
he talked to me as though I was a boat in the harbor.
Standing five inches taller than six feet, he was an
image of Ukrainian beauty. He stood like someone
who knew things you didn’t know and this fascinated
me.
I was so naive, so optimistic. I saw the lust and want
in his eyes and I mistook it for passion.The curve of
his jaw and his long eyelashes crept into the screens
behind my eyelids and ignited a fire in me that I
didn’t know how to put out. I was the new girl in
town struggling to keep my loneliness at bay. He
was a gleaming light in that summer of darkness.
I had just moved to Minnesota months before. After
discovering drugs and promiscuous sex I became
nothing short of a hurricane. Amphetamines kept
me awake, cigarettes kept me skinny, and weed kept
me sane. My GPA reflected exactly what they don’t
tell you about functional depression: you can feel
like a blank page, but as long as you fill it with words
people will stop asking questions.
He was selling me drugs. He offered me a good
price. I had never met him but I figured what the
hell, I could stand to meet new people. It was dark,
long past sundown. We were meeting in a parking
lot by a lake a few blocks away from my house. I
was in my mom’s car. I waited and listened to Amy
Winehouse until I saw an orange car pull into a
parking spot a few yards away from me. The man
driving fit the picture I had seen of him before. We
69
made eye contact and he ushered me over to his car.
I took a deep breath, grabbed my sweater, and got
my money ready. He rolled down the passenger side
window.
“You Nikita?” I said.
He smiled at me. A smile that I would come to
know.
“You can call me Kita.”
~
He had really good drugs. I’m not sure that they
were pure, but at the time I didn’t care. Neither did
he. We just wanted to get high. We did his drugs
together, sitting in a playground by the lake, talking
about life and what we crave. He told me that he
was applying to a college in London. I didn’t think
anything of it.
Before long we saw each other every day. He was
a lifeguard who had to be on duty early in the
morning, so he would take me out for coffee at eight
in the morning. No makeup, sweatpants, my hair in
a messy bun. He didn’t care. We would talk about
things that we hadn’t shared with anyone else. He
told me he struggled with his relationship with his
father in Ukraine. I told him that I had struggled
with eating disorders since I was thirteen.
We would sneak out onto his back porch to smoke
cigarettes late at night. His mother hated that we
smoked.
70
“You need to quit smoking, love,” she’d tell me. “I
smoked for twenty-five years and it took two pregnancies to get me to stop.”
His mother loved me. She thought that I was
spunky, independent, had a mind of my own. She
did not like his last girlfriend. She made that very
clear. She, like Nikita, was very tall. She had long
curly black hair and eyes so intense that you would
lose your appetite. Her Russian accent was thick
and powerful. She had run away to the United
States when she was twenty-one and seven months
pregnant with her first son. Nikita.
“Does it mean anything?” I asked him. “Your
name.”
He smiled when he answered.
“My mom told me it means ‘victory of the people,’”
he said.
Oh Kita,
you have no victory.
You are the secret I keep from my mother
the hidden disease that projectile vomits
and digs with fingernails sharpened by teeth.
Your fields of sunflowers told me a secret,
your secrets so dark and beautiful
and I killed myself with your gargantuan sunflowers.
His mother was beautiful. She had been a professional figure skater that traveled the world, meeting
people as she went. She met Kita’s father in her
home country of Ukraine and according to the
story, he was immediately drawn to her exuberant
personality and her long legs. At twenty-one she
was well on her way to continue pursuing a successful skating career until she got pregnant. According
to Kita his father did not accompany her to her appointments.He did not send her flowers. He did not
ask if she was okay. Instead Kita’s mother made her
way to America to create a life of victory and hope.
He took me to meet his grandmother. She said hello
and came in and that was the last that I understood.
The entire time I was there she would ask me questions in Russian and Kita would translate for me.
He taught me how to say
Hello
(Privet)
Yes
(da)
No
(net)
And thank you, which I don’t remember. We spent
almost the entire time we were there trying to help
his grandmother set up a new movie streaming
program on her computer. I know nothing about
computers in English, let alone in Russian. I was
overwhelmed. The leather furniture just made my
nervous sweat more noticeable.
She told me about Ukraine a little bit. She said it
was beautiful but troubled. She offered me chocolate and cookies. I sat, sweating, trying my hardest
to pay attention. When I said anything to her, Kita
would translate for me. I wanted to leave.
After we left his grandmother’s house he told me
to wait in his car while he talked privately with his
grandmother. I thought it was strange but didn’t
question it. I played mindless games on my phone
while I waited for him. Some part of me knew that
they were talking about me, but I continued to deny
it. I was hungry, but I wasn’t planning on doing
anything about it too soon. I was hungry often then.
When he returned to the car I asked what they had
talked about and with no hesitation he said, “You.”
I paused, then asked him to elaborate.
“She likes you,” he said. And that was that.
How strange, I thought, to be liked by someone who
never explicitly spoke a word to me.
~
Andrevich was Kita’s middle name. Named after
his father.
Kita’s father was very handsome. In his forties with
tan skin and thick hair, he was a heartthrob that
would make you look twice. He lived in a nice,
expensive apartment in Kiev with his girlfriend who
was twenty years younger than him. Apparently
that was a theme.
Kita had only seen his father a handful of times
in his life. He had gone back to Ukraine to spend
some time with him as a young boy, but didn’t have
too much recollection of it. When he was sixteen he
went back to live with his father and his twenty-yearold girlfriend for a while. Kita has always been tall,
thin, and handsome. His father noticed this.
“So what happened?” I asked him one day.
71
Kita shrugged.
“He kicked me out and I came back to the states,”
he said without a flinch.
He said this as though it was a commonality.
“He thought that I fucked his girlfriend,” he said as
he lit a cigarette.
There was a very long, uncomfortable silence.
“Did you?” I asked.
He laughed out loud and a cloud of smoke poured
out of his mouth.
“No, of course not,” he said. “My dad isn’t one to
listen to a sixteen year old.”
~
“I’ll take you to Ukraine someday.”
“Sunflowers. There are parts of Ukraine where
there are endless fields of sunflowers wherever you
look. They’re as tall as me and the flowers are bigger than my face.”
He pulled me closer as he talked about Ukraine.
He insisted that I learn all that I could about the
Russia-Ukraine conflict, sending me innumerable
articles daily. Through him I learned about the
importance of the Ukrainian revolution and fights
that had been fought, some as recent as 2011 and
2012. He told me that he wanted to fight for his
people if he had to. When my eyes were flushed
with concern, he pulled me in close and whispered
in my ear, “I’ll survive for you.”
His eyes lit up every time he talked about the fields
of sunflowers in Ukraine. In the same way, his eyes
lit up every time he got angry.
Your golden eyes drew miners to starve and fight to abandon their homes.
We were in his bed, naked, wrapped up in blankets
and speckled by the corner light in his room. It was
late, the kind of late that feels early. The air conditioner hummed in the place of our phones which
were both off and hidden somewhere in the room.
He did no wrong. He could not do any wrong. His
eyes were blank but telling like a wall in a foreclosed
home. All of his intentions were good. Yes. Good.
“Where in Ukraine?” I asked.
“Have you been eating?” he asks as he lifts up my
shirt.
“Kiev, the city squares. And to the huge fields of
flowers.”
“What kind of flowers?”
72
~
I squirm away and pull my shirt down.
“Yes, I ate just before I came here,” I say. I can still
taste the salt in my mouth.
“You look skinny,” he tells me with a hint of disdain
in his voice.
My heart soars. I look skinny. But he’s reaching for
my stomach again and once again I’m backing away.
We get into the car and drive to the gas station.
I say that I need to go use the restroom. While
Kita pumps the gas, I make my way into the small
Holiday bathroom. I put my sweater on the ground
and rest my knees on it, my usual routine. I stick my
finger down my throat and vomit into the toilet.
As I walk back outside, Kita is getting back into his
car. I get in the front seat and sniffle slightly.Kita
looks at me quizzically.
“You okay?” he asks me.
My eyes are watery, my nose is burning, and my
breath is putrid.
“I’m fine,” I say with a smile.
~
The elevator door was so cold against my cheek.
I watched the red numbers blink as they rose.
8...9...10...11. My vision was going fuzzy and grey,
my ears started ringing and throbbing.
11...12...13. Ding. The doors opened and my
wobbly legs carried me down the seemingly endless hallway. My hands were barely working; as I
watched them push my key into my apartment door
I could not feel it. The door opened, I could see my
living room window. I closed the door behind me
and collapsed on the ground.
“Why did you faint?” His words echoed behind the
screen of my phone.
“I just haven’t eaten a lot today.”
There was a silence so deafening that it struck fear
in my heart. Fear I had not known.
“When did you eat last?” He had anger in his voice.
I paused. He would know if I lied but he would hate
the truth.
“I had a little dinner last night,” I said quietly.
“What did you eat?” His reply was sharp.
I was shaking.
“I had a little bit of salad I think,” I said with a
quivering voice.
I could hear his sigh. I can still hear his sigh.
“How many times have we talked about this?” He
exclaimed.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry…”
It didn’t matter. He didn’t listen. I had failed him
again.
“Do you know what it’s like to have a girlfriend that
can’t even take care of herself ?”
“What am I going to tell my friends?”
“You’re not even trying.”
I was sobbing, I was convulsing, I was sweating, all
from my bed from which I could not move.
My phone was glued to my ear and I had no energy
to remove it.
“So what are you going to do about this?” There
was intense spite in his words.
With a shaky voice I said, “I could send you a picture of everything I eat?”
He laughed. With his full, angry throat he laughed
73
at my pain.
“And do what? Post it on Facebook? Show all my
friends that my girlfriend is an anorexic who
can’t even feed herself ? You know what, go ahead.
Maybe that’ll help you change.”
I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to die. My stomach
kept whispering “never again, never again,
never again.” Opening my mouth made me panic
because it reminded me of eating.
I hung up my phone and with wobbly legs I walked
outside in the snow and smoked an entire pack of
cigarettes.
~
Months go by. Months.
I watched him pack his bag with clothes that I had
never seen him wear. He packed light, only a few
shirts and two pairs of pants.
“My dad will buy me more when I get to Ukraine,”
he said.
I sat on the edge of his bed and watched him focus
on folding his clothes. His visa sat in the center of
the bed, staring at me. I started to cry.
“Babe, it’s going to be fine,” Kita said without
breaking focus.
I watched him form a pile of the shirts that I had
grown used to him wearing. They looked like wilted
flower petals.
74
“Why aren’t you taking those?” I asked, pointing to
the wilted pile.
“My father won’t like them,” he said.
Later that night, we were drinking red wine in his
bed. His room was bare and cold. I was curled
against his side, my head on his chest. He stroked
my bare back and played with my hair. I sighed, but
not the kind of sigh that’s followed with kisses. Kita
sighed too.
“Petra,” he said, a tone of exasperation in his voice.
“If I ever treat you like my father treats women,
please leave me.”
~
I still remember how to say “I love you” in Russian.
“я люблю тебя.”
Ya lyublyu tebya.
~
My fingers were bones.
Anything beyond mascara was too much, especially lipstick. He hated lipstick. He thought that it
brought too much attention to my mouth. He didn’t
like when other people noticed me.
He stopped smoking cigarettes and instructed me to
do so too. “They’ll make you age faster,”he would
say. If I had a bad day and smoked a cigarette, he
would tell me he was disappointed.
I lived with three men at the time, something that
Kita would never let me forget. He asked every few
days to be sure I wasn’t sleeping with any of my
roommates. If I was spending too much time with a
friend, he would tell me that I was neglecting him.
He sent me articles outlining how to be a better
partner. He reminded me that he just wanted me
to be the best that I could be. The screaming and
hour-long phone calls were footnotes.
You stripped me of my dignity and told me,
“This is what you have.”
Your monstrous arms crawl into my nightmares
Your titanic stature collided with my glacier
and though you claim I sank you
You were a behemoth and I was a stone.
At the end, I fell into the ground. His screams surrounded me in my echo chamber and suffocated me.
My knees were bruised from kneeling in front of
the toilet all night. How apt for the one accused of
dropping to her knees for all men. I was free but I
did not know it yet. All I knew was the cold floor of
my bathroom and the tales of beautiful but troubled
Ukraine.
My goodbyes have been said,
These addictions fed.
It’s the cost that comes with the sickness.
And your screams won’t be heeded anymore.
75
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE UN-SPECIALS
Halle Chambers
When we are little, even before we can speak
We are told that we’re special and that we’re
unique.
That we all are made different and that none are
the same
Which fits quite nicely in a toddler’s mind frame.
And we are told we should treasure what’s different inside,
That what makes us different is not something to
hide.
But then quite soon after, things start to change;
The word “different” stops meaning “special” and
starts meaning “strange.”
We’re sectioned off from our average peers
In our own little category and told,
“you belong here,”
And then different is bad and normal is good,
And for the different ones, nothing is working the
way that it should
The way we’ve been taught or the way we’ve been
shown
All we know is that we do not like being lost on
our own.
76
So once again we are taken away
To a place where things makes sense again and
we’re ok:
Where no one hurts us,
Where no one can see,
Where no one deserts us,
Where we can be free.
But because the un-specials can’t see what goes
on,
They decide to make things up and get so much
wrong.
And it’s happened for years because they can’t see
through that door.
So long they don’t even know that it’s wrong
anymore.
It’s so fixed in their heads that these lies are right;
They judge each special kid by their stereotype.
But today that will end.
So you sit there and you wait,
cause it’s about time someone set the dang record
straight.
You probably think that this poem won’t cut it,
But today I’m gonna open the door and don’t you
dare shut it!
To start, let’s be clear:
I am...I was in Special Ed.
But just because I was in that room doesn’t mean
I’m brain dead!
So for Pete’s sake, don’t puppy dog guard me!
Just give me a break, it isn’t that hard see:
If I need your help, I will tell you I do.
Just please,
Please don’t mock me.
In my place, would you want me to mock you?
“Oh come on! Let her get it! Go easy on
her!”
Help, where not needed, is almost as bad as a slur.
I’m not invalid
So don’t play that card.
Yeah, I’m a little quirky and oversensitive,
But I’m not, and I quote,
“A little retard.”
Yeah, I’ve been called names.
And those words?
They hurt.
They catch in the center,
In your pit of self worth.
And they tear and they rip,
And those words are collective.
Soon you start to believe that you are defective.
I’ve dealt with them all, and surprisingly,
I actually prefer the straight up bullies
To those who pretend to like me.
Fake friends and two-faces
Of all genders and races.
They’re only my friends so they don’t have to see
me cry.
Or they use me,
abuse me,
Oh, how they confuse me!
Cause I can’t tell what’s truth and what’s lie.
“Hey! He likes you. Go give him a kiss!”
And because I don’t know better, I believe this.
But soon I find they’re not playing Cupid,
They just wanna make me look stupid.
For their entertainment, they make me play the
77
fool;
They pretend that they care for me
When they’re really just cruel.
It takes time and takes work to make you forget;
Even now, I’m not quite there yet.
I mean, here I am, in what’s supposed to be
home,
And yet here I am, still feeling alone.
I’m still paranoid, it doesn’t just end;
I still have to ask if someone’s my friend.
I say one thing and mean another;
I make a mistake,
But you take it verbatim.
Can’t you cut me a break?
If we’re talking and I look like I’m lost,
Don’t blow it off like it’s not worth the cost.
Sarcasm and subtlety muddle in my brain,
So please just take a minute to explain.
Do these quirks make me broken?
Is there something wrong with me?
The way society has spoken,
There would seem to be.
78
Stop poisoning the minds of “different” young
women and men.
I don’t like being defective....
Can I be special again?
SOREX PALUSTRIS
Emilie Tomas
Did they name you for
Your wit, pointed
Nose of pointed judgement
Who brought us fire;
five to seven inches of shrewd truth?
Or was it your mischief
That Inspired them? Your
Presence followed by screams
And a three inch tail.
I saw your likeness on a stage,
Dirt in place of your midnight coat
Though she is reformed now.
Perhaps it was the gleam in your
Eyes; whispered fortunes and
A summer of silver birth.
Maybe you are a messenger
Of God, somehow in your Eighteen
months you learned to walk
On water, the second coming
Of Christ.
79
woodsy adam ruff
gabriel bergstrom
80
WORDS
Malena Larsen
The bathroom wall was covered in words.
Words like fuck and love and song lyrics and
names with hearts around them. His body
looked peaceful, somehow, as he sat propped and
slumped against the door. His head hung to his
right shoulder and his mouth was open like he
was about to say something but was interrupted.
There was blood running down his left arm like
a river and a needle hung loosely out of his skin.
The words that he had heard her say several
hours earlier were getting quieter and quieter.
“It’s not working,” she had told him. “I’m
sorry.” They were smoking cigarettes outside her
apartment when she said it. She knew he had
been trying to fix himself. After twenty-eight days
of treatment and one week in a sober house on
Lake and Fifth she barely recognized him. He was
twenty-five pounds heavier and his skin looked
clean and strong; there was no more grey in his
cheeks. It wasn’t just his change in appearance
that scared her. Lately, he had been telling her
the difference between wrong and right and that
she should stay in on the weekends. His family
couldn’t stop talking about how proud they were
of him and they would ask her, “Doesn’t he just
seem so much better?” She would answer with yes
but feel guilty because she wished he still liked to
make mistakes. His family had a party after he got
out of treatment and his grandfather kept saying
things like, “Men in this family have always been
strong!” and, “Now he can take care of you.” His
grandfather didn’t care for her much but he felt
that she was the least of the boy’s problems. He
didn’t like the way she hung on him like a scarf
or the way she agreed with everything he said
without a second thought.
As he sat on the bathroom floor the words
she had said were getting quieter and quieter.
They were almost gone. He had been sober for
thirty-five days and he didn’t know why. He didn’t
feel better or stronger or more loved. His hand lay
loosely on the floor, palm up and open like he was
waiting for somebody to hold it. Everyone was so
proud of him but he couldn’t imagine living his
life without her.
Long after her words had faded completely,
the bathroom door opened. He fell back onto the
floor. His head hitting hard against the tile.
81
“Oh my gosh!” The man who opened the door
yelled. “Can someone help?” He took out his
phone to call 911. A crowd of people rushed
over to where the man was dialing. A young man
pushed past the group of people.
“Move!” The boy got on his knees by the body on
the floor. He reached into his pocket and took out
something that looked like a pen. He stuck it into
the arm of the body that was needle free. People
gasped and murmured and watched. Sirens rang
in the distance. The boy holding the pen looked
up at the bathroom wall that had words like fuck
and love and song lyrics and names with hearts
around them. He looked up at the group of people.
“It’s not working,” he said.
82
MALCOLM AND THE BLUE SIDE
Danny Polaschek
Brown leaves dragged past Malcolm’s feet
in the wind. The bench underneath him felt like
a rock and he had to clench his jaw to keep his
teeth from chattering. He stared at the empty
playground—the tire swing, the slide, the bridge
and the fireman’s pole. Nikki rested her head on
his shoulder. Each time a breeze swept through,
Malcolm could feel her nuzzle slightly closer, her
hair scratching and tickling his neck.
When he was a kid, Malcolm had sat on this
exact same bench many times with his mother.
They lived in a little blue house just a few blocks
away— “just a hop and a skip,” his mother would
say and Malcolm would make it his mission to
jump and bunny-hop the whole way there.
When they arrived, they’d eat lunch, sitting
together on the narrow, wooden bench. After
each bite of his sandwich, Malcolm would beg his
mother to let him go play, to which she would give
in once she herself had finished eating.
He always went straight for the slide. Once
at the top, he’d yell, “I’m going under!” and
swing himself down into the blue plastic tube. He
imagined he was a deep-sea diver plunging into
an underwater world of sunken pirate ships and
forgotten chests of gold. On particularly sunny
afternoons, he’d stop halfway down the slide and
admire the shadows that moved about on the
illuminated, blue plastic. He’d make believe that
fish swam all around him as little blotchy shadows
hovered whimsically over his head.
He eventually got the idea to bring his crayons to the park with him. He’d sit lodged in the
blue slide for most of the day, drawing exotic fish
with bright oranges, yellows and reds. He knew
fish didn’t smile but nevertheless gave them all
wide grins and big eyes to match. When it was
time to go home, his mother would knock from
the bottom of the slide. “Time to come back to
shore!” she’d announce. Malcolm would hide his
crayons in his back pocket and slide down to his
mother who would wait there with open arms
grinning at him.
The park seemed smaller now. Malcolm
was just as tall as the fireman’s pole and half as
long as the slide. He wondered if his fabricated
underwater universe still existed. Probably not,
he guessed. Although it was getting dark, Mal83
colm could see thick graffiti creeping out from the
shadows inside the blue slide. Malcolm pulled his
sweatshirt tighter around his neck, brushing Nikki
away in the process.
He felt her eyes on his face but refused to
acknowledge her. Inside the slide, he could still
make out the words “Bitch Ass” in thick spray
paint. His crayon drawings would certainly be
gone, he was sure of it now. Nikki picked up Malcolm’s hand and caressed it, her cold skin feeling
leathery and smooth.
“Malcolm,” she said.
Malcolm turned and mustered a smile, taking
Nikki’s hands to his face and kissing them awkwardly.
“Malcolm, let’s go home.”
The streetlights had not yet turned on for
the evening. Malcolm noticed the shadows on
the sides of the road stretching out and growing
bigger as they walked quietly past. He missed the
warm sunshine of summer and the hot nights
spent lounging in the front yard listening to his
mother’s radio; he missed the walks to the park,
his mother laughing at him as he crouched and
hopped along beside her. He remembered the
secret thrill of the crayon box in his back pocket,
then realized he’d forgotten his cigarettes on the
bench at the park. He was too cold to turn back.
He reached out silently for Nikki’s hand and, finding it much warmer than his own, held it stiffly
the rest of the walk home.
84
driving at zero one
john herbert
85
driving at zero two
john herbert
86
PLACEMAKERS
Diamonique Walker
Near my home,
Balloons dance in the wind.
I have reconditioned myself — These are not balloons
from a party, But they still celebrate a life.
I drive by, sometimes I walk.
And see a balloon or several
With their heads bobbing away
Positioned obscurely on the sidewalk.
Or on the island in the middle of the highway. Sometimes on no one in particular’s grass.
I don’t look for party decorations. At the feet of the
balloon’s ribbons, candles, cards and little trinkets sit.
Some kind of offering.
Looking weathered and dull.
His body bled some place close by. Probably killed
within ten feet.
A dancing, mocking balloon
Somehow now gets to sway in his place.
87
NECESSARILY AN EVIL THING CONSIDERED IN ANY LIGHT
Jacob J. Miller
“You know what I hate about this most of
all?” asked the first man. “Nobody’s going to be
around to take responsibility. Nobody is going to
have to answer for their crime.”
“What crime is that?” the other man asked,
sitting next to him in the middle of the cul-de-sac,
both of them at perfect leisure in lawn chairs as if
waiting for a parade to pass by.
“Mass-murder, I suppose. Call it, oh, I don’t
know. Call it, um, inciting the apocalypse.”
“Ha.”
“They deserve to be the ones left behind
after they obliterate everyone else. They should
be the ones who have to reap the aftermath, puke
out their guts and feel their bile boil inside their
stomachs, fend off marauding cannibals and giant
insects. And they should have to live with the new
world they created, or destroyed, rather.”
Just then, the other man looked down and
saw a lonely ant crawling up his pant leg. “Yeah,
but I don’t think that giant bug stuff is true. That
wouldn’t happen. The bugs’ll die like everything
else.”
“I mean, what do you think it’ll be like? I
88
know it’ll happen instantaneously, but they say the
cerebral cortex functions after everything else has
shut down and we linger in a sort of dream-state,
which could last for, well, for who knows how
long?”
“Well, that’s if you’re in a hospital bed, or
you have a heart attack or something, when you
have time to die with a little bit of peace. Our
brains are going to incinerate along with the rest
of us. There won’t even be any stuff of thought
anymore. I don’t think we have to worry about
something like that.”
“But what if that moment of pain before we
go lasts longer, you know? What if time stands
still? Nothing makes sense in a moment of such
lunacy. Such catastrophe. What if we feel our
tongues liquefying and spilling down our throats
and scalding our internal organs? What if, all in
that moment, we look down, and before our eyes
boil and burst from the heat we see our bones
glowing purple through our flesh as it begins dripping off like wax? What if you turn and look at
me and the last image you see is my face melting
off like those Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark?”
“I’m not sure it’s the best time to be thinking
like that,” his friend said, as the sirens began to
wail their sorrowful last.
“Why even bother with that fucking thing?”
the man steamed. “It’s inconsiderate, a futile
exhortation. We know what’s coming. We’re not
going to hide in our basements from it like it’s a
fucking tornado.”
“Tornadoes aren’t so easy to hide from either.”
The first man scanned the horizon for what
he knew would be the last time. He took in the
sight of the skyline he saw from his window every
day and, with lamenting eyes, imaginatively
anticipated its supplanting by a fiery mushroom
climbing the sky. He closed his eyes and winced,
unable to cope with the unthinkable thought, the
impossible inevitability. Turning his head toward
a neighbor’s yard whose household ran a daycare,
he opened his eyes to a post-apocalyptic tableau
of children’s toys scattered about the lawn. Nothing needed yet be aflame for the man to resent the
picturesque cliché of innocence lost on display
before him. “Remember when they used to tell
kids to hide under their desks?” he inquired. “All
that siren is doing is making sure that we spend
our last moments in a panic, instead of dying
gracefully, accepting that we’re all in the same
sinking ship, in the middle of the ocean, if the
ocean were the entire planet, and filled with lava
instead of water. We should be spending our time
reminiscing, because that’s all we have now.”
“Well, we can’t talk about our plans for the
future.”
“We can’t discuss potential medical advancements.”
“The coming cure for cancer.”
“And cloning organs. Scholarships our
children just received, the singularity and will
the Matrix ever become a reality; would we ever
make contact with life elsewhere in the universe,
intercept an asteroid, mine them for resources?
It’s all useless, man, meaningless. Every human
achievement since the first spark made from one
rock dragging against another, gone within the
next hour,” he sighed heavily, draping a ribbon
of helplessness over his words of outrage. “Why
don’t you open that up?” He suggested, pointing at the bottle of scotch sitting at the leg of
his friend’s chair. His friend took a swig before
passing it over with a satisfied groan. “Here’s to
everything we do being the last time it will ever be
done,” the first man began. “That’s the best I can
do.”
“Yeah,” the other man raised an empty hand,
toasting to the end and everything that came
before it. “I suppose there’s something beautiful about the entire world—or nearly the entire
world—going out the same way. There’s a kind
of universal solidarity occurring right now, don’t
you think? Some are praying, no doubt, some are
exalting their various saviors, certain they will be
raptured up any minute, but we’re all still going
to be experiencing the same thing, at almost the
exact same time; the same heat, the same instantaneous moment of searing pain before any trace
of our molecules are imprinted as a shadow on
the asphalt beneath us.”
He had a complex contraption of a chair, one
of the men—it doesn’t really matter which one
now that the end was there; the kind of chair that
folds upward from all four corners and was nearly
89
impossible to fit back into its cylindrical carrying
sack—not that that mattered anymore either—
complete with cup holders and a detachable headrest, which he was putting to use as he spoke. His
friend’s chair was more old-fashioned, a conventional folding lawn chair with a checkered pattern
of flimsy plastic wrapped taut around aluminum
pipes, wobbly hard plastic armrests drilled in and
not quite parallel to each other.
Their chair legs began melting into the tar
beneath them. One of the men hummed softly;
a beautiful soundtrack to accompany him in the
cut to black. The other man closed his eyes and,
focusing on the sounds of the encroaching death
rattle, heard them as the grunts and whinnies of
the four horsemen’s horses as they galloped atop
the planet’s rapidly spreading dust.
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Murphy Square 2017: Murphy Square Visual Art and Literary Magazine
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MURPHY SQUARE VISUAL ART
& LITERARY MAGAZINE
ISSUE 42, 2017
EDITORIAL BOARD
Malena Larsen, Editor In Chief
Abigail Tetzlaff, Associate Editor
Audrey Campbell, Art & Layout Editor
Cassie Dong, Art Editor
Jazmin Crittenden, Art Editor
Elisabeth Beam, Prose Editor
Abigail Carpenter, Prose Ed...
Show more
MURPHY SQUARE VISUAL ART
& LITERARY MAGAZINE
ISSUE 42, 2017
EDITORIAL BOARD
Malena Larsen, Editor In Chief
Abigail Tetzlaff, Associate Editor
Audrey Campbell, Art & Layout Editor
Cassie Dong, Art Editor
Jazmin Crittenden, Art Editor
Elisabeth Beam, Prose Editor
Abigail Carpenter, Prose Editor
Ryan Moore, Prose Editor
Gabriel Benson, Poetry Editor
Danny Polaschek, Poetry Editor
Cary Waterman, Advisor
2
WITH THANKS TO
Ivy Arts Copy and Print
Augsburg College Student Government
Augsburg College English Department
Augsburg College Art Department
The Echo
Augsburg Honors Program
QPA
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
What Type of Black Girl Are You? Nikkyra Whittaker ........................................................................... 8
Simul Justus et Peccator, Andy Anderson .......................................................................................... 11
Queer, Eve Taft ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Jesus in a Cracker, A.Tetzlaff ................................................................................................................ 14
Grey Cloud Island, David Baboila ......................................................................................................... 17
Saint Paul Airport, David Baboila .......................................................................................................... 18
White Bear Lake, David Baboila ............................................................................................................ 19
Zips Coliseum, David Baboila ............................................................................................................... 20
Bridge, Jacob J. Miller ............................................................................................................................ 21
50 Feet Tall, Emilie Tomas ...................................................................................................................... 25
Meow, Ashley Waalen ............................................................................................................................ 26
Mousetrap, Halle Chambers .................................................................................................................. 27
Faces, Constance Klippen ..................................................................................................................... 29
I Don’t Always Feel Colored, Diamonique Walker ............................................................................... 30
Where I am From, Hannah Schmit ......................................................................................................... 32
Who Am I?, Ashley Waalen .................................................................................................................... 34
2
Gratitude, D.E Green ..............................................................................................................................
CSBR, Gabriel Bergstrom ......................................................................................................................
The Fire, Elisabeth Beam ........................................................................................................................
Desert Drums, Abigail Carpenter ..........................................................................................................
Colors, Hannah Schmit ...........................................................................................................................
Urban Delight, Jazmin Crittenden .........................................................................................................
When Dad Wore Cologne, A. Tetzlaff ....................................................................................................
Shitty Christmas Trees, Elisabeth Beam ...............................................................................................
Summer Nights, Adam Ruff ...................................................................................................................
36
38
39
41
42
43
44
46
48
The People United, Adam Ruff .............................................................................................................. 49
After the Hike, Adam Ruff ..................................................................................................................... 50
Crumbs, Malena Larsen ......................................................................................................................... 51
Bloomed, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................................................... 55
Pruned, Audrey Campbell ...................................................................................................................... 56
Herman, Danny Polaschek ................................................................................................................... 57
El Barrio Suyo, Chad Berryman ............................................................................................................. 60
The Neighborhood, Chad Berryman ..................................................................................................... 61
Odyssey, Eve Taft .................................................................................................................................... 62
Postcards From My Bedroom, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................. 63
Postcards From My Bedroom, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................. 64
Counting Sheep, Danny Polaschek ...................................................................................................... 65
3
Sky Nights, Keeyonna Fox ...................................................................................................................... 67
Inner Self, Keeyonna Fox ....................................................................................................................... 68
Victory of the People, Petra S. Shaffer-Gottschalk ............................................................................. 69
An Open Letter to the Un-specials, Halle Chambers ...........................................................................76
Sorex Palustris, Emilie Tomas ................................................................................................................. 79
Woodsy Adam Ruff, Gabriel Bergstrom .................................................................................................. 80
Words, Malena Larsen ................................................................................................................................. 81
Malcom, Danny Polaschek ....................................................................................................................... 83
DRIVING AT ZERO ONE, John Herbert ................................................................................................... 85
DRIVING AT ZERO TWO, John Herbert ................................................................................................... 86
Placemakers, Diamonique Walker ........................................................................................................ 87
A Necessary Evil Thing Considered in any Light, Jacob J. Miller ....................................................... 88
1
WHAT TYPE OF BLACK GIRL ARE YOU?
Nikkyra Whittaker
On the spectrum of being black and female, we can
only be what we appear to be. Take this quiz to find
out what kind of black girl you really are!
1. You’re listening to the radio on the way to Target.
You’re playing…
a. Beyonce’s “****Flawless”
b. Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen” or “You Belong With
Me” or “Wildest Dreams”
c. Chris Brown’s “Loyal”
d. Keri Hilson’s “Pretty Girl Rock”
2. It’s your day off work. What will you be doing?
a. Blowing off steam on Facebook.
b. Watching old episodes of One Tree Hill
c. Out for drinks and scoping eye candy
d. Talking shit with the ladies while drinking Moscato!
3. What’s your dream home like?
a. Full of books on systemic oppression
b. Beverly Hills penthouse
c. Some big shot rapper’s mansion
d. Spacious New York Loft
8
4. Your favorite TV show is…
a. Docu-series on race
b. Sex in the City
c. Bad Girls Club
d. Love and Hip Hop
5. Finally, who’s your favorite female icon from this
list?
a. Angela Davis
b. Taylor Swift
c. New York from I Love New York
d. Nicki Minaj
Tally up how many of each letter you got and turn
the page to find out who you really are!
If you got mostly a’s...You’re an Angry Black Girl!
Congratulations, you loud-mouthed, anger filled
home-girl! I’m guessing there’s always some reason
to be mad at someone, isn’t there? Do you just spend
your days in a perpetual state of rage, angry at the
world for reasons they don’t find important? Do you
find yourself constantly snapping your fingers in
that z-formation, pursing your lips at anyone who
steps in your way? I bet people are telling you to
just be quiet, huh? I mean, what issues could you, a
black female, possibly have? Why should you care
that your high school English teacher gives you a
C+ on your essay because she thinks you copied
it from the white man online? Why does it matter
that your male co-worker at Target constantly teases
you about your nappy hair, calling it a “brillo pad,”
“cheeto puff,” or some other clever name? None of
this should anger you! Be aware, you sassy Sapphire,
in this world, your anger means nothing.
If you got mostly b’s...You’re an Oreo!
You grew up watching Lizzie McGuire and
listening to Aaron Carter. You straightened your
hair from the moment you were old enough to assert
yourself and cried when it wouldn’t lay flat. Your
friends were always shocked to see you bring collard
greens and jambalaya to lunch so you stopped eating
your favorite foods. They didn’t understand why
you couldn’t just brush your hair, wash your hair
everyday, why it suddenly grew or shrunk inches
overnight. I’m certain you’ve heard from many of
your friends how they just don’t see you as a black
girl. They erase your black skin because it doesn’t fit
the images of other black girls they see. You spend
most of your time edging away from the loud black
girls, the ghetto black girls who ate hot cheetos and
drank kool aid and had corn rows and long braids
and smelled like a mix of the jungle and your
ancestors pain and you wished, maybe for a just a
moment, but you did wish that you could be white.
But honey, you can never wash off that melanin! It’s
a permanent stain. Just because your friends can’t
see the black on you, it doesn’t mean the rest of the
world can’t.
9
If you got mostly c’s...You’re a Hip Hop Ho!
You sexual deviant you! Let me guess—big
breasts, small waist, and wide hips? You’ve got that
original Betty Boop to you, something in your eyes
that say yes to a question no one bothers to ask.
You’re the black girl that white guys use as a notch
in their belt. You are the exotic sexual being that
men love to hate and hate to love. You became a
sexual thing at a young age, when your breasts came
in at ten years old and became d-cups at fourteen.
They started looking at you differently, didn’t they?
Your eyes stopped existing. Your words didn’t matter.
Your body became the tool used to diminish your
worth. How often did you get yelled at in school to
put on something less revealing than your shorts?
Did you ever wonder why the skinny, flat-assed white
girls were never told the same thing? Honey, your
wide hips wrapped in chocolate skin were never
yours. You will never be yours.
10
If you got mostly d’s...You’re a Ghetto Fabulous Black Girl!
You make what little money you can working at
Walmart or doing nails. You make people waiting at
the bus stop with you uncomfortable with your loud
laughter and yellow and pink braids and long, bedazzled nails. You toss your weave around, remove
your earrings, and square up to anyone that says shit
about you. When you’re out, you are often told to
stop yelling, screaming, taking up space. You’ve got
baby daddy problems and you’re only 18. You grew
up playing double dutch in the middle of the street
with old rope. You accept your black, your ghetto,
your Ebonics. But you are not supposed to accept
yourself, honey! Don’t you see the fashion police
spreads in the magazines? You are on all the pages!
Don’t show your hips. Put on a shirt that conceals
your stomach. Put your breasts away. Don’t wear
bright lipstick. Stop standing out, being different.
Get smaller, quieter, lesser, as you are supposed to
be. You love your black too loudly and it makes
others uncomfortable. Your job is to make people
comfortable so do your best to limit the loudness of
your melanin.
simul justus et peccator
andy anderson
11
QUEER
Eve Taft
You think there isn’t a sign on my ribs that says
“stonewall inn”?
You think Matthew Shepard doesn’t tug at my hair
and warn me
as I walk the streets of my city?
You think I don’t choke on the smoke
from the hellfire you spit from your pulpits
with sparks that sear and heat branding
irons
which scar your names on me to mark me as
danger?
You think my veins don’t shiver
when they think
of the devastation
wracking the cities
that some called deliverance
while Reagan fiddled
as we burned
You think that the prisons
pink triangles
asylums
bullets spitting into a nightclub
don’t whisper in my head as I make my
way through the world?
12
You think that I don’t notice—
I kiss her
and kiss her
—the headline blowing by with a death toll
and I kiss her
the skyline splashing out behind us
the lights on the Washington Avenue bridge flicker
on and I kiss her
Putin criminalizes us, across the
world
I kiss her
Vigils held too late for young suicides
Corrupting, perverted, disgusting, an affront to
family values—
I kiss her
in the rain and the sleet of Minnesota
I kiss her, our lips tasting of chants from the protest
that shut down I-94
handed down from our grandmothers
hearts beating, eyes sparkling, alive
I kiss her
You think I forget the lists and the candles and the
deaths and the pain and
all that roars in my ears is a chorus
screaming over and over again
you were not able to kill us
I kiss her
and all is still
13
JESUS IN A CRACKER
A. Tetzlaff
Eucharist
I hugged my father’s black, pleated pants while
we waited for mass to start. He was beaming proudly and chatting with the rest of our family. I wore
the only dress I allowed to touch my body: by then
it was a year old and from my uncle’s wedding when
I walked down the aisle carrying a bouquet, looking
like a blonde deer caught in front of a semi truck.
It had a black velvet top connected to a white skirt.
All the girls wore white. My parents cut their losses.
All the boys, shirt and tie. Eight-year-olds taking
their first communion despite the fact that most of
us had no idea what was happening. Understanding the sacraments isn’t really necessary when you
grow up in a Catholic family. By the time you are
aware of your burden, it’s too late anyway. Religion
lived at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, in Green Bay,
Wisconsin. Between church and home, I lived in a
realm of contradiction. I came to visit religion, but
it never went home with me. On Sundays when the
game was in town, God would not judge you for
wearing your Packer jersey to church. Sinning was
bad, but you could tailgate and drink and carouse to
your heart’s content. We should have taken beer at
14
that first communion. We would have appreciated it
more than the wine. We took our places in the ritual
that had been performed again and again. The
time-worn ritual begins anew as I walk to the altar
with my hands folded in front of me. I must remember to raise my hands high enough so the rheumatic
priest doesn’t have to bend down. Right hand over
left. I’m a blonde deer again.
“The body of Christ.” This is the part where
I say, “Amen,” whether I mean it or not, then
put the communion wafer in my mouth. I must
cross myself (right hand touching head, then left
shoulder, then right shoulder) as I walk back up the
aisle and toward my family. They liked to sit in the
middle section, never too close to the altar. They
didn’t like making direct eye-contact with the priest
during his homily. To this day I skip the wine for
fear of communicable diseases. It stuck to the roof
of my mouth, this first communion wafer. It was
stale. There was no substance. Maybe the parched
flour and water, mixed with the lingering incense is
actually what Jesus tastes like. The absorbent clump
lasted into the next hymn. Saliva rushed into my
mouth and eventually the wafer, heavy with mois-
ture, fell from the roof of my mouth. I swallowed
without chewing.
Just go with it, I told myself. All these people
believe in this, so one day, you will too. But I wasn’t
sure. I didn’t get it. The power that kept me from
running back up the aisle wasn’t the love of God
gently pushing me along, but the ritual itself, and the
expectation of my parents and grandparents watching proud and probably dewy-eyed as I joined their
ranks. Hugs and smiles and congratulations as my
family comes out of the first communion Mass, but
I wasn’t sure what was such cause for celebration; I
hadn’t had a great epiphany about God, nor had I
felt any change at all. It was just like every Sunday
late in October.
head and tell me I was forgiven. “Sometimes, I’m
not very nice to my mom or my brother,” I told him.
Navitity didn’t own a confessional booth like the
ones in movies. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen
a confessional booth at any Catholic church outside
the movies. We sat quietly in a tiny room. Being
small for my age, I circled the air below me with
my feet. I sat facing him directly. He crossed his legs
under the cassock he wore, clearly annoyed. After a
silence and a slow nod, the priest said, “Sometimes,
we hurt the people we love the most.” It was the
only part I heard or remember hearing; he started
talking about God’s forgiveness, I assume. I didn’t
pay attention, because I didn’t feel different after
admitting such a pitiful sin.
Marriage
I had no ill-feeling toward the physical place
of church. In fact, the ritual, the sounds, the smell
of incense, and the light that filtered through the
stained-glass windows from an Easterly rising sun
became familiar and comforting over the years. The
nave, filled with old pews, had witnessed my parents’
wedding and my grandparents’ weddings. The organ towered over the choir. The smell of old patrons
and Sunday cologne too liberally applied became a
sensory memory of that place. However, religion has
never been an inward practice; the practice and the
scene never joined together.
Anointing of the Sick
When times are bad, I’ve pulled the fragments
of ritual from my memory and recite the “Our
Father.” I did this in the winter of my eighteenth
year in days following my grandfather’s funeral. He
died of bladder cancer, worsened by a communicable bacterial infection called C.Difficile. I became
familiar with the ritual of funeral; I’d been to three
or four for close relatives. But this time, the ritual felt
different. Before, I was sad. My grandfather’s funeral
confirmed that the only sacred part of my world had
been ripped mercilessly from my arms.
Reconciliation
“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”As the
words come out of my mouth, they themselves felt
sinful. I hadn’t sinned, I was eleven. I barely knew
what sin was. I had to stop a moment to think of
a sin I had committed, so the priest could nod his
Baptism
I sat in the shower until the water hitting my
face was colder than I could stand, reciting
the “Our Father” over and over, sobbing.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy
name.
I hoped, over so many repetitions, that my view
15
of God and heaven would change. Yet, it confused
me more. Religion stopped looking like the patron
blind to reality and became a place where I didn’t
belong. Like I was missing out because I didn’t get
that epiphany, and didn’t have that same faith.
Confirmation
Religion was so stale, that when my Mother
would occasionally talk about faith, or God, or divine love at the dinner table I would blush with pity
and embarrassment. How can you believe this? I
thought, how can you be so blind to the real world?
Perhaps, I’m the blind one. I continue to live in
an intermediate space between faith and atheism. I
can’t commit to either. The fence between atheism
and faith is fraught with angst. Most days, I try to
laugh away my uncertainty. I tell jokes about my
Catholic past, chuckle when I hear of “recovering
Catholics,” and tell friends, “It smells like a Catholic
church in here,” whenever they burn incense. Religion is still stale to me. Religion has no nutritional
value. Stale religion has no holy orders.
16
grey cloud island
david baboila
17
saint paul airport
david baboila
18
white bear lake
david baboila
19
zips coliseum
david baboila
20
BRIDGE
Jacob J. Miller
This was not way back when, as my dad would have
you believe. It was more recent than that. If he can’t
flat out deny it, which he no longer can, he will at
least try to convince you that it was so long ago as to
suggest it might have been a different lifetime, and
he a different person. He has been, after all, Born
Again. Except he was not the only person involved,
and to carry along as if he was is an exercise in what
I’ve heard philosophers call solipsism. For him, his
transgression was between himself and the Holy
Ghost: accountable not to those he wronged, only to
an invisible spirit. But he doesn’t have sole authority
in determining the past’s relevance or irrelevance
to our lives today. My mother too pretends the past
is only what has happened at a particular point
in time, and not a factor in what determines what
has happened since then and what is happening
now. The slate wiper theory of forgiveness is what
allowed them to wear their veneer of innocence and
believe in its authenticity, and for that reason I resent their new-leaf turnover. My love for them may
not be emergent in my words, I know, but I do love
them, regardless of the fucked up traits they passed
on to their children, which will become evident as
this story unfolds
You might be wondering, if you care at all, what
could be so terrible. Well, it’s not so terrible, and
not even very uncommon, but it happened to me,
and my brothers and my sisters, and there was never
anything we could really do about it. We watched
it unfold almost every night to reveal its rotted pit.
What was scariest was not when a half-full beer bottle would be hurled in our direction for us being too
noisy, and then being held responsible for wasting
the beer, and getting punished even more for that.
What was scariest was when they fought with each
other, mom and dad, when they were both liquored
up. All of us children would be sitting in the living
room, on our knees, in a line, with our hands folded
and tucked inside our clenched thighs, having
hitherto been fulfilling our playful, childish duties
who couldn’t expect things to go so suddenly and
intensely wrong. They would fight about anything,
or nothing, for all we knew or cared. They would
yell, swear, slam their fists on various surfaces, throw
things across the room at each other as if rehearsed.
One time, I remember, and this is what I’m talking
about when I talk about how scary things got, my
21
dad had my mom pinned up against the refrigerator—after she threw three or four plates at him, one
that hit his arm, but would have hit his face if he
hadn’t been blocking, and cut it deep. He had the
sharp kitchen knife pressed firmly under her chin.
If she gulped too hard in fear, or if dad in his stupor
lost balance, she would have been bleeding all over
the family pictures held by magnets to the fridge.
As we grew older, my big brother and I began working under dad instead of merely living under
him. Our prospects in life weren’t substantial at that
point. Whatever potential we had, it had never been
encouraged, so entering into the family business, if it
can even be called that, was the only viable option.
I woke dad up most mornings from his typical
collapse into a face-down, fetal heap on the kitchen
floor, sometimes still wet, sometimes already crusted
over. I’d say, “it’s time for work, dad,” and he’d drive
me to the site where (drinking coffee with whiskey
in it on the way) heavy machinery was waiting to
be operated—even though we used hammers and
nails whenever we could. Stonehenge-sized slabs of
cement, wooden pillars, cinder blocks, and iron rods
littered the landscape. It was all so disorderly that if
a nomad wandered upon the scene, the indication
would be of destruction rather than pre-construction. There were no piles of allocated materials
or inventoried supply lists. It could have all been
salvaged from past demolitions or by thievery from
other project sites. We seemed to accrue it all without any kind of exchange or standard of accountability for use. Everything seemed to just show up
wherever and whenever we needed it. Who actually
made all this stuff? How did we move it from place
to place to use from job to job? Who permitted my
sodden father to oversee such potentially hazardous
22
projects? He was a self-made man outside the advent
of auditing. What did I care then? I was making my
way, fashioning for myself a future out of will power,
and holding my breath until I could extricate myself
from this grim farce.
First day on the job, my dad said to me, don’t
fuck up, or he’d make me test the bridge before
the support beams were all in place. I believed
him. That particular bridge wasn’t connecting two
sides over a raging river or anything; more of a
convenient pathway over a stream, but it was still a
threat coming from dad. Second day on the job, my
brother James tore partway through his leg with a
chainsaw. I heard him yell, but it sounded more out
of frustration than terror and pain. He sat down,
ripped his immediately blood-soaked pants from
where the initial tear was, delicately unlaced and removed his boot so as not to cause more pain, grunting as if he had done nothing more than step in dog
shit, and lifted the nearly severed part of his leg that
dangled lifelessly like a tube sock on a clothesline,
to close the wound, from which I saw steam rising
sacrificially to the wintery heavens. He reached
forward to grab the excess of sock which, although
bunched up at his toes, had a long, tortuous journey
before being completely removed. He screamed as
he stretched forward, more circumstantially appropriate this time, and this is when I dropped my—
whatever, the thing I was holding, I can’t remember
what, but I didn’t hear it land because I couldn’t
assimilate anything else that may have been transpiring around me. I almost seemed to float over to him,
not even aware of my legs propelling me forward. I
saw all the blood, but I wasn’t put off by it as much
as I thought I probably should have been, and I
thought that as I stared at it pooling out. I observed
it dispassionately, coldly, but I may not have been
breathing. At first sight, it was just an organic pipe
that sprung a leak. I think I asked if he was all right
but I meant it more like did he think he was going to
die. He said to go get dad and that’s when I became
afraid. I stood there for I don’t know how long, until
he repeated himself more urgently:
“Walt!” he said, “Go! Get! Dad!”
I listened that time, but I was still very afraid. I was
trembling and began feeling like I might faint, and
I almost hoped I wouldn’t find dad, that he’d be off
drinking somewhere, but he wasn’t. He was drinking
right there, over a small mound of dirt, holding a
big piece of wood sturdy for someone to do something with. I saw his breath bellow out into the cold
with a cough and evaporate as he took a swig from
a bottle before sliding it back into his coat pocket,
without so much as a pretense of inconspicuousness.The bottle neck stuck straight out and brushed
against his elbow, a cumbersome lump sinking
down and throwing off his equilibrium further than
the ethanol already had. I slowed my pace, tried to
regain some composure, and still hoped he wouldn’t
notice me. I could claim an attempt at getting his
attention, but he just couldn’t be bothered with me.
I tried, I’d tell James, but I’ll carry you. I was sure I
could have done that. Part of me still wished I could
have avoided involving my dad at all. It was selfish,
but I thought I might get slapped with the blame.
But I yelled, Dad! Come quick! Dad, I yelled again,
skidding on the gravel as I spun around, intent on
not letting my dad’s impatient glare lock on me,
and from that momentum, nearly ascending at a
perfectly horizontal angle in the air before I landed
face first on those same tiny rocks, a perfect reenactment of self-humiliation on the school playground
at recess. I felt all those multiple points of impact,
but wasted no time in catapulting myself back
up—no time for embarrassment just yet—clawed
off the pebbles that clung gently to the tiny dents
they bore into my face and palms, and sped back
to my brother who, when I reached the dirt-mound
summit again, I could see was lying flat, surrounded
by the thick, still-steaming purplish puddle which
had, since I left him, at least quadrupled in circumference. Not looking back at all during my return
sprint to see how far behind me dad was, or even if
he followed me at all, I turned from the sight of my
brother completely to see him, Dad, shuffling over
the mound, bogged down by beer bottles, which
could be heard clanging together in his pockets.
He was wheezing inhalations of frozen air. He saw
James right away, I know it, but he didn’t say anything until he got right up close to him, planting one
clumsy boot in the blood puddle with a squelchy,
meager splat, like an old-fashioned letter-sealing
stamp on melted wax. He leaned over with outward
turned elbows and hands on hips, looked at James’
face. James’ eyes were closed. Dad then scanned
down to the butchered leg, grimaced, scanned
back up to James’ face. James’ eyes were now open
again, frigid with shock, and dad said, “pull yourself
together, son,” erupting hysterically at his own clever
buffoonery.
James turned out to live, no real thanks to
our father. I ended up having to run to the nearest
phone anyway and call an ambulance. He didn’t
even lose his leg. He did require a blood transfusion
because he lost gallons of it, or at least it seemed
like it when I stood there staring at the mess, but his
gristly cheeks had their color restored right in front
of me, resupplying and, it almost seemed, re-inflat23
ing him to human shape at the coercion of some
stranger’s bodily elixir. It worked like sorcery, but far
more astonishing because it was methodologically
reliable. The warm fluid surged through his veins,
and he was ensconced for a moment in a prodigious glow of newfound vitality. Back then, my dad,
laughing, called him a lucky son-of-a-bitch, whereas
telling the story now, upon reflection and suspension of rational thought, my brother was “touched
by an angel.” Now, whenever this celestial creature
of mercy is mentioned, who conveniently remains
anonymous for humility’s sake I suppose, instead of
our dad drunkenly laughing and mocking the situation, James does. An example of an aforementioned
fucked up trait passed on in the family.
24
50 FEET TALL
Emilie Tomas
I was in 5th grade
When my class went
To see ‘The Human
Body’ and I watched
In childhood
Horror as
A 50 foot grin
Unfurled, loomed
Large enough
To pull me
Into orbit
Devoured
First a sandwich
And then my
Faith in humanity
With deafening
Smacks
Like thunder
If thunder
Was made
Of jelly and
Dismay and I
Knew it was a
Crime to allow a
Person to become
This
Inflated,
With every pore
Its own path to
Hell and I knew
I couldn’t trust
Anyone because
In our heads
We are all
50 feet tall.
25
meow you see
ashley waalen
26
MOUSETRAP
Halle Chambers
Minnie “Mousy” O’Mally knew she was
invisible up here on her fire escape. This was her
safeplace. With the ladder pulled up as it was now,
almost no one could reach her here. Plus, even if
someone did make it up here, she could easily get
away.
If she crawled rough the window, she’d be
securely locked in the apartment. There, it was
warm and dry and at least sometimes safe when her
daddy…no, excuse her, correction, “Father or Sir”
wasn’t home. He hated when she called him Daddy.
He wasn’t home now, out doing illegal God knows
what in the “family business,” but he would be back
soon. Hence why she was out here. So, no apartment, not right now.
If she dropped the ladder, she could slide down
to street level in seconds and be down the block
in under a minute. She knew, because she’d practiced and had timed herself. The only way to avoid
getting hit in the face was to be quick on your feet.
That was the first rule of fighting that Jase, her older
brother, had taught her. With the life they lived,
it was also a rule of survival. And they didn’t call
her “Mousy” for nothing: she was small and fast…
very fast. Jase could make a distraction, and Minnie
could run. But, Jase was working a job that “Father”
had given him out of town till this weekend, and
she’d surely get caught if she didn’t have her usual
head-start. So,“down” wouldn’t work either.
If she scaled up the ladder above her, she’d be
on the roof, where their oldest brother, Cobie, had
often taken her and Jase to stargaze. She hadn’t
known till six years into her still short life that he’d
done it to keep his precious baby brother and sister
away from their father’s sight when the man would
come home satellite high or plastered. She hadn’t
known till twelve years in that he’d take their father’s
hungover backhand on the mornings after, so she
and Jase didn’t. All she’d known as he’d taught her
each constellation was that Cobie was braver than
Orion and that she and her brothers were more
inseparable than the Gemini twins. But, her world
went as topsy-turvy as Cassiopeia when her father
had sent Cobie away, saying he would not have a
queer as a son. When Jase and Minnie hugged him,
Cobie swore he’d come back for them in a year or
so. Jase had given up when he’d been two years
gone. That was two years ago, and now even Minnie
27
was starting to doubt. No, she couldn’t go up to the
roo, not alone.
She shivered in the October chill as she reviewed her options: “in” would be facing her father’s
wrath, “down” would be facing being caught by
a cop or a stranger, and “up” would be facing a
reminder of the happiness, now heartbreak, brought
by a brother who was likely never coming home
again. So, maybe she couldn’t escape easily…or at
all. She shivered again, this time more in frantic
panic than from the frigid, near winter city wind.
For not the first time in her life, Mousy felt trapped.
28
faces
connie kilppen
29
*I DON’T ALWAYS FEEL COLORED
Diamonique Walker
Sometimes I find comfort in places I somehow know
I don’t belong
Never a full day, but hours will pass and I won’t
consider my brown skin or kinky hair
I’ll let the imminent fear of my black body being
made into an example fall back to the depths of my
mind
My daughter’s safety in mixed company won’t occur
to me
I won’t juxtapose my blackness with any other’s
identity
confidence
As if one chooses randomly from a pile of stock
black girl names when they look at me
He asks me if my hair is real
I tell him he can’t ask me that
He says oh it’s okay, my girlfriend is black
I’m a dirty smudge on freshly ironed white linens
Trying to blend in, trying to live my life
I breathe, momentarily
Suddenly, I’ll feel breathless, choked
Stabbed in the chest
Stung by a white hot micro aggressive slap in the
face
An unsolicited violation of my personal space
A pale hand gently pulls a lock of my hair in white
amazement
Or a thin pair of lips will say “what’s upppppp” to
me and not anyone else
I’ll get called a name like Jasmine with such utter
30
*Line borrowed from Claudia Rankine, Citizen
WHERE I AM FROM
Hannah Schmit
I am from the forest. From ruddy Maple and heady
Pine. I am from the sunlit dust that refracts the life
of the breeze. The rough wood of the trees are my
bones, roots firmly planted deep in the depths of the
cool black soil. Generations have taught me to live
in the sun, tan weathered hands, calloused and worn
cover small, break earth and sow seeds. Exhaling
with the unfurling of new leaves whose first stretch
welcomed life, I learned the importance of patience
and nurturing.
I am from dirt beneath my nails and gritty sand in
my teeth. Sap painted hands and hot tar feet, blackened from short dashes across burning pavement
that rippled with summer heat. Sandboxes were my
kingdom, the layers of silt and sand familiar to my
prodding hands. I climbed turreted towers of twisted
bark and branches to survey the world and breath
in time with the breeze. Twigs and leaves were my
crown and a rusty tractor my carriage. My people
were the songbirds and insistent cicadas whose songs
filtered lazily together through the woods. Sometimes I called back, matching note for note, melodies
and harmonies creating a canopy of familiarity.
I am from wildflowers who nodded their velvet, satin, and paintbrush heads as I passed by. From dried
grasses whose sweet scent rose from rolling waves
that undulated under horse-tail clouds above. The
gold-fringed top of the corn is my hair as it turns to
brown under the autumn sun.
I am from the passing of seasons, each marking the
time as brilliant red and orange gave way to pristine
white and serene gray. Freckles and sunburn traded
for pale skin cold kissed cheeks. My life can be
counted in scraped knees and bruises, and band-aids
and scars, each a story unique unto itself.
I am from the water. Clear and silted, still and rushing it surrounds me. The river courses through my
veins, its steady pulse my heartbeat. I am from the
muted silence of holding my breath. From letting
go in the soft pixelated light that swirls lazily in the
haze of a murky river. From the dew that rests in
early mists that lay as a blanket over a newly purified
earth, protecting the last of the dawn.
I am from music. Love-strung tunes of lullabies rock
31
my past to sleep and call forth dog-eared memories.
Treasured memories that float fragmented in my
mind,
I was waltzing with my darling…
Goodnight, Irene…
Then sings my soul…
Black Forest I have come to be in this place. Knit
sweaters and hand me downs weave the fabric of my
personality.
The black ink of the notes is stained on my fingers, the lyrics printed out as a map on my mind.
My body is movement, ‘full of grace’ as I danced
through recitals and music competitions. My history
is composed of the ivory keys of a piano board, the
metallic strings of a guitar, and the soft wheeze of a
musty accordion.
I am from survivors. From broken families and lives
I was given the opportunity to begin. Out of the
ashes of war and blood, death and pain I was taught
compassion. The scars remind me of my privilege.
A handful of ink-smeared letters, a fading tattoo,
and relentless nightmares that went unspoken.
Touched by shadows of heartbreak and longing I
have learned the fears of disease and pain, the cruelty of man and the destruction of illness.
I am from a legacy. Footsteps preceded my very first
and taught me how to stand tall—to walk courageously. When I was tired of walking and needed to
fly, strong hands lay behind me as I learned to test
my own strength.
I am from fading memories. From sweat and
ploughs, rough tools and run down sheds. My past is
a copper foundation of saved pennies stretched with
love and trust. The polished wood of a hunter’s gun
and tug of a taut fishing line tie me to
the land of a generation gone by.
I am from the creaking wood of a ship that ferried
dreams. From the fjords and
32
I am from strength. From weary hands that sought
to move forward. From songs crooned in different
tongues, prayers tucked away from missed lives.
I am from the sweet smell of tobacco. From a worn
brown pipe laid in the top overall pocket. From tales
of Shirley Temple and shiny black shoes. From the
canoe as it passes over reeds and the click of a cane
keeping time with shuffling shoes. From sterilized
rooms and flowers with similarly fated owners.
I am from loss and tears.
I am from the Mississippi and the Great Lakes, from
steam and coal. From concrete jungles and log cabins. I am a piece of the past, I am…
The rooms of my mind are wallpapered with
snapshots of a younger me. Sayings and phrases are
the soundtrack of my life. I carry them with me.
Tucked in locked and forgotten rooms they wait
patiently, longingly for me to recall.
future. I seek not where I am going only
exist here, as I am.
I am from the past. Shaped by the present I live for
the future. I am from wanderlust. An incorrigible
desire to explore that cannot be quelled with the
stillness between heartbeats. I am from the excitement that teeters on the brink of the inevitable.
I am pulled at by the gentle whisper of religions.
Called to the beauty of holiness in the world, I am
grounded in the church yet growing in the temple
and the mosque.
I am gentle hands that have learned to be useful—to
give back. Well-used fingers taught to survive and
protect. I am a collection of places and people that I
have encountered. In love with humanity, I exchange comfort for experience.
I am at home in the concrete jungles constructed
from heat-cracked pavement and in the mudpatched hut of the desert. The mountains and caves
call to me like the trees and fields of my youth. I am
at home in the grand expanse of a world that knows
no limits, understands no boundaries. A world that
exists, simply to exist. My feet itch to travel down
forgotten paths where the dust of ages can billow
out from under me and cloud the clarity of the
33
who am i?
ashley waalen
34
2
GRATITUDE: A POEM IN FOUR PARTS
D.E. Green
1. Le Chaim
2. In Praise of Delusion
Each day, my own sunrise, my own morning star:
your red head radiates strange aerial spikes.
When he walks down the sloping skyway from
Memorial
to the Music building on his way to a long evening
class, he sees his reflection in the large classroom
window at the base of the slope. He loves that mirror. In it, he is about a foot taller than his five-fiveand-a-half and twenty pounds lighter. He is younger
than his sixty years.
The silver hair is less telling. As he approaches, the
Other ways slightly, moves with the elegant gait of
an athlete or dancer. This, he imagines, is my Norwegian double—tall and slender and (at least from this distance)
good-looking.
Of course as man and image converge, his Other
shrinks into an eastern-European, Semitic, rather
compact, little old man.
Perhaps (he wonders) I have seen the inner image of myself.
Perhaps (he smiles) I am happy just to have illusions.
Our son’s beard and long Hasidic locks
on a head never bowed in prayer hover
over his guitar and, till he gets it just so,
a heavy-metal riff. The picture of Ollie, our old
pup,—
his face speaks love, love, love. Like the holiday meal
you’ll pretend to let me cook. Or when your hand
gently
strokes my heaving shoulder: I am sobbing silently
because the movie has ended well—a good death,
timely reconciliation, vows revived, a renewed
breath.
36
3. Thanksgiving
4: To My Son
This morning, as I drive
from Northfield to Hampton
past field after barren field,
three wild turkeys
foraging and gobbling
at the edge of the road—
their white-splashed wings,
black-feathered trunks,
It’s Friday, Z—, and (as always) time to say how
much I love you (and your mom too, since I don’t
say it often enough though I feel it every minute)
and how much I miss you and hope you can spend
a few hours with us and Grandma the first weekend
in November. We worry about you every day, ‘cuz
that’s our job, but we also have an abiding sense
of how strong you are: How much you have been
through, how far you’ve come, and how you face
each day with grit—and, I hope, love. The latter
is so hard to do: Over breakfast your mom and I
sometimes sit around and whine about our work,
about grading student papers. But a little later I’ll be
walking across campus and the light will be just right
and I’ll see a familiar face amid a group of young
people and—I don’t know why—I feel love. I think
that’s the word. And I felt it last time we picked you
up downtown and you were talking to some scruffy
stranger on the street. And the fact that you can still
be open to such encounters—isn’t that love too?—
filled me with wonder. It’s funny: Old people, among
whom I am about to number, have proverbially been
beyond wonder, such a romantic and old-fashioned
word. But I swear that I still feel it—and that you are
among the wonders of my world.
red combs poking
and pecking the gravel
and weeds—surprise me.
I flinch.
The car swerves.
I breathe.
They range unruffled.
37
work in progress
gabriel bergstrom
38
THE FIRE
Elisabeth Beam
I stood with my back to the crowd watching the
house go up in flames. It happened faster than I had
expected. It had taken less than a minute for the fire
to spread from the kitchen to the living room and
even less time for it to make its way upstairs and into
the bedrooms where Grandma and the twins had
been peacefully sleeping. Joel stood beside me; his
face was dark with ash, his mouth tilted upwards in
a sickeningly gleeful smile.
Momma had never liked Joel. She said he was a
troublemaker and I should do my best to stay away
from him. Joel hadn’t always been mean. When I
first met him he would bring me friends and make
me laugh. He gave me my grey tabby cat, Walter,
and my small white bunny, Snowy. We used to all
run around the garden and play and laugh. I didn’t
like it when Walter and Snowy played. Walter
always hurt Snowy. Joel loved it. Snowy’s pain filled
shrieks always brought a smile to his face.
Joel would play tricks on Momma. He’d move the
chair she was about to sit in and she’d tumble to the
floor with a crash and a scream. He would put dead
things in the twins’ crib for Momma to find. Once
he brought a live snake into the house and slipped
it into the shower when Momma was in it. She
screamed something awful and had locked me in
my room for a week. I always got blamed for Joel’s
wicked tricks.
Momma brought a lot of new friends to the house
after that. She brought in men wearing long white
coats who talked with me and asked questions about
Joel and Walter and Snowy. Joel would stand behind
them as they questioned me and make faces. I didn’t
understand why they didn’t just talk to Joel and grew
frustrated with their questions.
Once Momma brought home a man in a black suit.
He walked around the house mumbling in a strange
language, throwing water on the walls and waving
his cross around like a baton. I thought he was
crazy. I told Momma and she told me to hush and
sit down. The man stood in front of me yelling in his
strange way and holding his cross on my forehead.
It was cold and made me uncomfortable. Joel got
upset. He didn’t like the man and the way he was
39
shouting. The next thing I knew the man was on the
floor bleeding from a gash in his head and Joel was
laughing loudly in my ear. A bunch of police officers
showed up and Joel told me not to tell anyone what
he’d done. He said I should blame it on Momma
and she’d go away for a long time and stop bothering us. Momma shouted and cried and struggled as
the police dragged her away to the sound of Joel’s
gleeful laughter and the twins’ high pitched screams.
Grandma came after Momma. She was mean.
She locked me in my room and told me to stay
there until I learned my lesson. I watched him
stalk around the room at night mumbling darkly to
himself. Grandma made me to go church with her
every Sunday, she said I had to pray for my soul for
what I’d done to that man and to Momma. I didn’t
understand why everyone blamed me for Joel’s tricks
and was tired of being punished for all the naughty
things that he did.
One night at supper, Joel made scary faces at the
twins who started wailing. Grandma stood up and
yelled at me as she tried desperately to calm the
twins. She told me to go to my room. I said no. I
pointed at Joel and yelled at him with all my might.
This was all his fault. Grandma sent me to bed. Joel
told me they were going to send me away. They
would separate us and I would never be able to see
him again. I told him I was fine with that because he
was being horrible. That upset him. He got Walter and Snowy and made me watch as Walter ate
Snowy. I cried. He laughed.
Joel woke me up at midnight. He told me we could
stay together. Me, him, and Walter, but we had to do
40
something first. He smelt like gasoline. He led me to
the kitchen and pointed to the stove which was covered with a sticky, sweet smelling liquid. He told me
to open my hands. I did. He handed me a lighter.
I didn’t want to do it but Joel got angry when I tried
to say no. He yelled and told me to do it for all the
times Momma blamed me for something he did.
That if I did this everyone would finally realize it
was him doing all the bad things and not me. My
hands were shaking so bad it took me five tries to
get the lighter to ignite. When it did I froze and
stared at the small flame in my hands. It flickered
with every shuttering breath that came out of my
mouth. Joel grew impatient and slapped the lighter
out of my hand and onto the stove. There was a
large whooshing noise and a blast of orange light.
My arm hair stood on end and sweat trickled down
my face. I backed away. Joel stood in front of the
fire and laughed. He threw his arms out wide and
danced in tune with the flames. He was crazy but
his movements were so beautiful and fluid. It was
frightening. The fire advanced toward me. I didn’t
want to move. I wanted the fire to eat me like it was
going to eat Grandma and the twins. Joel grabbed
my hand and led me outside.
We stood to the side and watched as the fire slowly
ate up the house I had grown up in. The house that
the priest, the twins, and Grandma had all died in.
Sirens and smoke filled the night air. I looked to my
side for Joel, but he had disappeared.
DESERT DRUMS
Abigail Carpenter
When my London flatmate, Raoni, suggested
we travel to Northern Africa because he was missing
the heat of Brazil, we had no intention of visiting
the Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains. But we
quickly made friends with a generous and hospitable
Moroccan man, Raxido, who invited us to a local
drum circle at the edge of the Sahara Desert.
After traveling on camelback against an orange-rayed sunset, we found ourselves among the
sand dunes. We parked our camels single file near
our camp, and I realized a place that once only
existed in my dreams was now before me.
I had to close my eyes for a long while. I opened
them over and over again until I was sure of it. I
had to reach down and let the sand fall between my
fingers slowly. I had to breathe in the crisp, evening
air. And when I looked up, the stars speckled in the
sky like the summer freckles on my face, thousands
and thousands of them.
When the drum circle began, I let its music
fill me up. It started in my toes and moved higher,
tickled my fingers and sent goosebumps up my arms
and back. The drums vibrated within my chest and
when it reached my mouth, I screamed in laughter.
My laugh echoed farther and farther across the desert, not meeting any person or town or house until it
was miles and miles away.
I wrapped my blanket a little tighter and
watched my friends dance around the fire to the
beat of the drums. Their legs moved up and down
as their hands joined the ashes flying through the
night air.
For many hours, we sat around the fire, told
our stories and spoke aloud our dreams. We danced
and sang and took turns pounding the drums. We
slept under the stars among the silence of the desert
for only a few hours until the sun awoke us on the
horizon. And moving through the deep sand, the
sunrise at our backs, we rode our camels to the bus
to escape the desert heat before it swallowed us up
whole.
41
COLORS
Hannah Schmit
If I am a color call me red
The color of passion and love
Humanity worn on my sleeve
The color of my blood, beating heart.
Call me red.
If I am a season call me fall
With baited chilled breath I speak
My words on whirlwind breezes fall
An omen of changes to come
Call me fall.
If I am a sound call me silence.
The chaos and stillness of calm
My words lost yet encompassing
In anticipation of something
Call me silence
If I am a thought call me hope
The desire for something more
A yearning call deep within me
The need to breathe
Call me hope.
42
urban delight
jazmin crittenden
43
WHEN DAD WORE COLOGNE
A. Tetzlaff
“Did Grandpa Mike die?” My small voice
broke a quiet that Dad and I carry easily between
us. A radio frequency connecting our minds that
communicates silently, so we don’t have to. Even at
the age of three, I knew our sacred, noiseless space
well.
Dad took me to a park one day, nearby my
childhood home. We rarely visited this park unless
we intended to use its snowy slope for adrenaline
rushes in our bright plastic sleds in the winter time.
But it wasn’t wintertime now. My dad wore a blue
t-shirt he’d owned since high school. Summer or
spring, the season isn’t particularly distinct. The hills
rose nakedly as we quietly approached.
I’ve come back to the memory time and again;
the images are blurred, like a positive photograph
that didn’t come out of the darkroom correctly.
I can’t recall how my father responded to my
question, though I’m sure he patiently and painfully affirmed my query. In that moment I wasn’t
shocked. I wasn’t sad. Presently, I regret that I can’t
remember a man who loved me and was so dearly
loved by others. I don’t know how he looked aside
from the pictures I know. How he talked, laughed,
44
yelled, walked, I don’t recall. Did he wear cologne to
work like Dad?
When I was young, Dad wore cologne to work.
He woke up around five in the morning in order to
be at work five-thirty, and he still does, despite the
fact that no one expects him in the office till eight.
I’d hear his alarm from my bed and wait to smell
the mix of dewy summer grass and the spicy knives
of cologne in my nostrils. The smell lingered and
pulled me back to sleep as Dad left the house. On
the day at the park, Dad wasn’t wearing cologne.
Dad didn’t wear cologne that day because it was
either a weekend or he had the day off or had taken
time away to grieve.
I don’t remember the call to our corded
telephone late one night. It was the hospital telling
Mom and Dad that my grandfather died of a heart
attack while showering. I don’t know if he died
immediately or if the attack was slow, painful, cold,
and wet. I will never ask. The thought of breaking
the stitches grief so tenuously sewed incites trepidation. Was my young face one of his last images? I’m
vain enough to assume so––grandparents always
think of the grandbabies first. Was it a comfort? I
can only hope.
At my Grandfather’s funeral, I can’t remember
Mom’s grief. I can’t remember the funeral either.She
keeps the remnants of her love tended like a flower
garden and tells me of her father often. I have nothing but the cemented walkway leading to the park
that summer day deep in my mind.
Mom tells me that my grandfather lived as long
as he did because he was waiting for me. It was a
miracle I was even born, but that’s not my story to
tell. She calls me “the sparkle in his eye.”
Christopher, my younger and only brother,
inherited my grandfather’s bright, Anglo-blue irises.
He was born the year after my grandfather died.
Christopher joined the Army a few weeks ago; my
grandfather was a Marine in the 60s.
During his service in Asia, my grandfather collected each country’s currency. Grandma keeps the
collection in a red leather box in her bedroom closet.
I used to step onto a chair and carefully extract the
artifact from the top shelf and touch each coin and
each bill. Some of those tenders are much extinct
now.
The souvenirs of my grandfather’s life are far
less valuable to me than those of my travels––those,
at least, the mugs and the key chains, those have
memories attached of the real thing.
I’ve spent most of my life scouring photos and
objects, trying to resurrect an authentic memory
of my grandfather. Trying to find a sensation that
brings him back to me like the early morning scent
of Dad’s cologne because I only remember the
hills and my words and Dad. The solvents of time
washed away my grandfather.
45
SHITTY CHRISTMAS TREES AND SECONDHAND DOLLS
Elisabeth Beam
When I was a kid we didn’t have a lot of money.
But we managed to survive. Mom worked a lot at
the dingy looking Super 8 Motel just down the street
from the elementary school. You know, the kind
of motel that charges by the hour instead of night.
She hated it but it was close to school and paid just
enough. Around November she would start picking
up shifts at other hotels in town to save up more
money for Christmas. It was hard. The heat bill
always went up mid-October when the chill started
to set in and the snow began to fall. Presents were
always an issue. Getting stuff for just me and Sarah
was usually alright, but Mom came from a big family. Six brothers and sisters all of whom had kids. All
of whom would be needing presents. That’s a lot of
money. Money we just didn’t have.
One year there was a huge blizzard and they
canceled school for a week. Sarah was only six at
the time and she couldn’t be left alone to take care
of herself much less a five-year-old as well. So mom
had to stay home from work and look after us. She
tried to make it seem like she wasn’t stressed out
about the money, but I knew she was. She would
pace around the kitchen at night and mumble to
46
herself. She’d crouch over her checkbook and shake
her head. She tried to hide it from us, but I noticed.
I always noticed when she got like that. A week of
work missed meant we wouldn’t be able to afford the
gas to get to grandma’s house for Christmas. And a
week with everyone at home meant that the heat bill
was going to be rough. She was too proud to try and
get food stamps. So money that would normally go
towards presents went to buying our Christmas feast.
We didn’t go to my grandma’s house that
Christmas but it was probably the best Christmas of
my life. The day before school let out our landlord
took out all the carpet in the living room. He said it
was due to be replaced and that someone would be
over before the holiday to put down some new carpet. “Your feet will be so happy and thankful! That’s
the best Christmas present you could ask for!” he
had happily told us. No one came. The floor was
cold and there were nails and sharp staples sticking
up at weird angles. It hurt to step on them and small
red dots appeared throughout the house as we all
made the mistake of stepping in the living room
without socks.
Mom put down an old ratty green rug, one
that our cats liked to pee on. She bought a small
fake green tree from the thrift shop downtown. It
was the saddest looking tree. Most of the branches
were missing so it had random bald spots sporadically around its leaning trunk. A good number of
the ornaments that we put on it fell off because it
couldn’t support their weight. We made new ones
out of paper and glitter. Mom wrapped tinsel she’d
taken from work around it and Sarah and I sloppily
placed string lights. We put an old family picture at
the top of the tree because we were too scared that
our expensive Christmas angel would fall and break
if we tried to stick her up there.
Thinking back on it now it was a pretty shitty
looking tree, but back then I thought it was the best
thing I’d ever seen in my life. I remember sitting on
the floor amongst the nails and staples and looking
at it glittering and glistening and thinking that it was
a far better tree than anyone else could ever have. I
thought that even if we’d spend a million dollars on
a tree and all its dressings that it wouldn’t even be
able to come close to this masterpiece sitting before
me.
For Christmas Eve we blasted holiday music
and ran around the living room twirling and waving
our arms above our heads. Mom had somehow
found time to make new flannel pajamas for both
me and Sarah and we had immediately put them
on. She had also given us each a doll that she’d
found at a thrift store. They looked ratty and dirty
but I loved them both. Every bit of dust and matted
patch of hair was a story waiting to be told. The
dolls had character and I loved it.That shitty tree
and our thrift store dolls were great but they weren’t
what made that night so special. It was that we were
all together, making the most out of what we had
and not lamenting what we were missing. I think as
we grow up we lose the magic in secondhand dolls
and shitty Christmas trees.
47
summer nights
adam ruff
48
the people united
adam ruff
49
after the hike
adam ruff
50
CRUMBS
Malena Larsen
He’s looking for love
In the crevices of his couch
Like loose change.
I saw him lift up the cushions
And pull out crumbs
His mother’s earring
A quarter
The spoon he dropped last week
After eating ice cream out of the container.
It was chocolate cookie dough and he ate the whole thing.
I watched him put the quarter in his back pocket
and the spoon back in the cushions.
I told him I had been in love once
And he said
I like it when girls call me daddy.
I had a dream that night that he was dating somebody and my stomach hurt when I woke up.
I became a spoon in the couch cushion
Who said words like
Daddy
And
Fuck me
And
Hard.
At the end of every night I was put back with the
crumbs, and each day that he came to get me there
was more cat hair or lint stuck to me
I waited patiently
Dirty
For him to pick me up.
It was 77 degrees the late summer night he stopped
getting me from the cushions.
He told me that he found somebody to love and we
can’t be friends, because if I see you I’ll fuck you. I
asked him why he couldn’t control himself if he was
in love with somebody.
The inside of my ribcage
Was being scraped empty
51
Like the chocolate cookie dough ice cream container
And my stomach hurt
Like it did after the dream
Where he wasn’t mine
I can’t help it.
He told me.
I like it when girls call me daddy.
When we met he was wearing a suit and it looked
like he had spent a lot of time on his hair but I
didn’t think he was attractive until the weekend
when I was drunk.
Across the table
On the other side of red cups
And puddles of water
He stared at me
In a grey tank top.
His eyes
And arms
Were strong
52
And dark.
Making eye contact felt like sex
And he smelled like Fireball
And somebody I shouldn’t be alone with
And too much cologne.
We went swimming at 6 am at the neighbor’s lakefront when everyone else fell asleep.
He took off his shirt
I kept mine on.
The water fell off of him like it didn’t want to keep
his body covered for too long. He picked me up and
folded me over his right shoulder and threw me into
the 6 am summer sweet lake water.
He drove me home
At 7 am
Still drunk and
Smitten.
It was 88 degrees and my birthday the night I let
him kiss me in the back hallway of our friend’s frat.
I couldn’t wait anymore
He told me
In the house that smelled like
Liquor and dust
And damp wood.
The first time we
Fucked
Was in the front seat of his
White Pontiac Grand prix
At 11 pm on a Tuesday.
I saw him almost
As an animal.
His fists
Were clenched
And his eyebrows
Like shelves
Over his beetle eyes.
Do you like fucking daddy?
After that night I had to sneak him into my bedroom
because he couldn’t do all of the positions he wanted to in his car. He needed to prove to me that he
was the best fuck and that he could make me cum
and that I should call him
Daddy.
I had never called fucking, fucking before. Before I
was a dirty spoon it had only been called love.
His eyes started to remind me
Of Tiny
Round
Black beetles.
There’s nobody else anymore
We should just keep fucking.
And when we fucked
It was 66 degrees and almost fall when he came to
my house in his white Pontiac Grand Prix and told
me
I remembered then, the quarter he put in his pants
and how he used me to eat his ice cream and then
put me back with all the crumbs in the cushions of
53
his couch
Where he keeps looking for love
Like it’s the loose change
In his back pocket.
54
bloomed
audrey campbell
55
pruned
audrey campbell
56
HERMAN
Danny Polaschek
Grape juice dribbled down Herman’s chin and
landed in scattered droplets down the front of his
white T-shirt. He didn’t notice and, after setting
down his half-emptied glass, picked up his spoon
and started on his bowl of bran flakes. Sitting at the
kitchen table, there was nothing in front of Herman
—but a bare white wall. It seemed, however, that he
wasn’t looking at it, but rather through it like a child
looks through a window and, seeing nothing but
gray skies and rain, is overwhelmed by disappointment because they will not be outdoors playing that
day.
As Herman sat there facing the white wall and
chomping his cereal, his son entered the kitchen
and began his morning ritual. Herman heard the
coffee-maker start bubbling from somewhere behind
him in the kitchen along with the quick and efficient pitter-pattering of his son’s feet, who Herman
assumed had to be walking laps around the center
island as some sort of new, trendy morning workout.
Once the coffee maker’s burbling came to an end
the footsteps stopped as well.
Herman focused on the sound of the coffee being poured, the soft sound of liquid filling a ceramic
mug. The sound stopped as quickly as it had started
and Herman was further drawn from his relaxed,
monotonous state by the sound of his son’s voice.
“How are the flakes this morning, Dad?”
Herman didn’t turn around to face his son, but
continued with what he was doing, looking like a
cow chewing cud. “Five star quality,” he replied in
between spoonfuls. “Flaky as ever.”
Herman’s son chuckled a bit and looked up
from his fresh cup of coffee but the laugh died away
when he noticed that his father was still turned away
from him, eyes glued straight ahead. Taking another
sip, Herman’s son pondered whether he would keep
pursuing his father in conversation or not. He ultimately decided against it and left the kitchen, coffee
mug in hand.
A sigh escaped Herman’s throat as he set down
his spoon, finished with his mushed and soggy cereal. Ain’t this the life, he thought to himself sarcastically. Finally turning away from the wall, Herman
scooted himself back from the kitchen table and
slowly stood up. He gripped the side of the table for
balance and took a few deep breaths in an effort to
steady himself. Just a few weeks before, Herman had
57
missed a stair descending to the basement and found
himself tumbling clumsily down the rest of the way
until crashing to a stop on the last few steps.
Herman’s head still felt a bit shaky from time to
time, which caused a bit of a tremble in his legs. Instead of walking from place to place, he grew accustomed to maneuvering his way to each destination
by leaning on and grabbing anything he could for
support and then flinging himself to another sturdy
checkpoint, and so on and so forth until he reached
his goal. It was much like a monkey swinging from
vine to vine, but less precise and much less graceful.
With his feet finally under him, legs steady,
Herman pushed away from the kitchen table and
launched himself to the kitchen counter, which
caught him with cold indifference. Hunched over,
Herman caught his breath for a few seconds before
beginning to shuffle down the length of the marble
counter towards the coffeemaker at the other end.
“This better be a damn good cup of Joe,” he mumbled to himself, clearly exhausted.
Halfway down the counter, Herman stopped.
With a steady grip on the counter he reached up to
the cupboard above his head and swung it open. He
couldn’t see inside but he knew that what he was
looking for was in there: his old blue coffee mug—
one of the only things worth bringing with when he
moved into his son’s house the year before. Feeling
around the smooth, wooden interior, Herman
eventually got a hold of his mug which distinguished
itself by having only half of a handle still attached.
With the partial handle hooked onto his ring and
middle fingers, Herman pulled out his mug and
brought it shakily down over his head, setting it on
the counter with a soft “clink.”
Herman was beginning to feel dizzy at this
58
point, and wished for a moment that he had listened
to the doctor about getting a walker. “Mr. Huckley,”
the doctor said, “even if you don’t think you’ll use
it, take it anyways. Just in case.” Herman didn’t take
the walker, and wouldn’t even let anyone help to
walk him out of the hospital, not even his son. “I
don’t need your damn help,” he snorted each time
someone tried to take his arm to steady him. He was
always a stubborn man and old age wasn’t going to
change that.
Continuing down the counter, Herman felt this
same stubborn anger boiling in him. He was almost
seventy years old and yet he felt like a child who
was just learning to walk. He’d built his own home,
and a garage to go with it, and now he could hardly
make it to the opposite end of the room without
feeling fatigued.
Sweat was running hot from Herman’s forehead. He wiped it with a shaky hand and breathed
in deeply, closing his eyes as he did so. He only had
five or so more steps to go and he braced himself for
the final stretch, determined to get there even if it
killed him.
With a focused balance and patient, shuffling
steps Herman managed to get to the end of the
counter and the coffee pot. He exhaled in relief, and
a satisfied smile tugged the corners of his mouth up
ever so slightly. With his blue mug in one hand, Herman picked up the coffeepot in the other, intent on
pouring himself a well-deserved cup of coffee after
his tiresome journey. His satisfaction was immediately replaced with bitterness as he lifted the pot
and felt that it was nearly empty, only a few drops
remained rolling around in the bottom.
Herman’s minute smile had vanished and his
brow hardened, scrunching up his forehead in small,
tense knots. Setting the pot back on the counter,
Herman hissed repeatedly under his breath, cursing
his son for not leaving him any coffee. Herman’s
hands were visibly trembling and he was having
a difficult time keeping a grip on the edge of the
counter. He contemplated making more coffee but
dismissed the idea immediately, knowing that he
could not remain standing and moving around the
kitchen much longer.
Herman felt a hot flush come over his face and
could feel beads of sweat rolling down his temples
and his cheeks. In one swift motion he wound up
and threw his coffee mug across the room, where it
shattered against the windowless, white wall. Slivers
and shards of ceramic bounced all over the kitchen,
the blue pieces scattered like shattered glass.
Herman heard footsteps drumming down the
staircase before his son entered the room,stopping in
the doorway to avoid stepping on any of the pieces
of blue ceramic. “Dad!” he exclaimed, “What happened?
Herman was bent over, hunched with his hands
on his knees. He was struggling for breath now,
and sweat soaked through his shirt on his back. In
between wheezes, Herman said exasperated, “You
didn’t leave me any damn coffee, you son of a
bitch.”
His son stood there eyeing first his father and
then the indent in the wall where the mug had hit.
He shook his head in disbelief, which quickly turned
to anger. With a clenched jaw, he left the room and
returned a minute later with broom in hand. He
began quietly sweeping the blue bits of coffee mug
into a dustpan.
After Herman had caught his breath and recomposed himself, he pulled his body back
into a standing position, leaning against the counter. He glanced to his son, bent over and sweeping
under the kitchen table. “I heard you on the phone
last night,” he said.
Herman kept his eyes on his son as he stood
and turned to face him. His son raised an eyebrow
at him but gave no verbal reply. “I heard you,” Herman repeated.
His son bit his lip and continued sweeping, eyes
trained on the floor. “It’s just not working, dad.”
59
EL BARRIO SUYO
Chad Berryman
El viento le envolvió al hombre como una manta de hielo. Él andaba por el barrio suyo pero los
vecinos no lo saludaron. Caminaba delante de una
casa grande con flores y grandes ventanas, y por esas
ventanas podía oír una pelea entre dos padres y los
lamentos penosos de sus hijos.
Él seguía la acera que serpenteaba por un
parque lindo donde había un banco solitario. Él
Lo saludó con la cabeza. Recordaba unas noches
del verano cuando este banco no había ofrecido
insultos ni acusaciones, sino un lugar simpático para
descansar mientras él le regalaba un uso admirable.
Pero en el invierno el banco se congelaba como él, y
ambos eran incapaces de ayudarse el uno al otro.
Paseaba delante de una casa blanca de arquitectura maravillosa. Un coche altanero llegara
la entrada. Un padre sincero apareció mientras
acababa de contar los acontecimientos de su día. Su
hija miraba su celular, y el silencio suspiró por la expresión herida de la cara del padre. Ellos entraron a
la casa sin otra palabra.
El hombre nómada seguía caminando, y pronto
la nieve dentro de sus venas se derretía por una balada antigua que se tarareaba al ritmo de sus pasos.
60
No pido mucho, no vivo de prisa
canto los himnos con risa bendita
no tengo nada salvo alma amada
y sin despedida no hay la llegada
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
Chad Berryman
The frigid air wrapped around the man like a
blanket of ice. He was travelling through his own
neighborhood, but no neighbors acknowledged him.
As he walked in front of a large, picturesque house,
complete with flowers and giant windows, he could
make out the sound of two parents fighting accompanied by the upsetting cries of their children.
The sidewalk snaked its way through a park in
which there stood one solitary bench. With a nod
of his head, the man greeted it. Nights of summers
past filled his mind, nights in which the bench
had not offered insults or accusations but rather a
consoling place of rest while he presented it with the
gift of an honorable purpose. However, the bench
froze and shivered in the winter the same as he, and
neither could provide the other with any relief.
He passed by a white house of grand construction. There, a flashy car had just pulled into the
driveway. From it emerged an earnest father finishing the recounting of his day. His daughter, however, simply stared at her phone, and the wounded
expression on her father’s face betrayed an unsung
sigh. The two entered the house without another
word.
As the wandering man continued walking, the
snow in his veins began to melt due to an old tune
he commenced to hum in time with his steps.
I don’t ask for much, or live in a rush
in my blessed laughter the hymns come alive
there’s nothing I own save a soul that is loved
for without a farewell one could never arrive
61
ODYSSEY
Eve Taft
Thank you for the twisted pathways of your mind
Which led to the streets and alleyways of Dublin
James Joyce, do you understand that you opened floodgates?
Your avalanche of babbling sentences, sans punctuation
Buck Mulligan tossing form and style into the wind
Your catechism, you, Daedalus, gave us sacrament
Blood flow to wake up the numb limbs of literature
You spoke with your soul to our souls
Fearing not the noise in your skull but flinging it down in ink
I understand you, “life is many days”
I understand you, “god is a shout in the street”
I understand you, “I am another now and yet the same”
You understand me “everything speaks in its own way”
Soon I’ll visit your beloved homeland
Walking the streets of Dublin, writing and giving thanks to modernism
Now as free of rigid form
As Ireland of England
62
postcards from my bedroom
audrey campbell
63
postcards from my bedroom
audrey campbell
64
COUNTING SHEEP
Danny Polaschek
What can you do
when the world is asleep?
Go to sleep too?
I’ve counted all my sheep.
They jumped through the air
gliding for 5 or 6 feet
cleared the fence and then flew
with not even a bleat. I didn’t focus however
on these aerial sheep antics
because far away in the distance
was a sight oh so fantastic.
A blue house, with a single light on
in the window sat a girl
a beauty no pencil could ever have drawn.
I looked up at her
and she down at me
addicted to the eyesight
too distracted to count sheep.
65
3
sky nights
keeyonna fox
67
inner self
keeyonna fox
68
VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE
Petra S. Shaffer-Gottschalk
Your worship was my refuge, your clay heart my focal
point, your chelsea smile the apple of my eye. We were
sick. We poisoned ourselves with amphetamines and pills
until we didn’t recognize ourselves in the mirror. We
walked miles just to feel accomplished in our space, we
turned the cigarettes we shared into sentiments we thought
we shared. I must possess the wrong innocence.
Souls are fickle things that change when left to die in the
cold.
~
He was outrageously tall.
He towered over me like the Statue of Liberty and
he talked to me as though I was a boat in the harbor.
Standing five inches taller than six feet, he was an
image of Ukrainian beauty. He stood like someone
who knew things you didn’t know and this fascinated
me.
I was so naive, so optimistic. I saw the lust and want
in his eyes and I mistook it for passion.The curve of
his jaw and his long eyelashes crept into the screens
behind my eyelids and ignited a fire in me that I
didn’t know how to put out. I was the new girl in
town struggling to keep my loneliness at bay. He
was a gleaming light in that summer of darkness.
I had just moved to Minnesota months before. After
discovering drugs and promiscuous sex I became
nothing short of a hurricane. Amphetamines kept
me awake, cigarettes kept me skinny, and weed kept
me sane. My GPA reflected exactly what they don’t
tell you about functional depression: you can feel
like a blank page, but as long as you fill it with words
people will stop asking questions.
He was selling me drugs. He offered me a good
price. I had never met him but I figured what the
hell, I could stand to meet new people. It was dark,
long past sundown. We were meeting in a parking
lot by a lake a few blocks away from my house. I
was in my mom’s car. I waited and listened to Amy
Winehouse until I saw an orange car pull into a
parking spot a few yards away from me. The man
driving fit the picture I had seen of him before. We
69
made eye contact and he ushered me over to his car.
I took a deep breath, grabbed my sweater, and got
my money ready. He rolled down the passenger side
window.
“You Nikita?” I said.
He smiled at me. A smile that I would come to
know.
“You can call me Kita.”
~
He had really good drugs. I’m not sure that they
were pure, but at the time I didn’t care. Neither did
he. We just wanted to get high. We did his drugs
together, sitting in a playground by the lake, talking
about life and what we crave. He told me that he
was applying to a college in London. I didn’t think
anything of it.
Before long we saw each other every day. He was
a lifeguard who had to be on duty early in the
morning, so he would take me out for coffee at eight
in the morning. No makeup, sweatpants, my hair in
a messy bun. He didn’t care. We would talk about
things that we hadn’t shared with anyone else. He
told me he struggled with his relationship with his
father in Ukraine. I told him that I had struggled
with eating disorders since I was thirteen.
We would sneak out onto his back porch to smoke
cigarettes late at night. His mother hated that we
smoked.
70
“You need to quit smoking, love,” she’d tell me. “I
smoked for twenty-five years and it took two pregnancies to get me to stop.”
His mother loved me. She thought that I was
spunky, independent, had a mind of my own. She
did not like his last girlfriend. She made that very
clear. She, like Nikita, was very tall. She had long
curly black hair and eyes so intense that you would
lose your appetite. Her Russian accent was thick
and powerful. She had run away to the United
States when she was twenty-one and seven months
pregnant with her first son. Nikita.
“Does it mean anything?” I asked him. “Your
name.”
He smiled when he answered.
“My mom told me it means ‘victory of the people,’”
he said.
Oh Kita,
you have no victory.
You are the secret I keep from my mother
the hidden disease that projectile vomits
and digs with fingernails sharpened by teeth.
Your fields of sunflowers told me a secret,
your secrets so dark and beautiful
and I killed myself with your gargantuan sunflowers.
His mother was beautiful. She had been a professional figure skater that traveled the world, meeting
people as she went. She met Kita’s father in her
home country of Ukraine and according to the
story, he was immediately drawn to her exuberant
personality and her long legs. At twenty-one she
was well on her way to continue pursuing a successful skating career until she got pregnant. According
to Kita his father did not accompany her to her appointments.He did not send her flowers. He did not
ask if she was okay. Instead Kita’s mother made her
way to America to create a life of victory and hope.
He took me to meet his grandmother. She said hello
and came in and that was the last that I understood.
The entire time I was there she would ask me questions in Russian and Kita would translate for me.
He taught me how to say
Hello
(Privet)
Yes
(da)
No
(net)
And thank you, which I don’t remember. We spent
almost the entire time we were there trying to help
his grandmother set up a new movie streaming
program on her computer. I know nothing about
computers in English, let alone in Russian. I was
overwhelmed. The leather furniture just made my
nervous sweat more noticeable.
She told me about Ukraine a little bit. She said it
was beautiful but troubled. She offered me chocolate and cookies. I sat, sweating, trying my hardest
to pay attention. When I said anything to her, Kita
would translate for me. I wanted to leave.
After we left his grandmother’s house he told me
to wait in his car while he talked privately with his
grandmother. I thought it was strange but didn’t
question it. I played mindless games on my phone
while I waited for him. Some part of me knew that
they were talking about me, but I continued to deny
it. I was hungry, but I wasn’t planning on doing
anything about it too soon. I was hungry often then.
When he returned to the car I asked what they had
talked about and with no hesitation he said, “You.”
I paused, then asked him to elaborate.
“She likes you,” he said. And that was that.
How strange, I thought, to be liked by someone who
never explicitly spoke a word to me.
~
Andrevich was Kita’s middle name. Named after
his father.
Kita’s father was very handsome. In his forties with
tan skin and thick hair, he was a heartthrob that
would make you look twice. He lived in a nice,
expensive apartment in Kiev with his girlfriend who
was twenty years younger than him. Apparently
that was a theme.
Kita had only seen his father a handful of times
in his life. He had gone back to Ukraine to spend
some time with him as a young boy, but didn’t have
too much recollection of it. When he was sixteen he
went back to live with his father and his twenty-yearold girlfriend for a while. Kita has always been tall,
thin, and handsome. His father noticed this.
“So what happened?” I asked him one day.
71
Kita shrugged.
“He kicked me out and I came back to the states,”
he said without a flinch.
He said this as though it was a commonality.
“He thought that I fucked his girlfriend,” he said as
he lit a cigarette.
There was a very long, uncomfortable silence.
“Did you?” I asked.
He laughed out loud and a cloud of smoke poured
out of his mouth.
“No, of course not,” he said. “My dad isn’t one to
listen to a sixteen year old.”
~
“I’ll take you to Ukraine someday.”
“Sunflowers. There are parts of Ukraine where
there are endless fields of sunflowers wherever you
look. They’re as tall as me and the flowers are bigger than my face.”
He pulled me closer as he talked about Ukraine.
He insisted that I learn all that I could about the
Russia-Ukraine conflict, sending me innumerable
articles daily. Through him I learned about the
importance of the Ukrainian revolution and fights
that had been fought, some as recent as 2011 and
2012. He told me that he wanted to fight for his
people if he had to. When my eyes were flushed
with concern, he pulled me in close and whispered
in my ear, “I’ll survive for you.”
His eyes lit up every time he talked about the fields
of sunflowers in Ukraine. In the same way, his eyes
lit up every time he got angry.
Your golden eyes drew miners to starve and fight to abandon their homes.
We were in his bed, naked, wrapped up in blankets
and speckled by the corner light in his room. It was
late, the kind of late that feels early. The air conditioner hummed in the place of our phones which
were both off and hidden somewhere in the room.
He did no wrong. He could not do any wrong. His
eyes were blank but telling like a wall in a foreclosed
home. All of his intentions were good. Yes. Good.
“Where in Ukraine?” I asked.
“Have you been eating?” he asks as he lifts up my
shirt.
“Kiev, the city squares. And to the huge fields of
flowers.”
“What kind of flowers?”
72
~
I squirm away and pull my shirt down.
“Yes, I ate just before I came here,” I say. I can still
taste the salt in my mouth.
“You look skinny,” he tells me with a hint of disdain
in his voice.
My heart soars. I look skinny. But he’s reaching for
my stomach again and once again I’m backing away.
We get into the car and drive to the gas station.
I say that I need to go use the restroom. While
Kita pumps the gas, I make my way into the small
Holiday bathroom. I put my sweater on the ground
and rest my knees on it, my usual routine. I stick my
finger down my throat and vomit into the toilet.
As I walk back outside, Kita is getting back into his
car. I get in the front seat and sniffle slightly.Kita
looks at me quizzically.
“You okay?” he asks me.
My eyes are watery, my nose is burning, and my
breath is putrid.
“I’m fine,” I say with a smile.
~
The elevator door was so cold against my cheek.
I watched the red numbers blink as they rose.
8...9...10...11. My vision was going fuzzy and grey,
my ears started ringing and throbbing.
11...12...13. Ding. The doors opened and my
wobbly legs carried me down the seemingly endless hallway. My hands were barely working; as I
watched them push my key into my apartment door
I could not feel it. The door opened, I could see my
living room window. I closed the door behind me
and collapsed on the ground.
“Why did you faint?” His words echoed behind the
screen of my phone.
“I just haven’t eaten a lot today.”
There was a silence so deafening that it struck fear
in my heart. Fear I had not known.
“When did you eat last?” He had anger in his voice.
I paused. He would know if I lied but he would hate
the truth.
“I had a little dinner last night,” I said quietly.
“What did you eat?” His reply was sharp.
I was shaking.
“I had a little bit of salad I think,” I said with a
quivering voice.
I could hear his sigh. I can still hear his sigh.
“How many times have we talked about this?” He
exclaimed.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry…”
It didn’t matter. He didn’t listen. I had failed him
again.
“Do you know what it’s like to have a girlfriend that
can’t even take care of herself ?”
“What am I going to tell my friends?”
“You’re not even trying.”
I was sobbing, I was convulsing, I was sweating, all
from my bed from which I could not move.
My phone was glued to my ear and I had no energy
to remove it.
“So what are you going to do about this?” There
was intense spite in his words.
With a shaky voice I said, “I could send you a picture of everything I eat?”
He laughed. With his full, angry throat he laughed
73
at my pain.
“And do what? Post it on Facebook? Show all my
friends that my girlfriend is an anorexic who
can’t even feed herself ? You know what, go ahead.
Maybe that’ll help you change.”
I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to die. My stomach
kept whispering “never again, never again,
never again.” Opening my mouth made me panic
because it reminded me of eating.
I hung up my phone and with wobbly legs I walked
outside in the snow and smoked an entire pack of
cigarettes.
~
Months go by. Months.
I watched him pack his bag with clothes that I had
never seen him wear. He packed light, only a few
shirts and two pairs of pants.
“My dad will buy me more when I get to Ukraine,”
he said.
I sat on the edge of his bed and watched him focus
on folding his clothes. His visa sat in the center of
the bed, staring at me. I started to cry.
“Babe, it’s going to be fine,” Kita said without
breaking focus.
I watched him form a pile of the shirts that I had
grown used to him wearing. They looked like wilted
flower petals.
74
“Why aren’t you taking those?” I asked, pointing to
the wilted pile.
“My father won’t like them,” he said.
Later that night, we were drinking red wine in his
bed. His room was bare and cold. I was curled
against his side, my head on his chest. He stroked
my bare back and played with my hair. I sighed, but
not the kind of sigh that’s followed with kisses. Kita
sighed too.
“Petra,” he said, a tone of exasperation in his voice.
“If I ever treat you like my father treats women,
please leave me.”
~
I still remember how to say “I love you” in Russian.
“я люблю тебя.”
Ya lyublyu tebya.
~
My fingers were bones.
Anything beyond mascara was too much, especially lipstick. He hated lipstick. He thought that it
brought too much attention to my mouth. He didn’t
like when other people noticed me.
He stopped smoking cigarettes and instructed me to
do so too. “They’ll make you age faster,”he would
say. If I had a bad day and smoked a cigarette, he
would tell me he was disappointed.
I lived with three men at the time, something that
Kita would never let me forget. He asked every few
days to be sure I wasn’t sleeping with any of my
roommates. If I was spending too much time with a
friend, he would tell me that I was neglecting him.
He sent me articles outlining how to be a better
partner. He reminded me that he just wanted me
to be the best that I could be. The screaming and
hour-long phone calls were footnotes.
You stripped me of my dignity and told me,
“This is what you have.”
Your monstrous arms crawl into my nightmares
Your titanic stature collided with my glacier
and though you claim I sank you
You were a behemoth and I was a stone.
At the end, I fell into the ground. His screams surrounded me in my echo chamber and suffocated me.
My knees were bruised from kneeling in front of
the toilet all night. How apt for the one accused of
dropping to her knees for all men. I was free but I
did not know it yet. All I knew was the cold floor of
my bathroom and the tales of beautiful but troubled
Ukraine.
My goodbyes have been said,
These addictions fed.
It’s the cost that comes with the sickness.
And your screams won’t be heeded anymore.
75
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE UN-SPECIALS
Halle Chambers
When we are little, even before we can speak
We are told that we’re special and that we’re
unique.
That we all are made different and that none are
the same
Which fits quite nicely in a toddler’s mind frame.
And we are told we should treasure what’s different inside,
That what makes us different is not something to
hide.
But then quite soon after, things start to change;
The word “different” stops meaning “special” and
starts meaning “strange.”
We’re sectioned off from our average peers
In our own little category and told,
“you belong here,”
And then different is bad and normal is good,
And for the different ones, nothing is working the
way that it should
The way we’ve been taught or the way we’ve been
shown
All we know is that we do not like being lost on
our own.
76
So once again we are taken away
To a place where things makes sense again and
we’re ok:
Where no one hurts us,
Where no one can see,
Where no one deserts us,
Where we can be free.
But because the un-specials can’t see what goes
on,
They decide to make things up and get so much
wrong.
And it’s happened for years because they can’t see
through that door.
So long they don’t even know that it’s wrong
anymore.
It’s so fixed in their heads that these lies are right;
They judge each special kid by their stereotype.
But today that will end.
So you sit there and you wait,
cause it’s about time someone set the dang record
straight.
You probably think that this poem won’t cut it,
But today I’m gonna open the door and don’t you
dare shut it!
To start, let’s be clear:
I am...I was in Special Ed.
But just because I was in that room doesn’t mean
I’m brain dead!
So for Pete’s sake, don’t puppy dog guard me!
Just give me a break, it isn’t that hard see:
If I need your help, I will tell you I do.
Just please,
Please don’t mock me.
In my place, would you want me to mock you?
“Oh come on! Let her get it! Go easy on
her!”
Help, where not needed, is almost as bad as a slur.
I’m not invalid
So don’t play that card.
Yeah, I’m a little quirky and oversensitive,
But I’m not, and I quote,
“A little retard.”
Yeah, I’ve been called names.
And those words?
They hurt.
They catch in the center,
In your pit of self worth.
And they tear and they rip,
And those words are collective.
Soon you start to believe that you are defective.
I’ve dealt with them all, and surprisingly,
I actually prefer the straight up bullies
To those who pretend to like me.
Fake friends and two-faces
Of all genders and races.
They’re only my friends so they don’t have to see
me cry.
Or they use me,
abuse me,
Oh, how they confuse me!
Cause I can’t tell what’s truth and what’s lie.
“Hey! He likes you. Go give him a kiss!”
And because I don’t know better, I believe this.
But soon I find they’re not playing Cupid,
They just wanna make me look stupid.
For their entertainment, they make me play the
77
fool;
They pretend that they care for me
When they’re really just cruel.
It takes time and takes work to make you forget;
Even now, I’m not quite there yet.
I mean, here I am, in what’s supposed to be
home,
And yet here I am, still feeling alone.
I’m still paranoid, it doesn’t just end;
I still have to ask if someone’s my friend.
I say one thing and mean another;
I make a mistake,
But you take it verbatim.
Can’t you cut me a break?
If we’re talking and I look like I’m lost,
Don’t blow it off like it’s not worth the cost.
Sarcasm and subtlety muddle in my brain,
So please just take a minute to explain.
Do these quirks make me broken?
Is there something wrong with me?
The way society has spoken,
There would seem to be.
78
Stop poisoning the minds of “different” young
women and men.
I don’t like being defective....
Can I be special again?
SOREX PALUSTRIS
Emilie Tomas
Did they name you for
Your wit, pointed
Nose of pointed judgement
Who brought us fire;
five to seven inches of shrewd truth?
Or was it your mischief
That Inspired them? Your
Presence followed by screams
And a three inch tail.
I saw your likeness on a stage,
Dirt in place of your midnight coat
Though she is reformed now.
Perhaps it was the gleam in your
Eyes; whispered fortunes and
A summer of silver birth.
Maybe you are a messenger
Of God, somehow in your Eighteen
months you learned to walk
On water, the second coming
Of Christ.
79
woodsy adam ruff
gabriel bergstrom
80
WORDS
Malena Larsen
The bathroom wall was covered in words.
Words like fuck and love and song lyrics and
names with hearts around them. His body
looked peaceful, somehow, as he sat propped and
slumped against the door. His head hung to his
right shoulder and his mouth was open like he
was about to say something but was interrupted.
There was blood running down his left arm like
a river and a needle hung loosely out of his skin.
The words that he had heard her say several
hours earlier were getting quieter and quieter.
“It’s not working,” she had told him. “I’m
sorry.” They were smoking cigarettes outside her
apartment when she said it. She knew he had
been trying to fix himself. After twenty-eight days
of treatment and one week in a sober house on
Lake and Fifth she barely recognized him. He was
twenty-five pounds heavier and his skin looked
clean and strong; there was no more grey in his
cheeks. It wasn’t just his change in appearance
that scared her. Lately, he had been telling her
the difference between wrong and right and that
she should stay in on the weekends. His family
couldn’t stop talking about how proud they were
of him and they would ask her, “Doesn’t he just
seem so much better?” She would answer with yes
but feel guilty because she wished he still liked to
make mistakes. His family had a party after he got
out of treatment and his grandfather kept saying
things like, “Men in this family have always been
strong!” and, “Now he can take care of you.” His
grandfather didn’t care for her much but he felt
that she was the least of the boy’s problems. He
didn’t like the way she hung on him like a scarf
or the way she agreed with everything he said
without a second thought.
As he sat on the bathroom floor the words
she had said were getting quieter and quieter.
They were almost gone. He had been sober for
thirty-five days and he didn’t know why. He didn’t
feel better or stronger or more loved. His hand lay
loosely on the floor, palm up and open like he was
waiting for somebody to hold it. Everyone was so
proud of him but he couldn’t imagine living his
life without her.
Long after her words had faded completely,
the bathroom door opened. He fell back onto the
floor. His head hitting hard against the tile.
81
“Oh my gosh!” The man who opened the door
yelled. “Can someone help?” He took out his
phone to call 911. A crowd of people rushed
over to where the man was dialing. A young man
pushed past the group of people.
“Move!” The boy got on his knees by the body on
the floor. He reached into his pocket and took out
something that looked like a pen. He stuck it into
the arm of the body that was needle free. People
gasped and murmured and watched. Sirens rang
in the distance. The boy holding the pen looked
up at the bathroom wall that had words like fuck
and love and song lyrics and names with hearts
around them. He looked up at the group of people.
“It’s not working,” he said.
82
MALCOLM AND THE BLUE SIDE
Danny Polaschek
Brown leaves dragged past Malcolm’s feet
in the wind. The bench underneath him felt like
a rock and he had to clench his jaw to keep his
teeth from chattering. He stared at the empty
playground—the tire swing, the slide, the bridge
and the fireman’s pole. Nikki rested her head on
his shoulder. Each time a breeze swept through,
Malcolm could feel her nuzzle slightly closer, her
hair scratching and tickling his neck.
When he was a kid, Malcolm had sat on this
exact same bench many times with his mother.
They lived in a little blue house just a few blocks
away— “just a hop and a skip,” his mother would
say and Malcolm would make it his mission to
jump and bunny-hop the whole way there.
When they arrived, they’d eat lunch, sitting
together on the narrow, wooden bench. After
each bite of his sandwich, Malcolm would beg his
mother to let him go play, to which she would give
in once she herself had finished eating.
He always went straight for the slide. Once
at the top, he’d yell, “I’m going under!” and
swing himself down into the blue plastic tube. He
imagined he was a deep-sea diver plunging into
an underwater world of sunken pirate ships and
forgotten chests of gold. On particularly sunny
afternoons, he’d stop halfway down the slide and
admire the shadows that moved about on the
illuminated, blue plastic. He’d make believe that
fish swam all around him as little blotchy shadows
hovered whimsically over his head.
He eventually got the idea to bring his crayons to the park with him. He’d sit lodged in the
blue slide for most of the day, drawing exotic fish
with bright oranges, yellows and reds. He knew
fish didn’t smile but nevertheless gave them all
wide grins and big eyes to match. When it was
time to go home, his mother would knock from
the bottom of the slide. “Time to come back to
shore!” she’d announce. Malcolm would hide his
crayons in his back pocket and slide down to his
mother who would wait there with open arms
grinning at him.
The park seemed smaller now. Malcolm
was just as tall as the fireman’s pole and half as
long as the slide. He wondered if his fabricated
underwater universe still existed. Probably not,
he guessed. Although it was getting dark, Mal83
colm could see thick graffiti creeping out from the
shadows inside the blue slide. Malcolm pulled his
sweatshirt tighter around his neck, brushing Nikki
away in the process.
He felt her eyes on his face but refused to
acknowledge her. Inside the slide, he could still
make out the words “Bitch Ass” in thick spray
paint. His crayon drawings would certainly be
gone, he was sure of it now. Nikki picked up Malcolm’s hand and caressed it, her cold skin feeling
leathery and smooth.
“Malcolm,” she said.
Malcolm turned and mustered a smile, taking
Nikki’s hands to his face and kissing them awkwardly.
“Malcolm, let’s go home.”
The streetlights had not yet turned on for
the evening. Malcolm noticed the shadows on
the sides of the road stretching out and growing
bigger as they walked quietly past. He missed the
warm sunshine of summer and the hot nights
spent lounging in the front yard listening to his
mother’s radio; he missed the walks to the park,
his mother laughing at him as he crouched and
hopped along beside her. He remembered the
secret thrill of the crayon box in his back pocket,
then realized he’d forgotten his cigarettes on the
bench at the park. He was too cold to turn back.
He reached out silently for Nikki’s hand and, finding it much warmer than his own, held it stiffly
the rest of the walk home.
84
driving at zero one
john herbert
85
driving at zero two
john herbert
86
PLACEMAKERS
Diamonique Walker
Near my home,
Balloons dance in the wind.
I have reconditioned myself — These are not balloons
from a party, But they still celebrate a life.
I drive by, sometimes I walk.
And see a balloon or several
With their heads bobbing away
Positioned obscurely on the sidewalk.
Or on the island in the middle of the highway. Sometimes on no one in particular’s grass.
I don’t look for party decorations. At the feet of the
balloon’s ribbons, candles, cards and little trinkets sit.
Some kind of offering.
Looking weathered and dull.
His body bled some place close by. Probably killed
within ten feet.
A dancing, mocking balloon
Somehow now gets to sway in his place.
87
NECESSARILY AN EVIL THING CONSIDERED IN ANY LIGHT
Jacob J. Miller
“You know what I hate about this most of
all?” asked the first man. “Nobody’s going to be
around to take responsibility. Nobody is going to
have to answer for their crime.”
“What crime is that?” the other man asked,
sitting next to him in the middle of the cul-de-sac,
both of them at perfect leisure in lawn chairs as if
waiting for a parade to pass by.
“Mass-murder, I suppose. Call it, oh, I don’t
know. Call it, um, inciting the apocalypse.”
“Ha.”
“They deserve to be the ones left behind
after they obliterate everyone else. They should
be the ones who have to reap the aftermath, puke
out their guts and feel their bile boil inside their
stomachs, fend off marauding cannibals and giant
insects. And they should have to live with the new
world they created, or destroyed, rather.”
Just then, the other man looked down and
saw a lonely ant crawling up his pant leg. “Yeah,
but I don’t think that giant bug stuff is true. That
wouldn’t happen. The bugs’ll die like everything
else.”
“I mean, what do you think it’ll be like? I
88
know it’ll happen instantaneously, but they say the
cerebral cortex functions after everything else has
shut down and we linger in a sort of dream-state,
which could last for, well, for who knows how
long?”
“Well, that’s if you’re in a hospital bed, or
you have a heart attack or something, when you
have time to die with a little bit of peace. Our
brains are going to incinerate along with the rest
of us. There won’t even be any stuff of thought
anymore. I don’t think we have to worry about
something like that.”
“But what if that moment of pain before we
go lasts longer, you know? What if time stands
still? Nothing makes sense in a moment of such
lunacy. Such catastrophe. What if we feel our
tongues liquefying and spilling down our throats
and scalding our internal organs? What if, all in
that moment, we look down, and before our eyes
boil and burst from the heat we see our bones
glowing purple through our flesh as it begins dripping off like wax? What if you turn and look at
me and the last image you see is my face melting
off like those Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark?”
“I’m not sure it’s the best time to be thinking
like that,” his friend said, as the sirens began to
wail their sorrowful last.
“Why even bother with that fucking thing?”
the man steamed. “It’s inconsiderate, a futile
exhortation. We know what’s coming. We’re not
going to hide in our basements from it like it’s a
fucking tornado.”
“Tornadoes aren’t so easy to hide from either.”
The first man scanned the horizon for what
he knew would be the last time. He took in the
sight of the skyline he saw from his window every
day and, with lamenting eyes, imaginatively
anticipated its supplanting by a fiery mushroom
climbing the sky. He closed his eyes and winced,
unable to cope with the unthinkable thought, the
impossible inevitability. Turning his head toward
a neighbor’s yard whose household ran a daycare,
he opened his eyes to a post-apocalyptic tableau
of children’s toys scattered about the lawn. Nothing needed yet be aflame for the man to resent the
picturesque cliché of innocence lost on display
before him. “Remember when they used to tell
kids to hide under their desks?” he inquired. “All
that siren is doing is making sure that we spend
our last moments in a panic, instead of dying
gracefully, accepting that we’re all in the same
sinking ship, in the middle of the ocean, if the
ocean were the entire planet, and filled with lava
instead of water. We should be spending our time
reminiscing, because that’s all we have now.”
“Well, we can’t talk about our plans for the
future.”
“We can’t discuss potential medical advancements.”
“The coming cure for cancer.”
“And cloning organs. Scholarships our
children just received, the singularity and will
the Matrix ever become a reality; would we ever
make contact with life elsewhere in the universe,
intercept an asteroid, mine them for resources?
It’s all useless, man, meaningless. Every human
achievement since the first spark made from one
rock dragging against another, gone within the
next hour,” he sighed heavily, draping a ribbon
of helplessness over his words of outrage. “Why
don’t you open that up?” He suggested, pointing at the bottle of scotch sitting at the leg of
his friend’s chair. His friend took a swig before
passing it over with a satisfied groan. “Here’s to
everything we do being the last time it will ever be
done,” the first man began. “That’s the best I can
do.”
“Yeah,” the other man raised an empty hand,
toasting to the end and everything that came
before it. “I suppose there’s something beautiful about the entire world—or nearly the entire
world—going out the same way. There’s a kind
of universal solidarity occurring right now, don’t
you think? Some are praying, no doubt, some are
exalting their various saviors, certain they will be
raptured up any minute, but we’re all still going
to be experiencing the same thing, at almost the
exact same time; the same heat, the same instantaneous moment of searing pain before any trace
of our molecules are imprinted as a shadow on
the asphalt beneath us.”
He had a complex contraption of a chair, one
of the men—it doesn’t really matter which one
now that the end was there; the kind of chair that
folds upward from all four corners and was nearly
89
impossible to fit back into its cylindrical carrying
sack—not that that mattered anymore either—
complete with cup holders and a detachable headrest, which he was putting to use as he spoke. His
friend’s chair was more old-fashioned, a conventional folding lawn chair with a checkered pattern
of flimsy plastic wrapped taut around aluminum
pipes, wobbly hard plastic armrests drilled in and
not quite parallel to each other.
Their chair legs began melting into the tar
beneath them. One of the men hummed softly;
a beautiful soundtrack to accompany him in the
cut to black. The other man closed his eyes and,
focusing on the sounds of the encroaching death
rattle, heard them as the grunts and whinnies of
the four horsemen’s horses as they galloped atop
the planet’s rapidly spreading dust.
90
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Murphy Square 2017: Murphy Square Visual Art and Literary Magazine
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MURPHY SQUARE VISUAL ART
& LITERARY MAGAZINE
ISSUE 42, 2017
EDITORIAL BOARD
Malena Larsen, Editor In Chief
Abigail Tetzlaff, Associate Editor
Audrey Campbell, Art & Layout Editor
Cassie Dong, Art Editor
Jazmin Crittenden, Art Editor
Elisabeth Beam, Prose Editor
Abigail Carpenter, Prose Ed...
Show more
MURPHY SQUARE VISUAL ART
& LITERARY MAGAZINE
ISSUE 42, 2017
EDITORIAL BOARD
Malena Larsen, Editor In Chief
Abigail Tetzlaff, Associate Editor
Audrey Campbell, Art & Layout Editor
Cassie Dong, Art Editor
Jazmin Crittenden, Art Editor
Elisabeth Beam, Prose Editor
Abigail Carpenter, Prose Editor
Ryan Moore, Prose Editor
Gabriel Benson, Poetry Editor
Danny Polaschek, Poetry Editor
Cary Waterman, Advisor
2
WITH THANKS TO
Ivy Arts Copy and Print
Augsburg College Student Government
Augsburg College English Department
Augsburg College Art Department
The Echo
Augsburg Honors Program
QPA
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1
What Type of Black Girl Are You? Nikkyra Whittaker ........................................................................... 8
Simul Justus et Peccator, Andy Anderson .......................................................................................... 11
Queer, Eve Taft ....................................................................................................................................... 12
Jesus in a Cracker, A.Tetzlaff ................................................................................................................ 14
Grey Cloud Island, David Baboila ......................................................................................................... 17
Saint Paul Airport, David Baboila .......................................................................................................... 18
White Bear Lake, David Baboila ............................................................................................................ 19
Zips Coliseum, David Baboila ............................................................................................................... 20
Bridge, Jacob J. Miller ............................................................................................................................ 21
50 Feet Tall, Emilie Tomas ...................................................................................................................... 25
Meow, Ashley Waalen ............................................................................................................................ 26
Mousetrap, Halle Chambers .................................................................................................................. 27
Faces, Constance Klippen ..................................................................................................................... 29
I Don’t Always Feel Colored, Diamonique Walker ............................................................................... 30
Where I am From, Hannah Schmit ......................................................................................................... 32
Who Am I?, Ashley Waalen .................................................................................................................... 34
2
Gratitude, D.E Green ..............................................................................................................................
CSBR, Gabriel Bergstrom ......................................................................................................................
The Fire, Elisabeth Beam ........................................................................................................................
Desert Drums, Abigail Carpenter ..........................................................................................................
Colors, Hannah Schmit ...........................................................................................................................
Urban Delight, Jazmin Crittenden .........................................................................................................
When Dad Wore Cologne, A. Tetzlaff ....................................................................................................
Shitty Christmas Trees, Elisabeth Beam ...............................................................................................
Summer Nights, Adam Ruff ...................................................................................................................
36
38
39
41
42
43
44
46
48
The People United, Adam Ruff .............................................................................................................. 49
After the Hike, Adam Ruff ..................................................................................................................... 50
Crumbs, Malena Larsen ......................................................................................................................... 51
Bloomed, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................................................... 55
Pruned, Audrey Campbell ...................................................................................................................... 56
Herman, Danny Polaschek ................................................................................................................... 57
El Barrio Suyo, Chad Berryman ............................................................................................................. 60
The Neighborhood, Chad Berryman ..................................................................................................... 61
Odyssey, Eve Taft .................................................................................................................................... 62
Postcards From My Bedroom, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................. 63
Postcards From My Bedroom, Audrey Campbell ................................................................................. 64
Counting Sheep, Danny Polaschek ...................................................................................................... 65
3
Sky Nights, Keeyonna Fox ...................................................................................................................... 67
Inner Self, Keeyonna Fox ....................................................................................................................... 68
Victory of the People, Petra S. Shaffer-Gottschalk ............................................................................. 69
An Open Letter to the Un-specials, Halle Chambers ...........................................................................76
Sorex Palustris, Emilie Tomas ................................................................................................................. 79
Woodsy Adam Ruff, Gabriel Bergstrom .................................................................................................. 80
Words, Malena Larsen ................................................................................................................................. 81
Malcom, Danny Polaschek ....................................................................................................................... 83
DRIVING AT ZERO ONE, John Herbert ................................................................................................... 85
DRIVING AT ZERO TWO, John Herbert ................................................................................................... 86
Placemakers, Diamonique Walker ........................................................................................................ 87
A Necessary Evil Thing Considered in any Light, Jacob J. Miller ....................................................... 88
1
WHAT TYPE OF BLACK GIRL ARE YOU?
Nikkyra Whittaker
On the spectrum of being black and female, we can
only be what we appear to be. Take this quiz to find
out what kind of black girl you really are!
1. You’re listening to the radio on the way to Target.
You’re playing…
a. Beyonce’s “****Flawless”
b. Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen” or “You Belong With
Me” or “Wildest Dreams”
c. Chris Brown’s “Loyal”
d. Keri Hilson’s “Pretty Girl Rock”
2. It’s your day off work. What will you be doing?
a. Blowing off steam on Facebook.
b. Watching old episodes of One Tree Hill
c. Out for drinks and scoping eye candy
d. Talking shit with the ladies while drinking Moscato!
3. What’s your dream home like?
a. Full of books on systemic oppression
b. Beverly Hills penthouse
c. Some big shot rapper’s mansion
d. Spacious New York Loft
8
4. Your favorite TV show is…
a. Docu-series on race
b. Sex in the City
c. Bad Girls Club
d. Love and Hip Hop
5. Finally, who’s your favorite female icon from this
list?
a. Angela Davis
b. Taylor Swift
c. New York from I Love New York
d. Nicki Minaj
Tally up how many of each letter you got and turn
the page to find out who you really are!
If you got mostly a’s...You’re an Angry Black Girl!
Congratulations, you loud-mouthed, anger filled
home-girl! I’m guessing there’s always some reason
to be mad at someone, isn’t there? Do you just spend
your days in a perpetual state of rage, angry at the
world for reasons they don’t find important? Do you
find yourself constantly snapping your fingers in
that z-formation, pursing your lips at anyone who
steps in your way? I bet people are telling you to
just be quiet, huh? I mean, what issues could you, a
black female, possibly have? Why should you care
that your high school English teacher gives you a
C+ on your essay because she thinks you copied
it from the white man online? Why does it matter
that your male co-worker at Target constantly teases
you about your nappy hair, calling it a “brillo pad,”
“cheeto puff,” or some other clever name? None of
this should anger you! Be aware, you sassy Sapphire,
in this world, your anger means nothing.
If you got mostly b’s...You’re an Oreo!
You grew up watching Lizzie McGuire and
listening to Aaron Carter. You straightened your
hair from the moment you were old enough to assert
yourself and cried when it wouldn’t lay flat. Your
friends were always shocked to see you bring collard
greens and jambalaya to lunch so you stopped eating
your favorite foods. They didn’t understand why
you couldn’t just brush your hair, wash your hair
everyday, why it suddenly grew or shrunk inches
overnight. I’m certain you’ve heard from many of
your friends how they just don’t see you as a black
girl. They erase your black skin because it doesn’t fit
the images of other black girls they see. You spend
most of your time edging away from the loud black
girls, the ghetto black girls who ate hot cheetos and
drank kool aid and had corn rows and long braids
and smelled like a mix of the jungle and your
ancestors pain and you wished, maybe for a just a
moment, but you did wish that you could be white.
But honey, you can never wash off that melanin! It’s
a permanent stain. Just because your friends can’t
see the black on you, it doesn’t mean the rest of the
world can’t.
9
If you got mostly c’s...You’re a Hip Hop Ho!
You sexual deviant you! Let me guess—big
breasts, small waist, and wide hips? You’ve got that
original Betty Boop to you, something in your eyes
that say yes to a question no one bothers to ask.
You’re the black girl that white guys use as a notch
in their belt. You are the exotic sexual being that
men love to hate and hate to love. You became a
sexual thing at a young age, when your breasts came
in at ten years old and became d-cups at fourteen.
They started looking at you differently, didn’t they?
Your eyes stopped existing. Your words didn’t matter.
Your body became the tool used to diminish your
worth. How often did you get yelled at in school to
put on something less revealing than your shorts?
Did you ever wonder why the skinny, flat-assed white
girls were never told the same thing? Honey, your
wide hips wrapped in chocolate skin were never
yours. You will never be yours.
10
If you got mostly d’s...You’re a Ghetto Fabulous Black Girl!
You make what little money you can working at
Walmart or doing nails. You make people waiting at
the bus stop with you uncomfortable with your loud
laughter and yellow and pink braids and long, bedazzled nails. You toss your weave around, remove
your earrings, and square up to anyone that says shit
about you. When you’re out, you are often told to
stop yelling, screaming, taking up space. You’ve got
baby daddy problems and you’re only 18. You grew
up playing double dutch in the middle of the street
with old rope. You accept your black, your ghetto,
your Ebonics. But you are not supposed to accept
yourself, honey! Don’t you see the fashion police
spreads in the magazines? You are on all the pages!
Don’t show your hips. Put on a shirt that conceals
your stomach. Put your breasts away. Don’t wear
bright lipstick. Stop standing out, being different.
Get smaller, quieter, lesser, as you are supposed to
be. You love your black too loudly and it makes
others uncomfortable. Your job is to make people
comfortable so do your best to limit the loudness of
your melanin.
simul justus et peccator
andy anderson
11
QUEER
Eve Taft
You think there isn’t a sign on my ribs that says
“stonewall inn”?
You think Matthew Shepard doesn’t tug at my hair
and warn me
as I walk the streets of my city?
You think I don’t choke on the smoke
from the hellfire you spit from your pulpits
with sparks that sear and heat branding
irons
which scar your names on me to mark me as
danger?
You think my veins don’t shiver
when they think
of the devastation
wracking the cities
that some called deliverance
while Reagan fiddled
as we burned
You think that the prisons
pink triangles
asylums
bullets spitting into a nightclub
don’t whisper in my head as I make my
way through the world?
12
You think that I don’t notice—
I kiss her
and kiss her
—the headline blowing by with a death toll
and I kiss her
the skyline splashing out behind us
the lights on the Washington Avenue bridge flicker
on and I kiss her
Putin criminalizes us, across the
world
I kiss her
Vigils held too late for young suicides
Corrupting, perverted, disgusting, an affront to
family values—
I kiss her
in the rain and the sleet of Minnesota
I kiss her, our lips tasting of chants from the protest
that shut down I-94
handed down from our grandmothers
hearts beating, eyes sparkling, alive
I kiss her
You think I forget the lists and the candles and the
deaths and the pain and
all that roars in my ears is a chorus
screaming over and over again
you were not able to kill us
I kiss her
and all is still
13
JESUS IN A CRACKER
A. Tetzlaff
Eucharist
I hugged my father’s black, pleated pants while
we waited for mass to start. He was beaming proudly and chatting with the rest of our family. I wore
the only dress I allowed to touch my body: by then
it was a year old and from my uncle’s wedding when
I walked down the aisle carrying a bouquet, looking
like a blonde deer caught in front of a semi truck.
It had a black velvet top connected to a white skirt.
All the girls wore white. My parents cut their losses.
All the boys, shirt and tie. Eight-year-olds taking
their first communion despite the fact that most of
us had no idea what was happening. Understanding the sacraments isn’t really necessary when you
grow up in a Catholic family. By the time you are
aware of your burden, it’s too late anyway. Religion
lived at Nativity of Our Lord Parish, in Green Bay,
Wisconsin. Between church and home, I lived in a
realm of contradiction. I came to visit religion, but
it never went home with me. On Sundays when the
game was in town, God would not judge you for
wearing your Packer jersey to church. Sinning was
bad, but you could tailgate and drink and carouse to
your heart’s content. We should have taken beer at
14
that first communion. We would have appreciated it
more than the wine. We took our places in the ritual
that had been performed again and again. The
time-worn ritual begins anew as I walk to the altar
with my hands folded in front of me. I must remember to raise my hands high enough so the rheumatic
priest doesn’t have to bend down. Right hand over
left. I’m a blonde deer again.
“The body of Christ.” This is the part where
I say, “Amen,” whether I mean it or not, then
put the communion wafer in my mouth. I must
cross myself (right hand touching head, then left
shoulder, then right shoulder) as I walk back up the
aisle and toward my family. They liked to sit in the
middle section, never too close to the altar. They
didn’t like making direct eye-contact with the priest
during his homily. To this day I skip the wine for
fear of communicable diseases. It stuck to the roof
of my mouth, this first communion wafer. It was
stale. There was no substance. Maybe the parched
flour and water, mixed with the lingering incense is
actually what Jesus tastes like. The absorbent clump
lasted into the next hymn. Saliva rushed into my
mouth and eventually the wafer, heavy with mois-
ture, fell from the roof of my mouth. I swallowed
without chewing.
Just go with it, I told myself. All these people
believe in this, so one day, you will too. But I wasn’t
sure. I didn’t get it. The power that kept me from
running back up the aisle wasn’t the love of God
gently pushing me along, but the ritual itself, and the
expectation of my parents and grandparents watching proud and probably dewy-eyed as I joined their
ranks. Hugs and smiles and congratulations as my
family comes out of the first communion Mass, but
I wasn’t sure what was such cause for celebration; I
hadn’t had a great epiphany about God, nor had I
felt any change at all. It was just like every Sunday
late in October.
head and tell me I was forgiven. “Sometimes, I’m
not very nice to my mom or my brother,” I told him.
Navitity didn’t own a confessional booth like the
ones in movies. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen
a confessional booth at any Catholic church outside
the movies. We sat quietly in a tiny room. Being
small for my age, I circled the air below me with
my feet. I sat facing him directly. He crossed his legs
under the cassock he wore, clearly annoyed. After a
silence and a slow nod, the priest said, “Sometimes,
we hurt the people we love the most.” It was the
only part I heard or remember hearing; he started
talking about God’s forgiveness, I assume. I didn’t
pay attention, because I didn’t feel different after
admitting such a pitiful sin.
Marriage
I had no ill-feeling toward the physical place
of church. In fact, the ritual, the sounds, the smell
of incense, and the light that filtered through the
stained-glass windows from an Easterly rising sun
became familiar and comforting over the years. The
nave, filled with old pews, had witnessed my parents’
wedding and my grandparents’ weddings. The organ towered over the choir. The smell of old patrons
and Sunday cologne too liberally applied became a
sensory memory of that place. However, religion has
never been an inward practice; the practice and the
scene never joined together.
Anointing of the Sick
When times are bad, I’ve pulled the fragments
of ritual from my memory and recite the “Our
Father.” I did this in the winter of my eighteenth
year in days following my grandfather’s funeral. He
died of bladder cancer, worsened by a communicable bacterial infection called C.Difficile. I became
familiar with the ritual of funeral; I’d been to three
or four for close relatives. But this time, the ritual felt
different. Before, I was sad. My grandfather’s funeral
confirmed that the only sacred part of my world had
been ripped mercilessly from my arms.
Reconciliation
“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned.”As the
words come out of my mouth, they themselves felt
sinful. I hadn’t sinned, I was eleven. I barely knew
what sin was. I had to stop a moment to think of
a sin I had committed, so the priest could nod his
Baptism
I sat in the shower until the water hitting my
face was colder than I could stand, reciting
the “Our Father” over and over, sobbing.
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy
name.
I hoped, over so many repetitions, that my view
15
of God and heaven would change. Yet, it confused
me more. Religion stopped looking like the patron
blind to reality and became a place where I didn’t
belong. Like I was missing out because I didn’t get
that epiphany, and didn’t have that same faith.
Confirmation
Religion was so stale, that when my Mother
would occasionally talk about faith, or God, or divine love at the dinner table I would blush with pity
and embarrassment. How can you believe this? I
thought, how can you be so blind to the real world?
Perhaps, I’m the blind one. I continue to live in
an intermediate space between faith and atheism. I
can’t commit to either. The fence between atheism
and faith is fraught with angst. Most days, I try to
laugh away my uncertainty. I tell jokes about my
Catholic past, chuckle when I hear of “recovering
Catholics,” and tell friends, “It smells like a Catholic
church in here,” whenever they burn incense. Religion is still stale to me. Religion has no nutritional
value. Stale religion has no holy orders.
16
grey cloud island
david baboila
17
saint paul airport
david baboila
18
white bear lake
david baboila
19
zips coliseum
david baboila
20
BRIDGE
Jacob J. Miller
This was not way back when, as my dad would have
you believe. It was more recent than that. If he can’t
flat out deny it, which he no longer can, he will at
least try to convince you that it was so long ago as to
suggest it might have been a different lifetime, and
he a different person. He has been, after all, Born
Again. Except he was not the only person involved,
and to carry along as if he was is an exercise in what
I’ve heard philosophers call solipsism. For him, his
transgression was between himself and the Holy
Ghost: accountable not to those he wronged, only to
an invisible spirit. But he doesn’t have sole authority
in determining the past’s relevance or irrelevance
to our lives today. My mother too pretends the past
is only what has happened at a particular point
in time, and not a factor in what determines what
has happened since then and what is happening
now. The slate wiper theory of forgiveness is what
allowed them to wear their veneer of innocence and
believe in its authenticity, and for that reason I resent their new-leaf turnover. My love for them may
not be emergent in my words, I know, but I do love
them, regardless of the fucked up traits they passed
on to their children, which will become evident as
this story unfolds
You might be wondering, if you care at all, what
could be so terrible. Well, it’s not so terrible, and
not even very uncommon, but it happened to me,
and my brothers and my sisters, and there was never
anything we could really do about it. We watched
it unfold almost every night to reveal its rotted pit.
What was scariest was not when a half-full beer bottle would be hurled in our direction for us being too
noisy, and then being held responsible for wasting
the beer, and getting punished even more for that.
What was scariest was when they fought with each
other, mom and dad, when they were both liquored
up. All of us children would be sitting in the living
room, on our knees, in a line, with our hands folded
and tucked inside our clenched thighs, having
hitherto been fulfilling our playful, childish duties
who couldn’t expect things to go so suddenly and
intensely wrong. They would fight about anything,
or nothing, for all we knew or cared. They would
yell, swear, slam their fists on various surfaces, throw
things across the room at each other as if rehearsed.
One time, I remember, and this is what I’m talking
about when I talk about how scary things got, my
21
dad had my mom pinned up against the refrigerator—after she threw three or four plates at him, one
that hit his arm, but would have hit his face if he
hadn’t been blocking, and cut it deep. He had the
sharp kitchen knife pressed firmly under her chin.
If she gulped too hard in fear, or if dad in his stupor
lost balance, she would have been bleeding all over
the family pictures held by magnets to the fridge.
As we grew older, my big brother and I began working under dad instead of merely living under
him. Our prospects in life weren’t substantial at that
point. Whatever potential we had, it had never been
encouraged, so entering into the family business, if it
can even be called that, was the only viable option.
I woke dad up most mornings from his typical
collapse into a face-down, fetal heap on the kitchen
floor, sometimes still wet, sometimes already crusted
over. I’d say, “it’s time for work, dad,” and he’d drive
me to the site where (drinking coffee with whiskey
in it on the way) heavy machinery was waiting to
be operated—even though we used hammers and
nails whenever we could. Stonehenge-sized slabs of
cement, wooden pillars, cinder blocks, and iron rods
littered the landscape. It was all so disorderly that if
a nomad wandered upon the scene, the indication
would be of destruction rather than pre-construction. There were no piles of allocated materials
or inventoried supply lists. It could have all been
salvaged from past demolitions or by thievery from
other project sites. We seemed to accrue it all without any kind of exchange or standard of accountability for use. Everything seemed to just show up
wherever and whenever we needed it. Who actually
made all this stuff? How did we move it from place
to place to use from job to job? Who permitted my
sodden father to oversee such potentially hazardous
22
projects? He was a self-made man outside the advent
of auditing. What did I care then? I was making my
way, fashioning for myself a future out of will power,
and holding my breath until I could extricate myself
from this grim farce.
First day on the job, my dad said to me, don’t
fuck up, or he’d make me test the bridge before
the support beams were all in place. I believed
him. That particular bridge wasn’t connecting two
sides over a raging river or anything; more of a
convenient pathway over a stream, but it was still a
threat coming from dad. Second day on the job, my
brother James tore partway through his leg with a
chainsaw. I heard him yell, but it sounded more out
of frustration than terror and pain. He sat down,
ripped his immediately blood-soaked pants from
where the initial tear was, delicately unlaced and removed his boot so as not to cause more pain, grunting as if he had done nothing more than step in dog
shit, and lifted the nearly severed part of his leg that
dangled lifelessly like a tube sock on a clothesline,
to close the wound, from which I saw steam rising
sacrificially to the wintery heavens. He reached
forward to grab the excess of sock which, although
bunched up at his toes, had a long, tortuous journey
before being completely removed. He screamed as
he stretched forward, more circumstantially appropriate this time, and this is when I dropped my—
whatever, the thing I was holding, I can’t remember
what, but I didn’t hear it land because I couldn’t
assimilate anything else that may have been transpiring around me. I almost seemed to float over to him,
not even aware of my legs propelling me forward. I
saw all the blood, but I wasn’t put off by it as much
as I thought I probably should have been, and I
thought that as I stared at it pooling out. I observed
it dispassionately, coldly, but I may not have been
breathing. At first sight, it was just an organic pipe
that sprung a leak. I think I asked if he was all right
but I meant it more like did he think he was going to
die. He said to go get dad and that’s when I became
afraid. I stood there for I don’t know how long, until
he repeated himself more urgently:
“Walt!” he said, “Go! Get! Dad!”
I listened that time, but I was still very afraid. I was
trembling and began feeling like I might faint, and
I almost hoped I wouldn’t find dad, that he’d be off
drinking somewhere, but he wasn’t. He was drinking
right there, over a small mound of dirt, holding a
big piece of wood sturdy for someone to do something with. I saw his breath bellow out into the cold
with a cough and evaporate as he took a swig from
a bottle before sliding it back into his coat pocket,
without so much as a pretense of inconspicuousness.The bottle neck stuck straight out and brushed
against his elbow, a cumbersome lump sinking
down and throwing off his equilibrium further than
the ethanol already had. I slowed my pace, tried to
regain some composure, and still hoped he wouldn’t
notice me. I could claim an attempt at getting his
attention, but he just couldn’t be bothered with me.
I tried, I’d tell James, but I’ll carry you. I was sure I
could have done that. Part of me still wished I could
have avoided involving my dad at all. It was selfish,
but I thought I might get slapped with the blame.
But I yelled, Dad! Come quick! Dad, I yelled again,
skidding on the gravel as I spun around, intent on
not letting my dad’s impatient glare lock on me,
and from that momentum, nearly ascending at a
perfectly horizontal angle in the air before I landed
face first on those same tiny rocks, a perfect reenactment of self-humiliation on the school playground
at recess. I felt all those multiple points of impact,
but wasted no time in catapulting myself back
up—no time for embarrassment just yet—clawed
off the pebbles that clung gently to the tiny dents
they bore into my face and palms, and sped back
to my brother who, when I reached the dirt-mound
summit again, I could see was lying flat, surrounded
by the thick, still-steaming purplish puddle which
had, since I left him, at least quadrupled in circumference. Not looking back at all during my return
sprint to see how far behind me dad was, or even if
he followed me at all, I turned from the sight of my
brother completely to see him, Dad, shuffling over
the mound, bogged down by beer bottles, which
could be heard clanging together in his pockets.
He was wheezing inhalations of frozen air. He saw
James right away, I know it, but he didn’t say anything until he got right up close to him, planting one
clumsy boot in the blood puddle with a squelchy,
meager splat, like an old-fashioned letter-sealing
stamp on melted wax. He leaned over with outward
turned elbows and hands on hips, looked at James’
face. James’ eyes were closed. Dad then scanned
down to the butchered leg, grimaced, scanned
back up to James’ face. James’ eyes were now open
again, frigid with shock, and dad said, “pull yourself
together, son,” erupting hysterically at his own clever
buffoonery.
James turned out to live, no real thanks to
our father. I ended up having to run to the nearest
phone anyway and call an ambulance. He didn’t
even lose his leg. He did require a blood transfusion
because he lost gallons of it, or at least it seemed
like it when I stood there staring at the mess, but his
gristly cheeks had their color restored right in front
of me, resupplying and, it almost seemed, re-inflat23
ing him to human shape at the coercion of some
stranger’s bodily elixir. It worked like sorcery, but far
more astonishing because it was methodologically
reliable. The warm fluid surged through his veins,
and he was ensconced for a moment in a prodigious glow of newfound vitality. Back then, my dad,
laughing, called him a lucky son-of-a-bitch, whereas
telling the story now, upon reflection and suspension of rational thought, my brother was “touched
by an angel.” Now, whenever this celestial creature
of mercy is mentioned, who conveniently remains
anonymous for humility’s sake I suppose, instead of
our dad drunkenly laughing and mocking the situation, James does. An example of an aforementioned
fucked up trait passed on in the family.
24
50 FEET TALL
Emilie Tomas
I was in 5th grade
When my class went
To see ‘The Human
Body’ and I watched
In childhood
Horror as
A 50 foot grin
Unfurled, loomed
Large enough
To pull me
Into orbit
Devoured
First a sandwich
And then my
Faith in humanity
With deafening
Smacks
Like thunder
If thunder
Was made
Of jelly and
Dismay and I
Knew it was a
Crime to allow a
Person to become
This
Inflated,
With every pore
Its own path to
Hell and I knew
I couldn’t trust
Anyone because
In our heads
We are all
50 feet tall.
25
meow you see
ashley waalen
26
MOUSETRAP
Halle Chambers
Minnie “Mousy” O’Mally knew she was
invisible up here on her fire escape. This was her
safeplace. With the ladder pulled up as it was now,
almost no one could reach her here. Plus, even if
someone did make it up here, she could easily get
away.
If she crawled rough the window, she’d be
securely locked in the apartment. There, it was
warm and dry and at least sometimes safe when her
daddy…no, excuse her, correction, “Father or Sir”
wasn’t home. He hated when she called him Daddy.
He wasn’t home now, out doing illegal God knows
what in the “family business,” but he would be back
soon. Hence why she was out here. So, no apartment, not right now.
If she dropped the ladder, she could slide down
to street level in seconds and be down the block
in under a minute. She knew, because she’d practiced and had timed herself. The only way to avoid
getting hit in the face was to be quick on your feet.
That was the first rule of fighting that Jase, her older
brother, had taught her. With the life they lived,
it was also a rule of survival. And they didn’t call
her “Mousy” for nothing: she was small and fast…
very fast. Jase could make a distraction, and Minnie
could run. But, Jase was working a job that “Father”
had given him out of town till this weekend, and
she’d surely get caught if she didn’t have her usual
head-start. So,“down” wouldn’t work either.
If she scaled up the ladder above her, she’d be
on the roof, where their oldest brother, Cobie, had
often taken her and Jase to stargaze. She hadn’t
known till six years into her still short life that he’d
done it to keep his precious baby brother and sister
away from their father’s sight when the man would
come home satellite high or plastered. She hadn’t
known till twelve years in that he’d take their father’s
hungover backhand on the mornings after, so she
and Jase didn’t. All she’d known as he’d taught her
each constellation was that Cobie was braver than
Orion and that she and her brothers were more
inseparable than the Gemini twins. But, her world
went as topsy-turvy as Cassiopeia when her father
had sent Cobie away, saying he would not have a
queer as a son. When Jase and Minnie hugged him,
Cobie swore he’d come back for them in a year or
so. Jase had given up when he’d been two years
gone. That was two years ago, and now even Minnie
27
was starting to doubt. No, she couldn’t go up to the
roo, not alone.
She shivered in the October chill as she reviewed her options: “in” would be facing her father’s
wrath, “down” would be facing being caught by
a cop or a stranger, and “up” would be facing a
reminder of the happiness, now heartbreak, brought
by a brother who was likely never coming home
again. So, maybe she couldn’t escape easily…or at
all. She shivered again, this time more in frantic
panic than from the frigid, near winter city wind.
For not the first time in her life, Mousy felt trapped.
28
faces
connie kilppen
29
*I DON’T ALWAYS FEEL COLORED
Diamonique Walker
Sometimes I find comfort in places I somehow know
I don’t belong
Never a full day, but hours will pass and I won’t
consider my brown skin or kinky hair
I’ll let the imminent fear of my black body being
made into an example fall back to the depths of my
mind
My daughter’s safety in mixed company won’t occur
to me
I won’t juxtapose my blackness with any other’s
identity
confidence
As if one chooses randomly from a pile of stock
black girl names when they look at me
He asks me if my hair is real
I tell him he can’t ask me that
He says oh it’s okay, my girlfriend is black
I’m a dirty smudge on freshly ironed white linens
Trying to blend in, trying to live my life
I breathe, momentarily
Suddenly, I’ll feel breathless, choked
Stabbed in the chest
Stung by a white hot micro aggressive slap in the
face
An unsolicited violation of my personal space
A pale hand gently pulls a lock of my hair in white
amazement
Or a thin pair of lips will say “what’s upppppp” to
me and not anyone else
I’ll get called a name like Jasmine with such utter
30
*Line borrowed from Claudia Rankine, Citizen
WHERE I AM FROM
Hannah Schmit
I am from the forest. From ruddy Maple and heady
Pine. I am from the sunlit dust that refracts the life
of the breeze. The rough wood of the trees are my
bones, roots firmly planted deep in the depths of the
cool black soil. Generations have taught me to live
in the sun, tan weathered hands, calloused and worn
cover small, break earth and sow seeds. Exhaling
with the unfurling of new leaves whose first stretch
welcomed life, I learned the importance of patience
and nurturing.
I am from dirt beneath my nails and gritty sand in
my teeth. Sap painted hands and hot tar feet, blackened from short dashes across burning pavement
that rippled with summer heat. Sandboxes were my
kingdom, the layers of silt and sand familiar to my
prodding hands. I climbed turreted towers of twisted
bark and branches to survey the world and breath
in time with the breeze. Twigs and leaves were my
crown and a rusty tractor my carriage. My people
were the songbirds and insistent cicadas whose songs
filtered lazily together through the woods. Sometimes I called back, matching note for note, melodies
and harmonies creating a canopy of familiarity.
I am from wildflowers who nodded their velvet, satin, and paintbrush heads as I passed by. From dried
grasses whose sweet scent rose from rolling waves
that undulated under horse-tail clouds above. The
gold-fringed top of the corn is my hair as it turns to
brown under the autumn sun.
I am from the passing of seasons, each marking the
time as brilliant red and orange gave way to pristine
white and serene gray. Freckles and sunburn traded
for pale skin cold kissed cheeks. My life can be
counted in scraped knees and bruises, and band-aids
and scars, each a story unique unto itself.
I am from the water. Clear and silted, still and rushing it surrounds me. The river courses through my
veins, its steady pulse my heartbeat. I am from the
muted silence of holding my breath. From letting
go in the soft pixelated light that swirls lazily in the
haze of a murky river. From the dew that rests in
early mists that lay as a blanket over a newly purified
earth, protecting the last of the dawn.
I am from music. Love-strung tunes of lullabies rock
31
my past to sleep and call forth dog-eared memories.
Treasured memories that float fragmented in my
mind,
I was waltzing with my darling…
Goodnight, Irene…
Then sings my soul…
Black Forest I have come to be in this place. Knit
sweaters and hand me downs weave the fabric of my
personality.
The black ink of the notes is stained on my fingers, the lyrics printed out as a map on my mind.
My body is movement, ‘full of grace’ as I danced
through recitals and music competitions. My history
is composed of the ivory keys of a piano board, the
metallic strings of a guitar, and the soft wheeze of a
musty accordion.
I am from survivors. From broken families and lives
I was given the opportunity to begin. Out of the
ashes of war and blood, death and pain I was taught
compassion. The scars remind me of my privilege.
A handful of ink-smeared letters, a fading tattoo,
and relentless nightmares that went unspoken.
Touched by shadows of heartbreak and longing I
have learned the fears of disease and pain, the cruelty of man and the destruction of illness.
I am from a legacy. Footsteps preceded my very first
and taught me how to stand tall—to walk courageously. When I was tired of walking and needed to
fly, strong hands lay behind me as I learned to test
my own strength.
I am from fading memories. From sweat and
ploughs, rough tools and run down sheds. My past is
a copper foundation of saved pennies stretched with
love and trust. The polished wood of a hunter’s gun
and tug of a taut fishing line tie me to
the land of a generation gone by.
I am from the creaking wood of a ship that ferried
dreams. From the fjords and
32
I am from strength. From weary hands that sought
to move forward. From songs crooned in different
tongues, prayers tucked away from missed lives.
I am from the sweet smell of tobacco. From a worn
brown pipe laid in the top overall pocket. From tales
of Shirley Temple and shiny black shoes. From the
canoe as it passes over reeds and the click of a cane
keeping time with shuffling shoes. From sterilized
rooms and flowers with similarly fated owners.
I am from loss and tears.
I am from the Mississippi and the Great Lakes, from
steam and coal. From concrete jungles and log cabins. I am a piece of the past, I am…
The rooms of my mind are wallpapered with
snapshots of a younger me. Sayings and phrases are
the soundtrack of my life. I carry them with me.
Tucked in locked and forgotten rooms they wait
patiently, longingly for me to recall.
future. I seek not where I am going only
exist here, as I am.
I am from the past. Shaped by the present I live for
the future. I am from wanderlust. An incorrigible
desire to explore that cannot be quelled with the
stillness between heartbeats. I am from the excitement that teeters on the brink of the inevitable.
I am pulled at by the gentle whisper of religions.
Called to the beauty of holiness in the world, I am
grounded in the church yet growing in the temple
and the mosque.
I am gentle hands that have learned to be useful—to
give back. Well-used fingers taught to survive and
protect. I am a collection of places and people that I
have encountered. In love with humanity, I exchange comfort for experience.
I am at home in the concrete jungles constructed
from heat-cracked pavement and in the mudpatched hut of the desert. The mountains and caves
call to me like the trees and fields of my youth. I am
at home in the grand expanse of a world that knows
no limits, understands no boundaries. A world that
exists, simply to exist. My feet itch to travel down
forgotten paths where the dust of ages can billow
out from under me and cloud the clarity of the
33
who am i?
ashley waalen
34
2
GRATITUDE: A POEM IN FOUR PARTS
D.E. Green
1. Le Chaim
2. In Praise of Delusion
Each day, my own sunrise, my own morning star:
your red head radiates strange aerial spikes.
When he walks down the sloping skyway from
Memorial
to the Music building on his way to a long evening
class, he sees his reflection in the large classroom
window at the base of the slope. He loves that mirror. In it, he is about a foot taller than his five-fiveand-a-half and twenty pounds lighter. He is younger
than his sixty years.
The silver hair is less telling. As he approaches, the
Other ways slightly, moves with the elegant gait of
an athlete or dancer. This, he imagines, is my Norwegian double—tall and slender and (at least from this distance)
good-looking.
Of course as man and image converge, his Other
shrinks into an eastern-European, Semitic, rather
compact, little old man.
Perhaps (he wonders) I have seen the inner image of myself.
Perhaps (he smiles) I am happy just to have illusions.
Our son’s beard and long Hasidic locks
on a head never bowed in prayer hover
over his guitar and, till he gets it just so,
a heavy-metal riff. The picture of Ollie, our old
pup,—
his face speaks love, love, love. Like the holiday meal
you’ll pretend to let me cook. Or when your hand
gently
strokes my heaving shoulder: I am sobbing silently
because the movie has ended well—a good death,
timely reconciliation, vows revived, a renewed
breath.
36
3. Thanksgiving
4: To My Son
This morning, as I drive
from Northfield to Hampton
past field after barren field,
three wild turkeys
foraging and gobbling
at the edge of the road—
their white-splashed wings,
black-feathered trunks,
It’s Friday, Z—, and (as always) time to say how
much I love you (and your mom too, since I don’t
say it often enough though I feel it every minute)
and how much I miss you and hope you can spend
a few hours with us and Grandma the first weekend
in November. We worry about you every day, ‘cuz
that’s our job, but we also have an abiding sense
of how strong you are: How much you have been
through, how far you’ve come, and how you face
each day with grit—and, I hope, love. The latter
is so hard to do: Over breakfast your mom and I
sometimes sit around and whine about our work,
about grading student papers. But a little later I’ll be
walking across campus and the light will be just right
and I’ll see a familiar face amid a group of young
people and—I don’t know why—I feel love. I think
that’s the word. And I felt it last time we picked you
up downtown and you were talking to some scruffy
stranger on the street. And the fact that you can still
be open to such encounters—isn’t that love too?—
filled me with wonder. It’s funny: Old people, among
whom I am about to number, have proverbially been
beyond wonder, such a romantic and old-fashioned
word. But I swear that I still feel it—and that you are
among the wonders of my world.
red combs poking
and pecking the gravel
and weeds—surprise me.
I flinch.
The car swerves.
I breathe.
They range unruffled.
37
work in progress
gabriel bergstrom
38
THE FIRE
Elisabeth Beam
I stood with my back to the crowd watching the
house go up in flames. It happened faster than I had
expected. It had taken less than a minute for the fire
to spread from the kitchen to the living room and
even less time for it to make its way upstairs and into
the bedrooms where Grandma and the twins had
been peacefully sleeping. Joel stood beside me; his
face was dark with ash, his mouth tilted upwards in
a sickeningly gleeful smile.
Momma had never liked Joel. She said he was a
troublemaker and I should do my best to stay away
from him. Joel hadn’t always been mean. When I
first met him he would bring me friends and make
me laugh. He gave me my grey tabby cat, Walter,
and my small white bunny, Snowy. We used to all
run around the garden and play and laugh. I didn’t
like it when Walter and Snowy played. Walter
always hurt Snowy. Joel loved it. Snowy’s pain filled
shrieks always brought a smile to his face.
Joel would play tricks on Momma. He’d move the
chair she was about to sit in and she’d tumble to the
floor with a crash and a scream. He would put dead
things in the twins’ crib for Momma to find. Once
he brought a live snake into the house and slipped
it into the shower when Momma was in it. She
screamed something awful and had locked me in
my room for a week. I always got blamed for Joel’s
wicked tricks.
Momma brought a lot of new friends to the house
after that. She brought in men wearing long white
coats who talked with me and asked questions about
Joel and Walter and Snowy. Joel would stand behind
them as they questioned me and make faces. I didn’t
understand why they didn’t just talk to Joel and grew
frustrated with their questions.
Once Momma brought home a man in a black suit.
He walked around the house mumbling in a strange
language, throwing water on the walls and waving
his cross around like a baton. I thought he was
crazy. I told Momma and she told me to hush and
sit down. The man stood in front of me yelling in his
strange way and holding his cross on my forehead.
It was cold and made me uncomfortable. Joel got
upset. He didn’t like the man and the way he was
39
shouting. The next thing I knew the man was on the
floor bleeding from a gash in his head and Joel was
laughing loudly in my ear. A bunch of police officers
showed up and Joel told me not to tell anyone what
he’d done. He said I should blame it on Momma
and she’d go away for a long time and stop bothering us. Momma shouted and cried and struggled as
the police dragged her away to the sound of Joel’s
gleeful laughter and the twins’ high pitched screams.
Grandma came after Momma. She was mean.
She locked me in my room and told me to stay
there until I learned my lesson. I watched him
stalk around the room at night mumbling darkly to
himself. Grandma made me to go church with her
every Sunday, she said I had to pray for my soul for
what I’d done to that man and to Momma. I didn’t
understand why everyone blamed me for Joel’s tricks
and was tired of being punished for all the naughty
things that he did.
One night at supper, Joel made scary faces at the
twins who started wailing. Grandma stood up and
yelled at me as she tried desperately to calm the
twins. She told me to go to my room. I said no. I
pointed at Joel and yelled at him with all my might.
This was all his fault. Grandma sent me to bed. Joel
told me they were going to send me away. They
would separate us and I would never be able to see
him again. I told him I was fine with that because he
was being horrible. That upset him. He got Walter and Snowy and made me watch as Walter ate
Snowy. I cried. He laughed.
Joel woke me up at midnight. He told me we could
stay together. Me, him, and Walter, but we had to do
40
something first. He smelt like gasoline. He led me to
the kitchen and pointed to the stove which was covered with a sticky, sweet smelling liquid. He told me
to open my hands. I did. He handed me a lighter.
I didn’t want to do it but Joel got angry when I tried
to say no. He yelled and told me to do it for all the
times Momma blamed me for something he did.
That if I did this everyone would finally realize it
was him doing all the bad things and not me. My
hands were shaking so bad it took me five tries to
get the lighter to ignite. When it did I froze and
stared at the small flame in my hands. It flickered
with every shuttering breath that came out of my
mouth. Joel grew impatient and slapped the lighter
out of my hand and onto the stove. There was a
large whooshing noise and a blast of orange light.
My arm hair stood on end and sweat trickled down
my face. I backed away. Joel stood in front of the
fire and laughed. He threw his arms out wide and
danced in tune with the flames. He was crazy but
his movements were so beautiful and fluid. It was
frightening. The fire advanced toward me. I didn’t
want to move. I wanted the fire to eat me like it was
going to eat Grandma and the twins. Joel grabbed
my hand and led me outside.
We stood to the side and watched as the fire slowly
ate up the house I had grown up in. The house that
the priest, the twins, and Grandma had all died in.
Sirens and smoke filled the night air. I looked to my
side for Joel, but he had disappeared.
DESERT DRUMS
Abigail Carpenter
When my London flatmate, Raoni, suggested
we travel to Northern Africa because he was missing
the heat of Brazil, we had no intention of visiting
the Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains. But we
quickly made friends with a generous and hospitable
Moroccan man, Raxido, who invited us to a local
drum circle at the edge of the Sahara Desert.
After traveling on camelback against an orange-rayed sunset, we found ourselves among the
sand dunes. We parked our camels single file near
our camp, and I realized a place that once only
existed in my dreams was now before me.
I had to close my eyes for a long while. I opened
them over and over again until I was sure of it. I
had to reach down and let the sand fall between my
fingers slowly. I had to breathe in the crisp, evening
air. And when I looked up, the stars speckled in the
sky like the summer freckles on my face, thousands
and thousands of them.
When the drum circle began, I let its music
fill me up. It started in my toes and moved higher,
tickled my fingers and sent goosebumps up my arms
and back. The drums vibrated within my chest and
when it reached my mouth, I screamed in laughter.
My laugh echoed farther and farther across the desert, not meeting any person or town or house until it
was miles and miles away.
I wrapped my blanket a little tighter and
watched my friends dance around the fire to the
beat of the drums. Their legs moved up and down
as their hands joined the ashes flying through the
night air.
For many hours, we sat around the fire, told
our stories and spoke aloud our dreams. We danced
and sang and took turns pounding the drums. We
slept under the stars among the silence of the desert
for only a few hours until the sun awoke us on the
horizon. And moving through the deep sand, the
sunrise at our backs, we rode our camels to the bus
to escape the desert heat before it swallowed us up
whole.
41
COLORS
Hannah Schmit
If I am a color call me red
The color of passion and love
Humanity worn on my sleeve
The color of my blood, beating heart.
Call me red.
If I am a season call me fall
With baited chilled breath I speak
My words on whirlwind breezes fall
An omen of changes to come
Call me fall.
If I am a sound call me silence.
The chaos and stillness of calm
My words lost yet encompassing
In anticipation of something
Call me silence
If I am a thought call me hope
The desire for something more
A yearning call deep within me
The need to breathe
Call me hope.
42
urban delight
jazmin crittenden
43
WHEN DAD WORE COLOGNE
A. Tetzlaff
“Did Grandpa Mike die?” My small voice
broke a quiet that Dad and I carry easily between
us. A radio frequency connecting our minds that
communicates silently, so we don’t have to. Even at
the age of three, I knew our sacred, noiseless space
well.
Dad took me to a park one day, nearby my
childhood home. We rarely visited this park unless
we intended to use its snowy slope for adrenaline
rushes in our bright plastic sleds in the winter time.
But it wasn’t wintertime now. My dad wore a blue
t-shirt he’d owned since high school. Summer or
spring, the season isn’t particularly distinct. The hills
rose nakedly as we quietly approached.
I’ve come back to the memory time and again;
the images are blurred, like a positive photograph
that didn’t come out of the darkroom correctly.
I can’t recall how my father responded to my
question, though I’m sure he patiently and painfully affirmed my query. In that moment I wasn’t
shocked. I wasn’t sad. Presently, I regret that I can’t
remember a man who loved me and was so dearly
loved by others. I don’t know how he looked aside
from the pictures I know. How he talked, laughed,
44
yelled, walked, I don’t recall. Did he wear cologne to
work like Dad?
When I was young, Dad wore cologne to work.
He woke up around five in the morning in order to
be at work five-thirty, and he still does, despite the
fact that no one expects him in the office till eight.
I’d hear his alarm from my bed and wait to smell
the mix of dewy summer grass and the spicy knives
of cologne in my nostrils. The smell lingered and
pulled me back to sleep as Dad left the house. On
the day at the park, Dad wasn’t wearing cologne.
Dad didn’t wear cologne that day because it was
either a weekend or he had the day off or had taken
time away to grieve.
I don’t remember the call to our corded
telephone late one night. It was the hospital telling
Mom and Dad that my grandfather died of a heart
attack while showering. I don’t know if he died
immediately or if the attack was slow, painful, cold,
and wet. I will never ask. The thought of breaking
the stitches grief so tenuously sewed incites trepidation. Was my young face one of his last images? I’m
vain enough to assume so––grandparents always
think of the grandbabies first. Was it a comfort? I
can only hope.
At my Grandfather’s funeral, I can’t remember
Mom’s grief. I can’t remember the funeral either.She
keeps the remnants of her love tended like a flower
garden and tells me of her father often. I have nothing but the cemented walkway leading to the park
that summer day deep in my mind.
Mom tells me that my grandfather lived as long
as he did because he was waiting for me. It was a
miracle I was even born, but that’s not my story to
tell. She calls me “the sparkle in his eye.”
Christopher, my younger and only brother,
inherited my grandfather’s bright, Anglo-blue irises.
He was born the year after my grandfather died.
Christopher joined the Army a few weeks ago; my
grandfather was a Marine in the 60s.
During his service in Asia, my grandfather collected each country’s currency. Grandma keeps the
collection in a red leather box in her bedroom closet.
I used to step onto a chair and carefully extract the
artifact from the top shelf and touch each coin and
each bill. Some of those tenders are much extinct
now.
The souvenirs of my grandfather’s life are far
less valuable to me than those of my travels––those,
at least, the mugs and the key chains, those have
memories attached of the real thing.
I’ve spent most of my life scouring photos and
objects, trying to resurrect an authentic memory
of my grandfather. Trying to find a sensation that
brings him back to me like the early morning scent
of Dad’s cologne because I only remember the
hills and my words and Dad. The solvents of time
washed away my grandfather.
45
SHITTY CHRISTMAS TREES AND SECONDHAND DOLLS
Elisabeth Beam
When I was a kid we didn’t have a lot of money.
But we managed to survive. Mom worked a lot at
the dingy looking Super 8 Motel just down the street
from the elementary school. You know, the kind
of motel that charges by the hour instead of night.
She hated it but it was close to school and paid just
enough. Around November she would start picking
up shifts at other hotels in town to save up more
money for Christmas. It was hard. The heat bill
always went up mid-October when the chill started
to set in and the snow began to fall. Presents were
always an issue. Getting stuff for just me and Sarah
was usually alright, but Mom came from a big family. Six brothers and sisters all of whom had kids. All
of whom would be needing presents. That’s a lot of
money. Money we just didn’t have.
One year there was a huge blizzard and they
canceled school for a week. Sarah was only six at
the time and she couldn’t be left alone to take care
of herself much less a five-year-old as well. So mom
had to stay home from work and look after us. She
tried to make it seem like she wasn’t stressed out
about the money, but I knew she was. She would
pace around the kitchen at night and mumble to
46
herself. She’d crouch over her checkbook and shake
her head. She tried to hide it from us, but I noticed.
I always noticed when she got like that. A week of
work missed meant we wouldn’t be able to afford the
gas to get to grandma’s house for Christmas. And a
week with everyone at home meant that the heat bill
was going to be rough. She was too proud to try and
get food stamps. So money that would normally go
towards presents went to buying our Christmas feast.
We didn’t go to my grandma’s house that
Christmas but it was probably the best Christmas of
my life. The day before school let out our landlord
took out all the carpet in the living room. He said it
was due to be replaced and that someone would be
over before the holiday to put down some new carpet. “Your feet will be so happy and thankful! That’s
the best Christmas present you could ask for!” he
had happily told us. No one came. The floor was
cold and there were nails and sharp staples sticking
up at weird angles. It hurt to step on them and small
red dots appeared throughout the house as we all
made the mistake of stepping in the living room
without socks.
Mom put down an old ratty green rug, one
that our cats liked to pee on. She bought a small
fake green tree from the thrift shop downtown. It
was the saddest looking tree. Most of the branches
were missing so it had random bald spots sporadically around its leaning trunk. A good number of
the ornaments that we put on it fell off because it
couldn’t support their weight. We made new ones
out of paper and glitter. Mom wrapped tinsel she’d
taken from work around it and Sarah and I sloppily
placed string lights. We put an old family picture at
the top of the tree because we were too scared that
our expensive Christmas angel would fall and break
if we tried to stick her up there.
Thinking back on it now it was a pretty shitty
looking tree, but back then I thought it was the best
thing I’d ever seen in my life. I remember sitting on
the floor amongst the nails and staples and looking
at it glittering and glistening and thinking that it was
a far better tree than anyone else could ever have. I
thought that even if we’d spend a million dollars on
a tree and all its dressings that it wouldn’t even be
able to come close to this masterpiece sitting before
me.
For Christmas Eve we blasted holiday music
and ran around the living room twirling and waving
our arms above our heads. Mom had somehow
found time to make new flannel pajamas for both
me and Sarah and we had immediately put them
on. She had also given us each a doll that she’d
found at a thrift store. They looked ratty and dirty
but I loved them both. Every bit of dust and matted
patch of hair was a story waiting to be told. The
dolls had character and I loved it.That shitty tree
and our thrift store dolls were great but they weren’t
what made that night so special. It was that we were
all together, making the most out of what we had
and not lamenting what we were missing. I think as
we grow up we lose the magic in secondhand dolls
and shitty Christmas trees.
47
summer nights
adam ruff
48
the people united
adam ruff
49
after the hike
adam ruff
50
CRUMBS
Malena Larsen
He’s looking for love
In the crevices of his couch
Like loose change.
I saw him lift up the cushions
And pull out crumbs
His mother’s earring
A quarter
The spoon he dropped last week
After eating ice cream out of the container.
It was chocolate cookie dough and he ate the whole thing.
I watched him put the quarter in his back pocket
and the spoon back in the cushions.
I told him I had been in love once
And he said
I like it when girls call me daddy.
I had a dream that night that he was dating somebody and my stomach hurt when I woke up.
I became a spoon in the couch cushion
Who said words like
Daddy
And
Fuck me
And
Hard.
At the end of every night I was put back with the
crumbs, and each day that he came to get me there
was more cat hair or lint stuck to me
I waited patiently
Dirty
For him to pick me up.
It was 77 degrees the late summer night he stopped
getting me from the cushions.
He told me that he found somebody to love and we
can’t be friends, because if I see you I’ll fuck you. I
asked him why he couldn’t control himself if he was
in love with somebody.
The inside of my ribcage
Was being scraped empty
51
Like the chocolate cookie dough ice cream container
And my stomach hurt
Like it did after the dream
Where he wasn’t mine
I can’t help it.
He told me.
I like it when girls call me daddy.
When we met he was wearing a suit and it looked
like he had spent a lot of time on his hair but I
didn’t think he was attractive until the weekend
when I was drunk.
Across the table
On the other side of red cups
And puddles of water
He stared at me
In a grey tank top.
His eyes
And arms
Were strong
52
And dark.
Making eye contact felt like sex
And he smelled like Fireball
And somebody I shouldn’t be alone with
And too much cologne.
We went swimming at 6 am at the neighbor’s lakefront when everyone else fell asleep.
He took off his shirt
I kept mine on.
The water fell off of him like it didn’t want to keep
his body covered for too long. He picked me up and
folded me over his right shoulder and threw me into
the 6 am summer sweet lake water.
He drove me home
At 7 am
Still drunk and
Smitten.
It was 88 degrees and my birthday the night I let
him kiss me in the back hallway of our friend’s frat.
I couldn’t wait anymore
He told me
In the house that smelled like
Liquor and dust
And damp wood.
The first time we
Fucked
Was in the front seat of his
White Pontiac Grand prix
At 11 pm on a Tuesday.
I saw him almost
As an animal.
His fists
Were clenched
And his eyebrows
Like shelves
Over his beetle eyes.
Do you like fucking daddy?
After that night I had to sneak him into my bedroom
because he couldn’t do all of the positions he wanted to in his car. He needed to prove to me that he
was the best fuck and that he could make me cum
and that I should call him
Daddy.
I had never called fucking, fucking before. Before I
was a dirty spoon it had only been called love.
His eyes started to remind me
Of Tiny
Round
Black beetles.
There’s nobody else anymore
We should just keep fucking.
And when we fucked
It was 66 degrees and almost fall when he came to
my house in his white Pontiac Grand Prix and told
me
I remembered then, the quarter he put in his pants
and how he used me to eat his ice cream and then
put me back with all the crumbs in the cushions of
53
his couch
Where he keeps looking for love
Like it’s the loose change
In his back pocket.
54
bloomed
audrey campbell
55
pruned
audrey campbell
56
HERMAN
Danny Polaschek
Grape juice dribbled down Herman’s chin and
landed in scattered droplets down the front of his
white T-shirt. He didn’t notice and, after setting
down his half-emptied glass, picked up his spoon
and started on his bowl of bran flakes. Sitting at the
kitchen table, there was nothing in front of Herman
—but a bare white wall. It seemed, however, that he
wasn’t looking at it, but rather through it like a child
looks through a window and, seeing nothing but
gray skies and rain, is overwhelmed by disappointment because they will not be outdoors playing that
day.
As Herman sat there facing the white wall and
chomping his cereal, his son entered the kitchen
and began his morning ritual. Herman heard the
coffee-maker start bubbling from somewhere behind
him in the kitchen along with the quick and efficient pitter-pattering of his son’s feet, who Herman
assumed had to be walking laps around the center
island as some sort of new, trendy morning workout.
Once the coffee maker’s burbling came to an end
the footsteps stopped as well.
Herman focused on the sound of the coffee being poured, the soft sound of liquid filling a ceramic
mug. The sound stopped as quickly as it had started
and Herman was further drawn from his relaxed,
monotonous state by the sound of his son’s voice.
“How are the flakes this morning, Dad?”
Herman didn’t turn around to face his son, but
continued with what he was doing, looking like a
cow chewing cud. “Five star quality,” he replied in
between spoonfuls. “Flaky as ever.”
Herman’s son chuckled a bit and looked up
from his fresh cup of coffee but the laugh died away
when he noticed that his father was still turned away
from him, eyes glued straight ahead. Taking another
sip, Herman’s son pondered whether he would keep
pursuing his father in conversation or not. He ultimately decided against it and left the kitchen, coffee
mug in hand.
A sigh escaped Herman’s throat as he set down
his spoon, finished with his mushed and soggy cereal. Ain’t this the life, he thought to himself sarcastically. Finally turning away from the wall, Herman
scooted himself back from the kitchen table and
slowly stood up. He gripped the side of the table for
balance and took a few deep breaths in an effort to
steady himself. Just a few weeks before, Herman had
57
missed a stair descending to the basement and found
himself tumbling clumsily down the rest of the way
until crashing to a stop on the last few steps.
Herman’s head still felt a bit shaky from time to
time, which caused a bit of a tremble in his legs. Instead of walking from place to place, he grew accustomed to maneuvering his way to each destination
by leaning on and grabbing anything he could for
support and then flinging himself to another sturdy
checkpoint, and so on and so forth until he reached
his goal. It was much like a monkey swinging from
vine to vine, but less precise and much less graceful.
With his feet finally under him, legs steady,
Herman pushed away from the kitchen table and
launched himself to the kitchen counter, which
caught him with cold indifference. Hunched over,
Herman caught his breath for a few seconds before
beginning to shuffle down the length of the marble
counter towards the coffeemaker at the other end.
“This better be a damn good cup of Joe,” he mumbled to himself, clearly exhausted.
Halfway down the counter, Herman stopped.
With a steady grip on the counter he reached up to
the cupboard above his head and swung it open. He
couldn’t see inside but he knew that what he was
looking for was in there: his old blue coffee mug—
one of the only things worth bringing with when he
moved into his son’s house the year before. Feeling
around the smooth, wooden interior, Herman
eventually got a hold of his mug which distinguished
itself by having only half of a handle still attached.
With the partial handle hooked onto his ring and
middle fingers, Herman pulled out his mug and
brought it shakily down over his head, setting it on
the counter with a soft “clink.”
Herman was beginning to feel dizzy at this
58
point, and wished for a moment that he had listened
to the doctor about getting a walker. “Mr. Huckley,”
the doctor said, “even if you don’t think you’ll use
it, take it anyways. Just in case.” Herman didn’t take
the walker, and wouldn’t even let anyone help to
walk him out of the hospital, not even his son. “I
don’t need your damn help,” he snorted each time
someone tried to take his arm to steady him. He was
always a stubborn man and old age wasn’t going to
change that.
Continuing down the counter, Herman felt this
same stubborn anger boiling in him. He was almost
seventy years old and yet he felt like a child who
was just learning to walk. He’d built his own home,
and a garage to go with it, and now he could hardly
make it to the opposite end of the room without
feeling fatigued.
Sweat was running hot from Herman’s forehead. He wiped it with a shaky hand and breathed
in deeply, closing his eyes as he did so. He only had
five or so more steps to go and he braced himself for
the final stretch, determined to get there even if it
killed him.
With a focused balance and patient, shuffling
steps Herman managed to get to the end of the
counter and the coffee pot. He exhaled in relief, and
a satisfied smile tugged the corners of his mouth up
ever so slightly. With his blue mug in one hand, Herman picked up the coffeepot in the other, intent on
pouring himself a well-deserved cup of coffee after
his tiresome journey. His satisfaction was immediately replaced with bitterness as he lifted the pot
and felt that it was nearly empty, only a few drops
remained rolling around in the bottom.
Herman’s minute smile had vanished and his
brow hardened, scrunching up his forehead in small,
tense knots. Setting the pot back on the counter,
Herman hissed repeatedly under his breath, cursing
his son for not leaving him any coffee. Herman’s
hands were visibly trembling and he was having
a difficult time keeping a grip on the edge of the
counter. He contemplated making more coffee but
dismissed the idea immediately, knowing that he
could not remain standing and moving around the
kitchen much longer.
Herman felt a hot flush come over his face and
could feel beads of sweat rolling down his temples
and his cheeks. In one swift motion he wound up
and threw his coffee mug across the room, where it
shattered against the windowless, white wall. Slivers
and shards of ceramic bounced all over the kitchen,
the blue pieces scattered like shattered glass.
Herman heard footsteps drumming down the
staircase before his son entered the room,stopping in
the doorway to avoid stepping on any of the pieces
of blue ceramic. “Dad!” he exclaimed, “What happened?
Herman was bent over, hunched with his hands
on his knees. He was struggling for breath now,
and sweat soaked through his shirt on his back. In
between wheezes, Herman said exasperated, “You
didn’t leave me any damn coffee, you son of a
bitch.”
His son stood there eyeing first his father and
then the indent in the wall where the mug had hit.
He shook his head in disbelief, which quickly turned
to anger. With a clenched jaw, he left the room and
returned a minute later with broom in hand. He
began quietly sweeping the blue bits of coffee mug
into a dustpan.
After Herman had caught his breath and recomposed himself, he pulled his body back
into a standing position, leaning against the counter. He glanced to his son, bent over and sweeping
under the kitchen table. “I heard you on the phone
last night,” he said.
Herman kept his eyes on his son as he stood
and turned to face him. His son raised an eyebrow
at him but gave no verbal reply. “I heard you,” Herman repeated.
His son bit his lip and continued sweeping, eyes
trained on the floor. “It’s just not working, dad.”
59
EL BARRIO SUYO
Chad Berryman
El viento le envolvió al hombre como una manta de hielo. Él andaba por el barrio suyo pero los
vecinos no lo saludaron. Caminaba delante de una
casa grande con flores y grandes ventanas, y por esas
ventanas podía oír una pelea entre dos padres y los
lamentos penosos de sus hijos.
Él seguía la acera que serpenteaba por un
parque lindo donde había un banco solitario. Él
Lo saludó con la cabeza. Recordaba unas noches
del verano cuando este banco no había ofrecido
insultos ni acusaciones, sino un lugar simpático para
descansar mientras él le regalaba un uso admirable.
Pero en el invierno el banco se congelaba como él, y
ambos eran incapaces de ayudarse el uno al otro.
Paseaba delante de una casa blanca de arquitectura maravillosa. Un coche altanero llegara
la entrada. Un padre sincero apareció mientras
acababa de contar los acontecimientos de su día. Su
hija miraba su celular, y el silencio suspiró por la expresión herida de la cara del padre. Ellos entraron a
la casa sin otra palabra.
El hombre nómada seguía caminando, y pronto
la nieve dentro de sus venas se derretía por una balada antigua que se tarareaba al ritmo de sus pasos.
60
No pido mucho, no vivo de prisa
canto los himnos con risa bendita
no tengo nada salvo alma amada
y sin despedida no hay la llegada
THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD
Chad Berryman
The frigid air wrapped around the man like a
blanket of ice. He was travelling through his own
neighborhood, but no neighbors acknowledged him.
As he walked in front of a large, picturesque house,
complete with flowers and giant windows, he could
make out the sound of two parents fighting accompanied by the upsetting cries of their children.
The sidewalk snaked its way through a park in
which there stood one solitary bench. With a nod
of his head, the man greeted it. Nights of summers
past filled his mind, nights in which the bench
had not offered insults or accusations but rather a
consoling place of rest while he presented it with the
gift of an honorable purpose. However, the bench
froze and shivered in the winter the same as he, and
neither could provide the other with any relief.
He passed by a white house of grand construction. There, a flashy car had just pulled into the
driveway. From it emerged an earnest father finishing the recounting of his day. His daughter, however, simply stared at her phone, and the wounded
expression on her father’s face betrayed an unsung
sigh. The two entered the house without another
word.
As the wandering man continued walking, the
snow in his veins began to melt due to an old tune
he commenced to hum in time with his steps.
I don’t ask for much, or live in a rush
in my blessed laughter the hymns come alive
there’s nothing I own save a soul that is loved
for without a farewell one could never arrive
61
ODYSSEY
Eve Taft
Thank you for the twisted pathways of your mind
Which led to the streets and alleyways of Dublin
James Joyce, do you understand that you opened floodgates?
Your avalanche of babbling sentences, sans punctuation
Buck Mulligan tossing form and style into the wind
Your catechism, you, Daedalus, gave us sacrament
Blood flow to wake up the numb limbs of literature
You spoke with your soul to our souls
Fearing not the noise in your skull but flinging it down in ink
I understand you, “life is many days”
I understand you, “god is a shout in the street”
I understand you, “I am another now and yet the same”
You understand me “everything speaks in its own way”
Soon I’ll visit your beloved homeland
Walking the streets of Dublin, writing and giving thanks to modernism
Now as free of rigid form
As Ireland of England
62
postcards from my bedroom
audrey campbell
63
postcards from my bedroom
audrey campbell
64
COUNTING SHEEP
Danny Polaschek
What can you do
when the world is asleep?
Go to sleep too?
I’ve counted all my sheep.
They jumped through the air
gliding for 5 or 6 feet
cleared the fence and then flew
with not even a bleat. I didn’t focus however
on these aerial sheep antics
because far away in the distance
was a sight oh so fantastic.
A blue house, with a single light on
in the window sat a girl
a beauty no pencil could ever have drawn.
I looked up at her
and she down at me
addicted to the eyesight
too distracted to count sheep.
65
3
sky nights
keeyonna fox
67
inner self
keeyonna fox
68
VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE
Petra S. Shaffer-Gottschalk
Your worship was my refuge, your clay heart my focal
point, your chelsea smile the apple of my eye. We were
sick. We poisoned ourselves with amphetamines and pills
until we didn’t recognize ourselves in the mirror. We
walked miles just to feel accomplished in our space, we
turned the cigarettes we shared into sentiments we thought
we shared. I must possess the wrong innocence.
Souls are fickle things that change when left to die in the
cold.
~
He was outrageously tall.
He towered over me like the Statue of Liberty and
he talked to me as though I was a boat in the harbor.
Standing five inches taller than six feet, he was an
image of Ukrainian beauty. He stood like someone
who knew things you didn’t know and this fascinated
me.
I was so naive, so optimistic. I saw the lust and want
in his eyes and I mistook it for passion.The curve of
his jaw and his long eyelashes crept into the screens
behind my eyelids and ignited a fire in me that I
didn’t know how to put out. I was the new girl in
town struggling to keep my loneliness at bay. He
was a gleaming light in that summer of darkness.
I had just moved to Minnesota months before. After
discovering drugs and promiscuous sex I became
nothing short of a hurricane. Amphetamines kept
me awake, cigarettes kept me skinny, and weed kept
me sane. My GPA reflected exactly what they don’t
tell you about functional depression: you can feel
like a blank page, but as long as you fill it with words
people will stop asking questions.
He was selling me drugs. He offered me a good
price. I had never met him but I figured what the
hell, I could stand to meet new people. It was dark,
long past sundown. We were meeting in a parking
lot by a lake a few blocks away from my house. I
was in my mom’s car. I waited and listened to Amy
Winehouse until I saw an orange car pull into a
parking spot a few yards away from me. The man
driving fit the picture I had seen of him before. We
69
made eye contact and he ushered me over to his car.
I took a deep breath, grabbed my sweater, and got
my money ready. He rolled down the passenger side
window.
“You Nikita?” I said.
He smiled at me. A smile that I would come to
know.
“You can call me Kita.”
~
He had really good drugs. I’m not sure that they
were pure, but at the time I didn’t care. Neither did
he. We just wanted to get high. We did his drugs
together, sitting in a playground by the lake, talking
about life and what we crave. He told me that he
was applying to a college in London. I didn’t think
anything of it.
Before long we saw each other every day. He was
a lifeguard who had to be on duty early in the
morning, so he would take me out for coffee at eight
in the morning. No makeup, sweatpants, my hair in
a messy bun. He didn’t care. We would talk about
things that we hadn’t shared with anyone else. He
told me he struggled with his relationship with his
father in Ukraine. I told him that I had struggled
with eating disorders since I was thirteen.
We would sneak out onto his back porch to smoke
cigarettes late at night. His mother hated that we
smoked.
70
“You need to quit smoking, love,” she’d tell me. “I
smoked for twenty-five years and it took two pregnancies to get me to stop.”
His mother loved me. She thought that I was
spunky, independent, had a mind of my own. She
did not like his last girlfriend. She made that very
clear. She, like Nikita, was very tall. She had long
curly black hair and eyes so intense that you would
lose your appetite. Her Russian accent was thick
and powerful. She had run away to the United
States when she was twenty-one and seven months
pregnant with her first son. Nikita.
“Does it mean anything?” I asked him. “Your
name.”
He smiled when he answered.
“My mom told me it means ‘victory of the people,’”
he said.
Oh Kita,
you have no victory.
You are the secret I keep from my mother
the hidden disease that projectile vomits
and digs with fingernails sharpened by teeth.
Your fields of sunflowers told me a secret,
your secrets so dark and beautiful
and I killed myself with your gargantuan sunflowers.
His mother was beautiful. She had been a professional figure skater that traveled the world, meeting
people as she went. She met Kita’s father in her
home country of Ukraine and according to the
story, he was immediately drawn to her exuberant
personality and her long legs. At twenty-one she
was well on her way to continue pursuing a successful skating career until she got pregnant. According
to Kita his father did not accompany her to her appointments.He did not send her flowers. He did not
ask if she was okay. Instead Kita’s mother made her
way to America to create a life of victory and hope.
He took me to meet his grandmother. She said hello
and came in and that was the last that I understood.
The entire time I was there she would ask me questions in Russian and Kita would translate for me.
He taught me how to say
Hello
(Privet)
Yes
(da)
No
(net)
And thank you, which I don’t remember. We spent
almost the entire time we were there trying to help
his grandmother set up a new movie streaming
program on her computer. I know nothing about
computers in English, let alone in Russian. I was
overwhelmed. The leather furniture just made my
nervous sweat more noticeable.
She told me about Ukraine a little bit. She said it
was beautiful but troubled. She offered me chocolate and cookies. I sat, sweating, trying my hardest
to pay attention. When I said anything to her, Kita
would translate for me. I wanted to leave.
After we left his grandmother’s house he told me
to wait in his car while he talked privately with his
grandmother. I thought it was strange but didn’t
question it. I played mindless games on my phone
while I waited for him. Some part of me knew that
they were talking about me, but I continued to deny
it. I was hungry, but I wasn’t planning on doing
anything about it too soon. I was hungry often then.
When he returned to the car I asked what they had
talked about and with no hesitation he said, “You.”
I paused, then asked him to elaborate.
“She likes you,” he said. And that was that.
How strange, I thought, to be liked by someone who
never explicitly spoke a word to me.
~
Andrevich was Kita’s middle name. Named after
his father.
Kita’s father was very handsome. In his forties with
tan skin and thick hair, he was a heartthrob that
would make you look twice. He lived in a nice,
expensive apartment in Kiev with his girlfriend who
was twenty years younger than him. Apparently
that was a theme.
Kita had only seen his father a handful of times
in his life. He had gone back to Ukraine to spend
some time with him as a young boy, but didn’t have
too much recollection of it. When he was sixteen he
went back to live with his father and his twenty-yearold girlfriend for a while. Kita has always been tall,
thin, and handsome. His father noticed this.
“So what happened?” I asked him one day.
71
Kita shrugged.
“He kicked me out and I came back to the states,”
he said without a flinch.
He said this as though it was a commonality.
“He thought that I fucked his girlfriend,” he said as
he lit a cigarette.
There was a very long, uncomfortable silence.
“Did you?” I asked.
He laughed out loud and a cloud of smoke poured
out of his mouth.
“No, of course not,” he said. “My dad isn’t one to
listen to a sixteen year old.”
~
“I’ll take you to Ukraine someday.”
“Sunflowers. There are parts of Ukraine where
there are endless fields of sunflowers wherever you
look. They’re as tall as me and the flowers are bigger than my face.”
He pulled me closer as he talked about Ukraine.
He insisted that I learn all that I could about the
Russia-Ukraine conflict, sending me innumerable
articles daily. Through him I learned about the
importance of the Ukrainian revolution and fights
that had been fought, some as recent as 2011 and
2012. He told me that he wanted to fight for his
people if he had to. When my eyes were flushed
with concern, he pulled me in close and whispered
in my ear, “I’ll survive for you.”
His eyes lit up every time he talked about the fields
of sunflowers in Ukraine. In the same way, his eyes
lit up every time he got angry.
Your golden eyes drew miners to starve and fight to abandon their homes.
We were in his bed, naked, wrapped up in blankets
and speckled by the corner light in his room. It was
late, the kind of late that feels early. The air conditioner hummed in the place of our phones which
were both off and hidden somewhere in the room.
He did no wrong. He could not do any wrong. His
eyes were blank but telling like a wall in a foreclosed
home. All of his intentions were good. Yes. Good.
“Where in Ukraine?” I asked.
“Have you been eating?” he asks as he lifts up my
shirt.
“Kiev, the city squares. And to the huge fields of
flowers.”
“What kind of flowers?”
72
~
I squirm away and pull my shirt down.
“Yes, I ate just before I came here,” I say. I can still
taste the salt in my mouth.
“You look skinny,” he tells me with a hint of disdain
in his voice.
My heart soars. I look skinny. But he’s reaching for
my stomach again and once again I’m backing away.
We get into the car and drive to the gas station.
I say that I need to go use the restroom. While
Kita pumps the gas, I make my way into the small
Holiday bathroom. I put my sweater on the ground
and rest my knees on it, my usual routine. I stick my
finger down my throat and vomit into the toilet.
As I walk back outside, Kita is getting back into his
car. I get in the front seat and sniffle slightly.Kita
looks at me quizzically.
“You okay?” he asks me.
My eyes are watery, my nose is burning, and my
breath is putrid.
“I’m fine,” I say with a smile.
~
The elevator door was so cold against my cheek.
I watched the red numbers blink as they rose.
8...9...10...11. My vision was going fuzzy and grey,
my ears started ringing and throbbing.
11...12...13. Ding. The doors opened and my
wobbly legs carried me down the seemingly endless hallway. My hands were barely working; as I
watched them push my key into my apartment door
I could not feel it. The door opened, I could see my
living room window. I closed the door behind me
and collapsed on the ground.
“Why did you faint?” His words echoed behind the
screen of my phone.
“I just haven’t eaten a lot today.”
There was a silence so deafening that it struck fear
in my heart. Fear I had not known.
“When did you eat last?” He had anger in his voice.
I paused. He would know if I lied but he would hate
the truth.
“I had a little dinner last night,” I said quietly.
“What did you eat?” His reply was sharp.
I was shaking.
“I had a little bit of salad I think,” I said with a
quivering voice.
I could hear his sigh. I can still hear his sigh.
“How many times have we talked about this?” He
exclaimed.
“I know, I know, I’m sorry…”
It didn’t matter. He didn’t listen. I had failed him
again.
“Do you know what it’s like to have a girlfriend that
can’t even take care of herself ?”
“What am I going to tell my friends?”
“You’re not even trying.”
I was sobbing, I was convulsing, I was sweating, all
from my bed from which I could not move.
My phone was glued to my ear and I had no energy
to remove it.
“So what are you going to do about this?” There
was intense spite in his words.
With a shaky voice I said, “I could send you a picture of everything I eat?”
He laughed. With his full, angry throat he laughed
73
at my pain.
“And do what? Post it on Facebook? Show all my
friends that my girlfriend is an anorexic who
can’t even feed herself ? You know what, go ahead.
Maybe that’ll help you change.”
I couldn’t breathe. I wanted to die. My stomach
kept whispering “never again, never again,
never again.” Opening my mouth made me panic
because it reminded me of eating.
I hung up my phone and with wobbly legs I walked
outside in the snow and smoked an entire pack of
cigarettes.
~
Months go by. Months.
I watched him pack his bag with clothes that I had
never seen him wear. He packed light, only a few
shirts and two pairs of pants.
“My dad will buy me more when I get to Ukraine,”
he said.
I sat on the edge of his bed and watched him focus
on folding his clothes. His visa sat in the center of
the bed, staring at me. I started to cry.
“Babe, it’s going to be fine,” Kita said without
breaking focus.
I watched him form a pile of the shirts that I had
grown used to him wearing. They looked like wilted
flower petals.
74
“Why aren’t you taking those?” I asked, pointing to
the wilted pile.
“My father won’t like them,” he said.
Later that night, we were drinking red wine in his
bed. His room was bare and cold. I was curled
against his side, my head on his chest. He stroked
my bare back and played with my hair. I sighed, but
not the kind of sigh that’s followed with kisses. Kita
sighed too.
“Petra,” he said, a tone of exasperation in his voice.
“If I ever treat you like my father treats women,
please leave me.”
~
I still remember how to say “I love you” in Russian.
“я люблю тебя.”
Ya lyublyu tebya.
~
My fingers were bones.
Anything beyond mascara was too much, especially lipstick. He hated lipstick. He thought that it
brought too much attention to my mouth. He didn’t
like when other people noticed me.
He stopped smoking cigarettes and instructed me to
do so too. “They’ll make you age faster,”he would
say. If I had a bad day and smoked a cigarette, he
would tell me he was disappointed.
I lived with three men at the time, something that
Kita would never let me forget. He asked every few
days to be sure I wasn’t sleeping with any of my
roommates. If I was spending too much time with a
friend, he would tell me that I was neglecting him.
He sent me articles outlining how to be a better
partner. He reminded me that he just wanted me
to be the best that I could be. The screaming and
hour-long phone calls were footnotes.
You stripped me of my dignity and told me,
“This is what you have.”
Your monstrous arms crawl into my nightmares
Your titanic stature collided with my glacier
and though you claim I sank you
You were a behemoth and I was a stone.
At the end, I fell into the ground. His screams surrounded me in my echo chamber and suffocated me.
My knees were bruised from kneeling in front of
the toilet all night. How apt for the one accused of
dropping to her knees for all men. I was free but I
did not know it yet. All I knew was the cold floor of
my bathroom and the tales of beautiful but troubled
Ukraine.
My goodbyes have been said,
These addictions fed.
It’s the cost that comes with the sickness.
And your screams won’t be heeded anymore.
75
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE UN-SPECIALS
Halle Chambers
When we are little, even before we can speak
We are told that we’re special and that we’re
unique.
That we all are made different and that none are
the same
Which fits quite nicely in a toddler’s mind frame.
And we are told we should treasure what’s different inside,
That what makes us different is not something to
hide.
But then quite soon after, things start to change;
The word “different” stops meaning “special” and
starts meaning “strange.”
We’re sectioned off from our average peers
In our own little category and told,
“you belong here,”
And then different is bad and normal is good,
And for the different ones, nothing is working the
way that it should
The way we’ve been taught or the way we’ve been
shown
All we know is that we do not like being lost on
our own.
76
So once again we are taken away
To a place where things makes sense again and
we’re ok:
Where no one hurts us,
Where no one can see,
Where no one deserts us,
Where we can be free.
But because the un-specials can’t see what goes
on,
They decide to make things up and get so much
wrong.
And it’s happened for years because they can’t see
through that door.
So long they don’t even know that it’s wrong
anymore.
It’s so fixed in their heads that these lies are right;
They judge each special kid by their stereotype.
But today that will end.
So you sit there and you wait,
cause it’s about time someone set the dang record
straight.
You probably think that this poem won’t cut it,
But today I’m gonna open the door and don’t you
dare shut it!
To start, let’s be clear:
I am...I was in Special Ed.
But just because I was in that room doesn’t mean
I’m brain dead!
So for Pete’s sake, don’t puppy dog guard me!
Just give me a break, it isn’t that hard see:
If I need your help, I will tell you I do.
Just please,
Please don’t mock me.
In my place, would you want me to mock you?
“Oh come on! Let her get it! Go easy on
her!”
Help, where not needed, is almost as bad as a slur.
I’m not invalid
So don’t play that card.
Yeah, I’m a little quirky and oversensitive,
But I’m not, and I quote,
“A little retard.”
Yeah, I’ve been called names.
And those words?
They hurt.
They catch in the center,
In your pit of self worth.
And they tear and they rip,
And those words are collective.
Soon you start to believe that you are defective.
I’ve dealt with them all, and surprisingly,
I actually prefer the straight up bullies
To those who pretend to like me.
Fake friends and two-faces
Of all genders and races.
They’re only my friends so they don’t have to see
me cry.
Or they use me,
abuse me,
Oh, how they confuse me!
Cause I can’t tell what’s truth and what’s lie.
“Hey! He likes you. Go give him a kiss!”
And because I don’t know better, I believe this.
But soon I find they’re not playing Cupid,
They just wanna make me look stupid.
For their entertainment, they make me play the
77
fool;
They pretend that they care for me
When they’re really just cruel.
It takes time and takes work to make you forget;
Even now, I’m not quite there yet.
I mean, here I am, in what’s supposed to be
home,
And yet here I am, still feeling alone.
I’m still paranoid, it doesn’t just end;
I still have to ask if someone’s my friend.
I say one thing and mean another;
I make a mistake,
But you take it verbatim.
Can’t you cut me a break?
If we’re talking and I look like I’m lost,
Don’t blow it off like it’s not worth the cost.
Sarcasm and subtlety muddle in my brain,
So please just take a minute to explain.
Do these quirks make me broken?
Is there something wrong with me?
The way society has spoken,
There would seem to be.
78
Stop poisoning the minds of “different” young
women and men.
I don’t like being defective....
Can I be special again?
SOREX PALUSTRIS
Emilie Tomas
Did they name you for
Your wit, pointed
Nose of pointed judgement
Who brought us fire;
five to seven inches of shrewd truth?
Or was it your mischief
That Inspired them? Your
Presence followed by screams
And a three inch tail.
I saw your likeness on a stage,
Dirt in place of your midnight coat
Though she is reformed now.
Perhaps it was the gleam in your
Eyes; whispered fortunes and
A summer of silver birth.
Maybe you are a messenger
Of God, somehow in your Eighteen
months you learned to walk
On water, the second coming
Of Christ.
79
woodsy adam ruff
gabriel bergstrom
80
WORDS
Malena Larsen
The bathroom wall was covered in words.
Words like fuck and love and song lyrics and
names with hearts around them. His body
looked peaceful, somehow, as he sat propped and
slumped against the door. His head hung to his
right shoulder and his mouth was open like he
was about to say something but was interrupted.
There was blood running down his left arm like
a river and a needle hung loosely out of his skin.
The words that he had heard her say several
hours earlier were getting quieter and quieter.
“It’s not working,” she had told him. “I’m
sorry.” They were smoking cigarettes outside her
apartment when she said it. She knew he had
been trying to fix himself. After twenty-eight days
of treatment and one week in a sober house on
Lake and Fifth she barely recognized him. He was
twenty-five pounds heavier and his skin looked
clean and strong; there was no more grey in his
cheeks. It wasn’t just his change in appearance
that scared her. Lately, he had been telling her
the difference between wrong and right and that
she should stay in on the weekends. His family
couldn’t stop talking about how proud they were
of him and they would ask her, “Doesn’t he just
seem so much better?” She would answer with yes
but feel guilty because she wished he still liked to
make mistakes. His family had a party after he got
out of treatment and his grandfather kept saying
things like, “Men in this family have always been
strong!” and, “Now he can take care of you.” His
grandfather didn’t care for her much but he felt
that she was the least of the boy’s problems. He
didn’t like the way she hung on him like a scarf
or the way she agreed with everything he said
without a second thought.
As he sat on the bathroom floor the words
she had said were getting quieter and quieter.
They were almost gone. He had been sober for
thirty-five days and he didn’t know why. He didn’t
feel better or stronger or more loved. His hand lay
loosely on the floor, palm up and open like he was
waiting for somebody to hold it. Everyone was so
proud of him but he couldn’t imagine living his
life without her.
Long after her words had faded completely,
the bathroom door opened. He fell back onto the
floor. His head hitting hard against the tile.
81
“Oh my gosh!” The man who opened the door
yelled. “Can someone help?” He took out his
phone to call 911. A crowd of people rushed
over to where the man was dialing. A young man
pushed past the group of people.
“Move!” The boy got on his knees by the body on
the floor. He reached into his pocket and took out
something that looked like a pen. He stuck it into
the arm of the body that was needle free. People
gasped and murmured and watched. Sirens rang
in the distance. The boy holding the pen looked
up at the bathroom wall that had words like fuck
and love and song lyrics and names with hearts
around them. He looked up at the group of people.
“It’s not working,” he said.
82
MALCOLM AND THE BLUE SIDE
Danny Polaschek
Brown leaves dragged past Malcolm’s feet
in the wind. The bench underneath him felt like
a rock and he had to clench his jaw to keep his
teeth from chattering. He stared at the empty
playground—the tire swing, the slide, the bridge
and the fireman’s pole. Nikki rested her head on
his shoulder. Each time a breeze swept through,
Malcolm could feel her nuzzle slightly closer, her
hair scratching and tickling his neck.
When he was a kid, Malcolm had sat on this
exact same bench many times with his mother.
They lived in a little blue house just a few blocks
away— “just a hop and a skip,” his mother would
say and Malcolm would make it his mission to
jump and bunny-hop the whole way there.
When they arrived, they’d eat lunch, sitting
together on the narrow, wooden bench. After
each bite of his sandwich, Malcolm would beg his
mother to let him go play, to which she would give
in once she herself had finished eating.
He always went straight for the slide. Once
at the top, he’d yell, “I’m going under!” and
swing himself down into the blue plastic tube. He
imagined he was a deep-sea diver plunging into
an underwater world of sunken pirate ships and
forgotten chests of gold. On particularly sunny
afternoons, he’d stop halfway down the slide and
admire the shadows that moved about on the
illuminated, blue plastic. He’d make believe that
fish swam all around him as little blotchy shadows
hovered whimsically over his head.
He eventually got the idea to bring his crayons to the park with him. He’d sit lodged in the
blue slide for most of the day, drawing exotic fish
with bright oranges, yellows and reds. He knew
fish didn’t smile but nevertheless gave them all
wide grins and big eyes to match. When it was
time to go home, his mother would knock from
the bottom of the slide. “Time to come back to
shore!” she’d announce. Malcolm would hide his
crayons in his back pocket and slide down to his
mother who would wait there with open arms
grinning at him.
The park seemed smaller now. Malcolm
was just as tall as the fireman’s pole and half as
long as the slide. He wondered if his fabricated
underwater universe still existed. Probably not,
he guessed. Although it was getting dark, Mal83
colm could see thick graffiti creeping out from the
shadows inside the blue slide. Malcolm pulled his
sweatshirt tighter around his neck, brushing Nikki
away in the process.
He felt her eyes on his face but refused to
acknowledge her. Inside the slide, he could still
make out the words “Bitch Ass” in thick spray
paint. His crayon drawings would certainly be
gone, he was sure of it now. Nikki picked up Malcolm’s hand and caressed it, her cold skin feeling
leathery and smooth.
“Malcolm,” she said.
Malcolm turned and mustered a smile, taking
Nikki’s hands to his face and kissing them awkwardly.
“Malcolm, let’s go home.”
The streetlights had not yet turned on for
the evening. Malcolm noticed the shadows on
the sides of the road stretching out and growing
bigger as they walked quietly past. He missed the
warm sunshine of summer and the hot nights
spent lounging in the front yard listening to his
mother’s radio; he missed the walks to the park,
his mother laughing at him as he crouched and
hopped along beside her. He remembered the
secret thrill of the crayon box in his back pocket,
then realized he’d forgotten his cigarettes on the
bench at the park. He was too cold to turn back.
He reached out silently for Nikki’s hand and, finding it much warmer than his own, held it stiffly
the rest of the walk home.
84
driving at zero one
john herbert
85
driving at zero two
john herbert
86
PLACEMAKERS
Diamonique Walker
Near my home,
Balloons dance in the wind.
I have reconditioned myself — These are not balloons
from a party, But they still celebrate a life.
I drive by, sometimes I walk.
And see a balloon or several
With their heads bobbing away
Positioned obscurely on the sidewalk.
Or on the island in the middle of the highway. Sometimes on no one in particular’s grass.
I don’t look for party decorations. At the feet of the
balloon’s ribbons, candles, cards and little trinkets sit.
Some kind of offering.
Looking weathered and dull.
His body bled some place close by. Probably killed
within ten feet.
A dancing, mocking balloon
Somehow now gets to sway in his place.
87
NECESSARILY AN EVIL THING CONSIDERED IN ANY LIGHT
Jacob J. Miller
“You know what I hate about this most of
all?” asked the first man. “Nobody’s going to be
around to take responsibility. Nobody is going to
have to answer for their crime.”
“What crime is that?” the other man asked,
sitting next to him in the middle of the cul-de-sac,
both of them at perfect leisure in lawn chairs as if
waiting for a parade to pass by.
“Mass-murder, I suppose. Call it, oh, I don’t
know. Call it, um, inciting the apocalypse.”
“Ha.”
“They deserve to be the ones left behind
after they obliterate everyone else. They should
be the ones who have to reap the aftermath, puke
out their guts and feel their bile boil inside their
stomachs, fend off marauding cannibals and giant
insects. And they should have to live with the new
world they created, or destroyed, rather.”
Just then, the other man looked down and
saw a lonely ant crawling up his pant leg. “Yeah,
but I don’t think that giant bug stuff is true. That
wouldn’t happen. The bugs’ll die like everything
else.”
“I mean, what do you think it’ll be like? I
88
know it’ll happen instantaneously, but they say the
cerebral cortex functions after everything else has
shut down and we linger in a sort of dream-state,
which could last for, well, for who knows how
long?”
“Well, that’s if you’re in a hospital bed, or
you have a heart attack or something, when you
have time to die with a little bit of peace. Our
brains are going to incinerate along with the rest
of us. There won’t even be any stuff of thought
anymore. I don’t think we have to worry about
something like that.”
“But what if that moment of pain before we
go lasts longer, you know? What if time stands
still? Nothing makes sense in a moment of such
lunacy. Such catastrophe. What if we feel our
tongues liquefying and spilling down our throats
and scalding our internal organs? What if, all in
that moment, we look down, and before our eyes
boil and burst from the heat we see our bones
glowing purple through our flesh as it begins dripping off like wax? What if you turn and look at
me and the last image you see is my face melting
off like those Nazis in Raiders of the Lost Ark?”
“I’m not sure it’s the best time to be thinking
like that,” his friend said, as the sirens began to
wail their sorrowful last.
“Why even bother with that fucking thing?”
the man steamed. “It’s inconsiderate, a futile
exhortation. We know what’s coming. We’re not
going to hide in our basements from it like it’s a
fucking tornado.”
“Tornadoes aren’t so easy to hide from either.”
The first man scanned the horizon for what
he knew would be the last time. He took in the
sight of the skyline he saw from his window every
day and, with lamenting eyes, imaginatively
anticipated its supplanting by a fiery mushroom
climbing the sky. He closed his eyes and winced,
unable to cope with the unthinkable thought, the
impossible inevitability. Turning his head toward
a neighbor’s yard whose household ran a daycare,
he opened his eyes to a post-apocalyptic tableau
of children’s toys scattered about the lawn. Nothing needed yet be aflame for the man to resent the
picturesque cliché of innocence lost on display
before him. “Remember when they used to tell
kids to hide under their desks?” he inquired. “All
that siren is doing is making sure that we spend
our last moments in a panic, instead of dying
gracefully, accepting that we’re all in the same
sinking ship, in the middle of the ocean, if the
ocean were the entire planet, and filled with lava
instead of water. We should be spending our time
reminiscing, because that’s all we have now.”
“Well, we can’t talk about our plans for the
future.”
“We can’t discuss potential medical advancements.”
“The coming cure for cancer.”
“And cloning organs. Scholarships our
children just received, the singularity and will
the Matrix ever become a reality; would we ever
make contact with life elsewhere in the universe,
intercept an asteroid, mine them for resources?
It’s all useless, man, meaningless. Every human
achievement since the first spark made from one
rock dragging against another, gone within the
next hour,” he sighed heavily, draping a ribbon
of helplessness over his words of outrage. “Why
don’t you open that up?” He suggested, pointing at the bottle of scotch sitting at the leg of
his friend’s chair. His friend took a swig before
passing it over with a satisfied groan. “Here’s to
everything we do being the last time it will ever be
done,” the first man began. “That’s the best I can
do.”
“Yeah,” the other man raised an empty hand,
toasting to the end and everything that came
before it. “I suppose there’s something beautiful about the entire world—or nearly the entire
world—going out the same way. There’s a kind
of universal solidarity occurring right now, don’t
you think? Some are praying, no doubt, some are
exalting their various saviors, certain they will be
raptured up any minute, but we’re all still going
to be experiencing the same thing, at almost the
exact same time; the same heat, the same instantaneous moment of searing pain before any trace
of our molecules are imprinted as a shadow on
the asphalt beneath us.”
He had a complex contraption of a chair, one
of the men—it doesn’t really matter which one
now that the end was there; the kind of chair that
folds upward from all four corners and was nearly
89
impossible to fit back into its cylindrical carrying
sack—not that that mattered anymore either—
complete with cup holders and a detachable headrest, which he was putting to use as he spoke. His
friend’s chair was more old-fashioned, a conventional folding lawn chair with a checkered pattern
of flimsy plastic wrapped taut around aluminum
pipes, wobbly hard plastic armrests drilled in and
not quite parallel to each other.
Their chair legs began melting into the tar
beneath them. One of the men hummed softly;
a beautiful soundtrack to accompany him in the
cut to black. The other man closed his eyes and,
focusing on the sounds of the encroaching death
rattle, heard them as the grunts and whinnies of
the four horsemen’s horses as they galloped atop
the planet’s rapidly spreading dust.
90
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Augsburg Now Fall 2016: United in Community
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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Play with purpose
The space to learn
An ambitious approach
Homecoming 2016
FALL 2016 | VOL. 79, NO. 1
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On the gif...
Show more
Play with purpose
The space to learn
An ambitious approach
Homecoming 2016
FALL 2016 | VOL. 79, NO. 1
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On the gifts who are our students
Last spring, a small group of Regents, faculty,
staff, and alumni were charged by the Board
of Regents with exploring long-term strategy
for Augsburg, especially in light of shifting
demographics, economic trends, and volatility
in higher education.
It was an inspiring process as we reflected
on how Augsburg would remain faithful to its
historic distinctions, while at the same time
being relevant to a changing world. Perhaps
the most compelling conclusion of the Futures
Group was that Augsburg would be its best
self in the years ahead as it remains radically
student-centered, meeting students where they
are and equipping them for lives of meaning
and purpose.
It is not a unique claim, this idea of being
student-centered, but it is understood in
diverse ways across higher education. For
some, the claim means that students are
customers or clients who deserve high-quality
service. For others, it means that students
are lumps of clay to be formed and shaped
with particular values. For still others, the
claim means that students are deeply engaged
in the governance of the college or in its
administrative decision-making.
At Augsburg, though, the claim of being
radically student-centered means something
very different. For our community, each student
is a gift, a gift to be received with gratitude
and humility, a gift that surprises and engages
us, a gift that changes us. Each summer, I
tell our incoming students that their gifts
of intellect and leadership and passion will
make Augsburg a more faithful and successful
college, even as we accompany them on their
educational journeys. And I mean it.
This issue of Augsburg Now illustrates
well how the gifts who are our students have
made all of us better. Read about alumna
Maya Santamaria ’94, an entrepreneur whose
Augsburg education has shaped her community
work in Minneapolis. Witness the stories of
our remarkable student-athletes, partnering
with Special Olympics Minnesota to show how
intellectual differences need not get in the
way of teamwork and sportsmanship. Hear the
stories of this year’s Distinguished Alumni and
Spirit of Augsburg awardees, whose lives are
testaments to how Augsburg’s mission is lived
out across the world and generations.
And perhaps most powerfully, learn about
how Gov. Mark Dayton declared August 29,
2016, as Augsburg College Equity Day in
Minnesota, recognizing Augsburg for its
commitment to diversity, inclusion, and justice.
As one staff member told me on that special
occasion, this work is “a love letter to our
students,” a recognition that our remarkably
diverse students, who come to us with their
many experiences and talents, are gifts that
have changed us forever and for the better.
What gifts we have been given for almost
150 years! They ground our vision to be “a
new kind of student-centered, urban university,
small to our students and big for the world.”
Faithfully yours,
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
Director of Marketing
Communication
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
Communication Copywriter
and Editorial Coordinator
Laura Swanson Lindahl ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate
Denielle Johnson ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Production Manager
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communication
Specialist
Jen Lowman Day
dayj@augsburg.edu
Contributing Writer
Kate H. Elliott
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
alumniupdate@augsburg.edu.
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Send comments to:
now@augsburg.edu.
AUGSBURG NOW
Fall 2016
PHOTO BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
This fall, Augsburg College hosted the national Lilly Fellows Program
Conference. The event focused on the theme, “Reformed and Always
Reforming: Faith, Science, Art, and Culture,” and featured the Rev. Paul
Oman, founder of Drawn to the Word ministry, who painted an artistic
expression of the Reformation.
02 Around the quad
22
Homecoming 2016
08
Annual report to donors
24
Auggies connect
10
Play with purpose
27
Class notes
16
The space to learn
20
An ambitious approach
32
In memoriam
On the cover
Augsburg College students
show their school spirit at
the 2016 Homecoming pep
rally. Learn more about the
celebration on pages 22-23.
Photo by Caroline Yang.
Inset photo by Courtney Perry.
All photos by Stephen Geffre
unless otherwise indicated.
NEW ACADEMIC BUILDING SCALES HEIGHTS
The Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business,
and Religion is on track to open for classes in January 2018.
In the six months since the April 29 groundbreaking, McGough
Construction and its subcontractors have completed the concrete
work for the partial basement and most of the four floors of the north
wing, and the three floors of the west wing. As the cement work has
finished, the team has undertaken installation of electrical conduit,
plumbing, and framing for interior walls.
Weekly construction updates are available
at augsburg.edu/hagforscenter.
2
Augsburg Now
The Hagfors Center brings together the study
of global business, advanced science and
technology, and religious dialogue. It is home
to eight academic departments:
Biology
Business
Chemistry
Computer Science
Mathematics
Physics
Psychology
Religion
Structural rendering
of the Hagfors Center
courtesy of McGough
Construction
COLLEGE AWARDS 2016
President’s Interfaith and Community Service
Honor Roll—Finalist with Distinction:
Augsburg College was one of five finalists in
the United States named to the prestigious
President’s Higher Education Community
Service Honor Roll with Distinction in the
interfaith community service category. This
is the seventh year the College has earned
this recognition.
The AugSTEM Scholars Program, funded through a grant from the National Science
Foundation, supports students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, and
math (STEM). The scholars participated in Zyzzogeton, a celebration of student research.
Best Regional Universities by U.S. News &
World Report: U.S. News & World Report
named Augsburg one of the best universities
in the Midwest. Rankings are based on
factors including average first-year retention
rates, graduation rates, class sizes, studentto-faculty ratios, acceptance rates, and more.
$1 MILLION GRANT PREPARES STUDENTS
for graduate school, meaningful work
The National Science Foundation awarded Augsburg College a highly
competitive $1 million grant for continued support of the AugSTEM
Scholars Program. Under the direction of Professor Rebekah Dupont,
the program will provide scholarships to as many as 80 academically
talented students with financial need who are pursuing studies in science,
technology, engineering, and math.
The four-year grant is part of NSF’s work to address the need for a highquality, diverse workforce. With a traditional undergraduate student body
that is more than 35 percent persons of color, Augsburg is well positioned
to support this goal. The program provides direct financial support, delivers
hands-on learning, offers research opportunities, and pairs each student
with a faculty mentor. Research shows this combination of hands-on
learning and close mentorship is highly effective in helping students leave
college ready for graduate school and the workplace.
Augsburg recognized for being studentcentered: The Wall Street Journal and Times
Higher Education ranked Augsburg No. 2 in
Minnesota for student engagement in the
learning process in their inaugural ranking
of U.S. colleges and universities. The
student engagement score is based largely
on results of a student survey that addressed
how challenging classes are, whether they
foster critical thinking and prompt students
to make connections to the real world, and
how much interaction the students have
with faculty and other students.
Auggie earns “Most Promising
Young Poet” national honor
Donte Collins ’18 was named the “Most Promising
Young Poet” by the Academy of American Poets this
fall. His poem, “what the dead know by heart,” previously won Augsburg’s
John R. Mitchell Prize, which qualified him for the prestigious competition.
Collins is a theater major who is active in the local, regional, and national
spoken word and poetry scene. Collins told Minnesota Public Radio that
he plans to use the $1,000 prize from the award to self-publish his first
collection of poetry, a chapbook called “autopsies.”
PHOTO BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
Editor’s Note: This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under
Grants No. 1565060 and 1154096. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations
expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
National Science Foundation.
50 Best Disability Friendly Colleges and
Universities: College Choice ranked Augsburg
No. 13 of the 50 Best Disability Friendly
Colleges and Universities in 2016 for having
strong programming and solid support
services that meet the physical, social, and
academic requirements of students with
learning disabilities and special needs.
Best LGBT Friendly Colleges and Universities:
College Choice ranked Augsburg among
the 50 Best LGBT Friendly Colleges and
Universities in 2016 for having a strong and
proven history of creating quality programming
for the LGBT community and its allies.
Fall 2016
3
Augsburg partners with
MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO
to deliver Strommen Engagement Series
A new partnership with Minnesota Public Radio means the Augsburg
College Strommen Engagement Series is poised to spark dialogue on
some of the state’s pressing contemporary issues. The reimagined
Strommen Engagement Series was created in collaboration with MPR
as part of the “Conversations on the Creative Economy” program
hosted by Chris Farrell. He is a senior economics contributor at
Marketplace, American Public Media’s nationally syndicated public
radio business and personal finance program.
For the 2016-17 academic year, MPR and Augsburg will explore:
• Living in Recovery—Working in a Culture of Alcohol: A
discussion on the health cost to a business when employees
are chemically dependent and how professionals in recovery
are working to remove the stigma of addiction and the culture
of drinking in business.
• Global Food in a Farm-to-Table World: A discussion on how companies
are adapting to environmental and consumer demands to be more
sustainable and still grow food for 7 billion people.
• Worship in the Workplace: A discussion about the business advantages
of accommodating the faith traditions of employees and how leaders
navigate these situations.
• Banking on the Unbankable: A discussion on how financial institutions
create both a business product and a social good for people who
traditionally would not have access
Go to augsburg.edu/now
to financial tools.
for details.
Governor declares
‘AUGSBURG COLLEGE EQUITY DAY’
Gov. Mark Dayton declared Aug. 29, 2016,
“Augsburg College Equity Day” in recognition
of the College’s commitment to equity and
justice, and its efforts to close the opportunity
gap in Minnesota.
President Paul Pribbenow met with leaders of
the Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial board to
discuss Minnesota’s educational achievement
gap among children and youth of diverse
backgrounds. The state has one of
the largest achievement gaps in the
nation, and Augsburg is working to
ensure all students of academic
ability have access to higher
education. The College’s pledge
to this work includes limited debt
pathways to graduation, setting aside
dedicated housing for homeless students,
increasing financial aid literacy, supporting
faculty in creating inclusive classrooms, and
increasing access to course materials.
The College was applauded for this
leadership through a compelling editorial,
“Augsburg College leads the call for campus
equity,” written and published by the Star
Tribune editorial board on Aug. 30.
ARCHIVE PHOTO
PHOTO BY BRIANA ALAMILLA ’17
NOW AND THEN:
AUGGIE HOMECOMING
[Left]: Current students play dodgeball in Si Melby gymnasium. [Right]: Jan (Koepcke)
Steller ’66, a member of this year’s 50th reunion class, snaps the football during a 1965
coed Homecoming matchup.
4
Augsburg Now
All good Homecoming celebrations need some
friendly competition, right? This year, Augsburg
College students got into the competitive spirit at
a dodgeball tournament that pitted Auggie against
Auggie in a battle testing speed, agility, and …
fashion sense. The event’s companion costume
contest proved to be a lighthearted update on a
long-time tradition. Coed sporting events have
been part of Augsburg Homecoming for decades,
and the outfits seem to get better with time.
See highlights from Homecoming on pages 22-23.
AROUND THE QUAD
SOOTHING
SOUNDS:
Auggies compose music
for pediatric patients
Music therapy major Tristan Gavin ’16 records a composition for use at the University of Minnesota
Masonic Children’s Hospital.
COURTESY PHOTOS
CONVOCATION SERIES 2016-17
Augsburg College’s annual convocation series offers the community
meaningful opportunities to engage with contemporary issues and
to hear from speakers who are renowned in their fields.
In September, the series kicked off with the Bernhard M.
Christensen Symposium featuring bestselling author, public
theologian, and social activist Jim Wallis and his presentation,
“The Bridge to a New America.” Wallis is president and founder of
Sojourners, a nonprofit, faith-based organization whose mission is
to put faith into action for social justice.
In November, the Center for Wellness and Counseling Convocation
welcomed Kristin Neff, an education psychologist and associate
professor of human development and culture at the University of
Texas at Austin. Her presentation was titled, “Self-Compassion:
How to be an Inner Ally Rather than an Inner Enemy.”
Augsburg College music therapy students
created original compositions to help
patients and families at the University of
Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital
get better sleep.
During the 2016 spring semester,
students in the Music Therapy Senior
Seminar course taught by Annie
Heiderscheit, director of the Master of
Music Therapy program, wrote lullabies
as part of a community partnership.
The music therapy students worked
with music business students and
their advisor, Augsburg Instructor
Dain Estes, to produce high-quality
recordings for use on the hospital’s
network of digital, interactive health
care features. Individuals can choose
to play the calming tunes using devices
in their hospital rooms. The Auggies’
compositions also are part of a pilot
study that is exploring whether listening
to music helps improve sleep quality in
patients and families who use it in the
pediatric intensive care unit.
SAVE THE DATE:
Join us on Monday, Jan. 16, for
the Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation.
All events are free, public, and held in the
Foss Center. For detailed information, go to
augsburg.edu/convo.
Fall 2016
5
BOARD OF REGENTS
Jeffrey Nodland ’77
Nicholas Gangestad ’86
WELCOMES NEW CHAIR
AND MEMBERS
Jeffrey Nodland ’77, president and chief executive officer of
KIK Custom Products, was elected chair of the Augsburg
College Board of Regents at its April 2016 meeting and
began his term July 1. Nodland will play a key leadership
role in Augsburg’s planning and fundraising initiatives.
In addition, the Augsburg Corporation, at its annual
September meeting, elected six new members to the Board
of Regents and re-elected three members.
Elected to their first term on the Augsburg Board of Regents:
Dr. Amit Ghosh
’12 MBA
Rev. Marlene
Whiterabbit Helgemo
Rachel Pringnitz ’02,
’07 MBA
•
Nicholas Gangestad ’86, senior vice president and chief
financial officer of 3M
•
Dr. Amit Ghosh ’12 MBA, a staff consultant, professor of
medicine, and medical director of internal practice at
Mayo Clinic
•
Rev. Marlene Whiterabbit Helgemo, an ordained
Lutheran pastor serving All Nations Indian Church of
the United Church of Christ and executive director of
the Council for American Indian Ministry of the UCC
•
Rachel Pringnitz ’02, ’07 MBA, operations
administrator for the Division of General Internal
Medicine at Mayo Clinic
•
Jill Nelson Thomas, philanthropist and board member
for multiple nonprofits, including Family & Children’s
Services of Oklahoma
•
Noya Woodrich ’92, ’94 MSW, former president and
chief executive officer of the Greater Minneapolis
Council of Churches
PHOTOS BY MARK CHAMBERLAIN
Elected to a second or third term:
Jill Nelson Thomas
Noya Woodrich ’92,
’94 MSW
6
Augsburg Now
•
Mark Eustis, an organizational leadership and
governance advisor for health systems
•
Alexander Gonzalez ’90, financial consultant at
Thrivent Financial
•
Pam Moksnes ’79, vice president for gift planning
services, Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, through
the Lutheran Church Extension Fund
HOME SWEET
HOMEPAGE:
Augsburg launches
redesigned website
College and university websites are often
the first place students turn to for reliable
information when they research schools.
This fall, Augsburg unveiled a website
redesign offering prospective students a
fresh experience and encouraging them to
learn more about the College.
The new look took more than a year
to research, plan, design, and develop.
Now this work is on display on the site’s
top-level sections, which showcase how
Augsburg positively influences Auggies
from their first day in class to decades
after graduation.
Visit augsburg.edu to see
the new design.
AROUND THE QUAD
ON THE SPOT
A look at erratic weather and climate
change with John Zobitz
“Do we live in the tropics?”
In early fall, a Minneapolis Star Tribune article
asked this question. While readers surely
answered “no,” the story described the recent
soggy summer in which Midwestern Regional
Climate Center weather data showed the
Twin Cities got twice as much rain as usual
in August, contributing to the fourth-wettest
summer since records began in 1895.
Associate Professor John Zobitz studies math
and how it relates to climate. Scientists point
to more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as
one of the culprits in global warming. Zobitz
uses mathematical modeling to conduct
environmental science research on several
topics, including carbon uptake.
For years, Zobitz has helped media make
sense of unusual weather across the country.
He commented on record-setting snowfall in
Buffalo, New York, following a November 2014
blast, as well as the return of wintry weather
during an April 2013 whiteout in Augsburg’s
own backyard. Here’s a glimpse into the world
of climate science—an area where the forecast
can have more to do with mathematical
formulas than tomorrow’s high temp.
Q:
How can mathematicians’ expertise
help environmental scientists and
climatologists?
A:
Mathematicians test and evaluate
hypotheses through mathematical
and computational models. We model and
benchmark future global temperatures
based on current scenarios, hopefully
providing an informed context for climate
policy decisions.
Q:
A:
Hasn’t the Earth always warmed and
cooled throughout history?
Yes, but what is alarming is both the
amount and the rate of the increase.
The global monthly temperature has been
warmer than average for 360 consecutive
months (that’s every month during the past
30 years). That persistent global pattern
underscores a shift in global temperature
beyond natural temperature cycles.
Q:
A:
Do unusually cold temperatures in an
area dispute global warming?
No. An important thing to remember
is that global temperature represents
an average across a global network of
monitoring stations. Climate change
will affect each area differently: some
areas might warm and some areas may
cool, but the overall trend of global
temperature is increasing.
Q:
A:
Do you think climate change is
inevitable?
A key concept in calculus is the
accumulation of smaller pieces to one
larger whole. If we want to reduce climate
change, small changes in our daily lives
such as driving less and reducing waste,
together, may accumulate to a large effect.
Q:
What does it mean to our future, as
human beings, if climate change
continues as it has in the past 30 years?
A:
We need to recognize that we live
in a rapidly changing world where
“normal weather” is the exception rather
than the rule. Adapting—and innovating—
in an environment of constant change will
become key for success.
Fall 2016
7
ALISON RANUM ’17
NAZIH SAFI ’17
Hometown: Minneapolis
Hometown: Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Studying: Biology and Exercise Science
Studying: Mathematics and Management
Information Systems
Roy and Eleanor Krohn Scholarship
With thanks: “College is an expensive
investment, and without the donors
who have been so kind to help me
along the way, attending Augsburg
College would not be an option for me.
Thank you so much.”
8
Augsburg Now
Beverly Durkee Mathematics Scholarship
With thanks: “Thank you for your continuous
support of student learning. It feels good to
know that I go to a college where the alumni
really care about furthering their alma mater.”
REVENUE BY SOURCE
2015-16 AUGSBURG COLLEGE
67%
ANNUAL REPORT
TUITION
TO DONORS
19%
T
3%
PRIVATE GIFTS AND GRANTS
7%
o the people who understand that together we
can build and shape a campus, a community,
and the world for lifetimes to come, thank you.
To the people who are hard-working, inspired, and
trying to make a difference and impact the future
locally and internationally, thank you.
To the 4,965 individuals who gave $17,689,103 for
multiple programs, projects, and funds, thank you.
To the community who gave $1,551,262 to the
Augsburg Fund, thank you.
Thank you for making this community a place
where we are developing informed citizens,
thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and
responsible leaders.
Whether you were a student 50 or five years ago
or are a friend of Augsburg College, Auggies like you
are what keep an Augsburg education sustainable,
faithful, and relevant long into the future.
ROOM AND BOARD
GOVERNMENT GRANTS
4%
OTHER SOURCES
EXPENSES BY CATEGORY
41%
SALARIES AND BENEFITS
31%
FINANCIAL AID
13%
OPERATING EXPENSES*
7%
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS
3%
Thank you.
3%
*Expenses in this category include:
facility repairs and maintenance,
information technology expenditures,
marketing expenditures, membership dues
and fees, outside consultants, supplies,
and travel and business meetings.
DEBT SERVICE
UTILITIES AND INSURANCE
2%
STUDENT SALARIES
ENDOWMENT MARKET VALUE
$40.5
May 31, 2016—$39,412,669
MIKE SHAW ’17
Professor Jeanne Boeh and Mr. Bernhard
Fleming Economics Scholarship
$32.4
Augsburg College’s influence: “Augsburg has
pushed me to do my absolute best at school
and forced me to think how I can use the skills
I am developing to help my community.”
$28.2
$27.8
$39.4
$34.6
$33.3
$31.5
Hometown: Minneapolis
Studying: Business Administration and
Economics
$38.3
$29.8
$24.5
2006 2007 2008
2009 2010 2011
2012 2013
2014 2015 2016
As of May 31, 2016, Augsburg College had annual realized and unrealized
losses of 3.23 percent on the College endowment. The five-year average
annual return on the endowment is 3.52 percent, and the 10-year average
annual return is 3.49 percent. The College is committed to maintaining the
value of the principal to provide support to the College in perpetuity.
Special Olympics Minnesota
and Augsburg College team up
BY KATE H. ELLIOTT
10
Augsburg Now
All eyes are on a group of athletes in college
basketball jerseys. There are short ones, tall
ones, fast ones, and slow ones—some having
good days and others feeling off their game.
An athlete flies through the air, dunking a
ball. High-fives, cheers, and clapping echo
through the rafters. Moments later, voices rise.
“No, no, the other way,” shouts an
encouraging spectator trying to prompt an
athlete dribbling with authority toward the
wrong basket. A foul, some underhand throws,
and then a pause for a player with a medical
issue. Play resumes.
More commotion. Sneakers skid across the
gym floor as the spectrum of abilities and
disabilities blurs.
Then, the buzzer sounds, but the final score
isn’t the focus given the diversions of smiling,
sweaty faces and celebratory exchanges
among athletes.
The February game brought together
teams comprising athletes from Augsburg
College, Hamline University, and Special
Olympics Minnesota—the first in a series
of ongoing Unified Sports competitions that
pair individuals with and without intellectual
disabilities. Auggie participation reflects the
Augsburg Athletic Department’s broader effort—
spearheaded by its Student-Athlete Advisory
Committee—to engage student-athletes in
meaningful, life-changing community service.
And in this game, everyone wins: dozens
of student-athletes such as Sean Adams ’17
are building lasting bonds and gaining a
more sophisticated understanding of ability;
Minnesota’s more than 8,000 Special Olympics
athletes such as Alec Kelsey are gaining
confidence, training, and lifelong friends; and
PHOTOS BY MATT HIGGINS, MIAC
Augsburg alumni such as Steele Krause ’16, are
leading informed, engaged lives after graduation.
Krause said volunteerism through Augsburg
transformed his idea of service from “checking
a box” to a way of life.
“At Augsburg, my idea of service evolved
from logging hours to serving with purpose
and gaining a true understanding of each
organization,” said the former men’s basketball
player now living in Denver. “Last week, I
stopped by the Colorado Special Olympics
office to learn more about ways to get involved.”
Augsburg’s embrace of unified competition
in the past year has intensified personal
connections and impact, said Adams, a captain
of Augsburg’s men’s cross country and men’s
track and field teams.
“Out there on the court, it didn’t matter
whether someone had a disability or not; we
were all working toward a common goal and all
had strengths to contribute to the team,” he
said, reflecting on a Minnesota Intercollegiate
Athletic Conference Special Olympics D-III
Week Unified Basketball Tournament held in
April at Macalester College. “Playing alongside
others—next to their pure love for the game and
competition—reminds me why I love sports.”
The winner of each Augsburg-Hamline
Unified Rivalry competition—such as
the basketball game pictured—earns
the “Unified Hammer,” a trophy
similar to the ceremonial sledge
hammer passed since 2005 between
the schools each time their varsity
football teams square off.
Fall 2016
11
In February, a Special Olympics Minnesota athlete had the chance to skate the Minnesota Wild
flag to center ice during an Augsburg College men’s hockey game. The Minnesota Wild hosts
several events each year to celebrate “The State of Hockey,” and Augsburg facilitated this
unique partnership between SOMN and the professional sports team.
PHOTO BY KEVIN HEALY
Augsburg has partnered with Special Olympics since
2011, when NCAA Division III formally began supporting
the organization’s efforts to provide year-round training
and competition for more than 5.3 million children and
adults in 170 countries. But Augsburg upped its game
in 2016 by committing to pair with Special Olympics
Minnesota each month of the academic year. SOMN
named Augsburg a Champion School, one of only five
institutions in the state recognized for student leadership
and advocacy, campus involvement, and participation in
Unified Sports.
Michael Kane, vice president of SOMN’s area
programs and initiatives, said the organization is eager
to strengthen existing collaborations, including regional
bowling championships, hockey tournaments, and
the organization’s most popular fundraiser, the Polar
Plunge—during which Auggies, along with thousands of
Minnesotans, jump into icy lakes.
Augsburg’s passionate drive to advance
understanding, acceptance, and healthy living is
elevating SOMN’s reach and reputation, particularly
among the next generation.
“Augsburg College is a great example of an
institution striving to make inclusion a reality,” Kane
said. “Students and staff have fully embraced Special
12
Augsburg Now
Olympics Minnesota by volunteering at competitions and
planning to host a wide variety of events and activities.
Hundreds of Augsburg students have stood up to make
these events and activities possible.”
Guiding Augsburg’s increased involvement is the
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, a group of about
50 student-athlete volunteers committed to enriching
the student experience through a range of relevant
service opportunities. Jane Becker is Augsburg’s head
volleyball coach and athletic community service
coordinator, and Jennifer Jacobs is an assistant athletic
director, assistant volleyball coach and advisor for
SAAC, overseeing the student-run organization with
representation from all of Augsburg’s 21 teams.
The pair talk at length about the importance of
student-athletes connecting with the community.
Augsburg student-athletes and teams host clinics and
open gyms for neighboring schools, help area churches
renovate, and build partnerships—like the Unified
Rivalry with Hamline—to foster lasting friendships and
healthy competition.
Becker and Jacobs lift up the committee’s work with
Special Olympics because it advances the lessons of
determination, teamwork, and heart that coaches promote on the court
and in the field. They hear of perceptions changed and career paths
adjusted because of these meaningful experiences.
“Our student-athletes are putting in long hours of competition, making
grades, and then giving themselves to others,” said Jacobs. “The amount
of time and energy our student-athletes dedicate to Special Olympics
and other volunteer opportunities is inspiring. They are committed to
making an impact, relationship building, and experiential learning.”
Rachel Frantz ’17, co-president of SAAC, said she and her peers are
energized by the heart and competitiveness of Special Olympics athletes.
She has friends such as Tom, who competes in speed walking and
swimming. Non-verbal, Tom communicates through sign and body language.
“His favorite gesture,” Frantz said, “is his signature hug that last
about three minutes.”
It’s hard to let go of those types of connections.
“Special Olympics athletes teach me how to come as I am and do my
best. They support one another and foster a positive environment where
each athlete can grow,” said the biology major, who has participated for
the past six years in Special Olympics events, including jumping in an
icy lake during the Polar Plunge, competing in a unified basketball game,
and volunteering at basketball, swimming, and track and field events,
which happen to be her favorite.
“The athletes are always congratulating all of their competitors,
regardless of their finish,” Frantz said. “I love cheering them on as they
achieve a new personal record or finish a difficult race.”
Beyond friendships and lasting memories within the community, these
experiences inspire bonds among Augsburg student-athletes as well as
the general student body, many of whom also serve Special Olympics.
Frantz, a competitor in lacrosse,
cross country, and track, who
likes snorkeling, rock climbing,
and choir, might not have gotten
to know Adams, who plays guitar
and acts in his roommate’s short
films. But, through SAAC, the two
have volunteered together, growing
closer with every project.
“It’s been a privilege to build
upon the good work of those who
led the committee before us,” said
Adams, who serves as co-chair of
SAAC’s volunteering committee.
“The evolution to unified
competitions and partnerships
AUGSBURG AS A
CHAMPION SCHOOL
Augsburg is one of only five Special Olympics Champion
Schools in Minnesota. The designation is granted to
institutions that excel in three areas: Unified Sports, student
leadership and advocacy, and campus involvement.
• Unified Sports: Augsburg student-athletes participate
alongside Special Olympics Minnesota athletes in
clinics and competitions. In partnership with Hamline
University, Auggies cofounded the first Unified Rivalry
in Minnesota. Special Olympics Minnesota created the
Unified Hammer trophy given to the winner of these
competitions throughout the year.
• Student Leadership and Advocacy: The more than
50 student-athlete leaders on Augsburg’s StudentAthlete Advisory Committee work with SOMN to activate
students, engage faculty, and promote communities of
acceptance.
• Campus Involvement: Augsburg student-athletes
have enthusiastically recruited students to create
teams for the Polar Plunge and other key SOMN events
held throughout the year. The campus also has held
Respect Campaigns, including Spread the Word to
End the Word, which discourages people from using
demeaning, offensive, or inaccurate terms.
“Our events are volunteer driven, and I’m just not sure
what we would do without Augsburg student-athletes
volunteering at every turn,” said Devin Kaasa, the
college partnership and competition manager for SOMN.
“Their work fosters respect and dignity for people with
intellectual disabilities and changes actions and attitudes
among their peers without intellectual disabilities.”
Members of the Augsburg football team
volunteer at the 2016 Fall Games organized
by Special Olympics Minnesota.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA
with other colleges in the area is
expanding our reach and feels more
authentic and influential than cheering
from the sidelines.”
Friends across the river, Hamline’s
SAAC advisor and women’s volleyball
coach Becky Egan and senior softball
player Mary-Clare Couillard, said they,
too, have big hopes to grow from
several rivalry games to multiple
contests and volunteer efforts
throughout the year.
“Our campuses can have such a
positive impact for Special Olympics
athletes, and I hope to see us doing all
that we can to help out,” said Couillard,
who has interned with Special Olympics
since June.
Egan echoed her sentiments.
“Since our campuses are so close,
it is easy for our student-athletes
to travel and stay excited about
volunteering,” Egan said. “The more
inclusive we become with other schools
in our conference, the healthier the
competitions become across our other
sports, and it broadens connections
among all our student-athletes.”
PHOTO BY MATT HIGGINS, MIAC
14
Augsburg Now
passing year. During a January 2016
game against Saint Mary’s University,
the Augsburg College women’s hockey
Devin Kaasa, the college partnership
team recognized more than 100 Special
and competition manager for SOMN,
Olympics athletes in attendance with a
is the main contact for schools in the
ceremonial puck drop prior to the game.
MIAC as they build and strengthen their
Proceeds from puck purchases for a
relationship with the nonprofit. Kaasa,
halftime “Chuck-A-Puck” competition
whose brother has participated in Special benefitted SOMN. The following
Olympics for 20 years, said he has been
weekend, the hockey players volunteered
showcasing positive Augsburg-Hamline
at the Special Olympics Minnesota State
outcomes to promote similar interactions
Poly Hockey Tournament.
among the conference’s 13 schools.
In early March, Auggies raised more
“Our athletes look up to studentthan $1,000 for the 19th annual Polar
athletes because of
Plunge event at
their abilities and
Lake Calhoun in
“Augsburg College is a great
energy. To some,
Minneapolis. The
example of an institution striving 2016 plunge season
these college
to make inclusion a reality.”
students are like
raised more than
–Michael Kane
professionals, and
$3.9 million for
playing alongside
Special Olympics’
them is such a thrill,” Kaasa said. “I
athletic, health, and leadership
love Augsburg because they are always
programs for children and adults with
up for trying a new idea, and I can
intellectual disabilities.
always count on them to serve.”
Just this September, members of
Augsburg’s involvement with SOMN
the Augsburg football team helped out
has been diverse and expansive,
with SOMN’s Fall Games where athletes
growing in size and scope with each
competed in equestrian, softball, bocce,
and golf events.
Each month, the NCAA Division III
features a Special Olympics Spotlight
Poll, asking fans to vote on one of three
compelling stories highlighting efforts
at various institutions and conferences.
With 1,300 votes, the MIAC won
the July spotlight (and $500 toward
its next Special Olympics event) for
hosting the first-ever conference-wide
unified tournament.
Mark Kelsey’s son, Alec, was among
the 50 Special Olympics athletes who
competed alongside student-athletes from
Augsburg, Carleton, Hamline, Macalester,
St. Catherine, and St. Thomas in an eightteam, double-elimination tournament held
during the fifth annual NCAA Division III
Week in April.
At 6-foot-2, 25-year-old Alec loves
basketball, lives for the moment, and
never looks for an excuse to quit, even
after a seizure on the court.
“Special Olympics athletes represent
the best of what sports has to offer—no
fear, no nerves, no hate, all heart,” said
Kelsey, who started the West Metro
Warriors Special Olympics delegation in
the Twin Cities 10 years ago.
“Alec rarely gets through a game
without a seizure, but I cannot tell you
how excited and proud he and his fellow
athletes are to play with college studentathletes. We were particularly impressed
with Augsburg’s showing at the
tournament … while one team played,
the other team cheered with Special
Olympics athletes. It was magical, and
I can only hope those Auggies were so
moved in such a deep and positive way
that they become forever advocates for
inclusion and acceptance.”
As a recent graduate, Krause regularly
reflects on the intersection of athletic,
religious, and academic experiences he
enjoyed at Augsburg. His time learning
to live with purpose “sparked a craving
for personal and communal excellence”
and a desire to create a stable,
nourishing, and joyful environment for
his community.
“Being involved with SOMN was
humbling and gratifying … and being
able to use my knowledge and skills
within various sports is empowering,”
said Krause, a former SAAC copresident who works as an account
manager for Pacific Office Automation.
“I am extremely proud to be an Auggie,
and I will always refer myself as such.
Augsburg’s commitment to community
is astounding, and it keeps getting
better every year.”
At Augsburg, Krause said, he learned
that volunteering is as much about selfreflection after the experience as it is
about the outcome of the service. Only
then can people begin to understand
more about the world around them
and assess (and possibly adjust) their
attitudes and actions.
“I no longer just show up to volunteer
and then leave when the job is done,”
he said. “It sticks with me, urging me
to think about how my involvement and
experiences shape my life, and how I
can continue to make a difference.”
To learn more about Augsburg’s athletic teams and
service, including Auggie involvement with Special
Olympics, go to augsburg.edu/now.
[Far left]: The Augsburg-Hamline Unified Rivalry series began with
basketball games and has grown to include several activities. The
schools hosted a flag football game in October and will sponsor a
softball game this spring.
[Center photos]: Augsburg football players helped facilitate softball and
bocce ball activities at the 2016 Fall Games series organized by Special
Olympics Minnesota.
[Far right]: Athletes take a break from the action during a MIAC conferencewide unified basketball tournament held in April at Macalester College.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SPECIAL OLYMPICS MINNESOTA
Fall 2016
15
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AUGSBURG COLLEGE’S 2016 HOMECOMING
CELEBRATION was held Sept. 22-24—a festive
PHOTO BY JOHANNA KITZMAN ‘11
weekend when alumni, students, and families took
part in new events and beloved traditions. More
than 500 alumni from 64 different graduation
years attended celebrations, including reunions
for the classes of 1966, 1976, 1991, and 2006.
PHOTO BY
REBECCA ZENEFSKI
Ten Auggies were inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame after being welcomed to the ceremony
by current student-athletes. During a Homecoming lunch with alumni award recipients, students
were invited to share in discussion with recipients of the First Decade, Spirit of Augsburg, and
Distinguished Alumni awards. In an evening ceremony, six alumni and two honorary Auggies
received awards and were recognized for their generous service to the world.
22
Augsburg Now
PHOTO BY JOHANNA KITZMAN ’11
PHOTOS BY COURTNEY PERRY
The Taste of Augsburg featured 38 booths—most
hosted by student groups—and offered games,
entertainment, and food, including the Augsburg
Chemistry Society’s liquid nitrogen ice cream.
Augsburg won the football game against Carleton
College, and alumni, families, and students stayed
after the game to enjoy s’mores at an Auggie Block
Party featuring the band Broken Spoke.
Bob Stacke ’71
This year, 30 Homecoming
events celebrated the best of
Augsburg, from an all-band
reunion to Auggie Talks led
by alumni, staff, and faculty
experts. The Centennial
Singers and an alumni band
led by Professor Emeritus
and Spirit of Augsburg Award
recipient Bob Stacke ’71
invigorated the chapel at
a worship service where
Associate College Pastor
Justin Lind-Ayres welcomed
all Auggies with a “Home
Calling” message.
Fall 2016
23
AUGGIES CONNECT
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
T
he Alumni Board has made exciting changes
to better serve Augsburg College graduates and
current students. We reorganized our board
committees, and we’re already seeing the fantastic engagement and work of
two new groups.
• The new Parent and Family Committee shares information about Augsburg
and its services with families. We’re thankful to the Parent and Family
Committee for helping students move into campus housing this fall.
Committee chair Howie Smith ’80 joined Cyrus Batheja ’08, ’11 MBA to
help with first-year student move-in day. Committee members Derek
Francis ’08 and Hannah Dietrich Swanson ’05 assisted with new student
orientation. The committee hosts two parent and family nights per year,
and the next event is March 2.
• Rick Bonlender ’78, Josh Krob ’08, ’15 MBA, Adriana Matzke ’13, and
Brad Randall ’13 on the new Adult Education Committee will focus
on the growing adult undergraduate and graduate studies alumni
communities. I attended Augsburg College as an MBA student from
2008 to 2010, and I’m inspired by this work.
Whether you remember your time at Augsburg as a cohort, a class,
or a team—as a grad student, traditional undergraduate, or adult
undergraduate—there is a place for all in the upcoming events at the
College. The MBA networking event on October 25 was a welcome chance to
see former cohort members for a mini-reunion and to get involved mentoring
a future Auggie MBA.
As a board, we strive to better serve the College, our fellow alumni, and—
perhaps most importantly—Augsburg’s current students.
We’re looking ahead to our next Alumni-Student Networking event
on February 8. Last year, we had 260 participants—a record-breaking
attendance that included students, alumni, and faculty. Thanks to all who
helped recruit attendees, facilitate introductions, and open doors for Auggies!
I look forward to our continued service and engagement with the Augsburg
community.
JILL WATSON ’10 MBA, ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
24
Augsburg Now
For more information
about alumni events,
see augsburg.edu/now.
The StepUP® Program at Augsburg College
has had a successful year. As the largest
residential collegiate recovery program in the
United States, StepUP is regarded as the
gold standard for programs of its kind. Now in
its 20th year, StepUP empowers students to
champion lives of recovery, achieve academic
success, and thrive in a residential community
of accountability and support.
StepUP celebrated its annual gala October 29,
and the event focused on the theme of “hope.”
The gala is an opportunity to reduce the
stigma often associated with substance use
disorders by raising awareness—and honoring
the accomplishments and contributions—of
StepUP’s 100 students and 750 alumni.
At the gala, emcee Don Shelby, an Emmyaward-winning former news anchor and person
in recovery, welcomed supportive Auggies,
families, friends, and advocates for recovery.
Peter Hubbard ’10 spoke about his work with
StepUP alumni to create chances for StepUP
students to learn about life after graduation,
network, and explore concerns with those who
have followed a similar path.
The Barbara and Skip Gage family received
the Toby Piper LaBelle award in recognition of
their longstanding commitment to education
at Augsburg. The Gage’s dedicated support
of the CLASS program, Lindell Library, Gage
Family Art Gallery, and Gage Center for Student
Success furthers Augsburg’s ability to live out
its mission of serving the diverse needs, gifts,
and experiences of its students. In addition,
the contributions of The Hazelden Betty Ford
Foundation were recognized with the inaugural
Keystone Award for institutional support.
To continue the deep success of the StepUP Program, the
College has launched an endowment campaign for the
program. The campaign is nearly halfway to its goal of
raising $10 million by 2017. The endowment will allow
the College to increase enrollment in the program, to
maintain StepUP’s unparalleled community experience,
and retain StepUP’s exceptional counselors and staff.
Visit augsburg.edu/stepup to learn more.
AUGGIES CONNECT
GENEROSITY OF ALUMNI
fuels research, hands-on opportunities for Auggies
Two influential Augsburg College alumni,
Terry Lindstrom ’73 and Dean Sundquist ’81,
have found that giving back to their
alma mater is a way to inspire young
researchers to pursue their passions.
They have chosen to support the
Office of Undergraduate Research and
Graduate Opportunity, known as “URGO,”
which aligns students’ interests in STEM
fields (science, technology, engineering,
and mathematics), social sciences,
humanities, and the arts with research
by faculty. Each year, research by more
than 20 Augsburg students is funded by
the College for 10 weeks each summer.
Because of the committed support of
Lindstrom and Sundquist, 16 additional
scholars participate in URGO and receive
a stipend. This financial support is critical
to providing the hands-on, skills-based
training students need to successfully
apply to graduate school and to shape
meaningful careers.
“Fundamentals are absolutely
essential,” Lindstrom said, “but it was
the research experience that helped me
determine what I wanted to do.”
Lindstrom and his wife, Janet, plan to
fund URGO students for the next three
years, just as they have since 2013,
and will ensure the perpetuity of their
scholarships through their estate plan.
“Everyone deserves to find the career
that creates passion,” said Lindstrom,
who retired in 2010 as a distinguished
research fellow at Eli Lilly and Company in
Indianapolis, where he spent 31 years in
drug discovery and development.
Eager to find real-world applications to
benefit society, Lindstrom earned his PhD
in pharmacology and biochemistry at the
University of Minnesota after his Augsburg
graduation. He led the research teams
that resulted in a half-dozen patents for
life-changing pharmaceuticals, including
Evista for osteoporosis and Cymbalta,
used as an antidepressant and for bone
and muscle pain. He visited campus this
past summer to meet faculty and student
researchers—including four students he
sponsored directly: Josh Kuether ’18, Taylor
Mattice ’18, Adam Pancoast ’18, and Ellyn
Peters ’18.
Similarly, since 2006, Sundquist, a
member of the College’s Board of Regents,
and his wife, Amy, have sponsored research
by URGO students. Sundquist visited
campus this summer as well to meet with
the 12 students he sponsors and learn
His campus visit was a chance to see
the energy, enthusiasm, and excitement
in students as they researched projects
with their mentors, including Assistant
Professor Matt Beckman, Associate
Professor Vivian Feng, and Assistant
Professor Michael Wentzel.
“These URGO students are very smart
and very impressive. They go on from
Augsburg to graduate school and medical
school and business school with research
experience and the confidence to succeed
at the next level,” Sundquist said.
Ultimately, generosity of people like
Lindstrom and Sundquist has had a
transformational effect on thousands
[L to R]: Terry Lindstrom ’73 watches as chemistry student Taylor Mattice ’18 draws out a chemical reaction scheme from
her summer research project with Assistant Professor Michael Wentzel, her faculty mentor.
about their research. As chairman and CEO
of Mate Precision Tooling, a worldwide
leader in metal products and laser
technologies, he has a global perspective
and understanding of how scientific
improvements propel the economy.
of students. Alumni create learning
opportunities that prepare students to
solve real-world problems, develop lifelong
relationships with peers and faculty, and
deliver a uniquely Augsburg summer.
Fall 2016
25
Augsburg women inspired to fund
transformative mural in new academic building
For women who are driven to lead and participate, meeting
a fundraising goal for Augsburg College doesn’t mean your
work is done. It just means it’s time to engage in another
meaningful challenge to continue positively impacting the
lives of Augsburg students, faculty, staff, and the CedarRiverside neighborhood.
That’s just what Augsburg Women Engaged (AWE) is doing
through the leadership of Lisa Svac Hawks ’85, vice president
of external communications for UnitedHealthcare, who was
moved to make a lead gift to fund a mural planned for the
interdisciplinary Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for
Science, Business, and Religion.
“When I learned about the way Augsburg is bringing
these disciplines together under one roof, I knew this was
something distinctive and powerful,” said Hawks. “The
Hagfors Center will measurably contribute to shaping
greater leaders for tomorrow.”
The mural that AWE will fund, titled “Emergence,”
incorporates the image of monarch butterflies with
references to symbiosis, textile traditions, geometry, faith,
home, prayer, and identity. The $150,000 project will
express the College’s commitments to hospitality and
serving the neighbor, two core principles of the Lutheran
tradition in which the College is rooted. The large-scale
mural will adorn the staircase at the end of the west wing.
Making the lead gift for this powerful installation,
which will be created by muralist Greta McLain, came
naturally to Hawks.
“Art has a special way of helping us experience what
it means to come together in a new way. Art helps us
visualize new futures. It helps us connect to big concepts
and to engage emotionally with them so we can see
ourselves in big ideas,” Hawks said.
26
Augsburg Now
“As a group of women, we believe that art connects the
heart and head. By funding this mural as a permanent beacon
in the Hagfors Center, we invite everyone to connect our
heads and our hearts, so our hands can get to the good work.”
For McLain, the collaboration between space, artist,
community, and construction can take many forms. “We
all are asking: In what ways are we shaping the future
leaders we need to address the challenges
of the future?” she said.
AWE is undertaking this new
challenge and commitment to
the greater Augsburg College
community at the same
time it successfully closes
out another project for the
Hagfors Center. This group
of 70 women already raised
$130,000 to sponsor a
student study lounge in the
building.
The AWE-Inspired
Philanthropy Council
invites all Auggie women
to join them in sponsoring
“Emergence.” They
supported a Give to
the Max Day project to
raise funds for the work,
and are partnering with
Donna McLean and Martha Truax ’16 MAL in Institutional
Advancement to reach their goal of $150,000 in gifts and
pledges by December 31. Email mclean@augsburg.edu or
truaxm@augsburg.edu for more information.
To see work available for sponsorship in the Hagfors Center, including
21 pieces created by faculty, staff, alumni, and artists who have
exhibited previously in Augsburg galleries, visit augsburg.edu/now.
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1960
The newest book by Lowell
“Zeke” Ziemann ’60 is “America’s
First Centennial and the Old West: 1876
A Year to Remember.” This book presents
prominent events in the Western Territories
during the United States’ centennial year.
Incidents of 1876 described in the book
include: the Little Bighorn conflict, Wild Bill
Hickok’s murder, the capture of Jesse James’
gang, and Bat Masterson’s first gunfight.
1968
The Rev. Mark Hanson ’68,
former presiding bishop of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America,
received the Walk of Faith Award from
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service
on October 26 in recognition of his career
in service to the Lutheran community.
The ELCA is the nation’s largest Lutheran
denomination. Hanson was ordained in
1974 and has since served as a pastor for
three Minnesota congregations, as bishop
of the St. Paul Area Synod, and as the
president of the Lutheran World Federation
in Geneva. Hanson is an advocate for
migrants and refugees. He currently serves
as the executive director of the Christensen
Center for Vocation at Augsburg College.
Regent Emeritus Ron
Nelson ’68 was honored
with a Distinguished
Alumni Award at
Homecoming. He
retired from 3M after
33 years with the
company and spent 11
years as vice president
and controller. A captain for the baseball
and basketball teams at Augsburg, Nelson
was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame in 1991. He is one of the owners
of Thawzall, LLC, located in Alexandria,
Minnesota, and is a member of the board
of Oakdale-based Hearing Components,
Inc. Nelson lives in Mendota Heights,
Minnesota, and is an active member of
St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church. His wife,
Mary Kay (Belgum) Nelson ’68, passed away
in July after a courageous 11-year battle
with leukemia. They were blessed in their
ALUMNI AND ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
AWARDEE PHOTOS BY JOHANNA KITZMAN ’11
marriage with a focus on faith and their
family, including daughters Kristy and Becky.
1971
Professor
Emeritus
and Retired Chair of the
Augsburg College Music
Department Robert
“Bob” Stacke ’71 was
honored with the Spirit
of Augsburg Award
at Homecoming. In
retirement, he pursues his passion for
photography and continues to be a guide
and mentor for music and arts alumni as
the leader of Bob’s Band, an ensemble
comprised primarily of Augsburg jazz band
alumni. Since 2001, he has volunteered at a
music camp in Haiti during his summers to
share the joy of music with children.
1972
Ray Yip ’72
received
the Distinguished
Alumni Award at
Homecoming. Yip is
an international public
health leader who has
had a significant impact
on global public health
in the areas of nutrition, maternal and child
health, HIV/AIDS, and tobacco control. He
has held positions with UNICEF, the Centers
for Disease Control, and the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation. Since 2015, he has
served as special advisor with a focus on
health and clean energy for bgC3, a thinktank and incubator founded by Bill Gates.
Yip lives in Beijing with his wife, Florence
Bannicq.
1983
Tim Schultz ’83 has been named
private client services market
leader for Arizona Bank & Trust, a division
of Heartland Financial USA, Inc. He most
recently served as regional wealth manager at
Johnson Bank and chief operating officer for
the western region of BMO Private Bank.
1987
Richard Bahr ’87 released
his book, “Amazed: Why the
Humanity of Jesus Matters,” in June. The
book provides a one-of-a-kind look at Jesus
through the lens of his humanity. Bahr and
his wife, Carla, operate the Threshold to
New Life ministry (threshold2newlife.org),
providing relief and restoration to homeless
persons. Bahr coordinates the volunteers
for a daily breakfast held at Minneapolis’
Salvation Army Harbor Light Center, which
serves more than 40,000 meals per year. His
blog can be found at richardbahr.com.
Amy Hyland Baretz ’87
had an outstanding
pitching career on the
Auggie softball team, an
accomplishment that
earned her induction into
the Augsburg Athletic
Hall of Fame. She set the
school record for career
victories, twice earned All-MIAC honors, and
was a member of an Auggie squad that won the
MIAC title and reached the NCAA Division III
national tournament in 1984. She also played
volleyball at Augsburg. Following graduation,
she became the owner of franchise businesses
in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.
SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE
Tell us about the news in your life—your new job, move,
marriage, and milestones. Visit augsburg.edu/now to
submit your announcements.
Fall 2016
27
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1988
Lee RoperBatker ’88
received the
Distinguished Alumni
Award at Homecoming.
She is president and
CEO of the Women’s
Foundation of
Minnesota, and she
has spent her career working to further
gender equality, create equal opportunities,
and build pathways to economic security
for women and girls. Roper-Batker founded
and serves on the executive committee of
Prosperity Together, a nonpartisan coalition
of public women’s foundations that, at the
White House in November 2015, publicly
committed $100 million to improve the
economic security of low-income women
and their families in America.
1990
Matt Staehling ’90 is the new
city administrator for St. Cloud,
Minnesota. He has served the city for 20
years, most recently as the city attorney.
1992
Augsburg
volleyball
star Tina (Kubes)
Peterson ’92 was a
dominant player in the
early ’90s, securing AllMIAC honors, earning
a season MVP nod,
producing impressive
numbers as an outside hitter, and serving
as a multi-year captain. Peterson, who was
inducted in the Augsburg Athletic Hall of
Fame, also was a member of the Auggie
women’s basketball team. Following her
graduation, Peterson has used her health
and physical education degree as a teacher
and coach. She has coached volleyball and
track athletes in Minnesota’s New LondonSpicer school district.
Joel Tveite ’92 was
inducted into the
Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame in recognition
of his successes on the
baseball, basketball, and
golf teams. Tveite was
an all-around talent for
Auggie baseball, pitching
and playing third base. On the mound, he set
school records with 28 complete games, 253
innings pitched, and 36 starts. He earned AllMIAC honors and was a team captain. Since
graduation, Tveite has worked in accounting
and management positions, and he has been
active in baseball and basketball leagues as a
player and coach.
for Entrepreneur of the Year at the TwinWest
Chamber of Commerce small business
awards luncheon. She was also a 2016
nominee for the Excellence in Leadership
Award at the I-94 West Chamber’s small
business awards breakfast. Candidates
were judged on business strategies, drive
for excellence, financial success, and
community involvement.
1993
Augsburg
Athletic
Hall of Fame inductee
Kevin Schiltz ’93 was
a dominant wrestler
for the Auggies in the
early ’90s who earned
three All-American
honors and qualified for
national tournament competition four times.
He was a MIAC champion in wrestling as well
as an offensive and defensive lineman for
Augsburg’s football team. Schiltz was a team
captain for both sports. Since graduation he
has worked in university athletics. Today he
serves Saint John’s University in Collegeville,
Minnesota, as a wrestling assistant coach and
department equipment manager.
Sharol Tyra ’92, professional certified coach,
certified professional co-active coach,
mentor, makeup artist, and president
of Life Illumination Coaching & Image
(lifeillumination.com), and a Lord of Life
Canticle Choir member was the 2016 finalist
Jodi (Divinski)
Walfoort ’93 received
recognition for her time
on the Auggie cross
country and track teams
when she was inducted
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
’08
’06
28
Augsburg Now
’09
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame.
Walfoort competed in her first athletic season
in 1991 at the age of 25 when the Auggies
re-started the cross country program. She
made the most of her two years as a runner,
earning All-Region honors twice, and she
was voted a two-time MVP. After Augsburg,
Walfoort became an IT professional and went
on to start a commercial real estate company.
1994
Athletic Hall
of Fame
inductee Bill Gabler ’94
transferred to Augsburg
and competed in
wrestling, football, and
baseball. As an Auggie
wrestler, he twice earned
All-American honors,
won a MIAC championship, and was on the
program’s first NCAA Division III national title
winning team. He later served as an Augsburg
assistant coach who helped guide the Auggies
to two NCAA national championships.
In football, Gabler was a starting middlelinebacker, and in baseball he was the starting
shortstop. He has enjoyed a career in sporting
goods, fundraising, and corporate promotions.
1996
Robert
Anderson ’96
was the first Auggie
football player to
earn All-American
honors, and the former
’11
defensive lineman was inducted into the
Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame this fall.
Some of Anderson’s athletic achievements
at Augsburg include setting school records
for sacks, being named a MIAC conference
lineman of the year, and serving as a cocaptain. Following his graduation, Anderson
has worked as a sales director for the
software industry in locations including
Australia, Austria, China, Germany, New
Zealand, and Singapore.
Athletic Hall of Fame
inductee Bill Kriesel ’96
is one of the top
defensive backs in
Augsburg football history.
He set a single-season
school record for
interceptions, was named
a team MVP on defense,
earned All-MIAC first-team honors, and served
as a co-captain. Following his graduation,
Kriesel played professional football in Germany,
earned his MBA, and served on the Augsburg
football coaching staff, among other roles.
Since 2013, he has worked as a defensive
coordinator and defensive backs coach at
Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas.
Jodi Markworth ’96 was hired as the new
principal at Cedar Ridge Elementary in Eden
Prairie, Minnesota. She had been principal
at Sheridan Hills Elementary in the Richfield
(Minnesota) School District.
Hernan Moncada ’06 is the new principal
at Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion,
a K-6 elementary school in Eden Prairie,
Minnesota.
’06
Cyrus Batheja ’08, ’10 MBA threw out the
ceremonial first pitch at the Twins baseball
game on August 6. The Augsburg nursing grad
and Alumni Board member was given the honor
for his community work including homeless
outreach and assistance with UnitedHealth
Group, his family’s commitment to quality
disabled living situations, and his work on the Tix
for Tots advisory board.
’08
Former men’s basketball
player Jim South ’96
was inducted into the
Augsburg Athletic Hall
of Fame. South was
a four-year starter for
the Auggies, and he
holds Augsburg’s career
record for field-goal
percentage. He earned All-MIAC honors in
basketball three times and also played on the
Augsburg baseball team for three seasons.
Following graduation, South worked for CocaCola before obtaining a law enforcement
degree. He also is an active volunteer who
serves as an assistant coach for a high school
basketball team.
1997
Derrin
Lamker ’97
received Augsburg’s
Excellence in Coaching
Award in recognition of
his impressive career.
After quarterbacking
Augsburg’s football team
to a MIAC championship
and several of its best seasons in school
history, Lamker moved into teaching and
coaching. He served as head coach at
Osseo (Minnesota) High School for 11
years, winning three Northwest Suburban
Conference titles, two section championships,
and a Minnesota Class 6A state title. This
season he became the offensive coordinator
Brian Gullick ’09 and Matt Tonsager ’09
are custom woodworkers of furniture,
games, and décor. Their business is Gullton
Wood, and the pair created a set of Augsburg
College bean bag boards used at Homecoming
in September.
’09
Amy (Satnik) Bachman ’11 and her
husband, Blair, welcomed a baby girl,
Mackenzie Peach, on March 3.
’11
Fall 2016
29
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
at Edina (Minnesota) High School, and he
also has coached basketball and baseball.
Dwayne Lowman ’00 has been
appointed to the inaugural
advisory board of Definitely Someday, a
nonpartisan firm that helps Minnesotans
prepare for a future run for political office.
Sweden, which was attended by Pope Francis.
Laudert says, “I am beyond thankful,
inspired, and thrilled at this opportunity. I
am incredibly grateful to the Metropolitan
New York Synod and my congregation for the
chance to do this. [I am] even more thankful
for our partnership in the gospel and the
ecumenical mission we share together.”
2004
2008
2000
Melissa “Mel” Lee ’04 has
taken the reins as interim head
softball coach during the 2017 Augsburg
College athletic season after serving as an
assistant with the program for the past 12
years. She will continue her duties as an
assistant athletic director and an instructor
in Augsburg’s health and physical education
program. In addition, as a member of the
National Fastpitch Coaches Association, Lee
is one of two 2016 recipients of the Mary
Nutter Scholarship. The educational grant
will fund Lee’s attendance at the 2016 NFCA
National Convention.
2006
Kyle
Loven ’06,
a Seattle-based
performance and visual
artist, was recognized
with the First Decade
Award at Homecoming.
His work combines
puppetry, projections,
objects, sound, and other art forms with the
human presence. Since moving to Seattle in
early 2009, Loven has created and toured
his original works. His shows have premiered
at venues such as the acclaimed Guthrie
Theater in Minneapolis and Seattle’s On the
Boards. Loven is the recipient of grants from
the Jim Henson Foundation and numerous
arts organizations based in Washington state.
2007
Wolfgang Laudert ’07 attended
the ELCA Grace Gathering this
summer and made a pilgrimage in October
to the Taizé community in France as the
result of receiving a leadership development
grant. His European trip ended on a journey
to the joint Lutheran-Catholic ecumenical
prayer service commemorating the 500th
anniversary of the Reformation in Lund,
30
Augsburg Now
Matthew Dunn ’08 received his
doctorate in sociology from the
University of California-Riverside in June. He
is married to Gabriela Oliva Dunn. They live
in Murrieta, California.
Sara Horishnyk ’08 earned a master’s degree
in arts and cultural management from Saint
Mary’s University of Minnesota and is now
working at Twin Cities Public Television.
2012
Angelica Erickson ’12 graduated
from Saint Mary’s University of
Minnesota with a master’s degree in arts and
cultural management. Her thesis was, “Every
Child is a Work of Art: Helping Children Heal
through the Arts after Multiple Traumatic
Experiences.”
Andrew Fox ’12 is the new manager of the
180-year-old Mendota, Minnesota, home
of Henry Hastings Sibley, Minnesota’s
first governor. Fox is the point person in
a partnership between the Minnesota
Historical Society and the Dakota County
Historical Society. The state will own and
preserve the Sibley site, while the county will
staff and operate the three restored houses
on the property. Fox studied medieval
history at Augsburg.
Kimberly Simmonds ’12, with the MonDak
Heritage Center in Sidney, Montana, coauthored the book, “Sidney,” in Arcadia
Publishing’s Images of America series.
2013
Anthony Gore ’13, Steven
Schwartz ’13, Ryan Bachman ’14,
and Shea Drenkow ’14, all members of the
Minneapolis-based band Porno Wolves,
recorded the live album “Young Moon Rising”
on a cold evening last winter. The friends
formed the rock ’n’ roll band in 2012.
2015
Riley Hunter ’15 has a new
position as assistant service desk
analyst in the IT department at Securian
Financial Group in downtown St. Paul.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Derek Nord ’04 MSW is the new director
of the Indiana Institute on Disability and
Community at Indiana University. Nord
previously was associate director of the
Research and Training Center on Community
Living, part of the University of Minnesota’s
Institute on Community Integration.
Dr. Amit Ghosh ’12 MBA placed third
in the 2016 District 6 Toastmasters
International spring convention held in April
in Minneapolis. Ghosh competed in the
international speech category. District 6 is
comprised of 290 clubs and 5,000 members.
It serves most of Minnesota and southern
Ontario, Canada.
Jeremiah Dagel ’15 MPA has joined the urgent
care department at the Essentia Health Saint
Mary’s Detroit Lakes (Minnesota) Clinic. As
part of the urgent care team, Dagel will treat
medical conditions that require immediate
attention but that are not life-threatening.
AUGGIES HONORED
Karim El-Hibri was
recognized with the
First Decade Award
at Homecoming. He
is a strategic advisor
and founding board
member of the El-Hibri
Foundation, which
focuses on peace
education and interfaith cooperation through
grants and awards that recognize leadership,
and programs that promote learning and
inclusion. He holds a BA in international
relations from the American University School
of International Service, and graduated from
the StepUP® Program at Augsburg. El-Hibri
lives in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
area with his wife, Carley, and two children, Roula
and Sami.
Norman and Evangeline Hagfors
received the Spirit of Augsburg
Award at Homecoming in
recognition of their leadership
in the campaign for the
Center of Science, Business,
and Religion. As community
leaders and longtime friends of
Augsburg, the Hagfors embody
Augsburg’s faithfulness to education grounded in
the Lutheran faith and relevant to the evolving needs
of our students and the world. Norman served as
an Augsburg College Regent from 1989-2001,
providing active participation during a critical stage
of the College’s growth. In October 2005, he was
re-elected to the Augsburg Board of Regents. A
chapel on the third floor of the new building will
be named for Evangeline’s father, the Rev. Elnar
Gundale ’33, who graduated from Augsburg College
and Augsburg Seminary and went on to serve as a
pastor in the Lutheran Free Church and ELCA.
Heidi Kammer-Hodge ’00 MSW joined Jackson
Recovery Centers in Sioux City, Iowa, as a
vice president and chief operating officer. KammerHodge’s position at Jackson comes after serving
at Resource in Minneapolis for the past 17 years,
where she held many leadership roles, most recently
as a vice president.
’07
’00
’00
’08
’14
On July 23, Brett Cease ’07 married Julia
Besser in Grand Portage, Minnesota. Auggies
in the wedding party included [L to R]: Micah
Erickson ’07, Chris Swanson ’07, Eriks Dunens ’06,
and Lava K.C. ’07.
’07
Brian Krohn ’08 and Kari Aanestad ’08
welcomed a baby girl, Seora Eileen Aanestad
Krohn, on May 11.
’08
Five Auggies received their white coats this
fall as part of the incoming University of
Minnesota Medical School class. Congratulations
to [L to R]: Anna Weitz ’14, David Bergstrand ’14,
Michelle Grafelman ’15, Mahad Minhas ’12, and
David Fowler ’14.
’14
’15
Laura (Swanson) Lindahl ’15 MBA and David
Lindahl were married May 21 in Dellwood,
Minnesota.
’15
31
In memoriam
Philip A. Horne ’40, San
Rafael, California, age
99, on August 7.
Paul S. Paulson ’49,
Spokane, Washington,
age 87, on June 12.
Robert D. Goodrich ’57,
Big Lake, Minnesota,
age 83, on April 22.
Ruth C. (Kveen)
Rydquist ’40, Fargo,
North Dakota, age 98,
on July 23.
Idelle S. (Nornes)
Bagne ’50, Detroit
Lakes, Minnesota,
age 89, on May 6.
Judith A. (Sather)
Suther ’57, Totowa,
New Jersey, age 80,
on May 18.
Lila A. (Israel) Erickson ’41,
Minneapolis, age 97,
on May 20.
Charlotte A. (Ellingson)
Ennen ’50, Dublin, Ohio,
age 88, on May 17.
Philip H. Johnson ’60,
Belleville, Wisconsin,
age 79, on June 20.
Morris E. Ulring ’42,
Minneapolis, age 95,
on February 5.
Kenneth A. Hengler ’50,
Eagan, Minnesota,
age 91, on May 19.
Ernest I. Knutson ’43,
Spooner, Wisconsin,
age 95, on May 21.
John T. Garland ’51,
Saint Paul, age 86,
on August 26.
Ronald H. Stanley ’60,
Balsam Lake,
Wisconsin, age 78,
on July 22.
Gloria (Burntvedt)
Nelson ’43, Minneapolis,
age 94, on June 21.
Olive L. (Nilsen) Zoller ’51,
Marine On Saint Croix,
Minnesota, age 87, on
July 30.
Kenneth A. Gilles ’44,
Scottsbluff, Nebraska,
age 94, on June 2.
Ralph W. Hofrenning ’45,
Fargo, North Dakota,
age 94, on May 31.
32
Rebecca “Becky” A.
(Skonnord) Johnson ’52,
Valley City, North
Dakota, age 86,
on April 26.
Lois M. (Black) Ahlbom ’47,
Saint Paul, age 91,
on May 9.
Mildred R. (Zustiak)
Baerg ’53, Anoka,
Minnesota, age 85,
on July 15.
Myrtle C. (Skurdal) Bar ’49,
Williston, North Dakota,
age 91, on August 19.
Edmund R. Youngquist ’53,
Northfield, Minnesota,
age 91, on May 30.
Augsburg Now
Phyllis E. (Ebrenz)
Wagner ’60,
Minneapolis, age 78,
on July 11.
Theodore “Ted” P.
Botten, Jr. ’61,
Rochester, Minnesota,
age 77, on June 29.
Jacob “Jack” A.
Mayala ’61, Kimball,
Minnesota, age 77, on
June 12.
John D. Heruth ’62,
Rochester, Minnesota,
age 75, on June 25.
David L. Faust ’63, Green
Isle, Minnesota, age
76, on May 30.
Elaine L. (Legaarden)
Swanson ’63, Maitland,
Florida, age 75, on
May 14.
Dolores A. (Sheppard)
Carrico ’74, Wyoming,
Minnesota, age 86, on
March 8.
Linda L. (Benson)
Pederson ’64, Frederic,
Wisconsin, age 75, on
June 23.
Audrey C. (Jorgensen)
Hanson ’77, Lewiston,
Idaho, age 90, on
March 21.
Gary M. Ellis ’65,
Hendricks, Minnesota,
age 74, on June 27.
Scott A. Hugstad-Vaa ’77,
Apple Valley, Minnesota,
age 60, on June 2.
Michael J. Marcy ’65,
Minnetonka, Minnesota,
age 73, on June 16.
Paula A. (Beckley)
Beckley-Gildner ’78,
White Bear Lake,
Minnesota, age 65,
on June 8.
Larry D. Cole ’66,
Minneapolis, age 73,
on May 18.
Mary Kay (Belgum)
Nelson ’68, Mendota
Heights, Minnesota,
age 69, on July 18.
Christine A. (Toedt)
Olson ’70, Delano,
Minnesota, age 67,
on June 6.
Donald F. Deming ’71,
Fort Mill, South
Carolina, age 69,
on June 14.
Lillian M. (Sedio)
Mattson ’71, Excelsior,
Minnesota, age 67,
on August 1.
Marian T. (Jauquet)
Finger ’83, Baraboo,
Wisconsin, age 89,
on April 5.
Scott E. Herceg ’00,
Minneapolis, age 44,
on August 12.
Cynthia L. (Cramer)
Reed ’11, Rochester,
Minnesota, age 59,
on August 18.
Assistant Professor of
Music Douglas Diamond,
Minneapolis, age 59,
on May 27.
The “In memoriam” listings in this publication
include notifications received before September 19.
IT PAYS TO BE AN AUGGIE
ALUMNI DISCOUNT
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Master of Arts in Education
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Master of Social Work
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are alumni who earned their first degree at Augsburg
and returned to pursue further education. Become
a part of this growing group and take advantage of
our Alumni Tuition Discount—a savings of $80 per
credit! Auggie graduates who’ve earned a bachelor’s,
master’s, or doctoral degree from Augsburg qualify for
this alumni discount.
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PHOTO BY RICKY TAYLOR ’17
2211 Riverside Avenue
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Pedestrians take priority
This fall, Open Streets Minneapolis allowed community members to stroll, skate, and cycle on roads closed to cars near Augsburg’s
campus. Open Streets events held across the city throughout the summer promoted healthy living, local business, sustainable
transportation, and civic pride. As an anchor institution in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, Augsburg used the celebration to
further its commitment to place-based community building, organizing live music and a fashion show for attendees to enjoy.
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Augsburg Now Summer 2016: Carving the Way Forward
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Beyond the scoreboard
National champion to local hero
Leadership and conflict
CARVING WAY
THE
FORWARD
SUMMER 2016 | VOL. 78, NO. 3
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Summer 2016
Director of News a...
Show more
Beyond the scoreboard
National champion to local hero
Leadership and conflict
CARVING WAY
THE
FORWARD
SUMMER 2016 | VOL. 78, NO. 3
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Summer 2016
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On thoughtful stewardship
Director of Marketing
Communication
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
Communication Copywriter
and Editorial Coordinator
Augsburg’s mission statement says that we
educate students to be “thoughtful stewards”
as well as “informed citizens, critical thinkers,
and responsible leaders.”
I imagine some may read “thoughtful
stewards” and think about church fundraising
campaigns or care for the environment, the
typical places we consider stewardship—and
both important causes!
At Augsburg, though, thoughtful
stewardship is a much more compelling
claim. It goes beyond simple acts of giving
or environmental care. It is a way of living,
an ethic that teaches us how to live in the
world. And it is at the heart of an Augsburg
education—from how we engage students with
the community to help them discern their gifts
and gain a holistic understanding of the needs
of our world (see page 16) to the deep listening
and conversation we embed in our classes, such
as in the Master of Arts in Leadership course
that was integrated with this year’s Nobel Peace
Prize Forum (see page 20).
Also in this issue of Augsburg Now, you will
read about the genuine privilege I had to deliver
a major address on stewardship to Cargill
employees worldwide.
In that address, I said: “… stewardship
involves a practice of standing up, speaking
up in a manner that reflects—and makes
clear—our values. The challenge for the good
steward—as a parent or manager or citizen—is
to pursue practices that help connect us with
the deeply held values and commitments that
characterize our personal and corporate lives.
“The truth is that many people do not think
about the reasons for their actions. They act,
and they expect others to accept their action
at face value. But good stewardship demands
reflection, then the courage to act based on our
convictions, and to do so overtly so that we are
publicly accountable for how our actions reflect
our values. Only in that link is there integrity in
human life.”
At Augsburg—as reflected in the stories
that follow in these pages—we educate
students to embrace their many gifts, to
understand the obligations they have to
steward those gifts, and to appreciate the
important work of taking a stand for the values
and commitments that honor the gifts and
contributions of each of us.
Thoughtful stewardship—a way of life
for all of us. I give thanks for a teaching and
learning community that is blessed with and
inspired by our remarkable legacy and mission.
I give thanks for the privilege of being a faithful
steward of all the gifts that make Augsburg
such a rare place.
Faithfully yours,
Laura Swanson Lindahl ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate
Denielle Johnson ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
Christina Haller
haller@augsburg.edu
Production Manager
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communication
Specialist
Jen Lowman Day
dayj@augsburg.edu
Contributor
Ryan Nichols ’16
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi brought energy and passion
to the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Forum sponsored by Augsburg College.
Following three days of dialogue on peacebuilding, he and his wife,
Sumedha Kailash, joined Forum attendees in a Bollywood-style dance
party for the conference’s finale.
02 Around the quad
20
Leadership and conflict
08
From national hampion to local hero
23
Auggies connect
14
Beyond the scoreboard
27 Class notes
16
The city: Course content and classroom
32 In memoriam
ISSN 1058-1545
Send address corrections to:
alumniupdate@augsburg.edu.
On the cover: Construction crews work on the footings for the main lobby of the Norman and
Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion, an interdisciplinary building
that will open in 2018, anchoring the west side of the Augsburg College campus. See page 2.
Email: now@augsburg.edu
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated.
FROM THE
GROUND
THIS BUG’S-EYE VIEW captures the April 2016 groundbreaking ceremony for Augsburg’s Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for
Science, Business, and Religion. The celebration included hundreds of Augsburg College alumni, students, donors, neighbors, and
faculty and staff members, as well as city and county officials. The new academic building is slated to open in January 2018.
2
Augsburg Now
Pictured [L to R]: Outgoing Augsburg College Board of Regents Chair Dr. Paul Mueller ’84, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Naming Gift
Donors Evangeline Hagfors and Norman Hagfors, Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow, National Fundraising Campaign Chair Michael Good ’71,
Augsburg College Provost Karen Kaivola, and 2015-16 Day Student Body President Duina Hernandez ’16.
Summer 2016
3
AROUND THE QUAD
$50,000 grant funds
RECYCLING PROGRAM EXPANSION
Student-faculty-staff collaboration improves campus sustainability
D
A
U
Q
E
H
T
D
N
U
O
AR
NEW RESIDENTS
HONORING
Retiring Faculty
SET MEMORIAL HALL
KATHY ACCURSO
ABUZZ
Instructor, Department of Education—
with the College since 2012
KATHERINE BAUMGARTNER
Assistant Professor, Department of
Nursing—with the College since 2005
Hives installed to bolster honey bee population
RONALD FEDIE
It has been decades since the last students moved out
of Memorial Hall; the dormitory was converted to
office space in the late 1960s. However, a new
group of inhabitants moved in this spring when
The Beez Kneez organization installed beehives on
the building’s rooftop as part of an urban apiary
partnership program. Augsburg joined the program
to further the College’s commitment to environmental
stewardship and to creating green spaces within the city.
Recently, honey bee populations have been decreasing
due to parasites and the misuse of pesticides. The on-campus hives
will help rebuild the local population and pollinate Augsburg’s plant
life. Those worried about getting stung can rest easy—honey bees are
not aggressive and will not sting unless threatened.
4
Augsburg Now
Professor Emeritus, Department of
Chemistry—with the College since 1996
FEKRI MEZIOU
Professor Emeritus, Department of
Business Administration—with the
College since 1987
VICKI OLSON
Professor Emerita, Department of
Education—with the College since 1987
CELEBRATING
STUDENT
Augsburg College can boost its efforts to divert organic and compostable
items from trash and other recycling thanks to a $50,000 recycling grant
from the Hennepin County Environment and Energy Department. The
funding will be used to purchase indoor and outdoor bins, rolling carts,
and signage to foster increased composting of organic material and the
proper disposal of mixed recyclables.
Go to augsburg.edu/green to learn about
Augsburg’s Environmental
Augsburg’s commitment to offering
facilities that are welcoming, sustainable,
Stewardship Committee, Facilities and
and designed for educational excellence.
Custodial staff, and the Augsburg Day
Student Government’s Environmental Action Committee collaborated to
submit the grant proposal.
“Thousands of people touch the campus in some way during the
course of one year,” said Amber Lewis ’17 MAE, an Environmental
Stewardship Fellow who supports on-campus sustainability initiatives.
“In addition to students, faculty, and staff, guests join our community
for graduation ceremonies, sporting events, performances, convocations,
summer camps, conferences, and workshops. This presents us with an
opportunity to share a clear message about the importance of recycling
in our community.”
SUCCESS
Read about the wide range of prestigious academic
achievements and awards earned by Auggies during
the 2015-16 year at augsburg.edu/now.
AUGSBURG EXHIBITION
SHINES in Guerrilla Girls
Twin Cities Takeover
World-renowned feminist art activists the Guerrilla
Girls recently “took over” Minneapolis and St. Paul
to celebrate their 30th anniversary. Augsburg
College was among more than two dozen arts and cultural institutions that
hosted exhibits and events highlighting gender and race inequalities and
promoting artistic expression.
The Guerrilla Girls, who wear gorilla masks and use the names of famous
female artists as pseudonyms, were on campus for the opening reception
of “Reconfiguring Casta,” a site-specific installation for the Christensen
Center Art Gallery. Combining prints and paintings, artist Maria Cristina
Tavera addressed the social concept of race and the issue of socio-racial
classifications. Tavera, known on campus as “Tina,” also serves as the director
of Augsburg’s McNair Scholars program, which seeks to increase graduate
degree awards for students from underrepresented segments of society.
Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow delivered
the keynote address for Cargill’s annual ethics week this
spring. Pribbenow is recognized as one of the nation’s
most engaging commentators and teachers on ethics,
philanthropy, and American public life. His talk, “Promises
to Keep: An Ethic of Stewardship,” reached Cargill
employees located in Minneapolis and around the world.
Summer 2016
5
AROUND THE QUAD
ON THE SPOT
What does it mean to matter? What does it look like to matter?
With the Black Lives Matter movement, questions of racial equity have ignited important—and difficult—
conversations in communities and courtrooms, on political campaign trails, and on college campuses.
Augsburg College Professor William “Bill” Green studies and writes about history and law. His most recent book,
“Degrees of Freedom: The Origins of Civil Rights in Minnesota, 1865–1912,” chronicles conditions for African American
Minnesotans and others in the half-century following the Civil War. Today, Minnesota and the nation are very different
than they were in the postbellum period that Green examined, but tightly woven threads unite contemporary events with
those occurring more than a century earlier.
COMMENCEMENT 2016
Students of color, award winners, and former KARE 11
anchor stand out at graduation
Augsburg College celebrated students completing degrees
in the traditional undergraduate, adult undergraduate, and
graduate programs through commencement ceremonies
held April 30. The 2016 traditional undergraduate class is
the most diverse in the College’s history and comprised of
more than 42 percent students of color.
Commencement keynote speaker Michael Botticelli,
director of the White House Office of National Drug
Control Policy, addressed ceremony attendees and
was awarded an honorary doctorate. Michael Good ’71
also was awarded an honorary degree in recognition of
his service to the College. Eleanor Barr ’16 earned the
Marina Christensen Justice Award, and Kim Chisholm ’16
received this year’s Richard Thoni Award, recognizing
exceptional contributions to their communities.
Teaching and learning
award winners
Augsburg recognizes individuals or
groups who have made exemplary
contributions to creating an
engaging academic learning
environment. The 2016 recipients
of the Distinguished Contributions to
Teaching and Learning awards are:
Teaching
Former KARE 11 News anchor Diana
Pierce ’16 MAL earned her Masters of
Arts in Leadership and participated in
commencement this spring.
“The program at Augsburg gave
me exactly what I wanted to add to my
skillset for a new adventure,” Pierce
said on KARE 11 in April.
Joe Underhill, associate professor of
political science
Research
Michael Lansing, associate professor
and History Department chair
Service
Dulce Monterrubio, director of Latin@
Student Services
6
Augsburg Now
Q:
What prompted your interest in
studying the history of African
Americans in Minnesota?
A:
In 1860, a slave woman was freed
in a Minneapolis courtroom. In the
aftermath, citizens in the communities of
St. Anthony and Minneapolis for days walked
the streets eyeing their neighbors, waiting for
the smallest provocation to spark violence.
We were on the verge of seeing our own
little civil war erupt in Minnesota over the
issue of slavery. Ultimately, Minnesotans’
attention was averted by news of the
Confederate bombardment of the federal
installation of Fort Sumter. Upon hearing the
news, Minnesota was the first state to send
volunteers into the Union Army. Seven years
later, it would be the first state to extend
voting rights to black men, pre-dating the
ratification of the 15th Amendment. I felt
compelled to understand this dynamic.
Q:
When Minnesota granted suffrage
to people who are black, what
implications did this have in citizens’ lives?
ELCA college conference
Students, faculty members, and staff from two dozen
colleges and universities affiliated with the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America came together this summer
as Augsburg hosted the annual Vocation of a Lutheran
College Conference. The event featured a partnership with
Interfaith Youth Core—an organization renowned for uniting
young people of different religious and moral traditions for
dialogue around shared values. IFYC Founder Eboo Patel [pictured speaking] discussed
the colleges’ role in preparing students for life in a religiously diverse world.
‘Degrees of Freedom’ in
Minnesota’s past and present
A:
[L to R]: Michael Lansing, Dulce Monterrubio,
and Joe Underhill.
In a practical sense, the implications
were non-existent. There simply
weren’t enough black voters in Minnesota
to influence political leaders or affect
public policy. Symbolically, however, during
a time of mounting economic dislocation
coupled with the spread of white supremacy,
it raised the bar, not just in terms of the
broader virtue of racial equality, but, more
fundamentally, stressing the need for true
leadership that called on ordinary people to
overcome their baser instincts and choose to
act with common decency.
Q:
And yet you’ve said that race is
“written between the lines” of early
Minnesota history, rather than spoken
about directly. What do you mean?
A:
The fact that the black population was
so small made it easy for historians
and opinion makers to draw rosy pictures
of racial exceptionalism without needing
to be checked by a more balanced reality.
Without the “significant other” whose
history was hidden in footnotes, it became
easy to believe what one wanted to believe.
But could it really be true that Dred Scott
was the only slave to live in Minnesota?
Could Frederick Douglass be the only
African American to be denied service
in a prestigious hotel in St. Paul, even
though the proprietor was a friend of his
and an officer in the Union Army? Could
the paucity of discrimination lawsuits in
the 19th century really mean there was no
discrimination in restaurants and taverns?
Q:
Today’s Black Lives Matter movement
involves participatory democracy—
participation by many and with more
diffuse leadership than the civil rights
movements of the 1960s. When you look
at the Black Lives Matter movement, what
strikes you, considering the lens through
which you write your books?
A:
In 1965 when the civil rights
movement pressed for voting rights,
the powerful symbolism of Martin Luther
King and Malcolm X joining forces placed
pressure on the President of the United
States to shepherd through Congress the
Voting Rights bill and sign it into law.
Federal protection of the right to vote
was a moral issue. But it was the union
of two leaders who embodied opposing
approaches to advancing civil rights that
heightened a sense of urgency to enact
the bill. The moral: As long as there are no
“inside”-“outside” forces simultaneously
working for the same clearly defined issue,
advocates on either side of the spectrum
can be marginalized and eventually
dismissed. I don’t see a rival force to Black
Lives Matter that is pushing for the same
ends but through different means. This
isn’t the fault of BLM, but the absence of
a “significant other” should be a concern
to them, nonetheless. History can only
provide suggestions on how or even
whether to proceed.
The Minnesota Book Awards honored Green with
the 2016 Hognander Minnesota History Award.
Go to augsburg.edu/now to learn more
about Green’s research.
Summer 2016
7
Devean George ’99 was the first NCAA Division III player ever selected in
the first round of the NBA Draft—and he played professionally for more
than a decade. Now retired from basketball, he’s gone back to his roots
to help revitalize the Minneapolis neighborhood where he grew up.
BY CHRISTINA HALLER
8
Augsburg Now
November 3, 1999. The Los Angeles Lakers are debuting in their brand new home,
the Staples Center, with an unveiling ceremony followed by a game against the
Vancouver Grizzlies. A crowd of 20,000 fans is packed inside, waiting for NBA stars
Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O’Neal to make opening remarks.
But instead, the Lakers players decide to encourage their newest rookie to
address the crowd. The lights go down, and all becomes still. In less than 30
seconds, it’s go time.
“No, guys, don’t make me do this! I don’t know what to do,” whispers a
22-year-old Devean George ’99. But his pleas were met with laughter.
“I just remember shaking in my boots. There are tens of thousands of people
here, and I’m going to be out at center court—all eyes on me,” recalls George. “So I
get out there, and it just clicked. It was easy.”
George credits his education in communication studies from Augsburg for
helping to prepare him for that life-changing moment, as well as all of his public
speaking engagements from that point forward.
“As an NBA player, you have a camera with that big, red light in front of your
face every day,” George said. “You have to know how to conduct yourself and
communicate effectively. And all those communication classes I took at Augsburg
come into play.”
After high school, George enrolled at Augsburg assuming he would play basketball
for the Auggies, earn a degree, and find a job in business. But his “hoop dreams”
became a reality pretty early on in his Augsburg career.
“When I recruited Devean, he was about
6'2" and 170 pounds,” said former Augsburg
basketball coach Brian Ammann ’85. “Fortunately
for Devean, he grew about five inches and put on
50 pounds by his sophomore year. And his hard
work paid off in big ways.”
George was the first NCAA Division III player
ever selected in the first round of the NBA Draft.
He was the 23rd overall pick in 1999, chosen by
the Los Angeles Lakers—one of the most storied
franchises in NBA history.
George is now retired from the NBA after playing
11 seasons and becoming only the seventh player
in history to win a league championship in each of his first three seasons. He has since
found a successful career in real estate development and a passion for giving back.
George played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1999 to 2006.
In 2006, he signed with the Dallas Mavericks and played in
Texas until 2009. He then joined the Golden State Warriors in
Oakland, California, in 2009 until his retirement in 2010.
George was raised by devoted, hardworking parents in the Willard-Hay neighborhood
of north Minneapolis and still calls the Twin Cities home — a place he loves for its
friendly people and four seasons. His current work focuses on helping to improve his
childhood community.
10
Augsburg Now
Summer 2016
11
After George joined the NBA, he started volunteering his time in schools and
after-school programs. He noticed many of the children he visited didn’t have
stable housing, which significantly affected their security and education.
“That’s when I decided helping kids and families would be the foundation of
what I do,” said George, who has two young sons. He founded Building Blocks,
a nonprofit organization committed to providing quality housing, community
development, and programming for youth and families.
“If you don’t have stable housing, you’re not going to care about schooling,
safety, or eating healthy. If we get those families into stable housing, then they
can focus on those other things,” George said.
George’s first affordable housing project opened this spring—The Commons at
Penn in north Minneapolis, an income-restricted, 47-unit workforce apartment
building that also includes an on-site health and wellness facility, an after-school
program, a fitness center, a toddler playground, and a grocery store.
Long-term, George would like to help create a more family-friendly community
in north Minneapolis—a community that provides greater amenities for its
residents. So far, The Commons at Penn has been a successful addition to the
neighborhood.
“[The] Commons at Penn achieves multiple city goals: creating new, highquality, affordable housing options [and] increased residential density along a
key commercial and transit corridor, and bringing in commercial activity and
services,” said Andrea Brennan, director of Housing Policy and Development for
the City of Minneapolis. “This project sets us on a promising course to continue
development at this important north Minneapolis node.”
George is planning phase two of The Commons at Penn, which will go up
right across the street from the existing mixed-use building. He also is developing
housing complexes in South Carolina and Louisiana, and has been contacted by
fellow professional athletes who would like to see a change in the neighborhoods
where they were raised.
In addition to literally helping build a solid foundation for families through stable
housing, George also helps build a strong foundation for young people through
mentorship programs like Read to Achieve.
“The kids think that [NBA players] are not human beings because we know
how to play basketball,” said George. “If I can tell a kid to go to school and not to
do drugs, and just because I can play basketball he’ll listen to me, I’m going to
try to use that to my advantage.”
George is also busy instilling the values of compassion and service in his own
two sons, ages 7 and 4. For starters, they learn to share by donating their toys to
kids who otherwise wouldn’t have any.
“They’re still young, but I started teaching my boys early on a way of giving
and understanding. I explain to them that this [lifestyle] isn’t normal; they’re in
a blessed situation,” George said. “I’ve been able to achieve a lot of things. But I
know I’ve had a lot of help along the way.”
12
Augsburg Now
WORKFORCE HOUSING offers reduced rent to people who are gainfully employed (and don’t qualify as low-income), yet still struggle to afford market-rate housing.
It’s explained by the Urban Land Institute as housing that is “affordable to families earning 60 to 100 percent of area median income.” Workforce housing commonly is
targeted for essential workers in a community, such as police officers, firefighters, teachers, social workers, and nurses.
Summer 2016
13
BY STEPHEN GEFFRE AND LAURA SWANSON LINDAHL ’15 MBA
THE CITY:
COURSE CONTENT
AND CLASSROOM
Each semester, painting and drawing classes typically occur in what originally was an Augsburg
College chapel. Old Main 100 is an inspiring place with 25-foot ceilings and soaring windows.
On-campus studios offer focused spaces for students to learn about visual art media, methods, and
creative expression. For 25 years, Associate Professor and Art Department Co‑Chair Tara Sweeney
has taught foundational drawing principles in Old Main with what she calls “as few spectators
and distractions as possible,” and in recent years she also has led short-term international travel
courses in which students develop the same skills without the support of a traditional studio.
This spring, Sweeney and her Minneapolis-based students traveled close to home as they
stepped beyond the boundaries of the campus studio, choosing to forgo a controlled setting to
embrace learning opportunities present in public areas that are as complex and challenging as they
are diverse.
“Instead of creating a still life with the same old props, I utilized the city as subject matter
and classroom,” Sweeney said. “Students were as actively engaged in creative placemaking as
they were in making drawings — effectively shaping the physical and social character of whatever
neighborhood, museum, coffee shop, or landmark we chose as a drawing site.”
A CORE CHALLENGE
In the article “The Power of Experiential Education,” nationally recognized education scholar and
professor Janet Eyler noted that a central challenge for liberal arts educators like Sweeney—and
indeed the entire Augsburg College faculty—is to “design learning environments and instruction
so that students will be able to use what they learn in appropriate new contexts.” That is, to
successfully “bridge classroom study and life in the world and to transform inert knowledge into
knowledge-in-use.”
In a drawing course, for instance, students develop technical skills while exploring individual
subject matter and creative expression. It is perhaps the latter of these elements that came into
clearer focus when Sweeney took her students out in the community.
The artists “made connections with strangers and learned things about themselves in the
process,” Sweeney said. They become comfortable creating art in the midst of daily life and
finished the course with “real skills and the right tools to continue drawing wherever they find
themselves and wherever inspiration finds them.”
JUST A GLIMPSE
At Augsburg, students across disciplines and degree programs benefit from faculty instruction that
integrates experiential learning opportunities with traditional instructional methods, thereby linking
course concepts with real-world applications. The pages that follow offer a glimpse at a small
sample of the faculty and students who use Minneapolis as their classroom.
16
Augsburg Now
Johanna Goggins ’16 works on a sketch
in the solarium at the American Swedish
Institute in Minneapolis.
Summer 2016
17
ARTS AND THE CITIES
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
ENV 120:
Students clad in safety gear and
earplugs to dampen the deafening
noise weave their way through a Eureka Recycling processing
plant. Environmental Science focuses on understanding and
resolving problems humans have created in the natural world.
The course includes hands-on learning opportunities that
make complex scientific concepts more approachable and
applicable for students.
“The city is the perfect place for these types of
experiences to happen—it’s all right at our fingertips: a
wastewater treatment plant, power plant, recycling center, and public transit,” said Assistant
Professor of Biology and Environmental Studies Emily Schilling. “We can observe the detrimental
effects humans are having on the environment, and we also can see some of the ways we are trying
to mitigate that impact.”
MIS 375:
HON 230:
Students in Augsburg College’s Honors Program join
Minnesota Orchestra performers onstage following a symphony
event at Orchestra Hall. As an interdisciplinary course, “Arts and the Cities”
unites film, music, theater, and visual art — offering students the chance to peruse
Picassos, soak in Shakespeare, and mingle with musicians. Together, students and
teachers explore the role of the arts in a culturally dynamic urban setting.
“Students enjoy the experiential nature of this course,” said Associate Professor
of Music Merilee Klemp ’75. “They often comment that it presents them with
opportunities that they would not have on their own and deepens their understanding
of the role of the arts in their lives long after the course is over.”
18
Augsburg Now
E-COMMERCE
Students speak with
Abdirahman Mukhtar,
a youth program manager at Pillsbury
United Communities’ Brian Coyle Center.
Mukhtar oversees the Sisterhood Boutique,
a secondhand clothing store that serves
as a training ground for young women to
learn about entrepreneurship, business,
community partnerships, and sustainable
fashion. Through their discussions with
Mukhtar, the Auggies began to apply some
of their fundamental course concepts in a
real-world setting.
Summer 2016
19
2016 NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE FORUM
LEADERSHIP
& CONFLICT
BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA
2014 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi shared his vision for global compassion during the Nobel
Peace Prize Forum. More than 300 students, academics, activists, and thought leaders participated in three
days of discussion and presentations to advance peacebuilding.
O R G A NI ZI NG PA RT N E RS
20
Augsburg Now
MED IA SPO N SO R
GRADUATE STUDENTS STUDY
GLOBAL COMPASSION AT THE 2016
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FORUM
Conflict is a pervasive characteristic of
human interaction.
This is the opening line of the summer
syllabus for Augsburg College’s Master of
Arts in Leadership course, “Navigating
Local & Global Conflict: Interfaith
Dimensions.” The statement underscores
how important it is for leaders to develop
the ability to navigate and inspire others
in the face of conflict and sets the stage
for the work of analyzing leadership in the
context of real-world situations.
By design, the course is integrated with
the annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum, for
which Augsburg is the host sponsor.
“The Nobel Peace Prize Forum is a
gem,” said history and leadership studies
professor Jacqueline deVries. It’s a oneof-a-kind event that allows students to
learn through direct engagement about
the contexts and complexities involved
in conflict. deVries, who also serves as
director for Augsburg’s general education
program, co-taught the course with Martha
Stortz, Bernhard M. Christensen Professor
of Religion and Vocation, and Tom Morgan,
professor of leadership studies.
Held annually in Minneapolis, the
Nobel Peace Prize Forum is one of only
three programs officially associated with
the Norwegian Nobel Institute. The Forum’s
mission is to inspire peacemaking by
focusing on the work of Nobel Peace Prize
laureates and by engaging students and the
wider community with national and global
leaders in the process of peacebuilding.
The Forum provided the students in
the graduate course with direct access to
leaders from businesses, nonprofits, and
government organizations whose work
involves navigating complex, real-world
challenges that range from food security
to civil unrest to poverty and climate
change. The students used examples
from the Forum, as well as from their
own lives, to analyze conflict involving
religious diversity in their communities,
examine contemporary issues in a historical
perspective, and develop a view on what
effective leadership looks like (or might
look like) in actual situations.
Students come to the Master’s of Arts
in Leadership program with experience
PEACEB U ILD IN G PARTN ER- SPONSORS
Summer 2016
21
AUGGIES CONNECT
Martin Olav Sabo ’59
leaves mark on
Augsburg College
community
in both for-profit and not-for-profit
organizations. In gathering during a
lunch break to share reflections about
what they were learning at the Forum,
the class observed that it is not possible
to be effective as a leader without
knowing what’s going on in the world.
The Forum, they said, was a prompt
for thinking about how a leader would
approach addressing challenging topics
and situations in their work.
Too often, people are so
wrapped up with their jobs and
family and school that they don’t
think about the difficulties others
are facing in the world. It’s not that
people don’t care about these topics, one
student said, but they often just don’t
pay attention to the issues on a daily
basis. Being at the Forum offered a level
of understanding that may not happen in
a classroom, the students said.
In fact, during the Forum the
students directly engaged with difficult
topics, and it required a conscious
choice to hear the tragic stories about
topics like child slavery and human
trafficking. This is where our general
population may be falling short, one
student observed—choosing to turn away
instead of understanding the reality of
these issues.
The Master of Arts in Leadership
program, however, equips individuals to
turn toward—rather than away from—
challenging issues in order to seek
solutions and inspire others toward a
common goal. The program is designed
to prepare leaders who are ethically and
morally responsible, who can see beyond
immediate concerns, and who are
sensitive to the complex problems that
organizations face. By using the Nobel
Peace Prize Forum as a classroom, these
students worked to understand both the
systems that contribute to conflict and
the systems that effective leaders can
use to address it.
“WE HAVE TO CHANGE
THE DEMAND”
Top [L to R]: Dean Jarrow ’16 MAL and
Dele Odiachi ’17 MAL
Bottom: [L to R]: Jacqueline deVries; Margaret
PowellMack ’17 MAL; Kevin Stirtz ’17 MAL; Subashini
Ambrose ’18 MAL; Tom Morgan; Eric Miamen ’04,
’14 MBA, ’16 MAL; David Nyssen ’16 MBA, ’17 MAL; Nobel
Laureate Kailash Satyarthi; Howie Smith ’80, ’19 MAL;
Satyarthi’s wife, Sumedha Kailash; MAL Director Alan
Tuchtenhagen; and Brad Beeskow ’17 MAL.
22
Augsburg Now
For example, some students thought
that business was potentially the most
powerful force for addressing the issues
discussed at the Forum; others argued
that the biggest changes will come
when consumers demand it, quoting
comments by Nobel Laureate Kailash
Satyarthi, who, in his opening remarks,
said, “We have to change the demand.”
Another student observed that
every person has a powerful “what’s in
it for me” filter and noted that, if we
don’t translate the message in a way
that addresses this filter, it will not
be effective. And, although the class
agreed, the students also recognized that
people are often motivated not just by
what benefits them directly, but also by
generosity and helping others—by what,
as one student phrased it, satisfies a
need of the heart.
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
Former U.S. Representative Martin Olav Sabo ’59, who passed away on March 13 at
age 78, was a lifelong public servant and renowned Augsburg College alumnus who
exemplified the progressive approach and personal integrity that were modeled in
his Lutheran upbringing and education.
The work he and his wife, Sylvia, devoted to guiding the Martin Olav Sabo
Center for Democracy and Citizenship, the Sabo Scholars program, and the annual
Sabo Symposium—all of which create opportunities for civic experiences and skillbuilding inside and outside the classroom—will leave a lasting legacy at Augsburg.
Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow said that Sabo’s “life-long
commitment to public service is an inspiration to all of us. The Sabo Center gives
Augsburg the ongoing opportunity to celebrate the life and work of our dear friend.”
One year after graduating from Augsburg College, Sabo—then 22—was elected
to serve in the Minnesota House of Representatives. During his tenure, he became
the first member of the Democrat-Farmer-Labor party to serve as Speaker of the
House—a post he held from 1973-78. He went on to serve for 28 years as a
member of the U.S. House of Representatives, retiring in 2007.
At the same time that Sabo served in Congress, he volunteered 12 years to
Augsburg College as a member of the Board of Regents. The College named Sabo
a Distinguished Alumnus and awarded him its first-ever honorary degree. Sabo was
distinguished in all he undertook and, in 2006, was appointed Commander of the
Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for outstanding work and dedication to NorwegianAmerican relations.
Congressman Sabo and Sylvia Sabo are parents of Auggies Karin Mantor ’86 and
Julie Sabo ’90.
Summer 2016
23
AUGGIES CONNECT
New to the Alumni Board
Five Auggies elected to serve three-year terms on the Augsburg College
Alumni Board will network with and mentor current Auggies, build community
with alumni, and provide a vital link between the College and graduates.
TRAVEL IN THAILAND AND CAMBODIA
JANUARY 3-15, 2017
To learn more, go to
augsburg.edu/alumni/travel.
Derek Francis ’08
School counselor, Minneapolis Public Schools
“Through the awesome community and volunteer opportunities at
Augsburg, I realized I was passionate about working with youth.
Augsburg’s value of service to the community transformed my life.”
Lori Higgins ’94, ’12 MAL
President, MetroNorth Chamber of Commerce
“I am eager to give back to the school that has given me so many
opportunities, such as political internships with [former U.S. Rep.] Martin
Sabo ’59 and MN Sen. Bill Luther, which began my career.”
MAKES LASTING IMPACT
With its Give to the Max Day gifts, the Biology Department funded new research
opportunities for two students: Oksana Burt ’17 and Davy DeKrey ’17 [pictured].
24
Augsburg Now
Business development, Gravie
“A continuing passion of mine is to grow our networking efforts, both for
employers and individuals as they connect with Auggie alumni.”
Online giving day supports students, faculty, programs
Auggies last fall made Augsburg College No. 1 in the annual Give to the
Max Day challenge. This year, Give to the Max Day is November 17, and
the College is calling on alumni to push Augsburg into the top spot for the
fourth year in a row.
In 2015, in just 24 hours, more than 1,000 Auggies—many of whom
were first-time donors—generously stepped up to give more than $240,000
to Augsburg. As a result, Augsburg ranked first among all participating
Minnesota colleges and universities, and earned a $10,000 bonus.
Alumni support on Give to the Max Day has a lasting impact and
supports new opportunities for students. Funds raised last year supported
the expansion of on-campus research; the purchase of a 3-D printer for
the mathematics and statistics department; production costs for Howling
Bird Press, the student-run book publishing project in the Master of
Fine Arts in Creative Writing program; and trips by athletic teams for
competition, education, and community service.
This November, alumni also can give to scholarships that honor the
legacy of music, research, and civil service at Augsburg. Gifts are being
sought to honor the work of Leland Sateren ’35, U.S. Rep. Martin Sabo ’59,
the StepUP® program, and the Office of Undergraduate Research and
Graduate Opportunity, which connects students with new and existing
research and scholarship on campus, across the United States, and
around the world.
Anyone can donate any amount on Give to the Max Day. Schedule
your gifts online at givemn.org beginning November 1.
Josh Krob ’08, ’15 MBA
Janeece Oatman ’05
Development director, American Diabetes Association
“I have a passion for committee-building, and I am interested in
networking opportunities, reconnecting with campus, and fellow Auggies.”
Brad Randall ’13
Mechanical maintenance planner, Xcel Energy
“As a graduate of Augsburg’s Adult Undergraduate program, I am
interested in mentoring Augsburg alumni in all fields.”
[L to R]: Lewis Istok ’18 and Abigale Enrici ’18 create a two-material print
using a 3-D printer purchased with Give to the Max Day funds.
Jordan Brandt ’17 throws a pitch on the baseball team’s 2016 spring break trip
to Arizona. The team raised more than $17,000 on Give to the Max Day 2015.
Back row [L to R]: Josh Krob ’08, ’15 MBA; Brad Randall ’13; Mary Prevost ’12 MBA; Cyrus Batheja ’08, ’10 MBA;
Jay Howard ’03, Nick Rathmann ’03; Hanna Dietrich ’05; Rick Bonlender ’78; Patricia Jesperson ’95; Melissa
(Daudt) Hoepner ’92; Howie Smith ’80, ’19 MAL; Marie (Eddy) Odenbrett ’01; Greg Schnagl ’91. Front row
[L to R]: Adrienne (Kuchler) Eldridge ’02; Meg (Schmidt) Sawyer ’00; Adriana Matzke ’13; Janeece Oatman ’05;
Chau “Tina” Nguyen ’08; Jill Watson ’10 MBA. Not pictured: Derek Francis ’08; Lori Higgins ’94, ’12 MAL;
Nick Swanson ’09
Q&A
with tour guide and Professor
of English Kathy Swanson
Q:
A:
How many times have you traveled to
Thailand? What keeps bringing you back?
My husband and I lived in Thailand as Peace
Corps volunteers for two years and have
returned eight times since. We return because
we feel Thailand is our “second home.” We love
Thailand’s beauty—from the huge city of Bangkok to
the mountains of northern Thailand in Chiang Mai
to the small beach town where we lived. We also
have many dear friends, some former students and
colleagues, with whom we love to reconnect.
Q:
A:
Can you share with us a memory from a trip
you led with Augsburg students?
We have shared our love of Thailand with
Augsburg students during five trips and have so
many good memories. Former Auggies still share their
memories and pictures of the trips with us. Some
of these students became English language learner
teachers because of their experience teaching English
in our former school. I remember one student, for
example, who was hesitant about going so far away
from home and to such an unfamiliar place. She had
been my student in several classes and seemed to
trust me when I encouraged her, so she took the big
step. We are still in contact after many years and she
has written about her trip to Thailand as being “lifechanging.” She stepped out of her comfort zone and
experienced things she could have never imagined,
gaining confidence and self-awareness.
Q:
A:
Who should take this trip?
Anyone who values expanding a worldview,
learning about a new culture, and experiencing
beauty.
Summer 2016
25
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
AUGGIES CONNECT
Martin Sabo ’59 leaves a
lasting legacy. See page 23.
1960
Rev. Dennis Glad ’60
and Barbara Glad
of St. Francis, Minnesota, have
led nearly 1,000 volunteers on
mission trips to 14 Caribbean
islands, Costa Rica, and Belize
over the past 25 years. Working
on a volunteer construction team,
the Glads and their crew have
built schools, clinics, churches,
orphanages, and more. In April,
the couple received WCCO Radio’s
Good Neighbor Award, and they
are now in the station’s Good
Neighbor Hall of Fame. In 1999,
Rev. Glad retired after serving in
the United Methodist Church for
more than 40 years.
empowering dreams
Travelers EDGE® grant affords
students pathway to success
In March, Augsburg was awarded a
$115,000 grant to continue offering
Travelers EDGE (Empowering Dreams for
Graduation and Employment), a program
that provides underrepresented students
with scholarships, paid internships,
and mentorship in an effort to break
down barriers and provide long-term
opportunity. The highly successful
program, now in its sixth year at
Augsburg, is poised to have 15 Travelers
EDGE scholars on campus this fall—its
largest cohort yet.
This prestigious program—open
to only 12 colleges in the United
States—has lifetime payoffs for
students, including the chance to find
challenging and rewarding careers in
the insurance and financial services
industry. To get there, each Travelers
EDGE scholar works with a career coach
and a professional mentor at Travelers
and participates in financial literacy
programming.
Marlene Ibsen, vice president of
community relations at Travelers, said
Augsburg was already doing great work
and made for a natural Travelers EDGE
partner.
“Everything and everyone we
encountered at Augsburg, including
President Pribbenow and throughout
the organization, made us think, ‘This
is a team of people who really get it and
would be outstanding additions to the
Travelers EDGE collaborative,’” said Ibsen.
Students in the program receive financial
26
Augsburg Now
scholarships and something that, in the
long run, pays even greater dividends—
networking contacts.
“Once they begin immersing
themselves in the professional
development workshops and start
to build relationships with Travelers
employees, students quickly learn
that the networking and professional
coaching they are getting will be of
significant use to them in the long
term,” said Janet Morales, Augsburg’s
director for the program.
So far, Augsburg has had 23
Travelers EDGE scholars participate in
the program and some have gone on to
accept full-time positions with Travelers.
Dustina Granlund ’14 is one of the
Travelers EDGE alumni who works at
Travelers. Granlund had two internships
at the company, including one in
Hartford, Connecticut. As an intern,
she helped develop new and more
efficient reporting systems that are still
in use today.
Granlund said her mentor helped
her understand how school applies
to the real world by encouraging her
to accept and take on challenges, to
network, and to push herself beyond
her comfort zone.
“My Travelers EDGE scholar
work taught me business etiquette,
interviewing techniques, and résumé
writing,” she said. “It helped connect
me with resources at Augsburg that I
didn’t really know about.”
Travelers EDGE connected Granlund
with staff in Augsburg’s Clair and Gladys
Strommen Center for Meaningful Work
who helped Granlund become more
comfortable seeking regular advice on
graduate school.
Morales sees that the value of the
program goes far beyond job experience.
“Travelers EDGE is confidence
building,” she said. “Our scholars
do not typically have any corporate
experience prior to becoming a part
of Travelers EDGE, nor do they have
family members with that experience,
so starting their professional journey
within insurance and financial services
can be intimidating. However, Travelers
EDGE gives the scholars opportunities
to learn and build their skills within a
safe space. The end result is that they
can imagine themselves with a career in
insurance and financial services, which
they couldn’t before.”
1964
Roger Johnson ’64
was presented with
the Donald Clark Memorial Award
at Minnesota Hockey’s annual
banquet in April. The award is
given to an individual who has
been dedicated to the grassroots
growth and development of youth
hockey in Minnesota. Johnson was
the head coach for boys’ hockey in
Fergus Falls, Minnesota, from 1965
until 1972 and then was varsity
assistant and junior varsity head
coach for the next 27 years until
1999. He is a substitute teacher
and a volunteer general manager
for the boys’ hockey team.
1969
Royce Helmbrecht ’69
graduated with a
degree in education. Today,
47 years later, he works as a
substitute teacher with students
who struggle to get through
school. He also teaches jail
inmates for the GED program.
fundraisers. Her leisure activities
include gardening, walking,
biking, and reading.
Michael Good ’71 celebrates
at groundbreaking ceremony.
See page 2.
jazzy food songs. Sullivan attended
Augsburg as a flute student, studied
broadcasting at Brown Institute,
and has worked in radio and as a
voice-over artist. After appearing at
venues that draw swing dancers,
she teamed up with Laurie to create
the duo Retro Swing Sister.
Three years ago at Valley of Peace Lutheran Church in Golden Valley,
Minnesota, three parishioners took on a Lenten art project to create a mosaic
for their church entry. Led by Barb (Durkee) Mikelson ’71, the committee
also included Emilie Moravec ’07 and Jon Daniels ’88. The design, primarily
Mikelson’s work, echoed the stained glass window design in the church’s
sanctuary created by the late August Molder, an Augsburg professor. Mikelson
served the past 12 years as director of her church’s early childhood education
center, All God’s Children Learning Center, and retired in January. The school’s
leadership is now in the able hands of another Auggie, Courtney GadboisBrumbaugh ’95.
From the Auggie Connections blog.
Read more at augsburg.edu/alumni/blog.
He says the Lord intervened in his
life and directed him to Augsburg,
and he feels blessed to have
followed the Lord’s direction.
1971
Mary (Soulen) Johnson ’71
is the new branch
assistant at Minnesota’s Aitkin
Public Library. She especially
enjoys working with children
at the library and at the Aitkin
Children’s Center. As a volunteer
at Wild and Free in Garrison,
Minnesota, she helps with
feeding animals and assists with
Merilee Klemp ’75 uses the
city of Minneapolis as her
classroom. See page 16.
1982
Maryann Sullivan ’82
and Rhonda Laurie
have been entertaining listening
audiences and swing dancers for
the past three years. In February,
the two performed “Swingin’ a
la Carte” as part of the Jazz@
St. Barney’s concert series at St.
Barnabas Lutheran Church in
Plymouth, Minnesota, reflecting
the singers’ love of cooking through
Scott Whirley ’82 and Henry
Gerten ’98 were inducted into
the National Wrestling Coaches
Association Division III Hall of
Fame in a ceremony in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, prior to this year’s
NCAA Division III Wrestling
National Championships. Whirley
and Gerten are the ninth and 10th
Auggies to be inducted into the
NWCA Division III Hall of Fame.
Dr. Paul Mueller ’84 breaks ground
on Augsburg’s new, signature
academic building. See page 2.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
1967
In March, the Rev.
Terry J. Frovik ’67
and his wife, Pauline, were invited
by Archbishop Nemuel Babba
to participate in the installation
service for the Rev. Peter
Bartimawus, who was elected
Bishop of the Gongola Diocese of
the Lutheran Church of Christ in
Nigeria (LCCN). The service took
place in Bartimawus’ home village of Guyuk.
1992
Rosanne Newville Bump ’92 plans events, including
the St. Paul Winter Carnival as president and CEO
of the Saint Paul Festival & Heritage Foundation. She received
her MBA in 2010 from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.
She has stayed in touch with many of her Auggie classmates
over the years, and is pleased that both the St. Paul Winter
Carnival and the Cinco de Mayo organizations benefit from
the help of Augsburg interns as they plan events. She lives
with her husband of 28 years, Jeff Bump ’85, and their three
daughters (Madelyn, Ella, and Julia) in River Falls where she
served for nine years as CEO of the River Falls Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau.
Summer 2016
27
2000
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Brian Ammann ’85 reflects on one of
the standout athletes he coached.
See page 8.
1988
Building hope
In March, Bob Strommen ’74 volunteered for a
Habitat for Humanity project in Nicaragua. He
joined cousins Tim ’70 and Dawn (Hofstad) ’70
Strommen, and Judy (Knudson) Strommen ’77, and
was overwhelmed by the magnitude of poverty in
the small village where they worked. The trip was
Tim’s third visit to the same site.
Bob writes, “Prior to our venturing out,
we had an orientation led by our Nicaraguan
Habitat leader, Aleandra, who reported that there
was a need for more than 600,000 homes in
Nicaragua—either new builds or fixing up existing
homes in desperate need of repair. And we were
going to build one home. At the time I thought,
‘What difference will this make? How do you tackle
such an overwhelming need?’”
Upon meeting the eventual homeowner, her
daughter, and grandchildren, Bob soon learned
that their work in that one week would make a lifechanging impact for the family.
He’d considered the impact they would
make on the family of the house, but did not
comprehend the impact that the people and
volunteering would have on him, saying: “My goal
is not to be better than anyone else, but to be
better than I used to be.”
Jeff Judge ’88 successfully
defended his doctoral
dissertation at Minnesota State
University. His thesis was “Spirituality in
Higher Education: A Narrative Analysis of
its Use by Leaders for Decision-Making.”
Judge graduated from Augsburg with
bachelor’s degrees in music education
and Spanish, and received a master’s
in Spanish from Middlebury (Vermont)
College. He lives in Minnetonka,
Minnesota, with his wife, Jeannie, and
their three teenagers: Nico, Danny, and
Clare. He is the dean of the humanities
division at Normandale Community
College in Bloomington, Minnesota.
1989
Troy Bakker ’89 received a
doctorate of science degree
from Dakota State University in Madison,
South Dakota.
Stephen Hindle ’89 has been appointed
practice lead at the partner level for Aon
Hewitt’s assessment and leadership
practice for Asia, the Middle East, and
Africa. He also is the face of Aon Hewitt
in these markets. His responsibilities
include commercial management of all
assessment and leadership business
across 14 countries as well as all
operations, solution development, and
mergers and acquisitions activity in
these markets.
He is based in Singapore with his
wife of more than 21 years, Adean,
and their two daughters, Claudia and
Madeleine.
1996
As twin sisters, Kaja Foat ’96
and Zoe Foat ’96 have shared
a lot in life—a last name, a love of
color and nature, and a vision for a
more ethical world. In 2002, the sisters
followed their shared vision to create
FOAT. Their goal was to offer a refreshing,
eco-conscious alternative in women’s
fashion, starting with yoga apparel. Since
then, they’ve expanded their designs to
additional lines of one-of-a-kind garments
and wedding gowns, and their workspace
to studios in Minneapolis and Charleston,
South Carolina.
Devean George ’99 builds neighborhood
pride alongside community housing in
north Minneapolis. See page 8.
2000
Augsburg theater alumni
Stephanie Lein Walseth ’00,
Quinci Bachman ’15, and Jorge
Rodriguez ’15, and Professor Emerita
Martha Johnson participated in the
Full Circle Theater Company’s return
engagement of “Theater: A Sacred
Passage.” Lein Walseth and Johnson are
two writers of this original performance
piece, devised by the core artists of
Full Circle from their personal journeys
into theater. Their stories embody
the challenges and transformational
experiences they have had in becoming
theater artists and how their lives
and work reflect the changes in the
theater community during the past two
decades. The piece incorporates acting,
storytelling, choreography, and music.
Bachman was production coordinator,
stage manager, and sound designer.
Rodriguez served as set and technical
director and lighting designer. Johnson
was dramaturge and assistant director.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
1992
Heather Johnston ’92
(second from left) was
invited to speak at the annual
conference of the Municipal
Finance Directors of Israel in Eilat,
Israel. Johnston is president of
the Government Finance Officers
Association of the United States and
Canada. Johnston serves as the city
manager for Burnsville, Minnesota.
28
Augsburg Now
1999
[L to R]: J. Roxanne
Prichard, associate
professor of psychology and
neuroscience, and Jeanne “Birdie”
(Ramacher) Cunningham ’99,
associate director of health and
wellness, have created and
launched the Center for College
Sleep at the University
of St. Thomas in St. Paul.
2005
Jon Dahlin ’05
participated in track
and field at Augsburg, and he set
a national record in the hammer
throw that still stands. He went
on to compete nationally and
internationally in Highland games.
He competed in states including
California, Florida, and Texas, and
he also competed in Iceland. He
traveled to Gyor, Hungary, as part
of Team USA for the 2015 World
Highland Games Championship
where he squared off against 15
athletes from around the world.
He was pleased to record one
of his best performances ever
in caber (tossing a 175-pound
wooden beam), and finished in
seventh place. Dahlin lives in
Minnetonka, Minnesota, and works
as a software developer at Barr
Engineering, focusing primarily
on creating web applications. He
also is a sports photographer who
covers NFL games.
Jenni Fisher ’05 and Jade
Boettcher ’15 MAE were united
in marriage on January 20 in
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Boettcher received his Master of
Arts in Education from Augsburg
and is a special education teacher
at John Marshall High School
in Rochester, Minnesota. Fisher
received her bachelor’s from
Augsburg and is a clinic assistant
at Planned Parenthood
in Rochester.
Brandon Green ’05 is a new
managing partner at MG
Resources. Before joining the
company, Green spent nearly 18
years with Griffiths Corporation.
2007
James Lekatz ’07
wrote the music for
“The Snow Queen,” which was
presented at Stages Theatre in
Hopkins, Minnesota, in March.
This summer, Lekatz worked with
a group of students with autism
on a production of “The BFG” as
part of a program called CAST,
Creative Accepting Sensoryfriendly Theatre. He will be
assistant director on a production
called “Twinkle Twinkle,” as part
of Stages Theatre Company’s
theater for the very young, and he
will compose Stages’ next dance/
ballet piece, “The Velveteen
Rabbit,” to be performed next
spring.
2008
Andrew Webb ’08
volunteers his
time to assist local and global
communities as they recover from
natural disasters and tragedies.
He encourages others through
a letter-writing campaign and
invites groups, such as area
high schools, to join him in his
dedication to this mission.
Sara (Quigley) Brown ’00
received her chaplain badge
for the Alaska Police and Fire Chaplains
Ministry, a statewide nonprofit that serves
police and fire personnel. The program
follows a strict training that mirrors the
training of police officers.
Brown will return to the Twin Cities
in August to attend a clinical pastoral
education residency through which she
will receive certification to become a hospital chaplain.
2000
Ross Murray ’00,
’09 MBA, has
been issued a call from the
Metropolitan New York Synod in
New York City to be consecrated
as a diaconal minister and focus
on LGBT advocacy at GLAAD. He
and Richard Garnett ’07, ’09 MBA
were married in April.
2001
Sarah (Grans) Peterka ’01
married Erik Peterka
on December 12. Several Auggies
were at the celebration including:
Carrie Lind ’01, Skylar Hanson ’01,
Laura Hahn ’02, Erica ’01 and
Jason ’01 Bryan-Wegner, Ben
Hoogland ’00, Larye ’98 and
Melissa (Moyle) Pohlman ’00,
Lenise Butler ’01, and
Birgitte Simpson ’13.
2010
Jennifer (Mathwig)
Ortloff ’10 became joint
owner of the public accounting
firm of Peterson Juergensen
Hemerick & Co. in Hutchinson,
Minnesota, after five years with
the firm. Prior to becoming an
owner and before earning an
accounting degree at Augsburg,
she worked on the administrative
side of the company. Ortloff is a
native of Brownton, Minnesota,
and worked for the city of
Brownton while completing
her degree.
2005
When Claire Pettry ’05
moved to Ohio in the
fall of 2015, her Augsburg College
connection played a key role in
helping her form friendships in
her new locale. She met Chris
Ascher ’81 and wife, Susan, and
the three became fast friends
who completed a 5K run on
Thanksgiving.
2003
Megan and Jay
Howard ’03 welcomed
their son, Elias John, on April 28.
Lisa Svac Hawks ’85 sees Augsburg College as a “pillar of faith,” one of the reasons she chose the College
and why she continues to be involved. She served six years on the Alumni Board and is a founding
member of Augsburg Women Engaged.
Hawks is vice president, external communications, for United Healthcare Services. She is focused on
helping simplify the complicated health care landscape for the consumers so that they can live healthier
lives. In her spare time, Hawks enjoys gardening, cooking, and playing golf and other sports. She also
enjoys coaching her 10-year-old son Andrew’s baseball team, which she has done for the past three years.
From the Auggie Connections blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
2011
Patrick Siegel ’11 is
the proud owner of
Robusto & Briar cigar store and
lounge in Lakewood, Ohio. The
establishment is made for all
who appreciate a fine cigar and
conversation-worthy décor. He
got hooked on the cigar business
when, as a student at Augsburg,
he was hired by the Golden Leaf
shop, where he bought his cigars.
He and wife, Nicole, who grew
up in Rocky River, Ohio, decided
to settle in Lakewood. Robusto &
Briar specializes in hand-rolled
products that are kept in a 15-by30 foot humidor. The shop offers
about 400 types of cigars and
about 50 kinds of tobacco.
2012
The Minnesota
Women’s Press
published an article on Interfaith
Youth Connection, a program
for high school and college-age
youth that promotes interfaith
understanding and service. The
article includes comments from
Fardosa Hassan ’12, Muslim
student program associate at
Augsburg College and program
coordinator of Interfaith Youth
Connection. By holding regular
conversations and yearly service
events, the group seeks to give
youth “a way to be proud of
who they are in whatever faith
background they [believe],
while reducing prejudice and
misconception,” Hassan said.
“In the midst of what is going on
today, this is something we need.”
Patrick Sayler ’12 is the new
general manager of Co-op Natural
Foods in Sioux Falls, South
Dakota. Before returning to Sioux
Falls three years ago, he spent
16 years in the Minneapolis area
managing cafes and retail shops.
As the general manager of Co-op
Natural Foods, he will oversee an
established business that employs
approximately 20 people and does
more than $2 million a year. He
is completing work on a degree in
business management/marketing
and project management at the
University of Sioux Falls.
2014
Allison Zank ’14 has
been named a National
Science Foundation Graduate
Research Fellow for 2016-17.
Zank will receive a $34,000
annual stipend and $12,000 costof-education allowance to assist
her in achieving a research-based
graduate degree. An NSF GRFP
indicates to graduate schools that
a student is a top undergraduate
scientist in the nation. Zank
conducted summer research
on biofilms with Augsburg
Associate Professor Jennifer
Bankers-Fulbright as well as at the
University of Minnesota’s Dental
School. Zank also has spent time
conducting research in industry.
At Augsburg, she was named an
URGO Scholar, McNair Scholar,
AugSTEM Scholar, and Goldwater
Scholar. She plans to pursue
a master’s degree in clinical
microbiology at the University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse this fall.
GRADUATE
2015
Katie Clark ’10 MAN, ’14 DNP
presented at a breakout session
for Fairview Health Services’
Somali Cultural Health Day in
April. Her topic was “Critical
decision making and chronic
illness.” Clark connected her
previous bedside nursing
experience with her current
experience working with Somali
community members at the
Health Commons in the CedarRiverside neighborhood. Her
focus was to teach health care
providers to deliver culturally
congruent care to marginalized
populations. She concentrated
her efforts on reducing the role of
stereotypes and assumptions in
the patient-provider relationship.
Jordan Holm ’15
competed in the 2016
Olympic trials in the 85-kilogram
weight class for Greco-Roman
wrestling at Carver-Hawkeye
Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on
April 6. Holm was one of three
athletes automatically earning the
No. 1 ranking. He graduated from
Augsburg with a business degree
in marketing.
Duina Hernandez ’16 lets
dirt fly at an Augsburg
groundbreaking ceremony.
See page 2.
Evan Berg ’10 MBA was hired as
assistant vice president and loan
officer at the Janesville State Bank
in Janesville, Minnesota. He has a
bachelor’s degree in economics/
business administration from
Winona State University and an
MBA from Augsburg, as well as
eight years of experience in credit
analysis and lending with Farm
Credit and several banks.
AUGGIE CONNECTIONS:
a new, personalized
newsletter
Whether it be in the classroom, cheering on your favorite Auggie
team, or supporting the on-campus groups that mean the most to
you, Augsburg College emphasizes a direct, personal experience
for its students and alumni. In today’s world where information is
coming from all angles and at all times, personalized, meaningful
information is more important than ever.
The Alumni Association recognizes this and is taking a step
to provide more pertinent and timely information about what’s
happening at Augsburg. Beginning this summer, Augsburg is
offering a personalized e-newsletter that will be delivered on a
schedule of your choosing, in a format you want. No more monthly
Now@Augsburg emails. The Auggie Connections newsletter is
now in your hands.
Choose the topics you are most interested in: Auggie
athletics? Theater and music? Science? Want to hear it all? With
your new, improved Auggie Connections newsletter, you won’t
miss a thing.
The first personalized Auggie Connections newsletter
arrived in your email inbox in late June. If you haven’t yet set your
preferences, check your email for the message titled “Augsburg
College - delivered YOUR way,” to get started.
To update your contact information, email alumniupdate@
augsburg.edu.
2009
Benjamin Austin ’09
and Michelle
(Anderson) Austin ’11 were
married December 19 in St. Paul.
They met at Augsburg during her
sophomore year and his senior
year.
Schuyler (Dunhaupt)
Tilson ’10 graduated
from Mitchell Hamline School of Law
in St. Paul in January with a focus in
Indian law. She recently passed the
Minnesota bar and became a staff
attorney for the Ho-Chunk Nation
Trial Court. She holds undergraduate
degrees from Augsburg in history
and American Indian studies.
2012
Muneer Al-Hameed ’12
won the Dancing with the
Twin Cities Celebrities Charity Ball
in February. Augsburg alumna Carla
Beaurline ’91 was a judge this year
and a 2015 Dancing with the Twin
Cities celebrity dancer.
FRESH LOOK,
INCREASED
INTERACTION
Nic Thomley ’06 MBA was named to the
2016 Class of Henry Crown Fellows and the
Aspen Global Leadership Network at the
Aspen Institute. This growing network unites
a worldwide community of entrepreneurial
leaders from business, government, and the
nonprofit sector who share a commitment
to enlightened leadership and to using their
creativity, energy, and resources to tackle
the foremost societal challenges of our time.
Thomley is an accomplished entrepreneur
in the human services industry and the
founder of companies that provide an array
of services to persons with disabilities and
senior citizens. Thomley is the founder and
30
Augsburg Now
CEO of Morning Star Financial Services and
the founder and chairman of Summit Fiscal
Agency and Pinnacle Services, Minneapolis.
Thomley was named a 2015 Ernst & Young
Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist and,
in 2006, was named to Inc. Magazine’s
“30 Under 30, America’s Coolest Young
Entrepreneurs” list and to the Minneapolis/
St. Paul Business Journal’s “40 Under 40”
list. In 2010, Thomley was presented with
Augsburg’s First Decade Award, which
honors graduates of the past 10 years who
have made significant progress in their
professional achievements and contributions
to the community.
Enjoy several new features on the Augsburg Now magazine’s
companion website. Thanks to a site upgrade, it’s possible to:
• Read articles on mobile devices with ease
• Share favorite stories and photos on social media
• View exclusive slideshows and videos
• Manage your magazine subscription and delivery method
• “Go green” by opting for digital content instead of print
• Submit class notes and share good news
SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE
Tell us about the news in your life—your new job, move,
marriage, and births. Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/connect to submit
your announcements.
Mike Polis ’10 has
started Backboard
Media, based in Northeast
Minneapolis. Check it out at
backboardgroup.com.
2010
augsburg.edu/now
Entrepreneurial leader recognized
2010
2013
Kuoth Wiel ’13 cofounded the NyaEden
Foundation, a nonprofit that aims
to provide basic survival necessities
to disadvantaged women and
children throughout Africa. She is an
actress, model, and humanitarian
whose debut film role was in “The
Good Lie,” a drama starring Reese
Witherspoon that tells the story of
a group of Sudanese refugees who
are offered shelter in the United
States. Wiel was born to a Sudanese mother and father in an Ethiopian
refugee camp following her parents’ escape from war-torn Sudan. As a
young adult, Wiel moved to Minneapolis to attend Augsburg and study
social psychology. Visit nyaedenfoundation.org to learn more about the
organization’s work to foster girls’ and women’s safety, empowerment,
independence, dignity, self-esteem, and self-respect.
Fall 2015
37
Summer 2016
31
In memoriam
Chester R. Heikkinen ’40,
Robbinsdale, Minnesota,
age 99, on November 24.
Helen (Quanbeck)
Nichols ’44, Monticello,
Minnesota, age 94, on
April 27.
Frederick “Fred” M. King ’71,
Onalaska, Wisconsin, age
73, on February 5.
Helen E. (Berg) Peterson ’46,
Minneapolis, age 92, on
November 23.
Martin O. Sabo ’59,
Minneapolis, age 78,
on March 13.
Kenneth J. Dahlberg ’80,
Colorado Springs,
Colorado, age 62,
on December 21.
Doris M. Rear-Hustad ’46,
Blanchardville, Wisconsin,
age 90, on March 18.
Gary A. Hoonsbeen ’60,
Crystal, Minnesota,
age 77, on March 7.
Brenda L. Fredrick ’82,
Strawberry Point, Iowa,
age 57, on April 23.
Loren M. Thorson ’46,
Green Valley, Arizona,
age 96, on March 8.
Robert N. Martin ’61,
Dracut, Massachusetts,
age 81, on March 22.
Janice C. Olson ’84,
Lakewood, Washington,
age 79, on January 19.
Robert “Bob” E. Lee ’47,
Hallettsville, Texas,
age 92, on March 3.
Norbert W. W. Mokros ’61,
Duluth, Minnesota,
age 77, on January 25.
Melissa A. Lawrence ’88,
Minneapolis, age 59,
on March 1.
Aagoth E. (Hanson)
Hansen ’48, Willmar,
Minnesota, age 89,
on January 4.
Sherman P. Coltvet ’62,
Rochester, Minnesota,
age 75, on January 30.
Marilyn J. (Cederstrom)
Teubert ’88, Waconia,
Minnesota, age 84,
on November 23.
Paul D. Hilton ’51,
Cumberland, Wisconsin,
age 86, on January 28.
Eugene M. Nelson ’51,
Colorado Springs,
Colorado, age 86,
on January 11.
Lillian K. (Ysteboe) Ose ’51,
Benson, Minnesota,
age 87, on January 5.
Leonard E. Dalberg ’52,
Solvang, California,
age 90, on April 21.
Randall “Randy” Fischer ’52,
Lynchburg, Virginia,
age 85, on February 5.
Robert C. Ingman ’54,
Minneapolis, age 85, on
September 3.
Charles “Bob” R.
Hudgins ’62, Burnsville,
Minnesota, age 75,
on December 12.
Charles W. King, Jr. ’62,
Sun City West, Arizona,
age 76, on December 17.
Philip O. Sidney ’63,
St. Paul, age 75,
on April 10.
Mary M. Lindgren ’64,
Minneapolis, age 74,
on March 15.
David A. Mallak ’65,
Austin, Texas, age 72,
on February 10.
Steven H. Steinke ’65,
Pequot Lakes, Minnesota,
age 68, on January 26.
Robert R. Benson ’67,
Preston, Minnesota,
age 70, on December 23.
Karl B. Lunder ’70, Red
Wing, Minnesota, age 69,
on March 12.
SAVE THE DATES:
SEPTEMBER 22-24
New events and schedule!
William “Bill” J. Schutt ’75,
Watertown, South Dakota,
age 74, on February 2.
Richard “Dick” L. Berg ’57,
Minneapolis, age 85,
on February 3.
Vera C. (Alberg)
Hafstad ’50, Owatonna,
Minnesota, age 86, on
March 11.
Augsburg Now
Dayne W. Sather ’55,
Maple Grove, Minnesota,
age 86, on January 25.
Joyce I. (Engstrom)
Spector ’70, Minneapolis,
age 68, on April 1.
Mary (Mortensen) Nelson ’45,
Minneapolis, age 92, on
January 22.
Arnold H. Skaar ’48,
Edina, Minnesota, age 91,
on February 2.
32
Dale W. Quanbeck ’54,
Grand Forks, North
Dakota, age 84,
on January 18.
Carol R. (Pasquarella)
Liedtke ’89, Shorewood,
Illinois, age 73,
on December 5.
Diane P. Ondrey ’94,
Minneapolis, age 80,
on February 19.
Jean W. (Thompson)
Rondeau ’94, Minneapolis,
age 77, on April 12.
Sandra K. Berg ’98, Inver
Grove Heights, Minnesota,
age 69, on January 26.
Conrad D. Meyer ’98,
Merida, Mexico, age 66,
on April 3.
.
S
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E
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BE CAL
Barbara (Steinle)
Huckle ’00, Burnsville,
Minnesota, age 55,
on April 16.
Jason C. Magnon ’13,
Georgetown, Texas,
age 25, on January 15.
Go to augsburg.edu/homecoming to register and see the new events this year.
The “In memoriam” listings in this publication
include notifications received before May 10.
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PAID
Twin Cities, MN
Permit No. 2031
The Augsburg Choir joins Barry Manilow on stage
The exceptional talent and hard work of the Augsburg Choir was rewarded with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sing backup
during Grammy-award winner Barry Manilow’s farewell tour. Members of the choir sang three of his hits in an encore at the
Xcel Energy Center: “I Write the Songs,” “Miracle,” and “Copacabana (At the Copa).”
Show less
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Augsburg Now Spring 2016: High-Impact Learning
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Alumni Magazine Collection
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Navigating uncharted waters
Playing it forward
An exploration of faith
HIGH-IMPACT
LEARNING
SPRING 2016 | VOL. 78, NO. 2
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weis...
Show more
Navigating uncharted waters
Playing it forward
An exploration of faith
HIGH-IMPACT
LEARNING
SPRING 2016 | VOL. 78, NO. 2
INSIDE
AUGSBURG NOW
Vice President of Marketing
and Communication
Rebecca John ’13 MBA
rjohn@augsburg.edu
Director of News and
Media Services
Stephanie Weiss
weisss@augsburg.edu
NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW
On serendipity in education
I vividly recall the moment in 1977 when a
conversation with a religion professor at Luther
College, my alma mater, offered me a way of
thinking about my vocational journey that has
changed my life. When I admitted my doubts
about following my dad’s path to the ministry, the
professor shared his own journey to divinity school
and the study of theology, the sort of study I had
begun to explore in his class. The rest is history,
as they say. I went on to study ethics and theology
in divinity school and to pursue my own calling
for leadership in higher education.
A moment of serendipity that changed
my life—unexpected, unplanned, and so very
meaningful—made possible by a teaching and
learning community and a teacher that created
the opportunity for such moments.
Such serendipity in education is a hallmark
of the educational experience at Augsburg. I’m
sure you have your own stories of the faculty
or staff member, maybe the fellow student, or
perhaps the community member who offered you
the insight, the experience, the counsel, or the
challenge that shaped your path.
This issue of Augsburg Now reminds us of
the people and experiences that continue to offer
Augsburg students the promise of serendipity in
their education. From award-winning teachers
and researchers like Phil Adamo of the History
Department and Henry Yoon of the Psychology
Department to inspiring guest speakers like
LeVar Burton (yes, the “Star Trek” and “Reading
Rainbow” star) and Dr. Donald Warne (an
American Indian medical doctor challenging
us to pay attention to public health issues on
reservations). From nationally recognized efforts
like our StepUP® program for students recovering
from addiction to the Nobel Peace Prize Forum
that inspires all of us to be peacemakers in
our communities. Serendipity in education
happens for all of us because of these people
and programs, and because of this College’s deep
commitment to such experiences.
One particular moment from last fall stands
out for me. Our groundbreaking River Semester
gave 12 students the educational experience of
a lifetime as they spent the entire semester on
the Mississippi River (see page 16). When I went
to St. Louis to meet with the River Semester
students and faculty halfway through the
semester, I heard tale after tale of serendipitous
experiences along the river. But then one student
took me aside and said that for Associate
Professor Joe Underhill, who organized the class,
this was the trip he had always dreamed about,
given his passion for the river. And, the student
continued, Joe could have done the trip with
his family or friends—surely an easier way to
spend nearly four months on the river? Instead,
the student said, he chose to do it with us, his
students. He chose to do it with his students.
That, my friends, is the “stuff” of serendipity
in education. Teachers who choose to create
the space for serendipity to happen—in the
classroom, in the cafeteria, on the playing
fields or performance stage, even on the Mighty
Mississippi. May it always be so.
Faithfully yours,
Director of Marketing
Communication
Stephen Jendraszak
jendra@augsburg.edu
Communication Copywriter
and Editorial Coordinator
Laura Swanson ’15 MBA
swansonl@augsburg.edu
Creative Associate
Denielle Johnson ’11
johnsod@augsburg.edu
Marketing Copywriter
Christina Haller
haller@augsburg.edu
Production Manager
Mark Chamberlain
chamberm@augsburg.edu
Photographer
Stephen Geffre
geffre@augsburg.edu
Advancement Communication
Specialist
Jen Lowman Day
dayj@augsburg.edu
Contributor
Kate H. Elliott
augsburg.edu
Augsburg Now is published by
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Ave.
Minneapolis, MN 55454
Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now
do not necessarily reflect official
College policy.
ISSN 1058-1545
PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT
Send address corrections to:
alumniupdate@augsburg.edu.
Email: now@augsburg.edu
AUGSBURG NOW
Spring 2016
02 Around the quad
08
Playing it forward
14
An exploration of faith
16
Navigating uncharted waters
24
Auggies connect
27
Class notes
32
In memoriam
On the cover: Auggies paddle past the Gateway Arch in
St. Louis as part of a semester-long journey following the
Mississippi River from St. Paul to New Orleans. See page 16.
Photo by Whitney Curtis.
Correction: In the Fall 2015 issue of Augsburg Now, the
story “From Riverside Ave. to Riverside, CA” omitted that
Matthew Dunn ’08 was among several recent Augsburg
College graduates to pursue an advanced degree at the
University of California-Riverside.
All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise
indicated.
Augsburg College students walk through Lindell Library—a building that will connect to the future
Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion. Learn more about the
Hagfors Center on page 3.
AROUND
THE
QUAD
IGNITING
PASSION, FINDING
HARMONY
Convocation Series
sparks conversation
2
Augsburg Now
The Augsburg College Convocation Series each year offers the community
a chance to hear from leaders and visionaries who spark important
discussion and educate about the challenges and opportunities of
today’s generation. The first event in 2016 was the Martin Luther King Jr.
Convocation in January, featuring Chuck D, leader and co-founder of the
legendary rap group Public Enemy, and his presentation, “Race, Rap, and
Reality: Supporting Our Youth in the Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
as They Face the Unique Challenges of Today.”
The Batalden Seminar in Applied Ethics in February
welcomed Dr. Donald Warne—professor and chair of the
Department of Public Health in the College of Health
Professions at North Dakota State University, and senior
policy advisor to the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s
Health Board—whose presentation was “Traditional
Lakota Approaches to Health Disparities: Connecting
People and the Environment.”
The Koryne Horbal Lecture in March featured Nekima
Levy-Pounds, attorney, law professor, and president of the
Minneapolis chapter of the NAACP.
Courtesy Photos
Hip-hop pioneer and best-selling author
Chuck D addresses hundreds of attendees at the
2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation.
AROUND THE QUAD
Exterior rendering of the Hagfors Center
E
L
A
S
N
O
TICKETS
CONSTRUCTION STARTS
In May, Augsburg College will begin the construction of its newest and largest
academic building, the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science,
Business, and Religion. The interdisciplinary Hagfors Center embodies
Augsburg’s commitment to student learning, urban placemaking, and thoughtful
stewardship.
The building design features classrooms and labs that are configurable to
support experiential learning as well as other teaching and learning formats.
These spaces will be constructed on a modular framework that allows for
flexibility to meet the College’s long-term needs.
The building will anchor the west side of campus and welcome the
College’s neighborhood with an
“open arms” design facing the
adjacent residential community
and embracing the on-campus
community gardens. The
Hagfors Center also will be the
most environmentally friendly
building on campus, seeking a
LEED Silver certification for its
Mock-up offices
sustainable design.
As part of the building planning process, Augsburg constructed life-size
models of two proposed configurations for faculty and staff offices. The office
concepts were on display in Lindell Library so community members could
stop by to check out the look and feel of the spaces. Students (and even
some faculty members) made themselves at home in the offices by taking
time to study, check email, and read, all the while bringing new meaning to
the phrase, “open-door policy.”
Children’s rights advocate to
keynote peace-building event
Augsburg College will host the 28th
annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum
June 6–8, inviting global leaders and
the general public to explore pressing
peacemaking issues faced by people
across the globe.
This year’s forum will
honor and feature
a keynote address
by Kailash Satyarthi,
joint winner of the
2014 Nobel Peace
Prize. For decades,
Satyarthi has been
tireless in his
advocacy for child
rights, education,
and child labor reform in India. While
in Minneapolis, Satyarthi will join other
peace-building experts to explore human
rights and democracy, disarmament,
sustainability, and inclusivity.
Courtesy Photo
THIS SPRING
College moves forward on
new academic building
Get tickets and learn more at
nobelpeaceprizeforum.org.
The first classes will be held in the Hagfors Center in January 2018. Go to
augsburg.edu/hagforscenter to keep track of project developments.
Spring 2016
3
Historyapolis project wins
ALICE SMITH PRIZE
Twin Cities middle schoolers participate in a Somali debate
initiative led by the Minnesota Urban Debate League.
[Top to bottom]: Kirsten Delegard, who serves
as a scholar-in-residence in the Augsburg
College History Department, and Michael
Lansing, associate professor of history, were
presented the Alice Smith Prize for best public
history project completed in the
previous calendar year by the
Midwestern History Association.
The Historyapolis Project
was created when Delegard
realized that the citizens of
her hometown of Minneapolis
craved complex stories about
the city’s past that would help
them understand how it became
the wonderful and intricate
place that it is today.
Augsburg students are deeply involved
with the project, which aims to make the
city’s history accessible and helps instigate
community dialogue around challenging
aspects of local history. Visit historyapolis.com for
more information.
Signature urban debate program
REACHES MILESTONE
Augsburg College’s Minnesota Urban Debate League program provides
services, support, and materials to more than 750 students engaged in
competitive academic debate at 40 high schools and middle schools across
the Twin Cities metro area. This year marked the first time that the state
debate championship featured two teams from the Minnesota Urban Debate
League: St. Paul’s Highland Park and Minneapolis’ Washburn high schools.
Led by Executive Director Amy Cram Helwich and Faculty Adviser Robert
Groven, an Augsburg communication studies professor, the program helps
increase school engagement and connectedness, which boosts young
people’s confidence in their academic abilities. The program’s impact is
shown through a 100 percent on-time high school graduation rate and a
99 percent college acceptance rate for debaters. “No other out-of-school
program accomplishes such significant gains,” according to Groven.
4
Augsburg Now
Photo courtesy of Lisa Lynch
Minnesota Urban Debate League participants
dominate 2016 state championship
The Historyapolis Project invites Augsburg College
students and community members to conduct research
to help interpret the history of Minneapolis. [L to R]:
Citizen-researcher Rita Yeads and Anna Romskog ’15
view city planning photographs from the 1930s in the
Minneapolis City Archives at City Hall.
AROUND THE QUAD
Professor Phillip Adamo peers out of his office in Memorial Hall.
Phillip Adamo named 2015 Minnesota
Augsburg College was named No. 6
on Best Value Schools’ 2015 list
of 20 Best Value Colleges or
Universities in Minnesota.
eetable
Rankings are based on
graduation rate, net
price, acceptance rate,
#AuggieP
and 20-year net return on
investment.
e
rid
Augsburg College’s Phillip Adamo, professor of history and director of the
Honors Program, was named the 2015 Minnesota Professor of the Year by
the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and the Council
for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
Adamo was recognized for his accomplishment in a proclamation by
Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges who declared November 19, 2015,
“Dr. Phillip C. Adamo Day in the City of Minneapolis.”
Adamo is the second Augsburg College faculty member to be honored by
Carnegie/CASE. In 2004, Professor Emeritus of Sociology Garry Hesser earned
the prestigious award.
Tw
PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR
Augsburg deemed a
‘best value’ college
Spring 2016
5
ON THE SPOT
Henry Yoon examines addiction risk
Augsburg College Associate Professor Henry Yoon oversees the biopsychology major and
leads the Augsburg Biopsychology Lab. One area of his research involves studying disorders
related to the inability to inhibit socially inappropriate or even illegal behaviors such as
the use of illicit substances that can lead to addiction. Yoon uses neurophysiological
techniques including EEG to capture and analyze the brain’s electrical activity to identify
telltale signs of biological or genetic risk for substance dependence.
Yoon works collaboratively with the StepUP® Program, Augsburg’s residential recovery
community, and the University of Minnesota’s Department of Psychology. Ultimately, Yoon’s
research may help refine the biological tools used in the diagnosis of substance addiction.
Q:
A:
What prompted your interest in studying
addiction?
Substance use disorders are both common
and costly—many of us have personal issues
with substance use or know someone who does,
including our family members. Plus, addiction
is often connected to other major psychiatric
disorders in systematic ways. It is important to
understand the core factors underlying addiction
for intervention and treatment purposes.
Q:
One of the brainwaves you focus on—
the P3—has been studied in relation
to childhood disruptive disorders such as
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
adolescent substance dependence, and adult
antisocial behaviors. What’s the link among
these areas?
A:
Collectively, these disorders reflect a
tendency toward behavioral disinhibition,
which may be expressed in various ways over
development through childhood, adolescence,
and adulthood. Evidence shows that this
tendency is highly heritable—in other words,
influenced by genes. The P3 brain measure is
significant because it may signify who is at risk
for these disorders. For instance, my colleagues
and I showed that P3 is itself highly heritable
and can be used to predict who will develop
these types of disorders over a 12-year span. So,
we reason that the P3 can serve as a red flag.
6
Augsburg Now
Q:
Despite recognition of the biological and
genetic nature of substance use disorders,
social stigmas persist. Could improved scientific
literacy play a role in reducing these stigmas?
A:
I think a cautionary tale from my field’s
history can help address this question.
In the 1940s-70s, the concept of the
“schizophrenogenic mother” was popular in
the psychiatric literature. This term implied
that mothers who interacted with their children
in a cold, rejecting, and aloof manner caused
schizophrenia in those children. Another
version of this, in relation to autism, was the
“refrigerator mother,” which carried a similar
implication.
Later scientific research rejected these
incorrect and harmful notions and instead
showed that such disorders largely involve
genetic/biological factors. The same trend
can be observed with regard to addiction. For
instance, it is now known that substance use
disorders are influenced by genetic background
to a degree comparable to other complex
medical conditions such as diabetes or coronary
heart disease. Of course environmental factors
are also important, but overall this shows that
combating addiction is not a matter of willpower
or flawed character.
Go to augsburg.edu/now to learn
more about Yoon’s research.
This colorful graph shows a representation of the P3 brainwave activity that Henry Yoon has been investigating in
relation to behavioral disinhibition. Abnormalities in the P3 wave have been shown to correlate with addictive behaviors.
AROUND THE QUAD
StepUP Gala
®
Research, study, and offer
your two cents
breaks fundraising record
In March 2015, Melissa Motl,
circulation coordinator in Augsburg’s
Lindell Library, started posing questions
to students on a whiteboard as a way
to gain more information about how
students use and view the library. She
asked questions like, “What can you
get at the library that you can’t get
anywhere else?” and “What would you
like to see the library do differently?” It
garnered such great feedback that she
decided to continue asking questions
as a fun and interesting way to find out
more about Auggies.
Each year, Augsburg College’s StepUP Program supports dozens of students as
they achieve academic success and sustain lives of recovery from substance
use disorders. Augsburg is home to the largest collegiate recovery community
in the United States, and its work receives generous support from numerous
corporations, foundations, individuals, and families.
The program received a noteworthy boost this year when its philanthropic
gala raised $419,000 from ticket
sales, sponsorships, and individual
gifts—a sum that nearly doubled
the amount raised the previous year.
Former WCCO TV anchor Don Shelby
was the master of ceremonies and
the featured keynote speech was
by Anne Thompson Heller ’08, a
StepUP alumna who has founded
[L to R]: Broadcaster Don Shelby joins
and championed recovery
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Augsburg
organizations at collegiate,
College President Paul Pribbenow
state, and national levels.
at the StepUP Gala.
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“We have some really
creative and thoughtful
students here at Augsburg,
and I think that’s why we always
get great responses. Some are
thoughtful, and some are silly or witty,”
said Motl.
Who ever came up
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Amanda Koltes ’17 MAE works
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At the 15th annual Sports Extravaganza, Augsburg College physical
with this question
education and exercise science students used knowledge gained in the
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classroom to deliver smiles to a record 307 grade-school and
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children with physical, cognitive, and learning disabilities. For the event,
-Darth Vader
Auggies created activity stations in the Augsburg athletics dome and assisted
children as they played.
The Star Tribune published several Sports Extravaganza photos and described participants’
enthusiasm as “Flying high without leaving the ground.” Visit augsburg.edu/now.
V
Spring 2016
7
PLAYING IT
FORWARD
AUGGIE COACHES CREATE
CYCLE OF GIVING BACK
BY CHRISTINA HALLER
Division III athletics is the sweet spot for
student-athletes—they compete on teams and
nurture deep, meaningful relationships with their
coaches and peers, and at the same time have
the freedom and time to explore other activities
and passions while having a strong focus on
academics. These reasons, among others—the
competition, camaraderie, discipline, and love
of the game—are why more than 500 Augsburg
students participate in varsity and intramural
sports every year.
The welcoming and supportive Augsburg
College Athletics Department has had a profound
impact on many student-athletes, which in
return has sparked a desire in many former
players to give back to youth as leaders, mentors,
and friends. Here is a glimpse into the lasting
influence of Auggie athletics on alumni through
the decades.
8
Augsburg Now
Whitney Restemayer ’10 is the first woman in the state of Minnesota to coach a team to a hockey
state title, the 2015 Minnesota State High School Girls’ Hockey Tournament Class A Championship.
I’ve always enjoyed working with kids,
teaching the game, and mentoring players
off the field. Being a student-athlete
at Augsburg taught me many valuable
lessons and allowed me to strengthen my
leadership skills. Many people from my
athletic upbringing have influenced the
way I teach young men about soccer and
life. I must admit, Auggie soccer coaches
Greg Holker, Jonathan Schaefer, and
Nate Hitch had a profound influence on me
during college.
The most gratifying thing about
coaching is seeing my boys grow into
young men and become contributing
members of the community. I was a kid
who was influenced in so many positive
ways by several people in my athletic path.
For me to have the opportunity to give back
a fraction of my time is the most gratifying
thing in the world.
VAN HONG ’11
Enterprise risk analytics consultant at Deloitte & Touche LLP in Minneapolis; youth soccer coach at Park
Valley United and co-founder of Spam F.C. College Scholarship Foundation in St. Louis Park, Minnesota
SUE (MEIER) ZIEGLER ’80
Physical education and health and
wellness teacher and head volleyball and
track coach at Lincoln Lutheran Middle/
Senior High School in Lincoln, Nebraska
Photos by Matt Ryerson
I was involved with basketball and track
as an Auggie. I would credit the whole
Augsburg Health–Physical Education
Department and coaches for supporting
me—people like longtime athletic
director and men’s basketball coach
Ernie Anderson ’37 were always looking
out for athletes’ best interests. I believe I
received a quality education in a Christian
environment, and feel blessed to be in a
similar situation now. I hope I have had an
impact on helping shape young people’s
lives through education and athletics, too.
Students teach me life lessons every
day. The impact that they have had on my
life has been invaluable—on relationships,
commitment, and learning. I love seeing
where my former students and athletes
go on in the next step of their lives—
from college to starting their families to
excelling in their careers.
Spring 2016
11
Everything I got from sports as a player—
the love of the game, the friendships, the
teamwork, the cohesion—sparked a desire
in me to coach. I started playing sports
at a young age and experienced coaches
who I really clicked with, and I knew that I
wanted to be able to give back to athletes
in the same way. I had a great experience
at Augsburg. Playing two sports, being a
health and physical education major, and
working within the Athletics Department
allowed me to meet many people who had a
great influence on my life.
I have been very lucky to achieve a lot
of success in my short coaching career.
Being able to be a part of something
so great on ice allowed me to also be a
part of something great off the ice. The
relationships that I have developed with
many of the girls I have coached is second
to none.
WHITNEY RESTEMAYER ’10
Physical education teacher at Challenger Elementary School
and assistant girls’ softball coach and head girls’ hockey
coach at Lincoln High School in Thief River Falls, Minnesota
JAMELL TIDWELL ’05
Assistant administrator, athletic
director, and middle school football
and track coach at Valley Middle
School of STEM, and high school
wrestling coach at Apple Valley High
School in Apple Valley, Minnesota
I feel like God put athletics in my
life to keep me out of trouble so that
I could get to where I am today. If I
didn’t have wrestling in my life, there’s
no way I’d currently be working toward
my doctorate. I didn’t have a dad
growing up, so when I was a studentathlete at Augsburg, Auggie wrestling
coaches Jeff Swenson ’79, Sam
Barber, and Donny Wichmann ’89
took me under their wings and taught
me how to be a student, how to be an
athlete, how to be a man, and how to
be successful.
I hope that by being a coach, I
can show kids that, through athletics
and working hard in school, you can
achieve anything. I always tell my
players, you have to be a student first
and an athlete second.
AN
EXPLORATION
OF FAITH
PRESTIGIOUS $467,000
GRANT FOSTERS STUDENTS’
ENGAGEMENT IN YOUTH
THEOLOGY INSTITUTE
BY STEPHANIE WEISS
“J
esus is in the generosity business,”
said Amber Kalina ’15 when she
quoted from Walter Brueggeman’s
theology of abundance at an Augsburg
College chapel service. “That means
being constantly alert to any mismatch
between the generosity of God and the
needs of people.”
Certainly, Augsburg was given a
great and generous gift this winter when
the College was awarded a prestigious
three-year Lilly Endowment Inc. grant
of $467,000 for the Youth Theology
Institute. This residential summer camp
program explores deep and meaningful
questions of faith and vocation through
classes, service work, and reflection.
The competitive grant ensures that this
program will continue the work of helping
young people discern their vocations.
Kalina’s homily was part of a visit
to her home state of Minnesota to
pursue the next step in her vocational
journey: Attending seminary to become
ordained as a minister in the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America.
The journey of this youth and
family ministry graduate, however,
started in the the summer of 2010
14
Augsburg Now
when she was a junior in high school
in Perham, Minnesota. It was then that
she attended Augsburg’s Youth Theology
Institute at the encouragement of her
youth pastor.
“I would grill my youth director
about everything. He had heard about
the Augsburg College Youth Theology
Institute, and he encouraged me to
attend because I just couldn’t stop
asking questions,” Kalina said. “At the
Institute, I was challenged and pushed
to think about and explain what I
actually think about faith.”
DIVERSE EXPERIENCES
IN A DIVERSE ZIP CODE
The 13-year-old Youth Theology
Institute engages young people in
grades 10-12 in deep theological
questions and vocational discernment
through community-based and
classroom learning, worship, reflection,
and solitude. The program, which has
touched more than 200 young people
since its inception, is an example of
how Augsburg College lives out its
vision to educate people for lives of
purpose across disciplines and beyond
the classroom.
“This grant supports Augsburg’s
continued commitment to intentional
diversity and to modeling what it means
to be a Lutheran college of the 21st
century, located in the heart of one of
the nation’s most diverse ZIP codes. It
equips young people with theological
and vocational skills and helps them
learn what it means to practice
their faith, with its commitments to
education, radical hospitality, and
serving your neighbor,” said Augsburg
College President Paul Pribbenow.
LEARN, PRAY, AND
PLAY TOGETHER
Since its inception in 2004, the Youth
Theology Institute—a program of
Augsburg’s Bernhard M. Christensen
Center for Vocation—has explored
themes germane not only to the College,
but also to current events.
Augsburg’s emphasis on
interdisciplinary learning shaped
the 2015 program, which explored
interfaith action, a deeply compelling
topic for participants and the College,
particularly given Augsburg’s setting
in the midst of a neighborhood with a
growing Muslim population.
The Lilly grant will allow the
Augsburg College Youth Theology
Institute to expand upon its history of
success while increasing programmatic
goals, including:
• Development of a cohort of youth
ministers from regional churches,
synods, and multicultural and
ethnic-specific congregations,
interested in enhancing vocational
discernment and theological
reflection among youth.
Photo by Mark Chamberlain
Amber Kalina ’15 serves Abundant Life Together,
a ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America. This Alt Year program in Toledo, Ohio,
provides young adults a chance to explore in
community subjects including vocation through
reflection, leadership, relationships, and service.
• Growth in the number of participants
from 20 in 2016 to 40 by
2019 while also strengthening
relationships with attendees, their
families, their pastors, and their
churches.
• The creation of a mentor program
to allow college-age students to
help high school students develop
practices and skills for theological
reflection.
• An increase in connections to the
four synods of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America
that form Augsburg’s governing
structure—Minneapolis, St. Paul,
Southeastern Minnesota, and
Northwest Wisconsin.
• Continuation of scholarships for
Youth Theology Institute alumni to
attend Augsburg College.
“We learn together,
pray together, play together,
explore the city together, and
discern God’s work in our
world together.”
− Jeremy Myers
Youth Theology Institute program director
and associate professor of religion
Participants in the program are
respectfully challenged in every activity
to dig deep into their perspectives and
biases to uncover their beliefs.
“We learn together, pray together,
play together, explore the city together,
and discern God’s work in our world
together,” said Associate Professor
of Religion Jeremy Myers, the Youth
Theology Institute program director.
For her part, Kalina hopes the grant
prompts others like her to find their paths.
“Young people are so eager to learn,”
Kalina said. “But if there is nothing at
home to welcome their questioning or to
guide them, it is difficult. Home church
congregations have to be involved.
Participation from our churches provides
a chance for all of us to show young
people that abundance exists in Christian
community and that abundance is meant
to be shared with everyone.”
Augsburg College will welcome the
2016 class of Youth Theology Institute
students to campus from June 19–24.
Participants from across the country will
explore meaningful questions related to
social and environmental justice, the role
of the congregation in these questions,
and how one can both love and be
frustrated by community.
To learn more, visit augsburg.edu/acyti.
Spring 2016
15
Navigating
uncharted waters
First-ever River Semester pushes
boundaries of experiential learning
By Kate H. Elliott
The River Semester was billed as an experiential learning
opportunity: engage in a full load of political, environmental,
and physical education courses—reinforced by a research
project—while canoeing down the Mississippi River from its
headwaters in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. But for the
12 Augsburg College students, two faculty members, teaching
assistant, and two guides who completed the first-of-its-kind
trek from August to December, it was so much more.
For it was on those waters that the crew learned to
appreciate the quiet, to be curious about the world around
them, and to seek knowledge. They learned to be prepared, to
make friendship a fine art, and most importantly to enjoy the
8
Augsburg Now
moment. And they didn’t just learn about the river so much
as become enamored of it, so much so that many of them feel
unsteady back on solid ground.
The Mississippi became their muse, teacher, personal
trainer, and confidante. They dreamt alongside its calming
waters and paddled through its more turbulent channels.
Soon, its problems became their problems: urban stormwater
runoff, the economic decay of river towns, and invasive flying
carp smacked them—literally—in the face. And so, what
started as an interesting, immersive experience has become a
sobering call to restore and protect one of the United States’
most iconic natural wonders.
Spring 2016
17
Ricky Taylor ’17, a film and graphic design major, captured the crew’s three-month journey and
many of the social, economic, political, and cultural forces gripping the river as he gathered
footage for a feature-length documentary. He plans to premiere “Learning to Listen: Our
Semester on the River” this summer.
“We learned by living, meeting the people, and witnessing the issues that illustrate the
complexities plaguing the river,” Taylor said. “We met Carl, a shrimper who once walked on
land that is now six feet beneath water, and we paddled past sediment that was filling in the
river’s largest lake (Lake Pepin near Red Wing, Minnesota). We read about levees being ‘big bad
wolves’ but then saw them protect families just trying to make their way through life. A portion
of Louisiana is being swallowed up by the ocean, a culture disappearing into the Gulf of Mexico,
largely due to agricultural practices that help feed our nation.
“Somewhere along the way, I slipped out of the boat and into the Big Muddy. Every day I
think about the river—about the paddling, the friends, the food, the learning—longing to be
back there. Mud runs through my veins, and the only word I can find to describe the experience
is ‘love,’ and that’s not a word I take lightly.”
A gripping odyssey
The trip had all the elements of any good adventure story:
There was a steadfast leader, Joe Underhill, who has been engaged in environmental politics
for 30 years and had been dreaming about this trip for almost as long; an epic journey paddling
nearly 700 miles in 24-foot handmade cedar-strip voyager canoes; and a compelling cast of
characters, including the student who’d never camped, the chipper morning person, and a
student about to drop out who found his calling en route. There were unexpected moments,
including an emergency appendectomy outside Mark Twain’s hometown, an open mic night
harmonizing with the locals of Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and a visit to the Michael Brown
memorial in Ferguson, Missouri. And finally, there were lots of emotions—all of them, really.
Underhill knew the trip would be an odyssey in every sense of the word. The professor
of political science, environmental studies, and international relations had been planning
“
Mud runs
through my
veins
—Ricky Taylor ’17
and networking for 15 years to realize the River Semester. He tested the waters in 2001 by
organizing a three-day field trip from St. Cloud, Minnesota, to St. Paul. Five-day and 10-day
excursions followed before he proposed the semester experience in 2012.
“This is where Augsburg stands out from other institutions,” said Underhill, who has
organized interdisciplinary trips throughout the world. “Augsburg values experiential learning,
place-based pedagogy, and innovative approaches so much that it wasn’t a
matter of ‘if’ we can make this happen but ‘how.’ Yes, we had three years
of sorting out logistics, but the College continues to empower and support
faculty to engage in this type of work, and you only have to talk with one
of these students to grasp the impact.”
Once logistics were in place, Underhill’s years of contacts at
organizations such as the National Park Service rushed in to participate—
offering guest lectures, exclusive tours of historic sites, hot meals, and
lodging. Wilderness Inquiry, a Minneapolis-based outfitter that has
partnered with Augsburg for years, provided logistical expertise and
risk management planning as well as guides, food, and equipment. Erik
Ophaug, a Wilderness Inquiry program manager, said the outfitter is proud
to be at the forefront in creative endeavors that increase students’ access
to and connection with the natural world.
“This was the longest expedition we have run, in terms of number of days on the river, in
our 40-year history of supporting educational and expeditionary outdoor adventures,” Ophaug
said. “It was inspiring to watch these students truly soak up and process all of the little
moments that make up the culture, politics, ecosystem, and history of the Mississippi River
watershed.”
Guide Emily Knudson ’15 had paddled with Underhill on a 10-day canoe trip as part of a
River Politics course her senior year. When she learned the semester-long excursion wouldn’t
materialize until after she would graduate, the determined triple major in environmental
studies, English literature, and Spanish secured a job with Wilderness Inquiry in hopes of
gaining a staff position on the trip, which she did. Charged with almost every logistical task,
from planning mileage and booking campsites to grocery shopping and monitoring weather
conditions, Knudson also served as a supplemental instructor and intern for Augsburg. She
led study sessions and presented lectures in their outdoor classrooms (or the nearest city’s
laundromat or public library in bad weather).
“Educational experiences like this are important because they make you think so much
more deeply about the course content. Instead of memorizing facts about the lock and dam
system for a test, we were paddling through the pools the dams created, hearing stories from
locals, and camping on the islands built to replace those flooded out decades earlier. In a
couple years, I will forget almost everything I memorized, but I will never forget my learning in
action,” said Knudson.
Guitar
Headlamp
Rain gear
French press
Rubber boots
Visit augsburg.edu/now to learn
which items the River Semester
crew couldn’t live without.
Self-discovery on the riverbanks
Glen Gardner ’17 was considering taking a year off from school when he saw the River Semester
publicized in the cafeteria. He signed up, and somewhere along the pilgrimage, the Montana
native realized he wants to teach art. Gardner is back at Augsburg this semester, majoring in
studio art and art education.
“Having the time to unplug and reflect about my life helped me realize my passion for art
education. I have always been interested in the arts, but I hadn’t really thought about teaching
until I discovered that I loved spreading the feelings I find in art to other people as much as I
enjoy making art,” Gardner said. “I want to extend my knowledge and passion beyond myself
and use art to promote living in a way that is not wasteful to the world.”
Spring 2016
19
Hearing this, Underhill is proud. Provoking self-exploration
was not his motivation for organizing the trip, but the sense of
vocation students found down river is certainly the journey’s
most fulfilling outcome. Admittedly, he took a leap of faith
selecting the crew. He didn’t pick a team of students with
similar interests, backgrounds, maturity levels, and outdoor
experience. He picked a team that reflects Augsburg’s
commitment to nurturing a diverse community of resilient,
driven, and faith-filled citizens. As you can imagine, the initial
weeks included some whining and a few cold stares, but before
long, this dynamic group evolved into a harmonious tribe.
Forging lasting bonds
Taylor was nervous about the trip, not because of the physical
demands or the elements (he was an Eagle Scout and grew
up a “river kid” in north-central Wisconsin). As the crew’s
videographer and documentarian, Taylor was most concerned
about getting his new Nikon, Sony video camera, and
two GoPros wet. But even more so, he was terrified of the
quiet—for those moments when people would start sharing
information about their lives. He was finishing up his second
semester at Augsburg in the College’s StepUP® Program, the
nation’s largest residential collegiate recovery community.
Now sober for two years, Taylor said he burned bridges
between himself and others before he entered recovery.
“My peers on the River Semester were some of my first
friends in a long time. It was truly a fresh start,” he said.
“On the trip, I heard things that were strange to my ears:
‘Ricky, you’re a good person,’ ‘You’re kind,’ and ‘I’m amazed
by you.’ I always looked around, thinking, ‘Are you sure you’re
talking to me?’ It was the first time in years that I felt good,
felt worth, and felt confidence. People trusting and caring for
me is more precious to me than anything, and I developed
everlasting bonds with this crew.”
Brian Arvold ’80 witnessed that closeness when he
welcomed home his daughter, Hannah, who was one of
the first two students to sign up for the trip. When the
crew stepped off the train at a welcome home rally in midDecember, Arvold said, the students ran into their families’
arms, and then they all ran back—to each other.
8
Augsburg Now
“It was touching for all of us to see,” said Arvold, who
was waving a canoe paddle painted with “River Semester” as
the train slowed to a halt. “You may want a lot for your child,
but lifelong friendships are at the top of the list. Knowing that
these students will be there for each other through life’s ups
and downs is comforting.
“We’d talk to Hannah along the trip, and we could hear
her growing more socially and culturally aware, but we also
detected a real sense of confidence. Paddling that entire river
empowered our daughter as she was placed in settings where
she had to stand up for herself, push through, and create
solutions. Augsburg is truly on the forefront—a small college
doing great things. It’s neat to see them embrace learning
without four walls.”
Wading through analysis, navigating partnerships
Hannah Arvold ’18 was able to channel her professional
pursuits into a research project focused on nutrition and the
environmental impacts of farming. On the first leg of their
trip, she calculated the caloric intake and expenditure of her
peers, noting which foods provided the best sources of energy.
Near the end of their voyage, she recorded the agriculture
industry’s negative impacts on the river, including gasoline
and pesticides seeping into groundwater. “Caring about the
health of your body,” Arvold said, “is just as important as the
health of the land it is grown on.
“I created an ‘I the Mississippi’ bumper sticker and
gave it out to people along our trip for freewill donations,”
Arvold said. “We donated $500 of the money raised to
purchase science equipment for the International School of
Louisiana where we presented many of our research findings
to more than 160 fourth- and sixth-graders.”
Each student conducted a research project, and many
of them involved collaborations with external partners
throughout the United States. Noah Cameron ’17 worked with
Minnesota artist Monica Haller, known for the “Veterans Book
Project,” which captures interviews and data from dozens
of soldiers, refugees, and journalists affected by wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Cameron used a hydrophone to record
underwater noises while on the river and then paired them
with social and cultural recordings, which he plans to use for
future collaborations with Haller.
“It seems that intense, mindful listening is a difficult task
nowadays, and some people have no reason to listen. I was
given a reason, and I learned much about the nature of sound,
silence, noise, and listening,” the political science major said.
“My project acknowledges that the river has something to say,
which it certainly does. One thing the river told me was that
it is polarized; its waters are either filled with the sounds of
mechanical engineering or with quiet ecological or hydrologic
characteristics.
“Similarly to how I thoughtfully listen to the systems of
the river, I realized that we—as a society—should thoughtfully
listen, which is not the same as agreeing, to our government
and each other. I viewed the river like our government—this
massive, daunting entity that we seem to have little effect
on. However, as we moved down that river and as we took
classes about both the nature of the river and the nature of
democracy, we learned that we do affect that river, and we do
affect our government.”
Blair Stewig ’18 connected with the river on a molecular
level, studying how the concentrations of various chemicals
influence ecosystems. Throughout the trip, she collected water
quality data like that of the National Park Service’s “State of
the River Report.” She also collaborated with Reuben Heine,
a geology professor at Augustana College in Rock Island,
Illinois, to gather sonar data about subaqueous dunes, or
sediment bed forms at the bottom of the river.
“My main focus was on the accumulation of nitrates
in the Mississippi and its effect on the Gulf of Mexico. The
molecule, commonly found in fertilizers, seeps into the
river system from agricultural and urban runoff, feedlots,
sewage treatment plants, and more. This excess results in a
‘Dead Zone’ in the Northern Gulf of Mexico each late spring
and summer,” said Stewig, who is majoring in biology and
chemistry. “What does that mean? An influx of nutrients
results in an algae bloom. When these algae die, they sink
to the bottom of the ocean, where they are consumed by
bacteria, which depletes the area of oxygen. Some marine
life sense the lack of oxygen and leave, but others die as a
result. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, the Dead Zone costs the U.S. seafood and
tourism industry $82 million per year.”
Lark Weller, who collaborated with Stewig on behalf of
the National Park Service, said Stewig’s data will inform
brochures and fact sheets about excess nitrates in a river
system that provides water for upwards of 15 million people.
The research these students conducted is compelling, Weller
said, but their connection to the river is even more impressive.
“I suppose it’s possible to complete a college degree
without really ever understanding the broader context of the
world around you—but not for River Semester students. It
is clear the experience dramatically changed the lives of
every single student who accepted the challenge. They have
returned with a new and expansive sense of self, place, and
world,” said Weller.
Memories keep rollin’ along
The next leg of this journey: The documentary. Taylor
produced several short videos chronicling the trip, which are
at augsburg.edu/river, and he’s looking forward to sharing the
experience through his forthcoming feature-length film. For
now, the River Semester crew continues to process the issues
they know and to reflect upon their moments together: rows
of sleeping bags dotting the shore as they looked up at an
ebony sky studded with millions of heavenly diamonds; waking
at 3 a.m. to paddle from darkness to dawn; and swaying in
hammocks tied to the tall willow trees of remote river islands.
So, if you see members of this motley crew sleeping
outside, don’t judge. They’re just longing to be back on
the water, where they grew stronger and a bit wiser, having
realized that the issues gripping the Mississippi River are
as sophisticated as its ecosystems. That enlightenment has
influenced the way they now see the world, with varying
shades of compromise and understanding. They reenter their
lives with renewed purpose, fueled by an empowering sense
of community, the ability to adapt, and the ache for life’s next
adventure.
“
It feels good to say, ‘I know the Mississippi.’
But, of course, you don’t—what you know better
is yourself and the Mississippi has helped.
—River Semester student journal entry
From trickling headwaters to the
WIDE AND MIGHTY OCEAN
River Semester participants share memorable events along the river
Beginning in 2003, Augsburg College Associate Professor Joe Underhill began incorporating short Mississippi River
trips—three-, five-, and 10-day excursions—into his environmental politics curriculum. He first presented the idea
of a semester-long trip to College leadership in 2012, and then three years of logistical discussions and planning
followed. This past fall, Underhill and biology instructor Thorpe Halloran shoved off from St. Paul with 12 students, two
guides, and a teaching assistant. Here are a few highlights from their journey.
AUG. 28-30: Held an orientation at
the Mississippi River headwaters to
introduce courses, review canoeing and
water safety basics, and discuss topics
such as American Indians’ perspectives
on the environment and sustainability.
1
SEPT. 1: Chris Coleman, mayor of
St. Paul, joined nearly 100 Auggies,
family members, and high school students
at the launch of the nation’s first-ever
River Semester. Dozens of attendees
paddled in a flotilla of 24-foot voyageur
canoes to South St. Paul.
2
SEPT. 5-7: Studied the water
quality and impact of farming,
including increased sediment load on the
river. Sampled water alongside fisheries
biologists with the Minnesota Department
of Natural Resources.
3
“Without a current and with a brutal head wind,
paddling Lake Pepin was probably one of our
most challenging days.” —Lily Moloney ’15
SEPT. 12-17: Joined faculty and
students from Winona State
University for stream ecology labs and
discussion on the impact of the lock and
dam system.
4
OCT. 3: A rough paddle through the
pool above Lock and Dam No. 13,
one of the widest pools on the upper river.
The crew struggled through fierce winds
to avoid submerged tree stumps left over
5
from before the dam was built. One of the
canoes sustained a bad crack, which the
crew repaired at camp.
OCT. 7-10: Met with local farmers
and a nonprofit environmental
group that organizes river cleanups, tree
plantings, and other conservation efforts.
The crew also engaged a field lab with
Reuben Heine, geography professor at
Augustana College in Illinois.
6
OCT. 20-21: When the crew
paddled into author Mark Twain’s
hometown, Izzie Smith ’18 began to suffer
from stomach pain. By midnight, she had
been diagnosed with appendicitis, and
the next morning she had surgery. Two
weeks later, Smith rejoined the group in
Memphis. Even with all the excitement,
the team still engaged in a lively
discussion about Huck Finn and literary
figures born along the Mississippi.
7
OCT. 29: The last morning of their
journey on the upper river, the crew
woke up at 3 a.m. to paddle for a few
hours in the dark to catch the sun rise
over the river. They ended their sunrise
paddle on the Mississippi’s banks north
of St. Louis, from which vans shuttled
the crew past the Chain of Rocks, an
exposure of bedrock in the Cuivre River.
8
9
NOV. 2: As part of Underhill’s
course, Democracy in the American
Heartland, students traveled to the
Michael Brown Memorial—the site of the
August 2014 shooting death of a black
teenager by a white policeman, which
prompted national commentary on racial
discrimination and gun control. President
Paul Pribbenow joined the group for a
tour through the city and discussions with
residents.
“Standing at that memorial in the middle of
the road was a deeply unsettling experience—
there was no way it could or should have been
otherwise.” —President Paul Pribbenow
NOV. 16: The team paddled past
expansive sandbars and islands
full of wildlife at the confluence of the
Mississippi and Arkansas rivers. Waters in
this area can rise and fall as much as 70
feet and swirl around canoes.
10
NOV. 26: Thanksgiving in New
Orleans: The crew enjoyed an
abundance of fried turkey and comforting
side dishes at their hostel as they visited
with fellow travelers from more than a
dozen countries.
11
12
DEC. 11: Travel by train to Chicago.
“The train back to Chicago was spent
doing a lot of work on our finals, but it was also
a time to reflect on everything we experienced
on the trip.” —Blair Stewig ’18
1
ITASCA STATE
PARK, MN
HARRIET ISLAND, ST. PAUL
2
LAKE PEPIN
3
4
WINONA, MN
CLINTON, IA
HANNIBAL, MO
5
6
CHICAGO, IL
12
QUAD CITIES
7
LOUISIANA, MO
8
FERGUSON, MO
9
10
CHOCTAW ISLAND, TN
DEC. 14-15 The crew traveled by train from Chicago
to the Twin Cities and joined in a “good-bye” hug
upon arrival at Union Depot in St. Paul.
As part of the River Semester welcome back celebration,
Augsburg graphic design and typography students created an
interactive gallery exhibit chronicling the voyage. Learn more
at augsburg.edu/now.
NEW ORLEANS, LA
11
Spring 2016
23
AUGGIES CONNECT
FROM THE ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
Dear alumni and friends,
JILL WATSON ’10 MBA, ALUMNI BOARD PRESIDENT
24
Augsburg Now
Courtesy Photo
T
oday’s Augsburg College students seek to make
a difference, and it’s been a privilege to interact
with them as they gather to meet alumni, discuss
vocation, and pick up targeted professional advice at
recent events. Last fall, the Clair and Gladys Strommen
Center for Meaningful Work hosted a Career and
Internship Fair and welcomed young Auggies who sought
to make connections with employers and internship hosts.
Shortly after the event, nearly two dozen Augsburg alumni returned to
campus to join panel discussions about their academic and career stories across
a range of disciplines and professions. These events were part of a five-week
major and career exploration series that provided nearly 175 students the
opportunity to explore a wide variety of degrees and occupations. This series was
made successful thanks, in part, to the Augsburg College alumni who served as
panelists. Thank you to all Auggies who shared your vocation and insight with
students!
Most recently, I was humbled by the talent, drive, and thoughtfulness I saw
all around me at the annual Alumni-Student Networking event in February, where
hundreds of alumni mingled with current students and faculty, received free
professional profile photos, and listened as alumni addressed the importance
of informational interviewing, mentoring, and using social media to connect.
Regardless of where we are in our professional lives, I think we all have something
to offer to or gain from such events.
Events like these make me proud to be an Auggie. If you shared your
experiences with students in the past year, you helped to inspire Auggie pride.
Whether you’re connecting with students, networking with graduates of all
class years, contributing to The Augsburg Fund
View videos that illustrate the
to support College initiatives, or planning a
impact of student internships
gift to fund an endowed scholarship, we are so
at augsburg.edu/now.
grateful.
As Augsburg moves into the future, alumni can help the College live out its
vision—to educate students for lives of purpose—across the disciplines, beyond
the classroom, and around the world.
You can engage your employer in identifying Auggies as candidates for
employment, internships, or mentorships by posting opportunities at your
company on the AugPost job board found at augsburg.edu/alumni.
I joined the alumni board because I wanted to see Auggies help other
Auggies and make a difference. Each time I attend an Augsburg event, I learn
more about what current students are up to, and I want to do everything I can to
help them succeed. Won’t you join me?
UNIQUELY AUGSBURG
TRAVEL IN THAILAND AND CAMBODIA
JANUARY 3-15, 2017
In January, English Professor Kathy
Swanson and her husband, Jack,
will lead an educational trip through
Thailand and Cambodia. After arriving
in Bangkok, travelers will tour the Grand
Palace, visit the temple at Wat Po (the
Reclining Buddha), shop for tropical
produce, and sample local cuisine
cooked on boats at a floating market.
From there they will continue to Chiang
Mai to ride elephants, perfect their
culinary skills with a cooking class, and
volunteer at an orphanage. The trip will
conclude in Siem Reap, Cambodia,
at Angkor Wat, the largest religious
monument in the world.
This thought-provoking tour has
been customized specifically for
Augsburg alumni, parents, and friends,
and there’s still time to learn more and
participate. Contact Katie Koch ’01,
director of Auggie Engagement, at
kochk@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1178
if you are interested in learning more
about Augsburg’s travel opportunities.
To learn more, go to
augsburg.edu/alumni/travel.
AUGGIES CONNECT
ALUMNA COMBINES
CREATIVITY AND CHEMISTRY
through career at 3M
Capstone dinner celebrates
SUCCESSFUL BUILDING CAMPAIGN
This winter, as part of the annual Advent Vespers festivities, Augsburg
College held a dinner to celebrate the successful completion of the
largest capital campaign in the institution’s history and to recognize
the generosity of all who made the Campaign for the Norman and
Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion
possible. More than 200 donors attended, including members of the
Board of Regents and many alumni supporters.
President Paul Pribbenow offered his sincere thanks to Norman
and Evangeline Hagfors and all donors to the new building. Chair of
the Board of Regents Dr. Paul Mueller ’84 shared his gratitude and
recognized the incredible leadership and commitment of Mike Good ’71
[pictured above], who served as national chair for the campaign that
exceeded its $50 million goal.
After becoming
involved with the 3M
STEP program as a
high school student,
Audrey Sherman ’97
[pictured] became
an inventor at age
20. Now a scientist
with 3M, Sherman is
credited with nearly
80 patents, some
created with other Augsburg alumni working at
the Minnesota-based company.
Sherman’s most recent patent is for a
versatile material with the potential to improve
cosmetics, insulation wrapping, and electronics.
Two of her favorite patents involve using
pressure-sensitive adhesives to transport light
and making a solvent-free duct tape. She also
helped discover a new solution for restickable
diaper tape. Sherman feels that her Augsburg
minor in art has been an important factor in
pursuing her inventions, enabling her to blend
creativity with her skills in chemistry. Today
she mentors St. Paul high school students
interested in science and gives talks to juniorhigh and middle-school students about careers
in science and technology.
Share your ideas for
AUGSBURG’S 150TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
SESQUICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
years
Augsburg alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff are invited to help celebrate
the College’s 150th anniversary in 2019. What aspect of your Augsburg
history would you like to celebrate during the sesquicentennial year? Were you
connected to a team, a club, or a department that made a difference? Would
you like to see a reunion for your favorite activity—whether it was the Echo
newspaper staff, a sport, Lutheran Youth Encounter, the Augsburg Choir, or
theater? How best would you like to honor Augsburg’s past, present, and future?
Visit augsburg.edu/150 to submit your ideas and find monthly updates on
planning already underway for the sesquicentennial celebration.
Spring 2016
25
AUGGIES CONNECT
ALUMNI ASSIST
STUDENTS
on their path to
physician assistant
career
[L to R]: Augsburg College alumnus
Tom Towle ’14 MPA leads thenstudents Scott Harder ’15 MPA and
Christina Pekoske ’15 MPA through
the steps of starting an IV.
32
26
Augsburg Now
I
n the classroom and in the field, Augsburg
College alumni help today’s physician assistant
students gain a glimpse into the professional
world they’re preparing to enter. Through clinical
work and course instruction, alumni share their
experience in a high-demand field.
Augsburg’s Master of Science in Physician
Assistant Studies program was the first of its kind
in Minnesota and admitted its inaugural class in
1995. The full-time graduate program educates
generalist physician assistants oriented toward
service to underserved populations in rural and
urban settings.
The physician assistant (PA) concept has
evolved over time but continues to increase in
relevance. In alignment with health care industry
demand, the PA’s role continues to expand.
The Augsburg PA program’s long history
in Minnesota is advantageous, according to
Jenny Kluznik ’13 MPA, assistant professor of
physician assistant studies. PA students spend
approximately half of their graduate program in
a didactic—or classroom—phase. The latter half
of the program is spent in the community where
students complete clinical rotations that change
every five weeks. Augsburg’s PA alumni serve
as educators and lecturers for a course series in
clinical medicine and also serve as hosts for the
hands-on field work.
Meredith Wold ’07 MPA is a guest lecturer
for the program and an adjunct faculty member.
She works as a hospitalist PA with an internal
medicine team at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.
As an undergraduate, Wold was focused almost
exclusively on medical school, but during her final
year in college she was struck by the teamwork she
witnessed between a doctor and a PA in surgery.
Now, after nearly a decade in her profession,
Wold values the team-based work of taking care
of hospitalized patients.
She weaves clinical episodes from her career
into her lectures, which serve to remind students
of the whole patient—not just the upcoming exam.
Melissa Oeding ’10 MPA, another guest
lecturer, agrees.
“As a recent graduate, I can relate to the
student experience, understand how students learn,
and provide real-world insight and advice regarding
what to expect as a practicing PA,” said Oeding,
who works at Minneapolis’ Hennepin County
Medical Center.
She’s stimulated by the chance to sit on the
other side of the lectern.
“It renews an excitement for my work and
career and reminds me just why I started out in the
program,” she said. “I feel extraordinarily blessed to
have been trained and trained well at Augsburg.”
Guest lecturer Olga Trouskova ’13 MPA sought
out Augsburg’s PA program in part because of its
emphasis on serving the underserved.
“I went into medicine to provide answers and
to heal,” Trouskova said. “Now I understand that
great medicine cannot happen without building
relationships and trust with my patients.”
She also is a hospitalist PA at Regions and,
during her weeks off, serves as a family practice
PA at Westside Community Health Services/La
Clinica, a community clinic.
Trouskova makes a point of including real
patient stories in her presentations to remind
students that PAs treat patients, not diseases.
For students, there’s no match for hearing these
types of lessons from alumni, according to Wold.
“It shows a level of alumni commitment
toward the program and the next generation
of Augsburg PAs,” she said. “Early on after
graduation I felt a duty, a professional
responsibility really, to give that back.”
And teaching is its own kind of gift,
according to Trouskova.
“By teaching others, I have learned as well,”
she said.
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
1960
Lowell “Zeke”
Ziemann ’60 continues
to write. His newest book,
“Gunslingers and Baseball,” is
a collection of Western historical
fiction, essays, and baseball
stories. It is available on Amazon.
1965
From his time at
Augsburg, Allen
Anderson ’65 fondly remembers his
music professor Leland Sateren ’35,
the Burgundy Singers, dorm life,
and choir tours. Today, Anderson is
still involved with choral music and
enjoys golf, woodworking, activities
in his community and at his church,
travel, and participation in Lutheran
Men in Mission. He and wife, Joyce,
have two children who graduated
from Augsburg. They travel to New
Zealand on occasion to visit their
son and his family.
Gary Blosberg ’65 says that his
current position is “reclined.”
He is retired after 26 years
as a finance manager at
General Electric and 23 years
in the U.S. Navy. He thanks
chemistry professor Courtland
Agre for sharing his wisdom
when he said: “You don’t need
to know everything; you just
need to know where to find the
answers.” Blosberg still sings
with the Centennial Singers, the
Masterworks Chorale, and other
groups. He is proud to be a father
and grandfather.
Connie (Ekeren) Cameron ’65
teaches at Honors Mentor
Connection, is on the Fringe
Festival Board, sings in the
St. Joan of Arc Choir, and is
involved in politics, travel, and
the League of Women Voters. Her
fondest memories of Augsburg
include the Kappa House girls,
professor Anne Pederson’s literature
wonderful teachers and role
models. Among Dietrich’s most
treasured Augsburg memories
are the excellent convocation
speakers and the great
friendships she made. Today, she
and husband, Franklin, enjoy
their grandsons, their involvement
at Central Lutheran Church, and
traveling. She also volunteers with
literature; and professor of history
Carl Chrislock ’37 for his effective
use of anecdote to enliven history.
Dyrud spends his time reading,
golfing, and traveling. He and
wife, Marilyn, have three children
who are all involved with theater,
and they enjoy seeing their
children’s work.
In October, Janis “Matty” Mathison ’69 was honored by the American
Planning Association’s Wisconsin Chapter as its Citizen of the Year for
her leadership in working with local residents and planners to promote
healthy living and active lifestyles in eastern Wisconsin’s Shawano
County. Last year was the third year of Bike the Barn Quilts, an area
bike tour that she spearheaded.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
classes, and her roommate of four
years Carol (Welch) Langness ’65.
Cameron thanks the team behind
the Christmas smorgasbords;
Ailene Cole, speech professor;
Orvald Haugsby, math professor;
Leland Sateren ’35, music
department head; and Phil
Quanbeck Sr. ’50. She and
husband, Bill, have three sons and
one grandchild.
Eunice (Bergman) Dietrich ’65
thanks home economics faculty
Ruth Segolson, Ruth Sonsteng,
and Katherine Peterson for being
daughter, Kari, at Dakota City,
the 1900s village in Farmington,
Minnesota. The Dietrichs also
have a son, Hans.
The faculty members who most
influenced David Dyrud ’65 as a
student were philosophy professor
Paul Sonnack ’42 for his intensity;
New Testament Greek and Latin
professor Mario Colacci for
his flamboyance; professor of
English Gerald Thorson ’43 for his
Hush Puppies (Dyrud’s favorite
shoes); professor of English Anne
Pederson, for her affection for
Mark Gjerde ’65 retired in 2004
from 3M. He enjoys traveling
with wife, Jan (Lunas) Gjerde ’68,
and spending time with their
grandchildren at a lake home. He
remembers Gerald “Jerry” Pryd ’66
and Paul Dahlen ’66, his friends
who died in a plane crash while
they were Augsburg students.
Gjerde was influenced by professor
of math George Soberg ’26 and
professor of philosophy Paul
Sonnack ’42. The Gjerdes lived in
Brussels from 1995-97 while Mark
worked for 3M. They have two sons
and four grandchildren.
AUGGIE SNAPSHOTS
1960
This group of
alumni were friends
during college but had little
contact since graduating. They
were reunited at the 2015
Homecoming celebration and
barely scratched the surface
in terms of catching up. Now
retired, the five Auggies plan to
get together again soon.
[L to R]: The men and their previous careers: Arden Flaten ’60 (science teacher),
Myron Carlson ’60 (pastor), Don Gilberg ’60 (band teacher, piano tuner), Iver
Christopherson ’60 (high school principal), and Neuman Berger ’60 (attorney).
1974
The National Tile Contractors
Association recently honored Janet
(Durkee) Hohn ’74 with its Tile Person of the
Year award. Hohn was the third woman to
receive this honor in the six decades it has
been presented. For more than 20 years,
Hohn has operated a one-person, high-end
residential tile and stone installation company.
She has served as president of the Twin
Cities Local Tile Contractors Association, as
a board member and technical methods and
standards committee member for NTCA, and most recently as chairperson
of the NTCA training and education committee.
Spring
2014
2016
Fall 2014
17
27
37
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
One Augsburg College memory treasured by
Glenn Hamberg ’65 is the teaching style and
effectiveness of W. LaMarr Kopp in German
class. Other faculty members who influenced
Hamberg as a student were Mario Colacci from
the department of New Testament Greek and
Latin, Courtland Agre from chemistry, Gerald
Thorson ’43 from English, and Paul Sonnack ’42.
Hamberg’s present interests include crossword
puzzles, computers, movies, Jeopardy,
volunteering, travel, and spending time with
his grandchildren and wife, Sandra (Edstrom)
Hamberg ’66.
Jerry Hamlin ’65 works part time. He likes to
volunteer and to travel in his free time. He
treasures his memories of Augsburg basketball
games, the convocation with Nobel Prize winner
Linus Pauling, and feeling like every day was a
good day. He was most influenced by Donald
Gustafson and Carl Chrislock ’37 in history, and
Sheldon Fardig in education. Hamlin and wife,
Jari, have four children and 10 grandchildren.
James Harbo ’65 has a full-time dental
practice in New York. He enjoys visiting his
two grandchildren in Pennsylvania, doing
church work, reading theology, participating
in a book club, and aging well! He fondly
remembers his dorm friendships, baseball,
Augsburg Choir concerts, and soaking up the
culture of Minneapolis. The past 50 years have
heightened his appreciation of his years at
Augsburg where, he says, there was “much
goodness and inspiration.” Harbo and wife,
Amy, have three children.
Today you can find Peter Jacobson ’65
woodworking, volunteering, or traveling. He
and wife, Lynne, have two children and two
grandchildren. His fondest memories of
Augsburg include dorm life all four years,
Augsburg basketball, being a resident assistant,
and spending afternoons in the physics lab.
He was most influenced by physics professor
Theodore “Ted” Hanwick.
28
Julie (Gudmestad) Laudicina ’65 and husband,
Joe, love to travel and recently celebrated their
30th wedding anniversary with a cruise on
the Danube River. She also enjoys gardening,
reading, leading a book club, and living in
New York City. She has been a civil wedding
officiant for 10 years and has married more
than 300 couples from around the world. Some
For 12 years, David Raether ’78 wrote for TV comedy
sitcoms, including “Roseanne.” After building his career,
he took a break to focus on his family and found the job
market had changed completely when he attempted to
return to the field. After struggling and becoming homeless,
he says, he discovered that he was far more resourceful
and resilient than he had ever dreamed. Raether delivered
a TEDxAmherst talk and wrote a book about his experiences
titled, “Tell Me Something, She Said.”
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
of her memories of Augsburg include listening
to choir practice, freezing at football games,
enjoying her many friends, and participating
in student government and chapel. She
was most influenced by faculty members
Phil Quanbeck Sr. ’50, professor of religion;
Anne Pederson, professor of English; and
Philip Thompson, professor of art. She also
remembers Dean of Students Glen Johnson
and Dean of Women Fern Martinson. Laudicina
would most like to thank her parents, both
Augsburg alumni, for encouraging her to live
and learn with a strong set of values.
Sharon (Dittbenner) Klabunde ’65 plays in a
mountain dulcimer band, and loves to travel
and garden. She remembers chapel time from
her days at Augsburg and also living in a house
as a freshman where, she says, there were
three women to a room who shared one dinky
closet. She enjoyed working in the cafeteria.
Bette (Bodin) Leeney ’65 and husband, Jack,
love their home in Florida. They have a pool
and use it a lot. She likes to garden and to
welcome the family, mostly in the winter! Her
treasured memories of Augsburg focus on the
good values she learned and kept with her. She
remembers the assassination of President John
F. Kennedy and how difficult that was. She
admired Dean of Students Peter Armacost, who
supported her when her father passed away.
Her psychology and social work professors
inspired her to get her master’s degree in
social work. She and Marie (Bergh) Sandbo ’65
met freshman year and have remained friends
for 50 years. They share the same birthday.
Carol (Welch) Langness ’65 and husband, Gary,
spend every January to April in the East African
city of Iringa, Tanzania, along with their synod
partners in the Iringa Diocese. They have two
children and three grandchildren.
As a student, John Luoma ’65 was influenced
by Mario Colacci, professor of classical
languages; Carl Chrislock ’37, professor of
history; and William “Bill” Halverson ’51,
professor of religion. He treasures memories
Augsburg Now
of chapel, serving as student body president,
and Augsburg’s emphasis on vocation, service,
and faith active in love. Luoma is a minister of
education at Hope Lutheran, The Villages. He is
a Via de Cristo coordinator, a Diaconate teacher,
and likes to travel and bowl. He and wife, Gracia
(Nydahl) Luoma ’66, have two sons. Their oldest
son, Aaron, passed away in January 2015.
LeRoy Martinson ’65 retired in June 1998 after 33
years of teaching math and coaching skiing. Now
he stays active with tennis, volleyball, and five
grandchildren. He lives with wife, Micki, in Cross
Lake, Minnesota. His memories of Augsburg are
of his math teachers, his coaches, and student
teaching with Ms. Anderson. He was influenced
by professor of math George Soberg ’26,
professor of physical education Howard “Howie”
Pearson ’53, and Coach Edor Nelson ’38.
Martinson is a member of the Minnesota State
High School Coaches Hall of Fame.
Dan and Mary (Tildahl) Meyers ’65 met during
their freshman year at Augsburg. The couple
celebrated their 50th anniversary, Dan has
worked for AdvisorNet Financial for 50 years,
and it’s been 50 years since he graduated from
Augsburg. Dan remembers playing basketball
and baseball, and he was influenced most
by Ernie Anderson ’37 and Edor Nelson ’38.
He would thank Milt Kleven ’46, if he could,
for funding his scholarship. Dan keeps busy
with work, golf, reading, and basketball. Mary
enjoys walking, reading, caring for a grandson,
and traveling. She treasures the friendships
she made at Augsburg and meeting Dan
there. Carl Chrislock ’37 and her world history
class helped her realize she wasn’t a history
major. Mary says that Augsburg has been an
influence in their lives for 50 years. Whether
they return for athletic games, homecoming
or concerts, it always feels like coming home.
The Meyers have two children and three
grandchildren.
Larry Nelson ’65 thanks Theodore
“Ted” Hanwick, of the Physics
Department, for his challenging
and thorough classes. Nelson’s
Augsburg education provided a solid
foundation for his career in science
education. He enjoyed teaching
various areas of biology, in addition
to wilderness-based experiential
education. His fondest Augsburg
memories are of morning chapel,
convocations, studying in the library,
concerts, sporting events, and social
activities. Nelson says Augsburg
also prepared him for continued
spiritual growth. Today, he likes to
travel, read, garden, volunteer, do
house maintenance, and spend
time with his family. He and wife,
Marilyn, have two daughters and five
grandchildren.
Becky (Walhood) Nielsen ’65
remembers her good friends from
Miriam House. She and husband,
Steve Nielsen ’64, have three
daughters, 10 grandchildren,
and a great-grandchild. Their
granddaughter, Morgan Kenny ’17,
attends Augsburg.
Lois Peterson ’65 would thank Mimi
Kingsley, professor of Spanish,
for telling her that she had “a gift
for language.” Peterson is fluent
in Spanish, and she visited Mimi
in Chile prior to her death. Today,
Peterson enjoys traveling and
has been to Costa Rica, Mexico,
Norway, and Spain. She remembers
being in a class Bill Halverson ’51
taught in Old Main when the
news came of President John F.
Kennedy’s death, and watching the
Beatles for the first time while in
The Grill. She loves life in Denver,
where her children live nearby.
Leland Sateren ’35 most influenced
Sharon (Bjugstad) Ronning ’65, and
she has spent her life involved in
music. She sings in the Masterworks
Chorale, directs a church choir,
and teaches piano. Other activities
include knitting, spending time at
her cabin, and enjoying her four
children and eight grandchildren.
She met husband, Don Ronning ’66,
in the Augsburg Choir. Don passed
away in 2000.
Marie (Bergh) Sandbo ’65 and
husband, Hans Sandbo ’63, will
celebrate 50 years of marriage this
year. Marie likes to travel, spend
time with grandchildren, and serve
on the Heritage Committee at
church, all while continuing to run
a small business from home. Her
treasured memories of Augsburg
include the friendships made and
her studies in library science. Don
Gustafson, Martha Mattson ’28,
Ruth Aaskov ’53, Dick Husfloen ’60,
and Pat Parker are the faculty and
staff who most influenced Marie.
Two of the Sandbos’ three children
graduated from Augsburg.
1991
On October
13, 2015,
David Johnson ’91 was
promoted to Colonel in
the North Dakota Army
National Guard. He is a
senior Army chaplain for
the state. Johnson also is
an ELCA pastor serving
as a full-time chaplain for
the North Dakota Army
National Guard. He has
been serving in this call
for the past 12 years. Previous to this role, he served parishes in
central and eastern North Dakota.
Terry Simonson ’65 and wife,
Patricia, live in Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, where he serves as
a half-time chaplain at a residence
for seniors. Three generations
share their home, and his three
granddaughters are the joy of his
life. The memories of Augsburg
that he treasures are good times
spent with roommates and learning
Greek and Latin (his major). Erwin
Mickelberg ’54 was influential in
Simonson’s decision to attend
Augsburg. These days, he is
interested in quantum physics and
continues to explore the subject.
2006
Heather
(Nystrom)
Finholm ’06 and husband,
Jeffrey, announce the
adoption of their twin
sons, Joseph and
Matthew, born April 30,
2015, and adopted on
July 27, 2015.
2007
Lázaro G.
Payano Stark
was welcomed into this
world at home with the
help of his midwives on
April 3, 2015. He is the
son of Jenessa Payano
Stark ’07 and Geomar
Payano Stark. The
family resides in south
Minneapolis.
This fall, seven Auggies served on the varsity football coaching staff at Osseo (Minnesota)
High School and helped lead the team to its first Class 6A state championship. The group
of Augsburg alumni included Jack Osberg ’62, Derrin Lamker ’97, Mark Joseph ’01, Andy
Johnson ’04, Jordan Berg ’09, Royce Winford ’09, and David Tilton ’12.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
Spring
2014
Fall 2014
Spring
2016
17
37
29
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
Win Stiefel ’65 taught school in Alaska and
now lives with wife, Gracia (Olson) Stiefel ’66, in
Glennallen, Alaska. He spent 10 years teaching
at a Bible college and 10 years in Russia
helping Evangelical churches. These days he
drives a school bus, enjoys 10 grandchildren
and a great grandchild, cuts firewood, and
volunteers at missions. He remembers
traveling with the wrestling team, canoeing on
the Mississippi River, and listening to the Basin
Streeters. If he could thank someone, it would
be the old man outside Cedar Ave. Mission
who asked him and others whether or not they
were saved.
Steve Strommen ’65 likes to spend his days
playing “Old Timer” softball, bird hunting,
appreciating winters in San Diego and
summers at a Minnesota cabin, performing
home renovations, and enjoying his family
and grandchildren. He has many memories
from athletics at Augsburg, including three
championship basketball teams and a
championship in baseball. The most influential
people during his time at Augsburg were Carl
Chrislock ’37 and coaches Ernie Anderson ’37
and Edor Nelson ’38. He and wife, Chynne,
have two children and five grandchildren.
Sharon (Topte) Taeger ’65 and David Taeger ’65
recently moved to Camrose—a city in
Alberta, Canada—after living for 19 years
in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Sharon likes
to read, paint, and socialize. David likes to
listen, watch, and marvel at the growth and
development of children, especially their four
grandchildren. He also enjoys reading and
being with friends. David received his M.Div.
from Northwestern Theological Seminary. He
was most influenced by Mario Collacci and
Carl Chrislock ’37 while at Augsburg. Sharon
and David have two children.
Virg Vagle ’65 would thank Ernie Anderson ’37,
Edor Nelson ’38, and Ed Saugestad ’59 for
being influential during his time at Augsburg.
Vagle enjoys golfing, traveling, and being with
his grandchildren. He and wife, Pat, have
seven children and 12 grandchildren.
Lyndy West ’65 fondly remembers playing in
the concert band and in the Basin Streeters, a
group that performed for Augsburg basketball
games. He entered Luther Seminary after
graduating from Augsburg and served
parishes in Los Angeles, inner-city Chicago,
and Minnesota. He officially retired in 2012.
He says the smartest thing he ever did was
to marry Diane Haas in 1969. They have four
children and four grandchildren. They like to
bike, travel, read, participate in music at their
church, and lead polka services. He thanks his
parents for encouraging him and his siblings to
attend Augsburg.
1967
John Schwartz ’67 is in his sixth
season with the acclaimed Apollo
Chorus of Chicago, which was formed in
1872. Schwartz serves as vice president of
its board. Auggie singers in the Chicago area
can audition to join this 130-member chorus.
Details can be found at Apollochorus.org.
1975
Glen Teske ’75 is enjoying the
adjustment to retirement after
working for 40 years in the IT department
at Hennepin County. Among his treasured
memories as a student at Augsburg are
business administration classes, tutoring
other students, and the friendships he made.
He also remembers playing four years of
basketball and winning the MIAC conference
title in 1975. He thanks professor of history
Khin Khin Jensen, adviser and professor of
business Keishiro Matsumoto, mentor Jeroy
Carlson ’48, and coaches Butch Raymond ’63
and Erv Inniger for their impact on his life.
1979
Laura (Rolfe) Matuska ’79 has
been selected as WeCAB’s
part-time community outreach fundraiser.
WeCAB provides door-to-door supplemental
transportation in the Westonka and eastern
Carver County service areas for people who
are unable to drive to medical appointments,
church, social events, the grocery store, or the
food shelf. Matuska has significant experience
working with seniors and clients, providing
case management to support transitions
through all levels of senior living. She has
launched volunteer programs, developed a
hospital-based domestic abuse intervention
program, and is a successful grant writer.
Matuska also has worked with many volunteers
in a variety of positions.
1980
The new Bill Simenson Quintet
recently debuted at The Nicollet.
Leader Bill Simenson ’80 (trumpet) has been
performing professionally in the Twin Cities
for nearly 30 years. After earning his degree
in music and political science at Augsburg,
he attended the University of Trondheim
in Norway where he studied music at the
graduate level. Catch the Bill Simenson
Orchestra, a larger ensemble, once a month at
Jazz Central in Minneapolis.
1981
Rob Hubbard ’81 tells the story of the
hilarity, irreverence, and imagination
of the Brave New Workshop in his new book,
“Brave New Workshop: Promiscuous Hostility
and Laughs in the Land of Loons.” The
book, from The History Press, celebrates the
marvelous, unexpected, and absurd history
of this one-of-a-kind comedy institution. The
owners of Brave New Workshop are John
Sweeney and Jenni Lilledahl ’87.
1987
Tammy Jo Rider ’87 received a
2015 Leadership Award from the
2015
2013
Amanda Rowan ’13 and Jordan Lakanen ’14 married
August 8, 2015. Auggies in the wedding party included:
Eric Lakanen ’02, Stephanie Nelson ’13, Rachel Rixen ’13, and Ashley
(Carney) Wolke ’13.
30
Augsburg Now
Top row [L to R]:
Tyler Dorn ’15
and Alisha Esselstein ’15
were married on June 20,
2015, at Sugarland Barn
in Arena, Wisconsin. Many
Auggies participated in
and attended the wedding.
Bottom row [L to R]: Best
man Alex Obanor, Augsburg Department of Public Safety officer; Dustin
Parks ’16; Keisha Barnard ’16; bridesmaid Alia Thorpe ’15; bridesmaid Lily
Moloney ’15; maid of honor Rachel Shaheen ’15; ceremony musician Becky
Shaheen ’11; and officiant Rev. Mike Matson ’06.
ALUMNI CLASS NOTES
After graduation, Joshua Harris ’08 moved to Baltimore drawn to the service
opportunity of working with Alpha Phi Alpha, the oldest inter-collegiate communityservice-oriented fraternity founded by African-Americans. Harris serves as managing
editor of APA’s journal, “The Sphinx.” He works with other community leaders
in Baltimore on many initiatives, including one to build a network of individuals,
businesses, and organizations that can provide internships, scholarships, and
mentorship opportunities for high school students. He returned to Minneapolis in
fall 2015 to speak on a panel at the Augsburg Young Alumni Council’s networking
event at Surly Brewing Co. Harris is running for mayor of Baltimore. Learn about his
campaign at harrisforbaltimore.com.
From the NOW@Augsburg blog.
Visit augsburg.edu/alumni/blog to read more.
Southeast Minnesota affiliate of the National
Alliance on Mental Illness.
1991
Bill Koschak ’91 was hired as the
chief financial officer at YA, which
is an industry market leader in delivering
omni-channel marketing promotions for the
nation’s most respected brands. Before joining
YA, Koschak was vice president of finance
and CFO for the convenience and foodservice
business at General Mills.
2000
Lewis Nelson ’00 joined the
University of Virginia’s Darden
School of Business MBA for Executives.
He blogs about the experience at
wanderingveteran.com.
2007
Barrozo is studying the development of
novel gene therapy treatments for human
diseases caused by persistent viral infections
and mutations of the genome. The goal of
his research is to develop safe and effective
strategies for treating these diseases. He also
has worked as a Post-Baccalaureate Research
Program Scholar at the University of Georgia.
2015
Hannah Frey ’15 has an
AmeriCorps position in the
Community Technology Empowerment
Project, which helps bridge the “digital
divide” for new immigrants and low-income
communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul. She
serves at Roseville (Minnesota) Library as a
digital literacy coordinator for adult technology
programming and outreach.
Kati (Tweeten) Bergey ’07 married
Brandon Bergey on October 18,
2014. Kati teaches sixth grade for MabelCanton Public Schools in Mabel, Minnesota.
Heidi Heller ’15 has accepted a job as a
historian and researcher with Hess Roise
Historical Consultants.
2012
GRADUATE
Lauren Grafelman ’12 graduated
with her MBA from Hamline
University in August 2015.
William “Billy” Hamilton ’12 graduated from
the University of Minnesota Law School
in May and received news that he passed
the Minnesota Bar Exam in July. He began
work as a public defender in training at the
Hennepin County Public Defender’s Office.
He has found his vocation!
2014
Enrico Barrozo ’14 is pursuing
a doctorate in genetics and
genomics at the University of Florida,
supported by the McKnight Doctoral, UF
Graduate School, and Top-Up fellowships.
Ava Beilke ’14 MBA formed her own social
media consulting business, Paragon Social
(paragonsocialco.com or @paragonsocialco on
Twitter), with the desire to help individuals and
small businesses excel in social media. Beilke
studied communications in undergrad and
pursued her MBA to round out her business
expertise. She now fuses her creative skills with
her business savvy to create the most effective
social media efforts.
Katie Koch ’01 is the new Director
of Auggie Engagement at Augsburg
College. Koch comes from a diverse
background of performing arts
management, having most recently
worked at The O’Shaughnessy
Auditorium at St. Catherine University
as an event and administrative
manager. Koch worked for nearly
five years at the Guthrie Theater as
an assistant to former director Joe
Dowling, where she supported the
Guthrie Board of Directors and highprofile visiting artists. During her time
at Augsburg, Koch was a member
of The Augsburg Choir, Augsburg
Concert Band, and Augsburg Jazz
and Gospel Praise. She served
as an admissions ambassador, a
student coordinator for new student
orientation in 1999 and 2000, and
wrote for the Augsburg Echo.
Spring 2016
31
In memoriam
Dwight E. Elving ’37, Mercer
Harvard E. Larson ’50,
Island, Washington, age 99, on
September 17.
Greeley, Colorado, age 86, on
September 14.
James K. Horn ’59, Lino Lakes,
Minnesota, age 83, on
November 26.
Isabella “Bella” (Frazier)
Sanders ’73, Park Rapids,
Evelyn B. (Wibeto) Stone ’41,
Alexandria, Minnesota, age 98, on
November 26.
Wesley N. Paulson ’51,
Eugene “Pete” S. Peterson ’59,
Gregory J. Semanko ’73,
Altoona, Wisconsin, age 88, on
December 2.
Jackson, Minnesota, age 78, on
October 17.
Dassel, Minnesota, age 64, on
September 16.
J. Maurice “Maury” Erickson ’42,
Vermillion, South Dakota, age 95,
on September 10.
Walter L. Dilley ’52,
Paynesville, Minnesota, age 88,
on October 14.
Peter M. Locke ’60, South St.
Paul, Minnesota, age 82, on
November 30.
Brent M. Amundson ’78, Colorado
Springs, Colorado, age 61, on
December 3.
Helen L. (Fevold) Nelson ’43,
Woodrow W. Wilson ’53,
Gayle J. Arvidson ’61, Newburgh,
Minneapolis, age 94, June 4.
Lincoln, Nebraska, age 97, on
September 11.
Indiana, age 84, on December 25.
David C. Eitrheim ’79,
Menomonie, Wisconsin, age 58,
on January 1.
Chester E. Hoversten ’44,
Northfield, Minnesota, age 93, on
November 16.
Joyce E. (Gronseth) Limburg ’44,
Erling B. Huglen ’54, Roseau,
Minnesota, age 83, on
December 19.
Harvey L. Jackson ’61, Park
River, North Dakota, age 78, on
September 28.
Morgan S. Grant ’82, Willmar,
Kelly M. Williams ’92, Edina,
Minnesota, age 45, on August 25.
River, North Dakota, age 51, on
October 13.
Apple Valley, Minnesota, age 93,
on October 10.
Allan J. Kohls ’54, Minneapolis,
age 87, on October 4.
John D. Sorenson ’62, Hickory,
North Carolina, age 75, on
November 2.
Elise H. (Hoplin) Anderson ’45,
Marvin S. Undseth ’54, Salem,
Lee E. Keller ’63, San
Edina, Minnesota, age 96, on
October 13.
Oregon, age 90, on October 12.
Bernardino, California, age 80, on
August 27.
Edgar A. Emerson ’46,
Minnesota, age 81, on
September 30.
Perham, Minnesota, age 90, on
December 3.
Guilford “Guy” L. Parsons ’47,
Minneapolis, age 94, on
September 17.
Ruth E. (Thompson) Larson ’48,
Clearbrook, Minnesota, age 92, on
December 26.
Rolf Heng ’55, Fergus Falls,
Elmer Karlstad ’55, Warroad,
Minnesota, age 91, on
November 14.
Alfred E. Kaupins ’57, Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, age 88, on
November 25.
Joyce (Hanson) Holbrook ’65,
Lincoln, California, age 72, on
December 27.
Edythe “Edie” (Berg) Johnson ’65,
Stillwater, Minnesota, age 72, on
October 1.
Marilyn J. Larson ’65, Estes Park,
Colorado, age 73, on November 3.
Lawrence “Larry” C. Pratt Jr. ’57,
Joyce A. (Schuchart) Hagerty ’66,
Minnesota, age 88, on October 16.
St. Anthony, Minnesota, age 81,
on July 12.
Oneida, Illinois, age 72, on
December 4.
Paul I. Roth ’49, White Bear
Eldri R. (Johanson) Salter ’57,
Lake, Minnesota, age 90, on
November 21.
Pocatello, Idaho, age 80, on
September 8.
Philip “Phil” A. Walen ’70,
Stillwater, Minnesota, age 67, on
September 9.
Arne Simengaard ’49,
Dennis F. Gibson ’59, Edina,
Russell “Jeff” J. Quanbeck ’71,
Fridley, Minnesota, age 88, on
November 28.
Minnesota, age 83, on
September 5.
Bloomington, Minnesota, age 67,
on December 1.
Allen J. Moe ’48, Dawson,
Minnesota, age 85, on October 1.
Minnesota, age 55, on August 28.
Thomas D. Orstad ’93, Park
Earl R. Kinley III ’94, Eagan,
Minnesota, age 55, on
December 18.
Christine L. (Quandt) Edinger ’99,
Madison, Wisconsin, age 49, on
December 19.
Judith A. (Gretz) Roy ’99,
Minneapolis, age 68, on
September 24.
Traci M. Singher ’12, ’15 MSW,
Minnetonka, Minnesota, age 44,
on December 1.
Dustyn B. Hessie ’13,
Minneapolis, age 27, on June 15.
Augsburg College Women’s
Basketball Head Coach William
“Bill” L. McKee, New Brighton,
Minnesota, age 62, on August 27.
The “In memoriam” listings in this publication
include notifications received before January 10.
32
Augsburg Now
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LeVar Burton encourages the next generation
Actor, director, writer, producer, and educator LeVar Burton—best known for his roles in “Roots,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,”
and “Reading Rainbow”—inspired prospective students to make positive change in the world. Burton’s presentation took place
this winter during Scholarship Weekend, an annual event where prospective students compete for the President’s and Fine Arts
scholarships.
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Augsburg College Undergraduate Catalog, 2016-2017
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2016-2017
UNDERGRADUATE
CATALOG
Introduction
Undergraduate Catalog
2016-2017
Official Publication of Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454
The Augsburg College Undergraduate Catalog contains information about academic program requirements and
academic and student ...
Show more
2016-2017
UNDERGRADUATE
CATALOG
Introduction
Undergraduate Catalog
2016-2017
Official Publication of Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454
The Augsburg College Undergraduate Catalog contains information about academic program requirements and
academic and student policies and procedures for Fall Semester 2016 - Summer Semester 2017. It is subject to change
without notice.
The catalog is intended to complement other College publications including the Student Guide and College website. It is
important for students to be familiar with all College policies and procedures. Students are strongly encouraged to
consult their advisor(s) at least once each semester to be certain they are properly completing degree requirements.
Published 2016
Phone: 612-330-1000
www.augsburg.edu
1
A Greeting from the President
A college catalog is a wonderful text, full of detail and data that offer all of us a map to our lives together as a college
community. This is a map grounded in Augsburg’s mission: “To educate students to be informed citizens, thoughtful
stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.”
What has prompted you to study this map of Augsburg College? If you’re already enrolled at Augsburg, I trust you will
continue to find here the awe and wonder of an educational experience that is meaningful and challenging. I hope you
will be reminded of the relationships and commitments you have formed at Augsburg—they will last a lifetime. I also
hope that you find in this map signposts of the progress you have made in your vocational journey and that you will
continue to believe that you have rightly chosen Augsburg as the community in which you will spend time for the next
several years.
If you are studying this map to find out more about Augsburg College and an Augsburg education, welcome. I believe
you will find it not only tells you about the character and essence of our institution, but also about our mission of
service, particularly about those whom we serve in a modern, vibrant city. Augsburg is located in the heart of the Twin
Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and it is in the city that our College both serves and thrives. As you study here, you
will find a setting that not only provides remarkable learning opportunities, but one in which you will be able to share
your own talents and skills. Augsburg’s challenging academic environment is enhanced by both education and service
experiences that transform theory into action and unite the liberal arts with the practical in preparing students as
faithful citizens in a global society.
The experience you are undertaking at Augsburg—or thinking of undertaking—will occur on a small campus in the core
of a great city; it will be led by faculty preoccupied with your welfare and the emergence and refinement of your
vocational plans.
As you join Augsburg College, or consider doing so, please know that those of us who await you here find the College an
exciting place, full of diversity and yet possessed of a community dedicated to higher learning and good living. Here you
can find your way in the world.
May this map be your faithful guide!
Sincerely yours,
Paul C. Pribbenow, Ph.D.
President
2
About Augsburg
At Augsburg College, we believe that the college experience should be a time of exploration, of discovery, of new
experiences, and of new possibilities. We also believe that a liberal arts education is the best preparation for living in the
fast-paced, changing, and complex world of today and tomorrow. Augsburg graduates will be able to demonstrate not
only the mastery of a major field of study, but also the ability to think critically, creatively solve problems, and
communicate effectively.
Discovering Your Gifts and Talents
The heart of an Augsburg undergraduate education is the Augsburg Core Curriculum—designed to prepare students to
become informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders; and thus achieve the
educational goals of our mission. Through “Search for Meaning” courses, students explore their own unique gifts and
interests and find where their own talents intersect with the needs of our global society; their vocation
At the same time, courses across all disciplines stress the skills that will serve for a lifetime: writing, speaking, critical
thinking, and quantitative reasoning, to name a few.
Thanks to Augsburg’s prime locations in the heart of thriving metropolitan areas, many courses are able to offer rich and
varied learning opportunities in real-life situations through academic internships, experiential education, volunteer
community service, and cultural enrichment. In a sense, the resources of the Twin Cities and Rochester are extended
campuses for Augsburg students.
Mission Statement
Students who graduate from Augsburg are well prepared to make a difference in the world. They stand as
testaments to the College motto, “Education for Service,” and mission:
Augsburg College educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible
leaders. The Augsburg experience is supported by an engaged community that is committed to intentional diversity
in its life and work. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies,
guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran Church, and shaped by its urban and global settings.
Campus Location
Augsburg College is located in the heart of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The campus is
bordered by Riverside Avenue and Interstate 94, near the University of Minnesota West Bank campus and the University
of Minnesota Medical Center.
Downtown Minneapolis is just minutes away, providing access to internships and careers with some of the country’s
leading companies, as well as entertainment, arts, sports venues, shopping, dining, and transportation. The campus is
blocks from the METRO Green and Blue light rail lines, which provide easy access to destinations in Minneapolis and St.
Paul, as well as the Minneapolis International Airport.
History
A College of the Church
Augsburg was the first seminary founded by Norwegian Lutherans in America, named after the confession of faith
presented by Lutherans in Augsburg, Germany, in 1530. Augsburg opened in September 1869, in Marshall, WI, and
moved to Minneapolis in 1872. The first seminarians were enrolled in 1874, and the first graduation was in 1879.
Early Leaders Establish a Direction
August Weenaas was Augsburg’s first president (1869-1876). Professor Weenaas recruited two teachers from Norway—
Sven Oftedal and Georg Sverdrup. These three men clearly articulated the direction of Augsburg: to educate Norwegian
3
Lutherans to minister to immigrants and to provide such “college” studies that would prepare students for theological
study.
In 1874 they proposed a three-part plan: first, train ministerial candidates; second, prepare future theological students;
and third, educate the farmer, worker, and businessman. The statement stressed that a good education is also practical.
Augsburg’s next two presidents also emphatically rejected ivory tower concepts of education. This commitment to
church and community has been Augsburg’s theme for more than 140 years.
Education for Service
Keeping the vision of the democratic college, Georg Sverdrup, Augsburg’s second president (1876-1907), required
students to get pre-ministerial experience in city congregations. Student involvement in the community gave early
expression to the concept of Augsburg’s motto, “Education for Service.”
In the 1890s, Augsburg leaders formed the Friends of Augsburg, later called the Lutheran Free Church. The church was a
group of independent congregations committed to congregational autonomy and personal Christianity. This change
made Augsburg the only higher educational institution of the small Lutheran body. The college division, however, was
still important primarily as an attachment to the seminary.
The Focus Changed
Traditional attitudes began to change after World War I. In 1911, George Sverdrup, Jr. became president. He worked to
develop college departments with an appeal to a broader range of students than just those intending to be ministers.
Augsburg admitted women in 1922 under the leadership of longtime dean of women, Gerda Mortensen.
The College’s mission assumed a double character: ministerial preparation together with a more general education for
life in society. In 1937, Augsburg elected Bernhard Christensen, an erudite and scholarly teacher, to be president (19381962). His involvement in ecumenical and civic circles made Augsburg a more visible part of church and city life.
After World War II, Augsburg leaders made vigorous efforts to expand and improve academic offerings. Now the College
had become a larger part of the institution than the seminary and received the most attention.
Accreditation for the College
Augsburg added departments essential to a liberal arts college, offering a modern college program based on general
education requirements and elective majors. Full accreditation of the College was achieved in 1954.
A study in 1962 defined the College’s mission as serving the good of society first and the interests of the Lutheran Free
Church second. The seminary moved to Luther Theological Seminary (now Luther Seminary) in St. Paul in 1963 when the
Lutheran Free Church merged with the American Lutheran Church. Subsequently, the American Lutheran Church
merged with two other Lutheran bodies in 1988 to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
A College in the City
Under the leadership of President Oscar A. Anderson (1963-1980), Augsburg became a vital and integral part of the city
of Minneapolis. The College began to reach out to nontraditional student populations, ensuring educational opportunity
for all students. Also in these years, Augsburg added the Music Hall, Mortensen Hall, Urness Hall, Christensen Center, Ice
Arena, and Murphy Place.
Dr. Charles S. Anderson led the College from 1980 to 1997. He guided Augsburg’s commitment to liberal arts education,
spiritual growth and freedom, diversity in enrollment and programs, and a curriculum that draws on the resources of the
city as extensions of campus and classroom. Some of the accomplishments during his tenure include instituting two
graduate degree programs, hosting national and international figures at College-sponsored forums and events,
increasing accessibility, and the addition of the Foss, Lobeck, Miles Center for Worship, Drama, and Communication; the
Oscar Anderson Residence Hall; and the James G. Lindell Family Library.
Dr. William V. Frame became president in August 1997 and retired in 2006. Under his leadership, the College sharpened
its identity as a college of the city, providing an education grounded in vocational calling that provides students both the
theoretical learning and the practical experience to succeed in a global, diverse world. Augsburg’s Rochester campus
was added in 2002, further expanding Augsburg’s presence in key cities in the state of Minnesota.
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Dr. Paul C. Pribbenow became president in July 2006. Under his leadership, the College aims to educate students of all
ages—in the midst of a great city—to be faithful citizens of the world.
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Augsburg Today
Augsburg continues to reflect the commitment and dedication of the founders who believed:
An Augsburg education should be preparation for service in community and church.
Education should have a solid liberal arts core with a practical dimension in order to send out productive, creative,
and successful citizens.
The city—with all its excitement, challenges, and diversity—is an unequaled learning laboratory for Augsburg
students.
The vision of the College’s work today is lived out in the phrase, “We believe we are called to serve our neighbor.
Through common commitments to living faith, active citizenship, meaningful work, and global perspective, Augsburg
prepares its students to become effective, ethical citizens in a complex global society.
In addition to Augsburg’s undergraduate program of liberal arts and sciences, Augsburg offers numerous master’s
degree programs as well as a doctoral program in nursing practice. For information about graduate programs, go to
www.augsburg.edu/grad.
Undergraduate and graduate education is offered in a variety formats. In addition to its Minneapolis campus, Augsburg
has a branch campus in Rochester, MN.
Centers of Commitment
The four Centers of Commitment articulate core values that inform the institutional mission of Augsburg College both
internally and externally: each Center provides a bridge between curriculum and community; each works to realize the
College's Strategic intention to "educate for lives of meaning and purpose" as well as to ensure the College is "at the
table" with community partners in relationships of mutual benefit that enhance the College's distinctive identity and
deepen the educational experiences of our students. Their themes are reflected in Augsburg's mission: informed
citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.
Minneapolis-based Day Program
Augsburg’s Minneapolis-based Day program offers more than 50 majors—or you can create your own major, either on
campus or through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC). The Day Program provides an educational
opportunity for students who want to earn a bachelor’s degree through courses that meet during the day or in the
evening. Students in the Day Program pay comprehensive tuition that allows them to register for between 12-19
semester credits per term. ACTC is a five-college consortium that allows Day Program students to take courses on other
campuses without additional charge while a full-time student at Augsburg. The ACTC consortium includes Augsburg
College, St. Catherine University, Hamline University, Macalester College, and the University of St. Thomas. (See
Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC) section).
Adult Undergraduate Program
Augsburg’s Adult Undergraduate Program provides an educational opportunity for adults who want to earn a bachelor’s
degree with a flexible schedule and with a learning environment that acknowledges the real life experience adult
students bring to the classroom. It is a means by which men and women can gain skills for professional advancement,
prepare for a career change, or pursue a personal interest in one or more areas of the liberal arts and professional
studies.
The Weekend and Evening College (WEC) program began in 1982 with 69 students taking courses in three majors. The
program eventually grew to approximately 1,000 students in 18 majors in the liberal arts and professional studies, one
of the largest programs of its type among Minnesota private colleges.
In Fall 2014, the WEC program began a three year transition into the Adult Undergraduate Program (AU). Current
students may continue in the WEC program until spring semester 2017. New students began joining the AU program in
Fall 2014.
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Program Transition Timeline
WEC classes will continue to be offered on the evenings and weekends through spring semester 2017. After that term,
the program will sunset and all courses will be offered in the AU program. During the transition, WEC students will be
able to register for courses in the WEC, AU, or Day programs, depending on their schedule needs. WEC courses will
continue to be offered in the hybrid learning model, combining traditional, face-to-face class time, with online and out
of class coursework.
Adult Undergraduate Schedule
The AU schedule is designed to meet the needs of adult students. Courses in individual majors will meet on the same
night of the week, on an alternating bi-weekly schedule for the duration of the major. The alternating weeks of the
semester are labeled “Maroon” and “Silver.” Students select courses from both the maroon and silver schedules,
creating an alternating schedule of classes.
Face-to-face meetings occur on alternating weeks for three-and-a-half hours on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or
Thursday, depending on the program. Online and out-of-class work occurs during the non-class meeting week. AU
students may attend part-time or full-time each semester.
Minneapolis - Adult Undergraduate Program
Augsburg’s adult undergraduate program offers the flexibility you need, and is delivered in a hybrid-learning format,
combining the benefits of face-to-face classroom instruction with the convenience of online learning. The program
offers more than 10 majors designed to help you finish your bachelor’s degree quickly and efficiently, in as little as two
years.
Augsburg also offers courses from several Day Program majors during the evening in a traditional classroom setting.
These majors include American Indian Studies, computer science, and English/creative writing. Please note that not all of
the required courses for the Day Program majors are offered in the evening. For a complete list of degree completion
programs offered in the AU Program, visit www.augsburg.edu/pro/majors.
Rochester - Adult Undergraduate Program
Augsburg’s branch site in Rochester was established in 1998 as a natural extension of the College’s mission and its
expertise in teaching working adults. A variety of undergraduate majors are offered.
The Rochester site classrooms and offices are located at Bethel Lutheran Church (ELCA), a few blocks south of the heart
of the city, which is home to more than 100,000 residents. It is a city that enjoys a rich ethnic diversity and superior
technological resources.
In Rochester, Minnesota, students complete the same degree requirements as students in the Minneapolis
undergraduate program. Augsburg classes in Rochester meet on a semester schedule with classes taking place on
weekday evenings, making them accessible to working adults. As with the adult undergraduate program in Minneapolis,
Rochester classes are delivered in a hybrid-learning format, combining the benefits of face-to-face classroom instruction
with the convenience of online learning. There are 8 majors offered in Rochester, some of which must be completed by
taking courses at the Minneapolis campus. In addition to the degree programs that can be completed entirely in this
location, students may work on a variety of other majors through a combination of Rochester and Minneapolis-based
evening courses.
Students at the Rochester site are Augsburg College students. They are supported through an array of e-learning
resources ranging from access to Lindell Library databases to the use of online course management software.
Information about the Rochester campus is available at www.augsburg.edu/rochester or by calling the Rochester office
at 507-288-2886.
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Minneapolis Campus Facilities
Instruction facilities and student housing at Augsburg’s main campus are conveniently located near each other. A
tunnel/ramp/skyway system connects the two tower residence halls, the five buildings on the Quadrangle, plus Music
Hall, Lindell Library, Oren Gateway Center, and the Foss, Lobeck, Miles Center for Worship, Drama, and Communication.
Admissions Office—The Office of Admissions is located on the lower level of Christensen Center.
Anderson Hall (1993)—Named in honor of Oscar Anderson, President of Augsburg College from 1963 to 1980, and this
residence hall is located at 2016 8th Street. Anderson Hall contains four types of living units and houses 192 students, as
well as the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies; Center for Global Education; and the Office of Marketing
and Communication.
Center for Wellness and Counseling—The Center for Wellness and Counseling offers programs and services that
enhance student learning by promoting personal development and well-being.
Christensen Center (1967)—The College Center, with the Admissions Office, student lounge and recreational areas, the
Strommen Center for Meaningful Work, the Commons dining facility and Einstein Bros. Bagels, two art galleries, copy
center, and offices for student government and student publications.
Edor Nelson Field—The athletic field, located at 725 23rd Avenue, is the playing and practice field of many of the
Augsburg teams. An air-supported dome covers the field during winter months, allowing year-round use.
Foss, Lobeck, Miles Center for Worship, Drama, and Communication (1988)—The Foss Center is named in recognition
of the Julian and June Foss family. The Tjornhom-Nelson Theater, Hoversten Chapel, and the Arnold Atrium are also
housed in this complex, which provides space for campus ministry, the drama and communication offices.
Ice Arena (1974)—Two skating areas provide practice space for hockey and figure skating, and recreational skating for
Augsburg and the metropolitan community.
Kennedy Center (2007)—Completed in 2007 as a three-story addition to Melby Hall and named for Dean (’75) and Terry
Kennedy, it features a state-of-the-art wrestling training center, fitness center, classrooms for health and physical
education, and hospitality facilities.
The James G. Lindell Family Library (1997)—This library and information technology center houses all library functions
and brings together the computer technology resources of the College. It also houses the Gage Center for Student
Success. The library is located on the corner of 22nd Avenue and 7th Street and the Center for Learning and Adaptive
Student Services (CLASS).
Luther Hall (1999)—Named for theologian Martin Luther, Luther Hall is a three-story apartment complex along 20th
Avenue, between 7th and 8th Streets that houses juniors and seniors in units from efficiencies to two-bedroom suites.
Melby Hall (1961)—Named in honor of J. S. Melby (dean of men from 1920 to 1942, basketball coach, and head of the
Christianity Department). It provides facilities for the health and physical education program, intercollegiate and
intramural athletics, the Hoyt Messerer Fitness Center, and general auditorium purposes. The Ernie Anderson Center
Court was dedicated in 2001.
Mortensen Hall (1973)—Named in honor of Gerda Mortensen (dean of women from 1923 to 1964), it has 104 one- and
two-bedroom apartments that house 312 upper-class students, the Department of Public Safety and a lounge area.
Charles S. Anderson Music Hall (1978)—Contains Sateren Auditorium, a 217-seat recital hall, classroom facilities, two
rehearsal halls, music libraries, practice studios, and offices for the music faculty.
Old Main (1900)—Home for the Department of Art and the Department of Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies, with
classrooms used by other departments. Extensively remodeled in 1980, Old Main combines energy efficiency with
architectural details from the past. It is included on the National Register of Historic Places.
Oren Gateway Center (2007)—Named for lead donors and alumni Don and Beverly Oren, it is home for the StepUP
program, Institutional Advancement offices, the Alumni and Parent and Family Relations Offices, Bernhard Christensen
Center for Vocation, the Master of Business Administration Program, the Master of Arts in Leadership program, the
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Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, and substance-free student housing. It also houses the Barnes & Noble
Augsburg Bookstore, Nabo Café, Gage Family Art Gallery, and the Johnson Conference Center.
Science Hall (1949)—Houses classrooms; laboratories for biology, chemistry, and physics; mathematics; a medium-sized
auditorium; faculty offices, administrative offices, and various other program offices.
Sverdrup Hall (1955)—Named in honor of Augsburg’s fourth president, it contains the Enrollment Center, as well as
classrooms and faculty offices.
Sverdrup-Oftedal Memorial Hall (1938)—Built as a residence hall and named in honor of Augsburg’s second and third
presidents, it contains the President’s Office, Human Resources, and other administrative and faculty offices.
Urness Hall (1967)—Named in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Urness, this tower provides living quarters for 324 firstyear students. Each floor is a “floor unit,” providing 36 residents, housed two to a room, with their own lounge, study,
and utility areas.
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Accreditation, Approvals, and Memberships
Augsburg College is accredited by:
The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA)
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) (Bachelor, Master, and Doctorate level degrees)
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) (Bachelor, Master level degrees)
Augsburg’s programs are approved by:
American Chemical Society (ACS)
ADD American Music Therapy Association (AMTA)
Minnesota Board of Teaching
National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
Augsburg College is an institutional member of:
American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)
American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)
American Association of Higher Education (AAHE)
American Music Therapy Association, Inc. (AMTA)
Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA)
Campus Compact
Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)
Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE)
Diversity Abroad Network
The Forum on Education Abroad
Institute of International Education (IIE)
Lutheran Education Council in North America (LECNA)
National Association of International Educators (NAFSA)
National Association of Schools of Music (NASM)
National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE)
Physician Assistant Education Association
Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC)
Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA)
Minnesota Private College Council MPCC)
Twin Cities Adult Education Alliance (TCAEA)
Augsburg College is registered with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71.
Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other
institutions. Minnesota Office of Higher Education, 1450 Energy Park Dr., Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55108,
www.ohe.state.mn.us; 651-642-0533.
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Policies
Non-Discrimination Policy
Augsburg College, as affirmed in its mission, prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religious belief, national
or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, familial status,
genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, or citizenship in its educational policies, admissions policies,
employment, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and/or school-administered programs, except in those instances
where there is a bona fide occupational qualification or to comply with state or federal law. Augsburg College is
committed to providing reasonable accommodations to its employees and students with disabilities. (Approved by
Board of Regents on October, 2014)
For further information, please contact the College’s Title IX Officer:
Ann Garvey| Vice President of Student Affairs| Student Affairs
Memorial Hall, Room 118G| 612-330-1168| garvey@augsburg.edu
Additionally, the College has four Deputy Officers:
Deputy Officer for Students:
Sarah Griesse| Dean of Students
Memorial Hall, Room 118F| 612-330-1489| griesse@augsburg.edu
Deputy Officer for Employees:
Lisa Stock| Director and Chief Human Resources Officer
Memorial Hall, Room 19| 612-330-1783| stock@augsburg.edu
Deputy Officer for Athletics:
Kelly Anderson Diercks| Associate Athletic Director
Si Melby Hall, Room 205E| 612-330-1245| diercks@augsburg.edu
Deputy Officer:
Leif Anderson| Vice President and Chief Information Officer
Memorial Hall, Room 124D| 612-330-1497| andersol@augsburg.edu
The Deputies work with the Title IX Coordinator to identify any patterns or systemic problems that arise and may assist
as investigators of complaints.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, provides certain rights to students
regarding their education records. Each year Augsburg College is required to give notice of the various rights accorded to
students pursuant to FERPA. In accordance with FERPA, you are notified of the following:
Right to inspect and review education records
You have the right to review and inspect substantially all of your education records maintained by or at Augsburg
College. The student must request to review their education records in writing with their signature. The College will
respond in a reasonable time, but no later than 45 days after receiving the request.
Right to request amendment of education records
You have the right to seek to have corrected any parts of an education record that you believe to be inaccurate,
misleading, or otherwise in violation of your right to privacy. This includes the right to a hearing to present evidence that
the record should be changed if Augsburg decides not to alter your education records according to your request.
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Right to give permission for disclosure of personally identifiable information
You have the right to be asked and to give Augsburg your permission to disclose personally identifiable information
contained in your education records, except to the extent that FERPA and the regulations regarding FERPA authorize
disclosure without your permission. One such exception which permits disclosure without consent is for disclosure to
school officials who have legitimate education interests. A school official is a person employed by the College in an
administrative, supervisory, academic or research, or support staff position (including law enforcement unit personnel
and health staff); person or company with whom the College has contracted (such as an attorney, auditor, or collection
agent); a person serving on the board of regents, or a student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or
grievance committee, or assisting another school official performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate
educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional
responsibility.
Right to withhold disclosure of “directory information”
FERPA uses the term “Directory Information” to refer to those categories of personally identifiable information that may
be released for any purpose at the discretion of Augsburg College without notification of the request or disclosure to the
student.
Under FERPA you have the right to withhold the disclosure of the directory information listed below. Please consider
very carefully the consequences of any decision by you to withhold directory information. Should you decide to inform
Augsburg College not to release Directory Information, any future request for such information from persons or
organizations outside of Augsburg College will be refused.
“Directory information” includes the following:
The student’s name
The student’s address
The student’s telephone number
The student’s e-mail address
The student’s date and place of birth
The student’s major and minor field of study
The student’s academic class level
The student’s enrollment status (FT/HT/LHT)
The student’s participation in officially-recognized activities and sports
The student’s degrees and awards received (including dates)
The weight and height of members of athletic teams
The student’s dates of attendance
Previous educational agencies or institutions attended by the student
The student’s photograph
Augsburg College will honor your request to withhold all Directory Information but cannot assume responsibility to
contact you for subsequent permission to release it. Augsburg assumes no liability for honoring your instructions that
such information be withheld. The Registrar’s Office must be notified in writing of your intent to withhold your Directory
Information.
Right to complain to FERPA Office
You have the right to file a complaint with the Family Policy Compliance Office, US Department of Education, 400
Maryland Ave. SW, Washington, DC, 20202, concerning Augsburg’s failure to comply with FERPA.
Reporting Educational Information
Letters of reference must be requested in writing and explicitly indicate what information may be reported in the letter.
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Annual Security Report
The Annual Security Report (ASR) for Augsburg College contains statistics on reported crimes on and near Augsburg
property and campus, as well as institutional policies concerning campus security and crime. The Department of Public
Safety prepares this annual Crime Report to comply with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and
Crime Statistics Act. The report is available online at www.augsburg.edu/dps/reports. For a printed copy, contact
Augsburg’s Department of Public Safety at 612-330-1717.
Student Rights
The College has adopted a statement of student rights and responsibilities and has provided for due process in the
matter of disciplinary action, grievances, and grade appeal, as outlined in the Augsburg Student Guide, at
inside.augsburg.edu/studentaffairs/studentguide.
Official Notices
A College-provided e-mail account shall be an official means of communication with students, faculty, and staff of
Augsburg College. Students, faculty, and staff are responsible for all information sent to them via the College-provided email account. Students should regularly check their e-mail account. If a student, faculty or staff member chooses to
forward their Augsburg e-mail, they are responsible for all information and attachments sent to the forwarded e-mail
account. Students will also receive official notices via the A-Mail online publication and should routinely review the AMail. Day program students will also receive notices through the student campus mail system (student campus box) and
should check their campus mailbox regularly.
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Admission
Augsburg College strives to create a strong, rich, and vibrant campus community with students representing a large
number of backgrounds, viewpoints, experiences, talents, and cultures. Selection of students for Augsburg College is
based upon careful consideration of each candidate’s academic achievement, personal qualities and interests,
participation in activities and employment, and potential for development as a student and as a graduate of Augsburg
College.
Visit Campus
Firsthand appraisal of programs, facilities, and academic atmosphere is valuable. First-year and transfer applicants are
encouraged to visit the campus and meet with an admissions counselor. Arrangements can be made to meet with a
member of the faculty and to attend classes when school is in session. Augsburg’s undergraduate admissions staff is
ready to help students and families with college planning. Call any weekday between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm—612-3301001 or toll-free 1-800-788-5678—and we’ll assist with your questions and arrange a tour for you. Admissions visits and
tours are available Monday through Friday during the school year. The Admissions Office is located on the lower level of
the Christensen Center and serves traditional, non-traditional, and graduate students.
Application Procedures
First-year Day Program Students
Application for Admission
Students should complete the application for admission, including the essay, and submit them to the Admissions
Office. Students may apply online for free at www.augsburg.edu/firstyear or www.commonapp.org.
Transcripts
An official transcript from the high school is required of first-year applicants. First-year applicants who are still high
school students at the time of application should have their most recent transcript sent, followed by a final, official
transcript upon graduation. If the student has taken college courses, including while in high school, an official
transcript from each institution should also be sent. General Education Development (GED) scores may be presented
instead of the high school transcript.
Test Scores
First-year applicants are required to submit results from a college entrance examination unless he or she has been
out of high school for more than five years. The American College Test (ACT) is preferred; results from the SAT are
also accepted. Test scores recorded on the official high school transcript are sufficient. Augsburg strongly
recommends completing the writing portion of either the ACT or SAT.
Recommendations
One letter of academic recommendation is required for all students. A letter may be submitted by a teacher,
counselor, or pastor (spiritual leader).
Essay
First-year applicants are required to provide a 1-2 page essay (approximately 500 words) on a topic(s) chosen by
Augsburg faculty/staff/students.
Additional Information
If there is additional information that may have affected the applicant’s previous academic performance, it may be
included as a personal statement with the application and discussed individually with an admissions counselor. On
occasion, the Admissions Committee may defer a decision on a candidate’s admission until additional information
has been received. For example, new test scores, results of the present semester’s coursework, additional letters of
recommendation, or writing samples may be requested by the committee. If any additional credentials are needed,
the Office of Undergraduate Admissions will inform the candidate.
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Notification of Admissions Decision
Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. Applicants are notified of the admissions decision usually within
three weeks after the application file is complete and has been evaluated by the Admissions Committee. Notification
of admission status for completed applications begins in late September.
Confirmation of Admission
Accepted students are asked to make a $150 enrollment deposit* to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
Students who wish to live in College housing must submit a housing contract to the Residence Life Office.
*Nonrefundable after May 1.
Note: Admission to a major—a separate process from admission to the College—is sometimes required. Check with
the Admissions Office and consult the specific department’s section of this catalog.
Day Program Transfers and Adult Undergraduate (AU) Students
A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.50 (on a 4.0 scale) in previous college work is recommended for
transfer admission to the College. Information regarding transfer credit policies is found in the Academic Information
section of the catalog. Students who are applying to the AU program should have attempted a minimum of 12 semester
credit, including courses in foundation areas (writing, etc.)
Application for Admission
Students should complete the application for admission, including the essay, and submit them to the Admissions
Office. Students may apply online for free at www.augsburg.edu/transfer or www.commonapp.org.
Transcripts
Official transcripts from all previous postsecondary institutions, as well as final high school transcripts (unless the
student has already obtained an A.A. degree) must be sent directly to the Admissions Office. The GED test certificate
may be presented instead of the high school transcript.
Recommendations
One letter of academic recommendation is required for all transfer applicants. Letters may be submitted by a
supervisor, counselor, professor, or pastor (spiritual leader).
Additional Information
If there is personal information that may have affected the applicant’s previous academic performance, it may be
included with the application and discussed individually with an admissions counselor. Academic recommendations
may be required by the Admissions Committee before an admission decision is made. On occasion, the Admissions
Committee may also defer a candidate’s admission until other information has been received. For example, test
scores, results of current coursework, additional letters of recommendation, or writing samples may be requested
by the committee. If any additional credentials are needed, the Admissions Office will inform the candidate.
Notification of Admissions Decision
Augsburg College uses a rolling admissions plan. Students are notified of the admission decision usually within two
weeks after the application file is complete and has been evaluated by the Admissions Committee.
Note: Admission to a major—a separate process from admission to the College—is sometimes required. Check with the
Admissions Office and consult the specific department’s section of this catalog.
Readmission
Day students who have not registered for courses at Augsburg College for one semester or more, and
AU/Rochester/WEC students who have not registered for courses at Augsburg College for two or more semesters, must
apply for readmission through the Registrar’s Office to resume attendance. Students who have attended other
institutions during their absence from Augsburg must have an official transcript sent from each institution to the
Registrar’s Office. Returning students do not pay the application fee.
To apply for readmission after withdrawing from the College, students must submit an Application for Readmission.
The last day to be approved for readmission is the Friday prior to the start of the term. Please note that processing
may take up to 10 business days.
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If the student has attended other institutions since leaving Augsburg, official transcripts must be submitted to the
Registrar’s Office.
All financial holds must be cleared before a student can be approved for readmission.
If the student was academically dismissed, withdrew while on academic warning or probation, or has a GPA below
2.0, they will need to submit a personal statement explaining their circumstances for review by the Student Standing
Committee.
If the student withdrew for medical reasons, a doctor’s note indicating the student is well enough to resume studies
must be submitted with the application.
Non-Degree Students
Individuals may take coursework at Augsburg College as a non-degree seeking students can enroll on a space-available
basis. Registration dates are included in the College’s Academic Calendar. To apply for admission as a non-degree
seeking student, submit the completed application, academic intent, and all necessary unofficial transcripts to the
Admissions Office. Individuals who intend to become degree-seeking in the future must submit official transcripts.
Contact the Admissions Office regarding which unofficial/official transcripts you may need for your application file.
Non-degree seeking students who wish to pursue a degree must reapply for admission by submitting the completed
application, academic intent, and all official transcripts to the Admissions Office.
Second Degree Students
Students who have graduated from Augsburg who are returning to complete an additional major will not be awarded a
second degree unless it is a different degree from the first awarded.
Students who have completed a four-year degree at an accredited college or university may complete a second degree
at Augsburg College. A second degree will not be awarded unless it is a different degree from the first awarded. Second
degree requirements include a minimum of 32 semester credits taken at Augsburg, completion of a major, and
completion of any liberal arts requirements not covered by a previous degree. Depending on the student’s previous
degree, completion of a second major (non-degree) may also be an option.
International Students
International students are a vital part of the Augsburg community. (See International Student and Scholar Services, in
the Student Life section.) International students should contact International Student and Scholar Services for an
international student application and financial requirements. All applicants must provide proof of financial solvency.
For more information, call 612-330-1359 or 1-800-788-5678 (toll-free), email admissions@augsburg.edu or contact
International Student and Scholar Services at:
Campus Box 307
Augsburg College
2211 Riverside Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55454 USA
Students who have attended a college or university outside of the United States will need to obtain a foreign credential
evaluation by contacting World Education Services (WES). WES is a nonprofit organization with more than 30 years of
experience evaluating international credentials. WES will examine your transcript(s) and prepare a report that will help
Augsburg College understand how your international coursework compares to courses and grades in the United States.
Augsburg College will use this information in its admissions review and will grant transfer credit where appropriate.
World Education Services, Inc.
Bowling Green Station
PO Box 5087
New York, NY 10274-5087
www.wes.org
Phone: 212-966-6311, Fax: 212-966-6395
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Financing
The Board of Regents approves the costs for the academic year. The board reviews costs annually and makes changes as
required. Augsburg reserves the right to adjust charges should economic conditions necessitate.
Full-Time vs. Half-Time
Students will need to be enrolled in 6 credits to be considered half-time and 12-19 credits to be considered full-time.
This is an important distinction for charges and for accessing financial aid.
Day Program Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees are published online at www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/tuition/undergraduate-day.
Fees (full-time enrollment)
The standard program fees are the Student Activity Fee, Technology Fee, Newspaper Readership Fee, MPIRG Fee, and
the Campus Greening Fee. Specific courses or programs may have additional fees associated with them, such as lab or
supply fees.
Full-Time Cost – Fall and Spring 2016-2017
Tuition – Full-Time (12-19 credits per term)
Fees – (12-19 credits per term)
Overload Fee – (over 19 credits)
Semester
$17,875.00
$332.50
$1,117 per credit
Year
$35,750.00
$665.00
$4,468 per 4 credits
Part-Time Cost – Fall and Spring 2016-2017
Tuition –Part-Time (less than 12 credits)
Fees – (less than 12 credits)
$1,117 per credit
$183.00 per term
$4,468 per 4 credits
Other Costs
Audit Fee (taking a class for no credit)
Music Lesson Fees
½ Hour Lesson
1 Hour Lesson
$1,000.00 per course
$400.00
$800.00
Room and Board Costs
Detailed housing rates are available through Residence Life Office at www.augsburg.edu/reslife/rates.
Detailed meal plan rates and flex point options can be found at www.augsburg.edu/reslife/rates/meal-plans.
Adult Undergraduate and Weekend/Evening College (WEC) Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees are published online at www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/tuition/weekendevening-undergraduate.
Tuition
Students are charged per credit. Students are charged based on their program regardless if they take a course through a
different program. All associated costs must be paid by the beginning of each semester to avoid accruing finance
charges, unless you have enrolled in an official payment plan through Student Financial Services.
Fees
Specific courses or programs may have additional fees associated with them, such as lab or supply fees.
Adult Undergraduate - Minneapolis
$420.00 per credit
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$1,680.00 per 4.0 credits
Weekend/Evening College (WEC)
Adult Undergraduate - Rochester
Rochester Fee
$420.00 per credit
$410.00 per credit
$1,680.00 per 4.0 credits
$1,640 per 4.0 credits
$50 per term
Payments
Semester Charges
Prior to the start of each semester, a statement of estimated charges showing charges and financial aid credits
designated by the Student Financial Services Office is sent to the student via e-mail. All statements are available online
through AugNet’s Records and Registration site. Payments can be made online at
www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/header-make-paymentaccount-activity/payments. Augsburg may charge late fees
and interest on delinquent accounts. Review the full policy regarding past due balances online at
www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/disclosure.
Payment Options
Augsburg College offers payment plan options for all students. Information about payment plans is available online at
www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payment-plans-and-discounts.
Payment Policy
Students at Augsburg College are obligated to pay Term Fees and additional charges when they register for each
academic term. “Term Fees” include tuition, room and board charges and other fees initiated during your time as a
student. Students are responsible to pay for all of these charges regardless of whether financial aid is received or
employers or other third parties pay as agreed. “Term Fees” are subject to refund only to the extent allowed under the
Augsburg College Tuition Refund Policy.
Augsburg accepts the following forms of payment:
Cash
Students and guest payers may make cash payments in-person at the Enrollment Center. Cash should never be
mailed. Students will receive a receipt of their cash payment.
Check
Students and guest payers may pay their term fees via check either in-person at the Enrollment Center, through mail, or
online using e-check/ACH. A $30 NSF Fee will be added for any payment returned by the bank for Non-Sufficient
Funds. A receipt will automatically be sent electronically for any online payments. Students who pay in-person or
through mail may request a receipt of the check payment.
Credit Card/Debit Card
Students and guest payers may make student account payments online with a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American
Express credit card. As of June 10th, 2016, Augsburg will no longer accept credit card or debit card payments in-person,
over the phone, or through the mail. Credit cards will only be accepted online via Cashnet, a vendor contracted by
Augsburg.
Because Cashnet charges Augsburg for their services, a credit card service fee of 2.75 percent will be associated with any
credit card payment made to the college. This is to offset the approximately $250,000 in costs that Augsburg accrues
annually for providing credit card payment options to our students. Augsburg will not receive any part of the service fee
and will not be profiting from it.
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Financial Aid
All students who wish to be considered for financial assistance must reapply each year. In addition to reapplying for aid,
students must make satisfactory academic progress toward the attainment of their degree or certificate as stipulated in
the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) section of this catalog.
Financial assistance awarded through Augsburg may be a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and part-time work
opportunities. The College cooperates with federal, state, church, and private agencies in providing various aid
programs.
The primary responsibility for financing a college education rests upon the student and family. Financial aid supplements
student and family resources.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps determine the amount of assistance for which a student is
eligible. This analysis takes into account such family financial factors as current income, assets, number of dependent
family members, other educational expenses, retirement needs, and special considerations.
Types of Aid
A student applying for aid from Augsburg applies for assistance in general rather than for a specific scholarship or grant
(except as noted).
Augsburg may offer both merit-based and need-based financial aid to undergraduate students at the time of admission.
First year students can find specific information at www.augsburg.edu/firstyear/scholarships. Transfer students can find
information at www.augsburg.edu/transfer/financial-aid-and-scholarships.
Augsburg will also determine students’ eligibility to receive financial aid grants from both federal and state entities.
These grants include Minnesota State Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Pell
Grant, Federal TEACH grant, and Bureau of Indian Affairs/Tribal and State Indian Scholarship. Contact Student Financial
Services if you need any additional information about any of these programs.
In addition to aid administered by Augsburg College, students are urged to investigate the possibility of scholarships and
grants that might be available in their own communities. It is worthwhile to check with churches, the company or
business employing parents or spouses, high schools, service clubs, and fraternal organizations for information on aid
available to students who meet their requirements. In addition to these sources, some students are eligible for aid
through Rehabilitation Services, Educational Assistance for Veterans, and Educational Assistance for Veterans’ Children,
and other sources.
Loan Assistance
Students must be enrolled at least half-time (6 or more credits) to be eligible for any federal loans.
Federal Perkins Student Loan
o A federally-funded program administered through Augsburg College for students who demonstrate financial
eligibility. No interest accrues nor do payments have to be made on the principal at any time you are
enrolled at least half-time in school. Simple interest of 5 percent and repayment of principal (at the
minimum of $40 a month) begin nine months after you leave school. Repayment may extend up to 10 years.
The loan offers a teacher cancellation clause. The maximum that may be borrowed for undergraduate study
is $16,000.
Federal Stafford Student Loan
o Subsidized Stafford Loans are need-based loans that the federal government subsidizes by paying the
interest while the student is in school and during the grace period.
o For the Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, interest begins accruing on the date of disbursement and the borrower
is responsible for all interest. The borrower may choose to make payments while in school or may defer
payments and allow interest to accrue and be capitalized (added to the balance of the loan).
Federal Parent Loan Program (PLUS)
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o
PLUS is a loan program to help parents meet college costs of their dependent children. Parents may borrow
up to the cost of attendance (minus all other student financial aid). Repayment begins within 60 days of final
disbursement.
Further information about all student and parent loan programs can be found at
www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/loans.
Student Employment
Students are able to apply for work study positions through Augsburg’s Human Resources Office. Part-time work
provided by the College is considered financial aid, just like scholarships, loans, and grants. Students are limited to a
maximum of 20 hours of on-campus employment per week. The number of hours a student can work is dependent on
the position and the needs of the department. However, work is not guaranteed.
All on-campus work is governed by policies stipulated in the work contract issued to the student employee for each
placement. Payment is made bi-weekly by check to the student employee.
Federal College Work Study Program and Minnesota State Work Study Program
o Under these programs, the federal or state government supplies funds on a matching basis with the College
to provide part-time work opportunities.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Federal regulations require that all higher education institutions establish and implement a policy to measure whether
students receiving financial aid are making satisfactory academic progress toward the completion of a degree. The
purpose of this policy is to make sure that students who receive financial aid are using this money wisely. It is meant to
curtail the use of financial aid by students who fail to successfully complete their course work. Failure to meet the
following standards makes a student ineligible for all institutional, federal, and state financial aid.
Augsburg’s Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy follows the Satisfactory Academic Policy.
Student Account Financial Disclosure
Students at Augsburg College are obligated to pay Term Fees and additional charges when they register for each
academic term. “Term Fees” include tuition, room and board charges and other fees initiated during their time as a
student. Students are responsible to pay for all of these charges regardless of whether financial aid is received or
employers or other third parties pay as agreed. “Term Fees” are subject to refund only to the extent allowed under the
Augsburg College Tuition Refund Policy. Statements and account history are available online through AugNet Records
and Registration.
Augsburg College may require someone to co-sign on the student’s obligations in special cases, such as when a student
has a history of late or missed payments. When a co-signer’s signature is required, both students and co-signers are
responsible for payment of all costs incurred (including collection costs and fees of any collection agency and/or
attorney, if applicable) and all other conditions outlined on the Student Account Financial Disclosure.
Results of Balances Not Paid in Full
Augsburg may charge late fees and interest on delinquent accounts. Missed or late payments will be subject to a late
payment charge and/or a finance charge on the overdue balance from the date the balance was due until payment in
full is received. If your account is not paid in full on the first day of the term, finance charges at the rate of 8% per year
(.67% per month) will be added onto your student account balance. For example, this means that for every $1,000
owed you will receive $6.70 a month in finance charges. A $30 NSF Fee will be added for any payment returned by the
bank for Non-Sufficient Funds.
Past Due Accounts
If the student does not set up a formal payment plan with Augsburg’s Student Financial Services department, Augsburg
reserves the right to demand payment of the entire balance owed by that student and to take steps to collect it.
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Augsburg may cancel the student’s registration, prevent the student from registering for future terms, withhold
transcripts or diplomas, remove the student from on-campus housing, turn the student’s account over to a collection
agency, or take legal action to collect any past due balance. Each student authorizes Augsburg to release financial
information about her or his account and other pertinent information such as address and phone number to third
parties who are dealing with the collection of the account balance. By providing us with a telephone number for a
cellular phone or other wireless device, you are expressly consenting to receive communications – including but not
limited to prerecorded or artificial voice message calls, text messages, and calls made by an automatic telephone dialing
system – from us and our affiliates and agents at that number. This express consent applies to each such telephone
number that you provide to us now or in the future and permits such calls regardless of their purpose. Calls and
messages may incur access fees from your cellular provider. Each student also agrees to reimburse Augsburg College, or
its agents, the fees of any collection agency, which may be based on a percentage at a maximum of 40% of the debt, and
all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, we incur in such collection efforts. Please note that, due to
the Bankruptcy Reform Act, educational benefits are generally exempt from discharge under bankruptcy. The terms
of this agreement remain in effect until all Term Fees and other charges are paid in full.
Tuition Refund
Students are eligible for a 100% tuition refund for any courses they drop without notation through the date labeled “Last
day to drop without a ‘W’ grade & 100% refund – Full Semester class” on the Academic Calendar. After this date,
students are no longer eligible for any refund of tuition unless they withdraw from all of their courses. This policy is
effective whether or not a student has attended classes.
Students withdrawing from all of a term’s courses may receive a 50% tuition refund when they withdraw by the date
labeled “Last day to withdraw with 50% refund – Full Semester class” on the Academic Calendar.
Students are responsible for cancelling courses through the Registrar’s Office (or online) in order to be eligible for any
refund. Students who unofficially withdraw (stop attending) but do not complete the drop/add form are responsible for
all charges. Financial aid may be adjusted based on the student’s last recorded date of attendance. Refund calculations
are based on the date that the drop/add form is processed.
Medical Refund
If a student is forced to withdraw from one or more courses in a term due to illness or an accident, a request for a
medical refund should be made through the Academic/Financial Petition. Petition forms are available through the
Registrar’s Office website. An extra medical refund may be granted by the Committee upon submission of
documentation from the attending doctor, on letterhead, verifying the medical circumstances.
Unofficial Withdrawal
Federal regulations require that records of financial aid recipients who earn failing grades in all their classes be
reviewed. If courses are not completed (e.g., unofficial withdrawal, stopped attending), the College is required to refund
financial aid to the appropriate sources according to federal or Augsburg refund policies based on the last recorded date
of attendance. Students are responsible for the entire cost of the term, including the portion previously covered by
financial aid should they stop attending. Students are strongly urged to follow guidelines for complete withdrawal from
college. If there are extenuating circumstances, a petition to have the cost of tuition refunded can be made. Petition
forms are available online through the Registrar’s Office website.
A student who registers, does not attend any classes, and does not withdraw may petition to withdraw retroactively.
The student must petition within six months of the end of term and provide proof of non-attendance. Proof can include,
but is not limited to, statements from each instructor that the student never attended, or documentation of attendance
for the term at another college or university. If approved, grades of W will be recorded and tuition charges for the term
will be replaced with an administrative cancellation fee of $300.
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Financial Aid Policy
Financial aid such as federal, state, and institutional grants and scholarships are awarded based upon the total number
of registered credits on the “Last day to add with faculty signature – Full Semester class” as noted on the Academic
Calendar. Students must register for internships, Time 2 classes, and ACTC classes before the “Last day to add with
faculty signature-Full Semester class.” Financial aid will not be adjusted for classes added after this date.
Students must earn the financial aid they are awarded each semester by actively attending and participating in classes
throughout the semester. Financial aid is recalculated when students do any of the following: drop classes without a
“W” grade, fail to begin classes, cease to attend classes, fail all classes, or fully withdraw from all classes.
Financial Aid - Return of Aid
Students must earn the financial aid they are awarded each semester. A student can earn their aid by attending classes,
or in the event of hybrid/online courses, by being an active participant in the course.
Federal/State Aid Adjustments
Augsburg is required to return unearned federal/state aid for students who fully withdraw from their courses. Students
are eligible to keep more aid the longer they attend their courses. After 60% of the term has passed, students are
eligible to keep all of their federal/state aid. If you are planning to completely withdraw from your courses, please see a
Student Financial Services counselor to determine what aid may need to be returned.
Institutional Aid Adjustments
Augsburg will return institutional aid for students who partially withdraw or fully withdraw from courses. If students
withdraw from their courses, they will receive a 50% tuition refund and 50% of their institutional aid will be removed. If
a student withdraws after the last day to receive a tuition refund, there will be no adjustment to their institutional aid.
Credit Refund
Augsburg students may be eligible to receive a credit refund if their financial aid exceeds tuition and fee charges for a
term. Credit refunds are issued within two weeks after the last day to drop courses without recorded notation. Financial
Aid needs to be finalized and applied to a student’s account before the credit refund can be issued. (You can verify your
financial aid status online through Track Your Financial Aid. You can check your transaction history online to verify that
all of your financial aid has been applied to your account and nothing is left pending.)
Changes in enrollment status, housing status, and program status may affect financial aid eligibility and credit refunds.
Students who are enrolled less than half-time (less than 6.0 credits for undergraduates; less than 3.0 credits for
graduates) may not be eligible for financial aid; however, students may apply for private alternative loans. Registration
changes made from the first week of the term through midterm may require a return of financial aid funds. Students
who drop courses may receive a tuition refund, but some forms of financial aid may have to be adjusted before a refund
will be available. Financial aid return of funds may take up to 30-45 days to be processed.
Bookstore
Students who are registered for the upcoming term will be allowed to charge up to $700 to their student account.
Students DO NOT need to request a bookstore account this year.
Please plan ahead and purchase books and supplies before the scheduled cut-off dates. Plan ahead for courses that start
midterm as you will be unable to charge anything to your student account after the cut-off date.
Students’ accounts will be billed for only what was spent on their bookstore accounts before credit refunds were issued.
If your bookstore charges create a balance on your account, you need to make payments in accordance with your
statement. Bookstore purchases charged to a student account are intended for students who have excess financial aid
funds to cover their tuition, fees, AND their books or supplies. Please contact Student Financial Services before you
purchase books if you need to discuss payment options.
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Due to the financial aid cycle, you can only charge expenses to your bookstore account during specific times.
Third Party
If you are expecting a third party to cover the cost of your books, you will need to turn in an itemized receipt of your
purchases to the Student Financial Services Office, along with your invoice request.
Additional Funds
If the cost of your textbooks and supplies are above $700 in one term, you have enough financial aid to cover the
additional costs, and you would like to charge the additional amount to your student account, please send the following
information to Student Financial Services (studentfinances@augsburg.edu). All requests need to be in writing.
Subject: Request for additional funds
Full Name:
Student ID number:
Additional request:
Students will receive an e-mail when the additional request has been processed. Accounts are opened as quickly as
possible, but it could take up to two business days for activation.
Consumer Information
Loss of Financial Aid Eligibility Due To a Drug Offense
A student convicted of a state or federal offense involving the possession or sale of an illegal drug that occurred while
the student was enrolled in school and receiving Title IV aid is not eligible for Title IV funds. [An illegal drug is a
controlled substance as defined by the Controlled Substance Act and does not include alcohol and tobacco.]
A borrower’s eligibility is based on the student’s self-certification on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). Convictions that are reversed, set aside or removed from the student’s record, or a determination arising from
a juvenile court proceeding do not affect eligibility and do not need to be reported by the student.
A student who is convicted of a drug-related offense that occurred while the student was enrolled in school and
receiving Title IV aid loses Title IV eligibility as follows:
For the possession of illegal drugs
First offense: one year from the date of conviction
Second offense: two years from the date of the second conviction
Third offense: indefinitely from the date of the third conviction
For the sale of illegal drugs
First offense: two years from the date of conviction
Second offense: indefinitely from the date of the second conviction
A school must provide a student who loses Title IV eligibility due to a drug-related conviction with a timely, separate,
clear, and conspicuous written notice. The notice must advise the student of his or her loss of Title IV eligibility and the
ways in which the student may regain that eligibility.
Regaining Eligibility after a Drug Conviction
A student may regain eligibility at any time by completing an approved drug rehabilitation program and by informing the
school that he or she has done so. A student regains Title IV eligibility on the date he or she successfully completes the
program. A drug rehabilitation program is considered approved for these purposes if it includes at least two
unannounced drug tests and meets one of the following criteria:
The program received or is qualified to receive funds directly or indirectly under a federal, state, or local government
program.
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The program is administered or recognized by a federal, state, or local government agency or court.
The program received or is qualified to receive payment directly or indirectly from a federally or state licensed
insurance company.
The program administered or recognized by a federally or state-licensed hospital, health clinic, or medical doctor.
Policies may change throughout an academic year if necessary to comply with federal, state, or institutional changes or
regulations.
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Residence Life
Students who choose to make Augsburg their home find a friendly, 23-acre village in the midst of a major metropolitan
area. They make many new friends among roommates and classmates. They are just steps away from Lindell Library,
classrooms, Hoversten Chapel, the ice arena, fitness center, and Christensen Center. With just over 1,000 students living
on campus, most students and faculty greet each other by name.
Augsburg recognizes the importance of the residential experience during the college years. Studies show that students
who live on campus are more likely to persist academically, to be involved on campus, and tend to have a slightly higher
grade point average. Residence Life staff are professional and student team members available to support students in
their academic and co-curricular experiences. Through their efforts residential community members become acquainted
with life at Augsburg through educational and social opportunities.
Living on campus offers many opportunities for learning, leadership, and fun. Numerous events are planned to welcome
students to the community, including dances, movie nights, open mic nights, and weeks devoted to special themes or
issues.
Resident students have access to a 24-hour computer lounge, wireless internet, study lounges, 24-hour security, laundry
facilities, and vending. All rooms and apartments are equipped with hook-ups for telephone, cable television,
computers, and internet access. A skyway connecting the lobby of Urness Hall and Mortensen Hall to Christensen Center
and Oren Gateway Center to the Lindell Library keeps students out of the weather on the way to class.
To secure housing on campus, students need to submit the following items:
Housing deposit
Residence Life and Dining contract
During spring semester, current Augsburg students are provided with information on the process to secure housing for
the next academic year.
Facilities
Urness Hall—One home to new Auggies and upper-class resident advisors, this nine-story high-rise houses 313 students.
Each floor is considered a house-unit providing 36 students (two to a room) with their own lounge, study, and utility
areas. In Urness Hall, rooms are furnished with a bed, dresser, desk, and chair. Meal plans are required.
Mortensen Hall—This building is a 13-story high-rise apartment building. It contains 104 one-bedroom and twobedroom apartments to accommodate 312 upper-class students. Mortensen Hall is carpeted and contains kitchenette
units. It is furnished with beds and dressers. Meal plans are required.
Anderson Hall—Contains four types of living units: two-bedroom apartments, two-room suites, floor houses, and
townhouses. This residence houses 192 upper-class students, and the Neighborhood program. All rooms are furnished
with beds, dressers, desks, and chairs. Meal plans are required.
Anderson Hall Neighborhoods—This is available to students who are interested in creating a living/learning
environment by designing their own house system. All members meet to determine their program focus, educational
goals, and community agreement guidelines. Examples of programs of past neighborhoods include ELE (Everyone Loves
Everyone), Hip Hop House, Environmental Neighborhood, and Honors.
Luther Hall—Opened in 1999, this apartment residence includes studios and two- and four-bedroom apartments with
full kitchens. Beds, dressers, desks, and chairs are provided. Underground parking is available at an additional cost. Meal
plans are optional.
Oren Gateway Center— The new “front door” to the Augsburg campus, Oren Gateway Center offers substance-free
living connected to a dining area, underground parking, and classrooms. Opened in 2007, Oren Gateway Center houses
the StepUP first-year and upperclass students committed to an alcohol- and drug-free environment. Flats, apartments,
and studios are furnished with bed, desk, and dressers. Meal plans are optional.
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Food Service
Commons—Situated on the top floor of Christensen Center, this is the main food service facility for students, faculty,
and staff. This spacious room features small-table units for easy conversation overlooking the College quadrangle and
Murphy Square. Students on board plans who live in residence halls eat their meals in the Commons. We offer a mealto-go program for those on a tight schedule. Students have the option of using one meal exchange each week at
Einsteins or Nabo to supplement the Commons.
Einstein Bros. Bagels—On the main level of Christensen Center, Einstein Bros. Bagels sells coffee, smoothies, hot and
cold sandwiches, wraps, soups, salads, and snacks.
Nabo—This eatery is located in the Oren Gateway Center. Pronounced “náh-bu,” with the accent on the first syllable,
featured food options include pasta, cold and hot sandwiches, a pasta bar, pastries, and beverages.
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Student Activities and Organizations
Augsburg’s mission focuses on student learning in the broadest sense. Experiences in the classroom are an important
part of college life, yet learning and development also occur in formal and informal activities of the College and the
surrounding area. Whether students take classes in the day, evening, or weekend, the climate for learning and living at
Augsburg will add dimension to their education.
Athletics and Sports
Intercollegiate Athletics
Augsburg is affiliated with the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and is a member of the National
Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Men annually compete in football, soccer, cross country, basketball,
ice hockey, wrestling, baseball, indoor and outdoor track and field, and golf. Women annually compete in lacrosse,
volleyball, cross country, soccer, basketball, ice hockey, softball, swimming, indoor and outdoor track and field, and golf.
Facilities
At Augsburg, the facilities are for all students, faculty and staff. Check schedules for times when there is open use of the
gymnasium and ice arena. On-campus facilities include a double-rink ice arena, a 3-court gymnasium, a multi-purpose
athletic field, fitness center with workout machines, a weight room, a racquetball court, and an air-supported dome over
the athletic field for winter fitness, rentals, and spring sport practices.
Intramurals
Every student is urged to participate in activities for recreation and relaxation. An intramural program provides
competition in a variety of team sports as well as individual performance activities. Check schedules on the Athletics
website for times when there is open use of the athletic field/dome, gymnasium, and ice arena.
Campus Activities and Orientation
Campus Activities and Orientation (CAO) creates and implements innovative programming that fosters individual and
community development and creates an environment where students can connect, engage, and invest in the Augsburg
community. CAO programming works to enhance and supplement the liberal arts and professional studies at Augsburg
College through quality transitional programs for new students as well as through leadership education.
CAO is made up of four program areas:
Campus Activities
CAO offers several programs and activities throughout the academic year designed to connect and engage students with
the Augsburg and surrounding community.
Student and Group Leadership Development
Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is an initiative designed to develop new leadership at Augsburg College by empowering
incoming students to cultivate and apply their inherent leadership skills through a semester-long skill-building training
program.
Student Group Development-CAO provides student groups with workshops focusing on social justice, privilege, antioppression, and other pertinent areas of development.
Orientation Programs
SOAR is a required two-day, overnight orientation experience for incoming first-year day students designed to help with
the transition to Augsburg College. Students will meet fellow classmates, faculty, and staff; learn about college resources
and services; and get a taste of life on campus.
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Parent SOAR is an optional orientation experience for the parents and guardians of first-year students that runs
concurrently with the students’ SOAR session. Parents obtain important information about the campus; meet fellow
parents, faculty, and staff; learn about college resources and services; and get a taste of what life will be like for their
students on campus.
Transfer SOAR is a required day-long orientation experience for transfer students designed to help with the transition to
Augsburg College. Students will learn about College resources and services, hear about academic programs, and discover
why being a part of the Augsburg community is so rewarding.
Auggie Days is a required on-campus orientation experience for incoming first-year day students, which is designed to
complement SOAR, provide opportunities to enhance academic and personal success, and offer a helpful advantage in
starting at Augsburg College.
Student Organizations
CAO manages student organizations on campus and provides them access to many benefits, including but not limited to:
organization emails, websites, Auggie's Nest lockers, Auggie Room supplies, skill-building workshops and conferences,
advising, funding and grants, and much more.
Campus Ministry
At Augsburg College, we are “guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran Church.” Because of this identity, we seek
to develop an environment where people are encouraged to use and discover gifts and a sense of call and vocation. As a
college of the church, we emphasize the development of this through attending to the sacred, living into radical
hospitality, and shaping community. The college pastors, Chaplain to Student Athletes, Muslim Student Advisor, and
campus ministry staff have offices in Foss, Lobeck, Miles Center for Worship, Drama, and Communication and are
available for spiritual guidance, counseling, support, or information.
Our concern for spiritual care is evident in the opportunities we encourage and provide for students to explore their
own faith. Daily worship, Wednesday Night Holy Communion, Bible studies, community outreach, retreats, peace and
justice events, concerts and gatherings, Friday prayer, and interfaith initiatives are examples of the wide varieties of
activities on campus.
Community Engagement
The Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, rooted in Augsburg’s mission to educate students to be informed
citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders, aims to:
Create a culture of civic agency and engagement among students, faculty, staff, and our broader community so that
graduates are architects of change and pioneers in work of public significance.
Foster connections with local community based organizations and position Augsburg as an anchor institution in the
Twin Cities.
Revitalize the democratic and public purposes of higher education in a time when strengthening colleges’ visible
contributions to the common good, not simply to private benefit.
Bonner Leaders Program
In Fall of 2008 Augsburg College launched its first year of the Bonner Leaders Program. Through the Bonner program,
students develop deep community relationships and engage in long-term policy advocacy throughout their time at
Augsburg. Those selected to be Bonner Leaders are students with diverse ethnic and geographical backgrounds and
experience in community and public work. Through placements with partner nonprofit organizations and community
programs, students work an average of 220 hours each academic year supporting ELL classrooms, running an
employment education computer lab, coordinating a low-income housing program, community health outreach,
tutoring in afterschool programs, and more. Beyond their work-study placements, students participate in civic
engagement efforts on campus.
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Through their participation with the Bonner Leaders Program, students engage in monthly guided reflections and
leadership development workshops. The Augsburg Bonner Leaders Program is a successful model that builds on the
College’s culture of community and civic engagement.
Campus Kitchen
The Campus Kitchen Project connects the campus community with the larger neighborhood by using food as a tool to
nourish bodies, develop leadership, and educate students through service learning. To accomplish these goals, four
programs focus on this engagement:
Food to Share
o Surplus food from the Augsburg Dining Service is donated, reheated, and served by student volunteers to
neighborhood partners, including homeless shelters, youth and senior programs, and others. Augsburg
students in need can also find free food at our food shelf on campus, the Campus Cupboard.
Food to Grow
o On the corner of campus, Augsburg staff and students manage a community garden composed of nearly 100
garden plots where community and campus members can grow their own food. The garden staff also hosts
classes on healthy living in which neighborhood youth learn to grow and cook healthy food.
Food to Buy
o Find fresh produce grown by local farmers at the weekly farmer’s markets Tuesdays through the summer:
11-1 pm at Foss Chapel on campus, and 2-5 pm at the Brian Coyle Center down the street. The market
doubles any purchase made with food stamps. Augsburg is also the host of an organic CSA farm that people
can become members of and get a large box of produce each week.
Food to Know
o Understanding our food system and community health through programs that educate on issues of hunger
and poverty, and cooking and gardening classes in the community and weekly on campus.
Common Table
The Common Table, located at 2001 Riverside in the Trinity Congregation Building, is devoted to building community
capacity to make change by connecting and equipping leaders.
Connecting campus community with neighborhood community.
Connecting students to local communities, professionals, and movements.
Connecting community members across boundaries at an intersection.
Equipping young people with the mentorship and connections to pursue their goals.
Equipping community members with the tools and experience of public work and organizing.
Equipping leaders with an equity analysis for equitable leadership.
We continue to welcome new ideas for utilizing this multi-purpose space to deepen the relationships between Augsburg
College, Trinity Lutheran, the Cedar Riverside neighborhood, and the Twin Cities.
Jane Addams School for Democracy
The Jane Addams School for Democracy brings immigrant families, college students and other community members
together to do public work and learning. It is a community-based initiative inspired by the vision of democracy,
productive citizenship, and popular education held by settlement house pioneers like Jane Addams, who created Hull
House in Chicago in 1889.
Participants in the school include long-time community residents, Hmong, Latino, and East African refugee and
immigrant adults and children, as well as students, faculty, and staff from nine Twin Cities colleges and universities. The
non-bureaucratic and non-hierarchical structure of Jane Addams School breaks down barriers so that people can work
together across language, culture, gender and age differences to address issues that impact their daily lives.
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Public Achievement
The Public Achievement organizing model recognizes that people of every age have skills, talents and ideas, and that by
learning to work strategically with others they can solve problems and build sustainable democratic societies. In a school
setting, young people form teams to take action on a public problem that is important to them (for example, driving out
gang activity or improving classroom space). The team works with a coach—typically a teacher or college student—to
develop an action plan. Through practice and reflection, the team members develop public skills and confidence.
Service-Learning and Community Engagement/Community Service-Learning
Augsburg’s Community Service-Learning Program provides students with opportunities to understand and respond to
needs in the city through course-embedded service experiences and civic engagement activities. A key component of
community service-learning is reflection on and analysis of community issues in order to promote personal and
educational growth and civic responsibility. By connecting classroom content with service-learning experiences in the
city, Augsburg students deepen their understanding of abstract course concepts while learning about pertinent and
related community issues. This dynamic and interactive educational approach employs reciprocal learning between
students and their community. Service-learning components are embedded in most academic disciplines. Examples of
community service-learning sites include homeless shelters, cultural and environmental organizations, tutoring
programs, and literacy centers.
Fine Arts
Students have many opportunities to participate in music and drama. In addition to appearing on campus and in the city,
the Augsburg Choir, Concert Band, and Orchestra may perform on regional, national, and international tours. Many
other ensembles are available to cover the entire range of musical styles and previous musical experience. Students
stage several plays on campus each year under the direction of the Theater Program and have the opportunity to attend
a series of on-campus workshops with visiting arts professionals.
Student Center
Christensen Center, the Augsburg student union, serves students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests. Traditionally
considered the “living room” of the campus, the student union provides a central gathering place for the diverse
populations of residential, commuter, Adult Undergraduate, and graduate students at Augsburg through the merging of
curricular and co-curricular programs and activities. Christensen Center also houses several student services, such as the
Admissions Office, Campus Activities and Orientation, the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work, Multicultural Student
Services, LGBTQIA Student Services, Event and Conference Planning, the Copy Center, Shipping and Receiving, the
Information Desk, A’viands Food Services, and Mail Services.
The Auggie’s Nest, located on the ground floor of Christensen Center, serves as the student organization office area and
houses the Augsburg Day Student Government, the Augsburg ECHO (campus newspaper) office and the KAUG (campus
radio) office. Lockers are also available in this area for student organization use.
Student Government
The Augsburg Day Student Government and the Adult Undergraduate Student Advisory Council organizations support
and advocate for student concerns, needs, and activities. These student government groups serve as the official student
governments, and the primary voice and liaison between students and the administration, faculty, and staff of Augsburg
College.
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Student Resources/Academic and Support Services
Lindell Library Resources
Since 1997 the James G. Lindell Family Library has been home to a wide variety of print and digital collections, now
numbering almost 200,000 books, 60,000 e-books, 60,000 e-journals, 4,000 movies on DVD or VHS, and more than 120
databases. Through its streaming video services, Lindell Library provides access to an additional 50,000+ educational
videos. Lindell also houses significant collections of juvenile literature and K-12 curriculum materials, as well as the
College’s archives and special collections.
If that still isn’t enough, Lindell Library belongs to CLIC, Cooperating Libraries in Consortium, a network of seven private
liberal arts colleges in the Twin Cities. Augsburg students can borrow books and videos from any of the other CLIC
libraries and get those materials delivered directly to Lindell Library through CLIC’s daily courier service. Research
Support
Research Support
Research help is always available, either online or in person, at Lindell Library’s Learning Commons. Our research guides,
available on the library’s website, provide access to key research materials on topics as wide-ranging as health and
physical education, film studies, computer science, or music therapy. Students can talk to an expert in person at Lindell’s
Learning Commons desk, by phone at 612-330-1604, by email at refdesk@augsburg.edu, or chat with an expert 24/7
through our Ask-A-Librarian service at library.augsburg.edu.
Other Cool Stuff
Libraries are more than just books and databases, they are places to gather for collaborative research or quiet study and
reflection. At Lindell Library, you can do both. Ten group study rooms are available on the top floor of Lindell Library,
and can be reserved up to two weeks in advance. The lower level is a designated quiet study space for those who prefer
to work alone. Whether working alone or in a large group, Augsburg students can check out a laptop from the Library’s
Circulation Desk. Other equipment is also available for check out; just ask our friendly staff for assistance.
The staff at Lindell Library are eager to help you with all your research needs. Stop by anytime that the library is open
(hours are always posted on the library’s website), or contact us at:
library.augsburg.edu
refdesk@augsburg.edu
612-330-1604
Information Technology Resources
Augsburg College has built a reputation as a leader in its commitment to provide students with relevant and timely
access to information technology and training. Visit the Student Technology website, inside.augsburg.edu/techdesk, for
more on Information Technology at Augsburg.
Computer Labs
Students have access to more than 250 on-campus computers. Both PC and Macintosh desktop computers are available
in the Lindell Library Learning Commons and computer lab, and in the 24-hour Urness computer lab. The College has five
computer classrooms, 41 technology-enhanced classrooms and one video conferencing-enabled classroom. The
circulation desk in Lindell Library has 45 wireless laptops available for use in the library.
Several computer clusters are available for more specific student use within academic departments. A high-speed fiber
optic campus network provides access to AugNet online services, printing, and to the internet. Network-ready student
machines can connect to the campus network from residence hall rooms or any building on campus using WiFi. All of the
AugNet online services are available securely on- and off-campus.
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Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work
Career & Internship Services
The Career and Internship Services office is an integral component of the Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for
Meaningful Work. Our staff is committed to helping students develop lifelong career management skills that honor each
student’s unique gifts and aspirations, aligned with active citizenship in the world. The Career and Internship Services
office plays an essential role in students’ overall education and includes a comprehensive resource center that
emphasizes the importance and value for all students to engage in internships, career development, and the exploration
of vocation throughout their college years.
We help students and alumni:
Assess their values, interests, personality, strengths, and skills
Explore meaningful work options and majors that align with these elements
Link academic majors with career paths
Consider the role that vocation plays in their lives
Clarify their personal definition of meaningful work
Build experience through volunteer and internship learning opportunities
Prepare for the job search and/or graduate school
Build lifelong career management skills to successfully navigate the changing job market
Make a difference in our communities by contributing their unique gifts to the world
Augsburg offers several opportunities for students to gain on-the-job and internship experience. Our faculty and staff
have developed partnerships with community organizations and employers that provide learning opportunities to
students, many of which fulfill the Augsburg Experience requirement for graduation.
Internships
Internships for Academic Credit
o An internship for credit is a carefully planned, work- or service-based learning experience where a student
focuses on specific learning objectives that connect concepts of the major to the experience. An academic
internship is approved, supervised, and evaluated by a faculty member in the department in which the
student wishes to earn the internship credit. Interdisciplinary (INS) internships are also available. A learning
agreement plan, negotiated with the faculty supervisor and work supervisor, outlines the academic
objectives, strategies, and evaluation methods for receiving credit. Students complete internships in
nonprofits, small and large businesses, government agencies, museums, arts organizations, schools and
churches.
o Internships for credit are available in all majors and can be taken during any semester. Students must be
registered for their internship during the term in which they are completing the majority of their experience.
Credit will not be awarded for past experiences. Internships can be registered for 2 or 4 semester credits. A
two credit internship involves a minimum time commitment of, on average, 6 hours per week or 80 total
hours for the semester. Internships for four credits require a minimum time commitment of, on average, 12
hours per week or 160 total hours for the semester. A maximum of 16 semester credits of internship may
count toward the total credits required for the degree. Upper division internships completed off-campus for
credit will automatically fulfill the Augsburg Experience graduation requirement.
Non-credit internships
o Internships related to a student’s major or career interests can be registered for a zero-credit internship
(AUG EX3) to fulfill the Augsburg Experience graduation requirement. The goal is for students to apply
theory to practice in a real world setting and reflect on the experience. Internship opportunities are typically
part-time during the academic year and/or full-time during the summer, but may have flexible start dates
and schedules. Students choosing to complete this option will register the internship during the term in
which they will be completing the experience, set learning goals, complete a minimum of 80 hours, and
reflect on their experience. The Director or Internship Coordinator of Career and Internship Services
supervises non-credit internships and evaluates the reflection process.
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Work Connections (Available to WEC and AU students only)
o Work Connections is a non-credit option available to WEC/AU students who are currently working full or
part-time. The Work Connections option allows WEC/AU students to utilize their rich and often extensive
work history to meet the Augsburg Experience graduation requirement in lieu of a traditional internship.
WEC/AU students choosing to complete this option will register for the Work Connections course (AUG EX4)
during the term in which they intend to complete their reflection work. This option requires students to
write learning outcome goals that integrate their on-the-job experience with classroom learning and
complete reflection assignments describing an academic and work connection. Staff of Career and
Internship Services supervises and evaluates the Work Connections reflection process.
Gage Center for Student Success
The Gage Center assists all Augsburg students in setting and achieving optimal academic goals here at the College and
beyond. The Gage Center is located on the Link Level of Lindell Library. The center consists of five collaborating units:
Academic Advising
The professional staff advisors in the Deidre Middleton Office of Academic Advising work directly with students in
identifying academic interests and satisfying the curricular requirements of the college. In addition, we support the work
for faculty advisors. Our office assists new Day and Adult Undergraduate (AU) students with initial course selection and
registration, and provides orientation to the academic policies, procedures, and resources at the College. In addition,
Academic Advising administers assessment tests, interprets graduation requirements, provides degree planning
resources, and answers academic progress questions.
All incoming students are assigned a faculty and staff advisor. Staff advisors work closely with students to ensure their
understanding of available resources and support. As students become more familiar with the College, they spend more
time meeting with their faculty advisor and developing the faculty-student mentoring relationship.
Once a major is declared, each student will select a faculty advisor from their chosen discipline by completing the
Change of Major/New Advisor Form. While all students are required to meet with their faculty advisor(s) each term
prior to registration, students are encouraged to meet with their advisor(s) as often as necessary to support their
academic progress. Students must declare their major(s) by the end of their sophomore year. Majors and minors are
declared online in Augnet Records and Registration. Students confirm their majors and minors on an annual basis until
the Intent to Graduate form is submitted.
Academic Skills Office (ASO)
The Academic Skills Office helps students to achieve their academic goals and become self-directed learners.
Comprehensive academic support (e.g., training in time management, note-taking, reading, testing,
motivation/procrastination, problem solving, troubleshooting) is available for all Augsburg students through individual
and group appointments. In addition, the Academic Skills coaches address affective needs and aid in the overall
transition to college. Coaches also refer students to campus resources.
The Academic Skills Office coordinates several programs to support students:
Academic Skills Coaching
o All students in need of academic support services may meet with a professional member of our staff
(academic skills coach) to identify issues, find short-term solutions, problem-solve, and learn about
additional resources on and off campus.
Tutoring/Supplemental Instruction Services
o ASO coordinates free tutoring (individual and group drop-in) for most classes and supplemental instruction
in specific courses. Tutors and SI leaders are recommended by course professors and trained by ASO to
provide tutoring support. See form here, call us at 612-330-1445, or e-mail your tutor request to
tutor@augsburg.edu. Response time varies based on tutor availability. You will receive an e-mail as soon as
a tutor is available.
CAP Program – Connect, Achieve & Progress
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o
Each year, a limited number of students are admitted conditionally through the CAP program. If CAP
students do not meet the program requirements in their first semester, they will be continued in the CAP
program, placed on probation, or dismissed. Get more information at the Academic Skills Office website,
http://www.augsburg.edu/acskills. See the Academic Progress, Probation, and Dismissal section of the
catalog for a description of probation and dismissal procedures.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Warning and Probation Advising
o Students who do not meet the College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, will be placed on
Warning, Probation, or Suspension. Students on Warning and Probation are required to meet with an
approved academic advocate and complete all necessary requirements as outlined on the Academic Skills
Office website at www.augsburg.edu/acskills. A registration hold is placed on the student’s record, which
will prevent registration until the necessary Probation requirements have been completed. Students who do
not complete the requirements as needed, may be suspended. For more information see the Satisfactory
Academic Progress (SAP) section of this catalog.
Center for Learning and Accessible Student Services (CLASS)
The Center for Learning and Accessible Student Services (CLASS) provides individualized accommodations and academic
support for students with documented learning, attention, psychiatric, sensory, and physical disabilities, as well as those
with temporary disabilities. CLASS has been recognized as a leader in its field, helping these students gain access to the
college curriculum. Its mission is a reflection of Augsburg’s commitment to providing a rigorous and challenging, yet
supportive, liberal arts education to students with diverse backgrounds, preparations, and experiences.
Each term, Disability Specialists work directly with students to develop a plan for ensuring they have equal access to
Augsburg courses, programs, activities, and facilities. Students are encouraged to meet regularly with their specialist,
and discussions may include:
Accommodations for testing and coursework (e.g., extended time, note-taking)
Referrals to other campus resources (e.g., tutoring, student technology assistance, academic advising, counseling,
financial aid)
Training and use of assistive technology through the Groves Accommodations Laboratory
Coaching on academic, organizational, and time management skills
Campus living accommodations
The Disability Specialists may also consult with instructors, academic advisors, and other members of the college faculty,
staff, or administration to support each student as they work toward success. Taking advantage of these
accommodations and services, however, remains the student’s responsibility.
Any Augsburg student who wants to establish eligibility for accommodations and services should schedule a meeting
with a Specialist to discuss their needs, as well as appropriate documentation of their disability. CLASS also provides
informal screenings for students who suspect they may have a learning-related disability. These screenings are meant
only to help students determine whether they should seek a thorough evaluation by a qualified professional.
Academic accommodations are intended to ensure access to educational opportunities for students with disabilities and
may not fundamentally alter the basic nature or essential components of an institution’s courses or programs.
The services and technology provided by CLASS are enhanced by generous support of the Gage family and Groves
Foundation. For further information, call 612-330-1053.
TRIO Programs
TRIO programs are funded by the US Department of Education, and hosted with additional funding by Augsburg College.
TRIO Programs seek to help students overcome class, social, academic, and cultural barriers to higher education. They
help students prepare for college, adjust to college life, persist in college, and maintain good academic standing to
graduate with a bachelor’s degree, as well as assist with preparation for graduate school.
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TRIO/Student Support Services
Student Support Services (SSS) is a TRIO program designed to help students persist in college and graduate in a timely
manner. The program serves students who are low-income, first-generation college students (neither parent has a fouryear degree) and/or students with disabilities to develop the skills and motivation necessary to successfully pursue and
earn a bachelor’s degree. Participants in TRIO/SSS must also be US citizens or permanent residents or refugees, must
demonstrate academic need for program services, and must be committed to succeed in college.
Augsburg TRIO/SSS serves 160 students from the point of admission through graduation, including transfer students.
TRIO/SSS typically admits 40 new students to the program each year. Students meet regularly with their TRIO/SSS staff
advisor to address academic success issues through:
Individual academic advising and support, including appropriate goal attainment strategies and self-advocacy skillbuilding
Academic program planning, including pre-registration for each term, major and career decision-making, and longterm course planning
Preemptive tutoring during the first seven weeks of the semester
Financial aid counseling and financial literacy education
Information on and assistance with FAFSA renewal and supplemental scholarship applications
Academic progress monitoring
Weekly adjustment-to-college meetings for first-year students
Weekly progress meetings for students on academic probation and for students admitted through Conditional Admit
Program (CAP)
Career, academic and personal skills development, with referrals to appropriate resources
Information, preparation, and referral to on- and off-campus leadership, internship, job and service opportunities
Academic success workshops, group academic skill development
Graduate and professional school information and application assistance
Social and cultural activities and student-led events
Equipment lending program for short-term use of laptops, graphing calculators, Smart Pens
Five-week residential Summer Bridge program for 25 incoming first-year students, including free summer-term
college coursework, academic seminars, adjustment-to-college workshops, and advising
Need-based college completion scholarships for junior and senior students actively participating in TRIO/SSS
Students may apply for TRIO/SSS any time after admission to Augsburg College; however, preference is given to students
who apply within their first term of enrollment. For more information or an application, go to www.augsburg.edu/triosss
or contact program staff directly at 612-330-1311 or triosss@augsburg.edu.
TRIO-McNair Scholars Program
The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement (McNair Scholars) Program, a federal TRIO program funded by
the US Department of Education, is designed to prepare participants for graduate school through involvement in
research and other scholarly activities. The goal is to increase the number of students in doctoral degree programs who
are low-income, first-generation and/or underrepresented in graduate education.
The Augsburg McNair program serves 26 students per year who are admitted during their sophomore or junior year.
Admission is competitive as students must demonstrate strong academic potential and have an interest in pursuing
doctoral studies. To be eligible for the program the student must be: (1) enrolled full-time at Augsburg College; (2) a
permanent resident or U.S. citizen; (3) qualify as BOTH low-income AND first generation; AND/OR a member of a group
underrepresented in graduate study—African American, American Indian, Alaskan Native, or Hispanic/Latino. A major
component of the Augsburg McNair Scholars Program is a summer research experience in collaboration with a faculty
mentor. Scholars receive a $4,000 research stipend, plus a room and board stipend, and funding for research supplies.
Stipends are also available for attending and presenting research at a professional conference.
McNair Scholars participate in:
A motivated, diverse, and supportive learning community;
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Graduate school preparation and application assistance;
Intensive preparation for the Graduate Records Examination (GRE), the test required for admittance into most
graduate programs;
Social and cultural activities to enrich participants’ academic lives and perspectives;
Conference travel and professional presentation of participants’ research;
Financial aid exploration and financial incentives such as fee waivers for graduate school applications and the fee
reduction waivers for GRE, as well as McNair-designated national fellowships;
Academic workshops and the 2 credit course McNair 301: Research in the Disciplines;
Workshops to sharpen writing, library, technology, and oral presentation skills.
The McNair Scholars program is rigorous and highly respected among graduate institutions nationwide.
Office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity (URGO)
The Office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity is a resource for Augsburg students seeking research,
scholarship, and graduate and professional school opportunities. URGO also supports faculty and staff in their work to
engage students in these areas. Services include:
Undergraduate Research
Summer Research Program
o URGO Summer Research is a 10-week, on-campus program where students join a faculty member’s ongoing
research/creative line or carry out an individually designed project. Students receive $4,000, a supply budget
and a housing stipend.
Academic year research
o $1,200 to pursue scholarship with a faculty mentor
Off-campus Summer Research Opportunities
o URGO maintains a comprehensive website, listing off-campus research opportunities. URGO staff work with
students to craft and submit high-quality applications for research experiences across the U.S. and some
outside the U.S.
Nationally-Competitive Fellowships
Provide application assistance and interview preparation for awards such as the:
Fulbright US Student Program
Goldwater ($7,500 science scholarship)
Rhodes (two years at Oxford)
Truman (graduate fellowship for public service)
Mitchell (one-year study at Irish institution)
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship
Marshall (two-year study at UK institution)
Udall ($7,000 for undergrad interested in environmental or tribal policy)
UK Summer Fulbright (first and second years study abroad at UK institution)
NSF (graduate fellowship)
Gates/Cambridge (two years at Cambridge)
Graduate School and Pre-Health Sciences Advising
Individualized advising and application assistance for:
Graduate school
Pre-health sciences (medical school, physician assistant program, pharmacy school, veterinary medicine, physical
therapy, occupational therapy, public health. etc.)
GRE Exam preparation course offered each summer at low cost
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Other Initiatives
Zyzzogeton is our annual on-campus festival showcasing undergraduate research and creative activity.
Fund student travel to national academic conferences to present research findings.
Mayo Innovation Scholars Program is a collaborative research between select Minnesota private colleges, Augsburg
undergraduates, Augsburg’s MBA program, and the Mayo Clinic Office of Intellectual Property.
Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation
Augsburg College has a deep and long-standing commitment to the concept of vocation--the idea that all people are
called by God to use their individual gifts to serve the neighbor. The Christensen Center for Vocation works with
students, faculty, and staff to explore how each person’s contributions can be uniquely valuable and how we might best
live in freedom and responsibility for the sake of the world. The commitment to keep this understanding of vocation
central to Augsburg’s mission is carried out by embedding the exploration of vocation in the curriculum as well as
through the Christensen Scholars program, internship and service opportunities, short term projects and public lectures.
The Christensen Center for Vocation also works to deepen and extend Augsburg’s commitment to interfaith
engagement. That commitment includes an Interfaith Scholars program, creating a campus culture in which people of
diverse religious traditions have welcoming sacred spaces, convening conversations that respect and explore our
differences while also engaging together in acts of service, peacemaking and working for justice. The Christensen Center
for Vocation is committed to working with churches, diverse religious communities, nonprofit organizations and other
schools of higher education as we live out Augsburg’s commitment to educate students to be informed citizens,
thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers and responsible leaders.
StepUP® Program
The StepUP program at Augsburg College strives to help students champion lives of recovery, achieve academic success,
and thrive in a residential community of accountability and support. The culture of StepUP is shaped by its core
elements: abstinence-based recovery models, mutual support groups, peer-to-peer recovery support, and other proven
pathways to healthy recovery - along with the residential component of the program. Our holistic approach to recovery
focuses around students developing healthy minds, bodies, spirits, and emotions.
Students live in on-campus recovery housing, have individual support meetings with licensed alcohol and drug
counseling staff, and participate in team and community-building activities. Students have access to academic skills
specialists and other support services on campus in order to ensure their educational success. Participation in StepUP
offers students leadership opportunities within the program, on campus, and in the greater Twin Cities community. Our
students give back through leadership and service and thrive in an alcohol- and drug-free environment. In StepUP,
students join together to form a community in which recovery is celebrated as a normal part of personal growth. Many
of the friendships and bonds that students form while participating in the program last a lifetime.
In order to qualify for the program, students must be committed to a 12-step or other proven, abstinence-based
recovery program, have a minimum of six months of continuous sobriety, agree to abide by the StepUP student
agreement, and live in StepUP housing.
Multicultural Student Services
American Indian Student Services
The American Indian Student Services program has been assisting American Indian students to further their academic
careers at Augsburg College since 1978. The program’s mission is to recruit, retain, and graduate Native students by
providing academic, financial, emotional, and cultural support and advocacy in a comfortable and friendly environment.
Some of the services provided include:
Assisting students with the admission process and financial aid application
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Nurturing students’ identification as an American Indian and providing opportunities for students to learn about
their heritage
Providing opportunities for the campus community to learn about the variety of American Indian people and
cultures
Providing academic advising and course plans
Providing opportunities to network with other American Indian students, faculty, staff, and alumni
Providing a number of different scholarships, including the Bonnie Wallace Leadership Award, Minnesota Indian
Teacher Training Partnership Grant, and additional assistance in seeking and applying for other outside/tribal
scholarships
Offering community and professional referrals, networking opportunities within the Native community and
information about jobs and internships
Latin@ Student Services
Mission
The mission of Latin@ Student Services (LSS) is to provide services, programs and resources that empower Latin@
students to persist and graduate, develop and strengthen their self-advocacy and leadership skills, and contribute to the
advancement of the communities they are part of.
Most importantly, LSS seeks to be a safe inclusive place where students feel a sense of belonging and community and
find pride in their self-identified identities, affinities, and culture.
History
Originally established in 1994 to support a majority of international and 2nd generation hispano/latino students, the
office of Hispano/Latino Student Services was re-branded in 2014 under the Latin@ Student Services (LSS) name in
recognition of the changing demographics and needs of current Latin@ students at Augsburg College.
During the 2014-15 academic year, LSS has served 177 self-identified Latin@ students who represent a diversity of
identities, cultural and national backgrounds, individual and community experiences, sexual orientation, religious
affiliation, class, and immigration statuses.
Pan-Asian Student Services
The Pan-Asian Student Services program was created in 1992 to recruit and retain Asian-American students and to
enhance the quality of their total experience while at Augsburg College. The program seeks to create opportunities
where Asian students can be involved in and contribute to all aspects of academic and student life.
The program provides assistance in the admissions and financial aid application process, orientation, registration and
coursework selection, career development, academic and non-academic pursuits, and employment and placement
referrals.
The Augsburg Asian Student Association is affiliated with the program. The association organizes various activities during
the academic year to increase the network of friendship and support for Asians, other students at Augsburg, and the
surrounding community.
Pan-Afrikan Center
The Pan-Afrikan Center (PAC) traces its roots to the 1968 event, “One Day in May” when Augsburg students compelled
faculty and staff to respond to Civil Rights era challenges pro-actively through sit-ins and teach-ins held on and off
campus. As a result, Black Student Affairs was born. It has evolved over the years into the PAC. Today, the PAC is
primarily a resource center, providing culturally-conscious personal, academic, financial, pre-professional and
transitional support for students of African descent. This serves to enhance the recruitment, retention, and graduation
of our students and facilitates a more meaningful learning experience. The PAC brings the knowledge and experience of
Afrikan people in the Diaspora to the community through a variety of programming as well through advising the PanAfrikan Student Union. The Pan-Afrikan Student Union (PASU) is a commissioned organization whose purpose is to
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enable students of African descent to share their diversity and collectively express their fellowship with the Augsburg
community. PASU sponsors a variety of social, intellectual, and cultural activities.
Scholastic Connections
Scholastic Connections is a scholarship and mentorship program for achievement-oriented, undergraduate students of
color. The goal of the program is to form a mentoring community that provides a network of belonging that recognizes,
supports, challenges, and inspires scholars to ensure their success at Augsburg and beyond.
Each year five new scholars are selected as program participants via an application process. Scholars receive a $5,000
scholarship for the academic year and are paired with a mentor who is an alumnus/alumna of color and is successful
within their chosen profession. Working with the Ethnic Services directors, scholar/mentor pairings are formed that,
ideally, match ethnic group and field of interest.
Eligible scholars have:
A GPA of 2.5 or higher
Demonstrated financial need
Demonstrated leadership ability or potential
Demonstrated community involvement both on and off campus
Program objectives are to:
Support scholars as they continue at Augsburg
Frame the questions: Who am I? Where do I belong? What are my gifts? How can I best serve the world?
Assist in discerning vocation
Prepare for life after Augsburg: career planning and implementation
Scholars who successfully complete program requirements are eligible to continue with the program each successive
year until graduation.
LGBTQIA Student Services
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual (LGBTQIA) Student Services works to improve the
campus climate for all students, staff, faculty and visitors at Augsburg College by developing and supporting inclusive
understandings of gender and sexuality, as well as fostering a community that honors and affirms the wholeness of all
identities.
LGBTQIA Students Services provides student advocacy and educational opportunities for the entire campus through a
variety of programs and ongoing initiatives. Queer Pride Alliance; Ally Trainings; the LGBTQIA Student Leadership
Retreat, the Soup, Gender, and Sexuality series; and the LGBTQIA Newsletter offer learning and networking
opportunities for the entire campus on issues around gender and sexuality. In addition, the department honors LGBTQIA
and allied students each year during Lavender Celebration, where the recipients of the LGBTQIA Student Leadership
Awards, the Augsburg Pride Award, and the Karen Neitge Scholarship are honored.
For more information, visit www.augsburg.edu/lgbtqia.
Women’s Resource Center
The Anne Pederson Women’s Resource Center at Augsburg College is located in Sverdrup Hall 207, offering a variety of
programming for Augsburg students of all gender identities and a meeting place for students, faculty, and staff alike. It
houses a Women’s Studies library, a seminar room for films and discussions, and a lounge space for studying, relaxing,
and just hanging out.
The Women’s Resource Center sponsors numerous programs and activities on topics such as sexuality education and
sexual assault advocacy, as well as broader topics such as The Vagina Monologues, monthly film showings, and monthly
brown-bag lunch discussions. The WRC’s largest event is the annual Koryne Horbal Convocation Lecture, which features
women and men who speak about the many issues important to women’s, as well as everyone’s, lives. The center also
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regularly co-sponsors annual events for the Muslim Student Association’s Women in Islam Day and for Queer and
Straight in Unity. The WRC is also the home of the Student Feminist Collective.
We would love to support you as an intern or volunteer, or simply to co-sponsor your event! Contact us or friend us on
Facebook to find out about upcoming events and other opportunities for participation. Student staff positions at the
WRC are posted online with Human Resources as they become available.
Health and Fitness
Center for Wellness and Counseling (CWC)
CWC provides short-term personal counseling for students to discuss personal life challenges with professional mental
health counselors in a confidential and supportive setting. Through counseling, students can name personal strengths
and challenges, identify self-care and support resources, learn new relationship and coping skills, and increase
awareness of values and choices. Counseling services to students include individual counseling, group counseling,
assessment and referral to campus and mental health resources, educational workshops, and consultations in the case
of concern for another student.
Students bring many concerns to counseling, including stress, anxiety, depression, mood swings, relationship concerns,
grief and loss, roommate issues, intimacy and sexuality, alcohol and other drug concerns, family issues, eating concerns,
coming out and other sexual identity concerns, cultural identity, self-esteem, sleep difficulties, and other concerns.
Professional counseling can help increase student academic success both by increasing the opportunity for increased
self-understanding and personal growth, and by directly addressing potential barriers to academic success.
CWC also offers health promotion activities and events to increase student awareness of health issues and support
students in developing new behaviors for a healthier lifestyle, such as mindfulness events, stress management, and an
annual Health Fair. Health promotion also includes an active group of peer health educators, Engaging Peers on Issues
and Choices (EP!C) who are available to present an interactive alcohol education program to groups requesting the
program. Health promotion also works with various campus organizations and student groups to foster positive change
within the campus environment.
Health Insurance
Augsburg College does not require that students have health insurance, with the exception of international students and
student athletes. If a student is not covered by a health insurance plan, they may contact the Center for Wellness and
Counseling for more information on student health insurance plans.
Health Clinic Services
The College offers basic health care services to students through a contract with University Fairview Physicians –
Smiley’s Clinic. These services are limited. For students without health insurance, Smiley’s Clinic provides certain clinic
health services with a minimal co-pay at the time of the visit. Emergency services of any kind are not covered through
the contract between Augsburg and Smiley’s Clinic. Students with health insurance can also access Smiley’s Clinic for a
variety of clinic or other health services. A student’s health insurance provider will be billed for medical services and the
student will be responsible for any co-pays or deductibles associated with their insurance.
For more information regarding counseling, health promotion, health insurance, or health clinic services, call 612-3301707 or visit www.augsburg.edu/cwc.
Fitness Centers
Located on the lower level of Kennedy Center and Melby Hall the fitness centers are equipped with stationary bicycles,
stair steppers, treadmills, and other aerobic workout machines. They include a weight room with universal and free
weight systems. All staff, students, and faculty may use the centers; some hours are reserved for classes.
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International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS)
ISSS is responsible for the enrollment planning, recruitment and advising of exchange students and degree-seeking
international students. Members of the ISSS team serve as Designated School Officials (DSO) for the College’s F-1
student visa program and as Responsible Officer (RO) and Alternate Responsible Officer (ARO) for the College’s J-1
student/scholar exchange program. A DSO ensures institutional and individual compliance with the law and government
policies pertaining to F-1 students. The RO and ARO ensure institutional and individual compliance with the law and
government policies pertaining to J-1 exchange students and scholars. ISSS advises students regarding the F and J
regulations so that students maintain their F or J immigration status.
Examples of ISSS responsibilities include:
Recruiting international student applicants and guiding them through application and visa processing procedures
Managing international student recruitment partnerships
Marketing Augsburg College to the international community
Advocating on policy matters affecting international students
Advising the International Student Organization
Coordinating the International Student Mentor Program
Providing intercultural competence training and mentoring for students, faculty and staff
Implementing a mandatory international student orientation program each semester
Making referrals and providing guidance on issues related to health insurance, taxes, banking, and acquiring a
driver’s license, MN State ID or social security card
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Special Academic Programs
Center for Global Education & Experience (CGEE)
Study abroad and away at Augsburg aims to provide students the skills needed to be successful in today’s highly
interconnected world. The College’s mission states, “An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts
and professional studies guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran Church, and shaped by its urban and global
settings.” This strong commitment to a global perspective provides the foundation to include study abroad or away in
every student’s degree program. Augsburg’s programs, including those of the Center for Global Education & Experience
as well as individual departments, as well as HECUA provide study abroad and away opportunities for students in all
majors.
Using an experiential education model that focuses learning on social justice issues, these programs challenge students
academically and personally to become “informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible
leaders.”
In addition to the following programs, students have over 300 programs in nearly 90 countries, including the United
States from which to choose in order to meet their curricular and personal needs. CGEE (formerly Augsburg Abroad and
Center for Global Education) is the front door for students and faculty interested in study abroad, and provides advising
on programs, finances, and academics. Services provided through CGEE:
Study Abroad and Away in the USA program selection advising
Financial and academic advising
Pre-departure and re-entry support, including career integration
Program coordination for semester and short-term programs
Faculty resources to globalize courses at home and abroad
In addition to the services and programs listed above, CGEE works with the entire campus to increase the breadth and
depth of Global Education within the curriculum, in our campus life and to engage the community surrounding the
campuses in the Twin Cities and Rochester, and across the United States.
About a third of Augsburg undergraduate students enroll in off-campus study programs internationally and domestically
before graduating. Students can study a variety of disciplines in a wide variety of countries. For example, students have
the opportunity to examine Environmental Sustainability in the USA, study gender issues in Mexico, study social change
in Central America, carry out business simulations in Norway and Germany, complete student teaching in Italy, intern
with community organizations in Northern Ireland, do an internship in Namibia, do ecological field study in the
Galapagos Islands, take organic chemistry in England, and gain fluency in a foreign language where it is widely spoken.
Students can choose from more than 300 programs in 90+ countries including the United States. Programs vary in length
from one week to a year abroad. In addition to the Augsburg CGEE programs (Augsburg faculty-led short-term, Augsburg
in Central America, Mexico, and Southern Africa, Exchange, and HECUA programs), students can choose from Augsburg
Affiliated Programs.
Study Abroad & Study Away in the USA Programs
Augsburg in Central America, Mexico and Southern Africa
The mission of the CGEE signature Augsburg in Central America, Mexico and Southern Africa Programs is to provide
cross-cultural educational opportunities in order to foster critical analysis of local and global conditions so that personal
and systemic change takes place leading to a more just and sustainable world. Students experience three distinct types
of living situations: living with other students in a community house, spending several days in a rural setting, and living
several weeks with host families. In the Southern Africa programs, students travel together on two-week seminars—
Namibia to South Africa. Scholarships are available.
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Augsburg in Central America
Social Change in Central America: Exploring Peace, Justice, and Community Engagement (Guatemala, Costa Rica,
Nicaragua)—Fall or Spring
This is an intensive semester of study and regional travel designed to introduce students to the key issues facing Central
Americans. Students will explore the history, culture, and struggles of the people of Central America in this provocative
and inspiring experience that develops Spanish language skills while immersing participants in the lives of host families,
urban and rural communities, and grassroots organizations dedicated to work on issues related to conflict, US foreign
policy, gender, and economic and social justice. Students spend the first five weeks in Guatemala, the next four weeks in
Costa Rica, and the final six weeks in Nicaragua. Students live with local host families for nine weeks. Prerequisites: one
course in college-level Spanish or its equivalent.
Students spend the first five weeks in Guatemala, the next four weeks in Costa Rica, and the final six weeks in Nicaragua.
All students will take the following four courses: one Spanish or Indigenous language course (for native Spanish
speakers) course, REL 366, HIS/WST 355, and POL 310.
Augsburg in Mexico
Crossing Borders: Gender and Social Change in Mesoamerica—Fall
This program is an experientially-based and designed to introduce students to the important issues facing Mexico, USMexico relations, and the context in which many Mexicans are immigrating to the United States. Students will improve
Spanish language skills, as well as develop intercultural skills. Students will learn about key social, economic, political,
and cultural issues in Mexico, as well as explore the interconnectedness of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and
religion. Students will learn firsthand from diverse women and men involved in struggles for social change, as well as
business leaders, religious leaders, feminist activists and scholars, government representatives, politicians, and political
activists. Spanish courses range from beginning to advanced, including courses for bilingual students. The program
includes rural travel within Mexico and four-to-five-day seminar in Mexico City. Students stay in the Augsburg study
center for part of the semester and with Mexican host families for four to six weeks, although semester-long homestays
are available for Spanish majors and others upon request. Students may meet several AugCore and General Education
requirements (Augsburg Experience, Fine Arts, Humanities, Keystone, Natural Science and Mathematics, Search for
Meaning II, Social and Behavioral Science and Wellness) while in Mexico and/or take courses in the following four
concentrations: Business, Religion, Spanish and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. Spanish courses range from
beginning to advanced, including courses for bilingual students.
International Business and Global Citizenship—Fall
Today’s business leaders are increasingly well-served by a global perspective. Students gain international experience in
Mexico, the business capital of Latin America and the United States’ third largest trading partner. Students improve
Spanish language skills and understanding of Mexican culture in order to communicate with and serve the largest
immigrant group in the US – a group that is rapidly increasing in economic influence. This program emphasizes success in
business, while also encouraging a commitment to corporate responsibility, sustainability, and equality by exposing you
to both the opportunities and challenges of international business.
Students may take courses any of the following business courses in addition to any courses from the Crossing Borders
(see listing) program: Accounting Theory & Practice, Global Business Management, International Business, International
Marketing, Keystone, and Internship.
Language and Culture in Mexico—Summer
CGEE offers five, 3 1/2 week sessions (blocks) focusing on Spanish language and Mexican culture in which students can
take one course per session, and take up to five courses throughout the summer. Students can complete their full
Modern Language requirement in just 7 weeks. Students can also take ART/SPA231 (Fine Arts), Spanish (beginning to
advanced, including Spanish for Healthcare Professionals, Heritage speakers, and Ministry). 7 week Internships are
available in a number of disciplines (e.g., business, gender, sexuality and women’s studies, religion and more).
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This community-based program includes homestays, a trip to Mexico City, the pyramids of Teotihuacan, optional
weekend excursions, and numerous guest speakers designed to help students learn about history, culture, and
contemporary struggles for peace, justice, and human rights.
Migration and Globalization: Engaging Our Communities—Spring
This is an intensive program that explores issues of migration, immigration, and globalization. It is ideal for students who
are interested in working with Spanish-speaking populations in the United States, as it includes intensive Spanish
language classes, an internship or independent research opportunity, and courses that help students understand the
connections between globalization and migration while learning from diverse communities that are organizing for
positive social change around issues of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic class, gender, sexuality, economics, and the
environment. Credit is available in Spanish, History, Political Science, Religion, and Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s
Studies. Students spend most of the semester living in Augsburg housing and approximately six weeks living with
Mexican host families.
Course offerings include: HIS/WST 357, POL/WST 341, REL 200, an internship, independent study, and the choice of 1-2
Spanish courses from 16 different options (including ART 231, which meets the LAF requirement in Fine Arts). A
Recreational Wellness course (Latin Dance) is also available.
Spanish courses range from beginning to advanced, including courses for bilingual students.
Social Work in a Latin American Context—Spring
This program was created to satisfy the curricular requirements for the Bachelor in Social Work degree program. Its goal
is to develop cross-culturally competent, ethical social work professionals with a global perspective by providing a
semester of transformative, experiential learning focused on social and economic justice. It includes Spanish language
study and social work courses. Social work field experience is also available for qualified students. Students live with
Mexican host families for six weeks.
All students are expected to take SWK 294 as a core course. Other course offerings include SWK 295, SWK 316, a field
placement in social work, and the choice of one Spanish course from 16 different options (including SPA/ART 231, which
meet the LAF in Fine Arts). A Recreational Wellness course (Latin Dance) is also available.
Prerequisites: Approval of the Social Work Department and one college-level Spanish course or the equivalent highly
recommended. Students may choose to study Spanish in Mexico during the month of January prior to the start of the
semester
Augsburg in Southern Africa
Nation-Building, Globalization, and Decolonizing the Mind: Southern African Perspectives (Namibia and South Africa)—
Fall or Spring
This program examines the crucial issues of nation-building, globalization, and decolonizing the mind, from the
perspectives of the new democracies in southern Africa. Namibia won its independence in 1990 after decades of
apartheid under South African colonization. South Africa had its first democratic election in 1994. As these nations
struggle to build nationhood and deal with the legacies of apartheid and colonialism, they are faced with the challenges
posed by today’s world—rapid globalization as well as under- and unequal development. Decolonizing the mind is a
long-term project. The program includes seminars in Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa. Available courses
are: HIS 327, POL 353, REL 346, ENV 100 and INS 312/POL 354. Internships are also available in eight different
departments, and a Recreational Wellness course (Yoga) is also available.
Exchange Programs
The Center for Global Education & Experience partners with universities around the world to provide semester and
academic year exchange opportunities to their students. Currently, Augsburg’s CGGE has active exchanges in China,
Finland, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Norway, and Slovenia. Students can choose from several
options in diverse disciplines. All coursework is in English with opportunity to student the host country language. Travel
scholarships are available for these programs. For further information on these programs and scholarships visit the CGEE
website.
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Faculty-led Short-term Programs
Faculty-led winter break, spring break, and summer programs offer opportunities to intensively study on a course
abroad with an Augsburg professor and other Augsburg students. Program travel length ranges from eight days to five
weeks. Program offerings change annually. Scholarships are available for some programs.
Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA)
Augsburg, in consortium with other colleges and universities, offers full semester, summer and part-time programs in
Ecuador, Italy, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, and the USA (Twin Cities and Jackson, Mississippi). All HECUA
programs explore civic engagement, community, and social change, and emphasize internships and field study.
Art for Social Change: Intersections of Art, Identity, and Advocacy—Spring
What is art for? Who is allowed to be an artist? Where do you find art, and what happens when it finds you? In the Twin
Cities-based Art for Social Change program, students seek the answers to these questions not in a gallery or a museum,
but on busy corners, vacant storefronts, and empty lots. Students will tap into a growing movement of artists pushing
the boundaries of what creative expression does and whose voice it amplifies. Art for Social Change is taught in
partnership with Pillsbury House + Theatre, an innovative center for creativity and community in South Minneapolis.
Students meet and intern with PH + T staff, resident artists, and a myriad of leaders from the Minneapolis City Council,
neighborhood associations, and local businesses. Students receive mentorship from public artists, and an individual
budget to create three community-engaged art projects.
Community Internships in Latin America (Ecuador)—Fall or Spring
The Community Internships in Latin America program, based in Quito, Ecuador, offers a semester of study experience
with a focus on community participation and social change. A hands-on internship designed to meet the learning goals
of the student is combined with a seminar, an independent project, and a homestay for an intensive immersion into
Latin American daily life and culture. In the second week of class, each student begins an individual placement at a
nonprofit community organization. Previous internship sites have included an organic farm, an arts hub for urban youth,
and a women’s safe house. Students learn firsthand about the social problems in Ecuadorian communities and explore
ways in which communities are addressing these challenges. All lectures, internships, and field projects are in Spanish,
with discussions in Spanish and English. Readings are mostly in Spanish. Papers may be written in English or Spanish.
Environmental Sustainability: Ecology, Policy, and Social Transformation—Fall
The most pressing environmental challenges today are global in scale and require scientific, creative, and systems
thinking approaches to understand their root causes and forge more just and equitable solutions. The four linked
semester courses of Environmental Sustainability apply systems thinking and sustainability theory to real world cases.
Students explore structural inequalities in their own communities, examining patterns of privilege, power, and
oppression. They study the restoration of degraded ecosystems, witness and participate in citizen science, and assess
how policies and partnerships foster ecologically sound transformation. Students also complete a 20 hour per week
internship at one of the many vibrant environmental organizations in the Twin Cities. Past internship placement sites
include the Land Stewardship Project, MN350, and Spark-Y Youth Action Labs. Students will leave prepared for
leadership roles at the intersection of environmental and climate justice, with a profound understanding of the work
being done locally and nationally in those fields.
Inequality in America: Policy, Community, and the Politics of Empowerment—Fall or Spring
In this Twin Cities-based semester program students actively delve into major challenges of our time: poverty,
inequality, and social change. This program asks: What are the root causes of increasing levels of economic, political,
social inequality and insecurity and how does this impact all social classes and groups in the United States? How are
economic, political, and social inequality reproduced? How do we create more opportunity for all Americans and what
are some concrete social change tools for making these changes? To answer these questions, the program examines and
connects the economy, housing systems, education, welfare, government policies, urban sprawl, regional race and class
segregation, and institutional discrimination. In professional internships, students work to explore solutions in
organizations committed to social transformation. Students have direct conversations and work with practitioners in
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government, the private sector, nonprofits, labor unions, and schools, and other community institutions working to
address poverty and economic, political, and social inequality.
Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Justice in Italy––Fall
Students live and work at the Castello Sonnino, a historic estate roughly 12 miles outside the major city of Florence.
Since the early 1800s, the Sonnino family has run the estate, and the current generation is deeply committed to cultural
and architectural preservation. Students live in apartments on the Sonnino grounds, overlooking 300+ acres of woods,
olive groves, and working farm land. They study the political and economic context of the farming and food movements
particular to Italy. They gain firsthand experience of sustainable local food systems and the role they play in maintaining
rural culture through an internship placement on the Sonnino farm, in the nearby village of Montespertoli, or in nearby
Florence. Students receive basic Italian instruction, and complete a guided independent study project.
New Zealand Culture and the Environment: A Shared Future—Fall or Spring
Beginning with five weeks of travel across the North Island and ultimately based in Wellington, this program examines
how social and environmental factors shape political and ecological dimensions of identity and culture, and how New
Zealanders from many different backgrounds are envisioning and creating a shared future. During the trip and in
Wellington, students learn about the history of colonization, the truth and reconciliation process that shape
contemporary life, Māori protest and social movements, key strategies used to achieve sustainability, new agricultural
practices, and more. Students intern at a nonprofit organization in Wellington. Internship placements in past years have
ranged from Kennett Brothers Mountain Bikes to Sustainable Coastlines, from the Green Party New Zealand to Zealandia
Urban Eco-Reserve. Links between environment, culture, policy, and community are at the heart of these field study and
internship opportunities.
Northern Ireland: Democracy and Social Change—Fall or Spring
The Northern Ireland: Democracy and Social Change program examines the historical, political, and religious roots of
conflict in Northern Ireland, the prospects for peace, and the progress being made. Through a seven-week internship,
students get hands-on experience with organizations working for social change. Field seminars focus on human rights,
conflict transformation, and education for democracy. The program is based at the International Conflict Research
Institute at Ulster University (Derry/Londonderry), and on facilitated trips, students compare that region of Northern
Ireland to the “borderland” area and to Dublin.
Race in America: Then and Now —Summer
The summer of 2014 saw the beginning of a dramatic shift in public conversation around race in the United States. As
the tragic deaths of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Sandra Bland, Rekia Boyd, and other unarmed men and
women dominated the news, powerful protests forced American to face the twin realities of institutionalized racism and
police brutality. Race in America: Then and Now dives into questions of racial justice in America today, and the
continuing role of race in the United States. Students meet with civil rights activists who were active in the 1960s and
those who are active now, as well as lawyers, politicians, educators, and youth. The program is based in Jackson,
Mississippi, and is offered in collaboration with the Fannie Lou Hamer National Institute on Citizenship and Democracy
at COFO on the campus of Jackson State University, one of America's Historically Black Colleges and Universities
(HBCUs).
The New Norway: Globalization, National Identity and the Politics of Belonging—Fall
In less than 50 years, Norway has become one of the richest nations in the world and increasingly diverse. Twenty-five
percent of Oslo residents, for example, are not ethnic Norwegian. The program investigates dramatic changes in
Northern Europe by examining the contemporary challenges and opportunities for the Scandinavian welfare states in an
age of globalization and mass migration. Core topics include globalization and multiculturalism, nation-building and
national identity, governance and political party systems, European integration, racial thinking, histories of racialization,
the rise of the populist/far-right, international aid politics, and gender. Questions framing the program include: How
might Norway and the other Scandinavian welfare states adapt to the challenges of multiculturalism, European
integration and globalization? What factors have made possible the rise of populist / far-right parties in Scandinavia and
what has been their impact on politics and society more generally? How have film, literature and social movements
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challenged conventional understandings of what it means to be Norwegian/Scandinavian? Students study Norwegian
language or do an independent research project, and intern with a leading NGO.
Agriculture and Justice: Building a Sustainable Food System––Spring
Two linked semester courses use hands-on, field based methods to unpack sustainable agriculture and justice, exploring
the food system, land ownership, labor practices, and policies. Students gain hands-on growing skills and travel to food
shelves, grocery stores, community centers, as wells as conventional and small-scale farms. Each student completes a
short-term stay on a sustainable farm, as well as a field project in a hunger relief organization or urban community farm.
A 4- to 8- credit food systems internship is available concurrently with the two courses, or in the summer following the
program. In past semesters students have interned with the Land Stewardship Project, Frogtown Green, Mill City
Farmers Market, and others,
Making Media, Making Change: Digital Technologies, Storytelling, and Action––Fall and Spring
This Twin Cities-based semester of two linked courses is taught in collaboration with St. Paul Neighborhood Network
(SPNN), a bustling studio and media access center that puts cameras into the hands of historically underrepresented
creators. Students of all experience levels will leave the class with three short films to their credit, including a final work
created in collaboration with a local nonprofit. In addition to hands-on training, students meet the leaders of the local
media justice landscape. Students see their work as part of a global movement to make media accessible, relevant, and
reflective of the diverse voices demanding to be heard. A 4- to 8- credit media production internship is available with
community partner SPNN simultaneously (for students who have advanced technical skills) or following the program.
Augsburg Affiliated Programs
The Center for Global Education & Experience maintains a robust portfolio of affiliated programs to enhance the global
education offerings available to Augsburg students. These affiliated programs allow Augsburg students to study
disciplines and locations that lie beyond CGEE’s signature, exchange and short-term faculty-led programs See website
for listings.
Application Process
In order to Study Abroad or Away in the USA students should follow these easy steps:
Attend and Information Session
Attend an optional Program Selection Workshop and/or search programs online
Apply by the deadline
Application Deadlines
September 30 - Spring semester and winter-break faculty-led programs
November 1 - Spring-break faculty-led programs
January 31 - Summer Session faculty-led programs
March 1 - Fall semester and other summer programs
Program provider deadlines vary; students need to meet all deadlines and eligibility requirements set by program
providers. Students should start planning in their first year for off campus study to be sure to do appropriate research
and meet all deadlines.
Academic Requirements and Credit
Students automatically fulfill the Augsburg Experience requirement on approved study abroad and study away in the
USA. Courses taken abroad can also fulfill graduation requirements including major, minor, language, Liberal Arts
Foundation, Recreational Wellness, Honors, and internship requirements. This is determined prior to departure when
students fill out the required Course Equivalency Form which is signed by faculty advisor(s), Assistant Registrar,
department chairs and assigned faculty to approve the course equivalencies.
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Credits, Grades and Residency
Students must take a full load of credits while abroad on semester programs.
Students must take courses for a grade (P/NP not allowed) while abroad.
Grades received on affiliated and most exchange programs are reported as transfer credit on the transcript, and
thus are not figured into the GPA.
A grade of “C” equivalent or higher must be received for the credit to transfer to Augsburg.
Courses taken on off-campus programs during the senior year meet the Augsburg residency requirement as students
remain enrolled at Augsburg while abroad.
Faculty-led Short-term Programs
Students must register for all courses required by the short-term program. Credit values may vary, so confirm the
specific program credit load with the Center for Global Education & Experience (CGEE) Office. Any courses removed by
the student without CGEE permission prior to the start of the program will be re-added to the student’s schedule. If no
work was completed in these reinstated courses, a grade of zero will be awarded.
Eligibility
Following are Augsburg College’s requirements for Study Abroad and Away in the USA:
Minimum 2.0 GPA at the time of application. Individual programs/courses may require a higher average. Students
with lower averages should consult with CGEE.
Sophomore, junior, or senior standing by the time you off campus. First-year students on a case-by-case basis may
be allowed to study at Augsburg’s Center for Global Education & Experience program-Mexico site during their
second term at Augsburg. Short-term, faculty-led programs will allow participation as a first-year if the student
receives approval from the faculty-leader and if space allows.
Transfer students must complete one semester at Augsburg before they may study off campus.
Students must be in good academic and social standing. Students placed on academic or disciplinary probation after
admittance to the off-campus study program may be withdrawn from the program. The student is responsible for all
non-recoverable program costs incurred.
Any outstanding balances on student accounts must be resolved before students will be allowed to study off
campus.
Note: Students applying to faculty-led programs who meet the above criteria are accepted to these programs on a first
applied, first accepted basis. Space is limited, so early application is recommended.
Costs and Financial Aid
The cost of semester off-campus study is comprised of program fees that generally include tuition, housing,
international health insurance, some meals, excursions, and off campus study fees. Airfare, personal expenses, books,
and other expenses are not included in the price of semester programs. Program costs vary; Augsburg College pays the
program provider on the student’s behalf and then bills the Augsburg student account. This allows students to access
their financial aid for off campus study. Students on semester programs will always pay a minimum of Augsburg tuition
plus living and travel expenses when studying abroad.
Students who receive financial aid, loans, scholarships, and/or grants to study at Augsburg can use that entire package
to cover their off-campus study program costs. Students receiving Augsburg institutionally-funded aid (e.g., President’s,
Regents’, Legacy, Promise, and other Augsburg gift aid/scholarships, and tuition benefit) may use their scholarships to
study off campus multiple times on Augsburg programs (see below in off-campus study program section). However,
institutionally-funded aid may be used only once toward off-campus costs on an affiliate program. Cost estimates for the
time abroad are drawn up to assist the student in planning and the financial aid office in awarding aid to students
studying abroad. Additional scholarships are available for semester and academic year programs.
The cost of short-term faculty-led programs is typically comprised of tuition (for summer programs), meals, airfare,
ground transportation, and interpretation/translation services. These costs are on top of any semester/year tuition
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charges. Some scholarships are available, but are limited for short-term programs. Students often apply loans to fund
the additional cost of education travel.
Students should attend the required information session and read the advising handbook for any updates to
scholarships and financial aid policies.
Students are required to notify CGEE immediately if they choose not to continue with their off-campus study experience.
At the moment of notification, non-recoverable costs and a cancellation fee will be assessed and charged to the student
account. Depending on the time of notification of withdrawal, students may owe nothing; or they may owe the offcampus study fee, the deposit, or some or all of the program fee. Students are also subject to the cancellation and
refund policies of CGEE and their program provider.
Scholarships
The Center for Global Education & Experience offers a range of scholarships and financial aid to students with
demonstrated financial need and whose participation in a semester or summer academic program contributes to a
community of co-learners that values a variety of cultures and backgrounds.
CGEE Global Education Scholarship. Augsburg students automatically receive a $1000 scholarship on our Semester
programs at our sites in Central America, Mexico and Namibia/Southern Africa. This scholarship is also available to
students who participate on our semester exchange programs in designated countries (China, Finland. Germany,
Greece, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, and Norway)
The Diversity Scholarship is for students who have not traditionally been represented in study abroad, specifically
students of color, students with disabilities, and LGBT students. Awards cover up to $6,000 off the cost of a
semester program abroad.
The Need-Based Scholarship is available for students with demonstrated financial need. Awards cover up to $2,000
of the cost of a semester program abroad.
Augsburg students receive an “Auggie Discount” of $1,000 on their first semester program (the Returnee Scholarship
will apply for the second program).
PJSA Member Discount is available for students whose home school is a member of the Peace and Justice Studies
Association. Automatic award of $500 toward a semester study abroad program in any CGE location. This discount
cannot be applied to the Social Work in a Latin American Context program.
Returnee Scholarship: Automatic discount of 10% off a second semester program for students who combine two
semester programs during their college career. There are no forms to submit for this discount.
Summer Discount: Students who participate in a full semester program in Mexico will receive a 10% discount off a
summer session (before or after the semester program).
Global Affiliate Scholarships are also available. These scholarships generally ranging from $500-$5000 are provided
directly through our affiliate partner programs.
Disabilities
CGEE and the Center for Learning and Accessible Student Services (CLASS) work closely with students with disabilities to
make every effort student needs are met while studying off-campus. Nevertheless, students are responsible for
requesting accommodations within a reasonable time frame prior to departure, ideally as early as program selection.
Students should be prepared for the fact that disability may be culturally defined. Attitudes toward disability and levels
of accessibility can vary greatly from country to country. The Americans with Disabilities Act mandates equal access to
university-sponsored programs and services to students with disabilities. However, providing access by US standards can
present unique challenges in international settings. The expectation on the part of US students and institutions is that
reasonable accommodations will be made. Depending on the country and culture, there may be different ways to define
accessibility and different expectations in terms of accommodations that can or should be made.
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Continuing Education Program
The mission of Augsburg College continuing education program is to provide working adults with lifelong learning
opportunities that will enable them to continue to grow personally, professionally, and spiritually in their homes,
workplaces, and communities. The program strives to meet the needs of the community by offering credit and noncredit
programs consistent with the mission of Augsburg College.
Programs are developed through collaborations between academic and administrative departments of the College and
community organizations. These collaborations have included the Departments of Business, Biology, Education, Nursing,
Religion, Social Work, the Center for Leadership Studies, Institutional Advancement, and organizations including
Minneapolis and St. Paul public school districts, Minnesota Department of Education, and the Midwest Regional Office
of the College Board. Augsburg College is a Lifelong Learning Partner with the ELCA.
Honors Program
The Augsburg Honors Program offers an adventurous education where students with a passion for ideas can be their
best. We offer a friendly and welcoming atmosphere for students committed to an exceptional higher education.
Augsburg’s Honors Program is unlike any other honors program in the nation because it gives students the resources
and freedom to build their own ideal higher education. Students have the opportunity to create their own courses, edit
and write for the Honors Review of Undergraduate Scholarship, participate in an intramural debate league, belong to an
Honors House, and learn through small reading groups, research projects, and travel around the world.
Each Honors course has been specifically created for Honors students, and includes a challenging “signature experience”
such as writing a play, putting great books on trial, or attending music, theater, and art performances. Honors courses
bring in professors from several different departments so students can learn from talented professors teaching their
specialties.
For information, contact the Honors Desk at honors@augsburg.edu (612-330-1560) or Phil Adamo, Honors Program
director, at honors@augsburg.edu.
Also see the Honors Program in the departmental pages of this catalog.
Inter-Institutional Programs
Augsburg cooperates with other colleges and institutions in the Twin Cities area on several programs.
Cooperating Libraries in Consortium (CLIC)
Through CLIC, the Twin Cities private college’s library consortium, the Augsburg community has direct access to more
than 2.5 million volumes and media resources of the 14 libraries.
Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC)
Full-time Day students at Augsburg College, Hamline University, Macalester College, St. Catherine University, and the
University of St. Thomas may elect to take one course each semester (fall and spring) at one of the other campuses. No
additional fee is required for such an exchange, except for private instruction in music or approved independent studies.
Exchange courses are not transfer courses, and thus courses taken through ACTC are considered Augsburg College
courses and do not impact the residency requirement. The permanent record of courses for which an Augsburg student
has cross-registered is kept in the Registrar’s Office at Augsburg College, not at the host ACTC institution. Students may
elect to participate in the cooperative program to gain new perspectives, to get better acquainted with the other
schools, or to undertake a specific course or major not offered on the home campus.
AU/WEC/ROCH programs are not part of the ACTC consortium, and students in those programs may not register for
ACTC courses or complete ACTC majors under the terms of the ACTC consortium agreements.
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Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs (HECUA)
Augsburg, in cooperation with 17 other colleges and universities, offers off-campus study semesters in Ecuador, New
Zealand, Northern Ireland, Norway, and the Twin Cities. (See HECUA programs in the International Programs and Urban
Studies sections of the departmental pages of this catalog.)
McNally Smith College of Music
Augsburg College full-time Day students may elect to take one course each semester at McNally Smith College of Music
(MSCM) providing that they meet all MCSM requirements. This program is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
There is no additional fee for this program. Students should consult with their advisors to confirm if the classes will
count toward graduation requirements. In no instance may a McNally Smith course be used as a substitute for any
Augsburg course specifically listed within a degree program.
Exchange courses are not transfer courses. Courses taken through the Augsburg-McNally Smith exchange are considered
Augsburg College courses and do not impact the residency requirement. The permanent record of courses which a
student has completed through the exchange is kept in the Registrar’s Office at Augsburg College, not McNally Smith.
Air Force ROTC
Augsburg Day students interested in participating in the Air Force ROTC program must apply for admission to the unit at
the University of St. Thomas. Students are eligible to compete for two- and three-year AFROTC scholarships. ROTC
credits serve as electives at Augsburg. For more information contact the University of St. Thomas at
www.stthomas.edu/afrotc.
Army ROTC
Augsburg Day students may participate in the Army ROTC program at the University of Minnesota under an agreement
between Augsburg, the University of Minnesota, and the program. ROTC credits serve as electives at Augsburg. For more
information, contact the University of Minnesota: Twin Cities at www.goarmy.com/rotc/schools/university-ofminnesota.
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Academic Policies and Procedures
Registration
Students must be officially registered for all courses for which they are participating. All registered courses will be
reflected on a student’s AugNet Records and Registration page. Web registration through AugNet is the primary method
of registration, although registration can be processed through the Registrar’s Office with a Registration Form in
instances where online registration is not possible. Students are responsible for verifying the accuracy of their
registrations.
Students are required to meet with their faculty advisor prior to registration for the fall, spring, and summer terms. As
some courses are offered only in alternate years, students should also consult with departmental advisors when
planning their academic program.
Specific registration dates and deadlines for each semester are listed in the Academic Calendar at
www.augsburg.edu/registrar.
Students who are missing prerequisites for a course may be eligible for a prerequisite waiver if, after discussion with the
course instructor, the instructor determines that the prerequisite learning objectives have been met. Students who
believe they have already completed the prerequisite in question should contact the Registrar’s Office at 612-330-1036
or registrar@augsburg.edu.
The following registrations cannot be completed online and must be processed with a Registration Form:
THP courses (Theater practicum courses)
100-level MUP courses (Variable-credit music lessons)
Student Teaching (Education Department approval required)
Independent Study and Directed Study (Independent Study form available on the Registrar’s Office webpage)
Internships (Internship Registration form available on the Registrar’s Office webpage)
ACTC courses (Course listings are available online through each ACTC institution and should be checked to verify the
correct meeting times and room assignment.)
Credit Loads
Full-time day students normally register for 16 credits per semester. Students in the AU/WEC/Rochester programs
typically register for 4-8 credits each semester. Students registered for 12 or more credits in a semester are classified as
full-time students. Students registered for at least 6 credits are classified as half-time students.
To register for more than 19 semester credits, students must petition the Student Standing Committee unless the
following apply: Students with a cumulative GPA at Augsburg of 3.00 or greater may take a total of 20 semester credits
without petitioning; students with a cumulative GPA at Augsburg of 3.50 or greater may take a total of 22 semester
credits without petitioning. All overload registrations must be done through a Registration Form. (Note: For students in
the Day program there is an additional tuition charge for course loads over 19 semester credits. This includes combining
the credit load from both the DAY and AU/WEC programs. Auditing classes over the 19 semester credit limit will also
incur a tuition charge.)
Non-Attendance/Non-Participation Policy
Attendance/participation in class is important for academic success and financial aid. Therefore, students are dropped
for non-attendance/non-participation after the 10th business day of the term if reported by the instructor. Students are
ultimately responsible for dropping classes if they no longer plan to attend/participate. Students who have been
dropped and wish to re-enroll must submit an Academic Petition.
Internship Registration
Registration of internships for credit consists of the following steps:
Students must register the internship for the academic term that coincides with the internship experience.
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Obtain the Internship Registration Form from the Registrar’s Office webpage and complete the steps to obtain the
required signatures.
o Complete Site Supervisor Agreement form and Position Description: Submit the internship site supervisor
information and approved job/internship position description through an online form on the Strommen
Center website.
o Faculty Signature: Requires finding a faculty member willing to supervise and approve the internship based
on major discipline requirements.
o Department Chair Signature: Requires approval that the proposed internship experience meets the major
discipline requirements.
o Internship Coordinator or Director of Career and Internship Services Signature: Requires attendance at an
Internship Orientation session offered by the Strommen Center OR an individual meeting with the Internship
Coordinator or Director in the Strommen Center to review important college-wide internship information
and ensure all required documents have been submitted.
Once the completed internship registration form is submitted to the Enrollment Center, additional requirements for
internships for credit include:
Complete a Learning Agreement Plan (available electronically on the Strommen Center webpage) and receive
approval of the learning goals from the faculty supervisor responsible for grading the experience. The online form is
sent to the Strommen Center and copies are sent to the faculty supervisor and student.
Academic assignments (journals, reflection papers, etc.) as determined by the faculty supervisor and/or department
guidelines.
Complete final evaluations (sent out electronically at the end of the semester). The student and the site supervisor
will each complete an evaluation of the student’s internship experience. Results will be sent to the faculty
supervisor and student.
A complete step-by-step guide on requirements for internships for credit is available on the Strommen Center for
Meaningful Work webpage.
Independent/Directed Study Registration
To register for an Independent/Directed Study, complete and submit the Independent/Directed Study Registration form
with signatures of the faculty member responsible for the grade and the chair of the appropriate department
Dropping or Withdrawing
Courses may be dropped or withdrawn online through AugNet Records and Registration or with a Registration Form. For
drop and withdrawal deadlines see the Academic Calendar at www.augsburg.edu/registrar.
Crossover Registration
(This policy is approved for the 2016-2017 academic year and is subject to review for the 2017-2018 academic year.)
Undergraduate students are enrolled in a home program (DAY, AU, ROCH, WEC) and may register online for fall and
spring semester courses outside of their home program based on course availability and subject to the restrictions listed
below by program. Students have registration priority in their home program. Students are charged the tuition rate of
their home program for crossover courses.
DAY Program Students
- Are permitted to crossover into WEC courses.
- Juniors and Seniors (based on earned credits) are permitted to crossover into AU courses without special permission.
- Pay the overload fee for any credits over 19 in their combined DAY/WEC/AU load each semester.
AU Program Students
- Are permitted to crossover into DAY and WEC courses.
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ROCH Program Students
- Are permitted to register for AU and WEC courses as soon as their registration windows open and do not have to wait
until Crossover Registration begins.
WEC Program Students
- Are permitted to register for DAY and AU courses as soon as their registration windows open and do not have to wait
until Crossover Registration begins.
Graduate Courses
Students must have completed an undergraduate degree and be admitted to a graduate program before taking
graduate level courses from that program. Exceptions are made for approved courses in the Department of Nursing, the
joint BA Accounting/MAL program, and advanced undergraduate writers approved to take ENL510 in the Master of Fine
Arts program. Undergraduate students enrolled in graduate courses will pay their standard undergraduate
rate for those courses. Any student enrolled in an Augsburg graduate level program wishing to take an undergraduate
course will pay their program's graduate rate of those courses.
Grading and Evaluation
Explanation of Grades
The official delivery of end-of-term grades to students is online via AugNet Records and Registration.
Student achievement in courses is measured by final examinations, shorter tests, written papers, oral reports, and other
types of evaluation.
Most courses are offered with grading options—traditional grading on a 4.0 to 0.0 scale or the Pass/No Credit grading
system.
The following is an explanation of undergraduate grades:
Grade
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
FN
P
N
V
W
I
X
Explanation
Achieves highest standards of excellence
Achieves above basic course standards
Meets basic standards for the course
Performance below basic course standards
Unacceptable performance (no credit for the course)
Unacceptable performance (no credit for the course), student stopped attending
Represents work at 2.0 or higher (not counted in grade point average)
No credit (not counted in grade point average)
Audit
Withdrawn
Incomplete
In progress, extended beyond term of registration
Pass/No Credit Grades
Students who choose the P/N option are cautioned:
In order to receive a grade of P, a student must meet the basic standards of the course and/or achieve at least a
grade of 2.0.
Some graduate and professional schools do not look favorably on a large number of
P-graded courses, or rank each as a C.
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Maximum number of semester credits taken P/N that may be applied to graduation is 24 semester credits with a
grade of Pass (P).
P-graded courses do not count toward the requirement that 56 traditionally-graded semester credits be earned at
Augsburg in order to be considered for Latin honors. Transfer students should be especially aware of this
requirement.
To be eligible for graduation with Latin honors, students may elect P/N grading for no more than eight semester
credits.
Certain courses have restrictions and are offered on one grading system only (e.g., lifetime activities are graded only
P/N). In courses where there is a choice, students will be graded on the traditional system unless they indicate they wish
to use the P/N grading option. Any changes in choice of grading option must be made according to deadlines published
in the Academic Calendar each semester.
Incomplete (I) Grades
Incomplete grades (I) are to be given only in the case of extreme emergency (i.e. illness, family emergency, death in the
family, military commitment). If you have any questions regarding the qualifying emergency please contact the
Registrar’s Office for verification.
An incomplete grade (I) may be awarded when the instructor grants permission after determining that a student
emergency may delay completion of coursework. Students who receive an incomplete grade should be capable of
passing the course if they satisfactorily complete outstanding course requirements.
To receive an incomplete grade, a student must submit a completed Application for Incomplete Grade form to the
Registrar's Office by the grading deadline for the semester. This form states the reasons for the request, outlines the
work required to complete the course, and includes the course instructor’s signature. The instructor may stipulate the
terms and conditions that apply to course completion; however, students may not attend the same course (or a portion
of the same course) in a following term with an incomplete grade. The student must complete the outstanding work in
enough time to allow evaluation of the work by the instructor and filing of a grade by the grading deadline of the
following academic semester. If the work is not completed by the specified date of the following academic semester, the
grade for the course becomes 0.0.
Extension (X) Grades
Internships, independent studies, and directed studies may sometimes last longer than one semester. When this is the
case, they must be completed by the grading deadlines within one year from the beginning of the first semester of
registration. A grade of X (extension) is given by the instructor to indicate that the study is extended. It is expected that
students given X extensions will continue to communicate with their instructors and demonstrate that satisfactory
progress is being maintained. A final grade will be issued at the end of the semester in which the work is completed and
evaluated (but not longer than one year). An instructor has the right to not grant an extension where satisfactory
progress is not demonstrated. If the course is not completed, a grade of 0.0 will be assigned.
Withdrawal (W) Grade
A course is given a grade of W (withdrawn) when it is dropped after the deadline for dropping classes without a W grade
and before the last day to withdraw.
Repeated Courses
A course in which a grade of FN, 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or N has been received may be repeated for credit. Courses in which
higher grades have been earned may not be repeated for credit and a grade, but may be audited. All courses taken each
term and grades earned, including W and N, will be recorded on the academic record. Only the credits and grades
earned for the most recent attempt, for legitimately repeated courses, are counted toward graduation and in the grade
point average. Courses completed at Augsburg College must be repeated at Augsburg to be included in the repeat
policy.
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Auditing Courses
Students who wish to take courses without credit or grade may do so by registering for Audit (V). Full-time Day students
will be charged an audit fee if their total credit load is over 18 credits. The charge to audit a course is $1,000 for parttime DAY/AU/ROCH/WEC students. The signature of the instructor is required to register an audit. Students who audit a
course should confer with the instructor within two weeks of the beginning of the term to determine expectations,
attendance, and any other requirements. If expectations have been met, the course will be listed on the transcript as
having been audited. If expectations have not been met, the course will be listed with a grade of W. Audited courses do
not count toward graduation and do not fulfill general education requirements.
Grade Point Average
The grade point average (GPA) is based on final grades for all work at Augsburg. It does not include credit and grade
points for work transferred from other colleges. Courses taken on the P/N grading option are not computed in the GPA.
The formula for computing the GPA is:
GPA = Total grade points divided by number of credits attempted with 0.0 to 4.0 grades assigned.
Assessment of Student Learning
The faculty at Augsburg College are actively engaged in research about student learning and the efficacy of the
curriculum. To support such assessment of student learning activities, faculty may collect student work for evaluation
beyond grading. Any information or student work collected will be treated confidentially; the student's identity will not
be public information. Students who do not want their work collected for assessment purposes can opt out by
contacting Dr. Amy Gort, Dean of Arts and Sciences.
Classification
Students are classified when grades are posted at the end of each term. Classification is based on the number of
semester credits completed.
Classification
Freshmen
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
Completed Semester Credits
0 – 27.99
28 – 59.99
60 – 91.99
92 or more
Academic Status Changes
Change of Program
Students may apply to change their “home program” by completing a Change of Program form. Applications are
reviewed by a committee. If approved, the change will take effect the following term. Changes are limited to once each
academic year. A Change of Program form must be submitted before the term begins.
Withdrawal from College
Students are urged not to abandon courses for which they are registered because this will result in failing grades on
their official academic record. If necessary, students should instead submit a Withdrawal from College form. A
Withdrawal from College form may be obtained on the Registrar’s Office webpage. The deadline to file a Withdrawal
from College is the last Friday prior to finals week. Withdrawal from College and any consequential adjustments in
accounts are effective as of the date the Withdrawal from College form is submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Students
must be re-admitted to the College when they are ready to resume their studies. The Application for Readmission form
is also available on the Registrar’s Office webpage.
Students are responsible for keeping the Registrar’s Office informed of their current mailing address while away.
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Leave of Absence (DAY Program Students)
Students in the Day Program may apply to for a Leave of Absence for one semester. The Leave of Absence allows
continued access to Augsburg e-mail and AugNet Records and Registration. If a student on a Leave of Absence does not
register for the subsequent semester, the student’s file will be deactivated and the student will need to submit an
Application for Readmission form in order to re-enroll. The Leave of Absence program is not available to Day students
who withdraw from all courses while their courses are in progress.
Term Off (AU/WEC/ROCH Program Students)
Students in the AU/WEC/ ROCH Programs may take a term off for up to two semesters and have continued access to
Augsburg e-mail and AugNet Services. If a student is not registered after 10th day of the third semester, the student’s file
will be deactivated and the student will need to submit an Application for Readmission to re-enroll.
Military Called to Active Duty
Augsburg College will allow students to withdraw from courses without penalty if they are called to active duty as
military reservists, National Guard, or for other military service. This shall include a 100 percent refund of tuition and
fees upon verification of call to active duty. Students must submit an Academic/Financial Petition and provide a copy of
their orders to the Registrar’s Office.
If the student is called to duty after the deadline to drop a course, the Registrar’s Office will place a W for the course(s)
along with a notation on the transcript that the student was called to active duty. This is to assist the student with any
financial aid complications that may arise and also indicate that the withdrawal was outside of the student’s control.
Alternatively, the College supports faculty in enabling students who are called to active duty and have substantially
completed a course, to assign a grade based upon the coursework completed, or to work out an incomplete agreement.
Students who are able to complete some of their courses would have their refunds adjusted to reflect this.
Students who are being placed on active duty should contact the Registrar’s and/or the Office of Academic Affairs as
soon as possible so the College can notify all parties and aid in this process.
Student Standing Committee
The Student Standing Committee is a standing committee of the College that reviews requests for exceptions to
academic and financial policy. Representatives from the faculty, Registrar’s Office, Student Financial Services, and
Student Affairs serve on the committee.
Academic / Financial Petitions
Students who wish to request exceptions to academic and financial policies should carefully review and complete the
Academic/Financial Petition. Petitions must be submitted within 6 months of the semester being petitioned. The
Committee typically meets to review petitions and Applications for Readmission every other week during fall and spring
semesters and once each month during the summer semester.
Academic Dismissal Appeals
Students who have been academically dismissed have the right to appeal their dismissal to the Student Standing
Committee.
Applications for Readmission
Students seeking to re-apply to the College after being placed on academic probation or after being academically
dismissed must submit an Application for Readmission.
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Catalog Applicability
Students must fulfill the general education requirements that were in effect when they matriculated at Augsburg.
Students may elect to satisfy the departmental major requirements of any of the catalogs in effect during their years of
enrollment. However, students who are readmitted after more than six years away from the College must complete the
departmental major requirements of the most current catalog at the time of readmission or any one of the catalogs in
effect during their subsequent years of continuous enrollment at Augsburg.
Second Majors and Degrees
Students with an existing baccalaureate degree from Augsburg or another institution may enroll to complete an
additional major(s) or minor(s). Students will not be awarded a second degree unless it is different from the original
degree awarded (BA, BM, BS). Students cannot earn multiple degrees for the same major, though it is possible to earn
multiple degrees from the same academic department if the majors are distinct. For example, a student cannot earn
both a BA in Computer Science and a BS in Computer Science, but may earn a BS in Computer Science and a BA in
Computational Philosophy.
Evaluation of Transfer Credit
The evaluation of transfer credits is completed by the Registrar’s Office and is based on a student’s official transcript(s).
College credit is granted for liberal arts courses completed at regionally accredited institutions with a grade of 2.0/C or
better. Liberal arts courses are defined as courses similar in nature, content, and level to those offered at Augsburg.
Augsburg does not grant transfer credit for developmental-remedial courses, vocational-technical courses, or continuing
education units (CEUs). Courses with grades of C-, CD, or below do not transfer to Augsburg College. Competency credits
and exam credits issued by another institution may and will be evaluated on an individual basis. The Registrar’s Office
evaluates coursework for credit and for applicability toward Augsburg Core Curriculum requirements. Academic
departments are responsible for evaluating the applicability of coursework toward a student’s major or minor. The
College requires that certain courses and a minimum number of courses be taken at Augsburg. (Refer to the Residence
Requirements section of the catalog.)
Courses and credits that are accepted in transfer are reported on the student’s transcript. Grades and grade points from
other institutions are not transferred to Augsburg and are not included in the student’s cumulative grade point average.
Students should consult with their academic and faculty advisors and the Registrar’s Office before taking courses at
other institutions to ensure compliance with transfer credit policy and residency requirements. Additional resources
about transferring credit are available on the Registrar’s Office website.
MnSCU Transfer Students
Completion of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) will satisfy Augsburg’s Liberal Arts Foundation requirements
and will reduce the Search for Meaning requirement to one course (REL 100). Students will be granted credit for
transferable courses graded C or better. To qualify for this transfer program, the MnTC must be completed prior to
enrollment at Augsburg.
Completion of the Associate of Arts degree with the MnTC will satisfy Augsburg’s Liberal Arts Foundation requirements,
will reduce the Search for Meaning requirement to one course (REL 100), and will waive one of two Health and Wellness
requirements. Students will be granted credit for transferable courses graded C– or better. Transfer courses that equate
to Augsburg’s requirements of Effective Writing, entry level math, and modern language must have a grade of C or
better in order for credit to be granted. To qualify for this transfer program, the AA degree and MnTC must be
completed prior to enrollment at Augsburg.
Note: Additional prerequisite coursework beyond the AA degree may be required in some Augsburg majors. Students
are advised to consult an academic advisor in the major department to discuss major requirements. Courses with C–
grades or below will not be accepted as prerequisites or for application to majors.
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Advanced Transfer Students
Students who enter Augsburg with 52 or more semester credits accepted in transfer are considered Advanced Transfer
Students. The Augsburg Core Curriculum will be adjusted for advanced transfer students as outlined below:
Waiver of Search for Meaning II
Waiver of Augsburg Seminar
Waiver of Engaging Minneapolis
Waiver of one Health and Wellness requirement (depending on transfer evaluation)
All Augsburg Core Curriculum requirements not mentioned above remain unchanged for Advanced Transfer Students.
Waivers for Advanced Transfer are determined at the time of initial entry into Augsburg and will not be granted for
courses completed after initial enrollment.
Transfer Credit for Military Experience
Students are welcome to submit their military transcripts to the Registrar’s Office for transfer credit evaluation. A
military transcript will contain credit recommendations from the American Council on Education (ACE) for training and
courses completed in the US Armed Services. Augsburg will review a military transcript to determine if any of the credit
recommendations contained within it meet transfer credit guidelines.
Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, and Navy records maintained by JST: jst.doded.mil
Air Force records: Air University and Community College of the Air Force are regionally accredited institutions. Students
should submit official transcripts from these schools during the admission process.
Graduation Requirements
The responsibility for ensuring that all degree requirements are satisfied rests with the student. Each student is required
to file an Intent to Graduate at the end of his or her junior year to confirm remaining graduation requirements.
Application forms are available on the Registrar’s Office webpage. Faculty advisors, the Academic Advising staff,
department chairs, and the Registrar’s Office staff are available for counsel and assistance in program planning.
Students who enter an academic program with a bachelor’s or higher degree should contact the Registrar’s Office about
specific requirements for a second bachelor’s degree or for the equivalent of a major.
All degree and course requirements must be completed and verified in the Registrar’s Office in order for the degree to
be conferred. There may be no incompletes or open courses on the academic record.
Assessment of Previous Learning (APL) Program
Augsburg College recognizes that learning can and does take place in many life situations. Some of this learning may be
appropriate for credit recognition within the disciplines that comprise the academic program of a liberal arts college.
The Assessment of Previous Learning program (APL) at Augsburg provides a means by which a student’s previous
learning, other than that which is transferred from another accredited institution, may be presented for examination for
possible credit toward the completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Not all learning from life experience, however, is appropriate for credit recognition at a liberal arts college. Such learning
must meet two essential criteria: (1) it is relevant to coursework in a field of study within the Augsburg liberal arts
curriculum, and (2) it can be objectively demonstrated either by comprehensive examination or committee evaluation.
The APL program at Augsburg provides several means by which students may have previous learning assessed for credit
recognition. The following is a brief description of each of these means of assessment:
International Baccalaureate Program (IB)
Courses earned from the International Baccalaureate program will be considered by the College for appropriate credit.
IB exams may fulfill general education and/or major requirements. Credit granting guidelines are available on the
Registrar’s Office webpage.
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Advanced Placement Program (AP)
Augsburg allows students to earn credit for scores of 3, 4, or 5 on selected Advanced Placement tests. For some exams, a
minimum score of 4 is required. AP exams may fulfill general education and/or major requirements. Credit granting
guidelines are available on the Registrar’s Office webpage.
The College Level Examination Program (CLEP)
This is a series of standardized tests developed by the College Board that are offered to students for a small fee at
regional testing centers. Students who score at or above the American Council on Education’s recommended score on
an approved examination may receive academic credit for that subject at Augsburg College. CLEP exams may fulfill
general education and/or major requirements. Credit granting guidelines are available on the Registrar’s Office
webpage.
DSST Exams
DSST Exams are a series of standardized tests in college subjects that are comparable to the final examinations in
undergraduate courses. Exams are offered at testing centers worldwide for a small fee. Students who score at or above
the American Council on Education’s recommended score on an approved examination may receive academic credit for
that subject at Augsburg College. Credit granting guidelines are available on the Registrar’s Office webpage.
The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages
These tests assess written and/or spoken proficiency in world languages. For a small fee, students can assess their level
of knowledge in world languages to earn college credit and/or waive the modern language requirement. More
information about eligibility and qualifying languages is available from Academic Advising.
Departmental Comprehensive Exams
These are available for students to use in obtaining credit for previous learning if the following conditions are met:
There is a departmental exam available for the subject area in question.
There is a faculty member designated by the department to administer the exam.
The Registrar approves the student’s request to take the exam.
Credit for departmental exams is not computed in the GPA, and there is a charge per exam of $100 per semester
credit.
Portfolio Assessment Program
This is a credit assessment alternative in which a faculty team completes a credit evaluation of a learning portfolio
submitted by the student. The faculty team is composed of two faculty members from fields of study directly related to
the student’s previous learning. Students who wish to prepare a portfolio of previous learning for credit assessment
should consult the Registrar’s Office. In completing the evaluation of a student’s previous learning, the faculty team
applies the following criteria:
There is documentable evidence of a cognitive component in the previous learning experience that involved
prescribed or systematic study of content material found within liberal arts coursework.
The learning has been objectively verified by individuals in addition to the presenting student.
The learning lends itself to both qualitative and quantitative measurement.
The learning relates well to the student’s educational goals.
The learning and skills involved are current and could be used at the present time.
Students may apply for the credit assessment process after completing at least one term of academic work at Augsburg
College with a cumulative Augsburg GPA of at least 2.50. It is strongly recommended that the process not be used when
four or fewer courses remain for graduation. There is a non-refundable application deposit of $200 to initiate the credit
assessment process for each course presented in a portfolio. An additional $200 is charged upon approval of each
course. Credit granted by portfolio review is not computed in the GPA.
Transcript credit will be recorded with the equivalent Augsburg course numbers as determined by faculty reviewers.
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Maximum Credit Accepted for Previous Learning
While Augsburg College recognizes the validity of learning that takes place outside the traditional classroom, this
learning must be placed in the context of formal study in campus-based liberal arts courses. Therefore, Augsburg allows
a maximum of 32 credits (one-fourth of a bachelor’s degree) to be obtained through previous experiential learning. In
compiling the 32 credits for previous experiential learning, the student may use any combination of the assessment
processes available in the APL Program: AP, CLEP, IB, DSST, ACTFL, departmental comprehensive exams, and credit
granted through portfolio assessment.
Graduation
Requirements
Degree requirements include completion of a minimum number of credits, a major, the Augsburg Core Curriculum, a
minimum GPA in major(s)/minor(s) and in total coursework, and residence.
1. Completion of 128 semester credits—No more than these maximums may be applied toward the 128 total semester
credits required:
o Eight semester credits by independent/directed study
o 16 semester credits of internship
o 24 semester credits with a grade of Pass (P)
o To graduate with Latin honors, students may take no more than eight elective P/N graded semester credits.
o Each department sets its own limitations on the number of P/N graded courses that may be applied toward the
major and minor programs, but normally students may apply no more than eight semester credits with P grades
toward a major and no more than four semester credits with a P grade toward a minor.
2. Completion of a Major—Requirements for each major are listed under the departmental headings.
3. Completion of the Augsburg Core Curriculum—Requirements for the Augsburg Core Curriculum are listed under the
Augsburg Curriculum section.
4. Grade Point Average —Students must earn a minimum overall grade point average of 2.00. Additionally, all majors
and minors require at least a 2.00 grade point average in coursework for the major or minor. Some majors,
licensure, and certificate programs require a higher grade point average or a minimum grade in each course. See the
departmental section for details about the grade and grade point average for individual majors and minors.
5. Residence —A minimum of 32 semester credits must be completed through Augsburg College. Additionally, no
fewer than 24 of the last 32 semester credits must be completed at Augsburg or within an approved exchange
program (ACTC, McNally Smith, or Augsburg Abroad). Transfer courses and Assessment of Previous Learning (APL)
credits are counted against the residency requirement. Therefore, students are encouraged to complete transfer
work and APL credits prior to reaching senior standing. Some departments have a minimum number of credits that
are required in residence within the major or minor. Consult the departmental pages of this catalog for further
information.
Latin Honors
Augsburg recognizes those students who have demonstrated exemplary academic achievement by conferring Latin
honors upon completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Students may also receive honors recognition for departmental honors and for participation in the Honors Program. (See
individual department and program descriptions for details.)
Qualification for Latin honors is determined as follows:
Summa Cum Laude
Magna Cum Laude
Cum Laude
3.90-4.00 GPA (plus successful completion of the Summa Oral Examination)
3.80-3.89 GPA
3.60-3.79 GPA
To be eligible, a student must complete a minimum of 56 traditionally-graded credits at Augsburg and have no more
than eight elective pass/no credit graded credits at Augsburg (classes offered only with P/N grading will not be counted).
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For additional information, including the guidelines for the summa cum laude oral examination visit the Registrar’s
Office webpage.
Commencement
Though the terms are often confused, the words “graduation” and “commencement” carry different meanings.
Graduation refers to the completion of all degree requirements. Students graduate when all requirements for the
degree have been fulfilled, meaning that one can graduate at any point during the academic year provided that all
requirements are complete.
Commencement is a ceremony. It is an opportunity for students, family, friends, and the Augsburg College community to
celebrate academic achievement. Participation in commencement, however, does not mean that a student has
graduated. A student will not graduate and a degree will not be conferred until all requirements are met, regardless of
participation in commencement.
Augsburg College holds two commencement ceremonies in the spring to accommodate the College’s different student
populations. One commencement ceremony is for students in the Day undergraduate program. The second ceremony is for
graduate program students and undergraduate students in the Adult Undergraduate and Rochester programs.
Undergraduate students who have not completed all degree requirements may participate in commencement if: (1) no
more than three requirements will remain in their program at the conclusion of spring semester; and (2) the remaining
requirements will be completed in the summer or fall semesters immediately following commencement.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Requirements
At the end of each fall, spring, and summer semester, the College will review the academic progress of all non-degree
and degree-seeking undergraduate students registered for that semester.
In order to remain in good academic and financial aid standing, students are required to maintain a cumulative Augsburg
College GPA of at least 2.0 and cumulative credit completion rate of at least 66.67%.
Credit Completion Rate Calculation
Attempted credits: Includes transferred credits and unsatisfactory grades (W, X, 0.0, FN, N, IP).
o Remedial and repeated courses do not count as attempted credits, so should be subtracted from the total
number of attempted credits.*
Earned credits: Includes transferred credits and satisfactory grades (0.5 - 4.0, P).
Divide earned credits by attempted credits (do not round numbers up or down)
o Example: 19 earned credits / 27 attempted credits = .7037 or 70.37%
o Example: 17 earned credits / 27 attempted credits = .6296 or 62.96%
Warning
Students who do not meet cumulative standards will be placed on Warning. At the end of the next semester attempted,
students meeting cumulative standards will be removed from Warning. If cumulative standards are not met, the
student’s semester term GPA and completion rate will be evaluated. Students earning a minimum of a 2.25 term GPA
and 66.67% term completion rate and completing all other Warning requirements (www.augsburg.edu/acskills) will be
placed on Probation. If cumulative and term standards are not met, students will be Suspended.
Probation
Students on Probation must meet cumulative standards. At the end of the next semester attempted, students meeting
cumulative standards will be removed from Probation. If cumulative standards are not met, the student’s semester term
GPA and completion rate will be evaluated. Students earning a minimum of a 2.25 term GPA and 66.67% term
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completion rate and completing all other Probation requirements (www.augsburg.edu/acskills) will remain on
Probation. If cumulative and term standards are not met, students will be Suspended.
Students on Warning or Probation who voluntarily withdraw from college may apply for readmission. At that time, the
Student Standing Committee will review their application for readmission.
For more information about Warning and Probation requirements, visit www.augsburg.edu/acskills.
Suspension
Students on Warning or Probation who do not meet cumulative and term standards will be suspended from the College.
Students may appeal their Suspension to the Student Standing Committee. Instructions for appeal are included in the
Letter of Suspension.
Students who have been suspended may apply for readmission after one full academic year (including fall, spring, and
summer semesters). At that time, the Student Standing Committee will review the application for readmission.
Augsburg College reserves the right to intervene with students who earn less than a 2.0 and 66.67% in a semester but
are otherwise meeting cumulative standards.
Professional Program Dismissal
Students may also be dismissed from professional programs, such as social work, education, and nursing. A student
dismissed from a program may appeal the decision through the Program Dismissal Appeal Process. The process is
available at inside.augsburg.edu/studentaffairs/studentguide.
Dean’s List
The Dean’s List, compiled after each semester, recognizes undergraduate students for outstanding achievement during
the term. Students can qualify for the Dean’s List in two ways:
Earning a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher based on 12 or more traditionally-graded credits
Earning a semester GPA of 3.75 or higher based on 6-11 traditionally-graded credits
Incomplete courses and other classes without final grades at the time the Dean’s List is compiled will not be considered.
The Dean’s List is published on Inside Augsburg and students can choose to submit announcements to their hometown
newspapers.
Enrollment/Degree Verification
Augsburg College has authorized the National Student Clearinghouse to act as its agent for verification of student
enrollment and degree status.
Contact information is as follows:
National Student Clearinghouse
2300 Dulles Station Blvd, Suite 300
Herndon, VA 20171
Web: www.studentclearinghouse.org
Phone: 703-742-4200
Veterans of Military Service
Augsburg is approved by the state approving agency for VA education benefits. Veterans and eligible spouse and
dependents should consult with the VA School Certifying Officials in the Registrar’s Office and Student Financial Services
about completion of enrollment verification and the forwarding of other information to the Department of Veterans
Affairs. Veterans will need to meet the requirements of the Veterans Administration regarding repayment of
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educational assistance funds received. Additional information about veterans’ education benefits can be found at
www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
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Augsburg Core Curriculum
Augsburg College is dedicated to educating students intellectually, physically, and spiritually. To live fully and act
effectively, humans must have a broad grasp of the world from which they have come, as well as the world in which they
live. Through providing courses in the humanities, fine arts, natural sciences, and social sciences, the core curriculum
introduces students to the breadth and complexity of human knowledge and our world.
“Search for Meaning” courses invite students to explore vocation, diversity, and pluralism through the study of Judaism,
Christianity, and Islam, and encourages students to consider their own religious, philosophical, and ethical commitments
in dialogue with other perspective. The Language courses introduce students to the skills and sensibilities necessary to
cross cultures and work across difference. Wellness courses offer students opportunities to develop skills and habits of
healthful living.
Students choose from more than 50 major areas of study to gain a depth of knowledge in a discipline and to prepare for
a career or further study. Thus, through a balance of curricular activities supported by full programs in student life and
religious life, an Augsburg College education strives to educate its students in a real world for the real world.
Undergraduate Student Learning Outcomes
The College’s mission statement offers a series of educational values:
Augsburg College educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible
leaders. The Augsburg experience is supported by an engaged community that is committed to intentional diversity in its
life and work. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the
faith and values of the Lutheran Church, and shaped by its urban and global settings.
As part of this mission, Augsburg’s faculty have identified a set of outcomes for student learning
These areas reflect our shared commitment to offering a vibrant liberal arts education in tandem with career
preparation and vocational discovery. We expect students to achieve these outcomes cumulatively, through the
completion of the core curriculum, majors / minors, electives and co-curricular experiences.
As Informed Citizens, students are learning to …
engage their communities and demonstrate a sense of agency to create change in ethical and informed ways
explain diverse positions and collaborate effectively across social, cultural and geographic differences in local and
global contexts
As Thoughtful Stewards, students are learning to …
critically engage their own beliefs and articulate their gifts and goals for meaningful life and work in a pluralistic
context
identify the broad foundations for sustainable living and apply them in demonstrable ways
As Critical Thinkers, students are learning to …
use appropriate methods to gather and analyze evidence, identify underlying assumptions, and evaluate competing
claims
construct coherent, polished and persuasive arguments, narratives and explications in written, oral and other
formats
As Responsible Leaders, students are learning to …
employ the fundamental principles of quantitative literacy to arrive at thoughtful judgments
articulate and solve problems in creative, analytical, and integrative ways
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Overview of the Curriculum
The Augsburg Curriculum is comprised of three main components: core curriculum (or general education requirements),
major requirements, and electives. Some students may need to complete entry-level skill courses before enrolling in
college-level classes. The general education requirements include a liberal arts foundation, signature courses and
experiences, skills development, and a keystone.
Entry Level Placement Tests
Math, Writing, English (if applicable), and language placement for Language courses.
The Augsburg Core Curriculum
The Augsburg First Year
Augsburg Seminar
Engaging Minneapolis
Many Voices Project
The Augsburg Signature Curriculum
Religion, Vocation, and the Search for Meaning I and II
Augsburg Experience
Senior Keystone
The Liberal Arts Foundation
Natural Sciences and Math
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Humanities
Fine Arts
Electives
Majors
Skills
The Augsburg Curriculum is designed to help students develop the skills necessary for successful careers and fulfilling
lives, including:
Writing
Critical Thinking
Oral Communication
Information Literacy
Quantitative Literacy
Religious Literacy
Problem Solving
Intercultural Competence
Civic Agency and Engagement
Health and Wellness
Entry Level Placement Tests
Prior to their first registration, students will complete entry level skills assessments in:
Mathematics
Writing
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Language Placement
and, if applicable, English Language Learning
First-year students entering Augsburg in the fall of 2013 or later who require developmental/entry-level courses must
complete these courses by the end of their fourth term. Transfer students entering Augsburg in the fall of 2013 or later
must complete all required developmental/entry-level courses by the end of their third term. The developmental
courses subject to this policy are:
ENL 101
ENL 111 / HON 111 / ENL 112
ENL 217 / 218
MAT 103 / 105
Entry-Level Mathematics
For a strong start at Augsburg, students will take entry-level exams to determine their math placement group (MPG.) In
some cases, students who have transferred a mathematics course taken at another college may have their MPG
determined by the Registrar’s Office. All other students must take the Augsburg Math Placement Exam, which is
administered by Academic Advising. Students are required to take the Math Placement Exam before registering for the
first term. Practice questions and other information are available from Academic Advising -- students are encouraged to
study for the exam. Students may retake the Math Placement Exam once during their first term of enrollment.
Based on the math assessment result, students will be enrolled in the appropriate courses or advised on preparation for
retaking the Math Placement Exam. Students in Math Placement Group (MPG) 1 must take MAT 103 to advance to MPG
2. Students in MPG 2 must take MAT 105 to advance to MPG 3. Students in MPG 3 must take MAT 114 to advance to
MPG 4. No other MAT course changes a student’s MPG. A grade of Pass or 2.0 or higher is required to advance to the
next math level.
Students are encouraged to advance their MPG as soon as possible. Students must achieve Math Placement Group
(MPG) 3 or higher to graduate. In addition, many courses require MPG 2, 3, or 4 as a prerequisite.
Entry-Level Writing
A writing sample is required of students to determine placement in an appropriate writing class. In some cases, students
who have transferred an equivalent English composition course from another college or Advanced Placement English
Language and Composition with a score of 4 or 5 may have placement determined by the Registrar’s Office. All other
students must take the Writing Placement Test, which is administered by Academic Advising.
Based on the writing sample, students are placed into the appropriate writing course. Students are required to complete
Effective Writing (or Advanced Effective Writing or Honors Effective Writing). Students who need to develop
competence in composition skills are required to enroll in Developmental Writing (ENL 101) before taking Effective
Writing. These students must pass Developmental Writing (ENL 101) with a grade of P, 2.0, or higher before enrolling in
Effective Writing (ENL 111/112/HON 111).
Modern Language Assessment
Students with proficiency or experience in French, German, or Spanish complete an assessment to determine placement
in Augsburg's modern language courses. Students begin their exploration of modern language at the level identified by
the placement test. This online assessment is administered by Academic Advising. Placement assessment for American
Sign Language and Ojibwe is administered by faculty representing those specific languages.
English Language Learners Assessment
Students whose primary language is other than English will complete an assessment to determine preparedness for
classes taught in English. Results of this assessment determine placement in English Language Learner course(s). This
assessment is administered by Academic Advising.
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Core Skills Requirements
Effective Writing
Students must pass ENL 111 - Effective Writing, ENL 112 - Advanced Effective Writing, or HON 111 - Honors Effective
Writing with a grade of 2.0, P, or higher, or transfer in an equivalent course. Attendance at the first day of class is
required.
Language
For students who have not previously studied a second language, completion of a two-course sequence in the same
language with a minimum grade of 2.0 or P in both courses is required. For a language previously studied, placement
into the 211 level or successful completion (minimum grade of 2.0 or P) of 112 satisfies the graduation requirement.
Placement into French, German, and Spanish courses is based on assessment results from an online Brigham Young
University evaluation tool. Students proficient in other languages may seek a placement evaluation through faculty
fluent in the specified language at Augsburg or other ACTC schools. Details are available from Academic Advising.
Availability of assessment in all languages is not guaranteed.
Assessment is used for placement only and does not result in credit. Students may audit, but will not receive credit for
any course taken below their placement level. The Department of Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies may review and
sometimes override assessment results as deemed appropriate.
Modern language courses accepted in transfer may be applicable to this skills area for partial or full completion of the
requirement.
Students who have demonstrated competence in American Sign Language by passing an approved course sequence will
have fulfilled the Language Core Skill.
Students whose first language is not English and whose score is below the minimum on the English Language Learners
(ELL) placement test must fulfill the ELL requirement. The requirement is satisfied by successfully completing the ELL
course(s) and achieving a score above the minimum on the ELL placement exam. Students who complete the ELL
requirement will receive credit for the Language Core Skill requirement. Contact Academic Advising or the English
Department for additional information.
Health and Wellness
Two health and wellness courses are required. WEL100 - Foundations of Wellness (formerly HPE001) is required of all
students. The second course may be chosen from a variety of different WEL102 – Recreational Wellness (formerly
HPE002) courses. Students may test out of the WEL102 course by demonstrating proficiency from a selected
Recreational Wellness activity. Proficiency exams are offered through the Health and Physical Education Department
each semester. There is a fee to take the Recreational Wellness Activity Proficiency Test. Intercollegiate athletes and
Health and Physical Education majors may not test out of this requirement.
The Augsburg Core Curriculum
The Augsburg Core Curriculum is designed to prepare students to become effective, informed, and ethical citizens
through their engagement in a curriculum that:
Provides a liberal arts foundation and promotes the acquisition of intellectual and professional skills
Calls for common inquiry into questions of faith and the search for meaning
Cultivates the transformative discovery of, and appreciation for, the student’s place of leadership and service in a
diverse world
The curriculum has three major components:
Liberal Arts Foundation
Signature Curriculum
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Skills Development
The Augsburg First Year
To smooth the transition to college and their new community, first-year weekday program students are required to take
courses containing the following components:
Augsburg Seminar and Engaging Minneapolis
The Engaging Minneapolis requirement builds on Augsburg’s national leadership in experiential education as well as its
commitment to its urban location. Embedded in the first-year Augsburg Seminar experience, Engaging Minneapolis
introduces students to the city as a resource for intentional learning, typically through civic engagement, cultural
engagement, and/or service-learning.
Many Voices Project
Embedded in ENL 111, 112, and HON 111 (see Core Skills requirements), the Many Voices Project engages first-year
students in discussion of a common text addressing themes of cultural diversity and global awareness. Emphasizing ways
in which written communication can promote understanding and productive engagement among different cultures and
points of view, the Many Voices Project is intended to teach skills and methods that promote successful communication
among diverse writers and readers.
The Augsburg Signature Curriculum
Religion, Vocation, and the Search for Meaning
Guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran Church, the Search for Meaning courses encourage inquiry, welcome
diversity, wrestle with life’s complexities, and engage the world. Two required courses (REL 100 plus a Search for
Meaning II course) highlight Augsburg’s commitment to developing religious literacy and nurturing students to think
critically about the concept of vocation.
Students from all faith traditions will find a generous spirit of hospitality in these courses. Whether you are Jewish or
atheist, Buddhist or seeker, Catholic or Muslim, Baptist, Lutheran, uncertain, disinterested, or someone who is “spiritual
but not religious,” these courses promote respect and understanding across faith traditions. All religion courses engage
with the concept of vocation and an understanding that we are called to live and serve as neighbors. REL 100 explores
the idea that vocation is a model and lens for viewing the connections between our basic beliefs and the commitments
and actions we make in life.
The Liberal Arts Foundation
The Liberal Arts Foundation courses introduce students to knowledge and modes of inquiry across a wide range of
disciplines and subjects. The course offerings in the liberal arts provide the opportunity for students to acquire a broad
and solid foundation for their specialized study and professional preparation.
Students choose two approved LAF courses from two different departments in each domain: Natural Sciences and
Mathematics, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Humanities, and Fine Arts.
The official list of approved LAF courses is found on the Registrar’s Office webpage.
Natural Sciences and Mathematics
Two approved courses from two different departments: Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Mathematics,
Physics. One must be a lab science course.
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Two approved courses from two different departments: Anthropology, Economics, Environmental Studies, Political
Science, Psychology, Sociology.
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Humanities
Two approved courses from two different departments/programs: American Indian Studies, Communication Studies,
English, History, Philosophy, Religion, Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies (literature and culture courses), and Gender,
Sexuality, and Women’s Studies.
Note: The signature Search for Meaning (REL 100 and 200) courses do not count as humanities Liberal Arts Foundation
requirements. If a student opts to take another approved upper-division REL course to fulfill the Search for Meaning II
requirement, it may not count toward a Humanities LAF.
Fine Arts
Two approved courses or approved activities from two different departments: Art, Film, Music, Theater.
One fine arts LAF requirement can be met by participating in one of the following:
Four semesters in any combination of the major choral ensembles listed (MUE 111, 112, 114, 115)
Four semesters of orchestra (MUE 121)
Four semesters of concert band (MUE 141)
Senior Keystone
The Senior Keystone course provides a final opportunity for exploring the central themes of an Augsburg education—
vocation and the search for meaning in a diverse and challenging world. In this course, students reflect on the meaning
of their educational experiences and consider issues of transition as they prepare for their lives after Augsburg. Many
Keystone courses also meet major requirements.
The Senior Keystone course in each department connects the broad liberal arts foundation with the professional skills
and in-depth study of the major. It asks graduating students to think critically, reflectively, and ethically about their place
in the world as leaders and servants.
Electives
A student must complete a minimum of 128 semester credits in order to graduate. If the Core Curriculum and Major
requirements do not reach 128 semester credits, the student may take electives for credit in any subject area to reach
the minimum credit requirement.
Majors
For major requirements, see the appropriate departmental page(s) of this catalog or consult the department chair.
Graduation Skills
An Augsburg education aims to develop certain key skills during the years in college. Critical thinking, quantitative
reasoning, speaking, writing and information literacy are deliberate components of certain courses. Graduation skill
requirements typically are embedded in required courses in the major. Some departments, however, designate courses
outside the major or elective courses in the major that fulfill these requirements.
The Quantitative Reasoning (QR) skill incorporates both foundational mathematical skills and the application of those
skills. MPG 3 (Math Placement Group 3) is a prerequisite for all quantitative reasoning courses. See the appropriate
departmental page(s) in this catalog or consult the department chair for more information.
Core Curriculum Modifications
Some majors that result in a Bachelor of Science degree give students the ability to modify their Core Curriculum
requirements in one of the following ways.
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Bachelor of Science/Liberal Arts Foundation (LAF) Waiver
Students who elect the Bachelor of Science/LAF Waiver must complete at least six of the eight LAF requirements,
provided at least one course is taken in each of the four domains. (e.g., two Natural Science and Mathematics courses,
two Social and Behavioral Science courses, one Fine Arts course, and one Humanities course) The following majors are
approved for the Bachelor of Science/LAF Waiver:
Actuarial Science (St. Thomas)
Biology
Biopsychology
Chemistry
Elementary Education
Exercise Science
Health Education (teaching licensure only)
Mathematical Economics
Mathematics
Music Therapy
Nursing
Physical Education (teaching licensure only)
Physics
Bachelor of Science/Modern Language Waiver
Students who elect the Bachelor of Science/Modern Language Waiver are not required to complete modern language
courses as part of their degree. The following majors are approved for the Bachelor of Science/Modern Language
Waiver:
Actuarial Science (St. Thomas)
Biology
Biopsychology
Chemistry
Mathematical Economics
Mathematics
Music Therapy
Nursing
Physics
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Majors and Minors
Majors, or concentrations of study, may be within one department, within one division, or may cross academic
disciplines.
Students are required to declare a major upon completion of 48 semester credits, and earlier in some disciplines. Details
of majors and minors are in the departmental pages of this catalog. Unless otherwise indicated, majors are part of the
Bachelor of Arts degree. Students are not required to complete a minor for graduation. Minors completed after a
bachelor’s degree is awarded are noted on the transcript.
Below is a complete list of majors, minors, and emphases. Listings that are in bold type are offered through both the Day
Program and the Adult Undergraduate (AU) program. Students are encouraged to discuss scheduling rotation of major
courses with their faculty advisors.
Majors and Areas of Emphasis
Accounting
American Indian Studies
Art
Art History
Studio Art
Graphic Design
Biology (BA or BS)
Life Sciences (BA)
Biopsychology (BS)
Business Administration
Economics/Business Administration
Music Business
Chemistry (BA or BS)
Communication Studies
Computer Science (BA or BS)
Computational Economics (BA)
Computational Philosophy (BA)
Economics
Applied Economics
Computational Economics
Economics
Economics/Business Administration
Economics/Political Science (teacher licensure
major)
Mathematical Economics (BS)
Education
Education Studies (non-licensure)
Elementary Education Studies (non-licensure)
Kindergarten-Elementary (BA or BS- licensure)
K-12 English as a Second Language
Special Education: Academic Behavioral
Strategist
Secondary (non-major, licensure only)
English
Communication Arts/Literature (teacher
licensure major)
Creative Writing
Literature, Language, and Theory
Environmental Studies
Exercise Science (BA or BS)
Film
Finance
Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
Global Women’s and Gender Studies
Sexuality Studies
Health Education (BA or BS)
History
International Business
International Relations
International Business Concentration
Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies
Cross-Cultural Studies
French
German
Spanish
Management
Management Information Systems
Marketing
Mathematics (BA or BS)
Medieval Studies
Music
Music (BA)
Music Business (BA)
Music Education (BM)
Music Performance (BM)
Music Therapy (BS)
New Media
Promotional Communication
Game Design
Web Design
Nursing (BS-Evening program offered through AU only)
Philosophy
Computational Philosophy
Physical Education (BA or BS)
Physics (BA or BS)
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Biophysics (BS)
Space Physics (BS)
Political Science
Political Science/Economics (teacher licensure
major)
Pre-Law
Public Policy and Political Change
Psychology
Psychology and Law
Clinical Psychology
Social Psychology
Religion
Youth and Family Ministry
Social Work (BS)
Sociology
Student-Designed Major
Theater
Design/Technical
Directing/Dramaturgy/Playwriting
Performance
Urban Studies
Minors
Accounting
American Indian Studies
Art
Architecture
Art History
Graphic Design
Studio Art
Biology
Business Administration
Business Minor for Science Majors
Chemistry
Communication Studies
Computer Science
Culture and Social Justice
Economics
English
Literature, Language, and Theory
Writing
Creative Writing
Environmental Studies
Film
Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies
Global Women’s and Gender Studies
Sexuality Studies
Health Education
History
International Business
International Relations
Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies
French
German
Spanish
Leadership Studies
Management Information Systems
Business Analytics
Marketing
Mathematics
Statistics
Medieval Studies
Music
Music Business
New Media
Peace and Global Studies
Philosophy
Physical Education
Physics
Political Science
Pre-Law
Public Policy and Political Change
Psychology
Religion
Youth and Family Ministry
Sociology
Social Welfare
Special Education
Theater
Musical Theater
Urban Studies
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Student-Designed Major
Students may design their own major with the assistance and approval of three advisors from relevant fields and
subsequent final approval by the Augsburg College Academic Affairs Committee (AAC). A student-designed major allows
flexibility in selecting major courses. Any student wishing to design a major must complete a proposal, submit it with
approval and supporting letters from three faculty advisors, and obtain AAC approval of the program. Students should
seek AAC approval as early as possible so that any changes suggested by AAC may be incorporated into the design
without affecting the student’s proposed completion date. The deadline for initial submission of the program design to
AAC is the first term in which the student has achieved junior status; the final version must be approved the term before
the student achieves senior status.
Students wishing to design majors must:
1. Develop the student-designed major in concert with three faculty advisors from relevant fields, who together
constitute the Review Team. All advisors must sign the proposal cover sheet and submit supporting letters of
approval to AAC. Supporting letters should assess both the student’s ability to complete the proposed major and the
validity and value of the proposed major, including (in at least one of the letters) the proposed capstone course. The
advisors’ signatures and supporting letters represent their approval of the program, including the capstone course,
and their commitment to oversee the student’s progress.
2. Develop a student-designed major program proposal that includes:
A statement of learning goals and objectives
A list of proposed courses (minimum of 36 semester credits, no more than one of which is a lower-level
language course, and at least five of which are upper division) and a discussion of how the courses are related to
the program goals. Indicate how the proposed courses collectively support a specialized and cohesive plan
usually associated with a college major. Proposals must include research describing comparable programs of
study at a minimum of three other academic institutions. In addition, students should consult with the Clair &
Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work for additional information regarding career objectives. The
proposal should provide information showing how the Augsburg Core Curriculum requirements (including
graduation skills) are to be fulfilled.
A description of the student-designed major capstone to be taken some time during the senior year. The student
should devise the capstone in consultation with advisors. It should require an integrative project/paper that
draws together the coursework up to that point and/or prepares one for further study. In addition, at least one
of the advisors must specifically address the rationale for the proposed capstone in his or her supporting letter,
though approval of the student-designed major program by all advisors presumes their approval of the capstone
course.
Submit the completed proposal and supporting documentation to the Office of Academic Affairs.
If AAC approves the proposed major program, the student will be expected to complete the program designed and still
meet all of the other Augsburg degree requirements as stated in the college catalog.
Students who design their own majors will meet with their advisors regularly throughout the design and subsequent
evaluation of their program. Changes in the approved student-designed major may be made through the normal
petition process to the Student Standing Committee with advisor approval.
ACTC Majors
Full-time Day students may complete other majors through the Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities (ACTC). Students
who wish to complete a major or minor offered at one of the other ACTC colleges must submit a completed ACTC Major
or Minor Declaration Form to the Registrar’s Office. This form must list all ACTC courses required and be signed by the
ACTC school advisor. Some majors may not be available or may have a competitive application process with acceptance
determined by the major department.
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Students choosing an ACTC major will need to work with an advisor at the other campus to plan course schedules so
that the student is making progress towards the degree. Students should know that registration for ACTC courses can
be limited and are advised to submit registration materials at the earliest possible time.
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Pre-Professional Programs
Students who plan to enter the fields of law, medicine, dentistry, ministry, veterinary science, or pharmacy can profit
from a liberal arts education at Augsburg.
It is recommended that requirements for admission to graduate schools or seminaries be reviewed and the course of
study at Augsburg planned accordingly. A faculty advisor is available in each field to assist students in their planning. In
addition, the Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunities (URGO) office includes a Health Science Advisor who
works directly with students pursuing health care fields. Students who want to plan a pre-professional program should
contact Academic Advising prior to or early in their first year to arrange for faculty advising.
List of Pre-Professional Programs
Pre-Health Science
o See Biology Departmental page
Pre-Law
o Students considering a career in law should examine the handbook published by the Association of
American Law Schools. Pre-law students major in disciplines of their own choosing; most law school
entrance requirements will be satisfied with a record of solid achievement coupled with an acceptable Law
School Admission Test (LSAT) score.
Pre-Pharmacy
o Augsburg has a program designed to fulfill minimum requirements of the College of Pharmacy at the
University of Minnesota: BIO 151, 353, 476; CHM 115, 116, 351, 352; COM 111 or 115; ECO 112 or 113; ENL
111, 220; MAT 145; PHY 121, 122; and two courses in behavioral sciences such as PSY 105 and SOC 121.
Requirements at other universities may vary.
Pre-Seminary
o A student may enter a theological seminary with any of several different majors, such as history, philosophy,
English, psychology, sociology, or religion. Recommended preparation includes REL 100, 200; at least two
semesters of history (Western civilization); one or more courses in the history of philosophy; and Greek in
the junior and/or senior year. The Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation provides resources and
support, including scholarship opportunities, for students considering seminary.
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Academic Organization and Departments
As a liberal arts institution, Augsburg College believes that knowledge and truth are interrelated and are integrated into
a whole. The tradition of the academic world, however, divides this unified truth into more manageable parts: the
academic disciplines. The knowledge of individual disciplines is subdivided into courses that make it more accessible to
students. These courses can be arranged in various ways to construct majors, to create the substance of a broad general
education, and to give students the opportunity to study areas of particular individual interest.
Degrees Offered
Augsburg offers the following undergraduate degrees:
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Music
Bachelor of Science
Faculty
The heart of any educational institution is its faculty. Augsburg College is particularly proud of the excellence and
commitment of its professors. Most faculty hold a doctorate or the highest degree in their field, and all consider
teaching to be the focus of their activity. Faculty are also involved in a variety of professional and research activities that
support their teaching. They are actively involved in an exciting faculty development program that introduces them to
current thought in many fields, but especially in teaching techniques and theories.
Augsburg’s size and small classes encourage its tradition of close involvement between professors and students. Faculty
act as academic advisors and participate regularly in campus activities. Every incoming student is assigned both a faculty
and staff academic advisor. In this close interaction, faculty act as mentors for students, and the staff advisor primarily
guides course planning.
Course Descriptions
Course descriptions offer a brief summary of the subject matter to aid students in planning a program. Course
descriptions can be found at our Course Description Search. A syllabus containing a more detailed explanation of
content, approach, requirements, and evaluations for a particular course can be obtained from the instructor.
Internships and Independent Studies
Every department offers opportunities for internships and independent study. The course description and process for
registering for credit is normally the same for each department. Some departments have additional requirements that
are noted in the course description. Interdisciplinary internships are also available.
Internships
198 – Internship/On-campus
199 - Internship/Off-campus (4 credits)
A work or service-based learning experience typically at the sophomore level in which a student, faculty member, and
site supervisor design a learning agreement that links the ideas and methods of the discipline with the opportunities
inherent in the placement. Prior to the beginning of the term/registration, interested students must consult with the
departmental internship coordinator or a faculty member and the Strommen Center regarding requirements and
permission to register.
396 - Internship/On-campus (4 credits)
397 - Internship/Off-campus (2 credits)
398 - Internship/On-campus (2 credits)
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399 - Internship/Off-campus (4 credits)
A work or service-based learning experience at the junior/senior level in which a student, faculty member, and site
supervisor design a learning agreement that links the ideas and methods of the discipline with the opportunities
inherent in the placement. For some majors, participation in a concurrent seminar may be expected. Prior to the
beginning of the term/registration, interested students must consult with the departmental internship coordinator or a
faculty member and the Strommen Center regarding requirements and permission to register. (Off-campus 397/399
internships are one option for the Augsburg Experience graduation requirement.)
Directed and Independent Studies
299 - Directed Study
An opportunity to study topics not covered in the scheduled offerings under the direction of an instructor. Approval
must be secured in writing from the instructor and the department chairperson before the term in which the study is
undertaken.
499 - Independent Study/Research
An opportunity for advanced and specialized research projects. Approval must be secured in writing from the instructor
and the department chairperson before the term in which the study is undertaken.
Academic Year
All Augsburg programs follow the semester calendar with fall, spring, and summer semester lengths ranging from 14-16
weeks.
In Augsburg’s Day Program full-time students normally take 16 credits per semester. Day Program students are able to
take courses from the other four Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities during fall or spring semester.
Adult Undergraduate (AU) classes typically meet on the same night of the week, Monday through Thursday for threeand-a-half hours, on an alternating bi-weekly schedule. The alternating weeks of the semester are labeled “Maroon,”
and “Silver.” Online and out-of-class work occurs during the non-class meeting week. Students may take up to 18 credits
per semester.
Weekend and Evening College (WEC) classes typically meet on alternate weekends. There are seven to eight face to face
class sessions supplemented by online instruction each semester, and classes meet on weekends for 3.5 to 4 hours.
Students may take up to 18 credits per semester.
Rochester (ROCH) campus classes are held on weekday evenings and meet alternate weeks. There are seven to eight
class sessions supplemented by online instruction each semester with each class meeting for 3.5 to 4 hours. Students
may take up to 18 credits per semester.
Courses and majors offered through AU/ROCH/WEC are equivalent to their Day Program counterparts. However, the
curriculum is limited to selected liberal arts courses and majors.
Course Offerings
In general, most courses are offered at least once per year unless otherwise indicated. Since some courses are offered
alternate years, it is important that the student review major requirements and course offerings with an advisor to
ensure that all requirements can be met.
Note: Not all courses are offered in all programs. Refer to AugNet Records and Registration for information on when
specific courses are offered.
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Credit Hour Definition
Augsburg’s credit hour policy follows the federal guidelines in defining a semester credit hour as one fifty-minute period
of instruction and 100 minutes of out-of-class work per week for fifteen weeks, or the equivalent amount of student
work completed over a different time frame or via a different delivery method.
Numbering
Courses numbered 100 -299 are classified as lower division. Courses numbered 300 and above are classified as upper
division. In general, courses in the 100s are primarily for first-years, 200s for sophomores, 300s for juniors, and 400s for
seniors.
Prerequisites
Courses that must be taken before enrolling in a higher level course are listed in the online Course Description Search as
prerequisites. While it is not recommended, a student may enroll in a course when a prerequisite has not been fulfilled if
there is prior approval by the professor teaching the course. Effective Writing (ENL111) and math placement
prerequisites cannot be waived by the instructor. Students may be dropped from a course they have registered for if
they do not earn a satisfactory grade in the prerequisite for that course in the preceding semester.
Divisions and Departments
The College curriculum is offered by 26 departments that are grouped into three divisions for administrative and
instructional purposes:
Fine Arts and Humanities
American Indian Studies, Art, Communication Studies, English, History, Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies, Music,
Philosophy, Religion, Theater, Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies, College librarians.
Natural and Social Sciences
Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Economics, Mathematics, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology.
Professional Studies
Business Administration, Education, Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science, Nursing, Social Work.
Full explanation of departments and academic programs including major/minor requirements, graduation skills, and
other academic information is provided in the following pages, alphabetically by department.
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American Indian Studies
American Indian Studies is a major that gives students the opportunity to learn about the original, indigenous cultures of
North America. Students will be provided with a multidisciplinary understanding of the history and present situation of
American Indians. The program emphasizes the interrelations among history, culture, language, literature, the arts,
philosophy, religion, political and social forces, and the legal status and sovereignty of American Indians. This course of
study exposes students to the richness and beauty of North American Indian cultures.
Faculty
Eric Buffalohead (Chair), Elise Marubbio, Dale Weston, Vinodh Kutty, Virginia Allery, Sophia Jacobson
Degree and Major Requirements
American Indian Studies Major
Nine courses including:
AIS 105 - Introduction to American Indian Studies
AIS 205 - Contemporary American Indians
ENL 255 - American Indian Literature
or AIS 264 - American Indians in the Cinema
HIS 236 - American Indian History
REL 370 - American Indian Spirituality and Philosophical Thought
In addition, students must complete four electives. At least four of the courses toward the major must be upper division.
Elective course options:
AIS 208 - Native American Women and Film
AIS 233 - Women: A Cross-Cultural Perspective
AIS 264 - American Indian in the Cinema
AIS 299 - Directed Study
AIS 305 - Indigenous Issues of the Americas
AIS 320 - American Indian Women
AIS 332 - Native American Storytelling
AIS 364 - Indigenous Filmmakers
AIS 396 - Internship
AIS 399 - Internship
AIS 408 - Native American Women and Film
AIS 490 - Keystone: Indigenous Issues of the Americas
AIS 495 - Topics
AIS 498 - Independent Study/Research
AIS 499 - Independent Study
ART290 - Native American Art
ENL255 - American Indian Literature
ENL355 - Themes in American Indian Literature
OJB111 - Beginning Ojibwe I
OJB112 - Beginning Ojibwe II
Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) are embedded throughout the offered courses
and are met by completing the major. The graduation skill in Quantitative Reasoning (QR) is met by GST 200, MAT 163,
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MAT 164, or PHI 230. Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course
requirements to fulfill each of these skills.
American Indian Studies Minor
Five courses including AIS 105. At least two courses must be upper division.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Art
Art is essential. It teaches us to see, claim beauty, make sense of pain, explore the world, and express ourselves.
At Augsburg College, inspiration and creativity flourish with diversity. We are a small campus in the heart of a major
metropolitan area with an innovative faculty and creative curriculum in graphic design, drawing, painting, printmaking,
ceramics, sculpture, photography, hand papermaking, book arts, architecture, and digital media. A solid foundation of
drawing, design, and history is balanced with the development of technical skills, critical thinking, and creative
exploration in a range of media. On-campus galleries showcase student and professional artwork. Nearby museums,
galleries, studio visits, and guest artists provide art in real time. Service learning, internships, and study abroad are
integral to our program. We reach nearly 1,000 students a year from all disciplines, and graduate 25-30 majors annually
with Bachelor of Arts degrees in art history, studio art, and art education. An emphasis in graphic design, an architecture
minor, and certificates in art and graphic design provide additional opportunities for specialization.
For half a century, students have been earning degrees in studio art and art history at Augsburg College. We’re excited
to be here in the center of the city. You will be, too.
Art Faculty
Kristin M. Anderson, Susan Boecher, Christopher Houltberg, Tara Sweeney, Robert K. Tom
Degree and Major Requirements
Note: All studio courses require 3-6 work hours per week outside of class sessions. Most studio courses have lab fees.
Studio Art Major
Majors are required to begin their programs with the studio arts foundations:
ART 102 - Design
ART 107 - Drawing
One course in two-dimensional art from:
ART 118 - Painting I
ART 201 - Introduction to Graphic Design
ART 223 - Print Making I
ART 257 - Watercolor Painting I
One course in three-dimensional art from:
ART 221 - Sculpture I
ART 250 - Ceramics I
ART 280 - Hand Papermaking and Book Arts I
Five additional studio arts courses
ART 240 - Art History Survey, and two additional art history courses
ART 305 - Junior Exhibition and Faculty Review
ART 405 - Senior Exhibition and Faculty Review
Studio majors must participate in a group exhibition and review in their junior year, followed by a solo or two-person
show with a faculty review in their senior year, and the annual senior group exhibition.
Graduation Skills
The Critical Thinking (CT) graduation skill is embedded throughout the offered courses and is met by completing the
major. The graduation skills in Speaking (S), Writing (W), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR) are met by completing the
following courses:
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S: Choose from ART 102, 133, 225, 424, or upper division art history courses (ART 349, 352, 382, 385, 386, 387, 388,
389).
W: Choose two of the following courses to satisfy the writing skill: ART 349, 352, 385, 386, 387, 388, and 389.
QR: PHY 119, MAT 145, MAT 146, MAT163, GST 200, or PHI 230.
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills.
Graphic Design Major
Four one-credit courses:
ART 124 - Graphic Design Production: InDesign
ART 125 - Graphic Design Production: Illustrator
ART 126 - Graphic Design Production: Photoshop
ART 226 - Artist Workshop
The following four-credit courses:
ART 133 - Introduction to Digital Photography
ART 201 - Introduction to Graphic Design
ART 202 - Typography
ART 224 - Publication Design
ART 315 - Web Design for Graphic Design Majors
One of the following courses in drawing:
ART 107 - Drawing
ART 122 - Plein Air Sketching I
One of the following courses in three-dimensional art form:
ART 105 - Introduction to Architectural Drawing
ART 221 - Sculpture I
ART 250 - Ceramics I
ART 280 - Hand Papermaking and Book Arts I
One of the following courses in art history:
ART 240 - Art History Survey
ART 349 - The Designed Environment
ART 352 - Women and Art
ART 385 - Prehistoric and Ancient Art
ART 386 - Medieval Art
ART 387 - Renaissance and Baroque Art
ART 388 - Modern Art
ART 389 - American Art
ART 390 - Native American Art
2 Art History Courses from the following will satisfy the Writing skill:
ART 349 (HIS 349) The Designed Environment
ART 352 Women and Art
ART 386 Medieval Art
ART 387 Renaissance and Baroque Art
ART 388 19th and 20th Century Art
Four courses in the Agency Studio Model:
ART 324 - Design Studio I
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ART 326 - Design Studio II
ART 424 - Advanced Design Studio III
ART 425 - Advanced Design Studio IV
The following two courses:
ART 305 - Junior Exhibition and Faculty Review
ART 405 - Senior Exhibition and Faculty Review
Two courses or 8 credits from the following electives (same-department electives are permitted):
Any ART course
ENL 226 - Introduction to Creative Writing
CSC 250 - Game Programming on the Web
CSC 431 - Intro to AI Robotics
CSC 495 - Topics: Mobile Applications
ENL 241 - Introduction to Cinema Art
ENL 324 - Creative Non-Fiction
FLM 180 - Film, Sight, and Sound
FLM 240 - Animation
FLM 260 - Documentary Production I
INS 330 - Arts Praxis: Social Justice Theory and Practice in the Field
INS 331 - Art and Culture in Political, Social and Historical Context
MUS 272 - Human Identity through the Creative Arts
MUS 336 - Arts Management & Concert Promotion
NMS 260 - New Media Production
NMS 295 - Topics in New Media
NMS 320 - Contemporary New Media Practices
NMS 495 - Topics in New Media
PHI 260 - Philosophy and the Arts
SOC 111 - City Life: Introduction to Urban Sociology
Graduation Skills
The graduation skills in Speaking (S), Writing (W), and Critical Thinking (CT) are embedded throughout the offered
courses and are met by completing the major. The graduation skill in Quantitative Reasoning (QR) is met by completing
one of the following courses:
QR: GST200, MAT 145, MAT 146, MAT 163, PHI 230, or PHY 119
2 Art History Courses from the following will satisfy the Writing skill:
ART 349 (HIS 349) The Designed Environment
ART 352 Women and Art
ART 386 Medieval Art
ART 387 Renaissance and Baroque Art
ART 388 19th and 20th Century
Art Teaching Licensure Major
The State of Minnesota has specific licensing requirements for teachers that differ slightly in emphasis from the
Augsburg major requirements. The state requirements may also be subject to change after publication of this catalog.
Students therefore should consult with the Augsburg Department of Education to identify current Minnesota teacher
licensure requirements.
The following course:
ART 280 - Hand Papermaking and Book Arts I is required for licensure and must be completed prior to the start of the
senior year.
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At least two second level advanced Studio Art Major Elective courses.
Transfer courses must be approved by the Art Department and must each have a grade of at least 2.0. At least 2 courses
must be taken at Augsburg College.
Art History Major
Eight art or architectural history courses including:
ART 240 - Art History Survey
ART 388 - Modern Art
Six other art or architectural history courses
Two studio courses:
ART 102 - Design or ART 107 - Drawing
ART 118 - Painting I or ART 221 - Sculpture I
Art History majors must participate in a group exhibition and review in their junior year, followed by creating and
curating a research-based exhibition with faculty review in their senior year.
Graduation Skills
The Critical Thinking (CT) graduation skill is embedded throughout the offered courses and is met by completing the
major. The graduation skills in Speaking (S) and Writing (W) are embedded in the upper division art history courses and
are met by completing the major. The graduation skill in Quantitative Reasoning (QR) is met by completing the following
courses:
QR: PHY 119, MAT 145, MAT 146, MAT163, GST 200, or PHI 230.
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills.
Double Major
Students planning a double major in studio art and art history or a major/minor combination should meet with a
department advisor to plan appropriately.
Departmental Honors
GPA of 3.50 in the major and overall, portfolio of artwork (studio majors) or research (art history majors) reflecting the
highest quality work, and Art Department-approved special projects and/or research. Application should be made to the
department chair before the last term of the senior year.
Architecture Minor
Five courses including:
ART 105 - Introduction to Architectural Drawing
ART 210 - Drawing for Design in Architecture
ART 243 - History of Architecture to 1750
ART 244 - History of Architecture after 1750
ART 249/349 - The Designed Environment
Art History Minor
Five art history courses including ART 240 - Art History Survey.
Graphic Design Minor
Three one-credit courses:
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ART 124 - Graphic Design Production: InDesign
ART 125 - Graphic Design Production: Illustrator
ART 126 - Graphic Design Production: Photoshop
Four four-credit courses:
ART 201 - Introduction to Graphic Design
ART 202 - Typography
ART 315 - Web Design for Graphic Design Majors
ART 324 - Design Studio I
Studio Art Minor
Five courses including:
ART 107 - Drawing
ART 240 – Art History Survey
Three additional studio courses.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Biology
From transgenic crops to emerging diseases to being a member of the human species, biology affects – literally – every
part of your life. Because biology is such a broad field, the biology program at Augsburg emphasizes integration across
many sub-disciplines, including molecular, cellular, organismal, evolutionary, and ecological biology. Additionally, the
biology program at Augsburg coordinates with the mathematics, chemistry, and physics programs to ensure that our
students acquire the necessary knowledge to fully understand biological phenomena.
Augsburg’s Biology program is designed to provide students with the opportunities to (1) understand the fundamental
knowledge of the discipline, (2) know how scientific knowledge is generated and disseminated, (3) effectively
communicate scientific information in written and oral forms, (4) be proficient in common biological lab techniques, and
(5) demonstrate professionalism in the sciences. Additionally, Augsburg has a strong commitment to undergraduate
research, both on and off campus. There are a variety of opportunities to work on research projects with Biology faculty
and subsequently present your research at regional, national, and international meetings.
Graduates of our Biology program follow many different paths. Most of our graduates use their undergraduate major in
Biology as a springboard for further study. Augsburg graduates have gone on to graduate studies leading to careers in
post-secondary teaching, basic and applied research, and public health or have entered professional programs in
medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry. In addition, many of our students go directly into the workforce as
laboratory technologists and teachers.
Biology Faculty
Jennifer Bankers-Fulbright (Chair), Matthew Beckman, Ralph Butkowski, William Capman, David Crowe, Ann Impullitti,
Dale Pederson, Emily Schilling
Degree and Major Requirements
Students may choose one of the following degree options: Bachelor of Arts in biology, Bachelor of Science in biology, or
Bachelor of Arts in life sciences.
Bachelor of Arts in Biology
The total number of required courses in the department is nine courses. There are additional required supporting
courses that must be taken in other disciplines.
BIO 151 - Introductory Biology
BIO 152 - Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity
BIO 253 - Introductory Cellular Biology
BIO 255 - Genetics
MAT 114 - Precalculus
or MAT 145 - Calculus I
or MAT 163 - Introductory Statistics
or MAT 164 – Introductory Statistics for STEM
or PSY 215 - Research Methods and Statistics I
CHM 115 - General Chemistry I
CHM 116 - General Chemistry II
PHY 116 - Introduction to Physics
or PHY 107, 108 - College Physics I, II
or PHY 121, 122 - General Physics I, II
BIO 490 - Biology Keystone
or SCI 490 - Integrated Science
or HON 490 - Honors Senior Seminar
or another keystone with departmental approval
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Five upper division electives, at least one of which must be BIO 361, BIO 440, or BIO 481. Students may take two
different BIO485 courses in place of one upper division elective:
BIO 351 - Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 353 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
BIO 361 - Plant Biology
BIO 369 - Biochemistry
BIO 440 - Plant Physiology
BIO 471 - Advanced Cellular and Molecular Biology
BIO 473 - Animal Physiology
BIO 474 - Developmental Biology
BIO 475 - Neurobiology
BIO 476 - Microbiology
BIO 481 - Ecology
BIO 485 - Advanced Topics in Biology
BIO 486 - Immunology
BIO 495 - Special Topics in Biology
PHY 317 - Biophysics
Bachelor of Science in Biology
The total number of required courses in the department is nine courses. There are additional required supporting
courses that must be taken in other disciplines.
BIO 151 - Introductory Biology
BIO 152 - Evolution, Ecology and Diversity
BIO 253 - Introductory Cellular Biology
BIO 255 - Genetics
CHM 115 - General Chemistry I
CHM 116 - General Chemistry II
CHM 351 - Organic Chemistry I
CHM 352 - Organic Chemistry II
PHY 121, 122 - General Physics I, II
or PHY 107, 108 - College Physics I, II
MAT 145 - Calculus I
MAT 146 - Calculus II
BIO 490 - Biology Keystone
or SCI 490 - Integrated Science
or HON 490 - Honors Senior Seminar
or another keystone with departmental approval
Five upper division electives, at least one of which must be BIO 361, BIO 440, or BIO 481. Students may take two
different BIO485 courses in place of one upper division elective:
BIO 351 - Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 353 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
BIO 361 - Plant Biology
BIO 369 - Biochemistry
BIO 440 - Plant Physiology
BIO 471 - Advanced Cellular and Molecular Biology
BIO 473 - Animal Physiology
BIO 474 - Developmental Biology
BIO 475 - Neurobiology
BIO 476 - Microbiology
BIO 481 - Ecology
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BIO 485 - Advanced Topics in Biology
BIO 486 - Immunology
BIO 495 - Special Topics in Biology
PHY 317 - Biophysics
General Education Accommodation
BS biology majors may reduce their general education program by one or two courses. See Bachelor of Science/Liberal
Arts Foundation (LAF) Waiver in the Academic Information section of the catalog.
Bachelor of Arts in Life Sciences
This major is appropriate for students also seeking secondary teaching licensure in biology.
BIO 151 - Introductory Biology
BIO 152 - Evolution, Ecology, and Diversity
BIO 253 - Introductory Cellular Biology
BIO 255 - Genetics
MAT 114 - Precalculus
or MAT 145 - Calculus I
or MAT 163 - Introductory Statistics
or MAT 164 - Introductory Statistics for STEM
or PSY 215 - Research Methods and Statistics I
CHM 115 - General Chemistry I
CHM 116 - General Chemistry II
PHY 116 - Introduction to Physics
or PHY 107, 108 - College Physics I, II
or PHY 121, 122 - General Physics I, II
BIO 490 - Biology Keystone
or SCI 490 - Integrated Science
or HON 490 - Honors Senior Seminar
or another keystone with departmental approval
Two science courses from the following:
PHY 101 - Astronomy
SCI 106 - Introductory Meteorology
An introductory geology course
Four upper division electives, at least one of which must be BIO 361, BIO 440, or BIO 481:
BIO 351 - Invertebrate Zoology
BIO 353 - Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy
BIO 361 - Plant Biology
BIO 369 - Biochemistry
BIO 440 - Plant Physiology
BIO 471 - Advanced Cellular and Molecular Biology
BIO 473 - Animal Physiology
BIO 474 - Developmental Biology
BIO 475 - Neurobiology
BIO 476 - Microbiology
BIO 481 - Ecology
BIO 486 - Immunology
BIO 495 - Special Topics in Biology
PHY 317 - Biophysics
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Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), and Writing (W) are embedded throughout the
offered courses and are met by completing the major. The graduation skill in Speaking (S) is met by completing COM 115
(preferred) or COM 111 or HON 130.
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills.
Transfer course policy for majors and minors
All transfer courses, including ACTC courses, must be approved in writing by the department, subject to review by the
chair. Only those biology courses successfully completed (2.0 or above) within the last 10 years will be considered. At
least four upper division electives must be completed in residence (at Augsburg College).
Custom Biology Programs
Students who have completed BIO 151, 152, 253, 255 and at least one upper division elective may, in consultation with
their advisor, seek approval from the department to complete major requirements with as many as four upper division
courses from other institutions.
Departmental Honors
The awarding of Departmental Honors recognizes a student’s outstanding achievement(s) in the Biology Major. Only
students who have a major GPA of 3.5 or higher and an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher may earn Departmental Honors by
successfully completing one of the following:
1. Continuation of a summer or academic year biology research internship via successful completion of BIO 297, BIO 399,
BIO 497, BIO 499 or HON 499. Before registering for one of these options, students must submit a formal letter of intent
to an Honors Committee of three biology faculty (to be determined by the mentor and student) at least 2 weeks prior to
the registration deadline. This formal letter of intent will be composed of no more than one page of text providing the
following: (1) Title of project; (2) abstract describing the project with special focus given to the questions that will be
addressed, the methods to be used and the expected outcomes; (3) name and signature (with date) of your faculty
advisor; and (4) list of the three Biology Department faculty who have agreed to serve as your Honors Committee. A
decision whether or not to approve registration will be made by the Honors Committee within one week of submission.
Successful completion of the Honors process requires a public presentation of your research and a written report in the
style of a typical peer-reviewed biological discipline journal article. The written report will be accepted or rejected by the
Honors Committee within 2 weeks of submission.
2. Selection for, participation in, and completion of the Mayo Innovation Scholars Program (including the final
presentation).
3. Scoring above the national 90th percentile on the ETS Major Field Test in Biology.
Minor
A course sequence in general chemistry and five biology courses including BIO 151, 152, and three additional BIO
courses (200 level or above). The majority of courses in biology must be taken at Augsburg College.
Other Requirements
In planning their courses of study, students are encouraged to work closely with members of the biology faculty. Biology
majors must have an advisor in the biology department. In order to complete all major requirements in four years, BIO
151 and 152 and General Chemistry should be taken in the first year, and BIO 253, BIO 255 and Organic Chemistry (when
appropriate) in the second year. Students should complete their math requirements early in their college careers.
Students must earn a minimum grade of 1.0 and an average grade of 2.0 in BIO 151 and 152. Supporting course
requirements in chemistry, mathematics, physics, and communication must be satisfied with a grade of 2.0 or higher to
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satisfy either major or prerequisite requirements. A grade of 2.0 or higher is required in BIO 253 and BIO 255 in order to
fulfill major requirements and to fulfill the prerequisite requirements of several upper division biology electives. A grade
of 2.0 or higher must be earned in all upper division biology courses applied toward meeting the requirements of a
major. All biology courses applied toward the major must be traditionally graded. A GPA of 2.5 in biology courses is
required for the life science major.
*Students completing majors in biology or life science will be required to take the ETS Major Field Test in Biology during
their final year of the program. The exam will appear on the graduation checklist.
Biology for Health Sciences
Prerequisite requirements for health sciences vary with the program and the institution. Care should be taken to study
the requirements for every program well in advance of making application. In general, the pre-medical curriculum
includes a year each of biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus and physics. Courses in biochemistry,
statistics, advanced biology, and social and behavioral sciences are also important preparation for the MR5 Medical
College Admissions Exam. Programs in physician assistant training, veterinary medicine, physical therapy, and such
typically have a more extensive list of prerequisites. Students considering a post-baccalaureate program in these areas
should consult early and often with health science advisors Catherina Kipper, Dixie Shafer, Dale Pederson, and Kelsey
Richardson-Blackwell.
Graduate Training in Biology
Graduate programs in biological fields typically require two semesters of general chemistry, organic chemistry, calculus,
and physics. Also required is extensive involvement in research through Augsburg Experience, internships, and/or
independent study. Careful consultation with a biology advisor is recommended to select among coursework and
research options.
Teaching Licensure Major
The State of Minnesota has specific licensing requirements for biology teachers, the science portions of which are
satisfied by the Augsburg Life Sciences major only if BIO476 Microbiology and BIO481 Ecology are selected as two of the
upper division electives. The state requirements may be subject to change after the publication of this catalog. Students
should therefore consult with the Augsburg Department of Education to identify current Minnesota teacher licensure
requirements. All upper division biology requirements for secondary licensure must be completed before beginning
student teaching.
Post-Baccalaureate Teaching Licensure
Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree elsewhere and seek life science teaching licensure at Augsburg are
required to complete a minimum of two upper division biology courses at Augsburg with grades of 2.5 or higher.
Required or elective courses are determined by the department following review of transcripts and prior to
matriculation.
Beta Beta Beta
Membership in the Augsburg chapter of this national biology honor society is open to students who have completed at
least one upper division biology course and have a GPA of 3.0 in biology.
Cooperative Education and Service-Learning
The department works with the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work in identifying and defining cooperative
education experiences in laboratories and other settings in the Twin Cities.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Biopsychology
The biopsychology major is designed to offer students an integrative perspective on the biological basis of behavior.
Towards this end, students will take courses in both psychology and biology to gain exposure to a broad range of
theories and research covering a variety of topics such as cognition, motor control, sensation/perception, emotion, and
psychopathology. These topics will be studied at multiple levels of analysis including genetic, neural, and environmental.
The biopsychology major will provide students with a strong foundation of courses in neuroscience, statistics, and
chemistry. This broad training can help prepare students for careers in research, medicine, public health, education, and
pharmaceutical or biotechnology industries.
Biopsychology Faculty
Matthew Beckman (Biology), Ralph Butkowski (Biology), David Crowe (Biology), Stacy Freiheit (Psychology), David Matz
(Psychology), Dale Pederson (Biology), Bridget Robinson-Riegler (Psychology), Nancy Steblay (Psychology), Henry Yoon
(Psychology).
Degree and Major Requirements
Major
Thirteen Courses:
BIO 151 - Introductory Biology
BIO 152 - Ecology, Evolution and Diversity
BIO 253 - Introductory Cellular Biology
BIO 475 - Neurobiology
PSY 105 - Principles of Psychology
PSY 215 - Research Methods and Statistics I
PSY 315 - Research Methods and Statistics II
PSY 355 - Biopsychology
Two Psychology electives from the following:
PSY 299 - Directed Study (Research in Biopsychology)
or PSY 360 - Psychology Laboratory (two semesters)
PSY 354 - Cognitive Psychology
PSY 391 - Individual Differences
PSY 410 - Clinical Neuropsychology
PSY 491 - Advanced Research Seminar
PSYC 322 - Sensation and Perception (St. Thomas)
PSYC 407 - Seminar in Behavioral Neuroscience (St. Thomas)
PSYC 378 - Psychology of Language (Macalester)
PYSC 486 - Seminar in Neuropharmacology (Macalester)
Two Biology electives from the following:
BIO 255 - Genetics
BIO 369 - Biochemistry
BIO 471 - Advanced Cell and Molecular Biology
BIO 473 - Animal Physiology
BIO 495 - Special Topics in Biology: Animal Behavior (this topic only)
BIOL 356 - Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience (Macalester)
PHY 317 - Biophysics
Keystone (one required):
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BIO 490 - Biology Keystone
PSY 400 - Keystone Internship
SCI 490 - Integrated Science
Note: Students will need to take the CHM 115/116 sequence to complete the biology courses. A minimum of five
courses must be from Augsburg.
Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Quantitative Reasoning (QR) and Writing (W) are embedded throughout the
offered courses and are met by completing the major. The graduation skill in speaking (S) is met by completing COM 111
or 115. Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill
these skills.
Other Requirements
An average grade of 2.0, with no grade below a 1.0 is required for BIO 151 and 152. A grade of 2.0 or above is required
for all courses (200 level and above) applied to the major.
Transfer Course Policy for Majors
All transfer courses, including ACTC courses, must be approved in writing by the department chair(s). Only those biology
and psychology courses successfully completed (2.0 or above) within the last 10 years will be considered. In general,
courses that meet the transfer guidelines may only be applied to introductory or elective credit for the major.
Biopsychology Honors
GPA of 3.5 in the major, and 3.3 overall. Students must complete a high-quality research project, approved and
evaluated by three members of the Biopsychology faculty. Formal application must be made no later than the junior
year.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Department of Business Administration
Our mission is to prepare students for professional careers in business or for graduate studies. This preparation involves
a curriculum that stresses analysis and communication, emphasizes both theory and practice, and is shaped by the
needs of the business community. The department fosters close ties with the corporate community that provide a
wealth of practical expertise, a variety of internship opportunities, and future job prospects. The faculty believe they can
best serve both the student and the community by providing an education that is technically competent, ethically based,
and socially aware.
Faculty
Jeanne Boeh (Co-Chair), Stu Stoller (Co-Chair,), John C. Cerrito, David A. Conrad, George F. Dierberger, Marc D. Isaacson,
Nancy Johnson, Phyllis Kapetanakis, Won Yong Kim, Jayoung Koo, Lori L. Lohman, Marc C. McIntosh, Magdalena M.
Paleczny-Zapp, Milo A. Schield, Peter J. Stark
General Requirements
Majors
The Department of Business Administration offers seven majors: Business Administration (Music Business
Specialization), Accounting, Finance, International Business, Management, Management Information Systems, and
Marketing. There is also a combined Business and Economics major, which incorporates courses from both the
Departments of Business Administration and Economics.
Minors
Minors provide students the opportunity to study and obtain a professional credential in an area of study that is in
addition to their major. The Department of Business Administration offers eight minors: Business Administration (for
non-business majors only), Business Analytics, Business Minor for Science Majors, International Business, Music
Business, Accounting, Management Information Systems, and Marketing.
Transfer Students
Transfer students must complete at least four of the upper division courses required in the major at Augsburg, or at
least three courses in the minor, or obtain an exemption from the department. Transfer courses must be approved by
the department. Transfer courses taken more than 10 years ago will not be accepted. Business courses (ACC, BUS, FIN,
MIS, MKT) taken at Augsburg more than 10 years ago will not be applied toward a major unless approved by a faculty
member in the student's designated major area. Suitable intervening work experience will also be considered.
Advising
Students who plan to pursue any of our business majors are strongly encouraged to select a departmental advisor who
teaches in their major. This should be done by the end of sophomore year at the latest. In addition to advising,
departmental faculty can counsel students on their careers, assist in obtaining internships or jobs, and provide letters of
recommendation for prospective employers or graduate programs. The Business Administrator is also available for
advising questions relating to degree progress, course selection, and international courses abroad.
Departmental Honors
To complete departmental honors in the Department of Business Administration, students need to consult with the
Department Chair. Students need to apply to the department and start the process during their junior year. Students will
also have the opportunity to obtain the honorific of Scholar of Distinction, another method of earning departmental
honors, departmental honors by scoring in the top 10% on the Major Field Test, a comprehensive assessment given
during the senior year. Please contact the Department Chair(s) for more specific information.
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Internships
Students are strongly encouraged to work with the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work and department faculty to
obtain an internship during their junior or senior year. Internships can provide students with experience that may be
valuable in competing for jobs after graduation. Faculty advisors should be consulted about internships. The department
offers an internship course which can be taken for 2.0 or 4.0 credits (BUS 397/399). This course aids students in finding
an internship placement within an organization which supports their major and provides direction and support.
Study Abroad
The Department of Business Administration faculty actively support international study. For additional details, see the
section on Special Academic Programs: Study Abroad and Study Away in this catalog, or consult the Department Chair
and/or Departmental Administrator for international business courses or other overseas opportunities.
P/N Grades
Students may apply no more than 8 semester credits with P grades toward a major and no more than 4 semester credits
with a P grade toward a minor. Please refer to the P/N and graduation requirements section of this catalog for specific
details regarding P/N grades.
Business Core Requirements*
*The exceptions are the Business/Economics major and the Business Music major.
Thirteen courses including:
ACC 221 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
ACC 222 - Introduction to Managerial Accounting
BUS 200 - Exploring Business as a Vocation
or BUS 242 - Principles of Management
BUS 301 - Business Law
BUS 362 - International Business
ECO 112 - Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 113 - Principles of Microeconomics
FIN 331 - Financial Management
MIS 260 - Problem Solving for Business
MIS 264 - Statistical Literacy for Managers
or MIS 379* - Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics
*MIS 379 is required for Accounting and Finance majors
MKT 252 - Principles of Marketing
One of the following:
MAT 110 - Finite Mathematics
MAT 114 - Precalculus
MAT 129 - Practical Applications of Math
MAT 145 - Calculus I
MAT 146 - Calculus II
MAT 171* - Discrete Mathematics For Computing
*MAT 171 is required for Management Information Systems majors
MAT 173 - Mathematics of Finance
MAT 273 - Statistical Modeling
One of the following:
COM 111 - Public Speaking
COM 112 - Contest Public Speaking
COM 115 - Scientific and Technical Public Speaking
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ENL 240 - Introduction to Literary Study
ENL 241 - Introduction to Cinema Art
ENL 250 - American Voices
ENL 251 - Introduction to African American Literature
ENL 255 - American Indian Literature
ENL 260 - Authors
ENL 270 - Themes
ENL 280 - Genres
ENL 290 - Explorations in Language and Theory
ENL 291 - Thailand: Teaching ESL
HIS 102 - The Shaping of Western Civilization
HIS 103 - The Modern World
HIS 282 - The History of Women Since 1848
Further explanation of the above:
The mathematics requirement is fulfilled by any MAT course numbered 110 and above with LAF status (excluding
MAT 137, MAT 138, MAT 163, MAT 164, and MAT 287).
The communication requirement is fulfilled by courses identified for writing and speaking with Humanities LAF
status.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Business Administration
The major in Business Administration prepares students for professional careers in business administration or for
graduate studies. Within this area, there is one specialization available to Day students called Music Business and
another option available to both Day and AU students called the Combined Business and Economics major. These two
areas provide students with a broad foundation so they can readily adapt to internal changes in interests and goals and
to external changes in circumstances and opportunities. These majors involve substantial courses from outside the
Department. The major requirements for these majors are shown below.
Major in Music Business
Six courses including:
ACC 221 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
ACC 222 - Introduction to Managerial Accounting
BUS 242 - Principles of Management*
or BUS 200 - Exploring Business as a Vocation*
FIN 331 - Financial Management
MIS 260 - Problem Solving for Business
MKT 252 - Principles of Marketing
Two allied requirements in economics:
ECO 112 - Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 113 - Principles of Microeconomics
Note: All business majors are encouraged to take KEY 490 - Vocation and the Meaning of Success to fulfill the Augsburg
Core Curriculum Senior Keystone Requirement.
Music Courses:
MUS 205 – Legal Issues in Music, Entertainment, and the Arts
MUS 335 – Music Business
MUS 336 - Arts Management and Concert Promotion
MUS/BUS 399 - Internship
MUS 162 – Entrepreneurship for Creative Businesses**
MUS 408 – Current and Future Issues in the Music Industry**
**Students may substitute 4 credits of business elective (chosen in consultation with the faculty adviser) in place of
MUS162 and MUS408
12 elective credits in MUS or 8 semester credits in MUS credits and 4 semester credits in MUE (8 credits must be in
residence at Augsburg), selected from:
MUS 101 - Materials of Music I
MUS 102 - Materials of Music II
MUS 111 - Aural Skills I
MUS 112 - Aural Skills II
MUS 130 - Introduction to Music in the Fine Arts
MUS 220 - Worlds of Music
MUS 241 - History of Jazz
(other MUS courses as approved by advisor)
*Music Business majors may substitute BUS 254 in place of BUS 242 or 200.
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Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) are embedded throughout the offered courses.
The Quantitative Reasoning (QR) graduation skill is met by completing two courses: MIS 260 (QF) and either MIS 264 or
MIS 379 (QA).
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills.
Note: All business majors are encouraged to take KEY 490 - Vocation and the Meaning of Success to fulfill the Augsburg
Core Curriculum Senior Keystone Requirement.
Combined Major in Business Administration and Economics
Eleven courses including:
ACC 221 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
ACC 222 - Introduction to Managerial Accounting
BUS 242 - Principles of Management
or BUS 200 - Exploring Business as a Vocation
MKT 252 - Principles of Marketing
MIS 379 - Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics
or FIN 331 - Financial Management
One other upper division BUS, ACC, FIN, MIS, or MKT course
ECO 112 - Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 113 - Principles of Microeconomics
ECO 312 - Intermediate Macroeconomics
ECO 313 - Intermediate Microeconomics
One other upper division ECO course
Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) are embedded throughout the offered courses
and are met by completing the combined major in Business Administration and Economics. The Quantitative Reasoning
(QR) graduation skill is met by completing: ECO 112 or 113 (QF) and either MIS 379, ECO 318, or ECO490 (QA).
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills.
Note: All business majors are encouraged to take KEY 490 - Vocation and the Meaning of Success to fulfill the Augsburg
Core Curriculum Senior Keystone Requirement.
Minor in Business Administration (open to non-business majors only)
Six courses including:
ACC 221 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
ACC 222 - Introduction to Managerial Accounting
BUS 242 - Principles of Management
or BUS 200 - Exploring Business as a Vocation
MKT 252 - Principles of Marketing
MIS 379 - Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics
or MIS 264 - Statistical Literacy for Managers
or FIN 331 - Financial Management
ECO 112 - Principles of Macroeconomics
or ECO 113 - Principles of Microeconomics
Other configurations may be permitted with approval of the Department Chair.
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Business Minor for Science Majors (open only to students majoring in Biology, Biopsychology, Chemistry, Computer
Science, Mathematics, Physics, Psychology)
Six courses including:
ACC 221 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
BUS 242 - Principles of Management
or BUS 200 - Exploring Business as a Vocation
or BUS 254 - Entrepreneurship
ECO 113 - Principles of Microeconomics
MKT 252 - Principles of Marketing
PHI 120 - Ethics
BUS 399 - Internship
or BUS 397 - Internship
Minor in Music Business
The Music Business minor is a course of study designed both for the music major desiring additional preparation in
business and for the non-music major interested in pursuing a career in the music industry. With the Music Business
minor, students are given the opportunity to enroll in coursework and participate in on-site field experiences that
address specific professional skills necessary to enter today’s music industry. The minor is a collaborative program
between the music and business departments. See the Music Department for requirements.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Accounting
Accountants perform an important function in society by providing high-quality financial information. Augsburg
Accounting majors learn the requisite skills to do this through the study of theories and practices associated with the
areas of financial accounting, managerial accounting, tax accounting, and auditing. In addition, Accounting majors take
courses in other business areas necessary so that they have a broad understanding of how accounting serves the needs
of business managers and others who rely on accounting information.
Students completing the Accounting major will be prepared for entry-level positions as auditors and public accountants,
management accountants, tax accountants, and internal auditors. Their education will give them knowledge and skills to
work as accountants in business, government, and nonprofit organizations and to work in other positions requiring
engagement with financial information.
The Augsburg Accounting major also provides students with the accounting and business coursework required to take
the Uniform Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam. Students can sit for the CPA exam after they have completed their
Bachelor of Arts in Accounting. Students should note, however, that in order to be licensed as a CPA they must have
completed a total of 150 credit hours in either undergraduate or graduate coursework and have one year of relevant
work experience in auditing or taxation. Students will also have met the coursework requirements to take the Certified
Management Accountant (CMA) exam.
Accounting majors are encouraged to consider taking one of the professional accounting examinations upon graduation.
Students interested in learning more can find information at the following websites:
CPA exam general information: www.aicpa.org/BecomeACPA/Pages/BecomeaCPA.aspx
State of Minnesota CPA exam requirements: www.revisor.mn.gov/rules
CMA exam: www.imanet.org/cma_certification
Degree and Major Requirements
Accounting Major
Business Core Requirements
Must take MIS 379 rather than MIS 264
Required Accounting Courses:
Six courses including:
ACC 322 - Intermediate Accounting I
ACC 323 - Intermediate Accounting II
ACC 324 - Managerial Cost Accounting
ACC 326 - Tax Accounting
ACC 423 - Auditing
ACC 425 - Advanced Accounting
Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) are embedded
throughout the offered courses and are met by completing the major.
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills.
Note: All business majors are encouraged to take KEY 490 - Vocation and the Meaning of Success to fulfill the Augsburg
Core Curriculum Senior Keystone requirement.
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Joint Bachelor of Arts in Accounting and Master of Arts in Leadership
A BA in Accounting and an MA in Leadership (MAL) can be earned in this five-year program designed for students who
wish to qualify for CPA certification and obtain a Master’s degree. By the end of the fifth year and successful completion
of all requirements, the student receives both a BA in Accounting and an MA in Leadership and will have fulfilled the
150-hour requirement to qualify for the CPA certification. Refer to the Graduate Studies Catalog for a complete list of
courses.
It is recommended that students meet with an Accounting advisor to create an effective plan for successful completion
of the five-year program.
Accounting students planning to pursue the five-year degree must apply for admission to the MAL program at the end of
their junior year. The application process includes submission of:
Completed application form
Two letters of recommendation (one from an Augsburg professor and one from an employer)
Personal statement
Example of their writing in an academic paper
GPA of at least 3.30
Interview with the Director of the MAL program
Students must also have faculty endorsement from the Accounting program. Students must complete at least one year
of accounting work experience (either a job or internship) by the time they graduate from the MAL program.
Program Coordinator: Marc McIntosh
Minor in Accounting
Six courses including:
ACC 221 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
ACC 222 - Introduction to Managerial Accounting
ACC 322 - Intermediate Accounting I
ACC 323 - Intermediate Accounting II
ACC 324 - Managerial Cost Accounting
One of the following:
ECO 112 - Principles of Macroeconomics
ECO 113 - Principles of Microeconomics
FIN 331 - Financial Management
MIS 260 - Problem Solving for Business
MIS 379 - Quantitative Methods for Business and Economics
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Finance
The Finance major prepares students for professional careers in corporate finance and the financial services industry.
Augsburg Finance majors learn requisite skills through courses focused on financial theory and practice, investment and
portfolio theory, intermediate accounting theory, money and banking, and international finance. In addition, Finance
majors take courses in other business areas necessary so that they have a broad understanding of how finance serves
the needs of business managers and others who rely on financial information. Besides careers in the finance/accounting
area in all businesses large and small, this major leads to careers in banking, asset management, insurance, and
investment banking. Students will gain the knowledge and skills to work as financial analysts and financial managers in
business, government, and nonprofit organizations, and to work in other positions requiring engagement with financial
information.
Students are encouraged to complete an internship prior to graduation. Proficiency in the use of spreadsheets such as
Excel is expected. Coursework provides a foundation for graduate school and professional career examinations such as
the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), conducted by the CFA Institute, and the Certified Financial Planner (CFP).
Degree and Major Requirements
Finance Major
Business Core Requirements
Must take MIS 379 rather than MIS 264
Required Finance Courses
Five courses including:
ACC 322 – Intermediate Accounting I
ECO 315 - Money and Banking
FIN 433 - Financial Theory: Policy and Practice
FIN 438 - Investment Theory
FIN 460 - International Finance
Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) are embedded
throughout the offered courses and are met by completing the major. Transfer students must consult an advisor about
potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of these skills.
Note: All business majors are encouraged to take KEY 490 - Vocation and the Meaning of Success to fulfill the Augsburg
Core Curriculum Senior Keystone requirement.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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International Business
The objective of the international business major is to prepare students for the increasingly competitive and
interdependent international business world with which they must cope. It is absolutely necessary for American
graduates to be fully informed about how to compete and do successful business outside the US as well as in the US
market where much of their competition is from foreign firms.
Students will learn about business transactions between and within countries, exchange rates, the laws and logistics of
international trade, and investments made in foreign markets. Knowledge of other cultures is crucial to being a
successful international business person. Besides your studies in business, finance, banking, and the like, you will also
learn about different cultures and societies. A major in international business will lead you to exciting careers in a global
context.
Degree and Major Requirements
International Business Major
Business Core Requirements
Required International Business Courses:
Four courses including:
BUS 465 - International Management
MKT 466 - International Marketing
ECO 360 - International Economics
or ECO 370 - International Economic Development
or FIN 460 - International Finance
FRE 211 - Intermediate French I
or GER 211 - Intermediate German I
or NOR 211 - Intermediate Norwegian I
or SPA 211 - Intermediate Spanish I
or other language in transfer
Further explanation of the above:
Students must complete three semesters of a foreign language (or equivalent). This does not include American Sign
Language. The language requirement may be waived for international students. Contact the International Business
Coordinator for details on language equivalents or other configurations, including transfer equivalencies.
Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) are embedded
throughout the offered courses and are met by completing the international business major.
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills.
Note: All business majors are encouraged to take KEY 490 Vocation and the Meaning of Success to fulfill the Augsburg
Core Curriculum Senior Keystone requirement.
Minor in International Business
Six courses including:
ACC 221 - Introduction to Financial Accounting
BUS 242 - Principles of Management
or BUS 200 - Exploring Business as a Vocation
or MKT 252 - Principles of Marketing
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ECO 112 - Principles of Macroeconomics
or ECO 113 - Principles of Microeconomics
Three courses in International Business (one may be in international economics). Options include:
BUS 362 - International Business
BUS 465 - International Management
ECO 360 - International Economics
ECO 370 - International Economic Development
FIN 460 - International Finance
MKT 466 - International Marketing
Students should consult the area coordinator concerning acceptable alternatives in international economics.
For a complete list of courses and descriptions, see the Course Description Search.
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Management
The major in management prepares the student for a wide variety of careers in supervision and senior management.
Peter Drucker once commented that effective management is probably the main resource of developed countries and
the most needed resource in developing ones.
The role of a manager is to guide the organization and its employees toward the accomplishment of goals. The skills
developed in the study of this major are applicable in businesses of any size and in both the for-profit and nonprofit
sectors.
In addition to the general business core courses, students take courses in human resources, strategy, international
management, project management and/or quantitative methods of management.
Degree and Major Requirements
Management Major
Business Core Requirements
Required Management Courses:
Four courses including:
BUS 340 - Human Resource Management
BUS 440 - Strategic Management
BUS 465 - International Management
MIS 376 - Project Management
or ECO 318 - Management Science
Graduation Skills
Graduation skills in Critical Thinking (CT), Quantitative Reasoning (QR), Speaking (S), and Writing (W) are embedded
throughout the offered courses and are met by completing the Management major.
Transfer students must consult an advisor about potential adjustments to their course requirements to fulfill each of
these skills