Forsberg emailed Geffre:

I recently was made aware that our beloved mannequin has found a home. Though not where we left her (our spot was hidden but alas she was found), I’m glad to see she has been spared a life at the land fill. While [she was] not really my mannequin, but rather my roommate’s [Andy Akenson], I ask thee one huge favor. Though gone from our lives, she is remembered in our hearts. Share her real name to those that love her now. Let it be known her name was Thunder!

Forsberg and Akenson asked if they could make a brass name tag to hang on the wall near Thunder, and Geffre kindly passed the email to Bruce Rowe, Augsburg’s groundskeeper, and Kyle Koele ’12, the grounds crew student supervisor.

Forsberg then provided the full story about Thunder, the mannequin in the corner:

When we left Augsburg college in summer of 2001, we knew that it would be a grave injustice to throw away Thunder. No longer students, she couldn’t didn’t quite fit the decor of our post college domiciles. So instead we hid her wondering if she would ever be found.

Many months later we shared our story with a fellow Augsburg student by the name of Matt Gregorson, as he knew we left her on campus to be found one day. We never knew if he pulled her from her hiding spot, but we did eventually return to New Hall (now known as Luther Hall). Sure enough she was no longer there, and probably sensing her destruction we took a moment of solace and there the story ended.

Until the latest issue of Augsburg Now [arrived and] friends and family took notice of a mannequin that resembled our lost dorm ornament now enshrined in her new location. We’re glad she’s found a home and was spared from the fate we thought inevitable.

Andy and I would love to sponsor a plaque for our beloved Thunder. We can cover any and all expenses of said plaque so that her name is known to all.

Thanks guys for sharing that story and for giving the mannequin a name!

Read more about Thunder and the grounds crew student break room on pages 28-29 of the Spring 2012 Augsburg Now.

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Now editor, Betsey Norgard, said the redesign served two purposes–to make the look consistent with Augsburg’s brand and to add some new features to articles including “web extras.” “There is often more to a story than we can put into the magazine,” said Norgard, “The web extras give us the opportunity to tell the whole story by directing readers to our website for more.”

Kim Stone, Augsburg’s director of alumni and constituent relations, plans to work with Norgard on an e-newsletter which will be used to keep alumni, parents, and friends in touch with Augsburg between editions of the magazine. The newsletter will feature stories and information about events that cannot, for any number of reasons, be included in the magazine. “We want to keep readers up to date on alumni events and what’s happening on campus, as well as share stories about Augsburg beyond the print edition of the magazine.”

If you haven’t received your Augsburg Now in the mail or picked up a copy on campus, go to to see what’s inside.

Here are some of the Institutional Advancement staff’s favorite articles or pages from the new Now:

Jeremy Wells, VP of Institutional Advancement

The new look and feel is awesome! I think the “Awesome Discovery” story (page 10) is just a great example of a true liberal arts education and the importance of relationships with alumni.

Betsey Norgard — Editor

I enjoy the last page, “My Auggie Experience,” which gives us opportunity to highlight the richness and variety of an Auggie education. I hope alums will let us know about their “Auggie Experience” for future issues.

Stephen Geffre — Staff Photographer

I like the baby elephant (page 19) that we used for the cover of the “Get Political” story. I just think it’s a cute photo, and I really pushed to have it included.

Jennifer Nagorski, Creative Associate — Design

I like the photo on the back best. I took Tara’s watercolor class last year and remember the day we went to the river to paint–it was a great day!

Wendi Wheeler, Creative Associate — Editorial

The photo Stephen took of Jordan Berg (page 6) is outstanding! He is an excellent photographer. My favorite story is the “Get Political” piece (page 19) because meeting the students and writing about their experiences at the RNC was really fun for me.

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