Each year, Augsburg College honors the legacy of an individual who helped shape the College’s mission by hosting the Torstenson Lecture in Sociology, and—for the first time—the 2013 presentation will highlight the important work of a current Augsburg faculty member.

The Torstenson Lecture is an opportunity for a sociologist from the Twin Cities area to share with the Augsburg community the contemporary scholarship, research, and thinking on a sociological topic.

This year’s speaker, Garry Hesser, is the first Augsburg professor selected to be the Torstenson lecturer, and Hesser will present “Place Matters…So?” at 5 p.m., April 2 in Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center.

A college in the city

Hesser’s lecture will focus on concepts with a clear connection to the legacy of the event’s namesake. The annual lecture acknowledges the contributions Augsburg professor emeritus Joel S. Torstenson ’38 made to the College by founding the Sociology Department in the late 1940s; laying the foundation for the Metro-Urban Studies and Social Work programs as well as the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs; expanding experiential education; and uplifting Augsburg’s identity as “a college in the city,” according to Nancy Fischer, associate professor of sociology and presentation coordinator.

Augsburg College educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders, and—as acknowledged in the institutional mission—the College is shaped by its urban and global settings.

“Joel Torstenson shaped that part of the College mission, and Garry became the bearer of that torch when Joel retired,” Fischer said.

In 2012, the National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE) presented President Paul C. Pribbenow with the William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence in Experiential Education. Pribbenow, in an acceptance speech delivered on his behalf, said the award was possible because of the work of Hesser and others who have dedicated themselves to the experiential learning that is at the heart of the identity and character of the College.

Hesser is regarded as one of the pre-eminent experts on experiential education and urban education, according to Lars Christiansen, chair of sociology. In his lecture, Hesser said he will illustrate how “cities can be both the ‘best’ and the ‘worst’ places to live and grow, depending upon your resources and where you live in the city.” He will then discuss examples of what citizens and policy-makers are doing and might do to address some of the disparities and inequities in “our own tale of two cities.”

About the presenter

Hesser is the Martin Olav Sabo Professor of Citizenship and Learning and professor of sociology and metro-urban studies. He chaired the Augsburg Natural and Social Sciences Division from 1996 to 2006 and chaired the Augsburg Metro-Urban Studies program for more than 30 years.

Hesser will retire at the conclusion of the 2012-13 academic year, and the Torstenson event will include a celebration of Hesser’s career immediately following the lecture (schedule below).

Hesser is the author of Experiential Education as a Liberating Art; “Principles of Good Practice in Service-Learning”; “Examining Communities and Urban Change”; “Benefits and Educational Outcomes of Internships”; and more than 30 other publications that include research in the area of housing, community building, planning, and neighborhood revitalization. He received his doctorate from the University of Notre Dame after earning a bachelor’s degree from Phillips University and a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

2013 Torstenson Lecture event schedule

Tuesday, April 2

Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center

5 p.m. – Lecture by Garry Hesser

6 p.m. – Remarks by Hesser’s colleagues

6:30 p.m. – Reception

Event hashtags

Share your event experience using social media. The hashtag for the lecture is #Torstenson.

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As Sabo professor, Hesser’s activities will include collaboration with the Center for Service, Work, and Learning concerning student civic engagement and leadership; leadership in campus initiatives to practice democracy and civic engagement, such as issues forums and student programs; collaboration with Augsburg’s annual convocation series, and connections with the Christensen and Batalden symposiums; and identification of new opportunities to develop the Sabo Scholars Program and community outreach programs.

“I am deeply honored and humbled by the opportunity to work closely with Martin, Sylvia and the Sabo family as we in the Augsburg community deepen and expand our understanding and practice of citizenship,” said Hesser. “Martin’s steady leadership and civil discourse in the political process and the making of public policy will be a North Star for us as we design and offer programs and opportunities to explore the vocation of citizenship and public service.”

Professor Hesser has taught in sociology and metro-urban studies at Augsburg for more than 30 years and is recognized nationally as a pioneer in the field of experiential education. He was honored in 1997 with the Thomas Ehrlich Award for leadership in service-learning, and in 2004 was named the Minnesota Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation and Council for Advancement and Support of Education. He has been honored by his sociology colleagues in Minnesota and within our Augsburg community for distinguished contributions to teaching and learning.

Pribbenow said, “I believe Garry is exceptionally qualified to honor the life and work of Martin Sabo, whose political leadership has been combined with an abiding faith in the role of public service as part of democratic citizenship.”

The Sabo Chair in Citizenship and Learning is the culmination of nearly 20 years of fundraising and advocacy by Martin Sabo’s friends and colleagues. The development of the Sabo Center and its related programs closely reflect Augsburg’s historic and deep commitment to education for democracy.

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