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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Augsburg College’s commitment to experiential education was recognized for the third time in as many years on October 5 when the (NSEE) presented President Paul C. Pribbenow with the 2012 William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence in Experiential Education.

The award, presented by the NSEE and funded by The Washington Center for Academic Internships and Seminars, celebrates the dedication of a sitting college or university president who has made significant contributions to experiential education on campus and in the community.

Pribbenow says award possible because of work of College community

Pribbenow, in an acceptance speech delivered on his behalf by Professor Garry Hesser, said the award is the result of the hard work of many who have dedicated themselves to the College and its mission to educate students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.

“I am proud of the work of Augsburg Professor Garry Hesser, on whose shoulders Augsburg has sustained its deep commitment to experiential learning,” Pribbenow said. “As with any such award, it is important to note that I am simply the emblem of an institutional commitment to experiential education at the heart of Augsburg College’s identity and character.

Going back some 50 years, Augsburg has been a leader in integrating internships, cooperative programs, community-based research, service learning, and other forms of experiential learning, into its curriculum.”

President nominated for award by faculty and staff

Pribbenow was nominated for the award by Hesser, Sabo Professor for Citizenship and Learning; Orval Gingerich, assistant vice president for international programs; and Lois Olson, former director of the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work.

In their application, the three spoke of Pribbenow’s motivation and support of experiential education through efforts such as the Sabo Center, the Strommen Center, Campus Kitchen, Bonner Leader Program, and more. “The mark of a good leader is building upon the strengths that exist and bringing new and enriching expansions to that base. That is what President Pribbenow has done and is doing.”

The Burke Award, a testament to the fact that hands-on learning is a core part of the College’s curriculum, includes a $2,000 scholarship that will be awarded to a deserving Auggie who is involved in experiential learning.

Augsburg College’s commitment to experiential education was acknowledged during 2010 when the school earned the , the highest honor in the annual President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll. Augsburg remains the only college or university in the state to win this prestigious award.

The College also was one six institutions in the nation that in 2011 received the for its commitment to public service and community involvement.

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