In the fall of 2015, a hardy crew started paddling down the Mississippi for a learning adventure that took “experiential learning” to a new level—Augsburg’s first River Semester. Ten years later, the sixth iteration of this one-of-a-kind study away program has set off once more.��

Associate Professor Joe Underhill will lead a group of 10 students, three staff, and periodic visitors from the headwaters of the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, mostly by boat. The students—five Auggies plus students from Macalester College, the College of the Atlantic, and Agnes Scott College—will each complete an individual research project, with topics ranging from benthic macroinvertebrates to sewage infrastructure in rural communities. Along the way, they’ll be joined by researchers, artists, and experts on coastal restoration and environmental justice. In collaboration with partner organizations throughout the Mississippi watershed, they’ll visit a wild rice harvesting camp, a life science research station, and a backwater flood control project. They’ll camp and sail or paddle approximately 800 miles before concluding their voyage in Biloxi, MS, in mid-December.��

in a piece on September 13, interviewing Underhill and Summer May ’26. “It’s bridging the connection between knowledge and application, and mind and place. We are directly interacting with the river,” May said.

Follow along with the group’s progress on the , where students will periodically post daily log entries with description of the day’s activities, sightings, adventures, learnings, and personal reflections.

Learn more about River Semester:

• River Semester homepage
• —The Minnesota Star Tribune, August 2023
• From a small-town book club to paddling the Mississippi River, learning gets bigger outside the classroom—Augsburg Now, February 2022

The post River Semester Sets Sail appeared first on News and Media.

The article quotes student Noah Cameron ’17 as saying of the trip’s appeal, “We could be learning about these places and things in a classroom, but out here makes it much more memorable.”

Ricky Taylor ’17, who documented the trip through photography and video, spoke about the difficulty of balancing his coursework with canoeing and filming the trip. “It wasn’t easy, but through it came some of my most exciting moments from the trip,” he said. “In those split seconds, I got to capture something beautiful, amazing or just down-right fun.”

In addition to studying the ecology, history, and political importance of the river, the experience brought the group together and offered lessons in self-awareness. Hannah Arvold ’18 explains in the article, “We had such a variety of people — students with majors from political science, to film, to biology. We had a blast learning about each other, which in turn helped us learn a lot about ourselves.”

Read: on the Lutheran magazine’s site. For more information about the trip see the or  Augsburg College’s News and Media .

The post The Lutheran magazine features Augsburg College’s River Semester appeared first on News and Media.

(MINNEAPOLIS) – After a semester living, studying and traveling from St. Paul to New Orleans on the Mississippi River, students in the nation’s first-ever River Semester – created by Professor Joe Underhill – return to Minnesota on Sunday, Dec. 13.

The students, who departed St. Paul on Sept. 1 in 24-foot voyageur canoes for their journey to the Gulf of Mexico, are scheduled to arrive at 10 p.m. at St. Paul Union Depot. The group will be greeted by family, friends, and members of the Augsburg College community.

Visit Amtrak’s website for updated information on the track on which the train will arrive. Click the tab on the box that says “train status” and then look for the link in the bottom of the box that says “check status by city.” Enter “CHI” as the origination point and “MSP” as the destination.

River Semester Gallery Opening

The River Semester will be celebrated at a gallery opening from 5-7 p.m., December 16, and that will feature art, design, and typography that gives visitors a glimpse into the daily life of the River Semester students. The River Semester was incorporated into multiple classrooms led by Professor Christopher Houltberg, and as a way to help students understand how local, national, and global issues to highlight how design can act as a catalyst for change.

Christensen Center Student Art Gallery
Augsburg College, Christensen Center
22nd Avenue South at 7 1/2 Street, Minneapolis

The post Advisory: River Semester students return to Minnesota on Dec. 13 appeared first on News and Media.

The River Semester kickoff garnered a range of attention. Gov. Mark Dayton proclaimed September 1 “Augsburg College River Semester Day” and many media outlets covered the launch of the class.

Since the students and faculty departed on their voyage, print and broadcast media have been sharing the story of this hands-on, interdisciplinary program. In fact, multiple stories have been picked up by the Associated Press and shared through the AP’s member media throughout the nation.

A snapshot of the ongoing media coverage is below. As additional coverage occurs, it will be added to this post.

November 9

• Shorewood native spending college semester paddling Mississippi River, Shorewood (Wisconsin) Now

October 16

• The Mississippi River is their classroom, The Hawk Eye, Burlington (Iowa)

October 15

• College student trekking down the Mississippi, White Bear (Minnesota) Press

October 8

• , WVIK Public Radio, Quad Cities

September 29

• College students take their semester to the river, KWWL (NBC) TV in Dubuque, Iowa
• , Mankato (Minnesota) Free Press

September 28

• Semester on Mississippi River brings college students to Dubuque, KCRG (ABC) TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa

September 19

• , Minnesota Public Radio
• Open-Air Classroom: During River Semester, all of outdoors is classroom, Star Tribune
• During River Semester, all of outdoors is classroom, WRAL TV in Raleigh, North Carolina
•  of the story by the Associated Press that was shared by print and broadcast media outlets including the Military Times and outlets in Minnesota and South Dakota.

September 17

• , WCCO (CBS) TV

September 16

• , Bismarck (North Dakota) Tribune

September 15

• , Page 1, Winona (Minnesota) Daily News

September 9

• , Page 1, Red Wing (Minnesota) Republican Eagle

September 1

• Augsburg launches “River Semester” on Mississippi, KSTP(ABC) TV
• , Minnesota Public Radio
• , Page 1, Pioneer Press
• Gallery: Nation’s first-ever River Semester, Star Tribune
• , including of the story by the Associated Press that was shared by print and broadcast media outlets in Indiana, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The post River Semester media attention grows as class travels down-river appeared first on News and Media.

WHAT

After nine weeks living, studying and traveling on the Mississippi River in a flotilla of 24-foot voyageur canoes and paddling nearly 600 miles, a group of Augsburg College students is slated to land on at the Gateway Arch at 1 p.m., Saturday. The students, who departed St. Paul on Sept. 1 as part of their semester-long journey to the Gulf of Mexico, will land in St. Louis just as the city is discussing the grade of D+ given on the Mississippi River Basin “report card” by a consortium of environmental organizations and as the city celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Gateway Arch.

WHEN

1 p.m., Saturday

WHERE

, Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, 100 Washington Ave., St. Louis 63102

ABOUT THE RIVER SEMESTER

The students participating in this semester-long learning program will earn as many as 16 credits in biology, environmental studies, health and physical education, and political science.  During the trip, students will:

• Conduct a field research project on a topic such as water pollution, the Clean Water Act, sustainable agriculture in the watershed, political organizing around environmental issues, race relations and social justice, or urban riverfront revitalization.
• Explore the history, literature, food, music and culture of the Mississippi River.
• Gain skills tailored to meet the needs of partner organizations, including businesses,  graduate schools, nonprofits and government agencies.
• Attend town hall meetings and meet with environmental organizations along the river.
• Hear from guest lecturers about invasive carp, habitat restoration, authors Mark Twain and William Faulkner, ancient river civilizations, American Indian communities and their fight for justice, and the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

An overview of the trip can be found on the River Semester website at

ABOUT �鶹ԭ�� COLLEGE

Augsburg College, a private liberal arts college in Minneapolis, offered the River Semester in partnership with Wilderness Inquiry, a nonprofit and inclusive travel provider that specializes in experiential programming and outdoor travel for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Augsburg College offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees to nearly 3,600 students of diverse backgrounds at its campuses located in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and in Rochester. Augsburg College educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. The Augsburg experience is supported by an engaged community 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.

###

The post Photo Opportunity: River Semester students land Saturday at Gateway Arch in St. Louis appeared first on News and Media.

(MINNEAPOLIS) – After nine weeks living, studying and traveling on the Mississippi River in 24-foot voyageur canoes and paddling nearly 600 miles, a group of Augsburg College students is slated to land on Saturday at the St. Louis Gateway Arch.

The students, who departed St. Paul on Sept. 1 as part of their semester-long journey to the Gulf of Mexico, will land in St. Louis just as that city is discussing the grade of D+ given on the Mississippi River Basin “report card” by a consortium of environmental organizations and as the city celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Gateway Arch.

“Students on this trip are seeing and learning first-hand some of the reasons communities along the river are grappling with a watershed grade of D+. The river is used for many purposes and this puts a strain on the ecosystem, the infrastructure, and recreation,” said Joe Underhill, associate professor of political science and creator of this high-impact learning program.

“We have students who, for their individual class projects throughout the trip, are taking water quality samples, looking at chemical concentrations in the river, water treatment and light pollution. Paddling and camping along the river, we have observed first-hand problems with water quality, runoff from farms and factories, and current state of the locks and bridges along the way. This is part of a complex set of political considerations around how to balance all these competing interests on the nation’s iconic river.”

Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow will meet with the class in St. Louis on Sunday, Nov. 1 and Monday, Nov. 2.

The students participating in this semester-long learning program will earn as many as 16 credits in biology, environmental studies, health and physical education, and political science.

During the trip, students will:

• Conduct a field research project on a topic such as water pollution, the Clean Water Act, sustainable agriculture in the watershed, political organizing around environmental issues, race relations and social justice, or urban riverfront revitalization.
• Explore the history, literature, food, music and culture of the Mississippi River.
• Gain skills tailored to meet the needs of partner organizations, including businesses,  graduate schools, nonprofits and government agencies.
• Attend town hall meetings and meet with environmental organizations along the river.
• Hear from guest lecturers about invasive carp, habitat restoration, authors Mark Twain and William Faulkner, ancient river civilizations, American Indian communities and their fight for justice, and the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

The class will arrive in New Orleans around Thanksgiving. The group will return to the Twin Cities via train in mid-December and will arrive at St. Paul Union Depot.

An overview of the trip can be found on the River Semester website at .

About Augsburg College

Augsburg College, a private liberal arts college in Minneapolis, offered the River Semester in partnership with Wilderness Inquiry, a nonprofit and inclusive travel provider that specializes in experiential programming and outdoor travel for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Augsburg College offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees to nearly 3,600 students of diverse backgrounds at its campuses located in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and in Rochester. Augsburg College educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. The Augsburg experience is supported by an engaged community 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.

The post River Semester students to land Oct. 31 at St. Louis Gateway Arch appeared first on News and Media.

(MINNEAPOLIS) – The Mississippi River and four, 24-foot voyageur canoes are home and classroom for a group of Augsburg College students who will be in Dubuque from Sept. 28-30 as part of the nation’s first-ever River Semester.

The students, who have paddled more than 250 miles of river since departing St. Paul on Sept. 1 as part of their nearly 2,350-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico, will earn as many as 16 credits in biology, environmental studies, health and physical education, and political science.

“The canoes are a floating classroom where students translate into action what they learn on shore during lectures and from their reading and homework,” said Professor Joe Underhill, creator of this hands-on learning program.

“Each student also is responsible for personal research project, some in partnership with state and national agencies. Some of these projects contribute to the common good, and every project is a chance for teamwork and collaborative excellence.”

The dozen students participating in this hands-on learning program, created by Underhill, is offered in partnership with , a nonprofit and inclusive travel provider that specializes in experiential programming and outdoor travel for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

“We know that what happens in the boats transfers to the classroom and life,” said Chad Dayton, director of programs and partner relations for Wilderness Inquiry. “Students develop increased confidence, better relationships with faculty, and throughout their college careers, they have a shared experience to refer back to that can help with problem solving.”

During the trip, students will:

• Conduct a field research project on a topic such as water pollution, the Clean Water Act, agriculture in the watershed, political organizing around environmental issues, race relations and social justice, or urban riverfront revitalization.
• Explore the history, literature, food, music and culture of the Mississippi River.
• Gain skills tailored to meet the needs of partner organizations, including businesses,  graduate schools, nonprofits and government agencies.
• Attend town hall meetings and meet with environmental organizations along the river.
• Hear from guest lecturers about authors Mark Twain and William Faulkner, ancient river civilizations, American Indian communities and their fight for justice, and the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

Students will return to the Twin Cities via train in mid-December and will arrive at St. Paul Union Depot.

An can be found on the River Semester website.

CONTACTS

• Stephanie Weiss, Augsburg College Director of News and Media Services, 612.330.1476
• Jeffrey Kemnitz, Wilderness Inquiry Outreach Director, 612.676.9427

The post Dubuque a stop for college students studying and traveling Mississippi River in nation’s first-ever River Semester appeared first on News and Media.

(MINNEAPOLIS) – A group of nearly 100 students, parents, high school students and members of the Augsburg College community will launch the nation’s first-ever River Semester on Sept. 1 at Kelley’s Landing on Harriet Island in St. Paul by paddling a flotilla of 24-foot voyageur canoes from St. Paul to South St. Paul.

Members of the media are invited to participate in the kickoff event and to paddle in one of 13 voyageur canoes with students and guests to South St. Paul.

Guests and media will be transported back to Kelley’s Landing and Augsburg College.

The 16 students in the Augsburg College River Semester will continue to travel nearly 2,000 of the 2,350-mile-long-Mississippi River from St. Paul to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. The group will live and study on the river until mid-December.

Members of the media can reserve paddling spots by noon, Thursday, Aug. 27, by contacting Stephanie Weiss, director of news and media services for Augsburg College at weisss@augsburg.edu.��

Event Details and Photo Opportunities

• 5 a.m.:  arrives with 13, 24-foot voyageur canoes
• 5:30 a.m.: Boats arrive at , St. Paul
• 5:30 – 6:30 a.m.: Students carry boats to landing, start packing their gear into dry bags
• 6:30 – 7:30 a.m.: Students load River Semester gear loaded into canoes
• 7:45 a.m.: River Troubadour Larry Long, Smithsonian/Folkways Recording Artist
• 7:50 a.m.:  Shuttle of Augsburg attendees arrives from campus
• 8 – 8:30 a.m.: Formal Program
  • Augsburg College President
  • St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman
  • Explorer Ann Bancroft (tentative)
  • Professor
• 8:30 a.m.: Special Music – Somos El Barco by River Troubadour Larry Long
• 8:45 – 9:30 a.m.: Flotilla orientation and safety, distribution of personal flotation devices, load voyageur canoes
• 9:30 a.m.: Launch!
• 9:30 a.m. – Noon: Paddle to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Boat Launch in South St. Paul (D23 on list).��Directions: I-494/Hardman Ave., N to Verderosa Ave., E and over tracks to site.
• 1 p.m.: Shuttle back to Harriet Island
• 2 p.m.: Shuttle back to Augsburg College

Learn more about the River Semester program in “.”

The post Media Advisory: River Semester launch is Sept. 1 at St. Paul’s Harriet Island appeared first on News and Media.

(MINNEAPOLIS) – A class of 16 Augsburg College students led by Professor Joe Underhill will depart Sept. 1 in 24-foot voyageur canoes to spend the semester studying, researching and living on the river. The students taking part in the nation’s first-ever River Semester will travel nearly 2,000 miles of the 2,350-mile-long Mississippi River to New Orleans and the Gulf of Mexico. The group will depart from in a launch event that is open to the public.

Students participating in this hands-on, interdisciplinary program will earn as many as 16 credits studying biology, environmental studies, health and physical education, and political science.

“The River Semester is a great example of the interdisciplinary, hands-on education for which Augsburg College is known. It shows the dedication of our faculty to build and deliver engaging learning programs that foster civic engagement,” said Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow.

During the trip, students will:

• Conduct a field research project on a topic such as water pollution, the Clean Water Act, agriculture in the watershed, political organizing around environmental issues, race relations and social justice, or urban riverfront revitalization.
• Explore the history, literature, food, music and culture of the Mississippi River.
• Gain skills tailored to meet the needs of partner organizations, including businesses,  graduate schools, nonprofits and government agencies.
• Attend town hall meetings and meet with environmental organizations along the river.
• Hear from guest lecturers about authors Mark Twain and William Faulkner, ancient river civilizations, American Indian communities and their fight for justice, and the Dead Zone in the Gulf of Mexico.

To deliver the program, Augsburg is partnering with , a nonprofit and inclusive travel provider that specializes in educational programming and outdoor travel for persons with disabilities.

“Wilderness Inquiry has a decades-long commitment to place-based and environmental education. We’re thrilled to be part of this innovative, experiential program that is a first in higher education,” said Jeff Kemnitz, outreach director for Wilderness Inquiry.

Students will return to the Twin Cities via train on Dec. 17 and will arrive at St. Paul Union Depot.

, paddling about two hours from St. Paul to South St. Paul as part of a flotilla of 13 voyageur canoes that will include the Augsburg students, parents, high school students and members of the Augsburg community. Transportation will be provided from South St. Paul back to Kelley’s Landing.

An can be found on the River Semester website.

CONTACTS

• Stephanie Weiss, Augsburg College Director of News and Media Services, 612.330.1476
• Jeffrey Kemnitz, Wilderness Inquiry Outreach Director, 612.676.9427

The post Back-to-school for 16 Augsburg students means traveling the length of Mississippi River as part of nation’s first-ever River Semester appeared first on News and Media.

The post Bring Me The News shares roundup of River Semester info appeared first on News and Media.