(MINNEAPOLIS) — Twin Cities businesses and nonprofits are invited to partner with Augsburg College as part of the institution’s three-year, Career Ready Internship Grant made possible by a grant from Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation. The partnership seeks to create more than 220 new, paid student internships during the 2015-18 academic years.

The College’s Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work will collaborate with organizations to offer the internships beginning in January 2016. The more-than $447,000 in grant funding will be used for student internship wages, transportation and administrative support.

“We’re excited to build new partnerships with Minnesota businesses and nonprofits to provide the kind of internships organizations want and that students need,” said Keith Munson, director of the Strommen Center. “We know that Auggies are ready to apply and practice what they are learning in the classroom. These are juniors and seniors who know how to work across disciplines and with persons of varied backgrounds and faiths. And, with a student body that is more than 35 percent students of color, we can help businesses continue the important work of diversifying their workforce.”

Munson credits the success of the first grant to the formation of a cross-campus implementation team. The Strommen Center worked with staff and faculty from Business Administration, STEM Programs, Sabo Center for Citizenship and Democracy, Masters in Business Administration, Graduate Admissions, Alumni Relations, Corporate and Foundation Relations, and the Office of Institutional Advancement to identify prospective employers.

Augsburg was one of 33 colleges and universities in Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin that garnered a combined $12 million in 2015-18 Career Ready Internship Grants from Great Lakes to make internships more equitable for students with financial need. The College previously received a $150,000 grant that created nearly 60 paid internships for students with financial need in 2014-15.

To learn how a business or nonprofit can partner with Augsburg, please visit .

About Augsburg College

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.

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Its location in the heart of the city is one reason many students choose to study at Augsburg College. Being in the city offers distinct advantages to students, including opportunities to gain important career exposure and earn valuable experience that distinguishes them in the marketplace.

One example is that of Paul Hunt ’13, a professional chef turned accounting and finance major who secured an internship through his participation in the program. The program gave Hunt professional knowledge and the confidence to explore a new vocation in the world of corporate finance.

Augsburg’s location provides access to 19 Fortune 500 companies and some of the country’s most dynamic professional fields. The College currently partners with Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Travelers, and Target Corp. in programs that provide learning opportunities and scholarships for students.

“Companies are actively and creatively seeking ways to build a pipeline of highly qualified, diverse employees,” said Laura Roller, senior director of Corporate, Government, and Foundation Relations at Augsburg. “We know that about 70 percent of our graduates will stay in the Twin Cities, so working with Augsburg students makes great sense from a business perspective. Companies see their partnership with the College as a way to build the skilled workforce and customer base of the future.”

From cooking instructor to accountant

The Thrivent Leadership Fellows program, which began in 2011, is a joint venture of Thrivent and Augsburg’s . The primary purpose of the program is for students to engage their peers in volunteerism through programming and events both on and off campus.

During the program’s first semester, the Fellows were given freedom to plan a variety of events based on their own interests and goals. Shannon Reidlinger, a senior new business development associate at Thrivent, said, “We stressed to the students that it was an ambiguous idea, but we wanted to let them loose and see what they did.”

Hunt, who worked as a professional chef for 10 years before he enrolled at Augsburg, drew on his experience and scheduled cooking classes on campus. He taught students food preparation techniques while they made meals for the program at Augsburg.

In addition to teaching the classes, Hunt used skills he learned in his business courses to manage a budget for his project and serve as the Fellows’ treasurer. His creativity and talent did not go unnoticed. A Thrivent employee who served as a mentor to the Fellows program asked Hunt about his career goals. Hunt said he wanted to work in corporate finance, so the employee took Hunt on as an intern in the finance partners division. When his summer internship ended, Hunt was hired as a part-time employee.

Building communities through volunteerism

According to Reidlinger, the Fellows program was a way to promote the company’s community building efforts and to teach young people about Thrivent’s services and values.

“We wanted to see if the spirit of volunteerism could extend beyond our company and our members,” she said. “Testing the concept out at Augsburg made a lot of sense because Thrivent has many existing connections with Augsburg.”.

In the program’s first semester, the student Fellows worked with more than 200 Augsburg students who logged more than 650 volunteer hours. In addition to Hunt’s cooking classes, the Fellows held ACT test tutoring sessions at Augsburg Fairview Academy and planned and served a hosted at the Brian Coyle Community Center in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. They also sponsored a “” to raise funds for the Brian Coyle food shelf.

The newest group of Fellows has built on the lessons learned in the first year of the program, Reidlinger said, and they are partnering with local nonprofits to help those organizations meet their goals through volunteerism. “I think they’re doing a good job trying to tap into their own passions and talents and being strategic about the events they hold and the way they’re getting others involved,” she said.

Reidlinger added that the program coordinators, Sandy Tilton of the Strommen Center and Mary Laurel True of the , provided support and community connections that were helpful in the Fellows’ planning processes.

Partnerships benefit students and employers

Through programs like Thrivent Fellows, students gain community organizing and teamwork skills and also learn about the importance of networking. Reidlinger said the students were challenged because they were not given a specific volunteer assignment and instead had to create programs on their own. “Figuring out how to work together toward relatively ambiguous goals was beneficial,” she said. “They learned how to be accountable and organized and how to schedule.”

For Hunt, the Thrivent Fellows program was a way to gain experience that he believed would be beneficial in his future job search. “I was self-conscious about my résumé and lack of business experience, so I felt that making connections at Thrivent was a step in the right direction,” he said.

Reidlinger added that through the program, the Fellows said they were able to meet people and build relationships—in the community and at Thrivent—which will be beneficial to the students in their future career searches.

Other corporate partnerships provide similar opportunities for Augsburg students. The Travelers EDGE program, which was launched in 2011, incorporates outreach to college-readiness programs and high schools in St. Paul, financial literacy training for college freshmen and sophomores, job shadowing and mentoring, course curriculum focusing on the financial services sector, and a scholarship program for juniors and seniors.

Mathematics professor Tracy Bibelnieks directs a program in which Augsburg students work on data analytics projects for Target Corp. The program provides internships and scholarships for students.

To learn more about internship opportunities and Augsburg’s corporate partnerships, visit the website.

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This is a time when many students may be wondering about the future, searching for jobs or internships, creating a career network, finding a mentor, and figuring out how student loan repayment works. The staff in Augsburg’s Strommen Center and the office of Academic Advising want to let seniors know that the winter break is a perfect time to do some planning and to schedule appointments with staff members who can help students plan for the next stage of their lives.

Below are some tips for finding a job and taking care of business on campus.

Tips for finding a job:

Submitted by Keith Muson, executive director, Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work

1. Meet with a career counselor in the Strommen Center. The very first step is to meet with one of our staff members to discuss your options for life after graduation. Once we know what paths you are considering, we can help you strategize how best to achieve your goals.

2. Think about possible career options. Ask yourself what you want to do after graduation. What careers or fields have you thought about? What topics have interested you in your classes? Have you heard speakers and thought that they had an interesting job? Do any of your family members, friends, or acquaintances have careers that sound intriguing? Create a list of the possibilities and make an appointment with one of our staff to explore your options.

3. Begin researching the job market. Use the to find positions currently available in the market AND to see what skills and experiences are most desired by employers. Knowing what employers want in new graduates will help you build a stronger resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills.

4. Develop a strong resume. Use the samples on our website to build a targeted and effective resume. If you are considering a few different career paths, you will need different resumes that target each field that interests you. DO NOT CREATE ONE GENERAL RESUME.

5. Create a list of companies/organizations that interest you. Once you have a “target list” of companies, periodically check their websites for opportunities. More importantly, begin to build contacts within each company to help in your search.

6. Meet with people to learn more about specific fields and/or companies. Invite people to coffee, lunch, or a phone conversation to discuss fields that interest you. These conversations will help you better understand what career paths fit you, what skills/experience are desired in the field, what companies fit, and what strategies you can use to increase your chances.

7. Tell everyone about your plans! If you share your career ideas with family, faculty, friends, and anyone else in your personal network, you will give people very helpful guidance on how to help. Giving people specific ideas about your plans will help them make connections for you with their networks.

8. Target your search AND keep an open mind. A targeted search is much more effective and is more manageable because you can focus on a specific group of people to contact and specific groups of organizations to approach. It may be counterintuitive, but trying to find jobs in “anything” will actually hinder your possibilities.

9. Find a mentor/champion. Talk with the staff in the Strommen Center, the Office of Alumni Relations, and faculty members to find people in your field that may be willing to serve as a mentor. The guidance, suggestions, and connections you receive will be tremendously helpful. Mentors can advise you on what to do, what to avoid, and possible jobs, companies, and people to contact that you may not have considered.

10. Don’t panic! If you’re unsure about what you want to do, don’t panic. If you’re worried about the job market, don’t panic. If you’re busy, don’t panic. Meet with the staff in the Strommen Center so that we can strategize and help you plan your personal path after graduation.

Tips for taking care of on-campus details:

Submitted by Sheila Anderson, director, Academic Advising

1. Review your graduation application to make sure you’ve planned for all remaining requirements. View your graduation application in Augnet Records & Registration under Degree Progress. Check off requirements as you complete them so that you’re sure to complete your degree. Contact the Registrar’s Office if your graduation plans change (e.g. you’re dropping or adding a major or minor, changing your intended graduation term, or revising major electives).

2. Watch for commencement information. Begin planning for commencement in mid-February. The gives details on commencement events and tickets. In addition to the website, Day students will receive ticket information in their campus mailbox. Ticket information for WEC students will be sent to their home address.

3. Order your cap and gown. You can place your order through the commencement website at the end of February.

4. Finish up financial matters. If you borrowed federal student loans, view your loan balance and complete Exit Loan Counseling at the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website. You may also attend a group exit counseling session at Augsburg sponsored by Student Financial Services. This session will provide you with valuable information about managing your loans as you enter repayment. Finally, contact Student Financial Services to settle any outstanding balance on your student account.

5. Stay connected. Besides staying in touch with your faculty and staff network, sign up to receive invitations to alumni events, the Augsburg NOW, and the monthly NOW@Augsburg e-newsletter. Email the Alumni office or stop into their office in Oren Gateway Center, Suite 300, to sign up.

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When the College on September 28 hosts the dedication ceremony for the new , the event not only will celebrate the generosity of the Strommens but also how the entire Augsburg educational experience prepares students for post-graduate success.

The Center originally was established in 2009 and was located in Anderson Hall. A recent gift from Mrs. Strommen meant the College could move its career and internship services to the Christensen Center. Now just steps from the admissions office suite, the Center is the first stop on the College’s campus tours for prospective students and their parents. Tours begin with a discussion of how the an Augsburg education prepares students for meaningful work.

“Parents want to know that their investment in an Augsburg education will lead to employment,” said Marissa Machado, senior associate director of admissions. “When student ambassadors take families on a tour of campus and showcase the Strommen Center as an initial talking point, they ‘connect the dots’ between the Augsburg degree and successful job placement.”

New location puts College commitment at campus core

The more visible and accessible location on the main level of Christensen Center places at the campus core the College’s commitment to student success beyond graduation. The Strommen Center’s renovated and re-imagined space will actively promote purposeful living and meaningful work by connecting liberal arts and professional knowledge with talent, faith, and core values.

The planning and construction of the Strommen Center [pictured] occurred during spring and summer 2012. The relocation of the Center was an important component of Augsburg’s commitment to make the best use of its existing space through the Campus Space and Master Plan, which was described earlier this month in the story.

College welcomes new director

In addition to announcing the Strommen Center’s new location, Augsburg College is pleased to welcome Keith Munson as director of Career and Internship Services for the Strommen Center for Meaningful Work effective October 25. “Keith will lead our exceptional team dedicated to providing the internship, career, and vocational services our students and alumni require,” said Amy Gort, assistant vice president and dean of arts and sciences. “We expect students to seek out these services now more than ever due to the Strommen Center’s new, highly visible location. Career and internship services will be the keystone for the Center, which lives out Clair and Gladys’ personal commitment to vocation each and every day.”

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The Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work promotes the exploration of vocation, purposeful living and meaningful work by connecting liberal and professional knowledge and skills with talent, faith and core values. Through the Center, students explore career opportunities, get assistance with job searches, and find internships.

Dave Madsen is an English major with an emphasis in media writing. He is currently doing an internship at Seward Redesign, a nonprofit community development corporation that serves the Seward neighborhood. He has been working with local business owners who participate in the Seward Civic Commerce Association (SCCA) in order to write their monthly newsletter and organize meetings and events like the Franklin Frolic. He has also been doing design work for local businesses and helping with Redesign’s redevelopment processes.

Below he writes about his internship experience and the concept of “meaningful work.”

As a student in a fairly insular institution, I feel as if it may be difficult to grasp a worldview that encompasses the perspectives and knowledge of our neighbors in Seward. While it is important to build an academic foundation on Augsburg’s campus, I think that true learning—regardless of one’s discipline—comes from stepping outside one’s levels of comfort and interacting with those whose life experience aren’t limited to the walls of a college or university.

My time with Redesign has been a challenging and infinitely rewarding process of getting to know my diverse neighborhood and its commitment to self sufficiency through interpersonal relationships. Through my work with the SCCA, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with local business owners in Seward; as I conduct these interviews, I am constantly being informed and reminded of the real-world pressures of our failing economy, the deteriorating environment, and the systematic oppression against those who are not privileged.

In an effort to make socially-responsible decisions and influence my environment in a positive way, I feel as if this internship has and will continue to educate me in ways that a college class never could.

The View from Employers

Stop in to the Strommen Center on the lower level of Anderson Hall from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Students can also register during this time for free lunch with an alumni.

Monday, Nov. 15 – non-profit and social services day

Tuesday, Nov. 16 – arts and communication day

Wednesday, Nov. 17 – government day

Thursday, Nov. 18 – business and for-profit day

Friday, Nov. 19 – science and technology day

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Augsburg is grateful to the Strommen family for establishing the Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work that will recognize Mr. and Mrs. Strommen’s personal commitment to creating meaning and purpose in work and life. The career services/internship programs currently provided through the Center for Service, Work, and Learning will be moved to the Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work. This change will provide greater visibility for these programs and enhanced services to undergraduate and graduate students.

The Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work will initially have three components:

1) The Clair and Gladys Strommen Internship and Career Center directed by Lois Olson. Heidi Lender, Sandy Tilton, and Erin Koolen will join Lois in this work. This Center will engage students in connecting academic learning with the exploration of vocation and career development.

2) The Clair and Gladys Strommen Faculty Fellow will build curricular offerings in the marketing area, and will collaborate with the Internship and Career Center and other College Centers to maximize synergies, effectiveness, and public outreach. David Schwain, assistant professor of business administration/marketing has accepted an appointment from the Dean of the College to serve in this role.

3) The Clair and Gladys Strommen Executive Leader Speakers Series will strengthen affiliations between the College and Twin Cities business community

The service-learning and community engagement programs provided through the Center for Service, Work, and Learning will be moved to the Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning under the direction of Mary Laurel True. Kristin Farrell and Brian Noy will report to Mary in their respective roles with the Bonner Leaders Program and the Campus Kitchen program and community garden.

Other programs that have been named under the expanded umbrella of the Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning are:

— The Center for Democracy and Citizenship, Nan Skelton and Harry Boyte, co-directors and Elaine Eschenbacher, associate director

— Minnesota Urban Debate League, Amy Cram Helwich, executive director

— Minnesota High School Mathematics League, Tracy Bibelnieks, director

— Community Relations (Institutional Advancement), Steve Peacock, director

Garry Hesser, the Sabo Chair for Citizenship and Learning, will continue to focus particular attention on matters of political process, public service, and public policy. He will be joined in guiding the development of the academic vision for the Sabo Center’s broad range of interests by Sabo Senior Fellows who have accepted appointments from the Dean of the College. These Senior Fellows are:

— Lars Christiansen, associate professor of sociology – Senior Fellow for Academic Civic Engagement

— Harry Boyte and Nan Skelton – Senior Fellows for Civic Agency

— Bill Green, associate professor of history and current superintendent of the Minneapolis Public Schools has accepted an appointment to begin when he returns from leave in Fall, 2010 – Senior Fellow for Leadership and Change

The College’s deep and abiding commitments to civic engagement and the theological exploration of vocation have brought international recognition to Augsburg College. Students, staff, faculty, and alumni demonstrate each day how central both commitments are to the College’s identity. These changes are effective November 1. We will be working over the next several months to integrate The Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work and the expanded Martin Olav Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning more fully within the Augsburg College community.

Augsburg thanks Martin and Sylvia Sabo and the Strommen family for their important contributions to the College through the creation of these Centers. The lives of students, faculty, and staff will be enriched through their great generosity.

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