Pictured above: Cece ’29, Carly ’30, Haylee ’30, and Brilee ’30��

“I love my friends because they’re always there to support me no matter what the circumstances are.” —Brilee Nelson ’30

Pictured above: Aidan Wippich ’27, Faye Kelley ’28, Hannah Rust ’28, Emmie Sandifer-Stech ’26, Avery Cheeseman ’26, Paul Ellertson ’26, Diego Perez ’28, and Maxwell Danzel-Lage ’27

“I love that my friends are kind and amusing!” —Faye Kelley ’28��

Pictured above: members
Top row: Dejchia Lor ‘27 and Naw Blu ’26
Middle row: Yan Urrizalqui ’27, Jennifer Vo ’26, and Rachelle Cha ’26
Bottom row: Tommy Lee ’26

“It means support from people who are passionate about the same things. It means having a team who’s excited about building and creating projects/events that are for the community.” —Yan Urrizalqui ’26

Pictured above: members Goldy Moua ’27, GaoNou Vang ’26, and Eli Yang ’27

“It means honesty, teamwork, communication, and having each other’s back. It’s knowing how to have a good time and when to take things seriously” —GaoNou Vang ’26

Pictured above: members Cecelia Dauphine ’28, Maya Miller ’26, Camille Hunte ’26, and Ajulu Otong ’26

“Unity, Black sisterhood” —Camille Hunte ’26

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We asked Austin about their journey to Augsburg, their ministry, and what being named a 2025 LGBTQ changemaker means to them.

What brought you to Augsburg?

I am so glad that I found my way to Augsburg, because I have found a community here that I absolutely adore. It baffles me that I hadn’t heard of Augsburg sooner. I came to Augsburg for two reasons. One, because I received an amazing financial aid package, which allowed me to afford to attend university. And two, because it’s a Lutheran university, which really appealed to me, since my mother is an ELCA Lutheran pastor. My mother and I took the train out here all the way from the west coast in Washington. It was a long journey, but so worth it for all the love I have found in both the people and the physical spaces Augsburg has.

What was it like to be featured on the GLAAD 20 Under 20 list honoring exceptional LGBTQ youth?

Being one of GLAAD’s 20 Under 20 is a huge honor. It has been such a joy to receive recognition for the work I’ve been doing in my community and in the church. And it has been such a privilege to share more about this work on a larger scale and raise awareness of all the intersections the church holds. There are queer folx in the church; there are people of color in the church. We are here, and we are the church. I have grown up with my mother as my pastor, a woman of color. I have grown up surrounded by the diversity of the Lutheran church, and it’s absolutely beautiful. I wish everyone could see the beauty that is God’s love in action. I’m excited to have this accolade with me as I continue to do this work.

“It is absolutely possible to be a person of faith and have a queer identity. In fact, for me, those two identities are intertwined and irretrievably linked.” —Dante Austin ’29 in Teen Vogue

How do you see your faith and your queer identity as being linked?

For me, there has never been a separation between my queerness and my faith. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve struggled with my identity and my belief system before. But when I think about these two parts of myself, they are more similar than they have ever been different. I know that I, along with everyone and everything else in this world, am made in God’s image. For me, that means being Black, being queer, being Hispanic, being everything that I am without shame or regret. I am proud to be who I am, and that is a faithful and queer person of color. I know that God created me this way, to be living proof of intersectionality and to “be light and love that the world so desperately needs,” as Augsburg University Pastor Babette Chatman ’06 says.

What does your ministry look like?

I have primarily worked with children, youth, and families in the church. I feel called to make the word of God accessible to the most marginalized among us. And oftentimes, there is not much representation for children who grow up in the church, or for them to see the Bible stories portrayed in ways they can connect with. I show up with all of my marginalized identities to be a visible advocate for others. I want to show children that they can participate in church leadership if they so choose, or at the very least, see someone who looks like them, someone they feel comfortable speaking to leading in worship—whether it be reading, singing, or assisting in any other way—and sharing the word of God through a minority lens.

What are your dreams for the church?

My dream is for the church to act out its faith in the world; to be the hands and feet of Christ; to display the love of the gospel; and to uplift the voices of the most marginalized or minimized in our community. I see my dreams slowly being realized every day—in Presiding Bishop Yehiel Curry and Secretary [Lucille “CeCee”] Mills, in the work I do with my family on our podcast, “Sacred Storytime With Pastor Priscilla,” and in daily chapel with Pastor Babette Chatman. Slowly but surely, we are changing the church for the better; we are building tables to commune, not barriers; and we are inviting in, not pushing out. The church has always been a home for me, and I dream of a day when, whether someone believes or not, no one feels afraid or rejected when they enter a place of worship. I dream that spaces of praise to God are places where all of God’s creation feel safe to rest and be in community with one another.

Top image: Dante Austin ’29 was named a 20 Under 20 LGBTQ changemaker by GLAAD. (Photo by Courtney Perry)

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When Amy Cooper started her role as Augsburg athletic director on June 1, she knew she had a lot to learn—although not about the NCAA, student-athletes, or sport administration. She gained that experience throughout her time as senior associate athletics director at the University of St. Thomas, associate athletic director of administration at Howard University, director of athletics at Trinity Washington University, and in coaching roles at South Carolina State University, Southwest Minnesota State University, and Prairie View A&M University.

While she championed the Augsburg mission, Cooper still had a lot to learn about being an Auggie herself.

“I’m the type of person who has to get in, dig in, and see what’s going on,” said Cooper. “I can lead better when I fully understand everything, and I’ve been doing a lot of learning.” Her Augsburg experience has involved a lot of time on the operations side of Auggie Athletics to see how everything functions together.

The biggest surprise, she said, was how familiar Augsburg student-athletes felt to her. “I’ve been surprised by the connection that I feel like I already have with our student-athletes. I feel like I’ve known them for a long time. They’re always speaking, saying hello, being polite.”

Cooper has also been learning about the array of responsibilities Augsburg student-athletes juggle. Beyond coursework and practice schedules, many of them have jobs and other extracurricular commitments. She has worked to emphasize the importance of balance, for both the students and the coaches. “That’s what the Division III model is about, making sure student-athletes have an opportunity to do a lot of different things,” said Cooper. “We’ve got a cross-country runner in band and a hockey player in the choir. When Mohammad Bati ’26 won the MIAC cross country championship for the fourth time, I know he went to work later that day. I was shocked to hear how many students we have participating in different things.”

To supplement that balance, Cooper said it’s important to celebrate classroom accomplishments alongside athletic achievements. Earlier this month, on National First-Generation College Celebration Day, Augsburg Athletics recognized the first-generation student-athletes—both on the football field during a game against Gustavus Adolphus College and on the volleyball court during a game against St. Mary’s University.

“I think it’s so important to do our best to make sure student-athletes are having a great experience at Augsburg in general. They only have four years for it. I want them to live it up before the real world comes,” Cooper said.

There have been plenty of great experiences during the Fall 2025 athletics season: men’s wrestling has ranked number one in the nation, women’s hockey number two, men’s soccer number three, and Bati has experienced tremendous success in cross country. Cooper described the excitement of hosting a semifinals sendoff for the women’s soccer team, when they advanced in the MIAC tournament on November 6.

Cooper’s goals for the future? “I want to keep going. It’s been years of building up to this point for these teams to have this success. We’ve got a lot of other teams working hard to get there. My job now is to bolster and support our coaches and student-athletes as much as possible to add to that success.”

Top image: Amy Cooper began her journey at Augsburg on June 1, 2025, serving as athletic director. (Photo by Cary Percy)

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On the first day of class for the 2025–26 academic year, Campus Ministry invited the Augsburg community to the lawn outside Foss Center for its annual block party. Augsburg University Student Ministry leaders chose “Love Thy Neighbor” as the theme for the event and provided guests with t-shirts and wrist bands that depicted the message.

“I love that the students are mindful of the importance of caring for and welcoming their neighbors in the spirit of love,” says University Pastor Babette Chatman ’06.

Students also enjoyed live music from Kent Goodroad and a band, sweet treats, games, and an opportunity for self-performance during an open mic session. “I love the excitement at the beginning of the new year and seeing students enjoying gathering for games, conversation, and music. There is joy in the smiles and dancing,” says Administrative Assistant Janice Dames.

This event also reminds students that Campus Ministry’s doors are always open to offer support and a place to belong. “The block party embodies for new and returning students what we say all the time in Campus Ministry: You are welcome here; you belong here; and there’s a whole community here that celebrates and supports you,” says University Pastor John Rohde Schwehn. “Campus Ministry is all about creating spaces that cultivate what Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called ‘the beloved community.’ We set tables that intentionally gather the amazing diversity of this campus, building relationships based on human dignity and justice, joy, and love.”

Chatman echoes these sentiments as she welcomes students to the new year: “Welcome, Auggies, to your home away from home. Trust and believe—we got you.”

Learn more about Campus Ministry and the Augsburg University Student Ministry leaders.��

Slideshow: Campus Ministry Block Party

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Few people on campus are as radiant as University Pastor Babette Chatman ’06. Her heart for the Augsburg community is revealed through her strong hugs, easy smiles, and gentle prayers. She’s a consistent presence at core campus events in her white robe or Auggie swag, eager to cheer for students at opening convocation, commencement, and every chapel service, symposium, and campus block party in between.

Pastor Babette knows the importance of showing up for students, especially since she was once an Augsburg student herself. She promised her family that she would finish her undergraduate degree when she moved from Detroit to Minneapolis in the early 2000s, and Augsburg’s former Weekend College program allowed her to take classes around her regular work schedule as an adult student. Many of her credits transferred, and a major in English literature made the most of her previous academic experience, helping set her up for what came next.

Her next steps led her to ministry and eventually back to Augsburg, thanks to some divine orchestration. Here, Pastor Babette shares what she loves most about being part of the Augsburg community and what she has learned about herself along the way.

How did you stay connected to Augsburg after graduation?

After I graduated, Campus Pastor Emeritus Dave Wold, who was the then-director of ministry, and then-Associate Pastor Sonja Hagander were having conversations about an intentional collaboration between Augsburg Campus Ministry and a north side parish. I worked at Redeemer Lutheran Church at the time, and my supervisor and brother Pastor Kelly Chatman helped me begin a collaboration with Redeemer and Augsburg Campus Ministry in 2007. There, I offered the Ministry of Presence, which is about being physically and emotionally present and relational. This collaboration really fed me. During this time, my sense of call felt concrete for both my work at Redeemer and at Augsburg.

What drew you to ministry?

Originally, being a minister was just who I was and what I did. While on professional staff at Redeemer Center for Life—Redeemer Lutheran Church’s nonprofit—I did outreach, youth development, and evangelism work within the community. I was invited to be a council member on the Minneapolis Area Synod. While on the council, I chaired a committee and joined several others in service to the Synod and community. All the things I said yes to were solidifying to me that I was actually doing ministry. After presenting to a group of college presidents, my brother told me I should go to seminary to be a pastor. I was hesitant for a long time, but then I did an accelerated path to my master’s degree, which fit my life better.

When Pastor Dave retired, I was invited to take over Doing Theology With Girlfriends, a Bible study group for students, and to just be more present. That’s when I realized that God might be up to something. In 2018, I applied for and was extended the call to be the associate pastor at Augsburg. Then, when I was onboarded, then-Pastor Justin Lind-Ayres made a decision around equity that we would no longer be identified as senior pastor and associate pastor. We would both be pastors equally.

Augsburg has a way of creating belonging. I don’t say yes to opportunities if I don’t believe I belong or can bring something to the community. I am unapologetically a Black woman, and I feel like Augsburg never once asked me to minimize myself or decrease myself to acculturate to an identity. I felt like the invitation was always to be my true, authentic self, which honors the fullness of the student body.

What have you learned about yourself through ministry?

Faith is all about relationships, and it is about spirit. In some ways, it’s a relationship of a mothering spirit. These young adults come here, and they don’t know what they don’t know, but I hope that being proximate to me could give them a sense of home.

There are two things that have always been at my core. I tend to notice the person that’s not belonging. Even as a child in school, I usually noticed the other classmate that was sitting by themselves or one that might’ve been bullied or ignored, and I made my way to them. I’ve also always been drawn to working with young people—middle schoolers, high schoolers, and young adults. With me, young people get to practice challenging adults; I have capacity for that. They challenge me as much as anybody, but in them challenging me, I don’t reject them. Instead, I wait them out, and I do the work to make them fall in love with me as I am falling in love with them.

How do you think Augsburg’s roots as a Lutheran institution inform the student experience?

I think the church is at its best when it turns towards the marginalized, not away from them. I have had my own marginalized experiences in the sanctuaries of this tradition that I belong to. Because of that, I think Augsburg is so unique in its approach to Campus Ministry. Pastor John Rohde Schwehn, my co-pastor, knows that we are university pastors to the whole of Augsburg. The believers and the nonbelievers, the atheists, the agnostic—they are all ours because we are called to pastor. We’re the ones trained to touch the suffering, and suffering comes to everybody. It’s important that everybody experiences radical love and hospitality through Campus Ministry.

Do you have any words of encouragement for the Augsburg community?

We acknowledge the suffering in our world. We don’t deny it. We acknowledge it, and sometimes we’re at a loss for words. But then we get this blessed assurance: God is with us. Come visit us in the Foss building, and we’ll remind you that God is with us. God enters our suffering with us daily. No matter what happens, we’re not alone. On Augsburg’s campus, both physical and virtual, we’re in this together.

Also, specifically for the students and their families, our work is a promise that somebody is thinking about their child. Somebody is thinking about your child and their best interests. Provost Paula O’Loughlin, President Paul Pribbenow, Dean of Students Mike Grewe, Pastor Babette, Pastor John—we’re all thinking about the students and the staff and faculty. Because no matter what, we’re together. We’re an intentional community. We are intentionally Augsburg.

Top image: University Pastor Babette Chatman ’06 at Opening Convocation, August 2024 (Photo by Courtney Perry)

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July marked two years since Paula O’Loughlin arrived at Augsburg University to take on the role of provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs. As the university’s second-ranking officer after President Paul Pribbenow, her portfolio includes oversight of Augsburg’s academic programs, faculty, campus life, student support and retention, accreditation, and more. In two years, she has also facilitated major strategic initiatives, including a recent revision of the general education curriculum and the development of a schools-based administrative structure.

Having previously served as provost and dean of the faculty at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, as a senior administrator at Gustavus Adolphus College, and as a faculty member at the University of Minnesota–Morris, O’Loughlin knows that authenticity matters in leadership. And whether she’s unpacking the “rumor of the week” in her weekly campus email, coordinating an office potluck in Memorial Hall, or putting in a cameo appearance in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” it’s clear that fun matters, too. Here, O’Loughlin reflects on her journey and how she has been shaped by the Augsburg community so far.

Q: What drew you to higher education?

A: My parents were both academics, and it was the last thing I ever wanted to do. I certainly didn’t plan to be a teacher or provost—which is kind of like if the leader of the rebel forces all of a sudden runs the Death Star. But it turns out I love what I do, and I realized that you can do so much more for students as a provost. You can do a lot of good by amplifying certain strategic choices and helping more students achieve their dreams. You can also mentor faculty, which is important.

Q: When did you realize you wanted to join the “dark side” of academia (i.e., administration)?

A: The critical moment was when I went to a political science conference, and then I went to an American Association of Colleges and Universities conference. I geeked out more at the AAC&U conference than the PoliSci one. That’s when I knew I wanted to expand beyond teaching a specific discipline. There was an intellectual excitement to the academic administrative conversations. I wanted to help open up the academic systems to all students—not, for example, just the students who knew the right professors.

I see what I do in the form of a calling. It’s not a job. It’s an adventure.

Q: What brought you to Augsburg specifically?

A: The Augsburg mission—that’s what it’s all about. You can love a school’s mission, but your skills may not be able to make a difference. When I was on campus for my interview, I realized I could probably make a difference here to one extent or another. I’m trying to keep learning. Paul Pribbenow is a rock star in the higher ed world. You don’t often get to learn from a president whose values are the same as yours and has been doing this work for a long time.

I’ve always wanted to enable students to tell their own stories. A lot of schools talk about giving students opportunities, and Augsburg actually does it. That means something. The students that come to Augsburg are from communities that are often underrepresented. They may not have had the same opportunities as their peers, and I want them to. For me, that’s our mission, and our mission is embedded in a community that comes together around students, opportunities, and being authentic to who we are, both as people and as Augsburg.

Q: What’s your favorite time of the academic year?

A: Oh, that’s tough. It’s either the beginning of the year or graduation. The clapping tunnel [at opening convocation and commencement] is a pretty powerful time. I love that for the first-year students, and I also love it at the end of their college career. Being there for commencement and seeing our students’ families is a pretty special thing. The more you know students and see them succeed, the better it is. So I can’t tell you which one I like better—the start of the year or the completion. They are both filled with real happiness and possibility.

Q: How did you get involved with Augsburg’s production of ‘The Rocky Picture Horror Show’?

A: Honestly, I asked [Professor of Theater Arts] Darcey Engen ’88 if I could participate. I have zero theater background, but I just wanted to. When she found a part for me, I did it. I loved it—we were all having so much fun. How many provosts will just laugh at themselves enough to dress up and be a character? Throughout my time at Augsburg, I’ve tried to bring my authentic self, hoping that other people can find opportunities to do so in their own ways, too, especially after the pandemic.

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Kristen Opalinski ’03 came to Augsburg because she wanted to play hockey, she was drawn to the studio art space in Old Main, and she felt “radically welcomed” on her campus visit. At the time, she never dreamed of a vocation working with the church or in the field of peacebuilding. But her time at Augsburg set her up for success, both as an artist and a faith leader—one who encourages the global church to come together in the midst of religious and theological differences for the common good.

Growing up in Pennsylvania, Opalinski played hockey on her high school boys’ team and on a traveling girls’ team. Her interest in playing collegiate sports encouraged her to look at schools in Minnesota, and she found a home in the heart of Minneapolis.

“I remember vividly the first time I stepped foot on Augsburg’s campus—I knew that was where I was going to be,” Opalinski says fondly. “I had a wonderful time meeting with the coaching staff and seeing the facilities and everything. But it was more than that. I was walking around campus and saw how close-knit the community was. I also loved the way Augsburg was placed within this larger urban setting. When you arrive at Augsburg, you know that you’re not only going to be part of the academic and social community, but the wider Cedar-Riverside neighborhood community as well.”

As an Auggie, Opalinski leaned into her artistic and creative coursework, athletic opportunities, and growing her faith. She filled her time by playing on the women’s ice hockey and soccer teams, founding the women’s lacrosse club, getting involved in campus ministry, working at local restaurant ministry St. Martin’s Table, and cultivating friendships that would continue far beyond graduation. After college, she put her studio art degree to work in graphic design, serving clients like 3M, the Minnesota Wild, and Mayo Clinic. But she missed the on-the-ground relationship-building and the connection to community she had experienced at Augsburg.

Following a sense of vocation toward the road less traveled, in 2009 Opalinski moved to South Africa with nine other Young Adults in Global Mission volunteers for a year-long program sponsored by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Afterwards, she accepted a communications officer position with the Lutheran World Federation in its sub-regional office in Johannesburg. For the next four years, she worked with Lutheran and Moravian churches throughout southern Africa to develop a regional communication network across 10 countries. They also shared communications promoting the ELCA campaign to reduce malaria transmissions, infections, and deaths across the region. Opalinski would relay stories from the ground to donors, churches, and congregations who were supporting these efforts.

During the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Opalinski witnessed churches come together to combat human trafficking, respond to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, promote gender justice, and respond to climate change. At the 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, Opalinski was part of an interfaith delegation of theologians and faith-based practitioners who came together to draft the first interfaith statement on climate change. She also served as an advisor to the first youth contingent for the Lutheran World Federation and the World Council of Churches at a UN climate conference.

Opalinski returned to the United States in 2014 and attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia—now United Lutheran Seminary—where she earned her MA in religion with specializations in public leadership and conflict transformation. “Throughout my time in South Africa, I became deeply committed to the role of faith actors in the peace processes around the world,” Opalinski says. “It’s important to enable constructive conflict to take root and help communities understand their power in situations to effect change and build peace.” Her passion for this work led to her current position as the manager for ecumenical and interreligious relations on the staff of the Office of the Presiding Bishop for the ELCA.

Based in Chicago, Opalinski’s role involves shepherding new and existing ecumenical and interreligious relationships throughout the ELCA. She helps manage the ELCA’s full communion partnerships with churches in North America as they continue to grow into their relationships and envision what God might be calling them to now and into the future. Opalinski also works with interreligious partners and helps to staff the ELCA’s interreligious panels on Lutheran-Jewish and Lutheran-Muslim relations. Part of her work includes interreligious advocacy with organizations like Christians Against Christian Nationalism and the Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign, a multireligious campaign to counter the rise in anti-Muslim bigotry and violence against Muslims in the United States. One of the areas she’s most excited about is connecting with the Interfaith Institute at Augsburg and collaborating on interfaith work at other ELCA institutions.

Across the world, Opalinski is part of a peacemaking project launched by the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission in 2022, shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine. Peace and reconciliation theologians and practitioners from around the world gathered in Helsinki in April 2022 to share how their countries and churches were advocating for justice, learning from one another’s cultural experiences. This October in Washington, D.C., she will help lead a workshop countering the rise in religious extremism, nationalism, and tribalism.

Although Opalinski hadn’t dreamed of working for the ELCA, in conflict transformation, or on a global peacemaking scale, her time at Augsburg prepared her to traverse this unexpected ground. “I often connect my time of formation at Augsburg to the work I’m doing now. I see all the seeds that were planted there, even though I didn’t fully know it at the time,” Opalinski says.

When the Lutheran World Federation 2023 Assembly in Krakow, Poland, needed a logo, Kristen Opalinski ’03 turned to her artistic roots and Polish heritage to create an image that symbolized the theme: “One Body, One Spirit, One Hope”. Intrigued by her submission, the LWF communication team worked with Opalinski to finalize the design during the pandemic, which made the theme so much more powerful. “This was one of those unique moments of convergence between all my passions—on the largest Lutheran stage, no less. It meant so much to use the gifts God gave me to express the deeper symbolism of the church,” Opalinski says. She went on to win multiple DeRose-Hinkhouse Memorial Awards for the best religious communications at the 2024 Religion Communicators Council Convention for her remarkable work on this project.

“Augsburg invites students into places and spaces where they’ll be stretched and encouraged to embrace curiosity related to cultural exchange, ideas exchange, and wider formation. There’s no doubt that my time and experience at Augsburg led me into the work I’m doing now.”

Top image: Opalinski with her “ One Body, One Spirit, One Hope” design for the Lutheran World Federation 2023 Assembly (Courtesy photo)

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I played soccer at Augsburg all four years of my collegiate experience. Now Eilidh Pederson, then Eilidh Reyelts (#20). I learned so much from being a student-athlete, including skills that I use every day as a hospital CEO.

Highlights of lessons learned include:

Impact of serving on a team.
Time management.
Leadership.
Strategy.
Power of preparation.
Assists matter more than goals.
You don’t have to be a starter to make an impact.

—Eilidh Pederson ’06, MPH, FACHE
Chief executive officer at Western Wisconsin Health
(via email)

How you impact people matters. Ten years away from athletics [as a student], but I’m still surrounded by my teammates, who now are all navigating motherhood/adulthood together. Cultivating your village starts in college, and while we look back and are proud of what we did on the court, we are more proud of who we did it with.

—Colleen (Ourada) Enrico ’14
Augsburg University assistant athletic director, compliance director, and volleyball assistant coach
(via email)

How to focus on my goal and prioritize what I need to do to achieve my goal. I loved my time as a student-athlete at Augsburg!

—Ashley Wolke ’13
Finance supervisor at Best Buy
(via Instagram)

Perseverance, leadership, and continuous improvement.

—Liz Wiggen ’07
Senior communications and engagement manager at Zan Associates
(via LinkedIn)

The journey is just as important as the goal. Don’t become so focused on where you are headed that you miss everything on the way there. The relationships that are cultivated, the people that you work alongside, and the experiences you share with them—these are often far more valuable than anything you might achieve together in the process.

—Kristen Opalinski ’03

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Top Image: ��Augsburg volleyball players block the ball��against St. Olaf College, 2021. (Photo by Courtney Perry)

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