1965

Marcia Schneider ’65 met with Professor Emerita Kathryn Swanson and her husband, Jack, while they were in Arizona. Marcia was a part of a trip to Thailand and Cambodia that the Swansons led in 2017.

1966

David Johnson ’66, who received a doctorate in the history of religion from the University of Iowa, returned from teaching as a visiting professor in China. His books include “Western Thought for Asian Readers” and “Indian Thought Between Tradition and the Culture of Technology.”

1967

Dennis Miller ’67, professor emeritus of food science and nutrition at Cornell University, is one of the participants in a research project to transform nutrition and water use in the poultry industry to improve its environmental impact and enhance human health. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funded the research through a $9.95 million grant, one of the largest grants ever awarded by the USDA.

Thad Danielson ’67 has retired from his boat shop and now teaches a two-week class, The Fundamentals of Boatbuilding, at the Wooden Boat School in Brooklin, Maine. He also wrote the book, “An Introduction to Wooden Boat Building: Always More to Learn.”

1969

Janis Mathison ’69 was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at Shawano Community High School in Shawano, Wisconsin. The honor recognizes her work as a coach and pioneer of women’s athletics at the school.

1970–79

1972

After 26 years, Robert Engelson ’72 has retired from his role as a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Arizona Global Campus.

1973

Sheldon Anderson ’73 published a memoir, “Jump Shooting to a Higher Degree,” which chronicles his basketball career in Minneapolis, West Germany, and Poland, where he did research for his doctorate.

1979

With more than 500 wins in his prep coaching career, Douglas Greseth ’79 has been named boys basketball head coach at Bishop McLaughlin Catholic High School in Spring Hill, Florida.

1980–89

1983

In November 2021, Luverne Seifert ’83 directed a melodrama, “The Last Train to Winnipeg,” for the Lyric Center for the Arts in Virginia, Minnesota. The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council supported the play with Rural and Community Art Project grant funding.

Brian Hoffman ’83, associate professor of anthropology at Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota, was about the excavations he leads on campus—most recently, the remains of a St. Paul home near the corner of Hewitt Avenue and Pascal Street.

1984

Anne Marie Erickson ’84 has created a website with excerpts from essays she’s written about living with her husband’s 17 years of dementia.

1985

Jean Taylor ’85 was of American Public Media Group, the parent company of Minnesota Public Radio, in 2021.

1988

Dallas Miller ’88 was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame for playing hockey at Kennedy High School in Bloomington, Minnesota. Miller was inducted into Augsburg University’s Hall of Fame for his award-winning hockey career.

1990–99

1994

Michelle Steever ’94 received the Outstanding Librarian Award from the Rhode Island Library Association in 2021. She is the school library media specialist for the Jamestown School District in Rhode Island.

Judell Anderson ’94 retired after leading the Alliance of Auto Service Providers-MN for nearly 26 years.

1998

Rollors, a lawn game by Matthew Butler ’98, was featured in the Rolling Stone article “From Grills to Boombox Speakers, These Are the Products We’re Using Labor Day Weekend” (September 2, 2021).

1999

Kale Henry ’99 was named the head coach of the Forest Lake High School baseball program. He is a previous winner of the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association’s Rob Fornasiere Assistant Coach of the Year Award.

2000–09

2000

interviewed Ross Murray ’00, ’09 MBA about his founding of the Naming Project, an ELCA-based camp for LGBTQ youth. Murray wrote the book “Made, Known, Loved: Developing LGBT-Inclusive Youth Ministry,” and he is the director of news and faith initiatives for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLADD).

Nathan Budde ’00 completed the Ironman Wisconsin in 2021. He finished 77th out of roughly 1,800 competitors and seventh among the 180 people in his age bracket.

2003

Kari Lucin ’03 has returned to The Globe newspaper in Worthington, Minnesota, as community editor. She was previously the Globe’s education reporter and online content coordinator.

Keneeshia Williams ’03, MD, gave a , “The Prosperity of Investment: A Journey From Murder Witness to Trauma Surgeon,” that uses her life experience and medical expertise to offer non-divisive, proven solutions to gun violence in America. Williams is an assistant professor of surgery at Emory University in Atlanta and director of medical student education at Grady Memorial Hospital.

2005

Eddie Frizell ’05 MAL was nominated by President Joe Biden and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. Marshal for the District of Minnesota. He previously served as chief of police for the Metro Transit Police Department in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Christe Singleton ’07 MBA was named vice president of Minnesota Gas at CenterPoint Energy, Minnesota’s largest natural gas utility.

2007

Travis Paul ’07 MBA is the regional chair of administration for Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Minnesota. Paul has 26 years of progressive health care experience at Mayo Clinic, including 18 years in leadership roles and numerous years as a front-line nurse.

Emily Bastian ’07 MSW, Avivo’s vice president of ending homelessness, was about Avivo Village in Minneapolis, an indoor grouping of tiny houses offering safety, comfort, and dignity to 100 residents.

2008

Anthony Vicino ’08 is a founding partner of Invictus Capital and co-author of “Passive Investing Made Simple.”

Nicholas Zeimet ’08 MSW is an assistant professor of social work at Bethel University in Arden Hills, Minnesota. He has served as the Minnesota Chapter President of Syrian American Medical Society and has led a mental health mission to Lebanon and Jordan. He holds a volunteer position with Mt. Sinai’s Human Rights Program as a remote mental health evaluator for those seeking asylum or other immigration matters.

Michael Henrichsen ’08 is lead vocalist and rhythm guitar player for ’80s cover band Nite Wave, which was recently featured in an article in 425 Magazine. The band has produced a live album and has performed with Billy Idol three times.

Katherine LaGrave ’08, digital features editor for AFAR Media, was named Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers in 2021.

Nicole Richards ’08, a certified public accountant, was promoted to principal at Boeckermann, Grafstrom & Mayer in Bloomington, Minnesota.

Dianna Robinson ’08 was promoted to market president and director of private banking, community markets at Associated Bank in Rochester, Minnesota.

Michael Graber ’08 MBA has been appointed president and CEO of Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp.

2010–11

2011

Kyle Potswald ’11 was promoted to vice president of commercial lending at the Citizens Bank Minnesota Lakeville branch.

Elle Thoni ’11 wrote the musical, “Queen B: A New Work of Honeybee Futurism,” which toured Minnesota farms and green spaces in August 2021.

2012

Emily Nichols ’12 is general manager of the Kimpton Alton Hotel in San Francisco’s iconic Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood.

2013

As executive director and founder of MN Renewable Now, Kristel Porter ’13 is working toward the installation of solar systems in North Minneapolis, among other environmental justice projects.

2013 and 2019

Daley Knochar Farr ’13 and Maximillian Bray ’19 married June 11, 2021, in New Orleans. Connor Krenik ’13, Kacie Lucchini Butcher ’13, Kevin Butcher ’13, Morgan Thompson ’09, and Gabrielle Miller ’09 were in attendance.

2016

Rayna Lindsey ’16 appears in season 9 of “Below Deck” on Bravo.

Lisa Archer ’16 MAN has been named chief nursing officer for Mayo Clinic Health System in Southwest Wisconsin.

2019

Jeffrey Boldt ’19 MFA published his debut novel, “Blue Lake,” in March 2022. Boldt drew from his legal and environmental background to write the Wisconsin-based thriller.

2020s

2020

Alison Uselman ’20 won the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts & Letters’ 2021 Wisconsin People & Ideas Fiction Contest for her short story, “Honor Cord.”

2021

Isaac Tadé ’21 started dental school at the University of Minnesota, where he received the Xhonga Scholarship and a National Health Service Corps Scholarship.

The post Alumni Class Notes, Summer 2022 appeared first on Augsburg Now.

Thea M. (Horne) Carpenter ’39, Forest Lake, Minnesota, age 107, on March 30, 2022.

1940s

Robert W. Andersen ’49, Belvedere Tiburon, California, age 94, on June 30, 2021.

Vera B.  (Thorson) Benzel ’45, Prior Lake, Minnesota, age 103, on November 3, 2021.

David R. Christenson ’49, Lynnwood, Washington, age 95, on March 1, 2022.

George H. Dahl ’49, Minneapolis, age 97, on February 8, 2022.

Elsie I. (Ronholm) Koivula ’49, Cokato, Minnesota, age 95, on December 10, 2021.

Avis K. (Haga) Lindroos ’47, Northwood, North Dakota, age 98, on October 16, 2021.

Arne K. Markland ’49, Tempe, Arizona, age 96, on May 4, 2022.

1950s

Charles R. Bard ’50, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 96, on January 23, 2022.

Vernon O. Berkness ’59, Minneapolis, age 90, on August 15, 2021.

Rhoda L. Carlstedt ’53, Kissimmee, Florida, age 93, on February 3, 2022.

Orla J. Christensen ’56, Vermillion, South Dakota, age 88, on April 5, 2022.

Doris M. (Johnson) Deml ’58, Minneapolis, age 84, on September 12, 2021.

Richard A. Dronen ’55, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, age 89, on January 28, 2022.

Valborg L. (Kyllo) Ellingson ’54, Harris, Minnesota, age 90, on June 14, 2022.

Curtis A. Fox ’53, Peterson, Minnesota, age 91, April 26, 2022.

Marshall H. Gante ’54, York, Pennsylvania, age 92, on February 9, 2022.

Verner L. Gilbert ’56, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 88, June 1, 2022.

Thomas H. Hoversten ’56, Oshkosh, Wisconsin, age 88, on April 9, 2022.

Harvey M. Johnson ’50, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, age 96, on October 26, 2021.

Oliver E. Johnson ’50, Waverly, Iowa, age 97, on April 11, 2022.

Stanley B. Ludviksen ’56, La Grande, Oregon, age 90, on December 26, 2021.

Ronald C. Main ’56, New Brighton, Minnesota, age 91, on August 26, 2021.

Robert L. Meffert ’59, Marshall, Minnesota, age 84, on January 31, 2022.

Perry D. Miller ’51, Carmel, California, age 94, on August 9, 2021.

Leroy D. Nyhus ’52, Minneapolis, age 94, on January 4, 2022.

Magne B. Olson ’58, Lombard, Illinois, age 88, on November 20, 2021.

Rhoda (Knutson) Oscarson ’53, Nashville, Tennessee, age 95, on June 13, 2022.

Dorothy G. (Skonnord) Petersen ’52, San Antonio, Texas, age 90, on April 26, 2022.

Ardelle E. (Skovholt) Quanbeck ’54, Minneapolis, age 89, on December 31, 2021.

William E. Robbins ’50, Blaine, Minnesota, age 96, on December 20, 2021.

Donavon L. Roberts ’52, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, age 91, on November 16, 2021.

Viola P. (Nelson) Solberg ’50, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, age 99, on August 19, 2021.

Thomas P. Straiton ’53, New Prague, Minnesota, age 96, on November 21, 2021.

Gale L. Torstenson ’59, Dawson, Minnesota, age 85, on December 12, 2021.

David P. Wasgatt ’50, Newark, Delaware, age 94, on July 19, 2021.

1960s

John A. Anderson ’60, Nevis, Minnesota, age 84, on August 5, 2021.

Jean F. (Hemstreet) Bachman ’68, Sun City, Arizona, age 97, on February 8, 2022.

Donald F.J. Baum ’65, Dresser, Wisconsin, age 86, on September 23, 2021.

Loren L. Ehnert ’61, Byron, Minnesota, age 88, on October 24, 2021.

Gene M. Erlandson ’60, Mentor, Minnesota, age 92, on October 12, 2021.

Paul A. Fieldhammer ’65, Alexandria, Minnesota, age 79, on March 24, 2022.

LeMar J. First ’66, St. Cloud, Minnesota, age 82, on August 1, 2021.

Ronald E. Holden ’69, Plymouth, Minnesota, age 75, on November 7, 2021.

Peter C. King ’69, Prior Lake, Minnesota, age 76, on April 27, 2022.

Barbara H. (Cook) Krueger ’62, Hendersonville, North Carolina, age 81, April 30, 2022.

James G. Lasley ’62, Redwood Falls, Minnesota, age 82, on August 12, 2021.

Julie A. (Gudmestad) Laudicina ’65, Staten Island, New York, age 79, on November 19, 2021.

LeRoy J. Martinson ’65, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, age 81, on November 2, 2021.

Roy V. Munderovski ’67, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 82, on July 30, 2021.

Kathlyn E. (Mattson) Nelson ’66, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 77, on December 2, 2021.

Ronald J. Nordin ’64, Holmen, Wisconsin, age 80, on September 29, 2021.

Joel V. Nyquist ’67, Cokato, Minnesota, age 76, on December 1, 2021.

Roger C. Olson ’62, Escanaba, Michigan, age 82, on August 20, 2021.

Glenn A. Pearson ’61, Omaha, Nebraska, age 91, on February 16, 2022.

Paul A. Peterson ’60, Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, age 83, on January 14, 2022.

Ronald D. Peterson ’66, Ottertail, Minnesota, age 79, on April 13, 2022.

Marilyn E. (Tweed) Purser ’60, Apple Valley, California, age 86, on July 16, 2022.

Audrey J. (Anderson) Rogness ’66, Golden Valley, Minnesota, age 78, on November 4, 2021.

John F. Ryski ’63, Chaska, Minnesota, age 81, on December 17, 2021.

Leland B. Sateren, Jr. ’68, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 78, on April 15, 2022.

Dennis F. Schroeder ’61, Omaha, Nebraska, age 87, on November 19, 2021.

Paul D. Swanson ’69, Center City, Minnesota, age 75, on March 4, 2022.

Jane E. (Knudsen) Wold ’68, Mankato, Minnesota, age 77, on February 26, 2022.

1970s

Mavis L. (Knutson) Graske ’71, Minneapolis, age 73, on August 29, 2021.

Peter A. Hendrickson ’76, Houston, Texas, age 68, on June 14, 2022.

Gary R.D. Kanne ’74, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 69, on July 12, 2021.

Rachel C. (Sapp) Laaksonen ’72, Duluth, Minnesota, age 77, on February 12, 2022.

Marty J. Lindell ’76, Woodbury, Minnesota, age 68, on August 22, 2021.

ChanSoon (Lee) Olson ’76, Minneapolis, age 73, on June 20, 2021.

Adelaide (Peterson) Parbst ’79, Eagan, Minnesota, age 98, on October 11, 2021.

Terry J. Peterson ’70, Rancho Mirage, California, age 73, on July 9, 2022.

Patricia A. Rydeen-Barnes ’78, Shoreview, Minnesota, age 66, on March 2, 2022.

Violet M. (Dahl) Sumey ’70, Fairmont, Minnesota, age 93, on June 28, 2021.

Suzanne I. Thompson ’72, Minneapolis, age 72, on June 21, 2022.

James C. Wolslegel ’72, Fargo, North Dakota, age 72, on April 11, 2022.

1980s

Leonard F. Ditmanson ’85, MD, Oro Valley, Arizona, age 63, on April 20, 2022.

Patricia J. (Hanson) Ihrke ’82, Stillwater, Minnesota, age 62, on October 22, 2021.

Janet T. (Bailey) Lewis ’81, Pudong, Shanghai, age 63, on November 21, 2021.

Michele M. McGaughey ’80, Minneapolis, age 66, on March 6, 2022.

1990s

Meghan R. (Carlblom) Blomquist ’98, Farmington, Minnesota, age 46, on February 6, 2022.

Richard D. Bruce ’92, Minneapolis, age 73, on August 14, 2021.

Marcia L. Lozier ’94, Maplewood, Minnesota, age 63, on September 5, 2021.

Truong V.V. Nguyen ’99, Minneapolis, age 49, on November 11, 2021.

Leslie A. (Daboll) Throne ’95, Watkins, Minnesota, age 67, on December 31, 2021.

Scott P. Wright ’96, Chaska, Minnesota, age 55, on June 22, 2021.

2000s

Thalia M. (Koch) Cipala ’07, Minneapolis, age 39, on July 11, 2021.

Francis D. Dehn ’03, Ramsey, Minnesota, age 61, on December 18, 2021.

Darren S. Ginther ’06, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 38, on June 16, 2022.

Jon D. Gottesleben ’05, Minneapolis, age 62, on January 5, 2022.

Erik J. Helgeson ’05, Minneapolis, age 40, on January 26, 2022.

John T. Michael ’02, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 51, on June 30, 2022.

Mary C. Nolan ’08, Ramsey, Minnesota, age 69, on July 31, 2021.

Luci T. Sagehorn ’03, Anoka, Minnesota, age 41, on August 1, 2021.

Thomas A. Skarohlid ’00, Minneapolis, age 54, on October 26, 2021.

2010s

Kathleen G. (Steen) Brockway ’13, Brook Park, Minnesota, age 69, on February 8, 2022.

Joseph S. Gauslow ’12, Colfax, North Dakota, age 35, on April 23, 2022.

Jacquelyn F. (Faulkner) Komplin ’18, Napa, California, age 61, on August 5, 2021.

Darla J. (Swanson) Maciewski ’10, Minneapolis, age 61, on September 26, 2021.

Taylor A. (Gregurich) McCafferty ’13, Dallas, Texas, age 33, on March 23, 2022.

Kesang M. Olsen ’15, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, age 29, on September 3, 2021.

Eric K. Robinson ’19, Columbia Heights, Minnesota, age 35, on June 6, 2021.

Alexandra N. Wolfe ’13, Minneapolis, age 33, on June 27, 2022.

2020s

Katherine Novak ’20, Saint Louis Park, Minnesota, age 32, on January 18, 2022.

Dion L. Ford Jr. ’24, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 21, on March 31, 2022.

Kailey L. Mach ’22, Le Center, Minnesota, age 20, on February 26, 2022.

Claudia A. G. Murray ’24, Minneapolis, age 20, on February 26, 2022.

Emily A. Suhrhoff Onken ’25, Minneapolis, age 21, on August 4, 2022.

Faculty, Staff, and Board of Regents

Bradley D. Branch, Augsburg custodian, Minneapolis, age 62, on June 14, 2022.

Wesley B. Ellenwood, assistant professor emeritus of filmmaking, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 69, on December 25, 2021.

Patricia A. “Pat” (Falstad) Parker, former Augsburg associate dean and library science instructor, Minneapolis, age 94, on October 21, 2021.

Philip J. Thompson, professor emeritus of art, Cottage Grove, Minnesota, age 88, on November 1, 2021.

Rev. Marlene Whiterabbit Helgemo, Augsburg Board of Regents member, Plymouth, Minnesota, age 75, on July 22, 2022.

The post In Memoriam, Summer 2022 appeared first on Augsburg Now.

Minneapolis native Jack Osberg ’62 played football from the time he was a kid in the alleys and parks of Minneapolis until his college years, and he entered Augsburg’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979. He taught high school biology for 30 years and coached high school and college football for 60. About 22 of those years were at Augsburg, where he compiled a school-record 62 victories and, in 1997, led the team to its first Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship since 1928. At 81, he continues to assist Augsburg’s defensive line and personally connect with students.

Everyone who knows former Augsburg football coach Jack Osberg has a story:

“This giant offensive lineman got a concussion during practice, and I was doing the evaluation,” said Missy Strauch, Augsburg head athletic trainer and athletics health care administrator. “Jack waited because he wanted to drive the student home, and when I left the building, the two were sitting on the steps. The young man was sobbing. Jack sat there, listening. Come to find out the student was the sole caregiver for his mother, who was dealing with Alzheimer’s. Jack and his wife, Nina, checked on the student every day, and they are still in touch. That’s Jack. He coached these students to become better players, but he guided them—by example—to become even better people.”

“Jack is a lifelong friend, and someone anyone—no matter their age—looks up to because he works so hard and cares so deeply about everyone, whether you are the starting quarterback or the third string,” said Jim Roback ’63, who met Osberg on the first day of classes at Augsburg in 1958. “I’ve played and coached with him, and there isn’t a more genuine, collaborative person who can pull out the best in anyone. You never worked for Jack, you worked with him.”

“He was a father figure to us,” said Augsburg Football Head Coach Derrin Lamker ’97. “I’ll never forget when I was quarterback, and we were getting ready for our championship game. I walked into Jack’s office, and he and Nina were reviewing a list of our parents’ names. I was like, ‘Coach, what are you doing? We’re getting ready to play the game of our lives.’ He said, ‘You worry about the game; we want to be able to greet [the student-athletes’] parents by name.’ Well, we won the championship, and they greeted each parent by name.”

“I’ve been taking notes from Jack since my first day of zoology class when he was a biology teacher at Wayzata High School,” said former Augsburg Women’s Hockey Head Coach Jill Pohtilla. “I recall overhearing him with a recruit. He told the young man, ‘Augsburg is not built with bricks and mortar; it’s built with people,’ and that’s how Jack lived—recognizing that people drive success. So whether it’s athletics or life, you surround yourself with people who make you better.”

“We had just won the [MIAC] championship in 1997. Nearly everyone had left, but four of us were cleaning up the locker room,” said Ted Schultz ’98, the student activities director for Minnetonka Public Schools in Minnesota. “Jack walked in with an old boom box. He pulled out a cassette tape from his back pocket and popped it in. ‘We Are the Champions’ by Queen played out. Jack said, ‘I’ve been waiting to do that my entire life,’ and we all just sat and listened.”

“Jack regularly drove 40 minutes to watch my son’s high school football games. My son, Kyle, was 125 pounds, but he played with heart, like I did, and Jack loves that,” said Michael Weidner ’83, a former defensive end. “Think about that. My college football coach cares enough about me and my family to show that kind of support, and consider the thousands of people he’s coached or taught and showed the same devotion and support.”

“When I heard an 81-year-old was coming to work with our defensive line, a part of me thought, ‘What can this guy teach us? How will we relate?’” said Shaquille Young ’23, a third-year social work major. “Well, I learned you can’t let stereotypes get in the way of learning something new. Coach Osberg is one of the greatest people I have met in my life. He knows football like he invented it, and he makes everyone feel welcome and supported.”

The first quarter

Osberg was born in 1940, when football players wore leather helmets. Football was everything to Osberg and his friends, who passed and blocked in the alleys of Minneapolis. In fifth grade, he entered club sports and church group leagues, which were 15 minutes from Augsburg’s campus. Osberg worshiped with Auggie professors and coaches, so when it came time to attend college, there was no other choice.

“I was the first to go to college in my family,” Osberg said. “My father was a hardworking man, but he disliked his job working in basements as a lithographer. He wanted us to lead a better life, and I saw my future in those professors and coaches. I knew Augsburg was the place to improve my spiritual, athletic, and academic self.”

The graduate of Minneapolis’ Washburn High School became a standout football player at Augsburg from 1958 to 1961, earning induction into the college’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1979. A nose guard/offensive guard, Osberg was named All-MIAC twice and selected as MVP, team captain, and Lutheran All-American. He also played baseball his freshman year and wrestled for three years.

Osberg didn’t live on campus—he couldn’t afford it. Commuting, Osberg formed a bond with other students from hardworking city families who put themselves through school sorting mail at the post office or loading shotgun shells onto railcars. The gang of about 12, mostly student-athletes, called themselves “The Syndicate” because they would “sometimes skip required chapel [services] to shoot the bull at Smiley’s Pub,” Osberg said.

Since graduation in 1962, the crew has gathered each year for a fall picnic and holiday party. Jim Roback ’63 is one of the core Syndicate members who played football, baseball (as captain), and track at Augsburg. He also coached with Osberg, serving as Augsburg’s defensive coordinator from 1995 to 2001 and 2006 to 2007, with a 2002 season stint as offensive coordinator.

“I taught and coached for 46 years, and I thought that was a long time. Jack just keeps on going,” said Roback, who taught and coached football, basketball, baseball, track, and women’s tennis in the Anoka-Hennepin School District for 34 years. “Jack worked every minute of the day, and when he wasn’t working, he was having lunch with a group of students in his office or helping them through this or that.”

Another Syndicate member—also a teacher—coached alongside Roback and Osberg. Ron Scott ’62 met Jack during college registration and joined him on the offensive line as a three-year, letter-winning center and blocker. From 1997 to 2002, Scott served as an assistant football coach at Augsburg.

“Jack is not a boss; he is a leader, and he motivates people by example—never yelling, but showing and guiding. Whether you were playing or working for him, you didn’t want to disappoint him,” said Scott, who retired in 1997 after 36 years coaching football and working as a teacher or administrator for the Anoka-Hennepin School District. “Jack never gave up on those Auggies. Whether winning or losing, his attitude never changed.”

The second quarter

Osberg loves football, but he is adamant the sport does not define him. He is equally passionate about teaching. “I’m not sure if I was meant to coach and teach or teach and coach,” he added. “I loved coaching full-time at Augsburg, but the high school science classroom always tugged at me. I love the living world, and there is something about teaching kids at that age and really digging into science with them.”

He loved the challenge of figuring out ways to engage all students in biology, developing activities for all learning styles and covering a range of topics to motivate students beyond grades.

“Teaching helps you appreciate the impact you—as a single human being—can have on a person, and I was OK never knowing my impact because students move on, and you may never reconnect with them. But I’ve had enough students, some of them doctors or scientists, who have reached out to tell me how my classes and outlook helped them find their passionate purpose.”

Osberg began his teaching (and coaching) career immediately after graduation from Augsburg. He served as a biology teacher and assistant football coach at Minneapolis’ Roosevelt High School from 1962 to 1970, taking one year off in 1968 to serve as a graduate assistant on Bob Devaney’s staff at Nebraska University. “That’s where I really learned my x’s and o’s in football,” Osberg said, “but it is where I also learned that I wasn’t made for a large program. I needed a more personal experience with players. For me, coaching is about more than the game.”

In 1971, Osberg was named head coach at Wayzata High School in Plymouth, Minnesota, where he served for six seasons. It was in the teacher’s lounge at Wayzata where he overheard a fellow teacher, Nina, talking with the school counselor about alcoholism’s effect on relationships. Alcohol dissolved Osberg’s first marriage, which had left him raising three kids under the age of 5, so he joined the conversation, which eventually developed into a larger support group. Osberg grew close to Nina, who guided Wayzata’s alternative education program for 28 years. In November 1976, the two married and blended their family of six children.

“She is a 4-foot-7-inch spark plug,” Osberg said of Nina. “She dealt with difficult kids all day, then came home to manage our family, then she’d help me with recruitment and other administrative duties. She was a mother to many Augsburg players who needed guidance, and she was a friend to so many of their parents.”

Osberg recalls asking Nina to join him on a recruiting trip after school because she would “always seal the deal,” he said. Osberg realized on the drive that Tomah, Wisconsin, was a bit farther than he thought. The couple drove three hours through a snowstorm to stand on an unheated concrete floor and watch the recruit play hockey. They thawed over snacks and coffee at the recruit’s home. “We didn’t get home until 3 a.m., and it was a school night, but she never complained, and that athlete came to Augsburg,” said Osberg, who taught high school while serving part-time as an assistant football coach at Augsburg from 1977 to 1984. “We were a great team.”

The third quarter

Nina continued to be “his everything” as Osberg transitioned to become Augsburg’s head football coach in 1991. The previous coach had been there five years and won four out of 50 games. “There weren’t many kids in the program, and they knew how to lose and blame someone else,” Osberg said. “It was difficult for them to look within, to find the gumption and confidence to believe they could turn the program around.”

Jack had that energy and belief, and then some. He recruited hard, even recruiting his own son, James “Jamie” Osberg ’95, who was set to play for Gustavus Adolphus College.

“That first year, Concordia was our last game, and they beat us 62-nothing. The next year, they were our last game, and they beat us 58-nothing. The next year, it was 28-nothing. Those kids’ senior year, we played Concordia our first game of the season, and we beat them 10 to seven. We did it. What a triumph.”

“Jack was not afraid to speak about faith and the larger picture of why we come together as a football team, and not many coaches lead with that during a recruitment visit. He was genuine and made the program feel like a family, which it was and continues to be,” said Ted Schultz. “If you break down any transformational coaching, it’s about relationships. Being able to connect with the players and make an impact and build a relationship beyond the field is what separates a good coach from a great one.”

Bob Schultz, the fifth-grade teacher at Kimberly Lane Elementary in the Wayzata School District, said he continues to reflect on Osberg, whether in his parenting, teaching, or coaching. Having been a teacher for 24 years and a high school football coach for 20, he knows both the challenges and the triumphs of the profession.

“Jack approached every day with purpose and energy,” said Bob, who earned conference honors as a linebacker for Augsburg. “He taught me to value every kid, no matter how well they played on the field. And he taught me to be vulnerable, as we saw him balance parenting and football.”

The Schultzes were part of the storied 1997 MIAC championship team along with current Augsburg Football Head Coach Derrin Lamker ’97. The relationship between Lamker and Osberg sounds like a ping-pong match: Osberg coached Lamker in the ’90s, then Lamker worked for Osberg as an assistant coach at Augsburg from 1999 to 2002. When Lamker was football head coach at Osseo High School, Osberg came out of retirement to coach the Osseo line for eight years. In Fall 2020, Lamker recruited Osberg to help guide Augsburg’s defensive line.

“It was so humbling and exciting when Jack came to work for me at Osseo. I’d ask him for advice, and he would give it, but he was never overbearing,” said Lamker, who led Osseo to three conference championships in 11 years. “I was equally thrilled when he agreed to help coach Auggies in 2021. You might think ‘kids these days’ wouldn’t listen to an old guy, but they do. They soak up his energy and knowledge. He has this inspiringly subtle way of uniting coaches and players from different life experiences and backgrounds together for a common purpose.”

The fourth quarter

Auggie defensive lineman Shaquille Young ’23 said “old” doesn’t apply to Coach Osberg.

“He’s exciting to watch on the football field, running back and forth alongside the players, pushing us around, and the few times he yells, he never curses. One of the players knocked him over in practice, but he got right up and cracked a joke about the time his hip popped out of place.

“He has so much knowledge to offer our young minds,” Young said. “He’s one of the greatest individuals I have met in my life, with his ability to make everyone feel welcomed and valued. He brings his best every day, and if he can do it, so can we. He speaks, and we listen.”

But it’s not only what he says, Young said. Each day of practice, Osberg sets up a folding chair on the field for his wife, Nina, 77, who has Alzheimer’s disease. He is her sole caregiver. Lamker said the players and coaches see his devotion to her and are reminded of the fragility of life and the importance of relationships.

“It’s unbelievable how dedicated Jack is to Nina, watching her 24/7 during the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s living out the marriage vows—for better or worse,” Lamker said. “During games, she sits on the bench with players who are injured or not playing. They talk with and cheer alongside her. It’s really neat to see their connection to and love for her as well.”

Augsburg Athletic Director Jeff Swenson ’79 said the Jack-Nina bond is one for the record books, and he would know. Swenson worked alongside the powerhouse couple for more than 45 years: first as a student-athlete when he backed Auggie’s defensive line, as an assistant football coach for 10 years, as a colleague, and finally as a boss, when Swenson transitioned into administration in 2001. The shift in roles never altered their relationship, Swenson said. Jack’s ability to treat everyone with respect, honor, and dignity—regardless of roles—is the greatest lesson Swenson adopted from his coach.

“Jack is a living representation of Augsburg’s mission. He pushes everyone around him to give their best to meaningful pursuits, to be informed about the world and to make a difference where and when you can. He pushes people to lead with faith and value all people and what they bring to the table,” Swenson said. “When you meet someone like that, you want to keep them in your lives.”

Former Auggie defensive end Michael Weidner ’83 also kept in touch with the Osbergs after graduation. They’d talk on the phone or meet for lunch; Jack and Nina came to Weidner’s kid’s games. By Summer 2020, Weidner recognized Jack needed a break from 24-7 caregiving. Weidner emailed former players and friends, asking them to visit with Jack and Nina—outside and distanced—some evening that summer.

“Jack was hurting and struggling during the beginning of the pandemic, when nobody was socializing,” said Weidner, who is a lawyer based in Eagan, Minnesota. “Jack would do anything for one of his players. He’s been there for all of us, through good times and bad, so people came out of the woodwork. A bunch of us rotated going to his house in the evenings to talk about anything for an hour or two.”

Osberg said the chats saved him. “With everything in my life, I’ve been able to hustle to change the program or win the game, I’ve been able to work hard to achieve success or a positive outcome. But this is a game we can’t win. It’s incurable. It’s deadly. I’m getting to the point where I can’t care for her anymore, and it’s killing me. She is my everything,” said Osberg, who received the Legacy of Augsburg Athletic Award during the 2020–21 Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony. “Those chats meant the world to me. To get out and coach or to talk with friends and former players about anything other than this disease was and is a gift.”

But Osberg does not accept defeat. He quickly shifts to the positive, referencing their strong and active circle of friends and family, including 12 grandchildren and six kids—three of whom graduated from Augsburg: Peter Osberg ’93, Jamie Osberg ’95, and Anne “Annie” (Osberg) Moore ’01.

“We all have to play the hand we are dealt,” Osberg said. “I am glad I focused so much of my life on relationships because now, when I need people most, they are there. I’ve been a part of Augsburg all my life, and Nina is an honorary Auggie. It’s reassuring to know that even though she may forget Augsburg, the people who make up that great institution won’t forget her, and they won’t forget us. It’s family.”

Top image: Jack Osberg ’62 (Photo by Courtney Perry)

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The Sudanese-American musician, poet, and activist began writing poetry their second year at Augsburg and performed at open mic events. Seeing people’s positive responses encouraged Saleh to write songs and make music, which led to the eventual release of two EPs. Previously, Saleh performed in an underground theater in Minneapolis. The Netflix show is ​​their first professional acting role.

“I want people to feel validated,” Saleh told Netflix. “Cal is a nonbinary, Black character, and I want people to think, ‘Oh, my gosh, I can believe I’ve seen myself on this series. I can believe I’ve seen myself represented in mainstream media.’ That’s what I want the most.”

Read more alumni news, and submit your own life updates.

Top image: Netflix subscribers can stream “Sex Education,” a British teen comedy-drama. (Courtesy photo)

The post Musician and poet <b>Dua Saleh ’17</b> breaks boundaries with role on Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’ appeared first on Augsburg Now.

They both grew up in St. Paul, Minnesota, and knew the family of Philando Castile, a Black man who was fatally shot by an officer during a 2016 traffic stop in nearby Falcon Heights.

“The interest in creating change started with Philando Castile. That was the initial gut punch,” Creighton said. “Flash forward to George Floyd in 2020, and it was like ripping off a Band-Aid to a wound that hasn’t healed. We decided we had to do something.”

Creighton, an accountant, and Frelix, who was in sales for Sony Electronics, left their stable day jobs in 2020. They teamed up with attorney Jazz Hampton, who is also an adjunct professor at Mitchell Hamline School of Law, and the three Black men launched a new company providing a technology-based solution to de-escalate traffic stops by police.

Timely launch

The motto says it all: “Drive with an attorney by your side.”

TurnSignl provides real-time, on-demand legal guidance from attorneys to drivers, all while drivers’ smartphone cameras record the interaction. The mission is to protect drivers’ civil rights, de-escalate roadside interactions with police, and ensure both civilians and officers return home safely at the end of the day.

As is true of many startups, the three co-founders wear multiple hats. Hampton serves as CEO and general counsel. Creighton is the chief financial officer and chief operating officer while Frelix is the chief revenue officer and chief technology officer.

When Daunte Wright was shot and killed by a police officer during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, in April, that only accelerated their pace to bring the app to market. “This has been an issue plaguing Black and brown communities,” Frelix said. “We’re thankful to have the ability and skill sets to get this off the ground.”

They introduced the TurnSignl app in May after they were able to leverage the public awareness of police stops ending tragically to raise more than $1 million to bring the app to market.

How TurnSignl works

Users open the app and immediately get connected to an attorney vetted by TurnSignl to guide them in order to de-escalate the encounter. Service launched in Minnesota and will be expanding to 10 states by the end of 2021. The founders also have created a foundation to provide service for those unable to pay for the app, which is available on the Apple and Google app stores. They expect the foundation to support 25% of the app’s user base.

While the app is intended for anyone, there is increasing attention to how Black drivers are treated by police.

Twin Cities NBC affiliate KARE 11 in May that new data shows that the majority of drivers pulled over this year by Minneapolis police for minor equipment violations are Black: Black drivers accounted for more than half of those stops despite making up only about 20% of the city’s residents, according to city data.

In St. Paul, Black drivers were almost four times more likely to be pulled over by police than white drivers, according to a Pioneer Press from 2016 to 2020. Asian, Latino, and Native American drivers were stopped at roughly the same rate as white drivers, the Pioneer Press reported.

The TurnSignl founders say their product is more than just an app. It’s a signal for change. “There’s no better opportunity to impact change than this moment, now,” Creighton said.

Defense attorney Taylor J. Rahm is one of the lawyers who has joined TurnSignl to be on call for motorists. “Anything we can do to make sure these situations are safe and that no one gets harmed is something I hope any lawyer would want to get involved with,” he said.

Sometimes, a motorist making sudden movements is interpreted as cause for alarm and can be construed by an officer as the driver going for a weapon or drugs, leading to potential conflict.

“With TurnSignl, you have a lawyer on the phone to help individuals know their rights but also importantly know how to handle the situation so nothing goes wrong,” Rahm said. “The benefit is that the officer knows that there’s an attorney on the phone telling the person, ‘This is what you should do during the stop.’”

The TurnSignl app has the potential to make traffic stops safer for police as well as motorists, said Mylan Masson, retired director of the Hennepin Technical College law enforcement program and a former Minneapolis Park Police officer. “Every traffic stop can be dangerous for police officers,” said the police training expert. The TurnSignal app “could give someone a calming sense that, ‘I’m not here alone.’”

Business owner Phil Steger offers the app as an employee benefit for his 14-person Brother Justus Whiskey Company in Minneapolis, believing TurnSignl’s attorneys can act as mediators to keep a traffic stop from escalating into danger.

“If you think you’ve been stopped unlawfully, most people don’t know that they still have to cooperate,” said Steger, who was previously an attorney for law firm Dorsey & Whitney. “You can still be taken to jail.”

A TurnSignl attorney can advise in real time: “Every defendant has the right, if they think they have been stopped unlawfully, to challenge the case in court later,” he said.

Business project for ‘the times we’re in’

As the TurnSignl founders prepared to launch the company, they turned to Augsburg’s MBA program to assist them in developing the business plan.

“A key part of the Augsburg MBA experience is that we want students to have practical experience and apply critical thinking,” said George Dierberger, associate business professor and director of the MBA program.

Students in the MBA program grapple with real-world challenges faced by local businesses via a management consulting project, which supported TurnSignl’s launch. This is just one of the many MBA program experiences in which students collaborate on projects, case studies, presentations, and simulations.

The TurnSignl project represents Augsburg’s goals to be socially conscious, said Mike Heifner ’21 MBA, who worked on the pricing strategy of the TurnSignl business plan. “This was a good example of how capitalism could bring social value to society,” he said.

Augsburg graduate student Stephanie Oliver ’21 MBA hopes the TurnSignl app will open new conversations and foster a different way of thinking about how police and civilians interact during traffic stops.

“This project was my first choice because of the times we’re in,” she said.

Oliver’s role in the MBA group was to analyze the research and data about traffic stops nationally by race. What she found was a system with inconsistent reporting about race and traffic stops across states. What was clear was that even after accounting for those inconsistencies, the disparities were apparent in stops involving people of color.

One of the studies she reviewed was the , which analyzed data from nearly 100 million traffic stops and found significant racial disparities in policing and, in some cases, evidence that bias also played a role.

This didn’t surprise Oliver. Her husband is Black and was frequently pulled over when they first moved to their Twin Cities suburb years ago. Once, the police even questioned her then 5-year-old daughter about whether he was actually her father.

“I ask why I’m being pulled over when officers approach my vehicle, and they get angry at me,” Oliver said. “But I have a right to know why I’m pulled over.”

She worries about her two young Black sons but is optimistic that the TurnSignl app can start to change the dynamics during a police stop. “I know when my daughter goes to Augsburg this fall, I’m going to get this app for her.”

The TurnSignl app is available on the Apple and Google app stores.

Data on drivers and police traffic stops

Key findings from the national data research Stephanie Oliver ’21 MBA gathered for the TurnSignl business plan:

• On average, legal intervention death rates for Black men, were 4.7 times higher than those of white men from 1979 to 1988, and 3.2 times higher from 1988 to 1997. (2002 American Journal of Public Health study)
• Black men are 3 times more likely than other races to die from the use of police force. Oliver said this was particularly alarming as Black males make up only about 6% of the total U.S. population. (2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics Data 2010–14)
• When driver race/ethnicity was visible, Black drivers were nearly 20% more likely to be the subject of a discretionary traffic stop than were white drivers. (2014 San Diego State University research)
• Among males aged 10 years or older who were killed by police use of force, the mortality rate among non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic individuals was 2.8 and 1.7 times higher, respectively, than that among white individuals. (Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Use of Lethal Force by U.S. Police 2010–14)
• Search rates for whites are significantly lower, at around 18% of the traffic stops, while search rates for Blacks and Hispanics total about 82%. (Compiled from Stanford Open Policing Project data for Connecticut; Illinois; North Carolina; Rhode Island; South Carolina; Texas; Washington; and Wisconsin; and municipal police departments in Nashville, Tennessee; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Plano, Texas; San Diego; and San Francisco)

Top image: Andre Creighton ’19 MBA (left) and Mychal Frelix ’19 MBA were motivated to leave their stable jobs in 2020 to focus on launching the TurnSignl app. (Photo by Courtney Perry)

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The sounds of service

“The intent, when it started, was to help out on campus where they needed help,” said Eunice Dietrich ’65. “The original Associates were spouses of faculty members and other women who had an ear to what was going on.”

Dietrich, a former Associates board chair who earned a degree in home economics at Augsburg, said assistance was needed across all facets of campus life. From stuffing envelopes for alumni and donor mailings to setting up a “nice meeting space” for the university’s Board of Regents when they gathered, the Associates saw needs and then filled those voids.

But it didn’t take long for the work to morph from occasional events to addressing a situation requiring a sound solution.

“The Associates came out of the Lutheran tradition of ‘We’ll do anything for service,’” said Jerelyn Cobb ’63. So in the 1980s, when an idea began to circulate about bringing an organ to campus, the Associates orchestrated a plan.

“In those days, people still didn’t have a lot of money, but they could give us donations of goods,” Cobb said.

That’s how Trash and Treasure Sales began. Dishes, linens, and other household items were packed into boxes and readied for sale. Sporting goods and games were brought in. And furs, jewelry, and even gowns from the Dayton’s department store’s prestigious Oval Room were cleaned, pressed, and readied for a chance at a new life.

The items were enough to fill a semitrailer, then eventually two.

“Every Wednesday night, I’d have people come over, and we’d sort everything,” Cobb said. “All the dishes in one box, all the clothes in another, the sporting goods in another corner.”

Then when the date of the sale neared, items were transferred from the trucks to the site of the sale.

“The football team would come, and for two blocks we would line up next to each other and pass boxes into the gymnasium.”

The first sale raised $600, Cobb recalled. The next year: $4,000. Then $10,000, $15,000, and $28,000.

When everything was done and counted, the Trash and Treasure Sales netted a quarter of a million dollars. And Augsburg got its organ.

(Archive photo)

Projects funded or supported by Augsburg Associates

• Trash and Treasure Sales
• Welcome party for the 2011 visit of Their Majesties King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway
• Velkommen Jul buffets and boutique sales
• Norwegian coffee at Taste of Augsburg Homecoming events
• Christensen Center’s welcome desk construction
• Foss Center’s Green Room renovation
• Christensen Center’s Augsburg Room and Marshall Room renovations
• Lindell Library’s special collections room creation
• Hoversten Chapel’s Dobson pipe organ purchase
• Christensen Scholars program funding
• Various scholarships

President Paul Pribbenow (center) talks with King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway during their visit to campus in 2011. (Archive photo)

Welcome king, queen, and Christmas

Norwegian words echoed off the walls of classrooms and hallways when Augsburg was founded, so there was little surprise, though great delight, when King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway visited campus in 2011. The Associates were there to mark the day with special care—while wearing traditional Norwegian bunads, the proud folk outfits worn by men, women, and children on such occasions of cultural significance.

But before Their Majesties graced the campus, the Associates had already begun making sure the heritage of the school’s founders was celebrated and remembered.

Velkommen Jul, an annual celebration welcoming the seasons of Advent and Christmas, took hold with attendees donning thick, gorgeous Norwegian sweaters and sampling delicious traditional foods including krumkake cookies. The celebration has become a loved tradition in the Augsburg community, even among students who don’t necessarily have Scandinavian heritage.

Money raised at Velkommen Jul and through estate sales and other efforts ultimately went to fund scholarships as well as the Christensen Scholars, a cohort of students who explore theology, faith, and vocation while engaging in community-based learning experiences.

That, said Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow, is a lasting legacy for the organization: “Over many years, the Augsburg Associates have been faithful and generous supporters of Augsburg. Through their tireless efforts, the Associates have raised scholarship funds and have helped countless students pursue an Augsburg education.

Augsburg Associates roll lefse, a traditional Norwegian potato flatbread, for Velkommen Jul in 2011. (Archive photo)

“The annual Velkommen Jul celebrations, graciously hosted by the Associates, highlighted our Norwegian roots, even as they welcomed new generations of diverse students, faculty, and staff. Personally, I am deeply grateful for the members of the Associates who have supported me and my family over the past 15 years as we worked together to advance Augsburg’s mission,” Pribbenow said.

Though the time of the Associates’ dugnad has come to a close, some of the group’s members are continuing their volunteerism with another group: Augsburg Women Engaged. Since it was formed by a group of Auggie women in 2009, AWE has strengthened connections in the Augsburg community and encouraged philanthropy to keep the university’s hands-on education accessible to a broad range of students. These overlapping commitments shared by AWE and the Augsburg Associates demonstrate the deep-seated commitment to service that is so emblematic of Auggies of all stripes.

For the women doing the work, the Associates were more than a service organization—they were family.

“You give and you get, you feel good about what you’ve done. You don’t start out for that reason, but oftentimes when you’re volunteering, you get more out of it than what you give,” Dietrich said. “These women were so dedicated and did this work with such joy.”

Anne Frame (left), the late spouse of Augsburg’s ninth president, Bill Frame, was also a member of the Augsburg Associates. Read more about Anne’s life and work. (Archive photo)

Augsburg Associates oversee food and drinks at Velkommen Jul in 1992. (Archive photo)

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Augsburg Associates have raised about $400,000 through their group initiatives.
• Members of the Augsburg Associates and their spouses have given more than $50 million to the university as a whole.
• Within their 600-person membership, there were 38 households that were members of the Sven Oftedal Society, a group of some of Augsburg’s most generous donors.

The post The Scandinavian work ethic that inspired the Augsburg Associates’ decades of service appeared first on Augsburg Now.

Citlaly Escobar ’21 and Ciashia Shiongyaj ’21 both won Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships to Taiwan. Shamsa Ahmed ’21 won a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship to South Korea.

Taiwana Shambley ’21, an alternate Fulbright English Teaching Assistant candidate, will teach English in Laos if additional funding becomes available.

The Fulbright Program was created to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the program.

The post Augsburg students earn Fulbright awards appeared first on Augsburg Now.

Auggie launches national hockey award

Charles “Chuck” Bard ’50 has always been a sports enthusiast. At Augsburg, Bard played football and baseball, notably serving as the second baseman on Augsburg’s 1947 and 1948 MIAC championship teams. However, the sport that Bard loved most—and the sport that brought him the most notoriety—was one he never played: hockey.

Hockey wasn’t played widely when Bard was in school. By the time he started college, Augsburg had a hockey team. However, Bard already played football and baseball, and student-athletes were limited to participating in only two sports. Bard attended as many Auggie hockey games as he could and enjoyed watching the players out on the ice.

After graduating in 1950 with a degree in physical education and a minor in journalism, Bard continued his passion for sports by co-founding the Decathlon Athletic Club in the late 1960s. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota, it was the first private athletic club in Minnesota outside of downtown Minneapolis or St. Paul.

Since that first award, the Hobey has honored 40 hockey players from around the United States. The award is given to a player who best demonstrates “teamwork, dedication, integrity, exceptional play, humility, and above all, character.”

In 2007, Bard visited Augsburg’s campus to recognize longtime men’s hockey coach, Ed Saugestad ’59, who was a Hobey Baker Legends of Hockey honoree.

1974

Augsburg alumna and former regent joins University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents

Ruth Johnson ’74, MD, was elected to the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents 1st Congressional District seat. Johnson studied chemistry and biology at Augsburg, where she earned a bachelor’s degree with summa cum laude honors; graduated from what is now Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine; and completed her residency at Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. She served 16 years on Augsburg’s Board of Regents, was the chair of academic and student affairs, co-chair of the campaign cabinet, co-founder of the science advisory board, and vice chair of the regent’s committee. In 1996, Johnson was named a distinguished alumna of Augsburg.

Read the full story on the alumni news blog.

1986

‘Underestimate me; that will be fun’

Tamra (Pederson) Pyrtle ’86 excelled in school and in her career, yet she always made time for the playfulness of science and math.

At Augsburg, Tamra pursued a chemistry degree. This was a significant challenge, particularly for a student with a double minor in mathematics and German. But Tamra’s persistent nature helped her earn a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, graduating with honors in 1986.

“Obviously she was not afraid of a challenge. There is a saying of which she was particularly fond: ‘Go ahead, underestimate me; that will be fun,’” said Brett Pyrtle, Tamra’s husband.

Tamra’s exceptional knowledge wasn’t always reserved for schoolwork. One night in 1983, she and her friends convinced members of the Augsburg football team to carry a Volkswagen Beetle into the student center. Tamra was able to direct the crew so they could do this without taking the doors off the entry. The geometry of this feat was lost on the maintenance staff, who had to remove the entrance doors to get the vehicle back out.

In her first professional job, Tamra was hired as a lab supervisor for Buckbee-Mears St. Paul. She was the first college graduate to hold the position, and she learned quickly how to balance her academic knowledge with practical skills required to meet the fast-paced demands of metal-etching production. She also learned how to stand up for herself in a plant where she was the only woman in technical management.

After a few other positions handling instrumentation in a consulting lab, supervising etched metal operations, providing quality assurance analysis, and teaching advanced placement chemistry, Tamra joined Medtronic’s neuromodulation division as a senior quality engineer. She was quickly promoted to principal quality engineer and developed a reputation as the go-to resource for tough quality engineering and analytical challenges.

Despite her technical jobs, Tamra continued to pursue fun applications of science, and she particularly loved how science and nature intersected. It was no surprise to her family when she sold her collector car to buy a thoroughbred horse named Bravo. Tamra learned as much as she could about veterinary care and medicine so that she could regularly administer Bravo’s shots herself.

The communication between Bravo and Tamra was something special, said her parents, Wayne and Lynette Pederson. Bravo perked up when he saw Tamra coming and even recognized her vehicle. They had conversations and seemed to know what the other was saying.

On December 13, 2018, Tamra passed away at the age of 55 after battling cancer for more than two years. She left behind her husband of 24 years, Brett; her parents, Wayne and Lynette; her brother, Carey Pederson ’88; and her sister, Kristin (Pederson) Merkel ’91.

“All three of our children are Augsburg graduates, and our family ties to Augsburg run deep,” said Wayne. “Augsburg was a significant contributor to Tami’s success. We wish for other students to have the opportunities Tami had, and what better place to provide some assistance than at Tami’s alma mater.”

Wayne and Lynette, along with Brett, established the Tamra Lynn Pederson Pyrtle Endowed Scholarship at Augsburg. This scholarship will be used to support students interested in pursuing a major in chemistry and who maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.

1993

Tammera Diehm ’93 ranked as a leading attorney

Tammera Diehm ’93 was recognized as a distinguished leader in her field by Chambers USA, one of the world’s leading guides to the legal profession. Diehm’s work encompasses numerous aspects of real estate transactions, including buying, selling, leasing, development, and financing. She helps local and national clients of varying sizes navigate the complexities that come with owning and occupying real estate, such as zoning, land use, government approvals, and regulatory compliance.

Like a true Auggie, Diehm aims to unlock the full potential of her team through motivational coaching and support.

“I want to give our firm members the ability to build their own careers, offering flexibility and support while maintaining our firm’s core values and commitment to client service,” Diehm said.

2003

Accounting roles add up for Paula Diaz ’03, Northview Bank CEO

Paula Diaz ’03 has been named president and CEO of Northview Bank, which has branches across Minnesota. After graduating from Augsburg with a degree in accounting, Diaz has enjoyed a robust career in finance. Starting out as a public accountant, she went on to become the finance director of Cummins NPower. She has been at Northview Bank since 2014, where she was the CFO prior to stepping into her new role.

2020

Trailblazing Auggie Abdulkadir Sharif ’20 continues geopolitical studies at Georgetown

Abdulkadir Sharif ’20 studied political science and international relations at Augsburg and became Augsburg’s first student to win the Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship. He also received a Fulbright Scholarship, a Boren Scholarship to study Swahili in Tanzania (which he accepted instead of a Critical Language Scholarship, which he also won), and a Gilman Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State to study in Namibia and South Africa. Sharif also participated in Princeton University’s Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship. He planned to teach English in Malaysia through the Fulbright program before travel plans were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and he was reassigned to the Netherlands. He is pursuing a master’s degree in global politics and security with a full scholarship to Georgetown University.

and submit your alumni news.

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1940 | 1950 | 1960 | 1970| 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2020 | Faculty, staff, and friends

1940s

Hazel (Soiseth) Durfee ’41, Tampa, Florida, age 102, on March 10.

Ebba A. (Johnson) Brooks ’42, Duluth, Minnesota, age 101, on January 12.

Evelyn H. (Sonnack) Halverson ’43, Edina, Minnesota, age 100, on February 14.

Helen D. (Arnseth) Torvik ’44, Moorhead, Minnesota, age 98, on April 29.

Marilyn L. (Rykken) Michaelson ’47, Coralville, Iowa, age 94, on June 10.

Mildred A. (Thorsgard) Strand ’47, Remer, Minnesota, age 95, on March 28.

Marian J. (Halverson) Tilleson ’48, Orfordville, Wisconsin, age 94, on March 6.

Gloria V. (Swanson) Duoos ’49, Cambridge, Minnesota, age 94, on January 19.

Robert S. Duoos ’49, Cambridge, Minnesota, age 97, on January 11.

1950s

Emmet T. Oein ’50, Alexandria, Minnesota, age 93, on May 14.

Alfred M. Sannerud ’50, Ham Lake, Minnesota, age 97, on June 28.

Dorothy E. Twiton ’50, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, age 92, on April 27.

Robert L. Boxrud ’51, Hettinger, North Dakota, age 92, on March 18.

Allard J. Christenson ’51, Mahnomen, Minnesota, age 92, on February 25.

Merlin A. Johnson ’51, Grantsburg, Wisconsin, age 90, on February 2.

LaWayne N. Morseth ’51, Minneapolis, age 93, on January 10.

Donald C. Thorson ’51, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, age 92, on January 9.

Marjorie A. (Haley) Eliason ’52, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 90, on January 29.

Astrid (Braaten) Ongstad ’52, Devils Lake, North Dakota, age 91, on April 10.

James S. Hamre ’53, South Pasadena, Florida, age 89, on January 3.

Harriet R. (Bruder) Holtmeier ’53, Waconia, Minnesota, age 91, on May 29.

Valborg Huglen ’53, Newfolden, Minnesota, age 96, on January 15.

John R. Lingen ’53, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, age 90, on April 28.

Vernon S. Stenoien ’53, Woodstock, Illinois, age 89, on March 4.

Maryan A. (Knutson) Froland ’54, Granite Falls, Minnesota, age 88, on April 26.

Edward O. Nyhus ’54, Minneapolis, age 88, on April 30.

Merton C. Phillips ’54, Salem, Oregon, age 88, on January 28.

Louis P. Rolf ’54, Faribault, Minnesota, age 91, on March 22.

Jerome C. Trelstad ’54, Santa Maria, California, age 89, on April 24.

Norma J. (Sorenson) Fretheim ’55, Federal Way, Washington, age 87, on April 30.

James A. Johnson ’55, Sun City, Arizona, age 88, on June 21.

Rodney O.J. Erickson ’56, Moorhead, Minnesota, age 86, on March 16.

Lucile M. (Kunkel) Matison ’56, Glenwood, Minnesota, age 88, on April 1.

Thomas M. Warme ’57, Moneta, Virginia, age 85, on March 17.

Elyce E. (Lundquist) Arvidson ’58, Minneapolis, age 84, on April 1.

Harland P. Danielson ’58, Cadott, Wisconsin, age 89, on June 6.

Richard L. Feig ’58, Minneapolis, age 84, on February 1.

Bonita M. (Griep) Ram ’58, Timberon, New Mexico, age 84, on February 20.

Curtis M. Lake ’59, Waldport, Oregon, age 90, on March 10.

James W. Wennerlind ’59, Minneapolis, age 89, on March 12

1960s

Marlene L. Studlien ’60, New Hope, Minnesota, age 82, on June 17.

Darrell G. Wiese ’60, Northfield, Minnesota, age 84, on January 9.

Dennis J. Johnson ’61, Minneapolis, age 81, on March 26.

Bruce W. Abrahamson ’62, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 80, on April 28.

Donald E. Brynildson ’62, Garrison, Missouri, age 85, on May 6.

Ingolf B. Kronstad ’62, Kirkland, Washington, age 80, on February 10.

Bonnie E. (Lassila) Curtin ’63, Minneapolis, age 79, on January 3.

Gloria J. (Odegaard) Schlechter ’63, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, age 79, on January 13.

Robert F. Soli ’63, Coon Rapids, Minnesota, age 83, on January 10.

Charles M. Piper ’64, Northfield, Minnesota, age 85, on March 27.

Carol R. (Strand) Pattee ’66, Silverton, Oregon, age 78, on February 8.

Dennis B. Reiman ’66, Farmington, Minnesota, age 78, on April 19.

Steven L. Erickson ’67, Stanchfield, Minnesota, age 76, on June 28.

Duane M. Ilstrup ’68, Rochester, Minnesota, age 74, on February 9.

Suzann B. (Johnson) Nelson ’68, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, age 74, on March 14.

Judi E. (Romerein) Tsudo ’68, Minneapolis, age 74, on March 18.

Erland J. Nord ’69, Elbow, Canada, age 91, on January 5.

1970s

Ross L. Jacobson ’70, Janesville, Wisconsin, age 72, on June 7.

Bonnie K. (Rosvold) Risius ’70, Bricelyn, Minnesota, age 72, on March 3.

Charlotte M. (Nordmark) Sween ’ 71, Plymouth, Minnesota, age 81, on May 2.

William K. Ogren ’73, Minneapolis, age 70, on March 10.

Derrell C. Wistrom ’74, Austin, Texas, age 74, on February 22.

Kathlyn H. (Faber) Norum ’75, Alexandria, Minnesota, age 80, on June 26.

Richard G. Johnson ’76, Minneapolis, age 72, on April 23.

1980s

Vivian M. (Shannon) Holman ’80, Minneapolis, age 78, on February 15.

Maureen T. (Conroy) Kurtz ’80, Shell Lake, Wisconsin, age 63, on July 6.

James M. Ruud ’80, Minneapolis, age 78, on June 26.

Lorraine G. (Herman) Bergquist ’82, Minneapolis, age 87, on March 4.

Carolyn I. (Raymond) Vickers ’85, St. Paul, Minnesota, age 79, on January 21.

Stanley L. Hjermstad ’88, Sanford, Florida, age 88, on January 23.

1990s

Tamera K. (Fillips) Shreve ’90, Chanhassen, Minnesota, age 54, on June 21.

Brenda K. Quade ’91, Rockford, Illinois, age 53, on February 4.

Dawn C. Van Tassel ’95, Minneapolis, age 46, on April 7.

Darrell C. Wistrom ’99, Austin, Texas, age 74, on February 22.

2000s

Christian H. Anderson ’01, Shakopee, Minnesota, age 47, on April 11.

Whitney J. Anderson ’09, Minneapolis, age 34, on June 17.

2010s

Kevin P. Ehrman-Solberg ’15, Minneapolis, age 33, on June 12.

Elizabeth (Quackenbush) Harper ’15, New Orleans, age 39, on March 3.

Cole A. Linnell ’15, Rogers, Minnesota, age 29, on March 14.

Faculty, staff, and friends

Department of Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies Adjunct Instructor James Frankki, Minneapolis, age 59, on March 21.

Professor Emerita of Nursing Beverly J. (Swenson) Nilsson, Minnetonka, Minnesota, age 89, on November 10.

Center for Global Education and Experience Mexico Site Staff Member Moisés Rios Bello, Cuernavaca, Mexico, age 50, on February 23.

Center for Global Education and Experience Mexico Site Staff Member Maria “Isabel” Sanchez Hernandez, Cuernavaca, Mexico, age 48, on February 21.

Anne Frame, 84, passed away July 13, in Red Wing, Minnesota. She was the spouse of Bill Frame, Augsburg’s ninth president who served from 1997 to 2006. They were a part of Augsburg’s Sven Oftedal Society, a group of generous donors who have arranged a deferred gift to the university to provide student scholarships.

Anne was involved in many parts of the Augsburg community, including as a member of the Augsburg Associates. She welcomed students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends to Augsburg House. She sang a folk song with

Bill during a 2004 Auggie Variety Show, engaged with students at Augsburg’s Late Night Breakfast during finals week, and participated in a trip to China with Bill and other Minnesota private college presidents to increase the number of undergraduate student exchanges between the United States and China. Anne will be remembered for her Auggie spirit of dedication, generosity, and service.

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