With the campaign fundraising milestone achieved, the Augsburg College Board of Regents approved moving forward with the next stage of architectural and construction design for what will be the College’s state-of-the-art, signature academic building. Once that design work is completed, the Board will set a timeline for groundbreaking and construction.

The College already has begun the planning and preparation necessary to make the new building a reality. Examples of this collaborative effort include the following:

• A Board-designated project leadership team is selecting an architect who will work with the College to verify that the building meets the needs of academic programs in order to create detailed interior and exterior drawings.
• Augsburg readied the future site of the building by razing two existing houses on 21st Avenue South.
• Faculty members are using grant funds to design new, interdisciplinary courses and to revise existing classes to better integrate the science, business, and religion subject areas.

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More than 1,300 donors gave Augsburg College more than $430,000 on Give to the Max Day 2014. For the second year in a row, Augsburg surpassed every other Minnesota college or university in this annual online fundraising event. The achievement reflects the work of alumni, faculty, and staff who championed nearly three dozen unique projects.

In the classroom

• $1,605 was raised to help students purchase essential—but sometimes pricey—textbooks for class.
• The College launched its first student-run publishing organization, Howling Bird, which is part of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program.
• The Communication Studies Department purchased a drone camera that takes student filmmakers’ work to new heights.

On-campus research

• Biology students will benefit from the opportunity to fund additional DNA sequencing critical to their research.
• Faculty in the Department of History will further their research on topics ranging from the deathbed conversions of medieval knights to Minnesota after the Civil War to women’s medicine in the Victorian era.

Auggies on the move

• The Augsburg College women’s hockey team traveled to four European countries, playing games against international opponents, and touring historic and cultural sites.

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On November 13, Augsburg College celebrated a record day of giving through its participation in Give to the Max Day. A one-day online giving event, Give to the Max Day is a contest among Minnesota nonprofits in which donors support their favorite organizations and schools.

Augsburg competed in the “Colleges and Universities” category and, for the second time, raised more money than any other Minnesota college or university. The College also set a one-day giving record—more than 1,300 donors gave more than $430,000 to Augsburg in 24 hours. Because of the College’s first-place finish, Augsburg also received a prize of $17,500 from GiveMN, the parent organization of Give to the Max Day.

Like last year, faculty, staff, and alumni developed projects to raise funds for 34 different departments across campus—from biology to women’s lacrosse. Donors were able to give to a fundraising project close to their hearts—and, in many cases, supported multiple projects.

Augsburg students got in on the fun, too. Christensen Center was abuzz with activity as students helped spread the word and thanked donors via social media. Students recruited their friends to give and watched the results throughout the day. The generosity continued off-campus as donors gave from 45 states and as far away as Colombia, Norway, and Scotland.

Thanks to the alumni, parents, students, and friends who made this year’s Give to the Max Day a success!

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Whether they are traveling five states by motorcycle from Minnesota to Tennessee, he’s teaching across two of Augsburg College’s academic departments, or she’s pursuing an undergraduate degree while raising toddlers, there’s one thing Larry and Cheryl ’89 Crockett know well: How to cross boundaries to arrive at a destination that expands their horizons and inspires others.

The Crocketts have a shared love for exploring the richness that exists at the intersections of seemingly different frontiers. For more than 30 years, Larry has served as an Augsburg professor of religion and computer science. During that time, Cheryl has experienced—both as a student and as an Augsburg volunteer—the rich conversations that cross disciplines at the College.

That’s why the Crocketts decided to make a $50,000 estate gift to the Augsburg College campaign for the Center for Science, Business, and Religion (CSBR).

Both Larry and Cheryl recognize that students in today’s world must engage in discussions and solve complex problems in a multinational world where science, business, and religion intersect. And, they’re helping to pollinate those conversations by supporting the CSBR: Augsburg’s boundary-breaking academic building.

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An outgrowth of the campaign’s continued success is that we’ve heard new stories about why Augsburg College means so much to so many. Augsburg is a place where faculty members connect with students, helping them to troubleshoot assignments and to work through life’s tough decisions. Augsburg is a place where coaches inspire teamwork, sparking an enduring dedication to collaboration and a passion for cooperation. Augsburg is a place where alumni are proud to call themselves Auggies, supporting current students and recent graduates who will carry the legacy forward. And, Augsburg is a place where people flourish, meeting some of their dearest friends and making some of their fondest memories. Here are a few such stories.

Class of ’52 couple gives $250,000 to sponsor physics laboratory

Harvey ’52 and Joanne Peterson ’52 believe the CSBR demonstrates how Augsburg prepares students for the future with energy and vitality. Combined, these Auggie sweethearts were involved in activities ranging from athletics to the Augsburg Choir, and beyond their student years, they have maintained deep ties to the College.

Bill Anderson ’56 sponsors new biology laboratory

Bill Anderson ’56 found a creative way to make a big difference with his support for the CSBR. Currently president of the Minnesota Federation of Stamp Clubs, he is a lifelong collector who gives Augsburg valuable stamps each year and has named the College as a major beneficiary of his estate. Anderson taught high school biology for 34 years, and he said he enjoys seeing Augsburg’s plans for the CSBR move forward.

Marilyn ’61 and Tom Breckenridge sponsor two faculty offices for CSBR

Rev. Marilyn Saure Breckenridge ’61 is Augsburg’s first female graduate to be ordained as a Lutheran pastor. She and her husband, Tom, initially planned to sponsor one office in the Religion Department in gratitude for Marilyn’s undergraduate education and her Distinguished Alumna Award, but—as their excitement about the CSBR project grew—they sponsored an additional office located in the Business Department to reflect an important aspect of Tom’s ministry.

Roommates from ’45 sponsor adjacent rooms in CSBR

Beth (Buesing) Opgrand ’45 and her college roommate, Genevieve (Larson) Hendrickson ’45, reconnected after 50 years and both decided to give a naming gift for a faculty office in the CSBR. It seems only fitting that these faculty offices sit side by side.

Oliver Dahl ’45 sponsors faculty office in CSBR

Oliver Dahl ’45 has had an 80-year relationship with Augsburg College. From age 10 to 15, he went to campus to practice basketball while on a Trinity Lutheran Church youth team in Minneapolis. Dahl enrolled at Augsburg in 1941, and in 1942, served as the College’s first wrestling coach before leaving to join the U.S. Army during World War II. Dahl has named Augsburg’s athletics program and the CSBR project the major beneficiaries of his estate, and he says, “I’ve been thinking about Augsburg College all of my life.”

These stories—and many others—are available in an extended format on the .

*Figure represents fundraising total as of February 28.

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“We know what a difference the generosity of others made for us. Truly, it was the acts of strangers, other Augsburg leaders, whose gifts provided foundational support for the College, before our times here. It’s our turn.”

“Those early gifts from alumni and friends of the College made it possible for each of us to experience a great Augsburg education,” Ascher said. “We are convinced. Now is our time to make the investment and help open doors for others.”

Both Jorgenson and Ascher know some things about good investments through their accomplishments in the field of finance. Jorgenson has applied his business degree from Augsburg, now serving as senior vice president of investments at UBS Financial Services in Bloomington, Minn. Ascher, a finance major with a psychology minor, also played on the Augsburg soccer team. Ascher now leads and manages the wealth management office for Morgan Stanley, also in Bloomington, Minn.

“We are convinced. Now is our time to make the investment and help open doors for other.”

Both men chose to step up, inspired by the message of CSBR Campaign Chair Mike Good ’71 to “Believe.” By first making their own leadership gifts in support of the building, and then by chairing their respective Alumni Leadership Summits and $1 million class challenges, they are adding their enthusiasm and leadership to the cause. Their goal is to ensure the success of the effort to build a new Center for Science, Business, and Religion at the very heart of the Augsburg campus.

“We both see this building as the essential next step in the College’s development. No other campus we know has created such an exciting intersection of disciplines—science, business, and religion—to serve students and forge a pathway to a better future for us all,” Jorgenson said.

Watch for updates on the Alumni Leadership Summits in future alumni communications.

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The Center for Science, Business, and Religion at Augsburg College will bring together the study of global business, advanced science and technology, and religion and the search for meaning into a first-of-its-kind education center.

The Center will house classrooms, labs, and key Augsburg initiatives, including programs that support our success in undergraduate research. It will enable Augsburg to accommodate a greater number and larger scope of year-round research projects across disciplines—the kind of long-term educational projects that help students gain 21st-century problem-solving skills.

The tremendous impact of these research programs is evidenced by the growing number of students who leverage the robust, hands-on skills they learned in their on-campus experiences to obtain off-campus research positions and continue to graduate programs. Augsburg students are sought after by institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Mayo Clinic, the University of Maryland Robotics Center, and many other organizations. (See more examples in the Augsburg Now “Celebrating student success” section.)

We know that Augsburg’s faculty-led research makes a profound difference in the educational experience of our students—and, through their work, will shape advancements in science, technology, and other fields across the globe. The Center for Science, Business, and Religion (CSBR) is a fitting manifestation of our commitment to the growth of this work.

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These dedicated Auggies perform their service to Augsburg through alumni relations programs and Augsburg Fund initiatives. In return, the Stewards find that their service yields unique career development opportunities.

In addition to educating their peers on the role they will play as alumni, Stewards also connect with other students throughout the year through Philanthropy Week, the Feed the Pig class challenge, and the 100 Days to Graduation Senior Party. Each of these programs is intended to inspire a lifetime of Auggie Pride in Stewards and other students.

Stewards, as current Auggies, connect with alumni at events such as Advent Vespers, the Convocation Series lectures, Homecoming, the Alumni Summer Series, the Alumni/Student Networking evening, and Scholarship Brunch, and begin to build relationships that can lead to internships or career opportunities.

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The Augsburg College Associates is a service auxiliary of volunteers including alumni and friends of Augsburg whose mission includes fundraising for special projects and scholarships in support of the College.

Throughout the year, the Associates manage estate and moving sales in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area and host a boutique and buffet for the annual Velkommen Jul celebration at Augsburg. For the past two years, they have also had a booth at the Taste of Augsburg during Homecoming weekend. The Associates have given to Augsburg more than a half million dollars from their fundraising efforts for projects, including:

• creation of the Welcome Desk in Christensen Center,
• renovation of the Green Room in Foss Center,
• renovations of the Augsburg and Marshall rooms in Christensen Center,
• creation of the Special Collections room in Lindell Library, and
• purchase of the Dobson pipe organ in Hoversten Chapel.

Thank you, Augsburg Associates, for your commitment to supporting Augsburg and our students!

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