1951

Einar Unseth ’51 marked his 90th birthday on June 29. After farming with his father, Unseth served in the occupation army in Japan. He then attended Augsburg College and Luther Seminary. He served as a missionary to Japan with the American Lutheran Church (now ELCA), and later pastored Lutheran churches in Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Unseth and his wife, Luella, recently moved to Lester Prairie, Minnesota. They have six sons, 22 grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

1952

Dave Christensen ’52 and his brother Duane Christensen ’53 meet every morning to grab some coffee, buy copies of the Bemidji Pioneer and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and catch up on the latest news. This tradition began in 1990 when Dave moved to Bemidji to retire. Dave taught school in Atwater, Minnesota, for four years and served in the U.S. Army before enrolling in Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Before retirement, he was a Lutheran minister at Adams, North Dakota; Warren, Minnesota; and Pelican Rapids, Minnesota. After Duane graduated from Augsburg, he served in the U.S. Army and then began a career in education as a band and choir teacher in Danube, Minnesota. He earned his master’s and specialist degrees at the University of Minnesota, and then worked as a school principal in several Minnesota districts. Duane moved to Bemidji, Minnesota, in 1969 and started the Bemidji Regional Interdistrict Council, an agency that provided special education services to 18 area school districts. He headed the council for 18 years before retiring. In 1990, the brothers built Maple Ridge Golf Course south of Bemidji.

Harvey Peterson ’52, a former member of the Augsburg College Board of Regents and a member of the Athletics Hall of Fame, received a Distinguished Alumni Award at Homecoming 2015. He was recognized for his distinct level of dedication, leadership, and achievement over the span of his career. He and his wife, Joanne (Varner) Peterson ’52, are longtime, faithful supporters of the College. He was the CEO of CATCO, a truck parts supply company founded in 1949 by his father, Art Peterson. He has given unselfishly to his business and industry peers and associates, mentoring and advising many along the way.

Glen Thorpe ’60 hosted a celebration for his brother Gordon Thorpe ’52, ’55Ěýto honor the 60th anniversary of Gordon’s graduation from Augsburg Seminary and ordination at Trinity Lutheran Church, which was on June 12, 1955. Gordon served in parishes for 41 years. At the celebration, Gordon was joined by his classmates David Rokke ’52, Carl Vaagenes ’50, ’55, and Bill Halverson ’51. Also joining them to celebrate were Augsburg seminarians Philip Quanbeck ’50, Allan Sortland ’53, Morris Vaagenes ’54, Jim Almquist ’61, Paul Almquist ’62, and Thomas Moen ’62.

1957

Grace (Forss) Herr ’57 was recognized with a Distinguished Alumni Award at Augsburg’s Homecoming in October, which also hosted a reunion for majors in home economics. Her award cited her entrepreneurial spirit, great generosity in establishing numerous scholarships, and longstanding commitment to Habitat for Humanity and the Guadalupe Center in Florida, where she lives with her husband, Doug. This past spring, the couple received the Spirit of Marco Island Award from a Rotary Club, which honored them for embodying the spirit of community through service.

1961

Karen (Erickson) McCullough ’61 walked Hadrian’s Wall Path, a nearly 80-mile trek, across northern England from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway.

1964

Mike Walgren ’64 was recognized with a Spirit of Augsburg Award at Homecoming in October. He has been manager of the Augsburg Centennial Singers since 2001. With his wife, Carla (Quanbeck) Walgren ’64, he lives out his vocation of being called to service. In his work with the Centennial Singers, professionally, and with his church, he puts his gifts and talents in service of the greater good—doing the difficult work with full engagement and without hesitation. He was recognized in 2001 with an Outstanding Professional Fundraiser of the Year award by the Minnesota chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. He is an active member of Westwood Lutheran Church in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, where he singsĚýin the choir.

1965 | Class Reunion Year

Augsburg College Regent Emeritus Dan Anderson ’65 was recognized with a Distinguished Alumni Award at Augsburg’s Homecoming in October, which also honored the 1965 men’s basketball championship team on which he played. Anderson in 1977 was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame for his accomplishments on the court, including leading the basketball team to three conference championships, setting records for career points (2,052 points), and being named conference player of the year three times. Anderson is chairman of AdvisorNet Financial in Minneapolis. He has served on the board of directors for charitable organizations, has worked locally for Habitat for Humanity, and is active in his church community.

Marilyn (Nielsen) Anderson ’65 treasures her memories of Augsburg band trips to the West Coast and the Augsburg Cantorians’ trips. She taught K-12 choir, band, music, and orchestra for 17 years and has written and published 25 children’s books. She taught writing courses for the Institute of Children’s Literature for 20 years. Anderson also has trained and showed dressage horses at international levels. If she could thank anyone at Augsburg, it would be James Johnson, her piano teacher, and Anne Pederson, who taught English.

MaryAnn (Holland) Berg ’65 has had a life filled with music. She taught elementary music and piano for 20 years, and directed a championship barbershop chorus in Fargo, North Dakota, that took her to international competitions in London, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Seattle, and St. Louis. She currently sings with the Fargo Moorhead Choral Artists, a group she’s been with for 28 years. Her fondest memories of Augsburg include choir tours (especially the Norway tour in 1965) and serving as a student secretary for Leland Sateren ’35. She and husband, Arvid Berg ’65,Ěýcherish the memory of the Augsburg Choir singing at their wedding on November 21, 1964. Arvid has no doubt that Sateren inspired him to become a choral director and to strive for the highest performance standards he could achieve. Arvid’s fondest Augsburg memories are of Augsburg band and choir tours, including a five-week tour with the choir to Norway, Denmark, and Germany. Arvid spent 30 years as head of the music department at Oak Grove Lutheran High School in Fargo. He also had a 25-year military career, the last 19 years with the 188th Army Band of Fargo. His current interests include fishing, hunting, traveling, music, and his church.

If she could, Adrienne (Strand) Buboltz ’65 would thank the Rev. Waldemar Anderson ’37 for encouraging her and three of her classmates from North Dakota’s Portland High School to attend Augsburg. She fondly remembers serving on the freshman social committee, decorating Christmas trees, watching high school classmate Dan Anderson ’65 play basketball, and meeting her future husband, Larry Buboltz ’65, at Augsburg. She especially enjoyed being instructed by Chemistry Professor Courtland Agre and Leif Hansen, her German teacher. Adrienne graduated from Moorhead State University in 1974 and became a Certified Public Accountant. She worked in public accounting, was a corporate controller, and taught at a vocational school. She opened an insurance brokerage in 1991 after receiving her insurance and brokerage licenses, and she retired in 2005. Larry keeps busy as chair of Detroit Lakes Community and Cultural Center in Minnesota. He serves on a committee to bring a bike trail to the community. He became a city councilman in 1976, and served until he was elected mayor from 1988 to 2008. He likes to exercise, travel, play bridge, attend school sporting activities, and is active in Kiwanis. At Augsburg, Larry participated in the debate team and later coached debate at Detroit Lakes High School. He also taught history there until 1968. He joined Rural Minnesota Concentrated Employment Program, Inc. and became chairman in 2005. His high school band instructor, David Skaar ’55, initially encouraged him to attend Augsburg.

One of the fondest memories Keith Dyrud ’65, holds from his time at Augsburg is his work publishing the campus newspaper, The Voice. Faculty who most influenced Keith were Carl Chrislock ’37 and Khin Khin Jensen, faculty in the history and political science department, and William Halverson ’51 and Paul Sonnack ’42, faculty in the religion department. Today, Keith enjoys writing history, construction, Norwegian studies, and outdoor activities. He lives with wife, Grace, in Lauderdale, Minnesota. They have six children and nine grandchildren.

Sharon (Kunze) Erickson ’65 says she took an interest in a certain physics lab assistant and eventually married him—Ken Erickson ’62, now retired from the Augsburg physics department. The couple lives in Cambridge, Minnesota, where Sharon taught first grade for 29 years. Sharon volunteers at their church and at the Cambridge Hospital when she isn’t spending time with family and friends.

Helen (Friederichs) Griller ’65 has lived in and enjoyed Arizona for the past 28 years, but she has so many special memories of growing up in Minnesota that she still thinks of it as home. Treasured memories from her Augsburg experience include good friends, the International Associated Women Students trip to Oklahoma, sporting activities, Sno Days, and Freshman Days. Her current interests and activities include four grandchildren, book clubs, reading, traveling, the Scottsdale Garden Club, and activities at her church.

Carmen Herrick ’65 passed the Certified Public Accountant exam in 1989 and then worked in public accounting. In addition to obtaining a bachelor’s from Western State College of Colorado, she attended the University of Oslo and Elverum Folkehøgskule in Norway, which afforded her the opportunity to travel throughout Scandinavia. Among her favorite Augsburg memories are living with 11 other girls in Kappa House, and her wonderful business education teacher. Current interests include learning Norwegian, playing bridge, lap swimming, and Silver Sneakers exercise classes. She has six grandchildren.

Don Hoseth ’65 returned to Augsburg in 1971 to earn his elementary teaching degree and taught for 32 years in the Robbinsdale, Minnesota, School District. He has been retired for the past 12 years and keeps busy with his 12 grandchildren. He is grateful for the influence of numerous professors as well as longtime coaches Edor Nelson ’38 and Ed Saugestad ’59.

George Johnson ’65 spent more than three years in Pakistan teaching science students who ranged from the undergraduate to the doctoral levels. He and his wife, Leslye, both hold doctorate degrees in biochemistry, and, with support from the Bradley Hills Presbyterian congregation in Bethesda, Maryland, worked with Forman Christian College University in Lahore, Pakistan. The Johnsons view this school as an oasis of tolerance, and they served people who are Muslim and Christian, rich and poor, male and female. The Johnsons’ time in Pakistan convinced them how valuable it is for students and alumni to visit other countries to experience life and cultures. Before this teaching opportunity, George had a robust career in research science, often working in drug discovery and development.

Jan (Mattson) Johnson ’65 and husband, Tom, live in Alexandria, Minnesota, and enjoy seeing their five grandchildren when they visit the Twin Cities. The Johnsons lived in the Philippines for one year and in Maine for another while Tom was in the U.S. Air Force. As a student, Jan worked in Augsburg’s Admissions office for Donovan Lundeen, who had visited her home prior to her decision to attend Augsburg. She relishes memories of singing under the direction of Leland Sateren ’35
in the Augsburg Choir, and feels privileged to have traveled to Norway, Denmark, and Germany with the choir for five weeks after graduating. Jan’s current interests include choir, golfing, quilting, reading, and travel.

For Charles McCaughan ’65, Professor Emeritus of History Donald Gustafson was the faculty member who most influenced him as a student. McCaughan lives in Bagley, Minnesota.

Dennis Morreim ’65 transferred to Augsburg after three years at the University of Minnesota. He remembers his advisor working to have all of his credits accepted, and he went from being a sophomore to a junior in one day. Morreim met his wife, Jeanne (Wanner) Morreim ’66, during orientation week. She was working in The Grill. The couple has been married 50 years. Dennis earned his master’s degree in divinity and a doctorate of ministry degree. He served churches in Manitoba and Minnesota for 38 years. During his time serving in Cloquet, Minnesota, he went to Honduras 17 times and helped to build eight schools in the Central American country. He spends his time now as a part-time chaplain at a local hospital and nursing home in Cloquet. He also is chaplain of the Minnesota State Senate.

Dwight Olson ’65 can still make a mean grilled Spam sandwich and great Swedish pancakes, but can’t lower his golf handicap. Olson lives in San Diego with his wife of 50 years, Lois (Monson) Olson ’68. He founded Data Securities International and is listed in Wikipedia as the “father of technology escrow.” He started Gamma Phi Omega at Augsburg and says that Phil Quanbeck, Sr. ’50, professor emeritus of religion, was his most influential faculty member. Dwight and Lois have two sons and four grandchildren. He says that Lois agreed to marry him the day before graduation so that his family could afford to attend both events.

The Rev. Gary Olson ’65 and wife, Jean (Pfeifer) Olson ’64, reside in Maplewood, Minnesota. Gary spends his time in creative writing. He and Jean attend many school events for their three grandchildren. On occasion, he still preaches. Gary’s memories from his time at Augsburg include the day when he was walking to class and walked past a sleeping male student whose dorm mates put his bed, dresser, lamp, and chair on the Quad lawn. Gary says that Esther Olson, a theater and speech professor, influenced him most as a student.

Pat (Steenson) Roback ’65 and her husband, Jim Roback ’62, feel blessed to have chosen Augsburg to get their teaching degrees and to have been surrounded by students and staff who got to know them and helped shape them as they chose their future paths. The faculty member who most influenced Pat was Martha Mattson, an elementary education faculty member. Pat recalls that, “She was an icon! What a wealth of information she was, and [she] knew so much about the world because she traveled and lived in many faraway places. She even had a few of us over to her apartment once to teach us tatting. She was very good at it, and we were not.” Pat thanks all of the 1965 reunion committee members for their dedication, ideas, time, and hard work to make plans for Homecoming.

Larry Scholla ’65 and Muriel (Berg) Scholla ’67 live in Willmar, Minnesota, and winter in Naples, Florida, where they enjoy the beaches of Marco and Naples, as well as several biking trails. They have five grandchildren. Larry volunteers at Kandiyohi County Historical Society in Willmar, and enjoys doing carpentry and general maintenance. He treasures the memory of being part of the football and baseball teams, and is grateful for the influence of Ed Saugestad ’59, who taught a kinesiology class.

The Rev. Clayton Skurdahl ’65 spent 40 years in ministry, primarily in Colorado and Nebraska. His current interests include jogging/walking, gardening, traveling, and serving as a visitation pastor. He treasures his memories of Augsburg chapel times and says he was most influenced by Mario Colacci, a faculty member in the Department of New Testament Greek and Latin. Skurdahl also would like to thank Joel Torstenson, professor emeritus of sociology.

After David Swenson ’65 completed a master’s degree in physics at the University of Minnesota, he was hired by Honeywell Aerospace where he went on to meet his wife, Bonny. He spent seven years building and operating a space simulation chamber for testing radiometers that flew on satellites. In 1974, he left engineering and moved to Colorado where he partnered with Bonny’s father to run a bicycle store, which they owned for decades. Among his favorite memories at Augsburg are influential professors, Concert Band, the Basin Streeters Dixieland band, basketball, tennis, physics experiments, and times spent with good friends. He and Bonny live in Longmont, Colorado, and David still works part time in the bicycle shop he once owned. In his spare time, he enjoys bicycling, hiking, travel, and music.

Loren Wiger ’65 is in his fifth decade of teaching science. Most of his years were at Marshall Middle School in Marshall, Minnesota. He currently teaches at Southwest Minnesota State University, where he works with teacher candidates and teaches science methods courses. He has many treasured memories from his time at Augsburg including dorm life, where Dan “Big Dan” Anderson ’65 was the model student-athlete. Wiger says he used the phone quite often to visit with his future wife, Ruth, who was becoming a registered nurse at Deaconess Hospital.

1968

The Rev. Mark Hanson ’68 this fall served as Augsburg College’s Special Assistant to the President for Mission and Identity, helping facilitate on-campus conversations regarding the ways in which the College’s Lutheran Christian heritage and identity remain relevant to its academic mission and activities. This spring, Hanson will become the executive director of the College’s Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation, working to ensure that the center fully embraces its commitment to the theological concept of vocation.

1972

Luther Bakken ’72 was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a thrower on the men’s track and field team. His 50’ 9” outdoor shot put throw from 1972 remains a school record. Bakken also played football while at Augsburg.

1974

Accomplished high school wrestling coach Scot Davis ’74 was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame this year in recognition of his collegiate wrestling career. He earned All-American honors in 1973 for his sixth-place finish at the NAIA National Championships, among other accolades.

1978

Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Paul Meissner ’78 is one of the top players in the history of Augsburg men’s basketball. He is one of only 18 players to score more than 1,000 career points and remains a top 5 rebounder with more than 725 career rebounds. He also holds the school record for games played, with 114.

Bonnie (Lamon) Moren ’78, wife of Jonathan Moren ’78, retired in June after 37 years of teaching developmental adapted physical education to students with special needs in Bloomington, Minnesota, Public Schools.

David Raether ’78 recently gave a TED Talk at TEDxAmherst on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Raether’s talk was based on his experience of homelessness after a successful career as an award-winning television comedy writer. The talk was derived from a widely praised essay he wrote called “What It’s Like to Fail” that was awarded Best Nonfiction of 2013 by Longform.org and cited as one of the best pieces of journalism in 2013 by The Atlantic magazine. The essay also was featured in the Times of London Sunday magazine. Raether lives and works in Berkeley, California.

Augsburg alumni collaborate on touring theater production

Augsburg College alumni and a current student jumped aboard “The Hoopla Train with Yard Master Yip and his Polkastra” at multiple stops of the show’s Minnesota-based summer tour, which included performances in communities ranging from St. Cloud to New Ulm. The Auggies sang, danced, and acted in a Vaudeville-style production, using techniques honed on the stages of Augsburg College.

Described as “Lawrence Welk meets Hee Haw,” the production was produced by Sod House Theater and spearheaded by actor and director Darcey Engen ’88, chair of Augsburg’s Theater Arts Department, and Luverne Seifert ’83, actor and senior teaching specialist at the University of Minnesota. Ěý

1982

As of July 1, Scott Ludford ’82 is the senior pastor of Zion Lutheran Church in Shawano, Wisconsin.

1987

Augsburg women’s basketball star Barb Blomberg ’87 was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame. She holds the fifth-highest career points total in program history with 1,023 points. Blomberg served as team captain in both basketball and volleyball.

Paul Rensted ’87 was appointed Charles County, Maryland’s director of human resources in August. Rensted has experience in all aspects of human resources management and conflict resolution and previously served as the director of human resources for the city of Annapolis. Rensted is certified with the International Personnel Management Association for Human Resources. His other professional affiliations include the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights State Advisory Committee; County Conflict Resolution Center Board of Directors; Baltimore Community Center Board of Directors; Public Interest Organization Governing Board; and Advocates for Herring Bay. He received his undergraduate degree in international relations and East Asian studies, and a master’s degree in political science from the University of British Columbia.

1988

Brad Anderson ’88 received Augsburg’s Excellence in Coaching Award in recognition of his impressive career as a high school football coach. He won three Minnesota State 5A Championships and has been selected as class 5A “Coach of the Year” multiple times. He has coached several players who have gone on to NFL careers.

After serving for four years as the assistant principal of Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in Plymouth, Minnesota, Brenda (Bauerly) Damiani ’88 joined Cambridge-Isanti High School in Cambridge, Minnesota, as its new principal. She obtained a special education emotional behavioral disability license from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction and multicultural education from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. Damiani continued her education, earning a K-12 administrative license from Hamline University in St. Paul. She is pursuing a doctorate in educational leadership from Bethel University in St. Paul.

After 24 years in the Pacific Northwest, Dan Wright ’88 has moved back to Minneapolis with his wife, Kristen Haglund, and their sons Johan and Bjorn. Wright works from home as senior applications engineer at Nike.

Wubitu Ayana Sima ’89, ’15 MBA is the owner of Lady Elegant’s Tea Shoppe, a British tea room and store in St. Paul’s St. Anthony Park neighborhood. Raised in western Ethiopia, Ayana Sima came to the United States to study in the mid-1980s, along with her two young sons. Since graduating, Ayana Sima has worked with the United Nations in Congo, Malawi, Switzerland, and Zimbabwe, and for the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa. Back in the U.S. again, something was missing in her life without school, and she enrolled in Augsburg’s MBA program. Her husband, Admasu Simeso, helps her manage the tea room.

1992

In April 2015, Terri Burnor ’92 received her master’s degree in divinity with a concentration in women’s studies from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. In September, she began a 10-month ministerial internship at First Unitarian Universalist Church in Portland, Oregon.

Mike Pfeffer ’92 was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding career as a lightweight wrestler. In 1992, he earned both MIAC Champion and All-American honors and was selected as Augsburg’s Men’s Honor Athlete. He also was the captain of the 1992 team.

Sharol (Dascher) Tyra ’92, a professional certified in Life Illumination Coaching and the 2015 President of the ICF Minnesota Charter Chapter of the International Coach Federation, was a semi-finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year by the TwinWest (Plymouth, Minnesota) Chamber of Commerce 2015 Small Business Awards. Candidates were selected on the basis of a number of factors, including their business vision, community service, drive, and risk-taking.

1995

David Boie ’95 has been named athletic director at Richfield High School in Richfield, Minnesota. Boie spent 18 years teaching physics and chemistry at the school and 13 seasons as its head baseball coach.

Jeff Kaeppe ’95 received recognition for his Augsburg football career with an induction into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame. Kaeppe was a two-time team MVP and holds the school record for the longest reception, a 90-yard catch against St. Olaf College in 1992.

Former men’s hockey player Peter Rutili ’95 was inducted into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame. Rutili earned MIAC All-Conference honors in 1994 and 1995. He also was selected twice as the team MVP and received a Rookie of the Year honor.

1998

Kerri Kangas ’98 had an outstanding pitching career on the Auggie softball team, an accomplishment that earned her induction into the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame. She holds career records for both games and innings pitched. She remains in the top 5 for career wins, strikeouts, shutouts, and fewest walks.

Retired alumna Terry Marquardt ’98 worked as a temp in the Alumni, Family and Constituent Relations department leading up to Homecoming 2015. She retired from 3M in 2008 after 34 years of service. She and her husband, Gary Donahue, divide their time between homes in Minnesota and Arizona.

2000

Christopher McLeod ’00 has joined Connexions Loyalty Travel Solutions in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, as a technology director.

The Rev. Sara Quigley Brown ’00 was ordained in 2008 and has switched denominational affiliation from the ELCA to Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ, where she is serving as ordained and open to a call. She resides with her husband, Russell Brown, in Anchorage, Alaska. She works as a chaplain with the Alaska Police and Fire Ministries.

Interim Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, City Manager Michael Sable ’00 is returning to Hennepin County to work as the director of facility services. Sable worked in the northern Twin Cities suburb for six years and spent most of his tenure as assistant city manager. In addition to the 24-story Government Center downtown, the facilities director oversees personnel matters and operations at numerous facilities countywide. Sable received an MBA from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. He and his wife live in Minneapolis with their children.

2001

Erica Huls ’01 visited Minneapolis-St. Paul for a few days in July and had a mini-reunion with some of her closest friends and former classmates who live in Minnesota. Auggies included: Huls, Amy Carlson ’02, Merry-Ellen (Krcil) Bryers ’01, Ann (Peterson) Fisher ’01, Jason Bryan-Wegner ’01, Erica Bryan-Wegner ’01, and Katie Koch ’01.

2003

Kristen Opalinski ’03 traveled to Turkey this summer on behalf of the Philadelphia-based Peace Islands Institute, a peacebuilding think tank founded in the Turkish Islamic tradition of Hizmet or “service.” Opalinski provided media support while conducting research on Sufism and feminism in relation to the 21st century Muslim world. After serving the ELCA in South Africa for 4 1/2 years, she’s now in her final year of studies at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. She hopes to return to international peacemaking or social justice work.

2004

“Babylon the Great has Fallen,” a book by Franchel Patton ’04, was published in March 2014. In the story, President Obama and newly elected President Hillary Clinton meet God face-to-face in this fast-paced, present-day depiction of Revelations and current events.

2005 | Class Reunion Year

Since graduating from Augsburg, Andrea (Ladda) Brown ’05 attended law school at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul and graduated in 2009. She works as an assistant public defender in Ramsey County and offices out of the Second Judicial District. She was most influenced by James Vela-McConnell, professor of sociology, and his course titled Race, Class, and Gender. She says she uses many of the basic principles from this class in her daily arguments to the court. She would also like to thank Garry Hesser, professor emeritus of sociology, Diane Pike, professor of sociology, and Tim Pippert, associate professor of sociology.

Denise Fossen ’05 remembers singing in Masterworks Chorale and performing at Advent Vespers as two cherished memories from her time at Augsburg. She is most proud of receiving a master’s degree from Luther Seminary in St. Paul and becoming a grandmother for the first time. She would like to thank David Lapakko, associate professor of communication studies, and Peter Hendrickson ’76, associate professor of music, for their influences on her during her time at Augsburg. She’s also grateful for her classmates’ participation in discussions before, during, and after class. Since September 22, she has served as pastor at Christ Lutheran in Hendricks, Minnesota.

Keme Hawkins ’05 was recognized with a First Decade Award at Augsburg’s Homecoming in October. She is a freelance writer, independent scholar, and yogi living in Atlanta. She received her master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her doctorate in English at Emory University in Atlanta. Studying and practicing various forms of divination and energy work continues to be a lifelong mission for her. Hawkins has completed her first screenplay, based on the lives of her parents; she is pitching the writing to producers.

Ishmael Israel ’05 is focused on community development. Israel left his position as executive director of the Northside Residents Redevelopment Council in April, and he now leads the Umoja Community Development Corporation.

Those who influenced Sarah Lahr ’05 most at Augsburg were Curt Paulsen, professor emeritus of social work; her advisor Nancy Rodenborg, associate professor of social work; and Michael Schock, associate professor of social work. She also fondly remembers Merilee Klemp, associate professor of music, and Registrar’s Office staff members Wayne Kallestad and Linda and Toshimi Smith, who offered a positive work-study experience. She would most like to thank Paulsen for encouraging her to continue with a difficult internship because she still uses that experience to push herself through difficult tasks to promote growth. Lahr works full time atĚýthe Wilder Foundation Caregiver Services Program as a care coordinator and part time as a social worker at United Hospital.

Maureen (Parker) Marradino ’05 fondly remembers participating in the Augsburg Choir, attending chapel services, being a resident assistant, singing at a few Auggies’ weddings, touring Seattle with the orchestra, performing at her voice recital and the recitals of many close friends, and celebrating graduation day. She would like to thank the students and professors who walked through all the tough courses with her. “We did this together, and it was a pleasure getting to know all of you and building four years of personal development with you. Your talents, passions, and spirits filled me and helped me grow as an individual and ultimately a working professional. Thank you!” Marradino said. “Auggies: Don’t forget where you’ve come from. Allow your past experiences (including your Augsburg degree) to shape your future. God bless you all.”

Lucas Olson-Patterson ’05 helped to establish the Minneapolis Future Academic Ballers program in 2009 through the Neighborhood Youth Academy, a nonprofit organization that focuses on fostering achievement parity for underserved youth. The program combines academics and athletics through unique strategies to arm student athletes with the tools needed to succeed beyond the basketball court. After an outstanding career at Robbinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope, Minnesota, Olson-Patterson went on to average 22 points per game at Augsburg from 2003-05 and was one of the top Division III players in the country.

Faith (Durham) Perry ’05 says her most treasured memories from her Augsburg days are all the girls on seventh floor in Urness and trips to the bogs on Saturday mornings with Bill Capman, associate professor of biology. She was most influenced by faculty members Joan Kunz, associate professor of chemistry, and Dale Pederson ’70, associate professor of biology. Perry received a master’s degree in agricultural education and a certificate in sustainable community development. She works at General Mills as a sustainability analyst. She is married with two boys: Henry, 5, and Elliot, 3.

Anna (Ferguson) Rendell ’05 is most proud of having her children, becoming a contributing author at incourage.me, being a mainstage speaker at the 2014 ELCA Extravaganza, and writing her first book titled, “A moment of Christmas: Daily devotions for the timestrapped mom.” Her treasured memories of Augsburg include being a resident assistant in Urness Hall her senior year, late nights with housemates in Anderson, FCA leadership meetings, the Norway band tour, working in the President’s Office for several years, and performing with the dance team at football games held in the Metrodome. Faculty members who influenced Rendell most were Bob Stacke ’71, professor emeritus of music, who she said always had faith in her and believed in her abilities and gifts, and Mark Tranvik, professor of religion, who poured himself into his students, making sure they were prepared for their real life vocations.

In August, five Auggies were among a team of 12 who ran 200 miles in less than 30 hours as part of the Ragnar Relay Series from Winona, Minnesota, to Minneapolis. Auggies included: Dan Vogel ’05, Clint Agar ’05, Paul Sanft ’05, Riley Conway ’05, and Andrea (Carlson) Conway ’05.

Anna Warnes ’05 is a nurse practitioner at Crete Area Medical Center in Crete, Nebraska. Her fondest memories from her time at Augsburg include Advent Vespers, working in Admissions, and—of course—her lifelong friendships. The faculty member who was most influential to Warnes was Kathy Swanson, professor of English. She would like to thank Bob Cowgill, associate professor of English, for encouraging her to be passionate in her work and life. Warnes and husband, Nathan Erickson, have two children: Gustav, 5, and Knut, 2.

2006

Laya Theberge ’06 and her husband, Shomari O’Connor, welcomed a daughter, Nefertiti, in August. She joins sister Hatshepsut, 4, at home.

2010

Congratulations to Molly (Ehling) Conover ’10 and Ted Conover ’11 on their July wedding.Ěý[L to R]: Hannah Ehling ’15, Becky Ehling, Ted, Molly, Tim Ehling, and Abbey Ehling ’12.

2011

The National Institute of Health recently published research conducted by Amanda (Symmes) Mofsen ’11, a former participant in Augsburg’s McNair Scholars Program. Mofsen joined the McNair program in 2010 and conducted research under the mentorship of Ken Winters, a psychiatry faculty member at the University of Minnesota. Mofsen’s work examined the association between Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and nicotine use among adolescents and young adults.

Tom Wescott ’11 and his wife, Emily (Nelson) Wescott ’12, recently moved to Devils Lake, North Dakota, where Tom was called to serve Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. Additionally, Tom and Nate Luong ’11 wrote an article for Word and World Theological Journal titled, “Coaching as a Model for Pastoral Leadership.”

2014

A research paper by Augsburg College Assistant Professor of Biology Matt Beckman and alumni Enrico Barrozo ’14 and David Fowler ’14 has been accepted for publication in Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. The paper is titled “Exposure to D2-like Dopamine Receptor Agonists Inhibits Swimming in Daphnia Magna.” The paper captured findings from the research team’s work during summer sessions and academic year terms, which was supported by Augsburg’s McNair Scholars Program and Office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity. This is the first study that definitively identified a neurotransmitter receptor signaling pathway involved in Daphnia swimming and will help to establish Daphnia as a model organism in which to study movement disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease. Today, Barrozo is studying genetics in a doctoral program at the University of Florida, and Fowler works as a medical scribe in the Twin Cities while applying for medical school admission.

Nakisha Davis ’14 has accepted a position with UCare as a transportation specialist. She hopes to attend graduate school in the next few years.

Chad Johnson ’14, a two-time NCAA Division III national champion wrestler during his Augsburg career, placed second in the 125-kilogram (275.5-pound) weight class in the freestyle division at the USA Wrestling 2015 ASICS UWW University Nationals, held in June at the University of Akron. Johnson competed for the Minnesota Storm wrestling club. As a collegiate wrestler for the Auggies, Johnson was a four-time All-American, winning national titles in 2012 and 2013 at heavyweight, while finishing third in 2014 and seventh in 2011. Johnson completed his first year as an Augsburg assistant coach in 2014-15, helping to guide the Auggies to their record-12th NCAA Division III team national championship.

Lauren Windhorst ’14 is working as a life enrichment assistant at an assisted living facility in Eagan, Minnesota.

2015

TaylorĚýKuramoto ’15 has been selected to serve as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant in South Korea for the 2015-16 academic year. Fulbright receives thousands of applications each year, and Kuramoto was selected by both U.S. and South Korean committees. In her time outside of the classroom, Kuramoto plans to create English talking circles like those she participated in at the local Jane Addams School for Democracy as an Augsburg College Bonner Leader. She also hopes to use her experience as an Auggie soccer player to connect with students and peers who also enjoy the sport.

David Langemo ’15 would like to thank Frankie Shackelford, professor emerita of languages and cross-cultural studies, for teaching him to speak Norwegian and Kevin Healy, former director of advancement services and prospect management, for allowing him to take the class. Langemo is very proud of this accomplishment. He works as an advancement systems specialist in the Institutional Advancement office at Augsburg. He and husband, Drew Schmidt, enjoy their pets Archie, Mali, Reggie, Stuart, and Trudy.

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

Tracy Keizer ’07 MPA is a physician assistant at an inpatient psychiatric intensive care unit at Regions Hospital in St. Paul. She also teaches Augsburg PA students as a guest lecturer during their didactic phase and as a preceptor during their clinical phases. Having emerged as a leader in the PA profession in Minnesota, she has testified at the State Capitol on a bill to increase access to outpatient mental health services. She was honored with the Presidential Award given by the Minnesota Academy of Physician Assistants.

In 1998, Doris Acton ’10 MAN moved to Minnesota after completing a parish nurse training program through Concordia University. As a parish nurse, also known as a faith community nurse, she works at the 750-member Normandale Hylands Methodist Church in Bloomington, Minnesota. She has been a camp nurse on mission trips, and her mission work in 2004 took her to Sierra Leone, where she later helped start a clinic in collaboration with the Africa Uplifted organization.

Casey Morris ’10 MPA is a board certified physician assistant in an urgent care center at Fairview Range Medical Center in Hibbing, Minnesota. Growing up in Ely, another city in Minnesota’s Iron Range, Morris developed a lifelong passion for the outdoors, particularly wilderness and remote medicine. She is a wilderness first responder and is certified by Advanced Wilderness Life Support. She is excited to now live closer to her hometown.

Michael Grewe ’12 MSW, Augsburg’s director of LGBTQIA Support Services and assistant director of Campus Activities and Orientation, delivered a presentation titled, “Supporting Transgender Communities,” at a National Association of Social Workers Minnesota Chapter conference.

Dr. Amit Ghosh ’13 MBA, a Mayo Clinic physician, submitted a research study paper for publication with Augsburg College co-authors and faculty members Dave Conrad, associate professor of business, and Marc Isaacson, assistant professor of business. The paper, “Employee Motivation Factors: A Comparative Study of the Perceptions between Physicians and Physician Leaders,” was accepted for publication in the International Journal of Leadership in Public Services.

Meghan Peyton ’14 MAL, who served as interim head coach for the Augsburg College men’s and women’s cross-country teams in 2014, has assumed head coaching duties on a permanent basis. Peyton has been a part of the Augsburg cross-country and track and field coaching staffs since 2010, and she will continue serving as an assistant coach for the track and field teams.

Karlie Homann ’15 MPA joined the family medicine team at Mayo Clinic Health System-Northland in Barron, Wisconsin, as a physician assistant. Homann previously worked as a nuclear medicine technologist at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Terrence Keller ’15 MPA joined Lake Region Healthcare in its urology department. Keller has a bachelor’s degree in athletic training and exercise science from Minnesota State University-Moorhead. He previously worked for Lake Region Healthcare as an athletic trainer and held athletic trainer positions at Augsburg College, Twin Cities Orthopedics, and Sanford Health.

Graduate student editors Ashley Cardona ’15 MFA; Kevin Matuseski ’16 MFA; and Amanda Symes ’09, ’16 MFA helped publish the first book by Augsburg College’s Howling Bird Press. The press, housed in Augsburg’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program, chose Marci Vogel’s manuscript, “At the Border of Wilshire & Nobody,” as the winner of the 2015 Howling Bird Press poetry prize.

AUGGIES HONORED

Professor Emeritus of Physics Mark Engebretson was honored with a Spirit of Augsburg Award at Homecoming, recognizing his years as an active teacher-scholar, innovative courses, pioneering research on Earth’s space environment, and mentorship of nearly 100 undergraduate research students.

Tom Witschen was recognized with a Distinguished Athletic Service Award at this year’s Homecoming for his nearly 20 years serving as the “Voice of the Auggies,” broadcasting Augsburg baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and volleyball over the air and online.

The post Class notes appeared first on Augsburg Now.

The score was tied at 2-2 in the fourth inning as a University of Wisconsin-Stout slugger knocked a foul ball down the right field line. Auggie outfielder Brian Bambenek ’07 sailed through the air—glove extended. The ball landed in the pocket, then popped out as his body slammed into an unprotected portion of fence at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis.

After minutes of darkness, the then-senior’s eyes blinked opened to see Augsburg College’s Head Athletic Trainer hovering over him. She monitored numbness in his fingers and toes, held his hand in the ambulance, and called his parents, Nancy and Mike, to report that their son had injured three disks in his neck.

During the days and weeks that followed, Strauch went well beyond her job description to get Bambenek back in action.

“I am forever in debt to Missy for all she did for me,” said Bambenek, who today is co-owner of the Great Lakes Baseball Academy in Woodbury, Minnesota. “She is an incredible trainer who truly loves Augsburg College, and we still find time to catch up a few times a year. And her cutting-edge research in arm care continues to influence my work with athletes.”

We don’t have all the bells and whistles of Division I schools, but I would stack our program’s continuity of care against any of them. –Keith Bateman, Baseball head coach

These types of bonds with athletic training staff are the norm at Augsburg. During her 18-year tenure, Strauch has built an expert, dynamic team of professional trainers and student assistants who collaborate across campus and within the community to achieve a holistic approach to the safety and wellness of Augsburg’s more than 500 student-athletes.

It’s fast-paced, passionate work. Strauch and her staff know players’ names. They generate daily injury reports and conduct pre- and post-season screenings, and a member of the medical staff travels with every team to most away contests. Strauch demands best practices and has championed increased data collection and the adoption of many advancements, including the computerized concussion evaluation system, IMPACT. She and her staff connect with professors to formulate accommodations for injured student-athletes.

“At its core, our role is about relationships—building trust with coaches and student-athletes and developing supportive partnerships throughout campus and with professionals in the community. We work to become part of the team. Assistant Mitch Deets, for instance, camped for a week in northern Minnesota for a cross country team training trip. Assistant Athletic Trainer Kassi Nordmeyer will be traveling to Boston with volleyball this fall and then wrestling and softball throughout the year,” said Strauch, who works specifically with football, men’s and women’s hockey, and baseball.

“We don’t have all the bells and whistles of Division I schools, but I would stack our program’s continuity of care against any of them. And you won’t find stronger bonds. I should show you our stack of Christmas cards and wedding invitations from former student-athletes. Those personal connections make all the difference.” Baseball head coach agrees.

“First-year and transfer student-athletes are often a little hesitant to disclose an injury because they are afraid of not playing. And coaches like being in charge, so I would say many athletic trainers run into walls with team leadership. But not here, not with Missy. She won’t let them or us get away with that,” said Bateman, who is in his 13th year at Augsburg. “She and her staff become such a part of our teams that they know when players are having a bad day by the way they carry themselves. They want student-athletes to play, to be tough, but not to be stupid.”

A thoughtful evolution

Former head football coach Jack Osberg ’62 worked closely with Strauch for more than 10 years, watching the sports medicine program grow from a part-time enterprise to a comprehensive team that features four certified athletic trainers, one athletic training intern, one physician assistant fellow, 11 student sports medicine assistants, two physicians, one chiropractor, and two physical therapists.

“As students at Augsburg in the late ’50s and early ’60s, we didn’t have athletic trainers. Coaches took care of taping, injury rehab, and other training situations. The technology, knowledge, equipment, facilities, communication, and pre-season conditioning available to coaches and student-athletes now is remarkable,” said Osberg, who served as head coach for 14 years and as an assistant coach from 2007-10. “I respect Missy and her staff having observed their mentoring of student assistants, poise when handling serious injuries, and focus on the latest training techniques.”

Women’s hockey player Claire Cripps ’16 is one such student who can testify to the program’s expert attention and nurturing approach. Days before midterms last year, the forward sustained a concussion on the ice, leaving her with headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light, and an inability to focus for almost two weeks.

“Missy sent an email to the dean and each of my professors explaining what happened, which led to postponing my exams until I had the ability to study and focus again,” said the exercise science major who plans to pursue a doctorate of physical therapy. “There were no issues with any of my professors, and they all wished me well, which made me really feel that sense of community that convinced me to come to Augsburg after my first visit to campus.”

That same sense of community drew Jennifer (LaManna) LaBore ’03 to play softball and basketball for Augsburg more than 15 years ago. She and Missy became fast friends after LaBore tore her ACL, and that bond remains today.

“Missy was like a second mom,” said LaBore, who played basketball from 1999ĚýtoĚý2002 and softball from 2000Ěýto 2003. “I spent more time in the training room than I did at home with all the injuries I sustained in college. Missy would set up appointments with expert doctors and keep me positive and motivated throughout the recovery process. She even made sure I saw doctors in network. Those little extras showed she cared about me as a person, not just because it was her job.

“Even after graduation, I call Missy if I hurt myself,” said LaBore, who works as an account executive for HealthPartners in Bloomington, Minnesota. “I called her a few months ago about my dad’s torn rotator cuff, and she recommended a surgeon. She inspires that same down-to-earth, caring, and dedicated spirit throughout the staff. They are some of our loudest cheerleaders, and they certainly feel like family.”

Advancements in prevention

Although the most common injuries are routine sprains and bruises, concussions and other serious traumas are a growing area of concern as student-athletes’ speed, size, and strength has increased. But, Strauch says, the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation also have improved. In collaboration with , Augsburg’s implementation of IMPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) establishes a baseline for each student-athlete so that health care professionals can quickly and accurately measure changes and potential damage in the aftermath of a concussion. The team’s cutting-edge equipment and data collection, paired with the College’s longstanding relationships with area doctors, ensure that concussions are addressed promptly and thoroughly.

Dr. B.J. Anderson, who serves as Augsburg’s director of general medicine, said the College’s sports medicine program offers a “gold standard” of care, particularly when it comes to addressing serious injuries.

“I’ve worked with athletic trainers across the globe, and Augsburg’s team is second to none,” said Anderson, who is a primary care provider for the University of Minnesota Boynton Health Service. “The College’s neurocognitive testing is state of the art, and the staff’s relationship with me and other doctors results in continuity of care. We get them in early, address the problem, and get them back in action.”

I’ve worked with athletic trainers across the globe, and Augsburg’s team is second to none. –Dr. B.J. Anderson

It’s collaboration and conversation among Augsburg faculty and staff that make all the difference in ensuring student-athletes perform their best in competition and in the classroom.

When , instructor for Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science, noticed that a typically advanced student turned in puzzlingly poor work, she reached out to her colleagues.

“Earlier in the semester, I had used the student-athlete’s work as an example of excellence in class, so when she turned in a below-average lab assignment, I called Missy right away,” said Enke, who served as Augsburg’s head softball coach for 21 seasons. “I knew the student had experienced a concussion weeks prior because Missy called me after the incident. [When] we realized that the injury affected the student-athlete’s ability to analyze … the entire campus community came together in support. That’s what we do at Augsburg.”

And, while Augsburg Athletics employs progressive protocols to safely assess and treat injuries, the College is equally focused on prevention. In June, Ryan Rasmussen came on board as Augsburg’s head strength and conditioning coach and has since worked closely with athletic trainers to keep student-athletes in optimum condition. He is the first collegiate strength and conditioning coach certified in a novel restorative movement approach called RESET. Rasmussen says the system pinpoints and eliminates compensation patterns, empowering Augsburg student-athletes to return to play faster and achieve better performance through optimal movement.

“To reap the full benefits of physical activity, we need flawless posture and movement, and this restorative approach helps us achieve just that,” Rasmussen said. “Having a team of people who are concerned with the health of our athletes is hugely important. We recently collaborated on rehab for a hockey player with a torn ACL. She is returning to play this year and was the top performing woman among the five teams reviewed during our conditioning test.”

Inspiring mindful student-athletes

Mental health and nutrition also are pillars of wellness that the Athletics staff is committed to addressing in a collective, proactive manner. Sports medicine professionals advise student-athletes about the latest in nutrition and collaborate regularly with Augsburg’s to ensure student-athletes are aware of the center’s resources and community support. Center Director said anxiety and stress are increasingly present in student-athletes lives, but Augsburg is committed to helping all students have healthy, happy college days.

“This fall, we worked with Athletics to develop four sessions for incoming student-athletes to address alcohol consumption, mindfulness, body image, and healthy relationships. Athletics, more than many, knows the importance of working as a team to confront the challenges our students face, so they are wonderful partners,” said Guilbeault, who has worked at Augsburg for 36 years. “Coaches and athletic training staff are often the first to notice when a student-athlete might need to talk with us, and they stick with them throughout the process—often walking them over to the Center or attending a session with them.”

Guilbeault says mental health is often tied with injuries, as student-athletes feel stress associated with “letting the team down” or experience mental health issues because of certain physical traumas. Her team of counselors and the Center’s collaboration with a psychiatrist and community resources ensure students receive optimum care.

“Our students receive up to 10 counseling sessions each academic year, and if they need additional support beyond that, we refer them to one of our community partners and keep up with their care,” Guilbeault said. “Mindfulness meditation techniques are particularly important for student-athletes because the approach encourages student-athletes to be aware of their bodies and present moments, becoming more resilient to stress.”

Building on a strong foundation

Like any strong foundation, the sports medicine team’s roster of professionals and holistic, collaborative approach took years to build; but behind the staff hires, the new technology, and personal bonds is Strauch—driving herself and her staff to become more than just “trainers who wrap ankles.” They are a passionate team of professionals who will do whatever it takes—from stirring the Crock-Pot at potlucks to calling professors—to ensure student-athletes have the tools and support they need to succeed and achieve their life goals.

“Our profession has changed dramatically in the past decade. Many of my mentors were focused solely on the injury, and we now take a much broader view, a much more involved role,” Strauch said. “And the best part about it is that we will continue to grow and continue to adapt to the demands of the future.

“Augsburg is a community dedicated to finding new and better ways to support our students in every aspect of their lives. And Athletics is a family of student-athletes, parents, coaches, and trainers—all striving to do better, work harder, and represent the best of Augsburg. I love this school. Go Auggies!”

---

Training Center bustles with energy

In this photo illustration, the Augsburg College training center is a hive of activity. Student-athletes buzz in and out to get care before and after practices and games while athletic training staff assess injuries. After professional staff determine the appropriate care for a student-athlete, the College’s student sports medicine assistants implement treatment and get hands-on practice in their field of study. The training center always is humming with action and support meant to help Auggies do their best in competition and in the classroom.

1. Assistant Athletic Director and Assistant Softball Coach Melissa Lee ’04 and Assistant Athletic Trainer Mitchell Deets work at the electronic record check-in station.
2. Assistant Athletic Trainer Kassi Nordmeyer administers a pre-practice ultrasound on Jessica Lillquist ’16, a member of the volleyball and basketball teams.
3. Courtney Lemke ’17, volleyball, is treated with hot packs and electric stimulation.
4. Head Athletic Trainer completes a knee evaluation on soccer player Mohamed Sankoh ’16.
5. Jerrome Martin ’17 is treated with a cold compress before football practice.
6. Kayla Fuechtmann ’16, a sports medicine assistant and hockey player, hauls a hydration cooler back from practice.
7. Soccer players receive hydrotherapy. The players are, from left, sports medicine assistant Carter Denison ’17, Marta Anderson ’17, and Ashley Waalen ’17.
8. Jorden Gannon ’18 gets post-football practice hydrotherapy.
9. R.J. Cervenka ’16, a football player, ices his shoulder after practice.
10. Sports Medicine Assistant Beth Zook ’17 tapes the ankle of soccer player Ngochinyan Ollor ’15.
11. Student Medicine Assistant Aden Lehman ’17 tapes the ankle of football player Mac Kittelson ’16.
12. Logan Hortop ’17, a sports medicine assistant, tapes the ankle of Sean Adams ’17, a member of the cross country and track teams.
13. Sports Medicine Assistant Kristopher Woods ’17 delivers wound care to football player Tyler Sis ’16.
14. Silvia Cha ’19, member of the cross country team, does ankle rehabilitation.

---

The post Sideline support appeared first on Augsburg Now.

Students from all disciplines can participate in summer research. This year, their topics included designing a tool to sample motor vehicle pollution; examining immigrants’ influence in community organizations and politics; cloning and characterization of Daphnia magna, a water flea; and analyzing the effects of the No Child Left Behind Act on Minneapolis youth, among many others.

During the research process, students often use specialized materials and technologies, investigate complex and specific concepts, and explore existing scholarship and literature.

Here are the answers to the question, “What is it?”

Q: What is it?

A: A column that contains a catalyst and through which a stream of reactants move. Reactants are substances that undergo change during a chemical reaction, and “flow chemistry” is a process that gets its name from the movement of these materials.

Alan Medina-Gonzalez ’16
Major: Chemistry, Minors: Biology and Mathematics
Research mentors: Z. Vivian Feng, associate professor of chemistry; and Michael Wentzel, assistant professor of chemistry

Alan Medina-Gonzalez ’16 chose to participate in summer research because it granted him the opportunity to spend more time in the lab optimizing a chemical reaction, which is a fun—albeit time-consuming—puzzle he enjoys solving. “I wanted to see what it was like to work on a project all day long versus only going into the lab four hours per week as part of a class,” he said.

Medina-Gonzalez’s research involved setting up chemical reactions using flow chemistry—a process that helps make reactions more “green” by allowing chemists to lessen waste generation and to improve energy efficiency and safety. His research goal included producing a variety of molecules, including acetaminophen—the primary active ingredient in Tylenol and other medicines—to demonstrate the uses of flow chemistry in the pharmaceutical industry.Ěý

Q: What is it?

A: A foam roller, a tool that breaks up fibrous tissue in order to increase muscle elasticity and circulation flow.

Briana Felton ’14
Major: Exercise Science, Minor: Psychology
Research mentors: David Barrett, assistant professor of health, physical education, and exercise science; and Tony Clapp, associate professor of health, physical education, and exercise science

Briana Felton ’14 chose a summer research project that will help to prepare her for the dream of attending graduate school to study physical therapy. Felton is a member of the Augsburg women’s soccer team, and she loves sports and fitness. Athletes commonly use a foam roller on their muscles for self-myofascial release—a process that applies pressure to trigger points within muscle tissue and is thought to cause the tissue to relax and become more flexible.Ěý

Although the use of foam rollers has become a common practice in therapy and fitness centers, few peer-reviewed studies have examined its effectiveness. For Felton’s research project, she conducted a study in which middle-aged adult males participated in an exercise program utilizing foam rollers. Felton then assessed the study participants’ balance and functional movement patterns using industry-standard tests to see whether their scores improved over the course of the study. Higher scores have been shown to correlate with a person’s decreased risk of injury.Ěý

The results:

Felton’s study found that the Functional Movement Screen, theĚýassessment used to gather comparison data for individuals’ fitnessĚýbefore and after the foam-rolling regimen, had a significant increaseĚýin its composite scores. On average, scores from pre- to post-testĚýincreased by 2.06 points out of 21. Although the composite scoresĚýillustrated a significant increase, not all of the individual testsĚýshowed such an increase. Study participants were also asked toĚýself-evaluate perceived pain, and there was no significant increaseĚýfor any of the 10 survey questions.

In the future, Felton is interested in replicating this study withĚýfemales in the same age group as her summer 2014 study, which wasĚýlimited to males. She also is considering whether selecting aĚýpopulation with more known deficits and, therefore, more room toĚýimprove could influence the research results.

Q: What is it?

A: An electroencephalogram (EEG) recording cap, which is used to capture the brain’s electrical activity while at rest or engaged in mental activity.

Brad Marcy ’15
Major: Biopsychology, Minor: Chemistry
Research mentor: Henry Yoon, assistant professorĚýof psychology

Research conducted on substance use disorders often extends to either the biological or the behavioral aspects of addiction. This summer, Brad Marcy ’15 took on the challenge of combining both of these aspects into a single study incorporating behavioral information—in this case, a person’s age of first alcoholic drink (AFD)—and biological data, which was derived from brain patterns collected through EEG scans.

Marcy and other Augsburg psychology students gathered data by working with student volunteers, including those in the College’s StepUP^® program, which serves students who are in recovery from addiction. Marcy’s research project involved processing and analyzing participants’ EEG data in order to identify telltale signs of being at biological or genetic risk for dependence in these brainwave patterns. He then examined whether an association exists between this biological information and AFD. By evaluating these variables, Marcy can later assess their usefulness in refining the diagnosis of substance misuse.

Q: What is it?

A: The examination of journal articles, images, and academic texts—illustrated here—are key aspects of student researchers’ literature review process. A literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area.

Awale Osman ’15
Major: Communication Studies, Minor: Women’s Studies
Research mentor: Adriane Brown, assistant professor of women’s studies

“I’ve always wanted to be a teacher,” said Awale Osman ’15, a McNair research scholar whose project almost perfectly aligned with his desired career path. Osman began his undergraduate education at a community college before transferring to Augsburg, and his research project involved examining the establishment and evolution of women’s studies, the emergence of gender and masculinity studies, and current dialogue regarding the field. This work allowed him to combine his interests in communications and women’s studies into a project that enhanced his academic skills.

Osman would like to return to a community college one day—this time as a professor instead of as a student. Osman chose his research topic in order to establish a foundation in the research he hopes will be incorporated in a future doctoral program that will, eventually, lead to a teaching role in higher education. “I realize I have to be grounded to be successful in my track,” he said. “So, I’m going for it.”

Q: What is it?

A: The Bengali pronoun “ĒłŮÄĺ,” which is similar to the English pronoun “it.”

Priti Bhowmik ’15 and Bram Oosterlee ’16
Majors: Computer Science
Research mentor: Shana Watters, associate professor of computer science

As international students, Priti Bhowmik ’15 and Bram Oosterlee ’16 were attracted to research linked with the official languages of their home countries. In 2011, Bhowmik left Bangladesh to attend Augsburg, and she seized the opportunity to use her background in the Bengali language in combination with her computer science major. Her research project fell in the field of computational linguistics—a branch of linguistics in which computer science techniques are applied to the analysis of language and speech. She explored whether the pronoun “ĒłŮÄĺ” has the same cognitive status as the English pronoun “it.” That is, whether a Bengali speaker, in determining what Ä’łŮÄĺ refers to in a sentence, uses his or her short-term memory in the same manner that an English speaker does when determining what the word “it” refers to.

Oosterlee, a student from the Netherlands, performed a similar study by examining the cognitive status of the Dutch pronoun “het.” Bhowmik and Oosterlee’s work ultimately will contribute to developing systems that enhance how computers extract information, summarize text, and translate language. One example of the usefulness of these processes is that they increase the likelihood of returning accurate content descriptions when doctors use digital medical reference materials to find information that pertains specifically to a disorder.

Q: What is it?

A: The parasitic plant dodderĚý(Cuscuta pentagona) attached to a host plant from which it acquires all its water and nutrients.

Lucy Bukowski ’16
Major: Biology, Minor: Environmental Studies
Research mentor: Bill Capman, associate professor of biology

Augsburg College students have studied the interactions between dodder and its host plants since 2008, and this summer Lucy Bukowski ’16 worked on an experiment testing the hypothesis that a decline in the health of the host plant triggers the dodder to flower. Bukowski’s project benefitted from the help of a plant pathologist at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities who offered greenhouse space, thus providing a larger growing area and better growing conditions for Bukowski’s research.

Online-exclusive content: More about the dodder project

Bill Capman has mentored Augsburg College students conducting hands-on research using theĚýdodder plant both to fulfill their undergraduate coursework and to gain experience through theĚýCollege’s co-curricular programs. In Bukowski’s case, spending the summer working on an individually tailored project offered a structured yet challenging opportunity to gain exposureĚýto the steps comprising sophisticated academic research, which include conducting a literatureĚýreview, collecting and analyzing data, presenting key project takeaways to a live audience in aĚýsetting that simulates a research conference, and more.

Bukowski’s projectĚýbuilt uponĚýresearch by a series of previous Augsburg College students during the past 10 years whose workĚýfocused primarily on patterns of host plant resistance to dodder. Faculty members often lead subject-specific researchĚýthat incorporates new students year after year, adding depth and longevity to the investigationĚýwhile also allowing students to contribute toĚýa body ofĚýresearchĚýthat is bigger thanĚýtheir individualĚýproject.

Anika Clark ’14 took part in research advised by Capman during the summer of 2013, and sheĚýsaid her experience was enhanced through the contributions made by preceding students.

“[By]Ěýlooking at the methods of previous research done at Augsburg, I could optimize the methods forĚýmy specific question,” she said.

Clark’s research spurred a unique—and fortunate—opportunity for Bukowski. Through theĚýresearch presentation at the conclusion of Clark’s 2013 project, a plant pathologist from theĚýUniversity of MinnesotaĚýbecame intrigued by the dodder researchĚýat Augsburg. HeĚýinvited Capman to give a research seminar at the University of Minnesota on the dodder work andĚýthenĚýofferedĚýthe use of some of hisĚýgreenhouseĚýspace as an improved setting in which to grow dodder and its host plant, velvetleaf, during theĚýsummer of 2014.

“LucyĚýgotĚýto workĚýside-by-side with really big science,” said Capman, explaining that theĚýgreenhouse is also used for research on wheat rust, soybean aphids, and other projects linked toĚýglobal food security.

Access to a biggerĚýand more uniform growingĚýspace allowed Bukowski and Capman to implement a large-scale project forĚýthe first time,Ěýbuilding onĚýan already fascinatingĚýseries of studies.

Bukowski and Clark said they plan to attend graduate school in the future and appreciate theĚýways in which on-campus summer research at Augsburg has helped to prepare them for the nextĚýphase in their education.

“Prior to [the dodder] project, I had no research experience,” said Clark. “I am so lucky that…IĚýgained a sense of confidence regarding my abilities.”

Bukowski hopes her first research experience will lead to additional opportunities prior toĚýher graduation while also enhancing her graduate school applications and preparedness for itsĚýrigorous workload.

“This project shows I can work semi-independently and successfully on research,” she said. “IĚýknow it will open up more doors for me in the future.”

Experiential education through undergraduate research

One key way Augsburg College delivers on its commitment to experiential education is through undergraduate research projects in which Auggies employ their talents and passions. On campus, these projects are funded through several sources, including Augsburg’s Office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity (URGO), National Science Foundation and corporate grants, private donations, and the McNair Scholars program—a federal TRIO program funded by the U.S. Department of Education and designed to increase graduate degree attainment by students who are first-generation, low-income, and/or members of groups underrepresented in graduate education.

The post What is it? appeared first on Augsburg Now.

This winter, the women’s soccer team showed just what it means to be an Auggie when the group of student athletes voted to go to Nicaragua for a trip comprised of community engagement, reflective service work, and soccer. When the student-athletes combined their desire for such a trip with the rich programming that comes from partnering with the College’s 30-year-old, award-winning Center for Global Education (CGE), the team landed an experience that pushed their boundaries and understanding of the world.

“The players genuinely have hungry hearts and open minds,” said Mike Navarre, head coach of the women’s soccer team. “They voted to have an immersion experience, and I am proud that they feel they have a responsibility to make the world better.”

By collaborating with CGE, the women’s soccer team became the first of the Auggie teams to participate in a winter break trip that met the College’s “Augsburg Experience” requirement, a distinctive feature of an Augsburg education that links classroom theory with off-campus learning through activities including internships, practica, service-learning courses, study abroad, special and individualized off-campus immersion experiences, and more.

“Our CGE program has deep relationships and a permanent presence in Nicaragua, as well as other locations in the world. We have established mutual trust with our international partners, so students who go abroad engage in meaningful ways with the communities that they visit,” said Leah Spinosa de Vega, director of Augsburg Abroad and International Programs.

“The result is that we deliver a customized experience that aligns students’ talents and interests with the wants and needs of the community. The programs also challenge students to see that the community also serves the students —that both groups experience a mutual gain from the engagement and that there is reciprocity of giving.”

For the Auggie women’s soccer team, CGE designed a program that included service at a preschool and soccer clinic, competition against Nicaragua’s national women’s soccer team, and cultural learning activities.

The student-athletes spent about a third of their time serving two organizations, Nica HOPE (nicahope. org) and Casa Alianza (casa-alianza. org). The team painted the preschool operated by Nica HOPE, an organization that evolved to serve the needs of people who live around and near the site of the now-closed Managua City trash dump and who depended upon foraging in the dump for income and survival.

For the second service project, student-athletes conducted a soccer training clinic with Casa Alianza—an organization that serves young people who are homeless, or may have been trafficked or exploited.

The clinic prepared the Casa Alianza youth soccer team to represent Nicaragua in the international Street Child World Cup (streetchildunited.org), a soccer tournament that is held in late March in Brazil with the goal of raising international awareness of issues of homeless youths.

“We were humbled by the challenges of the kids at Casa Alianza and grateful to share in their love of soccer,” Navarre said.

The Auggie team also had the opportunity to compete in a series of three games against the Nicaragua women’s national football (soccer) team. While the Nicaraguan team won two games, the Auggies tied in the third game. All the games received coverage in Nicaraguan newspapers, an added bonus because it raises awareness of the value and impact of women’s sports.

“Our players work hard and respond well to raised expectations on and off the field,” Navarre said. “We showcase who we are by how we play soccer. It’s our medium. It has proven to be a significant medium through which our players can grow individually and collectively.”

The team also visited a coffee growing cooperative, La Reina Agroecotourism Project, in the small, rural community of Matagalpa. The visit was a chance to learn about the cooperative, which has 55 members of whom 22 are women, about the impact of coffee and ecotourism on the national economy, and about the culture and typical lifestyle in Nicaragua.

All the experiences—working to improve the Nica HOPE preschool, working on soccer techniques with homeless youths through Casa Alianza, visiting the coffee cooperative, and even the bits of free time—not only help students build a greater understanding of the world we share, but also help them prepare for the work world.

“Employers today are looking for employees with intercultural skills,” said Spinosa de Vega. “Augsburg and CGE programs require that participants take time to reflect upon their experience. Reflection is fundamental to driving intercultural skills development. This process undertaken by the team—to engage and reflect—will help bolster their success in their professional and personal lives.”

To make the trip possible, student-athletes conducted soccer camps and clinics, fundraisers, and an online auction. In all, they raised about $20,000.

Team co-captain Alekzandra “Ali” Miller ’14, a business management major responsible for the online auction, said she knew the value and impact that playing soccer and studying abroad can have. During high school, Miller played soccer in Sweden and Denmark, and earlier in her college career, she spent a semester studying in Spain. Miller wanted her teammates to have an experience like the ones she had, but also knew finances would be a challenge for some of her teammates.

The trip was highly rewarding to all the participants and Navarre and Spinosa de Vega are hopeful that the success of the trip will spur other athletics teams to explore how to mix sport, community engagement, and reflective service for the type of meaningful learning experience for which Augsburg College is nationally known.

“It’s hard to say how much of an impact we were able to make in just eight days,” Miller said. “But I can say for certain that our team was impacted for the better. These types of experiences are the kind of catalysts that give a direction to people’s lives, that spark a new type of gratitude, and that change the way we think about and live our lives.”

“This trip confirmed for me and the players that we have an obligation to make ourselves and the world a little better,” Navarre said. “In doing so, we also make our own lives better. We don’t need to be overwhelmed by the enormity or gravity of the world’s problems. We can embrace the world to make meaningful connections and improvements.”

The post Community engagement, competition, & cultural learning appeared first on Augsburg Now.

For more than 30 years, students who travel to our campus in Mexico have been offered remarkable experiences engaging local residents in their various realities. In my short stay, I saw this work on the ground as I was able to visit local host families who share their homes with our students for several weeks; an indigenous village, where our students face the realities of poverty and personal struggle; and a clothing assembly plant, made possible by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), creating opportunities for economic progress and at the same time challenging our sense of economic well-being for workers.

This is education “off the main road,” which I first described in 2011 (see ), an education that promotes what Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Donald Schön called “reflective practice,” the dynamic relationship between learning and experience that is at the heart of Augsburg’s academic mission.

This vision of education challenges us to see that our various experiences are inextricably linked with our reflection and learning. When we see poverty, what questions do we ask, what do we feel, what will we do? When we experience injustice, what are the causes and what options are available for our response? When we are jarred out of our normal perspectives, what will we see and do? This integrated link between experience and learning defines reflective practice.

This issue of Augsburg Now illustrates in myriad ways how this commitment to reflective practice is at the heart of an Augsburg education.

The interviews with alumni in “Finding meaning in work” advise students to be able to reflect upon and explain their choices (in college activities, academic major, and career moves) as they equip themselves for the workplace.

The story on Augsburg’s women’s soccer team tells how the student-athletes chose to go to Nicaragua to combine community engagement and learning with their soccer games. They partnered with the Center for Global Education (perhaps the first Auggie team to do so), and had the full “off the main road” educational experience.

And on and on. In the stories that follow, we celebrate our relationships with the Mdewakanton Sioux community, with some of the leading business people in the Twin Cities, with our Somali neighbors in Cedar-Riverside, and even with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who came to campus as part of the 26th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum. These stories powerfully illustrate Augsburg’s diversity, hospitality, and embrace of “the other”—all of which point to a college community dedicated to equipping our students for lives of meaning and purpose in the world.

Reflection and practice—small to our students and big for the world. Our vision for Augsburg in the 21st century. We welcome your support and engagement in the important work before us.

Faithfully yours,

PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT

The post Reflective practice appeared first on Augsburg Now.

Each year, Augsburg College mints hundreds of new graduates whoĚýgo on to continued education in graduate schools and workplacesĚýacross the nation. Preparing students for success is a key part ofĚýan Augsburg education and central to the College’s mission of educatingĚýstudents to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, criticalĚýthinkers, and responsible leaders. Here’s a snapshot of factsĚýand figures—and student stories—that show how recent AuggieĚýgraduates are having an impact early in their careers.

• Each year, more than 100 employersĚývisit campus to recruit studentsĚýor to participate in career-related eventsĚýincluding Fairview Riverside HospitalsĚýand Clinics, the federal government,ĚýKDV consulting, KPMG, Target Corporation,ĚýThrivent Financial for Lutherans, andĚýTwin Cities television and radio stations
• More than 60 percent of Augsburg students engage in internshipsĚýand major-related work withĚýbusiness, non-profit, and government employers,Ěýgaining professional experience before graduation
• More than 90 percent of Augsburg students are fully employed or enrolled in graduate school within 18 months of graduation

• The Clair and Gladys Strommen Center for Meaningful Work providesĚýindividualized assistance withĚýchoosing a major, finding anĚýinternship, writing resumes,Ěýdeveloping interviewing skills,Ěýattending job fairs,Ěýand helping studentsĚýfind meaningful workĚýafter college

• Graduates from the class of 2012 secured full-time employment with organizations including: 3M, Advanced Medical Electronics, Air Force Research Labs, Ameriprise Financial, Cargill, Comcast, Dart Transit Company, Delfi Technologies Inc., Delta Airlines, Hennepin County, Marriott, the Mayo Clinic, the Minnesota Department of Revenue, Minnesota Twins, Piper Jaffray, Prudential, Regions Hospital, Robert Half Technology, Robotics Redefined Inc., Sherwin-Williams, Target Corp., Teach for America, Thomson Reuters, University of Minnesota, and Wells Fargo

LAURIE BARGER ’13

Associate Analyst—Merchandising and Business Intelligence,ĚýTarget Corporation

At Augsburg: Mathematics and Spanish major, played on the women’sĚýsoccer team, studied abroad in Mexico and Cuba, tutored for theĚýMathematics Department, volunteered at a local social service agencyĚýdoing taxes for low-income families, member of the Augsburg BusinessĚýAssociation

“From the moment I stepped on campus, I knew that Augsburg wasĚýgoing to give me the drive, motivation, and opportunities I would needĚýto become successful. Through networking and community involvement,Ěýmaking strong relationships with my professors and peers, asĚýwell as being educated in a high-level, real-world environment, I wasĚýable to build a rĂ©sumĂ© that made me stand out from everyone else.ĚýWith the help of the Strommen Center and my professors, I was able toĚýconfidently take what I had learned and comfortably transition from aĚýfull-time student and intern to a full-time employee.”

JOHANNA FRYKMARK KITZMAN ’10

EDI implementation analyst,ĚýSPS Commerce

At Augsburg: Double major in internationalĚýbusiness and business management,ĚýHonors program, co-captainĚýof women’s golf team, worked in theĚýalumni relations office

“When I moved from Sweden to beginĚýschool at Augsburg, it was the firstĚýtime I had set foot in the U.S. TheĚýinternational student staff, my golfĚýcoach, my team, and my professors allĚýhelped me get past my homesicknessĚýand establish friendships. Thanks toĚýtheir support, I finished my degreeĚýand today I am happily married, amĚýworking in the city, and own my veryĚýown American house in the suburbs.”

JENS OLSON ’10

Medical student, University of MinnesotaĚýMedical School

At Augsburg: Biology major, HonorsĚýprogram, did research related to asthmaĚýand presented at a national conference,Ěýfirst-year orientation leader, studied abroadĚýin Vietnam, volunteered and worked atĚýhospitals, was a Fulbright English TeachingĚýAssistant in Vietnam

“Augsburg’s emphasis on service andĚýopenness to all members of our world communityĚýnot only aligned with my beliefs butĚýhelped me develop and shape myself intoĚýwho I am today. The experiences I had atĚýAugsburg and the relationships I developedĚýwith staff and faculty helped me decideĚýthat I wanted to serve others as a doctorĚýand then get into medical school—definitelyĚýan accomplishment I am proud of.”

KATHLEEN WATSON ’12

Editorial assistant at a GLBTĚýmedia company that produces aĚýbi-monthly magazine, web content,Ěýinternational news, and podcasts/entertainment

At Augsburg: Double major in theaterĚýarts and English, Honors program,ĚýHonors house president, didĚýresearch on dramaturgy, member ofĚýFeminist Collective

“My experience at Augsburg CollegeĚýallowed me to not only create a successfulĚýand fulfilling career—it allowed me to embrace and loveĚýwho I am and use my talents andĚýskills to work for a community IĚýbelieve in. My job truly feels like myĚývocation: I’m using my gifts to meetĚýa need in a community I advocateĚýfor and support.”

The post Auggies are achievers: Success after college appeared first on Augsburg Now.

On November 10, Augsburg celebrated 40 years of varsity women’s athletics and the 40th anniversary of the passage of Title IX. Lavonne (Mrs. Pete) Peterson ’50 and Joyce Pfaff ’65 were honored at the celebration with “One of Our Own” plaques for their contributions to Augsburg College and the Athletic Department. In addition, female athletes from each decade were chosen for All-decade Teams.

Peterson, an instructor, coach, and women’s physical education director, started the Auggiettes basketball team in 1950 and coached the team for 18 years, leading them to an incredible 154-6 record. Pfaff, an Augsburg coach, instructor, and director of women’s athletics, started several women’s teams after the passage of Title IX and served the College for 43 years.

Here we recognize a few of the leaders and milestones in women’s athletics at Augsburg. To read more about these women and others who contributed to the proud tradition of women’s athletics at Augsburg College, go to athletics.augsburg.edu.

Pre-Title IX

1951 – The Auggiettes basketball team, coached by Lavonne Peterson

1970s

1971 – In both the floor exercise and balance beam, gymnast Ann Knutson Brovold ’74 is the first Augsburg female athlete to compete in a post-season event — an Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) Region 6 tournament.

1972 – Title IX is passed June 23, 1972.

1972-73 – Women’s varsity intercollegiate volleyball, gymnastics, and tennis are founded while basketball is restarted.

1974-75 – The volleyball team [left] places second in the Minnesota Associate for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (MAIAW) state tournament, qualifying to compete in the Region 6 AIAW tournament both years. The Auggies place fourth in the Region 6 tournament in 1974 and fifth in 1975.

1974-75 – Softball is added as a varsity sport.

1975-76 – Women’s track and field is added as a varsity sport.

1979 – The softball team [left] places second at the MAIAW state tournament.

1979-80 – Kathy Korum ’81 [right] is the first woman to play and letter on a men’s varsity team (golf).

1980s

1981-82 – The softball team qualifies for its first AIAW national tournament.

1982-83 – Augsburg joins the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC).

1985 – Women’s soccer is added as a varsity sport.

1988 – Under coach Paul Grauer, the women’s track and field team earns a third place National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) team finish with Carolyn Ross Isaak ’89 [middle] and Melanie Herrera-Storlie ’88 [right].

1990s

1991 – Women’s cross country is reestablished as part of the varsity athletics program.

1995-96 – Augsburg established the first Midwest varsity women’s hockey team.

1999-00 – The women’s hockey team [right] is the Division III national tournament runner-up in the American Women’s College Hockey Alliance (AWCHA).

2000s

2003-04 – Augsburg establishes the swim and dive program.

2004-07 – Women’s soccer qualifies for the MIAC playoffs

2012 – Augsburg announces that it will establish the first varsity intercollegiate women’s lacrosse program in the state of Minnesota.

The post Augsburg celebrates 40 years of women’s athletics appeared first on Augsburg Now.

Whitney Holman was an outstanding student both in the classroom and on the athletic fields in multiple sports in high school. She had received notice from many schools, and Augsburg was just another school on the list.

But one afternoon, Holman and her parents were driving home to New Hope, Minn., after a tour of another college didn’t go well. They happened to see Augsburg ahead on the freeway, and Holman remembered that she had received a letter from an Augsburg coach. “We didn’t have an appointment, but [the admissions staff] went out of their way to give me a personal tour. Everyone was so welcoming and willing to take time out of their busy schedules to help me out.”

It ended up being a perfect fit—both for Holman and for Augsburg.

Holman has been an outstanding student-athlete in both women’s soccer and women’s track and field at Augsburg, earning all-conference honors in both sports. In soccer, Holman has earned all-conference honors each of the last two seasons. In track, she has earned a reputation as one of the top sprinters in the conference.

And in the classroom, Holman has one of the top academic records of any Auggie student-athlete, with a 3.965 grade-point average with a double major in psychology and religion. She has earned Academic All-MIAC honors in soccer and track and received honors in soccer from both ESPN The Magazine and National Soccer Coaches Association of America. She is also active as a chapel steward for Augsburg’s campus ministry.

Holman was a three-sport athlete at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, participating in soccer, track, and Nordic skiing, while also being active in band and orchestra. She said that she knew she’d have to drop some of her activities in order to excel in college, but still wanted to be active in many things.

“It’s a curiosity and openness, that curiosity to try everything, to develop that well-rounded personality, to say that you gave everything a shot,” Holman said. “I don’t want to say no to opportunities.” In soccer, Holman began her collegiate career as a forward, but was moved to defense—a position she had never played before— midway through her sophomore season. In her new position, she has excelled as part of an Auggie defense that has been among the stingiest in the MIAC over the past several seasons.

After graduating from Augsburg in 2010, Holman plans to go to graduate school to pursue a career as a pediatric speech and language pathologist. And she doesn’t plan to stop her hectic life. She plans to continue to play soccer in adult leagues and would like to train to run a marathon, compete in Nordic ski races, and wants to learn to play golf.

The post Whitney Holman—all-around athlete and scholar appeared first on Augsburg Now.

But once a year, Auggie student-athletes trade their uniforms and gear for suits and dresses at the annual Auggie Awards. This festive event gives students, coaches, faculty, and staff the opportunity to celebrate the year’s accomplishments on and off the field.

Meet the student-athletes who were honored at the 2009 ĚýAuggie Awards. Congratulations and Go Auggies!

FEMALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Jennifer Castillo, Softball (left)

Castillo led the Auggie softball team this season with a .403 batting average. She started all 43 games and earned All-MIAC and MIAC Rookie of the Year honors. Castillo was one of just three first-year players to be named All-MIAC and was ranked ninth in the conference in overall batting average, eleventh in on-base percentage, and led in defensive assists (104).

MALE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

Nick Ward, Track and field (center)

Ward won the MIAC outdoor title in the 100-meter dash (10.97 seconds) and placed sixth in the long jump. His 100-meter dash win marked the first title for Auggie men since 2005, and he is one of only two MIAC male first-year athletes to win titles in the outdoor meet.

MALE HONOR ATHLETE

Jordan Berg, Football (right)

As quarterback of the Auggie football team, Berg earned All-MIAC honors and was named to the D3football.com All-West Region second team. Last season, he broke the single-season school record with 297 completions in 499 attempts for 3,226 yards and 25 touchdowns against 14 interceptions (attempts, yards, and touchdown totals all second-best in single-season in school history). He was also a Gagliardi Trophy regional finalist.

MALE OUTSTANDING ATHLETE

Royce Winford, Football (left)

Winford earned All-MIAC and MIAC Player of the Year honors this season as a wide receiver/cornerback. He also made the D3football.com All-West Region first team and All-America first team and was named the D3football.com West Region Offensive Player of the Year. He tied school records for career touchdowns (41) and receiving touchdowns (40), and was second in school history in career receptions (247) and receiving yardage (3,282).

FEMALE OUTSTANDING ATHLETE

Maggie DeGroot, Soccer/basketball (center)

DeGroot earned All-MIAC honors and made the All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team this season for soccer. As goalkeeper, she also made the NSCAA/Adidas All-Central Region second team and earned a NSCAA/Adidas Scholar All-Central Region honorable mention. DeGroot holds Augsburg career records for goalkeeper wins (37-19-16), career goals-against-average (0.68), shutouts (36) and career win-loss percentage (.627).

FEMALE HONOR ATHLETE

Tiffany Magnuson, Hockey/softball (right)

Magnuson was named All-MIAC in women’s hockey and softball. In hockey, she led the team in every scoring category this season—nine goals, 10 assists for 19 points. She was named to the All-MIAC first team for the fourth straight season and was also honored with the MIAC Sheila Brown Award, given to a senior who displays consistent sportsmanship and contributes to her team’s success.

TEAM AWARDS

• MALE OUTSTANDING TEAM – Soccer
• FEMALE OUTSTANDING TEAM – Softball
• MALE MOST IMPROVED TEAM – Golf
• FEMALE MOST IMPROVED TEAM – Softball
• ACADEMIC TEAM OF THE YEAR – Women’s cross country
• MALE ATHLETE WITH HIGHEST GPA – Jason Chrudimsky, Cross country/track and field
• FEMALE ATHLETE WITH HIGHEST GPA – Tori Bahr, Cross country/track and field

The post Auggies on stage appeared first on Augsburg Now.