The Augustana: Spring 2019

SPRING 2019 • VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 2

The THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

VISION 2030:

THE FUTURE IS NOW

FAITHFUL LEARNING THROUGH SERVICE BREAKING RECORDS & BREAKING FREE: AN ATHLETE'S STORY

IT’S A GREAT DAY TO

BE A VIKING!

AUGIE.EDU

NATIONALLY

NAMED

RECOGNIZED

BEST COLLEGE

IN SOUTH DAKOTA BY

MONEY UNIVERSITY U.S. NEWS

MAGAZINE

4 # 4 #

IN REGIONAL COLLEGE MIDWEST IN MOST INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS

4 # 8 #

IN BEST VALUE SCHOOLS IN BEST UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING

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reetings, Augustana alumni and friends. Spring has finally arrived in Sioux Falls and soon we’ll be seeing green everywhere as trees bloom all over campus. And, of course, we have commencement right around the corner and hundreds of graduates to celebrate!

Throughout the course of the past year, our students and alumni have demonstrated academic excellence and take full advantage of their Augustana education.

For example, I am proud to share that 697 Augustana students made the Dean’s List last fall. That’s nearly 39 percent of our undergraduates.

The Dean’s List recognizes full-time students who have a minimum of 12 credit hours with a grade-point average of 3.5 or above. Of those 697 students, 201 are student-athletes. And 32 of those student-athletes had a perfect 4.0. This speaks volumes to our students’ ability to be successful in everything they do – both in and out of the classroom. In fact, in this issue, you’ll read about one of our student-athletes who has literally run away with awards and accolades, as well as a recent alum who added Rhodes Scholarship winner to his resumé.

In addition, among the myriad benefits of a liberal arts education are diverse and global experiences. During J-Term, 187 students took advantage of the transformational opportunity to study abroad and participate in one of 19 courses. Travel spanned across the globe from South America to Europe and Asia. Some of our students have shared their journal entries with us and you can read about their reflections in the article on page 4. The Augustana Band also performed its way across China, while friends and family received a first-hand account of the experiences thanks to a daily blog.

On a different note, Augustana is close to completing the Horizons 2019 strategic plan. I am excited to announce, at the time this magazine went to print, we have raised 98.6 percent of the total fundraising goal for Horizons 2019. Thank you to everyone who has supported these efforts! Your generous philanthropy has allowed the university to launch or enhance many initiatives such as student scholarships, new academic programs and facility improvements, including the renovation of the Fryxell Humanities Center, which will be complete by the start of the next academic year.

As you know, beginning last year, Augustana has been celebrating its 100-year anniversary in Sioux Falls. Since our founding, the university has prepared students to be leaders who explore, create and boldly discover what’s possible. There’s no better time than the present to assess how we will continue our important mission for the next 100 years and to plan for our future in an ever-changing higher education marketplace.

In December 2018, the Augustana Board of Trustees unanimously and enthusiastically approved the aspirational goals outlined in Vision 2030.

You can read all about the vision, the goals, the strategic planning process and timelines on page 20. I encourage you to follow our progress by visiting augie.edu/vision.

Over the last two years, many alumni and readers like yourselves have shared their Augustana stories with me. The stories I’ve heard are powerful, and the overall sentiment is that their Augustana experiences, or those of their family members, have shaped their understanding of others and their outlook on life. Augustana invested in them and challenged them to dream big and act boldly. Augustana served as the foundation of their success and of their commitment to service.

Now, many of them are ready to invest in Augustana and its future. We hope you are too. Together, we will discover what’s possible, unleash even more potential, prepare even more servant leaders, and ensure a bold and bright future for the very special place that is Augustana University. Thank you for your ongoing dedication to Augustana. We certainly have much to look forward to in the years ahead!

Follow me on Twitter: @augiepres

Warmest Regards,

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 1

F E AT U R E S

THE AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP: Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, president

14 The '17 ALUMNUS NAMED FOURTH

RHODES SCHOLAR IN AUGUSTANA HISTORY: Kofi Gunu SPRING 2019 • VOLUME 9 • ISSUE 2

Nikki Troxclair, vice president of strategic communications & marketing

THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY

EDITOR: Greta Stewart, editorial strategist

AU Vision 2030:

THE FUTURE IS NOW

20 KEEPING VISION 2030 —

THE FAITH IN AFFIRMING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE: GROWTH Striving for Innovation, Expansion & Diversity

27 BREAKING FREE & LIVING:

Seivert Sprints Past Barriers,

DESIGNERS: Kami Gladis Peg Ustad

Finds Success

CO N T E N TS 4

J-TERM TRAVEL: Discovering the World

6

FACILITY UPDATES AT AU:

8

FAITHFUL TRANSFORMATIONS:

SPRING 2019

Campus Embarks on Facelifts and New Foundations Campus Ministry Invites Students to Learn by Serving

10 THROUGH THE AIRWAVES: Podcasting Takes AU Into the Future 11 DARK MATTER SHEDS LIGHT TO MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY 12 BEYOND THE CLASSROOM:

19 Years of Student Research Symposium

13 KENNEDY FESTIVAL: A Learning Experience for Students 16 "POWER, THE PRESS & THE PRESIDENCY" AT BOE FORUM:

Journalistic Icons Woodward, Bernstein Discuss Politics Throughout Modern History & Today

26 MAKING THE GRADE:

200+ Student-Athletes Named to Fall Dean's List

30 COACH BILLETER HITS 400+ CAREER WINS 31 DONOR CHALLENGE: Give Like A Viking

Sustainability is important to Augustana University. The pages within The Augustana are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper.

Visit the magazine online at augie.edu/magazine. Find more news about Augustana at augie.edu.

Send correspondence, name changes and address corrections to: Augustana Magazine, 2001 S. Summit Ave., Sioux Falls, S.D. 57197 or via email at alumni@augie.edu.

OUR MISSION

Inspired by Lutheran scholarly tradition and the liberal arts, Augustana provides an education of enduring worth that challenges the intellect, fosters integrity and integrates faith with learning and service in a diverse world.

OUR VISION

Augustana aspires to become one of America’s premier church-related universities.

CORE VALUES

Central to the Augustana experience are five core values. The community lives them and honors them, and they infuse the academic curriculum as well as student life: Christian, Liberal Arts, Excellence, Community & Service.

CONNECT WITH US!

32 PROMOTIONS & NEW STAFF 34 CLASS NOTES 40 98% JOB PLACEMENT FOR CLASS OF 2018

WE WANT YOUR FEEDBACK!

2

CONTRIBUTORS: Elizabeth Duffy Andy Johnston Lori Johnston Elliot Nathan Keira Rodriguez Pastor Paul Rohde Pastor Ann Rosendale

Visit augie.edu/readership-survey to

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

augie.edu/connect Augustana is an affirmative action, Title IX, equal opportunity institution.

take our readership survey.

© Augustana University 2019

AUGUSTANA COMMENCEMENT

5 | 25 | 2019 2 p.m. • Sioux Falls Arena

AUGIE.EDU/COMMENCEMENT

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J-TERM TRAVEL: Discovering the World

A

ugustana University believes interpersonal, intercultural and international relations are a vital aspect of a student’s education. When we learn about others, we also learn about ourselves. One of the best ways to increase our knowledge about ourselves and our world is to study abroad or in an off-campus setting. J-Term is designed to be a time of curricular exploration and enrichment for students, giving them the opportunity to take advantage of travel courses, internships, special one-time topics courses and campus exchange programs, in addition to liberal arts core courses and those specific to their major.

This year, we asked four students to journal about their thoughts, feelings and experiences while they traveled abroad. Read about their amazing experiences below.

ALLIE n 1/3/19 – Sioux Falls, S. D. I’m so excited for the adventures I will encounter while in Ecuador. I hope to push myself to try new things and become fully immersed in a new culture. In regards to nursing, I’m excited to share my skill set and knowledge I’ve learned thus far, to communities and people who need my help in the jungle, the city of Quito and in hospitals such as Hospital San Francisco and Hospital Voz Andes. I hope this experience opens my eyes to a different health care system and that I can understand the differences between the health care in the states and in Ecuador.

GREECE ECUADOR

LINNEA

ALLIE MERKEL LINCOLN, NEBRASKA SENIOR NURSING MAJOR

NORWAY

ECUADOR

ECUADOR 4

n 1/1/19 – Sioux Falls, S.D. As I start the new year, I embark on a new journey studying abroad in Greece.

I’m excited to study with knowledgeable and kind professors, as well as learn about cultural psychology and healthcare in another country. There’s so much to learn from the American culture I live in, but also from other cultures I have yet to experience, so I’m excited to have the opportunity to check this one off my bucket list!

n 1/12/19 – Chania to Athens Ferry We have been able to visit private and public hospitals, view the countryside and sea surrounding Greece, visit with many Greeks about their culture and how it compares to America, as well as lounge and enjoy the people. I wasn’t expecting how close our group has become. I have made life-long friends on this trip. Our group has bonded over amazing meals and even learned a traditional Greek dance at one of them! Everything is different, but it is so good. Before I came to Greece I didn’t like olives or yogurt, but I have learned to love both. It’s amazing what different cultures can do to your taste buds.

n 1/23/19 – Sioux Falls, S.D. My time in Ecuador taught me a new way of nursing and caring for patients. With the hussle and busy pace of a hospital, it’s easy to complete tasks without getting to know and communicate with your patients. However, in Ecuador there is a significance in relationships and family. It’s important to take a few extra seconds to stop, look, listen and then act. In addition, my passion for working with children has been reconfirmed. I absolutely loved getting to play, care and work with the children. I learned the significance a smile can have. It was extremely challenging to communicate with individuals in Ecuador with the limited Spanish I have, but a smile goes a long way and can be translated in every language.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

EMMETSBURG, IOWA FRESHMAN PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR

NORWAY

n 1/12/19 – Puerto Misahualli, Ecuador We are in the Amazon Rainforest to provide clinics and care to remote villages. I’m in love with the “rawness” this place brings. The jungle is such an untouched, undeveloped area and the people who live here only need the basic necessities to live. They have a different pace of life and live off of the land and use the rainforest for food, water, shelter and clothing. It has been a rewarding experience to serve these people.

As we performed our clinicals from around 1,000 to 1,500 daily, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the children. Unfortunately, with the limited supplies we could only do so much. Often, they needed more help than we could give. It broke my heart to see the people depend so heavily on us as outsiders and nursing students for their health care. This shows how limited their health care really is. We take this for granted and often overlook what we have.

LINNEA ANKENY

n 1/20/19 – Hamar, Norway Norway is amazing! I feel immersed in the culture. I went cross-country skiing, downhill skiing and curling.

The school I am observing is similar to a middle school in the United States.

Students have more freedom and options within their classes. Students are currently learning three languages. The relationships between the teachers and students are more relaxed and less formal. Norway is doing well with including students of all abilities in the general education classroom.

I’m inspired by the well-roundedness of the curriculum in these schools and I am reminded of the liberal arts education I am receiving at Augustana.

We learn a little bit about every subject so we can better collaborate and understand others.

MADISON n 1/4/19 – Sioux Falls, S.D. As I prepare for my J-Term abroad, I have mixed feelings. I am excited about the adventures and cultural opportunities I will encounter. I do not know what to expect, which as a planner, is often hard for me to accept. I wish I could fast-forward to the middle of the trip where I am adjusted in Norway without worrying.

This is the longest I will be away from home. I know I will gain a great amount of independence. I am looking forward to moving the Augie classroom outdoors.

GREECE

n 1/24/19 – Bergsaker Hall I’m home! It was bittersweet leaving Greece but it was just the perfect amount of time to explore and learn. This by far has been the best experience of my life.

I could not have asked for a better group of people or university to have provided this experience. I know the people I met through this experience will always be friendly faces on campus and some will even be friends throughout life. I love Greece and I love Augie. My advice? Do it!

It’s worth every penny.

SOPHIE n 1/2/19 – Yankton, S.D. China. I have been looking forward to this opportunity to study and perform abroad since I started attending Augustana two years ago. In fact, one of the reasons I came to Augie was to have opportunities like this.

As a junior music education student, there is no way to describe how excited I am to travel halfway around the world to share music with people. After all, music is truly one of the only languages everyone can understand and appreciate. Now, with the adventure being so close and so real, I am starting to get a little nervous. For a girl that has never been outside of the country, let alone outside of the state, I am worried I will forget something I need or that there’s something I am not prepared for. Honestly, I think I am most nervous for the communication. n 1/23/19 – Beijing, China Where can I even begin to explain my experiences here so far? From our first day here, there has been so much that amazes me. Being from little Yankton, South Dakota, I couldn’t even fathom how big the cities were going to be.

We learn a little about China in school and see some images of cities thinking they’re so big, but as I explore and witness it, these cities and the population of this country are MASSIVE.

CHINA

SOPHIE DROTZMANN MISSION HILL, S.D. JUNIOR MUSIC EDUCATION MAJOR

n 2/4/19 – Sioux Falls, S.D. One of the greatest highlights occurred in Wuhan at Hubei University. I was nervous going into the exchange because there were some guiding questions that really stretched me, but once we sat down with the students from Hubei, the conversation flowed so easily.

At this university, their president told us he had always dreamt of being a conductor and said he used to sit at home waving chopsticks around with music as a young boy. As we were rehearsing for our concert that night, Dr. Unger had the president conduct us playing Spring Festival Overture, a piece to China as Stars and Stripes Forever is to us. The smile on that sweet gentleman’s face was one of the most heartwarming things I have ever seen and been a part of. With music being my future career, this was more meaningful and I was moved by the idea that this is what music can do for anyone. With the difference in languages, we couldn’t really have a conversation without a translator but we could all share that moment in music that we made together; a true connection with no need for translation.

CHINA

RAPID CITY, S.D. SOPHOMORE COMMUNICATION DISORDERS & SPECIAL EDUCATION MAJORS

CHINA

MADISON FEIST

GREECE

NORWAY

n 1/25/19 – Hamar, Norway As I say goodbye to the students and teachers, I realize how much I will remember. After two and a half weeks in a middle school, I begin to realize how much inspiration there is in observation. I observed a middle school to compare the special education practices in Norway with that in the United States. There are a lot of differences but I know that a teacher’s dedication to a student’s success remains the same.

I grew close with an English teacher who was extremely honest and open about her profession in helping students with varying abilities. She told me that being a teacher is more than being an educator. You have to be a psychologist, a nurse, a disciplinarian, a mentor and a friend. It was hard for me to say goodbye to her today because she reminds me of so many motivated educators from the U.S. who have encouraged me to enter the field of education. I am overwhelmed at the amount of selfless love given from these teachers.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 5

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hanges are happening all around campus; some things we can see (like new buildings) and others we can’t (like new master’s programs). No matter how it appears, the future at AU is happening now. Mark Blackburn, dean of students at Augustana University, says he’s excited about the physical changes taking place. “This is a great campus,” he says.

“What can it be when we start renovating and getting things moving in the right direction? This is when students will come in the front door and say, ‘This is great. This is Augustana.’ Part of our core values is excellence,” he continues. “Now you can see excellence, not only in the classroom, but in the physical space that you walk in, that you learn in, that you talk with individuals.”

During J-Term, the first phase of renovations at The Huddle in Morrison Commons took place. A new grill area was debuted when students came back, and by the beginning of the spring semester, students were able to enjoy a new grill space and sub shop area.

Construction crews also took full advantage of the quiet campus during spring break. When students returned, they noticed new seating areas. The u-shaped counter was removed and the coffee area was moved to the new Coffee House in the Siverson Lounge. of all the renovations in the near and far future, why start Out

CAMPUS EMBARKS ON FACELIFTS AND NEW FOUNDATIONS

6

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

with this one? “This project was brought to us by Sodexo as a way to enhance flexibility for students while also alleviating some congestion issues that were challenging for both the dining room and The Huddle,” says Corey Kopp, director of Campus Life. “This project has been percolating for a couple of years, as we have been looking for an opportunity to redefine The Huddle, create an opportunity to address wait times during peak hours and to offer Dining Dollars to make it possible for students to better control their own dining experience. This project moves us a big step in the right direction and makes an immediate impact while we wait for other, larger projects to unfold.” Kopp says the new offerings bring greater flexibility and control for students. “The Huddle experience will no longer be tied to Transfer Meals. Now, students can use their Dining Dollars for any item whenever they like. It also means a new dining option in the Sub Connection and expanded Viking Grill and convenience store offerings as well.”

The Huddle, last renovated in 2001, needed an update that was conducive to today’s student wants and needs. Kopp says most of the hard furniture, like tables and chairs, were in good condition and remains in place, but the softer furniture, like couches and lounging chairs, will be replaced. “The ASA has been working with us on this project, offering input and feedback throughout the renovations,” Kopp says. “But student involvement has been key and has helped us shape these changes to be something consistent with what our students are looking for.” n

NEW FOUNDATION

nt

When it comes to their living situation, students are also looking for more independent living and privacy. That’s a trend that’s happening here at Augustana and on campuses across the country. Corey Kopp, director of Campus Life, says 85 percent of the living spaces here are found in traditional residence halls. However, he says over the last five years, apartments have become extremely popular. “That’s because students are still able to live within the umbrella of campus-owned facilities,” Kopp says. In response to that trend, Augustana built two new apartment buildings, rendering of n Balcer and Nelson, in 2017. And now, a new tural ew c e it ap apartment building on Summit Avenue, across h ar rc A tm the street from Edith Mortensen Center and e the Center for Western Studies will be open for incoming juniors and seniors in fall 2019.

Of course, there will be some differences in structure. “For the most part, this project is very similar architecturally and in terms of finishes to both [Balcer and Nelson] apartment buildings already constructed on Summit Avenue,” Kopp says. “The primary difference in this building will be total occupancy and the mix of apartments offered. The new building will house 40 students, as opposed to the 32 in each of the previous two apartment buildings. Additionally, we will be constructing eight, two-bedroom apartments in the new building, in addition to the six townhouse apartments that will be replications of what is found in both the Balcer and Nelson Apartments. These house four students each,” Kopp adds. n

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BRINGING THE CLASSROOM OUTSIDE

New Outdoor Classroom Breaks Ground

Students at Augustana University will soon be able to take their learning outside the classroom. Ground will be broken on a new outdoor classroom this spring between the Froiland Science Complex and the Madsen Center. The project will be completed in time for the fall 2019 semester.

Dr. David O’Hara, Augustana’s director of sustainability, said that he has been pushing for an outdoor classroom for over a decade.

“I have often taught outside,” O’Hara said. “I teach outside whenever I can. I’ve been trying lots of different places around campus to see what works well.”

O’Hara’s dream project was made a reality in 2018 when a $375,000 sustainability grant was anonymously given to Augustana.

Students in O’Hara’s fall 2018 Environmental Philosophy class jumped right in and helped conceptualize the project. Augustana senior Lucas Wylie created architectural plans while working as an intern under alum Chase Kramer, ‘08, an architect at TSP in Sioux Falls.

“The outdoor classroom can have a variety of uses,” says O’Hara, “including classes, theatrical or music performances, campus visits, religious gatherings and other group meetings.”

The outdoor classroom will be built in a semi-circular shape with three levels of seating. Each row of seats will be made from native South Dakota rock (Sioux quartzite, Black Hills granite and

Architectural rendering of outdoor classroom

sandstone) because of their longevity and sustainability. O’Hara says the three layers of stone will be arranged in geologic order, with the oldest stone at the bottom and the youngest stone on top, so the classroom itself will be a picture of the geologic history of South Dakota.

“When people build hotels today, most of those are built to last 30 years,” O’Hara said. “[When I teach] in Greece or Guatemala, there are buildings that are thousands of years old that are still functional because they’ve been built in a sustainable way, [with] local stone, almost no maintenance. That’s what I want to do here.”

Construction of the outdoor classroom will be done by Foster Landscaping Inc., a Sioux Falls landscaping company. The entire project will cost about $25,000. n

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 7

FAITHFUL TRANSFORMATIONS CAMPUS MINISTRY INVITES STUDENTS TO LEARN BY SERVING Written by Pastor Paul Rohde and Pastor Ann Rosendale

“We are surprised to discover God at work in places we didn’t expect.”

ta Ridge, South Dako s traveled to Pine Augustana student perience in service learning. ex and gained real-life

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THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

- Pastor Ann Rosendale

“I saw God everywhere at Pine Ridge [Indian Reservation],” exclaims junior student Morgan Rothschadl after the Campus Ministry fall break service learning trip. Her classmate, Logan Hattervig, adds, “It was not a work trip, it was a listening trip. We were there to learn about their culture.”

For decades, Augustana University Campus Ministry has invited students to Pine Ridge, South Dakota, for fall break. They are hosted by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Retreat Center which arranges a number of cultural immersion opportunities: listening to the elders, playing with children, worshipping in our neighbors’ churches.

Pastor Kay Dressel continues a heritage of teaching and interpretation.

Students ask questions about Native Americans and about individualistic, consumerist and privileged assumptions in our culture.

For many students, this is the first time they have been a racial minority.

In times of group reflection, one Bible story after another becomes tangible: Jesus’ washing feet, blessing the poor, breaking bread. The most ironic experience is students discovering they are receiving Christ as well as seeking to serve Christ.

The founding director of the retreat center, Pastor Larry Peterson, was given an honorary doctorate from Augustana in 2009.

Campus Pastor Paul Rohde believes Pine Ridge is one of the most cross-cultural experiences Augustana offers and is more dramatic than Europe and maybe more than Latin America. “The chasm of misunderstanding is inexplicable,” states Rohde. “I’m not entirely sure what draws me back again and again.

When the poorest county in the United States is only five hours away from us, I think it is unconscionable not to go.”

This year’s students learned from Kevin Poor Bear, a former Augustana student who studied acrylic art under - Logan Hattervig Carl Grupp. Poor Bear draws as he describes his culture, his faith and the way art helps him express his hope for both his own healing and the healing of his community.

“It was not a work trip, it was a listening trip.

We were there to learn about their culture.”

Eight Augustana students trav eled to New York City to serve at Trinity Lutheran Chu rch's soup kitchen on the Lower East Side of Manhattan . The soup kitchen serves 200 hungry people in the city every day.

SERVICE LEARNING

Spring break found a dozen Vikings with Pastors Ann Rosendale and Rohde serving in the soup kitchen at Trinity Lutheran Church on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, New York. The partnership began in 2002 when students traveled to serve in the wake of 9/11. The congregation serves more than 1,000 people in its soup kitchen every week and hosts a food pantry besides. The congregation has stackable chairs in its sanctuary and a shower. The students sleep on mats on the floor. “It’s like camping in New York City,” Rohde muses.

Students get to see the lights and dazzle of New York City, but they also experience its shadows. Discussions probe systemic injustices, marginalization and multiple definitions of poverty and God and God’s church at work in these complexities.

Other service learning destinations over the years have included Holden Village, Bible camps in Florida and Montana, the interfaith campus in Omaha, Nebraska, an orphanage in Mexico, Taize in France and the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.

Rosendale says service learning fosters discovery, curiosity, openness and a sense of adventure. “We are surprised to discover God at work in places we didn’t expect.”

While Vision 2030 finds the Augustana community embracing change and growth, Campus Ministry is committed to living faith by engaging community with the posture of servants. Pastor Paul and Pastor Ann thrill to seeing students encounter God in their neighbors; loving God by loving our neighbors. n

in Poor Bear, a former Augustana students meet Kev st and former AU professor arti er und student who studied th Dakota.

Carl Grupp, in Pine Ridge, Sou

Did You Know?

Augustana University shares a common theme with the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities of being rooted and open. This means students receive an excellent education, rooted in the liberal arts, that engenders freedom of inquiry and prepares them for meaningful work.

Now, as never before, the world needs our graduates; graduates who are intellectually acute, humbly open to others, vocationally wise, morally astute and religiously articulate.

Source: ROOTED AND OPEN: The Common Calling of the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities found at augie.edu/rooted.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 9

THROUGH THE AIRWAVES

PODCASTING the future

takes au into

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nter to Learn. Leave to Serve. More than just a motto, these words are a way of life at Augustana University. So, it should come as no surprise that Augie has chosen vocation as the subject of its first full-length podcast, set to debut with a teaser episode this spring. The podcast will weave stories of vocation from Augustana students, current and retired professors and alumni across all stages of life.

“Vocation isn’t just about doing what I want to do. It’s about doing what the world needs me to do,” says Campus Pastor Ann Rosendale, host of the upcoming podcast. “All of us have a vocation, or multiple vocations, from birth to death. We have different callings at different ages and stages.”

While the idea for the podcast was planted by President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin a couple years ago, it did not take root until Dr. Peter Folliard, assistant professor of music, was working on a complementary project after being awarded the Oliver Innovation Grant. As the first recipients of the grant, Folliard, Dr. Katie McCollough, an assistant professor in communication studies, and Dr. Jeffrey Miller, professor of English/Journalism, used the funds to create a recording studio in Room 47 of the Humanities building. “Studio 47” soon took on a life of its own.

“I started getting contacted by different stakeholders on campus who had an interest [in audio recording],” says Dr. Folliard.

“There’s a need and a desire and an amazing talent from students at Augie with this [studio],” says Dr. McCollough.

10 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

In the midst of the installation, Dr. Folliard crossed paths with Pastor Rosendale and asked if she had any ideas for the studio.

“Talk about giving someone an acorn and having them grow a forest,” he says.

The yet to be named podcast, says Pastor Rosendale, “has been ministry as much as it is something the university is putting out there. It’s an outlet for people to tell their story. That’s what pastoral work is. I’m just doing it in front of a microphone now.”

After listening to hours of interviews in the course of production, Drs. Folliard and McCollough agree. “It’s not just about the podcast,” says Dr. McCollough. “It’s a vocation unto itself.”

“You are granted a privilege you are not used to,” says Dr. Folliard.

“You almost get to be a confidante as a listener.”

The three creators have high hopes for the podcast. As new professors, Drs. Folliard and McCollough credit the podcast project with giving them a better understanding of what makes Augustana’s intersection of faith and education so powerful.

“Sometimes as teachers, we get caught up in our classes, and this is something bigger than that,” says Dr. McCollough.

Hearing other people’s stories of living out their vocation is inspiring and puts your own vocation at the forefront of your mind, says Dr. Folliard. “That’s what we’re hoping the listener gains from listening to the podcast.” n

Augustana University professor Dr. Patrick Hicks hosts Poetry from Studio 47, a new weekly feature during South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s In the Moment, which highlights the life and work of poets. Poetry from Studio 47 is recorded at Studio 47, a world-class recording studio at Augustana University. The program is produced by Augustana University Orchestra Conductor Dr. Peter Folliard, who also wrote the opening music.

The program features a variety of poets, but will focus on the poets of the Midwest and Great Plains. “We have a wealth of poetic talent in our state and it will be fun to share it with listeners,” says Dr. Hicks. “I think listeners are going to appreciate tuning in. Poems are essentially just little stories, and who doesn’t like a good story?”

DARK

MATTER

Sheds Light to Medical Technology

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hat is dark matter? For many, it’s something that’s straight out of a science fiction novel or a "Star Trek" episode.

However, for scientists, the exact definition of dark matter remains just that: dark. Dark matter doesn’t emit or interact with light or electromagnetism of any type. It’s not tangible, nor can it be seen.

However, while we may not be able to actually see it, that doesn’t mean we aren’t making headway into significant medical breakthroughs. Dr. Drew Alton, associate professor of physics at Augustana, says this specific research may not make an immediate effect upon our daily lives, but the long-term impact may eventually prove beneficial for many.

Some of the research on dark matter being conducted now can be applied to improving future PET [positron emission tomography] detectors, which offer imaging scans that allow doctors to check for diseases in the human body. Dr. Alton says that “using a small version of the PET detectors can be used to study structures in peoples’ brains and other body parts” and these types can be more efficient than current detectors, which would allow for fewer radioactive materials when examining patients.

Recently, Dr. Alton was part of a group of 150 U.S. and international collaborators who focused research on Gran Sasso National Laboratory in Abruzzo, Italy. The lab is the largest underground research center in the world and it is well-known for its particle physics research by the National Institute for Nuclear Physics. In order to conduct the research, the collaboration constructed a detector—that took over a year—which contained approximately 50 kgs of ultra-

pure argon. These detectors are devices used to sense, track, and/or identify ionizing particles that are produced in nuclear decay, cosmic radiation or reactions in a particle accelerator. The detector was operated almost 24/7/365 for three years to gather 600 days of data. While they didn’t find any evidence of dark matter, the experiment is still a success because they were able to demonstrate that technology can operate background-free for long periods of time – in this case, years.

Dr. Alton says the evidence collected to date on dark matter is done through “gravitational effects.” He adds that in the early universe dark matter formed seed bumps of matter in order to form galaxies.

So, how do scientists study something that is inherently not visible? According to Space.com, roughly 80 percent of the universe’s mass is made up of material that scientists can’t observe. The only way we know it exists is the way it distorts gravity and orbits the center of our galaxy. However, what is known to scientists is baryonic matter,

which is composed of protons and neutrons.

Based on the successful operation for extended time and that this technology can operate background free, the collaboration has proposed a larger detector. The project involves extracting 20 tons of argon from an underground gas well. Extracting it this way

“...HOW DO SCIENTISTS STUDY SOMETHING THAT IS INHERENTLY NOT VISIBLE?” reduces a radioactive isotope that exists in normal atmospheric argon. The 800-times larger mass will allow the experiment to operate for a day and exceed their sensitivity from their previous 600-day run. The project will cost $20 million and the National Science Foundation has already approved funding a portion of the project, while the Italian government has agreed to fund approximately $12 million. The collaboration is attempting to find additional overall funding for the project.

Advances in science and medicine are always at the forefront of mankind’s research, but funding is always a roadblock without an immediate application. Dr. Alton says that while “the NSF doesn’t give us as much money as we want, funding has been good enough to keep participating” in this project. NSF grants will make it possible for the project to remain funded for the next four years, allowing students and researchers like Dr. Alton to continue making headway.

Last summer, two full-time students and a part-time student worked on this project. n

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 11

Beyond the Classroom: 19 Years of Student Research Symposiums

O

n Saturday, April 6, more than 70 students participated in the Arthur Olsen Student Research Symposium. For the 19th year, students across all disciplines were invited to apply to present their research findings in either poster form or in a live presentation.

Augustana alumnus Kaeti Hinck ‘07, kicked off the symposium with her keynote address, discussing her Nieman Fellowship research, which covers how our lives are shaped by the technology we use. “Drawing from my experience working at the intersection of journalism, technology, and design, [I] explore how we can navigate the flood of information with more urgency and how psychology and neuroscience can move us toward human-centered technology,” said Hinck.

Throughout the hallways and classrooms of the Humanities building, student presentations filled the rest of the afternoon.

This year’s committee chair, biology professor Dr. Carrie OlsonManning, credited Augustana for providing research opportunities to every student. “It is experiential learning,” she said. “The students are not just wrestling with ideas, they are actually creating new knowledge.”

JOIN US FOR

VIKING DAYS October 11-13, 2019 augie.edu/vikingdays

To be accepted into the symposium, student researchers submitted abstracts of their work to the committee, each with the support of a faculty sponsor. While some students conducted research specifically for the symposium, most presented ongoing projects that will carry through their years at Augie. A substantial fraction of student presenters will go on to publish their work.

The committee instituted some changes to the symposium this year, introducing several awards for student presentations. The winning abstracts were determined by the committee.

“It makes our students better all around to participate in genuine research at some point,” said Olson-Manning, remembering her own undergraduate research. “It made classes more interesting and important because I needed the information to support my research. It makes everything real.” n TO SEE THE STUDENTS' PRESENTATIONS THAT WERE SHOWCASED, VISIT AUGIE.EDU/RESEARCH. © Ana Knyazeva

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12 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

KENNEDY FESTIVAL: A

Coleman Peterson performs in the Augustana production of “Clue: The Musical”

Andrew Canaan presented his lighting design for Augustana’s 2018 production of "The Addams Family" at the regional technology and design expo.

Abby Giambattista (left) and her partner Kale Hellman advanced to the semifinal round of the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship Competition. Around 340 actors and their partners competed in the preliminary round — Abby and Kale were among the 66 that moved on to the semi-final round.

A LEARNING EXPERIENCE

concert reading of his musical was the highlight of the 2019 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (Region 5) for Augustana University student Coleman Peterson. But the advice he received from the playwriting panel proved to be even more beneficial. “They gave me some very helpful insight as to what my next steps should be with the show and offered their opinions on the script from outside perspectives,” said Peterson, who co-wrote "Puberty: The Musical" in high school.

“Some of what they mentioned were things that I had never even considered, so it was nice to get some fresh input from three new, trustworthy sources.”

Peterson was among 32 Augustana students who participated in the festival, a week-long event filled with performances, workshops, auditions and interviews in Sioux Falls, S.D. in January Other students came from schools in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota, leading to the slogan on its Twitter feed: “Great Plains. Great Plays.”

“It’s a fantastic experience for all of our students,” said Dan Workman, chair of theatre at Augustana, which was a festival sponsor. “They get to meet future colleagues and see what else is happening in our region.”

Peterson, who is in his third year and majoring in theatre and music, also performed in the Augustana Collaborative Theatre Society’s production of "Puberty: The Musical" in November. Peterson is a regional nominee for the 2019 National Partners of the American Theatre Playwriting Award, which will be announced in April.

ACTS’ performance of "Puberty: The Musical" earned six commendations during the January festival, and Augustana’s productions of "Real as Air" and "The Addams Family" also received commendations. Students Abby Giambattista and Kale Hellman reached the semifinals for the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship.

“The experience was unlike anything I’ve ever had before,” Giambattista said. “I grew up with a very small theatre company with not very many resources, but of course that changed drastically as soon as I came to Augie. The festival, which I was only able to participate in because of our lovely school, was any and everything one could ever hope for in a theatre experience.” The festival is scheduled to return to Sioux Falls in 2020. n

FOR STUDENTS

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 13

’17 Alumnus Named Fourth Rhodes Scholar in Augustana History:

KOFI GUNU

Luck and fate may have brought him to South Dakota in 2012 but it’s hard work and perseverance that got Augustana alum Kofi Gunu named the 2019 Rhodes Scholar for West Africa. Oxford will be the next stop on a remarkable academic journey that has already spanned four continents.

Gunu, a native of Ghana, graduated summa cum laude from Augustana University, where he received a B.A. in Government/ International Affairs in 2017. While finishing his final year at Augustana, Gunu won a coveted award called the Schwarzman Scholarship, which granted him the opportunity to obtain his master’s degree in Global Affairs from Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. Graduate degree in hand, Gunu moved back to Ghana to work for the West African nation’s Vice President as a national service fellow. He is currently assisting the government to design an apprenticeship program and to promote a more robust partnership with China.

Considered the oldest and most prestigious academic award in the world, the Rhodes Scholarship covers the cost of any postgraduate course at the University of Oxford for up to three years. Gunu is hoping to use his award to pursue a Ph.D. in International Relations. The 22-year-old is the fourth person to be named a Rhodes Scholar in Augustana history. The other winners are Arthur Larson '31, Paul Rogness '58, and Rafiullah Kakar ‘10.

INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES So how did Gunu get to South Dakota in the first place? “It is a pretty improbable story,” he writes from his home in Accra, Ghana’s capital city. In 2012, Gunu won a U.S. State Department scholarship to spend a year as an exchange student at an American high school.

Beneficiaries of this scholarship, called the Youth Exchange and

14 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

Study (YES) program, are placed randomly around the United States.

The Bennetts, a Brandon family, came across Gunu’s profile and decided to open their home to him.

“At the time, I had no idea where South Dakota was on the map and had never heard of Augustana University.”

Gunu soon discovered Augustana when he began considering life after high school. “I really wanted to continue my education in the States, and AU became the obvious choice, in part because two of the teachers I most admired at BVHS [Brandon Valley High School], Justin Lovrien and Matt Christensen, were Augie alums.”

Lovrien and Christensen not only encouraged the youngster to apply to Augustana, but worked to help him overcome “AND, OF COURSE, the biggest hurdle to higher IT HELPED THAT education in America for AUGUSTANA GRANTED an international student— ME A VERY GENEROUS funding. The duo organized ‘DISTINGUISHED a “College for Kofi” hog roast that rallied the Brandon Valley SCHOLARS’ PACKAGE, community and raised part WITHOUT WHICH MY of Gunu’s first-year tuition DREAM OF BECOMING at Augustana. Gunu says he A VIKING WOULD HAVE will always be very grateful BEEN TOTALLY OUT OF to everyone who made REACH.” that initial investment in his college education.

“And, of course, it helped that Augustana granted me a very generous ‘Distinguished Scholars’ package, without which my dream of becoming a Viking would have been totally out of reach.”

Once at Augustana, he says he benefited from classmates and teachers who built him up both mentally and spiritually. “The staff at the International Programs Office (IPO) provided very relevant career advice, and there were alumni who connected me to scholarships and other opportunities. I was pushed to excel.”

Gunu also threw himself into the Augustana community. He worked as a resident adviser (RA) for two years in Bergsaker and Granskou Halls, and served in the ASA and even launched what he

calls a “quixotic” bid for ASA vice president in 2016. While he lost that contest, he believes his candidacy sparked conversation around issues that matter to Augustana’s growing international population.

“I wanted to make Augustana the sort of place where students from diverse backgrounds felt welcomed and needed.” Gunu co-founded the first African Students Union at Augustana and helped build the Peace Club into a platform for service and dialogue.

Distinguished Professor Dr. Patrick Hicks, who serves as Augustana’s Rhodes Scholar adviser, says, “He was involved in Civitas, our Honors Program, and he graduated summa cum laude. He was a Peace Scholar, and basically, he received just about every major award we could give him. Of course he had to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship.”

“I WANTED TO Gunu says one of the best things about South Dakota was MAKE AUGUSTANA the sheer number of incredible THE SORT OF PLACE opportunities that came his WHERE STUDENTS way in the five years he called FROM DIVERSE South Dakota home. The Boys BACKGROUNDS FELT State (summer leadership and WELCOMED AND citizenship programs for high school juniors sponsored by The NEEDED.” American Legion) delegate of 2013 worked on U.S. Senator Mike Rounds’ campaign in 2014 and later in his Capitol Hill office and for the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, D.C. Gunu also did a summer internship with Sanford Health that allowed him to visit and help several clinics in his home country.

Reflecting on these experiences, Gunu says he doubts that similar

HIN WAS

GTON

D.C.

opportunities would have been available to him in Ghana or even elsewhere in the U.S. “In many respects, South Dakota was the best possible place I could have found myself.”

EYES ON THE PRIZE While the opportunities were amazing, Gunu dealt with the same challenges many international students face going to college far away from home. “I didn’t get to see my family for four consecutive years, and my financial situation was at times precarious,” he says.

“Alongside my academic work, I juggled several jobs on and off campus,” he adds. “There were moments that tested my resolve.

I believe part of the reason I succeeded is that I kept my eyes fixed on the goal: to become the first person from any branch of my family to graduate from university.”

However, Gunu does not want people to see his selection for the Rhodes Scholarship as the product of hard work and perseverance alone. “Being back in Ghana has made me keenly aware that quality educational opportunities remain inaccessible to millions of children in the country, no matter how intelligent or motivated they may be.

I was lucky that I got the chance to escape those structural issues, but many many others have not been as fortunate,” he says. Gunu says this realization motivates his desire to be an agent of transformational change in Ghana.

A SINGULAR OPPORTUNITY Gunu is the third Rhodes Scholar for West Africa since the scholarship was reinstated for the sub-continent in 2017. According to Ike Chioke, the Rhodes National Secretary for West Africa, a total of 2,134 applications were submitted in 2018. Rigorous screening narrowed the number down to 10 finalists who were invited to Lagos, Nigeria, for a weekend of in-person interviews. Gunu came out on top at the end of this process. Only one scholarship slot is available for all of West Africa. For comparison, 32 Rhodes Scholars are selected in the U.S. each year, although West Africa has a slightly larger population.

Gunu says the rarity of the opportunity makes him even more determined to use his education to benefit his community and country. Gunu shares, “My dream is to serve Ghana as a diplomat. I believe Africa’s growing relationship with China will condition the continent’s future for decades to come. I am headed to Oxford to gain knowledge and experience to ensure that China-Africa relations yield positive dividends for our people and our environment.”

Gunu says he is thankful to South Dakotans and AU for nourishing him as few other communities could have done. He reserves his biggest gratitude for the AU professors who wrote letters of recommendation to support his application.

“We are extremely proud of Kofi and his accomplishments,” says Dr. Hicks. “To receive an award of this caliber is a once-in-a-lifetime achievement. Kofi left a lasting legacy of leadership at Augustana.

He is truly a role model for students.” n

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 15

BEJING

“POWER, THE PRESS

AT BOE FORUM

Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein take questions from the audience during the student press conference on March 19.

“I was expecting them to be larger than life. But really they are normal, kind gentlemen who are passionate about their craft. I was in awe.”

16 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

—Kaatje Weiland, Editor-in-Chief, The EDDA

& THE PRESIDENCY”

“These giants are the pinnacle of journalism. It gives me hope for future responsible, fair and accurate reporting.”

—Jacob Knutson, Editor-in-Chief, The Mirror

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 17

Journalistic Icons Woodward, Bernstein

Discuss Politics Throughout Modern History & Today

I

“Most people want to tell you the truth if you give them the chance.

You just have to be patient and listen.”

— Carl Bernstein

18 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

n an era of fake news and attacks on journalism, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein shared their experiences as investigative reporters and brought an insider’s view of the power, press and the presidency to the 23rd Boe Forum on Public Affairs.

The free ticketed event, presented by Augustana University and the Center for Western Studies, was attended by just under 4,000 people and held March 19 in the Elmen Center.

The icons, who have shaped the landscape in their reporting, offered their insight and perspective on journalism and democracy in the world today, as well as objective news reporting in today’s hostile climate.

Woodward, a best-selling author and associate editor at The Washington Post, captivated the audience with fascinating, and at times, shocking stories from today and the past to reveal what’s going on in the political world in an age of around-the-clock news and social media. Woodward is the author of 19 books, and his latest, FEAR: Trump in the White House, sold more than 1.1 million copies in its first week in September 2018 — a record for publisher Simon & Schuster.

Bernstein, whose most recent book is the national bestseller, A Woman In Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton, shared the inner workings of government and politics framed around his experiences in Washington.

“Woodward and Bernstein, starting with their coverage of Watergate in the early 1970s for The Washington Post that led to President Richard Nixon’s resignation, have subjected every administration since then to rigorous analysis that benefits Americans,” said Dr. Harry Thompson, executive director of the Center for Western Studies at Augustana University.

“The Pulitzer Prize winners’ insight and perspective on journalism and democracy in the world today is highly engaging and thought provoking,” says Augustana University President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.

Before the event, Woodward and Bernstein participated in a student-only press conference. Writers from the student-run newspaper, The Mirror, along with 80 high school students and 50 Augustana journalism students, were able to ask well, thought-out questions about life, speakers’ experiences and how politics has changed throughout the decades in Washington.

Of course, much of the discussion surrounded the Watergate scandal. “The biggest pressure there was, we were afraid to make a mistake,” said Carl Bernstein.

“But we knew we had to keep digging and doing the work.”

Bob Woodward credits the Washington Post, namely the owner and publisher at the time, Katharine Graham, as being their biggest support system.

“She supported us on the whole story,” he said. “She didn’t tell us how to do it but she was still engaged, nonetheless. I remember we were having lunch one day and she asked when the story would be done.

I looked at her and said ‘never.’ She looked right at me and said, ‘don’t tell me never.’ I took that to heart and kept going. Clearly it paid off!”

Many journalism students in attendance of the student press conference wondered how it’s possible to remain unbiased in the midst of constant social media, influencers and 24/7 news. Woodward said, “you just need to make sure you’ve been fair and steel yourself for criticism.”

Woodward went on to tell students when it comes to reporting, do the work of making phone calls and doing interviews in person when possible. His biggest piece of advice when asking for an interview? “There are four magic words in journalism: I need your help,” he said.

Jacob Knutson, editor-in-chief of The Mirror, admitted he was nervous meeting the journalistic icons. “They are the pinnacle of journalism,” he said.

“But meeting them and listening to them gives me hope for future fair and accurate reporting.”

Kaatje Weiland, editor-in-chief of the yearbook, The EDDA, agreed with Knutson. “They’re huge figures in journalism,” she said. “I didn’t want to let them down...their experiences have shaped their entire lives. It was an amazing day.”

Both students said they left the day's events inspired. “I am going to work harder,” Knutson, who is a senior journalism major and government minor, said. “They told us as reporters we are going to get knocked down and roughed up but you have to get up and keep going.”

Weiland says this year’s Boe Forum speakers affirms her career focus. “I came in as a freshman who was undecided on a major,” the junior journalism/ media studies major, and German minor, said. “But after taking [Dr. Janet Blank-Libra’s] newswriting and reporting class and more classes in journalism and now today, there’s no doubt this is what I’m meant to do.”

Past forums have included U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the late President George H.W. Bush among other speakers who address events, issues or problems of worldwide or national concern and of broad public interest. To read more about the 2019 Boe Forum and to see more photos of the day's events, visit augie.edu/boe. n

“What haunts me is if we had given up, history would've been changed forever.”

— Bob Woodward

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 19

VISION 20

AFFIRMING ACADEMIC EXC

Striving for Innovation, Expansion

20 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

030

CELLENCE

& Diversity

I

magine the world in 2030. Advances in technology, health care, transportation and education will have occurred a few times over.

New economies, new jobs and new career fields will emerge and the next generation of college graduates will be leading the way.

This will include the graduating class of 2030, who today are 10 and 11 years-old. They’re fourth-and fifth-graders. They are infinitely curious and becoming more and more independent. They are better at using smartphones and navigating their way around the internet than most adults. They still play tag and many love video games; they spend time with friends, have sleepovers and are becoming more mature every day. It’s hard to predict what their world will be like in 2030, but we do know that as their world changes, they’ll adapt accordingly. And that’s what Vision 2030 is all about: embracing change and adapting to it, with courage and creativity.

The bold and imaginative strategic vision, which was unanimously approved by the Augustana Board of Trustees in December 2018, consists of aspirational goals and inspires the Augustana and Sioux Falls communities to continue growing together.

Over the next 11 years, these goals will expand educational opportunities to meet the needs of a growing and diverse population.

“Augustana has been in the Sioux Falls community for 100 years,” Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin says. “It’s an ideal time to consider our legacy and plan effectively for the first decade of our next century in this growing and dynamic city. Sioux Falls has always supported our graduates with employment, research, service and leadership opportunities.”

Board Chair and 1983 graduate of Augustana Tom Davis agrees.

“The university must dream big, be dynamic and adapt to change,” says Davis. “When we changed the name from Augustana College to Augustana University, we set forward a series of events. Part of this vision comes from that process.” Davis continues, “we enthusiastically endorsed the vision the president and her team put forward. For decades, Augustana has prepared students to be leaders who explore, create and discover what’s possible. The excitement for the board is grounded in the fact that we have been given an opportunity to serve this community in ways we’re not even aware of today.”

The university’s 2030 vision includes aspirational goals that continue to foster a climate of innovation, for which university leadership believes the campus community and its global network of alumni will support along with many businesses and organizations in Sioux Falls. The goals include: • Adapt the academic structure of the university to most effectively support the liberal arts core, new graduate degree programs, the performing and visual arts and a professional school.

• Grow total enrollment to at least 3,000 students.

• Establish strategic academic scholarships that enhance affordability and diversity.

• Transition to a Division I intercollegiate athletics conference.

• Make dramatic improvements to the physical campus and IT infrastructure.

• Increase substantially the university’s endowment and other financial resources to reach these goals.

“I’m excited to move to the next stage of planning with the campus community,” President Herseth Sandlin states. “The transition from Horizons 2019 to a new strategic plan presents another wonderful opportunity to collaborate and enhance partnerships across the university as we work to achieve our aspirational goals. By pursuing these goals, as set forth in Vision 2030, I am convinced that possibilities will present themselves in ways we cannot even imagine today — possibilities that will impact more students and result in greater impact to Augustana, our city, the region and the world.”

continued on page 22 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 21

continued from page 21

NEXT STAGES As Augustana transitions from Horizons 2019 to Vision 2030, work is progressing steadily. Four steering committees have been established to provide broad direction, collect information and data, analyze recommendations, and draft the strategic objectives and tactics that will support the goals. The timetable, while aggressive, is an 11-month process to identify measurable objectives,conduct additional research and draft the strategic planning document. The steering committees began meeting in February and have a goal of identifying priorities and milestones by the end of May. The steering committees have convened several task forces, which consist of faculty, staff, students and alumni to research, identify or recommend specific objectives. Over the summer, from June through August, the steering committees will gather and analyze more information related to priority objectives. In September and October, a strategic plan will be drafted based on the work completed by the steering committees and task forces. The draft will be reviewed by the president’s council and shared with the campus community to solicit feedback and inform possible revisions. In November, the president’s council, in collaboration with the steering committees, will finalize the strategic plan, which will be presented to the board of trustees no later than the December 2019 meeting.

FOUNDATIONS INTACT The university’s mission statement was at the core in developing a vision for the future. The president and the board agree that the Lutheran scholarly tradition and the liberal arts should continue to inspire the education Augustana provides, now and into the future — an education of enduring worth that challenges the intellect, fosters integrity and integrates faith with learning and service in a diverse world. The five core values of Christian, Liberal Arts, Excellence, Community, and Service will continue to infuse the academic curriculum as well as student life.

“The whole educational environment is changing,” says Tom Walsh, ’71. “With the expansion and reliance on the Internet, we do everything online — from banking to healthcare. We need to be proactive in addressing the needs of the next generation. It’s an aggressive but significant investment,” says the former Sioux Falls Burger King franchise owner and now GreatLife owner. “Augustana invested in me as a student. It helped shape me, my attitude and my values so I am now able to reach out and make a difference in peoples’ lives. I’m an aggressive guy and I appreciate what my alma mater is doing. This is a monumental decision for Augustana.”

Despite some of the changes envisioned for the future of the university, the emphasis will remain firmly on academic excellence.

“We are an academic enterprise and we lead with academics,” says President Herseth Sandlin. “As we seize opportunities in our future, we want to be thought of with Drake University in Des Moines, Creighton University in Omaha, Valaparaiso University outside of Chicago and Butler University in Indianapolis, as among the best regional universities in the Midwest region which attract students from all over the country. These are the private universities we’re also evaluating for athletics and how we might do things similarly or differently given our unique history, our current programs, and our prime location in Sioux Falls,” she says.

22 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

Next Steps To develop the strategic plan, a great deal of thought, research and analysis from a cross-section of university stakeholders will be needed. President Herseth Sandlin says the planning process will involve several stages, for which the President’s Council and Board of Trustees will provide oversight:

1

Four steering committees have been established to provide broad direction, collect information and data, analyze recommendations and draft the strategic objectives and tactics that support the aspirational goals. These steering committees are led by the following individuals: • Dr. Colin Irvine, Academics • Nancy Davidson and Mark Blackburn, Enrollment and Strategic Scholarships • Shannan Nelson and Deanna Versteeg, Physical Campus and IT • Josh Morton, Athletics

2 3 4 The steering committees have convened several task forces, which consist of faculty, staff, students and alumni to research, identify or recommend specific objectives.

A strategic plan will be drafted based on the work completed by the steering committees and task forces. The draft will be reviewed by the President’s Council and shared with the campus community to solicit feedback and inform possible revisions.

The final draft of the strategic plan will be presented to the Board of Trustees no later than the December 2019 meeting.

A BOOST IN ACADEMICS, ENROLLMENT President Herseth Sandlin is tackling enrollment as critically interrelated to academics. In 2018, there were 2,118 students enrolled.

The goal is to get to 3,000 by 2030. That will be a combination of undergraduate and graduate students, both full-time and part-time, those who live on and off campus, and students who might be enrolled through online or hybrid programs.

“By paying close attention to the ways that technology can help aid and enhance higher education, and by making sure we create a welcoming environment open to innovative ideas and input from everyone on campus and in the community, we will become the regional leader in graduate education,” says Dr. Colin Irvine, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university.

Dean Irvine adds, “In so doing, we will seek out opportunities to develop integrated degree programs and unbundled, targeted opportunities for both traditional and non-traditional learners.

Trends in higher education suggest that we must, like other institutions, begin to move away from necessarily equating seat time with credit hours and fixed schedules with degrees. We will explore more online programs, more low-residency hybrid programs and more interdisciplinary programs.”

Part of those programs will include an update to technology itself. “We are so excited about Vision 2030 because it has so many elements that will be critically important to our students moving into the future,” says Nancy Davidson, vice president for enrollment.

“We're here to serve students and the opportunity to serve more in different ways…we've talked a lot about incorporating enhancements to our IT structure, which will allow us to serve students not only on campus, but serve students around the globe wherever they may be at any point in time. I think that's very exciting.”

A DIVERSE COMMUNITY FOR A DIVERSE WORLD A key component to Vision 2030 is maintaining and nurturing a welcoming environment for all students and enhancing the diversity of the community at Augustana. This is important for reasons related to the university’s mission of preparing students to serve in a diverse world, to reflect the growing diversity in the city and the region, and to prepare for what demographic projections suggest will be more first-generation students and students of different ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds attending college in the future.

“We provide institution-wide leadership, consultation and programming that promotes diversity as a means of achieving educational excellence and enhancing the quality of life for all members of our campus community,” says Willette Capers, director of diversity, equity and inclusion. “A primary goal of our office is to provide academic and cultural programming with personal support that in essence helps all to develop intellectual, social and leadership abilities with all aspects of diversity.” Capers says her goal is to welcome and embrace people from all walks of life.

“Whether you are a student, a member of our faculty and staff, an alumnus or a visitor, we want you to experience Augustana University as a place where you can just be who you are.”

Capers and her team have developed four key areas that summarize the ethos of Augustana’s diversity and inclusion plan,

which is intended to shape, refine, and guide members of the campus community on how to invest in diversity, equity, and inclusion. They are as follows: • Establish the underpinnings to develop a more diverse culture at Augustana.

• Increase the recruitment of underserved populations within each campus community constituency — faculty, staff and students.

• Ensure that students graduate with the habits in mind needed to be effective members of a diverse community.

• Establish financial support and institutional accountability.

“I am convinced that possibilities will present themselves that we cannot even imagine today — possibilities that will impact more students and result in greater impact to Augustana, our city, the region and the world.”

— Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin

INVESTING IN OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY Dean Irvine says making these investments is just one thing that makes Augustana special. “These changes in Vision 2030 are grounded in a belief of the transformational power of liberal arts education. Every program we consider and every structural change we consider, we’re doing because we think what we’re pursuing helps us do the work we’re committed to for students and faculty in a better way.”

President Herseth Sandlin says it’s important to make those key investments. “We need to equip our faculty with the latest technological advancements and give them the right tools and support to ensure the rigor of our offerings, which is what we’re known for at Augustana. ” There’s also a commitment to enhancing the performing and visual arts — building on the rich history of the arts at Augie but also leveraging the city’s extraordinary support of the arts as essential to cultural vitality.

President Herseth Sandlin acknowledges for enrollment to increase, so must incentives to get students to enroll. Part of that will come in the form of scholarships. “We want to work with alumni and strategic partners to find creative ways to close the financial gap that exists even after a student exhausts other resources, including federal loans,” emphasizes President Herseth Sandlin.

“At Augustana, we stand behind the quality of our education and the return on investment because of the academic rigor and how we’re preparing graduates for a lifetime of career opportunities, not just their first jobs. However, we’re committed to doing all we can to lessen the financial strain for students and their families,” she says.

Davidson says Vision 2030, in every element of the plan, is really very student focused. “Everything that we are doing is to continue to maintain and enhance the academic quality of Augustana University’s programs and to provide rich and robust opportunities for our students now and long into the future.”

continued on page 25 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 23

AU: VISION

Changes at a

ACADEMICS •

Establish new academic structures and centers that sustain excellence, facilitate growth, and cultivate innovative and impactful teaching, learning, and research

•

Establish (a) professional school(s) that respond to the needs of students, grow enrollment, diversify revenue streams, and address workforce requirements of the regional community

• Establish a premier program in the arts that enriches and deepens student learning and contributes to the cultural vitality of our community • Enhance and embolden the academic enterprise through the transformational power of technology and data

PHYSICAL CAMPUS & IT •

Transform the physical campus to include student housing, IT infrastructure, and new and enhanced facilities to meet the needs of Augustana University as identified in the vision for 2030

G lance

ENROLLMENT & STRATEGIC SCHOLARSHIPS

•

Diversify the student body through strategic initiatives in order to enhance the overall learning environment and best prepare graduates to work, lead and serve in an ever-changing global community

•

Enroll 3,000+ undergraduate and graduate students to better serve the cultural and professional needs of the region and beyond

ATHLETICS •

Maintain academic and athletic excellence to recruit and retain exceptional student-athletes

•

Enhance the collegiate experience for studentathletes to position them for a lifetime of growth and success

•

Transition to NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics to provide student-athletes the opportunity to compete at a higher level and elevate the profile of the university

• Engage the Sioux Falls community to enthusiastically embrace Augustana University as the hometown team

24 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

the Talk around town

continued from page 23

D1 TRANSITION FOR AUGUSTANA ATHLETICS Twelve years ago, in response to the former North Central Conference breaking apart, Augustana made a difficult and deliberate decision to remain a Division II athletics program and invest in more resources to enhance competition, excellence and success. As a result, the university has also made a name for itself on the fields and on the courts.

Today, a proactive assessment within the broader and longer-term vision for Augustana includes a transition to Division I, for athletics and for the university as a whole, made easier because of the investments and achievements of the last 12 years. The city of Sioux Falls continues to grow, and just as with its support for strong academic programs and the arts, the president and the board of trustees share the optimism that the community and regional alumni are ready to invest in a DI athletics program because of the other benefits it can provide to the university and its regional profile.

Making the move from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) to a Division I conference is a goal that will likely take some time, but Josh Morton, director of athletics, is excited about what the future holds and says he hopes to have a new conference invitation by December of 2020. “Strategic plan development for achieving this goal has begun in earnest,” he says. “Once we get the invite, that’s the trigger to submit a reclassification application to the NCAA.” Schools going Division I must go through a four-year NCAA transition period.

“This is an opportunity for us,” Morton says. “Athletics provides us the opportunity to enhance the student experience; for our student-athletes and the entire campus population.”

“A number of conferences across all divisions look for strong, new members at various times,” President Herseth Sandlin says. “We have set an aggressive timetable for securing an invitation, and we are committed to doing the hard work, securing financial commitments and demonstrating that Augustana will be a valued member of any league that may extend the invite.”

“It’s going to be a whole new Augustana — one we can’t even imagine today but the future is now.”

—Kathy Walsh, Augustana Board of Trustees

“I’ve been hoping and waiting for this to happen for a long time. It’s a transformation, and it’s transform and include.

President Rob Oliver used to say, “Augie as it’s always been, and Augie as never before.” Our current president, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, says, “The past is prologue.”

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PHYSICAL CAMPUS In light of the other aspirational goals, a number of changes have to be made to the facilities themselves. That will include everything from the Commons to the dorms. “We’re pretty unique in terms of our space,” Davis says. “There are going to be new and unique challenges, but we have already started to map out solutions,” he hints. President Herseth Sandlin already has committed to a new apartment building now in construction on the east side of Summit Avenue and the development of a campus master plan that could include an innovative neighborhood on the north side of campus.

A more immediate project includes a renovation of The Huddle and expansion of Morrison Commons to a modern-day student union, offering more dining options, more space for meetings and student organizations, as well as fitness and wellness areas.

“We will build on our first 100 years in Sioux Falls in a way that lays the groundwork for the next century – it’s bold and ambitious and achievable. It’s time to innovate and collaborate together even more.

Augustana will adapt to change, be ready to partner, and dream big, just like we ask our students to do and just as the university has always done,” says President Herseth Sandlin.

“It’s an opportunity to stand tall and proud and to think about where Augie’s been, who we are today and what we can become in the future,” says alumna Pam Homan, ’81, vice president for advancement. “The sky’s the limit.” n For more information about Vision 2030, visit augie.edu/vision

“My biggest advice for current students and alums, going forward, is to really trust the leadership that's here…having known some of the board of trustees members, it's a very smart, deliberate, thoughtful group that gives me all the confidence in the world that it's going to be great.”

—Dr. Jeff Oakland ‘02, President, Augustana Alumni Council

—John Simko ‘61, Retired Judge

“As students, our professors tell us to think bigger, to make big plans, to pursue your dreams, and to make a successful plan to get you there. By Augustana pursuing these goals, we’re living up to what we’re telling our students and we’re creating a more well-rounded experience for them.”

—Brittany Dardis ‘15, Former Young Trustee (2017-19)

“We’re very excited about continuing to foster strategic relationships with partners in Sioux Falls that will create not only opportunities for our students as undergrads and graduate students, but hopefully create a wonderful pipeline for those organizations in terms of providing them with exceptional employees as they continue to grow and thrive in Sioux Falls, as well.”

—Nancy Davidson, Vice President for Enrollment

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 25

MAKING THE GRADE 200+ Student-Athletes Named to Fall Dean’s List

I

t’s no secret that past generations at Augustana University have accomplished great things, on and off the fields and the courts. Today’s generation of Vikings is no different. The coaches, faculty and the entire staff has long been dedicated to building champions in the classroom, in competition and in the community. The fall semester of 2018-19 is no different and is proving to be a banner year for the athletic department.

Recently, the fall semester dean’s list was announced and more than 200 student-athletes made the list. The dean’s list is an honor for those full-time students whose grade point averages (GPA) are 3.50 or above and this year, nearly 50 percent of all studentathletes made the list. Even more impressive, 32 student-athletes, or 7.5 percent, ended the fall semester with a perfect 4.0 GPA. Josh Morton, athletic director for Augustana Athletics is proud of each athlete. “Here at Augustana, our students are challenged every day in the classroom. To have more than 200 student-athletes earn dean’s list honor, while also consistently finding success in competition, speaks volumes about each Viking athletic program.

I’m extremely proud of our student-athletes and looking forward to their continued success,” he says.

The academic awards continued to roll in for Viking studentathletes earlier this year. The Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) recently announced 73 Augustana student athletes earned academic all-conference honors, marking the

26 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

highest total in the entire league. Furthermore, 13 Viking studentathletes earned the NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic distinction award, which is bestowed to senior student-athletes who have a cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher, are exhausting their eligibility, and are on track to graduate.

Two student-athletes who have gone above and beyond are Kirby Hora and Leah Seivert. Seivert was named the 2018 NSIC Elite 18 Award winner, a distinction which is presented to the studentathlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site for each of the NSIC’s 18 Championships. She is a senior majoring in elementary education and holds a 4.0 GPA. Hora, a 4.0 student and December 2018 graduate, recently earned the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. One of the NCAA’s most prestigious honors, the committee has awarded him a $10,000 scholarship for part-time or full-time postgraduate study at a university or professional school.

The numbers don’t lie; like the generations before them, today’s Augustana student-athletes are setting the standard for future generations; building character and making the grade. In and out of the classroom.

To see the full list of fall semester students who made the Dean's List, visit augie.edu/deanslist. n

“There's a plan for all of us.

When we get out of our own way; out of our heads — that's when we find our freedom.”

—Leah Seivert

LEAH L

eah Seivert, a fifth year senior cross country star at Augustana University has a bright future. She’s a successful athlete with a room full of trophies. She’s on the Dean’s List. The elementary education major knows she wants to teach third or fourth graders. But it wasn’t too long ago the All-American was at her all-time lowest. She was battling anorexia.

The Sibley, Iowa, native started running in sixth grade when she and her mother both signed up for a ‘couch-to-5k plan’.

“It started off as both of us just walking three miles, then walk for 30 seconds and run for 30 seconds,” Seivert laughed. “It was a very step-by-step process. So then at the end of the summer, we did a 5k and the cross country coach happened to be there, so he asked about what sports I was planning on doing next year in middle school.”

At first, Seivert didn’t even know what cross-country was but she knew she wanted to do some kind of sport in the fall. “I wasn’t really into volleyball and actually never heard of cross-country,” Seivert said. “So the [Sibley-Ocheyedan High School Generals] coach painted a little picture of what it was and then I asked my friends what they thought and they said, ‘Don’t do it; you have to run like five miles a day.’”

After talking to her friends, Seivert didn’t know if she would be able to run that far but knew she enjoyed running

with her mom. The small-town girl decided to give it a try and actually got a couple of her friends to join her. continued on page 28

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 27

SEIVERT SPRINTS PAST

BARRIERS, FINDS SUCCESS continued from page 27

BORN TO RUN

“After I started competing it just came easily to me,” Seivert said. “I wasn’t always motivated to run by myself, especially in junior high when I wanted to go to the pool and hang out with my friends. My mom was really the one who started the fire and my dad was the one who kind of kept the fire burning after it got started.”

Once that spark took off, Seivert never looked back; she was a natural runner. And she was taking in as much reading material she could about how to get that so-called ‘runner’s body.’

“I wanted to be lean and cut fat so I could be faster,” she says. “I started by eating a balanced diet but eventually I got more and more strict. I eliminated all desserts and extras like ketchup, mayonnaise and ranch dressing. I never allowed myself food rewards.”

For awhile, her methods worked. She never lost a race in junior high. By the time she entered high school, she was a champion runner. “I wasn’t striving to lose weight,” she states. “That’s the scary thing.

Cutting weight improves your times but a crash is bound to happen. Oftentimes, people see the glory and continue their behavior, not knowing what is ahead.”

Eventually, the effects started showing.

“I was a sophomore in high school and I had some health issues,” she says. “My body was starting to break down but I didn’t see it.”

Soon, Seivert started to lose her races.

Finally, she says a few people took charge and got her the help she needed. “When I was diagnosed, I weighed nowhere near what a five foot five girl should’ve,” she says.

“My heart rate was extremely low. I didn’t see it but I look at photos now and can’t

believe how awful I looked. At the time,

28 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

Leah Seivert receives a hug from her third grade students at Lowell Elementary School in Sioux Falls, where she student taught during the spring semester of 2018.

I was winning and that’s all that mattered to me.”

Seivert spent the spring of her sophomore year in high school gaining back weight and seeing a psychologist “to make sure I was in the right mindset.”

The following fall and spring of her junior year was the best she would have in her high school running career. She spent time working with dieticians and nutritionists but always felt like something was missing.

“I bounced back and I had an amazing junior year. I was working on recovering from not fueling myself properly and I saw a doctor who helped me. However, I was still having trouble with perfectionism and putting pressure on myself.”

Fast forward to her senior year of high school where she finished runner-up in cross country at state four years in a row.

She also set a state record at the Class A girls 3,000-meter championship.

Her coach believed she could run in college and asked if she thought about continuing her career as a runner. Seivert, just like before, had no idea college running was a path for her or anyone.

that Augustana offered. She says she was impressed that the focus is on not only athletics but academia and the community.

“I was drawn to the balance at Augustana; they want you to be successful in competition but at the same time it’s not everything. The coaches, the faculty and staff all want you to be a well-rounded student.”

“I weighed nowhere near what a 5-foot-5 girl should at the time.

But I was winning and that's all that mattered to me.”

BECOMING A VIKING

“I had no idea that college running existed but I decided to give it a try,” Seivert said. “I had a couple Division I schools as well as Augustana looking at me. Ultimately, it came down to Augustana. I really loved the atmosphere Tracy [Hellman, head men’s and women’s track and cross country coach] built at Augustana and that he put time into you as a person, not just a runner.”

Seivert was also interested in the diversity

— Leah Seivert It didn’t take long for Seivert to make a name for herself in college athletics and in Viking history. During her first two years at Augustana, she became a five-time All-American, a seven-time First Team AllNorthern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) honors and earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Central Region honors.

During the NSIC Championships her freshman year, she placed fifth and took tenth overall in the NCAA Championship.

Her sophomore year was not much different; she took second in the NSIC Championship.

“It was great,” she reminisces. “But my sophomore year was also the year I had my first injury. It completely rocked my world.”

Seivert says getting that heel injury was the first time something didn’t go her way. “I felt so much pressure to live up to my own expectations. I felt that running was who I was. It was my identity. I felt so lost when I got injured.”

Seivert fought hard and began her junior year with more accolades. “I had a really strong fall but as soon as spring hit, I got injured again.”

Seivert sat out indoor and outdoor track season her junior year, this time nursing a knee injury. “I just started losing passion for the sport. I felt mentally drained and just completely lost in who I was. I truly thought that up until that point, Leah was a runner and that was it. Running was my entire identity.”

She says when she started her senior year, she was at her lowest point mentally and was considering giving up running completely. “I loved the sport and I hated the sport,” she says. “So I started praying.

Finally, I got the message that if I give up, what does that say to other young women and teammates?”

In addition, she had already started her blog, "Break Free and Live", which focuses on battling self-control and anorexia. And she didn’t want to abandon her readers.

“I was thinking, ‘am I running to appease others or am I doing it to make myself happy?’” It was at that pivotal point where she started thinking about her personal future after college. “I was thinking, ‘is what I’m doing now getting in the way of my ultimate dream?’ I knew I wanted to be a mom. So what was I going to do to make sure that happened? And will the achievements matter in ten years?”

BREAKING FREE

Seivert says she focused on her holistic health and faith. “I knew I had to make some changes,” she says.

Once she started seeing little changes in her body, mind, and spirit, it was all the motivation she needed to continue to get healthy — physically and mentally. “I finally have the headspace to invest in relationships.

I have friends and teammates who I can bond with. These relationships have skyrocketed.”

Seivert wants to credit assistant coach Scott Tanis as someone who was really instrumental in her recovery and growth as a person. “Scott really bought into me and saw me as a person outside of being just a runner,” Seivert said. “He kept telling me ‘I hope you look back at your career and are thankful that you kept getting back up.’ Now that I started a blog I am able to look back and be thankful and know that running is a big part of who I am but it isn’t all that I am. I am a student, I am a friend and a sister as well as being a runner.”

Now as a fifth-year senior, Seivert weighs a healthy 135 pounds and is happy. “My body is finally functioning as it should be,” she says. “I keep going back to this verse in the Bible: ‘You are fearfully and wonderfully made.’ Why would we change who He wants us to be?”

Her success has transferred to the classroom as well. Seivert has maintained

a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout college and was recently awarded the Elite-18 award, which the conference awards to studentathletes who have success on the field and in the classroom.

Coach Tanis is impressed with Seivert’s perseverance. “Leah's influence on Augustana and our team extends well beyond her athletic contributions,” he shares. “She has amazing values and works extremely hard in all that she does, which has resulted in a lot of success.

However, her journey has also shown that having those qualities does not make you invincible and that everyone is susceptible to struggles. Her resilience within those challenges and subsequent courage to open up about them, has left a legacy here that is far more significant than just running fast.”

Seivert says when she got injured, she was devastated but now sees it as a blessing.

“I have so much peace. We can’t control what happens to us and God has a plan.

My injuries have released running’s control over me. God is always working and works for good. We just have to trust Him.” n

Leah says she's learned how to enjoy the foods she loves and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Leah credits her family as her biggest supporters.

READ MORE ABOUT LEAH’S JOURNEY AND HOW SHE GOT ON THE RIGHT PATH BY VISITING HER BLOG:

BREAKFREEANDLIVEBLOG.WORDPRESS.COM

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 29

CONGRATULATIONS,

COACH BILLETER ON HITTING YOUR 400TH WIN ON FEB. 16, 2019!

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY IS PROUD OF ALL YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN YOUR CAREER!

AUGUSTANA HEAD COACH TOM BILLETER QUICK FACTS: • • • • •

1961: Born in Byron, Illinois Played college basketball at Illinois State University Assistant head coach at Arizona State and Rice University (TX) 1992: Head coach at North Dakota State University 2003: Head coach at Augustana College

• Nov. 20, 1992: First collegiate win (95-69) against Augsburg College (MN) • Dec. 3, 2003: First Viking win (96-78) against University of Minnesota Crookston • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

2015-16: Named National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) National Coach of the Year 2015-16: Division II Bulletin National Coach of the Year 2015-16: Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Coach of the Year 2012-13: Clarence Gaines National Coach of the Year

12 NCAA Tournament Appearances 11 20-win seasons 18 All-Conference Players 40 Academic All-Conference players 1 National Player of the Year (Daniel Jansen) 8 All-America Award winners 2 NSIC Players of the Year 2 NSIC Defensive Players of the Year 4 NSIC Freshman of the Year Award winners Tutored several future NBA players, including Sean Elliott (NBA), Steve Kerr (NBA), Tom Tolbert (NBA), Ron Artest (NBA), and Kenny Lofton (MLB).

30 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

MILESTONE WINS (CAREER) • • • • • • •

100th: Dec. 30, 2013 vs. Augsburg (87-66) 200th: Feb. 12, 2010 vs. Upper Iowa (84-73) 250th: Jan. 5, 2013 vs. Concordia-St. Paul (67-66) 300th (Career): Jan. 31, 2015 vs. Minot State (87-58) 300th (at Augustana): Jan. 26, 2019 vs. Concordia-St. Paul (78-70) 400th (Career): Feb. 16 vs. Concordia-St. Paul (83-78) 400+ total career wins!

DONOR CHALLENGE:

GIVE LIKE A

VIKING

517 Donors Sought on 5|17 Augustana University is special to all of us. Friendships born at Augustana and memories made here continue to make an impact on all of our lives.

For some of us, what we learned in our major course of study propelled us to become who we are today. Others take special pride in athletic accomplishments or cherish a favorite club or campus ministry. And others remember a special place or building that was funded by the generosity of donors.

So consider what makes you proud to be a Viking as we approach our third Giving Day on Friday, May 17. This 24-hour fundraising event is your way to “Give Like A Viking,” which is this year’s theme. History defines Vikings as seafaring people who came from the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Denmark and Sweden. They made an enduring name for themselves in the 8th through the 11th centuries for being tactical warriors, smart traders and daring explorers.

Giving Day coincides with the final day of classes and with Syttende Mai, known as Norwegian Constitution Day. It’s a celebration of our mission, values, traditions and our future, wrapped in philanthropy.

Giving Day is an opportunity for Augie Nation to make a financial gift to that part of our university that you treasure about your time here.

Advancement officials have a goal of earning $200,000 in gifts and pledges with 517 donors on 5/17/19. These include funding for: Augustana Annual Fund Performing and Visual Arts Augustana A-Club Endowed Scholarships Center for Western Studies Research and Departments Library Associates This is your chance to show how Augustana has impacted your life, your family, your community, and your work with your classmates, friends and other alumni through social media.

Tag them and include #GiveLikeAViking on your Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts.

Your gifts provide opportunities to attract and retain top students, faculty and staff. They help beautify and modernize our campus. Stronger participation improves our opportunities to receive grants and increases our standing in national rankings.

Augustana University needs you. Say yes on Giving Day. GIVE LIKE A VIKING:

augie.edu/givingday Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat using #GiveLikeAViking

Text VIKINGSGIVE to 51555 to get more information on Giving Day. n

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 31

PROMOTIONS DR. KARLA ABBOTT

was promoted to associate professor of nursing and granted tenure at Augustana University. She holds her bachelor of science in nursing from Michigan State University, her master’s in nursing from Augustana, and her doctor of nursing practice from Augsburg College in Minneapolis, Minnesota. An enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Karla is involved in research that preserves the health of Native Americans and increases Native American participation in the STEM fields.

She is faculty advisor to the Augustana Nursing Student Association (ANSA).

TRAVIS AHLERS, career and academic planning specialist, has been working in higher education for the past eight years, most recently at the University of South Dakota where he worked as a full time academic adviser in the health sciences. Travis graduated with an undergraduate degree in secondary education from USD in 2009 as well and went on to receive a master’s degree in public administration in 2018.

32 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

DR. PAUL EGLAND

has been promoted to professor in biology. Paul received his bachelor of arts in biology from Luther College (1991) in Decorah, Iowa and his Ph.D. in microbiology from the University of Iowa (1997). Egland was a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health prior to joining the faculty at Augustana in 2004. He has served as the chair of biology, chair of the Natural Science Division and serves as the chief health professions advisor.

WILLETTE CAPERS,

director of diversity, equity and inclusion, has 16 years of experience in higher education.

She has worked at a number of institutions with Coastal Carolina University being her most recent employer. She holds a bachelor of arts from Claflin University in English literature and theatre, and a master of science from Troy University in educational leadership. Willette is currently a doctoral student at Northeastern University.

DR. MARK LARSON

has been promoted to professor in biology. Before coming to Augustana in 2006 and serving as associate professor, Mark received his bachelor of arts in biology and chemistry from Concordia College-Moorhead, and received his Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Mark was also a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Cardiovascular Sciences at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

MAUREEN (MO) HURLEY, ‘14,

admission counselor, returns to her alma mater after receiving her master’s degree in human services from the University of Missouri. Mo has most recently spent time teaching English at Roosevelt High School in Sioux Falls, worked as a gallery host at the Denver Art Museum, and served as a social worker for child protection services in the Black Hills.

JAY KAHL, director of assessment & institutional research, has been working in higher education for nearly 14 years. Before AU, Jay was at Dakota State University.

He received his bachelor degrees in psychology and philosophy from the University of South Dakota, a master’s in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University, and his Ph.D. in curriculum and teaching from Northcentral University.

DR. DAVID O’HARA

was promoted to professor of philosophy for Augustana University. He is a graduate of Middlebury College (B.A., Spanish), Middlebury, Vermont; St John’s College (M.A., Liberal Arts), Annapolis, Maryland; and Pennsylvania State University (M.A., Ph.D., Philosophy). He is beginning his second term as chair of the religion, philosophy and classics department and his first year as Augustana’s director of sustainability.

DR. SHANE SCHOLTEN

is an associate professor of exercise and sport sciences and has been gratned tenure at Augustana University Before coming to Augustana, Shane received his master of science in exercise science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and got his Ph.D. in nutrition and exercise sciences from South Dakota State University.

Before Augustana, Shane taught at the University of Sioux Falls.

DR. DANIEL WORKMAN

was promoted to associate professor of theatre and granted tenure at Augustana University. He earned his bachelor of fine arts in theatre performance from Tarkio College and a masters of fine arts in theatre direction from the University of South Dakota. Daniel taught at Morningside College and the University of South Dakota. He is also the artistic director of the Black Hills Playhouse, a professional summer-stock theatre in Custer State Park.

NEW STAFF KATIE LEBRUN, public relations strategist, has over 10 years of marketing and communications experience.

Prior to joining Augustana, she worked in financial services as the corporate communications director at MetaBank. Katie graduated from the University of South Dakota with a bachelor of arts in contemporary media and journalism.

JON MAMMENGA, assistant vice president for major gifts and planned gifts, has been working in nonprofit development for the past nine years. Most recently, Jon served as associate vice president for development and executive director of planned giving at the University of South Dakota Foundation. Jon has his bachelor of arts and master's of public administration from the University of South Dakota.

KIANA OVERBY,

director of annual giving and alumni relations, is a 2018 Augustana graduate. She earned her bachelor of arts in sports management and business administration. Before starting her position with the Annual Giving and Alumni Relations team, Kiana worked as the director of annual giving.

GRETA STEWART,

editorial strategist, has a bachelor of science in journalism from South Dakota State University.

Having been in Sioux Falls for 20 years, she has worked in television at the local ABC affiliate, KSFY-TV, spent several years in public relations at SDSU and most recently served as lead copywriter for Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center and video coordinator at Avera Health.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 33

C L A S S N OT E S Visit augie.edu/alumni for updates, news, events and photos.

ALUMNI: SHARE YOUR NEWS WITH US! Listed on the following pages are news and notes about your fellow alumni.

You can also stay in touch with us on social media: Facebook: Augustana (SD) Alumni | Twitter: @AugieAlumni Visit augie.edu/classnotes and log in to share your news via our online alumni directory.

THE

2010s

CLASS OF 2018 Alexandra Fairchild and Eric Gauer were married on June 16, 2018.

Allison Koehn and Adam Guthmiller ’17 were married on Sept. 15, 2018.

Hannah Norem is currently studying law/divinity at Wake Forest University, with plans to complete her studies in 2023.

Maija Rannikko is employed as a genetic counselor with Sanford Health.

Justus St. Sauver and Kaylee Guenther ’17 were married on June 30, 2018.

Noah Sundstrom and Ajla Becirovic were married on June 4, 2017.

CLASS OF 2017 Peter Bakk and Kaitlynn Foss were married in the Augustana Chapel of Reconciliation on Oct. 27, 2018.

Donovan Fravel is currently attending King’s College - London working on his Master of International Affairs and plans to complete his degree in 2019.

Kaylee Guenther and Justus St. Sauver ’18 were married on June 30, 2018.

Adam Guthmiller and Allison Koehn ’18 were married on Sept. 15, 2018.

Sarah Hoh married Tyler Hough on Aug. 18, 2018.

Sarah is employed as a registered nurse at Sanford Health in Bemidji, Minn.

Maria Lavelle is attending the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and is working toward her Master of Fine Arts in filmmaking with an anticipated graduation year of 2021.

Megan Minatra and Jake Shama ’14 were married on July 7, 2018. Megan is working at the Iowa School for the Deaf as an English teacher and is also attending graduate school at George Washington University studying special education for culturally and linguistically diverse students.

Rebecca Sittig is employed with Sanford Health in Sioux Falls as a NICU registered nurse.

Mason Van Essen and Andrea Conover were married June 23, 2018.

34 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

CLASS OF 2016 T.J. Davis and Kayla Wallerich ’14 were married on Sept. 8, 2018. T.J. is employed as a sales representative at Zimmer Biomet.

CLASS OF 2014 Austin Schmidt and Shelby (Rusche) Schmidt ’16 welcomed a daughter, Lily Ann, on Oct. 16, 2018.

Jake Shama and Megan Minatra ’17 were married on July 7, 2018.

Alison (Goers) Vogelsang completed her Master of Arts in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota in 2018. She is currently working on her Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of South Dakota and anticipates completion in 2021.

Kayla Wallerich and T.J. Davis ’16 were married on Sept. 8, 2018.

Maren Werth and Nick Jordan were married on July 6, 2018.

Carrie (Hemeyer) Zachariahs and husband, Andre, welcomed their third child, a son, Elijah Lewis, on Nov. 9, 2018. He joins big brothers Israel and Theodore.

Daniel Jansen and Chandler Nielsen were married on June 29, 2018.

CLASS OF 2013

Sophie Kenney has joined Best Buy Corporate as an account manager in Minneapolis, Minn.

Paul and KayLa (Gerlach) Berndt welcomed a son, Connor Jeffery, on Aug. 10, 2018.

Shelby (Rusche) Schmidt and Austin Schmidt ’14 welcomed a daughter, Lily Ann, on Oct. 16, 2018.

Collin Block married Rachel Wright on Oct. 5, 2018.

Collin earned his Master of Social Work at the University of North Dakota in 2018.

Kirsten Titze earned her master’s degree in speech-language pathology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2018. She is employed with the Watertown School District as a speech-language pathologist.

CLASS OF 2015 Camila Aguileras is employed as a business intelligence supervisor at Núcleo de Mídia SECOM. Brook Bitker and Cole Huhnerkoch were married on July 28, 2018. Brooke is currently employed as a staff accountant.

Kirsten Bluhm graduated from Colorado State University in 2017 with a master’s degree in biomedical sciences. She is currently a student at Rocky Vista College of Osteopathic Medicine working on her doctor of osteopathy.

Danielle Claypool began her career at the South Dakota State Penitentiary in June of 2017. She earned the title of senior correctional officer on her one-year anniversary, and in November of 2018, she joined the negotiations management team and subsequently became a field training officer in December.

Hayley (Burggraff) Hansen is employed as a clinical supervisor at Behavior Care Specialists in Rock Valley, Iowa. Hayley earned her Master of Ed. in foundations of applied behavior analysis at the University of Cincinnati in 2017.

Zachary Millard is working as an IT specialist at Bell Incorporated in Sioux Falls.

Heather Sullivan and Wesley Pederson were married on June 16, 2018. Heather is currently attending Minnesota State University-Mankato working on her Master of Science in nursing to be completed in 2021. She plans to earn her family doctor of nursing practice in 2025.

Caroline Wermers and Erik Nyberg ’12 were married on Aug. 25, 2018.

Elizabeth Zokaites is currently self-employed as an artist and a writer. She completed her Master of Letters in creative writing at University of Glasgow in 2016.

Natalie (Klevan) Hecht and Tyler Hecht ’11 welcomed a daughter, Violet Eileen, on Feb. 16, 2018.

Taylor Hrdlichka and Andrew Herdman ’12 were married on Sept. 15, 2018.

Ashley (Schreurs) Millner is employed with Greater Minnesota Family Services as an EC licensed therapist.

Jared Mitchell and Alyssa Weber were married July 28, 2018.

Megan Ulbricht married Jared Bernhardt on May 19, 2018.

Ashley Vogt and Jason Reding ’11 were married on May 26, 2018.

CLASS OF 2012 Andrew Herdman and Taylor Hrdlichka ’13 were married on Sept. 15, 2018.

Kelly Kougl is working as a manager at C.H. Robinson in Colorado.

Lauren Marks is attending NorthShore University HealthSystem School of Nurse Anesthesia in Chicago, Illinois. She will graduate with her doctor of nurse anesthesia practice in 2021.

Erick Nyberg and Caroline Wermers ’15 were married on Aug. 25, 2018.

Meredith Reynolds has accepted a fellowship position in pediatric & perinatal pathology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital/Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, for the 2020-2021 academic year. She presented an abstract, “EndStage Renal Disease is an Underappreciated Proximate Cause of Death at Autopsy” at the 2018 College of American Pathologists CAP18 annual meeting held in Chicago, Illinois. Meredith also completed the Bank of America Chicago marathon in Oct. 2018.

Samantha (Stageberg) Ricke earned her master’s degree in deaf education at the University of Northern Colorado in May 2018.

CLASS OF 2011 Andrea Berard earned her Master of Science in special education in 2017 at Western Governors University.

Robyn (Clemensen) Green completed her Master of Science in physician assistant studies at the University of South Dakota in 2018. She is employed as a physician assistant at Avera Orthopedics.

Tyler and Natalie (Klevan) Hecht ’13 welcomed a daughter, Violet Eileen, on Feb. 16, 2018.

Noah Kerkvliet and wife, Teresa, welcomed their second son, Conrad, on March 19, 2018. He joins big brother, Edison, born in 2015. Noah completed his master’s degree in finance at Colorado State University Global in 2017 and is currently employed as a grain accountant at Lester Feed and Grain.

Anna (Isaacson) Lynch is attending The University of Iowa College of Law with an anticipated completion date in 2021.

Joanna (Qualm) Portice and husband, Chris, welcomed a daughter, Aurora “Rory” Lee, on Aug. 14, 2018.

Jason Reding and Ashley Vogt ’13 were married on May 26, 2018.

CLASS OF 2010 Bryan Kaemingk is employed as a project engineer with WHKS & Co. in Rochester, Minn.

Nina (Dukich) Solberg and husband, Tim, welcomed their second child, Aaron Isaac, into the world on May 27, 2018.

Alyssa (Anderson) Strenger is employed as a psychologist at the Dallas Psychology Center.

Carol Thorson is working as a clinical team assistant at Pikes Peak Hospice in Colorado Springs, Colo.

THE

2000s

CLASS OF 2009 Angela (Shubert) Dejene and husband, Dag, welcomed their first child, a boy, Gabriel, on Feb. 22, 2017.

Alex Johnson and wife, Diana, welcomed a daughter, Luella Kay, on Dec. 31, 2017. Alex is employed as a loan officer with Integrity Bank Plus.

Regan (Tekavec) McAthie was named director of athletics at Concordia University, in St. Paul, Minn.

CLASS OF 2008 Jeffrey Anderson and his wife, Katie, welcomed a daughter, Emily Marie, on Jan. 3, 2019.

April (Skow) Bolton is currently employed as the associate director at Lutheran Social Services of South Dakota.

Justine (Ferguson) Peterson and husband, Austin, welcomed a son, Holden William, on May 30, 2018.

Justine is employed with Avera Health in Sioux Falls as a physician’s assistant.

Nathan and Melinda (Bjelland) Sletten welcomed a daughter, Layla Emily, on June 13, 2018.

Laura Sova and Nick DePetro were married on Aug. 25, 2018. Laura completed her J.D. at Creighton University in 2012 and is working as an attorney for Woods and Aitken LLP in Denver, Colo.

Jennalee (Millman) Taylor and husband, Lee, welcomed a daughter, Berkley May, on June 16, 2018.

Kiersten (Surprenant) Ulwelling and husband, Joseph, welcomed a son, Isaac David, on March 29, 2018.

CLASS OF 2007 Jennifer (Fisher) Adams is the 5th-6th grade band director at Marion ISD in Marion, Iowa. She is currently attending Morningside College working towards her Master of Arts in teaching with an anticipated graduation date of 2019.

David Anderson and wife, Sarah, are parents to a son, Oliver Michael, born on Sept. 11, 2017.

Mary (Kahl) Noteboom owns Noteboom RV in Harrisburg, South Dakota. She and husband, Gregory, are parents of two daughters, Meegan and Morgan.

Angela Rinne married Todd Slager on July 13, 2018.

Erica (Swisher) Roberts and husband, Aaron, welcomed their second child, a boy, Abram, on Dec. 28, 2017. He joins big brother, Silas, born in 2014.

Melissa (Dreher) Smith is currently a teacher with the Harrisburg School District in South Dakota. She and husband, Tim, live in Sioux Falls and have three sons, Ian, Bennett and Robert.

Katherine (Larson) Trouten is employed with Haworth as a video investment associate.

CLASS OF 2004 Erin (Johnson) Capouch and husband, Ryan, welcomed a son, Oliver Ryan, on Dec. 16, 2017.

Jennifer Buyske and Alison Bloomquist were married on Aug. 5, 2017.

Kirsten (Larson) Graesser and Glenn Graesser ’05 welcomed their third son, Edward, on Oct. 1, 2017.

He joins big brothers, Walter and Henry.

Grant Fifield completed his Master of Divinity with an emphasis on chaplaincy in 2018. He is currently working as a chaplain resident at Allina Health.

Jessica (Nelson) Kruse is employed as a registered nurse with Avera Health. Jessica and husband, Geoff, have two daughters, Piper and Zoe.

Megan (Wipf) Moeding earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from South Dakota State University in 2018.

Laura Kunkel is employed with the University of Texas at Arlington as a clinical associate professor.

Marie (Drury) Villa and Eric Villa ’06 welcomed a daughter, Magdalyn Jolee, on April 15, 2018.

Christine Lennon is currently employed as a paraprofessional at Spearfish Middle School in Spearfish, S.D.

Ashlee Wendt began working as associate corporate counsel with Sanford Health in 2018.

Rebecca (Steckel) Weisbeck and husband, Nicholas, welcomed a son, Carson, on May 29, 2018.

CLASS OF 2006

CLASS OF 2003

John Bauer earned his Master of Business Administration at Baker University in 2016 and is currently employed at Lincoln Industries.

Kristin (Barnett) Lewis is working at Valparaiso University as the interim campus minister.

Mallorie (Hansmann) Egbers and husband, Scott, welcomed a son, Jonathan Scott, on May 14, 2018.

Amanda (Archer) Fosheim and husband, Nick, welcomed their second child, a boy, Harrison Archer, on July 28, 2018.

Emily (Olsen) Johnson and husband, Tony, welcomed a son, Cooper Anthony, on Sept. 29, 2017. Emily is employed with ISD 196 as an EL teacher in Minnesota.

Erick Lutt works at Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) as senior director. He and his wife, Angie, have three children, Elsa, Ethan and James.

Mollie Madden and husband, Edward Snyder, welcomed their third child, Jacqueline Patricia Anne, on Jan. 30, 2018. Mollie is also celebrating the release of her book; The Black Prince and the Grande Chevauchée of 1355.

Christa (Gerrietts) Olson is working as a preschool teacher at Magical Minds Daycare.

Kierstan Peck earned her master’s degree in organizational leadership at St. Ambrose University in 2018.

Tami (Lanners) Peterson and husband, Josh, welcomed a daughter, Isla Jean, on Aug. 24, 2018.

She joins siblings Owen, Henry, Leo and Olive.

Mark Stavenger is the owner of Severance Brewing Company in Sioux Falls.

Jacob Wanderscheid is employed as the assistant executive director of the Food Bank of Siouxland.

He and his wife, Betsy, reside in Sioux City, Iowa and have three children.

Eric and Marie (Drury) Villa ’07 welcomed a daughter, Magdalyn Jolee, on April 15, 2018.

CLASS OF 2005

CLASS OF 2002

Glenn Graesser and Kirsten (Larson) Graesser ’04 welcomed their third son, Edward, on Oct. 1, 2017.

He joins big brothers, Walter and Henry.

Kathi (Sweeter) Heckert and husband, Steve, welcomed a son, Colt Kenneth, on March 16, 2018. Kathi is employed with Avera Medical Group Spencer as an advanced registered nurse practitioner.

Megan (Erickson) McLarnon and husband, Martin, welcomed a son, Niall Ciaran, on Oct. 12, 2017.

Kelly (Larson) Mroczek and husband, Phillip, welcomed a son, Corbin Vern, on Nov. 16, 2018. Their

daughters Emika and Anja are proud to be big sisters.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 35

CLASS NOTES CLASS OF 2001

CLASS OF 1995

Wendy (Carstensen) Sanders is employed with Allied Universal as a security professional.

Jennifer Ersland is an English teacher at Hudson Community School.

CLASS OF 1993

CLASS OF 2000 Adrienne (Hoverstadt) McKeown serves as the director of communications and administration at St. John Paul II Catholic Church, the newest parish in the Diocese of Sioux Falls, located in Harrisburg, S.D. She also continues to serve the community of Harrisburg in her role as president of the Harrisburg Economic Development Corporation and Chamber of Commerce.

Amy (Pesek) Witt is employed as a vice president, children and youth with Lutheran Social Services in Sioux Falls. Amy earned her Master of Social Work at The University of North Dakota in 2013.

Tania Drexler-Gutierrez has been nominated for Minnesota Teacher of the Year.

She is one of 168 nominations. Tania teaches at Shakopee High School in the English language learning area.

Elysha Iversen is currently attending graduate school at Colorado State University. She is studying wildlife conservation and anticipates her completion date in 2025.

Scott Schoneman is the global head of talent acquisition at Wolters Kluwer.

Marit Selbaek is working as a vocal music teacher in Norway.

Michelle Theilen is working as a talent manager at ILLUME.

THE 1990s

CLASS OF 1991

CLASS OF 1998 Karla (Arends) Leach Archer, 75, M.A., died Nov. 12, 2018, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls after a courageous battle with cancer.

CLASS OF 1996 Rachel Halvorson-Hallanger is working as a special education teacher at Mounds View School district in Minnesota.

Gina (Christensen) Pifer is employed as an assistant clinical professor at the University of Missouri. She earned her Doctor of Education in 2017 at the University of St. Augustine. Gina married Chris Pifer on July 22, 2017.

Peder and Heather (Stevens) Malchow have relocated to Sioux Falls after 20 years in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Gwen Steinmetz passed away on Dec. 1, 2018.

Stuart Stofferahn and Heather Castle were married on Jan. 12, 2018. Stuart completed his Ed.D. in educational leadership at the University of Nebraska Omaha in 2017.

CLASS OF 1990 Rhonda Wiebers, 50, of Bellevue, Neb., formerly of Lennox, S.D., died on Dec. 9, 2018, at the Sanford Foundation Hospice Cottage in Sioux Falls following an 11year battle with metastatic breast cancer.

THE 1980s CLASS OF 1989 Amy (Schlotfelt) Benda is employed as the executive director of The Community Outreach in Sioux Falls.

Janet (Nicolai) Christenson is employed as a middle school teacher in the Huron School District.

INTRODUCING

GIEOPOLY

It’s a great day to play AUGIEOPOLY, the fast-dealing property trading game with a Viking twist!

This completely CUSTOM EDITION BOARD GAME features all things Augustana—including the game board, the properties, the money, the “Pass/Fail” and “Augie Advantage” cards, the custom pewter game tokens of the Ole statue, Augie Doggie, 20% OFF Dr. Lynwood Oyos’ Norwegian sweater and more!

$ 35

Players can RELIVE THE BEST FOUR YEARS OF THEIR LIVES as they travel around the board and compete to own it all.

There’s even a special “Augie Advantage” for alumni players!

It’s sure to be a trip down memory lane for Vikings everywhere.

GO TO AUGIE.EDU/AUGIEOPOLY FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO PURCHASE TODAY!

36 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS IN SIOUX FALLS 1918-2018

AUGIE.EDU/AUGIEOPOLY

David Middleton, 51, of Cornell, Wis., passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 19, 2018, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls, Wis. CLASS OF 1988 Amy Bullis is a real estate broker associate with Hegg Realtors, Inc. Marsha (Mydland) Marty, 67, M.A., died July 7, 2018, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls after a long, hard fight with complications from rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary fibrosis.

CLASS OF 1987 Vicki (Savage) Case is in her 11th year as a teacher with the Lawrence Virtual School in Lawrence, Kan. While she majored in music education, she earned an elementary education degree and now works virtually with K-2 students all across Kansas. She is also the team leader for the K-2 team at Lawrence Virtual School.

CLASS OF 1986 Daniel Iseminger, 56, died peacefully on Nov. 21, 2018, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, with his loving daughter, Veronica, at his side.

Carol (Thielman) Peterson, 87, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Oct. 8, 2018, following a courageous battle with cancer.

CLASS OF 1984 Mark Anderson is employed as a library and museum coordinator at Minnesota Masonic Charities.

CLASS OF 1983 Kim Augustad, 59, of Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne, Minn., died on Jan. 5, 2019.

Ruel Eneboe, a former science teacher in Canton and Lennox, S.D., passed away on Nov. 19, 2018, at Sanford Hospice Foundation Cottage in Sioux Falls.

CLASS OF 1973

Ronald Peters, 74, of Tampa, Florida, formerly of Flushing, N.Y., passed away on Nov. 18, 2018, after valiantly fighting for years with congestive heart failure.

Mike Klinedinst is the owner of Botski’s in Sioux Falls.

Amy (Jackson) Protexter is employed as the senior vice president of marketing at Insight in Tempe, AZ.

Gregory Palm is a retired loan officer.

Allyn Mensing died Dec. 3, 2012, at the Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Minn.

CLASS OF 1982

CLASS OF 1972

Pamela (Anderson) Stegman is employed as the director of Information Technology with Optum in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Daniel Hacking peacefully passed away on Oct. 27, 2018, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls after suffering an acute stroke on Oct. 4, 2018.

Albert Kerkhove passed away on Sept. 1, 2018.

CLASS OF 1981 Tom Cogdall is employed at Lane Tech College Prep as a JROTC instructor.

CLASS OF 1980 Joi (Bangtson) Rasmussen, 60, of Fort Dodge, Iowa, died Jan. 6, 2019, at University Hospital in Iowa City, Iowa.

CLASS OF 1971 Donald Hazlett, 69, of Pierce, Colorado, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 5, 2019.

James Kasperson, 69, of Ashland and La Pointe, Wis., passed away on Dec. 30, 2018.

DR. ORVAL “ORV” WESTBY Dr. Orv Westby passed away in Minneapolis, Minn. on Jan. 21, 2019. Westby, a professor emeritus of Sociology and Social Work, was 98. He served as a faculty member from 1947 and the onetime chairman of the Sociology Department left Augustana in 1978 to serve as Executive Director of Lutheran Social Services. During his time at Augustana, Dr. Westby was responsible as a member of the governor’s cabinet and helped develop an integrated system for the delivery of public welfare services. He was also named the secretary for Social Services for the state of South Dakota.

Janet (Adams) Neupert passed away on Oct. 20, 2018.

CLASS OF 1966

THE 1970s CLASS OF 1979 Connie (Van Den Top) Evenson, 61, passed away on Sept. 5, 2018, at Ava’s Hospice House in Sioux Falls.

CLASS OF 1978 Camilla (Iseminger) Horne is the director of choral activities at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania.

George Klus is the CEO of GW Klus Consulting, LLC in Minneapolis, Minn.

CLASS OF 1970 Randolph McHone, 70, of Waterloo, Iowa, died at his home on Nov. 8, 2018, of metastatic melanoma.

THE 1960s

Rosalyn (Sessler) Borchers, 75, was sainted into heaven on Sept. 27, 2018.

James Stearns, 74, of Mission, Texas, passed away Nov. 17, 2018, at McAllen Medical Center in McAllen, Texas.

James Werner, of Haymarket, Va., died on Dec. 2, 2014.

CLASS OF 1969 Stephanie Burnham, 70, of Walnut Grove, Minn., formerly of Fairbanks, Alaska, passed away on Nov. 2, 2018, at Our House Hospice of Murray County in Slayton, Minn., after a valiant battle with cancer.

Gerald “Jerry” Cornelius, 83, of Watertown, S.D., passed away Dec. 18, 2018, at his residence.

CLASS OF 1965 LeAnn (Berg) Lee passed away on Dec. 11, 2018, at her home in Dent, Minn.

Dennis Potter passed away on Jan. 9, 2019, after a battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Marcia (Gottschalk) Reisetter, 71, passed away on Oct. 19, 2018, at Bethany Home in Brandon, S.D., following a long illness with a neurological disorder.

Bruce Hammer passed away on June 15, 2018.

CLASS OF 1968

Richard “Dick” Kallesen, 76, died Nov. 11, 2018, at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center in Sioux Falls.

CLASS OF 1975

Kathleen (Armbrust) Gesche, of Windom, Minn., died Feb. 18, 2007, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls.

Marguerite (Fritz) Atkins, 95, died Aug. 17, 2018, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.

Marilyn Njus, 82, of Huron, S.D., formerly of Madison, S.D., died on Dec. 4, 2018, at the Violet Tschetter Memorial Home in Huron.

Patricia (Palmer) Sundheim, 86, died on Sept. 14, 2018, at Bethesda of Beresford, in Beresford, S.D.

CLASS OF 1976 Rita (Richter) Duchek, 64, of Eagan, Minn., passed away on Aug. 31, 2018.

James Watters, 64, of Pine Ridge, S.D., passed away on Aug. 19, 2018.

Gregory Daniels is working as the executive director at Ernst & Young LLP. Kenneth Duerst, 70, passed away at the Veteran’s Administration Health Care System in Sioux Falls on Sept. 10, 2018.

Susan Jordahl passed away on Nov. 5, 2018, at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center in Sioux Falls after 19 days in the ICU. CLASS OF 1974 Bruce Becker is employed at ACDA of Minnesota as the executive director.

CLASS OF 1964

CLASS OF 1963 Richard Foster died on Sept. 10, 2018, in Sioux Falls.

CLASS OF 1967 Connie (Lundin) Dresbach passed away July 9, 2018, at home in Lawrence, Kan., following a courageous 3½ year battle with breast cancer.

Dallas (Thompson) Hughart, 73, of Apache Junction, Ariz., died on Dec. 30, 2018.

James Ruhaak passed away on Nov. 5, 2018, at his home in Sioux Falls, surrounded by his family.

Janet (Sandwick) Hybertson, 77, of Sioux Falls, passed away peacefully on Oct. 13, 2018, at Good Samaritan Prairie Creek.

Llary Mangold passed away on Dec. 14, 2018, at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.

Eddie Nilsen, 77, of Greeley, Penn., died Nov. 9, 2018, at Milford Valley Convalescent Home.

Darlene (Kalina) Vik, of Mountain City, Ga., passed away on Jan. 2, 2019.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 37

CLASS NOTES CLASS OF 1962 Marjory (Nelson) Aasen, 82, passed away peacefully on Dec. 2, 2018.

Stanley Cadwell, 80, of Sioux Falls, died peacefully on Aug. 18, 2018, with his family by his side.

Linda (Rekstad) Fink, 78, of Largo, Fla., passed away Oct. 3, 2018, at her home.

Daniel Gilbertson, 77, Augustana Student Body President 1962-63, passed away on May 20, 2018, at his home in Monterey, Calif., after a prolonged illness.

Luther Lovro, 79, of Sioux Falls, died on July 17, 2018, at his home surrounded by his family.

AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY PRESENTS

ALPINE EUROPE featuring the Passion Play of Oberammergau

Robert McClaren, 85, of Sioux Falls, died on Dec. 28, 2018, at Southridge Healthcare Center in Sioux Falls.

Virginia (Schmidt) Odney, 78, of Sioux Falls, died on Oct. 20, 2018, at Good Samaritan Village in Sioux Falls.

Margaret (Fjellestad) Robinson passed away on Dec. 30, 2018, at home in Sioux Falls from complications following a diagnosis of multiple myeloma.

CLASS OF 1961 Anna (Gluenkin) Herrboldt passed away on Oct. 24, 2018.

Alan Lathrop was curator of the manuscripts division at the University of Minnesota Libraries for many years and retired in 2008. He is still active in research and publication projects. On October 1, his book, A Surgeon with Stilwell, was published by McFarland Publishing.

Barbara (Huck) Ostby, 79, of Albuquerque, N.M., died on July 10, 2018.

11 DAYS!

Hildur (Thronson) Satre-Brees, 79, passed away on Sept. 30, 2018, at Sagebrook Health Center in Cedar Park, Texas, after a long battle with dementia.

THE 1950s CLASS OF 1959 Roger Hunt, of Brandon, S.D., passed away on Nov. 9, 2018, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls after a five week hospitalization due to a complicated surgery.

May 25 - June 4, 2020 Visiting: Heidelberg, Rhine Valley, Lake Lucerne, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Munich, Oberammergau, Rothernburg and Frankfurt.

For a brochure with full details contact Brad Heegel at brad.heegel@augie.edu.

Arnold Peterson, 81, passed away on Aug. 8, 2018.

Janet (Koobs) Schweitzer, 82, of Bella Vista, Ark., passed away on Dec. 31, 2018.

Marvin Wachendorf died on Oct. 27, 2018, in Chandler, Ariz., due to complications from cancer.

CLASS OF 1958 Sharon (Thompson) Clunk passed away on Dec. 21, 2018.

Marlyn Hanten, 84, passed away Oct. 23, 2018, at his home with his beloved family at his side.

Donald Kistler, 86, of Inwood, Iowa, died Dec. 21, 2018, at Fellowship Village in Inwood, Iowa.

CLASS OF 1957 Paul Jensen, 85, of Pequot Lakes, Minn., died peacefully on Oct. 12, 2018.

Norbert Limmer, 90, peacefully entered into the arms of his Lord and Savior on Jan. 4, 2019.

Gene Stageberg, 83, of Dell Rapids, S.D., passed away suddenly on Oct. 31, 2018.

CLASS OF 1956 Anna Albert, 84, of Toledo, Ohio, passed away Nov. 14, 2018, at Elizabeth Scott Care Center.

Hallie (Vik) Anderson, 84, passed away on Dec. 31, 2018, at Sanford Palliative Care in Fargo, N.D.

38 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

Marlene (Dietrick) Daane, 84, of Sturgis, S.D., died on Dec. 31, 2018, at Sturgis Regional Senior Care.

Diedrik “Dan” Nelson, 84, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Nov. 5, 2018, at Sanford USD Medical Center.

Anna (Seim) White, a pillar of the Indianapolis arts community known for her warmth and grace, passed away peacefully on Nov. 18, 2018, in Indianapolis, Ind. CLASS OF 1955 Robert Brodin passed away on Aug. 28, 2018.

CLASS OF 1954 William Degler Sr., 94, died Nov. 3, 2018, at the Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls after a short illness.

James Rosasco, 94, of Red Wing, Minn., died on August 20, 2018, at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire, Wis. CLASS OF 1953 Phyllis (Schlottman) Erickson, 87, passed away on Sept. 12, 2018, at the Hospice House in Rapid City, S.D. Annette (Weisenburger) Jarratt, 87, passed away at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center on Dec. 23, 2018.

Richard Pearson, 88, passed away on Nov. 25, 2018.

CLASS OF 1952 Michael O’Connor Jr., 89, died on Oct. 24, 2018, at the Veteran’s Administration Health Care System in Sioux Falls.

Doris (Lorentson) Toddie, 87, died peacefully on Oct. 31, 2018, at Seasons Hospice House in Rochester, Minn.

Glen Hundley, 93, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, formerly of Sioux Falls, passed away on Nov. 4, 2018, at Accura Healthcare of Spirit Lake.

Margaret (Estergard) Larson, 90, died peacefully in her sleep Nov. 2, 2018, in Sioux Falls.

Ramona (Clauson) Van Asselt, 89, of Colton, S.D., died on Nov. 25, 2018, at Dow-Rummel Village in Sioux Falls.

CLASS OF 1951 Thora Eide, our inspiration, our sister, and a daughter of the Lord Almighty, passed away peacefully on Nov. 28, 2018.

Laura (Kruse) Krueger passed away on Aug. 30, 2018.

Wayne Larson, 92, passed away on Dec. 24, 2018, in Bozeman, Mont.

Lucille (Schaefer) Loudenburg, 88, of Mitchell, S.D., died July 15, 2018, at Firesteel Healthcare Center in Mitchell.

THE 1940s CLASS OF 1949 Dorothy (Petersen) Ives, of New Perspective Senior Living in Waconia, Minnesota, passed away on Dec. 31, 2018.

CLASS OF 1948

Priscilla (Gray) Pochardt passed away peacefully on Jan. 5, 2019.

Ruth Wineberg passed away on Dec. 25, 2018, in Mesa, Ariz.

Coila (Smith) Robinson, 91, passed away Oct. 10, 2018, at Palisades Manor in Garretson, S.D.

Paul Child Jr. passed away on Aug. 20, 2018, after a prolonged battle with an accumulation of debilitating illnesses, the result of exposure to the chemical Agent Orange during a tour of duty in Vietnam.

Robert Brandsma passed away on Nov. 3, 2018, at Southridge Nursing Home after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

CLASS OF 1944 Phyllis (Riley) Hofstad, 96, of Sioux Falls, passed away Dec. 22, 2018, at the Avera Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls.

Paul Odland, 96, 1981 Augustana Alumni Achievement Award winner, died peacefully at his home in Beulah, Mich., surrounded by family on Dec. 17, 2018.

CLASS OF 1943 Serene (Tonning) Moseson, 96, died peacefully at Aegis Lodge of Kirkland, Wash., on Nov. 6, 2018.

Zona (Johnson) Dibble passed away on Oct. 4th, 2018, after suffering a stroke and having Alzheimer’s disease.

CLASS OF 1950

CLASS OF 1946

J. Martell “Marty” Rud, 94, of Minnetonka and previously of Edina, Minn., passed away Aug. 30, 2018.

Lois (Henjum) Williams, 93, passed away peacefully on Sept. 15, 2018, surrounded by family and friends.

CLASS OF 1942 Margaret (Blatherwick) Haakenson, 98, died of natural causes at her home in Rydal Park, Penn., on July 1, 2018.

CLASS OF 1941 Boyd Nelson died of congestive heart failure on Nov. 18, 2008, at his residence.

CLASS OF 1947 Carol (Hemmah) Schmidt, 93, passed away on Sept. 2, 2018.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019 39

98%

JOB PLACEMENT

FOR CLASS OF 2018

A newly published report by Augustana University shows that 98 percent of 2018 graduates — defined as undergraduates who completed degrees between July 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018 — found employment in their chosen field. This continues Augustana’s history of graduate success: The five-year average is an impressive 98 percent as well.

Employment data, as well as other post-graduation activities and destinations for members of the Augustana Class of 2018 is detailed in the Outcomes Report, published by the Augustana Student Success Center.

CLASS OF 2018 OUTCOMES REPORT

98% TOP 5 OF 2018 GRADS ARE EMPLOYED IN THEIR MAJOR OR CHOSEN FIELD

OCCUPATION CLASSIFICATIONS OF 2018 AU GRADS: • HEALTH CARE & TECHNICAL • EDUCATION • BUSINESS & FINANCIAL • SALES AND RELATED OCCUPATIONS • ARTS, DESIGN, ENTERTAINMENT, SPORTS

Key statistics from the report include:

• 98 percent of 2018 Augustana grads seeking employment are employed in a position related to their major or chosen field.

• 22 percent are pursuing graduate school and/or continuing education.

• Among those who secured employment and reported their geographical location, 60 percent are working in South Dakota, of which 94 percent are employed in the Sioux Falls region. In addition to the local impact, graduates self-reported working in 24 states and several foreign countries.

• Top occupational classifications for 2018 grads include:

º Health care and technical º Education

º Business, professional and financial

º Arts, design and entertainment • The median salary reported for 2018 grads was $47,736.

“This report highlights Augustana’s commitment to producing a diversified and experienced professional workforce,” says Billie Streufert, executive director of Augustana’s Student Success Center.

"Our professors challenge students to think globally and teach vital 21st century skills like critical thinking and effective communication.

Students are building a foundation of knowledge and leave

Augustana ready to make a difference in their career fields.”

40 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2019

47,736 97%

$

MEDIAN SALARY REPORTED BY 2018 AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY GRADS

OF 2018 GRADS PARTICIPATED IN ENGAGED LEARNING: INTERNSHIPS, CLINICALS, STUDENT TEACHING, STUDY ABROAD, VOLUNTEERISM AND MORE

Streufert adds, "Outside the classroom, Augustana offers a wealth of applied learning opportunities that include internships, student teaching, undergraduate research, clinical work, volunteerism, study abroad and more. That experience, combined with the connections our students build throughout their time at Augustana, prepares students for their first job after graduation as well as future career opportunities.”

Graduate satisfaction

The report also included feedback from graduates about their experience at Augustana.

• 96 percent of respondents were satisfied with their experience at Augustana.

• 98 percent agreed that Augustana is passionate about the long-term success of its students.

• 97 percent agreed that professors at Augustana cared about them.

Read the full Outcomes Report at augie.edu/outcomes.

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