THE AUGUSTANA
FALL 2025 | VOLUME 16 |
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
GOUR 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.
OUR 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 and Service.
reetings from Kirkeby-Over Stadium, where Welcome Week kicked off with the Class of 2029 photo. Standing in the middle of the “A,” surrounded by students, was a joyful reminder of Augustana’s vibrancy and promise. This record-setting class of 615 students embodies both our rich legacy and bold future.
I am here!
Augustana’s 165th academic year marks our second consecutive record enrollment. With 2,548 students — part- and full-time, undergraduate and graduate — we continue to make steady progress toward our goal of 3,000 students.
This milestone reflects both the momentum of Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 and extraordinary commitment of our faculty and staff. Innovative academic programs, along with expanded athletics programs, music ensembles, club sports and student life experiences, are energizing our campus and drawing the attention of prospective students near and far.
We were thrilled to celebrate the recent accreditation of both our doctor of physical therapy program and new strength & conditioning major, as well as the appointment of Dr. Jenny Gubbels as the inaugural dean of the College of Arts & Sciences and Dr. Christina Sanchez as the inaugural executive director of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement. We also welcomed our first artistin-residence, Matthew Whitaker, and announced exciting developments for the Augustana Bach Collegium, which is bringing its music to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.
Facility improvements continue to enhance the student experience. The Elmen Center now features upgraded lighting and sound systems, with more enhancements planned, and the renovation of Anthony G. Tuve Hall is complete. The Chapel of Reconciliation project, together with the reconstructed steps and portico at Mikkelsen Library, will be completed in 2026. Construction of Foundation Heights — a new apartment building at 28th Street and Grange Avenue — is progressing on schedule for a Fall 2026 opening.
With the generous support of alumni, friends and strategic partners, we are helping to bridge the affordability gap — ensuring that more students can access the opportunities and life-changing experiences of an Augustana education. This commitment to both excellence and accessibility has contributed to Augustana recently being ranked the No. 1 Regional University in Best Value by U.S. News & World Report. Your support of endowed and annual impact scholarships is making a significant difference!
As the magazine cover highlights, we’re also celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Campus Learning Center (CLC). For five decades, the CLC has nurtured generations of children, many of whom later became Augustana graduates. We are forever grateful to Drs. Don ’61 and Harriet Emily (Johnson) Scott ’59, who opened the center in 1975. This legacy of care and learning is one of many stories that inspire us as we look ahead with optimism.
May you be energized by the good news in the pages ahead. While higher education faces disruption and change, Augustana grows stronger — uplifted by your love, prayers and unwavering support.
The fall semester calendar is filled with events and activities calling you home to AU. Visit often, and experience the joy and energy of our beloved Augustana. Your presence and participation enrich our community in countless ways.
With gratitude,
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin President
2 3 4 6 8 9 12 14 16 18 20 22 23
Updates on Viking Bold
Excellence in Competition and the Classroom
Setting Sail in Minnesota With OTD Program
Million Dollar Match Establishes New Center
Turning up the Tempo With Artist-In-Residence
Celebrating 50 Years With the CLC
Honoring Alumni Achievement
Donors Creating Match Made in Heaven
Faith and Athletics Teaming up on Their Turf
Victories in Athletics
New at AU
Honorary Alumni
Notes From Classmates
CONTRIBUTORS
Nancy Davidson
Andy Thurston
DESIGNERS
Kami Gladis
Arianne Riedel
EDITOR
Jill Wilson
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Peyton Bartsch ‘26
Peter Chapman
Kenneth Lenger ‘25
CONNECT WITH US
2024-25 KEY SUCCESSES
ACADEMICS
• Secured accreditation for the undergraduate strength & conditioning and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs
• Launched an AU-University of North Dakota (UND) partnership to offer 5-year dual-degree engineering program with 28 students in its first cohort
• Finalized the new structure of the College of Arts & Sciences and selected inaugural dean and five area chairs
ENDURING COMMITMENTS
• Evaluated Compensation & Benefits Task Force recommendations for priorities within the compensation and benefits plan regarding budget allocations for salary increases, professional development and tuition assistance
• Continued to assess and integrate undergraduate and graduate student support systems, including supplemental instruction and a pilot program for structured tutoring
• Surveyed remote employees and identified ways to enhance their professional and cultural connection to Augustana
ENROLLMENT & STRATEGIC SCHOLARSHIPS
• Increased enrollment to 1,964 undergraduate full-time equivalent (FTE) and 300 graduate headcount, achieved a first- to second-year retention rate of 85.5% and set a new record for overall headcount of 2,390 students (Fall 2024 Census Day)
• Increased the number of first-year undergraduate Pell Grant-eligible students to 25.7%
• Refined the communication strategy, enrollment process and programming to support the goals and long-term impact of the Buntrock Scholars Program
• Approved the Faculty Affairs Council recommendations for teaching load ranges for each faculty classification to help ensure an equitable and financially sustainable workload distribution
PHYSICAL CAMPUS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
• Finalized design for the Chapel of Reconciliation expansion project, secured full funding through generous gifts and began renovation/construction in May 2025
• Finalized design and financial plan for Foundation Heights — a new apartment building at 28th Street & Grange Avenue — and broke ground in April 2025
• Completed initial data mapping, made modifications following data extractions and conducted advanced training to end users for Jenzabar One platform migration
ATHLETICS
• Designed the Elmen Center revitalization plan and secured lead gifts
• Implemented the NCAA Holistic Athlete Model, including a new January Interim (J-Term) course for first-year student-athletes centered around mental health, diversity and career preparation
• Developed and launched the Team Chaplain Program with student leaders and coaches to integrate faith with learning and service
EXCELLENCE IN COMPETITION AND THE CLASSROOM
Vikings Rank Top 10 Nationwide for NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship Honorees
| BY ANDY THURSTON AND JILL WILSON
Augustana University student-athletes are not only excelling on the playing field, they’re getting it done in the classroom as well. In Academic Year 2024-25, three Augustana University student-athletes — Ella Bakken, Liz Dierks and Ryan Hartman — earned NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, which recognize the association’s most accomplished student-athletes.
Established in 1964, this prestigious honor is given out to only 126 NCAA student-athletes each year across all 1,100 NCAA schools. Awarded $10,000 postgraduate scholarships, Bakken, Dierks and Hartman were selected based on their outstanding academic achievements, athletic excellence and leadership within their communities.
Since 2018-19, Augustana is tied for the most scholarships won (11 in total) compared to all schools in NCAA Division II and ranks in the top 10 among all NCAA schools nationwide.
Ella Bakken ‘25, Viking Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Ella Bakken, who graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in biology, earned summa cum laude and Civitas Program honors.
A 5-time U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honoree, Bakken was named to six USTFCCCA All-Central Region teams, as well as a 2024 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award honoree. The 3-time All-NSIC selection from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, was also an All-NSIC selection in indoor track & field for the first time and awarded the Dr. Jeffrey J. Berends Scholarship in 2024.
Liz Dierks ‘25, Viking Softball
Liz Dierks, a Sioux Falls native, graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in biology and is now attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) for pharmacy. At the end of the 2024-25 academic year, she was also awarded the prestigious Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award for Academic Excellence from the NSIC as the league’s top female student-athlete.
During her time with the Vikings, Dierks helped AU to four NSIC (regular season) Championships and three NSIC Tournament titles all while accruing the 2025 NSIC Elite 18 Award for softball, two All-NSIC First Team honors, two NSIC All-Defensive Team recognitions, four straight Easton/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar Athlete distinctions, two College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District nods and multiple NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence honors.
Ryan Hartman ‘24, Viking Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field
Ryan Hartman graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in exercise science, as well as a Master of Arts in Sports Administration & Leadership (MSAL) this past May. The Wausau, Wisconsin, native, was the first Viking in program history — in both cross country and track & field — to be named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/CSC Academic All-America first team.
In one of the most decorated careers in Viking history, Hartman collected numerous accolades: NCAA Cross Country National Runner-Up, 4-time NCAA All-American in cross country, 5-time All-American in track, 10-time USTFCCCA All-Academic and 2-time NSIC individual cross country champion. Hartman, who is currently in the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse (UWL) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program, was also an NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award honoree and NSIC Honor Student Athlete.
| BY JILL WILSON
Augustana University is embarking on its second doctorate program in three years. The Augustana Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program, housed within the university’s School of Health Professions, is set to launch in Fall 2026.
Adding occupational therapy (OT) — a rehabilitation profession that helps people do the things they want and need to do in their everyday lives — is part of Augustana’s strategic plan to establish new academic programs grounded in the liberal arts that challenge the intellect while responding to the needs and interests of students.
“I’m excited and feel like Augustana is a great place to have an OT program because believing in the worth and dignity and value of all people, regardless of ability, is what OT does, and that is so in line with Augustana’s mission and values,” said Dr. Melissa Kimmerling, Augustana’s program director of OTD.
Augustana’s OTD is an accelerated, hybrid, entry-level or pre-licensure program designed to meet adult learners where they’re at in life — allowing them to remain in their existing, socially-supported environments. The hands-on component of the program, known as lab immersions, will take place on the south side of the Twin Cities in Minnesota — close to Interstate-35 and the Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport.
“When considering different markets, Augustana landed on Minnesota for many reasons. The university has a large alumni presence in the area that we can capitalize on, Board of Trustees members that live in the area who can provide connections and market data shows there are jobs in these areas,” Kimmerling explained. “The current number of OT schools in the Upper Midwest are not filling the demand.”
“My mental health improved when I could be independent with those ‘occupations’ again — when I didn’t need help getting out of bed; when I didn’t need somebody with me to shower or go to the bathroom,” said Kimmerling. “I made that connection between when I got better and when I started feeling better in those occupations, those daily activities.”
“It took me a while to share my story, but I thought, if I can do anything to cope with what happened to me, and if I could use it to help other people through insight into what it feels like to have your life change like that, I should do that.”
Kimmerling believes her story and deep understanding of OT are powerful in helping OT students realize the weight of what they’re doing — the professionalism and commitment that they owe their clients.
“Occupational therapists work with people whose bodies will (likely) not get better, whose situations will not change, who will have that disability forever. We help find solutions to engage in those things (occupations) to help them live as independently as possible,” Kimmerling explained. “If a person doesn’t have the ability to live independently, we help them engage in meaningful occupations that improve their quality of life.”
The Augustana OTD Program will consist of six total trimesters, taking place over the course of two calendar years. Three trimesters will include didactic online instruction and a 7-10 day lab component every eight weeks. The following trimesters will include 24 weeks of full-time fieldwork and a 14-week capstone experience and project to demonstrate what they’ve learned in the program.
But Kimmerling hopes the recruitment doesn’t stop there. She expects that one-third of the program’s students will be those who have already received bachelor’s degrees from Augustana, another third from the surrounding region and the remainder from other parts of the country. The hope, though, is that these students remain in their communities — creating service lines in areas where there aren’t any or a limited number of OTs. Speaking from experience, Kimmerling said better access to occupational therapy professionals (OTPs) can make a huge difference in the lives of others.
“There’s a need for practitioners. I’m from a town of 1,500 people, and I know what it was like for me to drive to Omaha three days a week to get the therapy I needed and how much school I missed because rural America doesn’t have what it needs,” said Kimmerling, who now resides in Papillion, Nebraska, and is the Nebraska ambassador to the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
The program director’s passion for OT began in high school following a life-altering car accident. As a result, Kimmerling suffered 18 broken bones, including five broken vertebrae, nine ribs, her right hip and clavicle, as well as two bones in her right wrist.
“As part of the capstone, students will gain in-depth exposure to one or more areas in occupational therapy, including clinical skills, research skills, administration, program development & evaluation, policy development, advocacy, education and leadership,” Kimmerling said. “They would be prepared to work in a hospital, rehab center, skilled-nursing, outpatient clinic, as well as children and youth practice areas, like schools and clinics.”
While not a requirement of the program, Augustana is developing additional fieldwork experiences for OTD students. The university is working with Augustana’s De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement and Therapy Abroad to offer students hands-on learning opportunities internationally in Belize or Dominica.
Augustana has hired five faculty members, including Kimmerling, to support the program and will make additional hires leading up to the Fall 2026 program launch. Additional faculty will come with the growth of the program. Augustana has a goal of recruiting 40 students in its first year, with the inaugural class graduating in August 2028 upon approval of the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
For more information on the Augustana University OTD Program, visit augie.edu/OTD
MILLION DOLLAR MATCH
Donors Provide Foundation to Establish De & Dave Knudson
CENTER FOR GL BAL ENGAGEMENT
| BY JILL WILSON
As part of a ceremony on May 1, Augustana University dedicated the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement — previously known as the International Programs Office (IPO). Housed in the Administration Building on campus, the creation of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement is part of Augustana’s strategic plan — Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 — to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment as different backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking encourage learning, acceptance and service.
“We really believe that Augustana will become the regional leader in international programs — that this will allow more and more students to go overseas for study, and we’ll be able to bring more students here, more professors here, and the university will have a much stronger international or global thread built into its curriculum,” said De.
While Augustana’s mission statement includes “... integrating faith with learning and service in a diverse world,” the transition to the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement officially comes after the Knudsons presented the university with a $1 million matching gift two years ago. The university met the match and delivered the news to the Knudsons on April 1.
“We are very blessed that we can financially do this, but it needs to be important enough to others at Augustana because the program needs support from more than just one couple,” De explained. “This program needs as much financial help as it can get to strengthen the program even more.”
“We’re thankful to all the donors that provided the matching funds and we couldn’t be where we are without their strong support,” said Dave. “And I think the real payoff will be seeing the success and benefits of the program.”
De discovered the Augustana IPO Friendship Family Program from the Our Savior’s Lutheran (OSL) Church bulletin and decided this was something she could do, something she could really immerse herself in. And, that’s what she has done and more.
“I feel like I always gain more than I give when I work with these international students. I continue to be impressed with how intelligent and hard-working these students are. They’re so dedicated and resilient,” added De.
For more than a decade, the Knudsons have hosted international students from countries such as India, Kenya, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden and Yemen. They have also supported students by welcoming them into their home and taking them to their places of worship, grocery shopping and even to the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) or Premiere Playhouse.
“At the very heart of it, her (De’s) involvement and experience has always been student-centered. It’s always been about welcoming them into her home, as well as introducing and getting them involved in the greater Sioux Falls community. She has used her own network to help our international students outside of campus — she’s really been a leader in that area,” said Donn Grinager, director of international admission, who was instrumental in growing the program for more than two decades.
“We want every international student at Augustana to leave Sioux Falls and South Dakota feeling like these were some of the best years that they had — that they felt very welcome from day one,” said De, who has maintained relationships with many of the students long after their time at AU.
THE FUTURE OF THE DE & DAVE KNUDSON CENTER FOR GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
With the creation of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement, Augustana’s goal is to provide more than just essential services, but to better prepare students for the interconnected world in which we live.
“There’s a lot of opportunities that we have in front of us and this gift really unlocks them, and now we move through phases of what the center will look like and accomplish,” said Erin Kane, director of study away. “Our office handles the day to day things, but a center is meant to be more of an umbrella.”
The vision of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement is to be the heart of the intercultural exchange in the region with a focus on inclusion or bringing diverse people and their cultures together, providing better access to international experiences and engaging in more transformational learning opportunities as its guiding principles.
For more information on the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement, visit augie.edu/CGE
Augustana Names Inaugural Executive Director of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement
Dr. Christina Sanchez — a leader in higher education for 28 years with the past 21 years specific to the field of international education — has been named the inaugural executive director of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement.
Prior to Augustana, Sanchez was the associate provost for global engagement at California Lutheran University. Trained as an interculturalist, Sanchez has focused her work on campus internationalization to promote global and intercultural learning and competency development.
Sanchez holds a Ph.D. in intercultural communication from the University of New Mexico, a Master of Arts (M.A.) in college student personnel administration/counseling from James Madison University and Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in English and psychology from the College of William and Mary.
The History of the IPO
While the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement marks the beginning of a new chapter at Augustana, the university has a rich history in sending its students abroad and welcoming others into its community.
In 1931, Augustana sent its first Rhodes Scholar — the recipient of an international postgraduate scholarship — to study at the University of Oxford in England, and in 1947, the college welcomed its first degree-seeking international student from Norway. Before there was an IPO, the director of study abroad was a title often held by faculty members, and international students would come to the college through the Midwest Institute for InternationalIntercultural Education — a third-party provider of English as a second language (ESL) — housed in East Hall.
It was in the mid-90s that the IPO was officially established and is currently located on the first floor of the Administration Building. Today, the university continues to break its own records in regard to international student enrollment. AU also boasts one of the largest study-abroad programs in the region, as more than half of its students study away from campus by the time they graduate.
“We couldn’t provide these opportunities without the faculty, so just getting to know the faculty and their passion for doing this and how well they do it, how much they care about it … then, reading what the students write after they get back from one of these experiences — hearing their stories about how this has opened their eyes to so many different things and been the highlight of their college career is what I love most about my job at Augustana,” Kane said.
TURNING UP THE TEMPO
Matthew Whitaker
Joins Augustana University as Inaugural Artist-in-Residence
| BY JILL WILSON
The Augustana School of Music (SoM) has appointed Matthew Whitaker, an internationally-acclaimed jazz pianist, composer and educator, as the university’s inaugural artist-in-residence.
“I’m excited to be part of the Augustana community and to share my love for music in new ways — with students, faculty and the Sioux Falls community. This isn’t just about performance — it’s about growth, collaboration and opening new doors through creativity and imagination,” said Whitaker.
One of the most dynamic musical voices of his generation, Whitaker brings with him a creative energy that promises to reshape music education at Augustana — connecting students to the power of storytelling, collaboration and cultural expression through music.
Blind since birth, Whitaker began playing music at the age of three. By age nine, he was performing internationally. A graduate of the Filomen M. D’Agostino Greenberg Music School and The Juilliard School, Whitaker has since become a globallyrecognized performer and Yamaha artist. His performances span Carnegie Hall, the Apollo Theater and major jazz festivals around the world. Known for his improvisational brilliance and infectious positivity, Whitaker’s influence reaches well beyond the stage.
“Yamaha is proud to support Matthew in this new chapter at Augustana University. His work reflects our shared commitment to artistic excellence, innovation in education and the belief that music can empower and uplift every generation,” said Director of Yamaha Artist Services in New York Bonnie Barrett.
Whitaker’s role at the university will be an immersive one within the Augustana SoM. Whitaker will teach a course called The History of Blues, Jazz & Rock — part of Augustana’s core curriculum that explores American musical identity through the lens of innovation and resistance. He will also lead the Augustana Jazz Combo — mentoring student musicians in improvisation, groove and ensemble artistry. In addition to other collaborations with Augustana’s major instrumental and vocal ensembles, Whitaker will join the Augustana Band with a feature performance of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” and Augustana’s choirs to introduce gospel traditions and jazz organ accompaniment. He will also help reimagine the sequence of upper-level music theory courses alongside Augustana artist Jeremy Hegg ‘94 — exploring form, harmony and rhythm through a modern lens.
“This is a bold step for Augustana,” said Dr. Peter Folliard, dean of the Augustana SoM. “Matthew’s presence at Augustana is a gift to our community and a statement about who we are and what we’re about. Matthew represents everything we believe music can do: teach, connect and transform. His artistry will shape our students, inspire our faculty and deepen our impact across our campus and community.”
Throughout his residency at Augustana, Whitaker will also participate in community engagement, public performances and artist conversations.
To learn more about the Augustana SoM, visit augie.edu/SoM.
A Half-Century of Learning, Laughter and Love:
| BY JILL WILSON
A ugustana’s CLC Celebrates 50 TH Anniversary
The 136-year-old building on Augustana University’s campus sits empty, but remnants of what was is very apparent. A large rainbow, once painted by art students, is still half visible on one of its walls. Disney characters adorn wooden boards once used as a safety feature for children peering out of its second floor windows. The names of children, as well as the names of Augustana students who have toured the building, appear below hooks that once held the bags and coats of little kids.
If the walls in Old Main could talk, they would tell you about the learning, laughter and love that took place inside — where the Augustana Day Care Center, now known as the Campus Learning Center (CLC) for Children, began 50 years ago.
Former Director of the Augustana Social Work Program and Associate Professor Emerita of Social Work Dr. Harriet Emily (Johnson) Scott ‘59, and her husband, Dr. Don Scott ‘61, former director of financial aid and later vice president of finance and planning, started the Day Care Center on Sept. 15, 1975.
“My husband received phone calls from adult students who had children, asking if they could bring them to class because their day care provider was not available. Don and I visited about asking the vice president of student affairs if we could use unused space on campus to develop a small center,” explained Harriet. “When permission was granted for me to explore this possibility further, Old Main Hall became a first-class choice.”
After answering an ad in the paper, Joan Weber became the first certified early childhood teacher, and Harriet served as the director for the next 15+ years — half of which she didn’t garner a paycheck.
The Day Care Center initially occupied three rooms in Old Main and served students, faculty and staff of Augustana and children within the community, with a separate day care operating for a short time out of what was then Sioux Falls College. Work-study students
in the education, nursing and joint social work programs served as additional staff members, which allowed the day care to maintain favorable student-teacher ratios. Lunch was brought from Augustana’s Morrison Commons to both centers, who cared for children two years of age or older. At the time, the center charged parents a mere 50 cents an hour for care.
“I remember some coming into this building and saying, ‘Isn’t it too bad that the children have to be in such an old building,’” said Harriet. “I justified it a lot. ‘No, no. The children can be here. They can paint, do anything they want — spill on the floor and nobody cares.’”
“It was so easy for me, for the work-study students with her (Harriet) at the helm,” remembered Weber, who worked at the center for the first two years. “These were good memories for me. I mean, it was so stinkin’ fun (working with the children and work-study students).”
Don and Harriet’s daughter, Amy Scott-Stoltz ‘93, who was a fixture at the daycare, and Weber’s daughter, Jill Weber Aanenson ’93, would often visit while her mother was working.
Amy Scott-Stoltz ‘93, former student of the CLC, with her mother, Dr. Harriet Emily (Johnson) Scott ’59, inaugural director of the CLC.
Moved to temporary location in basement of Solberg Hall
SEPTEMBER 1975
DECEMBER 1983
Moved to white house at 1225 W. 33rd St.
DECEMBER 1984
“We were angels, of course,” said Scott-Stoltz, a financial advisor, who double majored in psychology and philosophy at Augustana.
“I remember the tables; drawing on the walls was allowed, storytime. I remember the freedom — going downstairs to get treats out of the fridge. I remember the faces.”
From then on, Scott-Stoltz and Weber Aanenson would forever be connected — attending the same elementary, middle and high schools together and then, of course, Augustana. To this day, they still find each other on social media and at reunions.
“The thing you remember is the people; you remember the faces — even a lot of the other people who we went to college with because their parents, of course, were employed here (at Augustana). It’s just kind of neat to have that — that’s full circle when you start together and you end up together on the finish line,” said Weber Aanenson, who majored in engineering physics at Augustana, founded Scientific Consulting, Inc. and serves on the Augustana Board of Trustees (BOT).
According to an article, published by The Augustana Mirror in December 1983, the center temporarily moved to the basement of Charles Orin Solberg Hall due to safety concerns in Old Main. In December 1984, the center moved into a little white house on campus, located at 1225 W. 33rd St. Shortly after is when Judy Knadel entered the picture.
“The professors had their kids come here who are going to Augustana now.”
— Judy Knadel, CLC director
Former students of the CLC, who are now students at Augustana: Clara Binstock ‘28, journalism major; Clark Egland ‘28, biochemistry major; Hannah
‘28, psychology and social work double major; Austin Studenski ‘28, business administration major
Salameh
Jill Weber Aanenson ’93, former visitor of the CLC, with her mother, Joan Weber, the first certified early childhood teacher of the CLC.
EARLY 1990 s DECEMBER 2001
“My daughter was eight years old, and I wanted her to go to Augustana,” said Knadel, the current director of the CLC, who earned a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in psychology from Yankton College in 1972, as well as a teaching certificate and Master of Education in special education (M.Ed. in SPED) from Augustana in 1993.
“I was thinking ahead (in order to get discounted tuition for employees), and I knocked on the door at the Campus Learning Center when it was in the little white house every three months, for I don’t know how long, until they had an opening.
Knadel began working at the CLC in 1988 when Roberta Anderson was the director. A couple years later, in the early 1990s, the CLC began operating out of two locations — the little white house with the playground and in the Sunday school rooms at Our Savior’s Lutheran (OSL) Church across the street from Augustana’s campus.
“Every Friday night, we had to hide everything in the cabinets and put it away so it would be clear for Sunday,” recalled Knadel. “That was a chore, but changed when they (OSL) built the new addition.”
At approximately the same time that Knadel took over as director in 2001, the CLC consolidated into one location at OSL, where it has been for more than three decades. Today, the CLC has nearly 35 children of toddler and preschool age, along with four teachers.
“I remember a lot of them (the children). And the professors, of course, had their kids come here (to the CLC) who are going to Augustana now,” said Knadel, whose grandchild attended the center as well. “We have a gigantic waiting list and it’s because the parents really love it here.”
SEPTEMBER 2025
Over the last 37 years, Knadel has seen and experienced a lot of changes in the field, including an increased amount of regulations and a decrease in the number of students working at the center.
“It’s harder to get them (work-study students) now, much harder. A lot of them leave to get a better paying part-time job somewhere else, but whether you’re in nursing, education or just want to be a good parent, it’s great to come here and get experience,” noted Knadel. “I tell them, ‘You have to let the kids know that you really do care about them and they will care about the rules and do what you want them to because they know you care, too.’”
Knadel cares so much that she still can’t imagine retiring.
“I can’t imagine not going to work,” said Knadel. “I love children. I just need kids in my life.”
This past September, during Augustana’s homecoming week, the CLC invited family and friends of the CLC to help celebrate its 50th Anniversary. The celebration provided an opportunity for those who had a connection to the CLC to reminisce — whether their memories were made at Old Main, OSL or somewhere in between.
The CLC 50th Anniversary Celebration at OSL on Saturday, Sept. 27, during Viking Days.
Each year, Alumni Achievement Awards are presented to Augustana University alumni who have made outstanding contributions to their fields of endeavor, communities and/or churches. The Horizon Award recognizes young alumni who have graduated within the last 15 years and quickly demonstrated outstanding vocational achievement and provided faithful service to their community and/or church. Recipients of both awards must exemplify one or more of the shared core values of the university: Christian, liberal arts, excellence, community or service. These outstanding alumni were honored during Viking Days on Sept. 27 as part of a program at Midco Arena.
DANIEL P. DIGRE ’78 is CEO of MISCO Speaker Company and Warkwyn Labs in St. Paul, Minnesota. Under his leadership, MISCO has grown from a small shop into a global leader — serving industries ranging from aerospace and medical technology to gaming and mass transit. Among its most notable projects, MISCO partnered with NASA to design and build loudspeakers for the Orion spacecraft as part of the Artemis Program.
A proud Augustana Choir alumnus and music major, Digre began his career teaching choral music at New Ulm (Minnesota) High School. His passion for choral music has remained steadfast. He has applied his organizational and business skills to help create and support ensembles in the Twin Cities, including Singers in Accord, now in its 17th season. He also serves as treasurer of the Border Crossing Choral Ensemble and is completing his second term on the F. Melius Christiansen Endowment Fund Board. He and his wife of more than 30 years, Luz Paz, are the parents of Cali Berit.
DAVID W. JOHNSON ’74 has dedicated his career to community banking and service in South Dakota. Appointed CEO of Farmers State Bank in Estelline in 1976, he guided the institution through decades of growth, including its 1999 transition to Reliabank. From 1992 to 2018, Reliabank expanded to 10 locations across eastern South Dakota. Johnson also served as president of the Independent Community Bankers of South Dakota, director of the national ICBA and USAID volunteer in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
He and his family received the Prairie Family Business Heritage Award in 2020, and he and his wife, Jan, were named Philanthropists of the Year in 2022. Married since 1979, the Johnsons have two sons, Reid and Ethan, and eight grandchildren.
JAN (HOVEY) JOHNSON ’75 has combined a career in education with leadership in business and the arts. She taught English at Estelline and Watertown (South Dakota) high schools and later served as an adjunct professor at Mount Marty University in Watertown. Since 1992, she has been a member of Reliabank’s board of directors and became board chair in August when her husband, Dave, retired.
Beyond education and banking, Johnson served on the South Dakota Hall of Fame board, where she championed state history and is currently on the executive board of Friends of South Dakota Public Broadcasting (SDPB). A supporter of the Center for Western Studies (CWS), she has sponsored two publications on South Dakota history and culture. With Dave, she received the 2022 South Dakota Philanthropist of the Year award. They are the parents of Reid and Ethan and have eight grandchildren.
Meet the 2025 Alumni Achievement and Horizon Award Winners
JOHN F. HANSEN ‘68 has devoted his professional and volunteer life to strengthening the Bellevue, Nebraska, and Offutt Air Force Base communities. A successful realtor, he founded Century 21/Hansen Real Estate and later served as president of the Nebraska Realtors Association.
Hansen served 28 years on the Bellevue Board of Education, including 17 as president, where he helped found the Military Impacted Schools Association to advocate nationally for military families and ensure smoother educational transitions for children. In 1992, he helped establish the Offutt Advisory Council, serving as president for more than 30 years, building partnerships between military leaders and civilian communities. He also co-founded the Bellevue Community Foundation, which continues to provide vital support to local organizations and families.
Hansen’s civic contributions include service on the Bellevue City Council, Nebraska Real Estate Commission and numerous nonprofit boards. He and his wife, Janet (Skattum) ’67, are parents of Christopher, Nicholas ’04 and Katherine.
SCOTT N. PETERS ’77 has been a devoted legal advocate. After earning a law degree at the University of South Dakota (USD), he clerked for U.S. District Judge John B. Jones — developing expertise in disability law and becoming a lifelong advocate for people with disabilities. For more than 30 years, he chaired the Minnehaha County Board of Mental Illness, adjudicating nearly 12,000 cases and leading reforms to improve due process, expand access to treatment and establish mobile crisis teams. In 1993, Peters co-argued a U.S. Supreme Court case that marked the first interpretation of the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause. In retirement, Peters continued his commitment to servant leadership as board chair and volunteer development worker at Sioux Falls Lutheran School — guiding its successful relocation and enrollment growth. He and his wife, Dr. Patricia (Jarratt) Peters ’76, are the parents of Katherine, Kristen and Sarah — all Lutheran educators — and have eight grandchildren.
MASON VOEHL ’14 is an environmental advocate dedicated to protecting fragile ecosystems and empowering communities. As executive director of the Amargosa Conservancy, he led efforts to safeguard the Amargosa River Watershed in the Mojave Desert — one of North America’s most significant biodiversity hotspots. Now serving as the conservancy’s campaigns director, he focuses on advocacy and grassroots organizing to defend the river and landscape.
A philosophy major and Civitas Honors Program graduate, Voehl earned a master’s degree in environmental philosophy from the University of Montana (UM). He previously taught field courses in ecology, conservation and environmental ethics with the Wild Rockies Field Institute and organized grassroots water protection campaigns in South Dakota with Dakota Rural Action. His work has been featured in The New York Times, Politico and The Washington Post. He and his wife, Sarah (Larimer) ’15, are the parents of Eloise.
Augustana Partners With Our Savior’s Lutheran Church to Host Bach Collegium Match Made in Heaven
| BY JILL WILSON
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (OSL) has long been connected to Augustana and its community. Just a short walk from campus, the church has begun hosting the performances of the Augustana School of Music’s ensemble — the Augustana Bach Collegium.
Since its founding in Spring 2024, the Augustana Bach Collegium has performed four cantatas and three motets. This past spring, the collegium captured the hearts of its audience when performing Johann Sebastian Bach’s “St. John Passion” at the Cathedral of St. Joseph.
“Bach’s works are rarely performed here, and yet, they resonate deeply — especially in this community given Bach’s own Lutheran faith. Our concerts have drawn people of faith, music lovers and community members from all walks of life, which is incredibly encouraging,” said Visiting Professor of Music Dr. David Chin, who arrived at Augustana in Summer 2023 and established the Augustana Bach Collegium. Chin, originally from Malaysia, began taking piano lessons at the age of nine and was the pianist at his home church when he was just 12 years old. From 2005 to 2019, Chin earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in music in the United States. During that same time, he also taught at three universities. But, it wasn’t until his final semester as a master’s degree student at Eastman School of Music that a professor introduced Chin to Bach’s sacred works.
“It was an awakening. There was no turning back,” Chin explained. “Bach’s music opened my eyes to a larger world of art, philosophy, theology and faith, and it continues to shape how I view life and music today.”
Now, Chin is passing his passion for the “cornerstone of Western music” onto others.
“Most students arrive at Augustana with very little knowledge of Bach — something that is true for many young people around the world. But, this is precisely what makes my work so rewarding,” Chin continued. “To be able to introduce Bach and his music to students who may never have encountered him before and to watch them discover his genius and depth for the first time, is one of my greatest joys as a teacher.”
Students, faculty and staff aren’t the only ones taking notice. Augustana alumni Dr. Greg ‘74 and Karen (Devick) Schultz ‘75 — longtime supporters of their alma mater — learned of Chin and the Bach Collegium through other Augustana supporters. The Schultzes said it was “a natural connection” that they couldn’t ignore.
Karen — a music major at Augustana who studied under the likes of Augustana Professors Emeriti Drs. Mary Helen Schmidt and J. Earl Lee — grew up surrounded by music. Karen’s mother was a church organist and even had a huge church organ in the basement of their home. Among her mom’s record albums was a huge collection — the “Mass in B Minor” — one of Bach’s greatest works. Her neighborhood piano teacher held a Bach piano recital with her students every year.
“I got the picture early on that Bach was someone special,” remembered Karen, whose parents are also Augustana alumni.
“The passion of Dr. Chin is just amazing,” said Greg, a biology and chemistry double major at Augustana who recently retired as a vascular surgeon. “He’s a world-class expert on Bach, and we’re blessed to have him in our community.”
“What a gift!” Karen chimed in.
A gift that the Schultzes wanted to share with the surrounding community and bring to their home church — the same church in which Karen and her parents were some of the first members, where she and Greg were married and their children grew up. Greg currently serves on the church’s council and sings in its choir.
And now, with support from the Schultzes, the Augustana Bach Collegium will perform its fall and spring events at OSL over the next four years, as well as provide internship opportunities for Augustana students at the church. The Schultzes, who are participants in Augustana’s Friendship Family Program, are also providing support for a part-time position within the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement.
“It’s an ideal partnership. We feel passionately about both institutions, so when this came up, it just made so much sense to us. This type of partnership just cements our common missions and allows us to grow together,” said Greg.
When asked about the partnership, Chin said he sees “tremendous potential.” After visiting the church’s Celebrate Center, he was struck by the size of the space and acoustics, which are well-suited for the repertoire the collegium performs.
“I’m eager to experience how Bach’s music will come alive in that sanctuary,” said Chin. “What could be more fitting than performing the cantatas of Bach — the ultimate Lutheran composer — within a Lutheran church, under the banner of a Lutheran university?”
When you come to a concert, get ready to engage deeply with Bach’s work. The concerts always begin with an informative lecture and the audience is invited to join in singing the chorales, which Chin said “creates a beautiful sense of shared experience.”
Along with the Augustana Choir, the Augustana Bach Collegium held its first fall concert at the OSL on Oct. 5. The collegium’s spring performance will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. — performing none other than the “Mass in B Minor.”
To learn more about the SoM’s vocal and instrumental studies ensembles, including the Augustana Bach Collegium, visit augie.edu/SoM
Meeting Student-Athletes on Their ‘Turf’
Office of Faith & Spiritual Life Partners With Augustana Athletics to Establish Team Chaplains Program
| BY JILL WILSON
Over the last decade, the Augustana University Office of Faith & Spiritual Life has worked hard to engage with “every corner of campus.” This includes its athletics programs with its pastors offering student-athlete blessings twice a year, devotions during team practices, as well as taking chapel services to the ice and serving as the voice of reason as the penalty box attendant — coined the “Sin Bin” — at Viking Hockey home games.
“The Office of Faith & Spiritual Life serves the entire student body, a fourth of whom are student-athletes,” said Rev. Ann Rosendale ‘04, Senior University Pastor and Vice President for Mission Integration. “If we aren’t finding ways to engage student-athletes and coaches, we aren’t living out our calling to serve the entire community.”
In Fall 2024, the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life embarked on a new initiative in coordination with Augustana Athletics — a Team Chaplains Program — with the purpose of “further integrating spiritual well-being into the lives of student-athletes and coaches,” many of whom are already people of deep faith. They asked teams to identify coaches and studentathletes to serve as “team chaplains,” who would commit to help support their teams’ spiritual needs.
“It was important to listen first — to get to know what kinds of spiritual needs our student-athletes and coaches had, how these were already being served and how we as a university could deepen our commitment to spiritual well-being in athletics,” Rosendale explained. “We invited an inaugural cohort of team chaplains to think about ways they could support their team — by leading the team in prayer or devotions, inviting a campus pastor or interfaith chaplain to practice or visiting with a student who was still exploring their spiritual identity.”
“I believe wrestling was the first sport to send me names of team chaplains. They were enthusiastic about participating and asked how they might support the broader effort,” she continued. “A huge success in the first year of any new program is simply getting people to sign up. Knowing that people want to be a part of making a spiritual difference on their teams is encouraging.”
One of the first to volunteer was Viking Wrestler
Balow said the importance of faith and spirituality was instilled in him at a young age — attending a Christian elementary school and church every Sunday. Though, in college, he admittedly struggled at first to find opportunities that worked for him to grow spiritually.
“It suddenly became my own responsibility to feed my faith,” said Balow, of Lake City, Minnesota, who is double majoring in finance and business administration.
Starting conversations about faith and spiritually with teammates is no easy feat and doesn’t always come naturally. The Team Chaplains Program has provided Balow the platform to be able to do that — to promote conversation and dialogue with
“I felt like this would be a good opportunity to grow my faith and share it with others. I saw a chance to help young men who were in the same shoes as me,” explained Balow, who previously had little to no interaction with the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life.
“Student-athletes are some of the busiest people I know at Augustana,” said Rosendale. “Like so much with ministry, it is often more effective to meet people on their ‘turf,’ wherever that may be. We have student-athletes and coaches who come to worship regularly, but others are exploring faith outside of the traditional worship space. We want to facilitate that worship as best we can.”
Madison Ryken ‘28 isn’t new to the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life, having also participated in the Lenten Faith Partners Program and inaugural cohort of the Buntrock Scholars Program. But, being a team chaplain for the Augustana Spirit Squads (Dance Team) has allowed different aspects of her world to come together.
“I value my involvement with the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life because God is present in all aspects of my life. The Team Chaplains Program allows me to bring something I value greatly into my time at practice and time spent with teammates,” said Ryken, of Yankton, South Dakota, who is majoring in communication disorders.
Gretta Melsted, who has served as the head coach of Augustana Softball for 20 years, said faith has always been an important part of her life. But even as the daughter of a pastor, it took her “many years” to be comfortable bringing faith and topics of faith into her coaching.
“I believe that it’s important to serve as a resource to our studentathletes in this area … I think once you take the initial step to chat about faith with your players, it opens more doors for you to be able to help them grow and help them when they are struggling. I also see players more willing to chat with me about issues of faith because of this,” said Melsted. “We live in a complicated and broken world and it is important for us to be able to offer the joy, hope, love and assurance that faith provides.”
Melsted said Viking Softball is involved in many ways — Rosendale shares a devotional with her team a few times per year and a group of its players attend church together.
“If we are on the road, they (the players) have been known to stream the chapel service online in the back of the bus,” said Melsted. “It is unique to see a group of college-aged students huddled together watching a service.”
If it’s any confirmation, Balow and Ryken said perhaps the best part of the program is seeing that their coaches are sailing the ship — making the program both exciting and comforting.
“It’s very encouraging to see the various coaches involved in this aspect of our development as people. Many of these coaches are an important reason why we are here in the first place and to see them care about our spiritual development, and even leading the charge, is very inspiring,” said Balow. “We are people before we are athletes. Jesus came to save all of us.”
Now that a more intentional relationship between the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life and Athletics has begun, they all hope it strengthens over time.
“Just like an athlete stretches their muscles or builds endurance through running, we have spiritual muscles that we can grow, too. Spiritual practices like prayer, scripture reading, meditation and worship have a lot of parallels to practice on the field or court. The more we practice, the more natural these movements and habits become. And the more we grow, the better we get,” said Rosendale. “Athletics teams are the perfect places for faith to be formed because faith is almost always formed in community.”
And they have a lot to look forward to this fall. As part of the program, the chaplains will be asked to write short reflections on their faith — a devotional written by them, which will be sent to student-athletes and coaches.
“I’m looking forward to what they share about helpful faith practices or how they wrestle with ideas like ‘winning and losing’ in light of a faith that says ‘the first shall be last and the last shall be first,’” said Rosendale, who is “proud to be an Augustana Viking and cheer on the home team” every chance she gets.
“I have to express my gratitude to Josh Morton (vice president for athletics), Dr. Kimberly Miller (senior associate athletics director for compliance) and the entire Augustana Athletics Department for their openness to these partnerships. It’s one of the things that sets Augustana apart — faith is really woven into everything we do.”
For more information on the Augustana Office of Faith & Spiritual Life, visit augie.edu/faith
VIKING VICTORIES
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
NSIC ELITE 18 AWARD WINNERS
NSIC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS
NSIC COACHES OF THE YEAR
CSC ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA HONORS
NSIC PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
NATIONAL ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
NATIONAL TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES
NATIONALLY-RANKED PROGRAMS
MYLES BRAND AWARD WINNERS
ALL-AMERICA HONORS
CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
ALL-CONFERENCE ATHLETES
ACADEMIC ALL-CONFERENCE STUDENT-ATHLETES
New at
Record Enrollment
Augustana welcomed a total of 2,548 students for Academic Year 2025-26 — the largest student body in the university’s 165-year history. The student body includes 2,143 total undergraduates, which is the largest overall undergraduate headcount at Augustana in 35 years. Among those undergraduates, a total of 615 full-time firstyear students chose to find their bold at AU — an all-time record high and a 15% increase from last year. Augustana also set a record for the overall number of graduate students in the university’s history with 405.
augie.edu/enrollment
Bachelor of Music
The Augustana School of Music (SoM) is accepting applications for a Bachelor of Music (BM) in performance for Fall 2026 — designed for students who have the desire to become professional musicians. Through the BM, students are engaged in more studio and performance courses, and must audition to be accepted into the program. augie.edu/SoM
Doctor of Physical TherapyMinnesota
The Augustana University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in Minneapolis, Minnesota, graduated its inaugural cohort of 70 students in Spring 2025. In addition, DPTMN was granted full accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in April.
College of Arts & Sciences
As part of an effort to refine the academics structure at the university, Dr. Jennifer A. A. Gubbels has been named the inaugural dean of the Augustana College of Arts & Sciences — offering diverse undergraduate programs rooted in the liberal arts. The college consists of five areas — Life Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Humanities & Cultural Studies, Languages, Literature & Communication and Social Sciences, as well as the Center for Interdisciplinary Studies (CIS). Each area then consists of 1-4 academic departments. The Nancy Dickinson Writing Center, Civitas Honors Program and First-Year Seminar (FYS) also fall under the purview of the college.
augie.edu/CAS
Women’s Flag Football
In March 2025, Augustana began partnering with the Minnesota Vikings and five other NCAA institutions to launch a new collegiate women’s flag football league — one of the fastestgrowing sports in the nation, expanding rapidly at the high school and college levels. Thanks to support from the Vikings (and NFL), the program at Augustana has the financial foundation to succeed with potential pathways for increased recognition and competition in the future. The league competes in jamborees, as well as a championship tournament at TCO Stadium. In Spring 2025 — the league’s inaugural year — Augustana finished in second place, having competed in the championship game.
augie.edu/FlagFootball
augie.edu/DPT
Critical Inquiry & Citizenship Colloquium
Generously supported by Rosemarie and Dean Buntrock and in partnership with Augustana’s Center for Western Studies (CWS), Augustana University’s third annual Critical Inquiry & Citizenship Colloquium will culminate with Dr. Joy Buolamwini as the featured speaker. Buolamwini, bestselling author of “Unmasking AI,” MIT researcher and founder of the Algorithmic Justice League, will give a keynote presentation to the AU community, alumni and friends on Saturday, Oct. 25, at 4 p.m. in the Elmen Center, with a book signing to follow.
augie.edu/CICC
Strength & Conditioning Program
Launched in Fall 2024, the Augustana University Strength & Conditioning Program is now accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Strength and Conditioning Education (CASCE) — a recognized authority in quality strength and conditioning education. This accreditation demonstrates Augustana’s commitment in upholding the highest standards of quality and excellence in the university’s strength & conditioning program. The program’s curriculum, faculty and facilities have undergone rigorous evaluation to ensure that it provides students with the knowledge, skills and practical experience necessary to excel in the field of strength & conditioning and keep athletes safe.
augie.edu/SC
Anthony G. Tuve Hall
Augustana’s Anthony G. Tuve Hall reopened in Fall 2025, after undergoing renovations the previous two academic years. The residence hall, which originally opened in 1950, received infrastructure, laundry, bathroom and common area renovations to complement the student room renovations completed in 2017. Tuve now houses up to 80 students in spacious single rooms.
A dedication ceremony for the Tuve 1894 Lounge took place on Oct. 19 in the lobby of Tuve Hall. Christine Burris and her husband, Jim, provided the naming gift in honor of her late grandfather — Augustana’s longest serving president from 1890 to 1916.
augie.edu/ResidenceHalls
Leadership Academy
Ole’s Outlet
Ole’s Outlet, located in Augustana’s Morrison Commons, officially reopened in June 2025 after the university began managing both of its on-campus merchandise stores. Ole’s Outlet and the SKOL Shop were being managed by the local retailer — MRG Sports & Promotion — the last three years. Since taking over, Augustana has been working with AU alumna Kelly (Everett) Yungbluth ‘00 of Innovative Promotions to assist in sourcing out and branding new products, which includes workwear, casual apparel for infants and students to parents and grandparents, as well as hats, bandanas, lanyards, mugs, tumblers and stickers. The SKOL Shop, located in Midco Arena, will be open during Viking Hockey home games.
augie.edu/OlesOutlet
The Leadership Academy was first introduced as part of the Augustana Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program in 2022. The Leadership Academy consists of two components — a mentoring program and seminar series — both intended to help students expand their networks and streamline a path to their careers. Since then, the seminar series has expanded to include all graduate students and their mentors, as well as alumni within the Rydell School of Business. In addition to the MBA, the seminars are now considered core courses for the Master of Professional Accountancy (MPA) and Master of Sports Administration & Leadership (MSAL) programs at Augustana. Just three years into the program, the Leadership Academy is nearly 75 mentors strong and has hosted more than 40 speakers from marketing, real estate and sports-related fields to banking, financial and health care industries.
augie.edu/RSoB
Five Inducted Into 2025 Augustana Honorary Alumni Society
In Spring 2023, Augustana University established the Augustana Honorary Alumni Society to recognize individuals who have shown extraordinary dedication to Augustana’s mission, along with its core values of Christian, liberal arts, excellence, community and service. Through sustained commitment to the university, honorary alumni have demonstrated the gold standard of engagement.
This year, Augustana inducted five members — recognized on Sept. 26 during Viking Days.
Members of the honorary alumni society enjoy special recognition, along with the rights and privileges pertaining to Augustana alumni.
JIM HEINITZ, of Brandon, South Dakota, is the longest-serving head football coach in Viking history, having led Augustana for 17 seasons. He guided his teams to multiple NCAA Division II playoff appearances and earned North Central Conference Coach of the Year and South Dakota College Coach of the Year honors in both 1988 and 1992. Beyond the field, he has been instrumental in raising support for athletics and building lasting relationships with donors. After coaching, Heinitz served as CEO of Furniture Mart USA and later as Brandon’s interim mayor. He and his wife, Becky ‘97, have nurtured a strong Augustana family legacy with children, in-laws and grandchildren as alumni and current students. From the field that bears his name to the scholarship fund established in his honor — and through the many student-athletes he coached and mentored — Heinitz has left an indelible mark on Augustana.
KAY MCNERNEY, of Sioux Falls, began her career as a laboratory technician at the Red Cross in St. Paul, Minnesota, and later became a life insurance underwriter in Sioux Falls. She was warmly welcomed into the Augustana family during visits to her husband, Pat ‘74, a member of the Vikings Football Team. The McNerneys have generously supported the Mikkelsen Library, Froiland Science Complex, A-Club, turf installation on Jim Heinitz Field and Elmen Center. Kay has also served on the Augustana Library Associates Board, contributed to Women in Philanthropy Impact Scholarships and is a proud member of the Heritage Society. Her commitment to supporting students, advancing academic resources and sustaining the university’s mission has greatly enriched the Augustana community.
LINDA NYBERG, of Sioux Falls, is co-owner of Nyberg’s Ace Hardware and a respected business leader and community advocate. With her husband, Kevin ‘79, she has played a pivotal role in advancing Augustana University and enriching the Sioux Falls region. The Nybergs are Founding Partners of Augustana Men’s Hockey and have supported numerous areas of campus life, from supporting Ace the Augie Doggie to the renovation of the Chapel of Reconciliation. They are also the proud parents of four Augustana alumni — a legacy that deepens their family’s enduring connection to the university. Through her leadership, philanthropy and steadfast support, Linda has made a lasting and meaningful difference.
TOM SLATTERY, of Sioux Falls, is co-owner of JJ’s Wine, Spirits & Cigars, along with his wife, Jean. Under his leadership, JJ’s has expanded to include The Boozy Bakery and JJ’s Axes & Ales, which has hosted Augustana Athletics team-building events and alumni gatherings. A steadfast supporter of Augustana for decades, Slattery has partnered with the university in providing student employment, concessions at events, as well as having served as a sideline photographer for Viking Football. He and Jean are also Founding Partners of Augustana Hockey — playing a pivotal role in making Division I hockey a reality. Constantly keeping Augustana top of mind, the university continually benefits from Tom’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit whether on the court, near the field, by the rink or in the community.
CHARLES “CHUCK” ZALOUDEK, of Berkeley, California, is a distinguished pathologist and professor emeritus at the University of California, San Francisco — internationally recognized for his groundbreaking work in gynecologic pathology. Through decades of teaching, clinical service and research, he has advanced medical knowledge and improved patient care worldwide. He and his wife, Jane ‘72, established the Jane and Charles Zaloudek Faculty Research Fellowship to support faculty scholarship and have generously supported Women in Philanthropy Impact Scholarships and other initiatives designed to support students and faculty. He is also a member of the Augustana Heritage Society. Chuck’s dedication to discovery, education and philanthropy has had a profound impact on Augustana and beyond.
CLASS NOTES
CLASS OF 2020
Cortney (Ihnen) Gubbrud and Jon Gubbrud, are married with two little girls and are in Nebraska for Jon’s emergency room residency.
CLASS OF 2014
Emma (Budahl) Huntimer and Alex Huntimer welcomed their first child, Julia, on Nov. 4, 2024.
Kevin Wickland and Berit Wickland celebrated the birth of their daughter, Sigrid Ann, on July 8.
CLASS OF 2013
Berit Wickland and Kevin Wickland celebrated the birth of their daughter, Sigrid Ann, on July 8.
CLASS OF 2009
Marissa Knaak received a Ph.D. in history from Michigan State University in Summer 2025.
Lisa (Bengtson) Sheffer married Adam Sheffer on June 7.
CLASS OF 2004
Stephanie Entringer works as associate director of accreditation services with the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
CLASS OF 1972
Dale McCurdy and husband, Mark, are moving from Phoenix, Arizona, to Iowa City, Iowa. Dale spent 45 years as a church music director and had several other careers, including K-12 music teacher through conservatory, financial advisor and banker.
CLASS OF 1971
Cheryl Sawatzke Routh, Ph.D., was presented with the Lutheran Lamb Award for her years of service in Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America) and in the church. She is a member of Community Lutheran Church, Las Vegas, Nevada, and Scouting America Troop 848.
IN MEMORIAM
CLASS
OF 1995
Mark “Bubba” Beckstrand, 53, passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on July 9.
CLASS
OF 1988
Jodi Lynn Jons Gubbrud, 58, passed away in her home in St. Paul, Minnesota, on June 30.
Donna Mae Jipp passed away on June 12.
CLASS
OF 1982
Cindy Doreen Shella-Tranby, of Sioux Falls, passed away on June 12, following a courageous one-and-a-half-year battle with breast cancer.
CLASS OF 1979
Sharon Kay Lubeck, of Sioux Falls, passed away on May 3.
CLASS OF 1978
Diane Knutson, of Roseville, Minnesota, passed away on May 3, following a courageous battle with multiple myeloma and chronic kidney disease.
CLASS OF 1975
Marcia Lynn (Miller) McCarney passed away at Cherrywood Assisted Living in Richmond, Minnesota, on Aug. 6.
Mark Bradt Miller passed away on July 29.
Garrett Leigh Van Der Griff, 68, of Minnetonka, Minnesota, died on Nov. 13, 2020.
CLASS OF 1973
Douglas Dale Hawks passed away in St. Peters, Missouri, on Nov. 7, 2023.
Deborah Louise Kelly, 73, passed away on Aug. 12.
CLASS OF 1970
Robert R. Hefti passed away at his home in Brandon, Minnesota, on Aug. 2.
CLASS OF 1969
Craig Anderson passed away in the summer of 2025.
Samuel John Nelson, of Faribault, Minnesota, passed away at District One Hospital in Faribault on June 2.
CLASS OF 1967
Muriel (nee Bigler) Olsen, of Broomfield, Colorado, passed away at home after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease.
CLASS OF 1966
James (Jim) Allen Bland passed away on May 15, 2024.
CLASS OF 1965
Maureen Hatch died at Bethany Home in Brandon, South Dakota, on Aug. 23.
Judith Marie Wild, 81, passed away on June 4, following a brief hospitalization.
Ronald “Ron” Brakke ’63, 84, passed away on July 30.
Donald “Don” David Randolph Jr. ’66, 81, of Lake Suzy, Florida, passed away on Aug. 22.
After working as a consultant for Coldwell Banker Corporation, Randolph built a distinguished career in real estate, founding Coldwell Banker Sunstar Realty in Port Charlotte, Punta Gorda, Englewood and North Port, Florida. He served on the Augustana Board of Trustees from 2003-08.
Randolph was preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Molly Kindle, and two sisters. He is survived by his wife, Susie; children, David Randolph, Jason Randolph, Julie Doyle, Jeni Trautman and Jason Mohler; and nine grandchildren.
A standout athlete in high school and college, Nichols carried his love of sports into a lifetime of teaching, coaching and mentoring. A professor emeritus of education, he joined Augustana in 1967 and taught for 32 years — co-founding the gifted student program, teaching educational psychology and guiding hundreds of student teachers.
Beloved by students and colleagues alike, Nichols was known for his strong work ethic, dry sense of humor and deep care for education. In 1983, he was honored to serve as marshal of the Augustana Viking Days Parade.
Nichols was preceded in death by his daughter, Lynn Swee ’84, and two brothers. He is survived by Glenda Nichols ’71; daughter Lori Kading; six grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.
While attending Augustana, he discovered his passion for animal health marketing and sales, a field that became his life’s work. He served in the Army National Guard from 1963-71. During that time, he began a career that would span six decades — leading companies, completing the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School and ultimately, founding Brakke Consulting in 1986. Under his leadership, the firm became a leading authority in the animal health industry. In 2009, he authored “The U.S. Animal Health Industry: Its Pioneers and Their Legacy of Innovation,” chronicling the field’s history and innovators.
Brakke served on Augustana’s Board of Regents (now Trustees) from 1977-89. He was honored with the Iron Paw Award from the Kansas City Animal Health Corridor in 2014 and Augustana’s Alumni Achievement Award in 2019.
Brakke is survived by his wife, Becky ’65; brother, Allen; daughters, Suzanne Moore and Dr. Rachel Holman; and two grandchildren.
Gene Nichols, 88, passed away on Aug. 30.
CLASS OF 1964
Duane M. “Buck” Jacobson, of Watertown, South Dakota, passed away at Prairie Lakes Hospital on July 13, following a long battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
Barbara Ann Nissen, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Sanford Foundation Hospice on July 5.
Ruth Margaret Wahlstrom, 82, of Tiffin, Ohio, passed away at her home on June 14.
CLASS OF 1963
Ronald Brakke, 84, passed away on July 30 from complications related to viral encephalopathy.
John Peter Rude, 83, passed away on April 5.
Bonnie Jean Simpson passed away in Sioux Falls on July 25.
CLASS OF 1960
LaVerne Jacob Hofer, of Beresford, South Dakota, passed away on July 28.
LeRoy Kiemele passed away on July 20.
CLASS OF 1959
Rev. Selmer Sam Hatlestad passed away at Edgewood Assisted Living in Watertown, South Dakota, on July 18.
CLASS OF 1958
Beverly (Ode) Ivener, formerly of Sioux Falls, passed away at home in Glen Rose, Texas, on June 30.
Audrey Wagnild Kittelson, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away at St. Francis Hospital on June 26, following a brief illness.
CLASS OF 1955
Jim Alger died in Fargo, North Dakota, on May 24.
John R. McIntyre, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Ava’s Hospice House on Aug. 19.
CLASS OF 1954
Dorothy Luella (Carlson) Oehrle, 94, of Simsbury, Connecticut, passed away on July 24.
CLASS OF 1951
Gordon Gunderson, of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, passed away on July 28.
Helen Clara Drewes Madsen, 87, passed away on Aug. 17.
Together with her husband, Lou, Helen founded Teem Enterprises, Inc. in 1970, a national manufacturer of commercial refuse containers and remained active in the business until its sale in 1996.
A devoted philanthropist and community leader, her primary passion was supporting youth, especially those at risk. Madsen served as president of the Children’s Home Society Board of Directors and on the boards of the Children’s Home Foundation, Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation and American Red Cross. She also helped establish programs to benefit young people at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.
Helen and Lou’s extraordinary generosity left a lasting legacy at Augustana, where their naming gift made possible the Madsen Social Science Center, which was dedicated in 1999. Their philanthropy also provided the naming gift for Madsen House at Children’s Home Society. They were recognized as South Dakota Philanthropists of the Year and inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 2003. Helen was also awarded an honorary degree from Augustana College.
Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Lou; and siblings, Gertrude, Dorothy, Viola, Alice and Robert. She is survived by her daughters, Vicki ’80, Melanie ’82 and Pamela ’83; and two granddaughters.
Rev. Donald “Don” Gaarder, 91, passed away on Sept. 13. Ordained in 1959, Gaarder served parishes in Grenora, North Dakota; Britton, South Dakota; and Pierre, South Dakota, providing leadership in both church and community. He served on numerous boards, including the Augustana Board of Regents (now Trustees) from 1970 to 1981 and held positions as vice president and president of the South Dakota District Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
After retiring from parish ministry in 1989, Gaarder began a second career in insurance and was an active member of Lions and Rotary Clubs. Steadfast in his lifelong commitment to service, he was honored as Volunteer of the Year in Pierre and Fort Pierre, South Dakota, and later received the Spirit of Volunteerism award for his work with Sanford Health. In 2023, he was inducted into the Augustana Honorary Alumni Society, and in 2024, the ELCA recognized him for 65 years in ministry. Gaarder was preceded in death by his wife, Alta. He is survived by his children, Sonia Bury ’83, Karla Wiessner and Michael Gaarder; several grandchildren; and greatgrandchildren.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The class notes sent to Augustana University come from alumni and/or family members. They may be edited for length and clarity, along with grammar and spelling to reflect the editorial style guide of the university.
