VIKING LIFE
Welcome to Augustana!
New beginnings bring a mix of excitement and uncertainty. Whether it’s moving into your first residence hall, attending your first class or navigating new friendships, it’s normal to feel a bit uneasy about finding the right fit for college. All of us have been in your shoes, wondering where we will find our people, succeed in our classes or truly belong. But for us, Augustana was it.
Despite what some might see as daunting change, Augustana remains a welcome home for everyone. If life at Augustana could be described in one word, it would be “family.” It’s not possible to simply attend classes here without also building a network of connections across all fields of study, ages and student organizations. Our professors know us by name and become mentors for so much more than just classwork. Your classmates will push you to excel in all things in and out of the classroom.
No matter what your major is, Augustana helps you discover the power and potential that already exists within you. This campus doesn’t ask you to fit into a mold. Instead, it encourages you to grow into your truest self, supported by a community that genuinely cares. From Viking Days homecoming celebrations to nights spent studying with friends, cheering on our Division I Hockey team or attending theatre and music performances, Augustana is filled with opportunities to find your passions.
As you explore your college options, reflect on your interests while also being open-minded to new possibilities and taking risks. Choosing the right place is about more than academics — it’s about finding a place where you can be challenged, valued and inspired every day to find your bold
You belong here at Augustana.
Sincerely,
Igen Nyawanda and Maggie McKeown ASA President and Vice President ‘25-’26
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.
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.
Viking Views
Move-In Day and Welcome Week 2025 brought energy, excitement and a strong sense of community at Augustana University. As new students arrived on campus, Viking Guides and staff welcomed them with cheers, music and helping hands. Families unloaded cars and helped students settle into residence halls, marking the beginning of an unforgettable journey. Throughout the week, the newest Vikings took part in campus traditions, service projects and evening socials. From meeting roommates to making new friends, the Class of 2029 began building connections that will define their AU experience for years to come.
Skol Vikings
AUGUSTANA WELCOMES LARGEST EVER STUDENT BODY IN UNIVERSITY’S 165-YEAR HISTORY
Augustana has done it again: The university broke an enrollment record set last year — achieving the highest enrollment in its 165-year history.
Augustana welcomed a total of 2,548 students — partand full-time undergraduate and graduate students — for Academic Year 2025-26. The student body includes 2,143 undergraduates, a number not seen in 35 years, and the highest ever incoming class with 615 students. The 2025-26 class also includes 405 graduate students.
“This fall’s record enrollment reflects the momentum of our Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 strategic plan and dedication of our faculty and staff in offering an excellent and innovative learning environment,” President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said. “You feel the positivity and optimism.”
AU has also made a strong commitment to financial assistance — funding scholarships to help bridge the gap for students and families.
“We’re really making a concerted effort to serve our community, making Augustana accessible to more students. We don’t have a single student who doesn’t receive some type of scholarship and/or grant,” said Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management Adam Heinitz ‘99.
Popular majors include nursing, biology, exercise science, business administration and psychology. Across these majors and others are unique interdisciplinary programs, such as fintech, neuroscience and bioinformatics, as well as media production & entrepreneurship.
The city’s vibrant, welcoming culture is also key.
“It’s a city with boundless opportunities,” Heinitz said. “It’s undeniable the opportunities students have relative to career development and internships. Students see themselves staying in Sioux Falls.”
Turning up the Tempo
Matthew Whitaker Joins
Augustana School of Music as Inaugural Artist-in-Residence
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 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 globally-recognized 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.
Whitaker’s role at the university is an immersive one — teaching part of Augustana’s core curriculum, leading the Augustana Jazz Combo and collaborating with AU’s major instrumental and vocal ensembles. He will also help reimagine the sequence of upper-level music theory courses.
“Matthew’s presence at Augustana is a gift to our community and a statement about who we are and what we’re about,” said Dr. Peter Folliard, dean of the Augustana School of Music. “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.”
To learn more about the Augustana School of Music, visit augie.edu/SoM
MILLION DOLLAR MATCH
Donors Provide Foundation to Establish De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement
As part of a ceremony in Spring 2025, Augustana University dedicated the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement — previously known as the International Programs Office (IPO). The transition comes after the Knudsons presented the university with a $1 million matching gift.
Housed in the Administration Building, the center is part of Augustana’s strategic plan 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.
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 the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) or Premiere Playhouse.
“I feel like I always gain more than I give when I work with these international students,” added De.
With the creation of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement, AU’s goal is to provide more than just essential services, but to better prepare students for an 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,” 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.”
For more information on the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement, visit augie.edu/CGE.
I feel like I always gain more than I give when I work with these international students.
— De Knudson
More Than Homecoming
At Augustana, tradition runs deep, and nowhere is that more evident than during Viking Days — our homecoming celebration.
For one unforgettable week, campus comes alive with energy, pride and connection. Students, faculty, alumni and the entire Augustana community gather to celebrate what it means to be a Viking. From the spirited parade through campus to the pancake feed, coronation of Viking Days Royalty and an exciting lineup of student-led events, Viking Days is a true highlight of the year.
Whether you’re cheering on classmates, making memories with friends or experiencing the powerful sense of belonging that defines Augustana, Viking Days offers a front-row seat to our campus culture. It’s more than a celebration; it’s a tradition that brings the Viking spirit to life.
MATH & STATISTICS PLUS WRITING CENTERS EQUAL SUCCESS AT AUGUSTANA
At Augustana University, student success takes center stage through the Math & Statistics Skills Center and Nancy Dickinson Writing Center. Both spaces provide supportive, community-driven environments where students can strengthen their skills, build confidence and connect with peers. Together, these centers, along with other support systems, reflect Augustana’s commitment to empowering students through personalized learning and collaboration.
The Math & Statistics Skills Center at Augustana University opened to students in Fall 2024. Since then, the center has become popular among students with a variety of different majors — taking advantage of its resources, community and vibe.
“We noticed a shift in our students after COVID — that not a lot of them were coming in for drop-in tutoring, had a bit more anxiety, math anxiety, anxiety with coming in and working with others,” explained Dr. Carl Olimb, professor of mathematics and director of the engineering program.
The Augustana Mathematics Department received an Oliver Innovation Grant — standing up the Math & Skills Center, which included the purchase of equipment and ability to pay tutors, as well as a director.
Modeled after the Nancy Dickinson Writing Center at Augustana, Director of the Math & Statistics Skills Center and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Dr. George Nasr provides the tutors with multiple levels of training. Nasr said having an understanding of content is not enough to be a tutor in the center. He listed “being empathetic, thoughtful, patient and understanding” as essential skills in communicating mathematics.
“I think having a room where you’re all doing the same thing, especially early on — the underclassmen who are kind of struggling through the same things — helps you meet people, classmates who you wouldn’t maybe talk to otherwise,” said Schaler Starks ‘25, a former Math & Statistics Center tutor who double majored in bioinformatics and mathematics.
Since being established by former instructor and director Nancy Dickinson ‘79 in 1984, the Nancy Dickinson Writing Center has amassed 20 tutors — helping an average of more than 1,600 students per year.
The Writing Center is also proud to have renewed its College Learning and Reading Association (CRLA) certification — the only Augustana campus group to have this accreditation.
To learn more about the Augustana Mathematics Department, visit augie.edu/MathDepartment. For more information on the Nancy Dickinson Writing Center, visit augie.edu/WritingCenter.
I think having a room where you’re all doing the same thing, especially early on — the underclassmen who are kind of struggling through the same things — helps you meet people, classmates who you wouldn’t maybe talk to otherwise.
— Schaler Starks ‘25
MEETING STUDENT-ATHLETES
ON THEIR ‘TURF’
Office of Faith & Spiritual Life Partners With Augustana Athletics to Establish Team Chaplains Program
Over the last decade, the Augustana University Office of Faith & Spiritual Life has worked hard to engage with “every corner of campus.”
“The Office of Faith & Spiritual Life serves the entire student body,” 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 pitched a new idea — a Team Chaplains Program — with the purpose of “further integrating spiritual well-being into the lives of student-athletes and coaches.” The office asked teams to identify coaches and student-athletes to serve as “team chaplains,” who would commit to help support their teams’ spiritual needs.
One of the first to volunteer was Viking Wrestler Max Balow ‘27, of Lake City, Minnesota, who is double-majoring in finance and business administration.
“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.
Madison Ryken ‘28 said being a team chaplain for the Augustana Dance Team has allowed different aspects of her world to come together.
“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 — a Buntrock Scholar majoring in communication disorders.
Now that a more intentional relationship between the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life and Athletics has begun, they hope it strengthens over time.
“Student-athletes are some of the busiest people I know at Augustana. Like so much with ministry, it is often more effective to meet people on their ‘turf,’ wherever that may be,” said Rosendale.
For more information on the Augustana Office of Faith & Spiritual Life, visit augie.edu/faith.
New at
Occupational Therapy
Augustana University will launch its second doctorate program — a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) — in fall 2026 through its School of Health Professions. The accelerated, hybrid program combines online coursework with hands-on lab immersions in the Twin Cities, MN area, followed by fieldwork and a capstone project. The new program supports the university’s strategic plan to expand liberal arts–grounded offerings that meet workforce and community needs.
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.
Doctor of Physical TherapyMinnesota
The Augustana University Doctor of Physical Therapy Program in Minneapolis, MN, graduated its inaugural cohort of 70 students in Spring 2025. In addition, DPT-MN was granted full accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in April.
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.
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. 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.
