Highlights of the 2007-08 Year

Students lead the way on wind energy
(March 2008) In the March student elections, Augsburg Day College students voted to add a $14.75 student fee per semester to help the college purchase wind-generated energy for the campus. The student senate also voted in March to add $10 from each Day College student's activity fee to the initiative. This will generate approximately $72,000—more than half of the estimated cost of using 100% wind-generated electricity on campus.

The initiative was set in motion when students began organizing the Focus The Nation teach-in that took place on campus in January. Alex Hoselton, Day student body vice president, said the organizing committee wanted to build momentum and support for green initiatives at Augsburg. Read more.

Auggies take third at wrestling championships
(March 2008) The Augsburg Wrestling team scored a third-place finish at the NCAA Division III National Championships on Saturday evening at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Augsburg earned 87 team points in its third-place finish at the championship, marking the 20th straight year that Augsburg has earned a top-four finish in national competition—the longest current consecutive streak of top-four finishes of any NCAA wrestling program, regardless of division. Wartburg (Iowa) won the national title with 147 points and three national champions, while Wisconsin-La Crosse was second with 100 points and two national titlists. Read more.

Revolutionary biodiesel discovery starts at Augsburg (March 2008)
At a joint press conference, Augsburg College and SarTec Corporation officially announced the discovery of a chemical process that could free the United States from its dependence on petroleum diesel fuel. This revolutionary method to make biodiesel started with the curiosity of Augsburg chemistry senior Brian Krohn and ended with three Twin Cities scientists creating the ”Mcgyan Process.” Read more.

Congressman Ellison travels to Norway
When Minneapolis’ Fifth District U.S. Representative Keith Ellison wanted to learn about Scandinavian cultural history in his district and the role it has played in providing hospitality and welcome to immigrant populations, he came to Augsburg. The College’s partnerships in Norway provided him natural connections to learn about both old and new Norway and its “culture of peace.”

In January Ellison traveled to Oslo in a four-person delegation, including Augsburg faculty and staff, to especially learn about Norwegian leadership in areas of peace negotiation, environmental policy, and health care.

Augsburg members of the delegation included Frankie Shackelford, professor of Norwegian and chair of the Languages and Cross-Cultural Studies Department, and Jeremy Wells, vice president of Institutional Advancement. The fourth trip member was Lois Quam, formerly at UnitedHealth Group and now at Piper Jaffray, working in the areas of environmental and healthcare investment.
In Oslo the group met with special advisers and visited a number of Norwegian agencies dealing with energy policy, the High North and the environment, multinational and development cooperation. They also visited the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights.

Jane Fonda presents Convocation
Jane Fonda presented the 2007 Koryne Horbal Lecture in November, sharing her thoughts on the importance of beginning the “third act” of her life as she celebrated her 60th birthday.

Hilary Clinton holds campaign rally at Augsburg College
In February, Democratic presidential candidate chose Augsburg as the site for her Twin Cities campaign rally, drawing nearly 5,000 people to Melby Gym to hear her speak. Read more.

Death of Joel Torstenson ’38
Joel Torstenson ‘38, professor emeritus of sociology, died on October 18 at the age of 94.

So much of Augsburg’s identity today as a college of the city stems from Torstenson’s work at Augsburg. He founded the sociology and social work departments, and the metro-urban studies program. He developed urban programs in Minneapolis that launched HECUA (the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs) and that led to the work of our Center for Service, Work, and Learning, including Engaging Minneapolis, which requires all students to connect with the city in their studies.

Torstenson graduated from Augsburg in 1938. He went on for his master’s and doctoral degrees at the University of Minnesota in history and sociology. In 1947, Augsburg president Bernhard Christensen invited him back to Augsburg, even while still completing his PhD, to develop programs in sociology and social work.

Torstenson’s deep commitment to social issues led him to explore and work in farmers’ cooperative movements, rural community life, church-labor relations, racial justice and human rights, and urban studies, especially studying the question of the role of a liberal arts college in a metropolis. Torstenson’s memoir, Takk for Alt: A Life Story, opens a window into his life’s work and thought.

Death of Leland Sateren ‘35
Leland Sateren ‘35, professor emeritus of music, died on Nov. 10 at the age of 94.

Sateren graduated from Augsburg in 1935, and for the next 10 years attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota, where he was music director at the KUOM radio station. After public service during World War II he returned to Augsburg, and four years later he became chair of the Music Department and director of the Augsburg Choir. He retired in 1979.

His work includes more than 400 choral pieces he composed, and he was passionate about Scandinavian choral music. Sateren introduced the work of many Scandinavian composers to American choral directors.

Among Sateren’s many notable accomplishments are premieres of works with the Minnesota Symphony Orchestra and a commissioned piece at the United Nations to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Sateren was the first recipient of the F. Melius Christiansen Memorial Award for choral directors. In 2002 he was awarded the Weston Noble Choral Directors Award. He was also honored with the St. Olaf Medal, presented by King Olav V of Norway, and received two honorary doctorates.