Bing tracking

Announcing an Augsburg Oral History Project

Postcard sent to alumni to confirm best contact information for this oral history project.
Postcard sent to alumni to confirm best contact information for this oral history project.

The Project

Every Auggie has a story, and Augsburg University wants to hear yours. So we’ve decided to embark on a new project called Auggie Memories to collect the stories of alumni like you in your own words. These stories will be preserved in a book that celebrates the impact Augsburg University has had on your lives and who you are today. Every year we don’t capture and preserve these stories feels like another opportunity lost, so we’re excited to get started today!

Have You Moved?

As part of this project, we are also taking this opportunity to help make it easier for you to stay connected to Augsburg. We are working with a company called PCI that will help us collect updated contact information from those of you who may have moved and inadvertently lost touch with Augsburg.

Your Story

So what Augsburg Memory will you tell?

  • Did a special faculty or staff member have a profound impact on your life?
  • Did you find your Auggie sweetheart at Augsburg?
  • Can you trace your career path back to a defining moment in class, on a team, or at an internship?
  • Have connections you made while you were a student turned into lifelong friendships?
  • Were you on campus during a historical moment?
  • Did members of your extended family attend or have other connections to Augsburg?

PCI Partnership

With our limited resources, we’d never be able to tackle a project like this. By partnering with PCI, we’re able to access their trained staff of real, live human beings who are excited to listen to what you have to share. PCI will also help collect and assemble the stories into the Auggie Memories book that we can share with all Auggies. Please note, we have only shared your contact information with PCI in conjunction with this project. We have NOT sold your contact information, or otherwise used it for outside marketing purposes.

Do I Have to Buy Something?

No. This project is being done at NO COST. The project is completely funded by the alumni who choose to purchase the Auggie Memories book that will be produced at the end of the project. Various book packages will be offered. PCI will also offer you the option to purchase other Augsburg branded merchandise such as a blanket and pullover. You are welcome to purchase these items, but you are not required to do so to participate in the project or order the Auggie Memories book. Again, we’d never be able to embark on a project like this without the support of our amazing alumni and the partnership with PCI. We sincerely thank every person that participates and chooses to purchase the book.

What’s Next?

Soon you will be receiving email and postcard communications from the PCI team with instructions on how to participate. We’d like to invite you to share one of your stories with us and take part in this first of its kind project to honor the experiences and voices of our alumni. The PCI team will collect stories until Friday, August 27, 2021. After that, they will enter a post-production phase editing the data. We hope to have the book distributed in early March 2022.

We look forward to hearing from each and every one of you regarding your memories.

What to Look For

You may see a postcard in the mail. This is an official postcard from Augsburg University, distributed by our partner PCI. Once you receive the postcard, please follow the instructions to update your information and set up an interview time to share your Auggie Memories.

You may also get an email from us in your inbox. Once you receive the email, please follow the instructions to update your information and set up an interview time to share your Auggie Memories. If you do not receive it, please take this opportunity to call PCI at 1-800-982-1590 and update your contact information so we can stay connected.

Contact Information

If you have any other questions regarding the project, please reach out to PCI customer service desk at 1-800-982-1590 or Senior Director of Advancement at Augsburg Kristen Cooper at cooperk@augsburg.edu.

Augsburg Athletics Facebook Live Discussion with Athletic Director Jeff Swenson ’79 and Head Football Coach Derrin Lamker ’97

Imagine getting your dream job as head football coach at your alma mater just months before the start of a global pandemic. What are your new priorities? How do you serve your students and the University?

On Thursday, November 5 at 11:00 a.m. Central Standard Time all Augsburg alumni, faculty, staff, donors, friends, and students are invited to join a Facebook Live discussion with Athletic Director Jeff Swenson ’79 and Head Football Coach Derrin Lamker ’97 as they share updates on Augsburg athletics in 2020 and what they envision for the future. Click here to join the Auggie Connections Facebook Group where this discussion will be shared.

Jeff Swenson has been a member of the Augsburg community for more than 30 years — as a student, athlete, coach and administrator. A national champion wrestler at Augsburg in his senior year of 1979 with a career record of 102-17. Thanks to Swenson’s leadership, Augsburg produced 98 NWCA Scholar All-Americans, the most of any college in any division in the nation. Augsburg has had at least two Scholar All-Americans every year since 1993. Augsburg has also had eight ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans in wrestling, as awarded by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Swenson, whose teams also won 20 Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team titles, was named MIAC Coach of the Year 13 times and NWCA National Coach of the Year six times (1983, 1991, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2007). Swenson was inducted into the NCAA Division III Wrestling Coaches Hall of Fame in 2005, the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association/David Bartelma Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Augsburg Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999. In 2000-01, Swenson was named Lutheran College National Coach of the Year (all sports) from Lutheran Brotherhood, and in 2002, he earned National College Coach of the Year honors (all divisions) from Wrestling USA Magazine.

Derrin Lamker, an Augsburg University Athletic Hall of Fame member who has become one of the top high school football coaches in Minnesota, is the 15th head coach in Augsburg football history. Lamker began his coaching career at his alma mater, where he spent four seasons (1999-2002) as an assistant coach, his final two seasons as offensive coordinator. He then moved to Robbinsdale Armstrong, his high school alma mater, where he was an assistant coach in football, boys’ basketball and baseball, and served as head coach for the girls’ basketball team in 2003-04.In 2005, Lamker was named head coach for the Osseo High School football team. In 11 seasons there, he led the Orioles to three conference championships, two section titles and the Minnesota Class 6A state title in 2015. He had a 74-39 record at Osseo, part of his 94-50 high school career coaching record. He earned Northwest Suburban Conference Coach of the Year honors three times, was named section coach of the year twice and was named Minnesota Class 6A State Coach of the Year in 2015. He also served on the coaching staff for the Minnesota High School All-Star Game twice, including as head coach in 2015. For the past three seasons, Lamker served as head coach at Edina High School, where he led the Hornets to the Minnesota Class 6A state tournament quarterfinals in 2017 — only the team’s third state tournament appearance in school history — and a 20-11 record. He served as offensive coordinator at Edina in the 2016 season before being named head coach in 2017. He earned section coach of the year honors in 2017.

 

Post-Election Facebook Live Discussion with Political Science Professor Andy Aoki

All members of the Augsburg community are invited to join a post-election Facebook Live discussion on Wednesday, November 4 at 4:30 p.m. Central Standard Time. Click here to join the Auggie Connections Facebook Group to hear Professor Aoki’s reflections on election 2020 and to participate by asking questions during the Q & A.

Professor Aoki joined the Augsburg faculty in 1988 where he now specializes in racial and ethnic politics and American political thought, and teaches courses in political theory and American politics. He started out in high school wanting to be a physicist, lawyer or musician, but his interest in public affairs led him to political science. He holds a B.A. University of Oregon, a M.A. University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a Ph.D. University of Wisconsin-Madison. His publications include Asian American Politics (Polity Press, with Okiyoshi Takeda) and Newcomers, Outsiders, and Insiders: Immigrants and American Racial Politics in the Early Twenty-First Century (University of Michigan Press, with Ronald Schmidt, Sr., Yvette Alex-Assensoh, and Rodney E. Hero), as well as a number of other works on the politics of race and ethnicity, Asian American politics, and the politics of immigration.

Video Playback: Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way with Rachel Engebretson ’98 and Alex Gonzalez ’90

Simple advice from Auggies. Make a will and make a difference.

If you missed our “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way” series this summer, you now have the opportunity to watch a replay the virtual conversation with host alumna Rachel Engebretson ‘98 and alumnus Alex Gonzalez ’90. As a financial consultant at Stonebridge Group of Thrivent, Alex shared his expertise in financial and estate planning and answered questions about wills, why everyone needs one, where to start, and how you can create your own will for free.

We get it…times are uncertain right now. The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting all of us, and raising questions about what if? These discussions can be overwhelming, but making end-of-life plans now will give you more control and ease the burden on family if the worst should happen.

Help Welcome the Class of 2024 by Sharing Your Community Service

Augsburg’s commitment to community service and engagement is long-standing and deeply held. Since 1992, day undergraduate students have participated in service projects on City Engagement Day, even before they’ve had their first class.

The COVID-19 pandemic requires us to press pause on City Engagement Day this year, but our commitment to community building is unwavering. Instead of sending hundreds of incoming students out to serve Minneapolis neighborhoods and organizations, we are encouraging students, faculty, and staff to engage with their local communities in ways that are meaningful to them personally.

You can help by sharing with Augsburg your community service work. Where to do you volunteer? What do you want today’s students to know about the place where you do your service?  Fill out this short online form where you can upload a photo to encourage others to build community through service. This form requires that you are logged into a google account so you can easily upload a photo.

For those looking for volunteer opportunities, the Sabo Center has compiled this list of local opportunities for community service. This list will be updated as we learn of new opportunities. The University has not vetted every one, so take care in considering COVID-19 safety practices, the organization’s capacity to host groups, and other key questions.

President Pribbenow and Athletics Director Jeff Swenson ’79 Discuss Athletics During a Pandemic

Augsburg University is preparing to start a new school year in the midst of a global pandemic. Covid-19 has had significant impacts on student athletes. In this recording of an August 2020 online event, President Paul Pribbenow and Athletics Director Jeff Swenson ’79 discuss ways Augsburg is working to meet the needs of students and adjusting plans for players and teams whose schedules have changed.

Augsburg President Speaks on Systemic Racism and Lasting Change

https://youtu.be/RSP8aq3WnwoIn August 2020 Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow participated in a live, virtual forum with other nationally recognized Presidents and Chancellors of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU). A recording of this online event is now available on YouTube.

From the event invitation:

“After the tragic murder of George Floyd, many colleges and universities released strong statements denouncing police brutality and the relentless racism Black Americans face. However, systemic racism has plagued our country for over four hundred years, and it isn’t something that will simply dissipate—it must be met with anti-racism strategies.

Join the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) for a live, virtual event where four CUMU university presidents and chancellors will honestly discuss where we go from here. This critical dialogue will center on how and why higher education leaders need to go beyond rhetoric to combat systemic racism and inequities towards systematic and lasting change.

  • How can we develop proactive agendas that combat discrimination, inequalities, and injustices that are omnipresent in American society?
  • How can we support individual and institutional readiness in addressing racism and inequities?
  • What is our role as engaged anchor leaders in addressing our own institution’s history and role in creating the very systems and structures in place today?

This virtual discussion will highlight ways to center anti-racism into our urban missions and is a space for attendees to think critically about their role within their institution and cities.”

Listen to Online Alumni Event “Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way”

A new series of online alumni events launched last week. Each is led by Augsburg alumni with expertise in constructing a will and financial planning. Listen online to Cody Tresselt-Warren ’09, Vice-President, Senior Wealth Planner at Wells Fargo Private Bank and Lewis Nelson ’00, Sales Manager at Fluke Corporation discuss wills and why it’s important to plan now instead of leaving decisions for others to make in the future.

 

Make a Donation of Household Supplies on August 4 to Support the Cedar Riverside Community

The weight of the COVID-19 pandemic, amplified by high unemployment rates and the closing of local stores during the unrest following the killing of George Floyd, has left our Cedar Riverside neighbors in need of support now more than ever.  As media coverage and attention to the situation has slowed, donations to aid sites in South Minneapolis have dropped significantly.  As a result, many of our neighbors are struggling to meet their basic needs.  Augsburg has a special relationship with the nearby Brian Coyle Center so we would like to continue our support by collecting household supplies and personal care items to supplement food shelf distributions.  The generosity shown by the Augsburg community in early June was amazing and we plan to express our care for our neighbors by again hosting another successful effort on August 4th.

In partnership with M Health Fairview, Pillsbury United Communities, and the Brian Coyle Center, we invite you to join us for a Supply Drive for the Cedar Riverside Community.

When:

Tuesday, August 4 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Where:

Parking Lot L at the intersection of Riverside Avenue and 25th Ave S which is immediately east of the Edor Nelson Field and Dome; Augsburg University, 2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454.

Note – if you are not able to drop items at Augsburg on August 4th, M Health Fairview is collecting donations from August 3-14, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, at two locations: Smiley’s Clinic (2020 E. 28th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407) and their Midway Campus (1700 University Ave. W., St. Paul, MN 55104).

Donate:

We are collecting new, unopened household supplies and personal care items.  We encourage you to purchase items from locally owned businesses, if possible.  Donations will be transported to the Brian Coyle Center, one of the Pillsbury United Communities sites, for distribution.

These are the most needed supplies:

  • Diapers
  • Baby wipes
  • Paper towels
  • Trash bags
  • Toilet paper
  • Laundry soap
  • Dish Soap
  • Bar soap
  • Deodorant
  • Razors
  • Household cleaning supplies
  • Facemasks (homemade face coverings welcome)
  • Bottled water
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Tote bags and paper bags with handles

We reserve the right to decline donated items if they are not needed or if we are unable to distribute them. We will not be accepting donations of clothing, furniture, or food.

Thank you for considering a donation of items or an online donation to Pillsbury United Communities to help our neighbors in need get through this most challenging time. Augsburg’s Campus Kitchen program continues to deliver meals to the Brian Coyle Community Center, People’s Center, West Bank CDC, and the Ebenezer Tower Apartments. If you would like to support this critical meal deliver service please make an online donation here.

New Jobs Postings at Augsburg University

Augsburg AAugsburg currently has 25 employment opportunities posted on our online jobs board.

If you are the type of person who would enjoy working in a mission-driven environment and you are looking for an opportunity to become part of a diverse campus community, please apply!

“It’s incredibly exciting, enriching, and rewarding to be a part of the vibrant Augsburg community. The University is a microcosm of all that’s happening across the globe; the stories I hear from alumni, students, and parents never cease to inspire.” — Kevin Vollmers, Director of Leadership Gifts

 

Alumni, parents, and friends of Augsburg are encouraged to consider these openings and to refer candidates who may be a great match.

See what our alumni say about coming back to work for their alma mater:

“Coming back and working for Augsburg is like coming home; it’s a place that is not only familiar but there’s an innate sense of calm and a high comfortableness knowing that you are working for a place that you already believe in, trust in, and feel yourself at.” — Shonna Fulford ’09, Associate Director, Undergraduate Admissions

“The hype is true. Since I’ve started, I’ve had friends reach out to me and ask if the growth and recognition Augsburg is getting is all real. Sure, the campus has changed, but all the changes feel right and good and in service of our students. The opportunities that our students now have are so exciting and it’s gratifying to see Augsburg thriving. It feels authentically Augsburg. Meeting with students even in the limited way that I do, fills me with immense pride.” — Katie (Koch) Code ’01, Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations

“As comfortable as I was on campus as a student, I’m even more comfortable as a staff member because of the progress we’ve made. I’m very proud to be an alumnus and even more so to be a staff member because of the initiatives we take. I get to see those initiatives in action on a daily basis.” — Scott Cooper ’13, Alumni Engagement Manager


All available positions are posted online. Applicants must fill out the online application and submit their resume to be considered for a position. Go to Employment Opportunities to view our most current available positions.

Augsburg University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity to all applicants and employees regardless of their race, creed, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, military service, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete our application process, please contact our Human Resources Department at phone number: 612-330-1058 or email: hr@augsburg.edu.