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Celebrate 2019 Augsburg Graduates with the Tassel Challenge

tassel challenge videoAs we celebrate the completion of this academic year and honor the newest class of Auggie graduates, Augsburg is promoting the Tassel Challenge fundraising campaign.

This online giving event supports future Auggies with all proceeds benefiting the Sesquicentennial Scholarship Fund, an endowed scholarship fund at Augsburg.

A donation today in any amount is an investment for Auggie generations to come. Over 200 donors have already contributed more than $110,000 to the Sesquicentennial Scholarship.

The Tassel Challenge is a great way to recognize your favorite graduating Auggie, give back to Augsburg, and help ensure an Augsburg education is accessible to all.

Honor a student special to you and we will make sure they know they were recognized, and send you and the student an Augsburg tassel keychain as a token of our gratitude.

More information can be found and donations made on the Tassel Challenge Donation page. The Tassel Challenge will run from today through May 19. If you have any questions please contact bogen@augsburg.edu.

Augsburg’s Youth Theology Institute Invites Alumni and Friends to Nominate High School Students for This Summer’s Science & Theology in Action Program

Do you know a high schooler who would enjoy exploring science and theology in action this summer?

Augsburg – Youth Theology Institute from Augsburg University on Vimeo.

Through Augsburg’s Bernhard Christensen Center for Vocation, the Youth Theology Institute (AYTI) seeks to reach out to 9th through 12th graders and invite them to campus for a summer program that has been called “a year of spiritual growth concentrated into one faith-filled week.” Aligned with Augsburg’s mission of being guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church and ability to aid with vocational discernment of young people, AYTI is a valuable and exciting experience that we are proud to host on campus.

About Science & Theology in Action

Scholars at this year’s AYTI will develop leadership skills and put creation care theology and science knowledge into action. The world and neighborhoods we live in are a series of complicated yet beautiful systems and networks. Therefore, we’ll practice thinking in systems–both ecologically and vocationally within spheres of community, home, congregation, and school. We will use faith-based environmental STEM curriculum to practice problem-finding and problem-solving and then apply STEM to greening our churches, homes, and communities. With the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood as our classroom, we will identify our strengths and explore how our gifts and talents meet the needs of the world.

The deadline for applications is April 15. Nomination a high schooler for the program or share the AYTI website with a high school student or parent you know.

Financial Aid Update for Parents

The Fall 2018 billing statements will be electronically sent to all registered students on July 10th.  To ensure that all financial aid has been applied for, and correct amounts are owed, please make sure your student has turned in all necessary documents to the Student Financial Services Office by June 30th.  Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on ‘Review Your Financial Aid’ to check the status of their financial aid, or to see what documents are missing or incomplete.

All students are eligible to enroll in Augsburg’s Online Payment Plan; enrollment will open on July 10th.   Go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payment-plans-and-discounts/ to sign up for the payment plan.

To ensure 5 monthly payments, the application must be completed by July 26th.

Tuition accounts must be paid-in-full to register for fall term, and for a diploma and/or transcript to be released; payments can be made online by going to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payments/.   Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on “Review Your Student Account’ to see if they have an unpaid balance.  Please see the Parent Information tab at  www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on making a payment  and obtaining access to discuss your student’s financial information, etc.  Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student.

Financial Update for Parents

The 2018-2019 financial aid awards are now being processed.  Please make sure your student has completed the 2018-2019 FAFSA and turned in all necessary documents to the Student Financial Services Office.  Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on ‘Review Your Financial Aid’ to check the status of their financial aid, or to see what documents are missing or incomplete.  If all documents are turned in, your student will be emailed their financial aid award letter by July 9th, 2018.

Tuition accounts must be paid-in-full to register for fall term, and for a diploma and/or transcript to be released; payments can be made online by going to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payments/.   Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on “Review Your Student Account’ to see if they have an unpaid balance.  Please see the Parent Information tab at  www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on making a payment  and obtaining access to discuss your student’s financial information, etc.  Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student.

Update for Parents

The 2018-2019 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can be completed online at www.FAFSA.ed.gov using the student’s and parent(s) 2016 federal taxes.   Remember to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to directly import the tax information, and make sure to submit the FAFSA by signing with your FSA ID. Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on ‘Review Your Financial Aid’ to check the status of their financial aid or to see what documents are missing or incomplete.

Registration for the summer/fall 2018 term is now open.  Students who have unpaid spring charges, or are not up-to-date on their payment plans, will be unable to register.   Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on “Review Your Student Account’ to see if they have an unpaid balance.

Tuition accounts must be paid-in-full for a diploma and/or transcript to be released; payments can be made online by going to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payments/. Please see the  Parent Information tab at  www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on making a payment and obtaining access to discuss your student’s financial information, etc.  Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student.

Graduating students who have borrowed federal loans must complete loan exit counseling at http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/loan-exit-counseling; this is an important tool to help students learn about their loan repayment options.

The Mutuality of Internship

One of the two presentations led by Fishbowl Solutions reps on April 5 (from left: Jake Ferm, Carmen Williams, Noah Bodner, and Amy Bowar Mellinger).
One of the two presentations led by Fishbowl Solutions reps on April 5 (from left: Jake Ferm, Carmen Williams, Noah Bodner, and Amy Bowar Mellinger).

Student questions following presentations by reps from Fishbowl Solutions yielded some interesting conversation in Professor Larry Crockett’s computer science class, April 5. For example, “As a software consultant, how often do you feel the need to go online to find answers to your own software challenges?”

The answer from Fishbowl’s Jake Ferm ’12 may have been somewhat tongue-in-cheek, but then again, maybe not: “Every ten minutes.”

Fishbowl Solutions, a Twin Cities-based software company, creates packaged software and develops custom technology solutions using the latest Oracle, Google, Mindbreeze, and PTC technologies. The company of 40+ employees, founded in 1999, has offices in both the U.S. and the U.K., and serves an international clientele.

The Fishbowl reps, invited to visit two sections of Crockett’s CSC/PHI 385 class (Formal Logic and Theory of Computation), included Noah Bodner (Recruiting), and three Auggies: Amy Bowar Mellinger ’97 (Fishbowl’s Director of Services), Jake Ferm ’12 (Software Consultant), and Carmen (Crockett) Williams MBA ’12 (Account Executive, Sales).

After the Fishbowl guests described the nature of their company and work, as well as their take on various current trends in technology, students raised numerous questions. The resulting interaction provided good advice on many issues, such as these comments on interviewing from Williams: (1) Prepare wisely for an interview (always plan on a glitch; arrive ten minutes early); (2) Think ahead about what questions to ask the interviewer (remember, you’re interviewing the company as much as they’re interviewing you); and (3) Ask what further education and training the prospective employer is willing to provide.

A photo of (from left) Jake Ferm, Larry Crockett, Carmen Williams, Amy Bowar Mellinger
(from left) Jake Ferm, Larry Crockett, Carmen Williams, Amy Bowar Mellinger

Mellinger stressed the importance of keeping an open mind when deciding on an employer, giving attention to the importance of matching one’s work-style with the anticipated projects. For example, she recalled working on one seven-year project at an earlier job, which, she said, may not have been as appealing to someone who enjoys working on a variety of projects or technologies.

Fishbowl reps emphasized how valuable a liberal arts education is in their work, since the broad scope of the classes they took continues to provide flexibility and greater opportunity in their work, and in the marketplace in general.

The Fishbowl visit to Augsburg was an excellent opportunity for students who are eagerly seeking internships or employment to connect with a company that is just as eager to find talented interns and employees. As Bodner explained, given the current Twin Cities unemployment rate in the area of computer science (less than 1%), students are in a strong position to find several appealing opportunities, and their thoughtful preparation for interviews can make an offer much more likely. A look at the website for Fishbowl Solutions says, “We’re looking for innovators with a passion for technology and learning to fill a variety of technical and non-technical roles.”

Mellinger, who worked for many years as a consultant prior to taking on her leadership role at Fishbowl Solutions, was surprised to discover recently that her colleague at Fishbowl, Williams, is the daughter of Crockett, who had taught two of her classes at Augsburg.

Larry Crockett with former student Amy Bowar Mellinger
Larry Crockett with former student Amy Bowar Mellinger

In the April 5 forum, about 50 students had a chance to interact with former students to compare and contrast pre-graduation education with in-field work experience, and to consider how one’s education must continue in the workplace. Ferm stressed that, especially as a software consultant, he is learning new things daily—online and in person—as he encounters new challenges that push him to continue educating himself. And when new interns come on board, they learn from the staff’s collective experience, and staff pick up new things from the interns. Nothing like a win-win situation!

The April 5 event was also an opportunity for three Auggie alums to take in the new Hagfors CSBR facility; they left deeply impressed.

—by Cheryl Crockett ’89

Update for Parents

All financial aid documents for the 2017-2018 academic year (including private loan applications) must be completed and/or returned to the Enrollment Center by April 6th in order to receive financial aid for the spring term. Any documents received after that date cannot be guaranteed to be processed.  

Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on ‘Review Your Financial Aid’ to check the status of their financial aid or to see what documents are missing or incomplete.

Registration for the summer/fall 2018 terms begins April 2nd. Students who have unpaid spring charges, or are not up-to-date on their payment plans, will be unable to register. Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/and click on “Review Your Student Account’ to see if they have an unpaid balance.

Tuition accounts must be paid-in-full for a diploma and/or transcript to be released; payments can be made online by going to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payments/. Please see the Parent Information tab at www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on making a payment and obtaining access to discuss your student’s financial information, etc. Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student.

The 2018-2019 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can be completed online at www.FAFSA.ed.gov using the student’s and parent(s) 2016 federal taxes. Remember to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to directly import the tax information, and make sure to submit the FAFSA by signing with your FSA ID.

Update for Parents

All students who attended Augsburg during the 2017 year have been notified that their 1098-T is available for their 2017 tax preparation.  Students can view the form by logging on to AugNet Records and Registration and clicking on Make Payment/Account Activity. The 1098-T tax form can be found on the bottom right-hand side of this page.

The 1098 –T is a statement of qualifying education expenses that colleges and universities are required to issue for the purpose of determining a student’s or families eligibility for the Hope and Lifetime Learning education tax credits.  Please note that Augsburg only calculates tuition and related expenses for purposes of the 1098-T by Amounts Billed, not payments received.  You will find Amounts Billed in box 2.  No information will be provided in box 1 for payments received.

All students wanting to apply for 2018-2019 year financial aid must submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) using their 2016 federal taxes (not their 2017 taxes).  Students can complete the FAFSA online at www.FAFSA.ed.gov.   Remember to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to directly import the tax information, and make sure to submit the FAFSA by signing with your FSA ID.  The priority deadline for completing the financial aid application is May 1st.

Registration for the summer/fall 2018 terms begin April 2nd.  Students who have unpaid spring charges, or are not up-to-date on their payment plans, will be unable to register.

Students can make payments online by going to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payments/.     Please see the  Parent Information tab at  www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on making a payment, signing up for a payment plan, and obtaining access to discuss your student’s financial information, etc.  Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student.

Financial Information for Parents

Registration for the spring term is now open.  Students who have unpaid fall charges, or are not up-to-date on their payment plans, will be unable to register.  Information on the PLUS loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students),  or private loan options, can be found at http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/loans/undergraduate-day-2/ .    *** Please note that PLUS and private loans can take up to three weeks to finalize***.

All spring tuition and fee charges are due by January 8, 2018; any remaining balance after that date is subject to finance charges.  The spring 2018 billing statements will be electronically sent to all registered students on December 7th.   Students will have reminders sent to their Augsburg email account during the first week of each month reminding them to view their online monthly bill.  All students are encouraged to give parents/guardians access to view these statements.

All students are eligible to enroll in Augsburg’s Online Payment Plan; enrollment will open on December 7th.   Go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payment-plans-and-discounts/ to sign up for the payment plan.   To ensure 5 monthly payments, the application must be completed by December 26th.

Please see the Parent Information tab at  www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on making a payment  and obtaining access to discuss your student’s financial information, etc.  In addition, all students can schedule an appointment with a Student Financial Services staff member, review their student account, and track their financial aid status by going to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/.

FINANCIAL AID UPDATES FOR PARENTS

The 2017-2018 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) can be completed online at www.FAFSA.ed.gov using the student’s and parent(s) 2015 federal taxes.  Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and click on ‘Review Your Financial Aid’ to check the status of their financial aid, or to see what documents are missing or incomplete:

Registration for the summer/fall 2017 term is now open.  Students who have unpaid spring charges, or are not up-to-date on their payment plans, will be unable to register.   Students can go to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/and click on “Review Your Student Account’ to see if they have an unpaid balance.

Tuition accounts must be paid-in-full for a diploma and/or transcript to be released; payments can be made online by going to http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/payments/. Please see the  Parent Information tab at  www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on making a payment  and obtaining access to discuss your student’s financial information, etc.  Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student.

Graduating students who have borrowed federal loans must complete loan exit counseling at http://www.augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/loan-exit-counseling; this is an important tool to help students learn about their loan repayment options.