Minnesota’s first-ever Somali Debate Initiative got underway on May 27 when middle- and high-school students from Minneapolis and St. Paul schools discussed the topic of remittances to Somalia. The initiative, part of the College’s successful Minnesota Urban Debate League, was developed in partnership with members of the Somali community. Learn more about the program in the KARE 11 story, Augsburg hosts first debate tournament for Somali students, and that features MnUDL staff members Amy Cram-Helwich, executive director of MNUDL, Awale Osman ’15, community outreach intern, and students.
Marquell Moorer ’17 discusses college search experience with NPR
Augsburg College student Marquell Moorer ’17 was featured in an NPR story describing the difficulty students and their families face in comparing college financial aid packages. Moorer was accepted into a dozen colleges and universities following high school, and he described the confusion he experienced when he attempted to assess his financial obligation to each institution.
Moorer was involved in College Possible, a college access program that Augsburg supports by offering scholarships for participants. College Possible helped Moorer in making his decision to attend Augsburg.
Learn more on the NPR website.
New book by Bill Green earns Pioneer Press nod
The Pioneer Press featured “Degrees of Freedom,” a new book by Professor of History William “Bill” Green, shortly after its release from University of Minnesota Press. In the book, Green “draws a picture of black experience in a northern state and the nature of black discontent and action within a predominantly white society, revealing little-known historical characters among the black men and women who moved to Minnesota following passage of the 15th Amendment,” according to veteran journalist Mary Ann Grossmann.
Visit the Pioneer Press website to learn more.
WCCO-TV story features Augsburg Commencement ceremony
In the WCCO-TV story “Augsburg College Celebrates Its Most Diverse Graduating Class In History,” Commencement participant Promise Okeke ’15 described his drive for an undergraduate degree and experiences at Augsburg.
The story also showed images of Augsburg’s traditional undergraduate Commencement event on May 2, noting that approximately 30 percent of the undergraduate Class of 2015 is comprised of students of color.
Star Tribune writes about completion of CSBR campaign
The Star Tribune’s Neal St. Anthony wrote about the College hitting it’s campaign goal for the new Center for Science, Business, and Religion. The story discusses key next steps in the process for the building, including that the Board of Regents resolved to proceed with architectural and construction design plans for the signature, interdisciplinary academic building. St. Anthony also took time to acknowledge the College as one of the most racially diverse in Minnesota. Read “Augsburg College hits $50M campaign goal a year early.”
Elise Marubbio discusses on-screen portrayal of American Indians
Elise Marubbio, associate professor of American Indian Studies, shed light on the history of American Indians in film in the wake of a social media frenzy regarding a group of American Indian actors who walked off the set of an Adam Sandler movie due to its portrayal of faulty stereotypes. Marubbio’s doctoral work in Cultural Studies focused on the issues of race in film and media, with particular attention to the representation of Native Americans in American popular culture and Hollywood cinema.
In the article, “Adam Sandler movie flap sparks debate over American Indian roles in media,” Marubbio explained that tribes of the Great Plains often are portrayed living in Monument Valley – the legendary site of many John Wayne-John Ford movies, which is located on the Arizona-Colorado border, largely on the Navajo reservation.
Visit the Capital Journal website to learn more.
MPR features Midnimo program’s Aar Maanta residency
The Cedar Cultural Center and several other Minneapolis organizations hosted popular London-based Somali singer Aar Maanta in early April as part of the Midnimo series, a two-year partnership with Augsburg College to build cross-cultural awareness, knowledge, and understanding of Somali culture through music.
The Minnesota Public Radio story “Aar Maanta is the voice of a new Somali generation” discussed the ways in which Aar Maanta’s music resonates with Minnesotans and rejuvenates the Somali music scene.
Augsburg expands commitment to undocumented, DACA students
Augsburg College, on April 7, will recommit and expand its commitment to educating students of ability regardless of citizenship and immigration status in support of United We Dream’s National Institution Coming Out Day.
“We recognize that intellectually talented students of ability come from all walks of life,” said Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow.
“Increasingly, undocumented students are raised right here, in the United States. Augsburg – and every higher education institution – must heed the call to educate students of ability. It is through this call that our colleges and universities can secure economic prosperity not only for students, but for our state and nation.”
Since 2007, Augsburg has set the bar among colleges and universities in Minnesota in its work with undocumented students. For example, Augsburg, for years, has fully reviewed applications of undocumented and/or DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) students who graduate from high schools in the United States. These student applications are considered for admission and for all types of private financial aid offered by Augsburg. Undocumented and DACA students admitted to Augsburg College are not classified as international students and are not distinguished from domestic students. Continue reading “Augsburg expands commitment to undocumented, DACA students”
Augsburg hosts Native American powwow
Augsburg College was mentioned by the Twin Cities Daily Planet as a result of the traditional powwow held annually by the college.
The event, which was sponsored by the Augsburg American Indian Student Association and American Indian Student Services, featured traditional Native American dancers, drummers, singers, and food.
To learn more about Augsburg’s annual powwow, visit the Twin Cities Daily Planet news site.
Augsburg professor Matthew Beckman mentors gifted student
Matthew Beckman, assistant professor of biology at Augsburg College, was mentioned in an Indian Country Today article about a student whom he advises, Grant Two Bulls.
Two Bulls is a high school senior at Breck School and has been conducting scientific research in the Lake Calhoun area – the previous location of the Mdewakanton Dakota village – to learn more about his Native American heritage. The endeavor, Beckman says, has been nothing short of remarkable.
“Here’s a high school senior doing pretty high-level research and then taking that data and speaking to national audiences about it in a really impressive way,” Beckman said in an interview.