Grant programs explore vocation, science and civics, teaching, math
Augsburg News Service

$2 million to discover 'vocation'

The Lilly Endowment has awarded Augsburg $2 million over five years for "Exploring Our Gifts: Connecting Faith, Vocation, and Work," a program for students, from first year through graduation, to explore, understand, and reflect on vocation.

The program focuses on four themes: vocation as a life approach, vocation as a curricular focus, vocation as education for service, and vocational awareness in faculty and staff to build their capacities to help students explore vocation.

Based on Augsburg's tradition of education for service, its Lutheran heritage, and its vision statement, Augsburg 2004, "Exploring Our Gifts" will provide students many opportunities to discover and understand their unique gifts and work in careers as vocation or calling. All incoming students will encounter the theme of vocation beginning in their summer orientation programs—even before they begin any classes.

Twenty-eight colleges and universities received funding from the Lilly Foundation in this round of projects. Augsburg received a planning grant in spring 2001 for this program; a campus committee led by Professor Bruce Reichenbach and Carol Forbes, academic and learning services, then developed the program proposal.

Blending science and civics

Augsburg is one of 45 institutions participating in the SENCER program, Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities.

This five-year national dissemination project seeks to improve science education and develop courses that teach rigorous science content through problems that require scientific knowledge and expertise.

"SENCER brings together two critical elements in Augsburg's mission: high quality science education and an ethic of service to society," said Augsburg academic dean Chris Kimball. "The project will engage our students with the challenges facing our world while helping give them the scientific tools required to respond to those challenges."

An example of Augsburg's involvement is the development of a course that focuses on urban environmental issues of the Mississippi River. This interdisciplinary approach combines scientific and civic experience while also addressing community needs.

SENCER is supported by the National Science Foundation and sponsored by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). Professor Joan Kunz, chemistry, coordinates Augsburg's activities with the project.

Students teaching students

Five Augsburg students—one physics major, two education majors, and two mathematics majors—each spend seven hours per week as teachers and mentors working with sixth- to eighth-graders at the Cedar Riverside Community School.

Their work is part of a two-year, $30,000 grant to Augsburg and the Cedar Riverside School from the National Science Foundation/Independent Colleges Organization. The program gives Augsburg science and math majors opportunities to explore teaching in these fields, and seeks to improve science/math aptitude and build positive attitudes among middle-school students.

Faculty members Jeanine Gregoire, education, and Sandra Olmsted, chemistry, co-direct the project in collaboration with teaching scholar mentor Linda Stevens, education.

Increasing math knowledge

Augsburg was awarded a $29,000 grant by the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office (HESO) to increase content knowledge in mathematics among educational paraprofessionals.

Professors Jeanine Gregoire and Linda Stevens, education, are working with curriculum coordinators from the Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Osseo Public Schools to implement the project during 2002-03.

The aquaria keep growing
Augsburg News Service

Augsburg may be far from salt water, but its biology department now supports the most unique coral reef ecosystem of live sand dollars, sea urchins, sea stars, jellyfish, and swimming crabs in the Upper Midwest.

Under the leadership of biology professor Bill Capman, major new components have been added to the original 130-gallon coral reef aquarium system in the biology lab. Through a series of gifts to the College, and countless hours of work by biology department faculty and students, the first phase of a multi-tank system now is able to support additional teaching and student research projects.

A large 220-gallon tank, along with a series of smaller, connected tanks, house a wide variety of marine organisms and can provide stability and life-support for a much larger system. When finished, eight interconnected tanks will circulate a combined 600 gallons of water and allow students to study the colorful, marine organisms close up in their natural habitat.

Click on www.augsburg.edu/biology/aquaria to see photos and learn more about the new aquaria.

$1 million gift is largest unrestricted gift in College history
by Dan Jorgensen

If you ask Jim Haglund what values he places first in his life, he'll probably tell you loyalty and commitment—to family, friends, community, and the causes in which he believes. That loyalty and commitment has led Haglund and his wife, Kathy, to make a $1 million gift to Augsburg College, the largest unrestricted gift ever given to the institution he adopted in the early 1990s and has helped lead ever since.

"I believe in this institution, its leaders, philosophy, ELCA base, and its diversity in an urban setting," said Haglund, a member of the College's Board of Regents. "This gift," added Augsburg President William Frame, "is a wonderful affirmation of the mission of the College."

Since joining the regents in 1994, Haglund, who currently is vice chair of the board, has been a tireless worker and actively involved in the decision-making process, serving both on the Executive Committee and in other key committee leadership roles.

He and his wife also have been among the College's leading donors, already contributing more than $200,000 to various programs. Their newest commitment will have a major impact in helping lead the College through the next crucial years of Frame's presidency. The Haglunds plan to give $500,000 now, with the remaining $500,000 as a deferred gift.

"I think it's important for people to give to causes while they are living," Haglund said. "That way we can see the rewards and enjoyment from the gifts that we make."

"Their gift was 'first' and 'leading' in two ways," said Frame. "It is the largest commitment that we have ever received that has been offered without restriction; and Jim was the first donor to ask me the most welcome question I could have been given—Tell me, Bill, what do you need?' Jim's leadership at the College has been invaluable, both as a donor and a clear-minded adviser in respect to our pursuit of mission."

Augsburg President Emeritus Charles Anderson says he used to have a little recruiting speech for potential members of the Board of Regents that he also used in recruiting Haglund.

"Every potential regent during my tenure [from 1980-97] heard the same song: 'We need work—meetings of the board and its committees and calls on prospective supporters; we need wisdom—special skills and knowledge that the College could not afford to purchase that they bring freely to the table; and we need wealth—financial support,'" Anderson said.

"I always concluded my little speech with the same statement: 'We need all three from a regent, but I'll settle for two.' In Jim Haglund, Augsburg has consistently had three-for-three."

Haglund said that while he has projects and programs to which he feels a kinship—particularly athletics—he still purposefully made his gift unrestricted. "If there is an efficient administration and knowledgeable and effective board, they are in a much better position than a single donor to direct the best ways to utilize the funds," he said.

"Athletics, though, has been a big part of my life, since I was six years old. I believe it prepares us for life beyond athletics with its discipline and teamwork."

It was through an unlikely "athletic" source—Augsburg Pastor Dave Wold—that Haglund, president and owner of Central Container Corporation, a Minneapolis-based manufacturer of packaging products, was proposed as a potential member of the governing board.

"Jim and I go back to the days when I was the youth pastor at Calvary Lutheran Church in Golden Valley where he was a very active member," Wold recalled. "We first got acquainted playing basketball and racquetball. I discovered what a fun guy he was—a guy you could totally trust.

"After I had come to Augsburg, I read an article in the Minneapolis paper about how many states had tried to woo him to take his business elsewhere because they could provide tax incentives and other incentives as well. But Jim's commitment to Minnesota reminded him of Augsburg's commitment to the city. Plus, his daughter, Dawn, was a student here."

Wold recommended him to President Anderson and the rest, as they say, is history.

Wold said he would put Haglund squarely in the court of those who love Augsburg's liberal arts concept. "He appreciates the emphasis we have on developing the whole person—including the spiritual and the physical—beyond just the intellect. He also has a tremendous commitment to family and a great appreciation of his upbringing. The values that his parents instilled in him are the same sort of values he sees represented in students here at Augsburg."

And, Haglund said, he supports Augsburg and other causes because he believes in another of Augsburg's major tenets, service to others. "I believe many of us in business are not given enough credit for our beneficence and for our altruism. Corporate leaders sometimes get a bad rap as being either callous or uncaring when, in fact, they often are people who want to be of service with the resources that they have."

"There's no doubt that service to others is exemplified in Jim and Kathy Haglund," added Sue Klaseus, vice president for institutional advancement. "We at Augsburg are blessed to have them as donors and faithful friends of the College."