From the Alumni Board president's desk...

The Alumni Board organized activities this year with four outcomes in mind. As I report on these, join me in applauding the board and the Office of Alumni/Parent Relations on their accomplishments.

Outcome: Friend-raising
Many events connected alumni to the College, including Auggie Hour gatherings that brought 130 alumni together after work to meet and hear stories from Augsburg professors. There were 3,500 participants at Homecoming events. The alumni nights at the State Fair, the MAL 15th anniversary dinner, and Commencement weekend events brought together still more friends of Augsburg.

Alumni events did not happen only in the Twin Cities. Regional chapters in Chicago; New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; Boulder, Colo.; Naples, Fla.; Sun City and Tucson, Ariz.; Rochester and Willmar, Minn.; and 3M Company in St. Paul also held alumni gatherings.

Outcome: Communication
If you have computer access or a mailbox, you can always be in touch with Augsburg. Board members helped to enhance the alumni Web site, the Augsburg Now magazine, and the Class Agent letters. They communicated with leaders of the regional chapters. They also searched for First Decade, Spirit of Augsburg, and Distinguished Alumni award recipients.

Outcome: Connections
Alumni gave valuable contributions to current students, faculty, and staff. We were advisors to the Board of Regents, Development Committee, and Science Advisory Board. Alumni from 25 businesses held a job fair for over 100 students, preceded by a session on job-search skills. We surveyed faculty to match alumni with their needs, e.g. internships, mentors, speakers, and research funding. And can there be any better way to connect with students than serving treats during finals week?

Outcome: Effectiveness
The ultimate measure of our Alumni Association's effectiveness is increased talent and resources supporting the mission of Augsburg. Board members led by example, donating time, expertise, financial gifts, and Maroon & Silver scholarships. Thank you!

Our new Alumni Board president, Andy Morrison ’73, is well prepared to lead us into another successful year. Our new board members—Greg Boone ’81, Barry Vornbrock ’96 MAL, and Jennifer Tome ’99—will add to our spirit of fun and responsibility. Would you like to join us?

—Jackie (Kniefel) Lind '69, '94 MAL
President, Alumni Board

Alumni Profiles:

Tim Wolter ’78:
Baseball historian and
'battlebot' challenger

Ami Nafzger ’94:
Finding cultural connections

Lute Olson ’56 elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Augsburg College alumnus and current University of Arizona men's basketball head coach Lute Olson ’56 was among five individuals and one team selected for enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, officials announced June 5.

Olson, previously a finalist for the Hall of Fame in 2000 and 2001, will be joined in the Hall of Fame by players Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Drazen Petrovic, coaches Larry Brown and Kay Yow, and the Harlem Globetrotters. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Class of 2002 will be enshrined on September 27 in Springfield, Mass.

"I think it ranks right up there with the NCAA Championship and the 1986 World Championship," said Olson. "This is definitely one of the special things that has happened in my career. I am very thankful for the recognition and opportunity for enshrinement."

A native of Mayville, N.Dak., Olson was an Augsburg student from 1952-56, playing three sports (football, basketball, baseball) while earning a double major in history and physical education. Olson was Augsburg's Honor Athlete, the highest honor given to a senior student-athlete, in 1956. He was inducted into Augsburg's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977.

Olson earned his piece of basketball immortality with a coaching career that spans 43 seasons and includes nearly 1,000 career victories. He has won more than 70 percent of his games on the high school, junior college, and NCAA Division I level.

Commencement 2002

To see more photos from the 2002 Commencement ceremony,
visit the Commencement Web site