Matthew Curry ’09, an English and Media Writing major at Augsburg, writes about the makeover of Brave’s Princess Merida in What Culture .
Dave Stevens ’90, an ESPN staffer and motivational speaker, was featured in the Patch article
Dave Stevens of East Haven, Connecticut, is an amazing athlete. As a high schooler in Arizona he set three state records: most takedowns in wrestling, most career baseball walks and most walks in a season. As a college athlete at Augsburg College, in Minnesota, he competed in varsity football, baseball and wrestling. Continue the story here….
Augsburg student lands 'lost girl' role in Reese Witherspoon movie
Kuoth Wiel had a very busy spring.
While most of her fellow Minnesotans were busy grousing about the weather, Wiel, 24, spent April and May: finishing up a degree in social psychology at Augsburg College, preparing to move, launching a new career and — oh, yeah — filming a key role in a Reese Witherspoon movie that is already being touted as a contender for next year’s Academy Awards. Read more here.
Marilyn Pearson Florian ’76 receives MIAC honor
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Augsburg College Assistant Athletic Director Marilyn Pearson Florian ’76 recently received the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference’s highest honor, being named as a recipient of the conference’s Distinguished Service Award for her years of service to her alma mater and to the MIAC. Read more here.
Alumni from the 1980s Leadership Summit
1980s Alumni Summit
Friday and Saturday, June 21-22
Join fellow Augsburg alumni from the 80s at the upcoming Leadership Summit to learn more about the Campaign for the Center for Science, Business and Religion. Discover how to participate in an alumni-driven effort to make this vision a reality.
Friday, June 21
6:00 pm Kick Off Social and Dinner on campus
Saturday, June 22
8:30 am Continental breakfast and opportunity to connect
9:30 am Tour of Science Building featuring faculty and student research
11:00 am Discussion with faculty, “Why a Center for Science, Business & Religion?”
Mark Tranvik : Religion
Phil Adamo : History
Dale Pederson ’70 : Biology
John Cerrito : Business
12:00 pm Closing lunch to discuss the CSBR campaign and alumni leadership
Hosted by Summit Leaders: Chris Ascher ’81, Sharon Engelland ’87, Darcey Engen ’88, Chris Hallin ’88, Karina Karlén ’83, Robert LaFleur ’80, Nancy ’85 and Paul ’84 Mueller, Jacqueline Teisberg ’80, Tracey ’87 and Paul ’87 Terrio
Please RSVP to the Office of Advancement at casperso@augsburg.edu or by calling 612-230-1171. Let us know if you will bring a spouse or “plus one” on Friday or Saturday.
Alumni from the 1970s Leadership Summit
Augsburg Alumni of the 1970′s Leadership Summit
Friday, June 28-29
The goal of this Summit is for alumni to learn more about the Campaign for the Center for Science, Business and Religion and for us to launch an alumni-driven effort to make this vision a reality.
Friday, June 28
6:00 pm Kick-off social and dinner on campus (location tbd based on RSVP numbers)
Saturday, June 29
8:30 am Continental breakfast and opportunity to connect
9:30 am Tour of Science Building, featuring faculty and student research
11:00 am Discussion with faculty, “Why a Center for Science, Business and Religion?
Marty Stortz : Religion
Matt Beckman : Biology
Phil Adamo : History
Jeanne Boeh : Economics
Dale Pederson ’70 : Biology
12:00 pm Closing lunch to discuss the campaign, alumni leadership and an Alumni Class Challenge
Hosted by Summit Leaders: LaRhae Grindal Knatterud ’70, Dale Pederson ’70, Mike Good ’71, Wayne Jorgenson ’71, Kay Hendrickson Owen ’71, Mike Scott ’71, Nancy Olson Hrdlicka ’72, Carol Pederson Jorgenson ’72, Susan Mickelberg Siegfried ’72, Ruth Johnson ’74, Merilee Klemp ’75, Inez Schey Bergquist ’77, Sally Daniels Herron ’79, Mark Moksnes ’79.
RSVP to the Office of Advancement by emailing Sonja Casperson at casperso@augsburg.edu or by calling 612-330-1171. Let us know if you will bring a spouse or “plus one” on Friday or Saturday.
David “DJ” Hamm ’08 Joins Alumni and Constituent Relations Staff
Augsburg College Alumni Association welcomes David “DJ” Hamm ’08, Psychology, as the new Volunteer and Alumni Engagement Manager within the office of Alumni and Constituent Relations. David comes to Augsburg with a unique background in event 
planning, social media communications, and philanthropy.
“Civic engagement and service learning is a major part of the Augsburg experience,” says David. “As Auggies, ‘we are called’ to serve the community beyond Augsburg as I did in 2008 as an AmeriCorps VISTA. I want to build upon the tradition of giving back by creating meaningful opportunities for alumni, current students and local residents which instill pride and strengthen our collective community.”
David currently lives in Minnetonka with his wife, Emily Crook ’07. David can be reached at 612-330-1329 or hammd@augsburg.edu.
Spirituality Event Inspires Learning and Reflection for Augsburg Women
The recent AWE-inspired event Spirituality: Going Deeper. Insights from Christianity and Buddhism was exactly that – inspiring! St. Thomas Law Professor Susan Stabile shared her spiritual journey from her Catholic childhood in Brooklyn, New York to taking a vow as a Buddhist nun and back to where she is now, a practicing Catholic.
Augsburg Religion Professor Marty Stortz hosted the evening in a room filled with Augsburg alumnae and friends who were eager to learn and fascinated by Susan’s story.
After telling her story, Susan led participants in a Buddhist meditation exercise that she has adapted for Christian meditation, designed to send healing intentions to friends and family members who are suffering. This meditation is found in her book, Growing in Love and Wisdom: Tibetan Buddhist Sources for Christian Meditation, available on amazon.com.
Lee Furman ’61 enjoyed the evening and said about Susan Stabile, “That woman is dynamite. I hope that she will also work with us for a retreat and of course we will all pay for that. Susan Stabile was just out of this world. I am enjoying her book. So it was just a perfect evening. Thank you.”
The AWE advisory council will explore options on recommendations for a half-day retreat with Marty Stortz and Susan Stabile within the next few months, based on a recommendation from the group.
AWE is a catalyst for tapping the potential for women to connect, learn, and give. We believe all women have knowledge, experience, and resources to share. Therefore, alumnae are invited to make meaningful connections with and for Augsburg’s AWEsome women by participating with an AWE Action Team. We welcome participation in whatever way best suits your interests, circumstances, and availability. If you would like more information please contact Sara Schlipp-Riedel at 612-330-1178 or schlipp@augsburg.edu.
Education Department Receives New State Funding for East African Teacher Preparation
Augsburg College will receive nearly $400,000 in new state funding over the next two years to launch a new East African teacher preparation program. The new Augsburg EAST initiative (East African Students to Teachers) will provide scholarships, academic support and service learning opportunities for East African students who are education majors at Augsburg College at our Minneapolis and Rochester locations.
The number of East African students in K-12 public schools is growing in many communities throughout the state. School systems are challenged to meet the needs of these students, many of whom are the first in their family to receive education in the United States. Augsburg’s strong relationships with the Somali and East African community and its successful record of educating East African education majors, both in Minneapolis and at our Rochester location, make it uniquely qualified to lead this initiative.
This new funding is strong recognition of Augsburg’s excellence in preparing teachers. Since 2004, five Augsburg teacher-education graduates have received the prestigious Milken Award, a national award which provides public recognition and financial awards to elementary and secondary education professionals who further excellence in education. Only 30 Milken Awards are given annually across the nation. In 2009, the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation awarded the college more than $400,000 in support of its teacher preparation programming. Augsburg was one of only four Minnesota colleges receiving these grants funds. In addition, Augsburg is one of six private colleges in the Twin Cities collaborating to improve teacher education, made possible by major funding from the Bush Foundation.
In April and May many alumni contacted state legislators to urge their support for this funding which made a very real and positive difference.
Phil Styrlund ’79, Tedx on Four Keys Areas of Lifetime Relevance
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “relevance” as “the state of being closely connected or appropriate to the matter in hand.” To be relevant is thus to be important, but the term implies more than that. Trivial things—appointments, events, e-mails – that intrude themselves into life can easily become “important,” at least for a time. To be relevant, something must be connected to a larger scheme, a grander plan—the ultimate “matter in hand.”
To be relevant means being an integral part of the new society, of the economy, of the future. It means being the kind of person on whom others depend, whether for leadership, expertise, acumen, or emotional support.
In this video, Philip Styrlund (Augsburg Class of 1979) will briefly discuss the four keys areas of lifetime relevance.
Phil Styrlund is CEO of The Summit Group and a recognized thought leader on strategic selling and business value transformation. His go-to-market strategies have been implemented by some of the world’s premiere organizations, including Cisco Systems, HP, Siemens, Marriott, Xerox, Lockheed, Tetra Pak, Proctor & Gamble, SC Johnson, Kellogg, and the U.S. Federal Government. In addition to his keynote presentations and engaging programs, Styrlund serves as coach, mentor, consultant and advisor to top leaders across a range of industries. He is currently initiating a doctorate program at Middlesex University in London. He is also authoring a new book, Relevance: The Art of Meaning slated for release mid-2013.