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2013 Young Alumni Summer Series

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United Kingdom flag2013 Young Alumni Summer Series 
Thursday, May 30
5:00–7:00 p.m.
Brit’s Pub

Augsburg Young Alumni and friends are invited to the first event of the 2013 Young Alumni Summer Series. Be our guest at Brit’s Pub to enjoy reconnecting with fellow Auggies. Your first beverage and appetizers will be provided by the Office of Alumni Relations.

Become a VIP of the Young Alumni Summer Series and enjoy the royal treatment all summer long! Simply donate to The Augsburg Fund, and at each event you attend, you’ll receive special perks including light rail passes, concession vouchers, betting vouchers, and extra drink tickets.  Donate today at www.augsburg.edu/giving!

Brit’s Pub is located at 1100 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, 55403. Register online at augsburg.edu/alumni or by calling 612-330-1178.

Hundreds of Scholarship Donors Honored

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Members of the Kleven Family at the 2013 Scholarship Brunch
Members of the Kleven Family at the 2013 Scholarship Brunch

On Sunday, April 14, members of the Augsburg community gather in the Christensen Center to give thanks to our many scholarship donors and to celebrate the Auggies who are recipients of these named and endowed scholarships. Augsburg alumnae and member of our Board of Regents, Lisa Novotny ’80 welcomed the more than 200 attendees to this annual brunch. Sarah Mathews Saugstad ’13 led the invocation before we enjoyed the meal and the musical number by our own student group “Willie Webb and the 7 Half Trio”.

Following the meal, we enjoyed hearing a college update from President Paul C. Pribbenow as he shared some of the many exciting things that are happening at Augsburg. We listened to Ruth Helland about why she and her late husband, Philip Helland ’42 found such joy in starting a scholarship, followed by two current and grateful Auggies, Helena Kruger ’13 and Maria Shatonova ’13, both recipients of scholarships that made their education at Augsburg possible.
It was definitely an event where we celebrated with gratitude the many people who have been generous to Augsburg College students!

 

Physics Alumni Announce Challenge in Honor of Ted Hanwick

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The first chairman of the Physics Department at Augsburg College, Theodore Hanwick Sr. was an influential scientist who was as strong in his Lutheran convictions as he was deep in his knowledge of astronomy and astrophysics.  He touched the lives of many students and established a legacy at Augsburg College that has grown into one of the strongest undergrad physics programs in the country.  When Ted retired in 1978, he was a legend at Augsburg, where his Physics Department achieved high marks. He attended chapel every morning and always argued that science and faith can live side by side.

Now, Ted Hanwick’s students are coming together to honor his work and give back to their alma mater by sponsoring the Intro to Physics Lab in the new Center for Science, Business and Religion (CSBR).  The goal is to raise $500,000 which will name a one of the seven new physics labs that will be built in the new building.  CSBR floor plans and sponsorship opportunities are posted online here.

Former student and current Regent Dan Anderson ’65 has made a $250,000 commitment to this effort and challenges other alumni–especially physics alumni–to join him by making a commitment to the campaign.

Physics Summit Attendees pose by CSBR modelAugsburg boast over 150 Physics alumni whose careers were launched by the education they received on our campus.  Each year many physics alumni return to Augsburg in April to attend the Sverdrup Lecture Series.  This year a group of leaders  (pictured above) extended their stay to  participate in a Campaign Summit for the Center for Science, Business and Religion.

Fundraising for the Hanwick Physics Lab is underway!

Augsburg finishes fiscal year with $1,000,000 in donations to The Augsburg Fund

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On May 31, Augsburg closed another fiscal year, celebrating over $1,000,000 raised in donations to The Augsburg Fund. Thanks to the 2,XXX alumni, parents, and friends who gave generously to provide Auggie students with an education like no other. Donors like these provide scholarships and grants for Augsburg students; one-on-one research opportunities with faculty; and help faculty develop unique new curriculum offerings that take Augsburg students outside of the classroom.

By mail: Augsburg College, 2211 Riverside Avenue, CB 142, Minneapolis, MN 55454

If you have questions please contact Director of Annual Giving Martha Truax at truax@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1652.

Edor Nelson ’38 Welcomes Former Athletes to CSBR Summit

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Over 40 former athletes and alumni leaders met May 8-9 to learn more about the campaign for the Center for Science, Business and Religion (CSBR).  Attendees were welcomed by Edor Nelson ’38 who sent a video greeting and Athletics Director Jeff Swenson ’79 who helped host the event.

Homecoming 2013, September 22-28

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Save the date for Homecoming 2013 which will be held on Augsburg’s Minneapolis campus September 22-28.Reunion Group Photo 2012

Come back to campus to enjoy Homecoming 2013 with alumni, parents,  and friends for a fun-filled week of events and celebration. New events along with traditional favorites make this one of the best times to come back to campus all year. Visit augsburg.edu/homecoming for more information and to get registered.

Tori Bahr ’09 and Paul Sanft ’05 Rein in Sarcoma

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A Letter from Tori Bahr ’09

Four years ago I graduated from Augsburg College with a Biology and Chemistry degree. It was a great four years, but I knew more education was needed to get me to my ultimate career of becoming a physician. In August of 2010 I began medical school across the river at the University of Minnesota.

I was fortunate enough to receive the Rein in Sarcoma Scholarship this past year while at medical school. This foundation was started by Karen Wycoff who while in college was diagnosed with Synovial Sarcoma. She had never heard of sarcoma before her diagnosis. Shortly before her death Karen conceived and created the Rein in Sarcoma Foundation as a way to raise awareness of sarcoma cancers, to encourage sarcoma research, and to support other sarcoma patients and their loved ones. In the eleven years since its conception Rein in Sarcoma has raised over $1,000,000!

As a scholar I have been blessed to meet many people who have been touched by this awful disease. Unfortunately, sarcoma is too often misdiagnosed and many have stories of doctor after doctor not taking them seriously. While most cancers are diagnosed four months from the onset of symptoms, the average time to diagnosis for sarcoma is 14 months! It is time to change this story! Catching sarcoma early is the best way to improve outcomes.

Over the past three months my fiance, Paul Sanft (also an Auggie, class of 2005) and I have invited survivors and the loved ones of those that sarcoma took too soon to come tell their stories in front of the camera. The goal of this project is to change the sarcoma story from “never heard of it” to “we caught it early.” I am so thankful to have met these wonderful people. I will always carry their stories near my heart as I approach my future patients. Please help us change the sarcoma story by sharing this video with your friends, family, and colleagues!

-A special thanks to Zach Sobiech, a 17 year old from Minnesota, currently fighting osteosarcoma for providing the music.  He also was recently featured in People magazine.

-A special thanks to Paul Sanft at Ideatap Studios for donating the editing and filming.

Thank you for helping change the sarcoma story today!

Tori Bahr
University of Minnesota, MD candidate 2014
Rein in Sarcoma Foundation Scholar
Augsburg College, 2009

Alumni Association Welcomes 400 Members from the Class of 2013

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A student celebrates Augsburg Graduation
A student celebrates Augsburg Graduation

More than 400 students participated in the Commencement ceremony at Augsburg College in May 2013. These newly minted graduates join the the Alumni Association which now includes over 28,000 former students.

This year’s graduation ceremony included a speech by former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic Bill George who is the author of four best-selling books: 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis, True North, Finding Your True North, and Authentic Leadership and (with co-author Doug Baker) True North Groups.

Representative Jim Ramstad was a Republican member of the Minnesota State Senate from 1981 to 1990 before entering the U.S. Congress. He was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1991 to 2009. He considers ending discrimination against those suffering from mental health and addiction problems a major part of his legacy, and worked under both Republican and Democratic majorities to pass a Mental Health Parity Bill, which was signed into law in December, 2008.

Both Bill George and Jim Ramstad received honorary degrees.

 

Mary E. Olson ’74, Owner of Airlie Winery

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Mary E. Olson '74When an Auggie recently visited the Airlie Winery in Airlie, Oregon, he asked fellow-Auggie and winery owner Mary E. Olson ’74 if the large “A” in the landscaping (carved out of boxwood) stood for “Augsburg.” She just smiled and said, “Sure!” Even though very few of the Auggies she encounters at the winery—or at other wine-tasting events around the country—are acquaintances from her student days, Olson still feels the connection.

Years after the Osceola (WI) native had graduated with a political science/English double major, she found her liberal arts education particularly useful as she left her work with US West after 22 years, and switched gears by following her dream of moving back to Oregon and owning a winery. In 1997, she purchased Airlie Winery, situated on the coastal edge of the lush hills of Oregon’s Willamette Valley—an area that has captured her heart. She says it’s Minnesota-friendly with better weather, and she fully intends to retire there. “My winery is not a stop along the way,” says Olson, “it is a place to sit and stay.”

When her friend and Airlie’s winemaker, Suzy, died suddenly in 2005 from a brain aneurism, friends and volunteers from other Oregon wineries came to the rescue and helped Olson until she could find a replacement—Team Oregon, she likes to call it. She views sustainability of the winery as a three-legged stool—“the earth, employees, and your customers”—and she purchases grapes from a nearby vineyard that, like Airlie, is Certified Sustainable and Salmon Safe. Being part of the Oregon Pinot Noir continues to be her dream-come-true.

Airlie’s website (www.airliewinery.com) provides an opportunity for Auggies to sign up to receive emails, as well as info on where you can find Airlie wines in your area. Airlie’s distributor (amy@oenodist.com) stands ready to add another shop to the list, and responds well to such customer requests.