The Fall 2016 billing statements were electronically sent to all registered students on July 7; the due date was August 1. Students will have reminders sent to their Augsburg email account during the first week of each month reminding them to view their online monthly bill; all students are encouraged to give parents/guardians access to view these statements and to complete the online Information Release form. Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student. Please see the Parent Information tab at augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on obtaining access, making a payment, signing up for a payment plan, etc.
The last day to register for 4 monthly payments under Augsburg’s Online Payment Plan is August 26. To ensure 4 monthly payments, the application must be completed by August 26. Please see the Parent Information tab at augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ for instructions on signing up for a payment plan.
All students can schedule an appointment with a Student Financial Services staff member, review their student account, and track their financial aid status by going to augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ .
In my role as Alumni Director I have the opportunity to meet with amazing Auggies to share their journey and their connection to Augsburg.
A few weeks ago, I had the chance to spend some time with some friends from the class of 2001. There is something really special that happened on the 5th floor of Urness in the fall of 1997. A group was formed that has stood the test of time and location. I know that so many of you have similar experiences and groups of friends you still see regularly for brunch or not-regular-enough get-togethers.
One of the things that was important for this group was to spend some of their precious time together at Augsburg visiting and reconnecting with the campus and some of the people that make Augsburg so amazing.
We walked around and saw classrooms, shared memories, remembered others, laughed, and spent some money in the bookstore.
One thing this visit cemented to me is how important it is to visit Augsburg. In this era of social media, we sometimes think that we know what’s going on at Augsburg. But there is something about being here physically, seeing the campus, smelling it … you wouldn’t believe how some things smell just the same (Urness) and how it makes the memories come flying back. As we approach Homecoming, I ask you to remember that it is important to come back and be here, to experience the campus and the activities you enjoyed with your friends and classmates. You don’t have to take my word for it, but I invite you to take theirs.
If you’re looking to tour campus with your favorite classmates, be sure to let me know.
Katie Koch ’01
Auggie Alumni Director
2001 grads back on campus. (L-R) Erica Huls, Emily Waldon, Merry-Ellen Krcil Bryers, Stacy (Waterman) Newton, Laura Waldon, Sara Thedinga.
Pausing on a beautiful summer day by the Augsburg A.
The 2001 grads pause for a quick photo in the link. (L-R) Erica Huls, Laura Waldon, Sara Thedinga, Stacy (Waterman) Newton, Emily Waldon, and Melon.
Entering Urness Hall – home to so many memories.
Former roommates Emily Waldon and Erica Huls stop by their first-year room in Urness.
Stacy Waterman finds her former soccer coach Benjy Kent, now director of academic skills at Augsburg.
2001 music major, Merry-Ellen Krcil Bryers, a.k.a Melon, visits a music classroom.
The gang visits Science 100.
Lindell Library opened to students in 1997, the group’s first year on campus.
Taking a break in the bookstore, Stacy (Waterman) Newton affirms that Auggies are #1.
2001 Auggie alumnae gather for dinner at the MonteCarlo Minneapolis.
On Sunday, July 17, 45 Augsburg alumni and students from all programs gathered at Soldiers Field Park to spend a beautiful summer afternoon at the first-ever alumni event in Rochester. Alumni families were greeted by alumni director, Katie Koch ‘01, volunteer engagement manager, Katie Radford ‘12, Associate Provost James Gross, and Rochester administrative staff.
Alumni from the Minneapolis and Rochester programs who live in the Rochester area met new friends and reconnected with classmates, co-workers, and neighbors. One of the highlights of the family gathering was to watch so many kids playing together and enjoying new Auggie gear won in the raffle, including mugs, t-shirts, padfolios, and sunglasses.
The Alumni Association looks forward to the next alumni event in Rochester, and is thankful to all who spent the afternoon celebrating summer and our connections to Augsburg.
It’s time once again to register for the biggest alumni event of the summer … the 12th annual Auggie Night at the Races, happening August 12 at Canterbury Park. Last year, more than 1,000 Auggies attended this event and donated hundreds of pounds of supplies for Health Commons.
Register today for this FREE and fun family event that includes admission into the park and a complimentary picnic buffet. This event is open to all alumni and friends and is hosted by the Alumni Board and Young Alumni Council. We would love to see you there!
What: August 12, 2016
Where: Canterbury Park, Shakopee (map)
When: 5-7 p.m, Auggie social hour and dinner buffet Races start at 6:30 p.m.
Cost: FREE
When you come to Canterbury, please consider bringing a donation for the Augsburg Central Health Commons. The Health Commons is a nursing-led free drop-in center dedicated to serving those in need. Items in strong demand include socks, diapers, and hygiene supplies. For almost 25 years, the Augsburg College Department of Nursing has operated a free health center for homeless or marginally placed individuals at Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis. Basic supplies are needed to continue to serve the 1,500 people each year.
A full list of items includes: new white or black tube socks, diapers, diaper wipes, soaps, toothpastes, toothbrushes, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, razors, or other hygiene-related items. Your donation allows students to continue this important service-learning experience. Thank you for your strong support of this event each year!
Mark your calendars for the next great alumni event! On August 6, Auggies Get Fit is a great chance to shape up and explore a new fitness routine, or just get together for a good time with fellow alumni on Nelson Field.
The Young Alumni Council is calling all Auggies to get fit with Augsburg alumni on Saturday, August 6, on campus. If you have not yet registered for Auggies Get Fit, it’s not too late! The first 15 to register get an Auggie collapsible water bottle.
We will be taking over Edor Nelson Field with a morning of yoga followed by a CrossFit-inspired boot camp. Yoga begins at 9 a.m. and will be led by Auggie alumna Jill Watson ’10 MBA. Boot camp begins at 10:30 a.m., led by Auggie grads Tyler Reiter ’10 and Dane Bates ’11. Come to one or both sessions. All levels of fitness and experience are welcome!
What: Auggies … Get Fit!
When: Saturday, August 6, 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
Where: Edor Nelson Field, Augsburg campus
Cost: $15, all proceeds support the Augsburg Athletic Fund
Homecoming planning is underway for a full weekend of activities on Sept. 22-24, 2016. The Alumni Association looks forward to hosting reunions for the classes of 1966, 1976, 1991, and 2006. If you’re a member of a reunion class, and you’d like to be involved as a reunion leader, you can help coordinate plans and activities for your class. Join your reunion committee by contacting alumni director Katie Koch ’01 at kochk@augsburg.edu.
New events this year increase the fun for everyone, including a host of themed Auggie Talks. Join us for 30-45 minute insightful sessions presented by professors and fellow alumni on topics spearheaded by class reunion groups. Check out the full schedule of events.
In addition, look forward to celebrating the awesome Auggies being honored at Homecoming this year:
• Karim El-Hibri and Kyle Loven ’06 will receive the First Decade Award.
• Norm & Evangeline Hagfors and Dr. Robert (Bob) Stacke ‘71 will receive the The Spirit of Augsburg Award.
• Ron Nelson ’68, Lee Roper-Batker ‘88, and Dr. Ray Yip ’72 will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award.
The Fall 2016 billing statements were electronically sent to all registered students on July 7. To ensure that all financial aid has been applied for, and correct amounts are owed, please make sure your student has turned in all necessary documents to the Student Financial Services Office. Students can see what documents are missing, and their financial aid award letter once it is finalized, by logging into their Augnet account and clicking on ‘Records and Registration’ and then ‘Track My Financial Aid.’
Students are encouraged to give parents/guardians access to view their billing statements. Students must log in to augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and select ‘Make a Payment/Account Activity’ on the right hand menu. Click ‘View your online student account’ and follow the instructions under ‘Parent/Third Party Access Instructions – Make a Payment.’
All students are eligible to enroll in Augsburg’s Online Payment Plan; enrollment opened on July 7. Students must log in to augsburg.edu/studentfinancial/ and select ‘Make a Payment/Account Activity’ on the right hand menu. Click ‘Payment Plans and Discounts’ and follow the instructions under ‘Augsburg Online Payment Plan.’ To ensure 5 monthly payments, the application must be completed by July 26.
Students must have completed the online ‘Information Release’ form in order for our office to communicate with anyone besides themselves. The student must log into their Augnet Account at augnet.augsburg.edu or inside.augsburg.edu and click on ‘Records and Registration.’ Under ‘Information Release’ they need to ‘Add an Authorization.’ They will enter the full name and email address of the party/parties they are giving permission for future communication. Next, select ‘Financial Aid/Finances Release’ and then click ‘Save.’ Please note that we will be unable to speak with any parent/guardian that has not been authorized by the student.
Please join us on Sunday, July 17, from 4-6 p.m. for a first-ever alumni family picnic in Rochester with hot dogs, hamburgers, fix-ins and sides at Soldiers Field Park. We’ve rented a shelter—please bring lawn chairs and lawn games to enjoy! The gathering is free, but please register all guests so we can plan appropriately for food. Hosted by Alumni Relations, the Alumni Board, and Rochester campus staff.
Auggie Night at the Twins was a rousing success on June 22. Tickets in the Auggie block above home plate sold out for the event jointly sponsored by the Augsburg Alumni Board and Young Alumni Council.
The annual night out at the ballpark began with a pre-game reception at the nearby Kieran’s, with a short program hosted by Nick Rathmann ’03 and featuring Robert Grace ’98, who operates Be Graceful Bakery, with a concession booth at TCF Bank, Target Field, and the new US Bank Stadium. Then 75 Auggies watched the Minnesota Twins take on the Phillies and WIN. Special thanks to Nik Linde ’15 for taking the photos.
Growing up with an entrepreneurial father planted the seed in his mind that running his own business could make a lot of sense—and was doable. But the idea really took root in his adult life, when Frank Grazzini ’96 realized, after 12 years of working for larger corporations, that this work wasn’t a very good fit for him. He’d much rather create something new than fine-tune an existing structure. So he switched gears. In fact, starting a new business seems to have become a way of life for him, and he sees himself as a serial entrepreneur of sorts. He is now involved in his fourth early-stage business (his third technology start-up), with the potential to scale into a much larger business. The down side? He’d much rather start a new remodeling project than mow the grass!
At Prevent Biometrics, his latest venture, Grazzini is working with two other co-founders and the Cleveland Clinic to commercialize a groundbreaking technology to monitor and measure the force of head impacts to athletes (both male and female) in sports such as football, lacrosse, hockey, and soccer. He says that if a concussion is treated early, it usually results in a full recovery; if not, there is a much greater risk the athlete will suffer permanent neurological damage, even CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) or Second Impact Syndrome, which can cause death.
In spite of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s estimate that over half of all sports-related concussions in the U.S. (approximately 3.8 million each year) are never identified, response has been slow. But now, there finally seems to be a growing awareness that the problem must be taken seriously, as indicated by laws in all 50 states, as well as recent statements by professional sports league representatives. Though some would make the case for ending football altogether (most notably, Dr. Bennet Omalu, whose exposure of the widespread consequences of NFL injuries was dramatized in the recent film, Concussion), Grazzini believes that better monitoring of injuries, plus a few changes to the rules, would likely be sufficient to keep football a healthy sport for kids.
Prevent’s head-impact monitor, currently being tested by athletes, has been in development for six years and is expected to be officially released for sale in December 2016, though various inquiries to the company have already been made by researchers in the military and the NCAA for earlier sales. Continue reading “Measured Impact”→
