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Why Travel with Auggies?

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Thailand-WebDan Cherryhomes, class of ’73, and his wife, Pat, saw promotional material for the Augsburg trip to Thailand and Cambodia in January 2017 and decided to go to the on-campus information session.

Both Dan and Pat had thought about different ways to travel and tour in retirement, had looked at tours, but had never given serious thought to any group package.

“We had  the opportunity to try out the idea in an orientation meeting with some of the people with whom we would likely travel. It was not so surprising to us that as part of the extended Augsburg family, we share the same values and hopes for the trip as a number of the participants. When we met the hosts, English professor Kathy Swanson, and her husband, Jack, we also learned they had spent time as Peace Corps volunteers in Thailand.”

Dan’s parents were missionaries, and he spent his first four years in Thailand. Jack talked with Dan about where he had lived and offered that they could make a brief side-trip one day in Bangkok to the place where Dan had lived.

Dan Cherryhomes '73 in Prague, 2014.
Dan Cherryhomes ’73 in Prague, 2014.

“This was something we didn’t expect  in a group tour—the willingness of our host to help make the experience more personally meaningful to us. We left the orientation and decided that the trip was not only something worthwhile, but that this was the best opportunity we would ever have to travel with people willing to share a similar experience.”

Tour host Kathy Swanson promises a trip that will be Uniquely Augsburg. Travelers will visit sites that appear on most trips to Thailand and Cambodia: the temples, the Grand Palace, the night markets, the floating market, Angkor Wat. The tour will, however, also include items that are uniquely Augsburg such as a visit to an orphanage for Hill Tribe children, Augsburg guides who know the country well and speak some Thai, and a group of travelers who share a common background and interest in being citizens of the world.
Swanson and her husband are already looking forward to the trip. “With all of our trips to Thailand, we most enjoy sharing our love and knowledge of the place with others who are interested in various cultures and new experiences. Each time, we see the familiar through the new eyes of our travelers,” she said.
Who should take this trip? “Anyone who values expanding a world view, learning about a new culture, experiencing beauty (and fun!),” said Kathy Swanson. As Mark Twain wrote:
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things can not be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” — from Innocents Abroad

The tour is open to all and now accepting reservations—just a dozen spots remain. Find a full itinerary and more details about the Thailand/Cambodia trip here. If you have questions or wish to register, contact Katie Koch at kochk@augsburg.edu.

 

Alumni Teachers May Qualify for Help with Student Loans

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Education_HeaderTeachers working in designated teacher shortage areas in Minnesota may now qualify for help with their student loan payments. The Minnesota Office of Higher Education (OHE) recently announced an assistance program for teachers with student loans.
The Minnesota Teacher Shortage Student Loan Repayment Program, created in 2015, is intended to encourage teachers to teach in Minnesota in designated shortage areas by providing assistance with their student loan repayments.
In general, applicants must currently:
  • Hold a teaching license issued by the licensing division in the Minnesota Department of Education on behalf of the Board of Teaching
  • Be employed by a school district to provide classroom instruction
  • Teach in a designated teacher shortage area; and
  • Have outstanding qualified educational loan debt.
Qualifying teachers who apply by June 30, 2016, may be eligible for repayment assistance of $1,000 per year, up to a total of $5,000. OHE estimates that 194 awards will be made for the 2015-2016 award year, with as many as 1,940 annual awards made through 2019.
The Teacher Shortage Student Loan Repayment Program application is online here.
Please share this information with interested friends or colleagues. For more information, contact Sandy Connolly at 651-259-3902 or by email at sandy.connolly@state.mn.us.

Chasing Justice: Rachel Engebretson ’98

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Rachel EngebretsonAs an immigration lawyer at Binsfeld & Engebretson P.A., Rachel Olson Engebretson ’98 is fulfilling her dream of “chasing justice.” Though she serves a diverse clientele from around the globe, many who seek her help are attempting to reunite their immediate family members, a process that requires advance permission in order to live their lives together in the U.S. She is passionate about helping them.

Though most people believe it is a crime to live illegally in the U.S., in most instances it is not. Immigration law is civil, administrative law.

Likely, Engebretson’s resolve to help these families can be traced back to her childhood. Growing up as a “PK” (preacher’s kid) in Watertown, S. Dak., she moved with her family to Granite Falls, Minn., in 1978 when her parents felt the call of the soil and the rural suffering community’s need for young blood to find new life. Those were the days when family farmers either “went big” or found another way to pay their bills—so there were challenges. During these formative years, Engebretson also became aware of international relations, and was particularly concerned about the civil wars in Central America and illegal arms-dealings there. The lessons learned from her parents—especially with regard to a commitment to human rights and the value of diversity—fit squarely into what she later learned was required to handle immigration issues. Continue reading “Chasing Justice: Rachel Engebretson ’98” →

Honors Program Passing of the Scrolls Banquet: Goodbye Bob Groven, Hello Phil Adamo

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It was a treat to have alumni join current students for the Honors Program Passing of the Scrolls banquet on Saturday, April 23, 2016. The Honors Program holds a spring banquet annually as a capstone for students and faculty to celebrate the year, hear from senior speakers, and present various awards (both serious and humorous) to current students.  This year, however, the banquet took a new spin.

The Passing of the Scrolls theme was adopted not only to recognize the transition of Honors Program leadership from Bob Groven to Phil Adamo, but also as a way to welcome Honors alumni to the banquet. A Roast Bob Groven reception was held before the banquet for current students, alumni, and faculty to mingle while sharing their favorite memories of Groven. Alumni guests from 2006 to the present Honors class took to the microphone to share  funny stories and jokes. (Adamo received a decent amount of roasting as well.)

During the banquet, after current students were honored and senior speeches were delivered, a piece of Groven’s legacy was also highlighted. Before entering his Liberating Letters class, all students must have three people write on scrolls predictions about where the student will be in the future. Groven kept these scrolls from graduating classes as early as 2008.  Near the closing of the banquet, alumni were called to the front to receive their scrolls. The alumni then remained standing to shake hands with the graduating seniors as they welcomed the soon-to-graduates into the Augsburg alumni ranks.

In all, it was a great opportunity for students and alumni to recognize these instrumental professors and celebrate the end of the academic year.  Alumni attendees learned more about the program today, while reconnecting with faculty and one another.  More than 100 students, 30 alumni, and various faculty members participated in this wonderful event. Many thanks to Phil Adamo, Bob Groven, the Honors Desk staff, and the Honors Program for making this event happen! Many well wishes to Phil Adamo as he continues his journey as the new director of the Honors Program! Continue reading “Honors Program Passing of the Scrolls Banquet: Goodbye Bob Groven, Hello Phil Adamo” →

LinkedIn Alumni Group Merging with Augsburg College Group

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linkedinFor those of you who attended the Auggie Networking Event on Tuesday, February 9, in Hoversten Chapel, a highlight was the demonstration of using the College’s LinkedIn group to reach out to other alumni or students. Join the Augsburg College group and increase your ability to connect with other Auggies across every field. For those who are open to being contacted for networking or mentoring, join the sub-group Auggie Student-Alumni Connections. Note: you must be part of the Augsburg College group first. For tips on connecting with Auggies across all disciplines via LinkedIn, see the how-to guide shared at the networking event.

The Augsburg Alumni LinkedIn group is in the process of merging with the College’s group. If you’re not already connected with the Augsburg College group now, do so today. The Augsburg College Alumni group will close at the end of April 2016 in an effort to form the most robust group for building connections among Auggies everywhere.

Auggie Pride for Auggie Athletics

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This week is NCAA Division III Week, a celebration of all the wonderful things that Division III is all about. We have so much to celebrate. Congratulations to …

•  The men’s hockey team and Augsburg men’s hockey coach Chris Brown, who was named MIAC Coach of the Year for his leadership of the MIAC-champion Auggies. Eight Augsburg men’s hockey players earned postseason honors from the MIAC.

Hockey screenshot•  Enjoy a video of that magic moment when Mack Ohnsted scored in the third overtime to lift Augsburg over St. John’s to the MIAC men’s hockey championship, sending the Auggies to the NCAA Division III national playoffs.

•  Augsburg men’s hockey goalie Jordyn Kaufer, named to the CCM Hockey/AHCA Division II-III All-America Team. Kaufer is Augsburg’s 34th All-American in men’s hockey.

•  Augsburg women’s hockey qualified for the MIAC postseason playoffs for the fifth time in school history. The Auggies third-place conference finish was the team’s highest MIAC finished since 1999-00, when the team won the conference and regular season playoff titles. See the team video.

•  Augsburg’s wrestling team finished fifth at the NCAA Division III National Championships, and had four All-Americans this year.

longendyke_wrestling•  Augsburg wrestler Donny Longendyke qualified for a spot in this weekend’s U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials in Iowa City, Iowa.

•  Maria Loughlin (All-MIAC) and Jenna Orth (All-MIAC Sportsmanship Team), who earned MIAC women’s basketball postseason honors.

•  Stan Nelson ’43 will be honored with the Bud Grant Distinguished Minnesotan Award by the National Football Foundation on April 17.

•  Missy Strauch, head athletic trainer at Augsburg College, will receive the Fred Zamberletti Award from the National Football Foundation.

•  Augsburg wrestling alumni Scott Whirley ’82 and Henry Gerten ’98 who were inducted into the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III Hall of Fame.

Stay tuned to Auggie Athletics for the latest. Spring sports, we’re ready for you!

Remembering Martin Sabo

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2011 scholarship brunch photo, (from left) Martin Sabo, Juventino Meza Rodriguez, Sylvia Sabo, Renee Van Siclen, and Ben Krouse-Gagne for the Martin Olav and Sylvia Lee Sabo Scholarship for Leadership in Public and Community Service.
2011 scholarship brunch photo, (from left) Martin Sabo, Juventino Meza, Sylvia Sabo, Renee Van Siclen, and Ben Krouse-Gagne for the Martin Olav and Sylvia Lee Sabo Scholarship for Leadership in Public and Community Service.

With great sadness, Augsburg College announced the loss of U.S. Representative Martin Sabo on March 14, 2016. Sabo, a 1959 alumnus of Augsburg College, was a national leader and public servant, and an inspirational legend dedicated to revitalizing the role of higher education in equipping students for active engagement in citizenship and democracy.

Sabo led a full and accomplished life, and the many heartfelt remembrances that have been shared since his passing are a testament to the impact he made in our community and nation as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the College’s Board of Regents. On the College’s website, you’ll find a tribute to the remarkable work and contributions that Martin and his wife, Sylvia, have made to Augsburg.

Augsburg has been blessed by the life and work of Martin Sabo. He will be greatly missed and long remembered. Our thoughts are with his family, including Martin and Sylvia’s daughters, Karin (Sabo) Mantor ’86 and Julie Sabo ’90, and their families.

President Paul Pribbenow spoke about the enormous impact of Martin Sabo with WCCO, and the state, and local and national media covered Sabo’s passing extensively.

Augsburg is deeply honored to be able to carry on Sabo’s legacy with the important work of the Martin Olav Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, where he remained active. Since 1995, 96 Auggies have had the distinction of being Sabo Scholars, awarded to juniors and seniors who have interest in and a commitment to engagement in the political process, public policy, and/or careers in public service.

Professor Phil Adamo learned about Martin Sabo’s passing while he was in the midst of writing a piece about Sabo that describes Sabo’s history, time at Augsburg, and run “For members of the College community,” Adamo writes, “Representative Sabo will always be a part of Augsburg. We knew him when.” Please enjoy this excerpt from professor Phil Adamo’s sesquicentennial history of Augsburg College. Harry Boyte, senior scholar in public work philosophy for the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, shared in a recent Huffington Post article his experiences working with the late Martin Olav Sabo ’59. Continue reading “Remembering Martin Sabo” →

Alumni Invited to Masterworks Spring Concert Reception

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Masterworks spring concert bannerJoin Augsburg alumni and the Augsburg Alumni Board for a dessert reception following the Masterworks Chorale of Augsburg’s Spring Concert, “Finlandia Meets Earth Day,” on April 23.

Visit with chorale members, members of the Augsburg Alumni Board, Masterworks Director Dr. Peter Hendrickson ’76, and composers Steve Heitzeg and Olli Kortekangas.

Admission to the concert is free. 

RSVP online or call the Alumni Association to register at 612-330-1085.

Masterworks Chorale of Augsburg Spring Concert – Finlandia Meets Earth Day
Date: Saturday, April 23, 2016
Time: 2 p.m. Concert
3:15 – 4:30 p.m. Reception
Location: Central Lutheran Church,333 S. 12th St., Minneapolis, MN 55404

Featuring: Litanies for the Living by Steve Heitzeg
Seven Songs for Planet Earth, by Olli Kortekangas – Midwest Premiere in Minneapolis

Seven Songs for Planet Earth, Finnish composer Olli Kortekangas’s symphonic cantata with Earth Day texts by Wendell Berry, will receive its Midwest premiere on the Earth Day weekend, with mezzo-soprano Nicole Warner ’01, baritone Aaron Larson, Nancy Grundahl’s children’s choir Angelica Cantanti, and the Masterworks Chorale of Augsburg College, conducted by Peter Hendrickson. The work was first performed in 2011 in Washington D.C., and has since received both American and Finnish performances.

We hope to see you there!

Auggie Alumni in the Classroom: Bill Koschak ’91

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Bill Koschak Auggies are everywhere, including back in the classroom!  Last week, Bill Koschak ’91 came back to speak to the seniors in the Business and Religion Keystone class led by Lori Lohman & Josh Miller. His topic? To speak about his vocational journey, his career path, and advice he would give students today.

Koschak had much to share about his journey from entry level job to partner at KPMG, to vice president of finance at General Mills, and now chief financial officer at YA Engage (formerly known as Young America). He noted he was especially thankful for his adviser, business professor Stu Stoller who first encouraged him to look into public accounting. Koschak made sure Stoller would be in attendance so that he could personally thank him.

Additionally, Koschak shared that he has had three strong mentors in his career who were instrumental to his career growth. These mentors were workplace leaders he admired for their management style, ethical behavior, and focus on work-life balance. He made a point to engage with these leaders and check in with them regularly. What started as occasional meetings turned into mentoring relationships that opened up many doors. He challenged the students to seek similar relationships as they start their careers.

Koschak is one of many alumni who have been invited to share their experiences with current students. If you are interested in speaking in classrooms or sharing your stories, contact Volunteer & Alumni Engagement Manager Katie Radford ’12 at radford@augsburg.edu.

#AuggieAsks Alumni

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Dear Alumni,

With more than 1,500 alumni staying connected with Augsburg via social media and in so many other ways, we would love to hear from you. Every month, we at the Augsburg Alumni Association are going to ask you a question via social media and we would love to hear your feedback. We want to hear your ideas about upcoming events, special programs, favorite memories, volunteering, continuing education, and so much more. In every monthly e-newsletter, we will pose a question for you, the alumni, and we’ll follow it up on Twitter and Facebook. We’re looking forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas, and we hope you will share your stories with us!

Homecoming planning is already underway here on campus for Sept. 23-24, 2016. The April 2016 #AuggieAsks question is: What would bring to campus for Homecoming? Do you a favorite idea for Homecoming that you’ve never seen or would like to see again? What makes Homecoming great for you?

Have any questions of your own? Tag #AuggieAsks to Augsburg Alumni on Facebook or Twitter, or let us know at alumni@augsburg.edu, and we’ll get back to you right away.

Thank you for your ideas!

— Katie Koch ’01