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“Learning My Calling of Storytelling” at Augsburg: Jaelyn Arndt’s Vocation Story

Written by Ellen Weber

Jaelyn Arndt standing on a basketball court smiling at the camera. Have you ever left a meeting and the minute you sign off or walk away you just smile as a wave of gratitude washes over you? That happened to me after meeting with Jaelyn Arndt, an Augsburg alum and current Assistant Director of Communications at the NCAA. 

We at the Christensen Center for Vocation (CCV) were intrigued to hear Jaelyn’s story after a tweet last summer where she answered the question “What is your calling?” She credits the Auggie support system for helping her find her dream. We, at CCV are curious to know the various ways we see vocation lived out on a daily basis in the lives and work of our Augsburg colleagues, students, alums, and our neighbors in the Cedar-Riverside and Seward neighborhoods.

By vocation we mean the ways we are compelled, empowered, challenged, freed, and responsible to show up (individually and collectively) in ways that help our neighbors and neighborhoods thrive. We believe every individual and every institution experiences a vocational tug.

This is a story about how an Augsburg alum became an engaged neighbor through learning about her own vocation. 


Jaelyn graciously agreed to meet with me (Ellen Weber) via Zoom from Indiana and share her story. 

When Jaelyn came to Augsburg to tour, she was guided by our Volleyball Head Coach, Jane Becker and Assistant Coach, Jennifer Jacobs. She walked away from that tour years ago thinking, “These are my people!” So after her senior year at Washburn, she started at Augsburg and was part of the volleyball team.  

Jaelyn Arndt on the volleyball court with two others at Augsburg. Throughout her time at Augsburg, Jaelyn leaned on her volleyball teammates and staff like family. “Because it is a D3 school, people actually cared about me and my wellbeing.” The volleyball team was a place where Jaelyn learned who people are. “Before the season started, our coach would give us working packets about our teammates. We had workshops where we learned each other’s love languages, how we like to be approached, and how we give feedback. We started our practices sharing what we were grateful for or sharing how our day was. It mattered who we are and that we knew who actually was on the court with us.”  Continue reading ““Learning My Calling of Storytelling” at Augsburg: Jaelyn Arndt’s Vocation Story”

Welcome Jon Bates to the CCV Team!

Jon joined the Christensen Center for Vocation team at the beginning of 2022 as the V-Portfolio Coordinator. In this role he will be coordinating the creation of the V-Portfolio which is a tool that will allow students to capture, reflect, and gain insight from their learning experiences and vocation throughout their time at Augsburg.


Headshot of Jon BatesWith excitement, Jon makes a return to Augsburg University as he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Arts in Youth and Family Ministry Degree in 2015. Since graduation Jon worked in children, youth, and family ministry in faith communities within the Twin Cities and also Billings, Montana. He also spent time working in the digital department at Star Tribune from 2017-2019. Through his eclectic career, Jon has admired his time building relationships amongst his teams, creating projects for people of all ages, and the time spent organizing information, art supplies, and bundt pans.

Currently, Jon is also a nursing student at Minneapolis Community & Technical College. He finds joy in coffee, reading, time with his loved ones, and time napping. Jon is eager to strengthen his skills in project management, work with the CCV Team and other departments on campus, and create the V-Portfolio for the students of Augsburg.

Meet our RIH Congregational Facilitators

The Riverside Innovation Hub is excited to introduce our Congregational Facilitators who will be working directly with our 12 new partner congregations over the next two years. You can read more about each of them below.

Geoffrey Gill

Image of a smiling black man, black hair, white shirt in foreground. Green shrubs and red building in backgroundGeoffrey Gill began his ministry to youth as a youth leader for Faith Tabernacle Church, in Minneapolis. From there, he has worked with youth within the community in a variety of capacities, including working with the Youth Advisory Council for National Youth Leadership, and starting “Helping Young Men” a  nonprofit mentorship group at Central High School in St. Paul.

Geoffrey is a graduate of Augsburg University in Minneapolis, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in youth and Family Ministry. He is a certified Master Life Coach from the Best Life Coaching Society, in Fargo, ND.

Along with private coaching clients, a consulting partnership, healing and restorative justice circles, Geoffrey also works with teenage boys, who are in recovery for substance abuse.

Geoffrey is a man of God, a mentor, coach, educator and father of a wonderful son, whom he considers his number one investment, and the fire of his legacy.

Jennifer Starr Dodd

headshot of Jennifer with a building in the backgroundFor over twenty years, Jennifer Starr Dodd has been committed to building community vitality by connecting with and empowering others to be the change that they would like to see around them. Through relationship, Jennifer has been successful in this goal by turning ideas into attainable goals for the populations she is serving.

Having worked with at-risk children, youth, and young adults for 15 years, Jennifer masterfully intersects education, experience, and environment   to promote awareness, understanding, and opportunity.

Jennifer shared her expertise in curriculum development and implementation when she served as a Teacher’s Assistant at Saint Paul Public Schools, and when she facilitated a wide range of academic and enrichment classes for school districts located in Apple Valley, Rosemount, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville, Hastings, and Washington County for REACH With Me, an educational company that merged education with enrichment to help students develop a passion for learning.

Continue reading “Meet our RIH Congregational Facilitators”

Interview with AYTI Program Assistant Marty Wyatt, former participant and mentor

Group of students and staff in the chapel, Marty Wyatt is in the middleAYTI Ambassador Ian Heseltine interviewed Marty Wyatt, AYTI Program Assistant, to learn more about the impact of Marty’s participation in Augsburg’s Youth Theology Institute. In 2007, Marty was a youth participant, and he was a mentor in 2008 and 2009. In addition to his role at Augsburg, Marty is pursuing a masters of divinity at Luther Seminary.

Here is Marty’s response: 

Honestly, the week [of Youth Theology Institute] made me want to come to Augsburg for my undergrad. Looking back this is the biggest impact because of how going to Augsburg impacted my life. I would have never met the people I did or experienced the city if I didn’t go to Augsburg, and that started with the Theology Institute. The Institute introduced me to Augsburg’s campus, professors, students, and staff. They seemed to genuinely care about people and the community. It made me want to get to know them better and be a part of this community that cared so deeply for each other.

I think during the week my faith was renewed. High school can be a hard and isolating time for some and the Institute reignited my faith in a powerful way. I learned (or re-learned?) to look for God in everything, from the mundane to the exceptional. The Institute opened a way of thinking about faith differently than I had before. I began to think critically about what I believe and why, which over time led to a deepening of my faith that I wouldn’t have if I didn’t critically examine it first.  Continue reading “Interview with AYTI Program Assistant Marty Wyatt, former participant and mentor”

Heritage Day with Phil Adamo

Phil Adamo giving a presentation

Wednesday, October 24, 2018
7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Hagfors Center 150, 700 21st Ave S, Minneapolis

THE MANY FOUNDINGS OF AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY

What do words like “founding” mean at a place like Augsburg? If, as a Lutheran institution, we believe in the concept of “semper reformanda” (always reforming), then shouldn’t we say that Augsburg has had multiple “foundings”—not only physically, but intellectually and theologically?

Augsburg history professor Phil Adamo will explore these questions in the 2018 Heritage Talk, offering examples from his new book, Hold Fast to What is Good: A History of Augsburg University in 10 Objects, written for the upcoming celebration of Augsburg’s 150th anniversary. A reception will follow the presentation.

More about our speaker:

Phillip C. Adamo has an international reputation as a scholar and teacher. He has presented his research at major conferences throughout the United States and Europe. In 2014, The Medieval Academy of America, the oldest and largest association of medievalists in the world, presented Phil with the CARA Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2015, the Carnegie Institute for the Advancement of Teaching named him Minnesota Professor of the Year. Phil is currently working on a history of Augsburg for its 150th anniversary.

More about the event:

This event is free and open to the public.

Registration for Heritage Day closed.

For any questions regarding registration for this event, please call Liz Behnke in the Institutional Advancement Office: 612-330-1171.

2015 Heritage Day

The 2015 Heritage Day featured presentations by two Augsburg Alumnae:

“BricMandyHeadshot 1ks and Mortar of the Epistle of Straw: Luther and James on Faith and Works.”

Amanda Brobst-Renaud, ‘04

– 2013 MDiv from Luther Seminary
– Current Ph.D. Candidate in Biblical Studies at Baylor University

smallerHeadshot Kmahon“Formation of Worship in Martin Luther’s Small Catechism.”

Katharine S. Mahon, ’06

– 2010 MTS from Boston College School of Theology and Ministry
– Current Ph.D. Candidate in Liturgical Studies, Liturgical History at the University of Notre Dame

ABOUT OUR ANNUAL HERITAGE DAY

Continue reading “2015 Heritage Day”

Recently Ordained Auggies!

This summer, three 2010 Augsburg College alumni have been ordained to ministry and began their first calls as pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. These Auggies (who also graduated from Luther Seminary in St. Paul in May of 2014) are: Michael Buller, Emily Wiles, and Peter Weston Miller.

We asked them to tell us about the congregation(s) where they serve, and what they are most energized about with their call. We are proud to celebrate their accomplishments, and we wish them well in their new vocations as pastors!

Micheal Buller wearing a red stole following his ordination
Pastor Michael at his Ordination.

Michael Buller, Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Abercrombie, ND and Galchutt (pronounce Gal-Shoot) Lutheran Church in Galchutt, ND

My role is solo pastor of a two point parish.  I am very excited about this parish because they are in desperate need of new life. They are “mission re-development sites” which essentially means that they are on the verge of closing. I received mission re-development certification in the ELCA, so we could very well be a good fit for each other.

Since arriving I have discovered that there is a great deal of life in both Abercrombie and Galchutt proper and a great deal of life in the surrounding areas.  For instance we have an educational farmstead near by called Crooked Lane Farms which is only 4 miles outside of Abercrombie.  They have concerts during the summer, gardening classes, crafting classes, any many other activities; super cool stuff, and wonderful people.

In November of 2015 Emmanuel Lutheran will be celebrating 125 years of faithful ministry and we will be making it into a very big event. Finally the two churches tend the grounds of a third church building. St. John’s Lutheran church is located between Emmanuel and Galchutt and is the oldest Lutheran Church building in the Eastern North Dakota synod. We have a joint worship service there each year.

I have a website folks can look at to keep tabs on what I’m up to: it is www.facebook.com/pastormbuller.  There are many other pictures and stories on this site.  Continue reading “Recently Ordained Auggies!”