As of fall 2025, news and media updates have been integrated with the Augsburg Now alumni publication. This site archives news stories from before September 16, 2025. Please visit augsburg.edu/now or select "Augsburg Now" from the left navigation for current news.
This site will continue to archive material from before September 16, 2025, but you’ll find all new stories under “Latest News” in Augsburg Now—alongside Auggie spotlights, in-depth feature stories, alumni news, and updates from around the quad. “In this time of social and political division and fear, many are questioning whether or not both higher education and our democracy will survive. Our cities, country, and world have been torn apart by violence fueled by all sorts of “isms” in recent years — racism, nationalism, fundamentalism. Colleges are not immune to these tides; in many ways, we are on the front lines. Instead of gatekeeping and closing ranks around an imagined history, we are called to pursue teaching and learning in ways that advance democracy not just as a political system, but as a way of life … This is our public purpose, and a public good.” Read more via the Chronicle: “A Crisis of Academic Leadership?” Associate Professor Joe Underhill will lead a group of 10 students, three staff, and periodic visitors from the headwaters of the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, mostly by boat. The students—five Auggies plus students from Macalester College, the College of the Atlantic, and Agnes Scott College—will each complete an individual research project, with topics ranging from benthic macroinvertebrates to sewage infrastructure in rural communities. Along the way, they’ll be joined by researchers, artists, and experts on coastal restoration and environmental justice. In collaboration with partner organizations throughout the Mississippi watershed, they’ll visit a wild rice harvesting camp, a life science research station, and a backwater flood control project. They’ll camp and sail or paddle approximately 800 miles before concluding their voyage in Biloxi, MS, in mid-December. Minnesota Public Radio highlighted River Semester in a piece on September 13, interviewing Underhill and Summer May ’26. “It’s bridging the connection between knowledge and application, and mind and place. We are directly interacting with the river,” May said. Follow along with the group’s progress on the “Big Muddy” interactive map, where students will periodically post daily log entries with description of the day’s activities, sightings, adventures, learnings, and personal reflections. Learn more about River Semester: View the 2025 Summer Semester Dean’s List. Students who wish to notify their hometown newspapers of their achievement can do so at their discretion using a news announcement template. Former Minnesota state representative Matt Entenza has been named the 2025 Champion of Change by the Minnesota Urban Debate League. He will receive the award at Quincy Hall in northeast Minneapolis on September 17, 2025, as part of MNUDL’s 13th annual policy debate showcase. The 2025 Mayors Challenge: The Great Arctic Debate will explore issues related to Arctic exploration and development in front of an audience of state and local leaders, including Governor Tim Walz and First Lady Gwen Walz. This year’s student debaters are Eleanor Nervig (Roosevelt High School) and Sir Nakhai Guy-Cornelius (Open World Learning Community), arguing the affirmative, and Ayan Ahmed (Edison High School) and Charlotte Washington (Central High School), arguing the negative. MNUDL gives out the Champion of Change award annually to a changemaker who models courageous leadership in Minnesota and beyond. Entenza’s experiences with policy debate at Augustana University and Macalester College ultimately led him to a career in public service and the law. With law degrees from Oxford University and the University of Minnesota, he has worked as an Assistant Attorney General for the State of Minnesota, an Assistant Hennepin County Attorney, and an attorney in private practice specializing in nonprofit organizations. As a six-term legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives (1995–2007), Entenza served as House Democratic Leader for four years and was recognized for his focus on consumer and family protections. His legislative accomplishments have been honored by organizations including Children’s Defense Fund, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, the Minnesota Farmers Union, the National Child Support Enforcement Association, the League of Conservation Voters, the Minnesota Nurses Association, the Minnesota Coalition for Battered Women, the National Coalition to End Child Hunger, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving. After leaving the legislature, Entenza created Minnesota 2020, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering discussion and debate in education, health care, transportation and economic development. He has also worked as an international election monitor in Africa and Europe and served on the boards of the Hazelden Foundation, Macalester College, and Augsburg University, where he is a past board chair. Entenza’s belief in the transformative power of debate led to his founding support of MNUDL, for which he received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 from the National Speech and Debate Association. “As a former debater, I strongly believe in the power of debate on people’s lives,” said Entenza. “I would not have been able to go to college if not for debate. You gain such amazing insights when you meet other students from around the state and learn about their interests. That’s created a lifelong peer group for me.” Since 2012, the Mayors Challenge event has brought together education advocates from across the Twin Cities to watch an empowering, informative showcase debate and invest in the future of urban debate. Debate has been shown to positively impact literacy, self-esteem, critical thinking, attendance, and test scores. Students who participate in debate develop the capacity to engage in civil disagreement and civil discourse, skills that are essential for citizenship in a multicultural democracy. Learn more or reserve tickets for the 2025 Mayors Challenge. The Minnesota Urban Debate League is a program of Augsburg University that provides resources and programming to support competitive academic debate in Twin Cities high schools and middle schools. The mission of MNUDL is to empower students through competitive academic debate to become engaged learners, critical thinkers, and active global citizens who are effective advocates for themselves and their communities. Currently, MNUDL serves more than 1,850 students at 60+ partner schools and has seen sustained growth in student participation since its inception in 2004, in programs including MSHSL debate, middle school debate, Spanish Debate, East African Policy Debate, Financial Literacy Debates, and Summer Speech & Debate Camp at Augsburg. Young adult authors from across the U.S. were paired with a scholar or thought leader on each of eleven themes, which form the book’s chapters: Each chapter provides practical guidance for congregations, theological educators, church leaders, and student groups looking for fresh ways to connect faith and action in ways that matter deeply to young people. “For those of us who care deeply about the future of our faith communities, Hungry for Hope is a remarkable gift,” said Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow. “With its chapters co-written by young adults and their mentors, these reflections invite all of us into a conversation about our most pressing challenges as people of faith committed to being God’s hands and feet in the world now and into the future. We must pay attention to these prophetic voices.” “Hungry for Hope” was edited by Jeremy Myers, Bernhard M. Christensen professor of religion and vocation and executive director of the Christensen Center for Vocation, and Kristina Frugé, director of congregational and community initiatives at the Riverside Innovation Hub. Additional Augsburg contributors include JD Mechelke ’17, instructor in religion and philosophy; Amber Kalina ’15; and Madeline Burbank, current MSW student and graduate assistant in the Interfaith Institute. The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes significant achievement in vocation, for outstanding contribution to church and community, and for a life that exemplifies the ideals and mission of Augsburg University. The 2025 honorees are: The First Decade Award is presented to Augsburg graduates of the past 10 years who have made significant progress in their professional achievements and contributions to the community, and in so doing exemplify the mission of the university. The 2025 honorees are: The Spirit of Augsburg Award honors alumni and friends of the university who have given exceptional service that contributes substantially to the well-being of Augsburg by furthering its purposes and programs. The 2024 honorees are: “Our transfer students are a huge thread in the fabric of the Augsburg campus. The experience they bring both academically and in life impacts our community in unique ways,” says Tim Lawson, associate director of undergraduate admissions at Augsburg. “Working with them on a daily basis and hearing their stories of where they are coming from and where they want to go not only inspires me, but each and every person they interact with on campus. Transfers are truly special and need to be celebrated for their passion and dedication to their educational journeys.” “Each [program] helps a slightly different population get into college or be successful in college,” Tavera said. “They’re setting an example and they’re guiding the whole family to learn about the academic system.” Augsburg operates two TRIO programs. TRIO Student Support Services provides comprehensive academic, financial, and personal planning and support for up to 160 students as they progress toward graduation. TRIO McNair Scholars supports 26 juniors and seniors annually in preparing for graduate study. The study explored what universities are “good for” and “good at,” while also taking into account environmental, social, and governance considerations and institutional responses to the changing political and economic landscape. Participating institutions reported doubling down on their missions while facing significant challenges, including financial pressures, demographic shifts, and anti-higher education messaging trends. Presidents emphasized the critical roles of higher education in strengthening democracy, enabling social mobility, and serving as anchor institutions in their communities. The study highlighted the ways universities serve as modern public squares vital to democracy, providing spaces for civic engagement and democratic discourse, and how mission-centered leadership provides stability during turbulent times. Read more from the TIAA Institute or download the report: “Mission critical: Presidents’ perspectives on how universities serve society in turbulent times”Where to Find Augsburg News Going Forward
As of September 2025, please visit Augsburg Now for the latest news, media stories, and institutional updates from Augsburg University.A Crisis of Academic Leadership? Pribbenow Responds in the Chronicle of Higher Education
In a September 12 commentary for the Chronicle of Higher Education, Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow argues for the public purposes of higher education in response to a speech delivered by U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. He writes:River Semester Sets Sail
In the fall of 2015, a hardy crew started paddling down the Mississippi for a learning adventure that took “experiential learning” to a new level—Augsburg’s first River Semester. Ten years later, the sixth iteration of this one-of-a-kind study away program has set off once more.
Congratulations to Auggies Named to the 2025 Summer Semester Dean’s List
More than 100 Augsburg University undergraduate students were named to the 2025 Summer Semester Dean’s List. The Augsburg University Dean’s List recognizes those full-time students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and those part-time students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.75 or higher in a given term.Matt Entenza to Receive Champion Award at 2025 Mayors Challenge
13th Annual Minnesota Urban Debate League Event Highlights Arctic PolicyAbout MNUDL
In ‘Hungry for Hope,’ Young Adults Address the Church
August 28 is publication day for a new book that shares the wisdom, dreams, and frustrations of young adults with the church. “Hungry for Hope: Letters to the Church From Young Adults,” a project of Augsburg University’s Riverside Innovation Hub, speaks to the most pressing issues of our time, from climate catastrophe to mental health, and calls faith communities to shape a more just future.
Augsburg University Announces 2025 Alumni Awards
Augsburg University is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award, First Decade Award, and Spirit of Augsburg Award. These outstanding alumni will be recognized at a public ceremony and reception on October 3 as part of Augsburg’s 2025 homecoming and reunion weekend. Distinguished Alumni Award
First Decade Award
Spirit of Augsburg Award
Augsburg Honored for Supporting Transfer Students
For a fourth consecutive year, Augsburg University is one of 251 colleges and universities nationwide that have been named to the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society 2025 Transfer Honor Roll. Based on key metrics related to the support and success of transfer students, the Transfer Honor Roll recognizes excellence in the development and support of dynamic and innovative pathways for community college transfer students. Some of the metrics taken into consideration are cost and financial aid, campus life, admissions practices, and bachelor’s degree completion rates.Star Tribune Highlights Funding Uncertainty for Federal TRIO Programs
Augsburg University Assistant Professor of Psychology Gisel Suarez Bonilla ’18 and TRIO McNair Scholars Program Director Maria “Tina” Tavera were recently interviewed by the Minnesota Star Tribune about funding uncertainty for federal TRIO programs. TRIO includes eight programs targeted to serve and assist low-income individuals, first-generation college students, and individuals with disabilities to progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postbaccalaureate programs.TIAA Institute Report: How Universities Serve Society in Turbulent Times
Paul Pribbenow was one of 15 college and university presidents interviewed for a recent research report by the TIAA Institute on how universities serve society in turbulent times.