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Velkommen Jul ushers in Christmas season

velkommenAugsburg’s strong Norwegian heritage shows, especially during the holiday season. Once again, it is time for the traditional Scandinavian Velkommen Jul celebration hosted by the Augsburg Associates on Dec. 5, starting with Chapel service at 10:20 a.m. and moving to the Christensen Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Velkommen Jul is an annual Christmas celebration you don’t want to miss. The event will feature Scandinavian Yuletide music, tasty treats including krumkake and the ever-popular yet odious lutefisk, handcrafted items, Norwegian bunads, and a visit from St. Nicholas during chapel.

The Augsburg College Associates, who number around 100, are a service auxiliary of volunteers whose mission includes fundraising for special projects and scholarships in support of Augsburg College. In the nearly 20 years since their founding, the Associates have given to Augsburg more than a half million dollars from their fundraising. They host Velkommen Jul as a service to the Augsburg community and as a way to celebrate its Norwegian heritage.

Advent Vespers

vespersFor more than a quarter century, Augsburg College has observed the beginning of the Christmas season with Advent Vespers, a joyous celebration of the holidays. On Dec. 5 and 6 the College will mark this 29th annual event with services highlighting the theme “In the Name of Jesus.”

This event takes place in the remarkable neo-Gothic sanctuary of Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis, with a ceiling that soars 65 feet and large stained glass windows similar to those of London’s Westminster Abbey. More than 350 musicians, liturgists and banner carriers will participate in this dramatic and uplifting event. Continue reading “Advent Vespers”

Auggies join SOA Watch

SOA3On the weekend before Thanksgiving, 36 Augsburg students and two staff members boarded a charter bus bound for Columbus, Georgia. The group was headed south to join SOA Watch, an independent organization that seeks to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas at Ft. Benning. The trip was sponsored by the Coalition for Student Activism (CSA) at Augsburg.

Wielding signs made for them by school children at Southside Elementary, the group joined more than 20,000 protestors, including students from other colleges in Minneapolis and St. Paul at the gates of the school. Travis Skoog, one of the CSA organizers, said many ACTC schools sent students but Augsburg was the only college to finance the trip through student government funds. “That shows how supportive Augsburg was toward this mission,” Skoog said. Continue reading “Auggies join SOA Watch”

"School of the Americas Lament"

SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS LAMENT

by Rebecca Reilly

Western Hemisphere Institute:

perhaps the west has the best

divisive world-wise

ways to instruct the enforcers of lies

in devices of domination:

they call it the Institute for Security Cooperation.

But for its students, for their victims in central and South American nations,

it’s still the School of Assassins,

an American abomination. Continue reading “"School of the Americas Lament"”

Auggie wants you to be his friend

auggieHey Auggies! I’m Auggie Eagle. You might have seen me hanging around at Augsburg, usually I show up at football games and other athletic events. I think the last time I was around was for the Homecoming pep rally. I know…it’s been a while.

Lately I’m spending a lot of time in the nest because I’ve got a serious case of the bird flu. The last couple weeks I have been watching and listening to the Auggie men’s soccer team and keeping up with all the teams on the AugBlog.

Oh, and the last couple of days I’ve been reading about Rhodes Scholar, Brian Krohn. I hear you are having “Brian Krohn Day” next Thursday? I might just show up sporting a lab coat! Continue reading “Auggie wants you to be his friend”

Sports Extravaganza promotes learning through play

sports_extraLast week Augsburg health and physical education students welcomed elementary children with disabilities to the Augsburg dome for a day of exercise and play.

Since 1999, Augsburg Students from the Health and Physical Education Department (HPE) hold an annual one-day event for children with disabilities called “Sports Extravaganza.” Children with both mental and physical disabilities get the unique chance to use Augsburg’s dome to participate in activities and games, including parachute, cage ball, soccer, beach ball volleyball, relay races jump rope, and dance. Continue reading “Sports Extravaganza promotes learning through play”

Slide show of 2008 International Photo Contest submissions

Augsburg's first Rhodes Scholar: Brian Krohn

rhodesCommunity Celebration

Celebrate and hear more about Brian’s accomplishments at a community-wide gathering on Thursday, Dec. 4 in the Oren Gateway Center Atrium. Refreshments will be served and a brief program will begin at 2:30 p.m.

Augsburg’s first Rhodes Scholar

Brian Krohn arrived at Augsburg with plans of being a film major. He eventually became a chemistry student. And when he graduates next month, Krohn will have a new title.

Augsburg’s first-ever Rhodes Scholar. Continue reading “Augsburg's first Rhodes Scholar: Brian Krohn”

Fine arts end-of-semester events

fall_fineartsThe number, variety and size of fine arts events will continue to crescendo through November and December. In the course of the next five weeks, nearly 600 students will sing, act, play an instrument, or participate in one of Augsburg College’s fine arts events.

Here are highlights of events taking place in the coming weeks. Go to the Fine Arts website for more information and the full schedule of events.

Artist Roundtable & Reception

Friday, November 21 at 5:30 p.m.

Marshall Room (main floor), Christensen Center

Admission is free. Continue reading “Fine arts end-of-semester events”

The challenges of our current economy

financialThe current economic times are turbulent and challenging, affecting everyone as the Dow plunges to record-low rates. Each day reports from higher education media describe how colleges and universities across the country are experiencing the effects of the financial crisis on their faculty, staff, and students.

At the regular fall gathering of faculty and staff in November, Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow discussed the economic crisis and its implications for the College.

As are colleges across the country, Pribbenow said that Augsburg has noticed an increased number of students this semester who have larger than normal student account balances. He explained that Augsburg’s enrollment and financial services staff are working closely with individual students to develop financing plans. Continue reading “The challenges of our current economy”