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KARE 11 airs interview with Olivia Maccoux ’18

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Kare 11 - logoNBC affiliate KARE 11 recently aired an interview with Augsburg College student Olivia Maccoux ’18, who will undergo brain surgery this week — her 121st procedure. Maccoux suffers from a condition called hydrocephalus, which causes excess fluid to pool around her brain.

“I trust my neurosurgeon, obviously with my life,” she said. Maccoux went on to explain that the upcoming procedure will replace an infected shunt. Maccoux has made the Dean’s List every semester that she has attended Augsburg, an accomplishment she intends to repeat this semester despite the surgery.

“I am going to try to do classes from the hospital when I can Skype into classes,” she said.

Read and watch: Augsburg student prepares for her 121st brain surgery on the KARE 11 site.

Doug Green lends expertise to Star Tribune article on “Pericles”

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Minneapolis Star Tribune - logoThe Star Tribune recently sought input from Doug Green, professor of English at Augsburg College, on the disputed authorship of the stage drama “Pericles, Prince of Tyre,” which is being performed at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

Many believe that the first two acts of the play were written by an unknown playwright, but that the final three acts were written by William Shakespeare. Others believe that Shakespeare started the work early in his career and finished it after he had gained more experience. One piece of evidence in support of dual authorship is the play’s absence from the “first folio,” the first collection of plays Shakespeare published.

“If it’s not in the First Folio, people are skeptical,” said Green. “Almost from the get-go, the first two acts don’t look like Shakespeare. We know it was played by the King’s Men and it sounds like Shakespeare but it is pretty clear that Shakespeare had a major hand in the last three acts.”

Read: Act One for Joe Haj: ‘Pericles’ gives Guthrie audiences a look at his work on the Star Tribune site.

MPR News interviews political volunteer Natalie Shaw ’16

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mprNEWS - logoMinnesota Public Radio News recently published an article and audio interview with Natalie Shaw ’16, a student at Augsburg College who has been volunteering for Hilary Clinton’s presidential campaign. Shaw recently went door-to-door in Des Moines, Iowa, encouraging voters to turn out in support of Clinton at the state’s Democratic caucus slated for February 1.

Despite the cold weather, Shaw says she receives a warm welcome from nearly everyone who opens their door. “Iowans are just such amazing people,” she said. “You call them up… and they’re like, ‘Oh yeah, come over, have dinner.'”

Shaw credits her father’s volunteer work during John Kerry’s 2004 campaign as the impetus for her love of politics and political organizing.

Read and listen: Iowa in January? You bet, says 21-year-old political volunteer on the MPR News site.

Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder recaps Augsburg College’s MLK Convocation

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Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder - logoThe Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder recently published an article and photo gallery covering Augsburg College’s 2016 Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation, which was held January 18 and featured a speech by legendary rapper and author Chuck D.

The event began with performances by a number of local artists, much to the delight of the keynote speaker. The article states that, “His excitement was noticeable as he jumped to his feet and snapped photos of the acts smiling from ear to ear.”

The article also included interviews with Augsburg students Erickson Saye ’16, Robert Harper ’16, and Reis Francisco Romero ’16. Romero was instrumental in organizing the event; he is the president of Augsburg College’s chapter of Save the Kids, a student group that co-sponsored this year’s convocation.

“It’s going to take me a while to conceptualize everything. I’m glad we did it, I’m glad it’s over, but now the real work starts,” Romero said of the event. “We have to work together to end this miserable condition on this earth.”

Read and view: PHOTOS | Rapper Chuck D refocused MLK Day from past to present on the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder site.

KMSP covers Augsburg College’s Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation
with Chuck D

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Fox 9 - logoFox News affiliate KMSP recently aired a segment about Augsburg College’s Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation, which took place on January 18. This year’s event featured Chuck D–author, activist, and co-founder of influential rap group Public Enemy. Chuck D spoke to a full auditorium about how King’s ideas and legacy should be applied to the current struggles against racism faced by today’s young people.

The segment featured brief statements by Chuck D, spoken word artist Sha Cage, and those who attended the event.

“People that used to close their doors and say, ‘You know what, my voice doesn’t matter,’ are coming outside and they are picking up signs,” Cage said of recent protests and activism.

Watch: Public Enemy’s Chuck D. talks racial tension at Augsburg on the KMSP site.

Sabo Center sponsors rebirth of legendary drug store political conversations

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Minneapolis Star Tribune - logoThe Minneapolis Star Tribune recently published an article covering the return of pharmacist Tom SenGupta’s well-known political conversations. Once held after hours at a St. Paul Schneider Drug, a pharmacy SenGupta owned and operated from 1972 to 2015, the new public forum will be held at the Common Table and hosted by Augsburg College’s Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship. SenGupta’s conversations were known for their rational tone and the makeup of their participants, which ranged from former Sen. Paul Wellstone and other local politicians, to university professors and the general public.

At a recent planning meeting, SenGupta and his partners decided upon the first topic for the talks, which will be held Thursday, January 21, with a discussion of the legacy of slavery in America. “America is a mature society now. Can we finally confront our history of slavery?” SenGupta asked.

Known for his friendly, inspirational demeanor, the former pharmacist intends to let those who show up for the talks decide what their outcomes will be and what future work they will inspire. He does hope that the new round of discussions will be more bipartisan, saying, “Oh, we had plenty of Republicans come, but not Republican candidates. I invited them, but they never came.”

Read: A welcome return of drug-store democracy on the Star Tribune site.

People magazine covers Olivia Maccoux’s triumphs over adversity

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people - logoPeople magazine recently published an article about Olivia Maccoux ’19, an Augsburg College student who has endured 120 brain surgeries due to a condition called hydrocephalus, which causes excess fluid to accumulate in the brain. Despite this, Maccoux has found success and solace by participating in a number of sports.

“I don’t know if it’s sports that distract me or if it’s just because I love playing them, but for whatever reason, when I’m on the field, in the pool or on the rink, I let my pain wash over me,” she said. “It’s like it doesn’t exist.”

Maccoux’s mother, Cathy, said that her daughter is known for her courage and strength.

The article concludes by stating that Maccoux has made the Dean’s List every semester that she has attended Augsburg. She is majoring in communication studies, with plans for a career in nonprofit fundraising in the health care industry.

Read: College Athlete Won’t Let 120 Brain Surgeries Stand in Her Way: I Don’t Want to Be the ‘Sick Girl’ on the People site.

KSTP interviews Joseph Erickson on Minneapolis Public Schools’ superintendent controversy

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ABC 5 Eyewitness News - logoABC affiliate KSTP recently aired an interview with Joseph Erickson, professor of education at Augsburg College, about the Minneapolis School Board decision to replace Sergio Paez, their first choice for Minneapolis Public School’s vacant superintendent position. Erickson served on the board from 2002 to 2006 and was its chair for two of those years. During this period, the school board hired two superintendents.

“This is their job. Hiring the superintendent and setting policy is their job,” Erickson said. “They should take it very seriously.”

He also pointed out that the current board is in a rare situation: interim superintendent Michael Goar is still available should the board decide to offer him the position. Usually, a district’s second and third choices have moved on to other positions at this point in the process.

Video and text versions of the interview are available on the KSTP website, “Minneapolis Public Schools Still Searching for Permanent Superintendent.”

Jeanne Boeh discusses U.S. and Minnesota economics on Twin Cities radio stations

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WCCO - logo MPR - logoThis month, Minnesota Public Radio and WCCO Radio sought input from Jeanne Boeh, professor of economics at Augsburg College, on the economic outlook for 2016. First she appeared on the “John Hines Show” to discuss the impact of a recent drop in the Chinese stock market on the U.S. economy.

Earlier this week, she joined Louis Johnston, a professor of economics at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University, on MPR’s “News with Kerri Miller and Tom Weber” for a conversation about U.S. and Minnesota economics in the new year. The professors discussed the apparent discrepancies between stock market losses coinciding with higher employment rates. Boeh points out that while the overall employment rates are rising, some groups, such as African-American Minnesotans, have seen employment rates drop.

Listen to the MPR interview here (.mp3.

Local news outlets include Augsburg College’s MLK Convocation in holiday event coverage

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Pioneer Press - logoSeveral media outlets have recently published curated lists of local events scheduled in celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which takes place on Monday, January 18. The lists published by the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and Minnesota Public Radio News each included Augsburg College’s MLK Convocation, an annual event that honors the legacy of King with notable speakers addressing topics of race and social justice.

This year’s convocation will feature Chuck D, leader and co-founder of legendary rap group Public Enemy, author of two critically acclaimed books, and a political activist, publisher, radio host, and producer. He will give a presentation called “Race, Rap, and Reality: Supporting Our Youth in the Spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as They Face the Unique Challenges of Today.”