As of September 2025, please visit Augsburg Now for the latest news, media stories, and institutional updates from Augsburg University.
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.
13th Annual Minnesota Urban Debate League Event Highlights Arctic PolicyFormer 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.
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.
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.
Update as of June 16, 2025
The giant corpse flower is currently blooming. Free public viewing is available on Wednesday, July 16, until 9 p.m. in the Augsburg University Greenhouse.
The greenhouse is located on the fourth floor of the Hagfors Center (700 21st Ave S, Minneapolis). It is accessible via stairs or the elevator at the north end of the building.
For those who are unable to visit in person, a livestream is available.
The hot, sweaty weather of July has brought a truly extraordinary botanical curiosity out of dormancy. The giant corpse flower, or titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum), is famous for producing an enormous, sinister, powerfully malodorous, but thankfully short-lived bloom. At 94 inches tall as of July 14, Augsburg University’s very own corpse flower is getting ready to put on its first floral display.
The plant has tentatively been dubbed “Lady Gag-Ugh,” in reference to the formidably foul smell―reminiscent of roadkill―it produces once open. The corpse flower will unfurl its bloom and emit its foul stench for a mere 24–36 hours before rapidly collapsing back into dormancy.
Augsburg University obtained its specimen as a donation from the United States Botanic Garden in Washington, D.C. It forms part of an ongoing series of projects by biology professor Leon van Eck, curator of the Augsburg Greenhouse, to increase the diversity and conservation value of the permanent plant collection at Augsburg. “Lady Gag-Ugh” was grown from seed sown at USBG in February 2018, in D.C. The plant has been growing at Augsburg since July 2021, and is now flowering for the first time, at the age of seven.
Giant corpse flowers do not flower very often, and can hold out for almost a decade to do so. Every year or so, the plant sends up a single leaf―at 12 ft tall bigger than some small trees―to convert sunlight energy into sugars that get stockpiled in a large underground stem called a corm. Once the corm has enough energy stored up, the corpse flower will finally transition to reproductive mode and send up a flower stalk. “Lady Gag-Ugh” has now done exactly that.
These precious rainforest divas are temperamental, and the exact moment of blooming is difficult to predict. As of July 14, van Eck estimates the blooming of “Lady Gag-Ugh” between July 15–18. Once unfurled, the bloom will rapidly burn energy to heat up its central spire and emit its putrid scent, aiming to attract carrion beetles and flesh flies as pollinators.
This tropical relative of the jack-in-the-pulpit is native to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia. In the wild, there are fewer than 1,000 mature individuals of this species remaining, and its continued survival is threatened by habitat loss to expanding oil palm plantations. Displays of these rare corpse flowers at botanic gardens and conservatories around the world attract thousands of visitors annually, and Augsburg is proud to continue the practice of preserving and exhibiting this rare and remarkable species.
The corpse flower is located in the greenhouse on the 4th floor of Hagfors Center at 700 21st Ave S in Minneapolis; arrangements are underway for free public viewing until 9 p.m. on the day it flowers. Follow @augsburg_greenhouse on Instagram for updates and more details.
2025 marks two important milestones in the relationship between Norway and the United States—the 200th anniversary of the first organized emigration from Norway to North America and the celebration of 100 years of Norwegian-American educational cooperation. Here at Augsburg, it is also the 50th anniversary of the 1975 Augsburg Choir to Norway.
At an event in Oslo on May 15, Augsburg University alumni joined President Paul Pribbenow and His Majesty King Harald V in recognition of the deep and enduring educational ties between the U.S. and Norway
The event, held at Fanehallen in Akershus Fortress and co-hosted by the Norway-America Association, brought together alumni from from six sister universities, all founded by Norwegian immigrants—institutions which for generations have been bridge-builders between Norway and the United States. With academics, diplomats, business leaders and guests from Norway and the United States, the evening served as a tribute to shared history, knowledge, and future cooperation. Former Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs and head of the Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee, Ine Eriksen Søreide, gave the keynote speech.
The six universities—Augsburg, Augustana University, Concordia College, Luther College, Pacific Lutheran University and St. Olaf College—were all founded by Norwegian immigrants. For over a hundred years, they have welcomed Norwegian students and maintained strong ties to Norway. At the event, Pribbenow delivered remarks about the importance of the long-term cross-Atlantic collaboration.
“At a time when transatlantic relations are being challenged, it is more important than ever to strengthen student exchanges. The relationship with the United States is about more than trade and defence—it is also about knowledge, understanding and common values,” said Hanne K. Aaberg, Secretary General of the Norway-America Association (NORAM).
NORAM works to promote mutual knowledge and understanding between Norway and North America. For over 100 years, NORAM has worked for transatlantic cooperation and helped more than 5,000 students with scholarships and advising.
On May 17, members of the 1975 Augsburg Choir returned to campus to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their choir tour to Norway.
The October 1975 issue of Augsburg Now covered the tour: “In late spring of this year, the Augsburg Choir traveled to Norway as the cultural ambassadors for Minnesota to the first ceremonies in the National Theater in Oslo on Syttende Mai (Norwegian Independence Day – May 17). They traveled under an invitation from Nordmann’s Forbundet, who made all arrangements for them in the Scandinavian countries. Due to Nordmann’s Forbundet arrangements, the choir was well received in 19 cities throughout Norway and Sweden. The reviews were fantastic including, “Without a doubt they (the choir) rank among the ‘world’s elite’ as choirs …” Romesdals folkebald, Molde, Norway … The choir was the first group to be invited to Norway as part of the Sesquicentennial celebration.” Augsburg continued to be heavily involved in the year-long sesquicentennial celebration of the Norwegian immigration to the United States, culminating with a visit to campus by King Olav V in October 1975.
Of the 65 alumni who participated in the 1975 tour, 49 were present for the 2025 reunion, along with several partners and spouses. It was a meaningful day filled with reconnecting, reminiscing, and joining together in song and laughter. The reunion was a special opportunity to honor the lasting friendships, shared history, and enduring power of music that have united Auggies for decades. View photos from the reunion event.
Augsburg University will celebrate the class of 2025 at an in-person commencement ceremony at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Friday, May 9. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. and the ceremony begins at 6:00 p.m.
The ceremony recognizes candidates in Augsburg’s two doctoral, nine master’s, and three bachelor’s degree programs:
Augsburg’s commencement ceremony includes an address by a student speaker and the presentation of two student awards. the Richard J. Thoni Award is given to one member of the graduating class whose actions, commitments, and future aspirations represent commitments to community, hospitality, and innovation. The Marina Christensen Justice Award is given to one member of the senior class whose actions, commitments, and future aspirations most profoundly exemplify Augsburg’s motto: “Education for Service.” Flags displayed at commencement represent sovereign nations of American Indian students and countries of the international students graduating in the ceremony.
Tickets are required to attend in person, but the ceremony will also be livestreamed. Follow the celebration through the hashtag #AuggieGrad on all social media platforms, where students will be sharing images of the celebration.
For more information, including accessibility information, visit the commencement website.
Amy Cooper has been named Augsburg University’s athletic director effective June 1, 2025.
“After a nationwide search for our next athletic director, we could not be more pleased to welcome Amy Cooper to the Auggie athletics family,” said Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow. “With experience as a student-athlete, coach, and administrator, Amy is a seasoned leader who has operated at every level of NCAA athletics. Most importantly, she grounds her expertise in a deep commitment to ensuring that every student-athlete, regardless of background, has the opportunity to succeed.”
Cooper currently serves as senior associate athletics director at the University of St. Thomas, where she has led the university’s transition to NCAA Division I. In her current role, she oversees compliance, financial operations, and gender equity, and holds sport administration responsibility for baseball, women’s basketball, women’s tennis, and volleyball. She previously served as associate athletic director of administration at Howard University, director of athletics at Trinity Washington University, and in coaching roles at South Carolina State University, Southwest Minnesota State University, and Prairie View A&M University.
“Returning to my Minneapolis roots in a leadership role at Augsburg is an opportunity to serve the community that shaped me,” said Cooper, who grew up in South Minneapolis and attended Washburn High School. A standout student-athlete and Athena Award winner at Washburn, she competed in soccer, track and field, basketball, and swimming and diving, earning all-metro, all-conference, and all-state honors in soccer. As an undergraduate, she played for Howard University, the only HBCU with a women’s soccer team at the time, and became the first female HBCU player to earn all-conference honors (All-Big South). She holds a Master of Education from Prairie View A&M University and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University. Earlier this year, she received the Wilma Rudolph Courage Award from the Minnesota Coalition of Women in Athletic Leadership.
“Augsburg’s mission aligns deeply with my own commitments to access and student-centered learning,” Cooper said. “Throughout my career, I have championed spaces where all student-athletes feel valued and empowered. I believe athletics is a transformative vehicle, and I want to continue fostering that experience at Augsburg.”
More than 400 Augsburg student-athletes compete across 22 varsity sports at the NCAA Division III level. Reporting directly to the university president, the athletic director is responsible for the leadership, strategic planning, management, and administration of the athletic program. In this role, Cooper will oversee budgets, personnel, planning, fundraising, marketing, media contract negotiations, and the student-athlete experience. She succeeds Jeff Swenson ’79, who will transition to a special assistant role in the Office of the President at the end of May.
In fall 2025, Augsburg University will welcome the initial students to a first-of-its-kind doctoral program in Minnesota. The Doctor of Medical Science program offers physician assistants/associates (PAs) a pathway to career advancement in health care leadership and administration, research, public policy, academia, and specialized clinical practice.
“Augsburg has a proud history of innovation, from establishing Minnesota’s first PA program in 1994 to now launching the state’s first PA-doctorate program,” said Associate Professor Vanessa Bester, director of Augsburg’s School of at Health. “The Doctor of Medical Science program continues this tradition of excellence, equipping PAs to excel as leaders, educators, scholars, entrepreneurs, and administrators.”
The DMSc degree is an applied doctorate that emphasizes practical, real-world skill development in health care leadership and scholarship. Delivered in a fully asynchronous online format, Augsburg’s DMSc is a four-semester, 16-month program designed for working PAs seeking professional advancement. To be eligible for admission, students must hold a master’s degree in PA studies (MPAS, MSPAS, or equivalent) or a bachelor’s degree plus a minimum of five years practicing as a licensed physician assistant.
“Augsburg’s DMSc program is unique in its whole-person approach,” said DMSc Program Director Diana Soran. “The curriculum prepares students to develop critical leadership, research, and management skills while also aligning their coursework to support career growth. This intentional design prepares graduates for long-term success and fulfillment both professionally and personally.”
Career possibilities for DMSc graduates include director of clinical operations, graduate faculty member, principal investigator, health policy advisor, health startup development, and advanced practice provider in complex or specialized care settings.
“PAs bring a unique and indispensable perspective to health care, bridging gaps in care and fostering collaboration across medical teams,” said Bester. “By integrating health equity, inclusion, and innovation into real-world application, this transformative pathway empowers PAs to drive meaningful change in health care and in our communities.”
In addition to the DMSc, Augsburg offers doctoral degrees in nursing and clinical psychology.
To learn more, visit the DMSc program website.
Augsburg University will offer its third annual Interfaith Symposium at 11 a.m. on Thursday, February 27, 2025, featuring visionary civil rights leader Valarie Kaur. The Interfaith Symposium is an annual invitation to students and community members to learn about religious, spiritual, and worldview diversity and connect with exceptional interfaith leaders. This event is free and open to the public.
Kaur’s keynote address, “Revolutionary Love Is the Call of Our Times,” will draw on her work to inspire and equip people to build beloved community through the Revolutionary Love Project she founded. Rooted in the belief that an ethic of love is essential to birthing a healthy, multi-racial democracy and a sustainable planet, the Revolutionary Love Project produces educational tools, training courses, artwork, films, music, and mass mobilizations to empower citizens from all walks of life to harness love as a force for justice.
As a civil rights leader, lawyer, award-winning filmmaker, and educator, Kaur has led visionary campaigns to tell untold stories and change policy on issues ranging from hate crimes to digital freedom. A daughter of Punjabi Sikh farmers in California, she lifts up her vision for America in her acclaimed TED Talk and #1 LA Times bestseller, “See No Stranger: A Memoir and Manifesto of Revolutionary Love.” She is also the author of “Sage Warrior” and a children’s book, “World of Wonder.”
“Valarie’s message of revolutionary love is critically important at this time,” said Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri Endowed Chair and executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg. “In particular, I look forward to the ideas she will offer our students to address social justice issues that impact their daily lives through coalition building strategies that she has used throughout her own career as a human rights lawyer and activist.”
Following the keynote address, a luncheon and panel discussion will take place at 12 p.m., featuring conversation with Ted Chen, vice president for equity, culture, and learning, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies; Tamara Gray, founder and chief spirituality officer, Rabata; and Anantanand Rambachan, professor emeritus of religion, St. Olaf College. A limited number of seats will be available for $35. Sign up for the luncheon waiting list through the event registration link.
Situated in a neighborhood home to numerous immigrant communities and with an increasingly diverse student body, Augsburg University is uniquely positioned to facilitate building bridges in a polarized world. Augsburg’s commitment to interfaith engagement is central to its mission, identified as a key outcome of its strategic plan, and rooted in its Lutheran theological heritage. Through interfaith education and intentional opportunities to strengthen interreligious communication, understanding, and relationships, Augsburg’s Interfaith Institute advances peacebuilding on campus, in the community, and beyond. Learn more at augsburg.edu/interfaith.
Augsburg University has transitioned to a new academic structure to prepare students for successful careers, meaningful lives, and active citizenship in an integrated, constantly evolving world.
As of the 2024–25 school year, Augsburg’s academic programs are organized into five schools focused on the arts, business, health, humanities and social sciences, and natural sciences. Each school is led by a faculty director. Previously, the academic programs were grouped into two large divisions focused on professional studies and liberal arts and sciences.
“This is an exciting new chapter in Augsburg’s long tradition of academic excellence and our evolution as a student-centered university,” said Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow. “The five-school model leverages our unique strengths while creating new ways for students, faculty, and staff to collaborate and build community.”
The move to a schools-based model is designed to foster collaboration, encourage innovation, and facilitate interdisciplinary exchange. It does not change the curriculum, the admissions process, or degrees granted by Augsburg, nor does it involve any changes to campus facilities at this time.
“Ultimately, a schools-based model better aligns Augsburg’s organizational structure with who we are, how we work today, and how we want to work in the future,” said Paula O’Loughlin, provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs. “The schools serve as smaller academic neighborhoods where students have closer ties with peers and mentors, greater support for career exploration, and a deeper sense of belonging—all of which empowers them to succeed in their professional lives and as leaders in their communities.”
The John N. Schwartz ’67 School of the Arts (Christopher Houltberg, director) houses the narrative, performing, and visual arts at Augsburg. Drawing together Augsburg’s strength across the arts, the Schwartz School is home to 10 undergraduate majors, two graduate programs, five performing ensembles, three art galleries, multiple annual theater productions, and the Design & Agency trans-disciplinary design studio. With linkages throughout the vibrant Twin Cities arts community and an intentional focus on building collaborative skills, Schwartz School students graduate with ready-made professional networks and enhanced job opportunities across diverse creative fields.
The School of Business (Jeanne Boeh, director) cultivates experiential learning, innovation, and entrepreneurship to equip students for successful careers. Close ties with the corporate community provide a wealth of practical expertise and career opportunities for students at the undergraduate and graduate level. The school offers 12 undergraduate majors, two graduate programs, and signature hands-on learning experiences like the Augsburg Entrepreneurship Cup and the Innovation Scholars program.
The School of Health (Vanessa Bester, director) unites the strengths of Augsburg’s nationally accredited nursing, physician assistant, clinical psychology, and social work programs to develop graduates who meet the diverse health and wellness needs of local and global communities. Students prepare to practice in a range of professional environments through community-based experiential learning with an emphasis on social justice, clinical excellence, and inter-professional collaboration. With two undergraduate majors and seven graduate programs, the School of Health builds on Augsburg’s strength as a regional leader in healthcare education and workforce development.
The School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Lori Brandt Hale, director) advances Augsburg’s rich tradition of liberal arts education to equip students for full participation in a diverse and complex world. The School of Humanities and Social Sciences carries the heart of Augsburg’s mission-based commitments to cultural awareness and engagement with community into the curriculum through 36 undergraduate majors, two graduate programs, and a host of experiential learning opportunities on campus, in the neighborhood, and around the world. Graduates pursue careers in law, primary and secondary education, higher education, government, non-profit agencies, public policy, religious leadership, publishing, and more.
The School of Natural Sciences (Ben Stottrup, director) prepares students to excel in STEM-related fields and graduate education. State-of-the-art classrooms, equipment, and labs in the Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion facilitate interdisciplinary learning in 14 undergraduate majors and across the curriculum. The School of Natural Sciences is a hub for student research through programs like PRISM Scholars, TRIO McNair Scholars, and Zyzzogeton, Augsburg’s annual student research symposium. Working closely with natural sciences faculty, students develop a growth mindset and explore professional opportunities, preparing for careers that exist today and those that will be created in the future.
