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David Eitrheim ’79 remembered in Eau Claire Leader-Telegram story

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leader telegram - logoThe life and accomplishments of physician, long-distance runner, and Augsburg College alumnus David Eitrheim ’79, who passed away on January 1, were the subject of a recent article published by the Leader-Telegram newspaper in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. After receiving a degree from Augsburg in biology and chemistry, Eitrheim attended the University of Minnesota Medical school.

A gifted athlete, the article states that Eitrheim had run over 40,000 miles since 1980 and competed in over 100 long-distance races, including 91 marathons and 14 100-mile ultra-marathons. To honor Eitrheim, two groups of friends and loved ones split a pair of his running shoes and delivered them, by walking and running, to the cemetery where he was to be buried.

Read Life story: Physician leaves big running shoes to fill on the Leader-Telegram site.

Diana Pierce ’15 MAL to keynote Mentor Morning event

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Screen Shot 2016-01-11 at 10.21.35 AMAugsburg College alumna and KARE 11 news anchor Diana Pierce ’15 MAL will deliver a keynote address at Mentor Morning, an event to introduce young women to some of central Minnesota’s most powerful women leaders. Mentor Morning includes general networking opportunities and Pierce’s speech, which will focus on the importance of finding and working with mentors.

Pierce recently completed her master’s degree in leadership at Augsburg and believes mentoring is key to help develop upcoming leaders, according to a recent St. Cloud Times story on Mentor Morning.

“You’re always going to be in a position of leadership or being lead,” Pierce said in the article. “So the more tools you have in your tool kit the better off you are.”

Read: Helping connect women with mentors on the St. Cloud Times website.

Star Tribune explores forgiveness with Dean Seal

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Minneapolis Star Tribune - logoThe Minneapolis Star Tribune recently published an article covering “Exploring Forgiveness,” a 26-minute program produced for Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) by Dean Seal, instructor of religion at Augsburg College and pastor at Shepherd of the Hill Presbyterian Church in Chaska, Minn. The article reflects on the many sources of conflict and injustice that sprang up in the past year and states that Seal’s focus on the power of forgiveness is a “welcome reminder that we can look forward to 2016, where, perhaps, we’ll find our better selves.”

The program aired twice on TPT and features an interview with Augsburg College alumna Amineh Safi ’14 who provides insights into the Islamic view of forgiveness.

Read: A Minnesotan’s ode to forgiveness at the end of a difficult year on the Star Tribune site. Watch: “Exploring Forgiveness” on the TPT site.

Hall of Fame inductee Bob Lockwood’s famous friends

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Bob Lockwood ’56 was a star athlete during his time at Augsburg College; he lettered 11 times and was inducted into the Augsburg Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994, but his history with athletic greatness did not end with the conclusion of his career as a player. A recent article by Arizona newspaper Your West Valley tells of the many friendships and interactions Lockwood has had with famous professional athletes.

In the article, Lockwood, a former coach in the Golden Valley and Hopkins school districts, tells of meeting legendary baseball player Rod Carew through one of his players. “My player used to cut Rod Carew’s grass when Rod lived in Golden Valley,” he said. “So I went over to the house and introduced myself. Pretty soon, Rod would come out to our practices and give the kids tips.”

The article also includes the stories of Lockwood’s run-ins with Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway and baseball great Sammy Sosa.

Star Tribune interviews Katie Lindenfelser ’02 about children’s hospice home project

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Minneapolis Star Tribune - logoThe Star Tribune recently published an article about Crescent Cove, a St. Louis Park nonprofit founded by Katie Lindenfelser ’02 that next year seeks to begin construction on a hospice home, a care facility that specializes in lessening the suffering of dying patients. The article details the many challenges faced by the families of terminally ill children and the lack of resources available to them.

Currently, there are only two facilities in the U.S. that specialize in end-of-life care for children. In the article, Lindenfelser attributes this to the discomfort people feel toward the idea of terminally ill children. “In our culture there’s a lot more satisfaction in funding research for a cure,” she says.

In addition to caring for the patients, facilities such as the one Crescent Cove intends to build offer much-needed respite for the parents and families of the children. Caring for these children is often a taxing, 24/7 job that can take precedence over the parenting role. The article quotes one parent of an ill child as saying, “In those precious last moments, I’d like to stop being the lead nurse, doctor, therapist and just go back to being Mom.”

Read: St. Louis Park nonprofit wants to give terminally ill kids a hospice home on the Star Tribune site.

Fox Sports North interviews Devean George ’99

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Fox Sports North - logoFox Sports North interviewed former Augsburg College basketball player Devean George prior to a recent game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Los Angeles Lakers. George played his first seven seasons in the NBA with the Lakers and was asked about his experience with Kobe Bryant, who is retiring after this season.

In the segment, he is introduced as having drawn “national attention at Augsburg.” When asked about Bryant’s impact on his career, George states, “It was huge. I learned from him everyday.”

Watch: Devean George on playing with Lakers great Kobe Bryant on the Fox Sports North Facebook page.

MPR previews Maryan Mursal’s Midnimo residency finale concert

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MPRLogoMinnesota Public Radio News recently published an article covering Somali singer Maryan Mursal’s concert series at the Cedar Cultural Center, an event co-sponsored by Augsburg College as part of the Midnimo program that seeks to build knowledge and understanding of Somali Muslim culture through music. Mursal rose to early fame as a teenager in Mogadishu, but was forced out of Somalia by war. She eventually found asylum–and a renewed musical career–in Denmark.

In addition to the concert performances, Mursal participated in public discussions, workshops, and community events, as well as a live radio performance on The Current that featured an Augsburg alumni jazz band and Somali musicians from around the world.

Read: Superstar, refugee, legend: Singer Maryan Mursal’s voice endures on the MPR News site.

Lakeshore Weekly News covers Excellence in Coaching Award presented to Brad Anderson ’88

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Minnetonka’s Lakeshore Weekly News recently published an article detailing the accomplishments of Augsburg Excellence in Coaching Award winner Brad Anderson ’88. Anderson received the honor in recognition of his outstanding success as a high school football coach in Wayzata, where he has been the head coach for 17 seasons. The article states that Anderson has a .802 winning percentage with a record of 150-37. Four of his former players have gone on to careers in the NFL, according to the article.

Read: Wayzata’s Coach Anderson receives Augsburg Excellence in Coaching Award on Lakeshore Weekly News.

Augsburg College global education program touted for excellence in serving students of diverse backgrounds

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An article published by the Association of American Colleges & Universities commented on the successes Augsburg College’s Center for Global Education and Experience has had in serving students of diverse backgrounds as they travel to locations around the globe. The article, titled “Global Learning: Key to Making Excellence Inclusive,” described why global experiences are recognized as an essential dimension of a liberal education and how a variety of institutions support increased student participation.

In particular, the article noted that Augsburg maintains permanent centers for global learning in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Namibia. The centers have deep-rooted connections to local communities, and staff members understand the diverse needs of the Augsburg students.

“For example, Augsburg has arranged culturally appropriate homestay placements for single parents who needed assistance with childcare, safe home environments for LGBTQ students, sober homestays for students in recovery (in addition to connecting students in Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous programs with sponsors), and access to mosques for Muslim students. This commitment to creating environments for student success is a hallmark of Augsburg’s study abroad programs,” the article said.

Visit the AAC&U website to read the story in its entirety.

Star Tribune features skating coach Andy Ness ’01

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Minneapolis Star TribuneThe Star Tribune recently published an article highlighting ice skating coach Diane Ness and her son, former Augsburg hockey player Andy Ness ’01, for their involvement with the Minnesota Wild. The article states that Diane and her company ProEdge Power were recently hired by the Wild as consultants, though some of the players have been training privately with the Nesses for years. The article quotes the Wild’s Chris Porter as saying, “They’re both incredible.”

The article states that Andy grew up surrounded by skating and hockey. “My babysitter growing up was the rink,” he said in the article. That background has paid off. Porter is quoted saying that Diane often tells the players to “‘Watch Andy,’ because he’s such a phenomenal skater.” Now, Andy spends the NHL season working with injured Wild players until they regain enough strength to practice and play with the team.

Read “Skating coaches Diane, Andy Ness push Wild, NHL stars to improve” on the Star Tribune website.