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Congratulations to Auggies Named to the 2023 Spring Semester Dean’s List

Posted on May 25, 2023

More than 855 Augsburg University undergraduate students were named to the 2023 Spring 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.

View the 2023 Spring 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.

Augsburg University Names Rachel Bergman the Inaugural Sateren Professor of Music

Posted on May 11, 2023May 11, 2023

Following a national search, Rachel Bergman has been named the inaugural Leland B. Sateren ’35 Professor and Endowed Chair of Music at Augsburg University.

The Augsburg Music Department focuses on music-making as an act of healing, an act of global citizenship, and an act of anti-racism. The Sateren chair works to advance the department’s commitments to inclusion, access, equity, and belonging. In this role, Bergman will serve as a local and national spokesperson for the department’s distinctive programs and learning opportunities.

“The Sateren chair honors Augsburg’s long tradition of musical excellence,” said President Paul C. Pribbenow. “Dr. Bergman’s appointment builds on this legacy as we celebrate the rich diversity of our students’ musical gifts, experiences, interests, and expressions. We are delighted to welcome her to Augsburg and the Schwartz School of the Arts.”

Regent John Schwartz ’67, who established the endowed chair in memory of renowned Augsburg choral conductor and composer Leland Sateren ’35, noted that Bergman joins Augsburg at an exciting time. “The university is poised to move into a new era of interdisciplinary curriculum in the arts with energetic and creative faculty like Dr. Bergman leading the way.”

An active flutist and advocate of new music, Bergman currently serves as director of academic initiatives and arts outreach at Sheridan College in northern Wyoming. Her previous roles at Sheridan College include dean of visual and performing arts and dean of online learning. She has also served as associate professor of music theory and director of graduate studies for the School of Music at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and as a flute instructor at the Skidmore Summer Flute Institute in Saratoga Springs, New York.

“I am thrilled to be joining Augsburg University this fall,” said Bergman. “I’m particularly excited about serving in a liberal arts institution with a focus on students and community. I truly believe that music should be accessible to all, and I look forward to working with the Music Department to strengthen the role of music throughout the university and with our neighbors.”

In addition to teaching, Bergman researches, promotes, and performs contemporary works for flute in solo and chamber settings. Her academic research focuses on the works of Viktor Ullmann, a Jewish, Austro-Hungarian composer who was killed in the Holocaust. A past president of the Music Theory Society of the Mid-Atlantic and a member of Assisi Performing Arts (Italy), Bergman has presented papers and lecture-recitals both nationally and internationally. She holds a doctorate in music theory from Yale University and a bachelor of arts in music and mathematics from Skidmore college.

“Dr. Bergman’s lifelong commitment to meeting students where they are, along with her track record as a dynamic leader, effective administrator, and tenured professor at a large research university, make her a stellar addition to our faculty,” said Paula O’Loughlin, provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs.

“Rachel Bergman’s vision for music at Augsburg aligns with the trajectory of our talented music faculty,” said Ryan Haaland, dean of arts and sciences. “She brings a wealth of experience as an educator and leader that will serve our students and campus well.”

Augsburg offers a variety of bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music, with specializations in music business, music education, and music therapy, plus choral and instrumental ensembles that are open to all students.

Learn more at Augsburg.edu/music.

Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship Receives Local Public Health Hero Award

Posted on April 20, 2023February 6, 2024

Last week, the City of Minneapolis honored the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship with a Local Public Health HeroAward in the category of Healthy Living and Healthy Food Systems. Project Manager Jenean Gilmer, Food Initiatives Program Manager Natalie Jacobson, and Director of Community Relations Steve Peacock were specifically recognized for their efforts. Paula Guinn and Sieglinde Thetard from The People’s Center nominated the Sabo Center for their food access work in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. They wrote:

“Augsburg University’s Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship works to build community connections and engagement in pursuit of more equitable systems and resources in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The Center plays a major role in food access and systems work through the Cedar-Riverside Food Initiative group, which draws representatives from healthcare organizations, community-service centers, higher education institutions, and local non-profits. They have shown great leadership in their dedication to continuing food access work as a collective, which is exemplified by their commitment to uplifting diverse community voices to shape and direct food initiatives.

“The Center has been instrumental in connecting neighborhood organizations and community members with fresh produce and healthy shelf-stable items. For example, the team works with Health Commons, a healthcare collective, to distribute thousands of pounds of free fresh produce to community members in and around Riverside Plaza. The Center has also made a significant impact in building sustainable food-distribution models that incorporate grassroots organizations into existing food distribution frameworks and community programming. With so many long-term partnerships, The Sabo Center has a broad range of organizations and community members engaged in adapting existing and future programming to healthy living and healthy food system goals.”

Learn more about Augsburg’s Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship and how you can get involved.

Augsburg University Announces John N. Schwartz ’67 School of the Arts

Posted on April 13, 2023

Augsburg University announced today the creation of the John N. Schwartz ’67 School of the Arts, a destination arts hub for music, theater, and art and design. An estate gift from Augsburg alumnus John N. Schwartz ’67 will establish the school.

“With their power to connect, illuminate, break boundaries, and build relationships, the arts have been a vital part of Augsburg’s mission and community life for more than 150 years,” said University President Paul C. Pribbenow. “At a time when support for the arts in public life and education has become contingent and vulnerable, Augsburg is tremendously grateful for John Schwartz’s visionary leadership in establishing an institutional home for music, theater, and art for many future generations of students.”

The Schwartz School of the Arts will house Augsburg’s 12 undergraduate majors in the performing and visual arts, as well as the master of music therapy program. Students and faculty in the departments of theater, music, and art and design will have new and greater opportunities for interdisciplinary, collaborative work across disciplines, including with other areas of the university.

“We believe that a standalone arts school at a place like Augsburg—a university with deep commitments to access and equity, and one of the most diverse institutions in the upper Midwest—will send a strong message to potential students that the arts are for everyone. Your gifts are valued here,” said Paula O’Loughlin, provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs.

The performing and visual arts at Augsburg have long reflected the university’s mission in the commitments to artistic excellence, intentional diversity, civic engagement, and social justice embodied in each discipline. The new school is a refinement to the university’s institutional structure following the change from Augsburg College to Augsburg University in 2017. It also aligns with Augsburg’s role as an anchor institution in the Cedar-Riverside community of Minneapolis.

“The Schwartz School of the Arts will be a key venue for Augsburg to explore with our neighbors and our students how to build and expand access to cultural assets,” said Pribbenow.

As an undergraduate, John Schwartz sang baritone in the Augsburg choir, igniting a love of choral music that persisted throughout his 40-year career as a healthcare executive in Milwaukee, Oregon, Montana, and Chicago.

“My experiences at Augsburg are a perfect example of how a well-rounded liberal arts education provides a pathway not just to a career but to a full and meaningful life,” said Schwartz. “Whether singing in a choral ensemble, performing in a theater production, or sculpting in the studio, the arts provide opportunities to grow and connect that don’t exist anywhere else. With this new school, Augsburg is clearly stating that the performing and visual arts are central to our mission.”

A current member of Augsburg’s Board of Regents, Schwartz has long supported Augsburg music students. His previous gifts to the university established the Leland B. Sateren ’35 professorship and chair of music, the John N. Schwartz professor of choral leadership and conducting, and the John N. Schwartz and James A. Mosley scholarship.

The Schwartz School of the Arts is one of a number of transformational outcomes of Augsburg’s ongoing Great Returns: We’re All In comprehensive fundraising campaign. With a goal to raise $125 million, it is the largest such campaign in Augsburg history.

About Augsburg

Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to approximately 3,200 students of diverse backgrounds at its campus in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and nearby Rochester, Minnesota, location. Augsburg educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church, and shaped by its urban and global settings. To learn more, visit Augsburg.edu/about.

Augsburg Innovation Scholars Present to Mayo Clinic Leaders

Posted on March 30, 2023

“When we went up there, it was our job to know about everything—the pros, cons, the disease, all of it,” said Connor Thorsten ’24. “As much as public speaking is a fear for a lot of people, we went up with confidence and did a great job.”

With a who’s who of Mayo Clinic licensing managers and innovators in the audience, Thorsten and his teammates—Tom Erickson ’24, Lorraine Wongbi ’23, and Lily Yang ’23—weren’t just delivering a typical class presentation. Their subject? A challenging biomedical tech transfer project focused on an implantable cardiac med tech device.

The presentation to Mayo Clinic leaders in early March was the culmination of months of study, research, and preparation the students undertook as participants in the Innovation Scholars program. Working at the intersection of science, healthcare, and entrepreneurship, Innovation Scholars brings interdisciplinary teams of outstanding liberal arts students from 12 Minnesota private colleges and universities together to solve real-world problems in real time.

“It’s one of the best opportunities for students that I’ve seen as far as real-world application and being interdisciplinary,” said Jacob Enger, assistant professor of business administration. Enger served as one of two faculty mentors for Augsburg’s team this year, along with Tim Monko, adjunct instructor in biology. Each group was also paired with an MBA student mentor from Augsburg or the University of St. Thomas.

Throughout the fall and winter, Augsburg’s team met weekly or more to research the tech transfer project they were assigned by the Mayo Clinic. (Tech transfer refers to the process of moving from research to application and commercialization.) Bringing expertise in biochemistry, biopsychology, finance/accounting, and physics, they tackled questions like: Is it safe? Is it effective? Is it helpful? What is the potential patient population? Who are the competitors? What is the path to finishing product development and bringing it to market?

“The experience made me more aware of the different moving parts that come into play during the roll-out of an innovation,” said Wongbi. “It really put into perspective the heart and dedication of the inventors, as much of the process requires patience.”

In addition to writing a 40-plus page research paper and preparing the content of their presentation, the team practiced and strengthened their presentation skills, from holding a microphone to taking turns fielding questions.

“The experience provides such a wide range of areas for students to grow and develop, all with skills they can speak to on a résumé” said Enger. “Students both collaborate and specialize within their area of expertise, whether science or business.”

While confidentiality agreements limit how much they can share about the project, the Augsburg students came away feeling celebratory. Thorsten, a member of Augsburg’s 2023 national champion wrestling squad, credits teamwork for their success in Rochester.

“It was one of the best out-of-school, real world experiences I’ve had,” he said. “It was a lot of very hard work—crunch time got very busy—but we divided and conquered, and when one of us was struggling, we focused on helping them and vice versa.”

Students can participate in Innovation Scholars for credit or to fulfill their Augsburg Experience requirement. The application for the next cohort will open in the fall. To find out more, reach out to URGO or visit the Innovation Scholars website.

Najeeba Syeed Featured on ‘State of Belief’ Podcast

Posted on March 20, 2023March 20, 2023

Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri chair and executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg, recently joined “State of Belief,” Interfaith Alliance’s weekly radio show and podcast, to speak about her background and what the broader interfaith and American community can learn from the teachings of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

“I think the most beautiful thing about [Ramadan] really is the emphasis on building our social fabric with one another, gathering and thinking about, “what is the power of self-regulation and self-control?” Self-control over food and also our capacity to not express anger,” she said.

“While it is a deeply spiritual practice for Muslim, it’s also one where we spend a lot of time in community … It is a time where we want to be open to other communities. This is often our interfaith season. It is meant for doors to be open.”

Listen to the whole conversation with Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush: “Najeeba Syeed: A Peacemaker at Ramadan”

Augsburg Students Build Advocacy Skills During Day at the Capitol

Posted on March 6, 2023

A group of Auggies got a glimpse inside the legislative process during this year’s Day at the Capitol on March 1. Organized by the Minnesota Private College Council (MPCC) in support of the Minnesota State Grant program, this annual event develops student advocacy skills, provides professional networking opportunities, and brings student voices and concerns to the capitol.

The Minnesota State Grant provides need-based financial aid that goes directly to students. Fifty-two percent of Augsburg undergraduates receive funding through the program, with an average award of nearly $6,000. The focus of this year’s Day at the Capitol was to ask legislators and Governor Walz to make a substantial new investment in the program by lowering the share of college costs that the grant formula expects students to cover from 50% to 36%.

Along with representatives from the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, Augsburg students took the Green Line to the capitol and kicked off the day with a training featuring Representative Mike Howard ’05. Then, they met in small groups with their hometown legislators to discuss expanding support for the state grant as well as other issues on students’ minds.

“It was so eye-opening for me,” said Carol Hei Yue Lee ‘24, a social work major, vice president of Augsburg Day Student Government, and Campus Kitchen intern. “At first I didn’t know how the process worked, since my representatives aren’t on the committee that oversees the state grant. But MPCC talked us through how legislators talk about issues with their colleagues and get them to sign on to a bill.”

Lee met with Woodbury Representative Ethan Cha and Senator Nicole Mitchell. “People think legislators look scary, but they are very nice. Representative Cha told us his backstory and experiences as a refugee, fighting for his family and his kids’ rights. I was able to talk about food insecurity, which is a very serious issue and it connects with the state grant.”

For Abby Petersen ’24, the experience complemented their work as a campus organizer through the Minnesota Youth Collective. “I’ve done organizing, but I’ve never had the opportunity to spend a day at the capitol or actually meet a legislator,” they said. “It was super interesting and it went by so fast.”

Both Petersen and Lee noted that the event built connections with other students and helped spur ideas about how to continue their activism on campus. “I was impressed with the number of Augsburg students who showed up,” said Petersen, who transferred to Augsburg last fall and is majoring in social work. “It was really fun to meet other students who are also interested in doing advocacy work. Our group met with Representative Mohamud Noor, who was so supportive, and people brought up food issues and transit accessibility and asked about expanding the state grant program to grad students—we had a long conversation about that.”

Lee ended the day with a sense of deeper community and expanded horizons. “Representative Cha told us, ‘You can be legislators too,’” she said. “Everything is possible.”

Toronto Star Cites Professor Michael Lansing in “After George Floyd”

Posted on March 1, 2023February 6, 2024

Professor Michael Lansing was recently quoted by the Toronto Star in a major exploration of the dynamics around policing and public safety in Minneapolis following the murder of George Floyd. Lansing and University of St. Thomas historian Yohuru Williams are the co-founders of Overpoliced & Underprotected in MSP, a public history project that explores the history of policing in the Twin Cities in order to contribute to community conversations about the future of public safety.

Lansing’s comments contextualize the failed public safety ballot measure in Minneapolis in 2022.

Neighbourhoods that voted most strongly against the measure were in the city’s southwest — a white, upper-middle-class area — followed, to a lesser extent, by those in the predominantly Black North Minneapolis,” wrote reporter Wendy Gillis. “It was a “very odd combination” that was rare in American political history, said Michael Lansing, history professor at Augsburg University in Minneapolis.

“Not just polarized, because that suggests two poles. Minneapolis in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and the uprising became a place that was deeply fragmented,” he said.

Read the full Toronto Star article: “After George Floyd” (February 24, 2023).

George Dierberger Appointed Augsburg University’s Howe Professor of Entrepreneurship

Posted on February 15, 2023June 9, 2023

George Dierberger, associate professor of business administration and director of Augsburg University’s MBA program, has been appointed to serve as the inaugural Thomas ’72 and Karen Howe endowed professor for entrepreneurship.

“The intersection of Tom and Karen Howe’s personal experiences as entrepreneurs and George Dierberger’s professional commitment to educate students for entrepreneurial leadership make this new professorship a remarkable opportunity to celebrate the power of philanthropy to transform lives,” said Augsburg President Paul C. Pribbenow. “As the inaugural Howe Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship, George is dedicated to integrating innovation across the university, ensuring that students in business, science, the arts, the humanities, and beyond, are equipped to be entrepreneurial leaders in their careers and communities.”

Dierberger spent 25 years in a variety of leadership positions at 3M, where he led multi-million dollar sales initiatives, started five new businesses, and implemented product launches ranging from high-tech laser pointers to government-regulated products. His teaching areas of expertise include innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership, organizational development, change management, international business and strategic management. He continues to consult for entrepreneurial organizations and oversees MBA field projects that include writing strategic plans for Fortune 500 companies, Mayo Clinic, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. Dierberger was named a Fulbright Scholar in 2022, spending three months in residence at the Atlantic Technological University in Letterkenny, Ireland.

“Professor Dierberger’s impressive accomplishments and long-standing commitment to continuous innovation in our business program make him a natural fit for the Howe professorship,” said Paula O’Loughlin, provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs. “His expertise and innovative spirit will take Augsburg’s investment in entrepreneurship to the next level across our curriculum.”

The Thomas ’72 and Karen Howe Endowed Professor for Entrepreneurship was established in 2022 to strengthen Augsburg’s business department and inspire innovation and leadership.

“Tom and Karen’s visionary gift and George’s entrepreneurial leadership will make a difference in the lives of countless students and those they serve for generations to come,” said Pribbenow.