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

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.

MinnPost examines Urban Scrubs Camp

MinnPostMinnPost recently published a detailed look at the 2015 Urban Scrubs Camp, a hands-on learning experience for high school students interested in medical careers that was held at Augsburg College and Saint Paul College in July. The event was supported by the Central Corridor Anchor Partnership, an organization that connects colleges and hospitals located in the Central Corridor area between Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The article states that 76 students from a wide range of backgrounds attended the event at Augsburg where they learned about emergency services, toxicology, behavioral therapy, and other medical disciplines.

The event is designed to give high school students first-hand understanding of college life and medical careers. MinnPost quotes Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow as saying,  “We want to give them a glimpse of what these careers look like, and something of a college experience that makes the possibility seem more real to them.”

In particular, Augsburg and its partners at the University of Minnesota Medical Center – Fairview focus on the many Somali students who live nearby with help from community organizations such as the the African Development Center and the West Bank Community Coalition.

Read “How innovative programs are opening pathways to good health-care jobs for inner-city youth” on the MinnPost website.

Pioneer Press notes Augsburg’s diversity award

logo-smallThe St. Paul Pioneer Press mentioned that Augsburg College was among 92 higher-education institutions nationally to be recognized for excellence in diversity by the magazine Insight Into Diversity.

Read, “Education notes: News from schools near you” on the Pioneer Press site.

Jodi Collen writes quick-tips column for Twin Cities Business

twin-cities-businessJodi Collen, Augsburg College’s director of Event and Conference Planning, wrote a quick-tips column for event planners that was published by Twin Cities Business. Collen offered suggestions for people who will host a tailgating event for teams, customers, or clients this fall. Her advice ranged from venue considerations to food safety.

Collen is the current international president of the International Special Events Society and is a past president of the ISES Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter. Visit the Twin Cities Business website to read, “ISES Quick Tips For Event Planners: September.”

Jodi Collen elected event society’s new international president

The International Special Events Society has elected Jodi Collen as its new international president for the 2015-16 year.

Collen, director of Event & Conference Planning at Augsburg, is a previous president of the International Special Events Society’s Minneapolis-St. Paul chapter and has been a member of the International Board of Governors for the past five years. She was inaugurated at the association’s Annual General Meeting, which took place in New Orleans.

Collen’s achievement was recognized by the following organizations:

  • Incentive Travel & Corporate Meetings
  • Exhibition World
  • Conference News
  • BizBash
  • Event Planner Spain

Harry Boyte examines the role of citizen professionals

Huffington-PostHarry Boyte, senior scholar in public work philosophy for Augsburg’s Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, described the importance of citizen professionals in a recent article for the Huffington Post. Boyte explained that places like Augsburg College are ripe with students preparing to become “citizen nurses” and “citizen teachers” who will serve as change agents in their future careers.

Read, “Hope and Higher Education — The Role of Citizen Professionals” on the Huffington Post website.

Bring Me The News shares roundup of River Semester info

bringmeThe online media resource Bring Me The News shared a compilation of information about the Augsburg College River Semester, a three-and-a-half month program in which students and faculty members will traverse the Mississippi River from St. Paul to New Orleans while studying topics in the arts, humanities, and sciences. As the story noted, “Students will sleep in campsites instead of dorm rooms and will paddle rather than walk to their classes this fall.”

Star Tribune previews Augsburg College River Semester

Minneapolis Star TribuneAugsburg College’s first-ever River Semester will be an opportunity for students to spend the fall and early winter months traveling from St. Paul to New Orleans in 24-foot voyageur canoes on the Mississippi River. Participants will study topics ranging from ecology to history to literature.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune recently discussed this experiential education opportunity in the article, “Augsburg preparing to launch ‘River Semester’ on the Mississippi.

Pioneer Press features debut book from Howling Bird Press

PioneerPressHowling Bird Press, a student-run press run out of the Augsburg MFA in Creative Writing program, is bringing out its first book.

“At the Border of Wilshire & Nobody” was launched as part of the MFA program’s publishing concentration. The book-length poetry collection by Los Angeles-based Marci Vogel, winner of the 2015 Howling Bird Press poetry prize, was chosen from a field of more than 60 from across the nation and was shepherded into print by Howling Bird associate editors Amanda Symes ’15 MFA, Ashley Cardona ’15 MFA, and Kevin Matuseski ’16 MFA.

Visit the Pioneer Press website to read, “‘At the Border’ a first for Minnesota’s Howling Bird Press.”

President Paul Pribbenow earns fundraising professional award

Pribbenow-headshotAugsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow was named the 2015 Outstanding Professional Fundraiser in the National Philanthropy Day Awards presented by the Minnesota chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Pribbenow will be honored at a National Philanthropy Day event held November 20.