As of fall 2025, news and media updates have been integrated with the Augsburg Now alumni publication. This site archives news stories from before September 16, 2025. Please visit augsburg.edu/now or select "Augsburg Now" from the left navigation for current news.
This month, the Augsburg Rochester location will hold its first convocation featuring John M. Perkins, a minister, speaker, and teacher. His address, titled, “When the Foundation is Destroyed, What Can the Righteous Do?” will be given at Bethel Lutheran Church on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m.
John M. Perkins is a sharecropper’s son who grew up in Mississippi amidst dire poverty. In 1960, after his conversion to Christianity, Perkins returned to his boyhood home to share the gospel of Christ and to work in the civil rights movement. Despite dropping out of school in the 3rd grade, Perkins received recognition for his work with seven honorary doctorates from Wheaton, Gordon, Huntington, Geneva, Spring Arbor, North Park and Belhaven colleges. He is an international speaker and teacher on racial reconciliation, leadership, and community development. Continue reading “Rochester location holds first-ever convocation”→
The Goliard Society of Medievalists is a unique group at Augsburg, and not simply because of its passion for all things Medieval. This year, the group purchased and donated 27 wax replicas of Medieval seals to the Lindell Library.
The group first thought of donating money they raised last year after learning that unspent student organization funds disappear from one year to the next. Instead of losing the money or spending it frivolously, they decided to make a donation to the college.
The goliards talked to members of the library staff about making a donation to a restricted fund that could be used to buy items that would “get people interested in medieval stuff” Adamo said. Continue reading “Goliards gain seals of approval”→
Physics professor Ken Erickson and computer science professor Karen Sutherland are Augsburg’s two newest faculty emeriti, as approved by the Board of Regents at their meeting on May 2. Sutherland retires on May 31; Erickson will retire at the end of August.
Both professors have been lauded for their mentoring and support to students that has characterized their teaching careers. This year, Erickson was honored with the 2008 Distinguished Contributions to Teaching and Learning award for mentoring and advising.
Erickson, who graduated from Augsburg in 1962, returned to Augsburg full time in 1999, and for 25 years he held a shared professorship with the University of Minnesota, working with physics and astronomy faculty in grant-funded research. At both institutions he involved many of his students in grant-funded research. He also has served as both department chair and chair of what was then the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Continue reading “Erickson and Sutherland to join emeriti ranks”→
Last week, as soon as they were finished with final exams, many Augsburg resident students rushed to move out of the residence halls in order to meet their Friday noon closing deadline. Rather than leave their unwanted food items hidden in a cupboard — or worse, pitch them into the garbage — students were asked to toss food donations into boxes labeled, “Don’t be rude, leave your food!”
Senior Joanna Flaten, Brian Noy of Campus Kitchens, and Urness hall director Amanda Temple coordinated the last-minute food collection effort. Two van-loads of food were donated to the Brian Coyle Center, and Campus Kitchens was able to use some of the food in a meal they prepared on Sunday evening. Continue reading “Don't be rude, leave your food!”→
It all started with Brian Krohn’s summer research question: is there a better way to make biodiesel?
Brian’s answer to that question has led him from the laboratory to Capitol Hill. With the help of Augsburg faculty and alumni, Brian uncovered a way to produce biodiesel from a wide variety of organic sources, not just crops. The new process also creates biodiesel much faster than existing methods while producing virtually no waste.
“Our process can use any feedstock,” said Brian. “What this does is it makes biodiesel cheaper, and you’re not using a food source — like corn or soybeans — to make a fuel.” Continue reading “From Science Hall to Capitol Hill”→
You’ve done it — thrown your perfectly recyclable plastic water bottle into the garbage can. Perhaps there wasn’t a recycling bin nearby, or you just didn’t care. Whatever the case, chances are you’ve been one of many Americans, and Auggies, to throw your recyclables into the trash.
Recently, a group of Augsburg students and facilities supervisor Tom Ruffaner got down and dirty and dug through two-days’ worth of our garbage. Their purpose? To get to the bottom of Augsburg’s well-intentioned recycling program. Continue reading “Auggies really do get their hands dirty”→
The soil has been spread and the plots marked. Soon, seasoned and novice gardeners, staff and faculty, and Cedar-Riverside neighbors will be digging and planting in Augsburg’s first community garden.
The idea of a campus garden started with a conversation between Abigail Crampton Pribbenow and Mary Laurel True, associate director of community service-learning, when the Pribbenows were on campus during the presidential interview process. Both women shared enthusiasm for a community garden based on the “Edible Schoolyard,” a project started at Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California. Continue reading “Garden helps community grow”→
As temperatures and oil prices rise, Augsburg’s Environmental Stewardship Committee has organized eco-friendly relief this year: a campus bike-share program. The new program gives students, staff, and faculty the chance to check out a bike for personal use, free of charge.
This new program is one of the steps that Augsburg is taking to become a good steward of the environment and promote energy-conscious action. By offering a free, alternative mode of transportation, the program gives everyone a chance to play a role in the College’s “green” initiatives. Also, the program will allow Auggies to enjoy the outdoors and explore Minneapolis without polluting the environment. Continue reading “Through bicycles to freedom”→
This Monday afternoon, Augsburg College chemistry senior Brian Krohn and President Paul Pribbenow were interviewed by ABC News’ “Good Morning America” program. All indications are that this interview will be broadcast tomorrow, April 29. Local ABC affiliates carry “Good Morning America” from 7 – 9 a.m. CDT.
As has been reported on Inside Augsburg and outside media, Brian’s summer research under the eye of Professor Arlin Gyberg led to a revolutionary discovery of a highly efficient method of producing biodiesel from a wide variety of sources. Brian and Dr. Gyberg contacted Dr. Clayton McNeff, an Augsburg alumnus who also happens to be a vice president with Sartec Corporation. Sartec was able to provide the resources and expertise to turn Brian’s discovery into a full-fledged production system that will be producing millions of gallons of biodiesel by the end of the year. Continue reading “Brian Krohn interviewed by 'Good Morning America'”→
In the early morning on the day after May commencement, 60 Augsburg Choir members, their director, the tour manager, and an additional faculty representative will board two tour buses and set off on the 2008 choir tour. The group will present its home concert in Hoversten Chapel on Friday, May 2 at 8 p.m. followed by performances in eight different cities from Illinois to Virginia.
The year-end performances, according to director Peter Hendrickson ’76, DMA, are the requisite capstone of the singers’ learning experience. He said, “Music is a threefold process: the composer writes a piece, the choir learns the music, and the choir performs before an audience. This sequence is how music is brought to fruition, and it only occurs in performance. Thus, the end product of this academic discipline is where students learn the art of bringing music to life.” Continue reading “Augsburg Choir tours Midwest and East Coast”→
This month, the Augsburg Rochester location will hold its first convocation featuring John M. Perkins, a minister, speaker, and teacher. His address, titled, “When the Foundation is Destroyed, What Can the Righteous Do?” will be given at Bethel Lutheran Church on Tuesday, May 20 at 7 p.m.
The Goliard Society of Medievalists is a unique group at Augsburg, and not simply because of its passion for all things Medieval. This year, the group purchased and donated 27 wax replicas of Medieval seals to the Lindell Library.
Physics professor Ken Erickson and computer science professor Karen Sutherland are Augsburg’s two newest faculty emeriti, as approved by the Board of Regents at their meeting on May 2. Sutherland retires on May 31; Erickson will retire at the end of August.
Last week, as soon as they were finished with final exams, many Augsburg resident students rushed to move out of the residence halls in order to meet their Friday noon closing deadline. Rather than leave their unwanted food items hidden in a cupboard — or worse, pitch them into the garbage — students were asked to toss food donations into boxes labeled, “Don’t be rude, leave your food!”
It all started with Brian Krohn’s summer research question: is there a better way to make biodiesel?
You’ve done it — thrown your perfectly recyclable plastic water bottle into the garbage can. Perhaps there wasn’t a recycling bin nearby, or you just didn’t care. Whatever the case, chances are you’ve been one of many Americans, and Auggies, to throw your recyclables into the trash.
The soil has been spread and the plots marked. Soon, seasoned and novice gardeners, staff and faculty, and Cedar-Riverside neighbors will be digging and planting in Augsburg’s first community garden.
As temperatures and oil prices rise, Augsburg’s Environmental Stewardship Committee has organized eco-friendly relief this year: a campus bike-share program. The new program gives students, staff, and faculty the chance to check out a bike for personal use, free of charge.
This Monday afternoon, Augsburg College chemistry senior Brian Krohn and President Paul Pribbenow were interviewed by ABC News’ “Good Morning America” program. All indications are that this interview will be broadcast tomorrow, April 29. Local ABC affiliates carry “Good Morning America” from 7 – 9 a.m. CDT.
In the early morning on the day after May commencement, 60 Augsburg Choir members, their director, the tour manager, and an additional faculty representative will board two tour buses and set off on the 2008 choir tour. The group will present its home concert in Hoversten Chapel on Friday, May 2 at 8 p.m. followed by performances in eight different cities from Illinois to Virginia.