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This section of the News and Media Services department site tracks stories in print and broadcast media that feature Auggie faculty, students, and staff. The area also is home to material developed for University-related programs, events, and more.

Augsburg University Joins the COVID-19 College Vaccination Challenge

Vaccine Champion UniversityAugsburg University has signed up to be a part of the COVID-19 College Vaccination Challenge, which has been organized by the White House and U.S. Department of Education. The challenge is part of President Biden’s effort to make sure that 70% or more of Americans have at least one vaccine dose by July 4.

Schools that join this challenge make three commitments:

  1. Engage every student, faculty, and staff member: Make sure every member of the campus community knows they are eligible for a vaccine and has resources to find one.
  2. Organize the college community: Lead the way by identifying champions for vaccine efforts across campus and implementing a plan to get as many members of the campus community vaccinated as possible.
  3. Deliver vaccine access to all. Meet the campus community where it is: bring vaccines on-site, and make it easy for students, staff, and faculty to get vaccinated at sites nearby this summer. 

By participating in this challenge, Augsburg is doing its part to protect our students, faculty, and staff; their families; and our community.

Augsburg is offering walk-in vaccine clinics on campus in Oren Gateway Center this summer starting June 14 during new student orientation. In addition, the university is right across the street from the People’s Center Cedar Riverside Clinic, which also offers vaccines. You can find more information about COVID-19 vaccines at our COVID-19 Planning website.

About Augsburg
Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to 3,400 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. Learn more at Augsburg.edu.

Professor William Green Interviewed by PBS about Police Reform and Violent Crime in Minneapolis

On May 25, PBS NewsHour featured William Green, M. Anita Gay Hawthorne professor of critical race and ethnic studies, in the story “Examining efforts toward police reform in Minneapolis amid crime spike.” Green addressed barriers to police reform efforts in Minneapolis, including the fact that not much can be accomplished at the city level. “The power of the police federation, for example, really comes from the state, for all intents and purposes,” he said.

President Paul Pribbenow on “Equity-Mindedness” in CASE Currents Magazine Article

Paul PribbenowPresident Paul Pribbenow was featured in the article, “What Is Equity?” in the May/June 2021 issue of Currents, the magazine for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. He spoke about Augsburg’s work toward “equity-mindedness,” the role that advancement professionals can play in this work, and what it’s like to lead a private university in pursuing equity. Speaking of his experience as Augsburg’s president, he said, “I recognized that it was not good enough to say we had that commitment, and that we were doing good things in the community. We had to do the internal work of a community that truly aspired to be inclusive and anti-racist.” 

New York Times Features Augsburg Instructor Jamil Stamschror-Lott

Jamil Stamschror-Lott '16 MSW leading a community healing session. | The New York Times
Jamil Stamschror-Lott ’16 MSW leading a community healing session. | The New York Times

In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, mental health experts have seen a rise in Black people seeking therapy. Jamil Stamschror-Lott ’16 MSW and his wife are the founders of Creative Kuponya, a mental health practice in Minneapolis. They have seen many overwhelmed and exhausted residents.

“We’ve seen everything that the nation has seen from afar, from folks in civil unrest and devastation, despair,” Augsburg Instructor Stamschror-Lott told The New York Times.

Read the full article at The New York Times website.

 

Augsburg Addresses Equity and Remote Learning in Pioneer Press

Margaret Finders, a former professor in Augsburg’s Department of Education, Joaquin Munoz, an assistant professor in the American Indian Studies Department, and Badri Mohamoud ’19 MAE, a licensed secondary mathematics teacher serving as an academic coach at Wellstone International High School, wrote the opinion piece “Think twice, Minnesota teachers, about a ‘cameras on’ rule for remote students” in the Pioneer Press. They explained why “cameras on” rules do not necessarily help with student engagement and how such rules can be culturally insensitive. They offered tips to support engagement during remote learning, including offering students the option to use the chat function and creating breakout rooms where students can interact.

Chris Stedman ’08 Interviewed for “Anti-Racism as a Spiritual Practice”

Chris Stedman ’08, an adjunct instructor in Augsburg’s Department of Religion and Philosophy, was interviewed by Simran Jeet Singh for Religion News Service’s series, “Anti-Racism as a Spiritual Practice.” He spoke about his experiences as an atheist community builder supporting religiously unaffiliated people, about the pros and cons of moving work formerly done in religious communities to a digital space, about his concerns regarding the alt-right’s appeal to some atheists, and about the importance of recognizing the limitations of your own experience and engaging in relationships with those who have a different worldview.

Professor Andrew Aoki Co-Authors Washington Post Article on Asian American Politics

Andrew Aoki

Andrew Aoki, professor of political science and senior fellow at Augsburg’s Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, is co-author of the timely “How to un-model a minority: A micro-syllabus on Asian American politics” in the Washington Post. In it, he and co-author Pei-te Lien argue, “In the midst of the U.S. racial reckoning, recognizing the complexity of Asian Americans can help with the task ahead.” To assist with this, Aoki and Lien have created a micro-syllabus on Asian American politics. The syllabus includes links to articles from the journal Politics, Groups, and Identities that will be available for free for a limited period of time.

Advisory: Augsburg celebrates Class of 2021 with virtual and in-person commencement

Augsburg University will host a virtual commencement ceremony Monday, May 3 to celebrate the Class of 2021, the most diverse graduating class in our history. An in-person celebration will follow on June 8.Augsburg University logo

The virtual commencement ceremony consists of a prerecorded ceremony that will be streamed online and graduates, families, and friends can watch and chat together in real time.

Visit YouTube.com/AugsburgU to watch the commencement broadcast at 6 p.m. Central. You can follow the celebration through the hashtag #AuggieGrad on all social media platforms, where students will be sharing images of their virtual celebration. Visit Augsburg’s commencement site for more details.

Find more details about the in-person commencement set for 6 p.m. June 8 at U.S. Bank Stadium. The Class of 2020 will have an in-person ceremony in May, 2022, but members of that class are able to participate in the June 8 ceremony instead if they prefer.

The 2021 day graduating class is our most diverse graduating class with 45.6% students of color. Over three years, Augsburg has seen this number increase by more than 20%.

About Augsburg
Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to 3,400 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. Learn more at Augsburg.edu.

Augsburg’s Director of Athletic Diversity and Inclusion Quoted in Story on Chauvin Trial Verdicts

Director of Athletic Diversity and Inclusion Chris Dixon was quoted in the Star Tribune story “Minneapolis streets erupt in elation over guilt verdicts for Derek Chauvin.” Dixon recalled the aftermath of the trial of the LAPD officers who beat Rodney King. Speaking about the Chauvin trial, he said, “I hope it’s a turning point for state and national justice systems to address police violence towards Black folks.”