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Advisory: Augsburg officially becomes ‘Augsburg University,’ welcomes most diverse class in 148-year history

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University’s first-year undergraduate class more than 53 percent persons of color

(MINNEAPOLIS) — As Augsburg celebrates becoming “Augsburg University” on Sept. 5, it also welcomes an incoming first-year undergraduate class of more than 53 percent persons of color.

“As ‘Augsburg University,’ we embrace our leadership role as a university at the forefront of intentional diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Augsburg University President Paul C. Pribbenow.

“We are proud and grateful to welcome to our community the Class of 2021, made up of students of academic ability from an array of diverse backgrounds — including ethnicity, faith, socioeconomic status, gender identity, and more. We know that learning in a diverse community prepares young people to become engaged, thoughtful citizens, and problem solvers.”

The Augsburg University celebration at the Minneapolis campus includes food stations and opportunities for getting an Augsburg University logo T-shirt screen printed on-site, participating in a photo booth, assembling hygiene kits for the Augsburg Health Commons, which serves unsheltered persons who live in Minneapolis, and more. On Sept. 18, the Augsburg University teaching site in Rochester, Minn., will host a special ribbon-cutting to celebrate more than 20 years of providing graduate and undergraduate programs in that community.

PROGRAM and PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

  • 9:20 a.m.: Faculty and staff line up along 22nd Avenue South to applaud students as they process into Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center, for the Opening Convocation.
  • 9:30 a.m.: Opening Convocation in Hoversten
  • 10:30 a.m.: Kick-Off Celebration and Lunch in the Quadrangle
  • 11:30 a.m.:  Augsburg University President Paul Pribbenow formally launches Augsburg University
  • 12:30 – 1 p.m.: First-Year Students Begin Service Projects

ADDITIONAL FACTS

  • Augsburg measures diversity beyond ethnicity and culture and welcomes persons in our community of diverse faiths, gender identities, socioeconomic backgrounds, learning styles, and military commitments. Nearly 10 percent of students self-identify as Muslim. More than 11 percent self-identify as LGBTQIA.
  • On Sept. 5, the Class of 2021 will donate nearly $35,000 in service work at more than 20 locations in Minneapolis.

ABOUT AUGSBURG UNIVERSITY

Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees to nearly 3,600 students of diverse backgrounds at its campus in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and the Rochester site. 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.

Augsburg welcomes most diverse class in its history

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Class of 2020 is 45 percent persons of color

EquityProclamation(MINNEAPOLIS) — Augsburg College at 10:15 a.m., today, welcomes it’s most diverse, first-year undergraduate class — with more than 45 percent persons of color. At the same time, the College is announcing its initial equity framework to remove the social, institutional and individual barriers that contribute to inequity.

This important work garnered support from the St. Paul Foundation — a grant of $10,000 and the opportunity for additional funding as the framework takes shape.

“Working to foster diversity and inclusivity has been a cornerstone of the Augsburg promise for many years and is an important extension of our commitment to social justice and equity,” said Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow.

“We are honored to have the support of the St. Paul Foundation which places high importance on racial equity work. We know, as a democracy college, that Minnesota is strengthened by the diversity of its people and that educating persons of diverse backgrounds who learn at the intersection of differences is what best prepares young people to become engaged citizens and educated problem solvers.”

Since 2006, Augsburg has more than tripled the percentage of persons of color in the full undergraduate student body, growing from 11 percent in 2006 to 33 percent in 2016.

Through this work, the College has earned a leading reputation for demonstrating a unique way of engaging in the work of higher education. Within the Minnesota Private College Council, the overall enrollment average among schools includes 27 percent first-generation students and 20 percent Pell-eligible students. Augsburg leads the state among private, four-year institutions with nearly 50 percent of students who are first-generation and more than 40 percent of students who are Pell-eligible.

Continue reading “Augsburg welcomes most diverse class in its history” →

Star Tribune features Augsburg College’s City Service Day

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The Star Tribune featured Augsburg’s annual City Service Day, an opportunity in which members of the College community venture off campus to complete service work in Minneapolis neighborhoods. The publication showed a student working at Stones Throw Urban farm, one of nearly two dozen community sites where Auggies assisted with cleaning, painting, gardening, and more. View the image on the Star Tribune site.

Media Photo Opp: Auggies donate $25,000 in service work Sept. 2 

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Minneapolis-based nonprofits will receive $25,647 worth of service work on Sept. 2 from more than 420 Augsburg College students. The students, in partnership with faculty and alumni, will donate 1,055 hours of work to more than 25 organizations as part of the 17th annual Augsburg College City Service Day.

When

  • 12:30 p.m.: Students depart Augsburg College campus to travel by light rail, bus, and foot to site locations
  • 1:15 p.m.: Students arrive at sites
  • 1:30-3:30 p.m.: Students perform volunteer work at sites ranging from making honey, urban farming, and lake clean up to helping teachers prepare their classrooms, conduct recreational activities with youths, and clean and/or move offices and facilities.

Photo Opportunities

Several locations this year are new and offer rich photo opportunities, including:

  • The Beez Kneez, 2204 Minnehaha Ave.: Honey making, clean up (Augsburg College President Paul Pribbenow working at this site)
  • Stones Throw Urban Farm, 2820 15th Ave. S.: Farming projects
  • Powderhorn Park (2 groups), 3400 15th Ave. S.: Lake and park clean up
  • Matthew’s Center (2 groups), 2318 29th Ave. S.: Youth recreation activities

(Full list available upon request)

Facts

  • According to Independent Sector, the value of an average hour of volunteer work in Minnesota in 2013 was $24.31. (independentsector.org)
  • City Service Day is in its 17th year and is an annual kick-off of the academic year designed to connect incoming students with one another and within their areas of study, familiarize students with the Cedar-Riverside and neighboring communities, and ask students to live out the College mission.

Augsburg College is set in a vibrant neighborhood at the heart of the Twin Cities, and offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and nine graduate degrees to nearly 4,000 students of diverse backgrounds. Augsburg College educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. The Augsburg experience is supported by an engaged community that is committed to intentional diversity in its life and work. 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.

Not your typical first day of college

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city_serviceOn the day before fall semester classes began, incoming first-year and transfer students participated in service projects in the neighborhoods that surround Augsburg’s campus.

City Service Day has become an Augsburg tradition that not only helps students learn about the community but also introduces them to organizations where they can continue to serve and learn throughout their education.

The Star Tribune’s Jenna Ross followed AugSem X to Matthews Community Center and talked with Auggies including our own President Pribbenow. Read the front-page story: Starting out and giving back. Continue reading “Not your typical first day of college” →

A word from the President—Why is service important?

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pres_blogEditor’s Note: On Tuesday afternoon, the Cedar-Riverside and Seward neighborhood will be filled with first-year Auggies, faculty members, staff members, and members of President Pribbenow’s Cabinet. Why is service important?

In his latest blog post, President Pribbenow addresses that question. A copy of the blog post is below. Find “Paul’s Blog” on the Augsburg College President’s webpage.

Education and service

On Tuesday, the Augsburg community will honor its historic commitment to “Education for Service” as we participate in our long-standing “City Service Day.” On that day, more than 500 Auggies—students, faculty and staff—will fan out across the Twin Cities to be of service to our neighbors. Continue reading “A word from the President—Why is service important?” →