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Hex Houses for Hurricane Victims and Refugees

Hex House
Builders work in Murphy Square Park to complete the “Hex House” model. Photo: Kare 11

This fall’s Nobel Peace Prize Forum showcased the innovative “Hex House,” a pop-up emergency shelter created to help respond to refugee and natural disaster housing crises. As part of Augsburg University’s continued commitment to social justice and technology, this six-sided, 510 square-foot prototype was constructed and on display at Murphy Square throughout the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Forum. The tiny houses can be packed in a kit, shipped flat, and assembled with tools and instructions, much like an IKEA design.

See the stories at Finance & Commerce and KARE 11.

 

Scholar and mentor learn from each other in Scholastic Connections

scholastic_connectionsWhen Mai Choua Thao ’11, a senior studying business administration and accounting, was accepted into Augsburg’s Scholastic Connections program, she was hoping to connect on many levels with her mentor. But she said that Cindy Peterson, director of the program, had a tough time finding someone for Thao to work with. Then Peterson approached Jenny Yang, a counselor in the financial aid office at Augsburg. Though Yang is not an alum of Augsburg as most of the Scholastic Connections mentors are, she was a perfect fit for Thao.

“The thing I appreciate about Jenny is that we can relate to each other. Our families are similar and she understands me. I don’t think another mentor would fully comprehend my life like Jenny does,” Thao said. Both are Hmong women who come from large families, and both have experienced the challenges of living in a bi-cultural world. Continue reading “Scholar and mentor learn from each other in Scholastic Connections”