Washington Archives - News and Media

Practicing "I have a dream" and schools of citizenship

Posted on January 16, 2012

By Harry C. Boyte

Today, on Martin Luther King Jr.’s holiday, I’ve been thinking about the March on Washington and how much its citizenship message is relevant.

In the summer of 1963, my father, Harry George Boyte, went on staff of King’s organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. At his urging I hitchhiked across the country, arriving in Washington the day before, August 27, 1963, on my way to Duke as a freshman in the fall. I lay in a sleeping bag on the floor of his hotel room. Early in the morning, I heard King’s booming voice in a nearby room, practicing “I Have a Dream.” Continue reading “Practicing "I have a dream" and schools of citizenship” →

Augsburg to lead nationwide American Commonwealth Project

Posted on January 10, 2012

american_commonwealth_project The White House and U.S. Department of Education today will launch the American Commonwealth Project, a national grassroots effort to reclaim the civic mission of education. Augsburg is at the heart of this effort, and the project’s work will be coordinated by Harry Boyte, director of the Center for Democracy and Citizenship.

The ACP is rooted in the recognition that higher education should be—must be—delivered for the common good rather than be allowed to become an individual benefit only for those who an financially afford it. In addition, the project aligns with Augsburg’s mission to educate students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. Continue reading “Augsburg to lead nationwide American Commonwealth Project” →

Mr. Krohn goes to Washington

Posted on February 29, 2008

Senior chemistry major Brian Krohn is one of approximately 70 students in the country who will travel to Washington, D.C., on April 30 to present their research to members of Congress. Accepted to the 2008 Posters on the Hill program, sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research, he will travel to Washington with his research adviser, Arlin Gyberg, professor of chemistry.

Krohn’s poster is titled “Fuel of the Future: Biodiesel. A Novel Method and Catalyst for the Production of Biodiesel.” He became interested in biodiesel fuels and received a grant from Augsburg’s Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity Office (URGO) in summer 2006 to work with Gyberg. His goal was to experiment with alternate catalysts that could create a more efficient and environmentally friendly biodiesel. This research, done in collaboration with Augsburg alumnus Clayton McNeff ’91, vice president of SarTec Corporation, was successful and spurred the discovery of a new process to produce biodiesel. Continue reading “Mr. Krohn goes to Washington” →