{"id":12429,"date":"2023-03-15T14:20:43","date_gmt":"2023-03-15T14:20:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/?p=12429"},"modified":"2023-03-15T14:20:43","modified_gmt":"2023-03-15T14:20:43","slug":"an-educator-and-catalyst-for-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/2023\/03\/15\/an-educator-and-catalyst-for-change\/","title":{"rendered":"An educator and catalyst for change"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz<\/strong>\u00a0(Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2019, Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz<\/strong> joined Augsburg University as special assistant to the president for strategic partnerships and as a fellow in the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship.<\/p>\n

But Walz\u2019s connection to campus began long before she was born, when her mother stepped out of rural life in central Minnesota and onto a bus destined for Augsburg. Linnea (Wacker) Whipple \u201960<\/strong> was the first person in her family to graduate from high school. Why stop there?<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the most significant indicators of children\u2019s future educational attainment is the educational attainment of their mothers,\u201d Walz said. \u201cMy mom started country school at four years of age because her brother wouldn\u2019t go to school without her, and she graduated from high school at 17. I am grateful she had the drive to leave her family life and that Augsburg\u2014through its faith and alumni connections\u2014found my mother in her small town of 600.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Augsburg didn\u2019t let Whipple go. Walz said college advisors checked in on her mother, who worked many hours to pay for school. Professors encouraged Whipple, whose early education was in a one-room schoolhouse, to apply for a postgraduate teaching position in Hawaii.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey saw her potential, and they didn\u2019t limit my mother at a time when women had lots of limits,\u201d Walz added. \u201cI grew up hearing about that level of personal support and Augsburg\u2019s drive to develop informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders.\u201d<\/p>\n

Whipple\u2019s tenure in Hawaii ended abruptly when her brother died in a farm accident. Deeply invested in family, Whipple returned to Minnesota, where she continued to teach, met her husband\u2014also an educator\u2014and raised four daughters.<\/p>\n

Equity work with Pribbenow \u2018changed everything\u2019<\/h2>\n
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Tim and Gwen Walz speak to students as a part of the Augsburg Bold Speaker Series, October 2020. (Photo by Rebecca Slater)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Like her parents, Walz became an educator and married an educator, Tim Walz. Prior to being elected Minnesota\u2019s 41st governor, Tim served from 2007 to 2019 as the U.S. House representative for the state\u2019s 1st congressional district, which includes the Mankato school district where the Walzes taught.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs educators, and with Tim\u2019s role in government, we were brought into conversations about diversity and equity in the K\u201312 system,\u201d Walz said. \u201cWe wanted someone to facilitate discussions in a way that would honor all voices, and without thinking twice, we reached out to Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow<\/strong>. We had seen and heard that he is a man of the moment who gets things done and achieves meaningful outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Walzes asked Pribbenow to join a task force to address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in Rochester schools. This experience, Walz said, \u201cchanged everything.\u201d It\u2019s why she overlooked other job offers to accept Pribbenow\u2019s invitation to work for Augsburg in 2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe speak the same language,\u201d Walz said. \u201cPresident Pribbenow is focused on the right priorities, and he approaches work with integrity and a collaborative, empowering spirit. He\u2019s not afraid to take creative risks, and he embodies what makes Augsburg so incredibly special.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Pribbenow asked Walz to consider working for Augsburg, he hadn\u2019t settled on a job title. He told her: \u201cThere is nothing you can\u2019t do, but you will figure it out when you get here. I have some ideas, but I am confident you will see and do the work in front of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHis belief in me reminded me of the belief Augsburg had in my mother, and I was sold,\u201d Walz said. \u201cHe and I both knew we had a lot to work out, but he knew I had something to offer the university, and I was eager to continue to serve and work as an educator.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom always used to say, \u2018Do the work that is in front of you,\u2019 and as a child, I thought she meant the dishes,\u201d Walz laughed. \u201cHere, I have an opportunity to do that work alongside leaders who aren\u2019t afraid to take on difficult conversations and opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Augsburg community, Walz said, is made up of administrators, faculty, staff, and students who say, \u201c\u2018We are not going to just talk about the work, we are going to do the work, and not only do the work but lead the work.\u2019 The university empowers students and reminds us there is not always one way to do things.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Gwen Walz<\/strong> (back row, second from right), Paul Pribbenow<\/strong> (back row, center), Abigail Pribbenow<\/strong> (back row, second from left), and other members of the Augsburg community gathered at the MNUDL Mayors Challenge 10th Anniversary Fundraiser in September 2022. (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A \u2018confident disruptor\u2019<\/h2>\n

Walz said her work\u2014both at Augsburg and as first lady of Minnesota\u2014is not about power; it\u2019s about responsibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy first question to myself and others is always, \u2018Whom do we serve?\u2019 The answer can change, but in my work at Augsburg, it\u2019s mostly focused on students. My role affords me the ability to make connections for people and to cut through red tape,\u201d Walz said.<\/p>\n

She was integral in implementing the Auggie Pass, an all-you-can ride transit pass for eligible Augsburg students to access the city\u2019s buses and light-rail trains, even during breaks. She has also helped build connections between campus programs and state agencies to offer internships and experiential learning opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne effort I am particularly excited about is my work with the provost to encourage voting among our students and to educate them about the safety of our voting systems,\u201d Walz said. \u201cThe Higher Education Act of 1965 requires universities to hand out voter registration cards, but there is no funding or enforcement mechanism. We are looking to weave these and other civic engagement and education efforts into the Augsburg experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Elaine Eschenbacher<\/strong>, director of the Sabo Center (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As director of the Sabo Center, Elaine Eschenbacher<\/strong> works directly with Walz to integrate civic and community engagement, experiential education, and democracy building into the Augsburg experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI appreciate and admire Gwen\u2019s capacity and interest in going deep on a topic. She is a learner who aims to know more than surface-level information,\u201d Eschenbacher said. \u201cShe encourages us to be \u2018confident disruptors\u2019 of systems that don\u2019t serve people, particularly the most vulnerable. I wrote that term on a note and had it on my desk for a long time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Eschenbacher added that Walz increases the university\u2019s access to people and systems. \u201cPeople answer her phone calls,\u201d Eschenbacher said. \u201cBut more importantly, Gwen brings deep knowledge of education that empowers students to fully realize their potential. She brings rich experience in navigating and creating change, and she brings a deep commitment and clear vision for equity in education.\u201d<\/p>\n

Equity in the classroom<\/h2>\n

Walz\u2019s work also focuses on teacher education. One of her first meetings at Augsburg was with Audrey Lensmire<\/strong>, an associate professor of education and the founding director of the former East African Student to Teacher Program (EAST), now known as the Thrive Program. Walz wanted to learn more about the program\u2019s work to empower East Africans and other BIPOC students to become licensed teachers. More than 100 students have benefitted from the program since 2013.<\/p>\n

Lensmire reflected on that first meeting: \u201cWhen I walked into her office, I was shaking a bit. I didn\u2019t know what to call her. It seemed so weird to call someone \u2018first lady,\u2019 but she told me to call her Gwen. She asked great questions, listened carefully, and took lots of notes, and I quickly realized how lucky Augsburg is to have her. \u2026 I introduced her to scholars and teachers because she wanted to hear their stories and needs. We began to share our own histories and experiences, and we became friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

The two developed a graduate course called Connecting Policy, Practice, and Advocacy for Educational Equity. It combines their shared loves of writing, teacher empowerment, and policy change. In 2020, Lensmire and Walz began co-teaching the course, which has become a core class in the Master of Education program.<\/p>\n

Lensmire said Walz has taught her a lot about research, advocacy, and complications within government systems. Walz is honest and thoughtful, Lensmire said, and has even given her daughter, a second-year Auggie, lots of advice and green Jolly Ranchers.<\/p>\n

\u2018A remarkable advocate\u2019<\/h2>\n

Pribbenow said it\u2019s impressive how Walz gracefully balances her dual roles at the university, while also investing and connecting personally with students in the classroom. He benefits from her \u201ckeen eye\u201d in navigating complex political circumstances to advance the university\u2019s vision.<\/p>\n

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Gwen Walz with members of the Augsburg community after hosting an on-campus event, A Conversation with First Lady Gwen Walz and Gay Rights Advocate Randy Florke, in March 2019. (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cGwen has proven to be a remarkable advocate for our students and our mission,\u201d he said. \u201cHer work on community engagement projects is always insightful and focused on moving work forward. Her partnership with our education department to prepare teachers of color for our public schools brings both her educational experience and her advocacy skills to bear on this critical effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her presence, Pribbenow said, is a model for the Augsburg community. Walz is unlike any other first lady in state history, with an office in the Capitol and a robust policy portfolio focused on education. Yet she keeps her faith in focus, and she\u2019s maintained a \u201cMinnesota nice\u201d that often emerges from the oven.<\/p>\n

\u201cFour days before the election, we took a bus around to various stops to thank people who worked on the campaign. I didn\u2019t have a speaking role at these stops, but I wanted to convey my personal thanks and honor their time and hard work,\u201d Walz said. \u201cI rolled up my sleeves and called all my volleyball moms and friends over to the residence, and we baked 1,400 gingersnaps from my grandmother\u2019s recipe and packaged them with a note from me. Small gestures matter, and I love sharing a bit of myself with others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walz said she hopes her personal approach to leadership shows students they can achieve professional success while also prioritizing family and faith. Those priorities brought her to Augsburg, and they will continue to drive her work for the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can fall into the trap of always wishing I could do more, give more, or be better. But I wake up each morning with devotions to center myself and acknowledge that I am doing what I can, with what I have, to the best of my ability,\u201d Walz said. \u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to be here now, working with Augsburg to help educate students to achieve their potential and\u2014together\u2014make a difference in this world.\u201d<\/p>\n

That is work worth doing, she said, and it\u2019s right in front of us.<\/p>\n

\n

Top image: Gwen Walz talks with the Augsburg community, January 2023 (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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