AUGUSTANA VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 2
The
THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF AUGUSTANA COLLEGE
40 Under 40
Spring 2015
VIEW FROM SUMMIT AVENUE
Remember that old cliché about a picture being worth a thousand words? That’s how I feel about the cover of this issue of The Augustana magazine. In the pages that follow, we celebrate 40 Augustana alumni under the age of 40 who are doing amazing things in communities near and far. They are teachers, doctors, lawyers, artists, pastors, leaders, service members, entrepreneurs and a dozen other titles – and they are unapologetic about their desire to build a brighter tomorrow. They each possess a refreshing sense of self-assuredness. They’ve identified their God-given gifts, honed their talents, and are now working to use those gifts and talents in service to others. They have each weathered storms in their lives and are wiser now because of them. It’s that earned wisdom that helps them understand the challenges ahead, while it’s their drive for innovation and their thirst for discovery that inspires them to try, and try, and try again. They have, without question, true grit. And so, when it came time to choose the artwork for the cover of this issue, this image of Rob Green, class of 2011, seemed like a perfect fit. A self-proclaimed adventure seeker, Rob has traveled the world in service to others. Along with his wife, Robyn (Clemensen) Green ’11, he has served in hospitals in developing nations, guided travelers through Central American jungles, and has worked tirelessly to show others the benefits of service, exploration and discovery. Rob Green is unapologetic. He is self-assured. He is wise. He has true grit. He embodies the spirit and determination of the alumni included in this issue. He’s the perfect fit for our cover.
ON THE COVER South Dakota native Rob Green ‘11 and his wife, Robyn (Clemensen) Green, also class of 2011, have built a life chasing each other around the planet – from working in operating rooms in developing countries to guiding in Central American jungles. Most recently, they were among the first people to circumnavigate the island of Martinique, located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, on stand-up paddleboards. Far away from all-inclusive resorts, the couple’s love of gritty travel has inspired them to show others that the most rugged places in the world are often home to those who have the most to teach. Learn more about the couple on page 22. Cover photo by Joel Thompson ‘11.
In so many ways, this issue is a symbolic representation of the many exciting things happening on campus today. As you’ll see in the pages that follow, and as you can read in the full interviews (posted online at www.augie.edu/magazine) so many of these alumni say favorite professors, meaningful courses and treasured experiences helped them form strong foundations in areas such as education, music, the natural sciences, art, religion, business, and many others. From the foundations they shaped at Augustana, these alumni planned their journey and charted their course for the future. On campus, we are planning a journey as well, charting a course for Augustana’s future. As many of you know, late last year we unveiled Horizons 2019, the strategic plan to lead Augustana through the next five years and beyond. It gives me great pleasure to share with you the five major goals of this plan: • Serve more students and foster their success. • Offer substantive and innovative educational experiences. • Cultivate strategic partnerships. • Steward human, physical and financial resources. • Pursue greater brand awareness. As you’ll see in this issue, we are already making progress on a number of these goals. New graduate programs in professional accountancy and genetic counseling are in development and we’re reaching exciting milestones in the Froiland Science Complex construction. In the coming months, we’ll share additional news and information relative to our work on other goals – all of which, we believe, possess the power to ensure a long and bright future for Augustana and its students. For now though, enjoy this issue! Yours, for Augustana, Rob Oliver, President
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THE AUGUSTANA The Augustana is published three times per year for alumni, parents and friends of Augustana College by the Office of Advancement. Send correspondence, name changes and address corrections to: The Augustana, 2001 S. Summit Ave., Sioux Falls, S.D. 57197 or via email at alumni@augie.edu.
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Visit the magazine online at augie.edu/magazine. Find more news about Augustana at augie.edu. Editor: Kelly Sprecher, Communications Co-Editor: Kaia Chambers, Communications Class Notes: Carolyn Cordie, Mary Toso ‘90 Contributors: Rob Oliver, President Bob Preloger, Vice President for Advancement Katie Foutz ‘00, Communications Bruce Conley, Sports Information Tim Evans, Sports Information
DEPARTMENTS OUR MISSION Inspired by Lutheran scholarly tradition and the liberal arts, Augustana provides an education of enduring worth that challenges the intellect, fosters integrity and integrates faith with learning and service in a diverse world.
View from Summit Avenue
Notes from the Green News From the Huddle Books In the Spotlight
OUR VISION
Alumni News
Augustana aspires to become one of America’s premier church-related colleges.
Navy & Gold Snapshots
CORE VALUES Central to the Augustana experience are five core values. The community lives them and honors them, and they infuse the academic curriculum as well as student life: Christian, Liberal Arts, Excellence, Community and Service.
FEATURES 4. 40 Under 40 Meet 40 of Augustana’s most amazing young alumni. They are innovative thinkers, ambitious entrepreneurs, creative masterminds, compassionate healers, and serviceminded men and women whose ideas are building stronger communities here and around the globe. And they’re only just getting started. 27. Short Stories Augustana’s Writer-in-Residence, Dr. Patrick Hicks, shares details about his latest work, a collection of short stories. 36. Writing History All the details about the best season in the 93-year-history of Augustana men’s basketball. 43. Taking Shape The latest construction updates on the new Froiland Science Complex.
CONNECT WITH US!
Augustana is an affirmative action, Title IX, equal opportunity institution. © Augustana College 2015
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AUGUSTANA MEN’S BASKETBALL
Historic Season
Fans and players celebrate after the Vikings won the NSIC championship game over MSU Moorhead on Tuesday, March 3, at the Sanford Pentagon. This season was a historic one for the Augustana men’s basketball team. The Vikings won a school record 31 games, finishing 31-3, and had a school record 19-game winning streak. Learn more on page 36.
Photo Credit: SPX Sports
Carrie Ammermann ‘04. Learn more about the 40 individuals in this feature and other Forward Under 40 Augustana alumni online at www.augie.edu/magazine.
Q. After graduation, you headed to the East Coast? A. I began my career as a designer at a local agency, Lawrence & Schiller. It didn’t take long, however, before the desire to work in the big leagues and affect consumers on a global level took hold. I wanted to do more than just make the work look pretty, I wanted to be the brains behind the idea that made the campaign succeed. So I packed what I could into the back of my car and headed to the East Coast to pursue a master’s degree in advertising from Virginia Commonwealth University.
Q. Best Augustana memory? A. When I was a freshman, my friends and I took several projectors from the library, hooked them up to my computer, arranged chairs in the interior layout of a Boeing 757, and simulated flights to Cancun and Hong Kong in the Bergsaker day room. The virtual excursions were complete with inflight movies and pizza. I still have my cardboard pilot’s wings! Q. Tell us about your journey after graduating from Augustana. A. After finishing my last math course at Augustana, I hopped into a Toyota Prius with my parents and all of my worldly possessions and drove to Boston to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. I’m now finishing my thesis that will mark the successful completion of my Master of Science in Transportation, with a focus in airline economics and operations research.
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“I credit taking philosophy courses at Augie for allowing me to peer into the processes I work with, scrutinize the underpinnings, and develop better models.” The journey has been both difficult and rewarding with plenty of coursework in economics and engineering. On top of that, I spend 20-40 hours a week researching at the MIT International Center for Air Transportation. My field of research is airline revenue management, and I conduct experiments and analysis on a wide range of topics, from joint cabin optimization, alliance revenue management, and demand driven dispatch. Demand driven dispatch and revenue management are the topics of my thesis; I am writing about coordinating between airlines’ aircraft scheduling processes and revenue management systems to put the right planes on the right flights and then charge the right fares for those flights.
Q. Greatest challenges of your current role? A. The greatest challenges of my current role are balancing my time and responsibilities and to make sure I practice sound analysis. I’ve got a host of projects and it is both difficult and entertaining to switch between them. For sound analysis, anyone who has attempted econometrics knows it’s messy work, and the optimal solutions to problems in operations research hinge on the applicability of the underlying assumptions. I credit taking philosophy courses at Augie for allowing me to peer into the processes I work with, scrutinize the underpinnings, and develop better models. Models are bad representations of reality, but often they are all that we have.
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Q. What happened next? A. I landed a coveted position at Goodby Silverstein in San Francisco as an art director working on clients such as Sprint, Haagen Dazs, Comcast and Hewlett Packard. After several years of cable-car commutes and sour dough lunches, I made the switch to Butler Shine Stern, a smaller creative-driven agency located in Sausalito, California, a 10-minute drive across the Golden Gate Bridge. There I collaborated on clients including MINI Cooper, Sorel, Priceline and RadioShack. Currently I work on a consulting basis for agencies around the city. I love the opportunity it’s given me to dig my fingers into countless projects as well as meet a lot of talented folks. Q. What’s an average day like? A. On most days I’ll spend time with a copywriter concepting ideas for a client assignment. From there, he/she crafts the messaging that will appear on the ad and I set off to make it look great. We’ll then take a completed project and present it to the client and from there, once approved, we move into production where we scout shoot locations, cast the talent and work with directors to bring the idea to life.
Q. Tell us about your journey after graduating from Augustana – first job, grad school, travel, etc. A. After graduating from Augustana, I was accepted into medical school at the University of North Dakota. I then went on to attend anesthesiology residency at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. Once I graduated, I stayed on faculty as a full time anesthesiologist, where I continue to practice.
Q. Favorite Augustana professor and why? A. If you are an English/ journalism major, there’s no way to pick a winning door in the hallway. The truth is that you’d want each one of them to rub off on you: Sandra Looney’s passion for life and literature, Jeffrey Miller’s authenticity, Janet Blank-Libra’s integrity, Debbie Hanson’s attention to detail, Patrick Hicks’ selfdiscipline, Cheryl Jackson’s vibrancy, and Nancy Dickinson’s professionalism. I continue to admire these individuals both as academic leaders and good people.
Q. Greatest challenges and best rewards of your role? A. The greatest challenges of my work might resemble those of other non-profits from finding ways to stretch budgets so that great ideas can be pursued as impactful projects or finding interested parties to establish partnerships for similar goals. At the American Coalition for Ethanol (ACE), we work with state and federal policymakers and agencies to help communicate the best interests for the future of the industry. It’s an exciting challenge to put the stepping stones in place so that the work you
share with your colleagues, members, and supporters is one that reflects long-term advances and not short-term fixes. The best rewards of my work are embedded in the people — their stories and their visions for the future are compelling. It’s amazing to think that working in an industry like ethanol, you’d learn about policy, environmental issues, rural development, innovation, and communication through the voices and experiences of men and women of every age occupying every role.
Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. My position at Loyola is fantastic. There really isn’t an “average” day for me. One of my areas of interest is regional anesthesia, so there are some days that I cover our Acute Pain Service doing blocks, peripheral nerve catheters, and epidurals. Other days I might be covering the Labor and Delivery Unit, working at our very busy ambulatory surgical center, or covering residents and CRNA’s in our main operating room. Other days I am in my office working on program directorship or doing research.
Q. Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? A. Our team in 2012 was recognized by the Wall Street Journal as one of the top 250 teams in the nation for units closed. Q. How did your time at Augustana help to ensure the College’s five core values remain central in your life? A. Everyone always asks me how I ended up in Sioux Falls from Phoenix. I believe everything happens for a reason. I had professors and coaches who embodied the values. When you’re surrounded by that type of culture, it is your responsibility to pass those values on. I believe my three short years at Augustana reinforced the type of person that I am today as a husband, father, and business owner.
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Q. Tell us about your journey after Augustana. A. I made the decision to attend graduate school to pursue my master’s in educational leadership. I found a program called the Summer Principals Academy, which was part of Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. It was here that I met Nina Safane, the founder and Head of School at the Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS) in Denver, Colorado. It’s the only all-girls charter school in Colorado, and
its mission is to empower young women through a movement-based approach to education. This means that girls are moving and exercising throughout the entire school day in order to increase their learning and self-confidence. Q. Tell us about your career. A. I am currently teaching 6th grade language arts at GALS as well as working to open up the boys version of GALS, which we are currently calling The Boys School of Denver, in
the Fall of 2016. While we aren’t opening for another year and a half, our request for proposal is due to the district soon. Thus, much time is being spent on this document, which goes into detail about nearly every aspect of our school, including curriculum, hiring, budget, mission, vision, etc. I am also already starting the hiring process, looking for a Dean of School Culture who will open up my school with me, and meeting with potential board members for The Boys School.
Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. My team covers the top 1,000 largest school districts in the country by enrollment, their school board elections and the candidates that run in them. Beyond the basic research, content creation and team coordination, we do original analysis into trends in these elections. In addition to being responsible for the planning and organization of our elections coverage, I also personally cover school board recall elections nationwide and volunteer on our website’s help chat service. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? A. Becoming part of a team that has great open communication, cares about one another and believes in being thoughtful public servants to our readers. 8
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Q. Tells us about your journey after graduation and life in California. A. After graduation, I found an internship at “Entertainment Tonight,” where I was able to work alongside Augustana’s own Mary Hart ‘72. It was so amazing to discuss her admirable career and also get some great advice on how to pursue my own hosting career in Hollywood. As my internship neared an end, I was fortunate enough to be asked to stay on as an employee for “Entertainment Tonight” and its sister show, “The Insider.” I landed a job as the personal assistant to the head wardrobe stylist for both shows. Eventually I decided to pursue other opportunities within the industry, and almost six years later, am still residing in Los Angeles. Since “Entertainment Tonight” and “The Insider,” I have had some wonderful experiences. Some of the highlights include: being a body double and stand-in for actress/singer Selena Gomez on Disney’s “Wizards of Waverly Place,” and having a guest star role on the Nickelodeon TV show “iCarly,” where I was also the stand-in for lead actress Miranda Cosgrove for six months. Following that opportunity, I was lucky enough to acquire another speaking role on the “iCarly” spin-off show “Sam and Cat” and also landed a role as the lead actress in a Mike Posner and Cris Cab music video for the song “Colors.” Other fun gigs include hosting a Nickelodeon Webshow, standing in for the lead actress on “The Mentalist,” appearing in commercials, modeling, and working on over 350 TV shows/movies alongside some of the biggest names in Hollywood.
Q. Favorite Augustana professor and why? A. It’s a three-way tie between Drs. Sandra Looney (English), Lansing Prescott (professor emeritus of biology), and Gary Earl (professor emeritus of chemistry). Dr. Looney taught me that “we know what we are, but know not what we may be.” Dr. Prescott helped me raise my expectations for myself and aspire to a career in medicine. Dr. Earl accomplished the impossible task of getting me to appreciate (and I dare say like) chemistry. Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. Every day is different, and that’s one of the things I love about it. Most days I’m in the operating room, but I also see patients in the clinic, the emergency department, and even before they are born, counseling parents when their child
has been diagnosed prenatally with a congenital malformation that may require surgery after birth. I also have the opportunity to teach surgical residents and medical students. Being involved in medical education helps keep the experience fresh and exciting, and certainly keeps me on my toes. I take care of patients with surgical needs from birth to adulthood, doing operations for appendicitis, hernias, cancers, congenital malformations, trauma, and also providing extracorporeal life support for patients with severe respiratory failure. Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. I have an interest in quality and safety initiatives in surgery. Our first obligation is to keep our patients safe from harm. Science has helped us make huge advancements in the treatments we can offer, but our commitment to safety and prevention of errors is equally important in our ability to save lives.
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Q. Any advice for a prospective or existing Augie student? A. A good liberal arts education can prepare you for anything you might want to accomplish in your career. Take advantage of your opportunities in college to take courses in disciplines that are outside your chosen field.
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Q. Best Augustana memory? A. Theatre. Acting in plays at Augustana gave me an opportunity to develop public speaking skills and to get to know other students I remain friends with to this day.
Q. Fill us in on life after Augustana. A. After graduation, I attended Iowa State University to pursue a master’s degree in architecture. The skills and knowledge I had gained at a liberal arts college like Augie helped me to really engage and understand all that is required to be a successful and responsible creator of environments. While there, I spent a month in Berlin working on urban planning and design along the river Spree that I think was very influential on my attitudes about the role of an architect in the planning of the larger city. After graduating from ISU, I married Rachael (Hoogendoorn) Kramer whom I had met and fallen in love with my senior year at Augustana. We both found jobs in Sioux Falls that same summer – she at St. Mary Elementary as the music teacher, and me as an intern architect at VanDeWalle Associates. There I made the transition from idealistic architecture student to realistic and successful architectural designer. In 2013, via some
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connections I’d made during an internship while at Augustana, I received an opportunity to work for a regionally prestigious firm doing much larger and intensive work based in Sioux Falls – TSP. Q. What’s an average day like? A. What’s great about being an architect is that there is no such thing as an average day. You aren’t always doing the same thing – which means it is never dull. I may spend my mornings in a project coordination meeting or two, do some research or coordination on another project, meet with a product representative over lunch (only if they’re buying), and in the afternoon work on construction documents for another project. Q. Best rewards of your current role? A. The best reward of my job is seeing something you imagined in your mind and drew on paper (or the computer) come to life and be built. Having only been in the business
three years, and given the amount of time construction takes, I haven’t had too many opportunities to see this, but when I get to follow a project through from programming or schematic design all the way to substantial completion, that is a great feeling. Q. Favorite professor and why? A. I think Steve Thomas (professor emeritus of art) had to be my favorite professor. He challenged a fundamental aspect of how I work. I had always been told to “work smarter, not harder” and that’s what I did in all I pursued before college. However, it was Steve who made me realize that sometimes, working harder is smarter – especially when it comes to art. The element of time can reveal so much, but you have to be willing to work hard and put in that time – and that’s what I was missing in a lot of my work. Someone who can teach you a lesson like that, about something so fundamental – you can’t help but respect them.
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Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. I’m an energy and environmental lobbyist at one of the largest law firms in the world. I tend to represent companies and organizations that are involved with cutting edge research, development, and deployment of better and more environmentally friendly technologies. Every day is a new challenge to work through, and at the end of the day, I’ve helped mold public policies that will benefit the country for a generation or more. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? A. In January, I was elected by my fellow members of the State Board of Education to serve as president of the board. Washington, D.C., has nearly 225 public and public-charter school campuses serving almost 83,000 students, many of whom are disadvantaged in one way or another. Serving on the board, and specifically as president of the board, allows me to do my part to make the city a better place, and to ensure the next generation of Washingtonians is ready to act as global citizens.
Q. Tell us about your journey after graduating from Augustana – first job, grad school, travel, etc.? A. I started working for U.S. Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) in the fall of 2002 as part of his first U.S. Senate race. After graduating in 2003, I worked on the Bush-Cheney 2004 reelection campaign before re-joining Senator Thune’s team in January 2005. I thought it would just be a few short years in Washington before returning to South Dakota, but 10 years later, I have a great job that allows me stay connected to South Dakota and a loving wife who does not mind the long hours and travel to and from the state.
Q. What’s your average day like? A. My day-to-day work life varies quite a bit — that’s one of the reasons why I love my job. I work with lots of different clients throughout the year, helping them with financial statement requirements either for bank loans, investor needs or just for internal use. My job as an auditor is to provide a skeptical review of a company’s financial statements and ensure that they appropriately represent the company’s financial position and operations. This consists of working with staff that I manage, as well as partners that manage me, and visiting clients’
office to speak with them and review information. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment so far? A. I’ve moved up through the ranks of the firm pretty quickly. I’m the youngest senior manager in my office. While titles aren’t that important to me, I’m happy that my hard work and success are being recognized by my company and I’m looking forward to continuing to contribute to the success of my firm and the success of my clients. Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. My goal is to become a partner in my accounting firm so I’ll continue to
work toward that. In the meantime, I’m looking forward to continuing to help my clients navigate their financial issues.
Q. What’s an average day like? A. There’s never a dull moment managing two staffs and working for a U.S. Senator. The schedule is largely dictated by the legislative calendar. Votes start on the Senate floor on Monday and usually wrap up by Thursday evening or Friday morning. Throughout the week we juggle staff and constituent meetings, committee hearings, floor speeches, amendments while pushing forward bills and amendments that are important to South Dakota. The average day starts early and usually lasts well into the night, but when you enjoy what you do, it hardly feels like work.
Q. What’s given you the greatest personal satisfaction since graduating from Augie? And why? A. When I graduated, I promised myself I would travel internationally every year until I had kids. I really believe that travel opens your eyes and it’s amazing to see how people around the world live. I was able to keep that promise to myself and have travelled a variety of places, including China, Brazil, Greece, Mexico, and a few other tropical beach locations.
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Q. You’re from Clark, South Dakota. How did you end up choosing to come to Augustana? A. Great reputation and was/is the best school within the state of South Dakota. I might be biased. Within the first hour of my campus visit, I knew it’s where I wanted to attend. Q. Favorite class and why? A. I loved my marketing classes. Whether it’s a church or a business, it was powerful to think about communicating a message and how it connects with people. Q. Tell us about life after Augustana. A. After Augie, I went on to attend Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky, where I received my master’s of divinity. After graduating, I moved back to Sioux Falls with my family where I started a church called Embrace in September of 2006. Eight years later, Embrace is now made up of four 12
“It’s brainstorming ideas around small groups or the next event. It’s praying with someone going through a trial. It’s working on the message for the upcoming Sunday. It’s anything but boring. I love what I do.” campuses with more than 2,900 people joining us for worship on any given Sunday. Our newest campus, the Summit Avenue Campus, is located right across the street from Augustana at Sioux Falls Seminary. Q. In your role, what’s an average day like? A. Every day is different. Often it’s spent connecting with a person who’s started attending Embrace. It’s brainstorming ideas around small groups or the next event. It’s praying with someone going through a trial. It’s working on the message for the upcoming Sunday. It’s anything but boring. I love what I do. The AUGUSTANA
Q. Tell us about the greatest challenges and best rewards of your current role. A. Seeing God change lives. Seeing a broken person, marriage, family being made whole. Seeing people who wanted nothing to do with church coming to know the Lord. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? A. In 2013 and 2014, Embrace was listed as one of the fastest growing churches in America according to Outreach Magazine. Both years I was recognized as the youngest senior pastor on the list.
Q. Tell us about your job – describe an average day. A. In an average day, I usually work with a couple of staff members before the students arrive. One never knows if an early morning weather decision looms or if a substitute will need to be found. I try to make an effort to greet students coming off the buses. I teach one social studies class to 6th graders as a way to stay connected with students and teaching. Each day can bring a variety of different opportunities and challenges, but in a typical day I visit classrooms, work on staff evaluations and prepare for meetings, as well as for the occasional late night board and committee meeting.
Q. Greatest professional accomplishment so far? A. I have been thankful to have facilitated the start of a preschool program early on in my career, and recent accomplishments have been the ongoing task of redefining and growing a special education department and progressing through a recent $3 million building expansion project, which is nearing completion. Q. Best memory from your time at Augustana? A. The amount of people I got to meet and information I learned while campaigning for ASA vice president was quite an experience. Choir tours (Italy, German, Ireland) were great memories as well!
Q. A foundation for life at Augustana begins with our five core values – Christian Faith, Liberal Arts, Excellence, Community and Service. How did your time at Augustana help to ensure those values remain central in your life? A. My time at Augie helped me to realize that getting to be part of an organization with similar values is worth more than the amount of the paycheck. I am very thankful that I can apply Augie’s values to decisions I make in leading a Christian school.
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Q. Tell us about your journey after Augustana. A. After graduation, I started in human resources at Wells Fargo. I loved it. I managed our recruitment program for retail banking. I was able to go to college campuses, engage with external organizations, and do some outstanding work in diversity and inclusion to build a pipeline and create a diverse workforce at Wells Fargo. [After finishing my MBA] I really wanted to explore and find how else I could contribute in a new way. By September of 2008, I was in Minneapolis working for Target Corporation as a human resources business partner. After a few years in that role, I was really interested in leading a team. As an HR professional, I was helping leaders lead and develop teams every day, but had never had the first hand experience. After some reflection, I decided it was time to make the move into the business to lead a team and pick up some of the best experience I have ever had. I led a very visible global crisis management team at Target. I led 12 people in Minneapolis and had responsibility for crisis response for the entire globe, wherever Target was doing business. After that role I was asked to lead a team in investigations operations responsible for process and procedures for 12 National Investigation Centers. We implemented a number of changes in the first 12 months, pulling all 12 sites onto a common operating model. It was helpful to streamline and gain some consistency and efficiency in our operations of store based theft. Most recently, I decided to rejoin my passion in HR in the diversity and inclusion space working as a global diversity and inclusion manager for U.S. Bank headquartered in Minneapolis. I have been in that role for eight months.
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Q. You were an English major at Augie. Tell us about your journey after graduation. A. When I graduated, I did something I couldn’t have predicted: I bought a (rather expensive) bike and rode the recently mapped Great Divide Mountain Bike trail with the guy who’s now my husband. It led to my first job – as a writer/editor with a small publishing company in the mountain town of Driggs, Idaho – and a valuable confidence that my life was mine to make. Living in the eclectic communities of the Mountain West led us to entrepreneurship here in the Midwest. We founded a grass-fed beef company, Grass Run Farms. Our products appear throughout the Midwest, on Amazon, and on both Coasts under private labels. Q. What’s your official job title? A. I call myself “chief technician” because I’ve learned a little about a lot of aspects of business development and management. Also, we realized in hindsight that entrepreneurialism requires both vision
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(my husband’s skill set) and determinedness to figure stuff out and make the daily happen (mine). These days, our team has grown so that I don’t move fence (see image) except on bluebird, photogenic days or to show my daughter something hands-on and practical. I’m happily back to being a writer and editor who grazes marketing, product development, and business strategy. Q. What’s an average day like? A. I do what everyone else my age does – I get myself and my family where we need to go, and then I organize my day by putting out fires in my inbox and looking ahead to how I can do my best work while accessing colleagues. I spend about half my time writing or analyzing various things for the business (across media and for both internal and external audiences) and half my time on independent writing projects, including a journal, “Just because, I said,” and assignments (see kristinejepsen.com).
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Q. What’s given you the greatest personal satisfaction since graduation day? A. Building an actual something that employs other talented, interesting folks -- and growing into my own skin along the way. I find being my best self – professionally, personally (most of the time!) – is wildly worthwhile, and I love the community it reveals around me.
Q. Tell us about life after Augie. A. After I graduated from Augie, I took graduate classes and worked in a laboratory at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine Department of Basic Biomedical Sciences. Our lab focused on synaptic neuroplasticity, the effects of exercise on neurogenesis in the hippocampus, and learning and memory. I then enrolled in the Accelerated Bachelor in Nursing Program through South Dakota State University and completed my BSN in August of 2003. Upon completion of my BSN, I worked as a registered nurse in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sanford Medical Center (then Sioux Valley Hospital). I began my graduate studies in 2005, and graduated from Mount Marty College Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesia in 2008. After graduating, I was on staff at Avera McKennan Hospital as a CRNA. In September of 2010, I made
Q. Favorite Augustana professor? A. Dr. Gary Earl (professor emeritus of chemistry). Dr. Earl taught me how to better believe in myself and abilities. He made it clear he believed in me and my abilities, so why couldn’t I? I think of conversations with him frequently that go back to when I was a sophomore taking “Organic Chemistry.” Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. I don’t have many average days, which I love. Three days a week I see patients at our primary vision care clinic, Dakota Vision Center. Patients range from infants to the elderly. I manage both ocular disease and common refractive conditions, along with assessing patient’s visual systems to determine if visual skills, beyond eyesight, are delayed. If so, I will begin the conversation about vision therapy. Two days a week I see patients at the Center for Visual Learning, our vision therapy practice
a change and joined the anesthesia department at Sanford Medical Center, where I continue to work full time. Q. Tell us about your job. A. I have the most fulfilling and challenging job as a nurse anesthetist. Each day I have the privilege of meeting and caring for incredible patients, many of whom are in the midst of the most difficult and scariest times of their lives. I often meet their spouses, children, extended families and friends. The operating room is a special place where every person in that suite is focused on one main goal, and that is caring for that particular patient with all of our abilities. On any given day I may be doing anesthesia for trauma, obstetrics, pediatrics, cardiothoracic, robotics, head and neck surgery, orthopedics, and a multitude of cases in other specialties.
that I started after joining Dakota Vision Center. I may do a visual efficiency exam on a new patient, therapy with a patient, have a consult with parents to discuss starting therapy for their son/ daughter, or perform progress evaluations on patient’s currently in therapy. Q. Greatest challenge and best reward of your current role? A. By far the best reward in my work is seeing the success stories of patients and their families after going through vision therapy. The visual system plays such an enormous role in the learning process, and it’s always reflected in the success stories we see. Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. To continue educating the community on vision therapy – what it is, who may benefit, and the research behind it. I’m currently working on earning my fellow from the College of Optometrists in Vision Development as well. The AUGUSTANA
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Q. Tell us about your job – what’s an average day like? A. No two days are alike! I work with high school age students with a variety of mental health conditions, substance abuse issues, and behavioral challenges. I tutor all academic subjects and teach social skills, anger management, and other independent living skills. My goal is for all my students to rise above their circumstances and do something with their lives, not just live as helpless victims who constantly blame others. Q. Best rewards of your current role? A. Watching students I’ve worked with for four and five years walk across the stage at graduation. And, listening to my seniors mentor my freshmen about their choices and regrets, instilling their wisdom of how they wish they had done things differently when they were younger.
Q. Tell us about your journey after graduating from Augustana. A. After graduation, I continued to work in Tea, South Dakota, at the manufacturing shop where I was employed during my college career. I wasn’t ready for the classic “desk job” or traditional Monday through Friday, 8–5 schedule. One of my co-workers was on the fire department in Sioux Falls and recommended applying. I had always assumed that firefighting required a job-specific education program, but this was not the case. I began my career with Sioux Falls Fire Rescue on April 1, 2002. Q. In your role, what’s an average day like? A. On a daily basis I work with another battalion chief to coordinate the staffing, training, and
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emergency response of ten fire stations. The most exciting aspect of my current role is that I am actively involved in discussions and decisions that will shape our department’s future. I thrive on developing new solutions to more efficiently handle the challenges that we face. My current responsibilities are to oversee the department’s development and implementation of emergency response to large-scale incidents including natural and man-made disasters, active shooter scenarios, and mass casualty incidents. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? A. I feel my greatest professional accomplishment thus far was becoming a captain. In the fire service, the captain is referred to as the initial company
Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. I feel that being in the trenches, with the kids every day, is where I can be the most effective to promote change in their lives. I attend conferences and take classes to keep up with the newest trends, but see myself staying in the classroom for a long time to come.
officer. In Sioux Falls, it means you are responsible for a fire truck, a fire apparatus operator, and two firefighters. As a rule of thumb, the fire department doesn’t show up until someone is having a bad day — in some cases the worst day of their lives. The first-arriving fire truck is the first step in making that situation better.
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Q. What’s an average day at work like for you? A. An average day changes depending on the time of year. Currently, I conduct training workouts with my volleyball athletes on a daily basis. I am busy during this time of year recruiting future Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) Tigers. I will send emails, texts, letters, call potential student athletes, and attend as many tournaments and practices as possible to see as many high school athletes play. In the fall, my days are mainly filled with practice and match preparation. We are in the NAIA’s Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) and we will have two-to-three matches a week and travel for some of those matches, so there is a lot of prep work with that as well. Recruiting is always a priority and I travel to see high school athletes during their high school season. All year long, a coach’s number one concern is the well-being of their student athletes. I am constantly checking grades, making sure they are getting to class, and making good, healthy choices in life.
Q. What’s an average day at work like for you? A. Depending on the time of year, an average day can change dramatically. I spend the majority of my time with our current roster of players either on the court or meeting with them individually or as a group. Recruiting is a 365-day-of-the-year aspect of the job, so there is constant activity whether it is contacting, watching, or visiting with prospective student-athletes.
Q. Greatest challenge and best reward? A. The greatest challenge is balancing my family’s schedules. Having two college coaches in the home can be interesting at times when you have four children that also have needs. We are busy, busy, busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. Both of our mothers are retired now and help when needed. The best reward is watching your student athletes succeed and not just in the sport they play.
Q. Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? A. This year we won the GPAC conference and qualified for the national tourney where we won four straight games to make it to the national championship game. It was an amazing run. I also had the honor of being named NAIA National Coach of the Year. Overall, I have the opportunity to work with and coach great kids and people. Seeing those kids develop and succeed is about as good as it gets for me in every role I have had.
Q. Greatest challenge and best reward? A. It’s only my second year here at DWU, but the toughest challenge I think will be starting over every year with a new group and trying to move in the right direction. On the same hand though, the best reward is working with the group of young men here and watching them grow individually and as a team. I have a great benefit of being a part of “goosebump” moments as a basketball coach when you see a team truly excelling together.
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Q. Describe your journey after graduating from Augustana – first job, grad school, travel, etc. A. I started working as a jailer for the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office before graduation. Soon after graduation, I was hired by the Nebraska State Patrol. I attended the training academy in Lincoln, Nebraska, and upon graduation was stationed in Norfolk, Nebraska. I have been with the state patrol in Norfolk ever since. Q. What’s an average day like? A. Every day is different. Normally my main duty is traffic enforcement, but this can lead to many different things. I also do some investigations of crashes and some criminal cases.
Q. Tell us about your journey after graduation – first job, grad school, travel, etc.? A. After graduation, I went to Europe for a month to visit my host family and friends in Germany. I started at Luther Seminary the fall after May graduation. I was in Minnesota for the four years of my seminary education, after which I was ordained and accepted a call in rural North Dakota.
Q. Favorite class at Augustana and why? A. I had several favorites, but one of my religion classes that I took as a freshman sticks out. Dr Richard Swanson was teaching us about interpretation, so we read and watched different versions of the Cinderella story. That was the class where I really learned to think outside the box and how to debate while remaining deeply respectful of others and their opinions.
Q. Challenges and rewards of your role? A. I think my greatest challenge is the need to meet so many people across a large area, but I have been blessed to meet intelligent, generous people who invite me into their lives. I love watching people learn more about and grow into their faith, whether they are five or 85 years old.
Q. Any advice for future or current Augustana students? A. Have fun and be involved in as many school activities as you can. This is the most fun time of your life and the friends you make now will last a lifetime. Q. Favorite class and why? A. All of my sociology classes taught by Dr. Sue Schrader. She was very downto-earth and easy to talk to. She made learning fun.
Q. Tell us about your journey after Augustana. A. After Augustana, I continued my education at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. I received my master’s in piano performance and pedagogy. The real world ended up taking me to the Northeast to one of the most famous community music schools in the nation. It was there I was granted a teaching position at The New School for Music Study located in Princeton, New Jersey. I teach private and group piano lessons and love every minute of it. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment thus far? A. Having one of my students chosen to play at Carnegie Hall. Seeing the joy that brought a 12-year-old was so rewarding. 18
Q. What are the best rewards of your current role? A. The best reward would be going home, knowing that you did something to make the roads safer and making your area a better place for families to live.
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Q. Favorite class at Augustana and why? A. English 110 with Dr. Sandra Looney. Her passion for all things was contagious, and that passion still feeds a part of me today. Q. Tell us about your journey after graduation. A. Following Augustana, I had the great opportunity to be a part of an intense summer vocal arts program in Europe, where I had the chance to work with and learn from some amazing musicians. Upon returning, I had the pleasure of sharing my love for music by working at Westminster Presbyterian Church as Director of Worship and Music. Following my time at Westminster, I focused on building a private voice and piano studio and my own vocal endeavors. I’ve had the opportunity of building a great studio, singing with The South Dakota Chorale, singing for a great local church, and pursuing my masters degree in music. This past year has also given me a great
“No two days are the same during my given week. Depending on the day, it can be filled with teaching at my private studio, graduate classes, graduate teaching, rehearsals, and blog writing.”
opportunity to become more personally involved with the mission of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “Breathe Bravely,” a blog chronicling my own journey with Cystic Fibrosis, has presented many incredible opportunities and has brought about some of the most meaningful relationships in my life. Q. Describe an average day. A. The beauty of my life lies in the potential for every day to be new and different. No two days are the same during my given week. Depending on the day, it can be filled with teaching at my private studio, graduate classes, graduate teaching, rehearsals, and blog writing. Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. I will finish my master’s degree in music in May
and continue to build my private music studio. Also, I hope to continue to be a strong and encouraging advocate for the Cystic Fibrosis community through the premise of Breathe Bravely. The future is filled with great potential whether it be in music, teaching, blogging, or fighting for all those impacted by CF.
Q. What’s an average day like? A. In this job, no two days are exactly alike. In any given week I might be giving a presentation in Spanish to a group of high school students in Latin America, conducting a Skype interview with a Vietnamese candidate for admission from my office, designing a new marketing strategy for an African market, analyzing a European country for its recruitment potential, strategizing how to most effectively use our travel time and resources, trying to convince an admitted student from the tropics about the virtues of studying in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in January, or working with a sponsoring organization that manages exchange programs on behalf of the U.S. State Department or a foreign country like Saudi Arabia or Brazil. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment so far? A. It would have to be the fact that we have managed to quadruple the number of international students at Augustana since 2009. I take pride in contributing to the visible change in terms of the diversity that you’ll see at Augustana if you haven’t been to campus for a few years – as well as in the growth of the College’s capacity to properly support and advise this unique cohort of students.
Q. What’s given you the greatest personal satisfaction since graduation? A. My greatest personal satisfaction is a journey that continues to evolve. It is something that I believe lives with me daily and is a reflection of the amazing relationships that have impacted me, the experiences I’ve had, and the future that is filled with endless possibility.
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Q. Describe your journey after Augustana. A. After graduating from Augie, I attended graduate school at Penn State University where I earned my Ph.D. in kinesiology (emphasis in exercise physiology). I spent one additional year at Penn State as a postdoctoral research associate before landing my first “real job” at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). At UIC, I was a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition for seven years where I taught, mentored and advised students and performed research. In 2010, I returned to Sioux Falls when I accepted my current position with Sanford Health. Q. What’s an average day like? A. I’m fortunate to wear many different hats in my current position, so no two days are the same. My responsibilities are focused in the broad areas of athletic health and performance research, program development, and education / outreach. Ironically, as a sports scientist,
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I spend the majority of my day writing, planning and communicating while sitting in front of my computer. However, I also work closely with many talented sports medicine professionals and scientists on a variety of projects. Meeting with them gives me much needed breaks away from my desk. Q. What’s been your greatest professional accomplishment so far? A. I have had the opportunity to teach, advise and mentor dozens of students who have gone on to graduate or professional school, and hundreds more who have excelled in their post-collegiate careers. Whatever small role I had in preparing these students for success and helping them to make a difference in the lives of the people they serve is my greatest professional accomplishment. Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. Innovation and discovery. I am leading a number of exciting research studies that
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are starting to reveal some very interesting findings; but we’re just scratching the surface. I’m eager to continue these projects and make new discoveries that can have a meaningful impact on sports medicine and athletic performance. Q. Favorite Augie professor and why? A. I had too many great professors at Augie to single out one. Collectively, the faculty in the biology department was first class across the board.
Q. After Augustana, what happened next? A. After I left Augie, I attended law school at the University of Virginia School of Law. Following graduation, I took a job at a large law firm in Chicago. I practiced in Chicago for five years and moved back to Sioux Falls in 2008 to take a position at Davenport, Evans, Hurwitz & Smith, LLP, where I have practiced since. Q. What’s an average day like? A. I am a commercial litigator. My average day involves communicating with multiple clients and strategizing with them on the most efficient and costeffective way to bring their dispute to an end so they can get back to focusing on their business. If we can’t resolve it, then we have to take the case to trial.
Q. Favorite class and why? A. This is going to sound crazy but, “Cost Accounting.” I love seeing how much one unit of something costs to produce with both indirect and direct expenses – things like that intrigue me! Q. Tell us about your journey after graduation. A. I did an internship my senior year at Eide Bailly, a public accounting firm, and continued on there for my first job out of college. I stayed in public accounting for a few years before
going to private accounting at Hegg Companies. In the spring of 2011 I came to Posh Boutique full-time. Q. Describe an average day. A. No two days are the same in retail! I often work the sales floor all day while also completing financials, forecasting, inventory control, vendor relations, managing employees, etc. Q. Challenges and rewards of your current role? A. The greatest challenge is forecasting what sizes,
colors, etc., of clothing and accessories that will meet women’s needs. The best reward is helping a customer feel good about themselves in a new outfit – the smile and the confidence they display is priceless! Q. Greatest professional accomplishment so far? A. In June 2012, we were featured on elle.com as one of the top 50 boutiques in the U.S. Being recognized on a national level was definitely a “pinch me” moment.
Q. Greatest reward of your current role? A. Successfully resolving a case for my firm’s clients. Nothing makes me feel more professionally fulfilled than orchestrating a favorable result for a deserving client. Q. Any advice for students? A. Augie may not be located on either coast, but don’t let that fool you into thinking you could be getting a better education somewhere else. I had people from Harvard, Stanford, Princeton and Yale in my first-year law school section and never once did I feel like their college education had better prepared them for the challenges of law school. The education you receive at Augie is world-class; don’t let anyone tell you differently.
Q. Favorite Augustana professor and why? A. A tough choice. Dr. Sandra Looney (English) once had me rewrite a paper 10 times, and I learned something with every rewrite. She knows how to push students to their full potential. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment so far? A. Helping take an old abandoned power plant and turning it into a working sustainable energy source was a great experience. When I started, the place was inhabited by wildlife. When I left, it was a smooth operating facility. The AUGUSTANA
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Q. Favorite Augustana professor and why? A. Dr. Reynold Nesiba (Economics). I only had him for one class – a spring break trip and accompanying class to Nicaragua, but I also knew him from the Augustana Coalition for Social Justice and he was my group faculty mentor when I was a New Student Orientation (NSO) leader. Dr. Nesiba really helped me to look at the world through a different lens and pursue my passion for social justice. Plus, he always makes me, and most people he encounters, laugh! Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. One thing I love about my job is that there really isn’t an average day. Yesterday I spent the day writing a grant and putting together a training for our multi-disciplinary team. Today I was interviewed on a local talk show and met with a potential funder. Tomorrow I am covering for a staff member who is out and I will be conducting a few forensic interviews. Q. Best reward of your role? A. It may sound cliché, but the reason I stick with this work is because I know that it does help child victims of abuse. I have interviewed kids and had them tell me truly awful stories and when we finish I ask how they are doing and they tell me what a relief it is to finally tell someone. That brings me joy knowing that they can begin their process of healing.
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Q. Tell us about life after Augustana. A. Rob: To help pay for college, I started a small martial arts school and worked there throughout my entire time at Augie. Since then, it’s grown into a much larger venture with over 200 students and eight staff. It’s allowed me the freedom to pursue many other passions that help to keep me engaged and searching. Rob & Robyn: Since graduation, we have worked with Operation Smile, a cleft lip and palate medical organization that provides surgeries in over 65 countries. Our wilderness and medical training prompted the guiding organization Lifeworks to offer us the chance to lead groups in Central America. Through our guidework, we met an explorer out of the UK named Dave Cornthwaite and got involved with doing full expedition travel with his foundation, Say Yes More.
a patient care assistant at Sanford Health. I learn so much from the new things I set out to do.
Q. What’s an average day like? A. Robyn: In 2012, I decided to seek a position where I could be stateside more often than not and took a position at Vance Thompson Vision in Sioux Falls. For me, every day is a bit different. In the summertime we guide students in Costa Rica with Lifeworks International, and the rest of the year I split my time between doing research at Vance Thompson Vision and working as
Q. Any advice for Augustana students? A. Rob: I’ve had people tell me to be fearless in pursuing my goals. That’s insane. There are plenty of things worth fearing in the world. Instead, practice courage. Learning to manage fear often shows you where your real priorities lie: Are you more afraid of the risks that come with chasing your goals or are you more afraid of living a life of mediocrity?
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Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. Rob: I can only assume a wide variety of things. We’ll keep expanding our programs at the martial arts school, improving our guiding credentials with more certifications and experience, and expanding our horizons with new expeditions to undertake. A. Robyn: My experience with Operation Smile, along with my constant yearning to learn has led me to explore a career in the medical field. After all of the medical missions abroad I find myself called to care for those in need. I’m currently enrolled in an EMT course through Avera McKennan Hospital and plan to begin graduate school in the medical field in 2016.
Photo courtesy of Opera Omaha
Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. When I am not traveling for gigs and auditions, I teach voice lessons full time. I have about 30 students studying with me weekly, ages 12-adult. Not only does my “day job” give me a stable income, teaching students to sing is my passion. Since I am self-employed, it also gives me the flexibility to travel for performances. When I am at home teaching, I spend my mornings practicing piano, researching repertoire, writing, and practicing.
Daniel Welch Photography
Q. After Augustana, what happened next? A. I left Augustana with a plan to continue my education at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. At UMKC, I earned a master’s of music degree in voice performance. It was at UMKC that I found my place in the opera world! I consider my first mainstage debut to be Gretel in Hänsel and Gretel with Opera Omaha in 2011.
Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. I will be singing the soprano solo in the “Brahms Requiem” at the Lied Center in Lawrence, Kansas, this spring. My first time performing this work was with The Augustana Choir in collaboration with the South Dakota Symphony, so this will bring back some great musical memories. Another highlight will be singing Wanda in Offenbach’s “The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein” with the Wichita Grand Opera in October.
Q. Tell us about life after Augustana. A. Back home in 2000, I applied for different journalism jobs for about three months until I got a job at the local paper, Laagendalsposten in Kongsberg. I have been there since, but I have not felt “stuck”. Luckily, my boss has given me the chance and trust to try different positions within the paper. From being “just” a journalist, I became an assignment editor for about four years. Then I became the first culture editor at the paper, and made the culture section to what it is today. Three years ago I became the assignment editor with the responsibility for both the paper and online editions, but then we restructured the editorial staff because of the major changes to the digital future. I became the online editor two years ago. Then, a year ago, I got the chance of a temporary journalism job at my home island. Ever since I came home after my U.S. years, I´ve had a dream to work in the area I was born. My current job is in a small weekly paper, with a staff of just three people: the editor and two journalists. I got a year of absence from Laagendalsposten, and started at Øyene last summer as an all-round journalist and chief editor when the real one is on vacation. It was quite a culture shock coming from a daily to a weekly paper – and with so few coworkers. But it has so far been a great experience, and a dream come true. I will be back as the online editor at Laagendalsposten in the summer, with exciting challenges.
Q. A foundation for life at Augie begins with our five core values – Christian Faith, Liberal Arts, Excellence, Community and Service. How do those values remain central in your life? A. The core values have remained central in my life because the people I met at Augie that demonstrate those values are still influencing me today. That impact inspires me to lead, create, and better myself and my community here in Kansas.
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Q. Tell us about life after Augustana. A. After graduating in 2010, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to continue my football career abroad. I moved to Germany for eight months, where I competed in the highest German division. After my football career was over, I accepted my first job as a financial analyst for IBM. I spent two years working for IBM before moving on to my current role as a business analyst for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
Q. Favorite Augustana professor and why? A. Dr. Ryan Sougstad (Business). Not only were his courses applicable to my career path, Dr. Sougstad also was extremely flexible with my schedule during my early internships and my first full-time position at Raven my senior year. He created a custom curriculum for one of his courses that allowed me to use real projects as my examples for various assignments. His generosity and willingness to work around my situation allowed me to graduate on-time with my classmates, while also working full time at Raven. Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. I’m responsible for all of the IT operations within Raven Industries. I manage the service desk, infrastructure, and software development teams. Raven has three different business units, so my goal is to understand the IT priorities for the
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“I manage the service desk, infrastructure, and software development teams.” organization, and ensure our team is focused on the highest impact projects for Raven. An average day for me involves attending various meetings with the business units and teams within IT – primarily focused on aligning our IT projects with the goals of the company. Q. Greatest professional accomplishment so far? A. I am one of the youngest directors in the company, which has been a truly challenging and rewarding experience. I was also given the exciting opportunity to work with Google, on behalf of Raven, with our Project Loon efforts. Project Loon is Google’s audacious goal to provide internet access to the entire globe through Stratospheric balloons; provided by Raven.
Q. Tell us about your family. A. My wife Mackenzie (Augustana nursing grad, class of 2012), stays at home with our three awesome children: Amelia (5), Bennett (3) and Claire (1). Q. What’s given you the greatest personal satisfaction since graduating from Augie? And why? A. Raising my family. I am continually amazed by the joys and challenges of being a parent. It has helped me grow both personally and professionally, and has defined who I am today. I owe a lot of this to my wife, Mackenzie, who has been extremely supportive since graduation. She dove head-first into being a professional mom.
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Q. Talk about the rewards and challenges of your current role. A. The greatest challenge of my current role is fully grasping the complexities of a volatile gaming industry. The greatest reward has to be working on projects with various departments such as entertainment, marketing, and the casino. Also, the free work perks of attending championship boxing events to seeing some of my favorite artists and comedians perform such as Kevin Hart, Iggy Azalea, Kendrick Lamar, Bruno Mars, and The Black Keys. Q. What’s given you the greatest personal satisfaction since graduating from Augie? And why? A. Helping teach and coach high school football at my alma mater. Watching the kids improve and develop confidence throughout the season, and knowing I played a part in their growth, was more gratifying than a lot of my personal accomplishments.
Q. After graduation, what happened next? A. I backpacked in Europe for about three months following graduation in May of 2012. When I returned, I moved out to Portland, Oregon. Whatever fit in my car made the move! I found a place on Craigslist and was kindly gifted a bike from a friend of a friend once I arrived. I worked at a local outdoor store, Next Adventure, for about a month to pay the rent while I made frequent trips out to the Nike campus to meet people for coffee, trying to soak in as much information and advice as possible. The stars soon aligned, and I was offered a contracted position in Global Digital Commerce, supporting three members
on the leadership team. It was a great learning opportunity and place to start, and still today, the people that are/were on that team are some of my favorite people at Nike and are incredible mentors for me. I was in that position for about 10 months before I was offered a permanent position in my current role. Q. Tell us about your role – what’s an average day like? A. Every day is different! In the world that I work in now, Monday is an important day for analyzing the business (stores and .com) from the previous week, and the remaining days of the week can be all over the place. At any given time, we are usually working on
and thinking about four (retail) seasons. We are currently in summer ’15, will soon be hind-sighting the spring ’15 season, ordering our assortment for holiday ‘15 and starting preparation for fall ‘15. On an average day outside of the job, I go for a run in the morning and rock climb or attend a yoga class at lunch. The sport facilities on campus are amazing! Nike places a lot of trust in its employees to design and manage our own schedules. At the end of the day/week or come deadline, it is our responsibility to have our work done. How and when we decide to get it done is mostly up to us. I really value that trust and autonomy.
Q. Tell us about your career – what’s an average day like? A. If I could have written a blue print of my career expectation many years ago, I would not have shot high enough. I love what I do. I get to meet and interact with people with every kind of background. I have a great staff that I work with, but it is the patients that I see on a daily basis that make going to work every day fun. Q. What’s next for you professionally? A. I am excited about the future. Like everything, dentistry is a constantly evolving field. Just as I used to consider myself a student of the sport of wrestling, I take the same approach to dentistry. If you aren’t committed to lifelong learning, you are not staying up to date with the times. There are always better and more efficient ways to do things, and I am excited about upcoming continuing dental education so I can better my career and ultimately give my patients a better experience.
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NEWS FROM THE HUDDLE
Augustana to Offer Master’s Degree in Professional Accountancy Augustana has announced plans to offer a new master’s degree in professional accountancy. The program is designed as a four-plusone degree and will prepare students to enter the accounting industry. The first three years of the program will be spent working at the undergraduate level with the fourth year designed as a transitional year with some graduate-level coursework. Students will spend their fifth year working at the graduate level. In addition to coursework, internship experiences are woven into the new program’s curriculum. The objective of the new program, College officials say, is to provide the foundation students will need to apply theories of accounting to real-world experiences; to develop in-depth knowledge of current issues within the accounting industry; to appreciate and understand codifications for the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB); and to demonstrate advanced skills in critical thinking. Students will also be able to choose from a variety of accounting electives that will provide them with specific skills sought by today’s employers Augustana’s Master of Arts degree in professional accountancy is designed to meet the requirements of the Certified Professional Accountant licensing exam in South Dakota and in most other states. Laura Hybertson, CPA and assistant professor of business administration, says the new program focuses on the knowledge needed for the CPA exam as well as skills for career success. “The most appealing aspect is the application of learning,” Hybertson said. “In the Corporate Tax class, students will be required to complete mock tax returns and write tax memorandums. The Audit class will include a mock audit where students will gain the experience of working on a team and the application of the theories they talk about in the classroom. This new program will allow students to see the connections between the classroom and the business world.” Dr. Marcia Entwistle, chair of the accounting and business administration department, agreed. “This program will provide our students with the knowledge, skills and requirements necessary for success as a public accountant.” The new program will begin in Fall 2015. Learn more at www.augie.edu/graduate. 26
Class of 2014 Grads: 99% Placement According to a new study, 99 percent of recent Augustana grads seeking advanced study (graduate or professional) or employment related to their major or chosen field have achieved their goals.* The numbers come from Augustana’s annual survey and report of the vocational and educational destinations** of recent alumni during the first eight months following graduation. Other statistics about Augustana’s May 2014 graduates include: • Among those who pursued positions in nursing, human services and education, 100 percent are now employed in those fields. • The average starting salary reported is $40,671. • Even though a higher percentage of Augustana students come from outside South Dakota, the majority of graduates (59 percent) found careers within the state. • 23 percent of the Augustana Class of 2014 went on to pursue graduate and professional study at institutions*** around the country including: Harvard University, Yale University, Columbia University, Stanford University, Princeton Theological Seminary, Baylor University, Colorado State University, Creighton University, University of Wisconsin, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Drake University, Arizona State University, Luther Seminary, North Dakota State University, University of Minnesota, University of Nebraska, and others. Over the last five years, 96 percent of recent alumni surveyed reported participating in high-impact learning experiences as undergraduates, such as internships, research, student teaching, clinical work, study abroad, and field work.
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“These numbers continue to illustrate that an Augustana education is a great investment,” said Rob Oliver, president. “Augustana’s class of 2014 secured employment with 160 unique employers in seven countries, 16 states and the District of Columbia.” “We continue to feel a great sense of pride when employers compliment our graduates for their ability to analyze information and draw conclusions, think critically and problem-solve, communicate effectively, collaborate, engage technology, and act with global awareness,” Oliver said. “Because our graduates are equipped with these vital 21stcentury skills, employers continue to seek them out for key positions and leadership roles within their organizations.” “We’re also pleased that the majority of our new graduates found careers in South Dakota,” Oliver said. “That means that Augustana continues to be a net importer of intellectual capital to the state.” Billie Streufert, director of Augustana’s Student Success Center, agreed. “As we heard from graduates, it was exciting to learn they had secured meaningful jobs and are assets in the workplace,” Streufert said. “Employers and graduate schools consistently remain interested in the talented students at Augustana because of their broad range of practical skills and experience-based education. We are honored to help graduates launch their careers and achieve their professional goals.” * Of the graduates who provided information and specified a career goal. ** Data on May 2014 graduates was collected by the Augustana Career Center over an eight-month period. Mixed methods were used to collect self-reported information from graduates. *** Graduate schools reflected represent institutions pursued by Augustana graduates over the last 10 years.
Augustana Writer-in-Residence Dr. Patrick Hicks. Photo by Jamie Horter ‘10.
BOOKS
Augustana Writer-in-Residence Publishes Short Story Collection
“The Collector of Names,” a new short story collection by Augustana’s Writer-in-Residence, Dr. Patrick Hicks, is a quilt of heartbreak and loss, sewn together with hope and reverence, and bound over a fabric that looks and feels like his home state of Minnesota. The 12 stories in the collection represent a decade of work for Hicks, whose first novel, “The Commandant of Lubizec,” has received national and international praise since its release in 2014, holding company among only 20 books selected for the 2014 list of Great Group Reads by National Reading Group Month. We caught up with Hicks, who serves as chair and associate professor of English, to learn more about the book. Q. How did this book come about? A. All of these stories were published in literary journals in North America, England and Ireland before I started work on my first novel. So, these stories really represent my beginning as a writer. That tends to be the way of things ... you prove yourself as a short story writer then people are more likely to take you on as a novelist. I’m really so gratified to see these stories collected together. Several of them have won awards and a number of them were nominated for the Pushcart Prize. They really do represent the “cutting of my teeth.” There’s been a resurgence lately in American letters for short story collections and the recent winner of the National Book Award was for a collection of short stories. People seem to be gravitating toward shorter fiction again. Q. Tell us about the collection. What can readers expect? A. These stories represent a decade of my life – a decade of different concerns and worries.
the people and I understood their fears, their worries, and the changing of the seasons around them.
“57 Gatwick,” the very first short story in the collection, is based on the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which until 9/11, was the worst case of aviation terrorism anywhere in the world. One of my relatives was involved in mapping where all the debris fell that night. And, when I say all the debris, I mean all of the debris, if you can imagine. I wanted to interview him in 2008 to commemorate the Pan Am explosion over Lockerbie but he turned me down. He just couldn’t talk about it anymore. But, I felt compelled to write the story, so I wrote “57 Gatwick” and set it in the United States instead of Scotland. The vast majority of these stories take place in my home state of Minnesota. That was conscious on my part because I wanted to root the stories within a social setting that I was familiar with. I knew the cadence of speech of
The AUGUSTANA
Q. A number of the stories explore loss, including “Leaving the Hospice,” which you said allowed you to reflect on the loss of your grandfather in 2007. Tell us about that. A. “Leaving the Hospice” examines the final 72 hours of a man’s life, how a family reacts to that experience, and the extraordinary work that hospice nurses do. It’s based on the loss of my grandfather. I was leading a study abroad program to London in March of 2007, and when I said goodbye to him before I left, he promised me that he would be there when I got back. I got a phone call from my mom when I was in the Minneapolis airport on our return trip saying that he only had an hour or two left to live. He waited until he knew I was in American airspace because he didn’t want me to worry. He promised that he’d stick around until I was back on American soil. And that’s exactly what he did. My grandfather was such a selfless man, and even in death he didn’t want me to worry about him. He told me to focus on my students and that he’d still be around when I came home. He passed away shortly after my mother told him that my plane had landed. Another story, “Cabin #5,” is about a young woman whose husband goes off to fight in Iraq. The story is told from her perspective and examines what her husband is like when he returns from war. There are several stories about veterans coming home from war. If those are in any way useful to people; or if those stories touch people in some way, I’d feel very satisfied.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT Following the December 2014 meeting of the Augustana Board of Trustees, faculty members have been approved for tenure and/or promotions. The following faculty members have been promoted to the rank of Professor: Dr. Heather Aldridge Bart (Communication Studies) Dr. Bart received her Ph.D. from the University of Kansas. She teaches the introductory course as well as courses in argumentation, rhetoric and organizational communication. Her research is methodologically grounded in rhetorical criticism and argumentation. She has written and published works on rap music, environmental rhetoric and argumentation theory. Her contemporary research focuses on feminist theory and national security discourse. She is also the faculty advisor for the Phi Phi chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society. Dr. Janet Blank-Libra (English and Journalism) Dr. Blank-Libra teaches courses in journalism as well as foundational courses in composition and literature. She also regularly teaches courses in literary journalism and creative nonfiction, as well as the Civitas literature course. She was the 2005 recipient of the Vernon and Mildred Niebuhr Faculty Excellence Award and the 2008 recipient of the Augustana Student Association teaching award. Her interests include creative nonfiction, science fiction and the social dimensions of journalism. Dr. Blank-Libra’s Ph.D. in journalism is from Southern Illinois University. Dr. Barry Eichler (Chemistry) Dr. Eichler is the department’s inorganic chemist. His research focuses on organicinorganic hybrid materials, especially those that are electroluminescent (glows when electricity is passed through them). He specifically studies organosilicon compounds called “siloles” and hopes to incorporate them into organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). He is currently working on a paper entitled “Symmetric Diarylacetylenes: One-step Syntheses and Solution Photoluminescence”.
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Dr. Bill Swart (Sociology) Dr. Swart’s on campus teaching includes courses in ethnicity, Native American studies, sociological theory, and deviance and criminology. He has taught global education courses that explore conflict and resolution in Ireland and Northern Ireland and globalization in Australia. Dr. Swart currently serves as the president of the Upper Midwest Association for Intercultural Education (UMAIE), which is an intercollegiate consortium for international education. Currently, Dr. Swart is the Director of Augustana’s honors program, Civitas. Dr. Swart earned his master’s degree in sociology from Marquette University and his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Kansas. Dr. Swart is a member of the Augustana Chapter of Alpha Kappa Delta, International Sociology Honor Society. Dr. Eric Wells (Physics) Dr. Wells has been at Augustana since 2003, where he has taught numerous physics courses. His research is in the area of atomic, molecular and optical physics. He has published approximately 30 articles in peer-reviewed journals, including seven with 16 different Augustana student co-authors. He has received funding from NASA, Research Corporation, and multiple awards from the National Science Foundation. His educational background includes an undergraduate degree from Hastings College, a Ph.D. from Kansas State University, and a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Virginia. The following faculty members have been granted tenure and have been promoted to the rank of Associate Professor: Dr. Cory Conover (History) Dr. Conover completed his doctorate at the University of Texas, Austin, in 2008 specializing in Latin American history. His dissertation analyzed religion and imperialism in the Spanish Empire particularly in the cult of saints and in Catholic liturgy. Dr. Conover has presented his research at major academic conferences like the American Historical Association, the Omohundro Institute of Early American History, and the Latin American Studies Association. His publications include “Catholic Saints in Spain’s Atlantic Empire” in Religion and The AUGUSTANA
FACULTY PROMOTIONS
Empire in the Early Modern Atlantic, eds. Susan Juster and Linder Gregerson, University of Pennsylvania Press, 2010. At Augustana, Dr. Conover teaches courses on Latin America and “Western Civilization.” He has lived in several Latin American countries and has traveled through most of the rest. He is also active in the Spanish Speaking Community Association of Sioux Falls. Dr. Jared Mays (Chemistry) Dr. Mays joined the Augustana faculty in 2009 and teaches courses in general chemistry, survey of organic and biochemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry/medicinal chemistry. He received his bachelor’s degree from Gustavus Adolphus College majoring in chemistry and biochemistry. His doctoral work in pharmaceutical sciences was completed at the University of Wisconsin, where he worked toward the development of prodrug histone deacetylase inhibitors under the direction of Scott R. Rajski. He completed a postdoctoral appointment with Brian S. J. Blagg in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Kansas, working on C-terminal Hsp90 inhibitors. His multidisciplinary research program at Augustana bridges the boundaries between chemistry and biology and is focused on the medicinal chemistry of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, anticancer natural products found in broccoli. Dr. Ryan Sougstad (Business Administration & Accounting) Dr. Sougstad joined the Augustana faculty in the summer of 2009. He is a native of Sioux Falls who spent seven years with the IBM Corporation, working in client sales and marketing, and later at IBM Research’s Business Informatics group. His research on the valuation and risk management of technology-enabled services has appeared in the Journal of Management Information Systems and The International Journal of Services Science. Sougstad holds undergraduate degrees studying English and business administration from the University of Kansas and an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas. In June of 2009, he defended his doctoral dissertation at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management. His teaching experience includes finance, information systems, economics, and operations management.
BOOKS
U.S. News Gives Augustana High Marks for Online Master’s in Education Program U.S. News has ranked Augustana among the top 50 colleges and universities nationwide — and the top in South Dakota — for its online master’s degree program in education. In its new report, “Best Online Programs,” U.S. News ranks online graduate education programs according to student engagement, student services and technology, faculty credentials and training, admissions selectivity and peer reputation. Since its introduction in 2006, enrollment in Augustana’s master’s degree program in education has increased steadily. Since the program debuted its online-only format in 2011, enrollment has jumped dramatically — up more than 600 percent over the last four years. Augustana’s 19-month, master of arts in education online degree program is designed for those who hold a bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in education and are eligible for licensure. “For today’s teachers, the decision to obtain a master’s degree is an important investment in their future. In addition to enhancing their abilities to create positive learning environments for students, in most cases a master’s degree correlates to increased compensation,” said Rob Oliver, president of the College. “By offering our program online, we’re able to accommodate the busy lives of adult learners while making the dream of a master’s degree a reality for teachers in rural areas.” The program features five areas of concentration: ENL: English as a New Language Instructional Strategies: a focus on practical applications to support student achievement and engagement Reading: a focus on teaching strategies, assessment, and instruction that facilitates deeper comprehension of fiction and nonfiction texts Special Populations: a focus on how to support and teach at-risk students, with an emphasis on Autism, Response to Intervention (RTI) and emotional/behavioral issues Technology: a focus on utilizing and implementing technology to enhance student learning Learn more about the program and apply at www.augie.edu/graduate.
Oyos Explores WWII Air Force Technical School’s Impact on Sioux Falls in ‘Reveille’ “Reveille for Sioux Falls,” a new book by Dr. Lynwood Oyos, professor emeritus of history at Augustana and published by the Center for Western Studies, explores how a World War II Air Force Technical School changed Sioux Falls. We caught up with Dr. Oyos, who taught at Augustana from 1957 to 1994 to learn more about the book. Q. What prompted you to write this book? A. While I was in the Navy during the 1940s, I developed an interest in military history. Both my master’s thesis and my doctoral dissertation concerned military affairs. In 1957, I accepted an offer to teach history at Augustana College. A colleague and I often played golf on the “East Nine” at Elmwood Golf Course. Often we would step over squares of concrete sunk into the earth with numbers on them. My interest in what had been there grew and upon being employed at Augustana, I saw and taught in the buildings that had once been located on the “East Nine.” The book relates what happened at that site and its impact on Sioux Falls. Q. You propose in your book that the Army Air Forces Technical School had a significant impact on Sioux Falls. Can you explain why? A. The city’s economy was static. There was still a reliance on government aid and WPA projects. The city continued to rely on agribusiness. The construction of the base provided jobs for more than 5,600 men. The cash registers immediately began to ring. The manpower constructed barracks, classrooms, administrative offices, a hospital, chapels, warehouses, hangers, a boiler house and a sewage disposal plant. The city experienced a rapid rise in prosperity. Bank clearings multiplied each year beginning in 1942. By 1943, the WPA was terminated in the city. The construction of new homes and other buildings continued after the war. The Park Ridge Mall and the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Hospital were part of the revived economy. The first industrial park in north Sioux Falls was created with buildings from the base. Sioux Falls became a cosmopolitan city as the local population met men and women from all parts of the United States. The coming of the railroads in the late 1800s was the first major event in the growth of Sioux Falls; the second was the impact of the Army Technical School.
The AUGUSTANA
Q. Augustana has an interesting connection to the Army Technical School — one that many alumni will remember — in that its buildings were moved to campus. Can you shed any light on how that arrangement came to be? A. Augustana, like most colleges and universities, experienced a “flood” of discharged service men in 1945-46. At Augustana, many men returned to finish their education. Many (including yours truly) took advantage of the GI Bill of Rights. With this flood of men, Augustana lacked housing and classroom space. President Stavig arranged to take advantage of the many barracks and classrooms that were [newly] empty. Q. What do you hope readers take away from reading the book? A. I know that I satisfied the curiosity of a number of people in the middle and older age groups in the community who had heard references to the base but knew little about it. It is an account of a very important part of the city’s history that previously has not been considered in a comprehensive manner. The task of the historian is to research and relate what has been significant in our past and how it relates to the present and the future.
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ALUMNI NEWS
CLASS NOTES
Visit www.augielink.com for daily updates & photos.
THE
2010s
CLASS OF 2014 Alexandra Hjerpe is a student at Wartburg Theological Seminary. She is currently working as a shelter advocate at the YWCA.
Jake Shama is a communication/project specialist at Omnitech, Inc. in Sioux Falls. Serenity Eld married Justin Richards on July 19, 2014. She is employed with Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls, Idaho as a labor and delivery nurse.
Max Eckrich married Jessica Miles ‘10 on May 31, 2014. Kayla (Nichols) Wersinger and her husband, Nathan, welcomed a son, Dominic Dean, on Nov. 4, 2014. Jessica DeBoer is employed as a park guide at Montezuma National Monument in Flagstaff, Arizona. Neal Gregerson works as a process engineer for Tetra Pak Processing Equipment Inc. in Winsted, Minnesota. Sawyer Vanden Heuvel is a project manager for 5j Design, a web and graphic design company. He currently resides in Sioux Falls.
Evan Pierce and his wife, Jasmine, are now residing in Houston, Texas.
Jared Drenkow is currently pursuing his medical degree at the Sanford USD School of Medicine.
Molly Donohue is working towards an M.A. in professional communications at California State University, Fullerton. She expects to graduate in May 2016.
Matthew Tims is attending the Sioux Falls Seminary studying for his master of divinity. He is also the owner/instructor/manager at Coming Hour, which is a music store and school.
Courtney Williams is the communications and events coordinator for the Northwestern Minnesota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Jared Meyer and Kate Timmons were married on June 7, 2014, in the Chapel of Reconciliation at Augustana College.
Jesse Fonkert is the program analyst for Commissioner Tony Clark of the Federal Energy Regulation Commission in Washington, D.C.
Lauren Marks is a registered nurse in the Medical Intensive Care Unit at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis.
Julia Kabes is employed with the Sioux Falls School District as an art teacher at Garfield Elementary.
CLASS OF 2011 Jenny Lockhart married Jose Alvarez on June 14, 2014.
Austin Schmidt is employed as a sales representative at Hi Roller Conveyors in Sioux Falls.
CLASS OF 2010 Jessica Miles married Max Eckrich ‘12 on May 31, 2014.
Samuel Bock is a software consultant for Concord in Hopkins, Minnesota. CLASS OF 2013 Erin Brustuen married Derek DeBates on August 30, 2014 in Brookings, South Dakota. Sara Weinreis is an account coordinator at Click Rain in Sioux Falls. Carl Hjelmen is currently attending graduate school at Texas A & M University studying entomology. Grace Johnson is a client service analyst at Fiserv in Sioux Falls. Michelle (Erhardt) Buffie is working as a research assistant at the University of Minnesota, Center for Twin and Family Research. CLASS OF 2012 Allyson Wingert is the receptionist for Wollman Insurance Group in auto, home and business. She is studying to become an insurance agent. Brittany Lipetzsky married Justin Drey on June 21, 2014.
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Megan Hasche is the marketing coordinator at Hamline University. Aubry Monnier married Scott Hale ‘09 on Nov. 15, 2014 in Omaha, Nebraska. The couple resides in Arizona.
Beth (Kunze) Schwanz and her husband, Jared, welcomed baby boy, Liam Lee, to their family on Feb. 4, 2015. Eric Bergman is a staffing manager for Robert Half in the greater Twin Cities area. Logan Lee recently accepted a position as assistant professor of economics at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa.
THE
2000s
CLASS OF 2009 Ashley (Pike) Schmit and husband, Jon, welcomed their first child, Emily Jean Schmit, on Oct. 27, 2014.
Scott Hale married Aubry Monnier ‘10 on Nov. 15, 2014 in Omaha, Nebraska. The couple resides in Arizona. Sara (Eiesland) Gillis and husband, Jordan, welcomed son, Quincy August, to their family on Nov. 13, 2014. Ashley Nissen received her M.A. in Adlerian psychotherapy and counseling from Adler Graduate School in Oct. 2014. She is working for the Emily Program in their adult residential treatment facility and resides in Minneapolis. CLASS OF 2008 Carrie Burns married Luke Biondi on Dec. 6, 2014. Carrie is an account executive at Lawrence & Schiller, where she has been employed since 2008. Michael Billeter and wife, Lindsie, welcomed a son, Jack, on Nov. 6, 2014. BryAnn Becker Knecht is a writer and editor for Avera Health in Sioux Falls. Jen (Nelson) Sweeter and husband, Mike, welcomed a daughter, Aubree Gloria, on March 10, 2014. She joins big brother Kade. Amy Weber married Kris Amos on June 14, 2014. Nick Bryant is the director of operations & technology at Reve in Minneapolis.
Jonathan Hawkinson was accepted at the University of Minnesota Medical School and will begin his studies in the summer of 2015.
Adam Norenberg and Kayla (Graber) Norenberg ‘10 welcomed a son, Hudson Ryan, on Jan 26, 2015.
Bryan Kaemingk and Bethany (Zogg) Kaemingk welcomed a daughter, Emery Grace, on Oct. 29, 2014.
Tom VerDouw is employed at McKesson Medical Surgical as a laboratory solutions specialist.
Kayla (Graber) Norenberg and Adam Norenberg ‘08 welcomed a son, Hudson Ryan, on Jan. 26, 2015. Sara Bortschell was promoted to the head athletic trainer at Louisburg College in Louisburg, North Carolina. Christopher Repp and Jennifer Grohe were married in the Augustana Chapel of Reconciliation on Sept. 20, 2014.
The AUGUSTANA
Laura Hibma relocated to Nairobi, Kenya, where she supports new business development for East Africa with Save the Children. CLASS OF 2007 Claire Martin and Jeremiah Steven were married on July 19, 2014. They reside in Liberal, Kansas, and Claire is a third grade teacher at McKinley Elementary School. Julia (Lonn) Odgers and husband, Warren, welcomed daughter, Riann Joan, on July 4, 2014.
ALUMNI NEWS
Tell Us About Your #FutureViking Babies are blessings! Have you welcomed a baby Viking to your home? Share the news with us and we’ll help dress your little one in Augustana Navy & Gold! Email us with your little Vike’s name, birthdate and any other info you’d like to share at alumni@augie.edu.
/14 orn 11/10 r Eitreim, b 5 o n n o C y b ‘0 Ba tt) ayla (Bicke Parents: K itreim E & Andrew
#FutureViking Laura (Doshier) McNaughton and husband, Jim, welcomed son, Hank, on Nov. 14, 2014. Chris Zuraff and Katie (Strong) Zuraff welcomed a baby girl, Adelyn Joy, on Aug. 19, 2014. Paula Wheeler married Kelly Robinson on Oct. 11, 2013. Paula completed her M.A. in communications from Bethel University. Aaron Burkhardt graduated with a doctorate in osteopathic medicine and Master of Arts in bioethics in 2014. He is in the middle of his intern year of residency in internal medicine at the University of Missouri. Megan (Enger) Marshall and Paul Marshall ‘06, welcomed a son, Isaac David, on Oct. 7, 2014, in Austin, Texas. Abbie Friesen moved to Henderson, Nevada, and started a design and photography business, Simpatico by Designs.
Baby Em m Parents: a Eldridge, bo rn Becky (J ensen) ‘0 12/3/14 2 & Tom Eldridge
CLASS OF 2006 Kathryn (Waltner) Grandbois and Matthew Grandbois ‘04, welcomed a son, Ray William, on Nov. 17, 2014.
CLASS OF 2005 Kayla (Bickett) Eitreim and husband, Andrew, welcomed son, Connor William, on Nov. 10, 2014.
Cara (Wynia) Flemig and husband, Ernie, welcomed a son, Maxwell August, on Oct. 23, 2014.
Gregory Asplund works as a project facilitator with the Clark County Nevada School District’s instructional design and professional learning department.
Matt McDougall was recently elected to the administrative board of the Association of American Medical Colleges. Josh Aberson and Christie (Koehler) Aberson welcomed a baby girl, Kate Marie, on April 12, 2014. Paul Marshall and Megan (Enger) Marshall ‘07, welcomed a son, Isaac David, on Oct. 7, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Jon Splichal Larson and wife, Renee, welcomed a son, Gabriel David on Jan. 16, 2015.
Ashley (Miller) Hubregtse and husband Jon, welcomed a daughter, Mya, on Aug. 27, 2014. She joins big brother Eli.
Shelby (Eykyn) Quail and Jacob Quail ‘05, welcomed a daughter, Lauren Catherine, on Feb. 10, 2015.
Tyler Jepperson and wife, Shelby, welcomed a daughter, Cecilia Rhodes Jepperson, on Dec. 8, 2014.
Allison (Girtz) Antoine and Daniel Antoine ‘05 welcomed a son, Joshua Daniel, on Feb. 16, 2015. The AUGUSTANA
Alexa (Stern) Maud earned a master’s degree in business with a human resources concentration from Colorado Technical University in December 2014. She works as a recruitment specialist for Sanford Research. Rita Von Seggern was accepted into a cardiology nurse practitioner fellowship at Mayo Clinic Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. She began this position on Oct. 7, 2014. Kara (Kann) Kayser and Joshua Kayser ‘03 are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Barron Gregory Charles, on Dec. 26, 2014. Jacob Quail and Shelby (Eykyn) Quail ‘06 welcomed a daughter, Lauren Catherine, on Feb. 10, 2015. Jacob and Shelby will be moving to Guam this summer where Jacob will work as a staff general surgeon at Naval Hospital Guam. 31
ALUMNI NEWS Amanda (Conrad) Berg and husband, Josh, welcomed a son, Jonah James, on Feb. 14, 2015.
An Augustana Wedding
Daniel Antoine and Allison (Girtz) Antoine ‘06 welcomed a son, Joshua Daniel, on Feb. 16, 2015. Matthew Peirce is employed as a sales manager with Able Energy in Iowa City, Iowa. CLASS OF 2004 Ryan Hochreiter married Jane Gullickson on May 16, 2014. Nick Gustafson and Shannon (Loveland) Gustafson welcomed a daughter, Reagan Charlotte, on Sept. 15, 2014. Rhea Staniszewski and husband, Brent Schumacher, welcomed a son, Everett Thomas Schumacher, on Aug. 13, 2014. Matthew Grandbois and Kathryn (Waltner) Grandbois ‘06 welcomed a son, Ray William, on Nov. 17, 2014. Brenda (Boyle) Murray is an associate lecturer in the economics department at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She and her husband, James, live in La Crosse with their two young sons, Samuel and Benjamin. Marisa (Arens) Reed began a new position as a reading specialist with Rochester Public Schools in Rochester, New Hampshire, working with students in grades 3-5. Adam Weber and wife, Becky, welcomed a baby, Anderson Adam, on Nov. 18, 2014. Adam was named the Youngest Senior Pastor on Outreach Magazine’s Top 100 Fastest-Growing Churches in America list. CLASS OF 2003 Jacqueline Pogue married Marguerite McDermott on Aug. 16, 2014. The couple lives in Berkeley, California. Charles Carlson and Danielle (Benson) Carlson welcomed a daughter, Charlotte Frances, on Feb. 2, 2015. Abby (Jensen) Ward and husband, Justin, welcomed their third child, a boy, Bode Cooper, on April 1, 2014. Joshua Kayser and Kara (Kann) Kayser ‘05 are pleased to announce the birth of their son, Barron Gregory Charles, on Dec. 26, 2014. Sara (Flohrs) Harrington and husband, Chad, welcomed a daughter, Madelyn Marie, on March 6, 2014. Rick Van Dam and Leah (Kooren) Van Dam welcomed baby girl, Elizabeth Lynn Van Dam, on Jan. 26, 2015. She joins big sister Marie, born Nov. 28, 2012. Mollie Madden and husband, Edward Snyder, welcomed their second child, Edward Nelson Snyder III, on Feb. 9, 2015.
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Jared Meyer ‘12 and Kate Timmons ‘12 were married June 7, 2014, in Augustana’s Chapel of Reconciliation. Their parents, Brian and Sheila (Sherman) Meyer ‘85 and Bob ‘79 and Ann (Forsch) Timmons ‘80 are also Augustana alumni. Kate played soccer at Augustana and majored in chemistry and Spanish while Jared majored in business. Jared is currently attending Cleveland Chiropractic College in Overland Park, Kansas, and will graduate in December 2015. Kate has started her dream career in forensic science as a crime scene investigator for the Johnson County, Kansas, Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab in Olathe, Kansas.
Meyer (current), Barbara (Meyer) Dannenbring ‘82, Ann (Meyer) Anderson ‘78, Mike Timmons ‘81, Brian Westemeyer ‘81, Nancy (Bergdale) Westemeyer ‘85, Ann (Forsch) Timmons ‘80, Bob Timmons ‘79, Liz Bunkers ‘14, Maria Cook ‘14, Aleisha Oehlerking ‘14, Dr. Jetty Duffy-Matzner (Augustana chemistry professor).
Here Jared and Kate are pictured with wedding guests who attended or currently attend Augustana and those who share a love for all things Augie.
BACK ROW (from left to right): Melissa (Austad) Sherman ‘10, Aaron Sherman ‘11, Paige Meyer, Andrea Sherman ‘13, Steve Sherman ‘84, Mary Ann (Hedin) Sherman ‘84, Sally (Sherman) Woods ‘92, Greg Woods ‘94, Paul Ingram ‘14, Paul Zeig, Sonia Sherman, Neal Gregerson ‘12, Marcus Edgington ‘12, Grant Sherman (current), Stephanie Goos ‘11, Alex (Forder) Broekemeier ‘11, Erika Dahl ‘12 and Travis Holm ‘14.
FRONT ROW (left to right): Brian Meyer ‘85, Sheila (Sherman) Meyer ‘85, Jared Drenkow ‘12, Paul Mallory ‘12, Jacob Elmer ‘11, Maren Werth ‘14, Raelyn Walczak ‘12, Kate (Timmons) Meyer ‘12, Jared Meyer ‘12, Evan
Each of the seven married couples in the picture (Brian and Sheila, Jared and Kate, Brian and Nancy, Bob and Ann, Melissa and Aaron, Steve and Mary Ann, and Sally and Greg) met while attending Augustana.
Matt Wilber, a Dakota Wesleyan coach and former Augustana, USF and SDSU assistant has been named GPAC co-Coach of the Year.
Becky (Jensen) Eldridge and husband, Tom, welcomed a daughter, Emma Marie, on Dec. 3, 2014.
CLASS OF 2002 Trevor Dean is the director of government affairs at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Beth Foster married Chad Babcock on Oct. 18, 2014. They reside in Minneapolis where Beth is a marketing business process consultant for Target.
Jeff Oakland and his wife, Heather, welcomed daughter, Isla Emily, on Sept. 19, 2014.
CLASS OF 2001 Jason Kiner is an interactive program manager at The Nerdery in Bloomington, Minnesota.
Tricia Halling completed a master’s of science in international development at the University of Edinburgh in November 2013. She joined the legal team of the New York City Housing Development Corporation as an assistant general counsel. She resides in Brooklyn, New York.
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Ashley (Ryan) Sather and Ryan Sather ‘00 welcomed a baby boy, John Sullivan, on Nov. 6, 2014. Joan Benz has a master’s in social work and a doctorate in marriage and family therapy and
ALUMNI NEWS is in private practice as a psycho-therapist in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as being an adjunct professor in the MSW program at Washington University. She has seven grandchildren and has released four CDs of her music.
Keeping in Touch
Sherry (Hotchkiss) Olson and Cory Olson ‘95 welcomed daughter, Jemma Grace, on Jan. 1, 2015. CLASS OF 2000 Ryan Sather and Ashley (Ryan) Sather ‘01 welcomed a baby boy, John Sullivan, on Nov. 6, 2014. Bjorn Arneson is a K-12 education analyst with the Minnesota Senate. Heidi Gage and husband, Eric Kronebusch, welcomed their first child, a son, Andrew, on Sept. 22, 2014. Heidi is employed as a senior loan officer at Mayo Employee Federal Credit Union. Derrick Knight is working as an acoustic engineer with Trane in La Crosse, Wisconsin. He has relocated from the Twin Cities to Onalaska, Wisconsin, with his wife, Rachel (Johnson) Knight ‘99, and their children, Sophia (age 7) and Jillian (age 3). CLASS OF 1999 THE Jessica (Anderson) Albrecht and her husband, Nate Albrecht ‘97, welcomed a son, August James, born Nov. 13, 2014.
1990s
Kevin Veldhuisen and wife, Anne, welcomed a son, Martin Ray, on June 11, 2014. Dawn (Fick) Gordon recently completed her Ph.D. in nursing from SDSU. She continues to teach at Minnesota West Community and Technical College in Worthington, Minnesota. CLASS OF 1998 Erin (Bennett) Horstmeyer and Jeff Horstmeyer ‘95 welcomed a daughter, Natalie Grace, on Dec. 24, 2014. Laurie (Melum) Johnston and husband, Aaron, welcomed a baby girl, Jacey, on Aug. 21, 2014. CLASS OF 1997 Nate Albrecht and Jessica (Anderson) Albrecht ‘99 welcomed a son, August James, born Nov. 13, 2014. Anne (Weiland) Pentico and Jason Pentico ‘96 welcomed daughter, Corynn Frances, to their family on Aug.15, 2014. She joins big brother, Kellen, who is 4 ½. CLASS OF 1996 Emily (Hanson) Meyer is a librarian at McKinley Elementary Library in Watertown, South Dakota. Kristi (Kruger) Peterson was elected 2015 president of the Executive Women’s Golf Association, Minnesota metro chapter, by the membership. She was also appointed chair of
Alumni from the early 1970s take turns hosing gatherings at their homes in Sioux Falls. In February, the group gathered at Jim and Carol Oakland’s home.
FRONT ROW: (left to right): Margie Rolfing ‘72, Carol Oakland ‘71, Nancy Tieszen ‘74, Kay Dahlquist ‘72, Mary Ekeland ‘72, Marty Johnson ‘71, Cathie Egge ‘69 and Jean Colon ‘72.
BACK ROW (left to right): Rex Rolfing ‘71, Jim Oakland ‘72, Jerry Tieszen, Dana Dahlquist, Craig Ekeland ‘71, Ray Johnson ‘70 and Arne Anderson.
Do you still get together with your Augie classmates and friends? Send us your photos at alumni@augie.edu.
the Petroleum Equipment Institute’s women’s committee. Jason Pentico and Anne (Weiland) Pentico ‘97 welcomed daughter, Corynn Frances, to their family on August 15, 2014. She joins big brother, Kellen, who is 4 ½. Tereasa Payne is currently playing in the orchestra on Broadway for Disney’s “The Lion King.” She also plays for several other orchestras, theaters, and acts in New York City. Cari (Skogberg) Eastman and family have moved to Sioux Falls. CLASS OF 1995 Ryan Rasmussen and Michelle (Mau) Rasmussen moved to North Carolina where Ryan helped start a new EPC church. Michelle is a director for Classical Conversations and homeschools their four kids. Jeff Horstmeyer and Erin (Bennett) Horstmeyer ‘98 welcomed a daughter, Natalie Grace, on Dec. 24, 2014. Cory Olson and Sherry (Hotchkiss) Olson ‘01 welcomed daughter, Jemma Grace, on Jan. 1, 2015. CLASS OF 1994 Shari (Crouch) Kosel received the Top 10 Animal Defender of America award from the Animal Legal Defense Fund. She was instrumental in helping get a bill passed in South Dakota. Malicious felony animal cruelty became law
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on July 1, 2014. Lesley (Ronning) Kunz and husband, John, welcomed a son, Martin Darrell, on Feb. 9, 2015. CLASS OF 1992 Karla (Larson) Hunter’s research team was awarded Top Journal Article of the Year by the National Communication Association’s communication apprehension & competence division for their article “Assessing Success: The Impacts of a Public Speaking Class on Decreasing Public Speaking Anxiety.” CLASS OF 1991 Kara Gravley-Stack received her Ph.D. in education, with an emphasis on institutional analysis from North Dakota State University on Dec. 19, 2014. Brett Robert Fox, 46, of Boise, Idaho, passed away on Oct. 8, 2014. CLASS OF 1990 Tristin (Reinschmidt) Gruenhagen is serving as president of the South Dakota State Chapter, P.E.O. Sisterhood during the 2014-2015 term. Jim Odegard, age 46, passed away at his home in Jamul, California on July 11, 2014.
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1980s
CLASS OF 1986 Penny (Odland) Hults was recognized in the 2014 Top Women in Finance program. 33
ALUMNI NEWS CLASS OF 1985 Jamie Miles is employed as the senior engagement leader of performance improvement within the Population Health Group at Cerner Corporation. CLASS OF 1984 Michelle (Moss) Swanson passed away Oct. 29, 2014, after a long battle with cancer. CLASS OF 1983 Solveig Viste received an M.A. in liberal studies from Duke. Francis “Frank” McGuire, 82, died Jan. 25, 2015. CLASS OF 1982 Kristi (Sorteberg) Reierson is a workforce consultant for the Good Samaritan Society, supporting long term care centers in western Minnesota. She lives in Watertown, South Dakota. CLASS OF 1981 Steven Wegehaupt is a proud grandpa of six grandchildren (four boys and two girls). CLASS OF 1980 Sue (Christensen) Jamar retired after 26 years of oncology nursing. She and her husband relocated to Park City, Utah, for the winter months.
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1970s
CLASS OF 1979 Cynthia Lass, 57, died Dec. 9, 2014.
CLASS OF 1978 Vicki (Nield) Wright retired from the education profession after 32 years. She now lives in Loveland, Colorado and is pursuing her passion for creating visual art. Dorothy C. (Myron) Golden, 97, died peacefully on Oct. 23, 2014 at the Good Samaritan Center in Canton, South Dakota. CLASS OF 1977 Pamela (Johnson) Murra passed away on Nov. 3, 2014. CLASS OF 1976 Jan Karen (Mehlhaf) Weier, passed away on Oct. 10, 2014 in Freeman, South Dakota. Anne (Bersagel) Macek, died Jan. 9, 2015. CLASS OF 1974 Dean Bunkowke retired after 37 years as a physical therapist in Spokane, Washington. He plans to relocate to Olympia, Washington. C. Ranae (Oakland) Anderson, 62, died Jan. 12, 2015. Karen (Cary) Clausen, 78, died Jan. 1, 2015. CLASS OF 1972 Anita Flantz retired in 2013. Anita continues to spend the summers in Wisconsin and winters in California.
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Diane Diekman has been retired from the U.S. Navy for 10 years. She has written and published four books. Her biography on Marty Robbins won the Belmont University Award for the best country music book of the year in 2012. She is a member of the VFW funeral honor guard and is serving as president of the Battleship South Dakota Memorial.
CLASS OF 1962 Lucile (Vail) Trusler, 100, died Jan. 28, 2015.
Ronald T. Tokheim, age 74, passed away Oct. 20, 2014 at Sanford USD Medical Center.
CLASS OF 1960 Doris (Moore) Knutson died Sept. 19, 2014.
CLASS OF 1971 Gwen (Pugsley) Volk retired from her 13-year position as chief compliance officer and rebooted her training and consulting business, gwen volk INFOCUS, Inc. Judith (Rau) Walker has been retired for nine years from her 32-year teaching career. She recently wrote and published a children’s book, “Turkey Trouble”. CLASS OF 1970 Dale Allen Pommer was promoted to the rank of 2nd degree black belt in Wado Ryu Karate. Dale was voted “Male Songwriter of the Year” by Tennessee Songwriters Association International. He is also finishing up work on a new CD to be released in 2015.
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CLASS OF 1969 Linda (Agrimson) Kramer retired from a full-time career in mental health in August 2014. She is working as a part-time therapist at Lutheran Family Services. She and her husband reside in Johnston, Iowa.
1960s
CLASS OF 1968 Barbara (Mickelson) Hudnall has retired from school nursing and she and her husband have moved to Bixby, Oklahoma to be near their daughters. Paul Tastad wrote a book, “A Belly Full of Laughter,” published by Dorrence Publishing. Dianne (Wentworth) Johnson, 69, died Dec. 12, 2014. CLASS OF 1966 Edward “Ed” Byhre, 70, died Jan. 4, 2015. CLASS OF 1965 Mary (Hafnor) Hanson has been working in public TV for 19 seasons with “The Mary Hanson Show.” Clive Rosengren has a new novel, “Red Desert.” It is the second in a series featuring Hollywood detective Eddie Collins. The book is available on Amazon. CLASS OF 1964 James Klaassen retired in January 2014 after working as a dentist for 43 years in Windom, Minnesota. Arland Jacobson is the co-author (with Roy Oswald) of a book, “The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2015). The AUGUSTANA
Doris (Cheadle) Wilson, 75, passed away Nov. 13, 2014. CLASS OF 1961 Charlie Allison, 75, died Dec. 28, 2014.
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1950s
CLASS OF 1959 William D. Harvey, 90, resident of St. Peter, Minnesota, died on Nov. 18, 2014.
CLASS OF 1958 Maxine Rose (Christensen) Florey passed away on Jan. 15, 2013. Merrill Olson, 83, passed away on Oct. 17, 2014. CLASS OF 1957 Robert Solem and wife, Janice (Jons) Solem ‘58 became great grandparents for the first time. Great grandson Alexander Raymond was born in March 2014. John A. Bunkers, age 79, formerly of Watertown, South Dakota, passed away on Oct. 29, 2014 in Wausau, Wisconsin. Kenneth Tiahrt, 79, of Bozeman, Montana passed away Oct. 8, 2014. Willo (Sacrison) Boe passed away on Oct. 18, 2014. John “Jack” C. Hagen, 78, of Duluth, died on Nov. 9, 2014. CLASS OF 1956 Milo Winter is one of five recipients of the Governor’s Awards in the Arts for 2015. Milo is the co-director of the Rapid City Municipal Band and has been a trumpet player with the Rapid City Symphony for over 40 years. He was a former band director at Stevens High School in Rapid City. Audrey (Wek) Bork, 81, died Dec. 22, 2014. Arlen Foss, 81, died Jan. 17, 2015. CLASS OF 1955 David Stavig, 81, died Dec. 30, 2014. Gordon Arnold Mettler, age 81, of Menno, South Dakota, passed away Oct. 27, 2014 at the Menno Olivet Care Center. CLASS OF 1954 Marlene (Michael) Urben, 82, died on Jan. 6, 2015 in Sioux Falls. Niel Trobak, 82, died Dec. 8, 2014. Paul B. Rosheim, 81, passed away Nov. 8, 2014 at Riverview Health Services, Flandreau, South Dakota.
ALUMNI NEWS CLASS OF 1953 Dale Hatch, 86, died Jan. 8, 2015. Bruce Zellmer, 83, died Nov. 30, 2014. CLASS OF 1952 Maris (Nelson) Snider, 85, died Jan. 5, 2015. CLASS OF 1951 Lorraine (Hoime) Olson recently retired after 63 years as Grace Lutheran Church’s full-time organist in Luverne, Minnesota. Betty (Schmidt) Piper, 86, died Dec. 31, 2014. CLASS OF 1950 Laurel Gray has published a book, entitled “The Evolution of a Progressive Christian”. The book traces Laurel’s spiritual history from his South Dakota origins to his present Progressive Christian ministry. He teaches two classes on this subject in the San Diego area. Cecil Ane (Schrader) Borri, of Metuchen, New Jersey, died peacefully on April 18, 2014. Derrald A. Hildebrandt, age 86, of Ramona, South Dakota, died Nov. 22, 2014, at Sanford USD Medical Center, Sioux Falls. Virgil Flesher, 88, died on Nov. 26, 2014. Roger Borrum, 86, passed away Jan. 8, 2015. Ward Cheney, 88, died Nov. 26, 2014.
Dorothy (Kvinge) Williams, 86, died Dec. 5, 2014.
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1940s
CLASS OF 1949 Eileen (Habeger) Marek, 87, Sioux Falls died peacefully at Sanford Hospital on Nov. 26, 2014 surrounded by loving family.
CLASS OF 1948 Betty (Bubbers) Zenkowsky, 87, died on Jan. 4, 2015 in Merritt Island, Florida. CLASS OF 1946 Dorothy (Undem) Smith, 90, died Jan. 12, 2015. CLASS OF 1945 John E. Aldern, 91, died July 13, 2014. Ramona (Sorensen) Croft, 87, passed away Dec. 26, 2014. Harold Ersland, 92, died Jan. 21, 2015. CLASS OF 1944 Charles “Chuck” Burk, 92, died Jan. 13, 2015. CLASS OF 1943 Robert Sheley, 94, died Dec. 22, 2014. CLASS OF 1942 Warren Louis Opheim, Sioux Falls, passed away on Nov. 3, 2014.
IN MEMORIAM Glenn Johnson, 82, passed away June 15, 2014. Following his retirement from the Navy, he worked several jobs in the area, including working in the mailroom at Augustana from 1990-1991. Dr. Gloria Hay, 85, passed away July 28, 2014. She served as Dean of Adult Learner Programs at Augustana in the mid 1990s. Barbara Preloger, 62, passed away July 20, 2014. Barb served as an accompanist for the Augustana Choir at several Christmas Vespers performances. She is the wife of Bob Preloger, Vice President for Advancement. Irma Herrboldt, 95, passed away Sept. 7, 2014. She served as a secretary for CENCOAD, Inc. (Center for Community Organization and Area Development) from 19691983. Pamela (Johnson) Murra ’77 passed away at the age of 59. Pam was a member of the Augustana Hall of Fame and served as assistant volleyball coach for several years. Leonard Andersen, 103, passed away Dec. 28, 2014. From 19601971, Leonard faithfully served on the Augustana Board of Regents. Mary May, 84, passed away on Jan. 13, 2015. Mary May was the wife of the late music department chair, Dr. Walter May. She also taught cello lessons part time at Augustana in the mid 70s. Dr. Robert Mabbs, 89, passed away Jan. 16, 2015. Dr. Mabbs directed the Joint Community Development & Social Work Education undergraduate program between Augustana and the University of Sioux Falls, receiving the 1971 Outstanding Educator of America Award.
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NAVY & GOLD
WRITING
HISTORY The 2015 season was a historic one for Tom Billeter and the Augustana men’s basketball team.
Junior Daniel Jansen, NSIC co-player of the year, drives to the basket against MSU Moorhead in the NSIC Championship game at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.
In his 45 seasons witnessing Augustana men’s basketball, Terry Prendergast ’75 rates the 2014-15 team at the top. “To go through a season and conference tournament with only two losses is amazing,” Prendergast said. “I believe you always had the feel with this year’s team they’d find a way to win, which many times in the past we didn’t have that feel, even when we were doing well. Sometimes, in the past, it has seemed like we were surprised to win. This year’s team expects to win and has seemed to give a great effort in doing so. So, in my opinion, this year’s team is the greatest I’ve seen.” Coach Tom Billeter’s crew certainly presents a convincing case as the “best ever” in the program’s 93-year history. Consider the evidence: • Most wins in a season, 31. • Won the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) tournament for the first time since joining the league in 2008. • Hosted the Central Region Tournament for the first time. • Won a share of the NSIC regular season championship. It’s the first league title since the 1988-89 Vikings captured the North Central Conference (NCC) crown. • Was ranked second in the National Basketball Coaches Association (NBCA) Top 25 Poll; it’s the highest ranking in program history. • Set a school and conference record with 20 wins in league play. • The 19-game win streak is unprecedented. • Junior Daniel Jansen was voted NSIC co-player of the year and earned a place on the league’s all-tournament team. Junior Casey Schilling earned the league’s defensive player of the year award and was the conference tournament’s most valuable player. NSIC freshman of the year accolades went to Jordan Spencer. Jansen, Schilling and junior Alex Richter were All-NSIC first team choices. Spencer made the second team. Richter was also selected to the all-tournament team. Augustana didn’t enter the season unnoticed. Media members and league coaches saw the Vikings making a run in postseason play. Then Matthew Brazendale and Ethan Guske suffered season-ending injuries early in the campaign. Both guards were counted on as key contributors.
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Junior Casey Schilling was the conference tournament’s most valuable player.
“At the beginning of the season we questioned the guys’ toughness; how would they react to adversity,” said assistant coach Collin Authier. A 19-game win string put any concerns to rest. Even with opponents ramping up their games when playing the streaking Vikings, Billeter’s crew responded week after week through a grueling 22-game conference schedule. “The goal was to get better with each practice and each game in preparation for March,” Authier said. “I spent a lot of time with each of the kids emphasizing the big picture. Each game was a step in that process. It has been a long time since we were 38
able to hang a banner.” Augustana was expected to make some noise in 2013-14. Jansen, Schilling, Alex Richter, and Zach Huisken were coming off productive seasons. Before the first tipoff, Richter and Huisken were out for the season. The return of Richter and Huisken, the emergence of Spencer, and Adam Beyer’s steady play as a true freshman the previous season gave Billeter the arsenal he needed for a resurgent 2014-15 campaign. “Sitting out a year gave Alex an opportunity to step back and learn,” said Authier. “He had to work hard to get back in shape and he has become a quiet but mature The AUGUSTANA
leader for this team. Zach cares so much for the other guys and the program. He really wants to do well and is learning how to manage being a college player.” Spencer took over at point guard after the injuries to Guske and Brazendale. He came to Augustana in the spring of 2014 from England, where he played on the under-20 Great Britain National Team and was rated among the best young players in the nation. As for Jansen and Schilling, Authier said they are two of the toughest competitors he has ever coached. “These guys have a lot of trust in each other,” Authier said. “Their buy-in level is
NAVY & GOLD really high. I really believe this has been God’s team. He has touched this team in some magical ways.” During the season Billeter registered his 200th win as the Vikings’ head coach and passed 300 for his career. “I’m just so happy for our guys, but also our fans and our school,” Billeter told Argus Leader sports writer Matt Zimmer after the conference tournament title run. “For a smaller school like us to experience something like this and have a year like we’ve had is really special.” Venue move Augustana’s magical season accompanied a risk taken by the College’s administration to move conference home games from the Elmen Center to the Sioux Falls Arena. The Elmen Center has been Augustana’s on-campus home since 1989, with the exception of one season when NCC games were played at the Arena. Moving to the Arena sparked skepticism, especially from some of the more golden of Vikings fans. “We had a strong feeling it was the right move to make,” said Jon Eng, director of athletic development. “The Arena people had talked to us about what they would do to make it a welcoming environment. An open house in the fall gave fans an opportunity to see the court bearing Augustana’s logo and colors and to also sit in the chair back seat where they would watch the women’s and men’s teams in action. “Some were against the move at first, but now they’re happy we’re out there. And by selling signage and finding sponsors for the suites, we’re raising revenue for the athletic department.” Eng said one goal of the move to the spacious Arena was to entice more fans to the games. He said attendance this year surpassed the 2013-14 season by about 7,000. Mission accomplished. Chair back seats, two video boards, more parking, and expanded rest room and concession facilities are some of the advantages supporting the Arena move. “There is just more room, period,” Eng said. Authier said the move is a positive for recruiting. “It’s really nice when a kid experiences the stage, environment, and atmosphere the Arena provides. It’s just a great place for the men’s and women’s teams to play. The administration did a great job of securing the site and the Arena staff did a great job accommodating us.” The historic 2014-15 season ended with a loss in the semifinals of the Central Region tournament. The Vikings’ final record was 31-3.
Head coach Tom Billeter takes the net after the Vikings captured the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament title with a 98-82 win over MSU Moorhead (32-3). The victory secured the Vikings’ first-ever NSIC Tournament Championship since joining the league in 2008-09.
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Center for Western Studies Author Honored Lydia Whirlwind Soldier, a Sicangu Lakota educator and author of “Memory Songs,” published by the Center for Western Studies in 1999, has been honored with the 2015 Living Indian Treasure Award, one of the Governor’s Awards in the Arts. South Dakotans for the Arts and the South Dakota Arts Council co-sponsor the Governor’s Awards to recognize those who have made a statewide impact through Whirlwind Soldier artistic excellence or outstanding support of the arts. Two members of the CWS National Advisory Council, artist Arthur Amiotte, and author Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, are previous recipients. “Memory Songs,” the award citation noted, “integrates traditional and majority society forms and modes of expression. The lyricism and deep cultural
connections of her poetry have made her a mentor and example for a wide range of writers throughout the country.” CWS Executive Director Dr. Harry Thompson, who was publications director at the time “Memory Songs” was released, extended congratulations to Whirlwind Soldier on behalf of the CWS Board of Directors. The goal of the Center’s Native American Initiative, launched by Thompson in 2009, is to heighten awareness of contributions by and challenges confronting Plains Indians. Aspects of this emphasis are visible in the Center’s collections, publications and conference. CWS Fine Art Collection: The Center recently acquired two original works of art by Native American artists. One, a gift from Lakota artist Donald Montileaux titled“December 1890,” is in recognition of CWS’s efforts to encourage Native American expression through art. The other, a purchase of a work by Ihankton Nakota artist Jerry Fogg titled “Oh, Give Me a Home,” was originally included in the juried CWS 125th Anniversary of
South Dakota Statehood exhibit. Montileaux will speak at the upcoming Dakota Conference in conjunction with the exhibit of contemporary ledger art “On the Record” in the CWS galleries through June 27. A third addition to the Fine Art Collection was a gift from Lynn Aspaas ‘63 titled “Recent Acquisitions,” a depiction in oil of Plains warriors by Colorado artist Dan Deuter. “Little Business on the Prairie: Entrepreneurship, Prosperity, and Challenge,” by Augustana Nef Family Chair of Political Economy Dr. Robert E. Wright, traces the business history of the state from its beginnings among PaleoIndians 12,000 years ago to the present. Published by CWS, the book will be released at this month’s Dakota Conference, with a discussion by Wright set for April 25 titled“The Other Two Dakotas.” Also speaking will be the Executive Director of the Pine Ridge Area Chamber of Commerce, Ivan Sorbel. Learn more about the Dakota Conference and register online at www.augie.edu/cws or call 605.274.4007.
WHERE THE WEST BEGINS? Geography, Identity and Promise in the Northern Plains April 24-25 Is the Northern Plains where the Midwest ends and the West begins? Small towns and rural areas , we are told, are being “hollowed out.” In response, some have proposed creating a “buffalo commons” or “Pleistocene rewilding.” Attend the 47th annual Dakota Conference to discuss these and related issues. Registration is $55 and meal package is $50. One-day and single-session registration available upon request. Students attend free! www.augie.edu/cws 605.274.4007
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NOTES FROM THE GREEN
Quinn Stein joined Augustana last fall and is developing the College’s new master’s degree in genetic counseling program.
New Master’s Degree Program in Genetic Counseling Takes Shape When Augustana’s new master’s program in genetic counseling launches next year, it will become only the 32nd program of its kind in the U.S. and the only one in South Dakota. Last fall, Quinn Stein, a certified genetic counselor, was named associate professor and director of the program. In his new role, Stein is hard at work leading the development of the academic program and assembling the team of scientists, researchers and clinicians who will teach its courses and help recruit and select an annual cohort of students from around the nation. Created through a collaborative partnership with Sanford Imagenetics, an initiative designed to integrate genomic medicine into primary care for adults, the program is currently undergoing internal review before accreditation approvals this summer. Stein said applications for the first class will be accepted beginning in late 2015. Accepted students will officially begin the two-year program in fall 2016. In addition to its partnership with Sanford Imagenetics, Augustana’s program will also feature a collaborative partnership with the University of California, San Diego, through which selected students will have the opportunity to spend the second year of the program studying at UCSD’s campus and working in clinical rotations throughout San Diego. Upon their completion of the program, students will have met the requirements necessary to sit for the American Board of Genetic Counseling certification exam. From there, Stein said, career opportunities will be plentiful. “There is a high demand for genetic counsel-
ors in the marketplace today,” Stein said. “So much so that programs can’t train students fast enough to keep up with the demand. New opportunities in genetic counseling are emerging everyday. Many students who graduate from this program will go on to become genetic counselors, pursuing careers in cancer genetics, ophthalmology genetics or primary care genetics. Some will work for genetic laboratories writing reports or working in utilization management. Some will go on to become medical-science liaisons for genetics companies. Others might work for insurance companies. The possibilities are endless.” Those interested in learning more about the program can ask questions via email: genetics@augie.edu. About Quinn Stein Prior to joining Augustana, Stein most recently served as a senior genetic counselor for Sanford Health. His areas of expertise in genetics research and counseling include pediatric genetics, adult genetics, Down syndrome, prenatal screening and diagnosis, hereditary cancer, cardiogenetics, metabolic genetics, genetics of infertility and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). “With more than 15 years of experience as a clinical genetic counselor, and as a scholarly researcher and experienced teacher, Quinn is the perfect choice to lead Augustana’s new Genetic Counseling program,” said Dr. Susan Hasseler, senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. “We’ve been excited to welcome him to our faculty and are looking forward to the many great things he
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and this program will bring to Augustana, our community and the region.” “This is a great opportunity to serve at the forefront of a program that I believe will have the capacity to create genetic counselors who are skilled communicators, experienced clinicians and engaged scientists,” Stein said. “Augustana and Sanford are both extraordinary institutions who are each committed to building a better tomorrow. This is an exciting initiative to be part of.” Stein earned his undergraduate degree from Jamestown College where he majored in biology and minored in chemistry and religion. He holds a master’s degree in medical genetics, with an emphasis on genetic counseling, from the University of WisconsinMadison. An accomplished researcher, he has published numerous articles on topics such as hereditary cancer, autism, obesity, newborn screening, first trimester screening and rare genetic disorders. He has earned grants to establish a pediatric hearing loss clinic and to help study rare diseases diagnosed by newborn screening. He is also a member of the Inborn Errors of Metabolism Collaborative (IBEMC), a national newborn screening research group working toward the development of evidence-based treatment protocols for children diagnosed with rare metabolic conditions. In his role at Sanford Health, Stein also served as a clinical professor and member of the faculty at the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota and, for the last five years, has served as clinical supervisor for genetic counseling students from throughout the U.S.
SNAPSHOTS: FROILAND SCIENCE COMPLEX CONSTRUCTION January 2015
January 2015
February 2015
February 2015
March 2015
March 2015
Construction continues on the Dr. Sven G. Froiland Science Complex, the $35 million project that includes a 41,000-square-foot new addition to the Gilbert Science Center and a complete renovation of the existing facility. Masonry walls of the east stairwell on the new addition are complete. Structural steel work on the new addition is in progress. Footing and foundation work continues on the south end of the project, near the greenhouse and mechanical yard. Installation of pre-cast concrete wall panels began in early March. Demolition work on level one of the west wing is complete. Electrical and mechanical work is in progress in that area. Phase one of the project will open in December 2015. See more construction photos and watch the progress live via our webcam at www.augie.edu/science.
ABOUT AUGUSTANA Founded in 1860, Augustana is a selective, private, residential, comprehensive college (liberal arts and professional) affiliated with the Lutheran Church.
FRENCH GERONTOLOGY EMPHASIS AREAS: GERMAN HISTORY BIOLOGY: HISTORY JOURNALISM (Emphasis areas are optional) INTERDEPARTMENTAL MATHEMATICS • Cell and Molecular Biology INTERNATIONAL STUDIES MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES • Ecology JOURNALISM MUSIC your tickets today www augie Augustana is accredited as a four-year reserve MATHEMATICS NORTHERN PLAINS STUDIESedu spark BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION: institution by the Higher Learning MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE PHILOSOPHY (Emphasis areas are optional) Commission of the North Central MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES PHYSICS • Entrepreneurship Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). MUSIC POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY • Finance MUSIC EDUCATION POLITICAL SCIENCE/GOVERNMENT & • Management RESIDENTIAL LIFE NURSING INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS • Management Information Systems As a residential college, Augustana affirms PHILOSOPHY PSYCHOLOGY • Marketing the value of living and learning together PHYSICAL EDUCATION READING • Non-Profit Management in community. Seventy-three percent of PHYSICS RELIGION Augustana students choose to live in camENGLISH: (Emphasis area is required) POLITICAL SCIENCE/GOVERNMENT & SIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES pus housing. Living opportunities include • Literature INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS SOCIOLOGY six residence halls, 16 theme houses, and • Writing PSYCHOLOGY SPANISH five apartment complexes. All first-year stu- RELIGION SPECIAL EDUCATION MUSIC: (Emphasis area is required) dents live in Bergsaker and Solberg Halls. RELIGION/PHILOSOPHY THEATRE • Liberal Arts SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING • Sacred Music ENDORSEMENTS: MAJORS: SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHING CHEMISTRY SECONDARY EDUCATION ACCOUNTANCY, PROFESSIONAL SOCIOLOGY MUSIC EDUCATION: (Emphasis area is required) COACHING ACCOUNTING SPANISH • Instrumental ENGLISH AS A NEW LANGUAGE AMERICAN STUDIES SPECIAL EDUCATION • Vocal HEALTH EDUCATION ANTHROPOLOGY SPORT MANAGEMENT KINDERGARTEN EDUCATION PSYCHOLOGY: (Emphasis area is optional) ART THEATRE MIDDLE SCHOOL EDUCATION • Business/Human Resources ATHLETIC TRAINING • Counseling/Clinical BIOCHEMISTRY (ACS) MINORS: PRE-PROFESSIONAL PROGRAMS: • Neuroscience BIOLOGY ACCOUNTING ARCHITECTURE • Research BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ANCIENT LANGUAGES CHIROPRACTIC • Social Services CHEMICAL PHYSICS ANTHROPOLOGY DENTISTRY CHEMISTRY ART ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY (ACS) BIOLOGY LAW THE CAMPUS VISIT EXPERIENCE CLASSICS BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MEDICINE Do you know of a student who may COMMUNICATION DISORDERS: CHEMISTRY MORTUARY SCIENCE be interested in attending Augustana? SPEECH/LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY CHILDREN AND YOUTH OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY & AUDIOLOGY CLASSICAL PHILOLOGY OPTOMETRY Encourage him or her to schedule an COMMUNICATION STUDIES CLASSICAL STUDIES PHARMACY individual visit and/or join us for one (or COMMUNICATION STUDIES/BUSINESS COMMUNICATION STUDIES PHYSICAL THERAPY more) of our campus visit programs. COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS PHYSICIANS ASSISTANT COMPUTER SCIENCE COMPUTER SCIENCE THEOLOGY Schedule your visit at augie.edu/myvisit or ECONOMICS ECONOMICS VETERINARY MEDICINE by calling 800.727.2844 or 605.274.5516. EDUCATION, ALL-GRADES ENGLISH EDUCATION, SECONDARY GRADUATE PROGRAMS: ENGLISH AS A NEW LANGUAGE (ENL) Learn about our Campus Visit Programs ELEMENTARY EDUCATION EDUCATION ENTREPRENEURSHIP at augie.edu/admission. ENGINEERING PHYSICS SPORTS ADMINISTRATION & LEADERSHIP FITNESS MANAGEMENT ENGLISH PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTANCY (Fall 2015) FRENCH Learn more about our Graduate Programs EXERCISE SCIENCE GENETIC COUNSELING (Fall 2016) GERMAN at www.augie.edu/graduate. FITNESS MANAGEMENT ACCELERATED NURSING
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MEMORABLE In January, the Augustana Band, led by Dr. Paul Schilf, embarked on a 23-day tour of China. Sixty students made the journey to perform and participate in a course about Chinese culture and history designed and taught by Dr. John Pennington, professor and co-chair of the music department. The tour took students to prestigious venues, including the Hangzhou Grand Theatre, Shanghai Jiaotong University, and the Beijing Concert Hall, and featured memorable journeys to beautiful sites such as the Forbidden City, Great Wall and Museum of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses.