The Augustana: Spring 2024

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Greetings from Midco Arena!

It’s been another historic year at Augustana University — celebrating the many firsts and milestones associated with the inaugural season of Augustana Men’s Hockey. Our hearts are filled with immense gratitude for the founding partners’ bold generosity to make this aspirational goal a reality. We are also grateful for the outpouring of enthusiasm and support shown by the campus and Sioux Falls communities, along with alumni and friends near and far. Our Vikings exceeded all expectations and made us so proud — both on and off the ice! We couldn’t have imagined a better first chapter, and we’re looking forward to all that lies ahead.

Springtime at Augustana has been filled with energy and excitement. We hosted the 27th Boe Forum on Public Affairs, with New York Times opinion columnist and bestselling author David Brooks as this year’s featured speaker, and the Arthur Olsen Student Research Symposium, showcasing student presentations of their original research. The 2024 Covenant Awards Ceremony provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students and the ways in which they live out the university’s core values. Spring concerts from the School of Music, theatre performances, athletic events and more have added to the countless opportunities for all to engage in the vibrant life of AU and support our talented students. It’s always a joy to connect with alumni, parents and friends at events!

The latest AU Outcomes Report shows that 98% of 2023 graduates achieved a positive career outcome — affirmation of our outstanding new alumni and the value of a degree earned at Augustana University. These outcomes wouldn’t be possible without the faithful and generous support of alumni, parents and friends — the perfect reason to Give Boldly on Friday, May 10, our annual Giving Day.

We will celebrate the AU Class of 2024 and its many contributions to our community during Commencement on Saturday, May 18. With love, pride and gratitude, we will send our graduates on to the next phase of their journeys.

Our celebration of 100 years of homecoming will continue in Oslo, Norway, on Friday, May 31, through Sunday, June 2. Max, Zachary and I are excited to enjoy the many events planned with alumni and friends from around the world!

As we near the end of Augustana University’s 164th academic year, I give thanks for the tremendous impact of this special place made through our alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends. May God continue to bless you and our beloved AU.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin President

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.

OUR VISION

Augustana aspires to become one of America’s premier church-related universities.

OUR 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.

NEW AT AU

MIDCO ARENA

Just a little more than two years after the groundbreaking, Midco Arena opened on Jan. 26, where Augustana Men’s Hockey played in front of a sold-out crowd of 3,183 fans. Facing off against Ferris State University, Luke Mobley scored the first Viking goal in Midco Arena. augie.edu/MidcoArenaOpens

CLASS OF 2023 OUTCOMES

A report by the Augustana Student Success Center shows that 98% of 2023 graduates achieved a positive career outcome at 113 unique organizations in 19 states and Guatemala. augie.edu/outcomes

OFFICE OF FAITH & SPIRITUAL LIFE

While its mission, identity and core values remain the same, Campus Ministry at Augustana is now known as the Office of Faith & Spiritual Life — a reflection of the broad scope of work already taking place. Accompanying the name change is a new logo — a tree with deep roots and wide branches — serving as a symbol of life and faith across religious traditions.

augie.edu/FaithUpdate

EXPERIENCE AU

Augustana offers multiple summer camps for students of all ages. This year’s offerings will include Explore STEM, Levitt Latin Jam, Levitt Hip-Hop Jam and Levitt Songwriting Jam Camps, as well as various athletic camps.

augie.edu/ExperienceAU

NEUROSCIENCE , STATISTICS AND STRENGTH & CONDITIONING

Augustana began offering majors in neuroscience, statistics and strength & conditioning in March — adding to the list of interdisciplinary academic programs being developed as part of Augustana’s strategic plan

Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030.

BOE FORUM ON PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Augustana and the Center for Western Studies (CWS) hosted David Brooks, New York Times opinion columnist and bestselling author, on March 19 for the 27th Boe Forum on Public Affairs. Held in the Elmen Center, Brooks’ talk was entitled “America at the Crossroads: The Rule of Law and the Future of Democracy.”

augie.edu/Boe2024

AT HOME FAR AWAY

Alumnus-Founded Norwegian Church to Host Augustana Homecoming Worship Service

| BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

On the west side of Oslo, Norway, sits a uniquely-designed gray church with strong Augustana ties, both to the past and future. Started by an Augustana alumnus in 1958, the church will be the site of worship for the university’s June celebration of 100 years of homecoming in Norway.

The American Lutheran Congregation (ALC) will welcome Augustana alumni, staff and friends on Sunday, June 2, for a worship service. The service will conclude a weekend of homecoming festivities, including a kickoff event, opportunities to explore Oslo and a banquet.

After the visitors worship, they shouldn’t plan on leaving right away, said Rev. Peter Rogness ‘67, who served as ALC’s interim pastor in 2014-15.

“They (the group) should go downstairs to Hanson Hall because there is the very typical Norwegian coffee hour which is not doughnuts — it’s waffles with a little jelly on them and coffee, and it’s a wonderful social time,” Rogness said. “If they visit with folks there, it doesn’t take very long to begin to discover connections and the degrees of separation.”

Hanson Hall is named for Rev. Dr. Oscar Hanson ‘29, who began the ALC in 1958, after being called by the Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) to start an English-speaking congregation in Oslo. The congregation’s beginning reflected a commitment to serve the growing number of tourists, Norwegian-American families, American embassy personnel and English-speaking students living in Oslo. The decision was also an expression of gratitude for the Norwegian ancestors who brought the Christian faith from the United States.

Rev. Oscar ‘29 and Myrtle (Lokken) Hanson ‘30

Starting the ALC was a family venture for Hanson, his wife, Myrtle (Lokken) ‘30, and their children, Mark, Mary (Trodahl) and Joanne (Negstad), who later served the Augustana Board of Regents (now Trustees) from 1974-82. After the family settled in Oslo in October 1958, the congregation that Hanson formed began worshiping in rented halls. The Hansons held weekly Bible study, choir practice, confirmation classes and council meetings in their home. The family also hosted many visitors from the U.S.

Rogness, a third cousin to Hanson’s children, recalled a story that Mark tells about his time in Oslo.

“I think he was in middle school, and they used to go down to the boats when they’d be coming in, with a bunch of fliers about the church,” Rogness said. “If they heard anybody speaking English, they’d go up to them and thrust a flier in their hands, or they’d go to hotel lobbies and listen for anybody speaking English. They were doing what you do when you’re starting a new congregation.”

Hanson’s call in Oslo lasted two years, but before he and his family returned to the U.S., the congregation purchased property at Fritners Gate 15 — where the church is located today. Hanson raised funds for the new building while resuming his call to serve as an evangelist.

between the congregation and ELCA. The congregation, at times, has also served as an internship site for ELCA seminarians. The ALC supports the ELCA’s mission work around the world through outreach contributions, as well.

“Worship itself on a Sunday morning would feel pretty much at home to people who are coming from Lutheran churches in the U.S.,” said Rogness. “It’s a Lutheran liturgy, and the organist is magnificent. So, (Augustana) will have a nice worship experience when they’re there.”

Rogness, who served as bishop of the American Lutheran Church’s Southern Wisconsin District, ELCA’s Greater Milwaukee Synod and St. Paul Area Synod, worked for the ALC after his retirement in 2014. Having served for more years as a bishop than a parish pastor, Rogness said the opportunity to simply serve a congregation again was very appealing. There was also the adventure that came with “serving an international congregation on foreign soil.”

“...it doesn’t take very long to begin to discover connections and the degrees of separation.”

— Rev. Peter Rogness ‘67

“(The ALC) was already a strong enough congregation that, by 1964, they built the church that (Augustana) will be worshiping in,” said Rogness.

When Rogness served as interim pastor in 2014, the ALC was celebrating its 50th anniversary.

“There were still members that had been there all that time,” Rogness remembered. “And, a quite famous boys’ choir had started there right when the church was built and was nationally, even internationally known. They came back together for this event, so there were these 70- and 80-year-olds that sang, and it was just marvelous.”

The ALC identifies as an ecumenical congregation — one focused on greater Christian unity — but its teachings and ministry reflect a Lutheran foundation.

An Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) pastor always serves the congregation, maintaining a connection

What Rogness remembers most fondly, though, about his time at the ALC was the diversity of the congregation. The ALC, which began with mostly Lutheran Americans, now has members from more than 30 countries and almost as many faith traditions.

“It’s a marvelous mix of people who have Lutheran connections and backgrounds and, in many cases, American backgrounds, but that was far more true at the beginning of the congregation than it is now,” Rogness said. “I used to tell people that the name, ‘American Lutheran Congregation,’ reflects its roots.”

As the Augustana community prepares to celebrate homecoming in Norway, Rogness and his wife, Gerry (Sheridan) ‘67 — who was by his side during his time at ALC — have just one piece of advice for worshiping at the Augustana-connected church.

“Be prepared to celebrate how international it is,” Gerry said.

“They aren’t worshiping in a Norwegian church, per se,” added Peter. “They’re worshiping in an international church with a Norwegian flavor to it.” n

100 YEARS OF HOMECOMING IN NORWAY

In September 2023, Augustana celebrated 100 years of homecoming on campus. This spring, Augustana is bringing the celebration to Oslo, Norway! From Friday, May 31-Sunday, June 2, AU alumni, staff and friends will gather in Norway’s capital to celebrate tradition, community and alumni achievement.

Friday, May 31

• Homecoming Kickoff Event

Saturday, June 1

• Explore Oslo

• Homecoming Banquet

Sunday, June 2

• Homecoming Worship

A GUIDED TOUR INTO THE FUTURE

AU Discernment Partners Program Pairs Students With Young Alumni in Ministry

| BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

Like many students, Sammie Kross ‘25 doesn’t know exactly what the world outside of Augustana has in store for her. She has considered graduate school, and now, thanks to the AU Discernment Partners Program, Kross is considering seminary for the first time.

The AU Discernment Partners Program is a year-long initiative in which current students are paired with young alumni and engage in monthly conversations via Zoom around questions of discernment and ministry.

“I never really thought about seminary until coming (to Augustana), studying religion and being in this program,” Kross said. “I’m a curious person in general, and I want to explore my faith more, and I want to see what kind of career paths are available for someone looking to explore their faith.”

The program originated out of the Forum for Theological Exploration’s (FTE) Discernment Labs Network collegiate cohort, in which Campus Pastor Rev. Ann Rosendale ‘04 is participating. Along with the year-long cohort experience to hone skills of guiding young adults through discernment, Rosendale received a grant to create the discernment program at AU.

“Augustana has had this long and strong history of sending graduates to seminary,” Rosendale said. “It’s (approximately) 120 in the last 20 years, which is really good. I would say, in the last five years, there’s been a decline in those numbers. And, this is not just an Augustana issue — this is an issue in the wider church; there is a pastor shortage.

“So, I’ve been thinking in recent years about how to reinvigorate our pre-seminary program, how to think intentionally with students about careers in ministry or theological education as a next step,” Rosendale continued.

In January, when the program officially began, Rosendale reached out to six Augustana students she described as “seminary curious” — students who are not yet committed to attending seminary, but may be giving it some consideration. Then, she reached out to six recent alumni who are serving in ministry across the country — not just those serving as pastors, but a chaplain and deacon, too.

“I think it can be hard to imagine yourself in ministry; it was hard for me to imagine myself as a pastor,” said Rosendale. “Having young alumni is so helpful — when you can see people in their 20s or early 30s doing this work, you can start to imagine yourself doing it, too. The power of the program is that students can ask young adults honest questions about what ministry looks like.”

The pairs got the chance to meet in person for the first time in February as the program kicked off with a weekend retreat at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. The retreat included initial discernment conversations, hearing from a Luther Seminary professor and its enrollment office, as well as worship at the church of an alumna.

For Kross, who’s from Rapid City, South Dakota, the retreat was “really rewarding” and allowed her to connect with alumni serving in ministry of all types. Kross said while she’s interested in many pathways, her current ministerial interest lies within pastoral care — making Miriam Hanson Fairchild ‘16 a perfect discernment partner.

Hanson Fairchild began her own journey with pastoral care during her gap year in 2016. She joined the Lutheran Volunteer Corps where she worked as a spiritual care coordinator at a senior living community in Omaha, Nebraska. From there, Hanson Fairchild attended Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio, where she earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) in 2021.

Sammie Kross ‘25

“As part of that (master’s program), I did a congregational internship in the Washington, D.C. area, and I was still trying to discern, ‘Do I want to be a pastor?’” Hanson Fairchild said. “That was a hard discernment piece of, ‘I’m putting all this time into this degree, and I don’t want to do what most people are doing with it. What can I do with it that actually fits me and what my call is?’

“I think a big piece of that journey really has tied into my excitement for this Augustana Discernment Project because I know what that’s like — first to discern going into ministry, but then to be doing it and still be wondering, ‘Is this really it? Or, is it some other iteration of it?’”

Part of Hanson Fairchild’s discernment was deciding what she loved most about ministry, which was pastoral care — working one on one with people and focusing on intentional time together. Following advice from one of her academic advisors, Hanson Fairchild applied to Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey, where she earned a Master of Theology (Th.M.). This ultimately led Hanson Fairchild to explore chaplaincy, and she now serves as a chaplain at Princeton House Behavioral Health, an inpatient psychiatric facility, in New Jersey. She’s working toward board certification — requiring a year-long hospital residency, which she’s already completed, and 2,000 hours of work experience.

Hanson Fairchild hopes that her discernment process will guide Kross through her own.

“My hope is that, regardless of what she discerns is her next most faithful step, she gains confidence in her own sense and ability to do the discernment work because discernment won’t go away,” Hanson Fairchild said. “I want her, and really all of the students involved, to know that ministry is happening everywhere. It doesn’t mean that you have to go to seminary or be a pastor or chaplain. Those are things that society has designated as doing ministry, but you can be a doctor and that is a ministry to people. You can be an ecology scientist, and that is ministry.”

For Hanson Fairchild, the AU Discernment Partners Program is also a way for her to gain mentoring skills and grow in her own profession.

“As someone who is new in my field, I feel honored to be mentoring someone who’s also kind of figuring things out,” Hanson Fairchild said. “What I’m also getting out of it is this reconnection to Augustana. I feel like I got so much out of the Augie community and then I went away for school for quite a long time and I don’t live in the Midwest anymore. It’s been really wonderful to be reconnected and be able to give back in this way.”

Kross believes this program will ultimately open many doors for her and her future.

“We always ask for clarity in this discernment process, but more and more for me, it’s about the connections,” Kross said. “It’s about learning from alumni and people (in ministry). I just want to know what is open for me because I think it’s so hard to figure that out on your own. With this whole process, it’s a guided tour of what my future could look like.”

As part of the program, each student is given a travel stipend to visit their discernment partner in their ministry context. Kross plans to visit Hanson Fairchild in New Jersey in the fall, with plans to tour Princeton Theological Seminary and its “farminary” — a project that integrates theological education with small-scale regenerative agriculture, which is another one of Kross’ interests.

Rosendale, who is thrilled with the feedback she’s received so far, would love to see the program continue beyond this calendar year.

“To continue, as we’ve done it, we would need some additional funding,” Rosendale said. “In these first couple of months, it has proven to be a very worthwhile initiative — worthwhile for students, certainly, but also for our alumni to start to see themselves as mentors of the next generation of church leaders.” n

Jorgen Hansen ‘26, Sammie Kross ‘25, Kaitlyn Crawford ‘26, Rev. Ingrid (Arneson) Rasmussen ‘05, Brooke De Jong ‘13, Miriam Hanson Fairchild ‘16, Sam Erickson ‘24 and Hanna Beshai ‘25 gather at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where Rasmussen pastors.

THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME

Biology Professor Introduces Augustana Students to Native Country of Kenya

| BY JILL WILSON

Patrick Vogel ‘26 always knew he wanted to study abroad at some point during his time at Augustana — possibly during his junior or senior year.

That quickly changed after Vogel learned about the opportunity to take a January Interim (J-Term) course called Glimpses at the Intersection of Global Food Security & Education. Taking the course would mean traveling with Assistant Professor of Biology Dr. Sally Mallowa to her native country of Kenya, along with Instructor of Education Kristin Grinager ‘97, who is a world traveler with experience teaching English as a second language (ESL) and human relations.

“I think there’s a study abroad for everyone, but not every study abroad is for every person — that’s definitely something to sit down and decipher before embarking on a journey like this,” said Vogel.

And, what a journey it was.

The biology major from Sioux Falls, who is also minoring in chemistry and neuroscience, described the experience as “life changing.”

In their nearly month-long trip, Vogel and 13 other AU students learned how food security, education, health systems and policies impact the welfare, decision-making and resiliency of the people in Kenya. They did so by immersing themselves in the local communities they visited. And, in turn, they made authentic connections.

“I was trying to prepare my heart and my mind to be 100% open,” explained Vogel. “I think it’s difficult to talk about the trip and all the experiences without first going to the people. The experiences we had and the people we met changed my worldview.”

The group began their journey in Nairobi. After reading a book about its founders, the students visited Shining Hope for Communities (SHOFCO), a community-based organization that links girls’ schools in one of the country’s most pronounced slums to essential services. They also spent time with the Fun & Education Global Network (FEGNe) that engages learners from across the globe by preparing and demonstrating science experiments at local schools.

“I was amazed at how gracious and kind everyone was in Kenya,” said Grinager. “The Augustana students were amazing. The time in the schools was really fun. I told the students, ‘I know you’re not all education majors,’ but I was so impressed with what they did in the classrooms and with the students.”

Among many other experiences in Kenya’s capital city, the group visited the Giraffe Centre and David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, a rescue and rehabilitation program for orphaned elephants and rhinos, as well as the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), where farmers are looking at innovative ways to make gluten-free products from cassava root.

The group then visited Nyanza, near the shores of Lake Victoria, to learn about the local culture, including a stop at Kit-Mikayi — a famous, sacred stone — and Maseno Equator Point.

The next stop was Siaya County where Mallowa and her husband’s villages are located. The group spent two weeks engaged in service-learning, which included stops at the homes of community members and activities with teachers and students in local schools. Here, they learned more about the education system and what food security means to the people they visited.

“This specific group (of AU students) was insightful, thoughtful, compassionate. There’s a certain kind of student who goes to Africa, so they already have those qualities. I think they were in a lot of uncomfortable situations that they were very gracious about. I really appreciated that from the students,” Mallowa said.

The Augustana students were also involved in a ceremony in which secondary school students were awarded tuition scholarships necessary to attend Mudhiero High School. The organization that supports these scholarships was created by Mallowa and named after her parents, Sam and Hannah Obura, alumni of the high school. The AU community has also been known to support these scholarships, including Augustana’s TriBeta Honor Society and Biology Club.

“We certainly saw a lot of people who work really hard to put food on the table for their families, to have a place to live and then send their kids to school. I think one of the things that stuck out to all of us, especially the Augie students, was the appreciation that students had for education,” noted Grinager.

“It’s $77 for the year to go to school and that can be difficult for some families,” explained Grinager. “It was, at times, overwhelming to think about how easily we spend $77 — all those little things we take for granted. It’s always good to be reminded how lucky we are really by chance.”

Augustana students then got a glimpse at how education affects health by visiting a health-centered organization called the Matibabu Foundation. In an event celebrating the organization’s 20-year partnership with Tiba Foundation Champions of the Boda Girls, the students were able to attend the opening of a new hospital with many dignitaries, including the U.S. ambassador to Kenya and the founders of FIGS Scrubs. Of course, Mallowa served as emcee of the event. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

“I think everyone in Kenya knows Sally,” joked Grinager. “She’s very well connected and respected. People have just wonderful things to say about her and the work that she’s doing on their behalf to really promote education and help people in Kenya achieve their goals. She provided us opportunities to meet with so many different people, whereas, if we just had been there on our own, we would have missed out on some of those really rich experiences.”

The last leg of their trip was spent at Jaffrey Academy, a private school in Mombasa.

“You get a holistic view,” explained Mallowa. “If you just went to the slum, a rural school, you could live with the danger of a single story.”

“I hope that they remember that there’s not one person or one thing that defines Kenya any more than there is one person or one thing that defines the United States,” Grinager reinforced.

Finally, the group got some downtime with a visit to a marine park and the beach. However, Vogel said his heart remained with the people he had met the days and weeks prior.

“The final week we spent time in Mombasa by the Indian Ocean just doing touristy things and unwinding, but I would give days at the beach for another couple of hours with those kids,” said Vogel.

“Many years later, I think that will be true for everyone who went on this trip as things happen in life. There’ll be parts of Kenya that also connect with your experiences,” said Grinager.

This is Mallowa’s second time bringing a group of Augustana students to Kenya for J-Term — the first was in 2022 as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) IDEAS Program to assist colleges and universities in creating, broadening and expanding their study-abroad programming in support of U.S. foreign policy goals. Now, with a second trip behind her, she can’t help but think of what an honor it is to have such a platform.

“It’s a win, a win for everybody — the impact Kenyan and American students have on each other,” said Mallowa. “I think a lot of our students are afraid to embrace their impact. I hope we can normalize seeing Americans in our village, but also that somebody doesn’t need to come from America to be that change.

“It’s a different kind of experience for the students, and even for me. I think they will be talking about it for a long time.” n

AUGUSTANA’S STUDY-AWAY PROGRAMS

OPTIONS

Augustana students can study away through:

• AU faculty-led courses

• Exchange partners and sister schools

• Program providers

• Intensive language programs

• Music and athletics tours

• Hybrid academic/internship semesters

BY THE NUMBERS

6PARTNERPROGRAMS

8

9AU-LED PROGRAMS

LOOKING AHEAD

In January 2025, there will be 13 J-Term courses with four new course offerings. In Spring 2025, three spring break study-away courses will be offered. And, there will be one summer study-away course offered in 2025.

15

10

international students are Viking Advisors (VAs) in the residence halls

international students served as Augustana Cultural Exchange (ACE) Ambassadors

international students are student-athletes

7 of the 18 Augustana Student Association (ASA) Senate and Executive Board seats are filled by international students

“I’m not even close to done.

Obviously, it’s a goal to be a national champion.”

— Bryn Greenwaldt ‘26

SWIMMING IN SUCCESS

Augustana Swimmer Qualifies for U.S. Olympic Team Trials, ‘Not Done’ Fighting for National Championship

| BY JILL WILSON

Bryn Greenwaldt’s pre-race routine is pretty simple. She jumps as high as she can. She tells herself the higher she jumps, the faster she’ll swim. If she isn’t jumping very high, in her mind, that’s how the race is going to go.

She also sings the verse to one of her favorite worship songs, “Give Me Faith”:

“I may be weak

But Your spirit’s strong in me

My flesh may fail

My God you never will”

Then, she prays.

Greenwaldt ‘26 said she has always been strong in her faith, but after a fellow swimmer invited her to church in seventh grade, the experience “completely” changed her life.

“I owe all of my life up to this point to God. It wouldn’t have been possible without Him. It’s undeniable — that’s where my strength comes from; that’s why I am where I am today,” said Greenwaldt.

And, at just 19 years old and two years into her swimming career at Augustana, Greenwaldt has done a lot. She is a 3-time national runner-up — twice in the 50 freestyle and once in the 100 freestyle — and has earned eight All-America Honors in both the 50 and 100 freestyle, as well as the 200 medley and freestyle relays. She has also earned the title of NSIC Swimmer of the Year twice.

“I’m not even close to done. Obviously, it’s a goal to be a national champion. I have three second places under my belt now,” Greenwaldt explained. “I’ve taken second to the championship record holders for the last three years of my life (including in high school). I’m hoping that one day, I can be the girl to win and set the record. Even still, I’m improving in my swimming and in my techniques and even my attitude toward it. I don’t think there’s ever really a point where you can kind of just say, ‘I’ve reached all my goals; I’m finished.’”

Not even after qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.

On Nov. 15, 2023, at the Coyote LCM Invitational in Midco Aquatic Center in Sioux Falls, Greenwaldt had three chances to make history.

“In college, it’s a short course. The pool is 25 yards and for the Olympics, it’s 50 meters, so it’s a totally different race, almost. I’ve never swam in an Olympic-size pool before this year, ever. My coach was like, ‘You’re gonna get an Olympic trials cut,’ and I said, ‘You’re crazy. You’re insane. I think you’re ridiculous.’ I had no expectations because ‘it’s not going to happen.’ It was just one of those things that seemed so far out of reach.”

In what was Greenwaldt’s third attempt at swimming the 50 free that night — alone in the pool — she reached the wall at a time of 25.69. She did it.

“I was like, ‘Well, we’re just gonna see how this goes, like, ‘Swim like your life depends on it.’ And, I did, and I got the cut down to a 100th of a second. It was one of the craziest moments of my entire life,” said Greenwaldt. “The way that the pool is set up … I couldn’t see my time from where I was, so I could tell if I got it or not by the crowd going crazy. I’m seeing my coach celebrate and my parents celebrate, my friends are celebrating.

“It’s something I never ever expected, and I think it’s cool because it’s something that my parents didn’t expect either. They’ve been at every single one of my meets and they’ve gotten to watch this journey, too.”

Here, too, she said it was God showing up in her life.

“I would not be where I am without Him. That is the most prevalent way I’ve ever seen Him be like, “Hi, here I am; this is what I’m doing. I want you to go take this and talk about me,” said the accounting and business administration double major.

But, the now Olympic Trials qualifier from Foley, Minnesota, said her start in swimming was unconventional. She joined a club team in elementary school simply due to her fear of missing out.

“I had this small friend group and we were all sitting at lunch one day and they were talking about swimming because they were in the club that met after school. The next day they talked about swimming and the next day they talked about swimming. I don’t like being left out of things and I didn’t understand what they were saying, so guess what? I’m joining swimming, too! And, I did.”

Greenwaldt called herself “awful” at swimming in fourth through seventh grade. When her neighbor made the varsity swim team in eighth grade, she came along too, as she was Greenwaldt’s ride home from school. She flew under the radar until the coach found a place for her, too. Soon after, she said her parents would try to bribe her not to swim yearround.

She also called her college search unconventional. Greenwaldt didn’t start thinking about college until the summer before her senior year and initially only knew of Augustana because it appeared in her online college searches. She learned more about Augustana through her swim coach, who was familiar with the university and its administration.

“I wanted to stay kind of close to home. I wanted to be able to do track and swimming. I thought it was cool that there’s also a men’s team here — just all the things combined,” Greenwaldt said.

When Greenwaldt got to Augustana, she discovered a builtin friend group — a family.

“If I’m being real, swimming drains the life out of me — it’s so difficult. The only thing that has kept me going besides

God and my faith is having the team there and them showing up every day and getting me hyped up. They’re just my lifeline, and every single person on that team is so valuable and I love them so much,” said Greenwaldt.

“Andrew’s (Makepeace) coaching is incredible. He’s so focused on team building, and I think a lot of people have really enjoyed it.”

Now that the 2023-24 swim season is somewhat behind her, Greenwaldt has turned her attention to track & field — something she’s pretty good at, too — recently earning the title of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) Indoor High Jump Champion for 2024.

“High jump is a break from swimming. If you talk to any person that’s on the track team, they’ll say that track is not a relaxed sport because they have to run and I don’t. I get all the benefits of being called a dual-sport athlete and just get to go and jump over a pole. It’s really fun,” said Greenwaldt.

This is the same approach Greenwaldt is taking when the Olympic Trials do come around … to have fun. She is just excited to be part of a sport people care about; to experience thousands of people in the stands.

“I’m going to do some training here and there throughout the summer. I’m not going to make the Olympics — that’s not going to happen for me, and that is totally OK, but I have an opportunity where I get to go and be a part of something that’s really cool. But, no stress has to be attached — if I don’t get last, that will be crazy! I just get to go and do something that I’ve worked really hard for and have fun and be in an environment that’s bigger than anything I’ve ever experienced before. It will just be really fun.”

The 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials are scheduled for June 15-23 in Indianapolis, Indiana, at Lucas Oil Stadium — the first time the event will be hosted on a football field. n

The Estate Gift ENIGMA

Donor Unknown to AU Leaves Gift for Student-Led Sustainability Initiatives

| BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

In August 2023, Augustana received an estate gift worth $660,000 from Dr. Donald H. Nelson, who passed away seven months earlier. While estate gifts aren’t out of the ordinary, this one was different.

Nelson had no connections to Augustana — he wasn’t an alumnus nor a previous donor. He never married nor had children, so he wasn’t the husband or father of alumni. A question, then, loomed large:

Why did Nelson give a significant estate gift to a university with which he had no affiliation?

Enter Cindy and Steve Huseth, Nelson’s niece and her husband — on a quest to answer the same question. Their quest, however, involved searching for that answer 25 more times, as Nelson had listed 26 organizations as beneficiaries of his estate, including Augustana.

“I think he started thinking back through his life — every church, every school, things related to the environment. If they were, at one point, important to him, he included them in his list of beneficiaries,” Cindy said. “Some of (the organizations) know him because he had a relationship with them before he died, and, at a number of the schools, he had already created endowments.

“But, there were four schools, Augustana being one of them, who he didn’t have a relationship with at all prior to his death,” Cindy continued. “So, part of my goal is to help introduce him to Augustana and these other schools.”

Nelson, who was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota, retired from his 30-year career as an orthodontist in 1986. After retirement, he developed a deep passion for the environment, particularly the three farms he owned in the Rochester and Northfield areas of Minnesota. Nelson planted and cared for several thousand tree seedlings that he purchased from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Before his passing, Nelson worked with Trust for Public Land, Minnesota Land Trust and the Minnesota DNR to ensure that his farms would be converted into wildlife management areas (WMAs). The three WMAs, totaling 860 acres, are now enjoyed by wildlife and those who visit for recreational purposes. Nelson also donated the proceeds from the sale of the farms to his alma mater, St. Olaf College, as well as Luther College and Northfield Shares to create endowments supporting land-based stewardship, research and education programs.

“He wasn’t afraid to follow his passions,” Cindy said. “As a family, we never felt like he was really passionate about his career as an orthodontist. So, he retired early. Then, one of his passions was the stock market. That allowed him to follow what I believe was his true passion for the environment. That was who he truly was.

“His faith was also a huge part of him,” added Cindy. “Faith and the environment and trying to combine those two was really, toward the end of his life, what he was all about.”

This is where the Huseths and Augustana began to put some of the pieces of the estate gift puzzle together. Augustana, an institution inspired by Lutheran scholarly tradition, has put an emphasis on enhanced sustainability in recent years. Within AU’s strategic plan, Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030, is an enduring commitment to environmental sustainability through relevant academic offerings, initiatives and responsible investments that promote sustainability in campus operations.

In 2007, as Nelson considered the donation of his farms, he wrote in his statement of purpose, “It is my desire that these farm properties shall be used in perpetuity exclusively for environmental education, research and recreation … to encourage young students, nurturing their interest and commitment to learn more about our environment.”

Therefore, when Augustana received Nelson’s estate gift, it was designated to provide resources to student-led environmental sustainability initiatives — just as Nelson dreamed.

Even though Augustana and the Huseths will never know exactly why Nelson generously chose AU to be one of his benefactors, his legacy will extend far into the university’s future, as will the gratitude.

“He was to be greatly admired,” Cindy said. “He was a very caring and loving man.” n

Steve and Cindy Huseth, Nelson’s nephew-in-law and niece

LEGACY POWERS

FUTURE OF AU

Augustana students and their sustainability initiatives have already seen the impact of Nelson’s estate gift.

In 2022, when Vedant Thakkar ‘24 was an Augustana Student Association (ASA) senator, the finance committee discussed projects it might want to tackle. The idea of solar panels on campus came up — one that had been brought up by different senators many times in the past.

“I’ve always had an inclination toward sustainability projects and solar panels,” Thakkar, who graduated in January, said. “I had an opportunity to do it, so I took on that opportunity.”

Thus began Thakkar’s nearly 2-year journey to get solar panels on campus, including researching installation companies, collecting student feedback, discussing feasibility, collaborating with Augustana Facility Services and other stakeholders, as well as writing a proposal.

The panels, expected to be installed in late spring or early summer, will be located on the south side of the Froiland Science Complex (FSC), near the greenhouse. There will be three 4-by-8-foot panels that will likely make up one large panel facing 33rd Street.

“My goal with this project was to get the ball rolling,” Thakkar said. “With having a few solar panels on campus, it’s this foot-in-the-door idea — we start one project, and hopefully that inspires and offshoots into more projects. That’s why, for me, it was important to get this done.”

While the solar panels are being funded in large part by ASA, the remainder of the funds will come from Nelson’s estate gift, as the project has been a student-led environmental sustainability initiative. And, this student-led initiative was a highlight of Thakkar’s AU experience.

“Because of this project, not only was I able to pivot away from my major, I was able to learn a lot of essential life skills, like how to communicate professionally and think strategically,” said Thakkar, a research specialist at Sanford Research in Sioux Falls. “That helps me today in my work because in science, we operate on grants and now, I understand what it takes to convince grant committees to provide funding for research projects. The experiences I got from this project can be translated directly to the understanding of the administrative and financial parts of research.

“That’s what I appreciated is having these kinds of options; it allows students to expand their horizons beyond their major,” Thakkar continued. “(The project) gave me a crucial skill set to survive and thrive in the real world.”

Vedant Thakkar ‘24

William & Eleanor Flagstad Rachael (Nelson) ‘11 & Tim Flagstad

Quinlan Martinez • Heidi (Reinders) ‘07 & Mario Martinez

Caroline Diamond & Hayden Hennen ‘27

Stacy (Sobolik) Diamond ‘06

Abriellah Frahm

Becca (Worden) ‘16 & Dalton Frahm ‘19

Zoe Beukhof

Megan (Kennedy) ‘10 & Tom Beukhof

Ryker Diamond Alison & Brady Diamond

Kedon & Harlynn Hewes

Kara (Bartels) ‘14 & Nate Hewes ‘13

Ezekiel Martinez Heidi (Reinders) ‘07 & Mario Martinez

Callahan, Malloy, Griffin & Colin Heeney Erin & Michael Heeney

Lucas Martinez

Heidi (Reinders) ‘07 & Mario Martinez

Gage Paquette

Jessie (Radisewitz) ‘04 & Denis Paquette

Landon Simon

Tori & Ben Simon

Jeremiah Kutz

Heidi (Allard) ‘12 & Jake Kutz

Navy Diamond Niece of Hayden Hennen ‘27

Tate & Asher Burggraaf

Desiree (Bakker) ‘06 & Tyler Burggraaf ‘07

&

Madelyn Nyberg

Caroline (Wermers) ‘15 & Erik Nyberg ‘12

Chandler Palkert

Kirsten (Nyberg) ‘14 & Caleb Palkert

Aubreanna Cade Jade ‘24 & Valetin Cade ‘26

43

CLASS NOTES

augie.edu/alumni

THE 2020s

‘22

Adam Dompierre released his debut novel, Wild Bolts Electric, a paranormal mystery.

Mason Ohnstad is a legislative correspondent on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

‘21

Claire Eiswirth earned a Master of Science in physician assistant (PA) medicine from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota, and passed the board examination to become a certified PA.

Bella (Eveleth-Jensen) Oliver and husband, Andrew, welcomed daughter, Isla Rae, in September 2023.

‘20

Chloe VanGerpen will marry Kai Utterback on May 31.

THE 2010s

‘19

Dalton and Becca (Worden) Frahm ‘16 welcomed daughter, Abriellah Elise, in October 2023.

Baylee Relf married Trenton Hemmer in Flandreau, South Dakota, on Nov. 25, 2023.

Sarah Spilde is a special education teacher at Brandon Valley High School in South Dakota.

‘18

John M. Nelson owns Nelson & Ericsson Law Office, Prof. LLC. in Madison, South Dakota.

‘17

Jess Roetman earned a Ph.D. in cancer biology from Vanderbilt University in June 2023.

Augustana (SD) Alumni @AugieAlumni

Andrea (Conover) and Mason Van Essen welcomed son, Crosby James, in June 2023. Mason is the business development manager of Prairie Family Business Association in Sioux Falls.

‘16

Becca (Worden) and Dalton Frahm ‘19 welcomed daughter, Abriellah Elise, in October 2023.

‘15

Margaret (Chernatinski) Pottratz and husband, Braden, welcomed son, Jonah Anthony, in December 2023.

‘14

Kelsey (Junget) and Jesse Fonkert welcomed daughter, Katherine Marie, in December 2023.

Kelli (Bolton) Hoffer and husband, Craig, welcomed twins, Beckett and Wyatt, in November 2023.

‘13

Dylan Dybedahl-West is the director of strategic initiatives for enrollment management at the University of Colorado Boulder.

‘12

Dr. Meredith Reynolds ran in the BMW Berlin Marathon on Sept. 24, 2023, and in TCS New York City Marathon on Nov. 5, 2023.

Maggie (Olson) Taylor and husband, Jeff, welcomed son, Theodore “Teddy” Jeffrey, in November 2023. The Taylors reside in Hudson, Ohio.

Sawyer Vanden Heuvel was ordained into the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) ministry on Oct. 27, 2023, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Vanden Huevel is the associate pastor at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and mission developer & pastor of Shepherd’s Table in Sioux Falls.

‘10

Dr. Zephanie (Skow) Cole celebrated 10 years of owning her private practice, Align Chiropractic & Acupuncture, PLC.

THE 2000s

‘07

Karen Kunze and husband, Ben Koch, welcomed son, Samuel, in September 2023.

‘06

Dr. Matthew McDougall received the 2023 David M. Worthen Innovator Award from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). McDougall is the associate chief of staff for education at the Sioux Falls VA Healthcare System.

Kierstan Peck is the dean of student affairs at Pine Technical & Community College in Pine City, Minnesota.

‘05

Tracey Fredrick earned the 2023 Motorola Trunked Users Group (MTUG) Danny Smith Memorial Award at the annual MTUG Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, in August 2023.

‘04

Sadie (Mahlen) Bell is the senior vice president - chief retail officer at First Bank & Trust in Sioux Falls.

Stephanie (Christensen) Entringer earned a doctor (Ed.D.) of health care education & leadership from Clarkson College in Omaha, Nebraska. Entringer is a faculty member and program coordinator for the registered nursing (RN) program at Southeast Technical College in Sioux Falls.

Brooke (Andersen) Schubert is the K-12 education studio lead for BVH Architecture’s Denver, Colorado, office. Schubert is a registered architect in Colorado and South Dakota.

Matt Dreke is the systems administrator in the IT department at Augustana University.

Joe Hoiberg and wife, Jessica, adopted daughter, Jaylen Carol Grace, in December 2023.

‘02

Lars Gjerde gave a lecture at the first Norwegian National Nurse Practitioner Conference in Oslo, Norway, in October 2023. Gjerde is an advanced practice provider (APP) supervisor for hospitalbased services at UC Davis Health in California.

THE 1990s ‘96

Kristi (Kruger) Peterson was appointed to the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) Board of Directors in 2023. Peterson also serves as president of the Minnesota School Board Association (MSBA) and chair of the Shakopee School Board.

‘94

Amy Vogel married Nathan Thome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Nov. 25, 2023.

‘90

David Granholm and wife, Katrina, have a daughter, Elisabeth Clare.

THE 1980s

‘89

Bruno Himmler is employed with the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

‘87

Kent Wika was inducted into Medtronic’s Bakken Society in August 2023. Wika has been with Medtronic for 22 years.

‘85

Grant Dugdale is an attorney with Baird Holm LLP’s labor & employment law group in Omaha, Nebraska.

John Luebke is an English education & community development volunteer with the Peace Corps in Mongolia.

Lois (Van Dam) Martin was named the 2023 CFO of the Year by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal. Martin is the CFO of Mortenson Co.

THE 1970s ‘71

Wayne Anderson invented a medical infusion pump for which a patent was issued in April 2023 and established Controlling Fluids LLC. Anderson and his wife have two children and five grandchildren.

THE 1950s ‘55

Gene Erickson resides in Dow Rummel Village, where he has started a wellattended singalong group and plans to begin a bird-watching group to help residents come together for fellowship.

IN MEMORIAM ‘23

‘16

Sandra (Mackey) Draper, 63, of Wilmington, Delaware, passed away on Jan. 8.

‘12

Doris (Nelson) Gjervik, 100, of Litchfield, Minnesota, passed away at Bethany Assisted Living on Jan. 20.

‘03

Janelle (Winselman) DeMent, 43, passed away at home in Humboldt, South Dakota, on Feb. 20.

‘00

Lori K. (Fossum) McCormick, 46, of Salem, South Dakota, passed away at home on Feb. 9.

‘96

Sheila (Becking) Kropuenske, 60, of Humboldt, South Dakota, passed away on Jan. 12.

Courtney Frohling, a second-year Augustana student, passed away on Feb. 26 at the age of 20, following a courageous battle with cancer. Frohling was a biology and sociology double major on the pre-medicine track with hopes of helping those like herself living with childhood cancer. The Perham, Minnesota, native also worked as an office assistant for the Augustana Biology Department.

Frohling was passionate about music, the outdoors, road trips, as well as her family and friends. Noah Kahan was her favorite musician, and she was able to see him in concert at Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre in Colorado just seven months before her passing.

Frohling is survived by her parents, Mara and Ryan, and brothers, Quentin and Kaleb.

Benjamin Goehring, 22, of Humboldt, South Dakota, passed away unexpectedly on Oct. 18, 2023.

‘93

Kimberly (Anderson) Kuhle, 56, passed away on Feb. 27, following a valiant fight against cancer.

Quentin Steinberg, 62, of Jackson, Tennessee, passed away unexpectedly on Dec. 24, 2023.

‘85

Dewayne “Dewey” Callies, 69, passed away on Jan. 13.

Kathy Jo Nultemeier, 60, passed away at Sanford USD Medical Center & Hospital in Sioux Falls on Nov. 26, 2023.

Eileen (Bauermeister) Tjeerdsma, 61, died from liver cancer at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sept. 14, 2023.

George Weamire, 89, of Friend, Nebraska, passed away on Feb. 15.

‘82

Scott Bradshaw, 67, died on July 15, 2023.

‘81

Marian (Randall) Nickelson Burling, 96, passed away on Jan. 4.

‘80

David Josten, 72, passed away peacefully at home in Reno, Nevada, on Dec. 5, 2023.

‘79

Michael “Mike” Joseph Bolger, 65, passed away at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls on Oct. 22, 2023.

Lynn M. Shattuck, 66, passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on Dec. 6, 2023.

‘78

Clayton Lehmann, 67, passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 16, 2023.

‘74

DeVona (Anderson) Terlau, 82, passed away peacefully on Dec. 31, 2023, following a short battle with cancer.

‘73

Linda (Lee) Vick, 72, passed away in Omaha, Nebraska, on Feb. 8.

‘71

Terry Lee Meyer, 77, passed away in Yucaipa, California, on Feb. 25, 2023.

Kendall “Ken” Mills, 75, passed away in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Aug. 30, 2023, following a short illness.

‘70

Jeanne (Vavra) Bride, 87, passed away on Aug. 31, 2023.

Ronald Buskerud, 76, passed away on Nov. 26, 2023, following a brief battle with cancer.

Leslie Eugene Miller, 75, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Dougherty Hospice House on Oct. 17, 2023.

Nancy (Davidson) Schmidt, 76, of Alexandria, Minnesota, passed away at home on Feb. 24.

Stephen Varcoe, 75, passed away at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell, South Dakota, on Jan. 18.

‘69

Stephen George, 76, of Coon Rapids, Minnesota, passed away from complications of Parkinson’s disease on Oct. 20, 2023.

Rodney C. Hall, 76, of Plymouth, Minnesota, passed away on Jan. 4.

James Martin, 78, of Sibley, Iowa, passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on Jan. 22.

‘68

Carolyn “Kiya” Bodding, 76, passed away in Vashon Island, Washington, on Aug. 1, 2023.

Gary Cummings, 80, passed away on Sept. 14, 2023.

Cynthia (Acheson) Emery, 77, passed away at home in Dewey, Arizona, on Jan. 23, following a long battle with ovarian cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

Verlyn Erickson, 77, passed away in Danville, Indiana, on Oct. 26, 2023.

Ann (Bogaard) Howard, 77, of Crete, Nebraska, passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 19, 2023.

Gary Howerton, 77, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away on Dec. 6, 2023.

Gerald “Gary” Sandbo, 77, of Lindsborg, Kansas, passed away at Salina Regional Health Center on Sept. 16, 2023.

Rev. John Strand, 75, of Bainbridge Island, Washington, passed away on Oct. 27, 2021.

J. Lynn Thomas, 77, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Jan. 20.

‘67

Linda (Mickel) Flakoll, 77, of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, passed away on Sept. 21, 2022.

Delpha (Grunke) Hinman passed away on Oct. 11, 2023.

Mary Ouren died unexpectedly at home in Green Valley, Arizona, on Oct. 28, 2023.

Paul Rogen, 78, of Guilford, Connecticut, passed away on Sept. 2, 2023, following a bicycle accident in Spain.

James “Jim” Silliman, 78, of Watertown, South Dakota, passed away on Oct. 31, 2023.

‘66

Shirley (Jucht) Cox, 79, passed away at home on Dec. 25, 2023.

Mary (Bly) Dybvig, 79, passed away at home on Oct. 3, 2023.

Peter Hughlett, 81, of Spring Hill, Florida, passed away on Jan. 21.

Rev. Paul Rogers ‘64 passed away in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Feb. 1, at the age of 81. Rogers served on the Augustana Board of

Regents (now Trustees) from 1994-97. After graduating from Augustana with a German major, Rogers attended Luther Northwestern Seminary and became an ordained pastor — serving parishes in Germany, South Dakota and Minnesota. He also worked for the Lutheran World Federation in Geneva, Switzerland.

Rogers is survived by his wife, Camille (Hafnor) ‘68, and their three children, Anthony, Christopher and Elisabeth.

Bette (Allen) Jacobson, 83, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Dec. 5, 2023, following a brief illness.

Warren Jim Kattke passed away peacefully on Feb. 6, following complications from Parkinson’s disease.

‘65

Cheryl (Pittenger) Cone-Gieser, 79, passed away on Sept. 28, 2023.

Terry (Hansen) Hecker passed away unexpectedly of complications from Alzheimer’s in Oceanside, California, on Aug. 30, 2023.

Richard “Rich” Jensen, 80, passed away on Feb. 10.

Sharyl (Knutson) Nestor, 80, of Northwood, Iowa, died of complications from non-Hodgkin lymphoma on Sept. 2, 2023.

‘64

Veronica (Stoefen) Buskerud, 80, passed away from heart disease at McKenzieWillamette Medical Center in Eugene, Oregon, on Sept. 18, 2023.

Margaret Christopherson, 81, passed away at Avantara Norton in Sioux Falls on Sept. 2, 2023.

Bonnie (Hess) Nelson, 81, of Sioux Falls, passed away peacefully on Oct. 11, 2023.

Frederick Michael Rosin, Jr., 81, died at Bethany Home in Brandon, South Dakota, on Oct. 7, 2023.

Sharon (Waldner) Waltner, 80, of Freeman, South Dakota, passed away at Freeman Medical Center under hospice care on Aug. 30, 2023.

‘63

Deanna (Elliot) Agar, 82, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Dow Rummel Village on Sept. 2, 2023.

Rosalie (Erickson) Angus, 84, passed away at home, on Jan. 14.

Larry Bak, 82, passed away on Oct. 23, 2023, following a battle with cancer.

Ronald Nutt, 82, passed away peacefully at home in Sioux City, Iowa, on Feb. 4.

‘62

Marlys (Ronning) Stensaas, 84, of Vermillion, South Dakota, passed away peacefully at Good Samaritan SocietySioux Falls Village on Nov. 2, 2023.

‘61

Marjorie (Niedringhaus) Hanson, 85, passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on Dec. 4, 2023.

Roger LeRoy Hindbjorgen, 89, passed away peacefully at home in Sioux Falls on Nov. 25, 2023.

Ann (Heggerston) Julien, 84, passed away peacefully at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sept. 8, 2023.

Janice (Mickelsen) Kost, 84, passed away on Sept. 18, 2023.

George Peper, 83, died at Bethesda Grand in Willmar, Minnesota, on Sept. 26, 2023.

Elizabeth (Lerseth) Petersen passed away in Nashville, Tennessee, in November 2023.

‘60

Al Abramowitz, 88, of Johnston, Iowa, formerly of Creston, Iowa, passed away at Brio of Johnston on Aug. 31, 2023.

Rev. Dr. Glenn Bender, 89, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away at Harmony Cedar Rapids on Nov. 23, 2023.

Paul Bunn, 85, passed away on Sept. 1, 2023.

Robert Clauson, 96, passed away in Arizona on Sept. 21, 2019.

James D. Croston, 91, passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on Nov. 20, 2023.

Sheldon Haaland, 85, of Clarkfield, Minnesota, passed away on Dec. 18, 2023.

Karleen Kirchner, 86, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, passed away on Dec. 17, 2023.

John Muckler, 89, died in Sandpoint, Idaho, on Oct. 19, 2023.

Gerald Musgades, 90, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, passed away on Dec. 23, 2023.

Duane Nearman, 91, passed away at Sanford Hospice Centennial Cottage in Sioux Falls on Sept. 10, 2023.

Jean (Bjonerud) Verhulst, 84, of Bridgewater, South Dakota, died at Avera Queen of Peace Hospital in Mitchell, South Dakota, on Sept. 28, 2023.

‘59

JoAnn (Austin) Larson, of Indianola, Iowa, passed away at Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 17, 2023, one day after celebrating her 86th birthday.

Joan (Wilson) Nelson, 87, passed away in Spokane, Washington, on Sept. 19, 2023.

David Orsland, 86, of Hendersonville, Tennessee, passed away on Jan. 27.

‘58

Richard “Dick” Brook, 87, passed away at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls on Nov. 30, 2023.

Talton Lea Johnson, 84, of Snohomish County, Washington, passed away on Sept. 29, 2020.

Lane B. Miller, 87, of Sioux Falls, formerly of Flandreau, South Dakota, passed away on Oct. 17, 2023.

Gerald “Jerry/Jer-Bear” Nelson, 92, of Burnsville, Minnesota, formerly of St. Cloud, Minnesota, passed away at Havenwood Assisted Living on May 3, 2022.

Geraldine (Graber) Nelson, 92, of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, died peacefully at home under the care of hospice on Dec. 20, 2023.

Marlene (Lee) Pritchett, 86, of Andover, Minnesota, passed away on June 7, 2022.

Dorothy (Seppala) Schooley, 85, of Castlewood, South Dakota, passed away on Oct. 17, 2023.

Madonna (Nelson) Steensma, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Bethany Home in Brandon, South Dakota, on Sept. 30, 2023.

Lucille (Johnson) Sylvester, 87, of Thief River Falls, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota, on Sept. 25, 2023.

‘57

Shirley (Wassink) Espeland, 88, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, passed away on Dec. 21, 2023.

Connie (White) Lund, 87, of Santa Ynez, California, passed away on Aug. 29, 2022.

Gloria (Spiering) Nelson, 88, passed away peacefully on Aug. 18, 2023.

Ray Reiners, 92, passed away at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls on Nov. 29, 2023.

‘56

Darlene (Miller) Jervik, 89, died under the care of hospice at Good Samaritan Society in Canton, South Dakota, on Sept. 23, 2023.

Ardis (Eide) Jons, 90, passed away in Tucson, Arizona, on Dec. 18, 2023.

Martin Petereit, 93, passed away at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls on Nov. 11, 2023.

‘55

C. Patricia (Bly) Nelson, 90, passed away at Prairie View Senior Living in Tracy, Minnesota, on Dec. 19, 2023.

‘54

Sarah (Kinkead) Fenner, 90, of Littleton, Colorado, passed away on Oct. 24, 2022.

Joan (Hill) Horner, 91, passed away peacefully at home in Titusville, Florida, on May 1, 2023.

Leroy Roy Isaak, 91, of Denver, Colorado, passed away on Dec. 14, 2023.

Charles “Chuck” Josephson, 90, died of natural causes in Tucson, Arizona, on Aug. 13, 2023.

Anna Laura “Laurie” (Bachman) Prosser, 91, passed away peacefully on Nov. 12, 2023.

‘53

Thomas Fenner, 87, passed away on May 1, 2017.

Marilyn (Hoime) Ode, 92, of Brandon, South Dakota, passed away at Tuff Memorial Home in Hills, Minnesota, on Nov. 24, 2023.

Elaine (Larson) Powers, 91, of Flandreau, South Dakota, passed away at United Living Community in Brookings, South Dakota, on Sept. 16, 2023.

Chaplain Wendell Stangeland, 92, passed away at home on Feb. 14.

Valera (Koch) Wordelman, 93, of Alvord, Iowa, died at the Fellowship Village Care Center in Inwood, Iowa, on Oct. 6, 2023.

Rose Nell (Jacobson) Youngquist, 92, died peacefully in Northfield, Minnesota, on Dec. 17, 2023.

‘52

Doris (Kvanbek) Miller, 93, of Albert Lea, Minnesota, passed away on Dec. 29, 2023.

Wallace Tvedt, 95, of Brookings, South Dakota, passed away at the United Living Community on Aug. 30, 2023.

‘51

Joyce (Stolsmark) Erickson passed away peacefully in Sioux Falls on Feb. 3.

Ellen (Anderson) Mueller, 93, passed away at Good Samaritan Society in Sioux Falls on Sept. 2, 2023.

Donald “Don” Toft, 96, passed away at Sanford Hospice Centennial Cottage in Sioux Falls on Jan. 30.

Grace (Anderson) Ulrikson, 93, died at Good Samaritan Society - Canton in Canton, South Dakota, on Oct. 6, 2023.

‘50

Dr. George Malcolm “Mal” Jameson, 96, of Yankton, South Dakota, passed away peacefully on Feb. 8.

Carolyn (Strain) Jameson-Stout, 95, passed away peacefully in Houston, Texas, on Jan. 16.

Alice (Haar) Urbina Fliginger, 98, of Freeman, South Dakota, passed away at Oakview Terrace on Sept. 17, 2023.

‘49

Dorothy Gunion, 96, of Onawa, Iowa, passed away at Burgess Health Center on Oct. 31, 2023.

‘48

Arlette (Pederson) Villaume, 97, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Ava’s House on Jan. 17.

‘46

Mary (Sherwin) Burnette, 98, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Good Samaritan Society - Luther Manor on Sept. 11, 2023.

Selma (Butzke) McKenzie, 99, of Wheeling, West Virginia, died on Sept. 20, 2023.

Audrey (Bolstad) Tvedt, 87, of Sinai, South Dakota, died at the Golden Living Center in Arlington, South Dakota, on Feb. 5, 2015.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The class notes sent to Augustana University come from alumni and/or family members. They may be edited for length and clarity, along with grammar and spelling to reflect the editorial style guide of the university.

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