The Augustana: Spring 2022 by Augustana University

AUGUSTANA SPRING 2022 • VOLUME 12 • ISSUE 2

THE

T H E M A G A Z I N E F O R A L U M N I , PA R E N T S A N D F R I E N D S O F A U G U S TA N A U N I V E R S I T Y

AUGUSTANA CHOIR CELEBRATES 100 YEARS PROPOSED CHAPEL RENOVATIONS TO SHOWCASE LITURGICAL ARTWORK UNIVERSITY TO LAUNCH SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

FEATURES

THE AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, president

EDITOR Keeley Meier ‘20 CONTRIBUTORS Nancy Davidson Ryan Hilgemann Jill Wilson PHOTOGRAPHERS Daniel Bergeson ‘19 Hunter Chear ‘22

ALUMNA ACCOMPLISHES RARE FEAT EARNING TWO NCAA TOP HONORS

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SPANS ALL DISCIPLINES

DESIGNERS Kami Gladis Peg Ustad

Sustainability is important to Augustana University. The pages within The Augustana are printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper. Visit the magazine online at augie.edu/magazine. Find more news about Augustana at augie.edu/news. Send correspondence, name changes and address corrections to:

AU SERVES AS PIT STOP ON INTERNATIONAL ROAD TO SUCCESS

The Augustana Magazine 2001 S. Summit Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57197 or via email at alumni@augie.edu.

OUR MISSION

AUGUSTANA FOCUSES IN ON THE HEART OF CAMPUS

CONTENTS

SPRING 2022

Augustana Choir Celebrates a Century of ‘A Sermon in Song’

Renovated Chapel to Showcase Liturgical Artwork

Augustana to Launch Social Work Program Named After Former Director, ‘Godmother of Social Work’

20 Future Augustana Vikings 22

Class Notes/In Memoriam

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.

CONNECT WITH US On the cover: Rendering provided by Koch Hazard Architects Artwork by Robert Aldern ‘51

Augustana is an affirmative action, Title IX, equal opportunity institution. ©Augustana University 2022

am pleased to share the spring edition of The Augustana with you. As you turn the pages, I hope you are filled with a sense of pride and excitement. Augustana students, alumni, faculty and coaches are second to none. Affirmation of this comes often in awards, recognition, service and success. Among the most recent, the announcements of Kendall Cornick ‘20 as the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year and recipient of the 2022 NCAA Today’s Top 10 Award. Kendall’s deep commitment to her team and true love of the game made her an amazing leader and role model, both on and off the softball field. AU is so proud of her and knows she will give the university much more to celebrate. Read about the impact of this humble servant leader on page 5. Once again, our graduates experienced tremendous success as they entered the job market. Augustana’s 2021 Outcomes Report shows that 99% of recent graduates found employment in their major or chosen field. The university is also proud of those choosing to continue their education, with 26% of the class enrolled in graduate school or professional programs. The start of the spring semester brought new students from 17 countries. Augustana’s total international student enrollment in Academic Year 2021-22 is a near-record number, with 150 students from more than 50 countries. These

students bring diverse perspectives to our campus community and share with us their culture and traditions. Enjoy reading about some of our international alumni and where their Augustana education has taken them on page 10. Integral to providing AU students with an education of enduring worth is engaging them in high-impact learning beyond the classroom. The story on page 6 highlights diverse opportunities which span the academic disciplines and how these experiences prepare and enlighten our students. Featured on page 18 is the terrific news regarding the return of Augustana’s Social Work Program, to be located within the Sharon Lust School of Education and named after Augustana’s former Director of Social Work and Assistant Professor Emerita of Social Work Dr. Harriet Emily (Johnson) Scott ‘59. Thanks to the generous support of the Scott family and Sanford Health, the Harriet Emily Scott Social Work Program will include Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees. With an anticipated launch of the BSW in the fall of 2024, we look forward to the positive impact these graduates will have on individuals, families and communities. When you turn to page 14, you will find an architectural rendering of the renovated Chapel of Reconciliation. As our community grows, we desire more space in “the heart of campus” for fellowship, learning and hospitality — both indoors and out. The inspiring plans serve as our bold dream until we raise the estimated $3.5 million necessary to make them a reality. Founded in 1921 and chartered by the Augustana faculty to “serve God, the church and our school” through choral music, the Augustana Choir has been uniting voices and people through sacred music for 100 years. Learn about the choir’s rich history and plans for this special anniversary on page 2. We hope you will join us April 28-30 as we celebrate this significant milestone, as well as the conductors and Viking voices who have shared the choir’s “sermon in song” with audiences around the world. As The Augustana goes to print, we look forward to welcoming Dr. Michael A. McFaul as the keynote speaker of the 25th Boe Forum on Public Affairs. This year’s forum entitled, “Russia and the Future of Europe,” will be among the most timely topics in the Boe Forum’s history. As Augustana is blessed with so much good news to share, the university is ever mindful of the devastating effects of war. May we unite in prayer for peace and restoration for the people and country of Ukraine. Thank you for keeping Augustana close to your heart and for sharing the story of this special place with people near and far. May God bless you and your family with good health and a wonderful spring. Sincerely,

Stephanie Herseth Sandlin President

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

Choir Celebrates AUGUSTANA

A CENTURY OF ‘A SERMON IN SONG’

1921

2021

| BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

he AU community will gather on April 28-30 to celebrate the Augustana Choir’s 100th anniversary. The celebration will showcase the choir’s past, present and future of sacred music and rich traditions. Many of the weekend’s events will be supported by choir alumni Gretchen (Papik) ‘00 and Ryan Jepperson ‘01. The Jeppersons met in the Augustana Choir during Gretchen’s sophomore and Ryan’s first year when they were placed in a quartet together. The couple has been married for more than 20 years. “The choir is a very important part of why we’re here together today,” Gretchen said. “If we hadn’t met in the choir and shared those experiences, who knows what would have happened? And, my experience with the choir — it’s something you can’t explain until you’ve experienced it.” “The style of music you sing in a choir like Augustana’s, it’s a spiritual experience,” Ryan added. “It’s a connection that you have with all the people in your choir, doing the same thing in different harmonies, to worship.” Thursday’s events will include the opportunity for alumni to watch a choir rehearsal and enjoy a welcome reception at R Wine Bar in downtown Sioux Falls. Friday will begin with a presentation by Dr. Greg Handel ‘91 on the history Gretchen (Papik) ‘00 and Ryan Jepperson of the Augustana ‘01 in the Augustana Choir in 2000

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

Department of Music, followed by an alumni choir rehearsal, the Winden Choral Room dedication, “A Sermon in Song” concert at the Washington Pavilion and reception at Remedy Brewing Company. Saturday’s events will include an alumni choir recording session in the Chapel of Reconciliation and a swing dancing extravaganza at the Country Club of Sioux Falls. The weekend will also feature a special honor for Dr. James Johnson, who served as conductor from 1992 to 2011. Johnson will be named the first conductor emeritus of the Augustana Choir. “My initial reaction to Dr. Peter Folliard (dean of the School of Music) informing me of Augustana’s desire to honor my work with this designation was both humbling and healing,” Johnson said. “A hole, present in my heart since leaving the choir, was once again filled with memories of the musical mountains we climbed and the thousands of people around the world with whom we shared those peaks.” Johnson, who is best known as “Dr. J,” will be a featured conductor of the alumni choir during the 100th anniversary celebration. “Over the years, each member of the Augustana Choir has indelibly inscribed their musical soul upon my heart — they were the voice of my musical soul,” Johnson said. “To see some of them again, and to hear them sing, will be a most precious gift.” Three works commissioned by alumni in celebration of the anniversary will premiere during Friday night’s concert — “Through Many Dangers” by Gwyneth Walker, commissioned by Chaplain Norris and Carolyn (Baalson) Einertson ‘58; “Big House” by Kyle Pederson ‘93, commissioned by Rev. Richard Nelson ‘42; and “Psalm 8” by René Clausen, commissioned by the family of Gwen (Axdahl) ‘75 and Kevin Arneson ‘73. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 – Augustana Choir

100 YEARS OF JOINING HANDS Founded by Dr. Carl Youngdahl, the Augustana Choir began as a means to “serve God, the Church and our School,” according to its official 1921 charter. In its century of existence, the choir has had five conductors at its helm — succeeding Youngdahl were Drs. Arnold Running, Olaf Malmin, James Johnson and Paul Nesheim. The choir’s initial mission was performing a cappella so it “could thereby appear in the smallest of churches as well as the largest and our concert would be a sermon in song.” Youngdahl, who served from 1921-53, founded the choir at a time when Augustana only had three musical ensembles in place and daily chorus was required for all students. Yet, under Youngdahl’s leadership, the choir soon gained prominence through regional and national tours. According to the dissertation of Dr. Greg Handel ‘91, “The Augustana College Department of Music, 1921-1973: A History,” “It was the Augustana Choir that strengthened the college’s regional reputation and presence with its first local tour in 1921, and spurred national prominence through its touring of the intellectual musical circles of the East Coast in 1929.” Nesheim, current conductor of the choir, said that while locations and frequency of touring has changed over the years, it remains a way for them to bring the good news of Augustana’s choral music to others. “In the first years of the Augustana Choir, the a cappella choral tradition was new in the United States, so people would hear a choir singing unaccompanied and with music memorized, and they were just blown away,” Nesheim said. “It’s much more commonplace now, but I think people are still just as enthralled with it as they were then — if it’s done with excellence and sincerity.” Augustana Christmas Vespers, another annual tradition, also began under Youngdahl. Yuletide Vespers, as it was first named, premiered on Dec. 18, 1938, in Augustana’s chapel-gymnasium. Since then, Vespers has moved to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and, most recently, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, with multiple performances offered for community members — including performances in the Twin Cities. Traditions define the choir, and both Nesheim and Johnson said their favorite is singing the Lord’s Prayer prior to and the Doxology following each concert. For Johnson, another tradition that stands out is the hand holding. “The choir holds hands when they sing; they become greater than the sum of their individual voices,” Johnson said. “They become, literally, ‘a sermon in song.’” “This tradition of hand holding has also led to any number of weddings!” Johnson added. The Jeppersons, one of those Augustana Choir weddings, are creating their own legacy of those who sing “a sermon in song” with their four children. All regularly sing and play instruments in church, and even have a YouTube channel, called JepPerformances, where they perform as a family. Their oldest son, Christian, will attend Augustana in the fall as a member of the football team and, hopefully, the Augustana Choir. Now, the Jeppersons are excited to share the Augustana Choir experience with their children and fellow alumni during the upcoming celebration. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve been out of the choir for 50 years or five years — I encourage everyone to come be a part of this,” Gretchen said. n To view a full schedule of the celebration and RSVP, visit augie.edu/Choir100.

YOUNGDAHL 4

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

RUNNING

MALMIN

JOHNSON

NESHEIM

ALUMNA ACCOMPLISHES RARE FEAT EARNING

TWO NCAA TOP HONORS | BY RYAN HILGEMANN

endall Cornick ‘20 had a very successful career as a member of Augustana’s National Champion Viking Softball team. She has seen just as much, if not more, success off the field, earning her national recognition as the 2021 NCAA Woman of the Year (WOTY) and member of the 2022 NCAA Today’s Top 10 Class. Cornick, a Mason City, Iowa, native, is the first Augustana student-athlete, and second from NCAA Division II, to receive the WOTY Award in its 31-year history. The award recognizes graduating female student-athletes who have distinguished themselves in athletics, academics, leadership and community service. “This recognition is a fitting culmination of Kendall Cornick’s outstanding career as a student-athlete at Augustana University,” said President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin the night of the November 2021 announcement. “Kendall’s deep commitment to her team and her true love of the game made her an amazing leader and role model, both on and off the field. The university is so proud of her, and we will continue to cheer for her in the innings ahead.” As a research fellow at AU, Cornick analyzed drug targets for medulloblastoma, a common form of childhood brain cancer. She received several honors tied to her academic success — such as the 2020-21 Division II Conference Commissioners Association ScholarAthlete of the Year Award, NSIC Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award and 2021 College Sports Information Directors of America Division II Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for softball. Cornick was also a 2021 NCAA postgraduate scholarship recipient. “My experiences as a softball player were extremely important and a huge contributing factor to my success as a student,” Cornick said. “Through softball, especially when you lift, practice and have outside team things, you really get good at time management. I learned quickly that when you have a to-do list, and are scheduled out and on top of your time, you really can do a lot of things.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH SPANS ALL DISCIPLINES | BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

t Augustana, opportunities for student research are plentiful — from the Arthur Olsen Student Research Symposium and Ralph and Susie Wagoner Student-Faculty Research Award to the Beacom Research Fellows and Civitas Honors Program vocation projects. What sets AU apart from other universities, though, is the caliber of research performed by undergraduate students which often rivals graduate-level research. The majors of Rachel Boer ‘22, Ashtyn Eben ‘23 and Sydney Denekamp ‘23 have them spread across campus, but all three are pursuing extraordinary, faculty-supported research opportunities on campus and off. Rachel Boer ‘22 recently completed research focused on COVID-19 learning loss in elementary students, based on reading and math scores. The elementary education (with a middle school endorsement) and Spanish double major began working on the research project under the mentorship of Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Brad Uhing and Harrisburg School District Director of Instruction & Federal Programs Michael Amolins ‘07 in June 2021. The research was funded by the Jane and Charles Zaloudek Faculty Research Fellowship, which extends the scope of scholarly research beyond the normal confines of the classroom. “We looked at MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) testing scores from Winter 2019-20 and Fall 2020-21 — before and during the pandemic,” Boer said. “We compared students’ scores and came to the conclusion that in all grades, math (scores) went down. Reading either stayed RACHEL BOER ‘22 the same or improved a bit, but not to the expected growth like we’ve seen in the past.” SOCIAL SCIENCES “We came to the conclusion that, most likely, parents were reading to their kids at home during the pandemic, whereas they weren’t really working on their math skills,” Boer continued. “And, math skills are something that students need to work on consistently in order to improve them.” The research project culminated in an invitation for Boer and Uhing to present their work at the Midwestern Educational Research Association’s (MWERA) annual meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio, in October 2021. “I was the only undergraduate (student) there,” Boer said. “That’s how I know Augustana goes above and beyond to provide these opportunities to students because everyone else there was either a graduate student or professor presenting research.” Boer, a student-teacher at Lowell Elementary School, hopes her research helps not only her students, but those across the Midwest. “Learning the ins and outs of the testing world has definitely helped me because I now know how to interpret my students’ test results and understand the trends of student learning,” Boer said. “We sent data reports to school districts, which can help them to know where their COVID-19 relief funding should go or what their teachers need to focus on in the coming years so they are able to work on closing the learning loss gap.” Initially, Boer was unsure about doing research of this caliber as an undergraduate student. “When I hear research, I think of nursing or medical students,” said Boer. “But, Dr. Uhing assured me that the process isn’t as intimidating as I thought and said if I had any questions to come to him. He said, ‘It’s a great opportunity for you to learn before you get into the profession.’” Despite the initial hesitation, Boer said this opportunity changed the direction of her career. “After I teach for a while, I want to get my doctorate and do more research surrounding education, so this definitely helped me to realize one of my passions,” Boer said. “The fact that Augie makes these opportunities available to all students is really something special.”

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

Ashtyn Eben ‘23, a computer science & software engineering and marketing double major, has been utilizing her skillset to conduct research that has real-world implications. Eben, a Marshall, Minnesota, native, began working on two research projects in the summer of 2021 under Assistant Professor of Computer Science Daniel Steinwand ‘83. Her primary project was a satellite data ASHTYN EBEN ‘23 viewer. The project, which was funded NATURAL SCIENCES by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium (SDSGC), could be used to track forest fires, tree dieback and additional landscape changes. “Satellite images are massive because you’re working with really large datasets, and for someone who’s not an expert in remote sensing, satellite imaging or computer science, it’s hard to look at that dataset and glean any useful information from it,” Eben said. “So, the idea for this project was to take these huge amounts of data and display them in a way that was usable for non-experts.” Eben became involved in the project after seeing a posting for the research position on Augie Opportunities, the university’s centralized job and internship database. “It caught my eye because I didn’t realize Augustana had ever done computer science research,” Eben said. “It was just an exciting opportunity that I didn’t think I would have, and so I jumped on it.” While working on the satellite data viewer, Eben had another amazing project up her sleeve. She also began working on something innovative for AU’s Department of Nursing — an IV pump simulator. “The nursing department approached Professor Steinwand because they needed a replacement for their IV pump,” said Eben. “They currently have an older IV pump. It’s not very realistic to the experience of using an actual IV pump in a clinical setting.” The simulator Eben created can be downloaded as an application to nursing students’ computers and will give them the option to enter the IV rate in milliliters per hour and volume to be infused in milliliters. While it has not yet been implemented in the nursing simulation labs, Eben is already thinking of ways to improve the simulator, such as an application for instructors to watch students use the IV pump in real time. The project, which began as a solo project, transitioned into group work for one of Eben’s computer science courses — with the intent of having future students build upon the simulator. Eben originally applied to Augustana as a nursing major. For her, having the opportunity to create an IV pump simulator for the nursing department was an experience that became a full-circle moment. “I left the nursing track thinking that was it, that I was just going away from medicine,” said Eben. “And, after this, I realized there are a lot of different opportunities to help people in the medical profession without going into nursing or becoming a doctor. “It was also something unique, and it gave me an opportunity to extend my skills outside of the practice problems we do in class to the real world.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7 – Undergraduate Research

“I WOULDN’T HAVE GOTTEN WHERE I AM WITHOUT BEING CLOSE TO MY PROFESSORS; THEY CARE ABOUT ME.” — Sydney Denekamp ’23

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

Sydney Denekamp ‘23 is seizing every opportunity for hands-on anthropological experiences both at Augustana and abroad. Denekamp, an anthropology, journalism and Spanish triple major, completed archaeology field school in Catalonia, Spain, during the summer of 2021. She performed excavation, documentation, SYDNEY preservation and datafication of DENEKAMP 23 artifacts and features from the HUMANITIES 50,000-year-old Neanderthal site of Roca Dels Bous. During the 2022 January Interim (J-term), Denekamp studied in Rome, Italy, to experience Roman archaeology up close and learn Italian. In March, the Becker, Minnesota, native embarked on an anthropology spring break course focused on local indigenous communities in Cameron, Arizona, with six other students. The latter course was led by Dr. Kristen (KC) Carlson, professor of anthropology, and was a deep dive into indigenous culture and archaeology in the Southwest through the lens of Native American perspectives. “My prior experience in anthropology had been very historical because I saw a lot of Neanderthal archaeology in Spain and Roman and medieval archaeology in Italy,” Denekamp said. “I hadn’t been exposed to any American archaeology.” During the course, the group stayed at Big Hogan, a Navajo owned and operated, off-the-grid bed and breakfast near the Grand Canyon. They volunteered with local indigenous communities and learned about local archaeology, such as how to recognize and record sites. The class also learned about the region’s cultural and geographical history, and heard about current and past life on the reservations from indigenous people. Carlson instilled in her students that because the tribes are descendants of the local archaeology, it is important to understand that their indigenous voices are vital to archaeologists’ work and that they should be the ones driving the work. “From the trip, I got a better idea of what American archaeology is, and how to work with Native Americans in a respectful way that honors their history,” Denekamp said. For Denekamp, the hands-on anthropological experience she’s gained as an undergraduate student has transpired from the connections she’s made at Augustana. “I wouldn’t have gotten where I am without being close to my professors; they care about me,” said Denekamp. This summer, Denekamp will work alongside Dr. Adrien Hannus in Augustana’s archaeology laboratory and the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village — performing site surveys and test pits, as well as cultural resource management. Hannus has also mentioned the possibility of Denekamp writing a journal on disc artifacts, allowing her to incorporate her journalism major. “I’m excited to work with him,” Denekamp said. “I think he has a lot of knowledge to impart upon me.” n

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 – Alumna Accomplishes Rare Feat

Augustana Director of Athletics Josh Morton, Deputy Athletics Director Dr. Kimberly Miller, Head Softball Coach Gretta Melsted, Cornick, Cornick’s parents, Peggy and Jeff, and President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin attended the NCAA Honors Celebration in January.

Cornick’s workload also included community service. She served as director of community outreach for Augustana’s Kidney Disease Screening and Awareness Program, a surgical services volunteer and pediatric companion at Sanford Hospital, as well as a surgical assistant at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center. She also was a presenter for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “Kendall Cornick is truly an exceptional student-athlete and human being,” Augustana Head Softball Coach Gretta Melsted said. “She embodies what is good and right in this world. She is a role model in all facets of life and so deserving of this honor and opportunity. There are very few people that excel at the highest level in academics, athletics and in life. Kendall is a prime example of this. “She lives a life of integrity, is a tireless worker, servant leader to her teammates and in the community, scholar, amazing athlete and, most importantly, a passionate future doctor who wants to uplift and care for people in their toughest moments of life.” Just as Melsted credited Cornick’s examples of living a life with integrity, Cornick recognized the impact Melsted had on her own life. “She (Melsted) makes it a mission for players to leave the program better than we came into it,” Cornick said. “She is just phenomenal in that aspect and really wants us to be strong female leaders, but more than just in softball. She wants us to change the world.” Just two months after being honored as the NCAA WOTY, Cornick received another top honor from the NCAA as a Today’s Top 10 Honoree. The NCAA annually recognizes 10 former student-athletes for their success on the field, in the classroom and community. Out of more

than 460,000 student-athletes in 24 sports, 10 earn the distinction of Today’s Top 10. Cornick was the second honoree from Augustana, as Kirby Hora ‘18, former Viking Football student-athlete, earned the Today’s Top 10 honor in 2020. “We are so proud of Kendall and all that she accomplished as a student-athlete and are glad that the NCAA recognized the excellence that she brought to all aspects of the student-athlete experience,” Director of Athletics Josh Morton said. Cornick was joined by Herseth Sandlin, Morton, Melsted, Augustana Faculty Athletic Representative Dr. Marcia Entwistle, Deputy Athletics Director Dr. Kimberly Miller, and her parents, Peggy and Jeff, at the NCAA Honors Celebration in Indianapolis, Indiana, in January. She was joined by former student-athletes that have gone on to compete in the Olympics, play professional sports and are becoming doctors, like Cornick. Cornick is attending medical school at the University of Iowa, where she started classes in Fall 2021 after majoring in biology and psychology at AU. Because the Viking Softball team was competing in the NCAA Tournament during Augustana’s scheduled graduation ceremony, she received her degree in a special ceremony on the diamond of Bowden Field — in true Kendall Cornick fashion. n THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

AUGUSTANA SERVES AS PIT STOP ON

INTERNATIONAL

| BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

ince 1966, more than 350 international students have graduated from Augustana. Every year, these students come from near and far — from places like Mexico, Ethiopia, Norway, Spain, Nepal and Brazil — bringing invaluable insight and new perspectives to our community. They speak many languages — French, Spanish, Amharic, Portuguese, Swahili, Mandarin — leaving an indelible mark on Augustana as they prepare to serve in the world. Alumni Hilde Tørnby ‘90, Rahul Bansal ‘06, Wadie Mahauad-Fernandez ‘12 and Chi Ngo ‘13, once international students at Augustana, are now scattered across the globe as leaders and change-makers, but forever Vikings.

HILDE TØRNBY ‘90 OSLO, NORWAY

| BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

Since graduating from Augustana in 1990, Hilde Tørnby has followed a path of education and creativity — serving as an associate professor at Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet), a vocational university in Norway, while also creating commissioned paintings and artwork. Tørnby arrived in Sioux Falls in 1987 after Tørnby is an artist and associate Tørnby is pictured in her AU professor at Oslo Metropolitan seeing an advertisement in a Norwegian residence hall in 1988. University in Norway. newspaper inviting students to study at Augustana. Tørnby, who was born in the United States, felt she hadn’t yet explored the American part of herself, and decided to apply. “I was one of 10 Norwegian students, and it was the first Norwegian group of a large scale at Augustana,” Tørnby said. “Before our time, there had been a single Norwegian student from time to time.” Tørnby began as a mathematics major and later added English. While her academic interests inspired her to continue her education, it was the people and environment at Augustana that made the biggest impact. “Those were very important years in my life, and I think it’s about growing up and finding out who you are in the world,” Tørnby said. “It’s about the people you meet when you are there — like kind friends and professors who reached out and took care of us by inviting us for coffee, talks, dinners, Thanksgiving and Christmas. “Augustana is more than just a university because you have the chapel and people reaching out to one another,” she continued. “You wouldn’t find that at a larger university, and that is the advantage of Augustana.” After graduating, Tørnby returned to Norway and received her master’s degree in English. She taught high school English and math for more than a decade, and in 2007, Tørnby stepped into her current position at OsloMet. “My main responsibility is educating future English teachers,” Tørnby said. “My research fields are literature, young learners and picture book research, along with how we can enable young children to become critical thinkers.” That same year, Tørnby also began her painting journey, which has led to solo and collective exhibitions. “I had a dream — one of those dreams where you wake up in the middle of the night, and you know it’s significant, so I started to paint,” Tørnby said. “I wish I had taken art classes at Augustana; that’s the only thing I wish I had done differently.” It has been more than 30 years since Tørnby, a wife and mother of two, graduated from Augustana and more than 25 years since she last visited campus. Yet, she holds her experience as an international student close to her heart. “Augustana was more than a day’s travel away from Norway, and (at the time) calling home was extremely expensive,” Tørnby said. “Being away from everything you know and realizing that everything is the same and yet, also very different — that in itself shapes you. But, most of all, the people at Augustana made me feel at home.” 10

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

ROAD TO SUCCESS RAHUL BANSAL ‘06 NEW DELHI, INDIA MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA Despite the initial culture shock and cold weather, Rahul Bansal remains in the Midwest after graduating from Augustana in 2006 — serving as the director of business systems for Core Molding Technologies in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Bansal is from New Delhi, India, and came Bansal and his wife, Komal, Bansal is pictured in his room at AU. are proud parents to Sohum. to Sioux Falls for his senior year of high Photo courtesy of The Edda, 2006. school through an exchange program. After meeting with former Director of International Programs Donn Grinager, he knew AU was the place for him. “It was all very different with the background of India as my main point of reference,” Bansal said. “But, the welcoming feeling from the people I spoke to at Augie made it very easy for me to make the decision.” Bansal quickly made an impact at AU by helping the university begin its annual January Interim (J-Term) trip to India with Professors Emeriti Drs. Sandra Looney, Murray Haar and John Pennington. “I was an enabler of the idea that Dr. Looney and Dr. Haar had always had, so I worked with them to draft the initial trip,” Bansal said. Bansal, Looney, Haar and Ingrid (Arneson) Rasmussen ‘05 took the inaugural trip to India to map out where the following J-Term courses would travel. “I got the opportunity to allow the institution and people that attend it to learn more about my native culture,” Bansal said. “It was gratifying to be part of and see that come to life and bear fruits.” At AU, Bansal was an accounting and business administration double major, and later received his master’s in business economics from South Dakota State University. Bansal also holds an Executive Master of Business Administration degree from Quantic School of Business and Technology in Washington, D.C. He practiced both private and public accounting for a few years until his career took “an unusual turn” into information technology (IT). “I never imagined I’d be leading an IT department when my education is all in finance, but that’s how the world is — IT is pretty much in everything,” said Bansal. Bansal, who was involved with theatre and intramural sports as a student, said his Augustana experience shaped him into the deep thinker and leader he is today. “It made me super independent, and it allowed me to explore who I am,” Bansal said. “The liberal arts education gave me confidence in my ability to learn, along with observing, reflecting and then thinking deeply about my place in the world, and how I can contribute to it.” Now, almost 20 years after that first trip to India, Bansal and his family still contribute to Augustana. Bansal’s father, who runs a travel agency in India, continues to serve as the tour guide for AU students as they explore the country.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11– International Road to Success

“I’M GLAD I WENT TO A LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOL BECAUSE IT GIVES YOU A DIFFERENT WAY OF THINKING.” — Wadie Mahauad-Fernandez ‘12

WADIE MAHAUAD-FERNANDEZ ‘12 LOJA, ECUADOR PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA Wadie Mahauad-Fernandez ‘12 is conducting research as a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University. While he resides in California and is an Ecuador native, he likes to describe himself as a Midwesterner. Mahauad-Fernandez arrived in the Mahauad-Fernandez, a postdoctoral reMahauad-Fernandez poses in front of search scholar at Stanford University, and Midwest in 2008 to complete his senior Mount Rushmore in 2007. his partner enjoy traveling. year of high school in Watertown, South Dakota. He said it was not at all like the movies he watched growing up in Loja, Ecuador. “I thought everything was going to be like New York City — big skyscrapers, nice weather,” Mahauad-Fernandez said. “I got to South Dakota in the middle of summer when it was extremely hot and all I could see were open fields going to the airport.” But, Mahauad-Fernandez soon fell in love with South Dakota and decided to extend his stay by four years and applied to Augustana — making him the first Ecuadorian student to enroll at the university. The biology major had plans to attend medical school until Augustana Professor of Biology Dr. Paul Egland, his research mentor, opened the door to a new possibility. “I loved the idea of research,” Mahauad-Fernandez said. “I still love the idea of discovering something new that only you know and can then share with everyone.” Egland suggested that Mahauad-Fernandez apply to the University of Iowa, his own alma mater, for graduate school. In 2016, Mahauad-Fernandez received his Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology. “When I was finishing my Ph.D., I got to put my thesis book on the shelf (in the department) and saw Dr. Egland’s thesis from when he was at Iowa,” said Mahauad-Fernandez. After a year at the University of Iowa as a postdoctoral research fellow, Mahauad-Fernandez joined the Department of Medicine/Oncology at Stanford. His current focus is cancer biology — developing therapeutics to target certain cancer oncogenes and determining the role of bacteria in the gut and how that affects the growth of cancers. He also mentors undergraduate students. Along with Egland, Mahauad-Fernandez credits Dr. Mark Larson and Professor Emeritus Dr. Craig Spencer, professors of biology, for pushing him to go further in his career. He also references his Augustana experience. “I’m glad I went to a liberal arts school because it gives you a different way of thinking,” said Mahauad-Fernandez. “It really enriches you as a person because, sure, you need to know the science and its basics, but thinking outside of the scope and trying to find the interrelatedness between fields is what I really like about the liberal arts.” 12

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CHI NGO ‘14 HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM Chi Ngo ‘14 is a senior communications officer at Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. “Communications is something that I’ve always enjoyed,” said Ngo, who credits Professor of Journalism Dr. Janet BlankLibra for much of her career. “Working (on the yearbook) with Janet really gave me Ngo and her best friend, Jessica Ngo is a senior communications officer at the confidence to become a writer and (Spalding) Schnabel ‘14, served on the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in journalist.” Viking Days Committee together. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Ngo began her journey at Augustana when she was just 17 years old. While finishing her senior year of high school in California through an exchange program, Ngo reached out to Ben Iverson ‘04, director of international programs & enrollment (IPO). “I emailed many colleges, asking for basic information about study and logistics, and Ben was the only person to email me back,” Ngo said. Ngo said her first year at AU wasn’t easy — she was in a foreign country, learning to navigate a different culture, language and education system. However, Iverson and Associate Director of International Programs Erin Kane continued to be a source of comfort and encouragement, along with her best friend, Jessica (Spalding) Schnabel ‘14. “Hanging with Jess, usually 18 hours a day, really gave me an understanding of what it was like to be a student at an American college,” Ngo said. “I think that’s a really beautiful experience. She even came to my wedding in Vietnam — it’s just a lifelong friendship we have now.” Ngo attributes her organizational skills and discipline to Schnabel and other life lessons learned to Augustana. “Because I was (at Augustana) during such formative years in my life, I trace back a lot of habits that I have to that time,” Ngo said. “The work ethic at Augustana is something that I’ve yet to witness in other places.” Ngo returned home to Vietnam after graduating from AU and accepted a position as a reporter with Vietnam Television and later served as a design and content lead for Traveloka. In 2019, Ngo was named a Chevening Scholar and received a full scholarship to the University of Brighton in England, where she earned her Master of Arts in digital media, culture and society. Because of her experience at Augustana, Ngo encourages high school students looking to study internationally to focus on more than an institution’s prestige. “Go where people care about you,” said Ngo. “The people at Augustana really care about the students, and it shapes every one of the students’ experiences.” n

“THE WORK ETHIC AT AUGUSTANA IS SOMETHING THAT I’VE YET TO WITNESS IN OTHER PLACES.” — Chi Ngo ‘14

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

AUGUSTANA FOCUSES IN ON THE

Heart of Campus University Ramps up Campaign to Raise $3.5 Million for Chapel Renovation BY JILL WILSON

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

Renderings provided by Koch Hazard Architects

“

he chapel has always been a really special place,” said Rev. Ann Rosendale ‘04, campus pastor. Music performances, senior sermons, nurse pinnings, graduation and wedding ceremonies, baptisms, memorial services and funerals, even life lessons — so many of life’s special moments have taken place in the Chapel of Reconciliation on Augustana’s campus. “It has been a place of sanctuary for me since I was a young adult, and certainly a place of faith formation and vocational discernment when I was a student trying to figure out who God was calling me to be,” said Rosendale, who was on the chapel staff, gave a senior sermon and was married in Augustana’s chapel. “It continues to be that place that grounds me, centers me and helps me listen to the Spirit. And, my hope and prayer, always, is that it does the same for students, faculty and staff.” Now, Augustana plans to invest in what has served as the heart, the center of campus for more than four decades. The university has already raised approximately half of the estimated $3.5 million needed to make upgrades to the chapel — to make the building a more desirable place for the AU community to gather and worship together. As part of the renovation, new windows will be installed on the east side of the sanctuary, but a majority of the upgrades will take place to the northeast of the sanctuary. They include the expansion and addition of more gathering spaces and entry points into the chapel, which will in turn, add more natural light to the building. “We are living in an era where people are less and less familiar with church, so the church needs to do all it can to open up its doors, literally, for people to feel comfortable entering in,” said Rosendale. “This needs to be a space that is more open, inviting, warm and hospitable — a space that truly reflects the wide welcome of Jesus.” The proposed plan includes an expanded narthex — allowing more people to gather and linger after a service. The walls of the narthex will showcase part of a 14-piece collection of paintings by Augustana alumnus and former Professor of Art Robert Aldern ‘51, which once served as the reredos in Augustana’s chapel-gymnasium. Aldern’s work was commissioned by the American Lutheran Church (ALC) and served as an important backdrop for a speech given by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Luther League Convention in Miami Beach, Florida, in 1961. The collection in the newly-renovated chapel will be known as “The Rogness Memorial,” in honor of Rhodes Scholar Paul Rogness. The 1958 Augustana alumnus died unexpectedly in a car-pedestrian accident in 1960. At the time, he was a candidate for the presidency of the Luther League. Rogness’ memory is the reason why classmate Rev. Roy Satre ‘58 and his wife, Dorothy (Syverson) Satre ‘59, chose to name one of their four children Paul, and one of the many reasons they chose to donate to the renovation. These class agents, who now live in St. Paul, Minnesota, attended Augustana when chapel and Christmas Vespers took place in the gym — when its stage hosted the podium and pews consisted of 150 folding chairs. “That was just the thing to do. We’d both been involved in our own congregations growing up, so it was a pretty natural thing … to go to chapel,” said Roy, who attended seminary and served as a pastor and in other capacities within the church for more than 40 years. “When we found out about the chapel project or expansion, it lifted both of us. It was CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

As part of the renovation, the vision includes a multipurpose room with large windows on the south and west sides of the building.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 – Heart of Campus

something that made us say, ‘This is one we want to be a part of.’ And, they have really caught the vision.” Along with the artwork and expansion of the narthex, the vision includes a multipurpose room with large windows on the south and west sides of the building with the ability to host up to 95 people, as well as a meeting room on the northeast side of the building. Both rooms will add beauty, privacy and flexibility to the chapel — addressing the longstanding need for students and staff to have spaces to convene for activities with both religious and non-religious purposes, such as Bible studies, grief groups and various group and/or club meetings on campus. “I’m really excited about these spaces because they will invite others into the chapel space for things that may not have religious purposes,” Rosendale said. “We might have wedding receptions in the venue, we might have Board of Trustees meetings in the venue — really the possibilities are endless.” These spaces will also offer a place for deep and sensitive conversations — something that typically only takes place in office spaces right now due to the building’s limitations. “Being part of the church isn’t just worship, and that’s all that has been available in the chapel to this point,” said Dorothy. “I think by expanding the space and making it a welcoming place to gather, fellowship (or koinonia) will be a key part of it.” Between the multipurpose and meeting rooms will be a reception area and two offices for campus ministry staff and students. But, perhaps the most welcoming part of the proposed renovation is a patio off a new entrance into the chapel on the northwest side of the building — offering a unique outdoor gathering space for community members to engage in fellowship, as well as a space for outdoor services to take place during the warmer months. The patio will make it easier for the AU community to find its way into the chapel and serve as an extension to the campus hub — the Morrison Commons. The patio, which will be known as the All Saints Patio, will also seek to honor saints of God — featuring bricks engraved with the names of those a donor wishes to honor or remember. The names of saints, living or deceased, will be a reminder of those who have lived out Augustana’s mission of service to God and neighbor. “I can’t wait to have my first cup of coffee with a student out on the patio and eager to see how it strengthens connections between the chapel, commons and other parts of campus,” said Rosendale. “We’re doing so much now — the new residence hall, which is wonderful, and the new hockey arena, which is tremendous. So, it just feels like a really right and faithful rounding out of projects to have this space also touched.” The renovation will begin when the entire estimated $3.5 million for the campaign has been raised. n To learn more about how to contribute to the project, visit augie.edu/ChapelRenovation.

Rev. Roy ‘58 and Dorothy (Syverson) Satre ‘59

The All Saints Patio provides a new entrance into the chapel on the northwest side of the building and offers a unique outdoor gathering space.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

PROFOUND

ARTWORK

to Serve as Focal Point in Renovated Chapel | BY KEELEY MEIER ‘20

14-panel reredos depicting the life of Christ, donated to Augustana in 1962 in honor of Paul Rogness ‘58, will emerge from storage and find its new home in the Chapel of Reconciliation. The same reredos served as the backdrop in which Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to 14,000 teenagers gathered at the 1961 Luther League Convention in Miami Beach, Florida. The reredos, created in oil on masonite, served as the convention’s focal point, and was created by Augustana Professor Emeritus of Art Robert “Bob” Aldern ‘51. Aldern, whose liturgical art serves as the main visual focal point for churches in Sioux Falls and across the country, passed away in 2011, but his wife, Joey, remembers when he was commissioned to create the reredos. “He was very excited,” Joey said. “He couldn’t believe that he was actually the one chosen to do this type of work, and he was just very thankful his whole life for being able to do it.” The 24-feet-high and 36-feetwide compilation of art, features the miracles, sacraments, parables and incidents of the life of Christ. After Aldern created the reredos in his home studio in Sioux Falls, it was shipped to Florida, and he followed closely behind to oversee its installation. In August Robert Aldern ‘51 1961, thousands of teenagers gathered in Miami Beach for worship, workshops, music and fellowship. The convention’s most notable speaker, King, stood before the crowd with the reredos displayed in the background, and explained the fundamental need for youth of the church to share God’s love when facing societal injustice. “Seeing newspaper articles of Paul Rogness ‘58

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to the 1961 Luther League Convention in front of the reredos created by Robert Aldern ‘51.

Martin Luther King, Jr. (speaking in front of the reredos) was quite astounding,” said Noreen Groethe, Robert and Joey’s daughter. “It was very moving, and even before that, as a child, I thought the reredos was unique in its own way.” For the Rogness family, the memorial is a fitting tribute to their son and brother, Paul, who was a debate team member, trumpet player, student body president, Viking Days chairman, second vice president of the International Young People’s Luther League, Rhodes Scholar and candidate for the presidency of the Luther League. Michael ‘56 and Peter Rogness ‘67 said their brother, who tragically lost his life at the age of 24, was “a classic, AllAmerican guy.” “He was my best friend,” Michael said. “A lot of people go through these teenage years where they wonder who they are — Paul never did. He was a remarkable personality, and he just had it all together early on.” Michael and Peter said it will be just as meaningful to see the reredos in its new home as it was when it was first donated to Augustana. “Having a piece of religious art that has the kind of history and prominent life it still has, and that Bob Aldern created — that’s no small thing,” Peter said. “It’s humbling to have the Rogness name attached to it. “And, Paul would have loved it.” The reredos will be restored with the help of Groethe, and will be displayed in the narthex of the renovated chapel. n To learn more about Aldern and the Rogness Memorial, visit augie.edu/RognessMemorial. THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

Augustana to Launch

SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM Named After Former Director, ‘Godmother of Social Work’ | BY JILL WILSON

fter more than 15 years, Augustana University has decided to bring back its social work program within the Sharon Lust School of Education — naming it after the former Director of Augustana’s Social Work Program and Assistant Professor Emerita of Social Work Dr. Harriet Emily (Johnson) Scott ‘59. “I am excited beyond words about building and launching the program,” said Dean of the Sharon Lust School of Education Dr. Laurie Daily. “The city of Sioux Falls and surrounding communities have an immediate and emerging need for training and support in the area of behavioral health.” Thanks to the generous support of the Scott family and Sanford Health, the Harriet Emily Scott Social Work Program at Augustana will include Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) degrees. The university hopes to launch the BSW in the fall of 2024, which will include a face-to-face learning environment. The MSW, expected to launch in the fall of 2027, will consist of a hybrid program. Students who have earned a BSW from an accredited program will be able to enter the MSW program with Advanced Standing, which means they can complete the program

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

in one year. Those with earned bachelor’s degrees in related areas could complete the 2-year MSW program. Augustana is hiring a program director this year to develop program proposals and achieve internal and external approvals from both the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), which is a 3-year process. The university plans to offer a specialization in the area of integrated behavioral health within the MSW program, as well as a certificate option for clinicians. “We are being intentional with regard to the design and delivery of the program to equip graduates to serve in a variety of roles within a variety of settings,” said Daily. “These programs have strong clinical components. These are skills the students have to develop, so we’re trying to develop our hybrid courses so that they have online components (synchronous and asynchronous), and intensive on-campus learning experiences.” AU has a long history of caring for the physical, spiritual and mental well-being of its students and faculty, as well as investing in the care and well-being of the surrounding community. Dating back to 1969, Augustana and Sioux Falls College

(now the University of Sioux Falls) developed a Joint Social Work Program. “As other social workers in the community and state will recognize, the Joint Social Work Program pioneered the development of both social work and social work education in the region,” said Scott. Shortly after those like Terry Hokenstad and Drs. Orville Westby, Robert Mabbs and LeRoy Day got the program off the ground, Scott came back to her alma mater as an instructor in 1972. Over the next 32 years, the woman often referred to as the “Godmother of Social Work,” was influential in sharing the lead of a successful program. She worked alongside many other teaching colleagues and agency-based field instructors and consultants up until the last student graduated in 200405 when Augustana eliminated its program. “More regional undergraduate colleges and universities became accredited, which required that the Joint Social Work Program find new opportunities for students,” said Scott. “Innovation was and is consistently needed.” Scott and her husband, Don ‘61, Augustana’s former director of financial aid (and later vice president of finance and planning), started

the Day Care Center on campus in 1975 — serving students, faculty and staff within the Augustana and Sioux Falls communities. Now known as the Campus Learning Center for Children, staff members were often students of the Joint Social Work Program. The program also initiated a Joint Criminal Justice Program with Sioux Falls College, as well as majors and courses in early childhood education, gerontology, women’s studies, end-of-life hospice care (including nursing, clinical pastoral education, pharmacy and internal medicine students) and an accredited semester of social work education in Cuernavaca, Mexico, which included students from other accredited social work programs. Students regularly visited reservations of the Sioux to prepare for cross-cultural work with South Dakota families. “As the graduates spread out among small and large agencies, the model of social work education that had been developed at Augustana and Sioux Falls Colleges was respected,” Scott said. Scott, who received her bachelor’s degree from Augustana, MSW from the University of Chicago and doctorate from South Dakota State University, originally got into social

work because of her experiences being ill as a child and receiving much-needed support from her grandparents. “The piece that always struck me was I had been one of those kids that needed a lot of things and I had a brother and sister who also needed care, and everything had worked out for us and that wasn’t true for all of these other children I was seeing.” “Not enough citizens support improving social conditions,” said Scott. “The profession of social work has been in the forefront of the struggles to improve quality of life for all. Inequality is visible in many areas of life for persons and families without inherited resources, or the ‘lucky’ who find employment with insurance coverage.” The Estelline, South Dakota, native is honored that her family is investing in the social work program in her name and proud of her experiences in professional social work and social work education. Once appointed to the CSWE’s Commission on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education and elected to the governing board of CSWE, Scott has worked hard to serve Augustana and the profession. She continues to serve the Sioux Falls area as a part-

time geriatric care manager, helping to ensure individuals and families receive the services they need to care for aging members. “It is my hope that these strong standards of expectations of social workers will not be minimized. A social work education program and the programs of social agencies need to continue to set high standards for the community and state to find resources to serve and celebrate our diverse populations,” Scott said. “We have a long way to go.” A long way to go with more people needed to serve families in the region, which is why Augustana, along with Sanford Health, feels emboldened to take the next steps to start programs such as these. “These are exactly the kind of programs that were imagined as part of Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030, where we’re leveraging strategic partners, getting donors excited and able to meet real community needs, not only in Sioux Falls, but in many different regions throughout the country,” said Daily. “I love that we get to expand that into these areas — into the area of behavioral health. I just think about the impact that these graduates will have on individuals’ and families’ lives, and for decades to come — that’s just really powerful. It’s giving us lots of opportunities to collaborate with many stakeholders to develop a program that is known for both excellence and innovation.” n

1981-82 Department of Sociology faculty: Front row: Drs. Robert Mabbs, Knight Hoover and Harriet Scott. Back row: Dr. Susan Randall, James Pentico and Dr. John Sorenson. Photo courtesy of The Edda, 1982.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

‘44

Arlo Elness Haley (Hoium) ‘16 & Thomas Elness ‘16

Haizley Talbott Katie (Anderson) ‘12 & Jeremy Talbott

‘43 Morgan Abts Kendra (Morgan) ‘17 & Christ Abts

‘42 Briggs Wilcoxon Melissa (Olson) ‘13 & Blake Wilcoxon

‘44 Sohum Bansal Rahul ‘06 & Komal Bansal

AUGUSTANA

VIKINGS Submit photos of your future Viking(s) to be considered for publication in upcoming editions of The Augustana at augie.edu/FutureVikingPhoto.

‘39 Isaiah Steinbrink Amanda (Tomlinson) ‘09 & Nick Steinbrink

‘40 & ‘37 Gavin & Connor Eitreim Kayla (Bickett) ‘05 & Andrew Eitreim

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

‘42 Skylar Fossum Bailey (Landa) Fossum ‘09

‘42 Ada Braithwaite Caitlin (Polgreen) ‘10 & Matt Braithwaite ‘11

‘41 Rhodes Gengler Kayla (Swee) ‘15 & Anthony Gengler

‘35 & ‘34 Noah & Eli Rosman Karin (Remmerde) ‘09 & Adam Rosman ‘06

‘38 & ‘40 Lily & Weston Gulden Megan (Boeve) ‘09 & Eric Gulden ‘04

‘38 & ‘41 Hazel & Theo Ridgway Lauren (Beaumont) ‘11 & Blake Ridgway ‘11

‘33 & ‘40 Zoe & Piper Kruse Jessica (Nelson) ‘04 & Geoff Kruse

‘39 & ‘35 Matthew & Isabella Olson Alyssa (Palmer) Olson ‘20

‘42 Malcolm Sanders Malik Sanders ‘20

‘38 & ‘41 Maren & Cora Broin Joy (Lussenden) ‘10 & Adam Broin ‘10

‘42 Otto Skoglund Jessi (Roggatz) ‘11 & Brady Skoglund

‘40 & ‘41 Maya and Ryker Schuster Betsy (Homan) ‘07 & Matt Schuster

‘42 Jonah Deutsch Sarah (Peanasky) ‘11 & Aaron Deutsch

‘34 & ‘37

‘38 Bennett Knips Kim (Hibma) ‘11 & Kyle Knips ‘08

‘41 Penelope Ferrell Tonya (Olson) ‘11 & Spencer Ferrell ‘11

‘41, ‘37 & ‘39

Sanders & Henry Anshutz Eddy, Danny & Jane Radigan & Ayla Nordin with Eli Weber ‘21 Katie (Olson) ‘10 & Scott Radigan & Kyle Saddler ‘21 Brock ‘99 & Juli Anshutz Channing (Smith) ‘10 & Micah Nordin

‘40 & ‘37

‘36 & ‘38

‘40

Bria & Cooper Rinne Jason ‘08 & Steph Rinne

Penelope & Piper Klein Jillian (Brown) ‘01 & Dave Klein

Phoenix Lamb Bradberry Ryan Bradberry ‘21 & Morgan Lamb

‘38 & ‘41 Finn & Jack Pagnotta Elizabeth (Hoium) ‘04 & Nick Pagnotta

‘36 Will Iverson Ben ‘04 & Stephanie Iverson

‘42 Kedon Hewes Kara (Bartels) ‘14 & Nate Hewes ‘13

‘38 Asher Burggraaf Desiree (Bakker) ‘10 & Tyler Burggraaf ‘11

‘43

‘41

Elsie Norenberg Kayla (Graber) ‘10 & Adam Norenberg ‘08

Gracie Norenberg Kayla (Graber) ‘10 & Adam Norenberg ‘08

‘36

‘41 & ‘39

Rykr Norris with Kyja Norris ‘22 Lisa (Nordmann) ‘89 & Rick Norris

Quincy and Jayda Dalton Calie (Roggatz) ‘12 & Jordan Dalton ‘10

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CLASS NOTES

Listed on the following pages are news and notes about your fellow alumni. You can also stay in touch with us on social media: Facebook: Augustana (SD) Alumni | Twitter: @AugieAlumni

Visit augie.edu/alumni for updates, news, events and photos.

THE 2020s CLASS OF 2021 Jenna Bartunek is attending St. Catherine University, working toward a master’s degree in occupational therapy, with an anticipated graduation date in 2023. Cole Tessendorf is attending medical school at the USD Sanford School of Medicine, with an anticipated graduation date in 2025.

CLASS OF 2018

CLASS OF 2015

Will Bordewyk and Abbie Sell were married in Sioux Falls on July 31, 2021. Sell earned a M.Ed. in counseling and personnel services from the University of Louisville. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in counseling psychology.

Camille Christian completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice at South Dakota State University in August 2021. She is a nurse practitioner with the Cardiovascular Surgery Hospitalist Group at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

MacKenzie Essig and Clay Kopplin ’16 were engaged on July 30, 2021.

Megan (Brown) and Zach Dibble ’17 welcomed their first son, Jaxon Koa, in September 2021.

Karliana Kelly married Dustin Clement on June 26, 2021.

Molly Sittig married Zach Gors on Aug. 6, 2021.

Tressa Munger is an archaeologist with Augustana’s archaeology lab. She is also studying anthropology at the University of Wyoming, with an anticipated graduation date in 2022.

Sarah Westerman is a marketing content strategist at Filly Flair in Sioux Falls.

Sarah Seuntjens and Brian Hokeness ’14 were married on Sept. 25, 2021.

CLASS OF 2020

THE 2010s CLASS OF 2019 Darwin Garcia and Julie DeWitt were married in Sioux Falls on Aug. 28, 2021. Garcia is a Ph.D. candidate at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences in the biomedical engineering & physiology track. Sean Heaton and Mackenzie Kelly were married on June 19, 2021. Heaton is a science teacher at Noble Academy in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. He is attending the University of St. Thomas, working toward a master’s degree in education, with an anticipated graduation date in 2022. Katherine Jacobs is a teacher at Brookings High School in South Dakota. Erik Rossing is an assurance senior associate at RSM US LLP in Sioux Falls.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CLASS OF 2017 Kendra (Morgan) Abts and husband, Chris, welcomed daughter, Morgan Rose, in June 2021. Kaylyn Deiter married Joseph Mehlhaff on Sept. 17, 2021. Deiter started Kaylyn Mehlhaff Creative Co. in March 2021, and is the freelance editor and publicist. Zach and Megan (Brown) Dibble ’15 welcomed their first son, Jaxon Koa, in September 2021. Karen Petersen married Matthew Dahle on June 20, 2020.

CLASS OF 2016

CLASS OF 2014 Brian Hokeness and Sarah Seuntjens ’18 were married on Sept. 25, 2021. Kristin Klarenbeek is a pharmacist with Sanford USD Medical Center and Hospital. Olivia (Gonet) Tang is a registered nurse at Stanford Health Care in Palo Alto, California.

CLASS OF 2013 Devon Ratliff-Crain completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice at Creighton University in 2020, and is a neonatal nurse practitioner at Children’s Minnesota. Chelsie (Peters) Miller and husband, James, welcomed daughter, Charlotte, in August 2021. Miller is a laboratory assistant in the anatomic pathology lab at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. Melissa Plamann is attending South College Nashville, working toward a Bachelor of Science in nursing, with an anticipated graduation date in 2023. She is a server for Gaylord Opryland Hotels.

Thomas and Haley (Hoium) Elness welcomed son, Arlo Thomas, in September 2021.

Sanna (Horsley) Strenge is employed at Augustana’s Student Success Center as a career & academic planning (CAP) specialist and coordinating campus recruitment.

Taylor Reinke married Taylor Tuel on July 10, 2021.

Berit (Henriksen) Wickland is a special education teacher in Duluth, Minnesota.

Larissa Simoncello is working in investment operations at Riverbridge Partners in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Jacquelyn Wiering married Tyler Newell on Aug. 21, 2021. Wiering completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities in 2021.

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2012 Dillon DeBoer is a senior consultant in the internal audit and financial advisory services group at Protiviti in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Heidi (Allard) Kutz and husband, Jake, welcomed their first child, Isaiah Nathan, in St. Paul, Minnesota, in March 2021. Katherine (Anderson) Talbott and husband, Jeremy, welcomed daughter, Haizley Hudsyn, in October 2021.

CLASS OF 2011 Brittney Block is a registered nurse with Sanford USD Medical Center. Jordan Clark earned a Ph.D. in medicinal chemistry at the University of Michigan in 2018. He is a senior research scientist at Arvinas Inc. in New Haven, Connecticut. Adam Diamond and wife, Kaitlyn, welcomed daughter, Aubrey Marie, in October 2021. He is a client executive at Cobb Strecker Dunphy & Zimmerman, Inc. in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dawn Hentges married Eric Horpedahl on Aug. 21, 2021. Zach Ludens welcomed son, Oliver, in January. Todd Mulder is the dean of students with Hastings Public Schools in Nebraska. Patricia (Polasky) Waltman completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice in health care leadership at Capella University in 2021. Her project was titled “Addressing Caregiver Preparedness for the Stroke Survivor During the Care Transition.”

THE 2000s CLASS OF 2009 Pamela Hoffmann is a copywriter at Smartpress in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Justine (Lueth) and David “Jackson” Murtha ’06 welcomed son, Hugo James, in Sioux Falls in September 2021. Betsy (Deering) Stewardson and husband, Jeff, welcomed daughter, Myla, in July 2021. She joins twin brothers, Flip and Beckett, born in February 2020. Caitlin Wheeldon married Andrew Landon on Sept. 25, 2021.

Maren (Arveson) Rueckert and husband, Michael, welcomed son, Elliot John, in July 2021. Jenni Simmons earned a Master of Arts in pre-K-12 education administration in 2020. She is the grades 7-12 principal and K-12 special education director at Elkton School District in South Dakota. Simmons is pursuing an Ed.S. in education administration/school district superintendency. Meredith (Lind) Stevens and husband, Blake, welcomed daughter, Norah, in September 2021.

Tracy (Graber) Petersen and husband, Brett, welcomed daughter, Chesney Lynn, in September 2021. She joins siblings Zoey, 11, Landry, 9, Grady, 6, Conley, 4, and Huxley, 1.

CLASS OF 2003 Jana Hanson is the assistant vice president of institutional research & assessment at South Dakota State University in Brookings.

Emily Wojahn married Andrew Small in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Sept. 12, 2021.

Ryan Mertz earned a Doctor of Business Administration at Wilmington University in 2021. He is a health care administrator with Sanford Health and lives in Greeley, Colorado.

CLASS OF 2008

CLASS OF 2002

Bryce Ahrendt is a project manager & estimator at SealPros Paving Inc. in Harrisburg, South Dakota.

Lars Gjerde, of Rosedale, California, is a nurse practitioner supervisor for a team of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in the Division of Hospital Medicine at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento. He earned a Master of Nursing from Yale University and Doctor of Musical Arts in organ performance from the Eastman School of Music.

Elizabeth (Davis) Hultgren and husband, Ryan, welcomed daughter, Josefine, in March 2021. Staci (Sinnette) Schwingler is a clinic nurse at LifeScape. She and her husband, Luke, have two boys, Levi and Logan.

CLASS OF 2007 Jennifer (Fisher) Adams and husband, Tony, welcomed their third son, Harrison Noley, in September 2021.

CLASS OF 2006 CLASS OF 2010

Amy Hanson earned a Master of Science in nursing at Metropolitan State University in 2021. She is a nurse with Regions Hospital Burn Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Rahul Bansal and wife, Komal, welcomed son, Sohum, in October 2021. David “Jackson” and Justine (Lueth) Murtha ’09 welcomed son, Hugo James, in Sioux Falls in September 2021.

NEW VIKING ATHLETICS APP! SCAN TO DOWNLOAD:

CLASS OF 2005 Fenecia Homan earned her Ph.D. in developmental education administration in March from Sam Houston State University.

• • • • •

EVENT SCHEDULES LIVE SCORES & STATS EXCLUSIVE PROMOTIONS GAMEDAY INFORMATION NOTIFICATIONS THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CLASS NOTES

CLASS OF 2000

CLASS OF 1983

CLASS OF 1975

Anne (Buhl) Stolp is a nurse practitioner at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

James Lang discovered the most extensive Moenkopi Middle Triassic archosaur tracksite in North America outside Snowflake, Arizona, which is being studied by Dr. Spencer Lucas with the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science and Dr. Hendrik Klein from Germany.

Steven Archer was designated as a regents professor by the Arizona Board of Regents, and is a professor at the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona.

THE 1990s CLASS OF 1998 Aimee (Hegge) Ahnemann earned a master’s degree in Adlerian counseling and psychotherapy at Adler Graduate School in 2021. Nathan Stevermer is a computer systems analyst with Schwartz Farms, Inc. He and his wife, Nicole, have one son, Henry, born in 2015.

CLASS OF 1993 Stacie Schubert married Scott Zimmerman in Denver, Colorado, on June 12, 2021.

CLASS OF 1992 Andrea (Kloster) Grady lives in Sioux Falls with her husband, Rob, and works for the Sioux Falls School District. She has two sons, Hayden and Parker.

CLASS OF 1991 Kimberly Campbell is a minister at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Armstrong, Iowa, and United Lutheran Church in Ringsted. Brad Mason is vice president of quality assurance with Farm Credit Mid-America in Louisville, Kentucky.

THE 1980s CLASS OF 1989 Wendy (Gunderson) Larson is the lead of technical library services for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in support of Headquarters and Humphreys Engineer Center in Alexandria, Virginia.

CLASS OF 1988 Cristy (Kolpin) Siede is the assistant to the CFO at Mortenson Construction in Golden Valley, Minnesota. 24

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CLASS OF 1981 Tim Homan was inducted into the South Dakota Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in February.

CLASS OF 1980 Debra Ann (Pollock) Peters retired from teaching special education after 40 years with Sioux Falls Children’s Home Society and Sioux Falls School District. She shares four sons with her husband, John Peters ‘76.

THE 1970s CLASS OF 1979 Lynnette Johnson Schroeder is a chaplain specialist with AMITA Health. She earned a Master of Divinity at Luther Theological Seminary in 1984.

CLASS OF 1978 Bruce Stedronsky retired from Union Bank & Trust in Lincoln, Nebraska, on Sept. 30, 2021, after a 46-year career in banking. He and his wife, Jane, plan to move to Paradise, Texas, in 2022.

Daniel Block retired after 41 years of ordained service.

CLASS OF 1974 Maxwell E. Johnson, professor of theology (liturgical studies) at the University of Notre Dame, received the Berakah Award from the North American Academy of Liturgy. Lois (Schrag) Wells is a church pianist in Lennox and Custer, South Dakota. She gave contemporary sacred piano concerts in Freeman and Hot Springs, South Dakota, in September 2021.

CLASS OF 1973 Nancy (Sage) Hendrickson is the retired director of academic technology at St. Catherine University. Jeffrey Jorgenson retired from a career in wildlife biology on Aug. 2, 2021, having spent most of his time in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (International Affairs Program). He was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Colombia, professor of biology at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia and science program coordinator in Ecuador. He plans to remain in Annandale, Virginia, with his wife, Amanda, and daughter, Sofia.

CLASS OF 1971 Betty (Halverson) Blackford married Dwayne Nelson on Oct. 3, 2021.

CLASS OF 1976 LuAnn (Loftesnes) Aakhus is the COO at Bicycle Health in Boston, Massachusetts. Warren Kersten retired in June 2021 after 31 years as a process engineer, regional sales manager and vice president at Lakeside Equipment Corporation. His wife, Kate, also retired in June. John Peters is the Eide/Dalrymple Gallery coordinator and a sculpture and 3D design instructor at Augustana. Peters had an art exhibit in October 2021 in Sioux Falls, and has a sculpture in the South Dakota Governor’s 9th Biennial Art Exhibition.

THE 1950s CLASS OF 1957 Richard Boettcher was inducted into the Aberdeen Central High School Hall of Fame in South Dakota in September 2021.

Visit augie.edu/classnotes and log in to share your news via our online directory.

IN MEMORIAM

IN MEMORIAM CLASS OF 2017 Joseph Keating, 26, passed away suddenly, yet peacefully, on Nov. 12, 2021.

CLASS OF 2009 Thomas Hayner, 37, died in a car accident in Ham Lake, Minnesota, on Oct. 18, 2021.

CLASS OF 1993

CLASS OF 1989

Jill (Suhr) Casey passed away on Sept. 7, 2016.

Denise (Klaahsen) Greene, 53, of Rock Valley, Iowa, died at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls on Sept. 2, 2021.

CLASS OF 1992

Carol (Lambertz) Williams, 74, passed away on Oct. 24, 2021.

Karri (Staeffler) Korth, 52, passed away at the Sanford Luverne Hospice Cottage on Aug. 28, 2021.

CLASS OF 1991 CLASS OF 1998 Melissa Larsen, 48, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Sept. 8, 2021. Terry N. Larson, 67, passed away at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls on Feb. 3.

Diana (Worthington) Dreyer, 61, of Sioux Falls, died peacefully after an 18-month battle with ovarian cancer on Oct. 14, 2021. Suzanne “Suzie” Rusch, 82, a longtime Sioux Falls artist and costume designer, died at Dougherty Hospice House on Oct. 19, 2021.

IMPACT THE FUTURE You can make a gift that will transform lives and sustain our enduring mission for generations to come.

CLASS OF 1988 Janna (Agena) Brendtro, 77, of Lennox, South Dakota, died of acute myeloid leukemia at Dougherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls on Jan. 21.

CLASS OF 1986 Rick Missell died at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, on Dec. 21, 2020.

A LEGACY GIFT WILL: • be easy to arrange. • cost you nothing during your lifetime. • preserve your savings and cash flow. • allow you to be even more generous than you ever thought possible. • provide you the flexibility to change or revoke your commitment as needed.

If you are considering leaving a legacy through your estate plan, contact us at development@augie.edu or 605.274.5521.

Visit augiegiving.org to get started.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

IN MEMORIAM

CLASS OF 1985

CLASS OF 1979

CLASS OF 1974

Richard “Dick” Kallemeyn, 77, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Sanford USD Medical Center on Oct. 27, 2021.

Karen (VanMoorlehem) Weller, 76, of Sioux Falls, died at Ava’s House on Aug. 13, 2021.

Robert “Bob” Arshem passed away on Sept. 22, 2021.

CLASS OF 1984 Lee (Dively) Alexander, M.A., 90, of Rolla, Missouri, formerly of Luverne, Minnesota, died peacefully on Jan. 7. Kevin “Norm” Villa, 60, of Cloquet, Minnesota, passed away on Aug. 12, 2021.

Marian (Gambrel) Winckler passed away on Aug. 5, 2021.

CLASS OF 1977 La Vaune Johnston passed away on July 15, 2021. Ken Vietor, 66, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Ava’s House on Oct. 14, 2021.

CLASS OF 1983 John Bradley “Brad” Berven passed away peacefully after a long battle with metastatic prostate cancer on May 16, 2021.

CLASS OF 1981 Jay Rumbolz passed away on Dec. 17, 2021.

CLASS OF 1980 Suzanne Fickbohm, 63, of Loves Park, Illinois, formerly of Sioux Falls, passed away in Rockford, Illinois, on Dec. 26, 2021. Karolyn “Kari” (Krambeck) Kelly, 79, of Omaha, Nebraska, formerly of Sioux Falls, died at Josie Harper Hospice House on Sept. 7, 2021.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

CLASS OF 1973 Thomas Mandsager, 69, died at home in Mountain Iron, Minnesota, on May 2, 2021. Jerald “Pete” Peterson, 74, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Sept. 10, 2021.

CLASS OF 1972 CLASS OF 1976 Rodney “Rod” Jensen, 67, passed away in San Antonio, Texas, after a courageous battle with complications due to COVID-19, on Aug. 26, 2021. Timothy Tague passed away in Pennsylvania while on a fishing trip on Sept. 21, 2021.

CLASS OF 1975 John Roth died peacefully at home in Wausa, Nebraska, on Aug. 26, 2021.

Dr. Peter Schotten, professor emeritus of government & international affairs, passed away on Oct. 4, 2021, at the age of 74. For more than four decades, Schotten taught courses in constitutional law and political philosophy at Augustana. He also served as a pre-law advisor, helping countless students from across disciplines discern if their vocation was law or if their gifts were better aligned elsewhere. He provided rigorous preparation for the LSAT exam, wrote meaningful letters of recommendation and made necessary phone calls to assist students in gaining admission to some of the finest law schools in the country. Schotten earned numerous awards during his tenure at Augustana, including the Burlington Northern Excellence in Teaching Award and the Vernon and Mildred Niebuhr Faculty Excellence Award. He held the Stanley Olson Chair of Moral Values, Orin M. Lofthus Distinguished Professorship and Frederick Kohlmeyer Distinguished Teaching Professorship. The Sanford Health Peter Schotten Endowed Professorship in Government and International Affairs was established in his honor and is held today by Dr. Joel Johnson, professor of government & international affairs.

John Lester, 70, passed away on Sept. 10, 2021.

Cliff Jones, 75, passed away in Omaha, Nebraska, on Sept. 25, 2021.

CLASS OF 1971 James “Jim” Dieren, 72, passed away on July 21, 2021. Cecelia Whiffer (Kirby) Randall, 87, passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 30. Stephen Swenson, of Fairhope, Alabama, formerly of Groton and Bristol, South Dakota, died on April 28, 2013.

CLASS OF 1970 Carol (Plagens) Hinderaker, 73, of Watertown, South Dakota, died at home on Feb. 7. Steven Larson passed away on Jan. 9. Phillip Olson, 73, of rural Ossian, Iowa, died at home on July 21, 2021. Mary Ann (Torness) Peterson, 72, of Excelsior, Minnesota, died at home on Feb. 6, 2021. Gerald “Jerry” Tietje passed away at Mayo Clinic Health System in Mankato, Minnesota, on Aug. 16, 2021. Stephen “Steve” Zitterich, 72, passed away in Sioux Falls on Jan. 13.

CLASS OF 1969 Lawrence “Larry” Rorem died unexpectedly at Bartlett Hospital in Juneau, Alaska, on Dec. 22, 2020.

IN MEMORIAM

CLASS OF 1968

CLASS OF 1964

Leelan Larsen passed away on Sept. 21, 2021.

Janice (Ustrud) Bruckdorfer, 79, of Washington, Missouri, passed away on Jan. 6.

CLASS OF 1967

Joseph Leean, 79, passed away suddenly on Feb 2.

Keith Anderson, 76, passed away at home in Britton, South Dakota, on Dec. 3, 2021.

John M. Nelson, 78, of Sioux Falls, died at Ava’s House on July 22, 2021.

Beverly “Bev” Bottolfson, 76, of Vermillion, South Dakota, passed away on Aug. 26, 2021.

James Wahlstrom, 78, died at Seven Sisters Living Center in Hot Springs, South Dakota, on March 6, 2020.

Gerald “Jerry” Kopplin, 77, formerly of Crosslake, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Jan. 21.

CLASS OF 1963

Keith Kroeger, 76, died at home in Plantation, Florida, on Jan. 4.

David Gellerman, 82, of Yankton, South Dakota, passed away at Avera Sister James Care Center on Oct. 31, 2021.

Sidney “Sid” Schnepf, 76, of Sibley, Iowa, died at the Osceola Regional Health Center on Sept. 8, 2021.

Obed Haugen passed away at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital in Yankton, South Dakota, on Nov. 5, 2021.

CLASS OF 1966

Harlan “HJ” Skaar, 80, of Cody, Wyoming, passed away at Spirit Mountain Hospice House on Dec. 1, 2021.

Keith Higgins, 77, passed away on Jan. 28. Ruth (Ekstrom) Van Arsdale, 94, of Wichita, Kansas, passed away at Prairie Homestead Senior Living on Sept. 20, 2021. Carol (Lynum) Vognild, 76, passed away peacefully on Aug. 9, 2021.

CLASS OF 1965 Elizabeth (Hofstad) Ekola, 78, of Madison, Wisconsin, passed away at Oakwood Village Prairie Ridge following a sepsis infection and lengthy battle with amyloidosis, on July 25, 2021. Marilee (Holscher) Kuhl, 77, passed away peacefully at home in Lamoille, Nevada, on Sept. 19, 2021. Faith (Trimble) Meling, 89, of Lodi, California, passed away on Sept. 20, 2019. Timothy “Tim” Reaves, 77, passed away on Sept. 9, 2021. Donald Robertson, 78, of Northfield, Minnesota, passed away due to congestive heart failure on Nov. 15, 2021. Twyla (Larson) Sine, 78, passed away on Nov. 9, 2021.

Dr. Mary Ellen Auterman, died on Oct. 6, 2021, in Sioux Falls, at the age of 83. Auterman joined the Augustana faculty in 1970 and taught at the university until retiring as professor emerita of nursing in 2001. Auterman designed Augustana’s parish nursing program and traveled extensively across the United States and Australia to promote it.

CLASS OF 1962 Robert Abraham, 84, passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on Sept. 28, 2021. Marilyn (Kooima) Gilbert passed away on Oct. 28, 2021. Janis (Borstad) Lindberg, of Mounds View, Minnesota, passed away on Oct. 16, 2016. E. Dennis Luce, of Rapid City, South Dakota, passed away on Jan. 4. Donna Lutz, 82, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, died on Jan. 10. Carol (Nelsen) Miedema, 81, died at Avera Prince of Peace in Sioux Falls on Dec. 17, 2021. Eva (Holtan) Partridge, 81, passed away on Sept. 18, 2021.

CLASS OF 1961 Loretta “Letty” (Broner) Fincher, 84, passed away peacefully in Tallahassee, Florida, on July 8, 2021. Julian Grev, 82, of Aitkin, Minnesota, passed away at Riverwood Healthcare Center on July 3, 2021. Robert McLaughlin, 82, of Brookings, South Dakota, passed away on Dec. 5, 2021. Linda (Loomis) Nelson, 81, passed away at Foxwood Springs Senior Living in Raymore, Missouri, on Nov. 7, 2021. Verlyce (Harms) Nelson, 82, passed away at Good Samaritan Village in Sioux Falls on Dec. 3, 2021.

Linda (Bethune) Ritchie, 80, of Sac City, Iowa, passed away at Park View Rehabilitation Center on July 10, 2021.

Sharon (Parker) Rishoi, 82, of Watertown, South Dakota, passed away at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls on July 27, 2021.

Allen Svalstad, 83, of Cut Bank, Montana, passed away peacefully on Nov. 18, 2021.

Dolores (Strom) Walter passed away in Keller, Texas, on Jan. 10. Marilyn Yost, 90, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Lyons Specialty Care in Rock Rapids, Iowa, on Feb. 5.

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

IN MEMORIAM

CLASS OF 1959 Joy Holman, of Sioux Falls, passed away peacefully on Aug. 3, 2021.

Dr. James Limburg passed away on Nov. 29, 2021, at the age of 86. Limburg was professor and chair of the Department of Religion at Augustana from 1962-78. He established a welldeserved reputation as a creative and engaging instructor. In 1978, he accepted a position at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, where he served on the Old Testament faculty until retiring as professor emeritus of Old Testament in 2001. Luther College honored the 1956 graduate with its Distinguished Service Award in 1978.

William Rossing, 87, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Avera Prince of Peace on Sept. 28, 2021.

Ronald Hopf died peacefully at home in Congress, Arizona, on Dec. 29, 2021.

Constance (Stephenson) Stensaas, 87, of New Hope, Minnesota, passed away peacefully at home on July 25, 2021.

Rolland “Rollie” Loon, 85, passed away on Oct. 27, 2021.

Donreath Leland Swain, 87, passed away at home on July 31, 2021.

Karen (Bergman) Mord, 84, of Savage, Minnesota, passed away at St. Francis Hospital in Shakopee, Minnesota, on Dec. 5, 2021.

CLASS OF 1955

CLASS OF 1958

Donald Christopherson, 88, passed away on Dec. 4, 2021.

Lyle E. Andersen, 86, died in Bozeman, Montana, after a long but graceful struggle with Alzheimer’s disease on Jan. 2.

Courtney Anderson, 88, died at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on Nov. 17, 2021.

CLASS OF 1954

Shirley (Peterson) Struyk, 85, passed away on Dec. 13, 2021.

Catherine (Ness) Bamesberger passed away on Nov. 25, 2021.

Marjorie Trobak, 85, longtime educator in Sioux Falls, died at Good Samaritan Village on July 12, 2021.

Dale Jamtgaard passed away peacefully on Sept. 10, 2021.

Richard “Dick” Vosberg, of Midland, South Dakota, died in Philip, South Dakota, on Sept. 5, 2010.

Willard “Bill” Martens, 89, longtime employee of John Morrell & Co., passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on July 20, 2021.

CLASS OF 1957

CLASS OF 1953 Delores (Wennblom) Anderson, 91, of Edina, Minnesota, passed away on Jan. 29.

CLASS OF 1960

Robert “Bob” Bittner, 89, passed away at Sanford USD Medical Center on Dec. 30, 2021.

Douglas Bleeker, 83, died at home in Mitchell, South Dakota, on Dec. 19, 2021.

John Colwell, 90, of Alexandria and Edina, Minnesota, passed away on Dec. 4, 2021.

La Vonne (Broughton) Inglett passed away at the Good Samaritan Society in Luverne, Minnesota, on Dec. 9, 2021.

Harold “Gundy” Gunderson died on Dec. 28, 2021.

Beverly (Pettengill) Klinkenborg passed away on July 7, 2021. Jon Rongstad, 83, died peacefully after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease on Aug. 15, 2021. Samuel Simmons, 86, passed away in Midlothian, Texas, on Jan. 10.

Carol Hewlett, 86, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Dec. 12, 2021.

CLASS OF 1956 Paul Brown, 88, of Inwood, Iowa, died at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls on Nov. 2, 2021.

Sandra “Sandy” (Stratmeyer) Smith, 81, passed away at home on Jan. 11.

Crystal (Nelson) Dougherty, 87, passed away at Grand Arbor Senior Living in Alexandria, Minnesota, on Oct. 23, 2021.

Alan Stanga, 83, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Sanford Hospice Centennial Cottage on Sept. 7, 2021.

Glenice (Baalson) Johnson, 86, of Sioux Falls, passed away on Feb. 9.

Sharon (Olson) Woodford, 83, passed away on Nov. 20, 2021. 28

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

Judith “Judy” (Lillehaug) Koens, 87, passed away in Sumner, Washington, on Sept. 20, 2021.

Helen (Jensen) Ellefson, 90, died at Bethesda of Beresford on Nov. 28, 2021. John Gerald Johnson, 90, of Lemmon, South Dakota, passed away at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger, North Dakota, on Jan. 17. Douglas Lindgren passed away at Pioneer Care Heartland Cottage in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, on Nov. 1, 2015. Raymond Morkve, 90, of Sioux Falls, passed away at Good Samaritan Society in Lennox, South Dakota, on Jan. 4. Judean Schwinger passed away peacefully at Edgewood Assisted Living on Nov. 26, 2021.

IN MEMORIAM

Harriet Hybertson, originally from Centerville, South Dakota, passed away on Nov. 25, 2021, at the age of 98, in Sioux Falls. Hybertson graduated from Augustana Academy in Canton, South Dakota, in 1941. In the fall, she enrolled at Augustana College, and served as a student-teacher at The Model School while taking the 2-year State Certificate Course. After completing the program, she taught elementary education in several school systems throughout South Dakota, as well as in Worthington, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon. At the same time, she continued her education at Northern Colorado University where she earned both a B.A. and M.A. in elementary education. Hybertson returned to Augustana in 1956 as a professor of education, specializing in the preparation of elementary teachers. In total, Hybertson taught for 44 years. She was a longtime supporter of Augustana’s Center for Western Studies and Library Associates. In 2004, Hybertson was named an Augustana Academy Distinguished Alumnus.

CLASS OF 1951

CLASS OF 1949

CLASS OF 1943

Lyle Sturdevant, 94, of Sioux Falls, a former Brandon, South Dakota, postmaster, Dell Rapids, South Dakota, Dairy Queen owner, Sioux Falls area real estate agent and El Riad Shrine clown, died on Jan. 14.

Peggy Belbas, 92, passed away on Jan. 6, 2020.

Genevieve Larson, 103, a resident of Windsor Park in Carol Stream, Illinois, passed away on Jan. 24.

CLASS OF 1950 Frederick Gossman, 96, of Rapid City, South Dakota, passed away peacefully on Aug. 8, 2021.

CLASS OF 1948 Warren Lindbloom, 95, died at Dow Rummel Village in Sioux Falls on Nov. 9, 2021.

CLASS OF 1945

Evelyn (Lang) Itterman passed away at Ava’s House in Sioux Falls on Aug. 27, 2021.

Marjorie (Hanson) Meester passed away on Jan. 29.

LaVonne (Engebretson) Stavig, 93, died in her sleep in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Nov. 14, 2021.

CLASS OF 1944

Robert West, 96, passed away on Nov. 9, 2021.

CLASS OF 1938 Lavina (Wilson) Roske, 104, passed away on Oct. 8, 2021.

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.

Myrtle “Mickey” (Iseman) Howard passed away on Nov. 30, 2021.

THE PUCK DROPS HERE AUGIE.EDU/HOCKEY

in 2023

THE AUGUSTANA | SPRING 2022

In the effort of sustainability, let us know if you prefer receiving issues of The Augustana in digital form (via email). Please email marketing@augie.edu with the subject line “The Augustana Magazine.”

SCAN TO GIVE: AUGIE.EDU/GIVINGDAY