Fall 2022 Quarterly

Youth are resilient, and they need our support.”

Khu Thao ’97, CEO

Health, + other Gusties on young people’s mental health

For Alumni, Parents, and Friends

FALL 2022 | VOL. LXXIII | ISSUE 3

STAFF

Chair, Board of Trustees

Marcia Page ’82

President of the College

Rebecca Bergman

Vice President, Marketing and Communication

Tim Kennedy ’82

Vice President, Advancement

Thomas Young ’88

Director, Alumni and Parent Engagement

Angela Erickson ’01

Senior Director, Editorial Content

Stephanie Wilbur Ash | sash@gustavus.edu

Alumni Editor

Philomena Kau mann | pkau ma@gustavus.edu

Visual Editor, Production Coordinator

Anna Deike | adeike@gustavus.edu

Design

Brian Donahue | bdesigninc.com, Jill Adler | adlerdesignstudio.com, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22

Contributing Writers

Bruce Berglund, Emma Myhre ’19, Sarah Asp Olson, CJ Siewert ’11, Miguel Sousa

Contributing Photographers

Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22, Nick Campbell ’18, Jocelyn Jaimez ’21, Lucy Johnson ’24, CJ Siewert ’11, SPX Sports, Ryan Weber ’22, Jesse Yeakle, Gustavus Adolphus College Archives

Printer

John Roberts Company | johnroberts.com

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GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE

Saint Peter, MN 56082 507-933-8000 | gustavus.edu

Articles and opinions presented in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or o cial policies of the College or its Board of Trustees.

The Gustavus Quarterly (USPS 227-580) is published four times annually by Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, Minn. Periodicals postage is paid at Saint Peter, MN 56082, and additional mailing o ces. It is mailed free of charge to alumni and friends of the College. Circulation is approximately 32,500.

Gustavus Adolphus College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.

Alexander MacLean ’24, Gustavus Choir bass, takes in the Golden Gate Bridge while touring the west coast with the choir in May. The G Choir left immediately after Commencement and spent nine days traveling and performing from Seattle to Los Angeles.

IN THIS ISSUE

HELLO NEW LUND, PHASE I

A first-day glimpse at the first phase of the Lund Center expansion and renovation, including the first team to show up.

HOW ARE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE?

This year’s Nobel Conference delves into the research and ethics surrounding their struggles. These Gusties work to understand, support, and uplift them.

WHY SCHOLARSHIPS ARE SO IMPORTANT RIGHT NOW

A demographic dip. An increase in traditionally underserved students. A competitive higher education market. Scholarships make a di erence.

GUSTIES GATHER

Classes ending in 2 and 7 and then some (including classes that missed their reunions due to the pandemic) gathered on campus for Reunion Weekend in June.

IN EVERY ISSUE

2

22

24

The 556 graduates of the Gustavus Adolphus College Class of 2022—and their families and loved ones—at the on-campus, in-person commencement on Hollingsworth Field on Saturday, May 21. Note the new Lund addition.

Välkommen

THE STRONGEST GENERATION

People frequently lament that the latest generation of youth is somehow softer than previous generations. In spite of the fact that my father told stories about walking more than a mile on a country road to the bus stop (uphill both directions, of course), I don’t buy it. When I think of our current cohort of Gustie students and young alumni, I am incredibly impressed with their fortitude, courage, and resilience.

During the past two and a half years, I have witnessed their adaptation to shifting technologies and expectations, the devoted care they offer their friends and loved ones, and the quickness with which they identify and act on injustices. They have stood up where other generations in living memory have not.

Yet these past two years have not been without their toll on today’s young Gusties. The American Council on Education regularly surveys college presidents. In 2020, nearly 70 percent of presidents identified student mental health as among their most pressing issues, compared to 53 percent the survey before. More than 66 percent reported an increase in the utilization of mental health services. A 2020 Inside Higher Ed and Hanover survey investigating presidents’ and chancellors’ responses to the COVID-19 crisis reported 92 percent of college presidents are somewhat or very concerned about the mental health of students.

I am among them. I will be watching and participating in this year’s Nobel Conference—Mental Health (In)Equity and Young People—with great interest. You can read about some of what the College is doing now to help students improve their mental health and cultivate a sense of wellbeing on pages 9 and 17.

Parents, professors, mentors—indeed, the whole Gustie community—have a hand in shaping the lives and growth of our youngest Gusties, from incoming first-years to recent alumni. These young Gusties are influencing and shaping me, too. Often during the past two and a half years I have asked myself, how would a young undergraduate Rebecca Bergman have reacted to these stressors? Certainly I would have experienced both anxiety and sorrow, as has this generation of young Gusties. I hope I would have also responded with the strength to rise up and carry on, as they continue to do.

I trust that I would have had the courage to reach out for help when it got hard.

No matter your age, I hope you have that courage too.

Yours in community,

Marcia L. Page ’82 MBA (chair), Founding Partner, Värde Partners

Scott P. Anderson ’89 MBA, Head, Carlson Private Capital Industry Executive Council

Catherine Asta ’75, JD, Attorney at Law

Grayce Belvedere-Young, MBA, Founder and CEO, Lily Pad Consulting

Rebecca M. Bergman (ex officio), President, Gustavus Adolphus College

Suzanne F. Boda ’82, Retired Senior Vice President, Los Angeles, American Airlines

Robert D. Brown, Jr. ’83, MA, MD, Staff Neurologist, Professor of Neurology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, and John T. and Lillian Matthews Professor of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic

Kara K. Buckner ’97 (ex officio), President/Chief Strategy Officer, Fallon Worldwide, and Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association

Michael D. Bussey ’69, Senior Consultant, DBD Group and Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association

Janette F. Concepcion, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, Concepcion Psychological Services

Tane T. Danger ’07, Director, Westminster Town Hall Forum

Edward J. Drenttel ’81, JD, Attorney/Partner, Winthrop & Weinstine

Bruce A. Edwards ’77, Retired CEO, DHL Global Supply Chain

John O. Hallberg ’79 MBA, Retired CEO, Children’s Cancer Research Fund

John M. Harris ’92, PhD, Associate Director, Protiviti

Mary Dee J. Hicks ’75, PhD, Retired Senior Vice President, Personnel Decisions International

The Rev. Alicia A. Hilding ’08, (ex officio) Co-pastor, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church; President, Gustavus Adolphus College Association of Congregations

John S. Himle ’77, CEO, Himle LLC

Keith N. Jackson ’89, JD, Assistant General Counsel, Aon

The Rev. Peter C. Johnson ’92, Pastor of Small Groups and Service at St. Andrew Lutheran Church

Paul R. Koch ’87, Retired Managing Director–Private Wealth Advisor, Senior Portfolio Manager, Koch Wealth Solutions, RBC Wealth Management

Nicole M. LaVoi ’91, Director, Tucker Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sport, University of Minnesota

Dennis A. Lind ’72, Chairman, Midwest Bank Group, Inc.

Jan Lindman MBA, Treasurer to the King, The Royal Court of Sweden

The Rev. Dr. David J. Lose, Senior Pastor, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Mikka S. McCracken ’09, Program Manager, WW CSPXT, Amazon

Jan Ledin Michaletz ’74, Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association

Thomas J. Mielke ’80, JD, Retired Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Bradley S. Nuss ’97, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Nuss Truck & Equipment

The Rev. Dr. Dee Pederson (ex officio), Bishop, Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA

The Rev. Dr. Dan. S. Poffenberger ’82, Senior Pastor, Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church

Karl D. Self ’81, MBA, DDS, Associate Professor, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry

Rebecca M. Bergman President, Gustavus Adolphus College

Kent V. Stone ’80, MBA, Retired Vice Chairman, U.S. Bancorp

The Rev. Heather Teune Wigdahl ’95, Senior Pastor, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

HELLO NEW LUND, PHASE I

ON THE HILL

Health. Fitness. Wellness. Wow.

In May, the 72,000 sq. ft. expansion of Lund Center opened. This Phase I includes an increase in cardio and weight equipment, new coaching and recruiting spaces, sweeping views, and more.

“The goal is to provide all Gusties better wellness opportunities in an expanded, first-class space,” President Bergman said at the opening ceremony, which also included words of gratitude from Vice President for Advancement Thomas W. Young ’88, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Tom Brown, and two students. The project is the result of generous donors whose gifts

assured it would catapult forward. What a leap forward. The expansion includes a weight training facility five times the size of the previous one, an openconcept cardio fitness center, three aerobics rooms including one with TRX equipment, new locker rooms for intercollegiate student-athletes, o ce spaces for coaches and sta , and a sizable student lounge that has already seen significant use since the building opened. Said athletic training major Madeleine Derbis ’23, “I am excited for the community that will develop in this student lounge. The additions and improvements will enhance students’ lives

in the classroom, in athletics, and as we move on in our professional careers.”

The Lund Center project comes on the heels of the recently completed Nobel Hall of Science. Both projects represent major outcomes of Show the World, the College’s $225 million comprehensive campaign that is nearing completion.

Next up for Lund: Phase II, which includes (among other improvements) a 60,000 sq. ft. all-season field house. Donor support continues to be sought to complete Phase II.

For more on the completed Phase I of the Lund Center project, turn the page.

Phase I of the Lund Center expansion and renovation increased cardio, workout, and weightlifting space five-fold—and brought in much needed natural light, too. Phase II will add a new academic wing, an athletic training teaching lab, and an all-season field house.

1. The Gustavus women’s soccer team

2. Two students studying at the third-floor student lounge overlooking both the football field and the cardio area. The open concept area includes study, hangout, and lounge spaces with many tables, plus a recruiting

3. Cross country teammates work out at the benchrack equipment. The weight room includes rows of benches

4. The atrium into the first-floor portion of the weight room. All workout and cardio equipment and spaces are open to the entire Gustavus

5. The third floor athletics

6. A locker in the football locker room. Varsity sports teams now have locker rooms specific to their teams. (Previous locker rooms were shared among teams.)

7. Students hanging out post-workout in the third-floor student lounge

Fundraising continues for a full renovation of the existing Lund Center building, new learning spaces for health and exercise science and athletic training, and ultimately,

It’s time—finally!—to gather for a night of fun and festivities with the Gustavus family at A Royal A air!

After two years of pandemic limitations, this in-person fundraiser with food, drinks, music, dancing, and an auction is on. The fundraiser supports access to learning for the talented students, faculty, and sta at Gustavus.

The last event, in 2019, raised more than $500,000 to benefit scholarships for first-generation college students with high academic ability and high economic need, as well as the Gustavus Library Associates Endowment Fund. The

CHRISTMAS IN CHRIST CHAPEL

“The heavens will open up to show us the mysteries that lie beyond,” says artistic director Lydia Francis ’11 Celestial Wonder, Joy Unfolding: Christmas in Christ Chapel 2022 is a celebration in which heaven, earth, and all creation join Mary and Elisabeth, mothers of Jesus and John the Baptist, to proclaim with wonder, hope, and joy the peace that the birth of Christ heralds into the world.

Dec. 1–4 Tickets on sale Oct. 10. The Saturday, Dec. 3 performance will be livestreamed, see gustavus.edu/events/cincc for more.

THE GUSTIE GALA

event is hosted by the Friends of the Library-Gustavus Library Associates and Gustavus Adolphus College.

Dust o your Gustie crown and attend this gala you and your friends won’t want to miss.

Nov. 12

Tickets on sale now; $175 per person; JW Marriott Hotel – Mall of America beginning at 5 p.m.; gustavus.edu/events/ royala air

DID YOU KNOW

Everyone has the opportunity to give a $4,000 scholarship to an incoming Gustie simply by referring them to Gustavus? Formerly the Alumni Referral Scholarship, the opportunity is now open to anyone

See page 34 for more.

Physics professor Darsa Donelan received the 2022 Swenson-Bunn Memorial Award for Teaching

Excellence in May. Based on student nominations, the award acknowledges a faculty member who embodies the qualities of excellence in their work at Gustavus. It is given in memory of two Gustavus students and members of the Student Senate, Greg Swenson ’91 and Holly Bunn ’92, who were tragically killed in a car accident in 1989.

Since joining the faculty in 2016, Donelan has taught courses on physics and astronomy in a way that takes into account the needs of students. Outside of the classroom, they support students as an adviser for The Radicals, Queers and Allies, and A Moment of Magic. They are also a fierce advocate for indigenous relations. Earlier this year, Darsa was presented with the Mark H. Anderson Employee Award at Diversity Ball, which recognizes the ongoing e orts and accomplishments of faculty or sta members who embody and exemplify the values of diversity, inclusion, and the principles of social justice at Gustavus. “Darsa has truly made my time at Gustavus memorable,” a student wrote.

Religion professor Thia Cooper received the College’s Faculty Scholarly Accomplishment Award. Cooper’s interdisciplinary work includes teaching in peace, justice, and conflict studies; gender, women, and sexuality studies; and Latin American, Latinx, and Caribbean studies (LALACS) programs. A member of the Gustavus faculty since 2005, she is the author of Queer and Indecent: An Introduction to the Theology of Marcella AlthausReid (2021, SCM Press), A Theology of International Development (2020, Routledge), A Christian Guide to Liberating Desire, Sex, Partnership, Work and Reproduction (2018, Palgrave), and Controversies in Political Theology (2007, SCM Press).

Geology professor alum Aidan Dahlseid ’21

Morgan Mellum ’23

peer-reviewed article published in the Nature a liate

With Gulbranson’s colleagues from the University of Kansas, Park University, and the Università di Siena in Italy, the article discusses how the research team used data from fossilized Antarctic trees to learn more about the mass

extinction that wiped out 70 to 95 percent of the world’s terrestrial and marine species more than 250 million years ago. The team’s techniques support the conclusion that rather than a singular extinction event, the Permian extinction may have been a series of them. Last fall, the results of Gulbranson’s previous field work in Antarctica were included in a New York Times photo essay. The opportunity to include undergraduate students on projects like this is one of the primary reasons he works at Gustavus.

Erik Gulbranson, , and student co-authored a Scientific Reports

Morgan Mellum

Erik Gulbranson

CAMPUS SOCIAL

@gustavusadolphuscollege

, @gustieathletics INSTAGRAM

@epsilon_pi_alpha

Huge congratulations to our seniors on achieving such a high milestone! We wish you all the success for your next ventures whether it’s off to grad school or off to work! Congrats guys! #whygustavus

Follow /gustavusadolphuscollege

FACEBOOK

“Gustavus was where I came out. Gustavus is where I made lifelong friendships with people who love and value social justice. Gustavus is where I found my voice.”

On June 1, 2013, Cathy ten Broeke ’91 and Margaret Miles became the first same-sex couple to be wed in Minnesota. They were far from the last around the country, as a result of the Supreme Court decision on Obergefell v. Hodges seven years ago today. She shared her thoughts with Gustavus about how LGBTQIA+ rights have advanced in her lifetime and her hope for younger LGBTQIA+ Gusties. gustavus.edu/news

when the marriage is to a @Gustavus_MBB player, it’s even better! Congrats to Nora and Spencer on a beautiful wedding yesterday

@BonnieBrueshoff

Beautiful rainbow moments ago on Woman Lake @gustavus

“Every person in the Gustavus community faced at least one challenge this year. Winning this award is an acknowledgment of resiliency, not only my own but the grit and detmermination of the Gusties with whom I’ve worked across campus—from students to staff to colleagues.”

—Lauren Hecht, professor of psychological science and recipient of

the 2022 Edgar M. Carlson Award

SHINE : HANNAH GODBOUT

AFTER YEARS OF PROVIDING MENTAL HEALTH CARE TO AN ARRAY OF COMMUNITIES, SHE’S MADE BIG IMPACT IN COLLEGE MENTAL HEALTH—ESPECIALLY DURING THE LAST TWO YEARS.

COVID-19 and mental illness: it’s been a twindemic, and it’s not over yet. Godbout, director of the Gustavus counseling center, believes “there’s a second wave coming.”

The mental toll from COVID-19 manifests di erently in everyone. Anxiety, grief, and depression are just some of the commonly felt emotions. Therapists are trained to help people with trauma. They’re less prepared to help with global trauma, all while processing their own emotions. “The majority of our o ce lost someone to COVID,” says Godbout, which resulted in many counselors going through the same healing process as the students they help. “It can be really beautiful and healing for us in some ways, and it can be kind of hard.” She encourages her counseling sta to take breaks, get outside, and see their own therapists. “You get support so that you can be of support.”

In addition to resilience and self care, providing therapy during the pandemic demanded flexibility as the o ce pivoted to virtual appointments and added online resources. Fortunately, the counselors at Gustavus have experience with o ering new resources to meet the needs of students. In the past decade, Godbout has spearheaded the creation of support groups and resources for underrepresented Gusties, such as Queer and Questioning for LGBTQIA+ students and Mosiac Dialogue for BIPOC and international students.

“College students are in this significant growth and change period of their lives,” she says. “It’s a perfect time to catch someone who’s ready to make progress and give them a positive mental health experience they can carry for the rest of their lives.”

But the counseling center can’t do it alone. “We do the work with individuals, but then it’s also really important for all of us to do the systemic work that brings upstream change to our campus.” Whether it’s learning the correct language around mental health or supporting student accomodations, Godbout encourages everyone at Gustavus to play an active role in the mental wellbeing of Gustavus students. “We’ll never sta our way into being able to address all our needs. This can’t just be the work of the counseling center. It has to be everybody’s work.”

Support groups, drop-in sessions, workshops, online resources: the definition of therapy is growing. “We know from culturally sensitive research that not everyone is comfortable with therapy, feels safe in that individual interaction, or is willing to seek it out,” says Godbout. “You have to meet each student where they’re at.”

SHINE : A. MARIE WALKER

THE GUSTAVUS PROFESSOR AND 2022 NOBEL CONFERENCE CO-CHAIR ON THIS YEAR’S CONFERENCE TOPIC, MENTAL HEALTH (IN)EQUITY IN YOUNG PEOPLE.

Mental health and development was a long-discussed choice for the subject of the 2022 Nobel Conference. But when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Walker knew the topic had to confront today’s mental health crisis in adolescents and young people.

“I watched my students’ lives turn upside-down,” she remembers. “Then George Floyd was murdered. I was thinking a lot about the 17-year-old [Darnella Frazier] who filmed him dying.” Walker and Nobel Conference co-chair, professor Angelique Dwyer, wanted the Nobel Conference to be a platform to present cutting-edge research on the mental health experiences of marginalized groups.

“We really wanted to be intentional about bringing in scholars who have perspectives that haven’t been given enough emphasis,” Walker says. “Our panelists are the top up-and-coming researchers on how health inequity a ects specific communities.”

communities.” says. this crisis, it’s essential to acknowledge all experiences and not just say, ‘That’s experiences tougher

Walker is excited about all of the speakers invited to present, which span academic disciplines. “I think it’s a topic that anyone can relate to, in a way that ties into their own lives and what they’re seeing in the news,” she says. “In this crisis, it’s essential to acknowledge all experiences and not just say, ‘That’s tough.’ It’s essential to a rm that many experiences are tougher than tough.” She’s also proud of her students’ contributions to the Conference.

For a class project, Walker asked her students to research new areas in mental health and present on what factors of the mental health crisis they thought should be covered at Nobel Conference. Her students overwhelmingly reported social media, identity, and technology as essential topics.

Walker has spent much of her academic career measuring the e ect of mental health on cognitive processing and identity. She hopes that attendees will take away a clear picture of the mental health crisis and the solutions experts are presenting.

“Most of all, I know this is important because my students are telling me this is important. It’s their lived experience.”

Current Gustavus seniors had only one and a half semesters of pre-COVID-19 collegiate experience before their lives were forever altered by the emotional strain of the pandemic. Future Gustavus students live with the same weight: Seven out of 10 high school graduates struggle with mental health. How will Gustavus serve them? See page 17.

SHINE : REGINA OLONO VIDALES ’22

FROM ZERO PUBLIC SPEAKING EXPERIENCE TO THE COMMENCEMENT PODIUM, SERVING ON STUDENT SENATE CHANGED THE TRAJECTORY OF VIDALES’ LIFE: “I FOUND A VOICE.”

When Vidales started at Gustavus, making her voice heard wasn’t something she was known for. But over her four years, shyness gave way to a confidence that made her Student Senate co-president, where she’s helped her classmates turn great ideas into visible change on campus. Compost bins in dorm rooms, gender-neutral housing in Co-Ed, and new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion positions on Student Senate are just some of the initiatives in which she takes pride.

She also takes pride in starting a Gustavus chapter of Ignite, a national organization that fosters political leadership in young women. Her goal in founding a new chapter was to help Gustie women students, especially women of color, prepare for taking charge in the workplace and running for o ce.

Her path to involvment started with several student organizations, including A Moment of Magic, the Diversity Leadership Council, Organization of Latin American Students, Students for Reproductive Freedom, and Model United Nations. At a Model UN conference in Chicago she got her first taste of public speaking: “I was so scared, but I went up and spoke for 30 seconds. Afterward, I thought, ‘That wasn’t so bad!’”

Her sophomore year, Vidales became a class senator, where she learned to make her voice heard to faculty and administrators and to listen to her fellow Gusties. “They will come to you and hassle you until you listen. It’s our job to be receptive to them.”

commencement speech. She is now a Hennepin County associate organizer for Unidos MN, a political grassroots organization led by immigrants and centered around the Latinx community. She focuses on electoral work, Get Out the Vote,

her time at Gustavus, she has the skills—and the fire— to keep making a di erence.

The work hasn’t stopped since graduation, where Vidales delivered the commencement speech. She is now a Hennepin County associate organizer for Unidos MN, a political grassroots organization led by immigrants and centered around the Latinx community. She focuses on electoral work, Get Out the Vote, and immigration reform. They are causes she feels strongly about, and thanks to her time at Gustavus, she has the skills—and the fire— to keep making a di erence. “If Gusties are passionate about something, they will make their voices heard.”

Vidales came to Gustavus as a pre-med student, but her plans changed after exploring several courses in political science. “It inspired me,” she says, and she majored in political science with minors in public health and peace, justice, and conflict studies. “I saw that there was a structural problem in our government, in our communities, that needed to be solved. That’s when I started wanting to learn more, wanting to do more.”

“If you don’t speak up for what you want, it’s not going to happen. So you have to speak up for the things that you care about.”

How Are Our Young

Nobel Conference 58: Mental Health (In)Equity and Young People

This year’s Nobel Conference delves into the research and ethics surrounding adolescent mental health. It will address the disparities and their effects on youth, who often experience little control over their wellbeing and are at the mercy of the decisions of parents, schools, and society. The Conference will particularly emphasize identity, trauma, and technology. Join in as the world’s foremost experts examine the mental health issues of adolescents through the lenses of psychology, anthropology, education, communication, medicine, gender and sexuality, and public health.

SEPT. 28–29, in-person or virtually, in real time or archived. gustavus.edu/nobel

People?

They are not all right.

In December 2021, the U.S. Surgeon General warned that the mental health of adolescents was in crisis. “Mental health challenges in children, adolescents, and young adults are real and widespread,” said Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. “Even before the pandemic, an alarming number of young people struggled with feelings of helplessness, depression, and thoughts of suicide—and rates have increased over the past decade.”

THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EXACERBATED THIS, dramatically altering all of our experiences at home, school, and in the community. For young people, this meant disruption and disconnect in relation to in-person schooling, in-person socialization with peers and mentors, access to health care and social services, and security in food, housing, and health of caregivers. The pandemic also drove an uptick in an already unprecedented and pervasive use of technology, including that double-edged sword of connection and comparison: social media.

Those most heavily a ected? Those most vulnerable to begin with. That includes youth with disabilities, racial and ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ youth, low-income youth, homeless youth, and youth in rural areas, immigrant households, and child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

The compound e ect on the mental health of adolescents has been devastating. The percentage of teens reporting “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness” jumped from 26 percent to 37 percent between 2009 and 2019. In 2021, it was 44 percent.

Growing up is hard. Growing up right now is even harder, particularly for young people on the margins. Here are voices of some of the Gusties working to understand, support, and uplift those between the ages of 16 and 22, as well as voices of recent grads. How we respond to their needs as a college, a state, and a society says a lot about how we see our future. Let us respond as we would have them respond—with grace, care, and courage.

“We lost a lot of relatives. Once every two months, on average. That took a toll on my mom.”

—Cha Lee Yang ’22

“That first semester of the pandemic? I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was my lowest point.”

—Brittany Berge ’22

allowing space

“My social interaction was through TikTok. It was the only time I could see people my age, and laugh.”

—Christen Gibson ’23

Khu Thao in the backyard of her suburban Twin Cities home.

,

INTERVIEWED BY SARAH ASP OLSON

Editor’s Note: Thao has a doctorate in psychology from Minnesota School of Professional Psychology, a master’s degree in social work from the University of Minnesota, and executive leadership certification from University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business. She is a recipient of a Bush Fellowship and a Title VI-E Welfare Fellowship. We spoke to her in June.

QUARTERLY: From your perspective as a practitioner and a parent to two adolescents—how are the kids?

THAO: I would say the kids are resilient, but the kids need support to continue to be resilient and to thrive. Our kids have had to go through COVID, social unrest, war, and lots of other social changes and challenges. They survived and they thrived. Our kids are resilient, but we need to continue to provide them with the support that they need in the evolving environment that they live in.

Why is it so important for children and adolescents to receive culturally sensitive and appropriate mental health services?

It makes such a big di erence, not just to the child, but for the entire family. For providers, before you can even start helping the child, you have to help the parents or guardians feel comfortable with who you are. If they don’t feel like their therapist or provider understands them, or has the capacity to invite diversity and di erences, they’re not going to come for services, and seeking and accepting services is one of the biggest barriers in healthcare.

As a person of color who is also a therapist, that’s been the biggest factor to success with clients, being able to be open to diversity, being flexible to di erent cultures. That openness opens so many doors.

Our kids are resilient, says Khu Thao ’97 the new CEO of Canvas Health. Still, we need to continue to provide them with the support they need while giving them space to live their complexity.

“I was at my house with my siblings and my mom and the WiFi sucked. It was hard to pay attention.”

—Wyatt Quering ’22

How can parents, caregivers, and policy makers support kids’ mental health?

Human beings are very complex; and that’s a little bit di erent from being complicated. When something is complicated, it means that you don’t understand it. If it’s complicated, with time, you can understand it, and then it’s no longer complicated. But when something is complex, it means that there are many things woven together. It’s this tangled ball of yarn. Adolescence is a complex time. The best way that I can describe the support adolescents need is “allow space”—for discovery, for some of this complexity to work itself out.

And, we have to listen. That’s the

Origins of an Advocate

biggest thing—just listen. Ask them what part of that big, old, tangled ball of yarn they want to start with.

Do you feel hopeful about the future for our kids?

Even though we’ve gone through a lot, even though young people today have experienced things that we’ve never imagined and have never experienced before, there is just so much positivity with our adolescents. I need people to understand that this is our future, and they are so bright and resilient. And with some help and some support, and by listening to them, they will take us to places we’ve never imagined.

After graduating from Gustavus with majors in criminal justice and psychology, and leadership in the Asian Culture Club, Thao worked at a nonprofit serving adolescent girls in the Hmong community. It was there she discovered a passion for social services, particularly for youth on the margins. One of the factors that’s driven Thao as a social worker, clinician, and executive is the desire to break down barriers around mental health and the social services she came up against while fi rst working in communities of color.

The nonprofit Canvas Health began more than 50 years ago in Oakdale as a place to provide mental health services for vulnerable residents in that community. It has since grown to include eight locations plus direct care in clients’ homes, schools, and communities. Today it offers a comprehensive menu of case management and therapy services to children, adolescents, and adults. It also provides school-based mental health services to students across the Twin Cities. The goal: help children, adolescents, adults, and families cope with mental illness, substance use, unstable housing, trauma, and abuse, bringing hope, healing, and recovery.

Thao’s senior photo, 1997

The Numbers

(some are from pre-COVID-19)

2.5 million youth in the United States have severe depression (2022)

14.5% of youth who identifi ed as more than one race identify as depressed (2022)

60% of youth with severe depression do not receive any mental health treatment (2022)

4.62% of Minnesota’s youth had a substance use disorder in 2019, (up from 3.86% in 2018)

39% of college students nationally reported symptoms of depression in the previous two weeks (before COVID-19; up from 25 percent in 2015)

80% of college students nationally felt their emotional or mental diffi culties negatively impacted their academic performance (before COVID-19, up from 68 percent in 2015)

75% of lifetime cases of mental health illness begin by age 24 (2020)

Data from KFF, Mental Health America, and The Healthy Minds Study

5 Ways Gustavus Supports Current Student Mental Health

THE COLLEGE IS PAYING ATTENTION TO THE INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS OF CURRENT STUDENTS, WORKING TO REDUCE STIGMA AND OTHER ACCESS BARRIERS.

1 The Counseling Center is a free, confi dential service for all Gustavus students. The center’s seven professional counselors work alongside students to resolve personal, relational, social, and academic diffi culties. There are counselors who specialize in serving students of color. 2 Peer Assistants help their fellow students with stress management, chemical and mental health, relationships, and nutrition and fitness. They hold offi ce hours for questions and conversations during the week as well as educational programs, awareness campaigns, and social activities.

3 Across campus, organizations engage in dialogue about mental health with events open to the community. For instance, Queer and Questioning welcomes students to support each other as they explore their gender and sexuality. Mosaic Dialog works with students of color and a therapist to explore and discuss their unique, challenging experiences and concerns. Using a culturallyaffi rming lens, both help students fi nd the resources they need to support their specifi c mental health needs. 4 For students experiencing stress, anxiety, and depression, Live to Learn is a free, self-guided online tool for identifying mental health issues and managing them in their lives. 5 Gusties will tell you that Gustavus is a community that cares. Students, faculty, and staff work hard to cultivate a culture where students are comfortable discussing their mental health and feel a sense of belonging.

“Provide a safe space to give someone a chance to talk about what’s going on.”

—Laura Russell-Reyna ’11, mental health services director, Amongst Wildflowers Creative

“This is a systemic issue because for a lot of adults, this topic is still taboo.”

—Sarah Vanyo ’17, psychotherapist, River Ridge Recovery

Raising Peace

“We have to ask each other, ‘How do we build opportunities for deeper connections?’”

— Kerrie Urosevich ’91

“Having American friends on the rugby team was really helpful.”

—Jackie Len Patterson ’24

BY EMMA MYHRE ’19

She stands at the podium in Christ Chapel during the 2022 MAYDAY! Peace Conference. Before her are the many Gustavus young people who have su ered through an isolating global pandemic, the filmed murders of unarmed Black people by police, the onslaught of information (and misinformation) via social media, the destabilization of American and foreign governments, and a widening gulf between economic have and have-nots.

Kerrie Urosevich ’91 asks these questions: “Imagine the most peaceful and just family,” she says. “How do they communicate? How do they spend time together? How do they have fun together? What about a school? A community?”

This is Step One to a peaceful existence: Imagine that it can be better and that you have a role to play.

Urosevich is a liate faculty at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Hawai‘i, and a systems and policy builder with Hawai‘i’s Early Childhood Action Strategy. She co-founded the non-profit Ceeds of Peace, dedicated to fostering individual and communitywide peacebuilding through workshops, community events, and other activities. It is based in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Cofounder Maya Soetoro is also a professor at the Matsunaga Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of

Hawai‘i, and a consultant for the Obama Foundation, founded by her brother, Barack Obama.

As a systems and policy builder, diplomat, and peace and conflict resolution academic, Urosevich knows peace is an impactful practice, not an abstract idea. “Peace is not a state of being,” she says. And it is not simply the absence of su ering (which is not simple).

“Peace is an action, and it’s intentional.” Intentionally acting toward peace is essential for improving mental health, individually and in our communities.

Peacebuilding, then, is a set of actionable skills to help alleviate the su ering in one’s self and others—ways people can work together to create better, healthier, stronger communities. Skills in peace improve everything from an individual’s understanding of themselves to global policy.

Like most peacebuilders, Urosevich champions localized solutions to macro issues, like the youth mental health crisis. “We know part of what drives the youth mental health crisis is a feeling of isolation, of otherness, and of helplessness,” Urosevich says. “Connection is an essential seed of peacebuilding. We have to create space to name it, normalize it, and give it time and space.”

Through Ceeds of Peace and as professors and educators, Urosevich and

Kerrie Urosevich ’93 co-founded Ceeds of Peace, an organization focused on building peacebuilding leaders. For all of us, that means fostering our capacity for courage, compassion, and connection— among other life skills.

“The biggest lesson was finding joy and comfort within myself.”

—Sophia Martin ’23

Kerrie Urosevich in the Edwards Atrium of Anderson Hall.

Soetoro teach courses on negotiation skills, conflict resolution, and the history of peace movements. Twelve years ago, they were inspired to start Ceeds of Peace by their college students. Many said they wished they had learned conflict resolution and peacebuilding practices sooner.

Urosevich and Soetoro knew how essential these skills were for local communities to tackle large-scale issues, from inclusivity in schools to domestic abuse to land use issues. But to be e ective, they determined they had to work with the adults in their communities who were modeling behavior for younger people. “Students go to school and learn, ‘Do not hit,’

and learn to respond to anger in more positive ways,” Urosevich says. “But if they go home and are witnesses to violence or are victims of it from the adults in their lives, what do children do with that?” Urosevich says behavior like this ripples into the rest of our society and our systems.

Most of their workshops guide participants of all ages through the steps to create or build the community they envision—a family, workplace, or school system. This process has jumpstarted wraparound services and social/ emotional development programs in Hawai‘i elementary schools and across the globe. Recently, there’s been a sharp increase in male attendance.

The tools Ceeds of Peace uses

in their workshops are based on the characteristics of influential peace leaders worldwide. Urosevich and Soetoro studied what qualities and skills made these peace leaders e ective and compelling. They identified seven individual traits that create peacebuilding characteristics: courage, critical thinking, compassion, conflict resolution, commitment, collaboration, and connection. Each “ceed” is a part of a network of characteristics that must be practiced together. “For example, if you practice courage without compassion, that can lead to destructive actions,” Urosevich explains.

Throughout her career, Urosevich has traveled worldwide to collaborate with leaders and implement the essential work of developing peacebuilders who will build a peaceful world. Last May, Urosevich and Soetoro traveled to Minnesota to be the keynote speakers for the annual MAYDAY! Peace Conference. Looking out at Gustavus students and the Gustavus community, they said, “Turn to your neighbor and discuss: What is your definition of peacebuilding?”

Excited whispers echoed through Christ Chapel.

Origins of a Peacebuilder

Growing up in Nebraska, Urosevich’s extended family was active in a Serbian Orthodox Church, which often mixed politics and history with spiritual practices, especially during the Yugoslav Wars in the early 1990s. “My grandpa and I clashed over who we should dislike as Serbians, and he would share about Serbian history. Like in all wars, groups of people experienced trauma at the hands of ‘others’. Hatred of those ‘others’ can pass down through generations. I loved Papo to pieces, but I couldn’t hold that thinking. I had to unlearn parts of these narratives.”

On the hill, she studied Japanese and played Gustavus volleyball, where she fi rst learned meditation and visualization techniques. In class, she studied the psychological motivation behind “othering”—defi ning a person with less societal power as a means to exclude and displace them from mainstream. Her fl uency in Japanese led her to a job in northern Japan, where she witnessed peacebuilding at work. She then earned a master’s degree in International Policy at the Middlebury Institute for International Studies as well as a PhD in political science with a specialization in conflict resolution and systems design from the University of Hawai ‘i, Mānoa.

“Systems are built by people, so they can be changed by people. You want systems that work for the people who are going to use them.”

—Kerrie Urosevich ’93

Urosevich in Lund in 1991

6 Ways to Take Care of Your Mental Health, and the Mental Health of Others

THESE ARE KERRIE UROSEVICH’S HOW-TO TOOLS. TRY THEM TODAY.

1 Find your joy. Identify activities that make you happy or help steady yourself, then do these activities every day. 2 Create reaction responses. “Conflict just is,” Urosevich says. “It’s part of being human and it can actually be a catalyst for change.” How we respond makes all of the difference. Create a cheat sheet with responses for when you experience conflict, like, “I appreciate you sharing this with me. May I take some time to think about what you’ve said?” Instead of getting fi red up during a conflict, practice deep breathing, count from 10-1 in your mind, “go to the balcony” and observe the conflict, or make notes about what you are hearing and emotionally engage later.

3 Create time and space to be with others. Our mental health is supported when we feel connected to others, especially without cell phones and distractions. 4 Practice active and second-tier listening. Active listening (nodding along, eye contact, smiling) tells a person you hear them. Second-tier listening is about facts and values—what you are being told, and the values that the other person holds. “The values tell you why the story is so important,” Urosevich says. 5 Be an “upstander.” When you see someone being mistreated, say something, get help, or gather with others to use your collective talents. “Being with a community, for a shared purpose, supports everyone’s mental health.” 6 Be a champion for children. “Every young person needs a champion,” she says. Be that champion. Reach out to your local schools, child care centers, and churches. Become a mentor through the Gustavus Mentor Program. Or simply champion a child in your own family and neighborhood. Spend time with, listen to, and celebrate them.

STUDENT AND RECENT GRADUATE VOICES in this feature are from the podcast series, COVID Unmasked: College Edition. Produced by students, it presents a glimpse into ways the pandemic affected Gustavus students from 2020 and 2022, touching on education, social life, mental health, and the unique experiences of people from underrepresented backgrounds. Find it on Spotify. ALUMNI VOICES are from those currently working at intersections of youth and mental health.

“Be mindful about your social media use. What people post is often a carefully curated image.”

—Brendesha Tynes, Nobel Conference Presenter

“An active body helps stimulate an active mind which allows us to create positive change.”

—McKenna Patrow ’18, mental health therapist, Lakeville Behavioral Health

“Promote mental health awareness and provide options to get help.”

—Jennifer Wedin Given ’15, mental health practitioner at a residential treatment facility

The 2022 Gustavus women’s outdoor Track & Field season was a banner one, ending with the program’s first MIAC championship, first top five finish at the NCAA Championships, and multiple records broken.

Leading the squad all season was the trio of Elizabeth Donnelly (Sr., Langely, Wash.), Birgen Nelson (Jr., Edina), and Annika Poe (Jr., Big Lake). All three earned All-America status at the national meet, highlighted by Nelson’s national championship win in the 100-hurdles with a Division III record time of 13.44. She also took second in the 400-hurdles. Donnelly took fifth in the 800-meter and

Poe placed sixth in the shot put. All four events for the Gusties at the NCAA meet featured school-record marks.

Nelson earned two All-America honors at the NCAA Outdoor Championships for the second consecutive season and joined an elite group of Gustie women to earn four NCAA Outdoor All-America honors. (The other two are Jackie Luehmann ’04 and Lisa Brown ’09.)

“Once I set the nerves aside, I knew I could execute my race plans and come away a national champion,” Nelson said. “And to get to share in this success with my teammates and friends from other schools who earned All-America honors

is the cherry on top.”

Performing well on the track was not exclusive for Donnelly and Nelson as both earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors for their combined success on the track and in the classroom.

At the MIAC championship meet, the team claimed eight event titles and nine individual All-Conference performances. The Gusties swept the MIAC postseason awards as Nelson won both the MIAC Outstanding Track Athlete and Outstanding Performance of the Meet, while Poe was named Outstanding Field Athlete and Aaron Lund earned MIAC Women’s Coach of the Year.

“WHAT A DREAM COME TRUE!”

Birgen Nelson ’23 winning the 100-hurdles final at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Geneva, Ohio. Her time—13.44—broke a national record that stood for 24 years. Among her many other accolades is the title of Gustavus Female Athlete of the Year.

Baseball

The Gusties collected the most wins in a season since 2006 after going 28-14 overall and 13-7 in the MIAC for third place. They broke seven team records, highlighted by 55 home runs. Jack Hanson (Sr., Minnetonka) earned First Team All-America honors and MIAC Player of the Year while setting four individual records, and was named Gustavus Male Athlete of the Year. Ethan Mocchi (Sr., Champlin) and Bryce Novak (Jr., Cleveland) joined Hanson on the All-Region Team, while Gavin Baker (Jr., Lakeville), Andrew Gustafson (Jr., Maplewood), and Lane Glaser (Jr., Hutchinson) joined on the AllConference Team.

Softball

The Gusties reached the MIAC postseason tournament for the first time since 2016 but lost a close 6-5 decision at Saint Benedict in the first round. The team finished with a 15-22 overall record and went 10-12 in the MIAC for sixth place. Kaylyn Leonard (Sr., Plymouth), Madelyn Mueller (So., North Mankato), and Piper Otto (So., Brooklyn Park) were selected All-Conference.

Men’s Tennis

The Gusties won their 33rd consecutive MIAC championship with another perfect conference record of 9-0 and advanced to their 10th consecutive NCAA region championship match where they lost to eventual national champion Chicago 5-2, finishing the season at 24-11. Nick Aney (Sr., Rochester) highlighted the postseason awards, winning the MIAC Elite 22

Award, MIAC Arthur Ashe Award, and his second consecutive First Team CoSIDA Academic All-America honor. Chase Johnson ’19 was named the ITA Central Region Assistant Coach of the Year.

Women’s Tennis

The Gusties claimed their 30th MIAC championship with a perfect 10-0 league record. They shut out Bethel in the MIAC playoff semifinals but lost to Carleton in the championship match, finishing the season 19-7 overall. Sydney Douglas (Sr., North Mankato), Yuki Oda (Jr., Kawasaki, Japan), Simona Potockova (Sr., Nova’ Dubnica, Slovakia), and Anna Stutz (Sr., Dellwood) were named All-Conference, while Jon Carlson earned his 10th MIAC Coach of the Year honor. Alli Laux (So., Onalaska, Wis.) won the MIAC Elite 22 Award.

Men’s Golf

The Gusties earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships, appearing in the national tournament for the 27th time in program history. They finished 24th while Jacob Pedersen (Sr., Minnetonka) was named Third Team All-America and earned his second MIAC Player of the Year honor. Max Ullan (Sr., Blaine) was

selected All-America honorable mention. Wyatt Wasko (Jr., Lake Elmo) joined Pedersen and Ullan on the All-Region Team. All three were also All-Conference. Scott Moe ’95 earned his eighth MIAC Coach of the Year honor.

Women’s Golf

The Gusties competed in four events during a weather-shortened spring season, highlighted by a second-place finish at the Wartburg Spring Invite. Emily Kratz (Sr., Edina) was named AllRegion, while Erin Ericson (Sr., Onalaska, Wis.) and Sydney Regalado (Sr., Rosemount) joined the All-Conference Team. Randy Stuckey ’83 was named the WGCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year.

Men’s Outdoor Track & Field

The Gusties competed in 10 events leading up to the MIAC Championships where they placed fifth. There were no All-Conference performers, but the Gusties scored in eight different events at the conference meet, highlighted by the 4x100 and 4x400 relays both finishing second.

August 27 | Women’s and Men’s Cross Country Alumni Meet

September 1 | Men’s Soccer Home opener (v. Wartburg) 3 p.m.

September 7 | Women’s Soccer Home Opener (v. Bethany Lutheran) 4 p.m.

September 17 | Football Home Opener (v. Wis.-Stout) 1 p.m.

September 30 | Volleyball Home Opener (v. Carleton) 7 p.m.

October 8 | HOMECOMING Football (v. St. Scholastica) + Men’s and Women’s Soccer (v. Concordia) See page 32

“After a few years of adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and putting travel on hold, the Gustavus Choir tour of the West Coast was a wonderful culmination of the 2021–22 academic year,” says Brandon Dean, the Jon and Anita Thomsen Young Distinguished Endowed Chair in Music and conductor of the Gustavus Choir.

As has been typical of travel plans the past two years, the 2022 Gustavus Choir West Coast 10-day tour began during unlikely timing: the day after Commencement. The tour began with a home concert in Christ Chapel, then continued with several

performances in Washington and Oregon, and ended in California.

The final concert was held at Trinity Lutheran Church and School in Hawthorne, CA, where Gustavus alum Kevin Bergeson ’02 welcomed the choir. Bergeson is Senior Pastor there and was actively involved with choir and theatre during his time on the hill. “Hosting the choir took me back to my own tours–including the same West Coast experience–and the churches that hosted us,” he says. “I am so grateful for the hospitality I experienced on tour. We wanted the Choir’s stop at Trinity

to be powerfully memorable.” It was. Particularly the final performance, he says, which was full of “artistry and connections with the audience.”

There were plenty of tears and hugging throughout the concert. Following it, Bergeson gifted every person on the tour with a miniature compass and “encouraged us to look into our time together,” says Gustavus Choir member Thomas Sullivan ’23.

As an alumnus, Bergeson is proud of what the choir has accomplished: “It’s inspiring to see the choir continuing to evolve.”

The Gustavus Choir performs at First United Methodist Church, in Eugene, OR.

Fine Arts

The Hillstrom Museum of Art wrapped its Spring Season with Closing Time: Senior Studio Art Majors Exhibition 2022, which featured work by the graduating senior studio art majors.

The exhibition included works by Megan Aber, Gigi deGrood, Preston Hanstad, Heather Holten, Anna-Olivia Machado, Hannah Rickinger, Sophie Seivert, Livija Shae er, Sanjeeda Shutrishna, Serena Small, Jennifer Stageberg, Gretchen Van Ess, and Geneva VanWyk. “Walking along the path with them as their work starts to take unity and their artist voice becomes clearer is a very exciting place to be with students,” says professor of art and art history Kristen Lowe

Theatre/Dance

Dancers from across the Midwest participated in the American College Dance Association’s regional conference at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Eleven pieces were chosen for the gala performance; both of the pieces Gustavus submitted were selected. One was a choreography by Sarah Hauss and performed by Amanda Ho man ’22, and a choreography by Tessa Longshore ’22 performed by Longshore and Karmen Peter ’23

The Department of Theatre & Dance presented the workplace dramatic comedy Gloria as its last show of the season. “Being in a rehearsal room is such a pleasure because I am able to witness great artists try new things and explore their characters,” says stage manager Sydney Sutherland ’22. The last time she’d gotten to call cues to for an audience was more than two years prior.

Music

The Gustavus Wind Orchestra was an honored guest at the Minnesota Music Educator Association (MMEA) Mid-Winter Clinic in late February. Through an audition process, the Wind Orchestra was chosen for the Friday evening slot. Students at the conference had opportunities to meet with vendors and other businesses ranging from schools to music stores. Following the convention portion of the clinic, both

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Gustavus and Mahtomedi High School performed as the night’s headliners. Mathomedi’s concert program focused on supporting and uplifting women composers and musicians, and Gustavus’s own Heidi Miller was a featured conductor at their concert.

October 1–2 | Family Weekend Concret, free and open to the public

November 3–6 | Tragedy: a tragedy by Will Eno, “a tragically hilarious play for the fake news era,” Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre

November 19 | 151st Anniversary Concerts, F. Melius Christiansen, Gustavus Choir, Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis (tickets available Sept. 6 at acda-mn.com)

December 1–4 | Christmas in Christ Chapel

December 9–11 | Shared Space: Tangled Relations dance performance, Theatre Gallery, Rob and Judy Gardner Laboraory Theatre

HILLSTROM MUSEUM OF ART

September 19–November 26 | Ralston Crawford: Torn Signs; Oscar Bluemner’s Sonnet Series; and Stuart Davies in Black and White, a trio of focused exhibits from the Vilcek Foundation, New York City; Nobel Conference Reception, Sept. 28, 4 p.m; free and open to the public.

SCHAEFER GALLERY

September 14–October 4 | Are you ok? I am not. And that’s ok.

In conjunction with Nobel Conference 58, the Schaefer Art Gallery presents work around social issues by Colleen Stockmann; public reception Sept. 18, 5 p.m.; free and open to the public

October 15–November 10 | Student Creative Suite

Public reception Oct. 15, 12 p.m.; free and open to the public.

November 28–December 14 | Indigenous Relations Group Salon

A variety of visual art and public event experiences by local indigenous artists; public reception, Dec. 15

All tickets available two weeks prior to show at gustavustickets.com

Work by Hannah Jones ’23, on exhibit in Schaefer during the junior art exhibition this spring.

Why Scholarships

Are So Impor

Scholarships are an important part of many Gustavus stories. Graduates from years past often tell of how a scholarship made it possible for them to choose Gustavus. In appreciation for support they received, many alumni give today to help current students. From one generation of Gusties to the next, Gusties are knit together by generosity and gratitude.

We usually think of scholarships in these terms: philanthropy as an expression of thanks. At the root of these gifts is a sense of a Gustavus liberal arts education as something worth passing on.

Today, there are new reasons scholarships are important. A historic nationwide shift is underway among young people going to college, both in numbers and in backgrounds.

Like colleges and universities across the country, Gustavus grew dramatically in the decades after World War II. In just one year, 1946 to 1947, the arrival of students on the GI Bill doubled the College’s enrollment (to just over 1,100). The Baby Boom generation lifted enrollment even more in the 1960s and ’70s. Throughout the United States, schools

A demographic dip. An increase in traditionally underserved students. A competitive higher education environment. Scholarships make a difference.

tant RIGHT NOW

constructed new classroom buildings and dormitories to accommodate the Boomers. At Gustavus, enrollment doubled again, surpassing 2,000 students by the mid-’70s.

The population of young people in America has not moved in a steady upward line. Instead, it has moved in waves. Once the Baby Boomers finished school, the smaller demographic group known as Generation X arrived. Generation X was followed by the Baby Boomers’ children, the Millennials. The biggest population spike in the nation’s history produced an even bigger

wave. The early 2000s saw the largest number of students entering college ever.

Fewer Young People Nationally

Today, with the smaller Generation Z reaching college age, the number of new college-aged young people nationwide has begun to trend downward.

One factor has been COVID-19. Owing to economic swings caused by the pandemic, many high school graduates are

deciding not to enroll in college, at least immediately. According to the New York Times, total undergraduate enrollment has dropped by 1.4 million, or 9.4 percent, in the two years since the pandemic began.

And another big dip is coming. Think back to the 2008 financial crisis, known as the Great Recession. As people lost jobs, homes, and investments, there was a drop in the U.S. birthrate. In 2026, the kids born at the time of the Great Recession will start entering college. There will be far fewer of them.

Changing Demographics

The social makeup of this new generation is also changing. Nationwide, students from communities that have been historically underrepresented in higher education will comprise a larger percentage of high school graduates. As it pertains to race, in 2026, and for the first time, students of color in particular will be a majority of American high school graduates, and they will be roughly half of all college students. We will see this trend as well in Minnesota, where Gustavus still recruits the largest share of its

students. Students from historically underserved communities will make up more than a quarter of all high school graduates in the state.

There are also shifts in the household incomes of high school graduates. Nathan Grawe, a Carleton College economist, points out that the median yearly income of families with children is only about $80,000. That means a majority of new college students in Minnesota will almost surely come from households earning less than $100,000 per year.

In many ways, the decade to come will be a reset for higher education. With the burst of G.I. Bill veterans and the tidal wave of Baby Boomers, colleges had to adapt to a surge of new students. Now, colleges will have to meet the challenge of a smaller and much more racially and economically diverse pool of students. The future of each college and university depends on how it meets that challenge.

Gustavus faculty and staff have been preparing for the coming changes. The new Challenge Curriculum is designed to prepare the current generation of students to be critical thinkers, effective

IN 2026, CHILDREN BORN AT THE TIME OF THE GREAT RECESSION WILL START TO ENTER COLLEGE. THERE WILL BE FAR FEWER OF THEM.

communicators, and global citizens. Since 2015, the Gustavus Acts Strategic Plan has guided the College’s planning for the future. And the College’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is creating a more inviting campus community for students from all backgrounds.

Of course, scholarships make a Gustavus liberal arts education more affordable and therefore accessible to all who want to learn at Gustavus. Scholarships also attract top students. In a competitive environment, attracting and retaining top students will be key to Gustavus’s future.

SOURCES OF NEED-BASED AID FOR GUSTAVUS STUDENTS

Scholarships send an important message. Students understand that people give so that they, the students, can go to school at Gustavus. Students appreciate the generosity and the commitment. They are moved to give back. Many of our current scholarship recipients say they plan to give in the future in thanks for the support they receive today.

A gift for a scholarship is about more than helping a student with the cost of tuition. It plants the seeds of future philanthropy––and support for the next generation of Gusties and for Gustavus as a whole.

SOURCES OF NON-NEED BASED AID FOR GUSTAVUS STUDENTS

63% Gustavus Scholarships

30% Student Loans

3% External Scholarships

WHY I GIVE: Amy DraglandJohnson ’97

“THESE STUDENTS ARE REALLY SMART INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHT NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO A GREAT INSTITUTION LIKE GUSTAVUS DUE TO COST.”

When I was looking at schools, I wanted to make sure that my college choice was for a lifetime. This has proven to be true with my connection to the college and making lifelong friendships.

One program that is particularly meaningful to me is Gustavus Women in Leadership, where I have served on the advisory board. It’s very important that women are engaged in different professions and that they hold leadership positions within organizations. And being a woman of color, I see it as essential that we have greater diversity in the business community. If you look at Fortune 500 companies, some of which I have been part of, there are not a lot of women represented in leadership positions, especially not women of color. With organizations within the Gustavus community that help women become more involved, create more opportunities, and see a better and brighter future, I am happy to continue to support and lead.

My giving to scholarships stems from having public school teachers as parents. They chose a career of serving others, not just making money. So I had to rely on scholarships and financial aid to pay for college. Having been in that situation myself, I vowed that I would give back when I had the means to do so. That is why scholarships have been a priority in my giving.

Something I especially appreciate about the Heritage Scholarship program is the connection with students. That’s what really attracted me to give back to Gustavus—the possibility of an engagement between the students and donors, if the students choose. The student who receives one of the scholarships I established reached out to me last year, We had a few Zoom meetings, and when we met in person, we walked around campus, she introduced me to her roommate, and she gave me the tour of the new Lund Center. She shared with how well she’s doing academically. I was extremely touched by how

she reached out to me. We made a fantastic connection.

If a scholarship can take that financial concern out of the decision-making process, so that a student can make choice simply based on where they want to go to college, then I am happy to make that gift. This was the case for the student I met. Because of the Heritage Scholarship, she was able to choose Gustavus, and now her life is going to be changed as a result of that choice. She’s the first in her family to go to college. This is the true meaning of what I think the Heritage Scholarships can and should be, in terms of being a need-based award.

Dragland-Johnson contributes to Heritage Scholarships, which have the opportunity for donors to connect with students. Of the student she supports. “Being able to help this young woman—a woman of color—advance at a critical time in her life when she might not have had the opportunity otherwise is an amazing way to give back to Gustavus.”

WHY I GIVE: Erica Brown Ramer ’07

“MY MOM WORKED FOR A CHURCH, AND MY DAD WAS A TEACHER. SCHOLARSHIPS WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF MY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WHEN I WENT TO GUSTAVUS.”

I was set on going to college in California. Having grown up in Minnesota, I wanted to have an adventure. But I decided to look at Gustavus. If you ask my parents, they will say it was clear right away when I walked on campus. I just fell in love. It was home.

Already as a student, I was intent on staying connected. Around the time I graduated, the Alumni Association was starting new initiatives with young alumni. My involvement led to being part of the Mentor Program. I also helped cochampion the Gustavus alumni network at Target, where I work. I joke that Target is a little bit like a liberal arts college: the company really encourages you to learn new skills and explore different areas. There are also a lot of networks you can join. Being a Minnesota company, Target has a lot of Gusties involved in the alumni group.

My husband doesn’t have the same kind of connection to his school––it’s different. He went to a big university. When we go back, many things have changed. With Gustavus, there is a much stronger foundation of community, tradition, and belonging. Just walking on campus reignites those memories. Still today, I’m very proud of Gustavus. As my husband says, I light up whenever I talk about it.

Giving to scholarships continues this legacy and helps Gustavus attract the kind of bright talent we need in the student body.

During her senior year, Ramer led the campaign for a senior gift with Class of 2007 classmates. They chose an endowed scholarship. “My classmates and I remember all the opportunities Gustavus offered us,” she says. “We want students today to have those same opportunities.”

Scholarships also offer a way to close the financial gap for students who need it. If not for this support, they might not be able to choose Gustavus. I know this from my own experience. When you’re blessed with the resources, you ask yourself how you can share with others. I am passionate about that, making it possible for students to afford Gustavus thanks to scholarships, just as others did with me.

ALREADY AS A STUDENT, I WAS INTENT ON STAYING CONNECTED. MY INVOLVMENT LED TO BEING A PART OF THE MENTOR PROGRAM.”

G US TIES

GATHER, YE GUSTIES

SATURDAY OCTOBER 8, 2022

Gustavus Homecoming promises fun and engaging activities for each and every member of our Gustavus community. Families make memories together while playing and learning on the Hill, recent grads visit their home away from home, alumni receive updates on what’s buzzing on campus, and someone new is exposed to our incomparable Gustie spirit.

Check out what we have planned for you this year:

Campus Exploration

• Scavenger Hunt

• Guided Campus Tours

• Tour of the Gustavus Arboretum

• Sustainability Tour

Fun for Families

• 5K Fun Run / Walk in the Arboretum

• Arts and crafts

• Instrument show-and-tell with band members

• Mini golf and inflatables

• Science experiments with current students

• Children’s story hour with Gustie authors

Gustie Gatherings

• 55th Anniversary of the founding of the Black Student Organization

• Gustavus Choir 90th Anniversary Lunch

• Student Senate 80th Anniversary Gathering

• 50 Year Club Football Reception and Lunch

• 145th Anniversary of Gustavus History Department Reception

For Sports Fans

• Celebration of the 50th Anniverary of Title IX

• Baseball Alumni BBQ and Scrimmage

• Softball Alumni Breakfast and Scrimmage

• 5K Fun Run / Walk in the Arboretum

• Football game against St. Scholastica

• Men’s and Women’s home soccer games

For Music Lovers

• Alumni Choir Rehearsal and Performance

• Celebration of the Christ Chapel Organ with alumni performances

• Celebration of Gustavus Choir 90th Anniversary

Lifelong Learning

• Celebration of the Library’s 50th Anniversary

• Alumni College Lectures

• Student Experience Panel

CLASS NEWS and information to be included in the Alumni section of the Quarterly should be sent to: O ce of Alumni and Parent Engagement, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 West College Avenue, Saint Peter, MN 56082-1498 alumni@gustavus.edu | 800-487-8437 | gustavus.edu/alumni

2022–23 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

J. C. Anderson ’82, (president) partner/ attorney, Lathrop GPM

Deb Johnson Rosenberg ’79, (vice president) retired, director of retirement plan consulting, Stiles Financial Services, Inc.

Amy Zenk James ’94, (secretary) sales and outreach director, Meadow Woods Assisted Living

Jessica Martinez ’15, (treasurer) Academic Dean for Grade 9, assistant to the principal, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School

Rick Barbari ’91, head of IT economics, US Bank

Melinda Moen Batz ’86, business manager/ partner, Good Leadership Enterprises

Mark Bergman ’79, president and owner, Bercom International, LLC

Mary Booker ’91, executive director, student financial services, University of Delaware, Newark

Sarah Schue ner Borgendale ’06, managerrecruiting, inclusion and diversity, Fredrikson and Byron, P.A.

Jen Brandenburg ’02, clinical pharmacist, Pediatric Home Service

Jon Brunsberg ’79, vice president and CFO, MedASTUTE Consulting, LLC

Tim Donoughue ’91, product company counsel, Baker Hughes Incorporated

Torin Dougherty ’16, solution architect, Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing

Bruce Ensrud ’90, senior financial consultant, Parable Wealth Partners

Rebecca Wold Freeman ’98, associate pastor, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church

Jillian Hiscock ’05, director of college and career success, Genesys Works Twin Cities

Bill Laumann ’66, retired schoolteacher/ librarian, Albert Lea ISD #241

Katherine Medbery-Oleson ’02, professor, speech communications, Bellevue Community College

Anne Miller ’90, principal legal counsel, Medtronic

John Moorhead ’68, retired co-owner, Lindskoog Florist

Jace Riggin ’16, assistant director of admissions, Macalester College

Alissa Fahrenz Rowley ’13, assosciate, Excelsior Energy Capital

Mary Anderson Rothfusz ’83, retired attorney

Mark Scharmer ’77, retired executive vice president, insurance operations, Federated Mutual Insurance Company

Marcia Stephens ’73, retired financial advisor

Matt Swenson ’06, director of CEO communications, Cargill, Inc.

April Valentine ’92, assistant director for immigration, Purdue University Northwest

Lucy Nelson Zanders ’77, executive director, Theresa Living Center

“I felt like a Gustie again.”

“Have you considered Gustavus?”

At a backyard barbecue, young alum Courtney Erickson ’19 turned to thenhigh school student Isaac Meyer ’26 and uttered those simple words.

Meyer was on the hunt for a college that felt like a perfect fit. He loved the community feel of his small hometown, Glenwood. He also had his eyes out for a school where he could run track, play trumpet, and design tomorrow’s solutions in computer science.

Last summer, Meyer was at a backyard barbecue with family friends. He started chatting with Erickson about her college experience. She told Meyer about Gustavus, how the college put her on a path she never expected, with meaningful community support and opportunities to see the world.

Erickson, just two years out of graduating from Gustavus, had been on the track team, sang in choir, and went on two January Term trips abroad. She had just finished a master’s degree in global health at St. Catherine University and begun work at the CDC Foundation as a project planner.

Formerly the Alumni Referral Scholarship, the opportunity to give a scholarship simply by referring someone to Gustavus is now open to anyone.

she saw one. “I thought Isaac would make a great Gustie because he’s passionate, not just about academics but also his community,” Erickson says. “Knowing that Gustavus values you as a person, I knew it would be a good fit.”

Erickson contacted the Alumni and Parent Engagement office and referred Meyer to Gustavus.

How to Refer a Great Gustie

And help them receive a $4,000 scholarship in the process.

The Gustavus Referral Scholarship program allows anyone (not just alumni) to nominate a high school junior or senior for a $1000 per year scholarship. Visit gustavus.edu/ alumni/referral to start the ball rolling for someone you think would make a great Gustie.

Having worked in the Gustavus admission office, she knew the importance of a warm, personal connection. As a scholarship recipient herself, she had benefitted from the generosity and commitment of many others. She also saw the impact scholarship opportunities had on helping prospective students make the Gustavus choice.

When Isaac visited Gustavus, everything clicked, he says. He made Gustavus his college choice, and because Erickson referred him to Gustavus, he received a $4,000 scholarship.

He thanks Erickson and his community for helping him find the right school. “Everyone says you can feel it when you find the right college, like the perfect shoe size,” he says. “Gustavus felt like that.”

Referrals must be received and students must apply by Nov. 1 of their senior year, be admitted, and choose to attend Gustavus by the May 1 deadline. Students with immediate family members who have graduated from Gustavus are not eligible but will instead be automatically awarded Gustavus Legacy Scholarship. Learn more and refer someone at the QR code here.

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Jean Hjert Richmond, Las Vegas, NV, a retired schoolteacher, volunteers at a hospital and for the police department.

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Lester Schuft, Hutchinson, was recently elected to the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. Past inductees include Bob Dylan, Whoopee John, Judy Garland, and Prince. Les led Gustavus’s Pep Band and played in the GA symphony band. He has had his own band, the Country Dutchmen, for 63 years.

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Paul K. Hanson, Billings, MT, received a Distinguished Alumni Faithful Servant Award from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago.

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Lyle Norris, Mountain Lake, retired from active ministry in 2003 and spent 10 summers as a volunteer at the YMCA at Rockies, Estes Park, CO. He has also volunteered at a Mesa Heart Hospital as a master Reiki practitioner.

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Ron Ackerman, Fridley, was inducted into the Minnesota State Hall of Fame High School League in April for his contributions to wrestling officiating.

Jack Bergman, Watersmeet, MI, who is serving in the U.S. House of Representatives for Michigan’s first district, is on The Presidential Prayer Team.

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Linda Rye Bernard, Athens, GA, attends the University of Georgia studying Chinese language as a postgraduate, non-degree seeking student.

Carol Stueland Hamlin, St. Paul, retired from M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center after 47 years as a staff nurse, nurse manager, and director of departmental performance for periop services.

Mary Johnson Rialson, Marshall, is retired as an elementary school teacher.

Ron Toppin, Hastings, retired as a vice president and commercial banker at Merchants Bank in Hastings.

health needs (CYSHN) at the Minnesota Department of Health.

Nick Legeros, Edina, is a sculptor and owner of Nicholas Legeros, Inc. He has sculpted many pieces of art for various businesses and colleges in Minnesota.

Church, received a grant to participate in the 2021 National Clergy Renewal Program. First Presbyterian is one of 156 congregations across the United States selected to participate.

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Kathy Brown Blomquist, North Branch, retired as a program secretary at the Minnesota Historical Society.

Steve Richtsmeier, Tewksbury, MA, retired from his position as principal scientist for Spectral Sciences.

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Alan Anderson, Northfield, works with Citizens Climate Lobby and the Rotary Climate Action Team.

Scott Blomquist, North Branch, retired as a computer technician at North Branch ISD #138.

Michael Crofton, Spring Lake Park, retired as a high school physics teacher at Spring Lake Park High School.

Karen Johnson Elshazly, Edina, worked with the American Refugee Committee for 28 years, most of them as director of international programs. She then spent seven years organizing historical documents for the Minnesota Historical Society.

Vicky Johnson Goplin, Rosemount, is a retired adjunct faculty member at Luther Seminary in St. Paul.

Ranae Hanson, Seattle, WA, retired in 2020 from teaching writing, global studies, and ecofeminism at Minneapolis Community and Technical College after 31 years. She recently published a book, Watershed: Attending to Body and Earth in Distress.

Jon Grossardt, Winona, has been retired for six years as an R & D chemist and plant manager. He currently works in the film industry as a movie armorer with a mix of films, including military, horror, and Westerns.

Marlee Ninde Khastou, Seattle, WA, works part-time as a travel agent and a companion to seniors with dementia.

Mark Scharmer, Lakeville, is a retired vice president with Federated Mutual Insurance and spends his winters in Florida.

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Deb Johnson Rosenberg, Eden Prairie, retired in March from her position as director of retirement plan consulting for Stiles Financial Services.

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Dunny Sheldon, Hamilton, New Zealand, retired from his marketing position with Genesis Energy and is working in property management.

Lorna Anderson Wolthoff, Minnetonka, has retired from Schmitt Music and is now working for the Minnesota Music Teachers Association, teaching piano lessons, and is a church organist.

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Paula Johnson, Port Republic, MD, a Smithsonian Institute curator, received a 2020 Distinguished Scholar Award in the Humanities from the Smithsonian Institution.

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Mary Jo Dahlberg Holtey, Fargo, ND continues as associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church.

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Scott Richard Klein, Lawton, OK, retired after 33 years from Cameron University in Lawton as chair and professor of art, music, and theatre arts. He was also inducted into the University’s Faculty Hall of Fame.

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Brian A. Erickson, Maplewood, is a physician at M Health Fairview practicing pain medicine.

Terri Foster Floccare, Lutherville, MD, retired as the school librarian and library department chair at the Boy’s Latin School of Maryland in Baltimore.

Timothy Hoover, Wheatland, WY, after 21 years of research and writing, has published his first book, Soul Serenade: King Curtis and His Immortal Saxophone. It’s a definitive biography of musical influence on the soul, blues, jazz and R&B music saxophonist King Curtis.

Jim Huepenbecker, Owatonna, has retired as a senior commercial underwriter at Federated Insurance after 36 years.

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Keith V. Adolphson, Spokane, WA, is a mathematics faculty emeritus at Eastern Washington University, having retired last June.

Wendy Berghorst, St. Paul, is a coordinated care system specialist for children and youth with special

Steve Johnson, Sioux Falls, SD, the business librarian at the University of South Dakota, presented a paper at the Baseball Hall of Fame’s 32nd annual Symposium on Baseball and American Culture at Cooperstown, New York. The paper was on California’s historic impact as a breadbasket for Major League Baseball.

Kathy Reid Walker, Eau Claire, WI, pastor of First Presbyterian

John Kellen, Cardiff, CA, is a chief operations officer for Global Energy Solutions in Glendale.

Chris Olson Resch, Coon Rapids, leads a new department at his church, Health Ministry, and is certified as a faith community nurse.

Stuart Rome, Orlando, FL, is an international sales manager for CUES.

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Scott Hagen, Tampa, FL, retired in August after 22 years as the deputy command chaplain for the U.S. Army Reserves, most recently at the Medical Command in Tampa. He is now a clinical research coordinator for Moffitt Cancer Center.

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Laura Anderson Long, Moorhead, is an executive presence coach at Voice Pizazz.

Tim Mettler, Rochester, is an information technology manager at the Mayo Clinic.

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Hal Halgren, Plymouth, is director of sales for Helen of Troy Health and Home.

Eric Larson, Minneapolis, is a business partner of David Spencer Eyewear, Golden Valley.

Judith Young McCoy, New York, NY, is an executive sales professional for Ralph Lauren.

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Pedar Foss, Greencastle, IN, is professor and chair of classical studies at DePauw University and has recently published a book, Pliny and the Eruption of Vesuvius, a forensic examination of two of the most famous letters from the ancient Mediterranean world.

Laura Westby, Excelsior, has joined Oerth Bio as chief legal officer and chief operating officer.

Andrea Arendt Feliciano, Southlake, TX, is senior vice president for State National Companies.

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Bruce Ensrud, Mound, is a founding partner and financial consultant for Parable Wealth Partners.

Wendy Chunat Kropid, Superior, WI, has been appointed associate dean of educator preparation programs for the University of Wisconsin, Superior.

Myra Sandquist Reuter, Chippewa Falls, WI, is the Dean of Health at Chippewa Valley Technical College in Eau Claire, WI.

Melissa Bruninga Ryckman, Columbia, TN, is an associate professor of history and director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at the University of Tennessee Southern.

Greg Sands, Edwards, CO, is a senior project manager for Cumming Management Group.

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Charla Carriere Cary, Saint Anthony, is the human resources business partner manager for Cardiovascular Systems.

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Kristen Mielke Kuhnel, Granby, CO, is an administrative assistant at Lord of the Valley Lutheran Church.

Darin Napton, Rochester, is a cardiovascular nurse at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester.

Kimberly Murphy Teigland, Sartell, is a director of information technology service and delivery and application development at RAYUS Radiology in St. Louis Park.

Rolf Olson, Dulles, VA, is a foreign service officer with the U.S. Department of State, recently assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, where he serves as a political counselor.

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Heather Bakke, Brainerd, teaches special education at Forestview Middle School. She also serves on the Governing Board of Education Minnesota and the Board of Directors of the National Education Association.

James Frese, St. Paul, is a lead product manager for Wells Fargo in Minneapolis.

Jamie Kagol, Chandler, AZ, is a meteorologist and reporter for KPNX 12 in Phoenix.

Gina Goick Mangum, Boulder, CO, is director of business development at The Leadership Circle.

Cory Overland, Miami, FL, is an associate professor of professional practice in music education and choral conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music and is the chief academic editor of the Music Educators Journal

Nels Pierson, Rochester, is a realtor and real estate developer in Rochester, and a Minnesota state representative, running for reelection in the first Congressional District.

Markus Silpala, Minneapolis, is the owner of Silpala Software.

Patrick Fischer, Bloomington, IN, is a curator of organs and carillons at Fischer Pipe Organ Services.

Sara Wendel Greene, Littleton, CO, is the managing director, human resources for Forum Investment Group.

Robroy MacIver, Minneapolis, is a cardiac surgeon at Children’s Hospital of Minnesota.

Elaine Nelson Peik, Minneapolis, is a destination specialist and business development manager for 50 Degrees North Nordic Travel.

Kristi Edmondson Samaddar, Phoenix, AZ, is an associate program director at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Reba Williams Siewert, Tiffin, IA, retired after 21 years of service as an Army nurse.

Marsha Pinney Sullivan, Le Sueur, is an RN in the OB/Level 2 Nursery areas at St. Francis Regional Medical Center in Shakopee and conducts phone triage for Health Partners.

Andy Velishek, Lonsdale, is the owner of Child’s Play Theatre Company.

by the Minnesota State Board of Trustees. 02|

Jen Brandenburg, Minneapolis, is a clinical pharmacist for Pediatric Home Service in Roseville and is currently serving on the Gustavus Alumni Board.

Stasha Ler, Edina, is an information technology director and business relationship manager for Medtronic.

Shelly Hochhalter Talcott, Baltimore, MD, is the new chief of staff for Corus International, a holding company for Lutheran World Relief.

Chris Wagener, Boise, ID, is a workers’ compensation claims supervisor for Intermountain Claims.

Nathan Annis, Austin, has been named vice president of corporate development for Hormel Foods.

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Erin Walton Kerns, Minneapolis, is the senior accounting director at Razr Marketing–Grayduck Health.

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Kari Binning, Minneapolis, is an English language teacher at Minneapolis Public Schools.

Julie Peplinski Bowles, Prior Lake, is a product manager for Wells Fargo.

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Andy Widen, Mound, is a key account manager for Nidec Corporation. 00|

Kelli Justesen, Maple Grove, is the chief human resources officer at The Opus Group. 01|

Kelly Pfaff Sjerven, International Falls, a biology instructor at Rainy River Community College, was named an Outstanding Educator for 2022

Eric Butorac, Cos Cob, CT, has been named tournament director of the Western and Southern Open Tennis Tournament in addition to his duties at the United States Tennis Association (USTA), where he is the director, professional tennis operations and player relations.

Karalynn Johnson, Pine River, is a psychiatric/mental health nurse practitioner for Sanford Health, Bemidji.

Jesse Pearson, Shoreview, is the linear referencing system supervisor for the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Dan Roeder, Alturas, CA, is a composer, performer and educator, who recently became the chief academic officer for

the David Z Foundation. The organization is a nonprofit which continues the legacy of David Z, bass player for ZO2, the Transiberian Orchestra, and Adrenaline Mob.

Christie Rossow Aase, Savage, is a supervisor, support services at ALTOUR Meetings & Incentives Group.

Mary Duvall, Tacoma, WA, has been named vice president of development at Luther College in Decorah, IA.

Matt Schiller, Chaska, is director, digital product leader for Polaris Industries.

Kris Babler, Eden Prairie, is the athletic director and head boys’ basketball coach for Eagle Ridge Academy.

Justin D. DeGrood, Saint Peter, has been named head coach of the Gustavus men's basketball program after serving as lead assistant for the last nine seasons.

Matt Downing, St. Paul, is an administrator for Middle St. Croix Watershed Management Organization, Washington Conservation District.

Laura Baratto

Dourgarian, Eden Prairie, is a human resource and finance manager at Tempworks Software.

Katherine Thompson Hendrickson, Owatonna, is a licensed alcohol and drug counselor for South Central Human Relations Center.

Kate Leibfried, Minneapolis, was named one of four finalists

2022 ALUMNI AWARDS

THE ALUMNI AWARDS CEREMONY WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, OCT. 7, 2022 AND IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RECEPTION AT 4 P.M., PROGRAM AT 5 P.M.

FIRST DECADE AWARD

Nara Higano ’12 combined fundamental physics with clinically relevant biomedical applications at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in the Center for Pulmonary Imaging Research, and did postdoctoral training through the National Institute of Health’s Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Today she is research faculty at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital within the Division of Pulmonary Medicine and the Department of Radiology, and a team member at Cincinnati Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia Center. She has authored or co-authored 36 scientific articles and two book chapters.

Stephen Groskreutz ’12 received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program Fellowship developing novel techniques for preconcentration, instrumentation, and optimization of liquid chromatography. He joined Eli Lilly and Company as a postdoctoral scientist focused on automated drug product extraction techniques, then as a research scientist supporting late-phase small molecule and synthetic peptide commercialization. He has received a Lilly Innovation Award and a Lilly Research Labs President’s Award.

DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI CITIATIONS

Larry Biederman ’70 As a science teacher, biology technician, and environmental health officer for two counties, Larry learned complex zoning and environmental rules and regulations. In 1993 he started LJP Enterprises, which today employees more than 80 people and contracts with 23 area cities and more than 100 businesses. He is president and owner of Minnesota Waste Processing, dedicated to finding fuel for the Mankato power plant with enough energy to power more than 2,200 homes.

Tanya Bransford ’80 A District Court Judge in Hennepin County since 1994, she has presided over cases of criminal, civil, juvenile, traffic, and family law. She was Presiding Juvenile Court Judge from 2006–2008, leading the juvenile detention alternatives initiative, which dramatically reduced the number of young people in detention while preserving public safety. She was the first Black woman to serve as a District Court Referee in Hennepin County, and the first Black woman Workers’ Compensation Judge with the Office of Administrative Hearings.

Yoshio Okada ’71 directs the Magnetoencephalography Program at Children’s Hospital Boston, part of the Fetal-Neonatal Neuroimaging and Developmental Science of the Newborn Medicine Research Center and the Division of Epilepsy of Department of Neurology. It is dedicated to understanding electrophysiological bases of information processing in the human brain and physiological bases of functional abnormality in children with neurological and psychiatric disorders.

SILVER ANNIVERSARY AWARD

Mark Tomforde ’97 is a research mathematician and author making mathematics accessible and clear at all levels. In addition to publishing mathematics research papers, he is writing several books for research mathematicians and the general populace. He has taught at the college level for more than 20 years. His mathematics research has attracted international attention, and he has won national awards for his teaching and outreach activities.

For more information, see gustavus.edu/alumni.

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY AWARD

Bernard Powers ’72 is Director of the Center for the Study of Slavery in Charleston, S.C. and on the Board of Directors of the International African American Museum in Charleston (opening in January). He was an administrator at Malcom X College, then professor and chair of the History Department at the College of Charleston. He authored Black Charlestonians: A Social History 1822–1855, and co-authored We Are Charleston: Tragedy and Triumph at Mother Emanuel.

for the 2022 Minnesota Book Awards, general nonfiction category, for her book, Find a Trail or Blaze One: A Biography of Dr. Reatha Clark King. She runs the company Click Clack Writing.

David Christians, Bloomington, is enrolled in the master of business administration program at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management.

Amanda Staker Houk, Overland Park, KS, is a technical manager at Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies.

Caleb Phillips, Flagstaff, AZ, is assistant director, housing authority for the City of Flagstaff.

Adam Risland, Lino Lakes, is an assistant terminal manager for Flint Hills Resource Pipeline.

Dan Wingert, Minnetonka, is an emergency veterinarian at the BluePearl Emergency and Speciality Hospital in Eden Prairie.

Heidi Janzig Folkerds, Minneapolis, opened Lumos7 Pilates in the Longfellow neighborhood in 2018 and has since grown and relocated to the Tangletown neighborhood.

Nick Harper, Minneapolis, is a senior policy attorney for State Voices.

Lisa Gruenisen Kloskin, Shoreview, is the acquisitions editor for 1517 Media.

Maddie Hanks Lund, Shakopee, is the facilities and operations specialist for Eastern Carver County Schools.

Sara Yungner Ikeda, Medina, is an

anesthesiologist at Midwest Anesthesia.

Keisha Indenbaum-Bates, Lanham, MD, graduated in May with a doctorate of nursing practice from the University of Maryland School of Nursing.

Patrick McDougle, Edina, is the information technology, senior director of engineering for Thuma.

Breanne Ceranske, Wausau, WI, is a physician assistant at Aspirus Wausau Hospital.

Anthony Cesnik, Palo Alto, CA, is a postdoc researcher in analytical chemistry at Stanford University. He recently returned from research in Stockholm, Sweden, and published a paper in the Nature journal.

Hannah Fischer Frey, Omaha, NE, is a CPA and tax attorney for BairdHolm, Attorneys at Law.

Brandon Furey, Clearwater, graduated in December 2021 with a PhD in physics from the University of Texas, Austin, and is now a postdoc researcher at the University of Innsbruck in Austria.

Alyssa Graham, Chicago, IL, is solutions engineer for Integral Ad Sciences.

Robert Holder, Bishop, CA, is an assistant professor of geology and Earth science at the University of Michigan.

Anthony Mefford, Piedmont, CA, is a clinical fellow, epilepsy division at the University of California, San Francisco.

Melissa Wygant Mokry, Olathe, KS, is the communications and public education outreach coordinator for the City of Independence, MO.

Colleen Peterson, Minneapolis, is a senior customer service representative at PreferredOne.

Lareesa Sandretsky Vermeulen, Duluth, is a community health educator for Lake County.

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Bess Bauman, Hutchinson, is an associate special education coordinator for New Discoveries Montessori Academy. Lydia Benge Cloeter, Minneapolis, is a crew solution partner for Turnberry Solutions.

Anna Eames Desalvo, Minneapolis, is a genetic counselor for Be The Match.

Rachel Oien, Aberfeldy, Pertshire, Scotland, completed her doctorate in physical geography and is working as a postdoctoral fellow at the University at Buffalo.

Sawyer Olson, St. Paul, is a rights and contracts assistant at 1517 Media in Minneapolis.

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Andrea Rosenberg, Eden Prairie, completed her master’s degree from Augsburg University and is a physician assistant at Northwest Family Clinics in Plymouth.

Carl Skrukrud, Prairie Village, KS, is a registered nurse for Kelly Carter.

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Kaity Young, Fargo, ND, is the daytime news editor for The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.

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Laura C. Herbers, Rochester, is the assistant registrar for Concordia University.

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Grace Fransen, Chanhassen, is a marketing associate for Sinclair Broadcast Group in Minneapolis.

Saige Garver, Wells, is a marketing and recruiting consultant for Avimoe Workforce Consultants.

Sadie LaPlante, Duluth, is an accommodations coordinator at the College of St. Scholastica.

Theresa Warren, Minneapolis, is a customer service specialist at Arts Materials.

Timothy Watts, New Ulm, is a mathematics and technology teacher and a high school robotics coach at New Ulm Area Catholic Schools.

Mykaela Otto Thompson, Amery, WI, is the public relations and marketing specialist, and internship coordinator, for Northwest Counseling and Guidance Clinic.

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Danielle Anderson, St. Paul, is a personal lines client executive at Marsh McLennan Agency.

Mae Grigsby Greenberg, Fountain, CO, is a third grade teacher at Fountain Fort Carson School District.

Sophia Warwick, Nashville, TN, is the senior marketing specialist at The Taubman Company, The Mall at Green Hills.

Holly Fitterer, Fredericksburg, VA, a Latin teacher at Spotsylvania County Public Schools, is one of two recipients of the Bostick Award, given at the Southern Conference on Language Teaching (SCOLT). The Bostick Award is given to two people in their first five years of teaching who have not yet attended a SCOLT conference and who demonstrate a commitment to future conference participation as part of their professional development.

Henri Santelman, Newhaven, CT, is working with the Lutheran Campus Ministry at Yale University where he will start a master’s of divinity program this coming fall. He was also commissioned to write a choral composition for the Relay for Life Cancer event to be sung by the Gustavus acapella group G-Sharp, entitled Carry the Light.

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Nicole Bauleke, Belle Plaine, is the client coordinator for Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners in Eden Prairie.

Jana Blomberg, Plymouth, is a digital marketing associate at Portkey SEO Solutions in Saint Anthony.

Wyatt Gaulke, New Prague, is a credit analyst for Data Sales Company.

Mary Nyhus, St. Paul, works in account services at Schmitt Music.

Corinne Stremmel, Minneapolis, is the editor of The Lowdown and Savour Magazine at Press Publications.

WEDDINGS

Nadine Lysiak ’03 and Jeffrey Cowan, 05/22/21, Stockton Springs, ME

Shauna Cropsey ’09 and Josh Dean, Bloomington

Rush Benson ’13 and Renee Guittar ’12, 07/26/21, St. Paul

Anna Eames ’13 and Paul DeSalvo, 05/26/19, Minneapolis

Kelsey Kennedy ’13 and Alexander Ackmann ’13, 09/18/21, Minnetonka

Claire Perry ’13 and Mitchell Larson, 07/19/21, Rochester

Rachel Oien ’13 and Craig Alexander, 04/23/22, Aberfeldy, Pertshire, Scotland

Suzanne Mundhenke ’13 and Thomas Ross, 05/22/21, Columbia, MO

Adam Youngs ’13 and Riika Quernemoen, 09/18/21, Tacoma, WA

Jenny Hanson ’14 and Alyssa Niven, 09/12/21, St. Paul

Lindsay Rothschiller ’15 and Logan Rudstrom ’15, 02/29/20, Lakewood, CO

Jena Willis ’17 and Dustin VonFeldt, 01/01/22, Kalispell, MT

Rachel Lux ’18 and Patrick Cooney, 07/03/21, Blaine

Lauren Kullberg ’18 and Richard Green ’16, 10/10/20, Northfield

Michael Greenberg ’18 and Mae Grigsby ’18, 06/26/21, Fountain, CO

Mykaela Otto ’20 and Dominick Thompson, 06/26/21, Amery, WI

BIRTHS

Abigail, to Matt Quam ’00 and Angela Wheeler Quam, in December 2021

Stellan, to Chad Gustafson ’01 and Catherine Erickson Gustafson ’02, in January 2021

Gwyneth, to Michael Hom ’02 and Quyen Hom, in March 2022

Rydan, to Kyle Tollefson ’03 and Laura DeBraal Tollefson.

Nora, to Megan Schliep ’04 and Jeremy Shaw, in March 2022

Marie, to Lindsay Lundberg

Lundberg ’07 and Scott Lundberg ’07, in March 2022

Saylor, to Shauna Cropsey ’09 and Josh Dean, in January 2022

Callie, to Maddie Hanks Lund ’10 and Justin Lund ’11, August 2020

Sophie, to Breanne Ceranske ’12 and John Flatter, in April 2022

Archer, to Sondra Winters Tschumperlin ’12 and Kiel Tschumperlin ’12, in February 2022

Twins, Gideon Jack and Vivian Rose, to Meg Kaderlik Conklin ’13 and Jared Conklin, in December 2021

Vincent, to Anna Desalvo ’13 and Paul DeSalvo, in January 2022

Milo, to Ally Johnson ’13 and Rex Johnson, in December 2021

Finnley, to Taylor Volk ’13 and Patrick O'Malley in July 2021

Kinsley, to Bailey Volk Schwope ’16 and Lucas Schwope, in January 2022

IN MEMORIAM

Lorraine Holmgren Jacobson ’44, Wells, on 2/7/22. A former United Service Organization member and child educator, she went on to serve the community after retiring. She is survived by five children including Donna Jacobson Peterson ’72, Lois Jacobson Anderson ’78, and Dianne Jacobson Swanson ’80.

Martin J. Larson ’45, Saint Peter, on 3/4/22. He served at military defense plants during WWII. He became the Minnesota Department of Welfare building advisor for the Minnesota State Hospital system and an active volunteer. He is survived by two sons.

Robert N. Bingea ’46, St. Paul, on 1/26/22. He served as a pastor for over 60 years at various parishes in Wisconsin. He is survived by three children.

Lone Knudson Dopp ’46, Lake Havasu City, AZ, on 3/6/22. A former English teacher, she is survived by six children and four stepchildren.

Arlene Sorenson Higgins ’46, St. Paul, on 5/2/22. She was former long-time secondary school teacher at various locations, she is survived by three daughters including Barbara Higgins ’75.

LeMoyne W. Anderson ’48, Fort Collins, CO, on 2/18/22. A U.S. Army combat soldier during WWII. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, and the French Legion of Honor. He later earned a PhD and retired as professor emeritus from Colorado State University. He is survived by a daughter.

Lorna Jones ’48, LeSueur, on 4/16/22. A former math and science teacher, she worked for Green Giant for more than 30 years. and retired as a computer programmer. A nephew and nieces survive her.

Richard L. Anderson ’50, Minneapolis, on 2/18/22. He spent 38 years working as the director of human resources and managing director of 3M Vienna, Austria. He is survived by his wife, Joan Zelgart Anderson ’50, and three daughters.

Janet Wampler Quist ’50, Minneapolis, on 2/6/22. She was a long-time social worker at the Saint Peter State Hospital. She is

survived by five children including Gregory ’73, Gary ’75, and Michael ’85, and a sister, Amy Wampler Adamson ’54.

Amy Jacobson Johnson ’51, Amery, WI, on 2/23/22. A long time nurse and volunteer, she was an avid reader and enjoyed playing the piano. Four stepchildren survive her.

Carol Schwanenberg Price ’51, Winchester, CA, on 1/10/22. She held various positions as a clerk/ bookkeeper and is survived by two children.

Robert H. Smith ’51, Wayzata, on 3/11/22. He served as the principal at high schools in Kimball, Lake City, Winona, Minnetonka, and Bloomington and is survived by his wife, Darlene, and three children.

Roy Erhorn Jr. ’51, St. Peter, on 2/11/22. A World War II Marine veteran, he served as a gunner. Later, he was an employee for Minnegasco for more than 30 years. He is survived by four daughters.

Wallace D. Drotts ’52, Sacramento, CA, on 12/2/22. Wally had a long career as a Presbyterian minister at various parishes in California. He is survived by his wife, Jean, and three children.

Shirley Bendixen Nolting ’52, Morgan, on 2/21/22. A former home economics and substitute teacher, she is survived by three children.

Eloise Seagren Sward ’52, Pella, IA, on 2/09/22. She had a lengthy career as an elementary school teacher and is survived by four children and six stepchildren.

Eunice Trapp Mackenthun ’52, Glencoe, on 2/26/22. A librarian at Glencoe Public Library. Three children survive her.

Carl E. Norberg ’53, La Jolla, CA, on 12/8/21. A World War II Army veteran, he later worked as a diplomatic courier for the U.S. State Department. He is survived by two sons.

Ronald E. Peterson ’53, Carlton, on 1/31/22. A Korean War veteran, he worked as a pharmacist at Moose Lake Regional Treatment Center. He is survived by his wife, Betty, a daughter and four stepchildren.

Barbara Gruse Johnson ’54, Ortonville, on 3/10/22. A former history teacher and active community member, she is survived by two children, Brian Johnson ’82 and Anne Johnson ’84.

Eugene L. Nei ’55, on 3/19/22. He was a coach, educator, dog trainer, and family man. He is survived by five children.

Richard K. Gardner ’55, Mankato, on 3/7/22. He had a lifelong career of 68 years as a land surveyor for Bolton & Menk. He is survived by his wife, Joyce, and two children.

Valri Patton Roeben ’55, Little Rock, AR, on 3/2/22. A former nurse, she is survived by her husband, Richard, three daughters, and a brother.

Thomas C. Skalbeck ’55, Lake Elmo, on 3/31/22. An accomplished athlete, high school biology teacher, and published scholar in the fields of entomology, biology, and ecology, he was also a financial advisor. He is survived

by eight children, including Karen Skalbeck-George ’77, Steven Skalbeck ’78, Charles Skalbeck ’79, Kristin Skalbeck Brouker ’82, John Skalbeck ’83, Susan Skalbeck Berenz ’86, and Elizabeth Skalbeck McBroom ’01.

Marilyn Miller Ekstrom ’56, Minneapolis, on 2/2/22. She held various office positions in social work and worked many years as a tax preparer for H & R Block. She is survived by three sons.

Joann Gould Knapp ’56, Detroit Lakes, on 8/26/21. She was an artist, art teacher, and a water aerobics instructor and is survived by four children including Leigh Knapp Ota ’83.

Florence Nielson Moller ’56, Brookings, SD, on 4/9/22. She worked as a teacher and was a lifelong learner. She is survived by four children.

Shirley Christopher Ackerman ’57, Ely, on 3/20/22. She was a former physical education teacher and is survived by three children.

Robert E. Christenson ’58, Saint Louis Park, on 9/13/21. A former health care consultant, president of various startup companies, and moderator of the Minnesota Health Care Roundtable, he is survived by a son.

G. Douglas Pritchard ’58, Minneapolis, on 3/2/2022. An investment broker for more than 40 years and member of Rotary International, he is survived by his wife, Janet Thomas Pritchard ’58, and three children.

Carl Herold Edman ’58, West Des Moines, IA, on 2/2/22. He was the owner of Iowa Road Builders

Company, a highway construction company. He is survived by his wife, Gloria Keller Edman ’54, and four children.

John C. Sternaman ’58, Osseo, on 2/2/22. An Army veteran stationed in Schweinfurt, Germany, he later owned and operated Sternaman Oil in Black River Falls, WI. He is survived by his wife, Janet, and five children.

Harvey Kienholz ’59, Minneapolis, on 4/22/22. A strong athlete, he became a teacher and coach, and served as an athletic director at Spring Lake Park School District. He is survived by his wife, Janice, two sons, and a brother.

Donald L. Tiegs ’59, Ortonville, on 2/22/22. A U.S. Army veteran of Japan and Korea, he owned and operated Tiegs Self Service in Ortonville and later was groundskeeper at a local golf course. He is survived by three children.

Robert Wallentine ’59, Sun City West, AZ, on 4/11/22. He worked for various farm co-ops until 1973 when he became the general manager of the Cooperative in Vincent, IA. He is survived by his wife, Ann, and three children.

Michael E. Cooper ’60, Minneapolis, on 1/2/22. He was a certified public accountant and owed his own firm. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, and three children.

Dana Knobel Hesser ’60, Buffalo, on 3/16/22. She spent many years as an elementary and substitute teacher. Three sons survive her.

Elizabeth Schendel Nybo ’60, Red Wing, on 4/14/22. She was a second grade and kindergarten teacher her whole career and is survived by her husband, Robert Nybo ’60, and three children including Christopher Nybo ’85 and Liza Nybo ’91.

Janice Rolig Olsen ’60, Overland Park, KS, on 2/1/22. A former social worker and avid antique enthusiast, she is survived by her husband, Sam, two children.

Venita Swanson Anderson ’61, Arden Hills, on 2/9/22. A wife and mother, she is survived by her husband, Roger ’60, three children including David Anderson ’81, and a sister, Carole Swanson Minor ’57.

Dennis Freeman ’61, Stratford, IA, on 5/31/20. A former threeterm state representative for the Iowa House of Representatives, he later owned and operated Freeman Insurance and Financial Services. He is survived by his four Gustie children, Mark ’85, Sara Freeman Rekow ’86, Cary Freeman Friedrich ’90, and Maret ’92.

Doris Fitz Shennum ’61, Fairmont, on 1/23/22. She was the former executive director of a community service center and is survived by four children.

Stephen L. Hanson ’62, Bloomington, on 3/23/22. A family practice physician and former Army veteran, he was also a Navy reservist who retired at the rank of Navy Captain-06 supervising 12,000 Marines and Navy personnel. He later helped veterans seeking disability. He is survived by his wife, Oronah, and three sons including Brian Hanson ’90.

Gregory D. Armstrong ’63, The Villages, FL, on 1/25/22. He spent more than 30 years working for 3M, finishing as international market manager for the Construction Markets division. He is survived by his wife, Anne, and two children including Elizabeth Armstrong Petersen ’89.

Barbara Lundell Benson ’63, Granite Falls, on 5/6/22. A former school teacher, she was an avid volunteer in church and school activities. She is survived by her husband, Paul, and two children including Thomas Benson ’91 and a brother, Carl Lundell ’68.

Charles E. Naplin ’63, Thief River Falls, on 4/23/22. He served in the U.S. Army as a communications specialist and later worked as a ground minerologist for the North Dakota Water Commission. He returned to farming on the family farm. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, and two sons.

Mahamood “Mo” Ally ’64, Gastonia, NC, on 3/28/22. He was founder and CEO of Gaston Lifestyles magazine, and he founded American Cricketer magazine, Ally Enterprises/ Hialeah Vending Company and Discount Beverages. He is survived by his wife, Deborah, and son, Stephen.

Joseph Reese ’64, Fort Worth, TX, on 3/22/22. A former teacher and coach, he worked in sports equipment sales and sports medicine, retiring as vice president of Mueller Sports Medicine and owner of ORECK vacuum stores in Tucson, AZ. He is survived by his wife, Rose, and two children.

David A. Hendrickson ’65, Minneapolis, on 3/6/22. He finished medical school and then served as a general medical officer at Offutt Air Force Base. He later he opened his own ophthalmology practice in Hastings where he practiced for 37 years. He is survived by his wife, Susan England Hendrickson ’66, and two children including Matthew ’93.

Elaine Dombrock Owens ’65, Frederic, WI, on 3/15/22. A former junior high English teacher in Worthington, she is survived by her husband, Harlin, and two children including Sharon Owens Garling ’88, and Dale Owens ’89.

Catherine M. Carlson ’66, St. Paul, on 9/19/21. A commercial artist and core employee at Ingebretsen’s Gift Shop, she is survived by her husband, David Christofferson.

Carla Rudquist Tollefson ’67, Ames, IA, on 2/20/22. A former freelance editor and managing editor for Iowa State University Press, she was recently preceded in death by her husband, Jon ’67, and is survived by two daughters including Kirsten Tollefson Rockwell ’92.

Susan Swanson Foster ’68, Hopkins, on 2/28/22. She was a former employee of C.F. Haglin & Sons in Edina and is survived by two children including Karin Foster Vavrichek ’97, and three siblings including David Swanson ’69, Timothy Swanson ’75 and Nancy Swanson Tischbein ’80.

Chester M. Salmela ’68, Brookfield, WI, on 3/19/21. A former assistant director and

department manager for C.I.T. Financial, he is survived by his wife, Jeanee, and two children including Cindy Salmela Reh ’86.

Roger Christenson ’69, Huntsville, AL, on 2/2/22. The former president and financial consultant for R.B.C. Financial Insurance Service, he is survived by his wife, Diana Christenson, two children, and a brother, John Christenson ’75.

Craig A. Nelson ’70, Saint Peter, on 3/6/22. He was a lifelong educator and taught at all elementary levels as well as an adjunct professor. He had recently published a book of Haiku. He is survived by four siblings, including Renae Nelson Keesbury ’67.

Susan Steen Frane ’70, Mound, on 2/7/22. She worked in a wide variety of leadership positions and departments for IDS, American Express, and Ameriprise Financial Services. She is survived by numerous friends.

Michele Thibault Frizzell ’71, St. Louis, MO, died on 1/17/22. She was a lifetime social worker for various agencies, retiring in 2015 as a school social worker for Special School District of St. Louis. She is survived by her husband, Dick, and two sons.

Allen E. Magnuson ’71, Dalton, on 9/25/21. He practiced pediatric medicine in the Fergus Falls area for 40 years and is survived by his wife, Sandra Dickmeyer Magnuson ’71, and two children, Lane Magnuson ’97 and Candace Magnuson Barton ’99.

Darlene Tester ’74, St. Paul, on 4/10/22. With degrees in

criminal justice and law, she worked in data security and information compliance, most recently for Mystic Lake as a senior information security architect. Three siblings and a special friend survive her.

Candice L. Anderson ’76, Ellenton, FL on 1/14/22. She obtained a master’s in health administration and worked in nursing and nursing administration until her retirement.

Lee B. Hawkins ’77, Scottville, MI, on 3/25/22. A former employee of Beltone, he is survived by three children.

Kristina Strobel Kellar ’78, Pewaukee, WI, on 3/1/22. She had a career in medical technology and technical training and is survived by her husband, Rick Kellar ’76, and a brother.

Bruce Brabec ’79, Hopkins, on 4/4/22. He worked as an independent CPA specializing in tax and small business planning and is survived by his wife, Jane, a daughter, Ashley Brabec Colvin ’05, and his mother.

Larry R. Syme ’81, Bullhead City, AZ, on 1/25/22. A lifelong teacher, coach, and motorcyclist, he is survived by his wife, Maribeth, two sons, and four brothers.

Knute G. Nelson ’89, Denver, CO, on 2/12/22. A self-built Colorado business owner and skier, he is survived by his wife Kristie, a daughter, his father, and three siblings.

Christopher G. Fink ’94, Northfield, on 2/13/22. He was president of his own construction company, F & G Builders, and was

REMEMBERING JON WEFALD, former faculty

Bay Lake, 4/16/22. The former president of Kansas State University, he attended Pacific Lutheran University, then went to graduate school at Washington State University where he received his master’s, and the University of Michigan, where he received his PhD in American history. His first full-time job after completing his doctoral degree was at Gustavus from 1965-1970. Then he was appointed Commissioner of Agriculture by Governor Wendell Anderson. In 1977 he was selected as president of Southwest Minnesota State University, and in 1980 was chosen to be Chancellor of Minnesota’s seven state universities, serving until 1986 when he became president of Kansas State until retiring in 2009. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann, and two sons.

REMEMBERING PETER WORLAND, former faculty/administrator

Summerville, SC on 3/17/22. A true Renaissance man, Peter learned to play the cello in fourth grade and later played for the Milwaukee City Orchestra. He also excelled in golf, pool, and table tennis. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee with a math degree and later earned his PhD in computer science at Penn State University. He taught at various colleges and universities, including Gustavus, where he taught from 1973-1987 and was the computer center director. He later worked for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, the Hanford Nuclear Research Center in Washington State, and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, retiring in 2004. In his retirement, Peter worked in a local pharmacy, authored a novel on caving, and painted canvases. Peter is survived by his wife, Nancy, and two children.

an avid outdoorsman. He is survived by his wife, Angela Rebling Fink ’94, three children, his parents, and three sisters.

Kevin E. Hansen ’05, Louisville, KY, on 3/6/22. He earned his law degree at William Mitchell and was an

ombudsman specialist for the State Ombudsman Office for Mental Health. He later earned his PhD in aging studies and was a professor at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire. He is survived by his mother, Sheri, and sister, Kelly.

Shirley Witty, former staff, on 2/7/22. A wife and mother, worked in the clerical department of the library at Gustavus for more than 25 years before retiring in 2009. She is survived by two sons, including Thomas Witty ’73.

GUSTIES GATHER

After a two-year hiatus, Gusties came out in force to Reunion Weekend 2022, held on campus the first weekend of June. Nearly 750 attendees returned to the Hill to visit with, enjoy, and celebrate their Gustavus community and campus. Alumni from classes ending in 2 and 7 (plus some extras) stayed in residence halls, caught up with old friends, met new ones, learned from faculty and alumni during lectures, and got down on the dance floor at one of the many live music events—with a focus on Gustie-led bands. They gathered at class-specific dinners, took campus tours, reacquantied themselves with Saint Peter-Mankato (including Patrick’s on Third and The Flame), remembered classmates they have lost, and sang in the Alumni Choir. They also gave gifts. Shout out to the Class of ’82, who raised more than any other reunion class: more than $14 million!

Alumni attendees graduated from as long ago as 73 years (Class of ’49) and as recent as two weeks prior (Class of ’22). The Classes of ’10, ’11, ’96, ’80, ’70, and ’71 returned as well to recapture the reunions they missed

SAVE THE DATE Class years ending in 3 and 8, mark your calendars for Reunion Weekend 2023 on June 2–4, 2023.

Experiencing two days of well-planned, enjoyable events with friends from the past is another—just wonderful!”

—Reunion Weekend 2022 attendee

HAPPY CLASS ANNIVERSARIES, GUSTIES!

25 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CLASSES OF 1996 AND 1997

Shradha Tailor Ahmed, Bill Burns, Peter Eckman, Jenn Fast, David Gartner, Kristen Paap Genet, Sedrick Hawkins, Erin Walton Kerns, John Kerns, John Larsen, Erika Olson, Jennifer Pagel, Chad

Peterson, Jack Sikora, Beth Jennings Albrecht, Coleman Anderson, Heather Duggan Anderson, Yukendra Wynn Armstrong, Sara Williams

Balster, Kari Binning, Robert Bledsoe, Emily

Botten, Trisha Danielson Brandt, Kara Buckner, Jessica Hall Burns, Tara Pals Cadenhead, Rachele Cadwallader, Chris Cagle, Molly Gordon

Calkins, Angela Carlson, Leah Schultz Cook, Jennifer Johnson Cords, Matt Cords, Holly

Wangsness Dau, Scott Davis, Amy DraglandJohnson, Rachel Cox Falkowski. Patrick

Fischer, Rochelle Carlson Fredrick, Jen Gallus

Gallus, Theresa Gienapp, Sara Wendel Greene, Christian Hanninen, Stef Tucker Iqbal, Joel

Jensen, Gretchen Nelson Jerskey, Rich Johnson, Kristine Morrell Jurczyk, Rachel Henderson

King, Brad Kirscher, Karissa Wicklander Kirvida, Kory Kolvig, Jane Gravender Liepitz, Mike

Logan, Martha Malinski, Sara Martens Malone, Alissa Midthune Maloney, Jean Merrill, Ollie

Muhammad, Sarah Ulwelling Nguyen, Molly

Haigh Nystuen, Elaine Nelson Peik, Justin Peik, Katy Peters, Kate Peterson, Peter Peterson, Kristie Larson Powell, Julie Buerkle Radniecki, Ramona Patten Radosevich, Noah Rouen, Brenda Thomas Schnettler, Kate Blanchard

Shiroff, Reba Williams Siewert, Erin Augustine

Stuedemann, Mike Stuedemann, Marsha Pinney

Sullivan, Jill Watson Swanson, Jon Swanson, Kia

Thomas, Erin Johnson Turner, Jon Turner, Tina Smith Walker, Amy Moeller Walz, Katy Hultman Westby

50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY CLASS OF 1972

Jill Starkey Anderson, Marilyn Rauch Benson, Linda Bergquist, Neil Bolkcom, Linda

Christenson Chmielewski, Todd Dokken, Margaret “Meg” Ranes Dornfeld, C. Scott

Ebersole, Alexis Smith Edmond, Daniel Engstrom, Carla Gingold Feldhamer, Marilyn

Foss, Jim Gehrke, Vicky Johnson Goplin, Patricia

Hande Hartman, Mandy Crews Heard, David Hinds, Paul Hoff, Jane Anderson Hooper, Mary Johnson, Nancy Dahlgren Jurgensen, David Kubes, Jane Flygare Lantz, Elaine Sponberg Larson, Denny Lind, Steve Linder, Nancy Evenson Lindley, Kathryn Erickson LopezSerrano, Mary Holmquist Lundahl, Steve Maurer, Paulette Albertson Metts, Debbie Nelson Millar, Bruce Monke, Jamesetta Alexander Newland, Sharon Tvete Olson, Peggy Benedict Pallas, Jack Pedersen, Barbara Hoistad Polland, Arla Walton Prestin, Joy Sauerbrey Prichard, Bob Radl, Keith Radloff, Linda Pederson Richardson, Cheri Knautz Roberts, George Roberts, Steve Rogosheske, Susan Retrum Sanders, Judith Dostal Schultz, Marlys Sorenson, Melanie Ohman Thornberg, Penny Peterson Tollefsrud, Marty Odden Voshell, Dean Wahlund, Kathy Cruse Wehking, Marjie Witman, Carl Zeidler, Linda Saue Zwiaska

NURSES REUNION

Front Row: Sudha Rahman ’17, Lauren Diede ’17, Marty Odden Voshell ’72, Johnna Bottila ’17, Susan Retrum Sanders ’72, Jamesetta Alexander Newland ’72, Carla Gingold Feldhamer ’72.

Row Two: Cynthia Zotalis Gustafson ’77, Megan Ploog ’02, Linda Christenson Chmielewski ’72, Paulette Albertson Metts ’72, Barbara Hoistad Polland ’72, Linda Saue Zwiaska ’72, Sara Williams Balster ’97, Reba Williams Siewert ’97, Marcia Sylte Belisle ’67, Jennifer Villas Lipke ’71 and Louise Kunnari Anderson ’80. Back Row: Marjorie Witman ’72, Cory Muth Jepsen-Hobbs ’71, Nancy Dahlgren Jurgensen ’72, Joyce Sanders Bloch ’71, Joanne Simonson Hall ’71, Natalie Peterson Torkelson ’71, Kathy Hokanson Bengtson ’71 and Janet Williams Baron ’67.

Unless otherwise noted, names are in alphabetical order and by married name.

NURSES

REUNION

Vespers

SAVE THE DATE

Join us on Thursday, October 27 as Gusties and friends around the globe rally to support Gustavus. Every gift will help release thousands of challenge dollars to support the Gustavus Fund, impacting absolutely everything across campus.

#FireUptheRouser

SAINT PETER, MINNESOTA 56082

2021–2022 tennis team represented every continent except Antarctica. The men’s team had 11 international student-athletes on the roster. The women’s team had two. L to r: Daniel Fouchier ’23, Nootdorp, Netherlands; Taona Mhwandagara ’25, Harare, Zimbabwe; Simona Potockova ’22, Nova’ Dubnica, Slovakia; Oscar Wikström ’23, Hunnebostrand, Sweden; Diego Guzman ’25, Santa Cruz, Bolivia; Yuki Oda ’23, Kawasaki, Japan; Rafael Costa ’25, Sao Paulo, Brazil; Odin Fouchier ’25, Nootdorp, Netherlands. Not pictured: Federico Fiorda ’23, Santa Rosa, Argentina; Pedro Gomes-Menezes ’24, Dunkerque, France; Joel Hug ’22, Bangkok, Thailand; Marco Siviero ’25, Sao Miguel de Oeste, Brazil; Kaleb Stevens ’25, Ohaeawai, New Zealand