VÄLKOMMEN

LOOKING BACK ON A DECADE. A decade ago, I was working with a team of scientists and engineers Medtronic to develop a miniaturized pacemaker, and I was enjoying my third year on the Gustavus Board of Trustees. Big Hill Farm had just been founded. The Building Bridges Conference was titled Immigration: Surviving the Land of Opportunity. The College was still processing paper applications. A decade later, things are different—and the same. Our applications are digital. Last year’s Building Bridges Conference, Immigration: Demolishing the Legacy of Bigotry in the Land of Opportunity, shows how this issue continues to be a great challenge of our time. Our student population has changed; more than 20 percent are from historically underrepresented groups. We’ve added the Bonnier Multifaith Center as well as scholars who teach from Jewish and interfaith traditions. We have established the President’s Council for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, a cross-campus group that provides leadership to move us forward in an intercultural world. The Big Hill Farm has grown, and we’ve leaned into sustainability efforts, another great challenge of our time. We’ve installed a composter and solar energy panels, earned LEED certification on building projects, and established another cross-campus group: The President’s Environmental Sustainability Council. In the past 10 years, we closed Campaign Gustavus with more than $170 million in commitments. Today, the comprehensive Show the World campaign has the goal of $225 million. Because of you, our endowment is larger than ever. It fuels the Gustavus Acts Strategic Plan, which fuels the future of the College. (See page 27.) In this issue of the Quarterly, alumni look back on how Gustavus shaped who they are now. Their stories resonated with me. Ten years ago, I could not have imagined being your college president. Then, in 2011, I was asked to chair the Board’s Academic Affairs Committee. In hindsight, this could be viewed as my first step toward becoming the 17th president of Gustavus Adolphus College. It is my calling and my purpose to serve this college. It is—as Martin Luther described—my vocation. (See page 31.) I am grateful for all that has brought me here and excited to continue to work with you to move Gustavus boldly forward. I am proud and humbled by the many ways Gustavus has shaped me, how it shapes our students, and how it continues to shape alumni. Whatever challenges the next decade brings, we will meet them together as Gusties, and we will act on them.

Sincerely,

Rebecca M. Bergman President, Gustavus Adolphus College GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The Rev. Jon V. Anderson (ex officio), Bishop, Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA

Scott P. Anderson ’89, MBA (chair), Senior Advisor, TPG Capital

Catherine Asta ’75, JD (ex officio), Attorney at Law and Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association

Tracy L. Bahl ’84, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer, OneOncology

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

The Rev. Kevin D. Bergeson ’02 (ex officio), Pastor, Bethlehem Lutheran Church; President, Gustavus Adolphus College Association of Congregations

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

Suzanne F. Boda ’82, 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

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

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

James H. Gale ’83, MA, JD, Attorney at Law

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

Susie B. Heim ’83, Former Co-owner, S and S Heim Construction

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

The Rev. Peter C. Johnson ’92, Executive Pastor, St. Andrew Lutheran Church

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

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

Gordon D. Mansergh ’84, MA, MEd, PhD (ex officio), Senior Behavioral Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (serving in a personal capacity) and Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association

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

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

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

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

Beth Sparboe Schnell ’82, President and CEO, Sparboe Companies

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