Summer 2022 Quarterly

Role of the Professor in a Rapidly Changing

Rachel Bickman ’24 and David Jansen ’22 help build a home in Lexington, VA, during a spring break Habitat for Humanity trip. This year, Gusties also helped build homes in Amarillo, TX; Loveland, CO; Starkville, MS; and Bel Air, MD.

For Alumni, Parents, and Friends

STAFF

Chair, Board of Trustees Scott Anderson ’89

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

Director, Editorial Services 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

JJ Akin ’11, Bruce Berglund, Sara Cronk ’22, Rachael Hanel, Rachel McCarthy, Emma Myhre ’19, CJ Siewert ’11, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22, Miguel Sousa

Contributing Photographers

John Cross, David Kelly, Photos by Lauren, CJ Siewert ’11, SPX Sports, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22, Ryan Weber ’22, Jesse Yeakle, Gustavus Adolphus College Archives

John Roberts Company | johnroberts.com

address changes to the

ce of Alumni and Parent Engagement, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 W. College Ave., Saint Peter, MN 56082-1498

ADOLPHUS COLLEGE Saint Peter, MN 56082

| gustavus.edu

(USPS

Gustavus Adolphus College

Saint Peter, Minn.

Peter, MN

UNAPOLOGETICALLY BLACK

That was the theme of the Pan Afrikan Student Organization’s Africa Night this year.

FINALLY, A TIME TO DANCE

With campus COVID-19 cases at zero in February, President’s Ball was on.

WHAT WE DO NOW

What is the role of the professor during a time of great disruption? Our professors—and our alumni professors—weigh in with their new and timeless approaches to teaching and mentoring.

SUMMER FUN FOR GUSTIES

Celebrate the long days and warm nights with your fellow classmates and alumni. We are back in person for Reunion Weekend and Gustavus Night with the Twins. Let’s get together, Gusties!

Unapologetically Black

That was the theme of Africa Night, the annual event hosted by the Pan Afrikan Student Organization (PASO). It’s a night dedicated to representing the various cultures of the Black Diaspora. “We chose Unapologetically Black because a lot of time Black voices are suppressed for being di erent,” says Barimmeziga Deebom ’22, one of the co-chairs of the event. “But that’s just how we express ourselves. We are Black and proud.” The night was full of performances from students, professors, and visiting performers who celebrated and represented African cultures. Says co-chair Candy Owusu Amankwah ’22, “We connect no matter how di erent we are, that is what makes us unique. PASO really does bring my understanding that yes, we are di erent, but we all love each other.”

Välkommen

FIRST AND FOREMOST.

When our professors apply for tenure, they prepare a document that details their work in four areas: teaching, scholarship, service to the College, and alignment with the College’s mission. When I read these documents, I am often moved to tears.

I was so moved while reading this issue of the Quarterly Our faculty are accomplished. That’s always clear. What is evident in this feature is so much more. Through it, you will see their intentionality, how deeply thoughtful they are about their work. Each brings their own uniqueness to our learning community, providing students a liberal arts education of breadth, depth, and variety, plus a tremendous level of authenticity, one of the hallmarks of the Gustie spirit.

Our college is filled with dedicated, creative, and passionate professors such as these, professors deeply invested in developing young people in their chosen disciplines and within the liberal arts. Our student-professor relationships carry transformative power, resulting in groundbreaking research, fulfilling careers, rich senses of self and purpose, and lives of leadership and service to the world (all also hallmarks of the Gustie spirit).

As alumni, I know each of you has a Gustavus professor who transformed your life—not just your intellectual one, but your life as a person in the world. From the Class of 1961 (and before!) to the Class of 2021, I have heard your stories of professors that changed the trajectory of your lives, who modeled for you how to integrate all aspects of a self, how to live a life of integrity.

In a rapidly changing world, the professor is even more important. Who helps students sift through information, process the world as it happens, ask questions and test potential answers? Who anchors students in core values and open dialogue?

The Gustavus professor does, and well. So well, in fact, our college is defined by it. Our mission states, “The College offers students of high aspiration and promise a liberal arts education of recognized excellence provided by faculty who embody the highest standards of teaching and scholarship.” The word “teaching” comes first. At Gustavus, the role of the professor is—first and foremost—to teach.

Our college is built on these remarkable teachers.

It will grow on it.

Yours in community, Rebecca M. Bergman

President, Gustavus Adolphus College

GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Scott P. Anderson ’89 MBA (chair), 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, President/Chief Strategy Officer, Fallon Worldwide, and Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association

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

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

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

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, Senior Behavioral Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (serving in a personal capacity) and Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association

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

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

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

Kent V. Stone ’08, MBA, Retired Vice Chairman, U.S. Bancorp

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

FINALLY, A TIME TO DANCE

ON THE HILL

When COVID-19 cases on campus dropped to zero in February, classroom and cocurricular activities returned to near prepandemic normal.

It was finally time to pull out the dresses, suits, and dancing shoes. President’s Ball was on.

P-Ball is the semi-formal dinner dance marking the beginning of spring for the student body, and this year was particularly poignant. Juniors and seniors had never experienced a P-Ball due to two years of COVID-19 and a 2019 weather cancellation. Gustavus first-years and sophomores never even had high school formals. Their unworn

prom dresses finally emerged from closets.

“It’s definitely the longest standing ‘get dressed up and dance’ event,” says JoNes VanHecke ’88, vice president for student life. Brad Duhaime ’85 started the tradition as a student, which was planned by the presidents of the Campus Activities Board (hence the name). In the 1980s, “Buses would pull up to campus and Gusties would jump on them and head to the Twin Cities.” When the drinking age was 19, it was a bit of a “champagne flight.” One of VanHecke’s jobs as a student on CAB was to stand at the buses and hand out plastic flutes.

Like today’s Diversity Ball, P-Ball was

sometimes so popular, people scalped tickets. But pre-pandemic, ticket sales had waned. This year, “People were hungry for it,” says director of campus activities Andrea Junso. Now held at Mayo Clinic System Event Center in Mankato, this year’s triumphant return to P-Ball included the live cover band Blue Water King, a cash bar for those over age 21, and more than 350 tickets sold— triple the amount of the last P-Ball.

“It’s always been a let loose, winter’salmost-over situation,” Junso says. “Get dressed up, have a meal, dance your butt o .” This year, they didn’t stop dancing the entire night.

The moment the cover band struck up “Shut Up And Dance with Me,” everyone at February’s President’s Ball made a dash for the dance floor.

A Gustie received a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award and three others received recognition as semifinalists. Christopher Ortiz won a Fulbright ETA Award to teach in Spain. Sydney Stumme-Berg was named an alternate finalist for the program in Norway. Emily VanGorder and Samantha Raghu were named semifinalists in the Czech Republic.

Caroline Southworth ’24 and Dalton Dahle ’22 have both been awarded the U.S. Department of State’s Critical Language Scholarship. Southworth will study Russian. Dahle has also participated in an Arabic language immersion program for future military o cers.

The Ronald S. and Kathryn K. Christenson

Lectureship in Politics and Law welcomed to campus

Tim Johnson ’93 “The U.S. Supreme Court: Still the Least Dangerous Branch?” Johnson is the Horace T. Morse Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Law at the University of Minnesota and an expert on the U.S. Supreme Court. (And a collaborator with Gustavus prof Chris Gilbert, see page 21.)

NOBEL CONFERENCE 58

September 28 - 29, 2022

MENTAL HEALTH (IN)EQUITY AND YOUNG PEOPLE

gustavus.edu/nobelconference

Nobel Conference 58 will address mental health disparities and their e ects on youth, with a particular emphasis on the significance of identity, trauma and technology.

Yale University historian David W. Blight, author of the 2018

Pulitzer Prize-winning biography Frederick

Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, gave the on-campus lecture, “The Legacies of Frederick Douglass in our Own Time.” The lecture is available on YouTube.

Justin DeGrood ’07 has been named head coach of the Gustavus Men’s basketball team after serving as assistant coach for the past nine seasons. He takes over for Mark Hanson ’83, who announced his retirement in February after a 32-year career as head coach. (See page 23.)

Prioritizing the mental health concerns of young people has become essential amid times of global pandemic, racism, sexism, ableism, social unrest, climate change, and political upheaval. These social inequities limit our ability to promote resilience in the mental health of adolescents and young adults, especially those from marginalized communities. Young people often experience little control over their wellbeing; are a ected by the decisions of parents, schools and society; and in these technology-driven times are vulnerable to the negative side e ects of social media and information overload. In considering how to eradicate inequities and promote

mental health, technology becomes central in how it both aids and hinders our modern existence, in the U.S. and around the world.

The Gustavus nursing program is expanding from 30 to 40 students per class year. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, it is projected that the U.S. needs over 200,000 new registered nurses each year to meet increasing needs and replace retiring nurses.

TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW at gustavus.edu/events/ nobelconference.

Caroline Southworth

Christopher Ortiz ’22

DaltonDahle

Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22

Emily VanGorder ’22 Samantha Raghu ’22

DavidW

Blight

CAMPUS SOCIAL

TWITTER

@gustavus

Over a hundred #FutureGusties and family members are on campus today to learn more about Gustavus as they make their college decision! #GoGusties#WhyGustavus

@gustavus

The Robert and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre is “a theater nerd’s dream,” according to @Mankatonews #whygustavus @gustiearts

@gustieathletics

Congratulations to Annika Poe, Elizabeth Donnelly, and Birgen Nelson for all earning All-America status today at the NCAA Indoor Championships! #GoGusties

@gacgeology

DUNES !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Follow @gustavus, @gustiealum

“Gustie Shoutout: Congrats to Monali Bhakta ’20 who was just named to the Minnesota Young Women’s Cabinet by Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Flanagan. ” —During her time at Gustavus, Monali majored in English and Political Science, served as Gustavus Student Senate CoPresident, and interned in Senator Amy Kobluchar’s Minneapolis o ce in the Summer of 2019.

10:00 a.m. Time for Reflection

“Visit a museum and ask these questions: ‘What is being done in this space to amplify voices? What’s being done for racial justice?’ And if a museum professional can’t tell you that, then say ‘Hey, maybe this is something that should be done in this environment.’”

—Michelle Tovar, from her keynote at the Building Bridges Conference, “Knowledge is Power: Dismantling Systematic Bias in Educational Institutions,” in March.

@gustavusadolphuscollege @gustieathletics

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Follow /gustavusadolphuscollege

FACEBOOK

SHINE : COLLEEN STOCKMANN

Everything Connects

FOR THIS NEW GUSTAVUS PROFESSOR AND ART HISTORIAN WHO STARTED TEACHING IN HISTORIC TIMES, ADAPTING TO CHANGE IS NOTHING NEW.

“It was 10 years between when I finished undergrad and when I started graduate school — absolutely the right amount of time for me.”

At Stanford University, San Francisco, and across the country, their work spanned art galleries and museum collections during those 10 years. A path to professorship slowly emerged out of curation, as Stockmann discovered a love for educating and mentoring young people. “Helping them shape a project, research in the collections, and do something innovative in the gallery space was so exciting. My PhD arose as the next step to do more of that.”

Stockmann uses their skills as a curator to build a curriculum that links historian. “Art

Now, as an assistant professor in art and art history at Gustavus, Stockmann uses their skills as a curator to build a curriculum that links the past and present. “Sometimes students come in thinking they’re going to get art history like a Ken Burns documentary,” when in reality, discussion topics evolve based on current events or student interests. That responsiveness to changing times is a core element of Stockmann’s teaching philosophy, especially as an art historian. “Art is not a reflection of what’s happening in the world; it’s part of the world and always has been.”

Stockmann began teaching at Gustavus during the COVID-19 pandemic, when responding to change was critical. Despite the obvious challenges, they’ve found some positives in the new reliance on digital study materials that students can share and build upon. At the same time, they recognize that reliable access to online resources can’t always be assumed. “From an equity perspective, it’s a good reminder that some of the things that get masked in a pre-pandemic semester are getting unmasked in a way that should stay transparent.”

on digital study materials that students can share and build upon. At can’t always be assumed. “From an equity perspective, it’s a good reminder that some of the things that get masked in a pre-pandemic semester are getting unmasked in a way that should stay transparent.”

To Stockmann, the best teaching relationships happen when both parties learn other, presentation or an unfamiliar pop culture reference, Stockmann consistently joy learning

To Stockmann, the best teaching relationships happen when both parties learn from each other, including through mentoring. Whether through a student presentation or an unfamiliar pop culture reference, Stockmann consistently finds joy in learning something new about their favorite research topics. “That’s why I’m in education. I want to continue to learn forever.”

“A majority of my students come to class not feeling comfortable with the idea of museums,” Stockmann says. That’s a jumping o point to talk about problematic issues. Opening the door to conversations about such challenges opens the door to possibility. “The future is theirs, and if a museum is a space they want to find magic in, they have the power to do that.”

SHINE : AUDREY OCHTRUP-DEKEYREL

“I want to teach at a school like Gustavus.”

A “terrible, bratty child” when it came to helping on her family’s farm in southeastern Minnesota, a younger Ochtrup-DeKeyrel couldn’t have imagined making a career out of agriculture. Now, shaped by her upbringing and her experiences as an environmental studies and geography double major, she plans to pursue graduate and PhD studies related to food geography, with the hope of teaching at a small liberal arts college.

Thanks to the student-centered ethos among Gustavus faculty, OchtrupDeKeyrel was able to develop meaningful connections with professors who felt passionate about research. Her junior year, she conducted her own research on the impact of Minneapolis urban gardening. “I thought, ‘wow, this is really where it’s at.’” Later research courses sparked questions that she plans to explore in graduate school, such as how to make sustainable growing practices more accessible to farmers. It’s a subject that hits close to home. “Farming gets a bad rap for its environmental toll, but accessibility and a ordability stands in the way of farmers being able to use regenerative growing practices.”

To Ochtrup-DeKeyrel, addressing these types of social issues is part of what makes an e ective professor. “We’re lucky to be equipped with an education, and we have a duty to use that education outside of our institution to a ect positive change,” said Ochtrup-DeKeyrel, who’s already put her education into practice as a sustainability intern and co-president of Big Hill Farm. “It’s up to a professor to help students determine how.”

Empathy is another key trait of a great professor. She’s seen it time and again in her Gustavus professors, from their support during the COVID-19 pandemic to their jokes that brighten students’ days. Those connections are what made Ochtrup-DeKeyrel’s time at Gustavus special, and she looks forward to making those same connections with students as a professor.

She’ll never be too far from the farm, though. “Sometimes I think about how ironic it is that arguably my father’s one child who seemed the least interested in farming is now pursuing graduate studies in his field. I think he’s pleased to see me come full circle.”

To Ochtrup-DeKeyrel, sustainability isn’t just about the environment; it also applies to life as a Gustie. One of her biggest accomplishments as a senior has been breaking away from grind culture to focus her energy on the projects and people that matter most to her. “There’s always the importance of networking, but the connections that will sustain me beyond any job I will have are the friends I’ve made at Gustavus.”

FROM FARMHAND TO FOOD RESEARCHER, GUSTAVUS PLANTED THE SEED FOR A NEW CAREER PATH—THAT OF PROFESSOR.

NowWhatDo We

by Stephanie Wilbur Ash, Bruce Berglund, and Emma Myhre ’19

The Role of the Professor in a Rapidly Changing World

CHANGE IS THE ONLY CONSTANT, wrote Greek philosopher Heraclitus more than 2,500 years ago. Presumably things moved a lot slower then, what with no Facebook or Bitcoin, no cathode-ray tube or phonograph, not even the mechanical reaper, a disruptive technology that predates Gustavus by 31 years. Not even the internal combustion engine or printing press.

Now, the all-electric Tesla Model 3 goes from zero to 60 mph in 3.1 seconds. We watch armed conflicts happening all over the world in real time from devices in our pockets roughly the size of a Pop-Tart, which also did not exist when Heraclitus called life a river flowing in flux.

“We’re here to teach you to think critically, not just know the structure of an amino acid.”

—Brenda Kelly, provost

It is widely assumed that life in the future will be done in significantly di erent ways than today. Such change can happen quickly, even in less time it takes for a first-year to graduate. Consider how often you had virtual meetings in 2019 compared to now. To quote another great philospher, Sam Cooke, “Change gonna come.” Blink and you’ll miss it on TikTok. What does all this rapid change mean for the future, and for our professors (and alumni professors) charged with educating the people who will run the future? Here, some of those profs weigh in on the shifting sands. Interestingly enough, some things remain the same. The Socratic Method of inquiry, critique, and dialogue is still foundational to Gustavus liberal arts, expanding instruction beyond content, teaching to change, toward actions that will address the great challenges of our time. (Note: Socrates was a student of Heraclitus.) The Doc Martens, Birkenstocks, and Chuck Taylors of yore are still popular on campus feet. And our profs still believe their relationships with students are core to students’ development as intellectuals, leaders, and people. Says Provost Brenda Kelly, “The reasons we teach at Gustavus are because of our relationships with students, and because we love to teach.”

Challenge. Prepare. Show them why, and how to care.

“This is a place that cares about teaching people, not just teaching about subjects.”

—Sarah Ruble, religion

“I am here to help students recognize how they connect to their environment and then use it to build selfknowledge.”

—Nick Darcourt, art and art history

“We will always have change. Employers want students that are curious and willing to learn.”

—Cathy Harms ’85, economics and management

HELP OPEN THE DOORS New Challenges, New Curriculum

IT PREPARES STUDENTS FOR A WORLD THAT’S INFORMATION RICH, DEEPLY DIVERSE, AND TRULY INTERDISCIPLINARY.

THE GREAT CHANGE

When I first started teaching [in Bogotá, Colombia and at the University of Iowa] more than a decade ago, the role of the professor was much more compartmentalized, limited to classroom interaction and grading. Then, when I came to Gustavus, I started to incorporate content to the teaching of language. Now we embed the language in multiple academic aspects and subjects—politics, cultural studies, religion, as well as others.

IT ALL CONNECTS

I feel what I’m doing right now is integration of language, leadership, culture, literature, and overall curiosity in the field of culture and languages. I teach in Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; Spanish; LALACS; Gender, Women and Sexuality Studies; and Peace, Justice, and Conflict Studies. This has meant that I have become involved in interdisciplinary fields, plus introductory courses like the First-Term Seminar. It’s about adapting. The more you close doors, the more you isolate. My role as a professor is about avoiding enclosure.

THE WAY HE SEES IT

The new general education curriculum, the Challenge Curriculum, is not a checkbox approach. “We don’t live in a checkbox world,” says Provost Brenda Kelly.

Changes include U.S. Identities and Difference courses, which examine social constructions of identity; and Global Affairs and Cultures courses, which examine topics with global reach; plus new focus on information literacy to discern and critically analyze sources and information.

Then there is the Challenge Seminar, a capstone that ties all of a student’s general education learning together as a framework to take on a great challenge of our time.

The Class of 2024 is the first under the new curriculum. “It requires faculty to rethink how content feeds into new learning outcomes,” says Kelly. There will soon be an inaugural Challenge Curriculum director, as 15 faculty leading the Challenge Seminars gear up to see those seniors through.

As a professor, I allow for certain doors in subjects to open, and then guide students to open their own doors. Professor show students the ways in which different fields, disciplines, and economic interests work, and then we point them to alternative ways and possibilities for themselves. This entails helping students to see that they are a part of a community, that there are many different people in the world, and that you should treat with equal respect the ones you do and don’t identify with right away. We teach students to approach others—and themselves—with curiousity. I always ask these questions: Of those relationships you have with communities, what do they tell you about yourself? How does that help you become the citizen you will be? Or that you want to be?

approximate amount of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to support multiple Gustavus projects, including student-faculty collaboration and a Human ities Research Lab pilot.

Carlos Mejia Suarez spans disciplines to teach students (in the words of Paradiso) “to be open before a wonderful world.”

Tell the Truth. Stay Passionate.

LISA DEMBOUSKI READIES THE WORLD’S BEST NEW TEACHERS.

INTERRUPT My research and teaching center around teacher preparation, inclusion, disability studies in education, and global education opportunities during student teaching and J-Term. But my main gig is preparing teachers. I see myself as an interruptor. I like to challenge what I and others think we know about something, inspect it carefully, change minds, and then move forward with more equity, justice, and joy. For everyone. ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS

I try to understand you and what you believe, and I hope you’ll do the same for me. What I think students need from me today is a willingness to tell the truth about the challenges inherent in their future careers, while keeping them passionate about teaching and learning, and confident that they’re prepared for a profession I’m proud of and that needs them dearly.

Teach Process

NICOLAS DARCOURT TEACHES CREATIVE APPLICATION IN ART/LIFE.

THE NEW FUNDAMENTALS

Career boundaries are fading. From restructuring in corporations to thriving in a gig economy, those in developing careers now wear many hats. What is fundamental is the ability to be self-confident, selfreliant, and creative in developing ideas, problem solving, and applying solutions.

THE IMPORTANCE OF ADVISING

As a first-generation college student, I had a limited view of my potential career paths. My undergraduate advisers inspired, encouraged, and supported me. By sharing their knowledge, gifts, and talents, I found mine [as a professor of psychological science].

With every student I teach or mentor, I hope I live up to their legacy.

SAY YES TO NEW THINGS

I advise students to get out of their comfort zones. Whether or not they come in with a specific goal, now is the time to really take some risks and learn something new. You never know what you might find around the corner.

THE CONDUIT

I teach toward the creative process and the application of genuine ideas. The art materials are simply the conduit.

I am committed to giving students the opportunity to develop a skillset of techniques required to manipulate material to express ideas, along with an understanding of contemporary art issues and conversations. This prepares those who have chosen to follow a career field in the visual arts. For those choosing other careers, my hope is that they gain a healthy respect for the role of the artist and an interest is supporting the arts.

“Taking Gusties to work in schools on the Caribbean island of Sint Maarten during January was pretty awesome. I mean, look at us!”

GO BEYOND THE FACTS Biology professor Laura Burrack leans into her own undergraduate liberal arts experience to teach the implications of science.

THE ROLE OF RESEARCH

My teaching spans several areas of biology including microbiology, cancer biology, molecular genetics, and the interdisciplinary borders between biology and society. A central theme in my teaching is e ectively assisting students to learn how to ask and answer questions. A primary goal is to guide students towards asking questions that engage their curiosity, expand their knowledge, and integrate information from di erent aspects of their education and/or experiences. In many courses, we take these questions one step further to conduct research that expands not only the students’ knowledge but also discovers new knowledge.

WHAT THE FACTS MEAN

It is important to me to help students think critically about biological processes and the implications of science in society, rather than simply to have them memorize facts. An essential component of asking and answering questions is the evaluation of information, the integration of prior knowledge and experiences, and the communication of questions and answers with others.

HER INTERDISCIPLINARY ORIGINS

Build It Up

LUND CENTER + NOBEL HALL

The new Nobel Hall of Science isn’t just for science majors. It’s a place where all can learn and do science. The new Lund Center isn’t just for varsity sports. It’s a place where all can learn and experience health and wellness. Both projects are testaments to the interdisciplinary, inclusive nature of Gustavus liberal arts. And both are the result of professorial insight in how our spaces can best serve students who will serve the needs of today’s world.

My own undergraduate experience at a liberal arts college was essential to shaping my academic journey. I had my first research experience in an undergraduate lab, and I was encouraged to explore as many di erent disciplines as possible. The classes I took in history, anthropology, and many other areas were essential foundations for my interdisciplinary teaching and engagement at Gustavus. I find it so exciting to see students make connections between concepts in class or in lab and other classes or experiences. I love seeing them develop confidence as they start to figure out how all of the pieces fit together and how to apply knowledge to new situations.

The Nobel Hall project doubled the building’s footprint, connected theatre and dance programs with a state-of-the-art performance space, and reimagined labs for accessible, collaborative science. In the Lund Center expansion and renovation project, a new academic wing will house improved classrooms, faculty o ces, and a 120seat lecture hall. The Human Performance Lab will grow by two-and-a-half times, and the open workout facilities by even more. (See back cover.)

Both projects rival those of other top liberal arts colleges in the nation.

Remove the Barriers

EVERYONE CAN DO IT

My teaching philosophy is hinged on the idea that everyone is welcome in my class and everyone is capable of being successful in my course. This underlying idea has led me to adopt inclusive teaching practices, such as varied forms of instructional delivery and chances for students to demonstrate understanding. This idea has also pushed me to evaluate what content is necessary for students to be successful.

HER GUSTAVUS

I was a mathematics major at Gustavus but I was able to take courses in statistics which sparked my interest. I was lucky enough to have strong, intelligent women mentors, including Carolyn Dobler. She encouraged and supported me academically, but also personally.

ADDRESSING INEQUITY

The biggest change in my work as a professor in recent years has been my focus on equity and inclusion in

3 skills

employers want from employees today: dependability, communication, and problem-solving, says a 2021 Monster.com report.

my teaching. This focus is related specifically to the discipline of statistics— discussing biased sampling techniques or the history of eugenics in statistics, for example, as well as to general pedagogical techniques like collaborative learning opportunities and utilizing standards-based grading. I believe that my students—and the world—need me to address the inequities present in so many of our educational practices and do what I can to remove these barriers in my classroom.

Make them Work

CATHY HARMS ’85 BRINGS THE REAL WORLD.

THE JOB IN THE CLASSROOM

We do marketing projects that help companies, non-profits, and organizations of Gustavus alumni. This real-life experience is great for the students and clients. My students have helped 180 different organizations over the last 5.5 years. I have a flipped class where my lectures are recorded and students come ready to discuss how the content applies to their projects.

MARKETABLE SKILLS

I tell Gusties to be flexible and improve their ability to adapt. The jobs in the world are changing fast. The key skills to gain include written and oral communication skills, problem solving, critical thought, data analysis, team experience, and how to interact with others.

Truly Tangible Change

Fixed seating moveable

63%

of employers said they would hire employees for those skills, as well as other transferrable ones (teamwork, time management, leadership) and train for the technical aspects of the job.

Labs with definitive outcomes experiments of discovery

Grading on midterms and tests group projects, feedback, and real-world application

JILLIAN DOWNEY ’08 MAKES STATISTICS COUNT FOR ALL.

FLIP THE CLASSROOM

Chemistry prof Dwight Stoll makes research as coursework, and “good work” the standard by which one lives a good life.

RESPONDING TO CHANGE

My teaching style is changing rapidly, in part due to the pandemic, in part due to shifts in higher education. About 10 years ago, I started “flipping” my classroom [using class for interactive problem solving, with students absorbing content outside of class]. One of the more innovative things I do is a collaboration with Professor Jeff Dahlseid ’90. Jeff teaches a Proteins course and I teach Instructional Methods. We offer a mashup where each week both classes meet and learn from each other. It’s fun, hard at times, and a lot of work. And students benefit from it in multiple ways.

“RESEARCH” WITHIN THE LIBERAL ARTS

I’m pretty good at asking questions and designing experiments that lead to new understanding that pushes my field forward. At Gustavus, I get to engage students in that process. Formally it is called “research,” but to me it is just an extension of the classroom. The cool thing about doing this in the context of the liberal arts, of course, is that we can blend in topics such as ethics, economics, and leadership with the science.

YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE

Good teaching and mentoring is hard work. You have to put in the time. I feel fortunate to influence the trajectory of science, and to support the next generation of scientists.

WORDS FROM A NOBEL PRIZE WINNER

The best advice I ever heard was from a Nobel laureate in chemistry: “Stay focused on doing good work, and the rest will take care of itself.” I tell students this all the time, because this has worked out incredibly well for me in many ways, many times.

Do the Research

QUESTION. CREATE. CONNECT. THOSE ARE THE THREE DRIVING FORCES BEHIND RESEARCH AT GUSTAVUS.

Throughout the academic year and summer, hundreds of students collaborate with faculty on research and creative projects. Additionally, there are ample opportunities for faculty to build on their prior research or explore new avenues. Research and creative inquiry take place in classrooms, laboratories, studios, theatres, and the community. Gustie students and faculty carry out field research, such as collecting data on fish populations on the open seas, excavating Roman villas, measuring glacial melt in the Andes, and interviewing local farmers.

Such research extends beyond the sciences into the humanities, including recent student-professor research on Minnesota immigrant history, Gustavus indigenous relations, cancer narratives and dance, sensory storytelling and climate change, and the streaming platform Twitch.

Like it Was

SARAH RUBLE PUSHES A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PAST.

HERE IS THE TRUTH

As a professor of American religious history, my role is to be someone who works to tell the truth as best as I am able. History is a discipline in which we try to tell true stories about the past. Telling those truths can be uncomfortable, but it enables us to make sense of where we are now.

BECOMING TRUTH SEEKERS

Today I am more aware of the importance of formation. How do we become people who can tell hard truths? We have so many incentives

Push the Conversations

FOR PAMELA CONNERS AND DISCUSS INFORMATION IS DEMOCRACY. TO RESEARCH, CREATE, AND CONNECT IS SCHOLARSHIP.

IN IT TOGETHER

I view teaching as a process of shared investigation and discovery. My primary goals as a teacher are to foster a love of learning in my students, to introduce them to new ideas and perspectives, and to encourage them to see the resonance between their coursework and their civic lives. I teach courses about rhetoric, argument, democratic deliberation, civic leadership, and advocacy. I continually strive to ask, investigate, and answer critical questions in collaboration with my students, my colleagues, and my community.

THE INSPIRATION

My research investigates how deliberation enhances learning among students and members of a community, and how public discourse shapes the development and implementation of public policy and democratic decision-making. I also examine how public discourse and decision-making processes invite or dissuade people’s civic participation.

THE INSPIRATION

I direct the Public Deliberation and Dialogue Program, in which students research and design communication strategies to address pressing issues and make reasoned, community-based decisions. For instance, “Bridging the Divide” facilitated dialogue among college students representing rural and urban communities—a partnership with Minneapolis Community and Technical College. The Youth Leadership and Dialogue Program brought together students in dialogue around achievement and intergration in three local school districts. With the project, “Addressing Challenges Together: Conversations between Educators & Immigrant Families,” students consider how to address educational challenges facing immigrants.

The Public Deliberation and Dialogue program equips students and community partners with skills

Pamela Conners (top right) is the Research, Scholarship, and Creativity faculty associate in the John S. Kendall Center for Engaged Learning, which supports faculty in achieving their potential as teachers and scholars. Kendall ’49 was a psychology professor and the 12th president of Gustavus.

Alumni

MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY’RE AT

GQ: Walk us through your academic career.

CV: Well, I came to the U.S. when I was nine and started school for the first time. At Johnson High School in St. Paul, civics was my favorite subject, and I loved to read and write.

Being a refugee child who went to inner city schools, I came to Gustavus a motivated student. Norm Walbek in political science was my thesis professor, and I loved talking with him. I did my thesis on U.N. Peacekeeping in Cambodia, and he told me it was one of the best he’d read in his career. He made me feel like I could do anything. Ron Christenson [political science] and Lisa Heldke ’81 [philosophy] also opened doors for me that I didn’t expect. I learned a lot about French history and culture from Anne-Marie Gronhovd, my adviser for my French major.

I decided to go to the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. After my M.A. degree, I worked for six years before pursuing a PhD in American Studies. My research focused on the Twin Cities Hmong community and how refugee settlement there compared to other cities. In 2006, I was recruited by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to join the history faculty.

GQ: When did you realize education was your path?

CV: While I was working as a community researcher, I remembered a note I wrote to myself in a journal in eighth grade. I didn’t know how to read until I was almost 10, but in middle school, I noticed I was getting ahead of my peers. I wrote that I would get my PhD by the time I was 25. Obviously, I didn’t know how long it took to get a PhD.

GQ: What do you focus on in your research and teaching?

CV: My students come from a variety of backgrounds. I try to be as approachable and accessible as I can. My teaching reflects my research interests. I teach graduate seminars and undergraduate classes covering such topics as the U.S. as a global power during the 20th century, the Vietnam War, and Asian American/Hmong history. For over a decade, I lead a short-term study abroad course to Southeast Asia where students get to learn and interact with people in other cultures.

The graduation rate of federal Pell Grant recipients at Gustavus, the same as the College’s overall graduation rate. Gustavus is tied as the best national liberal arts college in Minnesota for social mobility, according to U.S. News & World Report, 2021.

GQ: You’re also the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. How do you prepare students for a changing world?

CV: We have so much access to knowledge. The tricky part is deciphering what is “good” information. I teach my students to balance the information that we have, dig through the soundbites, and have conversations. We’ve always lived in divided times, but we have to prepare students to talk to those they disagree with in meaningful ways.

“I teach a lot of first-generation students, like I was, non-traditional students, and a lot of veterans from recent wars. I meet these students where they’re at because I know education is meaningful for them.”

A conversation with Chia Youyee Vang ’94, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee history professor and Vice Chancellor, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Stay Connected.

Pass it on.

JEAN-PAUL NOEL ’12 | INTERNATIONAL BRAIN LAB | CENTER FOR NEURAL SCIENCE, NEW YORK UNIVERSITY

After graduating from Gustavus, Noel received a Fulbright to study at the Swiss Institute of Technology, where he worked with researchers to build robotics for neuroscience research. He returned to the U.S. to finish his PhD in human neuroscience at Vanderbilt University. While developing virtual reality programs for Facebook in Seattle, he reconnected with Whitney O’Connell ’12, who was working for Teach for America there. They’re now married.

After Gustavus, Rindelaub kicked o an international adventure as a professional hockey player, top research chemist, and—surprise!—a rapping public health advocate. He creates content for news, music, and theater to make science accessible, and he’s been seen or heard on nearly every media platform in New Zealand. His research investigates the chemistry of the air, and when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he cocreated the rap video Vax the Nation. It went (so to speak) viral. “The world is a complicated place,” he says. “Us science nerds don’t have all the answers, but we do have a pretty good system to search for them.” And in a media-saturated world, “a scientist’s communication skills are more important than ever.” Along with chemistry, Rindelaub teaches his students video production, media relations, and of course, critical thinking. “The ability to recognize quality data is a key component to an informed and engaged society. In fact, our collective future depends on it.”

Have Critical Conversations

Michael Jirik ’12 took classes on civil rights and African American history, which inspired him to think di erently about the narratives he was raised with in rural Minnesota. Now a fellow at the Charles Warren Center for Studies in American History at Harvard, his research includes Black activism during the early days of U.S. higher ed. He teaches students to have robust, critical discussions. Regarding racial equity in education, “It has been a long series of struggles led by generations of Black activists.”

Today, Noel works to understand how our brains paint a mental picture to map space and objects around us. The wisdom he passes on to the students he works with is that which his Gustavus professors gave to him: Remember the humanity in science, focus on the big picture, and know how to learn. “In a rapidly changing world, you need tools to prepare you to keep learning,” he says. “At Gustavus, I had to work on my own, trailblaze my projects, finish things. Plus, I had to know how to make connections. That has made my work easier.”

He’s since used his connections to help other Gusties find research opportunities. Matt Broschard ’16 conducted research at Vanderbilt University and Jack Wiessenberger ’22 at NYU, thanks to Noel.

Joel Rindelaub ’09 | School of Chemical Sciences, University of Aukland

Chemistry researcher Rindelaub in New Zealand repping his home state in zebra-printed Vikings pants and hockey mullet.

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE PROFESSION

GQ: In your research, what practices do you see among today’s professors that strike you as particularly positive?

One of the myths about professors is that they’re disinterested in teaching. They have put in their time, earned tenure, and now they just lecture from old, yellowed notes. In collecting data from faculty for 20 years, I have found that’s just not true. Professors care a lot about teaching, and they care about their students.

A Gustavus student is going to have to work to not be connected. They’re going to have people knocking on their door.”

My research shows there is a lot of interest in improving teaching practice. Professors are using more interactive techniques with their students. And there is greater diversity within the faculty. Schools are still learning how to effectively support women and faculty members of color, because they do face challenges. This is one area where Gustavus can be a positive light. One of the helpful aspects of the Swedish Lutheran tradition at Gustavus is the understanding that, if we want to learn, we shouldn’t just gather only Swedish-Lutheran people. This openness is important.

GQ: What’s so great about a liberal arts college like Gustavus?

TL: At a place like Gustavus, an undergraduate student will have their core group of close friends. Along with that, there are other groups: classmates in your major, people on your team or in your choir, people you work with as a tutor or CF. At Gustavus, unlike at a big university, these groups overlap. These circles are also connected by the sense that they are part of something bigger, that there is a unifying idea. To me, this is what we’re all aiming for in higher education.

Don’t Forget the Basics

Chenyu Yang ’10 | Economics professor, University of Maryland

difference in the median 40year return of a degree from a liberal arts college compared to all colleges, according to a 2020 Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce study.

Yang’s favorite classes teach the fundamentals of statistics, economics, and storytelling, all basics still essential in a rapidly changing world. “I tell students to find a specialty they care about, and learn to communicate what they learn. You have to be able to communicate your ideas.”

“The liberal arts experience is not just different; I definitely believe it’s quantifiably better.

Laird spent more than six years directing the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University Bloomington. He is also the principal investigator for the Faculty

Thomas Nelson Laird ’95, professor of higher education and student affairs at Indiana University Bloomington, on the myth of the lazy professor.

Alumni

Work for the Public Good

KARL SELF ’81 | DIRECTOR, DENTAL THERAPY PROGRAM/INTERIM ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS | U OF M

Self remembers Gusties who supported him as a student, like his chemistry professor, Tom Gover. After graduating from the University of Minnesota Dental School, Self worked in private practice in Kansas City until an opportunity at a community dental clinic in the Twin Cities that provided care for uninsured, underserved patients brought him back to Minnesota.

Chris Gilbert | Gustavus Adolphus College

Dave Peterson ’95 | Iowa State University

Johnson, Djupe, and Peterson established the Chris Gilbert Heritage Scholarship in honor of their mentor. “I’m a professor because of a class on campaigns and elections I took with Chris,” Peterson says. When Peterson wrote about the rhetoric of third-party candidates, Chris said that his observations could be tested with survey data. “We plotted out a research plan for exploring rhetoric and voting patterns for Wallace in 1968, John Anderson in 1980, and Perot in 1992. Eventually, Tim and Paul got involved.” By the time Peterson was in graduate school, the research had turned into a study of the role churches play in politics by mobilizing support for third party candidates. Then, the four of them wrote a book about it together, Religious Institutions and Minor Parties in the United States. “One of the things I like about my job is that I get paid to be professionally curious,” Peterson says. “There’s always something in the back of my brain, about what research projects I might develop, or what advice to give a student, or how I can improve my classes. Chris is the person who taught me this is the life of a professor.”

Meet the Demand for Innovation

Reg Penner ’83 | professor, chemistry, University of California Irvine

“I’d never met a scientist before Gustavus,” Penner says. Today, as a researcher, he focuses on nano-materials charged with electrical currents to detect cancers. As a professor, he prepares undergraduate and graduate students for the Silicon Valley job market. The culture of academia is changing, and he feels energized preparing his students for it. “It’s rewarding to train students to meet the strong demand for innovation.”

At the clinic, Self noticed a gap between clinic policies and patient needs. “All of the people making decisions were people with business backgrounds, not healthcare backgrounds. I wanted to be a person who could walk in both worlds to positively affect change.” He earned his MBA while working there.

Self’s leadership in non-profit dental settings, and his advocacy for public health, has led him back to the U of M Dental School, where he teaches and advocates for addressing disparities to advance public health. “Only one percent of all dentists are involved in public health nationally,” he says. In 2009, Minnesota became the first state to grant licensure to dental therapists, who are oral health professionals that serve low-income, uninsured and underserved populations. Self was an advocate at the forefront of that legislation and has been a leader in the implementation of this new profession. He has directed the U’s dental therapy program since its inception.

AN UNPRECEDENTED RUN

Winning conference championships is nothing new for Gustavus women’s hockey. But the manner in which the 2021-22 Gusties did it—and what happened next—is extraordinary.

After claiming their 17th MIAC regular season title with a 13-1-2 league record, the Gusties rolled through the conference playo s, outscoring their opponents 16-2 for the 13th MIAC postseason title in program history. The team qualified for an NCAA tournament appearance for the 15th in program history.

The Gusties started the tournament with a 3-0 victory over UW-Eau Claire in front of a record crowd at Don Roberts Ice Rink. They moved on to face nonconference rival UW-River Falls, a team

that swept the Gusties in the regular season. The Gusties made the trip to western Wisconsin and came home with a thrilling 5-3 upset over the No. 2-ranked team in the country, advancing to the NCAA Frozen Four, for the ninth time in program history.

What came next is something no other Gustie women’s hockey team has done. Matched against Plattsburgh State, winners of five of the previous six national championships, the Gusties again embraced the underdog role. And won, 5-1. They advanced to the NCAA championship game for the first time ever.

The Gusties fought to the end, literally. Trailing 2-1 in the final seconds of the national championship against host Middlebury, the team scored an

improbable game-tying goal with .1 seconds left in regulation.

Although the undefeated Panthers scored the game-winner in overtime, the Gusties left Vermont as the first team in Gustavus women’s hockey history to finish runner up at the NCAA tournament.

Six Gusties were named AllConference: Hailey Holland (Jr., Aberdeen, S.D.), Molly McHugh (Jr., Minnetonka), Emily Olson (Jr., Delano), Brooke Power (So., Lakeville), Tina Press (Sr., Cottage Grove), and Kayla Vrieze (Sr., Eagan). Vrieze also earned the MIAC Elite 22 Award, NCAA Elite 90 Award, and AHCA First Team AllAmerica. Mike Carroll, in his 23rd season on the bench, was named MIAC Coach of the Year (for the eighth time).

Tina Press (right, Sr., Cottage Grove) celebrates with teammates after scoring a power play goal against Plattsburgh State in the NCAA semifinals.

Women’s Basketball

The Gusties upset No. 1 seed Augsburg 65-56, claiming the first MIAC Women’s Basketball playo title in program history, advancing to the NCAA tournament for the eighth time. The Gusties lost to host Simpson 7367 in the first round, finishing the season 22-5 overall. Emma Kniefel (So., Medford) and Anna Sanders (Jr., Vadnais Heights) were named AllConference while Kylie Baranick (Fy., Maple Grove) and Rachel Kawiecki (Fy., Richfield) were named to the All-First Year Team. Betsy Schoenrock (Sr., New Richland) earned the MIAC Elite 22 Award.

Men’s Basketball

The Gusties won eight of their last nine regular season games to take fourth place in the MIAC. Hosting St. Olaf in a MIAC quarterfinal game, the Gusties su ered a heartbreaking 76-73 loss on a last-second buzzer beater, finishing the season at 14-9 overall. Kaleb Feahn (Sr., Waseca) was named First Team All-Conference. Spenser Swanson (Fy., Owatonna) was named to the All-First Year Team.

Men’s Hockey

The Gusties played well at the end of the season, beating Hamline 4-3 in the first round of the MIAC playo s and

nearly upended No. 1 seed Augsburg in the quarterfinals, but wound up losing 4-3 in overtime to the No. 4-ranked team in the country.

Men’s Swimming & Diving

For the third consecutive season, the Gusties won the MIAC championship. Matt Strom (So., Rochester) was named the MIAC Swimmer of the Year while Jon Carlson earned his third consecutive Men’s Coach of the Year honor. Strom won three individual MIAC titles and was part of a championship relay team. Andrew Becker (Jr., Northfield) won two individual titles and four relays. Becker was the only male swimmer from the MIAC to compete at the NCAA Championships. Nyden Hill (Fy., Conway, Ark.) was also a two-time individual conference champ, while Dane Hudson (Jr., Eden Prairie), Jonathan Cordano (Fy., Saint Paul), Erik Small (Jr., Hudson, Wis.), and Peyton Richardson (So., Crystal Lake, Ill.) won championships as well.

Women’s Swimming & Diving

Swimmer Ellen Hofstede (Jr., Hopkins) had an All-American finish in sixth place in the 100-freestyle at the NCAA Championships. The Gusties took second place at the MIAC Championships with multiple individual

conference champions. Hofstede won two MIAC titles and was a member of a championship relay team. Marit Isaacson (Fy., Saint Paul) also won an individual championship and was on a winning relay team. Lucy Peterson (So., Saint Paul) and Abby Yartz (Jr., Bemidji) joined Hofstede and Isaacson as qualifiers for the NCAA Championships in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays.

Gymnastics

Brooke Merila (Sr., St. Michaell) placed eighth in the all-around, and Sophia Redding (Sr., Saint Paul) took sixth on the bar at the NCGA Championships, each earning All-America status. The Gusties had a seventh-place finish at the WIAC/NCGA West Region Championships. Merila received the Judy Kruckman Women’s Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete Award. Redding broke her own program record score on bars, finishing with a 9.725.

Indoor Track & Field

Three Gustie women received AllAmerica status at the same NCAA Championship: Annika Poe (Jr., Bu alo), took eighth in shot put; Birgen Nelson (Fy., Edina), took seventh in 60-hurdles; Elizabeth Donnelly (Sr., Langely, Wash.), took seventh in 800-meter. The women also had eight individual All-Conference performances, highlighted by event victories from Poe, Nelson, Donnelly, and Madi Kes (So., Jordan). Donnelly, Nelson, Megan Geraets (Fy., Mankato), and Makenna Huetten (Fy., Eagan) were named All-Region honorees. The women took second and the men sixth at the MIAC Championships.

Mark Hanson ’83 announced his retirement after 32 seasons at the helm, compiling an alltime record of 533-317 as the winningest coach in Gustavus basketball history.

A LEGENDARY CLUB DATE

On Saturday, March 19, the Gustavus Jazz Ensemble kicked o its spring tour at Crooners Supper Club in Minneapolis, with pieces by legends such as Benny Carter, Quincy Jones, and Sonny Rollins.

The performance featured another legend, former longtime director of the Gustavus jazz program, Steve Wright. He joined the band on the trumpet.

Then came a legendary moment. An announcement that Gustavus music program alum Mike Johander ’99, and his wife Holli and their children, have established an endowment fund to support Jazz Ensemble international tours. And they named it the Dr. Steve Wright Endowment Fund for Jazz International

Touring to honor the professor emeritus.

The new fund will help student musicians with demonstrated financial need participate in future international tours. Says Johander, “My time at Gustavus was punctuated with life-changing experiences, none more impactful than the music ensemble tours. The touring experience galvanized lifelong friendships and a curiosity about the world.”

The new fund comes at a particularly special time. Says music tours manager Coleden Wedge ’20, “Students have missed out on so much these past few years. We want to give them a chance to go and perform for as many people as possible.”

After the Crooners performance,the

ensemble spent the week in Minnesota, with mini-performances, group and individual lessons and masterclasses, side-byside rehearsals, and concerts. The ensemble partnered with alumni Jonathan Grimsby ’06 at Duluth East High School and Andy Deluca ’19 at Monticello High School.

The Johander family will match any contributions to the Dr. Steve Wright Endowment Fund for Jazz International Touring up to the first $25,000 received. Contact Jennifer Vickerman ’97, gift planner, at jvickerm@gustavus.edu or 507-933-7512.

Anya Menk ’22, vocalist and pianist for the Gustavus Jazz Ensemble, performs “Sweet Georgia Brown.” Inset: Professor emeritus Steve Wright on horn.

Art and Art History

The Hillstrom Museum of Art presented the exhibition Fevzi Yazici: DARK WHITE, featuring more than 40 drawings by imprisoned Turkish journalist and artist Fevzi Yazici. Yazici, who holds a degree in graphic design from Mimar Sinan University in Istanbul,

served as the design director of the city’s Zaman newspaper until 2016. At that time, the Turkish government shuttered the paper, and Yazici and colleagues were imprisoned as part of a crackdown on freedom of the press.

Music

In April, the Gustavus Dance Company presented To Love the World Harder, with work by faculty choreographers Sarah Hauss, Jill Patterson, Melissa Rolnick, and Michele Rusinko, as well as guest choreographers Karla Grotting and Jeffrey Peterson, and students Claire Drapeau ’22 and Hannah Saunders ’22

Bruce Broughton, an American composer and 10-time Emmy winner, visited campus in February when the Gustavus Wind Orchestra performed and premiered his piece “Flourishes.” The concert revolved around the theme Drawing Inspiration

Aiming to lift up underrepresented voices, the program also featured the music of two Black composers, Omar Thomas and Sydney Guillaume; an Indigenous/First Nation composer, Brent Michael Davids; and Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo.

2022 SENIOR ART EXHIBITION

The senior art studio majors exhibition, Closing Time, will be on view at the Hillstrom Museum of Art until May 21, 2022. They are, left to right, Anna-Olivia Machado, Geneva VanWyk, Gretchen Van Ess, Hannah Reckinger, Heather Holten (back, left), Megan Aber (back, right), Gigi deGrood, Livija Shaeffer, Jennifer Stageberg, Preston Hanstad, Serena Small, Sanjeeda Shutrishna, and Sophie Seivert

Professorships THE GIFT OF

Endowed professorships bring world-class scholars devoted to teaching in their disciplines. At Gustavus, the relationships these professors build with students are a defining impact of a Gustavus education.

WE ALL KNOW THE STEREOTYPE

We see it in movies and TV shows: The oblivious professor dressed in rumpled tweeds, tucked away from the world, surrounded by shelves of books, looking down their noses at students. Professors are often seen as underworked and overpaid. And once they have tenure, there is no incentive to even update their lecture notes.

But this stereotype goes against reality, particularly at a school like Gustavus.

Studies show that professors at American colleges and universities work well over 40 hours per week. Various tasks related to teaching are at the core of a professor’s workday: preparing classes, leading sessions in the lab or classroom, grading assignments, managing course websites, meeting with students individually. This work routinely spills into the evenings or weekends.

The professor who coasts along after gaining tenure is also a myth. Surveys of faculty at all three levels—assistant, associate, and full professors—show that mid-career and senior faculty members put in longer hours than their younger colleagues. More experienced professors contribute to the management of their programs. They assess the curriculum, supervise student organizations, contribute to strategic planning, and more. Senior professors also serve in various functions outside the institution. They might edit another scholar’s article before publication; review grant proposals to national funding agencies; or serve as a consultant for organization or company.

Management professor Kathy Lund Dean, the Board of Trustees Distinguished Chair in Leadership and Ethics, offers an example of this broad engagement inside and outside the

College. “No two days are ever the same,” she says. “I spend a lot of time working with external stakeholders like alumni and community partners to help students get experience in the real world, and I spend a lot of time on research and governance. The great part is that I also get to work with my students in class and in clubs, which is the most rewarding thing.”

The broader Gustavus community supports the College’s faculty in several ways. For example, summer research fellowships for students, which also provide a stipend to their faculty mentors, give an important boost to professors’ projects.

Summers are essential for faculty members’ research work given the demands on their

Percentage of faculty members nationally agree their work is “rewarding and satisfying” 90%

ENDOWED FACULTY POSITIONS

Rev. Drell and Adeline Bernhardson Distinguished Endowed Chair of Lutheran Studies Given by Rev. Drell and Adeline Bernhardson; held by Marcia Bunge

Board of Trustees

Distinguished Endowed Chair of Leadership and Ethics Given by Gustavus Board of Trustees; held by Katherine Lund Dean

Jon and Anita Thomsen Young Distinguished Endowed Chair of Music Given by Jon

Source: Indiana University, College + University Teaching Environment Survey 2021

Ogden P. and Elizabeth Confer Endowed Professor of Entrepreneurship

Given by Ogden P. Confer and Elizabeth Confer; held by Russell Michaletz ’74

Arthur Glass, Charles Hamrum, and Arne Langsjoen Endowed Professor of Biochemistry

Given by The Bush Foundation; held by Jeffrey Dahlseid ’90

C. Charles Jackson

Endowed Professor of Finance and Accounting Given by C. Charles Jackson; held by Artur Pietka

time during the academic year. The research awards for students, such as the Johnson-Peterson Research Fellowships, have expanded the number of studentfaculty collaborations from fewer than 20 per year a decade ago to 73 in 2021. The College aims to have 100 studentfaculty collaborations on campus each summer.

Of course, the greatest source of support for the College’s professors are endowed faculty positions. Created by generous gifts from donors, the distinguished endowed chairs, endowed chairs, and endowed professorships

for students.

Endowed faculty positions also benefit the College as a whole. “The resources from these endowed positions free up funds in the College operating budget,” explains Provost Brenda Kelly. “From a budgetary standpoint, it doesn’t matter which department the endowed professorship resides in. It can indirectly support other academic programs, faculty salaries, and strategic initiatives.”

These endowed professorships also ensure that specific subjects and disciplines will remain strong in the Gustavus curriculum. Alumni and friends have invested in endowed faculty positions because they are passionate about the educational mission of the College.

An endowed faculty position is a significant investment in Gustavus. But the benefits are enormous—for the College’s financial health as well as its primary task of teaching and learning. Above all, endowed professorships are an investment in the resource that is essential to the College’s mission: its dedicated, productive, and hard-working faculty.

AN EARLY ENDOWMENT BEGINS A LEGACY

dean of the University of Oregon School of Business for 13 years. He also served as a nominator for the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences.

Lindholm’s widow, Marjorie Lindholm, reached out to Gustavus to establish the professorship at her husband’s alma mater. (The Lindholms also established an endowed professorship in taxation at the University of Oregon.) The first gifts for this professorship were made in 1994, and it was fully funded six years later.

student-faculty ratios

Carleton 8:1 Macalester 10:1 Gustavus 11:1

Concordia College 11:1 Augsburg 12:1 St. Olaf 12:1 Saint John’s 12:1 Saint Ben’s 12:1 Bethel 12:1 Hamline 13:1 St. Thomas 14:1 U of M 17:1 MSU, Mankato 22:1

source: US News

When James McPherson ’58 established an endowed professorship in American history in 2019, he gave credit to the professors who inspired him: Rodney Davis and his introductory course on European history, Doniver Lund, and English professor Gerhard Alexis.

McPherson went on to earn a doctorate at Johns Hopkins University and then spent his academic career at Princeton University, retiring in 2004. He wrote more than 20 books, including his Pulitzer Prize-winning account of the

I WISH TO HELP GUSTAVUS DO FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE STUDENTS WHAT THE COLLEGE DID FOR ME ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.”

Dr. James McPherson

Endowed Professor of American History Given by James McPherson ’58 and Patricia Rasche McPherson ’59; held by Gregory Kaster

Douglas Nimmo Endowed Professor of the Gustavus Wind Orchestra Given by Raymond Lundquist ’51 and Lorraine Lundquist; held by James Patrick Miller

Marcia Page and John Huepenbecker Endowed Professor of International Business and Entrepreneurship Given by: Marcia Page ’82 and John Huepenbecker ’80; held by Sheng Yang

Grace and Bertil Pehrson Endowed Professor of Education

Given by Grace Pehrson ’33 and Bertil Perhrson ’25 Family Holder; held by

TO ENSURE HISTORY

Civil War era, Battle Cry of Freedom, which spent weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.

In establishing an endowed professorship, McPherson sought to support the kind of mentoring he gained as a student and to ensure that teaching and learning American history would remain an important part of academic life at Gustavus.

“If we’re going to understand the world,” McPherson says, “we need to understand how it got that way.”

Raymond and Florence Sponberg Endowed Professor Given by Raymond Sponberg ’37 and Florence Sponberg H’37; held by Mimi Gerstbauer

Clifford M. Swanson

Endowed Professor of Mathematics Given by: Clifford Swanson ’32 and Dolores Swanson H’32 Held byThomas LoFaro

—Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James McPherson ’58

CONTINUING THE LEGACY, RAISING ESTEEM

On the eve of his retirement, professor Douglas Nimmo received an endowed professorship that was named for him. How did that happen, and what does it mean today? A conversation with Nimmo and his successor, James Patrick Miller

GQ: The Nimmo Endowed Professorship was created in 2013, thanks to a gift from Raymond Lundquist ’51 and Lorraine Lundquist. Doug, did you have a connection with them?

DOUG NIMMO: No. I first met them at the same time I learned about the endowment. Tom Young ’88, the Vice President for Advancement, called to invite me to the President’s house. “And bring your wife,” he said. I didn’t know at the time that he had invited our whole family. When we walked in, it was clear something was up. That was when I met Ray and Lorraine.

GQ: Not only was the new professorship named for you, you were its first holder.

DN: Yes, the understanding was that I would hold the chair in my last semester of teaching. Whoever replaced me would get the full benefits of the professorship.

JAMES PATRICK MILLER: At the same time Doug was learning about the new professorship, I was starting the interview process at Gustavus. I was on campus in early December and sat in the back of Chapel with a hat on, trying not to be recognized. I knew a lot of people at Gustavus. I didn’t want anyone to know I was interviewing. By the time the job was offered to me, the details of the professorship had been fleshed out. When I learned it was named for Doug, that made it all the more special. Doug and I have known each other for a long

time. I did a sabbatical replacement for him at Gustavus back in 2008.

GQ: The music department has two endowed professorships. (Along with the Nimmo Professorship, Brandon Dean is the Jon and Anita Thomsen Young Distinguished Endowed Chair in Music and Director of the Gustavus Choir). How meaningful are they for the music department?

JPM: The two chairs demonstrate how significant music is at Gustavus. Music has such a wonderful history here, and the band and choir are two of the oldest and most storied parts. The professorships are a visible and tangible demonstration of that legacy.

“My understanding is that Ray wanted to make the gift for the endowed professorship, but he wasn’t interested in naming it for himself. That’s the kind of person Ray is.”

—professor emeritus Douglas Nimmo on the professorship endowed by Raymond ’51 and Lorraine Lundquist

The endowed chairs also represent a real investment in music education at the College. The Nimmo Professorship provides funds to the department, which can help us purchase new music, buy instruments, or bring in guest artists. It benefits students in all three of our bands. I can’t express strongly enough how important that is.

GQ:

other colleges, how do the endowed professorships strengthen Gustavus?

DN:

Department of Music. It’s good for the music programs at other ELCA colleges to know that our department has this kind of support. It’s competitive, I suppose. But it’s also the case that we all benefit when one of us benefits.

JPM:

one of our sister colleges is struggling, we all struggle. But certainly, these professorships give Gustavus some advantages. For one, it helps me recruit students. I can tell them about the kinds of opportunities our endowed funding provides. I can talk about the digital streaming recordings we have done. I can talk about the travel and guest artists. And endowed professorships help us recruit and retain excellent faculty. The competition for talent is intense. I’ve been part of a lot of faculty searches over the last 10 years, and I can say that the candidate pools are extraordinary. In my own case, I left a research university to come to Gustavus. The professorship was not the only reason, but I would not be truthful if I said it had nothing to do with it.

the entire concert without a score. I didn’t know a person could do that!

GQ: Now that you hold the Nimmo Endowed Professorship, can you conduct without a score?

JPM: Every once in a while I will realize I haven’t turned a page for a while. It shakes me a bit, and I have to catch up. But man, Doug didn’t even have a music stand up there. That was something else.

by Motoichiro Kogure) | Victor E. Lawson Professor in Swedish Immigrant Studies (given by the estate of Philip A. Johnson) | Kyle Montague Professor in Law, Business & Public Policy (given by Gustavus Alumni, Parents, and Friends) | Ida B. and Harvey A. Ruehling Professor in Germanic Studies (given by Mrs. Harvey Ruehling)

G US TIES

Reflection, Inspection, Projection

The Gustie spirit is alive and well, and that spirit will guide our work in the coming year.

There’s no way around it: the last two years in the Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement have been challenging. Each of our lives has been significantly impacted by the change, loss, and reckoning swirling around us, and it has impacted the work of our office as well. But as we make our way toward summer, it feels as though the fog may be lifting a bit, and as such we look to the future acutely mindful of this inflection point.

As we reflect, we’re touched by how Gusties have continued to keep their classmates and friends, our current students, and the campus community in their hearts and minds as we’ve navigated these times together. Generous response to initiatives that advance the Gustavus Fund, including a Give to Gustavus Day that raised a record $545,000, made us all cheer “Gusties will shine!” This fall’s triumphant return to an in-person Homecoming was a smash, and classes that have missed reunions in 2020 and 2021 have hung tough as many of them look to join folks returning to campus for Reunion Weekend 2022. Volunteers have leaned into their roles and have energized their fellow Gusties to gather, connect, and give.

As we inspect, we’ve noticed that folks have changed some of their habits and expectations for their relationships with the College, and they expect us to change, too. Many of you shared valuable feedback on the 2021 Alumni Survey, and it’s clear that the introspection that COVID-19 brought to our lives gave Gusties time and space to think about what matters most. Thankfully, for many of you, maintaining your Gustavus

connections and engaging with the life of the College continues to be a priority, which is something we don’t take for granted.

As a result, we project into the future, poised to adapt to your evolving needs as we seek to ensure that your relationship with Gustavus adds value to your life while providing value to our community. Lifelong learning. Life-giving experiences. Connection to today’s Gusties. Mutually beneficial relationships. And convenient, sustained giving opportunities that inspire your vital contributions to the financial health of the College. In some ways, we’re at a crossroads. You’re looking to us to deliver an approach to gathering, connecting, and giving that’s adaptive to the changes underfoot. And we graciously accept that challenge.

And so, we forge ahead. It’s All of Us for All of Gustavus! Thanks for all that you do to make that statement as true today as it’s ever been.

Go Gusties! Angela and Nicole

Mark your calendars for The Great Gustie Gathering: Homecoming 2022 on Saturday, October 8. We promise there’ll be something for everyone to enjoy!

Nicole Swanson Director of the Gustavus Fund

Angela Erickson ’01 Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement

CLASS NEWS and information to be included in the Alumni section of the Quarterly should be sent to: Office 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

SUMMER FUN FOR GUSTIES

Celebrate the long days and warm nights with your fellow classmates and alumni. Let’s get together, Gusties!

REUNION WEEKEND: JUNE 3–5, 2022

Pre-registration open until May 31; walk-up registration also available. $160 for full weekend (includes all meals, activities, parking, and swag bag); $50 for individual half-days; housing also available. It’s an on-campus weekend just for alumni, when you’ll have the campus all to yourself. Enjoy dinners, bonfires, lifelong learning with Gustavus professors and alumni subject-matter experts, a 5K in the Arb, movies in Wallenberg, disco in the new Laboratory Theatre, alumni choir, and much, much more. And all with your Gustie family—those you’ve known for years and those you’ll meet for the first time!

GUSTAVUS NIGHT WITH THE TWINS

Tuesday, August 16, 6:40 p.m. Twins vs. Kansas City Royals $26-$107 per ticket

Join fellow alumni, parents, and friends at Target Field for a Twins game! This special package includes your ticket and an exclusive Gustavus/Twins hat! The night will also include an honorary first pitch by a distinguished alum, fun on-camera opportunities for members of the Gustavus community, and more. A portion of each ticket purchased through this special package will support the Gustavus Alumni Association.

For more, visit twinsbaseball.com/gustavus.

2021–22 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael Bussey ’69, (president) senior consultant, Donor by Design Group, LLC

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

Esther Mulder Widmalm-Delphonse ’08, (secretary) attorney, trial attorney, United States Department of Labor

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 Schueffner Borgendale ’06, managerrecruiting, inclusion and diversity, Fredrikson and Byron, P.A.

Jen Brandenburg ’02, Clinical Pharmacist, Pediatric Home Service

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

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

Todd Krough ’85, senior investment officer, Tealwood Asset Management

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

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

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

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

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

Alissa Fahrenz Rowley ’13, analyst, 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

Heritage

Gusties of the 1980s will fondly—or perhaps not so fondly, depending on the semester—recall this computer lab in the basement of the Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library. You may remember the staccato of the dot matrix printer, entire areas devoted to microfilm and VHS tapes, the smell of the card catalog drawers. Times have changed. Today’s library is less physical and more accessible. Gusties can use many of its resources anywhere there’s internet. “Our budget has been taken over by electronic resources,” says librarian and faculty member Michelle Twait ’98. Now, this room is a classroom, with tables for the laptop you bring yourself. The building turns 50 this fall.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS for A Royal A air, A Gustie Gala you and your friends won’t want to miss. Food, drinks, music, dancing, and an auction—all to support access to learning for students, faculty, and sta of Gustavus through scholarships and the Gustavus Library Associates Endowment Fund. More than $500,000 was raised in 2019. Saturday, Nov. 12. JW Marriott Hotel—Mall of America. Tickets available now: gustavus.edu/ royala air

MY GUSTAVUS

Jamesetta Newland ’72 Nursing Major

My mother was a nurse’s aide in our Baptist church in Rockford, Ill., and I was so proud of her in her white uniform and nurse’s cap on Sunday mornings. I had no interest in attending a Lutheran school like Gustavus. In high school, I threw away all the Gustavus recruitment materials.

There were three hospital diploma programs in Rockford, but my guidance counselor emphatically stated, “You are going to a college and earn a bachelor’s degree.” She strongly recommended that I look at Gustavus. My mother agreed to let me and my younger sister travel 12 hours by Greyhound bus to Gustavus, which was quite an adventure. What stuck with me was the beauty of the countryside and the calm I felt while on the campus. I joined the Class of ’72 and have never regretted that decision.

I entered considering myself a Christian and a person of faith. After taking the required religion and other liberal arts courses, my world view expanded exponentially. I understood the complexity of life and appreciated the diversity of individuals, including myself.

in a learning environment was not a big adjustment for me. What amazed me was how little

The high school I attended was 98 percent white, so being one of very few Black students in a learning environment was not a big adjustment for me. What amazed me was how little my white classmates knew about Black people. “Is your skin brown because you drink co ee?” I chalked it up to having never been exposed. With many of these inquisitive classmates, I developed lasting friendships.

I also engaged with the Black Student Organization. With all the injustices and fighting for basic civil rights during the late ’60s, this group was a safe haven where Black students could relax, vent, and do things familiar to Black culture. A group of us girls would often get together and sing gospel songs; one person played the piano. We had our own Baptist church!

Being a nursing major was a protected and nurtured cohort. We supported each other and developed deep bonds in Mattson Hall and at Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul. As clinical professor emerita at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing, with long career in nursing and teaching nursing students, I am really cognizant of what it takes to prepare a competent nursing professional. I received an excellent education at Gustavus.

More than a servant When she was newly graduated, “Nursing was thought of as a calling,” Newland says. “I do not view myself as a servant anymore. Nursing is so much more than that.” Gustavus nurses are well-suited for this multifaceted profession, distinguished by their liberal arts education.

"I HAVE OFTEN TOLD PEOPLE THAT THE FOUR YEARS I SPENT AT GUSTAVUS ARE THE ONLY YEARS OF MY LIFE I WOULD BE WILLING TO REPEAT."

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Rodney Hokenson, Kalamazoo, MI, is living in an independent living community, still serving as a lector at church, and writing articles and playlets.

the Osakis Medical Center.

Sue Schreiber Kear, Cary, NC, is a self-employed private tutor.

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REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Mary Kendall Dick, Edina, continues singing and teaching private voice lessons in her home.

Jane Chelgren

McFadden, Groveport, OH, while retired, is still writing music for handbells and other instruments, and serving as assistant organist and choir accompanist at her Lutheran church.

REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Laurie Gustafson Burg, Saint Peter, has been working at Traverse des Sioux Garden Center since her retirement as associate principal at Saint Peter High School.

named a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences. He is a distinguished toxicologist at Medtronic.

Todd A. Schmidt, Jonesboro, GA, is an orthopedic surgeon with OrthoAtlanta and is the chairman of the Board of the Piedmont Healthcare System in Georgia.

Kelli Mork, Victoria, is a gifted services facilitator for Eastern Carver County Schools.

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Janet Olson Green, Bloomington, is still painting watercolors.

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Deanna Nelson, Raleigh, NC, is still running her company, Biolink Life Sciences, Inc. She is president and a chief scientific officer, working to prevent and cure chronic diseases.

Bonita Barnes Eliason, St. Paul, retired in 2013 as the section chief, division of ecological and water resources from Minnesota Departments of Natural Resources.

Paul Hoff, Itoh, Japan, is a business development director for Scientific Beta.

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John Pearson, Lindsborg, KS, was recognized by Bethany College for his years as a Bethany Oratorio Society chorus member as well as the coordinator of the Messiah Festival Radio Network and two times as public TV national telecast coordinator.

REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Steve Maurer, Minnetonka, retired as senior counsel at Digi International in June 2021.

Bruce D. Jaeger, Fort Myers, FL, is retired from his work as an independent flight instructor and interior aircraft refurbishing business.

REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Janet Rice Jaeger, Fort Myers, FL, is a retired legal nurse consultant.

Jim Gilbert, Waconia, has been named the Service Above Self recipient by the Waconia Carver West Rotary Club and was honored at a dinner in January.

Steve Hanson, Bloomington, retired as a family practitioner at

REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Steve J. Bakk, Naples, FL, is a retired assistant vice president for Thrivent Financial.

Lars Lagerman, Phoenix, AZ, is an attorney with the law firm of Snell and Wilmer.

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Susan Borden Lagerman, Phoenix, AZ, is the president of the Arizona Trail Association.

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Mark Helgeland, Thief River Falls, is serving as an interim pastor at Zion Lutheran Church.

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Michelle Olson Hartman, Bradenton, FL, has retired after 45 years as an RN and 36 years as a certified registered nurse anesthetist.

John Trawick, La Mesa, CA, is a senior research fellow at Genomatica.

79 | Kelly Coleman, Minneapolis, has been

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Scott Dee , Alexandria, was the recipient of the 2022 Pork Industry Distinguished Service Award. He is Director of Research for Pipestone Applied Research.

Tom Mobeck, Chaska, retired from quality assurance IT at Prudential.

Daniel R. Thorson, Reno, NV, has retired as treasurer of Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.

REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Tim R. Holland, Owatonna, has been practicing dentistry for 30 years at Holland Family Dental and is currently the president elect of the Minnesota Dental Association, a 3,000 member association.

Autumn Rilling Hilger, Athol, ID, is a nurse administrator at A Compassionate In-Home Care, LLC in Coeur d'Alene.

Mary Davis Mobeck, Chaska, retired as an elementary teacher at Eastern Carver County Schools.

Dwight Rudquist, Lindstrom, is a pastor at First Evangelical Lutheran Church.

REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Terry Haley, Lakeville, is teaching at Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District.

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Tim Carter, Minneapolis, has been named chief financial officer of Piper Sandler Companies.

Fran Simpson, Truman, completed 32 years teaching high school English at the Southern Plains Area Learning Center in Fairmont.

REUNION YEAR visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Maret Freeman, Portland, ME, is a business development director at Maximus.

Tiana Bey, Derwood, MD, is an attorney/ associate with the law firm of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP in Washington, DC.

Rebecca Schweppe, Denver, CO, has been named director of the Cancer Biology Graduate Program at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.

Kirk Reierson, Loretto, is a director of software engineering at Sleep Number.

96|Carmen Blair, Fremont, CA, is the deputy director of the San Mateo County Historical Association.

Michelle Baker Newman, New Prague, has been promoted to vice president, human resources at Post Consumer Brands in Lakeville.

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visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Ericka Busby Atkinson, Rosemount, is a pharmacist at SpartanNash.

Sara Williams Balster, Middleton, WI, is a project manager at University of Wisconsin Health in Madison.

Sara Bergan, Minneapolis, is an attorney for Stoel Rives LLP.

Corey J. Bloom, Bend, OR, is the principal product development lead at Lonza.

transactions partner and director of central south entrepreneur of the year for Ernst and Young.

Judy Hensley, Queensbury, NY, is an attorney/partner with Roberts & Holland, LLP.

Joleen Hubbard, Rochester, is an associate professor of oncology; Vice-Chair Division of Medical Oncology at Mayo Clinic.

Ellen Higginbotham Ruiters, Minneapolis, is self-employed with Ellen Christine Consulting, preparing teams for pitches and presentations and nonprofits who want to grow.

Anna Lenz Sammelson, Muncie, IN, is an employee at Ball State University.

Beltrami County.

Matt Lunning, Omaha, NE, has been named assistant vice chancellor for clinical research at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Kim Bangstad Anders, Shakopee, is the franchise owner of Escapology Escape Games in Burnsville.

Heather Duggan Anderson, Canby, OR, is teaching art at Baker Prairie Middle School.

Katie Anderson, Portland, OR, is a youth services librarian for the Washington County Cooperative Library Services.

Tim Armato, Minneapolis, is the senior user experience architect at One10 Inc.

Prinna Lundquist Boudreau, Eden Prairie, is a senior technical writer, enterprise information security at Optum.

Kathy Chillstrom, Minneapolis, is a regional operations manager at Stride Inc.

Lars Ericson, Columbia, MD, is a program manager at Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) within the Office of National Intelligence.

Sheila Tanata Eyler, Waynesboro, PA, is a project leader at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

Travis Garms, Houston, TX, is

Joel Jensen, Minneapolis, is a professor of philosophy at North Hennepin Community College.

Amy Herbert Leval, Solna, Sweden, is a medical lead of vaccines at Johnson and Johnson Pharmaceuticals.

Sarah Ulwelling Nguyen, Rochester, is a special education teacher at Century High School in the Rochester Public School system.

Molly Haigh Nystuen, Minneapolis, is senior director, NA Indirect Sourcing, at General Mills.

Kristi Petersen Paulsen, Eagan, is a principal analyst at HealthPartners in Bloomington.

THE GILYARD PETERSON SCHOLARSHIP

In honor of his friend, Scott Gilyard ’83, who died of leukemia in 2021, Tim Peterson ’83 has created the Gilyard Peterson Scholarship. A partnership between Gustavus and the Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, it provides funding to selected Gustavus students to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship.

Chosen students will be immersed in research opportunities, gaining valuable experience in the lab and working closely with Mayo mentors on research projects.

A Gustavus biology major, Gilyard was president of the United Health Group division of Medco Health Solutions before retiring in 2014. Peterson founded Regiment Capital Advisors in 1999 after a decade at Harvard University’s endowment. He also retired in 2014.

Kate Blanchard Shiroff, Denver, CO, is a performance audit manager for the Colorado State Auditor's Office.

Emily Sanvick Thompson, Chisago City, is a middle school Spanish teacher at North Lakes Academy in Forest Lake.

Mark Tomforde, Colorado Springs, CO, is an associate professor of mathematics at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

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Craig A. Pladson, Saint Louis Park, is managing principal at Craig Pladson, LLC, an independent marketing consultancy. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Minnesota.

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Sara Sorenson Quale, Chaska, is vice president at Innovative Insurance Services LLC.

02|REUNION YEAR

visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Brian Bergstrom, Brookings, SD, has been named head football coach for Winona State University.

Katie Erickson Gustafson, Stillwater, is an attorney for

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Joanie Preiner Jeffrey, Eden Prairie, is the assistant principal at Seven Hills Preparatory Academy.

Lyle White, Saint Paul, is the marketing director at Ecolab.

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Andrew Bennett, Hastings, NE, is a research assistant in the computer science field at the University of Florida, Gainesville.

Linnea Bjorkman, Wheat Ridge, CO, has started her own small business offering bilingual yoga, food-gardening education, and workshops on meaningful gathering called Whole Root Wonder.

Steve Chismar, Plymouth, is a risk advisor for North Risk Partners in Mendota Heights.

Jessica Prody, Saint Paul, is the interim Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Cultures for Minneapolis College.

Melissa Brasel Schmitz, Chisago City, is a client relationship manager for SS&C Market Services.

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Peter D. Hughes, Plymouth, finished his residency in anesthesiology at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and is now practicing with Allina Health System.

Aren Jodock, Loveland, OH, is an engineer for Honeywell.

Matt Swenson, Minneapolis, has been recognized by the

Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal as a 40 Under 40 honoree. The magazine recognizes young business leaders in the Twin Cities for their exceptional professional accomplishments while also contributing to their communities. Matt is the director of CEO communications at Cargill, Inc.

and is on the teaching faculty for the University of Minnesota Center for Spirituality and Healing.

Samuel Paulson, Apple Valley, is a product sales specialist manager for Kibble Equipment.

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REUNION YEAR

Jason Cook, Waconia, is a healthcare economic consultant at United Healthcare.

Tom Einberger, Cottage Grove, is a field scientist for Braun Intertec Corporation in Minneapolis.

Allie Schwab Johnson, Bloomington, is a registered nurse at Fairview Southdale Hospital.

Tom Johnson, Minneapolis, is a senior software consultant of Daugherty Business Solutions in Bloomington.

Heidi M. Pontinen, Brooklyn Park, received her PhD in clinical psychology from Wichita State University and is completing a one-year postdoc at Marquette University.

Eydie Kramer, Waconia, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Minnesota.

Ryan Schultz, New York, NY, works in corporate development for Resolution Life.

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Michael J. Johnson, Saint Peter, is a social studies teacher and assistant football coach at Mankato West High School.

visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

Vickie Ektnitphong, Farmers Branch, TX, is a research associate at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She is currently working to develop small-airway and alveolus lung-on-a-chip models for mycobacteria tuberculosis.

Todd M. Kremmin, Minnetonka, is a geologist professional associate at Jacob’s Engineering.

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Ryan Dobbs, Chicago, IL, is an attending urologist at Cook County Health.

Hannah Erickson, Plymouth, is an art teacher at Providence Academy.

Amanda George Klaers, Champlin, is a senior talent acquisitions manager, strategy & operations for Target.

Kiersten Supina Oseland, Lino Lakes, is a customer accounts specialist at Land O'Lakes Inc. in Arden Hills.

Mallory Richards Schmidt, Plymouth, is a teacher at St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

Zeb Zacharias, Coralville, IA, is the director of the human immunology core at the University of Iowa.

Lydia M. Francis, Minneapolis, who works at The Guthrie Theater and is a visiting assistant professor at Gustavus, behind the scenes in the Guthrie Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol.

Tom Greiner, Bozeman, MT, is an account executive for Alosant.

Brian Krahulec, Chicago, IL, is a high school mathematics teacher.

Zach Lundquist, Byron, is working as an educational specialist for the Mayo Clinic.

Brady L. Skaff, Grand Forks, ND, is the human resources manager for Minnkota Power Cooperative.

Andrew Valen, Hugo, works in sales for Astrup Companies.

Kate Haglund Valen, Hugo, is an occupational therapist for Odom Rehab.

10| REUNION YEAR

visit gustavus.edu/alumni for more information

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REUNION YEAR

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Taylor M. Fish, Victoria, is a partner with Camino Capital.

Emma Foley-Beaver, Boston, MA, is a senior manager of global clinical services at Intelligent Medical Objects.

Katie Schroeder Greiner, Bozeman, MT, is a high school math teacher at Gallatin High School.

Steve Groskreutz, Brownsburg, IN, is the senior research scientist at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis.

Allyson Hannemann Guidinger, Woodbury, is an agile champion at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in Brooklyn Park.

Renee Guittar, Saint Paul, is a dance teacher at Ashley Ballet Arts Academy. She also is an actress and choreographer at various venues in the Twin Cities including The Ordway, The Guthrie, and Chanhassen Dinner Theater.

Liz Shay Martin, Minneapolis, is a supervisor of learning systems at Allina Health.

Danika Anastasi Menard, Hugo, is a district director of operations and sales at New Perspective Senior Living.

Elizabeth Nadeau, New Richmond, WI, is a mortgage processor for New American Funding.

Maren Lodge Price, San Fransisco, CA, is a marketing manager at Revation Systems.

John Schmidt, Minneapolis, is a senior research and development engineer for Medtronic.

Erin Simon, Minneapolis, is director of program operations at East Side Learning Center in Saint Paul.

Kelly O’Brien Paisar, Minneapolis, is an RN program manager for University of Minnesota Physicians

Alicia Alvarado Bodie, Crystal, is an optometrist at Eye Care Center.

Katie Ness Breckner, Minneapolis, is an HR supervisor at Boulay.

Tom Jaede, Minneapolis, is a software engineer for DisasterAWARE Enterprises.

Alaina Ramsburg Johnson, Minneapolis, is director of corporate responsibility at Target Corporation.

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Rush Benson, Saint Paul, performed in the Guthrie Theater’s production of A Christmas Carol.

Caitlin Bayer, Saint Paul, is a senior people business partner with Slalom.

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Beth Wiese Oishi, Rochester, is the senior research regulatory analyst for Mayo Clinic.

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Courtney Castleberry, Saint Paul, is a program manager for CreateMPLS.

Haley Coller, New York, NY, is a business consultant for Ernst & Young.

Eric J. Hanson, Montreal, Canada, has completed his PhD in mathematics from Brandeis University and is pursuing a postdoc in mathematics at the University of Quebec.

Chad Poppen, Chaska, is a tax consultant for Deloitte Tax Llp.

Amanda Wentworth Nygard, Saint Louis Park, received a doctorate of nursing practice from the University of Minnesota in May 2021 and is a psychiatric nurse practitioner at The Emily Program.

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Alissa Hoffman, Chaska, is a 6th grade teacher and high school girls’ soccer coach for New Prague Area Schools.

Brady Kelley, Eagan, is an agent for New York Life Insurance Company.

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Maria Pazandak, Lacy, WA, is a fisheries biologist at Ocean Associates, Inc.

Thanh Binh Pham, Austin, TX, is a program manager for product operations at Anaplan.

Clay Man Soo, Minneapolis, performed in the Guthrie Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol.

Jonathan Bovee, Farmington, a first-year diving coach for Kennedy High School in Bloomington, led his team to the state finals. Jonathan also works as a sales service assistant for Valmont Industries, Inc.

Daniella Habib, Providence, RI, is a general operations assistant for Providence County Superior Court.

Katie Weiland, Zumbrota, is youth director at Lands Lutheran Church and in the fall will begin classes at Luther Seminary.

Jason Opsal ’04 and Molly Yokiel ’13, 09/25/21, Minnetonka.

Jillian Hiscock ’05 and Megan Slater, 09/18/21, Saint Paul.

Luke Boline ’07 and Annie Moynihan, 6/26/21, Minneapolis.

Maren Magsam ’07 and Andrew Lendway, 7/24/21, Eagan.

Amanda George ’09 and Andrew Klaers ’09, 12/31/21, Champlin.

Megan Allen ’15 and Kyle Dickenson, 06/28/21, Duluth.

Elizabeth Wiese ’15 and Tatsuya Oishi, 09/25/21, Rochester.

Callyn Woodley ’15 and Daniel Bradt ’14, 08/28/21, Saint Louis Park.

Tessa Semerad ’17 and Erik Johnson ’17, 09/25/21, Otsego.

KNOW SOMEONE WHO WOULD MAKE A GREAT GUSTIE?

There is a $4,000 scholarship waiting if you recommend them.

High school students who choose Gustavus under the endorsement of an alum receive a scholarship. It's that simple. Even better, now you can refer juniors AND seniors, and we'll award them the scholarship as part of their financial aid package after they apply during thir senior year.

How do you refer someone? Go to gustavus.edu/alumni/referral, or call 507-933-7676.

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Nicole Meyer, Saint Michael, is part of the scene staff at The Guthrie Theatre.

Alexandra Kopp ’17 and Samuel Majka ’17, 10/18/19, Minneapolis.

Claire Gabler ’17 and Joseph Vajgrt ’17, 08/19/21, Soldotna, AK.

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Susan Cook, Arlington, VA, is a hostess for MattelAmerican Girl.

Ava Gross, Pelican Rapids, is the communications coordinator for Saint Paul Urban Tennis.

Ingrid Kubisa, Hopkins, is a research, advocacy and education assistant for The Advocates for Human Rights.

Jacqui Miller, Isanti, is a behavior technician II for Caravel Autism Health.

Quincy Yangh, Saint Paul, is a Fulbright Scholar and Doris Duke Conservation Scholar with the Bureau of Education and Cultural Affairs, U.S. Department of State.

WEDDINGS

Michael Parvey ’67 and Nancy Joseph, 07/21/19, Eaton, OH.

Emily Weltzin ’17 and Ian Decker ’15, 10/17/21, Roseville.

Kristen Matthews ’18 and Derek Durst, 11/20/21, Hutchinson.

Elena Gottlick ’19 and Matthew Ouren ’19, 07/17/21, Chicago, IL.

BIRTHS

Max, to Sheralyn McClelland ’97 and Eric Berggren ’95, in July 2020.

Greta, to Jake Hagedorn ’01 and M J Bach, in January 2022 Loren, to Christie Aase ’05 and Bryan Aase, in September 2021 Charlotte, to Kim Hardy ’05 and Joshua Hardy, in June 2021 Adora, to Becky Kuehl Hybbert ’05 and Adam Hybbert, in October 2021

Asher, to Seth Richtsmeier ’05 and Jennifer Johnson Richtsmeier, in July 2020

Referrals must be received and students must apply by November 1 of their senior year of high school to be eligible. They must choose to attend by May 1, 2023. (Note: Students with immediate family members who have graduated from Gustavus are instead awarded a Gustavus Legacy Scholarship.)

Since the program’s inception in 2016, hundreds of high school students have become Gusties under your endorsement and with our financial aid help. Thank you for helping us shape the future of Gustavus by finding the best and brightest young people to join our community.

Lettie, to Melissa Schmitz ’05 and Jason Schmitz, in September 2021

Feliks, to Elsa Cherner ’06 and Dmitri Cherner, in November 2021 Morgan, to Natasha Auer ’07 in March 2021

Liam, to Mike Cicchese ’07 and Marissa Cicchese, in May 2021 Handley, to Ashley Henningsgaard Hendrikson ’07 and Nickolas Hendrikson ’01, in September 2021

William, to Becky Steiner Petermeier ’07 and William Petermeier, in April 2020 Wesley, to Lindsay Kaufmann Phillips ’07 and Jerald Phillips ’07, in October 2019

Marshall, to Amanda George Klaers ’09 and Andrew Klaers ’09, in December 2020

Rory, to Elise Biewen Schmidt ’11 and Jonathan Schmidt ’11, in September 2019

Walden, to Brady Skaff ’11 and Erin Randall Skaff, in November 2021

Trey, to Andrew Valen ’11 and Kate Haglund Valen ’11, in September 2021

Franklin, to Elizabeth Nadeau ’12 and Chris Dickison, in September 2019

Twins, Calvin and Eleanor, to Kari Peirson Rasmussen ’13 and Seth Rasmussen, in January 2022 Ryder, to Lauren Rothschiller Reed ’13 and Anthony Reed ’10, in May 2021

IN MEMORIAM

Theda Benson Olson ’43, Manitoba, Canada, on 11/3/21. A piano teacher, organist and choir director at each of the places she lived, she is survived by four sons and a sister, Donna Benson Barnett ’50.

Robert Bingea ’46, St. Paul, on 1/26/22. He was a Lutheran pastor for more than 60 years serving parishes in Ellsworth and Waukesha, WI and is survived by three children.

Elizabeth “Betty” Westrom Skold ’49, on 1/25/22. A wife and mother, she is survived by four children including Carol Skold Uecker ’67, Jeffrey Skold ’70, and Thomas Skold ’81.

Ruth Thor Anderson ’50, Portland, OR, on 10/30/21. She was a nurse and nurse educator at Regional Occupational Center in Los Angeles. She is survived by her husband, Dale, and two children.

Gladys Halonen Kariniemi ’50, Cokato, on 11/7/21. A wife and mother, she is survived by ten children and their families.

Paul Nakamura ’51, Torrance, CA, on 11/11/21. A U.S. Army veteran, and pastor for the Lutheran Oriental Church in Torrance, he is survived by his wife, Kikuno, and two children.

Virginia Business Peters ’51, Temple, TX, on 11/7/21. She had a lengthy career in nursing and is survived by three sons and two sisters, including Dorothy Busness Dahl ’50.

Carol Schwanenberg Price ’51, Long Beach, CA, on 1/11/22. A wife and mother, she worked various jobs including payroll clerk,

bookkeeper and cashier. Two children survive her.

Marjorie Knips Eggen ’53, Lake Zurich, IL, on 11/16/21. A former schoolteacher and librarian, she is survived by her three children.

Alma Langsjoen Halverson ’53, Georgetown, TX, on 11/25/21. She was a wife, mother and held various jobs, including hostess, administrative assistant, and clothing shop owner. She is the last of the legendary Nels Langsjoen family and is survived by her six children.

Darrel D. Anderson ’56, Sioux Falls, SD, on 12/10/21. He had a long career with State Farm as an insurance agent and is survived by four children.

Beverly Matson Gustafson ’56, Saint Peter, on 1/8/22. She worked as an adjunct music professor at Gustavus and as an administrative assistant/lexicographer for Linguistic Technologies, Inc. Bev is survived by her husband, Donald Gustafson ’55, and three children.

Andrea Fogelberg Luedtke ’56, Fairmont, on 1/14/22. A wife and mother, she worked as a travel agent and on the family farm and is survived by four children.

Mary Dahlquist Ross ’56, Minneapolis, on 11/14/21. She worked as a physical therapist for Northwestern Hospital and is survived by her two daughters including Rebecca Ross Kelly ’84, and a brother Samuel Dahlquist ’61.

Patsy Truhn Schumacher ’57, Ventura, CA, on 12/14/21. A former kindergarten schoolteacher for over 20 years with the Pleasant Valley School District, two children survive her.

Alan E. Carlson ’58, Rochester, on 1/14/22. An Army veteran, Alan had a 44-year career in the family petroleum business Pennock Oil Company, as well as two other businesses in Willmar and later owned and managed a resort in Spicer. He is survived by his wife, Jeanette Reinke Carlson ’59, and four daughters including Nancy Carlson McCoy ’89.

Wanda Heuer Johnson ’58, Bemidji, on 12/20/21. A wife, mother and volunteer, she is survived by her four children including Mark Johnson ’81 and Gregg Johnson ’90.

James T. Haapala ’58, Dassel, on 1/8/22. His career was in agronomy working all aspects of production, research and wholesale for various companies and is survived by two children.

Deane D. Nelson ’59 on 8/22/21. He was psychologist and owner of his own management consultant firm, Nelson Associates. He is survived by his wife, Lois Anderson Nelson ’60, and two sons.

Charlotte Benjamin Schoen ’60, Hastings, on 11/14/21. She worked for over 40 years as a registered nurse, infection preventionist, and utilization manager at Regina Hospital in Hastings and is survived by her three children.

Muriel E. Woods ’60, Boulder, CO, on 1/5/22. She had an extensive career as a librarian with the Community College of Denver System and is survived many cousins and friends.

Janice Berntson Davick ’61, Rochester, on 10/28/21. A wife, mother and volunteer at Happiness Is Gift Shop; two children survive her.

Walter Childers ’61, Osseo, on 12/15/21. He was a Korean War veteran and spent the majority of his career teaching at Bloomington Jefferson High School and coaching soccer. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Childers, and five children.

David W. Linne ’61, Edina, on 11/19/21. He was a former schoolteacher for the St. Louis Park School District and is survived by his wife, Jean Linne, and two sons.

Lawrence Hedlin ’63, Altoona, IA, on 11/2/21. A U.S. Marine veteran, he worked for Monsanto Company before starting his own business, Hedlin Ag enterprises. He is survived by his wife, Vicki Krenik Hedlin ’64, two daughters, and three brothers, Myron ’66, Vernon ’72 and David ’74.

Donald A. Fogal ’64, Wheat Ridge, CO, on 12/18/21. A decorated Vietnam Navy veteran, having served as a fighter pilot and retiring as a lieutenant colonel. He later became an airline pilot for Continental Airlines and is survived by two children and their mother, Barbara Hayden Nelson ’65.

Todd Heimdahl ’64, St. Paul, on 1/8/22. A marathon runner, respected artist and art teacher at Minneapolis Community and Technical College, he is survived by his wife Carole, and two sons.

Susan Hansen Rohloff ’64, Grand Rapids, on 11/2/21. She worked in nursing all her career, first in hospitals and later as instructor at Itasca Community College until her retirement. She is survived by her husband, Dick Rohloff ’65, three sons and two siblings.

Barbara Mutch Zittrer ’64, Winchester, VA on 11/28/21. She worked as an educator, artist and Guitar shop owner and is survived by two sisters.

Victoria Burleson Williamson ’65, Chicago, on 11/8/21. She was a wife and mother and is survived by three children.

John H. Pederson ’66, Minneapolis, on 11/6/21. A Vietnam Army veteran in Army Intelligence, he worked most of his career as an administrator of Hennepin County’s Public Defenders Office. He is survived by his wife Judy and a daughter.

Robert J. Fox ’67, Rochester, on 1/18/22. A Vietnam Army veteran, he is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and two sons.

Barbara Kay Nelson Larson ’67, on 12/12/21. She had a 40-year career as a registered nurse at North Memorial Hospital and is survived by her husband, Gary Larson ’67, and two children.

John Ondov ’69, Minneapolis, on 17/7/21. He was an English teacher/theater director at Lindberg High School, later working in film, at Points of Light Foundation and the Class Act program at Itasca Community College. He is survived by his wife, Debbie, and two daughters.

Susan K. Johnson ’71, Ottumwa, IA, on 12/6/21. She was an elementary music teacher and taught piano in Sigourney, IA, and is survived by a brother.

Adolph Ojard ’71, Reynolds Lake Oconee, GA on 12/30/21. He had a career as general manager of the DM & IR and Great Lakes Fleet and then as the executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. He is survived by his wife, Leigh Ann Goerts Ojard and two daughters.

Gerald A. Branes ’74, Lamar, CO, on 11/20/21. He had a long career as a dentist and owner of Gerald Branes DDS, and is survived by his wife Julie, two children, and two step-children.

Kay Kassube Hytjan ’74, Park City, UT, on 12/11/21. She served as educational coordinator/instructor for the University of Wyoming in Casper before moving on to sales and was regional sales manager for Dade Behring and Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. She is survived by her husband Jim Hytjan ’72, and two children.

Candice L. Anderson ’76, Ellenton, FL, on 1/14/22. She worked in nursing and nursing administration her whole career and is survived by cousins.

Terri Novak Delebo ’77, Lincoln, NE, on 12/11/21. She taught English for 40 years, mostly at Lakeville High School, and was active in drama and singing in various choirs. She is survived by her husband, John, and two sons.

Kurt Haroldson ’79, New Ulm on 8/11/21. He was a former wildlife research biologist for the Minnesota Department of Natural

Resources and survived by his mother, Lois, his former wife, Barb, and two children.

Richard Lundquist ’79, Normal, IL, on 12/17/21. He had a lengthy career in retail management and retail service in central Illinois. A sister survives him.

Patrick Kerrigan ’82, Northfield, on 11/8/21. He worked in hunger and relief and climate activism and is survived by his wife, Mary Laurel True, a stepdaughter, and three siblings.

Scott Gilyard ’83, Corcoran, on 11/15/21. Scott had a career in healthcare and served as president of the United Health Group division of Medco Health Solutions. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Pearson Gilyard ’85, three children including Brita Gilyard Erickson ’11 and Anders Gilyard ’17, his parents, and a sister.

Nicole Woods Apodaca ’90, Alexandria, on 11/29/21. She worked as a para at Alexandria High School and at Mount Carmel Bible Camp, working with kids with disabilities. She is survived by her husband, Roger Apodaca, a daughter, her mother, her father, and a brother.

Stephen Molen ’90, Howey in the Hills, FL, on 11/19/21. He worked for a time as a tennis pro, followed by a long career in financial services with American Express and Thrivent Financial. He is survived by his three children and his mother.

Amy Brucker ’91, Redwood City, CA on 12/16/21. An ordained Interfaith minister, she was a selfemployed spiritual counselor and

REMEMBERING BERNARD BIDELMAN (former faculty) Bernard Bidelman, former Faculty, Mankato, on 1/19/22. An Air Force veteran, he later received his bachelors, master’s and PhD in social science education from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana and began teaching at Ball State. He came to Gustavus in 1971 teaching classes in the social sciences, and later at Saint Peter High School, retiring in 2004. He is survived by his wife, Pam Bidelman, and two daughters.

REMEMBERING DALE HAACK (former staff)

Dale A. Haack, former staff, Saint Peter, on 2/5/22. A U.S. Army veteran serving as a combat engineer, he later went to South Dakota State University in Brookings for engineering and worked as a project engineer, later switching to a position at the University of Minnesota Morris as physical plant director. In June 1973, he became director of buildings and grounds at Gustavus Adolphus College and worked until his retirement in 1992. Dale is survived by his wife, Barbara, and three children.

business coach and is survived by her partner, Scott Porter, her mother, Shelley Bowell Kosmo ’68, father, step-father, and seven siblings including Sara Brucker Ferguson ’94.

Treska Denson Denysenko ’95, Valparaiso, IN, on 8/19/21. She worked as a disaster operations specialist for USAID and is survived by her husband, Nicholas Denysenko, a daughter, her mother and a brother.

Matthew Lieser ’05, New Ulm, on 12/27/21. He was an internal medicine physician and hospitalist at the New Ulm Medical Center

and is survived by his wife, Andrea Busch Lieser ’06, three children, and his parents.

Kari M. Den Otter ’05, Sioux Falls, SD, on 1/22/21. She worked for several non-profits in the DC area, most recently taking a position with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra as director of development. She is survived by her mother, and two brothers.

Adeline Asleson , former staff, Mankato, on 12/2/21. She had a long career with several telephone companies and was a part time switchboard operator at Gustavus for nine years. She

is survived by her son, Brian Asleson ’77.

Daniel P. Boehlke, former staff, New Ulm, on 11/15/21. A computer programmer, he was hired by Gustavus to build the College's information technology system and led the networking of the College’s fiber optics. He later worked as a consultant and senior engineer for several companies. He is survived by his wife, Sandra Boehlke, four children, his parents, and three brothers.

GUSTIES GATHER

1. Phil Carlson ’68 hosted a holiday luncheon at Club Mendakota in St. Paul. L to r: Ted Zinner ’69, Dick Peterson ’68, John Menge ’66, Marlin Rudebusch ’68, Blake Shelton ’69, Dave Olson ’68, Keith Witter ’69, host Phil Carlson ’68, Steve Ruble ’68, Lea Casperson ’68, and Dave Swanson ’69

2. Ladies from the Class of 1968 gathered in San Diego to celebrate their 75th birthday year. Front row, l to r: Cheryl Hamer Hauswirth, JanaLee Sponberg, Paula Navarro. Back row, l to r: Dawn Nelson, Karen Monson Peterson, Diane Ostrom Morgensen, Barb Gray Wenschlag

3. Five former Gustie student-athletes coached with and against each other at a local youth basketball tournament. They don’t have as many wins combined among them as newly retired Coach Mark Hanson ’83 does, but they are passing on their love of athletics, competition, and sportsmanship to a new generation. L to r: Ryan Barnick ’03, Hans Sviggum ’03, Cameron Scripture ’00, Brent Olson ’00, and Brock Peterson ’03

4. Some 1974 Gusties gathered at the home of Lee and Peg Bronkala Skold in Tonto Verde, AZ. Pictured are: Susan Johnson Fox, Sue Card, Sue Swanson Kimitch, Cherie Wheat Schweiger, Peg, and Chuck Schweiger

5. Alumni and friends in Illinois, led by Alumni Board member April Valentine ’97, teamed up for a service event at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. They repacked bulk products into family-sized portions, sorted and categorized donated food items, and cleaned fresh produce items. Pictured L to R: April Valentine ’97, Dan Michel ’90, and Jackie McKeown Maman ’01

6. Alumni and friends gathered for a Gusties Serve SoCal event on a misty Saturday morning in January to support Trinity Lutheran Church and Schools in Hawthorne, CA. Kevin Bergeson ’02, lead pastor at Trinity, brought his future Gusties (l to r) Elsie, Veda, and Sybil, to help with planting and hospitality!

7. In August 2019, three Gusties received their 25 year award from St. Paul Public Schools. Pictured are Amy Samelian ’90, Sue Snyder ’91, and Aaron Crawford ’91

8. Gustavus alumni, family, and friends gathered at Brit’s Pub in Minneapolis to celebrate music education following the Gustavus Wind Orchestra’s performance at the Minnesota Music Educators Association midwinter clinic.

9. Five dear friends from the Class of 1982 have gathered for Gustie Girls’ Weekend nearly every year since their college days. This October, they spent time together in Spicer. R to l: Anne Juhl Legeros, Tracy Koeger Heitner, Camille Clausen Ehrich, Lisa Martinson Buchal, and Sherrie Swanson Behboudi

Vespers

So read the 1881—1882 college catalog. Here are some of those “friendly” authorities. John Bauman, far left, taught English, elocution, education, and arithmetic. His wife, Lizzie Bauman (not pictured), taught English, geography, algebra, physiology, penmanship, and drawing. The two also donated the College bell in Old Main’s tower. William Frick was an “Eastern” hire. (Read: not Swedish-Lutheran.) He taught English, language, literature, bible geography, and bible history in addition to his job as librarian. G.A. Anderson taught history, arithmetic, English, and Swedish. K. Westerberg taught music. Then there is Matthias Wahlstrom. He was only 31 in this photo, yet was in his third year as Gustavus president. He had embarked on a hiring mission. In addition to Frick, he hired Easterner Jacob Uhler, who donated $50 of his $800 salary to purchase lab equipment. He also hired Inez Rundstrom, Augustana College’s first woman graduate, to teach French and mathematics. Friendly or not, they certainly left a legacy.

The authorities of the school endeavor to convince the student that they are his friends. ”

Gustavus prepares students to act on the great challenges of our time. Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges of unprecedented scope.

Just as our faculty and sta gave an extra e ort to keep courses running and ensure the safety of our campus community, so have Gustie students stepped forward to help people a ected by the pandemic.

In his nursing internship at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, VINCE NGUYEN worked with patients in the mental health unit. He saw how the death of a family member from COVID-19 or loss of a job could plunge people into depression or substance abuse. The experience only confirmed Vince’s decision to become a mental health nurse. “It’s vocationally satisfying,” he said, “knowing that I am able to help people individually.”

Like people who dedicate themselves to helping others, gifts to the Gustavus Fund don’t get the spotlight. But they are essential. Together with the gifts of other members of the Gustavus community, your contribution provides the foundation for the College’s missiondriven work. The Gustavus Fund sets the stage for our students to develop their talents for roles of leadership and service.

Please give to the Gustavus Fund today. Without your gifts, Gustavus would not be able to prepare talented young people like Vince Nguyen, who are already meeting the challenges of our time.

GIVE TODAY!

Use your cell phone camera to scan the QR code and give to the Gustavus Fund today. The Gustavus Fund | gustavus.edu/give

Vince Nguyen ’22

WEST COLLEGE AVENUE SAINT PETER, MINNESOTA 56082

A view of “The Wedge,” the first completed phase of the Lund Center renovation and expansion project, extending outward toward Hollingsworth Field. The Wedge is 72,000 square feet of cardio machines, weights, and other workout equipment and rooms, plus athletics o ces and meeting spaces. Now open for use.