WINTER 2020 800 WEST COLLEGE AVENUE SAINT PETER, MINNESOTA 56082
When Nobel Conference 56: Cancer in the Age of Biotechnology was moved to an online format, the high school learning lab had to be adjusted and adapted. With the work of a former high school biology teacher and a current education major, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22, a “Science Box” was created for high school participants of the Nobel Conference. The boxes were sent to 22 high schools in the Midwest and contained two interactive games and one experiment. The Science Box and other online resources for teachers are still available at gustavus.edu/nobel.
5
CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY The surprise advantages of recording CinCC in October
24
DECADES OF NOBEL Alumni memories of Nobel Hall of Science
34
CLASS NOTES What your fellow Gusties have been up to
And Now, Nobel Hall
In extraordinary times, the Gustavus Fund becomes
For Alumni, Parents, and Friends
extraordinarily important.
WINTER 2020 | VOL. LXXVIII | ISSUE 4 STAFF Chair, Board of Trustees Scott Anderson ’89 President of the College Rebecca Bergman
Gustavus has successfully faced hardships in the past. During challenging times, the Gustavus Fund provides necessary operating revenue so that the College can respond effectively.
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
This year, Gustavus is taking action on a number of urgent priorities, including response to COVID-19, measures around racial justice, and scholarships for students whose financial situation has changed in recent months. Your gift to the Gustavus Fund directly impacts that work.
Alumni Editor Philomena Kauffmann H’15 | pkauffma@gustavus.edu Visual Editor, Production Coordinator Anna Deike | adeike@gustavus.edu Design Brian Donahue | bedesigninc.com Jill Adler | adlerdesignstudio.com Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22 Contributing Writers and Editors JJ Akin ’11, Mara Klein, CJ Siewert ’11, Corinne Stremmel ’21, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22
By giving to the Gustavus Fund, you support the ordinary needs that have always been important. This year, you also make it possible for us to respond to extraordinary circumstances.
Contributing Photographers and Artists JJ Akin ’11, Nick Campbell ’18, Brian Donahue, Corbyn Jenkins ’20, Kory Kolis ’15, Lori K. Nelson ’76, CJ Siewert ’11, Jon Smithers, Corinne Stremmel ’21, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22, Evan Taylor ’12, Stan Waldhauser ’71, Gustavus Adolphus College Archives Printer John Roberts Company | johnroberts.com
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GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE Saint Peter, MN 56082 507-933-8000 | gustavus.edu Articles and opinions presented in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or official policies of the College or its Board of Trustees. The Gustavus Quarterly (USPS 227-580) is published four times annually by Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, Minn. Periodicals postage is paid at Saint Peter, MN 56082, and additional mailing offices. It is mailed free of charge to alumni and friends of the College. Circulation is approximately 32,000. Gustavus Adolphus College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.
Socially distant students work between Christ Chapel and the new North Atrium of Nobel Hall of Science, near the St. Francis sculpture by Paul Granlund. It was a trying semester in many ways, but there were still moments of joy like this one in the fall. See page 10 for more on Nobel Hall.
GIVE TODAY! The Gustavus Fund | gustavus.edu/give
IN THIS ISSUE
10
AND NOW, NOBEL HALL
The expansion and renovation is a giant leap forward in teaching and research in the sciences, and in the arts and
10
humanities too. Here’s a first look.
23
CANCER NEVER HAD ME
This fall’s juried art exhibit at the Hillstrom Museum of Art featured seven alumni and four current students among its artists, as well as selections from the Hillstrom collection.
26 44
ALWAYS BUILDING
We have a long history of campus building projects that have improved the learning and lives of students—always
IN EVERY ISSUE
fueled by donors.
4 VÄLKOMMEN 6
ON THE HILL
MEMORY LANE
8
SHINE PROFILES
A Gustavian Weekly student drew a map of campus in
22 SPORTS
1974. Enjoy a visit down memory lane, from the top of
23
College Avenue nearly 50 years ago.
24 HERITAGE
FINE ARTS
26 GRATITUDE 32 GUSTIES 44 VESPERS
Paula Eickman Kennedy, What Gets Us Through (detail), mixed media and acrylic on canvas, triptych, each 24" x 58". Shown at the Hillstrom Museum of Art exhibit: Cancer Never Had Me: Views by Artists. See page 23.
23
A Distant Target
Despite a global pandemic and the multitude of restrictions it has placed on intercollegiate athletics, Gustavus student-athletes continued to sharpen their bodies and minds this fall with the hopes of being able to compete again in the near future. Throughout the semester, sports competitors across campus adapted to new realities. Face masks became uniforms for more than just players of contact sports. After missing out on an outdoor track and field season this past spring, Luke Dragseth ’23 (Milwaukee, Wis.) donned a mask while practicing the javelin in mid-October. The indomitable Gustie spirit lives on with hopes of brighter days ahead.
3
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2019
Välkommen BRIGHT MOMENTS. MORE AHEAD.
B OA R D O F T R U S T E E S The Rev. Jon V. Anderson (ex officio), Bishop, Southwestern Minnesota Synod, ELCA
Throughout my life, I have been committed to practicing
Scott P. Anderson ’89, MBA (chair), Senior Advisor, TPG Capital
an attitude of gratitude. The habit of approaching each day
Tracy L. Bahl ’84, MBA, President and Chief Executive Officer, OneOncology
with a thankful heart began with simple childhood prayers at mealtimes and bedtimes. Now it is simply part of who I am. This year has been a trying one for all of us, myself and the College included. I have needed a gratitude list more than ever. I want to share a few of the items on it with you. I am grateful for our Board of Trustees, whose names appear with me on this page, who unanimously passed a resolution affirming the College’s commitment to Racial Justice and Inclusion and outlined a three-year vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracist efforts. It is an official stamp of approval by the College’s governing body for this work and a commitment by the Board to undertake its own steps to confront issues of racial injustice. I am grateful for our faculty. My gratitude runs deep for each and every faculty member and their commitment to delivering an excellent academic curriculum to our students during these unusual times. They have made the 2020–2021 academic year possible. (See page 6.) I am grateful for the Nobel Hall of Science and the enhancements to our performance facilities. I am excited about all the possiblities for discovery and learning
Grayce Belvedere-Young, MBA, Founder and CEO, Lily Pad Consulting The Rev. Kevin D. Bergeson ’02 (ex officio), Senior Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church and Schools; President, Gustavus Adolphus College Association of Congregations Rebecca M. Bergman (ex officio), President, Gustavus Adolphus College Suzanne F. Boda ’82, Former 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, Managing Director/Chief Strategy Officer, Fallon Worldwide 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 James H. Gale ’83, MA, JD, Attorney at Law John O. Hallberg ’79, MBA, Retired CEO, Children’s Cancer Research Fund Susie B. Heim ’83, Former Co-owner, S and S Heim Construction
in these modernized laboratory, classroom, and performance spaces. I am overflowing
Mary Dee J. Hicks ’75, PhD, Retired Senior Vice President, Personnel Decisions International
with gratitude for the donors who made it possible. (See page 26.)
The Rev. Peter C. Johnson ’92, Executive Pastor, St. Andrew Lutheran Church
I am grateful for our on-campus community, particularly our students. They followed our ROAR pledge—respect others, act responsibly—with such diligence that our mass testing event in November revealed a COVID-19 positivity rate of 1.5 percent while the rate at our Minnesota peer institutions was 7–10 percent. I believe our true selves shine most when we face adversity. Though 2020 has been filled with challenging moments, it has also revealed a truth about Gusties: They shine brighter. I am incredibly grateful to be among you, Gusties—socially distanced and masked, of course. You have inspired me with your sacrifice, your commitment to keeping each other safe, and your willingness to adapt to new ways of living, learning, working, and caring for each other. Thank you, one and all. GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
G U S TAV U S A D O L P H U S C O L L E G E
Here’s to a brighter, healthier 2021. Yours in community,
Paul R. Koch ’87, Managing Director–Private Wealth Advisor, Senior Portfolio Manager, Koch Wealth Solutions, RBC Wealth Management Dennis A. Lind ’72, Chairman, Midwest Bank Group, Inc. Jan Lindman, MBA, Treasurer to the King, The Royal Court of Sweden The Rev. Dr. David J. Lose, Senior Pastor, Mount Olivet Lutheran Church Gordon D. Mansergh ’84, MA, MEd, PhD, Senior Behavioral Scientist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (serving in a personal capacity) and Past President, Gustavus Alumni Association Mikka S. McCracken ’09, Executive Director for Innovation/Director, ELCA Leader Lab, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 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
Rebecca M. Bergman President, Gustavus Adolphus College
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 Ronald C. White ’75, President, RC White Enterprises The Rev. Heather Teune Wigdahl ’95, Senior Pastor, Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
4
ON THE HILL There were silver linings around a CinCC performance recorded without a live audience. Video and audio recording equipment (from Jon Young ’77 and Heroic Productions) had more creative space. With performers distanced, the canvas that is Christ Chapel’s walls also had more room for creation by set designer Lydia Francis ’11.
C H R I S T M A S ( I N C H R I S T C H A P E L ) C A M E E A R LY
when we’re in a pandemic, we want to keep
Christ Chapel’s planning committee, it was
doing no matter what.”
never a question of if it would happen this year but merely how. How do choirs, musical ensembles, and
Instead of the usual live performance,
the end of October. “It just felt so good to be able to come back and make beautiful music together
everything needed to be pre-recorded,
and be in community again,” says Brandon
with people more than six feet apart and
Dean, Jon and Anita Thomsen Young
dancers perform together in the middle of a
masked. By adopting a “lessons and carols”
Distinguished Endowed Chair in Music
socially distanced pandemic?
format, the CinCC committee chose the
and Conductor of the Gustavus Choir.
theme “Healer of the Nations, Come.”
Even though a CinCC performance was
“It became pretty clear in spring that this may not happen how we thought
Directors had to get creative with
recorded early, students kept up with their
it would,” says Barb Larson Taylor ’93,
music choices. With most students living
usual traditions like devotions and dress-up
associate vice president of marketing
off campus during the first few weeks of
days. “For me, it’s not Christmas until it’s
and communication. “We could’ve said
the semester, ensembles needed music
CinCC,” said Holly Fitterer ’21, Gustavus
‘forget it, it’s just too hard,’ but there are
challenging enough for college musicians
Choir alto. This year, Christmas came early.
some things that are so important to this
but easy enough to pull together in a very
institution and the community that, even
short time frame. Recording took place at
Watch it at gustavus.edu/cincc.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
The show must go on, and for Christmas in
5
ON THE HILL
HISTORIC YEAR. HISTORIC GREATNESS. The Greater Gustavus Award recognizes that it takes a virtual village of faculty to teach right now.
THE CENTER FOR INCLUSIVE EXCELLENCE (FORMERLY THE DIVERSITY CENTER) WILL QUADRUPLE IN SPACE
The Greater Gustavus Award is the
Bergman, President of the College,
highest award given by the Gustavus
and Brenda Kelly, Provost and Dean.
The Center for Inclusive Excellence
Alumni Association, for those “who
In their nomination letter they wrote,
will relocate from the Jackson Campus
by deed
“During the spring
Center to the space currently occupied
have notably
semester … faculty
by The Dive. The project, one of the
members took up
College’s Racial Justice and Inclusion
[online teaching]
initiatives, is expected to conclude in
with only two weeks
February 2021.
Adolphus
To put it simply: The faculty saved the 2019–2020 academic year.”
College.”
advanced and aided Gustavus
— Brenda Kelly, Provost and Dean
of preparation (that
This year, in an
of the College; Rebecca Bergman,
included spring
of the College’s diversity, equity, and
unprecedented
President of the College
break), but they
inclusion work and a popular gathering
accomplished it with
space for students. In partnership with
move, the award
The Center is the physical home
was given to the entire
the agility of expert teachers and
the President’s Council on Diversity,
2019–2020 Gustavus faculty.
careful attention to student needs.”
Equity, and Inclusion
The nominators were Rebecca
Give those profs an A.
and a variety of student
SOCIAL SCIENCES GRANT TO STUDY COVID-19 IMPACTS ON MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES
programs,
Lillie Ortloff ’22. The team will
provides
professor Maddalena Marinari has
explore the impact of COVID-19
support, and
been awarded a Rapid-Response
on African, Asian, and Latinx
builds community
Grant on COVID-19 and the Social
immigrant and refugee
networks that
Sciences by The Social Science
communities.
advance Gustavus
grant is how it allows us to bring
the world.
in students to conduct handson humanities research while
University of Minnesota professor and
contributing to the historical
Gustavus students Cat Lim ’21 and
record,” Marinari says.
Cat Lim ’21
Maddalena Marinari
Lillie Ortloff ’22
racial justice and
Tom Flunker, Director of the Center for Inclusive Excellence
inclusion efforts.
#whygustavus
“One of the best aspects of this
only 62 awarded to research groups in Marinari will partner with a
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Center offers
A research team led by history
Research Council. The grant is one of
6
groups, the
1
The College’s rank among private liberal arts colleges in Minnesota for social mobility
according to U.S. News and World Report. It was ranked second in the state for undergraduate teaching.
$544,285
Amount raised in one incredible day, Give to Gustavus Day on Oct. 29. That’s a record. Thank you.
CAMPUS SOCIAL Follow @gustavusadolphuscollege, @gustieathletics
@gustavusadolphuscollege Cool new band or Gustavus nursing students imploring you to get your flu shot? You decide, but appointments are required.
How it started How it’s going
@gustavuschoir Some photos from our first in-person rehearsal! It was so nice to be back and hear everyone again, and we absolutely love the masks we get to use for singing. As of now we are using the Beck Atrium to rehearse and it sounds great.
@Bradtski Follow @gustavus @gustiealum
Follow /gustavusadolphuscollege /gustavusathletics /gustavusfinearts /gustavusalumni
Thanks to all the Golden Gustie fans and followers for showing fantastic engagement in our fun Gustavus Athlete of the Decade (’10–’20) fan-favorite poll. The votes are tallied and the winners are Mohanad Alhouni ’18 and Ashley Becker ’19! Go Gusties!
“If exercise could be put into a pill, it would be prescribed to everyone and everyone would take it every day.” —professor Kathryn Schmitz, Penn State Cancer Institute, from her lecture during Nobel Conference 56: Cancer in the Age of Biotechnology
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
10:00 a.m. Time for Reflection
7
ON THE HILL
SHINE: JULIE BARTLEY Shepherding for Science THE FACULTY POINT PERSON FOR THE NOBEL HALL EXPANSION AND RENOVATION REFLECTS ON TENDING TO IT.
She wasn’t exactly the faculty “leader” on the Nobel Hall of Science expansion and renovation. She was more of a guide, a chaperone, an escort. Call her the “faculty shepherd.” The geology and environmental studies professor carried no crook, just a hardhat and a direct line to both the faculty and the building team. Based on Gustavus’s preliminary research and the recommendation of the architect on the project (Hastings+Chivetta, based in St. Louis, Mo.), “Science buildings that had a faculty member embedded in the process had better outcomes,” Bartley says. What does a faculty shepherd do, exactly? “I handled things where the building touches the programs. I was a faculty voice when there was a question about infrastructure. I was the on-the-ground decision-maker, but also the link between the person who was going to use an area of the building and the builder’s and architect’s and contractors’ questions,” she says. Where does the sink go when a pillar needs to be moved? What kind of learning happens in this corner exactly? Bartley knew the answer, or who to ask for it. She was also the connector, getting the right faculty in the room for certain meetings and keeping them updated on building progress, particularly as it related to their specific programs and spaces. “I made heavy use of a Nobel-wide listserv, which included everyone with an office or lab in the building, plus everyone involved in the project—from Gustavus Technology Services to Dining Service to Campus Safety.” At the beginning of the project, chemistry professor Scott Bur shepherded the faculty through the initial dreaming and design phase. Bartley took over when the build began. A shepherd’s primary responsibilty is the welfare of the flock. Bartley carried out that responsibility tirelessly. “It got to the point that one time I left Nobel Hall and got in my car and hit my hardhat
8
Bartley teaches and mentors at every level, from 100-level intro courses to 300-level research courses. She brought that lens to the Nobel Hall of Science project. “Practically every student takes a class in this building. We built this building so all students can learn here,” she says. This attention to accessibility means sinks usable by wheelchair, signs with braille, and gender-neutral restroom options.
SERVICE
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
on the car. I had no idea I still had it on.”
SHINE: TERENA WILKENS A Dream Illuminated SHE COULDN’T HAVE ENVISIONED A MORE EXCITING OPPORTUNITY: TO CREATE A NEW STATE-OF-THE-ART THEATRE FROM FLOOR TO CEILING.
In the decision to build a tech-laden “laboratory” theatre between Anderson Theatre and the Nobel Hall of Science, including supporting spaces for costumes, scene building, and storage, Wilkens found herself at that nexus too. As the Gustavus lighting and sound designer and a continuing faculty member who has also taught computer-aided design and drafting, “My job over the last few years has been working with the consultants on lighting and sound systems, finding out what’s new out there and what we can really do.” She often literally drafted plans that were then handed off to architects. What can we do now? Real-time monitors to the stage in a new green room. Wireless headsets so tech staff can talk to each other. Moveable seating, lighting, and sound to create any audienceperformer experience. (Ready for theatre-in-the-round?) Sound and lighting programmable for thousands of situations. A scene shop with accessible loading doors and space to build more scenic elements than was possible before. “It was a lot of decision-making,” she says, with her students empowered to be a part of the process. “A student drafted our dream catwalks. A student drafted a dream scene shop.” The ability to both teach and learn in the design and technology theatre track has grown exponentially. For instance, there is now a tech booth that can hold a class of 10–12 students, with equipment that rivals any college theatre in the country—and many professional ones too. And all attached to the Gustavus epicenter of interdisciplinary learning. “It’s exciting to hear STEAM [A is for the Arts] instead of STEM,” she says of her collaborations with science faculty. The meetings have been really fun, and full of surprises. “It’s not often in theatre meetings that we talk about radioactive isotopes and hissing
Wilkens holds a new lighting instrument that is compatible with existing equipment in Anderson Theatre. The new Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre also features state-of-the-art LED fixtures, the safest and most energy efficient moveable lights available, with beams that radiate little heat.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
E XC E L L E N C E
cockroaches,” she says. “I’ve learned so much.”
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And Now, the New Nobel Hall of Science Three years after breaking ground, the iconic building is now fully renovated, expanded, and updated, ushering in a fresh era of interdisciplinary scientific learning and discovery. BY STEPHANIE WILBUR ASH, SARAH ASP OLSON, AND CORINNE STREMMEL ’21
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
THERE WERE TWO GROUND RULES
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Check. And check. The new $70
in imagining the next iteration of Nobel
million Nobel Hall of Science is unlike any
Hall according to chemistry professor
other in its class, regionally and nationally.
Scott Bur, the first faculty shepherd
Its labs focus on collaborative research
as environmental studies and biochemistry
on the building project. “One: it’s
and experimentation, just as science does
and molecular biology. And then there’s
not a good deal unless it’s a good deal
today. Its learning spaces are sunny and
that connection between the arts and
for everyone. We made decisions that
accessible, with moveable and adjustable
the sciences: a dramatic south expansion
benefited everybody,” he says. “Two:
tables and instrumentation, and an
that serves as the lobby that Anderson
This is not to be a ‘science building,’
impressive variety of technical capacities.
Theatre always needed and the coffee
for science majors only. This is to be a
The building itself literally and figuratively
shop south of Chapel students and
Gustavus building where everyone can
breaks down department walls and widens
faculty have always wanted.
do science.”
doors for such interdisciplinary programs
Alfred Nobel—the building’s
namesake—was a Swedish inventor and
President Edgar Carlson at the dedication
entrepreneur who wrote poetry and
of the first iteration of Nobel Hall of
drama. He became such a proponent
Science back in 1963.
of peace he bequeathed his estate to it.
Fifty-seven years later, the aim is the
“He believed that high achievement in
same. Nobel Hall of Science is a space
science and in literature and the ability to
where all faculty and students can work
live peaceably and responsibly in a world
together peaceably, responsibly, and at the
community were goals that deserved
very highest level to advance good in the
[our] best efforts,” said former Gustavus
world. Read on to learn how.
FOUNDATIONAL The original Nobel Hall as it rose in 1962. It is a neighbor to Christ Chapel— also new that year—by design.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
The new connection between Anderson Theatre and Nobel Hall. Advancements in science help solve the great challenges of our time. Advancements in storytelling help us understand our experiences through challenges. The Nobel Hall expansion provides paths to both.
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NOBEL HALL OF SCIENCE
SOUTH EXPANSION: WHERE THE SCIENCES MEET THE ARTS A new science-art connection, a new atrium for interdisciplinary mingling, and a sunny new place to sit with a smoothie.
“This new [Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre] is tremendous. I can’t oversell it. It’s going to give students the chance to work in so many different disciplines, and in so many different ways.” —Nicholas Dillenburg ’05, Broadway, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Orange is the New Black (Netflix), pictured with professor emeritus Rob Gardner
2
3
1
4
1
2
THE NEW FIRST FLOOR of the south
thrilled,” says theatre and dance professor
expansion includes features no other
Henry MacCarthy. “It foreshadows the
science building in our class can boast.
creative opportunities to come.”
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
First, there’s the STEAMery coffee
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“The arts are going to have an even bigger presence on campus than they already have.” —Sara Brown ’01, Theatre, Minnesota Opera, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Metropolitan Museum of Art
3
Then, there is the Kitchen Laboratory,
shop and deli, which has already proven
a space to learn through food. In touring
to be worth its weight in espresso. Then
science buildings across the country,
there’s the physical connection between
“none had anything even remotely like
theatre and dance and the sciences, paving
that,” says chemistry professor Bur. Now
the way for innovation. For instance,
it’s the site of some of the College’s
shortly after the south expansion opened,
most interdisciplinary courses, including
a science poster showed up on the walls
Chemistry of Cooking and the Ethos of
of the Anderson Theatre lobby. “We were
Food in Russian Literature.
1 The new Makeup Room just beyond the Green Room and behind the new Laboratory Theatre. It’s mirrored on both sides, with a wall divider to use when dressing. It’s just above the new costume shop (with dye vat), and prop storage area. 2 The Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre. The squares taped onto the floor are to keep students socially distanced during class. 3 The STEAMery Cafe—a major interdisciplinary hangout. 4 The unique Kitchen Laboratory.
Food for Thought Steve Kjellgren ’86, Associate Vice President, Auxiliary Services
A simple question, posed by faculty in both the sciences and the arts, who, along with students, are often working early mornings or late nights in labs and rehearsals: Wouldn’t it be nice to have a coffee shop and deli over here on the south side of campus? “We found a way to make that happen,” Kjellgren says. The STEAMery is a coffee shop with pre-made salads and
4
other cold fare, plus grilled sandwiches and soups. It also serves hot breakfast sandwiches, plenty of vegetarian options,
“For a long time our faculty had been wanting to use kitchen resources in their classes. This new Kitchen Laboratory is unique to Gustavus.” —Scott Bur, Professor and Co-chair, Chemistry
and a smoothie of the day. “We have decided to be fluid and responsive. Everything is so much better when you feed people what they want to eat,” he says. Especially when it’s early in the morning and late in the evening and you’ve got work to do. And it’s all made the way Minnesota’s it—on an organic, local, and fair-trade
All of the best ideas come from students and faculty.”
foundation.
—Steve Kjellgren ’86
first Fair Trade College would do
Big. Beautiful. Audience.
in ways that are relevant for audiences
Henry MacCarthy, Professor and
today and provide extraordinary learning
Co-Chair, Theatre and Dance
opportunities for students. Now we have
Anderson Theatre now has the lobby
in the Laboratory Theatre, which can
it deserves, and its importance cannot
accommodate twice as many dancers as
be overestimated. “That’s where the
Kresge Dance Studio. Special message to
audience gathers,” MacCarthy says.
anyone who’s ever taken a class in Kresge:
“That’s where community happens.”
In the new Lab Theatre, “People can jump and not hit their heads now.”
new creative opportunities abound in the Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre and the costume, storage, and tech spaces that support it. “We want to tell stories
We wanted a space we could use for things we haven’t even thought about or invented yet.” —Henry MacCarthy
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Extending from this new atrium,
so much breathing room.” Particularly
13
NOBEL HALL OF SCIENCE
SOUTH EXPANSION: THE LATEST IN LAB DESIGN AND TECH These are not your dark and lonely labs of yore. Think clear sightlines, space for collaboration, and lots of sun.
Lily Kingsley ’23 Biology and Environmental Studies Hastings, Neb. Favorite Features “Great lab equipment and lab spaces. For me, being in a lab that is conducive to what we’re trying to do helps me understand the processes we’re learning about. And the community rooms—it will be fun when we can come together in community.”
3
CHEMISTRY IN A LIGHT-FILLED LAB,
with see-through hoods and moveable
6 1
2
4
snorkels. Being able to see and hear your
5
instructor from anywhere in the room, as well as your lab partner and everyone else in the class. “Many of you may remember the long benches and hoods on the edges of labs,” chemistry and biology professor and provost Brenda Kelly says. What the new labs offer, she says, “are a much more modernized version—a safe environment in a collaborative space.” Biochemistry and molecular biology teaching-research labs are such spaces, with more: curved bench tops for shared experimentation and mobile carts with accessible instrumentation. In addition, there is a separate Instrument Room that is home to larger instruments used by all researchers in Nobel 1
Hall, including instruments used for nuclear magnetic resonance, liquid
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
chromatography, and mass spectrometry.
14
Also in the new south wing: the tech booth for the Laboratory Theatre. It’s state-of-the-art lighting and sound, including side lighting specifically for dance and almost 350 feet of catwalks, 2
3
making possible almost any light and sound effect one can dream.
1 The Second Year Chemistry Lab, with a wall of windows and moveable, see-through snorkels. 2 The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Lab, with curved benches for easy collaboration and moveable instrumentation. 3 The LIghting Lab for the Rob and Judy Gardner Laboratory Theatre. It’s big enough to hold a class, and it’s outfitted with the latest in lighting and sound. 4 The First Year Chemistry Lab. Work stations are safe and see-through. Students and instructors can all see each other work. 5 The Anatomy and Physiology Lab. 6 The Instrument Room, home to the largest instruments.
STICK AROUND AFTER LAB Jon Grinnell, Francis Uhler Chair of Biology and Pre-Veterinary
“I’m very excited about the new lab spaces we have,” says Grinnell, who will teach animal behavior in a new teachingresearch (t-search) lab. “We’ll be able to go seamlessly from lecture material into lab materials right in one place.” Grinnell also believes the aesthetically pleasing and highly functional redesign of Nobel Hall offers students incentive
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to stick around after class—whether to study or engage with professors and classmates. “We have more spaces students can use as collaboration or study 5
spaces,” he says. “We have beautiful
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windows. We have lots of nice natural lighting and areas for students to gather.
—Jon Grinnell
More Ways to Learn Margaret Bloch Qazi, Professor, Biology; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Our science students pretty much live in Nobel Hall so it’s nice to have a great home to offer them. It will undoubtedly serve as a magnet for new students interested in the sciences.”
styles of teaching and learning.” She’s also eager to see how this flexible model extends beyond the
Faculty Associate
classroom. “The new addition offers
Bloch Qazi is ready to host students in a
learning in classes and in research
space as flexible as her teaching style.
opportunities,” she says. In the student-
“I don’t just lecture. I like students to
centered building design, “Students move
be experiencing and looking at things
more seamlessly from being physically
and discussing with each other,” she says.
in a class to having conversations with
“There is much more space to have those
other students about the material they’ve
kinds of fluid transitions among different
been learning and the consequences of
phenomenal resources for student
it.” And that’s not just among science
The spaces support a community of learners much more effectively now.” —Margaret Bloch Qazi
students, she notes. “The open space between theatre and even music and Nobel—I hope all students grow and lean into those spaces.”
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
The flexibility of the rooms is really what excites me most. That and having more space.”
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NOBEL HALL OF SCIENCE
NORTH ATRIUM: WHERE THE SCIENCES MEET FAITH Welcome, all, to a place where a geology museum faces a modern chapel. Walk through an entrance as expansive as the learning that happens here.
D. Melanie Kistnasamy ’22 Environmental Studies Moka, Mauritius Island 3
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Federico Fiorda ’23, Geology Santa Rosa, La Pampa, Argentina Favorite Features “I really like the geology lounge. I think I’ll spend some solid hours there grinding for geology exams. And the geology labs have a lot of room and specific drawers for different kinds of rocks. Everything is very methodically organized.”
Favorite Feature “When I was doing research over the summer, I was working in a lab which was connected to a classroom. I could do intensive lab work and take a break or work on my laptop on the big tables in the classroom next door.”
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IN THE DRAMATIC, two-story, light-filled
combination of learning situations and
North Atrium, you’re surrounded by a
accessibility needs. Wireless technology
view of campus at every turn. Perhaps
allows anyone to teach and be taught.
most indicative of life at Gustavus is the
And the wide windows help to keep
full view of Christ Chapel through this
everyone awake and engaged. And look
new Nobel Hall entrance. Faith and
through that full wall of windows—there’s
science have long coexisted at Gustavus;
Olin Hall.
the intellectual leaps between the two
The Geology Museum, once relegated
are exercises with long histories here.
to Nobel Hall’s back corner (you may not
Now, the literal leap is shorter—you can
even know of its existence), is now bigger,
traverse between the two buildings in
more interactive, and more public, seen
about 20 steps.
from the North Atrium by anyone who
Also part of the north expansion are new classrooms with adjustable, moveable tables and chairs to allow for any
enters the building. Next up: Visual odes to Nobel Conferences past and present.
1 Christ Chapel reflected in the full glass of the north expansion. 2 The dramatic North Atrium, the entrance now used most by both the campus community and visitors to campus. 3 A new classroom, with fully adjustable and moveable seating and a wall of windows. 4 The Sedimentology and Geomorphology Lab, a larger, renovated space used by multiple disciplines. 5 Part of the rock collection, some of which will fill the Geology Museum, soon to be opened to the public. 6 The Historical Geology Lab, down the hall from the Geology Museum, in the renovated portion of Nobel.
Eroding Boundaries Laura Triplett, Professor, Geology and Environmental Studies; Chair, Geology
When Nobel Hall was first built, geology as a discipline was in its early days. “Things have changed a lot in terms of how we do and teach earth science,” Triplett says. The new Nobel Hall highlights how geology—and all the sciences—are interdisciplinary, “increasing our ability to share ideas and do new, innovative, impactful work.” For instance, several of the classroom/lab spaces were designed for collaboration with geography, geology,
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and environmental studies, paving the way for a soon-to-be more formal cooperative structure. There is the ability to do more geochemistry in the new spaces. And teaching-research labs have students toggling between lectures and
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experiments seamlessly. And for a college that prizes undergraduate research, “these spaces
It’s fluid and realistic around how we do science.”
make it possible for us to get more students involved,” she says.
—Laura Triplett
All Together Now
together—“It was hard to know if and
smart boards; and easy access to an ion
Jeff La Frenierre, Professor, Geography;
how students were struggling,” he says.
chromatographer, a chemical analysis
Director, Environmental Studies
The new lab is spacious and collaborative,
instrument that’s key to undergraduate
with computers arranged so he can watch
research. Another big plus: “The
“We have a facility that has caught up
students work and adapt his teaching to
environmental studies students and
to the way we are teaching our students
their needs.
program have a lounge space of
Other aspects he’s excited about:
work with us.” La Frenierre says. For
rooms with large center tables where his
teaching GIS systems and studying
students work on drones (which they use
climate change through glacial change,
in the field); seminar-model classrooms
the geospatial/GIS lab in particular
with large interactive monitors and
their own.”
is a huge leap forward. In his classes, students learn concepts and technology in tandem. In the previous space—a windowless room with computers bunched
Being able to teach and interact with students—in all the ways we advise and mentor students in the 21st century—is integral.”
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
and the way our students expect to
—Jeff La Frenierre 17
NOBEL HALL OF SCIENCE
RENOVATION: USER-FRIENDLY, FOR ANY USER The original Nobel Hall was a large and notable footprint in the study of the sciences at Gustavus. The renovation retains its best features while it pushes forward into the future.
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FANS OF THE ORIGINAL Nobel Hall
will be happy to note that the bas relief
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(“Man and the Universe”) remains on the exterior, and the two-story excerpt from the will of Alfred Nobel remains along the interior eastern wall. But now, in the Peterson East Atrium, the space below Nobel’s will is a student lounge. Informal gathering and work spaces were major wish-list items for the renovation from faculty and students alike. The Nobel
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Jenna Kotz ’21 Biology and Chemistry Woodbury, Minn.
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Favorite Features “It’s so much more open feeling than the original Nobel Hall. I feel like it’s a lot more streamlined with the setup of the labs. I really like the collaboration rooms— accessible to research students— because they’re more private rooms which is nice for studying.”
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Hall renovation and expansion includes collaboration rooms for two to 12 people, plus lots of sitting areas in open spaces. Wallenberg has also gotten a facelift. The footprint remains the same, now with new chairs, new sound and acoustic systems, and new lighting. It’s the College’s largest classroom and has many uses, from class to guest lectures to movie night. Now it’s suited for all of them.
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1 Peterson East Atrium, now a remodeled student lounge in the same footprint. 2 Wallenberg Auditorium, with new seating, sound, and AV. 3 The Vertebrate Zoology Lab, with updated cabinetry and snorkel hoods. 4 Another student lounge area, brand new. 5 The much larger Analytical Chemistry Lab. 6 The Integrative Geosciences Lab, a good example of a teaching-research (t-search) lab arrangement. 7 A small study room, one of the many that have become popular havens for students of all majors.
Mix and Match Research Amanda Nienow Professor, Chemistry
Nienow’s new combination lab and research space can be easily converted into a darkroom without moving herself or her equipment. “Since I am interested in how sunlight interacts with molecules, I don’t want light before I’m ready for it,” she says. “I’m really excited that there is more fluidity between the rooms.” It’s one example of creative use of
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space. Nienow is also excited by the
In the organic chemistry lab, every pair of students has their own hood. Before we had three hoods for the entire lab section.” —Amanda Nienow
creative location of her office space. “I used to have an office in the basement. I was pretty much the only chemist down there,” she says. Now, Nienow is close to biology professors like Laura Burrack. The two collaborated over the summer on a project where students collected soil in the field and then analyzed bacteria in the lab. “To have departments mixed together in a new way will lead to new ideas and interactions, new projects for the students, and deeper enrichment in the courses.”
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Growing in the Lab
learning in her classes and labs.
Laura Burrack, Professor, Biology
“We’ve used this method called
Collaboration is key to Burrack’s work
grow cancer cells in the lab,” Burrack
as a professor, and researcher, and to the
says. “The ability for students to
intellectual development of students. She
do that themselves and conduct
can now do more of both. “I have about
independent research is incredibly
50 percent more space now, which means
improved in this new design. We have
I can have more than just two students in
about three times the previous space for
my lab,” she says. “The space is a shared
that type of work.”
tissue culture which allows you to
lab with another biology professor Katie Leehy, and I’m excited about the collaboration that will come.” The added square footage also allows for more hands-on
In the old building, classrooms were designed for traditional lectures, not more interactive and active learning practices.” —Laura Burrack
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NOBEL HALL OF SCIENCE
RENOVATION: TRUSTED TEAMWORK, FRUITFUL DREAM WORK. This success of the project hinged on the dream team of faculty, physical plant, and builder Kraus-Anderson.
James Miller ’21 Geography and Biology Northfield, Minn. “There seems to have been a really strong emphasis on collaborative learning throughout the design and remodeling process, so I am excited to work in the new lab spaces and dedicated study areas with classmates. I love that the new Nobel Hall has spaces for this type of work.”
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BY THE NUMBERS
$50 million amount raised by donors (of $70 million needed) 1
KRAUS-ANDERSON’S PARTNERSHIP
the bas relief of “Man and the Universe”
with Gustavus spans more than 40 years.
(deep cleaned)—they’re all still here. And
It includes the Anderson Hall renovation,
all better than before.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
the Beck Academic Hall build, and the
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“If you had never been in the
reconstruction of campus after the 1998
original building, you wouldn’t know
tornado. (It’s a generations-long legacy of
the renovated portion is from 1962,”
stewardship, service, and building, thanks
says chemistry professor Scott Bur of the
to the Engelsma family.) Nobel Hall of
remarkable seamlessness between new and
Science was in good hands.
old. Except for one quirk: Because the
What will be the next legacy of Nobel
original building begins partially below
Hall? So much of the new, as we’ve
grade, the south expansion appears to
detailed here, plus so much of what was
have no second floor.
here before, retained and improved in the
We sense a goodnatured prank
building process: The use of Kasota stone
opportunity—looking for your first-year
(more of it), the greenhouse (updated),
chem class? Check floor 2, south side...
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teaching labs
40+
full-time faculty supported
239
rooms, excluding restrooms and closets
177,300
total square feet of the project
1 The view from the top of Nobel Hall, with T Wilkens (page 9) with Alec Miller and Eric Overgard of Kraus-Anderson. 2 The transition from original building to south expanion. 3 The greenhouse “glass” is a top-of-the-line acrylic. It’s much more efficient, as is the new climate control system.
Our Green New Deal
general botany and biology courses, but
Pamela Kittelson
natural product extraction and chemistry courses. We have art classes in there, and the general public visits our selection and
Environmental Studies; Coordinator in Fellowships Office
the giant Amorphophallus, Perry.” The green beasts now have a great home.
• Occupancy sensors. They are in all offices, classrooms, and labs, controlling lights and operations. • Smart HVAC. In the first Nobel Hall, HVAC systems and lab exhaust hoods ran 24–7. Now they’re set to a minimum when the rooms are vacant. • Recycling waste. During construction, waste was separated so recyclable materials could avoid landfills. That rock in the landscape on the south end of Nobel? It’s from the old roof. • Lighting. It’s mostly LED and 80 percent more efficient, with dimmers and zones. Energy efficient windows let the sun do a lot of work, and the lights will dim when the sun is bright. • Automated watering and climate system for the greenhouse. • Electric car charging station. Pull up and fill up, Gusties and friends!
Kittelson is most excited about the greenhouse. Rooted in the original—the brick skirting is from 1962—everything upward is new. It will grow new academic opportunities. “There’s a whole research room,” says Kittelson. “Before we didn’t have an opportunity to segregate our research from the greenhouse, so it was susceptible to a lot of insect damage.” With a new climate control system, users can better manipulate variables. “We can ask some unique questions or set up experiments for classroom and personal research.” The species collection is valuable for many courses. “Not only
The greenhouse is a really wonderful space for all students to explore the love of green beasts.”—Pamela Kittelson
Laboratory buildings use a lot of energy. Nobel Hall is no exception. Here’s how we’ve made it better.
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The College is always building, thanks to generous donors. How have donors continued to push our physical spaces forward for our students and faculty? See page 26.
Working to Get it Right
astound you. “It got a little tight,
he admits. “We all had vast knowledge,
Travis Jordan
especially over by the new greenhouse,”
but we all asked a lot of questions,
Director, Gustavus Physical Plant
Jordan says of the mechanicals.
too. There was no wrong question.
“The finished ceiling height in the
Every question was
Jordan, who joined mid-build, was the
existing Nobel and the additions are
a good one.”
Gustavus insider who worked with builder
different.” (Though we challenge you
Kraus-Anderson to get the back end of
to notice.)
the renovation and expansion just right.
He marvels at the teamwork that
“It was an incredibly complex project,” he
went into the project, from the Gustavus
says. Two expansions, a renovation, and
faculty and physical plant to Kraus-
a desire for seamlessness between them
Anderson and all the subcontractors.
is no small feat. Add to that, “the many
“At times, the meetings got a little long,”
moving pieces of a state-ofthe-art science building.” It’s not like remodeling your home. The mechanicals and HVAC alone would
The view from the fourth floor overlooking the river valley? Now that’s impressive.” —Travis Jordan
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Professor, Biology and
Reducing. Reusing. Recycling.
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SPORTS
The new baseball grandstand includes 350 covered seats directly behind home plate, plus a 200-square-foot press box. There’s also a 70-square-foot auxiliary press box along the third-base dugout.
D E F I N I T E LY G R A N D “We are going to have the best small-
200-square-foot press box—completes the
of the past five years. Since 2016, the
college baseball field in the area, no
$2 million donor-funded project.
Gusties are 87-66 with five consecutive
question about it,” says Head Coach Brad Baker ’80. A vision that started when Baker GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
took over as head baseball coach prior
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to the 2016 season is now a reality with
The finished product is an integral
winning seasons (2020 featured just
piece in Baker’s goal to build the best
one game—a win—before the pandemic
Division III baseball program in the
cancelled the season). The 2019 club won
country.
the MIAC championship for the first time
“In order to accomplish this goal, we
since Baker was a senior in 1980, and the
the completion of the two-phase field
need to attract the best and brightest
Gusties will embark on the 2021 season as
renovation project.
student-athletes and have the facilities that
defending champions.
Phase One of the project, highlighted by artificial turf on the entire playing surface and a 36-foot-wide scoreboard,
allow us to put in the work necessary to build a successful program.” Along with improving the facility,
“It’s been super cool to grow with my teammates and see not only us as players and our friendships grow, but watch
was completed in the fall of 2017. Three
Baker and his coaching staff have worked
the program grow with us,” says pitcher
years later and Phase Two—which includes
hard to build the program into perennial
Weston Lombard ’21. “I wouldn’t want
a 350-seat covered grandstand and a
championship contenders over the course
to play with anybody else.”
FINE ARTS
Kory Kolis ’15, The Woman with the Golden Blood: A Portrait of My Mother, 2020, watercolor, tissue paper, and beeswax on plywood, 20x24 inches.
CANCER NEVER HAD THEM This year’s Nobel Conference, “Cancer
experiences with cancer are reflected in
“I cannot imagine the misery my
in the Age of Biotechnology,” provided
the works. “We kept the criteria pretty
mother endured contemplating that
opportunity to explore the experience
open, so we received work that is realistic
choice,” Kolis says. In the end, the drug
of cancer through artwork. The juried
and concrete along with abstract works.”
was covered. His layered work is his
Class of 2015 grad Kory Kolis’s
interpetation of what the family endured.
Never Had Me: Views by Artists” featured
piece, The Woman with the Gold Blood: A
Each work contains such a story, as
works from 33 artists showing how cancer
Portrait of My Mother, depicts his cancer
well as an artist who crafted it into art.
has affected them. Seven of the artists are
story. During his second year at Gustavus,
Paired with a complementary exhibit of
alumni and four are current students.
his mother was diagnosed with chronic
works in the Hillstrom and Shogren-
Director Don Myers ’83 felt the Nobel
myeloid leukemia. The drug that could
Meyer collections by artists who had
Conference was an opportunity to express
save her life came with a $70,000 price
cancer, in-person and virtual visitors
the connection between science and art.
tag. For more than a week, while the
gained new understandings of the ways
“Probably each person you meet has had
insurance company processed the claim,
cancer affects us all.
cancer or a very close friend or family
his mother considered forgoing the drug
member who has,” he says. Our varied
in order to not bankrupt her family.
Visit the exhibit virtually at gustavus. edu/finearts/hillstrom/exhibitions.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Hillstrom Museum of Art exhibit “Cancer
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Heritage
EARLY IMAGES of Nobel Hall circa 1963, including from the dedication,
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
one of the largest gatherings of Nobel Laureates ever assembled.
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“Professor John Lammert is one of the best teachers I will ever have in my life. He cared so much about what he did and about his students.” — Megan Raiber ’14
“Great memories of imprinting on baby ducks and watching Perry bloom!” — Caitlin Fitzchowan ’14
REFLECTIONS ON NOBEL HALL
Lilly Benson Budd ’11 | One of my all-time favorite classes and
Gigi Olson Dobosenski ’98 | Many hours in labs. Trekking
labs was in that building, Microbes and Human Health.
across the snow to do a J-Term research class with Professor
Tammy Marie Olson Flolid ’81 | The winter of 1977–78 was
Jacks ’79. Learning electron microscopy with Professor
brutal. Going to the upstairs greenhouse for class was like
Heidcamp. Finding and picking catnip under the trees to send
visiting a springtime oasis.
to the cats of Gina Larson LaCombe ’98.
Kerstin Peterson Halverson ’90 | Working on the electron
Tara Harding Robson ’98 | Great memories of dancing with
microscope with Professor Heidcamp. And that crazy night
Stan the Skeleton in the human physiology lab.
during senior week when we TP’d everyone’s offices.
Sarah Jorgenson Magnuson ’04 | Late nights studying
Beth Robelia Napton ’93 | My sister Kristine Robelia-Oppegard
drosophila fruit fly reproduction while listening to Tom Petty
’93 and I thought our brother Paul Robelia ’91 would get lost in
(the only CD in the lab) with Professor Bloch-Qazi.
the basement of Nobel. We wouldn’t see him for days!
Amanda Olson ’12 | Many late night hours in the entomology
Megan Raiber ’14 | Mixing concoctions, capturing fruit flies,
lab pinning our insect collections and listening to the
swabbing yourself for Petri dishes, and working with bunnies.
Backstreet Boys!
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
We asked alumni on Facebook (/gustavusalumni) for their favorite memories. Here are some of the best.
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Always Building. Physical spaces on campus change just as students—and the future workforce—change. Your gifts make such change possible. In fact, gifts to the College have long been the muscle that gets shovels into the ground and the energy that propels our best-in-class learning spaces, labs, sports facilities and student life areas.
Always Improving.
D
uring the last three years, a crane rose over
There have been very few years in Gustavus’s history when
Nobel Hall, scaffolding surrounded the
there was not construction going on somewhere. The Gustavus
building, and Gusties navigated their way
campus is always being created anew.
past chain-link fences. Today we have one of the best science facilities in the country for a
The process of creation is deliberate, following a master plan for campus projects. At the same time, infrastructure decisions
college of our size, besting other nationally ranked colleges in
are made with attention to current needs and future uses. For
Minnesota and around the country.
example, the image on the facing page is from the campus plan
Soon we expect to see cranes and scaffolding at Lund
made in 1945. It doesn’t look all that much like today’s campus.
Center as we begin the renovation and expansion of the
College planners of the 1940s did not anticipate the need for
36-year-old building. That too will be a best-in-class facility
student parking lots.
that serves not just athletes but the wellness and wellbeing of the entire Gustavus community.
A distinctive campus experience requires students who are committed to forming community, faculty who are committed
If it seems like there is constantly a new construction project
to students’ learning, and staff who are committed to students’
on campus, that’s because there is. Gustavus is always building.
health and well-being. But you also need buildings. Gustavus’s
This is the sign of a strong, healthy college with committed
campus community thrives because it is set in a beautiful
alumni supporters. It is the sign of a well-led college that has
landscape with facilities that meet the College’s needs. Nobel
a deliberate plan for updating infrastructure. And it’s the sign of a college that is always adapting to better
Hall of Science and the upcoming Lund Center building project aren’t the only building
serve its students.
projects to be shepherded with support
If you think back to your own on-
from alumni, parents, and friends. A
campus Gustavus experience as a
truly distinctive campus, serving a
student, parent, faculty member,
distinctive campus community, is
or staff member, it was likely
never finished. It is always a work
the case there was scaffolding
in progress, pushing forward
somewhere on campus then.
into the future.
B U I LT O N H I STO RY Ever since the townsfolk of Saint Peter and nearby Scandian Grove gifted $10,000 and a hilltop parcel of land, donors have made possible so much of what comprises our ever-changing campus.
1876
Old Main
1921
O.J. Johnson Student Union
1961
Christ Chapel
1963
Nobel Hall of Science
1971
Fine Arts Building
1972
Folke Bernadotte Library
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Here are some of the historical highlights funded by gifts to the College.
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WH Y I G IVE :
Logan Boese ’16 “IT MIGHT SOUND UNUSUAL, A 26–YEAR-OLD PUTTING HIS ALMA MATER IN HIS ESTATE PLAN.”
Since the fall of 2019, I have been working in Trondheim, Norway, as a project manager for Epic Systems Corporation. I work with Norwegian healthcare and IT specialists to bring the first shared electronic medical-record system to the country. It’s an exciting role, and the project holds large potential for the future of healthcare in Norway. Both at work and outside the office, I rely every day on the skills I learned at Gustavus. At first glance, majoring in philosophy and religion may not sound like a formula for success within a major software company, but my humanities education has prepared me with the necessary skills to succeed. I regularly need to express complicated concepts to people who do not speak English as their first language. All of the papers I wrote, the challenging conversations I had with professors, and the co-curricular activities that I took part in prepared me for working in this fast-paced industry. More importantly, Gustavus prepared me to be a global citizen. As an ex-pat, I often find myself relying on the education I gained about other cultures, especially Scandinavian culture, to inform how I live with my new neighbors. Norwegian culture has a value called dugnad, which focuses on voluntary service for the community. During the COVID pandemic, the Norwegian government invoked dugnad to encourage the entire country to help protect the most
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1975
Lund Ice Arena
1984
Lund Center
1988
Melva Lind Interpretive Center
1991
Olin Hall
1998
Tornado reconstruction, including Old Main
2005
Renovation of Old Main
2007
Hollingsworth Field
PHOTO BY GLENN KRANKING (TORNADO)
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
B U I LT O N H I STO RY
vulnerable. I find this ties in well with Gustavus’s value of service. When I see the overwhelming support the alumni community gave Gustavus students returning to campus this fall, I see this value lived out. I saw this support for Gustavus during my sophomore year, when I started working with the Office of Advancement as a class officer and student ambassador. My own giving began with a contribution to the senior class gift. Recently, I made a planned gift to the College. I learned about financial planning at a young age. When I was in seventh grade, my father, an ELCA pastor, took me to Thrivent to open my first mutual fund. After graduation, I spoke with a financial planner again about what I wanted my legacy to be, how I wanted to give back to institutions I care about even after my lifetime. It was clear during the course of these conversations that naming Gustavus as the beneficiary to one of my life insurance policies would allow me to continue helping the school that formed me into the person I am today.
CREATE A LEGACY OF GIVING A planned gift is something that Gusties of any age can make. There are various ways to make a future gift—with a life insurance policy, a retirement account, real estate, or appreciated securities. With careful planning, you can even increase your estate
When I first graduated from Gustavus, Anderson Hall was being renovated, the library and ice arena were new—all of it paid for by donors. I’m proud that Gustavus has been growing steadily since then. What we’re doing now, giving to the College, is nothing new.” —Bob “Stick” Peterson ’74
and reduce the tax burden for your heirs. For more information on making a planned gift, visit
2011
Beck Hall
2016
Renovation of Anderson Hall
2020
Expansion and renovation of Nobel Hall
2024
Expansion and Renovation of Lund Center
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Peterson and his wife, Cindy, gifted a $5 million challenge fund to raise the final gifts needed for the Nobel Hall of Science expansion and renovation project. When that dollar-for-dollar challenge was met, the couple gifted a second $5 million to support scholarships for National Merit Scholars.
gustavus.plannedgiving.edu.
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RIGHT PRESIDENT. RIGHT PROJECT. The expansion and renovation of Nobel Hall of Science could not have found a more suitable champion than former biomedical engineer and industry executive President Rebecca Bergman. Here’s how and why it was a (lab)or of love.
The expansion and renovation of Nobel Hall of Science
their next step beyond their undergraduate degree. We have
was on the horizon at the start of your presidency.
a really good track record for students aiming to enter science
How were you involved in the project after becoming
and healthcare careers. That’s a testament to our faculty.
president?
What we’ve added, in terms of flexible laboratories and
RB: As an engineer, I knew I would have something to offer. I
modernized classrooms, raises our ability to give students
have a passion for scientific research and relevant experience in
a top-notch experience.
planning Medtronic’s corporate technology
Of course, I also encounter alumni who just
center in Minneapolis. And I know how important it is for students to have the right facilities to be prepared for the types of jobs I used to hire people for. Because of my realworld experience, I could be authentically involved from the start.
walked through Nobel as a shortcut to other
Nobel Hall of Science was one of those tasks where I could say, ‘I got this.’” —President Rebecca Bergman
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
As you spoke to alumni about the
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buildings. They too understand the importance of the sciences to Gustavus. Our donor list for Nobel includes graduates in business and the humanities. Alumni across the board recognize our strength in the sciences. What are your favorite spaces in Nobel?
project, what did you learn about the sciences at
RB: I love laboratories. We’ve done a marvelous job creating
Gustavus?
laboratory spaces that will allow our students to participate in
RB: Our alumni recognize that strong science programs are part
research and gain experience with a wide range of equipment. I
of what makes Gustavus distinctive. Our alumni appreciate that
find myself lingering in the labs, imagining the experiments and
our science programs are embedded in a comprehensive liberal
discoveries that will happen there.
arts education, producing graduates who are not only good
I also find the visual impact of the North Atrium, with the view
scientists, but also great communicators, critical thinkers, and
of campus and Christ Chapel, to be stunning. I was overwhelmed
problem solvers.
the first time I stood looking out those windows. It was truly
Alumni also tell us how well we prepare our students for
breathtaking, a moment of pure joy.
Are there new trends in designing academic buildings
important for the overall student experience. Lund Center falls
that have impressed you?
into both categories and it is the next major project in our plan.
RB: In my time at Gustavus, we’ve seen the opening of Beck
How students study and learn has changed over the decades.
Hall, which was completed during my tenure on the Board of
Open spaces like the Torrey Atrium in Beck Hall and the
Trustees, the complete renovation of Anderson Hall, and now
STEAMery were not considered essential features in our older
Nobel. We have academic buildings that are flexible as teaching
buildings. Our library is not used the way it was when it opened
spaces, that provide common areas and plenty of natural light,
in 1972. Today, Lund Center is a hub for fitness and wellness, as
and that also have fun nooks and crannies. I think we are paying
well as related academic programs.
attention to all aspects of how a campus building is used.
There are three buildings on campus that all students use on a regular basis: Jackson Campus Center, the Folke Bernadotte
What factors go into planning future infrastructure
Memorial Library, and Lund Center. Lund needs to be updated.
projects at Gustavus?
It strikes me as being old and tired, just as Nobel was before the
RB: We have a master plan for the campus. We pay close
renovation. For the sake of all our students, it’s time for us to go
attention to facilities needed for academic excellence and that are
bigger and better.
BECAUSE OF YOU Nobel Hall’s expansion and renovation was made possible by gifts from alumni, parents, and friends. More than 90 individuals, families, and organizations helped to make it a reality. Here are those who gave $10,000 or more. Kelly Coleman ’79
Jeff Johnson ’00 and Beth Peter ’00
Tom Annesley ’75 and Linda Meeker Annesley ’75
Charlie Cunningham † and Kathy Cunningham
Sandra Brown Johnston ’63 and Jim Johnston
Anonymous Gustavus Family
Doug Dunn ’76 and Linda Dunn
Brenda Kelly and Jess Kelly
Steve Ballard ’80 and Sandy Butler Ballard ’81
Jim Edman ’58 and Ramona Edman
David Krig ’82 and Maelene Anderson Krig ’84
President Rebecca Bergman and Dr. Thomas Bergman Rev. Drell Bernhardson and Adeline Bernhardson Larry Biederman ’70 and Judy McPherson Biederman ’70 Paul Biewen ’80 and Amy Erdman Biewen ’82 Kevin Bjork ’79 and Evelyn Wickstrom Bjork ’80 Mike Blaese ’61 and Julianne Johnson Blaese ’62 Cindy Durbahn Bowers ’75 Jen Brandenburg ’02 Daniel Buendorf ’60 and Sandra Luedtke Buendorf ’62 Scott Bur and Amy Jo Bur Bruce Carlson ’59 and Jean Carlson Joe Carlson ’60 † and Marjorie Carlson
Jeff Evanson ’89 and Kristi CanfieldEvanson Joy Folkvord ’81 Bob Gazzola ’83 and Alecia Tromiczak Gazzola ’98 Susie Björling Heim ’83 and Steve Heim ’81 Al Henderson ’62 and Susan Henderson David Hendrickson ’65 and Susan England Hendrickson ’66 Mary Dee Johnson Hicks ’75 and George Hicks ’75 Rick Hokanson ’64 and Peggy Lawrence Linda Gulder Huett ’66 Dwight Jaeger ’53 and Audrey Anderson Jaeger ’55 Todd Johnson ’69 and Catherine Johnson Marion Myrland Johnson ’51 and John Johnson
Scott Lichty ’70 and Linda Gilkey Lichty ’70
Ginny Hendrickson Petersen ’67 and Lee Petersen ’68 † Bob Peterson ’74 and Cindy Peterson Ann Sponberg Peterson ’83 and Gregory Peterson Larry Potts and Jill Potts Chris Rydell ’91
Allen Lipke ’70 and Jennifer Villas Lipke ’71
Susan Rydell and Robert Rydell ’46 †
Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropic Foundation
Sherman Fairchild Foundation
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation T.J. McMillan ’07 and Taylor Granlund McMillan ’08
Beth Sparboe Schnell ’82 and Bob Schnell ’81 Steve Sutherland ’87 and Peg Sutherland
Terry Metz ’80 and Karen Mateer
The John E. Fetzer Institute, Incorporated
Tom Mielke ’80 and Vicki Anderson Mielke ’82
Jim Thon ’82 and Gabrielle Precilio Thon ’82
Julie Wiggins Nadeau ’81 and Mark Nadeau
Tozer Foundation
Randy Nelson ’63 and Joy Nelson Paul Oehlke and Kristin Peterson Oehlke ‘82 † Paul Olson ’54 and Andrea Olson Marcia Page ’82 and John Huepenbecker ’80
Vetter Stone Wilcox Oil William O. Lund, Jr. and Natalie C. Lund Charitable Foundation
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3M Foundation, Inc.
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2020–21 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
G USTIES
Michael Bussey ’69 , (president) senior consultant, Donor by Design Group, LLC J. C. Anderson ’82 , (vice president) partner/ attorney, Lathrop GPM Dan Michel ’90 , (treasurer) director, digital media, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Greetings Gusties, In Tod Bolsinger’s book, Canoeing the Mountains, the author uses Lewis and Clark’s journey across the continent to teach lessons in adaptive leadership. Because their crew couldnt canoe over the mountains, Lewis and Clark had to make the nerve-wracking decision to drop the gear that had gotten them that far and continue their journey in a completely different manner. Because of the impacts of COVID-19 and a renewed commitment to racial justice by Gusties throughout the nation and the world, the Gustavus Alumni Association is figuring out how to “canoe the mountains” in support of our mission to engage current and future alumni in lifelong relationships with Gustavus and each other. The good news related to Gustavus’s journey through the mountains is that the College is blessed with amazing leaders. Each day, Gustavus faculty and staff empower students to ROAR (Respect Others and Act Responsibly). It’s a heavy lift to run a residential college through a pandemic, but they’re doing it with excellence, attentiveness, and grace. As extraordinary as the College’s efforts have been, it needs your help. And it’s been received, with significant engagement of alumni (there are 28,000 of us!) committed to seeing the College and its students safely through this challenging year. This is a moment in history when Gustavus alumni can make a meaningful difference in the future of the College, as well as in the lives of current Gustavus students, faculty, and staff living day-to-day with the new realities of college life. It’s a time when all alumni can pitch in to help Gustavus Mike Bussey ’69 President, Gustavus Alumni Association Board of Directors
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Alumni Association
and its students successfully canoe the mountains. On behalf of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, we invite and encourage you to support Gustavus during this critical time. The good news is that there are many ways we can help make the campus a safe place for students and employees this year, while also providing resources for a strong and viable future. Here are just a few: 1. Encourage outstanding young people to apply to Gustavus, nominate them for a $4,000 Alumni Referral Scholarship (applications open in July), and consistently engage in conversation about Gustavus. 2. Make a contribution to the Gustavus Fund. Contributions of all sizes provide the support and encouragement Gustie students need during this challenging time. 3. Connect to the Gustie Professionals Network. See page 39. 4. Engage with friends and former classmates across the Gustavus community. Particularly in these challenging times, we can all gain a great deal from fellowship with one another—even at a safe social distance. Lewis and Clark did successfully figure out how to canoe the mountains and reach the Pacific Ocean. In the years ahead, as we reflect back on how our community successfully navigated the unchartered territory of 2020–2021, let us also remember that the Gustavus Alumni Association was a significant partner on that journey. Thank you for your help in making that possible! Go Gusties! Angela Erickson ’01 Director, Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement
Esther Mulder Widmalm-Delphonse ’08 , (secretary) attorney, labor law, United States Department of Labor Rick Barbari ’91 , head of enterprise data management, US Bank 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 , pharmacist, Abbott Northwestern Hospital Sara Schnell Elenkiwich ’10 , sourcing manager, Sparboe Farms Bruce Ensrud ’90 , wealth advisor, Thrivent Financial Alissa Fahrenz ’13 , analyst, Excelsior Energy Capital Amy Zenk James ’94 , sales and outreach director, Meadow Woods Assisted Living Peter Kitundu ’92 , vice president, chief compliance and privacy officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield Todd Krough ’85 , senior investment officer, Tealwood Asset Management Bill Laumann ’66 , retired schoolteacher/ librarian, Albert Lea ISD #241 Jessica Martinez ’15 , assistant to the principal, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Jason Mischel ’96 , vice president of sales and marketing, Valley Queen Cheese John Moorhead ’68 , retired co-owner, Lindskoog Florist Jace Riggin ’16 , admissions officer, Macalester College Deb Johnson Rosenberg ’79 , director of retirement plan consulting, Stiles Financial Services, Inc. Mary Anderson Rothfusz ’83 , retired attorney Mark Scharmer ’77 , retired executive vice president, insurance operations, Federated Mutual Insurance Company Daniel Sellers ’06 , executive director, Ciresi Walburn Foundation for Children Vidya Sivan ’02 , digital communications specialist, Harvard Kennedy School Marcia Stephens ’73 , retired financial advisor Matt Swenson ’06, director of CEO communications, Cargill, Inc. Ann McGowan Wasson ’82 , homemaker, volunteer
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
GUSTIES
MY GUSTAVUS Professor Jeff Dahlseid ’90, Chemistry Major, Biology Minor “ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ATTRACTED ME AS A PROFESSOR WAS THE BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY PROGRAM.”
Made for Everyone Dahlseid’s dad graduated just after the original Nobel Hall of Science opened. When the younger Dahlseid toured campus, it was the new Lund Center that caught his eye. He wasn’t an athlete, but it seemed like a place for everyone. Dahlseid brought that feeling to the early days of the Nobel Hall renovation. "We wanted to send a message to students that there's a place for you here."
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I grew up in Fergus Falls. My parents met at Gustavus. They were both firstgeneration college students who became public educators and really strong proponents of the liberal arts. I was interested in the biomolecular fields and Gustavus got me on a phone call with a current student. During my first year as a student, I had to learn that it was important to sleep and how to find the members of my tribe. The fellas next door turned out to be super swell guys. There was a period I was thinking about transferring and it was a friend in my science classes (Jeff Engrav ’90) who convinced me to give it another chance. I did well enough my first semester but not as well as I hoped. I went to get academic support and that’s how I met staff member Julie Johnson ’69. We had a shared passion for wonder and the outdoors and where those two things come together. She became a person I could drop in and share successes with. After graduation, I did my PhD at Northwestern University, then post-doctoral research at University of Wisconsin-Madison. I started a tenure track professorship at St. Olaf. I came to the 2001 Nobel Conference. My former Gustavus professors encouraged me to follow up on an opening in biochemistry and molecular biology, a program at Gustavus started jointly by the biology and chemistry departments. Gustavus was one of the first schools in the upper Midwest to have such a major. Colleges have since been offering biochem as a second major out of biology or chemistry, but to me, the interesting stuff is at the intersections of these fields. I’ve been here as a professor since the fall of 2002. When I think about what makes a great Gustie, I think about those with broad or varied interests, curiosity, a love for learning, who enjoy community and laughter. I don’t mean to get sappy, but I think that tag line of being interested in making their lives count is true of Gusties.
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Dennis Lofstrom, Overland Park, KS, is, at age 92, the oldest practicing physician in Tanzania, Africa, working with International Health Partners. He and his wife, Paula, were also the founders of St. John's University School of Nursing in Dodoma in 2007. Jackie Carlson, Minnetonka, continues to be an active volunteer at many places, including Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the Synod Senior Band.
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Bob Proshek, Hendersonville, NC, is a retired Navy captain and combat naval aviator. Gary Mau, Hudson, WI, has retired from owning and operating Beanies at Maui’s Landing in Bayport. Roger Oster, Edina, has retired from American Express and is serving as the president and director of Risk and Management Society. Andrea Noren Rogers, Lakewood, CO, is owner of MAJR Financial Services.
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Clark C. Hoffman, Alexandria, is a retired college instructor for the University of Minnesota Morris. He also spent 13 years in the Air Force and worked as a math teacher, curriculum director, principal, and superintendent. Bonnie Lewis McClees, Bothell, WA, is a retired tax software developer. She likes to garden, host grandchildren, walk a lot, and work on projects that she has thought about for years.
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from singing with the Woodbury Chorus and Orchestra.
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Heather Harshberger Fluck, Hector, has participated in the Twins Women’s Baseball Experiences at Target Field. In each of Twins events, she was the oldest attendee and could still catch, pitch, field and throw. She is, however, retiring after 25 years
James Welte, Rockford, IL, is a selfemployed funeral director.
Lee O. Hagglund, Spartanburg, SC, is retired from Wofford College as professor emeritus of mathematics but continues to sing with three choral groups. M. Gary Southers, Jr., Maryville, TN, retired from his customer service position with JC’s Five Star Outlet.
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Barbara Veker Elnes, Edina, retired after teaching as an elementary substitute teacher for 26 years in the Edina and Hopkins school districts. Doug Scheunemann, Minneapolis, is retired from working as a senior vice president of US Bank Home Mortgage in Bloomington.
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Dale Acton, Clive, IA, retired as vice president, senior advisor at Fure Financial. Jane Bader DeStaercke, Gilman, WI, is fully retired from being a high school English teacher. Susan Felkey, Boulder, CO, retired from working at Mental Health Center of Boulder and Broomfield counties. Doug Johnson, Bismarck, ND, retired from being the executive director of North Dakota Council of Educational Leaders. Kirk Metzger, Fort Myers, FL, retired from the role of executive director of Fox Cities Performing Arts Center in Appleton, WI. Andrea Holmquist Pieske, Willmar, is retired from being a care management coordinator with Affiliated Community Medical Centers. Beverly Nystrom Sartain, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada, retired from working as a birth and family educator at Fairview Health Services. Barbara Watson, Jackson, MI, is a psychiatric nurse practitioner in private practice. Nancy Knox Wellington, St. Paul, is a choir organist for Saint Mary and Saint Michael's Catholic Churches.
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Dottie Mattson Winterton, Midway, UT, is retired from working in radiology at Utah Valley Medical Center and from being a part-time instructor at Weber State University.
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Ivy Schutz Bernhardson, Minneapolis, retired from her position as chief judge for Hennepin County District Court.
Steve Kottke, Darlington, WI, is assistant to the Bishop for the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin, ELCA.
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Chris Andersen, Minneapolis, retired as executive director of InFaith Foundation. Marita Karlisch, Minneapolis, is a substitute librarian for the Hennepin County Library. Vicki Wagner, Richfield, retired as director and counsel of risk management at Park Nicollet Health System.
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Mary Pederson Behrends, Saint Peter, retired from Saint Peter High School after a 42-year teaching career. She also coached the Saint Peter Academic Decathlon team which won the state title six times. Kim Ehritt, Whiting, VT, retired as director of records and research at Middlebury College. Carl Malmberg, Denton, TX, retired from the University of North Texas Student Health and Wellness Center and is now doing volunteer work with the County Medical Reserve Corps. Pam Borden O'Brien, New Prague, is the senior training project manager E & I sales readiness for United Healthcare.
Stephen Howells, Wayzata, works in sales for Architectural Lighting Design. Bill Seagren is a missionary with United World Mission living in Prague, Czech Republic.
Paula Anderson Berger, Spring Park, is the quality and compliance supervisor at Park Nicollet Methodist Home Care. Marcia Mardaus Hagen, Hawley, retired as a chemist from Biosciences Research Lab. Jeanne Karp-Oelfke, Hamburg, is a supervisory RN specialist at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, National Disaster Medical Systems, MN-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team in Washington, DC. Juli Sutton-Deem, Brainerd, is a pastor at Light of the Cross Lutheran Church in Garrison.
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Paul E. Larson, Waco, TX, has completed 27 years as a professor of Spanish at Baylor University. Rick Saruna, Windsor, ON, Canada, is the chief executive officer and clinical director of Body & Mind Natural Health.
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Steve Johnson, Woodbury, is a therapist at Christian Heart Counseling.
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Wendy Larson-Harris, Roanoke, VA, is department chair and associate professor of English at
Roanoke College. Ruth Nelson-Lau, Merrill, WI, is a nurse practitioner for Ascension at Home Hospice. Mark Wagner, Chanhassen, is an attorney with O’Meara, Leer, Wagner & Kohl in Minneapolis.
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David Flaten ’87, Dryden, NY, a history professor at Tompkins Cortland Community College, won a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to Colombia. He will teach graduate and undergraduate courses at the Technological University of Pereira.
RAN INTO A GUSTIE— —IN A GUSTIE-OWNED BREWERY An impromptu gathering of Gusties occurred at Mineral Springs Brewery in Owatonna in June. L to r: David Moline ’81, Tim Pelton ’81, Mark Knutson ’90, Ally Pelton Hilding ’10, Derek Hilding ’10, and Bryce Knutson ’22. Mineral Springs is co-owned by Pelton and Knutson.
—UP NORTH AT CAMP Isaac Patterson ’17 has been coming to YMCA Camp Northern Lights just north of Ely since he was four years old. Now he is Program Director for the camp. Mike Bussey ’69 and family have been coming to YMCA family camps for 37 years. Bussey once worked as director of Camp St. Croix, a sister camp to Camp Northern Lights.
—IN NEW ZEALAND George Rindelaub ’75 was visiting his son, Joel Rindelaub ’09, in New Zealand, where Joel is a PhD chemist research fellow at the University of New Zealand, Auckland. While in Raglan, a Gustavus sweatshirt caught their eye. It was Brynn Makela Mathis ’16, touring New Zealand with her husband while on a teaching break from China.
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Bill W. Barberg, Golden Valley, has started a consulting and technology company called Population Health Learning Collaborative (PopHLC) that addresses complex issues like affordable housing, addiction, and chronic disease prevention. Brad Brubaker, Eden Prairie, is a BARR coach and trainer at St. Louis Park High School. BARR is a curriculum model that addresses students’ academic, emotional, social, and physical needs in every interaction. Carla Johnson Conradt, Austin, is in her 13th year as a success coach at Austin High School.
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Carmyn Priewe, Fremont, CA, is a fire inspector for the City of Monterey.
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Cheryl Burman Harjes, Eden Prairie, is a facilitator of grief support groups and occasional speaker for Southwest Grief Coalition, a suicide bereavement group and GriefShare. She is also a ski instructor.
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Kathy Hurley Ahmann, Edina, is an RN, kidney transplant inpatient coordinator at Hennepin County Medical Center. Bonnie Karp Amundson, Shoreview, is co-founder of FishDonkey, a mobile app for running catch-and-release fishing tournaments. Sherra Eckloff Buckley, Edina, is the account director for BI Worldwide. Deborah Larson Ellis, Aurora, CO, has retired after 30 years as an educator, most recently serving as the principal at Dunn Elementary, an IB World School in Fort Collins. Kari L. Johnson, Lake Elmo, is a 4th grade teacher at Rosemount/Apple Valley/ Eagan ISD #196. Peg Moline Johnson, Eau Claire, WI, is senior lecturer in the department of kinesiology and director of women’s basketball operations at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.
Janet McVary McBride, Elko New Market, is an instructional coach for Lakeville School District. Jeff McBride, Elko New Market, works for CHS. Amy Samelian, St. Paul, is a college and career readiness coordinator at Community School of Excellence in St. Paul. Pamela Sletten, Aurora, CO, is vice president at The Sletten Group in Centennial, CO. Steven Stratton, Tucson, AZ, is the medical affairs director of Ventana Medical Systems.
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Kim Hildebrand-Faust, Portland, OR, is a STEM Advisor for transfer students at Clackamas Community College in Oregon City. Annie Marshall, Baltimore, MD, is an event coordinator for the Office of Institutional Advancement at Jemicy School.
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Nicole Strusz-Mueller, Northfield, is director of patient support service for Northfield Hospital and Clinics.
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Chad Engman, Albertville, is a certified orthotist for Great Steps Orthotics & Prosthetics in Sartell. Jake Knaus, Minneapolis, earned a PhD in curriculum and instruction from the University of Minnesota in June. He currently teaches 3rd grade in Minneapolis Public Schools.
Nate Swenson, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is the Head of School at the International School of Ho Chi Minh City American Academy.
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J.D. Anderson, Sartell, is chief of pharmacy for the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. Nathan Anderson, Saint Michael, is an electrical engineer for Progressive Systems Inc. in Medina. David Berg, Rochester, is pastor at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. Lori Biederman, Ames, IA, is an adjunct assistant professor of science at Iowa State University. Amy Oberdeck Chalupnik, Buffalo, is the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Monticello. Jeff Christensen, Lakeville, is vice president and general manager for TerSera Therapeutics. Deb Boelter Dahlby, Shorewood, is the director of Risk Management Solutions. Neal Enssle, Longmont, CO, is a senior engineering manager for Twitter. David J. Flom, Eden Prairie, is a fifth-grade teacher and head boys’ basketball coach at Eden Prairie High School. He was recently named the 2020 National High School Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year.
LaNay Koralesky, Coon Rapids, is a career rehabilitation counselor for the State of Minnesota, Vocational Rehabilitation Services. Jane Patchin Lalim, Belle Plaine, is an associate director, academic support center at Gustavus Adolphus College. S. Michelle Nikels, Denver, CO, is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Cory Overland, Miami, FL, is an associate professor of professional practice in music education and choral conducting at the University of Miami Frost School of Music in Miami, FL. He is also the chief academic editor of the Music Educators Journal. Jenna Peik Peters, River Falls, WI, is a principal for North Saint Paul/Maplewood School District. Nora J. Sande, Portland, OR, is vice president of health centers and auxiliary operations for National University of Natural Medicine. Kristi Berg Schuck, Mankato, co-owns WYSIWYG Juice Co. Stacy Dirnberger Smallfield, St. Peters, MO, is an associate professor, occupational therapy and medicine and assistant director, entry-level professional programs, at Washington University, School of Medicine in St. Louis. Eric Youngdahl, Houston, TX, is the pastor of the House of Prayer Lutheran Church.
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Jody Olson De St. Hubert, Hopkins, is director of teaching and learning for Edina Public Schools.
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Jamie Vicha, Austin, TX, is a deputy clerk for the U.S. District Court, District of Texas.
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Melissa M. Majerus, Watertown, has been named dean of liberal arts and sciences for transfer programs at Ridgewater College, Willmar. Nicole Safar, Madison, WI, has been named executive director of A Better Wisconsin Together (ABWT), a progressive communications and research hub.
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Karl Sundquist, Virginia, has been named division head for the St. Louis County Attorney’s Office on the Range.
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Jared Chester, Eden Prairie, is the vice president SBA lending for Wells Fargo. Beth Collins, Gilbert, is a music teacher for grades 3 through 6 at Virginia Public Schools. Joy Johnson McGrath, Fort Worth, TX, works as a therapy services coordinator. Erin Schadt, Edmonds, WA, is director for strategic communications at the University of Washington Medicine Advancement in Seattle.
Steve Tuthill, Eden Prairie, is a high school math teacher for Minnetonka Public Schools ISD #276. Tammy Williams VanDeGrift, Portland, OR, received the 2020 Faculty Award for Outstanding Teaching by the Committee on Teaching and Scholarship at Portland University where she is a professor of computer science and engineering in the Shiley School of Engineering.
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Erin Seal Johnson, Minnetonka, is principal for the Schools of Logic and Rhetoric at Eagle Ridge Academy.
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Jeff Brown, Delano, is the community health administrator for the City of Edina Public Health Division. Sara Brigger Dziuk, Apple Valley, was recently named
A MEMORIAL CAST FOR SERVICE PAST Visitors to McLeod County Veterans Memorial Park noticed a new addition this past Memorial Day weekend: a bronze statue honoring service members. The statue was sculpted by Jon Kamrath ’10, and donated by his parents, Lisa Louisiana Kamrath ’82 and Keith Kamrath (pictured right). Jon studied bronze sculpture at Gustavus Adolphus College, and spent a year working for a studio that produces memorials for police, fire, and military. The new monument, which depicts a World War II soldier, was installed after two years of planning and sculpting.
chief advancement officer for College Possible National and oversees the organization’s fundraising, communications and external relations at the national level.
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Andy Odden, Clayton, MO, is associate professor and vice chair, department of medicine at Washington University Medical School.
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Kate Podvin Bataglia, Saint Paul, is an occupational therapist at Children’s Minnesota. Mandy Mensink Olsen, Lakeville, is the senior director, student success for Walden University in Minneapolis. Ashley Farbo Schulzetenberg, Amsterdam, is the creative director for Teeeze Cosmetics in Roterdam, Netherlands.
Karl Tsuchiya, Chanhassen, is an attorney at Bardy Law Office in Wayzata.
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Mhonpaj Lee, White Bear Lake, works as a Entrepreneur Leadership Consultant Realtor Small Developer. Briana Monson Miller, Mankato, is an elementary teacher in the Mankato school district and a visiting instructor at Gustavus.
Marisa Mancini Rothrock, Albuquerque, NM, is a licensed mental health counselor at Sage Neuroscience. Daniel Sellers, Hamel, has been named executive director for the Ciresi Walburn Foundation for Children in Minneapolis.
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Pam Bechtle Jacobson, Montevideo, is an administrative clinical supervisor and licensed clinical psychologist at Woodland Centers.
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Daisy Schmidt Christopherson, Northfield, is a physical therapist for Northfield Physical Therapy. Cameron Kelly, was elected to a two-year term on the board of directors for law firm Lommen Abdo. Kelly also serves on its finance and business development/marketing committees. He was designated a Minnesota Super Lawyer in 2019 and 2020. Sarah Kelling Oslund, Rochester, is the director of communications and marketing for the Well Living Lab.
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Trevor Wittwer, Redwood Falls, along with his wife, Erin Boese Wittwer ’07, own and operate Anytime Fitness in Saint James.
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Kat Coughlin Coda, Chicago, IL, completed a three-year postdoctoral fellowship in laboratory animal medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago and is now a clinical veterinarian at the University of Minnesota. Stephanie Caldwell Jaeger, Mapleton, is a certified pharmacy technician at Cub Pharmacy in Mankato. Joel Rindelaub, Saint Cloud, is a PhD chemist research fellow at the University of New Zealand, Auckland. Kavan Rogness, Lakeville, graduated from Bethel Seminary in Arden Hills with a Master of Divinity degree. Carla Shutrop, Reno, NV, has been named assistant special missions program officer (ASMPO) at Department of Veterans Affairs in Seattle, WA.
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Chris Augustinack, Fort Worth, TX, works as a database engineer at Mid-States Distributing. Tara Blinn Block, Minneapolis, is the principal consultant of Daugherty Business Solutions in Bloomington. Alysha Thompson Coffman, Nicollet, is an education visiting instructor at Gustavus Adolphus College.
Julianna Faddler Copeland, White Bear Lake, is a marketing manager for Renewal by Andersen. Mike Johnson, Saint Paul, works for JND eDiscovery in Minneapolis. Katie Umenthum Kangas, Shoreview, received master’s degrees in both architecture and historic preservation and has started her own architecture firm, Pasque Architecture. Sean Maertens, Rosemount, is an associate credit representative of Ecolab. Chelsea Koepsell Mann, Bigfork, works as a physician at Scenic Rivers Health Services. Caitlin Peterson, Chippewa Falls, WI, after completing her MFA in 2016 from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, she is a self-employed visual artist showing internationally. T.J. Ridley, Vail, CO, is completing a fellowship with Orthopaedic Surgery Sports Medicine, The Steadman Clinic. Katie Hoium Rush, Wichita, KS, is a pricing consultant for Cargill. Alanna Velo, St. Paul, a former paramedic, is now in medical school at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and currently a resident physician in anesthesiology at the University of Minnesota.
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Jessica Gjerde, Tucson, AZ, is the assistant director of social justice and inclusion for housing and residential life for the University of Minnesota.
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Brian Westerbur, Grafton, ND, graduated with a master’s of divinity from Free Lutheran Seminary in Plymouth and accepted a call to Bethel Free Lutheran Church.
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David Hedlund, Richfield, is a manager at Ernst & Young in Minneapolis. Tyler Joe, San Jose, CA, works as a senior software engineer. Muresuk Mena, Grenada, West Indies, designed an afterschool program called Pack A Smyle committed to equipping children with the essentials needed for school. He is currently a medical student at Saint George’s University, Grenada. Ian A. Shay, St. Paul, recently graduated with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology from University of Wisconsin–Madison and has accepted a position as a speech pathologist with Roseville Area School District.
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Nicole Meier, Annandale, is a school psychologist for AnokaHennepin School District. Renee Osborn, Minneapolis, works as an accountant for UCare.
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Maggie Carlson, Edina, received her masters of education in school counseling. Kacie Foster, Chanhassen, works for Chaska Music Studios as a marketing and communications professional, plus composer, piano, and flute
instructor. She is also selfemployed as an event pianist/ guitarist/flutist. Andrea Gruver, Roseville, is a researcher in a master’s program at Northwestern University. Jackie Trushcheff, Madison, WI, works as a project manager at Nordic Consulting Partners. Danielle Vogler-Bos, Hudson, WI, works as a naturopathic physician at Minneapolis Integrative Medical Center.
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Miranda Ruben, Trempealeau, WI, is a genetic counselor for Union Medical Group.
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Karena Baldwin, Eden Prairie, is a training and communications senior specialist for Best Buy Company. Alex Koopmeiners, St. Cloud, has played three years of professional hockey for Soderhamn/Ljusne in Division II of the Swedish League, under the management of Sportun Sports Management. Agustin M. Murillo, St. Paul, is the manager for Metro Concierge and creative director for AM Photos.
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Marissa Bogdansky, Carbondale, IL, is the co-founder of Jungle Cat Marketing Solutions. McKenna Patrow, Eagan, works for Lakeville Behavioral Health. Jacob Skold, Decorah, IA, is a law student at the University of Iowa.
Marissa White, Hastings, is a graduate student in education at King’s College London.
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Vanessa Case, New Brighton, is a group fitness instructor for the City of Eagan. Emily Dzieweczynski, Mankato, is a studio intern at Second Shift Studio in East St. Paul and works part-time as a barista at River Rock Coffee. Julia Isberner, White Bear Lake, is an AmeriCorps member working for Minnesota Emergency Response Initiative. Rachel Mueller, Mineral Point, WI, works as a youth and family ministry director. Ashley Studsdahl, Northfield, is a clinical laboratory technician at Mayo Clinic. Harry Sullivan IV, Nashville, TN, is employed with Moogsoft.
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Grace Lee, Lodi, WI, is an advisor for Ouisconsing School of Collaboration (OSC), a 3-5 project-based charter school. Nicole Abraham, Roseville, is a cashier at Home Depot. Joyce Amakoue Amah, Bloomington, is wokring as a registered nurse. Abigail Anderson, Sioux Falls, SD, is working in sales development for United Health Group. Elias Anderson, Saint Peter, is a general manager at Domino's Pizza. Lily Anderson, Omaha, NE, is attending Creighton University
WEDDINGS T. J. Ridley ’10 and Courtney Gustafson, 10/19/19, Vail, CO Kelsey Dahl ’14 and James Kleve, 10/31/20, Paris, KY Kacie Foster ’15 and Matthew Bauer ’14, 08/24/19, Chanhassen Laura Dobler ’15 and Mitch Nelson ’14, Saint Peter Jacklyn Trushcheff ’15 and Patrick Sumner, 4/25/20, Madison, WI Danielle Vogler ’15 and Ryan Bos, 9/1/19, Hudson, WI
BIRTHS Ezra, to Esther Mann and David B. Mann ’10, 10/25/17 Bentley, to Milton Hallman, IV ’00 and Katie Lindfors Hallman, 04/18/19 Hayden, to Nick Hendrikson ’01 and Ashley Henningsgaard Hendrikson ’07, 05/01/20 Miriam, to Katherine Medbery-Oleson ’02 and Timothy Oleson, 05/14/20 Avery, to Rob Jeppson ’03 and Sarah Jeppson, 08/31/19 Landon, to Ethan Keller ’03 and Lindsay Hadtrath Keller ’04, 05/22/20 Eva, to Kyle Tollefson ’03 and Laura Tollefson, 05/22/20 Brielle, to Lauri Huettl Smith ’05 and Jason Smith, 03/16/19 Tenley, to Lauri Huettl Smith ’05 and Jason Smith, 04/05/20 Annabella, to Karl Tsuchiya ’05 and Theresa Tsuchiya Finnegan, to Marisa Rothrock ’06 and Brian Rothrock, 03/08/20
CAREER SUPPORT, BY GUSTIES, FOR GUSTIES The Gustavus Professionals Network connects, supports, and inspires Gusties in their careers. For many current students and alumni, 2020 has brought career-related challenges. At the same time, there are many Gusties out there working in sectors experiencing growth who can offer their help and support to fellow Gusties in need. With this in mind, we’ve increased networking and other career support opportunities—by Gusties and for Gusties. The Gustie Professionals Network helps students and fellow alumni forge organic connections to advance their professional endeavors. We've recently engaged 80 new volunteer leaders across our six industry cluster areas, leveraging their passion for Gusties and their professional expertise. This winter, they'll receive training on the Gusties Connect platform so they can better serve as ambassadors of it. We’ve also launched an “Illuminating Gustie Career Pathways” series, giving readers an inside look at the inspiring professional trajectories of individual Gusties as they consider their own journeys. Next, we'll refine our next steps forward based on data gathered this fall to deliver a strong ecosystem of professional support. We know the Gustie Spirit is strong, and the Gustie Professionals Network is a way to serve as champions for all Gusties. It’s especially important during these challenging employment times, and rising to challenges is one of the things we Gusties do best.
Connect. Support. Inspire. Join in. Visit gustavus.edu/alumni/gather/networking.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
for physical therapy. Linnea Anderson, Eagan, is a client service analyst at Solutran. Nyla Anderson, Blue Earth, is a third-grade teacher in Fairmont. Jared Bader, Shorewood, is a salesforce administrator and architect at Intemark. Samuel J. Barthel, Princeton, is an IT specialist at Ceres Environmental Services, Inc. Nicole Bauleke, Bloomington, is a costumer service representative for AmeriHealth Administrators in Bloomington. Rachel Belvedere, Edina, is a community coordinator for U.S. Solar. Quinn Bents, Rushmore, is attending veterinary school. Emily Carslon, Alexandria, is a naturalist at Gunflint Lodge and Outfitters. Madison Carlson, Saint James, is a wellness coordinator at Aegis Therapies. Lauren Casey, Eagan, is a project management associate at the Boom Lab. Kristen Cash, Roseville, is studying civil engineering at the University of Minnesota. Yassine Derbani, San Francisco, CA, is a tax consultant for Deloitte. Zach Diedrich, Bloomington, is a student teacher. Shane D. Ellanson, Lake Crystal, is working for the AmeriCorps. Zeke Erickson, Marion, IA, is working construction.
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GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
GUSTIES
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Bryna, to Erin Green Smith ’06 and Daniel Smith ’06, 04/04/19 Anna, to Kevin Hegland ’07 and Laura Hansen Hegland ’09, 04/23/20 Seth, to Pam Bechtle Jacobson ’07 and Allen Jacobson, 02/03/20 Gabriel, to Michelle Lien Besser ’10 and William Besser, 05/06/20 Ava, to Brianna Bren ’10 and Adam Bren ’10, 11/29/19 Ricky, to Julianna Faddler Copeland ’10 and Richard Copeland III ’11, 09/16/18 Esther, to Chelsea Koepsell Mann ’10 and David Mann ’10, 09/03/19 Wyatt, to Kelsey Hausladen Michelson ’10 and Andrew Michelson ’10, 05/30/15 Paisley, to Kelsey Brugger Rausch ’10 and Gregory Rausch, 08/21/17 Brennan, to Claire Campbell Ruuhela ’10 and Matt Ruuhela, 08/30/19 Blakely, to Katie Sellner Bloedow ’12 and Jacob Bloedow, 07/29/19 Leona, to Jason Cook ’12 and Anna Schulte Cook ’14, 10/22/19 Remy, to Brittany Kauffmann ’13 and Mark Kauffmann II, 07/13/20 Rowan, to Tyler Bridley ’14 and Kiera Braun Bridley ’11, 12/18/19
IN MEMORIAM Phyllis Peterson Odland ’47, Minneapolis, on 6/17/20. A former social worker, she
worked for the Ward County Planning Council in Minot and is survived by three children. Mildred Olson Bloomdahl ’48, Minneapolis, on 4/20/20. A former schoolteacher, wife, and mother, she is survived by three children. Donald L. Conrad ’49, Lawrence, KS, on 6/4/20. He had a long career as a Lutheran pastor of the ELCA serving various parishes in Kansas and Missouri. He is survived by his wife, Janice, four children, and a brother, Paul Conrad ’63. Richard Moen ’50, Owatonna, on 6/20/20. A Navy veteran and a longtime employee of Federated Insurance Company of Owatonna, he is survived by three daughters including Diane Moen Jungbluth ’76 and Melinda Moen Batz ’86. Marlys Peterson ’50, St. Paul, on 7/5/20. She was a former teacher and counselor for the St. Paul Schools and is survived by many cousins and friends. Miriam Edward Rischmiller ’50, Amery, WI, on 6/17/20. A former music teacher and long-time executive secretary for the Toro Company, she is survived by her two children. John S. Helling ’51, New Richmond, WI, on 5/15/20. A World War II veteran, and a businessman for various corporations until becoming the founding partner and president of Amery Technical
Products. He is survived by two children. Donn Larson ’51, Duluth, on 7/30/20. He spent his career in public relations and owned his own advertising agency. Donn is survived by his wife, Donna, and two children. Alvin T. Swanson ’51, Sacramento, CA on 6/28/20. A Korean War Air Force veteran, he owned and operated multiple Ben Franklin stores. He is survived by his wife, Betty Barnes Swanson ’52, four children, and a sister, Judy Swanson Adamson ’58. Betty Mae Hennix Bennett ’53, Minnetonka, on 7/15/20. A former English teacher, she is survived by her seven children and a sister, Marian Hennix Gabel ’57. Marjorie Kaus Jenkins ’53, Springfield, on 4/24/20. A wife and mother, she worked as a librarian and media specialist at various schools and is survived by two daughters. Richard Brubacher ’54, Minnetonka, on 7/24/20. A veteran, he had a long career in government administration as the city manager for Hopkins, executive director of Ramsey County, and commissioner of administration for the State of Minnesota. He is survived by his wife, Mary, and three daughters including Sara Brubacher Provart ’84. Robert Gamm, Sr. ’54, Circle Pines, on 6/9/20. A former schoolteacher and coach, he is survived by his wife, Marlys
Setterholm Gamm ’54, and two children, Cynthia Gamm Nadeau ’82 and David ’86. He was preceded in death by his son, Robert, Jr. ’84. Glen A. Lovestrand ’54, Ivanhoe, on 6/23/20. He was a World War II veteran who studied architecture before coming to Gustavus and studying music. He had a career as an organistchoirmaster and music director at various locations and is survived by nephews and nieces. George R. Boberg ’55, Ridgecrest, CA, on 7/4/20. A veteran and former professor at the University of Kansas in the School of Fine Arts and founder of the percussion department. He is survived by four children. John O. Annexstad ’56, Walker, on 6/9/20. A Korean War veteran, he went on to have an illustrious career first with the U.S. Coast and Geodedic Survey in Antarctica and later with the Apollo Space Program in Houston, TX. He was awarded a Distinguished Alumni Citation from Gustavus in 1981. Upon retirement from NASA in 1985, he was a professor of geology at Bemidji State University. John is survived by his wife, Judith, three children, three stepchildren, and a sister, Mary Annexstad Francis ’61. Barbara Blomquist Carlson ’57, Brooklyn Park, on 4/21/20. A wife, mother, and volunteer, she is survived by her four children.
Marlys Jonason Nordgren ’57, Chisago City, on 6/13/20. She was a social worker who joined the hospice team at North Memorial Medical Center. She is survived by her husband, Reuben, and three children. Agnes Voss Bode ’58, Willmar, on 7/20/20. A former office worker at Granite Falls Municipal Hospital and extensive traveler, she is survived by her daughter, Mary Bode ’86. Clarence W. Wickstrom ’58, Grand Rapids, on 8/5/20. A Korean War veteran, he was a longtime math teacher in Grand Rapids and is survived by his wife, Kay, and two sons. Stewart L. Anderson ’59, Hastings, NE, on 4/1/20. He was a farmer and owner of G & S Farms in Axtell. Stewart is survived by his wife, Judy, and five sons including Thomas Anderson ’84. Ann Marie Hendrickson ’59, Wauwatosa, WI, on 7/20/20. A life-long educator at various locations and retiring as a high school special education teacher in Menomonee Falls, WI, she is survived by her son and a brother, Charles Hendrickson ’57. Gloria Swanson Lund ’59, Crosslake, on 6/3/20. She was a former vice president for Lund Food Holdings, Inc. and is survived by three children. Ralph A. Olson ’59, Willmar, on 7/19/20. An Army veteran, he owned his own business, Olson Sheet Metal, and is
Marina in Key West, FL. She is survived by two children. James G. Ray ’69, St. Paul, on 6/4/20. A former Navy master explosive ordnance disposal diver and instructor, he later became a lawyer and partner with Faegre and Benson and Briggs & Morgan. He is survived by his four children. David E. Swenson ’70, Minneapolis, on 6/23/20. He was a Lutheran pastor serving various parishes over his 37-year pastoral career. He is survived by his wife, Jeanne Carlson Swenson ’71, three children including Joshua ’97, Rebecca ’05, and brother, W. Norman Swenson ’67. Milena M. Rudolph ’86, Austin, TX, on 1/25/20. She was employed by Novartis/Alcon Vision Care and is survived by her parents and a sister. Stephen T. Brownlow ’88, Albert Lea, on 4/22/20. He worked his entire career with the Arends family and most recently was a senior consultant at Intellicents. Steve is survived by his wife, Gayle, three children, his mother, and three siblings. Linda Houser-Marko ’92, Oak Park, IL, on 1/9/20. She earned her doctorate in psychology and was working as a research assistant for Johnson O’Connor Research Foundation in Chicago. Linda is survived by her husband, Shaun, two daughters, her parents, and two siblings.
REMEMBERING HELEN BAUMGARTNER (former faculty) Saint Peter, on 6/13/20. A violinist in the Mankato orchestra and professor of Music at Gustavus, she was also an active member of both the Girl Scouts and the League of Women Voters. She enjoyed performing as a piano duet with her husband, Paul, also a professor of Music. She is survived by her husband, five children, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
REMEMBERING CHARLES CUNNINGHAM (former trustee) Naples, FL, on 7/6/20. Raised in Minneapolis, He was a graduate of Washburn high school and served in the Navy during World War II. He studied business at the University of Minnesota and had a 40-year career at West Publishing. Together, he and his wife were members of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church of Minneapolis for over 55 years and were active in youth and music ministries as well as Cathedral of the Pines Camp. He served on the Board of Trustees at Gustavus and with his wife was a recipient of the Sesquicentennial Award to honor those who have made a significant difference in the life of the College. He is survived by his wife, two children, and five grandchildren.
REMEMBERING MARY EVERETT (former faculty) Saint Peter, on 10/14/20. A mother, teacher, explorer, 96 years in the making. She taught Spanish at Saint Peter High School for many years, and after retirement, was a visiting professor at Gustavus from 2002 to 2007. She was also involved in local city government. She and her husband, Aaron Everett, a professor of French at Gustavus for 22 years, were well read and well-traveled. She is survived by her two children, several grandchildren, and a sister.
David Cameron ’76, Owatonna, on 8/1/20. He worked his entire career at Federated Insurance until his retirement. He is survived by two sons and his sister, Linda Cameron ’78.
Jonathan W. Schmidt ’92, Prior Lake, on 6/29/20. He spent his working career in the IT security industry and is survived by two sons, and his parents.
Elizabeth Mendiola Berns ’94, Wayzata, on 6/9/20. She was a chiropractor and operated The Eastern Healing Arts Center in Minnetonka and is survived by her husband, John, and their five children.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
survived by his wife, Eileen, and two children. Douglas K. Pohlman ’60, Marquette, MI, on 6/19/20. An Army veteran and a Lutheran pastor, he is survived by his wife, Sue Peterson Pohlman ’62, and four children. Bradford Zimmerman ’61, Oklahoma City, OK, on 6/11/20. He was the former president of his own company, Petro Quip, Inc. and is survived by his wife, Mary, and four children. Lynn Johnson Rinks ’63, Cloquet, on 3/5/20. An elementary school teacher for many years, she is survived by her husband, Tom, two sons, and a brother, Paul ’65. Susan Youngdahl Hogan ’65, St. Paul, on 6/15/20. The former substitute teacher and owner of Livia’s Seasoning Salt, she is survived by her husband, Terry, and three children. Mary Wood Menz ’65, Redwood Falls, on 7/8/20. She had a long career in human resources working for Hyatt Hotels, and is survived by her two children including Nicole Menz ’90. David “Skip” Stefansen ’67, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, on 6/25/20. An Army veteran, he had a career as an executive in the theater concessions/food distribution industry and is survived by his wife, Linda, and three daughters. Linda Britzius Bean ’69, Excelsior, on 6/22/20. She and her late husband owned and operated Bean’s Greenwood
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GUSTIES
GUSTIES GATHER WITH NEW GUSTIES
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For 60 first-years whose parents or grandparents studied on the hill, this academic year carries the joy and nostalgia of continuing the tradition. These are some of the members of the Class of 2024 who were born Gusties.
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1 5
4
9
7
8
10 6
Olivia Treichel ’24 (left) moved to campus this year wearing the same sweatshirt her mom Shannon Rafftery Treichel ’95 (right) wore on
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Move-In Day.
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
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12 14
15
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Joel Norton ’86 and Lesile Good Norton ’86 with daughter Jessica ’24. Joel's father was
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faculty member Richard Norton who taught Spanish at Gustavus for 30 years.
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Left: Former roommates Jack Sikora ’96 (with wife, Ewa) and Jess Langerud ’96 (with wife, Stacy) on Move-In Day with daughters, Marta Sikora ’24 and Ainsley Langerud ’24. Right: Jack Sikora ’96 and Marta Sikora ’24,
1 Amy, Rakiah ’24, and Nate Swenson ’94 | 2 Paul Carlson ’92, Lisa, Lauren, and Evan Carlson ’24 | 3 Adelyn Oberg ’24, Tonya Gust Oberg ’94, and John Oberg ’92 | 4 Annika Reierson ’24, Kirk Reierson ’95, and Britta Ramseth Reierson ’95 | 5 Jensen Luehrs ’24, Darin ’90, and Jodi Erickson Luehrs ’90 | 6 Kira Bergman ’24, Jill (Budach) ’97, and Randall Bergman | 7 Micah Gundale ’24, David Gundale ’93, and Amanda Herrera-Gundale | 8 Bryan Ripken ’94, Braden Ripken, Kieran Ripken ’24, and Anita Stockwell Ripken ’94 | 9 Elizabeth Bergquist ’24, Susan Bright Bergquist ’93, and John Bergquist | 10 Claire Lind ’24, Nathan Lind ’93, and Krista Lind | 11 Jakob Foss ’24, Rebecca Schindler, Pedar Foss ’88, Micah Foss, and Simon Foss | 12 Constance Baer Youngdahl ’71, Iris Youngdahl ’24, Benjamin Youngdahl ’93, and Carl Youngdahl ’70 | 13 Callie Nordberg ’24, Mike Nordberg ’93, and Dana Peterson Nordberg ’96 | 14 Amy Zenk James ’94, Lindsay James ’24, Cameron James ’94, and Allison James ’22 | 15 Kristin Simphoukham ’24, Jennifer Mitchell ’93 | 16 Carson Dekam ’24, Jodie Mullen DeKam ’91 | 17 John Hemstock ’90, Evan Hemstock ’18, Carter Hemstock ’20, Claire Hemstock ’24, and Kris Syverson Hemstock ’89 | 18 Ryker Finch ’24, Jaime Welte-Finch ’88, and Louis Finch | 19 Melissa Otto Rossow ’92, Teddy Rossow ’24 | 20 Olivia Treichel ’24, Shannon Rafftery Treichel ’95, Delaney Treichel, David Treichel, and Eli Treichel | 21 Emma Deyo ’24, Hannah Deyo ’20, Kristine Engdahl Deyo ’89, and Scott Deyo ’89 | 22 Jim Burman ’00, Tracy Hanson Burman ’00, Parker Burman ’24, and Madison Burman ’27
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
father-daughter bassoonists.
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Vespers 6
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A STROLL AROUND RING ROAD’S MEMORY LANE
GUSTAVUS QUARTERLY | WINTER 2020
Gustavian Weekly cartoonist Lori K. Nelson ’76 drew this campus map in 1974. Much of what’s on it you’ll find on campus today. On what’ s been lost, here’s some brief history (known and lesser known).
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1 Wahlstrom Hall | Built in 1948 with federal funding, it first
Swedish House is attached to the Carlson International Center.
housed veterans. It was joked that even a bomb couldn’t take it
4 Classroom Annex East and West | One was a refurbished
down. When the time came (in the 2005–06 academic year), it
war surplus building. The other was a woman-only space for
did take a wrecking ball five days.
gymastics, training, and sports rehab (though football players
2 Johnson Hall | An all-women’s dorm known for its red brick
once left a Volkswagen Beetle in the gymnastics studio).
and its nickname: The Fortress. Men had to formally check in
5 Myrum Field House | It had an African teak basketball court
and out. Later, it housed international students. It was deemed
that sat on a water base. Around it was dirt, with netting at
unsalvageable after the 1998 tornado and replaced by the
each end so players wouldn’t hurl themselves into the stands.
Carlson International Center.
3 Holly House + Wolf House | Holly House was the Swedish
6 Ice Rink | The humble precursor to Lund Center. 7 Water Tower | A gathering spot when the legal drinking age
Language House from 1972 to 1976. Then Wolf House became
was 18. Tour guides would note to prospective students that
the Swedish House (repainted yellow and blue in 1990) until it
this was where you lined up for the buses to beer busts.
was lost in the tornado. Holly House continued to change focus;
8 Amphitheatre | The theatre department put on outdoor
it was the Asian Culture Club and the Russian House, among
shows here, including Shakespeare in the spring. It was also a
others. It too was lost in the tornado. Today the Barbro Osher
major makeout spot.
In extraordinary times, the Gustavus Fund becomes
For Alumni, Parents, and Friends
extraordinarily important.
WINTER 2020 | VOL. LXXVIII | ISSUE 4 STAFF Chair, Board of Trustees Scott Anderson ’89 President of the College Rebecca Bergman
Gustavus has successfully faced hardships in the past. During challenging times, the Gustavus Fund provides necessary operating revenue so that the College can respond effectively.
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
This year, Gustavus is taking action on a number of urgent priorities, including response to COVID-19, measures around racial justice, and scholarships for students whose financial situation has changed in recent months. Your gift to the Gustavus Fund directly impacts that work.
Alumni Editor Philomena Kauffmann H’15 | pkauffma@gustavus.edu Visual Editor, Production Coordinator Anna Deike | adeike@gustavus.edu Design Brian Donahue | bedesigninc.com Jill Adler | adlerdesignstudio.com Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22 Contributing Writers and Editors JJ Akin ’11, Mara Klein, CJ Siewert ’11, Corinne Stremmel ’21, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22
By giving to the Gustavus Fund, you support the ordinary needs that have always been important. This year, you also make it possible for us to respond to extraordinary circumstances.
Contributing Photographers and Artists JJ Akin ’11, Nick Campbell ’18, Brian Donahue, Corbyn Jenkins ’20, Kory Kolis ’15, Lori K. Nelson ’76, CJ Siewert ’11, Jon Smithers, Corinne Stremmel ’21, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22, Evan Taylor ’12, Stan Waldhauser ’71, Gustavus Adolphus College Archives Printer John Roberts Company | johnroberts.com
Your gift goes where it is needed most.
Postmaster Send address changes to the Gustavus Quarterly, Office of Alumni and Parent Engagement, Gustavus Adolphus College, 800 W. College Ave., Saint Peter, MN 56082-1498
Thank you for trusting us to put your gift to work for our students. And thank you for strengthening our Gustavus and enabling the College to meet today’s ever-changing needs.
GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS COLLEGE Saint Peter, MN 56082 507-933-8000 | gustavus.edu Articles and opinions presented in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of the editors or official policies of the College or its Board of Trustees. The Gustavus Quarterly (USPS 227-580) is published four times annually by Gustavus Adolphus College, Saint Peter, Minn. Periodicals postage is paid at Saint Peter, MN 56082, and additional mailing offices. It is mailed free of charge to alumni and friends of the College. Circulation is approximately 32,000. Gustavus Adolphus College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.
Socially distant students work between Christ Chapel and the new North Atrium of Nobel Hall of Science, near the St. Francis sculpture by Paul Granlund. It was a trying semester in many ways, but there were still moments of joy like this one in the fall. See page 10 for more on Nobel Hall.
GIVE TODAY! The Gustavus Fund | gustavus.edu/give
WINTER 2020 800 WEST COLLEGE AVENUE SAINT PETER, MINNESOTA 56082
When Nobel Conference 56: Cancer in the Age of Biotechnology was moved to an online format, the high school learning lab had to be adjusted and adapted. With the work of a former high school biology teacher and a current education major, Sydney Stumme-Berg ’22, a “Science Box” was created for high school participants of the Nobel Conference. The boxes were sent to 22 high schools in the Midwest and contained two interactive games and one experiment. The Science Box and other online resources for teachers are still available at gustavus.edu/nobel.
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CHRISTMAS CAME EARLY The surprise advantages of recording CinCC in October
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DECADES OF NOBEL Alumni memories of Nobel Hall of Science
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CLASS NOTES What your fellow Gusties have been up to
And Now, Nobel Hall
