CHIPS March 30, 2017

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Jazz Orchestra performs and recruits in Colorado

Students train to create peer-mentoring program

Flip your paper over for a special, foolish edition of Chips.

LUTHER COLLEGE

“Let the chips fall where they may.”

CHIPS

MARCH 30, 2017

Serving the Luther College community since 1884.

VOLUME 139, NO. 17

Foster declines position as dean, raises questions EMILY CROWE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

From left: College Pastor Mike Blair, President Paula Carlson, Assistant Professor of Political Science Pedro Dos Fawcett (‘17), Cierra Buckner (‘18), and Ashleigh Bunkofske (‘18). Panel members not pictured: Interim Director of Center Wintlett Taylor-Browne, Professor of Art Richard Merrit and Associate Professor of Political Science

Santos, Betsy the Diversity Carly Foster.

Ana López (‘19) | Chips

Power and Privilege

ANA LÓPEZ STAFF WRITER The Black Student Union, Diversity Council, and the President’s Office sponsored a campus dialogue titled “On Power and Privilege” on March 15. The dialogue covered topics of institutional response to issues of inclusion and diversity on campus.

Approximately 70 students and faculty attended the event.

The members of the panel included student leaders from various organizations, faculty members, and President Paula Carlson. The discussion was led by Associate

Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Diversity Council Carly Foster.

To begin, each of the panelists introduced themselves and gave a short statement about their interest in matters of inclusion and diversity as well as personal experiences and reflections on the topic. Following the introductions, Foster opened the panel for comments and questions from the audience.

A common theme in the discussion was finding institutional ways to create a more inclusive campus.

Audience members mentioned ideas that involved training for professors

that would help them address cases of discrimination in the classroom.

Other proposals focused on students.

The participants at the panel discussed including diversity awareness as part of the Paideia program, as well as holding different workshops related to acceptance and diversity.

President Paula Carlson mentioned during the panel that she and the members of the Strategic Planning Committee will seriously consider the content of the dialogue, as well as being communicated to the new Dean for Equity and Inclusion.

PANEL | PAGE 4

Carlson establishes temporary response team in wake of revised executive order BEN SELCKE STAFF WRITER In response to continued uncertainty surrounding the revised executive order on travel and immigration to the U.S. from Muslim majority countries, Luther College formed the Coordinated Campus Response Team, whose job is to respond if a ban were to be put in place.

The team has already begun developing responses and will continue to assist students who may be affected through the summer.

The response team consists of Dean for Institutional

Planning and Mission Terry Sparkes, Vice President and Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom, International Student Coordinator in the Diversity Center Amy Webber, College Pastor Anne Edison-Albright and Assistant Professor of Political Science Pedro dos Santos.

With the complexities and uncertainties currently surrounding immigration, the college directed the response team to stay up to date with the changing situation.

“Things are changing all the time so part of our work as a team is to stay on top of that,” Edison-Albright said.

“We’re keeping on top of how things are changing for our students.”

The team, which consists of a diverse group of individuals occupying different roles on campus, was chosen specifically because of their existing proximities and experiences in this field.

“This group comes with knowledge and experience and can get to work immediately,” President Paula Carlson said. “They are very well connected across campus, so they bring knowledge of their own and knowledge of who on campus can help with specific questions.”

The response team has already started to prepare for the immediate effects of the ban.

“We’re anticipating that a number of students who might have otherwise chosen to travel this summer might choose not to,” Edison-Albright said.

“So knowing that there may be more students staying on campus than in previous years, how can we help make that more possible for students?”

There are also long-term benefits that could come from the response team, according to Sparkes.

RESPONSE TEAM| PAGE 4

A number of concerns regarding Former Executive Director of Multicultural and Diversity Affairs at the University of Florida (UF) Lloren Foster’s candidacy for Luther College’s new position, Dean for Equity and Inclusion, arose after all Luther students, staff, and faculty members received an email from President Paula Carlson on March 23., referencing allegations against Foster.

Lloren Foster The email also contained Foster’s decision to decline the deanship.

“Dr. Foster’s decision to decline the offer to become the Dean for Equity and Inclusion is complicated,” Vice President for Communications and Marketing Rob Larson said. “President Carlson felt it was important to share the circumstances surrounding this decision with students, faculty, and staff and that is the basis for the email she sent when this decision was communicated to Luther.”

President Carlson declined to comment.

According to “The Independent Florida Alligator,” the UF newspaper, “Documents … show Foster was fired for multiple reasons, including lack of leadership, failure to meet deadlines and inappropriate communication — including him asking someone if they were having sex. ‘Sex helps your skin look clear,’ Foster said, according to the [Human Resources] document.”

However, according to the email from Carlson, “the college has investigated the allegations and found them to be without merit.”

Foster also denies the legitimacy of the allegations.

“I declined the position for personal reasons, none of which have anything to do with the allegations which were proved false and inaccurate,” Foster said.

“The Independent Florida Alligator’s” Editor Martin Vassolo could not be reached for comment at the time of printing.

However, the logistics of the investigation’s timeline has raised questions. Professor of Religion Guy Nave expressed confusion toward the language in Carlson’s email.

“If, as the email claims, the allegations did not come to the attention of the President and the paid search consultant until after the offer had been made, how is it that Luther College was able to conduct an “investigation” between March 17 when her first email went out to the Luther community and March 23 when her second email went out?” Nave said. “Is President Carlson really trying to suggest that within six days Luther College invested in both time and legal expertise to determine the allegations “to be without merit?”

FOSTER | PAGE 4

NEWS

PAGE 2 MARCH 30, 2017

NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME

For two professors, tourism Conger studies prompts research inquiry mid-life runners OLIVIA ENQUIST STAFF WRITER

(From left) Adjunct Faculty in Art Lea Lovelace ('97) and Associate Professor of Spanish Nancy Gates Madsen speak in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall.

Kien Dao ('20) | Photo Bureau LILY KIME STAFF WRITER Associate Professor of Spanish Nancy Gates Madsen and Adjunct Faculty in Art Lea Lovelace (‘97) lectured on the visitor experience in memorials and museums on March 14, emphasizing the issue of trust that curators must establish. The talk was part of the Paideia Texts and Issues lecture series, which approximately 80 people attended.

Titled “Set in Stone?

Trust and Authenticity in Memorials and Museums,” Gates Madsen’s and Lovelace’s lecture focused on authentic representations of historical events, particularly those considered “dark” tourist attractions. The professors took questions after their lecture, which centered on three major

questions: How do visitors trust that the memorial authentically represents history? How do victims trust that the memorial accurately depicts the atrocity they faced? How do museum curators trust that visitors will behave appropriately?

Gates Madsen and Lovelace spoke specifically about Holocaust memorial museums in the United States and Europe, the Parque de la Memoria in Argentina, and the Nanjing Massacre Museum in China.

Lovelace addressed how features such as piles of victims’ shoes and a train car created a different impression influenced by the authenticity of the location, and distinguished between “dark” and “darker” tourism. The former concerns a museum

or memorial that remembers a previous traumatic event and the latter concerns museums or memorials that are on the same site as the past atrocity.

With a background in museum education, Lovelace is conscious of what she sees in the museums and memorials that she visits and takes the opportunity to explore the history of the event. “[When visiting a museum], I am always looking for what we are seeing in terms of bias and if that bias is present to all visitors or just me because of my perspective,” Lovelace said.

Gates Madsen spoke about the Parque de la Memoria in Argentina, which honors victims of the National Reorganization Process.

Gates Madsen spoke about proper behavior at

a memorial as open for interpretation.

“I am hoping that people who came to the lecture will think a little more about what is the most appropriate way to commemorate past atrocities and how they are supposed to behave as a museum-goer,” Gates Madsen said. “Are these sites to honor the victims or are we trying to educate the visitors?

Because those are two very different purposes that can be very difficult to fulfill.”

This lecture raised questions that were new to some, such as audience member Mareda Smith (‘19).

“I thought that both of the professors gave a really interesting perspective on memorials and monuments in a way that I’d never thought about before,” Smith said. “It was interesting to learn more about how we frame history and tragic events and how that impacts the future learning of visitors.”

Both Madsen and Lovelace plan to continue their individual research in the areas of museums, memorials, and trust. Their research will likely expand on what they discussed in this lecture, and feature new research into other museums and memorials throughout the world.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance at St. Olaf College Andrea Conger spoke on March 16 about the recent surge of amateur running among middle-aged women, applying her background in anthropology to study the niche group. Approximately 30 people attended the lecture.

According to Conger, in the last ten years amateur running among women between ages 35 and 45 has increased, a group that has been labeled “mid-life runners.” Conger, a runner herself with twelve years of experience as a professional dancer, said that she focused on female mid-life runners because they are under-represented in media designed for runners and in general research conducted on running. Conger said that these mid-life runners face specific health, safety, and scheduling issues, as many of these women have turned to running after having children.

Associate Professor of Anthropology and Women and Gender Studies Maryna Bazylevych, who organized the lecture, described her excitement and intent in bringing this interdisciplinary speaker to campus.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity,” Bazylevych said. “When she mentioned the kind of work that she does with embodied practices, specifically how she looks at mid-life runners, I just thought that my students could really benefit from having a speaker like that come visit campus. I also thought that it would appeal to people who are athletes, but also dancers and anyone who is interested to paying

Andrea Conger lectures in Olin.

attention to their body.”

Conger believes that the universal aspects of embodiment connect many seemingly unrelated areas of research. For instance, she uses somatic exercises to touch specific parts of the body in order to better understand muscles while doing anthropological research.

Conger also described her professional dance experience as a major influence over her research.

“In many ways being a dancer is what made me the kind of anthropologist I am,” Conger said. “It’s one of the things that drew me to anthropology at all. But switching your role from the participant to the researcher is a tricky thing to do, especially if you know the population well.”

Attendee and Professor of Dance Jane Hawley described the importance of Conger’s work in the broader societal context and for Luther students, who are not considered “mid-life runners.”

“I think our world is very disembodied, especially in higher education,” Hawley said. “I loved how she’s really trying to work people into that other spectrum of mind-body connectivity for learning. It was really exciting.”

For attendee and track & field team member Trever Schwichtenberg (‘17), Conger's message hit home.

"She argued that running can be an enjoyable activity in itself," Schwichtenberg said. "Rather than thinking about how running makes you feel afterwards, she focused on how it feels while doing it. It added depth to my understanding of why I run."

Conger explained that she will continue to apply her personable mentality to future research.

Olivia Enquist (‘ 19) | Chips

NEWS

PAGE 3

NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME

MARCH 30, 2017

Philip Freeman takes position in Western Culture at Pepperdine

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57/42 Professor in Classics Philip Freeman lectures on his book, Searching for Sappho.

SAM MITCHELL STAFF WRITER Professor in Classics Philip Freeman recently accepted a new position at Pepperdine University in California, and will leave Luther at the end of the 2017 spring semester.

Freeman will hold the newly-created Fletcher Jones Chair of Western Culture at Pepperdine.

According to Freeman, the position will cover a broad scope of western history, ranging from ancient Greece and Rome to modern times.

“It’s a great position leading and teaching in a foundational program which all Pepperdine undergraduates take,” Freeman said.

Assistant Professor in Classics Dan Davis will become the head of the classics department in

Freeman’s absence.

“I'll be saying goodbye to a dear friend, colleague, and mentor, and I know the students will miss him sorely,” Davis said. “But I'm also very excited for him as he goes off to Pepperdine

Michael Hagstrom ('17) | Photo Bureau

Freeman, a process he says will begin with interviews in early 2018. The department hopes for the replacement to begin teaching in the 2018 fall semester. In the interim, Davis said that he will work with Instructor in Classics

before for a visit and loved its location in Malibu overlooking the Pacific Ocean,” Freeman said.

Classics major Stephen Ster (‘17) recalled memories of consulting Freeman for help with learning ancient Greek.

“It will certainly be sad for Luther to lose him,” Ster said. “With how much he does in the academic world and his wonderful disposition, it will certainly be felt in the department. It should be a fun and exciting new adventure for Freeman."

Freeman explained that he saw the position as a fresh start.

“It seemed the right time for a change in my life,” Freeman said. “It’s also a great career opportunity. I'll look back fondly on my time [at Luther] for the rest of my life.”

“It seemed the right time for a change in my life and it's a great career opportunity. I'll look back fondly on my time [at Luther] for the rest of my life.”

- Professor in Classics Philip Freeman to chair a large Western Culture program. Our loss is definitely Pepperdine's gain.”

Davis explained that he will work with Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Kevin Kraus to hire a replacement for

Anne Bulliung to provide all of the same classics courses that are currently offered.

Freeman said he heard about the new position through mutual friends who knew of the job opening.

“I’d been to Pepperdine

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NEWS

PAGE 4

MARCH 30, 2017

NEWS EDITORS: DANNY MAY & JACOB WAREHIME

Life Outside Luther Neil Gorsuch to be confirmed in to Supreme Court U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday that the Senate would have a final vote on April 7 on President Donald Trump's nominee for the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch, even as more Democrats opposed his confirmation Trump signs order to undo Obama-era climate regulations President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an order to undo Obama-era climate change regulations, keeping a campaign promise to support the coal industry and calling into question U.S. support for an international deal to fight global warming. Flanked by coal miners and coal company executives, Trump proclaimed his "Energy Independence" executive order at the headquarters of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Trump's call for wall funding hits snag President Donald Trump's call for $1.5 billion this year to help build a wall along the border with Mexico could be in jeopardy as fellow Republicans in Congress weigh delaying a decision on the request.

Republican Senator Roy Blunt, a member of his party's leadership, told reporters on Tuesday that money for the wall likely would not be coupled with a spending bill that must pass by April 28 to avoid shutting down federal agencies whose funding expires then.

Trump says lawmakers will make a shift healthcare deal U.S. President Donald Trump told a group of senators on Tuesday that he expected lawmakers would be able to reach a deal on healthcare, without offering specifics on how they would do it or what had changed since a healthcare reform bill was pulled last week for insufficient support. "I have no doubt that that's going to happen very quickly," Trump said at a bipartisan reception held for senators and their spouses at the White House.

May to file official EU divorce papers Prime Minister Theresa May will file formal Brexit divorce papers on Wednesday, pitching the United Kingdom into the unknown and triggering years of uncertain negotiations that will test the endurance of the European Union. The prime minister, an initial opponent of Brexit who won the top job in the political turmoil that followed the referendum vote, will then have two years to settle the terms of the divorce before it comes into effect in late March 2019.

Congress votes to repeal broadband privacy regulations The U.S. House voted on Tuesday 215205 to repeal regulations requiring internet service providers to do more to protect customers' privacy than websites like Alphabet Inc's Google or Facebook Inc. The White House said earlier Tuesday that President Donald Trump strongly supports the repeal of the rules approved by the Federal Communications Commission in October under then-President Barack Obama.

Taken from: reuters.com

Professor of Religion Guy Nave speaks from the audience.

PANEL | PAGE 1 In an interview, President of PRIDE and panelist Ashleigh Bunkofske (‘18) explained the significance of the topic.

“This is really important,” Bunkofske said. “Talking about this intelligently and thoughtfully is extremely important and extremely necessary, because I am talking about issues that literally get people killed.”

Bunkofske also expressed the importance of addressing diversity at Luther by holding this type of dialogue.

“This is why the system is so important, these are issues that can result in excessive police violence,” Bunkofske said. “I am someone who is so white that when I see police with assault rifles I feel reassured. But there are still people who are dying because

society won’t confront this.

So if we have the opportunity to confront it in a small segment of society at least we are doing something.”

sick of having conversations about it,” Fawcett said. “But I believe in the power of conversation and dialogue to change people.”

Ana López ('19) | Chips of the panel.

“I thought really good things were addressed, specially about talking about concrete stuff that Luther College can do instead of talking about theoretical things, which usually is what happens at these sort of panels,” Kraus said.

“I am hoping that this meeting will lead to something concrete actually being done, not just talked about.

I am glad ideas were brought up but I hope people go through with it.”

Similarly, Fawcett expressed her vision after the panel.

“I think conversations are a good place to start,” Fawcett said. “I really, truly believe that we got good stuff coming that will change this. This is not just talk anymore, people actually want this to change. I have a really good feeling that things will start changing.”

"Talking about this intelligently and thoughtfully is extremely important and extremely necessary, because I am talking about issues that literally get people killed."

- Ashleigh Bunkofske (‘18)

RESPONSE TEAM | PAGE 1 “One is making sure that we have the structures in place to insure that we continue to be a place that will attract and invite as well as support students from around the world because that’s the education we want to provide,” Sparkes said.

The Decorah community is involved in the process as well. The response team has reached out to a local churches as well as a local immigration lawyer to aid in their efforts to formulate a plan.

In the statement released by the college regarding the response team, Luther College reaffirmed their mission to educate all students regardless of legal status.

“Luther College does not consider immigration status when making admission decisions; Campus Safety

One issue raised on several occasions by audience members was the difficulty of reaching out to members of the community that are not already involved in these type of discussions.

President of the Student Senate and member of the panel Betsy Fawcett (‘17) responded to this concern.

“I think people are getting and Security does not collect immigration status information from students; and the college does not disclose private information about our students, faculty, or staff unless specifically required to do so by law.”

According to Sparkes, Luther has not faced a situation like this before.

“We have had task forces but this created an emergency situation that I think is different from anything I remember,” Sparkes said. “I was very pleased that President Carlson immediately responded.”

Carlson framed the response team in the context of Luther’s mission to emphasize its importance to the college.

“It helps us live our mission,” Carlson said. “We commit to being a caring community and this is a way to care for members of our community.”

Attendee Abigail Kraus (‘19) said she was impressed by the quality of the discussion.

“I thought it was really good,” Kraus said. “I am glad that it wasn’t dominated by only one person. A lot of people got the chance to speak.”

Kraus also mentioned her expectations of the outcomes FOSTER| PAGE 1

The unproven allegations aside, some Luther faculty were not happy with the candidate search process for the deanship Foster declined; the search committee was given a short list of candidates from an external consultant.

“Some of us on the faculty have raised questions about the necessity of using outside consultants in the hiring process,” Professor of English Martin Klammer said. “I am not calling into question anybody on the committee, because it wasn’t their decision as a committee; they received a list of candidates who had been vetted by a consultant. My question is: ‘why do we need a consultant?’”

According to Klammer, hiring a consultant is problematic because it is an unnecessary cost, especially considering the college's current limited budget. Professors are also used to and experienced in the type of vetting work a consultant does.

“The committee was handed fewer than 15 dossiers and we look at over 100 routinely on a given faculty search,” Klammer said. “Last year I was on the search committee that netted us Pastor Annie [Edison-Albright]. We looked at 6570 applicants — it’s just what you do. I think I speak for at least some faculty when I say we are at least curious, if not critical, of the need to use consultants in the hiring process.”

According to Larson, more information about the search to fill the open position will be announced in the near future. “[Carlson] is working to convene the search committee and to resume this search process as soon as possible,” Larson said.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT A&E EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

PAGE 5 MARCH 30, 2017

Jazz Orchestra recruits in the Rockies The musical ensemble performed in Fort Collins, Denver, Colorado Springs, and Greeley.

XAVIER CONZET STAFF WRITER Luther College Jazz Orchestra took advantage of Spring Break to tour and perform while recruiting jazz students. The ensemble left on March 17 to fly to Colorado for their recital and recruitment tour.

Colorado was chosen for this year’s tour location because Jazz Orchestra member Elena Zarecky (‘17) is from the state. Zarecky had strong connections to the high schools and churches in the area.

They performed at numerous venues including Augustana Lutheran Church and Cheyenne Mountain High School.

The performance at Cheyenne Mountain High School particularly stood out to Zarecky.

The high school Zarecky once attended opened for Jazz Orchestra’s performance.

“To be back in my high school band room with my high school director was a great experience,” Zarecky said. “My high school band director helped shape me into the musician I am today.”

In addition to the musical performances, Adjunct Faculty in Music Jon Ailabouni (‘10) and Professor of Music Tony Guzman held workshops for the high school students. Guzman believes that opportunities like these help turn young jazz enthusiasts into prospective jazz students for Luther.

“When we tour we always see young students in the audience and they are drawn to jazz,” Guzman said. “The jazz department definitely impacts many students’ decision to attend Luther.”

Jazz Orchestra member David Blackstad (‘19) agreed that these tours help bring prospective jazz music students

Pablo Gómez Estévez (‘17) plays piano at Augustana Luthern Church.

Photo courtesy of David Blackstad (‘19)

Jazz Orchestra visits the Garden of the Gods in Colorado.

Photo courtesy of David Blackstad (‘19)

to Luther.

“I’m positive that the jazz department is a major draw for students,” Blackstad said. “It is of the same importance as any major area in the Luther music department. Students that come to Luther can focus in vocal performance, primarily opera, classical instrumentalist music, and now jazz.”

Blackstad added that the music department recently started jazz recital performances. According to Guzman, these make it possible to have a richer jazz education for those going into that field.

“The Luther College Jazz Program isn’t just an elective or fun activity for me,” Blackstad said. “This program is my career training. It pushes me to improve in every area of my musicianship from improvisation to woodwind doubling.”

Blackstad said he has grown as a musician from individual saxophone, flute, and clarinet lessons and from being a member of the jazz orchestra, combos, and tours. He said that the jazz department equips him with the tools he needs to be a successful graduate student after Luther.

“All of the logistical reasons aside, the jazz department is where I spend my time creating musical art and developing my ideas and philosophy of why I play several hours a day,” Blackstad said.

Blackstad feels that he has found a deep connection in jazz. Other students on the tour also found that the experience helped them to develop as musicians and prepare them for life after Luther.

“The tour was amazing, and the people we stayed with were amazing. Everything was amazing,” Christopher LangePearson (‘19) said. “We had an amazing time performing and received tons of praise and compliments from people attending.”

There was an alumni reception after one of the performances. According to Lange-Pearson, the experience of meeting alumni of the jazz orchestra was positive.

“I really enjoyed being able to bond with the rest of the ensemble,” Lange-Pearson said.

Jazz Orchestra returned to campus on March 23. Upon their return to campus, Jazz Orchestra performed their homecoming concert on March 30 in the Center for Faith and Life.

FEATURES

PAGE 6 MARCH 30, 2017

FEATURES EDITOR: FRAN STEVENSON

Students complete mission work in Costa Rica and Nicaragua MADELINE AJACK STAFF WRITER Six Luther Students — Kacy Rodamaker (‘19), David Pontius (‘20), Caleb Linville (‘19), Shannon Baker (‘20), Hannah Gross (‘20), and Robert Muller (‘20) — went on a mission trip to Costa Rica and Nicaragua during spring break week with David Olson, a pastor from Northfield, MN. All six students are members of the Tuesday Night Discipleship (TND). TND meets every Tuesday at Decorah Covenant Church. They engage in Bible study and local service projects and Olson, a pastor from St. Olaf college travels to Decorah to lead the group.

Costa Rica and Nicaragua are both developing countries, so the students were exposed to a very different culture than they are accustomed to, according to Gross.

The students left for Costa Rica and Nicaragua on March 17 and returned March 27, and they worked for about eight days on their mission trip.

While the students were there, they taught English in seven primary and secondary schools, worked with children and adult cancer wards, held church services and provided local pastors with food samples for their communities. The majority of time spent in Nicaragua and Costa Rica was devoted to working with people who live in poverty.

Mission Trip volunteers chat with students in a school in Nicaragua.

While Luther is affiliated with the Evangelical Luther Church in America (ELCA), the mission trip was through the TND group. “[TND] does this trip once a year with Luther students,” Gross said.

Every year the program travels to Nicaragua and Costa Rica and the students teach and assist with

construction in local communities, but there are usually slight differences in the program from year to year.

“I don’t know why [the church] always goes to Costa Rica and Nicaragua,” Gross said. “Both countries are [developing nations] and I think we’ll bring some comfort to the people in Nicaragua and Costa

Photo courtesy of Shannon Baker (‘20) Rica.”

A large part of the trip was focused on church activities and Bible study.

The students attended meetings to prepare themselves for the cultural differences they experienced.

“I think faith is something that is not [easy to talk] about in [Costa Rica and Nicaragua],” Gross said in an

interview prior to the trip. “We will help those we’ll be working with by teaching to be more open about faith.”

In Nicaragua, approximately 59 percent of the total population consider themselves Catholic and 22 percent identify as Protestant. In Costa Rica, approximately 47 percent of the total population identify as Catholic, 25 percent identify as nonpracticing Catholics, and about 13 percent were Evangelical Protestants, according to the United States Department of State.

Although both Nicaragua and Costa Rica have a highly religious population, the students hoped to help the people within local churches, schools, and communities to create a more open conversation about faith and religion.

“I am a little nervous, the closer the trip gets the more nervous I am,” Gross said in an interview prior to the trip. “But I know that God is working in me mentally and in my heart so I’m more excited than I am nervous for this trip.”

For some of the students this was their first trip outside of the United States and their first mission trip.

“I am so pumped,” Muller said.

“I know we’re going to do some awesome stuff [on our mission trip].”

Muller has participated in both TND and Outreach, an on-campus Wednesday night discipleship organization.

Gross is an active member of Focus, Luther’s student-led worship on Sunday nights. She sings in the student-led music group featured at Focus.

“Something very important that I realized before this trip is that I might not be able to completely change these people’s lives like I’d like to,” Gross said. “But I’m okay with that, I know they will change me, that’s important to me.”

FEATURES

PAGE 7

FEATURES EDITOR: FRAN STEVENSON

MARCH 30, 2017

Students create peer mentoring program SHANNON BAKER STAFF WRITER Hoping to help first year students adjusting to college, Jack Benson (‘18) and Bethany Larson (‘19) plan to start a program in fall 2017 in which upper-class students can partner with and mentor incoming firstyear students.

The goal of the peermentoring program stems from a January term class taught

by Registrar and Assistant to the Dean for Advising Kristin Swanson and Associate Dean and Director of Faculty Development Jeffrey Wilkerson. The class, “Finding a Fit in the World,” focused on personal ref le c t ion, growth, and

Jack Benson (‘18) and Bethany Larson (‘20) form a mentoring program to help first year students adjust to life at college. opportunities that Luther has to offer.”

With the concept of a peer-mentoring group, Benson and Larson are considering different ways to implement their plan. One option they are considering is coordinating the program within the existing Paideia curriculum, which would involve assigning a few mentors to each Paideia class. Another viable alternative is establishing the program as a new student organization for firstyears and upperclassmen. Whichever option they choose, Benson and Larson are eager to implement their program with the help of Vice President and Dean for Student Life Corey Landstrom.

“We want to test the waters to see if it works,” Benson said. “Corey Landstrom has done similar programs at other colleges he’s worked at before he started here, and that’s why he wants to help us [start the program].”

As part of their plan, Benson and Larson hope the program will allow one-on-one mentoring relationships between mentors and mentees, with a few large-group meetings during the year to foster more connections and facilitate a community environment. At the large-group meetings, the two leaders plan on addressing typical problems first-year students find daunting during their first semester such as coping with stress and studying for finals.

Larson wants to emphasize the group’s distinction between mentoring and tutoring.

“We are pretty sure [the group] would lean more towards the social aspect because we’re not tutors,” Larson said.

“We want to help more with [students] getting involved with Luther, or if they do need that academic help, who they can talk to about it.”

Benson and Larson are still in the process of launching their program and plan on working on their ideas throughout the summer in order to implement a pilot program this fall. To spread the word, the duo wants to reach out to existing organizations for support without detracting from membership in those organizations. They also plan on tabling outside the cafeteria, creating a group on Facebook, and going into first-year classes to inform students about the group.

Larson hopes the group will Shannon Baker (‘20)| Chips be a way for students to alleviate their stress instead of adding to the chaos of college life.

“Our program [would not be] a requirement,” Larson said. “We want to make an environment that is open so that [students] really want to come to [their] mentoring session.”

According to Benson, the peer mentoring group will be beneficial for all involved.

“We want to create a learning environment for everybody so that they feel like they’re going to grow,” Benson said. “It’s not just for the mentees to grow, but for the mentors to grow as well. This way, everybody feels valued.”

how to consider those values in the context of education.

At the end of the course, students participated in peermentoring groups with first-year students by meeting with their groups, doing fun activities, getting to know each other, and then following up with one another in the months. Benson and Larson are interested in building on what they learned during their January class to form a recognized organization that would help new students adjust to life at Luther.

“We want to make [Luther feel] like home for students that are coming in,” Benson said. “We don’t [want] students leaving because they feel like this isn’t the right place for them,” Benson said.

Right now, Benson and Larson hope that the program will include about 20 upper-class mentors, with about four first-year mentees per mentor.

However, even though the program will be primarily geared towards firstyear students, Larson believes the program would benefit transfer students as well.

“Transfer students could be involved regardless of their age because [although] they know the college experience, they don’t know how it is specific to Luther,” Larson said. “We want to make sure they understand all of the

Jack Benson (‘18) and Bethany Larson (‘19) create a peer mentoring program.

PAGE 8

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MARCH 30, 2017

A&E EDITOR: ELIZABETH BONIN

Brass ensemble expresses love for composing EMMA BUSCH STAFF WRITER Five members of the Luther College brass faculty presented a collaborative recital titled “An Evening of Music for Brass” in the Noble Recital Hall on March 14. Approximately 70 people attended the performance.

The recital featured Assistant Professor of Music John Cord, Adjunct Faculty in Music Jon Ailabouni (‘10), Adjunct Faculty in Music Rebecca Boehm Shaffer, Adjunct Faculty in Music Benjamin Yates (‘08), and Associate Professor of Music Michael Smith. Each faculty member performed a different sonata composed by Paul Hindemith, a German composer known for his contributions to brass repertoire.

The faculty performers closed the recital with a quintet. According to Cord, the faculty believe that Hindemith’s compositions served well as a unifying theme for their recital.

“In the brass world, Paul Hindemith is a substantial figure because the of sonatas that he wrote between the years 1939 and 1943,” Cord said. “[They] are all considered prominent pieces in the repertoire for brass instruments. Obviously having the brass concept in common, we thought this was a great idea to bring the five of us together

and each play our representation of that important period in this composer’s career.”

Cord also said that Hindemith’s compositions stand alone as vital contributions to brass instruments as a family and individuals.

“I don’t think we have a whole lot of other composers that we can say not only do they have a sonata for all of these brass instruments, but also that any of these sonatas individually are so integral to each of these instruments’ repertoire,” Cord said.

According to Yates, faculty members enjoy performing recitals because it gives them a chance to grow as musicians and provides students an opportunity to learn from their example as performers.

“Performing is an important part of our job,” Yates said. “We perform to continue challenging ourselves musically and technically and to provide examples of the many parts of performance to our students [such as] stage presence, working with an accompanist, and even preparation for a recital. I really wanted to perform in this recital to show my studio a big part of my daily work they don’t often have the opportunity to see.”

Cord agreed with this sentiment and said that faculty members have a responsibility to serve as models for student musicians.

“In this department, we have a terrific

Assistant Professor of Music John Cord plays the trumpet. combination of people that have incredible performance careers but also a real passion for teaching,” Cord said. “I have always admired how hard my colleagues work to maintain a very high level of performance capability while also being innovative as teachers and finding new, effective ways to connect with our students. Things like [the faculty recital] are tools that we use as teachers. We need to be up there exemplifying this music and serving as models for our students.”

Attendee Zane Kittleson (‘19) enjoyed the recital as a whole and found the quintet piece, “March from Symphonic Metamorphosis,” particularly impressive.

“It’s great to see them collaborate like that,” Kittelson said. “I like how you could hear the individual characteristics of the professors on each of their instruments throughout.”

Emma Busch (‘20) | Chips

Attendee Emily Stifter (‘20) voiced her agreement.

“The whole recital was fantastic, but my favorite part was the quintet,” Stifter said.

“You don’t get to hear [faculty members] play together often or even individually, so it’s great to hear them play after only experiencing them as professors for the most part.”

In the future, Cord hopes to present another brass faculty recital with more collaborative ensemble pieces.

“I’d like to do more as an ensemble,” Cord said. “We played a piece last night as a quintet and we got a great response from students and faculty. It would be fun to do a whole recital of quintet stuff. We’ve talked about doing that in the past, but we haven’t done it yet. I think that may be our next step.”

Assistant Professor of Music John Cord, Adjunct Faculty in Music Benjamin Yates (‘08), Adjunct Faculty in Music Jon Ailabouni (‘10), Adjunct Faculty in Music Rebecca Shaffer, and Associate Professor of Music Michael Smith perform the final quintet.

Emma Busch (‘20) | Chips

OPINION

PAGE 9

MANAGING EDITOR: MAKEDA BARKLEY

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Emily Crowe Managing Editor Makeda Barkley News Editors Danny May Jacob Warehime Features Editor Fran Stevenson A&E Editor Elizabeth Bonin Sports Editor Katrina Meyer Staff Writers Lily Kime Ana Lopez Sam Mitchell Shasa Sartin Ben Selcke Biz Wagenson

Madeline Ajack Shannon Baker Emma Busch Xavier Conzet Julia Curtis Olivia Enquist

Part-time Writers Nora Felt Kristen Wuerl Head Copy Editor Olivia Benson Copy Editors Elyse Grothaus Sarah Owens Ad Representatives Tyler Hovey Madeline Petellin Web Content Manager Michael Vann Social Media Director Elyse Grothaus Distribution Manager Sarah Owens Faculty Adviser David Faldet

SUBMISSIONS Submissions for letters to the editor should be submitted to chipsedt@luther.edu with “Letter to the Editor” as a subject line. Letters to the Editor are subject to editing without changing the meaning of the letter. Authors will not be notified of changes prior to publishing. Letters must be signed, 400-700 words and submitted before Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the week before publication. Publication of all letters is at the discretion of the editor.

Chips will not accept submitted articles or campus announcements.

Opinions expressed in columns and letters are those of the authors(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Chips or organizations with which the author(s) are associated.

MARCH 30, 2017

TO THE EDITOR

In Response: “Elitism and choirs at Luther: the exclusion of average” When I came to Luther in the fall of 2014 I was pretty gung-ho about joining Aurora. I had been heavily involved in choir in high school and I was really excited to be a part of the Luther choir community. My first-year roommate was very much an instrumental music person and quickly told me about the Luther music department. I decided to audition. I was excited to take on the challenge of creating music with such a competitive and high-caliber group of musicians and conductors.

My fall semester sophomore year I finally faced my biggest fear — and dream — and was accepted into the Nordic Choir and the Luther College choral community. I found a community in Nordic, a wonderful group of musicians who love to sing and include anyone who feels the same.

I joined a choir institution that, as a whole, looks up to Nordic for being one of the best choirs in the nation. An institution that encourages musicians of Luther College to work hard to achieve placement in the [nordic] choir, and into the legacy that Weston Noble himself molded with his delicate hands. An institution that is committed to rehearsing five hours a week and sometimes on weekends.

An institution that is so serious about choir that they make it their lives. Why you would dissuade anyone from doing something they love to work hard at and love to do is confusing to me.

I saw how Nordic was looked up to early on in high school, hearing from my directors that had attended Luther and gotten the privilege to sing in the Nordic Choir. The experiences they described gave me goosebumps and I began to work harder during the rest of my time in high school. I was constantly striving to find those musical moments described by those who had worn the robes before me. The Luther choral department has created a community of competitiveness that challenges the vastly talented musicians at our school to grow every day and to strive for musical moments that they can pass on within those robes.

They get the honor and the privilege to walk on stage in the blue, wearing tradition on their shoulders. This tradition, this legacy, and this love for music that Luther fosters is why we can spend the money to hire a new choir conductor and fund three guest conductors.

Choir is the opportunity for a group of people to sing together as a community. It is also a group sport, which in its nature creates a hierarchy. The audition process separates those who are both willing and able to commit the time and energy to the ensemble, but also those who are willing and able to create the caliber of music that the top ensemble is expected to produce. This keeps students who really enjoy choir excited and energetic to work in order to join.

[According to the article titled, “Elitism and choirs at Luther: the exclusion of average” by Fran Stevenson printed in the March 16, 2017 issue of Chips] “The vocal students on this campus are praised for their vocal talent,” when it is a result of their hard work. The vocal students on this campus are entering into one of the toughest fields to ‘make it’ in in the world. If their professors supported their egos until they explode, they would flop once they graduate. For this reason, Luther hires ‘real life’ performers and musicians to teach the real future of musicians.

The instrumental students on this campus are praised for their instrumental talent, when it is a result of their hard work.

They say it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill, which sets instrumentalists apart from all musicians. Their professors do not go easy on them. They do not give praise when praise is not due. They encourage, but primarily challenge.

This hardworking attitude that is instilled in the Luther music department is why Luther’s music students are in such high demand in the musical community post-graduation, be that in education, performance, graduate and doctoral programs, or in positions bringing them back to the department that taught them so much during their time as students at Luther.

In response to the statement that [according to Stevenson] “Luther’s music program is like that of a D1 football university,” it is able to pump money into the department because the investment always makes a return on itself. I can’t speak for those within the department who treat themselves like royalty, but their professors and department heads do not promote this behavior.

What is unfair is allowing a student to voice their entitled prejudices in a small college newspaper, insulting their peers for being proud of succeeding in what they love to do; therefore giving their opinions a false sense of validation, while in reality they are the ones unprepared for a life where they won’t be told how wonderful they are every day for being average. That is not the purpose of a liberal arts education.

Luther is known for its music program. It is one of the first things you learn about when considering applying to the institution. The school cannot, and does not, revolve around the music department. For this reason, year after year, faculty and staff like Dr. Andrew Last and Weston Noble himself have worked hard to recruit and encourage future students to embark on the challenging yet rewarding journey through a music program with such a high caliber as that of Luther’s; a department far from average.

Signed, Meredith Diebold (‘18)

The Norse Poll

Do you feel like a hierarchy exists amongst majors at Luther?

LUTHER COLLEGE

CHIPS Chips is a student publication of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The paper is designed, composed, edited and managed entirely by Luther students. It is published weekly during the academic year, excluding the month of January.

Fax: 563-387-2072 Email: chipsedt@luther.edu Advertising: chipsads@luther.edu Website: lutherchips.com Facebook: facebook.com/LutherChips Twitter: @LutherChips Instagram: @luthercollegechips

“In general, a stereotype of Luther College is that everyone is either a music major or a biology major.

Between the different choirs there seems to be a hierarchy, but between different majors I haven’t necessarily noticed one.”

-Megan Rachuy (‘17)

“When I talk about my majors (music and elementary education), I mostly say I am an elementary education major because I feel like people are usually like, ‘What would you do with a music major?’”

-Anneliese Braaten (‘18)

“I feel like some of the science majors are seen as higher up than some of the humanities majors, like biology, chemistry. At times it seems like it’s valued more than the humanities.”

-William Simonson (‘19)

OPINION

PAGE 10 MARCH 30, 2017

MANAGING EDITOR: MAKEDA BARKLEY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The wrongful hierarchy of college majors I think it was after my first day of kindergarten that I decided to become a teacher. Throughout the years, my passion for education and my understanding about the transformation of students lives through learning only deepened. It was during my junior year of high school when people began asking me what I wanted to do with my life and when I informed them that I wanted to become an educator the response I often faced was: “But you’re too smart to be a teacher.” This response never ceased to astound and anger me, but I told myself that people would mature past the ranking of intelligence according to GPA that is all too pervasive in high school. Then college came.

Students may not be given the titles of valedictorian or salutatorian in

college, but there exists an unspoken agreement about the standing that each major holds. Some majors (like education) are considered easy, some people immediately assume that those pursuing a major such as English will never find a job — so why bother? Some people think that only the smartest students can major in the sciences.

I worry that this backwards way of thinking influences students when they declare a major and these stereotypes undoubtedly create divides in society and a lack of understanding about others.

People rank and sort and spend all too much time comparing their choices in life to the choices of others. I believe that every major is important and challenging in its own right. I believe

that every student is intelligent and the true test lies in the work they are willing to put into their major. Graduates who are passionate about their career choice, not students who choose a major based on its stereotypes, are the people who will change the world. This country needs smart people in every job, not just the medical industry! Also, in our everchanging world the reality is that people are preparing for jobs that may not even exist yet, so why do we still believe in obsolete stereotypes about the value of different degrees?

Luther is a liberal arts college which emphasizes the importance of developing a broad range of knowledge.

The college’s mission statement even says that “Luther is committed to a way of learning that moves us beyond

immediate interests and present knowledge into a larger world.” As students we must value the importance of every field of study and focus on the many ways that careers intersect instead of isolating them.

Luther’s mission statement also emphasizes that “As people of all backgrounds, we embrace diversity and challenge one another to learn in community, to discern our callings, and to serve with distinction for the common good.” If this is the case, we must move past the discrimination of certain majors and career choices and understand every person’s unique place in and impact on the world.

Signed, Elyse Grothaus (‘19)

EDITORIAL

Satire, fake news, and Chips’ “April Foolsies” It is that time of the semester: April Fool’s Day. We at Chips use this silly holiday as an excuse to get a little creative and write satirical articles.

If you flip your Chips you will find four pages of joke articles, Photoshopped photos, and self-deprecating bylines.

There is also a note from us as a staff that points out that the stories are all in good fun and are not meant to be taken seriously.

However, I think this topic is worth more than a short comment embedded in the April Fools articles, especially now, when newspapers are accused of EMILY CROWE printing fake news. There is a difference EDITOR-IN-CHIEF between fake news stories — like the ones with made up statistics on top of stock photos that are shared mindlessly on Facebook — and satire, like the clever and cutting stories “The Onion” publishes.

I am not implying that our stories are all as clever as the stories published in “The Onion,” nor am I saying that any of it is real — it’s not. We make it all up, every word.

But, it is not fake news. It is not made-up facts parading as real. We are very upfront with the fact that these stories are meant to poke fun at some Luther-isms and figures on campus. These stories are meant to be a way for the Chips staffers to get creative, not a way for us to trick our readers.

Though sometimes readers confuse the stories we print with real news, it is because they read only one story, or simply hear about the story and get upset; they miss the context.

I don’t mean to pound this idea into the ground, or to repeat it to the point that it feels condescending. I merely mean to emphasize the important difference, as it is a problem we as news and media consumers face daily.

Trump has banned reporters from his meetings because he claims that they are spewing false news instead of his own “alternative facts.” These problems require readers to dig a little deeper: question the source and writing, question the intent of the story, question the facts presented and how they may be shifted to reinforce the writer’s point.

I am just as guilty of this as everyone — I share things on Facebook without checking the facts or even, sometimes, the sources. As a journalist, albeit a student journalist, I am very aware of the repercussions of our stories. I have made and will certainly make more mistakes, but I try to correct them and learn from them. As readers, it is your responsibility to hold me to this standard and inform us when we print something that is wrong.

But please, don’t send me a letter about the April Fools stories. I promise, I know the facts aren’t true.

EDITORIAL

Opinion articles: purposes and reactions What makes the opinion pages unique from the rest of a newspaper? How do the editorial staff decide what opinions warrant publication?

What do the opinions expressed have to do with the staff and with the newspaper as a publication? These are a few things that seem MAKEDA BARKLEY to be misunderstood MANAGING EDITOR by a number of readers, particularly of small college newspapers. The truth is, the opinions pages are a platform for expressing individual opinions. In fact, even an editorial functions as the expression of

an independent point of view. Although it is a piece written by a member of the newspaper staff, it remains an opinion independent of the newspaper, hence the disclaimer often found on opinion pages of any given newspaper that is usually some iteration of: “Opinions expressed in columns and letters are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Chips or organizations with which the author(s) are associated.”

Opinion pieces are often inflammatory or polarizing and frequently cause contention. It’s not unusual for readers to be either strongly in agreement with or deeply offended by any given piece that is published depending on the content. While it is frustrating to feel personally offended by someone else’s opinion, it’s important to remember that the article is a representation solely of the author’s opinion and not with whom they are affiliated.

It is uncomfortable to feel attacked by or in strong disagreement with someone else’s opinion but part of

being a mature adult is being able to take a step back and consider where these opinions are coming from, both figuratively and literally. It is completely acceptable and understandable to feel offended or victimized by someone else’s opinion, but the way that a reader chooses to act on that frustration is a pivotal moment.

Can we engage in civilized disagreement through the exchange of written and articulate opinions? Or will the contempt created over a polarizing opinion — justified or not — always lead to long-lasting grudges and vicious or passive-aggressive responses?

This could be avoided if readers and authors came to the mutual understanding that opinion articles are simply that, opinions. Neither the newspaper nor the staff identify with any particular opinion piece as a collective, because even though the piece may be labeled “editorial,” all that means is that one of the staff has decided to voice their personal opinion on a public platform.

SPORTS

PAGE 11

MARCH 30, 2017

SPORTS EDITOR: KATRINA MEYER

Kreiter is national runner-up wrestler SHASA SARTIN STAFF WRITER Norse wrestler Justin Kreiter (‘17) finished second in his weight class at the NCAA Division III National Meet on March 10-11.

Kreiter didn’t make the national meet in 2015, and placed fourth at the national meet in 2016.

Returning in 2017 to earn a second place finish was satisfying for him.

“I was happy with the way it went,” Kreiter said.

Teammate Billy Poray (‘18) feels inspired by Kreiter’s journey to the national meet.

“The two weeks before regionals and the two weeks before nationals, I was actually his training partner,” Poray said. “He was always focused and his work ethic was just eye-opening to me. It’s something that I’m going to take into my season next year.”

Kreiter’s work ethic is strong, according to his teammates, as his strong performance in Luther College wrestling has shown. He has been wrestling since he was five years old.

“It’s been a part of my life forever,” Kreiter said. “[I] started [wrestling when I was] young, and fell in love with it ever since. I mean, it’s a tough sport, but when you compete and you have success it makes you want to keep coming back.”

Prior to Luther, Kreiter wrestled for North Scott High School in his hometown of Eldridge, IA. His father Eugene Kreiter (‘89), a former Norse wrestler, was his coach.

Wrestling has been a lifetime commitment for

Kreiter. Consequently, it is a part of his life in the off-season as well.

“All year-round you’re focused on getting better for the next season,” Kreiter said. “So it’s a year-round sport pretty much.”

The Norse wrestlers are in the practice rooms two to three times a week and are in the weight room four to five times a week outside of wrestling season.

“In the off-season, it’s just about maintaining your conditioning and staying in shape so that when winter season comes around you’re not playing catch-up,” Kreiter said.

Poray finds summer training to be especially important in preparation for the winter season and the way the team comes together to facilitate that training. A large group of athletes stay in Decorah each summer and work either on campus or somewhere in Decorah. This way, they have a group to train with over the summer.

This exemplifies the familial culture of the Luther College wrestling team, according to Poray.

“We have one of the best climates that you could see, it’s such a family,” Poray said. “Wrestling is a different sport because you’ll go into the practice room and you’ll literally battle for two hours and then afterwards we’re best friends.”

Kreiter, one of the program’s top wrestlers, and eight other senior wrestlers will graduate this May which means that the team will look different next year.

Poray will be returning for the 2017-18 season as a senior and is very optimistic about his

teammates’ potential, despite the changes in the team.

“We have a history of success with Luther wrestling, so it’s just about new people stepping up,” Poray said. “Being in a program that’s always successful makes you want to be better every day.”

Despite losing three national qualifiers with the 2017 graduating class, Poray is assured that the returners and incoming first-year students

will only continue to push the program forward.

“Losing our three best wrestlers, we need to make sure that we continue our program’s success, so it’s up to us to step up next year,” Poray said. “Just because we’re young doesn’t mean we can’t be great.”

Kreiter will begin a physical therapy graduate level program in the fall with his Exercise Physiology major from Luther.

Justin Kreiter (‘17) takes down an opponent at nationals.

Photo courtesy of Luther.edu

Isaac Jensen awarded NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship KATRINA MEYER SPORTS EDITOR

Isaac Jensen (‘17) accepts the All-American award at the National meet.

Photo Courtesy of Luther.edu Isaac Jensen (‘17) was chosen to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship as a cross country student-athlete for the fall season of 2016. He is one of 58 athletes, 29 male and 29 female, across all NCAA divisions to receive the

award.

According to the NCAA website, the Postgraduate Scholarship is a $7,500 scholarship for postgraduate studies for student-athletes who excel academically and athletically. Those who are nominated must be in their final year of competition at their college, maintain a minimum GPA of 3.2 throughout their academic career, have a distinguished athletic career, be excellent role models in their college and intercollegiate sports in general, and intend to continue their studies after college.

Faculty who work with student-athletes can nominate students who fit this criteria for consideration. Luther has the ability to sponsor one athlete that they believe is worthy of the award. Faculty Athletic Representative and Vice President for Communications and Marketing Rob Larson then coordinates the recommendations and submits the applications to an NCAA committee that picks the athletes who receive the award.

Jensen is the sixth cross country and distance track athlete scholarship recipient that

Pasche has worked with during his 12 years at Luther. Pasche accredited the team’s success to the athletes’ work ethic and dedication and the attitude of all student-athletes at Luther.

Jensen fits into that culture well and is very deserving of the award, according to Pasche.

“We already knew that he was a special guy,” Pasche said. “This is a physical representation of something that we already knew.

He has outstanding credentials.

He is a tremendous student; he was 10th in the country in running; he is a great teammate and person around campus. This is a really neat recommendation for all that. I am happy for him that he gets recognized for that.”

Jensen expressed his gratitude to the people at Luther who helped him get to where he is and nominated him for the honor.

“I really appreciate the fact that Luther would consider me for that award,” Jensen said. “I think it is a reflection of the fact that during my time at Luther, I have been able to deeply involve myself with academic and athletic pursuits. It was nice to have that recognition, but it’s not just about me. It is also reflection of all the people that

have helped me over the course of that process.”

Jensen is planning on taking a gap year before he continues his studies. During the gap year, Jensen plans to do service work while working as an assistant researcher in the biology field.

After that, Jensen hopes to use his scholarship to pursue a conservational biology program

in graduate school. He is still considering how cross country will fit into his future.

“I would potentially coach,” Jensen said. “I really love the sport and it is something that has been really important for me. If the right situation came along and I was able to incorporate that into my life, I would definitely be interested in that.”

Isaac Jensen (‘17) running at the national meet.

Photo Courtesy of Luther.edu

SPORTS

PAGE 12

SPORTS EDITOR: KATRINA MEYER

MARCH 30, 2017

Norse travel south for spring break tournaments

Weekly Standings Baseball Dubuque Coe Buena Vista Loras Luther Nebraska Wes. Simpson Wartburg Central

IIAC 3-0 2-1 2-1 2-1 1-2 1-2 1-2 0-0 0-3

Recent Scores

Overall 8-5 9-4 9-7 8-7 8-6 8-11 4-11 9-7 5-11

Mar. 25 vs. Buena Vista University L 5-1 Mar. 25 vs. Buena Vista University W 6-4

Upcoming Schedule

Apr. 1 vs. Coe College Apr. 4 vs. Central College

(Clockwise from top left) The baseball team poses before a game in Arizona; Jake Smith (‘19) and Kenny Goins (‘17) play doubles earlier in the season; Women’s tennis team huddles up during a match earlier in the season; Softball team huddles up before a game.

Photo Courtesy of Teddy Klingsporn (top left), Luther College Photo Bureau (top and bottom right), Teri Olson (bottom left)

JULIA CURTIS STAFF WRITER Over spring break, Luther baseball, softball, and men’s and women’s tennis traveled south to participate in tournaments in Florida and Arizona.

Baseball uther baseball flew to Tucson, AZ, on March 17 for their spring break and played nine games against opponents including Buena Vista University, Carthage College, Allegheny College, Oberlin College, and Hamline University, with an overall record of 6-3 for the tournament.

Luther had not played against a number of the teams previously, but Head Baseball Coach Bryan Nikkel focused on improving the members’ individual performances over the week.

“When you’re playing somebody new, at the end of the day it’s baseball, so we need to worry about what we’re doing and not necessarily what the other teams are doing,” Nikkel said. “If we play our game, we’ll be just fine.”

In their matchup against Hamline, the baseball team won with a score of 7-5 and 7-0. The team won with the largest margin against Oberlin College, with a score of 103. In their three games against Buena Vista, Luther took two losses and one win. In their two games against Carthage, the baseball team won one game with a score of 5-1 and lost a second with a score of 18-1.

Catcher Luke Johnson (‘17) explained the value in playing so many games right before conference play starts.

“The Arizona trip is really where we

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figure out our lineup that we’ll keep for the conference season,” Johnson said.

Softball uther Softball traveled to Claremont, FL, to play 12 games in one week.

The teams rented a house for the week. The softball team defeated the competition over their break when they played against Knox College, Hamilton College, Allegheny College and Tufts University. The first couple games against Trine University and Transylvania University proved challenging, with scores of 1-3 and 0-1 respectively, but the softball team pulled through and won the ten other games they played over break, for an overall record of 10-2.

“We play inside our entire preseason in the Midwest looking forward to playing an outdoor game,” Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Head Softball Coach Renae Hartl said. “The thing that I look forward to most each year is when we travel south is to be outside on dirt and grass.”

While they spent most of their time playing, the team members also had some time for fun activities.

“What we get to do when we aren’t playing softball changes, which makes each trip unique,” player Ashley Burrows (‘18) said. “For instance, this year we got to watch the number one-ranked softball team in Division I Softball [Florida State University] play [University of Central Florida], and we went to Orlando and did the Escape Room, both of which were awesome experiences.”

L

Men’s and Women’s Tennis uther Men’s and Women’s Tennis traveled to Orlando, FL, on March

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17 for their spring break where they rented houses for the week. For some of their games, the members played on new United States Open courts in Nona, FL. “They have 100 courts and 84 of those courts have Playsight, so you can log onto your phone and watch the match after, so it records live stream and stats,” Men’s tennis member Sam Buff ington (‘17) said.

The men’s team played six matches against teams like Grinnell College, Carthage College, and Hamilton College.

The Women’s team played six matches against teams like St. Catherine University, Kalamazoo College, Grinnell College, and Elmhurst College.

The teams played singles and doubles in the standard nine-point format. The Men’s Tennis team dominated against Elmhurst College, winning all nine of their matches. They also had a strong win against Calvin College, winning the match 8-1.

The Women’s Team won against Grinnell and Calvin with a score of 8-1 and 5-4, respectively. The women won their match against Elmhurst College with a score of 7-2.

“This was a week where our students spent so much more time together and they got a lot of time to grow as a team,” Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach Adam Strand said. “This was a chance for [the teams] to grow stronger and really develop tight-knit bonds.”

The teams would like to thank the donors and families who supported the different athletic programs to make these spring break trips possible.

Softball

Luther Coe Central Loras Wartburg Nebraska Wes. Buena Vista Dubuque Simpson

IIAC 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Overall 16-2 14-2 15-3 11-3 11-5 13-7 9-5 8-10 5-13

Recent Scores

Mar. 23 vs. Tufts University W 8-0 Mar. 24 vs. Plymouth State W 3-0

Upcoming Schedule

Apr. 1 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University Apr. 5 vs. UW - La Crosse

Women’s Tennis Luther Coe Dubuque Central Wartburg Loras Simpson Nebraska Wes. Buena Vista

IIAC 8-0 7-1 6-2 5-3 4-4 3-5 2-6 1-7 0-8

Overall 10-2 9-1 7-4 7-3 4-5 7-7 5-7-1 1-8 0-15

Recent Scores

Mar. 22 vs Elmhurst College W 7-2 Mar. 23 vs Kalamazoo College L 9-0

Upcoming Schedule

Apr. 8 vs Carleton College Apr. 13 vs Winona State University

Men’s Tennis Coe Luther Dubuque Loras Central Wartburg Simpson Nebraska Wes. Buena Vista

IIAC 4-0 1-0 1-0 1-1 1-1 0-0 0-1 0-2 0-3

Overall 15-4 11-2 6-3 8-2 4-12 5-9 5-7 1-10 2-13

Recent Scores

Mar. 22 vs Elmhurst College W 9-0 Mar. 23 vs Hamline University W 7-2

Upcoming Schedule

Mar. 31 vs Buena Vista University Apr. 1 vs Nebraska Wesleyan University