Waldorf Magazine: Fall 2023

RN to BSN Program

ALUMNI

WHY DO YOU GIVE TO THE WALDORF LUTHERAN

COLLEGE FOUNDATION?

Did your time at Waldorf change your life? Did you meet lifelong friends? Or maybe you were able to start the process of turning your passion into your career? Was it a professor who truly cared?

The Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation deeply appreciates our generous and devoted donors. We want to know you and your Waldorf story. Reach out to alumni@waldorf.edu today to tell us why you have decided to give back!

STAY IN TOUCH

As faithful stewards of our resources and in an effort to go green, please let the alumni office know if you prefer not to receive a printed copy of the Waldorf Magazine. A digital copy is available online at waldorf.edu/alumni-foundation/waldorf-magazine/

The Waldorf Magazine, usually published each spring and fall, is largely funded by donations to the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation. We thank you for your continued support and welcome your input for future articles. Please contact the alumni office at 641.585.8148 or alumni@waldorf.edu with your ideas.

Want to stay connected to Waldorf? To receive the Waldorf monthly e-newsletter, please email the Alumni Office at alumni@waldorf.edu

MANAGING EDITOR

Theodore Schoneman

EDITORS

Tara Kingland

Severin Roberts

Katy Grobe

DESIGNERS

Theodore Schoneman

Tara Kingland

Katy Grobe

CONTRIBUTORS

Theodore Schoneman

John Cabral

Vince Beach

Emilie Bertram

Steve Smith

Bob Alsop

Raymond Beebe

Severin Roberts

Jeff Smith

Theodore Schoneman '20 Director of Alumni Relations Waldorf University

Sheryl Barbour Database & Gift Processing Coordinator Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation

Severin Roberts Vice President for Advancement & Executive Director of the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation

It’s been over a year since Waldorf announced its intention to change ownership to the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation. The support we have received from alumni, friends, and donors has been gratifying. I have received offers of time, expertise, volunteerism, coupled with a renewed passion for making gifts. Thank you! Waldorf University is well positioned to navigate the challenging waters facing higher education today. This comes from the success in enrollment growth over the last decade and makes Waldorf the third largest private institution in Iowa.

Under the ownership of the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation, Waldorf’s greatest area of opportunity lies with advancement. We are now blessed with the addition Severin Roberts to our Waldorf family. Her leadership will create new paths of engagement, creating alignment of your passion for Waldorf with the four pillars of this new Waldorf model:

• Grow the residential experience with more students and greater efficiencies. We are successful supporting students with a hands-on, student-centered model. Many of our graduates come for a destination program (for example athletics, communications, music) and stay because they have relationships with faculty, the ability to focus on their studies, and a supportive community of peers and professionals.

• Grow online enrollment by creating and supporting programs that have a specific niche and for which Waldorf can deliver a top-notch experience. Our online programs allow us to reach students across the globe meeting their educational needs with a flexible Waldorf experience.

• Establish an advancement office to engage with alumni, parents, and community members. We want to support this incredible community with communications, events, and personal relationships. With renewed 501(c)3 status, philanthropic dollars directly help with our mission-driven work.

• Leverage our tax-exempt status for increased grant opportunities and tax relief. We have applied for several funding opportunities available only to 501(c)3 schools and will continue to identify and invest in relationships with government, foundation, and corporate funding agents.

These goals are only made possible due to your support of Waldorf’s change in ownership! The Window of Opportunity Campaign started with a spark from a small group of donors who wanted to ensure the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation had the resources to return Waldorf to its roots. Started in March of 2022, the campaign has already secured $7.4M of the $10M goal to assure we are a debt-free institution, establish the systems and infrastructure to operate independently with appropriate technology and software, and develop the right expertise to implement these systems. We have also received some very generous gifts for mission-critical operations, scholarships, and campus ministry.

We hope you will engage with Waldorf and our community by attending events, sharing your “Waldorf Story”, volunteering, sharing your big life events, coming to Homecoming, supporting the Window of Opportunity Campaign, establishing a scholarship, funding a new program, connecting with your Waldorf friends and faculty, and recognizing the people who helped you along the way.

You will see more stories about the people who choose to include Waldorf among their commitments for their time and their philanthropic gifts. Their stories - your stories - are important to us.

Severin joined the Advancement team May 30. I have been inspired by how quickly she has developed her knowledge of Waldorf and her passion for supporting the distinctly Waldorf experience our students receive. I have already witnessed the ways she will contribute to Waldorf achieving our goals and aspirations. More importantly, I hope she will inspire you in your aspirations for Waldorf and help you align your interests in actionable ways with our mission.

For Waldorf, Dr. Robert A. Alsop Waldorf University President

Meet Severin Roberts

Vice President for Engagement & Advancement

I am honored to represent Waldorf as Vice President for Engagement and Advancement while also serving as the Executive Director of the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation.

Waldorf University is wholly unique in the higher education landscape today. This is the only institution that I know of to (at the same time): regain a private, 501(c)3 status; reestablish an advancement and engagement office; become debt-free; address many deferred maintenance projects; become the third largest private college in its state; retain an effective, long-seated president; build new facilities; and start a host of new programs.

Waldorf has a vision for itself that is aspirational and grounded in a firm operational business model.

Waldorf is wholly unique in the higher education landscape today. As a community of Warriors, I can see that we have what it takes to do something that’s never been done before.

Propelled by community support, I can see that Waldorf is at the brink of a new era. Philanthropy will make it possible for students to attend on scholarships, faculty members to focus on teaching, facilities to meet the current needs of the programs, and the will to create innovative academic programs to set our graduates up for success. Engagement will make it possible for us to have a growing alumni relations program; connects students with alumni; leveraging community members’ expertise about academic programs and students’ professional development; and volunteers to extend the reach of Waldorf into communities across the country and around the world.

During this transformational time, I am excited to share my passion for Waldorf’s educational mission. I offer an open invitation to you, to allow me to help you dream about what’s possible for Waldorf, our mission, and the ways you can share your expertise, volunteer, and help effect change with your philanthropy.

This is a spectacular leg of the journey as we head toward our 125th (quasquicentennial) anniversary in 2028. Together, we can both secure a future for Waldorf and shape that future to serve students and society throughout our second century.

My husband and daughter (with our two cats) are thrilled to be part of the Warrior community. We like to spend our time playing games, camping, bicycling, cooking, and exploring the world. This

fall we will become a marching band family, following our flute playing daughter’s high school career. She also plays lacrosse. My husband enjoys reading, drawing, and playing and creating games. I am a maker, so my hobbies shift from time to time. Right now I enjoy knitting, sewing, painting, making glass beads, and making artistic jewelry pieces.

Go Warriors!!

Sincerely,

Severin Roberts

Vice President for Engagement & Advancement, Waldorf University Executive Director, Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation

Severin Roberts holds a B.A. in Geography from the University of Missouri and an M.A. in Population Geography from the University of Kansas. With Iowa family roots, Severin lived in central Iowa while she worked at the University of Northern Iowa and Grinnell College. She worked for the State Historical Society of Missouri, the College of Education at the University of Missouri, and Stephens College before joining Waldorf University. Severin brings nearly 30 years of professional experience with donors, database management and analytics, and managing effective and efficient advancement programs.

Get where you want to go!

Waldorf University is excited to offer a new slate of MBA concentrations going into our 120th year! Our Master’s of Business Administration programs are robust and tailored to deliver students a focused, thorough Master’s degree experience in a fully online format.

Our MBA Concentrations:

Leadership

Public Administration

Health Care Management

Instructional Design and Technology

Criminal Justice Leadership

Human Resources

Sport Management

Marketing

Emergency Management Leadership

Fire/Rescue Executive Leadership

Project Management

To apply for the MBA Program with Waldorf University as an alumni, log into the student portal and hit the “reapply now” button in the top right corner, or call us and apply over the phone!

877.267.2157 ext. 6542

HOMECOMING 2023

Join us the weekend of October 5-8 for Waldorf University Homecoming 2023!

We are excited to celebrate 120 years of Waldorf with our alumni and friends! In honor of our recent change of ownership, this year's Homecoming theme is "Back to Our Roots" to reference our transition back to a faith based institution with a private, tax-exempt status.

Our featured annual events include: The Athletic Hall of Fame Inductions, Alumni Distinguished Service Award Ceremony, class reunions, luncheons, the annual Homecoming Music Department Concert, a Waldorf Author Panel, and of course - the football game vs. Valley City State. Other fun activities inlude a 5K walk/run hosted by the Waldorf Track and Cross Country teams, Coffee in Salveson Hall, a Waldorf History Club Event, Warrior Trivia Night at Paddler's Tap, and much more! Be sure to join us for tailgating and carnival activities at Bolstorff Field as we get hyped for the football game!

Dr. Daniel Hanson ’75, Elaine (Docken) Hanson ’75 and Jote Taddese ‘95 will all be honored at Thursday night's Alumni Distinguished Service Award Ceremony.

Friday night, we will induct three exceptional Warrior athletes into the Waldorf University Hall of Fame: Janet (Kundrat) O’Neill ’82, Pacer Wilson ‘95 and Kristle Wolcott ‘05.

At Saturday's football game, we will be honoring our "Grand Warriors" - longtime faculty members Drs. Larry '74 and Becky (Steffensen) Hill '73 for their longtime dedication to Waldorf University and education throughout North Iowa.

For the full up-to-date Homecoming schedule, please scan the QR Code or visit us at waldorf.edu/homecoming/ We look forward to seeing you in October!

COMMENCEMENT 2023

On April 29, Waldorf University had 177 graduates "walk" at the Boman Fine Arts Center in Forest City. Around half of them were online students.

The countries and entities represented by the graduates who came to participate in the ceremony were: Turkmenistan, Zimbabwe, Panama, South Vietnam, Jamaica, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Venezuela, Portugal, Pernambuco (Brazil), Argentina, Nepal, Italy, Kenya, Armed Forces Europe and Armed Forces Pacific. States represented by the graduates were: Texas, Massachusetts,

California, Minnesota, Hawaii, Indiana, Nevada, Illinois, Florida, Wisconsin, Kansas, Washington, New York, Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, North Carolina, New Mexico, Mississippi, Arizona, Arkansas, South Carolina, West Virginia, North Dakota,Tennessee, Kentucky, Oregon and Iowa.

We are very proud of the 1,108 members of the class of 2023, and we wish you the best in your next endeavors!

Mother-and-son duo Sharese (left) and Alex (right) graduated together during the 2023 Waldorf Commencement Ceremony. Sharese recieved her Master's and Alex recieved his Bachelor's. A BIG congratulations to you both!

Faculty and Staff Honors

The annual faculty and staff recognition event was held on April 25, 2023. Employees were recognized for their years of service, and awards were presented to several welldeserving recipients. We also bid farwell to a few longtime faculty members.

40 Years of Service - Michael Farndale

35 Years of Service - David Damm, Nancy Farndale

30 Years of Service - Mark Newcom, Vicki Johnson

25 Years of Service - Bob Alsop, Scott Pitcher, Becky Stumme

15 Years of Service - Karen Hehman, Julie Eischen, Josh Shankland

10 Years of Service - Tricia Baker, Darrell Barbour, Lisa Brannan, Eric Franco, John Fraser, Mike Gatlin, Adam Sauer, Stephanie

Storby, Wes Riddle, Robert Zahn, Steven Bardwell, John Hope

5 Years of Service- James Shaw, Shelley Current, Freda Braddock, Nicole Park, Kelsey Schwei, Sue Bjelland, Brittany Merren, Reginald

McCoy, Andy Follman, Melissa Anderson, Maurie Tomke, Audrey Sparks, Shantae Smith, Megan Gabriell, Sara Helvik, Mark Dorr, Jill

Thorson, Janice Spangenburg, Deana Thomas, Eric Rothgery

AWARDS

Trustee Outstanding Faculty Member - Elaine Bossard

Holmen Community Service - Mike Brosenne

Holmen Professional Excellence - Jenna Quina

Viking Award for Online Staff - Wes Riddle

Viking Award for Online Faculty - Jonathan Greene

Retirees

Top

Spring Spectacular 2023 - Waldorf Music Update

Spring 2023 was a spectacular semester for Waldorf Music, marked by performances, events and Waldorf Choir Tour. All the while, Waldorf music students worked diligently on year end scholarly activities, final exams, juries and recitals.

The January return to campus began calmly as students acclimated to their class schedules, rehearsals, activities and new colleagues. Music Audition Day offered prospective Waldorf music students the opportunity to audition for scholarship awards and acceptance to the major. Fat Tuesday Jazz took place on February 21 at the Boman Fine Arts Center, featuring Waldorf’s Jazz Ensemble and special guest, Mason City High School Jazz Band 1. Audience members were entertained by the accomplished performances of both groups. We were also honored to share the stage with a fantastic solo artist, Les Aldrich.

The High School Honor Band and Choral Festival was a success in March. Nearly 100 Iowa high school students participated. The Honor Band performed several works with community musicians and members of the Waldorf Wind Symphony, allowing students to perform challenging music with a large, accomplished ensemble.

High school choir participants rehearsed with the Schola Cantorum and presented three pieces in the evening concert. The group had the fantastic experience of performing “Kyrie” from Schubert’s Mass in G with Waldorf faculty soprano Ericka Forsberg and members of the Austin Symphony Orchestra. The evening closed with the March Masterwork performance of Into the Light by Jake Runestad, a collaboration of Waldorf University Choir, Una Vocis Choral Ensemble, NordKor Children’s Choir, and the Austin Symphony Orchestra.

Dr. Emilie Bertram and Mr. Mike McEniry, event organizers, noted the weekend was a rewarding, valuable experience they would like to repeat.

April included junior Music Education and Vocal Performance major, Ethan Hexamer, offering his junior voice recital, senior Piano Performance major, Riley Walton, performing his senior piano recital. The annual Waldorf Music Departmental recital was held as well. Students shared their artistic technical growth and beautifully nuanced musicianship. The Waldorf University Choir presented the very first Sensory Friendly Concert, offering a concert experience accessible to those for whom the traditional setting is a barrier. Certified Music Therapist, Dr. Melanie Espeland, collaborated to provide sensory feedback manipulatives and environmental conditions designed to allow attendees to experience music.

The Waldorf University Choir at Estes Park, CO

Spring Spectacular Concert Weekend took place on April 22 & 23. Saturday evening featured a dinner, with attendees enjoying a fantastic meal featuring quintessential Colorado foods, served by members of the choir, with entertainment courtesy of the Jazz Ensemble. Proceeds from the dinner helped support the choir tour. The Waldorf Choir performed their spring 2023 tour concert, “Music and Memory” following the dinner. Sunday afternoon’s concert featured the Percussion Ensemble and Wind Symphony.

We bid farewell to a large group of seniors, and Mr. Mike McEniry recieved the Waldorf Music Warrior 2023 Award after conducting his final concert with Waldorf Music. Mr. McEniry’s name is synonymous with instrumental music in Northern Iowa. Waldorf is grateful to have benefited from his expertise, love of music and knowledge. We thank Mr. McEniry for all he has given, his time, ideas, experience, musicianship,

instruction of instrumental students and assistance with the Wind Symphony. We look forward to continuing to grow our instrumental music program!

We are proud of our two Music Education graduates, Brennan Laugen and Faith Sorenson, and Piano Performance graduate, Riley Walton. All three will be beginning their professional careers in the Northern Iowa area. We are excited that they will be staying in the area so we can watch as they transition from students to career musicians!

To cap the semester the Waldorf University Choir headed to Colorado. On April 29, the choir loaded the bus and traveled to Colorado, arriving in Boulder on the next day. Three days of tour centered in the Boulder – Denver areas. The choir joined with the University of Colorado Boulder Choirs and Orchestra to perform Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana at beautiful Boettcher Hall in Denver.

Under the direction of conductor Gary Lewis, the choir experienced a true choral masterwork with full orchestra, professional soloists and a 200-voice choir. The look on their faces at the famous first downbeat of “O Fortuna” was worth the months of practice, paperwork and planning. This experience will stay with these singers for a lifetime, producing profound joy at the power of music and renewed vigor to further their individual craft. The choir spent the remainder of time in Colorado performing individual concerts in Castle Rock, Denver and Fort Collins.

We also visited Denver East, Nederland, and Fort Collins High Schools, enjoying time to interact and share music with the energetic, talented students. Our music education students benefited from glimpsing life as a music teacher in a small mountain community, a giant innercity district, and an affluent suburban location. The students also engaged

MUSIC continued pg 23

Mike McEniry conducting at the March Festival

The Waldorf Wind Symphony performing at the Spring Spectacular

Waldorf University Choir outside Salveson Hall

The Waldorf Warriors finished their 2023 Spring season with noteworthy success all around the board.

MEN’S & WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD

In a season marked by both triumph and tragedy, the Waldorf Outdoor Track & Field team headlined the spring with achievements. At the outset of the season, on March 16, the Warriors lost their beloved veteran Head Coach Joel Popenfoose just days after the team’s architect suffered complications from a stroke. Under the direction of interim Head Coach Janna Langrell and assistant coach Trevor Gorwin, the team resiliently pressed forward and continued to achieve in honor of Coach Pop’s memory.

A trio of Warrior athletes qualified for nationals in the Outdoor Track and Field season. Senior Khamarly Holmes of Homestead, Florida became the latest Warrior track athlete to engrave his name into the record books with his All-American finish in the 400 meter hurdles. In his final competition as a Waldorf Warrior, the 2023 graduate finished seventh in the country with a time of 52.96 seconds. "Khamarly Holmes' 400m hurdle final was the last event

for the week and he ran a great race," said Langrell, "He has worked so hard to get to this point and accomplish this. Nobody is more deserving of this and I am so extremely proud of Khamarly."

Holmes became the second Warrior track athlete to earn All-American honors after teammate Marcus Brown placed seventh in the country in the 600 meter run at the NAIA Indoor National Championship Meet in Brookings, South Dakota on March 4.

He was joined on the trip to Marian, Indiana by teammates Wade Baker of Chewelah, Washington, who competed in the shot put and discus throwing events. Fellow senior Jorge Olivo-Cabrera of Andover, Minnesota qualified to run in the 110 meter hurdles.

put, and as conference champion runner-up, heaved a throw of 15.66m.

Senrior Zach Morel of Oceanside, California set a school record and a personal record in the decathlon. Morel finished 1st and was named conference champion. Since joining the North Star Athletic Association in 2015, this has been the most male conference champions Waldorf has had (2019 – 2, 2018 – 1, 2017 – 1).

The women's 4x400m relay team, consisted of Charlize Salgado, Daniela Benavides, Alazey Mishleau and Catherine ClarkeAshford. They were named conference champions with a time of 4:12.70. This win gives Waldorf women's their first ever relay team championship.

Jorge Olivo-Cabrera had two conference champion runnersup. One in the 400m hurdles, with a personal record of 54.90 and the other in the 110m hurdles event.

tion’s weekly awards program. Holmes was selected as the Male Track Athlete of the Week for the week of April 11, and Jorge Olivo-Cabrera earned the same honors for the preceding week of April 4.

MEN’S & WOMEN’S GOLF

Waldorf also saw tremendous success on the links, with the Warriors taking a clean sweep of both Men’s and Women’s Golfer of the Year Award in the North Star Athletic Association.

Sophomore Thomas Houdayer of Evreux, France earned Men’s Golfer of the Year, while sophomore Amanda Karvala of New Berlin, Wisconsin took Women’s Golfer of the Year for the second time in as many seasons.

The Warriors finished their spring golf season with a strong showing at the 2023 North Star Athletic Association Championship. The tournament was held at the Platteview Golf Club, which is 6,638 yards and a 72par course.

Khamarly Holmes arrived at nationals after a dominant performance in the 2023 North Star Athletic Association Outdoor Track and Field Championships, held at Dickinson State University. Holmes was named conference champion in both the 400 meter dash and 400 meter hurdles. He also set a new meet record in the 400 meter hurdles with a time of 53.51.

Wade Baker set two school records, as well as new PRs, in the shot put and hammer throw. Baker took 2nd place in the shot

The men's 4x400m relay, consisted of Holmes, Xzayvier Horton, Olivo-Cabrera and Marcus Brown. They took 2nd place with a time of 3:36.10.

Alazey Mishleau took second place in the heptathlon with setting a school record and personal record. Mishleau also took third place in the high jump with a jump of 1.55 meters. Freshman Eliza McKown set a school record with a personal record in the 800m and finished second with a time of 2:23.23.

Khamarly Holmes and Carmen Mata-Lara were named to represent Waldorf for the NSAA Champions of Character.

The Warriors also fared well in the North Star Athletic Associa -

Houdayer led the way for the Warriors on the men's side by finishing in 4th place. He shot a 76 on the first day and 78 on the second, for a total of 154.

Junior Forest City native Tyler Clouse took 11th with a total of 165. Clouse bettered his first day score of 85 to an 80 on the second. Senior Aaron Fleming of Marshalltown, Iowa, was close behind with finishing in a tie for 15th. Sophmore Caden Loeppky of Saskatoon, Canada, tied for 18th and freshman Johannes Shaw of Bloemfontein, South Africa, placed 22nd.

The men's team placed 3rd with a first day score of 336 and bettered their score on the second day with 332, giving them a total of 668.

Khamarly Holmes

Wade Baker

Jorge Olivo-Cabrera

"I am very optimistic about the future, and we will have a great chance to compete for the conference championship next year with everyone on the roster returning in the fall,” said Head Coach Mark Clouse.

As well as being named golfer of the year, Houdayer was AllConference First Team. Tyler Clouse and Aaron Fleming were named to the Second Team and Caden Loeppky was selected to represent the men's golf team for Waldorf as NSAA Champion of Character.

"Thomas Houdayer was awarded the Conference Player of the Year for the men after a very consistent year on the golf course. He is a hard-working player that has a true desire to continually improve his game and this award is a nice way to finish the season," said Clouse.

The women's team took 3rd place with a total of 751, 373 on the first day and 378 on the second day.

"The third place finish was a good result for the women's team,” coach Clouse said, "We only lost one senior this year so our team will be very solid, and we should have a good opportunity to compete for a conference title next season.”

nesota, shot a 96 on the first day and 99 on the second, giving her an overall score of 195 with a 14th place finish. Ashley Groesbeck of Woodinville, WA, was close behind with a 15th place finish and a total score of 196. Senior Jordan Aholt of Augusta, Misssouri, and junior Hailey Panos of Waucoma, Iowa, tied for 16th with a score of 197.

Along with being named as the women's Golfer of the Year, Karvala was named to the AllConference First Team. “Her five consecutive tournament wins during the fall season captured the attention of the coaches and was a significant factor in winning the award," Clouse said.

BASEBALL

The Waldorf Baseball Team shook off a slow start and had a strong second half of its season, making for a successful season on the North Star Athletic Association conference circuit. After beginning the season at 5-15 (including eight losses in one-run games), the Warriors responded by going 17-9 (.654) from March 25th through May 5th. Waldorf finished with 22 overall wins and a 16-12 (.571) record in NSAA play. Their third place finish was the highest 2022-23 finish by a team sport in the North Star. For the second straight season, the Warriors won their first round tournament game, with a 4-1 victory over Viterbo on May 5.

helped Waldorf compete in challenging conference weekends, which typically feature doubleheaders on two consecutive days. Waldorf won most of its conference weekends, winning four series, losing two and splitting one.

The individual game highlight of the Warrior season came on April 7, when the Warriors defeated perennial champion Bellevue University, 5-4. Bellevue came into the matchup touting the Number 5 ranking in the country and an unblemished 13-0 record in conference play following three consecutive weekend sweeps. Following a strong start from Luna, the Warriors got a clutch relief outing from Jamie Olson, who pitched 2.2 scoreless innings of relief to earn the victory. The Warriors scored the decisive run in extra innings with a two-out rally. Zach Meyer doubled down the right field line to reach scoring position. Atticus Smith then drove him in with a clutch RBI single through the left side, with Meyer sliding in to beat the throw to the plate.

For their efforts in 2023, the team was richly rewarded in the 2023 North Star Athletic Association’s All-Conference awards.

ence Honorable Mention. During the season, Luna was twice awarded North Star Athletic Association Pitcher of the Week.

SOFTBALL

On the softball diamond, the Warriors were able to improve in their first official season under the direction of new Head Coach Justin Uhlenhopp. The Warriors’ 13 wins marked their highest win total in the past three seasons.

Season highlights included winning three out of four conference games against Mayville State in Forest City over Easter weekend and sweeping their final doubleheader with longtime foe Iowa Wesleyan.

Prior to the playing of the 2023 North Star Athletic Association Softball Tournament, the conference named its 2023 AllConference Teams. The awards recognition was held at the Biesiot Activities Center on the campus of Dickinson State.

Sophomore Brooke Hickey of Adel, Iowa was selected to the Second Team All-Conference. Hickey led the team in the regular season with 50 hits, eight home runs, and 28 runs with a .413 batting average. Fellow sophomore Janessa Weston of Salt Lake City, Utah was selected to represent Waldorf as the NSAA Champion of Character.

Sophmore Amanda Karvala of New Berlin, Wisconsin, finished 3rd individually with an overall score of 169, 83 on the first day and 86 on the second. Senior Nadia Turner of Chaska, Min -

The Warrior season was taken to new heights by a trio of new starting pitchers. Incoming transfers included senior Marc Luna of Alvin, Texas, and junior brothers Zach and Ryan Meyer, both of Gilbert, Arizona. They were the backbone of a formidable starting rotation which

Senior Damien Sanchez was selected to the All-Conference First Team as well as the Gold Glove at shortstop. Senior Davis Churchman, junior Zach Meyer, senior Thomas Capllonch and junior Ryan Meyer were named to the All-Conference Second Team. Ryan Webster and Atticus Smith were noted as All-Confer-

NEW HEAD COACHES IN FOOTBALL, MEN’S & WOMEN’S SOCCER

Waldorf University named former defensive coordinator Tyler Chapa its Interim Head Football Coach. Chapa assumes the top spot on the Waldorf football staff following four seasons of unprecedented NAIA success for the program. In Chapa's tenure

Damien Sanchez

Amanda Karvala Thomas Houdayer

at Waldorf, the Warriors have posted four consecutive winning seasons, including three seven-win campaigns. Since he began his involvement with the program, the Warriors have a cumulative record of 27-13 (.675). The Warriors finished in the NAIA Top 25 in 2019, and were ranked in the poll on three occasions in the 2022 season, reaching a program high #22 acclaim the week of October 10.

Chapa joined the Waldorf football staff in the fall of 2019 as the Warriors' defensive backs coach. He added recruiting coordinator and special teams duties for the 2022 season. He was promoted to Defensive Coordinator following the departure of former head coach Will Finley, who became an NCAA Division I assistant coach.

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Chapa is a veteran college coach and former college football player. A graduate of Doane with a degree in Criminology, Chapa played three seasons at Abilene Christian before finishing his career at Doane. Chapa spent two seasons as the defensive backs coach and one season as running backs coach at Doane prior to joining the staff at Waldorf. Chapa resides in Forest City with his wife, Nicole.

Thomas Goodman is the new Director of Soccer at Waldorf University, overseeing both the men’s and women’s programs.

Goodman spent the 2022 season as the head coach of both the women's and men's soccer teams at Finlandia University in Hancock, Michigan. There, he led the Lions to back-to-back Coast-to-Coast Conference tournaments on the women's side in 2021 and 2022. The men's team posted its second best record in program history under his direction in 2022.

"I am absolutely honored to have been selected [by] Waldorf University," Goodman said, "I have been searching for a great location to raise my children and have the support from a staff that is excited to take the team to the next level. I am grateful for the confidence and trust placed in me by Athletic Director Chad Gassman and President Dr. Alsop. When meeting with them, you can tell they care about their students and are committed to their academic and athletic futures. During my interview, you could tell that the team is very close and are ready to work hard to be a top team in the conference next season and that is exciting. I can not wait to get started."

"We are excited to welcome Coach Goodman and his family to Forest City," said Waldorf Director of Athletics Chad Gassman, "With our large graduating senior class, this is a time of transition for our soccer program[s]. Coach Goodman is a veteran college head coach and proven recruiter

who will be able to lead our team into its next chapter."

Waldorf's new coach is an experienced NAIA head coach, with his first opportunity coming at Siena Heights University of Adrian, Michigan, where Goodman coached the men in 2017 and 2018. Coach Goodman has another eleven years of combined experience at the high school and youth levels from 2010-2020.

The new Warrior coach also touts extensive academic credentials. Goodman earned his Doctorate of Education in Education and Leadership from Concordia University in Portland, Oregon in 2021. His studies included a topical dissertation entitled "A phenomenological study of the interactions between Generation Z collegiate athletes and their coaches."

Goodman had previously earned his Master of Science in Recreation & Sport Pedagogy in Soccer from Ohio University, where his thesis was entitled "A study of knee injuries on artificial turf versus natural grass in Women's soccer." Goodman also earned his Bachelor of Arts in Educational Foundations from the University of Oregon in 2013.

Goodman and his wife, Amber, have two children, Lenicka and Amsel, three pugs and a cat.

WHY WALDORF? - ANDREW JERMELAND '13

As a lifelong Forest City resident, Andrew Jermeland frequently overlooked Waldorf during his youth. "I never even seriously considered Waldorf," he shared, "my dad got me to attend Waldorf."

For Andrew, Waldorf wasn't his first attempt at seeking a college education. Upon his graduation from Garner-Hayfield High School in 2007, he enrolled in classes at NIACC in Mason City, Iowa. However, his journey there was short lived. "I really struggled at NIACC. It was a rough year and I did quite poorly," he said, "so I decided to take a year off from college and went to work at Best Buy in Mason City."

While Andrew got a good taste for the workforce through his job, he still longed to return to college. He enrolled in a single philosophy class at NIACC to give it another shot, and ended up acing the course. "I needed to take that class to prove to myself that I was capable of taking college classes," Andrew shared.

This led to Andrew applying to several different colleges, as he wanted to have a fresh start, but it ultimately fell through for him. However, this is where his Waldorf journey started. One morning in August of 2009, his dad woke him up and told him to

get ready for the day. "Today we are going to get you enrolled at Waldorf," said his dad, "it's the first day of classes and you're going to start today."

Andrew started out as a part time student, and after excelling in the classroom, he transitioned to full time the following semester. He grew a passion for reading and writing, which led him to majoring in English. "Professors Joe Wilkins and Suzanne Falk-Yi impacted me deeply, as they invested time to work with me as an individual. It was great to be in an enviroment where people cared about me," he said.

Andrew made a lot of great friends in the classrooms and through the Campus Ministry Program. Upon graduation, a path started to appear for him upon many conversations with his academic advisor, David Behling, and the registrar, Darrell Barbour. "It dawned upon me that they (Behling & Barbour) were the type of people I aspired to be like. Those two were so helpful to me, and I wanted to be able to do something like that for other students," said Andrew - and this is where the idea of higher education popped in his head.

Upon graduation, Andrew moved to Indianola, Iowa, to be closer to his girlfriend, now wife, Tabitha. He worked a job in

retail while also applying for jobs at local colleges. After several months, he got a breakthrough, landing a job at a university as an admissions counselor. However, three weeks after starting the job, the institution announced that they would be closing their doors. "I initially went into panic mode when they closed," said Andrew, "but thankfully Waldorf came into my life again."

While closing its doors, several schools visited the institution's campus to recruit students, with one of them being Waldorf. Registrar Darrell Barbour was working the Waldorf booth along with Scott Pitcher. After hearing about Andrew's situation, they told him to apply for a position in admissions at Waldorf. "I ended up landing the job, and here I was, back at Waldorf," Andrew shared, "and it's been a blessing!"

Andrew moved up to a position as an assistant to the Registrar, and he now serves as an Online Academic Advisor for Waldorf. He has now been employed by Waldorf for eight years. "I love working with our Waldorf students," Andrew shared, "helping with their academic planning and watching their confidence grow is so much fun. I love Waldorf - it has changed my life in so many positive ways, and I will forever be grateful for my opportunities here!"

Andrew & Tabitha Jermeland

RN to BSN Program

A Profession Led by Passion. A Degree Built by Experience

Waldorf University is excited to announce a very prestigious achievement: our school now has its first professional CCNE (The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) accredited academic program - RN to BSN (Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing)! This academic completion program is designed for licensed, working, RNs with associate degrees who desire to advance their education.

Obtaining a BSN is important to our society. Research clearly shows that significant improvement in patient outcomes takes place with advanced nursing education. These research findings align with Waldorf University’s institutional learning outcomes, engaging students in improving the communities where they live, work and play. The curriculum also enhances student critical thinking, effective communications, citizenship and service, as well as awareness of diversity, equity and inclusion, while also providing opportunities for enhanced appreciation of the human experience.

We are especially excited about our first RN to BSN student to graduate: Emily Brown. She is from Walnut, Iowa, and lives near Havelock, Iowa. Before studying with Waldorf University, she earned an LPN from Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa, and also graduated from Iowa Central Community College with an associate degree and earned an RN License.

Brown spoke to us about what inspired her to become a nurse and pursue this program. “My mom was a nurse, and both of my parents have been involved in volunteer fire departments serving other people in need," she shared, "when very young, I learned to help others. I will never forget the time when I helped an elderly person get up off the floor during a fire emergency.”

Waldorf University's online program was a good fit for Brown. “Once enrolled in the program, I really liked and appreciated the

flexibility and how the faculty and staff work so well with nursing students. My favorite thing about Waldorf’s online teaching and learning curriculum is that it is much more convenient for me to work at my own pace. I do not have to take time out of my intense schedule to get ready and then drive to a class somewhere,” she said.

Brown also told us about her favorite experiences in the coursework. “Among my favorite assignments was a practicum experience where I designed a policy (and process) to help Emergency Room patients get home at nights and on weekends. This was at a community hospital where I work. I collaborated closely with the hospital, patients, and the local police department. It is exciting to see that the new policy I put together is still in use," she shared, "I appreciate the structure and the flexibility in the delivery of the curriculum. At one point during my studies, I found myself in the hospital with a newborn son. The Waldorf faculty have proven excellent in assisting me through the challenges I faced, and providing me with what I needed.”

What is unique about Waldorf University’s RN to BSN program is that it is small, but mighty: Warrior Strong. First, the program withstood the test of the pandemic and is resilient, ready and eager to serve nursing students. Second, the faculty and the program director are each practicing Registered Nurses. Dr. Tara Nichols, for

example, is academically prepared to oversee the development of the program, and she is also an RN to BSN graduate. Our faculty know what it takes to manage the roles of being a full-time student, a parent, a full-time employed RN and a caregiver.

Waldorf’s RN to BSN program is a nononsense program that allows students to integrate their academic studies with practical, real-world applications. The course assignments and assessments are designed to improve the health and the lives of the people and the organizations where students work and study. The personal touch and our commitment to advanced studies is what makes Waldorf University’s program special.

I am pleased to get the word out about this special academic program. My name is Vince Beach, Ph.D., and I have worked at Waldorf University for 7-years. In 2016, I began serving as the Vice President for Academic Affairs. In October of 2020 I initiated this RN to BSN program at the direction of President Bob Alsop and the Waldorf University Board of Trustees. In 2022, I transitioned to work on "Special Projects" for the President’s Office, as well as serving Waldorf students as a faculty member. Waldorf’s RN to BSN online program is one of these "Special Projects".

We began the work of developing the RN to BSN online program in the fall of 2020, just about exactly when the COVID pandemic was just beginning. Who would

Waldorf's first RN to BSN Graduate, Emily Brown, poses with her son

Dr. Tara Nichols oversees the program

have known? COVID has impacted us over the past two and one-half years. We have persevered through it all. Now fast forward to May 2023: Waldorf has just received the final word about receiving the CCNE accreditation. From the beginning, Waldorf wanted to do things right and at the highest level. We hired a full-time doctoral-prepared program director/nurse administrator; we have connected with quality adjunct nursing faculty and have reached out to nurse administrators in local hospitals and health care organizations for their consultation, insights, and to better understand the needs of their RNs. We developed quality curriculum and practicum experiences, and created and implemented the many essential elements of infrastructure. All of this preparation reflects rigorous CCNE guidelines and measurable standards, and at affordable costs for students. Waldorf has maintained great support from the Iowa Board of Nursing (IBON) in Des Moines, these past three years.

The program is for RNs who aspire to earn a bachelor’s degree in nursing. This BSN program provides the foundation for nursing graduate studies, and for nurses who want to pursue research. It prepares nurses for employers who prefer highly trained BSN nurses, it broadens their scope of practice, increases eligibility for specialty areas of certification, expands professional networks and empowers them to be able to practice in more varied types of settings. BSN nurses have higher levels of autonomy, draw better work schedules, and demonstrate a wider range of skills in serving patients.

The following Press Release has been sent out to a wide variety of hospitals and health care organizations.

For immediate release: Waldorf University's RN to BSN Program Receives Prestigious CCNE Accreditation. Forest City, IA – May 31, 2023. Ali Egan, Director of Online Marketing: “Waldorf University is proud to announce our RN to BSN program has been granted accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). This prestigious accreditation highlights our program's full commitment to excellence in nursing education as well as our dedication to offering high-quality academic experiences for our online BSN students. This accreditation is a testament to the leadership of Dr. Tara Nichols, the RN to BSN Program Director, and the committed faculty and staff who worked hard to ensure the program's successful accreditation.

The CCNE accreditation is a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation process that assesses the quality and ongoing process improvement efforts of nursing programs. It validates Waldorf University's RN to BSN program meets or exceeds the professional standards set by the CCNE and demonstrates its commitment to producing highly skilled and competent nursing graduates. Waldorf University’s development of the RN to BSN completion program began in 2020, to help fill a critical need of BSNs throughout the country. Our goal was simple: to foster a supportive learning environment that prepares culturally competent nurses to lead and educate in a diverse and complex world. Throughout this journey, Waldorf and the program have hit several milestones, all culminating to this prestigious accreditation. For more information about Waldorf University's RN to BSN program, please visit waldorf.edu/RN-BSN.”

Sincere congratulations are due to the entire Waldorf University academic community. The CCNE accreditors considered in detail our University, as well as the RN to BSN academic program. There are a number of

nursing faculty and staff who have worked diligently to make this happen: Cherry Karl, Ph.D., who served as the interim Program Director and as a Nurse consultant with experience in creating RN to BSN programs. She was recruited and worked closely with me, as we conceived of the program and worked to identify and to hire others, and establish professional relationships with local hospitals and organizations. Recognition is due to the Waldorf Board of Trustees and to President Bob Alsop for their vision, support and encouragement. In 2021 we hired Dr. Nichols, the current RN to BSN Program Director/Nurse Administrator. Dr. Nichols valiantly spearheaded the accreditation process. The CCNE self-study document was primarily written by Dr. Nichols, with assistance from Wes Riddle, the Dean of Online Programs, and myself. Adjunct faculty and nurse consultants have been there for us: Jean Loes, MS, BSN, RN; Deana Thomas, Ed.D., MSN; and Holly Hendrikson, MSN, RN.

The work of recruiting and building student cohorts is only just beginning. Do you know someone who might be interested in Waldorf’s RN to BSN online program? Please let them know about us, and maybe share this article with them. With the ending of the COVID pandemic era, Registered Nurses everywhere are beginning to turn their attention to advancing their educations, and to personal and professional development. Waldorf might be a perfect fit!

For More Information Please Contact 877.267.2157 (Online Admissions)

Questions? Dr. Tara Nichols, Tara. nichols@waldorf.edu; Dr. Vincent Beach, Vince.beach@waldorf.edu

Sincerely,

Vince Beach, Ph.D. Director of Special Projects Online Faculty

Special Projects Director, Vince Beach, Ph.D.

Potatoes To Prosperity

Four Generations of Learning at Waldorf

By Jeff Smith

Four generations of Berneta (Gaarde) Gambell’s family have attended Waldorf University. They’ve been students during the Great Depression, the Vietnam era, the Nineties tech explosion and our current time. The college and community have undergone many changes throughout this time, but the education the school has provided her family has been constant through it all.

Berneta enrolled at what was then Waldorf College out of Armstrong High School in 1932. In a concession to the difficult economic times, Waldorf allowed her father, Peter, to pay a portion of her tuition with a shipment of potatoes. While she was a student, Berneta lived in a dormitory, which at the time was above a classroom.

She was a member of the women’s basketball team, the Theta Sigma Kappa sorority and the choir.

She also worked in the campus lunchroom for $1.50 per week. In those days that amount supported an active social life.

Some of her activities didn’t align with the strict social norms of the time. Her future husband, Doland Gambell, had a Harley Davidson motorcycle and invited her for rides. She found the skirts and dresses required by the school impractical for such jaunts and wore trousers instead. She was caught one day and “campused,” a punishment that temporarily confined her to her dorm room when she wasn’t in class. Undeterred, when she was free to roam again she wore dress code appropriate skirts initially on their Harley dates, only to change into her pants in a local off-campus gas station bathroom.

Berneta would be campused again for attempting to go to a local Oddfellows dance with a friend. Waldorf students weren’t allowed to attend, and they were discovered by the school’s door sentry: choir director Odvin Hagen!

Doland participated in pastimes more dangerous than unconventional clothing and unsanctioned dances. Berneta was both

horrified and thrilled when he invited her to attend a local motorcycle show, only to see him ride his Harley through a huge staged wall of fire!

It’s little wonder that in the 1933 Waldorf yearbook Berneta’s motto was “College days have their delights, but they can’t compare with college nights!”

Upon graduation, she used her elementary teaching certificate to teach for five years in Swea City, Iowa. One year she was selected as the school’s outstanding teacher and her class achieved the highest reading score in the state.

Berneta married Doland in 1938. Female teachers weren’t allowed to be married at that time, so she began her lifelong career as a homemaker in Forest City. They remained closely tied to Waldorf for the rest of their lives. In the 1950’s, they boarded students in their home. Berneta and Doland would sleep on the porch, with the Gambell children in the dining room and the undergraduates in the bedrooms.

Berneta Gambell with grandaughter Liz at her Waldorf graduation

Berneta's 1933 yearbook photo

Doland Gambell on his Indian motorcycle

The tradition of Berneta’s family studying at the school continued with her son John’s enrollment in 1963. He found that even then area dances were off limits too, and "students-monitors" were sent to the famous Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake to keep it free of any Waldorf Warriors!

Another Gambell matriculated at Waldorf when Berneta and Dolands’ youngest daughter Kay started in the Fall of ‘65. The family lived across the street from the campus at that point so Kay lived at home. This had a further benefit - it excluded her from the colleges’ 8 P.M. women’s curfew (it was 10 P.M. for men.), a perk one can imagine Berneta might have enjoyed back in her Waldorf days!

Kay graduated in 1967 and went on to complete her education at then Mankato State University. Waldorf would eventually play another major part in the direction of her life.

In an era when many young men enrolled in college to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam conflict, Kay's high school classmate Paul Sorensen postponed his secondary education and enlisted in the Navy. Fully expecting to end up in Southeast Asia, he instead was called to duty as a Hospital Corpsman and Aerospace Medical Technician in Hawaii and San Diego.

In 1970, at the end of his four year enlistment, he returned to Forest City and enrolled at Waldorf. He reconnected with Kay and they were married the Summer before his sophomore year. He graduated in

‘72 and they moved to St. Peter, Minnesota, where he got his Bachelor’s degree at Gustavus Adolphus. He then went on to Mankato State for his Master’s.

The couple made their way back to Forest City where they both eventually worked in the offices of Winnebago Industries. They raised two daughters.

The youngest, Liz, graduated from Forest City High School in 1995 and attended another university for her first year of college. She then transferred to Waldorf. A major factor in her decision was the way Waldorf had embraced cutting-edge technology. Every student received an IBM Thinkpad laptop and had access to brand new radio, video, and digital editing suites.

In 1998 she took advantage of Waldorf's International Program to spend a semester in Oxford, England. She took two classes and completed an internship in public relations. Liz and her friends backpacked across Europe as a group.

She graduated in the summer of 1998, as part of the second class to participate in the school’s new three year Bachelor’s program, with a double major in Business and Communications.

In true Gaarde/Gambell/Sorensen fashion, Liz eventually made her home in Forest City. After a big city marketing job she came home to marketing at Winnebago and has been the Office Manager for Dr. Laila Buck, a local dentist, for many years. She has one son, Caleb Barker. Great Grandma Berneta

kept her teaching skills sharp by creating math worksheets for him to solve whenever he visited.

Caleb became the fourth generation of the family to learn at what is now Waldorf University through the Start Point program. By taking college-level classes in high school, he entered the University of Northern Iowa in 2019 with a year’s worth of credits from Waldorf.

Forest City and Waldorf have grown and changed together throughout the family’s time in big and small ways. The two year college is now a four year university. The campus has been expanded and beautified. The small farm town now has one of the area’s largest manufacturing plants. The Timberland Apartments are a major upgrade from the small dormitories Berneta lived in. The KZOW and WalTV studios Liz used as a student are now in the basement of the building where Berneta once played basketball. There is no longer an Oddfellows Club active in Forest City, but one can see their sign in the stone above what is now the Missal Reality building. Even the house where the Gambells boarded students was purchased by Waldorf and moved to make way for a parking lot by Ormseth Hall. New techniques and technology have changed the way students learn at Waldorf over the decades, preparing four generations of Berneta’s family for success over almost 90 years. Through all this time and change, the positive impact of Waldorf on the family continues to this day!

Liz and her sister Amanda at her Waldorf Graduation

Paul and Kay Sorensen at Paul's graduation

Liz and Waldorf friends on the beach of Barcelona during their backpacking trip

Fall has arrived on the Waldorf campus and with it comes a new academic year. The class of 2027 has just started to sample that life-changing “Waldorf experience” with walks across campus on crisp fall days, football games, homecoming and more. You alumni readers can close your eyes and see yourselves in the same setting, going back perhaps a few years, or perhaps many years ago. There's wonderful memories for you and wonderful memories that are now in the making for students on campus.

While some things will consistently remain the same, there is one big change from a year ago. In December 2022, the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation purchased Waldorf University from Columbia Southern University and the Mayes/Cooley family. As I see it, the most significant change arising from this change of ownership is that Waldorf University, now once again a private, tax-exempt entity, is in control of its own destiny now and for years to come.

As part of the transaction, it was agreed that two members of the Board of Directors of the Waldorf Foundation, Richard Corcoran and myself, would join the Board of Trustees of Waldorf University, its governing body. I have been to a couple of meetings and can definitely say that the Board of Trustees is composed of a very diverse, talented and dedicated group of individuals.

A topic we have frequently discussed is the mental health of college students across America and more particularly at Waldorf University. National college depression statistics from a 2022 study show that students’ mental health has steadily declined since 2013. Researchers found that more

than 60% of students during the 2020–2021 school year met the criteria for one or more mental health issues. This represented nearly a 50% increase from the data drawn from 2013. In the study, 63% of college students said that their emotional health is worse now than it was in 2019, and 56% are significantly concerned about their ability to manage their mental health. A major concern is that 25% of young adults said that they have seriously considered suicide since 2020. I think we would all understand that COVID-19 only exacerbated the situation. During the pandemic younger adults showed a greater increase in use of social media and lower social support seeking. Loneliness and isolation in young adults often leads to depression.

Nicolas "Nic" Determann has served as the Director of Counseling Services at Waldorf for the past three years. Determann is a Forest City native and he and I first connected during his high school years. He said Waldorf, like other schools, does have significant mental health issues within the student population. However, he further noted that while rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts are at all-time highs, more college students than ever are receiving therapy or counseling.

Determann told me that it was not unusual for him to see six or seven students in a day throughout the academic year. He said that the most common referral method was “word of mouth” which, of course, suggests that students are well satisfied with the help they are receiving from him.

Some of the factors mentioned for leading to increased levels of depression in today’s

college students include social anxiety, panic attacks, drug and/or alcohol use, family history of depression, relationship issues, finding balance between academics and athletics, academic pressure, low self-esteem or self-confidence, inadequate sleep and lack of social support. Determann made the observation that most of today’s college students are not emotionally mature. More specifically, he noted that when they are faced with a difficult situation, they tend to feel that they should “suck it up” and deal with it later.

This mentality leads to avoidance or maladaptive coping techniques that come back to hurt the individual later. He suggested that today’s college students have actually gotten away from talking to each other. They would rather text or use social media outlets to air out their problems. It is hard for them to have difficult conversations with people. He said they would rather use avoidance techniques instead of having emotionally mature conversations that would benefit growth and maturity. Determann further stated: “I get it, it’s hard to have difficult conversations because they are always worried it’s going to blow up or end up in a flight, but if they are both willing to work and listen, it rarely ends with a negative outcome.”

Since the pandemic, college students have leaned heavier on avoidance resulting in worsening mental health symptomology. He believes that as a result of isolation (due to the pandemic) students have lost some of their ability to interact and be cordial with individuals with different life experiences or opinions. However, he also suggested that over the last year

he has observed that most students are starting to relearn social etiquette, but the damage will take time to heal.

Determann further stated that parenting styles have all too often changed from a “community teaching and growing our kids” to one where “no one can discipline my kids.” When young people see this parenting style, it unintentionally validates their negative behaviors, which can result in teaching them a sense of entitlement and lack of enforced rules. This can contribute to insecurity and a feeling that no one cares because of a lack of consequences. No one likes to be held accountable, but as humans we are comforted by knowing our limits and knowing someone will be there to catch us if we fall. If young people continue to push limits that are unhealthy or dangerous without being held accountable, they will get the sense that they are alone in the world because no one really cares.

To grow a stronger community and more emotionally mature youth, Determann suggests that we have to get back to having tough conversations and being emotionally mature enough to walk away saying, “I may not agree, but I can see what they believe from their perspective.” He also suggested that we need to provide a community approach to helping and teaching our children so we are able to allow our children to be taught by those around us. To Determann, the phrase “it takes a village to raise a child,” conveys the ability to provide a safe, healthy environment for children where they are given the security they need to develop and flourish, and to be able to realize their hopes and dreams. He further suggests that Waldorf is a part of “their village”, and it has an obligation to provide a little more understanding and care for every individual in the Waldorf community.

In closing, I want to urge you to provide financial support to your alma mater so the University can continue to create new Waldorf stories. I particularly want to reach out to those who have withheld support (for the Waldorf Foundation) since the University became a for-profit institution. We have returned to our roots. We need you back in the fold. Unlike most private schools in Iowa, Waldorf’s enrollment has increased year over year. An essential part of any private school’s budget is financial support of alumni and friends. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Raymond M. Beebe Chair, Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation Member, Waldorf University Board of Trustees

Retired Vice President, General Counsel Secretary Winnebago Industries, Inc. 1974–2012

Recipient of Honorary Doctorate Degree, Waldorf University (2021)

The Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation affirms the mission of Waldorf University to be an engaging community of learning and faith where relationships are formed and opportunities for learning and service abound.

The Foundation is committed to providing financial resources to honor the past ideas of the University and to enrich learning and spiritual opportunities for future generations of Waldorf University students, empowering them to impact the world through lives of service. The Foundation is funded by generous gifts from alumni and friends and supports student scholarships, campus ministry and alumni relations.

Foundation Chair, Ray Beebe, on the Waldorf University campus

Every Day Nutrition - Ashley (Brinkman) Ploeger '14, '20

Degree: B.S. Elementary Education, Master of Education/Teaching and Learning

Occupation: Middle School Special Education Teacher for Forest City Community School District, Owner of Every Day Nutrition in Forest City

Residence: I grew up in Manly, Iowa, and currently live in Garner, Iowa, with my husband, Ryan, and son, Case. I spend a lot of my time in Forest City in my role as a teacher and business owner.

How do you feel Waldorf impacted you the most:

It was great to go to a school not too far from home while also getting to live the college experience. While at Waldorf I ran Cross Country and played Softball while working on my undergrad in Education. At Waldorf, there are a lot of things you can do on top of being a student. I met a lot of great people from all over the world at Waldorf, and I loved learning about their cultures. The connections you make through Waldorf are lifelong and rewarding.

What do you enjoy the most about your career as a teacher: I love teaching students new things and helping them along their journey. At the end of the day, even if a student doesn't like you

or has a disagreement with you in class, they'll still come back a year or two later to thank you after the "light bulb" clicks on - sometimes it just takes a little more time for students to figure it out. Getting the validation from them and seeing them go on to eventually graduate is very rewarding!

What is your business:

I opened Every Day Nutrition in December of 2022. We offer nutritious mealreplacement shakes for breakfast and lunch, energizing teas/refreshers and more from "Herbal Life". Our business also serves as a nutrition club or "wellness center" to help people reach their health goals. We are here to help you lose weight, maintain weight, build muscle and more through our one-on-one coaching and meal planning programs. We want to help people with their health goals, whatever they may be.

What inspired you to start your business, Every Day Nutrition: When 321 Nutrition (a similar business) opened in Garner, I thought "wow" this

stuff tastes good! It was better than any nutrition product I'd ever had before. I looked at the containers and saw how healthy the products were, and I was impressed to see that "Herbal Life" products are FDA approved to serve as a meal. The company has been around for 43 years and there is a lot of science and research behind it. Their products are sold in 96 different countries. While working at 321 Nutrition during their summer hours, I fell in love with it even more, which inspired me to start my own nutrition club in Forest City.

Favorite part about your business: I like that this doesn't feel like work. I get to come in each morning and help people physically and mentally. Giving them something good, or a "pick-meup", to start their day can make a big difference. The positivity that comes from this business is my favorite part!

Where can we find your business: Our address is 146B N 4th Street in Forest City, which is a couple blocks to the east of Waldorf's campus. We are just across the street from Dollar General. Be sure to like our Facebook page Every Day Iowa and to follow or page on Instagram at @every.day.nutrition.fc we look forward to seeing you soon!

Ashley Ploeger cuts the ribbon of Every Day Nutrition with her husband, Ryan, and son, Case, and members of the Forest City Chamber of Commerce.

Alumni Board Profile - Amanda (Anderson) Braun '04

Degree: B.A in History

Occupation: Consultant, Talent Management at Nationwide Insurance

What made you want to be part of the board: Waldorf played a big part in shaping who I am and the direction of my career so I always knew I wanted to be able to give back to Waldorf, but it was never the right time. Over the last year, I started thinking more about being on the board and it just felt right. I’m at a place in my career and life experiences that I feel I can thoughtfully and meaningfully contribute and share different perspectives.

What would you like to help the board accomplish during your service: I think it would be great to build a mentorship program between students and alumni as well as test a program to mentor recent graduates who are navigating their first jobs. Having a mentor who can provide advice and share personal experiences can be so impactful.

Favorite Waldorf memory: One of my favorite memories that I probably retell the most is how I met my husband. He was walking down the girl’s hallway on

2nd Tanner carrying and playing music from his laptop. He was flirting and asking girls to pick their favorite song. I thought he was ridiculous and didn’t give him much thought. I probably even did an eye roll. However, I have now been married to this man for 17 years so his “ridiculousness” clearly worked and made an impression.

Advice you would give your college self:

The best advice I have received that I would tell myself sooner is don’t take a job because of status or pay but move into roles that are an extension of the things you already enjoy doing. By doing so, you will be engaged in your work and will be able to showcase your strengths and skills.

How do you feel your education at Waldorf impacted you the most: Going to a liberal arts school gave me a broader education and the analytical and critical thinking skills that I have been able to apply to all aspects of my life. These skills have become even more relevant in today’s workforce. There were courses that were required that, at the time, I didn’t understand why we needed to take them. In hindsight, these courses helped shape who I am and I became a more well-rounded person.

Attending Waldorf and having professors believe in me and truly care about my education and my future, gave me the confidence to believe in myself and to trust that I have the qualities and abilities to be successful in whatever career I pursued.

Any fun facts/accomplishments you would like to include about yourself: A fun fact is that we had three Waldorf professors as ushers in our wedding: Dr. Alsop, Dr. Plowman, and Dr. Biggs. These professors made lasting impressions on us and it meant a lot to have them as part of our special day.

Amanda Braun with her husband, Andy, who also graduated from Waldorf with the class of 2004.

Spring 2023 Campus Ministry Recap

I must admit, these words from James make me and my Lutheran (and Pauline) sensibilities a bit uneasy. I stand firmly with Paul in that we are “saved by grace through faith apart from works of the law.” I am convinced the author of James was adamantly opposed to Paul’s theology and wrote to argue with it in this letter. I do come down firmly on Paul’s side of things theologically. However, I do believe that a living, active faith pours forth in acts of love and service to the neighbor, and as I look back on campus ministry over the past year, this verse from James I think is calling us in the direction campus ministry needs to move next. I’ll come back to this momentarily, but first a quick look back at the year.

Wednesday Chapel

As I look back on the year, what I feel best about is how our Wednesday Rest and Renewal (R & R) went. We lifted up the theme of vocation Wednesdays this past year. The only exceptions to that were Ash Wednesday and the Wednesday of Easter week, when we shifted our attention to those holidays. Otherwise, faculty, coaches, staff, local pastors, and students brought messages about their journeys and the struggles that have brought them

to their current callings in life. We learned more about each other. There were tears and there was laughter on Wednesday mornings. Hearing the stories of others had us all looking more deeply at ourselves and listening more closely to hear where God may be calling us on any given day. The number of people coming to Wednesday R & R grew this year with more faculty, staff, and students attending regularly. I would still like to see this grow more, especially in terms of student numbers. I do want to give a shout out to the musicians who led music for us, especially Professor Melissa Philips who played piano to lead us in song on the majority of Wednesdays throughout the school year.

Like Fire

As with first semester, our Sunday evening Like Fire worship events varied greatly. There were some meaningful nights with heartfelt conversations over the year. This is the area where I would like to see student participation grow the most. Again, I want to give a shout out to the musicians, Ben Hemsworth and Nolan Reynolds, who faithfully showed up all year on Sunday nights with their guitars and provided us with music.

The Bridge

First Baptist Church continued to open its doors to our students with a Bible study, fellowship, and a real emphasis on forming a caring community. We had a core of students who were very involved and fed weekly by this ministry. Thank you to staff/ faculty members Josh Pagle, Jonathan Klauke and Andrew Jermeland for their excellent leadership in this ministry.

“So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”

James 2:17 (NRSV)

Andrew Jermeland speaking to students at Chapel

Peer Ministers

I say thank you to the peer ministers who helped to lead campus ministry this year. They were Murad Hazhibayev, Ben Hemsworth, Abby Tapp, and Nadia Turner. They all graduated, and we wish them God’s richest blessings as their lives move beyond Waldorf. Next year, we will be looking for a new crop of leaders.

Next Year and Beyond

Now to close the loop. I feel the one thing we did accomplish this year was to reinvigorate a worship life on campus. I still believe there is much more invigorating to do, but a good start was made this year.

Where I am frustrated with this year is that we didn’t get any real outreach and service projects going. In fact, I would say I completely failed at this. This has to be high on the agenda for this fall. To return to the verse from James, for our faith to truly be alive, it needs to be reaching out in love to the world. I’m hoping we can do that here in Forest City and beyond.

As I look to the future, I am painfully aware that I cannot do justice to running campus and to my primary job as a professor at Waldorf. I am so grateful the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation made Campus Ministry a priority.

As we continue through the transition, I look forward to discussions about our Lutheran history and future, and the role of campus ministry as a vital part of the life of our University.

in plenty of sight-seeing, including the Flatirons, Chautauqua Park, the famous The Sink restaurant, and Pearl Street in Boulder; Colorado Spring’s Garden of the Gods; the Red Rocks Amphitheater; Molly Brown House; and riding the Pike’s Peak Cogway to the top of Pike’s Peak, summiting at 14,115 feet. The air was thin, but the view was indeed spectacular. We returned home on May 6 exhausted, fulfilled and inspired.

The upcoming 2023-24 year promises to offer excellent experiences for our students and community. This July two Waldorf Music choral music education students, Ethan Hexamer and Hanna Ferguson, will be attending the Iowa Choral Directors Association (ICDA) Summer Symposium as ICDA collegiate scholarship students! We look forward to returning to campus in August, offering our annual All-State Workshop in September, Music Visit Day and Homecoming music events in October, performing the November Gift of Music concert series, presenting student recitals and continuing to grow and learn along the way.

We encourage you to stay in touch with the latest happenings in Waldorf Music through our social media. Find us on Facebook at Waldorf University Music Department, or Instagram at Waldorf_Music. We look forward to building our music programs and sharing music with our community. With our renewed 501(c)3 status, you can make tax-deductible gifts through the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation. Please email

foundation@waldorf.edu or call 641-5858492 to discuss ways you can support the music program.

Sincerely,

Emilie Bertram, DMA Director of Choral Activities Music Department Co-Chair Assistant Professor of Music emilie.bertram@waldorf.edu

Waldorf University Choir at Chautauqua Park in Boulder, CO

Rev. Steve Smith Religion & Philosophy Faculty Chair Campus Ministry Coordinator

Waldorf's Second Founding Day Established

Resolved, that, annually, December 1 shall be remembered as our Second Founding Day.

Joint Resolution unanimously passed by the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation Board June 30, 2023, passed by the Board of Trustees for Waldorf University July 5, 2023, and endorsed by the President’s Council on July 11, 2023.

Gratitude

Twice, the Mayes/Cooley Family has changed the trajectory of Waldorf University. Waldorf College was purchased by Columbia Southern University (CSU) on January 10, 2010. Like many colleges and universities in the early 2000s, Waldorf College was experiencing financial difficulties exacerbated by the 2008-2009 recession.

CSU was a lifesaver for Waldorf, and they allowed operations to continue with “the same values and mission as had existed throughout Waldorf’s history,” shared Ray Beebe, Chair of the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation.

In the intervening years, Waldorf reduced its debt, partnered with the community to build new facilities, took care of deferred maintenance, and developed successful online programs.

In 2022, CSU approached the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation to inquire about possible interest by the Foundation in purchasing Waldorf University from CSU. After more than a decade of a great relationship between CSU and Waldorf University, CSU thought that the Foundation was the best choice to purchase the University and fulfill CSU’s desire to have the University continue to pursue its mission “as is.”

On December 1, 2022, the sale was consummated, and CSU transferred ownership of Waldorf University to the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation.

CSU and the Mayes/Cooley family are firm believers in Waldorf’s mission of “equipping students for lives of fulfillment.” Foundation Chair, Ray Beebe, frequently says that Waldorf University does in fact change lives “one life at a time” and that every graduate leaves the University with his or her own “Waldorf story.” Mr. Beebe further notes that students receive a solid academic education, but likely just as important, they learn how to live a meaningful life and “make a difference.”

We are grateful to the Mayes/Cooley family and Columbia Southern University for being our partner through this incredible time of transition and growth.

CLASS UPDATES: 1950'S

Dr. Karl Holte '52 resides in Pocatello, Idaho and is an Emeritus Professor of Botany for Idaho State University. His email address is plantprof@live.com

Jerry Armstrong '56 resides in Dallas, Texas, and is retired. His email address is armstrongjerryb@gmail.com

James Osborn '56 resides in Stillwater, Minn., and is retired. His email address is jamesosborn1936@gmail.com

CLASS UPDATES: 1960'S

Ron Klipping '60 resides in Des Moines, Wash., and is retired. His email address is klipping3@aol.com

Bruce Gordon '62 resides in Grundy Center, Iowa. He is a retired Art Teacher and is a Wildlife Artist. His email address is bcgordon@gcmuni.net

Douglas Juhl '62 resides in Ocala, Fla., and is retired. His email address is dougwj.24@gmail.com

Gloria Fitzsimmons '65 resides in Winter Haven, Fla. Her email address is gloria@iris-inc.com

Jerry Christensen '65 resides in Raleigh, N.C., and is retired. Their email address is jrchrist68@gmail.com

Phil Nesse '66 resides in Kodiak, Alaska. He says, "After 25 years of working as a soil scientist, I picked up education classes and became a science teacher. This is my 8th year in Alaska, where I have impressed locals with my ability to catch fish. I am presently in Kodiak, in a house that has running water, and teaching in a school that is new, with students that want to learn. It doesn't get much better that that. Emails are O.K." His email address is pnesse@gmail.com

Jane (Borel) Dettman '67 resides in Clarion, Iowa, and is retired. Her email address is billandjanedettman@gmail.com

Bob Stern '67 resides in St Augustine Beach, Fla., and is a retired special education teacher. He says "After retirement we spend time in western N.C. mountains during spring and fall. Trips to Hawaii to visit daughter and family. I'm working part time at a private golf course (bennie is free golf). Family, thankfully, all in great health. Email me if ever near St. Augustine Fla. You get a personal guide! His email address is rcstern@gmail.com

CLASS UPDATES: 1970'S

Sonja Chesnik '71 resides in Sheboygan, Wis., and is retired. Her email address is sonjachesnik@gmail.com

Jana (Knode) Socha '72 resides in Santa Fe, N.M. She is a Professional EBC Life Coach and Photo Artist. Her email address is mysticlight.jana@gmail.com

Mary (Watson) Hamilton '76 resides in Lorena, Texas. She is an author who released her fifth novel in October of 2022 titled "Dead Air: A Waco Mystery". Her email address is mary.hamilton122@gmail.com

Brian Grunzke '77 resides in Brookings, S.D. He is an Assistant Baseball Coach at South Dakota State University. His email address is briangrunzke@yahoo.com

Kim (Bosacker) Pinkstaff '79 resides in Kingman, Ariz. She is a Utilization Management Manager for the State of Arizona's Department of Disabilities. They moved back to Kingman from Phoenix (AZ) to be closer to their son and his family. Her email address is kimbo.pink59@hotmail.com

CLASS UPDATES: 1980'S

Madonna (Jensen) Jaeger '81 resides in Cincinanati, Ohio. She is retired from being a Geriatric Psych Nurse and remarried in March of 2023. She is enjoying children, grandchildren and traveling. Her email address is madonnajaeger@gmail.com

Carla (Belschner) Burkhardt '84 resides in West Salem, Wis., and retired in June of 2023 from 31 years in the Dean's Office at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. She says "There was never a dull moment and many unsolved mysteries I plan to keep busy with church, Sons of Norway, family and friends and have no intention of getting bored." Her email address is carla.burkhardt8696@gmail.com

Sonya (Techau) Hewes '84 resides in Milton, Del., and is a Police Resource Manager for the Milton Police Department. She says "I still do some of my transcription business, but decided to go full time at the police department. I have also taken up the knack of baking cakes and cookies (specialty is my cookies) and I ship all over the U.S. Check it out on Facebook, search Sonya's Sugar Fix." Her email address is sonyahewes@gmail.com

Joy (Kleveland) Koontz '86 resides in Phoenix, Ariz., and is a Program Director for Aged Out Foster Youth for Thrive AZ. Her email address is mjkoontz@hotmail.com

Julie Holthaus '87 resides in Des Moines, Iowa, and is a Sourcing Specialist for Murth Industry of North America. Her email address is julieholthaus@msn.com

Donna (Cerra) Bounds '87 resides in Lytton, Iowa, and is currently a Supervisor at a local grocery store. Her email address is boundsdonna1967@yahoo.com

Steve Krieg '86 & Lisa (Overlie) Krieg '87 reside in rural Decorah, Iowa. They are both Physical Therapists in the NE Iowa region. They have welcomed two granddaughters in the past 2.5 years.

Michelle (Fossum) Schwartzhoff '88 resides in Decorah, Iowa, and is currently a Health and Human Services Supervisor for the State of Iowa HHS. Her email address is mschwartzhoff89@gmail.com

CLASS UPDATES: 1990'S

Neil Birdsall '90 resides in Missoula, Mont., and is an Assistant Manager for the Ticket Office of the Adams Center at the University of Montana. His email address is carolinaomm@yahoo.com

Denise (Lenning) Hill '90 currently resides in Bondurant, Iowa. Her email address is denisehill@q.com

Todd Feustel '92 resides in Mahtomedi, Minn., and is currently a Sports Coordinator for South Washington County Schools. His email address is tfeustel@sowashco.org

Jennifer Anderson '99 currently resides in Joplin, Mo. Her email address is jennandfam@gmail.com

CLASS UPDATES: 2000'S

Kristina (Lubahn) Dostal '02 resides in Oronoco, Minn., and is a Emegency Medical Dispatcher at Mayo Clinic.

CLASS UPDATES: 2010'S

Jeff Peterson '12 resides in New Hope, Minn. He has taught P.E. for over seven years in Minnesota and is in his fourth year at Neill Elementary in Robbinsdale.

Kendra Smeigh '14 resides in Johnsburg, Ill., and is currently a teacher.

Scott Peterson '15 resides in New Hope, Minn. He is a Finance and Sales Coordinator for Astleford International.

Dr. Sara (Davis) Elliott '15 resides in Carmichael, Calif., and is a Psychologist for Kaiser Permanente. Her email address is sara.d.elliott@gmail.com

Jeremy Hoyer '17 resides in Bella Vista, Ark., and works for the Rogers Fire Dept.

Jared Zimmer '17 resides in Webster City, Iowa. He is an Emergency Planner with the Paramedic Resiliency Initiative and is a Paramedic for Iowa Specialty Hosptials. His email address is zimmerfire@gmail.com

Myles Baker Jr. '17 resides in Elmira, N.Y. and is an Associate Director of Enrollment at Cornell University.

Victoria Carra '18 resides in Maryland Heights, Mo. She says "after graduating (from Waldorf) I became the 6 and 10 producer for KTTC in Rochester, Minn. and was quickly promoted to executive producer. In November 2022, I moved to St. Louis, MO as a producer." Her email address is carra.victoria@gmail.com

Alton Whipple '18 resides in Killeen, Texas. His email address is alton.whipple@gmail.com

Anthony Hinkel '19 resides in Vancleave, Miss. He is a Continuous Improvement Analyst, Senior Value Driver Coordinator and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. His email address is anthony.hinkel@gmail.com

Kassidy (Bunger) Gillen '19 resides in Garner, Iowa. She is a Financial Advisor for Thrivent Financial. Her email address is bunger.kassidy@gmail.com

James Blankenship '19 resides in Minneapolis, Minn. His email address is jamesrblankenship1@gmail.com

CLASS UPDATES: 2020'S

Theodore Schoneman ’20 & Baili (Grikin) Schoneman '22 welcomed their son Grayson to the world on March 28, 2023. They reside in Forest City. Theodore's email address is tschoneman115@gmail.com

Brett Rose '20 resides in Fairfield Township, Ohio. He is a Corporate Safety Manager for LSI Industries. His email address is brose9@aol.com

Jarrod McMillian '21 resides in Bossier City, La., and is a Production Superintendent in the US Air Force.

Scott Davonski '22 resides in East Quogue, N.Y. and is a Deputy Fire Chief.

Aaron Mathahs '23 resides in Thompson, Iowa. He is student teaching this fall. His email address is aaronmathahs@gmail.com

Murad Hazhibayev '23 resides in Forest City, Iowa, and works at Walmart as a Department Manager. His email address is m.hazhibayev@gmail.com

IN MEMORIAM: 1930'S

Idona Schott '35 passed away on September 17, 2022.

IN MEMORIAM: 1940'S

Ferne (Schechter) Grossnickle '45 passed away on May 17, 2022.

Ruth (Racek) Lee '45 passed away January 15, 2023.

Gladys (Sunde) Peterson '47 passed away December 28, 2022.

Barbara (Heggen) Barker '47 passed away July 21, 2021.

Burnette (Qualley) Murra '47 passed away December 20, 2022.

IN MEMORIAM: 1950'S

Elaine (Mandsager) Sigurdson '50 passed away January 31, 2023.

Clare (Cole) Stubbs '50 passed away on September 9, 2022.

Alvern Ellwood '52 passed away December 6, 2022.

Bernard Schroeder '52 passed away February 20, 2023.

Gloria (Peterson) West '53 passed away March 27, 2023.

Kenneth Boelts '54 passed away April 21, 2023

Myrna (Aamodt) Langerud '55 passed away December 20, 2022.

John Johnson '55 passed away April 8, 2022.

Janice (Eide) Armstrong '56 passed away on April 16, 2022.

Nancy (Nelson) Ingham '57 passed away January 15, 2023.

Richard Doyle '58 passed away December 10, 2022.

Warren Sime '59 passed away November 29, 2022.

IN MEMORIAM: 1960'S

Marilyn (Hanson) Hotley '61 passed away on January 3, 2023.

Audrey (Spaanem) Scheide '61 passed away on February 2, 2022.

Leonard "Len" Dygart '61 passed away on September 26, 2022.

Roger Lervick '63 passed away March 17, 2023.

Karen (Abrahamsen) DeAngelis '64 passed away on June 13, 2023.

Leo Durant '64 passed away on August 11, 2022.

Richard "Rick" Dahlgren '66 passed away January 31, 2023.

Sherill Engebretson '66 passed away December 9, 2022.

Diane (Howlett) Barry '66 passed away December 10, 2022.

IN MEMORIAM: 1970'S

Bob Crane '72 passed away on October 21, 2022

Karmel (Quame) Evans '73 passed away July 24, 2022.

Jodi (Meyer) Rodriguez '76 passed away March 17, 2023.

Bryan Benson '77 passed away November 4, 2022.

Daniel Holter '78 passed away August 21, 2022.

William "Bill" Tompkins '79 passed away February 16, 2023.

IN MEMORIAM: 2010'S

Kelley Wegener '18 passed away January 18, 2023

FORMER FACULTY/STAFF

Marilyn (Anderson) Peters '50, former Waldorf Development Office and Church Relations Employee, passed away January 8, 2023.

Robert "Bob" Johnson '52, former Waldorf Director of Planned Giving, V.P. for Development, Supply Preacher and Special Assistant to the President for Campus Planning, passed away on December 29, 2022.

Jerry Craig, former Waldorf Boilmaker and Supervisor of Buildings and Grounds, passed away December 21, 2022.

Alice Jolivette faithful wife to former Waldorf Pastor Norbert Jolivette, and mother to former Waldorf President Tom Jolivette, passed away on April 14, 2023.

In Loving Memory

William E. Hamm, 78, of Waverly, Iowa died on June 6, 2023, at the Cedar Valley Hospice Center in Waterloo. A native of Clarion, Iowa, and a graduate of Wartburg College, Hamm spent his entire career in higher education.

He served as a Vice President of Admissions and University Relations at California Lutheran University, President of Waldorf College from 1986 to 1999, head of the Foundation of Independent Higher Education, and President of the Lutheran Educational Conference of North America. Hamm was also interim President of Wartburg College during the 2008-09 academic year.

Joel Popenfoose, 64, died on March 16, 2023. He was intent on rapidly rebuilding the Cross Country and Track & Field programs upon Waldorf hiring him in 2021 as head coach of both programs.

He and his wife, Kim, were blessed with five children: Adam, Luke, Casey, Marcus, and Myra. His family was made more complete with the addition of his sons' wives Victoria and Kelsey. He was a proud grandfather of Mia, Bane, Rose and Tatum.

Coach Popenfoose received his degree in Theology from Moody Bible Institute and became a Master of Divinity at Trinity Evangelical

During his time at Waldorf College, Hamm was an innovative president who ushered in the new wave of technology at the end of the 20th century. He made it a priority for each Waldorf student to have their own laptop, which was cutting edge for the time. Hamm also led the charge in developing Waldorf's 3-year B.A. program, which became quite popular, as Waldorf has previously solely been a 2-year degree instituion. He was a true "Waldorf Warrior" who deeply enjoyed his job as President, and he was often found working in his office well into the night during his tenure.

Divinity School. In 1995, Joel planted Westlake Community Church in Huntley, Illinois. He ministered to his congregation and led worship for twenty years.

In 2013, Coach Popenfoose became the Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois. His teams were abundantly successful- setting 140 school records and producing 46 All-Conference athletes along with 17 conference champions. From 2013-2021, Judson's squads boasted 34 NAIA national qualifiers, 13 All-Americans, and five national champions. In 2019, he absorbed the role of Judson's Athletic Director, where he served for two years prior to joining Waldorf.

Bart Appleton, 63, died of natural causes on Friday, April 28th in Decorah, Iowa.

Bart was serving as a Clinical Placement Coordinator and Student Teaching Supervisor for the Waldorf Education Department at the time of his death.

In 1988, Bart and his wife, Mary, welcomed their first son Luke, followed by their daughter Leah in 1990, and son Caleb in 1998. As a dad, Bart was known for creating play and laughter, giving the best advice, bringing calm in the unsteady, and never missing the opportunity to support and cheer on his kids. He loved his two granddaughters, Emersyn and Lynden, adoringly,

and his bedtime stories, adventurous spirit, and unconditional love will live on in them forever.

Everyone who was blessed to know Bart will remember his warmth, selflessness, humility, inclusivity, and love. Bart‘s greatest legacy was the loyalty and love he shared with all of his family and friends. His deep-rooted faith not only sustained him and drove his desire for inclusivity and justice, but also inspired and blessed many.

Though the people in his life always took priority, Bart’s favorite places included the Kinnickinnic River in Wisconsin, the Heimdal family farm in Iowa, any trout steam in Colorado, and Stony Lake in Hackensack, Minnesota.

Services, which will be held in the Wartburg Chapel in fall 2023.

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Parents: If this is addressed to your son or daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office, 641.585.8148 or email us at alumni@waldorf.edu

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AUGUST

AUGUST 5-7

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Music Camp

AUGUST 9

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WALDORF UNIVERSITY PERFORMING ARTS

First Day of Fall Semester

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 14, All State Piano, Vocal & Instrumental Workshop

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SEPTEMBER 16, Honors Day

OCTOBER

OCTOBER 5-8

Homecoming

OCTOBER 12

Music Visit Day

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 17

Winter Break Starts

HOMECOMING SCHEDULE

Waldorf Music & Theatre

2023 Fall Season

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, SEPT. 6-9

WALDORF THEATRE PRODUCTION

@ SMITH THEATRE – 7:30 PM

HOMECOMING CONCERT, OCT. 7

WALDORF WIND SYMPHONY & WALDORF CHOIR @ BOMAN FINE ARTS CENTER – 7:30 PM

HAUNTED HOUSE, OCT. 19-21

WALDORF THEATRE INTERACTIVE PRODUCTION @ VOSS HALL – 7-10 PM

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE ABRIDGED, NOV. 1-4

WALDORF THEATRE PRODUCTION @ SMITH THEATRE – 7:30 PM

JAZZ & PERCUSSION ENSEMBLE CONCERT, NOV. 10 @ BOMAN FINE ARTS CENTER

GIFT OF MUSIC CONCERT, NOV. 11-12

WALDORF WIND SYMPHONY & WALDORF CHOIR @ BOMAN FINE ARTS CENTER

Please check the waldorf.edu/events for more information. For athletic events, visit waldorfwarriors.com