VOL. 77, NO. 2 | Everyday work advice for Auggies Magazine survey results A tale of two Auggies SPRING 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Forum AUGSBURG COLLEGE RECEIVES $10 MILLION CASH GIFT to name Center for Science, Business, and Religion This winter, Augsburg College was honored with a $10 million philanthropic gift that will support a new signature academic building housing the College’s science, business, and religion programs. Visit augsburg.edu/csbr to learn about the celebration to announce the building’s name and the capital campaign’s progress toward its $50 million fundraising goal. Features On the cover 2 Magazine survey results | COMPILED BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former 10 Everyday work advice for Auggies | BY STEPHANIE WEISS U.S. President Jimmy Carter addressed middle school and high school students BY STEPHANIE WEISS 16 A tale of two Auggies | during a Youth Forum event in Augsburg’s 24 Nobel Peace Prize Forum | BY STEPHEN GEFFRE AND LAURA SWANSON Si Melby Hall as part of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize Forum, held March 6-8 in Minneapolis. Carter spoke in front of IN THIS ISSUE Departments Augsburg student artwork created for an 4 Around the Quad | 13 It takes an Auggie exhibition about past Nobel Peace Prize 14 My Auggie experience | 20 Auggie voices winners that opened at the American Swedish Institute in February. Learn more 22 Auggies on the court | 27 Alumni news on pages 8 and 24. 31 Alumni class notes | 36 In memoriam All photos by Stephen Geffre unless otherwise indicated. Vice President of Marketing and Communication Rebecca John ’13 MBA [email protected] Director of News and Media Services Stephanie Weiss [email protected] NOTES FROM PRESIDENT PRIBBENOW Communication Copywriter and Editorial Coordinator Abundance at Augsburg Laura Swanson [email protected] 2015 is off to a remarkable start at Augsburg! better together than on our own. It is a vision Creative Associate The announcement on the facing page that says we are small to our students and big for Denielle Johnson ’11 about the $10 million gift to name the Center the world. [email protected] for Science, Business, and Religion certainly As I near the end of my ninth year as ranks as our most exciting news. The momentum Augsburg’s 10th president, I am more and more Marketing Copywriter to break ground on this signature academic struck by the abundance of our lives together, the Christina Haller [email protected] building is now palpable on campus and beyond many ways in which the students, faculty, staff, as we imagine its transformational impact on our alumni, and friends of our community aspire to Photographer community for generations to come. embody a way of life that links faith, learning, Stephen Geffre And this issue of Augsburg Now is full of and service to the neighbor. [email protected] many other examples of the good news of this I also am struck by the abundance of our place, academic year. News of national recognition for the remarkable work of Augsburg as an institution Production Manager community engagement and interfaith initiatives. and community in this neighborhood, city, and Mark Chamberlain [email protected] News of special events featuring Bill Nye the world, and our firm resolve to send our students Science Guy (a fellow bow tie lover!) and Nobel out into the world as educated and faithful Advancement Communication Peace Prize Laureates U.S. President Jimmy citizens, to be good stewards of our environment, Specialist Carter and The Organisation for the Prohibition and to embrace hospitality and generosity for our Jen Lowman Day of Chemical Weapons. News of more than 100 fellow humans. [email protected] Augsburg students and faculty from five academic Finally, I am struck by the abundance of the departments collaborating to create an interactive promise we make each and every day to each augsburg.edu exhibit to engage people in the topic of peace. other as we dedicate ourselves to collaboration, News of student and faculty achievements on to doing things differently, and to working Augsburg Now is published by and off campus. News of generous alumni and together to meet the needs of students and Augsburg College friends supporting the mission-based work of neighbors. Where others say there is not enough, 2211 Riverside Ave. the Augsburg community—including more than we say there is more than plenty if we believe and Minneapolis, MN 55454 1,300 donors who, for the second year in a row, bring resolve, courage, and imagination to our Opinions expressed in Augsburg Now helped Augsburg surpass every other Minnesota efforts to educate, to feed the hungry, to clothe do not necessarily reflect official college or university in fundraising on Give to the the poor, and to meet the needs of strangers. College policy. Max Day. And much, much more to celebrate. What a deep privilege it is to be a partner For me, all of this good news points to a core in this work of abundance at Augsburg College. ISSN 1058-1545 value at the heart of Augsburg’s identity and Thanks to all of you for your abiding support and Send address corrections to: character—we are a community of abundance in passion for this good and faithful work. Advancement Services a world of scarcity. CB 142 What do I mean by abundance? It is a way Yours in Augsburg, Augsburg College of life that calls our community to live and work 2211 Riverside Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55454 together with a focus on our common wisdom, [email protected] experience, and aspirations. It is an ethic that challenges us to believe that we can do more and PAUL C. PRIBBENOW, PRESIDENT Email: [email protected] 50-64 600 Took the survey 35-49 TURNING HIGHLIGHTS OF THE RESULTS: 34 & under Who took the survey More than 600 people responded to the A NEW PAGE Augsburg survey, with 541 completing the COMPILED BY REBECCA JOHN ’13 MBA entire questionnaire. Augsburg Now magazine survey: What you told us NATIONAL This past summer, Augsburg College participated in a national higher AUGSBURG education magazine survey developed by the Council for Advancement 30 percent of the Augsburg Now survey respondents and Support of Education. This survey has been used by more than were 65 years of age or older, nearly 10 percentage 350 college and university magazines across the United States, points above the national response rate. allowing Augsburg to compare its results with national benchmarks. Top ways the magazine helps keep Auggies connected* Augsburg’s results National results Auggies are connected Survey respondents confirmed that Augsburg Now strengthens their connection with the College. In fact, % % % % % % 80 percent of respondents older than 87 80 53 46 46 39 age 35 agreed with this notion, and As a reminder of your Keeping you in touch with Encouraging financial support for 70 percent of respondents under age college experience your graduating class the College and current students 35 agreed as well. SO, WHAT DOES ALL OF THIS MEAN? Readership, connection, and format Topics of interest The magazine will build on its strengths in order The topics of greatest interest across all age groups align well with the to maintain high readership levels and the strong College’s Augsburg2019 strategic vision, which states that, in 2019, connection that the magazine helps Auggies feel with Augsburg will be a new kind of student-centered, urban university that is small the College. Augsburg will continue publishing the to our students and big for the world. Stories about student achievements, magazine in both print and online versions, but those alumni in their professions, and campus facilities and growth illustrate our who prefer a digital format are encouraged to let us commitment to educating for lives of purpose, being “at the table” with know their preference for receiving notifications instead our partners and neighbors, and building a vital and sustainable institution. of printed editions. In addition to those topics, the magazine will continue to include events, speakers, obituaries, and class notes given that these topics garnered strong Go to augsburg.edu/now for more information about response rates, especially among readers over 35 years of age. changing your Augsburg Now delivery format. See augsburg.edu/Augsburg2019 for information about the strategic plan. 2 Augsburg Now 50-64 600 Took the survey 64% 35-49 h These categories were ranked substantially higher than the national averages.prefer print * Agreement with these statements among people age 35 years or older was 10 or more percentage points higher than for respondents under age 35. 34 & under 12% Magazineprefer readership online Most respondents indicated that Augsburg Now was the No. 1 way they get information about the College, and 82 percent said Ages represented: 23% they read all orprefer most both of each issue. 65+ 50 to 64 35 to 49 34 and under Most respondents said they prefer to read the printed version of Augsburg Now, although some favor digital formats. 82% read all or most of each issue 11 percent of Augsburg’s respondents were under age 35, which is only half of the percentage in that age category nationally. 64% prefer print 13% prefer online 23% prefer both Attended Recommended an event Attended Augsburg Top actionsRecommended taken as a Topics of interest an event result of readingAugsburg Augsburg Now When asked what topics readers preferred to see in the magazine, the following categories rose to the top. Augsburg’s results National results 1. Cultural events and performances 68.1% * 2. Alumni in their professions 67.5% Made a It is exciting to learn that 1/3 of donation respondentsMade a indicated that the magazine 3.