Meet Collin Katainen ’14 MAE. Collin is a member of the Augsburg Alumni Board.

What keeps you busy these days? What are you doing for work and for play?

Occupying hockey rinks with my two children in the winter, my son is a Peewee goalie, my daughter a 10U forward; in the summer we love spending time at our cabin up north. I went on to get my Educational Specialist degree and am a high school principal for a private school in St. Louis Park. I also coach and mentor new teachers as a consultant with a professional development company called Northshore Learning. While a student at Augsburg, I also acquired my real estate license and have been working as a Realtor ever since; it’s a fun profession and pairs nicely with an educator’s schedule.

Who or what is something or someone that motivates you? My family, friends and students are influences, each in their own way help motivate, challenge and humble me in ways that keep me grounded. I have come to learn the importance of a work/life balance and the need to break away from life’s responsibilities and just stop, sit in nature and listen to the world around you.

What makes you excited to give back to Augsburg as an Alumni? Or, what inspires you to give to Augsburg? As an educator, anytime I can help shape the future outcome of a situation or opportunity where my experiences or knowledge improves or makes life easier for someone else is a win. I hope I can find a way to improve the Augsburg experience for any student as an alumni resource.

Who is an Auggie (alumni, faculty/staff, friend, etc.) that inspires you or that has impacted you and why?
Along with the many great courses and instructors who were always willing to spend time sharing their experiences; I always found Anne Kaufman, Ph.D. Professor Emerita and Co-Director, Augsburg Paideia Program (Retired) to have had the greatest impact on my successes in the classroom. Even after graduating, when I was a young teacher, Dr. Kaufman would be a sounding board as I tried to incorporate Paideia into my lessons.

If you are unfamiliar, Paideia (pie DAY a) is a pedagogy that encourages student-centered, democratic discussions around a common text. Paideia principles surround the idea that the primary cause of genuine learning is the activity of the learner’s own mind, sometimes with the help of a teacher functioning as a secondary and cooperative cause; that the three types of teaching that should occur in our schools are didactic teaching of subject matter, coaching that produces the skills of learning, and Socratic questioning in seminar discussion.

The annual Paideia Summer Institute held in July at Augsburg University is a great course to take for anyone in the education field.

Thank you, Collin!

Auggie Spotlight is a project that features Augsburg Alumni in all walks of life, and further connections in our Augsburg Alumni community. If you would like to be in the spotlight, or if you’d like to nominate another alumni, please fill out this form.

Meet Berlynn Bitengo ’21, ’23 MBA. Berlynn is serving her fourth year on the Alumni Board and is the Augsburg Alumni Board President 2024-25.

Who or what is something or someone that motivates you? My family and friends. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by amazing, ambitious, passionate and hardworking individuals who are constantly inspiring and challenging me to go beyond what I think is possible.

What is a piece of advice that you would give to a current Auggie or young alumni? Be your strongest and loudest advocate because nobody is going to go hard for you the way you will.

What makes you excited to give back to Augsburg as an Alumni? Or, what inspires you to give to Augsburg? What makes me excited to give back is knowing how impactful it is to the students and what inspires me to give is Augsburg’s commitment to ensuring all the students that pass through Augsburg are successful not only while they are at Augsburg but also years after.

Thank you, Berlynn!

Auggie Spotlight is a project that features Augsburg Alumni in all walks of life, and further connections in our Augsburg Alumni community. If you would like to be in the spotlight, or if you’d like to nominate another alumni, please fill out this form.

We look forward to celebrating commencement on May 8, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. CST. Commencement will take place at the Target Center in Minneapolis. We can’t wait to celebrate Auggies as they graduate and become our newest Auggie Alumni.

To watch the livestream of commencement, visit https://www.augsburg.edu/commencement on the day of the event.

Visit Augsburg’s commencement page

We are thrilled to share a new book published by some of our talented faculty and staff members! “Radical Roots: How One Professor Changed a University’s Legacy” tells the story of Augsburg University sociology professor Joel Torstenson ’38.

Co-authored by President Paul Pribbenow, Associate Professor Katie Clark, Professor Tim Pippert, and former staff member Green Bouzard, “Radical Roots” examines Torstenson’s legacy at Augsburg over the past 60 years. At the core is a story of transformation that outlines how Augsburg deepened its understanding of the public purposes of higher education by embracing its urban setting. The book offers lessons for colleges and universities across the country committed to democratic engagement in their work at the intersections of mission and place.

We hope readers who purchase the book feel inspired and have a renewed sense of commitment to the public work of higher education in a rapidly changing world.

Purchase a copy! 

Hear from the authors.

On February 27, Augsburg hosted a Career Exploration Day for first-year students. One workshop offered to the students was titled, “Navigating the Journey: Things I wish I would have known as a first year Auggie.”

This workshop was led by the Augsburg Alumni Board and included Alumni Board members (Berlynn Bitengo ’21, Charlotte Deegan ’12, Ian Heseltine ’21, and Jay Lepper ’95) and other Augsburg Alumni (Kristin Bunge ’12, Lori Higgins ’94, Sarah Korbel ’12, and Chase Webber ’20).

Over the course their two workshops, seven alumni panelists and one alumnus facilitator spoke to around 70 students about their various career journeys and experiences at and after Augsburg.

Thank you to our amazing Alumni for giving back to Augsburg and sharing their wisdom, offering bits of their stories, and helping first-year students to think about what they can do now to prepare for their careers in the future.

Augsburg is looking to add additional members to it’s Alumni Board starting this summer. Are you passionate about keeping alumni connected to Augsburg? Do you want to think creatively about ways to connect alumni with current students? Do you like helping to bring Auggies together at various events? If you’re interested, please reach out to Nate Berkas at berkasn@augsburg.edu to learn more.

The Augsburg Alumni Board is an opportunity for alumni from all programs and class years to build relationships with each other and the University today. Members connect with institution leaders, faculty, and students to better understand and support the mission. For more information, visit the Alumni Board page.