bing pixel
  1. Home
  2. Category: Articles

Bonner Leaders Program prepares students for life after Augsburg

Posted on

Bonner_LeadersAlisha Esselstein ’15 knew she wanted to go to college in a city – any city for that matter.

“I’m from a small town in southwest Wisconsin where the cows outnumber the people,” Esselstein quipped, describing her hometown of Argyle. “I always thought that I wanted to go to a big school, so I applied to UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, and the U of M.”

But, Esselstein said she visited Augsburg College for Scholarship Weekend and “just fell in love” with its small feel within a large urban setting. Today she’s a second-year student at Augsburg who has found a balance between her academic pursuits on campus and her desire to grow and learn in the greater Minneapolis community, and she has done so—in large part—through the Bonner Leaders Program. Continue reading “Bonner Leaders Program prepares students for life after Augsburg” →

Kyle Koele: An Auggie with true grit

Posted on

Kyle_Koele

Kyle Koele ’13 knows how to move – fast

During a typical day on the Augsburg campus, this fourth-year physics student from Prescott, Wis., races from an early morning shift with the College’s Facilities crew to a class in Science Hall—then on to a band rehearsal, a homework meeting, a workout session in the fitness center—and, finally, a keystone course.

Studying at Augsburg has been an opportunity for Koele to take on distinct challenges related to his education, his athleticism, and his goals for the future.

“I don’t like to miss out on anything,” Koele said of his demanding schedule. “I go from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and it’s wearing down on me. I like being active but sometimes it catches up with me, and I have to reevaluate.”

Often times when Koele “reevaluates,” he simply redirects to a new forward course or an additional opportunity. He’s just not the type of guy who can take a step backward. Continue reading “Kyle Koele: An Auggie with true grit” →

Batalden Seminar explores civic engagement, global citizenship

Posted on

batalden_pickExploring how people throughout the globe have improved their lives through civic engagement is the focus of the Batalden Seminar in Applied Ethics. Susan E. Pick, professor of psychology at the National University of Mexico, will speak at 10 a.m., Wednesday, February 20 in Hoversten Chapel.

Pick’s lecture, “I want to, I can: Development Programs Step-by-Step Using the Human Capabilities Approach,” will focus on the Yo quiero, yo puedo (I want to, I can) development programs, which have reached more than 19 million people in Mexico and another 14 countries, most of them in Latin America.

She was chosen as the Batalden Seminar speaker based upon her insight as an academic and an activist. Continue reading “Batalden Seminar explores civic engagement, global citizenship” →

Experiencing the world: Engage with a community as a Fulbright Scholar

Posted on

fulbright_spanierLiving and working abroad can be a life-changing experience that reveals new opportunities and enlightens your perspective through engagement with new people and places. For Adam Spanier ’12, the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant (ETA) program provided the challenges and delights of living in a different part of the world.

In the last year, three Auggie alumni have been working abroad through the Fulbright program. One taught English in Ecuador, another is conducting research in Norway, and Spanier is an ETA in Uničov, Czech Republic. He is one of 12 Augsburg alumni who have been awarded Fulbright grants, and Augsburg College is recognized by The Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the nation’s top producers of Fulbright Scholars. Continue reading “Experiencing the world: Engage with a community as a Fulbright Scholar” →

Sweet Maladies represents theater program’s new focus

Posted on

sweet_maladiesThe opening this week of Sweet Maladies by Zakiyyah Alexander represents four years of work by the Augsburg College Theater Department to diversify its program and to attract more diverse and often underrepresented voices to the theater.

The department has made changes to its curriculum, welcomed local directors and new faculty, and undertaken projects as “a way to welcome more students with different kinds of cultural backgrounds to participate,” said Department Chair Darcey Engen.

One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is the Department’s commitment to excellence. Continue reading “Sweet Maladies represents theater program’s new focus” →

Student Spotlight: DeVante Jackson finds the Twin Cities a ‘sweet spot’ for jazz

Posted on
Augsburg College student DeVante Jackson ’17
Augsburg College student DeVante Jackson ’17

DeVante Jackson ’17 performed jazz around campus and across town during his first semester at Augsburg College.

Jackson—a saxophone player and pianist—regularly joined the Augsburg Jazz Band on stage in Hoversten Chapel, and had experiences only available to students who study in an urban location. Jackson amplified his formal music education by accompanying professional groups and amateur artists at theaters, jazz clubs, and cultural centers throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul.

“The Twin Cities are a vibrant area for jazz musicians,” according to Andrea Canter, the Twin Cities Jazz Society’s chair of education. When compared to other U.S. cities including New York and Los Angeles, the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area is “…smaller in terms of population, but we have an awful lot going on. We have long been considered one of the top jazz centers in the country.” Continue reading “Student Spotlight: DeVante Jackson finds the Twin Cities a ‘sweet spot’ for jazz” →

Strommen speaker series features Chris Killingstad of Tennant Company

Posted on

Chris_KillingstadThe Clair and Gladys Strommen Executive Speaker Series at Augsburg College will host a free presentation by Chris Killingstad, president and CEO of Tennant Company, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 7, in Sateren Auditorium.

The Strommen Executive Speaker Series brings local business leaders to Augsburg’s Minneapolis campus to share their insights and expertise.

The series is offered quarterly, and in the lecture, “Lessons in Innovation: Essential Elements for Business Success in the 21st Century,” Killingstad will discuss how living and working in nearly a dozen countries has brought a strong international perspective to his career. Continue reading “Strommen speaker series features Chris Killingstad of Tennant Company” →

Brother Ali, Omar Offendum to explore relationship between hip hop, peace at Nobel Peace Prize Forum

Posted on
Courtesy of Omar Offendum
Courtesy of Omar Offendum

Nationally known hip hop artist Brother Ali and Syrian-American artist Omar Offendum will explore the relationship between hip hop and peace at 8 p.m., March 9, at the 25th Annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum in Minneapolis.

The artists will speak about their music, their roles as activists and humanitarians, the social and moral dimensions of their music as a force to unite communities, and whether artists have a special moral responsibility. Each presentation, at Augsburg College’s Kennedy Center, will feature a short music set, followed by a talk that includes audience question and answer.

“Brother Ali and Omar Offendum will show us how music can play an inspiring and everyday role in our work to create a more just society,” said Maureen Reed, executive director of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum. “We are honored to have these inspirational, young leaders join us, and to build upon the message and topics explored last year by Doomtree’s Dessa.” Continue reading “Brother Ali, Omar Offendum to explore relationship between hip hop, peace at Nobel Peace Prize Forum” →

Peace Prize Forum brings world to Minneapolis

Posted on

NPPF_speakersThe 25th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum—a conference that celebrates the importance, consequence, and controversy of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates—is March 8-10 in Minneapolis.

“This event brings members of the world’s most exclusive club—Nobel Peace Prize Laureates—to campus,” said Maureen Reed, executive director of the Nobel Peace Prize Forum, which is housed at Augsburg College. “Students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to interact with people who fundamentally have changed and are changing the world.”

Reed said that the Forum brings global, national, and local leaders in business, health, science, and international issues to explore and discuss with attendees issues related to peacemaking, world security, and global stability. Continue reading “Peace Prize Forum brings world to Minneapolis” →

Staying healthy during flu season

Posted on

flu_seasonOne of the top news stories this week is the rising number of flu cases. While the current strain of the flu virus is less virulent than the H1N1 virus of several years ago, it’s important to remember that any flu can easily spread from person to person.

The health and safety of the Augsburg Community is a top priority, so College staff are monitoring federal and state health resources and communicating with students, faculty and staff about flu season.

“Each member of our community—students, faculty, and staff—has a role to play in limiting the impact of flu on campus,” said Ann Garvey, vice president of Student Affairs.

“We are seeing stories about hospitals limiting visitors to restrict the spread of flu, and with students returning to campus and classes starting up again for all our programs, now is the time to remind Auggies how to stay healthy.”

Continue reading “Staying healthy during flu season” →