bing pixel
  1. Home
  2. Category: Relationship

Augsburg Cancels Classes, Suspends Operations Thursday

Posted on

Given all that is happening in the Twin Cities community this week, including closing arguments in the Chauvin murder trial Monday, the likelihood of a verdict being reached in the coming days, increased police presence, and Daunte Wright’s funeral on Thursday, Augsburg has canceled classes and suspended operations on April 22. 

“We recognize that one day is not enough, but it is clear that this pause offers space that our community needs, in particular our Black students, faculty, and staff,” said Paul Pribbenow, president of Augsburg University. “On Thursday, please do what you need to do to take care of yourself in the manner that is meaningful for you,” he told students, staff, and faculty. 

This time of grief and anxiety comes during a pandemic that has changed how we study, live, and work, and makes the challenges of this moment even more difficult for students, faculty, and staff to navigate. Many at Augsburg will want to take time to mourn Daunte Wright, remember George Floyd, and engage in the important work of anti-racism. 

Essential operations will continue Thursday. Normal class schedules and our COVID-19 modified operations will resume on Friday, April 23. During this time, Augsburg continues to monitor and communicate as needed based on developments in the trial and in our community.

About Augsburg
Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to 3,400 students of diverse backgrounds at its campus in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and nearby Rochester, Minnesota, location. Augsburg educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church, and shaped by its urban and global settings. Learn more at Augsburg.edu.

Augsburg Professor William Green Interviewed in PBS Story on the Chauvin Trial

Posted on

William GreenWilliam Green, M. Anita Gay Hawthorne professor of critical race and ethnic studies, was one of the experts interviewed in a PBS NewHour story on the Chauvin trial. 

Green commented that, while he was hopeful, he also was concerned that there may not be lasting change, even if Chauvin is convicted. “The very nature of a trial narrows down the issue to a focus that may not deal with any kind of systemic change at all,” he said. 

The story is available as a video and transcript at “Minneapolis on edge as the trial in the police killing of George Floyd approaches.”

About Augsburg
Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to 3,400 students of diverse backgrounds at its campus in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and nearby Rochester, Minnesota, location. Augsburg educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church, and shaped by its urban and global settings. Learn more at Augsburg.edu. 

Professor Emeritus Mark Engebretson Surpasses 300 Publications

Posted on

Professor Mark EngebretsonMark Engebretson, professor emeritus of physics at Augsburg University, recently surpassed his 300th publication when three articles to which he contributed were published earlier this month: 

  • “Observations of Particle Loss due to Injection-Associated Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron Waves” in Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics
  • “Magnetic Conjugacy of Pc1 Waves and Isolated Proton Precipitation at Subauroral Latitudes: Importance of Ionosphere as Intensity Modulation Region” in Geophysical Research Letters 
  • “Nighttime magnetic perturbation events observed in Arctic Canada: 3. Occurrence and amplitude as functions of magnetic latitude, local time, and magnetic disturbance indices” in Space Weather 

With the publication of these papers, he is now the author or co-author of 303 publications. In addition, another of his articles, for which he was lead author, was recently accepted for publication.

In October, Engebretson received his 30th grant from the National Science Foundation.

Scientific research is usually collaborative, so most of Engebretson’s publications were written in collaboration with several colleagues from around the world. Augsburg undergraduates have been co-authors of 27 of these publications, and five students have been lead authors. Engebretson’s publications have included articles in Annales Geophysicae, Nature, and Sun and Geosphere and a chapter in “The Dynamic Loss of Earth’s Radiation Belts,” among many other journals, conference proceedings, and books.

About Augsburg

Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to 3,400 students of diverse backgrounds at its campus in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and nearby Rochester, Minnesota, location. Augsburg educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church, and shaped by its urban and global settings. Learn more at Augsburg.edu.

Augsburg Civic Engagement Leader Directs State Higher Ed Testing Efforts

Posted on

ElaineElaine Eschenbacher leads civic and community engagement at Augsburg University, but when COVID-19 hit, she was tapped by the first lady of Minnesota and Augsburg’s president to help the state get through the pandemic. She became the higher education operations lead for the COVID-19 Testing Work Group at the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC).

“At the beginning of the pandemic, the Governor’s office was looking for professionals to fill certain roles at the SEOC and with Gwen Walz being a fellow in the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship at Augsburg, there was a natural fit,” said Eschenbacher about how she landed the role.

In this role, she collaborates with members of the testing workgroup, leaders at colleges and universities, the team of epidemiologists at MDH that focuses on higher education, and others. Eschenbacher remains employed by Augsburg, which has a contract with the state for her time.

Read the full article at the Minnesota Private College Council Website.

Professors Margit Berman and Mark Carlson-Ghost Receive the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology President’s Award

Posted on

Margit BermanMark Carlson-Ghost

Margit Berman, program director for Augsburg University’s PsyD program in Clinical Psychology, and Mark Carlson-Ghost, clinical associate professor at Augsburg, received the 2021 President’s Award from the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology.

The award was given to recognize their outstanding leadership during the closure of the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology, ensuring that their students and faculty found an educational home at Augsburg.

Learn about the association.

Congratulations to Auggies named to the 2020 Fall Semester Dean’s List

Posted on

Augsburg University SealMore than 1,000 Augsburg University undergraduate students were named to the 2020 Fall Semester Dean’s List. The Augsburg University Dean’s List recognizes those full-time students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.50 or higher and those part-time students who have achieved a grade point average of 3.75 or higher in a given term.

View the 2020 Fall Semester Dean’s List.

Students who wish to notify their hometown newspapers of their achievement can do so at their discretion using a news announcement template.

Professor William Green Featured in Star Tribune Column About Facing Racism

Posted on
William Green
William Green

How can Minnesotans face the truth about racism, past and present?  Columnist Myron Medcalf explored that subject recently in the Star Tribune and interviewed Augsburg History Professor William Green.

Green said reading a wide range of material about Black history is the key to knowing the steps that have led to this critical moment.  Many Minnesotans were surprised that George Floyd could happen here in part because so many hadn’t grappled with the state’s true history of race relations. “Some people throw their hands up and say, ‘What am I supposed to do?’ ” Green said. “The conclusion is they do nothing. But that’s not the solution.”

Read the full article at the Star Tribune website.

Mill City Times interviews Professor Joseph Underhill about River Semester

Posted on

Joe UnderhillMill City Times recently interviewed Augsburg Professor Joseph Underhill about River Semester. Underhill teaches courses in Environmental Politics, International Relations, and Political Methodology, and regularly takes students off campus for experiential and interdisciplinary learning. An experiential education is a hallmark of an Augsburg education and Undehill has been key to helping Augsburg live it out. He has directed the International Relations Program and Model United Nations programs at Augsburg since 1998 and taken students to New Zealand, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Egypt, and Tanzania.

For the past fifteen years, Underhill has taken students out on the Mississippi River to study the impact of human activity on the river ecosystem. Students in the program earn a full semester of college credits with a customized curriculum focused on environmental justice and social change in the Mississippi Joe Underhillwatershed. The River Semester is a regular part of the programming offered by Augsburg University’s Center for Global Education and Experience (CGEE).

Read the interview at the Mill City Times website.

For more details about River Semester, visit the River Semester site.

Riverside Innovation Hub’s work with congregations to expand with $1 million grant

Posted on

(Minneapolis) – Augsburg University has received a  $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help expand the work of the Riverside Innovation Hub within the university’s Christensen Center for Vocation (CCV).

The program is funded through the Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative. The aim of the national initiative is to strengthen Christian congregations so they can help people deepen their relationships with God, build strong relationships with each other, and contribute to the flourishing of local communities and the world.

Lilly Endowment is making nearly $93 million in grants through the initiative. The grants will support organizations such as the Christensen Center for Vocation as they work directly with congregations and help them gain clarity about their values and missions, explore and understand better the communities in which they serve, and draw upon their theological traditions as they adapt ministries to meet changing needs.

The Christensen Center plays an integral role in stewarding the university’s commitment to, and exploration of vocation, the unique way God calls and equips us—as individuals and as communities—to work towards a better world for and with our neighbors. The Thriving Congregations Initiative grant will enable Augsburg’s CCV to expand and solidify the future of this work with congregations. We will walk with our partners through two consecutive two-year learning communities consisting of leadership teams from twelve congregations. Our hope is to develop an ecumenical network of twenty-four congregations over five years who are becoming more deeply engaged in the proclamation of Christ’s good news in transformative ways in their neighborhoods.

“The Christensen Center for Vocation is creating an innovative model for how a university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America can be a learning partner with local congregations and ministry leaders for the sake of the world,” said Paul Pribbenow, Augsburg’s president. “These partnerships will create exciting learning opportunities for our students, staff, and faculty, who wrestle with what it means to live faithfully in the church and in the world in the midst of the various challenges our communities are facing: COVID-19, growing economic inequality, climate change, and the prevalence of racist systems.” 

Augsburg University is one of 92 organizations taking part in the initiative. They represent and serve churches in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, including Anabaptist, Baptist, Episcopal, evangelical, Lutheran, Methodist, Mennonite, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Reformed, Restoration, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox, as well as congregations that describe themselves as non-denominational. Several organizations serve congregations in Black, Hispanic and Asian-American traditions.

“In the midst of a rapidly changing world, Christian congregations are grappling with how they can best carry forward their ministries,” said Christopher Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These grants will help congregations assess their ministries and draw on practices in their theological traditions to address new challenges and better nurture the spiritual vitality of the people they serve.”  

Lilly Endowment launched the Thriving Congregations Initiative in 2019 as part of its commitment to support efforts that enhance the vitality of Christian congregations.

Media Contact: Gita Sitaramiah, Director of Public Relations and Internal Communications. 651-353-0061-cell

About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly & Company. Although the gifts of stock remain a financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment exists to support the causes of religion, education and community development. The Endowment funds significant programs throughout the United States, especially in the field of religion. However, it maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis and home state, Indiana. The principal aim of the Endowment’s grantmaking in religion is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen their pastoral and lay leadership. 

About Augsburg
Augsburg University offers more than 50 undergraduate majors and 11 graduate degrees to 3,400 students of diverse backgrounds at its campus in the vibrant center of the Twin Cities and nearby Rochester, Minnesota, location. Augsburg educates students to be informed citizens, thoughtful stewards, critical thinkers, and responsible leaders. An Augsburg education is defined by excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies, guided by the faith and values of the Lutheran church, and shaped by its urban and global settings. Learn more at augsburg.edu.

WCCO Report: Augsburg’s Bridget Robinson-Riegler on the Psychology of Voting

Posted on

WCCO logoAugsburg Psychology Professor Bridget Robinson-Riegler was recently featured on WCCO to discuss the psychology of voting and how can we filter out false claims, conspiracies, misinformation, and lies.

“I don’t think that we do,” said Robinson-Riegler about filtering out false claims.

“So even if it’s inaccurate, there’s research that’s shown the more we hear it regardless of even if we know it’s true or not, the more likely we are to have it influence our behavior,” she said.

Watch the full report at WCCO’s website.