VOLUME 8 • ISSUE 3
The THE MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF AUGUSTANA UNIVERSITY
REFLECTIONS
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Dear Vikings near and far, Since 1860, Augustana has been the place great thinkers come to dream big dreams — it’s the place young and curious minds come to explore and discover great ideas, to discern their vocations, and to build lives of meaning, purpose and service.
We asked a few others to share their thoughts about Dr. Looney, as well: Dr. Murray Haar, professor of religion, called Dr. Looney a “rare professor who does not just teach a subject. She teaches from her soul and models for students what it means to love learning and to love literature.”
But we all know that Augustana is much more than a place.
Nancy Davidson, vice president for enrollment, called Dr. Looney’s impact on Augustana immeasurable.
It is a community of minds — a living, breathing microcosm of all that is good in the world today. Here, revered scholars teach, compassionate mentors guide, and young minds transform, and continue to transform again and again as together, this campus community works to achieve a common goal: to make tomorrow’s world even better than today’s.
“She has inspired dreams, shaped futures, and changed lives. Her exceptional teaching has extended far beyond the classroom — she has modeled for us all how to live and lead with integrity, grace, humility and generosity. I will forever cherish the opportunity to experience the warmth of her smile, the twinkle in her eye, the spring in her step, and her endless passion for teaching and learning as she led students in classroom discussions and throughout India,” she said.
I’m certain that if you think back to your time as a student, you can recall the professor who changed how you see the world and your place in it — someone who made a difference in the course of your life, who inspired you to pursue a new path, or who listened and cared when you needed it the most. In this issue, as we share plans for the future of the Humanities Center, we also pay tribute to three outstanding Augustana professors whose care and teaching has shaped the lives of generations of students. Many of you may remember Drs. Don and Lucy Fryxell, two legendary English professors who dedicated more than three decades to serving Augustana and its students. As you’ll see in the pages that follow, we are excited to share renderings for the Fryxell Humanities Center, named in their honor, in gratitude for Don and Lucy’s extraordinary service and countless contributions. The Fryxells taught, mentored and cared for thousands of students during their time at Augie, including our own Dr. Sandra Looney ‘62, professor of English, who is retiring this spring after more than five decades of service. While many of you may remember the Fryxells, I’m guessing even more of you will recall the time you spent with Dr. Looney. Dr. Looney — she is, as you know, simply, one in a million.
When Dr. Janet Blank-Libra, professor of English and journalism, came to Augustana for her employment interview 30 years ago, Dr. Looney gave her a tour of campus. “That short walk was our first great adventure, the precursor to Ireland, England, Scotland and India. I don’t remember what we talked about on that day, but I said to my husband, Ross, when I returned home that I had met a most amazing woman, and that I knew that if I were so lucky as to work with her, I would be the luckiest person in the world. Today, I know the truth of those words,” Dr. Blank-Libra said. Dr. Don Fryxell. Dr. Lucy Fryxell. Dr. Sandra Looney — these are names that will be forever etched in Augustana’s history. They are among the people who have helped make Augustana the amazing place it is today, and whose impact will continue to guide our future. May God continue to bless our university and each of you and your families. Enjoy this issue! Yours, for Augustana,
Stephanie Herseth Sandlin President
Email me: AUPresident@augie.edu Follow me on Twitter: @augiepres
CLASS NOTES
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Stay tuned for Class Notes in the next issue of The Augustana magazine or read them online at augie.edu/classnotes.
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CONTENTS THE AUGUSTANA The Augustana is published three times per year for alumni, parents and friends of Augustana University by the Office of Advancement. Send correspondence, name changes and address corrections to: The Augustana, 2001 S. Summit Ave., Sioux Falls, S.D. 57197 or via email at alumni@augie.edu. Visit the magazine online at augie.edu/magazine. Find more news about Augustana at augie.edu. Editor: Kelly Sprecher, Communications Contributors: Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, President Pam Homan ‘81, Vice President for Advancement Emily Sievers ‘04, Marketing Ryan Sweeter, Sports Information Noah Wicks ‘21, Guest Writer Abbie Blank-Libra ‘16, Photography Katelyn Johnson ‘17, Photography September Symens ‘15, Photography Matt Addington ‘95, Photography Johnny Sundby ‘90, Photography
OUR MISSION Inspired by Lutheran scholarly tradition and the liberal arts, Augustana provides an education of enduring worth that challenges the intellect, fosters integrity and integrates faith with learning and service in a diverse world.
OUR VISION Augustana aspires to become one of America’s premier church-related universities.
CORE VALUES Central to the Augustana experience are five core values. The community lives them and honors them, and they infuse the academic curriculum as well as student life: Christian, Liberal Arts, Excellence, Community & Service.
4 FEATURES 4. IN HER OWN WORDS Dr. Sandra Looney ‘62 reflects on her time at Augie, her influencers and the importance of studying the Humanities in today’s world. 8. THE LEGENDARY FRYXELLS Drs. Don & Lucy Fryxell were master teachers who influenced entire generations of Augustana students, including Dr. Sandra Looney ‘62.
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12. THE HUMANITIES CENTER: RECREATED Augustana will recreate its long-unnamed Humanities Center. With extensive renovations and technology updates already underway, the building will be renamed in honor of Drs. Don and Lucy Fryxell upon completion.
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DEPARTMENTS
CONNECT WITH US!
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Augustana is an affirmative action, Title IX, equal opportunity institution.
2. NEWS FROM THE HUDDLE Student Success, New Dean and Augie Pride & Retirements
7 7. NOTES FROM THE GREEN The Future of Old Main
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7. NOTES FROM THE GREEN Travel to China with the Augustana Band
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16. NAVY & GOLD Highlights from Winter Sports, New Athletic Director
© Augustana University 2018 ON THE COVER: Dr. Sandra Looney smiles from a street market in Rishikesh, India, while leading a J-Term study abroad course. Photo by Abbie Blank-Libra ‘16.
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NEWS FROM THE HUDDLE
Augustana Earns Major Grant to Advance Sustainability Augustana University has received a six-figure grant from the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, a nonprofit dedicated to helping society, the arts and the environment. The grant will allow Augustana to launch a campus-wide strategic plan to integrate sustainability into aspects such as its curriculum, its co-curricular initiatives, operations and identity. Implementation of the grant will be directed through the president’s office with leadership provided by a campus sustainability council. Two student assistants will provide data analysis, marketing, communications and coordination support. The top priorities of the campus sustainability council are to create and implement a five-year sustainability strategic plan by September 2020. The strategy, accommodated by the grant, is to further strengthen Augustana’s current and future sustainability efforts. For the last decade, Augustana has been focused on developing its social responsibility efforts. In 2013, the Augustana Bike Club and Bike Shop were founded, allowing students to rent bikes and/ or have their bikes maintained. Also in 2013, a series of automated-bottle filling stations were installed across campus, encouraging the use of reusable bottles instead of the disposable plastic ones. In 2014, Augustana collaborated with Sioux Area Metro (SAM) so that students and staff with an ID card can board and ride city buses for free. This strategic alliance successfully promoted public transportation for a greener campus. In 2016, the University’s Ordal Dining Room implemented trayless dining to reduce food waste, energy, and water. The Froiland Science Complex, AU’s latest building, was constructed with the LEEDSilver designation for an eco-friendlier setting. These University commitments were recognized by the Princeton Review in 2017.
AUGUSTANA REPORTS 99 PERCENT JOB PLACEMENT RATE The Augustana Student Success Center reports a 99 percent job placement rate for recent Augustana graduates. Employment data, as well as other postgraduation activities and destinations for members of the Augustana Class of 2017 (graduates who completed bachelor’s degrees between July 1, 2016, and June 30, 2017), is detailed in the Outcomes Report, published by the Augustana Student Success Center.
University officials say the grant creates the possibility for Augustana to implement a sustainability-focused academic program by 2021 to include at least six new or redesigned courses from different disciplinary perspectives. In addition to curricular enhancements, co-curriculum endeavors will also be subject to the adoption of sustainability. A Campus garden, outdoor classrooms, and studentled sustainability activities will be developed as well.
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• 99 percent of recent Augustana grads seeking employment are employed in a position related to their major or chosen field. • The mean reported salary for graduates who sought full-time employment was $44,804.
THE AUGUSTANA EXPERIENCE
• 22 percent are pursuing grad school and/or continuing education.
In addition to employment and grad school placement details, the Outcomes Report also captures key data points that illustrate how satisfied members of the Class of 2017 are with their Augustana experience. For these reasons, AU grads reported that they launched their careers and postgraduate study with confidence and enthusiasm:
• Grads are working in 21 states and 6 countries around the world. Among those who secured employment and reported their geographical location, 59 percent are working in South Dakota and 53 percent are employed in the Sioux Falls region.
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98 percent of 2016 grads agreed that they received a solid education from Augustana.
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99 percent agreed that they had at least one faculty or staff member at Augustana who cared about them as a person.
“Much has been done, but more opportunities are ahead of us,” said University officials. According to council members, Augustana has the potential to move from the foundational stage of sustainability to the revolutionary stage. A five-year sustainability strategic plan will make it possible for the University to learn from its current position, identify benchmark practices, advance sustainability ideas and evaluate sustainability efforts in a measurable and identifiable way.
KEY FINDINGS OF THE OUTCOMES REPORT
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99 percent agreed that Augustana is passionate about the long-term success of its students.
Mettler, Ali Named 2018 Peace Scholars
• Top occupational classifications for 2017 grads include health care and technical; education; business, professional and financial; computer, math and management; arts, design and entertainment. • 99 percent of Augustana grads participated in key engaged learning opportunities such as: experiential learning, internships, co-curricular activities, volunteerism, undergraduate research, clinicals, student teaching, study abroad and more.
Augustana University announced that junior Samson Mettler and sophomore Manaal Ali, both of Sioux Falls, have been named the 2018 Augustana Peace Scholars. As Peace Scholars, Mettler and Ali will embark on a seven-week academic experience in Norway designed to deepen their understanding of the central issues and theories related to peace, justice, democracy and human rights. The two will study at the Nansen Dialogue Network in Lillehammer and at the University of Oslo International Summer School June 17 through Aug. 3.
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Irvine Named Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the University Dr. Colin Irvine has been named senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the university. Irvine will succeed Dr. Susan Hasseler, who was named president of Muskingum University in New Concord, Ohio. For the current academic year, Dr. Jerry Jorgensen, associate vice president for graduate and continuing education, is serving as interim dean. Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said Irvine’s commitment to innovation and discovery, faculty development, cross-campus collaboration and student success make him a perfect fit for Augustana. “Dr. Irvine is a thoughtful and engaging scholar, a passionate educator, a champion for the liberal arts and a proven leader with 20 years of experience in higher education,” Herseth Sandlin said. “I believe he is exceptionally well-suited for this role, and I’m looking forward to welcoming him to the Augustana community in June.” Irvine will join Augustana from Carroll College in Helena, Montana, where he serves as senior vice president for academic affairs and dean of the college. At Carroll, Irvine has worked closely with faculty to develop a Center for Teaching Excellence, and he has been instrumental in helping to lead an initiative to revise the college’s core/general education plan, administer a faculty workload analysis, guide the development of a $1.3 million Anthrozoology Research Center, support the establishment of Carroll’s first master’s degree program, and formulate a leadership structure to facilitate innovation and academic program development. Prior to joining Carroll College, he spent 12 years at Augsburg College (now University) in Minneapolis where he served in various roles associated with the Office for Undergraduate Research, the Honors Program, the Center for Teaching and Learning and the Office of Admission. He also taught courses in composition, education, literature and environmental studies. He is the recipient of two Fulbright Awards and has also taught and studied internationally. In 2012, he received the Augsburg College Excellence in Teaching Award. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Carroll College, a master’s degree in American Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a Ph.D. in English from Marquette University. Following the completion of his master’s degree, Irvine spent three years teaching English and history at Bishop Kelly High School in Boise, Idaho. While at Marquette University, he was awarded the Arthur J. Schmitt Memorial Fellowship, as well as the John D. McCabe Excellence in Teaching Award.
Celebrating Retirees — (back row, from left to right) Curt Olson (Mathematics), Bob Preloger (Advancement), Kathy Castle (Social Sciences), Jean Herrmann (Nursing), Pam Schroeder (Nursing), Glenn Wika (IT Services) and Ed Lueck (Archeology); (front row) Sandra Looney (English), Peter Schotten (Government) and Duane Weisshaar (Chemistry)
CAMPUS CELEBRATES AUGIE PRIDE RECIPIENT; HONORS RETIREES Luanne Wuestewald, Augustana’s payroll representative, has been named the 2018 Augie Pride Award recipient. The award was presented at the annual Service Awards Presentation and Celebration in April. The Augie Pride award recognizes exceptional service to the University. Since 1999, 25 Augie Pride awards have been presented. Nominations for Wuestewald, who was also recognized for 10 years of service to AU, characterized her as someone who is always professional, friendly and helpful. “She is diligent in any task she is given and is conscientious to a fault. She is always looking for ways to do things more efficiently and use our resources more wisely,” one nominator wrote. “She is always willing to help any student or staff and is also a caring co-worker.” “What distinguishes Luanne is her character. She is encouraging to anyone who works with her. And, she loves Augie and believes in its mission,” another wrote. Another nominator described her as someone who never seeks recognition or fanfare, but rather, is dedicated to doing the best job possible. “Luanne is someone who contributes to the life of the university in important, but oftentimes, unseen ways,” a nominator wrote. “She embodies the five core values of the university. Her Christian faith is important to her and it informs and guides the work she does and the way she interacts with people. She demands excellence from others as she expects it from herself. She is committed to the life of the university community and supports students in meaningful ways. And her role in the Business Office is one of service to those of us who depend on her for her work. She is open and eager to learn from the people she meets. She understands the world is diverse and rich and she warmly embraces life as it is and can be. She is the pride of Augustana.”
2018 Augie Pride Award recipient Luanne Wuestewald (center) was joined by her daughter, Emily, and her husband, James, after receiving the award on campus in April.
RETIREMENTS The University celebrates the following members of the Augustana community who are retiring: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Jim Bies (Dean of Students Office) Kathy Castle (Social Sciences) Jean Herrmann (Nursing) Frank Hughes (Buildings and Grounds) Sandra Looney (English/Journalism) Ed Lueck (Archeology) Curt Olson (Mathematics) Tom Meyer (Finance & Administration) Bob Preloger (Advancement) Peter Schotten (Government/International Affairs) Pam Schroeder (Nursing) Ann Vogelmann (Biology) Duane Weisshaar (Chemistry) Glenn Wika (IT Services)
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In
Her Own Words... Grab some coffee, settle in and prepare to enjoy some of the most beautiful sentences ever spoken as the always-inspiring and always-poetic Dr. Sandra Looney ‘62, professor of English, looks back over 54 years at Augustana.
Q. How did you end up choosing to come to Augustana as a student? A. I came to Augustana (as a student) at the last moment. It was the most fortuitous decision I ever made. I was actually going somewhere else and I probably would’ve been happy there but I looked in the school catalog and it had the Fryxells and Herb Krause and a list of other people. I looked at the breadth and depth of it and I thought, ‘it’s a place I have to be at.’ On my campus tour, I looked at this place and I thought, ‘I can be here.’ There’s a spirit here. It’s been here since the first day I walked the campus and it has not changed. It is a spirit that I honor and I love. So I visited campus and I met with Earl Mundt and I visited with the Fryxells. And the rest is history.
Q. Favorite memory from your time as a student? A. I took Shakespeare from ‘Doc’ Fryxell. The final was all quotes — nothing else, just quotes — and they all ran into each other and I couldn’t tell one from the other. I had studied, but obviously I had studied the wrong way. I think I got a low C. Doc called me that night at home and he asked, ‘What happened? I read all these quotes to Lucy over the dinner table and she knew the answer to every one.’ That’s a Doc story. Q. Talk about your early days at Augustana. What are some of your memories? A. I’m the very luckiest of people. I’ve never applied for a job. I’ve never written an application. Ever. Dr. Fryxell wrote me a hand-written letter on a piece of stationary saying there was an opening in the English department and asked if I would want it. I thought about it. I was honored and surprised. And then I wrote back and said I didn’t know. I didn’t really know.
Q. Did you always know you wanted to teach?
Then he wrote back and said, ‘You’re going to have to give an answer.’
A. I knew that I was going to teach out of the womb. That’s what I think. I’ve always known. It’s just been a straight shot.
So I did and I said ‘yes.’ And I came back.
I come from a teacher’s family. My mother was an elementary school teacher. My father was a teacher who eventually was a community college president. My brother’s a historian. It comes with the family. I often say, ‘it was in the air I breathed.’ I think a lot of things are just in the air. I don’t have a conscious time of decision. It just seemed that it was what I was going to do.
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I was married the weekend before I started teaching. So what I had to contend with in my very first day of teaching at Augustana was not English. It was not anything else. It was saying that my name was Sandra Looney. That bothered me more than anything else. My standard joke is ‘to turn from an Olsen to a Looney was daunting.’ I dressed up in heels, I wrote my name on the board, and I just let them look at it. It was a hard thing for me to get used to. Of course, I can’t even envision that now because it’s just part of who I am.
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So I taught on the third floor of the Administration Building. I had d my office up there with Herb Krause, Ted Hong and Joanne Bowman. I taught Monday, Wednesday, Friday, then Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. turday. And I taught at 7:30 every morning, every Saturday. I can still feell myself running up those steps, using the ditto machine — can you imagine, gine, the ditto machine — running off what I was going to run off and having ving it blur all over the page. When I first came, Dr. Fryxell told me what I was going to teach, and what books I was going to use. He did that with everybody. That almost st seems impossible now, but it was probably the right course of action. Because ecause how would I know what textbooks to use? Now, of course, I tell it like it was a misfortune. But, I really think itt was fortunate because I didn’t have to make any choices. I could just teach the books Dr. Fryxell told me to at the time he told me to. And, in a way, that’s how he ran the department. Lovingly, but forcefully. I’d say, ‘Well, I’m not going to teach summer school.’ And he’d say, ‘Well, go home and think about it.’ I’d go home, think about it, come back and say, ‘Okay, what do you ou want me to teach?’ That was the day. Soon enough Jerry (my husband) and I were head residents in Bergsaker Hall first, then Solberg. And we had five glorious years as head residents there. So I had people in class and I had them in the dormitory. So I knew everyone. Those were my early days at Augie. Q. What inspires you? A. What has characterized Augie for me is vitality. I think there’s so much good teaching going on, certainly in the Humanities, but throughout the entire campus. Students always inspire me, not necessarily because they do the best work; it’s their goals. That’s never changed. Their yearning ng and seeking to live a worthy life. And how to go about it. That comes in the classrooms, in travels, and outside the classrooms in these office conversations that happen on a daily basis with so many of the professorss here. The students have continued to inspire me and I forgot that I was growing old. I kept thinking, ‘I think I missed a decade or two.’ If truth be told, if I could just subtract maybe 20 years from my life and continue teaching well, that would be heaven on earth.
“If truth be told, if I could just subtract maybe 20 years from my life and continue teaching well, that would be heaven on earth.” — Dr. Sandra Looney ’62 Q. Talk about the importance of the liberal arts in the world today. As important as they were 40 years ago? A. The answer can be really simple in a way because, no matter how specialized we get, we’re still human beings. And, the humanities address that.
(The poet) John Ciardi once said, ‘You may be a nuclear physicist, but we’re all the same when we stand at the grave of our parents’ parents.’ Our education is an education for life. It’s an education for the kind of person we want to be. And for how we want to proceed on this very short journey that we have. To be fully human, one has to open up to all the different disciplines in the humanities, particularly, because they give you a way to live during difficult times. They celebrate and they mourn. That is the human predicament. There’s no way into that, except through your own personal experience. Somehow, one has to be open to the fact that tragedy happens. It’s not just, ‘here are people in literature who have dealt with tragedy in this particular way.’ We see glimpses of life in all of its manifestations in all of the literature we read. We see it in how we learn to put our feelings on a page. So the humanities speak to something so deep and so personal. In spite of the fact that we can each do technical things, nevertheless, at the bottom is how to live. Learning how to be human is learned in all the disciplines, but the written word, the spoken word, the created music — they’re all ways in which our life becomes enriched. Life can be daunting, and very isolating. When you read, when you listen to music, the isolation lessens. In a sense, there’s so much of us that can’t be fulfilled in what we do day-to-day. The humanities teach us about life.
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Q. Do you have a favorite work by Shakespeare? A. I can probe ‘Hamlet’ again and again — and every time I do, I see something different. They say you should take a Shakespeare class every 10 years, and that’s right. Because, although Shakespeare hasn’t moved, you have. And you look at it differently. That’s the marvel of this man Shakespeare, who created all of these individuals and who gave us the beauty of the blank verse and the prose.
Lady Gregory, William Butler Yates, James Joyce and so I spent that sabbatical there.
I used a quote from ‘Hamlet’ when I spoke at Dr. Fryxell’s memorial service: “Now cracks a noble heart.”
The whole impetus (of leading a study abroad course) is so simple — the head of UMAIE said it once — the impetus is to say to a student, ‘Come on over here, I want to show you something.’
It just ran over and over again in my head.
And that is it.
Q. You’ve traveled extensively and have led a number of study abroad courses. How and when did the ‘travel bug’ hit you?
And then I think, ‘well really, that’s what I do in the classroom, too.’
A. I took my first trip abroad in 1973 when I was 33 years old. I went to India. The program called for you to spend a summer in India to study the modernization process. Interim had just been introduced at Augie and I was teaching ‘The Literature of India.’ That was my defining trip. I promised India before I came home that I would come back. But it took me 35 years. Some time later, Dr. Murray Haar (religion) who taught ‘World Religions’ talked about going to India. So we wrote a grant and it was funded. That was our first UMAIE trip. Then Dr. John Pennington (music) came to Augustana and we started this wonderful co-journey to India teaching music and literature and culture and religion. On one sabbatical I decided to go to England. I took my son with me and I decided to study Shakespeare in performance. On my next sabbatical I decided that I must go to Ireland and fulfill something from my student days at Augie and that’s the Irish literary theatre — the Abbey Theatre in Dublin. I really wanted to know more, too, about
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‘Come over here, I want to show you something,’ I say, whether that’s a story or a poem or whatever — and the rest happens. Q. Looking back on 54 years of teaching, what has changed and what has stayed the same? A. Augie is the same in many ways. It just is. It’s the atmosphere on the campus. It’s the students, it’s the faculty. You know, every campus has its own atmosphere. I’ve loved Augie’s atmosphere – its casualness, its friendliness. The real truth is that it’s genuine. Those things haven’t changed at all. Q. Are you sure you want to retire? We’re going to miss you. A. There’s a journey. There are beginnings, there are middles, there are ends. And, it is now the time when I won’t be on Augie’s campus as a full-time person. But I’m not ashamed to say I like teaching today as much as I did when I first started. You know, I’ve stayed longer than I thought I would. I used to tell people it was a moral obligation to retire at 65. Then 65 came and I thought, ‘the heck with that.’
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NOTES FROM THE GREEN
Working Group Established to Evaluate Possibilities for Old Main Augustana has appointed a working group to evaluate options for the future of Old Main. Built in 1889 and located on the corner of Summit Avenue and University Place, Old Main is the oldest building on the Augustana campus and has served various purposes through the years — from classroom space, to living quarters, to the campus childcare center. In 1986, Old Main was deactivated from the list of functioning spaces on campus and has since been used mainly as a storage facility.
CHINA THE AUGUSTANA BAND RETURNS Come with us! – January 2019
Constructed of solid quartzite, often called Sioux Falls granite, it was built for a total cost of $20,000. In the 1970s, Old Main was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin said the charge of the Old Main Working Group, which consists of faculty, staff, alumni and community members, will be to research and gather facts, circumstances and estimated costs of various options. “As Augustana University looks ahead to the year 2030, ‘space’ will be a constant point of discussion in our strategic planning — usable space and space to grow. It is essential that we thoughtfully consider how we might use Old Main, if renovated; or the space on which it stands, if not, in the future,” Herseth Sandlin said. Ideas for the future of Old Main may be submitted online via email at oldmain@augie.edu.
JOIN THE AUGUSTANA BAND AS THEY TOUR CHINA IN JANUARY 2019. Cruise the Yangze River and voyage through historic Xian, Beijing and Shanghai on this privately guided journey fit for ancient emperors and modern-day Augustana Vikings. Led by our world-traveler and host of more than 25 foreign excursions for students and alumni Brad Heegel ’76, you’ll explore China’s famed monuments and locations including the Forbidden City, spiritual temples and enchanting river gorges. You’ll walk along the Great Wall, come face to face with the Terracotta Army, and visit ancient gardens and Buddhist temples. You’ll experience ancient and modern China at its absolute best (without the crowds and summer heat) and beam with pride as our students perform for full houses in some of China’s most spectacular concert halls! OUR FRIENDS AND ALUMNI TOUR OF CHINA participants have two itinerary options from which to choose: • 21 DAYS. Depart with the Band from Minneapolis on Jan. 7 and return Jan. 26. Stops include Shanghai, Wuhan, Yangzee River cruise, Xian and Beijing. $5960 includes travel from Minneapolis, 4 star hotels, cruise, all meals, entrances, personal guides, tips, visas and more. • 16 DAYS. Meet the Band at the start of their 4-day Yangzee River Cruise and travel in tandem with the group to Beijing. $5395 includes all the above with the exception of Shanghai and is round-trip from Sioux Falls. Full details can be found online at AUGIE.EDU/CHINA Questions? Contact Brad at 605-274-5508 or brad.heegel@augie.edu THE AUGUSTANA MAGAZINE | SPRING 2018
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The Legendary Following its renovation, the Humanities Center will be renamed in honor of longtime English professors Don and Lucy Fryxell — a tribute to two people who dedicated their lives to Augustana and its students. Most of us count ourselves lucky if we find one true love — that magical, indescribable kind of love that’s so extraordinary, so all-consuming, so, well, perfect, that we know it’s a once-in-a-lifetime discovery. We cherish it; we hold it close; and we tell everyone about it with big dopey smiles on our faces and starry glazes over our eyes. Don Fryxell counted himself luckier than lucky. He had four true loves: his wife, Lucy; his son, David; Shakespeare; and Augustana. He spent the better part of his life cherishing each one. Today, more than 65 years after Don and Lucy Fryxell first stepped foot on
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campus, Augustana looks back on their remarkable careers and counts itself lucky, too. As the University unveils renderings for an extensive renovation to its Humanities Center, Augustana also announces its plans to recognize the countless contributions of Don and Lucy Fryxell by renaming the facility in their honor. A fitting tribute, many say, to the couple who spent their careers advocating for the humanities. And for Don Fryxell, a man who was the central figure behind the original building’s construction more than 50 years ago, a strong affirmation that the humanities remain at the intersection of the liberal arts at Augustana today. Join Augustana’s Dr. Sandra Looney ’62, professor of English, and the couple’s son, David Fryxell ’78, as they reflect on Don and Lucy’s teaching style, their approach to life, their belief in the power of education and more.
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y Fryxells D
on Fryxell met Lucy Dickinson in 1941 while the two were both serving as English teachers at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University). They married a year later in Fresno, California, while Don was serving in the U.S. Army. They joined the English department at Augustana in 1953 and went on to spend more than 30 years teaching, researching and nurturing — both students and junior faculty members. Dr. Sandra Looney ’62 counts the Fryxells among the individuals in her life who helped shape her into the person she is today. “The Fryxells were marvelous
Drs. Don and Lucy Fryxell pose with their son, David.
teachers,” Looney said. “I always wanted to be Lucy Fryxell. I still want to be Lucy Fryxell. It took me years to get over the fact that I could not be Lucy Fryxell — that I had to follow my own path.”
“The Fryxells were marvelous teachers. I always wanted to be Lucy Fryxell. I still want to be Lucy Fryxell. It took me years to get over the fact that I could not be Lucy Fryxell — that I had to follow my own path.” — Dr. Sandra Looney ’62
“It felt as if she knew every writer that she talked about. She had that grace of a southern lady — a sort of breathy, airy tone when she talked in class. Yet, she had this razor sharp intellect. She took all her students along. She cultivated a delight in T.S. Eliot and all these difficult figures. Lucy was such a gift to my education.” Looney described Don “Doc” Fryxell as a tough teacher with a soft heart. “Doc was … crusty and gruff.
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But if you knew him, he was soft,” she said with a laugh, recalling his classes such as “The English Novel” and “Contemporary Scene.” “It was the day of the lecture. It was not the day of class discussion. (His) were marvelous lectures. As soon as he started talking, your head went down and you wrote notes as fast as you could and you were delighted the whole time.” David Fryxell ’78 recalled his parents’ love of Augustana. “My parents found a home at Augie. The great loves of their lives besides each other were Augustana and literature. I can still see my dad sitting at the dining room table, grading papers, or typing up lecture notes on his manual typewriter (my mom switched to electric when they came out) downstairs in their library, surrounded by books,” Fryxell wrote. Don Fryxell went on to become chair of the English department and eventually served as chair of the Humanities Division. Looney said “Doc” Fryxell was the one who invited and encouraged her to take a teaching position at Augustana.
“People always said that my mom spoke with a slight southern accent, though of course I never noticed it. But she was certainly shaped by her upbringing in Alabama, even as she lifted herself beyond that small-town southern-ness to earn a Ph.D. (Her father was the mayor of Opelika, which she said meant she got into the movies for free.) She grew up with servants in the house and went to what she always called a ‘tea-pouring school’ as a college undergraduate (Brenau). Rather than making her what she might have called ‘uppity,’ however, I think her background made her kind, supportive and forgiving. I never heard her criticize anyone, and at worst she would be mildly disapproving (‘We don’t do that,’ she would say.),” he wrote. “She was generous not only to students but to everyone in her life.” In the 1960s, Don Fryxell began advocating for a building for the humanities — a division whose departments were, at that time, spread across campus.
“He really shaped the department. He hired all of us. That’s quite a marvel if you think about it — and it would never happen today. We were his. The (colleagues) I spent most of my time teaching with at Augie had all graduated from Augustana. He felt that if you went to different graduate schools, then you were (still) steeped in the tradition of Christian Liberal Arts. He hired for life. And, I think he got a lot of lifers out of us.” “For me, I never thought of going anywhere else. I don’t think any of the others did either. We raised our children together in that department. I took it for granted. I really took it for granted — of how collegial it was; pretty free of any kind of jealousies and guided by Doc,” she said. Looney described Don Fryxell as both a mentor and a father figure.
Widely considered the central figure in the planning and design of the Humanities Center, Don Fryxell stood proudly on the day of the building’s dedication in 1971.
“I think he allowed the kind of freedom we needed. He let us explore. I read Japanese literature. I read Indian literature. I read Chinese literature. At a time when there weren’t any courses around like that.”
David Fryxell remembers his dad’s passion and dedication for the project.
Looney said Don and Lucy Fryxell’s lives were “totally devoted to the liberal arts. Fiercely, in Doc’s case. And in those days, we wrote about it. Various faculty members would write treatises and position papers on the mission of a college education,” she said. “I knew where Doc stood on these issues. He wrote about them and he fought for the humanities. He shaped the curriculum in ways, that as I think about it now, were revolutionary at the time.” As a teacher, Looney was also influenced and mentored by Lucy Fryxell. “Lucy just got better and better. That’s another thing about her. Her teaching got better and better,” Looney said. “She was still engaged. She took French, just for the fun of it. I think Lucy was probably the smartest woman I ever knew.” David Fryxell recalled his mom’s kind and supportive spirit. 10
“The humanities building was definitely my dad’s ‘baby.’ I remember him spreading floor plans on the dining room table. Tellingly, as he was laying out the offices for the English department, he didn’t reserve the nicest corner office for himself — that went to my mom,” he wrote. Reflecting on Don Fryxell’s efforts, Looney recalled the words of playwright Luigi Pirandello. “It was at Augie that I was first introduced to Pirandello. He talked about how ideas have to have houses,” she said. “It so struck me. It’s not a difficult concept, but sometimes you need somebody else to put words to it. We understand that we do need houses for our ideas. It’s not the house itself that lives, but everything that goes on inside the house that lives and must be minded.” “Before, we were in many places around campus. (With the Humanities Center) we finally had a home — a place for our ideas, a place where we can live together in the hallways. And of course that made a difference,” Looney said.
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Looking back on the Fryxells’ service and contributions to Augustana, Looney described the couple as both traditionalists and forerunners who inspired a spirit of giving back. “Doc and Lucy were committed to Christian humanism and they knew w that you need to pay for worthy things. And so, they were always giving,” she said. “Lucy bought me my first electric typewriter. I was pounding away on my (outdated) German Olympia and she just bought it for me. Lucy did this kind of thing all the time. Once she heard about a student who needed shoes. So, she took her and bought her several pairs of shoes.” Looney said because the Fryxells believed so strongly in the power of education, they created the Fryxell Scholarship, an endowed scholarship hip that continues to help English and journalism majors pay for their education even today. In addition, they donated both of their offices to Augustana. After their retirements, the couple donated their home in
“They just made a habit of giving. And that became a model for others, including me.” – Dr. Sandra Looney ‘62 Sioux Falls and their extensive library of books to Augustana as well. What would it mean to Don and Lucy to know the renovated Humanities Center would be re-named in their honor?
thinkk th they’d be astounded, “They never thought “I thi ’d b t d d”” LLooney said. id “Th th ht off naming anything after themselves — they were quiet; they just gave and they gave without fanfare.” David Fryxell agreed. “I was almost speechless when I heard the news,” he wrote of learning about Augustana’s plans to rename the building the Fryxell Humanities Center. “Nothing would have pleased my parents more. They truly loved Augustana and their students, and it’s wonderful to have Augie love them back in this way.” For more information and to watch a video about the Fryxells and the Humanities renovation project, visit AUGIE.EDU/FRYXELL. THE AUGUSTANA MAGAZINE | SPRING 2018 11
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Whether studying the creative work of great authors or learning how to create messages that inform and persuade, Whether creating a global consciousness through developing skills in language or understanding that consciousness through the creative lenses of philosophers, Whether seeking to know the whole of God’s creation through theology or celebrating that creation in song,
CREATIVITY IS THE HALLMARK OF THE HUMANITIES AT AUGUSTANA.
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THE PLANNED RENOVATIONS AND UPGRADES BUILD ON FRYXELL’S VISION — AND REIMAGINE THE PHYSICAL SPACE TO INTENTIONALLY ALLOW OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO COLLABORATE AND TO CREATE.
“Creative” defines what students of the humanities do and the way in which they do it. All of this creativity has a home in Augustana’s Humanities Center. But that space no longer reflects the quality of the work done there or the passion with which that work is pursued. Soon, though, it will, as the University RECREATES its Humanities Center.
THE HUMANITIES ARE KEY TO STUDYING THE LIBERAL ARTS. In fact, at some point in their academic lives, all Augustana students pass through the hallways of this building to take their religion and English classes. The majority of First Year Seminar courses are also taught in the Center. Since ONE-QUARTER OF AU STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN INSTRUMENTAL AND CHORAL MUSIC ENSEMBLES, they fill the halls, rehearsal rooms and practice studios throughout the music wing. When the Center was dedicated in September 1971 at a cost of $2.1 million, it brought together a division that previously had offices and classrooms scattered throughout campus. DR. DON FRYXELL, Shakespeare scholar, fierce proponent of the liberal arts, and former English department and Humanities Division chair, WAS THE CENTRAL FIGURE IN THE PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE NEW BUILDING.
View more details, watch the video and make a gift at AUGIE.EDU/FRYXELL 12
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RENDERING OF WINDEN CHORAL REHEARSAL ROOM
THE MOST NOTABLE IMPROVEMENTS WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE MUSIC WING. It will include a complete overhaul of the former Kresge Recital Hall that will be renamed HAMRE RECITAL HALL in honor of the benefactors’ parents, Melvin and Ruth Hamre. By modernizing the hall, the University will provide a better music experience for musicians and the audience. The upgrades are significant: new seating, ceiling and wall treatments, better acoustics and lighting, recording capabilities and overall ambiance. In addition, updates will be made to the LILLEHAUG INSTRUMENTAL REHEARSAL ROOM, named after former music professor and director of bands, Dr. Leland Lillehaug ’51, and the newly named WINDEN CHORAL REHEARSAL ROOM. Named for benefactors Art ‘54 and Mary Winden, retired educators whose love for music inspired their gift, the renovations will add recording capabilities to an updated space that features adjustable lighting, new acoustics, improved layout for choral participants and a conducting platform.
HAMRE RECITAL HALL
RENDERING OF LILLEHAUG INSTRUMENTAL REHEARSAL ROOM
Ruth (Larson) Hamre ’40 studied music at Augustana. She became a music teacher and taught at Eureka, South Dakota, then Willow Lake, South Dakota, where she met her husband, Melvin Hamre. Their children — John ’72, Victor ’72, Anna ’75 and Susan ’77 — all attended Augustana.
“Ours was a musical family,” Dr. John Hamre ’72 said. “Both my sisters were music teachers. Anna was a professor. My brother played in the band for all four years. I sang in the choir for all four years.” Ruth passed away in 2006 and Melvin died in n 2012 2012. Together Together, the Hamre family decided to honor their parents with a gift to Augustana as part of the Humanities renovation. KRESGE RECITAL HALL WILL BE RENAMED HAMRE RECITAL HALL and includes a significant number of improvements that will benefit performers and presenters, as well as the audience. “I grew up in a very supportive family. I was encouraged to grow as a kid. I had the opportunity to go to a school with a positive, supportive environment. Every step along the way was unexceptional, but in its own way exceptional,” John said. “(Our gift) really grew out of the need to rehabilitate the Humanities Center — a building that was new when I was a student at Augustana.” THE AUGUSTANA MAGAZINE | SPRING 2018 13
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RENDERING OF HUMANITIES CONCOURSE
“We say Augustana is preparing students for the 21st century — we need to be in a space that shows that. This is a necessary part of the ongoing process of addressing education for the 21st century and ensuring this campus is as attractive — and as usable — as it possibly can be.” — Dr. Jeffrey Miller, chair, humanities division
Recent renovations and upgrades made to the Madsen Center, home to the Social Sciences Division, and the Froiland Science Complex, home to the Natural Sciences Division, serve as an impetus to continue the momentum to RECREATE the place where the Humanities are studied and experienced. The way classes are taught and technology is used has evolved since the 1970s. Several Humanities classrooms have already been updated, with work to continue until the identified classrooms are complete. The renovations will highlight new ways of learning — adding technology and more physical manifestations of creativity to help inspire the work that takes place within the Center. These changes will have a significant impact on the teaching-learning experience by enhancing flexibility for lectures, discussion and group projects. In addition to the classrooms, the academic suites, housing the offices for each department within the humanities division, will also be upgraded with new furnishings and gathering spaces for faculty-student collaboration and study. Upgrading the Center will extend the thread across campus of a modern university that places a high value on the humanities. The RECREATED Fryxell Humanities Center will accurately display the quality of the faculty and the talented students who are drawn here. It will SHOWCASE THE CREATIVITY THAT TAKES PLACE THROUGHOUT ITS HALLS and will elevate Augustana’s appeal to prospective students.
DISCIPLINES HOUSED IN THE HUMANITIES CENTER CLASSICS COMMUNICATION STUDIES ENGLISH & JOURNALISM MEDIA STUDIES 14
MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGES MUSIC PHILOSOPHY RELIGION
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HUMANITIES CENTER: RECREATED COST: $3 million The Humanities Center will be renovated for the first time since 1971, upgrading technology in the classrooms and music wing. The music wing will also receive significant upgrades to practice and performance spaces. TIMELINE: Construction will begin on Hamre Recital Hall in the summer of 2018. Classroom improvements are ongoing.
MUSIC WING IMPROVEMENTS RECITAL HALL: • Projection, speakers, A/V control, amplification • Recording capabilities • Ceiling and wall acoustics • New seating • New lighting VOICE AND INSTRUMENTAL REHEARSAL ROOMS: • A/V controls • Add recording capabilities • New lighting CONCOURSE: • Signage LOWER-LEVEL PRACTICE ROOMS: • Elevator • Improved acoustics • Updated lighting • Secure entry with 24-hour access • New finishes
CLASSROOM & ACADEMIC SUITE IMPROVEMENTS Improvements include new paint, flooring, doors and hardware, furniture, desks and chairs. These new classroom enhancements will allow instructional flexibility for professors and greater collaboration for students.
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NAVY & GOLD
Augustana’s winter athletic programs wrapped up successful seasons that included postseason play, national recognition and AllAcademic Honors. Academically, 44 Augustana student athletes were named to the NSIC All-Academic team: 17 from men’s indoor track and field, 10 from women’s basketball, eight from women’s indoor track and field, five from wrestling, three from women’s swimming, and one from men’s basketball. To be eligible, the student-athlete must be a member of the varsity or traveling team and have a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20 or higher. The student-athlete must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution (true freshmen, redshirt freshmen and ineligible athletic transfers are not eligible) and must have completed at least one full academic year at that institution. With a successful spring underway — featuring historic seasons for a number of Viking teams — we take a look back at Augustana’s 2017-18 winter season. Stay tuned for a spring season review in the next issue of The Augustana magazine. 16
WINTER SPORTS RECAP AUGUSTANA STUDENT-ATHLETES WERE SUCCESSFUL BOTH ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM WRESTLING The Augustana Wrestling team finished out a strong year by sending 2 qualifiers to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship: Aero Amo and Lukas Poloncic. Amo, a 184 pound senior from Rapid City, went 3-2 in the national championship and ended up placing 7th, earning himself All-American honors and becoming the 19th two-time All-American in Augustana’s history. This was his 3rd trip to finals, where he earned 5th place at 184 pounds in 2017. Amo ranks fourth in school history with 130 career wins, third with 58 career dual wins, tied for fifth in falls with 46 and tied for eighth in career win percentage with .807. Poloncic, a sophomore from Rapid City, earned a ticket for the first time to the national championship after taking fourth at 174 pounds in the Super Region 3 championships. This season he led the team with six major decisions and also had three falls with four tech falls with 47 takedowns and 45 escapes. Under the tutelage of Head Coach Jason Reitmeier, five wrestlers earned NSIC AllAcademic honors this season: Aero Amo, Regan Bye, Hunter Haman, Bailey Neises and Mitch Rechtzigel.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING The Augustana Women’s Swim Team wrapped up their 2017-2018 season with a fourth-place ranking in the NSIC tournament and sending two freshman swimmers, Taylor Beagle and Kelsey Gilbert to the NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships. Beagle made history as the first swimmer to compete in the NCAA Division II Championships, participating in the 1000 yard freestyle where she won her heat and set a new PR with a time of 10.15.99. She also competed in the 500 yard race where she won her heat with a time of 5:01.85, and 1650 freestyle where she finished fourth-place with a time of 17:15.34. Beagle was voted the NSIC Freshman of the year at the NSIC Championships where she qualified for the NCAA tournament. Gilbert also performed well at the NCAA tournament finishing 5th in her heat in the 500-yard race with a time of 5:10.25 and third place in her 1650 freestyle heat with a time of 17:48.48. As a whole, the team finished the season with a 4-3 record that ended when they received 4th place in the NSIC Championships with 528 points and 32 top-eight finishes. The team had three members selected for the NSIC All-Academic team: Emma Miller, Sammi Baker and Maggie Oberg.
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NAVY & GOLD INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
MEN’S BASKETBALL The Men’s Basketball Team went 16-14 in the 2017-2018 season, led by Tom Billeter in his fifteenth year as head coach. The NSIC South No. 5 seeded team ended up making it to the quarterfinal round of the NSIC Championships before getting shut down by SMSU, the top seed in the south. Two players earned all-conference honors: Jordan Spencer and John Warren. Spencer, a senior guard from Milton Keynes, England, was selected for the NSIC all-conference first team, averaging 15.7 points, 2.8 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game. As a redshirt freshman Spencer was named NSIC Freshman of the Year, as a Sophomore he earned all-NSIC second team honors, and as a Junior he was named D2CCA All-America Honorable Mention and All-NSIC First Team. He holds Augustana career records for assists (918), assists per game average (7-0), games started (130) and minutes played (4,263). Warren, a junior guard from Hopkins Minnesota, earned an All-NSIC honorable mention selection. He started all 30 games, leading the team with 15 blocks and 47 steals in the season. One member of the basketball team was recognized not only for his excellence on the court, but also for his performance in the classroom. Senior Steven Schaefer was awarded the honor of being named to the 2017-2018 NSIC All-Academic Team for maintaining a 3.20 or higher grade-point average.
Both the Augustana Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track and Field teams saw success this season. At the NSIC Indoor Championships, the Women’s team took 3rd with a total of 87 points and the Men’s team took fifth place with 69.5 points. At the tournament, the team had six NSIC champions and 14 student athletes earn All-NSIC honors in 13 events. Two individual athletes, Anthony Huber (senior) and Josh Barrows (junior), made it into the NCAA Division II championships along with the Women’s Distance Medley Relay team, which consisted of Valerie Gildemaste (senior), Cassidy Soli (senior), Emily Tromp (sophomore) and Carly Rahn (freshman). Huber qualified in the weight throw and boasts a school record top mark of 19.43 meters along with ranking 14th in Division II. Barrows qualified in the 800 meter and has a top time of 1:51.14 and ranks 20th in Division II. The qualifying time of the Women’s medley team was 11:44.01, the 12th best time in Division II. At the tournament, the Women’s medley team took home a first team honor after a time of 11:39.36. Both Huber and Barrows took home second team honors. Senior mid-distance runner Zach Tuschen was named the 2017-2018 NSIC Elite 18 Award winner based on his Academic and Athletic Achievements. As a Biology major, Tuschen holds a 4.0 GPA and during the NSIC Indoor Championships he earned All-NSIC honors with a second place finish in the 1000-meters. Academically, 17 members of the Men’s Indoor Track and Field team earned spots on the NSIC All-Academic team, along with 8 members of the Women’s Indoor Track and Field team. 10 student athletes earned USTFCCCA AllCentral Region Honors during the 2018 indoor season: Josh Barrows, Anthony Huber, Austin Miller, Ryan Stiles, Zach Tuschen, Valerie Gildemaster, Mackenzie Kelly, Carly Rahn, Cassidy Soli and Emily Tromp.
MORTON NAMED DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Josh Morton has been named Director of Athletics for Augustana University. Morton, who most recently served as an assistant athletics director for Michigan State University, was introduced by Augustana President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin at a news conference in early April. “Josh Morton already has the spirit of a Viking,” said Herseth Sandlin. “From serving as a walk-on quarterback for one of the University of North Dakota’s conference championship teams, to leading an awardwinning television sports department for a major ABC affiliate, to, most recently, helping Michigan State build unprecedented support for its student-athletes, Josh has spent his career building pathways to help the teams he serves succeed.” “His passion for creating exceptional student-athlete experiences, his extensive leadership and communication skills, his proven experience in athletic fundraising and budget management, and his desire to make a difference in the lives of others make Josh Morton the perfect choice to serve in this very important role,” she said. Morton succeeds Slade Larscheid, who stepped down earlier this year to spend more time with his family. Morton has more than a decade of experience working in college athletics. At Michigan State, he worked with alumni in Michigan and metropolitan areas of the western U.S. to build financial support for MSU athletics, capital projects, endowments and programmatic gifts, securing more than $23 million in major gift commitments in less than five years. Working with head coaches in all of MSU’s 25 sports, Morton also served as the primary athletics fundraising liaison for head coaches in men’s and women’s track and field, men’s and women’s cross country and men’s and women’s swimming and diving. Prior to MSU, he served as an associate athletics director for the University of North Dakota where he was the liaison between the University and the architectural firm behind the UND High Performance Center. From 2009-2012, Morton secured more than $22 million in annual, major and planned gifts for UND athletics. Before beginning his career in college athletics, he served as the sports director and sports anchor for WCIV-TV, the ABC affiliate in Charleston, South Carolina. Born in Sioux Falls, Morton holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Dakota. He and his wife, Robin, are parents to Luke, Cale and Sara Jane. Morton began his new role in early May.
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NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE 2001 SOUTH SUMMIT AVENUE SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA 57197
PAID PERMIT NO. 5 SIOUX FALLS, SD
CELEBRATING CHAMPIONS!
2018 NSIC CHAMPIONS: Women’s Basketball
2018 NSIC CHAMPIONS: Baseball
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2018 NCAA DII SUPER REGIONAL CHAMPS: Women’s Golf
2018 NSIC CHAMPIONS: Women’s Tennis
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