Summer 2020

Dear Members of the Class of 2010,
 
Many of us are making adjustments, sometimes daily or even hourly, to these uncertain times but we wanted to be sure to connect with you and to send your class letter and notes to you!

Luther College has just wrapped up a spring semester like no other. Our students participated in remote learning, connecting with their professors and classmates online and on Sunday, May 24, we celebrated the Class of 2020 with a virtual commencement . It certainly wasn't the spring semester we imagined, but the Luther community responded with resiliency and creativity.

In the midst of the uncertainty of a worldwide pandemic, in the United States and at Luther, we also confront centuries of racism that has led to oppression, injustices, and inequities.
 
We must strive to make this world a better place for our neighbors who experience systemic oppression. Luther College is preparing to be a leader in the difficult and painful conversations that will take place over the coming months and years. I invite you to view President Ward's message regarding the college's initial action steps .

Especially now, gifts to the Luther Fund can make a big difference in supporting students as they navigate all that's ahead. If you can, please consider making a gift today.

We hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy during these times.

Many thanks for your steadfast love and support.
 
Mariah Bringer Smith ‘95
Director of Development, Current Gifts
Dear Classmates of 2010!
 
First of all, we hope that you are all safe and healthy and taking time for yourselves in this time of global uncertainty. It is in these times when the world is seemingly up-on-end that I catch myself daydreaming back to the days before we had to “adult” every day, to the days when our biggest concerns may have been appropriate grammatical formatting of a Paideia essay. All joking aside, we hope that you are all taking the precautions necessary to keep you, your families, friends, co-workers, and neighbors as safe as possible. We will ride through this but only if we work together as one nation and one world-society!
 
On a much more positive note, this upcoming October marks our 10-YEAR REUNION! However, since the college will not be hosting an in-person Homecoming this fall, our reunion will now take place the weekend of May 28-30, 2021 at the college. Each of you will be receiving a personal communication from a member of the reunion committee in the coming months. We hope to see you all there for a wonderful weekend of re-connecting, reminiscing, and finding ourselves once again in the place that brought us all together!
 
The Luther community continues to strive for excellence both locally and around the world. Luther recently entered into a partnership wit h Northeast I owa Community College (NICC) that will allow students to begin social work studies at NICC and then continue to complete their bachelor’s work at Luther, what a great local partnership supporting a field so greatly in need! Luther also continues to stretch and meet the needs of the world at large through a new  global health program educational initiative!
 
Once again, we hope that you are all staying safe and we look forward to seeing you all on campus in May 2021!
 
As always, GO NORSE!

Soli Deo Gloria,
Mark & Kelsie Mateski
2010 Class Agents
6320 151st Street
Savage MN 55378-4442
563-343-1394; 651-249-6532
Bobby Anderson
2010 Class Agent
1019 Canterbury Lane NW
Rochester, MN 55901-3406
847-912-4941

CLASS NOTES
 
Liz (Jorgenson) Alvarado is director of operations leadership development at IDEA Public Schools in Edinburg, Texas.
 
Mahlet Amanuel is ERAP coordinator at Housing Counseling Services in Washington, D.C.
 
Megan (Hallberg) Bang of Forest City, Iowa, is a software engineer for HashiCorp in San Francisco.
 
Sonja Birthisel earned the Ph.D. degree in ecology and environmental sciences from University of Maine in Orono, where she is a postdoctoral research associate and instructor.
 
Krista (Morris) Blessing is a structural engineer at Short Elliott Hendrickson in Rochester, Minn.
 
Erin Bostrom is a paralegal at the Medina County Prosecutor's Office in Medina, Ohio.
 
Levi Bridges is a registered nurse at Waverly Health Center in Waverly, Iowa.
 
Meghan (Mathison) Byrnes is a law school student at the University of St. Thomas, and works as a law clerk at Anderson and Anderson Law, LLC in Minneapolis.
 
Joseph Coffield is a communications technician at Comcast in Salt Lake City.
 
Ryan Deignan earned a doctorate of musical arts from the University of North Texas and is assistant professor of choral music at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
 
Zachary Dieterman of Zumbrota, Minn., is a general laborer for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
 
Ashley Dissmore is business manager at Dahl Automotive in La Crosse, Wis.
 
Makara Fairman is a behavioral health proposal consultant at Cigna in Minneapolis.
 
Brad Foresman is a research scientist at Corteva Agriscience in Olivia, Minn.
 
Allison (Kirchoff) Gans teaches in the Hibbing (Minn.) Independent School District.
 
Katie (Dolan) Gerber is a school psychologist at Eastern Carver County Schools in Chaska, Minn.
 
Megan (Petersen) Gibson is LTC supervisor and an occupational therapist at Big Stone Therapies in Marshall, Minn.
 
Kristina Golling is an employee relations consultant at Wells Fargo in Minneapolis.
 
Linnea and Christopher Graffunder-Bartels ‘11 live in Minneapolis. Linnea is senior community development specialist for The City of Oakdale. Christopher is an ethics analyst at U.S. Bank in Minneapolis.
 
Laura Grangaard Johnson is senior research analyst at Stratis Health in Bloomington, Minn.
 
Mesha Hall is a family services specialist for the City of Alexandria (Minn.) Department of Community and Human Services.
 
Mallory (Marlatt) Hanson is director for Fayette County Economic Development and Tourism at Northeast Iowa RC&D in Postville, Iowa.
 
Sara Hanssen is the administrative assistant at Decorah United Church of Christ and also works as a midwife’s assistant.
 
Becky Haug is a forestry technician for the U.S. Forest Service in Ontonagon, Mich.
 
Rachel Haug Root and Keith Root ‘09 live in Eden Prairie, Minn. Rachel is a flute instructor at Winona State University and director of flute sales at Schmitt Music. Keith is a call coach for Alarm.com.
 
Landon Jacobsen is commercial and marketing lead at Extraction Oil and Gas in Denver.
 
Cassandra Jensen is a marketing specialist at Kaplan Professional in St. Paul, Minn.
 
Jacob Johnson is a UX/UI designer at Media Services in Los Angeles.
 
Kristen Johnson earned the master’s degree in education from St. Thomas University and teaches fourth grade at Barack and Michelle Obama Elementary School in St. Paul, Minn.
 
Gina Klennert earned a master’s degree in DAPE from Minnesota State University. Gina teaches health, physical education, and DAPE at Albert Lea (Minn.) High School.
 
Becca Lange is a certified medical assistant (AAMA) at Hall-Perrine Cancer Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
Sara Leahy is a social worker at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minn.
 
Blair (Hercules) and Derek Leigh live in Chaska, Minn., Blair earned a master’s degree in education from Concordia University and teaches 4th and 5th grade at Eastern Carver County School District. Derek is a collegiate sales rep with Nike, Blue 84, and Legacy.
 
Sarah (Luloff) Lilly teaches elementary music at Blue Valley School District in Overland Park, Kans.
 
Sky Macklay is an oboist, installation artist, and assistant professor of music at Valparaiso (Ind.) University. She was the featured composer at the 2019 New Music Festival at the University of Louisville School of Music.
 
Sarah May is a graduate student in music/instrumental conducting at Butler University and is an accompanist for the Indianapolis (Ind.) Children’s Choir.
 
Jaymie McGrath is talent development director for McGrath Family of Dealerships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
 
Gina (Lewis) Njugunah is a Licensed Independent Social Worker and inpatient mental health discharge planner at Fairview Health Services in St. Paul, Minn.
 
Jamie Ottman is facilities coordinator at Great Lakes Higher Education Corporation in Madison, Wis.
 
Darren Oxton is a buyer at BevSource in St. Paul, Minn.
 
Lisa (Torgerson) Pertz is a market research analyst at ACPI Sales, Inc. in Waconia, Minn.
 
Kristin (Porter) and Neal Petersen live in Waterloo, Iowa. She is operations specialist at Ameriprise Financial Services. He earned a master’s degree in mental health counseling from Upper Iowa University and is a therapist at New Directions Counseling Services.
 
Tyler Powell is northern door executive director at Door County YMCA in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.
 
Melysa Rogen is senior director of marketing and communications for the Austin Opera in Austin, Texas.
 
Jacob Reitz is security contracts manager at Carlson Wagonlit Travel in Minnetonka, Minn.
 
Anna (Simonson) Saul earned the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from St. Catherine University, and is a physical therapist at Summit Orthopedics in Woodbury, Minn.
 
Michelle Sawyer is a social worker at Avera McKennan Hospital in Sioux Falls, S.D.
 
Anna (Quick) and Trey Scheetz live in Eden Prairie, Minn. She is vice president of asset management at Wildamere Capital Management. He is senior account coordinator at CH Robinson.
 
David Schmitt teaches K-6 music for the Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Schools in Waterville, Minn.
 
Kirsten (Jensson) and Taylor Scholz both work at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Kirsten is a medical administrative assistant and Taylor is an athletic trainer.
 
Nora Shaffer of Chicago is a freelance clarinetist and private instructor and is a member of the chamber ensemble, Lake Effect Clarinet Quartet, which released their debut album “Nielsen, Grainger, & Strauss” in Oct., 2019.
 
Diana Springer-Doescher is a certified optician at Gundersen Health System in Onalaska, Wis.
 
Aaron Stenhaug is assistant corporate controller at Digi International, Inc. in Hopkins, Minn.
 
Kristopher Ulrich earned a master’s degree in business administration. He serves as the president of the Neenah (Wis.) Rotary Club.
 
Vanessa (Oelrich) Wiest is contracts and assignment specialist for University of Iowa Housing and Dining in Iowa City, Iowa.
 
Tessa Winterton and Tom Blattner live in Misawa, Japan, while Tessa completes her commitment to the United State Air Force as an OBGYN. Tom is working as a substitute teacher at the high school on base while working towards a master’s degree.
 
Zara Zanussi earned a master’s degree in comparative international development education and a minor in program evaluation from the University of Minnesota. She is founder and executive director for ComMUSICation in St. Paul, Minn.
 
MARRIAGES
 
MARIA CARR and Juan Moreno, June 12, 2019
 
CARSON CHRISTEN and Jaime Kelleher, Sept. 14, 2019
 
ALISYN CHRISTENSEN and John Harrison, June 10, 2018
 
KAYLA DENNER and Tim Freeman, Nov. 2, 2018
 
SARA LEAHY and TJ Phillips, May 11, 2019
 
ANNA SIMONSON and David Saul, Aug. 31, 2019
 
EMILY WITTIG and EHLER ORNGARD '09, Sept. 21, 2019
 
BIRTHS/ADOPTIONS
 
Clara Elena, in September 2019, child of LIZ (JORGENSON) and Cesar Alvarado
 
Dorothy, in October 2018, child of MEGAN (HALLBERG) and Dakota Bang
 
James, in January 2018, child of TESSA (WINTERTON) and THOMAS BLATTNER
 
Raymond Duke, in July 2019, child of KRISTA (MORRIS) and JOSH BLESSING '09
 
Noah Stephen, in October 2019, child of KATE (WESTBY) '09 and ABE CAMPOS
 
Margaret, in June 2018., child of MEG (BERVEN) '09 and CULYNN CURTIS
 
Nicholas William, in June 2019, child of SARA (KESSLER) and GREG CROGHAN '09
 
Twins, Charlie and Louis, in February 2019, children of Abby and RYAN DEIGNAN
 
Dawson, in June 2019, child of Jennifer and ZACH DIETERMAN
 
Caleb Thomas, in December 2019, child of KRISTEN (HAUG) and Eric Ebeling
 
Lottie Marie, in November 2019, child of CASSIE (TYSLAND) and JACOB FOUTS '12
 
Cameron, in January 2020, child of KAYLA (DENNER) and Tim Freeman
 
Margo Marie, in September 2019, child of LAUREN (HENRIKSON) and NATE
GENDRON
 
Hadley, in May 2019, child of EMILY (HOERMAN) and Brian Grantham
 
Oak, in September 2019, child of BEKKY (WILLIS) '11 and BEN HARKINS
 
Stella, in January 2019, child of LAURA (MOHS) and Justin Hesse
 
Parker, in January 2019, child of JAYMIE (MCGRATH) and Anthony Hobson
 
Graham, in October 2019, chhild of Jenny and LANDON JACOBSEN
 
Helena, in October 2019, child of ALEX (LARSON) and Joel Groten
 
Piper Alison, in February 2019, child of BLAIR (HERCULES) and DEREK LEIGH
 
Ethan, in July 2018, child of GINA (LEWIS) and Tommex Njugunah
 
Eira, in September 2019, child of KARI (TAYLOR) and MATT OLSON
 
Miles, in June 2019, child of Ryan and DARREN OXTON
 
Jonah, in July 2019, child of LISA (TORGERSON) and Samuel Pertz
 
Hendrick, in November 2019, child of MELANIE (MASSNICK) '11 and JACOB REITZ
 
Harper, in November 2018, child of HEATHER (MALECHA) '11 and DARIN
SCHNEIDER
 
Loren Paul, in November 2019, child of MARIE (PALMQUIST) '08 and PAUL SCHOLTZ
 
Isla, in June 2018, child of MELISSA (LARSON) '11 and BEN SCHORI
 
Tyson, in November, 2018, child of LIZ (LUBBEN) and TREVOR THEOBALD
 
Charlotte May, in August 2018, child of Bridget and KRISTOPHER ULRICH