Hello Class of ’93,
I hope this finds you, and your loved ones, safe and content. It is a sunny day here in Minnesota, with temps in the mid-50s, which feels great after a long winter! It won’t be long before things “green up” and flowers bloom, and I am ready for the signs of new life that come in the spring! I am spring cleaning, I am sure some of you can relate, sorting through many “mementos” that have accompanied me through life. Amongst the items I found was the phone book from our senior year, crazy to see it after all this time! I remember being on campus when spring would come around. It was always nice to see people walking around, without coats, or with shorts on for the first time. I am sure students today share the same excitement for the warmer weather!
Luther had a successful Giving Day, raising over $1 million in under 24 hours! This will benefit all students on campus as well as help Luther to obtain grant funding for future endeavors. Many in our class participated, thank you for your support! Please consider the many ways donations from alumni supported our time on campus and consider giving next year.
Campus life goes on as always, with students nearing spring break. Efforts are underway to raise funds to renovate the Field House. You may recall the construction of the indoor recreational facilities while we were there. Moving forward this will be called the Robert and Ann Naslund Sports and Recreation Center, honoring the football coach/HPE instructor from our time at Luther. The indoor track will be named after Kirk Neubauer ‘76, the former Head men’s track and field coach. The new tennis courts will be named after Su Oertel ‘72 and Richard Leake, who coached the women’s and men’s tennis teams, respectively. If you participated in Luther athletics, please consider donating to the efforts. This could be a one-time donation, or an ongoing pledge: givenow.luther.edu
With the warmer weather comes the whirlwind of events that accompany finishing the school year! There will be athletic events, concerts, and other programming on campus. If you have not been to campus for a while, you may want to consider returning sometime this spring/summer. There have been many changes to campus since our time there, but I am sure you would recognize the main buildings! Decorah also has a lot of outdoor activities, as you may recall, and downtown would appreciate the additional business! Since the last two years have been difficult for people to gather together easily, maybe you would want to meet up with a group of friends and enjoy time together and connecting with Luther and the Decorah community.
If you are unable to go to campus, there are increasing opportunities to gather with fellow alumni or hear musical groups as they resume more traditional tours around the region. Streaming options are also available for some events, which allow you to appreciate the events from the comfort of your living room. Visit www.luther.edu/events/ for a calendar of upcoming events.
With the conflict in the world and the challenges of day-to-day living, it can be overwhelming at times. We may be tempted to think of our college years as a simpler time, and in many ways it was, but the world was challenging then as well. It may be the people around us made it easier to handle. I find spending time with someone who ‘knew me when…” is good for my soul and makes things a little better!
Wishing you a joyful spring/summer!
