Dear Classmates,
Greetings on this lovely summer day. I’ve been enjoying my flower garden while sipping my morning coffee on the patio. I sincerely hope this letter finds you with time and opportunity to “stop and smell the roses.” Life is good!
I’m sure we all have stories about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on our lives. Many of us have lost dear ones to the virus, and all of our lives were interrupted and disrupted in countless ways. Knowing how difficult it was for those of us who have been “adulting” for some time, I couldn’t imagine what it was like for the Luther students.
President Jenifer K. Ward and her team led the Luther community admirably during this unprecedented crisis. Although there were the inevitable cancellations and postponements, collaboration resulting in creativity and innovation kept life at Luther vibrant. Commencement in 2020 was a virtual event, and was followed by a modified in-person ceremony in 2021, with limits for attendance. May 22, 2022 marked the return to Commencement as we knew it. Seeing photos from the day made my heart happy – the joy in the faces of the graduates, the faculty, and friends and family members in attendance could be felt by everyone – a collective sense of “Yes! We made it!”
It's been a year or so since I’ve been on campus – how about you? Memories come rushing back every time I am there and seeing the photos of the 2022 graduates brought even more vivid flashbacks to our graduation in 1973. Wow, that’s nearly 50 years ago – can you believe it?
Ranae and I met earlier this summer with Megan Buckingham from the Development Office who will be guiding and assisting us in planning our 50-Year Class Reunion – we are the “main event” for Homecoming 2023! Please save October 6-8, 2023 on your calendars now and plan to “come home” to Decorah to be celebrated as the Class of 1973. Although hotels are not taking reservations yet, there are a number of VRBO and Airbnb rental options to check out. Watch your mail for more reunion information!
If you are interested in being a member of the Reunion Committee, please contact Ranae or me, or be in touch with Megan Buckingham. This committee will likely meet twice in person at Luther, and a few other times virtually; the first in-person meeting is tentatively set for 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 15. Please consider joining us in planning the many activities that go into this special time for our class!
Did you hear about the momentous success of Luther’s Giving Day 2022? More than $1 million was raised in one day through generous contributions from alumni, families, and friends of the college! If you haven’t participated in the past, I hope you’ll be part of the excitement next year. Put Thursday, March 9, 2023 on your calendar and join in on the fun. Watch the progress on social media and the college website; there are even chances to win some prizes! However, you don’t have to wait until then to give back to Luther. Your financial gift to the college is always welcomed. Check out givenow.luther.edu for ways to give, gift types, and areas to support. It’s very easy!
One of the areas you might choose to support is the Class of 1973 Scholarship that goes directly to students. Each year we receive thank you cards from the students who benefit from this scholarship. It’s heartwarming to know the personal impact our scholarship has made. Please also check out the opportunity to assist the Admissions Office in recruiting a new generation of Luther students as an Alumni Ambassador. When they enroll, every student you have referred will be awarded an annual $1000 scholarship in your name.
If you haven’t kept up with Luther news, now it a great time to explore the information on Luther’s website. The “connect” page, provides links to social media, streaming, news, blogs, publications, and more. You might enjoy reading the Ideas and Creations blog, a forum for alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the College to “express their views, model ‘good disagreement’ and engage in respectful dialogue.”
You may also be interested in checking out luther.edu/outcomes for links to college news and information such as alumni profiles, comparisons and rankings, life after Luther, etc. In case you misplaced your most recent copy of the Luther magazine (or it was recycled before you read through it), you can link to it directly at luther.edu/magazine/. Another way to stay connected to Luther is through the college’s Facebook page or the Luther 1973 Facebook group. Check it out to find information and updates about our reunion and use it to engage in conversation and reconnect with classmates. Anyone can post a message, make a comment or pose a question. Let us hear from you!
Do you have regular, or semi-regular, contact with classmates - catching up with them through holiday greetings, on Facebook, or planned get-togethers in person or on Zoom? Those lasting friendships are such a gift! How about receiving an unexpected phone call or email greeting, or running into a classmate by chance? Such a surprise happenstance can spark some fun conversations and gratitude for the Luther connection. Not long ago I was able to connect with Linda (Hedstrom) and Steve Noble while traveling in northern Minnesota. Recognizing that a photo I posted on Facebook was near her home in Grand Marais, Linda contacted me and we were able to spend a delightful afternoon visiting and catching up with one another.
Have you had similar experiences that you can share in our class Facebook group? Let us know what you have been up to by contacting the Alumni Office, or emailing Ranae or me at the addresses below, and keep your eyes open for those Luther rings!
Looking back at the 50 years since we graduated from Luther, my heart is full of gratitude for my experience at Luther – the individuals it placed in my life, the education that helped me recognize and realize my vocation, and the encouragement and confidence to become who I am today. Thank you, classmates, for being there with me!
Grateful for you and wishing you all the best,
|
|
Pat (Holtorf) Branstad
1973 Class Agents:
|
|
Pat (Holtorf) Branstad
213 Second Ave. South
Saint James, MN 56081
507-375-5450
pat.branstad@gmail.com
|
|
Ranae (Keoppel) Gipp
212 High Street
Decorah, IA. 52101-1048
563-380-3214
ranae.gipp@gmail.com
|
|
Catch up on all things Luther!
|
|
You're receiving this email because of your relationship with Luther College. Your privacy and email options are important to us and we want you to be in control of what you receive in your inbox. With this in mind, we want to be sure that you know that unsubscribing to e-communications from Luther may prevent you from receiving important e-communications from Luther, including your class agent letter, event invitations, etc. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
