Greetings from the Alumni Office!
While 2020 has proven to be a year like no other, the Bleed Blue Luther spirit continues to shine! On August 29th and 30th we welcomed 473 new students to campus utilizing masks, social distancing, and a staggered move-in schedule. What a boost of energy it has been to have students back on campus! September Term is in full swing, allowing first year students to participate in classes on campus in creative ways and for upper-level students to participate online. Luther continues to take part in a new way of Being Community, striving together to protect, accept, create, and respect for the greater good.
As fall weather settles into the area, Decorah has had a lot to celebrate! This summer Regent Pete Espinosa '81 and his wife, Kari (Tollefson) Espinosa '84, opened another Decorah venture, The Landing Market, a modern food hall featuring local foods and vendors. In August, their Pulpit Rock Brewery celebrated its fifth anniversary. Meanwhile, The New York Times highlighted Luna Valley Farm, owned by Tom and Maren (Stumme-Diers) Beard '08, as one of many pizza farms to enjoy in the region. It was fun to see Hawkins Family Farm, owned by Jeff Hawkins and his son, Zach Hawkins '04, featured in the article as well as a North Manchester, Indiana destination!
We look forward to welcoming back the rest of the student body in October and celebrating our traditional Homecoming in a completely new way. We hope you will join us as we explore different options to connect classmates with each other and to campus from afar!
Sherry (Braun) Alcock '82, Executive Director of Alumni Relations
Kirk Johnson '82, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
Alyssa Ritter '11, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
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In lieu of participating in traditional in-person events, you’re invited to join us for Virtual Homecoming 2020! Special opportunities to engage with classmates and the college will take place throughout the month of October, with an abundance of activities taking place during the scheduled Homecoming weekend of October 9 - 11. Trivia, Zoom class gatherings, and more awaits! Explore the schedule of events and find ways to participate here.
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Professor of Psychology Loren Toussaint develops Clean and Contain Scale
In an effort to analyze prevention behaviors used during the pandemic, Dr. Loren Toussaint has helped develop a scale to address how often individuals complete specific behaviors. Consisting of nine questions, the hope is that responses can help gain understanding and thereby inform healthy infection prevention behaviors across communities, states, and nations. Learn more here.
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Classroom Innovation: Choir rehearsals take place in pool
Today's times have brought about the need for novel ideas and adaptability, and music at Luther continues to safely rise to that call. Discover how Mark Potvin '01, instructor in music, recently partnered with Decorah Parks and Recreation, allowing choir rehearsals to make use of the emptied community pool. Watch part of a rehearsal here.
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Chapel without Walls: An opportunity to reflect, explore, and connect
Chapel on Zoom will offer a time to gather virtually and for Luther students, faculty, staff, and alumni to serve as speakers, musicians, and artists. The month of September offers a series of messages from members of Luther's Black Alumni Association. Alumni speakers for September include Cyril “CJ” Jervis '82, Loretta Dooley Wetzel '80, Margaret Herz-Lane '69, and Kenneth Knight '79. Click here to join us for our online Chapel without Walls series on Mondays and Fridays from 10:30 - 10:50 a.m. CST.
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Be an Alumni Ambassador, refer prospective high school students today!
Are you connected to current high school students? By being an Alumni Ambassador and officially referring them to Luther, you can play a direct role in helping the Admissions Office recruit the next generation of Norse. Better yet, every student you refer will receive the Alumni Referral Scholarship of $1,000 each year, for four years, when they enroll. There is no limit on the number of students you can refer, but referral forms will only be accepted until December 1st of a student's senior year of high school. Visit our webpage and refer a student today!
Current number of Alumni Ambassadors - 1,246
Overall number of referral forms submitted - 2,146
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Regent Emerita Susan Maclay Blackman '64 estate leaves lasting Impact
Following Susan’s death in February 2020, an estate gift of more than $500,000 was donated to Luther to support the Career Connections Fund, the Susan Maclay Blackman Fellowship for Study Abroad Fund, the Main Building Project, the Luther Fund, the Luther College Regents' Promise Scholarship, and the Vienna Residency Endowment. Much of Susan’s life was devoted to Luther and her legacy will now greatly impact the experience of students for years to come! Read more about Susan's life and gift here.
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Luther receives $1.7 million federal TRIO grant
TRIO is a federally-funded student retention program that provides participating students with holistic, individualized support, and comprehensive programming to promote academic success, personal development, and sense of community. Eligibility is based on family income and/or first generation status. Operating at Luther since 1973, and currently serving more 165 students a year, the TRIO program at Luther is officially renewed for five more years!
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Upcoming Virtual Alumni Book Clubs - Paideia III |
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Circe by Madeline Miller
Madeline Miller’s Circe is the story of the daughter of the Titan, Helios (the sun) and the sea nymph Perse. She is a “strange” child who turns to the world of mortals for companionship. When her actions anger Zeus, she is banished to a desert island where she tames wild beasts, develops potions and crafts that allow her to control her environment through witchcraft. She encounters many of the most significant figures in mythology including the Minotaur, Daedalus, his son Icarus, Medea, and Odysseus. Circe often is seen as an evil sorceress who turned Odysseus’ crew into pigs, but Miller presents an alternative interpretation in which Circe is a woman/goddess who is a hero in her own right in a world of men and monsters. Faculty Emeriti Moderators: Professor Emeritus of Communication Studies Alan Lerstrom and Professor Emerita of Classics (Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill.) M. Jane Borelli (Luther faculty; 1971–82). Circe Book Club will meet on Zoom Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. CST beginning at the end of September. Register for Circe Book Club here.
Let’s talk about White Fragility -
Virtual Homecoming 2020 book discussion
Heads up – this will NOT be your usual book club discussion! Join Luther alumna Loretta Dooley Wetzel '80, co-president of the Luther College Black Alumni Association, and Luther Professor Emerita of French Ruth Caldwell, for a discussion of Robin DiAngelo’s book White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. We will define white supremacy and recognize the deep discomfort many people have with conversations about race. While awareness and acknowledgment of the many kinds of racism are critical steps, we will begin to identify actions we can take to embrace anti-racism at the individual, community, and national levels. Join us on Homecoming Sunday, October 11th at 1:00 p.m. CST via Zoom. Register online for the discussion here. Limited to the first 40 people who sign up.
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W.D. Foster-Graham '74 launches Never Give Up
The fifth novel in his Christopher Family Novel series, Never Give Up, is now available for purchase, while also gracing the shelves of Luther College and five public library systems in Minnesota! Learn more about W.D. here.
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Emily Kilgore '11 releases The Whatifs
Available for purchase wherever books are sold, this picture book is about Cora and her Whatifs: little creatures that weigh her down with fear and worry-filled thoughts until she learns to shift her fears into positive, wonder-filled questions. Learn more about Emily here.
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Do you have something to celebrate and share with the alumni community?
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At Luther College, we learn actively, live purposefully,
and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact.
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