January 2022
Dear 1950 Classmates,
This will be my final letter to you as Class Agent. My age and the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 have made it difficult to stay abreast of developments at Luther the way I would like. The Alumni office at the college will make sure you are kept in touch. And I know you will keep Luther in mind as you share your resources. The environment for private higher education has never been more challenging - Luther needs our support more than ever.
There have been some interesting developments on campus recently. Homecoming was back on the schedule in October but spread over several weekends to make for smaller gatherings in the face of the ongoing pandemic. A recent graduate, Felix Malpica ‘09 - the youngest person ever and the first individual of color to be elected bishop of the LaCrosse Area Synod of the ELCA - has become a member of Luther’s Board of Regents. Thanks to several major donors, the coming months will see significant renovations to the indoor track and tennis court area of the Regents Center. Another generous donor has made possible the giving of an endowed professorship in international studies, with Luther College being one of the few colleges in the Midwest to offer such a program. This development complements the recent introduction of new majors in data science, neuroscience, and global health. In a different direction, Luther has entered into a special relationship with Winneshiek Medical Center to cover all healthcare needs on campus. Since WMC is an affiliate of the Mayo Clinic, this arrangement extends the college’s already special relationship to Mayo in its academic programs.
If you have followed athletics at Luther over the years, you are probably aware that the football program has recently been struggling to be competitive. This has led to the decision to hire a new coach, something that was accomplished a month or so ago, in the hope of restoring the proud tradition going back to Edsel Schweizer’s era. It will be interesting to see how this change meets the challenge. Speaking of athletics, the conference basketball season had just been getting under way, with the women’s and men’s teams - both very young - showing signs of significant improvement. And then a rising number of COVID-19 cases, on campus and around Decorah and Winneshiek County, forced the college last week to raise its COVID alert level, which in turn has required the suspension of both athletic and musical activities and a restructuring of much academic work*. So, after what looked like a return to normalcy last fall - including the resumption of live musical performances, culminating in a magnificent “Christmas at Luther” - the challenges which began nearly two years ago are reasserting themselves.
Which leads me to conclude with an expression of my admiration for the courage, commitment, and skill with which everyone on campus - students, faculty, and staff - have been meeting the extraordinary challenge of these past two years. Under the truly exceptional leadership, it must be added, of President Ward and her administrative team. “To God Alone the Glory” we are used to saying. But short of glory, we can be proud of the exceptional work they have all been doing to keep our alma mater moving ahead.
With fond memories still of our time as students,
