According to U.S. News and World Report, Luther College is ranked number two in the nation when it comes to the percentage of students who participate in study abroad programs. In 2021, 82% of graduating Luther College seniors reported studying abroad during their undergraduate years.
“Global Learning is embedded in the College mission statement, which encourages ‘learning that moves us beyond immediate interests and present knowledge into a larger world.’ We strive to make that possible for everyone by providing Luther College-run programs that offer almost cost-neutral opportunities for experiential learning and global engagement both domestically and internationally." – Victoria Christman, director of the Center for Global Learning at Luther
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REMEMBERING THE TORGERSONS
Luther College mourns the death of Judy Torgerson, wife of President Emeritus Rick Torgerson. Judy died Friday, April 7. A celebration of her life will be held Monday, May 1 at 11 a.m. at Normandale Lutheran Church in Edina, Minnesota.
A previously scheduled community gathering in celebration of late President Emeritus Rick Torgerson will now honor both of these servant leaders. The celebration will be held 1:30–4 p.m. Friday, April 28, in Peace Dining Room at Luther. Rick and Judy served the college from 1999–2013, and members of the Torgerson family will be in attendance. There will be light refreshments and a cash bar with a short program starting at 2 p.m. All are welcome. Please RSVP by Friday, April 21 to presidentsoffice@luther.edu or (563) 387-1527.
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INAUGURAL JOY TLOU MEMORIAL AWARD
Luther has awarded the inaugural Joy Tlou Memorial Award to Mychal Shed ’23. The Joy Tlou Memorial Award is a new award at Luther established by Hla Tlou in memory of her brother, Bonolo Joy Tlou ’86. It is awarded to students whose character, leadership, and participation in the campus community enhance the quality of campus life and encourage a “community of joy.”
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Judge Donovan W. Frank '73 is a Senior U.S. District Judge for the U.S. District Court, District of Minnesota. President Bill Clinton nominated Frank to the seat in 1998. Judge Frank is well-known for his work making the law more just for people with special needs. He is featured in a video series, Pathways to the Bench, in which individual judges talk about the personal, character-building challenges they have faced that prepared them to serve on the bench. Frank talks about his time at Luther in his reflections.
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The Star Tribune recently did a story about 50-year-old Deneen Pottery, based in St. Paul. The company was founded by potter and Luther art major Peter Deneen '70, who apprenticed under the acclaimed late potter Marguerite Wildenhain at her Pond Farm Pottery in California. Deneen's hand-made, quality mugs are popular, and orders are backed up several months. The fastest growing sector is state and national parks around the country.
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A gathering for Norse Football alumni and fans will be held 5:30–8 p.m. Wednesday, May 3, at Fulton Brewing Taproom in Minneapolis. A 6:30 p.m. huddle will feature remarks and conversation with head coach Joe Troche, other coaches, and current players.
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Luther's Jazz Orchestra, Collegiate Chorale, Cathedral Choir, and Norskkor will be performing at venues in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin this month. A concert by these outstanding student musicians is a great way to usher in spring! |
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SUMMER OFFERINGS FOR ALUMNI |
Return to campus this summer for a Norse Short Course in culinary arts or photography. Courses will be offered in June and July. In addition, Nordic-inspired courses will be held July 25–27—extend your stay on campus to take in Decorah’s famous Nordic Fest.
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ALUMNI DIRECTORY
The college is transitioning to a new database platform this spring, which means a new online alumni directory is being developed. It should be launched in the summer. In the meantime, contact the Alumni Office, 563-387-1164, if you need assistance. |
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Luther College senior Hayley Carr ’23 is getting a jump start on her career by developing classroom lesson plans while still in college. Carr is studying biology and secondary education with the goal of teaching middle school students about her passions. |
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“I’ve always been so interested in the outdoors and how the world around us works, you know, like the dirt under our feet. What’s going on in there? What’s in our sky? I have always been really interested in how things work and I think biology and teaching as a whole is really going to help me share those passions with other people,” said Carr.
This January Term at Luther College, Carr collaborated with Beth Lynch, associate professor of biology, to dive into three topics in ecology. They created ecology modules or lesson plans focused on specific subjects including subnivium (rare under-snow ecosystems), fire use and suppression in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and rare ecosystems found in the Driftless such as algific talus slopes and water ecology and quality.
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