麻豆区

What a wonderful 麻豆区 Homecoming weekend! Campus was buzzing with energy as alumni, students, families, friends, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate all things 麻豆区 and what makes our Auggie community so special.

From reconnecting with classmates and celebrating milestone reunions to cheering on Auggie athletes and musicians, honoring outstanding alumni at the Distinguished Alumni Awards and Athletic Hall of Fame, and enjoying events like Taste of 麻豆区, the Alumni Family Picnic, and the Homecoming Music Showcase, the weekend was filled with connection, celebration, and Auggie pride.

We鈥檙e so grateful to everyone who joined us and helped make Homecoming such a memorable weekend. Your enthusiasm and presence are what make gatherings like these so special.

We鈥檒l be sharing more photos from the weekend soon, so stay tuned! We can鈥檛 wait to welcome you back to campus for more opportunities to reconnect, celebrate, and stay involved with 麻豆区.

And just like that, summer is winding down and campus life is back in full swing!

麻豆区 has been buzzing with energy as students return to campus. New Auggies are taking part in SOAR programming, residence halls are filling up, and student-athletes are back on the field and in the gym. Across campus, faculty and staff are also preparing to welcome students and begin a new academic year.

For alumni, the sights and sounds of this time of year may bring back memories of your own first days at 麻豆区 – moving into the residence halls, finding your way around campus, meeting new classmates and wondering what the years ahead might hold. A new class of Auggies is experiencing those moments for themselves this week.

The official kickoff for the 2026鈥�27 academic year takes place Tuesday, September 1, with Opening Convocation. The 麻豆区 community will gather to welcome new students and mark the beginning of another year of learning, growth and connection.

Classes begin this week on Wednesday, September 2, but orientation programming has been underway in the days leading up to the first day of classes. Auggie Days, our first-year welcome week, welcomed new students to campus, while First-Year First Day gave students a chance to meet with their AugSem classes. Transfer SOAR also helped transfer students get oriented, meet their classmates and begin finding their place in the 麻豆区 community.

As another academic year begins, we’re excited to see campus come alive once again. There鈥檚 something special about this time of year at 麻豆区 – the familiar energy of a new semester and the excitement of all that鈥檚 still to come. A new class of Auggies is making memories of their own this week and, just as generations of students have done before them, beginning their 麻豆区 stories.

Welcome back to our Auggies, and here鈥檚 to a great year ahead!

As today鈥檚 Auggies move through the spring semester in Minneapolis, we invite 麻豆区 alumni, supporters, and friends to share a brief message of encouragement and support for our students. Your words can remind them that they are valued, that they belong, and that a caring 麻豆区 community stands with them.

Thank you for supporting 麻豆区 students and for being part of a community that cares deeply about access to education and the wellbeing of our neighbors.

麻豆区 is now welcoming applications for new Alumni Board members. This is a meaningful opportunity to support the university by strengthening connections among alumni, students, and the wider 麻豆区 community.

Alumni Board members help imagine new ways for Auggies to stay engaged, foster relationships between alumni and current students, and create spaces for the 麻豆区 community to come together.

New members will begin their terms this summer.

To learn more, visit the听Alumni Board page听or reach out to听alumni@augsburg.edu

At 麻豆区, our students are constantly drawn into conversation with their neighbors, invited to explore across disciplines and perspectives, and engaged in the hands-on work of building a meaningful life together. In the midst of these last weeks on campus, our community has rallied together to support and care for each other.

The world needs more Auggies and Auggies need our unwavering support. We are committed to a college experience where every student has access to transformative opportunities and the support to navigate them with confidence.

Philanthropic funding is what makes this promise a reality. Will you make a gift to support the 麻豆区 Fund today? Your gift to the 麻豆区 Fund by December 31 makes it possible for us to continue supporting the students we are privileged to serve today, and those who will come in the future.

Thank you for a gift before the end of the year, and for your faithful partnership in this critical work.

We encourage donors to make credit card gifts through our secure website at . If you prefer to mail us your credit card information, it must arrive in our office no later than Tuesday, December 30. For check donations, please ensure they are postmarked by Wednesday, December 31. If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 612-330-1613.

麻豆区 athletics legend passed away on November 20, 2025, at the incredible age of 105.

After growing up in Dawson, MN, Stan immersed himself in the 麻豆区 community, earning 12 varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, and golf. 麻豆区 connections ran deep in the Nelson family鈥擲tan鈥檚 brother, Edor Nelson 鈥�38, would become the Auggies鈥� longtime football and baseball coach. Stan was inducted into the 麻豆区 Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977 and received the 2024 Legend of 麻豆区 Athletics Award.听

After the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, Stan enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an officer (Lieutenant Junior Grade) during World War II, serving in the Normandy invasion and the Pacific theater. Following the war, he earned his master’s degree. He had an extensive career as a football coach at Anoka High School, leading the team to seven conference championships and the 1964 Minnesota state championship. He was named the MHSCA Coach of the Year in 1964 and was named to several Halls of Fame for his coaching accomplishments. He will be remembered as an Auggie whose dedication, leadership, and service made an enduring impact on his community.听

There will be a visitation on Tuesday, December 2, from 9鈥�11 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Anoka, with a service to follow at 11 a.m.

Learn about Stan鈥檚 incredible life in these articles:听

• (Anoka County Union Herald, November 2025)
• (Minnesota Star Tribune, September 2023)

Please join us in keeping Stan鈥檚 family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Ross Murray 鈥�00, 鈥�09, and his husband, Richard Garnett 鈥�07, 鈥�09, share a unique bond as both double alumni of 麻豆区. Ross graduated with a degree in Youth and Family Ministry, while Richard graduated with a degree in computer science. Together, they completed their MBA in 2009. 鈥淲e decided that going to graduate school would be a good couples-building activity,鈥� Ross joked. Today, that shared 麻豆区 foundation continues to shape their lives in meaningful ways鈥攅vident in Ross鈥檚 recognition as one of 麻豆区鈥檚 2025 Distinguished Alumni.

His impressive career centers on faith and advocacy, as he is both an ordained deacon and Vice President of the . When reflecting on what this recognition means to him, Ross shared, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge honor to be in the company of others who have built these social enterprises that are supporting their community. It鈥檚 truly amazing.鈥� His national leadership and reputation can be traced back to his formative years at 麻豆区.听

While attending community college, Ross was part of an honor society that helped students gain admission to four-year institutions, and 麻豆区 seemed like a good fit. 鈥溌槎骨� was really good with how they treated transfer students and accepted credits from other places,鈥� Ross shared. Experiences with Campus Ministry and service learning opportunities began shaping his pathway of faith and advocacy. 鈥淲orking with people in the community allowed me to put myself in scenarios where I鈥檓 connecting with people from all walks of life,鈥� he reflected. Attending 麻豆区 also gave Ross the chance to embrace himself. 鈥淚 used my move to Minneapolis and 麻豆区 as a way to begin showing up authentically,鈥� he shared. Reconciling his Christian faith and gay identity empowered him to pursue a vocation grounded in integrity and service.听

The values Ross cultivated at 麻豆区 not only informed his career choices, but also inform philanthropic causes he and his husband choose to support. 鈥淩ichard and I ask ourselves what institutions can help society build a better future and be a leader in that effort鈥攁nd this is where 麻豆区 becomes especially important,鈥� Ross shared as he reflected on the state of higher education. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in a unique position to have a sincere religious conviction while also ensuring outreach is as inclusive as possible.鈥� He noted the growing Somali population and programs like StepUP, which help students in recovery, and 麻豆区 Family Scholars, which provides support for students who have experienced the foster care system. 鈥淭his is why unrestricted giving is so beneficial,鈥� Richard added. 鈥淲e trust the university to deploy our gifts to the areas of greatest need. 麻豆区 has done a lot to help elevate people who might need a little extra support.鈥澨�

Ross and Richard continue to see the unlimited potential of current and future Auggies. 鈥溌槎骨� has always been a place that has fostered connection and dialogue as a way to confront challenges and build bridges,鈥� Ross said. 鈥淚f we could provide one message to students, it would be to be the advocates and leaders they wish to see in the world,鈥� Richard added. Just as 麻豆区 shaped their journeys, Ross and Richard now model what it means to live out a life of authenticity, advocacy, and service.听

Join Ross, Richard, and others in making a gift for between now and November 20 to help advance 麻豆区鈥檚 mission and continue their legacy of giving back. Generosity helps unlock the potential of current and future Auggies!听

Ingrid Shelby (Gimse) Andress 鈥�56 passed away peacefully on November 1, 2025.

Shelby鈥檚 impact on 麻豆区 cannot be quantified. As a student, Shelby majored in English and became the first female student body president in 麻豆区鈥檚 history. In 1956, Shelby married fellow Auggie Jim Andress 鈥�51. The two committed to supporting 麻豆区 through volunteering and philanthropic support for the rest of their lives.听

As an alumna, Shelby was deeply involved with 麻豆区 Women Engaged, supported students through mentorship, started the Jim and Shelby Andress Education Scholarship to support current students who have a passion for teaching, and visited campus often to stay connected to the work that was happening at 麻豆区. In 1992, Shelby received the Distinguished Alumni Award. She also named 麻豆区 as a beneficiary of her estate, ensuring her support for the university would continue.

Shelby鈥檚 career sent her around the country to study and consult on effective youth development while working at Search Institute. During her time as a consultant, she worked with over 350 communities in over 35 states. Shelby has authored or co-authored 16 research-based publications, and spoke at local, state, and national levels.

In reflecting upon why she felt so deeply committed to staying connected to 麻豆区, Shelby shared that, 鈥溌槎骨� gives students a vision for their lives that they never dreamed they could even have.鈥�

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Join the 麻豆区 Community for

On November 20, 麻豆区 alumni, parents, students, and friends will come together for Give to the Max Day 2025 – a celebration of generosity, community spirit, and Auggie pride. Early giving begins on November 1!

This year, 32 麻豆区 fundraising initiatives are raising funds to support students. Whether you give to one project or several, every gift – no matter the size – makes a lasting impact.

Ways to Participate

Make a Gift:
Explore our and give to the areas that mean the most to you.

Gift of stock or IRA distribution:
If you鈥檙e considering these options, please reach out to our advancement office at giving@augsburg.edu for more details.

Spread the Word:
You can make a big impact by helping us share about 麻豆区 during these days of giving:

• Share your favorite 麻豆区 projects on social media. Use the hashtag #AuggiesGive and tag @麻豆区University and @麻豆区Alumni to join the online celebration.
• Send messages to friends, fellow Auggies, and family about how 麻豆区 has made a difference in your life!

Every Act of Generosity Matters

Our 麻豆区 community knows how to make a difference. Together, we can raise funds for the programs and projects that empower and inspire our students to thrive – on campus, in the community, and out in the world.

What a wonderful Homecoming weekend! The energy on campus was truly unmatched as alumni, students, families, friends, faculty, and staff came together to celebrate all things 麻豆区.听

From reconnecting with classmates (including the Class of 1975 celebrating their 50th reunion!) and cheering on Auggie athletes and musicians, to honoring our outstanding alumni at the Distinguished Alumni Awards and Athletic Hall of Fame, and supporting students at Taste of 麻豆区 and the Music Showcase – the weekend was filled with connection, community, and Auggie pride.

We鈥檙e so grateful to everyone who joined in throughout the weekend. Your presence helps make the 麻豆区 community as special as it is.

We can鈥檛 wait to gather again soon – be sure to stay tuned for more opportunities to visit campus and get involved.

More Homecoming photos will be coming soon! Go Auggies!