scholarship Archives - Alumni, Parents, and Friends

�鶹�� Associates Highlight Alumni Travel Program at Spring Brunch

Jen Lowman Day — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 22:47:37 +0000

Kathy Swanson on the �鶹�� alumni tour to Thailand and Cambodia.

Lori Moline ’82 of Seminars International

All �鶹�� alumni are welcome to attend the annual spring brunch sponsored by the �鶹�� Associates on Saturday, May 6, in Hoversten Chapel. From Velkommen Jul to fundraising for student scholarships, the Associates have been a volunteer-led support for �鶹�� for more than 30 years. The theme for the annual brunch is Bon Voyage – �鶹��’s Alumni Travel Program. Katie Koch, director of alumni and constituent relations, will share her experiences and photos from the recent trip to Germany, which celebrated the 500^th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation. Professor Kathy Swanson, who led the January 2017 trip to Thailand and Cambodia, will highlight her travel stories and photos. Lastly, Lori Moline ’82 of Seminars International will talk about the history of the alumni travel
program and trips on the horizon that are now in the planning stages.

The event will be held in Hoversten Chapel and begins with registration at 9:30 a.m. and the program beginning at 10��.��. A delicious brunch will accompany the program. The cost of this event is $30 per person. There is also an opportunity to sponsor a student for $30. Friends, family, and all �鶹�� alumnae welcome!

Briana Ekstrom ’18

Register now at . You may also call Becky Waggoner at 612-330-1085 and provide your credit card number for payment. A parking permit will be emailed to guests prior to the event and will be available at the door to guests without email. If you are not able to attend, please consider making a donation to the Associates‘ scholarship fund at and THANK YOU!

Your donations to the Associates’ Scholarship Fund help to support students like Briana Ekstrom ’18, of Chaska. Briana is majoring in vocal performance, with a minor in music theater. Her goal is to become a vocal coach, and she is already thinking about graduate school.

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Remembering Martin Sabo

Jen Lowman Day — Tue, 05 Apr 2016 19:44:48 +0000

2011 scholarship brunch photo, (from left) Martin Sabo, Juventino Meza, Sylvia Sabo, Renee Van Siclen, and Ben Krouse-Gagne for the Martin Olav and Sylvia Lee Sabo Scholarship for Leadership in Public and Community Service.

With great sadness, �鶹�� College announced the loss of U.S. Representative Martin Sabo on March 14, 2016. Sabo, a 1959 alumnus of �鶹�� College, was a national leader and public servant, and an inspirational legend dedicated to revitalizing the role of higher education in equipping students for active engagement in citizenship and democracy.

Sabo led a full and accomplished life, and the many heartfelt remembrances that have been shared since his passing are a testament to the impact he made in our community and nation as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the College’s Board of Regents. On the College’s website, you’ll find a tribute to the remarkable work and contributions that Martin and his wife, Sylvia, have made to �鶹��.

�鶹�� has been blessed by the life and work of Martin Sabo. He will be greatly missed and long remembered. Our thoughts are with his family, including Martin and Sylvia’s daughters, Karin (Sabo) Mantor ’86 and Julie Sabo ’90, and their families.

President Paul Pribbenow , and the state, and local and national media covered Sabo’s passing extensively.

�鶹�� is deeply honored to be able to carry on Sabo’s legacy with the important work of the Martin Olav Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, where he remained active. Since 1995, 96 Auggies have had the distinction of being Sabo Scholars, awarded to juniors and seniors who have interest in and a commitment to engagement in the political process, public policy, and/or careers in public service.

Professor Phil Adamo learned about Martin Sabo’s passing while he was in the midst of writing a piece about Sabo that describes Sabo’s history, time at �鶹��, and run “For members of the College community,” Adamo writes, “Representative Sabo will always be a part of �鶹��. We knew him when.” Please enjoy of �鶹�� College. Harry Boyte, senior scholar in public work philosophy for the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship, shared in a his experiences working with the late Martin Olav Sabo ’59.

Alumni wrote the Alumni Association with remembrances, and shared memorials gifts to the Sabo Endowment Fund at �鶹�� College in his honor.

I learned from my college classmate Martin Sabo the potential of persons of humble origin when I happened to pass through his home town of Alkabo, North Dakota, in the summer of 1959. I was on tour with the �鶹�� Male Quartet, and was amazed to see that Alkabo had a population of a grand total of 50. This experience remains an inspiration to me in my present work with scholarships for forgotten mountain youth here in Mexico. But my favorite memory of Martin is from only six years ago at our 50th class reunion. We were having morning coffee together with Paul Almquist and another classmate. The subject of Hans Nielsen Hauge came up, and Paul suggested that we go around and define the lasting importance of this itinerant Norwegian religious/economic reformer of 200 years ago. Martin’s enthusiastic participation in the discussion, linking Hauge’s followers in America with the origins of the Democratic Farm-Labor Party in Minnesota, and the Progressive movement in Wisconsin, revealed for me the religious bedrock of Martin’s convictions about good government.

—Ren Svanoe ’59

He seemed to be at �鶹�� often—bless him!

—Inez Bergquist ’77

Martin Sabo and I met in 1955 at �鶹�� as freshman. He was a young man from a NW North Dakota farm and I the same from a farm in SW Minnesota. Our first real meeting was on the “wrestling mat” in our freshman phy. ed. class. Both of us were strong but neither of had ever wrestled so there was a “Draw” probably the closest he ever was to losing, ha!! That was the only class we were in together but we remained friends throughout his college and political career. I was Honored to be a Distinguished Alumni and am proud to claim his 60+ years of friendship. My wife JoAn being from North Dakota was always proud of his accomplishment and quick to point out his native State. We will miss his presence on our Campus visits. He was always a fan for the Basketball teams I was fortunate to play on. May God Bless his memories and his family.
—Dr. Merton ’59 and JoAn ’58 Johnson

Sad to hear of the death of Congressman Sabo. It was an honor getting various opportunities to get to know him during my year at �鶹�� and after. He’s life impacted many and he definitely has left a mark in my life because of his active citizenship & letting us young people be around and learn from him.
We lost a great man today. My thoughts are with his wife Sylvia and family.

— Juventino Meza ’11, one of three Sabo Scholars pictured above

I was lucky to know Martin and Sylvia as a student at �鶹��. Martin pushed me to think in new ways to impact public policy and ways of thinking about everyday solutions. I am grateful for what Martin provided to my education and how he shaped me a person. We lost great leader and a proud Auggie but glad to see his legacy at work through the Sabo Scholars and the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship at �鶹�� College.

— Ben Krouse-Gagne ’11, former Sabo Scholar also pictured above

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Julia Blixrud ’76 Honored with Memorial Scholarship and Lecture

Jen Lowman Day — Tue, 03 Nov 2015 19:26:28 +0000

Alumna Julia Blixrud ’76 was honored in Washington, D.C., on October 8, 2015, with a memorial scholarship and annual lecture by the Association of Research Libraries. A number of family members attended the fall forum in which the inaugural Julia C. Blixrud Scholarship was awarded and the Julia C. Blixrud Memorial Lecture was delivered. Blixrud, of Lawrence, Kansas, was a longtime staff member of the Association of Research Libraries, most recently as assistant executive director for scholarly communication. She in October, 2014.

Her mother, Eileen Blixrud, shared that in her role as a research librarian, she promoted access to information to libraries locally and all over the world, visiting Turkey, Malaysia, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Canada, as well as land grant colleges in the United States.

In a post after her passing, her employer noted: “Julia’s greatest professional legacy is likely her work dedicated to opening up access to information for all. Her personal legacy includes the effervescent energy and uncommon kindness that she generously gave to her family, friends, and colleagues with her enduring optimism, resilient character, and contagious smile. These personal and professional legacies are intertwined in many ways, perhaps illustrated most powerfully in an , discussing the importance of open access to information in the context of her own serious health challenges.”

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Grace Dyrud Honored by Alumni & Faculty

Jen Lowman Day — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 07:27:35 +0000

Early in life, Grace Dyrud tested seven standard deviations above the mean on a measure of endurance, she joked at her retirement reception in May. Dyrud began teaching in the psychology department at �鶹�� in 1962, and in more than five decades at �鶹�� she exemplified not only endurance but a deep commitment to her students. Her areas of research include gambling risk and attitudes toward the environment.

At the reception, attended by psychology faculty and alumni from every decade of her career, Dyrud thanked Keith, her husband of 49 years, as well as her children, students, and colleagues. All six of her children are Auggies. Lars Dyrud ’97 and Lara (Dyrud) MacLean ’90—a music major who played the violin at the reception—were in attendance and shared words of support and admiration for her long career. Alumni stood to thank Dyrud for encouraging their path to vocation, speaking truth to power, and supporting feminism at a time when it was unpopular.

Neil Paulson ’77, a psychology graduate, initiated an effort to honor Dyrud on her retirement from �鶹�� with a scholarship for a female psychology student.

“I remember Dr. Dyrud as a caring instructor who was always willing to talk with her students. For many of her 52 years at �鶹��, she led the psychology department as chair. Through her published research, we have a better understanding of addictions like gambling. Dr. Dyrud represents what was and is still today special about �鶹��—student-centered faculty who excel in their field,” Paulson says.

To date, the scholarship has received $6,000 toward the $25,000 goal.

Alumni and former faculty in attendance included: Kala (Dable) McClellan ’98, autism specialist; Neil Paulson ’77, alum and scholarship donor; faculty emeriti Dr. Duane Johnson, psychology; Soterios ’66 and Elizabeth ’66 Stavrou. Fred Wessman ’65, semi-retired industrial/organizational psychologist; Gretchen Christianson; and Jessica Mabin ‘03.

Guests read letters written by alumni who could not be a part of the gathering, including Judge LaJune Thomas-Lange ’75, Dr. Rick Seime ’70, and Dr. Paul Wulkan ’65.

In addition, �鶹�� psychology faculty presented Dyrud with a legacy brick, purchased in her honor. The brick will be displayed in the new Center for Science, Business, and Religion, which will house the psychology department. Faculty who contributed to the brick purchase in her honor include: Nancy Steblay, Bridget Robinson-Riegler, Henry Yoon, Ben Denkinger, Evren Guler, David Matz and Stacy Freiheit. Other faculty in attendance include Boyd Koehler and David Murr ’92.

In retirement, Dyrud looks forward to enjoying cultural events around town as well as producing more art and music herself. She will continue to improve her Norwegian language skills. She regularly sees children and grandchildren who live locally and from to Maryland to Colorado and Tacoma. She will be teaching Psychology Seminar in the fall to help weekend students finish their program.

To support the scholarship initiative in Grace’s honor, and designate it to the Dr. Grace Dyrud Scholarship, or contact Amy Alkire at alkirea@augsburg.edu or 612-330-1188.

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