Class Notes
Giving List

Spring 2013

Greetings, Classmates,

It hardly seems like six months have passed since our 15-year reunion this past October.  It was great seeing and reminiscing with so many of you, and it was a reminder of the “family” we had become while students at Luther.  If you were unable to attend and want a glimpse of what you missed, or if you just want to remember the fun times we had that evening, candid photos of our reunion can be viewed at http://www.luther.edu/homecoming/photos_2012/.  Click on the photo marked “Class of 1997 Reunion.”

As many of you know, President Torgerson will be ending his tenure at Luther, and he and his wife, Judy, will pursue other interests.  As part of their final days at Luther, President Torgerson and Judy are touring the country to update alumni and friends of the success of the Sesquicentennial Fund, and share some final thoughts on their time at Luther.  Please try to make some time in your schedule to attend one of these events, and wish President Torgerson and Judy well on their future journeys.  Details about upcoming stops on the “Torgerson Farewell Tour” and other alumni events can be found at https://www.luther.edu/alumni/events/calendar/.  For those of you fortunate enough to live near Decorah, there will be a tribute to the Torgersons on Thursday, May 16, at 8 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life, with a reception to follow in Bentdahl Commons.  If you are able to attend the event on May 16, it is requested that you RSVP by May 10, and you can do so at https://www.luther.edu/alumni/events/torgersons/.

One of the final projects of the Sesquicentennial Fund is the construction of the aquatics center on the north side of the Regents Center.  This greatly improved facility will make Luther the area’s premiere site for both competition and instruction in swimming and diving.  The facility is expected to be completed before classes begin for the fall, and photos of the construction can be seen on Luther’s Facebook page.  The dedication ceremony is planned for Friday, October 4, at 5:00 p.m.

During the 16 years since our graduation from Luther, the campus has been completely refreshed, yet it has remained an inspiring place for students to learn and grow.  Much of what has kept Luther such a special place is due to generous alumni, like yourselves.  With that, we would like to say “Thank You!” for all that you do for Luther.  Our class participation in giving to the Annual Fund is currently at 17 percent, and those gifts provide valuable resources for teaching, learning, and living at Luther.  Please remember that it is not the size of the gift that matters, but rather that a gift is made.

The easiest way to give to Luther is online at www.givenow.luther.edu, or you may send your gift in an envelope.  As you make your gift, please remember to utilize matching gifts from your employer, if appropriate.  Any amount you are able to give―$5, $25, $200, etc.―all counts towards our alumni participation number.  The participation number is an important indicator for institutions that offer grants.

If you know of classmates that have lost contact with Luther, please encourage them to e-mail their updated info to alumni@luther.edu, or visit www.luther.edu and click on the “Alumni & Friends” tab at the top of the page.  Use the “Update Your Information” or “Online Alumni Directory” links on the left side of the page.

Wishing you a wonderful spring,

Jodi (Nelsen) Dettmann
dettmann.jodi@mayo.edu

Geoffrey Pesanka
gtpesanka@msn.com

Class Notes
KAREN (OLSON) CREWS is a senior scientist for GlaxoSmithKline in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

MICHELLE (WILLIAMS) DYNES received a March of Dimes nursing scholarship to continue her graduate education in maternal-child nursing. She is an interdisciplinary global health research fellow at Emory University in Atlanta.

RACHELLE EVENSON is the senior quality assurance analyst for the Caldrea Company in Minneapolis.

SHAUNA (WOOD) and ADRIAN HOLM live in Iowa City, Iowa. Shauna is the owner of Rebel Extreme Cheerleading, Tumbling, and Gymnastics Facility in North Liberty, Iowa. Adrian is a gastroenterologist at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.

LARS JENSEN has created an iPad application for the latest aviation magazine, HangarSphere, which focuses on the aircraft’s most important but often overlooked accessory, the hangar.

MARK SCHMID is associate pastor at Shepherd of the Lake Lutheran Church in Prior Lake, Minn.

KRISTEN WUNDERLICH is a recipient of the 2012 National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Foundation Grant.  She is currently an assistant professor of voice and voice chair at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C.

Births
Joshua and ALINA (SABATKE) BAILEY welcomed sons Oscar and Hugo in May 2008 and August 2009.

SARA ISBELL CUNNINGHAM and Bill Cunningham welcomed a son, Samuel, in March 2012.           

LINDA (KLOTZBACH) and NATHAN FERRIS welcomed a son, Otto, in September 2012.  Otto joins brother Lincoln

TURENA JOHNSON LANE and TODD LANE '95 welcomed a daughter, Taylor, in May 2011. 

Melissa and PAUL ODENBACH welcomed a son, Kai, born―and adopted―in December 2010. Kai joins sister Zoe.

Don't forget your Annual Fund giving! 
Each year nearly 9,000 alumni, parents, and friends support the Annual Fund with gifts from $5 to $50,000. Strong support from alumni helps Luther secure additional funds from foundations and corporations, and your gift each year helps us reach our goal of 27% alumni giving.  Here’s how your class—and surrounding classes—did in 2012: