Class Notes
Giving List

Spring 2013

Dear Fellow Norse Lovers,

It’s hard to believe that it’s already time to write another letter updating you all on the happenings at Luther.  It’s been almost two years since we crossed the stage at Carlson Stadium and got our diplomas.  The past two years have flown by.  I’m anxiously awaiting spring’s arrival, and the snow melting and not returning.  It seems that once all the snow melts, another storm heads our way.  I’m also getting excited for summer and the weddings of classmates whose save-the-dates are covering my refrigerator.  

Living in the Des Moines area is great, and I love all the times when I run into fellow Luther alumni--at the mall, restaurants, and especially when I see a Luther license plate or sticker.  Last December meant holiday parties with Luther friends and a trip up to Decorah with my roommate, Haley, for Christmas at Luther.  It was a great weekend in Decorah with meals at Don Jose’s and McCaffrey’s (yum), walking down Water Street and looking in all the shops, and of course, a trip to the Luther Book Shop to purchase a few “necessary” items.  That trip included the purchase of the Luther College Cookbook, in an attempt to cook more and eat out less.  That purchase didn’t exactly result in cooking more, but I can justify it since the cookbook contains the Caf’s recipe for M&M Dream Bars.  Christmas at Luther was wonderful, like always, and I saw lots of familiar faces in the crowd.  The whirlwind trip ended with the women’s basketball game against Viterbo, which Luther won!

As for news at Luther, the presidential search committee is continuing their search for Luther’s next president.  We hope they will find a person who is the right fit for our alma mater.   Winter sports at Luther had good seasons this year.  The men’s basketball team finished 18-8 for the season and were crowned the IIAC regular season co-champions, along with Buena Vista University.  Women’s basketball made it into the conference tournament and finished 13-13 this season.  Women’s swimming and diving won their 9th conference championship and their 7th consecutive Liberal Arts Championships title.  Men’s swimming and diving won conference and finished 2nd at the Liberal Arts Championships.  The wrestling team finished 16th at nationals with 3 wrestlers earning All-American honors.

Kudos to all of our classmates who made donations to Luther in 2012.  Our class had 136 donors (26% of our class), whose donations totaled $9,758.00!  Last year over 6,400 alumni donated $4,171,063.83 back to Luther! Hopefully those of you who made pledges during the Senior Giving campaign are fulfilling your pledges!  I just got my pledge payment reminder for the 1st quarter last week and need to send that.  If you haven’t made a donation to Luther, but would like to, use the enclosed envelope or visit giving.luther.edu!

Until next time....Soli Deo Gloria!!

Kelsey Leppert
leppke01@luther.edu

Kelsey Wauters
kewauters@deloitte.com

Alex Ulfers
aulfers@atsu.edu

Class Notes
RACHEL ALBERT is a graduate student in anthropology at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

JENI ARBUCKLE is a software analyst at Software Advice in Austin, Texas.

RACHEL BARCLAY was awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year. Her teaching assistantship is at the Central Institute for Art History in Munich.

HANNAH (BRANDVOLD) ROSHOLT is an administrative assistant at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin, Minn.

JESSE BUNGE teaches grades 7-12 vocal music for the Hampton-Dumont (Iowa) Community School District.

LAURA (DAVIS) DAHLKE teaches first grade for the Austin (Minn.) Public School District.

MITCHELL DEMERS is a mental health practitioner at Therapeutic Services Agency in Pine City, Minn.

KARL GILBERTSON of Minneapolis is an operator at SurModics Inc.

BETH GONIA teaches third grade for the Tomah (Wis.) Area School District.

ANNA GRINDE is cultural coordinator for the Sons of Norway Foundation in Minneapolis.

KARI HOUGHTALING is a member of AmeriCorps and a junior coach with College Possible, a nonprofit organization that aims to assist low-income students achieve access to college and success. She helps students improve ACT scores and begin the college application process.

JORDAN LANG is an accountant for Deere and Company in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

RACHEL LOEFFLER-KEMP completed a year with the ELCA Young Adults in Global Mission program, serving rural communities in South Africa.

JESSICA SNYDER is a paraeducator at South Winneshiek Community School District in Calmar, Iowa.

KARL STREUFERT is the assistant director and a basic services staff member for St. Francis Center in Denver.

MICHELLE VOIGTS teaches kindergarten at Esko (Minn.) School District.

SARA WALSTON is the lead teacher for toddlers at KinderCare in St. Paul, Minn.

Marriages
KRISTI WELLMAN and Zeb Anderson, June 30, 2012
CHRIS BARTELS and LINNEA GRAFFUNDER '10, Sept. 1, 2012
PAUL CARLIN and SAM KEMP '07, Aug. 10, 2012
STEPH SUTTON and Zach Fromm, June 23, 2012
MICHAEL HART and CARAH CLAFLIN '12, Aug. 25, 2012
JACLYN OHNEMUS and PATRICK HUSSEY '12, July 28, 2012
ANDERS LARSON and JENNA NANKE '10, Aug. 19, 2012
NICK NIENHAUS and JARED KRIENER '16, July 21, 2012
HANNAH BRANDVOLD and JOSEPH ROSHOLT, Sept. 29, 2012
SARAH BULGER and JON SHRADER '10, Oct. 13, 2012

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: