Fall 2018
What is up, Class of 2017!
It seems only yesterday that we began our journeys with move-in day, feeling anxious and nervous for what was to come, yet hopeful to begin a new chapter in our lives. For everything there is a season and it is exciting to hear and see where our lives have led us.
It promises to be another action-packed and exciting year as Luther prepares for the incoming Class of 2022! As you plan ahead, we hope that you can join us at Homecoming Weekend, October 26-28! The Black Student Union (BSU) will commemorate its 50th anniversary with several events during Homecoming and throughout the year to celebrate the founding of the organization - so mark your calendars. Second, Luther’s Nursing Department will also observe a birthday - its 40th - this fall. Homecoming Weekend, Kris Dreifuerst ’85 will lead a workshop for nursing educators and deliver the Ironside Distinguished (Alumni) Lecture in Nursing, which will be followed by an open house at Luther’s simulation lab.
Most have heard that President Paula Carlson will retire at the end of the 2018–19 academic year. During her time at Luther, President Carlson added several academic programs to the college, renewed outdoor facilities, expanded Luther’s Career Center services, developed and launched the “Next Steps for Sophomores” program, added a dean of institutional equity and inclusion to Luther’s staff, and achieved Luther’s goal of reducing its carbon footprint by 50 percent by the end of 2015, among other things. Luther’s Board of Regents is taking the necessary steps in the presidential search process with the hope of transitioning leadership over the course of next summer and having a new president in place for the 2019–20 academic year. While changes are afoot at our alma mater, Luther also holds tight to its traditions, like keeping in touch with all of our valued alumni.
We hope you’ll let us know what’s new in your life too!
Sending you all peace and light as you continue your journeys!
Luigi
2017 Class Agents:
Luigi Enriquez
321 Camden Rd.
Iowa City, IA 52245
262-633-4764
[email protected]
Stephanie Duregger
2614 Westview Lane NW
Rochester, MN 55901
641-231-2013
[email protected]
Solveig Nelson
16580 Wild Plum Circle
Morrison, CO 80465
303-647-5199
[email protected]
Samantha Phillips
8010 White Cliff Road
Egg Harbor, WI 54209
920-868-1835
[email protected]
CLASS NOTES
Hannah Bernatz is merchandiser and on premise sales representative at Breakthru Beverage Group in Hartland, Wis.
Madison Brace is an intake patient care coordinator for The VGM Group, Inc. in Waterloo, Iowa.
Berit Breed is client service coordinator at Bluetree Network in Madison, Wis.
Erin Danielson is a community partnerships team member at College Possible in St. Paul, Minn.
Mic Farrin is a support broker with Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan in La Crosse, Wis.
Betsy Fawcett teaches English language at the London School of English in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Connor Fitzpatrick is a mobile developer with Stryd in Boulder, Colo.
Kyla Grau interned at two nongovernmental organizations in Togo, West Africa, after graduation from Luther, and teaches elementary students through the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) in Orléans, France.
Elizabeth Hardy is an adoption worker at Children’s Home Society and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota in St. Paul, Minn.
Kayla Ingvalson teaches sixth grade in the Iowa City (Iowa) Community School District.
Haley Jensen is a registered nurse at Allina Health in Minneapolis.
Marlene Jones teaches English grammar and conversational lab classes at Université de Bretagne Occidentale in Brest, France.
Kyle Knoke is an associate analyst at Nordic Consulting Partners in Madison, Wis.
Sidney Larsen is a language assistant through the Teaching Assistant Program in France (TAPIF) where she works with middle school and high school students on their English and conversation skills at Lycée Robert de Mortain in Mortain, France.
Dagny LeMunyon is staff assistant for Congressman Tom Emmer (R-Minn. 6th District) with the U.S. House of Representatives in Washington, D.C.
Allison Martin is an accountant for CiftonLarsonAllen in Minneapolis.
Allison Meier is a sexual abuse advocate with Family Resources in Davenport, Iowa.
Sara Nelson is a senior research analyst at Optum in Eden Prairie, Minn.
Shari-Ann Pan-Oy is director of marketing and membership at Spencer Family YMCA in Spencer, Iowa.
Eva Peterson teaches English as a second language as a Peace Corps Volunteer in South Africa.
Emma Radtke is associate director of the Minnesota Shopping Center Association in Minneapolis.
Rachel Reimann is head athletic trainer at Fountain Hills (Ariz.) High School.
Jack Ross is a graphic designer at Scholarship America in Minneapolis.
Erin Runquist is project coordinator at Abbott in St. Paul, Minn.
Rebecca Rye is office assistant at Bridges of Hope in Brainerd, Minn.
Jacob Sund teaches fourth grade at Findley Elementary School in Des Moines, Iowa. During the summer, he works for the Johns Hopkins Center for Gifted and Talented Youth in Bristol, R.I.
Adrianna Vazquez is promise fellow at Minnesota Alliance With Youth in St. Paul, Minn.
MARRIAGES
ALEX DANA and RYAN EHRHARDT, Dec. 30, 2017
ANA HAFNER and Patrick Dawn, Sept. 8, 2017
PETER KEPHART and Alice Gullekson, June 9, 2017
KOURTNIE SKILLINGS and Lucas Hunter, July 8, 2017