Luther College

1965 Men's Track and Field Hall of Fame Induction
2025-02-08 10:00 - 23:30 (America/Chicago) | Regents Center North Lobby
Schedule:

10:00 a.m. Hall of Fame Induction for the 1965 Men’s Track and Field Team
11:30 a.m. Start of field events
12:30 p.m. Running events begin
5:00 p.m. Conclusion of the meet
Post-meet: Alumni social at T-Bocks Upstairs

John Strauss Retirement Celebration Recital
2025-02-08 16:00 - 17:30 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Join us for this retirement celebration honoring John Strauss and his contributions to the life of the college. John taught piano lessons, coached chamber music, served as department head, and led study abroad courses since 1975. His long tenure at Luther has produced a legacy of piano students inspired by his dedication to and love for the piano and its literature. Several of those former students will perform in this recital in his honor.
Performers include:

Jordan Buchholtz ’13
Brett Cooper ’09
Nathan Eck ’22
Kyle Knoepfel ’04
Sarah May ’10
Bobby Ragoonanan ’14
Matthew Umphreys ’11

Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Symphony Orchestra and String Faculty Concert
2025-02-09 16:00 - 17:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Symphony Orchestra will perform a joint concert with the Luther College String Faculty in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall at 4:00 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Dorian Orchestra Festival Grand Concert
2025-02-10 17:30 - 18:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Dorian Orchestra Festival will conclude with a Grand Concert in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall at 5:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Alumni and Friends Virtual Book Club
2025-02-11 17:30 - 19:00 | via Zoom
Over four sessions in January and February, you can join fellow alumni and friends to discuss “Demon Copperhead” by Barbara Kingsolver. The book is an updated version of Dicken’s “David Copperfield,“ set in rural Appalachia and covering the themes of socioeconomic inequality, addiction, loyalty, and hope.
There is no cost, but registration is limited. Participants are responsible for purchasing their own book.
The virtual book club will meet on Tuesday evenings, January 21, 28, February 4, 11, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Central Time.
Sign up for the Alumni and Friends Virtual Book Club for Demon Copperhead

Lifelong Learner Seminar: Norwegian-American Pioneer Settlers in Winneshiek County: A Story of Fortitude and Faith
2025-02-12 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-02-19 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-02-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Loyalty Hall, Board Room
The Lifelong Learner Seminars offer an opportunity for local alumni and friends, and area residents to enjoy academic programming at Luther College and engage in meaningful, scholarly dialogue in a college setting.
The four-week sessions are held Wednesdays from 9 a.m.–noon in the Loyalty Hall on the Luther College campus.
Learn more about the sessions and register

Emeriti Colloquium: Luther of Stage and Screen
2025-02-13 15:00 - 16:30 | Baker Commons
Presenters: Bob Larson and Hayley Jackson

Alumni Happy Hour
2025-02-13 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-04-24 17:30 - 19:00 | Pulpit Rock Brewery

Faculty Artist Series: Beth Ray-Westlund, mezzo-soprano
2025-02-13 19:30 - 20:30 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Beth Ray and Nicholas Shaneyfelt will present works by Respighi, Monteverdi, Florence Price, Lori Laitman, and Iowa State composer Jodi Goble. Dr. Ray will be assisted by three of her current voice students (Bella Dassow, Carlie Prymek, Katherine Strum). Each student will sing an 18th-century Italian art song from a standard teaching collection, and Ray will sing the same songs, ‘reimagined’ by 21st-century composers.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Black History Month themed Trivia Night at Impact Coffee
2025-02-13 19:30 - 21:30 | Impact Coffee, Decorah
Join the Black Student Union (BSU) for a Black History Month themed Trivia Night at Impact Coffee. There will be specialty drinks available for purchase.
Sponsored by BSU and Impact Trivia.

SAC Blood Drive
2025-02-14 10:00 - 15:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Mott/Borlaug
Student Activities Council is hosting our yearly blood drive with the Red Cross – appointments are encouraged, walk-ins are welcome. Give the gift of life this Valentine’s Day!

Center Stage Series: Ailey II
2025-02-14 19:30 - 21:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Ailey II combines the energy and athleticism of the best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s outstanding choreographers. Started in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble with a mission to bring African American dance into the mainstream, Ailey II is one of the most enduring and beloved dance companies in America.
Sponsored by Decorah Bank and Trust
PURCHASE TICKETS

Hemp Recital: Mark Severtson, tuba
2025-02-16 16:00 - 17:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Mark Severtson will perform the 2025 Hemp Prize Recital in the Noble Recital Hall at 4:00 p.m..
The Richard C. and Joann M. Hemp Family Prize for Orchestra Performance is given annually to a senior member of the Luther College Symphony Orchestra. The auditioned prize awards students of exceptional performance, talent, musicianship, and leadership.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Decorah Power Discussion with Dave Berg
2025-02-18 17:30 - 18:30 | Valders Hall of Science, 206
Join Decorah Power for an educational event with energy consultant Dave Berg, who specializes in financial services to utilities, especially rate related services. Dave was one of the engineering experts behind the 2018 Decorah feasibility study and has been an expert witness during several rate cases in front of the Iowa Utilities Commission.

DNR Public Meeting
2025-02-18 18:30 - 20:30 | Olin 102
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will hold a public meeting on hunting and wildlife in Olin 102 on Luther’s Campus.

New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble Concert
2025-02-19 19:30 - 20:30 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
The New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble will perform a concert in the Noble Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m..
Learn more about the New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble.
Free and open to the all.

CIES Monthly Movie: Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street
2025-02-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Valders Hall of Science, 206
Join the Black Student Union (BSU) for a showing of Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street. This documentary celebrates the Black cultural renaissance in Tulsa, Oklahoma. It investigates the 100-year old race massacre that occurred there and the lasting effects. Snacks provided.

Faculty Artist Series: Lynne Rothrock, voice
2025-02-20 19:30 - 20:30 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College Faculty member Lynne Rothrock will perform a voice recital in the Noble Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Concert: The Alliance Brass
2025-02-21 19:30 - 21:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Acclaimed as “the perfect blend of virtuosity and vitality” (Chicago Brass Festival), the Alliance Brass has emerged as one of the country’s most exciting ensembles. Dazzling audiences with a repertoire ranging from the early Renaissance to jazz and beyond, the ensemble’s rigorous performance schedule has brought audiences to their feet all over the United States.
See the Full Brass Symposium Schedule

Women's Basketball vs Central College
2025-02-22 14:00 - 16:00
The Norse basketball double-header on Saturday, February 22, marks the final regular season event in the Regents Center gym before the next phase of the Gerdin Fieldhouse renovation. Everyone is invited to a celebration of the decades of competition and camaraderie in the gym. Tip-offs for the games are 2 p.m. (women’s) and 4 p.m. (men’s). Special guests during the halftimes will share reflections, and there will be a gathering for pizza and refreshments on the court afterward.

Brass Symposium Finale Concert
2025-02-22 16:00 - 17:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Symposium Finale Concert will feature a program consisting of performances by Luther College brass students and faculty, the Alliance Brass, and the Symposium Brass Choir. A performance that all brass music lovers will be thrilled to hear, this is one you don’t want to miss!
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel
See the Full Brass Symposium Schedule

Men's Basketball vs Central College
2025-02-22 16:00 - 18:00

Celebration of Regents Center Gym
2025-02-22 18:00 - 20:00
Following the end of the men’s basketball game with Central, a ceremony to celebrate the final regular season event in the Regents Center Gym prior to its conversion into an arena format as a part of the Gerdin Fieldhouse renovation project. Special guest speakers will recall the history of the gym before a ceremonial lights-out and post-game reception.

Admission to this event is part of the men’s and women’s basketball.
read more about this celebration

Faculty Artist Series: Spencer Martin, viola
2025-02-23 14:00 - 15:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College faculty member Spencer Martin will perform a recital in the Noble Recital Hall at 2:00 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Faculty Artist Series: Unison Piano Duo
2025-02-23 16:00 - 17:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College Faculty members Xiao Hu and Du Huang will perform a recital in the Noble Recital Hall at 4:00 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Black History Month Speaker: Dr. Cameron Beatty
2025-02-25 19:00 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall
Join us for a powerful talk by Dr. Cameron Beatty in honor of Black History Month. Cameron Beatty will share his insights and experiences, focusing on issues of race, identity, and social justice. Beatty is an associate professor in the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department at Florida State University.

Rock the Vote for March 4th
2025-02-26 18:30 - 20:30 | Dahl Centennial Union, Marty’s
Rock the Vote with Us!
On March 4th, Decorah is holding a crucial local vote that could impact your college experience—especially your wallet! We’ll break it down with easy-to-understand info on what’s at stake, how to vote, and ways to save money.
The first 75 attendees win a prize. We’re giving away copies of ABCs of Democracy by Hakeem Jeffries, plus stickers and buttons to help spread the word.
POWER-themed Trivia Night @ 7:30 p.m. Test your knowledge with trivia all about electricity, the power of voting, and more. Have fun, win bragging rights, and see why your vote matters.
WING NIGHT! Come for the wings, stay for the fun—and leave ready to make your voice heard!
Hosted by the Luther College Democrats, Decorah Power, and Oneota Valley Literary Foundation

Mind over Matter: Navigating Substance Use and Mental Health
2025-02-27 19:00 - 20:00 | Baker Commons
Family Helping Services of Decorah will give this mental health and substance use training, education, and resource presentation.
All are welcome.
Sponsored by the Luther Social Work Association.

Faculty Artist Series: Organ+
2025-02-27 19:30 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Alexander Meszler and Luther Alum & Visiting Instructor of Music Shayla Van Hal, in collaboration with Luther College music faculty, present a concert of collaborative music for organ and voice/other instruments. This program features a diverse range of styles, from the 16th century to contemporary works, including works by Luther composers Amy Nam and Brooke Joyce.

Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

National Lutheran Choir - Healing: Body, Mind, Spirit
2025-02-28 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The National Lutheran Choir, under the direction of Dr. Jennaya Robison, will perform in Decorah as part of their 2025 Regional Tour. The program will include the premiere of a newly commissioned work by composer Hans Bridger Heruth and lyricist Brian Newhouse to honor the work of healers.
Sponsored, in part, by Decorah Lutheran Church.
The event is free and open to all, but tickets are required.
Get your ticket

Dorian Band Festival
2025-03-02 - 2025-03-03 | Center for Faith and Life and Jenson-Noble Hall of Music
The Dorian Band Festival will take place on March 2 and 3. For more information, please visit the Dorian Band Festival webpage.

Jazz Orchestra and Concert Band Concert
2025-03-02 19:00 - 20:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Jazz Orchestra and Concert Band will perform a Dorian concert in the Center for Faith and Life main hall at 7:00 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Dorian Band Festival Grand Concert
2025-03-03 17:00 - 18:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Dorian Band Festival Grand Concert will take place at 5:00 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life main hall.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Lifelong Learner Seminar: Truman Capote's In Cold Blood
2025-03-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-03-12 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-03-19 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-03-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Loyalty Hall, Board Room

Bringing Them Home: The Search for American MIAs in Underwater Environments
2025-03-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Pulpit Rock Brewery
With over 81,000 Americans missing in action (MIA) from WWII and since, some 5,000,000 of their family members still wait for answers. Dr. Dan Davis’s presentation focuses on the efforts of Project Recover, a team dedicated to searching for and recovering our MIAs in order to provide recognition and closure for families and the nation. Project Recover is focused on the search for MIAs in underwater environments, typically in crashed aircraft. The effort requires painstaking historical and archival research, the use of ocean mapping instruments, and forensic archaeological fieldwork conducted underwater. The presentation highlights projects in Denmark and in the Federated States of Micronesia.
visit the project recover website
Visit the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency website

Musical: Children of Eden
2025-03-06 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-03-07 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-03-08 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for the Arts, Jewel Theatre
Children of Eden is presented as a concert musical through a collaboration between the Music and Visual/Performing Arts Departments. With a book by John Caird and music/lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell, Pippin), the story tackles the principal events of the Book of Genesis and considers the power of curiosity, the impact of generational trauma, and the hope of new beginnings.
In the weeks leading up to the performance, tickets will be available at tickets.luther.edu and at the box office located in the Center for Faith and Life.

Faculty Artist Series: John Cord, trumpet
2025-03-07 19:30 - 20:30 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College faculty member John Cord will perform a recital at 7:30 p.m. in the Noble Recital Hall.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

International Women's Day Tea
2025-03-08 11:30 - 12:30 | Dahl Centennial Union, Peace Dining Room
Sign up to celebrate International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8 from 11:30 to 12:30 p.m. in Peace Dining Room. Learn about International Women’s Day with a talk by Dr. Hongxiao Yu, assistant professor of management, and reflect on your commitment to supporting the women in your life.
Sponsored by the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support, the Center for Academic Enrichment, Residence Life, the History and Accounting departments, and the TDG and ABY sororities.
Sign up to attend the international day women’s tea

Faculty Artist Series: Miko Kominami, paino
2025-03-08 16:00 - 17:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College faculty member Miko Kominami will perform a recital at 4:00 p.m. in the Noble Recital Hall.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Closing Reception and Artist Lecture for: Not Home - Tracing Winter Shadows
2025-03-08 16:00 - 18:00 | Center for the Arts, Wigley-Fleming Gallery
Not Home I Tracing Winter Shadows features works by J-Term artist-in-residence Alyss Vernon.
4 p.m. – Closing reception
5 p.m. – Artist lecture

Afrobeat Stars
2025-03-08 19:30 - 22:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Marty’s
Get ready to vibe, dance, and shine at the most electrifying Afrobeat Stars party of the semester! From the renowned sounds of Fally Ipupa to the chart-topping hits of Burna Boy, Diamond Platnumz, and Tems, this event is all about the music that moves the world. Show up in your best party-stopping outfit inspired by Afrobeat Star Fashion and get ready to dance! Sponsored by AfroNorse.

Benefactor's Organ Recital: Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler
2025-03-09 14:00 - 15:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Luther College is proud to present the annual Benefactor’s Recital featuring organist Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler, Director of Ministries in Music and Arts & Organist at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona. Kubiaczyk-Adler has performed extensively across North America, Europe, and South America. Her innovative programs bridge early and contemporary music, with a particular focus on works by underrepresented composers from Europe and the Americas. In her program, “Organ Music of Eastern Europe and the Americas,” she will explore early music from Eastern Europe, connections between Bach and American composers he influenced, and works by 20th- and 21st-century women composers from both regions. The recital also features Jacob Adler’s jazz-influenced, partially improvised piece. Kubiaczyk-Adler will perform on the 42-stop Robert Sipe Organ in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall.
The recital is made possible by the William B. Kuhlman Endowment for Organ Performance and the Kathryn Ulvilden Moen Fund for Organ and Church Music.
This event is free and open to the public. No reservations are required.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Faculty Artist Series: Kacy Clopton, cello & Du Huang, piano
2025-03-09 16:00 - 17:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College faculty members Kacy Clopton and Du Huang will perform a recital at 4:00 p.m. in the Noble Recital Hall.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Paideia Text and Issues Lecture: "Community Collaboration through Study Away: Case Studies of Tanzania and Roatan"
2025-03-11 19:00 - 20:00 | Baker Commons
Jon Jensen and student collaborators will present the second lecture in the Paideia Texts and Issues Series, “Collaboration for the Common Good.” This presentation will highlight Luther programs in Northern Tanzania and the island of Roatan, Honduras as examples of community collaboration in study away. These are two international locations where Luther has established community-based J-Term courses as well as other opportunities for students to engage with the communities. Luther’s long-standing collaboration with the Maasai of northern Tanzania has been a J-Term course for 20 years with at least eight different faculty. In Roatan, students engage with NGOs in the community as the core of this yearly J-Term course.

Reception to follow.

Faculty Artist Series: Adrianna Tam, soprano
2025-03-12 19:00 - 20:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College faculty member Adrianna Tam will perform a recital at 7:00 p.m. in the Noble Recital Hall.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Emeriti Colloquium: Bach: Musical Encryption
2025-03-13 15:00 - 16:30 | Baker Commons
Presenter: Jim Griesheimer

Center Stage Series: Danú
2025-03-14 19:30 - 21:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Let Danú be your guide on a musical journey across their native Ireland. A vibrant mix of energy and virtuosity, the musicians of Danú are at the top of their game on flute, tin whistle, fiddle, button accordion, bouzouki, and vocals in both Irish and English. They enchant audiences worldwide with everything from “fierce fiddle reels to pensive ballads” (New York Times).
Sponsored by WinnMed
PURCHASE TICKETS

Wandering Heart: A Jazz Gospel Worship Service for Lent
2025-03-16 10:00 - 11:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
College Ministries invites the campus and community to this special worship service on Sunday, March 16 at 10:00 a.m. in the CFL Main Hall. This jazz-centered service features Mike James and Tony Guzman from the Luther Music Department, collaborating with other area musicians. The service encourages us in the good news that nothing can separate us from God’s love, not even a stubborn attitude, a tense heart, or a wandering spirit.
Pastor Melissa Bills, Director of College Ministries, will be preaching and presiding.

Alumni and Friends Virtual Book Club
2025-03-18 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-03-25 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-04-01 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-04-08 17:30 - 19:00 | via Zoom
Over four sessions in March and April, you can join fellow alumni and friends to discuss “James” by Percival Everett. A new take on Twain’s classic “Huckleberry Finn,” “James” is told from the perspective of Jim, the runaway slave who has served as Huck’s literary sidekick for almost 135 years. Now, Jim gets to tell his story as a man running to freedom while trying to save his family. It is compelling and timeless.
There is no cost, but registration is limited. Participants are responsible for purchasing their own book.
The virtual book club will meet on Tuesday evenings, March 18, 25, April 1, 8, 11, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Central Time.
Learn more
(Registration will open on a rolling basis, the month before a session is slated to begin.)

An Evening with Bob: Unusual Historical Truths
2025-03-18 20:00 - 21:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall
Residence Life Welcomes Bob Palmer’s Historical Truths are Truly Stranger than Fiction
Once upon a time, Director of Campus Safety, Bob Palmer did something different than work at Luther College. From the 1980s until coming back to Luther in 2022, Bob worked as an archaeologist, a criminal investigator and as a park ranger for government agencies in both New Zealand and the United States. Over the years, he became a published historian as well as becoming a nationally recognized specialist in cultural property law and investigations, where he occasionally worked undercover cultural property cases with the FBI, and was directly involved in some of the most interesting and controversial cultural property law matters that have occurred in the United States. Through it all, one of his favorite responsibilities was introducing and training park rangers, FBI agents, Assistant US Attorneys and cultural property managers in this intriguing, complex, and extremely fascinating world where historical truths are truly stranger than fiction.
Please join the Residence Life team in the CFL Recital Hall on March 18, from 8-9 p.m. as they host, An Evening with Bob: Unusual Historical Truths. The hour-long program will set the stage for compelling stories by tracing humans out of Africa, followed by many quirky intersections of historical events from around the US and the far corners of the globe. All are welcome to attend.
Watch via live stream

Compassion + Action: Exploring the Social Work Profession
2025-03-19 19:00 - 20:30 | Valders Hall of Science, 362
Join the Luther Social Work Association (SWA) for this chance to meet with social workers from the Midwest. Learn about the profession and experience just how broad the field of Social Work can be. Connect with individuals who work in healthcare, criminal justice, school social work/counseling, and more! Questions? Email SWA at swa@luther.edu.

Center Stage Series School Performance: Hangin' with the Giants
2025-03-20 10:00 - 11:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Recommended for K-4th grade.
Staged as a high-energy TV talk show with an emcee and live band, Hangin’ with the Giants features projected animations of jazz greats such as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Dizzy Gillespie as the show’s guests and includes plenty of opportunities for student participation.
To reserve tickets from your school, please contact Bradley Phillips, phillibr@luther.edu, or 563-387-1293. Community members are welcome as space allows.

Center Stage Series School Performance: Get Hip!
2025-03-20 12:30 - 13:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Recommended for 3rd-6th grade.
At a glance, this is a lively and entertaining introduction to jazz music. Along the way we learn about its cultural origins, how improv works, and why creativity and self-expression matter, and the ways in which being part of an ensemble teaches responsibility, teamwork, and cooperation.
To reserve tickets from your school, please contact Bradley Phillips, phillibr@luther.edu, or 563-387-1293. Community members are welcome as space allows.

CIES Monthly Movie: Six Triple Eight
2025-03-20 18:00 - 20:00 | Valders Hall of Science, 206
During World War II, 855 women of color joined the fight to fix the three-year backlog of undelivered mail. Faced with discrimination and a country devastated by war, they managed to sort more than 17 million pieces of mail ahead of time. Snacks provided.

Upper Iowa Conference Indoor Track Meet
2025-03-21 | Gerdin Fieldhouse, Sports and Recreation Center (SRC)
During the current phase of the Regents Center renovation project, the south lobby and entrance are closed. Access to the SRC for indoor track meets is from the north entrance of Regents Center, or from the upper campus walkways from the Union or CFL parking lot. We encourage everyone to park in the north lot of Regents Center.

Luther College Wood Sale: Used Regents Center Bleachers
2025-03-21 15:00 - 18:00, 2025-03-22 08:00 - 11:00 | Gerdin Fieldhouse
Luther College Facilities Services is selling approximately 1,200 used fir bleacher boards during a special one-time sales event to the public from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, March 21, and 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 22, in the south lobby of the Regents Center. The price is $10 per plank. Luther Book Shop employees will be on-site to accept payment by cash or check.
For questions related to the used bleacher board sale, please contact the Luther College Book Shop between 8:45 a.m. and 4:45 p.m. Monday through Friday by phone at 563-387-1036 or email bookshopweb@luther.edu.

Decorah HS Indoor Track Invitational
2025-03-22 | Gerdin Fieldhouse, Sports and Recreation Center (SRC)

Celebration of Life Memorial for Richard Simon Hanson
2025-03-22 13:00 - 15:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Peace Dining Room
There will be a celebration of life memorial for Richard Simon Hanson, professor emeritus of religion, on Saturday, March 22, 1-3 p.m., in Peace Dining Room, Dahl Centennial Union.
Questions may be directed to Rebecca Berman: rlhberman@gmail.com.
Please rsvp by March 1

16th Annual Kent Finanger '54 Golf Classic
2025-03-24 09:30 - 19:30 | Arrowhead Country Club, Glendale, Arizona
Kent Finanger, a 1954 graduate of Luther, spent his career as a professor in the health and physical education department, chairing the department from 1964 -1996. As a coach, he logged nearly 90 seasons of coaching in five sports: baseball, basketball, cross country, football, and track and field. In honor of Kent Finanger, we invite you to join fellow alumni, families, and friends of Luther College for brunch, a day on the golf course, and dinner – all in support of Norse student-athletes.
Learn more

Northeast Iowa Conference Indoor Track Meet
2025-03-25 | Gerdin Fieldhouse, Sports and Recreation Center (SRC)

Southeast Minnesota HS Indoor Track Invitational
2025-03-27 | Gerdin Fieldhouse, Sports and Recreation Center (SRC)

Behind the Scenes in the Rare Book Room: An Ibsen Celebration
2025-04-01 09:30 - 11:00 | Preus Library, Rare Book Room
Celebrate the (belated) birthday of Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen with an open house in the Rare Book Room on Tuesday, April 1, between 9:30-11:00 a.m. The display will feature the Ibsen first editions recently gifted to Preus Library by Mary Kvamme, along with the first editions previously held by the library. Come and go as you like; there will be birthday festivities, but no formal program. The Rare Book Room is located on the Upper Floor of Preus Library, which is accessible by elevator.

Paideia Text and Issues Lecture: "The Steinway Philharmonic: Community from a Collaborative Pianist's Perspective"
2025-04-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall
Nicholas Shaneyfelt, along with student and faculty collaborators, will present “The Steinway Philharmonic: Community from a Collaborative Pianist’s Perspective.” This is the third lecture in the 2024-25 Paideia Texts and Issues Series: Collaboration For The Common Good.
Reception to follow in Qualley Lounge.
Watch a recording of the lecture

Biology Colloquium: Risks Neonicotinoid Insecticides Pose to the Environment
2025-04-01 19:00 - 20:00 | Valders Hall of Science, 206
Mike Miller is a stream ecologist with Wisconsin’s Department of Natural Resources. He monitors pesticide concentrations in Wisconsin’s streams and rivers, including those in the Driftless Area. Miller will join the meeting virtually to discuss the environmental risks associated with neonicotinoid insecticides (neonics)—a widely used class of synthetic pesticides linked to extensive water contamination and harm to beneficial insect populations.
Neonics, derived from nicotine, are known for their extreme toxicity to both pest and beneficial insects, with studies showing their presence in ground and surface waters at potentially harmful concentrations. Miller will share insights on their impact on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, as well as the economic and regulatory factors surrounding their use.

Sponsored by Iowa Driftless Trout Unlimited and the Luther College Biology Department.

Exhibit Opening: What Were You Wearing
2025-04-01 19:30 - 22:00 | Dahl Centennial Union Art Gallery
All are welcome to the opening of the annual What Were You Wearing exhibit. The exhibit displays clothing items of survivors of sexual assault and shares their stories to raise awareness and break the stigma that clothing warrants sexual violence. What Were You Wearing is available for viewing throughout the first two-and-a-half weeks of April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

NAA Spring Happy Hour
2025-04-03 17:30 - 19:30 | Impact Coffee, Decorah
Join coaches, student athletes, and community members for an evening celebrating Norse Athletics. Hear a few highlights from the year, updates on the renovations to the Gerdin Fieldhouse, all while enjoying Mabe’s pizza! We’ll also toast Renae Hartl on her years of dedicated leadership as Director of Athletics. Attendance is free for this event. Stick around afterwards for trivia hosted by Luther student-athletes.

404: Not Found in Area X Gallery Event
2025-04-04 17:00 - 19:00 | The CEPE, Olin 214
Join the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) for an evening of creative explorations by Luther College students at 404: Not Found in Area X, a pop-up gallery event inspired by the haunting moods and themes of Jeff VanderMeer’s Southern Reach writings.
On April 4 from 5-7 p.m. at The CEPE (Olin 214), you will experience an eclectic collection of student works that engage with radical transformation, the unknown, the uncanny, the permeable, the weird & the eerie–with ecological and climatological changes, with deep focus on birds & fungi and other nonhuman earthlings, with borders and zones that shape our capacities to comprehend and decide how to be alive with others.
The gallery will feature visual art, written works, film, and live performances.
Please wander, reflect, and connect with the creative students of our community.
Jeff VanderMeer will visit campus on April 22 and 23, so this event is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the themes that define his work before hearing from the author himself.
Drop in and out anytime from 5-7p.m., bathe in the atmosphere, and wonder if you can ever really leave Area X.

Dance Marathon Big Event
2025-04-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Marty’s
Luther Dance Marathon would like you to join us for our BIG EVENT and help us raise money for the Iowa Stead Children’s Hospital. We will have games, snacks, and music!

Educated Clowns: A Luther Senior Project by Rosie Baldus
2025-04-04 19:30 - 20:30 | Center for the Arts, 219 (CFA Studio 2)
This is a clown show! Come watch clowns tell stories about how we as a society are losing our connections with each other. Witness funny bits with the audience and epic clown comedy.

ACT Testing
2025-04-05 08:00 - 14:00, 2025-06-14 08:00 - 14:00, 2025-07-12 08:00 - 14:00, 2025-09-06 08:00 - 14:00 | Olin Building
ACT testing is scheduled on the Luther campus.
Register for ACT testing

International Students Cultural Festival
2025-04-05 13:00 - 15:00 | Farwell Clearing (Preus Library Lawn)
The Luther International Students Association & Allies is bringing the world to you with an electrifying Cultural Festival! This isn’t just any event—it’s a vibrant showcase of traditions, stories, and heritage from across the globe.
Students from different countries will proudly share their cultures through unique artifacts, objects, and fascinating displays that highlight what makes their heritage special. This is NOT a fashion show or a fundraiser—it’s a one-of-a-kind experience where you can see, touch, and explore the beauty of global cultures beyond just fashion!
Come celebrate diversity, experience new traditions, and immerse yourself in the richness of cultures from around the world. Don’t miss out—join us for an unforgettable journey!
Rain location: Marty’s

Migrating Melodies
2025-04-05 14:00 - 16:00 | Vesterheim Museum Commons
Join Luther College and Vesterheim for Migrating Melodies, an engaging celebration of music, art, and heritage inspired by Vesterheim’s exhibit Leading with Our Hearts: Nordic, Sámi, and Ojibwe Designs from Nature. Held in tandem with the 200th anniversary of Norwegian emigration to the U.S., this special event features Aurora, performing songs inspired by the exhibit, along with an insightful presentation and an interactive craft experience. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore cultural connections through sound, story, and creativity!

Spring Oratorio: Mozart's Requiem in D minor, Decorah, IA
2025-04-05 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Symphony Orchestra and Nordic Choir will perform Mozart’s Requiem in D minor at Luther College in the Center for Faith and Life. Doors will open at 7:00 PM, and the performance will begin at 7:30 PM. We will feature 5 Luther Alumni Soloists.
Tickets can be purchased by following the link below or at the door.
Purchase your Tickets Here!
Emily Secor ’16
Praised for her “spicy and rich lyric soprano,” (Vocal Arts Chicago) Wisconsin native Emily Secor enjoys performing on and off the operatic stage. Emily has been a frequent artist in Madison Opera productions, having spent two seasons with the company as a Studio Artist (2018-20), and appearing as guest artist during their digital 2020-21 season. Recent performance engagements with Madison Opera include covering “Susanna” in Le nozze di Figaro and the “Trio Soprano” in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, and performing the role of “Diana” in Orpheus in the Underworld. Emily has also held young artist residencies with Des Moines Metro Opera, Haymarket Summer Opera, and Harrower Summer Opera. As an active teaching artist, Emily maintains a private voice studio and regularly adjudicates for the Wisconsin State Music Association’s regional and state festivals. Emily is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa where she received a Master of Music degree and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Laura Krumm ’09
Praised for her “exceptionally beautiful mezzo” by San Francisco Classical Voice, mezzo-soprano Laura Krumm most recently returned to The Metropolitan Opera to cover Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette, sang Eliza in Omar with San Francisco Opera, and traveled to Hong Kong to sing Jane Seymour in Anna Bolena with Musica. Additional recent highlights include her début with LA Philharmonic as Siegrune in Act III of Die Walküre at the Hollywood Bowl under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel; her celebrated Rosina with San Francisco Opera, Mendocino Music Festival, and Sacramento Philharmonic and Opera; and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Reno Philharmonic and Auburn Symphony. In the 2024-2025 season Laura will make her Los Angeles Opera début as Stéphano in Roméo et Juliette, sing her role début as Prince Charming in Cendrillon with Cedar Rapids Opera, appear with Orchestra Iowa as a soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, and return to San Francisco Opera for their production of Idomeneo. The Iowa native earned a Master of Music from the University of North Texas and is a graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.
Jill Phillips ’10
Jill Phillips, mezzo-soprano, is an Assistant Professor of Music in Voice at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. Last summer, she taught voice at the nationally known Lutheran Summer Music Academy and Festival at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, and she looks forward to returning this summer. Most recently, Jill was on the voice faculty at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. In addition to teaching, she remains an active performer. Last fall, she performed at the North Star New Music Festival at Truman State University and performed as a soloist with the Truman State University Wind Symphony. In May, she will perform with the Fox Valley Symphony in Appleton, Wisconsin, and will return to sing with the Elm Ensemble in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in June. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degrees in voice from the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). While at CCM, she sang the roles of Marcellina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, the Old Prioress in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites, and Baba the Turk in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress. Jill earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While at Luther College, she performed in the opera scenes program and the spring opera productions.
Andrew Stenson ’08
American tenor Andrew Stenson, praised by The Wall Street Journal for his “vivid tenor that is both beautiful and full of raw feeling”, is a graduate of The Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artists Program. In addition to singing many of the standard lyric tenor roles, Mr. Stenson has created leading characters in two important World Premieres. He left an indelible impression as Danny Chen in An American Solider with Opera Theater of St. Louis, and had a big personal success as Gen Watanabe in Bel Canto with Lyric Opera of Chicago, where he returned to sing Ferrando in Cosi Fan Tutte. Mr. Stenson has sung such roles as Candide, Tamino in The Magic Flute, Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Tonio in La Fille Du Regiment, Almaviva in The Barber Of Seville and Sprink in Silent Night with the opera companies of Seattle, Minnesota, Dallas, Utah, Palm Beach, Arizona and Washington National Opera. In Europe, he has sung with the Glyndebourne Festival, Garsington Festival, Wexford Festival, and the opera companies of Toulouse and Bordeaux. During the pandemic year, Mr. Stenson participated in several virtual productions produced by Seattle Opera. He appeared in their stagings of Elixir Of Love, Don G,iovanni and Tosca, as well as in a solo recital. In recent seasons, Andrew returned to the opera companies of San Francisco, Minnesota, Colorado, and the Metropolitan Opera.

Zachary Owen ’10
Born and raised in Illinois, American bass-baritone Zachary Owen has performed with such companies as the Glimmerglass Festival, Arizona Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Kentucky Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Central City Opera, Opera North, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Opera Santa Barbara. He has performed the roles of Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Alidoro in La Cenerentola, Ashby in La fanciulla del West, Don Fernando in Fidelio, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Nick Shadow in The Rake’s Progress, Frank Maurrant in Street Scene, the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte, Spencer Coyle in Owen Wingrave, and the title role in Don Pasquale. Mr. Owen is the recipient of numerous awards including the Grace Keagy Award at the Lotte Lenya Competition, the Luther College Brudos Family Prize for Opera Performance and was selected as National Semifinalist at the 2015 Metropolitan Opera National Council Competition. He is an alumnus of the Marion Roose Pullin Studio at Arizona Opera. He holds a BM in Music from Luther College and a MM Voice Performance and Artist Diploma in Opera Performance both from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Organ Studio Recital
2025-04-08 19:30 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Members of the Luther College organ studio present a recital of works on the Robert Sipe Organ.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

The 13th Expedition, Science/Literature
2025-04-09 17:00 - 18:00 | The CEPE, Olin 214
How can scientific field observation fuel eco fiction? At this event, we’ll explore answers to this question by connecting participants’ field observations–to be conducted in advance of this event–with the imaginative work of creating eco fiction of any genre. This event will help us get in the mindset for Jeff VanderMeer’s on-campus visit on April 22-23.

Sihler Lecture: Dr. Janice Willis "Black, Baptist, and Buddhist: How I Learned Non-Violent Activism"
2025-04-09 19:00 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall
In this talk, Professor Willis will discuss how key elements of her life story–marching with Dr. King during the Civil Rights Campaign in Birmingham in 1963, guns on campus at Cornell University in 1969, and later journeying to India and meeting Tibetan Buddhist teachers–gave her a new academic, as well as spiritual, home. Complementing the talk will be a brief PowerPoint presentation of photos from the period.
Jan Willis (BA and MA in Philosophy from Cornell University; PhD in Indic and Buddhist Studies from Columbia University) is Professor of Religion Emerita at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. She has studied with Tibetan Buddhists in India, Nepal, Switzerland, and the U.S. for five decades, and has taught courses in Buddhism for over forty-six years. She is the author of several books and has published numerous articles and essays on various topics in Buddhism—Buddhist meditation, hagiography, women and Buddhism, and Buddhism and race. In 2000, TIME magazine named Willis one of six “spiritual innovators for the new millennium.” In 2003, she was a recipient of Wesleyan University’s Binswanger Prize for Excellence in Teaching. Newsweek magazine’s “Spirituality in America” issue in 2005 included a profile of Willis and Ebony magazine in 2007 named Willis one of its “Power 150” most influential African Americans. In 2012, Jan spent seven weeks in a Buddhist nunnery in Thailand and, in 2013, she walked the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.
This event is sponsored by Sihler Endowed Lecture, OEN Fellowship, Religion, and Identity Studies Departments.
Watch via live stream

Emeriti Colloquium: Palouse Region (E. Washington): Historical Geography, Agricultural
2025-04-10 15:00 - 16:30 | Baker Commons
Presenter: Marv Slind

Flourishing in the Age of Climate Change: Public Lecture
2025-04-10 19:00 - 20:30 | Valders Hall of Science, 206
Author William Throop will give a presentation based on his new book, Flourishing in the Age of Climate Change. The book explores skills we need to successfully navigate the distinctive environmental, social, and economic challenges of the twenty-first century. Our inability to address increasing resource constraints, social conflict, and ecological decline lead many toward a deep pessimism that saps motivation for change.
Drawing on research from environmental science, ethics, psychology, sociology and educational theory, Throop shows why cultivating underdeveloped skills involved in collaboration, humility, frugality and systems thinking can enable flourishing within our context. He also illustrates how we can strengthen such skills individually and how education can scale up their cultivation, which will be essential for achieving sustainability.
While not shying away from the challenges we face, this talk will be a hopeful, practical resource for those who are passionate about creating a world where we can thrive, and where flourishing is widespread.
William Throop is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Environmental Studies and former Provost of Green Mountain College. He is the editor of Environmental Restoration and coeditor of Reason and Culture.

Center Stage Series: ETHEL & Robert Mirabal
2025-04-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Multiple Grammy-winning musician, artist, and storyteller Robert Mirabal, an elder of the Taos Pueblo, teams with the New York–based string quartet ETHEL to weave a gorgeous tapestry with colors from Native America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. At the pinnacle of the program is the Red Willow Suite, a breathtaking blend of music and storytelling.
Sponsored by Emplify Health
PURCHASE TICKETS

Symphonic Band Concert
2025-04-13 15:00 - 16:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Symphonic Band will perform a concert in the Center for Faith and Life at 3 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Faculty Artist Series: Shayla Van Hal, organ
2025-04-13 17:30 - 18:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Luther College visiting instructor in music history Shayla Van Hal will perform a recital in the Center for Faith and Life main hall at 5:30 p.m.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Percussion Concert
2025-04-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
The percussion ensemble will perform a concert in the Noble Recital Hall at 7:00pm.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Paideia Text and Issues Lecture: "Invisible Battles of 'Ordinary' Moms: Disability Advocacy in Iowa"
2025-04-15 19:00 - 20:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall
Anita Carrasco, professor of anthropology, along with Grace McIlrath ’25 and Gray Pitsenbarger ‘25, will present “Invisible Battles of ‘Ordinary’ Moms: Disability Advocacy in Iowa.” This is the fourth lecture in the 2024-25 Paideia Texts and Issues Series: Collaboration For The Common Good.
Reception to follow.
Watch via live stream

Youth Activism in Asia from the 1980s to the 2020s: Repeated Patterns and Dramatic Developments
2025-04-16 17:30 - 19:00 | Olin 102
Are young people in Asia less prone to speak out and perhaps generally politically motivated than those in other parts of the world? Pundits sometimes suggest this is the case, but the history of the last 50 years suggests that there is only one accurate way to answer this question: No! In fact, some of the most important youth protests in the world in the 1980s took place in South Korea and the Philippines, where students helped topple dictatorships, and in Burma and China, where democracy movements late in the decade were impressive even if they were eventually crushed with force. Young people in those and still other parts of Asia have kept taking to the streets since the days of People Power and Tiananmen. In the last decade alone, we have seen dramatic demonstrations, made up of crowds filled with young faces, rock Hong Kong in 2019, Bangkok in 2020, Yangon in 2021, and Seoul late last year.
This talk, by a specialist in East Asian Studies, Prof. Jeffrey Wasserstrom, who has recently been focusing on Southeast Asia as well, will place all of these events, and those of the recent past in particular, into historical and comparative perspective. Prof. Wasserstrom, a historian of China with extensive publications and Chancellor’s Professor of History at the University of California, Irvine, will address topics include similarities and differences between American student movements and those in different parts of Asia, the role of popular culture in Asian democracy movements, and the ways that activists in and exiles from Hong Kong, Thailand, and Burma have been learning from and expressing solidarity with one another since the late 2010s. No RSVP for in-person lecture.
online registration link

Decorah Iowa Scholastic Mountain Bike Race Team Practice
2025-04-16 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-04-21 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-04-23 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-04-28 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-04-30 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-05-05 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-05-07 17:30 - 19:30 | Decorah Parks & Recreation parking lot and East Lawn
In coordination with Decorah Parks & Recreation, the local youth bicycle team will be using the outdoor swimming pool parking lot and the East Lawn green space of Luther College. Please take care when driving through the parking lot area during practice times.

Brass Ensemble Concert
2025-04-16 19:30 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Brass Ensemble will perform a concert in the Center for Faith and Life at 7:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Easter Sunday Worship with First Lutheran Church
2025-04-20 09:30 - 10:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
First Lutheran Church of Decorah will have its Easter Sunday worship service in the CFL Main Hall. All are welcome!

Tau Delta Gamma Spring Blood Drive
2025-04-22 10:00 - 15:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Mott/Borlaug
The annual Tau Delta Gamma Spring Blood Drive is finally here! There is always a need for blood, and your contributions will save many lives.
Give hope on April 22! 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. in Mott-Borlaug
Sign up to donate

Earth Day Celebration with Rec Services
2025-04-22 17:00 - 19:00 | Library Lawn
Celebrate Earth Day outdoors with Rec Services! Join us on Library Lawn for some lawn games like cornhole, flag football, bocce ball, and more. Rec will also provide hammocks for lounging, treats, and music. Feel free to bring your own games or hammocks and enjoy the evening together!

Jeff VanderMeer: One Evening in Area X
2025-04-22 19:00 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall
Please join Jeff VanderMeer for One Evening in Area X when he visits Luther College on April 22nd. Area X is an unsettling concept from VanderMeer’s Southern Reach series–a zone that one enters through obscure borders and inside of which relationships to time, space, self, and ecosystem melt and morph. VanderMeer will discuss the social roles of fiction in uncertain times, the critical need for biology and ecological thinking in this moment, the ethics of rewilding yards, the ecstasies of birding, and more. The event format features VanderMeer in conversation with Andy Hageman, Professor of English and Director of The Center for Ethics and Public Engagement at Luther College, an audience Q&A, and a book sale & signing.
Jeff VanderMeer is the author of Hummingbird Salamander; the Borne novels (Borne, The Strange Bird, and Dead Astronauts); and the Southern Reach series (Annihilation, Authority, Acceptance, and most recently, Absolution), the first volume of which won the Nebula Award and Shirley Jackson Award and was adapted into a movie by Paramount. He has spoken at MIT, Columbia, Yale, and Vanderbilt, and gave the 2024 John Hersey Memorial Address at the Key West Literary Seminar. Environmental nonfiction by VanderMeer has appeared in Time, The Nation, Current Affairs, and Esquire, among others. VanderMeer founded the Sunshine State Biodiversity Group nonprofit in 2023.
This event is free, but a ticket is required.
Get your ticket
Watch via live stream

Concert Band Concert
2025-04-23 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Concert Band will perform a concert in the Center for Faith and Life main hall at 7:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

CIES Monthly Movie: Vai
2025-04-24 18:00 - 20:00 | Valders Hall of Science, 206
Vai is the story of one woman’s journey of empowerment through culture as it plays out across several Pacific nations and various incarnations.
Filmed by nine Pacific filmmakers across seven Pacific islands, you won’t want to miss this film! Snacks provided.

Jazz Band Concert
2025-04-24 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Jazz Band will perform a concert in the Center for Faith and Life main hall at 7:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Tie-Dye for Denim Day: Wear Your Voice
2025-04-25 18:00 - 19:30 | Library Lawn
Denim Day, on April 30, is an annual campaign to raise awareness about sexual violence. The day encourages people to wear denim to show solidarity with survivors and to spark conversations about sexual assault. Join us for this tie-dying event where you can create a shirt to wear with your denim on April 30! Bring a white t-shirt; we will have a limited supply of tees, tanks, and bandanas. We’ll have snacks and all the necessary tie-dye materials (while supplies last). Bring your friends and a blanket. Come hang out and show your support for Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Denim Day!

Jazz Orchestra Homecoming Concert
2025-04-26 16:00 - 18:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College Jazz Orchestra will perform their homecoming concert in the Center for Faith and Life main hall at 4:00 p.m..
View the jazz orchestra program
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Community Worship: Let All the World in Every Corner Sing
2025-04-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Office for College Ministries invites the Luther campus and extended community to this service of songs, readings, and prayers. Worship with us as we celebrate God’s love for all nations and all people. Join us at 10:00 a.m. in the CFL Main Hall. For more information or to volunteer in worship, email ministry@luther.edu.

All You Can Eat Brunch in the Caf
2025-04-27 10:30 - 13:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Cafeteria
Join us for brunch featuring Norwegian-inspired breakfast favorites like scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and fresh dill, french toast bake with lingonberry compote, eggs benedict quiche, and rømmegrøt bars, along with a full complement of lunch fare, salad bar, and allergy-friendly options. Tickets are $12.50 per person and must be purchased by April 22. Reserve your desired dining time at tickets.luther.edu

Rick Steves: "Travel with a Norwegian Sensibility"
2025-04-27 14:30 - 16:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Luther College is thrilled to host Rick Steves for a special talk entitled “Travel with a Norwegian Sensibility.”
Doors Open at 1:45 p.m.
The Center for Faith and Life (CFL) Main Hall will open for seating beginning at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 27. Please note, the CFL does not have an elevator to the balcony. If you have seats located in the balcony and need assistance with stairs, please contact the Luther College Ticket Office (563-387-1357 or tickets@luther.edu) to discuss alternative seating options.
Event is Sold Out
If you have tickets and are unable to use your them, please contact the Luther College Ticket Office so we can help connect you with someone who is still seeking tickets. Reach out at 563-387-1357 or tickets@luther.edu.
Following Rick’s talk, he will sign books in the lobby of the CFL. Autographs are not personalized, and while Rick welcomes people to take photos during the signing, he doesn’t pose for individual shots.
Parking
If you have attended Christmas at Luther in the past, we will use the same parking plans. Areas directly adjacent to the CFL will be entirely reserved for accessible parking. Allow yourself plenty of time to park and walk to the venue. Primary parking locations are the Jenson-Noble lot and Preus Library lot and are designated on this map. When entering an address in your GPS, use 585 Library Street, Decorah, IA 52101 to be navigated to parking lots.
Come to Decorah early for any of the below activities both on campus and in the community.
Community Worship: Let All the World in Every Corner Sing – 10:00 a.m.
The Office for College Ministries invites the Luther campus and extended community to this service of songs, readings, and prayers. Worship with us as we celebrate God’s love for all nations and all people. Join us at 10:00 a.m. in the CFL Main Hall. For more information or to volunteer in worship, email ministry@luther.edu.
All You Can Eat Brunch in the Caf, 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Join us for brunch featuring Norwegian-inspired breakfast favorites like scrambled eggs with smoked salmon and fresh dill, french toast bake with lingonberry compote, eggs benedict quiche, and rømmegrøt bars, along with a full complement of lunch fare, salad bar, and allergy-friendly options. Tickets are $12.50 per person and must be purchased by April 22. Reserve your desired dining time at tickets.luther.edu
Luther College Book Shop Open 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Be sure to visit the Book Shop inside Dahl Centennial Union! Browse our unique selection of Scandinavian goods—books, gifts, and home décor, as well as Luther College branded merchandise and Decorah souvenirs. The Book Shop is institutionally owned, and every dollar stays on campus to directly support students and our Luther community.
Free Admission at Vesterheim Museum from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
On Sunday, April 27th, enjoy FREE admission to Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, in downtown Decorah. Explore Heritage Park, Hanson Vesterheim Commons, and Vesterheim’s Museum Building, showcasing 200 Years of Norwegians in America, a special exhibit commemorating the bicentennial anniversary of the first organized immigration of Norwegians to the United States.
Both the Museum Building and Museum Store are open for extended hours that day, from 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Visit vesterheim.org for more information.
Visit Decorah
Find additional information regarding restaurants, events, nature activities, shops, and more within the community of Decorah at visitdecorah.com.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Major sponsors for this event include Luther College and the Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies, Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, and Minnesota Public Radio, with special support provided by the State Historical Society of Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the Human Endeavor. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Read more

Disc Golf Tournament
2025-04-27 18:00 - 21:00 | Disc Golf Course Hole One
Test your Disc Golf skills. Join us for a chance to win prizes! Everyone is welcome; food and discs will be provided.

Compassion and Action in Social Work
2025-04-29 16:30 - 17:30 | Baker Commons
Dr. Patricia Gilbaugh, Assistant Professor of Social Work, and senior practicum students will reflect on the National Association of Social Workers theme of compassion and action in social work practice.

CelebrAsian: An Asian/Pacific Islander Cultural Experience
2025-04-29 17:00 - 19:00 | The Landing, Decorah
Join us for the third Cultural Community Connections event. This is a partnership between the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES), the Landing Market, and the Asian Student Association and Allies (ASAA) to provide cultural programming for the community in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Month.
The event, centering on “Eats, Education, Engagement,” will feature “Asia on a Plate,” a meal of Vietnamese Com Tam, a pork dish served with jasmine rice, eggs, cucumbers, carrots, and traditional spices; Filipino Maja Blanca, a corn pudding made with coconut milk, corn, and cheese; Indonesian Pisang Goreng ( fried bananas); and Thai Tea.
Cost is $10. For students (with ID) attending any college or university and for children 17 and younger, the cost is $5. No reservations are needed.
April 29, 5-7 p.m., The Landing Market

Cathedral Choir Homecoming Concert
2025-04-29 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Cathedral Choir will perform their homecoming concert under the direction of Mark Potvin, around the theme “In Which We Have Our Life and Breath,” offering musical reflections of nature and humanity. Cathedral Choir is a mixed voice ensemble, consisting of members of the sophomore, junior, and senior classes.
Free and open to the public.
View the program for Cathedral Choir.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Know Your Rights Trivia Night
2025-05-01 17:00 - 19:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Mott/Borlaug
Feeling uncertain about your rights in today’s climate? You’re not alone. Come to Know Your Rights Trivia Night — a fun way to test what you know about your rights and the constitution, challenge some common myths, and connect with others who care about what’s going on!
Hosted by Luther College Democrats

Collegiate Chorale Homecoming Concert
2025-05-01 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Please join friends, family, and supporters of the Luther College Collegiate Chorale, under the direction of Adrianna Tam, for their homecoming concert. The ensemble of select sopranos and altos will present a musical perspective entitled “Meet Us Where We Are.” Bring your friends and join us for a beautiful concert!
Free and open to the public.
View the program for Collegiate Chorale.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Driftless Jazz at The Landing
2025-05-02 19:00 - 21:00 | The Landing, Decorah
It’s an evening of jazz with Luther College’s own Driftless Jazz. Come early for a bite from Justin’s menu. The Buzz will be serving all night long.
There is no charge for this event.

Norskkor and Aurora Concert
2025-05-02 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Luther College choirs, Norskkor and Aurora, will perform a concert in the Center for Faith and Life main hall at 7:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Special Olympics Unified Sports Day
2025-05-03 09:00 - 11:00 | Legacy Field, Carlson Stadium
Join us for this Special Olympics Iowa event that provides opportunities for individuals with disabilities in Winneshiek County to participate in athletic competition. Luther students can register to volunteer and participate in this fantastic event. Open to the general public to watch and enjoy!

Philharmonia and Cello Choir Concert
2025-05-03 12:00 - 14:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College’s Philharmonia and Cello Choir will perform a concert in the Noble Recital Hall at 12:00 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Merry Makers Spring Variety Show
2025-05-03 16:30 - 18:30 | Bentdahl Commons
Merry Makers, the exploratory comedy club, will present comedic sketches, clowns, bards, improv games, puppets, and more at our Spring Variety Show. Join us for a renaissance festival themed show! Rain location: Olin 102

Orchesis Dance Showcase
2025-05-03 19:00 - 20:30, 2025-05-04 14:00 - 15:30 | Center for the Arts, 121 (CFA Studio 1)
Please join Orchesis Dance Club for this free event in CFA Studio 1! We will be performing all of our dance pieces from this year, featuring student and faculty choreography in a variety of styles from hip hop to modern.

Stride Through Their Story: A Journey of Understanding and Fundraising
2025-05-04 11:00 - 15:00 | Outdoor Track
Alpha Beta Psi and Norse Against Sexual Assault present Stride Through Their Story: A Journey of Understanding and Fundraising. Join us for a 5k event benefiting the Riverview Center and survivors of sexual assault. The 5k will start on Luther’s campus with a celebrity race. See your favorite Luther celebrities race around the track and then follow the route for the 5k! We hope to see you there!
Tickets are available at the box office or tickets.luther.edu.

Emeriti Colloquium: Historical Gem in the Mediterranean
2025-05-08 15:00 - 16:30 | Baker Commons
Presenter: Uwe Rudolph

The Sweet Science of Bruising
2025-05-08 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-05-09 19:30 - 21:30, 2025-05-10 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for the Arts, Jewel Theatre
London, 1869. Four very different Victorian women are drawn into the dark underground world of female boxing by the eccentric Professor Sharp. Controlled by men and constrained by corsets, each finds an unexpected freedom in the boxing ring.
As their lives begin to intertwine, we travel with them through the world of the privileged class, a Yorkshire coal mine, and the back alleys of London, where the women fight inequality as well as each other. But with the final showdown approaching, only one can become the Lady Boxing Champion of the World…
Joy Wilkinson’s play The Sweet Science of Bruising is an epic tale of passion, politics and pugilism, directed by Kristen Underwood.
Content Advisory: The Sweet Science of Bruising depicts violence and other material that some may find disturbing.
Get tickets

Spring Opera: Tour de Farce
2025-05-09 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Luther College Opera Theatre presents “Tour de Farce,” featuring scenes from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte (Magic Flute) and Don Giovanni. An homage to early touring opera companies in the United States, with two different scenarios of what can go wrong when attempting to take opera ‘on the road!’

Directed by Andrew Whitfield, music directed by Nicholas Shaneyfelt. With the Luther College Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Daniel Baldwin. In the CFL Main Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available through the Luther College Ticket Office.
Buy Your Tickets Here

DECORIDE Spring 2025 Edition
2025-05-10 09:00 - 14:00 | Luther College Bell for starting at 9 a.m. and Pulpit Rock Brewing Company
DECORIDE is a welcoming bike tour for all, supporting the Decorah Community Free Clinic. Hosted by Luther College and the Decorah community, it unites riders for a great cause. Enjoy an 11-mile scenic ride on Trout Run Trail with refreshing stops along the way. More than a ride, it’s a movement for positive change. Join us and make a difference!
learn more and register
Sponsored by Luther College, Center for Sustainable Communities, Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, Landing Market, and Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce.

Spring Art Sale
2025-05-10 10:00 - 14:00 | The Landing, Decorah
The Landing Market and Luther Art Program are hosting this Spring Art Sale featuring the work of Luther College students.

Luther Symphonic Band Concert at Phelps Park
2025-05-10 13:00 - 14:30 | Phelps Park, Decorah
The Luther College Symphonic Band will perform a concert at Phelps Park in Decorah at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10. All are welcome!
Sponsored by Decorah Public Library

A Cappella Serenade at The Landing
2025-05-11 11:00 - 12:00 | The Landing, Decorah
On this Mother’s Day, treat your mom or someone like a mom to breakfast or lunch from Justin’s, smoothies or bowls from Root 43, coffee and sweet treats from The Buzz and Tandem, all while enjoying uplifting music performed by a cappella groups from Luther College. The groups – Undeclared, Beautiful Mess, and Uptempo! will perform contemporary hits along with classics from various genres. Best yet, this serenade is free!

Luther Ringers Concert
2025-05-11 15:00 - 16:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
The Luther College Ringers will perform a concert in the Noble Recital Hall at 3 p.m..

2025 Norse Awards
2025-05-13 19:00 - 21:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Join us for the evening as we celebrate Luther Athletics and award our 2025 Norse Award recipients!

Bicentennial Alumni Gathering: "200 Years of Norway in North America"
2025-05-15 14:45 - 18:30
You are cordially invited to a special alumni event commemorating the 200th anniversary of Norwegian immigration to North America, a pivotal moment in our shared history. Join us as we celebrate “200 Years of Norway in North America”.
Date: Thursday, May 15, 2025
Time: Registration will open at 2:45 p.m. (14:45)
Doors will close at 3:30 p.m. (15:30)
Program begins at 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. (16:00 – 18:30)
Location: Fanehallen, Akershus Festning, Oslo, Norway
purchase a ticket
In 1825, the Restauration set sail, carrying 52 Norwegians to new lives across the Atlantic. This journey initiated a wave of immigration, with over a third of Norway’s population eventually making the voyage. Today, nearly 5 million North Americans proudly claim Norwegian heritage, a testament to the enduring ties between our continents.
In partnership with the Norway-America Association (NORAM) and the Norwegian Sister Colleges (Augsburg University, Augustana University, Concordia College, Luther College, Pacific Lutheran University, and St. Olaf College), this bicentennial celebration will honor a shared legacy and reunite alumni. We are delighted to announce that His Majesty the King will be in attendance, the former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Defense Ine Eriksen Søreide will deliver the keynote address, and we will feature a special musical performance to enhance our celebration. President emerita Jenifer K. Ward will be in attendance representing Luther College at the event.
Additional Details, Registration and Cost:
Ticket includes food and drinks (hours d’eouvres)
The cost to attend this event is NOK 300.
Dress code: Business attire
Space is limited, so we encourage you to register as soon as possible. The RSVP deadline is April 4, but spots may fill up before then.
Register to attend
Sponsored by Luther College, St. Olaf College, Augsburg College, Augustana College, Concordia College and NORAM

Ultra Mega Mega
2025-05-16 18:00 - 21:00 | Center for the Arts
Join us for this open gala throughout the entire CFA featuring the semester coursework and final projects by students across all creative arts from Art, Dance, Theatre, Musical Theatre, and Visual Communication.

Friday Showcase Concert with Nordic Choir and Concert Band
2025-05-23 19:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Friday Showcase Concert featuring Nordic Choir and Concert Band will take place in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall at 7:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Saturday Showcase Concert with Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra
2025-05-24 13:30 - 15:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Saturday Showcase Concert with Symphony Orchestra and Jazz Orchestra will take place in the Center for Faith and Life main hall at 1:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Community Forum: Improving Employee and Family Health
2025-05-28 11:00 - 13:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Peace Dining Room
Join Decorah Community Leaders and the UI College of Public Health for a Community-Wide Forum: Improving Employee and Family Health.
Wednesday, May 28, 2025
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Luther College
Dahl Centennial Union, Peace Dining Room 2nd floor
525 Luther Dr. Decorah, IA 52101
There is no charge to attend the forum.
Lunch is included.
Register to attend

Who should attend:
Any area employer or community organization leader interested in having a healthy and productive workforce.
What will be discussed:
Resources for employers to improve health and wellness for workers and their families in the areas of:

mental health: resources for employees and their families.
older adult care: resources for employees caring for older family members, and dementia friendly business trainings.

The forum will feature panelists:
Krista Vanden Brink, Administrator, Winneshiek County Public Health
Kelly Kuennen, Family Caregiver Specialist, NEI3A
Ryan Carnahan, Professor, Epidemiology, UI College of Public Health
Ronald Hougen, Psychologist and Chair, Behavioral Health, WinnMed
Jonathan Platt, Assistant Professor, Epidemiology, UI College of Public Health
A question and answer session and small group discussion will follow the panel.
Co-sponsored by: Decorah Area Chamber of Commerce, Winneshiek Public Health, WinnMed, and Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging

Town Hall with U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson
2025-05-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Representative Ashley Hinson is conducting a town hall open to the general public on Wednesday, May 28, at 2–3 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life.

Juneteenth Lunch & Learn
2025-06-11 12:00 - 13:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Mott Room
The Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) hosts this lunch & learn about the Juneteenth holiday. Bring your lunch and join us in the Mott Room, Noon- 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 11 for a showing of the documentary, Juneteenth: Faith and Freedom from PBS.

Tennis Camp
2025-06-12 08:00 - 2025-06-15 17:00 | Luther College
learn more

Dorian Middle School Summer Camp
2025-06-15 - 2025-06-21 | Luther College
Dorian Middle School Summer Camp will take place from June 15–21.

Middle School Dorian Summer Camp
2025-06-15 08:00 - 2025-06-21 17:00 | Luther College Campus

Juneteenth Cultural Excursion with CIES
2025-06-21 09:00 - 18:00
To commemorate Juneteenth, the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) is hosting a day trip on Saturday, June 21 to Waterloo, IA. We will go to the African American Cultural and Historical Museum, lunch at Rodney’s Kitchen, and attend Waterloo’s Juneteenth Festival. The trip will depart from Dahl Centennial Union at 9 a.m., returning at 6 p.m. The cost is $10 per person which includes transportation, museum admission, and lunch.
For any questions, email cies@luther.edu.
Sign up for the Juneteenth Excursion with CIES

Dorian Middle School Small Ensemble Grand Concert
2025-06-21 13:00 - 14:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Dorian Middle School Small Ensembles will perform a concert in the Center for Faith and Life at 1:00 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Dorian Middle School Large Ensemble Grand Concert
2025-06-21 14:30 - 16:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Dorian Middle School Large Ensembles will perform their Grand Concert in the Center for Faith and Life at 2:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Dorian High School Summer Camp
2025-06-22 - 2025-06-28 | Luther College
Dorian High School Summer Camp will take place from June 22–28.

High School Dorian Summer Camp
2025-06-22 08:00 - 2025-06-28 17:00 | Luther College Campus

Wrestling Big Man Camp
2025-06-25 08:00 - 2025-06-29 17:00 | Luther College

CIES Pride Month Lunch and Learn June 25
2025-06-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Nobel Room
Join the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) for a showing of “Screaming Queens,” on Wednesday, June 25, in the Nobel Room. This documentary from KQED Arts is about the drag queens who fought back at a Compton cafeteria in 1966 and highlights an important part of Trans and Queer history. The lunch and learn goes from noon–1 p.m., and attendees should bring their own lunch. Contact cies@luther.edu with any questions.

Dorian High School Small Ensemble Grand Concert
2025-06-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Dorian High School Small Ensemble Grand Concert will occur in the Center for Faith and Life at 1:00 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Dorian High School Large Ensemble Grand Concert
2025-06-28 14:30 - 16:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Dorian High School Large Ensembles will perform their Grand Concert in the Center for Faith and Life at 2:30 p.m..
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Wrestling Team Camp 1 (Boys)
2025-07-09 08:00 - 2025-07-12 17:00 | Luther College

Wrestling Team Camp (Girls)
2025-07-15 08:00 - 2025-07-17 17:00 | Luther College

Ustav Trip to Rochester with CIES
2025-07-19 10:30 - 20:00 | Meet in Front of Dahl Centennial Union
The Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) invites you to experience Utsav: Festival of Colors, a vibrant celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the Asian Indian community, on Saturday, July 19, in Rochester. Enjoy delicious food, captivating dance performances, and mesmerizing music; join the color throw; and explore an array of products available for browsing.
After departing from the Dahl Centennial Union at 10:30 a.m., we will enjoy lunch at an Indian restaurant, spend a few hours at the Apache Mall, and end the afternoon at the Utsav festival. We expect to return to campus at 8 p.m. The cost is $5, which covers the event ticket, lunch, and transportation.
Please RSVP for the trip through this form; pay the ticket cost at the CIES office. If you have any questions, contact cies@luther.edu.

Wrestling Team Camp 2 (Boys)
2025-07-20 08:00 - 2025-07-23 17:00 | Luther College

Soccer Instructional Camp
2025-07-21 08:00 - 2025-07-24 17:00 | Luther College

Soccer Mini Camp
2025-07-21 08:00 - 2025-07-24 17:00 | Luther College

Book Signing with Dave Ellingson '69
2025-07-25 09:00 - 10:30 | Dahl Centennial Union, Book Shop
The Book Shop will host Luther alum David Ellingson (’69) for a book signing of Paddle Pilgrim: Kayaking the Fjords of Norway.

Luther Norwegian Meatball Dinner
2025-07-25 16:00 - 19:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Cafeteria
Menu:
Norwegian Meatballs with Nutmeg Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
Sautéed Green Beans and Carrots
Luther Dinner Rolls with Whipped Butter
Salad Bar
Rommegrot Bars
Tickets and Walk-In Purchases Available
Adults: $15 per person
Kids, 6-10: $8 per person
RESERVE YOUR MEAL TICKETS

Decorah-area NAA Golf Outing
2025-08-11 10:00 - 16:00 | Oneota Golf and Country Club
Join fellow Norse alumni, parents, coaches, and friends for a day of golf!
4-person Best Shot tournament
$125 per player / $500 per team
Entry fee includes green fees and riding cart, free range balls, team and hole prizes, and lunch (provided during play)
Final Reception, Hole Prizes, and Swag Gifts around 4 p.m.
Become a sponsor
Register Today!

Lifelong Learner Seminar: The Bach Cantatas II
2025-09-03 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-10 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-17 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-09-24 09:00 - 12:00 | Loyalty Hall, Board Room
The Lifelong Learner Seminars offer an opportunity for local alumni and friends, and area residents to enjoy academic programming at Luther College and engage in meaningful, scholarly dialogue in a college setting.
The four-week sessions are held Wednesdays from 9 a.m.–noon in Loyalty Hall on the Luther College campus.
Learn more about the sessions and register

Norse Athletic Association Fall Luncheon
2025-09-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Peace Dining Room
Join us for our fall luncheon on Friday, Sept. 5, at noon in Peace Dining Room to welcome Luther’s new Athletics Director Megan Wilson, connect with fall season coaches, and hear updates on the Gerdin Fieldhouse construction. We can’t think of a better way to kick off an exciting fall season than lunch with our biggest Norse Athletics fans! Registration is now open. Lunch is $15 per person.
REGISTER FOR THE LUNCHEON

Music Faculty Showcase Recital
2025-09-07 16:00 - 17:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
The Music Department faculty will perform a recital in the Center for Faith and Life. The recital will begin at 4:00 p.m.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

The Ground We Share: Conversations on Soil, Food, and Health
2025-09-09 18:30 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life
Join us for a keynote presentation by Anne Bikle linking soil to human health. Immediately following, we will feature a panel of local/regional farmers and health care providers joining in conversation to share their soil-food-health stories. Doors open early to engage in related interactive exhibits!
Center for Faith and Life, Luther College
Presented by Luther College Center for Ethics and Public Engagement in collaboration with the Regenerating Soil and Community Project and other Decorah organizations.
Free and open to the public
6:30-7:30pm: Pre-Event:Doors open for interactive exhibits to experience soil, food, and human health

Engage with soil health & water quality demonstrations (Regenerating Soil and Community Student/Faculty team)
Learn about regenerative agriculture practices (Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District)
Experience and taste healthy food produced from the Driftless (Oneota Food Co-op)
Peruse and check out gardening, cooking, and health books (Decorah Public Library)
Connect with expertise elevating that food is health (Erin Meyer, MSFS RD)

7:30 pm: Presentation by Anne Biklé: Linking Soil Health to Human Health
Prelude: Dance performance by Luther College Orchesis Dance Group & faculty guests
Is it true that you are what you eat? Not entirely. The full story lies in how we grow the crops and raise animals that make their way into our bodies. Biklé will draw on her most recent book, “What Your Food Ate: How to Heal Our Land and Reclaim Our Health“, co-authored with her husband David Montgomery. Recent and forgotten science reveal intimate connections between soil health and human health traveling along a pathway that winds through soil, the bodies of crops, livestock, and microbiomes, eventually reaching us.
About Anne Biklé
Anne Biklé is a science writer and public speaker drawing on her background in biology and
environmental planning to explore humanity’s tangled relationship with nature through the lens of agriculture, soil, and food. She is particularly enthralled with the botanical world and its influence on humanity throughout history. With the help of mulches and microbes she has coaxed many a plant into rambunctious growth or nursed them back from the edge of death.
Biklé is the co-author of two books, What Your Food Ate and The Hidden Half of Nature. Both are collaborations with her husband geologist, David Montgomery. Her writing has appeared in print and digital media including Nautilus, Natural History, and Best Health. Her regenerative gardening practices have been featured in independent and documentary films and interviews with her can be found on a range of podcasts and radio programs that focus on farming, food, and human health.
Contact for Anne
web: www.Dig2Grow.com || email: Dig2Grow@gmail.com
8:30 pm: Soil, Food, and Health Conversation and Q&A with an award-winning panel of local/regional soil and human health care providers:
Wendy Johnson, Organic and conventional farmer, livestock grazier and entrepreneur. Owner and operator of Jóia Food and Fiber Farm, and Jóia Sleep. Co-manager and director of Center View Farms. Charles City, Iowa. 2024 Iowa Aldo Leopold Conservation Award winner.
Biography
Wendy Johnson is an organic and conventional grain farmer and grazier in Northeast Iowa and writer and public speaker on the intersections of climate and agriculture. She and her husband Johnny own and operate Jóia Food & Fiber Farm, a diversified regenerative organic farm growing food-grade grains, grazing ewes, grass-finishing lambs and cattle, custom grazing cow/calves and selling direct to consumer meats, grains and other edibles. They collaborate with other local farms to help build a robust food shed. She founded Jóia Sleep in 2020, a wool bedding business utilizing their sheep’s wool. Wendy also co-manages her family farm with her father, a 1200 acre conventional row-crop farm practicing extended crop rotations, no-till, cover cropping and have added several prairie strips in their traditional corn/soy fields. In the last five years, Wendy and Johnny have invested in agroforestry practices, adding trees and shrubs to enhance diversity and resiliency to the land and animals. Wendy is an active advocate of all things organic, perennial and promoter of diverse enterprises and people on the land. Her curiosity, passions and experiences have led her to leadership opportunities as former chair of the Iowa FSA state committee, former board member and chair of Practical Farmers of Iowa, and more currently steering committee member of the Rodale Institute Midwest Organic Center, farmer consultant and federal agriculture policy co-lead for Climate Land Leaders, Perennial Promise Growers Cooperative board member and chair, Regenerative Agriculture Foundation board member, Land Stewardship Project’s program committee member and numerous other local, state, regional and national board and committee roles.

Robby Jewell ‘14, 6th generation organic/conventional livestock and crop farmer and co-owner of Jewell Enterprizes, Decorah, IA. 2024 Excellence in Agriculture Decorah Chamber of Commerce Award winner. Nominated for 2025 Iowa Aldo Leopold Conservation Award.
Biography
Robby Jewell is co-owner of Jewell Enterprizes, a 1600-acre farm located in NE Iowa near Decorah. The farm includes stretches of the Upper Iowa River, a portion of Ten Mile Creek (a coldwater trout stream with naturally-reproducing brown trout), and many Driftless Area features including a waterfall, sinkholes, and springs. The farm produces organic turkeys (40,000 raised annually) and pasture-raised pork (100 hogs direct-marketed to consumers). The beef cow/calf operation consisting of 200 cows (calves on pasture) is rotationally-grazed through established pastures, silvopastures, and crop/cover crop fields. Organic crops of corn, oats, barley, peas, and alfalfa make up roughly 500 acres and conventional crops of corn and beans are planted on 250 acres. In a commitment to long-lasting stewardship and farm heritage, the Jewells have 696 acres in an Agricultural Land Easement with the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – the largest such easement in the state. Jewells also have 95 acres in the Emergency Wetland Program, maintain timber on over 600 acres of highly erodible land, and are actively restoring native oak savannah. The farm uses no-till, cover crops, mob intensity grazing, and a diverse crop rotation – all practices that protect soil health and help manage floodplain. Jewell Enterprizes received the 2024 Excellence in Agriculture Award from the Decorah Area Chamber. Robby is a sixth-generation farmer on a farm started in 1876. He is motivated to keep the farm in the family for future generations and continue the legacy that his ancestors worked so hard to achieve. Robby works year-round with his parents and co-owners Bob and Paula Jewell. Robby is currently a nominee for the 2025 Iowa Aldo Leopold Conservation Award.

Carly Zierke, Organic vegetable farmer and co-owner of Sweet Season Farm, a certified organic vegetable farm in Calmar, IA. Board member of Decorah Farmers Market and Oneota Community Food Co-op.
Biography
Carly Zierke is the co-owner of Sweet Season Farm, a certified organic vegetable farm in Calmar, Iowa, where she farms with her husband, Ethan Zierke. She believes more of our food can and should be grown right here in Iowa, and that we already have the soil and the skills to do it. At Sweet Season Farm, they grow vibrant, nutrient-dense vegetables available nine months out of the year and serve over 75 members through their market share program. Their growing methods center on long-term soil health, using cover crops, compost applications, and diverse crop rotations to build resilience and grow better food. Known for quality produce, practical veggie education, and soil-centered growing practices, Sweet Season Farm helps customers make the most of local food, starting with what’s in their fridge and what’s in season. They help customers solve everyday questions, like whether or not to peel farm-fresh carrots and how to keep salad greens crisp all week long. Through weekly emails, social media, and market conversations, Carly shares real-life tools that make local food easier to use and harder to waste. She also serves on the boards of the Decorah Farmers Market and Oneota Community Food Co-op, contributing her firsthand experience as a grower to local food conversations.

Jake Larkin ‘12 PA-C. Lead Physician Assistant in hospital medicine and clinical preceptor, Emplify Health by Gundersen, La Crosse, WI. Co-founder of plant partners group, which developed the Emplify Health rooftop/hospital farm. 2018 Main Campus Educator of the Year.
Biography
Jake is a lifelong gardener, Luther College graduate (’12) and physician assistant, working in hospital medicine in La Crosse since 2015. He is a clinical preceptor and past advisory board member with the UW-La Crosse PA program, lead PA for the hospital medicine group, and member of the WI Food as Medicine Coalition. Prompted by his experience working in the covid unit throughout the pandemic, Jake co-founded a volunteer grassroots employee group called Plant Partners. Among other projects, the group started a rooftop vegetable garden for employees, which sees several thousand visits annually. After an inspirational experience at Rodale Institute’s inaugural Regenerative Healthcare Conference in 2022, Jake has been volunteering to lead the establishment of an on campus hospital farm, which will use food and farming as outreach at the intersection of population health, lifestyle medicine (healthy eating, physical activity, social connection, stress reduction, avoiding harmful substances, and restorative sleep), and environmental stewardship. When not at work or in the garden, he is striving to be a great father to a newborn baby girl, cooking Harmony Valley’s CSA vegetables, or exploring the Driftless area’s beautiful landscapes by bike, foot or skis with his friends, wife, two dogs and hopefully fly rod.

Erin Meyer, MSFS, RD
Executive Director and Founder, Basil’s Harvest
Clinical Associate and co-founder of Cook Well, Eat Well, Live Well Culinary Medicine program, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria
Biography
Erin is the Founder and Executive Director of Basil’s Harvest, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting human and planetary well-being through regional food systems. Basil’s Harvest envisions a vibrant food industry that supports diverse farming families, healthy soils, and resilient ecosystems. Erin is also a Clinical Associate at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria. She co-founded the Cook Well, Eat Well, Live Well Culinary Medicine program, where Family Practice Residents integrate culinary skills and nutrition to promote holistic health. Erin holds a Master of Sustainable Food Systems and is a registered dietitian. Before founding Basil’s Harvest, she directed a nonprofit providing experiential sustainable food system programming to culinary and healthcare professionals. She also owned a wholesale and retail business that supported regional organic growers and was a certified diabetes educator. Through her work, Erin leads the Coalition of Regenerative Ag Food Health Professionals (CRAFH) initiative, a transdisciplinary team dedicated to promoting a systems approach embodied in the motto “Healthy Soil Growing Healthy Foods for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet.” This initiative emphasizes research, education, and outreach to achieve its goals. Erin loves spending time with her adult daughters (when they have time for her), playing pickleball, being in the garden, and creating meals through simple preparation that highlight the ingredients. She enjoys kombucha, a tasty glass of wine, and a nice cold IPA.
Sponsors
The following have made Bikle’s four-day visit/events in the Decorah area possible: Basil’s Harvest, Bouska Sisters’ Farm, CM CO-Learn Project (Federal Grant Number NA23OAR4310629 from the Climate Program Office at NOAA), Davi Design Co., Decorah Bank & Trust Co., Decorah Public Library, Emplify Health by Gundersen, Iowa Food Hub, Luther College Center for Ethics and Public Engagement, Luther College Center for Sustainable Communities, Northeast Iowa Dairy and Agricultural Foundation, Oneota Community Food Co-op, Oneota Valley Literary Foundation, Pheasants Forever, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Regenerating Soil and Community Project, Seed Savers Exchange, Serenity Ridge Farm, and Winneshiek County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Emeriti Colloquium: New Counseling Minor
2025-09-11 15:00 - 16:30 | Baker Commons
Presenter: Joe Breitenstein

Center Stage Series: Laura Loge & Steven Luksan
2025-09-11 19:30 - 21:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Crossings Concert: Musical Migrations
Join Luther College for a special night exploring the lives and works of Norwegian American composers as we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Norwegian immigration to North America. Pianist-composer Steven Luksan and soprano Laura Loge share newly uncovered works that blend cultures and showcase the challenges, humor and poetry of adjusting to a new home.
Presented in collaboration with the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum Folk Art School, this concert is supported in part by a generous gift to the Vesterheim Annual Fund from Carol Birkland and Tom Woxland.
learn more and PURCHASE TICKETS

Luther College Writers Festival
2025-09-12 - 2025-09-13 | Luther College
Celebrating the rich diversity of contemporary writing, Luther College is hosting the eighth biennial Luther College Writers Festival Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12-13, 2025.The weekend includes keynote addresses, featured writers, readings, panels on craft, translation, and publishing, a book sale and more.
The 2025 Luther College Writers Festival is the eighth incarnation of an event first held in 2007 to explore the deep and diverse ways in which highly crafted literature in all genres explores the human condition and activates the spiritual and moral imagination of readers.
Why attend the luther college writers festival?
Luther College Writers Festival Schedule and Registration

Author Biographies

Michael Bazzett | Author

Michael Bazzett is the author of four collections of poetry, most recently The Echo Chamber (Milkweed Editions, 2021), as well as a verse translation of the creation epic of the Maya, The Popol Vuh (Milkweed, 2018), named by the New York Times as one of the best poetry books of 2018. His translation of the selected poems of Humberto Ak'abal, If Today Were Tomorrow, was published by Milkweed in 2024. The recipient of fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts in both poetry and translation, he lives in Minneapolis.

Megan Mayhew Bergman | Author

Megan Mayhew-Bergman is an author, speaker, and teacher who writes about the natural world and remarkable women in a science- and art-forward way - and likes to help others do the same. She is the author of three books, Birds of a Lesser Paradise, Almost Famous Women, and How Strange a Season. As a journalist, essayist, and critic, she has written columns on climate change and the natural world for The Guardian and The Paris Review. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper’s Bazaar, and elsewhere. Her short fiction has appeared in Best American Short Stories 2011 and 2015, and on NPR’s Selected Shorts.Currently, Megan serves as Director of Middlebury College’s Creative Writing Program and the Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference.

Jennifer Case | Author

Jennifer Case is the author of We Are Animals: On the Nature and Politics of Motherhood (Trinity University Press, 2024) and Sawbill: A Search for Place (University of New Mexico Press, 2018). Her essays have appeared widely in journals such as The Rumpus, Orion, Ecotone, Literary Mama, and North American Review, among others. She teaches at the University of Central Arkansas and serves as an assistant nonfiction editor at Terrain.org. You can find her at www.jenniferlcase.com.

Giano Cromley | Author

Born and raised in Montana, Giano Cromley is the author of two young adult novels and a collection of short stories. He is a recipient of an Artist Fellowship from the Illinois Arts Council and was a BookEnds Fellow with Stony Brook University. He is an amateur woodworker, a certified wildlife tracker, and an English professor at Kennedy-King College, where he is chair of the communications department. He lives on the Southside of Chicago with his wife and two dogs. [photo credit: Jeff Bohman]

Tamara Dean | Author

Tamara Dean is an author of fiction and nonfiction whose most recent book, Shelter and Storm: At Home in the Driftless (University of Minnesota Press, 2025), is about living mindfully with nature and community in a time of uncertainty. Her work has appeared in the American Scholar, the Georgia Review, the Guardian, One Story, Orion, STORY Magazine, the Southern Review, and elsewhere. Her essay "Safer than Childbirth" received a 2024 Pushcart Prize special mention and "Slow Blues" was named a 2021 National Magazine Award finalist. More at www.tamaradean.media.

Katherine Hannigan | Author

Katherine Hannigan is the author of the national bestseller and award-winning middle-grade novel Ida B ( ...and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and Possibly Save the World), as well as True ( ...Sort Of), an Amazon.com Best New Children’s Book of 2011. She wrote and illustrated Dirt + Water = Mud (a 2019–20 Iowa Goldfinch Award nominee), Emmaline and the Bunny (Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2009), and Gwendolyn Grace (Atlanta Parent Best Books of 2015). She has undergraduate degrees in education and math and painting and an MFA in studio art. She has worked as an education coordinator for a large Head Start program in New York state and as an assistant professor of art and design at Iowa State University. Currently, she writes, and works on an organic vegetable farm in northeast Iowa.

Patrick Hicks | Author

Patrick Hicks is the author of more than 10 books, including The Collector of Names, This London, Adoptable, In the Shadow of Dora, and Across the Lake. He also wrote the critically and popularly acclaimed novel The Commandant of Lubizec. His work has appeared on NPR, The PBS Newshour, American Life in Poetry, and his first novel held company among only 20 books selected for National Reading Group Month. Hicks has been nominated seven times for the Pushcart Prize, won the Glimmer Train Fiction Award, and has been a finalist for the High Plains Book Award, the Steinberg Essay Prize, the Screencraft Cinematic Book Award, and an Emmy. A former visiting fellow at Oxford, he has won a number of grants, including from the Bush Artist Foundation, the Loft Literary Center, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. After living in Europe for many years, he now lives in the Midwest, where he is the writer-in-residence at Augustana University as well as a faculty member in the MFA program at the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. His latest book is Greater Minnesota.

Lovar Davis Kidd | Author

Lovar Davis Kidd, known as L.D., is an interdisciplinary performer, choreographer, and abstract artist from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dedicated to amplifying marginalized voices, his work often incorporates immersive artistic experiences and social justice themes. L.D. holds an MFA in choreography from the University of Iowa, where his research explored the connections between contemporary movement practices, Black vernacular aesthetics, and technology.

Drawing from his biracial background, Kidd's artistic approach is deeply informed by social justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles, which also inspire his apparel company, 100% OVER RACISM.

With a significant performance history, L.D. has showcased his talent across the United States, including roles in the 2nd National Tour of In The Heights, Sacramento Music Circus's Aida, Disney California Adventure Park's Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular, and the Radio City Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular. He has also performed with Helanius J. Wilkins’s D.C.-based EDGEWORKS Dance Theater and LA-based dance companies Word In Motion and Urban Poets.

Akwi Nji | Author

Akwi Nji is a multidisciplinary artist whose work blends poetry, music, and visual art to explore themes of identity, resilience, and belonging. Named Iowa Poet of the Year by the Iowa Music Awards and a recipient of the 2025 Governor’s Emerging Arts Leader Award, she creates immersive performance experiences that blur the boundaries between genres. At the Luther Writers Festival, she joins forces with artists Lovar Davis Kidd and Chuy Renteria for an interdisciplinary collaboration that unites spoken word, movement, and imagery—where art becomes both expression and activism.

Jim Reese | Author

Jim Reese’s latest book is Coming to a Neighborhood near You: The Repercussions of Crime and Punishment (Potomac Books, Sept. 2025), which draws on his extensive work with both the Federal Bureau of Prisons and South Dakota Department of Corrections. He spent 14 years in residency for the National Endowment for Arts’ interagency initiative with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, where he established Yankton Federal Prison Camp’s first creative writing and publishing workshop. Reese is the author of eight books, including the nonfiction collection Bone Chalk, and has received several awards for his writing and public service. www.jimreese.org

Jesus “Chuy” Renteria | Author

Jesus “Chuy” Renteria is a writer and dancer from West Liberty—Iowa’s first majority Hispanic town. Renteria’s writing explores the spaces between cultures. Their memoir We Heard It When We Were Young released in 2021 with the University of Iowa Press and was recommended by Xochitl Gonzalez on the Today Show, as well as being featured in the Chicago Review of Books and on NPR. Renteria was the recipient of the Poets & Writers 2023 Maureen Egan Writers Exchange Award for Fiction. They are the arts and culture editor for Little Village Magazine and write the Substack “Of Spanglish and Maximalism.” They are working on their second book. [photo credit: Hao Zhou]

William R. Russell | Author

Rev. Dr. William R. Russell, a specialist in the life and work of Martin Luther, works at the intersection of the academy and the church, where he interprets the Reformer’s chief insights for modern audiences. With a PhD from the University of Iowa and an MDiv from Luther Seminary, Russell has served in a variety of academic and pastoral ministry settings and authored/translated 10 books and dozens of articles and reviews. A sought-after speaker, he has addressed audiences from Canada to Brazil, Malaysia to Nigeria, Norway to South Africa. He is married to Ann Svennungsen, and they have three grown children and four grandchildren.

Books that he has written, translated, and/or edited include: What to do During an Epidemic by Martin Luther, The Ninety-Five Theses and Other Writings by Martin Luther, and Martin Luther’s Basic Theological Writings, Revised Third Edition.

Rachel Swearingen | Author

Rachel Swearingen is the author of the award-winning story collection How to Walk on Water and Other Stories. Her stories, essays, interviews, and reviews have appeared in Electric Lit, VICE, the Missouri Review, Kenyon Review, Off Assignment, Agni, American Short Fiction, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of several awards, including the Berlin Writing Prize, the New American Press Fiction Prize, the Missouri Review Editors’ Prize in Fiction, a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers’ Award, and the Mississippi Review Prize in Fiction. Originally from rural Wisconsin, Rachel earned a BA from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a PhD in English (creative writing) from Western Michigan University. She has taught writing and literature at the School of the Art Institute–Chicago, Cornell College, Western Michigan University, and Kalamazoo College. She lives in Chicago. [photo credit: Barney Cokeliss]

Amy Weldon | Author

An Alabama native, Amy Weldon is professor and department head of English at Luther College, where she codirects the Luther College Writers Festival. Her most recent book is Creature: A Novel of Mary Shelley and Frankenstein, and her next book, now under contract to Bloomsbury Academic, will be A Thing of Beauty: Reading the Romantics in a World on Fire. Read more at amyeweldon.com.

Rachel Yoder | Author

Rachel Yoder is the author of the novel Nightbitch, now a feature film written and directed by Marielle Heller and starring Amy Adams. Selected as an Indie Next Pick in August 2021, Nightbitch has gone on to be named a best book of the year by Esquire and Vulture and recognized as a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award for Debut Fiction. Her stories and essays have appeared in publications such as Harper’s, the New York Times, the Paris Review, the Southern Review, and the Sun. She is an assistant professor of screenwriting at the University of Iowa.

Farwell Distinguished Lecture: Megan Mayhew-Bergman: “Writing the Sacred: Awe, Ecology, and the Imagination”
2025-09-12 19:00 - 21:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Megan Mayhew-Bergman is an author, speaker, and teacher who writes about the natural world and remarkable women in a science and art-forward way – and likes to help others do the same.
She is the author of three books, Birds of a Lesser Paradise (2012), Almost Famous Women (2016), and How Strange a Season (2022). She has written columns on climate change and the natural world for The Guardian and The Paris Review. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper’s Bazaar, and elsewhere. Currently, Megan serves as Director of Middlebury College’s Creative Writing Program and the Bread Loaf Environmental Writers’ Conference. She is also an instructor in the California Coast and Climate Semester and MPA in Sustainability Program and oversees an Environmental Storytelling Series as well as engaging writers and readers through her Substack newsletter, Open Field Stories.
Megan appears at Luther in conjunction with the Luther College Writers Festival on campus September 12-13.
Watch via livestream
Farwell Lecture Endowment
The Elwin D. and Helen Farwell Distinguished Lecture Series Endowment was established in 1981 in recognition of the contributions the Farwells made to the Luther community. Elwin D. Farwell was president of Luther College 1963–1981.

Faculty Artist Series: Camille Balleza, piano
2025-09-14 14:00 - 15:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College Staff Collaborative Pianist Camille Balleza will perform a piano recital in the Noble Recital Hall at 2 p.m.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Blood Drive hosted by the Black Student Union
2025-09-15 10:00 - 15:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Mott/Borlaug
The Black Student Union is hosting a blood drive and needs your support. Donating blood is a simple way to make a big difference in our community. Don’t miss out—sign up today to secure your spot and make an impact that truly matters.
SIGN UP TO DONATE

Eats, Education and Engagement: Festival of Hispanic Cultures
2025-09-16 17:00 - 19:00 | The Landing, Decorah
Join us for Eats, Education, and Engagement featuring cuisine from Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for college students and children (17 years old and younger). Reservations are not required.
This event is a partnership between the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) and The Landing Market.

CANCELLED - Faculty Artist Series: Deborah Gover, soprano
2025-09-16 19:30 - 20:30 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College faculty member Deborah Gover will perform a recital in the Noble Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

"Windows of Praise, Prayer, and Supplication," a Recital of Music for Organ and Trumpet
2025-09-17 19:30 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Carrie Groenewold and Richard Neckermann present “Windows of Praise, Prayer, and Supplication,” a recital of music for organ and trumpet.

Family Weekend Concert: Jazz Orchestra and Concert Band
2025-09-20 12:30 - 13:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Luther College Jazz Orchestra and Luther College Concert Band will perform a concert in the Center for Faith and Life.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

view the full Family Weekend schedule

Ballroom & Swing Family Weekend Showcase
2025-09-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Center for the Arts, 219 (CFA Studio 2)
Join the Luther College Ballroom & Swing Team for a Family Weekend showcase. Members of our competitive team, from newcomers to our most advanced dancers, will give a demonstration of both smooth and rhythm dances in which we compete. We look forward to displaying our vast array of talented ballroom dancers and showing off what our newcomers have learned in just a few short weeks. We will end the showcase by inviting friends and family to join us on the floor to learn the basic moves for Hustle, a popular social dance that is easy to both teach and learn, and enjoy some social dancing for all ages and experience levels.
All are welcome!
view the full Family Weekend schedule

Family Weekend Concert: Cathedral Choir | Collegiate Chorale | Symphonic Band | Norskkor | Aurora
2025-09-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Center for Faith and Life, Main Hall
Luther College Cathedral Choir, Collegiate Chorale, Symphonic Band, Norskkor, and Aurora will perform in the Center for Faith and Life.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

view the full Family Weekend schedule

Keynote Lecture: Jimmy Patiño —"Our Oppressions are One, Our Dreams are One: Chicano Movement Solidarities with Black and Red Power"
2025-09-23 19:00 - 20:30 | Center for Faith and Life, Recital Hall
Jimmy Patiño, University of Minnesota associate professor in Chicano and Latino studies, will delve into the Chicano Movement of the 1960s and 1970s and outline its connection to the struggles of African Americans, Puerto Ricans, and American Indians against racism and economic exploitation. Patiño will also discuss how Chicano and Latino activists viewed the liberation of Black and Native peoples as essential to lasting social change.
The lecture is free and open to the public.

CANCELED - CIES Monthly Movie: A Million Miles Away
2025-09-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Valders Hall of Science, 206
This event has been canceled.
Inspired by the true story of NASA flight engineer José Hernández, “A Million Miles Away” follows him and his devoted family of migrant farm workers on a decades-long journey, from a rural village in Michoacán, Mexico, to the fields of the San Joaquin Valley, to more than 200 miles above the Earth in the International Space Station. The movie is free. Snacks will be provided.

Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS) Conference
2025-09-26 - 2025-09-27 | Luther College Campus
Are you working to advance sustainability and inclusivity on a higher education campus? Join us to explore how we can take action together while we learn from incredible keynote speakers, presentations, interactive workshops, art installations, and more.
UMACS welcomes everyone who wants to create a culture of sustainability and inclusivity within higher education and broader community in the Upper Midwest, regardless of their campus role, background or identity. We seek to work together to meet the needs of all people without harming future generations’ ability to meet their own needs.
Register for UMACS

That 1975 Concert
2025-09-26 19:30 - 21:30 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Featuring songs by Glen Campbell, David Bowie, The Four Seasons and more! Performed by Luther students, faculty, staff and Decorah community members.
Free and open to all.

Owl at Home, A Children's Opera
2025-09-27 10:30 - 11:30, 2025-09-27 13:00 - 14:00 | Center for the Arts, Jewel Theatre
“Owl at Home” is a charming musical retelling of the beloved book by Arnold Lobel – in which the well-meaning but slightly confused Owl experiences simple domestic adventures like making tear-water tea, being afraid of the bumps in his bed, and trying to be in two places at once.
This is a new work composed and written by Luther faculty members Brooke Joyce and Bobby Vrtis and is especially geared toward children— pre-K-4th grade. All are welcome!
In the weeks leading up to the performance, tickets will be available at tickets.luther.edu and at the ticket office located in the Center for Faith and Life.

CANCELED - SAC Concert: Men I Trust
2025-09-27 19:30 - 21:30 | Farwell Clearing (Preus Library Lawn)
This event has been canceled.
SAC’s yearly Concert Returns! This year we are ecstatic to bring Men I Trust to the Luther Campus. This Canadian indie band, renowned for their hypnotic melodies and captivating vocals, has earned acclaim for their distinct approach to music. Known for songs like “Show Me How” and “I Hope To Be Around”, Men I Trust brings yet another great concert to Luther College.
*Rain location: CFL Main Hall
Purchase Tickets

Faculty Artist Series: Xiao Hu, piano
2025-09-28 19:30 - 21:00 | Jenson-Noble Hall of Music, Noble Recital Hall
Luther College faculty member Xiao Hu will perform a recital at 7:30 p.m. in the Noble Recital Hall.
Watch the livestream on the Music Department YouTube Channel

Poster Vision Sale
2025-09-29 09:00 - 18:00 | Dahl Centennial Union, Marty’s
Poster Vision is a woman-owned social enterprise that partners with hundreds of campuses nationwide for engaging and exciting pop-up events. They run large-scale turnkey pop-up poster sale events on college campuses. They are based in Greenville, SC and believe a Poster Sale should be a space that offers representation for all students. Their events include a wide selection from smash hit classic posters, to fresh-off-the press artist prints. They also partner with young artists all over the world, using their platform to bring artists work to their generation in print form. And all of their signed artists are paid a direct percent of sales. How cool?! Stop by to pick out something for your dorm room, immerse yourself in the experience, or with the holidays around the corner, buy something for your family and friends!
This is a two day event: Monday, Sept. 29, and Tuesday, Sept. 30.
