Commencement 2024
On May 19, Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer for Handshake, was the speaker for the 2024 Luther College Commencement ceremony.
Matilda Koeller ’24 received the college’s Elizabeth A. and Paul G. Jenson Medal. Koeller, from McGregor, Iowa, majored in identity studies and is in the first cohort to graduate from the program, which was established in 2020. Koeller socially transitioned in gender identity during her sophomore year and became involved in activism for transgender students beginning her junior year. She wrote a petition, organized a rally, and spoke with Student Senate and administrators, advocating for policy changes for transgender students and inclusivity and equity for all on campus. As a result of her activism, there is now an expanded gender-inclusive floor in Brandt, where Koeller worked as a resident assistant for two years. She was also a member of the Beautiful Mess a capella group and the Pound Ultimate Frisbee team. After graduation, Koeller plans to work in student services or social services, with the ultimate goal of pursuing her master’s in social work.
Matilda Koeller ’24
“When you engage with a community in a way that connects with people, that is service,” Koeller says. “And the community has served me.”
Mallory Heinzeroth ’12 of Madison, Wis., received the Young Alumni Award. After graduation, she served as a fellow with the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children, creating a program for pre- and postnatal care in developing nations by establishing a program for women and children’s health clinics in rural Nicaraguan communities. In Madison, she serves on the board of the nonprofit With Love Inc., through which she supports women’s health equity through volunteer events and fundraising. She works as a global implementation executive for Epic Systems.
Mallory Heinzeroth ’12
“Each time I said yes and tried something new, I learned, I made new connections with friends and peers, and my impact on improving health care around the globe deepened. I’m doing something that is meaningful to me each day because I said yes to a new challenge,” she says.