Renae Hartl, Luther College director of intercollegiate athletics, has named Brittany Sisk the college’s new head volleyball coach. Sisk joins the Norse with a wealth of experience as a head coach and assistant coach at both the NCAA III and NCAA II levels. She will begin her new duties immediately.

Luther College President Paula Carlson announced Monday, Dec. 11, that Brad Chamberlain, Luther professor of chemistry and co-chair of the strategic planning process, will serve as interim dean for institutional planning and mission. He began transitioning into his new duties on Dec. 1. As interim dean, Chamberlain will lead Luther’s campus-wide strategic planning process and coordinate the college’s re-accreditation process with the Higher Learning Commission through 2019. He will oversee two critical components of the re-accreditation process: federal compliance and the assurance review. Chamberlain will oversee the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement, the Center for Sustainable Communities, Campus Programming and College Ministries.

Luther alumnus Peter Espinosa will join Luther College’s Board of Regents the college’s president Paula Carlson announced Wednesday.

A Luther College alumna who was a member of the first women’s cross country team and her husband have provided a gift of $1 million to establish the Kent Finanger Endowed Chair for Women’s Cross Country and Track and Field. The alumna shared the reason surrounding the couple’s decision to create the Finanger Chair, “As a student and runner, I thrived under Coach Kent‘s leadership. The immense respect I have for him and his nurturing abilities have unequivocally impacted my life.”

Luther College senior Christopher O’Connell of Rochester, Minnesota, is Luther’s 2017 Presser Scholarship Award recipient.

Luther College senior Charles Craig was presented the 2017 Hemp Family Prize, at Luther’s Homecoming concert, Sunday, Oct. 8. The Hemp Family Prize was one of four awards announced during the concert.

Luther College alumna Shelly Schaeufele of Waukee, Iowa, is the recipient of the 2017 Weston Noble Award.

Luther College announces the appointment 10 new faculty members for the 2017-18 academic year.

A grant from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources allowed Luther College and the Decorah Raptor Resource Project to build an autumn migration banding station on campus, giving students unprecedented direct access to wildlife and conversation research.

David Upham, Luther class of 1992, is the recipient of the 2017 Dr. Carlo A. Sperati award.