Month: March 2024

Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer, Handshake

DECORAH, IOWA—Christine Cruzvergara, chief education strategy officer at Handshake, will give the 2024 commencement address at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 19, at Luther College’s Carlson Stadium. Cruzvergara leads Handshake’s partnerships with the higher education community, which includes more than 15 million students from more than 1,500 higher institutions, to connect students with career and internship opportunities.

Cruzvergara is recognized as an agent of change and an expert on strategies that create equitable student career success outcomes. Handshake, based in San Francisco with offices across the U.S. and the globe, connects students enrolled in four-year institutions, community colleges and bootcamps with more than 900,000 employers. Employers on the site include Fortune 500 Companies, public school districts, healthcare systems and nonprofit organizations.

“I met Christine at the Midwest Roundtable on Talent,” said President Jenifer K. Ward. “I knew I wanted to bring her to Luther — not only because we use Handshake in our Career Center, but because she is an engaging speaker who shows how career aspirations start with self-knowledge, sense of purpose, laying groundwork, and the creative use of networks, from family to friends to more traditional influencers.”

Handshake aims to accelerate students’ careers and democratize access to opportunities. Because of her work, Cruzvergara is regularly referenced in media, such as the Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Forbes Magazine, Fortune and Inside Higher Education.

Prior to joining Handshake, Cruzvergara was the associate provost for career education at Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she received the 2017 Career Services Excellence Award from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and the 2017 Innovation Award from Eduventures.

She has also held senior level positions and board roles at George Mason University, Georgetown University, The George Washington University, NACE and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).

No tickets are required for the outdoor commencement ceremony. The event will be livestreamed. More information is available at commencement.luther.edu.

DECORAH, Iowa – Sheri Brenden, author of “Break Point: Two Minnesota Athletes and the Road to Title IX,” will speak at Luther College on April 11 at 7 p.m. in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall, along with her sister, Peg Brenden. The book covers Peg’s involvement in a landmark civil rights case to allow equal access to sports for women. Both Brenden sisters graduated from Luther College and participated in sports during the early Title IX era. 

The talk is hosted and sponsored by the English department at Luther College, with additional support from the Center for Ethics and Public Engagement (CEPE) and from the law and values program.

In the early 1970s, Peg Brenden sought to have the same opportunity to compete for her St. Cloud, Minn., high school in tennis as male athletes, and during her senior year filed a lawsuit against the Minnesota State High School League and her high school. Her action was joined with runner Toni St. Pierre into a 1972 lawsuit claiming a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

The book recalls the courtroom battle before Federal District Court Judge Miles Lord and the subsequent appeals to the Eighth Circuit. The ruling opened the way for Peg to compete as a senior for her high school. In their talk, the Brendens will weave together both their family’s and broader women’s history to remind the audience of the wider implications for female students.

Peg Brenden, left, and Sheri Brenden, right

The book had its genesis when Sheri Brenden, Luther College class of 1981, became concerned that an important story about women in sport risked being lost. She drew on skills learned as a Luther English major, one-time reporter for the St. Cloud Daily Times, and research librarian for two of Minnesota’s largest law firms. To preserve the history, she interviewed teammates, coaches, lawyers and others associated with her sister’s gender-equity case.

During her Luther career, Peg Brenden played first singles on the Luther tennis team. She is a member of the Norse Athletic Hall of Fame. Following graduation at Luther in 1976, she completed her law degree at the University of Minnesota. She is a retired Minnesota Workers Compensation judge. Sheri competed at Luther in tennis and field hockey, and also served as an editor for CHIPS, the Luther student newspaper.

The talk is free and open to the general public. A reception will follow.

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About Luther College

At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.