Month: June 2025
Pool Is Opening Tomorrow (6/7)!
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Luther to commemorate Juneteenth with trip to Waterloo
To commemorate Juneteenth, Luther College’s Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) is hosting a day trip to Waterloo on Saturday, June 21. The trip’s itinerary includes a visit to the African American Historical and Cultural Museum, lunch at Rodney’s Kitchen and the 30th annual Juneteenth Celebration at Sullivan Memorial Park.
The trip will depart from the front of the Dahl Centennial Union at 9 a.m. and return to Decorah at 6 p.m. The cost, which includes transportation, lunch and admission, is $10 per person. The deadline to reserve a spot is Friday, June 13. For anyone interested, please RSVP online. For more information or to ask questions, email cies@luther.edu.
In addition to the day trip to Waterloo, CIES invites community members to a lunch-and-learn event starting at noon on Wednesday, June 11 in the Mott Room. Join us to watch “Juneteenth: Faith & Freedom,” a 2022 documentary that invites viewers to experience the story of Juneteenth through the eyes of a Black man learning about the holiday from the direct descendants of those liberated.
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Africans and African Americans. On June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to notify the more than 250,000 remaining enslaved Africans they were now free. Although Juneteenth is the newest federal holiday gaining recognition in 2021, African Americans have celebrated the day for decades.
In addition, Luther College will observe Juneteenth as an administrative and federal holiday.
The events are open to the general public on Sunday, April 27.
April 15 2025
VanderMeer will discuss the social roles of fiction in uncertain times, the critical need for biology and more during the “One Evening in Area X” conversation.
April 10 2025
Commercial Reassessment Project Starting in Winneshiek County
Luther College to compete in the Midwest Conference starting in 2026-27
President Brad Chamberlain announced the Luther College Norse are changing athletic conferences, moving to the Midwest Conference for the 2026-27 academic year.
President Brad Chamberlain announced the Luther College Norse are changing athletic conferences, moving to the Midwest Conference for the 2026-27 academic year.
“Luther College is a proud Iowa college with a regional presence and a national reputation,” Chamberlain said. “At Luther, athletics is about community, character, and competition. Athletics at Luther is part of our holistic approach to learning that develops mind, body, and spirit. Luther was honored to receive an invitation from the Midwest Conference, and we look forward to joining the league in 2026.”
By unanimous vote of its Presidents’ Council this past week, the members of the Midwest Conference (MWC) extended an invitation to join the NCAA Division III league to Luther College. Chamberlain accepted the offer on behalf of the college and its Board of Regents to begin competition in fall 2026 as the 10th core member of the MWC.
“The decision to change Luther’s athletic conference affiliation was not made lightly,” Chamberlain continued. “The decision followed an intentional period of discernment that involved Luther’s leadership team, its Board of Regents, its athletic administrators, and its coaching staff.”
President Anne Harris of Grinnell College, who is the current chair of the Midwest Conference Board Officers, extended the offer.
“Luther’s interest in the Midwest Conference was met with broad-based enthusiasm by the members of the Presidents’ Council,” Harris said. “Its mission and vision for its athletic programs perfectly complement that which we believe to be distinguishing characteristics of the Midwest Conference experience.”
Headquartered in Grinnell, Iowa, the Midwest Conference traces its roots back to 1921 and the Midwest Collegiate Athletic Conference. The MWC’s executive director is Heather Benning, and conference leadership was excited about the addition of Luther.
“While other leagues in our region are primarily state-identified, we truly are the DIII athletic conference of the Midwest,” Benning said. “When the league was formed 104 years ago, the intent was to establish an interstate athletic union of like-minded institutions; what binds our schools isn’t necessarily geographic proximity but rather a shared vision of the role of athletics in the undergraduate experience.”
The core members of the MWC are Beloit College, Cornell College, Grinnell College, Illinois College, Knox College, Lake Forest College, Lawrence University, Monmouth College and Ripon College. St. Norbert (men’s and women’s swimming and diving), the University of Chicago (football) and Milwaukee School of Engineering (men’s and women’s swimming and diving) are affiliate members.
An important factor in the decision to join the MWC was Luther College’s membership in the academic consortium of like-minded liberal arts colleges, the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM).
“In the Midwest Conference, Luther finds partner institutions that share our philosophy toward athletics and that match the geographical diversity of our student body,” Chamberlain said. “When we considered all of our affiliations, including athletics, we took into consideration that the Midwest Conference more closely aligns with our academic partners in the ACM, and that Luther’s strengths, challenges, strategic priorities, and the geographical origins of its student body fit well with the MWC.”
The ACM is a consortium of 14 colleges across five midwestern states. Eight of the nine current members of the MWC are also members of the ACM.
The MWC currently sponsors 18 conference championships in baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s indoor track, men’s and women’s outdoor track, men’s and women’s soccer, softball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s tennis, and volleyball.
“We have deeply enjoyed and have greatly benefited from the community, collaboration, and competition afforded by Luther’s membership in the American Rivers Conference and its predecessor,” Chamberlain said. “We desire to remain connected to member institutions of the American Rivers Conference, and we would welcome opportunities for non-conference contests between our institutions.”
New Bill Savers Program Offers Energy-Saving Home Installs
Starting this June 2025 homeowners and renters can request free installation of energy-saving measures when they sign up for Bill Savers, a new program for Winneshiek County residents offered by the Winneshiek Energy District.
A Bill Savers appointment takes less than 30 minutes and includes the installation of energy saving equipment including LED light bulbs, hot water pipe insulation, low flow faucet aerators, and more. Appointments are available for Saturday, June 21 and Saturday June 28 from 9am to 1pm. Sign up at energydistrict.org/billsavers/ or call 563-382-4207 ext. 1 to schedule an appointment.
“The idea grew out of a community member’s passion for energy affordability. When we looked at rising energy prices combined with the potential loss of funding for programs like the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP), we knew we had to do something to keep energy bills affordable in our community.” says Winneshiek Energy District Executive Director Kristin Eggen. “Our mission includes increasing energy efficiency in Winneshiek County, so the idea was a perfect fit.”
The Bill Savers Home Install program is made possible by volunteers of all ages and abilities who spend a Saturday morning swapping light bulbs and saving their neighbors energy. To volunteer, email Rorie Weidow at rorie@energydistrict.org or call 563-382-4207 ext. 1.
“It is a practical way to make a difference in your community and meet new people. Nobody wants their heat shut off because they can’t pay their bills,” says Bill Savers champion & volunteer Joel Zook.
“Bill Savers won’t instantly solve unaffordable bills, but it will help people – especially our neighbors who are unable to perform these installs themselves – have more affordable bills and a comfortable home.” says Eggen.
The Bill Savers program is modeled after the Winneshiek Energy District’s longtime Green Iowa AmeriCorps First Step Home Efficiency program which employed a team of AmeriCorps volunteers to perform free energy audits across northeast Iowa and perform similar direct installation of energy-saving measures. From 2012-2023 the First Step Efficiency Program saved northeast Iowans an estimated $1.7 million in energy costs, and avoided over 14,000 tons of carbon emissions.
Donations can be made to support the Bill Savers program at energydistrict.org/donate/ or checks mailed to Winneshiek Energy District, PO Box 14, Decorah, IA 52101.
The Winneshiek Energy District is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a mission to lead, implement, and accelerate the locally owned, inclusive clean energy transition in Winneshiek County Iowa.
Winneshiek County Board of Supervisors Meeting 20250602
Agenda: Pledge of Allegiance 9:30 a.m. Tara Hoffert – Community Insurance of Iowa Re: FY26 Insurance renewal 9:40 a.m. …
Bon Appétit announces facility renovations, stands ready to serve summer camp participants
Luther College and the Bon Appétit Management Company recently announced plans to upgrade facilities this summer without interrupting food service for summer camp participants, Luther students, faculty and staff.
Luther’s cafeteria, commonly referred to as the Caf, will reopen on Monday, June 9.
The cafeteria, commonly referred to as the Caf, closed after Commencement and will reopen on Monday, June 9, ahead of a tennis camp hosted that week at Luther. On Sunday, June 15, approximately 600 middle school students are expected to arrive for Dorian Summer Camp.
Bon Appétit began managing the day-to-day dining service operations on the Luther College campus on June 1, in a new 10-year partnership with the college.
“We have been hard at work integrating the current Luther dining staff into the Bon Appétit system and creating delicious menus for our guests in the Caf on June 9,” said Nicholas Supercynski, Bon Appétit general manager at Luther.
Under the facility renovation plan, the Nordic Brew coffee shop will be relocated from the lower level of the Dahl Centennial Union near Marty’s to the building’s main level, just outside of the Book Shop and near the Union’s main doors.
“Moving our coffee space to the front door of the Union will bring new life to our main student activity facility,” said Patti Hetrick, vice president for facilities and administration. “Students and Luther guests will now have a place to gather that will inspire community on campus.”
Starting on Monday, June 9, the Oneota Market will close in preparation for its renovation. The market will be upgraded into Luther’s one-stop grill, convenience store and crepe shop. Oneota’s salad and soup bar will also return as a part of the renovations.
At the same time, the existing Nordic Brew space will be converted into the new Grab-n-Go location for the upcoming fall semester. Marty’s has already closed for the summer. The facility will reopen when the college students return for the academic year.
In the traditional cafeteria space, Bon Appétit plans to expand the number of serving stations for better ability to provide global cuisines as well as allergen and gluten-free spaces, halal and other special dietary needs stations.
“We are excited for the investments our new dining partner is making for our students, faculty and staff here at Luther College,” Hetrick said.
“Dr. Bacon brings a passion for supporting the holistic development that students should experience, inside and outside of the classroom, at residential, liberal arts colleges,” said President Brad Chamberlain.
May 30 2025
Luther College is one of a select group of private liberal arts colleges in the United States with a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
May 29 2025