Month: September 2025

The inauguration of Bradley M. Chamberlain, Ph.D., as the 12th president of Luther College will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 3, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The ceremony is free and open to the public.

Brad Chamberlain

“Dr. Chamberlain is only the 12th president of Luther College, which is remarkable when you think of the college’s 164-year history,” said Board of Regents Chair Bob Paulson. “We invite members of the Decorah community to join the Luther community as we celebrate this joyous and historic occasion.”

The celebration will continue with “Inaugural Night on the Town” hosted by Luther. Community members are invited to enjoy Scandinavian-American music performed by Decorah-based Foot-Notes string band starting at 7:30 p.m. on the Hanson Vesterheim Commons patio at Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School. The rain location is inside the Commons.

Additionally, three Luther student a capella groups will perform at 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 3 inside The Landing Market.

Chamberlain is the first president to have been promoted from within the college in more than a century; Luther’s third president, Oscar L. Olson, was a faculty member before becoming president in 1921.

Chamberlain began his duties on Feb. 7, 2025. He comes to the president’s role with more than two decades of experience at the college. Chamberlain joined Luther as a visiting professor in 2001 and has progressed to a variety of academic and administrative leadership positions over the past 10 years.

“It is unusual to have had an internal candidate with the depth and breadth of President Chamberlain’s experience, both as a long-tenured and very successful and respected professor, and as an administrator who had the opportunity to hold and successfully execute a variety of essential leadership positions at the college,” Paulson said. “He cares deeply about his colleagues, about students, and about community – the Decorah community as well as the Luther community – and his ability to listen and understand, and to connect and communicate with people truly set him apart to both the search committee and the Board of Regents.”

Delegates from 30 institutions of higher education will be honoring President Chamberlain and displaying their support by taking part in the formal procession, as will a dozen Decorah community representatives, two dozen current and former regents, two former Luther presidents and two former interim presidents.

The inauguration theme is “For the Common Good.” The ceremony will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.

The inauguration activities are part of Luther’s Homecoming weekend. More details and a complete Homecoming schedule can be found at luther.edu/homecoming.

Chamberlain’s complete bio is available on Luther’s Office of the President webpage.

Matt Beatty ’03, vice president of enrollment management at Luther College, announced that Jason Streed has been named the college’s next director of admissions.

Jason Streed

“Over the past two years, Jason has demonstrated a deep dedication to Luther College and to our enrollment efforts,” Beatty said. “From building strong relationships with students and families to designing creative solutions that elevate our visit programming, his impact is already evident across our work.”

An Iowa native, Streed joined Luther two years ago as the associate director of admissions, visits and marketing. In this role, he led the overall campus experience for visiting students and families. He developed new initiatives to reformat visit days at Luther and guided the implementation of a new prospective student online portal. Streed also played a key role in creation of new recruitment materials in collaboration with Luther’s Division of Communication.

Streed’s promotion to the director’s position will go into effect later this month.

“I’m incredibly honored and excited to step into this role at Luther College,” Streed said. “I’ve seen first-hand how our community transforms lives, and I want that experience for more young people. Everywhere on campus – in classrooms and labs and studios, on athletic fields and in performance spaces – I meet students and educators dedicated to excellence and growth. It’s a tremendous privilege to be part of what we’re building here at Luther.”

Before coming to Luther, Streed was a member of the recruiting and admissions team at Hawkeye Community College in Waterloo for 16 years. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa in 1992.

Streed and his wife, Heidi Ludeking, a graduate of Decorah High School, recently completed move-in for Heidi’s daughter, Andie, who is a first-year at Luther.

Luther College is excited to share the following media release from the Norwegian embassy related to an upcoming royal visit to America.

The purpose of the trip is to mark the 200th anniversary of the first organized Norwegian emigration to the United States. His visit will highlight the deep cultural and historical ties between the two countries and promote cooperation in business, education and culture.

His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will visit Iowa, Minnesota and New York in October. Photo: Dusan Reljin/The Royal Court

In Iowa (Decorah) and Minnesota (Minneapolis and St. Paul), on Oct. 6–8, the Crown Prince will meet Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, visit Norwegian-American communities and institutions and take part in a business conference. He will also attend events celebrating Norwegian heritage in the region.

On Oct. 9, in New York, the Crown Prince will welcome the ship “Restauration,” a replica of the vessel that carried that first group of Norwegian emigrants across the Atlantic in 1825. The ship will dock at Pier 16, South Street Seaport Museum, where a cultural celebration will take place.

Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide and Minister for Trade and Industry Cecilie Myrseth, as well as a Norwegian business delegation will accompany the Crown Prince.

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