Author: Luther College News

Luther College is proud to announce the winter graduates from December 2024 and January 2025.

The 71 graduates come from nine states, which include California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin, plus nine countries including Brazil, Ghana, Rwanda, Mauritius, Mexico, Perú, Tanzania, Turkey and Vietnam.

Congratulations to these new alumni as they start the next chapter of their lives.

Below are the graduates, along with their majors and hometowns.

Oney Alfred, Des Moines, Iowa

Theatre

 

Getruda J. Amos, Mwanza, Tanzania

Psychology

 

Xavier Francisco Andrade, San Mateo, California

Communication Studies, Political Science

 

Marina Lolita Judith Beachy, Wellman, Iowa

Nursing

 

Jaime Bizarri, Geneseo, Illinois

Music Education

 

Matthew Boardman, Genoa, Wisconsin

Social Work

 

Adelaide Bohlmann, Duluth, Minnesota

Nursing

 

Tyler Buhr, Menomonie, Wisconsin

Music Education

 

Edson Cadenillas Ñaccha, Cusco, Perú

Visual Communication

 

Maggie Callanan, Coralville, Iowa

Anthropology, Social Work

 

Patrick James Carew, Garner, Iowa

Music Education

 

Jenna Charlson, Rogers, Minnesota

Nursing, summa cum laude

 

Solvei Christopherson, Northfield, Minnesota

Political Science, Spanish, International Studies

 

John Michael Colucci III, Darien, Illinois

Social Work

 

Issie Dalton, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Elementary Education

 

Hy Dang, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Computer Science, Visual Communication

 

Jamison Dietz, Plainfield, Illinois

Music Education, cum laude

 

Elizabeth Doane, New Sharon, Iowa

Elementary Education, cum laude

 

Nicholas Drew, St. Joseph, Minnesota

Data Science, summa cum laude

 

Taylan Ozgur Emre, Istanbul, Turkey

Data Science

 

Tharles Eufrazio do Nascimento, Maceió, Brazil

Visual Communication

 

Ryne Eyestone, North Liberty, Iowa

Management, cum laude

 

Emma Fauchier, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Music

 

Jorge Fernando, Porto Alegre, Brazil

Economics

 

Amenla Forjoe, Ghana

Biology

 

Deepa Gayadin, Bambous, Mauritius

Data Science, Neuroscience, cum laude

 

Kamden Goering, South Bend, Indiana

Nursing

 

Alexander Griffeth, Brighton, Colorado

Data Science

 

Ellie Grace Helgerson, Jordan, Minnesota

Management

 

Carmen Henderson, Fort Collins, Colorado

Visual Communication, cum laude

 

Emma Heying, Waverly, Iowa

Chemistry

 

Hans Harelimana Hirwa, Kigali, Rwanda

International Studies

 

Hannah Johnson, North Liberty, Iowa

Nursing, magna cum laude

 

Kailey Ann Jones, Avoca, Iowa

Nursing, summa cum laude

 

Kori Jorgensen, Long Grove, Iowa

Biology

 

Sophia Jane Kersten, Bettendorf, Iowa

Nursing

 

Matthew Kozemski, Geneseo, Illinois

Music Education

 

Kaelin Lamphere, Mantorville, Minnesota

Nursing

 

Keagan Larson, Austin, Minnesota

Computer Science, cum laude

 

Riley Vali Marble, Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Environmental Studies

 

Jean Martin, Compton, California

Management

 

Grace May, Woodbury, Minnesota

English, magna cum laude

 

Molly Miller, Winfield, Iowa

Nursing

 

Sam Miller, Dallas, Texas

Management

 

Elijah Michael Mitchell, Decorah, Iowa

Exercise Science-Allied Health Sciences, magna cum laude

 

Arthur Mortell, La Crosse, Wisconsin

Psychology

 

Gloria Jane Nelson, Stewartville, Minnesota

Elementary Education, magna cum laude

 

Hudson Nguyen, Hanoi, Vietnam

Computer Science

 

Michael Nuñez, San Jose, California

Exercise Science-Allied Health Sciences

 

Khanh “Kerry” Pham, Sai Gon, Vietnam

Management

 

Danielle Pitts, Mount Vernon, Iowa

Nursing, summa cum laude

 

Cullen Quick, Menasha, Wisconsin

Management

 

Alexander Randell, Buffalo Grove, Illinois

Exercise Science-Allied Health Sciences

 

Madelon Rathe, La Porte City, Iowa

Nursing, magna cum laude

 

Abigail Madison Reis, Apple Valley, Minnesota

Music Education, magna cum laude

 

Hannah Roesler, Nixa, Missouri

Exercise Science-Allied Health Sciences

 

Ella Runestad, Northfield, Minnesota

Nursing, Spanish

 

Hannah Rose Saucedo, Harvard, Illinois

Music Education

 

Aria Schleiker, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Biology

 

Caden Schrage, Saint Ansgar, Iowa

Exercise Science

 

Mikkel Schutte, Houston, Minnesota

Allied Health Sciences

 

Alayna Marie Schwendinger, Rushford, Minnesota

Nursing, summa cum laude

 

Tobi Snow, River Falls, Wisconsin

Exercise Science, Psychology

 

Samuel Ronald Stevens, Chatfield, Minnesota

Management

 

Sarina Stortz, Mabel, Minnesota

Allied Health Sciences, cum laude

 

Samantha Jo Suski, Watertown, Wisconsin

Nursing, cum laude

 

Ella Caroline Swalley, Roseville, Minnesota

Social Work

 

Rachel Tully, La Crosse, Wisconsin

Music Education, cum laude

 

Elijah Hans Lokensgard Wallace, Roseville, Minnesota

Music Education, summa cum laude

 

Walter West, Plymouth, Minnesota

Environmental Studies

 

Sebastian Zavala, Mexico City, Mexico

Accounting, cum laude

The globally renowned Irish ensemble Danú will perform in Luther College’s 2024–25 Center Stage Series at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 14, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall.

“Danú delivers traditional Irish tunes through high-energy, toe-tapping performances you expect to find tucked inside a crowded pub in Dublin,” said Susan Potvin, director of programming and outreach. “I can’t think of a better way to kick off your St. Patrick’s Day celebrations than a memorable musical journey to Ireland with Danú.”

Before the performance, enjoy a gourmet three-course dinner of St. Patrick’s Day favorites in the Peace Dining Room at Dahl Centennial Union. The menu, which was created to complement Danú’s performance, features housemade Irish soda bread, corned beef served with colcannon (mashed potatoes with cabbage), and chocolate whiskey mousse.

Formed in 1995 to perform in the annual Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival in Brittany, France, Danú released their debut album in 1997 to critical acclaim. The ensemble has since released seven albums in two decades, with award-winning music ranging from “fierce fiddle reels to pensive ballads” (New York Times). Danú has performed worldwide, notably sharing their concert experience at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Symphony Space in New York City.

The ensemble has gone through many changes in members through the years. Current Danú members include founding member Benny McCarthy, accordion/melodeon; Nell Ní Chróinín, vocals/penny whistle; Éamon Doorley, bouzouki; Oisín McAuley, fiddle; Tony Byrne, guitar; Ivan Goff, flutes/uilleann pipe/penny whistle; and Billy Sutton, bodhran.

Buy tickets for Danú and for the pre-show dinner at tickets.luther.edu or at the Luther Ticket Office in the Center for Faith and Life. Contact the ticket office at tickets@luther.edu or 563-387-1357 for more information.

Luther College has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust to purchase laboratory equipment similar to the instruments that engineering science students can expect to use in their future careers.

“Engineering science is a rapidly growing field at Luther, a field that merges a strong scientific and mathematical underpinning with experience in designing, building and testing devices,” said Jeff Wilkerson, interim provost and physics professor at Luther. “The equipment provided by this grant will enhance that merger of the theoretical and practical in exciting ways that benefit our students. We are deeply grateful for the Carver Trust’s generous support.”

The Luther College physics department recently began to offer an engineering science major because of student interest and to enhance its engineering education. The equipment purchased through the Carver Trust grant will enhance Luther’s curriculum and further the college’s commitment to this new and growing program.

“Our primary goal in this grant proposal was to strengthen the experience of our students in their engineering and physics-related laboratory work,” said Todd Pedlar, professor of physics and project director. “In addition to our introductory laboratory course in engineering, our electronics laboratory and our junior-level project design and implementation course will be key places where the new instruments and equipment will have the greatest impact.”

The new equipment is expected to be available for students in the fall 2025 semester.

“This grant enables Luther students to get their hands on a wider variety of engineering-related instrumentation and to thereby gain more hands-on experience with instruments like those they’ll see in their future work,” Pedlar said.

Luther faculty involved in the development of the grant proposal are Pedlar, Wilkerson, James Perez, associate professor of physics, and Molly Wilker, associate professor of chemistry. Jeanie Lovell, senior director of foundation and government relations, coordinated the proposal process.

The Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust has been a key philanthropic partner to Luther College for decades. This grant for engineering science is Luther’s tenth award from the Carver Trust. Other recent grants include $200,000 to support the creation of a comprehensive Nursing Simulation Center in 2021 and $200,000 to enhance curriculum and provide educational laboratory experiences for students majoring in neuroscience in 2018.

Based in Muscatine, the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust is one of the largest private philanthropic foundations in Iowa. The Carver Trust supports biomedical and scientific research, scholarships, and programs addressing the educational and recreational needs of youth. ​

Luther College will celebrate Women’s History Month in March with events that showcase women’s leadership in the workplace, self-expression and contributions to society. The events are free and open to the public.

“The Department of Identity Studies is proud to support events in Women’s History Month to remind us that half of human history is about women and our contributions to society,” said Char Kunkel, head of the identity studies department at Luther. “All too often academia, knowledge in the western world at least, assumes that men are the only ones who invented, created, explored, built, and sustained the world; at least the important things. We wouldn’t be here without the contributions of women. Let’s celebrate that!”

The commemoration events start with an International Women’s Day Tea and Talk from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, in the Peace Dining Hall inside the Dahl Centennial Union at Luther College. Hongxiao Yu, assistant professor of management, will discuss “Rights, Equality and Empowerment” with a focus on business, management and leadership. She will present data about women in the workplace, barriers preventing women from being promoted to top leadership roles at national and international corporations, and the unique cultural pressures facing women.

“I’m excited to share my personal stories about equality and talk about female leadership issues around the world,” she said.

Join the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support to learn about the power of hair at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, in room 111 of the Main Building.

“This event is designed to elevate the power of hair as a tool for self-expression, strength and solidarity,” said Michelle Boike, assistant dean and director of the Center for Engagement and Support. “Participants will leave feeling affirmed, seen and connected within their college community.”

Women’s History Month wraps up with a free viewing of “The Six Triple Eight” (2024) at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 20, in Valders 206. Based on the true story of the only all-Black unit of the Women’s Army Corps to serve overseas during World War Ⅱ, this inspiring and heartfelt film tells the unit’s fight to fix a three-year backlog of undelivered mail and improve war morale.

“The Six Triple Eight” was written and directed by Tyler Perry and stars Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian and Oprah Winfrey. The film’s featured song, “The Journey,” written by Diane Warren and performed by H.E.R. was a Best Original Song nominee at the 97th Academy Awards.

Ilona Kubiaczyk-Adler, a leading expert on the rich yet underrepresented modern and historical organ repertoire of Central and Eastern Europe, will captivate listeners at Luther College’s annual Benefactor’s Organ Recital at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 9, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. The recital is free and open to the public.

Kubiaczyk-Adler is a concert organist, pianist, conductor, artistic director, and educator known for celebrating the joy of music. Currently, she is director of ministries in music and arts and organist at Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona.

“Her performances engage audiences with their bold interpretations, refreshing rhythmic vigor and deep sense of musical style,” said Alexander Meszler, assistant professor of music at Luther College. “We are thrilled to welcome her for what is sure to be an inspiring recital and for our students to have the opportunity to work with her.”

In her March 9 program titled “Organ Music of Eastern Europe and the Americas,” Kubiaczyk-Adler will explore early music from Eastern Europe, American composers influenced by Johann Sebastian Bach, and works by 20th- and 21st-century women composers from both regions. The program will include music by Johann Gottfried Müthel, Johannes Fischer of Morąg, Adam of Wągrowiec, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Ramon Noble, Brenda Portman, Florence Beatrice Price and Lesia Vasylivna Dychko. The recital will also feature Jacob Adler’s jazz-influenced, partially improvised piece.

The annual Benefactor’s Organ Recital features outstanding artists of international caliber on Luther’s 42-stop Robert Sipe Organ in the Center for Faith and Life. The concert intends to provide an inspirational role model for current and prospective students who wish to pursue organ or church music study at Luther, as well as offer the community a concert of the highest quality.

The recital is made possible through the Kathryn Ulvilden Moen ’41 Organ Fund and the William B. Kuhlman Endowment.

Students who transfer to Luther College from other institutions have traditionally been a small part of the new student population each year. But through participation in the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative and the hard work of Luther faculty and staff, Luther is preparing to welcome more transfer students in the future.

The project started when Luther and 18 other four-year institutions formed the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative. With support from a three-year grant from the Arthur Vining Davis and Teagle foundations, the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative brings together faculty from community colleges and four-year institutions to ensure the seamless transfer of academic credit.

Luther has addressed several challenges for student transfers, including streamlining processes, designating an admissions staff person to assist prospective students, and easing access to transfer course equivalencies. Now, transfer students are experiencing a smooth admission process.

Art professor Ben Moore explained how Luther’s curriculum committee reviewed approximately 8,000 courses from regional institutions last summer and determined the equivalent course credit at Luther.

“It was no small task,” Moore said.

Once the curriculum committee completed their work, this information was added to Transferology, a free online tool to help students explore their transfer options by answering the question, “Will my courses transfer?”

“Now it’s all in one spot,” Moore said. “We are dedicated to making the process of joining the Luther community smooth for transfer students. Transferology is one part of Luther’s ongoing goal to be a transfer-friendly college.”

Another part is the Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee agreement, which guarantees admission for students who have earned an associate of arts or an associate of science degree at a community college in Iowa. Fifteen Iowa community college presidents approved the Iowa Private Transfer Guarantee agreement with the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative in October 2024. Essentially, this agreement streamlines the transfer process for students at Iowa community colleges.

“As a proud partner of the Iowa Private Transfer Collaborative, we are excited to offer more students a pathway to thrive and succeed at Luther College,” said Matt Beatty, vice president for enrollment management at Luther. “We welcomed 27 new transfer students to Luther College last fall, representing 10 states, including Iowa, and four countries. We are especially proud that 18.5% of these students are first-generation.”

Luther junior Jermaine Dizon believes that Luther is well on its way to becoming a transfer-friendly institution. This global health major from Charles City described his experience as “smooth.”

“My teammates, coaches and professors took the time to ease me into everything Luther and Decorah-related and made sure I was adjusting well,” Dizon said. “They put me in contact with fellow students within my area of interest. Residence life made it easy to get adjusted by sending me all the necessary information and the admissions team answered all of my questions and concerns.”

Dizon is a member of Luther’s men’s cross country and track and field teams.

“Transferring to Luther has been the best decision I’ve made; my only regret is not coming here sooner,” he said.

Luther College will host events to commemorate Black History Month in February. The events include a distinguished lecture, a film screening, a dance performance and several social gatherings at local businesses. The events are open to the public.

“Black History Month honors the resilience, brilliance and contributions of African Americans and others of the African diaspora who have shaped our nation and our world,” said Robert Clay, diversity, equity and inclusion officer and assistant to the president for community engagement at Luther. “We are called beyond Black History Month to uplift the profound legacies of African Americans who contributed to the fabric of this country, fought for justice and equality that has benefited all, while inspiring us to take meaningful action in our communities and carry this legacy forward.”

Tuesday, Feb. 25: Black History Month Keynote Address, “The Power of Belonging: Reimagining Equity and Leadership in Higher Education,” Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall, 7 p.m.

Cameron C. Beatty, associate professor in the educational leadership and policy studies department at Florida State University, will give the Black History Month Keynote Address on Feb. 25. During his lecture, “The Power of Belonging: Reimagining Equity and Leadership in Higher Education,” Beatty will examine the critical role of belonging in shaping equitable and inclusive institutions. He will also offer actionable strategies to empower leaders and communities.

Friday, Feb. 14: Ailey II, CFL, 7:30 p.m.

Ailey II, the renowned second company of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, will perform at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 in the CFL Main Hall. Started in 1974 with a mission to bring African American dance into the mainstream, Ailey II is one of America’s most enduring and beloved dance companies. Buy tickets for the show and the pre-show dinner at tickets.luther.edu or at the Luther Box Office in the CFL.

Social Events Build Connections, Inspire Change

Luther College’s Black Student Union (BSU) is hosting a bowling event to kick off Black History Month from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7 at KingPin Entertainment Center. Then on Saturday, Feb. 8, the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) is arranging a full-day visit to the African American Museum of Iowa in Cedar Rapids.

Next, join BSU for a Black History Month themed trivia night at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 13 at Impact Coffee. Specialty drinks will be available for purchase. This event is sponsored by BSU and Impact Trivia.

At 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20, BSU will host a screening of “Dreamland: The Burning of Black Wall Street” (2021) at Valders Hall of Science 206. Directed by Salima Koroma, this documentary celebrates the Black cultural renaissance that existed in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and investigates the 100-year-old race massacre that left a hidden stain on U.S. history. “Dreamland” was executive produced by NBA star LeBron James, businessman Maverick Carter, actor Jamal Henderson, and Philip Byron for The SpringHill Company, and Amy Entelis and Courtney Sexton for CNN Films.

Black History Month activities wrap up with a Cultural Community Connections event from 5–7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 27 at the Landing Market.

BSU vice president Kwaku Junior Sarpong encouraged Decorah residents, Luther students, faculty and staff to participate in these events.

“Attending events for Black History Month will provide a space for learning and reflection while engaging in meaningful conversations about racial justice, equity and inclusion,” Sarpong said. “Through these events, we will honor the immense contributions of Black people to America, inspire change, build connections and work toward a more inclusive and just society.”