Author: Luther College News

DECORAH, IOWA—The gray fox population is declining across the Midwest; Dawn Reding, associate professor of biology at Luther College, is trying to understand why. She’s leading part of the lab work of a multi-state study, which includes Iowa, Indiana and Illinois, on gray foxes. 

While many gray foxes are dying of canine distemper, a highly contagious virus that attacks the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems of canines, that doesn’t tell the whole story. The disease has affected gray foxes since at least the 1970s, but the population decline has significantly increased in recent years. 

“There are multiple factors involved in the decline of gray foxes,” Reding said. “We are still putting together all the pieces; it’s going to be a complex story.” 

Reding has been studying the decline for the past four years through a grant with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the Wildlife Ecology Institute (WEI), a nonprofit that researches and manages wildlife. Reding’s part of the study focused on genetic testing to understand how gray fox movement patterns, diet and prevalence of bacteria in their gut could contribute to disease susceptibility.

The researchers are also working with Kansas State and Purdue University. Reding’s team collected blood and tissue samples and sent them to a team at Kansas State to test for various viruses and parasites at its diagnostic lab, then researchers at Purdue and Reding’s team examined carcasses to determine the cause of death of gray foxes.

She hopes to begin a new four-year study with the Indiana DNR and the WEI on possible comorbidities that could be exacerbating the spread of canine distemper among gray foxes by testing DNA. 

Reding and her team are looking into habitat as a possible reason for the decline, since gray foxes are coming into closer contact with humans as their natural habitats shrink due to development. The animals may come into contact with common household toxins like rat poison or antifreeze. Lab tests revealed that a gray fox had died after ingesting antifreeze. 

There’s also a possibility that gray foxes could be in competition with other species such as coyotes and bobcats. This could mean they don’t have access to nutritious food to keep their immune systems strong and fight off canine distemper. 

Luther students worked under Reding,which gave them valuable skills for their future professions. 

Poppy Thuy Duong Truong, a junior majoring in identity studies, helped examine the animals last summer as a research assistant for the study. She traveled to Indiana, where many gray foxes are found, to collect the bodies and study them.

“During the research project, I learned how to work collaboratively and learned how to communicate with my team members,” Truong said. “These are skills that I can take into a future career.” 

A Luther student also helped analyze the DNA of gray foxes to understand the species better. Adam Koller, a senior majoring in data science and mathematics who also worked as a research assistant, helped Reding in interpreting DNA sequencing data during the study last summer. 

“I was working with the sequence data after it was sent to a lab for testing to understand gray foxes,” Koller said. “While it’s a biology research project, I found a way to fit it into the study with my data science experience.” 

Gray foxes are not officially considered endangered, but have become a species of concern. It is legal to hunt the animals, but gray foxes are not a typical game. According to the Iowa DNR’s “Trends in Iowa Wildlife Population and Harvesting” logbook, only one gray fox was harvested during the 2021-22 hunting season. It was hunters and trappers in the Midwest who acted as the catalyst for the study when they noticed the decline and alerted wildlife officials. 

They are North America’s only canine species that can climb trees because of their long, hooked claws. This allows them to escape predators or find food sources in trees. Rodents are also a part of the foxes’ diet, giving the foxes an important role in regulating rodent populations. 

“There is not a lot known about gray foxes since they’re not well-studied,” Reding said. “This study is very broad and comprehensive to understand the species better.” 

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.

DECORAH, IOWA—A Luther College senior and recent alum both received Fulbright English Teaching Assistantships for the 2024-25 academic year. Robert Clower, class of 2023, and senior Amy Webb will spend the year abroad immersing themselves in German language and culture as well as improving their students’ English abilities and knowledge of the United States.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program. Every year, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program selects more than 2,000 students, artists and early-career professionals to teach English and undertake research abroad. Fulbright awards are given based upon leadership potential, academic achievement and record of service.

Fulbright winners have gone on to win Pulitzer Prizes and Nobel Prizes, as well as gone on to become leaders in a number of sectors, including government, business and education. 

Robert Clower 

Clower, of Grinnell, Iowa, graduated from Luther in 2023 with a degree in music. He also minored in German during his time on campus, which is why he applied for the Fulbright award. 

“Working in public schools in Germany will allow me to continue this cross-cultural learning with hands-on experience in the classroom,” Clower said. “Interacting with Germans in an environment like a classroom will help immerse me in the culture.”

While at Luther, Clower found that studying music and German simultaneously gave him a fresh perspective on the world. Learning a new language helped him become a better musician as well. He played oboe in Luther’s Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. He also studied voice and sang in Collegiate Choir. He spent a month in Austria rehearsing and performing with the Symphony Orchestra as part of their renowned Vienna Residency program. 

“I cannot imagine being successful with oboe over the last two years if I had not started taking German; it allowed me to learn to think in a different way,” Clower said. 

Amy Webb

Webb, of Waverly, Iowa, is a double major in international studies and German with a minor in English. Webb felt the Fulbright program was the natural next step after college to pursue her interests in language and culture. 

“I heard about the Fulbright program from my first German class here at Luther, and ever since it had been on my mind to apply,” Webb said. “I loved the prospect of not only being able to live and work in Germany, but also act as a cultural ambassador and strengthen relations between countries and with people from different cultures.”

Webb plays violin in the Luther Symphony Orchestra and traveled to Austria with the group for the Vienna residency. She is a member of the Sigma Tau Delta English honor society and the Delta Phi Alpha German honor society; later this month, she will be inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Webb also serves as the president of Luther College Model United Nations and the Luther Association of Gamers. 

“I have found that traveling fosters open-mindedness, empathy, self-confidence, and enhances one’s personal development,” Webb said.  

After completing the program, Webb plans to pursue an advanced degree in library sciences or international relations. She plans to take these values into her future education and career. 

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.

DECORAH, IOWA— Five Luther College seniors attended the annual Sigma Tau Delta Convention in St. Louis from April 3–6. The students, all English majors or minors and members of the Sigma Tau Delta English honor society, presented work on topics like George Eliot’s “Middlemarch” and queer identity in literature, in addition to original fiction and poetry.  

The five students who attended were:

• Ashley Imdieke, of Northfield, Minnesota
• Mia Irving, of Coralville, Iowa
• Ethan Kober, of Cedar Falls, Iowa
• Scott Rust, of Hudson, Wisconsin
• Amy Webb, of Waverly, Iowa

Each year, the international conference brings college students and faculty from different institutions to present their work and celebrate undergraduate writers. Students also learn about career and graduate school opportunities for English majors and minors. They also have the opportunity to earn awards for outstanding work. 

Webb received an honorable mention in the Stemmler Dennis LGBT award category for her critical essay “Stone Fruit: Inner Wildness and Queer Identity.”

“The Sigma Tau Delta convention gathers a supportive and dynamic community brimming with creativity and new ideas,” Webb said. “I enjoyed discovering the diverse ways my English minor can be applied in different careers, exploring various interpretations of literature and multimedia and listening to a variety of original poetry and prose by my peers. Overall, it was an incredibly inspiring experience.”

“Luther should be very proud of the quality and professionalism of these students’ presentations,” said Marie Drews, associate professor of English and faculty advisor to Sigma Tau Delta. “In their participation at the conference, the students proved fine ambassadors of a Luther education.”

“I found that this conference was very valuable for me personally, as it gave me the opportunity to meet and learn more about the career paths of professionals in writing and editing jobs,” Imdieke said. “Additionally, I enjoyed the experience of presenting an academic paper that I wrote this year; it was a great opportunity to further develop my public speaking skills and to meet students from all across the country.”

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 courageous for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.

DECORAH, IOWA—President Jenifer K. Ward announced to the Luther College community today her intention to retire as president at the end of June 2025. Ward became president of Luther on July 1, 2019, and at the time of her retirement, she will have served in the role for six years. 

In a message to the campus, Ward expressed her appreciation to the Luther community and her desire to maintain momentum in implementing the College’s key strategic initiatives.

“My love for Luther is deep and genuine, and I so appreciate the challenging and collaborative work this campus community has undertaken together over the past several years to address the rapid changes in higher education and move Luther College forward as a place of faith and learning for current and future generations of students,” Ward said. “For Luther to successfully execute these strategic initiatives requires us to ensure the college has the resources in place to support these programs and projects, and we have worked diligently to establish the foundation for the college’s next comprehensive campaign. Given the importance of this multi-year effort, I recognize that presidential transitions are best accomplished at the beginning or end of campaigns, but not in the middle. Both I and our Board of Regents share a common aim, which is to ensure that we continue to achieve Luther’s strategic objectives, especially bringing the first phases of our campus master plan to fruition to enhance the student experience at Luther. It has been a joy to see how planning for the renovation of the fieldhouse and reimagining Preus Library as a student learning commons have generated excitement on our campus and among our alumni.”

“On behalf of the Board of Regents, I want to express our gratitude to President Ward for her exemplary service and for putting the best interests of Luther College front and center through careful succession planning,” Chair Bob Paulson said. “We appreciate the timing of President Ward’s decision to retire, which allows the Regents to immediately begin the process of identifying her successor in a thoughtful way. The Regents will discuss and determine the process, next steps and timeline to identify and select Luther’s 12th president and will update the college communities following our regularly scheduled meeting in May. We are grateful for President Ward’s leadership throughout her tenure. One of her indelible legacies is her ability to communicate the vision and mission of the college, which has inspired families, friends, and alumni of Luther to generously share their gifts and invest in the college’s future.”

Notable among President Ward’s initiatives were deepening the attention to a holistic approach to student education and success, including collaborating with the college faculty and academic leadership to reorganize Luther’s academic curriculum, introducing an integrated student services area under the Provost, and uniting academic affairs, student engagement and student success.

“When I began my academic career some 44 years ago, I never envisioned that I would one day have the opportunity to serve as the president of Luther College,” Ward said. “My life has been so enriched, challenged and transformed by my time here. I look forward to continuing to engage with the broader Luther community over the next year as we advance this great college. Luther’s fabric is strong, and I know my successor will be equally blessed by how our people care for the “Luther blue” thread that pulls through it.”

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.

DECORAH, IOWA—Two Luther College students, Esther Bitijula and Mansur Kasali, received grants through Projects for Peace, a global program that partners with educational institutions to identify and support young peacebuilders. The $10,000 grants will fund the students’ innovative community-centered projects in their hometowns this summer. 

Bitijula, a junior majoring in psychology and social work, will empower young women with physical disabilities in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo. Kasali, a first-year majoring in economics and international studies, will teach youth in Ibadan, Nigeria, the skills to fight against cybercrime. 

Since 2007, Luther students have initiated and led 23 different summer Projects for Peace programs in locations across the globe, according to Jon Lund, director of international admissions and Luther’s liaison to the Projects for Peace program office. The two projects selected this year represent the 24th and 25th summer projects and the first ever in Nigeria and the DRC. 

“Esther and Mansur are both great examples of the types of liberally educated, purposefully engaged, and globally minded students we educate at Luther every year,” Lund said. “I am proud of both of them and am confident that their summer projects for peace will make a difference in the communities in which they work and serve.”   

Esther Bitijula “United Gifted Young Women: Fights Against Ableism” in the DRC

Bitijula’s project, “United Gifted Young Women: Fights Against Ableism,” will focus on women ages 18–25 with physical disabilities by providing themwith technical skills – like sewing – and computer skills, as well as mentors. 

The goals are to enable economic independence for the young women, provide a safe space for women to talk about their experiences, and foster a sense of community. 

Bitijula was inspired by witnessing what happened when a family friend was impacted by a physical disability. 

“Growing up, I witnessed a sudden and dramatic change in the life of a close family friend who lost her leg due to a road accident,” Bitijula said. “She was immediately fired from her job and was deemed a burden to her family, as she could no longer provide for their basic needs and needed constant health attention.” 

She will work with the organization Maman Shujaa (Hero Women Rising), which was started by a woman who has a physical disability resulting from a polio infection when she was young.

“I’ve always been passionate about making an impact on my community and empowering women,” Bitijula said. “Coming to Luther and learning about the Projects for Peace, this was a great opportunity to use the money toward making an impact.” 

Mansur Kasali “Empowering Youth Against Cybercrimes in Nigeria” 

Kasali’s project, “Empowering Youth Against Cyber Crimes in Nigeria,” will create long term initiatives to navigate the digital world and combat cyber crime. He will work with juniors in high school during his project, providing classes and mentorship. 

Cyber crime organizations will often recruit young people, like high school students, into schemes, and Kasali wants to provide these students with the knowledge and tools to understand when they are being recruited for cybercrimes. 

“I want to teach young people about all the positive capabilities of technology,” Kasali said. “This is an opportunity to teach students how to hone skills that they can bring into the future.” 

Part of his funds will provide technological equipment to the school, including laptops and SmartBoards, as well as educate them on both the advantages and drawbacks of technology. Kasali wants the program to produce digitally literate young people. 

Students who successfully complete the initiative in school will have the opportunity to job shadow accomplished individuals in the Nigerian tech industry. 

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.

DECORAH, IOWA—Kamina Gager, a junior at Luther College majoring in history, knows she wants work as an archivist one day. Through her hard work at Luther and passion for history, she landed an internship at a world-renowned museum in Washington, D.C., where she’s spending her spring semester. 

Gager is one of two students interning as a processing and reference archivist in the Archives Center of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History (NMAH). Part of her job is helping to evaluate boxes of historical items, and processing and cataloging them for the museum as part of a large-scale processing project. 

“There will be a box that’s been sitting in storage since the 1950s and no one really knows what’s in it yet. I get to be the person who really figures out what we have and why it matters,” Gager said. “I love organizing materials.”

One of her tasks included verifying, organizing and housing documents, photographs and other archival materials related to American pocket watches that are part of the Jon and Jennifer Hanson Watch and Clock Collection. 

“Kamina approached her internship in the Archives Center with tremendous enthusiasm and curiosity. She was open to learning all aspects of our archival program and she tackled collection work documenting a wide variety of topics including watches and clocks to bridges to advertising to music,” said Alison Oswald, an archivist for the Smithsonian and Gager’s supervisor at NMAH. “I have no doubt that based on her experience in the Archives Center, that Kamina will pursue a career working for a culture heritage organization.”

She also aids in overseeing the reading room at NMAH, where she helps researchers find sources and materials they need for projects. 

Gager is interning through the Lutheran College Washington Semester, a personalized program for students at Lutheran-affiliated colleges to take advantage of academic and professional opportunities in the nation’s capital. 

As a high school student in Woodbury, Minnesota, Gager knew she wanted to study history when she got to college. Gager, who is also minoring in museum studies and classical studies, eventually chose Luther for all the opportunities she would have as a history major. 

“I came to Luther because it has a museum studies minor, since not a lot of undergraduate programs offer it; it’s usually a graduate school program,” Gager said. “I knew the museum studies minor would make me stand out when I eventually apply for graduate programs.”

Before heading off to D.C., Gager worked in Luther’s Anthropology Lab and Collections, which is where she found her passion for archiving. She originally had aspirations of becoming a museum curator, a person who designs exhibits, but quickly found working in the lab she loved to preserve and organize items, such as photographs and documents. She was drawn to making sense of objects that seem random at first glance, but tell a whole story when looked at closely. 

“Kamina’s curiosity, attention to detail and resourcefulness to address the complexity of tasks as an Anthropology Lab collections assistant reflects the strength of her liberal arts education,” said Destiny Crider, the Anthropology Lab manager who oversaw Gager. “She has worked with our ethnographic collections, trained in different methods of digitizing audio, video and archival documents, and applies a strong personal ethic to the duty of care to every object in our collection.”

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.

DECORAH, IOWA—Luther College announces changes to the nursing program curriculum in order to better meet the needs of students and of the nursing profession. 

Beginning with the cohort entering in fall 2024, nursing students will spend their senior year working at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, rather than their junior year, to ease the transition into professional nursing after graduation. 

During the Rochester year, students are placed in a variety of settings throughout the Mayo hospitals, including obstetrics, pediatrics and surgical units. Luther nursing students have spent their junior year in Rochester since the nursing program’s inception in 1974. Annually, anywhere from a third to half of Luther nursing students go on to work at a Mayo-affiliated hospital.

“We want our students to use their senior year to develop the skills and independence to work as a licensed nurse by easing the transition from student to professional life,” said Angela Kueny, Ph.D., M.S.N., head of the nursing program at Luther. “These changes are meant to adapt to the needs of both students and the nursing field as a whole.” 

Nursing program leaders consulted with students in this curriculum restructure. One of them, Souksakhone Sengsaisouk, class of 2023, is now a registered nurse in the general surgery unit at Mayo. He praised the invaluable experience of the Rochester year and said the curriculum restructure would help students transition into professional nursing and retain the skills they learn at Mayo into their careers. 

“The structured practicum of Luther’s nursing program and the clinical experiences it offers through healthcare organizations like Mayo have not only honed my abilities but also positioned me as a standout candidate and an impactful contributor to Mayo as a professional nurse,” Sengsaisouk said.

“Mayo Clinic values the clinical placement partnership with Luther College and we support the exciting new curriculum and placement of nursing students,” said Jeanine Gangeness, program director for Midwest nursing academic affairs at Mayo. 

Luther’s nursing curriculum is designed to help students master nursing competency skills before taking the nursing licensing exam (NCLEX-RN), which all students must pass to work as a registered nurse. In 2023, 90% of Luther students passed on their first try. 

“We anticipate that the revised program would increase the support to students to pass NCLEX because of increased nursing credits and intensity of courses to build and review for taking the exam after graduation,” Kueny said.

This change will also promote student wellness and ease students’ workloads by redistributing their pre-nursing classes. During their first and second years, students take biology and psychology; students also take Luther’s core curriculum, including its renowned Paideia courses, to establish a foundation of liberal arts education in their nursing practice. During their junior year, students will take nursing courses in the Decorah area, introducing them to nursing practice in the rural setting and preparing them to work at Mayo. During their senior year in Rochester, students will take advanced nursing courses, including a “Transitions to Professional Nursing” to prepare them for their careers. 

This change will not impact current students, who will continue to spend their junior year in Rochester. The 2027-28 will be the first year Luther students will spend their senior year at Mayo. 

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.

DECORAH, IOWA—Small Island Big Song, a collective of renowned First Nation musicians from across the Pacific and Indian Oceans, will perform for Luther College’s Center Stage Series at 7:30 p.m Tuesday, April 23, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. 

Set to panoramic visuals of the artists’ homelands, Small Island Big Song offers everything from soulful ballads to irresistible grooves, creating a beautiful, immersive musical experience from a region that shares an ancient seafaring heritage as well as the impact of our changing seas.

“In my conversations with the producers, I’ve become even more excited about presenting Small Island Big Song, especially the week of Earth Day,” says Kristen Underwood, director of campus programming. “They are on a mission to help us reconnect with nature, deepen our understanding of island cultures, and inspire all of us to work for change. They bring a message of hope and cooperation, and the ensemble, from different nations, model togetherness with no finger-pointing.”

Taiwanese theater producer BaoBao Chen and Australian music producer and filmmaker Tim Cole spent nearly a decade visiting artists on 16 island nations from Mauritius to Madagascar and Taiwan to Tahiti. The results are two award-winning albums, a feature film and this internationally acclaimed concert tour.

“I’ve wanted to present this show since I met the producers in New York in early 2020. Something that has stayed with me since that meeting is the idea that we are not separated by the oceans, but connected by them. That’s one of the stories of Small Island Big Song. I also love that the experience begins the moment you enter the lobby. Audiences of all ages are encouraged to attend,” Underwood said. 

Center Stage Dinner Series

The talented chefs of the Norse Culinary Team are back with the popular Center Stage Dinner Series. The dinners feature a multi-course menu to complement each performance. A separate ticket is required; the menu for April 23 can be viewed online. Dinner seating begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Peace Dining Room on the second floor of Dahl Centennial Union.

Both dinner and show tickets are on sale through Luther’s Ticket Office in the Center for Faith and Life, online or by calling (563) 387-1357.

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.

DECORAH, IOWA–Luther College will host Master Zhongxian Wu, a Chinese martial artist, calligrapher, and musician, from April 9–28. During his time on campus, he will lead workshops that are open to the Decorah community.

“I think such experiences that Master Wu is offering are valuable because they can decenter European and American understandings of religion, philosophy and artistic expression,” said Scott Hurley, associate professor of identity studies at Luther. “After all, other places and cultures in the world have profound and sophisticated ideas about art, one’s relationship with others, whether human or nonhuman, and ultimate truth.” 

Wu will offer four workshops during his time on campus; to sign up for events, email Hurley at hurlsc01@luther.edu. Here are the events he’s hosting: 

• Chinese Calligraphy Workshop: 1–3 p.m., Sunday, April 14, in the Center for the Arts 215, $25 for the public.
• Qigong and the Earth Workshop: 5:30–7 p.m., Wednesday, April 17, in the Center for the Arts Studio One, free to the public.
• Chinese Medicine for Health and Longevity: 5–7 p.m., Wednesday, April 24, at Decorah United Church of Christ, $25 for the public.
• Tea and Qin Music: 5–7 p.m., Friday, April 26, at Ryumonji Zen Monastery, $25 for the public.

Originally from China, Master Wu is a lifelong practitioner of Daoism, an indigenous Chinese religion. He is the co-founder and director of QinJian Akademin in Stockholm, Sweden, where he hosts workshops in-person and on Zoom related to martial arts, traditional Chinese music, and health and healing. He also travels throughout the U.S. and Europe offering these workshops.  

In addition to calligraphy and Chinese medicine, he teaches qigong, a form of Chinese movement practice that incorporates proper body posture, breathing and meditation; and the guqin, a Chinese zither. Master Wu has published numerous books and articles in both Chinese and English on these subjects. 

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.

DECORAH, IOWA—Luther College senior Nancy Le received the 2024 Joy Tlou Memorial Award in recognition of her contributions to campus life, encouraging a “community of joy.” 

“I feel incredibly honored and grateful to receive the 2024 Joy Tlou Memorial Award. To have my creativity and positivity recognized by people at Luther means so much,” Le said. “Interacting with different people on campus, especially through my work-study job at the Career Center, brings me joy, and I’m glad that my contributions have made an impact on those around me as well.” 

The Joy Tlou Memorial Award was established by Hla Tlou in memory of her brother, Bonolo Joy Tlou ’86, in 2023. Le is the second recipient; Myke Shed ’23 was named the inaugural recipient in 2023. It is awarded to students whose character, leadership and participation in the campus community enhance the quality of campus life and encourage a “community of joy.”

Le came to Luther from Hue city Vietnam where she will graduate this year with a degree in visual communication. She has spread her positivity and talents around campus. 

This includes working at the Luther Career Center, where she creates content for social media, including videos, to educate the campus about services. Through the Career Center, she also serves as a Clifton Strengths Ambassador, where she helps students, faculty and staff on campus recognize and apply their talents in life and careers. She was nominated by her Career Center supervisors Katrina Brickley, administrative and communications coordinator, and Miriam Skrade, associate director.

“Nancy brings smiles, waves and giggles as she approaches the windows of the Career Center, all before she enters the door,” Brickley said. “Once inside, everyone working is greeted by peppy hellos. No one leaves Nancy’s presence a stranger.”

“Nancy brings not only joy, but also knowledge and impact to everything she does,” Skrade said. “Whether it’s a vice president or one of her classmates, she will talk to anyone like they’re long term friends.” 

In addition to her work study position at the Career Center, Le spent her junior year as part of Luther’s Nottingham Year, where students spend a year abroad in the English city, and serves as a resident assistant in Miller Hall. During her sophomore year, she was an admissions ambassador and a member of Luther College Cheerleading, in addition to working at the Writing Center.  

When asked how she brings joy to campus, Le responded by saying, “It’s the little things like making eye contact, sharing smiles, and giving genuine compliments to people, whether I know them or not. I love spreading positivity and creating a welcoming environment for everyone.” 

Le said she likes Luther’s small size because she feels like she was able to get to know everyone around campus.

“In each class Nancy has taken from me, she’s brought infectious energy. Ultimately, this has really elevated entire classroom communities in profound ways,” said Thomas Johnson, associate professor of communications studies. “She’s a bright light, no doubt.”

“I feel like I’m meant to be at Luther. The small size of the college has allowed me to create meaningful connections with a lot of members of our campus community, and it truly feels like home here,” Le said. “The friends I’ve made, the professors I’ve had, and Luther staff I’ve encountered have all contributed to making Luther a special place for me.”

About Bonolo “Joy” Tlou

Joy Tlou was born in Gwanda, Zimbabwe, in 1963. He moved to Decorah with his mom and sisters when he was two years old to join his father, who was a student at Luther College. Joy attended elementary school in Decorah and junior high school in Glencoe, Illinois; he graduated from high school in Blacksburg, Virginia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Luther College in 1986. No matter where Joy went, he was loved by everyone and was a friend to anyone. 

In addition to working as a college administrator, Joy was an artist who made beautiful pottery, a singer and musician, a cook who hosted dinners for no other reason than to bring people together. He enjoyed fishing, skiing, telling jokes and simply being in the company of friends and family.

About The Joy Tlou Memorial Award

The Joy Tlou Memorial Award is awarded to students whose character, leadership, and participation in the campus community enhance the quality of campus life and encourage a “community of joy.” The $3,000 award is managed through both an application and nomination process. In addition to meeting the criteria above, the following questions are addressed through the application or nomination: 1) What gifts do you have to share; 2) What joy can you bring to the campus community; and 3) What will you do to be like Joy?

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.