Category: Luther College and Decorah Schools

On Wednesday, Sept. 17, officials from Luther College and the Decorah Community School District formally launched a Preferred Admission Partnership aimed at expanding access to higher education for some of the region’s most accomplished students.

Luther College President Brad Chamberlain (left) and Decorah Community School District Board of Education President Cindy Goodner sign a Preferred Admission Partnership on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at Decorah High School.

This type of partnership is a new one for both institutions. Qualifying Decorah High School students will have the opportunity for Preferred Admission to Luther, including a Preferred Admission scholarship.

“Strengthening connections with local partners is a priority for Luther College, and we are excited by how this new partnership with the Decorah Community School District will deepen the relationship between our two organizations,” said Luther College President Brad Chamberlain. “The partnership reflects a mutual commitment to invest in our local community by improving opportunities for students from Decorah to access and afford a Luther education.”

Eligibility requirements for Decorah High School students include a 3.25 GPA (unweighted) and completing Algebra II by the conclusion of their junior year. Eligible students who opt in to the program will be offered Preferred Admission to Luther College, provided they remain in good academic standing at Decorah High School. This status makes them eligible to receive a $500 Preferred Admission award, plus other institutional scholarships.

“The Preferred Admission Partnership opens doors for Decorah students to pursue an excellent academic opportunity close to home, recognizing their hard work and supporting their next steps,” said Cindy Goodner, president of the Decorah Community School District Board of Education.

Decorah High School has a strong record of fostering high academic achievement and providing well-rounded educational opportunities. It is a two-time National Blue Ribbon School, most recently in 2024, along with only four other Iowa schools. “U.S. News & World Report” has consistently ranked Decorah High School among the top five high schools in Iowa since the rankings began, including multiple years at the No. 1 spot.

“Students from Decorah High School are among the best in the nation and its graduates have consistently thrived at Luther,” said Matthew R. Beatty, vice president for enrollment management at Luther. “We are delighted to create a clear and supportive pathway for them to continue their education and reach their full potential on our campus.”

Decorah Community School District Superintendent Tim Cronin added that this partnership “represents an important step in supporting the aspirations of our students.”

“Many Decorah High School students already excel in academics, the arts and athletics, and this agreement provides them with the opportunity to continue their education at Luther while remaining connected to the community that has fostered their growth,” Cronin said.

Luther College is ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the nation. As measured by the “Wall Street Journal,” Luther is ranked first for learning opportunities among private Iowa colleges and the Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) consortium.

Decorah students who do not meet the Preferred Admission criteria are still encouraged to apply to Luther. They will be considered through Luther’s holistic review process for acceptance and potential merit awards.

To participate in the Preferred Admission Partnership, students and families are encouraged to contact the Decorah High School counselors, Pat Trewin and Brigit Storhoff, or Luther College Assistant Director of Admissions Mary Hellmark.

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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Forbes has named Luther College to its list of “25 Private Schools with Generous Financial Aid,” part of Forbes’ annual top colleges ranking.

Luther College is the only Iowa college to be included on Forbes’ list of “25 Private Schools with Generous Financial Aid.”

The special recognition includes schools that offer “stand-out scholarship packages” for undergraduates. Luther is among the 20 colleges on the Forbes list that offer financial aid to 100 percent of its students.

“This recognition affirms what we’ve long known: Luther students receive an outstanding education — one that prepares them for meaningful lives and careers — without being burdened by insurmountable debt,” said Matt Beatty, vice president for enrollment management. “That doesn’t happen by accident. It’s the result of careful stewardship, alumni support, and a deep belief in the transformative power of a Luther education.”

In fall 2024, Luther awarded $48.2 million in gift aid to its student body. For the fall 2024 entering class, the average need-based financial aid offer was $51,868 — approximately 80% of tuition, fees, room and board.

For students enrolling in fall 2026, Luther is offering merit scholarships worth up to $37,000 per year. Students may also earn talent scholarships in music, theatre and dance. More than 850 different scholarship funds undergird Luther’s generous aid packages.

Since 2022, Luther College’s Impact Award has paid full tuition for four years for qualifying students. The program was first extended to Iowa students. Minnesota was added in 2023 and Wisconsin in 2024. This year, this program has been expanded to the state of Illinois.

More than 65 high-achieving students from families with demonstrated financial need have benefitted from the Luther College Impact Award. Nearly half of those students are the first in their families to attend college.

“At a time when the value of higher education is being questioned and when the way colleges price tuition can often feel opaque, Luther has stayed true to its mission,” Beatty said. “We believe that access, academic excellence and affordability must remain at the heart of every student’s selection process. I’m incredibly proud to represent an institution that chooses to meet this moment not with scarcity, but with generosity.”

Marking the start of the fall 2025 semester at Luther College, President Brad Chamberlain introduced a new college mission statement, along with supporting identity, vision and values statements, to the campus community.

Luther College President Brad Chamberlain introduces the college’s new mission statement at the annual Service of Dedication.

The announcement was made during the college’s annual Service of Dedication and marked the completion of a two-year collaboration among faculty, staff, students and supporters of Luther to revise the mission statement. Luther last revised its mission statement in 2006.

Chamberlain’s remarks highlighted how the revised mission provides clarity and focus for the college community.

“Taken together with our compass points (honesty, hope, pride and belief), these new elements will support the focus we need as a community to thrive during a tumultuous time for society in general and higher education in particular. Our identity statement provides clarity about who we are. Our mission statement describes what we do. Our vision statement signals where we are going and our values explain why we act,” he said.

Since the summer of 2024, the Mission Statement Task Force has met with various constituents, taking feedback and vetting drafts of the statement.

The five-person task force completed its last revisions at the end of the spring 2025 semester. The final draft was presented to the Board of Regents for their consideration this summer. The Regents unanimously approved the revision in July.

“I am thankful for the many hours of thoughtful deliberation and input from our task force, but truly, this was a campus-wide effort,” Chamberlain said. “Numerous formal and informal meetings provided the feedback that led us to the version we presented to the Board of Regents this summer. The stewardship of the task force was essential to the completion of the project.”

The task force included Jon Jensen, professor of philosophy and environmental studies and director of the Center for Sustainable Communities; Maren Johnson, associate professor of Nordic studies and director of the Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies; David Thompson, professor of Spanish; Michelle Boike, assistant dean and director of the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support; Andrew Peter ’14, director of principal and major gifts; and Chamberlain.

Over the course of the upcoming weeks, updates to websites, documents and presentations will begin to display the new mission statement.

The revised mission and supporting documents can be found online at Luther.edu/about/mission.

A team of three Luther College anthropology students led by Colin Betts, professor of anthropology, worked to identify unmarked graves at three pioneer cemeteries in Winneshiek County this summer.

Evan McElroy, Benson Newhouse and Rebecca Zheng used advanced remote sensing technology to identify unmarked burial sites without disturbing the ground, an effort that reflects a growing movement in archaeology to adopt non-invasive methods for sensitive and historically significant investigations.

“This summer we learned how to use remote sensing. I hadn’t had any experience with this equipment previously, nor the software involved in processing the data and how to analyze it, so it was a great opportunity,” Newhouse said.

Three Luther College anthropology students and Colin Betts, professor of anthropology, work to identify unmarked graves at pioneer cemeteries in Winneshiek County.

The students conducted their efforts in three cemeteries: Big Canoe Norwegian Methodist, Springwater Cemetery and Crossroads/Metcalf Cemetery. These locations were selected for their high likelihood of containing unmarked graves. By combining survey-grade GPS mapping with ground-based sensing technologies, the students sought to detect subsurface anomalies that may indicate burial sites.

The students used ground penetrating radar, soil resistivity and a magnetic gradiometer to survey the cemeteries. Each of these technologies offer different types of insights into what may lie beneath the surface. When weather was favorable, high-quality data was collected. In several cases, the technology revealed patterns consistent with unmarked burials.

The initiative was partially inspired by the hopes to eventually locate unmarked graves at former Indigenous boarding schools in Iowa.

“These sites are part of a painful and often overlooked chapter in American history, where Native children were forcibly removed from their families and communities, and where many died and were buried in unmarked graves,” Betts said. “The research also has relevance in identifying unmarked graves in historically Black and slave cemeteries.”

Students were deeply involved in every step, from data collection and equipment handling to interpreting complex geophysical results. In some cases, the data suggested the likely presence of unmarked graves. In others, results were inconclusive, requiring careful interpretation.

The findings from this summer’s work will be presented by the student researchers during the 2025-26 academic year.

Luther College’s Center for Ethics and Public Engagement in collaboration with the Regenerating Soil and Community Project is hosting a special event titled “The Ground We Share: Conversations on Soil, Food, and Health” on Tuesday, Sept. 9, in the Center for Faith and Life. The event is free and open to the public.

Anne Biklé

“The Ground We Share” is a multidimensional experience and includes interactive exhibits about soil testing and regenerative agriculture, samples of local foods, books on the topic of “food is health,” and a dance performance by Luther College Orchesis, all beginning at 6:30 p.m.

At 7:30 p.m., science writer and public speaker Anne Biklé will discuss the link between soil health and food health during a presentation and Q&A session hosted by Jodi Enos-Berlage, professor of biology at Luther. 

“Anne Biklé’s work elevates attention to global soil degradation and the essential connections between the health of the soil microbiota and the rest of the living world. One could argue that there is no greater motivator for caring for the soil than seeing this act through the lens of our own health,” Enos-Berlage said.

Biklé is the co-author of “What Your Food Ate” and “The Hidden Half of Nature.” Both are collaborations with her spouse, geologist David Montgomery. Biklé draws on her background in biology to explore humanity’s relationship with nature through the lens of agriculture, soil and food. Biklé’s work has appeared in print and digital media including “Nautilus” and “Natural History and Best Health” as well as independent and documentary films, podcasts and radio programs focused on farming, food and human health.

The Ground We Share guest speakers. Top row: Anne Biklé, Erin Meyer, Jake Larkin. Bottom row: Carly Zierke, Robby Jewell, Wendy Johnson

Immediately following Biklé’s Q&A session, a panel made up of several Iowa organic farmers and medical professionals will discuss the topic of “Soil, Food, and Health Conversation.” 

“By including vegetable, livestock and commodity farmers on the same stage as human health care professionals, we are intentionally recognizing all as health care providers and providing the audience with a rare opportunity to engage with this span of health contributors simultaneously,” Enos-Berlage said. 

Panelists include:

• Wendy Johnson, 2024 Iowa Aldo Leopold Conservation award winner, organic/conventional farmer and owner of Joia Food and Fiber Farm, Charles City, Iowa
• Robby Jewell (2014 Luther alumnus), 2024 Excellence in Agriculture Decorah Chamber of Commerce award winner, sixth generation organic/conventional farmer and co-owner of Jewell Enterprizes, Decorah
• Carly Zierke, organic farmer and co-owner of Sweet Season Farm, Calmar, Iowa
• Jake Larkin, PA-C, lead physician assistant in hospital medicine and clinical preceptor at Emplify Health by Gundersen, La Crosse, Wis. and co- founder of plant partners group, which developed a rooftop garden and hospital farm 
• Erin Meyer, MSFS, RD, executive director and founder of Basil’s Harvest and clinical associate/co-founder of culinary medicine program, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Peoria, Ill.

View the comprehensive evening agenda

Additional Event in Decorah

These events are part of Biklé’s nine-day visit to Midwestern farms and organizations whose work centers on the relationship between soil and human health. A book reading and signing of Biklé’s latest book, “What Your Food Ate,” is at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 8, at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company. This event is sponsored by the Oneota Valley Literary Foundation (OVLF). 

Additional sponsors of Biklé’s visit to Decorah are Davi Design Co., Decorah Bank & Trust Co., Decorah Public Library, Emplify Health by Gundersen, Luther College CEPE, Northeast Iowa Dairy and Agricultural Foundation, Oneota Community Food Co-op, OVLF, Practical Farmers of Iowa, Seed Savers Exchange and Winneshiek County SWCD.