Category: Luther College and Decorah Schools

Sharran Srivatsaa will deliver the 2023 Commencement address in Luther College’s Carlson Stadium at 9 a.m. Sunday, May 21, 2023. Srivatsaa graduated from Luther in 2001 and is now a successful entrepreneur, sought-after keynote speaker, angel investor, business podcast host and private advisor to top CEOs. Srivatsaa is the president of Real (TSX: REAX) (NASDAQ: REAX), the fastest-growing publicly traded real estate brokerage in the world. 

In the last 19 years, Srivatsaa has nurtured, grown and sold five companies. Most recently, he led Teles Properties’ unprecedented growth, resulting in a four-year consecutive streak on the Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies list. In addition, Srivatsaa mentors CEOs in his exclusive Legends Program, hosts the top-rated podcast titled “Business School” and is the creator of the popular 5am Club for Entrepreneurs.

“Sharran is an engaging and energetic speaker who reminds his listeners that one of the key concerns of their clients is uncertainty about the ‘next step’ in their journeys,” said President Jenifer K. Ward. “At a time when our graduates will be wondering about their own next steps, I am excited to hear what a successful alumnus might say to the Class of 2023 about how he engaged that question upon leaving Luther.”   

Srivatsaa provides thought leadership to major publications including the Wall Street Journal, SUCCESS Magazine, Huffington Post and Forbes. He told SUCCESS, “My entire world changed when I learned that networking was not about building my database but about being the gateway to another great relationship. Every time I meet someone new, I’ve trained myself to ask the question, whom can I introduce this person to that could change their life?”

Each morning, more than 9,000 entrepreneurs tune into a conference call with Srivatsaa as part of his 5am Club. One listener says, “It is the slingshot that propels my day.”

Srivatsaa is a member of Young Presidents Organization and as an active angel investor, he serves as co-founder, investor and advisor to various companies. Sharran earned his bachelor’s degree in computer science from Luther College and his MBA with honors from Vanderbilt University. He lives with his family in Orange County, California.

Commencement will be a ticketed event. It will be livestreamed and accessible to the public online at commencement.luther.edu. 

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.

The Luther College Concert Band will perform their Tour Homecoming Concert at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, in the Main Hall of the Center for Faith and Life. 

The concert is the final performance of the group’s Midwest tour titled “Respect is what we owe; love, what we give” which included stops in Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Audience members will enjoy wind ensemble repertoire by Oscar Navarro, Florence Price, Matthew Hindson and others, along with traditional Luther band encores by J.S. Bach and John Philip Sousa. 

Director Cory Near said he found the quote, “Respect is what we owe; love, what we give,” by English poet Philip James Bailey while searching for material focused on the word respect. 

“The idea of respect comes from one of the pieces on our program by my dear friend Kevin Poelking. His piece, “By the Hands that Reach Us,” is dedicated to people in our lives who lift us up: mentors, colleagues, family and friends. For me, those people are who I respect the most. I then decided to choose additional repertoire that highlights composers and stories that I find to be of huge value. We are thrilled to be sharing this program of reflection, joy and respect with our audiences,” said Near.

This concert is open to the public with no charge for admission. It will also be livestreamed on the Luther College Music Department’s YouTube channel. 

The Luther College Concert Band was formed in 1878, laying the foundation for what would become the college’s long-standing tradition of musical excellence. One of the oldest touring groups in the nation, Concert Band has risen to its current position of prestige through the influential directorships of Carlo Sperati, 1905-1943; Weston Noble, 1948-1973; Frederick Nyline, 1973-2011; and Joan deAlbuquerque, 2011-2020. Since 2020, Cory Near, a Cincinnati native, has led the band.

Throughout its long history, Concert Band has enjoyed performance opportunities in the United States, Western Europe and Japan. The ensemble tours annually, including an international tour every four years. In 2013, the band toured Iceland and Norway, 100 years after its first Norwegian tour. In 2017, the ensemble traveled to Spain. The next international tour for Concert Band will occur in 2025. 

About Luther College Music 

Luther is home to one of the largest undergraduate music programs in the nation, with five choirs, three orchestras, two bands and two jazz bands. One-third of all Luther students participate in music, including large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons and master classes. Nearly 175 music majors study music theory, ear training, history, education, composition, jazz, church music and performance. Learn more at luther.edu/music.

March 7, 2023

Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward and Provost Brad Chamberlain have announced promotions for current faculty members. 

At its February meeting, the Board of Regents announced the promotions of Heather Armstrong, music; Sean Burke, religion; and Maryna Nading, philosophy, to full professor. Nicholas Shaneyfelt of the Music Department was also promoted to associate professor. The promotion to full professor involves student, department, faculty committee, provost, and president review.

“I join the broader Luther College community in recognizing and celebrating these members of the faculty on their well-deserved promotions. I am grateful for their work as teachers, scholars, and citizens of the college, knowing the impact that their service has upon our students, their academic disciplines, and the mission of Luther College,” said Provost Brad Chamberlain.

Heather Armstrong

Heather Armstrong began teaching at Luther College in 2006. She received a Bachelor of Music degree from Houghton College and earned Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in oboe performance and literature from the Eastman School of Music. She teaches applied oboe lessons, music theory, and double reed methods for future music educators. During her 2022 sabbatical project she explored how educational and outreach initiatives can help make the oboe more accessible to students who want to learn to play it.

Sean Burke

Sean Burke joined the Luther College faculty in 2007 as a member of the Religion Department. He earned a B.A. from Concordia College (NY), an M.Div. from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, and a Ph.D. in biblical studies from the Graduate Theological Union. His research has focused on gender, sexuality, and the Bible, and his teaching interests have also included comparative study of the Bible, the Qur’an, and the Book of Mormon. In addition to teaching, he has served the college as associate dean and director of faculty development and as associate provost.

Maryna Nading

Maryna Nading has taught at Luther College since 2010. She earned a Ph.D. in anthropology from State University of New York at Albany. Nading teaches courses in cultural anthropology, medical anthropology, and global health. Nading’s research focuses on the health workforce and gender. She has written on issues of gender segregation by medical specialty, professionalization, remuneration, and class in Ukraine. Her work has appeared in Medical Anthropology Theory, Human Organization, Medical Anthropology Quarterly, and Anthropology of Work. Nading’s current research investigates sites of care that extend beyond clinical settings. A native of Ukraine, she is now working with a Ukrainian volunteer group Maskuty, that creates camouflage nets for the army. Nading argues that such war relief efforts can be understood as a type of reproductive labor that fosters radical hope in the face of adversity.

Nicholas Shaneyfelt

Nicholas Shaneyfelt has been Luther College’s vocal coach and faculty collaborative pianist since 2016. Shaneyfelt directs Luther College’s opera program, teaches courses in vocal and instrumental accompanying, and collaborates with faculty and students frequently in recitals on campus and across the country. After earning dual undergraduate degrees in music and computer science from the University of Notre Dame, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in collaborative piano from the University of Michigan, under the mentorship of Martin Katz. Shaneyfelt serves as associate director of the International Music Festival of the Adriatic in Duino, Italy, and tours regularly with the Piatigorsky Foundation, an organization dedicated to bringing live classical music to all corners of 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 courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.