Category: Luther College and Decorah Schools

The estate of the late Judith (Lueder) Torson ’62 and Doug Torson recently provided Luther College with a gift of $2.2 million. Not only is the amount significant, but so is its purpose.

Doug and Judith (Lueder) Torson

“This gift is truly going to serve as a catalyst,” said Mary Duvall, vice president for advancement. “The Torsons’ generosity will inspire more generosity, help our enrollment team reach more prospective students, and help our new leaders become even better, therefore maximizing their impact.”

The reason for this gift’s far-reaching impact is that it was made without any restrictions, said Duvall. “The Torsons’ gift was not only financial but also strategic, in so far as we can use it for the most impact right now.”

The Luther College Board of Regents has approved the Torson gift to provide Gerdin Fieldhouse challenge funding, enrollment marketing funding, leadership development initiatives, and support for the Luther Fund.

“I am grateful for the many partners that enable Luther to enact its mission to inspire and equip students to courageously serve the common good, and to realize its vision to catalyze the creation of a more sustainable and just society, one graduate at a time,” said President Brad Chamberlain. “This unrestricted gift from the Torsons is truly a blessing, and it leaves a legacy that will catalyze the belief, pride, and hope in Luther College that I see building on and off campus.”

A native of West Union, Iowa, Judy Torson majored in elementary education at Luther. Upon graduating in 1962, she launched a 30-year teaching career at Cleveland and Pierce Elementary Schools in Cedar Rapids. She married Douglas Archie Torson in 1967, a Coe College graduate who pursued a career at Collins Radio, the Cedar Rapids School District, Metropolitan School Supply, and as a business owner. They were members of First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. Doug died on Nov. 5, 2020, followed by Judy on Aug. 29, 2024.

Family friend Brenda Short remembers the Torsons as “very fun-loving, giving, and into their church.” They had a close friendship with Short’s parents, playing cards and games, often spending Christmas Eve together, and even going on vacations together. “They didn’t have any children, so I think it was nice for them,” said Short. In addition, Short noted that Judy loved Luther, and she treasured a collection of memorabilia from her student years.

Judy had two younger siblings who also graduated from Luther. Her brother, Kenneth A. Lueder ’65, died in 1989; a scholarship in mathematics was established at Luther through a gift from his estate. Her sister, Barbara Lueder, graduated from Luther in 1970 and also pursued a career in education. She currently lives in Coralville, Iowa, and provides scholarship support to Luther through both current giving and an estate gift. Her niece, Karla (Lueder) Organist ’84, continued in the tradition as an elementary education major at Luther.

“Estate gifts like the Torsons’ are expressions of deep trust in the college’s future,” said Kelly Sorenson, director of planned giving. “They strengthen every corner of campus — from the classroom to programs — and ensure that Luther students continue to experience the kind of education that changes lives. We are profoundly grateful for donors who choose to leave such meaningful legacies.”

To learn more about planned giving, visit legacygiving.luther.edu.

A total of $592,631 was raised during Luther College’s sixth annual One Team Day on Thursday, Nov. 20, making the event the most successful one in the college’s history.

Launched in 2020, One Team Day is a 24-hour campaign to support student-athletes at Luther College.

“My initial reaction was disbelief — this level of support is extraordinary,” said Athletic Director Megan Wilson. “But if any place could rise to the moment, it’s Luther. The pride people hold for this institution continues to amaze me. One Team Day is truly representative of competition, character and our community.”

Launched in 2020, One Team Day is a 24-hour campaign to support student-athletes, celebrate Norse spirit and highlight the importance of athletics and student-athletes within the Luther community.

Along with supporting their favorite teams, as they have done in the past, Luther invited community members to support the $24 million Gerdin Fieldhouse renovation project as part of the 2025 One Team Day event.

The daylong event concluded with the One Team Day Happy Hour for Luther alumni, parents, coaches, and fans of Norse athletics at Impact Coffee, 101 Water St. Many people attended the free event sponsored by Impact Coffee and stayed for Impact Trivia, hosted by Luther student-athletes, following the happy hour.

Wilson expressed her gratitude to the One Team Day supporters.

“Thank you for your generosity. Thank you for investing in our student-athletes and the Gerdin Fieldhouse. One Team Day and the renovation project are truly transformational for the student-athlete experience,” Wilson said.

Professor Todd Pedlar with students Alain Ishimwe and Sam Wilson.

Luther College moved into the national ranking for undergraduate teaching programs among national liberal arts colleges in the recently announced 2026 U.S. News Best College rankings. Luther remained ranked as one of the nation’s top liberal arts colleges at 111, down slightly from last year’s 108, and remained the second-highest ranked liberal arts college in Iowa.

“This year’s rankings reflect Luther’s core strength — our undergraduate teaching and our ability to draw excellence from all students,” President Brad Chamberlain said. “Luther’s inclusion in the national top rankings continues to affirm we are a proud Iowa-based college with a regional student body, a national reputation, and a global impact”

Luther’s score in peer assessment, one of the largest core components of the U.S. News rankings, rose for a third consecutive year.

Along with its national ranking, Luther also maintained its position among the top performers on social mobility, top undergraduate nursing programs and most students studying abroad.

“We know many families consult a wide range of rankings when investigating which colleges to visit each year, and Luther continues to exhibit strength in the top surveys,” Chamberlain added. “At the same time, the Luther story is best experienced in person, and we encourage prospective students to visit Luther and Decorah to bring to life what is in the rankings.”

The Rev. Yehiel Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, will offer keynote remarks at Luther College’s 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Day lecture on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall.

The theme of the day and Curry’s talk is “Courage for the Common Good.” Supported by the Williams Endowment Fund, the day begins with Curry’s address at 10:30 a.m. Following an optional community lunch at noon for attendees, two sessions are planned for the afternoon at 1:15 p.m., a youth discussion with Curry, and a panel discussion with regional ELCA bishops for all others.

The event is open to the public, and admission to the morning program and the afternoon break-out sessions are free. Lunch tickets for adults are $10, but free for youth who are registered for the youth session.

“Dr. King taught us that true courage is not the absence of fear but the willingness to act despite it,” Curry said. “As Lutherans, we believe that faith must be lived publicly, for the sake of others. Faith gives us the courage to confront injustice, to stand with the vulnerable, and work for the common good.”

“Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his namesake, Martin Luther, both exemplified courage both in addressing systems of injustice and advocating for the needs of the neighbors in their midst,” said Robert Clay, chief equity and inclusion officer and assistant to the president for community engagement. “‘Courage for the Common Good’ invites all to bold, brave and benevolent action for the building of the beloved community.”

Along with the opportunity to uplift and celebrate messages related to King’s legacy, the program is also one of the first opportunities for congregations across the region to hear Curry, who was elected on July 30, 2025, as the ELCA’s presiding bishop. He was officially installed into the position on Oct. 4, 2025.

Previously, he served as bishop of the ELCA Metropolitan Chicago Synod, where he led a synod staff and 160 congregations by providing pastoral care, preaching, teaching, administering sacraments, and overseeing ordinations and installations. He was elected synod bishop in 2019 and reelected in spring 2025. During that time, he chaired the ELCA Conference of Bishops, fostering ecumenical relationships and theological engagement across the Lutheran communion.

Prior to his role as bishop of the Metropolitan Chicago Synod, he served as the mission developer (2007–2012) and pastor (2013–2019) of Shekinah Chapel Lutheran Church in Riverdale, Ill. He earned a bachelor of arts from Lewis University in Romeoville, Ill., and a Master of Divinity from the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He and his wife, LaShonda, are the proud parents of three daughters.

“It is a joy and honor to welcome Bishop Curry to campus,” said Melissa Bills, college pastor and director of College Ministries. “Luther College is deeply connected to its Lutheran identity, both as a faith tradition and an intellectual tradition. This event serves as a reminder that this Lutheran identity is a living identity that calls us into compassionate and courageous engagement with our world. It’s exciting to bring people to campus for this event, and especially youth and young people.”

To reserve seats for the day, go to the Luther College Ticket Office at tickets.luther.edu.

The Grammy-nominated Lorelei Ensemble will deliver a bold and inventive program that champions the extraordinary range of the human voice at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 9, in the Center for Faith and Life Main Hall. This performance is part of Luther College’s 2025-26 Center Stage Series.

The Lorelei Ensemble is one of the country’s leading vocal ensembles.

“We are thrilled to have the Lorelei Ensemble performing Christopher Cerrone’s ‘Beaufort Scales,’ which earned a Grammy nomination in 2025,” said Susan Potvin, director of programming and outreach. “It’s rare that you hear the original artist performing their Grammy-nominated work in a live performance in our corner of northeast Iowa. You don’t want to miss it.”

“Beaufort Scales” is a 36-minute oratorio for eight voices and live electronics that draws inspiration from various iterations of the Beaufort Wind Force Scale created by Sir Francis Beaufort in 1805, along with texts from Herman Melville, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Anne Carson and the King James Bible.

“Beaufort Scales” is one half of the Lorelei Ensemble’s “Look Up” program on Nov. 9. At turns eerie and hypnotic, razor-sharp and precise, resonant and dissonant, this riveting performance features a cinematic backdrop and a cautionary tale in the era of climate change. The other half includes Meredith Monk’s “Other Worlds Revealed” and “Earth Seen from Above” from her 1993 opera “Atlas,” Molly Herron’s “Stellar Atmospheres” and Elijah Daniel Smith’s “Suspended in Spin.”

“The idea of ‘Look Up’ is about looking up to the sky and seeing we are one entity in this expansive universe, but also looking up and seeing what is happening on the planet right here,” said Beth Willer, Lorelei Ensemble artistic director.

Willer is the founder of the Lorelei Ensemble and has led the group since 2007. She graduated from Luther in 2003 after studying trumpet performance and vocal music education.

The Lorelei Ensemble is one of the country’s leading vocal ensembles. Its members include Elizabeth Bates, Sarah Brailey, Kathryn Cruz, Kristin Gornstein, Kate Maroney, Emily Marvosh, Clara Osowski and Sonja Tengblad. The Lorelei Ensemble has collaborated with leading composers to commission more than 70 new works that expand and deepen the repertoire of sounds, timbres, words, and stories that women use to reflect and challenge our world.

The Lorelei Ensemble performed as part of Luther’s Center Stage Series in 2018.

“The Lorelei Ensemble returns to Luther to perform a stimulating program that will inspire and challenge listeners to consider our physical world and the changing climate in the context of beautiful, unique vocal music,” Potvin said.

Before the performance, treat yourself to brunch starting at 11 a.m. in the Peace Dining Room at the Dahl Centennial Union. The cost is $33 per person.

Buy tickets for the Nov. 9 performance 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.

In November, Luther College will celebrate Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month through a series of events designed to foster dialogue and strengthen community building. The events are free and open to the public.

The monthlong commemorative celebration begins with a lecture by University of Arizona Anthropology Professor Marcela Vásquez-León, Ph.D., at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, in Olin 102. This event is made possible by the Lucille Price Endowed Lecture and the Luther College Department of Identity Studies.

Marcela Vásquez-León

During her talk, Vásquez-León will discuss her experience mentoring Indigenous and Afro-descendent women from Latin American countries when these women participated in the Study of the U.S. Institutes (SUSI) program at the University of Arizona. Funded by the U.S. State Department, SUSI is a five-week academic seminar offered to undergraduate students, university scholars and secondary educators from outside the United States. The program aims to provide participants with an understanding of American society and culture and encourages them to build connections with peers from around the world. Each year, Arizona’s Center for Latin American Studies hosts two Indigenous and Afro-descendent women from Latin American countries for SUSI. Vásquez-León is the director of Arizona’s Center for Latin American Studies.

In her talk, Vásquez-León will reflect on her experience mentoring these young women. She will focus on how the program is a transformational site in which the participants envision and build a sense of intersectional feminism to create networks of solidarity that go beyond SUSI. At the same time, challenges and contradictions arise given the ways in which the institute itself is situated in the larger geopolitics of U.S. and Latin American relations.

Vásquez-León was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. She has an interdisciplinary background, with a Ph.D. in anthropology and a master’s degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arizona.

Members of the community are invited to join a campus conversation exploring Indigenous leadership, which is rooted in relationships, storytelling and reciprocity, at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11, in Brunsdale Lounge. During this conversation titled “Intergroup Dialogue: An Indigenous Leadership Practice,” participants will practice dialogue as leadership, building community through shared stories, nurturing curiosity through deep listening, and fostering inclusivity by honoring every voice as part of our collective wisdom. The event is sponsored by the Center for Intercultural Engagement and Support (CIES) at Luther College.

Carson Faust

Luther’s Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month activities will wrap up with eats, education and engagement at a Cultural Community Connection event celebrating author Carson Faust and his new Native American southern gothic novel “If the Dead Belong Here” (Viking, 2025) on Thursday, Nov. 18, at The Landing Market, 211 College Drive in Decorah.

Faust will give an author presentation and Q&A session followed by a book-signing at the event sponsored by CIES with support from The Landing Market. Faust is two-spirit and an enrolled member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. He is the recipient of fellowships from the McKnight Foundation and the Jerome Foundation. His fiction has appeared in “Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology.” He lives in Minnesota.

Starting at 5 p.m., Indigenous-inspired cuisine will be served at The Landing. The cost for the meal is $10 per person, $5 for college students (with ID) attending any college or university and for children 17 and younger. No reservations are needed.