Fall 2009

Greetings ’89 Classmate,

Yet another homecoming at Luther had that feel of a “home” coming. A wet one at that! It did rain the majority of the weekend so visiting with friends inside was a good thing!

By now, we all recognize that change is constant, right? New buildings, new meeting places, new roads, new matching signs, new blue track, same tables and green chairs in the renovated cafeteria – I mean “dining hall.” Thankfully the “new” is of the same high quality as the caf furniture … a person can only handle so much change! Be sure to check it out when you return to campus.

The Steyer Opera House at the Hotel Winneshiek was a beautiful setting for the Class of 1989 dinner. We had a fun 80s cover band from the Cities, the Tone Cats, and our own classmate, DJ Joe Hakim, with Power Jam Productions! Remember that music coming from first floor Ylvi our freshman year? He’s still at it! Thanks Joe.

The weekend schedule was packed full of too many things that I wanted to attend. I did make it to both the alumni softball game on Sunday and the alumni swim meet on Saturday before the football game. I think the alumni swimmers may have forgotten all of the rules applicable to swim meets—it was quite entertaining! I’m pretty sure that one rule states that the next swimmer on a relay team cannot enter the water before the first swimmer touches the edge … so I think that passing in the middle of the pool isn’t really allowed.  Go Norse!

The weather could not put a damper on the excitement at soggy Carlson Stadium as our beloved Norse took on Simpson College.  The Norse jumped out to an early 14-point lead and outscored Simpson in the second half to secure the homecoming victory, 23-13.  Those tough enough to sit in the rain were definitely treated to an outstanding football game.  (Football paragraph and stats courtesy of Chris Hubbs.) 

Special congratulations to Joni Ross Moore, Randy Ristau, and Ken Heinecke on their inductions to the Luther Athletic Hall of Fame. It was great to see them being honored in that way.

One event that I know I missed was a gathering at Marty Monson and Brent Benrud’s senior-year house … Marty’s folks live there now. I heard that the group didn’t even finish the one container of beverage until the following day! I also heard that the beverage was of much higher quality than that which was experienced 20 years ago. Hmmm. So, 5 years from now? Marty? Brent? Same place? After the game?

In addition to the regular support of our alma mater via Phonathon, matching gifts, responding to this letter, giving online at givenow.luther.edu, etc., a new and really neat way that you can personally help Luther is to make referrals for the Luther Alumni Connection Scholarship. The basics are for you to refer a high school junior or senior to Scott Schaeffer, vice president for enrollment management, at Luther.  Go to https://www2.luther.edu/admissions/form/.  Students will be sent a letter saying that they have been referred for a scholarship to Luther. If they are interested, students will apply and voilà. They have a scholarship … just for knowing YOU! Here are the stats for the first year of this scholarship: 625 referrals; 341 applied; 340 accepted; 176 enrolled. That’s 27 percent of the incoming class this year. “The gift of a Luther student is a gift that keeps giving.”

And finally, a grand WELCOME to Maria Spieker Mickelson as she begins her venture of helping us continue these connections.

Kari Christen Richards
1989 Class Agent
[email protected]

Laura (Charleson) Frazier
1989 Class Agent
[email protected]

Maria Spieker Mickelson         
1989 Class Agent
[email protected]

Chris Hubbs
1989 Class Agent
[email protected]

Class Notes
KRISTIN (BOSTROM) ELLENSON is a stay-at-home mom in Corvallis, Ore. Last June she completed Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, Minn., with a time of 4:52:21.

KARLA HARDY obtained Montessori certification and works in registration and records for the University of Wisconsin-Stout. She also leads Brownie Troop 3472 and is a volunteer for Fair Care and the United Way.

KEITH JONES is dean of sophomores and a social studies instructor at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School in St. Louis Park, Minn.

MICHAEL KINSEL is one of several scientists studying and working with chimpanzees in Tanzania’s Gombe Stream National Park along with Jane Goodall. The collaborative research titled” Increased mortality and AIDS-like immunopathology in wild chimpanzees infected with SIVcpz” hopes to uncover the “missing link” in the evolution of HIV/AIDS from the primate version of the virus called SIV. Some scientists have suggested that the study may provide information to help develop AIDS vaccines. The research was published in the July 23, 2009, issue of the journal Nature. Michael is chief of staff and clinical associate professor with the University of Illinois Zoological Pathology Program in Maywood, Ill.

KAYE (GOTTSCHALK) LEHRMAN of La Crosse, Wis., is a self-employed musician.

LOIS TVERBERG of Holland, Mich., is cofounder of the En-Gedi Resource Center, an educational ministry with the goal of deepening Christian understanding of the Bible by teaching about its Jewish context. She is also coauthor of the book Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith.

Births
NATALIE (SCHRAUT) and DANIEL GROSSMANN '90 welcomed a daughter, Erin, in June, 2008. 

KAY (BRUCE) and Bruce Winkelman welcomed a daughter, Jayda, in March 2009.  Jayda joins brother Zachary Eckheart (21) and sister Ashley Eckheart (25).