Spring 2018
Dear Member of the Class of 1992,
Even though it may seem at times as though the Midwest is still in the middle of winter, we know spring is just around the corner. If this season has you daydreaming about taking a trip, you might get your fix by reading Luther students’ J-term blogs at luther.edu/jtermblogs2018. This January, 286 students participated in one of Luther’s 17 programs around the globe, studying everything from choral singing in Namibia and South Africa, to religion and corporate culture in Japan, to entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley.
These experiences have profound impacts on students. As Izzy Michaud ’19, who studied environmental issues at Holden Village in the Pacific Northwest, writes, “My time at Holden has . . . renewed my faith in people and in God. It has allowed me to find parts of myself that I believed to be lost, and it has given me good courage for the journey ahead.” Experiences like Izzy’s are hallmarks in a Luther College student’s journey.
If a trip abroad or to Holden Village isn’t in your near future, remember, Decorah is also a great place to visit, especially in the spring/summer. Consider making plans to attend these upcoming events: the Oneota Film Festival, April 19-22 (oneotafilmfestival.org) and Nordic Fest, July 26-28 (nordicfest.com). Also, did you know there are two breweries in Decorah? Toppling Goliath (tgbrews.com) and Pulpit Rock Brewing Co. (pulpitrockbrewing.net) have made Decorah a beer tourism destination! If you haven’t been to Decorah recently, be sure to check out visitdecorah.com for area hotels, B&Bs, coffee shops, restaurants, and shopping.
Also, as many of you know, Thursday, March 8, was Luther's third annual Giving Day! Thousands tuned in to an all-day livestream from Marty's and joined the fun through social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and more). Overall, a whopping $478,193 was raised for the Luther Fund - WOW! If you'd like to relive the fun (and see the 12-hour livestream), visit luther.edu/giving-day. THANK YOU to all who donated and made this day such a success!
Finally, Luther’s Board of Regents voted in February to approve a new strategic plan: “Inspired. Empowered. Engaged.” The new five-year plan is designed to make Luther more dynamic and innovative in its support of the 21st-century liberal arts student. Expect to hear more about the exciting changes ahead as we begin implementing the plan.
Thank you to all who supported Luther in 2017. Please consider supporting Luther students with a donation to the Luther Fund this year. Use the attached form and the reusable envelope or visit givenow.luther.edu to give!
Best wishes for a happy, healthy spring season!
Craig Rabe
1992 Class Agent
563-419-1316
[email protected]
CLASS NOTES
Shari (McCallister) Bruck teaches at Zion Lutheran School in Denison, Iowa.
Dirk Buettner of Glendora, Calif., is a home services specialist II at Bank of America.
Kate (Spencer) Klimesh works in business development at Aase Haugen Homes, Inc., in Decorah.
Jon Kohnen is a Q-comp peer evaluator at Anoka-Hennepin (Minn.) School District 11.
Cathy (Severson) Sedacca is principal and EVP director of sales and marketing at Sage Business Credit LLC in in Minneapolis. She was named a 2017 Finance and Commerce Top Women in Finance honoree.
MARRIAGES
LISA BLATTI and Charlie Ratgen, July 2, 2016
ALI HOUSE and Jeff Tuttle, Jan. 6, 2017
ANDREW MANGION and Adrianna Zammit, June 4, 2016
BIRTHS
Adrianna and ANDREW MANGION welcomed a son, Miles, in October 2017.
Yuki Ip and ERIC MONSON welcomed a son, Lars, in May, 2017.
OBITUARIES
Valerie Kay (Sandman) Sanders of Spring, Texas, died Aug. 27, 2017, age 49.
Full obituaries can be found on the Luther College website at: luther.edu/in-memoriam/
If you would like a printout of the full obituaries from your class mailed to you, please contact us at: [email protected], or 563-387-1509.