Fall/Winter 2009

Dear Friend from the Class of 1997,

Greetings from Luther, where students are preparing for the winter holidays, having experienced a glorious Christmas at Luther weekend December 4-6.

It was a busy fall semester, and you can read campus news stories in the Luther magazine, on Luther’s home page http://www2.luther.edu, or at http://publicinformation.luther.edu/luthernews/. But I’ll share a couple of highlights:

·        Luther was recognized as one of 26 institutions that achieved an overall grade of “A-” or better to win recognition as an Overall College Sustainability Leader.  Three hundred thirty-two colleges and universities participated in the sustainability evaluation.  Released Oct. 7, the College Sustainability Report Card was featured in a front page article in the New York Times.

·        Twin Cities Public Television won a regional Emmy award for its production of Christmas at Luther, which was broadcast on more than 100 public television stations in December 2008.  PBS has announced that it will broadcast the Christmas at Luther program nationwide again this year in December.  Check local listings for dates and times in your area.

Let me also say a big thank you to all who made a gift to the Luther College Annual Fund last year, and to those who have made their gift already this year. We know that all in the Luther community—students, faculty, and staff—are grateful for your continued support! If you wish to make your gift today, you can give online at givenow.luther.edu. 

Thanks again, and please continue to send the college your news and updates.

Soli Deo Gloria

Annette (Younes) Baltes
1997 Class Agent
[email protected]

Sara Isbell Cunningham
1997 Class Agent
[email protected]

Class Notes
SARAH (SMITH) BAUER earned a degree in dental hygiene from Des Moines Area Community College, where she received the Outstanding Student Award. She is a dental hygienist at Lakeside Dental in Pleasant Hill, Iowa.

GRETCHEN (GOLTZ) CONWAY of Waukon, Iowa— a special education consultant with Keystone Area Education Agency 1—earned national board certification according to the National Board for Professional Training Standards.

JENNIFER ERICKSON earned a master’s degree in anthropology from the University of Oregon.  She is a doctoral candidate at the university

RODOLFO ESPINO, assistant professor of political science at Arizona State University in Tempe, presented a political science guest lecture at Luther in April 2009. Rodolfo earned a master’s degree in political science and a doctoral degree in American politics and methodology and political theory from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His doctoral dissertation—“Minority Agendas, Majority Rules: Representation of Latinos in the U.S. Congress”—received the American Political Science Association award for the best dissertation in the field of race and politics.

SARAH HESSELBACHER earned a master’s degree in teaching/curriculum and instruction from St. Mary’s University.  She is a Title 1 teacher at Galena (Ill.) Primary School.

LEA DONHOWE LOVELACE opened ArtHaus, a new art center in Decorah. The center houses classes in performance and visual arts and provides a venue for the arts and for performing in multiple genres, arts-related workshops, gatherings, and other events.

AMY (CHENEY) ’98 and MATT MILLER live in Grinnell, Iowa. Matt is a dentist at Family Dentistry.

LAURA (BEAMAN) PIKE earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Doane College.  She teaches first grade at South Elementary School in Blair, Neb. 

JAMES SOUTHWELL is a neurologist at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls.

IAN STARK of St. Paul, Minn., is a fellow in the Society of Actuaries.

ERIKA WACHHOLZ is regional sales director at RiverSource Distributors Inc. in Minneapolis.

Births
JILL (KOSSMAN) '98 and DAN BICKETT welcomed a son, Joshua, in March 2009.  Joshua joins sister Norah (3).

JESSIE (HELFRICH) and Vince Brama welcomed a daughter, Madeline, in Jan. 2009.  Madeline joins brother Lucas (3).

SARAH (CHERRY) and ADAM COLE '98 welcomed a daughter, Leah, in March 2009.  Leah joins sister Carly (3).

JANET (KRANZ) and Toby Davis welcomed a daughter, Esther, in Dec. 2008.  Esther joins brother Caleb (10) and sisters Rachel (16), Hannah (9), Sarah (6), and Abigail (2).

MELANIE (ANDROS) and DREW DIXON '99 welcomed a son, Quinn, in July 2007.  Quinn joins brothers Liam (8) and Anders (4).

KIRSTEN (ALWORTH) and MIKE DOESCHER welcomed a son, Patrick, in July 2008.           

AMANDA (ALCOCK) and Eric Freese welcomed a son, Evan, in June 2009.

KATHIE (KEMPF) '99 and JOE GRIDER welcomed a son, Nathan, in April 2009.  Nathan joins brothers Nicholas (5) and Mitchell (2).

KIMBERLY (SWENSON) and Khalid Hassan welcomed a son, Malik, in May 2009.           

AMY (HOBAN) and Jason Heinle welcomed a son, Ethan, in March 2009.  Ethan joins brother Aidan (3).

DANA (THOMAS) and Justin Holden welcomed a daughter, Hollis, in Sept. 2008.  

Tracy and MATTHEW HUGGENVIK welcomed a daughter, Keenan Marlene René, in Jan. 2008.  Keenan joins brother Nolan (4).

KRIS (WEGGE) and DANIEL LIEDTKE '99 welcomed a son, Lawson, in Sept. 2007.           

JENNIFER (NELSON) and Adam Manternach welcomed a son, Avery, in Feb. 2008.           

AMY (CHENEY) '98 and MATT MILLER welcomed a daughter, Paige, in Aug. 2008.  Paige joins sisters Sydney (5) and Cora (3).

Laurie and CHRIS MOSS welcomed a son, Kyson, in Nov. 2007.  Kyson joins sister Ayla (4).

HEATHER (CARRIE) and George Neacsu welcomed a son, Jack, in Oct. 2008.  Jack joins sister Emma (3).

LAURA (BEAMAN) and Jason Pike welcomed a daughter, Ella, in Nov. 2007.         

EMILY (ECKHARDT) and Boyd Redinbaugh welcomed a son, Nowell, in March 2008.  Nowell joins sister Elanor (4).

BRITT (HELLGREN) '96 and MARK RHODES welcomed a son, Nathan, in April  2009.  Nathan joins sister Margaret (4) and brother Andrew (3).

TONYA (SCHWERS) and COREY SCHMIDT '98 welcomed a son, Trevor, in March 2009.  Trevor joins brother Tyler (2).

LISA (JOHNSON) '98 and DANIEL SHAW welcomed a son, Tyler, in Sept 2008.

BECKY (HINRICHS) and JORG VIANDEN '96 welcomed twin daughters, Annika and Mira, in Sept. 2008.  Annika and Mira join sister Greta (4).

Kim and JOSH WHITE welcomed a daughter, Corrine, in Nov. 2007.         

Marriages
MICHELLE BRAMA and Greg Marn, July 11, 2009
ALI BROOKS and Dustin Weber, March 7, 2009
WAYNE REAMES and Melanie Gatten, Oct. 20, 2008