Fall 2015
Dear Classmate,
Another Homecoming has come and gone – I (Jessie) can’t believe we’re already two years out of school! More than 2,000 alumni and college friends returned to Decorah to participate in the festivities. Sadly, I was unable to visit my second home this year (again), missing annual events including the Homecoming parade, Homecoming chapel, concerts galore, an alumni dinner, theatre and dance performances, class reunions, and much more. In further celebration, our football team won in overtime, 41-34! Hopefully I will be able to return for Homecoming sometime soon!
I got some exciting mail today – two tickets for this year’s Christmas at Luther performance. I was completely overjoyed to find these in my mailbox, because this will mark my first return to Luther since Christmas at Luther in December of 2013. I can hardly contain my excitement to return to my home away from home to visit some of my favorite places on earth! Perhaps I will see some of you there?
Finally, please, please, please consider making a gift or pledge to the Annual Fund at Luther! A huge thank you to those of you who have already joined me in making a pledge this year. For those who don’t know, the Annual Fund contributes to scholarships (from which many of us benefited), building renovations and improvements, and countless everyday functions of the college.
Gifts of any size make a notable impact on at Luther – scholarships and other improvements would not be possible without the support of alumni from all classes! Furthermore, raising our alumni participation rates enables the college to receive grants and other funding opportunities from national foundations. So put your money to work and make a gift at www.givenow.luther.edu, to show your support of our beloved alma mater!
All the best, and go Norse!
Jessie Zenchak
2012 Class Agent
[email protected]
Clara Bergan
2013 Class Agent
[email protected]
P.S. Please remember to submit your life updates to [email protected], to keep everyone posted on exciting news in your life. And, please, join me and make your gift today at, www.givenow.luther.edu!
Your gift. Every year. Put to work, right away, where it is needed most.
Each year over 9,000 alumni, parents, and friends support the Annual Fund with gifts from $5 to $75,000. Strong support from alumni helps Luther secure additional funds from foundations and corporations, and your gift each year helps us to reach our goal of 27% alumni giving. Here’s how your class is doing so far this year:
CLASS OF 2013 TOTAL GIVING: $11,448.27 FROM 22.04% OF THE CLASS*
Have you made your 2015 gift to Luther? Only 28 more gifts are needed to reach 27% for your class. Please visit www.givenow.luther.edu to make your gift today. Thank you!
Please note: Your Spring 2016 class agent letter will include a listing of your classmates who gave to Luther during 2015. Be sure to make your gift before December 31 to be included.
*as of October 1, 2015
Class Notes
THOMAS BANSEN is a corn processing plant grain inspector for Cargill, Inc., in Blair, Minn. In his spare time he is developing his skills as a blacksmith.
MALLORY and KEVIN BAZAN WILLIAMS ’11 live in Bellevue, Wash. Mallory is a CRM analyst for Tommy Bahama. Kevin earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota and is a software engineer for Microsoft.
CLARA BERGAN is a development associate for the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul.
ADAM BRADLEY won one of three scholarships from the California Women’s Chorus, Inc. (CWC). He is a graduate student in vocal performance at the University of California-Santa Barbara.
CHARLIE BRUER is a strategic pricing analyst at Target in Minneapolis.
GRANT BURKE is transfer and external credit specialist for Upper Iowa University in Fayette.
JESSIE CLINE teaches third grade for the Chariton (Iowa) Community School District.
ANNA DICECCO is a graduate student in sports administration at Northwestern University and a seasonal sales representative for the Chicago White Sox in Chicago.
DAVID FARES is owner of DSFares Consulting in Dallas.
EMILY (JACOBSEN) FREEMAN earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Allen College. She is a registered nurse in general pediatrics at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.
ALEX FORBES is registration coordinator for Nystrom and Associates, Ltd., in Apple Valley, Minn.
MICHELLE GOHMAN is a tax accountant for Ernst & Young, LLP, in Minneapolis.
NATALINO GUTERRES earned a master of arts degree in responsible management and sustainable economic development from the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica. He is a private English and Portuguese teacher in San Jose, Costa Rica.
JULIA HAM was awarded a Board of Trustees Endowed Scholarship from the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, Tenn., where she is a doctoral student in optometry.
KATRINA HANSON of Philadelphia is youth minster for Glenside United Church of Christ.
WILLIAM HAUGEN is a development associate for Lakeshore Payers Theatre in White Bear Lake, Minn.
COOPER JACKS is technical editor for Wapsi Valley Archaeology, Inc., in Anamosa, Iowa.
MARI KISE is assistant teacher for Step by Step Montessori in Minneapolis.
HEIDI KISTENMACHER is a physician assistant student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
JASON KNUTSON earned a master of engineering degree in environmental and water quality engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is an environmental engineer for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Madison.
KELSEY KRALL is disability representative for Sedgwick CMS and owner and sole photographer of Keepsakes By Kelsey in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
JESS LANDGRAF is an instructor for High Trails, Inc., in Angelus Oaks, Calif.
ALYSSA LANDIN is a doctoral student in chemical physics at the University of Colorado-Boulder.
EVIN LANTZ earned the Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation from the College For Financial Planning. He is a financial advisor for Waddell & Reed in Rochester, Minn.
JULIA LATTNER is senior event coordinator for Marriott Hotels in Atlanta.
JENNIE MAURER is MIS/QI analyst II for Special Service for Groups, Occupational Therapy Training Program in Torrance, Calif.
ABBY (SANDRY) and DEREK MOE live in Owatonna, Minn. She is a stay-at-home mom; he is a self-employed strength and conditioning coach.
ELSBETH (EDRINGTON) NAATZ is Setting III: EBD teacher for the Rochester (Minn.) Public Schools.
TEDDY ORTEGA is NexTech associate with NBCUniversal in Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
DAVID PEDRICK is a residential engineering fellow at Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta.
JEVITA POER of Eindhoven, The Netherlands, earned a master’s degree in entrepreneurship and innovation from the University of Amsterdam. She is a concept business architect for Philips.
JUSTIN RATZLAFF of Mayer, Minn., and David Dudek of Chatfield Minn., (father of JORDYN DUDEK ’14 and KILEIGH DUDEK ’17), were both section chiefs for the 2015 International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine World Championships at Beaver Creek, Colo.
TYLER REECE won one of three scholarships from the California Women’s Chorus, Inc. (CWC). He is a graduate student at the University of California-Santa Barbara, and is a teaching assistant in the voice department.
MATT RUBINS is software developer for the Rock Island Arsenal (Ill.).
EMILY SCHNEIDER is tax credit intern at Honkamp Krueger in Dubuque, Iowa, and a student in radiology/CT at Northeast Iowa Community College. She is also the assistant swim coach for Wahlert High School.
TORI SERRA earned a master’s degree from the University of Illinois. She is branch supervisor for the Rock Island (Ill.) Public Library.
CALVIN SIMMONS of Bettendorf, Iowa, is the boys and girls cross country coach for Louisa-Muscatine High School. He also is a Title I reading teacher for the Louisa-Muscatine Elementary School.
MARA (WARNBERG) SORENSON teaches K-6 grade music for the Owatonna (Minn.) Public School District.
NATHAN STEELE is music director for Immanuel Lutheran Church in Perryville, Mo.
EMILY VOSS is a photographer and owner of VOSStudios in Wausau, Wis.
TINA YATES is operations manager for Greenability magazine in Kansas City.
Marriages
MALLORY BAZAN and KEVIN WILLIAMS '11, May 24, 2014
DAN BELAY and CASSIE BORMANN '12, Oct. 10, 2015
SOPHIA BROWN and Ryan Engelman, June 13, 2015
ALEX BYOM and McKenzee Bortle, Sept. 5, 2015
KIKI CAVANAGH and Josh Keeney, May 24, 2015
BENJAMIN FELDKAMP and SARA WALSTON '11, Oct. 24, 2014
KATRINA HANSON and SETH RUMAGE '14, June 27, 2015
EMILY JACOBSEN and Shamus Freeman, Oct. 3, 2014
ALLIE JOHNSON and DANIEL GRAINGER '12, July 12, 2014
EMILY KRATOVIL and STEPHAN De La CRUZ, April 11, 2015
JIM PENNING and STEPHANIE DREWES '12, July 11, 2015
BETH SHARP and DEREK MURKEN, May 24, 2014
TAYLOR SPILDE and MATT AMUNDSON '05, Sept. 27, 2014
ANDREW TJOSSEM and ALLI KEPHART '15, Aug. 8, 2015
MARA WARNBERG and CARL SORENSON, Aug. 9, 2014
TYLER WEDEMEIER and SAMANTHA JEWELL '11, Dec. 13, 2014
TINA YATES and John Moessner, July 5, 2014
Birth
HALEY (CLARK) and CALVIN SIMMONS welcomed a son, Finnick Oliver, in September 2014.
Are you an eligible Thrivent Financial member with Choice Dollars® to direct?
Do you know you can direct those dollars to Luther College? You can have an impact on current and future students with the click of a mouse (or a quick phone call)!
Online:
- Visit Thrivent.com/thriventchoice.
- Scroll down and select the “Get Started” button in the “Direct Choice Dollars” section. Log in and enter your user ID and password, and answer your security question. (If you haven’t yet registered on Thrivent.com, click “Register for account access” to do so.)
- Find the number of Choice Dollars available to direct on the right side of the screen.
- Search the catalog of organizations to find Luther College.
- Click on “Direct Now” to direct designated Choice Dollars.
By phone:
- Call 800-847-4836 and when prompted, say “Thrivent Choice.”
- Press 1 to direct Choice Dollars or 2 to hear Thrivent Choice program terms
and conditions. (If prompted, say or enter your phone number and date of birth.)
A representative will work with you to direct Choice Dollars.
You may be able to DOUBLE OR TRIPLE YOUR IMPACT
WITH EMPLOYER MATCHING GIFTS
Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match any charitable contributions made by their employees. To find out if your company has a matching gift policy, visit www.matchinggifts.com/luther or ask your human resources representative.
If your company is eligible, you can request a matching gift form from your employer, fill it out, and send it to Luther with your gift. We’ll do the rest!
The impact of your gift to Luther College may be doubled or possibly tripled! Some companies match gifts made by retirees and/or spouses, too.
Questions? Give us a call at 1-800-225-8664, or email [email protected]
