Augsburg University basketball star Devean George, who went on to three NBA championship titles, was honored by the NCAA during men’s Final Four week as one of its 2019 Living Legends.
George grew up in North Minneapolis, played at NCAA Division III Augsburg and went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA, winning three championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. Off the court, George devoted his time and energy to numerous Minneapolis charitable organizations focused on families, education and children.
Images from Augsburg University’s 11th Traditional Powwow were featured in a photo essay by the Star Tribune. The photos show various aspects of the powwow, ranging from dances and drumming to fellowship and friendship. The event, cohosted by Augsburg’s American Indian Student Services and Indigenous Student Association, includes food concessions, arts and crafts vendors, and informational tabling about Augsburg’s educational opportunities and services for native students of all ages. Graduating Augsburg American Indian students are also recognized.
The National Association of Basketball Coaches named Augsburg guard Booker Coplin ’20, a junior from Shakopee, the Division III Men’s National Player of the Year, the Star Tribune reported. Coplin led the Auggies to a 19-9 record and was the MIAC’s scoring and rebounding champion, averaging 28 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, according to the Star Tribune. Coplin finished second in both total points and points per game among NCAA Division III players nationally. Last month, Coplin was also named MIAC Player of Year.
Augsburg University Dean of Students Sarah Griesse with an Act Six scholar.
On March 12, 45 of the Twin Cities’ most promising high school urban leaders received the Act Six scholarship, an initiative of Urban Ventures. Act Six is Minneapolis-St. Paul’s only full-tuition, full-need urban leadership award. Augsburg University is proud to be one of the six partner colleges, all of which are located in the Metro area.
Watch the full report at KSTP Channel 5’s website.
Randy Florke will speak about the gay rights movement in a conversation with Gwen Walz, an advocate in her own right for equality, public education, and prison education. Walz is the wife of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and recently began working at Augsburg. Walz and Florke met when they were both Congressional spouses. Florke is married to New York Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney.
When: Tuesday, March 26, 2019 6:30 p.m. Registration 7:00 p.m. Program with Q and A 8:30 p.m. Reception
Where: Sateren Auditorium, Augsburg University 2200 7 1/2 Street S., Minneapolis
City Pages shared a delightful 1965 promo video for Minneapolis. It was unearthed by Augsburg Digital Archivist Stewart Van Cleve. “The Minneapolis promotional film was a complete surprise,” says Van Cleve, adding that it was discovered inside a canister mislabeled “Skip Day 1947.”
Although the origins of the video are unknown, the soundtrack was written by Dick Wilson and Ray Charles, the duo behind Minnesota Twins fight song “We’re Gonna Win Twins.”
Assistant Professor of Music Composition Reinaldo Moya was a recipient of an award in music announced by The American Academy of Arts and Letters. Moya was awarded one of two $15,000 Charles Ives Fellowships.
Candidates for music awards are nominated by the 250 members of the Academy. The awards will be presented at the Academy’s annual Ceremonial in May.
The Fulbright program offers recent graduates and graduate students opportunities for research, study, and teaching in more than 140 countries. Since 2007, Augsburg University has had 34 Fulbright students selected for their academic merit and leadership potential.
Anthony Souffle, Star Tribune | First Lady Gwen Walz greeted Randy Anderson, a board member with the Minnesota Second Chance Coalition.
The Star Tribune reports that Minnesota’s first First Lady in years is aiming to be unlike any other in state history, including her new role as an independent contractor at Augsburg University.
According to the Star Tribune: Gwen Walz is the first First Lady with an office in the Capitol. From there, she’s begun to craft an ambitious policy portfolio that includes education and corrections, though she’s quick to point out that housing and health and other issues are all interrelated.
At Augsburg, she’s serving in two roles: as Special Assistant to the President for Strategic Partnerships and as a Fellow in the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship.
The announcement by Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow said that Walz is a long-time friend of the university. “We specifically focused on issues of diversity and equity in the Rochester area,” Pribbenow noted. “We also joined with Mrs. Walz in promoting a program to offer college courses in Minnesota prisons.”
WCCO featured an Augsburg faculty member in a story about the up side of the recent extreme cold.
Emily Schilling, who teaches biology at Augsburg University, says the hard freeze is good for our great bodies of water.
“It means the spring thaw will likely come later because we have more ice, it takes longer to melt, and that’s really good for our cold water fish species,” she told WCCO. “They like the water to stay cold.”
