Alumni and Friends Newsletter

Read the latest news from campus for alumni and friends of the college. You can receive this email newsletter in your inbox automatically by sharing your email address with our Alumni Office.

Rock Island, Illinois - Aug. 30, 2010

Join our Hometown Celebration

Dear alumni and friends,

The campus is once again bustling with the energy and excitement of a new year. This week we welcomed the largest and most diverse class in 150 years!

Throughout this sesquicentennial year, Augustana has been celebrating. On Sept. 1, 2010, please join us for our biggest party so far: our Hometown Celebration. Sept. 1 is the 150th anniversary of the first day of the first class in 1860!

We will gather with the Rock Island community at the recently dedicated Schweibert Park on the downtown riverfront. The event will feature an ice cream social with Viking Pride, performances by college music ensembles, remarks by President Steve Bahls and other local dignitaries, poetry reading and fireworks! We hope you are able to join us from 6-8 p.m. on this fun and festive evening. Bring a lawn chair and wear your Augie gear!

Sincerely, Kelly Noack '02

NEWS

Hanson Hall of Science dedicated

The Science Building has a new name -- the Robert A. and Patricia K. Hanson Hall of Science -- in honor of former Deere CEO Robert Hanson '48 and his wife, Patricia Hanson. The lecture hall wing will be called the Lisa A. Wood Lecture Hall Wing for their niece, Lisa Wood '82. The announcement and dedication took place Aug. 2. Read more and see video

PEOPLE

Meet Brad Wooten '89,
Alumni Board president

Brad recently visited campus with wife Yolanda and son Elijah. In a series of short videos, he talks about the Augie spirit, the academic and social education he received here, and the need to give back.
Read more

HOMECOMING

Everyone is invited to celebrate in this sesquicentennial year at Homecoming on Friday-Sunday, Oct. 8-10. Along with the traditional cardboard regatta, barbecue picnic, Viking football and more, many special events will highlight the connections among Augustana alumni.
See schedule and register

Reunion classes may submit their Homecoming survey notes online.

ALUMNI CALENDAR

Sept. 10-12: Family Weekend

Sept. 16: River Beach Pub dinner

Sept. 18: Art Institute of Chicago

Oct. 3: Brunch with President Steve Bahls, Arlington, Va. Details TBA

Oct. 8-10: Homecoming

2011: Save July 8-10, 2011, for an Augustana Choir Reunion

ADMISSIONS

An all-time record!

Augustana welcomed 757 first-year students to campus when classes began this week. The Class of 2014 is the largest in the college's history and the most diverse. American multicultural students account for 17 percent of the population, and students come from 19 states and eight countries, including China, Germany, Vietnam and Palestine.Read more

ACADEMICS

Varallo named to Jaeke Chair

Dr. Sharon Varallo has been appointed as the Violet M. Jaeke Chair of Family Life. Established in 1987 through the Harold W. and Violet M. Jaeke Foundation, the chair supports study, research, instruction and programs to enhance the quality of family life. It introduces students to issues of family life and encourages them to consider advanced study and careers in family services.

Dr. Varallo is an associate professor and chair in Communication Studies. Her interests include communication in close relationships, caregiving, gender and intercultural communication.

ATHLETICS

Shooting hoops in China

Senior Kyle Nelson blogged about the men's basketball team's recent trip to China.

From Aug. 3-18, the team traveled more than 17,200 miles, visited eight cities, took seven flights, rode one train, played five games, and went through three of the world's five largest airports -- among other things. Read more