News archive

05/21/12 Augustana Class of 2012 candidates for graduation

Augustana Class of 2012 candidates for graduation

05/21/12 Augustana professor named Volunteer of the Year

Augustana professor Dr. Ellen Hay has been voted Volunteer of the Year at Longfellow Liberal Arts School. Dr. Hay will be honored at a volunteer appreciation reception in the PepsiCo Recreation Center (1025 30th St.) on Monday, May 21, at 5 p.m.

05/21/12 Graduates urged to use talents, take risks

Augustana President Steve Bahls told the graduating Class of 2012 he hopes they will use their liberal arts education to tackle problems from all angles, while Commencement speaker Phillip McKinley '73 urged them to use their talents but take risks. The college's 152nd Commencement took place Sunday afternoon at the iWireless Center in Moline, Ill.

05/18/12 Brooks to study politics at Duke this summer

Rock Island native and Augustana junior Jasmine Brooks will spend five weeks this summer, June 3-July 4, at Duke University as a part of the Ralph Bunch Summer Institute. Brooks is the first Augustana student to participate in this program, and she will join other undergraduates from across the United States who are interested in broadening participation in political science from underrepresented minority populations.

05/17/12 Dr. Zargar authors book on Muslim poetry

University of South Carolina Press has published Dr. Cyrus Zargar’s book Sufi Aesthetics: Beauty, Love, and the Human Form in the Writings of Ibn ‘Arabi and ‘Iraqi. Dr. Zargar, an assistant professor of religion at Augustana, offers an approach to understanding Muslim mystics and perceiving divine beauty and human beauty as one reality.

05/17/12 Morrison returns to conduct choir, receive award

Don Morrison, conductor of the Augustana Choir from 1966-1993, will return to the Centennial Hall stage to conduct the Augustana Choir at the Augustana Music Festival Concert at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 19. The concert also will feature the Augustana Symphonic Band and Augustana Symphony Orchestra.

05/17/12 Video: Students work with Finnish composer for concert

It's rare for any performing group to work with the creator of the piece being brought to life. But that's what the Augustana College Choir did last month, rehearsing with a composer from Finland to prepare for its concert Saturday.

05/17/12 'Spider-Man' director returning to Augie

The Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark" is the most expensive in history, but it won't cost you a dime to see its director, Augustana alumnus Phil McKinley, when he returns to give the Rock Island college's commencement speech Sunday. McKinley, Class of 1973, will be the featured speaker for the 152nd commencement at 3 p.m. Sunday at the i wireless Center, Moline, which is open to the public.

05/16/12 Dinner theater in New Era: What’s not to love?

Every May for the past 14 years, Bill Turner '77 has directed a charity dinner theater in tiny New Era, Iowa. Guests sit down to a home-cooked meal in the Lutherna church social hall, then move to the community hall to watch their friends and neighbors perform. This year’s show is a musical, “Big River: the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.”

05/15/12 Augie students drum up support for special camp

It was more than a year ago when Jenna Orabutt drove around the Quad-Cities, trying to explain the concept of Camp Kesem to local health professionals who treat patients with cancer. Orabutt has nearly completed her sophomore year at Augustana and the chapter has been fully established with the name Camp Kesem Augustana. Students have raised $28,000 for what will be their first camp, and are working to raise the final $3,000 to meet their 2012 goal.

05/15/12 Times Editorial Board Roundtable: Augustana reaches out

Augustana President Stephen Bahls’ mission to reach out beyond campus — bust out of the infamous Augie “bubble” — gets serious one week from today. Bahls and his wife, Jane, head north to the Arctic Circle for a sabbatical to provide the kinds of expansive experiences he hopes students embrace. In an discussion with the Times Editorial Board, Bahls reflected on his nine years at Augustana and forecast more changes in store.

05/14/12 Dr. Darrin Good '87 bids farewell to Augustana

The Augustana community will honor, appreciate and celebrate the contributions of Dr. Darrin Good on Wednesday, May 16, from 1 to 3 p.m., in the Hanson Hall of Science atrium. Raised in Aledo, Ill., Dr. Good is a 1987 Augustana graduate who has served as a faculty member since 1995. He was recently tapped by Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minn., to assume the role of associate provost and dean of sciences and education.

05/14/12 Augie hosts Spring Fling for clients and siblings

The Augustana Communication Science and Disorders Department hosted its annual Spring Fling for clients and their siblings Friday night. At the end-of-the-year dance, there were music, games, food and plenty of dancing. Augustana students do three trimesters of one-credit internship. There currently are 30-40 student clinicians.

05/14/12 Viking Pups mingle at local dog show

Augustana students Mary Kiolbasa and Allie Roehrenbeck sat on the floor at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island on Saturday, loving on a dog that happily returned their affection with big, wet kisses to the face. They were out with Augie's new group called the Viking Pups, which is a partner of Pups Assisting with Disabilities, at the Scott County Kennel Club AKC Championship Dog Show.

05/11/12 Leadership dinner celebrates campaign success

A Presidential Gold Plate Leadership Dinner was held Thursday to mark the completion of the Authentically Augustana: A Call to Action campaign and celebrate the achievement of $152 million raised for 152 years of excellence in education at Augustana College.

05/11/12 Student's efforts lead to big opportunity

Chinese economics major uses expanded English skills to land invitation to Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting.

05/11/12 Augustana breaks ground on $20M student center

Augustana College made its goal of a new student center official Thursday with a groundbreaking ceremony. About 100 faculty, staff, students and members of the Quad-Cities community attended the ceremony on the west side of the Thomas Tredway Library where a portion of the $20 million 35,000-square-foot Center for Student Life is planned.

05/10/12 Musician Konrad '99 has hopes for new CD

In the studio and on stage, the Rock Island performer Jeffrey Konrad becomes simply Konrad, an electronica musician with oversized eyeglasses who combines a melange of sounds into a power-pop sound. Konrad, a member of the Augustana Class of 1999, will debut his second album “Shadow Boxing” with a CD release party Friday — his 37th birthday — at Rozz-Tox in Rock Island.

05/10/12 Augie trustees get first look at stadium plans

Plans for renovated football and athletics facilities at Augustana College respect both the tradition of the program and the expectations of a new generation of student-athletes and fans. The college’s Board of Trustees will get its first look today at plans for a multi-million dollar project that Augustana president Steven Bahls calls unique at the NCAA Division-III level.

05/10/12 Will Obama's announcement affect the Q-C vote?

President Barack Obama's announcement Wednesday that he supports gay marriage prompted The Dispatch/The Rock Island Argus to ask a sampling of Quad-Citians in Rock Island, including some Augustana students, how his decision would affect their vote in November, if at all.

05/10/12 Bustos: Student loan battle proof of 'do-nothing Congress'

Cheri Bustos, the Democratic 17th District Congressional candidate, visited Augustana Wednesday, a day after Republicans blocked U.S. Senate debate on the Democrats' version of a bill to keep interest rates for subsidized Stafford loans at 3.4 percent for another year, rather than automatically growing to 6.8 percent on July 1.

05/09/12 Augie breaks ground on $20-million student center

On Thursday, May 10, at 5:15 p.m., Augustana College will host a groundbreaking ceremony to kick off construction of the $20-million Center for Student Life that will be connected to the Thomas Tredway Library. The groundbreaking will be held on the west side of the library (3435 9½ Ave.).

05/09/12 Five Questions for: Lynn Jackson

Five Questions is a series of profiles of people at Augustana. Lynn Jackson, vice president for advancement, talks about the college's recently completed capital campaign. Authentically Augustana: A Call to Action raised more than $152 million dollars, far surpassing its initial goal of $100 million.

05/09/12 Business Journal Q & A with Steve Bahls

In 2003, Steven Bahls arrived in the Quad-Cities to become the eighth president of Augustana College. He immediately began reaching out beyond the Rock Island campus to serve the community. Following is a Q&A with him, starting with why community service and volunteerism an important part of your life?

05/08/12 WVIK receives awards for news coverage

WVIK, the Quad Cities public radio station, recently won eight awards from the Iowa Broadcast News Association convention and the Illinois News Broadcasters Association convention.

05/03/12 Authentically Augustana campaign raises $152 million

In 2008, Augustana College officials publicly launched the most ambitious campaign for financial support in the college's history — a drive to raise $100 million. Four years later, the Authentically Augustana: A Call to Action campaign has come to a conclusion, with results that exceed the original goal by $52 million.

05/03/12 Jackson leads Augustana to campaign success

Lynn E. Jackson took an unusual path to her position as vice president of advancement at Augustana College. After getting her start at a community college, then spending several years in the banking industry, she became a trailblazing fund-raiser. Most recently, Jackson led Augustana to surpass its campaign fund-raising goal by more than $52 million.

05/03/12 Scholarships provide a Golden opportunity

Rock Island's Franz "Bud" Helpenstell didn't receive any scholarship money when he was studying business at Grinnell College back in the '50s. To help Rock Island High School graduates achieve their college dreams, Helpenstell and his late wife Esta established a scholarship at Augustana in 2001 to be awarded on the basis of academic achievement and financial need, with preference given to Rocky graduates.

05/03/12 A donor's gift continues well beyond Augustana

Diane Gustafson Hill '66 has made a gift to name Augustana's audiology lab in the Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing. Hill's gift has a direct impact on the experience of Augustana students in the center, especially the important hands-on training that prepares them for their careers as speech pathologists and audiologists.

05/03/12 Editorial: Augustana innovator

As Steve Bahls enters his second decade at the helm of Augustana College, he could be excused for pausing to smell the flowers. There is plenty to celebrate in his first 10 years.

05/02/12 Video: Jaimy Gordon at River Readings

The River Readings series at Augustana College hosted novelist Jaimy Gordon, winner of the 2010 National Book Award for her novel Lord of Misrule, on April 19. In this video, Dr. Gordon reads from Lord of Misrule and takes questions from the audience.

05/01/12 Local playwrights' work featured in Q-C festival

Augustana will host the Quad-City Playwrights' Festival at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 12, in the Black Box Theatre, inside Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts (3701 7th Ave.). A reception will follow, and admission is free.

05/01/12 Modern Woodmen honors Bahls for service

As his career has criss-crossed the country, Augustana College President Steven Bahls has had the chance to be in community service in many communities, but he says the Quad-Cities has the best volunteers he’s ever met. That is why he was honored and surprised to be chosen as the recipient of Modern Woodmen of America’s 2012 Community Service Award.

05/01/12 Schneider '82 talks about transportation projects

Ann Schneider '82, Illinois secretary of transportation, was in Moline Monday to talk about funding for local projects, such as a new Interstate 74 bridge over the Mississippi and widening of John Deere Road. Schneider received a bachelor's in public administration from Augustana and a master's in public administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1989.

05/01/12 Augustana students clean Worker House

A Rock Island organization that provides transitional housing for women and children got a helping hand Saturday from dozens of Augustana College students and Royal Neighbors of America. St. Joseph the Worker House got a good spring cleaning, thanks to 13 Royal Neighbors chapters on Augustana campus. Nearly 40 students put their muscles and energy into landscaping, cleaning out a garage, washing windows, painting and planting this year’s community garden.

04/30/12 Augie students reach out to teens at The Place2B

More than 10 Augustana College students with the Redwood Movement gathered Sunday to paint a chalkboard, tweak a sketch for a future mural and drop off several musical instruments at The Place2B in downtown Rock Island, which works to counsel, tutor and motivate at-risk area youths.

04/30/12 R.I. finance director wants to make this job her last

Augustana alumnus Cindy Parchert of Orion, Ill., took over as Rock Island's finance director in January. It is actually the beginning of her second stint with the city of Rock Island. She worked there as an accountant for 11 years but left in 2000 to work as a controller for the CPA firm McGladrey and Pullen.

04/30/12 Billboard Power 100: Richard Busch

Richard Busch '87 got a degree in history from Augustana and now is making history as a lawyer in the entertainment industry. His cases "could turn the recording industry's economic model upside down and have serious ramifications for the ability of labels to profit from digital sales of catalog titles."

04/27/12 More Than I Imagined

In the spring of 2011, faculty were asked to nominate students they saw as outstanding. This series was the result, named "More Than I Imagined" because that comment was a common thread in the students' answers about what they had done in their four years at Augustana. Now meet the 2012 students; more student profiles will be added each week.

04/27/12 Faculty vote reaffirms college's trimester system

The Augustana College faculty voted Thursday, April 26, to maintain the college's trimester academic calendar. Faculty members cast their ballots after a three-year process that considered the pros and cons of changing to a semester system.

04/26/12 Percussion Ensemble celebrates milestones with concerts

The Augustana Percussion Ensemble will feature a variety of music in two concerts on Sunday, April 29. Much more than just drums and cymbals, the ensemble incorporates the many different instruments of the percussion section.

04/23/12 Augustana students share culture via project

One group of students in a classroom at Augustana College, and another gathered around a dinner table in Cairo, Egypt, met over a meal recently via Skype. They were brought together by the Virtual Dinner Project. The Augustana students were largely from an upper-level religion course. The students in Cairo had all protested in Tahrir Square in downtown Cairo, where an uprising in January 2011 eventually led to the ousting of Egypt’s then-President Hosni Mubarak.

04/23/12 Doing good and staying sane amidst global environmental crisis

Dr. Sarah Bexell '91 talks about conservation, the collapse of industrial civilization and the future of biodiversity. She has conducted conservation field studies, animal behavior, and environmental education programs in the U.S. as well as internationally. "My current work and interests with pandas (giant and red) are in habitat conservation. The future is immensely grim for them... This is not just the problem for pandas but for all animals and at the end will be for us human animals as well. My interest is in helping humans see this, see them in their peril... We are killing them with our stupidity and greed."

04/23/12 Brown looking forward to AD opportunity

David Brown, who holds a BA in physical education and education from Augustana, was named athletic director for schools in the Spencer, Iowa, district. He will leave the Decorah Community School District where he has served as a middle school physical education instructor and high school boy's basketball coach. He also has a master's in education sports management from Wayne State College in Nebraska, where he was an assistant men's basketball coach.

04/23/12 Pets are getting ticked off earlier this year

Ticks and fleas are causing more problems earlier than usual this year, possibly because of the warm spring. Entomologists don't believe there are more pests, but that pets have been outside earlier. Augustana's Dr. Darrin Good, a biology professor, believes it's a little of both. "One reason there are so many darned insects out already is because of the mild winter and early spring. Almost all insects are kept under control to a great degree by the weather. Harsh cold winters and hot dry summers tend to decrease or harm the insect population." (Note: in the photo accompanying this story is Augustana alumna Dr. Elizabeth Narske at the Rock Island Animal Hospital.)

04/23/12 Boyd '99 named women's basketball coach

Karen Boyd '99 has been hired to lead the Black Hawk College Lady Braves as head coach after two years as an assistant. She is the first female coach in the program's history. Boyd also has been the school's director of human resources for three years. She earned a bachelor's degree in biology at Augustana, and advanced degrees in business and organization leadership from St. Ambrose Univeristy.

04/23/12 Searching for a hobby? Try looking up

Becoming an amateur astronomer doesn't have to be complex or expensive. Your eyes, at first, are all you need. Lee Carkner, director of the John Deere Planetarium at Augustana College, recommends starting by going out about the same time each night and looking up, getting a feel for how things in the sky move. He also suggested getting a star chart -- a map of the visible sky.

04/23/12 Q-C film 'Troll' to be pitched at Cannes

Augustana alumnus Jim O'Melia of Bettendorf is the production manager for the film "Troll: The Tale of a Tail" under production in Rock Island. The 3-D computer-animated film is being made by Rock Island-based Great River Productions; its global distributor is the independent London-based Timeless Films. They won't be screening the flick at the Cannes Film Festival but they will be making sales pitches to secure distribution around the world.

04/23/12 Cult classic "Bat Boy: The Musical" rounds out Augustana’s theatre season

Augustana department of theatre arts and Opera@Augustana will present "Bat Boy: The Musical" during the last weekend of April and first weekend in May. This offbeat musical based on the Weekly World News article about the half-boy, half-bat will be presented in Potter Theatre, inside Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts.

04/23/12 Climate change lecture on April 26

Augustana’s Center for Polar Studies will host Dr. Claire Todd of Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., for a lecture titled “Tracking long-term ice sheet retreat in West Antarctica,” on Thursday, April 26, at 7 p.m., in room 102 of the Hanson Hall of Science.

04/20/12 Brodahl helped ‘young people be best they could be’

Betsey A. Brodahl ’44, dean of women and later associate dean of students at Augustana College, 1948-1987, died in her sleep at home in Wahoo, Neb., today. She was 89. “Few persons have had the kind of impact Betsey Brodahl had on Augustana during her long association with the college,” said Augustana President Steve Bahls. “Her legendary grace and confidence inspired generations of students, including alumni now in their 80s, not to mention innumerable colleagues.”

04/18/12 Quad Cities is hospitable to garter snakes

The Quad-Cities area is fairly hospitable to snakes, fortunately nonpoisonous ones. Garter snakes like the moist habitat of this area, said Tim Muir, a biology professor at Augustana College in Rock Island. He said this area is home to two species of garter snakes — the plains garter snake and the eastern garter snake. When spooked, garter snakes release a noxious-smelling material. Scent is their only defense.

04/18/12 Augustana ranks first in national recycling contest

Augustana College won first place for amount of paper recycled in a nationwide competition called RecycleMania. From February 5 to March 31, 605 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada participated in a variety of categories.

04/18/12 Voiles works to score with NBA scouts at Portsmouth

Augustana's Bryant Voiles scored six points and pulled down three rebounds in 20 minutes in the Portsmouth Invitational championship game last week. Although his team lost, Voiles was there to score points with the professional scouts.

04/16/12 Art exhibition showcases seniors' development

Five senior art majors will showcase their work from April 28 to May 11 in the Augustana College Art Museum. The exhibition will feature a variety of artworks including ceramics, gourds and paintings.

04/16/12 Holocaust survivor, Torah scholar will speak

Augustana College hosts back-to-back lectures on April 23-24 to engage the campus and Quad-Cities community in the study of Jewish history, religion and culture. Both lectures are free.

04/13/12 Three fun, educational events on April 28

Augustana College invites learners of all ages to visit campus on Saturday, April 28, to take part in three educational events— Polar Palooza, Science Open House and a planetarium program.

04/13/12 Geology Museum welcomes two new reptiles

Augustana College’s Fryxell Geology Museum recently added two flying reptiles with large skulls and mouths full of long, protruding teeth, called pterosaurs. The full-scale, realistic replicas are hanging in the lobby circling a 22-foot fossil skeleton of Cryolophosaurus ellioti, a large carnivorous dinosaur discovered in Antarctica by Augustana paleontologist Dr. William Hammer.

04/12/12 Video: Gwendolyn Oxenham and 'Pelada'

Filmmaker, author and soccer enthusiast Gwendolyn Oxenham shares details of her travels around the world, what she learned about the global culture of soccer and her experience in making the documentary Pelada.

04/12/12 Summer session registration begins April 16

Registration for Augustana College Summer Session 2012 opens at 6 a.m. on Monday, April 16.

04/12/12 NFL legend speaking to campus and community

Ken Anderson, NFL legend and Augustana alumnus, will be back on campus for two events in April. On Thursday, April 19, at 10:30 a.m. in Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave.), Anderson will present a free public lecture, “My Career as I Remember It.” On Friday, April 20, Anderson will be the featured speaker at the college’s 36th annual Business Day breakfast, a private event for students and local business leaders.

04/11/12 A Long Shot Comes in: Jaimy Gordon, April 19 at Augustana

There are few people in the arts who admit to being concerned about either their fame or their place in history. Jaimy Gordon is one of that rare breed, but she doesn’t need to fret anymore.

04/09/12 Beinborn takes over women's basketball program

Mark Beinborn has been named as head women's basketball coach at Augustana. Beinborn, who has been an assistant for the Vikings since 2008, will slide over one spot on the bench next year as he replaces Bobbi Endress, who resigned Feb. 27. "This is a program where the ground work has been laid. The players are on board and I am thrilled with this opportunity to lead them," he said.

04/09/12 National Book Award winner Gordon here April 19

The River Readings series at Augustana will host novelist Jaimy Gordon, winner of the 2010 National Book Award for her novel "Lord of Misrule," on April 19. Dr. Gordon will read from "Lord of Misrule" and take questions at 7 p.m. in Wallenberg Hall inside the Denkmann Memorial Building. The reading is free and open to the public.

04/09/12 $5,000 prize honors fresh thinking about rivers

Geography major Scott Fick '13 is the winner of the 2012-13 Hasselmo Prize for Academic Pursuit. In his letter of thanks, Fick told Dr. Nils Hasselmo, "At Augie, I feel like I am provided with the resources and encouraged to challenge myself to achieve the best that I possibly can."

04/09/12 WVIK to host A Little Night Music April 18

WVIK-90.3 F.M., Augustana's Public Radio station, will host A Little Night Music, a concert given by Augustana faculty members, at 7 p.m. April 18 in Wallenberg Hall, inside the Denkmann Memorial Building.

04/03/12 Lecture to explore influence of Native American art

Dr. W. Jackson Rushing III will explore relationship between Native American art and 20th-century avant-garde in a lecture at 7:30 p.m. April 17 in Larson Hall, Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts. A reception will be held in the Augustana College Art Museum after the program. Dr. Rushing is Adkins Presidential Professor of Art History and Mary Lou Milner Carver Chair in Native American Art at the University of Oklahoma.

04/03/12 Filmmaker will speak, play soccer at Augustana

Filmmaker, author and soccer enthusiast Gwendolyn Oxenham will speak at Augustana College on April 12, at 10:30 a.m., at Centennial Hall. Oxenham will share details of her travels around the world, what she learned about the global culture of soccer and her experience in making the documentary Pelada.

04/02/12 Augustana lacrosse in national spotlight

Inside Higher Ed's "Zone Defense" discusses the expansion of Division III lacrosse in the Midwest. Kent Barnds, Augustana vice president for enrollment, communications and planning, says the college added lacrosse to "leverage an already successful athletic program to reach out to the best lacrosse players who would otherwise go East to play."

04/01/12 Augie group seeks to forge connections in Q-C

A group of Augustana College students is trying to highlight the connections all people share while helping give Quad-Cities youth opportunities to express themselves.

03/30/12 AugieAbroad Photo Contest winners

The 2012 Augie Abroad Photo Contest was open to all students who traveled internationally with Augustana or Augie Choice funds between May of 2011 and March of 2012. There were over 170 entries from more than 50 students on programs throughout six different continents.

03/30/12 Julie Reynolds: trailblazer in public health

Julie Reynolds, a biology major who graduated from Augustana in 2007, entered the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and assumed she would have her own practice someday. An early public health course, however, as well as global experiences with underserved populations, nudged her toward studies in dental public health, but not like anyone had ever done at the UI.

03/29/12 Redwood Movement premieres film on April 1

A group of Augustana students, known as the Redwood Movement, will debut its first documentary — a self-titled, stop-animation film — on Sunday, April 1, at 7:30 p.m., in Centennial Hall. Sponsored in part by Augustana’s Center for Vocational Reflection, the event is open to the public.

03/29/12 Video: 'Being Gay & Religious: Mission Impossible?'

V. Gene Robinson, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire, gave the convocation lecture, "Being Gay & Religious: Mission Impossible?" March 29, 2012. He is widely known for being the first openly gay, non-celibate priest to be ordained a bishop in a major Christian denomination.

03/29/12 Civil War sesquicentennial reflections

April 6 and 7, 2012, mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War Battle of Shiloh, described by General Ulysses S. Grant as “the most severe battle fought in the West during the war.” To mark this somber anniversary, the Augustana Historical Society will present a program by local historian John Norton, titled, “Augustana, Swedish Soldiers, and Shiloh: Civil War Sesquicentennial Reflections.” The program will be held in Augustana College’s Wallenberg Hall on Wednesday, April 11, at 7 p.m.

03/28/12 Center for the Study of Ethics offers two lectures

The Augustana Center for the Study of Ethics will sponsor two free public lectures in April 2012 as part of its Community Lecture Series.

03/28/12 Holocaust survivor to speak at Augie, Putnam

Holocaust survivor Eva Schloss will be in the Quad-Cities for five days in early April, and she'll give a public talk on April 2 at the Putnam Museum, Davenport, in conjunction with the exhibit "Anne Frank: A History for Today." She'll also be on hand for a discussion after the play "And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank" at Augustana on April 3.

03/28/12 Rock Island Fine Arts Exhibition winners

Kristin Quinn, chair of the St. Ambrose University art department, has been named first-place winner of the 36th Rock Island Fine Arts Exhibition, an annual juried competition co-sponsored by the Rock Island Art Guild and Augustana College. Augustana senior Veronica Smith was the only student to make the list of winners with an honorable mention for "Wayfinding (Diptych)."

03/28/12 Civilian life: Augie's public safety director makes adjustment

The switch was not a small one -- going from helping run an American military base the size of a city to helping run a small, private, liberal arts college. But Greg Venvertloh, Augustana College's new director of public safety, insists the transition to the college from Camp Victory in Iraq, where he was director of public works, was not drastic.

03/27/12 'Marketplace' host starts his day at 1 a.m.

Jeremy Hobson, host of American Public Media's Marketplace "Morning Report," was in town Monday to help kick off WVIK's $750,000 capital campaign. He gave the approximately 90 attendees at a luncheon a peek into his life and the makings of the "Morning Report," which he has hosted since October 2010.

03/27/12 Residents, businesses back College Hill revitalization

About 40 residents, property and business owners in Rock Island's College Hill District voted Monday to send a plan to revitalize the area to the city council. The group reviewed and offered feed back on the 40-page plan for the area. A main goal is to brand the College Hill District as a retail destination.

03/27/12 Mark Brooks '73 retiring as Bettendorf athletics director

Mark Brooks '73 will retire in June after a long career coaching high school sports in Bettendorf, Iowa, including the past 13 years as athletics director. Brooks, a 6’ 2” guard for Augustana, is a member of the Tribe of Vikings Hall of Fame.

03/27/12 Employers toe line with social media privacy

Anna Letendre,a junior at Augustana, believes employers have the right to search online for information on job candidates to learn more about them in the selection process. But, she adds, asking candidates for their Facebook passwords to seek additional personal information is a bad idea.

03/27/12 Witches and sweet rolls for Easter

Children sank their teeth into sweet rolls, dressed as Easter witches and decorated branches Sunday at the Scandinavian Easter Workshop. "Swedes have some different ideas. On Good Friday (children) dress up like witches and old men and ask for candy,” said Helene Leaf, event coordinator of the American Scandinavian Association at Augustana.

03/26/12 Augustana debuts Four-Year Graduation Agreement

Augustana College will underscore its high four-year graduation rate in the fall of 2012 by giving incoming students a written guarantee that they'll have a diploma in four years.

03/23/12 Art students 'opening doors' for women

Augustana art students work on transforming a door into something more for the Opening Doors Gala, a benefit for Family Resources Inc., on April 13. The theme of the gala is to open new doors for women coming out of the domestic violence shelter and also opening the doors to the shelter for women who need help.

03/23/12 Alumnus Gerber gives $6.3 million to Augustana

Alumnus Murry Gerber and his wife Cindy, of Pittsburgh, Pa., have given $6.3 million to the Authentically Augustana: A Call to Action campaign. A little more than half the gift, $3.3 million, will support Augustana College’s new Center for Student Life; $3 million will go toward the college’s endowment, with a substantial portion set aside for scholarships for geology majors.

03/23/12 Bishop will discuss religion and homosexuality

Why does religion play such a central role in the struggle for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights? Bishop Gene Robinson will discuss this question and others related to religion and homosexuality in a lecture on March 29, at 10:30 a.m., in Centennial Hall.

03/23/12 Thirty-sixth annual juried exhibition showcases QCA talent

Members of the Augustana community are among those who are featured in the Rock Island Fine Arts Exhibition. The exhibition is on display in the Augustana College Art Museum through Sunday, April 22, and an awards reception will be held on Friday, March 30.

03/23/12 Video: convocation speaker Marc Morial

National Urban League CEO Marc Morial was the keynote speaker for the Explore Economic Inequality: 2012 White Privilege Summit on March 22, 2012.

03/21/12 Five Questions for: Dr. Jane Simonsen

Five Questions is a series of profiles of people at Augustana. Dr. Jane Simonsen, associate professor of history, talks about her published works on Native American history, the prairies of the upper Midwest, creating meaningful discussions on complex social issues, and muppeteering

03/19/12 Observer wins 14 awards, ties school record

The Augustana Observer won 14 awards overall at the annual Illinois College Press Association (ICPA) conference held in Chicago during spring break. The student-run publication received third place in general excellence and set a school record by receiving six first-place journalism awards.

03/19/12 Stanford scholar to discuss ‘The Gay and the Angry’

Pamela S. Karlan, Augustana’s Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar for 2012, will speak on same-sex marriage and the Supreme Court in a lecture on Monday, March 26, at 7:30 p.m. in the Robert and Patricia Hanson Hall of Science.

03/18/12 Vassar exec selected for CFO position

Augustana has announced David English, CFA, as the college’s new chief financial officer and vice president for finance and administration. Currently the assistant vice president for budgeting and planning at Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., English will assume his new role at Augustana on May 7.

03/18/12 Dr. Michael Eisenberg: the information age

Dr. Michael Eisenberg spoke at Augustana College at a convocation on March 15, 2012. His lecture was titled "Are you experienced? Do you have what it takes to thrive in the Information Age?" He offered advice on how to survive in an advancing technological world, discussed the benefits of research education and provided insights on how people can prepare for the future.

03/16/12 Inside Higher Ed reports shared governance focus

Inside Higher Ed reporter, Kevin Kiley, joined the retreat on Saturday, January 21, to observe and report on a series of breakout sessions led by faculty and administrators that engaged trustees in discussions focused on critical issues facing the college.

03/16/12 Augustana students plan benefit concert to support summer arts academy for kids

The second annual SBC Fine Arts Academy summer camp will be held from June 4-7 at Augustana. A benefit concert on Friday, March 23 in Wallenberg Hall will feature a variety of college student groups and solo artists. All proceeds from the event will help supplement tuition for the camp.

03/16/12 Public servant profile: Dwayne Anderson

Alumnus Dwayne Anderson, board member and vice president of the Orion (Ill.) School Board, talks about why he entered public service. The CPA has a degree in accounting and business administration from Augustana, and his daughter Alyssa is a senior here.

03/15/12 It's Pi Day any way you slice it

Dr. Kevin Geedey, Dr. Dara Wegman-Geedey and Dr. Joshua Dyer all got a whipped cream pie in the face Wednesday (3.14) as part of the annual Pi Day festivities. They were the three professors who got the largest number of votes (monetary contributions in jars) for the honor. The winner of the pi reciting contest was senior Mohammed Hussain who got to 500 digits.

03/15/12 'Do you want this kind of oil?'

The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would transport tar sands oil from Canada across the United States to Texas. The line has been opposed by environmentals but supported by business. David Lavallee, a Canadian teacher, wants Americans to know what is happening on the other end of the pipeline. He explains in the documentary “White Water, Black Gold," one of the films to be shown at the Environmental Film Fest here Saturday.

03/15/12 Construction begins on apartments near campus

Last night, Rock Island’s Board of Zoning Appeals approved plans presented by Hodge Construction of Moline on behalf of a group of local investors for a new apartment building adjacent to Augustana College’s campus, at 11th Avenue and 37th Street.

03/14/12 Religion scholars gathering here March 30-31

More than 85 presentations on a wide variety of topics will be offered at the American Academy of Religion Midwest conference March 30-31 at Augustana. All sessions and the keynote address by Dr. Jason Bivins of North Carolina State University, "Religion and Fear," are free and open to all.

03/13/12 Vikings sweep lacrosse matches on 1st home weekend

The Vikings opened their first lacrosse season at home with two wins for the men and two for the women over the weekend.

03/12/12 Hobson will speak in support of WVIK campaign

Jeremy Hobson, host of American Public Media's "Marketplace Morning Report' will reconnect with his Midwestern radio roots on Monday, March 26, to kick off WVIK’s Capital Campaign during a luncheon at the Figge Art Museum.

03/12/12 Margery Ratcliff, professor emerita, dies at 89

Margery Ratcliff, 89, Augustana professor from 1965-1990, died Thursday, March 8, 2012, in Chillicothe, Ill. She received her bachelor's degree from Illinois State University in 1930 and began teaching in a one-room school. She earned her master's degree from Loyola University, Chicago. She retired as from Augustana as director of the education department.

03/12/12 Israeli filmmaker to share ‘reality of the conflict’

Augustana College will host a talk by Dr. Avner Faingulernt at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 14, in the Hanson Hall of Science (726 35th St.). A filmmaker and professor at Sapir College in Israel, Dr. Faingulernt will talk about using direct cinema to explore various aspects of society in a war zone.

03/12/12 Explore Economic Inequality: White Privilege Summit

Augustana College will host Explore Economic Inequality: 2012 White Privilege Summit, on Thursday, March 22, with a keynote address by National Urban League CEO Marc Morial.

03/12/12 Math lectures to focus on infinity, geometry

Dr. Michael Starbird, a mathematician and author who strives to to present higher-level mathematics to students and the general public, will give talks at Augustana at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15.

03/12/12 Study abroad program grows, receives recognition

At the same time Augustana’s International and Off-Campus Programs Office received news from the Institute of International Education that Augustana is a leader in study abroad, the college finalized a new exchange agreement with Uppsala University of Sweden.

03/12/12 Augie grad Chin illustrates children's book

A new children's book by Moline author Arlene Rundle tells the true story of a wounded pelican rehabilitated by a local man, which captured the hearts of Quad-Cities residents in 2008. The book's illustrator is Jeff Chin, a Chicago artist and graduate of Augustana. Rundle and Chin will appear at book signing at The Book Rack, 3937 41st Ave., Moline, from noon-3 p.m. March 17.

03/12/12 Microliterature: "Almost Spring"

Dr. Kelly Daniels, assistant professor of English, is a recent contributor to the Microliterature, an online and print journal of critically acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction between 1-1000 words in length. The online edition publishes one work each week; the print edition publishes an anthology with added works annually.

03/09/12 Augie finalist in Shooting Touch needs viewers

Senior Brianna Skeens is one of five finalists for a 10-month trip with Shooting Touch Sabbatical, billed as the "Basketball Peace Corp." Views on her YouTube video done as part of her application will help her in the voting. The program grants $25,000 to a graduating college senior to promote growth through building courts and relationship in countries with a need.

03/09/12 Lacrosse coaches explain sport, what to expect

Quad Cities sports writers are preparing the community for a new spectator sport not seen here before — collegiate lacrosse — as Augustana prepares for its first home matches tonight and Saturday.

03/09/12 College students take crack at running the state

Augustana College student Eric Palmer is the new "governor" of Illinois, elected as such by delegates to the annual Model Illinois Government convention held recently in Springfield.

03/09/12 St. Patrick's Day concert to feature flutes, harp and dance

Augustana will celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a concert featuring flutes, harp and dance at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 17 in Wallenberg Hall.

03/08/12 Woodwind faculty will perform commissioned piece

Augustana woodwind faculty will give a recital on March 20, where they will perform a commissioned work

03/07/12 Deadline approaches for Business Day 2012

The list of Quad-Cities employers who will utilize Augustana College’s Business Day as a way to connect with the next generation of business leaders is growing this year. With over 40 employers already signed up, organizers are encouraging other businesses and non-profits to register by Wednesday, March 14 for the Friday, April 20 event.

03/07/12 Early spring makes termites bloom

Augustana's Dr. Darrin Good, biology professor, gives some bad news about termites and a mild winter in an TV interview.

03/07/12 Outreach academy teaches music, commitment

Augustana music faculty and students are the backbone of the Outreach Music Academy offered by Second Baptist Church in Rock Island. The 12-year-old program offers musical instrument lessons to adults and children. Last year, the academy sponsored a summer camp at Augustana for three days. This year, it will be a five-day event.

03/06/12 Vikings bring lacrosse home this weekend

The Quad Cities will get its first look at competitive lacrosse at the collegiate varsity level when the men's and women's teams at Augustana host six matches this weekend at Thorson-Lucken Field.

03/05/12 Documentary film honors Freedom Riders

On Monday, March 12, at 6:30 p.m. Augustana College’s Africana Studies Program will host a free, public showing of the documentary FREEDOM RIDERS in the auditorium of the Franklin W. Olin Center for Educational Technology.

03/05/12 'Precious Knowledge' film, discussion March 22

On Thursday, March 22, at 7 p.m., Augustana College will host a showing of the film Precious Knowledge, a documentary examining Arizona’s battle over ethnic studies. After the showing, a panel including the film’s director, a student in the film and a journalist will lead a public discussion about the film and related issues. The film and discussion will take place in the auditorium of the Franklin W. Olin Center for Educational Technology.

03/05/12 Augustana to host Quad Cities Low Brass Day

On Sunday, March 11, Augustana College will host Quad Cities Low Brass Day. The day’s events are for low brass musicians of all ages and levels of skill—from junior high students to professional musicians.

03/02/12 Services March 3 for Rev. Barbara Melaas-Swanson

Services for the Rev. Barbara Melaas-Swanson, 51, a Lutheran minister and part-time religion instructor at Augustana, will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 3, at First Lutheran Church, 114 E. Main St., Geneseo.

03/01/12 Remembering the horrors of war

For members of the Augustana College Choir, singing with the Quad City Symphony Orchestra this weekend in the massive production of "War Requiem" will be especially meaningful, given where they recently performed it.

02/29/12 Upcoming concert is culmination of Pacific Coast tour

The Augustana Symphonic Band, just off its tour of the Pacific Coast, will perform its home concert on Saturday, March 10, at 8 p.m. in Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave.) on Augustana’s campus. The performance is free and open to the public.

02/29/12 Board of Trustees welcomes Christopher Seyfarth

Augustana College is pleased to welcome Christopher Seyfarth as a member of the Augustana Board of Trustees. Seyfarth will serve a four-year term ending in 2016. Seyfarth, a 1980 graduate of Augustana, is a transaction real estate partner for Ernst & Young in San Francisco.

02/29/12 Exhibit, events focus on vision of William Morris

An exhibit and two literary events at Augustana College this spring will focus on William Morris, English designer, artist and writer associated with the Pre-Raphaelites and the Arts and Crafts Movement.

02/28/12 Dr. Michael Eisenberg talks technology to kick off spring lecture series

Dr. Michael Eisenberg will speak at Augustana College on Thursday, March 15, at 10:30 a.m. in Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave). His lecture is titled “Are you experienced? Do you have what it takes to thrive in the Information Age?”

02/28/12 Betts '80 brings expertise to ASU Foundation

Steven A. Betts has joined the ASU Foundation for A New American University assenior vice president and managing director of assets. He will be responsible for determining how estate holdings can benefit of the foundation and Arizona State University. Betts graduated from Augustana in 1980, majoring in political science and philosophy. He retired in 2010 as president and CEO of SunCor Development, Phoenix.

02/27/12 Boyer '04 gets top coaching spot at Byron

Jeff Boyer has been named head football coach at Byron (Ill.) High School. He played baseball and football at Augustana and earned a degree in secondary education and mathematics. He played quarterback for the Byron Tigers on their 1999 state championship team and has served as an assistant coach at the school the past four years. Boyer taught math and coached at Rochelle High School before joining Byron.

02/27/12 Sudden OCD in kids? Culprit may be strep throat, other infections

Dr. Susan Swedo, a senior investigator in neuroscience at the National Institutes of Health, discusses PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections). PANDAS is a diagnosis given to a group of children who abruptly develop obsessive compulsive disorder or tic disorders such as Tourette’s syndrome – but only after contracting infections such as scarlet fever or strep throat caused by Group A streptococcus bacteria. Dr. Swedo is a 1977 Augustana graduate.

02/24/12 Cleveland looks at Portugal, colonialism and sports

Dr. Todd Cleveland, assistant professor of history, is catching the attention of media in Portugal who are interested in his research on Arican athletes and colonialism.

02/24/12 Galumpha’s comedic acrobats to perform March 17

Galumpha combines acrobatics, physical comedy and inventive choreography to create its “have-to-see-it-to-believe-it” brand of entertainment. Galumpha will take the stage at 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 17, in Centennial Hall. Tickets are $8 for the public; free for Augustana faculty, staff and students.

02/23/12 Amy Kreiser '10 hired to coach Putnam County volleyball

After coaching club and junior high volleyball, Amy Kreiser is looking forward to taking over a varsity program. She was hired to coach the Putnam County varsity team Tuesday. “I’m really excited about the transition,” said Kreiser, who graduated from Augustana with an elementary education degree in 2010. “I know it’s going to be a faster pace."

02/23/12 Augustana Summer Academy offers new grants

From June 17–22, high school students can experience a taste of college life at Augustana Summer Academy. The enrichment program, now in its third year, offers an adventurous academic opportunity through courses taught by one or more professors in a close-knit, hands-on environment.

02/22/12 Square-foot gardening packs produce in a small space

Farah Marklevits, instructor in the Augustana English department, writes for Radish magazine about her success in square-foot gardening. "Visually, square-foot gardening paid off beyond my dreaming," she writes. "And it certainly provided a bounty of vegetables and flowers to take home, too."

02/22/12 Quad-City birds make strong showing

The Quad-City area just might lead the state of Iowa in the number of bird species counted — 91 — during the annual Christmas Bird Count. Among the observations from this year are more Eurasian tree sparrows, an invasive species introduced from China in 1870, said Steve Hager, associate professor of biology at Augustana and a co-compiler of the data.

02/22/12 U.S. Navy Sea Chanters to perform on March 13

The United States Navy’s official chorus from Washington, D.C., the Navy Band Sea Chanters, will give a concert on Tuesday, March 13, at 8 p.m. in Augustana College’s Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave.). The concert is free and open to the public.

02/22/12 Learning about autism treatments in Australia

Clare Kilbride, one of 47 Augustana students currently on an intership term in Australia, works at the Lizard Centre, one of Australia's leading providers of intervention for young children with autism and related disorders. She recently appeared in a news video report on autism that included the Lizard Centre.

02/21/12 Women's Connection honors students for leadership

Amber Brackett and Melissa Lehpamer, both seniors at Augustana College, recently were honored by the Women’s Connection through its Emerging Women Leaders program.

02/21/12 Cool Beanz about more than just good coffee

The vision of a young entrepreneur has brought new vitality to the building on the corner of 30th Street and 14th Avenue in Rock Island. The structure, which stood empty for almost three years in the neighborhood just southwest of Augustana College, has become a trendy gathering destination in its two and a half years as Cool Beanz Coffeehouse.

02/21/12 Blackwell turns artist's eye on property management

In college, Rodney Blackwell honed his ability to create, graduating from Augustana College with a degree in fine arts/painting. Since then, he's allowed his artistic ability to grow, now using his mind and hands to build and rebuild communities.

02/21/12 In study abroad, men are hard to find

Women far outnumber men in study abroad. In the 2009-10 academic year, women accounted for nearly two-thirds of 270,600 American students going overseas. Mark H. Salisbury, director of institutional research at Augustana, says men are less likely to go overseas the more they became involved with their peers.

02/21/12 Quinn proposes $50M for Illinois scholarship program

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn is proposing a $50 million influx of cash into the state's Monetary Aid Program (MAP) that he says will provide thousands of students with help to pay for college. W. Kent Barnds, Augustana vice president of enrollment, communication and planning, sees this as a "really positive sign that the state of Illinois recognizes that an investment in its students is an investment in its future."

02/21/12 Choir to perform “Alpha & Omega” concert in the QCA

After a two-week concert tour in Germany and Austria, the Augustana Choir will return to the Quad Cities for a home concert at 8 p.m. on Friday, March 9, at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2136 Brady Street, Davenport. Under the direction of Dr. Jon Hurty, the choir will present an a cappella choir concert, with works ranging from a Gregorian chant to a Haitian Nöel. The concert is open to the public, free of charge.

02/20/12 Five Questions for: Dr. Pamela Trotter

Five Questions is a series of profiles of people at Augustana. Dr. Pamela Trotter, associate professor of chemistry, talks about how she found her calling, her dream study abroad trip, and the high expectations Augustana holds for its science graduates.

02/20/12 Augie’s vet school placement crushes national average

Over the past five years, 82.1 percent of Augustana students applying to vet school have been admitted — nearly double the national average. “Augustana has a great reputation with veterinary medicine schools,” said Dr. Darrin Good ’87, biology professor and an advisor for pre-vet students. “The students who have gone before have been hugely successful."

02/17/12 SPIDER-MAN director to speak at graduation

Broadway’s "SPIDER-MAN: Turn off the Dark" director Philip William McKinley will deliver Augustana College’s 2012 commencement address on Sunday, May 20, at 3 p.m., at the i wireless Center in Moline, Ill. McKinley is a 1973 Augustana graduate.

02/17/12 Rindone changing expectations with men's track

Alex Rindone had no idea what to expect when he decided to run track at Augustana. Although he was well aware of Rindone’s talent, Vikings coach Paul Olsen was also unsure how the former Marmion standout would fare at the collegiate level. But with Rindone setting five school records and winning 10 CCIW championships in his first two years, expectations clearly have changed.

02/16/12 2001 grad makes high school's hall of fame

Chris Spillum '01 is inducted into the Orion High School Hall of Fame. He received his bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting at Augustana. He is a mortgage consultant for Wells Fargo.

02/16/12 Student teacher knows it's the right path

At 21, Augustana senior Griffin Dwyer is not that much older than some of his Moline High School students. Student teaching was the last step before the Arlington Heights native gets his teacher's certificate. The learning experience of providing a learning experience has given him an insight into what the job's about. Outside the classroom, Dwyer plays on the Vikings basketball team.

02/15/12 Susan Black-Beth '99 honored for mentoring women

Susan E. Black-Beth, CFE, chief operating officer for Super Wash, was honored Feb. 14 by the International Franchise Association as the Bonny LeVine Award recipient during IFA’s 52nd Annual Convention. “Susan has made it her mission to provide excellent guidance and serve as an example to women who want to excel in franchising,” said IFA Chairman Jack Earle. “She has been a committed and tireless advocate for franchising and a mentor to women.”

02/14/12 Visit important for evolving Chinese economy

Augustana President Steve Bahls has made multiple visits to China, starting in 1994. He said this week's visit by Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping to the U.S. was an important one for the ever-evolving Chinese economy. China's challenges include fair trade, human rights and environmental issues.

02/13/12 Augustana Choir to celebrate 50th anniversary of War Requiem

From Feb. 14 to March 4, the Augustana Choir will tour Germany and perform as part of an international festival to commemorate the 50th anniversary of composer Benjamin Britten’s masterpiece, War Requiem, and then return to the Quad Cities for two performances.

02/13/12 Symphonic Band will tour the Pacific Coast

The Augustana Symphonic Band will begin its spring 2012 tour of the Pacific Coast on Friday, Feb. 17, stopping at two locations in Illinois before continuing to California, Oregon and Washington. The band will return and perform a home concert on Saturday, March 10, at 8 p.m. in Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave.) on Augustana’s campus.

02/12/12 School is still fun for Augie's president

One minute you're a corporate lawyer in Milwaukee, and the next minute you're on your way back to college -- not to learn this time, but to teach. That's how Steven Bahls' journey toward becoming president of Augustana College began.

02/12/12 Faramelli '67 follows family career in shoes

After graduating from Augustana College in 1967 with a business degree, followed by two years' service in the U.S. Navy, Jim Faramelli decided to follow in the footsteps of his father and make a career out of shoe repair. Faramelli, owner of Leo's Shoe Repair, 315 20th St., Rock Island, is a third-generation shoe repairman, dating back to his grandfather, who was a shoemaker near Florence, Italy.

02/11/12 Examining a new Bible's DNA

In the new Common English Bible translation, Jesus is called ''the Human one.'' The Rev. Brant Clements, who participates in the Greek New Testament reading group Ekklesia at Augustana, says referring to Jesus in this way actually ''brings out the meaning from its original context,''

02/11/12 Chinese leader’s visit a teaching moment

Xiaowen Zhang, a native of Beijing and assistant professor of political science at Augustana, agreed with those who saw the visit by China's vice president Xi Jinping to Iowa as history in the making. "The next 10 years will be a significant period for China, I think, as well for U.S.-China relations. So this visit, I believe, he is trying to reach out to Americans and sort of pave roads for his future Chinese-American policy."

02/10/12 Good Fit contest showcases creative photos

Online voting continues until Feb. 15 for the People's Choice Award in Augustana College's Good Fit T-shirt Photo Contest, where potential first-year students are eligible to win one of five $1,000 scholarships to Augustana.

02/10/12 Macaluso named network, syndication director for WFMT Radio Network

Tony Macaluso '94 has joined The WFMT Radio Network as director of network and syndication. He will oversee the syndication of more than three dozen WFMT programs and concert series to hundreds of radio stations around the world. He has a bachelor's degree in theatre arts and Asian studies from Augustana and a master's in theater history from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana.

02/10/12 In an effort to cut costs, colleges try e-books

Augustana students in the Shakespearean literature class taught by Dr. David Crowe will be able to buy all of the books they need for the course through Amazon's Kindle platform. Dr. Crowe volunteered his class to experiment with using e-books, in part because of cost savings for students.

02/09/12 Love blooms in Q-C Symphony

Among the Quad City Symphony Orchestra's 76 players and 12 staff members are seven married couples who are key to keeping the group humming. They include Rich Stodd (director of operations) and Janet Stodd (flute and piccolo), who also is a long-time Augustana instructor.

02/08/12 TribLocal basketball stars help keep Augustana among elite

Augustana’s men’s basketball team has had its ups and downs over the past two seasons but one thing remains the same – the Vikings continue to hold down a spot among the nation’s best. TribLocal athletes have had a hand in keeping the team among the nation’s elite.

02/08/12 Symphonic Band tour: new works, historical moments

The Augustana Symphonic Band begins its 2012 tour of Pacific Coast states on Feb. 17, stopping at two locations in Illinois before continuing to California, Oregon and Washington. The band will return and perform a home concert at 8 p.m. March 10 in Centennial Hall on campus. For this tour, director Dr. James Lambrecht has devised a program worthy of a band so grounded in history.

02/07/12 Orchestra, Concert Band performances Saturday

On Saturday, Feb. 11, Augustana student-musicians will present two concerts, starting with a Concert Band performance at 2 p.m., followed by a Symphony Orchestra performance at 8 p.m. Both concerts are free, public events, and they will be held in Centennial Hall.

02/07/12 Students bring two of Durang's comedies to the stage

Augustana theater arts enthusiasts have produced and will perform two of Christopher Durang’s comedies, Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You and The Actor’s Nightmare, on Friday, Feb. 10, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 11, at 3 p.m. in the Black Box Theatre.

02/06/12 Professor's advice: It's best to be bored

David Snowball makes his living as a communications professor. But when he's not teaching, he is also an unpaid mutual-funds guru, the founder and editor of the free, noncommercial Mutual Fund Observer website.

02/06/12 "War Requiem" project brings international partnership

Benjamin Britten's 1962 "War Requiem" is one of the biggest masterworks around, requiring about 350 musicians. To mark its 50th anniversary, Mark Russell Smith, Quad City Symphony Orchestra conductor, and the Augustana College Choir will go to Germany to perform it with German students Feb. 18-19. Then, members of the German choir will sing it with the Augustana choir, Quad City Choral Arts, University of Minnesota Choir, Macalester College Choir and Minnesota Boychoir March 3-4 in the Quad-Cities.

02/06/12 $500,000 gift honors former Deere CEO

The John Deere Foundation has donated $500,000 to Augustana College in honor of former Deere CEO and 1948 Augustana alumnus Robert A. Hanson. The funds will support renovations to Old Main, the college’s signature academic building, and two classrooms within Old Main will be named for Hanson.

02/06/12 Quiros meets challenge for Augie

In wrestling, as in life, Alberto Quiros has had to work for everything he has earned. The Augustana College senior 149-pounder has developed into one of the top competitors in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin this season and would like nothing better than to conclude his career at the NCAA Division III national tournament Thursday.

02/05/12 Budding writers have their own major at Augustana

Creative writing is Augustana's newest major in the English department. After starting in fall 2010, the first two creative writing majors will graduate this May. The college has 11 creative writing majors, 11 English majors with a writing emphasis and 65 English majors.

02/05/12 Augustana food festival shows international flair

Once a year for the past decade, the kitchen at the Augustana College Center becomes a warring mess of smells from spices, sauces, meats and piles of brightly colored food, each representing one of seven regions of the world.

02/03/12 Professor Levin, a lifelong scholar, dies at 79

The Rev. Dr. Arnold G. Levin, Augustana professor emeritus of religion, died Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the age of 79. A memorial service will be held at Augustana’s Ascension Chapel at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, followed by an informal gathering in the Wilson Center

02/03/12 Augustana employees get hands on with the heart

Three hearts sat side by side on a stainless steel platter Thursday in the cadaver lab at Augustana College. College employees were escorted into the lab by a local physician and a member of the biology department’s faculty, who then poked, prodded and stretched the organs to show the difference between a healthy heart and a diseased muscle.

02/01/12 Four Choirs Concert showcases global music

Cantilena Augustana, Wennerberg Men’s Chorus, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble and the Ascension Singers are the four choirs who will perform together in one concert on Saturday, Feb. 4, at 4 p.m. in Augustana College’s Centennial Hall

01/31/12 2012-13 school year comprehensive fee announced

Video: President Steve Bahls on 2012-13 comprehensive fee

01/31/12 Air Force influences shape Winter Jazz Concert

The Augustana Jazz Ensemble will present its winter concert on Friday, Feb. 3, at 8 p.m. in Centennial Hall.

01/31/12 Convocation speaker will step into Darwin's shoes

Imagine an afternoon at London’s Royal Geological Society, with a young Charles Darwin, listening to the tales of his adventures and the scientific evidence that lead to his revolutionary theory. Storyteller, author and naturalist Brian “Fox” Ellis will step into Darwin’s shoes for a free, public performance on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 10:30 a.m. in Augustana College’s Centennial Hall.

01/30/12 Jennings '03 named as Michigan Tech coach

Matt Jennings '03 has been named as volleyball coach at Michigan Technological University. The Chicago native played men’s club volleyball at Augustana from 2000-03 and helped his team to a national third-place finish in 2002. Jennings earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and political science from Augustana in 2003.

01/30/12 Dr. Donald Davis, pioneer in speech therapy, dies

Retired professor Dr. Donald C. Davis, 89, who was instrumental in building Augustana's Center for Communicative Disorders, died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2012.

01/28/12 Krefft '07 gets football head coach post

Bill Krefft has been named head football coach at Immaculate Conception High School in Elmhurst, Ill. He earned a business degree from Augustana in 2007 and was a three-year letterman at linebacker.

01/27/12 "I Heart Augustana" employee wellness campaign

On Thursday, Feb. 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Augustana employees will do more than learn about heart health. In the Hanson Hall of Science (726 35th St.), employees can step into the college’s cadaver lab and compare a healthy human heart with a diseased heart and a heart with bypasses, as part of a wellness campaign titled “I Heart Augustana.”

01/27/12 Walton '98 overseeing state-of-the-art hospital in Haiti

Even before the earthquake in 2010, Haiti's public health care system was perhaps the worst in the Western Hemisphere. Dr. David Walton '98 is overseeing the construction of the National Teaching Hospital in Haiti. The Boston-based group Partners in Health has set out to build a world-class teaching hospital in what used to be a rice field in the Haitian countryside.

01/26/12 Youngberg offers fresh look at 'Alice'

Forget the fall down the rabbit hole, the Cheshire Cat or the constantly tardy bunny. They’re not Karin Youngberg’s favorite parts of “Alice in Wonderland.” “That tea party is really the most interesting part of the whole book,” said Youngberg, who will celebrate her 45th anniversary in the Augustana College English department later this year.

01/26/12 Augie alumnus returns for Pulitzer-winning play

An Augustana College senior and a locally prominent alumnus actor are paired in the disturbing, Pulitzer-winning play "How I Learned To Drive" by Paula Vogel, opening Friday at the Rock Island campus.

01/24/12 Hippler '86 to speak at Youth Science Expo

Exxon Mobil researcher Dr. Susan Hippler will speak at the Bettendorf Youth Science Expo Feb. 4 at Bettendorf Middle School and share her experiences in the world of science. She graduated from Bettendorf High in 1982, earned a B.A. in geology from Augustana in 1986, and received a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Leeds (England) in 1989.

01/23/12 Avant-garde melds music, tech

Associate professor of music Randall Hall has a simple explanation for his rather complicated music duo. "I play sax," Hall says. "He plays laptop." Hall and Jonathon Kirk, a former student who is now on the faculty at North Central College in Naperville, Ill., form Pendulum. The avant-garde music duo kicks off a new series called Emanations at Rozz-Tox in Rock Island on Jan. 27.

01/23/12 Symposium focuses on building leaders

Trust, pride and camaraderie can make the difference between a workplace where leaders create a positive environment — and a place where employees flee at the end of the day. Speaker Jennifer Robin shared insights into developing effective leaders at the Women in Leadership Symposium at Augustana Sunday.

01/23/12 Trustees approve plans for new Center for Student Life

Augustana College’s Board of Trustees has approved the design and financing of a multimillion-dollar Center for Student Life that will be connected to the Thomas Tredway Library.

01/23/12 Engineering a field that is in demand

Despite a lagging economy, one field that seems to stay in demand is engineering. That's why many colleges are expanding their engineering programs. Dr. Joshua Dyer, Augustana assistant professor of engineering physics, thinks engineers are in demand is because engineering is about solving problems.

01/23/12 Illinois gaining more sunlight every day

It’s dark most of the time at this time of year, but we’re gaining daylight. The rate of gain is about two minutes a day – a minute earlier sunrise and a minute later sunset each day compared to the day before. That rate of change is accelerating, too, said Lee Carkner, director of the John Deere Planetarium at Augustana.

01/19/12 Callie Crossley will discuss civil rights issues

On Thursday, Jan. 26, Callie Crossley, a radio talk show host from Boston, will explain why civil rights issues once again are front-page news. Her free, public lecture begins at 10:30 a.m. in Centennial Hall and is funded by the Augustana Institute for Leadership and Service.

01/19/12 71% of Augie applicants admitted to dental school

Over the past five years, 71 percent of Augustana students applying to dental school have been accepted. "This rate is significantly higher than the national average of approximately 40 percent," said Dr. Jason Koontz, coordinator of Augustana's pre-dentistry program and a member of the faculty since 2004.

01/18/12 "I Hate Rabbits" magic show comes to Augustana

Australia’s number one magician, James Galea, will present the art of magic with a wicked sense of humor in his show on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8 p.m. in Augustana College’s Centennial Hall.

01/16/12 MLK tribute celebrates "Power of One'

More than 1,000 people turned out for the "The Power of One" tribute to Martin Luther King Jr., Saturday at Centennial Hall. Augustana President Steve Bahls said when the college first began hosting the celebration several years ago, only about 60 turned out. The event celebrated Dr. King's life with words, songs, drama and dance. Jethro Cribbs of Bettendorf was given "The Power of One" award.

01/16/12 Leadership honor society inducts 38 students

Thirty-eight students were initiated Sunday into the Augustana Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa, the national leadership honor society founded in 1914. The ceremony was held at the Butterworth Center in Moline. Dean of the College Dr. Pareena spoke and congratulated the students.

01/15/12 New Illinois secretary of transportation 'thinking multimodally'

Ann Schneider '82 was confirmed as Illinois secretary of transportation Nov. 29, 2011. "Her experience in public finance is an ideal background for facing the biggest challenge in transportation today: the need to do more with less money," says Chicago Business. Schneider received a bachelor's in public administration from Augustana and a master's in public administration from the University of Illinois at Springfield in 1989.

01/12/12 Augustana faculty takes talents to CommUniversity

More than a dozen faculty members from Augustana will participate in the 2012 Quad Cities CommUniversity, a series of classes offered on four consecutive Sunday afternoons on a range of subjects.

01/12/12 Gateway Airport leader has former base at full throttle

Lynn Kusy '68 is about to begin his 20th year at the helm of what is now Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. Kusy has been a leader in its development as the nation's most successful military-base-to-commercial-airport conversion, say others who played key roles in the transition. Kusy was a geography major at Augustana.

01/11/12 Augustana receives planning grant to pursue renovations to athletic facilities

Thanks to the leadership of Ken Anderson, Augustana Class of 1971 and former Cincinnati Bengals quarterback, and the generosity of the Austin E. Knowlton Foundation, Augustana College is announcing it will partner with Hastings and Chivetta, an architecture firm based in St. Louis, to begin planning a major renovation and new construction project at the college's football field and physical education building. Tentative plans include stadium and locker room improvements, all-weather turf, and the addition of team meeting rooms.

01/09/12 College Hill stakeholders pick streetscape peferences

The College Hill District is the neighborhood commercial area along 14th Avenue at 30th and 38th streets in Rock Island. Its board of directors recently recommended a plan for the appearance of the neighborhood after gathering information from focus groups and at a public meeting. The district's "stakeholders" include Augustana students and staff -- see page 8.

01/09/12 Female leaders to share insights with students

The Augustana College Women’s and Gender Studies Program will bring more than 20 women in leadership roles to campus to interact with student-leaders during the second annual Women in Leadership Symposium on Sunday, Jan. 22.

01/06/12 Food Festival will celebrate cultural diversity on Feb. 4

The International Food Festival will be a celebration of cultural diversity through cuisine. Now in its 10th year, the festival sells out quickly and attracts more than 500 guests who enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet, with 45 dishes from around the world.

01/06/12 Sights and Sounds exhibition opens Jan. 27

Celebrate the artistic and musical talents of Augustana students at the opening of the fifth annual Augustana Sights and Sounds exhibition at Bucktown Center for the Arts (225 E. 2nd St., Davenport) on Friday, Jan. 27, from 6 to 9 p.m. The exhibition will run through Friday, Feb. 24.

01/05/12 Newly tenured professors talk about teaching

This series of videos recognizes Augustana College's newly tenured professors. The most recently added interview is with associate professor of music, Dr. Randall Hall, who talks about improvisation and questioning assumptions.

01/04/12 Playing basketball in Latvia an easy transition for Nelson

Kyle Nelson seems to collect overseas basketball adventures the way other players collect sneakers. Nelson, a Deerfield High School graduate, traveled with the Augustana College men’s basketball team on a trip to China in 2010. Now Nelson’s odyssey continues in Latvia where he plays professional basketball for Jelgava.

01/03/12 Zelms takes on deputy manager post in Prescott

Alison Zelms '00 has been appointed deputy city manager in Prescott, Ariz. While getting her degree in public administration at Augustana College, she worked as a city government intern in her hometown of O'Fallon, Ill. She also has bachelor's and master's degrees in city management from the University of Kansas. Zelms also worked as a management analyst for the City of Evanston, Ill., and as assistant city manager in Sedona.

01/03/12 Hayes on inaugural non-Jewish student leadership trip

Reach Across Illinois Campuses for Israel, a program of JUF's Israel Education Center, launched its inaugural Non-Jewish Student Leadership Trip to Israel last month. Augustana senior Maggie Hayes was one of a group of 10 student leaders from Illinois campuses to go to Israel as part of outreach, education and advocacy programming aimed at non-Jews.

01/03/12 Video: Bryant Voiles and a higher court

Augustana senior forward Bryant Voiles is contributing much more than 20 points and 10 rebounds a game for the 10-1 Vikings. At 6'9'', Voiles has his eyes on a higher court as he competes.

01/03/12 Christian consumer book strings pearls of wisdom, whimsy

Dr. Laura Hartman, Augustana assistant professor of religion, was wearing a pearl necklace given to her by her grandmother and clothes she got from Goodwill and the Salvation Army as she discussed a new book she had written, titled ''The Christian Consumer: Living Faithfully in a Fragile World.''

01/03/12 Augustana professor sees strength of 'girl' power

The new American film version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" will be closely watched by Dr. Larry Scott, chair of the Augustana Scandinavian department. The Stieg Larsson trilogy of books also includes "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest." For the past four years, Dr. Scott has used the books in his class on Swedish crime fiction. "It's so new; it's also an extremely interesting book, really good to teach," he said. "It's contemporary Sweden, not through rose-colored glasses, but warts and all."

01/03/12 Stortz to become Rocks football coach

Bryan Stortz '00 soon will be named head football coach at Rock Island High School, according to The Dispatch and Rock Island Argus. Stortz, a math major at Augie, was a four-year member of the Vikings' football team who played cornerback. He is currently head coach at Lake Zurich, Ill.

01/03/12 Working for tomorrow: King Center director sees its impact

Jerry Jones '91, who has been at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Rock Island for the past 10 years, reflects on his work. "When someone comes in who knew this place from when it started in 1975, and looks around and says, 'Yes, this is what it is supposed to be.' These are great days."

01/03/12 For foster children, a safe and happy holiday

Augustana junior Nick Cummins and his family are profiled in a story about Iowa's foster care system. The Cummins family includes six children, five of them adopted — and four of those joined them from the state system.

01/03/12 No. 3 Vikings ready for CCIW slate

Augustana basketball players got a straightforward message at their first practice of the new year Monday. Coach Grey Giovanine wrote a quote (attributed to Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau) on the board, encouraging his team to buy into the notion that "championships are won with great defense and rebounding and by valuing and sharing the ball." Those ideals will guide Augustana, off to a 10-1 start and ranked third in the country in the most recent D3hoops.com poll, as it prepares to open CCIW play Wednesday at Millikin.

01/03/12 How a recycling drive became a big deal

Anna Pienta started an electronic-waste recycling program in 2009 as a junior at Rock Island High School, and was overwhelmed with the response. Dr. Bohdan Dziadyk, a biology and environmental science professor at Augustana, contributes to this story about groundwater contamination and "e-waste."

01/03/12 Hispanic film fest brings winners to Augustana

The 17th annual Augustana College Hispanic Film Festival will feature four films in Spanish or Portuguese with English subtitles. The film festival begins Jan. 11, 2012, and continues on Wednesdays through Feb. 1.