News Archives - 2000

Four alumni from Augsburg College have been named as recipients of the 2000 Distinguished Alumni Award. This distinction is awarded to Augsburg College alumni in recognition for significant achievement in their vocation, for outstanding contribution to church and community, and for a life that exemplifies the ideals and mission of Augsburg College. The following join 151 others who have been honored in the past as Distinguished Alumni of Augsburg College.

Oscar A. Anderson, of New Hope, attended college at Augsburg and St. Olaf, where he received his B.A. in 1938. He was president of Augsburg College from 1963 to 1980. He has also served as senior pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church, Moorhead; worked as pastor at Lake Harriet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis; and was executive director of the International Young People's Luther League. Anderson has received many honors, including the Paul Harris Fellow from Rotary International and the Distinguished Alumni Citation from St. Olaf College.

David Cherwien, of St. Louis Park, graduated from Augsburg College in 1979. He is an organist/cantor at the Christ Chapel and a visiting instructor at Gustavus Adolphus College. He is a published composer of more than 30 collections of hymn interpretations and more than 40 choral octavos. He is also the author of "Let the People Sing! A Keyboardist's Creative and Practical Guide to Engaging God's People in Meaningful Song."

Ellen (Stenberg) Erickson - After graduating from Augsburg in 1951, Erickson, of Ham Lake, did parish work for the Concordia Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. She also worked for the Lutheran Social Service in South Dakota and Minnesota and was vice president from 1987 to 1995. Even though she is now retired, she currently volunteers on the social ministries committee of Glen Cary Lutheran Church, a county wide project to provide housing for the homeless. Erickson has also been honored with the Donald H. Larsen Award from the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service for her 20 years of work with refugee settlements.

M. Annette (Hoversten) Hanson, of Newton, Mass., who graduated from Augsburg in 1968, is currently serving as medical director for the Division of Medical Assistance, Executive Office of Health and Human Services, Massachusetts, and as an associate clinical professor at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. She earned her M.D. from the University of Minnesota and a M.B.A. from Northeastern University. Hanson completed her postdoctoral training at Cambridge Hospital. 

This announcement comes as Augsburg College gets ready to celebrate its Homecoming week, 100 Years, 100 Memories during the week of Oct. 5-8.