News Archives - 2009

Auggies say "Thank you!"

This Sunday, Augsburg students will gather with scholarship donors and their families for the annual Scholarship and Donor Brunch. This event is an opportunity for scholarship recipients to share their stories with donors and to meet with some of the people who have helped make their Augsburg education possible through generous donations to the Augsburg scholarship fund.

Below are stories of four Auggies who want to say "Thank you!" to donors.

Emily Wiles '10

Emily Wiles was drawn to Augsburg for two reasons: to study in Augsburg's youth and family ministry program and to live in the city. As a native of Prentice, WI, a town of 626 residents, Emily liked the idea of living and learning in a large metropolitan area.

Emily has also found the learning atmosphere at Augsburg appealing. "Professors aren't afraid to learn from students, and staff, students, and faculty work together to create a great environment," she says. Although she has enjoyed all her classes, Emily says her science professors have a great ability to help non-science majors see the connection between science and other disciplines.

Emily says Augsburg has helped shape her values about service learning. Through her involvement with Campus Ministry, she is working with youth in the community. "I love that I can have an impact on kids and their parents—I learn just as much from them as they do from me," she says. Emily says working with young people has influenced her actions and ideas about what it means to live in community.

Being a recipient of Augsburg scholarships has been helpful to Emily and her family. "It's great to know there are people who care about helping students with their education," she says. Emily encourages other students to ask about scholarships. "You never know what's available without making the initial effort."

The financial support of scholarships has given Emily more time to be involved on campus. She is co-coordinator of the Campus Ministry youth ministry team, which has allowed her to connect and share with local churches. "I like representing Augsburg in the church community; it's what I am called to do."

Following graduation in May 2010, Emily is considering attending seminary.

Kirsten Bar '10

Music has been the center of Kirsten Bar's life since she was a child. It also is the foundation of her aspiration as she wishes to use her love of music to help others.

A native of Billings, Montana, Kirsten selected Augsburg's music therapy program over 70 others across the country because of the diversity and options it offers her as a student. As a music therapy major, Kirsten will complete six off-campus practica, offering her a range of experiences.

She has worked with people with Huntington's disease, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease along with kids with emotional and behavioral issues. Currently, she is working with daycare and preschool children.

"Music therapy is designed to meet the needs of the client," says Kirsten. "It can help develop communication and social skills along with physical coordination and movement, just to name a few."

On campus, Kirsten works in the admissions office and is an Auggie Guide co-coordinator. She also plays in the concert band and Augsburg symphony orchestra. In addition, she is an officer of the Augsburg Music Therapy Association of Students which organizes a yearly day-long event for middle school students filled with music, art and dance. "It is such a joy to see how these creative outlets can help kids express themselves," says Kirsten.

Kirsten says she is grateful for the combination of grants and scholarships that has helped ease the cost of attending an out-of-state school. Following graduation in 2010, Kirsten hopes to blend her love of music and her interest in helping others, by returning to her hometown and opening her own music therapy practice.

 

Tom Thao '11

Building relationships and helping others connect is a theme in Tom Thao's life. The sophomore, a native of Minneapolis, is involved with the Augsburg Asian Students Association and volunteers as an orientation leader, helping students get acquainted with the campus. Tom works at the Augsburg welcome desk and is a caller for The Augsburg Fund.

Away from campus, Tom also serves as a Twin Cities Asian representative, meeting with others around the metro area to share ideas and collaborate on events.

Tom came to Augsburg so he could stay close to home where he has many responsibilities including assisting his mother with English. He translates materials and helps her with paperwork and everyday tasks. "The scholarship I've received means a great deal to me," says Tom, "it takes a great burden away from my mother, who is providing me with financial support."

Tom also was drawn to Augsburg's close knit community. "I enjoy the personal relationships I have built with professors and staff," says Tom. "I know this will help me after college, too."

Tom attended De LaSalle, a small, private high school in Minneapolis, where there was also a great deal of emphasis placed on building relationships and community.

Although he is currently studying computer science, Tom is considering changing his major to sociology and is still deciding what his post-Augsburg plans are. One of his favorite quotes, from the Nobel Prize winning physicist Niels Bohr is, "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it's about the future."

What is next for Tom is difficult to predict, but it will most certainly involve returning to his neighborhood to continue building relationships and helping others.

Dusty Hinz '09

While most of us soldier through another long Minnesota winter, Dusty Hinz is enjoying his final semester studying in Venezuela. A political science major, Dusty says his college experiences, including two semesters abroad, have fueled his interest in pursuing economic justice and international economics following graduation in May.

Early in his collegiate career, Dusty played football and baseball for Augsburg. He also volunteered at a nearby church. "It was great to play basketball and other games with the kids," he says, "it really seemed to brighten their days. I got satisfaction helping them feel better about themselves by creating a positive atmosphere."

At Augsburg, Dusty has written for the campus newspaper, the Echo. He also has traveled to New York twice as a member of the Model United Nations team. During the 2008 Republican National Convention, Dusty was an intern with the Washington Center along with students from across the country. He worked for the State Department Foreign Press Center writing biographies of the briefers and working at the help desk. "The best thing about the internship was meeting journalists from around the world," he says.

Recently, Dusty received the Martin Olav and Sylvia Lee Sabo Scholarship for Leadership in Public and Community Service. "I am grateful for the scholarship," says Dusty. "I am looking at a mound of debt after graduation, and every penny helps the cause."

"Augsburg I shaped me to be the person I am today," says Dusty. "My beliefs about politics, society, religion, and life have been affected by my classes and experiences. I am inspired to keep learning."

Article by Jennifer Hipple