Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/5/04 7:28 AM Page 1 A P U B L I C A T I O N F O R A U G S B U R G C O L L E G E A L U M N I & F R I E N D S Winter 2003-04 Vol. 66, No. 2 Peter Agre ’70 2003 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/5/04 7:28 AM Page 2 L ETTERS Letters Editor’s note It is said that good things come to Read about that in Around the Quad. So, good things keep happening. those who wait. This winter issue of Plus, we feature the Campus And, we move into spring with this Augsburg Nowis all about both good Kitchen at Augsburg, a new winter issue—fully aware that in things and waiting. You, the readers, community partnership program that Minnesota there could well still be are the ones who have been waiting for has already brought us local media some wintery snowflakes falling as you the winter Now(at least, editors attention. Students and volunteers read this in April. always hope you are), even as we have transform surplus food from the The next issue will be a combined already entered into early spring. On College’s dining service and a local spring and summer issue to bring you our part, it’s the good things that have food shelter into tasty meals that are exciting news about Access to caused us to wait on its production. delivered to several neighborhood Excellence: The Campaign for Augsburg About mid-winter, when the issue community agencies. Collegethat Augsburg kicks off on is usually mailed, we learned that Peter Last fall the College celebrated the April 18 with a community festival. Agre, Augsburg Class of 1970 and 2003 10th anniversary of the Hispanic/Latino Join us! Nobel Prize winner in chemistry, was Student Services program, which coming to campus in late February. provides support and encouragement Since our winter issue already included to help these students succeed at a story about Agre and the awarding of Augsburg. You’ll read about the impact his Nobel Prize, we made the decision this program has in strengthening the to delay production so that we could appreciation of cultural richness within Betsey Norgard expand the article to include his Augsburg’s learning community. Editor memorable days with us here. It’s a rare and wonderful moment when a college can celebrate with one of its own, especially one whose vocation so richly embodies the mission of the College. For Agre, his time at Augsburg was a time of discovery and connections—exploring the subjects that piqued his interest and connecting with professors who made these subjects come alive and speak to him. While in medical school Agre turned to research, where he realized his talents in research could serve to greater benefit in seeking the causes of illness. And now, while he has the ear of the scientific world, he is a strong advocate for adequate funding in science education to enable all citizens to make responsible JIMMY CARTER IS HONORED AT THE NINTH ANNUAL PEACE PRIZE FESTIVAL AND VISITS CHILDREN AT J.J. HILL SCHOOL decisions about ourselves, our society, and our environment. The Ninth Annual Peace Prize Festival at Augsburg brought together more than 700 area school children to honor President Jimmy Carter, the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Displays and The College also revels in the performances were presented around the lives of past peace laureates. Carter was not able to recognition our partnership with participate, but special guests included Gro Bruntland, former prime minister of Norway; Knut Cedar-Riverside Community Vollebæk, Norwegian ambassador to the U.S.; and Professor Geir Lundestad, director of the School received, as Augsburg was Norwegian Nobel Institute. lauded by the Carter Foundation On Feb. 21, while attending the 2004 Peace Prize Forum at St. Olaf College, President Jimmy Carter and Campus Compact as an squeezed in a visit to a special “mini-Peace Prize Festival” at J.J. Hill Montessori School in St. Paul, where children prepared skits about Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Carter was accompanied by his outstanding community partner. wife, Rosalynn, and President William Frame. Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 4 Augsburg Nowis published quarterly by Augsburg College, A PUBLICATION FOR AUGSBURG COLLEGE ALUMNI & FRIENDS 2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, Winter 2003-04 Vol. 66, No. 2 Minnesota 55454. Editor Betsey Norgard Features Assistant Editor Lynn Mena Graphic Designer 88 An enormous honor for Kathy Rumpza discovery of tiny Class Notes Coordinator proteins Sara Kamholz Photographer by Betsey Norgard Stephen Geffre President 1144 Dishing up recipes for William V. Frame learning and serving Director of Alumni and Parent Relations by Betsey Norgard Amy Sutton Director of Public Relations and Communication Dan Jorgensen 1166 Connecting on campus— Opinions expressed in Augsburg a home for Hispanic/ Nowdo not necessarily reflect Latino students official College policy. ISSN 1058-1545 by Betsey Norgard Postmaster: Send correspondence, name changes, and address 1199 Augsburg—a Keto corrections to: Augsburg Now, Office of Public Relations and family affair Communication,2211 Riverside Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55454. by Rebecca Welle ’04 E-mail: [email protected] Telephone: 612-330-1181 Departments Fax: 612-330-1780 2 Around the Quad Augsburg College, as affirmed in its mission, does not discriminate on the basis of race, 6 Sports color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual 20 Alumni News orientation, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, or disability in its education 22 Homecoming 2003 Photos policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, 26 Class Notes athletic and/or school administered programs, except in those instances where religion 35 In Memoriam is a bona fide occupational qualification. Augsburg College is committed to providing 36 Auggie Thoughts reasonable accommodations to On the cover: its employees and its students. Peter Agre, Class of 1970, is inside Calendar congratulated by King Carl XVI back Gustaf of Sweden upon receiving www.augsburg.edu cover the 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. © 2003, The Nobel Foundation. Photo by Hans 50 percent recycled paper (10 percent post-consumer waste) Mehlin. Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 5 A Q ROUND THE UAD Around the Quad NOTEWORTHY Augsburg speech team Augsburg launches MBA program scores top points at tourney In fall 2004, Augsburg will launch the charter class of its new MBA program. The 21-month program will meet in Competing at the small cohort format, encouraging close collaboration with faculty as well as state and national fellow students. For information, e-mail levels against schools of <[email protected]> or call all sizes, Augsburg 612-330-1101. Speech Team members have compiled a string Math student teams place high of impressive victories. An Augsburg three-person math team At the 22nd Annual finished fourth among 65 teams in Novice National Speech November in the North Central Section Tournament, held in Team Problem-Solving Contest sponsored by the Mathematical early March at the Heather Nystrom ’05 and Ryan Sobolik ’05 Association of America. University of Houston, Crystal Harles ’04 Another Augsburg team finished in junior Ryan Sobolik Harles’ speech deals with international the top half of the competition. Team placed fourth in the nation in slavery and she said she tried to make the members were Tim Bancroft, Andrew Extemporaneous Speaking, while the issue personal to help people understand Held, Hung Nguyen, John Staton, David Augsburg team garnered sixth place in the that their actions can make a difference in Wallace, and Dan Wolf. limited sweepstakes division. combating this situation. “There were so many excellent Junior Heather Nystrom took sixth Physics student chapter is honored speakers, I was proud just to make it to place in the same competition, with what Augsburg’s chapter of the Society of Physics Students was selected as an the finals,” said Sobolik, of Fargo, N.Dak. she calls a “tough sell … trying to outstanding chapter for 2002-03. More than 50 colleges and universities, convince people to learn more about The award letter highlights depth and with over 1,000 competitors, participated statistical literacy, and apply it to their breadth of “physics research, public in the tournament. daily lives.” Through humor she tried to science outreach, physics tutoring Earlier, at the Minnesota College keep people’s attention. programs, hosting and representation at Forensic Association’s annual state Augsburg’s team won a second place physics meetings, and providing social tournament, senior Crystal Harles won sweepstakes award in the limited entry interaction for chapter members.” second place in Oratory. This gives her a division at this state tournament. Coach This is the second time in four years bid as one of two Minnesota students to and communication studies professor Bob that Augsburg’s chapter has been among the top 10 percent recognized. compete in the Interstate Oratory Groven says that this carries special weight Competition, the nation’s oldest and most since Minnesota’s state tournament New and continued physics grants prestigious oratory tournament, to be held presents some of the toughest competition Augsburg has received funding from the in Phoenix in April. in the country. National Science Foundation and NASA for three multi-year research projects, each of which will provide funds for “Transforming the Profession of Health Care” undergraduate student research. Professor Mark Engebretson heads up both NSF projects: the first, a five-year, $600,000 Distinguished Alumnus Dr. Paul Batalden grant to support continued studies using ’63 (left), Dartmouth Medical School, and the MACCS array of magnetometers in Dr. David Leach, Accreditation Council for Arctic Canada; and the second, a three- Graduate Medical Education, presented year, $426,000 grant with Dartmouth the 2004 Batalden Seminar in Applied Ethics, “Transforming the Profession of College to continue similar studies using Health Care.” This coincided with the two- data primarily from Antarctica. Professor day conference, “Building Minnesota’s Ken Erickson heads up Augsburg’s efforts Healthcare Workforce through Diversity,” to use data from NASA’s polar satellite to sponsored by Augsburg, Minnesota study magnetospheric substorms, and Hospital Association, Fairview Health subsequent auroral displays. This Services, and UnitedHealth Group at $252,000 project is shared with Princeton which presenters included Minnesota University’s Plasma Physics Laboratory. senator Sheila Kiscaden and former U.S. senator Dave Durenberger. 2 2 Winter 2003-04 Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 6 Augsburg neighborhood Alumni, Friends, and Families— partnership is honored Come Celebrate! Augsburg Community Festival Thelong standing Sunday, April 18, 2004 relationship Noon–4:30 p.m. between Augsburg College and the Campus-wide activities Cedar-Riverside 12:30Campaign kickoff, free food, Community School and giveaways—on the Augsburg was honored as one of campus six finalists for the new Carter 12:45-4:30Free activities for all ages Partnership Award • Free food, music, exhibits, that was presented by reading corner President Jimmy Augsburg and Cedar-Riverside Community School staff were • Science demonstrations Carter and his wife, honored at the Carter Partnership awards banquet. • Lute Olson basketball clinic for Rosalynn, as part of boys and girls the Campus Compact director. “A president of the United States • Hockey clinic/open ice skating 10th anniversary event in February. The now knows who we are and what we’ve • Health screenings purpose of the award is to provide become. And Augsburg College has been • Theatre production—Machinal recognition for outstanding campus- there for us all these years. They are what • Art exhibits community partnerships. makes a true community school.” • Celebration service The award was presented to the Mary Laurel True, associate director of …and much, much more. You don’t Grant Community School Collaborative of the Center for Service, Work, and want to miss it! Duluth. But, Mrs. Carter added, “Every Learning, said it was wonderful to be single one of the nominated partnerships recognized for a true, long-term, vital Come back and join us on campus! deserves recognition. It doesn't matter partnership. “It meant the world to us to Access to Excellence: The Campaign who wins.” be able to let others know about our for Augsburg College “It was a grand night for Cedar- neighborhood and the immigrants who Riverside Community School,” said live here, and all the great work that we Stephanie Byrdziak, the school’s assistant do together.” Three new regents elected to board The Augsburg Board of Regents general agent for a number of insurance fellowship in cardiology at Indiana welcomed three new members at its companies. He serves on the board of University School of Medicine. January meeting. Dan Anderson ’65, Dr. Metro Hope Ministries. Marshall Stanton, and Emily Anne Tuttle Emily Anne Tuttle were elected to six-year terms. Marshall Stanton, M.D. Emily Anne Tuttle was the first Marshall Stanton is vice president, medical Democratic woman elected to the Dan Anderson ’65 affairs for Cardiac Rhythm Management at Minnesota Senate and specialized in Dan Anderson was an All-American Medtronic. He is a fellow of the American healthcare policy. She was also elected to basketball player at Augsburg, and went College of Cardiology and is chairman of the Hennepin County Board of on to play professional basketball with the Fellowship Committee of the North Commissioners. She currently serves on the Minnesota Pipers and as a charter American Society of Pacing and the Minnesota Humanities Commission member of the New Jersey Nets. Electrophysiology. and the boards of the Guthrie Theater, He is now president of Swenson He graduated from the University of Abbott Northwestern Hospital, and the Anderson Financial Group in Pennsylvania and the Medical College of Minnesota Community Foundation. Minneapolis, with a network of planners Virginia. He completed a residency in She is a graduate of the University of across Minnesota and neighboring states. internal medicine at Mayo Medical School; Minnesota and earned her master’s He is also regional director for Financial he returned there to join the faculty and degree in public administration from the Network Investment Corporation, and a became director of the Cardiovascular John F. Kennedy School of Government Training Program. He also completed a at Harvard University. Winter 2003-04 3 Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 7 Around the Quad A single book and black robes—a medieval experience by Dan Jorgensen Thirty-two Augsburg first-year students English; and Merilee are already wearing their graduation Klemp, music, met and robes, but they won’t be participating in put together the basics graduation ceremonies in May. The for the course. students are part of an experiment that Philosophy colleague not only is teaching them about life in Bruce Reichenbach, and medieval times but also is blending seven Darcey Engen, theatre, disciplines into one exciting new cross- joined them to form the curricular program. seven disciplines The experiment, titled “Medieval represented by the Connections,” not only has both exceeded course itself. its professors’ broadest expectations, but it “The key idea that soon could serve as a model for other stuck with us is that the In the Medieval Connections class, students wear robes, as Augsburg courses and for liberal arts university/college that students did in the Middle Ages. institutions across the nation. “When the we know today comes College embarked on a new general out of the 12th century,” Adamo said. help teach but also to respond to one education curriculum this academic year, “Faculty and students wore robes another and students’ questions. In faculty were encouraged to seek ways to somewhat similar to those that they do addition, a wide range of faculty and present courses that were interdisciplinary today, although today, of course, they’re others who have learned about the in nature,” noted Phil Adamo, assistant primarily used in ceremonies like course have been “dropping in” to share professor of history and leader of the new graduation.” their knowledge and expertise on program. Adamo has been so pleased with The students are both taught and everything from medieval armor to what it the results of the course that he plans to learn in a style reminiscent of the was like to be a “traveling Sophist.” prepare a paper on it for possible educational experience faced by students One recent guest professor was a monk publication in several national journals. from the “High Middle Ages”—the years from St. John’s University who talked A core group of Augsburg faculty, 1100-1300 A.D. To learn in this fashion, about monastic life, the Gregorian chant, including Adamo; Kristin Anderson, art; both students and faculty attend class and how the Bible was written by hand, Phil Quanbeck II, religion; Joan Griffin, garbed in robes—the faculty members using a project to write a new Bible wearing the robes that signify their currently underway at his school as an academic background and highest degree example. earned; the students wearing the robes Students begin each class with a prayer that they ultimately will again wear on to the medieval “saint of the day,” working graduation day. While students do have in teams to prepare the prayers and access to modern learning devices, such as presentations on the saints. Thomas papers and ballpoint pens, they all have to Aquinas, for example, was selected learn from one single book—a large because he is the patron saint of all volume that was “constructed” by the students. There are also long-term projects professors in cooperation with art for each student, and the final class will be instructor Tara Christopherson, and is a medieval feast where some will cook, chained in the library where the students some will play or sing music, some will must go to read it. As students read, they juggle, and some will debate—all the can write “marginalia” (comments) in the kinds of things students might have done book’s margins about what they have read, in a big medieval feast of the time. thus providing reading help for their “I think it’s a bit of genius here,” classmates and others who follow. This is Quanbeck noted. “Thanks to Professor similar to what would have happened in Adamo, we’re combining the theatrical, the Middle Ages, Adamo said. experiential, and academic and turning it Sometimes a single professor teaches into something that makes it very for the three-hour class, but usually two memorable. It changes students’ habits Students in Medieval Connections learn from or three professors come, not only to and how they learn.” a single book chained in the library. 4 Winter 2003-04 Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 8 Basketball in a different league by Betsey Norgard u n u Where might you find a thousand Ma Twin Cities middle school and rn Ve high school students on Sunday afternoons during the winter months? A logical answer might be the ski slopes or the malls, but in this case the answer is in church gyms playing in the Augsburg- Congregational Youth Basketball League. Thirteen years ago, Augsburg College Pastor Dave Wold had concerns about young people and their connection to churches. Many dropped out of church after confirmation, and many young people in city neighborhoods had no connection to a church. Wold was Every game in the 70-church Congregational Youth Basketball League starts with devotions and interested in addressing these issues, as ends with prayer, shared by both opposing teams. well as getting the word out about league “to provide relaxed yet structured last year were made up of senior high Augsburg College. games in a Christian setting, allowing boys, and half or more of these players Wold’s idea of a basketball league kids an opportunity for fun and exercise were not members of the churches for took shape when he realized how many while building relationships with which they played. Some youth choose church gyms in the metro area were not teammates, opponents, and God.” to play for a church team instead of their being used, and especially in thinking Now, more than 70 churches and as school team. about how many students enjoy playing many as 1,000 students play in church Wonderful friendships form through basketball but had no team to play on if gyms on Sunday afternoons in the the games. Teams from city and suburban they weren’t able to make their school months of January and February. The churches get to know each other, and teams. season climaxes on the first weekend in players build relationships with Wold and a group of youth directors March at a tournament on Augsburg’s teammates, coaches, youth workers, and pastors developed the mission of the campus. More than 100 Augsburg and pastors. students help out at the tourney as The story of Noah, an adopted u un referees, photographers, concessions Filipino high school student, is one a M workers, security people, etc. example of the faith and love in this n Ver Wold, along with league director league. Noah has faced challenges all his David Wrightsman and other youth life from a birth defect in his brain. He professionals who run the league, seek to learned to love basketball and found keep the tournament as low cost as tremendous support and friendship in his possible. If churches can’t afford the full church team. His strength is in shooting, participation fee, which pays mostly for especially long shots. About five years uniforms and referee fees, they find ways ago in the tournament, the two finalist to subsidize them. teams remained locked in a close game. As in any athletic division, there are In the final seconds, it was Noah who rules. Each game begins with devotions sank the ball from a long, half-court shot and ends with prayer, shared by both to win the tournament for his team. opposing teams. During the game, there “That shows how great sport can be must be equal playing time for all team and how great people can be,” says Wold. members. And, each team is strongly For information on the encouraged to take on service projects— Congregational Youth Basketball League, in the church’s gym, in food programs, or contact Pastor Dave Wold at 612-330- More than 100 Augsburg students, led by in projects like Habitat for Humanity. 1732 or <[email protected]>; or David Pastor Dave Wold (right) help with various The league has succeeded in bringing Wrightsman at the Urban Youth Ministry tasks during the Congregational Youth League Tournament at Augsburg in March. youth to the church. Half of the 70 teams Project, 612-599-6911. Winter 2003-04 5 Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 9 Sports Auggie women skate and tour in Italy, Austria by Don Stoner o ot h p Members of the Augsburg College aff women’s hockey team took a trip St of a lifetime during the Christmas holiday break, as they traveled to Italy and Austria, playing three games against local club teams and experiencing the beauty of the two countries. Ten Auggie players made the trip, along with head coach Jill Pohtilla, assistant coaches Barb Halbrehder and Bill Halbrehder, Augsburg staff, and several family members. The eight-day trip took the Auggies through the heart of northern Italy and to the historic cities of Florence and Rome. Members of the team raised money for two years to pay for the journey. “Having an opportunity to learn about another culture, first hand, is Members of the Augsburg women’s hockey team and others pose in front of the Colosseum in something the players will never forget,” Rome. Front row (L to R) Jana Ford, Corrie Krzyska, assistant coach Barb Halbrehder, Kristin Pohtilla said. “I had a similar opportunity Johnson, Annie Annunziato, Maggie McDonald, Calla Lundquist, Britt Pennington, tour manager Marc Smith. Back row (L to R) Dale Ford, Jacob Ford, Molly Ford, Dottie Gilkerson, playing hockey in Finland in 1980, and I Christina Hughes, assistant coach Bill Halbrehder, head coach Jill Pohtilla, Kristin Opalinski ‘03; will never forget some of the experiences sports information coordinator Don Stoner, Stacy Anderson, Laura Prasek, athletic trainer Missy I had.” Strauch, Mari Johnson, Heidi Ford. On Dec. 29, after a day-long series of flights across the Atlantic, the Auggies Halloween Como by a 14-0 count. The rink was enclosed, but two of the arrived in Milan, met Marc Smith, their Freshman Stacy Anderson had a six- four sides were open to the elements. tour manager from GoPlay Sports Tours, point day, with three goals and three Many players said it was the first time and immediately began a day of assists, while senior Christina Hughes they had played on an outdoor rink, sightseeing to help counteract the effects also had a hat trick (three goals). Senior which made for an interesting game. of jetlag. Dottie Gilkerson, juniors Corrie Krzyska Like Italy, women’s hockey in Austria In Milan, Italy’s largest city, the team and Laura Prasek, and sophomores Calla is also relatively new, but the Kundl toured the Duomo, a stunning baroque Lundquist and Britt Pennington each Crocodiles provided some strong cathedral with 3,400 statues and 135 scored two goals, while senior Annie competition. The team even recruited spires, and walked across the city square Annunziato contributed assists. other players from its league to play the to a huge downtown shopping area, the The team then moved on to the Auggies, but in the end, the Minnesota Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. Alpine city of Bolzano, little city where players’ years of experience proved too After a night of needed rest in the the Auggies were then headquartered for much, as Augsburg won 6-0. nearby city of Bergamo, Augsburg was set three days. Pennington was the star of the game, to play its first game, against the New Year’s Eve provided an incredible with a three-goal hat trick, with Halloween Como team in the small town day and night of new experiences, Gilkerson, Hughes, and Annunziato of Zanica. including a two-hour bus ride deep into adding markers. Junior Jana Ford also Women’s hockey in Italy is still in the Austrian Alps. As the team rode to got on the board for the Auggies with an relative infancy, with only a handful of Austria, jaws dropped at the stunning assist. Augsburg outshot Kundl by a 29- teams in the northern part of the country. scenery of the Brenner Pass, one of 10 margin, with junior goalie Kristin So, with only nine skaters and a goalie, Europe’s most famous trade routes. Johnson getting her second straight Augsburg was competitive against all of The team’s second game also provided shutout. its opponents. a unique experience—a semi-outdoor “One of the funniest moments for me In fact, Augsburg dispatched of rink in the small town of Kundl, Austria. was when the Austrian team hosted a 6 Winter 2003-04 Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 10 o ot h p aff St Italy, the Bolzano Eagles. The the famed Trevi Fountain, you will game was played at the return to Rome someday, and every Bolzano civic arena, the largest member of the Augsburg group threw hockey arena in the country, some coins in the water. with seating for more than Augsburg’s final full day in Italy was 7,000 spectators. a whirlwhind day of sightseeing across Augsburg scored three Rome. Starting early, they toured the goals in the first eight minutes Colosseum, the fabled arena where of the game and claimed a 6-2 gladiators battled before the emperors, victory to complete the trip. and traveled up the hill to the Roman Anderson had her second hat Forum, an archeological wonder from trick of the trip, with Prasek, ancient times. Annunziato, and Krzyska From there, the group went to the adding goals. The Auggies Pantheon, the oldest complete structure Dottie Gilkerson (left) and Kristin Johnson (right) pose dominated from start to finish, in Rome, a church of immense size and with a member of the Kundl Crocodiles after Augsburg’s not allowing Bolzano’s goals beauty. The day ended in the holiest of 6-0 win in Kundl, Austria, on Dec. 31. until the final two minutes of sites, St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, the game. followed by a pizza dinner and a trip to brief get-together after our game. The With the hockey complete, the a gelato shop for some authentic Italian language barrier was evident, and it Auggies became tourists, as the journey ice cream. took a line from Finding Nemo to break went south into the fabled province of It was a trip filled with exciting through. The players from both teams Tuscany. A night in the small city of hockey, memorable sights, once-in-a- knew the lines, ‘Keep swimming, keep Montecatini was followed by a day of lifetime moments, and an incredible swimming’ along with ‘Mine...mine... sightseeing in Florence, the city that opportunity to come together as a team mine.’ We all laughed hard about it,” spawned the Renaissance. in the process. Pohtilla said. From the Duomo church with its On the trip back to Bolzano, the unique “dome within a dome” design to Don Stoner is sports information team stopped for a couple of hours in the beautiful plazas, the Ponte Vecchio coordinator and accompanied the team on the Bavarian winter sports mecca of bridge and the stunning churches and their trip. Innsbruck, host city for two Winter public spaces, the day Olympic games. As the team arrived, a in Florence, while o running race was taking place as part of short, was still hot tphreo vciidtyin’sg N ae uwn Yiqeuare’s d Eevtoeu cre.lebration, mseevmeroalr aobfl eth. eA pnldayers Staff p Arriving back in Bolzano, the showed off their Auggies joined thousands of Italians at “power-shopping” the city’s soccer stadium for a grand skills as well. New Year’s Eve party, complete with Back on the bus bands, fireworks, and plenty of and the four-hour celebrating. journey to Rome New Year’s Day provided some of the where, yet again, the most incredible scenery of the trip, as scenery was the team traveled deep into the craggy outstanding at every high peaks of the Dolomite mountains, turn. The evening unique among the splinter ranges of the was spent in two of Alps. The cable car rides to the top of the most famous the mountain at a local ski area gave the places in Rome, the Auggies plenty of stunning views for Spanish Steps and the photo opportunities and time for Trevi Fountain. Jana Ford (2) and a Bolzano player pursue the puck during playing in the snow. According to legend, Augsburg’s 6-2 victory over the HC Bolzano Eagles. Augsburg won The next day, Augsburg had its last if you throw a coin in all three of its games against opponents from Italy and Austria, game of the trip against the best team in outscoring the foes by a 26-2 margin. Winter 2003-04 7 Augsburg Now Winter 04.3 4/1/04 11:50 AM Page 11 A N E N O R M O U S H O N O R F O R DISCOVERY OF TINY PROTEINS PETER AGRE ’70, THE NOBEL PRIZE IN CHEMISTRY by Betsey Norgard Augsburg’s focus on vocation centers on listening for and responding to a call in one’s life. Peter Agre’s illustrious career has exemplified this process of understanding one’s passions and talents, and discerning the work that would best use them in service to others. Last fall, Agre’s life was unexpectedly and dramatically changed by another call—a single telephone call that came at 5:30 in the morning on October 8. The voice on the other end spoke politely with a Swedish accent and informed him that he had won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 2003. Since then, Agre’s life has been a whirlwind of travel, interviews, ceremonies, speeches, and thousands of e-mails. Highlights have been the Nobel week in Stockholm, honors at the White House, and, most recently, a hometown tribute befitting a high school and college hero. Agre is a Minnesota native, born in Northfield where his father taught Nobel winner Peter Agre returned to campus and visited the chemistry labs where he spent chemistry at St. Olaf College. In 1959, considerable time as a student in the late 1960s. Here, he chats with student Mike Starner about the day’s project. Courtland Agre came to Augsburg as chemistry department chair, and within professors, most especially with John University and a clinical fellowship at three years, with the help of new Holum in chemistry, and was able to University of North Carolina, he professors John Holum and Earl Alton, complete a major in chemistry in two- returned to Johns Hopkins for a research rebuilt and refurbished the department. and-a-half years, culminating in the fellowship in cell biology. In 1984 he Augsburg’s chemistry program then decision to became a medical doctor. joined the faculty and is now professor of received the prestigious approval from During medical school at Johns biochemistry. the American Chemical Society. Hopkins University, Agre began It was his roommate in medical In his senior year at Roosevelt High gravitating toward research. “I wanted school who first connected him with a School in Minneapolis, Peter Agre was the kind of career where I could help “hot” research lab on campus staffed by voted one of two most likely to succeed. people and do useful work that helped an international group of researchers, He was not a focused student, however, people—both as individual patients and with whom he remains close. “It was and took more interest in the by working on disease mechanisms,” actually the people doing science as underground student newspaper than in Agre explains. “That’s what really got me much as the science that caught my his academic subjects. He refers to into the science.” interest,” Agre explains. “I never felt so himself as a “handful” for his teachers. In his senior year in medical school, excited about being with a group of Already in his last year of high he began working in laboratories, rather individuals as with the people in this school, Agre began taking classes at than pursuing the advanced training of a laboratory.” Some of these researchers Augsburg and then enrolled full time. specialty. After a three-year medical traveled to Sweden to be with him at the Here he truly connected with several residency at Case Western Reserve Nobel ceremony. 8 Winter 2003-04