25-Year Reunion

Class of 1983

Reunion dates ― October 3 & 4, 2008

 

April 2008

 

Dear fellow Gusties,

 

Hopefully you have heard by now that we are celebrating the 25th year anniversary of our college graduation this October 3-4!!  Thinking this might be a joke, I did the math using the excellent math skills I learned at Gustavus and they are right!!  Okay, it does not feel like yesterday that I was checking my locker for mail (think about that…I am sure with email, they have remodeled that whole area and it is probably an internet café), but 25 years?  In an effort to get us all in the mood, I checked a few sites to see what songs were hits when we started Gustavus.  Let me remind you:  “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Rod Seger, “Dance the Night Away” by Van Halen, “Rock With You” by Michael Jackson, “Devil Went Down to Georgia” by Charlie Daniels Band, and a few songs that I thought were around when I was born…“YMCA” by the Village People, “Celebrate” by Cool and the Gang, and “We are Family” by Sister Sledge!  Kramer vs. Kramer won the academy award (as if any of us were watching the awards ceremonies) and the only TV show I remember was Dallas…not because I watched it, but because of “Who Shot JR Night” at the Nic!

 

It does seem like forever that my parents tearfully dropped me off at that magical place that seemed sooo far from home (one hour and a half)!  I remember my first impression of that “gigantic” Link dorm room with two sets of everything for three of us who had never met, but would share a special connection forever.  And how about some sweet boys coming down and building a triple bunk bed for us…how many times had these freshmen guys built dependable, sturdy bed structures or had even used a hammer??  (Mark Pryor, was that you?) Doesn’t it seem odd that we never asked but slept there so peacefully?

 

I also remember sitting in a welcome ceremony in that beautiful chapel where we were first called Gusties, trying to figure out what the mascot for a Gustie would look like.  Was it a gust of wind?  Was it a cloud?  This is where reality sets in and I admit to you that much of my memory system is not working properly…I am really looking forward to being reminded what the mascot did look like!  It is one of those many facts that have left my brain to be filled in with much more important information like how to get to the Bloomington Ice Garden for a hockey tournament, which day I am suppose to be reading in my second grader’s class, who’s turn it is to bring treats for brownies this month.  Now you know that I got a bit of a late start in the parenting world!  Unlike Miranda Millen Johnson, Scott Gilyard, Frank Larson and 13 others in our class who have kids enrolled at Gustavus this year, I am home with my last half-day kindergartener! 

 

Back to my purpose in writing…Yes!  We are having a reunion this October 3-4 in St. Peter.  Many of our classmates have been working hard to plan fun opportunities to catch up with our friends and see the college again.  In the eleventh hour, I attended a meeting to help (were you wondering how I got “picked” to write this letter?J).  There are many events planned, but a few specifically designed for our class are:

v     Informal Gathering Friday night at Mankato Best Western (507.625.9333)

v     Saturday morning brunch on campus

v     1983 tent near the football field during the game

v     BBQ after the game at the home of our classmate Mark Hanson

So if you are like me and have these wonderful, but rather disjointed questions flowing through your mind like, “Was there a big rock that we all painted on campus or did I see that on TV?”  “Did it seem like Michael Johnson sang there every weekend?”  “Were there more bars or churches in St. Peter?”  “Did we really have to drive to Mankato for pizza?”  “Did that athletic complex that we dug ground for with spoons from the caf do away with GAC butt and GAC gut forever?”...join us next October to relive and remember those four life-changing years at Gustavus.  For me, Gustavus gave the gift of some of my closest friends and was truly a place where I began my life journey.  We all have busy lives…but really give some thought to making this weekend or even just one day of it work.  It would be great to see everyone and to spend time in that special place on the hill where we became the class of 1983!

 

Cindy Zaine Karos

1983 Reunion Committee Guest Writer

 

PS.  A huge thank you to all our classmates that are really planning!

 

 

Class News/Notes:

Here’s a quick look at what some of the Class of 1983 are up to these days.  We’d really love to hear from many more of you and hope to see most of you in the Fall.

  • Kevin Bowen is the sole proprietor of Bowen Design and has been in business for himself for the past 13 years!
  • Patty Taft Carnis continues to work for Hubbard Broadcasting as a corporate accountant
  • Barb Jorgensen Dixon works as a teacher for the Anoka-Hennepin School District and has three boys.
  • Sarah Dumke is a special education teacher for Middle School in the Navajo Nation
  • Phillip Erickson is in the cardiovascular department at the University of Minnesota.
  • Julie Johnson Feld is a realtor at Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
  • David Goodlett became the dean of students and training coordinator at A.S.A Academy in 2006
  • Rocky Hardman is senior vice president of Benfield Holdings.
  • Lisa Krause Heutmaker continues to work for Northland (travelers insurance).
  • Jon Hoogenboom is an engineer with Arcadis.
  • Kathleen Applegate Iverson is a full time homemaker.
  • Sharon Landey Richard is a part-time program manager at Taproot Foundation.
  • Kim Line Edwards is senior housing administrator for The Good Samaritan Society, Kissimmee Village, FL.
  • Janice Broehl Meintsma is marketing coordinator for Imagine Print Solutions and owner of Artistic Framing and Stained Glass.
  • Mark Pryor is an attorney and lives in Minneapolis.
  • Beth Swanson Pursley is president for On-Target a public relations firm.
  • Catherine Anderson Tucker is an assistant professor in the Anthropology Department at the University of Indiana.  Her research addresses community-based natural resource management and the ways that people are adapting to globalization and climate change in rural Latin America.  She is up for tenure.  Her first book was published in March 2008:  Changing Forests:  Collective Action, Common Property and Coffee in Honduras by Springer Academic Press.
  • Lois Lange Rentschler is a teacher.  Her husband, Paul, is an aquatic biologist.  They have two kids.
  • Terri Jo Heckman Reusch was promoted to colonel in December of 2005 as a registered nurse in the US Air Force.  She will retire effective December 1, 2008 with 25 years.  Her husband remains on active duty in the Air Force and they’ll relocate to San Antonio, Texas.  She is in Okinawa, Japan until mid-September.
  • Becky Olson Tromp is an accountant with New Con Co.
  • Ann Wasilowski helps her husband run his OB/GYN practice in the Chicago area and has two girls.
  • Keith Paulsen and Lynn Rabehl gave birth to a son, Benjamin George, on March 14, 2008.  Congratulations!

 

A Note from Scott “Cory” Winter

Who would have imagined 25 years ago that we would be looking back on our history and considering the academic future of students from around the globe?  I had a hard enough time imaging my student loans ever being paid off!  Well here we are.  Uniquely poised to continue a rich academic legacy supporting Gustavus on what would be our silver anniversary, if we’d gotten married our senior year, that is.

 

What would be a fitting tribute?  First, it seems fairly reasonable to suggest that we all dig a little deeper to honor our own Gustavus history and the various journey’s on which it has taken us over the past 25 years.  It is our hope that the members of the class of 1983 exceed a combined reunion gift of $250,000 (gifts and pledges received between June 1, 2007 and October 3, 2008).

 

Secondly, this anniversary year offers us a perfect opportunity to mark that history by rewarding the future.  This year we are establishing the Class of 1983 Endowed Scholarship fund with a goal of raising $50,000.  From our scholarship fund Gustavus is able to grant over $2,000 in tuition relief a year for a student in need.  We can continue to support the fund with future gifts as well.  The greater the fund, the greater the tuition relief!  Just write “1983 scholarship” in the space marked “other” on the enclosed pledge card.

 

So as you ponder your alumni support this year, please consider stretching your Annual Fund gift as a way of honoring yesterday and include a special gift to the Class of 1983 Endowed Scholarship fund as a way of honoring tomorrow.  We can make a three year pledge for both of these and have them count in our reunion year total gift, so bear that in mind as you consider your generosity.

 

Speaking of time…I encourage you to make your gift or first pledge payment before the end of Gustavus’ fiscal year on May 31.  Donors whose gifts are postmarked on or before that date will be included in the Gustavus Honor Roll of Donors which will be published just prior to our reunion.  It is

the only publication that lists the entire classes by name.  It would be great for the Class of ’83 to be among the largest list in the book!  (On the bright side, there are no disturbing Gribley pictures to worry about!)

 

 

Scott Winter

1983 Reunion Giving Committee Member

 

Campus News

Gustavus has a new College President!  As you have previously heard, President Peterson is resigning this summer and the process to find someone to replace him has been underway since last fall.  On April 25 the Board of Trustees met and announced our new College President, Jack Ohle.  Jack is currently the president of Wartburg College since 2003.  He will take office here on July 1, 2008.  I’m sure we’ll be hearing more about this exciting development.

 

MAYDAY! Conference Focuses on Water

“Troubled Water” is the topic of Gustavus Adolphus College’s 28th annual MAYDAY!  Peace Conference to be held Wednesday, April 30 on campus.  The conference is designed to educate the campus community and beyond about issues related to peace, human rights, and social justice.

 

Gustie Breakfasts

Join other Minneapolis/St. Paul area Gusties for a once-a-month morning cup of coffee and breakfast while getting an update on Gustavus.  The group meets the third Wednesday of each month 8-9:30 a.m. at the Doubletree Hotel, Minneapolis-Park Place, 1500 Park Place Boulevard (Hwy. 394 & Hwy. 100) $10 per person.  Reserve a spot by calling Don Swanson ’55 at 763-533-9083.  Next date:  May 21 - featuring Sports Information Director, Tim Kennedy ’82

 

Alumni Awards Announced

The Alumni Association announces the following 2008 awards selected by the Alumni Board of Directors.

Greater Gustavus Award - Given to those who by deed, have notably advanced and aided Gustavus Adolphus College:

Jim and Susan (Pepin) Peterson ’64 ’65

 

Distinguished Alumni Citations - Recognizing outstanding and exceptional professional achievement:

Craig Johnson ’69, bishop, Minneapolis Area Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Talmadge King ’70, chair, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine.

Barbara Berry Leonard ’63, nursing professor, University of Minnesota.

 

First Decade Awards - Recognizing early professional achievement:

Miho Ihara, senior consultant, CPCS Transcom Limited.

Jason Smerdon, Barnard Environmental Science/Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Environmental Science, Barnard College.

 

The Greater Gustavus Award and Distinguished Alumni Citations will be presented at the Alumni Banquet on Saturday, May 31 and the First Decade Awards will be presented during Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 4.

 

Upcoming Alumni Events

MAYDAY! Peace Conference focused on water - April 30

Author Day with Arvonne Fraser - May 14

Gustie Breakfast - May 21, featuring Sports Information Director, Tim Kennedy

Class Reunions - for 50-Year Club, 1958, and 1963 - May 30 and 31