Search Gustavus

Gustavus Study Away & Study Abroad Program Information
Discover a wide range of domestic and international study-away opportunities for Gustavus students for a semester, May-term, and summer options. Hosted by the College’s Center for International and Cultural Education (CICE), you can search for country and program options, find registration deadlines, apply, and manage logistics like payments.

Rebecca Taylor Fremo (Professor of English) earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition at Ohio State University after completing her BA and MA in English at Virginia Tech. In the nearly three decades she’s spent at Gustavus, she’s served as English department chair, English co-chair, Director of Writing Across the Curriculum, and Director of the Writing Center. But Fremo’s real passion is teaching writing, and she’s been awarded the Edgar M. Carlson Award and the Swenson and Bunn Award for this work. Fremo likes nothing better than rolling up her sleeves and sitting side by side with student writers as they work through the challenges of sharing their stories. Fremo has published a variety of scholarly essays about teaching writing, but she’s most excited about her work as a creative writer. She recently completed a memoir titled Controlled Burn, which applies her observations as a gardener to her experiences raising three neurodivergent sons. Her poems and essays appear in journals including Mud Season Review, Mankato Magazine, Full Grown People, Paper Darts, and Water~Stone Review. She is also the author of one collection of poetry, Moving This Body, and a chapbook of poems titled Chasing Northern Lights. When she’s not at work, she’s probably in her garden or daydreaming about her next visit to the North Shore. She’s originally from Richmond, Virginia and still dreads the Minnesota winters–but the summers are worth it! 
 

Research & Sponsored Programs at Gustavus offers support for external funding: grant search, proposal prep, budget review, compliance, award management, and faculty/student research coordination.

Carol Lagergren is a Visiting Instructor in the Education Department. After working 32 years in K-12 education as a classroom teacher and administrator, she moved to Gustavus and taught for several years focusing on Middle and Secondary School Education courses. She currently supervises and supports student teachers in the Education Program. 

Dr. Lucas Rapisarda is a visiting professor of biology. As an environmental social scientist, his research interests sit at the nexus of environment and society, specifically how physical and sociocultural access to the environment impacts the sense of place and natural resource use of historically marginalized communities in the outdoors. At Gustavus, Dr. Rapisarda teaches introductory and organismal biology, as well as an upper-level ornithology course. 

Jessica Helget, MS, RN, PHN is Senior Continuing Faculty in the Department of Nursing, where she serves as Simulation Faculty and teaches across the undergraduate nursing curriculum. She earned her Master of Science in Nursing Education from Saint Catherine University and her Bachelor of Arts in Nursing from Gustavus Adolphus College.

At Gustavus, Jessica leads the design, integration, and evaluation of simulation-based education across all levels of the program. Her expertise centers on high-quality clinical simulation aligned with the AACN Essentials and the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) Standards of Best Practice. She has developed a comprehensive simulation curriculum map that scaffolds student learning from foundational skills to complex clinical judgment, ensuring students graduate practice-ready and confident. In addition to simulation, she teaches medical-surgical nursing, and pre-health professions courses, blending didactic and experiential learning.

Helget’s teaching philosophy is deeply student-centered and grounded in experiential learning theory. She intentionally creates space for reflection, critical thinking, and application, often integrating mannequins and real-time clinical decision-making into classroom case studies. Her simulations follow structured pre-briefing and debriefing models such as PEARLS and Debriefing for Meaningful Learning, fostering psychological safety while challenging students to grow. Students frequently describe her courses as engaging, rigorous, and inspiring, reflecting her commitment to excellence and enthusiasm for the profession.

Her scholarly work focuses on simulation effectiveness, debriefing methodology, and NCLEX preparation. She has published in the Journal of Nursing Education and has presented regionally on innovative simulation practices. She currently collaborates with statistics students on research examining the impact of simulation on student outcomes and clinical readiness. She is actively involved in professional organizations including the National League for Nursing and INACSL, and she is pursuing Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) credentialing to further advance simulation scholarship and mentorship at Gustavus.

Within the College, Jessica serves on the Institutional Review Board, Nobel Committee, advises the Gustavus Student Nurses Association, participates in faculty mentoring and search committees, and contributes to campus initiatives such as Wellness as a Community. She is passionate about embedding equity, inclusion, and belonging principles into simulation scenarios, preparing students to provide culturally responsive care and address health disparities.

Beyond Gustavus, Helget continues to practice as a Registered Nurse at Mayo Clinic Health System in a progressive care setting, ensuring her teaching remains grounded in current clinical practice. She is also deeply engaged in community service, including board membership with the St. Peter Free Clinic and youth mentorship through local athletics and church programs.

Jessica believes nursing education is both an art and a science. She is committed to forming compassionate, competent leaders who will serve their communities with integrity, faith, and excellence—hallmarks of a Gustavus education.

The Library and Archives provides access to books, periodicals, government documents, and databases. The librarians are eager to help you with research questions. The library also holds the college and Lutheran Church Archives and has great study spaces. See Library hours, information on inter-library loans, and LibGuides providing research help for different majors. Access the library search to find books, research databases, and more.

Dr. Claire Woebke began teaching at Gustavus in 2022 as a visiting instructor in the Department of Health and Exercise Science. In 2024, she became an assistant professor and the research coordinator for the Master of Athletic Training Program. She teaches courses on medical and behavioral health conditions, athletic training leadership, and functional return-to-play, as well as the entirety of the Master of Athletic Training Program research sequence. Her own research focuses on embedding cultural humility training and experiences into healthcare education at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Lynnea H. Myers, PhD, PhD MSN, RN is a dual PhD-trained nurse and researcher specializing in pediatrics, child development, asthma, and digital health. She currently serves as the faculty mentor for the Gustavus team for the Innovation Scholars Program. She most recently worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden and a Visiting Research Fellow at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Prior to those roles, she was an Associate Professor of Nursing at Gustavus Adolphus College. Her research interests focus on leveraging artificial intelligence and remote monitoring devices to improve pediatric asthma management.

Dr. Jeff Ford has been a visiting assistant professor of mathematics at Gustavus since 2016. He has taught almost every mathematics course offered at Gustavus. His research is in topology, dynamical systems, and mathematics education. Dr. Ford has supervised three honors theses, two interdisciplinary research projects, and six independent studies. He has co-authored two books in dynamical systems and one in linear algebra. He is committed to providing open access educational materials to students and encouraging teachers to use active and inclusive pedagogy. To that end, he has presented more than 20 times at conferences on active learning and alternative grading. 

Curtis J. Kowaleski became the CFO, Vice President of Finance and Treasurer of Gustavus in 2019. After spending the early part of his career in the for-profit sector, Curt has now spent almost half of his career in higher education where he continues to chase his passion for helping students. Dedicated to helping young people, Curt has coached youth sports and through higher education he has been able to use his accounting and finance background to help Gustavus students. When he is not leading the operational and financial side of the college, you will probably see Curt at a sporting event, a theater production or participating in one of the many international events held on campus, so you might as well “Jump”.