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< May 2009
July 2009 >


Study gives St. Olaf high marks for graduation rates
JUNE 25, 2009 — A study by the American Enterprise Institute ranks St. Olaf ninth among peer institutions across the country for its high graduation rate of 86 percent, notes the Star Tribune.

St. Olaf mourns death of education professor
JUNE 24, 2009 — St. Olaf Professor of Education Mark Schelske, 54, died the morning of June 24 after a long battle with cancer. He had taught at St. Olaf for more than two decades. A memorial service will be held Monday, June 29.

Merritt wins composition competition
Merritt
JUNE 23, 2009 — Assistant Professor of Music Justin Merritt recently took top honors in the Grassroots Music Festival Composition Competition for his piece titled River of Blood, and he was also chosen to participate in the Zeitgeist Composer Workshop.

St. Olaf hosts international social work conference
Carlsen
JUNE 23, 2009 — St. Olaf Professor of Social Work and Family Studies Mary Carlsen '79 recently led her department's effort to host the first international conference on the use of representational family sculpture technique in working with families.

The Nation dubs alumna 'Most Important Financial Journalist'
JUNE 23, 2009 — The cover story of the July 6 issue of The Nation features Gretchen Morgenson '76, reporter, columnist and senior editor of the New York Times.

Zorn elected mathematics association president
Zorn
JUNE 23, 2009 — St. Olaf Professor of Mathematics Paul Zorn has been elected president of the Mathematical Association of America -- the largest professional society that focuses on mathematics at the undergraduate level.

MPR talks with L. Bruce Laingen '44 about Iran
JUNE 22, 2009 — L. Bruce Laingen '44 was one of the 52 American hostages held in Iran from November 1979 to January 1981. Minnesota Public Radio's Gary Eichten recently spoke with Laingen about his experiences in Iran and about current events in that country.

St. Olaf named Xcel's No. 2 'Efficiency Partner'
JUNE 19, 2009 — Xcel Energy has named St. Olaf College its No. 2 "Efficiency Partner," a high ranking that is due mostly to the efficiency of Regents Hall of Natural and Mathematical Sciences that opened last fall.

Elizabeth Nabel '74 appears on Fox
JUNE 18, 2009 — Elizabeth Nabel '74, director of the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health, was recently interviewed on Fox News' "On the Record" program.

Researchers examine impact of climate change on lakes, wetlands
JUNE 18, 2009 — By gathering sediment samples from connected lakes, wetlands and upland tundra in northern Manitoba, St. Olaf Professor of Biology Charles Umbanhowar Jr. and researchers from three other institutions are examining how interactions among ecosystems affect their response to global climate change.

Father-son art story features St. Olaf artist
JUNE 17, 2009 — A Star Tribune story about an art project that has professional artists working alongside their sons features St. Olaf faculty member Irve Dell. "The thing that all of us have been pretty conscious about is this is not about making our sons artists," he told the paper. "It's really about fathers who are artists engaging in these activities with our sons."

Whitney White '09 protects her culture
JUNE 16, 2009 — For her senior project, Whitney White '09 made a video collection of interviews with tribal elders of the Prairie Island Indian Community. "I'm helping to preserve our identity as a people," she says.

VIDEO NEWS: Young Investigators Program introduces urban youth to college experience
Littsey
JUNE 15, 2009 — The summer Young Investigators Program at St. Olaf introduces urban 9th- and 10th-graders to biology courses taught by St. Olaf faculty. Mejenta Littsey '11 is a past participant in the program who is assisting with this year's group. "[The program] inspired me to become an environmental studies major," she says.

Alumnus named State Department spokesman
JUNE 11, 2009 — In his new role as the U.S. State Department spokesman, Ian Kelly '77 will provide people around the world with information about America's foreign policy. It's no small task, but the Ole is ready.

Emeritus faculty member J. Daniel Palm dies
JUNE 9, 2009 — Palm is perhaps best remembered for his research on fructose in the late 1960s and early 1970s that culminated in his book, Diet Away Your Stress, Tension and Anxiety.

St. Olaf Choir tours England, Wales, Ireland
JUNE 8, 2009 — The St. Olaf Choir has completed its tour of England, Wales and Ireland. Learn about the tour through the ensemble's tour blog and online photo albums.

Gretchen Morgenson '76 appears on 'NewsHour'
JUNE 8, 2009 — Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times writer Gretchen Morgenson '76 recently appeared on the PBS "NewsHour" program, where she was interviewed by Judy Woodruff about recent mortgage industry news.

New TPT documentary notes St. Olaf contributions to Minnesota choral tradition
Christiansen
JUNE 8, 2009 — The St. Paul Pioneer Press reviews a new Twin Cities Public Television documentary, "Never Stop Singing," about the past, present and future of choral music in Minnesota that notes contributions by some St. Olaf figures.

Marino tells Tyson tale for Chronicle
Marino
JUNE 3, 2009 — "Like some philosophy professor with elbow patches on his sport coat, I assured [Mike] Tyson that with his fistic talents he didn't need to talk about eating his opponent's children ... ," writes Gordon Marino in the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Former Dean of Students Henry Helgen Jr. dies
JUNE 1, 2009 — Henry Helgen Jr. '41, former vice president and dean of students at St. Olaf, died Friday, May 29. Helgen became dean of students at St. Olaf in 1967 and was promoted to vice president and dean before retiring in 1984.