ARCHIVE

< June 2008
August 2008 >


Alumnus elected to Russian Academy of Sciences
JULY 31, 2008 — Roger Stolen '59, a pioneer in the field of optics, will have "the opportunity to collaborate with some of the most brilliant minds in the world in the field of optics" as a newly elected member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

St. Olaf featured in new Princeton Review guide
JULY 31, 2008 — The just-published 2009 edition of Princeton Review's annual guide, The Best 368 Colleges, notes that St. Olaf College's "national reputation is sharply on the rise," and includes the college in the book's "Top 20" lists for Best Campus Food (No. 4) and Best Quality of Life (No. 17).

Together again
JULY 30, 2008 — "It's kind of funny seeing Coach so laid-back here," Washington Redskins free agent Horace Gant '08 told Virginia's Free Lance-Star about his recent reunion with former St. Olaf Football Coach Chris Meidt, who is now coaching for the Redskins.

New York Times notes benefit of St. Olaf Interim
JULY 30, 2008 — The New York Times notes that while 75 academic institutions offer courses in the monthlong period between semesters, St. Olaf requires students to take an Interim class. "Students can study abroad for credit or take an accelerated semester-long class," the paper states in an article examining the academic calendar at various colleges and universities.

New video looks inside Regents Hall
JULY 28, 2008 — A new five-minute video takes viewers inside the new science building to highlight its "green" and other features, including the use of sustainable materials, daylight "harvesting," rainwater management and more.

Dallas Cowboys, St. Olaf don't gel
Landry
JULY 25, 2008 — In 1961 the Dallas Cowboys set up training camp at St. Olaf, which the Fort Worth Star-Telegram notes is in a town probably best known for the James Gang's ill-fated bank-robbery attempt. "For Frank and Jesse, it marked the beginning of the end. For Tom Landry and the Cowboys, Northfield was one and out."

Interview with American Association All-Star Charlie Ruud '04
JULY 24, 2008 — St. Paul Saint Charlie Ruud '04 added to his pro baseball resume Tuesday when he pitched two perfect innings in his first American Association All-Star Game. He earned his trip to the All-Star Game by putting together his best season yet.

Alumnus named Minnesota Teacher of the Year
JULY 23, 2008 — Derek Olson '88 was a senior economics major at St. Olaf when his experiences during the Far East Program (now called Term in Asia), especially visiting orphanages in Thailand and Hong Kong, inspired him to go into teaching. "My greatest achievement will simply and always be every time I have the opportunity to impact the life of a child in a positive way," Olson told the Star Tribune.

Term in Asia reunites student with grandparents
JULY 23, 2008 — Mai Der Lee '09 was glad to be accepted for St. Olaf's Term in Asia program, and excited about the possibility of being reunited with the Thai grandparents she hadn't seen since she was a small child. "It was all luck," says Lee of the circumstances in which the reunion took place. "My heart was beating so hard. I was so nervous."

St. Olaf conference to feature worship, Chinese Christian art
JULY 18, 2008 — In addition to gathering nationally recognized musicians, artists, scholars and theologians, this year's Conference on Worship, Theology and the Arts will feature an exhibit by Chinese artist He Qi. The exhibit and worship services will be open to the public.

Leblanc authors poetry book
Leblanc
JULY 17, 2008 — "I always go into a book with a question," St. Olaf faculty member Diane Leblanc recently told the Northfield News. "I start writing because I want to figure something out. But I would hope that in reading it, readers aren't just following my process of discovery ... "

Disappointment ain't all bad
Marino
JULY 14, 2008 — A recent issue of the Chronicle of Higher Education included "In Praise of Disappointment" by St. Olaf faculty member Gordon Marino, who is disappointed by the paucity of literature on disappointment. "After all," he writes, "disappointments forge our lives much as hurricanes sculpt the shapes of trees that survive them."

Qian performs in China
JULY 10, 2008 — Throughout June St. Olaf faculty member Jun Qian performed two Western clarinet concertos for Chinese audiences and taught a master class for young Chinese clarinetists.

Ted Peters named Martin E. Marty Professor of Religion and the Academy
Peters
JULY 8, 2008 — Ted Peters, a renowned author and scholar whose work focuses on the dialogue between theology and science, has been named the Martin E. Marty Professor of Religion and the Academy at St. Olaf.

Recent St. Olaf graduate dies in bike accident
JULY 8, 2008 — Dan Nemcek '08, who graduated from St. Olaf College in May, died from serious head injuries sustained in a mountain bike accident near Bozeman, Mont. Nemcek played lacrosse at St. Olaf and "loved life and savored every moment of it," his godmother, Kristen Howland, told the Star Tribune.

St. Olaf names new chief diversity officer
King
JULY 2, 2008 — Bruce A. King, who has more than 20 years of experience in education administration, has been appointed special assistant to the president for institutional diversity at St. Olaf. "[His] appointment reaffirms St. Olaf's commitment to strengthening and valuing diversity at the college," says President David R. Anderson '74.

Nathan Soland named director of Alumni and Parent Relations
Soland
JULY 2, 2008 — Nathan Soland '04 has been named director of Alumni and Parent Relations. Soland has served as interim director for several months, and he possesses a wealth of experience and deep knowledge of St. Olaf's alumni.

Faculty member, student to perform research in Siberian Arctic
Schade
JULY 1, 2008 — St. Olaf Professor John Schade and biology student Katie Abbott '09 will spend a month performing research in the Siberian Arctic as part of the Polaris Project. "Our goal is to engage early career scientists and students and to expand the number of people actively involved in polar research," Schade says.