Gustavus Adolphus College

Gustavus Adolphus College

Motto	E Caelo Nobis Vires (Latin, "Our Strength Comes From Heaven")
Type	Private liberal arts
Established	1862
Endowment	$119.5 million
President	Jack R. Ohle
Academic staff	170 full-time, 94% tenure-track faculty. 13:1 student/faculty ratio. Average class size 17.
Students	Approximately 2,700
Location	St. Peter , Minnesota , U.S.
Campus	1.38 square kilometres (340 acres)
Colors	Black and Gold
Nickname	"Golden Gusties"
Affiliations	MIAC, ELCA
Mascot	Gustavus Lion
Website	gustavus.edu

Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States.

History

View of the campus in c. 1905

The college was founded in 1862 as a Lutheran parochial school at Red Wing by Eric Norelius, pastor. Originally named Minnesota Elementar Skola (elementary school in Swedish), it moved the following year to East Union, an unincorporated town within Dahlgren Township. In 1865, on the 1,000th year anniversary of the death of St. Ansgar, known as the "Apostle of the North", the institution was renamed and incorporated as St. Ansgar's Academy.

In May 1873, the college was again renamed and reincorporated as Gustavus Adolphus Literary & Theological Institute in honor of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. On October 16, 1876, it opened as Gustavus Adolphus College at the current location, enticed to relocate to St. Peter by its offer of $10,000 and a large campus. Gustavus is the oldest of several Lutheran colleges in Minnesota. It was founded as a college of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1962 it became a college of the Lutheran Church in America, when the Augustana Synod merged into that body. The Lutheran Church in American merged in 1988 to create the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Academics

Gustavus consistently ranks highly among U.S. liberal arts colleges and is currently placed among the best 100 national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report. Gustavus students choose from over 70 programs of study with 75 majors in 24 academic departments and 3 interdisciplinary programs (including 14 honors majors), ranging from physics to religion to Scandinavian studies. The College's Writing Across the Curriculum program fosters strong writing skills in all academic disciplines. Since 1983, Gustavus has had a chapter of the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa. Gustavus is also noted for Curriculum II, its distinctive, interdisciplinary general education program. Recently the college instituted a test-optional admission policy, making it the first private college in Minnesota to forego the ACT/SAT score requirement on its application.

Campus life

A bust of Gustav II Adolf of Sweden on campus

The vast majority of Gustavus' 2,700 students ("Gusties") live in residence at the College, in traditional dormitories, College-owned houses, and theme areas, such as the Carlson International Center and the Swedish House. Campus life is enhanced by the many musical ensembles which perform throughout the year, including the Gustavus Choir, the Choir of Christ Chapel, the Lucia Singers, the Gustavus Adolphus Symphony Orchestra, Gustavus Wind Orchestra, Jazz Band, etc. Theater is another part of "Gustie Life" with shows every fall and spring and a musical every other year. There are also two art galleries on campus, the Hillstrom Museum of Art and the Schaefer Art Gallery.

Campus

The Gustavus campus features state-of-the-art science facilities, several computer and language labs, and a large, new dining facility which has improved the cafeteria food from that endured by previous generations of students. The College's majestic Christ Chapel, which seats 1500 people, stands in the center of campus. Gustavus' first building in St. Peter, affectionately known as "Old Main", originally housed the entire college. Major renovations to the building, such as the addition of an elevator, have recently been completed. The campus is well-landscaped with every tree indigenous to Minnesota in the Linnaeus Arboretum and it is further graced by 33 remarkable sculptures by the late, well-known, Minnesota sculptor, Paul Granlund — an alumnus of the College who for many years was sculptor-in-residence. The campus has over 320 million dollars worth of vegetation gracing the Linnaeus Arboretum and campus.

Notable alumni

"Old Main" – the school relocated from East Union upon completion of this building in 1876

See also Category:Gustavus Adolphus College alumni

• Henry N. Benson, Minnesota Attorney General (1929-1933)
• Eric Butorac, professional tennis player
• Jeffrey Dobbs, founder, Pro Staff Temporary Services
• Joanell Dyrstad, Minnesota Lieutenant Governor (1991-1995)
• Adolph Olson Eberhart, Minnesota Governor (1909-1915)
• Kurt Elling, world-renowned and Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist and Vice Chair of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the 17,000-member service organization that produces the annual Grammy Awards.
• David Esbjornson, theatre director, worked on debut plays by Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, and Tony Kushner. Artistic Director of Seattle Reperetory Theatre.
• Paul Granlund, sculptor
• Paul D. Hanson, Harvard professor, archaeologist, and writer
• Steve Heitzeg, Emmy Award-winning composer
• Ryan Hoag, former NFL Football player and "Mr. Irrelevant" for the Minnesota Vikings, and contestant on ABCs "The Bachelorette season 4"
• Bill Holm, poet and writer
• Craig Johnson, Bishop, Minneapolis-Area Synod of the ELCA
• Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives
• Kevin Kling, actor and writer
• Peter Krause, actor best known for his work in Six Feet Under and Dirty Sexy Money
• Harold LeVander, Minnesota Governor (1967-1971)
• George Lindbeck, Yale University Professor of Theology
• Douglas O. Linder, University of Missouri-Kansas City Professor of Law
• Paul A. Magnuson, Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
• James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, author of the seminal Civil War monograph Battle Cry of Freedom
• Semonti Mustaphi, Deputy Press Secretary for Michelle Obama
• Magnus Ranstorp, internationally renowned expert on terrorism and counter-terrorism.
• Allison Rosati, News Anchor for WMAQ-TV in Chicago
• Patsy O’Connell Sherman, co-inventor of 3M Scotchgard
• Tom van Dell, manager of Drake Bell and executive producer of 2003 cult classic Return To Sleepaway Camp
• Luther Youngdahl, Minnesota Governor (1947-1951)
• Paul M. Youngdahl, Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, the largest active Lutheran congregation in the world
• Steve Zahn, American comedian and actor best known for his work in Saving Silverman and You've Got Mail, and most recently Strange Wilderness

Distinctions

• In the November issue of Men's Fitness magazine, Gustavus Adolphus College was ranked 6th in the 25 most fit colleges in the nation.
• Gustavus Adolphus College was named on the list of "All Steinway Schools". There are only 66 schools on the list, and only 4 of those schools are in the state of Minnesota. To be considered for the Steinway designation, a school must first have at least 90 percent of its pianos be Steinways — which are completely handmade and can run upwards of $140,000 — or be of Steinway design.
• In 2006, Gustavus Adolphus College was ranked 9th in the nation for Best College Food by The Princeton Review.
• With over 50 percent of Gustavus Students studying abroad before they graduate and over 27 possible programs, Gustavus was ranked 4th in the nation for best baccalaureate institutions to study abroad at by The Chronicle of Higher Education in 2003
• Gustavus is home to Perry, the Amorphophallus titanum (commonly known as the Corpse Flower), which bloomed on Saturday, May 12, 2007. This is one of the rarest flowers in the world, with only 50 recorded blooms in US history.
• The 2003 Fiske Guide to Colleges named Gustavus one of 300 best American colleges and one of 43 Best Buys nationwide.
• The National Review named Gustavus one of the 50 best liberal arts colleges in America.
• “Small class size and superior faculty accessibility” earned Gustavus high praise in The Insider’s Guide to Colleges, along with its “close-knit campus community.”
• The Peer Assistants Program, a group of peer educators, has been consistently named one of top network affiliates and chapters of the BACCHUS Network. The Director of the Peer Assistants program at Gustavus, Judy Douglas, has also been awarded the prestigious outstanding adviser award numerous times for her work with the Peer Assistants program.
• On July 29, 2008, the Princeton Review once again ranked Gustavus as having some of the best campus food in the nation. Gustavus consistently ranks in the top 20 year after year. In 2008, Gustavus was ranked as having the 10th best college campus food in the nation.
• In August 2008, Forbes Magazine rated Gustavus as the 103rd best college in the nation, making it one of only three Minnesota schools making it into the top 20 percent of the list. Gustavus was the only school in Minnesota to be noted in the list of "30 Surprises."
• In August 2008, US News and World Report ranked Gustavus the 88th Best liberal arts college in the United States
• Gustavus has been noted for being in the top 20 percent of DIII college athletics for the past 20 years

Core values

The College's mission statement describes five core values:

1. Excellence
2. Community
3. Justice
4. Service
5. Faith

Nobel Conference

Gustavus has been host to the annual Nobel Conference since the first conference in 1963. The conference has a focus on scientific topics such as "Medicine: Prescription for Tomorrow" (2006), "The Legacy of Einstein" (2005), "The Science of Aging" (2004), "The Nature of Nurture" (2002), "Virus: The Human Connection" (1998), and "The New Shape of Matter: Materials Challenge Science" (1995). The conference is open to the public and geared toward lay persons. The 2007 conference topic was "Heating Up: The Energy Debate" and took place October 2-3. The 2008 conference topic was "Who Were The First Humans" and took place October 7-8, 2008.

The Nobel Conference is the first ongoing educational conference in the United States to have the official authorization of the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. This conference links a general audience with the world's foremost scholars and researchers in conversations centered on contemporary issues related to the natural and social sciences.

The conference began in the early 1960s when College officials asked the Nobel Foundation for permission to name the new science building the Alfred Nobel Hall of Science as a memorial to the great Swedish inventor, Alfred Nobel. Permission was granted, and the facility's dedication ceremony in 1963 included officials from the Nobel Foundation as well as 26 Nobel Laureates.

Following the 1963 Nobel Prize ceremonies in Stockholm, College representatives met with Nobel Foundation officials, asking them to endorse an annual science conference at the College and to allow use of the Nobel name to establish credibility and high standards. At the urging of several prominent Nobel laureates, the foundation granted the request., and the first conference was held at the College in January 1965.

The goal of the conference is to bring cutting-edge science issues to the attention of an audience of students and interested adults, and to engage the panelists and the audience in a discussion of the moral and societal impact of these issues. Another major goal of the conference is to attract world class speakers. Beginning with the help of an advisory committee composed of Nobel laureates such as Glenn Seaborg, Phillip Hench, and Sir John Eccles, the conferences have been consistently successful in attracting the world's foremost authorities as speakers. Fifty-nine Nobel laureates have served as speakers, five of whom were awarded the prize after speaking at the conferences.

Disasters

• On January 8, 1970, the Auditorium was completely gutted by a fire.
• On March 29, 1998, the College's campus was hit by a mile-wide F3 tornado that broke 80 percent of the windows, leveled nearly 2,000 trees, toppled the chapel's spire, and caused more than $50 million in damages. This event is considered to be one of the most expensive college disasters in history. Amazingly, there was only one death (not a Gustavus student), despite the tornado's widespread path; this is due, most likely, to the fact that most of the college was on spring break at the time of the tornado. Hundreds of volunteers worked extremely hard to get the campus back into a condition where the students could return after a three-week hiatus. Still, students were forced to attend some classes in FEMA trailers as some on-campus buildings were too severely damaged.
• On July 1st, 2008, Jack Ohle was officially sworn in as president of the college.

Hauntings

According to local legends, which are occasionally recounted in the campus press, Gustavus is the home to numerous ghosts. See, for example, the article from the Gustavian Weekly titled Ghostly Gustavus: A look at the ghastly, ghoulish, and grisly history of ghosts at Gustavus Adolphus College, published May 9, 2008 by Danielle Harms, the Features Editor.

Allegedly haunted sites include:

• Old Main (with 3 ghosts)
• The Dive entertainment center in the Jackson Campus Center
• The Anderson Theater
• The Fine Arts Center Arts Wing
• Björling Recital Hall
• Folke Bernadotte Memorial Library
• The Peterson House
• Rundstrom Hall
• Wahlstrom Hall (demolished in August 2005)
• Norelius Hall

Attractions

Christ Chapel, built in 1959-1961

• Christ Chapel
• Eckman Mall
• Hillstrom Museum of Art, notable for its collection of American art from the Ashcan School
• Linnaeus Arboretum
• "Old Main" – National Register of Historic Places
• Over thirty Paul Granlund sculptures

Athletics

Gustavus is a member of the MIAC and is well-known for excellence in both men's and women's tennis. Other key sports at the College are swimming, golf, and soccer. Gustavus has had two players drafted in the NFL Draft. They are Kurt Ploeger in the sixth round to the Dallas Cowboys in 1985, and Ryan Hoag in the seventh round to the Oakland Raiders in 2003. The school's team name is the Golden Gusties with their mascot a Lion given that Gustavus Adolphus was known as "The Lion of the North." Professional tennis player Eric Butorac has established himself on the tour as a doubles player.

Varsity sports

Men's

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• American football
• Golf
• Ice Hockey
• Nordic Skiing
• Soccer
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track and Field

Women's

• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Golf
• Gymnastics
• Ice Hockey
• Nordic Skiing
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track and Field
• Volleyball

Performance

The Gustavus soccer team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2005 — lead in part by three-time all American Robert "Bobby" Kroog. Also, in 2003 the Gustavus men's basketball team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in Salem, Virginia, losing by only 2 points. Recently, The Gustavus football team became well known in the middle part of the century thanks to long-time coach/AD Moose Malmquist. Jon Carlson coached both the men's and women's swim teams to top 10 finishes at NCAA Division III Nationals. In 2008, the men's and women's teams finished first in the conference. In addition, the women's hockey team, coached by Mike Carroll, is consistently strong, and has placed third and fourth at the last two NCAA national tournaments. The men's team made it to the 2009 NCAA final.

Campus media

Gustavus Adolphus College is home to five different media outlets which are represented on the campus media board.

• The campus newspaper, The Gustavian Weekly, is the oldest media outlet having first published in 1891. The publication which is entirely student written and produced features articles and opinions about events and issues on campus and beyond.
• Firethorne is an arts and literary magazine that is published twice per year. Students are encouraged to submit short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, photography, visual art, or other creative content.
• KGSM is a radio station run entirely by students. The station is webcast only and recently upgraded its studio to improve the quality of its webstream and a digital audio workstation. The station hopes to include a weekly campus newscast among its collection of podcasts.
• The third and newest campus media outlet is GAC TV. Started by an enterprising group of students looking to bring the power and versatility of television broadcasting to campus, GAC TV became an instant success when students started watching the weekly show before free on-campus films.
• The Gustavian Yearbook publishes a yearbook for each class.

See also

• Category:Gustavus Adolphus College alumni
• Category:Lutheranism

Reference

• Merrill E. Jarchow, Private Liberal Arts Colleges in Minnesota; Their History and Contributions; Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1973

External links

• Gustavus Adolphus College
• Front of Old Main & Valley Overlook – panorama