The Registrar’s Office released enrollment figures today that exceed projected budget numbers for the 2010 spring semester. Augustana began the 2010 spring semester on February 4 with a head count of 1,700 students, the fifth straight year for spring semester enrollment growth.

Dr. Rick Davis, who had served as Augustana’s Associate Academic Dean since June 2005, died Tuesday, February 16, after an eight-month battle with brain cancer. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Feb. 20, at Spirit of Peace United Church of Christ in Sioux Falls.

Seventy high school youth from around the region participated in Faith Fest 2010 at Augustana on Saturday, February 13. Participants and Augustana volunteers packed 15,608 meals at Kids Against Hunger, preparing enough food to feed 36 people for a year.

Augustana senior Kelsey Erickson is the recipient of the 2010 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Graduation Award-Undergraduate. Erickson will receive a certificate of recognition and a cash award at the CEC Convention & Expo in Nashville, Tenn.

Members of Augustana’s French Club, Le Cercle Français, will be selling Mardi Gras beads February 15 and 16, with proceeds going to Project Akilah, a new leadership school in Rwanda. Monique Schmidt, class of 1998, is the program director for The Akilah Institute.

Despite a sagging job market resulting from the economic downturn, 93 percent of Augustana’s graduating class of 2009 seeking employment reported accepting a position related to their major or chosen field.

Formed in 2000 by Augustana Theatre professor Dr. Julia Bennett, Brand Name Improv (BNi) offers quality, audience friendly performance at the College and in the region as well as coursework, workshops, and celebrations of the art and craft of improvisation.

Beginning Thursday, February 4, the Augustana community will be preparing school kits to be sent to children in earthquake-ravaged Haiti. Collection boxes for the school supplies have been placed in many buildings throughout the Augustana campus.

Augustana Professor Robert E. Wright's book, One Nation Under Debt: Hamilton, Jefferson, and the History of What We Owe has been selected as one of the National Chamber Foundation’s (NCF) Books That Drive the Free Enterprise Debate.
 

As a senior consultant to the U.S. government, alumnus Dr. Jarret Brachman is a noted expert on terrorism. Dr. Brachman studied government/international affairs at Augustana and graduated magna cum laude in 2000.