Students Awarded AU Art Department’s Harold Spitznagel Medal for Achievement in Art

By Jill Wilson | May 12, 2022
Art Department Medal

AU is proud to announce that the Augustana Art Department has awarded the Harold Spitznagel Medal for Achievement in Art to two students. Alexa Lammers ‘22 and Gracie Rothering ‘22 were awarded the medal during the opening reception of the Augustana Senior Show and Bachelor of Fine Arts Thesis Portfolio Exhibition at the Eide/Dalrymple Gallery on Friday, April 29.

Lammers is a studio art and all grades education double major from Hartington, Nebraska. Not only is Lammers an aide at the Eide/Dalrymple Gallery, she is a Viking Guide and is on the The Edda staff. She has also been a member of the Augustana Student Association (ASA) and Serving and Learning Together (SALT).

“The Harold Spitznagel Medal for Achievement in Art is an honor that will continue to push me towards a life centered around viewing the world creatively and pursuing art in all my endeavors. The embrace I felt from the Augustana Art Department when receiving the award encompasses the support and the positive examples I’ve been granted from my professors over these past four years. More than anything, this achievement solidifies the connectedness and love I feel towards the community and the values upheld by the art department,” said Lammers.

Rothering, of Cochrane, Wisconsin, is receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree. She will be attending the University of Oregon next year to earn a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree.

“I am so honored to receive this award. It's a big accomplishment and I'm thankful for everyone that helped me achieve such a high honor,” said Rothering about receiving the recognition.

The Harold Spitznagel Medal for Achievement in Art is the highest award presented by the Augustana Art Department to student-artists who demonstrate the highest standards of excellence in all their artistic endeavors throughout their Augustana careers. The last time the Harold Spitznagel Medal for Achievement in Art was awarded was in 2018.

About the Eide/Dalrymple Gallery

As a part of Augustana University, the mission of the Eide/Dalrymple Gallery is to contribute to the educational and cultural vitality of the university, the surrounding community and the state of South Dakota. The Eide/Dalrymple Gallery inspires the artists of today and tomorrow, and serves as a resource for teaching and promoting life-long learning through its permanent collection and temporary exhibition program with accompanying artist visits, gallery talks and educational materials. 

The Eide/Dalrymple Gallery is named after pioneering Augustana University art professors Palmer Eide and Ogden Dalrymple. Many of their collaborative works are spread throughout the campus.

The Eide/Dalrymple Gallery is located at 30th Street and Grange Avenue, in the Center for Visual Arts at Augustana University. The gallery is open to the public and free of charge. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Saturday, from 1-4 p.m. The gallery is closed Sundays and major holidays.

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