As part of a ceremony held this afternoon, Augustana University dedicated the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement — previously known as the International Programs Office (IPO). Housed in the Administration Building on campus, the creation of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement is part of Augustana’s strategic plan — Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 — to provide a welcoming and inclusive environment as different backgrounds, experiences and ways of thinking encourage learning, acceptance and service.
“We really believe that Augustana will become the regional leader in international programs — that this will allow more and more students to go overseas for study, and we’ll be able to bring more students here, more professors here, and the university will have a much stronger international or global thread built into its curriculum,” said De.
While Augustana’s mission statement includes “...integrating faith with learning and service in a diverse world,” the transition to the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement officially comes after the Knudsons presented the university with a $1 million matching gift two years ago. The university met the match and delivered the news to the Knudsons on April 1.
“We are very blessed that we can financially do this, but it needs to be important enough to others at Augustana because the program needs support from more than just one couple,” De explained. “This program needs as much financial help as it can get to strengthen the program even more.”
“We’re thankful to all the donors who provided the matching funds, and we couldn’t be where we are without their strong support,” said Dave. “And, I think the real payoff will be seeing the success and benefits of the program.”
De discovered the Augustana IPO Friendship Family Program from the Our Savior’s Lutheran (OSL) Church bulletin and decided this was something she could do, something she could really immerse herself in. And, that’s what she has done and more.
“De is part of the family. She takes her role of friendship family and service on the IPO Advisory Board very seriously,” said Heather Edmunds Reed, co-director of international programs.
“I feel like I always gain more than I give when I work with these international students. I continue to be impressed with how intelligent and hard-working these students are. They’re so dedicated and resilient,” added De.
For more than a decade, the Knudsons have hosted international students from countries, such as India, Kenya, Nepal, Norway, Pakistan, Sweden and Yemen. They have also supported students by welcoming them into their home and taking them to their places of worship, grocery shopping and even to the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra (SDSO) or Premiere Playhouse.
“At the very heart of it, her (De’s) involvement and experience has always been student-centered. It’s always been about welcoming them into her home, as well as introducing and getting them involved in the greater Sioux Falls community. She has used her own network to help our international students outside of campus — she’s really been a leader in that area,” said Donn Grinager, director of international admission.
“We want every international student at Augustana to leave Sioux Falls and South Dakota feeling like these were some of the best years that they had — that they felt very welcome from day one,” said De, who has maintained relationships with many of the students long after their time at AU.
The Future of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement
With the creation of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement, Augustana’s goal is to provide more than just essential services, but to better prepare students for an interconnected world in which we live.
“There’s a lot of opportunities that we have in front of us and this gift really unlocks them, and now we move through phases of what the center will look like and accomplish,” said Erin Kane, co-director of international programs. “Our office handles the day to day things, but a center is meant to be more of an umbrella.”
The vision of the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement is to be the heart of the intercultural exchange in the region with a focus on inclusion or bringing diverse people and their cultures together, providing better access to international experiences and engaging in more transformational learning opportunities as its guiding principles.
“We have so much of the world on our campus, and we have opportunities to reach out more broadly to the community. We can be a resource to the community, and we can learn and grow with the international organizations that exist in Sioux Falls,” Edmunds Reed said.
For more information on the De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement, visit augie.edu/CGE.