Augsburg Archives - Giving to 绿茶直播

Bruce 鈥�71 and Pam Santerre Believe in Second Chances

Posted on February 2, 2023

Bruce 鈥�71 and Pam Santerre believe in second chances, leading them to help others who want to evolve, and that鈥檚 why they give to the StepUP Program at 绿茶直播.

Bruce, a biology and education major, said growing up in northern Minnesota he felt like there were few career paths if he stayed, but he had other plans.听听

Upon visiting Augsburg, Bruce like many 鈥淎uggies鈥� fell in love with the campus and city life. He would go on to enroll at the university and join the football team, playing for four years while finishing his studies.

Unlike Bruce, Pam, an English major, was native to the cities. She lived in South Minneapolis, knew people who attended Augsburg, and her church had an affiliation with the school.

Pam said she knew she wanted to go to college, but at the time there weren鈥檛 many career opportunities for women. However, Pam would find her opportunity at Augsburg and work for a number of organizations while putting herself through school.

鈥淲e [Bruce and her] formed many lifelong friendships at Augsburg,鈥� Pam said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just one of the reasons why Augsburg is at the forefront of our minds鈥� when it comes to giving back.鈥�

The Santerres met at Augsburg and were married shortly after Bruce graduated. Six weeks later, he was sent to Fort Leonard Wood, MO, for National Guard training.听

When he arrived back in Minnesota, Bruce began teaching as a substitute teacher for the Minneapolis school system. And Pam was working at the Lutheran Brotherhood, now Thrivent, which started her longtime career in information technology.

Pam received her master鈥檚 degree in theology and a certificate in spiritual direction, while working at Andersen Windows, where she later retired from. She continued her spiritual direction practice, companioning people who are exploring a deeper experience of the divine presence.听听

鈥淎 lot of what we do is at a spiritual level and basis,鈥� Bruce said. 鈥�This aligns with a core value in the StepUP program.鈥�

While completing his doctorate degree, Bruce, now a retired high school principal, wrote his dissertation on spirituality and leadership. He said part of that experience helped him understand the impact of spirituality in our [people鈥檚] lives鈥�.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a soft spot in our hearts for the work that the StepUP program is doing,鈥� they said. 鈥淪o many of those kids are overcoming some of the most incredible odds, and what we鈥檝e seen from Augsburg, in helping their students, we want to be a part of.鈥�

You too can play an integral part in helping 绿茶直播 students on their growth and evolution toward a brighter future. Learn more and get involved.

Justin Grammens 鈥�96 Helps STEM Students By Giving

Posted on December 16, 2022May 30, 2024

Justin Grammens 鈥�96 is a mathematics major who grew up in Minneapolis. His mother was a teacher for Minneapolis public schools, and his father worked as a doctor at Fairview Riverside, located across the street from Augsburg.

Grammens said he was familiar with the area and Augsburg, and one aspect that drew him to the school were the small class sizes which gave him a better connection to his classmates and instructors.

鈥淢y original plan was to start at a liberal arts school [Augsburg], then transfer to an engineering school,鈥� Grammens said. 鈥淏ut when I transferred from Augsburg, I was sitting in a classroom with hundreds of other students and being taught by a TA, and I felt like why am I here?鈥�

He ended up transferring back to Augsburg and completing his degree. But Grammens said it wasn鈥檛 just the small class sizes that inspired him to return to Augsburg, it was also the urban environment and the abundance of diversity that Augsburg offers.

At Augsburg, Grammens was able to build relationships with many different people that he maintained after graduation. He has even come back to campus on multiple occasions and spoken with students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields about his career.

Grammens is an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas, teaching a class for their masters of software engineering program. He said that he is proud to bring the skills that he learned at Augsburg and share them with his students.

鈥淎 lot of the classes at Augsburg were exploratory and non-traditional,鈥� Grammens said. 鈥淚t was really about thought process, application, collaboration, and problem solving.鈥�

Around 2006, he started a company that was one of the first in the Twin Cities to develop mobile apps for major companies, and that鈥檚 when he said he felt like he had the income to give back.

鈥淚t breaks my heart if somebody is kicking butt in math, chemistry, or physics, and they know they want to be an engineer, but the barrier is just that they don鈥檛 have the money,鈥� Grammens said. 鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about giving to STEM programs because those students are working with technologies that are changing our lives, and I want to support that.鈥�

Grammens continues to make a positive impact on the lives of Augsburg students with annual donations to STEM programs, and you can too.

Donate to STEM programs and support Augsburg students as they conduct research with faculty, attend and present at national conferences, and hear from leading researchers.

Any gift made to any program will automatically count towards your class鈥� total for the Alumni Class Challenge!

Learn more ways to give.

Experience a life of giving with Wayne Kendrick 鈥�68

Posted on November 28, 2022May 7, 2024

When Wayne Kendrick 鈥�68, a religion and math major, enrolled at Augsburg as a junior, he was in the process of change.听

He spent years working towards becoming an actuary, but not long after his adult baptism, Kendrick would hear life calling him in a different direction.听

That鈥檚 when he started searching for Lutheran schools to attend. Kendrick said he wanted one with a different atmosphere than that which he had been accustomed to, mostly growing up in western South Dakota.听

Before even visiting Augsburg, Kendrick was drawn to the idea of a Lutheran college located in an area with vast cultural diversity and educational opportunities.

鈥淚 had a saying that I went by when I was in college,鈥� Kendrick said. 鈥淓ducation shouldn’t get in the way of your life’s education.鈥�

Kendrick recounted doing volunteer night patrols with the Way Center on the troubled streets of North Minneapolis and participating in a march for fair housing in Milwaukee with his college roommate and Father Groppi. He attributed these memories to an enriched college and life experience.听

鈥淎lthough I only attended Augsburg for two years, it had a real profound impact on my life,鈥� Kendrick said with a look of fondness and appreciation.听

After graduating, his giving journey began when he purchased a life insurance policy with Augsburg as the beneficiary. Kendrick would go on to enroll at Luther Seminary in Saint Paul and would later become a pastor.听

Kendrick continues to give back to the community that has influenced his life so immensely with multiple donations to the 厂迟别辫鲍辫庐 program and an annual gift to the Augsburg Fund.听

鈥淚 know without our [donor鈥檚] gifts, large or small, Augsburg simply wouldn鈥檛 exist,鈥� Kendrick said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just enough to be appreciative, one must also make sure that others can enjoy the benefits that we, ourselves, have enjoyed.鈥�

Join Kendrick and ensure students have an opportunity to receive the educational and life experiences they deserve by making your donation today!听

Any gift made to any program will automatically count towards your class鈥� total for the Alumni Class Challenge!

Learn more ways to give.

Remembering Sylvia Ann Sabo

Posted on November 3, 2022November 3, 2022

Sylvia Ann Sabo (nee Lee), 85, passed away on October 26, 2022.听

Sylvia attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and became a registered nurse. Her close connection to Augsburg began when she returned to Minneapolis, after spending a year as a traveling nurse, and married her husband, Martin Olav Sabo 鈥�59.

U.S. Representative Martin Olav Sabo 鈥�59, who passed away at age 78 on March 13, 2016, was a lifelong public servant who exemplified the progressive approach and personal integrity that were modeled in his Lutheran upbringing and education.听

Sylvia also found meaning in service. She was a long-time member of the Augsburg Associates, serving on the board and working on estate sales, events, and fundraising for the scholarship support of Augsburg students.

In addition, Sylvia was an active member of the Seward neighborhood in Minneapolis, a PTA president, and participated in the Seward community orchestra, an assembly of amateur neighborhood musicians. She also enjoyed singing at the Trinity Lutheran Church on Riverside Avenue. The couple had two children, Karin Mantor 鈥�86 and Julie Sabo 鈥�90, who also attended Augsburg.

The Sabo Center for Citizenship and Learning was founded on lessons that come from Sylvia and Martin鈥檚 work.听

In 2014, the Center for Democracy and Citizenship and the Sabo Center were combined into a single entity, bringing together these two traditions of public service and citizen engagement.听

Today, the Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship is recognized for its innovative leadership in democracy education, public work philosophy, experiential learning, and place-based engagement.

President Paul Pribbenow shared, 鈥淪ylvia Sabo was a beloved part of the Augsburg community. After Martin retired from the U.S. House of Representatives, and he and Sylvia returned to Minnesota, we enjoyed their warm hospitality for students and faculty as they shared their passion for public service and community engagement. The Sabo name will reside permanently on our center, organized to promote democracy and citizenship – recognition of both Sylvia and Martin who modeled for all of us what it means to be good citizens. Abigail and I will miss Sylvia鈥檚 warm smile and gracious presence in our midst.鈥�

The funeral service will be held on Monday, Nov. 7, at Lakewood Cemetery Chapel, 10:00 AM, followed by a brunch and interment.听

Read Sylvia鈥檚 .