The name change aligns Augsburgā€™s programs with the professional title adopted nationally by the PA professionā€”a shift that aims to more accurately reflect PAsā€™ scope of practice, credentials, and role in delivering high-quality health care. The change will ensure consistency with professional standards and accreditation, while positioning Augsburg to support broader efforts across the state to modernize PA terminology in legislation and public understanding.

ā€œThe transition from ā€œassistantā€ to ā€œassociateā€ reflects the modern role of PAs as collaborative, highly trained medical professionals who practice medicine as part of health care teams,ā€ said Associate Professor Vanessa Bester, director of Augsburgā€™s School of Health. ā€œThis change reflects Augsburgā€™s ongoing commitment to leadership and innovation in health professions education.ā€Ģż

The change also brings together Augsburgā€™s Master of Science in Physician Associate Studies and Doctor of Medical Science degrees into a combined department. The Doctor of Medical Science program, launched in Fall 2025, advances practicing PAsā€™ leadership expertise in education, research, and health care administration.

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ā€œThe Study Abroad and Away Office is committed to making study abroad as affordable and accessible as possible, and the Gilman Scholarship plays a critical role in that mission,ā€ said Sarah Morgan, study abroad and away advisor for Augsburgā€™s Center for Global Education and Experience. ā€œWe offer information sessions, writing workshops, and advising support to help Auggies submit strong, competitive applications.ā€

Established in 2001, the U.S. Department of Stateā€™s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program has made study abroad more accessible and inclusive by providing scholarships to outstanding U.S. undergraduate students who, due to financial constraints, might not otherwise participate. Since the programā€™s inception, more than 50,000 Gilman Scholars have studied or interned in more than 170 countries.Ģż

ā€œWhile weā€™re proud to be named a Top-Producing Institution, the real credit belongs to our students, who dedicate significant time and effort to earning this prestigious scholarship,ā€ Morgan said. ā€œWeā€™re honored by this recognition and look forward to supporting even more Auggies as they pursue study abroad through the Gilman Scholarship Program.”

To learn more about Gilman Scholarships, visit . The Gilman competition is administered at Augsburg through the Center for Global Education and Experience.

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Reporter Becky Dernbach wrote that President Paul Pribbenow has spent the last few months sharing the story of Augsburgā€™s response to Operation Metro Surgeā€”supporting both students and the larger communityā€”with university presidents throughout the country.

“Iā€™ve been very careful to say, weā€™re hoping you donā€™t have to face this,” Pribbenow said. “But there still are important lessons here about how a community can come together no matter what the challenge is.”

He noted that students came back at a time when it would have been easy to stay away, and the school was able to continue its mission of education.

“Itā€™s not just what we did on campus, but itā€™s also how we embraced our neighbors,ā€ he said. ā€œIt could have gone in very different directions if people had not been supported, or they were too frightened to be here.”

Read the article via Sahan Journal:

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While Hashiā€™s eventual professional goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in pediatric neuropsychology, heā€™s drawn to teaching and mentoring young people and sees this opportunity in Uruguay to provide invaluable experience in a global environment. ā€œFor me, this opportunity connects directly to my long-term interest in understanding how culture and environment shape the brain and behavior, especially in clinical settings,ā€ Hashi said. ā€œI see it as a chance to step outside of a purely academic perspective and actually learn from a different system and community in a real, grounded way.ā€

Hashi became particularly interested in Uruguayā€™s program when he first learned about the countryā€™s strongĢżeducational system, varied population, and cultural life during a Spanish class he took three years ago. He appreciates Uruguayā€™s commitment to providing free, compulsory education and the programs designed to meet studentsā€™ technological needs across the country. Heā€™s eager to learn more about the countryā€™s traditions and festivals highlighting different aspects of Uruguayan culture. ā€œSeeing Uruguay create and nurture spaces that celebrate identity and community reflects values I also admire in the United States,ā€ Hashi said.

As a child of immigrant parents, Hashi said he empathizes with students from diverse backgrounds and can adapt his teaching style to create an inclusive learning environment, even in another country. He grew up in the Twin Cities suburbs, playing sports, joining clubs, and volunteering. When his family traveled to Kenya to take care of his ill grandmother, Hashi adapted to a Kenyan classroom with different expectations and cultural norms. As a Muslim student attending a Christian-affiliated university, interfaith understanding has been part of his everyday life. Additionally, English is Hashiā€™s second language; he remembers what it was like to learn more than one language during childhood and expects to bring aspects of that experience to his time in Uruguay, especially as he learns from the students in his classrooms.

ā€œI aim to be a living example to them that there isn’t just one way to learn a language,ā€ Hashi said. ā€œIn return, I hope they can show me their language and their culture. I hope they can share with me the joys of Spanish outside my textbooks and share with me Uruguayan culture so that I can enjoy it with them.ā€

Hashi made a strong impression on Augsburgā€™s Campus Committee Evaluation teamā€”a group of academic professionals who recommended him for the ETA program.

ā€œZair Hashi is one of the most delightful students I have met in my 30 years of teaching,ā€ deVries said. ā€œEvery encounter with him reveals a new story and layer of experience, all of which he recounts with joyful enthusiasm. He is an excellent student, but even more, he brings a collaborative spirit. Zair listens to those around him and seeks to understand.ā€ Established in 1946 as an investment in global peace and American prosperity through educational and cultural exchange, the prestigious Fulbright Program has provided nearly 450,000 students, scholars, scientists, professionals, teachers, scientists, and artists with opportunities to study, conduct research, and teach in over 160 countries and territories around the world. ĢżLearn more about Augsburgā€™s strong record of Fulbright awardees over the years.

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Eleven student groups, representing 35 Augsburg students, had a rare opportunity on April 24 to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas to a panel of judges in the spring ā€œBaby Sharkā€ contest.

Modeled after the reality TV series ā€œShark Tank,ā€ the competition gives students from Augsburgā€™s School of Business the chance to present business ideas, make the case for investment, and compete for prize money.

ā€œEach of the presentations was very good,ā€ said Kyle Wheaton ā€™99, one of the judges. ā€œThe students are doing a nice job. From an investment standpoint, the ideas were strong opportunities, but investors are also looking for a broader market that can support long-term success.ā€

The second-place team composed of all seniorsā€”Sena Dangul ā€™26, Samia Ahmed ā€™26, Hodan Huran ā€™26, and Sumeya Mahamed ā€™26ā€”shared a $2,000 prize for their pitch of K-Mall, a digital app designed for Karmel Mall in Minneapolis. The mall serves diverse communities and includes a wide range of retail businesses, but lacks wayfinding. Dangul said the competition format helped the team to narrow their focus on the business opportunity. In fact, they have already spoken with the mall owner about putting the idea into action. Judges offered advice on pricing, customer acquisition, and how to strengthen the business model.

Like K-Mall, the first-place concept, Pardon Our Produce, aims to solve a community problem. Developed by Max Milbrandt ā€™26, the idea addresses what happens to misshapen or expired produce that grocery stores can no longer sell.

Milbrandt, who has worked at Aldi for the past few years, said the experience led him to ask what more could be done with food that might otherwise go to landfills. His proposal would use two refrigerated vans to collect unsold produce and deliver it to nearby food shelves in the Seward, Powderhorn, and Riverside communities.

Milbrandt said he was thrilled to receive the first-place prize of $3,000.

Learn more about how the Augsburg School of Business cultivates entrepreneurship.

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Augsburgā€™s commencement ceremony includes an address by a student speaker and the presentation of two student awards. The Richard J. Thoni Award is given to one member of the graduating class whose actions, commitments, and future aspirations represent commitments to community, hospitality, and innovation. The Marina Christensen Justice Award is given to one member of the senior class whose actions, commitments, and future aspirations most profoundly exemplify Augsburgā€™s motto: ā€œEducation for Service.ā€Ģż

The ceremony recognizes candidates in Augsburgā€™s three doctoral, nine masterā€™s, and three bachelorā€™s degree programs:

• Doctor of Clinical Psychology
• Doctor of Nursing Practice
• Doctor of Medical Science
• Master of Arts in EducationĢż
• Master of Arts in Teaching
• Master of Arts in Leadership
• Master of Arts in Nursing
• Master of Business AdministrationĢż
• Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
• Master of Music Therapy
• Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies
• Master of Social Work
• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Music
• Bachelor of Science

Flags displayed at commencement represent sovereign nations of American Indian students and countries of the international students graduating in the ceremony.

Tickets are required to attend in person, but the ceremony will also be livestreamed via and commencement website. Follow the celebration through the hashtag #AuggieGrad on all social media platforms, where students will be sharing images of the celebration.

For more information, including accessibility information, visit the commencement website.

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Tim Pippert, Augsburgā€™s Joel Torstenson endowed professor of sociology, and Graduate Assistant Savannah Mitchell recently highlighted Augsburg Family Scholars on the ā€œ.ā€ Created by the University of Pennsylvania Field Center for Childrenā€™s Policy, Practice, and Researchā€”the podcast explores the pathways, resources, and relationships that empower older youth in foster care as they navigate the journey into adulthood.Ģż

Pippert developed Augsburg Family Scholars for young people with foster care backgrounds to find community and support on their education journey. In the podcast, Mitchell highlights the , an initiative in Minnesota that pays for the cost of college tuition for students with foster care experience to reduce disparities faced by this population when pursuing higher education. Augsburg Family Scholarsā€™ holistic approach provides financial resources, academic mentoring, and community building to student participants.

ā€œAugsburg Family Scholars works here because it takes an entire campus to do this really well,ā€ Pippert says in the podcast. ā€œWe work with admissions. When admissions sees a student who identifies with having a foster care background, they let us know so we can reach out to them. When students have an issue with financial aid, we send them to WonWon Bjorklund in student financial services, and WonWon answers their questions, not a random person behind the counter. When we have an academic advising issue, Julie Froslan Ferralez takes care of it. Julie advises all of our scholars. Like WonWon, like Stephanie Ruckel and Stacey Severson in ĀĢ²čÖ±²„ā€”theyā€™re just wonderful people.ā€

Listen to of the 2026 Field Center Aging Out Podcasts.

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ā€œThe opportunity to lead this remarkable institution has been the honor of my lifetime,ā€ said Pribbenow. ā€œI was originally drawn to Augsburg because of its strong sense of place and its Lutheran identity. What I quickly discovered was a community with an extraordinary commitment to meeting students where they areā€”a deeply engaged urban institution that has been transformed by its richly diverse student body. In many ways, telling this story has been my most important and meaningful job over the last 20 years.ā€

Pribbenow was inaugurated as Augsburgā€™s 10th president in the fall of 2006. For two decades, his articulation of a straightforward but powerful vision for Augsburgā€”ā€œWe believe we are called to serve our neighborā€ā€”has strengthened Augsburgā€™s institutional calling and commitment to place-based community partnerships. This vision served as a touchstone through a dynamic and sometimes turbulent period in higher education, as the Great Recession, COVID-19, federal policy changes, the murder of George Floyd, and Operation Metro Surge profoundly affected Augsburg’s students and surrounding community.Ģż

ā€œPaul Pribbenow has been a transformative leader not just for Augsburg, but for higher education nationally. At the center of his leadership is an understanding of what it means to pursue life in community, whether thatā€™s about Augsburgā€™s relationships in the neighborhood or the role of higher education in American democracy,ā€ said John Oā€™Brien, chair of Augsburgā€™s Board of Regents. ā€œAs a result, Augsburg has been able to thrive through a period of significant change while staying true to its deepest values and fundamental commitments.ā€

Over the past two decades, Pribbenow has overseen a sustained enrollment growth strategy predicated on reducing barriers for first-generation and low-income students and building trust with local communities. Today, Augsburg is recognized as the most diverse private college in the Midwest and a national leader in college access, service learning, and civic engagement. ā€œIā€™m very proud of how the Augsburg community has found ways to respond to our growing diversity and keep our students at the center, even when it has meant changing how we teach or do business,ā€ Pribbenow said.Ģż

A nationally recognized voice on philanthropy and American public life, Pribbenow has focused throughout his presidency on strengthening Augsburgā€™s culture of philanthropy. He played a key role in advancing Augsburgā€™s three most successful capital campaigns, helping to raise $55 million to construct the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion, which opened in January 2018; nearly $130 million to strengthen the universityā€™s endowment and other strategic priorities in the Great Returns campaign, which concluded in 2023; and already more than $25 million in the ongoing Promising Futures campaign to sustain academic innovation and Augsburgā€™s signature public programs.Ģż

In 2017, Pribbenow oversaw the name change from Augsburg College to ĀĢ²čÖ±²„, a move that reflected Augsburgā€™s expansive academic mission, excellence in both the liberal arts and professional studies, and global presence. Under his leadership, Augsburg has invested in new academic programs, including doctoral degrees in clinical psychology and physician associate studies; expanded its international programs through new Center for Global Education and Experience study sites in Norway and Northern Ireland; established the John N. Schwartz ā€™67 School of the Arts, which catalyzed the establishment of a five-school academic structure; implemented a new general education curriculum; launched the Augsburg Interfaith Institute; raised $10 million to endow the StepUPĀ® collegiate recovery program; led a national movement to transform college admissions through the Augsburg Applies to You initiative; and marked the universityā€™s sesquicentennial with the Augsburg150 strategic plan, a vision for sustainable growth in Augsburgā€™s next chapter. In 2010, Augsburg became the first higher education institution in Minnesota to earn the prestigious Presidential Award for Community Service, the highest national honor for service work. In 2020, Augsburg was named among the inaugural recipients of the Richard Guarasci Award for Institutional Transformation from Campus Compact, recognizing outstanding work in pursuit of the public purposes of higher education.Ģż

ā€œPaul Pribbenow is internationally renowned as a thought leader whose involvement in anchor institution work was critical in revitalizing collegesā€™ and universitiesā€™ understanding of their central civic mission. His exceptional tenure has been marked by a generosity of spirit and a belief in abundance that has truly helped make Augsburg part of our Cedar-Riverside community,ā€ said Paula Oā€™Loughlin, provost and senior vice president of academic and student affairs.ĢżĢżĢż

Nationally, Pribbenow has emerged as a leader in Lutheran higher education in the 21st century, serving as the current president of the 28-member Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities. He also serves on the national boards of the Coalition for Urban and Metropolitan Universities and Campus Compact, sits on the steering committee of the Presidentsā€™ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, and is active in the Anchor Institutions Task Force. Locally, he chairs the Cedar-Riverside Partnership and serves on the executive committee of the Minnesota Private College Council. Pribbenow received the Distinguished Service Alumni Award from Luther College in 2008, the William Burke Award for Presidential Leadership in Experiential Education from the National Society for Experiential Education in 2012, the Outstanding Fundraising Professional Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals in 2019, and the Alum of the Year Award from the University of Chicago Divinity School in 2025. He also was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the United International College in Zhuhai, China, in 2015. He is the co-author of ā€œRadical Roots: How One Professor Changed a Universityā€™s Legacyā€ and co-editor of ā€œThrough Truth to Freedom: Reconciling a Universityā€™s Past, Present, and Future.ā€

ā€œPaul Pribbenowā€™s administrative skills, outstanding fundraising abilities, and deep faith have substantially advanced Augsburgā€™s reputation in Minnesota and nationally,ā€ said Regent Emeritus Ted Grindal ā€™76, who chaired the presidential search committee that brought Pribbenow and his familyā€”including his wife, Abigail Crampton Pribbenow, and children Thomas ā€™23 and Mayaā€”to Augsburg in 2006. ā€œThe search committee was impressed by his articulate vision for Augsburg, but also for higher education in general. When my wife and I met his talented spouse, Abigail, we knew this was a ā€˜dream teamā€™ā€”the perfect fit at the right time for Augsburg.ā€

The Pribbenowsā€™ tenure has been marked by generosity and engagement. Over the past 20 years, they have hosted countless events for the Augsburg community in their home and been a visible presence on campus and at university events. In addition to her work at Yinghua Academy and as a certified funeral celebrant, Abigail Pribbenow has volunteered with the Augsburg Associates, Augsburg Health Commons, StepUP, Campus Kitchen, the Interfaith Institute, Christensen Scholars, and the Presidentā€™s Leadership Council. Strong supporters of the arts, the Pribbenows sponsored the artwork on the windows of the Hagfors Center main lobby atrium, which features Martin Luther’s handwritten version of ā€œA Mighty Fortress Is Our Godā€ overlaid with the cell structure of an American elm tree.ĢżĢż

ā€œEvery fall at our opening convocation, I tell our entering class what we expect of them as new members of the Augsburg communityā€”that they will show up, pay attention, and do the work,ā€ said Pribbenow. ā€œIā€™ve done my best to live up to that example as Augsburgā€™s president.ā€Ģż

Augsburg Board of Regents Vice Chair Pahoua Yang Hoffman will lead the presidential search committee in the process to select the next university president over the coming months. With support from higher education leadership consulting firm Academic Search, the 15-member committee includes representation from the Board of Regents (representing alumni and community members), faculty, staff, and students, with counsel from the Network of ELCA Colleges and Universities. Augsburgā€™s next president is expected to be named by early 2027 and to officially begin in July 2027.Ģż

Additional information about the presidential search and opportunities to celebrate Pribbenowā€™s legacy, including the Promising Futures celebration gala on October 2, will be shared in the coming months.ĢżĢż

Media contact: Rachel Farris, farrisr@augsburg.edu

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The panel will be moderated by Ted Chen, vice president for equity, culture, and learning at the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, who is a member of the host committee for Augsburgā€™s Interfaith Symposium on March 25. Following the panel discussion, attendees will share a meal together with table conversations about caring for one another during tumultuous times facilitated by volunteers from the Minnesota Multifaith Network.

Reservations are now open for this free, public reception.

A project of the WF Fund, spotlights overlooked stories of giving back fueled by Muslim American faith. Through storytelling that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of Muslim Americans, the exhibit aims to help break down racialized and stigmatized stereotypes, ignite passion for community, create a sense of belonging, and build bridges between the Muslim American community and the philanthropic ecosystem. Inspired Generosity previously opened in Atlanta and Chicago, with additional showcases in development in Albany, Seattle, Michigan, and Indianapolis.Ģż

The Minnesota exhibit will run for two months, from March 24ā€“May 23, 2026, at the Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) in north Minneapolis.

Event Details and Registration

Inspired Generosity Minnesota: Showcase Opening Reception
March 24, 2026
4:30ā€“7 p.m.

Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center
2001 Plymouth Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55411

About Interfaith at Augsburg

Situated in a neighborhood home to numerous immigrant communities and with an increasingly diverse student body, ĀĢ²čÖ±²„ is uniquely positioned to facilitate building bridges in a polarized world. Augsburgā€™s commitment to interfaith engagement is central to its mission, identified as a key outcome of its strategic plan, and rooted in its Lutheran theological heritage. Through interfaith education and intentional opportunities to strengthen interreligious communication, understanding, and relationships, Augsburgā€™s Interfaith Institute advances peacebuilding on campus, in the community, and beyond. Learn more at augsburg.edu/interfaith.

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Baileyā€™s keynote address, ā€œHealing the Earth, Healing Ourselves,ā€ will draw on her work as an ordained minister, public theologian, and national leader in the multifaith movement for justice.Ģż

ā€œJen Bailey is the right voice for our times,ā€ said Professor Najeeba Syeed, El-Hibri Endowed Chair and executive director of Interfaith at Augsburg. ā€œShe not only believes in building a better world for all, she embodies it in her ministry, professional work, and personal life.ā€

Baileyā€™s career has been anchored in service to community and a commitment to justice. She is the founder of , a Womanist-led organization equipping community organizers, faith leaders, and activists with resources for connection, spiritual sustainability, and accompaniment, and a co-founder of , an initiative that brings people together across lines of difference to engage constructively on issues affecting their communities. Currently, Bailey serves as executive director of the , a Nashville-based philanthropic foundation investing in the leadership of young people and the vitality of the natural environment. An ordained itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, she has been named an Ashoka Fellow, an Aspen Ideas Scholar, an On Being Fellow, and a Truman Scholar.

Following the keynote address, a luncheon and panel discussion will take place at 1:00 p.m., featuring conversation with Anne Doepner, senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion for the Minnesota Vikings; Monica Ibarra, previously of Mayo Clinic; and an Augsburg student leader.Ģż

Event Details and Registration

Keynote Address with Rev. Jen Bailey
March 25, 2026ā€”12 p.m.
Sateren Auditorium, Anderson Music Hall
715 22nd Ave. S., Minneapolis
Cost: Free (advance registration required)

Luncheon and Panel Discussion with Anne Doepner and Monica Ibarra
March 25, 2026ā€”1 p.m.
Hoversten Chapel, Foss Center
625 22nd Ave. S., Minneapolis
Cost: $20 for community members, free with Augsburg ID (advance registration required)

Learn more and register now.

About Interfaith at Augsburg

Situated in a neighborhood home to numerous immigrant communities and with an increasingly diverse student body, ĀĢ²čÖ±²„ is uniquely positioned to facilitate building bridges in a polarized world. Augsburgā€™s commitment to interfaith engagement is central to its mission, identified as a key outcome of its strategic plan, and rooted in its Lutheran theological heritage. Through interfaith education and intentional opportunities to strengthen interreligious communication, understanding, and relationships, Augsburgā€™s Interfaith Institute advances peacebuilding on campus, in the community, and beyond. Learn more at augsburg.edu/interfaith.

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