Augustana University
Vikings | |
Sporting affiliations | NCAA Division II – NSIC |
---|---|
Mascot | Ole the Viking |
Website | www.augie.edu |
Augustana University is a
Augustana is South Dakota's largest private university[6] and offers Bachelor of Arts degrees in more than 50 major fields of study.
History
Augustana traces its origin to 1835 when Scandinavian immigrants established the Hillsboro Academy in
As the United States expanded westward during and after the American Civil War, pioneers moved the school to Paxton, Illinois, in 1863. There, a split occurred: the Norwegian leadership, desiring to create their school, relocated to Marshall, Wisconsin, in 1869,[7] while the Swedes later moved to Rock Island, Illinois, establishing Augustana College (Illinois). The school at Marshall moved to Beloit, Iowa, in 1881, and then to Canton, South Dakota, in 1888.[1]
The Lutheran Normal School opened in 1889 in Sioux Falls, housed in what is now known as Old Main, to educate teachers. City and business leaders lobbied for Augustana to relocate to Sioux Falls, and church leaders in 1918 merged the Lutheran Normal School and Augustana College in Canton under the name Augustana College and Normal School.[1] In 1926, "and Normal School" was dropped from the name and the Canton site eventually became Augustana Academy.[1] Despite the similarities in name, the academy was no longer affiliated with the college, and closed in 1971.[1] The 2010–11 academic year marked Augustana University's sesquicentennial.[8]
Augustana draws its name from the origin of the Lutheran Church in the Augsburg Confession, written in 1530 during the Protestant Reformation. "Augustana" stems from the document's Latin name, Confessio Augustana.[1] On August 21, 2015, the school announced that it would change its name from Augustana College to Augustana University as of September 1, 2015.[9]
Academics
Augustana University offers 53 majors, 34 minors, and 15 pre-professional programs.[10] The five most popular majors are nursing, biology, business administration, elementary education and psychology.[11]
The university's curriculum is based on a calendar divided into two 15-week semesters, separated by an interim period of four weeks during January, as well as an optional summer term of eight weeks. Classes are offered during January. The school has a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio,[12] and notable professors include L. Adrien Hannus and V.R. Nelson.[13]
Graduation requires 124 credit hours, 45 of which must be general education courses, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0. "S.O.P.H.I.A.", the name of the 45-credit core curriculum, derived from the Greek word "σοφία" meaning "wisdom," which "aims to create nationally-recognized critical thinkers with the ability to develop complex solutions for complex challenges and communicate effectively."[14] The acronym stands for "Science, Orientation, Perspectives, Humanities, Intersections, and the Arts." First-year students begin the SOPHIA requirements with a "First-Year Seminar," known colloquially as "FYS." The course split between two semesters, the first semester focuses on a topic selected by the professor with required writing and grammar components, and accounts for 3 credits. The second semester focuses on career building exercises, such as creating a résumé, writing a cover letter, and more; this second semester meets only once a week and accounts for 1 credit. Other SOPHIA requirements are split into three sections. The first is divided into six parts, all of which are required by all students to complete. The second is divided into eight parts, which students are required to complete only six of the eight. The final and third part, is divided into three parts with writing, ethics, and communication. Students are required to complete all requirements in the third section. Extensive internship, study abroad, undergraduate research and Civitas, the university's honors program, supplement the curriculum. Between 2007 and 2008, 285 students participated in an international educational experience, and 44% of students studied abroad before graduation.[11]
In 2017, U.S. News & World Report reported Augustana's financial endowment at $67.2 million.[2] Donations have allowed the school to expand its academic facilities, such as the $7 million renovation of the Mikkelsen Library[15] and the $45 million reconstruction of the Gilbert Science Complex, completed in 2015.[16]
Admissions and rankings
As of 2016[update], Augustana's student body consists of 1,825 undergraduates,
Those enrolled are primarily from South Dakota (42%) and Minnesota (34%), followed by Iowa (12%) and Nebraska (4%).
In the 2015 U.S. News & World Report ranking of Midwestern colleges, Augustana placed third.[2] The publication also named it a "Best Buy" school, a designation based on academic quality in relation to cost. The Princeton Review named Augustana one of 159 "Best in the Midwest" schools in 2015.[18] Forbes's list of "America's Top Colleges" placed Augustana 97th among schools in the Midwest and 423rd overall.[17] Peterson's 440 Colleges for Top Students featured Augustana, and Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That is Best for You listed the school as one of its "top 100 outstanding (but underappreciated) colleges."[25] The Templeton Guide selected Augustana as one of 100 select colleges and universities nationwide as part of its "Templeton Honor Roll".[citation needed] In 2021, Zippia named Augustana the top college in South Dakota, and No. 2 in the nation, for getting a job.[26]
Arts
Augustana created the Center for Western Studies in 1970,[7] founded by professor Herbert Krause,[27] which serves as a library, repository for special collections of art and artifacts, and academic publisher.[28] The center holds an annual Dakota Conference on the Northern Plains for history, literature, art, and archaeology. It is "the largest annual humanities conference specifically about the Northern Plains".[29] In addition to shows and galleries of Western, Scandinavian, and Native American art,[30] the Center also hosts the Boe Forum on Public Affairs,[29] which has featured speakers such as Pervez Musharraf, Sandra Day O'Connor, and Mikhail Gorbachev.[31]
The Augustana Choir and Concert Band tour widely nationally and internationally, including to the
The Augustana University Theatre Company presents 4 main-stage shows each year, one of which is a
In 2006, the Center for Visual Arts replaced the old art department buildings, previously used as barracks during World War II.[7] It has artist and professor studios, studio classrooms for design, drawing, printmaking, painting, sculpture, ceramics, an art education lab, and the Eide-Dalrymple Gallery, which hosts several art exhibitions every year.[38]
Civitas
Augustana's honors program, Civitas, launched in 2007 and is directed by sociology professor William J. Swart.
Natural sciences
An average of 90% of graduating seniors seeking admission into medical school have been accepted over the last three years, double the national acceptance rate, and the school claims a consistent 100% placement record of nursing graduates.[42]
Construction began on the Froiland Science Complex in August 2014, involving additions to and renovations of the existing Gilbert Science Center, and ended in December 2015.[43] The remodeled west wing of the building maintains the Gilbert name.[44]
Athletics
The Augustana Vikings participate in NCAA Division II athletics in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference. The Vikings joined the NSIC from the North Central Conference, which folded in 2008. The men's basketball team won the NCAA Division II national championship in 2016.[45] The women's basketball team advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2013.[46] The men's baseball team won the NCAA Division II national championship in 2018.[47] During both the 2004–05 and 2009–10 school years, Augustana wrestlers finished second in the NCAA Division II championship. The Sanford Pentagon is the home court for the men's and women's basketball teams. The Elmen Center, opened in 1989,[7] is the home court for the volleyball and wrestling teams. On December 13, 2018, President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin announced that Augustana would begin pursuing a transition to Division I as part of the university's "Vision 2030" plan. In the fall of 2023, Augustana University launched their Division I men's hockey team, a step towards Sandlin's goal.[48]
Media
The college used to operate a radio station, 89.1 FM KAUR, that broadcasts 24 hours per day. Until 2009, KAUR broadcast a variety of genres of music and specialized in independent or college rock. KAUR was founded in 1972. Augustana also had a self-constructed AM station, founded in 1945.[citation needed] In 2009, Augustana administrators discontinued KAUR's student operations in favor of broadcasting Minnesota Public Radio News.[49]
Notable alumni
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Augustana History". Augustana University. Retrieved July 8, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e "Augustana University". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on December 29, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ "University Leadership". augie.edu. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- ^ "Quick Facts". Augustana University. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Quick Facts". Augustana University. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved September 28, 2017.
- ^ "Doing Business in South Dakota (Public Universities)". Governor's Office of Economic Development. Archived from the original on September 8, 2008. Retrieved November 26, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "A Timeline of Notable Events in Augustana History". Augustana University. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Sesquicentennial Celebration". Augustana University. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Augustana University to Become Augustana University on Sept. 1". Augustana University. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
- ^ "Areas of Study". Augustana University. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
- ^ a b c d "Beyond the Rankings". Augustana University. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
- ^ "Academics". Augustana University. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Legendary Characters". augie.edu. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved October 31, 2016.
- ^ "Core Curriculum". Augustana University. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ "Momentum Augustana". Augustana University. Archived from the original on August 1, 2009. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
- ^ "Building the Sciences". Augustana University. Archived from the original on October 16, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2010.
- ^ a b c "Augustana College - Forbes". Forbes. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Augustana College (SD)". The Princeton Review. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
- ^ "Augustana College in Sioux Falls, SD". Peterson's. Retrieved Jan 29, 2017.
- ^ "Admission Requirements". Augustana University. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ a b "College Navigator - Augustana College". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
- ^ "Augustana Student Profile". Augustana University. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ "Cappex Profile - Augustana College". Cappex. Retrieved July 9, 2009.
- ^ "Augustana Reports Largest Number of International Students". Augustana University. Archived from the original on November 20, 2010. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
- ^ "Academics". Augustana University. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "The Best College In Each State For Getting A Job 2022 – Zippia". 21 July 2022. Retrieved 2022-07-25.
- ^ Munger, Mark (2010). "Reading Herbert Krause". Cloquet River Press. Retrieved 2021-01-26.
- ^ "Center for Western Studies". Augustana University. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ^ a b "Center for Western Studies". South Dakota State Historical Society. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ^ Olson, Virginia (February 20, 2015). "Whatever Happened To: The Savages". Argus Leader. Retrieved March 16, 2015.
- ^ "Past Boe Forum Speakers". Augustana University. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "The Augustana Band". Augustana University. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "The Augustana Choir". Augustana University. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "International Choir Tour 2006: Tarnzania". Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ Seelye, Katharine Q. (January 29, 2011). "For Americans Stranded in Egypt, No Quick Exits". The New York Times. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
- ^ "Theatre Performances". Augustana University. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "March 30–31: New Play Festival". Augustana University. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "Eide/Dalrymple Gallery". Augustana University. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
- ^ a b "Civitas (Honors Program)". Augustana University. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ^ Wendt, Megan (March 11, 2010). "First Civitas students graduate early". Augustana Mirror. Sioux Falls.
- ^ a b "Civitas—Frequently Asked Questions". Augustana University. Retrieved March 24, 2010.
- ^ "We prepare …". Augustana University.
- ^ "The Froiland Science Complex". Augustana University. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
- ^ "Construction Set to Begin on Froiland Science Complex". Augustana University. Retrieved August 21, 2015.
- NCAA.com. Retrieved Jan 29, 2017.
- ^ "Augustana University Athletics". goaugie.com. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
- ^ "Augustana caps Division II College World Series debut with first national championship". Argus Leader. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
- ^ "Badgers Dash Viking Hockey's Opening Series with 3-0 Win". goaugie.com. 2023-10-08. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
- ^ "KAUR To Be Broadcasting MPR". augie.edu. Retrieved January 29, 2017.