Gustavus Adolphus College
Encyclopedia
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college
affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
located in St. Peter, Minnesota
, United States
. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly rooted in its Swedish and Lutheran heritage. The premier event on campus is the annual Nobel Conference, which features Nobel Laureates and other world-renowned scholars explaining their expertise to a general audience.
The college was founded in 1862 as a Lutheran parochial school
at Red Wing
by Eric Norelius
, pastor. Originally named Minnesota Elementar Skola (elementary school
in Swedish
), it moved the following year to East Union, an unincorporated town in Dahlgren Township. In 1865, on the 1,000th anniversary of the death of St. Ansgar, known as the "Apostle of the North", the institution was renamed and incorporated as St. Ansgar's Academy.
. On October 16, 1876, it opened as Gustavus Adolphus College at the current location, enticed to relocate to St. Peter
by the town's offer of $10,000 and a large campus. Gustavus is the oldest of several Lutheran colleges in Minnesota. It was founded as a college of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church
. In 1962 it became a college of the Lutheran Church in America
, when the Augustana Synod merged into that body. The Lutheran Church in American merged in 1988 to create the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
.
, Gustavus Adolphus College was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program
which offered students a path to a Navy commission.
was established in the mid-1960s when college officials asked the Nobel Foundation
for permission to name the new science building the Alfred Nobel Hall of Science as a memorial to the Swedish inventor, Alfred Nobel
. Permission was granted, and the facility's dedication ceremony in 1963 included officials from the Nobel Foundation and 26 Nobel Laureates. Following the 1963 Nobel Prize ceremonies in Stockholm, college representatives met with Nobel Foundation officials, asking them to endorse an annual science conference at the College and to allow use of the Nobel name to establish credibility and high standards. At the urging of several prominent Nobel laureates, the foundation granted the request, and the first conference was held at the college in January 1965.
Gustavus Adolphus is currently ranked among the best 100 national liberal arts colleges by U.S. News & World Report
. Gustavus moved up one place from 80th to 79th in the 2010 rankings. Students choose from over 70 programs of study with 75 majors in 24 academic departments and three interdisciplinary programs (including 14 honors majors), ranging from physics
to religion
to Scandinavian studies
. The College's Writing Across the Curriculum program fosters writing skills in all academic disciplines. Since 1983, the college has had a chapter of the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa
. The school operates Curriculum II, an interdisciplinary general education program. Recently the college instituted a test-optional admission policy, making it the first private college in Minnesota to forgo the ACT/SAT score requirement on its application.
, which seats 1500 people, stands in the center of campus. Gustavus' first building in St. Peter, affectionately known as "Old Main", originally housed the entire college. Major renovations to the building were completed in 2005. In the Fall of 2011, a new social science center is to be opened on campus. The campus is graced by 33 sculptures by the late Minnesota sculptor, Paul Granlund
, an alumnus of the college who for many years was sculptor-in-residence. Every tree indigenous to Minnesota is grown in the Linnaeus Arboretum
. In 2009 students founded Big Hill Farm, which grows produce for the cafeteria and aims to connect the campus to sustainable agriculture.
House. Students with permission from the college may choose to live off-campus within the community of St. Peter or elsewhere.
. Key sports at the college are tennis
, swimming
, golf
, basketball
, ice hockey
, football
, and soccer. The school's team name is the Golden Gusties, represented by a lion mascot because Gustavus Adolphus was known as "The Lion of the North." Gustavus has had three players drafted in the NFL Draft
: Russ Buckley in 1940, Kurt Ploeger
in 1985, and Ryan Hoag
in 2003.
The Gustavus women's softball team placed third in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2009. The Gustavus men's hockey team placed second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2009. The Gustavus soccer team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2005 — led in part by three-time all American Robert "Bobby" Kroog. In 2003 the Gustavus men's basketball team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament. In the middle of the twentieth century, the Gustavus football
team was coached by long-time coach/AD Moose Malmquist. In addition, the women's hockey team has won seven conference titles, including six straight, and has placed in the top four nationally in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2010.
Liberal arts colleges in the United States
Liberal arts colleges in the United States are certain undergraduate institutions of higher education in the United States. The Encyclopædia Britannica Concise offers a definition of the liberal arts as a "college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general...
affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
located in St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County.St...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly rooted in its Swedish and Lutheran heritage. The premier event on campus is the annual Nobel Conference, which features Nobel Laureates and other world-renowned scholars explaining their expertise to a general audience.
Mission and values
The college presents its mission as tied to the fact that it is a church-related college: A "private residential liberal arts college firmly rooted in its Swedish and Lutheran heritage.” While the institution offers many majors, the school also presents itself as a place where "a mature understanding of the Christian faith" is nurtured; so that “students are encouraged to work toward a just and peaceful world.” Many students are involved in volunteer work, and service learning is integrated into many of the courses on campus. Through such techniques, the institution realizes its self-stated core values of (1) Excellence, (2) Community, (3) Justice, (4) Service, and (5) Faith.Founding
Parochial school
A parochial school is a school that provides religious education in addition to conventional education. In a narrower sense, a parochial school is a Christian grammar school or high school which is part of, and run by, a parish.-United Kingdom:...
at Red Wing
Red Wing, Minnesota
Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Goodhue County....
by Eric Norelius
Eric Norelius
Eric Norelius was a Swedish-American Lutheran minister, church leader and author.-Background:Eric Norelius was born on October 26, 1833 in Norrbäck, Hassela parish, in Nordanstig Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden. He received his early education at Hudiksvall's allmänna läroverk...
, pastor. Originally named Minnesota Elementar Skola (elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
in Swedish
Swedish language
Swedish is a North Germanic language, spoken by approximately 10 million people, predominantly in Sweden and parts of Finland, especially along its coast and on the Åland islands. It is largely mutually intelligible with Norwegian and Danish...
), it moved the following year to East Union, an unincorporated town in Dahlgren Township. In 1865, on the 1,000th anniversary of the death of St. Ansgar, known as the "Apostle of the North", the institution was renamed and incorporated as St. Ansgar's Academy.
Renaming
In May 1873, the college was renamed Gustavus Adolphus Literary & Theological Institute in honor of King Gustavus Adolphus of SwedenGustavus Adolphus of Sweden
Gustav II Adolf has been widely known in English by his Latinized name Gustavus Adolphus Magnus and variously in historical writings also as Gustavus, or Gustavus the Great, or Gustav Adolph the Great,...
. On October 16, 1876, it opened as Gustavus Adolphus College at the current location, enticed to relocate to St. Peter
St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County.St...
by the town's offer of $10,000 and a large campus. Gustavus is the oldest of several Lutheran colleges in Minnesota. It was founded as a college of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church
Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church
The Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church was a Lutheran church body in the United States that was one of the churches that merged into the Lutheran Church in America in 1962...
. In 1962 it became a college of the Lutheran Church in America
Lutheran Church in America
The Lutheran Church in America was a U.S. and Canadian Lutheran church body that existed from 1962 to 1987. It was headquartered in New York City and its publishing house was Fortress Press....
, when the Augustana Synod merged into that body. The Lutheran Church in American merged in 1988 to create the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
.
World War II
During World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Gustavus Adolphus College was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V-12 Navy College Training Program
V-12 Navy College Training Program
The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II...
which offered students a path to a Navy commission.
Founding of the Nobel Conference
The annual Nobel ConferenceNobel Conference
The Nobel Conference is the first ongoing academic conference in the United States to have the official authorization of the Nobel Foundation in Stockholm, Sweden. It is held annually at Gustavus Adolphus College in St...
was established in the mid-1960s when college officials asked the Nobel Foundation
Nobel Foundation
The Nobel Foundation is a private institution founded on 29 June 1900 to manage the finances and administration of the Nobel Prizes. The Foundation is based on the last will of Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite....
for permission to name the new science building the Alfred Nobel Hall of Science as a memorial to the Swedish inventor, Alfred Nobel
Alfred Nobel
Alfred Bernhard Nobel was a Swedish chemist, engineer, innovator, and armaments manufacturer. He is the inventor of dynamite. Nobel also owned Bofors, which he had redirected from its previous role as primarily an iron and steel producer to a major manufacturer of cannon and other armaments...
. Permission was granted, and the facility's dedication ceremony in 1963 included officials from the Nobel Foundation and 26 Nobel Laureates. Following the 1963 Nobel Prize ceremonies in Stockholm, college representatives met with Nobel Foundation officials, asking them to endorse an annual science conference at the College and to allow use of the Nobel name to establish credibility and high standards. At the urging of several prominent Nobel laureates, the foundation granted the request, and the first conference was held at the college in January 1965.
Presidents of the college
- Eric NoreliusEric NoreliusEric Norelius was a Swedish-American Lutheran minister, church leader and author.-Background:Eric Norelius was born on October 26, 1833 in Norrbäck, Hassela parish, in Nordanstig Municipality, Gävleborg County, Sweden. He received his early education at Hudiksvall's allmänna läroverk...
, 1862–63, Founder - Andrew Jackson, principal 1863-73, acting principal 1874-76
- John J. Frodeen, principal 1873-74
- Jonas P. Nyquist, 1876–81
- Matthias Wahlstrom, 1881–1904
- Peter A. Mattson, 1904–11
- Jacob P. Uhler, acting president 1911-1913, 1927
- Oscar J. "O.J." Johnson, 1913–42
- Walter Lunden, 1942–43
- O.A. Winfield, acting president 1943-44
- Edgar M. Carlson, 1944–1968
- Albert Swanson, acting president 1968-69
- Frank Barth, 1968–75
- Edward A. Lindell, 1975–80
- Abner W. Arthur, acting president 1980-81
- John S. Kendall, 1981–91
- Axel D. Steuer, 1991–2002
- Dennis J. Johnson, interim president 2002-03
- James L. Peterson, 2003–08
- Jack R. OhleJack OhleJack Ohle is the President of Gustavus Adolphus College. He was previously the President of Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, from 1998...
, 2008-
Disasters
- On January 8, 1970, the Auditorium was completely gutted by a fire, after which it was not rebuilt.
- On March 29, 1998, the College's campusCampusA campus is traditionally the land on which a college or university and related institutional buildings are situated. Usually a campus includes libraries, lecture halls, residence halls and park-like settings...
was hit by a mile-wide F3 tornado that broke 80 percent of the windows, leveled nearly 2,000 trees, toppled the chapel'sChapelA chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
spireSpireA spire is a tapering conical or pyramidal structure on the top of a building, particularly a church tower. Etymologically, the word is derived from the Old English word spir, meaning a sprout, shoot, or stalk of grass....
, and caused more than $50 million in damages. This event is considered to be one of the most expensive college disasters in history. There was only one death (not a Gustavus student), despite the tornado's widespread path; this is most likely because most of the college's students were away on spring break at the time. Hundreds of volunteers worked to get the campus back into a condition where the students could return after a three-week hiatus. Still, students were forced to attend some classes in FEMA trailers as some on-campus buildings were too severely damaged.
Academics
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
. Gustavus moved up one place from 80th to 79th in the 2010 rankings. Students choose from over 70 programs of study with 75 majors in 24 academic departments and three interdisciplinary programs (including 14 honors majors), ranging from physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
to religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
to Scandinavian studies
Scandinavian studies
Scandinavian studies is an interdisciplinary academic field of area studies that covers topics related to Scandinavia and the Nordic countries, including their languages, literature, history, culture and society, in countries other than these. As described in the article on Scandinavia, that name...
. The College's Writing Across the Curriculum program fosters writing skills in all academic disciplines. Since 1983, the college has had a chapter of the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
. The school operates Curriculum II, an interdisciplinary general education program. Recently the college instituted a test-optional admission policy, making it the first private college in Minnesota to forgo the ACT/SAT score requirement on its application.
Campus
The campus features science facilities, computer and language labs, and a large, new dining facility. The college's Christ ChapelChrist Chapel
Christ Chapel is a church located in the center of Gustavus Adolphus College. Constructed from March 2, 1959 to fall 1961, the chapel was dedicated on January 7, 1962. Construction of the chapel was made possible by gifts from the congregations of the Lutheran Augustana Synod, a predecessor body of...
, which seats 1500 people, stands in the center of campus. Gustavus' first building in St. Peter, affectionately known as "Old Main", originally housed the entire college. Major renovations to the building were completed in 2005. In the Fall of 2011, a new social science center is to be opened on campus. The campus is graced by 33 sculptures by the late Minnesota sculptor, Paul Granlund
Paul Granlund
Paul T. Granlund was an American sculptor. His creative career spanned more than 50 years and more than 650 different works. Most of his work is figurative and made from bronze...
, an alumnus of the college who for many years was sculptor-in-residence. Every tree indigenous to Minnesota is grown in the Linnaeus Arboretum
Linnaeus Arboretum
The Linnaeus Arboretum, on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota, USA, contains a number of botanical gardens and an arboretum. The arboretum is named for Carolus Linnaeus, Swedish botanist. Its first trees were planted as small seedlings in 1973 on agricultural land.-...
. In 2009 students founded Big Hill Farm, which grows produce for the cafeteria and aims to connect the campus to sustainable agriculture.
Notable buildings
- Christ ChapelChrist ChapelChrist Chapel is a church located in the center of Gustavus Adolphus College. Constructed from March 2, 1959 to fall 1961, the chapel was dedicated on January 7, 1962. Construction of the chapel was made possible by gifts from the congregations of the Lutheran Augustana Synod, a predecessor body of...
- Folke BernadotteFolke BernadotteFolke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg was a Swedish diplomat and nobleman noted for his negotiation of the release of about 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps during World War II, including 450 Danish Jews from Theresienstadt released on 14 April 1945...
Memorial Library - Alfred Nobel Hall of Science
- O.J. Johnson Student Union
- Lund Center (Athletic complex featuring Gus Young Court and Don Roberts Ice Arena)
- Hillstrom Museum of Art, notable for its collection of American art from the Ashcan SchoolAshcan SchoolThe Ashcan School, also called the Ash Can School, is defined as a realist artistic movement that came into prominence in the United States during the early twentieth century, best known for works portraying scenes of daily life in New York's poorer neighborhoods. The movement grew out of a group...
- Linnaeus ArboretumLinnaeus ArboretumThe Linnaeus Arboretum, on the campus of Gustavus Adolphus College in Saint Peter, Minnesota, USA, contains a number of botanical gardens and an arboretum. The arboretum is named for Carolus Linnaeus, Swedish botanist. Its first trees were planted as small seedlings in 1973 on agricultural land.-...
- "Old Main" – National Register of Historic Places
- C. Charles Jackson Campus Center
- Over thirty Paul GranlundPaul GranlundPaul T. Granlund was an American sculptor. His creative career spanned more than 50 years and more than 650 different works. Most of his work is figurative and made from bronze...
sculptures
Campus life
The majority of the college's 2,600 students (known as "Gusties") live in dormitories on campus, in college-owned houses, and, a small minority, in theme areas, such as the Carlson International Center, CHOICE substance-free housing, and the SwedishSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
House. Students with permission from the college may choose to live off-campus within the community of St. Peter or elsewhere.
Arts
Many musical ensembles perform throughout the year, including the Gustavus Choir, the Choir of Christ Chapel, the Lucia Singers, the Gustavus Adolphus Symphony Orchestra, Gustavus Wind Orchestra, Gustavus Jazz Lab Band, etc. Theater and Dance events are also a vibrant part of "Gustie Life", with shows every fall and spring and a musical every other year. There are also two art galleries on campus, the Hillstrom Museum of Art and the Schaefer Art Gallery. The college's dining service includes a cafeteria, the Market Place. The Princeton Review ranked Gustavus 8th in its "Best Campus Food" category for 2009.Athletics
Gustavus is a founding member of the MIACMinnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference which competes in the NCAA's Division III. As the name implies, member schools are located in the state of Minnesota...
. Key sports at the college are tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
, football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, and soccer. The school's team name is the Golden Gusties, represented by a lion mascot because Gustavus Adolphus was known as "The Lion of the North." Gustavus has had three players drafted in the NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
: Russ Buckley in 1940, Kurt Ploeger
Kurt Ploeger
Kurt Ploeger is a former defensive end and defensive tackle in the National Football League.-Career:Ploeger was drafted in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. During the 1986 NFL season he was a member of the Cowboys, the Green Bay Packers, and finally the Buffalo Bills,...
in 1985, and Ryan Hoag
Ryan Hoag
Ryan Hoag is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the final pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, earning him the title of Mr. Irrelevant...
in 2003.
Men's
- BaseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
- Nordic skiingNordic skiingNordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
- Soccer
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
Women's
- BasketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
- Cross countryCross country runningCross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
- GolfGolfGolf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
- GymnasticsGymnasticsGymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
- Ice hockeyIce hockeyIce hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
- Nordic skiingNordic skiingNordic skiing is a winter sport that encompasses all types of skiing where the heel of the boot cannot be fixed to the ski, as opposed to Alpine skiing....
- Soccer
- SoftballSoftballSoftball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
- SwimmingSwimming (sport)Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...
- TennisTennisTennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
- Track and fieldTrack and fieldTrack and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
- VolleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
The Gustavus women's softball team placed third in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2009. The Gustavus men's hockey team placed second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2009. The Gustavus soccer team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2005 — led in part by three-time all American Robert "Bobby" Kroog. In 2003 the Gustavus men's basketball team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament. In the middle of the twentieth century, the Gustavus football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team was coached by long-time coach/AD Moose Malmquist. In addition, the women's hockey team has won seven conference titles, including six straight, and has placed in the top four nationally in 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2010.
Directors' Cup
Gustavus placed 8th in the 2008-09 Learfield Sports Directors' Cup standings. The Directors' Cup is the only all-sports competition in intercollegiate athletics. In Division III, standings are based on national tournament finishes in 18 sports. In 2002-03 Gustavus placed a school-best sixth in the Directors' Cup standings.Media
Gustavus Adolphus College is home to several publications and broadcasters:- The Gustavian Weekly, first published in 1891, is the campus newspaper and its oldest medium.
- Firethorne is an arts and literary magazine published twice per year. Students submit short stories, poetry, creative nonfiction, photography, visual art, or other creative content.
- KGSM is a webcast only radio station operated entirely by students. The station recently upgraded its studio to improve the quality of its webstream and added a digital audio workstation.
- The newest campus media outlet is GAC TV. Started by a group of students interested in bringing television broadcasting to campus, GAC TV became an instant success when students started watching the weekly show before free on-campus films.
- The Gustavian Yearbook publishes a yearbook for each class.
- TV broadcasts from Gustavus are released over Internet II.
- An alumni magazine, the Gustavus Quarterly, features articles of interest to graduates.
Notable alumni
- See also :Category:Gustavus Adolphus College alumni
- Henry N. Benson, Minnesota Attorney General (1929–1933)
- Eric ButoracEric ButoracEric "Booty" Butorac is an American tennis player. He is a doubles specialist, and has achieved some success in partnership with Britain's Jamie Murray, a fellow left-hander known as "Stretch". He was nicknamed 'Booty' by partner Murray...
, professional tennis player and 2011 Australian Open doubles semifinalist - Chad Wallace Brekke, Lead Pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, Brooklyn Park, MN, Lutheran church leader
- Norman CarlsonNorman CarlsonNorman Carlson is best known for his direction of the Federal Bureau of Prisons from 1970–1987 and longtime involvement with this bureau. During his 30 year involvement, he served in the United States Penitentiary of Leavenworth, Kansas, and also in the Federal Correctional Institution of Ashland,...
, Director of Federal Bureau of PrisonsFederal Bureau of PrisonsThe Federal Bureau of Prisons is a federal law enforcement agency subdivision of the United States Department of Justice and is responsible for the administration of the federal prison system. The system also handles prisoners who committed acts considered felonies under the District of Columbia's...
(1970–1987), President of the American Correctional Association (ACA), University of MinnesotaUniversity of MinnesotaThe University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
Professor of Sociology (1987–1998) - Joanell DyrstadJoanell DyrstadJoanell M. Dyrstad was the 43rd Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. She served January 7, 1991 to January 3, 1995 and was elected with Governor Arne Carlson. She ran for the U.S. Senate seat in 1994 but lost in the primary to Rod Grams...
, Minnesota Lieutenant Governor (1991–1995) - Adolph Olson EberhartAdolph Olson EberhartAdolph Olson Eberhart was an American politician, who served as the 17th Governor of Minnesota.-Background:...
, Minnesota Governor (1909–1915) - Kurt EllingKurt EllingKurt Elling is an American jazz vocalist, composer, lyricist and vocalese performer. Born in Chicago, Illinois, and raised in Rockford, Elling first became interested in music through his father, who was Kapellmeister at a Lutheran church...
, Grammy Award winning jazz vocalist - David EsbjornsonDavid EsbjornsonDavid Esbjornson is an award-winning director and producer who has worked throughout the United States in regional theatres and on Broadway, and has established strong and productive relationships with some of the profession’s top playwrights, actors, and companies...
, theatre director, worked on debut plays by Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, and Tony Kushner (world premiere of Angels in America: Millennium Approaches). Artistic Director of Seattle Repertory Theatre. - Paul GranlundPaul GranlundPaul T. Granlund was an American sculptor. His creative career spanned more than 50 years and more than 650 different works. Most of his work is figurative and made from bronze...
, sculptor - Paul D. HansonPaul D. HansonPaul D. Hanson is an American biblical scholar who taught for 40 years at the Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
, Harvard professor, archaeologist, and writer - Steve HeitzegSteve HeitzegSteve Heitzeg is a composer, whose work is honored throughout the United States.Heitzeg is known for his music written in celebration of the natural world, with evocative and lyrical scores frequently including naturally found instruments, such as stones, birch bark wind chimes and sea glass shards...
, Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning composer - Ryan HoagRyan HoagRyan Hoag is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Oakland Raiders with the final pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, earning him the title of Mr. Irrelevant...
, 2003 Mr. IrrelevantMr. Irrelevant"Mr. Irrelevant" is the title bestowed each year upon the last pick of the annual National Football League draft.- Irrelevant Week :The name arose in 1976, when former Southern California and NFL receiver Paul Salata founded "Irrelevant Week" in Newport Beach, California. He announced the final...
and former BacheloretteThe Bachelorette (Season 4)The Bachelorette 4 is the fourth season of ABC reality television series The Bachelorette. After a long three year absence of the show, the season premiere aired on May 19, 2008. This season featured Deanna Pappas courting 25 men. Pappas was rejected by Brad Womack in the eleventh season of The...
contestant - Brian "Big Arms" Barnes Body Consultant and Motivational Philosopher
- Bill HolmBill Holm (poet)Bill Holm was an American poet, essayist, memoirist, and musician.Holm was born on a farm north of Minneota, Minnesota in 1943 and attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota where he graduated in 1965. Later, he attended the University of Kansas...
, poet and writer - Craig JohnsonCraig JohnsonCraig Johnson may refer to:*Craig Johnson , member of the Alaska House of Representatives*Craig Johnson , American football coach*Craig Johnson , , NHL player...
, BishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, Minneapolis-Area Synod of the ELCA - Margaret Anderson KelliherMargaret Anderson KelliherMargaret Anderson Kelliher is a Minnesota politician and a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A Democrat, she represented District 60A, which includes portions of the city of Minneapolis in Hennepin County, located in the Twin Cities metropolitan area...
, Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives - Kevin KlingKevin KlingKevin Kling is an American commentator for National Public Radio and acclaimed storyteller.Kevin Kling grew up in Osseo, Minnesota and graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1979 with a B. A. in Theatre...
, actor and writer - Peter KrausePeter KrausePeter William Krause is an American film and television actor and film producer. He is perhaps best known for his lead roles as Nate Fisher on Six Feet Under, Adam Braverman on Parenthood, and Casey McCall on Sports Night...
, American film and television actor - Harold LeVanderHarold LeVanderKarl Harold Phillip LeVander was an American politician. He served as the 32nd Governor of Minnesota from January 2, 1967 to January 4, 1971 as a Republican, having defeated incumbent Karl Rolvaag, a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party , in the 1966 election.LeVander was born in...
, Minnesota Governor (1967–1971) - George LindbeckGeorge LindbeckGeorge Arthur Lindbeck is an American Lutheran theologian. He is best known as an ecumenicist and as one of the fathers of postliberal theology.-Early life and education:...
, Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
Professor of Theology - Douglas O. Linder, University of Missouri-Kansas City Professor of Law
- Luther LuedtkeLuther LuedtkeLuther Luedtke is an author, educator, and non-profit executive. He currently is president and chief executive officer of Education Development Center , a $145 million international research and development organization with headquarters in Newton, Massachusetts. EDC was recently named one of the...
, CEO of Education Development Center and former President of California Lutheran UniversityCalifornia Lutheran UniversityCalifornia Lutheran University is a university of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in Thousand Oaks, California.-Mission statement:The University's mission statement is as follows:... - Paul A. MagnusonPaul A. MagnusonPaul A. Magnuson is a United States District Judge from Minnesota.Magnuson was born in Carthage, South Dakota, a small town in the eastern part of the state. He graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1959, having served as president of the student body and an active member of the College...
, Senior Judge, U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota - James M. McPhersonJames M. McPhersonJames M. McPherson is an American Civil War historian, and is the George Henry Davis '86 Professor Emeritus of United States History at Princeton University. He received the 1989 Pulitzer Prize for Battle Cry of Freedom, his most famous book...
, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
-winning historian, author of the seminal Civil War monograph Battle Cry of FreedomBattle Cry of Freedom (book)Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era is a Pulitzer Prize-winning history of the American Civil War and its causes published in 1988 by James M. McPherson. Writing for The New York Times, historian Hugh Brogan described it as "...the best one-volume treatment of its subject I have ever come across... - Semonti Mustaphi, Deputy Press Secretary for First Lady Michelle Obama
- Reginald M. Penner, University of California, IrvineUniversity of California, IrvineThe University of California, Irvine , founded in 1965, is one of the ten campuses of the University of California, located in Irvine, California, USA...
Professor of Chemistry - Kurt PloegerKurt PloegerKurt Ploeger is a former defensive end and defensive tackle in the National Football League.-Career:Ploeger was drafted in the sixth round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. During the 1986 NFL season he was a member of the Cowboys, the Green Bay Packers, and finally the Buffalo Bills,...
, professional football player - Magnus RanstorpMagnus RanstorpDr Magnus Ranstorp, born March 13, 1965 in Hästveda, studies Hizballah, Hamas, al-Qaeda and other militant Islamic movements. He is the Research Director of the Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defence College, directing a project on Strategic Terrorist Threats to Europe...
, internationally renowned expert on terrorismTerrorismTerrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
and counter-terrorismCounter-terrorismCounter-terrorism is the practices, tactics, techniques, and strategies that governments, militaries, police departments and corporations adopt to prevent or in response to terrorist threats and/or acts, both real and imputed.The tactic of terrorism is available to insurgents and governments...
. - Allison RosatiAllison Rosati- Early life :Rosati was born in Dover, Delaware and grew up in Pine City, Minnesota. She attended Gustavus Adolphus College where she studied speech and communications. She graduated in 1985 and received cum laude....
, news anchorNews presenterA news presenter is a person who presents news during a news program in the format of a television show, on the radio or the Internet.News presenters can work in a radio studio, television studio and from remote broadcasts in the field especially weather...
for WMAQ-TVWMAQ-TVWMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
in ChicagoChicagoChicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles... - Patsy O’Connell Sherman, co-inventor of 3M3M3M Company , formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, is an American multinational conglomerate corporation based in Maplewood, Minnesota, United States....
ScotchgardScotchgardScotchgard is a 3M brand of products used to protect fabric, furniture, and carpets from stains.The original formula for Scotchgard was discovered accidentally in 1952 by 3M chemists Patsy Sherman and Samuel Smith... - Tom van Dell, manager of Drake BellDrake BellJared Drake Bell , better known as Drake Bell, is an American actor, comedian, guitarist, singer/songwriter, producer, and occasional television director. After beginning his career as a child star in the late 1990s and early 2000s, he appeared on The Amanda Show and became well-known among young...
and executive producer of 2003 cult classic Return To Sleepaway CampReturn to Sleepaway CampReturn to Sleepaway Camp is a 2008 American horror film starring Felissa Rose, Jackie Tohn, Paul DeAngelo, and Isaac Hayes; and was written and directed by Robert Hiltzik... - Earl WitteEarl WitteEarl Witte is a former player in the National Football League. He played with the Green Bay Packers during the 1934 NFL season.-References:...
, professional football player - Luther YoungdahlLuther YoungdahlLuther Wallace Youngdahl was an American politician and judge from Minnesota. He served as an associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court from 1942 to 1946, then as Minnesota's 27th Governor from January 8, 1947 to September 27, 1951, and finally as a judge for the U.S...
, Minnesota Governor (1947–1951) - Paul M. Youngdahl, Senior Pastor of Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, Minneapolis, the largest active Lutheran congregation in the world
- Steve ZahnSteve Zahn-Early life:Zahn was born in Marshall, Minnesota, the son of Zelda, who worked for the YMCA, and Carleton E. Zahn, a retired Missouri Synod Lutheran pastor. Zahn spent part of his childhood in Mankato, Minnesota, attending Kennedy Elementary School...
, American comedian and actor - G. Barry AndersonG. Barry AndersonGrant Barry Anderson is currently an Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court, sworn into office on October 13, 2004...
, Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court (sworn into office 2004), Class of 1976