On Monday, Sept. 16, Mike Billington ‘02 from The University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center presented a pair of eagles to students, staff, and members of the public in Olin’s Auditorium on the Gustavus Adolphus Campus. This educational program was directed to the students of Dr. Richard Leitch’s Environmental Politics class and was sponsored by the Environmental Studies Department as well as the Margaret A. Cargill … Continue reading Lead bullets are poisoning bald eagles

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about our lives as stories. It’s a concept I learned as I spent the summer before my senior year of high school in Washington, D.C. at the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference. Our lives tell a story whether we realize it our not. Everyone has a story to tell. While in Washington, D.C., surrounded by 50 aspiring … Continue reading A story worth telling

It read, “Her resignation is effective immediately.” Chaplain Rachel Larson served the Gustavus community for 12 years, yet the only information released about her abrupt departure is a 190-word email that was sent to Gustavus students, faculty, and staff this summer announcing her resignation. Sent June 28, 2013, the day following the 764-word email announcing President Ohle’s retirement which described his 5 years of service … Continue reading Undeterred and unsatisfied

A friend of mine asked me a particularly interesting question towards the end of last spring semester. She told me that a mountain lion had been responsible for taking a baby directly from a backyard in California. This mountain lion (or puma or cougar) then dragged the baby off in what was to become a fatal attack. Now the question she asked me was, how do … Continue reading Where the wild things are no longer

This summer we all received the announcement that President Ohle would be resigning at the end of this year’s term, which means this fall the Presidential Search Committee will begin to look for our next president. It will be an ideal time for the Gustavus community to come together and begin discussing what values and characteristics we would like to see in the next leader … Continue reading We need a servant leader for president

St. Peter is changing, and I don’t think I like it. Returning to campus this year, I noticed a lot of things had changed– not just for St. Peter, but also Gustavus. The campus center is all switched around, the D Center is now tucked away in the PA’s old corner, and both Virgil and Judy are gone. Campus Safety and Res Life have new … Continue reading Coffee Talk

Here’s a plea that was stuck in my head during my summer in the Black Hills. “No more cars in national parks. Let the people walk. Or ride horses, bicycles, mules, wild pigs–anything–but keep the automobiles and the motorcycles and all their motorized relatives out. We have agreed not to drive our automobiles into cathedrals, concert halls, art museums, legislative assemblies, private bedrooms and the … Continue reading Persistent Plea