Reputation impact: Fall 2025

In fall 2025, Augustana College launched a media strategy aligned with Bold & Boundless to highlight institutional leadership, faculty expertise and student-centered impact across local, state and national outlets.

• 50 earned media stories published across broadcast, print and digital platforms
• Broadcast reach: 48% television, 16% radio
• Print and digital: 26% newspapers and online features
• Voices elevated: 28 leaders, faculty and staff representing the breadth of Augustana’s expertise and community

Coverage consistently reinforced four priority narratives:

• Engaged learning activating classroom learning in real-time contexts
• Regional leadership and community impact
• Student success and access
• Developing health care leaders

The signal that matters most is consistency. Across outlets and issues, Augustana shows up as a values-driven, future-facing institution grounded in place and purpose.

What this signals

This coverage strengthens Augustana’s position in three key ways:

1. Leadership based in intention and purpose. Presidential and cabinet voices positioned as stewards of institutional responsibility during change.
2. Faculty as public scholars. Faculty expertise spotlighted to the public, exceptionally in health care, science, ethics, environment and the arts.
3. A college embedded in its region. Regular stories tied student learning to communities, problems and measurable impact in real time.

Augustana is leading the higher ed conversation locally, with increasing reach beyond the region.

Featured stories

Leadership visibility

• Presidential leadership
  • Andrea Talentino, Augustana President
• Institutional strategy and innovation
  • W. Kent Barnds, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Innovation
• Leadership visibility: Culture, belonging and community leadership
  • Dr. Dianna Shandy, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
  • Dr. Gauri Pitale, Vice President for Culture and Connection

Faculty expertise

• Health care, science and community wellness
  • Dr. Kimberly Murphy, Professor and Co-chair of Biology, Director of the Center for Advancement of Community Health and Wellness
  • Dr. Ann Perreau, Professor and Co-chair of Communication Sciences and Disorders
  • Dr. Dara Wegman-Geedey, Professor and Acting Co-chair (spring) of Biology
• Environment, place and regional problem-solving
  • Dr. Kevin Geedey, Professor of Biology, Bohdan Dziadyk Distinguished Chair in Environmental Science and Conservation
  • Dr. Sarah Lashley, Associate Professor and Co-chair of Environment, Geography, and Geoscience
  • Dr. Michael Reisner, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, Director of the Upper Mississippi Studies Center
• Arts, culture and humanities
  • Jeff Coussens, Professor and Co-chair of Theatre
  • Dr. Jon Hurty, Henry Veld Professor of Music, Director of Choral Activities, Augustana Choir, Conducting
  • Dr. Jason Mahn, Professor of Religion, Director of the Presidential Center for Faith and Learning, Conrad Bergendoff Professor in the Humanities
  • Dr. Doug Parvin, Professor of Philosophy

Staff leadership and student-centered impact

• Ashley Allen, Executive Director of Intercultural Experiences
• Liz Nino, Executive Director of International Enrollment
• Kai Swanson, Special Assistant to the President
• Payton Tucker, Director of Esports

Students tell their story

• Chole Brees ’27
• Kathryn Edwards ’29
• Ian Empen ’26
• Hamdiyya Hamidu ’26
• Lexi Seten ’26
• Maitreyi Shrikhande ’26
• Gianna Zampogna ’26 and Jordyn Van Santen ’26

Leadership visibility

Presidential leadership

Coverage featuring President Andrea Talentino positioned Augustana’s presidency as a voice of rigorous thinking and purpose during a period of change. These stories consistently framed Augustana’s leadership around access, health care education and mission-aligned growth, reinforcing the institution’s commitment to student success and ongoing impact.

Andrea Talentino, Augustana President

Institutional strategy and innovation

Media coverage of Augustana’s strategic leadership highlighted an institution’s intentional decision-making at a time of demographic, financial and structural shifts in higher education. These placements reinforced Augustana’s approach to innovation as disciplined, values-driven and focused on strengthening outcomes.

W. Kent Barnds, Executive Vice President for Strategy and Innovation

Culture, belonging and community leadership

Coverage in this area framed belonging as an institutional capacity that supports learning and community ties.

Dr. Dianna Shandy, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

Dr. Gauri Pitale, Vice President for Culture and Connection 

Faculty expertise

Faculty coverage consistently translated academic expertise into useful public understanding, reinforcing how learning at Augustana is activated in community settings.

Health care, science and community wellness

Strategic priority: Developing health care leaders

Faculty coverage in health care and science demonstrated Augustana’s model of applied scholarship grounded in community partnership preparing students for impact and career readiness. These stories connected classroom knowledge to current patient outcomes, regional health challenges and emerging workforce needs, reflecting Augustana’s leadership in undergraduate health care preparation.

Dr. Kimberly Murphy, Professor and Co-chair of Biology, Director of the Center for Advancement of Community Health and Wellness

Environment, place and regional problem-solving

Strategic priority: Regional impact and place-based learning

Coverage of environmental and regional problem-solving positioned Augustana as a college active in improving the Quad Cities. Faculty and students were collaborators with municipalities, nonprofits and community partners, advancing solutions while preparing students to lead in complex settings.

Arts, culture and humanities

Staff leadership and student-centered impact

Staff voices reinforced Augustana’s operational strength and its commitment to student access, experience and success.

Students tell their story

Augustana students used opportunities with the media to tell their stories about how Augustana supports its students.

The students’ stories demonstrate the distinct preparation offered through the well-rounded education offered at Augustana as they impact the region, activate classroom learning in communities and enter into careers as compassionate leaders.