An Augustana love story

Students share the moments when they fell in love with Augustana.

Aaron Sieve '17, Lisle, Ill. (biology, biochemistry, public health)

"I fell in love with Augustana my freshman year during week zero and the first week of classes. Each new classmate that I met was friendly and all the faculty and staff was devoted to making the transition to college as comfortable as possible. This term of my senior year I once again feel this sense of place as my professors have shown genuine interest in helping me with my plans after undergrad, often times seeking me out to talk. I know that this focus on each student as an individual and commitment to our development as both students and people is a unique to Augie."

Joshua Iyer '19, Aurora, Ill. (music composition)

"When I saw how beautiful the campus was, and pictured myself composing music while walking around on a beautiful sunny morning. After I had gotten to know the campus, I really grew to love how friendly and nice all of my professors were, and how willing they were to help me do my best in every subject, even if it was a topic I wasn't too comfortable in."

Amy Kalkhoff '20, North Liberty, Iowa (biology, pre-veterinary medicine)

"I fell in love with Augustana after my first term on campus because the volleyball team and I went through a lot together, my classes were hard but interesting, and the first floor in Andreen had become my home away from home. "

Emily Grooms '17 Coal Valley, Ill. (psychology and art)

"I fell in love with Augustana when I was a child in elementary school, visiting for field trips. I was in awe of the Geology Museum, Art Museum, and planetarium. As a person who grew up in the Quad Cities, Augie was always viewed as a prestigious and beautiful place to attend undergraduate college, with a variety of opportunities offered that are really unique. Augustana College definitely lived up to its reputation."

Michael Partyka '18, Waukegan, Ill. (French, economics)

"During my second year when I had the chance to take upper level French classes. It really made me a deep appreciation of poetry and theatre that I never had before."

Marielena Castillo '20, Marseilles, Ill. (biology, psychology, pre-physical therapy

"I fell in love with Augustana when I met the cross country team. Such a lovely and lively group of people that I doubt I'll ever forget. I wouldn't want to run for any other school."

Leonie Hoang '20, Hanoi, Vietnam (English, environmental studies, theatre)

"I fell in love with Augustana right from the moment I walked into the forestry campus, but the moment that made me love Augie more than ever was at the International Street Fest. People from all the countries and cultures around the world stood with each other, represented the diversity and unity of the campus. I could not be more happy for having chosen Augie to be my second home."

Lauren Imhoff '19, Manitowoc, Wis. (biochemistry, art)

"I fell in love with Augustana from the first time I visited as a high school senior. Ever since then, my love for Augie has been continuously renewed through everything from the Cardboard Regatta at homecoming to the beauty of campus in the spring and fall. I always feel at home here."

Emily Graziano '19, Arlington Heights, Ill. (communication studies, business)

Lauren Mainz '18, Villa Park, Ill. (biology, psychology)

"Falling in love, for most people, doesn’t happen the first time you see it, him, or her. It’s a gradual occurrence. One where you don’t realize how far along you are until you’re already mid-freefall and it’s too late to stop it. Of course there are small things you notice about how lucky you are or how beautiful it is. But it’s not until you’ve already fallen and are unable to get back up or catch your breath that you know you’re really in love.

"This was the case for me with Augie. Prior to entering my first year, I knew it was beautiful and that the course offerings were exactly what I wanted out of a school. And after school life began, I was making friends and joining extracurriculars and finding more and more reasons why Augie was the perfect choice for me. But it wasn’t really until the beginning of my junior year that I knew I had made the perfect choice and that I was irreversibly in love with Augustana. My professors and advisors treated my like an actual human, cared about my personal situation and did all they could to help me succeed and do what I wanted to do with the rest of my time enrolled here. Everything had finally fallen into place just how I hoped they would, my friends had become my family, and Augie had become my home."

Ashton Hutcheson '18, Carol Stream, Ill. (biology, Spanish, public health)

The first time I fell in love with Augustana was when I was a junior in high school. It was my first college visit and I came to take a look around and get a feel for what college life might be like. I took the trip with my cousin. When I arrived, the Brew and Gerber center were under construction and we had to take a makeshift bridge to get to upper campus. I looked down below as I walked over the slough, complete with trees and the sound of birds chirping. I then knew that this was the place for me. My cousin and I joked that maybe we would go here together, not thinking anything of it. This year, she is a senior here at Augie and I am a junior. Who would've known we'd end up here together from our very first college visit! I can remember sticking the address label from my acceptance letter to the bottom of my computer, hoping I could leave it there as an official student of Augustana College. I was soon able to commit and start my college journey. The second time I fell in love with Augustana was when I rushed, pledged, and was activated into a sorority here on campus. Each and every sister of mine pushes me to be the best version of myself, and I don't know how I would've gotten through all the late nights, exams, and tough classes without them. Never have a I felt more loved, cherished, and accepted for who I am than I do here at Augustana.

Madison Vandersee '18, Sterling, Ill. (geography, environmental studies, geology

I fell in love with Augie the first time I visited in high school. I was able to sit in on a few classes and immediately felt like part of the community. The professors were open to my questions and were very honest with what I needed to hear about the college, not just what I wanted to hear. I continue to fall in love with Augie with every new class I take and every new person I meet.

Amanda Whelan '18, Niles, Ill. (business, sociology)

I fell in love with Augustana the moment that I stepped foot on campus. I remember sitting in on a business class and having that "this is where I'm meant to be" feeling. Augustana was my first college visit and my family didn't want me to make a decision without visiting other schools first. That's when I really fell in love with Augie. There wasn't a single school that compared. No other school's student life, business program or dance team could even come close to the way I felt at Augustana. Now that I'm in my junior year here, I truly could not picture loving any school more than I love Augie.

Allie Bettenhausen '17, Mokena, Ill. (multimedia journalism)

I fell in love with Augustana from the moment I stepped on the campus for my visit in the fall. Not only was it the scenery of the beatufiul fall leaves on the slough that hooked me, it was so much more than that, it was the various group of friends sitting in the quad doing homework or hanging out, listening to music, it was the smiles i received from everyone that walked past me and said hello, it was my softball team being so open to me and making me feel so welcome. It was hard not to fall in love with Augie the moment i got here and still to this day as a Senior for years later I'm still as in love with this school as i was the first time I stepped on campus.

Eileen Ruppel '18, Sugar Grove, Ill. (religion, graphic design, Greek)

I fell in love with Augustana the first (of several) visits to campus I made during high school. I was going up to Admissions for an interview, and it was summertime and there was construction and landscaping going on outside of Founders. One of the people working on gardening looked up from what he was doing and said hello and talked to me and my family, even though it was clear he was busy. I fell in love with Augustana right then because I realized that kindness and hospitality are infectious here.

Elizabeth Farwell '18, West Dundee, Ill. (communication studies, sociology)

I fell in love with Augustana towards the end of my junior year after realizing how incredible the people I had surrounded myself with were. Finding the right friends is crucial to your college experience and I definitely found the group that was right for me.

Sarah Lipps '18, Urbana, Ill. (biology, Spanish)

I fell in love with Augustana during one of my toughest terms my sophomore year. I was taking a rigorous course load, and visited a professor during their open office hours. After sitting in that office for nearly an hour, I suddenly realized that going to a school in which the faculty take the time out of their own busy schedules to ensure that I am understanding a concept clearly was when I fell in love. At Augustana, the teachers bend over backwards to make sure you are in an environment to be the best scientist, historian, philosopher, etc. you can be.

Rene Powers '20, Stockton, Ill. (English)

I fell in love with Augustana the first time I talked to Mike Pettis when I was a Junior in high school; his description of the opportunities Augie offered was like a beacon lit specifically for me on my path. Even more so, I fell in love when I finally arrived on campus and took hold of those opportunities, landing an internship one month in to my first year at Augie. I fell in love with Augustana when it snowed on campus for the first time during my second-term. I was captivated by the beautiful landscape, all covered in white, and it took all I had to not stare out my dorm window every day when there was still homework left to be done. I fell in love with Augustana during all those rainy days when ACES had my back and drove me back to my dorm, free of charge. I fell in love with Augustana just a few weeks ago, when a professor from my fall term reached out to me about a study away they thought I would "be a good fit" for; if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be traveling to Holden Village next year! Every day there's something new about Augustana that I fall in love with. The Augie magic is endless!

Sarah Oswald '18, Batavia, Ill. (geology, environmental science)

When I first came to visit and saw the beautiful campus. Everyone was smiling and welcoming and it already felt like home. When I first came to visit and saw the beautiful campus. Everyone was smiling and welcoming and it already felt like home.

Amanda Ebert '17, Geneva, Ill. (graphic design, Asian studies, art)

I fell in love with Augustana before I even saw it in the fall, saw all the fat squirrels hiding their nuts and before I even enrolled. I realized Augustana was my home on my way back from another college visit. I had started to cry in the car because of this realization! The best part was my mom was laughing at me. She responded, “I knew Augustana was right for you the moment we visited but I wanted to let you figure it out yourself." She and I listened and danced to Jet all the way home.

Nicolette Sliwa '17, Woodridge, Ill. (biology, pre-veterinary medicine, history, biochemistry)

The professors are everything. I remember even on my first morning of classes as a freshman, I immediately sensed both the passion they have for the material, as well as the genuine concern they have for their students' success and learning. This amazing trend has continued with every single one of my instructors here, four years later. So as my time here at Augie is coming to a close, the little things like those professors you had as a first-year saying hello to you by name when you cross paths, hearing the bells of Old Main ring, and walking along the slough on a warm afternoon, I am constantly reminded to appreciate this campus and everyone on it and think, "You're really going to miss this..."

Emilie Antolik '17, Rochelle, Ill. (creative writing, Scandinavian studies)

I fell in love with Augustana during many of my adventures with my friends my freshman year. By making wonderful memories, I grew to love campus even more.

Irene Mekus '17, East Moline, Ill. (geography, public health, anthropology)

When I took my first Anthropology class!

Autumn Loucks '19, Omaha, Neb. (religion, Japanese)

I fell in love with Augie during my first visit to the campus. I love the atmosphere here and the beautiful scenery. The Professors are nice too and will do anything to help you out.

Elizabeth Paris '18, Orland Park, Ill. (biochemistry, French)

I first fell in love with Augustana on a tour day the summer before my senior year in high school. As soon as I walked on campus I fell in love with the scenery, and the day just got better from there! There wasn't one single thing that caused me to fall in love with Augustana, but the atmosphere and the experience as a whole told me that this was where I would attend college. Receiving my acceptance letter in the mail was what truly sealed my love for Augustana.

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