Campus update: Off to a good start

Feb. 4, 2022

A great start to the semester!

Thank you to the hundreds of community members who have notified the college of their COVID booster shots.  As of now, 1,897 people (1,496 students and 401 employees) have uploaded proof of their boosters.

(Please do so if you have not yet: → Vaccination/booster registration) 

On Tuesday, campus surveillance testing found just five positive cases — four students and one employee — among the 426 people who tested. 

We've seen a steep decline in the number of new cases on campus since early January. The total number of new active student cases this week (Jan. 31-Feb. 3) was seven.

In addition, 55 people have tested at the clinic on campus this week, and none of them tested positive.  

A complete summary is shared every Monday on the COVID dashboard.

More than half of our grads have 2 or 3 majors

Around the country, about 25% of college students complete a double major. At Augustana, it’s much higher — 53.4% of the Class of 2020 had double or triple majors.

One advantage to double majoring is that recruiters will take notice. Especially the uncommon combinations will get a second look from graduate schools and employers.

→ Read on to find out why.

Today's updates:

• The 23rd annual Vázquez-Valarezo Poetry Award competition is open. This year's topic is "Silenced Voices." There are cash prizes, and the submission deadline is March 11.

• Speaking of poetry, Live On Campus and Dat Poetry Lounge are looking for participants in the Healthy Relationships Month poetry night Feb. 10. 

• The deadline is Monday to apply for a Freistat Center Study Abroad Grant. Grants may be used for travel this summer 2022 and the 2022-2023 academic year. 

• The Augustana College Express Service (ACES) is looking for drivers. Applications will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. Feb. 15.

• The Augustana Bookstore is running a special on Augie crews for $21.99 in various new colors, including green, blue, purple, teal and gray.

 Graduating seniors should order their caps and gowns by March 20.  If all you want to receive is the cap, gown and tassel, select the package that has no cost to you. See graduation information for students and families for details.

 The Augustana women's wrestling team made history Jan. 21 by notching its first-ever dual-match win over Lincoln College. The Vikings will finish their first regular season Saturday at the Grand View Open in Des Moines.

 Molly Fank of women's soccer and Matt Payton of football were named Jack Swartz Academic All-Conference recipients this week. Also, more than 100 Vikings were recognized on the Dave Wrath Academic All-Conference list.

Mark your calendar for April 8!

Aaron Dworkin will perform his spoken word composition, "The American Rhapsody," on April 8 with the Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Fernanda Lastra conducting.  

He was a member of the Obama National Arts Policy Committee and is the founder and president of the Sphinx Organization, a group that focuses on diversity in the arts.

Students will be able to meet Dworkin on campus that day. Details to come.

Here is more about Aaron Dworkin and a music sampler.