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Celebration of Learning 2025

May 7, 2025

Celebration of Learning

The annual Celebration of Learning showcases work by students, faculty and staff at Augustana.

This year's celebration on May 7, 2025, includes poster presentations, interactive sessions, panel presentations and special events.

Featured presenters include:

  • Stephanie Dykes, "Transgender and Lutheran: A Journey of Self-Acceptance" (10-11:15 a.m., Olin Auditorium)
  • Dr. Jane Simonsen, Dr. Chris Strunk and Dr. Jason Mahn, "Replacing History and Reclaiming Mission at Augustana" (11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Olin Auditorium)
  • Carter Thompson '25 and Dr. Chris Strunk, "Complete Streets? Mapping Bikeability and Safety in Moline, IL" (2:30-3:45 p.m., Olin Auditorium)

Special events include:

  • "NeurdFest: Engaging Elementary and College Students in Brain Awareness," presented by faculty Dr. Rupa Gordon, Dr. Scott Gehler, Dr. Ian Harrington and Dr. Shara Stough; and students Kiana Breuer, Ella Check, Cristina Costa, Akla Gebreselassie, Lizzy Hughes, Edgar Ortiz-Flores, Ximena Osorio Rodriguez and Maitreyi Shrikhande (9-11 a.m., Evald 017, 018, 021 and 027)
  • "Developing Key Communication Materials and Strategies to Successfully Launch Your Career," presented by Shelby Olson and CORE (9-10:30 a.m., John Deere Auditorium)
  • Kinesiology Fitness Clinic, presented by Kinesiology 300 students (9 a.m.-3 p.m., Lindberg labs)
  • "Lifeboat Challenge," presented by Augustana Leaders in Vocational Exploration (11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., Wallenberg Hall
  • "APEP Greece Trip Journals," presented by Dr. Kirsten Day with APEP students Ben, Aaron, Chris, Drew, Jereme, Jorge and Matt (9 a.m.-4 p.m., Old Main first floor rotunda)
  • "Rag Doll on a Bomb Site: Behind the Music" (performance and talkback), presented by Shelley Cooper (1-2:15 p.m., Wallenberg Hall)

Poster presentation sessions will be held in the Gävle Room, Gerber Center, in two sessions: 9-10 a.m. and 1-2:15 p.m.

Oral presentations are hosted in various campus locations, in four sessions: 10-11:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., 1-2:15 p.m. and 2:30-3:45 p.m.

Schedule overview

Oral presentations

Poster presentations and exhibits

Honors and achievements

Stephanie Dykes
Stephanie Dykes

"Transgender and Lutheran: A Journey of Self-Acceptance"

Stephanie Dykes
10-11:15 a.m.
Olin Center auditorium

The presenter will describe her decades - long process of reconciling her identity as a Lutheran and her identity as a transgender woman. There will be opportunities for questions throughout the presentation and at the end of the presentation.

"Replacing History and Reclaiming Mission at Augustana"

Dr. Jane Simonsen, Dr. Chris Strunk and Dr. Jason Mahn
11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Olin Center auditorium

Description coming soon

Two bicyclists

"Complete Streets? Mapping Bikeability and Safety in Moline, IL"

Carter Thompson '25 and Dr. Chris Strunk
2:30-3:45 p.m.
Olin Center auditorium

A mixed-method exploration of Moline, Illinois’ Complete Streets initiative, this project examines the initiative’s impact on bike safety and bikeability through GIS analysis and ethnographic research, highlighting how a liberal arts approach to research can help uncover the multifaceted effects of urban design on everyday mobility, safety, and community experience

Special events

"NeurdFest: Engaging Elementary and College Students in Brain Awareness"

Dr. Rupa Gordon, Dr. Scott Gehler, Dr. Ian Harrington, Dr. Shara Stough, Kiana Breuer, Ella Check, Cristina Costa, Akla Gebreselassie, Lizzy Hughes, Edgar Ortiz-Flores, Ximena Osorio Rodriguez and Maitreyi Shrikhande

9-11 a.m.
Carlsson Evald Hall, Evald 017, 018, 021 and 027

The Neuroscience Program’s brain awareness outreach event, ‘NeurdFest’, is back for its eighth year. Since 2015 we have brought second grade students from Longfellow Elementary to campus to learn about the brain. For several of those years, the Longfellow teachers have prepared their students for the event by reading the book, Your Fantastic Elastic Brain: Stretch It, Shape It, written by JoAnn Deak and illustrated by Sarah Ackerley. While on campus on the morning of the Celebration of Learning, around 40 elementary students will learn about the general functions of the brain, how the brain engages with sensory information, how brain cells transmit information, how the brains of different animals compare, and, perhaps of greatest practical significance, why it is important to practice brain safety, all through a series of interactive exhibits. As facilitators of these exhibits, our student volunteers learn how to engage others with the academic discipline in which most of them have chosen to major and share their love of learning with others. The enthusiasm of students from both Longfellow and Augustana suggests that this annual outreach program will continue for many years to come.

"Developing Key Communication Materials and Strategies to Successfully Launch Your Career"

Shelby Olson and CORE

9-10:30 a.m.
John Deere Auditorium

This presentation will focus on helping students understand how to develop a project planning perspective and effective communication mediums to execute a strategic approach to securing their career foothold position as well as to continue employing a proactive career management approach throughout their careers.  Concepts and techniques covered will include computer folder organization, project planning/calendaring techniques , developing and effectively delivering a personal branding statement (30-second commercial), contemporary resume development (including use of keyword identification/optimization for clearing applicant tracking systems), building an optimized LinkedIn profile to support a strong personal/professional brand, and planning and executing high yield networking (informational) conversations.

Kinesiology Fitness Clinic

Kinesiology 300 students

9 a.m.-3 p.m.
(Peter J.) Lindberg, M.D., Center for Health and Human Performance, Lindberg labs

Come to the Peter J. Lindberg, M.D., Center for Health and Human Performance on Wednesday, May 7th, from 9am - 3pm to get either a body composition or VO2 max test conducted by students from the Kinesiology program. Your body composition is assessed using a BodPod, which will require you to sit quietly in the machine for approximately 5 minutes while measurements of your body (such as body fat percentage) are taken. A VO2 max test is a 10-20 minute test that assesses your maximal endurance capabilities on either a treadmill or stationary bike. It provides you with information about your cardiovascular fitness.

This event is open to everyone. To register, please follow the links below: 

For questions, email kinesiologylab@augustana.edu. This is a fantastic opportunity to check out our lab and support students as they gain valuable experience using the equipment!

"Lifeboat Challenge"

Augustana Leaders in Vocational Exploration (ALIVE)

11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.
Denkmann Memorial Building, Wallenberg Hall

The Lifeboat Challenge is an annual Augustana tradition, a chance to hear some of your favorite professors to make their cases for the importance of their discipline to the welfare of the world. The premise is that three faculty members compete via the articulation of their vision for their discipline for the last seat on a proverbial lifeboat. They each make the case for what their discipline brings to the flourishing of the world. The audience will get to grill each one with their toughest questions, and ultimately will vote on the one they feel was the most successful. This year we have the added fun of Augustana's improv troupe, Heywire, facilitating the competition. All are welcome to join the fun and learn about the deeply collaborative vision that emerges when disciplines of knowledge honestly interact with one another.

"APEP Greece Trip Journals"

Dr. Kirsten Day with APEP students Ben, Aaron, Chris, Drew, Jereme, Jorge and Matt

9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Old Main, first floor rotunda

In fall term of this year, traditional students  on the Rock Island campus and APEP students at the East Moline Correctional Center campus separately took my Sites and Monuments of Greece course. Most of the traditional students took this course in preparation for traveling with me to Greece during J-term, but of course, the APEP students did not have that option. I asked them instead to create a "fantasy" travel journal: this presentation will showcase a selection of these, which went beyond my expectations in terms of engagement,  creativity, and artistic talent. 

"Rag Doll on a Bomb Site: Behind the Music" (performance and talkback)

Shelley Cooper

1-2:15 p.m.
Denkmann Memorial Building, Wallenberg Hall

For my fall sabbatical, I researched and wrote an original solo theatre show with original music composed by me on the life of Austrian actress Lotte Lenya. After my show was written, I travelled to Bangkok, Thailand to World Premiere the show, produced by Mahidol University, at the Goethe Institute of Thailand. My original intent was to write the script and use Kurt Weill music. Through the process, I ended up writing an original score of 11 songs. I will be recording an album in April to be distributed on all music streaming platforms and will be performing the show as an official selection of the Hollywood Fringe Festival at the Hudson Theatre in June. This particular presentation I want to give a unique behind the scenes look into my process. I will be me performing my 11 original songs live and talk about what’s behind  writing each one. The most rewarding and surprising part of my sabbatical was learning I had this new skill set. I NEVER thought I’d write music and lyrics, but 11 songs later, here I am. I will discuss my journey through imposter syndrome, creative awakening, while sharing my new music.