Fiscal year 2020-2021 giving impact
Our donors make an impact in the lives of our students every day.
That impact was even more significant this past year as alumni and friends continued to support our mission through a pandemic, allowing us to surpass our goal for the AUGUSTANA NOW comprehensive campaign and ensure a strong liberal arts education for all Augustana students.
We appreciate that support and want to share a few of the ways students and the entire Augustana community have been impacted by our donors' generosity this past year.
W. Kent Barnds
Executive Vice President of External Relations
$2.2 million in annual giving
It was not only bold, it was Augustana's most successful two-day online fundraiser ever! The Blue, Gold and Bold 48-hour challenge last spring exceeded our goal of $500,000, ending at $624,066. A special thanks to the 338 students who made a gift. Plus, almost 1,000 people qualified for Augie socks ($50+ gift level) — yet another record. Blue, Gold and Bold gifts were part of the $2.2 million raised for the Augustana Fund in FY20-21.
The power of gifts to AUGUSTANA NOW
Thanks to 13,459 donor households and organizations, we passed our AUGUSTANA NOW goal of $125 million by $10 million! These funds have impacted affordability; student preparation; innovation; and diversity, equity and inclusion. It’s exciting to send graduates into the world ready to solve complex problems for the common good — and celebrate what they achieve. Videos and updates.
Peter J. Lindberg, M.D., Center for Health and Human Performance
Major capital improvements – Brodahl Hall and the Lindberg Center
The $3.75-million expansion/renovation of Brodahl Hall was completed last summer, doubling the size of the building to accommodate Augustana’s new master’s program in speech-language pathology. Take a tour.
This fall Augustana’s highly anticipated $18 million Peter J. Lindberg, M.D., Center for Health and Human Performance is scheduled to open. The integrated academic/athletics facility — a showcase for innovation — will be home to the kinesiology and public health programs, as well as the Vikings swimming/diving and new water polo teams. The Vikings mens’ water polo team will compete in the Lindberg Center's Anne Greve Lund Natatorium for the first time on Nov. 13, 2021.
IMPACT: 1,163 students received $5,218,279 in endowed or gift scholarships for the 2020-2021 academic year.
Endowed scholarships and funds
In FY20-21, seven endowed scholarships, three endowed funds and seven Close the Gap scholarships were established. Triple major Annelisa Burns ’22, winner of the 2021 Hasselmo Prize, shares her story on the impact of her scholarship. The $5,000 Hasselmo Prize was established by Dr. Nils Hasselmo ’57 nearly 10 years ago in recognition of the ways in which his Augustana education both informed and transformed his life and vocational calling.
Augustana Strong response to a global pandemic
In March 2020, the Augustana Strong Task Force representing offices from across campus began the work of mitigating the spread of COVID-19 on campus to maintain the in-person college experience for which Augustana is known.
The college met its goal of having in-person classes for 100 days during the peak of the pandemic. Students traveled home for Thanksgiving break to finish the fall semester online. They returned to campus for winter semester, and Augustana held in-person commencement ceremonies in May for the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 to celebrate an unprecedented academic year.
Strategic initiatives, adherence to guidelines and the commitment of the entire Augustana community made it all possible — not to mention thousands of masks, thermometers, COVID tests and much more.
Nationally recognized diversity, equity and inclusion efforts
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education recognized Augustana for its campus-wide diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Augustana is one of only seven schools in the country qualifying for the publication’s DOIT certification program in the area of institutional climate.
One program behind this recognition is the college's new Justice and Social Change Microscholarship, which incoming students can earn by participating in programming led by faculty and alumni on contemporary justice movements, racial bias and the role of a liberal arts education in creating a more equitable society.
This is Augustana’s third award for its diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The college was honored by INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine and received the Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) award in 2019 and 2020.