This year Gustavus Adolphus College awarded the annual Paul Magnuson Student Leadership and Service Award to four graduating seniors, two campus organizations, and five student-planned events. Established in 1991, the award recognizes the significant contributions that student organizations and individuals make to campus life.
Student leaders recognized are:
- Matthew Haugen of Eveleth, Minn., was a member of Queers and Allies; Campus Activities Board; “Building Bridges” and the Diversity Leadership Committee, as part of which he organized discussions
- Jenny Yang, of Ham Lake, Minn., was an intern in the Diversity Center; member of the Asian Cultures Club; coordinator of the Mentors Assisting on Campus; chair of the Diversity Leadership Committee; and co-chair of the 2003 Building Bridges Conference
- Ann Morris, of Lenexa, Kan., was chair of Queers and Allies; a member of the Diversity Leadership Committee; an organizer for Safe Zone; and served as a Collegiate Fellow
- Noah Johnson, of Osceola, Wis., was the founder and president of Wilderness Advantage for at-risk community youth; a member of Amigos and Gustavus Youth Outreach; president of the Gustavus Ambassadors and St. Peter Advantage; and co-founder and president of the Common Ground Mentoring Program
The campus organizations recognized are:
- I Am We Are theatre troupe, a group which creates and produces performance pieces to engage students with important social issues using forum theater to involve audiences in its discussion toward a tolerant Gustavus
- Gustavus Dance Team, a student-organized, student-run, and student–advised organization, awarded for enhancing school spirit at varsity athletic events and representing the college enthusiastically and well at a national level
The events recognized are:
- Building Bridges Conference, a student-initiated, student-led diversity conference organized to promote mutual respect and understanding of diversity
- Vagina Monologues, a new student-driven initiative developed by the Womyn’s Awareness Center to raise money for violence-prevention programs
- Communication Studies Blood Drive, an effort that included recruiting donors, running a canteen, transporting blood to St. Paul, and staffing the site
- Christian Community Conversation, a campus-wide discussion focusing on how Christianity is viewed at the college
- The Thursday Night Puppet Show, a short sock-puppet show started by seniors Paul Richardson and Amy Springer, full of clever and funny dialogue that tackles serious issues
The awards, presented May 5, are made possible through an endowed gift from Gustavus alumnus Paul Magnuson, who was chief judge of the U.S. Federal District Court in St. Paul and former trustee of the college.
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