Twilight over Christ Chapel, Dec. 20, 2023.
As 2023 draws to a close, the entire Gustavus community is reflecting on a year packed with accolades and achievements. From academic, creative, and intellectual accomplishments to national championships and All-Americans, Gusties shined again and again. Below are many of the highlights.
January
The College welcomed NFL Hall of Famer and former State Supreme Court Justice Alan Page for the annual Reverend Martin Luther King Day Memorial celebration.
A Gustie’s first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower.
In response to changing credential requirements and seizing an opportunity, Gustavus announced the creation of our first master’s degree program. The Master’s in Athletic Training (MAT) program will welcome its first class in summer 2024, and the College is already being recognized for our forward-thinking approach.
The Gustavus Choir completed a whirlwind tour of France, Spain, Monaco, and Italy, and the Gustavus Wind Orchestra completed a concurrent tour of France and Spain. As always, these unique experiences created countless lifelong memories along the way.
Gustie students used their January term to explore and experience cultures, activities, and future employment possibilities throughout the U.S. and across the globe. Although the formal J-term will end in 2024, students will still be able to pursue these opportunities through the Signature Experience (SigX) initiative.
February
Our 2022-23 Rydell Professor, Dr. Paul Finkelman, spent time on campus and delivered a compelling public lecture about Thomas Jefferson and American racism.
Elizabeth Catlett scholar Melanie A. Herzog and Gustavus professor and poet Philip S Bryant ’73, gave a lecture and poetry reading in conjunction with the exhibit Elizabeth Catlett in the Hillstrom Museum of Art.
The Gustie Men’s Swim & Dive team won its fourth consecutive MIAC title, and the Women’s team finished second at the year-end meet.
Gustavus students represented the College at the 2023 Scholars at the Capitol event, where they showcased their public interest-focused research on topics including body positivity and liquid chromatography.
March
The Gustie Women’s Hockey team avenged a heartbreaking overtime loss in the 2022 national final by beating Amherst 2-1 in an epic triple-overtime thriller. This was the College’s first-ever national championship in women’s hockey and the first ever won by a Midwestern college.
More than 40 Gusties traveled to St. Paul for the annual Day at the Capitol event, where they met with elected officials and lobbied for increases and improvements to the Minnesota State Grant program.
Renowned economist and social commentator Dr. Glenn Loury, as part of the 2023 Lindau Residency in Conservative Thought, delivered his lecture, “Why Racial Inequality Persists.”
April
The Gustavus Dance Program celebrated its 70-year anniversary with a festive event that included renaming a dance studio after retired program director Michelle Rusinko.
Gustavus students showcased their academic breadth, depth, and achievements by winning multiple prestigious and competitive academic honors from organizations including the Goldwater Foundation, the Fulbright Program, and the National Science Foundation, among others.
The MAYDAY! Teach-In event focused on the present condition of and future challenges and opportunities for education in the U.S.
May
Two-time NCAA champion Birgen Nelson ’23.
Assistant Professor of Philosophy Jon Ivan Gill talked about how his second career as a hip-hop artist has influenced his academic work, as well as his plans for a new record and bookstore in downtown Saint Peter, which opened in November.
The College announced the successful completion of the Show the World fundraising campaign, which raised a record-breaking $228 million for Gustavus since 2019.
Gustavus faculty members were honored by the entire College community during the annual Honors Day and Commencement ceremonies. Assistant Professor of History Kate Aguilar won the Swenson-Bunn Award for Teach Excellence, Associate Professor and co-chair of EGE Joaquin Villanueva received the Faculty Scholarly Achievement Award for his work around the “human geography” of his native Puerto Rico, and Associate Professor Martin Lang ’95, won the Edgar M. Carlson Award for Distinguished Teaching.
Birgen Nelson ’23 won her second outdoor 100-meter hurdles national championship, her third national title overall. Nelson, who excels as much in the classroom as she does on the track, left the Hill as one of the most decorated student athletes in Gustavus history.
The Class of 2023 received their diplomas, including Heather Olinger ’23, who sustained a serious, career-ending injury during a Women’s Hockey game and whose grit enabled her to walk across the stage with her fellow grads.
New members of the 50 Year Club (who graduated 50 years ago or more) gather for a group photo.
June
Gustavus alumni of all ages and life stages gathered together on campus for Reunion Weekend.
Recently graduated Moriah Jensen ’23 was preparing for her music teaching career when one of her original compositions was accepted for publication, thus opening a complementary path for her creative ambitions.
Gusties took themselves out to the ballgame at Gustavus Night at the Twins.
July
Gustavus STEM students and summer research participants visited Medtronic and Cargill in the Twin Cities to preview some of their post-graduate career possibilities.
The Men’s Basketball team was recognized with the 2022-23 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Team Academic Excellence Award, placing four teammates on the organization’s Honors Court.
August
The College’s summer research program included a pair of first-year students conducting cancer research in collaboration with the University of Minnesota, demonstrating how Gustavus creates high-level research opportunities most students can only get at larger universities or in graduate school.
More Gustie student athletes received awards for their classroom accomplishments, as three members of the Men’s Golf team were named the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) All-America Scholars, and a total of 15 Men’s and Women’s Hockey players were named All-American Scholars by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA).
The aforementioned Birgen Nelson ’23 and Men’s Tennis player Nick Aney ’23 were named winners of the Gustavus Athlete of the Year awards.
A Gustie Greeter greeting.
September
On Sept. 1, a gleeful band of Gustie Greeters welcomed the largest first-year class since before the pandemic to the Hill.
After the tragic loss of Women’s Hockey player Jori Jones ’26 in August, the entire community banded together to remember her and help her friends, family, and teammates work through this sudden loss.
Multiple national publications awarded the highest marks Gustavus has received in recent years in their rankings of postsecondary schools. In particular, Gustavus received special recognition for the school’s overall quality and effectiveness with social mobility and post-graduate outcomes. The rankings performance, along with the College’s yearlong efforts to update our educational requirements, compelled the StarTribune to look into how Gustavus has moved forward during a tumultuous time in higher ed.
October
The 2023 Nobel Conference, Insects: Little Body, Big Impact, welcomed guests from all over the region and expert presenters from all over the world, animating a narrowly understood topic in lively and creative ways.
Another byproduct of the post-pandemic world is the College’s ability to welcome more international students back to campus, and Gustavus is helping these students get acclimated by many different, productive means and methods.
The Gustavus faculty approved changes to the College curriculum that included the addition of the Signature Experience, which will proactively help the College respond to changing demands from current and prospective students, as well as from future employers. These changes will take effect beginning in the 2024-25 academic year and will position Gustavus as a leader among liberal arts colleges and for higher ed in general.
Gusties beat St. John’s, 38-35.
One highlight of the Football team’s solid overall season was its 38-35 upset of 7th-ranked Saint John’s. The squad eventually landed eight student athletes on the College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-District team, and Jake Breitbach ’24 became the first Gustie to be named to the All-America team by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Breitbach also was one of five finalists for the Gagliardi Award, which honors the Division III player of the year.
November
The College’s Music Department was honored to welcome the internationally renowned Maestro Oscar Navarro for a five-day residency that included a variety of discussions, presentations, and performances under his expert eye.
Making that adjustment to college life, in and out of the classroom, involves more than just completing your homework or figuring out where to get your mail. Some of our first-year students discussed how the adjustments to life on the Hill were going for them so far.
Our fall sports showed out even further when the Men’s Soccer team snagged an at-large bid to the NCAA playoffs, and our Volleyball Team won the MIAC title in a five-set thriller.
December
Christmas in Christ Chapel took on special meaning this year, as it was the 50th anniversary of the College’s signature event.
The 83rd St. Lucia was Lupe Olague ’26, chosen by the campus community and honored along with five other sophomore women for their service to others, strength of character, leadership, and compassion.
One of the last vestiges of the pandemic was embodied by students who received a (tuition-free) ninth semester to help them complete graduation requirements that COVID had delayed or derailed. These “super seniors” reflected on how this extra time helped complete their college experience and prepared them for what comes next.
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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510