Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Waldorf employees sing Christmas classic

Waldorf employees got in the holiday spirit earlier this month during a Christmas party in a packed Salveson Ballroom. They also donated hundreds of pairs of socks that will be given to organizations in the area to help others keep warm this winter.

Please enjoy (or relive, as the case may be) our rendition of "The Twelve Days of Christmas." Hey guys, at least we have a whole year to practice.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Zane Choat answers some follow-up questions after appearance on MTV

Zane Choat is on the home page of MTV.com today after his appearance Monday night on the show "True Life."

Waldorf College freshman football player Zane Choat starred on MTV on Monday night.

And today, Choat answers some follow-up questions on the MTV.com Remote Control Blog.

In case you missed Monday's episode, "True Life: I'm an Albino," here it is. The episode will air again on MTV at 1:42 p.m. (CST) Sunday, Dec. 26.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Waldorf students may be eligible for $1,000 scholarship

Some Waldorf College students may be eligible for a $1,000 scholarship offered by the Sioux Falls Area Community Foundation.

The Hovland Scholarship is open to students who will be entering their junior year in fall 2011. Students must be enrolled at an accredited college or university and be of Norwegian descent, with preference given to applicants from the Bomlo community of Norway.

Waldorf alumni to honor late son with portrait on Rose Parade float

Jody (holding portrait) and Rick Dosser (right) and members
of their extended family helped decorate the floragraph of their son Jermiah.
 
(Submitted photo)
Waldorf College graduates Jody and Rick Dosser, (Class of 1971), will honor their late son in a special way during the Rose Parade on Jan. 1 in Pasadena, Calif.

They were selected by Donate Life America to have a memorial floragraph portrait of their son Jermiah on the Donate Life float. Donate Life is a national organization that advocates for organ, eye and tissue donation. Jody will ride on the float.

Friday, December 17, 2010

Waldorf student to star in MTV program 'True Life'

Zane Choat signs a national letter of intent to play football
 at Waldorf College as a videographer captures 
the moment for the MTV program "True Life." Choat signed at a training center in Austin, Texas. With Choat are his parents, Molly Choat (left), father Zachary Choat (right), and trainers.
Waldorf College student and football player Zane Choat will be featured on the MTV program "True Life" on Monday, Dec. 20.

The episode, "True Life: I'm an Albino," will air at  9 p.m. CST. Check local listings to confirm the air time.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Award is 'big deal' for first-year residents

Resident life staffers are honoring first-year students who are doing positive things in their halls with an award called Warrior of the Week.

“The reason we do Warrior of the Week is to focus positively on what students in our halls are doing with their experience here at Waldorf,” said Katie Mullaly, the First Year Experience coordinator for Johnson-London Hall, a co-educational residence hall that serves 144 students. “As past and present statistics show, it’s difficult to get first-year students engaged in their first year of college life outside of a schedule of ‘school, work, sleep, eat.' So when we (that being myself and the RA staff at J and L) see acts of kindness that go beyond what we usually see in first-year students, we reward them by honoring them as Warrior of the Week.”

Monday, December 13, 2010

News briefs: Late Night Breakfast set tonight

Finals week is here. In between studying, don't forget about tonight's Late Night Breakfast. Below are details about the event and other news:

Late Night Breakfast set tonight

A Late Night Breakfast will be served from 9 to 10:30 p.m. in the Dining Hall.

The annual event is designed to give students plenty of energy if they need to pull an all-nighter preparing for exams.

The menu will include a frost-your-own doughnut bar, eggs, French toast and sausage. Faculty and staff are encouraged to catch a meal and to help out if they can.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Sunday's women's, men's basketball games postponed again because of weather

The women’s and men's basketball games between Waldorf College and Viterbo University rescheduled for today have been canceled. The games are rescheduled for 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31. The games originally were set for Saturday but were postponed to Sunday because of poor weather.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Saturday's women's, men's basketball games postponed because of weather

The Waldorf College women's and men's varsity basketball games scheduled Saturday, Dec. 11, against Viterbo University have been postponed because of poor weather.

The games will be played on Sunday, Dec. 12, in Forest City. Games are still set at 1 p.m. for the women and 3 p.m. for the men.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Photo gallery: Students fill recital hall with music

Waldorf music students put on a show during the "Apollo's Lyre: Student Recital" on Wednesday night in the Odvin Hagen Music Center Recital Hall. Below, sporano Keisha Chelburg, sings "Come Again, Sweet Love" by John Dowland (1563-1626), accompanied by Timothy Schmidt, professor emeritus in the keyboard area.


More photos: For photos of other vocalists and instrumentalists who performed at the recital, see the photo gallery at  http://tinyurl.com/37jznhk

Open gyms begin tonight, will continue during spring semester

Waldorf students and employees have a new recreation option on campus beginning today (Dec. 10) and each Friday during the spring semester.

The Hanson Fieldhouse gymnasium will be open from 8 to 11 tonight and will again open at the same times on the first Friday of the spring semester (Jan. 14). Participants can play basketball, football, Frisbee, dodgeball, volleyball and soccer.


There has been increased interest in using gymnasium facilities this semester, especially outside the hours of the YMCA, said Zach Van Cleave, director of intramurals and recreation. The YMCA closes at 9 p.m. on weekdays.

"Late Night Breakfast" on Monday to kick off finals week

Students and employees will have the chance to fuel up in advance of the first day of final exams with a late-night breakfast on Monday, Dec. 13.

Hosted by Campus Dining and Student Life,  the free "Late Night Breakfast" will be served from 9 to 10:30 p.m. Monday in the dining hall. It's designed to give students plenty of energy if they need to pull an all-nighter preparing for exams.
"The late night breakfast has been a tradition since I started here in 2005," said Brian Keely, director of ARAMARK/Campus Dining. "Traditionally, it kicks off finals week. It’s open to all students, faculty and staff who would like to come, with Campus Dining providing the food and Student Life and volunteer faculty helping with the serving."

The menu will include a frost-your-own doughnut bar, eggs, French toast and sausage.
 
Final exams are Tuesday, Dec. 14 through Friday, Dec.17.

Jason Ramaker, dean of students, said the event fills a need: namely students' stomachs.

"It’s a fun and energizing tradition to get all students gathered together in one place socializing and nourishing themselves before the stress of tests begins," Ramaker said.


Thursday, December 9, 2010

Bookstore to buy back books next week

For students in need of cash for Christmas shopping, the Waldorf College Bookstore will be open Tuesday through Friday (Dec. 14-17) to buy back textbooks.

Almost all books are eligible for buy back, said bookstore manager Karla Schaefer. Of course, students are not required to sell their books and damaged books will net less.

The bookstore will pay a maximum 50 percent of the original book price. The store also will offer up to 30 percent of the original price for books that the store can't use. Those books will be sold to a wholesaler.

Schaefer reminds students that they must bring their student identification with them to return books.

Hours are as follows:

Tuesday, Dec. 14: 1-4 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 15: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 16: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 17: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Recital tonight to feature Waldorf musicians

The Waldorf College Music Department will present “Apollo’s Lyre: Student Recital,” a free musical event featuring vocal, piano and instrumental performances at 7:30 tonight in the Odvin Hagen Music Center Recital Hall.

Janelle Flatebo, a sophomore music education major, is no stranger to recitals at Waldorf, having participated in events last year. She said a recital is an important performance for students because they gain the crucial experience of performing in front of an audience.

"Students can work on calming their nerves with each performance, as well as improving other skills, such as stage presence," she said. "I am able to see the progress that my peers have made with their own pieces, as well."

Flatebo is scheduled to sing and play the flute during tonight's recital. She said she doesn't let nerves get to her.

"Typically, I am somewhat nervous before I enter the stage, but then, I remind myself that I am fully capable of performing at the best of my ability," she said. "And once I tell myself just to have fun, that also calms my nerves."

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Waldorf wrestling team to renew rivalry with NIACC

The Waldorf College wrestling program will renew its rivalry with North Iowa Area Community College tonight with a dual featuring the NIACC team and the Waldorf junior varsity squad.

"I'ts probably been 35 years since we've wrestled," said Steve Kelly, head coach at NIACC and a former head coach at Waldorf. "It's been a long time."

Waldorf and NIACC were competitive rivals for many years as junior colleges until NIACC cut the sport in the mid-1970s. The Trojans brought back the program three years ago.

The dual begins at 7 p.m. at NIACC.

Waldorf head coach Tyler Brandt said this will be a good opportunity for younger wrestlers to get some matches in.
“We hope to go over there and be extremely competitive,” he said.

Waldorf's JV men's wrestling team is coached by Robert Thomas and Matt Paeth.
Kelly coached at Waldorf when it was a two-year junior college and was here during the transition from a two-year to a four-year institution.

De-stress Days may be just what the doctor ordered for students

For those students who may be feeling the stress of final exams, the Student Life department has simple remedy: "De-stress" Days on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the Atrium.

The days will feature a variety of activities from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. guaranteed to help you unwind a bit.

Student Life offers De-stress Days each semester around finals as a way to relax before a week of exams, said Amy Scott, director of student activities. Finals are Tuesday through Friday,
Dec. 14-17.


Here's what is planned for De-stress Days:


Wednesday
  • Decorate your own cookies
  • Crafts
  • Tarot card readings
  • Coloring
  • Area professionals will offer five-minute massages to help relieve pre-finals stress.
Thursday
  • ‘Big Red Chair’ photos. Students can sit in a huge inflatable red chair and have their photo taken with a friend or two. Oversized props will be available for students who want to get extra silly.
  • Massages
Friday
  • Moon bounce. Students can jump to their heart's content in an inflatable bounce house.
  • Students can decorate their own Christmas ornament from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Campus Center. The event is sponsored by the Alcohol and Other Drug Awareness Committee (AODA). Students may take the ornament home with them or leave it on the Campus Center tree.

Students, employees urged to sign up for text-alert service, hotline in event of emergency

Waldorf College administrators have taken steps to make the campus safer in the event of a major crisis or emergency with the addition of an emergency cell phone text-alert service and hotline.

"These are two additional sources of information for people in the event of a problem that we did not have in the past," said Jason Ramaker, dean of students. "Before 2009, all we had was campus e-mail to alert the campus community in a timely manner that there was a problem. Between the three services and having information on our web page, I think we would be providing a good variety of options for students, employees and family members to receive up-to-date information."

The system, called FastCommand, will allow students, parents and employees to receive a direct text message from the college to their cell phone and e-mail (personal account) in the event of a campus emergency. Callers would not be able to leave a message.

Most students signed up for the text-alert service at the beginning of the semester. Now, Waldorf employees may sign up for the service, which Ramaker encourages.

Employees and students who are interested in signing up for the service may go to http://waldorf.fastcommand.com/. The link will take you to a custom Waldorf FastCommand website that will provide a page for inputting your information.

Additionally, Waldorf has added an emergency hotline phone number to its crisis communication plan. The hotline allows students, parents or employees to call and receive updates and instructions in the event of an emergency. The hotline number is 877-270-7333. Waldorf students and employees are encouraged to add this number to their mobile phones.

The text message alert system and hotline number would work in tandem if an emergency occurs. A message would be sent to the people who have signed up for the text alerts, and the hotline would have an updated message, instructions or information on the issue.

Waldorf officials will only use the service for periodic testing and campus emergencies, Ramaker said. The service will not be used for campus updates, general alerts or for basic information purposes.

"We hope these are services we never have to use," Ramaker said.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Photo gallery: Christmas with Waldorf CDs available for purchase

Conductor Blair Buffington leads students during
Saturday's performance of Christmas with Waldorf.
For more pictures, go to http://tinyurl.com/3yn2qos
Hundreds recently attended the weekend performances of Christmas with Waldorf, an annual Christmas festival that showcases the music programs at Waldorf College and kicks off the Advent season.

For people who missed the concerts on Dec. 4 and 5, or who would like to hear it again in their own home, CDs are available for $10 each and will be available to pick up after Jan. 17. To order a CD, e-mail Amy McGinnis, music office coordinator, at mcginnisa@waldorf.edu.

LaVaun Ausen of Hartland, Minn., came to watch her granddaughter, Kellie Grunzke, perform on Sunday afternoon. Grunzke, a junior, plays alto saxophone in the Waldorf Wind Symphony. Grunzke's mother and aunt also attended.

"I enjoyed it very much," Ausen said. "They're very good. Good singers."


For more pictures from the concerts, Scandinavian dinner and brunch, go to http://tinyurl.com/3yn2qos

Friday, December 3, 2010

Weekend happenings include Christmas with Waldorf

There's plenty to do this weekend including the annual Christmas with Waldorf holiday fesitval, featuring the Waldorf Choir, Waldorf Wind Symphony, St. Christopher Chorale, Sangkor Women’s Ensemble and the Viking Men’s Chorus.

This year's theme is "Come, See, Rejoice!" The performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and another at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Fieldhouse. A Scandinavian dinner will be offered at 5:30 p.m. Saturday and a brunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Atrium. Waldorf faculty, staff and student tickets are $2 and available by calling Whitney Tait at Ext. 8724.

Here's another holiday option to consider this weekend off-campus:
  • Christmas by The Lake, Clear Lake, Friday through Sunday. Festival of Trees at Opportunity Village is 5-8 p.m. Friday. Events are set all day Saturday, including a lighted parade at 5:07 p.m. and a fireworks show. A concert featuring Christmas with Elvis is set at 7 p.m. at the Surf Ballroom. Sunday features the Polar Bear Club plunge, which draws hundreds of people to watch swimmers take a chilly plunge into Clear Lake. Sunday also will feature a free matinee at 1:30 p.m. at the Lake Theatre. Food donations will be accepted for an area food bank. Information: http://www.clearlakeiowa.com/.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

New Olson Theme House honors special alumni

The Olsons and six residents of the Olson House take a moment for a photo in the new theme house. Pictured are: (back row, from left) Nadean Krueger, Makenzie Bemis, Nancy Olson, Steve Olson, Emily Hoague and Lauren Devereaux; and (front row, from left) Holly Gilbertson and Ashley Lutrick. For more photos from the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/26n26ko

The name plaque on the Olson House,
Waldorf's fifth theme house.
Waldorf College has a new theme house on campus and it is named after two alumni who have made, and continue to make, significant contributions to their alma mater.


The Olson House, at Seventh and K streets (a block from campus), was dedicated in honor of Steve and Nancy Olson (Class of 1975) during a ceremony Nov. 18. The dedication ceremony was attended by college faculty and staff, including President Joe Manjone, family and friends of the Olsons and the six students who live in the house.


The Olsons, whose family owned the house for several years, sold it to the college earlier this year at what Nancy Olson described as "a very reasonable price." It is the fifth theme house on campus.

A plaque posted in the house and a replica that was presented to the Olsons reads that the couple "have faithfully served Waldorf College with a humble heart and giving spirit for more than 25 years" and "serve as tireless ambassadors of Waldorf, going the extra mile to support their alma mater whenever and however they can."

Jason Ramaker, dean of students, said Waldorf is lucky to have the Olsons affiliated with the college.

"When the college acquired the house from Steve and Nancy, it was only logical to honor them for their support over the years and name the house the Olson House," Ramaker said. "The dedication event was a great success."

Nancy Olson said she and her husband were taken by the dedication.

"It was a wonderful event, very humbling, very exciting," she said. "We love the girls who are living in the house. They're fantastic women."

Nancy has served the college in various capacities for more than 25 years and currently is director of Institutional Relations. She also has played a key role this year in the development of the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation, which supports scholarships, campus ministry and alumni/community relations.

Steve is a teacher with Forest City Community Schools. He also serves as a charter member of the Waldorf Education Advisory Board and is a member of the Waldorf quartet, Brethren, which was formed when he attended Waldorf in the mid-1970s.


The Olsons' contributions to the college also come financially. Rita Gilbertson, director of Alumni Relations and volunteer for the Waldorf Lutheran College Foundation, said the Olsons have given more than $35,000 (donation figures are published in the Waldorf Magazine) over the years to the college and foundation. They fund an endowed scholarship in Nancy’s family name.


The Olsons graduated from Waldorf with their associate degrees in 1975. Nancy went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business in 1997 from Waldorf.

The women who live in the Olson House are Nadean Krueger, Makenzie Bemis, Emily Hoague, Lauren Devereaux, Holly Gilbertson and Ashley Lutrick.

Theme houses allow students with common areas of interest to live in a nontraditional residential setting. The six women advocate breast cancer awareness and live in what has become known as the "Pink House" to symbolize breast cancer awareness. They have sponsored a few events on campus and are planning more. Earlier this year, the women participated in Race for the Cure and raised about $500 for breast cancer awareness.

Lutrick moved into the house at the beginning of this semester. She said conversing with the Olsons and everyone else involved in establishing the house was great. Lutrick said she was moved when the Olsons spoke about what the house means to them.

"To be completely honest, it brought tears to my eyes," she said. "They had expressed how much Waldorf meant to them and they only wanted to give back to Waldorf what it had given to them, which was memories."


For more photos from the event, go to http://tinyurl.com/26n26ko.