91ÒùĸÊÓƵ

I am excited to share Augustana’s 2025 Circle magazine with you.

We started by reflecting on our impact in Camrose and surrounding communities when we put together this issue. The value we provide our students is rooted in service to the community. Right now, that means Camrose, but we want them to take that service mindset with them.

When I think about the impact of Augustana, three specific areas come to mind.

First, our broad-based academic programs in the arts and sciences are designed to offer students foundational training and transferable skills that will prepare them for many future career pathways. This educational approach is akin to cross-training in athletics and, according to Nobel Prize-winning chemist Thomas Cech, it “develops a student’s ability to collect and organize facts and opinions, to analyze them and weigh their value, and to articulate an argument, and it may develop these skills more effectively than writing yet another lab report.”

Second, we do world-class research with incredibly skilled faculty, and have access to top-notch facilities such as the Augustana Miquelon Lake 91ÒùĸÊÓƵ Station and the Hesje Observatory. Moreover, our students are at the centre of much of this research. In the summer months from May to August, around 50 summer student researchers enrich their educational journeys with hands-on research opportunities.

Third, our strong sense of community means that our students living on and off campus have opportunities to participate in the life of the community, including athletics, music, student clubs, religious and spiritual events, Indigenous programming, international travel and more.

We build a holistic university experience to educate the whole person.

While I have been at Augustana for only one year, I have come to realize that the greatest impact Augustana can have is in what we can do with and for each other.

For nearly 115 years, people at this campus have engaged with our local community to better serve the
needs of those living in the area. This past year, we have contributed to community initiatives ranging from large-scale projects led by our faculty to many Community Service-Learning placements. The result? More than 2,500 hours of work on community projects undertaken by almost 180 students each year!

At the same time, you helped us create remarkable change. The incredible contributions from donors, partner organizations, alumni and community members gives our work meaning. We feel this participation and generosity, and it makes all the difference to the work of our campus.

We hope you get a sense of the impact you have made on Augustana as you read this issue.

John R. Parkins
Dean & Executive Officer, Augustana Campus