News Archives - 2000

A special Open House and Opening Celebration has been set for Saturday, Sept. 9, by Augsburg College to both showcase its new facilities and open the new academic year for the Augsburg College-Rochester Program.

The Open House is planned from 9:00 a.m. -- 12:00 p.m. in the program's new floor of classrooms in the Rochester Central Lutheran School, 2619 9th Avenue NW. The Opening Celebration -- which features presentations by Augsburg College President William Frame and the college's new academic dean, Dr. Chris Kimball -- will begin at 10 a.m. in the Sanctuary of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, which is located next door to the school.

The Celebration is being modeled after the college's Opening Convocation in Minneapolis, where Kimball also will be the speaker. In the tradition of the Opening Convocation, a robed faculty procession joined by area pastors, presenters, and Augsburg College Regents will open the ceremony.

Ruth Johnson, an Augsburg alum from Rochester, will give welcoming remarks.

"We want this Opening Celebration to portray the tradition that is presented in the Opening Convocation on our main campus," noted Carrie Carroll, Weekend College and Rochester Admissions representative and co-planner of the activities.

The program is an extension of Augsburg's innovative Weekend College, the largest private college baccalaureate program of its kind in the state. The setup in Rochester calls for classes to meet every other week on either Monday or Thursday night, thus leaving significant time for individual study and course preparation. And, students in the program can move as fast or as slow as they wish, electing to take more than one course at a time, or even choosing to take a term off if needed.

Rick Thoni, director of the Rochester program, said this unique program has been designed to give working adults in Southeastern Minnesota convenient access to a private college liberal arts curriculum. And its blend of professional majors and liberal arts courses allows students to work toward either a bachelor's or master's degree on a pace that fits their individual life circumstances.

Carroll said tuition also is flexible and is determined on a per course basis with a number of financial aid options available.

"We welcome everyone from the Rochester area to join us at these special events," she added. "It will be both a fun and informative morning, and a demonstration to our students and potential students both our commitment to them and to the program in this community."