The receipt of one of the largest planned gift commitments in college history has lifted Luther College to its greatest single year of fund-raising.

President Jenifer K. Ward announced to the Luther College community today her intention to retire as president at the end of June 2025. Ward became president of Luther on July 1, 2019, and at the time of her retirement, she will have served in the role for six years. 

Beginning with the cohort entering in fall 2024, Luther College nursing students will spend their senior year working at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, rather than their junior year, to ease the transition into professional nursing after graduation. 

Patti (Schroeder) Hetrick, class of 1984, from Minneapolis was named the vice president for finance and administration at Luther College, President Jenifer K. Ward announced this week. The native of nearby Caledonia, Minn., and graduate of Luther brings a wide range of governmental, public sector and corporate experience managing large and complex operational infrastructures.

Cruzvergara is recognized as an agent of change and an expert on strategies that create equitable student career success outcomes.

Sheri Brenden ’81, author of “Break Point: Two Minnesota Athletes and the Road to Title IX,” will speak along with her sister, Peg Brenden ’76.

Luther College raised more than $1.2 million during the ninth annual Giving Day on March 7. The money raised on Thursday will support and enhance the Luther experience at the college through the Luther Fund, Luther’s unrestricted current fund that supports all students, faculty, staff and community endeavors on campus. 

Lydia X. Z. Brown, director of public policy at the National Disability Institute, will give the Price Distinguished Lecture in Women’s Leadership at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, in the Center for Faith and Life Recital Hall. The event is co-sponsored by Minnesota Public Radio. 

Luther College is proud to announce that four students have been selected as 2024-25 semi-finalists for the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. All four students received nominations for English teaching assistantships. 

Luther College is proud to announce the winter graduates from December 2023 and January 2024. The 65 graduates come from 12 states, which include California, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin, plus 3 countries including Ivory Coast, Nepal and Spain.