Skip to main content
program title page

President Andrea Kathryn Talentino was drawn to Augustana because of the college’s mission. She became convinced Augustana was a special place when she saw how the college delivers on its mission, and especially how the college is preparing students for leadership and service in a diverse and changing world.

The essential source of this preparation is an Augustana liberal arts education. So much more than a collection of academic requirements, it is a foundation that prepares the whole student, for the whole future.

Augustana students in every major learn to think deeply. In doing so, they make important connections — with ideas, people, places and perspectives. Mentored and encouraged, they grow their confidence, question their beliefs and expand their openness to different points of view. They learn to value questions more, even as they find new answers. These are the qualities and characteristics of good leaders, who, for the best and brightest of futures, must be good citizens. At Augustana, good citizenship means care for community on many levels — including the community of qualities and characteristics that make a person whole, the community of society and the global community. Augustana shines at preparing citizens and leaders — graduates committed to being fully themselves while making the world better for all of us.

It is challenging and difficult, and yet, as President Talentino has said, “Who wouldn’t want to be part of this?” She sees and appreciates the college community’s “willingness to truly ask: ‘How do we lead in a way that drives justice and meaning?’”

Openness, curiosity, confidence and care: these are some of the ways the Augustana community leads toward justice and meaning in a diverse and changing world. It shows in all the ways the campus is becoming more inclusive. And it shows in the opportunities for all students to create meaningful lives in the world beyond this campus community. The result is deep and broad engagement, beginning with oneself and leading to impact in the world. Today, an Augustana education prepares citizens and leaders for a world changing fast, and a bold, bright future that needs them.

President Andrea Kathryn Talentino

On December 7, 2021, the Augustana College Board of Trustees announced Andrea Kathryn Talentino, provost of Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, as the college’s ninth president.

Before arriving at Nazareth, President Talentino served as the dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Norwich University in Vermont. She previously was an associate dean at Drew University in New Jersey. She also held a faculty position at Tulane University and did a postdoc at Princeton University.

“Augustana’s mission and vision reflect what I most care about,” President Talentino said. “I’ve always focused on creating an inclusive, holistic, challenging, integrated student experience that offers a real transformational opportunity. “Any institution can have internships, study abroad, opportunities for research, but it’s how you put them together, how you create natural connections and meaning between all of them that makes the difference in what’s outstanding and what is ‘just fine,’ and Augustana is committed to being outstanding.”

President Talentino earned a bachelor’s degree in political science at Yale University, then completed a master’s and doctorate in political science from UCLA. While serving as dean at Norwich, she earned an MBA with a concentration in organizational leadership.

Early in her 22-year career in higher education, she was honored twice for excellence in undergraduate teaching at Tulane University. Since then, even as she rose within the administrative ranks at the institutions she served, she has continued to teach.

“The single most common story I have heard from people on campus and off is the story of transformation through Augustana,” President Talentino said. “Students who came with limited expectations for themselves and went on to great things. Staff who have found a community that they never envisioned. Business leaders around the QC who brought in Augustana students as interns or workers and made lifelong connections.”

“Transformation is our greatest advantage,” she continued, “and something that I think Augustana creates at a higher level than any institution I have known.”

Born in Binghamton, New York, President Talentino grew up in nearby Cortland. Her mother, Winifred Eisenhauer Talentino, was a public health nurse, and her father, Arnold Talentino, taught English at SUNY Cortland. Her brother Justin Talentino is a captain in the Austin (Texas) Fire Department. President Talentino is married to Thomas Tarnow, a public interest attorney, and they have two children: Lucien, 15, and Julia, 11.

College and University Delegates

Delegates march in order of the year of founding for the institution they represent.

1499, Universitat de València, Spain: Dr. Ana Bordería Garcia, Associate Professor of Spanish, Augustana College, Alumna

1632. Universiteit van Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Dr. Christopher Morales, Bergendoff Fellow in Religion, Augustana College, Alumnus

1636, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, Dr. Pamela Trotter, Robert W. Beart Chair in Chemistry, Augustana College, Alumna

1693, William & Mary College, Williamsburg, Virginia, Dr. Sharon Varallo, Violet M. Jaeke Chair of Family Life, Augustana College, Alumna

1701, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, Dr. Dan Lee, Marian Taft Cannon Endowed Chair, in the Humanities, Augustana College, Alumnus

1740, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Dr. Monica M. Smith, Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Augustana College, Alumna

1746, Princeton University, New Jersey, Dr. Paul Baumgardner, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Augustana College, Alumnus

1749, Washington & Lee University, Lexington, Virginia, Jon Weigle, Alumnus

1820, Indiana University, Bloomington, Dr. Michael Sturek, Augustana College Trustee and Class of 1979, Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine

1829, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Dr. Elizabeth Rellinger-Zettler, Professor of Psychology, Department Chair

1832, Gettysburg College, Pennsylvania, Dr. Kate Ragon, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology, Augustana College, Alumna

1832, Durham University, United Kingdom, Dr. Adam Kaul, Professor and Department Chair of Anthropology, Augustana College, Alumnus

1839, Boston University, Massachusetts, Richard Godfrey, Augustana College Trustee and Class of 1976, Alumnus

1842, Hollins College, Roanoke, Virginia, Margaret Ristau, Friend

1846, Grinnell College, Iowa, Dr. Richard Arnell, Alumnus,

1846, Muhlenberg College, Allentown, Pennsylvania, Joanna Bredlau, Alumna

1853, Central College, Pella, Iowa, Dr. Peggy Fitch, Professor Emerita of Psychology

1853, Cornell College, Mt. Vernon, Iowa, Jane Bahls, Augustana College, Honorary Alumna, Alumna

1854, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, The Rev. Dr. Kristin Johnston, Largen, President

1861, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, Dr. Elizabeth Bradley, President

1862, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota, Dr. David Renneke, Professor Emeritus of Physics, Augustana College, Alumnus

1869, Augsburg University, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Paula O’Loughlin, Provost

1872, Illinois College of Optometry, Chicago, Dr. Erik Mothersbaugh, Dean of Student Affairs

1877, University of Tokyo, Japan, Dr. Mari Nagase, Associate Professor of Japanese, Augustana College, Alumna

1882, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, Dr. Maureen Baldwin, Dean for Collaboration and Partnerships

1887, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, Dr. Darrin Good, Augustana College Class of 1987, President

1895, Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, Dr. Gail Richard, Augustana, College Trustee and Class of 1976, Professor Emerita of, Communication Disorders and Sciences

1901, Millikin University, Decatur, Illinois, Carrie Mail, Millikin Alumni Association Board, Member

1924, Nazareth College, Rochester, New York, Dr. Elizabeth Paul, President

1948, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana, Dr. John Tawiah-Boateng, Professor of English, Augustana College, Alumnus

1949, Ryazan State Agricultural Academy, Ryazan, Russia, Dr. Nadia Schwartz, Associate Professor of Accounting, Augustana College, Alumna

1953, Rajshahi University, Bangladesh, Dr. Umme al-Wazedi, Professor of English and Humanities, Division Dean, Augustana College, Alumna

1987, Universidad Pública de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, Ordoitz Galilea, Instructor of Sociology and Anthropology, Augustana College, Alumnus

Board of Trustees

Wiley S. Adams ’82, Vice President and Chief Legal Officer (retired), PGIM, Inc.

Christopher R. Coulter ’94, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (retired), Coulter Companies, Inc.

The Rev. Stacie R. Fidlar ’91, Bishop, Northern Illinois Synod, ELCA

Michael T. Gapen ’91, Managing Director, Chief U.S. Economist, Bank of America

Edna Denise Garrett, Associate General Counsel, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Murry S. Gerber ’75, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (retired), EQT Corporation

Richard C. Godfrey ’76, Partner, Kirkland & Ellis LLP

Dr. Daniel E. Gottschling ’77, Distinguished Principal Investigator, Calico Life Sciences LLC

Dr. Ann H. Hasselmo, Higher Education Executive Search Consultant, Academic Search, Inc.

Diane Gustafson ’66 Hill, Senior Lecturer (retired), Northwestern University

Douglas M. Hultquist ’77, Co-founder (retired), QCR Holdings

Natalie M. Kessler ’92, Owner, Masters Educational Services

Charles K. Kim, Managing Director (retired), Kaufman, Hall & Associates LLC

The Rev. Christina Garrett ’08 Klein, Pastor, Edgebrook Lutheran Church

Dr. Millicent L. Knight ’82, Senior Vice President ,Customer Development Group, EssilorLuxottica

Eric V. Lindberg, Chief Investment Officer and Trustee, Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

The Rev. Dr. Barbara K., Lundblad ’66, Professor of Preaching Emerita, Union Theological Seminary

Allyson M. Martinez ’13, Investment Specialist, Vice President, JP Morgan

Robert D. Mitchum ’75, President and Chief Executive Officer (retired), Network Services Co.

John M. Murabito ’80, Corporate Director, Leadership Consultant, Chief Human Resources Officer (retired), Cigna Corporation

Shelby J. Olson ’79, Principal, CareerLife Directions LLC

Cameron I. Onumah ’14, Policy Lead, Southern California, Amazon

Dr. Gail J. Richard ’76, Professor Emerita, Eastern Illinois University

Mark F. Saran ’77, President, Investmark LLC

Lee S. Selander ’72, Executive Vice President (retired), The Northern Trust Company

Christopher C. Seyfarth ’80, Partner (retired), Ernst & Young LLP

Sandra K. Shockley ’65, Vice President, Shockley Group Inc.

Peter J. Simshauser ’79, Chief Legal Officer, Motional AD Inc.

Dr. Michael S. Sturek ’79, Professor, Indiana University School of Medicine p="">

Sunder Subbaroyan ’87, Chairman, Doerfer Companies

Andrea Kathryn Talentino, President, Augustana College

Dr. Kelly S. Tieves ’91, Professor of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine; Pediatric Critical Care Physician, Children’s Mercy Kansas City

Dr. Cheryl A. True ’90, Physician and Owner, True Lifestyle Medicine Clinic LLC

Thomas F. Weigand ’85, Founder, CEO, IWI Ventures (Noodles & Company)

Aaron L. Wetzel ’90, Vice President, Small Ag & Turf Production Systems, John Deere

The Rev. Dr. Mark N. Wilhelm, Executive Director Network of Colleges and Universities, ELCA

President’s Cabinet

Kirk Anderson ’93, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration

W. Kent Barnds, Executive Vice President of External, Relations

Dr. Wes Brooks, Dean and Vice President, of Student Life

Sheri L. Curran, General Counsel

Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow ’94, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Provost and Dean of the College

Keri Rursch, Vice President of, Communication and Marketing, Assistant Vice President for External, Relations

Dr. Monica M. Smith, Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and, Chief Diversity Officer

Academic Deans

Dr. Wendy Hilton-Morrow ’94, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Provost and Dean of the College, Professor of Communication Studies

Dr. Kristin Douglas, Associate Vice President of, Student Success and Persistence, Associate Dean of the College, Professor of Biology

Dr. Greg Domski ’03, Associate Dean of Academic Strategic, Priorities, Professor of Chemistry and, Biochemistry

Inauguration Ceremony

Processional

"Coronation March," Pyotr I. Tchaikovsky 
Augustana Symphonic Band, Dr. James M. Lambrecht, Conductor

Flag bearers: Stephanie Carreno ’23 and Liam Dougherty ’23

Welcome

Angie Mitchum ’08 Sharp and Ryan Jenkins ’18

Invocation

Steven C. Bahls, President Emeritus of Augustana College

Musical Performance

"Alleluia," Jake Runestad 
Augustana Choir, Dr. Jon Hurty, Conductor

Greetings

From the faculty, Dr. Mariano Magalh?es
From the students, Isabelle Jordan ’23
From the alumni, The Rev. Kyle Severson ’09
From the ELCA, The Rev. Stacie Fidlar ’91
From the Board of Trustees, Wiley Adams ’82

Featured Speaker

Dr. Bill Dorfman, Former Director, Camp Walt Whitman

Introduction

Poem: "Divination," Dr. Arnold Talentino, Father of Andrea Talentino

Investiture

John M. Murabito ’80, Chair, Board of Trustees

Inaugural Address

Andrea Kathryn Talentino, President

Musical Performance

"A Fragile Peace," Dr. Jacob Bancks
Augustana Symphonic Band, Dr. James M. Lambrecht, Conductor

This work, composed expressly for today, draws on President Andrea Talentino’s scholarly work as an observer of the successes and struggles of those who aim to build peace.

Concluding Remarks

Angie Mitchum ’08 Sharp and Ryan Jenkins ’18

Musical Performance

"By the Mighty Mississippi," Jack Rasley
Augustana Choir, Dr. Jon Hurty, Conductor

(Please stand and sing along.)
By the Mighty Mississippi, on a rocky shore —
Stands the school we love so dearly, now and evermore.
Augustana, Augustana, we thy children as of old
Sing thy praise in song unending to old Augie’s blue and gold.
Tho’ the future years may part us, still together now —
Faith and love to Augustana evermore we vow.
Augustana, Augustana, we thy children as of old
Sing thy praise in song unending to old Augie’s blue and gold.

Benediction

Pastor Melinda Pupillo, Campus Chaplain and Director of Spiritual Development

Recessional

Jubilee from “Symphonic Sketches,” George Whitefield Chadwick 
Augustana Symphonic Band, Dr. James M. Lambrecht, Conductor

About the Speakers

(In order of appearance)

Angie Mitchum ’08 Sharp was recently named the community engagement manager for the city of Bettendorf, Iowa, after almost 13 years as a news anchor with WQAD News 8 in Moline, Illinois.

Ryan Jenkins ’18 is a news anchor and Emmy-nominated reporter for TMJ4 News in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Dr. Mariano Magalh?es is a professor of political science at Augustana College.

Isabelle Jordan ’23, an English education major from Lake Zurich, Illinois, is president of the Student Government Association.

The Rev. Kyle Severson ’09 is associate to the bishop, Metropolitan Chicago Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). 

The Rev. Stacie Fidlar ’91 is bishop of the Northern Illinois Synod of the ELCA. She served as pastor of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Rock Island from 1999-2022. 

Wiley Adams ’82 is vice chair of the Augustana College Board of Trustees. He retired as vice president and chief legal officer at PGIM, Inc., in 2020. 

Dr. Bill Dorfman and his late wife, Jancy, were directors of Camp Walt Whitman in Piermont, New Hampshire, when President Talentino was an administrator from 1986-1994. She credits the Dorfmans for being the first to give her leadership roles and teaching her what being a leader means. They modeled leaders who listen to others’ perceptions and needs, and then find ways to better accommodate those needs. 

SUNY Cortland Professor Emeritus of English Dr. Arnold Talentino is the father of President Talentino. He taught in the college’s Department of English for 32 years until his retirement in 2002, after which he served in a part-time position as director of the college’s Honors Program until 2012. A poet himself, Dr. Talentino is an expert in medieval literature with a specialty in Anglo-Saxon poetry. 

John M. Murabito ’80 is the chair of the Augustana College Board of Trustees. He recently retired from Cigna Corporation where he served as corporate director, leadership consultant and chief Human Resources officer. 

Past Presidents 

The Rev. Lars Paul Esbj?rn, 1860-1863

The Rev. Dr. Tufve Nilsson Hasselquist, 1863-1891

Dr. Olof Olsson, 1891-1899

Dr. Gustav Andreen, 1901-1935

The Rev. Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, 1935-1962

Dr. Clarence Sorensen, 1962-1975

Dr. Thomas Tredway, 1975-2003

Steven C. Bahls, 2003-2022

Post-inauguration Street Party

Everyone is invited to the street party immediately following the inauguration ceremony. From 2-4 p.m., 7th Avenue from Centennial Hall to the Lindberg Center will be closed to traffic for the festivities. 

Enjoy a Friends of Music Jazz Concert on the lawn near Bergendoff Hall of Fine Arts. Other activities include a bounce house, balloon animals, crafts, caricatures, face painting, yard games and a photo booth. 

Tacos, hot dogs, pizza, caramel apples, popcorn and Kona ice will be available at the street party. Most items will cost $1 (cash only). All dollars will be donated to the Rock Island High School Resource Room, as selected by President Talentino. The Resource Room provides clothing, hygiene products and food for students from economically vulnerable households