Thursday, September 24, 2009

Homecoming 2009

With three weeks until Homecoming, Wartburg is in the full swing of it! As the day draws closer the committee continues to get excited for all the homecoming activities we are working on for you. Shirt sales on campus started Monday and will be going on through homecoming. Alumni and parents can get their shirts through the online registration. Short sleeves are $10 and long sleeves are $12 so be sure to buy them early and sport your Wartburg spirit!

Publicty and Coronation

Publicity is thinking outside the box this year with some fun new ways to grab people’s attention! Watch out for Sir Orange-A-Lot as he pops up around campus! Also, be sure to keep track of Homecoming updates on twitter.com by following @BurgHomecoming! Publicity is excited to spread the word about Homecoming 2009!

Coronation is ready to crown this year’s Homecoming King and Queen! Voting for Juniors and Seniors will take place Monday September 28th through Tuesday September 29th. The entire campus is welcome to vote for this year’s king and queen on Monday October 12th through Wednesday October 14th. The king and queen will be coronated at Kastle Kapers on Thursday October 15th!

Click here to see the full homecoming schedule and to register. We hope to see you here!

Cassady Bolding '10 and Nicole Lequia '11
Student Homecoming Committee Co-directors

Friday, September 18, 2009

Cape Cod

Six Wartburg grads from the 50's shared time and memories together at Cape Cod. Les and June Hunt drove to Springfield, IL to join Carl and Roberta Volkman to visit the home of Judy and Don Manthei at the Cape.

Les Huth ‘58, June (Schueller) Huth ‘58, Don Manthei ‘56, Judy (Gore) Manthei ’58, Roberta (Bock) Volkman ’58, Carl Volkman ‘55


If you have had a gathering of Wartburg people, be sure to send a picture and a brief description to the Alumni Office.


Thursday, September 17, 2009

Calling All SuperKnights!

Calling All SuperKnights! We are very excited to welcome all of you to what will be a great Homecoming! We had the first meeting of our Student Homecoming Committee on Monday September 14th and all of our members are already working hard to put together a truly outstanding Homecoming. We have some fun ideas to invigorate the whole campus with the Homecoming spirit. Our committee is one of the most enthusiastic groups on campus and is excited to participate in all of the festivities right alongside each and every one of you. Keep your eyes posted for more information coming at you soon!

Spotlight Committees of the Week: Kastle Kapers and Merchandise
The annual Homecoming talent show, Kastle Kapers, is always a crowd pleaser! Kastle Kapers will be holding auditions at the end of the month. They already have quite a few acts already signed-up for tryouts. Don’t miss your chance in the spotlight; sign-up for an audition time at the Information Desk located in the Student Center.

T-shirt sales start on campus Monday September 21st! There are also available online on the homecoming registration page. Merchandise is excited to start selling shirts and seeing them all around campus as Homecoming draws closer!


Click here to see the full homecoming schedule and to register. We hope to see you here!


Cassady Bolding '10 and Nicole Lequia '11
Student Homecoming Committee Co-directors

50th Birthday Golf Outing

Dave Unmacht '81, met up with several of his friends from Wartburg to golf and celebrate their 50th birthdays. He sent us the picture as well as the comments you see below.

“Even though we were only together for what is really a very brief time in our lives, it is amazing how relationships are formed, especially when if you really think about it we were just kids. We are planning another one in a couple years. Hope to get an even bigger crowd.”

We periodically get pictures of a gathering like this and we love to see them. Be sure to share your small group reunion photos with us and stories with us by e-mailing us at alumni@wartburg.edu.

Sitting on the ground from left to right : Phil Porter '81, Jeff Overson '81

Sitting on the brick wall from left to right: John O'Brien '81, Mark Wilkens '83, Dave UnMacht '81 and Greg Scheuerman '81

Standing from far left: Doug Murray '83, Bobby Garris '83, Richard Simon '84, Bob Ringstad '81, Craig Bahlmann '81, Dave Hoffman '81, Kevin Anhalt '81 and George Stephenson


Tuesday, September 8, 2009

We thought our blog readers might be interested in reading the text of the "Where are they now?" segments of the KWAY radio broadcasts of Wartburg Football games. Each week the segment will feature a former Wartburg student-athlete.

Here is the segment from the 9/5/09 broadcast featuring Dr. Lynn Koob, '69:

It’s time now for “Where Are They Now?” brought to you by the Wartburg Alumni Department

One of the more special seasons in Wartburg College football history was in 1968. After struggling in previous seasons, the Knights stunned everyone by going 7-1-1 and winning the Iowa Conference Championship. A key contributor to that team was Lynn Koob. Lynn, a reserve defensive back, was like many on that 1968 team who contributed in any way possible to help the Knights succeed.Lynn felt the 1968 team played so well is because they had good athletes, gelled together quickly and players knew their roles.

Lynn chose Wartburg as he felt it was good fit for him with Academics and allowed him to play football, a sport he had a great passion for. One of Lynn’s favorite memories was when the Knights beat Luther during the 1968 season. A pre-Med major, Lynn also was the Knights trainer in Basketball, Baseball and Track.

Following his graduation from Wartburg in 1969, Lynn began medical school at the University of Iowa. After Medical school he began his intern and surgery residency at La Crosse Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Lynn now works as a general surgeon at Lakeview Memorial Center in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. He’s been there since 1980.

Lynn loved the small school atmosphere at Wartburg and is grateful to the opportunities in athletics the school allowed him. Lynn’s two children also went to Wartburg. Daughter, Marnie was a 2000 graduate and son, Dave graduated in 2002. Lynn is still a big Knights fan and stays posted on the sports teams through the Wartburg College website.

This has been “Where Are They Now?” featuring Lynn Koob, a presentation from the Wartburg Alumni Department, On the Knights Radio Network.

Monday, September 7, 2009

Orange on Ice: The First Wartburg Alumni to Run a Marathon on Antarctica

I was a freshman at Wartburg College when orange turned from a color to an ethos. “Be Orange” started as signs hung from walkway lights and two story banners bolted into Clinton Hall, but became a mantra for those who wished to excel in a life of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning. I guess you could say that I am an Orange Pioneer, or, perhaps, I could better be described as an Orange Prototype, the kind that could easily be improved upon.

After graduating from Wartburg, I left with a deep desire to lead publicly as clergy by serving in a local parish. In a few years, I graduated from seminary, immersed myself in my congregation, and found valuable ways to serve my city. The values of “Being Orange” proved to have prepared me well for my occupational vocation. But last year, my public orange became personal. To keep changing my context, I needed to continue changing and challenging myself.

Outside of the occasional lucky shot in a pick-up game of basketball or a frantic dash across campus on my scooter, I was never known for being a particularly athletic person. Therefore, the prospect of running 26.2 miles seemed to be a ridiculous undertaking of pain and torture. Admittedly, marathons have gained significant popularity among even novice runners, but for my 6’2”, awkward demeanor, it seemed impossible!

I am proud to say what I once thought was impossible became a reality. Recently, I finished a marathon… on Antarctica. Unlike other marathons, this one included climbing a glacier, navigating quick-sinking mud, enduring the frozen elements, and skipping over fragile moss. The course weaved through the four science stations located on the northern most tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. Our cheering section consisted of some Russians, Uruguayans, Argentineans, and Chinese scientists as well as one lone penguin that strayed from his flock. The hilly, snowless terrain took me nearly five hours to complete, but the sense of accomplishment at the end was irrevocably triumphant to me.

In Be Orange years, I’m a senior citizen. I have begun my life of leadership and service as an outpouring of my faith. In that time, I have found the more I exclude myself from challenge, high expectations, and adventure the less I expect others to be their best and change for the better. I have been asked, “why run a marathon… on Antarctica?” Because it is there. Marathons push even the most elite athletes to their limits and Antarctica is the furthest place on earth from any civilization. Being orange is a challenge to change, to lead, and do something that has never been done. That is why orange on the ice makes sense to me.

I have started to wear my Wartburg jersey at other marathons. When I am asked was the "W" means, I say "WARTBURG COLLEGE, YOU RAH RAH RAH!"

Be Orange!
Scott Budlong '04