CONVERSATIONS

I read Hannah Lund’s article on interfaith work on campus in the September 30th addition of Chips. In the spirit of “letting the chips fall where they may,” I’ll take this opportunity to tell more of the story. Bottom line, the readers of Synergy and Chips should know that the Luther College Diversity Center is a co-partner with College Ministries in the development, funding, and implementation of what we refer to as the Luther Interfaith Initiative. College Ministries and the Diversity Center began to dream together about joining this move-ment in the spring of 2009. We began with a simple vision: to establish a welcoming interfaith presence on campus. So far, the interfaith partnership has involved: Refurbishing the Melanchthon

classroom/conference space in the CFL to become the Melanchthon Interfaith Room. This room is now used for Bible Study, meditation, and inter-faith work.

Revitalizing the student

initiated Luther Gospel Choir with Brendon Adams, a South African choir director, as its leader along with the logistical support of College Ministries and Michael Bornhoft and Priscilla Osei-Bonsu. The Gospel Choir promotes an intra-faith understanding of the African and African-American religious traditions. This project is on-going and you can join!

Initiating two Journey

Conversations groups under the leadership of Sandhya Caton,

the Interfaith Coordinator, and Dr. Diane Millis, an independent consultant in interfaith dialogue. This semester, three groups are meeting and there are plans to continue the groups with the support of volunteer facilitators and Sandhya Caton.

Organizing the Interfaith Student

Alliance (IFSA) an interfaith student organization that is a recognized student group led by Matt Lind and Ellie Nelson.

Convening an Interfaith

Consultation to plan the work more broadly and sponsoring Strangers to Neighbors, a work-shop to engage the connections between interfaith cooperation and immigration.

The Chips article was “spot-on” in its depiction of Luther as a “tolerant school” but the Diversity Center has a different vision for interfaith coop-eration. The vision has three parts: 1) the LDC wants our campus community to have a real apprecia-tion for all types of differences on our campus and in our community. This appreciation extends to religious differences. 2) we want to respect differences and create social norms that value engaging each other as a way of being present together. In short, the LDC believes that grappling with daily living given our differences and within our community makes it possible to live together, work together, laugh and love together, even when our beliefs and traditions differ. 3) being inclusive means that we connect to and learn from one another so that together, we can uphold the dignity of the human spirit; together, we can send ripples of justice and equality around the

October 2010 Volume 9, Issue 2

Synergy Luthe r C ol le ge DIVE R S IT Y C E N T E R PUBLICATION OF LUTHER DIVERSITY CENTER

THE VOICE,VISIBILITY AND LEADERSHIP FOR DIVERSITY

Contact Us

If you have any questions,

concerns or would like more

information about the events

listed in Synergy or be added

to the Synergy mailing list

contact the Luther College

Diversity Center at:

diversity@luther.edu

563-387-1014

Visit our website

www.diversity.luther.edu

to learn more about our work

globe. These are the reasons why interfaith work directly connects to the work of the LDC. We are proud partners and excited to continue the work throughout the broader society.

Inside This Issue

Luther Homecoming Page. 2

World Origami Days Page. 2

Events Page 2

Halloween Page 3

Breast Cancer Aware-

ness Month

Page 3

Rideshare Program Page 4

Birthdays Page 4

Quotable Minds Page 4

International Corner Page 4

British Origami Society and

OrigamiUSA. She delighted in

the magic to be found in a piece

of paper and wanted to share it

with the world. In Japan,

November is Origami Day. The

paper crane has become a

symbol of peace.

During these days, fold

while watching TV, fold while

reading your Paideia home-

work, give your friends origami,

or exhibit your models. The

possibilities are limitless, just as

with origami itself.

Information found on: http://

www.origami-usa.org/wod

Celebrate origami by

spreading the joy of paper folding

during World Origami Days,

October 24 - November 11, 2010,

a celebration of the international

community of origami! Origami

started in Japan during the 17th

century AD and was popularized

in the mid-1900s. The goal of this

art is to transform a flat sheet of

material into a finished sculpture

through folding and sculpting

techniques. The use of cuts or glue

are not considered to be origami.

October 24 is the birthday

of Lillian Oppenheimer (1898-

1992), who founded the first

origami group in America. She was

also one of the founders of the

Volume 9, Issue 2

OCTOBER

Thursday, October 7

3:30 pm - Soup's On - Farwell

Lounge

Friday, October 8

11:30 am - Can We Talk?

All Day-Homecoming*

Saturday, October 9th

All Day– Homecoming*

Sunday, October 10th

All Day-Homecoming*

Friday, October 17

11:30 am Can We Talk?

Friday, October 29

11:30 am - Can We Talk?

7:00 pm - Friendship Family

Pumpkin Carving

*Open to the campus and wider

community

Homecoming is a celebration of the pride students, faculty and alumni have for Luther College. This year there are many events for everyone to take part in. On Friday October 8th, homecoming chapel is at the regular time in the CFL, at 7:30pm the Jazz Orchestra concert is in the CFL with a Des-sert Celebration following. On Saturday October 9th, the home-coming parade is at 10am and starts on Water Street and goes through campus. At 11am the Alumni Men‟s Rugby match on the pitch which is North of the soccer fields. From 11am-1pm, the All-College “Huddle” and picnic is on the Library Lawn. At 11:30 am is

the Alumni Swim meet and at 1pm the homecoming football game vs Cornell will be on the field. From 3-4pm there is the Art Gallery Recep-tion in the Upper Level of the CFL featuring „05 graduates Ashley Dull and Becky Franklin. From 8:00 pm– Midnight the Flamingo Ball: “iDance-iMove-iGroove” will be in the Regents Center. On Sunday, October 10th, the Alumni softball game is at 1pm, the Homecoming concert featuring Symphony Orchestra, Nordic Choir and Concert Band is at 2pm in the Main all of the CFL. So get out and enjoy the activities and celebrate be-ing a Norse! For the complete schedule, visit http://www.luther.edu/homecoming/schedule/

Luther Homecoming 2010

World Origami Days

EVENTS

ATTENTION STUDENT GROUPS

Your help is needed. The Luther Diversity Center Staff

wants YOU to create a logo for your group. With a logo

we will be able to have your group be recognized by a

single symbol and be able to advertise on our website, in

the Synergy and whenever your group has an event that

wants to be shared with the community. Please submit

your logo to Wintlett when you’re finished! Good Luck!

Volume 9, Issue 2

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

AstraZeneca founded the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the

year 1985. The aim of the NBCAM from the start has been to promote

mammography as the most effective weapon in the fight against breast

cancer.

In 1993 Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of the

Estée Lauder Companies founded The Breast Cancer Research Foundation

and established the Pink Ribbon as its symbol, though this was not the first

time the ribbon was used to symbolize breast cancer. In the fall of 1991, the

Susan G. Komen Foundation had handed out Pink Ribbons to participants

in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors.

During the month of October, many companies, schools and

communities raise money for breast cancer by participating in “Pink Day”

when people wear pink. The Luther College volleyball team is participating

in a Pink Day at Wartburg College during a conference game.

You can do your part by wearing pink during the month of Octo-

ber as well as donating to organizations such as the Susan G. Komen.

Think Pink!

Page 3

Can We Talk?

Soup’s On Reminder

The first Soup’s On event of the year will be held on October 7th at 3:30pm at Farwell Lounge. All first and second year international and multicultural students as well as students enrolled in the Student Support Ser-vices program are invited. Come to Soup’s On, enjoy some home-made food and a time of fellowship.

Halloween is Coming! Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on the 31st of

October and is linked with the Celtic festival of Samhain

which means “summer’s end.” The ancient Celts believed

that on Samhain, the barrier between our world and the

other spirit world would become so

thin that spirits were able to pass

through. Families would welcome

their ancestors into their home while

they wore costumes to frighten away

the unwanted spirits. Our Halloween

traditions of wearing costumes and

bonfires come from this Celtic time. Other traditions

such as trick-or-treating, carving jack-o’-lanterns,

bobbing for apples and haunted houses come from the

Old English era. This year in the community, the Nob

Hill Ballroom is hosting a Rock n’ Roll Halloween Dance

party from 8-11pm with $10 admission. The 2010 Insti-

tute for Numerical Research in the Physics of Materials

(IRRMA) Hall of Fame Inductees The Rubber Band will

be playing live with authentic 50’ ands and 60’s music.

For more information go to www.memorybrothers.com.

Interfaith Opportunities

On October 14th, College Ministries is hosting

Global Chapel and on October 28th, Interfaith

Prayer Chapel which will draw from practices

of various faith traditions. These chapels will

happen during the usual 10:30 Chapel time in

the Recital Hall (CRH) of the CFL.

Volume 9, Issue 2

Rideshare Program

Page 4

In 2009, Student Senate explored bringing a commercial rideshare program to

Luther College. In the past, Luther has used the Rideshare board in the Union

by the SPOs to be able to provide students with the ability to find people rid-

ing to different parts of the state and other states to ride together and cut their

carbon footprint. Due to high cost, the idea was brought to Luther computer

science professor Brad Miller to see if a rideshare program could be devel-

oped internally, using the help of students. Since then, Professor Miller and

student Kevin Williams have been working hard to develop a powerful, user-

friendly Web site to replace the old rideshare board located in the student un-

ion. If you are needing a ride out of town or want to take a road trip, check out

http://rideshare.luther.edu/ to be able to find a greener way to ride.

OCTOBER

4thVictor Hernandez Sang Phuc Phan Trong Thai 7th Mreima Sofradzija Olivier Nzombo 11th Ramesh Karki 15th Jaye Hobart Calvin Canales 18th Aparna Ashok 19th Alan Bedell-Navidad 24th Sally Ea Lauran Snyder 25th Ekow Blankson Shuangshuang Chen Zhenmin Li Brian Nnaoji 28th Tan Diep Iris Gutierrez Donterrious Porter Julia Zaliznytska Yifeng Zeng 31st Deborah Lum Hau`oli la hanau! Grattis pŒ fšdelsedagen Saalgirah Mubarak! S Dnojom Razhdenija ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! Janam Din ki badhai! Sheng Ri Kuai Le! Happy Birthday!

Wow! It’s October already? For those of you who missed our Welcome Dinner, I’m

happy to tell you that we have a wonderful group of 27 new international students

and 42 new multicultural students. Check out our great photo on the wall in the

LDC! You can also see it at: http://photobureau.luther.edu/album71/MG_2445a

We’re still trying to meet some of you!

Orientation was wacky and wonderful, as always, and thanks to all our great students

and LDC staff, it went fairly smoothly. Now that the “honeymoon” is over, new stu-

dents might be feeling homesick, a little unhappy with all the work there is to do,

missing food from home, and worried about cold weather. I’ve seen quite a few stu-

dents with coughs and sneezes too - don’t forget to get enough sleep! Those of you

who are more experienced students can help support the new ones.

If you feel the need to talk about all these issues, sign up for Can We Talk? (See

page 3) You can share your wishes about CAF food by attending the Food Council

meetings. You can get involved in an organization that energizes you about social

issues, entrepreneurship, politics, whatever! Getting connected will help battle

homesickness. So, to echo our LDC theme for this year,

Be Courageous: Connect, Commit Grow! And have a great year!

Juniors and Seniors planning your careers? Don’t miss out on the Career Center’s

upcoming events http://www.luther.edu/careers/, and THEN, come see Amy about

how to do internships legally, find out about CPT and OPT and make wise planning

decisions for life after Luther.

International Corner – thoughts and notes from Amy