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Augsburg alumna Maureen (Conroy) Kurtz 鈥�80 cultivated her l颈蹿别鈥檚 calling at Augsburg through the intersection of English and theater.

Since graduating in 1980 with her bachelor鈥檚 degree studying children鈥檚 theatre, Maureen has written, directed, and produced over 80 plays and movies. She also served five years on the Bloomington Art Center Board and was involved with over 50 productions at the Bloomington Art Center, the Capri Theater, the Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company, and various other locations.

But Maureen hasn鈥檛 only worked her magic behind the scenes; she鈥檚 also spent a lot of time on the stage, going by the name Rina Kurtz. A highlight of her career was in 2014 when she had the opportunity to go to Hollywood and walk on the red carpet for the premiere of Matthew 18, in which she portrayed Miss Hillshire. She also acted in Thunderbird and The Coffee Shop Wars, along with a handful of short films and many plays.

A graduate of Mahtomedi High School, Maureen discovered her love of theater in her youth and worked on and off stage in her high school鈥檚 theater productions. When she came to Augsburg in 1975, Maureen had the chance to work with two professors whom she credits as important mentors on her journey to what would become a full life in theater and film: English professor Toni Clark and legendary Theater professor Ailene Cole, who is recognized for her work building Augsburg鈥檚 theater department into what it is today and for whom the Green Room in the Foss Center is named.

Ailene Cole played a special role in Maureen鈥檚 career at Augsburg by creating a new major that was not only uniquely tailored to Maureen but was also the only one of its kind in the state at that time: Children鈥檚 Theater.

鈥淚 loved Augsburg because Ailene Cole developed a special major for me in Children鈥檚 Theater,鈥� says Maureen. 鈥淚t was the only school to have a Children鈥檚 Theater program.鈥� When asked what made her want to pursue that degree, Maureen said, 鈥淚 love kids; it was my idea, and Ailene put together independent studies for me.鈥�

Maureen was busy while at Augsburg. She enjoyed Women鈥檚 Literature, joined the gymnastics team, served on the English Board for one year, and formed a liturgical dance group. Maureen also studied abroad in London, where she was able to attend 28 plays, 6 of them Shakespeare plays. Her favorite production was Equus, a drama by Peter Shaffer about a psychiatrist who attempts to treat a boy with a pathological religious fascination with horses. It won the Tony Award for best play in 1975.

Maureen continued her love of theatrical work on and off stage for Augsburg productions. She directed Talk to Me Like The Rain and Let Me Listen, a Tennessee Williams short play, in 1978. Maureen also acted in the plays Abia Da Capo in 1976, Two by Two in 1977, and The Crucible in 1979. And with a smile, Maureen says she even made her own costumes.

When asked what something people would be surprised to learn about her, Maureen said, 鈥淚 wrote a couple of puppetry productions.鈥� The productions were called Twink and Charlie Goes to Market. Both were put on at elementary schools. Maureen didn鈥檛 plan on doing the puppet production herself, but a last-minute cancellation changed her plans. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to be the puppeteer, but the guy [who was supposed to puppeteer] chickened out! I was nervous!鈥�

Maureen says she is most proud of the 5 years she served on the Bloomington Art Center board, followed by 27 years acting on their stage while working on so many of their productions at the Black Box and Schneider Theaters. And she鈥檚 raised two boys in between it all.

This past year, Maureen was diagnosed with ALS. It has greatly limited her mobility and requires her to communicate through text-to-speech computer software using Tobii, an eye-tracking device. She selects characters to form words by looking at them, then the computer speaks the words aloud.

But this has not stifled her creative mind. Earlier this year, Maureen won a 鈥淢ost Inspirational鈥� award for her poem about ALS in a walk her sister completed in her honor in Missouri. She is also currently producing a movie, Christmas Slasher.

鈥淚 have a full life,鈥� Maureen says.

—听By Jayne Carlson MFA 鈥�16 and Amanda Symes MFA 鈥�15

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What Does ALS Stand For?

By Maureen Kurtz, 2019

A.L.S. is:

Acknowledging the L辞谤诲鈥檚 Sacrifice

Always Listening to Silence

Ability to Laugh at Self

Accepting L颈蹿别鈥檚 Setbacks

Adoring every Little Second

Awestruck by the Light of the Stars

Adhering to the Lessons of the Soul

Appreciating the Luxury of the Sun

Avoiding L耻肠颈蹿别谤鈥檚 Sin

Adoring the Land and the Sea

Awareness of L颈蹿别鈥檚 Seasons

Allowing for Love to Soar

Assuring that you are the L辞谤诲鈥檚 Servant

Attaining the Loyalty to the Senses

Aiming for Loving Service

Admitting to the Lord you have Sinned

Always Learning Something

Accepting Loss and Spoil

Another Likely Story

Apples Lemons Spinach

Acorns Lakes Streams

Art Leisure Singing

Acceptance of Loss and Self Control

Oh yea, and I almost forgot. A.L.S. stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis- but that is only in VERY RARE CASES. Let me tell you A.L.S. stands for so much more. Be sure to read between the lines. It goes to show:

You are Always Learning Something.

Kathy Kuross and the IT Evolution

If you want to get a sense of the 鈥渆lectronic evolution鈥� at Augsburg since computers wormed their way into our lives, you would be well advised to ask Kathy Kuross ’85, Senior Programmer/Analyst for IT (Information Technology). She has quite an Auggie history!

When she began her employment in 海角社区 in 1986, it was the beginning of a relationship with printers, computers, and IT machinery that has continued for over 33 years. Since those early days, when she did word processing for 海角社区–followed by work in institutional research, programming, and analysis–she has had a front-row seat from which to observe鈥攁nd experience鈥攖his electronic evolution at Augsburg.

When Arthur Met Bev

And how did Kathy鈥檚 33-year commitment to Augsburg evolve? Kuross has said that she 鈥渙wes her existence to Augsburg鈥� since her parents met on campus. Her father, Arthur Kuross, arrived at Augsburg as a first-generation college student in the early 鈥�50s, after having served in World War II. On campus, a certain young secretary in the Teacher Placement Office caught his eye鈥擝everly Eckman. Before long, he asked her for a date, and she sought advice from Millie Nelson, then the switchboard operator. Millie (who subsequently served Augsburg for decades, most notably as College Center manager) thought the date was a good idea, granted her approval, and the following year, she was present at their wedding.

Arthur, who had emigrated from Norway as a small boy, stayed connected to Augsburg as the years unfolded, particularly through sports. Several of his college buddies would join him at football and hockey games, and Kathy relished the invitations to join her father and his friends at many of the games. Arthur became very active in the A-Club and served as its president for a number of years.

Still Connected

When Kathy accepted a position as word processor in the 海角社区 office in 1986, just months after having completed her Bachelor of Arts degree, she worked in the Science building鈥攖he same building in which her mother had worked 36 years earlier. Certainly, there had been changes in how office work got done over those 36 years, but those changes would likely pale by comparison with those that Kathy has observed in the 33 years since then.

Kathy began her work when there was only one printer on campus and most people were still using typewriters. At that time, she would carry all the students鈥� admissions folders in a metal bin from the 海角社区 office (then located in a house) to the basement of the Science building, where the Administrative Computing office was located.

She recalls the Registrar鈥檚 office using punch cards to process registrations and pasting labels for each term鈥檚 data onto students鈥� transcripts. Eventually, the campus moved on to using a mainframe computer system, with green-screen computer terminals at people鈥檚 desks. Larger reports were printed on a giant green bar printer. (Remember the wide perforated continuous-feed green-and-white sheets with holes along both margins?)

As Kuross reflects on the many changes in electronics and campus life, she notes that in 1985, the top five names of students attending Augsburg were Johnson, Anderson, Peterson, Olson, and Nelson. Today, the top five names are Vang, Johnson, Yang, Lee, and Mohamed. Kuross is proud to work at a university that has expanded its reach and willingly changes, adapts, and grows.

When she started at Augsburg, there was a room in the Christensen Center that played MTV videos all day. The name of the cafeteria was the Chin Wag, and it was located at the base of the current stairway in Christensen Center. Employees could smoke at their desks. Parking was free. At registration time, students waited in long lines in the gym.

By contrast, Kuross can now sit at her IT desk and watch thousands of registrations happen in minutes. We now have lactation rooms, foot-washing stations, and gender-neutral restrooms. Whereas faculty advisors once did all the advising, we now have the Gage Center, with a whole floor of the library designated to assist students. There is an Academic Advising office, TRIO, CLASS, StepUP, and Multi-cultural Student Services, just to name a few.

Throughout her 14-year stint in IT, plus 13 years of institutional research and earlier admissions work, Kuross has not been lured to other workplaces. When asked why, she responded that she values the quality work environment, the friendships, and the challenges, both personal and professional.

She has found particular fulfillment through her role in helping Augsburg students graduate. Over 33 years, that鈥檚 a lot of students!

鈥斺赌斺赌斺赌斺赌�

-by Cheryl Crockett 鈥�89

Tyler Heaps 鈥�13 has loved soccer since he was a boy, kicking a ball around the back yard with his older brother and three sisters. The memories don鈥檛 get much better, however, than those made this summer, when his professional work in data analysis allowed him to be embedded with the U.S. Women鈥檚 National Soccer Team as it competed for the World Cup in Lyon, France.

On July 7, all the hard work paid off when the U.S. team triumphed over the Netherlands, 2-0, winning its second consecutive World Cup championship. Heaps says playing a tiny part in helping the U.S. win the seven-game series鈥攁nd the World Cup鈥攚as 鈥渙ne of the most challenging and rewarding experiences鈥� of his life鈥攁nd something he will never forget.

Not unlike football and baseball teams鈥� use of video coverage and data analysis to enhance skills on the field, coaches and staff at U.S. Soccer are discovering the value of reviewing their own team鈥檚 playing habits, as well as those of their opponents, through data collection, video, and studying trend lines. As Heaps says, 鈥淣o one can recall every action that happened during a game (and especially not 10-15 games), so being able to apply objective data to identify key areas can help in preparation.鈥�

Heaps, who played soccer as an Augsburg student, is now manager of analytics and research for U.S. Soccer, where he oversees the initiatives of the organization to both analyze sports data and help staff scout potential talent. While he loves the excitement of the uncertainty, flow, and freedom of soccer, Heaps feels that the development of new technology鈥攊Pads on the bench, data availability, VAR (video assistant referee), etc.鈥攎akes for greater precision, helps referees make the correct decisions, and ultimately improves the game.

Jill Ellis, head coach of the U.S. Women鈥檚 National Team, is one of the soccer coaches who has developed an appetite for this information and has worked to apply it and learn more from it. Ellis, who just announced her retirement from U.S. Soccer on July 30, is only the second coach (first female) to have led a soccer team to two consecutive World Cup championships (Pozzo鈥擨taly, 1934, 1938).

Heaps feels very fortunate to have this opportunity to explore the sports analytics world, especially after having spent most of his time at Augsburg either on the soccer field or behind a computer or math book.

Prior to taking on his responsibilities with U.S. Soccer in 2016, Heaps worked in the human resources firm, Ceridian, where he fine-tuned his skills in programming and data management. During his off-hours, he coached soccer teams鈥攁n experience that he finds very helpful in creating relationships with the technical staffs at U.S. Soccer.

As with many college athletes, he continues to enjoy friendships forged on the Auggie soccer field鈥攁 great benefit that he credits to the leadership of head coach Greg Holker and his staff. He takes particular satisfaction in seeing the game continue to grow here in the U.S. What better way to see it generate excitement in the U.S. than a huge win in France?

鈥攂y Cheryl Crockett 鈥�89

Receiving the Living Loehe Award

A few months ago, when Ross Murray 鈥�00/M.B.A. 鈥�09 received a letter to his office at , he was astonished to discover he was about to be granted an award. He had been selected by Wartburg Theological Seminary to receive the Living Loehe Award, honoring his work on behalf of LGBTQ communities through GLAAD, the Naming Project, and several other LGBTQ programs. Overwhelmed by what he calls a “huge honor,” he traveled to Dubuque to receive the award at Wartburg鈥檚 commencement. The award, established in 1973, honors individuals who have given distinguished service to and through the church, and exemplify Christ鈥檚 call to be disciples in the context of their own daily lives and professional commitments.

Murray has worked with GLAAD for eight years directing a variety of programs, including religion, global, the U.S. South, and news. Currently senior director of education and training at the GLAAD Media Institute, he works with various aspects of the media world鈥攁dvocates and activists (helping them to engage the media as a tool for LGBTQ advocacy); the media industry (advising on how to be fair, accurate, and inclusive in their stories); and corporations (helping them to be effective allies to the LGBTQ community). Each workday is different from the previous one, and Murray鈥檚 tasks range from reviewing a script, to screening a film, to developing curriculum, to providing one-on-one messaging to highly visible individuals, to leading courses and workshops鈥攖o name a few.

In addition to his responsibilities with GLAAD, Murray is the founding director of , a faith-based ministry serving youth of all sexual and gender identities. Similar to a Lutheran Bible camp, the Minnesota-based summer youth camp has attracted over 200 campers from across the country, and continues to provide a safe place for youth to comfortably discuss faith and how they understand themselves in relation to God and the rest of the world. The coffee house talent show is always a highlight, and it gives campers a unique opportunity to express care and support for fellow campers鈥攆ully aware of the importance of feeling included. Murray has been part of The Naming Project since it began 15 years ago, and has been gratified to see many young insecure campers grow into outspoken leaders and advocates.

Working and Studying at Augsburg

Prior to his work with GLAAD, Murray worked with the Youth and Family Institute, 海角社区, and ReconcilingWorks. Throughout these experiences, faith identity and vocation have been central to his work, and he has often found himself returning to a mantra that he heard over and over from Dr. David Anderson in his Augsburg Youth & Family Ministry classes鈥攖hat 鈥渕inistry is about personal trusted relationships.鈥� The repetition of that phrase must have worked because the mantra has become increasingly meaningful to Murray in his ministry and advocacy, and he sees it as key to building bridges of tolerance and acceptance.

Murray explains the mantra: 鈥淔or people to care about you and want good things to happen for you, they need to know you personally and intimately鈥攏ot a caricature or stereotype or label, but the actual you.鈥� And that means listening to them, sharing your own story, and offering the gift of vulnerability鈥攐f being known. Though time-consuming, the bond that can result from this kind of ministry has greater potential to be deeper and more durable than the connections we make on social media or through our fast-information, media-driven connections. And though a 鈥減ersonal trusted relationship鈥� demands much from each person, the bond is harder to break.

At Augsburg, Murray was a Youth & Family Ministry major, and he feels that his experiences there helped him to be the advocate he is today. He is especially grateful to the Religion Department, and in particular to Janelle Bussert, who encouraged him to create a welcome statement for Augsburg鈥檚 Campus Ministry program鈥攁 statement that resulted in adding the Campus Ministry program to the roster of Reconciling in Christ congregations and ministry settings, which let it be known that people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are welcome to worship and participate. A few years later, Augsburg became the first Reconciling in Christ University.

LGBTQ Advocacy

After earning his B.A. from Augsburg, Murray earned an M.A. in Christian Education from Luther Seminary, as well as an M.B.A. from Augsburg; and in 2016 he was consecrated as a deacon in the ELCA. His synodically authorized Call was to do LGBTQ advocacy through GLAAD鈥攁 reality made possible only 10 years ago by the ELCA Churchwide Assembly when it voted to open the ministry to clergy in same-gender relationships and other professional workers living in committed relationships.

In 2017, Murray celebrated his 40th birthday with a party at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. He chose the Stonewall because of its significance as the site where the modern LGBTQ movement is seen to have begun 50 years ago, when members of the gay community rioted and staged a three-day protest to urge the NYPD to maintain peaceful and quiet conduct on the streets. To Murray, the Stonewall protests and the ELCA policy shift are watershed events鈥攁nd are reminders of what it means to be part of a 鈥渓iving history.鈥� Much has been done, but much remains to be done.

In April 2016, the same month that Murray was consecrated as a deacon at Advent Lutheran Church in New York City, he married Richard Garnett in the same church. Richard is also an Auggie, having received his B.A. in 2007 and his M.B.A. in 2009.

A native of Littlefork, Minnesota, a small town near the Canadian border, Murray is amused that a boy whose home had no telephone until he was a junior in high school now finds himself living and working in a bustling metropolis like New York City, surrounded by a remarkable mix of people. And he loves it.

Murray recently returned from Thailand, a country he first visited 20 years ago with Augsburg Professor Emeritus Brad Holt, who was leading a J-term class entitled, 鈥淏uddhism and Christianity in Thailand: Spirituality and Dialog.鈥� This time around, Murray has been working on sabbatical projects鈥攎ost notably, a book about The Naming Project. Stay tuned for word of its completion.

 

鈥攂y Cheryl Crockett 鈥�89

Rowles Named New Head for State鈥檚 HIV Services

Darin Rowles 鈥�04, 鈥�15 (MSW) has worked in the HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) sector since 1995, a time when an HIV diagnosis was a death sentence. He worked very closely with many people whose lives were coming to an end due to HIV. But in 1995, the first advanced HIV treatment became available鈥斺�渁 game changer in HIV,鈥� says Rowles. Things have changed dramatically since then, and he now has a new opportunity to spread the hopefulness.

On Halloween 2018, Rowles stepped into a new position that will bring to bear his 23+ years of experience in direct-service and management of HIV鈥攁nd to a much wider audience. As Manager of HIV Services for the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS), Rowles now oversees the administration of numerous services for people living with HIV, but on a statewide basis. The work includes the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part B and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).

Ending the Epidemic

Rowles says we now have the treatment options and knowledge needed to end the HIV epidemic. Though there is still no cure or vaccine, two major assets have recently been added to the HIV toolbox.

The first is a concept known as 鈥淯=U鈥� (undetectable equals untransmittable), based on research that has shown conclusively that people living with HIV who are able to engage in medical care can maintain an undetectable HIV viral load, thereby preventing them from passing on the virus to sexual partners.

The second new tool is PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis), a daily medication for those not living with HIV who want to remain HIV-negative. Rowles says that now we also know how to provide HIV treatments that enhance quality of life for those already living with the virus and prevent transmission to others.

But Rowles acknowledges that some of the greatest HIV challenges we have today are with young people, who are both less likely to use preventive measures like PrEP, and less likely to have the resources to manage their HIV and maintain an undetectable viral load. He knows that much work remains to be done in the HIV sector to raise awareness. In Minnesota alone, there are about 300 new HIV infections each year. In 2017, about a third of the 284 new cases were individuals under age 30, and about one-fifth were 24 or younger. The majority of those 24 or younger were male-identified, and almost all of these identified sex with another male-identified person as their primary risk.

Rowles鈥� work is cut out for him, and he is excited about this opportunity to gain experience in administering service to the public sector. His new role will include supervising, mentoring, and teaching emerging social work professionals, as well as overseeing the administration of contracted support services, insurance assistance, medication-access programs, capacity-building programs, and policy initiatives–plus monitoring compliance with federal funding, and activities that engage the community.

Previously, much of Rowles鈥� work involved relating one-on-one to people living with the disease. From 2002 to 2018, he worked in multiple roles with MAP (the Minnesota AIDS Project, now called JustUs Health). In addition, he has done focused worked with people living with serious and persistent mental health issues in residential settings. For five years, he served on the Minnesota HIV Services Planning Council and was an active part of the community planning process in allocating federal funding for HIV services within Minnesota. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Association of Social Workers in HIV/AIDS.

Minnesotan, Through and Through

Rowles values his Minnesota roots, and confesses to being a 鈥渕assive Prince fan.鈥� He feels fortunate to have seen Prince over 100 times, often at late-night parties at his Chanhassen studio. In addition to his love for music, Rowles has 鈥済eeky鈥� interests, such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, and the Marvel-verse. These interests recharge him for his day-to-day work, he says, as do his husband and three cats, who live with him in South Minneapolis.

Rowles鈥� ongoing relationship with Augsburg began with some 鈥減ost-secondary鈥� classes during his senior year in high school. When he put his academic life on pause partway through his freshman year, he took some time to 鈥渆xperience life,鈥� before returning to complete his Bachelor鈥檚 degree, and later, his Master鈥檚 in Social Work. He has stayed in touch with various professors and with Auggies from his Master鈥檚 cohort and has supervised a number of social work undergrads in internship roles. This trimester he is back on campus as a co-facilitator for an Intergroup Dialogue. He says that both of his social work experiences at Augsburg made a major impression on him, and he continues to be a cheerleader for the university and the social work program.

Perhaps Rowles鈥� greatest contribution as a Minnesotan is yet to come, as he pursues his new work with DHS. In partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health, DHS is implementing a statewide strategy to end HIV in Minnesota. As Rowles says, 鈥淲e have the tools to end this epidemic, and now is the time.鈥�

 

–by Cheryl Crockett 鈥�89