Learn what’s happening at our colleges with a quick rundown of recent news.

River semester students canoe the Mississippi River for 100 days
For the second time, 15 Augsburg University students are canoeing the Mississippi River and camping out along the way while learning about history, politics and the environment.

Student managed investment fund outperforms early benchmarks
Bethel University’s new Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) has invested over $1.2 million on behalf of Thrivent Financial and independent donors, with excellent returns.

Carleton Knights climb to No. 1 in WGCA national rankings
Following an undefeated fall season, the Carleton College women’s golf team was ranked at the No. 1 spot in the Women’s Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Division III rankings.

Three CSB/SJU faculty members part of LibreText Project
The College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University faculty are part of a nationwide project estimated to save students $50 million in textbook costs.

St. Scholastica moves to test-optional admissions policy
As part of a more holistic admissions approach, The College of St. Scholastica is no longer requiring ACT or SAT test scores.

Concordia student tracks turtles through telemetry
Concordia College (Moorhead) student Chloe Whitten ’19 was one of 190 interns at the Brookhaven National Laboratory run by the Department of Energy. Whitten researched eastern box turtles.

Concordia St. Paul celebrates its 125th anniversary
A partner in the St. Paul community since 1893, Concordia University, St. Paul reflects on its rich history and bright future as it celebrates its 125th anniversary during the 2018-19 academic year.

Gustavus first-year wins National Leadership Award
Gustavus Adolphus College first-year student Gena King was recently recognized with the Black Women's Agenda's Bright Futures Award and scholarship at a gala luncheon in Washington, D.C.

Siah Armajani, Macalester alumnus, and his new show
A major new retrospective at the Walker Art Center, Siah Armajani: Follow This Line is the first comprehensive U.S. retrospective devoted to the Macalester College alumnus’ work and runs through December 30.

Saint Mary's University begins recruiting for new PA program
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota is now accepting applications for a 3+2 Physician Assistant program, being offered in collaboration with Mayo Clinic.

St. Kate's physician assistant students partner with Mille Lacs Health System to address opioid epidemic
Travis Green and Bess Kuzma, students in St. Catherine University’s physician assistant program, will conduct research and present findings to Mille Lacs Health System’s medical executives board.

St. Olaf receives nearly $1 million NSF grant for new dataSTEM project
St. Olaf College has been awarded nearly $1 million from the National Science Foundation to support low-income STEM students as they gain advanced skills and expertise in data analysis.

St. Thomas welcomes home a Tommie to lead athletics
The University of St. Thomas introduced Phil Esten, 1995 alumnus who played NCAA Division III baseball, as the new vice president and director of athletics.