The Augsburg Echo

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Meet the Editors

Becca Andersen, Editor-In-Chief

Liberty? and the Echo

I have recently been reminded of the reason why the Echo is freeing:

“The true liberty of a man, you would say, consisted in his finding out, or being forced to find out the right path, and to walk thereon… O, if thou really art my Senior, Seigneur, my Elder, Presbyter or Priest,–if thou art in very deed my Wiser, may a beneficent instinct lead and impel thee to ‘conquer’ me, to command me!”

When Thomas Carlyle wrote these words in Past and Present of 1843, he wrote of a kind of liberty no one was and ever will be accustomed to, because what he wrote of, although disturbingly convincing, is not liberty, but just the opposite.

In the same essay, Carlyle suggested that at the end of our lives the freedom that we had all along to choose won’t matter, but what will matter is what we accomplished—he wrote, “That I have been called, by all the Newspapers, a ‘free man’ will avail me little, if my pilgrimage ended in death and wreck.”

Well Carlyle, what if I currently don’t care about how I’ll feel about it at the end of my life because I’m a young self-centered little prick? What if I’m not currently thinking about the end of my pilgrimage, because I’m just beginning mine? I’m thinking about the now, and specifically, I’m thinking about how right now, at this moment, I don’t give a shit about my life-long productivity—I’m thinking about just how delicious, is the freedom to choose.

It does matter to me that the newspapers call me ‘free,’ and I think it does for you too, students of Augsburg. In fact, this newspaper is doing that very thing right now. You are free to skip class and get drunk down by the river. You are free to move to Seattle and buy a fishing boat and live a life like that one guy did in that book you read one time. You are free to disappear for awhile and come back. You are free to love whomever you love. You are free to do whatever you’d like with your college career, both while you’re living it and once it’s over. And you are free to transform this institution through your support of this publication.

The Echo has liberties that many college newspapers, sadly, do not.  Although the Echo has had reason in the not-so-distant past (and always will for that matter) to remind the community of its rights, it is not censored by anyone or any thing that might have the power do so. If you’re thinking that I’m being pretty obvious seeing that we live in America, I’d like to remind you that censorship isn’t just book-burning, but takes on many deceptive and not-so-deceptive forms. And it’s all of our jobs to seek out these injustices, and make them known. Through the Echo, Augsburg is allowed to do just that—to take risks, to freely express itself and the concerns of the students, to choose its own right path and walk thereon.

Paul Hallgren, Sports Editor

Hey all, my name is Paul Hallgren, and I’m returning for my second year as the Echo’s sports editor. I’m also a senior, and lately I’ve been feeling old and nostalgic for my Auggie experience as it nears its bitter end.

On a serious note, it’s my belief that with so many athletes in the student body, you can’t tell the whole story of Augsburg without talking some sports. We’re lucky to have a rich athletic history, and every season is another opportunity to add to the Auggie legacy. It’s my job to report the stories of our athletes and make sure they get the coverage and recognition they deserve for their accomplishments.

As played out as it sounds, there isn’t any sport that particularly bores me, but my greatest excitement is for baseball and basketball (it’s going to be a big year for the Wolves, mark my words). I used to be a pretty big time UFC fan, but that phase might be wearing off only to be replaced by some good ol’ European football. Go Celtic FC.

Just like last year, the greatest number of stories in this section will concern Auggie sports because (1) this is a school-sponsored publication and (2) cool things are going on around here athletically. That being said, we will share opinions and report on current events in sports on a more macro level again, too. Warning: thoughts expressed in this kind of article may be considerably opinionated, albeit lighthearted.

If you have a story you want written or an opinion of your own that needs expressing, please contact hallgren@augsburg.edu. The sports world is always in need of fresh takes. Just don’t talk about Skip Bayless; I can’t stand that guy.

Jenny Pinther, News Editor

Hi, Everyone – I’m Jenny and I’m your new faithful News Editor for the Echo. I’m pretty overly involved with everything (you could say I’m one of those over-achievers) so you might know me from a variety of places, such as ResLife, QSU or Honors. Chances are, though, you’ve seen how much of a Ginger I am, and that is pretty unique I suppose. More importantly however, I love to write and I love to interview and talk to people all across campus.

I’m a political science major, and there is a good chance that you will see me forcing my friends to get registered to vote.

Writing for the Echo has exposed me to a lot of networking opportunities I never would have had as a young person new to Augsburg and the Twin Cities area last year. I am really excited to be on the editing team here at the Echo, and one of the reasons why is because I’m hoping to bring greater diversity of voices to the paper. This goal to bring more voices to the paper might come a little bit from my fascination with ideas and political philosophies of all sorts. If you ever have an interest in writing for this publication (whether or not you have written for us before), please talk to me because I will be super jazzed.

Other than that stuff, I like coffee and meowing and making hopefully humorous comments under my breath in class. If you need to contact me or have questions about the News Section or the Echo in general, you can email me at pinther@augsburg.edu. Have a swell year!

Kacie Lucchini, Features Editor

Oh hey there Auggies!

My name is Kacie Lucchini. I’m a junior and I love the Augsburg Echo.  This will be my second year as the features editor and I’m excited to have fun with you. Fun is the main word here. With the sad and untimely death of the Onion in Minneapolis, I feel it is my duty to bring satire, fun, and laughs to the Augsburg community.

Luckily for me the Features page is the perfect place for just this kind of attitude! Features is anything and everything that isn’t encompassed by the other sections of the paper. It is a blank slate and I plan to throw paint and whatever else I can find on it. (metaphorically of course) I encourage you to do the same! If you’re like me and don’t take life too seriously, then join me on the back page.

As I near the end of my academic career, I can’t understate the importance of the Echo in my time at Augsburg. The release of a new paper is like Christmas morning. The office is a sanctuary. The people are unique and invaluable. The Augsburg Echo is constantly changing and molding to the writers it has and for that reason, your talents are needed. So I ask you to join us! Write a scathing review of a play, give your opinion on the administration, or make jokes with me; whatever you’re interested in, The Echo has a place for you.

I can’t wait to see what happens!

Brianna Olson-Carr, A&E Editor

What is up, Auggies, I am your A&E editor this year, and I am REALLY EXCITED. I am a senior theater and English major, and I love the arts, especially arts in the Twin Cities. The only thing I might love more than the arts is Minneapolis. I lived in Hawaii for two years during high school and came back to Minneapolis for college because I loved the art and theater (also, I like snow better than rain). There is such a rich history of art in Minneapolis: from the Walker, to the Guthrie, to the Textile Center, to The Playwright’s Center and many more places and spaces. My prime personal interest is theater, as I am a theater major (Minneapolis is actually one of the best cities in the nation to see theater – we’re second only to New York City with most theaters per capita). I am a theater nerd. I am also an English major and love to review novels, poetry and readings.

But I also have other interests in Arts and Entertainment, like restaurants, films, art galleries, dance shows, spoken word, stand-up comedy and more! I also want to keep in mind venues and price tags for these events that an Auggie could possibly afford. I want to explore Minneapolis and St. Paul this year with an eye for the unique, tasty, cheap, or better yet, free! As much as I love writing, I don’t want to be the only voice in the A&E section. I want to know what you are passionate about in Arts and Entertainment, too! If you want to review a new album by your favorite band, or write about a new coffee shop in the area, or anything else that seems like art or entertainment, please send it to me! olsoncar@augsburg.edu

Anya Cleaver, Managing Editor/Web Editor

Hey there!

My name is Anya, I’m a junior, and I’m a political science major. I love writing for the Echo, and I love being an editor, too. We are always looking for new writers, so do not hesitate to contact one of the brilliant people above me to submit something for their section!

Little bit about myself: I’m from England, my family moved to Minnesota when I was 12. My accent disappeared when I was high school working as a telemarketer, so now I love to surprise people when they ask about my hometown. Regardless of that, I do still consider myself English, through and through.

Last year I worked as an intern with Minnesotans United For All Families, and it was the best experience. Through that I found my love of campaign work and the drive that goes along with it. Following that, I spent a semester studying in Berlin, and it was through that time that I really figured out a lot about myself and what I want with life.

I love being an Auggie, and I’m so happy that I have this college and this community to spend my undergraduate years. The Echo is a huge part in that for me, and I’m so glad to be a part of this editing team.

Kesang Olsen, Opinions Editor

Hey Augsburg, my name is Kesang Olsen (people call me “Kessi”), and I’m thrilled to be the new opinions editor for the Echo!

Prior to opinions editor, I held the Echo managing editor position. I started writing for the Echo at the beginning of my first year at Augsburg, and my involvement with this impressive, weekly news publication has lead me to realize what a privilege it is to work for a paper run completely by Augsburg students for students,.

Before moving to Minneapolis, I lived in Kathmandu, Nepal; McGregor, Iowa; Nicosia, Cyprus; and Guatemala City, Guatemala. These experiences allowed me to be immersed in extremely different cultural contexts, and I have since seen great value in diversity of perspectives, a characteristic that is so vital to any worthwhile newspaper, the Echo, and the opinions section especially.

“Intentional diversity” is a key element of Augsburg’s mission statement, and just by taking a walk around campus or sitting in the cafeteria, anyone can witness this part of Augsburg’s mission statement in action. Every student on campus has a unique story and voice, and the Echo’s opinions section is a place where those viewpoints and backgrounds can be shared.

Whether an opinion affects many or few, is a global or local topic, pertains to a current event or history, it has a place in the Echo’s opinions section. Basically, the opinions section is an open forum to discuss anything on one’s mind, from elevators to health care, food to presidential elections. The more perspectives represented in the section, the better the section will be, and the more accurately it will represent the Augsburg student body. All opinions are welcome!

If you’d like to submit an article to the opinions section, send an email to Kessi Olsen at olsenk4@augsburg.edu