wfn.org | Richard Hanson Elected President of ELCA's Waldorf College

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

April 8, 2005

Richard Hanson Elected President of ELCA's Waldorf College
05-058-MO*/JB

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Dr. Richard A. Hanson was elected March 30 to
become the 14th president of Waldorf College, Forest City, Iowa, effective
June 1.  Hanson is currently dean of the college and vice president for
academic affairs, Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D.
     The Waldorf College board of regents named Hanson to succeed the Rev.
Thomas L. Jolivette, who resigned Dec. 1, 2004.  Waldorf and Augustana are
two of the 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church
in America.
     "I am honored and thrilled to be given the privilege of joining the
Waldorf College community," Hanson said.  "It is exciting to think about
building on the strengths of the Waldorf community as we establish a
compelling vision of the future of the college.  Lux et Veritas (Light and
Truth) says it best: Together we will forge a distinctive and powerful
educational experience for our students.  I am excited about the challenge
and I am eager to begin the journey."
     "I am very pleased that we have been able to engage Dr. Hanson as the
next president of Waldorf, and I am looking forward to his becoming a part
of the Waldorf community," said Roger Espe, Des Moines, Iowa, board and
search committee chair. "His successful experience as vice president for
academic affairs and dean of the college at Augustana College has helped
to make him particularly qualified to lead Waldorf through its final
transition to a four-year institution."
     "Dr. Hanson is a consensus builder with high academic expectations
and is most comfortable with the mission and culture of a small,
church-affiliated residential liberal arts college," Espe said.  "He
understands the importance of financial advancement and fund raising and
is deeply committed to the college and to its mission."
     Hanson earned bachelor's and master's degrees from North Dakota State
University, Grand Forks.  He earned a doctorate from the University of
California, Davis.
     Hanson has more than 20 years of university teaching and research
experience, earned tenure at two colleges and achieved the rank of full
professor followed by a variety of senior leadership positions.
     His educational career began in 1974 as an assistant professor at
California State University, Chico.
     In 1980 he accepted a faculty position at North Dakota State
University and served there for 15 years.  In addition to teaching, Hanson
served three years as the associate vice president for academic affairs,
and one year as interim vice president for academic affairs and as interim
dean for the college of university studies.
     Hanson served as vice president for academic affairs and dean of the
college at Augustana for 10 years.  He also served as a professor of
sociology.
     Hanson assisted in the formation of the current development campaign
at Augustana College.  He is an active fundraiser for the Center for
Western Studies, and he had an active role in planning, designing and
creating a fundraising network for the College Center for the Visual Arts
and in the remodeling/renovation of the Gilbert Science Center, all at
Augustana.
     Hanson serves as a member of the board of directors for the Center
for Western Studies, member of the advisory board for the Children's
Theatre Company of Sioux Falls, advisor to the Augustana College board of
regents and advisor to the board of directors for the Sioux Falls Area
Community Foundation. He was a member and president of the board of
directors for the Village Family Service Center, Fargo, N.D.
     Hanson and his wife Diane are the parents of three grown daughters.
-- -- --
     The homepage for Waldorf College is a http://www.waldorf.edu/ on the
Web.

*Marie Oleson is director for public relations for Waldorf College.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news