ELCA NEWS SERVICE
February 13, 2006
Paul Pribbenow Named President of ELCA's Augsburg College 06-022-JP*/JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The board of regents of Augsburg College, Minneapolis, elected Dr. Paul C. Pribbenow Feb. 10 to be the 11th president of the college, one of the 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Pribbenow, president of Rockford (Ill.) College, will succeed Dr. William V. Frame, who has served as president of Augsburg College since 1997.
In 2005 Frame announced he would retire this summer. Pribbenow, 49, will assume his new role this summer.
"We are confident that Dr. Pribbenow has all the qualities of leadership and passion needed to continue Dr. Frame's work at Augsburg College," said Jean Taylor, Eagan, Minn., chair, Augsburg College board of regents. "He has already demonstrated that he is an accomplished communicator, a person who can demonstrate his own sense of Christian vocation, a skilled administrator, and a visible leader, actively participating in the life of the campus and surrounding community."
"This is the work I believe I was called to do, and I look forward to serving as Augsburg's next president," Pribbenow said. "I firmly believe that my experiences and commitments are a remarkable fit for the mission and needs of the college."
Pribbenow was born in Decorah, Iowa.. He earned a bachelor's degree in sociology/political science from Luther College, Decorah, another ELCA college. He earned a master of divinity degree and a doctorate in social ethics, both from the University of Chicago.
Before becoming president at Rockford College, Pribbenow served as research fellow for the Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts at Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Ind., and dean for college advancement and secretary to the board of trustees. Pribbenow was vice president for institutional advancement for the Art Institute of Chicago and was associate dean at the University of Chicago Divinity School.
At Rockford College, Pribbenow was credited with launching several new educational initiatives, including work with faculty and staff to develop the Jane Addams Center for Civic Engagement. This program's primary purpose "is to find ways to work with students to integrate their education, co-curricular activities, spiritual experiences and service to the community as part of an intentional vocational formation initiative," Pribbenow said.
Pribbenow currently serves on the Swedish-American Hospital board of directors, Rockford, the United Way of the Rock River Valley board of directors, the Campus Compact of Illinois board of trustees, the Rotary Club of Rockford, the Crusader Clinic Health Foundation board of directors, and the Rockford Area Economic Development Council.
His other professional experiences include serving as a senior consultant for Johnson, Grossnickle and Associates, a philanthropic consulting firm, Greenwood, Ind., and lay minister of First Lutheran Church, Attica, Ind.
He and his wife Abigail, an arts administrator, are the parents of two children. ---
Information about Augsburg College is at http://www.augsburg.edu on the Web.
* Judy Petree is news service/media relations manager for Augsburg College.
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