Gustavus Ranked #20 Liberal Arts College by Washington Monthly

Gustavus Adolphus College focuses on allowing all students the opportunity to receive a well rounded education by supporting each student and the background they come from. Gustavus is the #1 school in Minnesota for the best bang for the buck. Gustvaus is committed to raising the funds to allow financial needs for all students to have the opportunity to pursue a world class Liberal Arts Education. Gustavus takes pride in the work they are able to commit for students and continue to show dedication in making it the best learning atmosphere.

Gustavus Adolphus College has been named the #20 liberal arts college in the country according to Washington Monthly‘s 2021 rankings, which were released on August 30, 2021.

The publication takes a novel approach to college rankings, focusing on how institutions contribute to the public good through social mobility, research, and by providing opportunities for public service rather than more traditional metrics like wealth, exclusivity, and perceived prestige.

Gustavus is also the best in Minnesota for social mobility (#8 nationally) and #1 in the state for “Best Bang for the Buck” (#10 in the Midwest), which is “ranked according to how well [colleges] help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.”

“We’re proud to be an institution that gives talented students from all walks of life the opportunity to pursue a world-class liberal arts education,” Associate Vice President for Enrollment Kirk Carlson ’95 said. “We build the foundation for lives of leadership and service in society by making Gustavus financially accessible and surrounding our students with a network of faculty, staff, and alumni who are dedicated to their success.”

One of the key metrics that Washington Monthly examines to determine “Bang for the Buck” rankings is the percentage of students who are eligible for the Federal Pell Grant and their graduation rates compared to the overall cohort at an institution. Gustavus also tops the list of Minnesota colleges and universities with a graduation rate gap of only 1 percent between Pell and non-Pell students.

Through the Gustavus Acts Strategic Plan and the Show The World comprehensive campaign, Gustavus is committed to raising the funds necessary to meet 100 percent of demonstrated student need. To learn more about the College’s commitment to diversifying and expanding the Gustavus community to be even richer in racial, ethnic, geographical, social, and economic diversity, please read the Gustavus Acts 2.0 Strategic Plan.

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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication JJ Akin
jakin@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

Pella To Platteville RECAP!!

To kick off the season, the Gusties packed up for a five day trip to compete in their first two games of the season! The Gusties left on Tuesday, August 31st, to head down to Pella, Iowa to play their first game against Central College.

 During the bus ride, the Gusties watched movies, bonded with each other, and prepared for classes to start. With our fantastic bus driver Judy, we made it to Pella, Iowa in roughly 4 hours. Once we had made it to our hotel, we enjoyed a delicious team dinner that we were all hungry for, followed by more team building. We rested up and got ready for our first game on Wednesday against Central College. 

It was a long hard battle and the Gusties solidified the win with a score of 2-1. Senior Katie Ashpole scored the Gusties’ first goal in the 24th minute. The build up to this goal started with Junior defender Molly Waters as she connected with the midfield to find senior Page Cocchiarella. Page made a beautiful run at the top of the 18 yard box and connected a pass to her teammate Katie Ashpole. Katie, wide open on the other side of the 18 yard box, finished a nice line-drive ball in the back of the net. Well done Gusties!

Soon after, First Year Elin Swenson scored a beautiful first career goal in the 44th minute. Senior Lydia Arens made a great run which allowed Elin to drive into a pocket of space. Elin was then able to get a shot off in the upper left corner of the goal. Everyone went absolutely crazy with excitement for Elin as they all charged her with hugs and cheers. The excitement and encouragement the team created was a really great atmosphere to be a part of. While riding the high and lows of every game, Central scored a goal in the 81st minute. The Gusties continued to work hard together to ensure the 2-1 win. It was a great first game and the Gusties showed a lot of potential for the upcoming season. After the game, the team had time to explore downtown Pella, Iowa with all the shops and stores. The ice cream was definitely a team favorite along with the famous Jaarsma's Dutch bakery shop.



After all the excitement and energy of winning the first game, the Gusties began channeling this amazing energy into preparing for the next game on September 3rd against UW- Platteville. We had a fantastic practice the day before the game that helped us prepare for a great game. After practice, we had the opportunity to tour Pella Historical Village and Vermeer Windmill. On this tour, we learned a lot of new information about the windmill and the process of being a miller man. After a fantastic tour, we were able to head to the beach and enjoy some free time. The Gusties played lots of card games, competed in a sand castle building competition, and lastly were able to go paddle boarding. After a fun day in the town of Pella, Iowa, we had to shift our thinking and get dialed in for our game. 

We were able to rest and then had an early drive to Platteville, Wisconsin. Sadly, it rained the entire drive so we were unable to visit the World's Largest M. On a positive note, we had the opportunity to get extra card games in, which the team absolutely loves. As game time came around, the rain started to slow down to a constant drizzle, which made for perfect game day weather. 

The Gusties started out the game working hard but continued to grow as time went on. Their possession grew stronger as they found new pockets of space, interchanged positions, and high pressed together. Although it's not the result we wanted, we were all really proud of how we played and grew into the game. To wrap up the trip, the Gusties took the long trek back to St. Peter. 

This was a fantastic trip that really showcased the potential for this upcoming season. Can't wait to see where the season takes us this year. Excellent job Gusties!

Chemistry Research Thrives in Newly Expanded Nobel Hall

With the new renovations in the Nobel Hall of Science, It has led Gustvaus students and faculty better opportunities to conduct research. With the renovations it has allowed students to work more efficiently and allowed the freedom to take learning to a new level. Professor Stoll and his fellow students demonstrate how the new renovations of Nobel Hall of science serve them with the research they have been working on. Can't wait to see where the research takes you!

Rising sophomore Angel Obiorah has spent this summer conducting research in Dwight Stoll's lab.

With the recent expansion and renovation of Nobel Hall of Science, student research in the Stoll Laboratory, led by chemistry professor Dwight Stoll, fizzes with opportunities.

Home to the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Geography, and Geology, Nobel Hall boasts new laboratories, new teaching facilities, and new equipment within a 177,300 square foot building that rivals those of top liberal arts colleges in the nation.

For Stoll and his students, the extra space means freedom to work more efficiently. Students can shuffle around scientific instruments at different stages in their research, or they can utilize nearby collaboration rooms for discussing results and running computer simulations. Combined with new instruments connected via the Internet, the laboratory is a prime space for teamwork.

“These changes might sound trivial, but they’re really valuable and have facilitated some experiments that would have been really hard to do previously,” said Stoll. “They’ve both increased the volume of experiments we were already doing, but also added some capabilities that we simply didn’t have before.”

Stoll (center) is personally invested in the work of his student researchers.

For years, the laboratory has facilitated collaboration between Gustavus researchers and institutions around the globe, as well as industry partners. In addition to funding, these partnerships provide opportunities for students at Gustavus to tackle real-world problems that connect them with experts in a range of fields. “For example, we have a project that’s focused on vaccines at the moment,” explained Stoll, “so the people that we’re working with are experts in the characterization of vaccines. They can define the problem for us, and in return, we have some expertise that moves their science along.”

For Stoll, an expert in an analytical chemistry technique called liquid chromatography, moving science along often means finding better, more efficient ways to run experiments by generating richer data in a fraction of the time or by running detailed computer simulations.

“The data from my research will be used to improve predictions we can make using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) simulation tools,” said Angel Obiorah ’24, a current student in Stoll’s lab. “The goal is to reduce time spent actually conducting experiments in research, and to improve cost effectiveness in labs where hundreds of such methods are carried out daily using expensive instrumentation.”

These projects with real-world applications often lead to internships and jobs in STEM, but Stoll believes that research at Gustavus provides valuable tools for any career path. From keeping organized notes to presenting findings at national conferences, students in his laboratory hone the skills that translate into future success.

“Professor Stoll has been very supportive and present during this summer research experience, from setting days aside to talk to each member of this lab about their future endeavors to taking us out for team lunch,” said Obiorah. “He has helped me step out of my comfort zone and given me space to grow and test out my own ideas while giving pointers on how to improve them. His genuine interest in my success has helped me to become more confident in my abilities.”

“Dr. Stoll has been an awesome professor to work with,” echoed Maria Sylvester ’24. “He is very involved in each project and is always willing to answer questions and provide guidance, yet still encourages a lot of independent work. I’ve definitely learned a lot over this summer!”

Looking toward future summers, Stoll sees potential for growth both for his students and research at Nobel Hall as a whole. “At this point in their careers, a lot of students are exploring intellectually, and these research projects provide them with an opportunity to do that while working on something that’s very meaningful, exciting, and cutting edge. I’m optimistic that going forward we will find a way to do more, and I’m excited about that because those experiences are really impactful for students.”

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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication JJ Akin
jakin@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510

Gusties vs. UW-River Falls RECAP!

The Women's Soccer Team ended non-conference play with a fantastic 1-0 win. The gusties played UW- River Falls at home before they started conference play the following week. The atmosphere was really encouraging and powerful. Each and every individual apart of the Gustavus Women's Soccer team had taken part in this game. It's excellent to see the team chemistry and the love and support for each teammate shine though. The Gusties are headed strong into conference play. Good Luck Gusties!

 

BOX SCORE | PHOTO GALLERY

SAINT PETER, Minn. – Katie Ashpole’s (Sr., Chaska) goal in the 56th minute proved to be the only score Saturday as the Gustavus women’s soccer team beat UW-River Falls 1-0 at the Gustie Soccer Field. The Gusties improve to 2-2 overall while the Falcons drop to 1-4.

“Today was a great game and a lot of fun,” Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie said. “We talked a lot about how we know, within ourselves, that this team has a lot potential and talent but we wanted to make sure that high level showed through on the field and for a complete game. We came out with a lot of fire, had great possession, committed numbers to the attack and played off one another like we had been playing together for years. At halftime, we could feel the energy and knew a goal was coming.”

The Gusties created some opportunities in the first half, outshooting the Falcons 8-3, but the match remained scoreless after the first 45 minutes.

Ten minutes into the second half, Tayler Grossman (Sr., Lakeville) found a penetrating pass to Ashpole, who had a quick back-and-forth with Ella Carlson (So., Champlin). Ashpole then took a one-time shot from outside the 18 to the upper-right corner.

“In the second half, we started a little slow but found our feet, played for each other and then created a fantastic team goal,” Burnett-Kurie said. “Katie Ashpole’s skillset is one to admire. After going up 1-0, we didn’t take our foot off the pedal and rode the highs and lows very well, finishing the game in control. We turned the dial once again today and are excited to continue to take steps forward on Monday as we prepare for conference to start on Tuesday. The MIAC is a different level and we believe we are up for the challenge.

Abby Goodno (Sr., Little Canada) earned the shutout victory in goal after making seven saves.

Gustavus travels to St. Scholastica on Tuesday for its first MIAC game of the season.

Gustie Soccer 2021 Season Outlook!

Through the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic during the 2020 season the Gusties continued to grow on their strengths as a program. Although some essential players graduated, the Gusties brought in a strong talented class of incoming freshmen. Along with the strength they have from returners the Gusties are ready to embark on the new challenges of this fall season and are ready to showcase the talent and hard work they've put in.

2021 Gustavus women's soccer (photo courtesy of SPX Sports)

After missing the fall of 2020 season due to the pandemic and a shortened spring of 2021 season with mainly exhibition matches, the Gustavus women’s soccer team is set to embark on a full-slated schedule Wednesday afternoon at Central College. The Gusties are coming off a spring season where they posted a 4-3 overall record against all but one conference opponent. This fall’s schedule features seven non-conference games and 11 MIAC contests.

Head Coach Laura Burnett-Kurie, who is in her 10th season at the helm, is excited about the makeup of her team and the potential they possess. The Gusties lost seven seniors to graduation but gained 16 first-years with 34 total players on the roster.

“Having such a large first-year class combined with all of our talented returners, it’s super competitive and in practice we can train at a high level,” Burnett-Kurie said. “Knowing that we have so much depth on the team, and we have a lot of untapped potential that we have to build in to, that’s really exciting and I think everyone is feeding off that. It’s also pushing our upperclassmen to not become complacent. They continue to push and see what new heights they can reach.”

Katie Ashpole (Sr., Chaska) returns as the team’s top scorer. Ashpole tallied three goals and an assist for seven points during the seven spring games. She also led the team in 2019 with five goals and two assists for 12 points. Ashpole has played in all 63 games since her first year in 2016. Page Cocchiarella (Sr., Owatonna) also enters her fifth season with the program. Cocchiarella, a midfielder, posted six points on a goal and four assists during the spring. She has played in 47 career games since 2016.

In goal, Abby Goodno (Sr., Little Canada) will lead a talented and deep group of keepers after leading the team with a 1.50 goals against average this past spring. Other seniors include Leah Pavlish (Prior Lake), Kenna West (Owatonna), Tayler Grossman (Lakeville), Lydia Arens (Princeton), and Rachel Rehnelt (Albert Lea).

“I think this senior class checks a lot of the boxes in regards to their leadership and their skill set on the field,” Burnett-Kurie said. “While last year was really tough, we also learned a lot and our perspective long term switched a little bit of being appreciative and grateful of the moments that have helped us continue to evolve our culture to a stronger standpoint. On the field, they are a great example for our younger players with their work ethic and buying in to our Gustie tempo and style of play. They’re doing a great job of taking the younger players under their wings.”

The Gusties begin the fall 2021 campaign with four non-conference games before welcoming St. Scholastica to the MIAC for the first league matchup on Sept. 14. With perennial MIAC champion St. Thomas out of the league, the conference title is up for the taking and it’s sure to be a battle all the way through the regular season.

“At a wonderful institution with great facilities and wonderful support from the top down, we should be competing at the top of our conference each year,” Burnett-Kurie said. “It’s really hard in our conference to accomplish that but that’s always one of our goals as well as winning the team community service award, doing well in the classroom, and developing our leadership skills.”

2021 Schedule | 2021 Roster