The Gustie Community is incredible!

 Check out how many Gustie Soccer players are in this photo! We spy two alums, two seniors (who just wrapped up their final season), two coaches, and so many fans!

A casual soccer group made of Gustavus students, faculty, and members of the Saint Peter community, Noontime Boom Time has grown into something more than a lunch hour passtime.

By Frija Reinert ’25

“I always have a great big smile on my face when I get to run out of my office door at 11:45 to go down and play,” said David Tobaru Obermiller, associate professor in history, environmental studies, and Japanese studies, and a leading force in Noontime Boom Time.

A casual soccer group made of Gustavus students, faculty, and members of the Saint Peter community, Noontime Boom Time has grown into something more than a lunch hour passtime. It’s a unique example of the spontaneous community building that happens at Gustavus.

Open to players of all abilities, the group meets regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays at noon to play soccer on Hollingsworth Field, or “the pitch.” It started several years ago as a small group of mostly staff and faculty, led by head women’s soccer coach Laura Burnett-Kurie. What began as small scrimmages with a dozen players has grown through word of mouth to games of ten or more players per team, with matches taking up half the field. Many of these players started out as novices, which reflects the welcoming atmosphere for all who want to play.

Boom Time continues as long as the turf is free of snow and the weather is “reasonable,” though below-freezing temperatures haven’t been a deterrent in the past. “Our goal is to play as long as we possibly can,” said Obermiller.

Connections made on the pitch often carry over to social get togethers, leading to friendships among people who might never have met otherwise. There’s no one way to identify a Boom Time player; they range from students in their twenties to employees in their fifties, admissions officers to chemists, international Gusties to Saint Peter locals. With such a diverse mix of players, inclusivity lies at the heart of Boom Time.

“From my perspective, Boom Time seems to be blind to the issues of discrimination we have in American society, whether it’s along race and ethinicity lines, gender, or sexuality,” said Obermiller. “Everyone is welcome at Boom Time.”

COVID-19 prevented Boom Time from meeting last year, and when they were finally given the green light to play, it was an emotional moment for everyone. “There were hugs and there were tears,” Obermiller recalled. “COVID taught us you can’t take things for granted.”

Boom Time has grown greatly over the past few years, but the group continues to welcome new players, with there even being talk of starting a community league. Now that Boom Time has played its final outdoor game of the year, Obermiller encourages anyone, no matter their identity or soccer background, to join once the warm weather returns.

“It’s really the highlight of my week. I love my students, and I love teaching, but being outside, getting a decent workout, and meeting good people, to me is a perfect combination.”

For more information on Noontime Boom Time and how to participate, contact David Tobaru Obermiller (dobermil@gustavus.edu), Martin Lang (mlang3@gustavus.edu), or Laura Burnett-Kurie (lburnett@gustavus.edu).

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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication JJ Akin

Christmas in Christ Chapel 2021 Sends Audiences Forth Singing

 Our very own Lauren Miller '25 sang in the famed Gustavus event, Christmas in Christ Chapel. How awesome is that to have such a talented member of the program!!

Gustavus Adolphus College welcomed audiences back to campus for Christmas in Christ Chapel 2021.

Christmas in Christ Chapel returned with joyous song, as befitting the program name, We Shall Go Forth Singing. With safety precautions in place, Gustavus Adolphus College was able to welcome alumni, families and friends, and supporters of Gustavus music back to campus to share in the performance.

“You could feel the excitement in the room and you know that you are sharing something special,” says Dr. Ruth Lin, conductor of the Gustavus Symphony Orchestra.

With no live audience last year, the performers did not take having an audience for granted. “There is a kind of communication that happens on a fundamental level when we hear and see each other face-to-face, and I saw the fruits of that in interactions with the audience after the performance,” says senior member of the Gustavus Choir Eli McMahon ’22.

“Being back in-person, all the feelings came back: the irreplaceable sense of joy, togetherness, and authenticity by making music together. And that authenticity felt complete amidst a live audience,” says Alex Chou ’22, who plays violin I in the Gustavus Symphony Orchestra. “Whether it was their mere presence (in-person or live-streamed online), the chapel echoing from their singing voices, or the excitement beforehand, it was an honor to play for a live audience once again.”

The performance opened with Tree of Life and Awesome Mystery, performed by the Gustavus Symphony Orchestra and select members of the Lucia Singers. The scenic design for the concert, by Lydia Francis ’11, echoed this theme, with projected trees on the chapel walls and a centerpiece around the cross showing the rings of an old tree. The concert was a celebration of resilience and beauty in the midst of great struggle, an image captured by the rings of a tree.

Jessica Herbrand ’24 performed an extended solo choreographed by Professor of Dance Michele Rusinko. Her dress was designed and constructed by continuing assistant professor in Theatre and Dance Larissa McConnell

“I’m proud of the fact that, as a choir, we were able to take all the obstacles we’ve faced this semester and set them aside for a few hours and share the gift of music with each other and the audience,” says Emily Haugen ’23, who performed with the Lucia Singers.

Dancers Claire Drapeau ’22 and Gabriella Schawkopf ’25 performed a duet, choreographed by visiting assistant professor of dance Jeffrey Peterson, as the Lucia Singers performed the song Gaudete from Piae Cantione.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Music Anna DeGraff performed O Thou That Tellest from Handel’s Messiah, accompanied by the mass choir and the Gustavus Symphony Orchestra.

“I am beyond proud of how the orchestra, choir, and handbell members came together to make this happen. Being a part of a team of such hard-working musicians; holistic conductors; and life-long friends is the aspect I will always remember from CinCC,” says Chou.

Closing the program was the traditional O Come All Ye Faithful, complete with red, green, and white lights throughout the chapel. The audience joined in with the mass choir, Symphony Orchestra, and handbell ensemble, making music together once again.

Christmas in Christ Chapel 2021: We Shall Go Forth Singing is archived on the Gustavus website and YouTube channel and is available to watch now.