Celebrating the Achievements of Our Alumni
Luther College alumni have made incredible contributions in many fields, from business and the arts to sciences and beyond. This page highlights the journeys of graduates who have gone on to do amazing things, showing how their time at Luther helped shape their paths. We are proud of every one of them and hope their stories inspire our current and future students.
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Ralph Carl Wushke (U’74)
For as long as Pastor Ralph Carl Wushke (U’74) can remember, he knew he was different – an “other.” “I didn’t have the vocabulary to name it, but by the time I was in grade 3, I knew I had a secret, and the only way I could deal with it was through religion because… read more
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William Wenaus (U’14)
When it comes to pop superstars, South Korea’s Taeyeon rivals the likes of Taylor Swift or Ariana Grande. Everything the K-Pop sensation touches turns to gold, including her latest single “Dear Me”, a soaring anthem about self-love and acceptance. It’s a catchy ballad accompanied by a gorgeous video, emotional lyrics and phrasing, soulful acoustic guitar… read more
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Jenna Tickell (U’13)
Discovering a Heritage Like many of her peers, Jenna Tickell (U’13) began her undergraduate degree with a clear goal in mind: get a degree, be a great therapist. But her time at Luther would change more than just her credentials; it would change her life. Jenna, whose background is equal parts Metis, First Nations, Irish, and Scottish, did… read more
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Vanessa Swarbrick (U’04)
A Passion for Preserving Lakes and Rivers for Future Generations When Vanessa Swarbrick (U’04) was a young girl, she spent her summers and weekends camping by lakes in Alberta and Saskatchewan, dreaming about saving the world and protecting the water bodies she loved. Today, the government of Alberta limnologist (water quality scientist) is living her dream. “I… read more
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Tara Smith (U’04)
In our instantaneous, hyper-speed world, it’s hard to imagine anyone poring over a scientific problem for 12 continuous years, with the solution not quite within reach. Most of us would have given up years ago, but not Tara Smith. The Luther bio-chem grad (U’04) with a Doctorate of Pharmacy from the U of S has… read more
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Aimee Schulhauser (U’03)
Running a lemonade stand is a childhood rite of passage; in this way, seven-year-old Aimee Schulhauser’s (U’03) plan to set one up made her just like every other kid. Her path diverged from the norm, however, in the pages of a coiled Hilroy notebook, the contents of which reveal a detailed business plan for a lemonade stand that… read more
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Dr. Kimberley Samkoe (U’01)
Changing Course for a Love of Research As an undergraduate, Kimberley Samkoe’s (U’01) interest in science and medicine were pointing her toward a career as a medical doctor; however, her passion for research was also formidable. In the end, she would don a white coat, but it would be in the research laboratory, not in the healthcare system. Kimberley… read more
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Kenneth Ring (U’81)
Serving the People of Saskatchewan Kenneth Ring (U’81) has always had a fascination with rules and how they operate in societies. “I was always interested in how people regulate themselves, and how society regulates itself—how it runs. What are the rules? Why do we follow them? That process piece was always important to me.” With this… read more
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Cameron Norman (U’96)
Cameron Norman (U’96) can trace the roots of his success as a professor and entrepreneur back to a chance meeting with the late Dr. Paul Antrobus, a Luther Psychology professor, at his high school graduation. After this introduction, Cameron knew he had to take a class from Paul at university, and this decision would inevitably shape… read more
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Dr. Dwight Newman (U’96)
Dr. Dwight Newman (U’96) recalls that, as an undergraduate, he had already felt drawn to explore issues around how we treat people justly as a society. However, at the time, this interest didn’t necessarily translate in his mind into a career in law or academia. “I had thought of law school before, but wasn’t necessarily aiming at… read more
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Mitri Musleh (U’75)
Although Mitri Musleh (U’75) has not lived in the Luther College Residence at the University campus (LCUR) for over forty-five years, he says that it’s never stopped feeling like home. This sentiment is manifested clearly to an outside observer as Mitri strolls into LCUR for his interview appointment for this profile. He heads straight to the LCUR Cafeteria,… read more
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Marcia Mitschke (U’16)
Optometrist Marcia Mitschke likes to tell her patients that seeing well is no excuse to skip seeing your eye doctor. In fact, the Luther College alumna (U’16) quietly confesses that she was one of those teens who rarely, if ever, saw the optometrist. “I thought that because I saw really well and didn’t need glasses,… read more
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Kevin Miller (U’10)
Kevin Miller (U’10) is the first (and only) lawyer in his family – a situation that he describes as “unusual.” “Most kids that go into law have a lawyer somewhere in the family mix: a parent; an uncle or aunt.” In spite of the lack of familial example, Kevin knew that he “always wanted to do law.”… read more
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Allison Hui (U’13)
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Mary Ho (U’09, U’11)
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Garth Herman (U’86)
Garth Herman (U’86, U’00) volunteers both his time and his expertise in financial databases, helping to build credit unions and cooperatives throughout the developing world. He has worked in Kenya, Nepal, and Senegal, and currently lives in Arcola, Saskatchewan. He fondly remembers his time at Luther College—and, in particular, how one Luther College professor taught… read more
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Robert Harrison (U’03)
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John Hampton (U’09)
The new head of the Mackenzie Art Gallery is a man with proud Chickasaw Nation roots from southeastern United States, but John Hampton (U’09) is quick to honour his non- Indigenous mother for shaping his understanding of the world. “My mother, Dr. Mary Hampton, taught psychology at Luther between 1991 and 2018 and, while I may be… read more
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Jordanne Erichsen (U’13)
For Jordanne Erichsen (U’13), studying at Luther College equipped her with the confidence she needed to excel in vocal performance. Erichson graduated from Luther College at the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance in 2013, and has since gone on to the University of Ottawa pursue a master’s degree. “When I… read more
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Shannon Williams (HS’93, U’98)
Throughout her entire career— whether as a social worker, a criminal prosecutor or in her current role as Assistant Deputy Attorney General for the Government of Saskatchewan— Shannon Williams has always been a public servant. “Being able to serve the community is important to me, in all the roles I’ve had,” she says. After convocating… read more
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Kim Tran (HS’13, U’17)
The Tran siblings, Andrew, Jenn and Kim, have all followed very different career paths, but what they have in common is where those paths began: Luther College. Andrew says, “When I was in Grade 9, Jenn was in Grade 10 and Kim was in Grade 12. It was nice to know I had a support… read more
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Damon Cavan (U’03)
Damon Cavan’s (U’03) dreams for a career path have been clear to him since he was a young boy, when he would sit on the floor in his parents’ home disassembling and reassembling their computer. Damon graduated from Luther College at the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science in 2003. He… read more
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William Brooks (U’00)
Embracing Diversity Through Theatre When William (Will) Brooks (U’00) accepted the position of Artistic Producer for the theatre company Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan in 2014, he did so with a sense of “coming home.” After graduating from Luther College at the University of Regina in 2000 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Theatre Performance, Will spent a… read more
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Janet Bjorndahl (U’79)
Janet Bjorndahl has been an ally of the LGBTQ2S+ community since she was 19 years old, but it was during her time at Luther College University that she gained the knowledge and confidence she needed to do social justice work. “Engaging with and being encouraged by the people I encountered at Luther nudged me to… read more
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Katie Bergman (U’11)
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Nancy Park (HS’92, U’97)
From L.I.T. to the Winter Olympics Nancy Park (HS’92, U’97) still remembers watching her older brother, Chan Park (HS’89), head off each day to Luther College High School (LCHS), eagerly anticipating her own transition into the world of Luther. During her time at Luther she would have her first taste of media relations, an experience… read more
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Ross Niebergall (HS’81, U’86)
While IBM was launching the world’s first “portable” computer in 1975, weighing a modest 55 pounds, a pre-teen Ross Niebergall was building his own computers in the basement of his Regina home, soldering silicon components onto printed circuit boards. “For as long as I can remember I’ve always loved technology,” Ross laughs. “I was a… read more
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Joann (McIlwrick) Mundin (HS’90, U’94)
As the world hunkers down during the COVID-19 pandemic, Luther alumna Joann (McIlwrick) Mundin (HS’90, U’94) is busier than ever. The Associate Director of Psychiatry for the Las Vegas Police Department Clark County Detention Center continues to spend her days tending to the mental health needs of thousands of inmates, while following pandemic protocols to… read more
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Makenzie Morgan (HS’02, U’06)
When Makenzie Morgan (HS’02, U’06) was just seven years old and folding laundry with her family in front of the TV, she witnessed an opera special on PBS that literally changed the course of her life. “I remember the late African American soprano Jessye Norman was singing a concert of German Lieder [songs sung in German].… read more
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Rori Lee (HS’87, U’97)
“I didn’t choose it; it chose me,” is how Rori (Lawson) Lee responds when you ask her how she became a registered psychologist. When she graduated from Luther College High School in 1987, Lee didn’t plan on going to university. Instead, she went to SIAST (now Saskatchewan Polytechnic) and took an administrative assistant course, working for law… read more
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Austin Josephson (HS’10, U’15)
Bromance & Masculinity: A Celebration After graduating from Luther College High School (LCHS) in 2010, Austin Josephson (HS’10, U’15) attended Luther’s University campus (LCUR) and in 2015, he convocated with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Film Production and minoring in Indigenous Studies. While he loves the camera work inherent in film production, his true… read more
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Desiree Gibson (HS’02, U’07)
Desiree Gibson’s (HS’02, U’07) aspiration to do “some good in the community” has always guided her in her vocation. From medical technician to office administrator for the Reserves, to working with Native Health Services at the General Hospital, to her current position as Community Manager at REACH (Regina) or volunteering at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, her… read more
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Chris Dixon (HS’86, U’91)
As Design Director of Vanity Fair, New York based Chris Dixon (HS’86, U’91) aptly describes his work as “the visual side of journalism. You get to tell important stories,” he says, “and work with contemporary and conceptual photography and design. The cycle of reading, interpreting, and designing is endlessly creative––every project is engaging.” Dixon’s description of his work… read more
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Wendy Cox (HS’84, U’88)
The Globe and Mail’s Wendy Cox has interviewed thinkers as diverse as John Ralston Saul and Sting in her nearly 35-year career in journalism. But the person who left one of the deepest impressions on her life wasn’t someone she interviewed, but rather someone who helped launch her impressive career— her former Luther High School English… read more
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Erin Bayne (HS’88, U’93)
An alumnus who got his start studying biology at Luther College ‘s High School and University campuses is now doing his part to improve the future of our environment and the role humans can have in this improvement. Erin Bayne (HS ’88, U’93) is a professor at the University of Alberta (U of A) in the… read more
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Nathanael Bergbusch (HS’13, U’17)
Had you told Nathanael Bergbusch when he was a teen that he was going to be a biologist someday, he would have laughed: “It was my worst subject in high school.” Fortunately, he appreciated a challenge and was encouraged by Luther College teachers such as Dave Hall and Derek Frostad. Luther’s engaging, interactive classrooms also helped. “In… read more
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Courtney Bates-Hardy (U’11)
“Fairy tales were my first love,” says Courtney Bates-Hardy (U’11). Like many children, fairy tales were a formative part of Courtney’s childhood; unlike many young girls her age, however, she wasn’t just watching the Disney movies. “I was also reading Grimms’ Fairy Tales,” says Courtney. “When I was really young I came across Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid,… read more
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Chris Askew (U’07)
Love of Forensics Leads to Trailblazing Career Chris Askew (U’07) was always a curious kid who could figure out any kind of puzzle or complex equation. When the very first CSI: Crime Scene Investigation aired on television in 2000, an impressionable, fifteen-year-old Chris was hooked. “It was fascinating to watch investigators scour a crime scene and… read more
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Dena Allen (U’99)
Connecting for Social Justice and Change “It was about grade ten when I knew I wanted to be in Public Relations,” says Dena Allen (U’99). “I was a good writer and I wanted to tell stories and connect people in a way that would make it a force for good.” Unlike many of her university peers,… read more
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Shawn Fraser (U’07) & Nichole Huck (U’05)
Shawn Fraser and Nichole Huck fell in love at Luther College at the University of Regina. They were good friends the first year and have fond memories of making tea and popcorn in the kitchenette in the residence basement and studying for Logic 100 together. “It was like a little home. Now, it feels like… read more