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ST. OLAF COLLEGE
NORTHFIELD, MINNESOTA
2017 COMMENCEMENT
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Activities of the Bjornstad and Hellmers families
in honor of Soren I. Bjornstad, Class of 2017
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On
Friday, May 26th, our little family met up with Soren at St. Olaf
College in Northfield, Minnesota. We had dinner that evening at The Ole
Store Restaurant a few blocks down St. Olaf Avenue from the campus.
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Soren's apartment building in Owatonna, Minnesota.
On
the morning of Saturday, May 27th, we all travelled to Owatonna, where
Soren has a new job as a Systems Developer at Federated Insurance. He
had rented an apartment some weeks before. Soren
invited us for a pancake breakfast, so we had a combination
house-warming
and graduation celebration.
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Kitchen in Soren's apartment.
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Pat watches while Soren prepares pancake batter. Soren is a good cook!
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Soren's workspace in his apartment.
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Soren opens graduation and housewarming gifts.
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After a quick lunch
at "The Cage" in Buntrock Commons, we went to Skoglund Auditorium for
the Celebration Concert, where the St. Olaf Band, St. Olaf Choir, and
St. Olaf Orchestra gave their final performances. The Senior members,
including Soren who sang in the St. Olaf Choir, were recognized.
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2017 St. Olaf Choir -- Soren is in the back row, eighth from the right.
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After the
Celebration Concert, we toured some of the campus, and then enjoyed the
Graduation Gala, a "movable feast" with food in four different
locations in Buntrock Commons.
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St. Olaf has its own
wind turbine, which supplies a significant part of the College's
electrical needs. The turbine can be seen from most locations on "The
Hill," a name for the campus.
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Jeff tries out the grand piano in the Ytterboe Hall lounge.
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After
the Graduation Gala dinner, we walked to Ytterboe Hall. The lounge of
what was then known as Manitou Hall was the setting for the wedding
reception of Harlan and Jennifer on June 23, 1991. Both had graduated
from St. Olaf in 1991. Jeff graduated in 1994.
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The Campus Green in front of Melby Hall, where Soren lived for three years.
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As evening fell, the graduates and their guests gathered on
the Campus Green for the Illumination Ceremony. After remarks, the graduates spread out to find their own
lanterns, a gift from the College as "a remembrance of their time on the
Hill."
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Harlan, Jennifer, and Soren after the Illumination Ceremony.
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Soren's lantern.
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Sunday,
May 28th,
was the big day. After breakfast, we, along with hundreds of graduates
and guests, gathered at Skoglund Auditorium for the Baccalaureate
Service. Music was provided by the St. Olaf Band and the St. Olaf Choir, which included Soren.
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Soren singing with the St. Olaf Choir at the Baccalaureate Service.
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After
the Baccalaureate Service, Soren showed us more of the campus,
including the Boe Memorial Chapel, which is over Soren's shoulder.
After touring, we had brunch in Stav Hall (the dining room). From
there we went to Regents Hall for the Computer Science Academic
Department Reception. One of Soren's majors was Computer Science. After
that, we went to Tomson Hall for a reception of the Classics
Department. Soren also had a major in Latin.
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The Classics staff from the left: James May, Steve Reese, Soren, Christopher Brunelle, Anne Groton, and Lisa Whitlatch.
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The Bjornstad and Hellmers families. From left: Jeff, Harlan, Soren, Jennifer, Pat, and Norm.
(Grandpa Bjornstad was outside sketching.)
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Back outside, chairs
awaited the nearly 700 graduates. (We were told that there were about
5,000 chairs put in place on the Campus Green for the graduates and
their guests.)
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By 3:00 pm, the Commencement Program was ready to begin.
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Soren receives his diploma from Dr. Steve McKelvey, College Registrar.
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President David Anderson offers congratulations.
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| After the conclusion
of the ceremonies, we took a few pictures of the graduate. Soren's major was computer science. The gold
cord represents his graduating summa cum laude.The purple and gold cord
is for Soren's being a member of Eta Sigma Phi, the Honorary Society for Classical Studies. Soren's second
major was Latin. On the left lapel of Soren's gown is his pin for being
selected to Phi Beta Kappa.
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Soren with his parents, Jennifer and Harlan Bjornstad.
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Soren with his grandparents: Norm and Pat Hellmers and Carsten Bjornstad.
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Soren with the St. Olaf Lion.
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Soren bids farewell to St. Olaf College after four years (2013-2017).
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Prepared by Norman Hellmers
norm.hellmers@gmail.com
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