News Archives - 1999

Sarah Ginkel of New Ulm, daughter of John and Nancy Ginkel, received the Marina Christensen Justice Award at commencement ceremonies at Augsburg College in Minneapolis on Sunday, May 23.

The award is presented each year to the graduating Augsburg senior who best exemplifies Augsburg's motto, "Education for Service."

While a student at Augsburg, Ginkel served an internship with Hennepin County Human Services and the Minneapolis Police Department. Through the internship, she became involved in the Hawthorne neighborhood of Minneapolis, doing research on block clubs and crime prevention as well as a community revitalization initiative that involved the General Mills Foundation, community organizations and churches.

Ginkel also volunteered at People Serving People, a shelter for homeless families in Minneapolis; worked with kindergarten students at the Cedar Riverside Community School; and was involved in a reading program for young children at the Benjamin Banneker School.

Ginkel majored in sociology, with a psychology minor, and was a President's Scholar, participant in Augsburg's Honors Program, active member in Campus Ministry and last year was Augsburg's Homecoming queen.

The Marina Christensen Justice Award was established in 1989 in honor of Marina Christensen Justice, daughter of former Augsburg president Bernhard Christensen and Lilly Gracia Christensen. After Marina's tragic death, a fund was established to honor and further her vision of social justice.

The annual recipient of the award must have demonstrated a dedication to the kind of community service involvement that characterized the personal and professional life of Marina, who courageously and effectively reached out to bring equality and harmony to disadvantaged people and communities.

Augsburg College is a private liberal arts college of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, located in the heart of the Twin Cities. Augsburg's nearly 3,000 students come from diverse religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds and are enrolled at the College in undergraduate day college, Weekend College and graduate programs.

Founded in 1869, the college emphasizes intellectual freedom in the search for knowledge; responsiveness to the needs of society and the world; and preparation of students for service and leadership in church and society.