News Archives - 2005
This
year's Marina Christensen Justice Award goes to Tony Schaden. Each year, this
honor is presented to the graduating senior who best exemplifies Augsburg's
motto "Education for Service." The student must have demonstrated
a dedication to community involvement as characterized by the personal and
professional life of Marina Christensen Justice, who courageously and effectively
reached out to disadvantaged people and communities.
Schaden grew up in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood and was a member of Trinity Congregation, where he has been a long-time volunteer with the Safe Place Tutoring Program. He currently resides in south Minneapolis.
At Augsburg he has held
numerous leadership roles, including serving as Chaplain for the Pan-Afrikan
Student Association for the past two years; organizer of Peace Day in the
Park; served as a member of the Outreach Ministry Team through Campus Ministry;
done service learning at Women Against Military
Madness; been a key volunteer with Campus Kitchens; and been a regular volunteer
and youth mentor for the Wednesday Night Out program in the neighborhood.
Among his numerous awards and honors are the Dean's Award for student leadership; the Pan-Afrikan Ambassador of the Year Award for commitment to campus and community; the Win Wallin Scholarship; and the Bilkie Scholarship.
Schaden has been instrumental for the past seven years in raising funds for college scholarships for youth in South Minneapolis through the FANS program at the Brian Coyle Community Center. Every year runners from around the country compete in the FANS 24-hour run for this scholarship fund and Tony has been a leader in this effort. Recently, Schaden also decided to go back and run in the FANS 24 Hour Run and personally raised hundreds of dollars for the scholarship program that helped propel him into a commitment of service to others at Augsburg College.
Paul Cummings, the president-elect of Augsburg's student body, wrote this about Schaden: "Giving back to the community is part of Tony's very nature. The courageous example he is setting within his community and family has given many people hope that they too may succeed in college. Tony is a role model in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. His actions in service to his family and community speak volumes about his true character. Teens from the community sense that they, too, can succeed in College because of him. He inspires them…and he inspires me."
In the coming year he will expand his work with youth mentoring and counseling far beyond the Twin Cities, serving in Brazil and Africa under the auspices of the Wapagasset Luther Bible Camp.