Luther College's Newest Emeriti Professors Share Stories of Caring and Creative Students

DECORAH — Luther College's Board of Regents has approved emeritus status for five long-serving faculty members at Luther, who have retired as of this summer: Barbara Bohach, Michael Engelhardt, Lise Kildegaard, Beth Lynch and Rebecca Sullivan. "We want to express our deepest appreciation for their dedication and service to Luther College over the years," President Jenifer K. Ward said. "I know many generations of students have benefited from their commitment to their craft and their own love of learning, and we wish these colleagues well as they start their next chapters in life." Barbara Bohach Barbara Bohach, associate professor emerita of education, began teaching at Luther in 1992. She started as a clinical professor after 11 years of teaching in elementary classrooms. She loved the two-year position so much that she expressed an interest in staying on as an instructor. She continued her own education at the University of Northern Iowa to earn a doctorate in curriculum and instruction. "I enjoyed teaching future teachers during those first two years because of their enthusiasm for making a difference in children's lives," she said. "This caring attitude possessed by our students never changed over the course of 32 years. We have grads who become outstanding teachers and leaders in their school districts and make Luther proud." Bohach enjoyed partnering with local teachers — some of them former students of hers — to help Luther elementary education majors realize the rewards and challenges of teaching literacy to elementary students. These experiences integrated educational theory, research and practice as the college students worked in classrooms. "When I observed my students working with their assigned student(s), it made me smile," Bohach said. "The teacher-student conversations that I overheard showed me that my students were connecting with their learners and applying the language arts concepts and content that we'd been learning in class." Michael Engelhardt Michael Engelhardt, professor emeritus of political science, taught courses on American politics and foreign policy. "I came to Luther in 1988 in the middle of a huge drought, and that was the big topic of conversation," Engelhardt said. "I was looking everywhere for a tenure-track job, and this opened up. I stayed because of my students and colleagues, especially the students." During most of his years at Luther, Dr. Engelhardt taught a January Term course entitled, "It's a Conspiracy!?" Using critical thinking methods, he led the students in examining political conspiracy theories. "One of my favorite memories is when a student, Sam Scheffler, asked me when I was going to do my 'last lecture' at Luther. When I told him I didn't have anything planned, he urged me to do one," Engelhardt said. "I worked out the details and gave a lecture on the history and future of NATO. It was very gratifying to find students interested enough in what I had to say to come to something not required. Sam even brought his grandfather to the lecture." Engelhardt earned his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research interests have been in the areas of military intervention and nuclear nonproliferation. He has published several articles in these fields and has co-authored a text in American politics. He also coached Luther's Mock Trial team and was a faculty adviser to the Luther College Republicans. Lise Kildegaard Lise Kildegaard, professor emerita of English, started teaching at Luther in 1993. She earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of Chicago. She taught first-year students in Paideia courses and upper-level British literature courses. "Reading and writing, analyzing and discussing — these are the arts of the citizen, and for over 30 years at Luther College, I had the privilege of sharing the classroom with students as they worked to improve their skill at these necessary arts," she said. "I thoroughly enjoyed the energy and the insights of students, and I especially loved how class discussions helped us deepen our thinking and encouraged us to build community." Kildegaard shared a story that occurred on her last day of teaching during the spring semester of 2024 to exemplify "the random acts of goofiness that often showed up in the classroom." "In the final moments of my very last class this spring semester, the students surprised me with a flash-mob-style recitation of the first 20 lines of Milton's epic poem, 'Paradise Lost' — after which they jumped up to dance to a rap song they had written about our class in 18th-century British lit. It was a perfect Luther College moment — a mash-up of art and learning and joyful noise." Kildegaard combined her Danish heritage with her scholarly work through her fine translation of the celebrated Danish writer Louis Jensen's Square Stories. This work was adapted into a student theater production. She developed a curriculum around Square Stories and flash fiction, which she implemented at numerous K-12 schools in Minnesota, Illinois, Wisconsin and New Mexico. Beth Lynch Beth Lynch, professor emerita of biology, joined Luther's biology department in 2001. She received her Ph.D. from University of Minnesota in ecology, evolution and behavior. She regularly taught courses in botany and ecology, including the introductory biology course "Ecology, Evolution, and Biodiversity." During January Term, she enjoyed teaching winter biology in the Boundary Waters wilderness of Northern Minnesota. Her research in plant ecology focuses on the paleoecology of fire-dominated ecosystems and on the conservation of native plant communities in Northeastern Iowa. One of her favorite memories from Luther happened during a January Term course she was teaching in the Minnesota Boundary Waters. She and her students were playing broomball on a frozen lake, when they noticed the Northern Lights. "Someone noticed the Northern Lights and immediately all of the ruckus of the game stopped as the students stood and watched in awe as the lights danced," Lynch said. "For many, it was their first time seeing them. I loved seeing everyone so quiet and attentive to their surroundings." Rebecca Sullivan Rebecca Sullivan, professor emerita of library and information science, helped first-year students develop their writing skills, benefiting them for the rest of their careers. She would eventually go on to serve as director of the Paideia program. "I first came to Luther in the fall of 1986 to teach writing and first-year Paideia," Sullivan said. "Every first-year student at Luther participates in this discussion-based course to develop skills in argumentative writing, careful reading and critical thinking. I value that common experience. I have been delighted to share in each student's discovery of their own abilities." Sullivan was once a first-year student at Luther herself, as she earned her bachelor's degree from the college in 1984. She would go on to earn a Master of Arts in American studies from the University of Minnesota and a Master of Library Science from the University of Illinois. She became a full-time professor at Luther in 2004. She also taught methods courses for students majoring in English education, Young Adult literature, and upper-level Paideia courses on social sustainability and "The Search for Happiness." Unlock a world of knowledge! 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