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Luther College President Jenifer K. Ward is announcing the 2021 recipients of the Luther Distinguished Service Award. The recipients are 1961 graduate Karen (Gulsvig) Johnson; 1971 graduate Lee Afdahl; 1971 graduate Willard Williamson; 1972 graduate Arlivia (Owens) Williamson; 1976 graduate Michael Bernatz; 1977 graduate Denise (Danielson) Bernatz; 1981 graduate Kristen Weeks Duncanson; 1991 graduate Kathy MacLaughlin; and 1996 graduate Suzanne (Roverud) Mineck. Karen (Gulsvig) Johnson worked as a social worker and family therapist, providing hours of connection and support to people. The Erik Paul Nils Johnson Scholarship, established in honor of her late son, has been awarded to 19 Luther students since its inception. Lee Afdahl had a 50-year career as a church musician, organist, conductor, and composer. In 1991, he moved to Rochester, Minnesota, where he served 28 years as director of music and organist at First Presbyterian Church. He retired as director of music emeritus in 2019. He continues to volunteer time for the American Guild of Organists, Choristers Guild, Handbell Musicians of America, and the Rochester Music Guild. Willard Williamson and Arlivia (Owens) Williamson helped to create the Black Student Union at Luther. Will worked as an engineer and executive with AT&T, while Arlivia was a dedicated teacher from 1973 to 2011. Michael Bernatz and Denise (Danielson) Bernatz live in Winona, Minnesota, Michael working as an attorney and Denise as a sports medicine rehabilitation technician. Both have held posts with the Winona Central Lutheran Church, Denise currently has a seat on the Refugee Resettlement Committee and Michael on the Foundation Board. Both have served the Winona Public Schools, Denise as President of the PTA and Michael as chair of the school board. Kristen Weeks Duncanson worked after graduation as a legislative aide to Minnesota Senator Rudy Boschwitz in Washington, D.C. Later, a fellowship at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Policy further honed her policy skills. More recently, as an agricultural consultant, Weeks Duncanson helps the nation's farmers and market leaders collaborate on data-driven conservation and sustainability planning and practices. Kathy MacLaughlin is an associate professor of family medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science and a population health science scholar at Mayo Clinic's Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery. The Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians named MacLaughlin the recipient of the 2021 MAFP Innovation & Research Award. Suzanne (Roverud) Mineck is president and CEO of the Mid Iowa Health Foundation in Des Moines. She has had a seat on Luther's President's Advisory Council and on the board of the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. Currently, she serves on the board of trustees for the Harwood Institute, the Science Center of Iowa, Polk County Housing Trust Fund, and the Iowa Council of Foundations.

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2021 Distinguished Service Award recipients announced by Luther College