LW
Laramie Walker
  • Class of 2012
  • Mitchell, SD

Laramie Walker from Mitchell Graduates from Augustana College

2012 Jun 19

Three hundred and forty-six students participated in the Augustana College Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 19, at the Sioux Falls Arena.

Laramie Walker from Mitchell, S.D., was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree.

The ceremony's speakers included:

  • Retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Lyle Bien, class of 1967. Bien served with distinction for 31 years, rising to the rank of Vice Admiral, logging 5,500 hours in fighter aircraft, 1,300 carrier landings and 225 combat missions over South and North Vietnam. He is the recipient of 23 medals and citations in recognition of his military service. Bien currently serves as a satellite industry consultant for clients such as Inmarsat of London, Northrop Grumman in Los Angeles and the Missile Defense Agency in Washington, D.C.
  • Hannah Miller, class of 2012. A native of Mankato, Minn., Miller graduated cum laude as an elementary education major with a middle school endorsement. She was also the recipient of the 2012 Covenant Award for Service.

In addition to conferring undergraduate and graduate degrees, the College awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters to alumnus Lyle Bien.

About Augustana

Founded in 1860, Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., is a selective, residential, comprehensive college of the Lutheran Church. Committed to enriching lives and fostering development, Augustana combines a foundation in the liberal arts with professional skill and advanced study, leading the Templeton Guide to include the College among those that inspire students to lead ethical and civic-minded lives. With more than 1,850 students from 25 states and 30 countries, Augustana is featured among "America's Top Colleges" by Forbes; was ranked among the top 10 baccalaureate colleges in the nation for its efforts to advance social mobility, research and service by Washington Monthly; has been named a "Best Midwestern College" by The Princeton Review; and is identified in Peterson's "440 Great Colleges for Great Students."

Augustana celebrated its sesquicentennial during the 2010-2011 academic year.