Northfield Students Graduate from Augustana College

Three hundred and forty-six students participated in the Augustana College Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 18, at the Sioux Falls Arena.

The following area students received degrees from Augustana College:

Jenna Christians from Northfield, Minn. (Bachelor of Arts).

Allison Henke from Northfield, Minn. (Bachelor of Arts).

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 degrees, the College awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters to alumnus Lyle Bien.