From the Hill to Real Life

There are many traditions that bind us together as Oles. From special events like Christmas Festival and the Cereal Bowl to regular events like Friday flowers and Pause pizza. Even though the Last Lecture is a tradition held by many colleges across the country, it holds a little extra significance at St. Olaf College where our seniors vote for a professor to deliver a final message to their class. Learn more about this milestone event from a professor who has perhaps delivered it more than any other. Featuring: Oscar and Gertrude Boe Overby Distinguished Professor of Philosophy Charles Taliaferro.

LGBTQIA+ students have been organizing as a group on campus for 30 continuous years. From its beginnings as OLGA, through GLOW, and now SAGA and REPRESENT., creating space for sexual and gender expression at St. Olaf has been largely student-led. Learn how this community has grown and changed over time, and what lies ahead with the help of dedicated staff time and new on-campus resources. Featuring: Thomas Houck '88, Assistant Director of Gender and Sexuality Jon Mergens, Katie Barnes '13, Katherine Oyster '08, Emmy Kegler '07.

The nursing profession is fast-paced, demanding, and requires a lot of empathy. But when you're called to become a nurse, the flexibility of a liberal arts education at St. Olaf can help prepare you for anything. Featuring Department Chair of Nursing Susan Huehn '85, current nursing student Erica Rempert '20, and recent alumna Erin Nemetz '19.

When Jane Becker Nelson '04 was a townie growing up in Northfield, she never thought she'd want to stay here. But one visit to St. Olaf College confirmed it had everything this future Ole could ask for: music, art, and campus culture. What she didn't know then was that, after a decade of moving around the country, she'd eventually return to the Hill as Director of Flaten Art Museum and, quite unexpectedly, begin investigation into the origins of a portrait that many believe to have been painted by famed Norwegian artist Edvard Munch.

The St. Olaf Orchestra had its debut performance at Carnegie Hall — America's most storied and significant concert hall — on February 2, 2019. Learn what it was like to experience this momentous (and sold-out!) engagement directly from St. Olaf Orchestra alumnus and crowd member Geoff Carlisle '10; Robert Scholz Endowed Chair of Music, Professor of Music, and Conductor of the St. Olaf Orchestra Steve Amundson; and Principal Cellist and President of the St. Olaf Orchestra Sophia Spiegel '19.

Explore what the humanities can teach us throughout our lives — from critical thinking to searching for meaning to finding rewarding career paths. Featuring Professor of History and Boldt Family Distinguished Teaching Chair in the Humanities Judy Kutulas, Assistant Director of Career Development and Coaching Thando Kunene '13, and Director of Piper Center for Vocation and Career Leslie Moore '77.

Entrepreneurship is what happens when creative people innovate solutions for clients, institutions, or themselves. Hear how St. Olaf is supporting our students’ ability to innovate and learn about entrepreneurship. Featuring Entrepreneur in Residence Sian Muir, serial entrepreneur Adam Gettings ‘04, and Associate Director of Entrepreneurship and Outreach in the Piper Center Margaret Bransford.

We explore what it means to come from the Hill, and how our shared experiences as Oles (Oh-lees) will be showcased through the podcast "From the Hill to Real Life."