ROCK ISLAND, IL (05/07/2013)(readMedia)-- Opera @ Augustana will present Gilbert and Sullivan's

Performing in this show include :

Rowan Crow, a first year from Coal Valley, Ill., majoring in history education. Crow will play the role of Maiden.

Ely Powers, a sophomore from Silvis, Ill., majoring in psychology. Powers will play the role of Pirate.

The daring, yet tenderhearted Pirates of Penzance are sure to take you on a hilarious adventure where you will encounter an unconventional major general, his doe-eyed daughters and a group of blundering policemen. As the pirates attempt to retain Frederic, their formerly apprenticed pirate, this cackle of sidesplitting characters battle the principles of honor and duty.

Brian Jozwiak, a sophomore music education major from Vernon Hills, Ill., who plays the Pirate King, is looking forward to sharing Gilbert and Sullivan's unique British humor with the audience. "The rehearsal process for this production has been extremely rewarding. Each of the cast members brings a unique perspective and together, we know how to have a really good time. We have worked hard for the past two months and are looking forward to finally presenting our finished product!"

Tickets for The Pirates of Penzance can be purchased through the Augustana Ticket Office at (309) 794-7306 or by visiting www.augustana.edu/tickets. For more information, contact Sam Schlouch, manager of arts events and communication, at (309) 794-7833 or samschlouch@augustana.edu.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (05/02/2013)(readMedia)-- Thirty-seven students at Augustana College, in Rock Island, Ill., recently were elected into the college's Phi Beta Kapp chapter. This national academic honor society recognizes scholarly achievement, character, integrity, and independence of mind. Members are elected by faculty. Election is less a reward for past success than a recognition of exceptional promise for future growth and achievement.

Among the students honored:

Manisha Kumar, a senior from Davenport, Iowa, majoring in biology and pre-medicine.

Douglas Peters, a senior from Port Byron, Ill., majoring in neuroscience and biology.

Moselle Singh, a senior from LeClaire, Iowa, majoring in anthropology.

Astrid Tello-Rodriguez, a senior from Milan, Ill., majoring in psychology.

Anna Tunnicliff, a senior from Bettendorf, Iowa, majoring in history.

The new Phi Beta Kappa members will be formally honored on campus and introduced at the Senior Honors Convocation on Saturday, May 18, at 12 noon, in Centennial Hall (3703 7th Ave., Rock Island).

Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776 and celebrates and advocates excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. It has more than half a million members and chapters at 283 American colleges and universities. Invitation to membership is a reflection of outstanding achievement. Only about 10 percent of the nation's institutions of higher learning have Phi Beta Kappa chapters, and only about 10 percent of the arts and sciences graduates of these institutions are selected for Phi Beta Kappa membership.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. Augustana is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Alumni include 140 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 14 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (03/21/2013)(readMedia)-- Fifty Augustana College students studied and worked in Sydney, Australia, for the first two months of 2013. The international study program known as "Augustana in Australia" places students in career-relevant positions in Sydney and immerses them in Australian culture. Over 250 students have participated in the program in the last seven years.

Madison Logan from Moline, Ill., was among the participants. Logan is a junior at Augustana and is majoring in communication sciences and disorders and psychology. Logan interned at The Lizard Centre.

The students completed a five-week on-campus internship seminar and a complimentary class in either intercultural communication or business ethics before leaving for Australia on January 2. Once in Australia, students worked for a variety of employers in numerous fields - from healthcare to education and from hospitality to non-profit work.

During their trip, the students also visited the ANZ Stadium, where the 2000 Olympics were held; the Sydney Opera House; and the Blue Mountains just outside of Sydney. Some students traveled to New Zealand and other areas of Australia, including Melbourne, Darwin and Cairns, where they were able to snorkel and dive the Great Barrier Reef. Students returned to the United States on March 2.

According to Karen M. Petersen, Augustana's director of business internships and the Australia program's director, "The highlight of the Australia internship program is the personal growth students experience by integrating into a totally new culture - both personally and professionally."

At Augustana, students choosing to intern or study abroad can receive financial support from the college thanks to a program launched in 2009 called Augie Choice. Focused on advancing student learning in the liberal arts in alignment with the college's strategic plan, Augie Choice grants students in their junior year or beyond the opportunity to receive a one-time grant of $2,000 to offset the expenses of study abroad, an internship or research project. Augie Choice funding is a visible symbol of the college's commitment to experiential learning as a way of preparing students to stand out among their peers.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences. Augustana is recognized for the innovative program Augie Choice, which provides each student up to $2,000 to pursue a high-impact learning experience such as study abroad, an internship or research with a professor. Alumni include 140 Academic All-Americans, a Nobel laureate, 14 college presidents and other distinguished leaders. The college enrolls 2,500 students and is located along one of the world's most important waterways, the Mississippi River, in a community that reflects the diversity of the United States.

ROCK ISLAND, IL (07/25/2012)(readMedia)-- Thirteen Augustana College students are currently completing internships in Houston, Texas, as part of the Texas Medical Center summer research internship program and will return at the beginning of August.

Douglas Peters, a senior from Port Byron, Ill. majoring in biology and neuroscience. Peters is interning in Houston at Baylor College of Medicine.

Now in its seventh year, the Augustana College internship program sends 10-15 students to the Texas Medical Center to serve as full-time interns in a variety of disciplines.

Dr. Heidi Storl, professor of philosophy and the director of the Texas Medical Center internships at Augustana, said "Students are chosen on the basis of their academic and personal merits."

This summer Augustana students are conducting research in biochemistry, psychology, public health, neuroscience, speech pathology, clinical ethics and human resources.

At Augustana, students choosing to complete an internship can receive financial support from the college thanks to a program launched in 2009 called Augie Choice. Focused on advancing student learning in the liberal arts, Augie Choice grants students in their junior year or beyond the opportunity to receive a one-time grant of $2,000 to offset the expenses of study abroad, an internship or research project. Augie Choice funding, which recently surpassed the $1.5-million milestone, is a visible symbol of the college's commitment to experiential learning as a way of preparing students to stand out among their peers.

About Augustana: Founded in 1860 and situated on a 115-acre campus near the Mississippi River, Augustana College is a private, liberal arts institution affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The college enrolls 2,500 students from diverse geographic, social, ethnic and religious backgrounds and offers nearly 90 majors and related areas of study. Augustana employs 182 full-time faculty and has a student-faculty ratio of 12:1. Augustana continues to do what it has always done: challenge and prepare students for lives of leadership and service in our complex, ever-changing world.