CHICAGO (ELCA) -- Steven C. Bahls will become the eighth president of Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill., on July 1. The college's board of trustees elected him March 10 to succeed Dr. Thomas Tredway, who announced last year his intention to retire at the close of this academic year. Augustana is one of 28 colleges and universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
The school has a 143-year history. Tredway has served 28 years as president. A 1957 graduate of Augustana, Tredway joined its history faculty in 1964.
"I want to welcome Steven Bahls to Augustana," Tredway said. "I hope he finds his years of service here to be as satisfying and fulfilling as mine have been for me. I will do all that I can to help him settle in to what will be a challenging and rewarding role at our school," he said.
Bahls is a professor and dean of the Capital University Law School, Columbus, Ohio, an ELCA university. While dean, the school conducted its largest fund-raising campaign and established the National Center for Adoption Law and Policy, a leading advocacy group for reforming the nation's laws on adoption and foster care. He taught agricultural law and frequently addressed agricultural organizations on legal matters.
"My central role as the next president of Augustana College will be to facilitate the faculty and staff in enhancing the college's already strong base in a way that prepares students for rewarding lives of leadership and service," said Bahls.
Raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Bahls graduated in 1976 from the College of Business, University of Iowa, Iowa City, and earned his law degree in 1979 from the Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago. He practiced corporate law with the Milwaukee law firm of Frisch, Dudek and Slattery, Ltd., from 1979 to 1985, and taught at the University of Montana School of Law, Missoula, where he was associate dean, before moving to Capital University in 1994.
Bahls is married to Jane Easter Bahls, a freelance writer specializing in business and legal topics. The couple has co- authored several articles. They are the parents of two sons and a daughter.
Brenda Czajka Barnes, chair of the college's board of trustees, described Bahls as "a man of tremendous talent and accomplishment." She added that "he has the combination of qualities essential for the presidency of Augustana: superior intellectual achievement, demonstrated leadership and administrative abilities, and a strong commitment of faith."
Augustana College, founded in 1860, has an enrollment of 2,150 students and a faculty of 160 educators. -- -- --
Augustana College, Rock Island, has a home page at http://www.augustana.edu/ on the Web.
EDITORS: Augustana College, Sioux Falls, S.D., is another college of
the ELCA.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
