#3 story of 2014: Dr/ Paula Carlson becomes Luther College's 10th president

(This story from October 10th got our vote as the #3 story of 2014):

Paula J. Carlson is now officially the 10th president of Luther College.

At an investiture ceremony Friday afternoon in the Center for Faith and Life she was officially sworn into office, succeeding Interim President David Tiede.

Carlson began her duties as Luther's 10th president July 1st, but her inauguration was scheduled to coincide with Luther's Homecoming.

During Friday afternoon's ceremony, Carlson spoke of the 1865 dedication of the first Main Hall on the Luther College campus, noting that a crowd of between 6,000 to 10,000 people came for the dedication.  That fact, she said, showed how important Luther College was to the people of that time.  "We are now the carriers of this light," she said, adding "We are now called to build strength on strength."

Carlson is a 1976 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of St. Olaf College, and holds a Master of Arts, Master of Philosophy and Ph.D. in English and comparative literature from Columbia University.  She has taught at the University of Dubuque, Yale University and St. Mary's College in Notre Dame, Indiana.  Prior to her appointment at Luther, Carlson was vice president for mission at St. Olaf College, vice president and liaison to the St. Olaf Board of Regents and, at the University of Dubuque, she was the director of the Wendt Center for Character Education and associate dean for academic affairs.