Events

DRC Sponsor:  John Anderson

Stephanie Fromm leads the county’s economic development organization and is dedicated to improving the economy and neighborhoods throughout Winneshiek County. Fromm has developed a variety of programs and initiatives for area entrepreneurs and established businesses, ranging from grants and funding opportunities to providing consulting services, small business workshops and business planning. Fromm joined the organization 2015 after serving as an Operations Coordinator at Mercy Medical Center in Dubuque, Iowa. Fromm’s role also represents Decorah Jobs, a local economic development organization for the city of Decorah, which owns the 180-acre business park located along Highway 9 east in Decorah. Fromm earned her Bachelor’s in Business Management and Economics from Luther College in 2010. 

Stephanie will discuss Winneshiek County's Work Based Learning initiatives, Destination Branding project, Child Care Crisis and other current projects. 

DRC Sponsor: Jim Morrow

Dr. James Martin-Schramm is a Professor of Religion at Luther College and the Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities (CSC). The mission of the CSC is to promote sustainability and be a catalyst for change on campus and in the region. Dr. Martin-Schramm has a long history of involvement in Luther's environmental initiatives that dovetail nicely with Rotary International's recent emphasis on the reality of global climate change and avenues for mitigating the impacts. He plans to provide our members with an overview of ongoing CSC strategic planning efforts and provide some ideas for practical steps available to each individual.

Dr. Martin-Schramm recently completed a term of service on the board of the Iowa Wind Energy Association and is currently Chair of the Board of Iowa Interfaith Power and Light and the Winneshiek Energy District. He also serves as Secretary of Luther College Wind Energy Project, LLC. He joined the Religion faculty of Luther College in 1993. Most of his research has focused on ethics and public policy. He is the author or co-author of four books including Climate Justice: Ethics, Energy, and Climate Policy (Fortress Press, 2010). He holds a doctorate in Christian Ethics from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

For more on the CSC and its activities visit this link: Luther College Center for Sustainable Communities

DRC Sponsor: John Moeller

One of the many 2019 Luther College Paideia 450 January-Term (J-Term) course offerings, Stability and Change in Vietnam provided faculty and students with the opportunity to learn about the changes occurring in developing nations; how rapid modernization has affected the country both in the positive and negative; how modern communism is functioning as a governing system, and the overall experience of day-to-day life in a different country and culture. Dr. Steve Holland, Professor of Economics, DRC member and Political Science Emeritus John Moeller, and Luther College Senior and J-Term Blog Coordinator Aiden O'Driscoll will offer their experiences and insights into this amazing trip abroad.

The course participants began their exploration of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City to experience the changing country in the form of a modern commercial city. They traveled to the Mekong Delta, a world of waterways, farming, and rural charm, resting on the South China Sea. Follow-on travel took the group to the center of Vietnam to visit historical sites, eat traditional food, and learn more about the Vietnamese culture. The trip culminated in visits to Hanoi and Halong Bay.

Student reflections of the journey as it occured are available in the corresponding J-Term Course Blog: Paideia 450 - Vietnam