The legacy of President Steven C. Bahls
Augustana's leader to retire in 2022, after 19 years
Steven Bahls will retire as president of Augustana College effective July 1, 2022, after a notable 19-year career leading the college. Originally planning to retire in July 2021, President Bahls delayed his retirement in order to lead the college through the challenging years of the pandemic.
“It has been the highlight of my professional life to serve Augustana College, and I look forward to my next great adventure,” he said.
President Bahls started his tenure at Augustana in the summer of 2003. Since then, the Augustana community has benefited from his passion for the liberal arts, his natural gifts as an explorer and collaborator, and his drive for innovation.
“Steve’s leadership has driven Augustana to new heights, and he’s done that with a steadfast commitment to growth, to innovative programming, to diversity and to the long-term financial strength of the college,” said John Murabito, alumnus and chair of Augustana’s board of trustees.
Milestones and accomplishments
From his inauguration in 2003 until today, President Steve Bahls has led campus growth with new programs and majors, new athletics and innovative buildings to support students in all areas of life.
Q&A with Steve Bahls
Best part of the job? Working with students. "They brought me along in issues of diversity, equity and inclusion; issues of protecting our environment; and issues of making Augustana great for everyone."
Proudest accomplishment? "I don't like to talk about achievements because achievements, of course, are achievements of the community, not achievements of the president. But the change that we've seen, which I think is the most dramatic change in my years at Augustana, is the dramatic increase in the diversity of our student body. "