Commencement 2009 Speakers
Amanda Thoe, '09
Amanda Thoe, of Hayfield, Minn., represented the graduating class of 2009 at the New Alumni Convocation. She is the daughter of Jeffrey and Susan Thoe, and is an international political economy and economics major.
Ms. Thoe is a Ruud Academic Excellence Scholar, and will graduate with All-College Honors. She has been recognized as the outstanding graduating senior in both her majors, and received the John R. Commons Award in Economics in 2008. She founded the Planeteers environmental group, performed in several theater productions and was a member of the Carthage Choir. She was president of Omicron Delta Epsilon economics fraternity, and was treasurer of the Carthage Democrats.
Ms. Thoe has held internships with the Midwest Dairy Association, the Oshkosh office of Legal Action of Wisconsin, and U.S. Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.).
After graduation, Ms. Thoe joined Home Federal Bank of Rochester, Minn. She eventually hopes to work for the federal government in Washington, D.C.
Aaron Tinjum, '09
Aaron Tinjum, of Cottage Grove, Minn., represented the Class of 2009 at Commencement. He is the son of Paul and DeeAnn Tinjum.
A political science major, Aaron served two years as president of Student Government, after serving two years as a senator. He played for the club hockey team and is a recipient of a Ruud Academic Excellence Scholarship.
He was a second vice chair of the College Democrats of Wisconsin. He has served summer internships with U.S. Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.), former Sen. Mark Dayton (D-Minn.), two Minnesota state legislators, and the Canadian consulate in Minneapolis.
Aaron has been accepted by Teach for America, which places recent college graduates in schools serving low-income areas for a two-year commitment. He will teach in Tulsa, Okla., and is considering going to law school after his service.
David M. Rhoads
David M. Rhoads, professor of New Testament at the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, delivered the baccalaureate sermon, and received an honorary doctorate of divinity during the 2009 Commencement.
Mr. Rhoads was a professor of religion at Carthage from 1973 to 1988, and was named the College's Distinguished Teacher for the 1974-75 school year. Ordained in 1968, Mr. Rhoads was pastor of St. John Lutheran Church, Asheboro, N.C., before joining Carthage. He moved to the seminary in 1988.
Widely published, Mr. Rhoads is the author of several books including, "Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel" (Fortress Press 1999, revised edition with Joanna Dewey and Donald Michie), and "The Challenge of Diversity: The Witness of Paul and the Gospels" (Fortress 1996). In 1999, he edited with Kari Syreeni the book, "Characterization in the Gospels: Rethinking Narrative Criticism" (Sheffield Academic Press). In 2004, he published a collection of his essays, "Reading Mark, Engaging the Gospel." In 2006, he edited "From Every People and Nation: The Book of Revelation in Intercultural Perspective," a collection of essays by scholars from many different geographical locations and perspectives.
An enthusiastic environmentalist, Mr. Rhoads is advisor to the seminary's Green Zone Committee. He has planned eco-conferences, edited guidebooks for parishes, and helped initiate The Web of Creation, an online environmental service for congregations. He directs the Green Congregation Program, which works primarily with clusters of congregations in some Midwest synods of the ELCA. In 2007, he edited a collection of sermons by 36 different theologians and preachers: "Earth and Word: Classic Sermons on Saving the Planet" (Continuum). Mr. Rhoads also recently wrote "The Green Congregation Training Manual," and with David Glover, "An Environmental Guide for Churches, Their Buildings and Grounds."
Mr. Rhoads received the bachelor of arts degree from Gettysburg College, and the bachelor of divinity degree from Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary. His master of arts degree was bestowed by Oxford University, and the doctor of philosophy degree by Duke University.
Mr. Rhoads recently received the Fortress Press Teacher of the Year Award for Innovative Teaching in a Graduate Setting (2004) and was named Distinguished Alumnus by Gettysburg Lutheran Theological Seminary (2005).
He is married to the Rev. Sandra Roberts, who served as assistant to the bishop of the ELCA's Greater Milwaukee Synod. They live in Racine, Wis. He has two children, five grandchildren and a great-grandchild.