Luther College has appointed Andrew Ellingsen, a longtime Decorah educator and former Vesterheim leader, to direct the Richard L. and Judith A. Torgerson Center for Nordic Studies. The appointment puts Ellingsen’s background in elementary music education, museum programming and international study at the center of Luther’s connections with Norway and the broader Nordic region.
Provost Pam Bacon announced the appointment during the week of Aug. 17, 2026. Ellingsen’s first day on Luther’s Decorah campus was Wednesday, Aug. 12. He succeeds Nordic Studies Associate Professor Maren Johnson, who was recently appointed executive director of the center.
Ellingsen brings Vesterheim and teaching experience
Ellingsen most recently spent more than five years as director of folk art education at Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School in Decorah. In that role, he expanded participation and grew programs through strategic planning and organizational initiatives.
His work at Vesterheim included several educational partnerships with Luther. The collaborations included January Term classes hosted at the museum, a Vesterheim–Torgerson Center internship pipeline for Luther students and plans for education-focused tours in Norway.
Ellingsen also co-taught FCUL 139: Nordic Tales and Traditions with Johnson. The course was a 2024 pilot program for Luther students studying away during their first year.
Before joining Vesterheim, Ellingsen taught elementary music for nearly 20 years, first in the Twin Cities and later in Decorah. He also taught undergraduate elementary music methods at Luther and served on the faculty for Orff Schulwerk graduate courses at Southern Methodist University, the University of Memphis and the University of St. Thomas.
Ellingsen holds a master’s degree in music education from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. He graduated from Luther College in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in music education.
A center linking Luther and the Nordic region
Established in 2018, the Torgerson Center honors Luther’s history as the first college in the United States founded by Norwegian immigrants. Its mission is to build connections with modern Norway and other Nordic countries through innovative programs and strategic partnerships.
The center provides learning opportunities for students and faculty and collaborates with Vesterheim on programming. Luther describes it as the only endowed undergraduate Nordic Studies center in the United States.
Bacon said Ellingsen’s experience as an educator and program leader is a major strength, while also pointing to his deep roots in Decorah and connections within the Norwegian-American heritage community. Johnson welcomed the appointment, calling Ellingsen a generative, thoughtful leader who will help advance the center’s work.
Ellingsen’s new role brings together classroom teaching, museum education, international programming and experience in Luther’s academic community. From the college’s Decorah campus, that background will guide the center’s continuing work with students, faculty, Vesterheim and Nordic partners.