Three Decorah students were recognized for academic achievement among Luther College’s spring 2026 graduates, with Dylan Joseph Muhlbauer receiving the highest Latin-honors distinction among the three local graduates.

Andrew Bradley Chamberlain and Elizabeth Clement graduated cum laude, while Muhlbauer graduated magna cum laude. Luther College announced the graduates on Aug. 7, following its spring commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 24.

Decorah graduates and their fields of study

Chamberlain graduated with majors in Law and Values and Nordic Studies and received cum laude honors. Clement earned a degree in Social Work and also graduated cum laude.

Muhlbauer graduated with majors in Accounting and Management and received magna cum laude honors. That recognition placed him above Chamberlain and Clement in the Latin-honors categories reported for the three Decorah graduates.

Latin honors recognize academic achievement among graduating college students. The distinctions gave the three Decorah graduates a formal academic recognition as they moved beyond Luther’s spring commencement and into the next stage of their lives.

Honors across Luther’s spring class

The Decorah graduates were part of a larger group of 110 students who earned Latin honors. Luther reported that the honorees represented a range of academic programs and backgrounds.

  • Twenty-two percent of the graduates completed double majors.
  • Approximately 20% were first-generation college students.
  • Seventeen percent were international students.
  • Six percent were transfer students.

The broader announcement included graduates from Decorah and nearby Iowa communities, including Cresco, Spillville, New Albin and Iowa City. It also listed students from communities elsewhere in the United States and other countries.

Recognition followed May commencement

The May 24 ceremony also recognized other members of the Luther community. Gideon Armah-Amissah received the Elizabeth A. and Paul G. Jenson Medal, an annual honor for an outstanding senior selected by the graduating class who best demonstrates Luther’s ideals through service to students and the college community.

David Hecht, a 2011 Luther graduate, received the Young Alumni Award and delivered the commencement address. Luther identified Hecht as a conservation social scientist and environmental anthropologist. The award recognizes outstanding achievement by alumni who graduated within the previous 15 years.

Luther directed readers to a video featuring highlights from the 2026 commencement, along with related coverage of the spring Dean’s List.