Gustavus Adolphus College Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St . Peter , Minnesota , United States . A coeducational , four - year , residential institution , it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans . To this day the school is firmly rooted in its Swedish and Lutheran heritage . The premier event on campus is the annual Nobel Conference , which features Nobel Laureates and other world - renowned scholars explaining their expertise to a general audience . Mission and values . The college presents its mission as tied to the fact that it is a church - related college : A " private residential liberal arts college firmly rooted in its Swedish and Lutheran heritage . ” While the institution offers many majors , the school also presents itself as a place where " a mature understanding of the Christian faith " is nurtured ; so that “ students are encouraged to work toward a just and peaceful world . ” Many students are involved in volunteer work , and service learning is integrated into many of the courses on campus . Through such techniques , the institution realizes its self - stated core values of ( 1 ) Excellence , ( 2 ) Community , ( 3 ) Justice , ( 4 ) Service , and ( 5 ) Faith . History . Founding . The college was founded in 1862 as a Lutheran parochial school at Red Wing by Eric Norelius , pastor . Originally named Minnesota Elementar Skola ( " elementary school " in Swedish ) , it moved the following year to East Union , an unincorporated town in Dahlgren Township . In 1865 , on the 1 , 000th anniversary of the death of St . Ansgar , known as the " Apostle of the North " , the institution was renamed and incorporated as St . Ansgar ' s Academy . Renaming . In April 1873 , the college was renamed Gustavus Adolphus Literary & Theological Institute in honor of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden . On October 16 , 1876 , it opened as Gustavus Adolphus College at the current location , enticed to relocate to St . Peter by the town ' s offer of $ 10 , 000 and a large campus . Gustavus is the oldest of several Lutheran colleges in Minnesota . It was founded as a college of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church . In 1962 it became a college of the Lutheran Church in America , when the Augustana Synod merged into that body . The Lutheran Church in American merged in 1988 to create the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . World War II . During World War II , Gustavus Adolphus College was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the V - 12 Navy College Training Program which offered students a path to a Navy commission . Founding of the Nobel Conference . The annual Nobel Conference was established in the mid - 1960s when college officials asked the Nobel Foundation for permission to name the new science building the Alfred Nobel Hall of Science as a memorial to the Swedish inventor , Alfred Nobel . Permission was granted , and the facility ' s dedication ceremony in 1963 included officials from the Nobel Foundation and 26 Nobel Laureates . Following the 1963 Nobel Prize ceremonies in Stockholm , college representatives met with Nobel Foundation officials , asking them to endorse an annual science conference at the College and to allow use of the Nobel name to establish credibility and high standards . At the urging of several prominent Nobel laureates , the foundation granted the request , and the first conference was held at the college in January 1965 . Academics . Gustavus Adolphus is currently ranked among the best 100 national liberal arts colleges by " U . S . News & World Report " . Gustavus is ranked 85th in the 2013 rankings . Students choose from over 70 programs of study with 75 majors in 24 academic departments and three interdisciplinary programs ( including 14 honors majors ) , ranging from physics to religion to Scandinavian studies . The College ' s Writing Across the Curriculum program fosters writing skills in all academic disciplines . Since 1983 , the college has had a chapter of the academic honor society Phi Beta Kappa . The school operates Curriculum II , an interdisciplinary general education program . Recently the college instituted a test - optional admission policy , making it the first private college in Minnesota to forgo the ACT / SAT score requirement on its application . Campus . The campus features science facilities , computer and language labs , and a large , new dining facility . The college ' s Christ Chapel , which seats 1500 people , stands in the center of campus . Gustavus ' first building in St . Peter , affectionately known as " Old Main , " originally housed the entire college . Major renovations to the building were completed in 2005 . In the Fall of 2011 , a new social science center , Beck Hall , was opened on campus . The campus is graced by 33 sculptures by the late Minnesota sculptor , Paul Granlund , an alumnus of the college who for many years was sculptor - in - residence . Every tree indigenous to Minnesota is grown in the Linnaeus Arboretum . In 2009 students founded Big Hill Farm , which grows produce for the cafeteria and aims to connect the campus to sustainable agriculture . Notable buildings . Christ Chapel . Christ Chapel is a church located in the center of Gustavus Adolphus College . Constructed from March 2 , 1959 to fall 1961 , the chapel was dedicated on January 7 , 1962 . Construction of the chapel was made possible by gifts from the congregations of the Lutheran Augustana Synod , a predecessor body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America , which is affiliated with the college . Ecumenical services are held each weekday and on Sundays during the academic year . There is seating for 1 , 500 people in the chapel , with 1 , 200 on the main floor and an additional 300 in the balcony . It is the largest seating area on campus . The chapel and surrounding grounds are adorned by the sculptures of Paul T . Granlund , the former artist - in - residence at Gustavus Adolphus College . The organ in Christ Chapel was originally built by Hillgreen - Lane at the time the Chapel was built . It has been significantly altered in the last 30 years . These renovations , carried out by David Engen and more recently by the Hendrickson Organ Company of St . Peter , include a new console with solid state combination and relay , moving several ranks of pipes from an antiphonal position in the basement into the main organ above the balcony , restructuring the Swell mixture , and extensive repairs following the tornado of 1998 . It currently contains 55 speaking ranks of pipes , played from a four - manual console , and has a preparation on the new Great chest for a mounted Kornet V stop . The Chapel also houses a small portative organ of three stops on one manual which is used for accompanying and especially for continuo playing in Baroque compositions . On March 29 , 1998 , the spire , which towers above the chapel , was toppled by a tornado that left most of St . Peter , Minnesota in ruins . On March 17 , 2008 , the cross that was atop the spire was hung from the ceiling in Christ Chapel during a service marking the 10 - year anniversary of the tornado . Campus life . The majority of the college ' s 2 , 600 students ( known as " Gusties " ) live in residence halls on campus , in college - owned houses , and , a small minority , in theme areas , such as the Carlson International Center , CHOICE substance - free housing , and the Swedish House . Students with permission from the college may choose to live off - campus within the community of St . Peter or elsewhere . The Tau Mu Tau sorority was first founded at Gustavus Adolphus in the early 1900s . Arts . Many musical ensembles perform throughout the year , including the Gustavus Choir , the Choir of Christ Chapel , the Lucia Singers , the Gustavus Adolphus Symphony Orchestra , Gustavus Wind Orchestra , Gustavus Jazz Lab Band , etc . Theater and Dance events are also a vibrant part of " Gustie Life " , with shows every fall and spring and a musical every other year . There are also two art galleries on campus , the Hillstrom Museum of Art and the Schaefer Art Gallery . The college ' s dining service includes a cafeteria , the Market Place . The " Princeton Review " ranked Gustavus 8th in its " Best Campus Food " category for 2009 . Athletics . Gustavus is a founding member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference , MIAC . Key sports at the college are tennis , swimming , golf , basketball , ice hockey , football , and soccer . The school ' s team name is the Golden Gusties , represented by a lion mascot because Gustavus Adolphus was known as " The Lion of the North . " Gustavus has had three players drafted in the NFL Draft : Russ Buckley in 1940 , Kurt Ploeger in 1985 , and Ryan Hoag in 2003 . The Gustavus women ' s softball team placed third in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2009 . The Gustavus men ' s hockey team placed second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2009 . The Gustavus soccer team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament in 2005 — led in part by three - time all American Robert " Bobby " Kroog . In 2003 the Gustavus men ' s basketball team finished second in the NCAA Division III national tournament . In the middle of the twentieth century , the Gustavus football team was coached by long - time coach / AD Moose Malmquist . In addition , the women ' s hockey team has won seven conference titles , including six straight , and has placed in the top four nationally in 2002 , 2005 , 2006 and 2010 . Directors ' Cup . Gustavus placed 8th in the 2008 – 09 Learfield Sports Directors ' Cup standings . The Directors ' Cup is the only all - sports competition in intercollegiate athletics . In Division III , standings are based on national tournament finishes in 18 sports . In 2002 – 03 Gustavus placed a school - best sixth in the Directors ' Cup standings . Media . Gustavus Adolphus College is home to several publications and broadcasters :