On October 8, 1972, Augsburg held groundbreaking and site dedication ceremonies for a new student apartment tower that later was named Mortensen Hall after Gerda Mortensen, long-time Dean of Women at the College. In addition to housing Auggies, the tower initially was intended to serve students from St. Mary’s Junior College and the Fairview Hospital nursing program, as well as St. Olaf College nursing students who trained in Minneapolis hospitals.