He’s been writing about, working with, and standing behind President Bergman (nearly) this whole time. Construction projects, comprehensive campaigns, major gifts, and a little thing called COVID-19. Whatever you’ve seen or read about the College during the past 10 years, it probably crossed Akin’s desk at some point in the process.
After starting his career in the Admission Office, he began working in Marketing and Communication just nine months after President Bergman’s inauguration. He wrote press releases, internal communications, and news stories. As a young professional just four years out of Confer-Vickner, he had a rare front-row seat to major decision-ma
king. It was a master class in how to lead from within a tight, engaged community like Gustavus. “President Bergman is thoughtful and balanced. She wants inputs from multiple angles, supported by data. She understands that Gustavus is a human organization where people can make any initiative come to life.She believes a good idea can come from anywhere, and that the job of a president is to build a shared vision and translate it into meaningful action.”
Today, as her assistant, he is her eyes and ears—equal parts advisor, strategist, connector, and problem solver. He’s also the liaison to the Board of Trustees, shepherding the presidential search and transition.
It’s a job he was built for, yet it surprises him. As a student, he came to play football and become a teacher and coach. Football happened, but “once I shadowed in a classroom, I realized I wasn’t meant to be a teacher.” He majored in English, which he loved, thanks to now-professors emeriti Florence Amamoto, Phil Bryant ’73, and Deborah Downs-Miers. “I had no idea what I was going to do later. I had to get comfortable with that, which was hard because I like to have a plan.”
Today he is “communicator as translator, reminding people there are many paths to success,” he says. It’s a sweet spot of strategy and storytelling. After earning a master’s degree in strategic communication and doing a stint at an ad agency (working with Heineken, Audi, and Toro), he was delighted to return to the Hill. “I love everything about this job. You never know what might happen when the phone rings.” He probably has a plan for it.
As an alum, holding down history is a great honor for Akin. His many Gustie mentors include Owen Sammelson ’58, Rich Aune ’81, Tim Kennedy ’82, Lisa Heldke ’82, Steve Kjellgren ’88, and Barb Larson Taylor ’93. “Leadership at Gustavus is about service. I’ve learned from them that paying attention to the little things makes a big difference.”
