Concordia University, Nebraska

summer 2015 | vol. 92 | no.2

momentum
is building
Tilling the Field
A former missionary channels his
experiences overseas into growing
programs at Concordia.

From Gravel to Glory

A national title 23 years in the making.

Men With Dreams

Two Concordia alumni are inspiring
children to realize their potential.

Tilling the Field

Matt Myers past as a missionary is propelling
Concordia into the future.

Men With Dreams

Two alumni pass on encouragement and life
lessons learned at Concordia to children through
their organization, Men With Dreams.

The energy around campus during 2014-15 was infectious.

11

From Gravel to Glory

A record-breaking enrollment resulted in more students on campus and in our online classes
and communities than we have ever had. Athletic teams produced win after win, culminating
with the universitys historic first national title earned by the mens track and field team, recordbreaking seasons for many other teams and individuals and numerous year-end awards
for players, coaches and athletic administrators. The Blessed to be a Blessing campaign was
completed with phenomenal results to help us fulfill our mission, thanks to the generosity of our
alumni and friends.

The mens track and field team took its performance

to another level in 2015, earning the universitys
first national title in school history.

14 / 24 / 40

These are just a few of the outstanding, expanding and exciting things fueling momentum
at Concordia, and Im thrilled to share more about them throughout this issue, along with the
stories of Matt Myers and two of our alumni, Preston Harris 14 and Brandon McWilliams 13.
Myers, a staff member who has used his God-given talents to spread the Gospel around the
world, is now expanding programs right here at Concordia University, Nebraska, and Harris
and McWilliams recently launched the non-profit, Men With Dreams, an organization making
a growing and lasting impact on the community.

Momentum
Records, wins, milestones and accomplishments
are fueling momentum at Concordia.

14

Student Focus

Concordia Scene

36

24

Athletics

Alumni & Friends

40

Of course, all of these things and so many more were made possible by the abundant grace of
God and the dedication, commitment and hard work of so many. Praise be to God!
Most importantly, God continues to bless us all with the saving grace of His Son Jesus Christ,
and we are confident that that momentum will never cease.
Blessings,

Brian L. Friedrich
President

President & CEO

Rev. Dr. Brian L. Friedrich

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Kurth Brashear, Esq.

Rev. Keith Grimm, Ham Lake, Minn.

Mr. Barry D. Holst 86, Kansas City, Mo.
Mr. Richard Huebner, Centennial, Colo.
Provost
Vice President for Student Affairs & Athletics
Mrs. Jill Johnson, Seward, Neb.
Dr. Jenny Mueller-Roebke CO 73 GR 81
Gene Brooks CO 91 GR 03
Mr. James Knoepfel CO 87 GR 99, Fremont, Neb.
Mr. Lyle Middendorf, Lincoln, Neb.
Executive Vice President, CFO & COO Board of Regents
Mr. Timothy Moll 89, Seward, Neb.
David Kumm
Dr. Dennis Brink, Lincoln, Neb.
Mrs. Bonnie ONeill Meyer, Palatine, Ill.
Mr. Robert Cooksey CO 84 GR 90, Omaha, Neb. Mr. Paul Schudel, Omaha, Neb.
Senior Vice President for Enrollment
Dr. Lesa Covington Clarkson 80, Woodbury, Minn. Mr. Timothy Schwan 72, Appleton, Wis.
Management & Marketing
Rev. Dr. Brian Friedrich, Seward, Neb.
Rev. Richard Snow, Seward, Neb.
Scott Seevers 89
Rev. Eugene Gierke, Seward, Neb.
Dr. Andrew Stadler, Columbus, Neb.
Mr. Max Wake, Seward, Neb.

About the Cover

Director of Marketing Seth Meranda

Editors Danielle Luebbe / Jennifer Suggitt
Designers Sarah Bowe 16 / Mitchell Volk 16
Contributors Kelsey Dinkel 16 / Jacob Knabel / Emily Taylor 15
Photographers Seth Meranda / Aaron Nix / Benjamin Schranz

Like anything that expands and improves as it gains

energy from its source, Concordia has grown and achieved
accomplishments across all areas of campus and out in
the church and world by drawing from its foundation of
providing a Lutheran, Christ-centered higher education
experience for its students.

2015 Concordia University, Nebraska

Tilling
the Field
story
Danielle Luebbe

photos
Benjamin Schranz / Matt Myers

Matt Myers follows an unexpected

path to spread the Gospel
and capitalize on a growing
opportunity in higher education.

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The man was an alcoholic. He didnt

have much family, was disabled and
without a job and was an outcast in
his societyyet he had hope. He was
passionate about the Bible. He wanted
to know grace, wanted to be a believer.
He wanted to be saved.
But he was Chinese. And according to
Chinese culture, it was his responsibility
to care for his ancestors in the afterlife.
The man believed that if he embraced
the Christian faith, he would be giving up
on his parents.
He would say to me all the time, Its
easy for you. You have a great life, Matt
Myers, Concordias English as a Second
Language (ESL) coordinator, says. He had
this hang-up about becoming Christian
because his father had passed away. The
people that pass, you have to take care
of them. If you become a Christian, you
give up on that belief. You dont take care
of your ancestors. God takes care of you.
Myers was a missionary and an
ESL teacher in Macau, China, trying to
lead the man to grace through baptism.
He could see the struggle the man was
going through, but Myers could only plant
the seed of the Gospel and pray that God
would make it grow.
Myers knew he wanted to work
in the mission field from a young age.
I wanted to be a missionary and go
overseas and work with people and tell
them about Jesus, he says. I had never
considered education because I was not
in love with school. It was a means to
an end. My church encouraged me to go
into the seminary, but I was worried that
Id end up stateside, and I really wanted
to go overseas.
He didnt want to be a pastor, and he
didnt want to be a teacher. After some
research, however, Myers learned that
teaching English was the fastest way
to get into the mission field in another
country.
At first, it sounded so strange to
me, he confesses. I wanted to be a
missionary because I wanted to go out
and help people and tell them about the
faith and help them get baptized. I
wanted to go out and do, not teach.

Despite his hesitations, Myers got

a degree in leadership in teaching with a
concentration in Teaching English to
Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL).
In 1998, he and his wife, Kimberly, began
their service in Vietnam, with whom
the U.S. had just formalized relations.
However, they werent allowed to preach.
In the missionaries English classrooms,
letters and phone calls home, they were
monitored, and they werent allowed to
meet in large groups, except with other
missionaries.
Our church was one of the only ones
that had permission to work there. And
yet we couldnt do any church work; we
were a humanitarian aid organization,
Myers recalls. We did what we described
as tilling the field. Before you can plant,
someone has to till the soil. Or even
before tilling, someone has to clear the
rocks from the field. So we thought of it
in that way. We were just moving the
rocks and preparing the soil.
Myers says the Vietnamese
government was trying to protect its
people from being changed, and the
introduction of the Christian faith in a
Communist country would have been
a notable change to the local culture.
They called it freedom of religion, but
a better way to describe it is freedom
from religion.
It was frustrating, but Myers was
prepared.
We went in knowing it was like that.
With our faith, it helped because we knew
even if we were in a free country like the
U.S., its still kind of hard to affect things
the way you want them. You still have to
wait on the Lord to do the work.
He continues, It was challenging,
of course, but the good thing was that we
could talk to people one on one as long
as they were comfortable and asking
questions and it wasnt an assembly.
One on one, after class or over a cup
of coffee, the missionaries waited for
people to come and ask them questions.
In that way, they were able to till the soil
and safely plant a lot of seeds.
We focused on what we could do,
not what we couldnt do, says Myers.

Matt and Kimberly Myers spent 15 years

overseas, spreading the Gospel and
paving the way for future missionaries.

People would ask us, How can you go

to a closed, Communist country like that?
What are you doing? And does it bother
you? We would excitedly explain, How
can we not share our faith?
The couple spent eight years in
Vietnam, and their children, Emily and
Mark, were born there. They then moved
to Indonesia for three years where they
trained future missionaries and shared
their Christian faith at the Universitas
Pelita Harapan. They also spent four
years in Macau, China.
They were challenged with raising
funds for their mission in a recession,
having to immerse themselves in
completely different cultures and
managing the aftermath of a nearly fatal
burst appendix in Myers.
Learning the different language of
each place they went to was another
challenge. Myers admits that he
isnt necessarily a great
language learner. But, as
with the other trials, he
manages to find the good
in it. My struggles with
language have helped me
understand the struggles
of others, he says.
When the Myers
children were ready to start
high school, the family
decided to move back to the
United States. Though hed
never been to Nebraska
before, Myers had met
many Concordia alumni
in his mission work, so
an opening at Concordia
for an ESL coordinator caught his eye.
There was a definite need for such
a specialist. Students have to pass a
Test of English as a Foreign Language
(TOEFL) to qualify to study at most U.S.
institutions of higher learning, but the
test only measures proficiency of English,
not masteryand proficient students
often still need help to be successful
in college-level courses. Its not like,
Okay, you got the TOEFL scores, now
you never have to study English again,
says Myers. Our academic students

Before you can plant,

someone has to till the
soil. Or even before
tilling, someone has to
clear the rocks from
the field. We were just
moving the rocks and
preparing the soil.

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need to be tutored and encouraged, but

most Americans dont know what to
do or how to help. It can seem like an
insurmountable problem.
According to U.S. News and World
Report, international students now make
up about four percent of all university
students in the United States. Thats
more than 880,000 undergraduates and
graduate students, and it doesnt count
ESL and English Language Learner
students who already live in the United
States, nor the non-college population.
As a result, programs that facilitate
English language learning are in high
demand.
The Intensive English Program is
a perfect example. The six- or 12-week
sessions are available for anyone whos
interested in improving English skills,
whether or not they apply for a college
education at Concordia or at any other
institution of higher education. Students
in the sessions will be able to study
English with a native speaker, and
they will be immersed in the English
language daily through interactions with
American students and faculty.
And since these students will be
taking the program at Concordia, they
will be exposed to the Christian faith that
Myers is so passionate about sharing.
[The Intensive English Program] is
going to bring in students who come from
closed countries, from non-Christian
places, where they might not get to
experience or hear the Gospel, Myers
says. After they graduate from the IEP,
once they pass the TOEFL scores, they
can apply to enter Concordias academic
programs, and then they can come here,
go to chapel every day, meet Christian
friends and get their college education.
The benefit of the program is
further reaching than just international
students, though.
Were planning to use teachereducation students who are in a practicum
to tutor the students, so it will benefit
students in Concordias teacher
program, says Myers. Its going to
bring opportunities for our students
to build their ministry skills in terms

of relationship building, and in the

academic programs, it will bring diversity
and new ideas. Our traditional students
will learn so much without ever having
to leave campus. It will be a wonderful
opportunity.
Myers may never see the fruition
of the all the soil hes tilled and seeds
hes planted. He doesnt know what

happened to the Chinese man who

couldnt quite make the leap of faith
during his time serving in China. He
doesnt know where his ESL students
end up or whether they will successfully
master English throughout their lives.
Yet he continues to do his work, trusting
that God will complete the harvest.

The relationships Myers fostered

in Vietnam, Indonesia and China
help him every day as he builds
Concordias ESL and Intensive
English Programs.

#GoHigher

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Dreams
MEN WITH

story photos
Jennifer Suggitt
Benjamin Schranz

Alumni Preston Harris 14 and

Brandon McWilliams 13 found
encouragement and support at
Concordia to launch a growing
organization that inspires children
to discover their potential and
live out their dreams.

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The donut batter drops into the fryer,

creating a hot, golden cake soon ready
for frosting and sprinkles. And it was
Brandon McWilliams job to get those
donuts ready for customers at the local
convenience store where he worked.
When McWilliams had first applied
to college several years prior, making
donuts at 4 a.m. wasnt exactly the way
he thought he would be spending his time
when he left school. But he also didnt
expect to leave school without a degree.
McWilliams had attended four
colleges, with Concordia University,
Nebraska being the latest. When
academic challenges at Concordia had
made him question the direction of his
career and ability to earn a degree, he
dropped out. Now he was at a pivotal
point in his life, working at a job that
didnt fulfill him, and he quickly realized
he needed to continue his education and
commit to itbecause making donuts
wasnt the dream he wanted to pursue.
I wanted to be the resource that I
had wanted [as a child] but that wasnt
provided for me, says McWilliams.
To be a resource for children in
todays educational system, McWilliams
knew he would need a degree. So he turned
back to Concordia. He enrolled in more
classes, studying secondary education
and then pursuing a degree in psychology,
and it, indeed, took commitment.
McWilliams lived a typical college
lifestyleat the mercy of his class schedule
with both morning and night classes on
campus on the same days. Living in Lincoln,
Nebraska, about a half hour from campus,
he got up early to drive to Seward, attend class,
do homework on campus to save himself
the gas and time it would take to go back to
Lincoln and stay for his evening class, getting
home after 10 p.m. and knowing he needed to
be back in Seward early the next morning.
One day on the way to class, he got
into a minor accident, delaying his arrival
until nearly the end of his psychology
class with Dr. Nancy Elwell, now the dean
of the College of Education, Health and
Human Services. McWilliams explained
his circumstances, and Elwells reply was,
You still shouldve called.

Elwells response and her high

expectations of McWilliams lit a fire
in him. He committed to attending his
classes, doing the work and getting help
when he needed it. He says Elwell took
me under her wing, and I graduated with
a 3.5 GPA. Her expectations put me at
a higher level in order to be successful.
It was a challenge, but I knew going
through it would make me better.
Being pushed to succeed at a level
he hadnt thought possible inspired
McWilliams to entertain the idea of
building a business with friend, classmate
and former Concordia football teammate
Preston Harris.
Harris had also experienced an
unexpected level of support as a student
and athlete at Concordia, receiving
dedicated and genuinely caring attention
and guidance from professors and
coaches who challenged him to perform
at his very best in everything he did.
Although he had come to Concordia
focused on playing college football, the
support he received developed him into
more than just a great football player.
He grew athletically and academically,
gaining a desire to pass on his confidencebuilding experience to young children
who, like him, didnt typically receive that
level of support and encouragement in
their public school system.
So, Harris and McWilliams began
exploring ideas for developing what would
become the non-profit organization Men
With Dreams.
I didnt want kids to graduate high
school and not know what to do now,
says McWilliams. He and Harris wanted
them to know that they can continue
their education after high school and
that it can change their lives. That they
have unique talents that can bring them
success. That, with hard work and belief
in themselves, they can accomplish
whatever they set their mind to.
Harris and McWilliams discussed
their ideas for Men With Dreams often
as they finished earning their degrees
from Concordia and began working
full-time. Then Harris quit his job as
a business development manager for

Preston Harris, founder and president of Men With Dreams, coaches a student during an after-school program that
helps youth improve their reading skills, build confidence and achieve their dreams.

a national corporation in August 2013

to pursue development of Men With
Dreams as the organizations president,
and McWilliams followed suit to join as
vice president of program development
in May 2014.
Working with the school system,
community leaders and the juvenile
detention center in Lincoln, Harris
and McWilliams challenge youth to
build their dreams and the future that
they want to have. They volunteer with
students who are reading below grade
level, help students maximize their
potential by teaching them how to

invest in themselves, inspire them to

choose healthy lifestyles and provide
opportunities for them to showcase
their talents.
Men With Dreams
is all of the things that
would have helped me
maximize my high school
and college experience,
says Harris. When we
deal with these kids, its
like, Where are you at now, and where
do you really want to be? If you want to be
there, you can get there. Its just, what are
you willing to do to get there?

Never be average
because you were
created for greatness.

#GoHigher

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FROM GRAVEL TO

glory
An underdog in the national title race, the
mens track and field team persevered to earn a
long-overdue first national title in school history.
story photos
Jacob Knabel
Jacob Knabel / Benjamin Schranz

Harris and McWilliams meet with Campus Pastor Ryan Matthias before speaking to an undergraduate business class
about nonprofit organizations.

The encouragement that Harris

and McWilliams provide even inspires
those who once inspired them. Elwell
serves on the board of Men With Dreams,
believing in the organizations goals and
in Harris and McWilliams as leaders
with a passion for making a difference in
the lives of children.
Preparing students to be dynamic
servant-leaders is the foundation of
Concordias mission statement. Preston
and Brandon faced challenges as they
worked through their college careers and
are now being servant-leaders, using their
experiences to ease the path for others,
says Elwell. Their commitment to Men
With Dreams and the youth they serve
is truly commendable. It is an honor to
serve with them as a board member.
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Although Men With Dreams is a

young organization, it is already making
an impact on students and the community.
The organization started the 2014-15
academic year serving approximately
60 students and ended the year serving
nearly 160. Harris and McWilliams also
visited with more than 750 students and
shared their Never Be Average message.
Concordia students also benefit
from the experiences of these alumni.
The Men With Dreams duo interacts with
students in undergraduate business
classes and in the Master of Business
Administration program with a nonprofit
management emphasis.
Through their personal interactions
with children and during their speaking
engagements, Harris and McWilliams

challenge: Do your best. You are important.

Never be average because you were
created for greatness. When you go and try
something and you fail and you fall on your
face, its a learning experience, but you get
back up and you keep on going. Were all
the same at the end of the day. Lets just
figure out how we can help each other get
to where we both want to be.

For more information about Men

With Dreams, visit
menwdreams.squarespace.com
or contact the organization directly:
402-304-4153
pharris@mwdreams.com

ZACH LURZ
NAIA Outdoor National
Championships MVP

Taiheem Pleasant and the Concordia 4x400 meter relay team played a pivotal role in winning the national title.

Concordias first national championship team celebrates its win.

When Kregg Einspahr 82 returned to

his alma mater as head coach in 1992,
members of the Concordia University
track and field programs kicked up rocks
while pacing the on-campus gravel track.
Einspahrs very first Bulldog track teams
placed near the bottom of the then
Nebraska-Iowa Athletic Conference. In
the 23 years since then, the circumstances
have turned completely around.
On May 23, 2015, Concordia mens
track and field reached the pinnacle by
capturing the first team national title for
any sport in school history. In a threeday championship meet in which the
outcome rested upon the final event
(mens 4x400 meter relay), the Bulldogs
held off a tightly bunched top four for the
number one spot.
After overseeing six combined national
runner-up finishes in cross country and
track and field, Einsphar had finally
reached the top. He and his tight-knit group
of assistantsJason Berry, Ed McLaughlin
and Mark Samuelswatched the 4x4
together. At its dramatic conclusion, they
celebrated wildly, hugged and shared in a
moment that will never be forgotten.
A year earlier, the mens program
had busted loose with its first-ever
conference championship. After breaking

been on cloud nine since then, Pleasant

said. Im glad I got to leave Concordia on
the highest note you can leave any school.
Beginning with Einspahrs national
title in the 1980 steeplechase, the Concordia
men have had 27 individual national
championships, with Boellstorff being the
latest. Behind national titlists TJ Kloster

12

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down that barrier, the Bulldogs went to

work on adding the only thing missing
from their trophy casebut they would
have been lying to say they expected to
win. As underdog title contenders, the
unlikelihood of Concordia earning the
oversized red championship banner made
the winning moment all the more sweet.
I think for anybody whos been
coaching for a long time, its an unspoken
dream that youd like to win a national
championship, Einspahr told the Omaha
World-Herald. Its always something
in the back of your mind youd like to
accomplish. You never know if you are
going to have the guns to do it.
It turned out the heavy artillery
came from the likes of the meets most
valuable performer Zach Lurz and a
dominant group of throwers. Einspahrs
1993 Bulldogs did not possess a single
all-conference thrower. But in 2015,
McLaughlins group of long tossers paved
the way for a title. Lurz and company
piled up 37 of the teams 59 points. Most
impressive, Lurz was part of a hammer
throw squadron, along with national
champion Cody Boellstorff, that placed
first, second, third and eighth.
The 25 points from the hammer throw
alone put Concordia in the drivers seat for

the entire meet. However, the Bulldogs

entered the 4x400 meter relay finals
with just a two-point lead over Indiana
Tech. The quartet from Indiana Tech had
finished first in the prelims. A duplicate
performance would have leapfrogged the
Warriors over the Bulldogs.
Something no one could have predicted
happened next, and a gasp rang out
through the crowd.
The Indiana Tech anchor, Jon Hester,
who was leading the race, pulled a muscle
and slowed, giving Bulldog sophomore CJ
Muller an opportunity to pull ahead.
As Muller crossed the finish line, every
winevery pointthat the Bulldogs had
fought to capture during the tournament
culminated in a moment of victory that
solidified their championship. It was really
an unbelievable moment, said Muller.
Even days after it had happened,
Concordia coaches and athletes struggled
for the right words to describe just what it
felt like. A Lincoln, Nebraska, TV station
arrived in Seward three days following
the championship meet. Said Lurz to
KLKN-TV, I cant even put it into words.
The ending could not have been any
better for seniors like Taiheem Pleasant,
another member of the 4x400 relay.
Winning a national title was amazing. Ive

Someone with intimate knowledge of

Concordia track and field for the past 14
years, Samuels knew the toil involved in
the building of a champion.
Being a national championship
team is the ultimate goal, Samuels
said. Its something you dream about
but never really expect to actually see
come true. Fourteen years ago I
first stepped on this campus as an
athlete not really knowing what
Concordia was all about. Now all
these years later I know how much
this means, not only to our program
or coaching staff, but to every
Bulldog that has been fortunate
enough to compete here. There is a piece
of this championship that is theirs.
The national title dream started
on a gravel track and ended with a
celebration at Mickey Miller Stadium
in Gulf Shores, Alabama, site of the
2015 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field
National Championships. As Muller told
a TV reporter, I just couldnt believe we
had done this. Fifteen guys from Nebraska
had just won a national championship.

Being a national
championship team
is the ultimate goal.
(pole vault) and Brandon Seifert (one
mile), the Bulldogs finished as the 2000
indoor national runner-up. It was a major
breakthrough that helped establish
Einspahrs program as a national power
heading into the 21st century.
Since 2005, the Bulldog men own 17
combined top-25 national finishes. During
that stretch, they have posted impressive
placements of fifth on two occasions and
seventh a total of four times. Going into
many championship meets, Einspahr
expects top-10 finishes, but to actually win
it? Thats a whole other dynamic that comes
with a lot more hardware and hoopla.

MENS
NATIONAL
CHAMPIONSHIP
TEAM
THROWS
Trey Barnes
Cody Boellstorff
Brock Braniff
Trey Farmer
Philip Kreutzer
Zach Lurz
Jose Rojas
Josh Slechta
SPRINTS AND HURDLES
Matthew Chapa
CJ Muller
Taiheem Pleasant
Jaap van Gaalen
JUMPS
Brandon Ramos
Lucas Wiechman
DECATHLON
Brandon Cook
Lucas Wiechman

#GoHigher

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13

growing, achieving, succeeding

momentum
expanding
academic
programs

K-12 Special Education

Early Childhood Inclusive
Music Therapy*
Criminal Justice
Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
(TESOL; bachelors and masters levels)
Master of Education in Early Childhood Special Education
Master of Education in Curriculum & Instruction with
Instructional Technology Leadership Emphasis
Master of Science in Computer Science
Master of Healthcare Administration
Mandarin minor
American Sign Language minor

Concordia continues to expand and enhance

the student experience, equipping more
students to serve and lead than ever before.

concordia online education

Concordia expanded support of adult learners by launching Concordia Online
Education, a partnership among Concordia University, Nebraska, Concordia
University - Portland and Concordia CollegeNew York, and offering new programs
through the College of Graduate and Adult Studies.

*Pending approval from AMTA and accreditation by NASM

2014-15

Largest full-time undergraduate

enrollment in 40 years

Concordia was honored as a

College of Distinction for the
2015-16 academic year.

9th
19th

1,186
students

Best Dorms in U.S.

Safest Campus in U.S.

Voted by college students in

2015 Cappies (cappex.com)

2014-15

Largest total
enrollment in history

2,332
students

Check out some recent accomplishments of our students, faculty and staff at cune.edu/highlights.
14

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of students receive
scholarships and grants

of recent graduates attended

graduate school or were employed
within six months of graduation

Mark Anschutz, Evan Balleweg and student Austin

Romine install one-of-a-kind stained glass at
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Olathe, Kansas.

Concordia students gain practical experience by supporting Special Olympics athletes. Pictured in the
two above photos, from left: Christopher Warnsholz, Brindie Howerton, Kevin Alt, Nicholas Boes.

Austin Romine creates a colorful cross while working at Concordias Center for Liturgical Art.

Serving While Learning

Reflecting the Gospel through Art

story photos
Emily Taylor
Benjamin Schranz

story
Jennifer Suggitt

Connie McClure recently decided to

bring her shy son, Danny, to Concordia to
participate in Special Olympics practices
led by Seward County, Nebraska, Special
Olympics coaches and assisted by Concordia
students. The results shocked her.
Its amazing, McClure said as she
watched her son laughing with Concordia
students and running around the track.
Hes doing things I never thought hed do.
The McClures experience is just
one of dozens of success stories resulting
from the partnership between Concordia
and the Seward Special Olympics
program, led by Donna Eiting and Louise
Warnsholz, who have been involved in
Special Olympics programs for more
than 25 years each.
For the last six years, Concordia
students in an adapted physical activity
class have helped Special Olympics
athletes in track, basketball and other
activities throughout the year. The class
was led most recently by Assistant
16

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Professor of Health and Human

Performance Patti Jensen.
Part of my job is not just to teach
adaptive physical activity, but to give [the
students] information they need to be
advocates for people with disabilities,
Jensen said. We talk about how we are
more alike than different.
Ashley Connolly, a 2009 Concordia
alumna, got involved in Special Olympics
while she attended college and has been
involved in it ever since,
coaching the Seward program
for several years.
Ive been friends with
my athletes for eight or nine
years, said Connolly, now a
special education teacher in
York, Nebraska. Its what I
love to do. Its my passion.
Concordia junior Taylor Mueller, a
physical education major, had never
coached Special Olympics athletes before.
He started the class unsure what to

expect. At the end of the semester, he

had found an adaptive coaching style he
wants to use throughout his career.
Jensen encourages students to
continue being involved in Special
Olympics events throughout college and
after they graduate, using their newfound
understanding of the athletes to continue
encouraging them.

We talk about how

we are more alike
than different.

photos
Benjamin Schranz

On a beautiful Sunday morning, the sun

shines through the colorful stained-glass
windows, illuminating the sanctuary and
brightening the spirits of those attending
the service. A family with a newborn baby
watches their child receive new life at a
welcoming baptismal font, and later the
pastor prepares Holy Communion at a
stoic altar engraved with Jesus words
spoken at The Last Supper.
Every sanctuary, narthex and
gathering space in a church is different,
and a well-designed cross, baptismal
font, altar, stained-glass window or other
furnishing helps to create a space that
reflects the message of the Gospel and
enhances the worship experience of those
in the church.
The Center for Liturgical Art (CLA)
is an outreach program of Concordia that,
for more than 10 years, has specialized in
creating custom, site-specific artworks
and furnishings for churches all over
the country. The CLA is committed to

spreading the Gospel through art, helping

Concordia students learn what it means
to create ecclesiastical art and offering
students opportunities to gain valuable
experience in honing their artistic craft
and preparing for life as an artist.
Working at the CLA has allowed
me to expand my networking and make
connections with other artists who
have developed my idea of what it will
realistically mean to be an artist once
I have graduated, said Grace Stange, a
junior ecclesiastical art major. It has
also given me an understanding of the
financial side of art and how involved
the creation process is, especially when it
comes to collaborating with another artist
or negotiating with a client. At the end of
the day, we are here to spread the Gospel,
and the CLA has made it possible for me to
take my talent and use it for a career that is
centered on that goal.
CLA Operations Manager Evan
Balleweg started creating art for the CLA

in 2009 as a freshman at Concordia and

has loved it ever since, creating dozens
of pieces for churches, schools and other
organizations. Now as the CLA manager,
he gets to see new student artists grow as
he did, using their God-given talents and
developing their sense of service.
The way a space looks has an
immediate impact on the way people feel
in the space and the way they act in that
space, said Balleweg. Our student artists
play a key role in effectively portraying the
Gospel through the artwork needed for a
specific church space. They see how their
contributions directly help to serve the
church in tangible ways, and their faith
and artistic abilities grow with every piece
they help to create.

For more information about

the Center for Liturgical Art,
visit liturgicalart.org.
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Broadcaster

17

73
To showcase what an amazing
place Concordia is, we asked our students, faculty
and staff to take photos of campus and share them
through social media with the tag #SnapCUNE.
See more photos at cune.edu/snap.

Equipped
to Serve

On May 9, 2015, Concordia celebrated the

hard work of students, faculty and staff
as 563 graduates were recognized for
completing their studies in December 2014,
May 2015 and August 2015.
Check out more photos and commencement
details at cune.edu/commencement.

Clockwise, from left: Taiheem Pleasant celebrates his graduation on stage when he receives
his diploma. Campus Pastor Ryan Matthias addresses graduates at baccalaureate. Graduates
fill the floor of the Walz Arena during the 2015 commencement ceremony. John Jay Silva is
congratulated on his graduation. A group of graduates prepare to post happenings of their big
day on social media.

Clockwise, from top: Edwin Izumigawa, from Pearl City, Hawaii, is greeted with leis to celebrate
his graduation. Also pictured is Associate Professor of English Dr. Laurie Zum Hofe. Kory Kahlandt
celebrates with a little supporter after commencement. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts
congratulates Concordia graduates; Ricketts gave the commencement address and received
an honorary doctorate. Dr. Elizabeth Grimpo, associate professor of music, receives the 2015
Outstanding Teaching Award. Lydia Pomerenke listens to the commencement address.

on a

new

path

The Class of 2015 was the first class to make a momentous walk across campus to close out
their college careers. You can see the experience and hear dozens of graduating seniors share
brief, heartfelt reflections of their Concordia Experience on the Class of 2015 video.
Watch the video at cune.edu/commencement.
photo

Aaron Nix

I think Gods been preparing my heart This is what God intended for Concordia to
to leave this place, but at the same time be. It was meant forat this point in your
part of my heart will always be here. lifeto prepare you to do work for Him.
Morgan Vitosh Casey Roberts
Learning our vocations in light of faith Walking with my classmates and my peers,
and knowing how to serve people in it means a lot because weve all been
that capacity, I think, is the thing that through the hard times, the good times, and
sets us apart here at Concordia. to have them walk with me means the world.
Alyssa Newton Jillian Janousek
Ive definitely grown a lot in these four Im blown away at how the relationships
years. Everyones become family here. here have changed my life.
Amy McDaniel Jami Nekoliczak
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23

outstanding leadership

leading, overcoming, winning

KREGG EINSPAHR 82
NAIA and GPAC Mens Outdoor Track and Field Coach of the Year, Omaha World-Herald Coach
of the Year and Lincoln Journal Star Coach of the Year
DREW OLSON 03
NAIA Region 2 Coach of the Year for Womens Basketball, Omaha World-Herald Coach of the Year
and Lincoln Journal Star Coach of the Year, most coaching victories in the history of the program (226)
DANA VOTE
NAIA Regional Coach of the Year and GPAC Coach of the Year for Wrestling
DEVIN SMITH CO 92 GR 01
GPAC Athletic Director of the Year
JACOB KNABEL
2014-15 GPAC Sports Information Director of the Year

NAIA National Championship

GPAC All-Sports
Trophy

Mens track and field

Womens basketballrunners-up

GPAC Christopherson
All-Academic Award
NAIA North Group Regional
Wrestling Champions
Womens Basketball
2015 CIT Champions

GPAC Championships
#1

Mens track and field | Softball | Wrestling

Womens basketball | Womens soccer
Womens track and fieldrunners-up

11 Team school records broken

13 Individual school records broken
total of Scholar-Athletes
1,114 (NAIA-leading
94 in 2014-15)
Womens Soccer
First undefeated GPAC season
First ever NAIA National Tournament appearance
First ever NAIA national ranking (24th)

The 2014-15 season will go down

as one of the finest in the history
of Concordia University athletics.

NSCAA Academic Team Award for posting

the highest GPA (3.75) among all collegiate
womens soccer programs

Follow all the action at cune.edu/athletics and watch or listen live on the Concordia Sports Network.
#GoHigher

Broadcaster

25

an
unbaileyvable
season
Following the lead of NAIA Region 2 Coach of the
Year Drew Olson, Concordia womens basketball
authored a storybook 2014-15 season.

story photos
Jacob Knabel
Benjamin Schranz

BAILEY MORRIS
NAIA Division II National Player of the Year
GPAC Player of the Year
Lincoln Journal Star State College
Womens Athlete of the Year
Omaha World-Herald Midlands College
Womens Athlete of the Year
Career Scoring Record (2,054 points)

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Since 1992, 14 Concordia womens

basketball teams have appeared at the
national tournament with four advancing
all the way to the national semifinals.
But in 2015, the Bulldogs reached new
heights by motoring to the national title
game for the first time in program history.
Ninth-year head coach Drew Olson
believes the 2014-15 edition was the
finest Concordia womens basketball
team to date. Thats saying something for
a powerhouse program that has existed
for more than 60 years.
Said Olson, It was the most fun I have
ever had coaching. It was an incredible
group to work with all season. They were
special. They had a togetherness and a
collective toughness that is rare. They
found ways to win. Most importantly,
they were a great group of teammates that
loved each other. Its bittersweet how it
ended, but I think we will remember the
greatness of the team more.
Theres no denying the greatness
of a team that went 35-3, defeated 11
ranked teams, won four-straight national
tournament games by 10 points or more,
upended No. 1 Morningside on the road for
the GPAC tournament title and featured
National Player of the Year Bailey Morris.
Named GPAC Player of the Year in
each of her final two collegiate seasons,
Morris justified the price of admission
all by herself. The native of Clay Center,
Nebraska, never stopped
torching the nets. She
killed opponents with
her crossover, her didI-really-just-see-that
dimes and her sheer
knack for putting points
on the board. She ended
her career with a program record 2,054
points over 136 games.
But this team was more than just
Morris. It proved that when it knocked
off No. 12 Hastings without Morris in
the GPAC semifinals in late February.
Morris simply stood out most amongst
a special group of seniors that included
second team All-American Tracy Peitz,
defensive pest Kelsey Hizer and inside
force Jericca Pearson.

The 2014-15 GPAC womens basketball champions celebrate the win.

The pride of being a

Concordia Bulldog will be
with me wherever I go.

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Mary Janovich, GPAC Freshman of the Year,

takes the court.
(above) Kelsey Hizer is all smiles.

Concordia possessed everything

needed to be a championship team. It
had character. It had confidence. It had
flair. It had toughness. It had one of the
nations top coaches. In putting together
perhaps the greatest senior class ever
at Concordia, Olson melded a team that
knew it would play deep into March. It
was an impressive bunch on the court,
but even more so in the manner in which
it went about its business.
Ill probably remember their
personalities a whole lot more than
them as players, said an emotional
Olson following the title game loss to
Morningside. Ill remember how much
joy I had coaching each one of them and
how much better they made going to
work every day. Thats why theyre such a
special group.
The senior class completed its run
with a four-year record of 119-21, two
GPAC regular-season titles, two GPAC
tournament titles, two national semifinal
appearances and four consecutive
trips to the national tournament. The
vaunted group of four-year players was
complimented by the likes of second
team all-conference choices in Becky
Mueller and Mary Janovich, the GPAC
Freshman of the Year.
So good was this Bulldog basketball
team that it led top-ranked Morningside
by as many as 12 points in the national

title game. Excruciatingly, Concordia let

a four-point advantage with under two
minutes remaining slip away. It was a
heart-wrenching ending in the closest
NAIA Division II womens basketball
national championship in history.
Admitted Olson, Its tough to lose when
you felt like you had it.
A little perspective helps soothe the
pain. In reflecting upon her career, Morris
thanked her teammates and Olson for
helping her develop into the star she
became. Said Morris, Ill graduate and
move on with my life, but the pride of
being a Concordia Bulldog will be with
me wherever I go.
Olson wont soon forget the electrifying
point guard that he refers to as the best
player in our programs history.
She always did what we asked of
her and did everything for the team,
Olson said. Its impressive to look back
at the change from her freshman year to
senior year. She is a perfect example of
work ethic and determination resulting
in reaching her potential.
In 2015 Morris came through
with the best national tournament
performance of her career. She scored
34 points in the second-round win over
No. 14 College of Saint Mary and was
named all-tournament along with Peitz.
As a whole, the 2014-15 Concordia
womens basketball team provided a

lifetimes worth of thrilling moments while

capturing the sentiments of passionate
Bulldog alumni and fans that swarmed
the national tournament in Sioux City,
Iowa, in droves. The run to the title game
was bigger than the team. It transcended
the 94 feet of hardwood that served as its
stage. Each national tournament victory
triggered Bulldog pride that swelled like
the sting of an angry hornets nest.
A shade less than two months
after the season came to an end and the
confetti rained down from the Tyson
Events Center rafters, Olson offered the
following reflection:
It still stings, and I think it always
will. And it should, if it means anything
to you. However, when I look back on
the season, I know it was an amazing
journey. It was so fun. On the court, the
team had maturity in their preparation,
a toughness that never allowed them to
lose composure in close games or tight
situations, and the best part was how
well they played together. They were
an unstoppable force at times. And off
the court, they were a blast. This team
was fun to be around, and we have so
many memories that 20 years from
now will stick way more than the wins
and losses.

#GoHigher

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29

CASSIE STARKS
GPAC Outdoor Pole Vault Champion
GPAC Indoor Pole Vault Champion
Program record outdoor pole vault (12 6 )
Program record indoor pole vault (12 6 )

Despite having a rare disorder,

pole vaulter Cassie Starks
reaches heights she never
thought possible.

story
Jacob Knabel

photos
Benjamin Schranz

Concordias Cassie Starks keeps raising

the bar higher. Literally. Despite having
a rare disorder called hemophilia B,
the senior from Haigler, Nebraska, has
elevated herself to the level of GPAC
champion, All-American and school
record holder.
Her genetic disorder, shared by her
father Rick, may prevent her blood from
clotting normally and cause her to take
longer to heal from injuries, but it hasnt
prevented her from improving her personal
best in the pole vault by a gargantuan four
feet since arriving at Concordia.
A very, very small amount of women
get it, Bulldog pole vault coach Jason
Berry said of Starks disorder. Of those
women who get it, the number of them that
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are willing to risk competing in athletics

is even smaller. What shes done, having
a disorder that is not conducive for heavy
training like this, is pretty amazing.
Injuries limited her in her first three
seasons at Concordia, but healthy as a
senior, Starks flourished. Already the
program record holder in the indoor pole
vault, she equaled the outdoor record by
jumping 12 6 in a firstplace and NAIA-leading
effort at the UNK Loper
Invite on April 4.
A former sprinter,
Starks brought speed and
gracefulness to the runway. She became
one of the nations top female vaulters,
fueled by Berrys tutelage, a burning desire

You just have

to stay positive.

to be at her best and a passion for the sport

that spawned when she began vaulting as
a junior at Dundy County-Stratton High
School in southwest Nebraska.
It was kind of a random thing, Starks
said. I thought it looked fun so I wanted to
try it. I ended up doing okay for our high
school. I tied our high schools record,
which was only 8 6. It wasnt anything
special, but I really enjoyed it. I came to
Concordia mostly for sprints. Then Coach
Berry got me more and more into it. I fell in
love with the sport.
Berry says a team full of athletes
with Starks drive and competitive fire
would be amazing.
Ive coached some amazing vaulters,
Berry said. She sets herself apart in that
shes a tenacious, driven competitor. You
dont expect some high school kid coming
in at 8 6 to walk in here and end up getting
the school record.
Starks rise to GPAC champion could
not have been foretold during missteps
when even a tweaked ankle caused her to
sit out for lengthy amounts of time. With
hemophilia B, internal bleeding causes
blood to pool in the joints even if there
is no outward sign of injury, so the joints
swell and are painful. But Starks never let
hemophilia stop her. This year she found
the right formula. She received pre-meet
infusion treatments designed to prevent
injury, and she always taped her ankles at
the advice of Berry.
Beyond her considerable athleticism,
Starks possesses a work ethic that goes
above and beyond, as well as a keen
attention to technical details vital to the
success of any pole vaulter. While Starks
may not have had a linebacker trying to
knock her into another dimension, her
success depended upon plenty of physical
toiland she did not shy away.
I havent had to [pull back] a whole
lot, Starks said toward the end of her final
season. The last three years injuries have
definitely hindered me a lot because Ive had
to take maybe a month or more out. This year it
really hasnt affected me nearly as much. Im
just staying healthy all aroundeating well
32

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and taking care of my body as well as my

mind. It has really impacted me positively.
Despite the disorder and her modest
high school personal best, Starks quickly
drew the attention of Berry. The veteran
pole vault coach saw the potential for
greatness and the need to adapt to the
dynamics associated with Starks.
It soon became obvious she was
going to have huge success in the pole
vault, Berry said. It also became apparent
that we had to treat her training a little
different. We gave her rest periods and
kept her out of some meets. Her body
needed the extra time to recover.
But you wont hear Starks complain
about it. The biology major did not
broadcast her condition. At the same time,
she was comfortable in her own skin. Her
increased willingness to talk about her
disorder is part of her impressive growth
both as a person and an athlete.
Considering her high degree of
toughness, Starks success comes as little
surprise to Berry.
There are a lot of kids that come
in with the desire to do well, Berry said.
Very few have the determination and the
drive to actually do it. She came in with the
desire. She had a few extra hills to climb
over to make it happen, but she definitely
had the determination and desire to do
it. Shes a tough cookie to work through
everything she has.
And work is exactly what Starks
did. She left Concordia as a record
holder for the indoor and outdoor pole
vault, a two-time GPAC titlist and a twotime All-American. If anyone ever said a
person with hemophilia couldnt be a topflight athlete, Starks didnt listen. She
says others who have such a disorder, or
something like it, can conquer it.
I would tell them that you can do it,
Starks said. It sounds like a big obstacle
to overcome, but actually being injured
has really helped me. Having to sit out was
how I learned more about the sport. Even
if it doesnt seem like a benefit at the time,
it still helps you in the long run. You just
have to stay positive.

WINTER & SPRING

SPORTS SUMMARIES
MENS BASKETBALL

CHANDLER FOLKERTS

A breakout season for sophomore post

Chandler Folkerts helped pave the way for
the programs first winning season since
2010-11. Folkerts averaged 15.6 points
and 7.3 rebounds in helping the Bulldogs
to a 16-15 overall record, three victories
over ranked opponents and a return to
the GPAC postseason tournament.
In addition, second team allconference performer Robby Thomas
broke the school single-season record
with 71 blocked shots, and senior Joel

Haywood surpassed 1,000 career points.

Second-year head coach Ben Limback
guided his squad to signature road
wins over No. 3 Northwood University
(Fla.) and No. 12 Midland. The Bulldogs
finished with a record of 11-7 in games
played away from Walz Arena. One of the
NAIAs top shooting teams (.395 3-point
field goal percentage), Concordia posted
its highest per game scoring average
(77.5) since the 2003-04 season.

WOMENS BASKETBALL

TRACY PEITZ

Senior star power and leadership fueled

a storybook season for ninth-year head
coach Drew Olsons squad. National
Player of the Year Bailey Morris sparked
the Bulldogs to a 35-3 overall record, a
GPAC tournament title and the programs
first-ever appearance in the national title
game. Along the way, Concordia defeated
11 ranked teams while using a suffocating
defensive effort that flustered opponents
into nearly 27 turnovers per game.

Senior Tracy Peitz again joined Morris

with All-America honors and did her
best work of the season under the bright
lights at the national tournament. Rookie
Mary Janovich emerged as the GPAC
Freshman of the Year for a deep and
talented roster.
For the second-straight year,
Concordia broke a program record for
per game scoring average with a GPACleading figure of 83.3.

WRESTLING

CERON FRANCISCO

It took only three seasons for head coach

Dana Vote to transform the Concordia
wrestling program into one to be
reckoned with on a national scale. The
2014-15 squad captured GPAC (perfect
7-0 conference dual record) and NAIA
North Qualifying Group titles and placed
12th at the national championships
(highest-ever team finish). Ten Bulldogs
qualified for the national championships
(four All-Americans), nine garnered allconference recognition and three won
regional titles.
Plenty of postseason honors rolled in
for Votes bunch. Senior Enrique Barajas

earned the GPAC Wrestler of the Year

award. The teams four All-Americans
were Ken Burkhardt Jr., Kodie Cole,
Ceron Francisco and Andrew Schulte. For
his impressive work bringing Concordia
wrestling back to prominence, Vote
received GPAC and Regional Coach of the
Year accolades.
The Bulldogs were especially
dominant within the conference. They
won each of their seven GPAC duals by
10 points or more while going 52-18 in
individual conference dual matches.
Only three seniors graduated from Votes
well-stocked squad.
#GoHigher

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33

SOFTBALL

MICHAELA WOODWARD

After a regular season that fell short of

second-year head coach Todd LaVelles
expectations, the Bulldogs turned it on
and won the GPAC tournament title
to lock up their second-straight trip to
the national tournament. Prior to being
eliminated from the Oklahoma City
bracket, Concordia defeated Grand View
University for the programs first-ever
national tournament win. The Bulldogs
finished with an overall record of 2923 (tied for sixth most wins in program
history). They won the GPAC tournament
despite being the conferences No. 7 seed.

GOLF
Representing Concordia with allconference honors were junior Julia
Tyree (first team), freshman Michaela
Woodward (second team) and senior
Molly Madsen (honorable mention).
Woodward keyed the GPAC tournament
run by throwing every single inning in
the circle and going 9-for-20 at the plate
during the six-game splurge. Tyree was
a consistent force in the lineup, leading
the team in batting average (.397), home
runs (seven), on-base percentage (.514)
and slugging percentage (.652).

KAYLA KRUEGER

BASEBALL

ALEX ALSTOTT

New head coach Ryan Dupic helped bring

the first winning season to Concordia
baseball since 1979. The 2015 Bulldogs
broke the program record for wins in a
season by going 26-18 overall (previous
record was 25 wins by the 2012 team).
Led by catalyst Alex Alstott, Concordia
also broke another school record by
scoring 289 runs. Alstott, the teams
leadoff man and centerfielder, topped
all GPAC players in on-base percentage
(.488), slugging percentage (.712) and
triples (13).

Alstott (first team all-conference)

and the Bulldogs won 10 straight games
during the month of March and collected
three wins over teams that were receiving
votes in the national poll at the time of
the contest. While Alstott starred in
center, senior lefty Jaydee Jurgensen
(second team all-GPAC) provided a
legitimate ace on the mound. He went
6-1 with a 3.49 ERA and 54 strikeouts in
56.2 innings.

GRACE HOLLENBECK

KAYLA RONFELDT

Broadcaster

cune.edu

Both of head coach Daneen Kovars

squads hosted duals with Doane and
tested themselves at the second annual
GPAC Cheer and Dance Invitational.
The Bulldog dance team earned a win
over Concordia University Ann Arbor
by a score of 97.3 74 at the Concordia
Invitational Tournament. Meanwhile, the

cheer squad notched a 53.5 51.5 win over

Doane before completing the season with
a fourth-place finish at the GPAC meet.
Dance placed fifth in the conference and
then ninth at the NAIA North Regional
Qualifier. Ashley Blunk and Katherine
Vogel served as captains for cheer. Becca
Odom captained the dance team.

TRACK & FIELD

The women developed cohesive

doubles tandems in Annie Horn and
Grace Hollenbeck at No. 1 and Elyse Kohl
and Emily Meisinger at No. 2. The combo
of Horn and Hollenbeck earned allconference recognition thanks to a GPAC
record of 4-2. They helped the Bulldogs
finish the regular season by winning three
of their final four conference matches.

ZACH LURZ

34

Ahlers and Rodehorst were two of five

Concordia golf all-conference selections.
The others were sophomore Reid Wiebe
for the men and sophomore Kayla Krueger
and freshman Emma Jacoby for the
women. Ahlers won two tournaments on
the season (five career wins) and placed
second overall in the conference. She
finished in the top five in six of the teams
nine events in 2014-15. Jacoby enjoyed a
tremendous first collegiate season with
her biggest highlight being a first-place
claim at GPAC Qualifier No. 2. Among
varsity performers, Rodehorst was the
only senior in either of Mullers lineups.

DANCE & CHEER

TENNIS
Concordia went through a transitional
season in 2015 as first-year head coach
Joel Reckewey, a former four-year
letterwinner for the Huskers, entered
the fray. Reckewey helped the womens
program jump from sixth place to
fourth place with a 4-3 GPAC record.
The Bulldog women were 5-11 overall.
Meanwhile, the men went 3-10 overall
and 1-4 in conference matches.

Both of head coach Brett Mullers

squads continued their ascents up the
GPAC standings during the 2014-15
season. The Concordia women placed
fifth with a four-round total of 343367-353-3611,424. The men were sixth
with their score of 300-312-337-306
1,255. In addition, both teams broke
program records for lowest singleseason average. Individually, sophomore
Amy Ahlers equaled the school singleseason standard for lowest average
(82.0), and senior Shawn Rodehorst
rewrote the record for career average
(77.68).

A big year for head coach Kregg Einspahrs

program concluded with the first-ever
national title in the history of Concordia
athletics. The men won the NAIA outdoor
championship by totaling 59 points to hold
off Indiana Tech (55), Wayland Baptist
(55) and Oklahoma Baptist (53) at the
top of the heap. Meanwhile, the women
placed in a tie for fifth, marking the first
time ever that both the mens and womens
programs finished inside the top five at the
same national meet. At the indoor national
championships, the men placed fifth and
the women 11th. At the 2015 conference
meets, the men turned in first (outdoor)
and second (indoor) place finishes, and
the women were twice the runners-up. A
combined 13 GPAC individual titles and

35 All-America awards were earned by

Bulldogs throughout 2015.
National titles were recorded by Cody
Boellstorff (outdoor hammer throw), Zach
Lurz (indoor shot put) and Josh Slechta
(indoor weight throw). Lurz, a five-time
All-American in 2015, was named the
NAIA mens most valuable performer
of the meet at the outdoor national
championships. On the womens side, Kim
Wood won three GPAC indoor titles, and
Liz King won two conference outdoor
titles while setting a GPAC meet record
in the hammer throw.
Einspahr received mens coaching
awards at the conference and
national levels for Concordias outdoor
championships.

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35

ANATOMY OF A

TOASTING UP
PERFECTION

JIFFY BURGER
Bun

The toasted brioche bun cradles the Jiffy

Burger in buttery goodness.

Lettuce

Green leaf lettuce gives the burger visual

appeal and crunch.

Tomato

A slice of fresh, sweet, juicy red tomato

adds a pop of color and tang of acidity.

Bacon

What burger would be complete without

salty, crisp, savory, greasy, smoky bacon?

A new menu and dedication to the food

has the Dog House Grill busier than ever.
story photo
Danielle Luebbe
Benjamin Schranz

Concordias very own burger joint, the

Dog House Grill, made a risky change
this springand its starting to pay
off. In March 2015, Bryan
Scherbarth, Concordias director
of dining services, overhauled
the menu for the restaurant,
which offers unique burgers,
wings, smoothies and other grill
favorites, and the quality and
flavor of the food are drawing in
Concordia employees, students
and community members.
First, Scherbarth stripped the menu
down to a few classic items, making
sure every detail could be executed to
perfection by his staff. Then he added
new dishes, including some created by
the students who work there.

Food has the

potential to make
people happy in a
very unique way.

Doing things the right way is a

big component of Scherbarths food
philosophy. I care about the Perfect
Toast Factor on a grilled cheese
sandwich, he says. If its overdone or
underdone, I care about those things.
Scherbarth is glad that his vision
for the Dog House Grill and passion for
creating satisfying food are fulfilling
his customers desires. Food has the
potential to make people happy in a
very unique way. Theres nothing in
your day that you get to exercise your
preferences in as much as your meals.
My freedom for the day is picking what
to eat. Thats how I express myself, and
Im thrilled to see how this new menu is
helping my customers to do the same.

Provolone Smooth, mild provolone cheese melts

Cheese into the warmth of the burger.

Peanut Butter Creamy, salty-sweet peanut butter

liquefies into a golden sauce.

Burger

Fresh, never frozen, 100% ground beef,

hand-pattied and grilled to sizzling,
melt-in-your-mouth perfection.

See the whole mouthwatering menu at

cune.edu/doghouse.

36

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cune.edu

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37

AN
EXPLOSION
OF COLOR
story photo
Jennifer Suggitt
Seth Meranda

This spring, splashes of color captivated

visitors to downtown Seward, Nebraska,
after Eric Rieger (better known as
HOTTEA), an Emmy Award-winning,
nationally renowned artist, mentored
Concordia students in the skill of creating
unique artwork with yarnon the
countys courthouse.
Its important that our art students
have the best experience we can give
them, says Don Robson, professor of
art and chair of the art department at
Concordia. Bringing in visiting artists
is one of those ways. We should never
underestimate the potential for big
things to happen, and HOTTEA spending
time at Concordia and in Seward was
definitely a big thing.
Rieger uses yarn to
create art that co-exists
with a public space nondestructivelya safe and
beautiful alternative to
graffiti. He created new,
unique installations of his
yarn work in downtown
Seward April 811 as
this years special guest
of Concordias 2015 Jones
Fine Art Series, an annual event in
partnership with Jones National Bank &
Trust Company of Seward.
Before Rieger arrived, Concordia
invited the community to join the yarn
bombing movement and bring the thrill of
unexpected color and coziness to Seward
by yarn bombing in Riegers honor.
Yarn bombs, typically made of knitted
creations integrated with public spaces,
started cropping up around Seward, on
trees, fences and mailboxes.
I dont think I have ever felt so
welcome in a city I had never been to,
says Rieger.

I dont think I
have ever felt
so welcome
in a city I had
never been to.

Discover more about Rieger and

watch his award-winning video at
cune.edu/yarnbomb.

Concordia graphic design major Mitchell Volk

helps HOTTEA install his masterpiece on the
Seward County Courthouse stairway.

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39

Concordia donors and alumni are

making a bigger impact on the
student experience, the church
and the world than ever before.

record-breaking support

in the church and world

Blessed to be a Blessing, the second-largest capital campaign in the universitys history,

raised $42.3 million in 5.5 years. More than 12,000 alumni and friends provided financial gifts.

A growing network of 20,000+ alumni are serving the church and world,
now in all 50 states and 29 countries.
76 members of the Class of 2014 accepted calls to begin their service in the church,
with dozens more from the Class of 2015 in the call process.

The opportunity that the donors have given me to attend here is life-changing.
From firsthand experience, I could not have gone here without them. The
fact that these four years here have impacted what I want to do is huge, and
Im so thankful for the opportunity to be able to attend this school
because its a blessing.

Concordia Nebraska remains a leader in equipping Lutheran educators. Five alumni earned
awards from the Lutheran Education Association in 2015. Concordia alumni were five
of the eight educators honored by the LEA.
Concordias online community continues to grow year after year, with nearly 2,000 more
likes on Concordia Universitys Facebook page between June 2014 and June 2015 alone
and a 30 percent increase in gifts made online.

JENNA KARLIN 15

growing partnerships

Capital

Renovation of Janzow Campus Center, David Hall, Link Library,

Weller Chapel Auditorium and the Physical Education Building
Creation of an outdoor colonnade connecting the athletic facilities
Construction of The C.G. Kelly and Virginia Holthus Family Plaza
Installation of a campus-wide wireless network

Endowment

133

Increasing membership in Congregations for Concordia University, Nebraska

(CCUNE; formerly NACC) provides more financial support for Concordia students
from 133 congregations in The Lutheran ChurchMissouri Synod.
31 mission trips were completed in the last five years, helping Concordia grow
relationships with international partners.

Recruit and retain talented faculty and staff

Provide additional resources for university programs
Provide competitive financial aid to students

Operations

Enhance campus life

Strengthen academic programs
Support more strategic initiatives
Provide scholarships

Over $2 million was raised over the past fiscal year from alumni and friends
in support of Concordias highest fundraising prioritythe Concordia Fund.
17 area businesses are members of the Concordia Business Partners Program,
expanding support and engagement within the Seward community.
More than 7,500 gifts and pledges were received over the past fiscal year to further
Concordias mission and support Christ-centered education.
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2015 ALUMNI AWARD WINNERS

Alumnus of the Year
Rev. Dr. Ray Mirly 66, Buckeye, Ariz.

Church Leadership Award

Dr. Carolyn (Stroebel) Sims 66, Mission Viejo, Calif.

Lifetime Service Award

Judith Duda, Oviedo, Fla.

Young Alumna of the Year

Dr. Michelle Quinlan 05, Morris Plains, N.J.

Mission & Ministry Award

Rev. Brad Birtell 88, Madison, Neb.

Honorary Alumni Award

Dr. Jerrald Pfabe, Seward, Neb.

Friends of Concordia Award

Norman & Joyce Riffel, Springfield, Neb.

HOMECOMING & ALUMNI REUNION REGISTRATION FORM

HOMECOMING 2015
OCT. 9-11

History Department Reunion | Class Reunions (ending in 0 and 5) | Golden Class Reunion: CHS Class of 1965
Athletic Hall of Fame | Alumni Awards | Bonfire and PRAISE! | Tailgate | Football and Volleyball Games
Visit cune.edu/homecoming for online registration, full schedule details and other Homecoming news.

Register online at cune.edu/homecoming.

Or, mail this completed page and payment by Friday, Sept. 25, 2015, to:
Concordia University, Nebraska, Attn: Homecoming & Alumni Reunion Registration Weller 206
800 N. Columbia Ave., Seward, NE 68434

Attendee Information (please print; note name as it should appear on badge)

Name __________________________________________________ Class Year(s) _______________________________
__
Name __________________________________________________ Class Year(s) _______________________________
__

HOMECOMING SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct. 9
History Department Breakfast Honoring Emeriti Faculty, RSVP required
Homecoming Registration, Janzow Main Lobby
Chapel
History Reunion Luncheon, RSVP required
Gold and Great Reunion Luncheon (CHS Class of 1965, CO Class of 1965 and prior), RSVP required
History Department Reunion Keynote Presentation with Dr. Frederick Luebke
History Department Reunion VIP Tour, Nebraska National Guard Museum
Campus Open Houses
Welcome Home Social Hour, Janzow Main Lobby, RSVP required
CHS Class of 1965 Golden Reunion Dinner, RSVP required
History Reunion Dinner Reception, RSVP required
Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner Banquet, RSVP required
Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Program
Community Bonfire and PRAISE!

9:30 a.m.
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
11 a.m.
Noon
Noon
1:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
1:30 to 4 p.m.
5 to 6 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
5:30 p.m.
6 p.m.
7 p.m.
9 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 10
8 a.m.
9 a.m.
9:30 a.m.
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
1 p.m.
6 p.m.
5 to 8 p.m.
5 to 8 p.m.

Breakfast with the President, RSVP required

Presidents Message
Alumni Awards Presentation
Homecoming Fair, The C.G. Kelly & Virginia Holthus Family Plaza
Pre-Game BBQ Tailgate
Bulldog Football Game vs. Nebraska Wesleyan University
Bulldog Volleyball vs. Nebraska Wesleyan
Honored Class Reunion Gatherings, Locations TBD
Graduates of the Last Decade GOLD, Class of 1990, Class of 1975, CHS Class of 1965
History Department Reunion Social Gathering

Sunday, Oct. 11
8:30 and 11 a.m.
42

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Phone ( _______ ) ______________________ Email _______________________________________________________

__
Address __________________________________________________________________________________________
Street City State
ZIP

Events Requiring Registration or Tickets

Your name tag(s), event tickets and a detailed schedule with locations of events will be available at check-in. Prices are higher at day-of registration.
Number
Cost
Subtotal
_________ x $8 = _________
_________ x $10 = _________
_________ x $0 = _________
_________ x $0 = _________
_________ x $0 = _________
_________ x $0 = _________
_________ x $16 = _________
_________ x $16 = _________
_________ x $9 = _________
_________ x $15 = _________
_________ x $8.50 = _________

Friday, Oct. 9
History Department Reunion Continental Breakfast with Emeriti Professors
Gold and Great Reunion Luncheon
History Department Reunion Luncheon (complimentary, reservations required)
History Department Reunion Keynote
History Department Reunion VIP Museum Tour
Welcome Home Social Hour (complimentary, reservations required)
Concordia High School Class of 1965 Golden Reunion Dinner (no host bar)
History Department Reunion Dinner (adults $16; 4-12 years $9; 3 & under free)
Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet (adults $15; 4-12 years $8.50; 3 years & under free)

_________ x $0 = _________
_________ x $12 = _________

Athletic Hall of Fame Induction

Saturday, Oct. 10
Breakfast with the President (adults $12; 4-12 years $8; 3 & under free)

Alumni Awards Program
Pre-Game Tailgate Barbecue (adults $12; 4-12 years $8; 3 & under free)

_________ x $8 = _________
_________

Total

_________ x $0 = _________
_________ x $12 = _________
_________ x $8 = _________

Payment
Enclose a check made payable to Concordia University, Nebraska.

Worship Services at St. John Lutheran Church (Reserved seating for CHS Class of 1965 group at 8:30 a.m.)

cune.edu

Contact the Alumni Office at 800-535-5494, ext. 7408, or send an email to debbie.brutlag@cune.edu with questions.

Hear why Larry and Chris Irmer support Concordia

by watching their video at cune.edu/giving.

AlumNotes
1950s

DR. RUDY ZOCH 58 completed his 12th

Vision for Africa mission trip to Kenya.
EUGENE KOLANDER CO 58 GR 83 is
currently working at the NFL Arizona
Cardinals football stadium as a security
supervisor.

1960s
JOYCE (DUCHOW) GIERKE 61 completed
the writing and publishing of Getting to
Know You, a total of three volumes on
her life, her husbands life and that of
their family. Joyce and husband Charles
look forward to celebrating their 50th
wedding anniversary in August 2015.

We had people supporting us when we were there. They were

supporting us with their prayers, financial giving and scholarship
assistance. Those people are gone, so, if not us, who?
LARRY IRMER 70

PASTOR RONALD FANDRICK 68 has

published a book, How to Judge Gods
Way, a manual to train church judges.

You Can Make Christ-centered

Education Attainable
Larry 70 and Chris (Meyer) 69 Irmer feel
blessed.
Blessed to have received financial support that
made it possible for them to earn a Lutheran,
Christ-centered education. Blessed that they
were equipped for service in the church and
world when they graduated. Blessed to have
been on the hearts of those in the Concordia
community who were praying for Concordia
students academic and spiritual growth. And
blessed to be able to offer the same support
for todays Concordia students.
We are proud graduates, and we support
Concordia, said Larry. We know of that support
that we had, and we appreciate everything
that Concordia gave us personally and
professionally as a foundation.

1970s
CLAUDE HOUGE 72 and RHODA
(LUECHT) HOUGE CO 71 GR 91 have
moved to Minnesota following Claudes
retirement from Mt. Calvary Lutheran
Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Claude
will also be starting his second thru-hike
of the Appalachian Trail.

As retired teachers in Oceanside, California,

both Larry and Chris are dedicated to playing
a role in continuing to ensure a Christ-centered
Concordia education is available to todays
college students.
Larry and Chris provide gifts to the Concordia
Fund, which in turn provides student scholarship
assistance and the funding needed to carry out
Concordias day-to-day operations. Concordia
Fund gifts are powerful, real-time gifts that
have an immediate impact!
Concordias mission parallels our beliefs, said
Larry, That mission at Concordia is continuing,
and whatever we can do to support that well
do that cheerfully.
You can also play a part in equipping students
to learn, serve and lead in the church and world
today and for years to come.

Make your gift to support

the Concordia Fund at
cune.edu/giving or call
402-643-7221 today.

DEAN ZIEGLER 74 and wife, Linda,

moved to Fredericksburg, Virginia. The
picture includes their granddaughter
Lyra Morales Dorau.

Concordia presented DR. PAUL and SUSAN DUMKE 67 of Fort Collins,

Colorado, with its Sower Award, an annual award that recognizes
prolonged and significant service or giving to the university. Read more about
the Dumkes service and contributions to the Concordia community at
cune.edu/dumkes.

MARK NOENNIG 78 was installed as

director of Christian education, campus
ministry coordinator and assistant to
the pastor at Our Redeemer Lutheran
Church in Moorhead, Minnesota, on
Sunday, May 3, 2015.

1980s
JON CREIGHTON 82 has written a
book called Bona-Fide Fool: Perhaps
Yesterday but Definitely not Today,
regarding professionalism, people skills
and priorities, referencing 2 Timothy 3:1.

DR. JACKIE (ROBIDOUX) ELLIOTT 89,

North Arkansas College president, was
elected to serve a four-year term on the
Higher Learning Commission Board of
Trustees through Aug. 31, 2019.

1990s

DR. ANDREW GOODMAN 83 began a

new position in January as provost for
professional development and director
of the Center for Teaching and Learning
at the University of MissouriSt. Louis.
In 2014, the Nebraska Board of Health
appointed DR. RENEA GERNANT 88
to the Nebraska State Health Care
Credentialing Review Board. She was
appointed in September 2014 for a
second term as the college representative
of the Nebraska State Board of Nursing
Home Administration, and she is a
member of the Bellevue University
Innovation Group in Bellevue, Nebraska.

PETER D. MORKERT 90 was identified

as a Rodel Exemplary Principal finalist
for the state of Arizona in January 2015.
AMY (POULSEN) SCHOLZ 94 accepted
a position as a deployed congregation
and district relations advocate in mission
advancement with the LCMS.
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IN MEMORIAM

CINDY (SCHROEDER) STOPPEL 95 and

Tim Stoppel were blessed with identical
twin boys Aug. 23, 2013. Weston and
Logan joined big brothers Tyson, 7, and
Clayton, 5.

MATT DUCHEK 03 and ANNE (KURTZER)

DUCHEK 03 welcomed twins Emma
Anne and Liam Matthew on Dec. 28, 2014.

MIKE 04 and SARA (DEFREECE) GREIN

05 celebrated the birth of Levi James on
April 4, 2014. He joins brothers Isaiah, 6,
and Josiah, 4.

2000s

KATHLEEN (MILLS) GRIDLEY CO 01 GR 10

and husband Rob Gridley announce the
birth of their second child, Laurel Faith,
born on March 25, 2015. She was welcomed
home by her sister Linnea Grace, born on
Nov. 13, 2012.

RENEE (PRILL) SCOTT 01 and Jared

Scott welcomed Micah James Scott into
the world on Sept. 5, 2014.

Elizabeth Caireann Montgomery was

born to proud mother ALICIA (DIZEREGA)
MONTGOMERY 03 and father DAVID
MONTGOMERY 02 on Sept. 26, 2014.
The family lives in Argyle, Texas. Alicia
is an elementary school librarian, and
David is a manufacturer.

AMBER (DERMODY) BAYER 03 and

Luke Bayer of Victor, Iowa, welcomed
the arrival of their first child, Elsie Rose
May Bayer on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014.

ANDREW BENSCOTER CO 02 GR 05
has accepted a call to serve as the vice
president of education and innovation
with Upbring (formerly known as
Lutheran Social Services of the South).
NICOLE (JIPP) RICKERTSEN 02 and
Lucas Rickertsen announce the birth
of Emmett Steven Rickertsen, born Jan.
27, 2014. His siblings are Hattie, 5, and
Amelia, 4.

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cune.edu

JEREMY KOCH 05, together with his wife

Bailey Koch, have published a book,Never
Alone: A Husband and Wifes Journey
with Depression and Faith.

DANIEL BERGQUIST 06 and KAREN

LININGER 08 were married on June 14,
2015, in Riverton, Wyoming.

AMANDA (ADAMS) WORNER 07 and

Kyle Worner announce the birth of
Hattie Lyn Worner, born Nov. 19, 2014,
joining brother Hudson. Amanda also
earned her Master of Science in nursing
in August 2013.

EMILY HENTE 09 and Christopher

Moss were united in Holy Matrimony
on Sept. 28, 2014, at Busch Stadium in St.
Louis, Missouri.

HANNAH (PIEPER) ELLIOTT CO 09

GR 12 was awarded the Rural Health
Development Administrator of the Year
for 2014. She is the nursing home and
assisted living administrator at the
five-star Sutton Community Home and
Hillcrest View Assisted Living in Sutton,
Nebraska. Hannah presented a research
piece at the Southern Gerontological
Societys Annual Conference in Virginia
on April 15, 2015, and earned first place.

ZACH BAEDKE 10 and EMILIE

(BOURRET) BAEDKE 11 were blessed
with a son, Cayden David, on Sept. 12.
2014. He was baptized on Oct. 12, 2014.

ADAM HENGEVELD 09 and wife Beth

Hengeveld welcomed Edith Kate on
March 1, 2015. She joins sister Charlotte.

Mathea Jacleen Generally was born

on March 11, 2015. She is loved by
her parents Christopher and AMBER
(FOUNTAIN) GENERALLY 03.

HEIDI (SANDERS) MILLER 06 and Adam

Miller were married on June 28, 2014, in
Baltimore, Maryland.
KARA REPENNING 06 married David
Malone on Aug. 2, 2014. They reside in
Raleigh, North Carolina.

2010s

EMMI SCOTT 11 earned her Master of

Education in Curriculum and Instruction
from the University of Colorado at Denver
in December 2014.

ELLEN HENTE 11 was married to

Andreas Birkedal on July 27, 2014, in
St. Louis, Missouri. Andreas will start
his doctoral program at the Concordia
Seminary in St. Louis in the fall of 2015.

One family celebrated three generations of Concordia graduates at the 2015

commencement. The family members include: JOYCE (DUCHOW) GIERKE 61,
JENNIFER (BEHLING) GIERKE 90, JOHN GIERKE 91, PAUL GIERKE 91,
KARIN (GIERKE) JENSEN 94, SEAN GIERKE 03 and MICHAELA GIERKE 15.

Darrell Naber HS 43 CO 46
Selma (Kruse) Erchinger CO 43
Richard Knapp HS 47
Dr. Paul Walther HS 49 CO 54
Rev. Eugene Vetter CO 50
Dr. Philip Rulon HS 51 CO 54
Reese Abbe CO 53
Dr. Curt Brandhorst HS 55 CO 60
Loren Otto HS 55
Verlin Holle HS 55 CO 59 GR 78
David Gode CO 57
Ronald Sohl HS 58
Dr. Daniel Heibel CO 58 GR 78
Edward Reitz CO 60
Dennis Kunkel CO 61
Miriam (Volk) Johnson CO 62
Erna (Fischer) Taff CO 62
Sandra (Prell) Finke CO 63
C. Nafzger CO 63
Dorothy (Zimmerman)
Oberheu CO 63
Edgar Richter CO 63
Roxanne (Suelflow) Stahmer CO 63
Retta (Kriefall) Braun CO 64
Lloyd Luehmann CO 64
Marilynn (Kurth) Peter CO 64 GR 75
Alice (Wiede) Rude CO 64
Virginia (Goecker) Schiefer CO 64
Peggy (Meyer) Hardt CO 65
Gloria (Cordes) Blankenburg CO 66
Ronald Wunder CO 67
Marian (Siebe) Zutz CO 67
Diane (Meinke) Haak CO 68
Florence (Ricenbaw) Amos CO 69
Maxine (Bickel) Fiala CO 69
Robert Dowding CO 70
Richard Lebrecht CO 70
Kathleen (Chernock)
Schroeder CO 70
Gwendolyn (Baker) Grohn CO 74
Susan (Boyer) Pond CO 74
Martin Roedel CO 75
Wanda (Miesner) Wishmeier CO 75
Dr. Leonard Bassett CO 86 GR 90
James McMaster, Jr. CO 02
Patricia (Wallace) Glasrud GR 08
Arranged by year; current as of May 15, 2015
HS: High School, CO: College, GR: Graduate

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Calendar of Events
August
12
23
24

Opening of School Year Dinner

Opening Worship Service
First Day of Classes

September
1
12
13
20
21
25

Osten Observatory Open House

Fall Fan Appreciation Day
Visiting Artist:
Jonathan Sokasits on piano
Faculty Showcase Recital
International Visit Day
IMPROVables Performances

October
1
2
3
6
9
9
911
16-18
25
30

Clayton Anderson, Astronaut,

Presentation
Plum Creek Childrens Literacy
Festival Childrens Day
Plum Creek Adult Conference
Osten Observatory Open House
Visit Day
Mini-IMPROVathon
Homecoming and Alumni
Reunion Weekend
Fall Break
Collegiate Showcase
University A Cappella Choir
Musical Arts Day Concert

Please check cune.edu/events for the

latest available events and details.

November

January

Cattle Classic Basketball Mini Clinic

Osten Observatory Open House
Chamber Music Recital
Visit Day
Cattle Classic Basketball
Tournament
6-7 Lost in Yonkers Theatre
Performances
11
Honor Recital
12-14 Beautiful Feet Mission Conference
13-15 Lost in Yonkers Theatre
Performances
17
Symphonic Band and Concert
Band Concert
18
Founders Day
21-29 Thanksgiving Break

Start of Spring Semester

Sleet and Snow Swing:
Sleet Invitational for Forensics
18
Visit Day
23
CUNE High School Speech Classic
29-30 Concordia Invitational Tournament

1
3
5
6
6-7

December
4
4-6
6
6
10
11
12
12
17

Visit Day
Christmas at Concordia Concerts
Scholarship Parade of Homes
Christmas at Concordia Open House
and Tree Lighting
Chamber Orchestra and Chamber
Choir Concert
Winter JazzFest
Handbell Concert
IMPROVables Performances
End of Fall Term

11
16-17